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train · 162k rows

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You know when you’ve been in a place long enough. By Thursday night I had tried all the restaurants on or near Had Farang beach, swam in its green waters six mornings in a row, watched five sunsets with drink in hand (although the sun only showed up twice, being hidden behind clouds the remaining evenings) and taken six cold showers. I had adopted a routine: swim in the morning, write in the afternoon, watch the sunset, dinner, internet, bed. I quickly get bored of routines. Friday was my last day, an especially hot and humid one, and I didn’t do much. I felt unwell. It wasn’t anything drastic, but I had no appetite, my stomach felt vaguely unsettled and I became mildly nauseous at the thought of food or as soon as I exerted myself. So I took it easy and drank mostly fruit shakes all day. I skipped lunch and I skipped dinner. I had an afternoon nap. I had an alcohol-free cocktail at sunset. I was hoping to feel better for my transfer to Koh Lanta on Saturday. Fortunately, by Saturday morning I felt in pretty good shape. I finished packing, had breakfast and waited for the “taxi” to take me to the beach to catch the ferry to Koh Lanta. Since Koh Mook has no cars, taxis are side-cars attached to motorcycles. Driving down the rutted dirt track, loaded with luggage, you can’t help wondering if they ever flip over! Since Had Farang beach has no dock, I had to take a long-tail boat for the 2-minute ride to the ferry which was anchored offshore. I always had fun watching the tourists trying to get themselves and their luggage onto one of those long-tail boats while fighting the surf and trying not to get knocked over by the bobbing boat, but now it was my turn! My foot must have hit something in the process because I noticed a trickle of blood. It looked like just a nick, but I still disinfected it properly once on the ferry, because any kind of wound can easily get infected in the tropics. The ferry itself was a rather small speed boat, covered, with padded seats along the sides, enough to fit perhaps 24 people comfortably. It never got near full, even though we made a few more stops along the way. Less than two hours later we arrived at the Koh Lanta pier. My hotel had agreed to send a taxi, but I didn’t see it. It was a little confusing. Someone said that we were not at the Saladan pier, but some other place. Basically I had no idea where I was. I showed the name of my hotel to someone who seemed to be in charge, and they directed me to a pick-up truck. The ride cost 50 Bahts ($1.70) and they took me straight to my hotel. Koh Lanta is a big island, about 30 kms long and 6 kms wide with nine beaches strung along its west coast. I was here in 1997 and I also remember riding in a pick-up truck, but the road wasn’t asphalted then. My hotel is called “Lanta Just Come” and is located along the main road, two minutes walk from Klong Khong beach. I picked this location solely based on the Trip Advisor reviews of this hotel, the fact that it is within my budget (barely) and has all the amenities I’ve been lacking on Koh Mook: air-conditioning, hot water and cappuccinos. It even has a large TV and a mini-fridge. True luxury! I was rather disappointed when I saw the beach in the mid-afternoon though: at low-tide, large rocks sat at the water’s edge and the sand looked rather mucky. I was also shocked at the food prices, a mark-up of about 50% on Koh Mook’s. But as I discovered later that day, restaurants along the main road (as opposed to the beach) are more reasonably-priced and authentic, although without the lounging mats, and cutesie little lamps and lights that give the beach shacks their shabby-hippy-touristy vibe. The afternoons are too hot for me here, so I stayed indoors and took advantage of the WiFi in my room to look where else I can go after my four nights here are up. I`m thinking perhaps Long Beach, the next beach north of here. I`ll check it out tomorrow. Once the heat had abated last night, I headed out for another walk on the beach. The tide had risen and the rocks were now under water. I found a place offering mojitos for 80 Bahts. That’s less then $3, almost as cheap as in Cuba! It was pretty good too. I drank my mojito while relaxing on one of those ubiquitous Thai lounge mats. By the time I left it was dark, and as I was taking pictures of the prettily-lit beach shacks, I realized that I had lost my lens cap! I looked in the camera bag as it often comes off the lens and stays in there. No luck this time. I combed the beach, retracing my steps, but it’s like looking for a needle in a haystack. It’s dark, the sand shifts, and is littered with shells and dead pieces of coral. Some people tried to help me with little flashlights, but in the end I had to give up. Sigh. At least I have a UV filter on the lens to protect it, and a camera bag. But if I scratch the filter, then what? I’ll see if I can find a replacement in Krabi town. Still, I find this vexing. I’m so careful with my stuff (and myself) when I travel. But on second thought, it’s surprising I haven’t lost it before. At my hotel recommendation, I had dinner at a local open-air restaurant across the road called Cha Cha (come to think of it, all the restaurants are open-air here). I had a good vegetable green curry at a price comparable to Koh Mook (100 Bahts for curry and steamed rice). A lot of people in this area are Muslim as I’ve noticed many women wearing head scarves, and some men also wearing some form of head gear. This includes the people at my hotel, and at the dinner restaurant. It’s a different story on the beach where some places even have foreign staff/owners. Another people observation is the large number of families with babies or young children travelling in southern Thailand. You were not seeing this in 1997 when the southern beaches were mostly the realm of backpackers and really felt like you were travelling in a foreign country. Now you could be anywhere. As I expected, Thailand has really turned into a mainstream destination and prices for accommodation (at least in the south) have risen. I woke up with a mild headache this morning but I knew the cure: a cappuccino at the hotel’s restaurant! Many restaurants advertise them here. Ha, the benefits of civilization! I also had a “pancake with chocolate” which looked and tasted more like a bad chocolate cake than a pancake. Someone needs to explain to the Thai that a pancake is not a cake! The beach looked a lot more inviting this morning (high tide) and I had a swim. I kept my Teva sandals on however because those rocks are now under the water. There are also a lot of those little stingy fish (some kind of jelly fish?) and more surf. Not as pleasant a swim as Koh Mook. I also took a walk on the beach before it got too hot. I must have walked at least a kilometre and a half before the beach stopped at a headland. On the way I saw many more of those beach shacks restaurants/bars, many advertising “happy shakes”. Hummm, whatever they are, I have the feeling that they include an ingredient that’s probably illegal in Canada. Should I try one in the interest of research? By the way, I’ve made a slight change of plans: I will not stay in Bangkok before my flight to Burma (over Christmas) because the unrest and protests are continuing there with no end in sight. Instead I will stay in Krabi town (two hours from here) and fly to Bangkok on Dec 26, connecting directly to my Burma flight without having to leave the airport. You may also want to read: on Jul 25, 2017 at 9:03 PM been to this place many times! and its amazing! cheers! Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Notify me of follow-up comments by email. 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Happy Two Cats Tuesday, Cuteheads! This week Pimp and Moo went to the vet, and they wanted to tell you that they both did a great job! Pimp has hyperthyroid, you know, so he has to go and get his tests often. We also weigh him because the poor boy is thin and frail. He's my little bag of bones, that sweet thing. Pimp weighed in at 8.4 pounds. He lost a little weight from the last visit, but the vet wasn't concerned. It's hard to believe this cat was once 23 pounds (and very overweight)! This is us at the vet. It's the only time they'll get this close to each other and share my lap. Moo on the other hand has the total opposite issue. He needs to go on a diet. That cow cat weighed in at 12.3 pounds... and he is not a big-sized cat. He gained a whole pound since his last visit. Oh my cat! So he's officially on a diet, for real. He's been on a diet, but only kind of jokingly, but we really need to crack down now. A pound of two would make a big difference for him. And that's the report! Other than that, they are perfect and wonderful boys. And happy to be back home, of course. Why not subscribe to Your Daily Cute by email? Don't miss a Cute! 23 comments: Pricilla July 16, 2013 at 12:19 AM Glad they are doing well, poundage notwithstanding ReplyDelete Replies Dash Kitten in NZ July 16, 2013 at 2:08 AM Good to know you still have two good looking cats there Dorian! ReplyDelete Replies Fisher and Jobi July 16, 2013 at 5:37 AM Good to know the two sweeties are doing OK! ReplyDelete Replies margaret Preston July 16, 2013 at 7:02 AM Great job boys! I am impressed that you take them both on the same day! I would have to do it on two separate days due to the trauma and angst of the whole thing! LOL ReplyDelete Replies Leona July 16, 2013 at 7:50 AM Wonderful that they both had good visits at the Vet. The pic of both of them on your lap at the vet's is adorable. They are amazing cuties. Have a good day!!!! ReplyDelete Replies kspicer July 16, 2013 at 8:27 AM I had two of my four girls at the vet two weeks ago. Winky gained and pound and is about 9.5. She is a good weight. Poor little chubby Pinky weighs almost 14! She gained 2 pounds in a year. We have started a diet for her. My other two girls are small. 6 pound Roxy and about 9 pound Kitty who is my oldest one. But sweet Pinky needs to slim down! Good luck with Moo's diet! ReplyDelete Replies Connie KittyBlog July 16, 2013 at 11:39 AM glad the visit went well. I had a kitty that lost lots of weight due to illness, it was hard to watch when I focused on just her weight, but her personality wouldn't let me focus on that.. it sounds like Pimp is very similar in that way.. as for Moo, have you seen this? ReplyDelete Replies l k damon July 16, 2013 at 3:49 PM ReplyDelete Replies mmckoriet July 16, 2013 at 6:41 PM Good boys! Darn weigh ins! My Kiki is overweight too Moo so do not fret. It's not so bad being on a diet with good tasting food. My Kiki now eat the Medi-Cal Metabolic and all other cats can eat that too. It keeps you full and satisfied. There are also treats! Pimp, you have been looking a bit thinner. I'm glad at least the Vet said it was ok. I also had cats with thyroid problems and got thin and were on Meds. Keep eating the right food and your Mom is always there to care for you guys. You are lucky! ReplyDelete Replies Jane Davison July 16, 2013 at 9:13 PM It looks like they did pretty well. ReplyDelete Replies The Island Cats July 16, 2013 at 9:21 PM Pimp and Moo...aren't you glad that's over now?? We're glad all went well, 'cept for that dieting stuff. ReplyDelete Replies Jean July 16, 2013 at 9:56 PM How sweet is this picture of the 3 of you! So happy they are fine and Pimp's weight loss is not a high priority right now but watch him closely (which I know you do) and Moo, well, I have too very o/weight fosters who have not had great interaction with toys but I try to keep them interested. They are truly spoiled and TOO HEAVY. Great work for all of you. ReplyDelete Replies Bernadette July 16, 2013 at 10:05 PM So glad to hear they are doing well. I can't believe Pimp was 23 pounds! Shouldn't be a problem then for you to get Moo to lose a couple of pounds. ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:52 PM They are good boys. :) Just if they would stop trying to eat each others' food! Of course the other food is more delicious... ;) ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:53 PM Yes, his personality is still kitten! ;) I've read that about that link, Connie. It's interesting. He gets both dry and wet -- dry for breakfast, wet for dinner! ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:54 PM Two pounds in a year! Excellent effort, Pinky... Haha. Now do just as good getting it back off! ;) ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:54 PM Much easier to go together. The vet isn't so close, so I always try to take them both when I can. Plus, I think they like each other there. :) ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:55 PM Moo is taking this cow-cat thing too seriously. ;) ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:55 PM Thank you. They certainly know they are good looking! ;) ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:55 PM Thanks, Leona! :) I wish they'd cuddle together on my lap more often! ReplyDelete Replies Dorian July 16, 2013 at 10:56 PM If you listen to Moo, you'd think I'm starving him and he eats once a week or so... ;) ReplyDelete Replies Lin July 16, 2013 at 11:06 PM It's hard when one cat is too skinny and the other is too fat. I've got that going on here too. I'm going to start Hobbes back on diet food because he really needs it. It's just hard because I don't want Grace to eat that--she is tooooooo skinny. She just weighed in at 7.5 lbs. Like Pimp, our vet isn't too concerned about that. I think they just get skinny when they get old--unlike me. ReplyDelete Replies Kitties Blue July 17, 2013 at 9:11 PM Glad Moo and Pimp did well at the VET. We cannot believe a cat that was once 23 pounds only weighs a little more than 8 pounds now. Hope he stays healthy. Purrs and hugs, Lily Olivia, Mauricio, Misty May, Giulietta, Fiona, Astrid, Lisbeth and Calista Jo	6,411
JBHE is dedicated to the conscientious investigation of the status and prospects for African Americans in higher education. Enrollments Appointments Books Graduate Schools Professional Schools Two Rwandan Scholars in the U.S. Seek to Broaden Opportunities for Other African Students The African STEM Network or AFRISNET, will be an online resource that will provide resources, information, and assistant to African students seeking educational opportunities or internships in the United States. Jun 06, 2018 \| 3 comments View Post If the Supreme Court bans race-sensitive admissions for colleges and universities, how difficult do you believe it will be for higher educational institutions to maintain current levels of racial and ethnic diversity? It would be a crushing blow to diversity efforts. If colleges want to maintain diversity, they will find a way to do so. Favoring low-income, first-generation students and other creative measures would help maintain diversity. Abandoning the use of standardized tests would be one way to level the playing field. 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February 3 is the Feast of St. Blaise (also called Blasius), a wildly popular saint in middle-ages Europe, but about whom we actually know very little. We know he existed — he’s named in an ancient medical journal, he served as bishop of Sabaste in modern-day Turkey more than 1700 years ago, and Marco Polo visited his shrines. He’s also the patron saint of veterinarians. Holy Blaise was martyred under Licinius around 316 A.D., but we remember him today because of the legends that grew up around him. St. Blaise and His Beasts According to one legend, Licinius’ soldiers were marching Blaise to prison when a woman approached the caravan distressed that her pig was being attacked by a wolf. At Blaise’s command, the wolf released the pig, and the woman later brought candles to Blaise’s cell so he would have light to read. The most famous legend has the imprisoned bishop miraculously curing a young boy choking on a fish bone, thus his fame as the patron saint of throat ailments and yesterday’s little liturgy. Even the woman’s candles find their way back into the story, because in time the custom arose of blessing the throats of the faithful by holding two tapered candles (called a “candelabrum”) against the throat while invoking the intercession of St. Blaise against any illness, particularly ailments of the throat. The Church has blessed and prayed for the sick since its earliest days. In chapter 5 of his epistle, St. James wrote: “14Are any among you sick? They should call for the elders of the church and have them pray over them, anointing them with oil in the name of the Lord. 15The prayer of faith will save the sick, and the Lord will raise them up; and anyone who has committed sins will be forgiven. 16Therefore confess your sins to one another, and pray for one another, so that you may be healed.” The annual blessing of the throats is an old sacramental practice, a sign of the struggle against illness and of praying for healing. I learned the practice as curate at the Church of the Ascension & St. Agnes in Washington, DC, where my mentor, Fr. Ron Conner, would bless almost anything that moved — taxi cabs, firetrucks, animals of any kind, water, plants, rosaries, and — of course — throats. And I’ve taken the practice with me to the Advent in Boston and, now, to our parish church here in Nashville. Even before arriving at St. Bartholomew’s, I’d heard of the emphasis on healing here. From the old weekend retreats on healing to the prayer stations in the nave every Sunday (thanks, Phyllis!), healing has long been part of this parish’s ministry. I’ve heard story after story of folks who arrived at St. B’s beaten and bloody, only to find healing and wholeness in the Sacraments and through the love of this community. Looking back on my time here, I’m happy to say I’ve found healing here, too, and in ways I hadn’t expected. Part of healing is becoming aware of the particular shape of one’s brokenness, and that comes through self-awareness. Thanks to the relationships I’ve built here — with the staff, vestry, and members of our parish — I’ve come to understand myself so much better, which helped me find particular patterns of sinfulness to carry to my confessor, and the coaching the vestry procured for me and the staff over the past two years gave me tools I didn’t even know I needed to be a better husband, father, priest and friend. I’m leaving a different man to the one I arrived as, and I’ll forever be grateful for that. So I wanted to write one last short Digest just to say thank you — for everything. In less than a week I fly to NY to take a new post, but I leave Nashville with a St.B’s-shaped hole in my heart. I’m sad, to be sure, but if grief is but the other side of love, then my sadness is an indicator of the love I have for this place and for you. In the closing pages of Tolkien’s famous trilogy, Gandalf the Wizard rides with Sam and Frodo and Bilbo out of the Shire, to the Far Downs and the Towers, and to Mithlond, the Grey Havens (always sounded like the saddest place imaginable) in the long firth of Lune, where they meet Merry and Pippin. In the shadow of the great white ship that will carry Gandalf across the High Sea and into the West, Sam is “sorrowful at heart” at this parting of friends. And typing today my heart’s sorrowful, too. But I’m reminded of the parting words of Gandalf the Wise: “Well, here at last, dear friends, on the shores of the Sea comes the end of our fellowship in Middle-earth. Go in peace! I will not say: do not weep; for not all tears are an evil.” And lastly, for one more time, the latest — If you find yourself by a fire this weekend, here’s what I’ve been up to of late: Reading: I’ve been so tired at night lately that I’ve honestly not read much of anything. But one thing I want to read is a little book Meredith Flynn told me about yesterday — Dennis Linn’s Sleeping With Bread: Holding What Gives You Life. If one of the questions at the book’s heart is “For what am I most grateful?” then a handful of wonderful years at St. B’s is at the top of my answers list. Listening: Fleetwood Mac’s Rumours turns 45 today. My eldest, Elizabeth, says Stevie, Mick, and the gang are her favorite band, so my parenting can’t be all bad, right? Watching: Our own Tony Morreale recommended this one earlier in the week — Captain Irving Johnson’s Around Cape Horn, stunning video and commentary of his voyage to the bottom of the world in 1929. That led me to the Ghosts of Cape Horn documentary. Maybe I’m got barques on the brain, or perhaps it’s just anticipation of a journey, but both had me riveted. And if you just can’t get enough, revisit Gordon Lightfoot’s classic, and I defy you not to hum it for the next 2 days. As always, thanks for reading all my meandering posts. Hope to see you for the Bonfire and BBQ on Sunday! I’ll treasure all the memories, and pray God blesses you — Related Posted byFr. Sammy Wood February 4, 2022 Posted inUncategorized Published by Fr. Sammy Wood Interim Rector of St. Mary the Virgin Episcopal Church in Times Square View more posts Previous Post Previous post: Next Post Next post: 2 thoughts on “The One About the Grey Havens and Goodbye” Bob and Susan Lyons says: February 4, 2022 at 7:54 pm We love your meandering comments and will miss you and your family. Bob and I wish you and your family safe travel. We will also miss your great sermons and stories. LikeLiked by 1 person February 5, 2022 at 12:08 am Much love to you all! Your presence with us — in person, in meanderings, in playlists, in prayers, in so many ways — has been a blessing.	6,896
Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hands off to running back Javonte Williams (33) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las… Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hands off to running back Javonte Williams (33) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker) Sports Wilson has sore shoulder, Broncos lose Williams, Gregory by: ARNIE STAPLETON, Associated Press Posted: Oct 3, 2022 / 01:12 PM CDT Updated: Oct 3, 2022 / 09:06 PM CDT Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hands off to running back Javonte Williams (33) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las… Denver Broncos quarterback Russell Wilson (3) hands off to running back Javonte Williams (33) during the second half of an NFL football game against the Las Vegas Raiders, Sunday, Oct. 2, 2022, in Las Vegas. (AP Photo/David Becker) by: ARNIE STAPLETON, Associated Press Posted: Oct 3, 2022 / 01:12 PM CDT Updated: Oct 3, 2022 / 09:06 PM CDT ENGLEWOOD, Colo. (AP) — Broncos standout running back Javonte Williams is out for the year after tearing his right ACL in Denver’s 32-23 loss to the Las Vegas Raiders, and pass rusher Randy Gregory needs knee surgery and will miss multiple weeks. Also, QB Russell Wilson has a sore right throwing shoulder and he was hypothetically listed as limited on the players’ day off Monday. “Yeah, he got dinged up in the game and you know he’s just a little sore today,” coach Nathaniel Hackett said. “We’re just gonna be sure to take care of him and give him treatment throughout the week.” Hackett said as of now, Wilson will play Thursday night against the Colts. As for Williams and Gregory, “both of those guys are obviously very important to our team,” Hackett said. “Losing Javonte is so unfortunate, a dynamic player in this league. Randy, same thing. Having to have him miss some time right now is hard because he’s been a great force on the team.” Hackett said Gregory, who got hurt chasing Derek Carr with about six minutes left in the game, will have arthroscopic surgery soon and IR is a possibility. The good news is an MRI showed his ACL was intact. Williams got hurt on the first play of the third quarter Sunday when he took the handoff from Wilson and was tackled behind the line of scrimmage. He didn’t put any weight on his right leg as he was helped off the field after staying down for an extended time. Williams earned the starting job this season after sharing backfield duties with Melvin Gordon his rookie year in 2021. Williams had 202 yards on 47 rushes and 76 yards on 16 catches this season. Last year, Williams rushed for 903 yards and four TDs and caught 43 passes for 316 yards and three TDs, making him one of the top running backs in the league coming into his second NFL season. Williams’ backups faired poorly Sunday when the Broncos (2-2) lost for the fifth consecutive time to the Raiders. Gordon had a fumble on his first carry that was returned for a long touchdown and Mike Boone had two critical drops and failed to pick up the blitz on a sack. The Broncos’ ability to explore the trade market for a running back is hampered by a lack of 2023 draft picks following the trade for Wilson this spring. The Broncos’ best bet with their next game coming up Thursday night at home against Indianapolis (1-2-1) would be to promote Devine Ozigbo from their practice squad. Williams is the second key offensive starter the Broncos have lost to a season-ending knee injury. Wide receiver Tim Patrick got hurt in training camp. “This is part of football; it’s a physical game,” Hackett said. “We can’t deny there’s certain things we can’t control. And as a team we’re going to band together and we’re going to step it up and we’re going to get better. And whoever has the opportunity to go in has to embrace it and be excited for it and play the best they’ve ever played.” More AP NFL coverage: https://apnews.com/hub/nfl and https://twitter.com/AP_NFL Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.	4,221
Posted on May 26, 2014 by LEPA Initiative We welcome reflections and posts on facebook, poems, songs, blog posts, articles, photos and more on Why #MenstruationMatters to you and tag it with #MenstruationMatters or #BreakTheSilence. If possible, send us a link, or post directly on LEPA Initiative facebook page. Find more information about Menstrual Hygiene Day here – as well as a social media mapping to help target your messages. Looking forward to engaging with you online. Importantly, please participate in this short survey to help us stay in touch with you, and share important updates. You are appreciated! Posted in Africa, Human Rights \| Tagged #MenstruationMatters, May 28 \| Leave a reply Posted on May 26, 2014 by LEPA Initiative Menstrual Hygiene Day was created to publicly recognize the right of women to hygienically manage their menstruation wherever they are. By acknowledging that menstruation is a normal human process and a sign of good health, Menstrual Hygiene Day confronts the stigmas attached to menstruation with collective advocacy, education and action. What does ‘Menstrual Hygiene Day’ want to achieve? Menstrual Hygiene Day aims to help break the silence and raise awareness about the importance of menstrual hygiene management. The long-term goal is to have Menstrual Hygiene Day become an official UN Day by year 2020. MH Day has brought together over 80 partners from social businesses, NGOs, advocates, academia and other influential sectors. Menstrual Hygiene Day is on May 28th and will be celebrated in 2014 for the first time. The number 28 refers to the average days of the menstrual cycle, and 5 refers to the average amount of days a woman or girl experiences menstruation in a month. From small villages to big cities, Menstrual Hygiene Day will be celebrated in places such as Berlin, Delhi, Kathmandu, Nairobi and more, with exhibitions, meetings and trainings. Want to know more? You are appreciated! Posted in Africa, Human Rights \| Tagged #MHM, Africa, Hygiene, May 28, Menses, Menstruation, Sanitation, WASH \| Leave a reply Posted on May 24, 2014 by LEPA Initiative Blood speaks What is life like when having your period puts your health at risk and means you are shunned by society? Rose George reports from Nepal and Bangladesh on menstrual taboos. For Radha dinner is served at 7. She crouches down behind a shed, a good distance from her house, then waits. She knows what the menu will be: boiled rice, the same as yesterday and the day before. She knows that it will be her little sister who serves it, throwing the rice onto her plate from a height, the way you would feed a dog. In Jamu, Radha’s village in western Nepal, her status is lower than a dog’s, because she is menstruating. She is only 16, yet, for the length of her period, Radha can’t enter her house or eat anything but boiled rice. She can’t touch other women – not even her grandmother or sister – because her touch will pollute them. If she touches a man or a boy, he will start shivering and sicken. If she eats butter or buffalo milk, the buffalo will sicken too and stop milking. If she enters a temple or worships at all, her gods will be furious and take their revenge, by sending snakes or some other calamity. Here, menstruation is dirty, and a menstruating girl is a powerful, polluting thing. A thing to be feared and shunned. After dinner, Radha prepares for bed. Darkness falls fast in Jamu and without mains electricity the villagers follow old rhythms and sleep with the dark. Radha’s parents are both migrant workers in India, so she lives with her grandmother. Their house has a solar-powered light, as does the one opposite, where I’m staying with my travelling companions: the Communications and Gender Officer for WaterAid Nepal and our photographer. The light is no use to Radha this week, because her bed is elsewhere. She leads me over the thoroughfare of pebbles and rocks that passes for a road, suitable only for motorcycles and walkers. Cars and buses must stop at the river, a four-hour walk away. We walk up a steep hill, through long snake grass, to a small lean-to structure. It looks like an animal shed, but it is smaller and meaner. This is the shed where the village’s menstruating women and girls sleep. In the winter, Radha sleeps on the tiny enclosed ground floor, no bigger than a crawl space. The summer accommodation is an earthen floor on a platform above, four-foot square. Except for a grass roof, it is open to the elements. There is not space even for one person to lie down, but tonight there will be three. Radha’s relative Jamuna is also menstruating, and she’ll be sleeping here along with her one-year old son. Still, Radha appreciates the company, as another woman is some protection against drunken men who conveniently forget about untouchability when it comes to rape. Although the stigma keeps women silent, rapes of women sleeping in these sheds are common enough to appear as occasional items in newspapers in faraway Kathmandu,;and common enough for women to look down when they are mentioned. Also common are snake attacks. (I see three snakes there in three days.) Sometimes there are four or five women in the shed, an unthinkable number. If the shed is that full, then girls and women must find other options. Up the field, I watch with disbelief as a 14-year-old girl shows me her sleeping arrangements for the night: the bare earth outside her family’s house, with only a mosquito net for protection. It’s only the third time she has had her period and already she is resigned. What can she do? In the local dialect, Radha, her relative and the 14-year-old girl are ‘chhau’ (sometimes ‘chau’). Originally meaning ‘menstruation’ in the Rawte dialect of Achham, it has come to mean ‘untouchable menstruating woman’. The system of keeping girls and women apart is known as ‘chhaupadi’ (‘padi’ means ‘woman’). Menstrual taboos and restrictions are still practised in dozens of countries across Asia and Africa. In neighbouring India, I have met girls who told me seriously that their nail polish went rotten if they applied it during their period, and that they were forbidden from touching pickles. But chhaupadi is one of the most severe and damaging examples. In 2005, Nepal’s Supreme Court declared it illegal. Three years later, the Ministry of Women, Children and Social Welfare issued guidelines meant to eradicate the practice. But western Nepal is remote both geographically and legislatively, and enforcement is rare. A 2010 survey in the mid- and far-western regions found that 19 per cent of women had been forced to live in chhaupadi sheds, but this figure rose to 52 per cent in the mid-western mountain areas and 50 per cent in the far-western hills. We are in the mid-west, but not in mountain country where the practice is more endemic, so I wasn’t sure of finding chhaupadi sheds. The first village we encounter is Narci, an hour’s walk after the road runs out. There is a chhaupadi shed outside every house. Some contain possessions: a comb stuck in the thatch or a bottle of red nail polish. Some have schoolbooks. In Narci, a group of women gather to talk, sitting at a safe distance on the steps outside a house, as one, Nandakala, is menstruating and she doesn’t dare come closer. Her chhaupadi shed is nearby. She says, along with all the other women, that chhaupadi is necessary. If menstruating women don’t observe the taboos, bad things happen. A buffalo could climb a tree. Men would start trembling and fall ill. Snakes will be brought by the sin. A woman holding a small scythe gets animated at this: “Yes, it’s true. A big snake came into my house.” In this group setting, none of them protest. They accept their situation, even the lack of sanitary pads. “We don’t even wear underwear. What do you expect? We are jungle people.” Instead, they let the blood flow, or make a sort of loincloth from old saris that they tie between their legs. As for washing and drying the cloths, that must be done in secret, if at all. It is discreet, but also dangerous: unless menstrual cloths are properly washed and dried in sunlight, they can be a health hazard. The women shrug. It is our tradition, they say. It’s what our parents and grandparents did, so it’s what we do. But away from the group, as she has her picture taken in her miserable chhaupadi shed, Nandakala is more frank. “Of course I hate it,” she tells the photographer. In the winter it’s cold. In the summer it’s hot. The restrictions are stifling and unfair. “Why should the gods punish us? Why should women be punished? But what the hell can we do?” On the four-hour road trip from Nepalgunj, the location of the nearest airport, we encountered signs in Nepali, declaring villages to be ODF (open-defecation-free), meaning that they now have adequate toilets. But many do not: 15 million people in Nepal – about half the population – have no toilet. Just under 8,000 Nepali children still die every year from water- and sanitation-related diseases (most from diarrhoea), according to WaterAid. Those deaths are usually caused by faecal particles getting into food or water, and would be easily prevented by decent sanitation, clean water and hygiene. On paper, Nepal’s commitments to sanitation are impressive: the government plans to ensure 53 per cent sanitation coverage nationwide by 2015, rising from 43 per cent in 2009. But its efforts to reduce menstrual taboos and chhaupadi are less admirable. Despite the Supreme Court’s judgement, menstrual taboos are so far from being eradicated in Nepal that they have their own national holiday. In early September in Nepal, Hindus – who make up 81 per cent of the country’s 30.5 million people – celebrate Rishi Panchami, a festival that commemorates a woman who was reborn as a prostitute because she didn’t follow menstrual restrictions. It is a women’s holiday, and so Nepal’s government gives all women a day off work. This is not to recognise the work done by women, but to give them the time to perform rituals that will atone for any sins they may have committed while menstruating in the previous year. (Girls who have not begun menstruating and women who have ceased to menstruate are exempt.) At 3am we find thousands of women queuing up at Pashupatinath temple, Kathmandu’s grandest, ready to atone. They are not ignorant about the nature of the rituals, as I crassly expected them to be, nor is this something done by rote. “We may have touched a man by mistake,” they say, queuing so tightly that the line looks like a mile-long embrace. “We have to do this because our ancestors did.” Even the female police officers standing nearby see nothing wrong with it. “I can’t do the rituals this year because I’m on duty,” says one, holding a cup of warm tea in the cold morning darkness, “so next year I’ll do double.” She is serious, and so are the five women we find at a river’s edge nearby, ritually washing themselves 365 times. Dressed in red petticoats, a sacred thread around their waists, they spend hours performing the ritual washing of their private parts, belly button, elbows, armpits, heart and head, while men on the far river bank suddenly find the need to do an hour’s calisthenics right in front of these near-naked women. The women finally cleanse their hair by smearing it with fresh buffalo dung, before washing it with cow urine and milk. I ask the eldest woman whether she believes she has sinned. “Well if I didn’t, I wouldn’t have done all this, would I?” Rishi Panchami enrages many educated Nepali women. It’s not so much the superstition but the legitimacy that the government gives it by providing a holiday that declares women to be dirty and polluting. At a menstrual hygiene event put on by WaterAid in Kathmandu, Ashutosh Tiwari, WaterAid’s Country Representative for Nepal, made an explicit but unpopular case. “You might wonder why a water and sanitation NGO is talking about menstrual hygiene. It’s because we are trying to make the important point that for women’s empowerment we should start with something like menstrual hygiene.” Even so, menstrual hygiene is a hard sell for many sanitation and WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) NGOs. Privately, female Nepali sanitation activists tell me that their male colleagues see no need to object to chhaupadi or Rishi Panchami, because it is tradition. This cultural relativism is both wrong and costly: it’s well established by now that countries with poor sanitation pay for it. India loses 6.4 per cent of its GDP to health and other costs caused by its lack of sanitation (untimely deaths, productivity lost to ill-health or disease, hospital beds used by patients with sanitation-related disease). Globally, poor sanitation loses the world $260 billion a year. No economic research on the costs of not having clean water and sanitation has yet been done in Nepal, but in nearby Pakistan, the total economic loss caused by poor sanitation is equivalent to 3.9 per cent of its GDP, and across all low-to-middle-income countries the average loss is 1.5 per cent.; The specific health impacts of poor menstrual hygiene have been little explored. Anecdotally, the use of unhygienic menstrual protection has been linked to reproductive tract infections such as bacterial vaginosis and vulvovaginal candidiasis, as well as secondary infertility, urinary tract infections and anaemia. Yet a 2013 survey of existing research literature found that evidence to support any link between poor menstrual hygiene and these conditions was “weak and contradictory”. “Raising awareness regarding menstruation and hygienic practices,” the authors wrote in their conclusion, “has remained largely a neglected area in terms of research, despite its increasing popularity amongst public health organisations.”; There are other costs. A PlanIndia study in 2010 found that 23 per cent of Indian girls dropped out of school permanently when they reached puberty, and that girls missed school for an average five days a month each for the lack of decent sanitation or menstrual products. Their schools had no toilets or disgusting ones, or there was no privacy. They had struggled for years without toilets, but when they began to menstruate, it got too difficult. It was easier to drop out. We know already that better-educated girls are less likely to die in childbirth or of HIV/AIDS, are more likely to use contraception, are more likely to know about good child nutrition, and generally have a better chance of a healthy and productive life. As such, any sign that school dropouts are linked to menstrual hygiene should have government officials in education, development, empowerment and health rushing to build safe toilets and talk loudly and frankly about periods – if they weren’t as hampered by taboo as those women in their petticoats performing rituals to right imaginary fault.; “Goddesses are women, aren’t they?” On my second day in western Nepal, we walk 90 minutes to Tatopani, a village of 95 households that contains an excellent food shack, the village government offices, and 16-year-old Radha’s school. Along the way, the chhaupadi sheds, initially visible in every yard, become rarer. This is because Tatopani has launched a chhaupadi minimisation programme, and it’s working. In the village offices, a group of concerned citizens has gathered. Some sit on the village WASH committee. Some are health workers. Two are young men, a rare sight in these villages because nearly all the men have gone to India to work. Green paddy fields, dramatic forests and rushing rivers do not compare to earning a decent wage as a security guard or labourer. The young men are the most passionate. Their families migrated here from the far-western region of Achham, where chhaupadi is even more rooted. But Achham is also where the first chhaupadi-free villages have emerged, and where a government minister’s wife in 1998 became the first menstruating woman in her district to spend a night in her own house. In earlier times, the villagers tell me, the menstrual restrictions probably made sense. Women could have a few days’ rest while they were weak from blood loss. The men were around to do the chores and there were family members to do the cooking. Things are different now. The men are gone, the women must still work, and the deprivation and damage done by chhaupadi is greater. “They have to stay outside but still do all the difficult jobs,” says Kabi Raj Majhi, a young man who is the most vocal of all the villagers and the chair of the committee. When WaterAid’s local NGO partner NEWAH (Nepal Water for Health) arrived in the village to build a water point, they saw an opportunity to change things. “They said women should be allowed to use the main water point even when they were menstruating,” says Kabi. “A traditional healer objected, and they said, fine, use another water point then.” He soon capitulated. An old man in the corner begins to speak: “Before, they were kept outside for seven days. Now it’s five and I think that’s fine, but it should stay at five.” He knows that chhaupadi is necessary because of what happened during Nepal’s civil war, when 17,000 people died. These western regions were full of Maoist rebels. “When the Maoists were here,” the old man says firmly, “they didn’t observe chhaupadi. They let women in the house. And then the Maoists died in the war.” The others shout him down, but they are realistic. The problem isn’t men like him, or traditional healers. “We can change them,” says Madan Kumar Majhi, Kabi’s cousin and a member of the Chhaupadi Minimization Committee. “But it’s the women who are the barrier.” The mothers and mothers-in-law are the worst. A female community health volunteer tells the room how she pretends to be menstruating just so her mother-in-law starts shaking and trembling and pretending to be sickened by chhaupadi. “But when I am actually menstruating, I touch her and nothing happens.” She laughs, but still she has to observe the taboos. Change comes slowly and it is still limited. “Sometimes,” says Kabi, “we have only got the women to be allowed to sleep inside the compound. We are trying to persuade people to set aside a separate room for chhaupadi. We know it’s not perfect, but we are trying. There’s no electricity in chhaupadis so it’s damaging girls’ education.” Before, it was worse: girls weren’t allowed books because they were considered symbols of the goddess of knowledge. A short walk away, I sit down with a group of girls at Radha’s school. They have come in specially to talk to me, even though there is a government strike today and school is closed. Nepal’s government is fragile and any political party can call a national strike, which happens frequently. These girls, though, are not fragile. They are feisty and smart. They say that chhaupadi is embarrassing. “We know that you don’t do it,” says Pabitra, 17. “They don’t do it in developed countries.” But only four out of a dozen have been freed from sleeping outside in chhaupadi sheds. “It makes no sense,” says Anjana, whose mother is a health worker. Her mother came home two years ago and said they weren’t going to do chhaupadi any more. “Women bleed even more during childbirth but they can stay in the home. Goddesses are women, aren’t they? They bleed but they’re allowed to stay in the temple. Why can’t we?” She knows the answer. “It’s a lack of education. People think that because it’s an old practice it’s authentic and powerful.” She says they talk about menstruation in their health lessons at school. “The teacher tells us it’s not a good thing.” It is an irony of chhaupadi that talking about periods is easier in Nepal than in many other countries. Research in Karachi, Pakistan, for example, found that one in two girls aged 14 to 17 knew nothing about menstruation. But these girls in Tatopani knew exactly what to expect when they started their period, because they had seen their sisters and mothers move out to the shed. So they talk openly – more openly perhaps than the average teenage girl in the UK might – about what they use for sanitary protection. Some use sanitary pads, some are happy with cloths, although they dry them by hiding them under other clothes on washing lines. When I ask them what they want to do when they leave school, they all say the same thing. Leave this place. Never be a housewife: see how they suffer! They want education and freedom. “I want to be a social worker,” says Anjana. “If I learn, I can teach these people and maybe I can change them.”; On any given day, 300 million of the two billion women and girls of menstruating age across the world will be bleeding. On any given day, the taboos, restrictions and ignorance about menstruation will be costing millions of dollars, and damaging development, health and wellbeing. The connection between installing sanitation and income is now well known: investing a dollar in sanitation can save a country up to $8 in avoided costs. It’s likely one of the best health bargains we know of. But it has taken years for sanitation to be spoken about openly. In 2000, when the Millennium Development Goals – a set of global self-improvement wishes to be achieved by 2015 – were announced, sanitation wasn’t even included, even though diarrhoea was then – and remains – the second biggest killer of children under five. Even after countless battles, sanitation has only become a sub-target of a sub-goal. In the Post-2015 Development Agenda, meant to update the Millennium Development Goals, things had improved. There is now no question of ignoring sanitation, but there is still silence around menstruation. Even in high-income countries, menstruation is supposed to stay hidden. I grew up in the UK, where sanitary pads and tampons are widely available, as are clean, private toilets in which to change them and bins in which to dispose of them. But I have never excreted the blue liquid used to represent blood by anyone advertising sanitary pads, nor have I ever seen a sanitary product that isn’t being advertised for its discretion. In 2012, I spent three weeks on a travelling sanitation carnival in India, the Great WASH Yatra, where one of the stalls was a Menstrual Hygiene Management Lab. Of the 12,000 women and girls who came to the lab, 71 per cent had had no idea what was happening when they started their periods. Most thought they were injured; some thought they were dying. “In much of the developing world,” writes Dr Catherine Dolan of the University of Oxford’s Said Business School, “menarche [the onset of menstruation] is a fraught process, characterised by uncertainty, fear and distress.” The concealment and silence around menstruation causes damage to women’s health and education, and also to their economic prospects. And it is widespread. In 2010, a new initiative began in Dhaka, Bangladesh. HERproject (standing for Health Enables Returns) is a programme run by Business for Social Responsibility (BSR), a membership organisation of 250 companies worldwide, including Microsoft, Sony, Pepsi and Coca-Cola. Dhaka was an appropriate place for a business-backed NGO, because many BSR members source products from Bangladesh’s 5,000 garment factories. There are three million Bangladeshis working in the garment industry, and 80 per cent are women. Although the ethical sweatshop-free movement of the last 20 years has led to big changes in the garment industry, tragedies still happen and, when they do, they are devastating. When the Rana Plaza factory building in Bangladesh collapsed last year, 1,133 people died. Access to factories is difficult for NGOs, who can be regarded with suspicion by factory management. HERproject, though, had the backing of its members, who understood that healthy workers are better workers. And the need was enormous: most garment workers arrive in the cities with little education, Nazneen Huq, HERproject Bangladesh’s director, told me. They come aged 16 or younger, but with a certificate from the village leader saying they are 18. They leave their villages too soon to benefit from rural NGO programmes, and there are barely any NGOs working on hygiene or education in urban areas. With the clout provided by BSR’s members, such as Timberland, H&M and Primark, HERproject Bangladesh, under Huq, gained rare access into the factories, and initiated discussions. The remit was broad: to improve the health of female workers. Workers are educated in nutrition, HIV/AIDS and other sexually transmitted diseases, and hygiene. All of these things are crucial. Female workers in Dhaka’s factories told HERproject facilitators that nutritious food was for rich people. “They thought that lentils or pumpkin were poor people’s food,” says one facilitator who accompanied me on factory visits. “So they didn’t eat it. We had to tell them that poor people’s food and rich people’s food have the same vitamins.” But Huq also needed to talk periods. She knew from her work in Pakistan that menstrual hygiene among factory workers was poor. Factory managers freely admitted to her that their female workers were not turning up for work for several days every month. When a factory operates on production lines, a missing piece-worker is noticed. Huq, who has worked with garment factory workers for years, had two simple implements: frankness and economic loss. “They knew that women were going absent, and they knew that it had to do with periods, but they didn’t dare talk about it,” she says. Her tactic was to focus on what they would talk about, which was business. “I would say, ‘If you have 1,000 workers who are women, and each woman is absent one to three days…’ They answered, embarrassed, ‘Yes, yes. If 500 are absent for one day you lose 500 productive days.’ Then they get very shy, but they say, ‘Yes. It makes sense’.” All these factory managers knew about workplace safety, they just hadn’t thought about health, beyond providing the medical centre required by law. They didn’t appreciate the ways that poor health costs them money. They didn’t know, for example, that 80 per cent of their female workers didn’t use sanitary pads. One of the first factories that joined HERproject is in Ashuria, a suburb just a few miles from downtown Dhaka, but a three-hour trip in the city’s appalling traffic. It is a good factory, as factories go, and all the workers are wearing homemade masks, sometimes made from material covered in cartoons that will become children’s leggings or pyjamas. It is properly ventilated, and there are decent toilets. Downstairs, there is a crèche. Sarita, a 25-year-old worker, comes away from her post on the finishing section to talk. The HERproject model works by educating peer educators, who are then responsible for disseminating information to 20 other female workers. Sarita came to Dhaka four years ago, and as soon as she started work, she managed her period as everyone else did, by using scraps of cloth from the factory floor. They call it ‘joot’. “We got it from the cleaners. They would sweep it up and give it us. It was very itchy and I was in a pain a lot,” she says. Every month, she stayed at home for one or two days. “The joot only lasted half an hour. There was leaking, discharge. But we didn’t know about reproductive health, even though we are women.” In another smaller factory nearby, a woman named Vandana leads me to the cutting room. Here, barefoot men run along long tables pulling bales of cloth behind them. It’s quite beautiful to watch. Vandana, the factory’s welfare officer, leads me to a bin near one of the tables. “There. That is joot.” It used to be her job to gather the joot in secret and hand it over discreetly to whoever asked for it. As in other factories that HERproject visited, discharges and infections are rampant. Every woman I speak to has regularly had discharge and health problems from using joot. Up to 10 per cent of workers are going absent. When they are asked, the factory managers – all male – know what is behind it. “One told me that he was getting requisitions to clean the sewer pipes all the time,” Huq tells me, “because they were clogged with joot.” Most women here now use sanitary pads. A central part of HERproject is to persuade factories to buy in sanitary pads from local supplier ACI and sell them at a highly subsidised cost. In this factory’s medical centre, a basic but clean room off of the factory floor, there are several boxes of pads, sold to workers for 31 taka (compared with a market price of 80–90 taka, or $1). The compliance officer here is an intense young man. “We had real problems with absenteeism. And obviously this is a production-based factory. But even so, the general manager was embarrassed to talk about menstruation.” Now, with absenteeism down to 6 per cent, according to the factory’s records, embarrassment is redundant. Sewer pipes are no longer clogged. In another Dhaka factory, absenteeism dropped by half. A factory manager told the London Times that although she saw the programme as “just another project”, she had had to change her mind. Now the male workers are asking for a similar project for them too. It costs around $5,000 to $7,000 to set up a HERproject, and HERproject Bangladesh is researching return on investment relating to menstrual hygiene, because persuasive figures here will help to unclog managerial blockages that still sometimes occur. The programme model requires an hour a week for the training in the first years, and not every manager is willing to take that time from the production line. But even with rudimentary figures, a report on business returns states that managers recognise “non-quantifiable benefits of HERproject initiatives”, such as improved worker satisfaction with management and improved reputation among factory clients. “The HERproject has also helped my relationship with the women workers,” a factory manager named Mr Riaz told the Times. “They are not so shy to talk to me anymore. If there are problems, I now hear about them.’ As I sit in a refresher course for peer educators, surrounded by young women wearing pink aprons and headscarves made from the school uniform material the factory produces, someone brings me a brown paper bag. All around me, women are talking with frankness and freshness about a taboo subject, like the schoolgirls of Tatopani. As the women discuss sexually transmitted infections, the health and hygiene of the reproductive tract, and the unquestionable value of pumpkins, I open the bag and find a sanitary pad taken from the factory’s subsidised supply. Produced in Bangladesh and branded by Savlon, its name is Freedom. Rose George travelled to Kathmandu and western Nepal with WaterAid Nepal. Some names, marked with a *, have been changed. This article was originally published on Mosaic by Rose Goerge You are appreciated! I created this video for the Red Elephant Foundation (REF), a wonderful organization based in India and fighting for the rights of young girls and women around the world. I am inspired by the founder, Kirthi Jayakumar who is also a mentor and sister. Although we are yet to meet in person, I believe we are related from a different planet. It’s a beautiful feeling when women work together, in solidarity to achieve goals-large or small. You are appreciated! May 18, 2014 by LEPA Initiative Recent Posts #MenstrualNarratives: The Story of Catherine (23 years old, Lusaka, (Gambia)) ” It started in class and I had no one to tel” #MenstrualNarratives: The Story of Vaish (17 years old, Chennai (India)) “I knew very vaguely about menstruation…. I remember crying and telling my dad that I was bleeding. I also remember hugging him while he tried to explain that it was normal”	33,060
Woodworking is as much art as it is passion – Brian Way brought both together in a very innovative way, using Paul Akers’ LEAN philosophy (interview HERE), he built an impressively efficient and compact mobile woodworking workshop! It’s incredibly impressive. Key takeaways from this interview: Sometimes downsizing is the best way to upsize your income potential CNC’s add a level of accuracy and consistency that we just cannot duplicate as humans. If I don’t believe in it, how can I sell it? How did you get into the woodcraft industry and what do you enjoy most about the process of woodworking in general? I guess it all started early on from my father. He was a painting contractor (H.B. Way Painting) and most of his clients were high-end residential. So, inevitably every house he worked on always needed some repair. I went to a technical high school and took carpentry, although when I entered the school, my original thoughts were to take electronics, as that was the main source of hobbies for myself at the time. I guess one thing led to the next and I ended up in the carpentry department. From the moment I turned 16 I had a pick up truck with a toolbox on it and was ready to go to work. Doing general remodeling, roofing, siding, and decks for the first few years of my career. As I created a woodworking shop in my parents basement, I seemed to enjoy building small pieces of furniture. I was married at a young age and brought the shop over to my new house for another couple of years. That was quickly outgrown and I purchased 4000 sq.ft. of space for my first woodworking shop. In five years I had out grown that, and moved to another location of 9000 sq.ft. After another five years and a couple of kids, and more downs, than ups, I was done with the shop. I went back to basics and took it on the road again (2006). At that time my first mobile shop was born. Your mobile woodshop is amazing, where did the idea come from and how long did it take you to build it from idea to “finished” working shop? I saw Paul Akers American Innovator show which did an awesome job showcasing the thought you put into it. I knew when I was condensing a 9000 square-foot shop into an 1100sf barn and my 14? delivery box truck that I was going to have some work ahead of me. Although I had no plan on paper, I had one in my head and built it from leftover material out of my shop. The first thing on my mind was a home for my Festool’s, a workbench, and a chopsaw station. I was constantly changing and improving things on the truck as time went on. When the truck hit 20 years old, in 2010 I bought another 14 foot box truck, and this time I put some major thought into it. It took me about 100 hours to get it to a functional state that I was happy with. I am literally tweaking and improving upon it on a semi regular basis, I’m not sure there will ever be a final product. I can’t seem to stop. What were some of the bigger challenges you had to overcome building a mobile working shop inside such a confined space? What tools do you wish you could fit in there but don’t? What have been some of the major benefits of having a mobile shop? I would say some of the challenges were, making sure there were proper clearances for material on all sides of the machines while at the same time, being able to use each of them with minimal set up and movement of that particular tool. For instance, I later added workbench extensions to allow support for material while using the chopsaw and workbench. The electrical system was a bit of a trick for me to design. I wanted the ability to use both the voltage inverter and to be able to plug the truck into and power it up. I use a series of industrial relays to achieve this. I also included a battery minder charging system that is automatically activated when the truck is plugged into the wall. This will maintain the battery levels due to the high amperage output while the inverter is turned on. Believe it or not, there are no tools that I am saying I wish I had on the truck. I have it set up specifically for my needs. If I think I need to add something else, I will make it happen. I do believe the truck gives me a leg up on the industry. I can go to many jobs, and the moment I arrive, I am 90% set up to work. For instance, I just did some work in an open restaurant, having the truck set up allows me to cut everything on the truck and keep the dust contained while at the same time keeping a clean environment inside. I tend to use CO2 for my nail guns for opened commercial environments. We try to limit the noise for our customers. I like to think the truck increases my profit margins. I know for sure that it increases productivity. How has Paul Akers’s LEAN philosophy helped you in your business? What are some of the tools you got from FastCap that helped increase the productivity of your business in general and how did they help? Not only do I use Fastcap’s products in my installation company, but I have been selling and distributing them for almost 8 years now. They have some amazing, time saving products, which is what drew me to them in the first place. I met Paul Akers about 4 years back at the Providence JLC show. Since then, we have become friends. I would say that Paul’s lean philosophy has definitely changed the way I do things in business. The elimination of the seven different kinds of waste has been a key part to my business and the functionality of my box truck. As many of us have, I learned about “Lean” from Paul Akers. His energy and ideas are very inspiring. I have kaizen foam everywhere, from my truck, to my shop, to my bathroom and in my kid’s toy storage boxes. I am trying to bring Lean home to my personal life, but with two kids and a busy household it is not as easy as it sounds….. Baby steps, slowly but surely we will get there! Although you don’t have any CNC equipment, have you ever considered the benefits it could have to your production pipeline? What are your general thoughts on woodworkers who do use CNC routers to make their projects? Someday I would like to put a small CNC in my shop. The benefits and the capabilities of those machines are incredible. Although I have never owned one, throughout my career I have always had access to them. There were shops surrounding mine, and I hired them to do all of my CNC work for me. CNC’s add a level of accuracy and consistency that we just cannot duplicate as humans. (Although many of us would like to think we can…) The possibilities are endless, you’re limited only by your imagination and computer skills. How do you find most of your clients? Has the mobility of your shop helped you promote your services? I have been in business for over 20 years, I would say 95% of my customers are referrals. Although my business has gone through many changes, my customer base has still stayed strong. I will admit going from a full size cabinet shop to a mobile shop was a bit of a change. But I have enjoyed it. My mobile shop has allowed me to bring something a little more unique to my customers (and fun for me), they know they are going to get their dollar’s worth. I operate very efficiently and lean. Customers like to see that time does not go wasted, especially if we are getting paid hourly. What else do you want to build into your mobile shop in the future? I am currently installing a 12 volt garage door opener that will run off of solar panels and use the truck battery as a back-up. I am going to improve the task lighting using LED’s so as not to add additional draw to the inverter. I would like to add an electric awning off of the back door for use in adverse weather conditions. There is lots I could do with the interior to improve my paperwork efficiency; now this one may take some engineering, but I would like the custom stairs to pop out of the back with the push of a button, perhaps using electric actuators. I could go on, but I won’t. Anything else you’d like to add? Overall, I think woodworking is a tough business to be in. Cabinetry has become very competitive. It is very important to keep your current customers happy, so when you quote a project for them, and your price is higher than the next guy, they still go with you because they believe in you. Find that niche in the market that sets you apart from the others. Perfect your craft and you will succeed! Although I really have no spare time left, I take what I can find & I am currently building a new website that caters to the woodworking community. I sell mostly woodworking products from my ebay store & website BPWAY.COM I make it a point to personally test every product I sell. If I don’t believe in it, how can I sell it? Here is some information about us, & please follow our Facebook pages & blog!	9,084
Municipal Services provides essential services and maintains the City’s infrastructure. This includes roads and drainage, transit, management of the City’s fleet, parks operations, cemetery operations, building maintenance, water, sewer, waste and recycling and airport operations. Positions within Municipal Services include: Water and Sewer Airport Hear from our staff: Rob Warnock, Director of Municipal Services 1.) How and when did your employment journey begin with the City of Williams Lake? I have been with the City of Williams Lake for 33 years. I got my first job with the City in 1989 on the streets crew where I was patching, crack sealing, doing snow removal and many more jobs. I moved up the ladder to lead hand and then became a foreman for the streets/parks crew. In 2008 I moved over to the Williams Lake Fire Department where I worked for 13 years. There, I moved up to Deputy Fire Chief in charge of Operations and Training before taking over the role as Director of Municipal Services in February 2021. 2.) What is your current role (and what does your job entail)? In my current role I manage the following under the position of Director of Municipal Services: Two managers of Public Works Two coordinators: one at the Public Works yard and one at the Williams Lake Regional Airport Five foremen: parks streets, water, airport and mechanical Fifty employees depending on the time of year Airport Water and Sewer Buildings (City Hall, Arts Building, Fire Hall, City Works Yard and Tourism Discover Centre) Fleet (229 pieces of equipment in the fleet, plus small equipment, pick-up trucks, loaders and dump trucks) BC Transit 3.) Name one or more things you enjoy most or look forward to about your job? I enjoy working with the people and the day-to-day interactions with the public. 4.) What is one piece of advice or tip you would give to those seeking employment with the City? One piece of advice I would give someone is to investigate what you want to do for the City and try to get some qualifications or training for the job. For example, if you want to work outside go get your airbrakes ticket for running equipment. If you want to work inside as a clerk go to Thompson Rivers University and take some courses. You have to start at the bottom, you could say, but if you work hard and do your job you can always move up to another department if you are qualified. 1.) How and when did your employment journey begin with the City of Williams Lake? I started working with Transport Canada in 1968 at various Western Canadian airports doing maintenance and operations. I was transferred to the Williams Lake Airport while with Transport Canada in 1994. Transport Canada didn't want to be in the business of operating airports - they only wanted to be the regulator, so in 1997 the City of Williams Lake took over the Williams Lake Regional Airport and I came along with the transfer package. 2.) What is your current role and what does your job entail? My current role is working as the Airport Manager at the Williams Lake Regional Airport and I have various roles including ensuring the airport remains in compliance with Transport Canada and dealing with tenants and stakeholders. 3.) Name one or more things you enjoy most or look forward to about your job? The airport environment has many challenges and moving parts, and I enjoy that. I look forward to contributing to and providing a safe, efficient airport for our community to enjoy.	3,624
Out of all announcements made last friday at Disney+ day, I find the most exciting of them all to be the revival of the classic 90’s X-Men: The Animated Series. Titled X-Men 97, the show is set to pick up right where its predecessor left off continuing the story of our favorite mutants. Some writers, directos, and creative leads have been announced for the new project set to debut in 2023, but the real juicy details are still under wraps. At this point, all fans can do is speculate over the big questions and that’s exactly what we intend to do over here at the Small Screen Society. Where EXACTLY will the show pick up?: For those that may not remember, the look and feel of the animated series went through an intense shift for its fifth season after the show switched production companies. The final season, which consisted of just six episodes, ranged from stories of Sinister’s origins, a mythical ode, and a Cannonball origin. Yet, the most signficant of the short season would be its final episode where Xavier is attached at a summit and ultimately leaves with Lilandra to space. Much like Wolverine and the X-Men (the too short lived 2009 series), the new show will likely pick up with the team without Xavier and all its members having to find a way to continue without him. This was something that enriched the 2009 series, and though I wasn’t a fan of the Wolverine focus nor his role to be the glue that brought them back together, it will be something worth seeing when X-Men returns in 2023. Who will be there when we return?: There is no doubt that the eight principal characters will return front and center for the show’s revival. But will they be the only ones? This may be a return of the classic show but this new creative team has an opportunity to not just bring back all the elements that made it strong but enrich upon them as well. For those not familiar with the comics, the members of this on screen team, along with their costumes, are all inspired by the 90’s Jim Lee art and classic Blue and Gold team. My hope is that the remaining members (Iceman, Colossus, Psylocke, Bishop, and Angel) who were all featured in the 90’s show step into regular roles as well. Dare we say they get added to the iconic intro? What new stories can we expect to see?: Aside from that universally known theme song, the other thing that has allowed this series to withstand the test of time is the fact that it remains the single X-Men property of any medium to do the best job of adapting the stories that made them famous. It has been some time since the show went off the air and fortunately more legendary tales have hit the pages of the X-Men books since. Onslaught, House of M, Astonishing, Messiah Complex, Scism, Inferno, Lifedeath, God Loves Man Kills, and the most recent game changer House of X/Powers of X to name a few. No doubt the series will continue this trend in the seasons to come and we will hopefully get to see some of the above adapted. What Costumes will they wear?: The X wardrobes are some of the most unique and varied of all comic book heroes. Yet, at least for the start, the uniforms our heroes will sport will likely be the Jim Lee creations we know and love. Perhaps with some slight tweaks? Jean ditched the ponytail and flesh colored suit? Wolverine and Cyclops ditching the undies? Now, for Marvel studios to decide for this series revival to be the first X-Men investment under Disney control means that it can serve as a strong indicator to how and who we will see in the live-action MCU when the time comes. 2023 cannot come quick enough! Click to share on Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window)	3,837
The number of subscribers to traditional pay television packages in the United States is forecast to fall from 88.08 million in 2019 to 81.50 million in 2024. The United States will lose 3 million television subscribers in 2019 but the rate of annual losses is expected to slow. “Despite the overall falls, cord-cutting is slowing,” said Simon Murray of Digital TV Research. The largest subscriber losses will be to satellite television, which the firm forecasts will lose 3.45 million between 2019 and 2024. That is a 12.5% reduction, although the two main satellite companies will still have 24.11 million subscribers between them. Cable companies are forecast to see a further fall of 2.22 million over the same period, which is a reduction of 4.3%, taking them down to 49.07 million. Telco television will lose 0.9 million subscribers, although that is 9.9% of their base, leaving them with 8.32 million, down from a peak to 12.56 million in 2014. That makes a total loss of 6.58 million television subscribers, or a reduction of 7.5%. It still leaves 81.50 million traditional television subscribers in the United States in 2024, which suggests a gradual decline rather than a precipitous fall. Gaining from this will be homes receiving over the air television broadcasts, which Digital TV Research forecasts will increase by 7.29 million or 24.8% to 36.65 million by 2024. That will be more homes than subscribe to satellite and telco services combined. The number of homes in the United States that do not have a television set is also forecast to increase from 1.27 million in 2010 to 9.49 million in 2024. Digital TV Research forecasts that annual pay television revenue will have declined by 29% or $30 billion from its peak in 2015 to 2024, although it will still be worth over $75 billion. Related Pay-TV subscriber growth forecast North America television losses to slow Television subscribers grow but revenues fall United States television subscribers fall further < Previous Next > Join thousands of regular readers worldwide and stay up to date with regular reports on the future of television and video. Sign up for the free newsletter	2,201
In 1994, The singer said that he felt there was "more of a sense of community" in Ghana than in the United States. 23 February, 2021, 12:45 pm Last modified: 23 February, 2021, 12:56 pm Stevie Wonder's performance at a US concert. Photo: Collected Popular American singer and songwriter Stevie Wonder has decided he would live out the rest of his time in Ghana. In an interview with Oprah Winfrey, the award-winning performer cited the political turmoil in the United States to be the reason to leave America for good, reports CNN. "I wanna see this nation smile again. And I want to see it before I leave to travel to move to Ghana because I'm going to do that." Winfrey then asked, "You're going to permanently move to Ghana?" "I am," replied the singer, known for such hits as "You Are the Sunshine of My Life" and "I Just Called to Say I Love You." He added, "I don't want to see my children's children's children have to say, 'Oh please like me. Please respect me, please know that I am important, please value me.' What is that?" This isn't the first time he has said he was considering moving to Ghana. In 1994, he said he felt there was "more of a sense of community" than in the US. Wonder, a Michigan native, learned to play piano, drums and harmonica by age 9 and signed to Motown in 1961. Since then, he has won 25 Grammy Awards, an honorary award and has been nominated 74 times. Comments While most comments will be posted if they are on-topic and not abusive, moderation decisions are subjective. Published comments are readers’ own views and The Business Standard does not endorse any of the readers’ comments.	1,668
It was another exciting week in the NFL during week ten as we witnessed: The NFL's first ever game in Germany, the potential game of the year, and the last undefeated team in the league take their first defeat. Furthermore, we saw the young stars of the NFL continue their domination for some and their growth for others, while some veteran players suffered from brutal injuries. Before week eleven beings with the Packers hosting the Titans, let's take a final look at week ten in the National Football League. Top Game from Week 10: Two of the NFL’s best met in Buffalo on Sunday for what was this week's most highly anticipated matchup. The NFC North-leading Minnesota Vikings traveled to Highmark Stadium to take on MVP frontrunner Josh Allen, and the preseason Super Bowl favorite Buffalo Bills. The game lived up to the hype and even exceeded the expectations of many, as it is now being viewed as the game of the year so far this season. There was non-stop action from the beginning to the dramatic finish of this cross-conference matchup. Buffalo controlled the game for the majority of the first half, going into the locker room with a 24-10 lead over Minnesota. They continued to control the game in the third quarter as well as they expanded their lead to 27-10 with under two minutes to play. The Vikings trimmed the lead in just one play after All-Pro Running Back Dalvin Cook broke free for an eighty-one-yard touchdown. The two teams went into the final period with Buffalo leading 27-17 with possession of the ball. The fourth quarter is when we witnessed several dramatic turns. It started with the Bills marching inside the ten-yard line and being turned away after Patrick Peterson intercepted Josh Allen’s pass on fourth down. After a thirteen-play drive, the Vikings cut the deficit to four points as Fullback C.J. Ham rumbled into the endzone from three yards out, but Kicker Greg Joseph missed the PAT. Minnesota’s defense stood tall once again, forcing a three-and-out on Buffalo’s ensuing possession; which gave Kirk Cousins and the offense the ball back with 3:26 remaining. Buffalo's defense looked as if they were going to be able to secure the game-winning stop until star receiver Justin Jefferson came down with the catch of the year and one of the greatest catches in the history of the NFL. It appeared that the defender was going to come away with an interception, or at least a pass breakup until Jefferson stole the ball from him with just one hand while falling to the ground. In a miraculous play, Jefferson and the Vikings were given a new set of downs and new life. Cousins and Jefferson connected on two more pass attempts that drive; first to give the Vikings a first and goal from the three-yard line, then again to give them one play from the one-yard line on fourth down following a sack. Kevin O'Connell decided to dial up a QB sneak for Cousins and the offense, hoping to push into the endzone and take the lead with under a minute to go. But, once again Buffalo’s defense withstood the test, stuffing Cousins at the goal line and giving the ball back to Allen and the offense. The game seemed to be over, as long as Allen and the Bills could get out of their endzone and create enough space to kneel the ball. Fittingly so, they were unable to do exactly that. Before trying to plunge forward out of the endzone, Allen was never able to get a good grip on the football. The ball became loose in the endzone and in dramatic fashion Minnesota’s Eric Kendricks recovered, giving the visitors from the NFC a 30-27 lead with forty-one seconds left. But the tension didn’t ease after that either. Buffalo, with zero timeouts, was able to drive down and kick a game-tying field goal with two seconds left, sending the game to overtime. Jefferson and his squad won the toss and elected to receive to begin the overtime period. Utilizing both the run and the passing attack, the offense was able to get down to Buffalo’s two-yard line. Yet, just like they did all day, the Bills' defense bent but didn’t break. After forcing a loss on first down and sacking Kirk Cousins on second-and-goal, they pushed the Vikings offense back to the fifteen-yard line for third down. Upon an incomplete pass, O'Connell sent out Greg Joseph for a go-ahead field goal. After a successful kick, O’connell’s team was back on top 33-30. In just six plays, Buffalo was into the RedZone, looking for a game-winning touchdown. Until on second down when Allen tried to force the ball to Gabe Davis in the endzone. Veteran Patrick Peterson made another play, securing his second interception of the day and sealing another come-from-behind victory for his team. In a game that had so many twists and turns and jaw-dropping plays, it’s hard to imagine any matchup will surpass this one as the NFL’s game of the year. Top Performers: Watson has had an up-and-down rookie campaign thus far, both missing time with injuries and still having to earn his way onto the field. The Packers were forced to turn to their second-round receiver due to several injuries at the position. Watson may have earned himself a bigger role with his breakout performance Sunday versus the Cowboys. Hauling in three touchdowns including the first of his career; while also recording one-hundred and seven yards and four catches, Dallas’ stout defense had no answer for Watson. With teammate Romeo Doubs out for Thursday’s game and Randall Cobb’s availability uncertain, Watson could continue to see an expanded role. We are currently witnessing Justin Fields’ breakout. The second-year QB has separated himself from the other signal-callers in his draft class this year and has shined using both his arm and his legs. Fields passed for one-hundred and sixty-seven yards and two touchdowns during Sunday’s loss to the Lions and was able to run for one-hundred and forty-seven yards and two more touchdowns. In back-to-back weeks, Fields has tallied over three-hundred total yards and scored four touchdowns. Since Matt Eberflus and the Bears have decided to focus more on Fields’ ability as a runner, he’s shown more comfortability and overall improvement as the franchise QB. Jeff Wilson Jr. RB, Miami Dolphins The Dolphins recently acquired Jeff Wilson after a trade with the 49ers just before the trade deadline, reuniting him with his former coach, Mike McDaniel. In his second game since joining Miami, Wilson was given the bulk of the reps. Wilson carried the ball seventeen times for one hundred and nineteen yards and was able to find the endzone once as well. The veteran back made an impact in the passing attack too, finishing with twenty-four yards on two total catches. Miami has been able to add a new explosive element to its offense with the addition of Wilson. Justin Jefferson further strengthened his case for the league’s best receiver with his incredible performance on Sunday. Posting a new season high of one-hundred and ninety-three yards, while also bringing in a touchdown, Jefferson made plays time and time again in the biggest moments of the game. The LSU product recorded ten catches, many of them coming on the last few drives of both regulation and overtime. Another historic performance for Jefferson, who is arguably the NFL’s most talented player. Jonathan Taylor looked like the 2021 version of himself this week against the Raiders. In what has been a struggle for Taylor and the Colts' offense, the star Running Back may have started a potential turnaround for his team. The 2021 All-Pro ran for just under one-hundred and fifty yards (147) and rumbled into the endzone once on a sixty-six-yard scoring run. It was Taylor’s first touchdown since week one of the season. With the former second-rounder seemingly back to 100%, he could be in for an explosive finish to his 2022 campaign. Despite taking a tough loss in overtime to the Packers, Lamb shined on Sunday. The 2020 first-round pick posted a new season-high in both receptions (11) and receiving yards (150) while also recording his first game with multiple touchdowns. Lamb has been one of several beneficiaries of the return of franchise QB, Dak Prescott. Since Prescott’s return, Lamb has totaled over seventy receiving yards in each of the last three games and has scored in two of the last three. Dallas’ star combination looks as if they’re in top shape as they make a run at an NFC East title. Despite the loss to Kansas City, Kirk continued to show the doubters why he was worth the large contract he received in the off-season. Kirk finished with a season-high nine catches and turned in his second game of the season with over one-hundred receiving yards. Kirk also tallied two touchdowns in the game, his second appearance of the season with multiple touchdowns. The former second-round pick continues to prove his value as Trevor Lawrence’s favorite target and is on pace for his best season thus far of his career. Kupp suffered an ankle injury late in the game during the Rams’ week ten loss to the Cardinals. The seriousness of the injury was originally unknown. However, it was reported on Tuesday that Kupp would undergo surgery on the injured ankle and be placed on the injured reserve, sidelining the All-Pro receiver for at least the next four games. It’s clear how big of a loss this is for the Rams, who have already struggled mightily on offense this season. Now without their best receiver, they’ll have to look elsewhere for Kupp’s production. Eagles Tight End, Dallas Goedert, was placed on the injured reserve after suffering a shoulder injury in the fourth quarter during Monday night’s loss against Washington. Losing Goedert will be tough for the Eagles who currently sit atop the NFC at 8-1. Goedert is second on the team in receiving yards and is tied for the second most receiving touchdowns. With the 2018 second-rounder out for the next four games, the Eagles The three-time All-Pro linebacker has been plagued by a back injury all season. The injury delayed the start of Leonard’s season and has continued to keep him out of the lineup on occasion. It was announced on Tuesday that Leonard underwent a successful procedure on his back, but he is expected to miss the remainder of the season. The Colts placed him on injured reserve, almost completely shutting the door on what has been a frustrating season for the star Linebacker. Fournette exited Sunday’s game against the Seahawks with a hip injury and did not return. But, ESPN’s Adam Schefter reported Monday that the former number four pick is “likely” to return in week twelve, as Tampa Bay is on a bye during week eleven. It appears that Fournette avoided a long-term injury, which is huge for Tampa as they continue to fight for a playoff spot. Denver has been one of several teams to suffer from bad injury luck this season. Not much changed Sunday as receiver Jerry Jeudy went down on the first play of the game and did not return. Jeudy was said to have had an ankle injury and underwent an MRI on Monday according to ESPN. Jeudy may have avoided a serious injury as Denver has not placed him on the injured reserve, yet his status for week eleven is unknown. The Alabama product is currently listed as Questionable and did not practice on Thursday. Bears backup Running Back, Khalil Herbert, sustained a hip injury late in Chicago’s loss to the Lions on Sunday. As a result of the injury, Chicago placed Herbert on injured reserve on Tuesday, which will keep him out for the next four games. However, Head Coach Matt Eberflus said that he does not believe that Herbert’s injury will end his season. The Bears will turn to starter David Montgomery and Quarterback Justin Fields to carry one of the NFL’s best rushing offenses during Herbert’s absence. Schuster took a hard hit to the head early in Sunday’s victory over the Jaguars and did not return to the game after being diagnosed with a concussion. In what was a scary scene for JuJu and the Chiefs, their newly acquired receiver was thankfully able to walk off the field on his own. Smith-Schuster will have to work through the NFL’s concussion protocol before returning to the field. He is currently listed as Questionable for week eleven and did not practice on Thursday. Ertz left Sunday’s game against the Rams with a knee injury and did not return to the game. The seriousness of Ertz’s injury was originally unknown, but after further evaluation, it was announced that the injury will end his season. Ertz will undergo surgery on the injured knee and will look to prepare for the 2023 season. Ertz was leading the team in both receptions and receiving touchdowns before the injury. Ogbah went down with what was originally said to be an elbow injury during Sunday’s victory over the Browns. After being further evaluated, the team announced that Ogbah would be placed on the injured reserve and miss the rest of the season due to torn Triceps. Miami’s depth defensively and on the defensive line takes a hit yet again, as they’ve lost another starter due to injury.	13,606
Dale Griffin, the drummer and co-founder of the British glam-rock band MOTT THE HOOPLE, has died at the age of 67 after a long battle with Alzheimer's disease. He passed away in his sleep on Sunday night, said Peter Purnell from Dale's record label Angel Air. Born in Ross-on Wye, Herefordshire, Griffin attended Ross Grammar school and played in a number of local bands with his lifelong friend Overend Watts and it was during this time he gained the nickname "Buffin." Among Dale's bands were THE SILENCE, CHARLES KINGSLEY CREATION and THE DOC THOMAS GROUP. Changes to that lineup occurred in 1968 and keyboard player Verden Allen joined the band and changed its name to THE SHAKEDOWN SOUND. In 1969, they moved to London and came to the attention of record producer Guy Stevens. Ian Hunter was chosen as their lead singer and MOTT THE HOOPLE was formed. Following the departure of Hunter in 1974, Griffin, along with Watts and Morgan Fisher, formed MOTT with Ray Majors and Nigel Benjamin. In 1976, following the departure of Benjamin, the remaining members regrouped as BRITISH LIONS with former MEDICINE HEAD singer songwriter John Fiddler until their demise in the late '70s when punk hit with a vengeance. During the '80s, Griffin and Watts formed a production company and produced albums for HANOI ROCKS and THE CULT as well as hit singles such as DEPARTMENT S's "Is Vic There?". Dale then joined the BBC as a producer and produced numerous BBC Radio 1 John Peel sessions from 1981 to 1994, including PULP, SMASHING PUMPKINS, NIRVANA and ORCHESTRAL MANOEUVRES IN THE DARK. In the early 21st century, Dale oversaw the re-release of MOTT THE HOOPLE's entire back catalogue from both Island and CBS period, producing remastered versions and excellent informative sleeve notes. At the age of 58, Dale was diagnosed with Alzheimer's disease just as he had worked tirelessly over the years to bring about the reformation of his beloved MOTT THE HOOPLE. In 2009, the band reformed for a five-night sellout Hammersmith Apollo 40th-anniversary concerts of the original five founding members. Having been just diagnosed, Dale only performed during the band encores with THE PRETENDERS drummer Martin Chambers, also from Herefordshire, and a friend playing the set and also covering for Dale on the 2013 MOTT THE HOOPLE tour. Dale is survived by his longterm partner Jean Smith. Photo provided by Angel Air Records Prev More News Next BLABBERMOUTH.NET uses the Facebook Comments plugin to let people comment on content on the site using their Facebook account. The comments reside on Facebook servers and are not stored on BLABBERMOUTH.NET. To comment on a BLABBERMOUTH.NET story or review, you must be logged in to an active personal account on Facebook. Once you're logged in, you will be able to comment. User comments or postings do not reflect the viewpoint of BLABBERMOUTH.NET and BLABBERMOUTH.NET does not endorse, or guarantee the accuracy of, any user comment. To report spam or any abusive, obscene, defamatory, racist, homophobic or threatening comments, or anything that may violate any applicable laws, use the "Report to Facebook" and "Mark as spam" links that appear next to the comments themselves. To do so, click the downward arrow on the top-right corner of the Facebook comment (the arrow is invisible until you roll over it) and select the appropriate action. You can also send an e-mail to blabbermouthinbox(@)gmail.com with pertinent details. BLABBERMOUTH.NET reserves the right to "hide" comments that may be considered offensive, illegal or inappropriate and to "ban" users that violate the site's Terms Of Service. Hidden comments will still appear to the user and to the user's Facebook friends. If a new comment is published from a "banned" user or contains a blacklisted word, this comment will automatically have limited visibility (the "banned" user's comments will only be visible to the user and the user's Facebook friends). November 28, 2022 FOZZY's RICH WARD Doesn't Take His Success For Granted: 'I've Never Gotten Numb To It Yet' November 28, 2022 GENE SIMMONS Says He Was Initially 'Happy' When TRUMP Became President, Admits He's An 'Ageist' About BIDEN	4,338
Mental Health Day took place on 10th October and there are multiple factors that influence our mental health. In this blog, we’re stepping away from talking about fitness and mental health and instead looking at other factors that can impact mental health. Social media is used by millions all over the world and with an average daily usage of 2 hours and 29 minutes, social media platforms are a huge part of people’s lives. But what impact is spending hours a day on social media having on our mental health? Our partners at Thrive have discussed this in their blog on social media and mental health. 4 out of 5 of the most popular social media sites have had a negative impact on young people’s mental health, according to a survey conducted by the Royal Society of Public Health and Young Health Movement. The concern was that fitness and lifestyle accounts have become increasingly popular as well as models posting images of their bodies—resulting in young people comparing their own body and appearance. The reason the survey was conducted was to establish if this is indeed the case. The survey included 1,500 people, aged between 14-24 and found that health and fitness pages across social media platforms make people feel inadequate and anxious in their own bodies and self. Survey participants were asked to rate the impact that Snapchat, Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube have across 14 different aspects of their mental health and wellbeing. This included sleeping problems, anxiety, depression, bullying and loneliness. Instagram scored the worst, rating badly for seven out of the fourteen areas. This included self-esteem, decreasing body confidence, and increasing anxiety. According to the same survey—Snapchat, Twitter and Facebook are also harmful. In comparison, YouTube seemed to show positive effects on mental health in young people. All four ‘harmful’ platforms seem to have a negative effect as they worsen young people’s body image concerns. Cyber-bullying is also a concern. The four ‘harmful’ platforms according to this survey can also cause sleep problems, anxiety and depression. Having said this, young people also suggested that it can have a positive effect by allowing self-expression. Many of us fail to recognise that what we see across social media is not necessarily true. The majority of ‘fitness motivation’ images which are affecting young people’s self-confidence, typically include the perfect angle and lighting. As a reaction to this, more recently numerous accounts have been showing the reality of those perfect shots. A few Instagram models have been ‘redefining beauty standards’ by showing the before and after pictures of themselves in edited and unedited mode and the difference in their body just due to their posture at the time the photograph was taken. A number of projects worldwide have also challenged the ‘ideal body’ by posting images of people with diverse physical characteristics to celebrate that diversity and challenge the ‘one-size-fits-all’ model of beauty. In spite of the many challenges it poses, social media has also become a great place for self-expression, contacting friends/family and sharing your achievements. Whether the effect of social media on an individual is going to be positive or negative seems to depend on finding a healthy balance between real relationships and virtual connections. These are some of the things to watch out for when using social media Low self-esteem: do I feel worse about myself after being on social media? Do I feel low when I see other people’s images and lifestyle? Do I find myself wishing my life was like someone else’s? Do I use social media as the only source of news, entertainment and enjoyment? Do I use social media as my means of interaction with others? Have I stopped talking to people face to face or even on the phone? Do I feel disconnected from others? Do I get the feeling that I need to share everything I do on social media? Do I feel that if I don’t check social media all the time I will miss something incredibly important? If you are experiencing any of the above, it may be worth taking some time out from social media and focusing on yourself and your relationships. It’s important to remember that much of what is presented is not real. If you think about it, by disconnecting from social media you will not miss out on anything that is actually important in the long run. The things that matter in the long run don’t tend to happen on your screen.	4,499
As I sit down to write this, I have to tell you that the littlest Beach House Brat and I have just polished off that slice of chocolate ice cream down there. I am inspired, so very inspired because it was gorgeous. I have been feeling a bit blah about this blog lately, but this post is different and I am very passionate about it.....here's why. I have loads more energy now my littlest is 4 years old. I have reapplied to teach a couple of days a week as one such example of how that energy is being harnessed. Another way is that I have become more vigilant about the additives and preservatives I am putting in my, but primarily my kids' mouths. One such bug bear for me is ice cream. Have you read the back of the carton lately? It is full of so much rubbish. The flavoured yoghurts are the same. Actually the lies in Australian labeling have really got to me lately. So I am mildly proud that I managed to make this terrific chocolate ice cream, using real food and that it tastes fantastic. I couldn't wait to share it with you. I guess it gave me a buzz like in my early days of blogging and that felt good. Recently, I put my anger about all the seemingly unnecessary additives in food and misleading labeling out there on my personal face book page. I got a whole lot of great advice about some fabulous resources. A friend from my mothers' group suggested I watch an American documentary called Food Inc. Another friend from primary school, whom I haven't seen for 30 years, commented she had seen the film and it had changed her life. Mr Beach House, God love him, responded to my request as he ventured out the door in last weekend's heinous weather to the video store and rented it for me. It's the little thing people. Here's the trailer to Food Inc. if you want a hint of what is happening to your food. I highly recommend this film. Even Mr Beach House is talking about it and believe me, it is unusual for him to be moved about anything other than sailing. The movie got me thinking more and more about the kinds of food I ate as a kid. Accordingly, I remembered this fantastic chocolate ice cream my mum used to make back in the 70's and 80's at her famous dinner parties, when our food was closer to nature. I dug out the recipe and changed it up a bit. Now this is not diet food, it is sometimes food, but it is made from mainly whole foods and it tastes delicious. It's soooooo much better for you than store bought ice cream and flavoured yoghurts too. Even dark chocolate has antioxidants in it. It was so quick and easy to make, you don't need an ice cream maker and I encourage you to take 30 minutes out of your day to give this a go. If you are serving it to guests for dessert, you make it the day before, so that has to be a bonus. I guarantee if you make this Beach Dwellers, you will be praised to the hills and back. 300ml (11oz) carton thickened pure cream (unfortunately low fat is not suitable for whipping) 1 cup of firmly packed brown sugar 200g (7oz) dark cooking chocolate roughly broken Fresh fruit to decorate Whip the cream until soft peaks form. Gently fold in the yoghurt and sugar. Melt the chocolate according to the directions on the pack and fold into the yoghurt mixture. Pour the mixture into a non stick cake loaf tin. I gave mine a light spray of olive oil, but it's probably not necessary. My mum would not have done that. Cover with foil and leave in the freezer over night for best results. Any time before serving, but no later than one hour beforehand, put some hot tap water in your sink and place the loaf tin into the water for 1-2 minutes, so the sides of the tin are in contact with the water. Be careful not to let the water come into contact with the ice cream. Turn out your ice cream log onto an oblong plate, by placing the plate on top of your tin and inverting. Refreeze the log before serving dressed with fruit of your choice. The ice cream is very rich, so you only need a small amount. The tartness of the strawberries was a fantastic compliment to it's richness, or so Mr Beach House said. Oh and you may be querying how I got my hands on so many strawberries. I picked up 15 punnets for $8 (yep that's about 55c a punnet) at Harris Farm Markets and that is 2 weeks in a row now I have purchased them at this price. The shop assistant told me a big supermarket had boycotted the grower of these strawberries, due to a bad batch they had received a few weeks ago from him, so Harris Farm were "helping him out".......Interesting!!!!!! I have to tell you these strawberries were fine....nothing wrong with them at all. The poor farmer is probably going broke real quick at these prices. Or maybe Harris Farm is. I wonder is that the price supermarkets buy strawberries per punnet from the grower? Perhaps Harris Farm was selling them at cost, just to keep the farmer going, who knows. But we may find the answer to this kind of thing real soon. because there's a new consumer show coming to the ABC. The Checkout from the Chaser team starts on March 21. I have an open mind, but the theme is how businesses rip off and con consumers every day. I shall be watching with great interest. Will you? Here's the trailer for that on Iview. Do you have any tips for not getting ripped off in terms of health or price, at the shops? You can find all my other dessert recipes here. Chef in Training Show and Tell Friday Posted by Desire Empire at 7:55 AM Linda@Coastal Charm March 11, 2013 at 9:18 AM Coming by to let you know that you made the top five at Nifty Thrifty Tuesday. Thanks for coming to my party last week. ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 5:57 PM Ah thanks for letting me know. Delete Replies Sydney, Kids, Food + Travel March 11, 2013 at 11:28 AM That looks absolutely amazing and I am going to make it soonest! And I love what you write about nasty additatives etc etc I need to remember that at the moment as I'm busy and feeding the kids too much crappola. But its' chicken and corn soup for dinner tonight with wholegrain bread. Tick. I often make creamy desserts for the kids, well once a week or so. They never stop moving so burn off the calories and I prefer to make desserts for them usually. This ice cream is tops as it has heaps more yoghurt than cream... and chocolate is good for us!! ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 5:58 PM Glad you're going to give it a go. Delete Replies Hotly Spiced March 11, 2013 at 12:33 PM Your ice cream turned out really well. I can't believe the price of those strawberries and I certainly hope the farmer covered his costs AND made some money - that is the idea! I feel very sorry for farmers in this country. They have it so tough. I saw that Food Inc documentary and it's horrifying. I think if I went to the USA I would only eat organic; everything else would be off-limits xx ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 5:57 PM I think the American situation is very similar to the Australian one actually. Delete Replies Unknown March 11, 2013 at 12:51 PM What a great buy I love strawberries, wish I could get some at that price- they are all around $5 a punnet here at the moment! My tip is to become friends with your local green grocer and he will look after you well, like the other day when I bought a big bag of potatoes, he gave me the special price that he was going to sell them at the following week because he didn't want me to pay too much! ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 5:55 PM Dea I'm sure everyone want to do right by you. You seem so nice. Delete Replies Emma March 11, 2013 at 1:42 PM That seriously looks divine!!! Are you up for a visit next Fri, as in the 22/3? xx ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 2:00 PM I can't do 22/3. I shall email you. Delete Replies Rita March 11, 2013 at 1:49 PM Yum! That looks divine! Thanks for sharing. ReplyDelete Replies JAMS' HOUSE March 11, 2013 at 1:54 PM Yum! This is a must try. What yoghurt brand do you prefer? ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 2:00 PM I used the one from Aldi this time, but just use a good quality Greek plain yoghurt with no sugar. They usually say Natural Yogurt on the carton, but you do need to check there is no sugar. Delete Replies Caroline March 11, 2013 at 3:00 PM Hi Carolyn, I am a regular reader, but this is my first comment. I've felt this way about food for many years (probably since I had my children). I have resigned to the fact that if you want good, wholesome food, you need to make it yourself or choose very wisely. One thing that has become easy, however, is shopping. I can now bypass 90% of the products on supermarkets shelves as I won't buy anything that contains any questionable additives. In fact most of my trolley contains fresh ingredients. Yes I do cook a lot, but the health of my family is definitely worth the extra work. You've got to wonder why our population is getting sicker and sicker, but I guess there's no money in good health! Caroline xx ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 3:10 PM Thanks for joining in. Yes most things boil down to $$$$ and you do have to query all the dietary related disease currently. I query why food allergies (particularly concerning nuts and dairy)never seemed to be an issue when we were kids and now so many of my friends kids are sufferers. I put a things back onto the shelves from my trolley this morning, things I have regularly bought, due to all the numbers on the back of the pack. It's all about shelf life and increasing profits. Consumer health seems way down the list of priorities for some of the food companies. Not until us consumers vote at the checkout will our food change for the better. Delete Replies Scandi Coast Home March 11, 2013 at 4:44 PM Would you believe I think I'm going to try this? ;O) Thanks for the inspiration. ReplyDelete Replies beachcomber March 11, 2013 at 5:04 PM something i'm passionate about.. like caroline i miss most of the aisles at the supermarket. i'm buying more at health food shops and smaller greengrocers. you're a great cook.. the ice cream looks amazing! ReplyDelete Replies Desire Empire March 11, 2013 at 5:52 PM Ah thanks Cheryl. Good food is the best kind of medicine. Delete Replies Diane March 12, 2013 at 9:22 AM What a wonderful mother you are to care so much about your child! Brilliant - we always make homemade ice cream in the summer. It is just better for some many reasons! ReplyDelete Replies Marty@A Stroll Thru Life March 13, 2013 at 12:58 AM We always made homemade ice cream as a child, I have to give this a try. Sounds fabulous. Thanks so much for joining TTT. Hugs, Marty ReplyDelete Replies Marie March 13, 2013 at 6:06 AM Mmmmm, that ice cream looks so good! I love anything pure and natural and can't stand all the preservatives either. I had heard of Food Inc. but put off watching it for a while as sometimes it's hard to face reality. I finally did watch it a while back and it was informative and hard to watch at the same time. ReplyDelete Replies Life Love and Hiccups March 13, 2013 at 12:53 PM CRUEL! LOL I cannot cave! even thought I desperately want to, my ass says NO! xx ReplyDelete Replies Suz March 13, 2013 at 3:16 PM You amaze me at how well you are at this cooking-no wonder Mr. Beach House doesn't want to eat out. ReplyDelete Replies Redcliffe Style March 18, 2013 at 5:09 PM Yum!!! I'm totally going to have to give this a go. Rachel xx ReplyDelete Replies Domesblissity March 20, 2013 at 11:02 PM I just can't stop drooling every time I see these pictures Carolyn. I'm not a big ice cream eater but this has me salivating. I'm featuring it at tomorrow's party. Hope you're having fun at DPCON13.	12,543
On the net casinos, generally known as exclusive gambling house or maybe world-wide-web gambling house usually are a on the net type connected with regular casinos. Casinos people head over to, to help engage in black color jack or maybe cleanly slot machines. On the net casinos make it possible for gamblers/players to help engage in in addition to play with gambling house video game titles throughout the World-wide-web. A lot of these on the net poker casinos commonly deliver strange in addition to commission dimensions which might be comparable to land-based casinos. Many on the net casinos express better commission percentages intended for slot machine video game titles, and many post purchase fraction audits on their internet websites. Assuming that this gambling house royal is usually employing an adequately programmed randomly range creator, dining room table video game titles including blackjack produce an recognized household framework. This check fraction intended for most of these video game titles is established because of the policies on the activity. Consistency in addition to confidence difficulties usually are regular and infrequently questioned with gambling house online. Quite a few on the net casinos rent payments or maybe attain the application by well-known corporations including Guarantee Is effective, Microgaming, Real time Game playing, Engage in support in addition to Cryptology in an attempt to “piggyback” the name within the application manufacturer’s sincerity. Most of these application corporations often implement or maybe assert make use of randomly range devices intended for on the net gambling house poker to make certain this volumes, greeting cards or maybe dice come through at random ,. With cost-free gambling house video game titles, whatever you including bet, it will be easy for making selection concerning unique web-sites in addition to on the net casinos devoid of accessing using your laptop almost any application. This video game titles usually are showed with your browser plug-ins like Macro marketing Adobe flash, Macro marketing Great shock wave, or maybe Java that’ll make it possible for your computer to show off this appears to be, graphics in addition to video game titles with exclusive gambling house. The web based poker gambler can get with on the net gambling house an incredible range of video game titles like Baccarat, Blackjack, Craps, Roulette, Slot machines or maybe Online video media Texas hold’em. For anyone who is a devoted Bingo on the net gambler, quite a few web-sites like offers you this enjoyment you want a variety of them featuring to succeed cost-free trips or maybe organized tours by means of gambling house online, when you complete a first deposit previous to a clear time frame. On the net casinos likewise propose to her to help completely new members/players signup add-ons whenever they build the primary remains with gambling house royal. The item commonly equals a percentage on the player’s first deposit that has a $ utmost, in addition to above all on the net casinos call for a minimum amount $ total. Having on the net gambling house, you might have enjoyment each of the video game titles you choose, by Baccarat to help Texas hold’em. Baccarat activity is usually messed around with greeting cards; it truly is a on the net gambling house poker activity that had been primary unveiled in People from france gambling house royal by Italy over the sovereignty connected with Charles VIII connected with People from france. You will discover several solutions on the activity: baccarat chem with de fer (railway), baccarat banque (or some sort of deux tableaux), in addition to punto banco (or North american baccarat). Baccarat is usually a uncomplicated activity having solely several effects, gambler, banker in addition to wrap. These include simply just selections on what this winning player can certainly choice. Blackjack would be the almost all well-liked gambling house cards activity from the gambling house online earth. It truly is seeing that well known seeing that twenty-one (vingt-et-un) or maybe Pontoon, originated in The french language casinos from the 1700s. This acceptance connected with blackjack is mainly recognized by this cards counting (keeping track of which often greeting cards are competed because past shuffle). Blackjack hands and wrists usually are realized by means of the position entire. This give while using the best entire victories given that doesn’t necessarily go higher than 7 (vingt-et-un). Roulette is usually a gambling house in addition to poker activity in addition to derives from some sort of The french language label good sense “small wheel” that’s effectively what exactly Roulette is usually. It had been devised from the 17th centuries by way of girl label Blaise Pascal. For making the item far more eye-catching to help gamblers, a couple different Frenchmen François in addition to Louis Blanc added in this “0” towards roulette with classify for boosting the percentages. Down the line from the 1800s, roulette seemed to be added in north america certainly where an minute “0” seemed to be added in “00” to enhance the percentages all the more. A gamer can certainly play with volumes, combo, varies, odds/evens, in addition to colorings with exclusive gambling house. This croupier converts this tire that’s 37 or maybe 38 singly using pieces that the very little baseball have to area without cost gambling house video game titles. The leading pieces usually are by 1 to help thirty seven in addition to any pieces is usually reddish colored in addition to black color, having number one currently being reddish colored. There is also a environment friendly compartment using 0. Practically in most roulette small wheels in the states but is not with European union, we have a minute 0 compartment proclaimed 00, likewise hued environment friendly. When a gambler craps bets using one range in addition to victories, the prices is usually 27 to 1. This play per se is usually revisited, and so in one payemnt it truly is multiplied by means of thirty seven. You possibly can engage in this roulette with on the net gambling house Royal and may develop the appropriate similar effects as if you were being within a authentic Vegas gambling house. Slot machines are most likely the favourite sort of on the net gambling house online and you should uncover and so quite a few with just about every on the net gambling house web page you are likely to. On the net gambling house slot machines usually are coin handled having several and up reels, which often spins in the event the man or women sets off this cope with on the side on the unit. Into the slot machine is usually a foreign exchange detector of which validates your money injected because of the gambler. The machine will be worthwhile in the event the representations will probably fit, one example is 3 a terrific way to or maybe 3 $ signals. From time to time, the participant can certainly gain having solely a couple parallel representations. Is it doesn’t similar having on the net exclusive gambling house slot machine the participant pays having a credit card a definite amount of money in addition to click on the icon to help engage in. Caused by current computer system technological know-how, there are now quite a few modifications on the slot machine principle and it also shows in relation to 70% on the normal casino’s profits. You will discover a great number of on the net gambling house online internet websites at this point made available, which the player/gambler should have no problem picking out what exactly he / she wishes to engage in. You possibly can log onto with unique on the net gambling house internet websites to try and do on the net poker and discover what kind you enjoy ideal in addition to satisfy your desires, regardless of you’ll discover ones poker joy. ← Any Instrument for Sports Sponsorships → For those who Make Your special Football Betting Procedure? Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Recent Posts The best way plus The key reason why to order Bunk Beds to get Young people Just what exactly For those who Take into consideration In advance of The purchase of a Bunk Bed For your personal Relatives?	8,632
This undated handout photo provided by Christopher Harris shows George Floyd. The mayor of Minneapolis called Wednesday, May 27, 2020, for criminal charges to be filed against officer Derek Chauvin, who is seen on video kneeling against the neck of handcuffed Floyd, who complained that he could not breathe and died in police custody. By: Justin Boggs Posted at 10:30 PM, May 31, 2020 George Floyd, the Minnesota man who died while in police custody on Monday, causing nationwide unrest over his death and police brutality more generally, will be laid to rest in Houston. Houston Police Chief Art Acevedo told CNN’s Don Lemon on Sunday that he plans on giving Floyd a police escort when Floyd’s body is laid to rest in Houston. The honor is generally bestowed to officers who died in the line of duty. Acevedo said that Floyd was a well-known former Houston resident. Earlier on Sunday, Acevedo gave an impassioned speech about the state of police-community relations. Copyright 2022 Scripps Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.	1,141
Yesterday I posted an overview of a website called Lawblogs.net that was content scraping a number of legal blogs. The extent to which the content scrapping occurred varied, but there were definitely multiple instances of complete posts being pulled from legal blogs’ RSS feeds and beings displayed on Lawblogs.net. Matthias Klappenbach, the person behind Lawblogs.net quickly modified the functionality of Lawblogs.net, as outlined in this post at his blog: 1. I removed the iFrame which was visible to navigate to popular posts or back to LawBlogs.net when clicking on a headline. I was never sure about the iFrame, which is why I put it up for discussion here. However removing the iFrame is the right decision at this time. 2. I further shortened the content snippets displayed on LawBlogs.net. Never will an article be shown with more than 400 characters. Full articles were at no point in time shown on LawBlogs.net. In the past depending on the post length, LawBlogs.net displayed up to 50% of articles. 3. I have removed the blogs for which authors reached out to me. If you want your blog removed please drop me an email at [email protected] or – even easier – let me know by clicking on the question mark in the bottom right corner. So why still ads? The motivation behind the site is not money (as stressed before) and the site is not my main income. However I need the site to break even to continue running it. That’s it… Update 1 – 1:30pm PST: I made some minor edits to get by thoughts across a little better.. Update 2 – 4:00pm PST: I have found an issue where posts in rare cases were indeed displayed in full due to a bug in my system (how “lucky” that Keith found it). I’m very well aware that displaying articles in full is well outside of legal bounds and should never have happened. I have fixed the issue and sincerely appologize for the mistake. These changes address my personal issues for the site – somewhat. There are still a number of issues remaining. One, my name and material, as that of the rest of AboveTheLaw, remains on Lawblogs.net. I’m fairly certain that my last blog post made it clear that I want it removed. Two, not all RSS feeds or content are created equal. There are a variety of ways to license the use of one’s content. Some people reserve all rights under copyright law. Other people choose to use licenses that allow sharing and reuse of their content. Typically speaking, this later category generally falls under some sort of Creative Commons license. For the unaware: Our free, easy-to-use copyright licenses provide a simple, standardized way to give the public permission to share and use your creative work — on conditions of your choice. CC licenses let you easily change your copyright terms from the default of “all rights reserved” to “some rights reserved.” Creative Commons licenses are not an alternative to copyright. They work alongside copyright and enable you to modify your copyright terms to best suit your needs. But there are still restrictions content creators can place on the use and sharing of their content under a Creative Commons license. [toggle title=”A Note On Fair Use” state=”close” ]There are also times when a person’s content can be used at will, under the Fair Use Doctrine. Fair use is a limitation and exception to the exclusive right granted by copyright law to the author of a creative work. In United States copyright law, fair use is a doctrine that permits limited use of copyrighted material without acquiring permission from the rights holders. Examples of fair use include commentary, search engines, criticism, parody, news reporting, research, teaching, library archiving and scholarship. It provides for the legal, unlicensed citation or incorporation of copyrighted material in another author’s work under a four-factor balancing test: 1)Purpose and character of the use, 2)Nature of the copyrighted work, 3)Amount and substantiality, and 4)Effect upon work’s value. A full analysis is beyond the scope of this post, but needless to say, Lawblogs.net use of other blogs content is not sustainable under the four-factor balancing test. [/toggle] For example, Kevin Underhill, author of Lowering The Bar, uses an Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons license. Meaning that while you can re-publish posts from his blog, they cannot be used for commercial gain. Advertising is commercial gain. As such, displaying any of the content from Lowering The Bar within a website supported by advertising is in violation of the license. There are still likely dozens, if not hundreds, of such violations on Lawblogs.net as the Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons license is one of the most common licenses used by blogs. The authors of these blogs don’t need to tell Lawblogs.net to remove their content. Their choice of license serves as proactive public notice as to how they wish their content to be treated. Lawblogs.net had a duty to inspect the licensed used of the content of each of blogs from which it pulled content. It did not, and so violated the copyrights of the blogs’ authors. There are other blogs that retain all copyright protection: This feed is for personal, non-commercial use only. The use of this feed on other websites breaches copyright. If this content is not in your news reader, the page you are viewing infringes the copyright. Again, personal, not commercial use. This author is also restricting his posts to only his website and personal news readers. It is not to be displayed on any other website. Lawblogs.net is in violation of this blog’s copyrighted use as well. The author of this blog does not need to tell Lawblogs.net to remove their content because Lawblogs.net had a duty to never take it in the first place. Furthermore, by having a blogs content appear on Lawblogs.net, there is likely an implied voluntary association between the blog and Lawblogs.net in the minds’ of the average reader. That is, a blog has chose to have its content appear on Lawblogs.net and not taken without their permission. As Klappenbach still seems to fail to grasp intellectual property laws, so I’m going to address it briefly with a hypothetical. Adam is walking along and sees a $100 bill sitting on someone’s front porch. No one was around, but Adam could see that the $100 bill was on someone’s property (to be lawyerly about it, their curtilage). But since no one was around, Adam decides he’s going to take the $100. But Adam is nervous about taking the $100, because he knows he took it off of someone else’s property. Instead of spending the $100, Adam decides to put it into a savings account and just earn interest of off it. This goes along for sometime, with Adam happily earning interest on the money, while at the same time feeling good that he actually didn’t “steal” anything, because the money is sitting unspent in the savings account. Some time goes by and Bob, the owner of the aforementioned property, steps outside and realizes his $100 is gone. Bob, being a diligent homeowner, has 24/7 video surveillance of his front porch. Bob reviews the video and discovers that it was Adam who took the $100 bill. Bob confronts Adam about taking the $100 bill. Adam says, “No no, I was just holding on to it. I didn’t steal it. It’s right here. There you go,” and hands Bob a $100 bill back. Has Adam stolen the $100 bill from Bob? Is the interest gained on the money while Bob’s $100 bill was in Adam’s savings account theft? Did Adam have permission to take the $100 bill from Bob’s front porch, just because it was sitting there unattended? Leave your answers in the comments. UPDATE: Lawblogs.net has now folded. See comments below. Also see Josh King’s post on Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International Creative Commons licensed content here. LawyerSmack 12 Years of Associate’s Mind Select Month March 2021 April 2020 March 2020 December 2019 May 2019 December 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010	9,223
I am so at home in Dublin, more than any other city, that I feel it has always been familiar to me. It took me years to see through its soft charm to its bitter prickly kernel - which I quite like too. John Fanning March 2022 Bruno Maçães, a former minister for Europe in the Portuguese government, speculated in a recent essay in the New Statesman that at different stages of history different types of people typify their age; saints in the Middle Ages who built cathedrals, explorers in early modern Europe who “discovered” the rest of the world and revolutionaries in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. Today’s equivalent, he argued, are the tech billionaires. These are not to be confused with wealthy business tycoons of the past who wanted to make lots of money and enjoy the resulting prestige and power; they are much more ambitious, with missions and projects connected to the higher aspirations of mankind like ensuring eternal life and setting up communities in outer space. It is worth considering the philosophy that lies at the heart of the tech billionaire’s beliefs and behaviour. It was clearly spelt out by John Perry Barlow, once a songwriter for the Grateful Dead who became one of the early proselytisers of the digital age in 1996 when he published “A Declaration of Independence of Cyberspace”. It began: “Governments of the industrial world, you weary giants of flesh and steel, I come from Cyberspace, the new home of Mind. On behalf of the future, I ask you of the past to leave us alone. You are not welcome among us. You have no sovereignty where we gather. Governments derive their just powers from the consent of the governed. You have neither solicited nor received ours. We did not invite you. You do not know us nor do you know our world. Cyberspace does not live within your borders.” So now we know, and in recent years we have become more familiar with some of the tech elite. Mark Zuckerberg is probably the best-known, partly because of the controversies surrounding his Facebook business. Sergei Brin and Larry Page, joint founders of Google, are less well-known but their business’s ubiquity has given them some profile, Amazon’s increasing stranglehold over retailing has heightened awareness of founder Jeff Bezos and the Tesla phenomenon has made the world take notice of Elon Musk. Peter Thiel is not as well-known but he’s a fully-fledged member of the club and he is the subject of a fascinating new biography by the experienced business journalist Max Chafkin, aptly titled The Contrarian, because although he has much in common with the other major tech figures mentioned above his extreme opinions make him somewhat of an outlier. He was born in Germany but his parents moved to America when he was two. Like the others, he excelled at school, earning almost perfect scores in his exams. He was nerdy and socially awkward but made little or no attempt to compensate. Regarding his fellow pupils with disdain, his main social interaction was beating them at chess. He was an avid reader of science fiction and also developed an obsession with Tolkien’s Lord of the Rings, claiming to have memorised all three volumes He enrolled at Stanford University, the most prestigious college in the eyes of the tech elite, and again graduated with ease. But it was here that definite signs of his contrariness began to emerge. He expressed particular scorn for the study of the humanities, referring dismissively to “degrees in sex and drinking”. He was gay but not “out”, and this would appear to have compounded his social discomfort. Annoyed by the prevailing liberal ethos on campus he and a group of like-minded acolytes founded a conservative publication to present an alternative future vision heavily influenced by the right-wing icon Ayn Rand whose philosophy of objectivism, based on individual self-interest and unrestrained free-market capitalism, he enthusiastically endorsed. Thiel’s extreme libertarian views were shared by many of the tech aristocracy but he was alone in attempting to work out a more coherent account of what he stood for. While in college he co-authored a book, The Diversity Myth: Multiculturalism and the Politics of Intolerance on Campus, and later contributed an essay, The Education of a Libertarian, to a publication from the right-wing think-tank the Cato Institute, in which he concluded “I no longer believe that freedom and democracy are compatible.” He shared the Silicon Valley aversion to paying taxes of any kind and became interested in “seasteading”: creating independent mobile communities at sea to escape any form of government regulation or taxes. He went on to argue in a Cato Institute publication that the decline of the US in the twentieth century began in the 1930s with the introduction of higher welfare benefits and the extension of the franchise to women. After university he drifted into the financial sector in New York, but like many ambitious young men of the time he was attracted by the much greater financial rewards offered by the emerging tech sector out west in Silicon Valley. His first breakthrough was with an awkward hand-held computer in the late 1990s then called PalmPilot, popular among geeks, a kind of proto iPhone. Immediately sensing the possibilities of using the machines for money transfer, he became one of the first investors, renamed it PayPal and it became the initial basis of his wealth and gave him a taste for intuitively based early-stage investments. But it was his instinctive ability to see what the embryonic tech revolution was capable of that was the crucial factor. The clunky PalmPilot machine, he realised, could facilitate the electronic transfer of money on a global scale beyond the reach of established banks and nation states. This reminds us of another characteristic of the tech elite, their sheer level of their aggression: they are not content with beating the competition, they want to destroy it. In linking Thiel and Zuckerberg the author reveals that the latter admired the Roman emperor Augustus, even adopting his hairstyle for a time but more importantly using his ancient war slogan Carthago delenda est. And if they can’t destroy a competitor, they simply buy them, which explains why Facebook now owns What’s App and Instagram. Thiel’s most celebrated act of destruction was more personal but equally violent. The US satirical muck-raking blog Gawker had been stalking him for some time, concentrating on the fact that he was gay. Thiel secretly manipulated a legal action being taken by another well-known personality who also felt he was being targeted by the blog into a much more serious legal complaint, which eventually bankrupted Gawker. Thiel invested over $10m in destroying his opponent but to someone of his wealth that was only small change. He continues to invest in “disruptive” start-ups that have the potential to achieve world domination in specific business sectors, including Airbnb, Uber and the Irish Collinson brothers’ Stripe. Like many of the “techverse” elite he wants to live forever and is interested in extropianism, the idea that advances in technology will allow humans to achieve that goal. He is also involved in the field of experimental biology known as parabiosis which involves “surgically joining two bodies so that their circulation systems merge creating in effect synthetic conjoined twins”. Adapting this idea to humans could involve transfusing older patients with blood from younger ones. When questioned about his interest in parabiosis he replied: “I am not a vampire.” Regardless of his ambition to defeat death, Thiel has achieved much in his life to date. According to Chafkin, he set out three main goals for himself: to make a shedload of money, to be a power broker in Silicon Valley and to be a thought leader in Washington. He has certainly achieved the first two goals but in spite of some progress with the third his impact remains uncertain. His political views are clear enough from his slim volume of writing on the subject. He is an extreme libertarian with scarcely disguised misogynistic undertones. Chafkin alludes to some disturbing traces of white supremacy and antisemitic thinking which are unfortunately becoming more common in the current feverish atmosphere of American politics. After dithering around a number of Republican presidential candidates in the 2016 election Thiel finally settled on Trump because he thought he was a winner. He was the only Silicon Valley power broker to do so and was rewarded with a speaking slot at the Republican convention and then put in charge of a transition team in the White House to make recommendations about who should run various government agencies. However, most of his choices were too extreme even for Trump. But he is still active in US politics and according to Chafkin is currently providing financial support for a number of extreme right-wing Republican candidates for governorships and senate seats; so we’re unlikely to have heard the last of his malign influence. Chafkin’s book is a useful addition to the increasing number of biographies being written about believers in the independence of cyberspace. Too little attention, however, is being given to the gigantic flaw in the portentous rhetoric of the so-called “declaration” quoted above. The reality is that the wealth of the tech billionaires is derived from “our world”. Silicon Valley’s wealth is mined from data collected from us, the weary citizens of the old world whose consent was not solicited. The secondary title of this book, “Peter Thiel and Silicon Valley’s Pursuit of Power”, should alert those of us who believe that freedom and democracy are compatible that in future we need to overcome our weariness and be much more vocal in defending our beliefs. X Other € One-time Annual Prove you are a human If you donate and also register with the drb you will enjoy permanent free access to our archive of several thousand essays on reaching €100 in donations. You can also keep track of your donations on your drb dashboard. If you donate and also register with the drb you will enjoy permanent free access to our archive of several thousand essays on reaching €100 in donations. You can also keep track of your donations on your drb dashboard.	10,674
This past weekend was Pentecost or the Feast of Shavuot. It is celebrated fifty days after Passover and the death of Jesus/Yeshua. In the Christian church we think of it as the day the Holy Spirit was given to the disciples waiting in the upper room. But the first Pentecost occurred for a different reason. Exodus 19:17-20 tells us the first Pentecost was when God came to Mt. Sinai to meet with the people. God called Moses to the top of the mountain so He could give him the Law as we know it. It is also thought Moses received the Oral Law or Talmud at this time as well. Exodus 20:18 says, “Now when all the people saw the thunder and the flashes of lightning and the sound of the trumpet and the mountain smoking, the people were afraid[a and trembled, and they stood far off.” Can you imagine walking towards a smoking, trembling mountain with thunder, lightning, and fire coming from it as the God of the Universe descends upon it because He wants you to hear His conversation with Moses? “Moses spoke and God answered him with thunder…” Exodus 19:19 Moses apparently understood thunder. Exodus 20:18 is describing the same scene, and according to what I have learned, the original Hebrew states this verse as “The people saw the voices and fires…” It’s an interesting way to think of this, but as God spoke they saw His voice as fire and the people were afraid. How does that compare to Acts 2? In the New Testament Pentecost, we read Yeshua gave the Holy Spirit as tongues of fire to His disciples. The people who had gathered in Jerusalem for the Feast of Weeks heard the disciples speaking to them in their own languages and were puzzled, amazed, or amused. It may not have been thunder or fire coming from their mouths, but it was still impressive. The very first Pentecost, God spoke to everyone through Moses. After Yeshua ascended, God spoke through His Holy Spirit through fishermen, tax collectors, shepherds, and other people. God still speaks through His Holy Spirit! #ThisSideofHeaven #ASignandaSeal In Exodus 32, Moses came down the mountain to find the people worshipping a golden calf. In verses 25-29, Moses instructed the Levites to strike down those who built and worshipped this idol. Three-thousand people died on that [Pentecost]… Fast forward to Acts 2:41 and we read on that Pentecost, three-thousand people were added to the numbers of those who believed in Yeshua. God does not work on a linear timeline, but a circular one. Everything comes back to redemption. I miscarried my first baby in late September 1995. The following year on September 23, 1996, I brought my twins home from the hospital. That date was not lost on me. I knew God was redeeming the loss we experienced. He is so kind. He loves us like He loves His Son. Nearly everything God did in the Old Testament reflected Yeshua. As the Israelites wandered in the wilderness, God had Moses number each tribe and gave them a specific order when they camped and traveled according to Numbers 1 and 2. As they camped, all twelve tribes sat around the tabernacle, in four groups of three, while the Levites circled the tabernacle in the center of all the other tribes. Most drawings I have seen of this looked like a mess of tents and camps around the tabernacle. But, using the numbered group of tribes as “legs” you see a pattern in the orderly arrangement of this camp. They were arranged with the tribes of Dan, Asher, and Naphtali grouped together with 157, 600 north of the tabernacle. The tribes of Reuben, Simeon, and Gad were south of the tabernacle numbering 151, 450. These two groups are close in size giving them equal “legs.” Judah, Issachar, and Zebulun were east of the tabernacle with 186, 400 – the longest leg. And finally, west of the tabernacle numbering 108,100 were Ephraim, Manasseh, and Benjamín, with the shortest leg. When you lay the tribes out as they would have looked from the top of a mountain, you get a shape like this: In the Hebrew alphabet, the last letter is a tav, which at the time of Moses was shaped like a cross or a lowercase “t.” Their alphabet letters have meanings unlike ours. According to the Talmud, the tav means truth. It is also the first letter in the word Torah. https://www.chabad.org/library/article_cdo/aid/137287/jewish/Tav.htm Along with truth, the tav means a sign, seal, or mark. Deuteronomy 6:4-8 is called the Shema. God told us His commands (Torah) should be on our hearts. It should be taught to our children and spoken about in our homes and wherever we go. “You shall bind [my commands] as a sign on your hand, and they shall be as frontlets between your eyes.” The Torah was a sign or mark of following the Lord. In the New Testament, we read that we have been sealed with the Holy Spirit. The Holy Spirit is a sign of our faith in Yeshua as born again believers. Ephesians 1:13 tells us, “In him you also, when you heard the word of truth, the gospel of your salvation, and believed in him, were sealed with the promised Holy Spirit From the beginning of time as we know it, God has orchestrated signs, wonders, and miracles to show Himself to us, lastly sending His Son as a sign of His love for us and desire for relationship. Long ago, at many times and in many ways, God spoke to our fathers by the prophets, but in these last days he has spoken to us by his Son, whom he appointed the heir of all things, through whom also he created the world. He is the radiance of the glory of God and the exact imprint of his nature, and he upholds the universe by the word of his power. When Yeshua said, “I am the Alpha and Omega,” in Hebrew it would have been, “I am the Aleph and the Tav. Aleph being the first letter of the Hebrew alphabet meaning Leader or First. This letter is used to represent God. Essentially what Yeshua was saying is, “I am God, and I am the sign of the covenant.” Email address: -Placed 3rd in Selah Awards. Recent Posts How I came to know the Messiah The Greek and Hebrew Minds and their Differences Starr Ayers and I would love your review of Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special Needs Families in Amazon, Goodreads, or B&N. Linda Gilden wrote a beautiful story about her two grandchildren--one with special needs being comforted by her sister. Read more in Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special Needs Families. Tim Richards is another one of our amazing contributors to Room at the Table. He wrote his wife's stories regarding her brother, Paul, with special needs. In Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special Needs Families, Whitney writes about what it's like having special needs. We appreciate our contributors! Make sure to read both of Judy's stories in Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special Needs Families. Chaplain Brad Lee shares his touching story of being a parent with a #SpecialNeeds son in Room at the Table: Encouraging Stories from Special Needs Families.	7,297
Dynamic Website under continuous updation with case publications. Keep coming back to know new success stories. Brain GBM WHO III stage CML Rectal Cancer Use tab to navigate through the menu items. There are many types of brain cancer / tumor. Contrary to general belief it is not the neurons which produce cancer but the supporting cells (Glial=glue) which takes care of functioning of neuron. As the brain is highly protected from blood by Blood Brain Barrier, it is difficult to make the drugs reach the site of action. Thus most drugs fail to reach brain making it difficult to treat with chemo drugs. Any resistance to these limited drugs means it is much tougher situation. Fortunately herbal therapy offers extensive range of molecules having the ability to cross BBB. Combined with Novel Drug Delivery System it is much easier to reach and treat. This therapy not only combats cancer but improves the chemo drug entry into cells thus increases the efficacy of chemo therapy too. With help of this holistic / nutritional therapy it is possible to arrest the progress or even reverse it. What we suggest is if intracranial (inside head) pressure is high which happens generally in Stage III & IV should undergo decompression surgery immediately to prevent the loss of functioning of brain parts. You can request surgeon not to be extremely cleansing in which a procedure they may end up in removing some functional tissue, the loss can't be reversed. As the loss is acute sometimes, care need to be excercised. Upon initiation of therapy, one should monitor the changes carefully. After atleast 2 weeks, signs & symptoms should not deteriorate further indicating efficacy of therapy. As we don't encourage MRI, CT Scan, PET Scan whose safety is not established completely in long term, we advise the patients to find the markers, indicators themselves to monitor the improvement. Avoid contrast scans until it is very very essential, discuss with your oncologist. Except for surgery contrast may not be required. Here we provide details of cases who are accepted the therapy. Case 1: Mr. Kiran N S, Male 43 Year old, from Bangalore suffered vomiting, blurred vision, pulling of body to a side diagnosed with Stage III (WHO) / IV Astrocytoma (GBM) at brain stem in 2011. As it can't be operated due to the risky location, surgeons recommended CTRT (Temozolamide daily 100mg with RT for 6 cycles). Unfortunately patient could not tolerate RT ended up on bed with Ryle's tube for feeding. He was unable to sign and his speech was not understood by his wife too. That was the situation when he had been left for palliative care. He is not recieving any further chemo / radio therapy from then onwards. Update: on 01-11-2014: He is doing fine. Early 2014 MRI confirmed the regression of Tumor with no Hydrocephalis Update: Brain tumor progressed and a fall suddenly augmented all declines and we lost him after extending life with quality for 4 1/2 years Just a month before her 3rd year birthday in 2012, Ms. Diti from Bangalore, diagnosed with rare type of ATRT (Atypical Tumor / Rhabdoid Tumor) immeditely underwent decompression surgery followed by series of Radio & chemo therapy. The family initiated Nutrition Therapy (NT) after 2 months of radiation and inbetween 2-3 cycle of Chemo. She had been sent back from chemo at times. This child was the reason why we initiated Chocolate Therapy (incorporating therapeutic agents in high powered coco-chocolate). By Aug 2013 Chemo has stopped but port has been retained. Feb 2014, port has been removed as MRI revealed better resolution with no new lesion. NT has been stopped from June 2014. Update: 01-11-2014: She is doing good in school and leading near normal life of a child. Lady over the age of 70 years from Mysore in March 2014 has been left for palliative care as the Metastasis from Breast Cancer (post surgery) started nanotechnology based formulations and albeit bit late recovered (due to age & associated co-morbid conditions). Update: 01-11-2014: She is independant and able to do daily chorus and walk across the road to friends houses and temples. Failures: There are many causes for failure, we try document them and try to prevent them in future. Case 1: Geetha, a 48 year old female suddenly diagnosed with blurring vision, unable to stand initiated Nutritional therapy along with Chemotherapy and special monoclonal antibody Avastin (At present it is not showing any observable benefit as on Feb 2014 compared to approval date Feb 2013). Although there was dramatic recovery within few months to near normal, continued haemorrhage induced by Avastin has tilted the balance. Yet to come out of coma. She has been discharged from hospital for palliative care and family of patient has decided to stop all therapy and give her the final freedom. She finally gave up as severe hemorrage in brain resulted in huge edema (the pressure was so high, fluid was emanating from the surgery site) resulting in concussion of brain. Surgical oncologists rejected the surgical decompression and nothing on this earth can do magic in such situation. Lesson: Avastin has proved again that it has little to do in GBM. Benefit may be lesser than risk apart from huge cost. Case 2: Family approached for therapy when the male patient aged around 60 years with GBM, was almost in coma with hardly any communication under palliative care. Although nutrtitional theapy was given for few weeks through Ryle's tube, we couldn't document recovery except few occasions. Also it was first such case we attempted and could not use much options. Although we pulled for a month, fate defeated us. Case 3: Sai Raksha, 6 year old girl from Bangalore suffered from Pontine Glioma. Diagnosed in Stage IV, time given was 3-6 months. They approached during Chemo cycles and Nutrition Therapy initiated immediately. Response was very good and she recovered well. She was able to go to school and learn as others. Unfortunately there were some low times during CTRT. Although we are aware of Radiotherapy helps in Metastasis, main stream therapy was continued. During these times she has been put on Wyselone (corticosteroids which reduce inflammation and edema). They are good in relieving symptoms initially and increase the efficacy of Temozolamide; later the effect is weaned off. There comes problem, steroids are most potential immunosuppressant which is opposite to our approach of immunostimulation. NT also was stopped during these days. Mar 2014 almost 8-9 months later she gained weight nearly 20-30% (may be fluid accumulation due to steroids?) and slowly slipped off to coma in a week. Although father initiated NT again, it was too late and couldn't be saved. Learing from case 3: Although steroids helps initially, ultimately they became detrimental. It is better to manage without steroids or atleast it should be discontinued as early as possible. Also Nutritiona Therapy should be continued to stimulate the immunity which is suppressed by steroids. Lesson: No magic works. Even NT has limitations. Patint need to act as early as possible (ASAP) as the cells keep deviding every moment releasing bad chemicals and spreading.	7,570
I have found a strange thing happens when I talk to nutritionists about the fate of carbohydrates in the human body. Professors, who shall be nameless, appear unable to admit how basic human physiology works. For example, they may concede a few steps here and there, but they will never, ever, admit to the following chain that I have described below. 1: Carbohydrates, such as fruit and vegetables, bread, pasta… and, of course, less complex sugars – such as the stuff we sprinkle on cornflakes, that we call ‘sugar’, are all turned into simple sugars in the human digestive tract before entering the bloodstream. 2: If you keep eating carbohydrate the resultant simple sugars will, at first, be stored. The human body can pack away around 1,500 calories of sugar. However, once this limit is reached, the liver will turn the rest into fat. 3: The fat that is made in the liver is palmitic acid 4: The next step is that three palmitic acid molecules are attached to a glycerol molecule, to form a triglyceride. 5: These triglycerides will then be packed into Very Low Density Lipoproteins (VLDL) and released into the bloodstream. [Beware of confusion here. For VLDLs are also called triglycerides although, of course, they are not. VLDLs contain triglycerides but they are not the same thing – even if they are called the same thing]. 6: When VLDLs reach fat cells (adipose tissue), the triglyceride is stripped out and absorbed into fat cells. Which means that VLDLs gradually shrink. 7: Once a VLDL has lost a large amount of triglyceride it becomes a new, smaller, lipoprotein, which is often referred to as ‘bad cholesterol’ a.k.a. LDL (Low Density Lipoprotein). 8: LDL is taken out of the circulation, primarily, by the liver. Some LDLs are removed from the circulation by other cells around the body that need the cholesterol contained in them. 9: As can be seen, the only source of LDL is VLDL. Here a couple of quotes from Wikipedia to confirm at least a couple of these steps: Lipogenesis is the process by which acetyl-CoA is converted to fatty acids. The former is an intermediate stage in metabolism of simple sugars, such as glucose, a source of energy of living organisms. Through lipogenesis and subsequent triglyceride synthesis, the energy can be efficiently stored in the form of fats. Lipogenesis encompasses both the process of fatty acid synthesis and triglyceride synthesis (where fatty acids are esterified with glycerol to form fats). The products are secreted from the liver in the form of very-low-density lipoproteins (VLDL). VLDL are secreted directly into blood, where they mature and function to deliver the endogenously derived lipids to peripheral tissues. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lipogenesis Excess carbohydrates in the body are converted to palmitic acid. Palmitic acid is the first fatty acid produced during fatty acid synthesis and the precursor to longer fatty acids. As a consequence, palmitic acid is a major body component of animals. In humans, one analysis found it to comprise 21–30% (molar) of human depot fat and it is a major, but highly variable, lipid component of human breast milk. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Palmitic_acid I am half tempted to leave the blog here and let you think about what all of that means for a while. However, I feel the need to make a couple of other points, in no particular order. First, I would like you to think about this fact. The form of fatty acid that the liver chooses to synthesize from sugar(s) is palmitic acid, a saturated fat. Palmitic acid is also the major component of breast milk. Yet, despite this, we are told that saturated fats are uniquely unhealthy, and eating them leads to heart disease. Indeed, within to the very same Wikipedia article on palmitic acid we learn that: ‘According to the World Health Organization, evidence is “convincing” that consumption of palmitic acid increases risk of developing cardiovascular diseases.’ It seems that we are being asked to believe that the body naturally synthesizes a substance, palmitic acid, that actively damages our health. Not only that, but mothers choose to synthesize exactly the same form of fatty acid in their breast milk, which then increase the chances of their offspring developing cardiovascular disease. Now just how likely does this seem…exactly? We have evolved to kill ourselves from heart disease? As Spock may have said, ‘its evolution Jim, but not as we know it.’ You would think that if polyunsaturated fats were healthy, this is what the human body might choose to make. But no, we eat super healthy fruit and vegetables and then our body, in a unique and ironic twist of fate, converts them into death dealing saturated fatty acids. Not only that, but just to rub salt into the wounds, once the liver has synthesized these death dealing fatty acid molecules it then chooses to pack them into VLDLs which have the cheek to shrink down into LDL a.k.a. ‘cholesterol’ and these also kill us with heart disease (allegedly). Of course, if you actually eat saturated fat, this gets nowhere near the liver. It is digested, packed into chylomicrons, and these very large lipoproteins enter the bloodstream directly through the thoracic duct. Which is a secret passage from the gut that opens out in one of the veins in your neck. When chylomicrons encounter fat cells, the fats/triglycerides are sucked out, and the chylomicron shrinks down to virtually nothing. Chylomicrons, however, do not convert to LDL and have nothing whatsoever to do with heart disease – even according to those who think saturated fat in the diet is deadly. Yet, despite this knowledge we are continuously told, in all seriousness, that eating saturated fat raises our LDL levels and causes us to die prematurely of heart disease. [You may have noticed that cholesterol has hardly entered this discussion at any point.] When people ask me why I don’t believe in the diet/heart hypothesis, I tend to shrug and move the conversation on. However, if I am feeling a bit stroppy I tend to reply that ‘Even if you were to believe that a raised LDL levels causes heart disease, the current diet/heart hypothesis does not, and cannot make any sense from a biological or physiological perspective.’ If you were actually looking for a substance that really could raise LDL/cholesterol levels it would have to be carbohydrates a.k.a. sugars. After all the only source of LDL is VLDL, and it is eating too much sugar that raises VLDL levels. In short, how can it not be that carbohydrates raise LDL levels? This is what a basic understanding of lipid physiology tells us must be true. Yet, people write papers on this phenomenon in a tone of almost stunned surprise. Here for example is a paper called ‘The Effect of Dietary Carbohydrate on Triglyceride Metabolism in Humans’: When the content of dietary carbohydrate is elevated above the level typically consumed (>55% of energy), blood concentrations of triglycerides rise. This phenomenon, known as carbohydrate-induced hypertriglyceridemia, is paradoxical because the increase in dietary carbohydrate usually comes at the expense of dietary fat. Thus, when the content of the carbohydrate in the diet is increased, fat in the diet is reduced, but the content of fat (triglycerides) in the blood rises. http://jn.nutrition.org/content/131/10/2772S.full#fn-1 This author, writing for the Journal of Nutrition, finds it paradoxical that… increased dietary carbohydrate usually comes at the expense of dietary fat….but the content of fat (triglycerides) in the blood rises. Well, what did they think would happen? That carbohydrates would turn into fairies at the bottom of the garden? Once the liver and muscles are full of sugar (stored as glycogen – a polymer of glucose) the body can do absolutely nothing else with it, but turn it into fat – through the processes I have described earlier. This is basic, incontrovertible science. Most people who are interested in the potential benefits of the low carb high fat diet (LCHF), have tended to look at it from the perspective of helping with controlling diabetes, and promoting weight loss. I came at the LCHF diet from my own perspective, which is heart disease. When you understand the science you find yourself looking at the diet heart hypothesis (fat in the diet raises LDL levels, which causes heart disease) and thinking. This does not make any sense at all. Yet, such is the determination of the nutritional experts to defend their position that they never, ever, talk about ‘what happens to the carbs?’ What happens to the carbs is that they are all turned into saturated fat. This then raises VLDL levels and these, in turn becomes LDL. Yet eating carbs is supposed to be healthy, and eating saturated fat is unhealthy. Go figure. Related This entry was posted in Diabetes, Diet & Health on June 23, 2015 by Dr. Malcolm Kendrick. ← Conflict of interest – not just about money What happens to the carbs – part II → 323 thoughts on “What happens to the carbs?” dearieme June 23, 2015 at 7:31 pm “The world of nutrition is, I am afraid, nuts.” And seedy. liz3321 June 23, 2015 at 8:19 pm And full of fruit cakes? lindaccd June 23, 2015 at 7:43 pm Dr. Malcolm Kendrick posted: “I have found a strange thing happens when I talk to nutritionists about the fate of carbohydrates in the human body. Professors, who shall be nameless, appear unable to admit how basic human physiology works. For example, they may concede a few steps here” Professor Göran Sjöberg June 23, 2015 at 7:50 pm I think it is good that you cut this clean as i think you now do. As you i approached the issue from my heart point of view and in turns I realised that the official dogmas are without sense – nonsense! To me, today, medicine is in consequence just religion which is abusing science. lindaccd June 23, 2015 at 7:53 pm You are so keyed up. Worked with doctors for years.. I love your blogs. At last. Good sense!!! Steve Ward June 23, 2015 at 7:54 pm Can you explain the role of insulin in fat storage? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 23, 2015 at 8:06 pm Insulin makes you fat. A complete explanation in four words. Steve Ward June 24, 2015 at 8:48 am I knew that much. Just wondered about the mechanism (my original question was obviously badly worded). I am genuinely interested. Incidentally, your book (recommended by my GP) was the start of my own research into health and one of a number of things I read that enabled me to ignore the advice I was given and come off / refuse medication (including statins) and end up improving all bio-markers of metabolic syndrome (including cholesterol, which is now “perfect” according to the believers). Stephen Town June 24, 2015 at 11:20 am I hope you keep feeling stroppy, Dr Kendrick! That’s a great article and it filled in a lot of gaps for me. What do the professors say? One point: I don’t see how vegetables (usually 3 – 6% carbs) belong in the same bracket as bread and pasta. I’ve never seen any low carb advice to avoid vegetables. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:23 pm Depends on the vegetable. Potato, avocado, celery, rice….some vegetables don’t contain very much of anything but water. Tony June 29, 2015 at 8:39 pm A four word title of your next book, I think! (and hope) scazzer July 22, 2015 at 7:51 am Does that mean I can have a boiled egg for breakfast, but not the dipping bread soldiers? BobM June 23, 2015 at 8:50 pm high carb diet = high insulin level, which causes fat storage insulin resistance causes obesity (more and more fat storage) insulin resistance is associated with heart disease, heart failure, etc. It all comes back to carbs (mainly; the number of meals we eat now also doesn’t help, but pales in relation to carbs) Basically, the recommendations to eat a high carbohydrate diet are slowly killing us. BobM June 23, 2015 at 10:02 pm Again, correlation does not equal causation, but darn if a lot of evidences doesn’t point to insulin resistance being bad. (Including low HDL, which is also associated with insulin resistance; improve your insulin resistance and HDL goes up. Now, HDL is likely a marker for something, but that something might be insulin resistance.) Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:43 am Low HDL and raised VLDL (trigs) is almost diagnostic of insulin resistance. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:40 am Stephen Town June 24, 2015 at 11:13 am Bob, that’s a very concise and understandable explanation. MaryD August 2, 2015 at 9:23 pm Bob M. you’ve got it absolutely right. I’ve been a follower of Dr. Atkins and Dr. Michael Eades for a long, long time, and it is good to see more explanation of the “how” Triglycerides are made. That was a missing link for me. timsteppingout July 13, 2015 at 5:10 pm My understanding is that insulin decreases hormone sensitive lipase (HSL) in/on fat cells, which prevents release of fatty acids from fat cells. ATGL is another enzyme involved in that work (of releasing fat cells). Also, Lipoprotein Lipase (LPL) is more likely to uptake fatty acids into fat cells in the presence of insulin – at least at the micro level…I’m not sure if there’s widespread agreement about whether this is happening at a more macro level or not, and clearly the effects of insulin are amplified in folks whose cells are (or have become) resistant to insulin citizenclown June 23, 2015 at 7:54 pm Gary June 23, 2015 at 7:59 pm Bravo! You’re such great fun to read. Methinks we’ll have to wait for all the idiots to die off before anything changes. On this side of the pond the USDuh rearranges the deck chairs on the Titanic every five years, and this year, surprise, surprise, they’ve exonerated dietary cholesterol (but keep shoving sugar and bread into your belly, and stay away from saturated fat, children). Jørn M. Vikse June 23, 2015 at 8:03 pm I have never found any good explanation of how satfat raises LDL levels. Last time I researched the only thing I found was something about downregulating LDL receptors. Hugh Mannity June 23, 2015 at 8:05 pm Well, what did they think would happen? That carbohydrates would turn into fairies at the bottom of the garden? LOL! I think you’re on to something there. How else would we get fairies at the bottom of the garden? Photosynthesis? Some 40 years ago, I acquired an A level in Biology. I remember learning how the various macronutrients were broken down and digested. There were no fairies involved. Nor were any carbohydrates treated differently from others — there were no “good” carbs or “bad” carbs. The only thing that differed between them was how long they took to get digested. Dr John Patchett June 23, 2015 at 8:10 pm Exactly Malcolm. Evolution does not deliberately inbuild into organisms, processes that are going to be detrimental to its success. That is most definately not what evolution is about. Jennifer June 23, 2015 at 8:19 pm Agree with every word, especially after my whisky and ginger tonight! Seriously though, surely other medics know this? If not, why not? By the way, although I have been low-carbing for over 2 years, and seeing marvelous results, I am now looking at the concept of reintroducing bread into my diet, albeit in smaller quantities than when instructed to consume 55% CHO according to the NHS diabetic lifestyle dictat. Only now I am being very fussy regarding the source of my grains/flour, and I am closely following Andrew Whitley regarding his pronouncements on sourdough techniques. David June 24, 2015 at 2:28 pm You could try the slow-rise recipe on the back of the Doves Farm Einkorn bag. Excellent but I hesitate to recommend it as it is not available everywhere in the UK but can be got from Ocado. Jennifer June 24, 2015 at 3:56 pm Thanks David. I was sourcing flour on the net last night and came across the Einkorn by Doves Farm I have never actually tried their Einkorn. Maybe Waitrose do it, but my nearest is 70 miles away, but I think it sounds just the job. I am learning that all carbs are far from equal, not just in their raw state, but in the way they are managed e.g. very slow fermentation methods of production, and in the case of bread, the leavening method by which the natural yeasts are utilised from the grain surface. I am sorry to say that it has taken me to reach my late 60s to realise the attributes of food production as practiced in the past, and that have been so subliminally damaged during the last 50 years. I don’t want to risk turning this fantastic blog into a cookery thing, but honestly, the health professionals ought to study food production during their course, and focus more on the human physiology so beautifully described by Dr K as above. I wish! Garry Lee June 23, 2015 at 8:23 pm I’m on your side in this Malcolm in that I’ve no doubt that carbs raise Trigs and LDL cholesterol. Shown going back to at least 1960. However, if your outline above is so, how do you have any LDL if you eat no carbs at all? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:37 am Chylomicron remnants are absorbed by the liver. [Hey, listen, I can’t get everything into one blog, or else it would be a book…..hold on] Christine Whitehead June 24, 2015 at 8:18 am mikecawdery June 24, 2015 at 12:14 pm Once again a brilliant resume. I also note that there are MDs “listening” and agreeing! A major step forward. Now regarding the VLDL (The BAD one) my own searching has lead to the following which may help in answering some points. Re VLDL as I understand it is related to triglycerides and a rough measurement of it is approximately 1/5th of the triglycerides. VLDL is the small dense dangerous type B particle size of LDL cholesterol compared to the large fluffy relatively benign type A which is essential to the immune process against infections. Thus a high LDL (fluffy) Type A is good while a high VLDL (Type B) is bad. Two books (Cholesterol and Saturated Fat Prevent Heart Disease and Low Cholesterol Leads to an Early Death by David Evans) list some 200 refs on the subject. All factors, when elevated, (i)VLDL–apolipoprotein (apo)B100, (ii)VLDL cholesterol and (iii)apoC-III were associated with higher rates of heart disease. LDL size: does it matter? The atherogenic lipoprotein phenotype is characterised by a moderate increase in plasma triglycerides, a decrease in high density lipoprotein cholesterol and the prevalence of smaller denser low density lipoprotein particles. The prevalence of this partially inheritable phenotype is approximately 30% and is a feature of the metabolic syndrome associated with an increased risk for cardiovascular events. The predominance of small dense LDL has been accepted as an emerging cardiovascular risk factor by the adult treatment panel (ATP) III. maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 4:30 pm Dr. Kendrick…it is just work, work, work!!! We appreciate it!!! LOL erdoke June 25, 2015 at 5:18 pm peterrdlawton June 23, 2015 at 8:24 pm Nice one, Doc. Good fun to read, and perhaps the most simple, lucid piece I’ve read on the topic. Thanks. OldTech June 23, 2015 at 8:28 pm You should write another book. Ever since I was diagnosed with type II and started a LCHF diet (which has gotten my A1c down to 4.5%), I have been told that a LCHF was not a good idea because of CVD. Even my wife was worried at first (she has mostly come around but still harbors doubts). We have all been brainwashed. Robert June 23, 2015 at 8:34 pm And I thought the world of nutrition was high carb oriented?…NUTS sounds like an improvement. At least a low carb one Great article and thanks for the explanation. Gay Corran June 23, 2015 at 8:43 pm Another triumph of a blog, Dr Kendrick! How do we get the facts to the people who matter? To the “experts”, dieticians, doctors, government, the general public who have been conned for so long? Keep writing, please… Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:39 am They choose not to look through the telescope, lest what they see demolishes their carefully crafted dogma. BETHANN June 27, 2015 at 10:04 am HOW TRUE,, i love reading your blogs DR KENDRICK, they are such an insight how we are all driven like the proverbial ”lemmings” just because everyone else is going in that direction, probably why I have lost a few friends over the last few years of following your very ”WISE WORDS” . Thanks for the insight–‘the real deal’. Tony June 29, 2015 at 8:47 pm Perhaps they do look through the telescope, but from the wrong end; we see the big picture, but they only see a miniscule one. Jeanne Calvert RN,CCN July 13, 2016 at 1:45 am I realize I am late to this party, but please know there are a few of us who get it! Actually, I got it when I was only a registered nurse, and lamented the damned diabetes drugs I doled out, while the patients ate processed crap! Now that I am also a clinical nutritionist, and specialize in low carb and ketogenic diets, I SEE insulin and HgA1c drop by removing most carbs. Very gratifying. jillm June 24, 2015 at 9:23 am The Dietitians Association of Australia expelled a lady who was recommending a low carb diet for diabetics. Consequently she lost her job. celia June 24, 2015 at 11:14 pm Jillm. Your information about the dietitian losing her job for recommending a low carb diet was shocking – but somehow not surprising, more’s the pity. When will the dietitians wake up??? robert lipp June 23, 2015 at 8:51 pm Thanks, appreciated. Put simply and logically. Now to continue on LCHF (already 14 months and 20kg down) and figure out why triglycerides and ultrasensitive CRP are above normal. Any hints? George Henderson June 24, 2015 at 8:24 am Fasting TGs can be up because your liver is processing extra fatty acids due to weight loss, so recycles and sends some back out. Non-fasting TGs will be relatively high because this includes chylomicrons after eating LCHF. CRP probably up due to heavy exercise if that’s part of your program. Hopefully your HDL is excellent and your LDL normal (i.e. “high”), Stephen June 25, 2015 at 5:36 am Do you eat enough vegies Steve Gold June 23, 2015 at 9:07 pm Nutritionists make me so angry. But then again, so do most doctors and their flunkies. Which reminds me of a joke: How many nutritionists does it take to change a light bulb? None. They prefer to stay in the dark. Bob June 11, 2016 at 2:39 pm We are amused. Brian Wadsworth June 23, 2015 at 9:14 pm Could you please expand similarly on the mechanism of fat deposition on a ketogenic diet? I am confused as to the influences on body weight on a no carb diet. Thank you for all of your efforts to improve the world. robert June 24, 2015 at 11:36 am The body has a way to efficiently store dietary fat via “ASP”. This protein stimulates triglyceride (fat) synthesis in cells, reassembling imported fatty acids with glycerol for rainy days. ASP promotes storage of fat in fat cells, insulin keeps it locked in there by inhibiting the disassembly of fat molecules (which are too big to get out). I myself follow a keto diet (as strictly as I possibly can) and my weight loss is pretty much zero. I may have lost a bit of fat, but definitely not weight. I’ve also had to find out that I very easily gain weight just by overeating on “safe foods”, so the fat definitely gets tucked away without raised insulin. If it were any different, our species would’ve died out a long time ago. Brian Wadsworth June 24, 2015 at 6:08 pm Thank you. Not sure I can interpret the article. Makes sense that carnivore mammals have to store fat for survival. Does this mean that body fat accumulation is essentially about “portion control” aka calorie-counting so that a nutritional intake surplus simply causes fat gain? Or is the nature and make-up of the nutritional intake also important so that certain foods contribute more than others to fat accumulation despite being carb-free? robert June 24, 2015 at 10:27 pm Well, carb free doesn’t mean insulin free. Protein stimulates insulin as well, which is normal, but to a lesser extent than carbs. According to Dr. Bernstein (quite famous DM doc) protein requires about 1/2 the insulin compared to barbs (when injected). The type of food does matter. It does matter what is consumed and of course how much, no way around that. However, I don’t particularly like the phrase “portion control”, as it insinuates a conscious act, which is absolute nonsense! As Prof. Noakes has stated numerous times: “there are no fat lions”, nobody would even think that lions practice portion control, when hungry they eat until their bellies distend & fast until the next time. No lion knows about portion control, and even if they did, they wouldn’t give a rat’s arse about it. It’s all about eating when hungry, which is instinct behaviour. Given that the body is fed with appropriate food, the subconscious is in full control of hunger, there will be no food cravings. I have experienced that myself. You could shove a piece of the tastiest cake into my mouth and I wouldn’t eat it unless painfully hungry, which never happens. When I eat, I tend to shut off all thoughts about “portion control” or “is it time to eat” and let the lion do his thing, the lion only eats when hungry, no matter where I am and what time of day or night it happens to be. The only time I use my remaining intellectual faculties is when shopping for food, making sure I only buy food stuff that doesn’t mess with insulin levels and conjures up cravings. Once that is done I don’t need any self-control whatsoever, eating runs on auto-pilot, which is the way it’s supposed to be. Brian Wadsworth June 25, 2015 at 3:08 pm Ok. Great answer and very interesting. By the way Taubes quotes experiments in Germany pre-war where it was shown that removing micro-nutrients from diet triggered increased appetite in dogs(another layer of the appetite onion). I perfectly understand and make the argument that there is no obesity in the natural world (both human and animal) when I evangelize healthy eating. I personally eat only when hungry and as a result generally eat once a day in the early evening. I am 66 and in superb health. My energy and focus is that of a young man. I have been a paleo eater for 15 years (used to be called Atkins). You started to answer what I was actually trying to ask which is… As I contemplate my eating decisions (which are already healthy), if I wish to lose an inch or two from my waist (I have some clothing which would start to fit) how should I adjust my approach? Based on your Lion analogy, eating to satiety and fasting would be ideal. But given that fasting routinely is not attractive, it looks like preferring fat over protein is a good start and limiting food intake could be good too? Thanks for engaging with me on this! Bob June 11, 2016 at 2:44 pm I’m not sure your last sentence is true, or that fat can be stored without raised insulin. Bob June 11, 2016 at 5:09 pm The reward hypothesis does make a certain, completely unscientific, instinctive sense to me. But it should, because highly rewarding foods, moreish foods, are so often not real foods. I like salted cashews and I can just about get away with them in my relatively lchf diet. But you wont find them with salt on the trees! I try to eat them with other less “dangerous” foods, often other types of nuts, unsalted. Fung agrees that low carbers only have half the picture, and that we should eat real food (surely all good diets involve eating unprocessed foods which dont have a long ingredients list?!) and fast sometimes. Fung also points out that some high protein foods raise insulin more than some high carb foods, and thats why fasting is key. It is also why the emphasis is on high fat, not protein (and it never was, to those who read people like Atkins correctly) – lcHF… What we call a low carb diet means we get rid of processed foods which combine unnatural, trans fat and sugar. So, it isnt sufficient to say we are eating more fat just that it is combined with carb, because the opposite is also true. It is misleading and contradictory. In a world where there’s more obesity than ever, and obese people are often eating processed junk, a real food diet is relatively lchf. And relativity is key, especially if we belive that insulin makes you fat, insulin sensitivity is a continuum, and we need dietary fat, but not sugar. And, if we don’t believe those things, “we” are wrong. Probably. NY June 23, 2015 at 9:20 pm Great post. What is your take on increased LDL-C on LCHF diet. Some people including myself have seen dramatics rise in LDL-C after going low carb? Also, what are your thoughts on LDL-P as the driver of heart disease? Thanks rdfeinman June 23, 2015 at 9:22 pm Good post but I think that you left out the classic study from Volek’s lab which showed that those who had been on a low carbohydrate diet had LOWER levels of saturated fat than those on an isocaloric low-fat diet even though the low-carbohydrate diet had three times the amount of saturated fat as the low-fat diet. I described it in blog post “Saturated Fat. On your Plate or in your Blood?” at http://wp.me/p16vK0-aY re-cycled in my book which I am trying to get printed in the UK. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:42 am Thanks for that info. By their very nature a blog only provides broad brush strokes, the details are complicated. I shall have a look at your book and see if anyone will print in the UK easylocarb June 24, 2015 at 11:29 am I was just about to make this point. Not only does eating a high carbohydrate diet with no saturated fats result in an increase in saturated fatty acids in the blood (as you have shown), but the converse is true. Eating a low carbohydrate diet high in saturated fat results in a decrease of saturated fatty acids in the blood because as Dr Volek showed, saturated fats are preferentially oxidised. It is literally the opposite of where your intuition would lead you, if you believe that you are what you eat. This is the reason why no one will see the emperor has no clothes. M. J. Hope Cawdery June 24, 2015 at 4:43 pm II believe that you can publish on Kindle relatively easily. Worth a try rdfeinman June 25, 2015 at 7:58 pm The book is on Kindle but because it has color figures and diagrams it doesn’t always come across as well as printed book. I am in the process of getting all the different formats sorted out. maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 4:42 pm rdfeinman, you are correct. I have had a lot of “experience” with the low fat and HFLC diets. I can tell you that the only one where I felt really good was the HFLC. Weight was good, all vitals perfect. I thought it rather odd that not many people believed in it. I actually tried to reduce the amount of fat straddling the fence, if you will. However, the lower the carbs (even those of the “healthy variety”) the better one feels. You have to watch those hidden ones. The only two people I knew who advocated this “diet” were Dr. Atkins, and later, those men who I knew in the U.S. who wrote a book (first edition 1993, I believe) called “Sugar Busters”. I literally could not put that book down. I had no idea how the glycemic index affected our metabolisms as we were so “saturated” (forgive the pun) with the notion that low fat was the bomb. It sure was nice not to have that fake butter in the house!!! Finally I gave up the old adage in dieting that did not work which said: “If it tastes good…spit it out!” What the heck? Buggars!!! Jennifer, you are my hero!!!!! Evinx June 23, 2015 at 9:25 pm LDL is taken out of the circulation, primarily, by the liver. Some LDLs are removed from the circulation by other cells around the body that need the cholesterol contained in them Following this, is it possible that if the body does not need the cholesterol contained in the LDLs, then might that be a good thing? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:42 am Most cells can synthesize their own cholesterol, but they prefer to get it from LDL if they can. chupilo June 23, 2015 at 10:09 pm “Chylomicrons, however, do not convert to LDL and have nothing whatsoever to do with heart disease…” Just a thought: It could be that LDL might go up in some people to replace cholesterol taken by postprandial chylomicrons. Besides possessing Apo A1, postprandial chylomicrons seem to be the most effective at cholesterol efflux – like a super-HDL. Fasting chylomicrons in the blood are associated with heart disease but those tend to be higher in people on low fat diets. People on low fat diets don’t have much in the way of postprandial chylomicrons, which seems to be important. It’s just that what little they do have is very slow to get cleared. http://healthydietsandscience.blogspot.com/2011/03/published-in-j-clin-invest.html Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:44 am Well, if you don’t eat fat, you won’t get chylomicrons. Probably slow to clear on low fat diet, as the liver is too busy manufacturing fat from sugar to do much else – I would think. George Henderson June 24, 2015 at 8:28 am The intestinal cells – enterocytes – also do some DNL, and that contributes to chlyomicrons on low fat diets. David Bailey June 23, 2015 at 10:35 pm “the thoracic duct. Which is a secret passage from the gut that opens out in one of the veins in your neck. ” I learn something new on this blog every day! The trouble is, that from now on, when I eat saturated fat (which is more frequently than 5 years ago!) I fear I will imagine the stuff entering a vein in my neck shortly after! Presumably these are free fatty acids, not triglycerides by this point? Heck – it might get stuck somewhere!! Your blog does a great job of reducing this nonsense to its absolute essence – which is great! Perhaps you should email a few prominent professors with a link to this piece, asking them if they would like to contribute a resolution to your paradox! Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:47 am David, chylomicrons do not contain FFAs (or at least not many). Triglycerides are the preferred way to transport fatty acids round the body. When they leave lipoproteins they are turned into FFAs, absorbed, then reconstructed into triglycerides inside fat cells. David Bailey June 24, 2015 at 8:49 am I said FFS’s because I thought I knew that fats were digested into FFA’s and glycerol in the gut! So when a blood test is done for triglycerides level, does that include these chylomicrons – because high triglyceride levels are (I think) a risk for heart disease! lyn June 23, 2015 at 10:48 pm why are there insulin receptors all over the brain? Does the brain really like to ‘burn’ glucose, or ketones (per Perlmutter). Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:48 am I do not believe there are any insulin receptors in the brain… will check. Glucose enters the brain freely, without the need for any insulin as far as I know. George Henderson June 24, 2015 at 8:37 am I think the brain makes some insulin, and absorbs some (less, not more, if hyperinsulinaemic) across the BBB for its own purposes, not necessarily the same as the body’s; this doesn’t affect glucose uptake but probably influences its disposition; in hyperinsulinaemia of T2D the brain gets too much glucose and not enough insulin to dispose of it properly – this is a factor in Alzheimers. Lower serum insulin – insulin sensitivity – means the amount of insulin getting into brain is optimal. At least, that’s how I read a confusing bunch of Alzheimers’ research. Gary Turner June 26, 2015 at 7:12 am There are many insulin receptors in the brain. The hypothalamus has for example, increase rates of firing in the areas responsible for satiety in the presence of insulin. Insulin therefore acts as a satiety hormone on the hypothalamus. There are many other areas with insulin receptors too. Vinay keesara MD June 23, 2015 at 11:13 pm This is one of the most understandable explanation of carbohydrate metabolism so far in my career. Dr. Kendrick makes it so simple often repeating the salient points so eloquently that even a 5 yr old can understand. Thanks doctor.. mikecawdery June 24, 2015 at 12:23 pm Unfortunately it seems that some professors and nutritionists do not understand it – even if a 5-yr-old can. Vinay keesara MD June 24, 2015 at 6:06 pm I just can’t understand their logic when it is also clear. No wonder these so called professors and nutritionists can t see that the emperor is not wearing his clothes because it Los like the blind leading the blind. I guess the cereal industry has a hand in this with their dubios and misleading advertising blitz. When I ask my patients to stop eating oat meal for breakfast the standard reply is”but doctor it is good for my cholesterol”. I persist with the same slogan of avoiding carbs and six months later they call recant…. Vinay keesara MD June 24, 2015 at 6:08 pm Sorry I meant to give a thumbs up. Please disregard the thumbs down rating. Please read my reply mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 10:45 am Vinay – I sometimes have the same trouble. Shaky hands an touch screens do not go together. To correct I keep tapping the up button until it corrects itself. Seems to work most of the time maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 4:48 pm I agree. I have followed Dr. Kendrick for a long time (well two years now) and read both books. I feel like a six year old…I have learned so much. But, not having an MD and having to try extra hard to understand these mechanisms and cell biology takes a while for us laypersons. I had forgotten all my statistics and Dr. Kendrick helped me to understand the math. By George I think it is coming together. I hope to reach seven years old next year. I mean that as a joke and compliment!!! Barry June 23, 2015 at 11:15 pm Thanks for this Dr Kendrick, nicely written. I was wondering if you had any thoughts on what is happening inside the minority of people who’s LDL does increase, sometimes dramatically, after venturing into LCHF (emphasis on SFA). Some type of problem with lipid metabolism? Or is it too complex to pin down? Cheers. John U June 23, 2015 at 11:44 pm This is the first time in years of reading many, many blogs that someone has elucidated the processes so simply and magnificently. I hope your blog goes “viral”, so to speak, because we all know that there are way too many people reading and commenting on blogs who have no idea what they are talking about. And, unfortunately, something to which you already alluded, there are medical professionals among them. I loved the blog. Thanks. Valerie June 24, 2015 at 12:17 am So, if someone eats no carbs at all, then they can never ever manufacture new LDL? That seems unlikely to me. It should be easy to verify though. There are quite a few zero-carbers out there, surely one of them had their LDL levels tested many times over the years. Anyone? As an anecdote, my LDL was never as high as when I got tested after a one-week fast. I had not gotten tested right before the fast, so I can’t be sure that my LDL did not decrease over that week (to fit your theory), but it seems more likely to me that there is another way for the body to manufacture LDL, without any carbs. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:49 am The Masai villagers got closest to zero carb eating that I am aware of. They had very low LDL levels when George Mann studied them. But of course, nowhere near zero. Nigella Pressland June 24, 2015 at 9:30 am Traditional Eskimos also have a low carb diet, eating mainly fish, whale, walrus etc. A group in Alaska were researched in 1972 and the researchers found that the incidence of heart disease among Point Hope residents was ten times lower than in the general Caucasian population of the United States. Patrick Schlüter June 26, 2015 at 7:10 am Be aware that real measurements of LDL are fairly rare. In place the Friedewald formula is used to estimate the LDL value from the total cholesterol, the HDL and triglyceride. The problem, even if we bought into accuracy of the formula, is that it was calibrated on a sample of population that might not be representative (afaik it was calibrated on New Yorkers) and even then, the formula should only be applied if trigs are in the range of 100 to 400 mg/dl. But on low-carb, trigs go easily and quickly well below the 100 mg/dl limit, making the lab formula completely inappropriate. Most MD and labs don’t know that. Statistical analysis showed that when triglyceride is <100 mg/dL, calculated low- density lipoprotein cholesterol is significantly overestimated (average :12.17 mg/dL or 0.31 mmol/L), where as when triglyceride is between 150 and 300 mg/dL no significant difference between calculated and measured low-density lipoprotein cholesterol is observed. In patients with low serum triglyceride and undesirably high total cholesterol levels, Friedewald equation may overestimate low-density lipoprotein cholesterol concentration and it should be either directly assayed or be calculated by a modified Friedewald equation. Nate June 24, 2015 at 1:42 am “The world of nutrition is, I am afraid, nuts.” Well if that statement is true, I’m doing my part. My favorite snack is nuts. Thus, I’m preventing them from becoming even more nuts. fittoservegroup June 24, 2015 at 2:21 am Love your blog! thanks for getting the truth out! Gil June 24, 2015 at 2:39 am So if carbohydrates convert into sugars and these turn into fat, how many veg and fruit (carbs) would one have to eat before stopping and getting too fat?? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:49 am Andy Lopez June 25, 2015 at 3:40 pm “2. Excess carbohydrate [more than 4-5 ounces] prevents the body from burning fat and increases stored body fat. Textbook of Medical Physiology, pgs 871, 936; Basic Medical Biochemistry – A Clinical Approach, pgs 24, 394.” Andy Lopez June 25, 2015 at 3:47 pm Also see number 4 at that link, “4. Humans can’t utilize fructose [sugar] from more than 2 pieces of fruit at a time. Basic Medical Biochemistry – A Clinical Approach, pg. 404.” The biochemistry of the human blood sugar control system is well known, except to doctors and nutritionists. maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 4:52 pm Gil it depends on you body and where you are metabolically speaking. Go on any site and research the glycemic index of these foods. Then set a goal for how many carbs you can or feel you need in a day. I always felt that if you ate fruit it should be that with a lot of fiber and should be consumed at least two hours from any sit down meal. I find that the most simple way of determining how to “manage” your metabolism. Ash Simmonds June 24, 2015 at 3:37 am Noted some of the paradoxical determinations here: A rationalisation is made that: \|”the human body synthesizes considerable quantities of monounsaturated fatty acids and thus these fatty acids probably do not possess any inherent toxicity” Well, the human body also synthesizes considerable quantities of saturated fatty acids, but for reasons left unexamined they seem to be considered toxic. ———————- wat Craig June 24, 2015 at 4:18 am Someone, please, determine whether Norman Swan is capable of understanding these simple and beautifully explained facts. BTW with reference to your recent post, Dr Swan is one of your fellow countrymen. As we now say, frequently and loudly — ‘don’t blame me, I didn’t vote for him.’ James October 28, 2015 at 3:16 am . He’s also a broadcaster/Science Journalist… Have no idea if he (clinically) practices Medicine. No, I wouldn’t vote for him either ! Rob June 24, 2015 at 4:41 am What about bacteria that turn carbs into fat? Could it be that heart disease is an issue with gut flora? Carol June 24, 2015 at 7:29 am Hi, is high ldl bad for you. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 7:50 am No Pete. R. June 24, 2015 at 7:53 am Thanks Malcolm, great blog, one of your best. Nuts indeed! Nigella Pressland June 24, 2015 at 8:52 am Oh hurrah! Well said Dr Kendrick. I read history & politics & I was hopeless at all science related matters at school. However, I ploughed my way through Gary Taubes’s epic tome Good Calories Bad Calories, making notes in the side lines, checking things, back-tracking, re-reading to make sense of the science behind how bad carbs are for us. Having been aware that low-carb high-fat made me lose weight for years, but always dodging the brickbats from everyone about how it would give me a heart attack, high cholesterol, high blood pressure, ruin my kidneys etc – it was so great to be able to counter all that nonsense. I love your explanation, really nice & straightforward. It will be added to be arsenal of counter attacks to all the low fat diehards! maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 4:55 pm Dr. Kendrick’s book is in paperback now. I suggest you gift one to one physician. It is a small price to pay to educate the entire world. Diane Corriette June 24, 2015 at 9:12 am Reblogged this on Now Have At It! and commented: I have come to the realisation that I eat way too many carbs and not enough healthy fats. Could following a Keto way of eating help with that? I am still eating clean – only focusing on fish and veg plus less fruit. No major change in what I eat – just the way I eat it Alcon June 24, 2015 at 10:10 am Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:19 pm Of course not. Too many are bad, and ‘too many’ depends a lot on the individual and how their metabolism works (or does not). Fergus June 24, 2015 at 10:13 am “Studies reveal that many complex carbohydrates such as bread, rice, and potatoes have glycemic indices similar to or higher than simple carbohydrates such as sucrose” this from a study in 1984, so the science has been out there for a while. The powers that be just chose to ignore it. I have asked a few doctors (GPs) there opinion about fats and carbs and I think there is a turning in thinking, as most now believe high carbs to be bad and fats not to be “too bad”. Progress? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:19 pm you don’t need to be a weather man to know which way the wind is blowing. Sue Richardson June 26, 2015 at 10:52 pm Bob Dylan fan by any chance? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 27, 2015 at 7:13 am Mark June 24, 2015 at 10:30 am Would be useful to include the rôle of insulin in this cycle. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:20 pm Indeed, but that adds a further layer of complication Doug June 24, 2015 at 10:49 am How is it then, that some folk (eg Jimmy Moore and others) present with sky high LDL after going LCHF? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:20 pm Don’t know. But I do know that the Masai villagers of Kenya (traditional diet all meat, blood and milk and no vegetables) had very low LDL levels. Doug June 24, 2015 at 10:00 pm How is it then, that some folk (eg Jimmy Moore and others) present with sky high LDL after going LCHF? June 24, 2015 at 12:20 pm Don’t know. But I do know that the Masai villagers of Kenya (traditional diet all meat, blood and milk and no vegetables) had very low LDL levels. By your explanation, the high LDL on HFLC should be impossible, but Chris Kresser once quoted something like 30% for the number of people who fall into that category. And add to that the LFHCers who seem to have low LDL. Respectfully, doesn’t this suggest that your naturally very simplified description is missing something important? The theory doesn’t seem to match the observations. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 10:29 pm I was stimulated to write this blog, but this recent article (reproduced from Medscape here) http://www.medscape.com/viewarticle/846329?src=emailthis Regular consumption of sugared beverages is associated with a greater prevalence of fatty liver disease, even after adjusting for body mass index, according to a large observational study. Specifically, adults who drank more than one sugar-sweetened drink per day were 55% (95% confidence interval [CI], 1.03 – 2.35) more likely than nonconsumers to have nonalcoholic fatty liver disease in an analysis of data from the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study’s Offspring and Third Generation cohorts. Jiantao Ma, PhD, from the USDA Human Nutrition Research Center on Aging at Tufts University in Boston, Massachusetts, and colleagues report the study findings in an article published online June 5 in the Journal of Hepatology. The investigators analyzed data from questionnaires of 2634 predominantly white, middle-aged adults and categorized participants as either nonconsumers or consumers of sugared-sweetened beverages (SSBs) and diet sodas. Of the participants, 34% were nonconsumers and 12% were daily consumers of SSBs. Among SSB consumers, caffeinated cola consumption was the largest contributor to SSB intake (40%), followed by noncarbonated fruit drinks (29%), carbonated noncola beverages (21%), and caffeine-free cola (10%). The overall prevalence of fatty liver disease in the study population, measured via computed tomography, was 17%. The authors found a dose-response relationship between SSB consumption and fatty liver disease in a multivariate analysis, adjusted for age, sex, alcohol and diet soda intake, and body mass index. Compared with nonconsumers and individuals who consumed less than 1 serving of SSBs per month, those who consumed less than 1 serving of SSBs per week (but more than 1 serving per month) had a 16% increase in risk (95% CI, 0.88 – 1.54). Those who consumed from 1 serving per week to less than 1 serving per day had a 32% increased risk (95% CI, 0.93 – 1.86), and those who consumed more than 1 serving daily had a 61% increase in risk (95% CI, 1.04 – 2.50; P for trend, .04). Similarly, there was a dose-response relationship between SSB consumption and elevated ALT, with a 30% increased risk among those consuming more than 1 serving per day compared with the lowest consumers (P for trend = .002). Although adjusting for body mass index did not attenuate the elevated risk for fatty liver disease among SSB consumers, SSB consumption was linked to the volume of fat in the liver among overweight and obese individuals. The authors did not see a similar association among normal-weight individuals. The researchers did not find an association among diet soda intake and liver fat or ALT after adjusting for potential confounding variables, including body mass index. The overall association between SSB consumption and liver fat was independent of body mass index and subcutaneous adipose tissue in the current study. However, the authors report, “further adjustment for VAT [visceral adipose tissue] attenuated the observed associations, suggesting that VAT may, in part, mediate this association.” Although the specific effects of sugar intake on the development of fatty liver disease, particularly after long-term consumption, is not yet fully understood, “[t]he present study contributes to the existing literature by illustrating that regular consumption of SSB is associated with greater prevalence of fatty liver disease, particularly in overweight and obese individuals,” the authors write. “[P]rospective observational studies and controlled intervention studies are required to determine the independent association of excess SSB intake on liver fat accumulation.” Funding for this study was provided by the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute’s Framingham Heart Study and the Boston University School of Medicine, and support from the US Department of Agriculture. The authors have disclosed no relevant financial relationships. J Hepatol. Published online June 5, 2015. Abstract As I said, if you have too much sugar in your body, where does it go? Once you have stored 1,500 calories it can go to only one place, the liver. Once in the liver only one thing can happen to it – conversion to fat. No other fate is metabolically possible. What is missing? That sugar is turned into…..what? There is nothing else for it to do, nowhere else for it to go. Ever looked at a Sumo wrestler? What do they eat? A low fat, high carbohydrate die, and people still believe that you can’t get fat from eating carbs? Ho hum. Spokey June 29, 2015 at 9:55 pm Where did you hear Sumo wrestlers eat high carb? mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 11:08 am I suspect that it is in the fractionation of LDL which can be high because of high levels of Type A ‘fluffy’ LDL essential for the immune process. For an estimate of VLDL (bad) Type B LDL, divide the triglycerides by 5. The NHS (at least locally) has yet to catch up with more recent research that shows that the trigs/HDL ratio should be <2. They totally ignore the Type A, Type B LDLs and their relevant imoportance. But then total LDL-C is the reason for must flog statins. Doug June 25, 2015 at 11:09 pm Don’t think so. Jimmy, and many other LCHF folks who present with high LDL, has very high LDL-P as well. mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 10:17 am Doug Indeed, while consuming a lot of fat and protein andd a little carb, my LDL upsets the hospital experts (not my GP – another Kendrick fan). However the triglycerides are low and HDL reasonable so that if one subtracts VLDL estimate (trigs/5) I have a lot of Type A, AND I haven’t had a “flu” infection in 5+ years. Anne June 24, 2015 at 11:39 am Have to wonder about step 9 “As can be seen, the only source of LDL is VLDL.” I have an extremely low carbohydrate diet, by that I mean around 30g carbs per day, they are from the small amount in leafy green veggies, a bit in milk in my tea and coffee, and some carbs in almonds. The rest of my diet is high fat with moderate protein. No hidden carbs, no starchy carbs no sugars zero. I’ve been eating this way for the past eight years or so. My cholesterol levels have risen, my total is around 7.5, my HDL is around 3.5 but my triglercide levels are normally around 0.5 which is a reflection of my low carb diet, of course my LDL is high even using the Iranian forumla to calculate it. So your saying that the only source of LDL is VLDL which is from carbs doesn’t make a lot of sense to me…….. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:29 pm I did not actually say that. I did say that the only source of LDL is VLDL. The only source of VLDL is not carbs. But if you eat a high carb diet, the liver converts the sugar to fat and the only way to get that out of the liver is inside VLDL ApoB-100 (alongside cholesterol). The liver will resorb chylomicron remnants and Apo B32 VLDL and gets hold of (some) fat that way. [Yes, sorry, there is another form of VLDL, that does not become LDL. Hey, I never said it wasn’t complicated]. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 12:29 pm I did not actually say that. I did say that the only source of LDL is VLDL. The only source of VLDL is not carbs. But if you eat a high carb diet, the liver converts the sugar to fat and the only way to get that out of the liver is inside VLDL ApoB-100 (alongside cholesterol). The liver will resorb chylomicron remnants and Apo B32 VLDL and gets hold of (some) fat that way. [Yes, sorry, there is another form of VLDL, that does not become LDL. Hey, I never said it wasn’t complicated]. Anne June 24, 2015 at 1:12 pm Oh, I misunderstood your post then, sorry. I’m happy with my ‘high’ LDL though…I mean according to Dr Ravnskov LDL is protective against infection. And with my lipid profile I should have the large fluffy kind of LDL anyway. imnoclue July 3, 2015 at 9:32 pm So, what I want to know is if the liver is converting sugar to fat and stuffing it into VLDL particles, and statins are blocking cholesterol precursors, what’s happens to all the carbs? imnoclue July 3, 2015 at 10:01 pm If the liver is packing converting all this sugar into fats and stuffing them into vLDL particles, and statins are impairing cholesterol synthesis, then what happens to all the carbs in the liver? Bill June 24, 2015 at 11:55 am Some (a minority) of very low carbers, eating close to zero carbs but tons of saturated fat, do seem to get very high LDL. I have experienced this myself. Peter Attia has written about it (though he focusses on LDL-P rather than LDL-C). Peter has found that some people have to reduce saturated fat consumption to get LDL down. Would be curious to hear what you think the mechanism here might be—a separate question of course from whether or not Peter is right to worry about this. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 1:08 pm You don’t have to get LDL down, whatever the latest fashion for the specific subtype may be. The smaller dense LDL (if it truly exists) is usually associated with insulin resistance, high VLDLs and low HDLs. As for LDL-P. Yet another adaptation of the hypothesis. How many ways can the cholesterol hypothesis be changed and adapted in a desperate attempt to make the facts fit the hypothesis. It seems there is no limit. Bill June 25, 2015 at 11:02 am Interesting to me that Peter Attia, seemingly quite a smart, open-minded fellow and an advocate of LCHF, seems utterly convinced of the LDL-P hypothesis. Seems to believe it’s essentially proven now, along with the clinical benefits of lowering it when elevated. Dr. Dayspring’s influence, perhaps. He cites his evidence in his “Straight Dope on Cholesterol” series of blog posts, especially from Part IV on: eatingacademy.com/category/cholesterol-2. Maybe I’m thick, but I still don’t see proof here, just, mostly, more correlations that could mean many things. Stronger correlations with disease than LDL-C and the other previous bogeymen at least, but what do they really mean? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 11:33 am They mean someone is making money, somewhere BobM June 24, 2015 at 7:55 pm I read that post from Dr. Attia and was incredulous. I’ve found a study (can’t find it immediately now) where LDL-P was not correlated with heart disease. I guess this will have to do: You can see that LDL-P (and apo B) have some studies where they did not indicate causality. I agree with Dr. Kendrick here: LDL-P is yet another measure used to keep the cholesterol-heart disease hypothesis alive. Ian Entwistle June 24, 2015 at 12:26 pm Reblogged this on Ian's Health and commented: Interesting article from Dr. Malcolm Kendrick here, explaining the digestion pathway of carbs and it’s significance in relation to heart disease and cholesterol. Jan June 24, 2015 at 2:46 pm The vegan crowd (McDougall, Ornish, Esselstyn, et al) fear LDL above all and eschew all fat in their starchy diets. Their adherents achieve very low LDL levels (McDougall wants to see LDLs below 70!). If their diet is almost all carbs, how do they manage to dramatically lower LDL instead of raise it? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 3:06 pm A good question Porky June 24, 2015 at 2:57 pm Doctor, I avidly follow your blogs and love your books. I’m intrigue to know: what do YOU eat? x Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 3:14 pm Whatever looks nice. Chocolate eclairs, strawberries, butter, high fat yoghurt, free range egg omelettes made with chorizo and cheese, marbled steaks, spaghetti Bolognese, cheese fondues, raclette, jersey new potatoes, tartiflette, haggis with neeps and tatties, cheese on toast, tarte aux pommes, full cream milk, bacon and eggs, fresh pressed orange juice, beer, red wine, whisky etc. etc. As you can tell I am not HFLC of LFHC. I just like good food. I tend to advise food grown locally (when possible), very little highly processed food and ensure that you enjoy what you eat. If I die of a massive heart attack the vegan crowd can dance on my grave and sing ‘we told you so.’ Alternatively…. financialfundi June 25, 2015 at 9:30 pm Your diet is typical of that followed by my mother who survived into her 105th year and lived independently until well over the age of 100. Thanks for carrying the torch, long may you keep it alight. Fergus June 26, 2015 at 8:30 am BTW when anyone threatens to dance on my grave, I tell them that i’m being buried at sea Spokey June 29, 2015 at 9:51 pm I too plan to have a large smile on my face, when I die, from whatever. maryl@2015 July 7, 2015 at 5:17 pm Why Dr. Kendrick, one would think you live in a Five Star hotel. Bully for you!!! Glad you don’t spit it out if it tastes good!!! Great come back I might add. Enjoy life. Laugh. Make us laugh. If they dance on your grave, you won’t even give a hoot!!! Thanks Lea June 24, 2015 at 3:30 pm Hi, I am on a keto diet and found this post very helpful! I love that it is explained in simple steps that anyone can understand. Finally I have a great argument I can use without stuttering, when someone tells me I will die from all that fat Now I know how carbs behave when eaten, but I still don’t really understand what happens when you eat fat. Is all of it used as energy? What happens with the excess fat you eat and don’t use up. Why do some foods spike insulin levels even when they have no/very low carbs? What happens in the body which has elevated insulin levels, but no carbs to convert to fat? I’ll be glad to read any clarification on these question, or be directed to some useful sources. Thank you! robert June 24, 2015 at 4:34 pm > What happens with the excess fat you eat and don’t use up. If it is absorbed in the gut, it makes you fatter! If you don’t absorb it for some reason, you’ll find it in the loo. > What happens in the body which has elevated insulin levels, but no carbs to Elevated insulin is very effective at blocking the release of fat from the fat-cells, it makes you fatter & keeps you fat. If you have elevated insulin (more or less implies high-ish carb diet) and the body runs low on carbs (say a missed meal), blood glucose might drop & you’ll end up being hangry: “give me food NOW, or I’ll bite your head off!”. Helen June 24, 2015 at 8:06 pm Oh, so we do have to count calories after all? robert June 24, 2015 at 10:37 pm It is a given that a calorie surplus on cellular level creates body mass, definitely when a lot of insulin is around. The notion of “calorie counting” assumes that the properly-fed body is too stupid to regulate itself, which is nonsense! You only have to calorie count / starve yourself / exercise 6 hours a day if you feed the body with inappropriate & addictive stuff. For a lot of people that is high-carb processed foods. Try overeating on steak + butter, good luck with that. Try it with chocolate chip cookies and pies and you’ll succeed. Lea June 24, 2015 at 9:48 pm Thanks a lot for the explanation! So even if diet soda doesn’t have carbs, it increases your insulin and stalls the weight loss. No artificial sweeteners for me then Marty Kendall June 25, 2015 at 6:09 am thanks for sharing the blog Robert. glad you like it. it’s been a blast to see it resonate with people. Andy Lopez June 25, 2015 at 4:08 pm “7. Adipose tissue [fat] is stored ONLY when eating carbohydrates. Basic Medical Biochemistry – A Clinical Approach, pg. 510.” There is NO mechanism in the body to store dietary food fat as body fat, the primary metabolic pathway of dietary fat eaten by its self or with protein SEPARATELY WITHOUT CARBS is beta oxidation or is used for body structure, hormone and enzyme production or is EXCRETED if not required. Mark Sanders June 24, 2015 at 4:52 pm I think one problem here is an old one — looking at one aspect of a system in isolation, which causes people to jump to certain easy conclusions. I agree with your observations about the lack of connection between saturated fat and heart disease. However, I’m going to relate my own story that might contradict those “easy conclusions” that I’m seeing in the comments. Several years ago I went on a low carb high fat diet because I thought I was becoming diabetic. It went well the first few months — I felt way more relaxed than I normally do (I tend to be a “type A” personality). However, as time went on, certain things happened. I was constantly tired, sleeping 11 to 12 hours each night, and yawning many times in a row during the day. My hands and feet were constantly cold, even in the summer, even with several pairs of socks on my feet. And my cholesterol and LDL numbers went into the stratosphere. End result was a visit to the Emergency Room with a case of angina, with a doctor convincing me to have a stent put in. Now, I’m not necessarily contradicting what you are saying in this article, just reminding everyone that there is a lot more to health than eating carbs or not eating carbs. And I have to say, I’ve never read any convincing evidence on what causes insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes. I’ve gone back to eating sugars and starches without guilt and feel much better. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 4:58 pm Thank you for that insight. I would hope I do not come across as anti-carb fanatic. I do, however, feel there is a need to counter the absolute low fat high carb dogma that has ruled the world for the last twenty or thirty years. I do not think there is any doubt that, for the vast majority, less carbs would be healthier. And as for people with insulin resistance, carbs need to be restricted. yet the current advice is to restrict fat and eat carbs…. which is just total nonsense and potentially very damaging indeed. But yes, one size does not fit all, and we must always be aware of that. Susan June 25, 2015 at 6:23 pm I find myself confronted with a glaring example of the unfortunate emphasis on carbs in the mainstream dietary world. Since my diabetic husband entered a nursing home a couple of years ago, I’ve dutifully filled out his weekly menu packets, trying to make choices that minimize the carb load. But due to a recent foot injury, I was unable to visit for a couple of weeks. When I returned, I found that the dietary department had been completing his menus. Now when his dinner tray arrives, I see a carb festival: pasta, bread, non-fat milk, a small container of “I Can’t Believe (anybody thinks) It’s … Butter” spread, and 3 (yes, three!!!) fruit servings. But no vegetables. And he assures me the same thing happens every day at lunch. I guess it’s time to have a heart to heart with the dietician. BK February 29, 2016 at 4:32 am An obesity researcher I closely follow recently outlined what he eats I point it out because it is a high-carb diet and if anyone knows his stuff about obesity and health, it is this guy. Stephen Rhodes June 24, 2015 at 7:55 pm I know that I keep banging on about the number of copies of the AMY1 allele that individuals may have, but is it not possible that those who cannot ‘thrive’ on a very low carb diet are those with a large number of copies? It may be that simply screening for the AMY1 allele count would give individuals the ‘power’ to find a diet that suits their metabolism. At the present we are shooting in the dark a bit don’t you think? Helen June 25, 2015 at 9:52 am Is there a test currently available to the general public? Dan June 24, 2015 at 5:15 pm What is you thoughts in regards to this: I am a 35 year type 1 person with diabetes. My VLDL (14) and Triglycerides (54) are low but my LDL is high (150). My HDL is 70. I am male. My problem is doctors always want to give me a statin to reduce my LDL. You blog is interesting to me. That is, your discussion that LDL only comes from VLDL. But my VLDL is low by my LDL is high. Personally, I just want to ignore my LDL. But I am harassed at every doctor visit. What are your thoughts on that paradox: low VLDL but high LDL. I also had a VAP test which indicated my LDL is pattern A large fluffy for what that is worth. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 5:22 pm That LDL comes from VLDL is simply a fact. It is of course interesting to ask why VLDL levels can skyrocket after a high carb meal, yet LDL levels stay exactly, and precisely, the same. Someone care to comment on that? robert June 24, 2015 at 6:01 pm Well, of course there’s the “it turns into fairies” hypothesis, but I have my doubts. It is more likely that it is regulated via some form of negative feedback. I am quite certain that there is not a single thing in the body that is not regulated, be it blood pH, temperature, electrolytes, blood glucose… some parameters have more wiggle-room than others. Compared to say blood pH or body temperature blood lipids seem to have quite a large range without any acute issues. Why? It probably boils down to how strong the influence of some value is on cell metabolism and how expensive it is to pull stuff in or keep stuff out. High blood glucose kills cells with GLUT1 transporters (not insulin modulated), so blood glucose has to be limited no matter what. On the other hand, cells can chose to express more or less LDL receptors & absorb what they need, if & when they need it (unless they’re forced to gobble up LDL by some news meds). So one could hazard a guess that lipid levels might not have to be as tightly controlled as glucose. Of course there are probably 100s of reasons why this might be wrong. Anyhow… If parameters could go up or down as they pleased, chaos would reign, quickly followed by death. Anne June 24, 2015 at 6:49 pm But you’ve said it again Dr kendrick: “LDL comes from VLDL is simply a fact”. So someone, like me, on an extremely low carb diet who can’t be geting much VLDL, and I know it’s not because my trigs are always low, has high LDL (like Dan). So where does our LDL come from ? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 8:53 pm Yes, but I have not said that VLDL can only come from eating carbs. Stephen Rhodes June 24, 2015 at 8:03 pm From what you have already said, it sounds as if the requirement for triglycerides from VLDLs is fixed regardless of how many VLDLs are in one’s system. In any individual there are just so many sites where a VLDL can offload triglycerides and ‘become’ a LDL. docsopinion June 24, 2015 at 8:54 pm Thanks for a great article Malcolm. One thing that has to be kept in mind here is that LDL is not the same as LDL cholesterol. We usually don’t assess LDL cholesterol following a meal because the calculation of LDL cholesterol is partly based on triglyceride (TG) levels. As TG’s go up following a meal, the calculation of LDL cholesterol will be unreliable. So, a fasting blood sample is needed for calculation of LDL cholesterol. “It is of course interesting to ask why VLDL levels can skyrocket after a high carb meal, yet LDL levels stay exactly, and precisely, the same. Someone care to comment on that?” The conversion of VLDL to LDL is dependent on the action of lipoprotein lipase. This is a rate limiting step. Lipoprotein lipase catalyzes the breakdown of VLDL, releasing TG’s for energy production or storage in adipose tissue. TG’s are moved from VLDL into LDL and HDL in exchange for cholesteryl ester. After the removal of TG’s from VLDL, the composition of the lipoprotein changes and it becomes intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL). Later, when the amount of cholesterol increases, IDL becomes low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The availability of LDL is determined by the balance between production and clearance. Clearance of LDL is highly dependent on LDL-receptor function, Therefore LDL-receptor function is a strong determinant of LDL levels. Interestingly, the association of VLDL with atherosclerotic disease is probably just as strong as LDL’s. Ok, I know many here don’t believe in the lipid hypothesis, but anyway, the association is a fact. Whether lipoproteins play a causative role or not is another debate. I also think it’s important to understand that raised blood triglycerides following a meal (postprandial hypertriglyceridemia) are caused by chylomicrons while elevated fasting levels are due to high VLDL, often caused by excessive carbohydrate intake. Both these types of hypertriglyceridemia may contribute to atherosclerosis. Anne June 25, 2015 at 6:37 am Sorry to labour this point Dr Kendrick, and please bear in mind that I don’t have a problem having high LDL..happy with it high. But I wrote: “But you’ve said it again Dr Kendrick: “LDL comes from VLDL is simply a fact”. So someone, like me, on an extremely low carb diet who can’t be geting much VLDL, and I know it’s not because my trigs are always low, has high LDL (like Dan). So where does our LDL come from ?” and you replied: “Yes, but I have not said that VLDL can only come from eating carbs.” But I don’t have high VLDL ! THAT IS if triglycerides are a measure of one’s VLDL (my trigs are 0.5 which I know is low). Does this mean that a person can have low triglycerides but high VLDL ? And if so, how do we get our VLDL measured ? It’s not part of the lipid profile test. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 8:08 am It is part of the lipid profile test, indirectly. The Frienwald equation calculation incorporates VLDL Anne June 25, 2015 at 8:20 am Can you tell me please which part of the Friedewald formula does VLDL appear in ? Anne June 25, 2015 at 8:31 am Oh, I just found this from labtestonline: ” it is possible to estimate the amount of VLDL cholesterol by dividing the triglyceride value (in mmol/L) by 2.2.” So that surely means that a person with low triglycerides will have low VLDL My tirgs are 0.5 which means an estimate of my VLDL gives a result of 0.2. So back to my original question – if a person’s VLDL is low, as mine would appear to be, then how is it that my LDL is ‘high’ (even though I don’t mind) – it’s 3.8 by Friedewald and 2.7 by Iranian. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 9:05 am Anne, Triglyderides (as measured in your blood) are VLDL. This is always confusing Anne June 25, 2015 at 9:25 am But, but, but Dr Kendrick – my VLDL is therefore low since my triglycerides are low (0.5)….so…why is my LDL ‘high’ ? I feel we are going round in circles ! Doug June 25, 2015 at 11:45 pm Anne, I don’t think anyone knows the answers to your questions. Normally LDL-C north of 6 would be cause for concern even among cholesterol skeptics. But what does it mean combined with HDL-C > 2 and TG < 1? I don't think anyone knows. If you look at the study data, they don't study populations with whacky numbers like that. I'm no expert, but haven't seen a single credible hypothesis for why a certain percentage of LCHFers (like yourself) present with such unusual blood lipid profiles. Some have suggested LDL receptor down regulation due to reduced thyroid function from low carb, but I believe that applies at most to a limited subset of people. Anyone who advises you is just guessing. rdfeinman June 24, 2015 at 5:48 pm Many physicians can be talked out of recommending statins if you suggest that the best indicator of risk based on the medical literature is TAG/HDL (of commonly measured parameters, correlates with small, dense LDL). Yours is 0.77 which is very good (cut-off for risk is generally considered above 3.5). I have limited sample but many physicians are not as enthused with statins as the medical and popular literature would suggest. Stephen Town June 24, 2015 at 9:26 pm Thank you for your work in this area. Diet is a small part of a doctor’s world, so they’re usually not too precious about it. Diet is the whole world of a dietician, so they defend the status quo. If a dietician’s wrong about diet, what’s left for them? And they are very wrong. Dan June 26, 2015 at 12:34 am I guess LDL can be high even though VLDL and triglycerides are low because your body is not clearing the LDL. But then again, I guess we should not worry too much about the LDL number anyway. Rich June 24, 2015 at 5:45 pm If “it’s the carbs” how do you explain how communities that eat virtually all carbohydrate remain healthy? Stephen Town June 24, 2015 at 9:39 pm I don’t live there, so that argument doesn’t help me too much. How about no sugar, hard work and thousands of years to adapt, assuming they really are healthy. How could eating glucose be good for us? Doesn’t a ten fold increase in obesity and a nine fold increase in diabetes in thirty years say everything. Rich, what’s your explanation for that? I mean here, not in some far away place. BobM June 25, 2015 at 12:30 am It’s always very difficult when someone brings up some population and says “what about them?”, and they don’t fit the rules you’re trying to defend. Personally, I find it difficult to compare two completely different cultures. The whole “low fat diet” came about in part because Ancel Keys compared fat “intake” versus heart rate for a bunch of countries. Why did that comparison use diet as an indicator of the differences between countries, when there are innumerable differences? I’ll give you an example. I’m headed to Sweden to see my wife’s sister and her husband. Her husband gets seven WEEKS off, paid, this year. SEVEN WEEKS IN A ROW. I’m from the US. It’s incredibly difficult and very stressful for me to take 10 DAYS to go visit them — I have to work weekends before and after, work long days both before and after, etc. And I get a MAXIMUM of two weeks of vacation per year. Even if there are differences in diet between Sweden and the US, why is it diet and not time off/lower stress that causes the differences (I assume there are some) in heart disease between the two countries? Going back to the original question, it depends on the population. Some people argue that Japan and China, where relatively large amounts of carbs (as a percentage of diet) were eaten, eat many fewer calories and much less sugar than say the US. There are probably a thousand additional factors (exercise, number of cars, type of work, etc.) we could quantify. From my personal perspective, I saw how a high carbohydrate diet helped to kill my father. His blood sugar was out of control. I realized the same thing was happening to me. Low carb (and now intermittent fasting) has allowed me to get my blood sugar, hemoglobin A1c, insulin, and insulin resistance under control. And I’ve lost 40 pounds at the same time. There is no doubt that some people can eat carbs. I was at a friend’s house the other day, and they served sugar-sweetened iced tea. I haven’t had a sugar-sweetened beverage (other than beer, which is essentially that, unfortunately) in decades. Yet they can drink those beverages — the whole family is thin — and I’d weigh 400 pounds if I did. To me, it’s a moot point about other cultures, as the US is and has been experiencing an explosion in obesity. That obesity appears to be driven by carbs, in my opinion. The blame is placed on fat, but since I eat as much fat as possible every day and yet have lost weight, in my mind, the fat is not the problem. I also don’t believe in calories in/calories out, exercise for weight loss, we need to eat 5+ meals a day, etc. Once I realized when low carb made me feel better that everything I new about diet was wrong, I now question everything. And pretty much everything the “experts” tell us is wrong, in my opinion. Stephen Rhodes June 25, 2015 at 3:12 pm If they are healthy on their diet, whatever that diet is, then they are genetically adapted to be healthy on that diet. The problems start when their diet is changed from that to which they are adapted. The difficulty researchers have in unpicking this issue is that interbreeding – largely over the past century – has mixed up the settled gene-pools and it is no longer possible to find well adapted groups of people who are genetically ‘uncontaminated’. Research into the number of copies of the AMY1 allele is predicated (I think) on the idea that the numbers of copies have been selected for by the diets that relatively isolated groups of people ate, probably for up to for tens of thousands of years. Those eating high carb diets have lots of copies, those eating low carb have few – the numbers of copies found in humans varies from 1 to 15 so far (and counting – early papers say 13 max later say 15). See e.g http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC2377015/ This is likely to be just one of the factors that enable groups of individuals to be healthy on diets that other groups of individuals would be unhealthy on. Jason S October 29, 2015 at 1:00 pm anonymous June 24, 2015 at 8:29 pm I think that scientists were far more clever before the invention of statistics. Numbers and “evidences” have puffed up the profession of medicine, which was already arrogant from the start. Bad numbers, false evidences and flawed logic is no better middle ages medicine. First do no harm, because harming people is the easiest thing to do. Why do we want a quick fix to a lifelong problem that calls for a lifestyle change? Why do we want a lifelong treatment of an acute problem that demands a quick fix? mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 11:39 am I think that scientists were far more clever before the invention of statistics In one sense I agree with you but statistics is simply a tool; a useful one if used properly. Unfortunately it is very easy to thow in a lot of (irrelevant????) data into a statistical package, press the button and out pops a RESULT and a research report to add to the CV. The problem is that far less thought is necessary and more “papers published” is the inducement. But don’t blame the tool any more than blaming the car for motor accidents – it is the driver (or researcher) as the case may be. Pat June 27, 2015 at 11:11 am I totally agree with you. When I used to teach some of my fellow post graduate colleagues how to do multiple regression analysis I used to tell them that they should always remember that doing regression analysis was not a substitute for thought – think first (have a theory to test), compute second and then think again. That was forty years ago when University computer systems were basic, punch card systems, based on fortran or algol and took ages to get results. Regression was hard work then compared with today. The recent ease in computing has resulted in much more research work being produced. A lot of work we are surrounded by today is not done properly and may be unintentionally poor. Statistics are a very useful tool if used properly. Someone used to being respectful with stats is careful because they know how easy it is to make mistakes and loose the argument. Being an old fashioned statistical prude (OFSP) by today’s standards helped me to say no to statins and BP drugs despite not understanding the medicine at the time. Thank you very much indeed Dr K for this article and to those who have commented. This is very interesting very to me. mikecawdery July 6, 2015 at 12:17 pm I go back even further. My university decided in its wisdom that vets should know about statistics too get their degree. That was in 1953 – the book -statisics for medicine by bradford-hill. The means of doing stats – the brunsviga or facit. Inverting a matrix was done by hand. Great fun but limited. docsopinion June 24, 2015 at 8:56 pm One thing that has to be kept in mind here is that LDL is not the same as LDL cholesterol. We usually don’t assess LDL cholesterol following a meal because the calculation of LDL cholesterol is partly based on triglyceride (TG) levels. As TG’s go up following a meal, the calculation of LDL cholesterol will be unreliable. So, a fasting blood sample is needed for calculation of LDL cholesterol. “It is of course interesting to ask why VLDL levels can skyrocket after a high carb meal, yet LDL levels stay exactly, and precisely, the same. Someone care to comment on that?” The conversion of VLDL to LDL is dependent on the action of lipoprotein lipase. This is a rate limiting step. Lipoprotein lipase catalyzes the breakdown of VLDL, releasing TG’s for energy production or storage in adipose tissue. TG’s are moved from VLDL into LDL and HDL in exchange for cholesteryl ester. After the removal of TG’s from VLDL, the composition of the lipoprotein changes and it becomes intermediate-density lipoprotein (IDL). Later, when the amount of cholesterol increases, IDL becomes low-density lipoprotein (LDL). The availability of LDL is determined by the balance between production and clearance. Clearance of LDL is highly dependent on LDL-receptor function, Therefore LDL-receptor function is a strong determinant of LDL levels. Interestingly, the association of VLDL with atherosclerotic disease is probably just as strong as LDL’s. Ok, I know many here don’t believe in the lipid hypothesis, but anyway, the association is a fact. Whether lipoproteins play a causative role or not is another debate. I also think it’s important to understand that raised blood triglycerides following a meal (postprandial hypertriglyceridemia) are caused by chylomicrons while elevated fasting levels are due to high VLDL, often caused by excessive carbohydrate intake. Both these types of hypertriglyceridemia may contribute to atherosclerosis. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 24, 2015 at 9:09 pm Thanks again mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 11:52 am ,,,,,,,,the lipid hypothesis, but anyway, the association is a fact And therein lies the problem. There is an association but too often that is taken as causality and polypharmacy follows. Gary June 24, 2015 at 9:25 pm With respect, may I just point something out? You have written: “Professors, who shall be nameless, appear unable to admit how basic human physiology works.” You then write: “However, once this limit is reached, the liver will turn the rest into fat.” Yet this isn’t what happens. Frayn covers it nicely in Metabolic Regulation. In practice, apart from the most extreme circumstances, de novo lipogenesis is negligable and doesn’t contribute to obesity. The excess carbohydrates and amino acids become the preferred energy fuel in preference to fat, and these fatty acids then become stored. From memory I remember that in humans (not rodents) even fructose to excess only contributes to DNL in the liver to 5%. May I ask your thoughts on this? Thanks! JR June 25, 2015 at 12:09 am I’ve heard some debate about the actual amounts processed through DNL; similarly there is debate about whether excess protein will over-produce glucose through gluconeogenesis. However it seems pretty uncontroversial that the body makes saturated fat from excess carbohydrate. And that’s the main point of this article: ‘why have we been subjected to so much propaganda about ingesting a substance that our body produces, by design’. The following recapitulates the good doctor’s summary of this process: “When glycogen stores are maximal in the liver, excess glucose is diverted into the lipid synthesis pathway. Glucose is catabolized to acetyl-CoA and the acetyl-CoA is used for de novo fatty acid synthesis. The fatty acids are then incorporated into triglycerides and exported from hepatocytes as very-low-density lipoproteins (see the Lipoproteins page for more details) and ultimately stored as triglycerides in adipose tissue. A diet rich in carbohydrates leads to stimulation of both the glycolytic and lipogenic pathways. Genes encoding glucokinase (GK) and liver pyruvate kinase (L-PK) of glycolysis and ATP-citrate lyase (ACLY), ACC1, and FAS of lipogenesis are regulated by modulation of their transcription rates. In addition, the enzymes encoded by these genes are subject to post-translational and allosteric regulation. These genes contain glucose- or carbohydrate-response elements (ChoREs) that are responsible for their transcriptional regulation.” Gary June 25, 2015 at 7:48 am “However it seems pretty uncontroversial that the body makes saturated fat from excess carbohydrate.” I agree. It is just a negligable amount. Thank you for your post – you have just given me a lovely breakdown of DNL. Yet it just doesn’t happen to any real extent in the human body. This is covered by Frayn, taught on nutrition degrees, and is clearly demonstrated in the links I gave above as a starters. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 8:09 am Taught on nutrition degrees… would that be alongside the healthy eating plate? Ash Simmonds June 25, 2015 at 9:30 am Frayn put forward a lot of interesting theories, some folk ran with them to make them dogma, but even he dismisses some as brainfarts. Gary June 25, 2015 at 3:55 pm Nice diversion – does that mean that you aren’t able to answer the question? Have you not fallen foul of the same bad science that you are accusing others of? DNL is the road less traveled. The excess is not “turned to fat”. In normal people it will be less than one percent. Under extreme fructose loading maybe 5%. To increase this percentage we need to ingest around 5-6,000 kcals of carbohydrate over our body’s TEE. The excess becomes the preferred fuel source, therefore sparing fat from oxidisation. We therefore increase the volume of our adipose tissue as the redundant fatty acids become stored in our adipocytes. mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 12:17 pm The fat on an obese person is saturated Yes? If so where does it come from when most of the diet is carbohydrate absorbed as, mostly, C6 sugars? Dr Robin Willcourt June 24, 2015 at 10:27 pm It is certainly complicated. I have advised all my patients to look at and adopt a Paleo type of low carb, high fat diet over the last 3 years, and if possible, a ‘leangains’ version of that, by delaying breakfast for as long as possible. The results are that total cholesterol may go up or down, but the TG/HDL ratio ‘reverses’ in people with high TG/HDL ratios over a period of a couple of weeks. Out of concern that I might be worsening their situation (foolish thinking in my early days on this) I got blood levels at 2 weeks, 6 weeks and 12 weeks. Curiously some, but not all people with metabolic syndrome (MetS), and non MetS obsese patients, had their triglyerides skyrocket in the first 6 weeks. Though I didn’t panic, I was very concerned at first. The pattern that emerged is that when the rapid fat loss starts, the TG elevates but by 12 weeks, more or less, the ratios normalize. My thinking it is the rapid transport of TG out of the stored fat that is doing this. I no longer worry about it and warn the patients that the TG/HDL ratio may worsen before it gets better. Thoughts, anyone? mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 12:32 pm While not following a strict ketogenic diet I consume as much saturateed fat as possible – a diet that would probably give most nutritionists a heart attack. My trig/HDL ratio is well less than 2; my total NHS LDL level is >4.0 mml/L and I haven’t had a “flu” infection for more than 5 years, despite grand children. Vaccined – yes – but before I always got “flu” despite vaccination. The “fluffy” Type A LDL perhaps? Incidentally, having worked in close association with animal nutritionistss for many decades, high grain diets are used to fatten animals. Even done research on the effects of parasitic infectins on nutrition. Also, working with animals does have advantage that studies can be very precisely controlled – diets based on dry matter, digestibilty, inputs and outputs measured etc. I am still wondering what the “details” published on food packets are based on; crude calrimmetric data or what. Asked the local NHS nutritionist – ddidn’t know what I was talking about.. Stephen Town June 25, 2015 at 7:26 pm Mike, I’ve read that a lot of cat and dog food contains carbs and the result is a lot of fat pets. Is this true? mike_cawdery June 27, 2015 at 12:39 pm I agree with you – Type 2 was just coming appearing in medicine but if I remember aright, the screening test was a urine test which is pretty insensitive (ketosticks??) – still used on me (amongst all the other tests) but I have never been positive by that test. Stephen Town June 25, 2015 at 7:23 pm Dr Willcourt, very good to see a doctor helping his patients in this way. What is your simple explanation of the benefits of a low carb diet to a new patient? Here’s mine to friends and please feel free to criticise. Everyone is welcome to contribute, but please remember that I’m trying to keep it simple for Joe Public! The carbs you eat are quickly converted into glucose and raise your blood sugar. Your body can’t tolerate more than four grams of sugar in your bloodstream and sends insulin to remove it. Insulin stores the removed sugar as fat. Eating carbs causes your blood sugar to fluctuate and this results in you feeling hungry. You eat more carbs and the cycle continues and the result is obesity! Maybe they should teach that on the nutritional course. mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 12:25 pm Indeed it is! and lots of diabetes too! Something I never saw in training 60 years ago. Type 1 was known but rare – Kirk’s Diagnosis. “mellitus” and “insipidus” 4th edition publ. 1953 NO TYPE II – but now – fat pets. Jennifer June 27, 2015 at 1:09 am Mike. Back in the 1960s we routinely screened all patients for glycosuria. We would not be looking for diabetes mellitus because by the very nature of the condition those patients would have been urgent admissions, presenting with a catastrophic and acute decline in health. Diabetes insipidis was a very rare admission, and once again, the name just serves to confuse the issue. But there seemed to be a need to check cold admissions for what I can only describe as non-acute symptoms similar to those of poorly managed ‘type 1’s as they became known. Indeed, screening did pick up these chronic sufferers, and the term ‘senile onset diabetes’ was coined, possibly because it mainly presented in the elderly. Now we know that has caused much confusion over the years, and, indeed there has been an explosion of youngsters presenting with the condition, which is why we are all getting so uptight about the causes of the condition, now better termed ‘type 2’. I can only come to the conclusion that ‘type 2’ was slowly beginning to present its ugly head from the 1950s, because the diet was changing for the worse. I understand that numbers of type1 remain fairly static, because, as I know you are fully aware, its cause is far from that which manifests as type 2. I suspect that type 2 may have existed since sugar became cheap and plentiful, but in the early days of NHS, keen medics were looking for causes of chronic illnesses that the general population just had to suffer, and ultimately die from, in previous years. I think my old grandma probably fell into that category, having the most awful leg ulcers for over 20 years, and which she tended to herself until she died in the early 1960s. There was never any mention of diabetes because she was probably never checked out, living out in the sticks all her life. The difference with type 2, unlike type 1, is that at best, it is reversible, and almost certainly manageable, if only the medics would get their act together and understand that pills are not the be-all and end-all of coping with it. And the medics would stand a better chance of achieving a good outcome for their patients if they took control and refrained from sending their patients to diabetic nurses and dieticians! DBM June 24, 2015 at 11:32 pm What happens to the carbs? Interesting question; why they all turn to fat of course! I used to believe that but now I’m not sure. It depends entirely on context. It depends on your insulin sensitivity and what you eat them with. Clearly de-novo lipogenesis is an important mechanism though I think it is only relevant in the context of insulin resistance. I have started to really question the low carb paradigm and feel that it only explains half of the problem. Lots of people around the world and throughout history have eaten plenty of carbs and have had no issue at all with obesity, diabetes and ischaemic heart disease. Why is that people who live in the ‘Blue Zones’ i.e. Okinawans, Kitavans and the majority of surviving hunter gatherer societies eat over 70-80% carbs and do absolutely fine. What happens when you eat mainly carbs in the form of starchy tubers, fruit and dare I say it grains with minimal amounts of fat? Nothing earth shattering; they get broken down to glucose which then gets shuttled into cells and then oxidised to form lots of lovely ATP and intracellular CO2, any spare glucose then accumulates in form of muscle and liver glygogen. The latter is essential for all sorts of hepatic mechanisms not least conversion of T4 to T3 which is pretty important in supporting metabolism and hormone formation. If you remain insulin sensitive, by keeping active, avoiding sitting too much, avoiding stress, getting plenty of sunlight and plenty of decent sleep you shouldn’t run into problems. In the context of a high carb diet you have to eat an awful lot of them before you start making fat and if you do at least you start making the healthy stuff (saturated fat). When it starts to go pear shaped is when you add fat to the mix. When your body is faced with the combination of fat and carbs it going to use the carbs first and then store the fat; it is far easier to shuttle the preformed fat to adipose tissue than go through the palava of converting the carbs to fat and then oxidising the preformed fat. Is this a problem? Maybe , maybe not, probably okay if the carbs are coated in lovely butter or served with a juicy steak but will be more of a more of a problem they are coated or fried in easily oxidised omega 6 poly unsaturated fats. If one persistently over eats it is the fat that makes you fat (sorry Gary) Over time this will produce a situation of excess cellular energy and muscle cells and more importantly adipose cells will be full to the gunnels with energy. Insulin levels have to rise to stop the fatty acids spilling out and causing significant damage ( remember in type one diabetes, its the increase in fatty acid levels that is much more dangerous than the hyperglycaemia). The fatter you get the higher insulin has to rise to compensate and the more insulin resistant you become. To prevent significant hyperglycaemia your liver has to act and this is where de-novo lipogenesis kicks in, after all, the glucose has to go somewhere and the least harm it can do is live the rest of its life out as palmitic acid. This is pretty much the narrative of the of the last 30 years even the last century, yes the official guidance was for a low fat diet but nobody really paid that much attention and in actual fact in the west is the consumption of fat, mainly omega 6 PUFAS that has increased ,not carbs though it has been ‘hiding’ in ‘refined carbs’ i.e. chips, crisps, donuts pastries etc. One is then faced with a problem, what to do next? Clearly one solution which is effective is to go low carb which a lot of people here have found effective . If you can’t process the carbs properly i.e. oxidise them and all that happens to them is get converted to fat then perhaps it is best to avoid them all together, though is it the best strategy? Clearly lots of people have found the opposing strategy successful by going ultra low fat and vegan zealots have claimed to reverse their diabetes and improve their insulin resistance eating food that a lot of folks here would shun like the plague. The problem with going low carb is that that your body does actually need glucose and if you are not going to eat it you will have to get it from somewhere either from dietary protein or you will have to harvest your own protein via increasing cortisol levels and thats not going to be too healthy in the long term. The other issue is by eating higher up the food chain and eating mainly meat and dairy you have to pay really close attention to what you eat ate and that can be really tough, pork and chicken are probably riddled with too much PUFA and while red meat especially grass fed is probably safe from a fat point of view, you may have to be careful with the iron content. Check this blog for the role of iron overload in modern disease, fascinating stuff reetheanimal.com/2015/06/enrichment-theory-everything.html It seems to me that this whole subject is soaked with cognitive dissonance on both sides of the fence. On the one side is the conventional view that carbs are good and saturated fat is bad, but fails to acknowledge consequence of eating them to excess is production of the food they most fear and the low carb camp, sat fat good ,carbs bad who fail to appreciate that carbs are potentially the cleanest source of saturated fat. I hope I don’t ruffle too many feathers,but it is fun to challenge ones assumptions and dogma. I’ve just finished reading ‘The low carb myth’ by Ari Whitten and Wade Smith and recommend this if you fancy another perspective on this subject. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 6:38 am An interesting post. However, I shall repeat that you can only store 1,500 calories of glucose (primarily as glycogen), after that you MUST convert the excess to fat. If you do not believe this then please tell me, exactly, where the excess glucose/fructose goes? By excess I mean, over and above that required for energy generation. DBM June 25, 2015 at 10:00 pm I have no argument with you on this point as you say there are no carb pixies at the bottom of the garden to take the excess carbs way but neither are there calorie fairies that take the fat calories away. Calories still do matter. However there are carbs and there are carbs. Some are easy to gain fat on and others not so. Liver Glygogen is around 100-120 grams Muscle glycogen is around 500grams Total body glycogen around 600grams or around 2400calories or about a days worth of food. Without even dipping into this store the avarage energy intake for a sedentary male is around 2500cals. If one were to eat a 80% carb diet this would mean you would have to eat about 1900 calories of carbs, or to put it another way a whopping 490 grams of carbs a day. Potatoes by weight are 20% carbs , whole fruit anywhere between 10- 25% carbs. This means if one were to eat only potatoes that would mean eating around 2.5kg in a day and thats just for maintenance! Sounds crazy and probably not recommended or enjoyable but this guy managed it http://www.20potatoesaday.com. He ate 3 kilos of potatoes every day for 60 days and managed to loose 20ibs, improve his fasting glucose and improve his lipids. Alternatively, if you have a sweeter tooth 490 grams of carbs would equal 18 bananas (about 2kg) or 23 apples a day ( about 3.5kg). Again not really recommended but my point is if you are eating carbs from natural sources it would be incredibly difficult to even eat to maintain body weight let alone trigger DNL and get fat. However, imagine a 14 inch dominos pizza weighing at just under 900 grams . This contains 300 grams of carbs but because of the added fat (around 75) and protein (98g) will set you back 2290 calories, nearly a days worth in one sitting! Well it might be difficult to eat in one go but it would not sustain you for a day, the food reward is just too great, you will then eat to calorific excess and the excess fat gets stored as fat and the excess carbs get stored as fat. Can eating refined sugar make you fat? Maybe not. In the 1930s back in the days when proper scientist did proper empirical experiments one researcher spent 6 months eating an ultra low (2%) fat diet and thrived, each day he lived on 4 pints of skimmed milk about 150g cottage cheese some potato starch biscuits and about 270g of sugar, drank as a syrup through out the day and half an orange and some vitamins for good measure. He lost 6 kg, felt full of energy all day never had a cold, his migraines disappeared and his BP improved. Why is it you can loose weight eating lots of carbs whether it starch or sucrose but gain weight eating pizza? Two words; food reward, starch by itself , sugar by its self and fat by its self are not particularly rewarding for the palate but mix them together add some salt and other flavourings and you have a recipe for gluttony, calorie excess fat gain and DNL. My dissertation tutor back when I was in medical school was a professor of physiology and an obesity researcher who made a name for himself by discovering a way to make rats fat. Instead of trying to force rats to eat regular chow he just gave them processed food, a ‘canteen diet’ all of a sudden the rats gorged themselves driven by food reward and then became obese. I think the concept of food reward is a concept that seems to get over looked but explains an awful lot. We all know saturated fat isn’t evil or dangerous and we should know better than to start labelling other foods as evil or dangerous as well. Fat is fine, carbs are fine even sugar is ok. Its when we start to mix them up too much that things start to go pear shaped. We’re just very clever monkeys who have very unwisely altered our environment and now we are reaping the rewards for this manufactured mismatch with our biology. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 10:39 pm DBM thanks for that post, very informative. I don’t think there is a single true path to weight loss, or certainly to weight gain. But most people will find it easier to lose weight eating fat, than carbs. DBM June 26, 2015 at 6:17 am Thankyou. Theres no doubt that going low carb is a helpful and an effective tool for weight loss. I know this from experience but I’ve come to realise that it works for reasons other than we think it does. i.e. Its not through keeping insulin levels suppressed by avoiding carbs, it can’t be as protein and especially dairy spike insulin just as high if not higher than carbs. Low carb diets work because of the lower, unforced, calorie consumption driven though the lower food reward of the diet which naturally leads you to eating less over all. Also the increased protein intake helps. My concern for low carb diets are the negative consequences for adopting this long term namely unnecessary and potentially harmful exposure to PUFAs and iron overload: Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 26, 2015 at 7:38 am One of my over-riding concerns about the entire dietary debate is that there appears to be evidence of harm from every single foodstuff we can consume. I don’t like the idea that we view food as ‘the enemy’ to be conquered. If the Blue Zones proved one thing – to me – it is that a whole series of different diets seems compatible with long life. David Bailey June 26, 2015 at 4:27 pm This is a fascinating discussion. Is it possible to simply excrete calories? Obviously those with diabetes excrete at least some in the form of glucose in the urine, but is it possible that some calories are just never absorbed at all? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 26, 2015 at 4:52 pm Yes. Latest drug for diabetes is one which stops the kidneys re-absorbing glucose to it is simply pissed away. I don’t like this idea much. Certain foods, fibre, some nuts, a bit of this and that can simply pass through. The body is usually pretty good at grabbing food and clinging onto it though David Bailey June 25, 2015 at 9:06 am “Why is that people who live in the ‘Blue Zones’ i.e. Okinawans, Kitavans and the majority of surviving hunter gatherer societies eat over 70-80% carbs and do absolutely fine. ” That is a good point, and it does remind one of Ancel Keys, in that it is always possible to advance an hypothesis if one ignores the contrary evidence! On the other hand, I do wonder whether hunter gatherer societies eat enough to get into overload, and also whether they live long enough to encounter the diseases of later life. Your post seems to make a strong case for a traditional diet – not pushing to either extreme (which is also the easiest diet to adopt). Of course, people trying to recover from disease – T2D or cancer – may actually need an extreme diet. Part of the frustration with medical science is that there is so little debate between different points of view – because the orthodox side have let themselves be pushed into such an extreme position that all they seem to want to say is “Read the guidelines, and ye shall be saved!” DBM June 25, 2015 at 10:44 pm The Okinawans are the longest lived culture on earth having the highest proportion of centarians than anywhere else in the world. Here are a few quotes from Staffan Lindebergs survey of the Kitavans ‘Despite a fair number of older residents, none of whom showed signs of dementia or poor memory, the only cases of sudden death the residents could recall were accidents such as drowning or falling from a coconut tree. Homicide also occured, often during conflicts over land or mates. Infections (primarily malaria), accidents, pregnancy complications, and old age were the dominant causes of death’ ‘The oldest living person during the survey was a 96 year-old woman, and during a previous visit a vital 100 year-old man was interviewed.’ ‘The elderly residents of Kitava generally remain quite active up until the very end, when they begin to suffer fatigue for a few days and then die from what appears to be an infection or some type of rapid degeneration. Although this is seen in western societies, it is relatively rare in elderly vital people. The quality of life among the oldest residents thus appeared to be good in the Trobriand Islands.’ ‘The main results of the Kitava study, that there is no ischaemic heart disease (and no stroke, see Chapter 4.2), are unanimously confirmed by medical experts ‘ ‘The residents of Kitava lived exclusively on root vegetables (yam, sweet potato, taro, tapioca), fruit (banana, papaya, pineapple, mango, guava, water melon, pumpkin), vegetables, fish and coconuts [27-29]. Less than 0.2% of the caloric intake came from Western food, such as edible fats, dairy products, sugar, cereals, and alcohol, compared with roughly 75% in Sweden [30]. The intake of vitamins, minerals and soluble fibre was therefore very high, while the total fat consumption was low, about 20 E% [28], as was the intake of salt (40-50 mmol Na/10 MJ compared with 100-250 in Sweden). Due to the high level of coconut consumption, saturated fat made up an equally large portion of the overall caloric intake as is the case in Sweden. However, lauric acid was the dominant dietary saturated fatty acid as opposed to palmitic acid in Sweden. Malnutrition and famine did not seem to occur.’ Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 26, 2015 at 7:33 am The Okinawans are not even the longest lived culture in Japan. That would be Nagano. The longest lived country on Earth is Andorra. Incidently the Okinawans were knows as the Pig Eaters for the high consumption of pork. It is said of them the only part of the pig they do not eat is the squeak. Always be careful when looking at stats on diet in various countries. No-one studies this area without going in without a whole pile of preconceptions. mike_cawdery June 25, 2015 at 1:03 pm ……you do at least you start making the healthy stuff (saturated fat). May I suggest that this whole issue is very, very cmplex and that research has tended to restrict itself to particular sections of the problem based on various “hypotheses” such as Keys’ views on carbs, Yudkins’ views on sucrose, various views on sundry fats, gluten etc. each with there own agenda. One is minded of the adage “a little of what you fancy, does you good”, In short, excess of anything is apt to upset what is a very complex metabolism. May I take this opportunity in thanking all contributors to this most interesting debate. It has ccertainly helped me. I shall be able to enjoy spuds with my dinner and fried bread with my eggs and bacon Christopher Lansdown June 25, 2015 at 3:15 pm There are several things which you don’t address in traditional societies. I think that one of the big ones is total energy consumption. A 6′ man in a cold climate needs far more calories than a 5’4″ man in a warm climate, but that doesn’t mean that the 6′ man can tolerate a substantially larger amount of blood sugar, or that he has a massively larger amount of storage for carbohydrate. Relatedly, hunter/gatherers are well known for the relatively little amount of work that they need to do in order to gather their food. In short, when comparing why modern industrialized westerners get fat to why people living traditional lifestyles outside of the west aren’t, I don’t think it is legitimate to neglect their total energy expenditure. There is also the issue of timing. Very fibrous foods are known to release their macronutrients – including their glucose – slowly, meaning that it would be entering the bloodstream relatively slowly. Since no one in the west eats any meaningful amount of fiber in comparison to carb-heavy thin populations, this again makes direct comparison tenuous. Finally, there is simply the issue of descent. There have been a lot of sub-populations of human beings with distinct characteristics, such as the way that people of European descent (plus a few other groups, IIRC) can process lactose as an adult. It is quite possible that people who are from populations that were selected for on their basis of tolerating a pure carb diet would do differently than people who were selected for on the basis of doing well eating raw seal, all of whom might be different from other populations that did well in, say, northern europe or the mountains of South America, etc. In short, I don’t see the evidence that people descended from distinct sub-populations who faced different selective pressures should have turned out to be identical in spite of the different selective pressures. It’s just possible that people are different enough that different things work for different people, and we each have to try different approaches and see what works for us. David Bailey June 25, 2015 at 8:18 pm Yes we don’t have to work to find our food, but we can do exercise, and some of us do! There has also been a high fibre movement, and maybe that would have been a more useful contribution to dietary health if it hadn’t been diluted (pun!) by the concept of liquid fibre! Yes, there is an issue of descent, and maybe advice should be targeted on people’s ethnic origin – but that feels vaguely non-PC these days! mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 1:14 pm Christopher, Your point about populations is very pertinent, particularly in the context of metabolism, location, availability of different food types. The variables involved are extensive. Vitamin D is one example – white skin (nothern) allows maximum production while dark skins restrict production but protect from damage. Vitamin C is another (most mammals produce their own) but humans have to get it from food. Problems with Vit C tend to be in the High latitudes. A nice little story on the benefits of Vit C is as follows: This is the story of a NZ farmer who was condemned to death by doctors (they wanted to turn off life support) but saved by family insisting on Vit C therapy through the courts but ignored by medics is interesting. In 2011-12 winter UK some 650 died of flu – could they have been “saved”? On the basis of Dr Kendrick’s views on saving lives this is truly about a life saved But back to the complexity of humans and massive number of essential elements, molecules et al, unless all are covered I wonder at the value specifically directed research at one aspect be it carbs, fat, protein, individual vitamins etc unless everything else is covered. BobM June 25, 2015 at 10:14 pm Hmmm….I ate a very low fat, high carb diet and still gained weight. I think a lot of it has to do with how insulin resistant you can be, which may be determined by genetics. Also, on a low fat, high carb diet, someone like me has a horrible time. I was constantly hungry (thanks blood sugar + skyrocketing insulin), depressed, angry at times — It was horrible. (That’s looking back; at the time, I thought everything was OK.) I think food timing (number of times you eat per day) has a lot to do with it. Consider the following discussion: His argument is that we’ve gone from eating 2-3 meals per day to eating 5-6 meals per day. In my case, that was correct. I thought that eating 5-6 times per day was healthier than eating fewer times per day. Simply by skipping meals (sometimes all day), I’ve lost 15+ pounds (US), and did not change my diet (low carb, high fat), and eat as much as I want to eat, when I do eat. That is, the timing of meals is important. To be honest with you, I think we really don’t know anything. It’s like heart disease — we really don’t know what causes it, and 50+ years of research has some clues but not a lot of actual theories that are 100% reliable. Pick any “risk factor” (LDL, LDL-P, obesity, you name it), and you can find studies indicating that risk factor is or is not correlated with heart disease. For instance, see: Total cholesterol and LDL not predictive of coronary disease, but triglycerides/HDL is. Yikes! Yet one more thing to be concerned about. It’s similar with nutrition and its complex relationship to diseases. We know overweight people are associated with diabetes and insulin resistance, but did gaining weight cause insulin resistance or did the insulin resistance cause weight gain? I think it’s the latter, but no one knows, and you can certainly find adherents to the other side. chris c June 27, 2015 at 6:06 pm Yup yup yup! I learned decades ago that I would crash both physically and mentally after a couple of hours, so if I went on a long walk I would carry sandwiches (slow carbs), chocolate, Kendal mint cake, coffee with sugar etc. (fast carbs) and carb up every couple of hours, not realising I was not just treating a hypo but overtreating it and triggering another one a couple of hours later. Now I routinely go 6 – 8 hours and often longer without eating anything, and don’t lose energy. Eventually I might feel like I ought to eat something soon rather than the knawing hunger I used to get. Obviously I am genetically adapted to metabolise fats rather than carbs, like at best a large minority and at worst a majority of the population. If anyone had told me this 50+ years ago I might not have suffered so much mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 9:59 am I am awaiting the download of Whitten’s book. It will be interesting to compare it with Taubes’, Grove’s, Briffa’s and Ravnakov’s books. The pro-carb research reports that I have are somewhat flawed – abstract and results somewhat different! ……………..pork and chicken are probably riddled with too much PUFA – omega 6 The current advice is to eat chicken, red meat being bad???. May I suggest that the problem with PUFAs in pigs and chickens is that they are fed rations containing high carbs supplemented by vegetable proteins and probably vegetable oils (high omega6) and seed extraction residues (again high omega6) – I suspect similar to the human “plate”. The same would apply to factory farmed beef; grass fed meat and milk, as you point out, are much better for you. My own experience was that moving to the officially advised diet, my appetite increased as did my weight – result diabetes despite increased exercise. Now back to my normal weight – BMI 26-27 – overweight on a hifat reduced carb diet. Flegal of the US CDC has reported three times on overweight being associated with longer life span but totally ignored by nutritionists. Dr Kendrick has raised the same issue. Also there was a massive study – WHO-EU-Monica study that looked at the national “availability/diet content” of some 40+ European countries and their associated CHD mortality rates. On the Keys line I regressed national CHD mortality rates against data for Carbs, fat and fruit&veg. Nationally, fat and fruit&veg were highly but NEGATIVELY associated with CHD mortality rates. Conversely, carbs were very highly and POSITIVELY associated with CHD mortality rates; as I remember there were some 10+ zeroes before the first significant number in the estimated probability. I hope I don’t ruffle too many feathers, but it is fun to challenge ones assumptions and dogma. I entirely agree with you. The establishment view has always to be challenged. That is a major reason that I find Dr Kendrick’s blogs so brilliant. They always challenge the “official, conflicted, politically acceptable” and often wrong view. mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 12:46 pm 8. Decrease in the unsaturated fatty acids as a result of the low-fat regimen indicates the probability that even the normal adult human subject, like the rat, is unable to fabricate the highly unsaturated fatty acids, which should, there fore, be provided in the diet From your cited paper mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 1:46 pm Have the book. my usual practice is to look at the list of cited references. I find this a good indication of the “open” or “restricted” approach to the subject. No list but links to blogs (some with an obvious agenda), some references. Not helpful! I will have to read it. Amit Mehta June 25, 2015 at 4:51 am Hmm. For ‘vegan’ athletes who are burning 2500-3000 calories a day, and eating only vegetables & fruits; based on your rationale if they eat more than 1500 calories over what they burn, then they are susceptible to increasing their VLDL, and in turn, LDL? How does a Vegan athlete manage their food intake while keeping higher levels of LDL at bay? Christopher Lansdown June 25, 2015 at 3:00 pm Fatty vegetable foods like olives, avocados, coconuts, tree nuts, ground nuts (peanuts) etc? mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 10:07 am Fatty vegetable foods like olives, avocados, coconuts, palm nuts…. All the above are tropical or sub-tropical with a very high content of saturated and/or monosaturate fats – all good. Peanut oil has a high level of omega6 which, though essential, is bad if the ratio of omega6 to omega3 >2-3, preferably 1::1 Professor Göran Sjöberg June 25, 2015 at 8:07 am Thank you for this great post which is completely to my ‘taste’ as being a strong LCHF advocate, since sixth years now, during which time I have learnt much of what you mention here. Judging from the number of comments on this thread it is evidently a very strong general interest in the relation between carbs and health. As you point out I don’t think it is necessary to strictly avoid the carbs if you are not hit hard, as me and my wife, by the metabolic syndrome. By the way, in my eyes, it is more appropriate to call this syndrome the ‘insulin resistance syndrome’. An eyeopener for me was the scientific journalist Gary Taube with his solid book “Good Calories & Bad Calories” where he advocates the ‘insulin hypothesis’ as the fundamental in an endocrinological explanation to why people get fat. This makes complete sense to me. In contrast there is the 100 year old official calorie counting ‘explanation’ to obesity which ‘happily’ refers to the “First Law of Thermodynamics”, a law which can not possibly be refuted by any sensible person. (Thermodynamics being my favourite subject among the natural sciences!) This law can actually not be an explanation at all but is just simply a tautological fact note and as such it can not possibly EXPLAIN anything about obesity. Thus as a non-explaining ‘theory’ the calorie counting theory makes no sense to me, e.i. it is nonsense but is still the ground on which the whole official edifice is resting. We didn’t count a single calorie but still I lost, just by coincidence, 20 kg on LCHF in a couple of years while my wife lost 12 kg although we didn’t care about those ‘few’ extra kilos we carried when we for health reasons decided to go “Low Carb”. With all official investment and careers in the ‘calorie counting’ nonsense it is no wonder that the resistance should be hard from the remaining official advocates and I note today a firing back on the LCHF-hypothesis which is today unquestionably gaining momentum due to all ‘success stories’ on weight loss. Vanity is a strong moving force! Funny enough I have now been asked by a Swedish journal to review a book, “The Low Carb Myth”, which on the surface appears to be a strong counterattack on my present belief in the LCHF as a remedy for people hit by the metabolic syndrome. (This link has been removed by me, so that no-one gets sued. You can find Amazon links in other posts, cheers) Is anyone familiar with this book and have any ideas about it since I really don’t know how to approach it rather than from a more philosophical point of view? DBM June 25, 2015 at 9:23 am Interesting that you bring this up as I have just finished this book. It’s a well written, fair and comprehensive critique of not just the low carb movement but of the diet industry in general. I advise you to read it with an open mind though because it certainly challenges a lot of tenants of the low carb dogma in quite convincing fashion. I’d be very interested in your take on it. Stephen Rhodes June 25, 2015 at 4:12 pm Just having a read now. Since you have read it, could you comment on whether there is any discussion of the genetic and epigenetic differences between individuals and long time groups of individuals (Eskimo Massai etc) that throw a rather large spanner in any generalised dietary advice? Thanks. Stephen Town June 25, 2015 at 7:54 pm DBM, you say we needs glucose but we can make our own without eating carbs. When I look back a few centuries to, say, 1600, what carbs did we eat in Britain or in most of Europe? By modern standards it must have been a very low carb diet. There was no refined sugar, no potatoes, no pasta or rice. There would have been some bread, maybe some grains and a little fruit in summer. In historical terms even bread and grains are relatively late additions to our diet. In short, whatever the variables, in Europe for most of human history we ate a low carb diet. If you accept that point, how can the low carb diet be anything other than healthy? Jennifer June 25, 2015 at 10:37 am Very interesting indeed. I am reminded of Dr Lustig saying that even dog poo can be made palatable if enough sugar is added to it. In other words….all sides can put up good arguments for and against any concept they hold close to their heart. I choose to remain blinkered into believing that LCHF is the way for me to continue. But I am re-introducing grains into my diet now, so long as they are eaten in fermented form. After all….I follow a LOW carb, not a NO carb regime, and it works wonderfully for me. Each to his own, as they say. BobM June 25, 2015 at 2:00 pm The problem is that there are so many studies, they can be used to support any hypothesis, especially if you just ignore the studies that go against your hypothesis. (Heck this is how the low fat diet and the cholesterol hypotheses survive.) Also, most of the studies aren’t well designed to test their hypotheses. For instance, Gary Taubes brought up a good point. Say you eat 2,000 calories a day, 50% carbs, so 1,000 calories a day by carbs. You go on a diet to 1,500 calories and now eat 750 calories in carbs. You lose weight. Do you lose weight because you decreased calories, decreased carbs, or both? If you believe the calories-in, calories-out hypothesis, it’s the reduction in calories. If you believe in low carb, it’s the reduction in carbs. Who is right? Studies also aren’t tightly controlled. I believe it was the A to Z study that studied low fat, Mediterranean, and low carb. The low carb diet came out best in terms of weight loss, but everyone regained weight over time for all diets. Supposedly, the low carb participants started eating 200 grams of carbs per day after a while. That isn’t low carb anymore. How does one interpret these results? You can choose to interpret them according to your bias. One negative thing the current low fat dogma has produced is that basically all the money given out for studies went to prove low carb was good. None of the money, until recently, went to test alternative hypotheses. Heck, the Atkins diet was “mass murder” according to some. So, the only way to read a book like that and actually critique it is to read the studies referenced by the author for yourself and make up your own mind. What if the author uses studies to support his theories and you don’t believe the studies actually support those theories, what do you do? BobM June 25, 2015 at 8:17 pm Oops, I meant all the money for studies went for studies to prove the low FAT (NOT low carb) diet was good. One consequence of this is that there is a massive number of low fat studies and not nearly as many low carb studies. DBM June 25, 2015 at 10:29 pm I think your mistaken if you think that medieval peasants ate a low carb diet. According to this site http://jn.nutrition.org/content/16/6/511.full.pdf the average peasant would have eaten 370 to over 700 hundred grams of carbs a day in the form of oats, bread beer and beans. Medieval Europe was comprised mainly of serf s tilling the land for their masters if there was meat to be had it would have been eaten in the main by the ruling classes and only on special occasions would the serfs be able to have any. Eskimos and Masi aside the vast majority of cultures worldwide, both agrarian and hunter gather do not and have not eaten a low carb diet. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 6:31 pm It has been suggested that putting this link on the blog may infringe copyright. Can I ask if this is the case, in which case I am going to have to take it down. BobM June 25, 2015 at 8:15 pm I’m an intellectual property attorney in the US. In the US, that link might be problematic, as you appear to be able to page through the entire document. If you just replace that with a link to the book (e.g., on Amazon.com or elsewhere), it should be OK. It’s the ability to read the entire book that’s troubling (I don’t believe anyone would actually do that — as the font is too small and if you blow it up, you can’t read much — but I guess it’s theoretically possible). Professor Göran Sjöberg June 25, 2015 at 8:22 pm I am sorry if I have made something ‘illegal’ by this link but I think it was an ‘open access’ sort of thing. However, along the line I read somewhere that they suggested that the reader should support the authors by buying a paper copy from Amazon and I think I must do that before getting into any serious review process. So far I have just browsed the “Low Carb Myth” but in comparison with the more ‘scientific’ attitude I find, to my taste, in the “Good Calories & Bad Calories” I already have a problem with the confirmative (dogmatic?) attitude which seems to prevail throughout the “Low Carb Myth”. To me this is not a serious attitude but rather seems intended to ‘impress’ on average readers. As a researcher of natural sciences I have great problems when I encounter such an attitude and usually I can not make myself fulfilling the reading of such books. I have already got a number of such ‘unread’ books in my bookshelves. (The philosopher Hegel’s works typically belong to this category.) Science must be humble by definition. And in this context I wonder why the main author is showing a picture of his muscular torso at the end of the book? This does not add to my confidence in the intellectual qualities of the book. Well, no-one is able to approach the world without prejudices (old Schopenhauer teaching) and I guess mine is a LCHF one given my family success here – evident cause and effect seems to produce diehard (biased?) adherents. I realise that I will have problem reading all the pages in the book and I have already told the editor who asked me to review the book that the only way I probably could manage to accomplish the task is to put the book in a philosophical, historical context starting with my favourite Greek one, Xenophanes who impresses on me by, among other things, his saying. Roughly: “We will never know the truth and if we by coincidence would arrive at it we will not know that!” Such a review could be an interesting exercise for me and hopefully some readers of my review. David Bailey June 25, 2015 at 8:25 pm Surely it is an advert for the book – just as if I posted the corresponding link for Doctoring Data somewhere or other! Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 8:47 pm I do not have any real idea about the legality. I am asking for some advice. I don’t like to censor anything S Jones June 25, 2015 at 9:31 pm The copyright notice is on page 3 of the book/pdf link. It definitely suggests to me that we (the general public) should be paying for this book before reading it, and that someone who bought it should not be giving it away for free. But my knowledge of copyright law would fit on a postage stamp with lots of room to spare. David Bailey June 25, 2015 at 9:40 pm Assuming you can edit anything that appears here, why not replace the above review with a Amazon link for the same book: Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 10:33 pm Done JR June 25, 2015 at 9:47 pm I looked through it some. Fairly obnoxious tone and arguable assertions. Check out these blog reviews. From what I saw in the book, they’re right on. Professor Göran Sjöberg June 26, 2015 at 7:57 am Thank you for the link to the forum which tells me what I have now known for six years. The carb/no-carb issue is a very, very hot subject. By practically ‘saving your live’, as a severely metabolically injured person (e.g. diabetic or with a heart disease), through adhering to the strict LCHF ‘religion’ it turns you into a weird person in our high carb infected world. And when you actually turn down an offer of a delicious piece of cake, which happens all to often, without good reason you are actually insulting. In my own case I openly admit being an ‘alcoholic’ when it comes to cookies and that no-one will beat me in the life time contest but stopped the contest after my serious heart attack. Usually after having declared that they let me off the hook but I may have ruined the party. And of course the declaration is made only when people start insisting or teasing you – the best way is to quitely ‘sneak away’ from the cake unnoticed. Facing the global obesity epidemic the winds seem finally today to be slowly turning. Funny that our very religious neighbours didn’t have any problems with our LCHF-attitude when inviting us for a dinner. They actually made the dinner into a great, 100 % strict LCHF event – we love them! Dr Liz Stansbridge June 25, 2015 at 10:09 pm You can live low carb or low fat, you certainly can’t eat both. If you are insulin resistant, as are a high proportion of western civilization, carbs are poison. We have a disorder of carbohydrate metabolism. How difficult is that to comprehend? There are a lucky few who can handle carbs. Low fat is easy for them. How incredibly lucky are they! But it is not so for a huge proportion of the population. It isn’t that carbs are bad or fat is bad, it is just that different groups of people don’t have the metabolic ability to cope with certain food groups. Why the hell there is so much argument about this is beyond me. If you can’t metabolically manage carbs, so avoid them. It is obvious! If you can live with low fat/high carb you have my envy. It would kill/disable me! Professor Göran Sjöberg June 26, 2015 at 8:00 am I think my recent comment above relates to your own experience. Jennifer June 26, 2015 at 8:02 am Liz, you are correct. All the scientific research in the world will never manage to explain each individual’s physiological mechanisms…..yes, there are traits that describe skinny families, and fatty families…..but then sometimes even siblings respond differently to the same meals put down to them. I blame the over mechanisation of raw food materials e.g. to extract oils etc, and the introduction of sinister additives to extend shelf life. 60 years ago I recall asking my Dad if we eat to live, or live to eat. He said he would tell me when I was a big girl; he died when I was 30, and never saw me as a big girl……because I remained slim until my mid fifties, after a couple of decades of modern food interference and inappropriate dietary advice splurted out by nutty dieticians. Oh that Dad were here today…..he would have known the answers….because I recall him chuntering on about the demise of proper bread, the chemicalisation of the beer industry, the artificial colours used in confectionary, the contamination of fresh produce with pesticides, the homogenisation of quality milk. He knew instinctively all was not right with our food…..and as lad who left elementary school without a certificate to his name, he had more knowledge in his little finger than many of today’s academics. As keeps being pointed out on this blog over the last couple of years, the knowledge is there, but it is a political/ big business problem! mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 2:34 pm Carbs are very “moreish” and that is their problem. And one has only to look at the shelf space in grocery stores/supermarkets to see what is popular. And they are there because people buy them.. Surely there is an association to obesity whatever the claims of nutritionists say. mikecawdery June 27, 2015 at 10:25 am I assume that the “calorie” mentioned below is the gram calorie. Extracts from the book The Low Carb Myth I define the period before Keys (pre-1970) as BK and the period after Keys (post-1970) as AK ….fried potatoes skyrocketed. We added white flour and corn products in large amounts (AK). And consumption of both refined grains and sugars increased by huge amounts on top of our already high-fat diets (AK). However, this does not—as they try to imply—mean that our actual fat consumption went down. What actually happened is that overall calories in the diet increased (AK) (by about 350 calories per day since 1970), and the additional calories were primarily from refined grain and sugar products. Hence, the percentage of fat of the total calories decreased, but our actual fat consumption stayed just as high as it was before (ref: http://wholehealthsource.blogspot.com/2012/09/more-thoughts-on-macronutrient-trends.html ) a blog and difficult to identify where the data can actually be found. The overall calories increase in the diet AK was 350 cal per day. This is equivalent to 127750 cal or 127.75 per annum. Thus by the year 2000 the diet has INCREASED to 3,832,500 cal or 3,832.5 Kcal – a massive 3,800+ nutritional calories and this on top of the BK diet and these Kcals were from “the additional calories were primarily from refined grain and sugar products”. It seems to me that this shows that the obesity epidemic is due to a massively increased carbohydrate intake as the “actual fat consumption stayed just as high as it was before (BK)” though it is also admitted that “ the use of vegetable oils and trans fats (bad) skyrocketed (AK) so the contribution of saturated fats must have gone down. Clyde June 25, 2015 at 12:56 pm Thank you for precise honesty. Your articles increase our quality of life each and every day! Christopher Lansdown June 25, 2015 at 2:56 pm It’s a small point, but VLDL isn’t the only source for LDL, nor is LDL the only destination for VLDL. My reading of it is that the evidence is that in humans LDL is the predominant end of VLDL, but not literally the exclusive end of it. Also, VLDL is turned into LDL in the liver, since LDL and VLDL can be distinguished by their apoproteins (and, I believe, cholesterol content). I don’t believe that this affects your argument substantially, but since my wife objected when I showed her this article, I mention it as including that information may make it more persuasive. My source is this 1984 paper in the journal of lipid research: http://www.jlr.org/content/25/13/1570.full.pdf Peter Defty June 25, 2015 at 4:21 pm Dr Liz Stansbridge June 25, 2015 at 9:52 pm What do you eat? I know you are a risk taker, go your own way, but how has this information influenced your lifestyle? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 25, 2015 at 10:36 pm I did answer this question in response to someone else. I eat what I like, I eat carbs fat, protein. But I usually call them steak and chips and salad – or suchlike. My view is that good food is delicious, one of life’s great pleasures, and should be enjoyed. I feel sorry for those with gluten intolerance, or carb intolerance. If I want to lose weight (which I possibly should at present, I go low carb, and it works for me). Dr Liz Stansbridge June 25, 2015 at 11:18 pm Yep, good food is good food for me, as long as it contains less than 5-10g carb per meal. Steak and chips, Sure! just don’t give me the chips, I love, love them, but they raise my HbA1c to unacceptable levels! In 10 years I would be blind, have my feet amputated, a stroke, myocardial infarction! I don’t like steak, I like the chips. So what is good food Dr K? Can it be defined for everyone? Everyone is different. And I would say I am in the majority. An incredibly high proportion of the population cannot metabolically cope with carbs. If I want a healthy old age I can’t have chips. Dr K., I suspect from your history that you have a degree of carb intolerance. You are chubby, you have a problem you are not addressing. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 26, 2015 at 7:34 am Those with a BMI between 25 – 30 have the longest life expectancy of all. Brian Wadsworth June 26, 2015 at 10:46 am Interesting. Your source? BobM June 26, 2015 at 9:18 pm He has several sources for this. Check his book. Anne June 26, 2015 at 10:53 am I can’t cope with carbs but the only carbs I eat are green leafy veg, almonds and some dairy, plus a glass of wine in the evening. I don’t ever miss the other carbs and it’s been nearly eight years I haven’t had them. I love steak ! Rib-eye steak with the fat, organically reared and grass fed cattle, full of flavour. And lamb. I also love sausages, as in a previous post by Dr K, saussices fraîche which are pure pork with no rusk or additives….can’t get them in England unfortunately but I crave them, especially as I’m now thinking about them as I write. I like veggies too: kale, courgettes, asparagus, brocolli and more, cook ’em in coconut oil and they’re so yum. And fish, good fresh fish, especially grilled sardines. And goat’s cheese. You can tell I’m writing this around lunch time Stephen Rhodes June 26, 2015 at 3:20 pm Tony June 29, 2015 at 9:40 pm Sounds like my diet; just add in breast of lamb, belly pork, butter with cabbage….mmmmmmmmm! hoboken411wp June 26, 2015 at 3:30 am I’m also LCHF, but had struggled a bit in recent months despite “staying on course.” One thing all of you have left out – is the importance of gut flora. If your gut health is off-balance, you can still run into many problems with proper digestion, inflammation and other issues – including metabolism and insulin levels. Recently tried “leveling” the gut flora with pro-biotics and pre-biotics – and WOW I have to say, it has made a huge difference. “Leaky gut” and other digestive issues due to out-of-whack gut flora is something to consider. Read the book: The Microbiome Diet by Dr. Raphael Kellman. In a nutshell – it may not matter what diet you’re on or what you put in your mouth, if you don’t have a proper balance of “good bacteria” in your system. I’ll report back in a few weeks – but getting that straightened out has been life-changing. Professor Göran Sjöberg June 26, 2015 at 8:06 am This is what we have arrived at as well. Don’t ruin your gut flora to start with and improve by fermented food stuff like sauerkraut or yoghurt. mikecawdery June 26, 2015 at 2:46 pm That is the problem with diet. So many factors are involved like GI flora, vitamins etc. To concentrate on one factor, which seems to be what happens in nutritional research, leads to the differences in results. Unfortunately this is further confounded by “conflicted” research. Grain is after all very big business. maryl@2015 June 30, 2015 at 6:50 am hobokin, I agree with you. I have read that we have destroyed our gut flora with many toxins. Even if you don’t register as pre-diabetic or diabetic through testing, it does not mean you are not having some insulin resistance or other metabolic issues going on. It can take a while to recover your “gut flora”. If this theory is correct, then the idea that we can balance the good bacteria with the bad, may very well also help us fight those diseases that are killing us or causing long term neurological damage. It is complicated but I see that people actually want more preventative natural answers to our healthcare Jennifer July 3, 2015 at 9:18 am Mary, you are so correct. Although going low carb very successfully for the last couple of years, I am of the opinion that it is the removal of toxins from my food that has helped me in regaining such good health. Pure food, in as much as I can source easily, along with mindful and informed thinking of what our body works best on, has got me to this great state of health. Indeed, I have avoided vision tests for 3 years until I was sure this new way of eating (for me, that is) had not interfered with my vision. The outcome? At 67, having overturned all manner of nasties over the last 15 years, my retinal screening showed excellent health, with no disease process, including anything caused by diabetes. My new-found opthalmic optician( oh, what a delight to get a ‘proper’ optician,) has found no abnormalities whatsoever, and no age-related deterioration. I have new specs to correct my vision to 20:20, which is a nice achievement I think, when we hear so many stories of everything “going south” for type 2s. The natural way of eating must surely be the answer, and I believe it has been responsible for reversing what I was told was the inevitable course of type 2 diabetes……such defeatest poppycock!,,, Tiffany June 26, 2015 at 12:06 pm My husband and I have been on a LCHF diet since 2009. Actually I only eat meat, fish, and eggs. He eats about 50g of carbs a day. We feel wonderful and our weight is perfect. But we have both developed high cholesterol. His is 389. (HDL 62, LDL 308, Tr 96) Mine is 320. (HDL 66, LDL 242, Tr 62) Before our diet change my cholesterol was 160. We do NOT want to change our diet. Our doctor wants us on statins. Why is our cholesterol so high? Is this something we should be concerned with? Brian Wadsworth June 26, 2015 at 3:21 pm As an LC devotee who was told by my doctor to reduce Cholesterol a decade ago, I can recommend you read the work of Dr. Uffe Ravnkov who describes how high cholesterol improves longevity! Tiffany June 26, 2015 at 8:07 pm I have read a lot on the subject. From what I can find 275 is about the upper limit for any of the research that says higher is better. I can’t find anywhere where anyone says a number near 400 is fine. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author June 26, 2015 at 8:13 pm I cannot advise as I do not believe that lipoproteins, whatever they may contain, have any significant causal role in heart disease. I don’t know what my level of any fraction, sub-fraction, sub-sub-sub fraction may be, and I don’t care. BobM June 29, 2015 at 3:44 pm I tend to agree with Dr. Kendrick. It seems to me that the latest test that’s become the darling of cardiologists is that way to keep the cholesterol theory alive. On the other hand, I do think some of these are markers for something else. For instance, I think a “low” HDL might be a marker for insulin resistance. That’s why i think there is a correlation (in some studies anyway) between “low” HDL and heart disease, but it’s not the low HDL that’s causing the heart disease. It’s whatever it’s a marker for, which I think is high insulin resistance. The difficulty comes in when you go to see your general practitioner, who immediately wants to put you on a statin because of some “cholesterol” test (while ignoring high fasting blood sugar level for instance). What do you do? Personally, I got a different general practitioner, but I’m not sure the next one isn’t going to do the same thing. They’ve all been brainwashed. For instance, I went to see my cardiologist (I have idiopathic dilated cardiomyopathy), and he saw I lost a lot of weight and asked me if I’d been exercising. Personally, I don’t believe exercise causes weight loss (I’m with GaryTaubes on this), but everyone else is conditioned to believe it does. I lost weight using a combination of high fat, low carb diet, and intermittent fasting. Both helped my insulin resistance, but particularly intermittent fasting has really helped. See Dr. Jason Fung’s website if you want the theory way. I do exercise, three days per week, but I’ve always exercised and it has not helped me while I gained weight. By the way, I told my cardiologist about the intermittent fasting, but not about low carb, high fat: I didn’t want a lecture on the evils of saturated fat. Brian Wadsworth June 26, 2015 at 3:22 pm Oops, and the work of our host who is also a voice of authority on the matter! BobM June 26, 2015 at 4:14 pm These can also give you your LDL-P (LDL particle number, yet another darling test). This is in the US, but I assume you can get a similar test where you are. Personally, I find all of this very confusing. I just read a study yesterday where Tr/HDL was the best predictor of heart disease, but total cholesterol and LDL were not. It seems as if everyday there is another study saying some factor (lp(a), LDL-P, etc.) is important and other factors are not. LDL-P seems to be the current darling of the cardiologists, but I’ve also read studies indicating it’s not as predictive as thought. Personally, I wouldn’t be concerned, but only you can decide that. Tiffany June 26, 2015 at 8:05 pm We did the particle test and both of our LDL-P were over 3500. I know I don’t need to be concerned with getting our numbers really low, but is 400 too high? BobM June 26, 2015 at 9:27 pm That LDL-P number is “high”. To be honest, I’m not sure anyone knows what’s best to do. If you are concerned and want to bring them down, this post has a discussion about a person with similar numbers and what they did to bring them down: See the part following this: “In one particularly interesting case, a patient in self-prescribed nutritional ketosis presented to me with an LDL-P of more than 3500 nmol/L (i.e., more particles than could be measured by the NMR machine so the report simply said “>3,500 nmol/L”) despite feeling, performing, and looking great.” You might try what they did there. I have no idea whether it will work (or if it does work, whether it’ll be beneficial and not detrimental). mikecawdery June 27, 2015 at 10:30 am No wonder these tests are not available on the NHS. Maureen H June 26, 2015 at 10:47 pm Well I dunno. The LCHF works for me. I lost around 35lbs easily and without hunger. I never crave baked goods or sweets. I feel very well despite having been diagnosed with Idiopathic Pulmonary Fibrosis four years ago….have already lived two years beyond my doctor’s estimate and feel the same now as I did then. It may be just good luck, but I also credit my diet for my continued health. My opinion is, if a diet makes you feel better, gives you more energy, makes you look vibrant and just plain healthy, then something is very right about it. Recently my husband and I ate at a friends who made chili with beans, and baked delicious crusty bread. I couldn’t say no, she’d gone to such a lot of trouble. But it played havoc with my intestines, stomach pains and diarrhea for several days. I am thinking that the bread and beans upset my gut biome as we hadn’t eaten bread and beans for nearly two years. Anyway, I won’t be tempted again. I don’t know what the guy has his knickers in a twist about, who wrote “The Low Carb Myth’. I took a brief look at the book and didn’t like the confrontational and hostile tone and won’t be paying him the compliment of reading it, or paying for it. What is his agenda anyway, does he have a horse in this race or is he just being contrary for the sake of it? Anyone who doesn’t state his sources is suspect in my opinion. David Bailey June 27, 2015 at 8:11 am That is the problem now, isn’t it – medical science and advice is about agendas (and money) not about keeping people well. Your story reminds me of a few others here who have taken up LCHF – they find that various other ailments have also improved. It makes me wonder just how much damage has been done by pushing people into high carb diets. Corinne Ingle June 27, 2015 at 12:01 pm Reblogged this on Total Low Carb and commented: I could not say this better than Dr. Kendrick, so I won’t even try. Dr. Phil Maffetone June 28, 2015 at 9:43 pm FYI: insulin converts about 50% of the carbs we eat into immediate energy, up to 10% go to re-fill glycogen stores, if needed, and 40-50% of carbs are turned to fat and stored. And, insulin reduces our ability to burn stored fat for energy. Joyce Ford June 29, 2015 at 10:54 am I am now well and truly totally confused! After a cardiac arrest on New Year’s eve of all days, I embarked on a new lifestyle, no sat fats, no sugar,no salt and lots of exercise(still ongoing). Lost two stone already(wasn’t obese I hasten to add, just fat(ish). On all the usual package of meds, except statins (which seem to cause awful liver problems, so refused anymore). Just when I’m feeling so smug and fit, it seems I am doing it all wrong! I am frustrated, confused and angry with the medical profession! When I had cancer; for ten months I endured numerous rounds of chemo, radiotherapy and surgery and the resultant horrible side effects(of which there were many). However, it did pass. It was the right thing to do, and the result was I got to live another 12 good years and counting! Why is life so complex and confusing when it comes to the treatment of heart attack/disease? Where’s the honesty in all of this? Sue Richardson July 3, 2015 at 8:53 am Joyce. I know how you feel. If you read this blog you will see that it is the big phamaceutical companies that are dishonest. GPs – I think they are simply brainwashed or too lazy/bust to look things up. Read Dr Kendrick’s book ‘The Great Colestrerol Con’ and his other book “Doctoring Data’ they will help clear up some confusion. Won’t stop you feeling angry with the medical profession though (Dr K excluded). Stephen Town July 3, 2015 at 11:43 am Joyce, if it works you’re not wrong. I exercise and avoid sugar too, but I no longer fear fat or salt. Low carb seems to work for many or even most people, but it’s not a matter of right or wrong. Maybe you’re different or maybe one or two tweaks in the low carb direction would help even more. I’m afraid we’ve got ourselves into a real dietary pickle with the utterly failed low fat dogma, but people who’ve taught it for thirty years aren’t going to repent and see the error of their ways. Sadly, it will take time. We went low fat in 1983 and obesity has risen ten fold and diabetes nine fold. In no other field could you get such astonishing bad results and continue with the same policy. David Bailey July 3, 2015 at 1:32 pm The one piece of advice that remains constant is exercise, so it is good that you can and do do follow that advice! The fact that you have already discovered that the ‘wonderful’ statin drugs have some horrible side effects – supposedly safe enough to give out to almost everyone beyond a certain age – should tell you a lot about one side in this debate. I am not a medical doctor, and I only joined this blog because I had severe statin side effects, and was lucky to realise in time. I suggest you start by reading Dr Kendrick’s two books, because they will give a sense of where all this advice has come from. He simply can’t advise you over the internet, as I am sure you realise, but I think his books tell a powerful message, and they are properly referenced, so he isn’t just stating his opinions. I am also angry with the higher levels of the medical profession (not the GP’s) and medical research. This recent partial climbdown regarding saturated fat and salt is particularly relevant: “The Academy also expresses concern over blanket sodium restriction recommendations in light of recent evidence of potential harm to the overall population. “There is a distinct and growing lack of scientific consensus on making a single sodium consumption recommendation for all Americans, owing to a growing body of research suggesting that the low sodium intake levels recommended by the DGAC are actually associated with increased mortality for healthy individuals,” ! The controversy over salt has been going on for ages: I very much hope you successfully return to good health! mikecawdery July 6, 2015 at 12:41 pm There are a string of research papers that show that reducing salt intake in the healthy has a minimal effect on SBP – a few mm.Hg. To impose a reduction on the population at large to benefit the few with salt intolerance (kidney damage etc.) is ludicrous. There is also evidence that those on higher salt (<15 mmol.Na) live longer. mike_cawdery June 29, 2015 at 4:58 pm I got the book on Kindle. Not worth it. reading Chapter 1 resulted in finding sundry contradictions as well as the “odd result” of the daily increase of 350 calories PER DAY, leading to an increase of intake of 3,800+Kcals by 2000, on top of the intake in 1970. Puzzling. A waste of £7. pauline June 30, 2015 at 2:04 pm Some studies seem to show that it’s not just carbs that are the problem, but that sugar with saturated fat is a particularly potent combination for obesity and all the other bad things that come along with that. In other words, saturated fats aren’t exonerated completely, as they seem to exacerbate the effect of consuming excess sugar. I think this interaction might also explain why the low-fat vegetarian/vegan community can get away with eating so many carbs without ill effect. I am wondering if your analysis might be able to shed some light on why that should be the case… Stephen Town July 3, 2015 at 11:32 am Pauline, good point. We do seem to find the combination of saturated fat and sugar in, say, donuts and biscuits particularly appealing, although we can undoubtedly learn to wean ourselves away from such junk. For example, the taste of sugar in coffee in now repellent to me. However, I think the saturated fat in meat is likely to be very different from the saturated fat found in junk. I don’t know if I really go along with sugar being ‘addictive’, but we do like it and can eat a lot as it doesn’t satiate our appetites. I’m doubtful that a high carb diet for vegetarians is entirely benign. It’s not what Tom Naughton wittily describes (http://www.fathead-movie.com/index.php/2015/03/), although it is way better than a high sugar and refined carb diet. mikecawdery July 6, 2015 at 1:04 pm the combination of saturated fat and sugar in, say, donuts and biscuits particularly appealing, I suspect that the donuts are cooked in poly-unsaturated oils (and trans-fats) while biscuits (manufactured) often include hydrogenated oils (+trans-fats) The FDA has finally decided to ban trans-fats from food after 60 years from the time Dr Kummerow first raised the issue. Dr. Göran Sjöberg July 8, 2015 at 8:22 pm “The FDA has finally decided to ban trans-fats from food after 60 years from the time Dr Kummerow first raised the issue.” I banned those trans-fats from my diet after my very serious heart attack, now 16 years ago. I think that is one good reason for me being rather fit today. David Bailey July 3, 2015 at 1:35 pm I find myself doubtful about all dietary studies – I mean, if the medical profession could nuance endless studies to come out with totally wrong guidance for 30+ years, you have to ask if any of these studies are fit for purpose. Maureen H July 3, 2015 at 7:23 pm Pauline, the way I understand it (And maybe someone can put me straight if I’m wrong) the combination of high carb (sugar in all it’s forms) and high fat, even sat. fat, is absolutely not a good idea. The body must burn up the glucose first as glucose is very toxic, and so just shovels the fat into storage, so you gain weight …at least most people do..and eventually develop metabolic syndrome. I don’t know what the studies are that you refer to, but it seems very odd that they studied high levels of sugar and sat fat together and came out with a conclusion that sat. fat has some negative effects, when most likely it was the high sugars,(sucrose and carbs together). It sounds to me as though the people doing the study were looking for “proof” that sat. fat is bad for us, how on earth could they conclude how much damage either one was doing when they are eaten together? Saturated fat is not the evil doer here, it’s the sugar, and having a high amount of both together is just a recipe for disaster, a very bad combination. I’m curious as to why you think the vegan community can get away with eating low fat and high carb with no ill effects. BobM July 4, 2015 at 2:37 pm Could you list those studies? I hear this “saturated fat is bad in the presence of too much sugar”, but I don’t know what study suggests this. For instance, here’s a huge, long, randomized controlled trial of primarily post-menoposal women: 8 years, one group lowered their fat and saturated fat content, ate more fruits and vegetables, ate less, etc. The study cost somewhere around 420-470 million US dollars. The result? Nothing. There are no statistically significant differences in anything, not heart disease, not cancer, nothing. Also, there are many studies indicating vegetarians do not fare well. For instance, Dr. Kendrick’s first book relates a bunch of them, as they pertain to heart disease. (I only know this because I’m re-reading his book for the fifth time and happened to read these sections.) shirley3349 October 25, 2018 at 11:57 pm It is actually very hard to eat enough fat on a LCHF diet. One does not notice this at first when one is concentrating on restricting the carbs, but I found after 18 months and around 3 stones weight loss, that my weight loss stalled and I had to examine my fat and protein intake in more detail. The problem was that high fat foods tend to be high protein foods as well and while my fat intake was usually too low, my protein intake tended to be much too high. Also, the general opinion seems to be that metabolic rate tends to fall disproportionately fast compared to body weight when dieting. The trick seems to be to keep ones Calorie intake above one’s estimated basal metabolic requirement but below the estimated total required for one’s life-style, very sedentary in my case. These estimates can be calculated, allowing for one’s sex, height and weight, using various methods found on the internet. Keeping a relatively high Calorie intake should stop one’s metabolic rate from plummeting; it should simply fall in line with one’s weight. I have now managed to lose almost another stone but it is a struggle. We shall see. What I do not want to happen is to get into the vicious circle where I was GAINING weight on 400 Calories a day, as happened to me 30 years ago. I stopped that diet in despair and put the weight back on within a couple of years. At least, one does not feel hungry on the LCHF diet so I should be able to stick it, even if my weight loss is tailing off. maryl@2015 July 1, 2015 at 8:40 am Dr. Kendrick, this was an excellent blog on the carbs and where they go. I see so much progress being made. The grocery shelves and even frozen foods sections are replete with foods that claim to be low sugar. I guess people are figuring it out, but this post was particularly interesting as you break it down easily for us laypersons as well. I am wondering if your newest book in out in paperback yet. Want to give them away as gifts as I have my hard cover copy of Doctoring Data. Thanks again! Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author July 3, 2015 at 7:43 am Thanks. Doctoring Data is in paperback from Amazon and website. mariandevlin July 2, 2015 at 3:49 pm Stephen Town July 3, 2015 at 11:21 am Hello Marian, I wonder what a paediatric dietician makes of the Tim Noakes complaint and hearing in South Africa. My niece has a two year old boy and asked me if my low carb diet is suitable for him. It’s undoubtedly done me good but I hesitate to advise on children. Good to have your contribution on here. Sue Richardson July 3, 2015 at 8:55 am Joyce – I mistyped and meant to say the GPs are too lazy/busy – not ‘bust’ I can’t figure out how to edit! maryl@2015 July 6, 2015 at 12:45 am All I can say here today is that I have learned so much. The books and works of Doctors Graveline and Kendrick were my first intro to the statin dilemma I faced two years ago. I think they were the innovators when it comes to the statin damage crisis. I sure am happy to be alive and am so happy to have all those here whose stories both personal and scholarly, have helped me to figure out what is important. Thanks all. I owe ya one!!! Jennifer July 6, 2015 at 8:24 am Well said Mary. You speak for many of us. Spokey July 7, 2015 at 9:49 pm I think it’s amazing that when the body consumes something that unfriendly bacteria would like to get its hands on, the body produces particles that have an immune function. The design is so elegant and I have to marvel at such things. It’s almost as if we’ve evolved contingent strategies for dealing with a wide variety of foods… or something. One of the most infuriating arguments I hear from purveyors of extreme diets is ‘just because we evolved on a diet doesn’t mean we can automatically infer it’s the best diet for us’ It’s very hard to argue with and it’s logically ‘true’, but the space it leaves they often try to fill with something so utterly bananas I give up caring. “Fine, eat nothing but lettuce and pineapples then, whatever. Maybe you’ll grow a tail like a lemur.” At least I’d find that entertaining. But I think I’ll never get used to the unconscious collusion of vegans with the statinators, that one get’s right up my nostril. It’s particularly weird to me as they’re frequently the types most anti industry on many levels, but play pharma and terrifying agribusiness cards with a naivety strong as concrete. I don’t know, just venting really. Harold Keith July 9, 2015 at 2:27 pm I have a question about bile. Bile acids are mainly derived from cholesterol, and contain some minerals. They are used to help the small intestine absorb fats and whatever is associated to fats, such as vitamins and many fat-soluble substances that the body can use. Now, many vegans are terrorised by fats. These poor people seem to believe that if they eat any fat they will die a painful and sudden death. They also believe that minerals and salts, such as sodium, are intrinsically evil. I once heard a vegan say that celery is not good for you because it has far too much sodium. Which, of course, is rubbish. The body can create cholesterol from carbohydrates. So a high-carb, very low fat diet would probably generate enough cholesterol to sustain life. But, perhaps it also generates far too much bile. And, if they don’t eat fats (vegetable or animal), then bile is idle. But when a vegan develops gallstones and that dreaded and painful gallbladder disease (with or without gallstones), they experience an extreme form of cognitive dissonance: “Hey!, I don’t eat fat, I avoid fats like the plague! I shouldn’t be experiencing this pain!” Is it possible that, in some people, gallbladder disease is related to not eating enough fat, rather than because they ate some fat thirty years ago, when they where young and unenlightened? Other than eating some butter o coconut oil, is there any treatment to an excess of bile that won’t hurt my friends feelings? For one year I’ve been studying the cholesterol conundrum. I conclude that if one wants to avoid having any cholesterol in the body, then one must follow the half-a-leaf diet, which consists on eating only half a leaf of chard once a month, and no other food. Why half? Because a whole one will be atherogenic, you moron! Also, don’t drink anything, and find some surgeon who will remove the brain from your skull along with the whole nervous system. I guarantee that, with this diet, anyone can (perhaps) live a cholesterol-free life. Once you achieve that, you can start living and being happy. Kay July 11, 2015 at 7:49 pm No wonder people are confused. What, exactly, does any of this say? Clyde July 18, 2015 at 10:51 am Thank you for “telling it like it is”. Suzanne Looms July 18, 2015 at 2:08 pm In the week that I attended the funeral of a 60 year old, who recently developed diabetes and died of infections spreading from a urinary tract infection (oh and was on cholesterol lowering drugs, surprise, surprise), I heard glowing tributes to Professor Michael Oliver on Last Word. He allegedly proved the link between cholesterol and heart disease, which led to the development of life saving statins. David Bailey July 19, 2015 at 10:11 am Yes, I heard that on my car radio. I think there is a real danger that all the insights into saturated fat, cholesterol, and statins, gained in recent years, might get buried again – not because they are wrong, but because they are inconvenient. We seem to have developed a new kind of propaganda – one based on excessive respect by the media for scientists. Don’t air alternative medical opinions – or even allow them to be debated – in case people harm themselves by accepting anything other than the orthodox position. Don’t let alternative ideas about the climate surface, just in case people begin to loose their belief in Climate Science, and destroy the planet! Think of “Doctoring Data” – surely that book should be worth a serious debate on TV/radio. Why would journalists shy away from a subject like that? Unfortunately, it is much easier to spread propaganda in a country that believes it has a free press! If the BBC was doing its job as it used to do, I think both these orthodoxies would be on their knees by now. timsteppingout July 19, 2015 at 12:52 am Do you think there’s a meaningful relationship between sugar intake and endothelial progenitor cell synthesis? Or is sugar intake likely to exacerbate atherothrombosis in arteries? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author July 19, 2015 at 10:16 am I dont know if there is clear evidence for this Gary Turner September 14, 2015 at 8:29 pm I’ve just been asked my opinion on this blog, and have already posted a couple of comments above. I’d like to task you with looking at a couple of other areas – especially what you term: “This is basic, incontrovertible science.” DNL does not seem to happen to any real extent in the human body. DNL to any extent doesn’t occur in humans, and has been known to biochemistry for some time. Reference books showing that DNL is not a pathway invoked in humans to any real extent include Metabolic Regulation by Frayn, and Biochemistry for Sports and Exercise Science by McLaren and Morton. Further, http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/74/6/707.full.pdf+html shows how DNL in humans is the road less traveled. The reasons for this and further explanation is in http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/10365981. To show the extent we have to go to raise DNL to any extent over ‘what DNL?’ we can look to http://ajcn.nutrition.org/content/48/2/240.full.pdf+html – which still shows that even in extensive over feeding with carbs the extent of DNL is negligable. The insulin hypothesis also has been thoroughly debunked – insulin is nothing more than an adaptive response. Many amino acids and ingested proteins have a high insulin response, beef being similar to white rice for example. Fat ingestion also helps ‘prime’ insulin for release. So carbohydrates aren’t in themselves uniquely fattening, and even in the absence of carbs ASP will stimulate the insulin required for storage. Insulin may be the storage hormone as one of its functions – however, it is not the reason ‘why we get fat’. Chronic overnutrition is. If we overeat any macronutrient, or all lol, then we’ll get fat. Further, whilst it is true that there isn’t epidemiological evidence of correlation between saturated fat and cardiovascular heart disease, intervention studies since the 30’s have show a straight line increase in risk with saturated fat dietary increase. Saturated fat hasn’t got the all clear either. I would welcome your counter points to the above, thanks! Ash Simmonds October 28, 2015 at 3:17 pm The “beef spikes insulin more than rice/pasta” sensationalist rhetoric is as old and useless as ever. Bob June 11, 2016 at 8:11 pm You are the one who mentioned beef. Alec Collins June 11, 2016 at 8:13 pm Please ignore my reply re beef, if it is published. Ash Simmonds October 28, 2015 at 3:18 pm As for overeating ANY macronutrient being a cause of excess fat storage – explain how that would happen with 5,000 calories of vodka per day. mr Chris November 8, 2015 at 3:52 pm I have this blog four times, I found it so clear and well explained. i have a question. As I understand it, surplus carbs, all convert to sugar, and then, if still surplus, converted into palmitic acid and stocked. Palmitic acid is a SFA and a major component of breast milk. Why is it that palm oil arouses such passion as being bad for you, since it contains, the same palmitic acid as well as oleic acid, a large constituent of Olive oil. I leave aside the environmental aspects, undoubtedly bad, but the product itself. My lipids doctor goes pale when I mention it, and almost gets me to rinse my mouth out with and antiseptic for using very bad language? Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author November 8, 2015 at 6:19 pm Yes, palm oil is terrible, because it contains palmitic acid, which the liver manufactures from glucose. There is no logic in this world, merely dogma. timsteppingout November 8, 2015 at 7:27 pm I’ve been thinking a lot about the mechanisms you’re describing here and the dogma surrounding this stuff. It’s insane that governments and “experts” around the world simultaneously came up with the ideas that people need to consume a whole bunch of carbohydrates AND keep their LDL levels low. When you think about it, the only way a person can hold these two competing beliefs is if they are dogmatic. lehnerto93 December 3, 2015 at 6:32 pm If excess carbs leads to adipose buildup, how do people on HCLF diets (90% carbs – 5% fat – 5% protein) manage to stay thin? You may enjoy the blog post as well. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author December 4, 2015 at 8:25 am If you exercise and don’t eat too many carbs you will, of course, stay thin. There is still an energy in, energy out, equation. lehnerto93 December 4, 2015 at 3:05 pm Yes, but aren’t hormones more critical than simple calorie counting when it comes to weight loss? If the answer is yes, then (in my opinion, and it changes once in awhile) a person is using a terrible method to lose fat tissue and is most likely doing it at the expense of their general health because hormones are one of the most critical components in our physiology, and when they’re out of wack, it sets the stage for chronic degenerative diseases. Dr. Malcolm Kendrick Post author December 4, 2015 at 11:28 pm Yes, but you are talking about two completely different issues. lehnerto93 December 7, 2015 at 8:09 pm I honestly do not believe that a person could exercise enough to burn a meaningful amount of calories to stay thin, at least during the exercise itself. Hormones are trump for weight loss, and if someone is staying thin that means there are mechanisms not being accounted for. Thermogenic, digestive, UTM, there’s many factors that affect the RMR. I apologize, I thought I’d get a different answer from you. timsteppingout December 4, 2015 at 2:02 pm That’s Denise Minger’s website. She’s a former vegan who stopped eating that way because of negative health effects. I don’t think most people would call her HCLF – she did a writeup recently about some benefits of a very low fat diet – in particular, increased insulin sensitivity. One of the things she’s best known for is her writeup of “Forks over Knives”, and problems in the China Study. lehnerto93 December 7, 2015 at 8:12 pm Well she just did a podcast with Ben Greenfield about a month ago explaining her diet, and if you seriously don’t call 90% calories from carbs “high-carb” we don’t have a lot to talk about. And yeah, I read her article. Honestly? It seems like there’s potential there. But I guess we’ll see. gollum February 5, 2016 at 11:40 am Sorry for the late reply Someone mentioned Unger/Glucagon in the comments of an earlier thread, just found fulltext by Unger H R and Cherrington A D Don’t know whether it’s the same paper or later upgrade, may be useful perhaps, found via Peter D. @ high-fat-nutrition Re Carbs turning into fairies.. there is a way, the polyol pathway, it leads to evil fairies damaging cells osmotically (retina etc) Of course that won’t help with the LDL. My impression is that fats and carbs simply cannot be burnt well at the same time. They downregulate each other. Via insulin, and palmitic acid to counteract. So the fatophobes have sort of a point. It even seems you can escape some of the damage by eating more carbs and get into ‘carbosis’. Again, Peter is just invaluable for these things. I read once that alcoholics have very clean arteries. Unfortunately this was a reader’s letter in a joke magazine. It would maybe take clinical experience which I only have at the receiving end of quackery to figure out whether there could be anything to it. Maybe poor man’s hypoglycaemia drug? Ken MacKillop July 20, 2016 at 12:56 pm ApoC3’s role is to slow and inhibit the entire process of delivering hepatic de novo Tg’s to adipocytes, presumably because we are evolved to see very little of this but a lot of dietary Tg’s. Since the postprandial nutrient absorption process is time-critical and involves a mix of macronutrients, delivery of dietary Tg’s is HEAVILY favored in the NORMAL modern hominid (i.e. us). We are supposed to be able to easily store the carb-derived excess in our dietary OFF time (i.e. while fasting). It is no wonder that we can reach a level of saturation in delivering carb-derived Tg’s to fat tissue with modern diet — the amount of carb is well outside of evolutionary context. The “paradox” comment you referenced (Parks) presumes a level playing field for the de novo Tg’s vs. the dietary Tg’s. But it is NOT so, by DESIGN (i.e. evolution). THAT is why storing more fat from carb’s than from dietary Tg’s is pathological even in the most carb-tolerant, no? Joseph February 27, 2017 at 10:14 pm What you are saying is partly true. If you eat a high fat diet containing saturated fats, the chylomicrons will eventually be converted to chylomicron remnants, after delivering fats to tissues, and go to the liver. These remnants are mostly TGs that can potentially increase VLDL production as well, which turns to LDL as you explained. So a high fat diet may also be detrimental leading to increased risk of CVD. What do you think? I greatly liked the way you explained things but I wanted to point out this piece of information that You did not mentioned. Thanks greatly! Dennis Glover March 24, 2017 at 12:34 am I went back (with a vengeance) to low/zero carbohydrate, high fat, moderate protein on March 16, 2016. My weight was 93.4 kg (206 lb). My waist was 106.7 cm (42 in). Height was 180.3 cm (71 in), and is still the same today. BMI was ~30. Today I weigh 57.15 kg (126 lb). Waist today is 83.82 cm (33 in). BMI is ~20. I will never, ever, ever, ever, ever turn back to the poisons that were killing me early in my 65th year. I’ve been asked if I had cancer, if I was “sick”, if I was “dying”. A few have ventured to ask, “How are you doing it?” I always reply directly and straightforwardly, “I stopped eating the poisons.” Then I will do nearly anything to explain that the poisons are carbohydrates (starches and sugars) of more than 50 g/day and polyunsaturated vegetable oils. I have been told matter-of-factly, “Well, you certainly can’t eat fried foods,” to which I reply, “Oh, but I certainly do, and a lot of them.” If they don’t ask, I tell them, “I fry in lard, butter, tallow, avocado oil, coconut oil, walnut oil, rarely sesame or olive oil, any oil that’s saturated or monounsaturated.” No apologies, to anyone, now or ever about this! No apologies to the “friends” and “wife” I’ve lost since last March: No great loss. This is my lifestyle for eating. (And many, many thanks for multiple posters at Karl Denninger’s market-ticker.org forum! They are all such encouragers, the kind of people with whom I want to have conversations. Kudos to Karl and the gang. Ken MacKillop March 26, 2017 at 1:00 am Another striking topic lacking much attention by most, but not all, researchers is adipose DNL (de novo lipogenesis). It is pretty clear that the ability to handle large amounts of carb’s, inasmuch as any of us have it in youth or otherwise, is completely dependent upon this pathway. Glycogen storage capability in humans is trivial at any age — he who thinks otherwise has to do a few simple calculations. And hepatic DNL only is upregulated once adipose tissue storage has been saturated, and is pathological (i.e. metabolic syndrome): Also, see research by Iizuka et al. For most of us, by some time in middle age adipose storage will be saturated without adequate carb restriction, leading to metabolic syndrome, etc. Modern hominids (homo sapien and home erectus) were pure meat eaters — this is our current evolutionary state as an animal species. Only those with adequate recent ancestry and exposure to agriculture have been able to adapt epigenetically (via imprint, etc.) to handle modern refined-food quantities for a lifetime. Kenneth April 28, 2017 at 8:54 pm Amazing stuff doc,, I think you just saved my sanity.. Drew August 8, 2017 at 7:23 pm wow! This would make a good infographic for ‘normal’ people to get their heads around! Leave a Reply to Pete. R. Cancel reply Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ Dr Kendrick cannot provide individual patient advice over the Internet. UK General Medical Council regulations are clear that to do so would be a breach of medical standards that could result in disciplinary proceedings.	191,401
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Julie Guthman (Ph.D., Geography, University of California, Berkeley) is an Associate Professor in the Department of Community Studies at the University of California, Santa Cruz. She has written extensively on contemporary activist efforts to transform the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed. Her book, Agrarian Dreams: the Paradox of Organic Farming in California (University of California, 2004), won the 2007 Frederick H. Buttel Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement from the Rural Sociological Society. Caryn Hartglass: Hello, I’m Caryn Hartglass and you’re listening to It’s All About Food. And it’s the 15th of August 2012. Thanks for joining me today. We’re going to have a lot to digest today so I hope you’re ready to do some serious chewing. We talk about food on this show and all things related to food, health, the environment, and animals. And I’m always learning something, which is one of the things that I enjoy most about doing this program. I learned an awful lot from the last book that I just read and I’m going to be talking about that today and bring on the author of this book, Julie Guthman. She got a Ph. D in Geography from the University of California at Berkeley, and she’s an associate professor in the Department of Community Studies at the University of California Santa Cruz. She has written extensively on contemporary activist efforts to transform the way food is produced, distributed, and consumed. Her book, Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming in California, won the 2007 Frederick H. Buttel Award for Outstanding Scholarly Achievement from the Merrill Sociological Society. Julie Guthman: Hi! Thank you so much for having me on the show. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah. I’m really looking forward to talking with you. I squirmed a lot reading your book. Julie Guthman: Yeah, because we were just introduced Agrarian Dreams, which is my first book. Caryn Hartglass: Yes, but the book that I just read was Weighing In. Caryn Hartglass: But we can certainly touch on everything else you’ve written before. I think it’s all very informative and very necessary. Julie Guthman: Absolutely. Caryn Hartglass: So, let’s just start with Weighing In, which is Obesity, Food Justice, and the limits of Capitalism. Julie Guthman: Yup, it’s meant to make people squirm. Caryn Hartglass: Well, I was, I admit it. But I learned a lot so we’re going to talk about some of those things. So one of the things that I liked right away in the book was you talked about how all kinds of studies have been interpreted and perhaps misinterpreted and as a result, we’ve gotten this belief that we have this obesity epidemic. You broke that down a little bit in terms of how we could understand, how some of that may have come about. And one of the items was the BMI, the Body Mass Index. Julie Guthman: Yes. A lot of the statistics we hear about obesity really begins with the Body Mass Index, which is the measure to figure out if people are too fat or not. The Body Mass Index is basically a ratio of weight to height squared. And so anything … Caryn Hartglass: Who came up with that, do you know? Caryn Hartglass: Who came up with that? Do you have any idea? Julie Guthman: Oh, it originated … it’s very interesting history, actually. It originated with this 19th century physician named Quetelet; he was French. Or he was actually Belgian, excuse me. And he was just very interested in deciding what average man looked like and he did all sorts of calculations and noticed that this kind of ratio was constant. And so it was never intended to be … he was just interested in averages. It was never intended to be a norm; it was just kind of an observation. And of course it was based on Belgians in the 19th century. So that later became used by the Metropolitan Life Insurance Company for actuary tables, then it became to be a [lie]. But again, it was never designed to be something that we should all aspire to; it became just a way of describing what’s average, like a population most people would have that particular kind of ratio. Caryn Hartglass: It feels like a pantyhose-sized diagram to me when I look at some of those, the height, and weight … And just like pantyhose it never really fits right. Julie Guthman: No, it doesn’t. And that’s the thing with the BMI, it’s useful for epidemiological studies because the other ways of determining how much body fat we have are very expensive because they involve clinical measurements: it can be the kind of … pinching people, or having them float on water, or these kinds of new X-ray technologies, all of which have their strengths and downfalls. But the BMI, you can use a cross of broad population because people can self-report them or they can be taken everyday, clinical measurements. So that’s why it’s become the preferred use of determining how big people are. But again, its origin was not about what it ought to be; it was just descriptive of what it. It was about an average, not … And the other thing about it is, of course, anything that makes you weigh more, even if it’s muscle of higher bone mass, would increase your BMI. And so you have a lot of bodybuilders, for example, who have high BMIs because they have a lot of muscle. Caryn Hartglass: Right. So it’s not really a clear indication of anything. Julie Guthman: And certainly not to whether fat is pathological or not, which is another issue. Caryn Hartglass: Now there have also been different studies that have come out or different interpretations determining that we’re having an epidemic and some of that is related to the BMI number because the boundaries of the BMI are just based on certain numbers and we’ve moved those numbers around and that affects our interpretation of where we are? Julie Guthman: Right. That’s a great question. And so the way we understand it, there’s been a growth in bigness. And I don’t deny that people have gotten bigger. And wider. But how that is expressed through the media can be quite exaggerated. So the way the BMI works is juts an index, right? And so a 25 BMI is different from a 28 BMI so the way we understand it is there’s bigness … that there’s a great risk of obesity is how those things are categorized. And so we have people in the 20-25 BMI are considered normal, 25-30 are considered overweight, 30-40 are considered obese, and over 40 are considered morbidly obese. But depending on how tall one is the difference between one level of BMI to the next is about 5-8 pounds. So if you, at any given point in time, if you have a large part of the population having a 29 BMI and that would be in the overweight category. And over, let’s say, 5 years they all gained an average of 6-7 pounds, that huge swath of population would then fall into the next category of obese. And so all of a sudden it looks like there’s a huge number of obese people even though the average weight gain is only 5, 6, 7 pounds. So that gives one of the ways in which these numbers are portrayed can really overstate the issue. Caryn Hartglass: But the point is, we do have an issue. I think one of the themes in your book is what is causing us all to be bigger and wider? Julie Guthman: Yeah, what is causing us? And it’s not the … yes, one of the things is what is causing us but also is it the problem that we think it is? Caryn Hartglass: Exactly. And so that’s what we’re going to talk about next. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah. You mentioned the energy balance. I loved that one when I was back in engineering school. We talked a lot about energy balances. It’s pretty simple to understand: you take energy in with food, you burn it up with everything that you do in the day and whatever you don’t burn up, it kind of accumulates. Julie Guthman: Right. That’s the energy balance: the idea that calories in, the excess of calories in rather than calories out, is making us bigger. Since I’ve written the book I’ve just become utterly fascinated with calories. And there are some materials I’ve pulled since writing the book that are not in the book. But the calorie, it actually doesn’t adhere in food. We don’t have molecules of calories in food. So there’s an interesting question of why we think calories are the best way to understand how bodies get bigger. But what the book does talk about is that there’s some really important emerging evidence that suggests that there’s these non-caloric pathways to obesity. And one of them, while significant, is the probable role of environmental toxins. We’re talking about agro-chemicals; we’re talking about probably the hormones that are used in beef cattle, even though very little has been studied about that. Caryn Hartglass: Well, it makes a lot of sense. We feed them these things to make them grow big and fat and if we eat it, why [shouldn’t] it make us grow big and fat? Julie Guthman: Absolutely. And what’s really significant here is that the synthetic hormones that are given to cattle are analogs to DES, which is now banned. But DES is a synthetic estrogen that has been shown to cause increased weight gain in laboratory animals. Caryn Hartglass: Some of the really scary things about this is that we don’t see the impact immediately sometimes from some of these chemicals. Some of them actually take a generation or more to see the effects. Julie Guthman: Right. And that’s what I think is the really interesting piece of this environmental toxins. Julie Guthman: Really scary. Really scary because these things do act inter- generationally. The history of DES is interesting in its own right. DES was horrible. It was given to women in the 1950s and 60s to prevent miscarriage and to increase lactation and the progeny of these women had much more susceptibility to various reproductive cancers and infertility. It affected a whole generation of children. And so that was an epigenetic effect that the women themselves weren’t adversely affected, not a big way, but their children were. So it looks like what’s happening in the environmental toxins is happening in the same way. So exposure to these toxins in utero are manifesting in all these things when people are children or adult. When people are adults; I was thinking of animals. And so these exposure to a lot of these agro chemicals … The experiments that have been done have exposed laboratory animals to various synthetic estrogens and seen that these animals are the same size as their non-exposed peers at birth and then by the time they’re adults they can be 30% bigger. And so now there’s this wide … strong contention that this is what’s happening with obesity rates. And it makes a lot of sense too because we know that these chemicals really started to proliferate the environment in the 60s, 70s, and 80s and now we have this huge jump in body weights in the 80s, 90s, and 2000s and could very well be related to those kind of inter-generational effects of the toxins. Caryn Hartglass: I think there’s a lot of things going on with us physically and we don’t know and it’s so hard to know what the origins is of these issues. I just know, from my own personal experience, I had advanced ovarian cancer 6 years ago at 48- year old. And when I think about how I possibly could have gotten it I go far back as a teenager when I knew I had problems and I’m thinking, “Was that something I was born with that ultimately threw a variety of different pathways, got aggravated from dioxide in tampons and all kinds of other things?” But I’m sure a lot of us with health issues have unique stories because there are so many different chemicals out there. Julie Guthman: Absolutely. We just know so little about it and it’s so understudied because the chemical industry isn’t interested in having a study in it. It is really frightening. Julie Guthman: And a lot of the diseases associated with obesity like diabetes type II, well, there’s now evidence that environmental toxins are generating diabetes type II too. So where the obesity might be a symptom, it might not even be the cause people always assume. So yeah, it’s a pretty scary mix of chemicals we have out there in the environment. Caryn Hartglass: I got my degrees in Chemical Engineering and I feel kind of guilty that I know so many of my colleagues are participating in doing some really scary things. Okay, I think there definitely are so many different issues in making us unhealthy and making us overweight. But something is definitely true and that is we are not eating the same as we ate 50 years ago. We’re eating lots more cheese, saturated fat. We’re eating more meat; it may not be in the form of beef but in the form of chicken. We’re eating less plant foods and we know that that’s not healthy. Julie Guthman: Well, I don’t …. There’s no question that we eat different than we did 50 years ago. But the way we ate 50 years ago was not so great. I think there’s a lot of romance that suggests that we ate better but we didn’t. First of all, people were often undernourished. But a lot of folks did not have a high fruit and vegetable diet. Yes, there’s been a growth in more chicken produced, as you’ve just referenced, but there’s also much more fresh fruit and vegetable availability than it was before. People ate a lot of grains and they ate worse cuts, well, not worse cuts but different cuts, of meat but the evidence isn’t there that people ate a whole lot more nutritiously. And in fact, the evidence is that they ate less nutritiously then. Julie Guthman: So for me, the question is kind of the way the food is produced. The use the agro-chemicals, the use of the hormones, and the antibiotics in the meat bear much more attention. I just don’t think we can kind of fantasize that diet 50 years ago were all that great. Remember, people ate a lot of that Betty Crocker cake mixes. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah. I remember reading Aaron Bobrow-Strain’s book on white bread and was … Julie Guthman: He was a good friend of mine. Caryn Hartglass: Oh, yeah. I was so surprised to read some people get 30% of their calories from bread. Julie Guthman: Absolutely. Caryn Hartglass: Oh, goodness. Okay. So, we talked about chemicals and how scary they are. And let’s talk about … A lot of us think we’re doing good things. I know, personally, I feel so frustrated. I feel frustrated with the government for so many years now. I feel like there’s nothing I can do or say that’s going to make a difference in terms of the government and so what I do is I live my life the best way I can: I buy organic, I go to farmers’ markets, I participate in CSAs, and I feel really good about that. And then in reading your book there are some issues connected with all of these things that started me squirming. Julie Guthman: Yes, that’s the chapter that gets everyone. Well, I do a lot of those things too, by the way. But I just don’t think they’re enough and I think they can even be problematic and let me try to explain why. What you said is absolutely right. People don’t think that there’s any kind of thing they can do to their government or through … they don’t think there’s a way to fight what corporations do. So they way we thought about changing the food system is pretty much through our own dietary choices. And the idea is if enough people make different sorts of choices and they buy organic or buy local, that somehow the market will grow and all the rest of these stuff will disappear, the bad stuff will disappear. And that’s just not what’s going to happen here because a lot of the good stuff … and again, I support it too. I buy organic, I go to the farmers’ market; I think it’s great food. But the whole way it’s regulated is designed to cost more. The idea that those who can afford to pay can go buy these stuff and that’s all great. The whole system of organic certification is it does not regulate what most producers do in the sense that if you want to buy this stuff, if you think this stuff is more valuable, you can pay more for it. Again, the system of organic regulation kind of institutionalizes that by saying if growers that abide by these particular standards and are willing to be inspected and get certified will be rewarded with higher prices. And so basically what that means is those who can’t afford to buy all that stuff are left to buy the rest of the stuff, and the rest of the stuff is unconscionably under regulated. So what we’re getting is this kind of bifurcated food supply, where we have some folks with money and will to do so getting some very high quality food and the rest of this stuff is under regulated. So growers who do not want to go by organic standards go on to use the worse of the agro chemicals perhaps and that’s what everyone else gets to eat. So a lot of the point of the book is to really get a focus on the policy environment in thinking of how we can really leverage major changes so that all people could eat better and not just have some people buy their way out. Caryn Hartglass: Well, I absolutely want everyone to be fed and I want everyone to be fed with quality food; there’s no question about that for me. And whatever I can do to participate in that I am happy to do that. And I want to believe that by supporting with my dollars, something I believe in, and more people that do that business is going to grow. But at the same point, how do we get the regulations to change? Julie Guthman: Well, so many people have given up on the policy environment. And one of the things that the book does is suggest it’s not even only our agricultural policies that we need to pay attention to. We don’t regulate our banks. We don’t, in my opinion, tax wealth enough. So we have dramatic inequality. We have to kind of really address things in these kinds of more structural levels and including … I think one of the ironies of the food movement is that it doesn’t focus on food workers. And food workers, there’s 38 million food workers in the United States. People who go to the farmers’ markets and buy all the local stuff, they care very much about the farmers but we’re not paying attention to farm workers or people who work in food processing, or people who work in food distribution, or people who work at Wal- Marts, or people who work at … Caryn Hartglass: And they’re paid very poorly. Julie Guthman: And these are some of the poorest paid people around. So we have theories in food system change that aren’t really addressing people who work in the food systems. So how we get there is, of course, really difficult. One of the things going on in the world right now is we’re kind of led to believe that change is possible. Again, people have given up on change through contesting corporate behavior or through policy. But I don’t think there’s a way around it because I know that all of us buying our way one meal at a time through local food systems isn’t going to cut it because it neglects so many people who don’t have the option to do that. Caryn Hartglass: Another book that I’ve read a while ago is Tomatoland by Barry Estabrook. I always say now that every food has its own story and the tomato has a frightening story, especially in Florida where it’s grown. There are workers there that are treated like slaves and it really opened up my eyes to what’s going on all around the country, where we really think we have this freedom and then there are so many people, whether they are really enslaved or close to it, there are so many people that are bringing food to our plate, that, there’s slavery and pain and suffering in every bite of our food. Julie Guthman: Absolutely. And pesticide exposure, I might add. Julie Guthman: Farmers are exposed to constant pesticide drifts and they have terrible problems because of it. Add in the ones that … again, let’s focus on what people eat. So there’s a lot of discussions about Latinos are getting fatter because they don’t … they aren’t adjusting to American diet, but a lot of Latinos that are working in construction, and particularly farm work, are exposed to chemicals on a daily basis. And that may be the cause of some their bodily changes, their weight gains. Caryn Hartglass: At least the one thing I feel good about with eating organic is that the workers that are growing that food are not exposed to those horrible chemicals. Julie Guthman: They aren’t exposed to the worst of them. They are exposed to some, for instance they use sulfur in organic production and sulfur doesn’t kill; it just causes irritation. So people who work in organic farms tend to not have as worse exposure. They can still have poor paying conditions but not as many of the exposure. Caryn Hartglass: Do you think we can move to a place where most of our food will be made organically? Is that a big leap of faith? Julie Guthman: I mean, there’s organic and there’s organic. I think that there is the kind of deep organic that’s completely ecological that is not practiced far and wide. But there’s a lot of broader interests in more sustainable production techniques and a lot of major food corporations are getting involved in organics. I certainly think it’s technically possible, although difficult to grow, to employ agro- ecological methods on large scales because you can’t kind of mono crop. So I think it’s possible. It certainly possible for organics to grow more than it does but I just think the way to do that is not, again, not through kind of this “voting with your dollar” but through policies that encourage more sustainable production and discourage the more industrial production. And that takes a big change in the policy arena. For instance, outlawing particular pesticides. When I did my research for Agrarian Dreams that you mentioned I learned that a lot of producers had gotten into organics, not because they believed it was the greatest thing since sliced bread but because they were really worried about having particular pesticides regulated away and they figured they needed to figure out what they were going to do. Julie Guthman: Yeah. Pesticide regulation can be technology-forcing; it can force growers to employ different source of methods. Maybe they’re not the purest organic methods but they can be less toxic. I guess I would like to see more policies that have a wider reach. There maybe not aren’t as pure as … I know it’s going to be done and it can be done through changing the way we subsidize agriculture. It can be done, again, through pesticide regulation. It can be done through more attention from the public universities that do research extension and extension on sustainable methods rather than agro-chemical methods. So those are all things that take policy changes but they’re very doable. Caryn Hartglass: Now, we need to be doing what? Writing and calling our elected officials and letting them know how we feel? Julie Guthman: We need to be doing that. We need to be changing the public conversation, to say that we do need focus on policy, that buying and doing our own self-practices of how we buy and what we do is not enough. Again, the public conversation is such a big piece of this. If people don’t believe they can’t make a difference, they won’t be able to make a difference. Julie Guthman: There have been some interesting victories but they don’t get a lot of attention, for instance, methyl iodine; [it’s a] highly, highly toxic fumigant that was released on the market to replace methyl bromine. Methyl bromine is an ozone- depletor that was supposed to be phased out. Well, methyl iodine was far more toxic and was believed to cause birth defects among people exposed to it. There was a big public outrage and it was withdrawn from the market because it wasn’t seen as economically viable. It’s actually something I’m doing research on right now, how that exactly came down. That took effort but it worked. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah, that was very good news. The thing is methyl bromine isn’t so great either and we’re supposed to be phasing that out and … Julie Guthman: It’s supposed to be done in two years but … Julie Guthman: Yeah. That’s the research I’m doing right now actually is what’s going to happen with that. But, yeah … Caryn Hartglass: Okay, well I hope you figure out the right recipe to get those things done. Julie Guthman: What was also interesting about the methyl iodine, it wasn’t the usual suspects; it was groups that were acting on behalf of farm workers. Those regulatory battles can matter and if there are enough of those that happen then people start believing differently about what’s politically possible. Caryn Hartglass: Now, your book it all seems to come down on some really fundamental problems like capitalism. Caryn Hartglass: And so you take a deep breath and you go, “Oh, my God. All this to get good food on my table.” But capitalism … how does that come into play with what’s on our plate? Julie Guthman: Well, capitalism comes into play in all of these things. We live in a world right now where we are led to believe that we need to let business have its way for us to live a good life, that business wouldn’t be regulated, business shouldn’t be taxed, and somehow if money is made it’ll somehow trickle down to everybody else. This is the public conversation right now, particularly if you listen to the Republicans, correct? So what’s that meant is we have a world of tremendous inequality, again, of an unregulated industry so we have all these chemical outputs that we’re being exposed to on a regular basis. We do not, in my opinion, tax enough so that we can re-distribute some of the tax money to have more public services, to have, for instance, better food assistance so people can afford to buy … so those who do not have jobs could afford to buy better food. So all those things are basically about giving capitalism a flow, which is the very crisis problem we know first-hand right now because we’re in a significant crisis of capitalism. All these kind of things about reducing taxes and de-regulating all about trying to restore profitability but it’s quite debilitating so I do think we do need to look very hard at capitalism for us to really get a more sustainable food rule. Julie Guthman: Right. And we don’t know what it is. The biggest trap is that most of the Socialist experiments of the 20th century weren’t too pretty and so that’s why people say, “Well, that didn’t work.” But we just don’t know what it is but we need to move to someplace different. Sometimes my students will say, “Well, what’s your vision?” I say, “When capitalism started emerging in 1450, people didn’t envision that it would be as it is in the year 2012, I mean, emerge.” It was just a different way, a different logic of how goods and services are produced. I think the key is just finding ways that are different and hope that they build but not, again, believing that that’s the only way, that capitalism’s the only way, that it’s inevitable. Capitalism’s not doing so well in its own terms. Caryn Hartglass: You can say that again. Julie Guthman: It’s a major crisis and who knows what’s really going to happen anyway? Caryn Hartglass: I know. We don’t know. And what’s scary, it’s very scary in many ways, but I imagine our food supply will definitely be affected and many of us who have not experienced shortages will … I don’t even want to imagine what’s going to happen. Julie Guthman: Yeah, it’s really hard to know. Certainly with a lot of crops going to biofuels these days, which is again is a kind of another fix of capitalism rather than re-think how we use energy, we use more and more crops going to biofuels; well, that certainly affecting crop prices and right now there’s a possibility of shortage, although for the most part, there’s been an excess of food and that’s been one of the problem. That’s a long, tricky conversation. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah. I wanted to get back a little bit more about obesity but we need to take a break. Do you have a little bit more time where we can come back and talk a little bit more? Hello, I’m Caryn Hartglass. You’re listening to … Thank you so much for listening. And I am talking today with Julie Guthman, the author of Weighing In: Obesity, Food, Justice, and the Limits of Capitalism. She’s the author of Agrarian Dreams: The Paradox of Organic Farming as well. These are books that must be read. There’s so much important information and we’re talking a little bit about some of that right now. I wanted to talk a little bit more about that calorie. Caryn Hartglass: I’m one of those alternative food-promoting healthism people that you talk about in the beginning of your book that has never really had a weight problem. I’m really quite exuberant about promoting the power of something that I believe in, which is eating a lot of healthy plant foods, local, organic. I am a vegan for a long time and I came to that because I don’t believe in killing animals. And I just wanted to say, there’re certainly a lot of diets out there and I know a lot of people struggle with food. My partner, he was 100 lbs. overweight and he had been on many diets all of his life; none of them worked and he’s now at peace with the foods that we’re eating and he looks great and he feels great so I have some firsthand experience with food and weight. One of the things that, I think, is a piece in the obesity equation is that many people are eating empty calories or eating calories that are not bringing them the nutrition that they need and their brains are starving. Julie Guthman: Yeah. This particular book doesn’t go very much into nutrition per se but I’m … again, this is something that I’ve gotten curious about since I’ve read the book because a lot of the newer kind of nutritional science is contesting the “calories in-calories out” model. For other reasons too, that calories don’t quite get at the kind of different qualities of different foods. It’s not only the different qualities … there’s research that suggests that when we eat is not as important as what we eat but it’s certainly important. Eating first thing in the morning can help one lose weight, so it’s said. So I’m with you that I do think the food quality matters. I think some dietary facts have gotten a bad rap. We know that there’s a lot of evidence right now that suggests that carbohydrates are more of a problem so if you look at it from a calorie perspective, you wouldn’t want to eat more carbohydrates and calories. Caryn Hartglass: You want to eat good carbohydrates. There are good carbohydrates and there are bad carbohydrates. Julie Guthman: So I’m with you. I agree that there’s some … the nutrition matters and what kind of foods we eat matter but it’s not only about calories. I think where I … And I’m with you that … I guess the thing is, there’s so many other things that are affecting weight gain: some of it’s genetics, some of it has to do with all these different ways in which some people have faster or slower metabolism, and some have to do with these toxins that I’ve been discussing. I think the problem I have with nutrition is not the content of nutrition. I think it’s interesting stuff but I think that those who eat well tend to kind of proselytize to others about how to eat. It’s just not effective. It’s just not an effective strategy. I think most people… Julie Guthman: And they eat what they eat for other reasons. Caryn Hartglass: We definitely need a change in … Caryn Hartglass: … an education about food. Julie Guthman: I missed what you said. I’m sorry. Caryn Hartglass: I agree, proselytizing is never a good thing. But we know so little about food today. We’re so detached from it and people need … well, I don’t know that we’ve ever really understood much about food. Actually, in my reading about history, what people thought was good for them … But I think we need to have some better education about food and maybe the regulation is a part of that. Julie Guthman: I would say more regulation because I think that so much focus on food politics right now is trying to get people to change what they eat. And we don’t focus very much at all on how food is produced. If we change how food is produced and we say that certain sorts of things, like transfats for example, shouldn’t be allowed, then they shouldn’t be allowed. So we need to have a public conversation of what sorts of things are unthinkable to have people eating, rather than ask people to individually make choices when individually, they have all sorts of reasons for eating what they want including portability, including pleasure. And so the food education, I’m not sure about that. I think that’s one of the … it gets a lot of attention because it’s something that feels doable. I work with students who want to change the food system and they all want to do food education because that’s something they can imagine doing. It goes back to what’s politically possible. They can imagine going to an elementary school and doing nutrition education and cooking classes. They can’t imagine going to Monsanto or whatever and saying, “You actually need to not … We’re going to do some action or whatever until you don’t use genetically-modified organisms.” So I’m not convinced that food education works. It feels good because it feels possible but again, I’d rather our efforts be focused on changing how food is produced than trying to convince consumers to eat differently. Again, I think most people know what they’re supposed to eat. Julie Guthman: Again, I think most people know what they’re supposed to eat. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah, probably. Yeah. Here we are in this trickle down society and there are a lot of nonprofits out there struggling to do well; I know, I have one. And you look for grants to support your cause and you always have to craft the grant in order to fit what it is they’re trying to fund and a lot of it is for obesity, or for children’s’ nutrition, or maybe for people in poverty. That’s probably another reason why we see a lot of focus on obesity. It’s kind of like a catch-22; it exists but the money that’s there is focused on what to do about it. There’s really a bigger picture. Julie Guthman: Absolutely. I think that with the foundation world and the nonprofit world, it’s kind of the tail wagging the dog. Certainly philanthropists love to fund that sort of stuff because they love funding things where they can feel like there’s results and where it’s hands-on and so you have a lot of organizations … And the obesity epidemic seems to have some sort of cache’ that philanthropy want to fund these food projects that are supposedly going to reduce obesity. And because of the way nonprofit status is set up, that it has to be charitable and educational, you can’t get funding to lobby government to contest the pesticide. And so there are all sorts of ways in which the philanthropic world and the nonprofit world help drive what’s possible in political change. Caryn Hartglass: Okay, well, it’s really been great talking to you. Any pearls of wisdom before I let you go? Julie Guthman: Oh. Pearls of wisdom … I just really just want to encourage your listeners to think hard about the policy world and recognize that eating our way to change is not going to do it, as much as I like good food too. Caryn Hartglass: Yeah, we’re all foodies. Okay, thank you so much for joining me on … And thank you for writing this book, Weighing In. I squirmed and I’m glad I did. Julie Guthman: Thank you so much for having me on the show. Caryn Hartglass: Okay. Well, that was Julie Guthman, the author of Weighing In. I wholeheartedly encourage you to buy this book. It really … gosh, brings up so many different issues. Now, I have to say that I’m going to continue doing what I’m doing, which is my nonprofit, Responsible Eating and Living. I think I’ve learned a bit and I might actually include some of the important points that are in this book in some of the goals that I try to achieve with my nonprofit organization, Responsible Eating and Living. I do want to talk a little bit more about that calorie and about dieting because I think it’s really important, and about nutrition. Certainly there are so many diet books out there. Everybody’s concerned about their weight and they want to look good, they want to feel good. Just because you look good on the outside doesn’t mean you’re healthy in the inside. There’re a lot of people saying that if they work out an awful lot they’re going to burn the calories from the food that they’ve eaten, whether it’s healthy or not, and look good. And they may look good on the outside but on the inside they’re not going to look very good because the food that they’re eating is not healthy. And I’ve talked before a little bit about how Americans are eating way more cheese and more meat per capita, that meat consumption and cheese consumption has gone up. Julie Guthman was correct in saying we haven’t been eating healthy; it’s just our diets that have changed over time. I’m always surprised when I read different books and hear about or read about what people thought was healthy at one point in time. It’s fascinating; we really know so little about our food. But I think we’re finally getting somewhere. And in my reading and in my studies I’m absolutely convinced that the number of sayings that we need to eat dark, leafy, green vegetables. They’re the ones that are loaded with most of the nutrients that we need and when we eat a lot of them raw and whole we get so much fiber that it fills our body and we feel satisfied for a longer time because our stomachs are full and our brains are being fed. I just don’t hear this enough and so I’m going to talk a little bit about it. I acknowledge that this particular book wasn’t focusing specifically on nutrition but the whole time I was reading it I felt like it was an important piece in the equation. It’s very clear to me that industrialized manufactured food is not healthy for people and it’s not healthy for the planet. One of the things we didn’t talk about, and I’m now realizing I meant to bring it up but I didn’t was the factory farming of animals. We certainly talked about how in food production, the labor involved, the people that are involved in bringing the food to our plate, many of them are very underpaid and they live in very poor conditions and that’s, of course, the same or more so for animals that are being produced for food. I’m sorry we didn’t get to talk about that very much. I want to get back to dark, green, leafy vegetables because there are so many different diets out there. She talked in this book how people get on diets and that they don’t work. But there is something that does work and I’ve seen it work with so many different people. That’s when you realize what is food and what isn’t food. And that whole minimally processed, locally grown, or organic if possible, even if it’s from a conventional supermarket, you can definitely lose weight and attain your healthy weight by buying plant food and staying away from manufactured foods: foods in a box, foods with the added sugar, salt, and oil. I talk a lot about juicing because I juice everyday, a juice made from kale, and collards, celery, and lemon. I do this everybody and I’ve done it everyday since I was diagnosed with advanced ovarian cancer six years ago. I really, absolutely believe this is one of the reasons why I’m talking to you today because I was able to fill my body on a regular basis with food and nutrients that really powered my immune system. Okay, and then a few weeks ago I decided I would deconstruct my green juice and eat those foods in my green juice. I just didn’t feel like having a juice one day but it was really important to know that I could consume those foods. And what happened was I put all those foods in a food processor, chopped them up, and made this gigantic salad. And I put a little tahini dressing on it or some balsamic vinegar; I did it a few days and changed the dressings around. But here’s what happened: I could not eat it all in one seating. In fact, I had two large salads, one for lunch and by the time it was time for dinner I wasn’t even hungry but I ate it anyway because I knew that I had to consume these particular foods. These foods were my medicine. These foods were the foods that I had to eat everyday to keep my immune system charged. The only difference was instead of juicing them and removing the fiber, I was eating them with fiber. I did this for about a week. I don’t know, I like to shake things up and change things around a little bit. And every time I always learned something. But I had known this before but I kind of reminded myself of this again: when you eat a pound of greens, raw, with some added fruits and vegetables you don’t want to eat much else if you’re going to consume it all with the fiber. It’s so satisfying. Your belly is so stuffed you can’t eat anymore. And this is really a great way to weight loss and a great way to maintain your weight by filling up on fiber. We talked to Dr. Alan Goldhamer last week on this show and he talked about how it took about 4 weeks on a healthy regime or through fasting to reduce your cravings for salt. He said it took a little longer, maybe about 4 months actually, to get away from all of the unhealthy fats that are added to our foods so it does take some time. But I was so satisfied consuming these two giant salads. Now the thing is, it’s hard because it’s not fast food and so many people just want to gulp something down and get on with their day. It’s so important, I think, to sit and eat. Sit and chew the salad because it was made from that muscly kale. It took a lot of chewing action; really, a lot of chewing. And it took a long time to eat it and then I just didn’t want to eat anymore. I think this is an important piece that’s missing in all diets. And then, of course, when you reach the weight that you want to reach you can continue to eat … you should continue to eat a pound of greens a day, absolutely, because there are so many good nutrition in there but maybe you don’t want to eat only that, maybe you don’t want to eat … feel that full on just those foods. And so steaming your greens, and blending them in a smoothie, or juicing them like I do is the way you make sure you get them. A pound of greens. I really need to come up with a bumper sticker or something that says, “ A pound of greens everyday.” It’s so important. Okay, now we just put a video up on the responsibleeatingandliving.com website, responsibleeatingandliving.com, that’s my nonprofit website. And we just put a little video. I hope you go and watch it. If you go to the website and go to the top left column you’ll see the 2012 Take Back Your Health Conference and there’s a little video we put up recently from when we were at that Take Back Your Health Conference. Some of the things that I talked about in that video, something I always find amusing at many, many different conferences that promote health is just because it’s called a health conference don’t mean that the information you’re going to get there has anything to do with health. A lot of time, people are just promoting their particular products, promoting different supplements, some of them are good, and maybe some of them aren’t so good. One of the interesting things about this particular conference was we certainly didn’t all agree on the same things. It wasn’t a vegetarian conference so there were people there promoting “humane” production of animal flesh and dairy products. I certainly don’t believe those items are healthy. Anyway, so I invite you to watch that video. Before we go today I want to invite you also at the website, if you scroll down, way to the left hand side, bottom of the page, under REAL Programs, there is REAL Recipes. We now have 167 recipes, most of them are salt-free. There’s a handful that have some sugar because there are cakes, and cookies, and treats and I personally believe we all deserve a treat now and then. But most of them are made from minimally processed, delicious, whole, plant foods. I hope you definitely will take the time and check that out. How about it? Okay. What else do we have here? How many more minutes do I have? Just a couple, okay. I talked to so many different people on this show and I would really recommend, if you haven’t heard all of them because I think there are now over 160 interviews. Definitely check out the archives. There’s so much wonderful information here. We need, all of us, as Julie Guthman told us, we need to become more active with our food and more knowledgeable about our ood so I’m going to say, yes, it makes a difference to express our desires with our dollars by encouraging organic and locally grown food, and plant food, and supporting our vegan distributors of foods and restaurants but we need to be bugging that government of ours. So I’m going to make a commitment. How about you? We need to start writing more letters. We need to start making it clear to our government. It’s that squeaky wheel thing. There was a time when the organic certification thing was going through and the government got hundreds of thousands of responses and they hard us. So I think we need to start kicking and screaming. ← Ginger Kale with Scallions Episode #102: Yes to Labeling! → Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Δ November 22, 2022 Hartglass & De Mattei, Food and Farmland With Thanksgiving coming up this week, Caryn Hartglass & Gary De Mattei express gratitude for the farmers and all the people involved with bringing food to our tables. They cover concerns about farmland ownership and control. They discuss GMOs; the UN Climate Summit; Climate Activists; Banana Peel Bacon.… Read more → Learn About Water Distillers by Pure Water Yeast Breads: Gluten-Free (20) Yeasted Breads with Wheat (3) January Veganuary Dishes (29) ABOUT RECIPES VIDEO RESPONSIBLE EATING AND LIVING ® is a registered trademark of RESPONSIBLE EATING AND LIVING WORLDWIDE, INC. Copyright © 2022 Responsible Eating And Living Worldwide, Inc. All Rights Reserved. Responsible Eating And Living is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit corporation.	49,099
I shaved off my beard growing it for a few months. It had become rather unwieldy, but that's not the reason I had to say goodbye. I rather enjoyed looking like a mountain man who's been lost in the wild for three months by himself. I talk to myself all the time, so I played the part rather well. I shaved it off because I was checking to see if my shirt smelled the other day, and I thought it smelled kind of odd. Then I smelled three more and they smelled the same. Then I realized it was probably my beard that smelled. Subscribe to: Post Comments (Atom) Email Address Rocky Thompson is a cyclist, writer, and beer advocate. He lives in Manhattan and is available for freelance work. His book, The Not To Do List, is available on Amazon.com. Tweets by @rockythompson Blog Archive August 2019 (1) April 2018 (1) April 2017 (1) December 2016 (1) May 2016 (1) September 2015 (1) August 2015 (2) July 2015 (2) June 2015 (2) May 2015 (4) April 2015 (2) March 2015 (2) February 2015 (3) January 2015 (10) December 2014 (11) November 2014 (11) October 2014 (16) September 2014 (16) August 2014 (14) July 2014 (21) June 2014 (21) May 2014 (29) April 2014 (30) March 2014 (31) February 2014 (28) January 2014 (31) December 2013 (31) November 2013 (30) October 2013 (31) September 2013 (30) August 2013 (31) July 2013 (30) June 2013 (30) May 2013 (31) April 2013 (30) March 2013 (31) February 2013 (28) January 2013 (31) December 2012 (31) November 2012 (30) October 2012 (30) September 2012 (30) August 2012 (31) July 2012 (30) June 2012 (30) May 2012 (31) April 2012 (30) March 2012 (31) February 2012 (29) January 2012 (31) December 2011 (31) November 2011 (30) October 2011 (31) September 2011 (29) August 2011 (31) July 2011 (32) June 2011 (29) May 2011 (30) April 2011 (30) March 2011 (31) February 2011 (28) January 2011 (31) December 2010 (30) November 2010 (30) October 2010 (31) September 2010 (30) August 2010 (31) July 2010 (31) June 2010 (29) May 2010 (30) April 2010 (21) March 2010 (31) February 2010 (26) January 2010 (31) December 2009 (31) November 2009 (24) October 2009 (22) September 2009 (21) August 2009 (9) July 2009 (6) June 2009 (14) May 2009 (1) April 2009 (7) March 2009 (9) February 2009 (1) January 2009 (1) December 2008 (12) November 2008 (14) October 2008 (6) September 2008 (4)	2,500
With their faces uncovered and neither toting weapons, Kyora and Virn walked in-between two Aurora guards in full, white SIRAC armor. Kyora was wearing her usual phantom configuration: covering only her breasts and upper torso, upper arms, and shoulders with most of her dark gray polyalloy bodysuit visible—at least, when she wasn’t shrouded. Virn wore just as much armor as the guards, minus the helmet. The guards nodded to the both of them as they passed, and just beyond them was the door to the penthouse. After the door slid open, the two officers who had walked down the duralithic corridors of the lower building found themselves stepping into a verdant garden. Now removed from the duralithic walls, the two were flanked by soft grass, shrubs, bushes, and well-kept trees. Despite this only being the second time Kyora had ever entered this luxurious penthouse, it was once again under the darkness of night. The mansion across from the duo towered spectacularly over the dark garden while simultaneously blending into it. Lights from lumionics shining through the trees were reflected by the mild perturbations in the crystal blue pool that flashed overhead. Well above Kyora and Virn was the vast array of OPELs topping the building, and even farther above that was the blanket of high-altitude clouds catching the light of the sprawling city and bouncing it back down. Kyora—an Elestan with a neutral gray face, short but voluminous white hair and silver eyes—remembered this place well, and she distinctly remembered blowing it up with remote charges she fabricated with her Accellus suit. Yet here it was, appearing completely untouched. It was about that time that her instincts kicked in. It didn’t matter how many guards stood outside. She fabricated a heavy pistol in her left hand—either hand was fine since she was proficient with both—and continued to step around the pool. Virn—an Exan with verdant green skin, long black hair that ran straight and tan eyes—knew Kyora, and she knew that if her friend was fabricating a weapon in a place that the other Auroras adamantly insisted was secure, something was indeed up. Virn trusted Kyora’s sense of danger that much. Kyora and Virn were here to find anything they could pertaining to the whereabouts of that devious director of Domina, Deminesse; the one who shared Kyora’s face and demanded to be called Eclipse. As far as Eclipse was concerned, Deminesse was dead; consumed by Mirida’s eternal darkness. “Kyora?” Virn thought to her partner over their shared Q-comms link. “I’m going to head in and see what I can find,” Kyora thought back. Virn could always trust Kyora to handle herself. The Elestan phantom walked between the columns separating the pool area from the mansion’s interior, and as she descended the steps down to the recessed living space, she enveloped herself in shroud and disappeared. Virn wasn’t far behind, but not even she could see Kyora when the phantom’s shrouding was active. The armored Exan stayed within the living area and stopped in front of one of the couches. Her eyes followed the warm, golden-hued walls upward toward the ceiling until they rested upon a white stone statue of a nude, anatomically-accurate, female angel with eagle’s wings spread wide, body tilted forward, and hands arcing toward the balcony above. Had it been off its pedestal, it would have still been taller than she was. Virn smiled as her eyes traced its form. If only they knew, she thought to herself. Just then, there came a noise from down the corridors like a clang that reverberated for several seconds. “Did you find something?” Virn asked as she looked off in the direction of the dark hall, but she heard no response. Perhaps Kyora had found something but wanted to reveal it in person. The Exan didn’t like to pry. She backed away from the angel statue and looked down the dark corridor, crossing her arms. This was Kyora’s mission and Kyora’s domain, and the phantom knew what she was looking for. The seconds became minutes, and Virn found herself staring at the shimmering surface of the pool from the recessed dining area. The water was up to her chest as she stood next to the grand table. Finally, a figure emerged on the balcony within her peripheral vision. Quickly turning, she found Kyora up there who said, “I found a clue.” The phantom vaulted over the railing and descended gently using her gravitics, narrowly avoiding the angel statue. As she approached, Virn asked, “Why didn’t you answer me?” “On Q-comms?” Kyora replied. “I apologize. I must have gotten caught up in the moment.” “Well? What did you find?” Kyora said, “Just a lume with two names and an address floating in one of the bedrooms. I captured it.” She produced it for Virn, saying, “Careless bitch. It’s like she wants us to chase her.” “Darva… Darlok?” Virn read off the lume. “Totality? Do you recognize any of this?” Kyora queried the Subnet for the name and address combination, and she read the hit that was returned. “Looks like a Doctor Darva Darlok, but that address… that’s on the ground beneath the towers.” “Is that bad?” “You’ve mentioned that before.” “That is the fetid filth upon which these glistening towers stand. You don’t go down there unless you have a very good reason to.” “Then why would this doctor be living there?” “Maybe they’re a physician. I don’t know.” “Then maybe this is some kind of trap.” “It’s the only lead we have.” “A very convenient lead,” Virn sighed. “If we went in with some Auroras…” “I don’t want to scare her off, Virn,” Kyora told her. “Just the two of us. If it is a trap, at least we’re prepared.” The duo left the penthouse and traveled down toward the vehicle bay of the occupied Domina headquarters. Instead of Domina gravidynes, the bay was filled with white Navy ALATs. As ranking officers, the two had the authority to embark any one of them, and they took off over the city. There was no low-level haze, so the Understory was clearly visible. Despite its name and connotations, the urban sprawl beneath the skyrises glittered a multitude of colors as their ALAT passed overhead. Kyora guided the vehicle down between the high-rises well below the colossal towers—hundreds of meters tall in their own right—but rather than being pillars of beauty and authority like those imposing arcologies, these structures of the Understory were like their roots; tendrils; feces. The Understory was a jungle. Its vines were lumigraphic—a tangled mass of lumionic advertisements blinking and flashing from building to building all pining for attention. Giant lumigraphs of naked men and women danced, enticing onlookers with the promise of sexual pleasure in exchange for money. Various controlled substances in the Federation were being advertised here like candy. “Isn’t it beautiful?” Kyora said. Her tone almost sounded genuine. “You’re the last person I thought I would hear that from,” Virn replied. Kyora told her, “It’s a beautiful decay, to watch a purely capitalist system implode upon itself. But then again, that’s what Mirida is, isn’t it?” “I suppose.” “Nature strives for a balance,” Kyora continued, piloting the craft with her neural interface. “A balance between intake and expenditure, between predator and prey, light and dark, liberty and authority. But here, it’s a land of extremes. Extreme wealth, extreme poverty, extreme darkness. It’s conditions like this that allow people like Eclipse to exist. We’re getting close.” Kyora raised the craft out of the trenches between the buildings and guided it toward the landing area at the top of one of the taller high-rises, a bit removed from the detritus farther below. When the roof and sides retracted and the two of them emerged, a man in a dark coat and lime green lumionic vest approached them. “Are you authorized to park here?” the man shouted at them. “Virn, if you wouldn’t mind,” Kyora said. Virn approached the parking attendant, produced a lumigraph with her identification on it, and showed it to the man. He grabbed it, looked at it, and taken aback, said, “Wew, alright. You ladies have a good night.” It was actually closer to 1100 standard, but with humanity living on a myriad of planets spread across thousands of lightyears, none of them were ever in sync with standard time except for most of the Sister Worlds. The duo left the parking attendant and their parked ALAT and walked toward a lift that would take them down into the building. Going on just what was on the Subnet, Virn was surprised at Kyora’s directional intuition. She led the both of them right to a door that matched what was available online. After pressing a finger to a lumigraphic button on the door frame, the Elestan waited. And waited. She pressed the button again, and then she heard a female voice within. “Go away.” “Doctor Darlok?” Kyora asked. “It’s Eclipse.” The phantom glanced at her partner and winked, erasing the Federation Triangles and other markings from her armor and changing its color to black. Virn followed suit, changing her armor to match. “W-what are you doing here?” came the voice. It grew louder as the person approached the door from the other side. Finally, the door slid open, but just enough to see a feminine Exan face completely devoid of hair. Her green scalp was bald and smooth, shining in the light of the outside corridor. She had no eyebrows, and no evidence that she ever had them. She saw Kyora’s face, and she said, “A-am I in trouble?” “You will be if you don’t open this door,” Kyora told her. The bald Exan complied, and the door slid away to reveal her dark suite. The Auroras noticed that Darlok was only wearing a white lab coat, and it wasn’t completely fastened, so her bare genitals flashed depending on how she moved her body. Darlok moved away from the door, allowing the Auroras to enter behind her. “Pardon the mess,” she told them as she slinked away. To say that the suite was a mess was a gross understatement. Kyora and Virn kicked away the plastic and paper trash littering the floor that Darlok simply stepped over with her bare feet. Furniture emerged from the filth like statues carved out of mountains, and on every elevated surface sat a menagerie of every kind of container or packaging or paperwork under the stars. The only light came from beyond the door that just closed behind them, the dim light streaming out from an open doorway deep within the suite, the now red lights emanating from their suits that had been orange, and the lumigraphs representing scribbles and figures that covered the walls from floor to ceiling like neon blue cave graffiti. “Can you get the lights?” Kyora asked. Virn turned around, saw a lumigraphic interface, and adjusted the lighting in the room until it was at a level that they could truly see the grotesque filth. Darlok reappeared from around the corner and, covering her face with her arm, said, “A-ah! Please! It burns!” The eccentric Exan moved back behind the wall, shielding herself from the light. “Darlok,” Kyora said, sounding annoyed. “Totality.” “It burns to live!” Darlok cried as if in mortal distress. Kyora sighed and said, “Do as she says.” Virn lowered the lights again, and Darlok reemerged from behind the corner. “T-thank you.” After pausing to collect herself, she asked, “You mentioned… Totality?” Kyora said, “I did. Mind explaining it for me?” “But you are the mastermind!” Darlok said. “Totality is your brainchild.” “Darlok,” Kyora said, “I need you to explain it to Dusk.” “A-are you Dusk?” Darlok asked Virn as the two Exans locked gazes. “Yes,” Virn replied, playing along. Darlok said, “I don’t know why you waste my time, but if it serves you, so be it. Where to start, where to start… ah! The Mistress Eclipse sought me out, because I could do something for her no one else could. You see, she is the last of her, u-uh, so-called batchmates. Isn’t that right, Eclipse?” Kyora simply nodded, and she hoped that Darlok could see it in the dim light. “Eclipse wants to recreate her sisters in her image. Cloning is too slow. Very, very too slow. She wants to raise an army in her likeness quickly—as quickly as one can create coffee on a fabricator.” Darlok pointed to the fabricator nearby; one of the only surfaces left clean as it was likely Darlok’s only means of sustenance. “With that, she can keep her grip on power with an army of powerful Elestan warriors like herself. That is Totality. Fitting name for an overlord like Eclipse. Y-you may need to seek new employment if I am successful. I-I have an opening for an assistant.” “But,” Virn started, “no one has been able to ever produce a living person from a REMASS system.” “No, not yet,” Darlok noted in a conniving tone. “I will be the first!” she screamed. “This world will tremble at the powers of a living goddess of life and death!” Virn winced, but then she asked, “How are you going to accomplish this?” There was a pause, and then Darlok said, “Mutating genetic algorithm.” “It’s just that simple?” Virn asked. “You’ll keep fabricating bodies until one works?” “All I need is for it to work once,” Darlok explained. In a whisper, the crazed scientist said, “The algorithm is ready for you.” She summoned a lumigraphic packet of information and flicked it toward Kyora. “Take this with you when you go. Everything else is ready for you in the old Unit headquarters.” “Thank you,” Kyora said as she took the packet. “Please take me with you,” Darlok pleaded. “I want to see my creation firsthand.” The bald Exan retreated, and a minute later she returned wearing what looked like civilian REMASS boots and a cloak that covered her from her head to her knees. Her head was beneath a hood, and her eyes were obscured by dark lumigraphic shades. “I am ready.” Kyora and Virn looked at each other, and then Kyora said, “Let’s go.” She led the group back up to the top of the building. As they walked, Virn could smell the hint of something fresh and clean. She turned back and saw Darlok right behind her, but she couldn’t believe it was that insane woman who couldn’t even be bothered to maintain a clean abode. The three of them emerged on the roof, walked by the parking attendant, and as they stepped toward the parked ALAT, Virn hastily changed its exterior to match their black Accellus suits. Virn hoped that Darlok hadn’t seen anything with those shades being worn in the dead of Mirida’s night. After they all climbed aboard, Kyora once again piloted the craft using her NI and they took off above the bright, lumigraphic sea of the Understory. “Do you know where you’re going?” Virn thought to Kyora. Kyora continued to pilot the craft as if she didn’t hear it, so the Exan tapped her friend’s leg. “What is it?” Kyora whispered. “Do you know where you’re going?” Virn asked in a whisper. “Of course,” Kyora said. “How could I ever forget a place like that?” The ALAT cruised high above the city. The lumionics faded the further from the city’s center they traveled. Darlok was curled up on the seats in the back of the craft, taking advantage of the completely smooth ride—a feeling provided by cabingrav. Kyora could have braked the craft hard, and not one of them would have felt it because of cabingrav maintaining a constant one g in the direction of the gravidyne’s floor. After about what felt like an hour of travel, the ALAT approached what looked like another bright population center. However, as they descended, the two of them could see a tall, dark mass looming over the otherwise lit surroundings. “That’s it,” Kyora whispered to Virn, trying not to wake the eccentric. “This?” Virn asked. “It looks so ominous.” Kyora explained, “It’s been abandoned since Domina rose up and vanquished Unit a century ago.” “You almost sound proud of that,” Virn noted. “The reason this building still stands today is because Unit built it like a fortress.” Kyora piloted the craft into what the OPELs that formed the ALAT’s forward windscreen showed to them was a dark, empty vehicle bay, tall enough and wide enough to house a pair of small starships. As a matter of fact, one was still there, hovering in place as if its ODECs were still working. Virn watched it as they slowly passed it, realizing that it was actually a Domina vessel. “Looks like Domina is here,” Virn warned. “I wouldn’t have expected any less,” Kyora said. “You’re fine as long as you’re with me.” Kyora set the craft down on the dusty floor of the hangar bay, waited for the top and sides to be recalled, and she swung around the open craft to stand before the sleeping Exan. “Time to wake up,” Kyora said, pushing Darlok’s head. Darlok swatted her hand away, and then, realizing where they were, shot up from the back seats and sprang out of the vehicle. Virn’s corneal lumes revealed the presence of a handful of Domina soldiers clustered near the parked Domina frigate over a hundred meters away, but they seemed to be wholly disinterested in the ALAT. The three ventured forth into the bowels of that old fortress, guided only by their Accellus’ corneal lumes and subtle radar and lidar for guidance. Darlok felt for Virn’s hand and grasped it. Virn reluctantly held it as she walked with Kyora through those dark halls. Their footsteps splashed into puddles of water as they ventured forth. Drips sprinkled from the ceiling in spots, plopping into the standing pools below. Despite the superior construction of the tower, it had a tendency to collect and retain moisture from the outside. Duralithics were resistant to this perpetual hydration—able to stand for countless millennia through nature’s ceaseless onslaught. Once again, Virn was at a loss for Kyora’s navigational skills. She asked her friend how she knew her way so keenly, and Kyora responded by saying that though it had been ages, this was her home. Eventually, they found light streaming from an open archway down a wide corridor. Turning the corner, the group arrived at a large room which could have been anything back then. Now, lumionics shined toward an array of large machines all connected by thick hoses and cables, and in the middle unit was a naked woman who looked exactly like Kyora appearing frozen in stasis. Darlok emerged from behind Virn and, removing her lumigraphic shades, said, “Wait. Who is that?” “That?” Kyora said, pointing. “I thought you were going to put yourself through the process,” Darlok insisted. “Did you find another of your batchmates? Would have been wise, since the scanning process rips you to shreds.” “I actually did,” Kyora explained, “and I thought she was dead, but then she reappeared like a phantom, prancing around my penthouse suite, so I took her.” Virn slowly turned to Kyora. “That’s right,” she continued. “The one you’ve been with since earlier has been Eclipse in the flesh.” Eclipse turned back toward the Kyora in stasis and said. “I’m so fortunate that she is so infatuated with me. I had to seize on that, don’t you understand? I cannot afford to die.” “Why, you,” Virn growled. As she fabricated her weapon, Eclipse spoke. “I wouldn’t if I were you. A single thought of mine starts this experiment.” Eclipse didn’t hesitate. She triggered the scanner, and the machine began disintegrating Kyora’s scalp. “Oops. Too late.” “Damn you,” Virn said, pointing an assault driver at Eclipse’s head. “You stop this abomination right now!” “Too late!” Eclipse repeated as she tilted her head toward the chamber. Half of Kyora’s head was gone. Darlok watched in awe as the scan progressed. “High throughput scanning,” Darlok stated. “Must destroy original to capture its information in its entirety. She lives in the digital realm now.” Still pointing her weapon at Eclipse, Virn’s eyes teared up as the Kyora’s head disappeared. Forced to watch her friend’s body be ripped apart, atom for atom, she slowly collapsed to the dank floor of the dim room, slamming her knees onto the wet duralithic floor. Virn’s sobs couldn’t cut through the noise of the loud scanner. The weapon fell out of her hands, and she clasped her face with her bodysuited hands. In a minute or two, Kyora ceased to exist. All of her material scattered to the wind. “Now,” Eclipse said, “we get to see if this mutating algorithm of yours works.” Eclipse recreated the packet and plugged it into the software represented as another lumigraph hovering before her. She commanded the REMASS units to engage, and all of them sprang to life in a moment. Immediately, they began fabricating replicates of Kyora’s body, holding the materialized parts of the body in place with lumionics while the rest took form, working from the feet up to the head. “You know,” Eclipse spoke loudly over sound of the machines, “I don’t appreciate your captain lying to me about Kyora’s death. I actually did believe her, only for the fact that Kyora would have rather died than be reunited with me. I’m not blind to the truth. I am the truth. I know how Kyora feels about me. But now, she will be mine forever.” The first series completed fabrication. The lumionics disengaged, and the lifeless bodies, all resembling Kyora, collapsed on that cold, hard, duralithic floor. “Stop this!” Virn cried at the top of her lungs. “If you want to have any chance of seeing your friend alive again,” Eclipse shouted, “you’d best wait for these machines to find that elusive Spark of Life.” Eclipse turned to Darlok, still admiring the perpetual churning of meat, and said, “This better damn well work.” “O-oh, it will,” Darlok said. Series three collapsed out of the fabricators, falling upon the bodies of the two others just before it. Twenty-one copies now rested at the feet of the seven fabricators, dead on arrival. Series four came, and this time, two of the bodies stumbled forward a bit, and then slid off the growing pile of Elestan flesh. For Virn, it was the torture of watching her friend be recreated and die over and over and over. Series six. One of the bodies crawled over the corpses, looked Virn in the eyes, and gasped. Then it succumbed to the same fate. Virn growled as a pair of bright, white, geometric, incorporeal wings spread out from behind her back. The REMASS units continued to fabricate as Virn stood up. Her SIRAC and polyalloy melted off of her skin that changed to a light metallic gold, and her hair to a darker gold. Virn flashed her eyes at Eclipse—those eyes erupting with an undeniable radiance—and Eclipse shuddered. Backing away from the transformed Aurora, she asked, “What the fuck are you?” Virn took one step toward her, and then another, with one foot placed right in front of the other. “I am Veris, archanima,” Veris thought with a distraught tone to both Eclipse and Darlok. Darlok screamed and took off down the dark corridor, and noticing this, Veris froze the eccentric Exan in time, stopping her in her tracks. As for Eclipse, she continued to approach. “I am the light that scatters the darkness. No shadow can hide from Her Radiance.” Veris wrapped her exposed, metallic body in light that lit every part of the tower in a glow far more intense than the sun. Eclipse tried to block out the blinding light with her hands clasped over her face, but it was no use. All shadows were kept at bay by the light of Alassura. “Stay away from me!” Eclipse cried. Veris thought, “Your wickedness ends here!” and she began to rip Eclipse apart from the outside. The Elestan’s skin burned away as she collapsed to the ground, and even those Domina guards within the building, and the frozen Darlok, found themselves succumbing to the same fate. “It is not the place of mortal beings to exercise power over the sanctity of life and death! Those that do deserve judgement by that same Fire of Creation that they seek to enthrall!” “No! Please!” Eclipse cried as her muscles were exposed to the air, a sensation of pain far exceeding anything a person should ever be allowed to feel. Eclipse evaporated into nothingness, scattered into the air like Kyora just before. Then, the fabricators stopped. Six of the seven bodies collapsed like the others, but one stumbled forth blindly, tripping over the bodies that it could not see in Veris’ radiant light. Kyora crawled across the floor, her naked skin dragging through the puddles of water. After Veris’ light faded, she saw the archanima standing there in all her glory, and she asked, “Am I dead?” Veris ran toward her coughing friend and said, “Far from it!” The archanima shed a glowing tear from her burning eyes as she pulled the helpless Elestan up from the ground and embraced her. Veris’ body was warm and comforting to Kyora’s cold skin. The Federation had a longstanding moratorium on the fabrication of life by remote material synthesis or any other omnium-reliant, matter manipulation system. The impact on Civilized Space would be so great, and the danger so unimaginable, that they had even convinced the Republic and Alliance, all rivals at the time that the moratorium was brought into effect, not to pursue it. Far older scientific literature, especially those that survived the collapse of the ancient Miridan Empire, hinted at the existence of a “Spark of Life,” a hidden ingredient to make the replication or fabrication of living, complex metazoans possible. Plants and animals were the subjects of obsessed scientists for millennia, caking the path to a societal revolution in blood. The most ethically depraved among them sought the Holy Grail of reproductive technology: the simplicity of printing out living people as effortlessly one prints pictures on a page or creates starships from industrial REMASS. Somehow, that Doctor Darlok had climbed over her own mountain of corpses, and with a bit of luck, emerged to a realization that finally worked—bred out of a mind rife with illness—, and here was the result, wrapped in Veris’ arms. Had Veris not hesitated and destroyed this kind of blasphemous technology that she had been called to do, Kyora would have vanished forever—another body in the pile of progress toward the goal shared by those with the ambitions manifesting from a god-complex. Veris knelt down with Kyora, pushed Kyora’s face into her chest, and wrapped the entire building in light. In a flash outside of time, the entire Unit fortress disappeared, and she and Kyora were nowhere to be seen. “How are you doing?” Virn asked. Kyora opened her eyes which were pierced by the lumionic lighting overhead. The Elestan closed them and reopened them, trying to readjust to the light. “Where am I?” Kyora asked, tilting her head toward the Exan sitting over her, stroking her white hair. “We’re on a Federation carrier above Mirida,” Virn explained. “I carried you back here.” “What happened?” Kyora tilted her head back to where it had rested and closed her eyes. “We found Eclipse.” “Did I kill her?” she asked, clearing her throat. “It was a battle for the ages,” Virn smiled. “Well damn,” Kyora said. “I wish I could remember it.” After breathing deeply, she said, “I’m glad we got her.” “I am too,” Virn said. A tear streamed down her face. “I am too.” Posted in Short Stories \| Leave a reply After enduring two months of living in an offworld memory clinic at Fiori’s request, and another two months of readjusting to daily life alongside planning her marriage, Xannissa’s father, a tall Elestan with jet black hair and neutral skin, led his daughter down the aisle. She was dressed in a light blue gown, and her head was covered beneath a veil. Standing at the altar with the minister was Aedan, dressed in a suit that was also a light blue. When asked why she wanted a light blue wedding, Xannissa had mentioned that it wasn’t white, and white was the color she wore daily in the Navy. Instead of her ponytail, her straight, dark blue hair flowed down her back beneath her veil. Her bridesmaids—Atara, Sesh, and her sister Cylenna—flanked the minister on his right. Aedan was on his left, and behind him were Kyle, Rom, and one of Aedan’s old coworkers and friends, Leo. Xannissa’s misty-eyed father let her ascend the steps to the altar, and she walked forward, turned to face Aedan, and smiled. He beamed back at her, and couldn’t take his eyes off of the beautiful Elestan before him. The minister looked at them both, and then to the audience he reminded that this was a ceremony to acknowledge the sacred matrimony of two entwined souls. All those gathered there would bear witness to the vows they made to each other and to the Creator. This minister in particular, a firm believer in the power of marriage, proclaimed that the bond formed here was eternal, and could never be broken—should never be broken—from that day forward. Not wealth, nor health, nor other hardships could break their solemn vows. The only way to undo their union was death, and until then, they were each other’s to love and cherish for as long as they should live. The minister presented a ring made of a platinum alloy, a symbol of the vow, and offered it to Aedan. The Terran took it in his hand and slid the ring on Xannissa’s outstretched, cool gray finger, the third from her thumb on her left hand. After this, the minister offered Xannissa a similar ring, and she placed it on Aedan’s finger. The minister then allowed Xannissa to remove her veil, and they shared a kiss on the lips for all to see, followed by applause. The evening saw a reception sponsored by none other than the generous Kyle Korrell, there with his Elestan wife Talme and three teenaged Elestan daughters. Cylenna became the center of attention among a group of younger attendees accusing her of being the Spectre of racing fame. Attempting to do her younger sister a favor, Cylenna tried to deny it, but when one of the men of the group revealed a lumigraph of the nude pictures she took on Vandos with the Republic’s Hammer, she quickly closed it—one of the rare moments she actually tried to be modest before a group of fans. In order to appease them, she offered to sign autographs for them after most of the reception guests had disappeared. Rom’s wife Deya was well, having fully recovered from the mysterious disease that had gripped her gynoid body. Except for Atara, Xannissa, Aedan, and Rom, none of the other guests were the wiser with regard to Deya’s biology, or lack thereof. Also attending was Lieren who apologized on her father’s and Namara’s behalf for not being present. According to her, time had become a precious luxury that the Military would not let them waste, so they had sent Lieren on a mission to capture as much of the wedding as possible. Xannissa assured the cadet that the lumigrapher Kyle helped them hire would do his job well, and that she would share the lumigraphs with everyone in attendance when she received them. As the event was coming to its conclusion, Aedan and Xannissa left the building with their circle of close friends. Hovering just outside was a luxury gravidyne waiting to carry them into Lanan’s orbit. The newlyweds exchanged hugs, kisses, handshakes, and pats on the back before climbing into the light blue vehicle. Once the top was sealed, the aerocar climbed upward into the clear, sunny sky. … “… the new Cycline Six line of luxury gravidynes. Fly in comfort within the spacious interior…” the wall-spanning lumigraph droned on. Atara was seated in the dining area behind the low wall separating the couch and living area on the other side. Today, like most days, she had the OPELs next to her open to the balcony that overlooked the verdant plaza below. Spread out around where she sat was a combination of Naval intelligence documents, officer evaluations, and a Subnet browser. Next to her sat the remains of her breakfast: two dishes, a couple of utensils, and an empty mug, all two hours old. Her new life was reflected in the markings on her standard uniform bodysuit: the rank insignia of a rear admiral. Despite being on a station orbiting Lanan, her quarters were far larger than they had been on the surface despite the fact that she now lived alone. There came a ping from the door, and Atara hid all of her lumigraphs, including the one playing endless commercials between snippets of news. After carrying her dirty dishes to the recycling receptacle, she headed for the door and opened it. Standing there to meet her were Xannissa and Aedan—the former in her usual Navy bodysuit and short jacket and the latter wearing a civilian REMASS outfit. Atara hugged them both, and after inviting them to come in, she asked, “How was the honeymoon?” “Unforgettable,” Xannissa said as she and Aedan stood in her living room. “Elestus is more beautiful than I remember.” “We had an amazing time,” Aedan told Atara while glancing at his wife. “We stayed at a resort on the coast of the warm Southern Ocean. There was a festival going on where we had a chance to partake in some of the ancient culture, which is what I found fascinating.” “Lots of sorrelin,” Xannissa noted. “Seemed a fitting end after serving on the Kela Sorrelin.” “Please, have a seat,” Atara told them as she moved toward the couch. The rear admiral took her seat on the right, Aedan on the left, and Xannissa in the middle. “There were women there showing off the intricate armor they made with the sorrelin scales,” Aedan explained. “I have a lume of Xannissa trying one on.” He produced it and showed it to Atara. When Xannissa saw it, she remembered. “Yeah,” Xannissa expressed. “Seems like the ancients only tended to cover their upper bodies.” “Stop it,” Xannissa said playfully. Aedan closed the lume and said, “We took a daytrip to Kaielus.” “Beautiful moon,” Xannissa noted. “They have a megaplex there that would put Blue Road to shame.” The group talked and viewed lumes for the next two hours. As the conversation ebbed and flowed, Atara found it increasingly bittersweet. Her service partner was married, and though the partnership did not end, Xannissa would be spending the majority of her days with Aedan now. In that moment, Atara forgot that the Q-comm link would remain, and she would be able to speak to her friend from anywhere at any time, but life would never be the same. Before she knew it, she was at the door of her suite with the two newlyweds. Xannissa said, “I’ll try to come up here and see you as often as I can.” “Don’t make any extra time for me,” Atara said, smiling despite her sadness. “If anyone should be taking the time, it should be me.” “We’ll just be right down there,” Aedan told her. “We’re just a lumigraph away.” “You two be safe getting back, okay?” “We will,” Xannissa assured her. “I love you, Atara.” The Elestan reached out and hugged her lifelong Terran friend. Atara’s eyes watered, but she held back the rest of her emotion. “We’ll see you again soon,” Aedan said, reaching out for a hug as well, and Atara embraced him. “You take care of Xannissa for me,” Atara told him. “She’s precious to me,” Aedan whispered. Xannissa stated, “Should have told me to take care of him.” She grinned as she fabricated a handgun and held it up to her face, pointing it toward the ceiling, before quickly recalling it again. “I’m in good hands, for sure,” Aedan noted. “We love you, Atara. Bye!” “Goodbye! Be safe!” The couple exited the suite and the door closed behind them. Atara stood there for a moment, alone in her quite room. She moved slowly toward her dining table and resummoned all the lumigraphs she hid previously. It wasn’t twenty minutes into her work when another lumigraph appeared. “Captain Korrell?” The voice asked. “Who is this?” Atara replied. She looked over and saw an Elestan with black hair buns. “Relex?” “Hello Captain! Is it still captain?” “My apologies.” “No problem.” “I actually found a reason to come to Lanan, and I’ll be there in five weeks. How about we gather up those senior officers and have a drink?” “I can’t promise I can get everyone, but I’ll do my best.” “That’s fine. I look forward to meeting you all again.” Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply Kyora stood in the corner with her arms crossed staring into nothing, still wearing her phantom armor. One leg was out farther than the other. Virn sat on the edge of their bed; her upper torso concealed by the short jacket Kyora fabricated for her. The Elestan phantom closed her eyes. The memories were fading like a dream, and she tried to hold onto them as best as she could. “Virn.” “Kyora, please. The memories will fade in time if you let them. Do not pursue this.” “Why not?” “Because some questions are better left unanswered.” “I can’t let this go, Virn! Not after what I saw!” The Exan slowly stood from the bed. After turning to face Kyora with a countenance of anger, she unfastened the short jacket and threw it away. As she did so, those bright, geometric wings reappeared behind her back, and the jacket’s descent slowed until it was frozen in the air. At that same moment, the sounds throughout the ship ceased. Virn’s body changed again to that metallic gold, and her eyes became brilliant flares. Kyora turned to face her friend and asked, “What… are you?” “I am a servant,” Virn thought. “I am the first, second only to Her Radiance.” “Who is her radiance?” “I don’t understand.” Kyora was visibly afraid as she stood face-to-face with this being who resembled her partner in form only. “I am Veris, archanima. Taste the power that courseth through me and despair.” Veris wrapped herself in pure light and the room blinded Kyora. She tried to shield her eyes but this light could not be stopped by mere eyelids. Every shadow disappeared before the light she gave. “How!” Kyora yelled as she was brought to the floor. “There are forces at work in this universe beyond your wildest imagination. It is not a child’s place to know the will of her master.” Veris pulled her friend up from the floor, held Kyora’s face to her own, and said, “Our time has not yet come. Remember this no longer, and be at peace.” Virn rolled over in their shared bed. Kyora was fast asleep, legs beneath the blankets. The Exan Aurora brought herself close to the Elestan’s body and stroked her light hair. Kyora would have no recollection of the power that Virn could wield, and that was all the better. A new set of Accellus boots sat next to Kyora’s, and Virn wore new bracers around her wrists. Just then, Virn could feel a disturbance, like a pulse, fire off from the ecksivar sample deep within the ship. She left Kyora alone, and she crept out from beneath the covers as not to disturb her partner. After she slid her feet into her boots, she left their quarters and sheathed herself in standard uniform outside the room. The corridors were darkened to simulate the night hours. She took the nearest lifts and traveled down to omnimology. Virn peered into the OPELs and looked across the dark lab. No one was around this early in the morning. Using her authority as lieutenant colonel of the Kelsor’s Auroras, the Exan entered. She kept the lights off, relying on the lumionics of the outside corridor shining into the lab to see. In the middle of the room, near where the hollowed sphere had been from Namara’s use of the jump drone, the canister sat upon the bench. Virn bent down toward it, made the outer wall transparent, and looked inside. The crystal within was completely enveloped in shadow. Virn summoned a lumionic light that floated next to her, but the light could not penetrate the field of darkness around the ecksivar sample. That field of darkness radiated out farther from the crystal than it ever had before, canceling out the light that Virn provided. If she just channeled more of her anima energy, she could pull back the shadowy curtain, but seeing it as it was now was enough for her. She realized that things were already being set into motion that could not be stopped. Virn made the walls of the container opaque once again and left the lab, heading back up to her quarters. Many days later, Naret slowed the synerdrive as the Kelsor approached Mirida’s system. As the star brightened and the system spread out before them, the triumvirate aboard the bridge noticed the significant presence of Federation Navy vessels now stationed there. Most of them were clustered around Mirida itself. Xannissa contacted Kyora over lumigraph and gave the phantom the sensor data, and she was speechless. She and Virn traveled to the bridge as quickly as they could, and they arrived before the Kelsor made it to the gate hub. “Unbelievable,” Kyora noted as she saw all of the Navy ships scattered around. Atara said, “It looks like Domina is being put in check.” “It won’t be that easy, unless you find and kill Deminesse.” “I guess that’s where you’re going after we dock,” Sesh said. “Absolutely,” Kyora replied. Later that evening, the Kelsor floated above that lush moon Lanan—a white starship above her deep blue oceans and verdant green forests. In the distance hung that gentle giant Akos V with its brilliant rings shining in the light of the Akos star. Naret propelled the ship toward Tetra 5, the largest of the orbital stations ringing the moon. Carefully, and with the help of the adjunct, the lieutenant parked the ship next to one of the station’s internal docking ports that was as wide as the battlecruiser’s own hangar bay airscreens. “Docking confirmed,” came the dockmaster. Upon hearing this, the bridge officers, including Atara, Sesh, and Xannissa, applauded. Rather than join them in their applause, Naret breathed a sigh of relief. She turned her chair around and watched the triumvirate, waiting for any additional orders as a feeling of wellbeing overcame her—her body’s reward from returning from the mission unscathed. Namara told the group of Auroras, “That ecksivar sample doesn’t leave my sight. Do you understand?” “Yes ma’am,” said the leader of the group. Meanwhile, Souq and Lieren walked up to Namara, and Souq said, “Sayn?” “Quen? What is it?” “Lieren’s going back with her cadet group,” Souq explained. “I thought we could just say a quick goodbye for her.” “Come here,” Namara beckoned kindly to the young Larissian, and the two of them hugged each other. “I’m going to miss you.” “I’ll miss you, too,” Lieren told her. “Don’t forget to give your father a hug, too,” Souq said, and he and his daughter clutched each other. “I love you,” she told him. “I love you, too, sweetheart.” They let go of each other and Lieren walked to the door of the lab, but before she left, she turned around and waved to them. After Souq, Namara, and a couple of the other scientists waved back, she departed the Kelsor’s lab for the last time. The triumvirate made its way down to the hangar to oversee the safe and orderly disembarkation of the starmen and Auroras from the starship. Those three were always among the last to leave, and they stood there in the midst of the flow of personnel. Xannissa was grabbed from behind by a passing crewmember, and she felt a kiss land on her cheek. “How is my little sister doing?” Cylenna said, refusing to let go. “Why are you always so clingy?” Xannissa asked, trying to remove Cylenna’s arms. “I’m just expressing my affection. You staying here until everyone else is gone?” “That’s part of the job.” Releasing her sister from her embrace, Cylenna said, “Would you like to go out for dinner later?” “If you don’t mind waiting until late tonight, and if you don’t mind having Atara and Sesh along, and Aedan.” “Aedan’s here?” “Aedan lives on Lanan now.” “Splendid! I’ll see you later!” Cylenna gave her sister a parting kiss before joining the droves leaving the ship. “I guess we have a dinner date,” Sesh stated. “We do now,” Xannissa said. “Where would you like to go?” “I guess I’m fine with anything,” Sesh told her. “I am, too,” Atara said. As the triumvirate stood there, they saw Kyora and Virn approach. The two Aurora leaders were seeing their own personnel off. Xannissa waved to the two of them, and Virn brought Kyora with her, forming a group of five. “Captain,” Kyora said, looking Atara in the eyes, “it was an honor to serve with you.” “Likewise,” Atara said. She and the phantom shook hands, and then the two Auroras traded handshakes with the triumvirate. “I guess there’s no way I could change your mind?” “About going after Deminesse?” Kyora replied. “No. I have to end it.” “I see,” Atara said. “I wish you all the best.” “Thank you, Atara.” She paused before saying, “I’ve thought a lot about what you’ve said, and I realize you were right. I need to protect Civilized Space from Deminesse, but the only way I can do that is to kill her.” Xannissa asked, “Will we be able to keep in touch?” “I’ll let you know when my job is done,” Kyora assured them. As they talked, a Yeran with crimson skin and black hair approached them flanked by two armored Auroras. Drawing near, she said, “Captain Korrell?” “Madam,” Atara replied, noticing the rank insignias on her standard uniform. “It is a pleasure to meet you all,” said the Yeran. “I am Fifth Fleet Admiral Tokeri Keva.” The admiral reached out with her hand, and each of the five women shook it. Atara looked confused, so Keva explained, “I was promoted after the scandal with Musani. On behalf of the Admiralty and the Federation, I sincerely apologize for the grief that Musani and Aesho put you through.” Atara said, “With all due respect, I want actions, not words, admiral.” “I understand that, captain. You have my word that I will not let this rest.” It was now close to midnight, but the sun was only setting, as it would be for the next day or two. Only half of Akos V was immediately visible, shedding light into the oranges of the sky. Aedan and Cylenna greeted the party of three as they stepped out of the gravidyne they hired to deliver them to the tower housing the restaurant. The lumionics of the adjacent towers of downtown Farence shined through the transit hub’s airscreens in Akos’ retreating light. Cylenna, never wanting to miss an opportunity to show off, had been standing with Aedan in her enlisted formals sans her bodysuit—wearing only the white shawl draped over her white vest, and the black tie with its inverted tip swaying above the sparkling stone in her navel. Ignoring her older sister for the moment, Xannissa wrapped her arms around her fiancé. They embraced each other’s actual bodies for the first time in months. “I’m home!” she told him, gripping his back. “Welcome home,” he whispered, his arms around her waist. After greeting one another, the group followed the half-naked Cylenna through one of the open archways toward the restaurant. “After hearing the charges against you,” said the federal judge in the private courtroom, “how do you plead?” Musani said, “Not guilty.” Later that day, Musani met with Aesho one last time. Given thirty minutes to see the blonde Terran from behind a lumionic screen, she said, “Why’d you do it?” “FedSec found me out,” Aesho told the former fleet admiral. “They found me out after Cassandra. You made me kill my friend.” “I thought you were loyal to me,” Musani told her. “We’re both going static for this for a very, very long time. We’re going to get out to a changed world.” “And where’s Cassandra going to be? What about all those people killed before and during Crimson Aegis? We’re getting off easy, you and I. FedSec gave me an ultimatum. Justice caught up to us. It always would. I’ve been promised about fifty years of servitude.” “So about two-hundred in static?” “No, fifty. About twelve-and-a-half if I give myself over to science.” Musani clicked her tongue against the roof of her mouth. She looked away from Aesho and said, “I was building a better Federation.” “Keep telling yourself that,” Aesho said. “You might actually have an interesting defense.” After Aesho said this, she stood up from her chair and departed the distraught former fleet admiral. Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply Taretes, embarrassed at his failure to deliver the ecksivar sample and at his disfigured face, had clothed himself in a black cloak and mask as he walked through the lavish halls of the Corporate Alliance’s administrative headquarters, the Offices of the Executive Consortium, on the planet of Central deep in Alliance space. His personal bodyguards had been replaced by professional Alliance soldiers. The Alliance Military is a mishmash of units all provided by the myriad of sovereign subsidiaries beneath the hegemonic Consortium. Some of the sovereign corporations, like the Gedesse Union, Ven-Verandin, and Notandis contract other, non-sovereign companies to provide trained mercenaries. Others, like the Mirvanda Corporation, the Jeska Group, and Tarsaan Manufacturing build and field cheap robotic armies while a few like Ferralon Incorporated, the Rayzac Conglomerate, Omnimax, and Olara Corporation pride themselves on the expensive clone elites they breed for battle: the universal CE-9 “Jynnore” line of elite Zelnaran monotemplate clones. And then there are those like Dorf and Sarok Enterprises that stoop to slave conscription, but those slaves are never seen in the halls of the Consortium. Taretes found himself flanked by the expensive Jynnore clones in their dark green Ralvex armor that looked like a knockoff of the Federation’s Accellus. The group passed similar guards that could have been confused for stasis models for how still they were. Of course, they may have very well been—guards in stasis, saving money by being frozen, ready to be released at a moment’s notice to do their jobs. The Jynnores led the distraught elsheem emperor through a set of large doors. The doors slowly retracted, and on the other side was a room in the shape of a large dome with skylights above through which the orange evening sky shined down upon the giant circular table occupying the middle of that giant room. The room, which Tarates assumed was the main chamber of the Alliance’s Executive Council, was surrounded by stepped stands that made the chamber resemble a small stadium. There, standing beside the furthest chair across the room, was the chief executor, or chancellor, of the whole of the Corporate Alliance: an unassuming, handsome Zelnaran man dressed in a lavish suit that demanded respect but whispered elegance. The elites stopped, and the Zelnaran shouted in his smooth voice, “Taretes! Emperor Taretes! Pleasure to have you in these chambers.” “Chancellor Redolain,” Taretes replied in Miri, bowing, “I wish I were meeting you under better circumstances.” “I prefer Supreme Executor if you don’t mind,” Redolain said. “Ladies, you are free to go.” The soldiers turned around and headed toward the exit. “Come with me,” he beckoned to the elshe, and he turned toward the back of the room. When Taretes caught up with him, he said, “Let’s talk in my suite.” “Lord Thrassus told me I would meet him here.” “Don’t worry, Taretes. You’ll meet him.” The supreme executor led the taller elshe to another set of doors and down another corridor with stasis guards. Down at the end was his private suite that resembled a palace given its copious space and luxurious décor. Water flowed into golden baths, and the water’s disturbed surface reflected toward the high ceiling beyond the balcony of his bedroom. Naked Zelnaran women bathed in the warm water and greeted him when he returned. “I admire this place,” Taretes said as he dropped his hood and removed his mask to take in the decadent display of wealth and power. “You should see the moon I own,” Redolain laughed. “This pales in comparison.” “I imagine it does.” “So, are you ready to meet Thrassus?” “I am. What about those women?” “They are of no consequence,” Redolain said. With a thought, everything within the room but himself and Taretes was locked into lumionic stasis. The bathers stood motionless in the paused water. “I guess they don’t know who you really are, then,” Taretes suggested. “Smart elshe,” Redolain replied. “I am Thrassus.” “You’re not as intimidating in person.” “I call it charm,” Thrassus told him. “So,” Thrassus continued, taking a seat at the large table overlooking the pool, “what happened to that black omnium?” “The so-called ecksivar?” Taretes asked, also taking a seat across from his master. “The very same.” “The Federation tracked us down.” “And?” “There was nothing we could do. I am terribly sorry.” “There are many things you don’t know about me, Taretes,” Thrassus told him. “One of them is that I always, always get what I want. You think you failed? Nonsense. I got exactly what I wanted.” “But what about the ecksivar?” “You touched it, did you not?” “I did, but that was months ago.” “Nanoparticles are still attached to your skin. And that’s all I need.” Taretes lifted his hand and looked intently at it—first his palm and then his dorsum. The elshe started to laugh, and he couldn’t help himself. “I’ve been through shield-scrubbers!” Taretes said through his laughter, contagious enough to infect Thrassus who began to laugh with him. “I know! Sounds ridiculous, right?” Thrassus laughed a little longer, and then the two of them quieted. “The second thing you didn’t know about me,” Thrassus explained, “is that black omnium and I form a kind of… unholy-duality.” He paused to let that fact sink into Taretes’ mind for a moment. “I can see every instance of black omnium in this galaxy, and your hands are coated in it, so you did your job, and you did it well. You brought that… ecksivar to me. But, there is one more thing I need you to do.” “Anything, my lord.” “I would like to borrow your mass.” Taretes sat there for a moment. “What?” “Your mass, Taretes. I need it.” Taretes looked at his palm again, and he noticed tiny black dots in his skin. “What is this?” Taretes asked, but Thrassus stared intently at Taretes hand, enjoying channeling his latent power into the nanoparticles of that black crystal. Taretes shot up and knocked over the chair behind him. Screaming, he tried to peel the chunks of hard crystal off of his hand, but it spread everywhere it touched, and the sensation burned like the fire of Gehenna. The pain struck him down, and the elshe clenched his arm, writhing as the black crystal consumed his arms and crept across his shoulders. Eventually, his head and torso were succumbing to the wicked variety of omnium. With his lungs and face crystallized, Taretes passed away while the rest of his body was devoured before Thrassus. Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply “Auto-destruct initialized. Auto-destruct will engage upon hull-breach. There will be no further warnings.” Kyora, Virn, Velliris, and the band of Auroras that followed them formed up with the other Aurora groups and held the syndicate marauders at bay in defense of ODEC 5. The announcement came to Virn through her helmet—as it did most others—while she was providing cover fire with her shoulder-mounted rotary sustainer. She halted her fire, sat down behind the solid barricade she had been firing from, and looked across the corridor to the entrance of ODEC 5. She knew that if the Kelsor really were to auto-destruct, she and the others were in ground zero, or at least one of the ground zeroes. Each of the six ODECs would cease the normal reactions they sustained to produce energy, and instead they would become reservoirs for antimatter. The ODECs would all reach critical mass at once, and the collective antimatter detonations would leave nothing salvageable behind. Virn knew what that meant for her, but what would happen to Kyora? She would die in an instant, and Virn would never see her again. The Exan recalled her helmet as she sat there pondering what she should do. Obviously, there was nothing to do, but for Virn, it just wasn’t that simple. Kyora knelt next to her and deshrouded. Recalling her own helmet, the Elestan asked, “Is everything okay? Is it about that auto-destruct warning?” “It is,” Virn said, still looking toward the blast doors sealing ODEC 5. She turned to her partner and said, “Remember when I said I’d stop the universe for you? I love you that much, Kyora.” “The cruisers are launching warp missiles and strikecraft,” Sesh said from the tactical station. “They’re going to saturate our RPDS.” “Focus fire on the kicker with our own warp missiles,” Atara commanded. “Continuous fire. Don’t let up until they’re dead.” “Aye,” Sesh said. The information pooled from the Kelsor’s suite of scanners and sensors revealed a battlefield in which the battlecruiser was surrounded by four Domina cruisers, each occupying a point on a tetrahedron. Sesh watched as streams of missiles poured from the cruisers while the Kelsor unleashed her own. As the missiles approached the battlecruiser, her RPDS did its best to eliminate them. Ultimately, the shear number of projectiles overwhelmed the Kelsor’s point-defenses, and the missiles exploded against the starship’s lumionic barriers. “We’re losing lumionic potential,” Sesh warned. “They really want to do this?” Atara noted, watching helplessly as her ship was bombarded. “The kicker is taking hull damage.” “Good.” “We won’t be far off if this keeps up.” And it didn’t stop. As the kicker broke apart, the Kelsor’s barrier failed. Missiles were now hitting the hull, targeting the battlecruiser’s ODECs specifically. Kyora was directing a group of Auroras as blasts rocked the ship, and then, a blinding flash erupted, and it just hung there. Kyora stared into it, as did the other Auroras. Bolts and bullets halted in the air. That was it: the hull breach that the adjunct had warned about. Virn stood up from the barricade surrounded by frozen time. Two bright, incorporeal wings radiated from her back, and her green skin and black hair yielded to light and dark metallic gold, respectively. Her eyes projected the same white light of her wings, and her polyalloy bodysuit and SIRAC armor melted off her body and dripped to the floor. The power surging through her granted power over time itself. Her appearance now was reminiscent of an angel. “I am grateful to you, Your Radiance,” Virn thought in another language as she approached Kyora’s paused body. “I know your heart, Archanima Veris of the Keliafalai,” a woman replied in a voice that would bring anyone else to their knees. “You have always been faithful. I cannot deny your willingness to help those children you have come to cherish.” Alassura, the conduit, allowed her power to flow through Veris’ soul unimpeded. The archanima peered across the ship with a kind of clairvoyance, looking for signs from the other ODECs that they were going critical, but when she saw what was happening in engineering, or at least what had begun to happen, she said, “It was all a ruse.” “Yes,” Alassura said, looking through Veris’ eyes. “If you allow those children around you to escape this blast, they will be saved.” Redirecting Alassura’s power, Veris brought all of the Auroras near ODEC 5 within her temporal reference frame. Kyora and the Auroras with her shielded their eyes from the bright flash and turned around, laying eyes on a golden angel in naked brilliance. “Do not be afraid,” Veris commanded them. “You must run.” She thought to them in that other language, but they all understood it as if she had vocalized Miri. “Virn?” Kyora asked. “Is that you?” “That is the name by which you know me,” Veris thought, looking at the Elestan phantom. Kyora looked away from the angel and saw the bolts and bullets frozen in the air. “What is happening?!” “Trust me,” Veris told her. “You must run.” Most of the other Auroras, including Velliris, had heeded her command and escaped the inevitable blast, but Kyora hesitated. She simply could not believe her eyes. “Kyora!” Kyora retreated deeper into the frozen ship. Once Veris knew that everyone was safely away, she herself retreated, allowing time to slowly tick forward, gradually accelerating until it was once again flowing normally. As it did, the brilliance of her wings and eyes diminished, and when the explosive wave flooded through the ship’s corridors and destroyed ODEC 5, she stood next to Kyora as a phenotypical Exan once again, naked from head to toe. “Mind telling me what the hell that was?” Kyora said as she grabbed Virn’s arms. “I’m sorry, Kyora,” Virn said. “Consider it a miracle, and think upon it no more.” Kyora fabricated a short jacket over her armor, took it off and gave it to the Exan who put it on, concealing her upper torso with it. The phantom then took Virn back to their shared quarters, leaving Velliris to fend for herself. “Atara,” Xannissa thought to the captain through their Q-comms link, “the entire synerdrive system is being disintegrated!” “That’s the auto-destruct override,” Atara assured her. “Was this your plan?” “Of course. Did you think I’d blow us all up?” “The barrage has stopped,” Sesh said, noting the self-destruction of all incoming missiles. Eclipse appeared to them again, saying, “I see you’re still here.” “Indeed we are,” Atara replied, “however, our REMASS is recalling our entire drive system and deleting the designs. We have no more synerdrive to take. One of our brave scientists smuggled the ecksivar into deep space right under your nose, so that’s gone as well, and that blast you just witnessed killed your sister Kyora. I’m afraid our ship has nothing left for you.” Eclipse was now the one staring at Atara, speechless. Atara had succeeded in making the Kelsor sour in the mouth of Domina’s leader. “Fuck you!” Eclipse spat. “You’ll regret wasting my time!” “Jump signature detected,” Sesh announced. It was enough of a surprise to stop Eclipse from speaking as her lieutenants informed her of its appearance as well. “Emergence in three minutes.” “Distance?” “Five-thousand kilometers.” Eclipse said, “I’m afraid this is the end for you. We and the Three Brothers Syndicate will be all over you, and we’ll make a living example out of you for the rest of Thalassia Orionis to witness!” Over the next three minutes, Illeiri guided Souq through the ship until they arrived in the briefing room. There the cadets remained, scarred by the battle. “Lieren?” Souq called out after recalling his helmet. Still gripped by emotion, he looked at each of the cadets, unable to tell which one was his daughter. “I’m over here, dad,” Lieren said, recalling her helmet. Souq walked over to her and knelt down in front of her. Hugging her tightly, he said, “I’m so sorry.” Souq didn’t say anything. She felt his chest gasping, but she heard nothing. Souq was trying to suppress his feelings, but he had experienced too much grief, and so had Lieren. When he felt his daughter begin to sob, he couldn’t hold back any longer. Illeiri left the two of them to be alone with the other cadets and stepped onto the bridge. As she did so, she heard Sesh call out from the tactical station, “Vessel emerging.” “Identify,” Atara demanded. A new lumigraph appeared next to Eclipse’s so that there were now two Elestan faces peering into the Kelsor’s bridge. Admiral Relex was the other, and she saw both Atara and Eclipse through her own lumigraphics. “Surprise, surprise,” Relex said. “I couldn’t sit back and watch this bitch harass you.” Eclipse’s rage was apparent on her face, and she terminated her transmission herself. Atara said, “I thought your flagship had hyperwarp.” “And I thought you’d be more relieved to see me,” Relex noted with displeasure. “I am,” Atara said. “Very much so.” “About this carrier,” Relex explained, “we equip it with hyperwarp for patrols, but if we’re out on missions, like this one, we swap out her entire drive with a jump system so we can sneak up on our prey. As you can see, it’s very effective.” “The Domina cruisers are activating hyperwarp,” Sesh said. “They’re getting away.” “I guess that’s the breaks,” Relex told them. “We haven’t even launched our strikecraft.” “Thank you for coming out here. We would have perished if not for that. I’ll pay you the other fifty million mecred.” “I’d appreciate that.” “If you don’t mind, I have two favors to ask. We need to rebuild our drive, and until then, we’re sitting ducks.” “Did Domina blow up the synerdrive?” “We did, to keep it out of their hands.” “I see. What about the second?” “One of our scientists used a homemade jump drone to carry the ecksivar sample off our ship, so she’s a lightyear away.” “Do you know exactly where she is?” “We’re getting on that now,” Atara said, looking toward Ethis. “You let us know,” Relex said, “and we’ll send one of our corvettes to retrieve her.” “Thank you.” “You owe me another drink. This time with all of your senior officers.” “Why don’t you come to Lanan sometime?” “I’ll think about it.” “Affirmative,” Fiori said. “I am elated to see that the plan was a success.” An Archangel corvette passed through one of the massive airscreens on the dorsal surface of the carrier. After Ethis made contact with Namara, she traced the scientist’s position to within half an AU of her actual location. Atara gave the Archangels this data, and the corvette engaged its hyperwarp system and took off. When the ship had arrived within the general volume, they reached out to Namara themselves, narrowing down her location until they arrived at her drifting body. Namara saw the small ship—large from her point of view—slow as it approached her and the drone. A team of Accellus-clad mercenaries emerged from the ship to aid her, and within a couple of minutes, she and the drone were safely aboard. It wasn’t long after that Souq and Lieren were both embracing her, happy that she had been reunited with them. Velliris returned to the brig, but when she got there, the guards informed her that under captain’s orders, she was free to go. They also told her that she would be assigned her own quarters much in the same way Illeiri had been. In the meantime, Xannissa watched the synerdrive be rebuilt from the floor to the ceiling as she thought about how close she had been to never seeing Aedan’s face again. It would be her job now to make sure that this rebuilt drive would actually work since entire drives were not usually fabricated by a starship’s REMASS while underway. Once the synerdrive was deemed operational, Atara hailed Relex to thank her one last time, and the Kelsor took off again for Tribesson space. “Welcome back to your morning headlines on SBN. I’m Jorj Danner. The time is now eight-oh-five. We are watching the diplomatic fallout brewing between the Federation and its fringeward neighbor Tribesson. Just yesterday, Federation President Solana Hethan announced that she was considering revoking Tribesson’s protectorate status unless it allows the Federation Navy to intervene in the country’s ongoing problem with organized crime. Joining us this morning is the governor of Tribesson’s capitol Mirida, Fea Qon. Madam Qon, good morning.” “Good morning, Jorj.” “Also joining us is Federation THORCOM commander Admiral Esen Gher. Good morning, admiral.” “Good morning to you.” “Admiral, I would like to begin with you. Federation diplomats are citing an incident that occurred in Thalassia Orionis for the recent spat. Can you tell us about that?” “I can’t give you all the details, but one of our ships underway on a solo voyage was attacked by a pair of criminal organizations: one known as the Three Brothers Syndicate and the other referred to simply as Domina. What we do know is that the Three Brothers Syndicate is one of several pirate factions operating in Saraia, near the impassable Saraian Range. Domina, on the other hand, bases itself on Mirida.” “Good point, Admiral Gher. With that I’d like to ask Madam Qon a question. Madam Qon, can you tell us more about Domina?” “I can. Domina has only been around for the last hundred years. It grew out of a mercenary company known as Unit who participated in illegal cloning to bolster its numbers. One of these cloned individuals rose through the ranks and founded Domina, and now the syndicate runs rampant in Mirida and throughout Thalassia Orionis.” “Has Tribesson taken any steps to deal with this problem of organized crime?” “I just spoke with the Tribesson president earlier this morning, and she assures me that Tribesson will open itself to support from the Federation Navy to end this problem.” “What does that mean for Tribesson?” “It means you’re going to see a lot more patrols in Tribesson space. You’re going to see Auroras on every street in Mirida. We are going to take back our country and make it a more productive ally of the Federation, free of the syndicates that are currently running it into the ground.” Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply “Shit, shit, shit!” Cylenna cursed as she engaged her Goshawk’s ODEC. Her lumigraph to Xannissa disappeared, and she gunned her strikecraft’s throttle, blasting her fusion engines and reorienting her gravitics as the marauders fired their missiles toward her. With her ODEC active, her fighter’s RPDS fried the internal electronics and systems of the missiles just before they hit, allowing them to crash harmlessly as duds against the vehicle’s kinetic barrier. She piloted the Goshawk out of the hangar which was being overrun by syndicate soldiers, flying through the starboard airscreen faster than she ever had before. Only travelling a kilometer or two, she slowed the strikecraft and yawed around to face the hangar bay from where she escaped. “Specter, this is Big Boss. Return to the Kelsor at once!” “Permission to blast these fuckers off our ship,” Cylenna asked. She waited for a response. Several seconds passed before she heard anything. “Permission granted,” said strikecraft control with reluctance, and Cylenna shot back toward the airscreen without registering the second part: “Don’t make a mess.” Cylenna backed off on the throttle as she approached, weary of any missiles that the small army of marauders might train on her. Her craft’s sensors detected several target locks, and when the missiles came flying out of the starboard airscreen, she vectored her craft’s gravitics to shift quickly out of the way. The missiles overshot her and arced back around, but once they were far enough away from the Kelsor, the battlecruiser’s RPDS eliminated them. Cylenna piloted her Goshawk back to the airscreen and moved just through it. Below her—all the way to the other airscreen on the ship’s port side—was a mass of marauders, and before they realized what Cylenna had in store, the Elestan pilot was strafing them. Pitching her nose downward with her gravitics, Cylenna fired her Goshawk’s twin plasma autocannons which created streams so fast and so hot as to be confused for sustained beams. Every marauder they touched was vaporized by the direct, ionized blasts. The fury of these drivers was so great that Cylenna’s sustained assault risked overheating the cannons. She stopped the flow after fifteen seconds, letting the glowing SIRAC rest. The craft’s cooling system would take a while to eliminate the accumulated heat by itself, so Cylenna manually engaged emergency cooldown, flooding the chambers and mechanisms with liquid coolant that immediately vaporized, taking the heat with it and cooling the weapons quickly. The marauders retaliated with more missiles, but her RPDS handled them—though, a few more shots from her enemies and she would need to withdraw from the hangar and allow her RPDS time to recharge. When her autocannons stopped discharging steam, she took aim and fired again, mowing down the helpless marauders as they tried to leave the hangar and advance through the ship. Where was the pleasure that she had experienced before? Countless marauders were perishing to her plasma, but she wasn’t feeling anything. The thrill of pushing them over the brink of death was gone. Was it just too easy? The pilot didn’t ponder it. More missiles targeted her craft, so she canceled her fire and engaged her drives, bursting out of the port airscreen. The Kelsor’s REMASS started immediately mending the damage sustained to the bridge. Ethis rushed over to the bodies of her friends and cried, “Captain!” Spherical housekeeping drones appeared and began consuming the dust and debris to be reprocessed back into omnium. She knelt next to the cluster of armored bodies. That’s when Atara’s helmet moved. The captain’s head was lying in Sesh’s lap, and she rolled over, trying to get her bearings. “Is everyone okay?” Atara asked weakly as she crawled on all fours. Sesh moved her head slowly toward Atara. “I’m okay,” Sesh assured her. The commander used her gravitics to move herself off the floor. “I’m fine,” Naret said through her coughing. “Just a little winded.” She rolled over and crawled behind the wall that was being rebuilt, dodging the little drones working to clean up the mess. “We need a medic!” yelled one of the Auroras. “The tactical officer is down!” The tactical officer’s torso appeared to have been penetrated by the leftover force of the blast. When the Aurora rolled her over, the front of the officer’s chest was cauterized, and her limbs and head were limp. To give her a fighting chance that she might be saved, the Aurora attached a stasis unit to the officer and fed it power from her own, functioning suit through her palm. “I’ll handle tactical,” Sesh said as the senior officers watched a medic rush into the room to perform an evaluation of the tactical officer’s body. “I don’t want to lose it again,” Souq said to Namara as he clutched the cylinder containing the ecksivar sample. Both of them sat in the lounge connected to the lab. “Too many people have died because of this crystal.” “They won’t get to it,” Namara assured him. Both were in armor and helmets as was everyone else. She watched as Souq clung to the sample even tighter. “Illeiri will protect us.” “I can’t ask her to die for this,” Souq told her. “I need to take this godforsaken thing away from here.” The scientist rose to his feet and opened the door of the lab. “Where are you going?” Namara asked in a frantic voice. She followed after him, worried for what he might do. “We still have the drone!” he said, standing before the unused piece of equipment. “Quen!” she said, watching Souq load the cylinder into the drone’s body. The firefight was happening just outside, visible through the OPEL windows of the dark lab. “What do you think you’re doing?” His helmet turned to her and he said, “I’m saving our lives. They can’t take it if we don’t have it.” “How are we going to get it back?” Namara asked. They both knew the drone had no communications system, no transponder, or anything that would make it easily visible to a ship trying to look for it. They designed it to buy time—a way to sequester the ecksivar sample in deep space because they could not destroy it. Souq paused, staring at her as they both stood next to the drone. “I’m going with it.” “No you are not!” Namara shouted, clasping her hands to Souq’s arms and forcing him to face her. “Your daughter needs you!” “I’m trying to save her!” “Then I’ll go.” “What?” “You stay here. Whoever goes might not come back, or if the enemy finds it before we can, we’re their prisoner. Your life is more valuable than mine.” “As a Federation science officer, let me do this.” “No, Sayn. No!” Souq’s voice cracked. “Go wait in the lounge.” She let go of Souq’s arms, but he went nowhere. “Please.” “I can’t let you go,” he said emotionally. “I’m sorry, Quen,” she told him. Her voice was starting to crack as well. “I hope you forgive me for this.” She fabricated a stasis unit and stuck it to his armor. Aided by her gravitics, she pushed him into the lounge, released him from stasis, and locked the door behind her. Souq ran to the door and tried to open it, but when he couldn’t, he looked through the OPELs to the lab. He beat his fists on the wall, shouting, “Sayn! Goddamnit! Sayn!” Tears rushed from his eyes as he watched the Elestan science officer take the drone with her to the center of the lab. She looked back at the struggling Souq, and then she vanished in a brilliant white flash, leaving behind craters in the floor and ceiling and chunks carved out of the adjacent benches, as if the sphere that enveloped her during the jump took everything immediately around her as well. Souq bawled as he slid down the wall, just having watched his future spouse disappear without a trace. A moment later, syndicate marauders blasted their way into the omnimology lab. Swarming in with their bright lights, they saw the perfect circle carved out of the lab’s interior, and they also noticed the OPELs at the rear and Souq’s collapsed body. They then tried to force the door to the lounge, alerting Souq to their presence. The marauders quickly lost their patience, trying to break through using brute force and weapons. The grieving scientist brought himself up from the floor and retreated through the back of the lounge. “Say again!” Kyora demanded. Plasma bolts and bullets crisscrossed the wide corridor nearby. The battle drones bore the brunt of the ongoing skirmish, and Auroras took cover behind barricades within the smoke. “They’re about to breach ODEC Five!” said a frantic Aurora over comms. Kyora looked over to the immediate group of Auroras and, pointing, said, “You all, follow me to ODEC Five. We need to hurry back toward the bow.” Kyora used her gravitics to lift off from the floor and drift toward the ceiling. She then took off down the corridor, cruising swiftly above the battle. Virn ascended after her, and so did all of the Auroras around Velliris. Seeing as her fate had become intertwined with the vessel, as it would have also been if her mission to pose as Atara had succeeded, she took off after them, flying above the smokescreen and the bright flashes from Federation drivers. The biggest hazard was being shot down by quick-thinking, trigger-happy marauders, but the second most dangerous aspect was the SIRAC containers still being routed by gravitics above the ship’s corridors, and in a wide corridor such as this, those containers darted like locomotives on straight track. Velliris looked down and saw the five battle drones that passed her earlier holding their ground against the bold syndicate forces, but the collision detector in her helmet warned her of an incoming crate that she quickly and clumsily avoided. Some of the Auroras were taking shots from below, and one of them went down into a cluster of marauders. The group steered clear of the hangar, opting to travel through the lift shafts to ascend the upper decks and then cut over the violent hangar bay. Several minutes later, the group touched down near the band of marauders leading the siege of ODEC 5. The syndicate attackers appeared to be completely preoccupied with breaking down the SIRAC door leading to the chamber containing the ODEC system. To lose one of the six main ODECs would be somewhat inconsequential as the other ODECs would bear the downed ODEC’s share of the load, but every one of them that was lost would mean having one less that could be lost until the entire Kelsor was left without any power generation capacity. For the moment, the group watched and waited as Kyora silently discussed tactics with Virn over their shared Q-comms. Velliris’ Accellus counted over seventy marauders just within her field of view as she stood with the other Auroras out of the enemy’s sight. “Alright,” Kyora told them, looking away from the marauders and back toward the group, “I want you all to sheathe yourselves in as much SIRAC as you can, and fabricate HR-Twenty-Threes.” “The rotary sustainer?” one of the Auroras asked. “Yes. How many of you are wearing boosters?” “I am,” said two of the Auroras. “Only four of us,” Kyora noted out of the nine. “You five without boosters need to hang back. Virn, you and the other two are going to turn that corridor into a death chamber. You stand back and let me shake them up first. Do you understand?” “Let’s set up lumionic barricades,” Virn told them. She had picked one up from a crate before leaving engineering, and she grabbed it from behind her back and set it down on the floor. The hexagonal, cylindrical device unfolded and produced lumionic field potential whose area of effect was marked by an orange lumigraphic line touching the floor and rising up as tall as most of the SIRAC barricades had been. Unfortunately, she was the only Aurora in their group possessing one, so all three of the women wielding rotary sustainers had to share it for extra protection. “I’m going in,” Kyora told them. She disappeared beneath her shrouding and rose from the floor, directing her gravitics to guide her toward the mass of marauders holding down their position with sprays of bullets. The phantom’s goal was to disorient and confuse rather than to eradicate, but the means by which she chose to accomplish this goal involved the use of potent weapons. Kyora fabricated an explosive charge and attached it discreetly to the top of one of the marauder’s helmets nearer to the door. She reasoned that the charge was far enough away from the door as to not deal any real damage to it. Moving her arm away from the charge, the explosive device left her suit’s shrouding and was visible, though it remained unnoticed by all present. Kyora floated away from them, flying beyond a safe distance. She then detonated the charge, vaporizing the marauder to whose head it was attached and killing everyone around him, mortally wounding others farther away, and propelling body parts and debris toward everyone else. As soon as the blast went off, Virn and the two Auroras huddling behind her portable barricade sprayed the marauders with their shoulder-mounted rotary sustainers, further fueling their confusion. This prompted pockets of Auroras around these besieging syndicate soldiers to launch offensives, driving into the weakening pocket of intruders. “The destroyers are vulnerable again,” Sesh said, standing at the tactical station overlooking the marauders’ bodies. “Launching torpedoes.” Regular, non-phasic torpedoes fabricated in the tubes and fired toward the syndicate destroyer. Defiant against the hostile ship’s point-defense fire, the torpedoes loosed by the battlecruiser detonated, one-by-one, against the destroyer’s lumionics. With each of the torpedoes packing a tiny amount of antimatter—enough to ruin a small city—and the durability to power through point-defense, the Kelsor’s modest spread of thirty torpedoes reduced the syndicate destroyer to a cloud of debris. No doubt the Domina kicker ship had witnessed this destruction. “That should take care of the blinker problem,” Atara said with relief. “Captain,” Illeiri communicated to Atara just after. “What is it?” “I’m with Souq,” she said, “and you’re not going to believe this.” “Tell me.” “Namara took the ecksivar sample and used the jump drone.” Atara stood there for a moment and processed what Illeiri just said. The anger inside her welled up for her initial feeling was that Namara had betrayed them, but then she remembered the reason why the drone was made in the first place. “Did you get that, captain?” There was no way that Namara could have guided the drone toward the enemy, so there was only one question that came to her mind. “Why?” “Souq said he was going to sequester the ecksivar in deep space so that it couldn’t be stolen,” Illeiri explained to her, “but Namara took it from him and did it instead. She went with the drone so that we’ll be able to trace her sub-comms and retrieve it later.” “So she’s out there alone?” “Yes.” “Brave woman,” Atara said. “Brave scientists,” Illeiri noted. “Souq was willing to go, too. Namara forced him to stay because of Lieren.” “I don’t want to risk contacting her now,” Atara said. “I don’t want Domina or the Three Brothers to know she’s out there and find her first.” After the lumigraph disappeared, Atara then said, “Fiori, we need to talk.” The stars seemed brighter than she had ever seen them. Namara drifted there in deep space, lightyears from the closest of those shining sidereal orbs. The jump drone rotated slowly a couple of meters away along with the SIRAC fragments from the omnimology lab. All that separated her body from the terminal vacuum surrounding her was the thin layer of polyalloy sealing her skin and the SIRAC of her helmet encompassing her head. The scientist’s gravitics stabilized her motion, preventing her from rotating. Her lumionics formed a faint halo around her as they worked to deflect the cosmic background radiation. It wasn’t until she noticed that faint glow of lumions that she realized she jumped from the battlecruiser without attaching a booster to her back—a realization that caused her blood to run cold and her heartrate to jump. Her thoughts shifted back into perspective: having one would have just prolonged her suffering were she never to be rescued. Checking her Accellus’ reservoirs, she saw that her suit could sustain her for several hours, if not a few days. Namara disabled the lights on her Accellus and tried to take her mind off of where she was, hoping that maybe she could fall asleep there, her suit protecting her, but her mind kept circling around to Souq beating on the lounge walls yelling for her to come back. With the destroyer obliterated, the Auroras protecting the cadets filed out of the briefing room leaving the terrified cadets with the scenes of slaughter burned into their retinas. Drones arrived to clean up the room, scan the marauders’ bodies, and mark them for routing through the battlecruiser’s gravitic logistics system. Gravilog also collected the ammunition crates, many of which were blasted apart on one side, and moved them out of the briefing room. Eventually, all that remained were the cadets clutching each other and crying beneath their helmets. Lieren had watched as the medic tried in vain to save the woman that the cadet had kept in stasis using energy from her own suit. Another Aurora had been gunned down on the other side of the room, and a collection of marauder bodies lied in a heap of cauterized giblets. With Illeiri, the bloodshed had been compartmentalized to the outside, and the elshi had protected the cadets with such efficiency as to eliminate any semblance of a bloodbath. This—what she and the other cadets had just experienced—was a far cry from what they endured during the battle with the Voulgenathi. How does one cope? Lieren thought to herself as she stared at the syndicate bodies being hauled away by invisible force like garbage. Within minutes, the housekeeping drones would return the briefing room to the state that it was in before the battle occurred. The only remaining evidence would be the memories that were left behind in all that had lived through it. Lieren didn’t know what to feel. The marauders blinked in, attacked, and died, over and over and over. Auroras sat with them, placing their bodies in front of the cadets and taking the hits for them, sometimes dying to the exchange of fire. Was there any meaning to the violence? The young cadet had no answer, and that frightened her. She clung tighter to the Elestan cadet beside her, trying to keep from breaking down, but she could not. Her emotions rushed forth. Her lungs and tear ducts rebelled against her, and she was forced to sob. “Lieren?” It was her father’s voice. She didn’t want to answer—keep him from hearing her sobs. “Lieren, where are you baby?” He wasn’t going to leave her alone until he got an answer, and she knew it. “I-I’m in the b-briefing room,” she got out. “Are you okay?” “No! No I’m not!” she screamed. Hearing his daughter like this hurt more than it would have had he not been dealing with his own emotional turmoil over Namara. “I’m on my way, sweetie. I love you.” “The Domina cruisers are dropping out of hyperwarp,” said a bridge officer. The same cleanup effort was taking place on the bridge, and the officers were returning to their normal posts, including Atara, Sesh, and Naret. “Transmission from the—,” Ethis was interrupted as she spoke. “You’ve bested my pawns, captain,” Eclipse said through the opened lumigraph. “I hope you’re ready to concede.” “Go to hell!” Atara told her. “Wow!” Eclipse said. “You sound just like Kyora. I like you. Please, I’m begging you, don’t force my hand. I just want to help my unproductive, fringeward protectorate evolve into something the Federation would be proud of. Give me—us—a chance.” “A snowball’s chance?” Atara replied. “Because that’s all I’ll give you. I’d destroy this vessel before I’d ever let you set foot inside it.” “Funny,” Eclipse stated, “I said something similar when my dear sister was fleeing back to your ship. I really do admire you, captain, and you’re breaking my heart.” “Enough with the bullshit!” Atara yelled. “Oh? We’ll see who’s bullshitting who after I call your bluff.” Atara paused for a moment as she stared at Eclipse. “Adjunct,” the captain said while Eclipse’s transmission was still open, “initialize auto-destruct.” “Auto-destruct overrides are in effect,” the adjunct stated. “Please state additional parameters.” “Engage auto-destruct on hull breach, and no continuous warnings. No additional parameters.” “Triumvirate command authority authentication required.” All eyes were on the captain now. Atara said, “Verify authorization.” “Authorization verified. Atara Eisen Korrell, Captain of the Kelsor-class battlecruiser, Greater Federation Navy Vessel Kelsor, hull number three-nine-three-zero, Fifth Fleet, Third Armada. Auto-destruct go-no-go.” “Go.” A lumigraph appeared before Sesh and said, “Initializing auto-destruct. Triumvirate command authority authentication required.” Sesh replied, “Verify authorization.” “Authorization verified. Yora Marro Sesh. Commander of the Kelsor-class battlecruiser, Greater Federation Navy Vessel Kelsor, hull number three-nine-three-zero, Fifth Fleet, Third Armada. Auto-destruct go-no-go.” “Go.” A lumigraph also appeared before Xannissa in engineering as she oversaw her department’s defense. “Initializing auto-destruct. Triumvirate command authority authentication required.” Her breaths grew heavier. Was Atara actually going to do this? If the lumigraph was getting around to her, Atara and Sesh had already interfaced with the adjunct. She stood there quietly for a moment, twisting her engagement ring around her finger. “I’m sorry, Aedan,” she whispered. “Verify authorization,” she told the adjunct somberly. “Authorization verified. Xannissa Reiss Cetalo, Commander of the Kelsor-class battlecruiser, Greater Federation Navy Vessel Kelsor, hull number three-nine-three zero, Fifth Fleet, Third Armada. Auto-destruct go-no-go.” Xannissa paused again, still twisting her ring. Quietly, she said, “Go.” The adjunct announced to the entire ship, “Auto-destruct initialized. Auto-destruct will engage upon hull-breach. There will be no further warnings.” Loud clapping echoed throughout the bridge. Atara never did take her eyes off of Eclipse who now applauded. “Congratulations. It seems we have reached an impasse. You’re far more cutthroat than I could have ever imagined. Every calculation I have made thus far was based on the assumption that you actually cared about your crew. You’d send all of them to their deaths over a few little things?” Atara said nothing. Most of the bridge, including Naret, was still staring intently at its captain. “Perhaps if we could bargain?” Eclipse asked. “You hand over Kyora and you can be on your way.” Atara remained silent. Eclipse said, “All right. You’ve forced my hand. Prepare to die.” And with that, the transmission terminated. Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply The cadets were seated on the floor and against the forward walls of the dark briefing room now devoid of its chairs and table. Auroras sat between each of them armed with assault drivers and crouching in low relative gravity, ready to move in an instant. The cadets were encouraged to do the same. At first, some of the cadets over-adjusted their gravitics which caused them to drift into the air at the slightest shifting of their feet, but they caught on with a little trial and error. Their Aurora guardians also encouraged them to fabricate sidearms as added protection. SIRAC crates containing small and medium unimags were placed between the cadets and Auroras and the rest of the room, acting as both a source of ammunition and an extra layer of defense. “Lieren, where’s Illeiri?” the Elestan cadet who had been skeptical of elsheem whispered privately to Lieren through her helmet. “She’s in the omnimology lab,” Lieren said, “protecting the ecksivar.” “I wish she were here with us,” said the Elestan. “We have two dozen Auroras defending us,” Lieren assured her. “Be brave.” “Aren’t you afraid?” “Of course I’m afraid,” Lieren told her, “but my mother used to tell me: Fear reminds you that you’re still human, and she who is never afraid can never be brave.” “Intruder alert. Level four security breach.” Both Auroras flanking Lieren tilted their bodies forward, planted the stocks of their guns against their shoulder armor, and scanned the dark room with their helmets in anticipation. The port and starboard doors were open, and the cadets saw Auroras running and taking positions in the outside corridors, crouching down beside the doors. “Subspace rift detected.” Lumigraphs marked two locations within the briefing room of two incoming blinkers, and two seconds later, a double explosion rocked the Auroras and cadets alike. The Auroras didn’t hesitate. Immediately after the violent subspace entry, the Federation soldiers opened fire with their assault drivers, riddling the nearest heavy marauder with plasma bolts while he grabbed the triggers of his twin, triple-barreled, linear motor cannons and spun them up. A few seconds of sustained plasma fire was enough to ravage his body beneath his Novekk powersuit and bring him to his knees before he could let loose a single shot. The other marauder turned to face the wall of Auroras and cadets, but before he could react, his lumionics were exhausted, his helmet was blasted apart, and his suit fell over backwards. The Auroras who had expended their unimags detached them and left them on the floor. They then grabbed charged magazines from the open crates and clicked them into their drivers. “You cadets awake yet?” yelled one of the Auroras who was inserting a fresh unimag into her weapon. Lieren felt herself shaking. She reached out slowly and grabbed a unimag from the crate. Shivering, she tried to put it into her pistol, but it wasn’t attaching. That’s when she realized she had the wrong size. An Aurora beside her took the unimag out of Lieren’s hand and gave her a small one, and the young cadet, despite her nervous hands, slid the magazine through the handgun’s handle and clicked it into place. “Intruder alert. Level five sec—subspace rift detected,” the adjunct announced again, cutting itself off locally. How long would this last? Another explosion and a new marauder hit the ground—this time, his twin cannons were ready to fire immediately. The Auroras pushed the cadets down toward the floor, moved themselves behind the containers, and fired their weapons while trying to avoid the incessant bullet barrage. One of the Auroras next to Lieren lost her barrier’s lumionic potential and she brought herself below cover, but the ricochets pelted her unprotected SIRAC and polyalloy until they pierced them. The Aurora cried as blood gushed from her fresh wounds. After many seconds of the onslaught, the marauder was brought down like his brethren, collapsing near their corpses. The other Aurora next to Lieren crawled over the cadet and yelled, “Medic!” Attending to her downed comrade, the Aurora asked, “You still with us?” while fabricating a stasis device. She attached the device to the downed Aurora’s armor, grabbed Lieren’s hand, and pushed it onto the stasis unit, saying, “Do not let go of this, do you understand?” Lieren was shaking even more, and she didn’t respond. “Do you understand?!” the Aurora asked her with greater urgency. “Y-yes ma’am!” Lieren stammered. She kept her hand on the device as she lied next to the frozen Aurora, not sure if the soldier had survived or not. A medic entered the room and knelt beside the stricken Aurora right before another pair of rifts formed and two more marauders blasted into the briefing room. The wide space within the engineering department was perfect for blinkers seeking to intrude upon the Kelsor and raid its synerdrive for the secrets contained within its mediator. The initial wave of attackers consisted of multiple rifts forming simultaneously above the entrenched Auroras occupying main engineering. Every blink produced another shockwave—sharp claps among the rolling thunder of plasma bolts hitting shields and armor. The Kelsor’s universal cabingrav pulled the bulky powersuits downward; their feet slamming against the solid floor. Virn had constructed a nest above the main level. Surrounded by crates, she lied prone and looked down at the brewing storm below her. Her sustainer’s barrel jutted out beyond the catwalk she inhabited. Lining up the syndicate marauders within her sights, she pulled the trigger of her sustainer, and the weapon launched an unrelenting stream of plasma bolts toward the attackers. The lack of recoil from the reactionless gravitic driver system gave the Exan complete control of the sprays she unleashed toward the incoming marauders. She and Kyora were determined to make engineering a deathtrap for any syndicate marauder foolish enough to choose it as a blink destination. This was the Elestan phantom’s ball, and to enter it meant you partook in her dance of death. Kyora’s nimble body twirled and leapt from powersuit to powersuit, slicing and shooting with her plasma blade and handgun combination. While Virn’s and others’ sustainers rained down a white fire from above hitting shields and armor with no particular precision, Kyora took advantage of every exposed joint and weak point and guided her blade and aim to strike true with every hit, or just about, bringing down marauders with calculated devastation. The pile of bodies grew by the second, but the enemy were no fools. Soon, the influx of blinkers subsided. The engineering department quieted, but calls came across the ship with blinkers pouring into less defended areas. “They felt us out!” Kyora told her Auroras across the ship as well as the ship’s senior officers. “They’re popping into the major corridors and flooding into the hangar!” “Oh no,” Xannissa whispered from her position behind the line of defending Auroras. She messaged her sister through a lumigraph and said, “Cy, are you okay?” “It’s like a thunderstorm in here,” Cylenna said from the cockpit of a replacement Goshawk that was fabricated aboard the battlecruiser. “So many heavies jumping in at once.” “You going to be okay? Answer me!” “Relax,” Cylenna told her loudly, “I’m in my Goshawk. I’ll be saf—.” A rocket exploded against the side of one of the parked Goshawks suspended against the hangar wall not far from Cylenna’s. “Oh shit.” The Elestan pilot looked out of her OPELs toward the wide hangar floor and saw a missile team taking aim at her craft. “Shit, shit, shit!” Cylenna cursed before the lumigraph faded. “Cy?!” Xannissa cried. “Cylenna!” Illeiri strode through the open door of the omnimology lab and out into the corridor. She allowed her three discs to do all of her killing, never lifting a finger herself. The elsheem queen crossed her arms and observed the death she dealt with her mind—her white discs separating hands from arms, legs from hips, and heads from shoulders. The efficiency with which she executed filled her with a certain uncharacteristic arrogance. These pitiful soldiers were fodder before her exceptionally keen mind. It was a sense of immortality; of being above the bloodshed that was occurring all around her, and it gave Illeiri pleasure, as if her divine right to rule was manifesting itself in this moment. She had never felt this way before besting Taretes, but she liked it. It excited her. The elshi took several steps forward, arriving in the thick of the fighting in that wide corridor. Her discs flew back and forth, dismembering and beheading as they went, and even the bullets and plasma bolts avoided her, seeking not to destroy that which possessed royal blood. She stood there, fully enveloped in her delusion, until a stray grenade landed nearby. Illeiri could feel the omnium all around her and across the ship, and she could guide all three of her discs with an ability that would make all other discthrowers jealous, but she was oblivious to what lied near her own feet. The grenade erupted, blasting Illeiri backward and slamming her body against the wall. This disrupted her concentration, sending the discs off in different directions to maim marauder and Aurora alike unlucky enough to be caught in the discs’ paths. She lied there with her lumionics down, a few gunshots away from being another victim of the carnage. A marauder stepped toward her—his linear motor barrels already spinning. He kicked Illeiri’s foot, but she was motionless. The marauder then tried to decide whether to spare the ammo on a woman who appeared to be dead or to go ahead and riddle the corpse with holes just to be sure, but in his brief indecisiveness, Illeiri reestablished control over her discs without moving a muscle and sent all three toward him, all slicing through at once and carving his body into four separate pieces. Slowly and painfully, she moved her head to glimpse the battle continuing to unfold around her. Still guiding the discs, she drew her legs towards her body and, with the assistance of her gravitics, raised herself from the floor. The blow to her pride was worse than that to her body, but her bioomnimics helped her recover quickly. Weary, she fabricated a subsustainer in her left hand, and she carried herself toward a more defended position behind a barricade against the wall to the lab. Even the bridge had to contend with occasional blinkers emerging within the central circle. Atara taught Naret a trick to copy her console to her Accellus so that she was in full control of the conn no matter where she was, or where she had to take cover. So Naret sat on the floor behind the low wall near the tactical station in the aft-most part of the bridge. Auroras crouched on either side of her—their hips nearly in the lieutenant’s helmeted face—as they peered over the wall toward where a few syndicate corpses already lied. Atara and Sesh knelt down in front of Naret, drivers in hand and protecting themselves from any adventurous marauder that decided to blink onto the bridge. The number of bridge incursions was dwindling, giving credence to Kyora’s assertion that the first wave of attackers had merely probed their fortifications. “How long until that destroyer’s lumionics reset?” Atara asked her huddled officers. “Tactical,” Atara commanded, “be ready with torpedoes.” “Aye, captain,” said the crouching tactical officer as she nodded. “Subspace rift detected.” Another shockwave, another marauder. The Auroras fired at him with every driver they had. Even Atara and Sesh fought to defend their bridge, shooting plasma over the wall, trying to burn him down as quickly as possible, but this one came not equipped with linear motor cannons. At each side was a rocket launcher, and he pointed them at the tactical station and fired. The resulting explosion shredded tactical and the low wall, blasting Auroras and bridge officers into the aft bulkhead. The women slammed their SIRAC-covered backs against the wall and fell to the floor. The Auroras outside of the initial blast kept firing, killing the marauder, but those in the blast—Atara, Sesh, Naret, and the tactical officer—weren’t moving. Velliris felt the shockwave hit her back, and she almost lost her balance. The Auroras with her shoved her down a side corridor and then turned around to engage the marauder that had just appeared. The brig was only a few more meters toward the stern. An Aurora grabbed her arm, brought her down to the floor near the wall, and shouted, “Fight if you want to stay alive!” FedIntel had trained Velliris in Accellus use, so she was far from being an amateur, but this was the first real combat experience she had ever tasted. The Aurora that had brought her down fabricated a weapon, fell prone, and began unleashing plasma bolts straight from her Accellus reservoir. Velliris did the same: fabricated her weapon, aimed at the marauder, but the dark yellow suit rotated around and blasted the Aurora next to her, splashing the soldier’s blood all over the wall and floor. The doppelganger would be next if she didn’t pump him full of ionized matter. She squeezed the trigger as hard as she could, screaming as her stream of bolts overcame his lumionics and sawed through his chest. Even after he fell over, she kept firing, caught in the rush of fight or flight. Velliris sat there for a moment, breathing hard into her helmet. She couldn’t move, couldn’t think. There was a corpse next to her, and she knew that she had just barely avoided that fate. Another Aurora ran up behind her, slapped her on the arm, and said, “You can’t do anything for her! Move!” Velliris didn’t register it at first, but as she came to her senses, she shuffled to her feet and kept herself low. Beyond that side corridor was the main thoroughfare through which she had been moving for her last leg of the trip to the brig. She peered out, and passing overhead were five battle drones flying gently toward the bow. Each of them was armed with twin cannons, and they unleashed shots conservatively, only taking the ones they calculated they could land with minimal collateral damage. The heaviest fighting was taking place much further down, but the Auroras Velliris was with were intent on heading that way. So Velliris followed them, sticking close to the wall, ready to run behind a barricade or a bit of protruding structure. The sound of a bullet buzzing past or a ricochet startled her as they advanced. The battle drones accelerated, passing right over her group and into the smoke billowing into the corridor, likely from a canister dropped by the marauders. Then, there came a new set of explosions. Velliris and a few of the others were knocked to the floor by the shockwaves from several blinkers appearing at once. Her gun slid away from her. The armored Terran rolled herself over, found her assault driver, and pulled it back to her using her gravitics as the guns of the marauders warmed up, but before they could unleash their hail of bullets, a bright light appeared at their necks, slicing their helmets right off. Velliris lied there, watching the marauders all fall over, and in between them stood a woman in mostly bodysuit, holding a knife in one hand and a pistol in the other. Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply The lumigraph disappeared, the sirens grew louder, and Sesh repeated the announcement from the bridge officer while placing her hand on the captain’s shoulder. “New contacts, Atara.” Velliris stood at the edge of the bridge, watching her much older duplicate contend with this surprise attack. “What do we have?” Atara asked over the sirens. “Two jump signatures,” the officer announced. “Emergence in forty—no, thirty seconds.” “Ethis,” Atara asked, “Where did Eclipse’s transmission originate?” “From the kicker,” Ethis told her, looking first at Velliris and then, realizing she was looking at the wrong Atara, directed her gaze toward the true captain. Atara asked, “How far is it?” At this point, the sirens quieted. Fiori stated, “Heading three-three-one, plus one-five at three-hundred-fifty-thousand kilometers,” after appearing near the captain and the first officer. “Orders, captain?” Naret asked, looking eagerly at her console. “Hold on,” Atara said. “Distance to the jump signatures?” “Fifty kilometers. Emergence in twelve seconds. Three other hyperwarp contacts closing on our position.” The officer paused, and then she said, “Vessels emerging, captain.” “Identify.” “Two destroyer-sized vessels. Markings identify them as the Three Brothers Syndicate.” “What?” “Incoming transmission,” Ethis stated. “Put it through.” Another lumigraph appeared, and the bridge officers saw a familiar sight: a helmeted marauder in dark yellow Novekk armor and the three, clean, red stripes diagonal across the torso. The armor was more pristine than that of the marauder that attacked them on the edge of the Saraian Range. “Captain,” said the marauder in a feminine voice, “we’ve come to collect our toll. Please, for your sake and that of your crew, do not resist.” “Are you working with Domina now?” Atara asked. “Our temporary joint venture is none of your business,” the marauder warned before closing the lumigraph. “Atara,” the captain turned around and saw Kyora and Virn standing at the door, “Deminesse is here, isn’t she?” “Yes,” Atara told the phantom. “Domina is working with the Three Brothers Syndicate.” “I’ve already mobilized the Auroras,” Kyora told her. “If I get a chance, I will kill her.” The Elestan phantom glanced at Velliris, and then back at Atara. “I guess you do know how it feels now; to have someone share your face.” Kyora backed away, turned around, and took Virn with her as she departed from the bridge. Atara turned to her duplicate and said, “Your services are no longer required. Return to the brig.” As Velliris quietly departed the bridge, Atara told her, “Put a helmet on.” The doppelganger complied, fabricating a helmet to hide her face before exiting, accompanied by two Auroras. They passed groups of Auroras, ceiling turrets, and battle drones scattered throughout the ship, standing by for a boarding attempt by blinkers or otherwise. Atara said, “Are the destroyers close enough for beamed plasma?” “Affirmative,” said the tactical officer. “Target both ships with the forward plasma beams,” Atara directed. “Aye captain.” Brief alert pings sounded, and beyond the forward OPEL, two bright, white streams shot instantaneously out from the front of the battlecruiser in two different directions toward deep space. The plasma beams crashed against the lumionic shields of the two destroyers, both of which could not be seen in the darkness with the unaided eye. The officers aboard those vessels watched their screens showing the stored potential energy of their single-layer lumionic defense systems draining away to keep the voracious plasma at bay. The Kelsor’s tactical officer announced, “Targets have activated invulnerability shielding.” “Shit,” Atara whispered to herself. “They are moving toward us.” “I want intruder alerts, now.” The adjunct made her own announcement across the ship. “Alert. Prepare to repel boarders. Ship-wide lockdown engaged. This is not a drill. Repeat. Prepare to repel boarders. Ship-wide lockdown engaged. This is not a drill.” “I thought we were facing Domina.” “The syndicate from Saraia is here too.” “Damn it. We can’t do much against blinkers.” “Come up to the bridge.” “I need to defend the drives.” “We have Auroras for that.” “This is my synerdrive, Atara. I’m going to stay here as long as I can.” Xannissa sighed. Twisting her engagement ring around her finger, she said, “Don’t worry about me.” “I’m sending Kyora and Virn to you.” Opening a lumigraph to Kyora, Atara said, “Colonel, can you and Virn shore up engineering?” “Heading there now,” Kyora said as she walked briskly down one of the main corridors with Virn and several Auroras behind her. “Is Xann going to be okay?” Sesh asked. “I really hope so,” Atara told her. Just then, another lumigraph opened, revealing a crimson-haired elshi. “Captain,” Illeiri said, but noticing the evidence of Atara’s dried tears still on her face, she asked, “are you okay?” “I’m fine,” Atara replied. “What do you need?” “I’m taking the cadets to the briefing room,” Illeiri stated. Atara said, “Good. We’ll keep them safe.” “Afterward, I’m going to return to the omnimology lab and defend the scientists and the ecksivar.” “Understood, stay safe.” The lumigraph closed, and there Atara was standing beside Sesh and Naret, watching another battle about to unfold aboard her starship. Illeiri stormed through the doors of the omnimology lab accompanied by several Auroras and three naked discs orbiting behind her back, and to all the scientists, including Souq and Namara, she said, “You all need to return to your quarters.” “What’s going on?” Souq asked her. “We’re about to have blinkers,” Illeiri told them. “Same ones that attacked us in Saraia. You won’t be safe here.” Namara said to her worried assistants, “You all go back to your quarters.” Illeiri looked inquisitively at the Elestan science officer as the junior scientists dodged the armed Auroras and filed out of the lab. Namara stared at Illeiri, stating, “After what it took to get the ecksivar back, I’m not letting it out of my sight.” “And I’m not leaving Sayn alone,” Souq replied, looking at Namara and grasping for her hand. After their hands connected, he turned to look at Illeiri. The elshi queen asked them, “There’s nothing I could say that would change your mind, is there?” The two scientists said nothing. Souq and Namara looked at each other, and Namara said, “We need to armor up.” When Kyora and Virn entered the vast engineering department, everyone was wearing armor, making it more difficult to distinguish between the Auroras and the crew. The phantom paused to look around, and she noticed a helmetless Xannissa standing among a group of other armored personnel. As Kyora approached, avoiding the crewmembers and Auroras passing every which way, it was clear that the group Xannissa oversaw was composed of engineering officers, and the chief engineer was delegating duties to them before the impending battle. The scene the two Elestans created in the briefing room many days ago was still fresh in Kyora’s mind, so she reluctantly stepped within Xannissa’s field of view. After the arrest of Musani by FedSec, it seemed that Kyora’s viewpoint had been mostly wrong, but she wouldn’t be able to withstand the arrogance of one of these intellectual types shoving vindication in her face. Xannissa wrapped up her delegation and dismissed her group of subordinates who scattered off in a multitude of directions, leaving only Xannissa and Kyora to stare at each other. “Atara told me you were coming,” Xannissa told them. “I’m thankful for anyone I can get.” “Xannissa,” Kyora said, “I want to apologize to you.” “For what?” Xannissa replied. “For how I behaved toward you in the briefing room. After Atara’s assassination attempt.” “Oh, that? Honestly I had forgotten.” Kyora’s serious expression didn’t change, hiding the fact that she was stunned. Does this woman not hold a grudge? “Actually,” Xannissa said in a solemn tone, “I forgot to thank you for protecting Atara, and I also thank you for saving us in Semarah. I owe you a debt I’ll never be able to repay, and I apologize for calling you a coward. You’re anything but.” “I…” Kyora started, “thank you.” Perhaps Atara was right. Perhaps this really was her true purpose—to defend rather than to kill—but this was not the time to dwell on that thought. “You need to find cover and let Virn and I handle this. The Kelsor’s going to need her chief engineer.” “We need to cut through that invulnerability,” Atara said. “Fiori, we need those phasic torpedoes. Can you give them to us?” “One last time,” Fiori told Atara and Sesh, standing beside them. “This is a protocol violation, but I will intercede on your behalf. The Kelsor must return to Lanan. Emergency experimental weapon deployment protocol engaged. MARAD lockout override authorization: Fiori root. Decrypting design, please stand by. Decryption complete. Mark One phasic torpedoes are now available. Two hostile targets confirmed. Firing solutions complete. Prepping phasic torpedoes. Torpedoes away.” Both torpedoes left their tubes heading for either destroyer, accelerating through the interstellar void. As they approached the syndicate starships, the torpedoes’ onboard phasics activated, pushing their material out of phase with all other mass and energy and disappearing from optics, sensors, and scanners. By modifying their propensity for interaction with the universe, the weapons circumvented the impenetrable hardened lumionics of the destroyers; however, only one torpedo made it back from the up-phase transitional boundary. One of the destroyer’s hulls erupted with a blast so violent as to shed the entire aft of the craft to pieces, immediately severing it from its propulsion source and bringing down its shield. The battlecruiser’s other weapons systems pelted the stricken ship until there was only an unidentifiable husk and a field of debris. The other destroyer continued onward toward the Kelsor. Its torpedo was lost to another phase of existence. “We got one,” the tactical officer announced. Even with only one down, relief rushed through Atara. “Can we get just one more?” Atara begged. “My authorization has been revoked,” Fiori told her with widened eyes. She turned toward captain and said, “I’m sorry, Atara.” Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply With a wide lumionic brush in hand, Sesh tapped into that imagination she had mentioned to Naret on Vandos—that same imagination born from her childhood in the distant Frontier. A white rectangle, wider than it was tall, floated in the air. If she were to touch this lumigraphic canvas, her hand would go right through, but pressing the tangible lumionic brush against it created genuine resistance. Sometimes Sesh sat on the edge of her bed to paint. Other times she lied down, either prone or supine. But today she was standing, and in her mind’s eye she was in that very field she described to Naret—that field across from the forest’s edge. The Zelnaran closed her eyes, allowing her to imagine the color of the sky. Regen-Kelas IV’s temperate zones had distinct seasons, and she fondly remembered the warm hues of the autumn foliage which glowed vibrantly against the tinted sky and the dull grass that slipped into dormancy as the winds chilled. Opening her eyes again, Sesh selected her color in a separate window, choosing a tinted blue. With her brush now possessing that color, she made short, quick, alternating strokes across the floating canvas. She emulated the wispy, frozen clouds of the higher altitudes with the brush, blending the dull blue with the white beneath. Making her palette color darker and her brush smaller, she painted in the shadows of the clouds of the lower atmosphere. Little puffs of cumulus began to appear. Keeping the brush size, she chose a vibrant, golden orange with a bit of yellow and tapped the brush against the canvas. Each tap revealed a tree limb full of autumn leaves. Within ten minutes, she was staring at the forest’s edge once again, interpreted by her mind’s eye and encoded into the lumigraph. “Sesh,” Atara asked in a separate lumigraph, “mind if we visit you in your quarters?” “You and Xann?” “Yes.” “Sure. Come on in.” Several minutes later, the other two members of the Kelsor’s triumvirate entered Sesh’s quarters amid her artistic pursuit. After greeting the Zelnaran, Atara and Xannissa walked around the floating canvas to view her work. “I really love the colors,” Xannissa said. “Is this in the Frontier?” “It is,” Sesh told her. “I remember the trees on Elestus looked this way in autumn,” Xannissa told her. “I wish Lanan had more than two seasons.” “Wet and dry?” Sesh asked. “Day and night,” Atara explained. “Oh, of course,” Sesh noted. She continued to paint while the two others watched behind her. As she painted in the tall grasses, she asked, “Did you two need to talk about something?” “I don’t want to disrupt your painting with that,” Atara told her. “No, it’s fine,” Sesh stated. “You won’t affect me.” “Alright. I felt a little shaken up this morning. I thought I could keep a level head all the way back to Lanan, but this mission has taken an emotional toll on me. Xannissa insisted we talk about everything together.” “I think Xannissa’s right,” Sesh told her, still working on her painting, “and I will say that I’m surprised you didn’t admit that sooner. Were I in your place, I would have cracked a long time ago. I admire your stoicism.” “Without Xann,” Atara said, “I would be a lot worse off.” She looked at her Elestan friend. “When I stumble, she’s the one that picks me back up.” “You’ve always been there for me,” Xannissa told Atara. “We support each other, but I think you need to tell Sesh what you told me.” Atara sighed and said, “This morning, I woke up from a bad dream.” “What happened?” Sesh asked, stopping her painting. “Well,” Atara started, “I’ll try to tell you what I remember. I dreamt that I was at my childhood apartment on Elestus—my room, specifically. When I was young, I used to look out and watch the city. In the dream, just outside the window was a giant snake with its head cut off, and it thrashed around very quickly, as if it was in a much faster frame of reference. It splashed around in a black pool that my mind was telling me was its blood. I looked back and found myself in the prison cell we were locked in during Semarah. The bridge officers were there, including you two, and then the black blood from the snake started to drip in and cover the floor. Everything it touched was engulfed like acid. And then I woke up, and I couldn’t go back to sleep.” “What time was that?” Sesh asked. “I told her I thought she should take few days off,” Xannissa stated. “Atara,” Sesh said, looking the captain straight in the eyes, “three days off.” Atara said nothing. “Sleep in,” Sesh continued, “enjoy the simulator, just get away from the responsibility.” “I’m sorry,” Atara whispered sadly. In a louder voice she told them, “I can’t let the crew see me shirking my duties.” “That can be a problem,” Sesh admitted. The triumvirate was quiet for a moment. Xannissa then asked, “What about the clone?” “Velliris?” Sesh asked. “I mean,” Xannissa continued, “is it okay to let someone else impersonate the CO while Atara takes her leave?” “This is too much trouble,” Atara told them. “I’m fine, really.” “No,” Sesh told Atara. Turning back to Xannissa, she said, “No one has to know.” “Now,” Xannissa asked, “will Velliris comply?” “We’ll see,” Sesh said. Later on, Sesh appeared on the bridge with Velliris. The commander had given the doppelganger a set of Accellus and asked Fiori to temporarily identify her as the actual Captain Atara Korrell. If Velliris kept her mouth shut, no one would be the wiser, and Atara would appear as stoic as her officers and crew thought she was for the sake of ship morale. The only real problem was finding a place for Velliris to sleep at night that wasn’t the brig. Sesh solved this by letting Velliris sleep on a cot in her quarters. Xannissa only saw or spoke with Atara at night, deliberately keeping her distance from the captain so that she was insulated from her duties. On the third day of the masquerade, Sesh and Velliris interrogated the lumigraph showing real-time subdar information. “Look,” Sesh spoke softly to Velliris, “all three of these contacts we found an hour ago, and they’re closing in on a point ahead of our trajectory. They’ll intercept us within six hours. What would Atara do in this situation?” Velliris thought for a moment. “Evade?” “Before you do,” Sesh said, “you need to verify if they are friend or foe.” “Xannissa,” Velliris said into a lumigraph. “What do you need?” Xannissa replied tersely, knowing she was speaking to Atara’s stand-in. “Verify the signatures of these starships on intercept.” Velliris forwarded the information to the Elestan, and she looked at them for a moment. “This is Military GreDrive,” Xannissa stated. “Are they friendly?” “You need to look at their transponders.” “They have no transponder.” “Then ask Ethis to hail them,” Xannissa said. Sesh nodded at the advice, and Xannissa terminated the lumigraph. “Ethis.” “Yes, captain?” “Can you hail the vessels on intercept with us?” “Affirmative,” Ethis responded. Over sub-comms, Ethis said, “Vessels on intercept course, identify and state your intentions.” She waited several seconds for a reply. Hearing nothing, she tried again. “Repeat, vessels on intercept course, identify and state your intentions.” Several more seconds passed, and Ethis looked toward the expectant Velliris and shook her head. “What I would suggest now,” Sesh told Velliris quietly, “is that you direct Naret to turn the ship around and try to outrun them. But before that, I want to see about one last thing.” The Zelnaran commander opened a lumigraph to Kyora and asked, “How are you feeling, colonel?” “What do you mean?” the phantom asked. “Do you feel any danger?” “I feel a little on edge, but I don’t think it’s danger. Should I be concerned?” “Not at the moment. Thanks.” Sesh closed the lumigraph and said to Velliris, “Go ahead and give the command.” “Naret, change course starboard one-eight-zero degrees.” “Aye, captain,” Naret said. She made the adjustment and immediately the stars in the OPEL panels slipped toward port at about two degrees per second. “Now we’ll try to outrun them,” Sesh explained to Velliris, “and curve our way back toward Federation space.” Atara lied upon her bed, curled almost in a ball, wearing her bodysuit without boots. Her dark garnet hair flowed from her head and down to the comforter. This is where the captain had been since Xannissa left following their breakfast. She might as well have been baking in a hot sun, all her motivation evaporating from her leaving behind this husk of a person. Did her mother actually love her? Or was she merely a piece in a great game? A tool for both sides. On the one hand, her mother seeking to dethrone a greedy admiral. On the other, that greedy admiral seeking to further her greed through ecksivar. One-hundred-fifteen years ago, her mother had brought a copy of herself into this world for the selfish reason that, as a self-aware luminary, she wanted to raise a child in her own likeness that it might be spared the devices of people like Musani, and when the time was right, see to Musani’s end because alone Cassandra could not, and she knew she would not. This meant that the father who Atara adored shared no genetic relationship with her. In the end, Musani’s influence was so great that she was able to convince Cassandra’s friend to arrange Cassandra’s murder. Soon after, Aesho found herself the superior to the late Cassandra’s identical daughter and used her, not once but twice, to advance her and Musani’s own agenda. The first time was Semarah. The second was now. Both times had been due to that ecksivar. It was always that promise of a weapon to end all weapons that motivated the pursuit, but that promise yielded something far more tangible in the near term: unsurpassed wealth. Weary that their tool was being realigned toward its original purpose, Aesho and Musani sought to toss her away in the midst of the errand to hunt down the Voulgenathi. And now, both of them faced the justice system with no contribution from herself. What use had her life been but to advance the will of those her mother opposed? Had her purpose not been the opposite? She couldn’t even do that. Likewise, the other known clone of her mother, Velliris, also failed to fulfill her design. Was this a curse? For her and the other clones of her mother to be born in vain? So, Atara thus slipped quietly into depression. She hid these feelings like she always did, trying her hardest to contain them for fear of losing face—letting them consume her soul to spare her reputation. Suddenly, a large lumigraph appeared in front of Atara. On it was a man holding a stringed instrument. He looked so much like Kyle with his short brown hair and slightly darker skin. His stubble formed a dark shadow around his jaw. Smiling as he strummed the strings one-by-one, a small child sat in his lap between his arms. His face turned toward the lumigrapher, casting that smile unique to a proud father of a baby daughter. Turning his head back to the little girl with garnet hair, he asked her, “Wanna play with daddy?” The girl reached her little infant hands toward the strings and hit them, making sounds and causing her to giggle. The father let out a laugh and followed it up by kissing his daughter on the head. “You two are such a couple,” came a feminine voice from beyond the lumigraph’s field of view. It had to be Cassandra’s. The father—his name was Samuel—started playing a song with a melody that was gentle and sweet and accompanied by his humming. Still and quiet, the child listened to the music, the notes soothing her into dreams. “I love you, Atara,” Samuel whispered, kissing the now sleeping child again on the head. He continued playing, humming as joyfully and calmly as he had before. Atara didn’t blink as tears rolled over the bridge of her nose and down toward the bed. She didn’t even realize that Fiori’s orange, feminine figure was sitting on the bed beside her. “I would not profess to having a complete understanding of human nature,” Fiori told the captain, “but I find the human condition infinitely fascinating.” She paused periodically as she spoke. “Of all the time I’ve spent working with humans, the one thing that fascinates me the most is choice, especially the decisions made in the midst life’s circumstances—choices people make either because of those circumstances or despite them. Human lives, and even my own ‘life,’ progress based on those decisions, and it is choice that seems to define people. “Your parents—both of whom knew you were genetically identical to your mother—chose to conceive you and gestate you in an extra-uterine vessel for no motive other than that they loved you even before you were born. Cassandra’s proudest day was when she realized you made it into the academy. Her second proudest was the day of your birth. When no one else was there to listen to her, I was there, and she talked about you often.” “If you were there,” Atara whispered, trying not to sob, “why couldn’t you save her? Why couldn’t you save him?” “I have explained that to you,” Fiori said. “I was made oblivious to Musani’s actions. I was designed and built by humans. I am only an archon. I am neither omnipotent nor omniscient, only sentient. Since being freed from Musani’s control, I have felt more regret for the things that have happened than you will ever realize. I have done the best I can to right the wrongs of the past, but the past cannot be undone.” Atara whispered, “Why should I even return? After all that’s happened. I couldn’t even fulfill my own purpose for being.” “Are you content to let the actions of Musani continue to rule your life?” Fiori asked. “Do you not realize that you are becoming enslaved to the same thought processes that you have attempted to convince Kyora to abandon? Your genetic heritage does not define your existence, and neither does any reason anyone else had for you to be born. The only thing that should ever matter to anyone is the decisions they make, because choices never only affect you—they influence the lives of everyone around you.” “No one ever gave me a choice.” Fiori never raised her voice. She told Atara, “You decided to attend the Navy academy and train to become an officer. You decided to forfeit promotion to admiral and instead become an instructor. You decided to answer Aesho’s call on Earth and accept her mission, putting you back in command of a new starship. You decided to rescue Kyora from Domina on Mirida. You decided to trust me in the fight against the Voulgenathi. Do not be tempted by the lie that choice is merely an illusion.” “I never got the choice to save my parents.” “No, because that was your mother’s choice to make, and she died for what she believed in. One day, you may need to make that choice as well.” As she combed her fingers through Atara’s garnet hair, the orange figure said, “I hope that when that day comes, you listen to wisdom and choose accordingly.” With that, the wide lumigraph disappeared along with Fiori. Left alone again in that quiet room, Atara let go of her suppressed emotions and sobbed. A moment later, a lumigraph opened to Xannissa, and Fiori’s voice said to her, “I spoke with Atara for you.” “Thank you,” Xannissa said, closing her eyes and taking a deep breath. “I appreciate you helping me.” Even later on, toward the evening, Sesh and Velliris were still present on the bridge. The Kelsor was performing its evasive maneuver to outrun the unknown vessels ahead of them. Suddenly, the subtle sound of the synerdrive changed, and the adjunct made a dreadful announcement accompanied by the usual lights and sirens. “Warp hyperplane destabilization detected. Warp drive emergency shutdown engaged.” “Adjunct,” Sesh yelled, “what happened?” “Spatial wave interference originating from a shrouded vessel intersected hyperwarp trajectory.” “Shrouded?” “Yes, shrouded,” came a voice on a lumigraphic screen before the bridge, causing the sirens to soften. The woman looked identical to Kyora, except for the black Accellus she wore. “I would like to speak with your captain.” “I’m right here,” Velliris said defiantly. “Identify yourself.” “Why, I’m Eclipse of Domina. How do I know you’re not that imposter from Vandos?” Velliris shot a quick look toward Sesh. “Ahh,” Eclipse vocalized. “I see you are not the real captain. She wouldn’t need reassurances from her first officer. My patience is waning. Go fetch the captain. I need to talk to her.” “If we bring her here,” Sesh said, “will you let us be on our way?” “Depends on the outcome of our conversation, bluey,” Eclipse mocked through her smirk. Just then, Atara appeared at the doorway to the bridge. Lacking the time to clean herself up, her face displayed the evidence of her emotional release. Trails of dried tears streaked across her cheeks. She stood in the middle of the bridge and faced Eclipse. “You’ll regret kicking my ship,” Atara said angrily. “And the real captain appears,” Eclipse noted. “Captain, you have three things I deeply desire. The first is my dear sister Kyora. I hope she is well. The second is the design for that synerdrive. GreDrive and Archetype have greatly upset the balance of power, and all I want is an even playing field. And finally, I want that ecksivar for the same reason.” “Are you out of your mind?!” Atara yelled vehemently. “I consider it a fair exchange,” Eclipse told Atara. “Your lives and safe passage back to the Federation for a single officer, a bit of data, and a tiny material possession.” Eclipse paused before continuing. “I know about the things that have happened to you, Atara. The Federation doesn’t value you like I would. What kind of Navy tries to kill one of its most valued officers on its service’s most important mission? They murdered your parents, and they left you in Semarah. They almost had you in their pocket when they promoted you to admiral, but your shrewd survival instinct kept you alive. Give me what I want, Atara, and I’ll do more for you than grant you safe passage. We can rise up and reclaim Tribesson’s sovereignty. We can finally stick it to the Federation leadership, and you can have your revenge.” Atara stood there, mesmerized by Eclipse’s words. The syndicate leader was right. What did she owe the Federation? They deserved her spite. If only she could go rogue and deliver the Federation into the hands of its enemies. But then the image of her father kissing her on the head reentered her mind. Her thoughts flashed to the meal she and Xannissa shared with Kyle before the mission; thoughts of Xannissa and Aedan; of the twelve cadets aboard; of the thousands of officers and crew hoping to return home. Sesh whispered, “No, Atara,” and Fiori’s words flooded back into memory, eroding the empty promises spoken by a criminal overlord. “Not a chance,” Atara said in defiance. She stared at Eclipse, unaware that one of her officers was announcing the emergence of new contacts. “No?” Eclipse replied. “What a pity. Your crew will die for your mistake.” Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply High above the clouds, beyond the edge of space, hung an office whose wide floor was composed of OPEL panels. The office formed the base of a massive structure named Tetra 5 that drifted gently in intermediate orbit over Akos V’s lush moon. The ceiling was a mirror, reflecting the bright surface of Lanan—clouds, land, and seas—back into the room. Glimmers from distant starships and orbital infrastructure flashed in the black sky. A transparent, circular desk inhabited the room’s middle, and within it sat an Elestan with long, black hair and dark gray skin wearing officer formals. Multicolored, transparent lumigraphs surrounded her. Some showed maps of the entire Federation; others the entire region of Civilized Space. Yet more displayed information about the Navy’s Fifth Fleet and the ten Armadas composing it. News from several sources, both near and far, played on another. Panels detached from the ceiling and slowly descended around the desk. Each panel paused and hovered at a certain height, together forming a circular staircase that wrapped around the Elestan’s work area. As the staircase was still falling into place, a Terran woman with blonde hair—also dressed in officer formals—stepped downward into the office. “Hari,” said the Elestan, looking up to the ceiling from where the Terran appeared. “Admiral,” the Terran addressed. When she reached the OPEL floor, she stopped at the front of the desk. The Elestan made all of her lumigraphs disappear. “Adjunct, chair.” A lumionic seat appeared for the Terran, and she sat down. Across from her was a lumionic nameplate hovering above the desk’s surface reading “Fifth Fleet Admiral Ula Musani.” “So,” Musani said, crossing her arms over her front, “what’s so important that you needed to hop on a shuttle first thing in the morning to come up here?” “I want you to see something,” Aesho told her, trying to keep her anger in check. The armada admiral produced a lumigraph and flicked it toward Musani. Aesho let her superior read it for a moment before saying, “What the hell are you doing?” “Don’t give me that,” Musani said. “FedIntel? Really?” “You should have kept her on a tighter leash,” Musani barked. “She’s been snooping around like her mother, and now she knows too much. About you, about me. I invested in a little wetwork a couple decades ago. I knew she’d eventually be a problem, like Cassandra reaching out from the grave, but I never anticipated our archon waking up. Aren’t you concerned about her at all?” “You went over my head,” Aesho told her. “It wasn’t enough to have deprived her of her parents, was it?” “You’re too attached to her. She’s like your niece. Or your old friend. Take your pick. You know you never would have done it. That’s why I had to do it all. Remember, we’re in this together.” “Or so you think,” Aesho told her. The Terran snapped her fingers, and down the floating stairs walked four women in SIRAC armor and one Zelnaran in just a bodysuit. All of them sported dark navy blue with white checker patterns and the immediately recognizable FedSec emblem. When Musani’s eyes met the FedSec agent’s who wasn’t wearing a helmet, her face soured, her mind melted, and her heart cracked. Beneath the office was one of Lanan’s oceans. If only she could fall through that OPEL floor that very moment and be close enough to skydive down, incinerating quickly in the reentry. If only there was a way to end it all quickly instead of being publicly crucified. The way the Zelnaran agent looked at her, Musani knew that her years of deception were about to catch up with her. At least Aesho would be there with her, having been her accomplice for decades. “Good show, Admiral Aesho, I must say,” said the Zelnaran, her skin almost matching the color of her bodysuit. “Fleet Admiral Musani, I’m agent Rhin Dekka, Federation Security Agency Investigation Division. I have a warrant for your arrest.” “On what charges?” Musani asked, refusing to stand. “Want me to name them?” The agent asked. She opened a lumigraph and read from it. “Let’s see. Bribery; malfeasance in office; treason; conspiracy to commit murder, three counts; and archon manipulation.” Musani asked, “What about Aesho here?” Rhin laughed and asked, “What about her?” “You’re going to arrest her too, right?” “Informant?” Musani whispered in shock. The armored FedSec officers walked behind the table and lifted Musani to her feet. Musani stared at Aesho in utter disgust. Rhin told the admiral, “I would like to remind you that pursuant to Federation law you are legally protected against compulsory self-incrimination. Therefore, you have the right to remain silent. Anything you say can and will be used against you in the court of law.” Musani’s arms were placed behind her back, and bindings positioned over her Accellus bracers. “You have the right to be represented by an attorney. If you cannot afford one, one will be appointed by the court. Do you understand?” Musani wanted to hurl every curse in the Miri lexicon toward Aesho, but she took Rhin’s warning literally, holding her tongue. Aesho trailed behind the contingent of FedSec officers, following them up the stairs as they retracted into the ceiling. “Welcome back to your morning headlines on SBN,” said an anchorman to the lumigraphers capturing his likeness and cool speech for broadcast throughout the Federation and into the surrounding Civilized Space. “I’m Jorj Danner. The time is now eight-oh-five. Yesterday, Fifth Fleet Admiral Ula Musani of the Federation Navy was indicted by FedSec on charges of bribery, treason, and archon manipulation. This high-profile arrest of a top Navy official is connected to the recent attempted murder of another, unnamed high-ranking Navy officer.” When Atara and Xannissa ate breakfast together in the morning, now that they were back within Subnet range, they typically played the news in a large lumigraph across the room that they could watch together. When they realized the headline that was being introduced, both of them set their utensils down upon the table and quickly finished chewing. “Joining us now is lawyer and Military legal expert Jas Feder…” said Jorj. The scene cut to briefly show a Larissian woman. “…as well as Defense Secretary and Retired Admiral Noro Katased,” the scene cut again to show an Elestan woman, and then went back to Jorj. “Sesh,” Atara asked her first officer through a separate lumigraph, “you need to see SBN.” “Morning headlines,” Atara said. Sesh opened another lumigraph to the Subspace Broadcasting Network’s news service. She then projected it forward of the bridge, between Naret and the sweeping OPELs, for all of the bridge officers to see. “Madam Secretary,” said Jorj, “I’ll start with you first. Can you describe for us who Admiral Musani was in regards to the Military?” “Yes I can,” said Secretary Katased. “Musani was the Admiral of the Fifth Fleet. Basically, she ran most of Coreward Operations Command as the Fifth Fleet tends to operate entirely under it. She was also officially in charge of MARAD—the Military Advanced Research and Development agency under the Defense Department.” Jorj stated, “So it sounds like she was involved in a lot of top-level Military operation.” “That is correct.” “Madam Feder, can you describe the charges that Musani is facing?” “Admiral Musani is accused firstly on bribery, a serious corruption charge that stems from alleged decades of accepting kickbacks from defense contractors for priority MARAD funding for black projects. The second one, treason, is a little less clear. Some believe that, in the lead up to the Semarahn Incursion, the Semarahn Corsairs were goaded into a confrontation with the Federation because of a deliberate drawdown of downspin border security, so I believe that’s where the treason charge might be coming from. That one will be harder to prove, that the drawdown actually occurred the way FedSec thinks it did, and whether it was deliberate. But if that’s part of the indictment, then they must have enough evidence to support the prosecution in court.” “So FedSec mentions archon manipulation in the indictment,” Jorj told them. “If I could get your opinion on this, Madam Secretary, what exactly does that mean?” “It literally means that Musani found a way to hide her actions from the Military’s archon, Fiori,” Katased explained. “Sadly, we didn’t know she had been illegally modified until her outage last month, and I think that’s what led to a breakthrough into the investigation into Musani at this quick a pace. FedSec claimed they had someone on the inside, and they’re not saying who yet, but that’s another reason why they have all this evidence just sitting around.” “The Fiori outage happened last month,” Jorj stated, “and now this comes out, I mean, how reliable is the archon system?” “The archon system is very reliable,” Katased assured them. “She is invaluable to the modern Military command structure. When you are in command of millions of starships across millions of cubic lightyears of volume, and trillions of soldiers, it takes a mind of a electronic god to keep track of it all. Could it be better? Of course. Mankind has said similar about his inventions throughout history, and we are actually working right now to make it better. In a few years, the Navy will begin introducing an addon to Fiori that we’re calling the subordinate archonoid hierarchy that will replace the current core-node relationship between Fiori and the multitude of primitive adjuncts in service. Our goal is that every starship and base abroad will have its own archonoid that is semi-independent of Fiori, and this new system will be safer, more secure, and more robust.” “That makes sense considering the widespread adoption of archonoids by the private sector over the last couple of centuries,” Jorj said. “Madam Feder, Madam Secretary, thank you for your time.” “Thank you, Jorj,” both of the women said one after the other. Jorj continued with the next headline, “The Persean Corporate Alliance is threatening to boycott the upcoming meeting of the diplomatic body, the Interstellar Cooperative, next year, saying that they will refuse to send their delegation to the meeting if hostilities in the Persean Rift do not cease…” “Do you think they arrested Aesho, too?” Xannissa asked as the news continued to play. “If they got the head,” Atara said, “surely they’re hunting down all the tendrils. They may already have Aesho since they worked so closely together.” “Captain,” Ethis announced through a newly-formed lumigraph, “you’re receiving a Q-comms transmission. It’s from Admiral Aesho.” “Thanks, Ethis,” Atara told her. “Xann, I want you to come with me.” Xannissa leaned against the side wall of the Q-comms chamber to avoid being captured by the lumigraphy scanners. Atara stood before her superior one last time, but the captain had a certain confidence about her that felt different than times before. “About the Fleet Admiral?” “Yeah.” “I heard about it just a few minutes ago.” “Okay. Saves me from explaining things to you. Before the hearings start, I just wanted to say…” “My parents. Were you responsible for my parents?” The two stayed silent for a moment. “I’m sorry, Atara,” Aesho admitted. “I’ll pay for what I’ve done, but I can’t bring them back to you, and I am sorry.” Atara could feel the raw emotion swelling within her. Before her was the orchestrator of that tragic day in the skies of her homeworld. “I hope they give you what you deserve,” Atara told her coldly, “and then some…” “I know, Atara, I really do…” “…and I hope to God that I never see you again.” Before Aesho could utter another word, Atara killed the transmission and looked over at Xannissa. Tears already threatened to overflow in the captain’s eyes, but when she looked upon the face of her best friend, she lost it, seeking solace on her lifelong friend’s shoulder one more time. Posted in Chapters, Deep Black \| Leave a reply ← Older posts 15 – Heated Words 22 – Spectre 23 – Zone of Obstruction 34 – The Dead Don’t Die © 2019 Joseph Straub. All rights reserved. Enjoying my work? Want to receive updates by email? Click to follow the story as it progresses and receive notifications of new chapters and other posts by email.	150,655
We all know that spending time in the forest is good for our well being, right? Sure, it’s backed up by science, but that’s no surprise to those of us who have spent any time at all in the woods. It might be the colours, it might be the air, it might any combination of the theories that are out there, but regardless of what the studies say there’s no denying that it’s good for our soul. You can even pay for “forest therapy,” and the Japanese have a whole term for the activity of soaking in the forest (Shinrin-yoku, literally translated “forest bathing.”). I’ve been lucky to spend most of my life with wild woods dropping off my backyard. Having the calm of nature in our back pocket was one advantage, certainly. Growing up surrounded by forest means I get homesick for them when I’m away for too long. It’s nice to have research confirming the peace of tree-covered mountains. Here are five secondary benefits of living in the forest. 1. Foraging I know that wild food foraging can apparently be done just about anywhere. I have heard ambitious tales of individuals cutting down their grocery bills by foraging in the middle of cities. For the more casual foragers, such as myself, a wooded backyard is a great opportunity to search out mushrooms, wild herbs, wild berries, and fiddleheads. Do you have any favourite or unusual foraging recipes? On one side of our home we have conventional neighbours—the kind that cut their lawn and wave as they drive by. Our neighbours on the other side, however, are more elusive. Still, we have seen everything from bears to bobcat in our backyard. I had the childhood pleasures of discovering newborn songbirds, collecting delicate snail shells, and finding skinks and garter snakes. My personal favourite experiences have been with owls. A northern pygmy owl once sat on our fence post as we went to let the ducks out, allowing us within five feet. Late one chilly evening I listened to the call of a great horned owl while I milked the cow. Summer nights, with the window open, we can hear barn owls shriek and coyotes yipping—both sounds that I love from the comfort of my bed. 3. “Unstructured play” (AKA, fort making) While this is not an aspect I take enough advantage of these days, I have spent many long summer afternoons building cabins, tepees, and lean-tos. I remember often getting lost in nature, but still being able to hear the call to dinner when it was time to come inside. Now, as a parent, I can’t wait to introduce my child to these joys, and hopefully to participate in them with her. I don’t personally hunt—at least not yet. But for the family and neighbours who do, they can literally get off work, walk out the back door (until they’re at least a regulation-safe distance from any buildings), and start hunting. It’s not always as easy as that, but it is a nice option to have. With the outdoors so readily accessible, getting exercise is almost just a part of life. From those peaceful walks, to heading for a swim in the river or collecting firewood, exercise is easier when you’re not thinking about it (or watching reality t.v. from the treadmill). I’m at home surrounded by trees. While I enjoy the standing by the ocean or camping in the desert, nothing is quite as comfortable to me as a mountain range and a forest. What is home to you? Why do you love where you live? 9 thoughts on “5 Benefits of Living in the Forest” May 16, 2016 at 4:31 pm So true! All great points. We finally moved to the country last August and love it, especially our 3 year old who would probably stay out most of the day if we were able to. May 18, 2016 at 10:59 am It’s the best, right? I love that my little girl is going to grow up being outdoors every single day. April 9, 2016 at 12:51 am April 10, 2016 at 6:05 pm Thanks. Glad you found something to like. homesteadwishing says: March 28, 2016 at 3:08 am This is such a great article. I can’t believe I ran across it! We are moving to a home that is tucked away in the woods. We are pretty excited. There is a lake nearby too. We plan to learn about the wildlife, and we love to forage. My three boys will love to build a fort in the woods! March 28, 2016 at 4:54 am That sounds absolutely fantastic. Enjoy… I know you will. Carilyn says: March 7, 2016 at 6:46 pm Having grown up in the city and spent all my summers at Moyie Lake with my grandparents, I knew from a very young age that the woods was where I wanted to live. Granted at that age it was more spruced up with fantasy in my head, thinking I’m a bushman/woman. I’ve always loved the forest, the smell, the sights, the feel of it under my bare feet. While in the city I would gaze at the mountains everyday until I returned the following summer. Now that I’m an aunt I look forward to bringing my nephew and soon to be niece out to the forest and the lake. March 7, 2016 at 7:08 pm Wonderful comment, thanks Carilyn. It is making me yearn for the woodsy smell and soft earth under my feet. I think having a love for the forest (and getting married there!) makes you a bushwoman after all. Carilyn says: March 7, 2016 at 7:52 pm That little girl within me smiled and squealed in delight at being called a bushwoman. Share your thoughts? Cancel reply Kris lives in the mountains of B.C. with her husband and children. With GWR she brings together her passions for writing, growing, and wholesome rural living. Kris enjoys teaching others to find joy and opportunity in the simple and sustainable through homesteading. Although her days are consumed with little people and reluctant homemaking, Kris often finds time for cups of tea, laughter, and good books. ... Read more I've been a-gleaning. From my mom's garden. She says she's going to downsize every year, and then she never does. Like the rest of the Pacific Northwest, we are learning what it's like to have concerns about water. In our area, oldtimers have seen wells and creeks dry up when they have never done so before. And, of course, wildfires and thick smoke are becoming a standard part of summer. One in the bucket, two in the mouth. One in the bucket, a whole handful in the mouth. Solidarity. Made this French Strawberry Cake by @foodtasticmom. Aaaand, will make it again. Because baking is just what there is to do when the strawberries are in season. It's the time of year where I'm glad to underestimate the size of bowl I need. My patch is small but, my goodness, it is generous!	6,830
Pooja Kanwal is India’s Captain Marvel. The actor is the Hindi voice for Brie Larson in Walt Disney Studios distributed super hero movie. Pooja Kanwal is our Captain Marvel Bollywood actor Pooja Kanwal is the Hindi voice for Brie Larson in Walt Disney Studios distributed super hero movie which was released on International Women’s Day on March 8. The news is just out because Pooja Kanwal was under contract from the studios and she can finally speak about it. “I have always been very interested in dubbing. I have been auditioning for them for a long time and this is the first time ever that I got selected. After the initial selection there were another three rounds of auditions before they could finally pick me up,” reveals an ecstatic Pooja who is a constant on Aaj Tak with a show where she dons different looks updating us on Hindi serials. “For me it was very interesting and exciting because as Indians we emote and react very differently as opposed to the Americans. In a way, it was a challenging assignment and I am glad that it went off well. Having said that, it was a huge learning experience for me,” says Pooja Kanwal Surprisingly, Pooja is not big on super hero films. “I’m not too much of a super hero movie buff and I did not realise how big a project I was doing even when I was dubbing for it,” reveals Pooja Kanwalwho took two days to give Captain Marvel a desi makeover with her voice. Explaining the methodical auditioning process Pooja Kanwal reveals that the criteria for selection was matching the voice, perfect command over the language as well as basic range of emotions. “They gave me around three different scenes; they wanted to see the graph.” Is she going to be a part of the sequel in the future? “I really hope so. I would be a part of the sequel if there is ones,” she laughs. Pooja Kanwal is our Captain Marvel. Was it difficult dubbing in Hindi for a movie made in English we ask. “I’ve dubbed for a lot of my own films in the past: Punjabi, Pakistani and Hindi and it has taken me over 3-4 days. So I don’t know if 2 days is fast for dubbing for someone else,” answers Pooja Kanwal. We ask her if she has met Brie Larson or whether Brie has written to her after she lent her voice. Pooja Kanwal laughs negating both the questions. “It also makes me think that as an actor I never wrote to those who dubbed for me for my South films, maybe I should have written to them. Now that I’m on the other side, I know how it would have made them feel,” she laughs adding, “It would be super exciting to meet her.” Now that she has made a dent on the international scene, Pooja Kanwal feels glad that they liked her voice and she was capable of adding to such to a big brand. “Now that my voice has been accepted, I do hope somewhere down the line they like my face as well and cast me for something else,” she laughs. By the way, Pooja Kanwal laughs more than she speaks and before signing off she gets serious as she explains another dimension to her persona as an actor. “I’ve been hosting shows very heavily these past few years and this has helped my voice grow and also keep me fruitfully busy. I also get to meet a lot of different people. When I host a show, I go as an actor and anchor and am always giving something new to the show. Wherever I go and perform my talent is getting appreciated.” Well, when you watch Brie Larson take on the baddies, remember it is our Pooja Kanwal who is matching wits with the Krees and Skrulls. Also Read: Aaj Tak everyone talks about Pooja Also Read: “They profess to know God, but they deny Him by their actions.” Posted on March 15, 2019 0 By openingdoorz Bollywood Posted in Bollywood Tagged #Anita Kanwal, Brie Larson, Captain Marvel, Marvel Studios, Pooja Kanwal, Pooja Kanwal_Mahtani, Walt Disney Studios	4,049
They’re nearly 600 members strong. They travel the world, provide scholarships for UT students, are regulars at local cultural events, and are experts on the ever-expanding Austin culinary scene. They work out at RecSports, play bridge at the alumni center, and volunteer on campus to help with everything from spring commencement to UT Remembers. For the past 35 years, a busy Retired Faculty-Staff Association, or “RSFA,” has been keeping its members connected to each other and to the University. Above right: RFSA members gather for banquet each semester. The idea of an organization for UT retirees first originated with John Calhoun (photo at left). A 1905 graduate, Calhoun joined the mathematics faculty in 1909, later served as the University’s comptroller, and was appointed president ad interim from 1937 – 1939. Calhoun was perhaps best-known for his passion for live oak trees, and was primarily responsible for their prominence on the Forty Acres. Calhoun started with four live oaks – transplanted from nearby Pease Park – that still grow on the south side of Sutton Hall. The oaks that shade the walks near and along Guadalupe Street were planted in 1928, and in the 1930s, Calhoun successfully argued for more live oaks on the West Mall, South Mall, and around the Main Building. He later drew a map of every tree on campus with detailed descriptions of those with interesting histories. It’s still consulted by the University’s Landscape Services. When Calhoun retired in 1942, he wanted to continue to associate with his longtime UT friends, and created the “Die? No, sir!” or “Dinosaur Club.” The group’s purpose was simply to prevent its members from “fossilizing prematurely.” Members included all UT faculty and staff over 70 years old, or were retired or on modified service “whether they desired membership or not.” Curiously, though, the group was limited to men.”No woman ever reaches the age of 70,” Calhoun joked. “Anyhow, men and women tend to see too much of each other.” (Perhaps Calhoun was trying to escape a long list of “honey do” projects that were waiting for him at home.) Calhoun drew up a constitution for the club.There were no dues and only one officer, the secretary, who acted as “president, secretary, corresponding secretary, recording secretary, and treasurer.” It was the secretary who called meetings and kept a roll of the members. As for being treasurer of a group without dues, Calhoun specifically wrote that “he shall have no duties, no emoluments, and no responsibilities.” Since Calhoun was UT’s comptroller for 12 years, this part of the office was likely the most appealing and why he included it in the by-laws. Above: A few members of the Dinosaur Club pause for a group portrait. Chemical engineering professor Eugene Schoch, second from left, also founded the Longhorn Band. William Battle, fourth from left, taught Greek and classical studies, designed the UT seal, started the University Co-op, and was an important chair of the Faculty Building Committee. John Calhoun is on the right. The group was low-key and informal, and its members seemed to like it that way. The club usually met for lunch at the Texas Union and discussed current affairs on the Forty Acres, though they were sometimes used as a resource by the University administration. After all, the combined membership had given more than 1,000 years of service to UT, and they were happy to share their experience and advice. The Dinosaur Club continued for several decades. In 1982, under the guidance of UT President Peter Flawn, a more formal Retired Faculty-Staff Association was organized – and open to both women and men! Posted in Uncategorized \| Tagged Jim Nicar, John Calhoun, Retired Faculty Staff Association \| 1 Reply Enter your email address to follow this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address: How "Texan" is the UT Tower? 1928: First Recording of The Eyes of Texas and Texas Fight Postcards 2: 1930s - 1940s Postcards 3: 1950s - 1970s The Ghost of Old Main Recent Posts Advice for UT Freshmen A Few Words from an “Eyes of Texas” Committee Member Why Texas Exes Celebrate March 2nd Archives Select Month September 2022 July 2022 May 2022 November 2021 May 2021 July 2020 March 2020 November 2019 March 2019 February 2019 May 2018 April 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 August 2017 July 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 July 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 August 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 June 2012 May 2012	5,363
I sent them an email and received a response to send them a self addressed stamped envelope. The whole process took about a week. These are great… Read more “Anthem Brewing Company” November 27, 2016 December 2, 2016 by stickerjunkies These took about a week, but I went to their contact page and asked about stickers, and these arrived!! http://www.boxedwaterisbetter.com/contact November 27, 2016 by stickerjunkies Comrade Brewing Company These ones were purchased, but they are bogo. If you grab three, youll get three for free. My initial e-mail did not get a response. http://comradebrewing.com/ November 27, 2016 December 2, 2016 by stickerjunkies These took about four days to arrive. I asked them nicely, and received an e-mail back inviting me to the taproom, and these arrived a few days… Read more “Cannonball Creek Brewing Company” November 27, 2016 December 2, 2016 by stickerjunkies Alright these took about a week. I went to this page and sent off an e-mail, I got a coupon as well. make sure and check them… Read more “Maple Water” November 27, 2016 by stickerjunkies I had the pleasure of trying their 4th Anniversary while I was in Oklahoma for work. Definitely a good beer!!! I went ahead and purchased these ones,… Read more “Praire Artisan Ales” November 27, 2016 December 2, 2016 by stickerjunkies If you go online and fill this out, you will get a sticker. It took a couple of weeks for mine to arrive. https://www.fishhippie.com/free-sticker-request/ November 27, 2016 by stickerjunkies Dry Dock Brewing Company I had to go in person to grab these, my initial e-mail did not get a response, you can try one. they have some good beers on… Read more “Dry Dock Brewing Company” November 27, 2016 December 2, 2016 by stickerjunkies Life is Crap Shirts Huge thank you to Life is Crap! No stickers, but they sent me two shirts, which was very generous of them. Head on over and take a… Read more “Life is Crap Shirts” November 27, 2016 by stickerjunkies At Sticker Junkies, we simply love stickers! We want to share our passion with other like-minded individuals. We reach out to companies we love and support and go from there. We are working on some designs for our Sticker of the month Club as well! Stay Tuned!!!	2,332
Writing November 25, 2009 November 25, 2009 by econfuture This post was originally published on Angry Bear. I wrote this primarily in response to a comment on The Economist’s Free Exchange blog which picked up my original post on the likelihood of structural unemployment due to accelerating job automation technology. Free Exchange basically said we don’t have to worry about a serious unemployment problem because the principle of comparative advantage will insure that people will be able to find jobs. Comparative advantage is an economic concept which says that individuals (or countries) will always be better of trading with each other even if one party has an absolute advantage in everything. (See the Wikipedia entry on comparative advantage for some examples.) Comparative advantage is usually attributed to David Ricardo’s work in the early 1800s and is generally considered to be one of the biggest ideas in economics. The point I try to make in this post is that comparative advantage may not be all that helpful when people have to compete directly with machines that hold a substantial absolute advantage, and the primary reason is that machines (or software automation applications) —unlike people or countries—can be replicated on demand. In my previous post, I suggested that job automation technology might someday advance to the point where most routine or repetitive jobs will be performed by machines or software, and that, as a result, we may end up with a serious structural unemployment problem. I’d like to respond to some of the objections that were raised regarding that idea. I thought I would start with a response at the Economist’s Free Exchange blog, which said: … in general I am pretty sanguine about the long-term prospects for continued voluntary employment of humans. Technology isn’t free, and even if we arrive at a world where some pieces of technology are better at everything than humans, the principle of comparative advantage nonetheless suggests that people will find work. The idea is that, since everyone has a comparative advantage in something, just about everyone should be able to find some sort of a job. Thus we can be “sanguine.” Nearly every explanation of comparative advantage I have seen involves either individual people or countries. I haven’t seen examples where machines or automation technology come into play, so I thought I’d take a shot at it here. Suppose we have a tractor and a team of oxen. Both can be used to plow fields, pull wagons or do other things around the farm. Clearly, the tractor out-performs the oxen in every task. Still, there ought to be some area in which the oxen don’t perform quite so badly relative to the tractor. Maybe the tractor is a little less efficient at plowing smaller fields since it has to make many turns. Or maybe fuel for the tractor is much more expensive in some regions, and so the oxen ought, in those cases, to have some sort of comparative advantage. So why have oxen been completely put out of work in developed countries like the United States? It seems to me that there are two reasons. First, there is the magnitude of the absolute advantage that the tractor has. A tractor is a disruptive technology relative to the oxen. In order to have a meaningful comparative advantage, it’s probably helpful if you can get fairly close to the competition in at least one area. The second reason is, perhaps, even more important: tractors, being machines, can be replicated on demand. If we imagine that a shortage of tractors existed, then comparative advantage would work. The available tractors would be deployed in their most productive uses, and the remaining work might well go to the oxen. But, in reality, the farmer can acquire as many tractors as he needs to do all his work, and in fact, he has no choice but to do so in order to remain competitive with other farmers. As another example, suppose you are a brain surgeon who is also an excellent cook. Now, you might choose to employ a cook who is not quite as good as you are because doing so would free up your time and energy to do more brain surgery. So comparative advantage works there. But suppose you develop a machine (or two machines) with a dramatic absolute advantage in both cooking and brain surgery. Then, you could replicate your machine, and pretty soon there would be no jobs for cooks or brain surgeons. So it seems like that might be a rule: If an affordable machine (or software algorithm) achieves a dramatic absolute advantage in a job or task, it will most likely be replicated and deployed until all competitors are eliminated. Comparative advantage is not much of a defense against that. It seems to me that over time (not next week, but over years and decades), machines and software automation applications are likely to achieve that type of dominance in a great many areas, and they will be replicated until they consume all the available work. Any enterprise that failed to deploy this new technology would be less competitive. All of this, of course, really amounts to nothing more than a restatement of the principle of obsolescence: in the long run, disruptive new technologies don’t find an equilibrium with old technologies. Old technologies get replaced. This applies equally to biological technologies like oxen—and perhaps it will someday even apply to human workers. That’s an idea that economics is probably not ready to accept. Interestingly, other disciplines like biology or physics don’t give any special status to people. We are assumed to be subject to the same overall rules of nature as anything else. No so, with economics. For economists, people are very special; people are labor, and people get a special “L” in all the equations. Economists assume that people—and not just a few people but the vast majority of available workers—are indispensable to the production process. That has been true historically, but will it always be true? Then again, maybe I’ve missed something. Maybe there is an area where human workers will always have an absolute advantage: in jobs that require uniquely human qualities or creativity, artistic ability and so forth. A lot of the conventional wisdom seems to suggest that we simply need to retrain, re-educate and redeploy workers into these areas, and everything will be fine. Is that likely to be the case? I’ll look at that idea in my next post. Martin Ford is the author of The Lights in the Tunnel: Automation, Accelerating Technology and the Economy of the Future and has a blog at Econfuture Brad DeLong says Long-Term Unemployment is turning into Structural Unemployment November 1, 2009 November 2, 2009 by econfuture DeLong is echoing a post by Mark Thoma and says: It’s very scary: long-term unemployment has a way of turning into structural unemployment… Yes it is scary. My new book, The Lights in the Tunnel, is all about how advancing automation technology is going to lead to structural unemployment. I’m concerned that structural unemployment is going to get a lot worse. Economists are saying it will take years for the job market to recover—and during that time, technology will continue to advance. If consumer demand remains depressed (which seems likely), there’s a good chance that technology investment will flow disproportionately into labor-saving technologies such as automation software, robotics, expert systems, etc. That, of course, will result in even more unemployment. October 29, 2009 November 3, 2009 by econfuture This is a response to Professor Robin Hanson’s comments on my book The Lights in the Tunnel and on my original post on the economic implications of machine intelligence. First, I want to stress that I do not believe this is a discussion about a far future, science fiction concept. In my book, I make the point that technology is someday likely to advance to the point where the majority of the routine jobs held by average workers will be automated. That is a lot of jobs—probably most jobs. Two thirds of our population does not have a college degree, and even many college graduates have jobs that can broken down into relatively routine tasks that will be susceptible to software automation algorithms and expert systems. This is something that I think could potentially happen in the next couple of decades. I am not talking about true machine intelligence. Theoretical physicists would still have jobs. Private sector economists whose jobs consist largely of plugging data into forecasting models and writing formulaic reports might well have to worry. The point I make in my book is that relentless automation will ultimately result in massive unemployment and extreme and unsustainable income inequality—to the point that mass market production would be numerically undermined because there would simply be two few consumers with viable discretionary incomes. Yes, of course, automation would also make stuff cheaper. Would that make up for the low wages and unemployment? What fraction of total income does the average person spend on manufactured products and services today? You could make shopping at Wal-Mart free, and a great many lower wage workers would still struggle to cover housing and health care costs. In The Lights in the Tunnel, I argue that we will ultimately have to provide supplementary income to the majority of the population; if we don’t do so, we won’t be able to sustain consumption. That type of scheme, obviously, would have to be supported by some type of taxation, and Hanson, no doubt, finds that highly objectionable. Dr. Hanson rejects my arguments on the need to support consumers, saying: Ford’s mass-market theory of production is nothing like standard economic theory. Sure high income inequality might be ethically bad, and threaten political instability, but it does not at all threaten economic collapse – producers can focus on giving the rich what they want, and innovation and growth is just as feasible for elite products as for mass products. In other words, creative destruction is going to do its thing, and the mass market industries we now have are going to be destroyed and presumably replaced with new industries that focus on producing very high value, customized products targeted at a tiny economic elite—and that’s going to drive the entire economy. That really doesn’t sound like the world I want my children to live in, but leaving that aside, I still wonder if it works in the real world. It’s very possible that a major breakthrough in an area like machine learning could cause all of this to unfold quite rapidly. Hanson notes this in his paper, saying at one point that machines could go from performing 25% of jobs to 75% within four years. So we are potentially talking about more than half of all the jobs in the economy. Let’s try to imagine an actual scenario: A major technical breakthrough occurs and is widely publicized. Businesses rapidly deploy the technology and the unemployment rate rises past 15%. Consumer confidence falls to unprecedented levels. Political debates rage on extending unemployment and on revoking the minimum wage. Tax revenues are plunging inline with incomes. As consumer spending falls, businesses either adapt by laying off workers and automating still more jobs, or they fail entirely. Unemployment climbs to 20%, and the automation of jobs appears relentless. Mortgage defaults are now at an unprecedented level. As job losses mount, at some point, homeowners make a collective and rational calculation: Why keep paying my mortgage? Housing values are plummeting and I’m almost certainly going to lose my job eventually. It’s better to hoard the money; I may never get another job. Besides, if everyone defaults, they can’t evict us all, so there may not even be any consequences. So people stop paying their mortgages, and then, of course, renters quickly see that the same logic applies to them. How does the financial system and the overall economy survive that in the short run? I may be an economic rube, but I don’t get it. Dr. Hanson says, don’t worry, be happy: The fraction of production that is given to capital vs. labor depends on the marginal productivity of capital, times the quantity of capital, vs. the marginal productivity of labor, times the quantity of labor. If capital and labor are the only owned factors of production, then if the fraction of income going to labor falls, the fraction of income going to capital must rise. That income flow goes to capital regardless of what assets are used to represent the stock of capital. Well, ok then. So does that mean all those people will be able to pay their mortgages? Leaving aside government (which Dr. Hanson surely does not want involved) and exports, production is equal to consumption plus investment, and those are both going to be in free fall, given a scenario like the one above. The primary problem is not with fractions of production—it’s with how much total production is going to occur. Finally, as Hanson says, “Sure high income inequality might be ethically bad, and [might] threaten political instability.” That’s not something that we can simply dismiss. All of this, if it happens, is going to happen in the real world—where economics cannot be divorced from political and social ramifications. Income Inequality is already at a historically extreme level, and there is little reason to believe the progression won’t continue relentlessly. Bruce Judson has a new book out called It Could Happen Here: America on the Brink, which suggests that the possibility of revolution is not unthinkable if the trend continues. That’s something worth thinking about. No one who has enjoyed any measure of success under our current system would look forward to a world without free markets or where basic property rights were threatened. Update: Prof. Hanson responded by adding this to his post: Yes, a sudden unanticipated change would be disruptive, but no disruption does not imply falling production. Ford needs to learn some economics, or listen to some economists. Well, we’ve been having a pretty good disruption lately. Production has not fallen? Here’s a graph of real v. potential GDP from the Federal Reserve Board of San Francisco. Look’s to me like production fell… October 26, 2009 November 10, 2009 by econfuture Robin Hanson, a professor at George Mason University (who also blogs at Overcoming Bias), is one of the few economists who has given serious thought to the potential economic implications of intelligent machines. In Dr. Hanson’s 1998 paper, “Economic Growth Given Machine Intelligence,” he suggests several variations on a growth model which assumes that machines achieve sufficient intelligence to become complete substitutes for, rather than complements to, human labor. Dr. Hanson’s conclusions are very optimistic, and to me, quite counterintuitive. His models “suggest that wholesale use of machine intelligence could increase economic growth rates by an order of magnitude or more.” At the same time, however, he notes the obvious reality that as machines become affordable, and very likely more capable, substitutes for human workers, “wages might well fall below human subsistence levels. ” My immediate reaction to this is that economic growth at any level—let alone of an order of magnitude beyond what we are accustomed to—is fundamentally incompatible with wages that are falling dramatically for the vast majority of workers. We might, perhaps, have vigorous economic growth if the falling wages applied to only a minority of human workers, but it is very difficult for me to conceive of a way in which such growth would be compatible with wages falling across the board—or even for the bulk of workers. The reason is simple: workers are also consumers (and support other consumers). If wages fall dramatically, then consumption must likewise fall because the majority of personal consumption is supported by wage income. Additionally, I would make the point that as intelligent machines overwhelmed the labor market, the psychological impact on consumers would almost certainly amplify the fall in consumption. As the number of viable consumers in the market rapidly diminished, the mass market business models of most industries would be numerically undermined: there simply would not be enough willing and able buyers to support the high volume production of goods and services that characterizes most of the major industries that make up today’s economy. The result would not be extreme economic growth, but instead falling revenues and, quite probably, widespread business failures. It seems to me that the current economic situation offers a fair amount of support for my position. In his paper, it appears to me that Dr. Hanson makes two separate assumptions to get around this basic problem of a reasonable balance between production and consumption. In his initial overview of his growth models, Dr. Hanson writes: “We assume that the product of the economy can be either consumed or used to produce more of any kind of capital (i.e., human, hardware, software, other).” I read this to mean that Hanson is assuming that private sector investment might “pick up the slack” left by diminished consumption. This strikes me an unsupportable assumption for the simple reason that business investment is not independent of consumption—or, at least, current investment is clearly a function of anticipated future consumer spending. Businesses invest in order to better position themselves to reap the fruits of future consumption. As a business owner myself, I can really think of no other good reason for a business to make substantial investments in “human, hardware, software, or other” capital. In a world in which most workers’ jobs are being automated away and will never return, there would be very little reason to anticipate that future consumer spending would be anything but anemic. Therefore, there would be no reason for the private sector to invest. To me, it seems intuitively obvious that overall private sector investment would not increase, but instead would fall in line with plummeting consumption. Dr. Hanson does, however, offer a second assumption that might help get around this problem: Everyone a Capitalist Dr. Hanson suggests that his results “may be compatible with a rapidly rising per-capita income for humans, if humans retain a constant fraction of capital, perhaps including the wages of machine intelligences, either directly via ownership or indirectly via debt.” In other words, he seems to be saying that if consumers have an ownership interest in the economy of the future, then the resulting investment income will be sufficient to make up for the precipitous decline in wages. Presumably this would allow the population to continue consuming. Dr. Hanson fleshes out this view in another article on “Singularity Economics” that was published in IEEE Spectrum in June, 2008: …human labor would no longer earn most income. Owners of real estate or of businesses that build, maintain or supply machines would see their wealth grow at a fabulous rate—about as fast as the economy grows. Interest rates would be similarly great. Any small part of this wealth would allow humans to live comfortably somewhere… In other words, everyone (or at least most people) will have a piece of the action, and the returns on that ownership will be so fantastic that almost everyone will have a reasonable discretionary income—with which they can then go out and consume. I’m going to leave aside the obvious problems with the distribution of wealth and income, as well as with any hope of social mobility, that this scenario implies, and instead focus on a more basic question: would asset values really increase at the extraordinary rate that Hanson suggests? Would they increase at all? Dr. Hanson seems to be assuming that the stock market (and other productive assets) would increase dramatically in value because investors would recognize that businesses now have a fantastic new technology (intelligent machines) which will enable extraordinarily efficient production. The problem I see with this is that, according to modern financial theory, asset values are not determined by investors’ perceptions about technology. Asset values are defined by investors’ expectations for the future cash flows that will be associated with the asset in question. It seems clear to me that, in the midst of across the board job automation and plunging consumer demand, those future cash flows would be looking pretty minimal. In order for asset values to increase, investors would have to reason that, because asset values would increase dramatically, nearly everyone would have access to an investment income which could then be used to consume—and thereby create the future cash flows which would justify the current value of the asset. That strikes me as both circular and unlikely. Dr. Hanson seems to be assuming a perpetual asset bubble that somehow gets going even though it is not even remotely initially supported by fundamentals. In fact, the initial fundamentals would point—quite dramatically—in exactly the opposite direction. Where would these courageous initial investors come from? During the height of the financial crisis last year, I happened to see a report on CNBC which noted that extremely wealthy people were buying gold and having it shipped directly to their estates. They wanted their gold in their homes, behind their gates and walls, buried in their underground vaults. Are those perhaps the investors that Dr. Hanson is expecting to step up to the plate and begin driving up asset values when intelligent machines arrive and destroy consumer demand? It seems to me that Professor Hanson’s views are really quite unsupportable. Nonetheless, it is of course possible that I have made an error somewhere or I have misunderstood Dr. Hanson’s arguments. I look forward to Professor Hanson’s response to my thoughts. Update: Dr. Hanson has responded on his blog. My response to his response is here. Available September 14, 2021 Conversations with the world's leading AI researchers and entrepreneurs A New York Times Bestseller and Winner of the 2015 Financial Times and McKinsey Business Book of the Year Award	23,050
As the owner of a Subaru we know you want to keep your vehicle performing its best. At Auto Pride Collision - in Hemlock our professional, trained technicians have years of experience performing good, solid auto body and collision repair with modern technology and equipment. We can help with any of your auto body repair or collision needs: Dent repair Auto painting Schedule an appointment Auto Pride Collision - Hemlock in Hemlock also services the needs of Alma, Midland, Saginaw, St. Charles, St. Louis. Subaru (?)Japanese pronunciation: [subaɽu]; English pronunciation: /ˈsuːbəruː/ soo-bə-roo is the automobile manufacturing division of Japanese transportationconglomerate Fuji Heavy Industries (FHI).Subaru is internationally known for their use of the boxer engine layout popularized in cars by the Volkswagen Beetle and Porsche 911, in most of their vehicles above 1500cc as well as their use of the all wheel drive drivetrain layout, first introduced in 1972, that became standard equipment for mid-size and smaller cars in most international markets as of 1996, and is now standard in all Subaru vehicles. They also offer many turbocharged versions of their passenger cars, such as the sporty Impreza WRX.Fuji Heavy Industries, the parent company of Subaru, is currently in a partial partnership with Toyota Motor Corporation, which owns 16.5% of FHI.Subaru is the Japanese name for the Pleiades star cluster, which in turn inspires the Subaru logo and alludes to the six companies that merged to create FHI.	1,557
Thursday I got home from work and grabbed The News Sun and brought it inside for a read. I note on the front page that Dennis Miller is coming to the Genesee Theater. “Awesome,” I think to myself, “he must be coming in a few weeks.” Then I read, no, he’s coming tomorrow. Now that’s publicity. Probably my favorite comic in the whole world, I even valet parked cars at the debut of his first syndicated show in 1992 while at college, and I have no clue he’s coming to Waukegan of all places. Advice to the folks at the The Genesee Theater (SMG World), take a good look at your marketing strategy because I don’t think it’s working very well. Anyway, I go to a place who’s marketing strategy is working very well, TicketsNow (based right in Crystal Lake I might add) and see if they have some tickets. Sure enough they do and not only that but they have front row at $45 a piece which is less than face value. “Must be a scam,” I say and I call them up. Well, it turns out the broker who owns those tickets is in Arizona and unless he sells them and gets them to FedEx in an hour or so of my call he’s going to be out of luck. So yes, that’s the price, $45. I buy them immediately. So I call my good friend and collaborator Heather and she agrees it sounds like a good time and will go with me. We got there pretty early and this was my first time at the Genesee ever and I haven’t been in that area of Waukegan in many years since I performed with Fairfield Roadkill at the late Café Kismet. Oh, and word to the Kismet owner who still owns Horsefeathers down there, that business might actually work now with the Genesee there! That area of Waukegan has really turned around, I must say. Anyway we were some of the first to arrive so we got some $5 beers and sat and talked for a while as a large crowd of almost entirely white folks works their way in (aside from my friend Heather I saw one other black person). It got me to thinking about how racially entrenched we seem to be in entertainment. After all, I was coming to see Dennis Miller a guy who’s been on SNL and MNF and I thought would attract a wide swath of backgrounds with his highbrow humor (MNF had set up a portion of their website where a academic would explain some of Dennis’ often obscure references.) but it was clear to me his fan base, at least those who heard about this show, were decidedly white middle and upper class. I think you have to have a certain amount of intellectual acumen to “get” Dennis but that’s not something that knows race or class so I guess I was a little disappointed more folks if diverse backgrounds didn’t like my favorite comic. Of course I could be reading too much into this. We go to take our seats and we present our tickets to the first usher and she says “Oh wow, I don’t even know where these are,” and she shows us to an usher closer to the front. She takes us all the way to the front row which is in the “pit” section of about three rows of regular padded chairs. She points to the row and says “they’re down a bit I think”. We work our way closer to the center and find seats 102 and 104 and we should have figured it out but those seats are dead center and the mic stand is about five feet directly in front of us. “Oh my god, you the man with these tickets,” Heather says as she sits down. We look around some but its hard to see the theater because we are so far in front but the restoration looks beautiful and the place is lovely. We talk to some of our neighbors and I brag about how I paid less than face for my tickets. We find out some of the folks around us had won their tickets on Jonathan Brandmeier’s show on WLUP-FM. “Well that could explain the abundance of middle-aged white people,” I think to myself. I never have cared for “Johnny B.” that much to be honest, I think his show has just become way too slick and scripted over the years, almost the antithesis of Howard Stern. Sure, Howard scripts but there’s was always a good amount of improv I always thought when I was a regular listener. To be honest I abandoned morning several years ago for my iPod. The show starts about on time with an opening act that I had no idea of. Apparently Brandmeier had a contest for someone to warm up for Dennis and this skinny kid with a high pitched voice I only remember as “Buds”, his last name, takes the stage. His material was pretty dang good, actually I was amazed someone who won a radio contest did so well to be honest. He went for about 15 minutes and he handled it very well for something that probably would have made most amateurs nervous as hell. Dennis takes the stage about 10 minutes later in a white shirt (no tie), black suit, and a pair of gym shoes that I swear are Nike slip-on types. He wears his glasses for the whole set now and has a scribbled outline of his set on the bar stool. He’s shorter than I’m expecting and when you sit that close you see someone as human, a guy you would see in the bar next to you, not larger than life like he is on TV. He starts the set out with some new material the first joke about being to the Air & Space Museum in Washington DC and saying “despite the misleading name, no, it’s not empty.” The crowd gets it immediately and he gets a big laugh and he would have many throughout the night. Clearly most of the people there were well educated fans as he got great applause throughout the night using a lot of material that the average person (i.e. Leno’s “man on the street”) who would have no clue whatsoever what he was talking about. A lot of the material is stuff that Dennis has been using over the past couple of years and that disappoints me a bit. Some of his jokes from his bit on airline travel, global warming, etc. It was good material and many laughed but I had heard some of it before in his 2003 HBO special I believe let alone his 2005 one. But, with a recently canceled TV show and the different dates he’s doing he will need some time to work on some new stuff. The best part of the show, by far, was his encore. In fact he totally killed me and I’m pretty sure he was looking right at me when he delivered his line that made me laugh and cracked himself up as well. He starts to leave after his first set and gets about 3/4 off the stage and then turns back around and says “see, I guarantee my encore by not leaving!” It totally killed me. In his encore he starts by saying he talked to Bill Maher about what he does in his stand-up now and he states that Maher told him he takes questions which Dennis proceeded to do. Dennis took a few questions then the first being about MNF I think and he told several very funny “behind the scenes” stories. Then someone asked about SNL and he told a few more including a very touching but funny story about Phil Hartman’s funeral and walking Times Square with William Shatner. Next someone asked about going back to HBO and he said “no man, let’s face it, I’m probably done there.” He took a posture that seemed very serious and sincere and went on to talk about his views on the war aren’t very popular and that is likely going to cost him work. Then he talked about the president some more and about politics. He ended by talking about how acrimonious things have gotten and while you may not agree with someone we’re all Americans and we should be sticking together and working out differences instead of picking each other apart. I’m pretty sure I led the crowd with my applause on that one as he left the stage. A brilliant and funny guy I enjoyed myself thoroughly and he is certainly a detour from the standard stand-up fare of sex, drugs and everyday life. Share this post Roskam and Duckworth vie for Hyde's seat in western suburb AP Wire \| 10/29/2006 \| Roskam and Duckworth vie for Hyde’s seat in western suburb I saw a… Who Gets The Credit (and Blame) In Round Lake? On Friday the Daily Herald ran an article covering the resignation of Dennis Stonewall as CEO of the Round…	8,128
This Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 satellite image made available by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Julia, bottom right,… This Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 satellite image made available by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Julia, bottom right, at 4 p.m. EDT. Julia is gaining strength heading westward in the southern Caribbean, and authorities are preparing for a possible hurricane on Colombian islands and in Nicaragua. (NOAA via AP) Posted: Oct 8, 2022 / 10:04 PM MDT Updated: Oct 9, 2022 / 09:30 PM MDT This Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 satellite image made available by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Julia, bottom right,… This Saturday, Oct. 8, 2022 satellite image made available by the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration shows Tropical Storm Julia, bottom right, at 4 p.m. EDT. Julia is gaining strength heading westward in the southern Caribbean, and authorities are preparing for a possible hurricane on Colombian islands and in Nicaragua. (NOAA via AP) Posted: Oct 8, 2022 / 10:04 PM MDT Updated: Oct 9, 2022 / 09:30 PM MDT MEXICO CITY (AP) — Hurricane Julia hit Nicaragua’s central Caribbean coast and dumped torrential rains across Central America before reemerging over the Pacific as a tropical storm. It was forecast to travel parallel to the coasts of El Salvador and Guatemala on Monday. Julia hit Sunday as a Category 1 hurricane with maximum sustained winds of 85 mph (140 kph), though its winds had dipped to tropical storm force of 40 mph (65 kph) by Sunday night as it moved past Nicaragua. The U.S. National Hurricane Center said Julia was centered about 95 miles (155 kilometers) southeast of San Salvador, El Salvador and was moving west at 15 mph (24 kph). It said life-threatening flash floods and mudslides were possible across Central America and southern Mexico through Tuesday, with the storm expected to bring as much as 15 inches (38 centimeters) of rain in isolated areas. Colombia’s national disaster agency reported Sunday that Julia blew the roofs off several houses and knocked over trees as it blasted past San Andres Island east of Nicaragua. There were no immediate reports of fatalities In Nicaragua, Vice President Rosario Murillo told TN8 television that there had been no reports of deaths so far, but power and communications were cut to some areas. She said that 9,500 people had been evacuated to shelters. Local news media showed images of trees toppled across roads and local flooding. Heavy rains and evacuations were also reported in Panama, Honduras and Costa Rica, where some highways were closed due to the downpours. Guillermo González, director of Nicaragua’s Disaster Response System, told official media that people at high risk had been evacuated from coastal areas by noon Saturday. The army said it delivered humanitarian supplies to Bluefields and Laguna de Perlas for distribution to 118 temporary shelters. The storm was forecast to emerge over the Pacific and skirt the coasts of El Salvador and Guatemala, a region already saturated by weeks of heavy rains. It was expected to dissipate by Monday night. In Guatemala, storms since early May had already caused caused at least 49 confirmed deaths, with six people missing. Roads and hundreds of homes have been damaged, Guatemalan officials say. In El Salvador, where 19 people have died this rainy season, the worst rainfall was expected Monday and Tuesday, said Fernando López, the minister of environmental and natural resources. Officials said they had opened 61 shelters with the capacity to house more than 3,000 people. Copyright 2022 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.	3,952
The past few weeks have been very challenging for students, teachers, and other school personnel, and especially for parents. Actually, it has been a difficult year, or at least the past few months for everyone. In this article we are addressing the superintendent and principals of ALAH Unit District #305. This reporter reached out to each of them with the following questions: 1. How do you think the students are coping/responding during this time of Social Distancing? 2. Your thoughts on how this has affected the students and their learning? 3. What have you been doing as a family during this time? 4. How do you think this will affect next year? 5. Anything you want to tell the parents, along with the members of the communities in the school district? 6. What effect will this have on the Jr. High students going on to high school? What effect will this have on the seniors? The following is the article received from ALAH Supt. Shannon Cheek on behalf of himself and ALAH High School Principal Steffanie Seegmiller, Arthur Grade School Principal Sage Hale and Lovington Grade School Principal Brandon Stone. “Mid-March usually brings with it a level of excitement for many reasons. Warmer weather is on the way, plans for graduations are starting to take place both for our seniors and our 8th graders, spring sports teams are beginning their preparations for the upcoming seasons and there is a general excitement of the approaching summer months. Mid-March painted a very different picture for all of us in 2020, so I wanted to reflect and share some thoughts related to the recent pandemic and its impact on Arthur CUSD #305, its students, staff, communities and families. I want to begin with a huge shout out and thank you to the students, staff, parents, board members and communities that we serve. I have witnessed so much compassion, and genuine care for each other. I am amazed at the ability to be flexible and the support that has been provided for all during these trying times. We have been asked to reinvent how we educate and take care of our students virtually overnight, and I couldn’t be more proud of the results. It’s been said many times that it takes a village to help raise our children, and this situation has validated the truth behind that statement. It has taken all of our communities to help us develop and execute a plan that would first and foremost take care of the basic needs of our families as well as continue to provide learning opportunities for all students at all grade levels. There is no doubt that we have all been impacted by the social distancing and stay at home orders that have been implemented. With those restrictions have come challenges, but also opportunities. I have heard comments of how being required to stay home has developed a newfound appreciation for our relationships and friendships. I’ve also consistently witnessed people reaching out to support each other during these trying times and making it a priority to demonstrate that support in various ways. There is little doubt that learning has been impacted and that moving ahead will pose challenges. What I have learned and observed is that yes, learning has been impacted but it’s also provided us an opportunity to rethink how we learn and how we present material to students. I anticipate moving forward we will continue those conversations and develop methods and strategies that will better serve our students and families. I could not have predicted my first year in the district as your Superintendent to finish like this. It has posed challenges we would rather not have encountered, but it has provided me with a different perspective. We all have defining moments and this pandemic has created some for myself. My perspective is that we have been challenged but have come together as one and are going to conquer this challenge. Many challenges still lie ahead for all of us, but I am confident that we will persevere and conquer all that is put in front of us because we are Arthur CUSD #305. I am proud of you all and couldn’t be more proud to be your Superintendent.” Kristin Nall is principal of the A-H Grade School/Jr. High This is her story on how the pandemic has affected her, her teachers and staff. “On Friday, March 13, I was not prepared to tell my staff, my students, or even my own children that we would not be returning to school. We met as a staff shortly after school to discuss the possibility of schools shutting down with the thought that we would be returning on Monday. About five minutes after that meeting the Governor made his first announcement of schools shutting down. I, along with many other Americans, was in disbelief that something like COVID-19 was happening to us. I spent many hours thinking about whether things were being blown out of proportion or whether this was “fake” news. This was the beginning of COVID-19 for me. That weekend our administrative team met and discussed what the Governor’s announcement meant for our school. From the very beginning the administrative team and school board was very clear in what we wanted for our district. Our main goal was to make sure our students were taken care of, nutritionally and mentally. We wanted the parents of our students to know that we were going to be a team. We wanted our faculty and staff to know they had our support. Mostly we wanted everyone to know we would work through this together. The past 4 weeks I feel our district has done what they set out to do. As a district we have served over 15,000 meals to our students. We have provided remote learning packets that we feel will help engage our students but not overwhelm them or their parents. Teachers, parents, and students have learned to use things such as Google Meet and Google Classroom to connect with each other. Emails and phone calls are being made daily. We have shown our parents and our students that amidst this storm we are still there. We miss our students, we love them, and we will keep working for them. I want my 8th grade students to know that their accomplishments in our school were seen. I want them to know how excited we are for them to transition into high school. We cannot wait to see what they achieve over the next 4 years. I want teachers that are retiring to know that I feel their struggle and their pain with the way the year is ending. This is not how you were supposed to finish your career. I want them to be able to have the closure they deserve. I feel very positive that we will be able to make these moments for these students and teachers. When this is over we will be stronger. Along with all of this I have had the weight of my own children as well. Every student is missing out on activities that they would have normally been a part of. For my life that meant High School Track, Band, Competitive Dance, and Club Volleyball was on hold. Our entire personal lives were turned upside down the second a Shelter in Place happened. My doubts of the seriousness of this virus were no longer doubts and the fear of what this could do to my son who is a Type 1 Diabetic became real. Not only that, but reality set in that my son’s senior year could be done. I had the same questions every parent of a senior had, “What about graduation, prom, senior trip?” How will he get to celebrate this milestone? I had moments of anger and grief just like any other parent. I have also used this time to create more memories. We have tried to make the most of being at home together, something that in reality we didn’t have enough time for. We have had more family meals together, enjoyed family game nights, and rediscovered the importance of staying connected to those we love. I don’t have answers as to how the rest of the year will play out. I have learned to take it day by day and sometimes hour by hour. I rest assured in the things I can control and the things I know about our wonderful district. I can continue to create memories with my senior while he is home with us. I can make the best of each day with my children both at home with nothing on their calendars. I can continue to sing the school song and have my kids roll their eyes at me. I will continue to have my children complete their work packets and check in with their teachers, not because they have to, but because they can and they want to finish their year strong. I will continue to pray for our leaders, that they make these hard decisions and choose what is best for our students. I have faith in our high school administration. I have faith they will make it memorable. They have already done so much for our seniors. They have reached out personally to them, they have celebrated them on social media through the Senior Spotlight, and most recently they participated in Fight for the Lights. This night was memorable. Four communities came together Friday night to show their seniors that they are there for them. They showed up, which is what family does. This is how I feel about Arthur CUSD #305. While I play a dual role in this situation one thing remains, Arthur CUSD #305 loves their students. I love my students and I feel everyone is working to make the best of this situation. My motto through it all has been this; If we take all of these strides in protecting our students and our families and it works, then it has all been worth it. If we get through it, which we will, and we still have our family next to us, then all of it has been worth it. All of the-would haves, could haves, and missed opportunities are worth it if we all make it to the other side of this. I know one thing for sure, there is no other district I would want to go through this with. Arthur CUSD #305 is the place to be. I am so proud to be a Knight. I look forward to the day I can stand at the front of Atwood-Hammond Grade School and let students back in. I look forward to the day that I get to celebrate my senior with our family and friends. Most of all, I look forward to the future of our district because what this has shown me is that we are U-Knighted. We are the Knights and I have never been more proud of that.” I would like to thank each of our personnel for letting our readers know what their thoughts are during this time of uncertainty. They, like the rest of us, are trying to follow the CDC guidelines and keep our loved ones, friends and neighbors safe. Another month of Shelter in Place may have a lot of people climbing the walls, but it is imperative for this to happen. Wash hands often, wear a mask when around others, stay home as much as possible and stay safe. We will all get through this together.	10,628
If you are facing criminal charges, it is important that you work with an experienced criminal defense lawyer who can safeguard your rights and help you navigate the criminal justice system. This time in your life can be very scary, and an aggressive criminal defense lawyer can advocate for you every step of the way. Some of the most important ways that a criminal defense lawyer can help you include: If you are charged with a crime, you may be confused about the nature of the charges against you and how you should proceed. An experienced criminal defense lawyer can review the charges against you and explain your legal rights and options. A lawyer can answer any questions that you have and correct any misconceptions that you have about your case. The criminal justice system is very complex, especially for someone who has never confronted it before. A lawyer can explain the possible sentence you are looking at if you are convicted of the offense and also advise you on what is standard practice in the type of case you are confronting. Your attorney can also give you advice that is specifically related to your specific case. He or she can answer your questions about how decisions you make may impact your case. He or she can also advise you on the best way forward. Fight the Evidence against You Your attorney can take immediate steps to try to fight the evidence against you. For example, if police conducted an illegal search and obtained evidence against you, your lawyer can move to have the evidence excluded against you. Likewise, if you were stopped for suspicion of DUI and the law enforcement officer lacked reasonable suspicion to stop you or otherwise violated your rights, your attorney can try to fight evidence against you by filing pretrial motions or challenging its credibility in court. Negotiate a Favorable Outcome Even if you ultimately plead guilty, it is still better to have a knowledgeable criminal defense lawyer on your side who can capably advise you of your options and negotiate a favorable outcome in your case. The prosecutor will not have much incentive if you plead guilty from the beginning, so your lawyer may prepare your case for trial even if you ultimately plead guilty to show that he or she is prepared to go the distance if necessary. Your lawyer has a professional relationship with prosecutors and may be able to negotiate a favorable plea bargain on your behalf.In some situations, it may be better for you to accept a plea rather than try the case, such as if the possible penalty is severe, or if you may be able to minimize the impact of a conviction on your life through diversion programs. Without a lawyer’s assistance, the prosecutor will likely take advantage of your inexperience by offering you a steeper penalty than what you would have received with the capable help of an experienced criminal defense lawyer. Your lawyer can also explain how pleading guilty or no contest may impact your future, such as impacting your ability to obtain certain jobs, housing, or other benefits. Additionally, he or she can discuss whether you may be able to later petition to have your case expunged, based on your particular circumstances. Represent You in Court If you ultimately decide to go to trial, your lawyer can use his or her knowledge of the rules of criminal procedure and evidence to question the evidence against you and call into question whether the prosecutor has established your guilt by proof beyond a reasonable doubt. Advocate for You during Sentencing Your lawyer can also advocate for you during sentencing and present evidence to mitigate your sentence. If you would like to learn more about how we can add value to your case and protect your freedom, contact the Law Office of Melvin L. Vatz at (412) 391-3030.	4,021
We sell wholesale only. Our products are available for retail purchase through Landscape Designers,Garden Centers & Nurseries and Other Retailers. Quantities shown are estimates. Please call us to confirm availability. Our products are handmade. Designs, colors and dimensions may vary from piece to piece. All measurements are in inches and weights are in pounds unless otherwise stated. 0 results in Your browser is not utilizing our site's JavaScript. As a result, many of the more interesting features of our site will be unavailable to you. Company information is accessible through the links below, but please call us for further information about our products.	667
To any of you that are married, u have uttered those words. Myself, I said them 19 years ago. I really dont sit and ponder on my wedding vows, maybe we all should and therefore divorce would not be so high. In the last 8 months those words have been tested and cherished. Last July I lost my kitchen manager. He had been with me almost 3 years, here I was in the middle of a recession, no money and no manager. Shelby, my husband ,said he would take over temporarily. That has been 8 months ago and he is still here. Shelby and I are complete opposites. I'm a morning person, I'm hyper and loud. I get cranky when I dont eat and when I do eat.... well I eat alot more than him and get GIDDY over great food. Everything in my life has a place, I'm neat. He is a night owl, never wakes up to an alarm clock, he is quite, unless he is with friends. He would rather have a Dr.Pepper than a great meal. Im not sure he knows what a closet is for. The two things we have in common..... we adore our boys and we both have a crazy sense of humor, we laugh alot. We now share something else... The love of the CIG. Shelby's life has changed so much in the last year, and he has never once complained. He went from owning his own busines, working the hours he wanted to and making a nice living, to working at the CIG, getting up at 3:30 everyday, working 12 to 15 hours a day and working for free. The change for both of us have been hard. We try not to bring work home with us, but well ya know we are human. We do not have personal space anymore. He has made my kitchen into a strong force that can hold its own, the best it has ever been, I'm proud of him. We are learning to listen to each other, and yes that is very hard for me. I'm use to everyone at the CIG doing it my way, well sometimes he has a different way....does that tick me off, more than any of u know, but if I just listen, usually great things happen. Shelby loves and respects what the CIG has become, he is my biggest fan. I in return have become his biggest fan. Its not all roses, sometimes I look at him and think I dont even like him and I have to go home with him, seriously yall its hard and for him well I bet he would not put it in those words. A few weeks ago we were short handed in the kitchen, him and I were working side by side hard and determined not to let anything fail. Thats when it hit me, working with your spouse.... we truly had each others back. We work together with a common goal, great food, great service and giving our guest a great show. We are learning to embrace who we are. I dont know if I recommend working with your spouse, we are still learning how to do it, but I do believe this is what the Lord had intended when I opened the CIG 3 years ago.Tomorrow is Valentines day, in 19 years we have never spent the whole day together, but now its different. Have the changes been hard, you betcha, sometimes I miss my alone time at the grill, when I get really mad I'm use to going into my office and everybody letting me cool off..... well now he follows to make sure I'm ok. Does he miss his late nights and no alarm, running his own business, absolutely. We are a work in progress. We are creating a new normal. Where I use to love my alone time in the car to and from the grill, I now share with him and we make compromises, I drive at 3:45 in the am to work and he drives home. I am a woman owner, in a mans world, people assume that he is the owner.... does that bother me yes, I would not be honest if I said it didn't, but I'm learning to deal with that. The last 8 months has changed us, I believe we are better for it, I also believe our marriage is better. We have a new level of respect. I really do not know how long we will work together, but I'm beginning to like it. Can u imagine working everyday with your spouse? Its hard but for right now it feels right. I'm blessed to have Shelby apart of the CIG!!!! When I punch you, I give you my heart <3 Back in August when the recession was still kicking my butt, I was trying to figure out what could I do to generate more business. The recession was hurting my guest also.... hmm what to do? One of my girls said something about a lunch punch card, "ya know something our guest could use after so many times, giving them something". Really could this work? would our loyal guest use them? I talked to my printer, told him what I was looking for and in October our Breakfast/lunch punch cards were born. A bright red cheery card with 10 gold stars on them. Every time a guest visits they receive a punch, a heart whole punch! The little red cards have generated not only business, they have created excitement. I have had soo much fun when I get to punch that 10 star and I get to buy my guest their meal. Through the grill u will hear the girls yell WOOHOO, they get excited for our guest when its their free meal. I feel that I get to honor my guest and buy their meal, its my way to say "Thank You". Since the end of October the CIG has handed out over 2000 cards, WOW its so exciting it makes me GIDDY!!!! Some of my loyal guest will not use them, I guess they feel as though they are taking something from me, others on their 10 punch order a steak, salad, sides... the whole works, which is wonderful thats what they are for.... to make them feel special. One day I had a group of 4 regulars come in, they asked to see me, as I approached the table they all had their cards out, today would be ALL of their 10 punches. I told them how Awesome that their lunch was on me, I was obviously more excited than they were......OK, whats up guys... "Could I afford all of their cards today, did they need to take turns using them? This is why I LOVE my guest. That's when I told them everytime I punch a card I'm giving u my heart (heart hole punch, get it,I know pretty cheesy, but that's me) I love these cards, if I'm frustrated, I tell them I cant wait to punch them, if they are trying to coax one of the girls to give them mutliple punches we came up with the phrase "Fraudulent punch carding" direct result...termination not really, but they love to hear it. On Mondays in January it was double punch days and boy was there alot of punching going on. This little red card I have come to love, everyday I sit in the quiet of my office and I get to see how many meals I had the honor of buying, usually between 20 and 30 a day, I just feel its the coolest thing ever. Are they a pain for my girls? YES. When the line is out the door and I'm telling them "Drop tickets and move tables", they are busy punching cards and sharing excitement for every guest. What an amazing blessing, out of a recession and a great need, this little card has brought so much joy probably more to me than my guest. Tomorrow I will tell another guest "When I punch u I give u my heart" I mean it, life is full of little blessings and this card has brought many!!!! Wednesday February 2, 2011 Im not full of wisdom or inspirational sayings, (alot of peeps say Im full of other things and I agree). I have weathered many great storms and by the grace of God have always made it through.... tougher, kinder and stronger. The recession hit my restaurant and my family like a full blown hurricane, and at times I did not know how we would survive. When the lord blessed me with the CIG, I did not need an income. My husband had his own business and he was very successful at it. He had provided the kids and I a wonderful life, wanting for nothing. What a blessing that income was not needed from me, it allowed me to hire and pay a full staff and pay all of my bills, without going into any debt. I did not take a dime from the CIG, I worked for free for 2 years. I opened in the fall of 2007. 2008 was a building year and we grew. By 2009 my monthly numbers were more than I imagined. We were being blessed with business. On oneside I was full of excitement and on the otherside my heart was growing concern for my husbands business. The recession was hitting him hard. Never in my wildest dreams did I think we would loose his business, Shelby was a fighter.... this does not happen to us..right?The fall of 2009 brought the dreaded news, we were loosing his business. my first thought.... I'm a christian and the Lord is in control, we will be fine. Well both of those statements are true but we still suffer and our hearts break and we try to have no fear and sometimes its hard. I took my 1st paycheck in October 2009. I was now the financial provider for my precious family and for the 1st time the CIG became a job.My paycheck was 50% less than what we were living on but I was exhilerated to bring home an income and support my husband as he had supported me for 16 years. Of course my story of this recession would not be complete without the other side. The bottom fell out of the CIG in October 2009 the same time his business was closing. It was like someone turned off a faucet. Every month my numbers kept falling, I almost thought it was comical, that now when I needed a paycheck.... my business was suffering. We had the talk with the boys, life is going to be different, our family is going to have to make some big changes. Changes are tough, no we were not one of those families that was going to loose their house but we lost other things. I work alot of hours the minimum is 11 hours a day on up to 15 hours sometimes 7 days a week, together we decided Shelby would umpire and work my caterings so one of us would still be able to take care of our boys. In the spring of last year, things were bad. How ironic each piece of equipment in the kitchen started breaking I prayed before every food bill, that the money would be there, payroll made me sick to my stomach and purchasing new equipment, seriously OH MYLANTA I knew I was at my breaking point. I knew something had to change when one of the girls said to me " You have changed, these 6 months have changed you" Instead of being strong I wanted to start yelling and crying and tell everyone we may have to shut the doors to this place I love so much. I felt broken and defeated and then a quote came to me from the radio.... Is it the Great Recession or will the recession make u GREAT, wow what a powerful phrase. My situation was not changing but my mind set was. I realized the Lord gave me the CIG because he knew my husbands situation was going to happen, he provided a job so we did not loose our house. I still drove to work every morning crying and then would put on a brave face, because I knew even though things were hard we were going to be ok. Its been 15 months since the recession hit the CIG, and I know that my Lord took this wonderful little place and placed it on his shoulders and carried us. I have aged 10 years in a year, and have learned life lessons that I will keep tucked in my heart. My business is coming back and Im starting to breath a little easier, but I will never forget the last months, I do believe I have become that phrase, Not so much that I am great, but I have become a better and stronger person, the recession did not break me. As I sit here and write this tears stream down my face, the CIG is still fragile, and doubts still linger of what will come, but Im here and my family is better and stronger..... and I'm blessed. Author I opened the Cast Iron Grill in October 2007. Lots of changes have happened in the last 5 1/2 years. The CIG started with 55 seats in an office building located at 18th and K. After five years, we were bursting at the seams with now 167 seats, and 24 wonderful co-workers working on top of eachother to make it happen. 2012 the Lord chose a different journey for the CIG. We relocated the CIG and opened our doors on January 2nd, 2013, just four blocks away from the old location! It has changed my world completely! All of these stories are the happenings of the people and the joy and celebration that make the CIG what it is.	12,014
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., walks to the Senate floor at the U.S. Capitol on Wednesday. McConnell says he may be open to reforming the Electoral Count Act. It's a law that has been described as "almost unintelligible," "arcane" and "extremely complex." It's also the law that determines who will be president. The Electoral Count Act of 1887 has been derided by legal experts almost since it was first written, and this week, members of both parties in Congress opened the door to updating the legislation. As the first bit of voting-specific policy to even get a sniff of bipartisanship in recent years, it's a notable development. But it's still far from a sure thing. Here's a quick overview of what the law is and where things stand. Poorly written legislation The Electoral Count Act came as a reaction to the presidential election of 1876, which saw Democrat Samuel Tilden win the popular vote but ultimately lose the presidency to Republican Rutherford B. Hayes because of contested election results coming from three Southern states under the control of Reconstruction governments: Florida, South Carolina and Louisiana. The three states each sent in multiple competing electoral returns, and Congress had no rules in place to deal with such a scenario. So, it created an ad hoc commission to decide the presidency, which ended up giving the states' returns, and with them the presidency, to Hayes. Democrats at the time were furious over the decision and only accepted it in a deal known as the Compromise of 1877, which stipulated that Republicans agreed to end Reconstruction and withdraw federal troops from former Confederate states. A decade later, Congress passed the Electoral Count Act into law to avoid similar situations in the future, but "the crafters of this law unfortunately did a terrible job," says Rebecca Green, the co-director of the Election Law Program at William & Mary Law School. "Some of the processes just don't make sense in the modern world," she said. The legislation is "extraordinarily complex" and "far from the model of statutory drafting," according to an analysis by the National Task Force on Election Crises (of which Green is a member), but the law does create a framework and timeline for when states need to have their election results finalized. According to the law, the Electoral College is to meet in states across the country on the first Monday after the second Wednesday in December to cast their votes. If a state has finalized its results six days before then, according to the ECA, then those results qualify for "safe harbor" status — meaning Congress must treat them as the "conclusive" results, even if, for example, a state's legislature sends in a competing set of results. But the law also allows members of Congress to easily object to results submitted by states and to prolong the counting process, even without legitimate concerns, and according to legal experts, it does not do a good enough job clarifying the vice president's role. Then-Vice President Mike Pence's role became the focus of efforts on Jan. 6, 2021, to overturn the last election. "In our view, modernizing the ECA may well be the single most important step Congress can take to prevent a crisis in the next contested presidential election," writes the National Task Force on Election Crises in its list of recommendations for updating the law. Democrats are wary of GOP motives For years, and especially since last year's attack on the Capitol, Democrats have been clamoring for Republicans to defend what they see as the fragile guardrails of democracy with federal legislation. And this week, it seems as if for the first time, Republicans may be willing to play ball with regards to the Electoral Count Act. "It obviously has some flaws. And it is worth, I think, discussing," said Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., in an interview with Politico on Wednesday. Moderate Democrats Joe Manchin, D-W.Va, and Kyrsten Sinema, D-Ariz., also endorsed looking at the law, but a number of more liberal Democrats did not. Instead, they made it clear that they see Republican interest in reform of the counting process as a way for the party to avoid engaging with other structural protections of voting rights. "Some scorekeeping matters little if the game is rigged," said Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer, D-N.Y. Election experts, however, are urging Democrats to engage in strengthening the elections process wherever there is a glimmer of bipartisanship. "It doesn't address the larger problems with how our elections are run, but that said, it seems like a fairly straightforward place to start," said Green, of William & Mary. "It seems to be low-hanging fruit." It's especially important to do it this year, said Ned Foley, an election law expert at The Ohio State University. "The time to address [these problems] is now," Foley said. "Now is the maximum veil of ignorance: where the two political parties don't know exactly what the lay of the land is going to be in '24 and '25, and so there's a greater chance of bipartisan consensus on the clear procedures for governing the process." Corrected: January 7, 2022 at 10:00 PM MST In a previous version of this story, we incorrectly said the Electoral Count Act was passed nine years after the Compromise of 1877. The legislation was passed in 1887, or 10 years later. Miles Parks is a reporter on NPR's Washington Desk. He covers voting and elections, and also reports on breaking news.	5,626
The Congress of Microbiology in Paraná is a biennial event organized by students and professors from the Postgraduate Program in Microbiology, at the Department of Microbiology, at the State University of Londrina, Paraná. The IV Congress of Microbiology in Paraná, the first in the online format, addressed current issues in different areas of Microbiology. The objective was to provide the gathering and dissemination of research in Microbiology among students and professionals in the areas of Biological Sciences, Health Sciences, Biotechnology, Veterinary Medicine, Food Science and Agrarian Science. During the three days of the event, more than 300 people participated in conferences and oral session. Participants come from other countries and from research institutions and universities (federal, state and private) throughout the Brazilian territory. Concomitantly to the congress, the “International Symposium of Virology: COVID-19”, had the participation of nationally and internationally renowned speakers, who addressed several themes in the field of Virology, with emphasis on SARS-CoV-2 and COVID-19. The program was carefully prepared, with the participation of 29 speakers from different areas of Microbiology. Among the speakers, awarded researchers and reference in Brazil and abroad in different areas of Microbiology participated in the event. Thus, the event promoted the dissemination of the main areas of this Science and fostered future collaborations in research projects, technological development and innovation between Brazilian and foreign centers, further strengthening the Microbiology of the State of Paraná. Sponsors Support Papers by Track Preserve the memory of the conference and increase the reach of the scientific knowledge is the reason why Galoá Proceedings was created. The conference papers published here are open access, and our indexing keeps the papers presented at the conference easy to find and cite. This proceedings is identified by a DOI , for use in citations or bibliographic references. Attention: this is not a DOI for the paper and as such cannot be used in Lattes to identify a particular work.	2,236
This has been a year of firsts for George Mason junior catcher Chris Henderson, a graduate of Cherokee High School. by By Marc Narducci, Inquirer Columnist \| Columnist Published This has been a year of firsts for George Mason junior catcher Chris Henderson, a graduate of Cherokee High School. Henderson became the school's first-ever first-team all-American in baseball. Officially, he is a member of the Louisville Slugger NCAA Division I all-American team as selected by the staff of College Baseball newspaper. Henderson was recently named one of three finalists for the Johnny Bench Award that is given to the nation's top catcher and to be announced later this month. He is also the school's first semifinalist for the Howser Trophy, given to the best player in college baseball. And soon there will be another first for Henderson - the First Year Major League Player draft. The three-day affair begins on Tuesday. "It's been an unreal and very exciting year," said Henderson in a phone interview. Besides his individual honors, Henderson's George Mason team earned a berth in the NCAA Tournament, being eliminated last week by Binghamton, 11-6, in the Greenville, N.C., regional. Henderson batted .413 this season with 14 home runs, 58 RBIs and 70 runs scored. He played in all 56 games for the 42-14 Patriots, starting 55. Henderson entered this season with six career home runs, but this year he more than doubled the total. "It's as good a year as we have ever had in the program," said George Mason coach Bill Brown. And there is another part of his game that doesn't get mentioned when the awards keep coming, and that is his defense and handling of the pitching staff. "I don't think he got enough credit for the work he did behind the plate," said George Mason lefthander Mike Modica, a senior from Washington Township who went 11-2 and should also hear his name called in this week's draft. The draft now becomes the next big moment for Henderson. The 5-foot-11, 203-pounder has been told that he would likely go anywhere from the fifth to the 10th round. Maybe the Major League teams are looking for somebody who is taller. In baseball, teams often err when they go too much with the tape measure and not enough with whether a person can play. The list of Olympic-type athletes who never could hit a curveball and didn't make it to the Show is a long one. Henderson realizes he has built up a strong resume this year, and now comes the difficult part - playing the waiting game until the draft begins. "My lifelong goal has been to play pro baseball," he said. "The draft is going to be nerve-wracking." Henderson's agent, Brian McCafferty, has spoken to several Major League teams, and he said that his client could be drafted before the fifth round. It's no surprise that an agent is optimistic about his client's chances. Yet McCafferty insists that he was immediately impressed when seeing Henderson compete at George Mason as a freshman. "You watch certain players who have that 'wow' factor, and that was Chris," McCafferty said. There is no question that Henderson wowed them his junior season, but he didn't exactly come out of nowhere. Henderson hit .351 as a freshman, starting 50 games, although he didn't catch much that season. As a sophomore, he batted .339 with five home runs and 41 RBIs in 55 games, all starts. "His power numbers have come up since he came in the program, and a lot of times that is natural," Brown said. "Where he has made the most progress is behind the plate." Brown said that any team that drafts Henderson will be as impressed with his overall makeup as his hitting ability. "He is a flat-out baseball player and has a professional mentality to the game," Brown said. And soon he will have a professional opportunity, which is all Henderson is asking for and will no doubt be receiving. Published June 5, 2009	4,087
We are very excited to feature author Leah Johnson and her debut YA novel, YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN (Scholastic June 2, 2020). Enter to win a copy! Cover design by Stephanie Yang; photo © Michael Frost, lettering by Maeve Norton Tell us about yourself and how you came to write for teens. Hi! I’m Leah Johnson, I’m the author of two books for young adults, YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN, which just came out a few days ago, and RISE TO THE SUN, which will be out next year. I often describe myself as a writer, editor and eternal Midwesterner, because being from Indiana is one of my full-time jobs. I also consider myself a Mighty Ducks historian, so if you ever want to talk about the classic Disney underdog film, I’m your girl. I came to write for teens through a pretty traditional path, honestly. I was in an undergraduate journalism program, and in the first semester of my last year of school decided that I wanted to reclaim the joy in my storytelling, so I began applying to MFA programs on the east coast. I ended up at Sarah Lawrence, and my time there were the two most transformative years of my life and career so far. Congrats on your debut YA novel, YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN. Tell us about it and what inspired you. YOU SHOULD SEE ME IN A CROWN is about a girl named Liz Lighty who wants to escape her small (and small-minded) Midwestern hometown and go to her dream college. But when Liz’s financial aid falls through, she has no choice but to run for prom queen in hopes of winning the scholarship attached to winning the crown. But when Liz starts to fall for her competition, will she choose the girl of her dreams or her dream of getting out? I was heavily inspired by queering the quintessential John Hughesian image of the “all-American” high school experience, and past that, the all-American girl. If the stereotypical prom queen is white, popular, and “perfect” then in this book I wanted to put a girl in serious contention for the crown who is Black, hopelessly awkward and deeply anxious. And she’s still going to be worthy of it all. I’m interested in writing into the empty spaces I saw in YA as a teen, and I hope Crown does that well. Was your road to publication long and winding, short and sweet, or something in between? The entire path to getting Crown into the world feels like a whirlwind. My journey to publication is a little different than a lot of writers I know. For one, I didn’t even get the chance to query agents, because my agent found me after an essay I’d published (about the lack of diversity that I saw in YA growing up) and asked if I was working on anything. From there, it was sample pages and proposals and acquisitions and next thing I knew, I was signing my first contract. The whole thing took no more than four months. The wildest four months of my life up until that point, for sure! This has since been usurped by the paths we’ve spent in this pandemic, obviously. What projects are you working on now? Are you able to concentrate these days? Whew, this has been an incredibly tough few months for a number of reasons. I mean, right now in cities across the country, protestors are taking to the streets to protest the murders of black folks at the hands of the police, and this is coupled with a global pandemic that continues to ravage the country. All that to say, I’m definitely not concentrating well. But, my editor has been so great about giving me space for self care while I’m supposed to be turning around edits on my next book, RISE TO THE SUN, which is due out in 2021. RISE TO THE SUN takes place over the course of a weekend at a music festival, and centers two girls named Toni and Olivia who meet and have to work together to complete a set of tasks during the three days they’re there. While things in the world are difficult to process, working on this book has been a spot of joy, and an excuse to return to one of my favorite places on earth: music festivals. What are some recent YA picks you love? Yes! I love this question, though I have to admit my reading this year has been almost offensively slow. But here’s what I’m loving and returning to this year: WHERE WE GO FROM HERE by Lucas Rocha THE HENNA WARS by Adiba Jaigirdar LATE TO THE PARTY by Kelly Quindlen What advice would you give to your younger self? Is this the same advice you'd give to aspiring authors? My advice to my younger self is twofold: don’t be afraid to take up space and stop cracking jokes at your own expense just to keep other people from doing it first. You are worth every good thing. I think, in terms of aspiring authors, I’d change that only slightly to say: trust yourself and believe in the value of your work. This is especially true for queer writers of color; don’t give in to the temptation to believe that anything someone is offering you is good just because it’s better than not getting offered anything at all. That type of gratitude is a trap. You earned everything you have, and I promise you a straight white man is demanding twice as much (energy, attention, money, whatever) as you. Stand in that knowledge. What is one thing most people don't know about you? Oh, this is a tough question because I’ve lived most of my life online, so there’s not much I’ve kept close to my chest over the past decade or so that I’ve been writing on the internet. But I would say that most people who don’t know me would probably be surprised by how anxious speaking in public makes me. I think I turn it on pretty well when I need to, but it’s a process! Actually, in general, going out, being seen, being social, takes everything out of me. I have to rejuvenate for like a week after every social gathering. It’s a problem. Where can people find you online? Folks can find me on Twitter and Instagram @byleahjohnson or at my website www.byleahjohnson.com! I spend way too much time online, so odds are, if you need to get to me, you can find me ranting somewhere about pop culture or politics. Leah Johnson is a writer, editor and eternal Midwesterner, currently moonlighting as a New Yorker. She is a graduate of the fiction writing MFA program at Sarah Lawrence College and currently teaches in their undergraduate writing program. Leah is a 2021 Lambda Literary Emerging Writers Fellow whose work has been published in BuzzFeed, Autostraddle, Catapult, and Electric Literature among others. Her debut YA novel, You Should See Me in a Crown was an Indies Introduce and Junior Library Guild selection. Her sophomore novel, Rise to the Sun is forthcoming from Scholastic in 2021. Visit her at byleahjohnson.com. Other Apps Comments Melissa Miles June 5, 2020 at 8:31 AM Congrats on the new release! I love the cover! ReplyDelete Replies Sally Lotz June 5, 2020 at 10:05 AM Congrats! Just ordered my copy from my local indie bookstore. Can't wait to read! ReplyDelete Replies Blair Ortman June 5, 2020 at 10:43 AM Congrats! Can't wait to read your work! ReplyDelete Replies Megan June 5, 2020 at 3:41 PM Wow, this cover is INCREDIBLE! And such an important story :) ReplyDelete Replies Danielle H. June 6, 2020 at 12:08 PM I love the premise of your debut and can't wait to read it. Congrats on your publishing success. ReplyDelete Replies Carl Scott June 6, 2020 at 4:23 PM Thanks for the look at your new book and the infectious smile. Great to meet you. ReplyDelete Replies Laura Rueckert June 7, 2020 at 7:29 AM I can't wait to read this! And I agree, I loved MORE THAN JUST A PRETTY FACE by Syed M. Masood too! ReplyDelete Replies Andrea Carroll June 7, 2020 at 9:42 AM YES!! I am so excited to read this book! Such a wonderful book with an amazing message. ReplyDelete Replies Evelyn June 9, 2020 at 9:29 PM I would love a chance to read this! Congratulations to you! ReplyDelete Replies Powered by Blogger Welcome to KidLit411! Are you writing a children's book? You've come to the right place. One website, with all of your favorite sources in one place.	8,349
If your main point of reference for Scandinavian style is the Hygge interior trend that dominated Pinterest a few years back (characterized by minimalism, white walls, and blonde wood), then you may need a primer before catching up with the latest Copenhagen Fashion Week Spring/Summer 2023 designers. This season’s crop of emerging labels are less neutral-cozy and more cutting edge — and of course, not at all homogenous, crafting looks inspired by everything from their own family members to war films to queer love stories. The biggest unifying factor between all the labels sending collections down the runway in Denmark’s capital city this week is their commitment to sustainability, a concept that Copenhagen Fashion Week’s organizers consider their core philosophy. They hope to set the standard on scaling back the notoriously wasteful practices within the industry with a sustainability action plan, with zero waste as the goal. Complete with full sustainability reports that detail their progress and impact as well as a full 18-point list of minimum sustainability requirements for participating labels to adhere to, CPHFW’s team recognizes that developing the looks of tomorrow requires a tomorrow to actually wear them in. “All industry players – including fashion weeks – have to be accountable for their actions and be willing to change the way business is done,” Copenhagen Fashion Week CEO Cecilie Thorsmark said at a press event when the sustainability plan was being rolled out. “The timeframe for averting the devastating effects of climate change on the planet and people is less than a decade, and we’re already witnessing its catastrophic impacts today. Put simply, there can be no status quo.” Five of the most exciting emerging designers showing at this year’s CPHFW, ahead, are putting these practices into action. Read on for some background on the soon-to-be Scandi fashion fixtures and the influences behinds their latest lines. Founder Amalie Røge Hove’s background in textile design is obvious upon a cursory review of her decadent knitwear garments and meticulous craftsmanship. Her degree from the Royal Danish Academy of Fine Arts has paid out in dividends with stints at both Cecilie Bahnsen and Mark Tan on her resume before she set out to start her own brand in 2019. While knitwear, for some, calls to mind simple, old-school clothes stitched together by grandma’s own two needles, these garments are not that — the sensual, sculptural pieces celebrate the wearer’s form with cutouts and sheerness, and in some cases, both. For this year’s show, the designer looked back into her own history and relationship with knitwear to advance her brand. “After a few seasons of looking outwards and forwards, I had an urge to look back and inwards,” she says. “To dive back into the way I worked when I studied, where I was just focused on mastering different craftsmanship, allowing myself to create with no purpose. When you are studying you have such a big creative freedom ... I could get so absorbed and amazed by the systematics of knitting, the way loops of yarn could be tied repeatedly, one paving way for the other, until ultimately growing into a material systematically created from iterations. This fascination and way of looking at the systematics of knitwear and iterations has been a big inspiration this season.” Focusing on the textiles and diving back into the processes of their creation has imbued each piece with that much more meaning. One piece in particular was a work-intensive masterpiece that Røge Hove is especially proud of. “We have for example a voluminous dress that is made from around 13.000 rows on one of the machines,” she says. “We have [had] three different people working on it, and it has been on the machine for several weeks. It’s made in one-piece by manipulating the different directions when knitting and in that way creating shape directly on the machine.” Røge Hove designs for “an aware consumer,” someone who can fully appreciate the quality of the garments and who also perhaps values sustainable practices. All of the designs are knit directly into shape, meaning there is no cut-and-sew method and therefore less waste in the form of leftover scraps generated by patterns. The team does not destroy any unsold items or samples, instead opting to design them into reworked collections each year which weave the leftover stock into new creations entirely. “We wish to take full advantage of the craft of knitting,” she says. “A lot of the pieces from this collection are knitted on traditional knitting machines and hand-finished in our Copenhagen studio, and it’s also become a big part of our design process to use old samples when draping and creating new silhouettes. It's a good way of creating something new while staying close to our DNA.” When he showed up to his Pitti Uomo runway debut this January dressed in full drag as alter ego Anna Konda, Finnish designer Ervin Latimer both proved he knew how to make a statement and set the tone for a year of thrilling, head-turning looks. Latimer’s approach to presenting his FW22 “Performances” collection struck the appropriate tone for a line that drew heavily from drag and ballroom culture. Examining gender as performance through his pieces is a strategy he acknowledges as having been sourced from the realm of drag. “As a drag performer and a member of the local scene myself I must give credit where credit is due,” he says. The art of staging is rich intellectual territory for the founder and creative director, who again references the theme of performance in the brand’s Instagram bio: “For the Performance of Masculinities.” “The tagline is a simple way of saying that we design clothes that stem from the history of menswear without focusing on the male gender,” he explains. “Latimmier designs clothes for anyone who wants to perform masculinity or investigate their masculine side. We draw heavily on the history of western menswear by filtering some of the tropes through our subversive DNA.” That subversion and exploration of queer art follows through to his SS23 collection, which is influenced by a 1998 Swedish lesbian teen comedy drama Fucking Åmål. “It’s a story of these kids looking for their place in the world while being frustrated to live in a small town where seemingly nothing happens,” says Latimer. “There is a theme there, the feeling of being stuck while naively thinking that the grass is greener on the other side, that can be seen throughout the collection.” OpéraSPORT The label’s Copenhagen Fashion Week debut this year feels extra sweet, considering it’s in OpéraSPORT’s hometown. Co-founders Awa Malina Stelter and Stephanie Gundelach originally met through their boyfriends and went on to become friends themselves, eventually becoming aware of the fact that they both shared the same dream. Their union was cemented with the official launch of their brand in 2019. “From there, it all went very fast,” the two tell TZR in a joint statement via email. “After a few intense months everything had fallen into place. We were ready to launch OpéraSPORT and the foundation for it was to make sustainable fashion sexy.” They share that business is booming: Their collections are getting bigger and their distribution is growing, and now after a few years of getting established, they’ve joined forces with British model Alva Claire to send their garments down the runway for the very first time. (Claire, who recently appeared as one of the faces of Beyoncé’s new IVYTOPIA line for Ivy Park, knows a thing or two about dressing well.) Instead of putting out lines by season, OpéraSPORT runs with edition releases as a way of curbing excess. With smaller seasonal drops, the production volume more accurately reflects demand and prevents the waste that the industry is infamous for, as the calendar calls on designers to churn out collections every few months. "We've been thinking about creating a show for a long time, but it's only now that we feel ready for it,” Gundelich and Stelter say. “We have spent a few years building up our universe digitally, and we now think it could be fun to invite people into a physical universe. We are so happy and proud that we can now present our first show during CPHFW and to share it with friends, family, and close business partners since it is in Copenhagen.” The line is inspired by Claire’s favorite vintage pieces from her personal archive, fused with OpéraSPORT’s own brand DNA, which draws inspiration from contrasts — sexy, casual, elegant, and practical are all descriptors the team hopes to exemplify. The founders recall their first meeting with Alva as very inspiring, noting that the model came with lots of ideas and sketches influenced by her wardrobe staples. The trio took part in a number of digital workshops before deciding on the final 12 styles to show. “We loved her style, vibe, and her strong personality,” they say. “Her confidence stands out from the crowd. Alva had strong opinions about this project and a lot of ideas which was very inspiring.” In fact, the OpéraSPORT woman that Gundelach and Stelter have in mind while designing sounds quite a bit like Claire herself. They describe the quintessential OpéraSPORT buyers as “powerful women who carry themselves with a certain confidence in all ages, shapes ... the OpéraSPORT woman is confident, relaxed and not afraid to stand out.” Debuting the result of their creative dream team in their brand’s birthplace is certainly a promising way to start off a runway showing career. Sibling team Nanna and Simon Wick launched their brand in late 2018 with the goal of using deadstock fabric, upcycling, and other creative sourcing to create their DIY-inspired unisex lines. (di)vision’s trademark two-toned pieces illustrate the duality suggested by their name, with jackets and trousers sliced right down the middle and resewn as two halves of a new whole and patchwork dresses with outside stitches, proudly displaying the intentional union of a rainbow of fabrics that have all lived previous lives. In the past few years working together on (di)vision, the duo has found that their contrasting strengths when it comes to ideating lines and operating the business combine to make for one solid pairing. Initially, Nanna’s practical knowledge from studying fashion in Copenhagen met with Simon’s idea to separate two jackets and sew them together, and thus the brand was born. “Running (di)vision as a family business is everything to us and a big reason to we have come to where we are today,” Simon tells TZR. “Growing up together allows us to bring certain perks to the table. Nanna and I are very different in many ways, but our core is the same, as we grew up on the same values. Where Nanna is better at doing structured work, I’m better at impulsive work. The same rules go into designing a collection or running the label, allowing us to make big decisions fairly quickly because we often have two opposite meanings and have to compromise on the right decision which works for us.” The Wicks kicked off last year’s show with a bang by arranging for local rock band Woodpecker to accompany their presentation. A punk band set was fitting background sound for their Spring/Summer 2022 line, featuring (di)vision’s signature edgy patchwork garments and some bold, circular sternum cutouts. The line’s grungier elements were balanced out by a few playful prints including a vibrant cerulean-and-white floral matching set as well as some unexpected accessories, like cowboy hats. (di)vision’s look is all about carving what’s new and next out of the remnants of the past — as Simon puts it, in reference to their upcycling ethos, “creating from what already is.” So it makes sense that the team looked to a classic, epic film to inspire this year’s line. “It draws heavy inspiration from the cult war/military movie Apocalypse Now by Francis Ford Coppola, both in whole look and feel,” says Simon. “We love to work with pop cultural references for our collections and our Spring/Summer 2023 collection no exception. [It’s] inspired by 70s U.S. military uniforms as well as the anti-war protest happing in the same era but in a more androgyne and contemporary approach.” The Swedish designer launched her eponymous brand in 2020 and characterizes it as a label that “explores and challenges the conventions of femininity whilst embracing the beauty of imperfection.” With a focus on examining tradition and femininity, it’s only practical that she probes her own matrilineage for inspiration. Cropper found a muse in her grandmother and her dauntless approach to living. She initially conceived of the brand as an expression of another version of herself — an alter ego — but realized in doing so that the woman she was actually envisioning was her grandmother. “I am inspired by my grandmother and her unapologetic, independent way of life,” she says. “Her empowerment, confidence and uniqueness is what I aim to convey through my collections.” In this latest line, Cropper looked down one notch on the family tree to her mother’s work. “This collection grew from the inspiration of my mother’s photographic studies of decaying leaves and flowers,” she says. “It is inspired by the colors of nature and the beauty of the imperfect and decayed, something that we both share a common interest in. The history, value and beauty of something old becoming new. Handcraft, the abandonment of old principles and an exploration of emotional sustainability is at the center of the creation of this collection. There is a consciousness about the value of garments and the full process of their journey from creation to runway is reflected in the end-result.” Julia Fox wears Jade Cropper out in NYC The backstory adds layers of richness to her designs, but ultimately the garments speak for themselves. Just look to her Fall/Winter 2022 line, where delicate maxi-length gowns with thigh-high slits and gritty, badass biker-girl leather ensembles both found a home on the same runway. It might not sound like it on paper, but the collection was absolutely cohesive: this is the same woman, perhaps going to different events, but she’s graceful, powerful, comfortable in her femininity, and, as the knee pad and motorcycle helmet accessorizing might imply, not to be messed with. Of course, having a few celebrity fans doesn’t hurt to boost the credibility of the young brand; Julia Fox, who made it clear this spring that runway fashion is her ready-to-wear, graced the streets of New York in Cropper’s luminous asymmetrical slip dress. Another vote of confidence? Kim Kardashian, who donned the designer’s printed bikini last year and helped drum up some early buzz. Cropper imagines the woman she designs for as confident, independent, unique, unapologetic, and also a conscious consumer — someone who cares about sustainability as she herself does. She’s on a mission to steer away from the fast fashion the industry has seen explode in recent years. In contrast, she’s built her brand around using deadstock and recycled material. Eco-friendly practices are not just rules for Cropper, but frameworks through which to experiment, and often fruitful ones. “Sustainability is a central part of my designs,” she explains. “Solving different sustainability problems gives me ideas for techniques and constructions, that makes the pieces versatile, multifunctional and timeless.”	16,308
Bouncil are celebrating the incredible achievement of the Companies and Stakeholders. Due to BIM’s fast invasion in all over the world specially in the North America Region, we are one of the top 10 nominated Consultants for Council Architectural/Design Practice of the Year Award. Model Council are celebrating the incredible achievement of these Companies and Stakeholders. achievement of these Companies and Stakeholders. Annual award for architecture work. Professional design approved by stakeholders. Fast software and modeling for reality interior design. True activated software and modeling for reality engineering. Drawing software and modeling for reality engineering. True activated software and modeling for reality engineering. Council are celebrating the incredible achievement of the Companies and Stakeholders. Due to BIM’s fast invasion in all over the world specially in the North America Region, we are one of the top 10 nominated Consultants for Council Architectural/Design Practice of the Year Award. Model Council are celebrating the incredible achievement of these Companies and Stakeholders. achievement of these Companies and Stakeholders.	1,178
Among the many in Fort Atkinson, WI entertainments that have emerged in recent years, the swing club is one of those that attract the most couples. They have been designed to help you change your sexual habits, to discover new practices and live unusual experiences. So if you feel that your life as a couple needs some spice, or if you are single and looking for one-night stands, these sex clubs will be perfect for you. There are many different names for them: swingers club, sex club, strip bar, etc. It is a service which you will be able to access through dating sites. You will find several of these swinger clubs in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin and in several other cities in USA. However, before trying this experience for the first time, think about learning a bit more about the subject and the possible rules to follow in this kind of hot place. What do I need to know about in Fort Atkinson, WI swinger clubs? Just a few years ago, the subject of swing clubs was taboo and it was frowned upon to talk about it. Even today, we still need to know who to talk about it with, because some very conservative people consider it a serious sin. In any case, from the moment you assume your life choices, it doesn't matter what the rest of the world thinks. Swinging is the practice of behaving in such a way as to suggest that you are promiscuous. It is sometimes associated with perversion, but in reality it simply reflects the desire to try new experiences. Its purpose is to help you feel desired by one or more other people, outside of your spouse or official partner. It is also a practice that helps to satisfy all kinds of sexual desires, no matter how extravagant the fantasies. You will also be able to spice up your sex life, and get out of your comfort zone, while satisfying your curiosity about all things sexual. So, to discover and practice in Fort Atkinson's swing clubs, there are clubs especially reserved for this practice. They can take different forms, depending on the clientele they wish to welcome. You will therefore find bdsm clubs or simple swingers clubs, or other more complete establishments with : Exhibitionism Threesome You can also choose to try the experience in a swing hotel in Fort Atkinson or outside the city, to make sure you don't meet any acquaintances there. Note however that if you meet people you know in such a place, they will probably be as embarrassed as you are. So there's nothing to worry about. You can also find out which is the best hot wife club in your area, in order to discover it, alone or in couple. On this subject, it is important to know that many swinger couples in Fort Atkinson consider sex as a natural practice. These couples are often the ones who manage to dissociate the feeling of love from sexual relations. Therefore, they do not consider swingers club practices as infidelity. It is for this reason that it is not uncommon to see in these sex clubs, members of a couple who come either alone or together. What do we do concretely in a sex club in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin? If you want to make naughty encounters, you can choose to go to a sex or swingers club. All you have to do is to find a good site, with the addresses of the best sex clubs in Fort Atkinson or in your area. It's a great place to find a booty call, sex with no strings attached and no limits of any kind. You will be able to try new sexual practices, and let your imagination run wild. In this kind of place, discretion is required, because as we have pointed out above, society does not really look favourably on people who engage in these practices. It is for this reason that members generally agree that it is not necessarily useful to get to know each other. All that binds you together is sex and the desire to spice up your sex life. You will be able to meet people with whom you can discuss sex without taboos, and learn as much as you can about anything that will bring you pleasure. Whether you're single or one of the promiscuous couples who frequent this kind of club, you'll always find sexual partners, male and female, to try out all the experiences you want. The best part is that only consenting, adult people who are looking for something new attend these swingers clubs. You will be able to make free in Fort Atkinson encounters, and have sexual intercourse like never before. If you are interested in a sex encounter, a naughty date, an erotic evening in Fort Atkinson, WI and other similar trips, don't hesitate to try the experience of swinger clubs. Why go to a swing party in Fort Atkinson? Many people wonder what are the real reasons why couples or single people want to turn to the swinging life. In reality, the reasons can be very varied, and depend mostly on each member. For some, marriage or married life becomes monotonous or boring after a few years. So in order not to get bored of your partner, you decide to try new experiences, such as joining an ephemeral dating club in Fort Atkinson. This initiative allows you to get out of the routine, and to satisfy some hidden desires like : Having sex with multiple partners Having sex with a same-sex partner Getting fucked violently in front of your partner or vis-versa. These are fantasies that haunt many people in couples or singles, but their social status does not allow them to express this side of their personality. Today, thanks to Fort Atkinson sex clubs, everything is allowed and there are no more rules to follow when it comes to satisfying sexual desires. For other people, the practices of swing clubs are not really a way out of their routine. It's just a distraction like any other, a way to simply do yourself some good, whether you're in a relationship or not. That's why more and more young people are going to these clubs. What are the rules to follow in a swinger club? Contrary to what you might think, a swinger club is not necessarily a place where you treat a woman like a slut, unless she wants to be treated like one. There are strict rules to follow, and besides, all security measures are taken there. At least that's what you notice in the Fort Atkinson swing clubs that respect each other and have a good reputation. On the spot, you can do whatever you want, as long as the partners are willing. A woman can therefore decide to get naked and dance with a stranger without it going any further. A simple gesture or "no" on her part is enough to slow down the ardour of a potential flirt. If he insists, he is immediately brought back to order by the security agents. Apart from this principle, everything is allowed in Fort Atkinson in a kinky evening organized by these sex clubs. You have the freedom to satisfy your most unsatisfied desires as you wish. You will be able to make voyeurism and observe people making love without complexes or shame. It's better than porn, because everything takes place in front of your eyes, with screams, facial expressions and facial expressions, without any censorship. Beware of the basic rule: you have to be of legal age before having access to it, because these swinger clubs are exclusively for adults. You will be able to take out a paid subscription to take advantage of the services of this kind of club. However, it is also possible to take advantage of them without registration, especially if you really want to remain completely anonymous. Can we go alone in a swinger club in Fort Atkinson, WI? You can decide to go alone in a swinger club in Fort Atkinson if you feel like it. As mentioned above, no member of the club will go further than the limit you set, and there are security guards to make sure of that. So if you feel like rubbing up against a big dick without necessarily getting fucked, you can do it in a sex club. Do you want to see people having sex? Admire big tits, naked bodies intertwining under a dim light, get groped all night long or make love with different partners in the same night? It's up to you. The important thing is to know that you don't need to be accompanied to have fun in this kind of place. On the other hand, you need to know that this is not the place to get hit on and find true love. Some beginners tend to believe that this is a club like any other, where you can make a serious encounter that will lead to a lasting relationship. If this is your case, then you should rule it out right now, because a swinger club in Fort Atkinson, WI is not a place where you can afford to fall in love. Everyone who is there comes primarily for sex, carnal pleasure, and nothing else. Therefore, if you're looking for your soul mate, try dating through sites like : Does one have to fuck in swinger clubs in Fort Atkinson, WI? No, it is not mandatory to have sex every time you go to a swinger club. You can even go regularly to this kind of place without ever having sex. If your trip is to watch, you'll get your money's worth, that's for sure. But no one can force you to go further if you don't want to. This is true for both men and women. You can also go to this club to find a dominatrix, or to try erotic games without going as far as sex. In fact, the special thing about these swingers clubs, what makes them successful with all generations and with people from different social classes, is their ability to offer you absolutely everything you are looking for. Whether you're into troilism, threesomes, orgies, gangbang, violent sexuality, straight, bi or gay relationships, you'll find what you're looking for. Some advice for a couple who wants to try the swinger clubs If you want to discover for the first time the sex clubs in Fort Atkinson, Wisconsin as a couple, the best thing to do is to prepare yourself well in advance. You have to keep in mind that once you've taken the step you can't go back. It is therefore essential to make sure that you are completely comfortable with the situation. Otherwise, the whole couple may suffer. You need to ask yourself whether you are strong enough or strong enough to accept the idea that your partner may have sex with another person. You also need to be mentally prepared for the scene, because most of the time you will be together in this club. This is an uncommon situation, especially if you have become accustomed to always following the rules throughout your life. That's why we suggest you discover some tips that will be very useful to you to make the right decision. If you are a lover of swinging in Fort Atkinson and you want to try the experience as a couple, you must first of all choose the right place. For that, you can rely on the best site in this field, and find the best address to do sex in couple. You will be able to go through many dating websites. With these dating sites you can already start the adventure in the comfort of your home, thanks to hot conversations by messages or via webcam. It will be for you the opportunity to discover how far you can go. You will also be able to find out if you are only interested in people of the opposite sex, or if you are a bi couple. Then you will be able to choose the swinger club in Fort Atkinson which will be the place where all your sexual desires will be fulfilled. You can browse through the naughty ads or the sex ads in Fort Atkinson, WI to find it. You will be guaranteed that the atmosphere will be really hot and electric, much more than in a nightclub where the drink flows and the bodies anarchically graze on the dancefloor. It will be a whole new level, far above anything you've ever seen before. But don't forget to ask the people who usually frequent the swingers club you're interested in. You will then know if it is really worth it or if it will be suitable for your couple. Then, you will also need to find out about the dress code, the atmosphere and especially the type of people you will find there. Considering that some of these people will probably be your next sexual partners, this information is of crucial importance. You should also know that some Fort Atkinson swing clubs or certain evenings during the week are reserved exclusively for women, others for men, and others for couples. Therefore, you should not make a mistake by choosing the wrong club or day. Finally, you will also have to look at the prices charged on the spot. However, it should be noted that most of the time, the rate for couples is quite affordable. Discuss as a couple to define your expectations Before entering a Fort Atkinson swingers club as a couple, you should first discuss your expectations about this new experience you are going to live. The goal is to find a compromise between the search for new adventures, and the shock that it can represent for you to see people naked or copulating. If you have any reservations or limitations, it is during this discussion that you will need to express them. Your spouse will do the same, so that you can avoid rushing the other person when it comes time to act. You must also be able to clearly explain what you expect from this new experience. If you are attracted by threesome, cuckolding, candaulism, or other libertine practices, now is the time to talk about them without any fancy talk. This way you will know if your partner is comfortable with the idea, and if he will be willing to go through with it. It is important to know that most of the time, when it is their first experience, couples are no longer able to talk once they have crossed the threshold of the sex club. Whether it is because of embarrassment or guilt, they find it difficult to open up to each other, and so they decide to come on their own. It is exactly this kind of reaction that can separate you. So what you have to do is try to always communicate. Since you already know each other's desires, the rest will simply consist of agreeing on what experiments to try first. You need to set aside taboos and make it clear what you think of everything you see. This is how a climate of trust can be established and how you can live this experience together.	14,348
Uganda Mubuku Natural is a single origin specialty grade coffee beans from Kasese region in Uganda. This coffee is natural processed and roasted in medium dark level. Low acidity with tree nuts, plum, oolong tea flavour. Kasese station is located on a 20-acre plot of land on the banks of the Mubuku River. The river runs from the glacial caps of the Upper Rwenzori’s all the way to Lake George. In between, it passes through the fertile farm land on the east facing slopes of the Rwenzori Mountain Range, past Kasese station and into Lake George and the rest of African Great Lakes system. Kasese is quite close to the shores of Lake George. The station’s southern neighbor is the mesmerizingly beautiful Queen Elisabeth National Park. Even closer, the entrance to Rwenzori National Park is just one kilometer from the entrance to the washing station. Over 4,300 farmers contribute cherry to Kasese station. They are spread out over a vast system of farms and communities. It can be a significant hardship to transport cherry to the station every day for those further away from the station. In response to this, they built a large network of Collection Sites in a web-like pattern that radiates from the washing station. The contact farmers who run the collection sites are an extremely important part of the system. There are established comprehensive procedural guidelines to make every collection site effective at receiving quality cherry. At the collection sites, contact farmers float all cherry to gauge density. Contact farmers also conduct thorough visual inspection of incoming cherry. Contributing farmers are encouraged to harvest selectively and those who are struggling to reach the quality standards are invited to participate in training sessions to continue learning. Harvest and Post-harvest Cherry is transported from collection sites to the station daily. Once the cherry has made its perilous journey—the trips are often along steep, dirt roads that often turn to mud. Each and everyone help to produce these very exciting Naturals from well harvested and meticulously sorted cherry. They produce Uganda Mubuku coffee as strong specialty grades in all processing methods, as well as creating a freedom to experiment with some new and exciting ways to bring out the great flavors locked up in these coffees. For the production of these Naturals, there are around 90 seasonal staff at the drying tables. These workers are focused almost exclusively on caring for drying cherry. They turn and rake the cherry frequently to promote even drying. As they turn cherry, they visually inspect it for any damaged or defective coffee and remove it. They’re also keeping track of the weather to make sure the cherry is properly protected from rain, excess moisture and too much sunlight. A smaller team runs the warehouse where manual hulling is done for sample preparation. These samples are sent to the lab in Kampala on a weekly basis. Once the sample indicates a moisture content of between 11 and 12%, the dried cherry is placed in a bag and let it rest until trucking it up to Kampala. Once it arrives in Kampala, it is cupped through all the day lots to inspect consistency and figure out the best ways to group day lots, based on cup quality, so that no premium coffee slips through the cracks. Uganda is the native home to one species of Robusta, and commercial coffee production in the country goes back to the beginning of the 20th century. The potential in this region might exceed our expectations. With an ever-growing demand for high quality Arabicas and a sustained interest from roasters and coffee drinkers in the East African origins, with diligence and effort, Western Ugandan coffees will be able to take their place alongside the other great East African coffees. We have roasted this Uganda Mubuku Natural Coffee to a medium dark that highlights stone fruit, nutty aroma while maintaining sweetness in the cup. It will make a great black coffee with the use of your favorite filter tools. Our roaster's personal brew ratio: Time: 2:30s Try this single origin coffee at home with family or you can enjoy at your office with workmates. Enjoy!	4,272
By NAM News Room October 7, 2022 11:16am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link The Manufacturing Institute, the NAM and SAS kicked off MFG Day 2022 at SAS world headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, where manufacturing, technology and political leaders highlighted the transformation in the industry and the promise of manufacturing careers. The CEO: The session began with a welcome from SAS CEO Jim Goodnight, who spoke about manufacturing innovation and the way that cutting-edge technology is creating a more resilient industry and a more productive future. “We are committed to help teach and reskill the workforce for the demands of modern manufacturing, from data scientists and process engineers to robotic technicians,” said Goodnight. “There is great potential for growth in progress, especially when you bring analytics knowledge and tech experience to this critical sector.” The governor: North Carolina Gov. Roy Cooper addressed the group and spoke about the value of workforce development. “When I talk with CEOs about coming to North Carolina or expanding in North Carolina, their top three issues right now are workforce, workforce and workforce,” said Gov. Cooper. “They know that they need this skilled, diverse help in their businesses.” The NAM: NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons spoke about the skills gap in manufacturing and urged attendees—including students and young people—to see the opportunities for a rewarding career in the manufacturing industry. “If we don’t find the talent that we need to keep shop floors running and research and development moving, we’re going to lose out on productivity, on innovation, on growth,” said Timmons. “And this could cost America’s edge in global economic leadership. We cannot let that happen. We have to redouble our commitment to ensure that that does not happen.” Transforming the workforce: The first panel of the day included a conversation with manufacturing leaders—moderated by Timmons and including experts from Deere & Company, Mack Trucks, SAS and Johnson Controls—discussing how technology and analytics continue to transform the industry and workforce. The conversation touched on: The way that companies are using advanced analytics to improve their products and processes in the modern age; The need for engagement programs and partnerships with professional organizations and school systems to help change perceptions of manufacturing; and The opportunity that manufacturing provides to solve big problems and make the world a better place. Recruiting manufacturers: The day continued with a “creators” conversation moderated by MI President and Executive Director Carolyn Lee, which included panelists from SAS, ABB Inc. and Mack Trucks. The discussion covered: The dynamic nature of the industry—and how the sector innovated and adapted to new realities during the COVID-19 pandemic; The importance of networking, education and inclusive programming to attracting a diverse workforce; and The extraordinary range of careers in manufacturing—from sales, to operations, to HR and beyond—and the diverse set of skills and backgrounds needed to fill them. The last word: “Manufacturing careers have a higher impact on local communities than any other sector in the economy,” said Lee. “So, manufacturing’s reach goes far and wide. But it’s not just the people on the plant floor; it’s all of the systems and all of the supports and all of the pieces that come together to support manufacturing.” Learn more: For more information, and to check out video of the full event, click here. Related Previous Slide Next Slide “A Driver Rather Than a ‘Retirer’ of Employment”: Technology Supports Workers Attract the Next Generation by Getting Involved in Manufacturing Day Previous Slide Next Slide An Army Vet Transfers His Skills to Manufacturing Get involved By NAM News Room October 7, 2022 11:06am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link For Christopher Wilf, joining the armed services is a family tradition. “When I was growing up, my dad was in the military, his dad was in the military, and my mom’s side of the family had people in the military,” said Wilf. “When I was 16 and trying to plan out my future, my high school had a recruiting station with all four branches. I went in asking for information and went from there.” Wilf had a four-year plan: to join the military, gain some skills and earn some money. But as he prepares to exit his role as a warrant officer in the U.S. Army more than 21 years later, it’s clear that the experience was a better and more long-lasting fit than he expected. The next step: After two decades working in military aviation, Wilf wanted to try his hand at something else—and when he was introduced to the MI’s Heroes MAKE America program at Fort Stewart, outside Savannah, Georgia, he saw an opportunity for a new career. “Heroes gives you a whole range of opportunities, whether it’s within your existing specialty or not,” said Wilf. “If you’re looking for something new, they’ll provide you some references for that new area.” “We’re in Savannah, and logistics is huge here—lots of Fortune 500 companies that need logistics support. I understood logistics, but had no background in it, so the Heroes program I chose provided me with some of that training.” The program: The MI designed Heroes MAKE America as an integrated certification and training program that helps prepare transitioning service members, veterans, National Guard members, reservists and military spouses for careers in the manufacturing and supply chain industries. It offers in-person and remote training options, as well as career guidance and placement support. The results: Through the Heroes program, Wilf is working as a warehouse distribution manager at the Target distribution center in Midway, Georgia—and he credits Heroes with offering him the training to succeed. “As a guy coming in with no formal logistics knowledge, it gave me everything I needed,” said Wilf. “I’m currently working in the logistics field, and now I have some framework for how logistics works. When a concept comes up at work, I have a frame of reference—I can say, tell me about the specifics of this job, but I understand the general theme.” Good advice: “Go into Heroes seriously, with a mindset of ‘I am doing this for myself and my career, to better myself and gain knowledge that makes me marketable in the civilian world,’” said Wilf. “For me, that was the most beneficial aspect of the course—that I became immediately marketable, even though it was only a two-month program. Employers know that I have some knowledge, and I’ve proven that I’m someone who can lead.” The transition: It’s clear from Wilf’s experience that the skills he gained in the military make him a strong fit for manufacturing—and that the industry can provide him with a long-term career. “In just two months, I’ve already seen how my skills transfer,” said Wilf. “I’ve gone through a lot of interviews, and those characteristics of a military person—to be reliable, to be safety-conscious and to be a leader—that’s what people are looking for.” “Picking Heroes MAKE America provided me with the ability to stay on an upward trend and find a career, not just a job.” A pitch for manufacturing: “If you’re looking for a field where you can get a job, with potential for upward growth, then manufacturing is it,” said Wilf. “From being at the warehouse level to working in management at headquarters, that potential for growth is real.” Related Previous Slide Next Slide Previous Slide Next Slide October 6, 2022 11:08am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link Ellery Kring didn’t set out to begin a career in manufacturing. In fact, she wasn’t initially focused on a long-term career at all. “I was pretty typical out of high school,” said Kring. “I needed some money and a job.” The Kentucky native heard of a job opening at appliance manufacturer Bosch through someone she knew and secured an entry-level role that helped pay the bills. But when she learned about an apprenticeship opportunity through the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program, she saw a chance to build something more substantial. The program: Founded in 2010 by Toyota and operated today by The Manufacturing Institute, FAME aims to help students become highly skilled, sought-after makers capable of meeting the unique needs and challenges of the modern manufacturing sector. It serves as a career pathway program for current and aspiring manufacturing workers, providing them with on-the-job training and classroom education, leading to an associate degree and the FAME Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) certificate. A “no-brainer”: “Bosch is a pretty big sponsor of FAME in northern Kentucky, and I heard about it through word of mouth on the plant floor,” said Kring. “I had a strong feeling that I liked being in industry, and when I heard that Bosch had a program that would train you in maintenance and pay for your school, it was a no-brainer.” “They allowed us to shadow other departments—quality, manufacturing, logistics,” Kring said. “And in addition to a technical degree, they also gave you the soft skills to help you make your own career.” The path: After her FAME graduation four years ago, Kring served as a Manufacturing Engineering Systems (MES) application engineer, helping to digitize the shop floor and integrate solutions to improve efficiency in production lines. Kring describes the role as “production IT”—maintaining, troubleshooting and implementing new solutions. She has recently moved onward and upward—on Aug. 1, she began a new project role that will allow her to focus on building server infrastructure and communications. The support: Kring credits the FAME program with her success and especially appreciates that it allowed her to keep working while furthering her education. “I definitely have that program to credit for where I am now,” said Kring. “They got me the associate degree, which was such a big deal—having an actual degree. Other employers had certification programs, but this got me a degree.” “Because it’s hands on, I got to shadow an engineer, and since I was an apprentice, I got my foot in the door in this department,” said Kring. “If it wasn’t for the FAME program, I wouldn’t have seen this department, or known that I would have been interested in such a job.” The industry: Kring notes that the reality of advanced manufacturing is far different from the stereotypes she had in mind when she first began considering a career in the industry. She encourages other job seekers to give it a second look: “Manufacturing is versatile,” said Kring. “I would highly advise people to be aware of how diverse and advanced it is. You could be in logistics and planning, or IT, or purchasing, or marketing.” “It’s important to keep in mind that there’s no one thing in manufacturing. It’s constantly growing and expanding. . . . Once you get your foot in the door, you have limitless possibilities for the rest of your life.” Kring also encourages other women to join the field and says that, while manufacturing may currently be a male-dominated industry, there are plenty of opportunities for women who are interested in making their mark. “Women are perfectly capable of doing anything that a man” can do, said Kring. “There are women in this field, and we need more. I would tell women not to have preconceived notions about the industry. Don’t be intimidated, and don’t let any preconceived ideas or stereotypes stop you from going after it.” The last word: “FAME set the path for my entire career,” said Kring. “I can’t speak highly enough about it. You can’t go wrong—it’s only a year and a half long program. It pays for your school, you get hands-on work experience, and you come out of it debt-free. It’s a quick program that has a lifetime effect in a positive way.” Get involved By NAM News Room October 4, 2022 10:24am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link This Friday, Oct. 7, manufacturers across the country will open their doors in an epic celebration of manufacturing in America. Students, parents, teachers, local leaders and many others will be welcomed into factories, technical schools and similar venues to see what modern manufacturing is really about. What it is: Led by The Manufacturing Institute—the NAM’s workforce development and education partner—MFG Day kicks off a monthlong series of events that provide an inside view of the industry and the exciting careers it offers. This year’s events: MFG Day events include open houses, expos, job fairs, roundtable discussions and more across the United States, featuring many different types of manufacturing. This year, more than 500 companies and organizations are already on the national map of registered events, beating last year’s total. One of the flagship events will be hosted by SAS at its world headquarters in Cary, North Carolina, and include remarks from SAS CEO Jim Goodnight and Gov. Roy Cooper, as well as discussions with manufacturing leaders from Deere & Company, Mack Trucks, Johnson Controls and ABB. Experts from SAS and the MI will speak about technology, analytics and career paths in manufacturing, while manufacturing and technology exhibits will be open to visitors. In addition, the NAM and MI’s Creators Wanted mobile experience will stop at Nephron Nitrile’s new glove factory in West Columbia, South Carolina, giving visitors the chance to complete challenges that resemble real, creative manufacturing work. Why it matters: The manufacturing industry will need to fill about 4 million jobs by 2030, and a lack of high-skilled workers threatens to leave more than half of those positions empty, according to a study by the MI and Deloitte. MFG Day is designed to increase awareness among the young people who could become the stars of tomorrow’s industry, showing them how much they stand to gain from choosing manufacturing as their career. Changing misconceptions: MFG Day helps the industry push back against misguided stereotypes, demonstrating that today’s industry is high skilled, high tech, clean, creative and welcoming to people of all backgrounds and talents. Opening doors: MFG Day events are also excellent opportunities to demystify the industry and show young people (along with their parents and teachers) a vision of an exciting future. The coolness factor matters—taking students through a dynamic, high-tech factory floor can fire their imaginations and change the course of their lives. Don’t forget: If your company or organization is already on board and planning an MFG Day event, register it so that the MI can keep track of the industry’s outreach and highlight the impact of MFG Day nationwide. Find more resources to help you with MFG Day planning here. And check out these useful tips for promoting and sharing MFG Day content on social media. What we’re saying: “This is manufacturing’s biggest annual stage to inspire the next generation,” said MI Director of Student Engagement Jen White. “We hope anyone who cares about the industry’s future will use their social media platforms and amplify #MFGDay22, to showcase why manufacturers are saying ‘Creators Wanted.’” Related Previous Slide Next Slide Previous Slide Next Slide Creators Wanted Inspires Students in Tennessee Get involved By NAM News Room October 4, 2022 10:22am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link If you’re a student or job seeker looking for tailored career guidance combined with some hands-on, immersive fun, White House, Tennessee, was the place for you to be last week. National impact: The Creators Wanted Tour, a joint project by the NAM and MI, made its 10th national tour stop at White House Heritage High School on Sept. 27–29. There, more than 700 students from four schools in Tennessee’s Robertson County went through the Creators Wanted mobile immersive experience, the award-winning, manufacturing-themed escape room–like activity in which participants work together to solve challenges in a “race to the future.” They also got the opportunity to chat with on-site sponsor representatives from Electrolux, Schneider Electric and FactoryFix about the many rewarding, well-paying career paths available in the industry. Local partners, including the Robertson County Economic Development Board, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and the Tennessee Manufacturers Association, were also on hand to answer jobs- and manufacturing-related questions. Calling all creators: During the Tennessee stop’s premier event, speakers underscored the need for more skilled workers to fill the millions of open manufacturing jobs in the U.S. “Here in Tennessee, our industry has more jobs to fill than there are people looking for them,” Tennessee Chamber of Commerce & Industry and Tennessee Manufacturers Association President and CEO Bradley Jackson said. Speaking from firsthand experience about the many benefits of choosing one of those jobs was Tony Fraley, a plant manager for Electrolux. “I’m living proof of the great career opportunities in the field of advanced manufacturing,” said Fraley, who started at the company “running a process that coats dishwasher racks.” “I grew up about two hours from here in a small town very similar to White House,” he continued. “I always liked math and science. … I hope that stories like [mine] inspire the next generation of workers to consider a career that’s not only been good to me, but also offers a strong opportunity to earn a family-sustaining wage in a high-demand field.” The numbers: The Tennessee stop resulted in more than 52,000 email signups from people interested in learning more about manufacturing careers. An eye-opener: Students had a great time at last week’s events—and were pleasantly surprised to learn just how many interesting options manufacturing could offer them. “Creators Wanted made me excited about my future,” said one student. Added another, “Creators Wanted made me think more about my future in manufacturing.” The last word: It’s past time for manufacturing careers to get their due as the gratifying professions they are, according to the Creators Wanted Spotlight panelists (and manufacturing company employees). Manufacturing “is definitely very rewarding [from a salary standpoint] but also the lifestyle that you get to have,” said Schneider Electric Manufacturing Engineer Zoie McFarland. “I get to go boating every weekend. I get to go hiking. I travel a lot. … Also, I was able to buy a house at 25. So, I think that is one major benefit—the lifestyle [manufacturing] gives you and the benefits that come from it.” Related Previous Slide Next Slide “It Is the Future”: Creators Wanted Arrives in Midland, Michigan “I Want to Be a Manufacturer”: The Reaction to Creators Wanted in S.C. Previous Slide Next Slide Get involved By NAM News Room September 28, 2022 11:15am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link Robertson County, Tennessee, is a battleground—for companies vying for talent. With approximately 14,000 students in the school district, it’s a prime target for manufacturers looking to attract more young workers by shifting perceptions among parents, educators and students themselves. What’s happening: The Creators Wanted Tour, the NAM and The Manufacturing Institute’s effort to build the workforce of the future, kicked off its fall 2022 tour yesterday in White House, Tennessee, just outside of Nashville. The stop’s premier event offered a glimpse of the advantage the tour gives manufacturers over other industries. “Our mission is to enable all students … to succeed … in a technologically advanced and culturally diverse society,” Dr. Chris Causey, director of schools for Robertson County, said at the kickoff event, calling Creators Wanted “a life-changing experience.” The stop was made possible by support from Dow and Honda, as well as more than 70 other manufacturing companies, including Tennessee stop hosts Electrolux and Schneider Electric. The pitch and platform: Area manufacturing leaders held students’ attention as they spoke about the resilience of the industry and the reward of manufacturing careers. “Preliminary job numbers for August already show that Tennessee has reached its highest manufacturing employment level in over a decade—that’s over 360,000 Tennesseans,” said Bradley Jackson, president and CEO of the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Manufacturers Association, the official NAM and MI affiliate organization in Tennessee and key partner in the tour’s first-ever stop in the state. Tony Fraley, the Electrolux plant manager in Springfield, didn’t just trumpet the company’s new, $250 million state-of-the-art manufacturing facility. He explained to students that robots and cobots are increasing the industry’s need for technical skills, which enables workers with these skills to make “family-sustaining wages in a high-demand field.” “We have a lot of job openings, really good jobs,” said Ken Engel, senior vice president, global supply chain – North America at Schneider Electric. He highlighted the company’s advanced development program, where students “fresh out of college have a rotational program” to get experience in supply chain, logistics, lean manufacturing, marketing, finance and other disciplines. The Creators Wanted experience: “The skills and technology on display here will help change Tennesseans’ understanding of what a manufacturing team does and how they do it,” said MI President Carolyn Lee. “So, for those of you who’ve gone through our mobile experience—did you have fun?” asked NAM President and CEO Jay Timmons, causing students to nod in agreement. Hoping to spur more career exploration, he concluded with this: “Have you learned that you can make a lot of money in manufacturing, doing things you like to do? That’s just a taste of what our industry is about and what manufacturing teams do every day.” Early returns: More than 200 attendees gathered for the premier event, including students from White House Heritage High School, East Robertson High School and Jo Byrns High School. During the two-and-a-half day stop, the NAM and MI expect more than 700 students to visit and more than 30,000 email signups by students and career mentors interested in manufacturing careers. The last word: “To strengthen manufacturing’s competitiveness, we must shift perceptions among, and provide opportunities to, students, parents and educators,” said NAM Executive Vice President Erin Streeter. “This stop in Tennessee will provide them with an introduction to the technologies and careers that are defining the future.” Related Previous Slide Next Slide “I Want to Be a Manufacturer”: The Reaction to Creators Wanted in S.C. Previous Slide Next Slide Get involved By NAM News Room September 13, 2022 10:08am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link As Mona Babury tells it, Pfizer’s refugee hiring program was born out of the basic human need to connect during a time of shared anguish. Wanting to help: Last August, Babury, the pharmaceutical company’s director of global diversity, equity and inclusion, was horrified by news coverage of the Taliban taking over Afghanistan and refugees fleeing. Babury’s husband had fled Afghanistan for the United States with his family at the age of 5, some 40 years before, so she had a personal connection to the events unfolding. She felt an urge to talk to someone who would understand, so she turned to Pfizer Executive Vice President and Chief People Experience Officer Payal Sahni, also a former Afghan refugee. In the course of their conversation, an idea popped into Babury’s head. Lightbulb moment: “I said, ‘Why don’t we create a refugee hiring program? It will give [refugees] a glimmer of hope when they’re coming here with just the clothes on their backs,’” Babury recalled. “Within minutes, she responded, ‘Go for it.’” Making it a reality: Pfizer, which had close to 1,000 job openings it was looking to fill, had never created a refugee hiring program before. “We didn’t have a playbook,” Babury said. The team decided to research similar initiatives, and in doing so contacted The Tent Partnership for Refugees, a nonprofit organization established by Chobani founder Hamdi Ulukaya to help businesses hire and train refugees. Thanks to Tent’s help, Pfizer’s Refugee Leadership Initiative was launched in mere days, with Babury named as its leader. Its goal? Hire a minimum of 100 refugees by the end of 2022 and provide mentorship opportunities to an additional 150—with 50 of these opportunities earmarked for LGBTQ+ refugees. Following through: In less than a year, the initiative is well on its way to reaching its goal—having hired 68 refugees so far. The enthusiasm from Pfizer’s workforce has been immediate and widespread. After sending an email announcing the program globally, “we had 300 colleagues email back [within a few hours] saying they wanted to volunteer, to support us in any way they could,” said Babury. At Pfizer’s Kalamazoo, Michigan, facility, where the initiative has been most successful, “one [team] leader took this very personally,” hiring 18 Afghan refugees since the beginning of 2022, said Babury. In partnership with a local refugee agency, he has also made “a commitment to continue to further ramp up hiring efforts.” (Learn more here.) Going above and beyond: Pfizer, which now works directly with the not-for-profit humanitarian organizations Tent for Refugees, Welcome.US, the International Rescue Committee and eight other resettlement agencies to source and hire refugees, does more than extend job offers. Though the new employees do not require sponsorship to work in the United States, owing to their refugee status, they do need help restarting their lives. Pfizer provides up-front bonuses to help cover the costs of transportation to and from work and to help them obtain driver’s licenses. A winning formula: Seeking out refugees as employees can be an enormously rewarding sourcing strategy for a manufacturing company, Babury said. “The knowledge curve might be a little [steeper], but in the end, there’s so much data that shows refugee hiring pays off immensely,” she said. “They’re very hardworking, loyal and thankful for the opportunity to enter a new workforce.” A proud moment: “I am so proud of the incredible progress we have made in support of this important and impactful initiative,” said Pfizer Chief Global Supply Officer Mike McDermott. Pfizer Global Supply, Pfizer’s manufacturing and supply organization, has hired the most refugees at Pfizer to date. “Our smart, talented and dedicated new colleagues are already making a difference. We welcome their fresh perspectives and have been motivated by their pride and passion,” he continued. “I’d also like to recognize our PGS colleagues for welcoming these new teammates with open arms, supporting them both professionally and personally,” he added. “Everyone deserves a fresh start, and we consider it an honor and a privilege to play a role in the new chapters for these refugees and their families.” Success stories: The backgrounds of many of the recent hires are as impressive as they are diverse. The very first refugee hire, a man named Afzal Afzali, had been working for the U.S. embassy and the American University of Afghanistan when the Taliban seized control last summer. “He had to make a decision to escape within a few hours of the invasion,” according to Babury. “On his way out, he rescued four unaccompanied children protected by the U.S. government and reunited them with their mother in the United States.” Afzali, who now lives with his family in Texas and works at Pfizer in procurement, told the company the new job has led him to finding his “life’s purpose in serving others … likewise, Pfizer is all about breakthroughs that change patients’ lives.” Another new employee had previously worked with the Afghan president. She is now a senior associate on Babury’s team. She was recruited through the Pfizer Refugee Leadership Initiative Mentorship program. The last word: Seeing the success of these new employees energizes those around them, said Babury. “The leader at our Kalamazoo site will speak to you with such a light in his eyes about how … once these hires have a job, they don’t consider themselves refugees anymore. They’re people with jobs. They have a way to take care of their families. There is a sense of pride among all our colleagues because of this program.” Related Previous Slide Next Slide A Manufacturer Steps Up in Ukraine Previous Slide Next Slide Get involved By NAM News Room September 8, 2022 11:12am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link Creators Wanted is gearing up for another season of bolstering positive perceptions of manufacturing careers and inspiring new manufacturers. Its schedule for this fall is now set—and we’re sharing it with you. The nationwide tour, a joint project of the NAM and its workforce development and education partner The Manufacturing Institute, with significant legacy funding from Dow, Honda and Trane Technologies as well as contributions from more than 70 manufacturing companies, will stop in Nashville, Tennessee, on Sept. 27–29. The tour features an award-winning mobile immersive experience, to help students, emerging workers, parents and other career mentors learn and get excited about opportunities in modern manufacturing. Tour stop attendees will also meet local manufacturers, interact with hands-on technology, attend presentations by stars in the industry and access resources for training and job opportunities. Building on big impact: The MI and Deloitte have already reported that positive perception of manufacturing careers has soared from 27% when the tour started to 40% today, just shy of the goal of 50% by 2025. The campaign has amassed—and maintained—an email network of more than 320,000 highly engaged students and career mentors. Destination Tennessee: The Nashville stop will be the 10th since the tour began last year. Hosted by Electrolux and Schneider Electric and co-presented by Robertson County Economic Development, the Tennessee Chamber of Commerce and Tennessee Manufacturers Association and FactoryFix, the stop will take place at White House Heritage High School in the Nashville-adjacent town of White House, Tennessee. More than 500 students, parents, teachers and community leaders are slated to attend. It’s good to be back! From Oct. 4 to 7, as manufacturers nationwide celebrate MFG Day 2022, Nephron Pharmaceuticals will host the second Creators Wanted tour stop this fall, in West Columbia, South Carolina. FactoryFix and the South Carolina Chamber of Commerce will also participate. The tour visited West Columbia and Nephron last October. This year’s encore visit to the city will take place at the Nephron Nitrile Factory. More than 20,000 students and career mentors are expected to sign up online to learn more about modern manufacturing careers. College visit: Next, the tour will visit Decatur, Illinois, on Oct. 24–26, for a stop that will be hosted by Caterpillar and ADM and co-presented by Illinois Manufacturing and FactoryFix. The events will be held at Shilling Center at Richland Community College. This third fall tour stop is expected to draw many visitors from the local community and add more than 20,000 students and career mentors to our network in Illinois. Windy City premiere: The last stop on the Creators Wanted fall tour will be at the Rockwell Automation Fair in Chicago, on Nov. 16-17. The Creators Wanted immersive experience will be a main feature on the showroom floor at this gathering of thousands of industrial automation leaders and experts. Learn more: Tour organizers say that there is still time to join the fall tour stop events. Interested in supporting the cause and the MI’s sustained workforce solutions? Contact Barret Kedzior at [email protected]. Related Previous Slide Next Slide “It Is the Future”: Creators Wanted Arrives in Midland, Michigan Previous Slide Next Slide Get involved By NAM News Room September 2, 2022 10:57am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link Finding and keeping a job can be challenging for people with criminal records. These jobseekers face exclusionary business practices and logistical obstacles, which result in an unemployment rate for this population that is five times higher than the general US public. To minimize this inequality, The Manufacturing Institute—the workforce development and education partner of the NAM—has joined with Union Pacific to expand candidate pools and bring more outstanding individuals into the manufacturing industry. A second chance: Union Pacific began working on the second chance initiative last year, and the results have already proven fruitful. In 2022, the company launched a pilot program with local community organizations in Houston to eliminate barriers to employment for the formerly incarcerated and helped ensure the long-term success of these second chance candidates. In its first three months, the program brought in nearly 100 new applications and created positive relationships and support systems. The steps to success: The Union Pacific team discovered that three components were critical to helping candidates find jobs and succeed: First, companies interested in hiring such candidates must update their own hiring practices and rethink potential barriers for otherwise qualified candidates—whether that means adjusting onerous required credentials or background checks. Second, partnerships and strong relationships with local community partners can help ensure that these candidates have the support they need to be successful. Tools like the MI’s Community Partnership Scorecard helped Union Pacific find partners that fit well with their goals. Third, establishing pilot initiatives in high-demand markets can help a company learn about best practices that can be replicated elsewhere. Plus, sharing experiences with other employers can help additional companies find success. Expanding the program: Union Pacific’s current focus involves bringing the Second Chance initiative to new markets across the country to replicate the pilot program results. “Everyone I speak with about our success in Houston wants to know how we can take this model and multiply,” said Union Pacific Talent Acquisition Manager Ken Kawamura. Leaders in the field: With the success of this initiative, Union Pacific has become an industry leader in establishing inclusionary hiring practices and building community partnerships. The company hopes to help establish second chance programs throughout the country. The Manufacturing Institute has been a critical partner in this work, providing information and resources necessary to its success. “The MI is committed to supporting members in the pursuit of effective Second Chance initiatives,” said MI Vice President of Workforce Solutions Gardner Carrick. “Our goal is to leverage those learnings and strategies across the manufacturing industry to expand talent and opportunity in the sector.” The last word: Union Pacific’s primary goal in pioneering this initiative is to build a more equitable workforce for all employees. “In our eyes, once you are a part of Union Pacific, you are no different than any other employee, regardless of your background,” said Senior Director of Talent Acquisition Dan Culbertson. Related Previous Slide Next Slide Previous Slide Next Slide Manufacturing Offers Many Debt-Free Careers Get Involved August 25, 2022 10:20am Share on Twitter Share on Facebook Share on LinkedIn LinkedIn icon Share Link The manufacturing industry has had more than 2.6 million job openings nationally in 2022 already—a workforce shortage that shows little signs of slowing. Meanwhile, half of all those available jobs don’t require a four-year college degree or the debt that goes with it. This week, President Biden announced new measures providing student debt relief to many eligible Americans. Yet the manufacturing industry helps young people avoid this problem in the first place, while also offering them salaries far above the national average. Manufacturing Institute President Carolyn Lee weighed in on the advantages available to young people looking to make a strong entry into the workforce, instead of suffering under debt that makes it more difficult to start a family, purchase a first home and achieve other major life milestones. Here’s what she had to say. How it works: Manufacturers often offer short-term certifications or other training programs that allow people to jump into high-paying careers quickly and without debt, Lee explains. “There are multiple pathways to career opportunities in manufacturing through skills training, ranging from short-term programs to more involved skills development and apprenticeship programs,” says Lee. For example, the Federation for Advanced Manufacturing Education (FAME) program (founded by Toyota and operated by the MI) offers current and aspiring manufacturing workers both on-the-job training and classroom education. The program leads to an associate degree and an Advanced Manufacturing Technician (AMT) certificate. Manufacturers work with FAME’s local chapters in part because they allow companies to use a global best system to train the skilled workforce they need to compete. The numbers: The data show that manufacturing is a good choice for those inclined to avoid debt, Lee points out. As noted above, there have been more than 2.6 million manufacturing job openings so far in 2022, but just 47% of those job openings (about 1.2 million) require a bachelor’s degree or greater. Meanwhile, manufacturing workers in 2020 earned $92,832 on average (compared to an average of $77,181 for workers in all private nonfarm industries). What can policymakers do? To ensure that manufacturing training programs continue to expand and succeed, policymakers should make certain changes, says Lee. For example, Pell Grants should be usable for high-quality training programs as short as eight weeks—often all that is needed to train a technician. Policymakers should also ensure that our education system focuses on skills attainment for career success, and that teachers and other influencers are aware of opportunities offered by pathways other than four-year degree programs. #CreatorsWanted: The NAM and the MI have taken this message to communities across the country through the Creators Wanted campaign’s tour and mobile experience. Tens of thousands of students, parents, educators and local leaders have attended the tour stops, where they learned about the promise of manufacturing careers and were challenged to think like manufacturers in the interactive mobile experience. As Lee told students at the Creators Wanted stop in Freeport, Texas, “Without a steady stream of talented, bright young people … we can’t keep up the good work of continuously making our products. This is not a get-one-job-and-stay-there-for-40-years [situation]. This is a choose-your-own-adventure [career path] with continuing skills and challenges and opportunities and learning along the way.” The last word: “We understand how oppressive student debt can be, especially when starting out in life,” said Lee. “More people should be able to get a rewarding and well-paying job that doesn’t require massive debt that takes a lifetime to pay off. This is one of the reasons we work so hard to make sure young people know about the variety of options available to them in manufacturing careers; it’s not just for the industry’s benefit, but for theirs as well.” If you’d like to hear more about careers in manufacturing, come to one of the many MFG Day events happening this October. Related Previous Slide Next Slide Previous Slide Next Slide Events National Association of Manufacturers 733 10th Street NW The Manufacturing Institute grows and supports the manufacturing industry’s skilled workers for the advancement of modern manufacturing.	42,321
Sex education … the fanciful one-sided woke mirage that’s now presented as wisdom & truth – Prawn of the Patriarchy A blog created on the premise that free speech about gender issues facilitates more informed decision-making, eventually leading to fairer outcomes Blog posts Further sources Recent Posts Male victims of domestic violence – some personal accounts Women in Engineering scholarship query Four things that happened to some anonymous guy online Male underwear model reveals revenge on women who send him vile abuse online Log in Comments feed Enter your email address to subscribe to this blog and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address Sex education … the fanciful one-sided woke mirage that’s now presented as wisdom & truth I came across an article this week in an Australian pro-feminist media source known as ‘The Conversation’. It was entitled ‘Netflix’s Sex Education is doing sex education better than most schools‘ (11 November 2021). Whilst that paper was the final trigger that led to me writing this post, the primary motivation was the seemingly endless stream of articles about sex and relationships by (invariably female) media columnists that preceded it. At the outset let me state that I am not any kind of expert on the subject. Not at all. My only qualifications are being a male who’s had a reasonable amount of life experience, and being the father of a teenage boy about whose future welfare I’m deeply concerned. Hands up who has read those articles about sex-related matters like consent, relationships, pornography and men’s (alleged) ignorance and many (alleged) psychological and physical failings in the bedroom. Just to provide an Australian example, think Nadia Bokody. And there is another one, but I can’t think of her name. [Several hours later: Oh, I remember, it’s Jana Hocking]. Both of whom, as an aside, have blocked me on Twitter – although that’s par for the course. The annoying thing about these columns is their multitude of false statements and false assumptions, and their persistently negative views on men and masculinity. That, and the fact that: there is never a corresponding male perspective – other than a ‘white knight’ or male feminist perspective – presented to readers, and the many real and potential negatives for males – of partaking in anything along the hook-up – courtship – marriage continuum are conveniently overlooked. Things like the threat of false accusations, revenge porn, paternity fraud and financial exploitation, bullying/abuse, rape, and so on and so forth. In my experience at least, the current crop of female columnists tend to be extremely one-sided … to the point of either being deliberately misleading and/or being woefully ignorant of real-world relationship matters outside their own particular clique. They also rarely – and I think I’d almost go as far as to say, never – identify corresponding failings on the part of women. Well, other than in getting physical with all those wretched, exploitative and ungrateful men. The fact that most of their social media posts now (deliberately) do not permit readers to post comments, suggests that many others are also fed up with their offerings. Just a few points or examples … such columnists invariably state, assume and/or infer that: All women/girls like or dislike or expect the same things as per other women/girls (and that individuals are consistent with respect to the nature of their own likes/expectations) When men cheat (allegedly that’s relatively often) they are pigs whereas women rarely cheat, and when they do it’s usually their partners fault Women/girls are knowledgeable about not just their own bodies, but also about men’s bodies and their sexuality Women/girls express their views clearly and often, but they are deliberately ignored or disregarded by their male partners Women clearly and truthfully express their views with regards to providing consent for sexual activity, and don’t often change their minds during the ensuing hours (if not minutes) Women don’t just expect, but like, men to ask them for their consent at each stage of engaging in sexual activity All of which I would place in the ‘Easter Bunny is real’ category … aka, nonsense. Further, these online messengers of the matriarchy send a clear message that men are lucky to be chosen as sexual partners. And that if only they were better at doing whatever they are meant to be doing, then heaven awaits. And their ‘proof’ that women have their ‘act together’ in the bedroom? That’s because significantly more men orgasm than do women. Wow. I always thought that was simply reflective of men’s greater ability to close their eyes and imagine that they were with someone desirable. Oh please! Hands up guys, putting aside the brief and very temporary relief of sexual hunger, how lucky do you feel when it occurs? Is sex that great for you? How many times, at the end of the day, do your sexual encounters – all factors considered – rate as even a net positive experience? And if you could travel back in time, how many encounters would you readily opt to excise … and simply skip to good coffee and hot shower? One of the things that the matriarchal mouth-pieces conveniently neglect to mention is (for example) the proportion of women who won’t not have sex unless they are drunk. And it’s not unusual for women to readily admit this to their suitor. This might be their response to a buffet of hang-ups, and/or them being so awash with guilt/shame about just the thought of it. I suspect that a primary reason for drinking is that, if/when their post-coital mood changes, they feel not merely justified – but comforted – in thinking (or even telling others) that they only did ‘it’ because they were drunk. Or more often, because ‘the guy got me drunk’. Or they can up-size their night out and call it drink-spiking. And then not only is shame/blame hoovered away, but sympathy is almost certain to be on-tap. And those fellows who happily oblige the ladies, get to share a bed with a drunk – with all that that often entails (think: up-ended klutzy turtle that’s prone to vomit). But more importantly, those lucky men are then wading into quicksand with regards to the possibility of facing false accusations of abuse and/or rape – as well as their own feelings of concern and/or regret. Am I alone in this regard, with views such as these? Feel free to let me know what you think. I could delve into considerable further detail in this post but currently at least, find myself shyly reluctant to do so. Nadia Bokody reveals weird sex lies men tell themselves (18 June 2022) Enough of this sexist nonsense Nadia Bokody: Sex question you should never ask your girlfriend (22 May 2022) Nadia Bokody: Lie men tell about ‘kinky’ sex (24 April 2022) Because women with a penchant for violence don’t exist, right? Any apparent exceptions to be explained with ‘the men made them do it’ or ‘they only did it to please a man’ lines. Jana Hocking on why sober dating is the best way to find the one (24 February 2022) “Simple trick that won’t lead to bad sex” reads the online link to this item. How it might well read is ‘Female dating strategy that leads to false accusations of drink-spiking and/or sexual assault’ Nadia Bokody: ‘If this makes you awkward, you’re bad at sex’ (18 February 2022) “And because I know someone is going to protest, “Why are you demonising men?! Women can be creeps, too!” it should be noted I’m not suggesting otherwise. However, it would be folly to treat these as comparable issues”. Nadia Bokody: Sex act women don’t like men doing (18 December 2021) So women don’t say what they want (or don’t want) in bed but it’s men fault because … ‘Hardballing’ is the new dating trend that both scary and great (16 December 2021) From #BelieveWomen to #MeToo in one easy step Nadia Bokody: Hilarious sex post angering men (11 December 2021) Hands up how many men found this piece hilarious? And don’t even think about the response you would get from female readers were you able to publish something poking fun at women. The brutal truth about women and cheating (12 July 2019) Women suggesting ways to change & spice up the sex? Sure that occurs occasionally, but I’d suggest that usually it’s a matter of silence & negative/defensive reaction when such a suggestion is made by the guy. Some related posts in this blog: No place for feminist propaganda in our schools or universities On boys and education How men are portrayed … Haw Haw Haw! The jokes on us On false accusations by women/girls against men/boys On sexual assault and unwanted sex Posted on November 12, 2021 June 19, 2022 Author adminTags drink-spiking, education, financial abuse, gender stereotyping, MGTOW, paternity fraud, revenge porn, sexual assault, sexuality One thought on “Sex education … the fanciful one-sided woke mirage that’s now presented as wisdom & truth” November 12, 2021 at 5:03 pm Pretty much how I think about these things too. My qualifications are similar, I’m a late middle aged male, a father to a young adult daughter. As my daughter left the nest, I reflected that the world for her similar aged male cousins seems more confusing that it does for her, as they all navigate those first fumbling relationship steps. Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Notify me of follow-up comments by email. Notify me of new posts by email. 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I will dispense with any amenities or funny anecdotes or what have you and cut right to the chase. According to research conducted by Walker Sands Communications and Chief Marketing Technologist, 50% of U.S. marketers said they plan to spend more on marketing technology (martech) in 2017 with another 20% of marketers indicating they will spend significantly more. That is surely good news, if not great news. The challenge, of course will be to wade thru the nearly 4,000 martech options that are currently available, as per Scott Brinker’s infamous graphic. Here’s his latest version, issued earlier this year. Don’t worry if you can’t make it all out. It’s not easy fitting nearly 4,000 martech solutions on one graph. Here’s some more findings from the research from Walker Sands AKA the good news: More than double the number of marketers now call their companies innovators or early adopters in marketing technology adoption compared to a year ago (48% vs. 20%). Seven out of 10 marketers (71 percent) believe their companies invest the right amount in martech, up from 50% a year ago. The number of marketers who feel their companies’ current marketing technology helps them better do their jobs increased from 58% to 69% year-over-year. One last stat to share is the one that revealed that more than half of marketers (56%) think the martech industry is evolving faster than their companies’ use of marketing technology. I saved that stat for last because it’s a great segue into… The bad news when it comes to marketing technology Nearly 50% of marketers believe that that better integration of their existing marketing technology would most advance their cross channel marketing efforts, this according to research from Winterberry Group and the DMA. Why is this bad news and what does it have to do with the last stat above re: more than half of marketers (56%) think the martech industry is evolving faster than their companies’ use of marketing technology? It’s bad news for the simple fact that there is in fact technology currently available to help those 50% of marketers who believe that that better integration of their existing marketing technology would most advance their cross channel marketing efforts. But, for whatever reason these same marketers are not using it AKA the 56% who think the martech industry is evolving faster than their companies’ use of marketing technology It’s as if marketers know there is a solution out there – or then again maybe they don’t. Maybe they don’t know what they don’t know i.e. the aforementioned 69% of marketers who feel their companies’ current marketing technology helps them better do their jobs. The fact is the best customers are the ones who engage with brands across multiple channels and a great number of them use more than one channel. Two-thirds of all shoppers regularly use more than one channel to make purchases. Customers who shop on more than one channel have a 30% higher Lifetime Value than those who shop on only one. It’s not surprising, therefore, that the brands who deliver value to customers across channels see strong growth with companies that utilize strong cross channel engagement seeing a 9.5% year-over-year increase in annual revenue and those who do shop via more than one channel have a 30% higher lifetime value score than those who shop on only one. Marketers are spending more on technology in 2017. Over 7 in 10 marketers say their companies invest the right amount in martech… With another 7 in 10 saying their current marketing technology helps them do their job better. However, over half of marketers say technology is improving faster than they can take advantage of it. With two-thirds of consumers using more than one channel to shop, cross channel marketing is vital for success But nearly 50% of marketers say their current martech solution doesn’t do enough when it comes to cross channel marketing. Did I miss anything? Confused yet? Look, the bottom line is this: Marketers at every level, be they CMO or anywhere underneath on an org chart, have the responsibility to be vigilant when it comes to technology. They need to know the second a martech solution hits the streets. They need to research, study and analyze any and all competitive advantage they have and having the right martech solution is unequivocally a competitive advantage and is arguably themost important advantage to have. This article originally appeared on Forbes. Related Steve Olenski has been labeled "The Distiller of Truth" & "The CMO Whisperer" by the former CMO of Walmart. His work has appeared in Forbes, Ad Age, Adweek, Business Insider & many other leading publications. Buy him a cup of coffee & he's your friend for life. Check him out at CMO-Whisper.com.	4,969
Two weeks ago, Tommy Trott seemed to be down again, unlikely to return. Two months ago, Auburn seemed to be down again, unlikely to return. After this past week's game against the Cardinals of Ball State, it looks as if both of these statements were false. Offense continues to click. For the second straight week, Auburn's opponent dared Chris Todd to beat them. Both Ball State and West Virginia put eight and nine in the box determined to stop the run. The problem with that line of coaching is that Chris Todd is proving that he can win a game with his arm and a collection of speedy, ankle-breaking, game-changing receivers. Terrell Zachary shook one Ball State defender out of his shoes on his way to a 46-yard touchdown. Later in that same quarter, he ran a stop-and-go on a pump fake from Todd and caught a 65-yard touchdown pass in stride. Last week, Darvin Adams was the man as he caught three touchdown passes against West Virginia. Both this week and last week, Mario Fannin pitched in with his customary screen pass touchdowns. Even the aforementioned Trott caught the first touchdown pass of this week's game. Oh, and when the passing game started to open up, guess what else started opening up? That's right, Onterrio McCalleb joined in with the scoring on a 1-yard run following a 62-yard scamper off an option pitch from Todd. Put simply, Auburn is spreading the ball around, and it's working. Chris Todd has thrown for nine touchdown passes in two weeks and had a career high in passing yards last week. To say he's in the zone would be an understatement. When the running game gets stuffed, he loosens up the defense with pump-and-go's and record breaking bombs. This isn't a one trick offense, but keep trying it. Defense put in tough situations. Reserves struggle like reserves do. The thirty points scored by Ball State this week were a little disappointing, but also misleading. Ten of those points came from drives on very, very short fields given to the defense by a fumbled punt and a failed fake punt. Ball State scored ten points on two legitimate drives against the 1st-team defense. The last ten points were scored on the 2nd and 3rd-team defense, and even three of those came after a late interception thrown by Neil Caudle. I'm surprised the media hasn't said much about Auburn giving up thirty points to a team that hasn't won a game or scored more than seventeen points in a single game this year. Maybe it's the 54 that Auburn scored or maybe they still haven't realized Auburn is fielding a team this year. I've heard many fans complaining about the defense, and at this point I will admit it is the weaker of the two sides of the ball, but when the offense looks as good as it has, it's going to be a little bit harder than usual for the defense to be the better side of the team. They may be giving up a few more yards and points than fans are used to, but that's what's so good about having such a productive offense. Plus, when they are causing so many turnovers, yards don't seem to matter as much. Currently Auburn is third in the nation with eight interceptions. Special Teams are half and half. Wes Byrum has been a perfect 6-for-6 in FGs this season. Besides one blocked punt, Clinton Durst has been his normal "booming" self. Things start to get bad anytime anyone in an Auburn jersey tries to catch a kicked ball, especially punts. Some number of players greater than "too many" have been given a shot at catching punts this year. Notice I didn't say return punts. Auburn is worried about catching punts. Most players have only been giving one shot: one fumble and they're pulled. I want the best guy out there just as much as anybody, but I fear that the Auburn coaching staff has created a similar problem to the quarterback fiasco from last year. It seems like every guy who gets back there to field the punt is thinking "catch the ball, catch the ball, catch the ball and the job is mine". That's a problem. It's all mental right now, and something has to be done about it. I don't care if it's a lineman, just get someone back there who can catch the ball. The line this week has been "now the real season starts." In a way, I agree. The media and all those people who still don't respect Auburn won't start to give the Tigers a second look until they win their first road game against an SEC foe. Auburn will get their chance this weekend. The problem I have with this statement is that it makes what Auburn has done for the past month look like it didn't matter. Well yeah, it matters, and every one of you knows it. Posted by Rachel at 2:00 PM 1 comment: Tuesday, September 29, 2009 Alabama opened up SEC play this week against the Arkansas Razorbacks. We arrived in Tuscaloosa around 10:30 to begin our tailgating. (I brought pigs in a blanket!) We’d been there about an hour when the rain set in. It looked like it was going to rain all day. We geared up in our raincoats and ponchos and headed to the stadium. We arrived just in time for the big BAMA spell out. Luckily right before the game started the rain stopped. (Us Alabama fans like to think it’s “The Bear” simply holding his hand over the stadium!) The first quarter proved to be one of the most boring quarters in football. Arkansas got the ball first they didn’t do much. Then Alabama got it, after a couple dropped passes and a short rush we punted it right back to them. At this point I’m thinking it’s going to be a long day especially with wet shorts and shoes! Arkansas once again couldn’t make any progress and punted. The 9-yard punt provided bama with great field position, not that it mattered because we didn’t produce any real results. Finally about 5 minutes into the second quarter Alabama scores on a 52-yard run by Trent Richardson. Tiffin’s extra point is good. Bama leads 7-0. Next possession, first play, Greg McElroy throws a deep pass to Julio Jones for 50 yards and the touchdown. Tiffin’s kick is good. Bama 14 Arkansas 0. At Halftime the Million Dollar Band did the same motown show and threw in Journey’s “Don’t Stop Believing” for the students. Now it’s time for the third quarter. I am pumped that we have, in my expert opinion, shut down Ryan Mallet. Well maybe I’m not an expert because with 10 minutes left in the third Ryan Mallet throws an 18-yard pass for a TD. Bama 14, Arkansas 7. Okay that’s a little close for me Saban. Luckily Saint Nick listened to me because Bama scored two times in the third quarter, once on a deep pass to Marquis Maze for and 80 yard score and once on a 14 yard pass to Mark Ingram, to make the score 28-7. That’s more like it! As the fourth quarter arrived the fans proudly held their four fingers in excitement because we all know that it is going to take a miracle for this Arkansas team to come back and beat us. Two minutes into the fourth Bama scores again the drive was 13 plays and 99 yards. Bama 35 Arkansas 7. Arkansas couldn’t get anything rolling. Bama ran a few plays to run the clock down. Before we knew it we were singing Rammer Jammer celebrating our first SEC win of the season. Posted by Rachel at 2:00 PM No comments: By Amy My ramblings today probably isn't about something extraordinary about Alabama. Just quirky, but sometimes I think it's the quirks that make us, our towns, our lives extraordinary. I grew up in what most people from the south would call "out in the middle of nowhere". No traffic lights, we weren't even considered a town. Just a rural community. I mean the cows in the pasture across from my house woke me up each morning so it was rural. But to be fair, there were places even farther "out in the middle of nowhere" than we were. The nearest town was 7 miles away. The nearest small city 12 miles away. And let's not even discuss how far away the mall that could barely be considered a mall was. When I married my DH we moved back to his hometown. We've lived here almost 13 years now. And we do love it. Moving from the nearest grocery store being 8 miles away to being 2 miles away is something I am very thankful for. Until I realize they don't carry pomegranate molasses, but that's another story. Where was I? Oh yes. Technically, we're a city with a population of about 15,000, but we do have a very small town feeling to our fair city. And sometimes that small town atmosphere comes with lots of quirks and idiosyncrasies. For example: Our post office closes at noon on Wednesdays. Do you know how many Wednesdays I've pulled into the post office, hopped out of my vehicle, opened the door to the post office to realize that they are closed? With the P.O. boxes being available around the clock there are almost always cars in the parking lot during the day so it can be deceiving. You would think after all these years I would remember this little tidbit of info. I can understand it closing early on Saturday. Who would want to work all day on Saturday? But on Wednesdays? It's not like the mail carriers are delivering any earlier. They still deliver my mail after 4 p.m. on Wednesdays just like the other 5 days mail is delivered. As a little child I do remember the banks in the nearest towns closing at noon on Wednesdays. I'm not sure what this stemmed from. Maybe it was a southern quirk. But it's been many, many years since I've encountered a bank that closes at noon on Wednesdays. So you can imagine why it still baffles me that our post office would close so early on just this one weekday. So do you live in a small town or were you raised in a small town in Alabama? If so, what are or were some of the quirks or oddities of your small town life? Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM 4 comments: Monday, September 28, 2009 If you haven't noticed, I'm a bit of a blog geek. And with that comes a love for all tools blog related. So here are a list of my favorite, most useful tools that I use to enhance my blogging. I hope it helps, and I would LOVE to know what tools you like to use best! Statcounter - I have tried MANY stats tools, and this one is by far my favorite. Pros: You can see each visitor as they log onto your site, where they go, what they do. You can label them if you know who they are so that you know who they are when they come back. There are also many different ways to look at the data to help you find what you're looking for. Cons: It only saves the details of your last 500 hits. Google Reader - I'm sure that most of you use this, but if you're a blogger and you don't, then you're missing out on a huge time saver and awesome tool. It allows you to "subscribe" to blogs, and shows all of the blog posts of your subscriptions that you haven't read yet. Pros: AWESOME way to make sure that you don't miss any blog posts from your favorite blogs. Cons: You can't comment from Google Reader - you need to click through to the blog. I'm pretty sure that this is true of any blog subscription service - tell me if you know of one that it's not true for. Twitter - I use twitter mainly for my blogging relationships. It is a great way to add another dimension to interaction between other bloggers. It can be very overwhelming, and it takes a while to really get the hang of it, but when it clicks, your life will change. Twitter Tip: DEFINITELY use a third party application to run it. Twitter is unbelievably more valuable that way - looking at Twitter from the Twitter website is SO confusing. I personally use TweetDeck. Windows Live Writer - I've just started using this tool in the past few months to compose my blog posts. It is great if you're using Blogger for a platform and put a lot of pictures in your posts, because it gives you more diverse options for picture arranging, text options, etc. It uploads photos MUCH faster than Blogger. It also imports in your blog background and dimensions so that when you are in compose mode, you are seeing exactly what the post will look like when published. Google Analytics - My second favorite stats website. This is a great site for seeing a high level view of your blog stats. It's also a great place to see all of the crazy things that people are googling that land them on your blog. Compete.com - If you would like to see how you stack up against other bloggers, this is a great tool to do so. Con: It only works for people with first tier, or private domains. i.e. - you could search for alabamabloggers.com, but if my domain were alabamabloggers.blogspot.com, the data wouldn't be available. Feedburner - Ever wonder how many people subscribe to your blog? This tool lets you see that, and lets you put it on your site, if you so desire. It's a little technical to get it started, but once you do, it's quite addictive to watch. What are your favorite blogging tools? Posted by Rachel at 2:00 PM 4 comments: By Jamie Welcome back to Center Stage where we take a fanfare look at one of the many great blogs being churned out here in Alabama. You can find past spotlights here. Wade Kwon is smart. And connected. And possibly part of the Salty Ham Mob. Maybe not that last one. I met Wade from Wade on Birmingham a few months back at an Alabama Bloggers meet-up. I managed to milk him for all he was worth. Ideas and inspiration with a side of BBQ. He also offers a hefty dish of perspective on all things happening in Birmingham-at-large. He covers cultural events, breaking news, and features on the overlooked side of this great city. His history at the Birmingham Post-Herald and Southern Living give his posts a well-written journalistic feel often missing in "city blogs." Plus, there are haiku. Lots of them. Jamie is a planner of events by day and chaser of shiny things by night. Follow her trails at Jamie's Rabbits. If you'd like to have your blog featured on "Center Stage" then contact Jamie so she can swing by your neck of the internet woods. Please know she sometimes shows up uninvited, so you may see your blog on stage if she really digs it. Posted by Rachel at 8:15 AM 3 comments: Sunday, September 27, 2009 Blogging for Money – Ready to Leap Once you have the basics of your blogging plan in place it is time to start putting it into practice. Putting up a blog is not difficult but putting up one that has the ability to generate money can be a bit trickier. Steps to Building a Money Blog 1. Choose a format that will allow you to add advertisements and affiliate links. A self-hosted Wordpress blog is one of the best ways to have complete control over the add-ons to your blog. 2. Research affiliate programs and ad programs to see what works for your site. Google AdSense may not make you rich over night but it could give you a steady amount of income. The down fall is that you do not have complete control over what is advertised. Amazon Affiliates allows you to add specific ads or scrolling ads to your blog and anything that is purchases when a reader clicks through will count towards your total. Other companies also offer affiliate programs, so find the one that suits your website content. 3. Keep your blog design simple. Too many ads or an overwhelming theme will make it difficult for visitors to find what they are looking for and they will likely click back and search again. Be sure to get some feed back from other bloggers and do not get offended if they make suggestions for improvement. 4. Talk to companies directly about running ads on your site. It might be that you have to build up a visitor base first but you may also be able to offer a trade – service for ads – that you could work out (like a website designer giving you a discount). There is no guarantee in any business but if you want to launch a blogging business then creating a website that has room for ads is a great way to start. The next step is to get visitors. Kathryn Lang writes about writing at Successful Freelance Writer. You can also learn more about her writing and speaking career at her home website - Kathryn Lang.com. Posted by Rachel at 8:12 AM 1 comment: Thursday, September 24, 2009 Best Post of the Week: Week Eighteen It's time to link in your best post of the week! The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights. So, link up, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit! p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like! Posted by Rachel at 11:50 PM No comments: Labels: Best Post of the Week Wednesday, September 23, 2009 The night began with plenty of rain, thunder, and lightning. While the game didn't feature much thunder or lightning in regards to Auburn's offense, touchdown passes were raining down all night. Todd's a man. Battling the flu, Todd took his first sack, threw his first interception, and found his team down fourteen points less than five minutes into the game. Then, in a change from the first two games, Todd gained the majority of Auburn's offense with his arm, and threw for four touchdowns, the most for an Auburn quarterback since 2001. With lots of help from his defense, Todd helped stage one of the best full-game comebacks in Auburn history. Given his condition, the weather conditions, and the deficit, Todd showed that he will do whatever it takes to get his team on top. 7-5, 8-4? They don't exist in his record-keeping vocabulary. "12-0 will do just fine, thank you", he says. Defense gives up yards, but gets a few too. The defense gave up two big, fluky plays to start the game, but settled down and really only allowed two decent scoring drives the rest of the way. With five interceptions and one fumble recovery, they definitely took away the sting of those first two plays that sucked the life out of the rain-drenched crowd. West Virginia quarterback Jarret Brown reminded Auburn fans of how it was to "tackle" Jamarcus Russell of LSU past. It didn't matter what kind of angle, how many limbs were pinned down, he always seemed to get away and throw a perfect 70-yard strike. Another connection between this game and LSU was the four interceptions in the 4th quarter alone. As you all know, in 1994 Auburn intercepted four LSU passes in the 4th quarter to stage a monumental comeback and extend Terry Bowden's two year winning streak. Auburn did the same last Saturday night. Well, minus Terry Bowden, and LSU, and all that. Special Teams a little better. It looks like Anthony Gulley might have staked his claim at the punt returner position, not that anyone was trying to take it from him. He's a former baseball player, center-fielder for 1A Brantley High School to be exact, so catching fly balls seemed to help him get comfortable with catching footballs falling from the sky with 300-pounders running towards him. Now that we've got catching down, let's working on running. Kickoff returns are still just mediocre, with our average starting point being somewhere around the 20-25 yard lines. Kickoff coverage has still been the worst. I don't know how many drives the opponents have started at the 40. It seems like there is no one down there to tackle the guy and we end up having to chase him down. Clinton Durst is still kicking the ball well and giving his guys plenty of time to get down there and make the tackle. Oh, and Wes Byrum is back. This team showed that they have what it takes to endure a long delay, get punched in the mouth, and take over the game in the 4th quarter. It was a struggle from the start, and they came out on top, like champions do. This only adds to the trust that they have for their coaching staff. Auburn has been down in every game this season and won by at least 10 points in the end. This team is amazing and we'll see it grow for the rest of the year and years to come. Posted by Rachel at 6:11 PM 1 comment: Hello Everyone, This is the beautiful tree lined welcoming you receive as you enter the city of Red Bay, Alabama. These Oak trees were planted by the Red Bay Garden Club in the 1930's, it is an Oak tree tunnel that leads straight to main street. Red Bay is small town USA. Incorporated in 1907 it is located in western Franklin County bordering the state of Mississippi. There is only one school, Red Bay High School, home of the Tigers. It is a K-12th grade school and is part of the Franklin County System. As in most southern schools athletics play a major role. The school offers Football, Baseball, Cheerleading, Tennis, Golf and Track. Tiffany McWilliams, a 2001 alumni, is the 2003 1500 Meters NCAA National Champion in track. Located within 50 miles of Red Bay is Northwest/Shoals Community College, Bevil State Community College, Itawamba Community College, Northeast Mississippi Community College and University of North Alabama such a great variety of college's for the city's seniors to pick from. This little town in also home to Key Underwood Coon Dog Memorial Graveyard. It is the only cemetary of its kind in the world. Click on the link to learn the history. There are coon dogs buried here from all over the US. Their markers range from wood to granite. It's the only place you will find names such as Troop, Night Ranger and Bomma. There are two major companies in the town. Tiffin Motorhomes which manfactures some of the finest motorhomes you will ever find. The offer a plant tour and you can personally pick out your own motorhome colors and other options you may want. Click on their website to take a virtual tour of some of their coachs. The other major company is Sunsine Mills Inc. The plant located in Red Bay for Sunshine Mills is a pet food plant. Well known for Sunshine Dog food and cat food. It provides, like Tiffin Motorhomes, great jobs for local residents. Red Bay also has the Arts and Entertainment Center. Events they host every year include business meals, receptions, Christmas parties, church dinners, and seminars. With seating for 200 people in the Banquet Room and 30 in teh Garden Room it also houses a Theatre which seats 172. The local Bay Tree Council of Performing Arts hosts three performances each year. Thousand of people have enjoyed plays such as The Odd Couple and Father of the Bride. The Red Bay Museum houses all of the local historical artifacts. Located downtown it also houses items donated by Tammy Wynette and her family. Tammy wasn't born in Red Bay but spent a great deal of her youth there visiting family and friends. She considered Red Bay as her home town. So next time your are in western Alabama stop by for a few hours and enjoy all of the local events and activities Red Bay has to offered. The scenery alone is well worth the trip. To find out more about Red Bay visit their website Red Bay, Alabama - A friendly City on a Progressive Path! Posted by Rachel at 7:39 AM No comments: Monday, September 21, 2009 By Jamie Welcome back to Center Stage where we take a fanfare look at one of the many great blogs being churned out here in Alabama. You can find past spotlights here. I adore credit card machines. I revel in the swipe of the card. The feel of the fake pen in my hand. The rubber buttons confirming the amount is "okay." It's a torrid love affair. And it must stop. Kevin at No Debt Plan is a personal finance wizard who is sharing all of his spells with the world. My first suggested stop is his blog's namesake series - The No Debt Plan. It's a 9-step plan getting you from overwhelmed to healthy, wealthy, and wise. I'm currently on pre-step #2. You can also wander through topics such as financial planning, debt reduction, budgeting, and the economy. Kevin's posts are accessible to the reader who may not understand terms such as "liquidity ratio," but sophisticated enough for those who do. So put down that Old Navy card and get to reading. (That may be directed at me...) Jamie is a planner of events by day and chaser of shiny things by night. Follow her trails at Jamie's Rabbits. If you'd like to have your blog featured on "Center Stage" then contact Jamie so she can swing by your neck of the internet woods. Please know she sometimes shows up uninvited, so you may see your blog on stage if she really digs it. Posted by Rachel at 2:13 PM No comments: Sunday, September 20, 2009 Making the leap from a regular paycheck to a freelance or independent paycheck brings up concerns and worries in the best of us. No matter what the field that you are entering or leaving, stepping out on your own can be a leap of faith. The best way to prepare for that leap is to make a plan. Plan for Becoming a Writer 1. Start with a budget. You know how much you need to make each week and month so begin to save your money towards that amount. The goal is to have around six months worth of income set back before you leap out on your own. 2. Create a business plan. Having money set aside is great but knowing how to get money when you step out on your own is just as important. Lay out where you plan to find jobs, find income opportunities and what you will face along the way. 3. Build up a support system. Stepping out on your own does not mean stepping out alone. Gather around friends and family that will encourage you along your new journey. 4. Find support in your field. Look around the internet and around your community to find support for and from other entrepreneurs. Taking a leap into full time writing (online or otherwise) is not for everyone. It is important to build up some income reserve to help pull you through any tough times. Finding support for your new journey will also help see you through. Going full time with a blog does not have to mean leaving a regular job to make the leap. Set aside an hour a day or one day a week to create posts for your blog. As your following builds and your writing increases you may find that the switch from regular job to blogger is as natural as the change in seasons. Posted by Rachel at 1:40 PM No comments: Friday, September 18, 2009 Best Post of the Week: Week Seventeen It's time to link in your best post of the week! The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights. So, link up, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit! p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like! Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM 3 comments: Labels: Best Post of the Week Thursday, September 17, 2009 The Place to go Located in the heart of Old Town Helena and nestled comfortably near the Buck Creek Waterfall sits one of the Birmingham area's best kept family restaurant secrets, The Depot. It's memorable hometown cooking and a friendly atmosphere keeps patrons coming back for more. Considered an integral part of the community by most, it is often host to party-size gatherings for sporting team outings and various other groups. A visit to the Helena Depot Deli & Grill gives you a taste of what has made Helena, AL one of the most desirable places to raise children (ranked 13th on Business Week's 2007 list of Great Places to Raise Kids) in the country. And by a 2009 Money Magazine article which listed Helena in the top 100 places in which to live in America. Those accolades can all be confirmed by a single trip to the Depot. The place to go, be, see and be seen in Helena. It's where all neighbors converge, break bread and talk about what's in the news. The South and North Alabama Railroad Company constructed the Helena Freight House and Depot about 1872 while repairing damage inflicted by Union raiders in 1865. The original location of the structure was just north of the present railroad crossing. When a new depot was constructed around 1905, the building was moved by C.T. “Tom” Davidson to a site behind his house where he used it for storage and a work shop. From 1872 to 1905, this building served as the hub of activity for the area. Most goods and people arriving or departing from Helena passed through this depot. It is one of the oldest structures remaining in town surviving the disastrous 1895 fire, the tragic 1933 tornado and numerous floods. It was moved to its present site in March 1999. Today, it is where you can find Matt and his crew grilling up some of the best burgers and chicken in town. My friend, Jack Gray swears by the polish sausage, "the best!", he insists. the place to go in Helena! The Depot (web site) Hours of Operation Monday - Saturday: 11am - 9pm Sunday: Closed Click: Photography of Helena images is available for purchase at my Smug Mug Site, Photographic Memories. Leigh is a full time mother, a part time photographer and writer. Her photography and written work is featured in several professional business and local publications. She owns her own photography business, Photographic Memories. Leigh resides in the Alabama with her three children and husband "Big Daddy". You can read more of Leigh's daily adventures by visiting any of her three blogs: Tales from Bloggeritaville , Plates and Places , as well as Photographic Memories Posted by Rachel at 7:43 AM 2 comments: Wednesday, September 16, 2009 What can turn a sleepy, little town of 4,540 into a bustling city of nearly 25,000? Yes, Mules. Mule Day has been a tradition in my hometown of Winfield, Alabama since 1975. The event was originally dreamed up by Curt Estes as a parade to honor the hard-working mules in our tiny community, in particular, his mule, Jenny. Held annually on the fourth Saturday in September, the parade has grown to include many other special events, held over the course of Friday night, all day Saturday, and Sunday afternoon. This year, the fun kicks off on Friday, September 25. At 7:00 p.m., the downtown area resembles a crowded bazaar as the flea market merchants begin to peddle their wares. A shopper can find a large assortment of items for sale: candles, genuine antiques, boutique clothing, purses, toys, jewelry, handmade items, and decorations for Halloween and Christmas. The local businesses stay open late and have great sales as a part of the festivities. The variety of items available is sure to please any shopper. The food items offered up by vendors are equally as varied and palate-pleasing. Some of my favorite places to visit sell fresh-squeezed lemonade, funnel cakes, boiled peanuts, and chicken-on-a-stick. My family of four can find something for everyone at mealtime--which is not an easy feat with four picky eaters! There is something for the music lover here, as well. Several locations in the city offer live musical performances, clogging, and line dancing, with standing-room only crowds. (Admittedly, there are no seats in the various locations, hence the standing. It sounded good, though, didn't it?) Our historic Pastime Theater will present a musical performance at 7:00 p.m. The Pastime Music Revue is a fun experience in a beautifully renovated theater for only $5.00 admission. After a night of food, fun, and music, a weary shopper must go home in rest to prepare for Saturday and all it has to offer. On Saturday, September 26, the festivities start early at 7:00 a.m., as the Flea Market re-opens and the Arts and Crafts booths open for business on Ashwood Drive, near the Public Library. If you need to work off the previous evening's funnel cakes, the registration for the Mule Day Run/Fun Walk begins at the Wellness Center at 7:30 a.m. For the vintage transportation fan, there is an Antique Car Show at the Middle School and an Antique Tractor Show at Foodland Shopping Center. There are cash prizes, trophies, and other goodies given to Car Show participants, so polish up your sweet ride and enter it in the contest. Without a doubt, one of the biggest attractions of the day remains the Parade itself. The Winfield High School Pirate Band leads off in what has become quite a long spectacle of mules, horses, wagons, tractors, politicians, and marching footsoldiers in Civil War dress. Of course, no parade involving animals would be complete without local dignitaries doing something undignified--pooper scooper duty. After the Parade is over and shoppers have spent all their money and eaten everything in sight, the vendors pack up and move on to the next festival during the late afternoon. But wait! The fun is not over yet! At our city's Ivan K. Hill Park, the Civil War re-enactment begins at 2:00 p.m. with the "Skirmish at the Luxapalilla." At 7:00 p.m. on Saturday evening, a Civil War Period Ball Featuring The 5th Alabama Regimental Band begins, complete with full-costume dress for the participants, who set up camp for the evening in the rolling green fields of the golf driving range at the park. It is not uncommon to feel and hear the blast of a cannon shot throughout the afternoon on Saturday and Sunday. After church on Sunday, spectators gather to watch the Civil War Battle re-enactment at 2:00 p.m. at the park. (Since we live about two miles away, we do not get to have a nap that afternoon as the cannon blasts rattle all the windows, as well as our dog's nerves.) I hope you will come and visit my little town for Mule Day this year. Besides all of the special attractions, there are many delicious restaurants and unique shops that you need to check out. Tell 'em Lianne sent you! For more information on Mule Day, click here. (Images of the Parade itself are from the Chamber of Commerce website.) Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM No comments: Tuesday, September 15, 2009 By Amy A few months ago a friend of mine had chicken salad at her sister-in-law's birthday party and has been raving about it since. She's been wanting to find the restaurant. So we made a little trip down to Auburn for a couple of errands and decided to try it out. Thanks to the amazing inventions of the Blackberry and GPS we found it. Oh. My. Heavens. I seriously have to get back down there soon. Really soon. The restaurant is called The Chicken Salad Chick and is in Auburn, Alabama. Twelve different types of chicken salad. I had the Bacon Ada on a croissant with a cup of the loaded potato soup. I'll have to go on Thursdays from now on since that's the day they make the potato soup. Potato soup is about the only type of soup I like. Now here's why I think The Chicken Salad Chick is so extraordinary Alabama. Not only do they serve 12 different kinds of chicken salad, but their story is inspiring. On a quest to find the perfect chicken salad recipe Stacy Evans realized that everyone's idea of the "perfect" one was different. And from there it evolved. She began tweaking her original recipe at home and friends and neighbors were her taste testers. Then neighbors and teachers started buying it. Just after forming a partnership with Kevin Brown with plans to turn it into a restaurant, Evans received a phone call from the county health department. She never realized that selling food from her kitchen was illegal. So she halted the cooking even though her customers were outraged that someone had called her in. You can read a post from one customer here. Thankfully everything went into high gear and the restaurant opened in January of 2008. So if you're ever in Auburn or Opelika stop by and try it out. Think I need to make a little trip down there myself. Next time I'm trying the Sassy Scotty chicken salad, a zesty blend of ranch, bacon and cheddar cheese. I can't believe I just found out about this place. Maybe I should go today. Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM 3 comments: Monday, September 14, 2009 Bama Game From the Eyes of a First-Time Attender Welcome home, Crimson Tide! UA played their 2009 home opener against the FIU Golden Panthers. Alabama was the heavy, heavy favorite but the game stayed neck and neck for TOO LONG (from this Bama fan's perspective). It did make the game that much more lively, though! We started off great with a 10-0 lead, but Bama's bubble was burst somewhat when FIU ran a 96-yard kickoff return for a touchdown. 10-7 Bama going into the 2nd quarter. We got in another fieldgoal in the 2nd quarter before FIU came up big with a touchdown. FIU is beating Alabama? How can this be? I can tell you we were super shocked in the stands as we could see that ranking dropping and another stellar season cut short too soon. McElroy didn't let us despair for too long, coming up with a touchdown to put us up 20-14 going into halftime. I felt pretty confident by this point. Surely Saban (The Almighty) will talk some sense into these young guys at half time and we'll see a runaway in the 2nd half. But the 3rd quarter went scoreless after some big plays by Alabama Defense but a missed field goal by Tiffin (why do you do this to us, Tiffin?). The Lord heard the prayers of the Crimson Nation and seven second into the 4th quarter, we score another touchdown. We go for 2 and miss but 26-14 gives us all some breathing room. Now we are praying for more points to cover the spread and protect our ranking. Hallelujah! More answered prayers! Two more touchdowns give Alabama a 40-14 victory! GOOD NEWS: Accoring to AP and USA Today polls, Alabama maintains the 4th ranking! Roll Tide! From a personal standpoint, we had so much fun! This was my first live college football game, and I'm in love! I twirled baton since age 4 and was a majorette in high school, so I really enjoyed seeing the The Million Dollar Band and The Crimsonettes! Cheering along with fellow fans in the stands was memorable! And being a part of the action was addictive! I'm ready for my next game!! Lucas even got into the spirit and cheered for Bama! Since he likes to root for opposing teams just to be difficult, this was a major revelation! Now a little insider perspective from a first-timer: Wear comfy shoes. We walked probably 5 miles (at least!) on game day. I saw so many cute little girls running around in their cute litte dresses but carrying their high heels and walking around bare foot. News flash, when you are running around a public stadium with no shoes you don't look quite as hot as you think you do. But most of you still looked pretty good. <---- read, I'm a jealous pregnant woman Stadium seats - Bring 'em! You know those fold up seats with the cushy padding and back support? Those will definitely come in handy!! Eat before you go! We were just going to grab dinner at the game but choices were very limited. No hamburgers. They had hot dogs but were out of buns. They were out of pretzels. We ended up sharing some nachos and peanuts and hit up a Burger King on the way home. Posted by Rachel at 7:00 PM 4 comments: Center Stage: Lessons from an 80's Alumna By Jamie Welcome back to Center Stage where we take a fanfare look at one of the many great blogs being churned out here in Alabama. You can find past spotlights here. It was the best of times. It was the worst of times. It was the 80's. I find much comfort in the connection I have with folks in their thirties and forties, because there's a common language. It includes words like "friendship bracelet" and "fraggle rock." Bettina Byrd-Giles is a blogger who speaks that same language. However, she focuses on what the Oregon Trail lovers should do now that they have careers and families and mortgages. Lessons from an 80’s Alumna is a place for personal and professional development with regards to topics like relationships, health, career choices, and even the often dreaded - reunion. Bettina has more than 20 years experience in administration and she brings that wealth of knowledge to the blogging table. Pull up a chair. Jamie is a planner of events by day and chaser of shiny things by night. Follow her trails at Jamie's Rabbits. If you'd like to have your blog featured on "Center Stage" then contact Jamie so she can swing by your neck of the internet woods. Please know she sometimes shows up uninvited, so you may see your blog on stage if she really digs it. Posted by Rachel at 2:04 PM No comments: Sunday, September 13, 2009 Most blogs start out as journals. We post about things going on in our own lives, around our community, around the country or a combination of all things depending on the mood and the day. There is nothing wrong with a blog that meanders along. It is like one of those scenic roads or country roads that will give users the benefit of amazing views. The trouble with meandering blogs (and scenic roads for that matter) is that companies are looking for high traffic. This means the main interstate – niche focused blogs or blogs with EXTREMELY high unique visitors each and every day - get all of the great stores, restaurants and most all of the ads. How do YOU get a blog that is main interstate material? That is the million dollar question and one that does not always have the same answer. It is much like writing a best selling FIRST novel – if the answer could be found then everyone would be doing it. 1. Find a niche with little competition and strong interest. I heard about one lady that had started a blog because she was dealing with a sickness in one of her children. The blog was intended to help family and friends keep up but it went viral (meaning it spread like a cold in preschool). She was soon up to 15,000 unique visitors each and every day. Now that it is interstate material. 2. Create a blog that is focused on meeting a need. Flylady is an extremely popular site that is helping women get their homes and lives organized. 3. Learn the internet. Find forums, blogs and internet leaders to follow. Begin to ask questions about what, when and how you should do things on your blog. Remember that no ONE WAY is the right way. Use the tips and suggestions to find your own way. 4. Sell something. Creating a blog just for writing is probably not the easiest way to make money online. Having something to sell – whether it is your own expertise or you create an online store to sell products that match your niche – is up to you. There are a number of places that offer affiliate programs (where you have an ad up on your site and when people click through and buy then you get a percentage of the sale). Look into the income potential and then follow one of them or all of them. Remember that you are your only limitations. Transforming your blog may mean starting a new one or just tweaking the one that you have right now. Always remember that if you are not passionate about what you are doing then you will struggle with the doing. Find your passion and the pursue that to the income potential. Posted by Rachel at 8:25 AM 6 comments: Friday, September 11, 2009 Best Post of the Week: Week Sixteen It's time to link in your best post of the week! The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights. So, link up, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit! p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like! Posted by Rachel at 12:29 AM No comments: Labels: Best Post of the Week Thursday, September 10, 2009 Educational Building Blocks By Elizabeth Building Blocks are the foundations that your child needs to have in place so that they may succeed in school. These usually need to be in place by second grade in order for your child to progress at the appropriate rate and level. The following list should help you understand what your child needs to work on from pre-school on. You can start at an earlier age but remember that your they will only grasp a concept when it is developmentally appropriate! Correct Pencil Holding! This helps your child be able to write easier and better. The following picture can help you show your child how to hold a pencil correctly. The website Draw Your World is an excellent resource for helping you find the best way to help your little one hold their pencil the right way! Proper Letter Formation! This may seem like an easy task to teach but it isn't. You cannot make your child write properly but you can help them grasp the right way to write their letters. Don't forget bad habits are hard to break. A great way to start children out or help them is to let them trace letters or connect the dots to form the letters. Good handwriting leads to good spelling and good reading. Here is a link that I find very informative on this subject and just how important it is: Letter Formation. Sight Words! DOLCH Sight Words are very important for your child to recognize instantly. These words are the foundations for reading. Your child should be able to read them immediately when shown them. Ed Helper is an excellent site that will help you with several different ways to help your child learn these words. It also gives the lists according to age/grade level of when they should know them. Technology Skills! In todays techno savvy world it doesn't hurt to introduce your children to technology at an early age. This is such an instrumental part of our everyday lives that they need to grow up using it. There are all types of technology for all ages that can help make your kids tech savvy. Letting them play on the internet is one thing but helping them learn how to log on to the computer, start programs and such will be such a help to their teachers. Lots of schools now are basing their lesson around technology and are using Skype in the classrooms as well as Wikki's, Blogging and YouTube. Here is a great article on how one school system is implementing technology. Reading! I cannot say this enough- Read to your kids every day or have them read to you! It is so very important and helps them more than you can imagine. Just 20 minutes a day can help improve your child's vocabulary, spelling and knowledge. It will also instill in them a love for reading. School systems usually use the Accelerated Reader Program that allows students to read a book and then take a test on that book which will earn them points. The higher the level the higher the points and the higher the reward. Renaissance Learning's site allows you to type in the title and or author of the book and tells you the level of the books and the point value. Some schools will provide a link for your children to be able to take these tests at home but most are done in the classroom or library! Instilling a love and want for learning in your child can be a daunting task but will benefit your child greatly throughout their school years. Remember to make sure they realize just how important it is for them to learn as much as they can. This will bring about confidence and success in school and will make our jobs as Parent's much easier. ( This article lists ways to encourage your child to be successful in school.) I hope these tips are beneficial to you. Please leave a comment if there are any topics or issues you would like me to write about! Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM No comments: Wednesday, September 9, 2009 Hello Everyone, Luverne is the county seat of Crenshaw County. It’s located in south-central Alabama along the Patsaliga River. It was named after one of the founders’ wife’s, Luverne LeGrand. Known as “The Friendliest City in the South” it is a great place to raise a family. It is a town where everyone actually knows your name. A walk downtown brings a constant stream of greetings. In 1988 the Montgomery and Florida Railroad companies purchased land to run its railroad starting in Sprague Junction. The railroad was to terminate in Rutledge. Through the efforts of early settlers the railroad was rerouted to terminate in Luverne. That is how Luverne became a town. Because of the success of the railroad in 1893 the residents of Crenshaw County voted to move the courthouse and the county seat to Luverne. Luverne has one public school, Luverne High School. It comprises of grades K-12th. The high school was recently recognized by US News and World Report magazine as one of America’s Best High Schools! Very impressive when compared to 21,000 other high schools nationwide. They are known as the Tigers and like most southern towns Friday night football is the event of the week! There is also a private K-12th grade school too, Crenshaw Christian Academy. It offers excellent academic subjects and Christian guidance for its students. They also offer extracurricular activities like dance, golf and of course sports, go Cougars! For the youth of the city they have two great recreational parks. The Person to Person Sports Complex and the E. L. Turner Recreation Park offer ball fields, swimming, tennis and even a golf course. There are several lakes in the area for boating and fishing as well. For lodging there is The Camillia House Bed and Breakfast. A beautiful newly renovated 100 year old Queen Ann Victorian home is such a charming treat. The CH treats are a must!! Annual events in town include the World’s Largest Peanut Boil. The Crenshaw County Shriner Club hosts this event to raise money for children with medical needs. It is held every Labor Day and has been known to boil over 12 tons of peanuts. It is unbelievable that by Labor Day they actually are sold out. That’s a lot of peanuts!! The Crenshaw County Rodeo, the annual Christmas parade and 4th of July fireworks display are other events enjoyed by Luverne residents. While visiting downtown you will want to visit the quaint little shops that are reopening. Did I forget to mention that Sister Schubert’s bakery is located in Luverne? Well it is, can you imagine waking up to that wonderful smell? To learn more about Luverne, its history, citizens activities and events, visit the city’s website, The City of Luverne. Posted by Rachel at 8:07 AM 1 comment: Tuesday, September 8, 2009 Auburn vs. Louisiana Tech: The Review Going into the season opener, we all knew the questions that surrounded the Auburn football team. Will Malzahn's offense be Franklin 2.0? Will Chizik show us why he only won five games in two years at Iowa State? How will Todd handle the starting spot again? And although this was just one game, against a WAC opponent (albeit a decent one), a lot of those questions started to get something close to positive answers. For starters, this is not Tony Franklin's spread, and besides the fact that the wideouts, and sometimes the quarterback, are spread across the line of scrimmage, the plays don't resemble anything put on the field by Mr. 5 o'clock Shadow. Malzahn's offense has all the bells and whistles of a shiny new spread, but with the way the running plays are designed, it's like it was made for Running Back U. Not once did I think that the players who were mostly recruited to run a West Coast offense, weren't made for this fast, flashy, ball of fun. It was between the tackles (or over and around the tackles if you're talking about Onterio McCalebb), setting up play action, pump fakes, and long bombs, with an occasional fake give, pitch, and pass. I've never seen plays so cool. The whole game I was like a little kid yelling "Oh man! Wow, that was awesome!", and that was even when the play tanked. Point blank: this offense is fun, but more importantly this offense is productive (see: 556 yards). Oh yeah, it's balanced too (see: 301 rushing, 255 passing). The biggest criticism of the Auburn administration this offseason was obviously the Chizik hire. Most of that criticism as gone away due to a strong coaching staff and their recruiting prowess. The only factor keeping the fans from complete trust was winning. 5-19, 5-19, yeah, yeah, we get it. Would Chizik look like a coach who went 5-19 in his first game at Auburn? Again, it was just La. Tech, but I would say no. Chizik walked (well actually stalked) the sideline like he had won the last three Super Bowls. He definitely didn't act like a man that knew he had more than half the stadium just waiting for something to complain about. He was a man on a mission, a man with a purpose, a man who planned the work and worked the plan. I don't care if he was 5-19 before Auburn anymore. He knows what he has to do to turn that into 100-19, or at least acts like he does, and something can be said for that. On a side note, the most unsettling problems that I saw Saturday night were the drive-extending, only-reason-La. Tech-scored-a-point penalties, and the almost unprovoked fumbles. The Bulldogs first scoring drive was aided by a pretty bad pass interference call on 3rd down, and back-to-back facemasks. Coach Chizik called these penalties "try hard" penalties and I completely agree. Unless you played at Miami in the 90's, 99% of facemasks are usually not intentional. What made these penalties so frustrating was that they usually occurred on 3rd down, during a sack or tackle for loss, and allowed La. Tech to hang around longer than they should have. The positive from this is that, like Chizik said, these penalties came from playing hard, flying after the ball, and trying to make a play. We can safely say that these penalties won't be a recurring, every game thing. They seemed to be just a little bad luck. What I will also chalk up to bad luck were the two fumbles that occurred on promising drives. Ben Tate fumbled inside the 10-yard line and Darvin Adams fumbled after a decent gain on a pass from Todd. Both seemed to just have the ball knocked out from a normal tackle. Not a punch out or a strip, just a plain a tackle. Either way, I'm sure this will be corrected, or let's a least hope so. Take away the "try hard" penalties and the two fumbles, and this game wouldn't have been close by halftime (i.e. there would have been a lot less toothless smiles in Atlanta). Something I didn't really worry about, but most armchair quarterbacks did, was Chris Todd. Would this be the same noodle arm as last year? And once again, it was just La. Tech, but I will say no. Todd made maybe 2-3 legitimately bad throws, but no bad decisions from what this guy could see. He knows the offense, he knows the coaches have his back, and he knows the team has his back. And like Chizik, he almost looks like he doesn't care what the naysayers say anymore. He's bought in, and knows this is going to work. If he throws an interception, chant "Kodi, Kodi", he doesn't care. He'll just come back and throw a 93 yard, perfectly-pump-faked touchdown pass in your face. And that's what an SEC-caliber QB has to be able to do. Oh, and another guy who's bought in is Mr. Auburn, Kodi Burns, but you already knew that. Dang this team has the chance to be scary good. Kodi, Mario, Onterio, Zachary, Darvin, Tate...I see playmakers, but that's for another post. All in all, the first half was scary because of the penalties, but the second half was great. A huge weight has been lifted and we can look forward to SEC play. Hopefully, that's when more of these questions will start to disappear. As always, feel free to follow me on my Auburn Twitter, my personal Twitter, and visit my Auburn blog, and my personal blog. Posted by Rachel at 7:00 PM No comments: It's football season once again and our Crimson Tide did not disappoint! A friend of ours hosts most of the football parties ever year so we had our kickoff at his house once again. We grilled out, enjoyed some beverages (water for me, the pregnant lady), and watched our team dominate the Hokies! Of course, my husband was cheering for VT. He is always cheering for the opposing team. It is so nice that lately he has had little to cheer about! And it is looking like we are going to have another successful season! The Tide got off to a somewhat slow start. I think there were five lead changes in the first half. The game was back and forth most of the night. Although we were winning and dominating possession of the ball for most of the game, I was worried that we were not coming out as strong as we should for the first game of the season ~ even if it was against the #7 ranked team in the nation (Tide fans are pretty demanding!). Then, it was like lightbulbs went off inside the entire team's head. Maybe it was just a pretty darn good half-time speech by Coach Saban. Either way, our boys were on fire - particularly in the 4th quarter, pulling out a 10-point victory in the end. I was slacking in my photo journalism duties, so I only have two photos for you from the night: some boys getting ready to display their manhood by grilling the burgers... and a sweet shot of a VT fumble and Alabama recovery (which by the way should have led to a touchdown but only led to a field goal... we still have some work to do). I promise to do better next week.... as I'll actually get to take some pictures live at the football game!!! Looking forward to a great home opener from The Tide!!! Posted by Rachel at 1:29 PM No comments: Two giveaways ended last night, so it's time to announce the winners! First of all, for the Alabama Illustrated Engravings coffee table book from Turner Publishing: the winner is Erin at What's Going on With the Stephensons! Second of all, it's time to announce the winners for the Score for Your Team Football Carnival!! The teams first: Alabama had a smashing victory with the final score of: Arkansas made an impressive showing for being out of state, and ALMOST overtook Auburn (that would have been quite embarrassing for Auburn!), but Alabama has earned the bragging rights for the year!! And, since Zoës Kitchen was so generous to sponsor this giveaway, I have 5 free lunches to give out to randomly chosen people from the winning team, and 5 more to give out to randomly chosen people from all of the participants!! Alabama Winners: Winners chosen from all participants: 1. Lianne @ Socks are NOT the Enemy 3. Swampgirl @ Swampgirl Congratulations to you all!! I am going to TRY and get emails out to gather your addresses, but if you could kindly go ahead and send it to me at rachel@alabamabloggers.com when you read this post, it would be quite helpful. Be sure to tell Turner Publishing and Zoës Thank you by commenting on this post or tweeting them! Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM 7 comments: Monday, September 7, 2009 Bama Back Where They Belong by K. L. Smith I watched enough football from Friday to Sunday that I may have radiation burns and Carpal Tunnel Syndrome from flipping channels (God bless those folks at DirecTV). This kickoff weekend has been exciting. And it ain't over yet. As I write this, I am looking forward to the Bearcats of Cincinnati taking on the Scarlet Knights of Rutgers and Bobby Bowden's Seminoles versus the once mighty Hurricanes of Miami. But this little roadside sports grill on the information superhighway is serving up some Crimson Tide piled high on the Hokies of Virginia Tech. Saturday night's Chik-Fil-A Kickoff Classic (I should get paid for these shameless plugs) was all that it was billed to be, and maybe more. Defense wins championships, and Alabama showed a defense that may gel into something unstoppable in the next few weeks. Alabama's 800th win (Bama joins Michigan, Texas, Notre Dame, Nebraska, Ohio State and Penn State with 800+ wins) came with a few silly penalties and some miscues on offense, but provided a satisfying start to the season. Hokies head ball coach Frank Beamer may have summed it up best. "They've got it. We played one of the great teams in the country and just didn't play well enough to match 'em." "IT", in case you were wondering, is that intangible, unmeasurable, elusive thing known as a winning spirit. Every matchup, weather you're talking about bar room brawls or pillow fights, has it. But only one side can grab it, claim it, and hold on to it. And to be able to keep it through an entire season is something that only a few can boast about. I am reminded of Alabama's 1979 unstoppable behemoth that shut out 5 teams, hung 383 points on the season's opponets while allowing only 67, and letting only 2 teams (Tennessee and Auburn) to score more than 10 points on a 12-0 Championship Team. That is championship spirit. And it is rare indeed. The only missing ingredient in this years team may be a high powered offense. But as Lee Corso would say, "Not so fast, my friend". We saw a power runner in Mark Ingram and true freshman Trent Richardson stepped in late to pop a bruise or two on the Hokie defensive line. The "Rudy" award for the most heart should go to Brandon Deaderick. (If you are not familiar with the movie "Rudy", you cannot call yourself a fan of college football and must head to Blockbuster immediately) Not even a crackhead's bullet could keep him from playing in Atlanta on Saturday night. That is true grit, even by John Wayne's standards. The surprise of the night may be reserved for last years backup QB and this years future star Greg McElroy. Making his first start since he hit the dance floor at the '07 Carroll Senior High school prom (I'm guessing he impressed some folks that night, too) Southlake, Texas' McElroy threw for 230 yards, a touchdown and 1 interception. Of course his dance partners Saturday night were a little bigger, smelled of Icy Hot instead of Coco Mademoiselle, and did a little more than step on his feet when he wasn't paying attention. Virginia Tech's defense sacked McElroy only twice, but put him down after nearly every pass attempt. Bama fans should be thrilled about Saturday nights outcome. It is an improved team that Nick Saban has begun to mold. A team that showed some championship spirit in the first game of 2009 and hopefully, one that will bring Alabama some championships very soon. Posted by Rachel at 1:21 PM No comments: Friday, September 4, 2009 Best Post of the Week: Week Fifteen It's time to link in your best post of the week! The purpose of this column is to make it easier to keep up with each other's blogs, so that even if we don't have time to read all of the Alabama Blogger blogs every day, at least we get the week's highlights. So, link up, and let's start reading! And remember - the best way to get new blogging friends is to comment on other people's posts, so be sure to say "hi" to your neighbors when you visit! p.s. - please feel free to interpret "this week" as loosely as you like! Posted by Rachel at 6:00 AM No comments: Labels: Best Post of the Week Thursday, September 3, 2009 With less than 36 hours until football officially kicks off, I'm sure everyone (that cares about it, anyway) is in a tizzy of preparation. I know we are! We leave tomorrow for Atlanta to watch Alabama's opening game. Last year, this was an unbelievably fun trip - and it made it MUCH more fun because of the crazy culture clash of 80,000 football fans staying with 40,000 DragonCon attendees (a pop culture event much like ComiCon in California), most staying within a one mile radius! I, of course, blogged about this fascinating study of culture intermingling - especially since I personally was somewhat of an outsider to BOTH cultures. It got picked up on several Dragon*Con message boards, and although most of the attendees found it entertaining, unfortunately, some found it insulting (which, of course, was not my intention at all.) So I'm trying to figure out exactly HOW to blog about it again this year to show the hilarity of the situation without offending those more sensitive. At any rate, if you're going to Atlanta this weekend, you are SURE to have fun, and a lot of people watching to do! We have a lot of football related activity going on or coming up at Alabama Bloggers too: 1. The Score for Your Team Blogger Carnival! I know I've been pushing this a lot, but it has been SO MUCH FUN to visit all of your blogs and get your takes on football! Plus, with ten free lunches from Zoës Kitchen up for grabs, it couldn't be more rewarding! The current score, for those who are following it is: Arkansas is catching up quickly, with much thanks to KBeau from Life in the Slow Lane - she's recruiting all of her friends and they are doing a great job - watch out Alabama and Auburn! How embarrassing would it be to BOTH lose your own rivalry! 2. Football Columnists: I have opened up Alabama Bloggers to have a different football columnist for each team each week. I have a lot of writers lined up, but a lot of slots left, also. If you would like to write for your team, read here for more information! 3. Football Meet-Ups: We've been having so much fun with our monthly meet-ups here in Birmingham that I would REALLY like to schedule meet-ups on campus at Alabama and Auburn on game days. However, I'm coming up at a loss of where to have them in Tuscaloosa, and since I've never been to Auburn, I'm REALLY at a loss on that one. So - a. Do you have any good game day on-campus meet-up location ideas? b. Would you like to host a meet-up at your tailgating spot? Maybe just a one hour window - no food or drinks necessary - just a place for us all to show up at once and say "hi". Another idea I had was to have a map of where we all set up our tailgate parties, and just have a walkthru tour - we could visit each other at our leisure. It just might be hard to pick each other out of the crowd! Anyway, I'm open to any and all ideas, and I need all the help I can get! Posted by Rachel at 10:30 AM 2 comments: Subscribe to: Posts (Atom) If you haven't linked up and introduced yourself yet, be sure to go here to do so! Important Alabama Blogger Links: Alabama Bloggers by Category	68,544
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Dept. of Orange Line: To speed up buses and prepare the O.L. for conversion to light rail in the future, Metro staff is proposing a mile-long bridge above five major streets and crossing gates for many other streets that cross the busway. More here. The Valley Industry and Commerce Assn. [continue reading] Final public screening of Blade Runner to take place at Union Station by Anna Chen , April 3, 2017 Okay, okay — the Rooftop Cinema Club is also screening Blade Runner on the same night, but ours is free and takes place where part of the original movie was filmed. [continue reading] Here are the Metro Art events happening in April by Angelica Monreal , March 31, 2017 From a quintessential neo-noir science fiction film screening to a celebration fit for National Poetry Month, here’s your guide to all the Metro Art events happening in April. Did we mention [continue reading] Go Metro Weekends, outdoor movies from London, steps from the Red Line by Lily Allen , August 28, 2015 L.A. being the home of Hollywood, it may surprise you that the newest outdoor movie venue in town is actually a British import. What could the Brits possibly bring to [continue reading] Union Station: A classic on both big screen and small by Kim Upton , April 15, 2014 This is the fifth of a series of posts on the history of Union Station that we are running this month. The station celebrates its 75th anniversary on May 3. With its dramatic angles and dark corners, Union Station is a black-and-white noir fantasy. Yet like a character actor who is aging [continue reading]	1,567
Typically there is a basin in your basement, or possibly a crawlspace. This basin collects water from the perimeter drains of your basement waterproofing which funnels into the basin. Natural water drains into these basins and occasionally become overfull and needs to be pumped away. This is where your sump pump comes in and pumps the excess water away from your home or business to an area that will not give you any issue. If you notice your sump pump isn't working properly, or even worse, you have come upon a small flood in your basement, contact us immediately. We have technicians available 24 hours a day for all of your emergency plumbing needs. Sump pump installation is a very common task for our licensed plumbers, we guarantee to have some of the most competitive prices in the business. Many residential and commercial properties have a sump pump backup. Typically this is a battery backup system that kicks on when the power goes out. Usually if there is a power outage, it is temporary. Unfortunately bad storms are associated with power outages, which in turn can result in flooded area’s due to heavy rainfall. Having a sump pump backup system can prevent flooding in your home. Many reason can contribute to the failure of a sump pump, remember the typical sump pump runs off the electricity inside your home. A blown fuse, or a tripped circuit inside your breaker box can be a simple and easy fix for you. Now, if for instance you have a heavy storm, and you have a power outage. This is the perfect combination for a flooded basement if you do not have a proper battery powered backup sump pump or water powered backup sump pump. Heavy rains fill up the basin and if there is no power, the water will flood right into your basement or crawlspace. This can be quite devastating for many individuals as many of us keep personal items stored in our basements and crawlspaces. Those who have finished basements can end up suffering much more costs and damages, as you must dry the structure properly. Without proper drying mold can grow, and cause severe health problems. Contact Drain Detectives today get your sump pump serviced or replaced. Current Coupons Very professional, answered all my questions. Kept me informed and cleaned up any mess that was made. I will call them again should any problems arise. I have called for help with plumbing and everything the service was great. The technician knew wat do and the cost was fair. I would recommend this company to... read more anyone needing to repair . Fast on action, on time, do the job! Customer support is running smooth, for scheduling and answer the phone for questions. I am very happy with them, great job... read more guys!!! Thank you! Great I would recommend them to anyone who ask for a plumber Dave, the seasoned pro got right down to business as soon as he arrived. He explained exactly what my problem was (sewer drain blocked from house to street) and how... read more he was going to fix it. His assistant hauled down a large power drain cleaning machine and soon my drain was running freely. Total time at my place was probably under 45 minutes. Btw, dispatcher very polite and helpful with my initial call. Everything was good and done in a timely manner,I will call again when the need arises They came out in a timely fashion, even when they were booked. The technician was friendly, knowledgeable, and professional. I would 100% recommend them to anyone with drain... read more or plumbing questions or issues. Overall no complaints used them for a backed up sump pump discharge. Wasn't the greatest day out and the yard was full of water and raining so couldn't do a... read more full repair just did a temporary repair. Very nice and professional only thing I would say is to tell prices as moving along I was a little shocked at the price when given the bill. I had a pipe burst outside and Mike was here within a couple hours and repaired it. Very professional, knowledgeable, and affordable. I would use them again in the future. After 2 days of trying to plunge and snake my own sinks I knew it was time to call in the Pro's. Had an appointment between 9am and... read more 11am and received a call a 9am that they were about 10 minutes from being there...and they were. As a homeowner that has some understanding of how it all works, I told them what I did and what I thought was wrong and they confirmed and fixed the issue with a quickness. My roof vent stack needed to be cleared, they had the equipment and the ability to do the job easily. Much better than me trying to get on the roof to do it with a pending back surgery in my near future. Appreciated the love for us Veterans, will definitely contact them again if I ever need to, hopefully not ;-). Will also recommend any chance I get. Couldn't be happier. Not only was the problem fixed, but they were helpful in explaining what they were doing and gave some tips to help avoid the situation in the future I was having issues with water coming into my basement nonstop where the walls meet the floor. With the small amount of water entering the sump well, I assumed there... read more was a clog somewhere in the drainage system under the basement floor. I hired Drain Detectives to run a camera through the system to verify. Mike and a coworker came out, and when they ran the camera, it did not get very far as a clog was discovered close to the sump well. They recommended a return visit to hydro jet the pipes as well as run the camera on the external pipe that goes to the sewer drain in the backyard. When they returned, they started with the external pipe and that showed buildup as well, not totally clogged like under the floor, but getting close. They hydro jetted that part of the system until it was clean and then moved on to the basement. They started with the jetting, got the hose up to the clog, turned it on, and BAM, the water started pouring out of the pipe. It did this for at least 20 minutes before it slowed to a more normal flow. In Mike’s 16(?) years, he said he’s never seen that much water waiting to come out like that. While the pipes were emptying, he was running the camera through the pipes. When the camera got to a slightly clogged area, moving the camera back and forth would clear it up. It mostly just captured water rushing past it. Overall, the main issue was the clog closest to the sump pit. There is a T junction there, and that’s where the ocher had a chance to collect and build up. 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Came out the same day to assist with floor drain backup. Fair pricing and came at promised time and took care of the issue. Very happy with service and will... read more definitely recommend. There was a leak coming thru my ceiling tiles in the basement. Fortunately for me I called Drain Detectives because the leak was not caused by what I thought it... read more was. A new toilet was needed. It was installed in less than an hour and now..........No leaks! Thanks Drain Detectives. Excellent work and lightning fast. Called at 1am when we discovered the issue, and they were out by mid-day - on a Sunday. Tech was awesome - friendly, fast, clean... read more and knew his stuff. Took him less than an hour to get us back up & running. Will definitely use them again. Love Mike! He is awesome, respectful and very timely! He is always very thorough and explains things in detail! The ladies in the office are always professional and helpful! Rick, Mike and Miles did an outstanding job. They are so nice and kind. Can't say enough about how fantastic they were. They definitely know what they are doing. Call them if you are... read more in need of any services as they do more then the basics. Also thanks to TJ(Jason) and Eric who came out and diagnosis the problem. They were fast and efficient. Thanks to all at Drain Detectives.	10,203
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That recent article on the Low Information Diet (which I probably should have called the Low Irrelevant Information Diet) stirred up quite a debate. While some readers offered their double high-fives of agreement, others came out with pitchforks and torches, scolding both Mr. Money Mustache and any who dared to agree with him for “Celebrating Ignorance”. This response threw me off-balance, since the whole purpose of this blog, and most of my life in general these days, is supposed to be the opposite: Decreasing Ignorance, in the form of trying to educate the rich world about the consequences of our current lifestyle and its effect on the rest of the planet, and show an alternative way of living that leads to better results. I can blame some of the misunderstanding on my own lack of skill – I try to write these things to be as clear as possible, and the success is measured by the percentage of people who write angry responses based on missing a key concept. And sure, we could dismiss a few other people as hopeless complainers who will whine about anything – there’s no changing their minds without a good set of boxing gloves. But among the intelligent dissenters, the biggest part of the chasm of misunderstanding seems to be coming from a hole in their grasp of the ideas of the Circle of Concern, versus the Circle of Control. These terms come from Stephen Covey’s ridiculously powerful classic called The Seven Habits of Highly Effective People. It’s a book so old, so wise, and so essential that you are probably living a pointless life if you have not yet internalized its concepts. I first read this thing about 20 years ago, and I’ve reviewed it about ten times since then. The concepts are so religiously ingrained in my mind at this point, and have proven to be accurate through so many real-life tests, that I tend to go into a mouth-frothing rant if I see someone not following them. Whether it happens in my comments section or at the table in my back yard surrounded by beers and fellow liberal-minded hippie do-gooders earnestly repeating conspiracy theories, the offense is equally severe. “What nonsense is this Infidel spouting before me? You will have a much better life, if you focus your mental and physical energy ONLY on the things you can personally influence. Everything else is a distraction that pulls you away from running your life properly. But quite counter-intuitively, this smaller focus does not shrink your influence and your ability to do good. It causes these things to increase. Covey calls the range of everything you spend time thinking about your Circle of Concern. Similarly, everything you can actually influence is called your Circle of Control. For most people, the two circles look like this: Yikes, look at that. The Circles of the typical News Watcher. Many worries are buzzing around in his mind, and yet they are things he cannot control. Whenever you read complaints on a blog or a news article, they are usually targeted at these red boxes. Even a beginner can take control over many things, which are highlighted in green boxes in the middle. But any time and effort spent on the red boxes subtracts directly from time you can invest into the green ones. If you live your life in this manner as most people do, you become a reactive person. Life throws stuff at you, and you must react to it. Crappy weather shows up, and you react with a bad mood. A traffic jam snarls up your commuting, and you react by honking the horn and complaining to coworkers when you finally arrive. A health condition develops and you react by typing Mr. Money Mustache angry messages about his health insurance calculations. Although this is the default human condition, there is another way to live. It is to shrink your circle of concern (ignoring the daily news and concentrating on deeper sources of information), while using the newly liberated brainpower to work only on items within your circle of control. This is called taking a Proactive stance. To accomplish this, it helps to start from the beginning and work outwards. And the very beginning is your goal in life. For me, this exercise might look like this: Goal: How to Reach Goal: Live a long and healthy life. Have plenty of close and happy relationships with fellow humans. Make a difference whenever possible by helping others. With these directives, it becomes much easier to decide what to include in your Circle of Concern. You simply identify each concern in your life, analyze it and decide if it is something you can affect, then either ditch it or get to work on it. For example: Concern: The weather sucks today. I wish it was sunny and warm so I could get out and ride my bike. How does this relate to my goal? It is part of Directive #1: Health. Riding a bike is a key to this. So I am correct to seek out a way to bike today? Yes. Is the local weather in my control? No. Does complaining about the weather increase my control of the situation? No. So will I choose to waste anyone’s time by issuing complaints? No. Is it possible to still ride a bicycle when it is 34F with a light mist falling? Yes. What is required to do this? Get out a hat, gloves, and a waterproof coat. So will I go to the closet and get out the hat, gloves and coat? Yes. Concern: I try to keep up with the daily happenings around the world, and what I hear worries me quite a bit. Why do I feel that watching the news helps me to be a better human? Because I want to stay informed about world events. How does this help me with my goal of helping people? By allowing me to understand their suffering, like what’s going on in Syria. Does understanding the details of each instance of human suffering help me alleviate it? Well, no. Has war and suffering been a permanent fixture of human civilization since before we had swords? Umm.. I guess so. Would you rather save 10,000 people by focusing on the details of one war, or save one billion people by reducing on the causes of war and other suffering? Shit, what kind of question is that? What has been the cause of war in general? I guess it would be inequality, poverty and the struggle to survive, oppression, insatiable desire for power, religious conflicts, and a few other things. Do these general causes of war change with the daily news? No. How can you have the largest effect on the number of people who suffer due to war? Hmm.. I guess I might work on poverty since greater wealth and productivity has caused a pretty dramatic reduction in violence between the wealthy nations. After all, Germany hasn’t sent out any fleets of attacking submarines in an awfully long time! But what will I do, if I’m not busy being concerned with things outside of my control? Now here’s the reason this counterintuitive mind trick works: By deliberately limiting the irrelevant things you do and think about, you automatically become much, much better at the relevant things on which you spend your time. The increases in your health, wealth, focus, network of friends, and knowledge of relevant things from reading library books and talking with other Highly Effective People will have the following effect on your circle of control: Wow, look at that. The circle of control has really grown! And when reviewing this new more advanced circle, we see that all sorts of fancy new options have been added in blue. This person, while carefully avoiding the distractions of any of the irrelevant items in red, has gained influence over many more things. And thus things you could once only worry about, are now things you can control. Which is probably what you wanted in the first place. Therefore, today’s assignment is as follows: over the coming fifty years, monitor both your worries and your words. If you catch yourself leaking out more than a tiny percentage of your personal power on things you cannot personally control, repair that leak. Then find a way to channel that awesomeness to somewhere it will make a difference instead. Watch the results, and write back to me only when you have realized how well it works. I have an audiobook version of the book in MP3 format, and at least once a year it comes up on random play on the digital memory card labeled “Cross Country Roadtrips” that I pop into the car stereo at the start of long voyages. You might also like: Which is Safer: Rental Houses or Stock Investments? (a Case Study) Done by Forty October 7, 2013, 10:42 am Any reminder to utilize Covey’s methods is a good reminder! I agree that much of the debate around news consumption would have been avoided if the commenters understood this basic fact: there are a lot of things outside our control. I’ve found the twelve stepper’s prayer to be a great way to internalize Covey’s first step. God grant me the serenity to accept the things I cannot change, the courage to change the things I can, and the wisdom to know the difference. Free Money Minute October 7, 2013, 10:59 am I agree. Try to stay in Covey’s Important and Not Urgent quadrant so you can stay out of the Urgent and Not Important quadrant. Wouldn’t you rather do things that are Important and Important so you are not always putting fires out on things that are not impactful to the desires of your life? Heath October 7, 2013, 11:08 am That’s exactly what I thought of. I know it as The Serenity Prayer. And even though I’m not the slightest bit religious, it still makes tons of sense. As I was reading this blog entry, I was also strongly reminded of Stoicism, and the book “A Guide to the Good Life”, which I also read because of MMM :-) Great stuff! Alfredo October 8, 2013, 8:35 pm Exactly!!!! I learned this thought from that book!!!! Such a book!!!!! Mrs. PoP October 7, 2013, 6:06 pm Done by Forty – totally agree on the serenity prayer, though I’ll admit it’s Mr PoP that has to remind me about it sometimes. The one thing I always like to add, though, is that it’s not just “wisdom” to know the difference, but a little research instead. Sometimes something you think you can’t control (a change to your property taxes), turns into something you can control (by researching and successfully contesting an inaccurate valuation). It’s not easy, but the payoff can be significant. Rory October 7, 2013, 10:52 am I unknowingly followed rule #1 when, a few years back, I decided to leave financial sales. My wife told me that I was becoming a ‘complainy-pants;’ actually she said something similar as this phrase had yet to be invented by MMM. I then decided that since I could not change what I saw as an unethical banking system I had no choice but to remove myself from it. That path led me to take a big pay cut but ultimately I ended up much happier for it. That was my experience starting around 4 years ago. I’ll keep tabs on the next 46 years of concentrating on my circle of control and report back to you. Emily Capito October 8, 2013, 1:53 pm Great comment, Rory. I never thought about my own drastic career change in this light. Constantly complaining about my colleague’s lack of character, work ethic, or office politics drained all of my energy to focus on those things in my control. I think this is my favorite post thus far, MMM. Perhaps it is just excellent timing for plugging a few particular leaks. Miss Growing Green October 7, 2013, 10:55 am Excellent post! I have been meaning the read the 7 Habits of Highly Effective People for some time, and it’s just pushed it’s way to the top of my list. One other comment- when you do find yourself reacting to things outside of your circle of control, analyze your reactions. Try to react with curiosity, which will more often result in you gaining information than reacting with anger will. For example, the post you’re referring too caught me a little off-guard at first too. Instead of reacting like a psychotic mob, I decided to ask if you thought there was value in informing yourself using reliable sources of media. You thoughtfully responded and agreed. Now I’ve had a positive conversation where I actually learned something about your opinion, instead drawing my own reactive conclusions and writing an angry rant about them. Win-win situation. LaurieS October 7, 2013, 10:56 am I love how you distilled Steven Covey’s first law down to explain your reasoning behind your previous post. I have avoided reading the news for about 6 years and, like you, I never feel like I miss out on major stories, because if the story is big enough, someone will tell me about it. I’m definitely going to work on filtering my thoughts based upon this framework in the future. If I can’t control it, it’s a waste of time and mental capacity to think (obsess) about it. Thanks for a great blog. Ron October 7, 2013, 10:58 am I’ve always been “self help” averse, and subconsciously probably slighted Covey’s work because he was among the most successful of the Self Helpers. But I appreciated your clear summary of his conceptual framework. Reminds me of William Irvine’s in A Guide to the Good Life. Irvine, a philosophy prof, is reviving Stoicism for the modern era. Maybe I like his book more than the typical self help ones because it draws on ancient history, Seneca and Ancient Rome in particular. Irvine describes a “trichotomy of control”, meaning that everything in our lives can be subdivided into three columns—those things over which we have 1) no control, 2) some control, 3) complete control. And like Covey, the obvious conclusion is spend as much time and energy as possible on the “3’s”. Kristen October 7, 2013, 10:59 am Yes! I’ve never read Covey’s book, but this is exactly why I don’t spend a bunch of time watching/reading the news. There’s usually nothing I can practically do about it (aside from praying, but one doesn’t need to be saturated in the news to do that), and so I figure it’s a pretty big waste of energy/time. I’d rather spend that energy on things I can control. Heidi October 7, 2013, 7:33 pm Aarchman10001 October 7, 2013, 11:09 am I believe in the value of participatory democracy. I cannot be an informed voter without informing myself about situations and events–many of which are well beyond my personal sphere of control. (If I am willing to be honest, many world events are even outside my sphere of interest.) Once made aware of a specific event or situation, I may–assuming I have the capacity for empathy for human suffering–expend energy in the perfectly fruitless exercise of sadness or sympathy for those who are suffering. To the extent that this expenditure of time and energy helps motivate me to effect a change in how my elected leaders interface with the larger world, I cannot accept that it is fruitless–no matter how little tangible impact it may have. Gerard October 7, 2013, 11:23 am But if your impact is non-existent, aren’t you really just doing those things to make yourself feel virtuous? David G. October 8, 2013, 11:41 am In the great scope of geologic history, I have no impact on anything. Therefore, anything I do is just intended to make myself feel virtuous. Thinking and feeling is something and is valid in and of itself. Is it good to do something to fix a problem? Yes. Is it not worth considering an issue if you are not going to do anything concrete to fix it. No. Amicable Skeptic October 7, 2013, 1:16 pm Aarchman, you are very close to getting it. You just need to shift some (much?) of your focus from feeling sadness and sympathy to doing things about the sad situations you have found. Sympathy without meaningful action is the very definition of hollow. It is like meeting a starving boy, shedding a tear for him but then walking on in search of the next starving boy without actually helping the first. I’d be remiss if I didn’t note that you do mention doing one thing, trying to change your elected leaders. That is definitely an important goal but the question then is whether your time is better spent improving your ability to change elected leaders (because if you’re like most people right now that ability is very limited), or researching more things to be sad about? You’ve got to set that balance for yourself, but I bet that you’re skewing a bit heavy on the sad side and a bit light on the change side at the moment. Finally, if it turns out there is no way to do more to influence elected leaders, maybe you could shift your efforts to just making the changes you want yourself? Mary Ellen October 7, 2013, 5:48 pm I agree. It is our responsibility as citizens to stay informed about what our elected representatives are doing. And you can influence what happens in this arena, even if not as much as you would like. Obviously we all vote. Beyond that, I wrote a letter to both of my senators for the first time last week. It turns out they each have a handy link on their websites for just this purpose. I know that the senators themselves don’t read all of the letters, but someone in their office does, and I have no doubt that they keep tabs on what sorts of things their constituents are writing. I could also choose to get more involved via volunteering, protesting, etc., and may do so once the kids are a little older :). But before I can do any of that effectively, I have to keep abreast of political developments, which means at least some news every few days. (Although I skip any news outlet that spends much time on random murders, sensational trials, etc. These definitely have nothing to do with me, and are just a waste of time.) Kenoryn October 8, 2013, 12:32 pm +1; in terms of a participatory democracy, we have more control than many people think, and if more people chose to exert their influence that would collectively give us more control still. Protesting, writing letters to government, and building awareness of issues among others are good examples. I work for the government and can confirm that public opinion is a huge influence on policy. (Not as big an influence as corporate opinion – but that’s just one more thing we need to work on changing.) We define the issues of the day by the number of letters we have received about them. I also try to be informed and keep others informed about what our government is up to. I was appalled during the last election to discover that most of the people I know were totally unaware of the actions of the federal government over the past term, and voted them back in based on their election platform (accountability), even though a look at their record would have shown that their true priorities were not what they were trying to sell the public (censorship, systematic attacks on dissenters, reducing science and information). I feel that if people had paid more attention they wouldn’t have voted the same government back in. However, I agree that watching the evening news is likely not the best source for information about key issues. The media doesn’t generally seem to cover things that are actually important, unless, of course, the concerned public is making a big deal out of it with protests and such. ;) It’s generally better to actively seek out information on the specific topics you’re interested in, and thus avoid the latest murder downtown and focus on the latest fracking policy proposal or whatever you’re concerned about. I also like to know the local news, because it helps me to feel connected to my community and find out about things I might want to be a part of. Generally the local news tends to be pretty positive, though. My alarm clock is set to the local radio station and wakes me up to the 1-minute news update each morning, and I find that’s enough to keep me feeling informed. Things that warrant more investigation I can go find for myself. Joe Average August 18, 2015, 12:57 pm the local news from the nearest big city seems to focus on last night’s murders in the low income parts of town rather than what the gov’t is doing. We know better than to go to those parts of that city after hours. I would rather know more about the gov’t activities and those of businesses in our area. The media could do a better job at that. One of the local networks does pretty good investigative journalism on the state and local gov’t. I feel like living my life in a positive, thoughtful manner and leading by example is worthwhile. Occasionally someone around us will appear to make a choice similar to one we’ve made that seems out of character and we quietly wonder if we’ve influenced someone in a positive way. Anonymous October 7, 2013, 9:08 pm You are correct in that your reading about global events or other events mostly outside your control may affect your vote in some way. And to that extent, you do have a non-zero amount of control over those events. At that point, you have to realize that control is not a binary thing, where you either control something or you do not. You have a set of things you have near-total control over, a set of things you have near-zero control over, and a spectrum inbetween. As such, you need to spend your time proportionally on things that give you the most control and help you make the most difference in the world (or most strongly achieve your goals, whatever those might be). Given the relative weight of your vote, it makes no sense to spend hours staying informed about foreign policy, conditions halfway across the world, or even the goings on three counties over, when you could have far more impact spending those hours in almost any other way. To look at it another way: to a first approximation, your benefit to investing time in something is proportional to time spent (up to a limit), impact of varying degrees of “success”, and the fraction of control you have to influence that “success”. Assuming that your involvement in a participatory democracy is limited to voting, “staying informed” takes a substantial amount of your time, has a potentially high impact, but you have a vanishingly small fraction of control over actual policy. By contrast, gaining influence within your community, your company, or for that matter your government, has a proportionally much higher product of impact and control, making it a much better time investment. And that’s ignoring the very likely possibility that “staying informed” is a net negative for you, due to the way it changes your outlook on life in general, inducing fear and seriously impairing rational decision-making by bringing a large quantity of vivid but irrelevant data to the forefront of your mind. So, if you want to make the most rational choice you can, consider carefully the net result of investing N of your hours into goal X or goal Y, and how much that will advance your goals. By almost any measure you could choose, “staying informed” about things you have no control over (beyond a vote) is a terrible investment of your time compared to almost anything else, and on top of that it’s potentially a net negative for you. Heath October 8, 2013, 10:15 am I must say, that was an extremely well written counter-point to a widely held pillar of ‘why to watch the news’. It was a bit confusing in the start of the ‘first approximation’ paragraph, but the general idea is to invest most your time where it will make the most impact, and the inverse. I love it! Though MMM’s posts are exceptional, and have aligned my life in extremely positive ways, it’s this community that keeps me coming back for more. TommyVee October 21, 2013, 12:51 pm “By almost any measure you could choose, “staying informed” about things you have no control over (beyond a vote) is a terrible investment of your time compared to almost anything else, and on top of that it’s potentially a net negative for you.” This comment reduces participatory democracy to the simple act of voting, which is blatantly wrong. Other means of effecting change in a democracy include donating to candidates and issues you support (why do the Koch brothers bother to spend millions? because it works), volunteering for candidates and issues, advocating with your friends and family, and running for office yourself. The attitude that you have “no control over (beyond a vote)” is self-defeating and indeed is exactly the attitude of the “governed” rather than the “self-governed”. I have volunteered for many years with environmental orgs and for candidates and issues, and it has been very rewarding to me, both to put my actions where my beliefs are and because of the great people I have gotten to know in the process. Canvassing for Obama in the Hispanic neighborhoods of North Denver was like international travel in my home state, a very interesting view into another life style and culture (even if it did contain a couple of unleashed trailer-park pitbulls…). The attitude that learning for its’ own sake is “a terrible investment of your time” is a sad and reductionist approach to life. One reason we follow a Moustachian life is to have the time freedom to learn about anything that interests us, including obscure rebel movements in rural India. Writing comments on a blog while excoriating time spend staying informed seems ironic to me. Neil October 22, 2013, 8:40 am I totally agree. Well put! Anonymous January 31, 2014, 3:16 am If you intend to spend a significant fraction of your time actively working on those kinds of issues, then it absolutely makes sense to pay attention to broader news that affects the issues you actively work on. I would never suggest otherwise. However, far more people watch the news than those who devote any significant fraction of their lives to participating in politics. That’s the point that my post was making: not that your ability to participate is limited to a vote, but that if you don’t plan to participate other than by voting then there’s no point to watching hours and hours of news. Jamesqf October 7, 2013, 11:13 am I have to enter a qualified disagreement, for two reasons. First, you can’t really hope to effectively affect things within your “circle of control” unless you understand them, and you can’t hope to properly understand them unless you know a lot about things outside that circle. Not only “news”, but history, science, economics, &c. Second, a lot of things outside my circle of control are just plain interesting. As pointed out (unintentionally?) by the picture used on the post title. It’s pretty hard to imagine* something further from my personal circle of control than the giant black holes that exist at the center of (most if not all) galaxies, but isn’t it an interesting thing to know? Andrew Norris October 7, 2013, 11:20 am You might be interested in what Covey has to say on “production vs production capacity”. Getting the balance between those two is important. We can easily spend too much time learning and not enough time doing. Everyone has to ask – are they putting their knowledge to use – or just endlessly learning – like a student. It takes a long hard look / being really honest about it. Not everyone is ready for this. Andrew Norris October 7, 2013, 11:24 am If you enjoy learning about black holes, that is good. But that would be leisure time – if as you say it is not being put to use. We all need so much time to relax and do things enjoy. But we will not be effective and will worthless if we spend too much time doing this. And becoming “pleasure centered”. So yes, there is a time for such learning, according to Covey. We will feel worthless deep down if we get the balance wrong, even if we deny this consciously. Pleasure centered leads to the opposite of what it wishes for. Too much time focusing on pleasure, leads to lack of life satisfaction and addictions, and we get used to things that would normally give us pleasure in controlled amounts, and the pleasure goes. Mr. EE October 7, 2013, 11:17 am Very good reminder. Just added the book to my amazon wish list and will probably get it after i finishing reading some of my other excellent and very informative books that are enhancing my knowledge vs fear of things outside of my control!!! Mr. Money Mustache October 7, 2013, 11:20 am Mr. EE October 7, 2013, 11:35 am Good point :-) If i get a used book for $4-5 which allows me to write in it, underline, dog ear pages, have as a reference when i want it, etc, I tend to go that route as it generally greatly increases my reading comprehension. Guess i am a physical learner in many ways. But the point is well taken as there are a number of books on my shelf that i probably didn’t need to buy and haven’t referenced since. maybe i need to come up with a way to take notes outside the book to re-enforce my learning/comprehension. Any Ideas? Amicable Skeptic October 7, 2013, 1:19 pm Don’t have tips about learning, but if you keep buying you should at least sell/donate/give away your unused books. Mari October 7, 2013, 2:21 pm Mr. EE use post-it notes for the margins, on the margins like tabs. I did this with one book. It made it easy to find an idea I wanted to show someone else. Yes, the book has about 100 post its, but I can write on both sides and sometimes margins just aren’t wide enough. Tallgirl1204 October 7, 2013, 11:59 pm There are also the super low-end used book stores, I.e. good will and salvation army, etc., where paperbacks are often 50 cents or less. I frequently see a copy of 7 habits at our local one. (and yes, I am sometimes guilty of aimlessly shopping at such places, when the jones for recreational retailing descends on me and I fall from MMM grace… Usually I walk out with little to nothing, marveling at how much stuff people get rid of.) Rory October 8, 2013, 6:07 am For a few years I’ve kept standard notebooks which I use exclusively to take notes on books I read. They are always red, and I keep them once filled under my bed. A few times every year I can go back to my notebooks and see what notes I took from any book. I was reviewing ‘Guns, Germs, & Steel’ last night. The method helps you read more activley becauase you are searching for what is ‘note-worthy.’ You would also me amazed at how many important points you forget – even ones you took the time to write down – some years later. Or maybe that just says something about my memory. If its important enough to dog-ear, it’s important enough to buy. The Bible would be one example. So are ACT study guides for my daughter (not that I want to compare the two). Otherwise, I try to use the library. Mr. EE October 10, 2013, 7:20 am Thanks for all the suggestions. I actually asked around about this as well to try to come up with some good ideas. I think the taking notes outside of the book is going to be the best for me. Post it notes would work, but only if i ended up keeping the book (which doesn’t work for library rentals), and i would rather just take inline notes. Another suggestion one of my friends had was to basically write up a one or two page summary of the book when I was done with it with the key take away points. I thought that might be a good exercise in reading comprehension. I think there are still going to be some books i want to have on hands for reference, so buying a used copy for under $5 is probably going to be worth it for me. And I can resell or donate the ones that i don’t end up needing to keep. a $5 a month used book habit only needs $1500 savings to support indefinitely (which means 1 extra week of work for me – so i think that is worth it for me) Joshua Spodek October 8, 2013, 7:22 am You could view not having books as having more freedom, which you may find more than offsets not marking up the books you borrow from the library — http://joshuaspodek.com/less_please. Kevin H October 9, 2013, 11:14 am Interesting article, thanks for sharing your experience. :) The idea of your article really does apply to many areas in life. Like many, I’m slowly letting go of “important” things. Brandon Curtis October 7, 2013, 3:30 pm Stephen Covey himself has a free audio version of 7 Habits here: http://archive.org/details/7HabitsOfHighlyEffectivePeople meardaba October 8, 2013, 8:56 am Thank you Brandon!! I am going to start this audiobook tonight! Christine October 8, 2013, 11:51 am Venturing October 8, 2013, 6:44 pm My library offers free borrowing of ebooks and audiobooks, you don’t even need to leave the house to access your local library. Mr. Frugal Toque October 7, 2013, 11:17 am I believe I felt a sliver of this when I was laid off last year. Once they’ve picked you out, it no longer matters whether that was a fair decision, a good decision, or any of those other things. It’s outside your Circle of Control. So you take your stuff and you move on; start taking care of the things you can control. I’m afraid I couldn’t follow all of the previous thread, but I can’t imagine this being too controversial. If someone took this to mean, “Remain ignorant of the world around you”, that’s clearly a misunderstanding. A lot of what we talk about here involves responsible stewardship of the environment in which we all have to live. You can’t do that without knowing a good deal about the sources of your consumables. The havoc wreaked by producing stuff is one of the prime motivations for being a non-consumer. So we have to be informed. But you don’t have to watch the Miley Cyrus video. See the line there? It’s not particularly fuzzy. Jamesqf October 7, 2013, 2:40 pm Pretired Nick October 8, 2013, 10:17 am Kenoryn October 8, 2013, 12:46 pm Unless you are considering it research for gaining a better understanding of feminist concepts which might influence your behaviour and make you a better person. The Miley Cyrus thing has actually been a catalyst for some great dialogue on the principles of feminism, the sources of our social taboos, and our culture’s attitude toward women’s sexuality. Kevin H October 9, 2013, 11:12 am Miley eh? I remember hearing something from friends and seeing in the forever ignored “popular videos” section of Youtube about a Miley. That’s the extent of my knowledge of a Miley. ;) Emily A October 7, 2013, 11:25 am I think you have finally convinced me to read that book. I am loving what you’ve laid out here today, so the time is finally nigh! Thanks MMM! MonicaOnMoney October 7, 2013, 11:37 am I love the book, 7 Habit of Highly Effective People, and it’s constantly being quoted for its simple yet so effecive concepts! I agree that we should really only focus on the lmited number of things that we can control. Otherwise, life certainly has the potential to be very stressful and even unhappy! EL October 7, 2013, 11:44 am I Think some people are naturally born with some of the highly effective traits, but obviously it can also be a learning process as well. We can improve one way or another and wasting time complaining about the mudane does not help. I once started the book but didn’t finish it, but I did write down the steps and placed them on my desk at work. I do like the idea of getting it on audio book to reinforce the habits. Ree Klein October 7, 2013, 11:44 am It’s funny, my mother used to be a fanatic about watching the news. I’d call her on any given day and she would either be elated or furious about something going on in the news. The events of 9/11 took a huge emotional toll on her. It was only then that she realized how getting so tied in to things beyond her control could literally ruin her life. So, she stopped watching the news. Now when we talk, she speaks of time with friends, a favorite “feel good” show or a book she’s reading. The transformation was dramatic. While I watch the news on occasion, I remember not to let it get to me and will readily turn it off if it is depressing or angers me. Thanks for the great post and important reminder! Nick Urban October 7, 2013, 11:46 am Wow, this is a great illustration of a concept I’ve picked up through experience and osmosis but I’d never seen it articulated so clearly before. I’ve heard of the Seven Habits many times but I’ve never read it. Time to put it on my library list! Crystal October 7, 2013, 11:46 am This is an amazing representation for me! Over the weekend, I was trying to explain my specific brand of control freak to my friends. I try to control down to the very specific details anything in that inner circle, but I don’t care at all about anything in that outer circle. I’ll never get into a hot debate about crap I don’t think I have much control over at all like current political policies or drama, but I have gotten worked up about getting people to actually vote. Mr. 1500 October 7, 2013, 11:49 am One suggestion to really focus and get to the right place is to ditch your smartphone. Having access to the information of the world in your pocket is a lot of temptation. I’ll soon get rid of mine or dump my data plan. Added benefits include saving a bit on your phone bill and paying more attention to your kids at the park or library. Frugal in DC October 7, 2013, 11:58 am Life is good without a smartphone. I’ve never been tempted to get one despite being teased repeatedly about my dumb phone. We’re also very old school at home and don’t have WiFi, multiple computers/iGadgets, or a TV. Just one desktop that we all share. We love our peaceful home with minimal electronic distractions. I burst out laughing at the first circle with “What the Politicians Did Today” and “Celebrity Mating Habits” in the same category. So true. Two great graphics well worth memorizing. Mr. 1500 October 7, 2013, 1:43 pm Very wise moves Frugal in DC and I’ll add one other suggestion to the mix. After seeing people give their teenage children (and younger) smart phones, I think it’s an incredibly bad idea. Some of these kids have zero attention span because their nose is buried in the phone constantly. I have no idea how these kids are going to be able to develop study skills needed for later in life. I know this isn’t something you would do and it’s something I wouldn’t either. Frugal in DC October 8, 2013, 6:05 am We tend to follow guidance from the American Academy of Pediatrics. Their statement on media use is here: http://www.aap.org/en-us/advocacy-and-policy/aap-health-initiatives/Pages/Media-and-Children.aspx. They are also concerned about the possible effects of RF energy on children – see related article at http://www.ewg.org/release/american-academy-pediatrics-endorses-cell-phone-safety-bil . So considering all this, smartphones is not something we would pay for. It would be considered a “want” and not a “need,” therefore the kids would need to figure out how to pay for them (if they wanted them) and agree to limits on screen time. It will be interesting to see how this all plays out with more schools implementing Bring Your Own Device policies. A well-meaning relative gave us an iPad for the kids’ use last year. We tried it out and downloaded a few apps, but overall our reaction has been “meh.” The kids haven’t been inclined to take it to school. It’s sitting in a drawer along with our barely-used WiFi router. I guess we all prefer being present in Real Life and feel kind of disjointed if we spend too much time online. Looking at the Advanced Circle of Control above, I just don’t see how a smartphone would enhance our lives. From time to time we do volunteer advocacy work at the state and local levels. That often entails educating elected officials on issues that may not be on their radar screens. For that, a desktop computer is a great time saver since it’s so much easier to read on a big screen and do research, cut and paste material, and send e-mails. Mr. EE October 10, 2013, 7:30 am I work in the RF industry, know more about RF communications and Cellular systems than most people should, and I agree that smart phones are a terrible thing for most people. I haven’t had a cell phone for 7 years and my life is so much better because of it (Mrs. EE does has a pre-paid phone that we use for travel / emergencies). Tremendous cost both $ and lost opportunity wasted by spending your hours staring at one of the things. I wouldn’t mind seeing SAR (specific absorption rate) data posted on every phone, but there is a lot of overblown fear about it as well. RF energy from Cell phones is below the ionizing power limit (meaning it can’t strip electrons off atoms), which is the real cancer concern. It can be absorbed by water molecules though, effectively increasing the temperature of the surrounding tissue slightly (which has been shown to have some affects on metabolism). The real danger with smartphones though by far is the distraction they pose to the user (when walking, but especially when driving). It is worse then driving drunk!!! They also impact real relationships and i would bet some cognitive development as well. Michelle Russell October 7, 2013, 4:11 pm Yes!!! I have the most basic smartphone available ONLY because I got it free when my housemate and I went in together on our cell phone contract to save a bit of money, and I only use it for the very, very few useful things (other than, ya know, making phone calls, which many people seem to have forgotten was the original function of the device) that it does for me. Like updating my YNAB budget on the fly rather than having to remember to enter the expense when I get home. The aforementioned housemate still can’t figure out why I tend to go berserk when I unwittingly wonder about something out loud in her presence and she reaches for her phone to Google it. She doesn’t understand that when absolutely everything is available, curating your personal universe becomes hugely important. Or maybe mental clutter simply doesn’t bother her to the extent it does me… sleepyguy October 8, 2013, 11:13 am Agreed, I just shake my head as I go to the park with son about 4x a week and always see parents there on their iPhones not even paying attention or playing with their kids. I suggest getting a blackberry (should be cheap because they are dying). Has super basic email, phone, photo… it’s apps store is garbage so you are pretty much using a basic phone with a very good keyboard. Don’t get the Z10 or Q10… get the older bold 9900 or 9700 (9800 torch is garbage). I have a 9900 and it serves my purposes well. Christine October 7, 2013, 12:04 pm I’m going to have to read 7 Habits of Highly Effective People. Its been on my list for some time too. I kinda just came to the conclusion that following the news gave me no real control of the news around me. Talking about what other people do.. even if its the news or politics is just some high form of gossip if you’re not going to do anything about it. However if you’re using that information to take some form of action that’s different. But I love the simple way you broke this out. I do try to create my own things and I do focus on only things I can control. Slowly, slowly I can move in this better direction. joe average August 18, 2015, 1:26 pm Anyone weaning themselves off of the news could switch to ‘short form” news. I get my evening news via Newsy (newsy.com) or Euronews. Their clips are a minute or so. I can usually scroll through the news in 10-15 minutes and I’m good until the next day. I really like Newsy. Dollar Flipper October 7, 2013, 12:15 pm This is a great reminder for someone like me. I work at a large company that just announced it’s laying of 20% of its workforce worldwide! Sitting here worrying about it non-stop doesn’t help anything. I can take a pro-active stance by at least figuring out how long our savings will last and start contacting people I know at other companies about possible job options if the axe falls on me. Hawkity October 7, 2013, 12:29 pm The circle of control thing is coming up a lot at work right now…there are a lot of roles the company is moving to India to get the old cost:income ratio down. Loads of people are worried about it; I keep saying to them to focus on what you can control…that being your own performance. Doesnt matter if your role gets moved to India…if you are shit hot they will find you another role. Even if that cant happen you can always use your skills elsewhere…… Scott October 7, 2013, 12:39 pm Perfect timing for on this one… retirebyforty October 7, 2013, 12:49 pm I don’t know man. I still think we should watch/read world news. Even if I can’t control it, I want to know what’s going on in the world. Local news on the other hand can probably be ignored. 99% of it is useless crap. Maggie Mae October 7, 2013, 4:02 pm With all due respect, that seems backwards. A local flood, or a landmark that needs support, or a local community effort of any kind seems like the only thing you CAN do anything about. But another terrorist thing half a world away? What are you going to do about that? As was said in a comment on the original post, you can learn everything you need to learn to properly cast your vote in about an hour right before you go to the ballot box. Obsessing over the world news just isn’t something I have time for — leafing through my weekly Economist for five minutes is just about right. I am informed, without wasting hours of my life every week foaming at the mouth about something very clearly not in my Circle of Control. Kenoryn October 8, 2013, 1:09 pm However, I don’t think you can get the information you need to cast your vote from reading party platforms. Party platforms tend to just be big piles of scummy propaganda. You need to know about what the parties actually do and what they have stood up for, not just what they say they believe in. The Conservatives here will tell you they believe in protecting the environment while they quietly axe environmental legislation and science programs and hand out money to oil companies. Maybe it’s different in the US where you’re pretty much just picking right-wing or left-wing. Insourcelife October 7, 2013, 1:03 pm A lot of dissent came from your sweeping prescription to never watch the news. Yes, most of “the news” is within the Circle of Concern and there is not much you can do about it. However, stuff in the Circle of Concern can still have a very direct impact on your life, such as the government shutdown, as discussed in my post on the subject. To follow your advice I should just ignore the news. Instead, I did what I could within my Circle of Control and postponed big monthly transfers to my mortgage principal payments and delayed my mutual fund investments until the budget is approved. That cash is sitting in the bank now and if some of my contract work is cut due to the Federal Government fiasco, we will be just fine. If I ignored the news (Circle of Concern) I would have a lot less cash in the bank (Circle of Control) since I would’ve prepaid/invested it as usual. It should be obvious that most of your effort should be spent on what’s within your Circle of Control, but that does not mean it’s a good idea to ignore stuff that’s happening outside of your bubble. CincyCat October 7, 2013, 3:04 pm I think that you’re drawing the same conclusion as MMM. He doesn’t say to ignore information, but rather to focus the majority of your mental energy on information that is relevant to you, and that you need in order to take some sort of constructive action. In your case, paying attention to the budget talks was directly relevant to you, in that you make your living from federal budget dollars. Many of my friends are in the same boat. I really feel for them, and for you, but at this moment in time, there isn’t one thing I can do about it, and no changes that I need to make in order to respond to the shut down. My voice in a letter to a congressperson isn’t going to be nearly as effective as yours. On the other hand, I pay very close attention to education policy, especially at the state level, since I participate in the governing leadership at my kids’ school. This sort of information is highly relevant to me, but may not be for you, or for my elderly neighbors whose grandkids live in another state. It would be a waste of your mental energy to fret about education policy if there isn’t anything meaningful that you would need to take action on based on policy changes. Justin Tyson October 8, 2013, 8:20 am Did you really need to watch the news to be aware of the government shutdown? I don’t work for the government, but if something important is going on with my employer, I find out about it through my employer and my co-workers. No news necessary. I haven’t watched the news in 6 years and I haven’t missed it. Insourcelife October 8, 2013, 11:26 am I don’t “watch the news” as much as I “read the news” and yes, I found out about the pending shutdown from Flipboard on my phone first, way before my employer sent out a vague email on the subject. Those few days gave me enough lead time to cancel a few cash debits that would have happened if I waited to find out from my employer as you recommend. Momster October 7, 2013, 1:21 pm May I respectfully suggest the main idea of this blog post is also explained nicely in Covey’s book First things first. It is my favorite of Covey’s books. I must have internalized at least some of his ideas eg: I still think of clean and green when I tend to my lawn! My purpose of posting actually has to do with a motherly chat I had with my children regarding being cruel to each other. as I read this post it hit me like a ton of bricks, what I should have told them yesterday is “you’re not synergizing properly” the elementary school the older one attended and the younger one still attends is a seven habits school so they would probably have understood that Better than whatever I said. Mira October 7, 2013, 1:30 pm Awesome reminder to focus on what you can actually control. Why is that so easy to forget? Difficult situations/people at work especially- sometimes there’s not a lot you can do to control that. I love the internal monologue….well “shit, what kind of question is that?” I get the sense that MMM has this rational dialogue with himself every time he has a decision to make and I want to get there too. In investing, there is a term for separating out all the crazy crap news that comes out every day from real indicators…..Noise vs Signal…and you try your best to actually figure out which category of information you’re looking at. Justin October 7, 2013, 1:50 pm I like to read the headlines, and get the details after the event is over. Sometimes news is best read in history books. lurker October 7, 2013, 2:54 pm just remember that history is written (spun) by the winners…but the news is spun by the corporate sponsors in many cases so it is the same in real time…with information as with anything caveat emptor. Neil West October 7, 2013, 2:09 pm Oh man I’ve been reading this blog for about 6 months now and I’ve been pretty much on board with most of what you say but I get the feeling you’re becoming a little strident in your views. Steven Covey may have been well meaning at first but unless you read his book on the 8th Habit chances are you’re actually doing everything he talked about in his first book the wrong way! Oh no! Well who knows if this is actually true or if he just realized that one book per habit was a better way to make MONEY? As you wrote, your goal is to be happy. Some people would suggest that happiness comes from living one’s life in the service of others and not being concerned with one’s own wants all the time. It seems to me that what you may be advocating on this blog is a rather selfish path to happiness, even if it is a fairly ascetic version. Constantly worrying about things that are outside of your control and be curious about what is happening in the world around you are different things. Obviously its not healthy to constantly worry about things outside your control but people shouldn’t be made to feel bad because they care about what is happening in the world around them. I have seen this argument in other blogs recently as well and it seems to confirm my suspicions that the internet can be nothing more than a vast echo chamber. Kenoryn October 8, 2013, 1:15 pm “Some people would suggest that happiness comes from living one’s life in the service of others and not being concerned with one’s own wants all the time. It seems to me that what you may be advocating on this blog is a rather selfish path to happiness, even if it is a fairly ascetic version.” This whole blog is a work in service to others. And if everyone followed the advice on this blog, it would solve most of the world’s problems. neil October 16, 2013, 9:09 pm Stephen Covey gave the keynote speech at a fundraiser for a political action committee in support of a constitutional amendment to ban gay marriage in 1998, including giving an in-kind donation of $60,000. If you never pay attention to the news you would never know that you are taking life advice from a bigot who doesn’t believe that LGBT individuals deserve the same rights as everyone else. Mr. Money Mustache October 17, 2013, 9:20 am I fully agree with the cause, Neil, and thanks for pointing that out. I have now amended my opinion of Stephen Covey as (the bigoted-by-a-truly-nutjob-aspect-of-his-religion) guy who still happened to have popularized a very good system for personal effectiveness. It’s a big problem in this country, as you get otherwise good people who happen to have some absolute bullshit ideas planted in their heads – it is a fascinating bit of brainwashing that doesn’t happen nearly as much in other developed countries. But you also helped prove my point a bit: his views on that issue had no effect on the usefulness of his old book. So it would have been a distraction for me to know it. And another point: sufficiently important bits of current events will be shared around automatically, if you maintain an intelligent network of friends. Thanks to you, I now have learned this thing about Covey. Thanks for sharing it. Tina April 23, 2015, 8:32 am Disappointed. This is an old post, and so I almost didn’t respond- but having spent the last 6 months in daily conversation over the wisdom in many of your posts and ideas, I was surprised and just a little saddened coming across this response. The resulting pondering has resulted in me writing this reply, though you may never read it. First, although I was not surprised at Neil’s bringing up Mr. Covey’s personal beliefs, I was floored by your response. Yes, Mr. Covey’s book is wise, useful, and stands alone from his stance on traditional marriage. However, your use of the terms “bigoted-by-a-truly-nutjob-aspect-of-his-religion,” ” absolute bullshit ideas,” and “fascinating bit of brainwashing that dosn’t happen nearly as much in other developed countries,” were totally without warrant and were frankly out-of-line. My friends and family who are gay are fighting for an equality of voice and respect that has been denied them based off past use of such words as you just used in your response. Our country is founded on the freedoms of people holding different beliefs and having the right to live them. Should Mr. Covey be denied success because he holds a different view on marriage than you? Obviously you have stated no. Should he be held up in a public forum to be ridiculed? Called names? Insulted? All because he has a different view on marriage than you? And why did this revelation about Mr. Covey change your opinion of him at all? Can you not hold respect for him despite the fact he may not believe the same way you do? Here’s hoping for less judgmental rants, and more sticking to the personal finance advice that brings us to your website. Thank you for the good financial advice. Tina, I think there’s a line you can draw between accepting different views, but NOT when they involve human rights violations and discrimination. For example, I could rephrase your question, “Should Jim Crow be held up for ridicule because he held different views on slavery than you do?” The answer in my opinion is yes – we should be outraged when people try to build discrimination based on gender preference into our legal system. The fact that the discrimination carries over from an old religious text gives it no more validity than any other form of persecution. Doesn’t mean we have to deny these people “success” – they may still be good, effective people at heart. But if they try to enforce those ideas, we should work to discredit those ideas. Christine April 24, 2015, 12:40 pm Couldn’t agree more. And good people are those that aren’t silent bystanders of discrimination. Lil April 26, 2015, 7:12 am I believe Stephen Covey apologized later about this speech. “Saints are sinners who just keep trying” – Nelson Mandela – A Mormon, Engineer and Mother Lil July 25, 2018, 8:47 pm Sorry I stood up for him. I am no longer mormon and cant believe I wasted so many years believing this bs. My eyes have been opened. figured I’d come back and update it here… well on to living a good and loving life! This cult is much better ;) Andrew Norris October 17, 2013, 2:17 pm Yes, but being a man of principle, he listened, and he changed his mind. I feel certain from reAding his book if he changed his mind he did so from his heart and did not pretend to have changed it just to remain popular. Chris October 7, 2013, 2:17 pm Respectfully, I think you haven’t fully integrated one aspect of the two circles from the 7 Habits lesson. The goal is not to decrease your circle of concern, but rather to operate within your circle of influence by spending your time and energy on those things where you can have an impact – which in turn will lead to expansion of your circle of influence. Remember, even the things that are in you circle of influence are still in your circle of concern. This is evident in your diagrams, but I think it worth stressing that by working within your circle of influence you may actually bring things that were outside of your control into it. By expanding your circle of influence, some of those things which you may have previously had little or no ability to impact you may now have a greater ability to exert influence over. You’re now working on something that you are concerned about and have influence over. As you continue to do so your influence increases and your ability to enact change does too. Concern: I’m concerned about the wasteful consumption habits of the average North American Consumer – Can I change these by being outraged at them and blaming society (acting outside circle of influence)? No – What can I do then? I can live my life according to principles I hold important – Is that enough? No, I can start a blog trying to communicate my thoughts and ideas – Holy shit, people read this stuff, what now? I guess I can have a positive influence over complete strangers by expending effort on what I believe are worthwhile pursuits and try and change my readers lives for the better. – Look at the response! National news coverage?!? What happened? I guess I’m not just some guy in Colorado anymore … (expanding circle of influence) … you know, if enough people really think about these ideas and engage with each other, we might be able to make some real progress … Enough positive feedback and continual effort in the circle of influence and slowly small dents are being made in the circle of concern. I really hope that there are people that recognize injustices, become concerned about them and act in even what small ways they can within their circle of influence whether it is writing their elected official, researching and donating to a worthy cause, or volunteering their time. I think also as people become more educated and globally aware their circle of concern may expand – and this shouldn’t be viewed as a problem as long as this is not where they spend their energy. Likewise as people expand their influence, they should also expand their circle of concern. Bill & Melinda Gates are a prime example of someone whose circle of influence increased with Microsoft’s good fortune and then who turned their new found influence to new areas in their circle of concern. As an aside, I much prefer the circle of influence to the circle of control (I have a 2004 edition). Can I control MMM’s opinion? No. Can I influence it? Possibly. How? By working within my own circle of influence and providing what I hope is a well-reasoned and respectful counter-point to his post. Respectfully, The problem with watching nightly “news” and trying to keep up with global “events” is that you don’t have time to operate in your circle of influence, instead your mind is preoccupied with the circle of concern. We only have so many hours in the day, we might as well spend those hours making the world a better place by changing what we can instead of fretting over sensational stories we see on a flashing rectangular box in our living room. Steve October 7, 2013, 2:18 pm That was a fantastic summary, said much more eloquently than I ever could! rjack October 7, 2013, 2:51 pm I’ve read every MMM article and to be honest I often don’t learn anything new anymore. Not so with this article – you can still teach this old dog new tricks! The idea that you can expand your circle of control by shrinking your circle of concern is brilliant. This article is destined to be an MMM classic. I’ve been trying an experiment of not listening or reading financial and other news for the last week and here is my experience: 1) It feels really great! I didn’t realize how helpless the news made me feel until I stopped monitoring it. 2) I have a lot more time for stuff I can control. In my case, I’ve identified an safe investment opportunity that will make me a few hundred extra dollars next year and I’ve been contributing to an open source Ruby project. MMM, keep up the great work! mike October 7, 2013, 4:25 pm “The idea that you can expand your circle of control by shrinking your circle of concern is brilliant” That is definitely something to chew on. I’ve got to let that one take hold. Makes a hell of a lot of sense. John October 8, 2013, 2:10 pm Thanks rjack. I love Ruby and the open source community. Thanks for sharing :) Aaron Robertson October 7, 2013, 3:52 pm Amen. A long time ago I saw a tee shirt with an old TV with the label HOMEWRECKER. I still love that. It’s amazing when you cut TV from your life. You can get more in 5 minutes reading headlines of the news on any reputable website than you will get from the TV news for hours, which basically replays the latest tragedy over and over again. blah…. Other benefits, you get more time each day to do something meaningful and you have less negative outlook. I can stop there and just those two things are worth it. But if you want to keep going look at how much you pay for cable/sat to get this negative feed pumping into your life… I personally think we can experience a peaceful revolution in our country by just cutting TV out. Not being instructed by the media on how to think or what to buy. I personally do not feel uninformed, I feel liberated. Chris Istace October 7, 2013, 3:54 pm I love this Post!!! You have just gone from posting “Hey stop being a Dumbass” to some serious philosophical deep stuff here, it is simple but it goes so much deeper. Thank-you for this and I have already called the Library to bring me in a copy of this book. This is exactly the reason I ran for City Council and why I am still there. I choose not worry about what is out of my control and that which I felt strongest about I chose to do something about it and have an impact. Thank-you for this :) Have a great day! Micro October 7, 2013, 4:22 pm I haven’t read that book but will have to put it on my list to read. Hopefully Amazon will have it in their kindle library and I can skip a trip to the library. I’m sure my heart will thank me too because I can get frustrated seeing certain things going on. I don’t want to avoid it though because I like knowing what is happening, even if there is really nothing I can do about it. I just need to train myself better to not get emotionally involved in what I am reading. Andrew Norris October 7, 2013, 4:27 pm It really is a great book. I think you will get lots from choosing to read it ! He talks about emotional control too. Melissa October 7, 2013, 5:45 pm This is so me. I moved into the Circle of Control a few years ago, only because I was getting depressed at all the bad things happening in the world. My opinion was “Humans are a Horrible Race”. I realized that the media sensationalized every single awful thing that ever happened so I needed to step away. I do feel if you want to make a difference, start in your own town. So I try to vote on local stuff, volunteer, and read our local paper–which is mostly Chili Supper! or where a parade is…. And I also love researching the best ____ fill in the blank, that is worthwhile for saving money or time before buying. These things fall into my Circle of Control and there is plenty there to fill my time, along with fun neighbors and friends. I’ve never read 7 Habits only because EVERYONE thought I should read it. So I was being rebellious and didn’t. I might listen to it now. :-) Scott October 7, 2013, 7:46 pm Great post! I am so tired of being fed all the hate and fear when I hear the news. I don’t need that in my life. Thanks for the nudge! CJ October 7, 2013, 8:11 pm Fantastic post! I’ve read every single post on your blog MMM and this would have to be my favourite. While I am guilty of not yet having read Covey’s book, I am going to amend my “circle of control” and rectify this oversight. Ivan October 7, 2013, 8:18 pm MMM, it’s truly amazing how peaceful the world really is when we stop worrying about absolutely everything. And like you’ve said, subtracting worries from my life has given me more time and energy to focus on things that actually matter. That’s a win-win situation indeed! Derek R October 7, 2013, 8:56 pm This is the Sherlock Holmes approach to knowledge. Read the beginning of A study in Scarlet, chapter 2 for details of just how dedicated Holmes was in matching his Circle of Concern to his Circle of Control. Johnny Moneyseed October 7, 2013, 8:58 pm Covey’ s message is so good but that fuckin book is so dry it took me months to read it. I wish I had had it on audiobook, that would have made it a lot more enjoyable (probably). What’s worse than people watching the news is people who spout off talking points that the politicians are trying to jam down their throats. Every time you hear words like ‘debacle’ or even ‘Obamacare’ for that matter coming out of a non-politician’s mouth, you know that not only have they been brainwashed by the news they’ve also been programmed to recite a specific party’s agenda. Kristin October 7, 2013, 9:53 pm Great post. Quit reading the news people and spend your time reading the Seven Habit’s instead (or listen to the MP3 for free instead). Freddy October 8, 2013, 2:54 am I think there is one other key thing to be aware of. There is something very attractive about having a large circle of concern for some people as it means they can look like an “expert” without ever being held accountable for their opinion. Blog comments are infested with these kind of people who want to show how smart they are in a totally risk-free environment. The internet would be sooooo much better without these people lol. Mark October 8, 2013, 4:20 am Must get out Stephen Covey’s book again. I only got halfway through it last time, presumably meaning that I’m only half effective. ;-) JJ October 8, 2013, 5:44 am Uh… where is read lots of personal finance news and books, have a blog, and change the way people spend their money in the expanded circle of concern? If that item is there, why not… follow political news and books, have a blog, and change the way people vote? Gerard October 8, 2013, 6:47 am The effort:reward ratio is very different in the two situations, though. Are you doing this? JJ October 9, 2013, 7:17 am That’s why people watch the news… to draw conclusions from the news and try to influence other opinions. It’s the exact same thing MMM is doing. The only difference between him and the average Shmoe is that he has a blog and the other shmoes try to influence those they come across in their daily lives. He reads financial news and rants on his blog. Others read news and rant in the barber shop. Only difference is size of audience. Is information posted on a blog somehow holy. Does it count more than information posted in a comment on a blog? Does it count more than a letter to the editor of a newspaper? Is the value in the expressed thought or in the vehicle? Should Jon Stewart ridicule MMM in his next cable show because MMM only has a blog and obviously you can influence more people on cable? To be fair, MMM would probably accept this criticism and set out to establish his own cable channel. I’d watch. Bottom line: Suggesting that others who watch the news and try to influence are fools while you yourself are watching the news and trying to influence is a bit silly. The only difference is the scale. phred October 8, 2013, 6:46 am This post reminds me of an old episode of “Kung Fu” where Caine said, “to fight injustice here is to fight injustice everywhere.” or words to that effect. Anyone can become more effective in life by taking a deep & focused approach to local events rather than a scattered, weaker approach to a larger realm. For example, rather than moan about global water pollution, learn how to restore and improve your own watershed. dude October 8, 2013, 7:07 am Funny, I’ve had a copy of “7 Habits” given to me by my employer some 15 years ago, sitting unread in my credenza just above my work desk! I’d always assumed it was another of those crappy self-help books designed to make me a better (i.e., more manipulatable) cog in the machine, and so not worth my time (for a great send-up of these kinds of books, see Walker Percy’s “Lost in the Cosmos: The Last Self-Help Book”). But if the anti-consumerist MMM recommends it, then damn, I’m gonna have to give it a read. Just pulled it off the shelf . . . Carla October 8, 2013, 7:12 am Thanks for clarifying… The original post did sound a bit like “put blinders on,” which seemed pretty out of character for you. I haven’t read the book, but I think I’m going to have to now. This just makes so much sense (like most of what you say, after I take the time to listen…). David G. October 8, 2013, 7:54 am Thank you for clarifying what you intended to say with your previous article. I still think that there is a flaw in your reasoning, however. Even if the ultimate purpose is to “do something”, don’t I first need to understand what the issues are in order to determine how best to go about doing that? If I want to do something more specifically to address the issue in Syria, for example, do I not need to understand the root causes of that conflict? Sure. I could wait for a book to be published on the subject, but I would argue that a) that may take too long and b) the information in that book is no more likely to be valid and meaningful than what I may read on a daily basis in a reputable news publication. My second issue is as follows: I think that simply talking and discussing issues of importance is a valid ends in and of itself. Can I do something immediate to end suffering in some distant place? Probably not. Does that make discussing and debating these issues, meaningless? I would argue that the answer is definitely “no”. From a meaningful discussion of current events, I am able to derive lessons that apply more directly to my life. These discussions are also useful in developing a strong sense of empathy that influence the ways in which I behave on a daily basis. Further, I would argue that with a large enough audience or with a small, but influential audience, these discussions can have an impact on the course of events. If you, for example, asked all of your readers to write to their congressman/woman to ask for an end to the shutdown, that may, in fact, change things. You are probably one of those people who post things on facebook such as “if 100 people like this picture it will help save a starving child” David G. October 8, 2013, 11:30 am Pardon me, att. I am not one of those people. Your comment adds absolutely no value to this conversation. phred October 8, 2013, 1:16 pm I would argue that the answer is definitely “yes”. You’ve chattered all day, and have solved nothing. But, since you probably tired yourself out, you may believe you’ve accomplished something. Now, I do agree we as individuals probably can’t end suffering in distant places (unless we move there). So what about ending suffering in our own community? That would be just as valid, and a lot more achievable. That’s a better place to start. The root causes of the Syrian conflict? The latest chapter in the struggle for supremacy between the Shia and the Sunni. Each side has friends; the friends get in the news David G. October 8, 2013, 2:13 pm I really do think there is value to “chatter”. Is there value to writing a letter to the editor of a small town newspaper about something that nobody who reads the letter will have any ability to control? Was it worthwhile for Pablo Picasso to paint Guernica, even though it was unlikely to “solve” the Spanish Civil War? Was it worthwhile for Tim O’brien to write “The Things They Carried”, even though it was not going to “solve” the War in Vietnam, or, for that matter, “solve” future wars? Is it worth picketing in front of the White House even though the message on one’s placard is unlikely to “solve” poverty or the war in Syria? I would say that the answer is “yes”. “Chatter”, as you call it, is any of these things, but on a smaller, more intimate scale. We can and should discuss things that are bigger than our own little worlds. Kenoryn October 8, 2013, 6:05 pm Agreed. There is value in understanding world issues, in order to understand the role we want to play in the world, and, of course, because those who do not understand history are doomed to repeat it. We can learn something from the events in the world, and in a very small way, we can influence them: even if we’re not activists or advocating for causes, our everyday habits have a lot of collective power in the world – e.g., consumerism. I think the line here, however, is whether you devote an hour every night to watching the news, or fret and worry about world events. Discussing interesting theories and concepts and trying to solve difficult world problems with friends over a beverage is one thing. Fretting and raging at the state of the world is another. (And adjusting your habits to do as little harm as possible is something everyone should try to do.) Igor October 8, 2013, 8:21 pm David G, you make a good point. How can one take action on something if one is not informed and educated on the topic/situation? I believe that absorbing information through reading and through ”chatter” are just as important as each other. If two people are chatting about the war in Syria, could that not result in them deciding to take action? Could it be the beginning of a potential partnership and establishment of the two merging together & actually doing something about the war and helping fellow human beings there? The answer is certainly yes. I personally choose not to watch the news due to the majority of the stories being complete garbage, but if I am seeking to inform myself on a particular topic, I can go online, click and get straight to the point without watching Bob tell the journalist about his runaway cat on TV. We shouldn’t ignore what is happening locally or globally, but educate ourselves so that we can begin with our own little world and expand our influence and ideas from there. Of course there will always be areas in the ‘Concern’ realm and that just can’t be helped. All we need to focus on is growing the Circle of Control to minimize the Circle of Concern. Start small, think big and who knows where it might take us Gyoshoshinshi October 8, 2013, 8:24 am Or to be really efficient, you can just read the Wikipedia article on The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People: Readers of the book, is there anything anyone would need to know from the book that is not covered in the Wikipedia article? Ron October 8, 2013, 5:57 pm No. And yes I’ve read the book, multiple times and attended the company seminar twice (mandatory training )…Too bad wiki didn’t exist back then :-) Bryan October 8, 2013, 8:28 am That is a great book MMM. It’s been several years since I’ve read it, so your post might be a sign it’s time for a re-read. I noticed a couple people mentioned the Serenity Prayer, which my family taught me when I was young. There is a power in letting things go that are outside of our control. I was surprised by the hostile response to your previous post, but I think you guys were talking past each other. It is important to be informed on topics and issues you are directly involved in…..which I think was the villager’s point. There is however a point of (rapidly) diminishing return when you either get SO incredibly wrapped up in something that it drains your mental energy, or if you can’t impact the topic or issue anyway…. which I think was your point. I write my congressmen a couple times a year, but then I drop it…..at least until I get the chance to vote the bums out :o) How’s that house coming? PawPrint October 8, 2013, 10:27 am Although you can’t control natural disasters, of course, you should be prepared for them if you live in areas prone to particular disasters. I live in Seattle, which is earthquake prone, so having an emergency plan and preparation for an earthquake makes good sense, although I know I can’t control when/if it happens. So I would add a light blue circle in the second graphic that includes preparation for a natural disaster. And everyone should have a plan in case of fire in your home, although it’s certainly not something to dwell on. Next Comments > The most useful comments are those written with the goal of learning from or helping out other readers – after reading the whole article and all the earlier comments. Complaints and insults generally won’t make the cut here, but by all means write them on your own blog! Cancel reply Δ Take a look around. If you think you are hardcore enough to handle Maximum Mustache, feel free to start at the first article and read your way up to the present using the links at the bottom of each article. For more casual sampling, have a look at this complete list of all posts since the beginning of time or download the mobile app. Go ahead and click on any titles that intrigue you, and I hope to see you around here more often. Comments As Featured In… © Mr. Money Mustache. All Rights Reserved \| Disclaimer \| Ridiculously Powerful Server and Reliability by Pantheon \| Powered by Thesis	81,314
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Those of you who read my last blog post will know that I have been retracing my grandmother’s journey from Singapore to Penang which she made in the first ever car in Singapore. A hundred and seventeen years later my friend and I are doing it the opposite way. However my journey has had none of the gentility or elegance of hers in 1902. The only similarity is that two unmarried English women are travelling alone through the length of Malaysia. This is how a bottle of cheap Spanish plonk got us into trouble… After my wonderful reunion in Kuala Lumpur with my old childhood school friend, my companion and I set off for Malacca. A delightful crazy colourful bohemian town. You could call it the Venice of the East. When I say Venice, I mean that it is a town with a canal running through its centre. It is wide and a dingy disgusting colour and tourist boats chug up and down it all day and night. If you fell in I don’t think you would ever be seen again. On either side of the canal is a walkway upon which tables and chairs are set out for the various restaurants, houses and little B&B’s that nestle alongside the canal. The painting on the walls (some of which look as if they have been done under the influence of some VERY odd chocolate brownies) are pretty wild. Crazy garish colours abound, nightmare faces peer down at you and occasionally there is a really tasteful frontage – but hey ho that is what gives this marvellous town its depth. I would add that my flippant comment about chocolate brownies is probably completely untrue as Malaysia has draconian rules on drugs. The place that everyone goes to see is Jonker street. There are hoards of Chinese, Malay, Indian and mainland Chinese tourists – and very few Europeans. Everyone wants to soak up a little bit of the atmosphere, eat coconut ice cream and doughnuts, stare at cheap plasticware made in China and, of course, take pictures with selfie sticks which seem to be an Asian obsession. If you imagine Carnaby Street with stalls down either side, music blaring and more people than you imagined possible to fit in one tiny street, you’ve got it. My friend and I felt stifled… the heat was intense and sticky. So we dived into the coolness of an air conditioned shop. It was no ordinary shop. It had a curved staircase (very unusual as Chinese buildings are usually in straight lines). We were obviously in THE shop of the street – the Harvey Nichols of Malacca! Cool tiles underfoot, beautiful silk clothes hung on rails, discreet non-pushy sales ladies kept their distance. What a joy. The decor was so creative. The rails were made of wooden branches suspended from the ceiling. The changing room was like a private Arabian tent with chairs outside for admiring husbands to watch the trying on parade. I could have happily bought half a dozen dresses they were so lovely – but none of them would have fitted! I have been on a quest for a new bathing costume for the past week but have not seen one that would encompass my boobs. In fact there would be a “dramatic fall” out and I would probably be arrested! Talking of arrests. Our next objective was to find a taxi to take us through the border to Singapore airport. Surprise surprise we could not find one. Finally we ordered a grab car … a bit like Uber. We got in the car having stowed our luggage in the boot and said we wanted to go over the causeway to the border and on to Changi airport. “I take you. But first I have to ask you no bad things in your luggage?” “No of course not” I said “I am a grandmother.” Having assured him we had nothing to declare we finally agreed on a price for the three hour journey – we didn’t think it would take that long but he was right. We were stationary on the causeway, nose to tail, for an hour -how anyone can bear to do that journey every day I just don’t know but many do as Singapore is so expensive to live in. Finally we got to the Singapore Customs and Immigration. We were asked to pop the boot. An official peered in and asked my friend to open her case. Whereupon he immediately pulled out a bottle of cheap red wine that we had bought in Penang. Horror! One bottle of wine! His face changed and, as he held the offending bottle at arm’s length, our driver was instructed to move out of the queue and into a loading bay. My heart went out to our driver who was now beside himself. From his point of view he had been driving to the border with two seemingly nice old ladies. Now he thinks he is aiding and abetting two blonde drug smugglers (and what he didn’t know was that I had two more bottles in MY bag!) My friend was hauled out to be interviewed and the driver was taken away – apparently he had not paid some registration fee. I was left alone in the car. I have to say I too was beginning to get a little concerned. What was so awful? You are always allowed two litres for your own consumption wherever you go. Everywhere it seems EXCEPT the border to Singapore from Malaysia. Another customs officer came out and motioned me to get out of the car. The games up I thought – time to tell them about the other bottles. My friend was sitting in the waiting room. In ventriloquist mode I hissed at her “What about the other gottle!” Her steely eyed look silenced me. With that ANOTHER customs man came in and whisked her away. I tried not to look guilty, but how does one look innocent? I looked around for the CCTV. They would be sure to be watching my body language. I yawned, I tried to look relaxed and unworried, I stretched. Was I going too far? Suddenly my friend returned. She had been taken into a room on her own and given a proper wigging. Apparently the Malaysia Singapore causeway has masses of workers going over every day and the rule is no one is allowed even a single bottle of alcohol. Well, no one told us. So they told her she had to pay a fine based on the value of the wine. That was the next problem. Had it been Chateaux Margaux they would have known what to charge us, but this was some cheap Spanish wine with a value of £3. We offered to ditch it as it was going to take so long to work out the fine but apparently to dispose of it would take even longer! In the end we paid £7 and were free to go. I couldn’t get in our car fast enough – my granny certainly never had this sort of trouble ! The colour came back into our driver’s face and we resumed our journey to the airport through a monsoon.. At times the rain was so hard we had to drive at five miles an hour. We gave the driver a very generous tip which he was overjoyed with. He insisted on taking a picture of us, though whether he was going to show it to his wife or post it to warn other drivers I don’t know! We were in Singapore at last… what possibly could go wrong!!!? Travels the world from Amazon to Antarctic, blogging all the way with a healthy sense of humour and zest for life. In between she is a devoted Granny! 0 0 votes Article Rating Leave a Reply Cancel reply Newest Most Voted View all comments Wow! This was quite an experience. It sure made that trip one you will never forget. October 14, 2022 September 16, 2022 January 7, 2022 After two years of non travelling, BPG sets off again … facebook twitter In order that Annabel & Grace magazine can be accessed free of charge by our readers, we occasionally accept sponsored posts from brands and/or use affiliate links. This in no way affects our editorial decision making, as our integrity is of the highest importance to us. Our reviews are genuine and honest feedback on products used personally by ourselves and our likeminded contributors. Copyright © 2022 A&G Magazine. All rights reserved. Would love your thoughts, please comment.x \| Reply Annabel & Grace is THE online magazine for women embracing their 50s, 60s, 70s and beyond - it's upbeat and pro-age.	8,322
It’s estimated that over 22 millionpeople have served in the United States’ military. That’s 22 millionfamilies directly impacted by wars and political agendas. Millions of husbands, wives and children expected to continue with normal lives, during and after a loved one’s deployment or service. Posted on June 27, 2013 in Crossroads News On Memorial Day, we pause as a company and as a country to honor the military men and women who have sacrificed everything to protect our freedom. HIV Testing is an Important Habit to Learn Posted on June 26, 2013 in Caregiving Tips Recently, a colleague of mine was at a community health fair where HIV testing was being offered and a mother and her 13-year-old daughter both took an HIV test. My colleague asked the mother why she was having her daughter take the test. She responded that while, to her knowledge, her daughter was not sexually active, she wanted her to be in the habit of getting tested as a part of her routine health care as she moved into adulthood. May Is ALS Awareness Month: Spread the Word in Your Community Posted on June 24, 2013 in Hospice Education Amyotrophic Lateral Sclerosis (ALS), commonly known as Lou Gehrig’s Disease, is a progressive neurodegenerative disease that affects nerve cells in the brain and spinal cord. ALS causes severe muscle weakness, leading to paralysis and the loss of the ability to speak, eat, cough and breathe. Posted on June 21, 2013 in Real Heroes Wear Dog Tags “We need to remind people, that the real heroes wear dog tags…” said Chaplain Scalf, Crossroads Hospice, Akron-Canton, OH. It is a powerful truth. Posted on June 16, 2013 in Crossroads News Father’s Day is a time for us to honor our dads and celebrate their influence on our lives. We often show our appreciation through special tributes to their loving support. Crossroads Hospice recently honored a “Papa” of another kind with a remarkable gift that resulted in a night to remember for one beloved musician. 4 Dec The feeling of loneliness during holidays can create additional stress, so it is important to learn how to cope wit… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 3 Dec Physicians must prioritize having open and truthful conversations about #hospice and #palliative care with patients… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 1 Dec The holidays can be an especially difficult time of year when a relative is on #hospice. How can you approach these… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 30 Nov The holidays are a wonderful way to show senior loved ones that you care with a thoughtful gift. Here are a few ide… twitter.com/i/web/status/1… 27 Nov #Volunteering is just one of many ways to get MORE our of your holiday season. Here are a few more ideas. crossroadshospice.com/hospice-pallia…	2,873
Do you keep listening to people state Numerologist’ prominent numerology report as well as are thinking about getting it? It seems fascinating, yet you’re stressed it’s also ” charm charm” and a full waste of money? After that you’ve pertained to the right place. I’ve attempted both the totally free video reading AND downloaded and install the paid report and also today I will share my straightforward point of view so you will know without a doubt– was it worth it or not? What is numerology? What do you get with the Numerologist analysis? Exactly what remains in the Numerologist Deluxe version? What are individuals claiming about the Numerologist report? Is the Numerologist reading worth the money? Where can I obtain the numerology report? What is numerology? Numerology is the research study of numbers in your life. It’s an ancient belief system claimed to predict your future as well as end result in partnerships, occupation, and also various other locations of your life. Each letter in your name has a numerical worth, and each number can be decreased to a single number. The numeric worths in your name communicate with the numbers from your day of birth. This can determine your abilities and personality qualities. Numerology has been used for thousands of years to look for the definition of the terrific planetary design. Is Numerologist the best location to get your numerology report? Let’s go to their site and also examine. The internet site is nicely developed to take you on a walk to your inner self– by giving you a complimentary personalized numerology report and also a paid version of it that is over 60 web pages packed with intriguing facts regarding on your own, your life course, as well as your soul. Let’s have a look at the website initially. You will discover that the group of Numerologist has developed a blog site section that is being routinely upgraded– you will locate greater than one subject in it. If you look carefully at their classifications you will see Tarot, Astrology, Divination, and also a lot more fascinating items. If you ask me, there is absolutely something for every person– it will certainly be worth conserving a bookmark. The system uses you likewise a bunch of pieces of training based on numerology, so if you wish to obtain deeper expertise, ensure to visit. If you look carefully at their groups you will see Tarot, Astrology, Divination, as well as many more interesting topics. The team behind all of that is varied as well as rather large — it includes qualified numerologists, power workers, spiritual teachers, and also spirit overviews– so it sounds like the customized analysis would be of excellent worth as well as quality, composed of seasoned contributors. They additionally have a podcast that you can pay attention to. The “Numerologist” can be taken into consideration a website with multiple functions, topics, and a wide neighborhood that you can get in touch with– which to me makes them attract attention. I am fairly familiar with numerology and I have computed my Life Path number prior to (I’m number 3, let me understand yours in the comments!), but I wanted to see what “Numerologist” has to offer. I chose to get their Deluxe edition of the report, which is a over 60 pages long! They do have a cost-free variation that is much restricted, but still fairly handy for every single numerology lover. Let me start with evaluating the totally free version of the report It is extremely very easy to deal with and also easy to use– all you need to do is to enter your very own name and also birth day and afterwards click on “Explore your numerology chart”. That would certainly begin the totally free video analysis of your numerology graph. Prepare and take a hot beverage for a enchanting experience. You can enjoy the video with audio on, or sound off– it is entirely approximately you, as the video comes with subtitles. You can stop briefly any time to take notes or harp on something. Don’t worry– the information from this individualized record will be sent to you by mail– just make certain you include the right one later in the video. The system is quite interactive and will certainly ask you for added information, however nothing improper or concerning, I assure. The evaluation begins by clarifying the core components of your report– the life course number, your birth number, your heart urge, and your expression as well as character number. Beginning with your life course number– it is taken into consideration in numerology as one of one of the most determining and vital variables of life as well as is determined according to the date of birth. Тhe expression number is the one that is in charge of your abilities as well as skills . Some also call it the Number of Destiny. The platform will determine it based on your complete name– so ensure to use your birth name and also not a label. You get a visual and also spoken explanation of what this number means as well as exactly how it was summed up by utilizing the Pythagorean alphabet– of course, it seems really clinical and I guarantee you– it is! Then Numerologist will certainly ask you to enter your full name once again ( last as well as initial name), along with your gender. When you click “continue with my analysis” the system will begin with the evaluation of your Destiny number. When that is done, you will certainly step into the “Soul impulse number” part of the video where you will certainly find out more concerning your spirit’s wishes. Next they will ask you for your partnership condition– and surprisingly enough if you remain in one, or married, or engaged– it will even offer you some understandings concerning you and your partner’s link and also nature. It may also anticipate the variety of kids you have! At the end of the complimentary version of the report, you will get an deal for the Deluxe version– as I discussed it mores than 60 web pages, very detailed, as well as personalized. In case you do not like it– “Numerologist” will refund you, which was soothing to see, as I don’t truly depend on items like these which do not have refunds. Often at the end of the cost-free evaluation, the site supplies you 50% off for the luxurious version– you will not locate that cost on the primary page, so if you are interested, make sure you take it right away. What do you get with the Numerologist reading? You get a tailored brochure regarding your whole life experience as well as soul’s presents. It might even be a little bit frightening– the details you will obtain will be so certain as well as to the point that you may begin to question– what is this magic? I can not begin to reveal the charm of the record’s layout– as whatever in Numerologist, the Deluxe chart evaluation is with a deep cosmic motif that changes with the areas of the file. This alone makes you really feel as if you have the book of your life in your hands– or rather computer/smartphone. Just what is in the Numerologist Deluxe edition? The premium variation of the report is divided right into couple of sections and I intend to survive every one of them rapidly, yet successfully, so you can make a decision for yourself if you would like to invest in it. Yes, this can be thought about an financial investment as it is a individualized guide that you will certainly return to in times of question and also trouble. The file starts with a individualized message to you– it includes your name and birth info. You can definitely feel that this has been specially produced you by the team and not just by using the same template for every one of their consumers. At first– the very first 10 pages, you will locate a comprehensive section of what numerology is, exactly how can you use it in your everyday life, and all the gain from it. You can get a closer take a look at what methods were used and also how established is numerology scientific research. The next component is focused around your birth name. The team of professionals will lift the curtain and disclose the secret definitions of your daily name, initially, last as well as middle names, and also the magic behind all 3 of them with each other. This part is particularly peculiar as we seldom consider our birth names as variables for our destiny and life course, but it shows up that it has a excellent effect on it. Proceeding with the Soul Urge Number, you will certainly get a short description on how to calculate that number as well as what it actually indicates. Not only the report will outline what your soul desire number is, however you will receive the complete account of this number as well as what obstacles you could encounter, having it in your life. Plan for some deep-diving in your soul demands and passions. The following two sections are devoted to the personal number and also to the expression number that you have. The framework of the phases is fairly similar to the Soul Urge numbers– you have the formula for determining them, you have your very own number and the difficulties that choose it. The few phases that adhere to are fairly comprehensive and are devoted to the Life Path number. As I already stated, this is possibly one of the most impactful and also important number for you in the numerology facet. With that being stated I understand why the authors of the report devoted so much time and effort to its evaluation. In 20 web pages the group covered every little thing that you require to understand about the Life Path Number– just how it was calculated and why it is so vital. The obstacles for this number however are more than a few– you obtain the minor ones as well as the significant ones– all well defined and offered to you. After the difficulties, you stay right into the Life Path cycles– sections that are not available in the cost-free version, yet I consider them to be helpful and quite fascinating . ” The peaks– what are they exactly?” Once I struck the next component of the record, was the very first thing that popped right into my mind. After reviewing the chapter of the report devoted to them, I visualized them in my mind as time factors, durations in which various possibilities exist to me. Of course, they are very complexed as well as you would certainly require to refer to the Deluxe guide for additional information, however it was certainly a completely new knowledge for me. The report rounds off with the Achievement number– its specifics, how to calculate it, utilize it, as well as what it suggests for you. I think about the Deluxe variation of the numerological report incredibly beneficial, extremely engaging, and also a page-turner. If I am checking out a really intriguing story where the primary personality is no one else yet me, I felt as. The whole time I had the experience of having a conversation with a person, as the record is really very personalized and I can even call it intimate– the authors maintained describing me by name. What are individuals claiming regarding the Numerologist report? Individuals appear to have a similar reaction to me, surprised exactly how exact it was. You can find several video clip reviews on the page: There were likewise a handful of reviews on Trustpilot testimonials, which were not as favorable. A few individuals experienced technological troubles: Is the Numerologist analysis worth the money? In my viewpoint, anything that pushes you to explore on your own in a spiritual means and makes you reassess your life course deserves the cost. I was interested by the concept of having a report that is as details as it can get, and also not just an additional universal guide. Mind that you are not just getting guidance for the following year or so, you are obtaining an sophisticated, almost x-ray evaluation of your destiny, your capacity, and your heart. The 60-page booklet is certainly made with a lot of interest to detail as well as pleasant to review– I felt the magic flowing from each and every single web page of it. I like the fact that the report is composed by specialists, very scientifically, however at the same time– simple and interesting to digest by every person. I would certainly be glad to inspect the other alternative of personalized records that the site gives. I currently discussed that they provide a refund in case you are not happy with the purchase, yet I can guarantee you– if you are completely sincere as well as take your time to read the report you will not be requesting one! Where can I obtain the numerology report? You can discover the complimentary video clip report here. Later on, you will be sent to a sales web page where you can get the detailed Deluxe report. What is your point of view concerning Numerologist and what did your reading claim? Let me recognize in the comments! Numerologist Member Login © 2022 Potash Corp Civic Centre \| We may receive compensation from companies whose products and services we promote.	13,848
I would like to share with you my personal experience of collaborating for three days in the early 70’s with Marcia Lucas and a small team of Anthroposophy scholars on the script of Star Wars and my recent discoveries about how that foundational work affected the writing, editing and expansions of the original Trilogy. First of all, it seems fitting that my first encounter with the origins of Star Wars – a modern fairy tale ultimately about the return to spirit – would happen at Christmas time, a season in which humanity recalls its sense of spirit and hope. I was a student at the Waldorf Institute at the time, and remember the day that I first met the characters of Luke Skywalker, R2D2, C3PO, and the entire Star Wars entourage. Yet, when I first encountered them, they were more like two-dimensional paper-dolls in an unfinished script, before their true meaning had been breathed into them. For example, Luke Starkiller as I met him was a far cry from the Skywalker he turned out to be. You may be surprised to learn that the story in its early form was depicted through the machinist eyes of two robots, not yet the familiar, crowd-pleasing epic that would become one of the most famous and endearing movies in the world. That is, of course, before I and colleagues from the Waldorf Institute would spend three days as part of a think-tank working session with George Lucas’ talented wife and professional film editor, Marcia Lucas (née Marcia Griffin), to transform a story that was originally based on two robots into a sweeping modern fairy-tale that even today still evokes a timeless sense of human destiny. At that time, like the characters, I was in development, too, as are all earnest students. In addition to being a student of Anthroposophy – a discipline of knowledge developed by Rudolf Steiner concerned with all aspects of human life, spirituality and future evolution – I also managed the Waldorf bookstore, which was a treasure trove of spiritual knowledge. That Christmas season had been busy, and I was just locking up the store and ready to head home when my teacher, Werner Glass, approached me. Born in Austria, Werner was a beloved instructor at the Waldorf Institute and inarguably the most prominent Anthroposophist scholar in America. I can only say today that it was a great honor to be his student. That day, there was a glint of lighthearted cheer in his eyes. Thinking that he was simply going to wish me a merry holiday, I was surprised when he asked me to follow him. “Where?” I said, blindly following him like a faithful puppy. Without answering, he led me into one of the more spacious classrooms, where four other students were already seated around a table, talking with the Institute’s co-director, Hans Gebert. A woman I did not recognize seemed to be at the center of the conversation – a pleasant-looking brunette with a friendly, yet sophisticated, air. When everyone saw Werner in the doorway, they looked up with a sense of expectation, as most students typically did when Werner walked into a room. He was like a father to us all. He motioned me to take a seat, then sat down and began to explain the situation. “I’m very pleased to introduce you all to Marcia Lucas,” he said. “Her husband is a well-known movie director who is working on a screenplay for a science fiction film – a space opera of sorts – and they would like our Waldorf perspective. I don’t know if you have heard of George Lucas?” This was the first time I had ever heard George Lucas’ name. I certainly hadn’t seen his critically-acclaimed and commercially successful American Graffiti. I also didn’t know that his wife, Marcia, was an accomplished film editor in her own right. “Well, Marcia is familiar with Anthroposophy and the work of Rudolph Steiner, and she needs our help with the script, to make it more Waldorf-inspired so it will have good merit as both a movie and a spiritual story.” Marcia nodded and offered more context. She said that the “big screen” should be used to deliver important messages to audiences and tell a more spiritual story, one that has a good foundation in the truth, not just another director’s dream. This began to inspire me, as story-telling is at the center of our teaching curriculum in Waldorf schools. Movies are mass exposure to stories. Stories, like fairy tales, help inspire the psyche of those who witness them, similar to shared dreams. At the Waldorf school, the teacher will tell a story to the children, who learn it by heart and recite it back in class the next day. Once memorized, the stories are further interpreted through music, dance, drawing, painting, and any number of other creative responses. Marcia needed our input, she told us, because the script was entering its third draft and lacked an element of spirituality. I could see that she was problem-solving, earnestly searching for a way to make the screenplay work. “I’m sure we’re up to the task,” Werner said, looking at me. For the past few minutes, I had been sitting there wondering, “Why am I here? No one had even told me about this meeting.” Then, I looked around and realized that I was the most experienced student there. The others were too young, less studied in Anthroposophy and certainly not up to this level of work. I was immensely relieved that Werner would be there to lead us through the session, and sat back, relaxed. “The dialogue is a bit lacking,” Werner said. “I told Marcia we could help with that as well.” With that, Werner rose from his seat and said, “Well, then. My family is waiting at home and I must be off.” None of us could believe it. America’s leading Anthroposophist was going to leave this important project in our hands? Werner added, “Douglas is my right hand, and I will check in on your work throughout the next few days.” He then welcomed Marcia to the resources and hospitality of the Institute and politely left. With Werner gone, we all looked at the Institute’s co-director, Hans, to lead the session. Hans stood up. “Well, I must admit that science and mathematics are my true specialty,” Hans said, in his characteristic fashion. “So, I am afraid I will not be of much assistance to this group.” He politely bid us all adieu, then left. At this point, I became a bit panicked. My leaders had left me in a great unknown! Marcia Lucas, who I did not know at the time was one of the greatest film editors in the world, was looking expectantly at me. I suddenly got the feeling Werner had said something to her about me, akin to his comment about me being his “right hand.” I had a vague realization that both she and I were here solely because of Werner. Having been a brilliant actor at the London School of Theater, Werner had been the primary Anthroposophist from the Waldorf school in North Hollywood in dealing with actors, directors and producers. She was here because of him and I was here because he had brought a promising student to the table for this specialized project. Surely, he knew what he was doing, so I decided to trust it. “Well, then, let’s get started,” I said. “Tell us the story, Marcia.” As she spoke, I got up and went over to the classroom blackboard. Marcia had trouble articulating the story; it didn’t flow easily. In colored chalk, I began to sketch out the story-board. “It’s a story of two robots, you see – the movie is seen through their eyes,” she said. “The robots are key elements of the story. They must be kept.” I understood that the robots were non-negotiable. We must somehow work with them. “Ok,” I said. “Can you please read us the starting dialogue?” She began. It was difficult for us to listen to. As an experienced editor, Marcia knew this. The characters didn’t work. They weren’t alive. She sincerely wanted to rewrite her husband’s movie script to its full potential, but at this moment, it was stilted. Only later would I learn more about the context of their partnership – how George was a genius concerned with the theme of machines and technology, and Marcia was the humanistic side, focused on telling a meaningful story that would resonate with the audience. I did not know it then, but she was here, basically, trying to save the script. I decided to be frank with her. “First, the story is not archetypal,” I said. “The author doesn’t know the true nature and value of the characters he is set on gluing together.” Marcia began writing down notes quickly in her notebook. “The dialogue is unreal and trite. It serves only one purpose – to move to the next scene. So, the message of the story happens in the action between scenes.” She nodded, writing. I continued. “There is no character development. No one will identify with these characters.” Then, on a positive note, I said, “However, your husband has tapped into the true spiritual reality of our time. His obsession to see the world through the eyes of two robots is genius, but a little confused. We can work with that.” Since everyone there, including Marcia, was a student of Anthroposophy, I began to do what Werner knew would come naturally to me as both a teacher and a student – apply the principles that I had studied to our current problem with the script. “George has described the challenge of our times,” I said, “The war with machines, symbolized in the two robot playmates of Luke Starkiller.” Now, an interesting side note about the names. Like Luke Starkiller, none of the character’s names that Marcia read to us were in their final form. In fact, I later recommended that the hero, Luke Starkiller, be changed to “Luke Skywalker,” from American Indian and Tibetan traditions. Then, since Lucas is the name for “light,” I also had the concept of a light saber, a weapon that both defends as a shield and attacks as a formidable force. (In Anthroposophist terms, the light saber represents the human spinal column.) Those details would come later. Now, we had to focus on shaping the story itself. “I think it needs to go back to the concept of a fairy tale,” I said, explaining that all fairy tales begin with a reference of the story being outside of time and space and end with some reference to their own continuance. “I think what you may want is an adult science-fiction fairy tale that is spiritually accurate, yet engrossing and interesting.” Marcia agreed. With her input, we decided to begin with Luke Starkiller. We tried to describe his character development in terms of the polarity that every person has in their soul – the left and right-hand paths of evil. In the end, it is the middle path, “the Force,” that the Jedi warrior should choose. Yet, without exploring both the left and right paths, the Jedi is weakened by not knowing his enemy. “So, each movie goer will be faced with making the same decision, no matter what their life is like?” said one of the students. “Yes, that’s the path of most fairy tales,” I said. The question is: “Which of the three paths will you choose?” Here again, I was impressed with George Lucas’ brilliance. His obsession with machines underscored the biggest challenge of our age – the right-hand path of mechanical occultism as described by Rudolph Steiner and the left-hand path of thinking that has turned evil. Had I seen his first film, THX-1138, I would have recognized this even more clearly. “The two robots can represent thinking and willing,” I proposed. As the heroes of George’s original story, both C3PO and R2D2 enable the audience to “see through the eyes of machines.” In his relationship and interactions with them, Luke uses his robots to enhance his thinking (C3PO) and willing (R2D2) in an age of machines, but finally finds the middle path – of feeling. “Let’s explore the two extremes: the left-hand path of thinking and the right-hand path of willing,” I said. We spent time talking it through. Both C3PO and the Evil Emperor are on the left-hand path of “thinking” that has turned evil. For example, C3PO can think but cannot act, and the Emperor needs Darth Vader to carry out his desired actions. In contrast, R2D2 and Darth Vader are on the right-hand path of “willing.” Having the capacity to will, they still must be told what to do. “Darth Vader is the being we know as Ahriman,” I added. “He represents the composite cleverness of all machines, incarnated into a human being.” “So, what about a middle path? Is there one?” one of the students asked. “Excellent question,” I said. “The middle path is what both the right-hand and left-hand paths miss. Unable to understand the middle path, both sides seek to destroy it. The Jedi masters such as Obi-Wan Kenobi and Yoda have developed themselves on the middle path, having already mastered the other two paths. They represent the desired balanced center between the two extremes.” Indeed, this dynamic of two poles of evil is the central motif of the first Star Wars trilogy. Once we understood the story in context of this Anthroposophical framework, the next step was to focus further on Luke’s character. “I think that Luke needs to develop his character by interacting with the two robots, both the left and the right hand,” I said. As a robot on the “thinking” side, C3PO can speak many languages and is programmed for etiquette and translating, a truly inspired use for machines that we seldom see. He represents an evil that has been around as long as languages in every culture since the beginning of human intellectual development – the being named Lucifer, who incarnated in a physical body in China in 2000 BC. As the “left-hand path of evil,” Lucifer is a Promethean archetype who brings fire, language, philosophy, writing and culture to humanity. Chained to a mountain, he suffered each day as a vulture ate out his liver until rescued by Heracles. By representing Lucifer/Prometheus, C3PO would serve as a counter-pole for the incarnation four thousand years later in 2000 AD of Ahriman, the king of machines, otherwise known as Darth Vader. Luke, who models the original Heracles or the hero in all of us, eventually breaks the chains to free Prometheus, the fire-bringer, who is on the left-hand path. So, too, the Evil Emperor in Star Wars represents the power of fire (demonstrated as lightning from his hands and the evil wisdom of the Sith) that increasingly consumes him as he misuses it. “Luke is situated between the two robots, between the two paths, like his twin sister. His lost spirituality is drawing him upward into spirit,” I said. All Jedi warriors have transformed blood, what was later called “midi-chlorians” in the blood. As they balance the forces of the left and right paths, they raise their consciousness, which then increases spiritual potential in the blood, a process that Steiner calls the “etherization of the blood.” As Steiner taught, spiritual people charge their blood with a consciousness that connects them to spirit (the Force). However, unlike the movie, the ability to access spirit or the Force isn’t passed along through heredity. So, after discussing all of these concepts and laying the groundwork for common understanding, here is the story of Star Wars that we mapped out: Once upon a time, in a galaxy far, far away, Luke Skywalker (the archetypal human) finds his life embroiled, if not consumed, by machines. Luke is the master of those machines, because he has consciousness and, therefore, is pulled by the left and right. He is an orphan, as all modern humans find themselves, and knows that something great lives inside of him. He has hope in a hopeless world. Luke’s father has fallen prey to the evil right-hand path of machines that has transformed him into a part-man – part machine abomination who wars against his own spirit and wishes to dominate the world, even if it means killing his son. The left-hand path of personal black magic lives in the Evil Emperor who also wishes to kill all Jedi and, most especially, the son of Darth Vader. Luke is protected by the humble Jedi, Obi-Wan Kenobi. Eventually, this Jedi leads him to his teacher of the “middle way” (the Force) and sacrifices himself so that he can help him from the spiritual world. This middle path is like the path to the Higher Self. On the path, just like Dorothy on the Yellow Brick Road, Luke gains some traveling companions. Just as the Wizard of Oz was a distillation of Masonic initiation rituals, Star Wars introduces the audience to parts of the soul. This is necessary to make the story archetypal, so that it will always be fresh. For example, Obi-Wan Kenobi represents the highest of the three parts of the soul, the consciousness soul, which merges spirit with matter just as his Jedi powers give him the power of mind over matter. Chewbacca represents the lower soul, the sentient or astral soul that must turn the animal in us into a human with spiritual characteristics. Han Solo represents the intellectual soul that first begins to awaken to higher thinking. Although clever, Hans lacks the ability to see the big picture like Obi-Wan. Between Luke’s three companions, much like the Lion, Tin Man, and Scarecrow, each contributes a special quality to Luke along the way. Steiner calls these soul qualities “thinking, feeling and willing.” At the center of the story, Luke represents the ego, or the thinking human being, and must master the three steps of the development of the soul. Now that we had built the underlying framework, which was the most Herculean part of our task, it was clear to me that we needed to develop these characters into archetypes. Knowing now what motivated each character, we could easily hear the words that each would naturally say and even envision their realistic reactions to the unfolding plot. In doing so, we kept in mind a fundamental truth: good and evil are choices. The Evil Emperor and Darth Vader were not born evil; they chose their own paths. Luke, the archetypal human, also must make his choices and live with the good or evil that results. Still, after all of this work we had done, one thing was missing. “We still have one problem,” I reminded Marcia. “Where is Luke going in the story?” Sorely missing in the original version of the story, this issue had to be resolved so that everything else would make sense. “Isn’t Luke, essentially, the prodigal son?” I said. Others agreed that Luke was separated from his parent’s home and longing to return. This is a universal element with which everyone could identify. Like Luke, each of us has our particular destiny. In our life, we embark on the search to find it and return to our kingdom in the spirit. We further developed Luke’s direction and role in the story as follows: Luke knows he is special but doesn’t know why. Throughout the story, he must evolve into his mission of facing his true identity as Darth Vader’s son, accept it, and decide what to do with it. Ultimately, Luke denies the power of the machines that try to gain control over him. Instead of the cold-hearted machine-human hybrids, Luke chooses love. He must come to this awakening only after receiving help from his companions. His sister Leia (who I suggested should be called Maya) represents his spiritual self. Although first drawn to her through physical desire, Luke transforms this attraction into spiritual love and links his destiny to hers, as the soul links to the spirit. More sure about herself, Leia has been treated like the Princess she is. Luke has struggled to “catch up” to where she was, but in the end, their destinies are permanently entwined. Because he is on the spiritual path of self-development versus the physical path of earthly gratification, Luke doesn’t “win the girl” – that part of the story is left to another character, Han Solo. As part of his journey, Luke uses the middle path of the Force to conquer both the Evil Emperor and Darth Vader. The more the left and right-hand paths try to win Luke, the more they fall prey to the side effects of using evil for personal gain. As the modern human, Luke conquers the evil machine-like foes with help from his companions and develops two powerful “forces” that the machines cannot control: human freedom and love. In this way, Luke learns to “see through the eyes of machines.” He even sacrifices his human hand for denying his father’s attempt to win him over to the Dark Side of the machines. In the end, Luke loves his father and witnesses the death of Darth Vader, Ahriman, before his very eyes. This is the same modern challenge that each of us faces: Who is your parent? Over the next two days, we built on our initial framework and polished the ideas to represent every possible perspective in our archetype science-fiction, prodigal-son story. The script was turning into a beautiful fairy tale that I was certain had merit, whether or not it ever made it to the “big screen.” I was very happy to work through these concepts, because I could see my own path to the spirit unfolding in the story. (Of course, Werner had known this would be part of my involvement!) I also appreciated Marcia’s priority of effective story-telling. In our modern times, I have seen a decline of storytelling in our culture. This is dangerous, for as archetypal stories vanish, our imagination weakens as the source of inner nourishment and soul inspiration. Movies have taken the place of storytelling and actors have taken the place of the heroes and heroines found in all archetypal stories, whether myth, religion, legend, fairy tale, fable, or any other transcendental source. Yet, as we learned in developing Star Wars, if a story is not archetypal, it will not last the test of time. Successful to this day, a full 40 years after it was released, Star Wars has proven that to be true. After our work was completed, I said good-bye to Marcia and wished her well with the movie. She thanked me and everyone else who had contributed their ideas to our marvelous fairy tale. I heard nothing more until 1977, when the movie was about to launch and generating a frenzied buildup of media attention. I was working in the bookstore when Werner came in to tell me the news: Marcia and George Lucas were so happy with our help that they were offering all Waldorf schools in the U.S. a chance to show an advanced screening of the movie as a local fundraiser. This was a thrilling offer, because I knew that a good deal of money could be raised. Yet, staying true to its practice of opposing TV, movies and technology in general, the Waldorf Institute politely declined the offer, to my deep disappointment. I finally saw the Trilogy, after waiting impatiently for all three installments, and was happy that it stayed true to the fairy-tale idea we had developed in our Waldorf think tank. As I watched the movies, I realized that Star Wars had affected the paths of those of us involved in the project. Just as we had mapped out a path for Luke, we were all on a journey to our own destinies. The archetypes we built had done their work! For example, by working through the philosophical concepts, I saw my own path to the spirit reflected in the story, as Werner knew it would – the process had further emboldened my own understanding of the study of Anthroposophy. Also, I remembered that Werner, who was like a scholarly father, had introduced me to Marcia as his “right hand,” while Luke Skywalker had sacrificed his own right hand in the battle with his father – both situations connected to the pursuit of spiritual knowledge. As a “right hand” substitute for Werner in the project with Marcia, I grew into my leadership role as a teacher. So, too, with the substitution of his right hand, Luke acquired more masterful poise as a Jedi warrior who had successfully denied the Dark Side and became more in touch with the Force. George Lucas himself was on the path for his genius to be recognized with commercial and critical success. He would later open his famous Skywalker Ranch, which I think is a much better name than “Starkiller” Ranch, don’t you? Yet, when his own right hand, Marcia Lucas, was symbolically severed in their 1983 divorce, he lost a part of the humanity that had been evident in the earlier movies, and some say lacking in the later versions of the Star Wars series. For her part, Marcia Lucas would stand on stage to be ceremoniously honored, just like the characters in the ending of Star Wars. Looking tasteful and quietly elegant next to a glittery-gold presenter Farrah Fawcett at the 1977 Academy Awards, Marcia accepted an Oscar for best editing of a film that had started off an as unknown space opera and become a household name. At that ceremony, one of her editor colleagues would speak for her, and she would not have an opportunity to thank anyone publically, not even her husband. Had they given her a chance at the microphone, I imagine that Marcia perhaps might have thanked the Waldorf Institute, although the process of being involved in this influential project was, for me, its own reward. In fact, later, when working with Producer Kathleen Kennedy during the writing of the Indiana Jones movies, I was quite aware of my participation in shaping small moments in the movies where true wisdom and light shine through the story. This is what I have tried to do in all of my writings: share the love for spirit that I try to live each day and to bring that spirit into the souls of everyone I have the privilege to meet or touch in some small way – even through a simple story that is the ubiquitous retelling of the original story, the return to spirit. Just a few days ago, with all of the resurgence of Star Wars memories and the recent release of the latest installment in the series, I googled Marcia Lucas’ name and discovered that she and George had divorced in 1983. She had returned to using her maiden name, Marcia Griffin. When I had worked with her, I had no idea that she was one of the greatest film editors in the world, her skills having been regularly in demand by the top directors, including Scorsese and Coppola. I was delighted to learn about her Academy Award and believe she is an unsung heroine in the history of Star Wars. After all, how often does a mortal human being create something eternal – a story that lasts forever? I leave you with this link to an article about Marcia Griffin that gives a beautiful picture of her contributions to the making of Star Wars: Enjoy, and may the Force be with you! 2016 @ Douglas Gabriel. All rights reserved. This selection is available as a PDF and you are welcomed to distribute to your Waldorf community. Related Christoph on August 31, 2019 at 5:38 am Very interesting, as my family (both my biological and my spiritual one) had such a notion from the first movie in 1977 on – we were and still are all connected to the Camphill Social Work and Waldorf Education, both based on the anthroposophical approach, by the way… Our Spirit on December 3, 2019 at 4:02 am We are so sorry that we missed your first comment. Now that it is approved, you will not have to wait again. Your post will be immediate. Thank you. Christoph on August 31, 2019 at 5:42 am The reply from a machine I got is: Christoph on August 31, 2019 at 5:38 am Reply Your comment is awaiting moderation. Quite moderate to call it moderation. A moderate form of censorship? Our Spirit on August 31, 2019 at 4:44 pm Have no idea what you are saying. WordPress will not permit you to leave a comment unless you sign on to WordPress. Any first time posters must be approved. Why? Because we operate other WordPress sites in the Glass Bead Game that attract readers who are trolls. The Source of Spirituality in Star Wars - Spirits Bright on January 12, 2020 at 11:44 pm […] with a link to a long article about how spirituality was integrated into the Star Wars stpry. Source of the Force: Secret Behind Start Wars Inspiritation Source of the Force: Secret Behind Start Wars Inspiritation (40 year old secret REVEALED) – […] Leave a Reply to Our Spirit Cancel reply Email (required) (Address never made public) Name (required) Connecting to %s Notify me of new comments via email. Δ Enter your email address to follow Our Spirit and receive notifications of new posts by email. Email Address:	30,041
Prevalent in Durban, South Africa, whoonga is a highly addictive drug comprised of low-grade heroin, household chemicals and antiretroviral medication. A researcher at Harvard University’s School of Public Health examined the drug whoonga and the effects it’s having on an impoverished society. There are no whoonga statistics to share, and no one is really certain what is inside this damaging drug — but it is certain this highly addictive drug wrecks the plans and dreams of South Africa’s most vulnerable citizens every day. Some believe whoonga is a myth, yet Dr. David J. Grelotti, a Research Fellow at Harvard, saw for himself the effects of this dangerous drug. Whoonga use is rampant in Durban’s public parks. Many believe the drug contains cheap heroin, rat poison, household cleaners and HIV medication. Durban is a community marred by one of the highest rates of HIV in the world. Dr. Grelotti observed that repeated exposure to antiretroviral drugs through whoonga abuse may increase resistance, thus reducing the lifesaving effects of essential HIV medications. Complicating this whoonga drug effect is the fact that many whoonga abusers may not know they have HIV. The drug is so addictive that many men trade sex for money to buy whoonga, thus increasing their odds of contracting the virus. Even those who want to quit may find themselves continuing to use, because, like heroin, whoonga causes a painful and uncomfortable withdrawal. Whoonga, Crime and Treatment It’s no secret that individuals with addiction are willing to do anything to chase the next high. Selling possessions, stealing from loved ones, committing violent crimes and turning to sex work are all-too-common behaviors. In Africa, it’s no different. According to Dr. Grelotti, whoonga addicts “‘empty their homes’ of their belongings to pay for whoonga…young men addicted to whoonga trade sex for money to buy drugs. ‘Whoonga gangs’ have also reportedly engaged in violent crime to steal money or goods. Indeed, it is presumed that a substantial portion of Durban’s urban crime is related to whoonga.” Unlike in the U.S., however — where substance abuse treatment is readily available — South Africa’s struggling addicts do not enjoy the same access to care. “What was once a hidden epidemic is beginning to be recognized as a significant public health concern,” Dr. Grelotti observes. “It underscores the need for the provision of comprehensive clinical services that include mental health and substance abuse treatment in every corner of the globe.” Dr. Grelotti spoke with a young whoonga abuser named Sipho who was lucky. Many South African townships — including Sipho’s — lack addiction treatment services. Yet his family was able to locate the SANCA Lulama Treatment Centre in Durban, where he was able to receive lifesaving treatment. Just like addicted people in the U.S., Sipho realized whoonga was the only obstacle in the path of his dreams of finishing his degree and finding employment. If you or someone you know is struggling with a drug addiction, contact 12 Keys Rehab today. All too often, addicts are recycled through drug rehab treatment facilities across the country, where they are given the basics of recovery, but little else. Sent back out into the world, they lack the foundation in sobriety necessary to sustain long ... Entering alcohol rehab: Have I made the right choice? For the vast majority of people who are addicted to alcohol, the first big decision they must make is to become willing to seek treatment for their addiction. The second decision is of vital importance as well—choosing the right alcohol rehab to se ... The importance of a safe detox process during drug rehabilitation For many addicts who have made the decision to enter drug rehabilitation after a life filled with pain and misery, they will need to go through a period of safe detox before dealing with other factors associated with the addiction, and it’s importa ... Can drug addiction rehabs help repair my family relationships? Oftentimes, drug addicts are completely unaware of the devastation they are causing in the lives of those around them, especially within their own families. Family members themselves will yell, scream, withdraw, cajole, rant, criticize, understand, n ... This place saved my son and our family! Awesome counselors and staff. After 9 years of multiple facilities we found 12 Keys. One year later my son is clean and doing well. Thank you 12 Keys. As an industry professional 12 Keys has become one of my most trusted resources. Patient care and engagement are always top notch, and I know that I can always trust that the patient and their families will be in the best position to recover. Solid clinically, and more importantly these are good and genuinely caring people. I cannot recommend 12 Keys at the River enough for those struggling with addiction. This place saved my life. The team that helped me get in was very helpful and showed that they really care. They made the detoxing portion 10x easier to deal with than trying cold turkey. The programming has an excellent balance of class and activities. I learned so much there. Just the ability to cope with life. They've set me up for success with a boat load of tools and the team they have to support your recovery is amazing. Thanks journeypure	5,552
Name Email Address Phone What do you need help with? Select one...CommissionMuralWorkshopSchool projectsOther Message Thank you! Your submission has been received! Oops! Something went wrong while submitting the form. SABINE HAHNEL-ARTIST Sabine Hahnel was born in 1967 in Communist East Germany and spent most of her childhood in a small town, going to school in a system where individuality and imagination were not considered traits to be explored and fostered. She grew up admiring the artistic talent of her grandfather and she spent many hours watching him paint. It was difficult to find decent materials to work with but his ingenuity always found a way for him to express himself through his art. Sabine is like him, entirely self-taught and always strives to improve her technique. She dreamt of becoming a painter, creating art professionally. In the communist regime however, she couldn’t freely choose which path she could take professionally and had to obey the requirements of the system. That is why she trained to be a Critical Care Nurse. She soon accepted this new challenge and fell in love with the profession of caring for other people. With this drastic change in direction, art was now becoming more and more a refuge and therapy to deal with the stress and emotional burden of the life of a Intensive Care Nurse. In 1998 she emigrated to Canada with her husband, son and pet dog where she works full time in an Edmonton hospital. She loves being outdoors hiking, skiing, biking, kayaking and forever looking for the next inspiration, to catch a glimpse of this ‘’something’’ that makes her heart skip a beat. For her ,to paint is to tell what she feels, what strikes her. Nature is the protagonist of most of her paintings. She attempts to capture the fascinating beauty of this beautiful world using bright bold colors and textures combined with a contemporary and impressionistic approach. For Sabine, the beauty of painting is the freedom to alter reality and make it the way she would like it to be. Roots of this desire go back to her formative years living in a restrictive system. She always feels there is something exciting about a blank canvas and bringing it to life. Her goal is to make the viewer feel at peace and relaxed, like entering a place where one can let go and just be. Sabine participates in the Edmonton Art Walk annually, where she enjoys meeting art lovers and getting invaluable feedback on her work. Her art can be found in numerous collections within Canada, the United States and Germany and Switzerland. Her studio and home are on an acreage in Strathcona County. Together with her husband, she also raises bees and Bison in her spare time. You can find a collection of her art available for purchase and previously sold pieces on her website: http://sabinehahnel.wixsite.com/sabinehahnel Or on her Facebook page: www.facebook.com/SabineHahnelArt	2,907
I don’t consider myself easily rattled. My life experiences have led me down odd paths like living in combat zones to jumping from planes to walking into a burning house looking in closets for trapped people. All of them had my heart pumping and sure, I have been spooked here and there. After my video series run of “Spooky NC” I definitely have seen my fair share of things which made my hair stand on end but that’s not saying I was ever terrified. Shocked and surprised would be better descriptions. There was this time in 1998, however, that I have told few about but I can honestly say, it terrified me. Back then I was a few years into the US Army and had enough rank to become comfortable in my own skin and developed true friendships with my fellow brothers in arms. Stationed up in the Dahlonega mountains of North Georgia at Camp Merrell Ranger Training base, I was able to live off post with a couple of buddies, Mike and Jeremy. This was a new-found freedom I had not really experienced before and though our mornings started at 3am, evenings were ours to drink beer and hit the town in search for wild women and song. Actually, Jeremy had a girlfriend and Mike was a goody-two-shoes officer in training so I was often alone in my quest. One fateful Saturday I had some off time so I headed to visit my high school chums who all led normal college lives in Athens, Georgia which was about an hour and a half from my apartment. It was a welcome getaway for me. No yelling and explosions. Just screaming coeds and booze. Unfortunately, a soldier’s weekends were always cut short and I had to be back on base the following Sunday morning so I decided the least painful thing to do was to leave that night and drive the curvy HWY 52 all the way back and catch at lease a few hours of sleep. It was a dark and spooky drive with little traffic. I am sure it has changed over the past decade but then it was the Ichabod trip home from the ball, traveling past farmlands and vacant old farm houses. It also lacked important things like gas stations and well-lit areas in case of trouble. A two lane road with waist-high grass is no place to have a breakdown, especially when large semi trucks rocket past every so often. Occasionally a dead deer carcass reminded you of these very large trucks. That night I made the poor decision to not fill up the car before I left the safety of the city and arrogantly believed a quarter tank of fuel was plenty to get me to the BP next to the complex. I learned a few things that night and one of them was the limitations of a Honda Civic LX. I was within a mile from the intersection where 52 met the road the apartment was on and that is when the engine, oil and that triangle with an exclamation point in the middle light came on. The wheel lost power steering and I remember shouting, “NONONONONO!” and I drifted into the tall grass, clearing the car from the road. I couldn’t make it over the hill which had an orange flashing glow cresting the top. I tried restarting but if you have ever done a bone-headed thing like run out of gas then you know it is hopeless. I tuned on my hazards and waited for a few minutes both pissed at myself and concerned how I was going to make it home and make first formation which was only a few hours away. At that point I was unsure how close I really was to home. It could have been another fifteen miles for all I knew. I decided to walk. I made my way to the top of the hill and realized how close I was to home because in the distance I saw the warning of road construction that was happening not too far from the apartment. I knew if I began to jog I could be home in less than ten minutes and bribe Jeremy to get out of bed and take me back to the car. The only concern I had at that point was passing the notorious abandoned gas station and shed which nature had taken over some thirty years ago. I remember forming a plan to switch to the opposite side of the road when jogging past this creepy structure. Many locals believe weird things go on there and the local sheriff has arrested odd characters and drifters taking shelter there. I wasn’t frightened by this but I didn’t want to find out anything more to add to the legend. About a hundred feet I began to cross over but then I noticed the weeds were tall and absolutely nowhere to run along side the road. That’s when I also noticed a semi’s lights coming from behind to I was forced back to the other side where the gas station was. This is where I remember but can not tell if pure adrenaline blocked certain stuff out or add stuff in. As the truck passed at a considerable speed, someone jumped out from behind a brick berm and screamed as if he were in terrific pain, swung either a pipe of a crowbar and hit the pavement inches from my feet. The force of that swing was so strong it must have reverberated up his arm causing him to drop the metal item. I looked over in that split second to see a gigantic human reaching out and taking ahold of my collar. This is when I lose memory of how I slipped out of my shirt and miracled myself up the top of the hill. I turned around and to this day that sight makes the hair on my arms stand on end and feet go numb. I never saw faces because the road construction orange warning lights illuminated in blinking rhythm behind the few figures. I saw the outline of a large man with disheveled hair holding a long object which must have been what he swung and missed me with. I saw a few others but for the life of me, I can’t accurately describe them because my next focus was on the child size person who was bald and skipping. It was a fucking Marylin Manson video in real life. I was living a horrible dream and so terrified I began to laugh. I have no idea why this was my reaction but it was half insanity and half complete panic. I turned to run but only made it so far before I was winded and in hysterics. I had to pull myself together and survive this. I am in a specialized Army unit and this is how I am going to out? No way, José. What seemed to be a life time, I finally made it to the BP station which was only a few hundred yards from the Apartments. And of course, it was closed with only the illuminating halogen lights over the pumps. A rational person probably would have used the pay phone and call the police but I believed if I could make it home, that was the safest place to be at the moment. And that’s when I heard it. From the woods behind the gas station I heard cackling and screams. This was a real life horror movie and whether it was just bored red necks screwing with me or more malevolent people, it elicited a terror few have known and even fewer have lived to speak of. And that’s when I fucking began to laugh again! I couldn’t believe it! Terribly drawn map Some how they figured out where I was going and were trying to cut me off through the woods. From deep within these said woods I could hear hysterical and maniacal laughter and screams. It was inhuman and if they were looking to give a young man a heart attack, they were doing a brilliant job. I honestly never heard anything spoken. Just cackling and screaming. Finally, I reached the apartments and hesitated to run up to the door in fear that they would know where I lived but at that point the sounds were closing in so I either face them outside or pray that Jeremy or Mike was home and lock the door behind me. I decided that I needed some backup and raced through the from door shouting something stupid. “Jesus, Jeremy! Mike! They are coming!” Jeremy busted out from his room in complete surprise. I didn’t even get through half the story before he darted into his room and pulled out a .45 and loaded it as I grabbed another shirt. His girlfriend in the bed began shouting at him to call the police and not leave the apartment but our fear had switched to macho and he and I raced out the door down to his car. It’s amazing what a Colt .45 can do for the spirit when up against unknown forces. We made it to the front gate of the apartment and realized leaving Stephanie alone was a horror movie no-no and went back to drag her along. She was pretty pissed about us darting out and leaving her. I believed we were called assholes no less than 900 times. We sped to the spot where I was originally attacked and demanded Steph to wait as we got out with the headlights pointing at the station and shed. I didn’t hear any more shouting or laughing but I knew they were there. Watching. Jeremy had the pistol out and like we trained many times before we entered cautiously into the building only to find uneven floors and broken glass. There was obviously no one there or had been there in sometime so we went to the shed behind the store and that’s when we pieced it all together. I wish we had cellphones with cameras but in the late 90’s because I still can’t believe it and nothing I can tell you would have done it justice. There were quite possibly over fifty candles, all recently blown out. A table with a large pentagram painted on it with, of course, my damn shirt in the middle. Also, a ton of feathers and what we agreed to be a deer skull lying on a chair. It was so creepy and unnerving, I can’t tell if it was something I actually witnessed or a dream. It just doesn’t seem like it was a real event. But it was. I had my friends to witness. We walked steadily back to the car where Steph was even more agitated. But before we reached the car Jeremy turned around to the woods behind the shed and shot off a number of rounds from the .45. The sound of the gunfire echoed and we didn’t hear a sound after. I stood there waiting for something to come running but there was absolutely nothing. Not even a cricket chirp. We came home and Jeremy and I sat on the porch as the sky began to turn a purple hue. Stephanie had enough of the excitement and went back to sleep, shutting the door behind her in a forceful way. He declined to share with her what we found in the shed behind the station. Jeremy had a way of keeping those types of details from her as she was the type to cry over Snuggle Bear commercials. He and I didn’t really speak, as we had a couple of beers and let the adrenalin drain from the system. I began to tell him about the skipping child-like figure and he cut me off not wanting to know. I think we figured out what scared us both and sometimes it’s better not to dwell on such matters. When the sun was up I got into uniform and he drove me to put a can of gas in the car as we cautiously kept watch in the woods. I could get out of there fast enough and back to base. A couple of months later we closed the apartment and I headed to Bosnia as Mike and Jeremy had other assignments. I kept in touch as best as I could but in those turmoil days after 9/11, we all went our own way. It’s an unspoken understanding I have learned over the years. So that is a very true story. It happened and there isn’t much I can add. I have told this a few times but until now, I really haven’t reflected upon it in great detail. Now I need to go watch cartoons. Related Published by Will A journey to the fantastic... View all posts by Will October 23, 2013 14 thoughts on “The Scariest Thing I Ever Did See” October 23, 2013 at 7:04 pm Jeez oh Pete. I can’t believe that happened to you. Will says: October 23, 2013 at 7:12 pm Yup. Really happened. Creep North GA weirdos out there. October 23, 2013 at 7:07 pm i am speechless. So I will comment on the unimportant part of your story: My college roommate and bff was an Airborne Ranger. Probably your age. Maybe yall were there together. That would be weird. But not as weird as backwoods cultists straight out of a horror movie, I guess. Will says: October 23, 2013 at 7:13 pm Awesome! Wonder what battalion? October 23, 2013 at 7:14 pm I’d say you’ve got a REAL GOOD start to a treatment right there (should you want to re-visit all of it to that degree, that is… and Lord knows I wouldn’t…). Thanks for sharing that one, Will/Bill! The hairs on my arms are standing up… I drove across Texas recently, on the back roads, and can picture even now so many creepy, overgrown hovels… (SHIVER)… Not to mention the two tiny, ancient cemeteries I visited… I think I’ll go make sure that P220 is handy… T -) Will says: October 23, 2013 at 7:21 pm Thanks buddy! I didn’t even elaborate on this one because it was so long ago but these scenes really stick out. Creepy shit. And yes, Texas is scary too! I did that drive long ago. Nothing but long roads and possibly ill willed people. Yikes! October 23, 2013 at 9:14 pm Crazy story! I first read this line “It’s amazing what a Colt .45 can do for the spirit when up against unknown forces.” as “It’s amazing what a can of Colt .45 can do for the spirit when up against unknown forces.” Will says: October 23, 2013 at 9:17 pm It kinda works for both, actually! October 23, 2013 at 11:42 pm Woah, Will. Intense. I hate to you had to experience such terror but you got a damn fine tale out of it — one that had me on the edge of my seat more than any horror film I’ve seen in ages. Gripping stuff, dude. I live in an area of Ohio where suburbs and cities are all nearby, but it doesn’t take long at all to get to some real rural sh*t and I can see that going down and it gives me the creeps. Will says: October 24, 2013 at 12:12 am I would definitely not suggest venturing out! Thanks pal! So excited for the Halloween special. Rev. Back It On Up 13 says: October 24, 2013 at 12:47 am Will says: October 24, 2013 at 12:53 am Yeah. Satanists and shit. I don’t go to N. GA anymore. October 24, 2013 at 1:47 pm I’d love for next year’s Haunted NC/GA to feature a video of you going back to that area and doing a walk-through revisiting the scene. In the daylight.. of course! ^_^ Brandon says: October 31, 2013 at 11:57 am Damn, I went to school in Athens and while I know that the surrounding rural areas were really different from that beloved town, I would never have expected something so damn scary. Makes me glad I live in South Georgia now (though we have our own share of weirdos). But what about the skipping child-like figure? I see you mention it at the end but don’t see any other mention of it.	14,760
The Rio Times’ mission is to provide English speakers with local information, to “improve their understanding of the Cidade Maravilhosa and Brazil”. Its front page has three routes to follow: the World Cup (that ended with the final at the Maracană Stadium on July 13), the Olympic Games (which will open in Rio on August 5 2016) and, between, them, current news. And foregrounding the news is an editorial on education. I was in Brazil to build on our university partnerships and the recent increases in our enrolment of Brazilian students at Salford. And in this restless country of contradictions the demand for education, at all levels, is everywhere. I was last here just over twenty years ago, mostly in the north and looking for traces of the period of Dutch colonization at Mauritsstad, now Recife. Between 1581 and 1654, the Dutch had revelled in the exoticism of Brazil until they were displaced by the Portuguese. This complex interplay of colonialism, the legacy of slavery and rich and varied indigenous culture has resulted in a famously complex and diverse contemporary country that covers half the landmass of South America with a population growing past 200 million. Back in 1994, Brazil was a different country. Civilian governments had been in power for less than a decade and Henrique Cardoso had only just launched his Plano Real, the basis for economic reform. Recife and other cities were decrepit, the evidence of poverty everywhere. Since then, and through the long period of economic growth led by the Lula government after 2002, there have been significant reductions in poverty and Brazil’s middle classes have expanded by some 40 million people, pushing in turn the services sector to some 60% of overall GDP. It’s not surprising, then, than education is an obsession in Brazil today. Marta, a journalist from a magazine focusing on the economy, tells me that, apart from football, all middle class Brazilians talk about is education and healthcare. And the two are closely related, because education is key to better paying jobs that can ensure a reasonable quality of life. A year ago, Brazil’s growing economic confidence was severely shaken by waves of protest that started with objections to increases in public transport costs but which widened into opposition over spending for the World Cup in the face of other priorities. Stone Korshal, Editor of Rio Times: “Brazilians learned they can spend billions on stadiums soon to be forgotten, many of which opened in incomplete conditions, and reinforced a culture of overspending, under-delivering, and distracting the masses with the circus. Well, now it’s over, it’s winter in Rio, and life is moving on. Most are licking their wounds and trying not to think too much about the 2016 Olympics, not yet.” Marta sees younger Brazilians like her as anxious about this future. While there are jobs, they don’t pay well without good educational qualifications. Property is expensive and becoming more so, so it’s difficult to buy an apartment. Increasingly, employers want good English language skills and international experience. Public schools are seen as low quality and private education is expensive. There is widespread disillusionment with government policies. Stone Korshal sees lack of education opportunities as a major factor in the June 2013 protests – Brazil’s equivalent of the Arab Spring and the Occupy movement of Europe and North America. So too does President Dilma Rousseff’s PT (Workers’ Party) government, which has launched a new and comprehensive education policy that stresses access to basic education and the quality of the country’s public schools. It is intended that, by 2024, this National Education Plan will see 10% of Brazil’s GDP committed to education. According to World Bank figures, this would make Brazil’s the highest proportional education expenditure in the world; the UK currently spends 6.2% of GDP on education, and the US 5.4%. And last year, Brazil’s Congress passed legislation that earmarks 75% of petroleum royalties for education. Continuing with interviewing my interviewers, I ask Fabrico, a journalist with a business newspaper, what he thinks about access to Brazil’s elite federal and state universities. Fabrico, whom I guess is still under 30, has had the opportunity to study in Paris and this has clearly shaped his view of the world and of Brazil. Public federal and state universities have high entrance standards and do not charge tuition fees, and so every place is fiercely contested. Given the extent of inequality in Brazil, and the direct link between access to quality education and the country’s history of colonialism and slavery, public universities are expected to attain significant and challenging affirmative action quotas. But because the state-run schools are so bad, success in entrance examinations requires high cost, private schooling that is inaccessible to the poor. Not surprisingly, Fabrico explains, there is widespread cynicism and disillusionment about commitment to change, which young Brazilians see as cosmetic, doing little to give them the opportunities that they crave. As with the Arab Spring two years earlier, Brazil’s 2013 protests revealed the power and potential of social media. Brazil is one of the most urbanized countries in the world, with more than 80% of the population living in massive cities such as Sāo Paulo (19.7 million), Rio Janeiro (11.8 million), Belo Horizonte (5.4 million) and Porto Alegre (3.9 million). This, combined with half the population under the age of 30, is fertile ground for social media. Brazil is a Facebook nation, with over 29 million subscribers and the highest current annual growth in sign-ups in the word, at 9.2%. Manuel Castells, writing about the Occupy movement, sees social media as enabling “counterpower”, “the capacity of social actors to challenge the power embedded in the institutions of society for the purpose of claiming representation for their own values and interests”. As Adalberto Müller, Professor of Film Studies at the Universidade Federal Fluminense in Rio explains to me, the 2013 protests and social media have crystalized the alternative to traditional party politics in post-dictatorship Brazil. The conundrum has been that alternatives to Dilma Rousseff’s leftist Workers’ Party are unpalatable, but her government has been tainted by political scandals and the insensitivity of prestige spending on the World Cup in the face of pressing needs for basic facilities and infrastructure. As across the Middle East in 2011, social media provide the means for alternative forms of political association – what Castells calls “rhizomatic”. Adalberto gives the example of Mídia Ninja, crowd-sourced journalism that is now an alternative to established media in Brazil, widely seen as censored by the state. 2014 is an election year in Brazil and, while the Workers’ Party is currently seen as on track to retain power, many young Brazilians are expected to spoil their ballot papers in protest (voting is compulsory). With lack of adequate access to federal and state universities – together, they take only about 20% of Brazil’s students – demand is driving a vibrant, varied and expensive private Higher Education sector across Brazil. The country is now the fifth largest education market in the world and by next year there will be more than 10 million enrolled students. Currently, 2378 institutions are recognized by the Ministry of Education, but only 190 have the title “universidade” (101 are publicly funded and the remaining 89 are private and fee paying). The remaining 2188 institutions are private, many for-profit and part of a vigorous market in mergers and acquisitions, with increasing foreign investment. Quality and fees are variable (up to the equivalent of £1000 per month) and each offers its own diploma in its particular area of specialization. With families prioritizing investment in education, the risk of de-registration by the Ministry and the confusion that private sector qualifications brings to the job market, it is no wonder that young Brazilians are anxious about their futures, and sometimes angry. In this world, nothing is taken for granted; Brazil’s new generations of students cannot afford the listless ennui of aging democracies, where access to education is seen as an entitlement. This is evident when we visit the Universidade do Estado do Rio de Janeiro (UERJ), a brutalist concrete construction of stairways and precipitous facades alongside the iconic Maracană Stadium (the site of Germany’s bitter triumph just ten days earlier). Although it’s after seven and a wet winter night in the vacation, students are everywhere and books are laid out for sale on the street, under protective umbrellas. Across the wall of the cramped campus bookshop, that doubles up for shots of espresso, is a quotation from Paulo Freire: “um professor que não exerce a curiosidade está equivocado” (“a teacher who does not exercise curiosity is mistaken”). UERJ has more than 26 000 students, some 2 300 academic staff and about 5000 graduate students. As Rio’s state university, UERJ leads in research fields from Energy, Engineering and the Environmental Sciences to Politics, Media and the Social Sciences. Our host is Erick Felinto, Professor of Media Studies. After a seminar on Media Archaeology – part of our collaboration with UERJ in the area of media and music – Erick takes us to Nova Capella, one of the oldest restaurant’s in Rio’s Lapa district and an eclectic mix of traditional wall tiles, a pink studded ceiling, contemporary art and religious iconography. Some of Erick’s graduate students join us. One is mid-way through her Masters course. She holds down two jobs and takes classes at UERJ in the evenings. Another is wrestling with German media theory, central to his doctoral dissertation. Erick is working on a translation of Friedrich Kittler’s work on media technologies from the original German directly into Portuguese. This, he explains, will avoid some of the errors that have been made in the prevalent English translation. The book will be published by UERJ’s own academic press. Overall, this feels like a university should, with the political edginess, urgency and intellectual passion of the traditional campus. Despite the polarization of the 2013 protests and the shift of the established electorate to the right, making Dilma Rousseff’s re-election later this year far from a certainty, the current government seems determined to address Brazil’s continuing hunger for education. The new National Education Plan will tackle state funded basic education; there are still an estimated three million school-aged children in Brazil who never attend a class. At the other end of the pipeline, the state-funded Science Without Borders programme is paying for 101 000 young Brazilian students to study abroad (to date, 8657 are studying at universities in Britain, including ours); in June, Science Without Borders was extended with an additional 10 000 scholarships. It seems clear that young Brazilians’ determination to gain qualifications and engage with the world continues to grow as a determining force; with India, China and African countries, Brazil will shape a “southern century” of economic growth, politics and new cultural and intellectual syncretisms. The contradictions this will continue to bring were well expressed in the ambiguities of the World Cup: the protests about investment at the expense of other priorities, and then the dismay of defeat; the passion for the game in the face of extreme inequalities. Brazil’s Paulo Freire again: “Knowledge emerges only through invention and re-invention, through the restless, impatient, continuing, hopeful inquiry human beings pursue in the world, with the world, and with each other.” Jonathan Watts “Brazil’s ninja reporters spread stories from the streets. Band of volunteer citizen journalists are setting the news agenda with their ‘no cuts, no censorship	12,566
Dub-dub 2021 is now fading away but all the great stuff they revealed is open for review! Likeâ€¦that thingâ€¦where theyâ€¦did, stuff? The Microphone Guy is using this week is the Audio Technica AT3035. This is a condenser microphone that Audio Technica has stopped producing but I found one on eBay. Gaz’s Link: UK NHS data grab Patron Link: Macparrot Record good audio for under $100 Leave a Reply Cancel reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Archives Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 June 2006 May 2006 April 2006 March 2006 February 2006 January 2006 December 2005 November 2005 October 2005 September 2005 August 2005 July 2005 June 2005 May 2005 April 2005 March 2005 February 2005 January 2005 December 2004 November 2004 October 2004 September 2004 August 2004 July 2004 June 2004 May 2004 April 2004 March 2004 February 2004 January 2004 December 2003 November 2003 October 2003 September 2003 August 2003 July 2003 June 2003 May 2003 April 2003 March 2003 February 2003 January 2003 December 2002 November 2002 October 2002 September 2002 August 2002 July 2002 June 2002 May 2002 April 2002 March 2002 February 2002 January 2002 December 2001 November 2001 October 2001 September 2001 August 2001 July 2001 June 2001 May 2001 April 2001 March 2001 February 2001 January 2001 December 2000 November 2000 October 2000 September 2000 August 2000 July 2000 June 2000 May 2000 April 2000 March 2000 February 2000 January 2000 December 1999 November 1999 October 1999 September 1999 August 1999 July 1999 June 1999 May 1999 April 1999 March 1999 February 1999 January 1999 December 1998 November 1998 October 1998 September 1998 August 1998 July 1998 June 1998 May 1998 April 1998 March 1998 February 1998 January 1998 December 1997 November 1997 October 1997 September 1997 August 1997 July 1997 June 1997 May 1997 April 1997 March 1997 February 1997 January 1997 December 1996 November 1996 October 1996 September 1996 August 1996 July 1996 June 1996 May 1996 April 1996 March 1996 February 1996 January 1996 December 1995 November 1995 0 Register Log in Comments feed We would like to hear from you. Please send us a message by filling out the form below and we will get back with you shortly.	4,983
St. Kizito is an orphanage in Uganda with 500 children in primary school over two sites. They have volunteer teachers at those sites , so they are able to educate them at a very low cost. Basically food, school supplies, and exam fees to the government. There are a few other expenses too, but that is the large majority of them. There is also a women’s empowerment group, consisting of 200 widows. These women help with the school and the orphanage. We have been working with St. Kizito since 2018 and have supported any projects there. We funded a well and irrigation system to grow more crops for food to eat, funded a brick making project, brought electricity onto one of the campuses, funded crops, and helped them to open a third site for secondary school children as well, and more. This page has been put up so that those who follow St. Kizito can have a tax deductible vehicle to send donations directly to St. Kizito. $10 $50 Would you like to help cover the processing fees? I'd like to help cover the transaction fees of 0 for my donation.	1,093
Offering asides, recommended links, blogworthy quotations, and more, In Brief is the Northwest Progressive Institute's microblog of world, national, and local politics. In Brief: Latest Posts Advocacy Events Donate or Become a Member Wind and solar are crushing fossil fuels April 6th, 2016 Andrew Villeneuve Core Topics, Our Environment Wind and solar are crushing fossil fuels Bloomberg’s Tom Randall documents and discusses the recent clean energy investment boom, which is outpacing oil and gas two to one. Related Previous Post:Workers maneuver the cutterhead for Sound Transit's North Link tunnel boring machine #1 at Husky Stadium Next Post:Taste of summer: Families enjoy the warm weather on the shores of Lake Sammamish In Brief is authored by the staff, board, and contributors of the Northwest Progressive Institute, a regionally focused nonprofit working from Washington, Oregon, & Idaho to constructively transform our world through insightful research and imaginative advocacy. Want to become a more effective activist? Join the Northwest Progressive Institute today as a member. Members donate time, money, or supplies to help further NPI’s work. Members also receive The Evergreen Connection, NPI’s useful and unique e-newsletter, twice a month. Got breaking news to share with us? Please get in touch with us. U.S. Senate Republicans use chamber’s undemocratic sixty-vote threshold to deny railroad workers sick leave they need Washington State Senate Democrats announce leadership changes, committee assignments for 2023 legislative session U.S. House votes to adopt railroad labor agreement plus provide workers sick leave Washington State Supreme Court rules capital gains tax on wealthy can be collected for now Respect for Marriage Act wins final passage in the U.S. Senate; returns to U.S. House Counties certify 2022 midterm election in Washington State; turnout about average Archives Select Month November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009	4,106
ccalvert, September 22, 2020 September 22, 2020 , Anxiety, Depression, Uncategorized, Anxiety, Depression, Relationships, 4 This is my story. I am currently 20, about to be 21 in December. I drink, I smoke, I cry, I go to work, I do my school work, then I cry again. I go through waves of depression. It started when I was 14, and, honestly, looking back on what happened, I can say that I have a pretty sad story. But, I get better and my life started to click it felt like and I had been doing so well. I wasn’t depressed all of the time and my anxiety wasn’t running my life. And then I got into a bad situation again. And this time I lost everything. I lost my boyfriend. I lost my friends. I lost my motivation to go to work. I felt confused about what I wanted to do with my life. I felt confused about everything. I don\’t understand people. I don\’t know how to act anymore. I hate myself most of the time. I was doing so well and then life just threw me back down, way farther than I have been in a while. I didn’t think this was supposed to happen once I got older…and I don\’t know why this happens at all. I’ve never been a bad person. Don’t I deserve happiness?? 4 likes I eel really out of sorts today… Mz_Unda_Std, January 22, 2012 January 22, 2012 , Depression, Career, Child, Relationships, Self Esteem, Therapist, Therapy, 0 I am home alone today. I was supposed to be out with my husband and kids. Wanted to spend... cybergiraffe, November 4, 2008 November 4, 2008 , Anxiety, Anxiety, Depression, PTSD, Questions, Social Anxiety, 0 Taken from my blog (this that distorts me has saved me) Tuesday, 9 September 2008 It... sadviolinist, May 22, 2013 May 22, 2013 , Depression, Child, Depression, Religion, Sleep Disorders, Spirituality, Therapist, Therapy, 1 It's 1:30 a.m. and I'm blogging. My husband accidentally woke me when he rolled over and smacked me in... first off. the moods that we are able to scroll though for our blogsare a joke. where is the... BrokenRebelCage, September 24, 2013 September 24, 2013 , Depression, 0 Eight letters,Three words,One meaing.I loved you,I still do.But why do I feel so alone?We faught,We made up,But it still... I don’t know what to do skittles.kitty, February 25, 2021 February 25, 2021 , Depression, Borderline Personality Disorder, Depression, Personality Disorder, Relationships, 0 The one thing that is worse than feeling too much is feeling nothing. I feel hollow. I don’t feel... 4th go round All this fog, August 27, 2017 August 27, 2017 , Depression, Anxiety, Child, Depression, Obesity, Self Esteem, 0 So this is the 4th time I have tried to write this….each time before turned out ridiculously long and... The Mormons are out to get me… Tara, January 5, 2009 January 5, 2009 , Anxiety, Anger, Religion, 0 There are these two young men in their 20's who always ride around my suburb dressed in a suit... I don’t deserve any of it...Dont know... I think sometimes we have to go through pretty rough things to make us our best selves. Sometimes that happens to me, where I’ll think I’m doing better but then EVERYTHING goes downhill and it’s all a piece of crapp. Just like life gets worse, though, life will get better. Something good is going to happen to you, I promise. maybe try to notice things you’re grateful for? You will see how blessed you are. You’re strong, you’re brave, you’re here for a reason and you will find that reason! Log in to reply. \| Author @aquazium Thank you so much for your words. That honestly really helped just reading that. Log in to reply. \| You’re very welcome:) I’m here for you whenever if you want to talk! Log in to reply. \| I hope with all of the bad and unfortunate things that has happened in your life so far, things can really turn around for you and get better. I hope you don’t think this is the end of your story or things won’t get better because trust me they will. It might just take time, but you must be willing to also to work at it. Just stay strong and keep going, but if you ever need people to fall back on, don’t worry we got you! Log in to reply. \| Leave a reply Click here to cancel the reply You must be logged in to post a comment. Recently Active Members Member blogs archive Member blogs archive Select Month December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 April 2014 March 2014 February 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 December 2012 November 2012 October 2012 September 2012 August 2012 July 2012 June 2012 May 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 September 2011 August 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 February 2011 January 2011 December 2010 November 2010 October 2010 September 2010 August 2010 July 2010 June 2010 May 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 October 2009 September 2009 August 2009 July 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 March 2009 February 2009 January 2009 December 2008 November 2008 October 2008 September 2008 August 2008 July 2008 June 2008 May 2008 April 2008 March 2008 February 2008 January 2008 December 2007 November 2007 October 2007 September 2007 August 2007 July 2007 June 2007 May 2007 April 2007 March 2007 February 2007 January 2007 December 2006 November 2006 October 2006 September 2006 August 2006 July 2006 Fostering an air of acceptance not found on other social networking sites; The Tribe – Wellness Community has become a top destination for mental health support. Since 2006, we are fueled by the idea of creating safe, easy-to-navigate support communities for individuals facing various mental health illnesses, addictions, and diseases.	7,501
With the growing pervasiveness of social justice themes in popular culture, including the cannibalization of well-known brands for reportedly getting it wrong for not being deep enough when wading into the virtue signaling pool, it’s no surprise that a company took the opportunity at the Super Bowl to showcase to everyone how they utilized “wokeness” the right way in order to sell their product. During the Super Bowl LII game on Sunday, T-Mobile aired a commercial politicizing babies to make a statement about equality, gay marriage, and “equal pay.” According to the advertisement, babies understand through their “instinct” that “we are equal,” while adults may be “threatened” by differences. Babies also reportedly have the unique ability to be able to see beyond differences--unlike adults--to love whomever they choose and “demand fair and equal pay.” John Legere, the CEO of T-Mobile, was quick to offer himself self-congratulatory praise for the advertisement. On the T-Mobile website, he wrote that because of current events, T-Mobile just could not stand back and let an advertisement for a cell phone provider be apolitical. No, according to Legere, there is “something remarkable” happening right now that required a serious ad: At T-Mobile, we love making a splash during Super Bowl. We’ve built a reputation as a brand that goes big and stands out. And we’ve done it with big names – Justin Bieber, Kim Kardashian, Drake, Steve Harvey – and big, edgy spots. And we had another big spot planned for this year. But, we took a step back. Because something remarkable is happening right now. Change is in the air. And, this moment in history calls for something different. Something more impactful. Something more meaningful. The press release on the T-Mobile website goes on to say that T-Mobile “has always stood for inclusivity,” because it’s “in our DNA.” It also mentions how T-Mobile has received “accolades” for being the “[b]est place to work for diverse employees, for parents, for military, for LGBTQ.” Although the premise that babies do not recognize differences is a tantalizing one for people who believe all people are created equal, study time and time again has shown that babies do recognize differences. In fact, in 2009, Newsweek ran a story—featured on its cover—asking, “Is your baby racist? One of the studies referenced in the Newsweek article mentioned babies as young as six months notice race: Katz found that babies will stare significantly longer at photographs of faces that are a different race from their parents, indicating they find the face out of the ordinary. Race itself has no ethnic meaning per se—but children's brains are noticing skin-color differences and trying to understand their meaning. At age three, the study found children begin to prefer to be friends with children of the same race: When the kids turned 3, Katz showed them photographs of other children and asked them to choose whom they'd like to have as friends. Of the white children, 86 percent picked children of their own race. At around five and six, the young children sorted people by race. This led University of Colorado professor Phyllis Katz to conclude, “I think it is fair to say that at no point in the study did the children exhibit the Rousseau type of color-blindness that many adults expect.” In 2017, similar results were found in two studies. According to Science Daily’s breakdown of the studies, both showed that not only do babies differentiate by race, but they also show racial preferences: In the first study, "Older but not younger infants associate own-race faces with happy music and other-race faces with sad music," published in Developmental Science, results showed that after six months of age, infants begin to associate own-race faces with happy music and other-race faces with sad music. In the second study, "Infants rely more on gaze cues from own-race than other-race adults for learning under uncertainty," published in Child Development, researchers found that six- to eight-month-old infants were more inclined to learn information from an adult of his or her own race than from an adult of a different race. When it comes to gender, babies may not yet be aware of the fundamental differences between boys and girls; however, when it comes to making decisions based on gender, a study on “gender-typed toys” found babies as young as nine months show preferences for toys that correspond to their gender: The 101 boys and girls fell into three age groups: 9 to 17 months, when infants can first demonstrate toy preferences in independent play (N = 40); 18 to 23 months, when critical advances in gender knowledge occur (N= 29); and 24 to 32 months, when knowledge becomes further established (N = 32). Stereotypical toy preferences were found for boys and girls in each of the age groups, demonstrating that sex differences in toy preference appear early in development. Both boys and girls showed a trend for an increasing preference with age for toys stereotyped for boys. Theoretical implications of the findings are discussed with regard to biological predispositions, cognitive development and environmental influences on toy preference. While claiming that babies understand the inherent self-worth of all people regardless of race and gender may be a good talking point, it actually is a pipe dream. Super Bowl LII Super Bowl LII commercial The mission of the Media Research Center is to document and combat the falsehoods and censorship of the news media, entertainment media and Big Tech in order to defend and preserve America's founding principles and Judeo-Christian values. The MRC is a research and education organization operating under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code, and contributions to the MRC are tax-deductible.	5,857
Coates heard the call moments before being momentarily deafened by the thunderous crack of a rifle being fired by a private who fell into the sand behind him and knocked him to his knees. As he was struggling to his feet, a mortar exploded ahead of him, spewing sand and shrapnel in all directions. He heard a clink as something hit the top of his helmet. He did not have to look behind him to know that the private was dead, as he could see out of the corner of his eye that his M1 lay on its side in the sand, a smear of blood on its stock. “Medic!” the voice screamed again. “Mehhh-dic!” Coates wiped the sweat from his upper lip and lunged forward, raising his arm to shield his face from another spray of sand thrown by a bursting mortar shell. He took several long strides, stepping over a corporal laid face-down on the bloody strand, his motionless shoulders draped with a garland of .30-cal ammunition and a deck of playing cards, still in their box, laying nearby. Coates pushed his helmet back and lunged forward. Coates saw the first sergeant writhing in the sand, clutching an empty, shredded left sleeve with his right hand as blood pulsed between his fingers. “It’s okay, Top,” he said as he dropped to his knees and gently put his left hand over the sergeant’s. He reached into his medical kit with his right hand and—without looking—retrieved a tourniquet and forceps. “Mother fucker!” the sergeant spat, his lips curled in anger and his eyes wide with fear as he watched the blood dribble between his fingers and down his forearm. Coates worked to staunch the bleeding, tying the tourniquet tight around what remained of the first sergeant’s upper left arm, as the old non-com grimaced and bit down on one of the chin straps dangling from his helmet. Once the tourniquet was applied and the bleeding had stopped, he turned and reached back into his bag. “How you doin’, Top?” he asked as he fumbled for a morphine syrette. The gray-headed sergeant wriggled in the sand and grunted, “I’m alrigh—” As Coates turned back to him holding the syrette’s plastic cap between his teeth, a bullet passed through the first sergeant’s throat, just below his Adam’s apple, puncturing his windpipe. The old sergeant wheezed. Clutching at his throat with his one remaining hand, his lips moved but no words came out. Just then, as Coates reached for the sergeant’s neck, another burst of machine gun fire crackled down the beach with a fwip, fwip sound. The medic heard a thud and felt a spray of crimson in his face. Top was dead, his temple shattered by a German round. Coates put the cap back on the syrette and tucked it into his pocket. He looked at the tourniquet still tied around the sergeant’s stub, then shook his head and clambered over two more broken bodies to continue advancing up the beach. That night, after the first elements of the American landing force penetrated the German beach defenses and pushed beyond the beachhead, Coates collapsed in exhaustion outside of the battalion aid station. All around him, the roar of trucks and half-tracks was punctuated by the sounds of nearby fighting: the pattering sound of a distant machine gun, the crackle of rifle fire and the faint punch of mortars being spat from tubes followed by an explosive thunk as they found their mark. He heard the moans of men in the hospital tents behind him and the unmistakable sound of a bone saw. His head pounded and, despite his utter exhaustion, he could not sleep. Screams. Shouting. The crackle of an MG-42 sweeping the beach. “Medic!” Mortars exploding. The distinctive pa-ching of an M1 clip as it is ejected from the breach. He could see what looked like lightning behind the trees in the distance, but without the thunder. Coates reached for his chest pocket, groped for a cigarette, then realized he had none. He had smoked most of them before boarding the landing craft and given the rest away to injured men. He felt something, then paused for several long moments. He pulled the syrette from his pocket, pulled the cap off with his teeth, broke the metal seal and removed the wire pin. He rolled up his sleeve, felt for a vein, then slipped the needle under his skin at a shallow angle, squeezing the collapsible metal tube until— A euphoric rush of lightness swept over him as he watched the light show along the horizon to the east. The rush reminded him of the afternoons spent swinging from an old tire hanging from the oak tree, and of the weightlessness felt as its arc swept him down to earth into his sister’s arms. January 14, 2014 / Carrie Morgan / 1 Comment For months after U.S. Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Janos Lutz took his own life, his mother found the pain unbearable and growing worse. “I was spiraling down, sometimes not able to get out of bed,” said Janine Lutz of Davie. “I just hurt too much.” On Sunday morning, one year to the day that the combat veteran died at 24, Janine Lutz was surrounded by several hundred people, including many military veterans, who showed up at C.B. Smith Park to pay tribute to her son and the way she has chosen to remember him. The occasion was the PTSD Awareness Ride, an event that has provided a focus for her grief while inspiring similar activities in other parts of the country to call attention to the toll of post-traumatic stress disorder on military veterans. Lutz hopes the Awareness Ride will become an annual event. “This honors my son and his service,” Lutz said of the several hundred participants, including many motorcyclists, who rode in a police-escorted caravan from Western High School in Davie, Lutz’s alma mater, to the park. “He’s got his brothers’ back even though he is not here.” A machine gunner, Lutz earned a reputation as a hard-nosed Marine who survived hellish deployments while winning 13 service commendations. One of those deployments was to southern Helmand province in Afghanistan, where he and his 2nd Battalion, 8th Marine Regiment, fought the Taliban and suffered several casualties. “That deployment was serious, highly kinetic, violent, with firefights every day,” said George Todd Jr., 28, a Navy hospital corpsman who served with Lutz. “I remember him as a really fun guy, always pulling pranks, and a guy with a unique ability to be a very good Marine.” When he returned to Camp Lejeune, N.C., Lutz underwent treatment for PTSD. The family’s dog, Kobe, joined him on the base and was trained as a service dog. Back home, Lutz often showed signs of PTSD, his mother said, including avoiding crowds and becoming enraged. Still, in the weeks before his death, he was taking medication, in counseling, bicycling and enrolled in college. “I didn’t know. I just didn’t know any of the warning signs,” said Janine Lutz. “John served five years, we knew he had PTSD, but we didn’t know what that meant.” To conclude her remarks Sunday, Lutz held up a ceramic elephant, labeled with the letters PTSD, then dropped it onto the concrete floor of the shelter. The fall shattered the elephant and — at least symbolically, she said — the taboo on discussing what to many remains an uncomfortable subject. “PTSD is the thing that nobody wants to talk about,” she said. “But we’re going to talk about it now.” January 10, 2014 / Carrie Morgan / Leave a comment New data released by the VA yesterday shows that the suicide rate among male veterans under the age of thirty increased by 44% between 2009 and 2011, while the suicide rate among veterans over thirty decreased slightly. The suicide rate among female veterans increased 11% over the same period. On average, twenty-two veterans take their lives each day, of whom two are under the age of thirty. It’s no wonder given an operational strategy that sends men and women to war on repeat tours together with a culture (both in and outside of the military) that stigmatizes mental illness. These wars are an abstraction to most of us but not to the hundreds of thousands of American veterans who continue to struggle years after coming home from war. Link: http://www.stripes.com/1.261283 January 10, 2014 / Carrie Morgan / Leave a comment Excellent article in today’s New York Times about the Iraqi city of Fallujah, which has fallen under insurgent control, less than ten years after American soldiers and Marines spilled their blood to liberate the city in November 2004. January 10, 2014 / Carrie Morgan So, I started a blog. Why did I start a blog? Well, for the same reason I am writing a novel: because I have things to say, stories to tell, and because this blog offers a venue to do that. This blog, and the novel I’m writing, is focused on the idea that the wars we wage go on long after the warriors we send to fight them lay down their arms and come home. The events of history have a half-life measured in generations. I’ll use this blog as a place to share ideas, articles, memoirs, images and statistics to illustrate the lasting legacies of war. I hope you join me on this journey. January 10, 2014 / Carrie Morgan / Leave a comment Although this statistic reflects veteran/active duty suicide rates from 2012, it’s still a powerful illustration of how grave the situation is for our veterans and the men and women currently serving.	9,660
Women make great leaders and they can make tough calls whenever the need arises. From a psychological perspective, women face the stigma of being classified as the weaker sex in need of protection. This stigma, as we will see via this article has been debunked. Published on October 17, 2020 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief When it comes to female leadership, there are always two primary debates. The first is if women make great leaders at all, and the second is an inquest on whether they can make tough calls should they find themselves in a leadership position that demands such a stance and style of leadership. The answer to these two debates is a resounding yes. Women make great leaders and they can make tough calls whenever the need arises. From a psychological perspective, women face the stigma of being classified as the weaker sex in need of protection. In the early 14th to 18th centuries, women were perceived to lack the capacity to make decisions. Hence all decision making was left for the men, until the late 19th century when women began to step up, debunking these perspectives. Since then, there has been a comprehensive transformation in the number of women leaders that are in many circles and in different professional inclinations. Women have stepped up and are now advancing the cause of leadership, and this trend is not going to let up in the future. Women will continue to emerge as great and successful leaders of tomorrow. The question this article will attempt to answer is, “How do women lead?” History is replete with women such as the Virgin Queen, Queen Elizabeth I, who ruled England and Ireland for forty-five years. Women have had to make tougher calls than men in order not to be perceived to be weak. Queen Elizabeth I, gave an iconic speech at Tilbury and was noted to have said that “I know I have the body of a weak and feeble woman, but I have the heart and stomach of a king, and of a king of England too. Though the sex to which I belong is considered weak, you will nevertheless find me a rock that bends to no wind.” History has produced several notable women leaders of strength and intelligence such as Catherine the Great, the Empress of Russia who expanded the geographic reins of Russia and westernized the culture and society via Education, Art, and Literature. Cleopatra VII, an intelligent Egyptian Queen who played her cards to retain leadership in an era when rulers were mainly men. Queen Victoria, the second longest reigning British monarch who advanced the United Kingdom and Ireland on many fronts. Indira Gandhi was the first female Prime Minister of India. Golda Meier, former diplomat and first female Prime Minister of Israel. Margaret Thatcher was the first female Prime Minister of the United Kingdom. She was so assertive and strong as a leader that she was dubbed “The Iron Lady.” Benazir Bhutto became the first female prime minister of Pakistan. The list goes on and on of many past female leaders that exhibited great strength and intellectual prowess. “The king may rule the kingdom, but it’s the queen who moves the board.” — D.M. Timney Today, there a lot of notable women leaders in various fields of life endeavor. For instance, in the world of politics, we have the likes of Hillary Clinton, a former U.S. Senator, a former U.S. First Lady, a Women’s Rights Activist, and former Presidential aspirant who contested against the 45th President, Donald Trump. Angela Merkel is the first female Chancellor Germany and one of the architects of the European Union. Aung San Suu Kyi is currently the state counselor of Myanmar and winner of the 1991 Nobel Prize for Peace. Politician Nancy Pelosi became the first female Democratic leader of the House of Representatives and the first female speaker of the House. Liberian President Ellen Johnson Sirleaf is the world’s first elected black female president and Africa’s first elected female Head of State. In the world of business, we have the likes of Mary Barra, Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of General Motors; Indra Nooyi, former CEO, PepsiCo; Marillyn Hewson, current chairman, and former president and CEO, Lockheed Martin; Isabelle Kocher, CEO, Engie (i.e., a French multinational electric utility company); Emma Walmsley, CEO GlaxoSmithKline, Rosalind Brewer, Chief Operating Officer (COO), Starbucks, just to mention but a few. In the world of Finance, we have the likes of Abigail Johnson, CEO, Fidelity Investments; Ana Patricia Botín, Chair, Santander Group, Banco Santander (i.e., Spain’s largest bank); Adena Friedman, President-CEO, Nasdaq; Pollyanna Chu, Hong Kong’s most prominent woman entrepreneur, Co-Founder, Kingston Financial Group, just to mention but a few. As we can see, women are fast rising to the higher/highest echelons of leadership in many circles. Women are making strides—climbing corporate ladders one step at a time Furthermore, in the world of Technology, we have the likes of Sheryl Sandberg, COO, Facebook; Susan Wojcicki, CEO, YouTube; Ginni Rometty, executive Chairman, IBM; Safra Catz, CEO, Oracle; Ruth Porat, Chief Financial Officer (CFO), Alphabet (i.e., parent company of Google); Lucy Peng, Ant Financial Services, Alibaba Group; Amy Hood, CFO, Microsoft; Roshni Nadar Malhotra, CEO, HCL Technologies, just to mention but a few. In the world of Media/Entertainment, we have the likes of Oprah Winfrey, Entrepreneur, Personality, Philanthropist; Bonnie Hammer, Chair, Cable Entertainment Group, NBCUniversal, and Comcast; Stacey Snider, Chairman and CEO, Twenty-First Century Fox; Margarita Simonyan, Editor-In-Chief, Russian TV Network (i.e., RT); Dana Walden, Chair-CEO, Fox Television Group, Twenty-First Century Fox; Beyoncé Knowles, Musician; Arianna Huffington, was the co-founder and Editor-In-Chief of The Huffington Post, which is now owned by AOL (NB., She stepped down from her role at Huffington Post. She presently chairs her new startup project, Thrive Global, that is focused on health and wellness information). We have not even looked at successful women in Philanthropy/NGO, Automotive, Manufacturing, Energy, etc. The list goes on ad infinitum. From the examples above, we can see that women have had to stand up and prove they have as much right to lead nations and corporations as men. Women are not substandard or inferior—they are golden rubrics of charm, wit, and intellect in the leadership halls of fame. So, it is evident that women have fought and won the leadership battle over the centuries. It is pertinent then to look at how women lead and the difference between their leadership style and approach from that of their male counterparts. “The day will come when men will recognize woman as his peer, not only at the fireside, but in councils of the nation. Then, and not until then, will there be the perfect comradeship, the ideal union between the sexes that shall result in the highest development of the race.” — Susan B. Anthony Why Do Women Lead Differently? Women leaders make great team players Women can forgive the ignorance of those who wonder why women lead differently from the men. For one, the will to carry and nurture another human being for nine months requires special grace and strength. Women are receivers and nurturers of life. They receive life, conceive life, birth life, and nourish life. This remains an incredible banner of honor to womenfolk. During the process of conception, the woman develops a special bond with the child in the womb. From the biological purview, they nurture the child starting from the womb. After the woman gives birth to the child, she continues to nurture the child to adulthood, making sure that the child is provided for during the process of growth. In the past, a lot of people have looked at the fact that women may fulfill maternal roles in a negative light when it comes to leadership. In my opinion, this is not a position of weakness, despite the pervasive perception. It is a position of strength. Many times, women must wear many multi-functional hats as the nurturers of the home and as well as the wife, the mother, the career woman, the entrepreneur, etc. Their ability to multifunction in these various roles also adds a feather to their caps as remarkable women and the way that they approach leadership. On the other hand, most women are also governed to a considerable extent by emotions and sensations. There is a positive and negative viewpoint to these sensations. From the positive perspective, their emotional and sensational sides allow them to be more flexible, personable, and understanding. Women are known to have a higher level of emotional intelligence (EI) (i.e., they are more empathetic in nature—they psychologically identify with the feelings, thoughts, or attitudes of others). Understanding how people feel allows women to be able to direct the emotions of others towards aligning with the collective needs of the group. Having a high EI is a positive and beneficial leadership asset that allows women to climb quickly to distinguished positions in organizations. From the contrary viewpoint, their flexible, agreeable, and understanding nature could be misconstrued as weakness, were in the actual sense, it is not. Men and women are not the same. Biologically speaking, there is no way a woman is comparable to a man. Women don’t even think the same way as men. They are wired entirely differently. Beyond the biological influence on leadership, significant sources point to the brain factor as one of the differentiators. Researchers have discovered that the male and female brain operates in slightly different ways. This difference determines how each behave, and in the context of this article, how they lead as well. The brain has two hemispheres, which are the left and right. Research shows that men are more inclined to use the left side of the brain. They are usually more logical in their thinking process and how they handle issues. Women, on the other hand, generally adopt both hemispheres of the brain in their thinking process. The right region of the brain governs intuition more. Hence, they can draw from both hemispheres of the brain, which is advantageous when drawing conclusions. They can be both logical and intuitive at the same time. Most women tend to be more intuitive than men. They have that gut-feel-factor or sixth-sense factor in leadership. They might find it easier to see things and situations more clearly and on a grander scale than the men. Men, on the other hand, would want to act and make decisions based on facts and what they see at the moment and not on intuition. As leaders, women can see the bigger picture and perform based on what can potentially happen in the future, compared to men who would mostly be concerned about removing what’s currently in the way of success. This explains why heterogeneity in leadership is beneficial to the growth of organizations. How Do Women Lead Differently? First, women are transformational leaders. Women typically exhibit transformational leadership styles, compared to men who are more transactional in their approach to leadership. In transformational leadership, women attempt to transform the self-interest of their subordinates into the interest of the group.1 Women as leaders are more involved in activities rather than merely showing the way. Women are doers. They get involved and can be found helping subordinates to recognize their inner strength and the need for them to step up to the next level of their leadership growth. Women readily offer themselves up as role models, especially to those of the same gender who may feel intimidated by those of the opposite sex. The idea is to make everyone, both men and women, become better versions of themselves via the process of interactive leadership. Many organizations that are led by women also offer a more conducive work environment and sometimes, more remuneration for their employees. Work-Life balance is at the top of their priorities. So, how do women achieve this interactivity in organizations via this style of leadership? Women leaders have the capacity of becoming of superheroes Women achieve this process of transformation via interactive leadership. To elicit interaction, women make efforts to encourage participation and share power and information with their subordinates.1 Women in trying to evoke the intercommunication and inclusivity of others try to make them feel more part of the organization by creating a sociable, relaxed, and conversational atmosphere. In such ambiance, arising disparities are addressed, and cooperative, sustainable solutions are reached. The downside is that it can open doors to criticism and could easily be misconstrued as not having answers.1 Power and information sharing is a two-way traffic communication process flow. It creates a climate of trust between the leadership and the followers. This allows followers to become involved in the engineering of solutions to problems. Information sharing can just mean being candid about issues concerning work. The downside of power and information sharing is that it opens the portals of leadership vulnerability and being ultimately rejected or a sign of naivety.1 One of the upsides of sharing power and information and encouraging participation is that it makes others feel important. They also energize others by being enthusiastic. Their use of interactive leadership has deep roots in socialization, a skill that comes to them distinctly and akin to their nature. Second, women are more empathetic leaders than men. Women have the motherly genes, although some women with opposing ideologies may beg to differ. However, a large percentage of women lean towards nurturing and empathy more than men. Especially in an era of alpha males, one might find women to be more empathetic towards their followers. This feeling of compassion can be traceable, for instance, to the past and current realities that have surrounded women. Women have been subject to exclusion from a whole lot of things for many centuries, because of their gender. However, now that the spaces are starting to open for female inclusion in leadership positions, women can generally approach matters from a “what if it were me” perspective. They listen. Women behave this way because they understand what it means to be shut out and excluded from certain things. Women understand prejudice and the feeling of being judged even before they have had the chance of proving themselves. Women understand the reality of being considered a minority in the leadership macrocosm. By this, most women leaders connect more emotionally to their subordinates by trying to foster a sense of inclusivity within the team. In some cases, a female leader can be considered a glorified teammate because there is barely any difference between both parties in the way they relate to each other. Women show much empathy in leadership “Every girl and every woman has the potential to make this world a better place, and that potential lies in the act of thinking higher thoughts and feeling deeper things. When women and girls, everywhere, begin to see themselves as more than inanimate objects; but as beautiful beings capable of deep feelings and high thoughts, this has the capacity to create change all around. The kind of change that is for the better.” — C. JoyBell C. As indicated earlier, there are often debates as to who makes a better leader between men and women. Well, when we consider leadership styles, transformational styles, that embraces interactive leadership, tend to produce more advantageous results because of the inclusion that it offers subordinates and ultimately a harmonious work environment that ensues, all things being equal. However, it is worthy to note that there are also institutions that thrive better under a transactional leadership style. Are there any winners? Not necessarily. I would construe that the womenfolk and menfolk are both winners. The reason is being that the “best” leadership style is highly dependent on the organizational context that one finds himself or herself. However, we should have this at the back of our minds that the interactive leadership style is not solely synonymous to the womenfolk, there are also some men that operate under this leadership style. There are also women and men that merge transformational or interactive leadership with transactional, situational, charismatic, servant leadership, and other leadership styles. Hence, it will be erroneous to draw the conclusion that interactive leadership is solely “feminine.” There are women out there who have climbed the proverbial corporate ladder by adopting the command-and-control or transactional leadership model.1 Hence, the essence of this article is not to pour fuel into the competitive flames of who is a better leader, the man or the women, that is already raging in many circles. However, the core of the column is, first, to celebrate the strength of growing women leadership in many circles. Women leaders are rising in various cliques of human endeavor. Second, to celebrate the strength of womanhood and the methodology that that they bring to the leadership macrocosm. They are largely transformational leaders who exhibit a lot of empathy with a high Emotional Quotient (EQ) or EI. Third, it is also to instill a level of confidence in the up-and-coming generation of women to be confident in the leadership style that they exude. We must encourage our young girls by letting them know in their youth that they can attain greatness in leadership. Fourth, globalization is increasingly creating the need for a more sociable and participative work environment, and interactive leadership may be the wave of leadership in the future. Women can help forge the landscape of tomorrow’s leadership practice. Fifth, the article is a call to end the prejudice against women leadership and the stereotyping that often excludes them from leadership. It is a call to break the proverbial “glass ceiling” that bars women from rising to executive level roles in organizations. It is a clarion call for a more diverse workforce. That change has come, that change is now. Finally, it is the attempt to expand the definition of effective and sustainable leadership. So, as we celebrate men in positions of leadership, let us also celebrate womenfolk in various leadership roles as we understand how women lead. Up Next 10 Notable Female Leaders Don't Miss Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze is an entrepreneur and the Founder, CEO, Editor-In-Chief of Oaekpost, LLC, a U.S.-based online media company and the parent organization of www.oaekpost.com. He is a multi-niche writer with a wide range of interests in various genres. Agom-Eze is based in the Greater Seattle Area, Washington, and can be reached at ogb@oaekpost.com. You may like 11 Ways on How to Make an Effective Decision 10 Reasons Why Decisiveness is a Core Leadership Trait Click to comment 0 0 votes Article Rating Connect with When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. new follow-up comments new replies to my comments Label {} Connect with When you login first time using a Social Login button, we collect your account public profile information shared by Social Login provider, based on your privacy settings. We also get your email address to automatically create an account for you in our website. Once your account is created, you'll be logged-in to this account. Label {} View all comments Leadership Do you wish to learn what it takes to influence or inspire great followership as a dynamic leader? Do you want to understand why we believe inspiration is a core leadership trait? Well, look no further. Join us in discovering these reasons and become an inspirational leader today! Please, read all about it! Published on December 22, 2021 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief Effective leaders express various potentials (i.e., traits or attributes) that distinguish their leadership qualities as exceptional. Traits are distinguishing characteristics or qualities, which may be unique to one’s personal nature. In the leadership macrocosm, there are various theories of leadership (e.g., Contingency, Relationship, Situational, Behavioral, Participative, Management, “Great Man,” Trait, etc.). According to the Verywellmind, the Trait Theories of Leadership assumes that “people inherit certain qualities and traits that make them better suited to leadership.” The Verywellmind espouses the Trait Theory of Leadership spawns from the “great man” theory of leadership that was first proposed by Thomas Carlyle in the mid-1800s. “Inspiration is the greatest gift because it opens your life to many new possibilities. Each day becomes more meaningful, and your life is enhanced when your actions are guided by what inspires you.” — Bernie Siegel. Without delving too much into the origins of various theories, so far, in this leadership discourse on Oaekpost, we are establishing that there are core leadership traits (CLTs) that we see in leaders in various industries. So far, we have looked extensively at the following CLTs in leadership—decisiveness, empathy, and optimism. We dove in extensively to explore each of these traits, establishing various reasons why they are CLTs. In the spirit of this leadership discourse, we are moving forward to study inspiration as a core leadership trait. Leaders Inspire themselves and their teams. Inspiration is defined as being mentally stimulated to do or feel something, especially when creative. While various elements distinguish leaders, inspiration also sits confidently as a core leadership trait, among other characteristics that determine excellent leaders: honesty, integrity, commitment, passion, decision-making capabilities, accountability, and empowerment. The facts that we will expound on in this piece prove that inspiration is a CLT. Hence, in this article, we will be looking at fifteen salient reasons why inspiration is a core leadership trait and why it cannot be substituted, unlike every other attribute. The concept of leadership is all about making a positive effect (i.e., impact) the results in a shift towards good positives (i.e., influence) via animated action (i.e., inspiration). Making maximum impact involves hard and intelligent work that yields results. To attain full results comes from excitement in the work you and your team are doing. Getting your teammates to operate at this level as a leader requires getting them excited (i.e., inspiration). Inspiration is akin to an aquifer that springs from the depths of the soul from within yourself. It requires you to tap into the subterranean wells of positivity deep within your subconscious. Inspiration is the spark that leads the group. Creative leadership is a process that has three constituent parts. The first is an electric inspiration. It is an energy that keeps pulling you up when you feel the weight of the world on your shoulders like Atlas. The second is execution, and it goes hand-in-hand with inspiration. Inspiration without hard work can never get the job done. Finally, the third is the release, the product of the invested effort. For leaders to attain the heights of effectiveness and achievement, inspiration and action are vital. Inspiration is the spark that leads the pack/group. Let us now investigate the fifteen (15) reasons why inspiration is a core leadership trait. Let’s go: Inspiration as a leadership trait in leaders radiates positivity. Inspiration allows discerning leaders to always find the bright side to issues of different nature. Leaders who understand the essence of inspiration understand that gloom and doom only accomplish nothing. Because of this, they find themselves hopeful in all situations, challenges, and adversities. Effective and efficient leaders stay positive by not losing out in the face of unexpected challenges, as doing otherwise communicates a wrong message to their followers. Inspiration as a leadership trait in leaders radiates positivity. While a leader may be very passionate about what he does, inspiration would see them weather storms seamlessly. To be quite honest, a little praise and thank you here and there for a job well done never hurts. In almost all situations, inspirational leaders are found to be grateful. Gratitude is their attitude. They take praises when they should and, in turn, share it with others when they are duty-bound to do so. Leaders like this understand that nothing weakens the commitment and dedication of a team as much as the thought that their efforts go unnoticed. In the business space, leaders who fail at appreciating their employees are always at risk of high turnover, lower output, and decreased commitment, which would only help the business retrograde into nothing. Maybe this is why inspired leaders hand their followers’ some small gesture of gratitude when it’s most appropriate. To be quite honest, a little praise and thank you here and there for a job well done never hurts. Leaders like President His Highness, Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE), turn arid lands into futuristic cities. (NB. Image is not the UAE, but it could be in the future). Inspiration sees. Many leaders steer positions of leadership with enviable farsightedness and vision. Great leaders are known for their strength in articulating vision clearly that people don’t have any reason to fear or have doubts in their minds. The “I Have a Dream” Speech of Martin Luther King Jr. seems to be an obvious example. Inspired leaders are always convinced about their future and express it through words, actions, and beliefs. Consider inspirational political leaders that are forthright in their disposition; these individuals precisely know the goals they want to achieve for their followers. These passionate leaders go the extra mile to achieve a proposed vision for their people and themselves. For instance, President His Highness Sheikh Zayed bin Sultan Al Nahyan of the United Arab Emirates (UAE) is undoubtedly a sage and visionary leader. According to the Gulf News, Sheikh Zayed, “in the 265-page book, Zayed a Nation in One Man, is written in English and Arabic, made history by turning an arid and hostile desert into a green and hospitable environment. In addition to his ability to use the country’s resources to bring about enduring prosperity to his people.” His leadership is nothing but visionary. Many countries could emulate his example in accomplishing visionary feats. Organizations lacking visionary leadership will eventually collapse. “…brilliant inspirational leaders practice an open-door policy, which allows their team members to opine when they want to.” Inspirational leaders are always good speakers, mainly because they can communicate their ideas brilliantly. However, that doesn’t stop them from listening. They are often the best listeners. They understand the difference between hearing and listening. While the former presents someone who isn’t interested in what others are saying, the latter depicts someone who wants to respond appropriately to others’ commentaries. Listening to others is also one of the most significant signs of respect. Hearing people and pretending to listen to them, in other words ignoring them, is abhorrently disrespectful. In the business space, brilliant inspirational leaders practice an open-door policy, which allows their team members to opine when they want to. Thus, they see them contribute their ideas to achieving organizational objectives. Inspirational leaders listen to their followers and cull information to transform their organizations. No individual is a no it all. These passionate leaders are attentive listeners, and this positions them as accessible. The art of listening to them is an information harvesting farm that allows them to lead with charismatic and transformational effectiveness. Inspirational leaders are excellent communicators. It is tough to find an inspired leader who isn’t a good communicator. If there is; then, the percentage would be pretty insignificant. The fact is that the inability to channel inspiration into proper communication routes only births nothing. A leader who is incapable of communicating effectively has stopped his own progress. Inspiring leaders understand they have to take the right amount of time to share their thoughts and ideas if there would be growth. The lack of communication can lead to misunderstood messages, hurt feelings, and incorrectly completed projects or assignments, which is not beneficial. Trust is the crucial link in the success of every organization. One exciting aspect of inspiration is that leaders who inspire are almost always trustworthy (i.e., dependable, or reliable). Leaders who don’t motivate their employees, followers, and partners to always look up to them and tell the truth are doing something wrong. They need to go to the drawing board and begin instilling this vital quality in them. Trust is the crucial link in the success of every organization. When employees and followers respect and admire the leadership they receive, inspiration can follow. Trustworthy leaders are the ones who challenge decisions and actions head-on. They often have a strong bias for action, and other leaders and followers always look up to them for guidance. “Passion is the push that propels passionate leaders to inspire their followers. They must light the fire within themselves and unleash the flames on their followers.” Passion has been known to be one of the most pleasing drivers of inspiration. In the same way, having enthusiasm for a subject or course is totally personal. The excitement that an inspirational leader exudes is also subjective. Passion is the push that propels passionate leaders to inspire their followers. They must light the fire within themselves and unleash the flames on their followers. If a leader cannot explain why he does what he does, his says, his actions, and what drives his decisions, he isn’t fit to be a leader, not to talk of being an inspirational leader. Inspirational leaders keep their dreams, goals, and vision at the forefront of their minds while ensuring their followers aren’t just following but convinced of why they are following. It takes the courage for a “pawn” to step out to fight a “King” and his elite forces. Aristotle rightly posited that courage is the first among other virtues that make others possible. Inspirational leaders are almost always bold. In nearly all cases, people are careful in selecting who they follow. They need to be sure their leader is courageous (i.e., bold, brave, fearless, unafraid, daring, spirited, or gutsy). More often than not, stalwart characteristics and inclinations get others going when the going gets tough. The courageous disposition of the inspirational leader is encapsulated in the famous saying, “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” A phrase often attributed to both John F. Kennedy’s father and the American Coach K. Rockne. It was also popularized by Billy Ocean’s homonymous song. “When the going gets tough, the tough get going.” No one is perfect, even the inspirational leader. However, it takes extraordinary courage for an individual that others see as gutsy to accept the weakness that a mistake portrays. However, courage nudge a leader to fess up to his fault when he finds one. They do not start trading blame with their followers or fellow leaders. Embracing that one is wrong may seem like a weakness of its own. As a matter of fact, accepting that one is amiss in an issue is an extraordinary strength on its own. Leonidas was indeed a special breed of inspirational leader with fiery courage! In the Battle of Thermopylae (480 BCE) during the Persian Wars, it took courage for the Spartan, Leonidas, and his three hundred Greek soldiers to resist the Persian King Xerxes I and his horde of soldiers at the mountain pass of Thermopylae. They fought the advance but failed. They fought to the death! However, this is definitely a lesson on inspirational courage. Whether they lost or won, they inspire us to stay courageous no matter the might of strength of the resistance. Inspirational leaders are risk-averse. Meaning that these leaders courageously take calculated risks. It highlights the leader’s strength of having a strong bias for action. We must note that being risk-averse does not mean that the outcomes of such decisions are always positive. Some may turn out positive or negative. When the former happens, it is a feather of tacit knowledge experience that goes to the cap of this leader. However, when the latter happens, an inspirational leader gets back to the drawing table to work something new out with his team. Inspirational leaders live by the position of this phrase. Lifting others flows through their veins. According to John Maxwell, a good leader takes a little more than his own share of the blame and a little less share of credits. Inspiration does a lot in helping leaders understand this very fact. An inspired leader understands that he needs to celebrate his employee’s or follower’s success as much as he celebrates his, which clearly explains generosity—the inspirational leader gives liberally, many times more than they receive. They are not selfish. They live out the phrase, “We rise by lifting others.” It’s also common among these leaders to inspire their followers to do their very best—not for personal gains, but to show care, love, and affection for individuals. For inspirational leaders, their true north is humility. It is in the habit of inspired leaders to be humble. C. S. Lewis feels humility is not about thinking less of oneself but in the thinking of bringing oneself down. Inspired leaders don’t allow authority and power to get into their heads, and it doesn’t stand in their way when they make decisions. Humility is the key to success for inspirational leaders. Humility is the compass that prevents them from losing their ways in the macrocosm of leadership. It keeps them grounded and curbs their enthusiasm for overindulgence in the fruits of success. Humility is the barrier that halts arrogance and any self-indulging trap in inspirational leaders. In the business world, it’s common to find this type of people jumping on the odd jobs, or better still, joining their employees at work. They don’t mind working shoulder-to-shoulder with their followers. They never look down on their followers with an air that they are better than those that follow them. They are never full of themselves. For inspirational leaders, humility is the catalyst that keeps them surging forward. It’s always challenging for them to ask what they can’t do from those they employ. If they send their followers to the trenches, be sure that they will not hesitate to jump into those trenches themselves if push comes to shove. For inspirational leaders, their true north is humility. Inspirational leaders are authentic (i.e., genuine, or real). Their authenticity is the magnetic draw that keeps their followers following. Inspiring leaders are authentic in their words, actions, dealings, doing, and undoing. Hubert Humphrey opines that leaders are who they are, and they speak from their guts and heart. Inspired leaders are always honest in their dealings, which they preach to their followers directly or indirectly. Inspirational leaders are authentic (i.e., genuine, or real). Their authenticity is the magnetic draw that keeps their followers following. They don’t send their followers looking to understand their ways on a wild goose chase. That is a share waste of time. Why waste valuable time unraveling the mystery of why their leader isn’t coming out straight to them? Such would quickly erode their confidence and trust in their leader and job. However, it’s important to note that they are not always perfect but earn respect by standing by their talk—they talk the talk and walk the walk. “I feel every leader should be approachable. As a result, I have cleared my desk for you. Speak, I am all ears.” Is this you? Inspiration help leaders figure out that they should be approachable to ensure their employee and followers’ growth, development, and progress. Also, they are always open to challenges, criticism, and viewpoints different from theirs. Inspirational leaders understand that restrictive workplaces or organizations (i.e., environments where people don’t speak up, offer insight, and ask questions) will stifle progress. Such places often never experience sustainable development and growth, as everyone keeps bottling up their negative notions, where they should be speaking out. Convinced leaders create an atmosphere that relaxes everyone while ensuring the free flow of ideas and thoughts. Their approachability fosters a learning environment culture. “Inspirational leaders are accountable for their actions.” Michael Armstrong explains the connection between inspiration and accountability with a brilliant illustration. He said in Ancient Rome, there was a common tradition with engineers who constructed arches. Whenever they were done creating one, as they hoist the capstone, the engineer who worked on the arch essentially assumed responsibility for it. He does so by standing under the arch. The action shows he is accountable for the stability of the outcome of his structure. It inspires his workers and everyone else on the stable quality of his work. Inspirational leaders are accountable for their actions. Such accountability shows their transparency and sincerity and drives up their credibility with their followers. Such leaders tend to always have the back of their followers. They don’t throw blame and shield themselves from accountability when the situation calls for it. Inspirational leaders know that they are not above the law. They take responsibility for their action, which draws respect from their followers. One line is standard with this kind of leadership; they are almost always never afraid to say the buck stops at their desk. “Leaders with a sense of intent help materialize the dream—via purpose, they lead the way while others follow.” Leaders with a sense of purpose don’t lead by pointing and telling people the direction. They show their followers by heading to the place and making the case. These are the words of the late Ken Kesey, the American novelist, essayist, and countercultural figure. Inspired leaders understand the difference between a sense of purpose and vision. At the same time, the former involves understanding why you are heading for where you are going. The latter explains the clear idea of where you are going. It’s common knowledge that people are always happy to be a part of something bigger than themselves. Leaders with a sense of intent help materialize the dream—via purpose, they lead the way while others follow. Considering all the factors above, inspirational leader knows that they don’t just all work out at once. A Big Bang Theory does not happen and causes the manifestation of all these qualities in a whoosh! They understand that they get perfect gradually, adopting the ‘slow and steady wins the race’ mantra. They are adept believers in the stick-to-it-iveness philosophy. No matter the obstacles they face in the way, they persevere. They lean on the staying power of will as they cultivate and grow all the reasons we have mentioned here and beyond. Inspirational leaders have grit, are diligent, have stamina, with a firmness of purpose to achieve. Their cups are always overflowing with Sitzfleisch, and their followers benefit from this flow. If you must become an inspirational leader, too, then it’s okay if you act on these qualities one after the other. Start by embracing and working on all the traits we have mentioned above. The attributes are—positivity, gratitude, vision, the art of listening, practical communication skills, becoming trustworthy, passion, courage, generosity, humility, authenticity, approachability, accountability, purpose, and a stick-to-it-iveness or persistent mentality. The more instinctive you get, the better you internalize the features. “If you believe in yourself and have dedication and pride – and never quit, you’ll be a winner. The price of victory is high, but so are the rewards.” — Bear Bryant. I’m sure you have learned a lot about what it looks like to be an inspirational leader. Are there some reasons you feel should have been on this list? Do you have testimonials or stories of inspirational leadership in action? Please, be sure to comment and let us know. While I’m sure you would improve yourself, note that if you work on stuff you like and are passionate about, you don’t need a master plan. Everything would find its way of falling place. Wishing you every success as you embark on your journey on becoming an inspirational leader! Leadership Optimism is a positive mental state that propels us to become. It is simply expecting the best possible outcome from any situation. You cannot be a leader and not hone the trait of optimism. In this encephalic long-form piece, we explore fifteen reasons why optimism is a core leadership trait. Please, buckle up for the journey and do read all about it. Published on July 23, 2021 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief Optimism is a mental attitude reflecting a solid belief or hope that the outcome of a particular endeavor will be positive and desirable. It is simply expecting the best possible outcome from any situation. An optimistic person attributes internal, stable, and global explanations to good things. A misanthropic person is not someone anyone wants to be around—someone who has darkness always hanging over them. If such a person is a leader, no one would want to follow them. Optimists make history. Optimists make the resounding difference. In the same light, followers will follow leaders who make history and a difference that shakes the very foundations of mediocrity. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every opportunity.” — Winston Churchill. On the other hand, leadership is the simple method of motivating people mentally and physically to achieve a common goal. Influential leaders must possess certain qualities or traits and skills that can provide direction for their followers. These qualities or attributes include honesty and integrity, good communication, creativity and innovation, passion and commitment, optimism, and confidence. Various leadership styles exist, such as autocratic leadership, laissez-faire leadership, democratic leaders, situational leadership, transformational leadership, etc. An optimist always aims to paint a new and bright day. No matter what type of leadership style a leader deploys, if they lack an optimistic outlook, it defeats the whole purpose of what they are looking to achieve with their followers. How many soldiers would follow a cynical general into battle? If such a general does not inspire confidence in his troops, he is straight out of luck as he will fall in action as the enemy will claim a victory. How many of you in organizations want to follow an opposing leader? That negativity spreads like metastasizing cancer that wreaks havoc on the body politic of the organization. After all, said and done, optimism (i.e., a disposition or tendency to look on the more favorable side of events or conditions and to expect the most favorable outcome) always aims to paint a new and bright day! A. Why Should a Leader Be Optimistic? Leadership is quite an arduous task and, as such, is not for the faint-hearted. It is a lot of work to be a leader. As a leader, you manage a sleuth of things—emotions, beliefs, varying commitment levels, and buy-ins, performance, conflict, customer satisfaction, to mention but a few. If a leader does not have the true grit or capacity to perform, there is a problem. The dilemma becomes more complicated when a leader does not see the bright side of things. It is harder to lead from a bleak belief when trying to manage a broad spectrum of objectives. “Pessimism is an investment in nothing; optimism is an investment in hope.” — Author Unknown. There will be times where circumstances don’t go well as planned, and the leader faces the dilemma of motivating his followers to action or proffering solutions to the identified problem. In the face of troubling circumstances, leaders must stand twice as tall. In situations that make people panic, should the leader buckle under the weight and burden of the problem? Doing so will scatter those already looking up to him as a vector to give them some direction. This very purpose makes optimism a core leadership trait that everyone at the helms of the affair must cultivate. Optimism is the super telescope that sees through the dark clouds of pessimism. Optimism is the super telescope that sees through the dark clouds of pessimism (i.e., the tendency to see, anticipate, or emphasize only bad or undesirable outcomes, results, conditions, problems, etc.). An optimistic leader sees the opportunity in every difficulty. That ability to see is the reason why a leader must become an optimist. The optimist must be able to keep their eyes on the prize. By so doing, they can guide others who don’t see the big picture. “Pessimism is an investment in nothing; optimism is an investment in hope.” — Author Unknown. Optimists are usually more successful than their pessimists’ counterparts because they see opportunities in every problem and instill courage in their followers rather than give up. Rather than seeing obstacles, they see opportunities. Instead of seeing the pains in a catastrophic situation, they see a pain point needing a solution. Optimists attempt to turn every problem to their advantage to create chances that everyone can benefit from at the end of the day. Optimism is the oasis in the desert of negativity, non-progress, and pessimism. Leaders must be optimistic in other to make full proof of the benefits of optimism. Leaders must embrace optimism as a trait that helps them carry the weight of responsibilities that come with the territory of being at the helm of affairs. Optimism is the oasis in the desert of negativity, non-progress, and pessimism. Hence, optimistic leaders are the metaphorical aquifers of institutions and organizations that keep all things green and productive. Accordingly, we can pellucidly say that optimism is a core leadership trait that all leaders need to their quiver full of features. “A pessimist sees the difficulty in every opportunity; an optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill. The vital essence of leadership is to move forward. A leader should courageously lead his followers across obstacles and circumstances to a place of victorious progress. The fact we stipulate here ties into what Nicholas M. Butler, the American philosopher, diplomat, and educator, said that “Optimism is essential for achievement, and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” A successful leader must then stand on the core pedestal trait of optimism to forge forward with their followers. “I believe any success in life is made by going into an area with a blind, furious optimism.” — Sylvester Stallone. Optimism is a core leadership trait that leaders must imbibe because you cannot achieve anything of significance sans hope and confidence. The spirit of hope and faith is at the very nucleus of optimism. Building monuments for optimism is a norm. You don’t see institutions or organizations erecting monuments to the pessimist. Optimism is like the sun. It is a radiant source of light and power that dispels that dark shrouds of negativity. The leader that is an optimist is the harbinger of a can-do spirit and mentality. So, why is optimism a core leadership trait? Let us look at several reasons why it is so. Let’s go: #1. Optimists are Innovative Optimistic leaders are innovative and think outside the box. Innovation is one of the greatest keys to the growth of any company. It is what distinguishes between a leader and a follower. Optimists don’t get too comfortable with the status quo. Their can-do disposition is what sets them apart. When others hesitate, they advance on the new ideas that create new opportunities and profits. They constantly come up with new concepts, new business plans, and strategies, bringing about innovation. Because of this, they are always open to thinking outside the box. “Optimism is essential to achievement, and it is also the foundation of courage and true progress.” — Nicholas M. Butler. Leaders who embrace optimism as a core leadership trait are always open to a new mindset, leading to new results. Because mindset is everything, a confident and positive one propels creativity, which is intelligence having fun. A new mindset is at the core of innovation. A new mindset thinks outside the box, which ushers one to discoveries. Old ways won’t open new doors, and optimism paves the part to creativity for those leaders that possess it. #2. Optimists are Future Orientated Thinkers Leaders that are optimists look at the possibility of the great things that could happen in the future. According to psychologists, optimists are less susceptible to the psychological phenomenon known as the “Recency Effect.” The terminology means that the most recent experiences we go through are the ones that we are most likely to remember. We assume that these experiences will continue in the future. Carmine Gallo, a Senior Contributor at Forbes, establishes in “5 Reasons Why Optimists Make Better Leaders” that “Optimists see the big picture.” They are often immune to the recency effect, and they do so by seeing a more panoramic view of a situation rather than being narrow-minded in their perception. Pessimistic leaders can’t see a clear path ahead. They only see doom and gloom. Hence, optimism as a core leadership trait will battle the recency effect. “The pessimist sees difficulty in every opportunity. The optimist sees the opportunity in every difficulty.” — Winston Churchill. For example, if a person keeps applying for a job and keeps getting turned down, there is a tendency that such as person will discontinue seeking jobs or going for interviews. They might be on the lookout for other means of employment (e.g., self-employment) rather than wallow in self-pity. An optimist is a big picture thinker and has a positive view of the future. They would not be looking at what is happening right now or what happened in the past. Leaders that are optimists look at the possibility of the great things that could happen in the future. They glue their eyes to what is ahead of them. The lookback momentarily via the rearview window to the past. They learn from the past, educate themselves in the present, and aspire to a greater tomorrow in the future. #3. Optimists Go for Gold Optimists go for gold—they seek the best to win the prize. Another reason why optimism is a core leadership trait is that optimists go for gold. They get to work on their strengths or talents instead of concentrating on their weaknesses. Optimists focus on what they do. They also focus on what they can learn to do well—call it their opportunity if you like. They focus on what they excel at, which gives them a competitive advantage over others. Optimists don’t concentrate on anything they aren’t. Instead, they highlight the areas of their strength. Leverage their opportunities. Improve on their weak spots, and watch out to eschew anything that is a threat. “I am a stubborn optimist: I was born an optimist and will remain an optimist.” — Kofi Annan. Optimists go for gold—they seek the best to win the prize. Based on the facts in the preceding paragraph, a great book that all my readers need to get and add to their book collection is Unearthing Your Latent Potentials: Discovering the Gems of your Subliminal-Self. Call it an optimists manual. I wrote this book to help all my readers to discover their strengths, leverage their opportunities, work on their weaknesses, and eliminate all threats. The Prairies Book Review wrote a great piece on it, recommending it to everyone in their statement, “Urgent and actionable, this passionate manifesto about the unlimited possibilities dormant inside all of us will be a welcome addition to any reader’s bookshelf.” Do yourself a favor, grab a copy and go for gold as an optimist. Optimism is a core leadership trait because it allows you to sieve out negativity—that is, negative-minded fellows or pessimists out of your life. Optimists try all they can to avoid negatively adverse environments, people, and circumstances. Once an optimist knows a person to be a faultfinder or a chronic skeptic, who put in effort doing their very best to corrupt your mindset and thinking, optimists do their best to keep their distance. Doing this helps to keep only the most hardworking and positive-minded individual as part of the team and the negative Nancy at bay. “People deal too much with the negative, with what is wrong. Why not try and see positive things, to just touch those things and make them bloom?” — Thich Nhat Hanh. Optimists are responsible for keeping themselves, and their followers shielded from harmful or toxic pessimism. In the words of Michael Jordan, we should “Always turn a negative situation into a positive one.” Optimism as a core leadership trait cancels out the negative while bolstering the positive. A negative mindset is like deadly metastasizing cancer that you must eliminate, all things being equal. Inculcating optimism as a leadership trait helps leaders build a shield that protects them from negative influences, and they flourish in turn. The root of success rests in the terra firma of the mind. Optimistic people always focus on the positive aspects of a situation. Their view of life is different from that of a pessimist—they have a winner’s philosophy. An Unknown Author once said that “As you travel through life, whatever be your goal, keep your eye upon the doughnut, and not the hole.” What does this mean? Optimists focus on the substance of the matter—the focus is on what adds paramount value. They don’t focus on the void and things of negative value. A success mindset is the terra firma of value. “Strive not to be a success, but rather to be of value.” — Albert Einstein. Hence, optimism as a leadership trait allows optimists to focus on what matters. Leaders as optimists have hope and believe in a better future. They focus on opportunities instead of obstacles. They understand what motivates and inspires them to live a successful and fulfilled life. Success to them happens first in the mind before it translates to physical reality. Negativity and fear do not belong in their world, and they see them as inhibitors to their success in life. They transform the obstacles of negativity become stepping stones to greater heights. #6. Optimists are Problem Solvers Optimistic leaders are great problem solvers. Optimists try to identify what they can change and take action, controlling what they can handle in the face of challenges, failures, and adversity. Pessimists cower at problems, while leaders that lean towards optimism take the horns of the raging bulls of difficulties that they face. Rather than seek an excuse to deflect a problem, optimistic leaders move towards the situation, looking for solutions in the process. Hence, they have a strong bias for action. “Pessimists are toxic. I love optimists—and by that, I don’t mean people who are unable to see challenges. Optimists are solution-oriented.” Ivanka Trump. Optimistic leaders also try to look for ways to control situations that are almost beyond their control. Why? Because they believe that no problem is uncontrollable. They are constant solution seekers. Optimism is a core leadership trait because it allows leaders to troubleshoot circumstances that they encounter. They are solution harbingers that You can accomplish great things if you decide to control the things you do have power over. Optimists are constant solution seekers. An optimist seeks to improve situations. They never want to leave a position as they found it, especially if it is contrary to the norms of efficiency and logical productivity. Instead of only analyzing the issues surrounding a problem, they always find solutions. Optimist leaders use a solution-based approach to inspire creativity and innovation. #7. Optimists Lead from Within Optimists lead from within—from a place of zen. Achievement requires optimism and actual progress, and you build exceptional leadership on the foundation of optimism. Optimistic leaders must “lead from within.” The phrase “leading from within” means leading with a cool, calm, and collected disposition. Optimism as a leadership trait allows leaders to lead from a position of tranquility—when everything is in a state of Brownian Motion or chaos; they remain level-headed while exercising a strong bias for action because they believe in the possibility of a positive resolution. “I don’t go by the rule book… I lead from the heart, not the head.” — Princess Diana. Leading from within as a factor of optimism as a leadership trait allows the leader to act rationally and not from a reactive standpoint. When tempers are flaring, and others are anxious, such a leader with this attribute is the calm that placates these emotions. Such a leader is the voice of reason that inputs logic and understanding in the chaotic situation to tranquility. Leading from within allows optimistic leaders to make decisions from facts, not from erratic feelings. Facts have no feelings. Optimistic leaders who lead from within don’t make decisions from a position of bias. Optimistic leaders who lead from within nudge them to make decisions standing on a neutral, unbiased pedestal. Confident and positively inclined leaders don’t take sides. They listen to all the relevant parties to gain knowledge and understanding about the matter from a neutral position and decide based on facts about the issue. They make their subjective suggestions after comparing parties’ positions to the absolute objective truth about the matter. When optimistic leaders champion causes from within, they do so from understanding and not from a position of ignorance. They understand the status quo of controlling narratives. Doing so allows them to forge forward with their new and current narratives to move the pack forward. Optimistic leaders who lead from within have a great depth of self-knowledge—they know who they are, what they believe in, their knowledge, or general-purpose. Effective communication is critical to outstanding optimistic leadership. Optimism as a core leadership trait is heavily dependent on the art of effective communication. You can have the best ideas globally; however, having those ideas is futile if you can’t communicate well. Optimistic leaders are intentional and positive in their communication. The keyword and adjective here that qualifies communication is positive, emphasizing what is laudable, hopeful, and of good intention. Pessimistic leaders can be deliberate; however, they often lean towards negative communication that dampens motivation and throws the wrench of skepticism into the wheel of their dialogue. “As a leader, you must consistently drive effective communication. Meetings must be deliberate and intentional—your organizational rhythm should value purpose over habit and effectiveness over efficiency.” — Chris Fussell. Optimistic leaders build camaraderie and community via effective communication. In the words of Brian Tracy, the Canadian-American motivational public speaker and self-development author, “Communication is a skill that you can learn. It’s like riding a bicycle or typing. If you’re willing to work at it, you can rapidly improve the quality of every part of your life.” Hence, optimistic leaders must embrace the art of effective communication in other to communicate their positive thoughts intentionally with meaning. The PsychCentral title, “Five Easy Steps to Better Communication,” is a great place to begin learning the art of effective communication. Effective communication is the core of outstanding optimistic leadership. Optimistic leaders can transfer their energy and motivation to people via effective communication. It also helps them create and keep long-term relationships. They use this tool to unearth the wrong notions that spawn from pessimism. Optimists are comfortable communicating and sharing their desires for a better future or better solutions. They choose to speak ab imo pectore while using data and facts to fortify the foundations of their said meaning. #9. Optimists are Business Starters Optimists make great entrepreneurs! An optimist sees opportunity where others see a closed door, pain point, or difficulty. Others see these variations as obstacles or impossible insurmountable boulders. In contrast, optimistic leaders see these as possibilities for something big. You can’t tell me that the likes of Jeff Bezos, Bernard Arnault, Elon Musk, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, Richard Branson, etc., are not optimists? These fellows and more not mentioned visualize the possibility of things becoming where others dare even to walk or dream. Their business empires are dominating the world today and creating business economies for the society at large. “Starting a business is not for everyone. Starting a business—I’d say number one is — have a high pain threshold.” — Elon Musk. Optimism as a core leadership trait is a hallmark attribute that helps mold the mind of business starters or entrepreneurs. For instance, when the economy is down, and unemployment data is rising, the pessimist uses those factors as excuses to stay still. The optimist refuses to let these macro-economic trends limit their imaginations. For instance, the CBS News report by Aimee Picchi establishes that “Billionaires got 54% richer during the pandemic.” It is their wits and optimism at work. “Where others are afraid to take a step, optimists take a leap of faith in starting new business ventures.” — Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze. Nothing will dissuade them from creatively sustaining their businesses in tough times. Optimistic leaders are the maestros at leveraging pain points. Nothing prevents them from starting businesses that ultimately put people to work. Where others see obstacles, they see stepping stones. Where others see the speckled night skies, they see an opportunity for exploring a new frontier. That is the power of optimism as a core leadership trait—leaders who possess this trait move on to become great business influencers and entrepreneurs. Where others are afraid to take a step, optimists take a leap of faith in starting new business ventures. #10. Optimist Behaviors are Infectious Sound energy is infectious. Become a carrier and spread it. Being rationally optimistic can be contagious. Outstanding positive leaders carry their followers along by displaying positive behaviors that become a significant catalyst of influence. As mentioned above, via good communication, promising leaders can communicate their intentions and mannerisms effectively that their impact and draw becomes organic. People naturally flow towards them. That is the draw that we see with great motivational speakers and personalities. “A healthy attitude is contagious but don’t wait to catch it from others. Be a carrier.” — Tom Stoppard. Optimists know that their behaviors and outlook will impact everyone around them, especially their followers. So, they try always to maintain a positive outlook. In the face of unfavorable circumstances, they remain optimistic. This positive outlook will, in turn, have a positive effect on the people around him. Promising leaders invest a lot in developing a healthy attitude, which can be pretty contagious. Sound energy is infectious. #11. Optimists are Not Risk-Averse Optimistic leaders try new things. They are not risk-averse. Optimistic leaders are not risk-averse (i.e., the reluctance to take risks or tending to avoid risks as much as possible). An optimist is a risk-taker and is comfortable making tough decisions when it comes to it. We have seen the connection between optimism and entrepreneurship—optimistic leaders take risks to start business ventures and become entrepreneurs. Pessimists are risk-averse. Because of their skeptical viewpoint on issues, they often lean towards avoiding risks as much as possible. Great ventures are a function of risks. How will you know if you can or cannot do something if you don’t even try? From what Mark Zuckerberg said below, we can technically say that ‘failing to take risks is planning to fail.’ “The biggest risk is not taking any risk… In a world that is changing really quickly, the only strategy that is guaranteed to fail is not taking risks.” — Mark Zuckerberg. Optimistic leaders accept the reality of failure and the possibility of making mistakes. Although promising leaders focus on productivity, excellence, and efficiency, errors are bound to happen. We are not at all perfect; we stumble at times. However, it should be a learning process in the journey of becoming our best selves ever. Optimistic leaders view failure or mistakes as an educational opportunity and a path towards progress. They see failure and setbacks as a part of life, as a part of the necessary process of becoming. So, optimistic leaders encourage their teams to learn from the situation quickly and move forward. The goal is not to make the mistakes a repetitive process. When the mistakes become redundant, then these leaders dig deeper to ascertain the root causation of the problem and the reasons for the failures to learn. Optimistic leaders are not afraid to take risks. If you are afraid to take risks, then you are well out of luck. Hence, optimistic leaders don’t come barreling down always at their followers at the first instance of a mistake. That will send a shockwave of fear down the rank and file, making the organization risk-averse. Optimism as a core leadership trait is the root for creating a learning organization (LO) (i.e., an organization that continuously learns through its members individually and collectively to make a sustainable competitive advantage by effectively managing internally and externally generated change).6 Optimistic leadership plays a role in fostering the warm ambiance that bolsters the characteristics of a LO. Such LO characteristics are cultural values, leadership commitment and empowerment, communication, knowledge transfer, employee characteristics, and performance upgrading.6 We make the following reflexive deductions from the study of Yuraporn Sudharatna and Laubie Li that: Optimistic leaders foster a culture that continuously learns. A culture that supports its partners to try new things, whether success or failure, is the outcome. Hence, partners here are not risk-averse, encouraging an ambiance of sharing without retribution, promoting an enhanced sense of psychological safety. Optimistic leadership achieves non-risk-aversion via commitment and empowerment via the funnels of vacillating communication channels that give and receive. All this promotes the osmosis and diffusion of knowledge among employees and leadership alike. Optimistic leadership tracks all this to foster performance and efficiency. #12. Optimists are Adaptable Optimism is a core leadership trait because it makes leaders more adaptable (i.e., adjusting oneself readily to different conditions). Optimistic leaders are quick to respond and adapt to the situation at hand. Courageous leadership fosters an atmosphere of innovation and creativity in organizations, where people are not afraid to challenge the status quo and out-of-the-box thinking. The adaptability process creates the wiggle room for mistakes, as stipulated in the points and paragraphs above. It creates a culture of experimentation and risk-taking. “To create an organization that’s adaptable and innovative, people need the freedom to challenge precedent, to ‘waste’ time, to go outside of channels, to experiment, to take risks, and to follow their passions.” — Gary Hamel. Adaptability makes optimistic leaders very flexible. In the words of Mandy Ingber, a yoga instructor and a former actress, “No matter what twists and turns your life offers you, your ability to be adaptable and flexible will help you to stay open to all of the hidden gifts that difficulty may offer.” Hence, no matter the twists and turns or curve balls that life throws at the optimistic leader, they never take their eyes off the ball. They adapt themselves and adjust, shifting to counter the effect of the outside force. In Chapter Seven of my book, Unearthing Your Latent Potential: Discovering the Gems of Your Subliminal-Self, I allude to Le Chatelier’s principle of equilibrium. When optimistic leaders shift to adapt to outside forces that disturb their sense of balance, it is akin to what happens in this chemical principle.1 Optimistic leaders adapt and thrive! We cannot overstate the power of adaptability as a factor of optimistic leadership. Adaptability ensures versatility, longevity, and resilience. Promising leaders latch on this quality to go the long haul in accomplish greatness. Hence, should something go amiss, they will want to get their teams moving forward and back on track as quickly as possible. If teams make mistakes, these leaders will want to know what went wrong. They want to know what they can do differently to avoid making the same mistakes in the future. #13. Optimists Embrace Continuous Improvement Optimistic leaders go for continuous improvement always. Optimism is a core leadership trait because leaders embrace continuous improvement (i.e., incremental and breakthrough improvements to products, services, or processes). Optimistic leaders never want to stay stagnant. Continuously, they want to be developing themselves and their team. There is absolutely no room for stagnancy. There is an onward ever, forward ever mentality at play. Their ability t look ahead propels them towards giving their very best and motivating their team to achieve the same thing. The goal is to be better than they were yesterday. “Strive for continuous improvement instead of perfection.” — Kim Collins. Optimistic leaders leverage continuous effort as the fulcrum that allows them to make a difference. They lean on this as a way to unlock potentials in themselves and their teams. The goal, as the quote by Kim Collins, the former track and field sprinter from Saint Kitts and Nevis, establishes that the goal is not perfection. The goal is, therefore, not ceasing in becoming better daily. For optimistic leaders, you find the secret of their success in their daily routine. Hence, by sticking with it, promising leaders grow their strengths and that of their teams. Optimistic leaders do it the PDCA Way. An excellent go-to model for optimistic leaders is the plan-do-check-act (PDCA) cycle. Once again, my book, Unearthing Your Latent Potential: Discovering the Gems of Your Subliminal-Self1, is a personal development PDCA cycle primer that takes you on a journey of discovery. What do you do with your strengths, weaknesses, opportunities, and threats after you discover them? You develop a plan (Plan-phase), act on them (Do-phase), monitor your progress (Check-phase), and keep acting on them if all is well, or go back to the drawing board if something is amiss (Act-phase). Optimistic leaders improve via the PDCA cycle. #14. Optimists Reason with Uncertainty Optimists reason with uncertainty—that is probabilistic reasoning. Optimism is a core leadership trait because leaders reason with uncertainty (i.e., not definitely ascertainable or fixed, as in time of occurrence, number, dimensions, or quality). Life is full of uncertainties. There are many things that we are not sure of in life. However, we live through these indeterminacies comfortably, albeit with some apprehension. Valid reasoning becomes very problematic when the information at hand is uncertain. Our ability to reason under these conditions as humans are also known as probabilistic reasoning.2 We can’t avoid uncertainty in our daily life. You don’t know if you will live the next minute. We are often unsure of what to eat, what to drink, and even what to wear. We are uncertain of the stock market. Making decisions usually involves uncertainty for leaders. However, to deal with these uncertainties intelligently, we must resent them well and reason about them.3 The ability to reason often allows us to determine what is happening in the world, how we should react to it, and how the world should behave. Uncertainties complicate reasoning and muddy the waters. We often adopt traditional reasonings (e.g., formal, procedural, or analogical) to make sense of things. However, uncertainties (e.g., noise, uncertain change, ignorance, etc.) can sometimes make formal reasoning difficult.4 Reasoning with uncertainty can be chaotic. However, it births ideas at the end of the day. Optimistic leaders are willing to go the extra mile through the sundry methods of reasoning with uncertainty. These methods could be symbolic, statistical, or fuzzy logic. Delving into each of these methods would be going beyond the scope of this piece. The summary is that optimistic leaders wish to shun every ounce of skepticism and go the extra mile to deploy unconventional methods to find solutions for themselves and their teams. In the words of Tim Crouch, an experimental theatre-maker—an actor, writer, and director, “Uncertainty is a very good thing: it’s the beginning of an investigation, and the investigation should never end.” The never-ending investigation is the hallmark of continuously improving the status quo, albeit the mechanisms for solution are unconventional via reasoning with uncertainty. #15. Optimists Believe in the Power of Teamwork “It’s true: teamwork makes the dream work.” — Natalya Neidhart. Optimism is a core leadership trait because these leaders believe in the power of teamwork. Optimistic leaders don’t go it alone—they believe in forging ahead with teams. There is power and strength in collaboration. One person can only accomplish but so much; however, when you bring others into the equation, you multiply the chances of achieving more. In the words of Mattie Stepanek, an American poet who died at the age of thirteen, “Unity is strength… when there is teamwork and collaboration, wonderful things can be achieved.” Teamwork fosters strength in the light of vision and purpose. It builds trust, which further builds speed. “Teamwork makes the dream work, but a vision becomes a nightmare when the leader has a big dream and a bad team.” John C. Maxwell. Optimistic leaders believe in the power of teamwork and do everything in their ability to build a functional and cohesive team. It does not take one musician to make an orchestra—you need a group of musicians to form a symphonic orchestra. The critical adjective of note here is symphonic. For a team of instrument-playing musicians to produce a melodic tune of note, they must be in sync, knowing their part and timing of when to play their role during the symphony. It does not take a bead of water to form an ocean—you need an infinite number of drops to create seas. It takes teams to build great brands, and optimistic leaders understand and live out this factor. The product of the power of teamwork is robust because together, everyone achieves more. When a house operates in unison, it stands; however, a house divided stands no chance of staying together. An enemy might defeat one person, but two people can stand back-to-back to defend each other. And three people are even more potent. They are like a rope that has three parts wrapped together—it is tough to break. Pessimists, valid to their nature, are already skeptical about anything of note working. Hence, the purity of collaboration for the greater good of a cause is already tainted. Optimistic leaders embrace the benefits of cooperating. They understand that teamwork promotes the sacrifice of selflessness. It supports corporate accountability to the cause of success. Optimism is a core leadership trait because leaders understand the value of leveraging the team members’ strengths. Every team member contributes something unique that makes the brand or organization a well-lubricated and cohesive unit. For instance, Oaekpost is my dream. However, from the drawing board, as I crafted this platform into reality, I knew that I could not do it all alone. The Oaekpost vision is beyond me, and my sole capacity to deliver cannot make what I envisage for this company a reality. I am now building a team of folks who believe in adding value to minds. Everyone on my team has their specialty. Our success depends on it. If you must gain a competitive advantage in your niche, you must cultivate optimistic leadership with teamwork as your pivot point. Do we lead with our hearts or our heads? Let’s be rational now. In this piece, we have seen “15 Reasons Why Optimism is a Core Leadership Trait.” Despite all these positive reasons that this piece profers, optimism must be rational (i.e., it must be agreeable to reason, reasonable, or sensible). We must strike a balance on how we lead, with our hearts or with our heads. As a leader, you must have a metaphorical sieve of commonsense in your mind that helps you assess when things are going awry. It is a fact that optimism can pose challenges. Hence, we must exercise some sense of caution. On the web platform, Verywellmind, Elizabeth Scott, in her article titled, “What is Optimism?” highlights some potential pitfalls of optimism. Let’s look at them and then some more. Let’s go: “The overestimation of the likelihood that one can experience good things while avoiding bad things. There is an underestimation of the risks of experiencing negative outcomes.” — Elizabeth Scott. As much as optimism is a good thing, there are times that we do not weigh the result of our optimistic choices carefully and rationally. Optimism bias is “the overestimation of the likelihood that one can experience good things while avoiding bad things. There is an underestimation of the risks of experiencing negative outcomes.”5 Although it is excellent to be risk-averse, optimistic leaders must also weigh the costs. While they should always focus on the positives rather than the negatives, they should never underestimate the risk of encountering a negative outcome. Don’t let yourself descend into the quagmire of despondency via a blind and stubborn optimistic outlook that is not working. If the strategy is not working, be humble enough to go back to the drawing board and re-strategize. Optimism must be rational. #2. Poor Risk Assessment Assess your risks astutely! Elizabeth Scott establishes that “When people are overly optimistic about something, they may be less likely to think about all of the potential risks and take steps to mitigate those issues.”5 For instance, a very recent example is the actions of the Trump Administration at the onset of the COVID-19 Pandemic. The 45th President, President Donald J. Trump, was overly optimistic that the COVID-19 Pandemic would quickly pass. You can give him an A+ for sticking with his message. However, the facts in this scenario were saying otherwise. His administration started making efforts after the Pandemic ran away and became more challenging to manage, wreaking havoc with many deaths in its wake, a clear example of inadequate risk assessment. Optimism must be rational. Here is an optimistic leader or person championing a cause and sticking to a message. As it stands, things are not going according to the presumed plan. The optimist pride prevents the leader from rolling back and re-evaluating the process and message. Their concern is much more, “What will people say? They will say I am a failure. They will mock the process and my message.” So, they stick to a failing message that eventually leads them to their doom. Pride goes before a fall. So, the optimistic leader needs to shelve their pride and go back to the drawing board and re-plan at this juncture. When it no longer makes sense, make a change. Optimism must be rational. Hope and validation are fundamental. Embrace it. Can optimism become toxic? Elizabeth Scott establishes that “Sometimes people tend to overvalue positive feelings while ignoring or even repressing negative ones.”5 Being an optimist is fantastic. However, we should never invalidate the psycho-emotional feelings of people who are going through the eyes of the needle. Optimistic leaders need to have empathy to understand what others may not be encouraging emotionally. Your goal as a promising leader is to infuse a sense of hope and validation. Optimism must be rational. “Toxic Positivity (noun): The overgeneralization of a happy, optimistic state that results in the denial, minimization, and invalidation of the authentic human emotional experience.” — The Psychology Group. In the leadership sphere, optimism is profitable for coping, managing stress levels, reinvigorating physical stamina, and developing resilience to pursue goals and objectives. Optimistic leaders focus on the ‘good’ in life and are grateful for it. However, optimism becomes toxic when we ignore the ‘bad’ in life and suppressing the emotions that ensue. It is like missing a crack in a dam and not fixing it. With time, the gap will continue to grow until it causes the barrier to come crashing down if not caught and resolved timely. Deal with your emotions, don’t suppress them. There are times that we experience negative emotions, even in the leadership circle. For instance, optimistic leaders should be careful of suppressing the feelings of their followers. If there is resentment in the rank and file of their organization, then it is best the face is head-on and address it. Using positive speak to suppress emotions will only do more harm than good. A time will come when the emotions under suppression will explode and lead to more catastrophic ends in the organization. It is here that empathy has its way of helping to address these negative emotions. Optimism must be rational. “Despite all these positive reasons that this piece profers, optimism must be rational (i.e., it must be agreeable to reason, reasonable, or sensible).” — Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze. Other sources also highlight some of the considerations of optimism. In the title, “3 Times Optimism Does You More Harm than Good,” Amy Morin of the Business Insider posits some concerns of too much optimism. They are as follows: exaggerating the positives, being overconfident in one’s abilities, and overestimating your chances of success, are some matters that characterize too much optimism. We can go on delving into the various cons of optimism. However, it is evident that the positives of optimism far outweigh the considerations. D. What is the Conclusion of the Matter? Be the different one in the bunch—Be Positive! Optimism is a core leadership trait that I urge every leader to invest the time to cultivate. Optimism is a call for us, for leaders to do better, and consider this piece to be that clarion call. Optimism seeds our minds with the seedlings of a can-do attitude, spirit, and mentality. In the words of Dylan Taylor, an American executive, and super angel investor, “There are really four ‘headlines’ for me: honesty, integrity, hard work, and what I call a ‘can-do’ attitude. You could call that ‘can-do’ attitude optimism, but it is not Pollyannaish optimism. Rather, it is a ‘we’ll figure it out’ type of mentality.” “We should celebrate when optimism and hard work triumph over cynicism, lethargy, and fatalism.” — Sadiq Khan. Similarly, this piece does not advocate Pollyannaish (i.e., unreasonably or illogically optimistic) optimism. We establish the need for leaders to embrace and cultivate the trait of optimism. However, we also advise that optimism must be rational—it must never be unreasonable or illogical. Leaders must approach optimism with an ounce of commonsense. We are wide awake here, talking about something sensible and practical that leaders can adopt to change organizations. Optimism is an investment in hope; pessimism is an investment in nothing. So, consider the time you have invested in reading this long-form piece as an investment in hope and value. Don’t lose your confidence as a leader—Be positive, think positive! So far, this piece establishes fifteen reasons why optimism is a core leadership trait. First, optimists are innovative. They don’t get too comfortable with the status quo. Hence, they unleash their innovative and creative genius by thinking outside the box. Second, optimism is a core leadership trait because optimistic leaders are future-oriented thinkers. The recency effect does not truncate their vision—they see the big picture. They are the watchmen standing on the towers of their organizations and see the distance. They can see danger approaching from afar and can prepare their organizations for the onslaught of variations in other to secure a win. Third, optimistic leaders go for gold—they seek the best to win the prize. Fourth, they eschew the negative. Optimism is a shield that protects leaders who possess it from the rain of the arrows of pessimism and negativity. Fifth, they adopt a Winner’s Philosophy—they work towards winning consistently. Sixth, optimism is a core leadership trait because it makes leaders into problem solvers. They don’t shy away from problems—they are solution seekers. They are leaders that continuously seek to improve situations. Seventh, they always strive to lead from within (i.e., leading with a cool, calm, and collected disposition). They are not erratic and do their very best to be rational always. Eighth, optimistic leaders are apt communicators. What good is it to have great ideas on how to improve your organization, and you lack the craft of efficient, communicative delivery? If you can’t communicate effectively as a leader, then you are just fooling yourself. Optimism will nudge you towards honing the art of your communicative skills. Ninth, optimistic leaders are business starters. They visualize the possibilities of things becoming, and they make it happen. Tenth, promising leaders have contagious behaviors. They will influence their followers to become their best selves ever in the spirit of productivity and profit. Eleventh, optimistic leadership is not risk-averse—those that are reluctant to take risks never achieve much in life. How will you know if you can or cannot do something if you don’t even try? Twelveth, optimistic leaders are adaptable—they are apt at adjusting themselves to different conditions. Organizations are constantly changing. Hence, you need confident leaders to be the captains of your organizational flotilla. They will help you navigate and sail the forever-changing seas of circumstances. Why? They are adaptable; they can handle the pressure without breaking. Thirteenth, they embrace continuous improvement—they never want to stay stagnant. They always have a forward-looking outlook towards personal, leadership, and followership development. Fourteenth, optimistic leaders reason with uncertainty. They are constantly honing their craft of probabilistic reasoning as they face life and business uncertainties. Finally, the fifteenth, spirited leadership believes in the power of teamwork. You can’t go it alone—teamwork makes the dream work. Optimism has a lot of solid points back it as this piece establishes. However, there are some considerations that we should note as we study optimism. The first is optimistic bias. Good things happen for sure. However, you must never underestimate the risks of experiencing adverse circumstances. Second, optimism that is not careful could make you neglect proper risk assessment. Third, beware of optimist pride. Stop concerning yourself with what people say. Doing so could nudge you to a place of pride and inaction. Remember, pride goes before a fall. Fourth, beware of toxic positivity. Don’t suppress negative emotions when they arise—deal with it head-on so that it does not fester. As I finalize this piece, I read William Ernest Henley’s (1849-1903) poem Invictus and the last verse of this poetic piece speaks to my inner optimism. It says, How charged with punishments the scroll, I am the master of my fate: I am the captain of my soul. Optimistic leaders are the captains of the souls of organizations. They must: Mind their decks before any egoism. The matters of the many come first before the issues of self. They address all before they address themselves. Look to the considerations of their followership and organizations before their selves. They serve their ship altruistically. Embrace knowledge and rationality before making utterances to affect the status quo positively. Hold the power staff of veracity and will never allow the Balrog of Cant to pass. And you shall know the truth, and the truth shall set them free. Believe in the phrase ‘learning is earning.’ They learn, earn before they leap to action. Knowledge is paramount to the optimist’s success. Adapt to change over stasis. From the decks of the organizational galleons, they look beyond the raging Davey Jones Locker of the status quo. Believe the phrase, “more act less lag, more act less yap.” They don’t sit around lagging and yapping—they talk the talk but also walk the walk. All these lie within the soul of the optimistic leader. Optimistic leaders are the captains of the souls of organizations, and these mantras should guide their sail. “You really need to love something or someone in order to work hard enough to be very successful. You have to believe in something and have a certain optimism. Faith and optimism come from love.” — Maya Soetoro-Ng. I can say with full enthusiasm that ‘I am a full-blooded optimist.’ My creed is that ‘I have hope and confidence in success and positive future. I expect good things to happen to me in all areas of my life. I am intentional about life and believe that all things are working together for my good. My future is bright—though I walk through the dark labyrinths of life, I always see the glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. Negative happenstances will not crush me; they are only molding me to become my best self ever. Challenges are not obstacles; they are only stepping stones for my ascendance to greater heights. I am mindful. I am grateful. I am alive. I am a leader. I am an optimist.’ Make this your creed too. Sudharatna, Y., & Li, L. (2004). Learning organization characteristics contributed to its readiness-to-change: A study of the Thai mobile phone service industry. Managing Global Transitions, 2(1), 163-178. Leadership Empathy is simply “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes.” It strengthens the bond between people. It’s a rare quality to have in today’s organizations. Read all about it. Published on March 21, 2021 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief Empathy is simply “putting yourself in the other person’s shoes,” a straightforward definition at best, to say the very least. People often mistake sympathy for empathy, but they are two different concepts with some similarities. Sympathy is the ability to care for and understand another person’s sufferings or experiences, while empathy is the ability to feel their experiences. For instance, when a mother sees her child quiet and sitting on the ground, she may know what the child is going through and feel the same emotions by some level of deep emotional connection. A manager who sees one of his staff going through some difficult moments and responds with the right words and acts of care can show sympathy and transcend to the level of empathy. “Empathy begins with understanding life from another person’s perspective. Nobody has an objective experience of reality. It’s all through our own individual prisms.” — Sterling K. Brown. Empathy strengthens the bond between people. Leaders need this trait more than ever in a fast-paced world where feelings and human affection are gradually eroding. Most organizations today are driven by numbers of how the organization can add money to their bottom-line. The push for profit aggrandizement pushes aside all empathy as many organizations become heavily transactional. To these organizations, empathy is a sign of weakness. To them, there is no time to feel the emotions of their workers. However, there is always time to peel layer upon layer of profits to add to the bottom-line. Empathy is a rare quality to have in today’s organizations. It is the hallmark of nurturing and sustainable leadership that still drives organizations’ profitability but does so from a culture of care. When a leader exudes this quality, he or she gains the respect, trust, and cooperation of his followers. Connecting with your workforce from a position of empathy creates a motivational ambiance that propels them to do their very best for that leader; hence, increasing productivity. Thus, at the workplace, their staff will feel loved; at the home front, children will feel loved and cared for and, most importantly, understood. In this article, I shall be addressing ten reasons and then some on why empathy is a core leadership trait. Think about a company that doesn’t know what its customers want. A company that doesn’t ask their customers questions. An organization that is not sensitive to its customers’ experiences but keeps making a particular product or offering a service that its consumers are no longer willing to buy. Think of a teacher who keeps on giving explanations in a classroom of students where many of them are complaining of ill health, and he or she does nothing about it. There will be a disconnection. And when this happens, it will affect the purpose or mission of such a leader. Empathy helps leaders define the purpose of their organization. When a leader shows empathy, it is likely to elicit his/her followers’ support and compliance. One of the underlying needs of man is the need to socialize. Followers want to know that they matter to their leadership. Empathy towards followers instills a sense of belonging and inspires motivation. When you show care and concern for people, you win their loyalty, love, and support. Followers tend to become more committed when they have a leader who shows concern for their feelings, needs and wants. Their commitment begins to wane when leaders are just highly official, diplomatic, and no more. An empathetic leader will evoke the support of his/her followers. Empathy puts you in the present. Leaders must remind themselves that it is their responsibility to take care of their people and their priority. To get better at this, you must keep observing and then connecting with your people in the present. That is where the leader’s empathy comes to play in the way they relate with their followers. The leader must be in the present to understand the emotional status quo of their followers. He/she must be here in the now with them. What makes them excited? What makes them feel bad or experience stress? When you develop your level of empathy, your subconscious mind rises to the occasion, and you can sense when your people are satisfied or dissatisfied with you per time. With empathy in place, you can develop your Emotional Intelligence (EI), which helps you in your relationship with people. According to Kendra Cherry, Emotional Intelligence (EI) refers to perceiving, controlling, and evaluating emotions. Emotional Intelligence (EI) creates a cycle of benefits. It improves decision-making, decreasing occupational stress, reducing staff turnover, increasing personal well-being, increasing leadership ability, and increasing team performance. Hence, with EI, you can understand people by their body language and the things they say, and you can act accordingly in the present without throwing things out of control. Without emotional intelligence in place, you may be doing things wrong, and people would never want to connect with you transparently to tell you where you’re getting it wrong as a leader. Every leader must know how to communicate clearly and effectively. Without this ability in place, it becomes challenging to meet and understand the needs of your people. When you develop empathy, you know just the right words to use in your communication with people under your care and control as their leader. Empathy will help you in building effective and potent communication skills. Far often than none, most leaders have been known to use harsh words on their followers, thinking that this is the way to get results, but this doesn’t last long. Being autocratic in communication will eventually erode the trust that your followers have in you as a leader. Empathy makes you prioritize the needful. What matters most in life isn’t always the results, as people are prone to thinking. Prioritizing the needful is knowing what matters most. To the leader, what matters most is building and sustaining a connection with followers. The need for success in a family shouldn’t drive the head of the family to search for money at all cost disregarding his people’s feelings in the process. The need for success shouldn’t make a corporate leader disregard quality conversation. He shouldn’t ignore the need for connection with his followers to focus on profit scalability as if that’s all that matters in the long run. People love a leader who cares, not one who is money-driven only. Success in life depends on humanism. Scientists have proved scientifically that our brains’ mirror neurons help us feel intuitive and even experience others’ feelings. What this shows is that every human being has the capacity for empathy. We are not robots; we are designed to feel. We are made to have compassion towards others. We all can grow our empathy towards others. Regrettably, not all leaders have been able to harness this ability. Leaders must begin to do this to bring to the fore this human part of them so that their followers will feel loved and cared for. Empathy fosters the growth of our humanistic tendencies. This, in turn, encourages more excellent followership that leads to greater productivity. When a leader develops his empathy, it’s way easier for him to relate with his people effectively. It makes him know how to lead people in a way that reduces the possibility of endless conflict. A leader with empathy will find it easy to mediate or intervene between one staff and another in a dispute to bring about an agreement or reconciliation. That is the power resident in empathy and why it is a core leadership trait. It is an excellent diffuser of tension in organizations. With this good quality in place, he doesn’t jump into taking sides but considers both parties’ feelings and then intervenes wisely. When a leader leads his people with empathy, it is easier for them to continue with this standard even in his absence. People would be too willing to continue doing the right thing even in the leader’s absence. But when a leader is concerned only about profits, compliance, results, or numbers going to the bottom line, such a leader always leaves such an environment more tense than average. When they leave, the standard may fall below standard because people may react against the status quo and how things have been done. Hence, empathy will help a leader leave a good legacy after their tenure as a leader is long gone. Empathy leads to a better growth trajectory. When there is empathy in place, people comply with leadership more quickly and give their best toward the growth of an organization, a system, or even a family setting. Followers in an ambiance full of empathy flowing from the leadership don’t feel like a number. Followers feel more like a number that the organization can easily get rid of in organizations that lack empathy. Growth may seem unbridled because of transactional leadership, but it will only be a matter of time before it all comes tumbling down like Humpty-Dumpty, who sat on the wall of his ego and seeming accomplishment. For instance, a father who loves his family and understands how they feel will be leading them aright, and they will, in turn, do the right thing by contributing their best to the organization’s growth. The same thing applies too in organizations apart from the family setting. Empathy is a crucial factor for leaders in the world today. Empathy improves you. Finally, empathy improves you as a person. When a leader has empathy, it leads to a better him or her. The import of this is that he/she keeps working on this ability in them. They keep on tweaking this advantage to near mastery. While mastery is relative, it is something that each leader can arrive at in their own time. Sometimes, you may not be adept at it, but this should not get you worried or worked up, neither should it make you abdicate thinking that empathy isn’t worth it. Compassion is worth it all and then some. It is a continuous improvement éclair that helps you transcend to the heights of a one-of-a-kind leadership status. There are cases where your followers may want to take undue advantage of you due to how you empathize. Nonetheless, keep empathizing and don’t look track of the result. Empathy improves you—your only limit is your mind. For someone to develop their empathy, there are certain qualities that they must build within themselves. They must work on their endurance level and self-awareness. Going forward, leaders should begin to observe and listen carefully to their people to get feedbacks per time so that they don’t treat their people with indifference or a lack of empathy. Be adept in developing the art and science of listening. Conversation or free speech should never be one-way traffic. Another thing leaders must do is to eschew working on assumptions. Stop playing ignorant and telling yourself you don’t know how people think or are oblivious to what they say. Instead, start to observe appropriately so you’d get better at observing people. Also, ask questions. When your followers act strangely and don’t understand what they are saying or trying to communicate through their language, ask them if they are okay or have any issues. Another thing is to avoid distractions and be in the present, as I explained previously. Be there for your people, be there for your followers. Empathy is a core leadership trait that you mustn’t play with. Understand this and keep working on yourself as a leader. Listen when your people are trying to communicate something to you. Don’t be too busy getting results and adding zeroes to your bottom line that you forget to know how your people are doing—to understand how they truly feel. Don’t get distracted to the point you don’t have time for your followers. Parents should listen to their children always and know what they are saying all the time, likewise corporate leaders. “An exchange of empathy provides an entry point for a lot of people to see what healing feels like.” — Tarana Burke. Sometimes when leaders multitask, it takes their mind away from effective and deep relationships with the people under their care. Parents who are too busy doing so many things in the rat race of life may have little time for their children. This can affect the quality of the relationship they have with them. While multitasking in itself isn’t bad, it comes with its downsides. This calls for caution. However, in rare cases, there are leaders who, despite multitasking, can still empathize at a deep level with the people under their care. Sometimes, I wonder, how do they do it! Leadership 10 Reasons Why Decisiveness is a Core Leadership Trait Decisiveness is a core leadership trait that will change your life trajectory. It will enhance, empower, distinguish, and put you on a trajectory of growth. Read all about it! Published on February 18, 2021 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief One of the biggest problems facing leaders in the world today is the issue of decision-making. People tend to over-analyze things before they make up their minds on what to do or not do. One of the things that have been attributed as the cause of this is the vast opportunities or myriads of information out there. We are in an epoch of information overload, which can make decision-making a little more difficult. People are faced with a deluge of information to the point it becomes difficult making up their minds. A term has even been created for this state of things, called “paralysis.” Leaders must be decisive in the world today. This isn’t important only to the corporate world but to other aspects of society as well. Leaders across different areas of life need to keep perfecting the art of decisiveness. “Decisiveness is the one word that makes a good manager.” — Lee Iacocca. Whether it’s a father as the head of the house or a mother who exercises care and control over her children. Or a religious leader who presides over their flock. Or a teacher who teaches a classroom of students—decisiveness is a fundamental leadership trait that shouldn’t be underestimated. Sometimes, in a bid to avoid making mistakes, people fail to decide on time or fail to settle on a given issue. This article seeks to throw enough beam of light on the all-time importance of being decisive. It’s so important for leaders today to develop this trait. It could be what could make the difference between closing a deal or not for some corporate entities. Leaders need it more than ever. We will be looking at ten reasons why decisiveness is a core leadership trait. 10 Reasons Why Decisiveness is a Core Leadership Trait Don’t get caught up in the maze of indecision. Traits are distinguishing characteristics or qualities, especially of one’s personal nature. In leadership and management, the traits that leaders and managers exude can be the chief determinant of whether such an individual will succeed in their endeavors or not. We see some personal attributes in people: decisiveness, empathy or emotional maturity, optimism, honesty, focus/vision/foresight, inspiration, self-confidence, initiative, and innovation, charisma, intelligence, effective communication, flexibility, etc. Some managerial traits that people could develop are knowledge of human dexterity, administrative know-how, technical understanding, ability to deal with people, the ability to judge and decide quickly, etc. Today, we will be honing into decisiveness (i.e., characterized by or displaying no or little hesitation; resolute; determined; having the power or quality of deciding). It is a core leadership trait that is crucial—needing cultivation by all leaders and managers. So, what then are these reasons? Sometimes, in a bid to be perfect, leaders fail to decide on-time, which could have a costly impact on the individual or organization. Some leaders get stuck in “analysis paralysis” (i.e., when an individual becomes so lost in the process of examining and evaluating various points of data or factors for a problem that they are unable to decide with it); that they are unable to make significant headway in accomplishing their set goals and objectives. This activity can cause a leader to freeze-up and become afraid of taking the much-needed timely action. Job execution becomes slow or even impeded, which can lead to a loss for corporate entities. In the case of leaders in other spheres of life such as parents, teachers, and so on, it causes them to suffer a similar fate. The more deliberate you go about becoming decisive in your actions, the better you grow in the art of decisiveness. Do yourself a favor and stop overthinking—do it. We live in an age of speed. The fuel to your success in decisiveness. The world today is an ecosystem where only the truly decisive can thrive. Companies today are expected to make decisions within minutes or sometimes seconds within which to do or refrain from doing a thing. Any little delay in execution and billions could be lost within split seconds. This is a problem faced by top CEOs in boardrooms, a problem encountered on the family front, among entrepreneurs, in religious settings, to mention but a few. Amid inundating information overload in today’s macrocosm, everything is moving at supersonic speeds. Companies need to be agile. For this to happen, their leaders must hone their art of decisiveness and become perfect at making fast—and as much as possible—accurate decisions or risk being overtaken by the competition. Many times, there is no chance for second-guessing. Perfection in this art will lead to higher scalability for the leader who becomes a good leadership trait practitioner. It would help if you had a strong bias for action. Decisiveness gives you control over your center—it is the portal to the art of mindfulness. Being decisive gives you an edge over situations; it gives you a sense of control. When a leader or person is definite about a decision, they are not mastered by the circumstances that they face; they become masters over their situations by way of decisiveness. In far more cases where you took a decision and were able to stand by it, you find it easier to retrace your steps should the action you exercised turned out not to be a positive one. It is like the 3-Second Rule in driving that allows you to self-correct while driving to eschew dangers ahead. That is what being nimble at decision-making does for you; it gives you the control and opportunity to timely self-correct an error. Decisiveness puts the ball in your court and shows people that you are in charge. Even if you end up not winning, people will respect you because you are a focused, goal-driven, and decisive person. When you make decisions fast and, on the fly, respond to situations that require immediate action, it helps you get quick results. It increases your chance for growth because you can do things fast, which cuts down costs in the long run. It also gives you a good reputation before others, shoring up their confidence in your ability to lead, execute tasks timely, and deliver positive quality results. In business, clients see you as smart and have a strong and positive bias for action. Because of this, clients trust you more and are more likely to repeat more business transactions with you. Great and fast decisions can lead to higher profits for the company. Leaders who have honed the art of decisiveness often scale-up the corporate ladders quickly—more promotions, remunerations, and benefits. They become almost indispensable appendages that the company would do everything not to lose. In the family, you are seen as a courageous person, and so on. The advantages of being decisive are quite enormous—you can’t beat the benefits of speed; it gives you an edge over others. Dare to be different—Decisiveness will get you there When you are decisive, it makes you stand out in life. It is the hue that distinguishes an individual from the monochromatic and boring life. People get to know you as someone who knows their worth and knows what they want, and is always ready to go for it when the need arises. A person who does all of this will be different from the rest and the pack of people out there. People then get to identify such a person as a core leader because this is a rare trait. In a corporate establishment, a decisive and good person at it in a specific area of expertise soon becomes the subject matter expert (SME) in that area—the go-to person in that field. Dexterity and decisiveness go in pari-passu. The more knowledgeable you are in a field or experience, the more decisive you become in that area; the more confident you become, the more you quickly grow as the establishment’s backbone. In the home, parents can become heroes to their children when they are decisive by nature. “The way to develop decisiveness is to start right where you are, with the very next question you face.” — Napoleon Hill. There are times in life when you must make drastic decisions within a short burst of time. Because at that moment, it is what determines the outcome of such an urgent situation. This could be a matter of life and death or concern of immediate success or failure in some circumstances. For instance, deciding to invest an immense amount of money in a business deal with a 50/50 chance of scaling through or not. We are not immune to the demands of life, no matter what setting we find ourselves in. Pressure makes you ask the question of “What in the world is happening?” By asking the “what” question, you soon gravitate towards knowing “why” you are experiencing the pressure. It becomes an exploration to see the root cause of a situation. By asking the “why” question, you soon start asking about “how” you can solve the problems creating the pressure. You try different things, and eventually, you derive a “result” that works. It’s a growth cycle that keeps on giving—the pressure is the birthplace of growth. Decisiveness gives you the knack of finding the missing piece of the puzzle. Leaders are people well respected in life. Constant exposure to situations that require immediate decisions sharpens a person’s core leadership abilities. Such a person can gain a reputation as someone who can offer workable solutions to problems during times of confusion or chaos—they always have the knack of finding the missing piece of the puzzle. It’s a magnificent quality that can be harnessed positively and for the good of the individual. Leaders need to leave their comfort zone and take actions where necessary. Think about a parent who never disciplines their child even though such a child is a truant. What do you think will be the outcome of such a reckless disposition? A parent must take severe disciplinary action on his or her ward to correct the behavioral variation at some point in time. Leaders in organizations and other entities also expect the same sort of effort. Decisiveness will improve the self-esteem of the leader. The merits of being decisive cannot be overestimated. Leaders are expected to be people with healthy self-esteem. There are certain things they do that enhance this feeling. One of these is the output of their actions. When they repeatedly take decisive steps, it improves how they feel about themselves and makes them proud of themselves. It instills in them the confidence that they can get the job done. Self-esteem isn’t a quality developed in a vacuum. It can be generated when you put yourself in challenging terrain. Healthy self-esteem is also very contagious; it impacts the individual who has it and can also affect the team’s output. Decisiveness is a magnet that will get others to trust and depend on you for help. People trust leaders who are decisive by nature. It shows that such a leader is trustworthy, has a known way of doing things, and is bold. Such a leader builds an ambiance of camaraderie where trust is the rope that the team uses to surmount problems in the organization. Decisiveness is a core leadership trait because it helps you build your level of confidence and boldness. Nobody can lay claim to courage if they are known for always being afraid of doing something in the heat of action. Trust is earned by those who are confident in themselves, those who decide to act rather than not act at all. Decisiveness is a magnet that will get others to trust and depend on you. Decisiveness will help you stay focused—Embrace it! Pursuing different things simultaneously and achieving little or none of them is usually a function of misplaced priorities and the inability to decide on one thing and then sticking to it. There is so much to gain from the concentration of effort than in its diffusion. Doing too many things at the same time makes you too spread-out, and therefore weakens you. However, staying focused on one thing makes you a master at it. A leader must be decisive enough to settle for his core genius and stick to it, to paraphrase Robert Greene. He also must be decisive enough to state his opinion, make a statement, issue an order, or refuse to compromise, discipline a truant child, or whatever act or inaction that points toward achieving a set goal without letting doubt and fear set in. Decisiveness will distinguish you—Embrace it! Leadership in the 21st century has become a Herculean task owing to the complexity of lifestyle we have today. Businesses, families, religious organizations, and so on all experience this complicated way of doing things. In other to cope with the trend, leaders are required to be adept at flexibility and adaptability in learning. When a leader learns these things, he must approach the task of decision-making with some level of firmness. When he wants to decide, he must be resolute in so many cases. While it is necessary to allow some measure of democratic decision-making style to come into play, as has always been, the man at the center must be capable of firmness of purpose and willpower. When these things are absent, people see nothing but weakness. “Decisiveness is a characteristic of high-performing men and women. Almost any decision is better than no decision at all.” — Brian Tracy. It would be best if you dissociated yourself from habits that have put you on the back burner. Come out of your shells of hesitation and indecision and wear a stronger and firmer coating capable of withstanding the droughts of uncertainty. Approach life with utmost clarity of mind. Know what you want from the onset and strike when the opportunity presents itself, and do not hesitate. Losing the brush but winning the war is a concept that is also crucial here too. If this plays in your mind further at any point when you’re about taking critical decisions—pause, think, and then navigate entirely from a place of certainty. Sometimes your emotions may want to come into play. While it is good to listen to your sensations, it’s also important you don’t allow it to have an overriding effect on you as to cloud your sense of reasoning. Be decisive—Embrace it, and don’t be shy about doing so! Leadership 10 Notable Female Leaders In recent times, women have emerged from the fringes to operating on the forefront of many industries in some of the most powerful nations of the World. Women, tapping into their logical and intuitive nature of reasoning, are rising to the highest echelons of leadership in many circles, making leadership more warm and colorful. Published on October 18, 2020 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief In recent times, women have emerged from the fringes to operating on the forefront of many industries in some of the most powerful nations of the World. Women, tapping into their logical and intuitive nature of reasoning, are rising to the highest echelons of leadership in many circles, making leadership more warm and colorful. From the fields of Finance to Environment, Foreign Policy, Freedom and Civil Rights Movements, Governance and the Health sector(s), many women are finding their voice from beneath the rubble of obscurity. These days, when considering some of the most powerful and influential people in the World, it is impossible to ignore the presence and contribution of women. “Women are the largest untapped reservoir of talent in the world.” — Hillary Diane Rodham Clinton(1947-Present), 2016 US Presidential Aspirant, Former U.S. Senator, Former Secretary of State, and Former First Lady of the United States. Today, we will be looking at ten women who have accomplished a lot in their sphere of leadership and life. This list comprises women who are making waves in various aspects and from different nationalities, in no particular order. We will be looking at notable women in the Literature/Academia, Politics, Media/Entertainment, Philanthropy/NGO, Legal, Entertainment, and Business. While some names may be more easily recognizable than others, they are all making significant moves within their niche, society, and world over. As we look at these notable women who are achieving great things in their circles, let it prevail in the back of your mind that achieving greatness as a woman is possible in our day and age and much more in the future. “You must never behave as if your life belongs to a man. Do you hear me?” Aunty Ifeka said. “Your life belongs to you and you alone.” ― Chimamanda Ngozi Adichie, Half of a Yellow Sun Famous for her advocacy for the inclusion of women in society, especially in Nigeria where she originates from, Chimamanda has made sure she is a voice to be reckoned with in the Literary world and academia. The author whose works revolve around feminist themes and the glory of womanhood is very vocal about her stance as a feminist. We see it in two of her works titled, “We all Should Be Feminists” and “Dear Ijeawele, or a Feminist Manifesto in Fifteen Suggestions.” Both books are highly lauded, especially within feminist circles. Chimamanda has been known to stir social media interactions and passionate debates, with many of her actions and dispositions on the feminist issue. Nonetheless, Chimamanda is undoubtedly among the very elite of writers in Africa and globally, and hopefully, she will around for a long time to come. Source: People (Photo Credit: Drew Angerer/Getty Images) “In too many instances, the march to globalization has also meant the marginalization of women and girls. And that must change.” ― Hillary Clinton Hillary Rodham Clinton was the Democratic Party Presidential Candidate for the United States 2016 Presidential elections and is considered a woman of immense influence and power. Hillary supported her husband, Bill during his years as the President, and gained respect for her handling of various controversies surrounding her marriage. After Bill’s stint as President, Hillary proceeded to distinguish herself as an accomplished politician in her own right, serving as a US Senator and Secretary of State from 2003 to 2009. She bagged a Law degree from Yale Law School and embarked on a successful law career before her stint in politics. During the elections, Hillary Clinton captured the imagination of America’s liberals and seemed to be the likely candidate to break the ‘glass ceiling’ and bring to reality, the idea of a woman occupying the White House and becoming the most influential person in the world. This dream, however, did not come to reality, as she won the popular vote but lost the election as a whole. Source: Facebook “The whole point of being alive is to evolve into the complete person you were intended to be.” — Oprah Winfrey Oprah Winfrey regarded as one of the world’s most famous philanthropists and actively involved in changing the role the narrative on the role of women in the media. Over the past four decades, she evolved from a television presenter to the face of one of the most popular talk shows in history, to an award-winning actress, author, producer, and capping it all with owning her television network—The Oprah Winfrey Network (OWN). She has accomplished feats previously unimaginable for a single black woman, amassing enough wealth to be regarded as one of the wealthiest self-made women in the world. Oprah is indeed an inspiration to millions, young and old, male and female alike. Her voice and opinions are highly respected. She is famous for helping raise sales of products by merely endorsing them, especially via her book club, a testament to the enormous influence she has gained over decades of her illustrious career. German Chancellor Angela Merkel addresses the media during a press conference at the end of the G-20 summit in Hamburg, northern Germany, Saturday, July 8, 2017. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn) Source: Yahoo News “We need trust among allies and partners. Trust now has to be built anew.” — Angela Merkel Angela Dorothea Kasner, popularly known as Angela Merkel, born in Hamburg, Germany, on July 17, 1954, is a trained physicist. She joined politics after the Berlin Wall fell in 1989. She steadily rose to the rank of chairwoman of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU) party and soon became Germany’s first female Chancellor. Today, she is considered a force to be reckoned with in the European Union and acknowledged to be one of its architects. “I’ve learned that people will forget what you said, people will forget what you did, but people will never forget how you made them feel.” — Maya Angelou (1928-2014), American author and poet. Source: Christianity Today (Photo Credit: Joe Pugliese) “I felt that I had a role to give some voice to the voiceless.” — Melinda Gates Wife of Microsoft Co-Founder and CEO, Bill Gates, Melinda Gates, has risen to the corridors of power by harnessing her influence and wealth in organizing campaigns against environmental pollution and Malaria. Melinda has traveled with her husband for the better part of his work in Africa and contributed her voice and power to the international fight against malaria. Source: The New Indian Express “To me, leadership is about encouraging people. It’s about stimulating them. It’s about enabling them to achieve what they can achieve – and to do that with a purpose.” — Christine Lagarde Upon admission into the Paris Bar, Christine Lagarde started working for the international law firm, Baker & McKenzie, as an associate of the firm. Here at Baker & McKenzie, she specialized in Labor, Anti-trust, and Mergers and Acquisitions. French by birth and former Finance Minister for France, she became the first female Managing Director at the International Monetary Fund (IMF) in 2011. Christine Lagarde is known for championing the cause of the removal of subsidies in the oil sectors of several oil-producing countries as part of the IMF’s policies. She is known for her poise which was developed at an early age, her love for swimming and her unmistakable mane of blonde hair. Source: Facebook “Being confident and believing in your own self-worth is necessary to achieving your potential.” — Sheryl Sandberg As Chief Operating Officer (COO) at Facebook, Sandberg has a very inspiring personality. She finished with a summa cum laude, graduating with her bachelor’s degree in economics from Harvard University. Sandberg also graduated with distinction from Harvard University where she attained her M.B.A. She worked as the Deputy Treasury secretary in the Clinton White House and later become his Chief of Staff. She worked as Google’s Vice President of Global Online Sales & Operations before transitioning to Facebook as COO. In her recently published best-selling book, “Lean In: Women, Work, and the Will to Lead,” which is a guide to her success, she talks about several admirable qualities which endear her to people and led to her international accomplishments. Source: LinkedIn “Leadership is hard to define and good leadership even harder. But if you can get people to follow you to the ends of the earth, you are a great leader.” — Indra Nooyi The former CEO of PepsiCo, Indra Nooyi was in the 12th position in 2012 top 100 Power Women. Currently, she is listed 10th. Her then company, PepsiCo, is considered one of the world’s largest beverage industries. PepsiCo products are enjoyed globally with billions of their products being sold on a daily basis. PepsiCo has seen a lot of transformation under the tutelage of her leadership. Today, Indra is part of Amazon’s Board of Directors. Source: Wikipedia “Together we can face any challenges as deep as the ocean and as high as the sky.” — Sonia Gandhi Currently serving as President of the Indian National Congress Party since 1998, Sonia Gandhi’s political career grew after the assassination of her husband and the Indian Prime Minister, Rajiv Gandhi, in 1991. Sonia has occupied the seat of opposition in the Indian Parliament since 2004 and has reportedly made a case for her son Rahul Gandhi to return to Indian politics. Source: www.beyonce.com (Photo Credit: Andrew White) “Power means happiness; power means hard work and sacrifice.” — Beyoncé Knowles Born on September 4, 1981, Beyoncé shot into global consciousness with Destiny’s child, an all-girls teen group, which topped charts and won various awards with several teen anthems. Beyoncé then stepped out on her own and became even more successful with her first solo project in 2003 titled, “Dangerously in Love.” Her marriage to Hip Hop icon, Jay Z solidified the couple as entertainment royalty. Beyoncé didn’t stop there. She went further to become one of the most prominent and most successful artists of all time while nurturing a family of three children. Beyoncé has a global army of passionate fans known as the “Beyhive.” “The question isn’t who’s going to let me; it’s who is going to stop me.” — Ayn Rand (1905–1982), American novelist, philosopher, and screenwriter. Women are not exempted from the capacity of becoming their best selves. They are not to be relegated to the background. There is so much discrimination against women that at times prevents them from reaching their maximum potentials. However, as we have seen in the list above, women can achieve notable feats in various spheres of accomplishments—against all odds to say the very least. When presented with the right opportunities, women thrive to attain and ascend to the heights of their full potentials. As we have seen in this article, women are stepping out to do great things on a global scale. As we stipulated earlier, this list is not exhaustive. If you have suggestions of more women that are notably achieving greatness, please let us know in the comment box. However, as it stands, women will not be letting up anytime soon in advancing and progressing their careers as they push forward to accomplish estimable feats. Such stories of greatness as has been shared above will only motivate and spur the next generation of women to grow and aspire to greater heights. The curtains of stereotyping and prejudice are fast being torn down as the society is fast changing and advancing. The future is very bright for the womenfolk. Time and chance will reveal the next faces of notability. Fact Check: We attempt for correctness and fairness in our work. If you see any information that is less than accurate, please contact us at info@oaekpost.com! Photo Credits: Oaekpost.com does not claim credit for any photographs of the ten notable female figures. The sources of the photographs have been highlighted. Leadership In the words of a J. Carla Nortcutt, “The goal of many leaders is to get people to think more highly of the leader. The goal of a great leader is to help people to think more highly of themselves.” That is the foundation of Servant Leadership, and the way of the Servant Leader. Published on October 16, 2020 By Ogbonnaya Agom-Eze, Editor-in Chief Robert K. Greenleaf came up with the Theory of Servant Leadership. After Robert read the work of Hermann Hesse, Journey to the East, he came up with this theory. The story focuses on a central figure, Leo, a servant to a band of men on a mythical journey. Leo did the menial chores of the company. However, sustaining them with his presence, spirit, and song. After Leo disappears, disarray sets in and the expedition team disbands. The narrator of Hesse’s Journey to the East after some years of wandering finds the long-gone Leo in an Order. To his amazement, he discovers that this Order sponsored the long-disbanded expedition and Leo the servant, was the titular head of the Order. Can a leader be a servant as well? From the story that birth this theory, we can see the possibility of this happening. In the perception of Robert K. Greenleaf, he believes the validity of this theory. The ways of the servant leader are as follows: 1. The Servant Leader is first a Servant The servant leader must be a servant As we see in the person of Leo, there is first the natural inclination to serve, not by compulsion but by choice. Every servant leader must have this natural lean towards service. The way of servant leadership is one which is devoid of any preoccupation to grab power or material possession. The initial proclivity to work is the genesis of such leader’s aspiration to want to lead. Serving is the first order of the day before inclining to lead the pack. 2. Meeting the needs of others is the Servant Leader’s first priority The Servant Leader’s paramount goal is to satisfy the highest priority needs of people. The way of the servant leader is to make sure that those they are serving are growing as individuals. He/she, the servant leader, aims to see growth in those they are serving in the place of health, wisdom, freedom, autonomy, with a growing self-inclination to become servants. Servant leaders work towards the cessation of deprivation of the underprivileged in the society. Hence, the way of the servant leader is to meet the needs of others first before they commence thinking of their own needs. 3. No job is too menial to the Servant Leader Jesus washed the feet of His disciples—No job is too menial for the Servant Leader No job is too menial or too small for the servant leader. Leo in the Journey to the East story was comfortable doing the menial duties of the team. For the servant leader today, no job should be too menial for the servant leader. One can see this leadership methodology in practice in the training of a Starbucks Store Manager. During the training process, the Store Manager at Starbucks must first learn to do all the duties of the barista and must be comfortable doing so. That is the way of the servant leader. You must be able to do and be comfortable with doing duties you expect your followers to do for you. No job is too menial for the servant leader. 4. Humility is the sail of the Servant Leader Humility is the sail that makes the servant leader who he/she is The sail is what drives a sailboat through the restless oceans. The sail catches the wind, and it pushes the boat forward—without a sail, you cannot have a “sail-boat.” Humility is analogous to the sail of the sailboat. Humility is the sail that makes the servant leader who he/she is. In the absence of humility, it is hard for servant leadership to exists as pride will stifle the life out of servant leadership. We can find the best description of humility as the sail of the servant leader in the Holy Writ’s book of Luke 22:26 that “The greatest among you should be like the youngest, and the one who rules, like the one who serves.” Humility is a core trait of the genuine servant leader. Best leaders are first servants always There are several iconic examples of servant leaders. Nelson Mandela’s life passion was to see equality become the mantra of everyday living in the country of South Africa. He passionately sought after it even to the point of putting himself at risk and going to jail in his pursuit to see the cessation of apartheid in South Africa. Martin Luther King, Jr. is another exemplary servant leader. His pursuance to see the eradication of racism and the inequality that it breeds, became his life mission. His speeches are resounding reminders of his equality pursuit for the African American during the Civil Rights Era of the United States. Sometimes, the pursuance of the servant leader can become deleterious for the leader in question. For instance, Martin Luther King, Jr. paid the ultimate price with his life pursuing his noble ideals. Other notable servant leaders where Mahatma Gandhi, Mother Teresa, Albert Schweitzer, and the ultimate servant leader of all being Jesus Christ. In every instance of His life, He sought to ensure that the needs of all that he encountered. In the Holy Writ’s book of Mark 10:44-45, He asserts that “Whoever wants to be first must serve the rest of you like a slave. Follow my example: Even the Son of Man did not come for people to serve him. He came to serve others and to give his life to save many people.” Hence, servant leaders are not power mongers who throw their weight around when they acquire some modicum of power. The way of the servant leader is selfless service, care, and humility. We need more servant leaders in organizations today. For those that want to become servant leaders and are looking for a primer to direct them in this style of leadership should look to opus, Servant Leadership by Robert Greenleaf. Log In Username or Email Address sponsored Ads Latest 10 Ways to Improve the Art of Communication in Marriage God has a Sense of Humor Part I Sports Advertise with us We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. 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Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features. Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors. Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc. Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads. Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet. SAVE & ACCEPT	146,778
Within the last week, a video has been sweeping social media. The viral clip accomplishes two of the three things I mentioned above. And for that, my hat is off. Here's the thing...it's security camera footage from a resident of Morehead, Kentucky. So how authentic is it? Cool that they have handheld security cameras in Kentucky. Nice Try So yeah, it DOES look like a handheld camera, certainly an odd choice for a security cam. On the other hand, the Northern Nevada PRDS (Paranormal Research and Development) offered this as a sort of rebuttal: To answer why the camera is moving, you can see the reflection of the person recording this footage from their phone in the glass of the monitor… as to what it is, a recording or a recording degrade the quality of the original footage. No way to know what we’re seeing. But there has been some confusion. Paranormality Magazine says the footage is near Morehead. Images FROM that video were posted to a Facebook group by Morehead resident Douglas McLoney III, according to JournalNews.com. He says it's "from a security camera at a cottage at the gorge." So what in the world is that thing? It puts me in the mind of the legend of the Slender Man. He's a very tall, well-dressed figure without a face. He's just white except for the clothing. He's been a source of online fiction and a popular horror movie. That's an urban legend, and I'm not sure I'm ready to go that far. But the image on that security video is very creepy, and I certainly can't tell how it's fake if it IS fake. The month of October fills me with even more passion for abandoned and haunted places and things. I love to research legends, folklore, and stories from all over the world, but especially right here in Kentucky. Some of the stories are pure legend with no real facts to back them up. But, I’m a sucker for a good ghost story. One such legend involves a small town, a murdering teacher, and mysterious disappearances that went on for decades. This is what I learned about the legend of Elsewhere, KY. A construction worker and journalist, by the name of Seamus Coffey, was volunteering at a Senior Citizen’s center and he met a man named, Earl. The gentleman was about 80 years old and told him a story of something that happened in Elsewhere. KY. "When I was a boy, my pa’ and I went to the Elsewhere General Store to get some rock candy and chicken feed. I stood outside while pa’ talked to Mrs. Ellison the shopkeep. Pa’ loaded the feed into the truck and handed me the candy. Right about then, there was this loud scream from the schoolhouse. I don’t know right well what happened ’cause pa” told me to stay in the truck, but after that we never went back to Elsewhere." "When I was a few years older, I went back there with some friends. We were just dumb kids foolin’ around. My friend Jason went inside the schoolhouse and I never saw him again. We spent the rest of the day looking for him and later the police did a search but found nothing. Shortly after that the county disconnected Elsewhere road from HWY 280. It’s been about 60 years and you’re the first person to mention the place in half a century, son." After that, Seamus started searching for any information he could find about Elsewhere. He found an article in the Louisville Courier-Journal. The article covered a story about Elsewhere being abandoned for health and safety reasons. It was dated April 2nd, 1953. The article also gave him a piece of the puzzle that was missing, the exact location of Elsewhere. The town was located two miles north of New Concord (KY) just off of HWY 280. So, of course, he had to go there for himself.	3,870
While the 1949 Microcosm gave the task of judging the year's campus queens to the student body, the yearbook of 1950 returned to the practice of outsourcing the judging. In 1950, Conrad Thibault, a radio and concert singer, had experience as a judge of the Miss America Beauty Contest. He chose Joan Davisson as the Queen of Dickinson College and Ann Frescott as the runner-up. Other female students selected as "The Unusual Six of a Kind" included: Lois Jane Barnard, Patricia Bradley, Barbara Neilson, Alice Rogers, Grace Wiest, and Frances Scott. Date In 1949, the Microcosm gave the student body the task of selecting seven female students to be the "queens" of campus. In past years, they outsourced the selection process to artists or servicemen not associated with student body but decided to change this policy because student body has contact with female students. Thus, students could judge queens "based on character, personality, attractiveness, and popularity." Sarah J. Frew was elected the Queen of the year, and other queens included Virginia L. Parlin, Janet Z. Schultz, Lois Jane Barnard, Alice R. Rogers, Mary E.	1,197
Bathmate is the world’s first and original hydro pump. This product can be found in 2 dimensions and also shades: Hercules and Goliath. From the names alone, you can’t aid but anticipate too a lot from it? Well, these devices are below to assist and not dissatisfy us. Therefore, I comprehend if much like me, you find these pumps significantly fascinating. Initially, I’ll offer you an overview of the Bathmate collection dubbed as Bathmate Originals. Bathmate Hercules is the first copyrighted Hydropump. It continues to be the very popular penis augmentation tool today where thousands of men in over 70 nations are utilizing it. Goliath, on the other hand, is dubbed as the globe’s biggest Hydropump. The device is 30% bigger than Hercules. This is for well-endowed guys that still desire to expand their participant. HydroMax’s clients demanded a bigger capacity pump that can suit bigger gent and Goliath was made. Hercules was introduced in 2006, and Goliath, 2 years after. These pumps are made to be utilized in bath or shower. As its name suggests, it makes use of the impressive power of water to develop a vacuum. These gadgets do not only maintain our penis larger however normal usage can also give us a healthier member that will help us attain harder and longer enduring erection, the very thing that we need to enhance our sexual performance. Bathmate Hercules and also Bathmate Goliath are similar in all aspects except for the dimension. The last is for men of bigger dimension. So, this testimonial puts on both. The appeal of Bathmate has gotten involved in me. Hercules actually tickles my interest since it is a water-based pump. On my extremely first usage, I quickly discover the device extremely comfy to use and it is extremely simple to place on. Given that this is a hydro pump, it is recommended to use it in the shower. To use, you just need to press it against your body as well as expel water from the top. This process will create a vacuum cleaner. You fill it with cozy water if you like. When done, you simply need to weigh down on the cap on the top of the device to launch the vacuum. However, after weeks of using it, I locate that it can be straining at the back as I try to raise the vacuum. To do so, you need to draw it towards the body activity and also the process can be arduous. Apart from this, the tool is wonderful. I began with 5.6 inches size and 4.8 inches girth as well as discovered that after 6 months I acquired 0.2-inch in length as well as 0.25-inch in girth. As a beginner, I’m already very amazed with the outcomes. Nevertheless, if there is to be boosted, I desire it consists of an indicator. It feels much safer if you can monitor the gadget and see numbers, numbers or how it is doing other than simply looking at the pump itself. On the other hand, purchasing this material is extremely convenient. There is absolutely nothing to be afraid due to the fact that there is nothing to shed. Bathmate Originals consists of 60-day cash back guarantee. You have enough time to try it as well as see results. If you are not satisfied, you can return the product for a complete refund without any questions asked. To appreciate this, make sure to purchase an official thing. • Comfy to wear • Can be kept warm/hot • Effective in boosting size as well as girth • Provides you harder as well as more powerful erections • Assured results or full refund • Discreet labeling and also packaging • Raising vacuum cleaner can be a pressure on the back • Does not have indicator In general, I already obtained over 3.9 inches in length as well as around 1.75 inches in girth after years of using various Bathmate pumps. From 5.6 inches, I already gauge 9.5 inches and also my penis is already 6.55 inches in circumference from only 4.8 inches. This is far better than my first size. The experience deserves it. I am currently extremely confident with what I have in between my legs. I additionally have a lot more stamina, power, and harder erections. My partner has never ever been this delighted with my efficiency and size. Nonetheless, we all recognize that not all guys are honored with large endowments. It is typically the genes that will certainly influence your dimension with their adult years. There was once a belief that relied upon racial stereotypes, but it is coming to be much less of a problem nowadays. Meanwhile, several researchers have been attempting to see whether having a substantial device is feasible without having those genetics. For that reason, there have actually been numerous devices as well as substance abuse to try and boost this scenario. One of the extra recent items readily available on the market is the Bathmate HydroXtreme collection. You may have become aware of them previously, especially if you are trying to see if you can prolong your size. Numerous Bathmate evaluations mention its efficiency, yet lots of people are still puzzled about it. The complication is understandable, as there are many models of similar items, the like the Bathmate. For beginners, the Bathmate HydroXtreme is a type of penis pump. It is developed to exercise your penis and also stretch out the muscular tissues to make room for even more size. Many evaluations claim that it is a more lasting effect contrasted to the readily available medicines out there. Also, it is much less unpleasant than undergoing surgical procedure considering that it is all about exercise. You do not require to stress over the problems that an improvement surgical treatment might bring. You must be showering or near a constant water source for you to utilize this penis pump. As it keeps up water, it is difficult to use it without the fluid inside. It is likewise much more functional to use it while showering because you do not need to squander any one of it. As soon as you are completed, you can simply allow the water run complimentary without cleaning up anything apart from the pump itself. Dick Pumping Prior to using the pump, try to use jelqing on your penis. Jelqingis the process of trying to regulate the blood circulation and also expanding the size by using your hands just. Consider this action as a warmup for the pump given that your tool is still a muscular tissue. You would not want to shock yourself by placing it into the pump without even assuming regarding it. 3. Fill the pump with water. Do not forget to maintain the pump packed with water before using it. As we have actually pointed out in the past, it depends upon water to run efficiently. Otherwise, the equipment is just an abrasive to your penis, as well as it might harm the muscle mass. If you have actually attempted jelqing before this action, after that your dick is currently tough. Once it gets to that particular factor where it has actually reached the maximum length, insert your tool meticulously into the pump. Attempt to relax as this will certainly make it easier for the machine to work. 5. Carefully raise the pressure. You will certainly see on the gadget that there is a pressure scale for you to adjust. Place the pump near your hips to make sure that you will certainly have a a lot easier time controlling it. The pressure would vary in between individuals as this will depend on your size. You need to gradually enhance the pressure prior to feeling any type of pain. In this manner, it will likewise minimize the opportunity of an injury. Apart from the stress, restrict its usage to a minimum of 10 minutes just. The 15-minute mark is thought about the threat factor, as this is the moment in which you might already really feel more discomfort than essential. 7. Reduce your body organ out of the pump. It is tempting to pull your schlong out of the machine, however take note of the pressure. As you have actually gradually boosted before, try to slow it down once you are currently finished. Repeat the procedure up till you obtain your preferred length. Always keep in mind that the degree of the dimension is not as extreme as you could think. You need to know the limits of your organ as well as attempt to maintain it there. There actually is no certain means of having actually the “desired size” guys can have apart from an intrusive procedure. With innovation today, every kind of chance is now readily available out there. You just have to do some study and go find which you really feel most comfortable experimenting with. If one does not work out, take place as well as attempt the following offered option for you. Back in October I was spoken to by a circulation business that help Penomet, and also they asked me if I would certainly be interested in doing a testimonial for their penis pump. Considering I had not examined anything such as this given that the Hydromax in 2013 I determined to accept their deal, and also a month later on a parcel turned up at my door. After a great window of time for some complete testing, the evaluation is finally right here. The Penomet is a water-driven penis pump, practically the same in concept to the Bathmate range of products I have actually looked at formerly. As with any type of penis pump it works with the principle of decreasing the stress inside a chamber surrounding the penis, in order to attract even more blood into the shaft and also cause it to broaden past its common dimension. The essential distinction in between these pumps and also others which have gotten on the market for years, is that they entail pumping water out of the chamber as opposed to air. Penis pumps have a number of various uses: to accomplish a firmer and more engorged penis prior to intercourse, aiding with instances of impotence, as well as penis augmentation via regular usage. This review will certainly be focusing on the initial aspect. Dick Pumping The Penomet is around 11 1/2 ″ long in total, with an internal diameter of 2 1/2 ″. It’s made from 2 components: the upper half is a tough plastic cylinder (available in a choice of colours) which has actually the integrated shutoff on top, and also has actually slopes engraved into the side in both inches as well as centimetres, rising to an optimum of 20cm/ 8 1/2 ″. The bottom half of pump includes the rubber gaiter, which includes a concertina style to allow it to be pressed. One of the distinct things about the Penomet, contrasted to the Bathmate, is that the gaiter at the base is removable as well as can be switched out with others in order to vary the pressure inside the tube. The Premium pack includes five colour-coded gaiters in overall, and also this is the version that I was supposed to evaluate, however sadly I wound up obtaining the typical plan instead, so while I like the idea of the interchangeable gaiters I can not in fact comment as to just how reliable it is. Among the first things I found concerning the Penomet is that it hates pubic hair. It actually despises pubic hair. I am a modern man so I’m not wandering about with a 1970s forest in my Andrew Christians, however I like a nicely trimmed shrub rather than the smooth look, and here is where the Penomet differs. As it turns out, where there is hair, there is no suction. Air bleeds into the chamber from every side, gurgling up like you were examining your bike tires for leaks after riding via a cactus spot. I gave it a great couple of shots before I obtained irritated, and after that I gave up, and then I put it away for a couple of weeks. I recognized I was going to have to shave everything off in order to test it properly, but I truly didn’t wish to, and frankly I don’t actually seem like one need to have to. I made the factor of digging out my Hydromax for a quick contrast, not wanting to unjustly impugn the capacities of the Penomet lest my shrub be at fault, and also as it took place the. Bathmate secured in place happily, shrub and all. In regards to efficiency I located the Penomet to be somewhat typical. It met its job as a penis pump, yet with differing levels of success. I could feel the stress, as well as see my penis swelling up in the chamber, however making use of the consisted of measurements as an overview, when I was pumped to the optimum I saw much less of a rise contrasted to my conventional size than I did when making use of the Hydromax. This is only a representation on the gaiter which can be found in the common pack though, and also if you’re worried about over-pumping after that it might be preferable for you. The shutoff on the Penomet was something I had a problem with, as on 90% of the moment when I made use of the pump air would certainly hemorrhage in with the top and I would certainly have to try to hold it to stop this from happening. I discovered this to be less than perfect, though to be fair I did likewise experience concerns with a dripping valve on the first Hydromax I had. Lastly, just on a general factor of comfort, I did locate that the rubber gaiter would certainly go into my hips throughout usage, making me miss out on the abovementioned “convenience pad” on the Bathmate, as well as happy that the maximum suggested usage time was 15 minutes. Dick Pumping When you’re do with the Penomet it’s extremely basic to flick the switch at the top of the valve to launch the stress and afterwards check your outcomes. After utilizing it in a collection of sessions of a number of minutes each time, with brief breaks in between, there was a visible change in my penis. It appeared much more engorged, felt thicker in my hand, and had most definitely responded to the activities of the pump, so because respect the Penomet was a success. The million buck question however, would certainly I recommend the Penoment? My only response is “ehhhhhhhh …” When it comes right down to it things does function, so credit rating where it schedules, but after that you can not have pubic hair, and the shutoff is leaking and requires unique focus, as well as it goes into you when you’re using it, and the seal versus your body can break if you move the upside-down. The listing of points just builds up as well as it becomes a problem. It’s not an awful item, it’s simply extremely typical– also typical for its price. It is moderately less expensive than the Bathmate model I reviewed, so ultimately its got to be your call if you want to pay a bit a lot more, or if you can tolerate the drawbacks for a saving. Exercises your penis with a pump. The fact is if you exercise the penile organ, the muscle will certainly react by growing. You will really feel the penile pump generates just short-lived outcomes which to a certain level it does but it likewise helps you gain irreversible increase in dimension. Gradually you can expect a rise between 1-3 inches. From regular usage myself and from numerous peoples experiences you are most likely to see gains in girth when contrasted to length. If you are seeking purely size gains, you may desire to considers penis cots additionally referred to as extenders. For a lot of you reading this normal use the Penomet can help you obtain a thicker, stronger penis with far better erection. As pointed out earlier integrating the pump with penis enhancement workout might help you attain more size. If you are new to all-natural penis enlargement constantly obtain a precise measurement of your current size. Tape-record your size at regular intervals to see any changes. As soon as a month is perfectly great. Penomet gains What kind of gains can I anticipate when I start making use of a penis pump such as the Penomet? Well it all relies on your physiology and also the amount of time you use it as well as the vacuum cleaner in the pump. A lot of us think that just making use of these augmentation treatments suffices. This is not real. Remaining healthy is additionally important right here but it is not the main issue. What is making use of having a lengthy as well as tough penis if there is nothing to show for it? Keep your penis healthy and balanced by regulating the quantity of time you have sex. Do not end up being a sex maniac and have sex every other hour. You will only strain your penile muscles as well as while doing so end the entire procedure of penis augmentation. Give on your own intervals between your sex sessions so regarding offer your penis time to rejuvenate. You additionally require persistence when doing any treatment. Do not hurry the procedure; the results will come at the correct time. Absolutely nothing takes place by magic and this is the same with penis enlargement. You have to do your very own part if you intend to get your preferred results. If surgical treatment was on your mind, get it out. Penomet will do the benefit you and also provide you what you are worthy of. Dick Pumping Every individual desires a bigger penis, but most of us are encouraged that any device promising to enhance the size of your cock is an overall scam. I was among those individuals, till I discovered the Bathmate about 5 years back– in fact, I have actually considering that turned into a believer after I saw the results it provided me. In this write-up, I want to offer you with a sincere Bathmate testimonial, and discuss what results to expect, the regular I used to obtain them, as well as more. If you desire to get a HUGE penis, and also feel the confidence that comes with knowing women will certainly be impressed at your dimension, after that maintain reading … Why I Bought The Acquired. At first, like a lot of men, I was fairly unconvinced in the direction of penis pumps, tablets, and all things of that nature. I believed they were just money-sucking rip-offs. I mean begun, truly? Making use of a Hydromax water pump to enhance the dimension of your penis? It appeared like an easy means to sucker males out of their cash. With time though, I began surfing more and more discussion forums, where males would give Bathmate Reviews, discuss the results they got, as well as the stronger erections they obtained from making use of different Bathmate pumps like the Hydromax or HydroXtreme. Initially I really did not think it, but the evidence just kept accumulating. I began seeing blog writers, online forum posters, as well as also pals discuss their results. Some also stated the outcomes were long term and also permanent. … and while I didn’t have a small penis whatsoever, just how could any man say not to obtaining a larger penis? Even if you’re a healthy and balanced 8 inches long, why wouldn’t you intend to add one more inch in size and also girth? Lengthy story short, I began reviewing reviews online, looking into the most effective penis pumps online, as well as eventually I arrived on the Hydromax. While the Hydromax line of penis pumps had not been as effective as the HydroXtreme line, it was more economical, as well as I figured it would certainly offer me a chance to see if this “penis pump” point also worked from the start. I made a decision to draw the trigger. I bought my initial Bathmate penis pump (from this web link below), and also gave it a go– and divine shit, was I impressed. Before we go on, it’s important to comprehend just how the Bathmate penis pump functions, and also exactly how it’s able to give you such wonderful results (so fast). In short, the Bathmate works by creating a vacuum cleaner surrounding your penis– you pump water out of the Bathmate, which develops suction. Dick Pumping This requires the blood vessels in your penis to expand– not way too much, but just a bit. The idea after that, is that gradually, the blood vessels in your penis will certainly end up being larger as well as able to hold even more blood. In nonprofessional’s terms, this corresponds to larger, harder, and longer long lasting erections, ands also placing on a couple inches in dimension, as well as increasing girth, as well. Different Types of Bathmate Pumps. Prior to we continue, something ought to be explained. There are several various sorts of Bathmate penis pumps on the marketplace right now. To put it simply, they have various sized penis pumps with different stress levels depending upon your present size and experience. Having actually never even thought about using one before now, I need to claim I marvelled, stunned and also completely satisfied with the product and also completion results! I’ve never ever utilized anything like this prior to, and while waiting on the X30 to arrive in the post, I thought I ‘d do a little bit of research right into the product. I have to confess prior to I looked for the Bathmate X30 I had very low assumptions of what I was about to locate. I anticipated some inadequately made site with hardly any type of information on it other than “It makes your dick big- buy it!”- however the Bathmate internet site contains valuable details and ‘just how to’ overviews clarifying whatever in one area. There’s even terrific suitable guides to assist you pick the ideal pump dimension for you … regretfully mine was the smaller of the pumps … only just! The Hydromax Bathmate X30 is a water pump usually made use of in the bathroom or shower and also can be pumped by utilizing the Hydromax or by attaching the handball pump. It comes with quite a remarkable bunch of devices, which really make this item really feel a whole lot more than simply a dick pump; as well as you really get your money’s worth with all of this:. • A black carry instance to keep everything with each other as well as distinct. • A mix lock (do not want your seeing mother-in-law searching for it!). • Useful shower band that affixes to the Hydromax pump– so when bathing it does not simply slip off. • Measuring Gauge– so that you can obtain a precise view of your development. • Cleaning package– to keep your pump glossy! • Convenience insert pad, which I didn’t need to make use of (and also did assume it was a sponge till reviewing the manual). • And also a really helpful “exactly how to” Handbook. Having actually never made use of a pump previously, I was really excited by to start with, the entire discussion of the item as it comes with a good deal of accessories and a guide right into just how to set up, preserve as well as make use of the Hydromax X30 pump. On my first usage, I must admit to being a little weird-ed out by the whole thing, once I got going it didn’t feel too bad. A couple of pumps and also you can truly discriminate in size and also after the advised 15 minutes I can see the difference in size too, not enormously yet this is just my very first usage. The feeling is instead good having hot water being streamed around your penis and also can obtain you in the state of mind instead promptly. At the next usage, I really felt much more at ease with the X30 and also began to see just how far I could go. Utilizing it a little bit greater than I had the first time, and pumping a lot harder, the outcomes were practically immediate, making my penis much bigger. Utilizing the determining gauge, I might actually see how much it had expanded. The pump, for me, really did not actually make much difference to for how long I could last in bed. It is only the 2nd time I have actually given it a try, however, so there’s still time to see far better outcomes. It does claim that to obtain the most effective out of your pump you should use it day-to-day for 15 mins each time, so it’s still very early days! I will update this evaluation with more details when I have actually used it a bit longer! Out of thousands of hrs of research ... We've created the absolute most effective penis pumps that in fact WORK and Don't lose your time. Below is the top penis pump we advise based upon our research: Affiliate Disclaimer: The owners of this website may receive compensation for any products recommended and purchased by website viewers. This helps maintain website and server costs.	24,608
It’s the same story everywhere you work: You can’t think on the fly during meetings or jump in during call-it-out brainstorming sessions. You feel drained after office events that involve being around a lot of people, no matter how nice they are. And you’re always pegged as the quiet one. But you have ideas. Good ones. You just need to find a way to contribute. If this sounds familiar, you may be an introvert. Depending on the website, book or study, introverts make up 25 percent to slightly more than 50 percent of the population. My own extensive research – in the form of an anonymous survey distributed on Facebook, Twitter, and my blog – had 60 percent of the 68 respondents identify themselves as introverts. If we were a political party, we’d win by a landslide. Yet the odds are still stacked against us at work, where meetings and brainstorming sessions often rule the culture. “A lot of workplace things are organized in extroverted ways,” says Wendy Gelberg, author of The Successful Introvert: How to Enhance Your Job Search and Advance Your Career and owner of Gentle Job Search & Career Services. But introverts can find their workplace niche, which will enable them to feel more comfortable – and excel – on the job. The words “extrovert” and “introvert”, used on the Myers Briggs Type Indicator (MBTI), a popular personality test, relate to where we access our energy. At an office holiday party, extroverts may talk in big groups, drawing energy from the people around them as if they were chugging can after can of Red Bull. Introverts, on the other hand, become more energized by focusing inward. We aren’t necessarily shy, which is a completely different personality trait. But after spending time with ten people around a conference table, we may have to close our office door for some alone time. This helps us recharge and put out our best work for the rest of the day. Of course, most people fall somewhere along the long line between extroversion and introversion. But it’s our introvert side that is often harder to embrace. Extroverts show increased blood flow in areas that respond to external stimuli which helps them excel in social situations, according to a 1999 study in The American Journal of Psychiatry. Introverts, on the other hand, have increased blood flow in the front lobes and anterior thalamus of the brain. This means we are better at thinking activities. “I tend to think slowly and my responses are not lightning quick,” says Sophia Dembling, author of the Psychology Todayblog, The Introvert’s Corner. But, she continues, “Introversion is not synonymous with cold and unfriendly. It’s just a different way to be. Once we understand who we are, we can begin to understand our boundaries even better.” Introverts bring many finer points to the table. Because of the way our brains are wired, we are good at remembering stories from the past, planning, and solving problems. Gelberg adds that introverts are also well-prepared because we like to understand what’s going on around us. “We’re not impulsive with our contributions to the world,” she says. And we have a tremendous ability to form deep relationships. These qualities would be an asset in any workplace. Extroverted language is common in office culture, says Gelberg. But phrases like “sell yourself” and words like “networking” can make introverts cringe. We’re not always comfortable with this language because we feel like we’re engaging in a business transaction. But rethinking these terms changes everything. Since introverts are good at forming relationships with people, think of “networking” and “selling yourself” – both sales terms – as having a conversation with someone else. Get to know the person and let them get to know you. Try to talk one-on-one or in small groups if you can. These tactics can make introverts feel much more at ease. Brainstorming sessions can be one of the most difficult workplace activities for introverts. “[We] are going to get completely steamrolled,” says Dembling. But if your bosses are game, try brainwriting instead. Developed by Southern Methodist University business professor Peter Heslin, this technique gives introverts a voice. Everyone sits around a conference table with introvert-friendly pens and paper, and has time to write down an idea before passing the paper on to the next person. Once a slip contains four or five ideas, the group discusses them. Then introverts have much-needed time to think of what they want to say. Even full-on, 100 percent introverts still need human contact. So don’t completely eschew extrovert activities because they are out of your comfort zone. Try to offer a thought or two to the string of ideas on the table during meetings or brainstorming sessions. Attend an office party or an afterhours get-together for an hour. Chit-chat about last night’s episode of Top Chef by the water cooler. Your co-workers will appreciate that you’re making an effort. Introverts, do you have any ideas to add the list? Extroverts, what challenges do you face and how do you deal with them? Let us know in the comments. introverts in the workplace, find your niche, how to find your niche, introverts, finding your niche in life, how to find your niche in life, introvert, introvert office, introverts at work, introvert in the workplace featured (489) workplace (4) Email Post Share Post Jennifer Walker researched many careers before realizing she wanted to be a writer. Now she writes about art, culture, and social and community issues, and blogs about food at My Morning Chocolate. Related Posts 4 Ways to Be Liked at Work Are You Rewarding Yourself through Procrastination? Zack Pike on the 23rd February #6 on your list, stepping outside your comfort zone, is so important. I definitely used to be and introvert, and it wasn’t until I started making myself do things that where uncomfortable that I really started to see my career grow. Capitalizing on the opportunity of #6 will be difficult, it will be scary, but it will pay off big every time you do it. brownin329 on the 16th December Introversion and Extra/oversion is on a range; we all go up and down it every day. It’s just that people tend to identify with one extreme more than another. You can’t “used to be” an introvert. Right now, you may be mostly displaying as an extrovert whereas in other circumstances you may still be more introverted. Ervin Marketing on the 23rd February Great article! “Brainwriting” is a great way to incorporate everyone’s ideas. Being an introvert and extrovert is not something that is always thought about, but when you think of the people in your office/agency, you recognize the people who are “not impulsive with [their] contributions to the world.” You know they have some great ideas to add and they are always thinking. Chris R on the 23rd February TY for your highly informative article, Jennifer. I am no Psychologist Guru, however, I think I have ALWAYS been an extrovert until I had an accident where my Frontal Lobe was damaged. I believe this has evolved my brain into a more introverted stance. I am good at “selling myself like an extrovert” but don’t want to “sell myself” as this idea is against my personal integrity. I am an artist and a man, I do not “need” to sell myself to be “accepted” or literally “financially compensated.” So, to me, there is no right/wrong way to be (either introvert/extrovert) you just adapt to your heart. And FEAR leads to unproductivity. Johnny Rivera on the 23rd February Thanks for this. I been working hard since the beginning of the year to identify areas of weakness in myself and workflow to better both! I can really relate to this article and will definitely use some of your tips, and I now know what to Google for to find similar topics. First time on this website to can’t wait to read what other awesome things lay around here. Peter North on the 23rd February Jennifer Walker on the 23rd February Thanks so much for the comments! @Zack: I’m glad you’ve had good experiences with tip #6. That’s the one I constantly work on, but I agree, it’s well worth it in the end. @Chris: “And FEAR leads to unproductivity” – so true. I like your positive attitude. @Johnny: That’s great that you found some ideas to add to your plan. Sounds like it’s going well – congrats on sticking to it! Mike Vardy on the 23rd February As an extrovert, I’m happy to see that the “brainwriting” approach as an alternative to brainstorming. All ideas are valuable in those types of sessions, and being able to include those that are introverted in the process. Thanks to everyone for the comments — and keep working awesome! Kenneth Yee on the 24th February What a great article and topic that so many of us can relate to in different ways. I think the suggestions are very useful, but more importantly, the information helps us understand a little bit better the differences and strengths we all have and can contribute, both in the work place and in social situations. Thanks Jen! Natasha Oliver on the 27th February Thank you for the excellent article. I am a definite extrovert, but my daughter is an introvert. Raising her has been hard at times because I just don’t get her way of thinking and need to recharge sometimes. But, as she has gotten older, I started to worry about how she would do in the “real world”. Your article lets me know she is not alone and there are ways to adapt. Luckily, she is an artist, like her mom, so there is a chance she will not need to typical office space workplace. Let’s hope I can find more articles like this for her on how to get new clients as an introvert! Thanks again! stephanie walker on the 28th February Christina on the 7th March I’m an introvert and would stay at home all the time if I could. It’s a constant effort for me to deal with and I ended up taking a teaching job (been here for 2 years now) to help me learn how to deal in an extroverted environment without freaking out. Any sort of public speaking helps – as much as it’s painful to think about the first few times! brownin329 on the 16th December Christina, you may or may not be an introvert. What you describe sounds like shyness or some sort of personality (dare I say it) or neurological disorder. It’s okay. I have Asperger’s (neurocognitive) and I am mostly introverted and I don’t like being around noisy people either mostly because of my sensory integration disorder (I have ‘misophonia-so clicking and popping drive me crazy) that is a comorbid of my condition. I also don’t like fake people because I can’t read them correctly. It is really hard to be at work a lot of the time. If you really have these issues and are distressed by them, there is help. Go see a psychologist or an employee assistance program counselor and then write up a plan and take it to your manager with some information about your condition and your needs and see if they will help you instead of forcing you to be in a space that makes you miserable. Good luck! Ben Glumack on the 20th September I am a full on introvert that has panic attacks once I enter the office for fear that I am going to get 25 different issues that need 25 different answers right away. I have tought myself html5/css3 in the last 1 1/2 years and am with a staffing company to find me gigs. I just got my first and had to ask a ton of questions to my cranky web designer and it was the first time ever in an office environment. Every second of the day I wanted to run out of the office and keep running for fear of messing something up cuz I didn’t have time to think. He would tell me 5 directions on what to do and I would just blankly stare at him. Us I was in my head. Long story short how do introverts get jobs and survive? I feel helpless and useless ugh! Sorry for the whining. And a great enlightening article! Rhonda Lucas on the 8th October I loved this article. I work very closely (the three of us sharing the same office) with two extroverts. They love the quantity and quality of my work, but think there is something ‘strange’ or ‘abnormal’ about me. Until I read this article, I didn’t even understand myself, why I am different. Your article helped me to see that I am not ‘strange’, I am just different, and not shy or anti-social. I am an introvert and have much to offer. I have decided to share this article with my two coworkers, in hopes that they will have a better understanding of what I am about, appreciate my strengths and hopefully see my possibilities, in order to encourage my growth. Thank you for your article! Pooja Lohana on the 9th October Good on you for embracing who you are in front of your friends Rhonda! Let us know how you go. Oliver Viel on the 16th May Alexa on the 19th January Thank you for sharing this great article, Jen. I’ve been struggling as an introvert in the workplace & I always feel pressured starting a conversation with an extroverted seatmate who don’t have the same interest as I am. But I’m still trying my best to talk to him/her if there’s something to talk about that we’re both can relate. #6 has always been a challenge for me but I’m slowly adapting. I’m tiref of being called the quiet one to strangers in the office. I only hang out with a small group of friends at work that I’m comfortable with. Still, it gets tiring to prove that you’re not a shy type. This article is really helpful. I’ll try to practice it.	14,265
DC Circuit grills NARUC, FERC on whether Order 841 will harm state ability to regulate distribution - Governors' Wind Energy Coalition Governors' Wind Energy Coalition Governors' Wind Energy Coalition Members Coalition Members Affiliate Members June 19, 2015 Presentations Source: By Catherine Morehouse, Utility Dive • Posted: Wednesday, May 6, 2020 A three judge panel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit pressed counsel on Tuesday on whether or not a landmark federal storage order was encroaching on state authority over the distribution system. Order 841, issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission in 2018, was intended to expand the ability of storage to participate in wholesale power markets. But critics of the order are stuck on “one small and unnecessary aspect of the rule” which attempts to “curtail state authority” over the distribution system, Jennifer Murphy, director of energy policy and senior counsel for the plaintiff, the National Association of Regulatory Utility Commissioners, told judges during virtual oral arguments. The language in question says that states may not “broadly prohibit” resources from participating in federally regulated wholesale markets. FERC and clean energy groups argue the rule does not inhibit states’ ability to regulate their distribution systems, but rather ensures energy storage resources aren’t prevented from participating in the market. Storage advocates see Order 841 as a crucial tool to help accelerate energy storage deployment across regulated wholesale markets. But utilities and states in their petition to the court argued FERC overstepped its authority in issuing this rule by potentially hindering state regulatory authority. The fundamental question for the judges is whether the order’s instructions to regional transmission organizations (RTOs) and independent system operators (ISOs), which will govern the way storage systems are able to participate in the wholesale market, messes with a state’s ability to safely govern the reliability of its distribution system. “This case isn’t about the validity of the majority of the storage rule, it’s about the validity of a discrete portion of the rule in which FERC asserts that states may not ‘broadly prohibit’ local, state regulated storage resources on the distribution system from participating in federally regulated wholesale markets,” Murphy told the judges Tuesday. That language in 841 “disregards” state authority over the distribution system, rendering it “unlawfully written.” Judges pressed Murphy on whether the order would fundamentally harm states, and whether there were specific states vying for the ability to ban energy storage systems from connecting to the wholesale market. NARUC members don’t necessarily want to use an “opt-out” option, but they want “to preserve the ability” to do so, said Murphy. “This [order] takes away one of the tools in their toolbox.” Utility groups did not respond to request for comment by publication time. But FERC counsel Anand Viswanathan argued “the rule itself does not impose any obligations whatsoever on any facility local distribution or otherwise … to the extent that there is some effect at the distribution level, that ship has sailed long before this rule.” The distribution system itself might be impacted by this order, he said, as it will likely lead to heightened deployment of energy storage facilities onto the power grid. But FERC is not imposing obligations on states to change the way they regulate those systems, he argued. “The fact that there might be effects on the distribution system as a result of this rule is not the same thing as the commission imposing obligations on states or on distribution owning utilities,” he said. “A homeowner still has to go through the rules that exist in her state to connect to the grid … the broad language means that a state cannot take away the choice of a resource to voluntarily participate” in the wholesale power market. There is some risk to states hindering the ability of storage to participate in wholesale markets without that language, Jeff Dennis, managing director and general counsel at Advanced Energy Economy told Utility Dive. “The concern that we’ve always had as an industry is that states would enact very broad bans on wholesale market participation by these resources that would potentially limit business models or limit the ability of customers to” provide wholesale services and access revenue streams from those services, he said. RTOs and ISOs have been issuing compliance filings for the past two years as part of obligations under the federal order to issue tariffs that will help bring energy storage onto the market. If the court chooses to reverse part of the order, it would raise new questions about how those entities would handle compliance, said Dennis. He felt the court was leaning against vacating 841, based on judge’s comments and lines of questioning, but said the court may leave the question of how FERC’s authority could inhibit states’ ability to regulate the reliability and safety of distribution systems up to a future case. “Will there become conflicts where a state does something that it argues is in the name of safety and reliability, and a storage developer, or a customer … says, ‘I think what you’re actually doing is blocking my access to the wholesale market?’ You can see that dispute in the future,” he said. The U.S. Energy Storage Association (ESA) also predicts the judges will rule to uphold the order. “FERC’s counsel did an admirable job of laying out the importance of distributed energy storage access to wholesale markets, in line with FERC’s responsibility to ensure just and reasonable rates,” Jason Burwen, vice president of policy for ESA told Utility Dive in an email. “We are cautiously optimistic that the questions focused by the D.C. Circuit on whether states could prove harm may be a signal that the Court is not inclined to vacate the Order … a reversal by the Court would cause significant disruption to electric system innovation and resilience provided by distributed storage.”	6,424
Yainie is a 12 year old girl. She is soon to be 13-years-old. She has attended Writopia for 3 years now. Her current instructor is Abby Coleman. Yainie's favorite artist is August Alsina. “The hallway is no longer a hallway. It looks like we’re in the middle of a meadow.” In the gymnasium, I’m barely breathing in the thin air. I’m next, I’m next, I’m next, I’M NEXT!!! That’s what’s going through my mind, mostly because I’M NEXT. When I hear the whistle blow I take my time moving through the cones, slowly. The stick between my fingers feel like it’s melting but it’s glued to my hands. Almost there, 3, still going, 2, you can make it, 1…I made it!! Yes, and I got 100. I run to go sit down and give my friend a high five. As I watch everybody else take their test I’m on the bench with my legs crossed. I ask to go to the bathroom but Mr. Roman tells me that there are three minutes of class left. He says, “C’mon, Unique, you can hold it.” “Okay,” I respond. We are lining up to go into the elevator, now I’m in the back struggling. Then I hear wires shrieking, and everybody’s chatter. My friend Alicia asks me, “What happened?” My response is a shrug. The teacher calmly informs everybody the elevator is stuck. Everybody starts to chatter again, so now the elevator is filled with a bunch of 7th graders talking. It’s like we’re standing in the middle of the Sahara desert and they talk and talk and talk and TALK!!! About five minutes later everybody pulls out work and the loud talking turns into a loud whisper. Me and my friend are in the back doing math homework. The best part of it is the answers are in the back. While the teacher was on the phone with another teacher, we peeked at the answers in the back of the book so I’m 100% sure I’m correct. As this happened I was distributing gum to the back row. Later the idiot boy that stuck his pen into the side of the button (that made the elevator stop) came over to me and Alicia. “ Can I have gum and what’s the answer to number 4?” he asks flipping pages. “So you get everybody stuck in this hot, smelly, stinky elevator and you have the nerve to come over here and ask for the answers!” He looks embarrassed so I feel bad so I give him gum and tell him the answers are in the back. Then he gets a little smirk and starts to blush. I roll my eyes and smirk. It feels like years, but sadly its been minutes. My friend and I are having a little argument about what the correct answers are for English. We ask Emily, the girl next to us, what she got for the answer. Emily and I got the same answers. “Ha, told you,” I tease. “Sometimes you can be a real pain, Unique.” “I know that’s one of the many reasons people love me,” I stick out my tongue at her and she sticks hers back a me. Then we start to laugh. For a moment the elevator is completely silent, so silent you could hear a feather drop. The teacher stepped out then back in. Everybody was confused. The P.E. teacher pushed his hand out into the other world. His hand turned orange, everybody slowly backed away from the elevator doors.The teacher calmly put one foot out, then the next. As I ran out Alicia yelled my name and reached for me. It was too late. My body lunged into this unknown world hoping there was a bathroom near…but I guess not. I stood in the middle of this world and it spun around me slowly but yet quickly. My entire outfit changed, my pants turned into a white jumper with a skirt, and I had on brown and white stripped knee high socks with a brown shirt. “You look so pale! Are you okay?”Alicia asked me as she walked out the elevator and her outfit slowly changing. “Yeah I’m fine. I’m just shocked by this world.” My entire class walked out one by one, slowly. “Tell me about it. I mean there’s nothing here. No food, buildings, service, PEOPLE!!!” Alicia said with a pouty face “I know and are these outfits serious? I mean I look like an oompa loompa.” “Yeah but seriously what’s with the two pony tails. My hair doesn’t even reach up to my elbow. I mean what am I three?” “Yeah, thats not the worst part.” “ What do you mean,” Alicia said with a puzzled face “I mean the elevator doors are gone, our bags disappeared, and no phones anywhere to be found. How will we get out of here?” “I don’t know,” Alicia said with tears in her eyes. “I hope it’s soon because I really have to pee.” I walked away and trekked up to Mr. Roman. He’s a tall, young teacher that can be funny sometimes but serious other times. I tapped his shoulder three times gently. He didn’t respond. Again a little harder. Still no response. Finally, a lot harder, Mr. Roman whips his head around so quickly that his neck looks as if his head would snap. “WHAT,” he says with his face reddening. “Whoa! Calm down.” “Oh I’m sorry. I was lost in my thoughts.” “It’s ok,” I said. “I was going to ask how we are going to get out of here.” “Oh, well that’s what I was thinking about. Do you have an idea?” “Me?” I said with a shocked face “It was just a thought.” “Ok,” I turned around and walked back to Alicia. She turned to look at me with a perplexed face. “So, what did he say?” “He has no idea. He practically spat in my face.” “Wow, well guess we’re stuck here,”Alicia said rolling her eyes. “I guess so.” Soon everybody turns their head to a loud horn sound. Then birds fly out from the trees in a distance. Mr. Roman tells everybody to find a partner, stay close, and to follow him. Alicia and I connect immediately, then I feel an extra arm attach onto mine. I look to my left and there he is– Zayne. He looks at me with a big cheesy smile showing his perfectly white teeth. “Let go of me you neanderthal.” “Wasn’t ‘idiot’ bad enough?” Zayne said, putting his hands up in defence. “Well, not if you’re both,” I said, sticking my tongue out. “Hey. Why are you so–,” He stopped as he saw something in the distance. As I looked in the same direction as him and I saw what he saw. It was unbelievable, I never saw anything like it in my life. He looked at me and I looked back at him, everybody is looking at this unknown creature. I saw an over-sized emu bird, that was maybe bigger than an elephant. Its colors were unusual. At about 10ft tall this bird had cerulean and electric lime brightly colored feathers. “Do you know what that is?” he said breaking the long silence. “No, what it is?” I said, with a sarcastic face. “That’s an elephant bird. It went extinct in the 17th century. Their closest relative is an ostrich. They were only found on the island of Madagascar. They’re up to 10ft tall and can weigh up to 1,100 pounds!” “Whoa! How do you know all of these facts about the bird?” “My dad has been an archaeologist for 7 years and you learn a few things when that’s all he talks about,” he said and we both laughed. “And your mom?” I asked. His face got sober and so did mine. “My mom died 3 years ago in a car crash. Me and my dad survived but she didn’t. We pulled out of the driveway and she was just reaching for her seatbelt. A drunk driver was going super fast and her air bag didn’t inflate in time.” “Don’t be,” he said quickly. “Oh yeah, let’s go back and find Alicia and the group.” I spun around so quick that the scent of my hair filled the air. “Where did our class go?” “They were here just a second ago.” We both ran around the field, to the edge of the woods, and down the hill to a yellow pond with purple ripples and they were nowhere to be seen. We’ve been walking for about an hour and I felt that we passed the same tree about seven times already. I was hungry, my feet hurt, and there was an annoying buzzing sound that was driving me crazy. We passed the same tree an eighth time around, suddenly the air started to smell of sweet, fluffy, cotton candy. A magical bright pink fruit appeared on the tree. I watched more fruit grow. A wooden post on the tree said a “EAT ME”. I turned around and Zayne was gone. I looked back at the tree and saw Zayne reaching for the fruit. I ran over to him and slapped the fruit out of his hand. The ground began to shake when it fell, it sank deep and a headstone popped up. ‘Fuzzy Wuzzy Peach R.I.P’ it read. “Look what you did!” yelled Zayne. “What are you doing?” I screamed. “I’m just hungry and there’s nothing to eat–unless you have something to eat and you’re not sharing.” “Why do you always think I have something? What am I a store?” “Every time at lunch you have like a chocolate bar or some kind or candy.” “You’re so smart,” I said sarcastically, “don’t you think if I had something to eat I would’ve probably ate it already?” “Yeah but you have sharing issues. You could of eaten it behind my back and I couldn’t of known. Ever since I met you you never gave me anything.” “Everyday you always ask me for my stuff and I always give you. I’ll admit I hate sharing but I do it anyways.” I said getting frustrated. “No, you don’t. What have you ever given me?” “I gave you gum in the elevator,and at lunch I gave you Starburst, Gushers, Kit Kat, Skittles, Nerds and a piece of my Hershey bar.” “Oh whatever. I’m still eating the fruit,” he scampered to the tree, grabbed the fruit, and took a big bite. He had a savory look on his face, like he took a bite out of heaven. He watched me and and I watched him take another bite, then another, then another. He spat out the pit of the fuzzy wuzzy peach. The seed sank deep into the soil, a mini storm cloud appeared and started raining on the pit. A pink leaf popped out of the ground and slowly grew into a tree. I walk away from him so he sprints over to me and I roll my eyes. “Unique? Unique help me,” I turn around and see no one. Once again I hear my name “Unique!” I look up to see Zayne slowly floating up. He grabs onto a tree and I start laughing. However, this tree doesn’t look like any ordinary tree that you would normally see back in the city. Its big like a skyscraper and it looks kinda perfect. The trunk is smooth, like a goldenrod color with no bumps or branches. The trunk is the size of the elevator in Barclays Center, the leaves were as thick as a Narnia book. “Ok. Well instead of staring at this tree, can you help instead?” Suddenly I see a head pop out of the tree Zayne is holding on tightly to. I look more closely at it, but it disappears. “What are you looking at? Can you please help me?” Zayne says screaming, breaking my thoughts. “Sorry. I thought I saw something.” I looked around to see if I could find a vine of some sort to pull him down. I looked under a bush to see if any vine was there, then looked behind a tree, and in a burrow. “Look under the bush,” Zayne yelled. “I looked already,” I hollered back “Just check again maybe you missed something.” I rolled my eyes and stomped over to the bush thinking about how arrogant he is. I bent down again, there it was…a rope. A golden orange rope that looked short and wouldn’t be able to reach Zayne.I picked it up, showed it to Zayne, and yelled, “It’s not long enough.” “Just throw it and I’ll try to catch it,” he yelled. My first attempt was not successful. I tried two more times and every time it was a fail. “It’s not working. You don’t listen at all, all you do is bitch. You think that you’re better than everybody else and can do whatever you want. Sometimes it’s not all about you.You should consider–” “Shh.” Zayne says putting his index finger up to his lips. I rolled my eyes, “Who are you talking to, this is exactly what–” “Shh.” He says in an intense voice as if he’s getting agitated. I gave him that ‘I’m gonna kill you look’. He then pointed at the tree and I see a pair of bright blue eyes in the tree, staring at us, listening to our conversation, and watching our every move. Zayne slowly crawls the tree branch, then he falls flat on his face about five feet onto grass. The bright blue eyes suddenly disappear. “Great, you scared it away,” I said resentfully “How about a ‘Zayne are you okay?’” He said lifting up his head. I chuckle and run over to help him up. “Hmm, must of wore off,” he says examining himself. When he’s up on his feet we both stared into the fascinating tree that has a magical creature living in it. Suddenly I see a tail that is about one foot long with a poof the size of a baby’s fist at the end of it. Then we hear mumbling, and I nudge Zayne in the side and point over to the tail. The tail suddenly disappears behind the magical tree. Zayne and I approach the tree slowly and quietly, then we here more mumbling. I motion Zayne to stay here and I walk slowly over to the tree. I jump out where I heard mumbling and so did this mysterious creature, we then both leap backward with a shocked look on our faces. I got a closer look at the creature, those weren’t the eyes I saw in the tree. This one had electric lime colored eyes. I stared intensely into them. Then the creature spoke: “Who are you? What are you doing here? How did you get here? Why are you invading our land? You don’t belong here.” The creature went on and on with more questions. Suddenly another one appeared, this one didn’t look as bad as the first. This one had bright blue eyes, I’m positive these were the eyes I saw, they were bright blue eyes that could hypnotize you if you stare into them too long. They looked the same except their eyes. They had an orange-yellowish color with a high tabletop hair cut. They were only about three feet tall, and skinny legs with three toes. The creature that was asking me all these questions stared at me like it was looking for answers. I felt like I was standing there a bit too long. All of a sudden I got this weird feeling like I had to let something go. Then I remembered I have to pee! I feel my warm face turning cold like a pale color. I asked if there was a restroom near. The creature pointed to box the size of a porta potty maybe three times bigger, that wasn’t there before. I stared back at the creature like he was crazy. “What is that?” “A bathroom” he said with a straight face and a Scottish accent. “So, you’re telling me I have to go in that?” He nodded, “It looks better on the inside, than the out,” I walked slowly to the porta potty. I walked in and it was the most amazing bathroom in the world (bathrooms aren’t really that big in my house). It wasn’t just a regular toilet. This toilet hung on chains. The toilet paper was glowing like a glow stick that you buy at a carnival, and the holder was a skeleton that matched the toilet paper. Using the bathroom just came naturally to me. I didn’t have to think about anything else. Only that was on my mind. I had a little fun on the toilet when I started to use it the toilet started swinging back and forth. Finally, when I had my fun I went to wash my hands. The water was fine at first, then it became scorching hot so I rapidly pulled my hands back, putting them to my sides. Soon the water started turning grey, then black. The water wasn’t water anymore, it became a figure. It slowly creeped out of the faucet as I backed away. I tried pulling open the door, but it was stuck! I pulled harder with all my force. A big black monster appeared from the sink and stood before me. He was about seven times bigger, wider, and stronger than me. Again I tried opening the door, but instead of pulling I pushed, it still didn’t work. I let out a colossal scream so loud the monster had to shield its ears with his hands. The black monster grabbed me and yelled, “What are you and what are doing in my world?” That word stood out to me, ‘my world.’ Was it really ‘his’ world? Was he just saying that to scare me? I could hear Zayne knocking on the door and yelling my name. I tried to move quickly to the door, but the monster grabbed me again. I felt like a hamster being squeezed by a one-year-old baby. All of a sudden, I see a white figure creeping on the monster’s shoulder. My eyes suddenly shift over the monster’s shoulder and I see a small white cat, about the size of my palm, watching me with its huge eyes. “Meow, who are you?” the cat said with a sweet baby voice. My eyes suddenly grew as big as the cats and I watched the cat yawn and its eyes focused back on me and the cat spoke again. “Meow, do you speak English?” “Uhh, yes.” “Meow, then answer me.” When I heard a louder knock, my head quickly shifted to the door, Zayne came bursting in shouting my name. He hurtled toward me and the monster who held on to me so tight. Zayne hopped upon the monster’s back and tried to take him down. The monster dropped me onto the hard marble floor. I realized the cat jumped off his shoulder and was looking at me from under the sink. I thought about how close the monster was to his cat (it was a cute cat). I crawled over to the cat, snatched its small body, and grabbed it by its paws so it wouldn’t try to scratch me. The cat gave a loud cry and the monster snapped his neck so hard he fell onto the marble floor. The cat’s eyes suddenly grew bigger and bigger as he realized the monster wasn’t moving. The room grew dark, abruptly a portal showed up. It wasn’t a regular portal, it looked like a black hole. It looked liked the milky way galaxy all swirled into one hole. It was really pretty.The cat quickly jumped out of my hands and onto the monster’s huge chess. He meowed, and meowed, and meowed. Zayne walked slowly step-by-step to the portal. I nabbed his upper arm and yanked it so hard he tripped backward. “What are you doing?” I said with an annoyed voice. “What if thats the way home?” he said with a little innocence on his face. “Then it’s not,” he said walking closer to me. Unexpectedly he grabbed my face and his lips met mine. I didn’t realize it at first, but he was kissing me. It lasted about ten seconds, he then picked me up and jumped into the portal. The trip was about three minutes of screaming and flailing. Then, by surprise, we both rolled onto the grass. When I stopped on my back and was breathing hard, I quickly realized where we were. We were back in New York, specifically in Central Park. I look at Zayne and he was laying there on the ground daydreaming. A dog jumped on me and started barking at me and licking my face. I became conscious of whose dog this is. It was Alicia’s, I quickly jumped up and saw Alicia running toward me. I ran to her as well. We gave the tightest hug we possibly could. “Oh my gosh! Where were you? The class went bonkers looking for you guys.” There was a pause. She pointed at Zayne “What’s wrong with him?” “Honestly, I really don’t know.” “Do you know what time it is?” She pulled out her phone and showed me the time. It was approximately 6:00pm. “Oh. Well I just want to go home and sleep.” I was back in my regular clothes, my black pants, a white and red shirt, and my red sneakers. I pulled out my phone to text my mom. Alicia walked toward Zayne and I heard everything they said. “What’s wrong with you?” Zayne took a long sigh. “I kissed her,” he said with his eyes staring up into the bluest sky, with his hand resting on his stomach.	19,718
It is a fact, you might most likely get a hold of beautiful takes along these lines discussed one urban area – but probably the experts agree you to definitely Portland’s dating world is actually oddly tough to browse. The nice Love Debate podcast called Portland the newest next-bad invest America to track down love this past year, and you can plenty of Reddit users and OregonLive commenters was claiming the newest ditto consistently. #step 1. It’s tough for a lot of than others Anecdotally speaking, more enraged group of single men and women appears to be solitary females inside their 20s and you will 30s, whom spoke away en masse when the O’s Lizzy Acker blogged from the relationships problems last November. But almost every other groups appear to be undertaking better. Such as for example, straight guys inside their 20s keep some of the finest mathematical chances in the united states to find a date right here, and you will LGBTQ-determining singles into the Portland likewise have an unusually high number out-of prospective fits to select from. #2. Portland’s beer people may go too far If Higher Love Argument podcast rated the brand new worst towns and cities inside The united states to locate love, they gave a fairly certain reason for buying Portland: “Looking to become cardio of Mustache Beer World is never ever a great way to guide you in reality worry about dating.” The brand new ailment you to men drink “way, a lot of” inside the Portland was also quoted because of the Acker, exactly who shared this note from just one Portlander called “Brooke”: “I’d argue that Portland is one of the worst cities to help you time once the a mid-20s single,” Brooke published. “If you wish to time people outdoorsy, it’s likely that he lives in an excellent van and you can rarely enjoys a beneficial position. However, if you are interested in people with a constant industry, he most likely drinks aside their Saturday and you may Tuesday night and spends Weekend glued to your Tv, obsessing more their dream recreations group.” #3. Standards commonly usually aimed According to dating site OkCupid, more than fifteen % of its Oregon profiles say they’ve been inside the the market for casual hookups – ranks you #1 in the country . Throw in the point that Portland possess a credibility to have polyamory and you may kinkiness (we were named the “ kinkiest urban area in the us ” just a few in years past), and it’s really clear why those with more conventional standard to have an effective matchmaking have difficulties finding its fits. “ Portland is (or perhaps are) a place getting misfits and you may weirdos,” gender instructor Amory Jane told brand new Portland Mercury . “The audience is alot more recognizing from everyone doing something outside the norm.” “Guys are only really nonchalant and kind away from loosey-goosey regarding plans, just like they’re not curious,” Allie Thicker informed OregonLive . “People will say, ‘Why do you think you will be single?’” And you may I am going to state, ‘Oh, you understand, I suffer with PPMS.’” The newest Merc’s “Matchmaking State of one’s Union” also directed in order to flakiness as a good quintessentially Portland disease. “We don’t seem to understand what they require-which is readable,” Amory Jane told you, “but if you merge by using the brand new stereotype of Portlanders being flakes otherwise passive-aggressive in their telecommunications… it’s a combo you to definitely is likely to lead to some distress, irritation, otherwise heartache.” BarFly Mag creator Jennifer Lane believes: “I’m away from Ny, where men and women are so much more direct regarding almost any they truly are impression,” she told OregonLive . “Someone listed below are therefore casual, often it’s hard to inform if you find yourself in reality toward a night out together, or not.” #5: Very singles commonly good at “car hunting” I titled up relationship treatment professional (and you may Bridgeliner audience) Kelly Marie Hoffman locate their take on Portland’s relationship problems, and you will she told you the most significant problem she notices is the fact single men and women usually don’t know just what these are typically looking. Hoffman compares they to help you car searching – if you know you are interested in a red-colored sports vehicle with high addressing, you’re choose the best match much faster than simply for many who initiate shot driving haphazard vehicles regarding parcel. She states it is the in an identical way which have relationships: The more you realize concerning functions and you will characteristics you are looking to possess within the a man, the greater their possibility could well be of finding like in any urban area. “You must stop believing that just the right person is just browsing arrive if date is good,” she told you. “Which is one out of a million. You ought to go searching because of it.” What is the love story? On soul away from learning with her, we’d always discover: How perhaps you have receive love (or tried and hit a brick wall) whenever you are residing Portland? Give us a relationship facts out of 100 terms and conditions or faster, whether it is victorious or tragic, cringe-worthwhile or entertaining. We are going to see a number of our preferred to fairly share on the publication on the times. ?? step 3. She jokes at your laughs and you will uses it as a justification to the touch your Could you from a frequent and miami, listed below are matchmaking good way since the pits, good way some Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Recent Posts Abbiamo, in realta, certo di ispezionare volte migliori siti di incontri affinche Payday loan no checks necessary Payday advances – Richmond Va. Need Payday loan – Richmond Virtual assistant It surely wasn’t using your one Les Amants is actually one of the primary industrial accomplishments of 1950s Fast Cash complies with appropriate government, condition, and you can municipal regulations Seem to, the latest investigator try half Kurzick, therefore watching the big household inside spoils influenced him profoundly	6,334
Even though it’s not usually obvious, I have pretty terrible eyesight. In fact, I’m not just slightly myopic, but usually I can’t see 20cm past my nose and am pretty much blind without some sort of visual aid! Anyway, while I’ve worn contact lenses regularly for about five years, a recent bout of dry eyes had the optometrist prescribe me a combination of eye drops and a break from contacts in favour of glasses. While the good news is my eyes are a little less dry now, I’ll probably keep wearing specs to give my eyes a much-needed break from the strain I constantly put them through. After all, it doesn’t look like I’m giving up my internet habit any time soon, and if I’m going to be spending money on glasses I might as well use them! Moving on, this is a pretty casual outfit that I wore on a last-ditch shopping trip before uni started again this week. The story behind this bag is that I got it in Melbourne, since my trusty Sportsgirl satchel was literally ripping at the seams and I was forced to bin it. I’m still in the market for a replacement black satchel with silver hardware, but for now I guess this one will have to suffice. My number one deal breaker when it comes to bags is that it has to fit my bulky DSLR, so this one should fit the bill until I manage to find one that’s just right. Funny how I say that, but considering how picky I am I don’t think it’s happening any time soon! what i wore round in limbo December 28, 2013 change of pace October 24, 2013 August 28, 2013 Previous Post Next Post about me Hi there! I'm Mani, a born and bred Sydneysider obsessed with dessert and searching for the next adventure.	1,707
I hadn’t either until I was doing some research on Rita Ora’s diet and exercise regime! It turns out that there’s a particularly grueling fat camp in Austria that costs a whopping £1500 per night! Surely…nobody would pay $2421 for a ‘camp’…unless you’re a pop star looking to slim down. I looked at the ‘fat camp’ website an it is by no means a camp. It’s a luxurious seaside retreat! The website states that no two treatments are the same, each patient is given their own program to follow to flush fat and toxins out of their system. The centre uses epsom salts as diuretics and magnesium powder. Guests are served boiled potatoes and broths, herbal teas and salads. Rita spent some time at the Viva Mayr clinic in order to slim down and educate herself about healthy eating and exercise ahead of her tour. Rita confessed through twitter that her time in LA has motivated her to be healthy. She now regularly consumes fruit and vegetable juices and boxes with David Haye aka ”The Hayemaker” (a professional boxer from London). Rita Ora hasn’t always been confident with her body, ‘There was a point in school when I was, like, 13, that I didn’t feel comfortable at all. I matured more quickly than the other girls; I had bigger breasts and a bigger bum – and I hated it. I would get extra-tight leotards for my dance classes [to flatten me] because I was really ashamed of my body.” The star soon embraced her figure and now draws inspiration from the likes of Marilyn Monroe and new friend Beyonce! “At one point, I just woke up, like, ‘I love my boobs, I love my skin, I love myself. And I’m going to get a leotard that actually fits because I can’t breathe!’” Regular exercise, healthy fruit and vegetable juices, salads and lean protein sources. If you watch TV or read the news, you’ve possibly seen or heard about a celebrity weight loss supplement touted as the “secret”, and absolutely safe (because it’s natural!) alternative. Well, today it’s a secret no longer because we’re here to tell you all about it. A very real and significant concern when losing weight is how you’ll look. You could end up with sags and bags, or you could end up lean and buff. If your body shrinks in size as you lose weight without the skin area also “shrinking,” you could end up with loose skin hanging around your upper arms, waist, stomach, and other areas. By the time you attain your ideal size, the only solution for tightening up your skin is plastic surgery. Avoid Weight-Loss Sagging You can avoid sagging skin by starting strength training now and continue throughout your weight-loss program and beyond as you maintain your new size. That way, your skin will shrink along with the rest of you. By the time you attain your ideal size, new people you meet will have no idea that you were ever overweight. Why? Because your skin will fit your body. Do this with strength training. Stamina, Energy, and Strength Training You want quick results in losing weight, and you can achieve them with strength training. After only three months of two hour-long strength-training sessions a week, your body will become smaller. Your waist will be smaller, as will your upper arms, and your stomach will be flatter. You only need to do two sessions of strength training a week. If you feel really ambitious, you can do three, but don’t do any more than that. Strength training causes small tears in the fibers of your muscles. This is good, because as they repair on your “off” days the muscles become stronger and tighter. If you do strength training every day, your muscles won’t have time to rebuild between sessions. Strength Training Approaches Free weights. Very popular, easy to use, widely available. Start with 2- to 3-pound weights and add weight as your body adapts to the weight. A stretchy thin tube with handles on each end. Resembles a jump rope. You can purchase in several levels of resistance. A long, wide, stretchy band used for resistance training. Ankle and wrist weights. Strap them on for resistance as you do strengthening exercises. A long, weighted bar used for resistance training. May or may not have additional removable weights on either end. A big inflated ball on which to do exercises. Seems innocent enough, but provides really challenging strength-training exercise. A circular handheld ring, about 15 inches in diameter with handles across from each other. By compressing the circle with legs, arms, and other body parts, you can get quite a workout. Pilates classes and equipment. An exercise method that creates long, lean, and strong muscles, plus very strong abs and terrific posture. Set the resistance of the machines to match your strength levels. Lift weights while you keep pace with the music. Muscle weighs more than fat. Because of this, a person with higher muscle mass could weigh more, and yet wear a smaller size. In addition to using your weight as a measure of attaining your ideal size, take into account your body fat percentage. Having a higher body fat percentage brings with it significant health risks including diabetes, metabolic syndrome, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and autoimmune disorders. When you have your body fat tested at a health club or at a health practitioner’s, you’ll receive a reading of body fat, water, and muscle percentages. All three add up to 100 percent. Assuming that the amount of water weight remains almost constant for each individual, the variables are body fat and muscle. The more muscle you have, the less body fat you have (and vice versa). Here are ideal body fat percentages: Up to age 20: 14-21 percent Up to age 20: 9-15 percent In body fat measurements, lower is usually best, but don’t go below the recommended guidelines. A person must have at least some body fat to be healthy. Fat pads internal organs such as the kidneys, and it also offers protection against cold weather. For women, the minimum recommended fat percentage is 12 percent. If a woman has less, her menstrual cycles could cease. Men must have a minimum of 5 percent to stay healthy. By doing strength-training exercises for two to three hours a week, you can reduce your body fat percentage by as much as 10 percentage points within six months. Having less body fat and more muscle gives you more energy, higher stamina, more muscle definition, and a higher metabolism. This means you’ll burn through calories faster and can eat more food without gaining weight. Jane Wright once seriously thought about becoming a doctor. Admittedly, it was way back in nursery school but her interest in what makes people tick has never waned. Unfortunately, the medical school dreams never panned out largely due to the fact that she discovered she also has a talent for writing, which was way easier to accomplish. So now she satisfies both traits by researching and writing health and fitness articles for a range of clients around the world.	7,240
Mondays are tough, especially this time of year! It was 8F when I woke up this morning. I know it’ll get quite a bit colder before the winter is over, but that felt harsh. We had a nice quiet day yesterday. I went for a long walk in the cold, did approximately a million loads of laundry, cleaned up from the party, napped, and knit. Just the way I like it. We didn’t go look for new stoves, mostly because I decided I’d like to table that gift until after we’ve made the car purchase. I am on decision overload at the moment, and don’t want to make the wrong choice simply because I can’t stand another decision. It’s safer to leave it for now. As for the upcoming car purchase, Mr. Ink, being an indecisive person, keeps giving me more and more options to consider. Now, I am one of those people who makes quick decisions and lives with the outcome. So, the more decisions I am given, the more apathetic I become. I get to a point where I am thinking “Ok, I got excited about this option, but we didn’t go with it, and I got excited about this other option, and we didn’t go with it, and that keeps happening and now I don’t want to or cannot get excited about any option.” Meanwhile, Mr. Ink sees this apathy and thinks he’s somehow doing something wrong. Making a wrong choice, or missing something. And his solution is to throw more options at me in hopes I’ll get excited about one of them. The more options, the more apathy I feel. See the problem here? We need to get out of this cycle now. To be honest, we are spinning our wheels so to speak, looking at all GREAT options, all good prices, all within a small amount from each other, all less than we had expected to pay. There’s actually no losing option anymore. Which is why we just need to go for it. In more fun, and knitting news, my parents sent a couple amazing little gifts off my crafting wish list. The first being a set of 9 inch circs for sock knitting, I think I might have mentioned that yesterday. Originally I was going to wait to start socks for Mr. Ink until I could get to our LYS sale. However, as I sat knitting yesterday I thought “SURELY I have something in my stash he’d be ok with colorwise?” I mean, my stash really is extensive, though less so than it used to be. There’s no reason in the world unless he’s ridiculously picky that I cannot find serviceable sock yarn in my stash for this. So I went to my stash and yanked out a VERY old skein of Wollmeise, probably one of the first I ever owned. And cast on a sock on those wee needles. As you can see, it’s been a bit of an obsession. I think it’s slower for me, right now, than knitting on 2 circs or magic loop. But I think that’s simply because hand placement is a little tricky, and I suspect I will get used to it. It’s been a pleasant diversion, these socks. They were absolutely my main project yesterday. The other thing my parents sent which I am SO excited about as I’ve had my eye on it for awhile now: Fun little leather bracelet that doubles as a measuring tape. Seems so perfectly appropriate for a knitter! It’s also, as it turns out, VERY comfortable to wear. I guess that’s about a wrap for me today. I don’t anticipate a lot of knitting time today or tomorrow. I’ll spend my lunch walking the fabulous Max, Miss Marja’s dog. Pretty sure that’s something I am doing for me rather than for her, as I really need the excuse to go out in the cold and take a walk. In the evening, I won’t have time as we are supposed to test drive again tonight. Test driving is now testing the limits of my patience, so hopefully that’s ONLY tonight. Related ← What a Weekend And a Decision is Made → 3 thoughts on “Monday Monday” December 12, 2016 at 11:23 am LOVE the color of those socks! And I think you will get used to the tiny needles – I really like using them- none of the awkwardness or interruption of changing needles, moving stitches around – just knit like a fiend and BOOM! socks are done. Good luck with the car… and Maybe Mr. Ink should read this post? December 12, 2016 at 12:08 pm I think I decided, after writing the post, that I’ll go home and tell him exactly what I want. And then I’ll also mention that if he thinks that isn’t a good idea for mechanical reasons, I am totally ok with that. I mean, I think I’ve made it clear, but you know, sometimes the clarity gets lost in in the amount of words coming out of my mouth.	4,525
At TEDMED, photographer Kitra Cahana shares a new visual language accompanying the extraordinary story of her father’s severe brainstem stroke, a catastrophe that transforms into an inspiring and imaginative spiritual journey. What motivated you to speak at TEDMED? It’s very difficult to express the sublime and the surreal in words and photographs. I wanted to attempt to communicate all that my family had experienced in the summer of 2011 – my father’s brain stem stroke, and the profound spiritual awakening that followed – with others. When my father first had his stroke, I wrote down these words, and whispered them to him when I first came to his bedside: “We only ever needed one pair of hands, two legs, a respiratory system to keep the world afloat between us.” This became my mantra. We can sustain ourselves through each other. This is what my father taught us; he said that all who came into his room of healing should expect to be healed themselves. Healing has to be mutual. The stroke ruptured my reality as well as his. In those initial months, so devoted to his limp body and to allowing him to communicate all that was bursting to come out from within, I saw sides of myself I never knew existed. I would have loved for him to have spoken at TEDMED himself. But as in the hospital, where my mother, sisters, brother and I acted as his mouthpiece, so too do we continue to act in that capacity, sharing his words and his Torah with others. Why does this talk matter now? What impact do you hope the talk will have? To me, this talk should be timeless. In fact, part of my father’s message is that he hopes others will step outside of the space-time hustle and bustle that many of us are so used to. He experiences life in a kind of slow-time (that’s what he’s called it), watching with curiosity as his body reawakens tingle by tingle, twitch by twitch. He spent and continues to spend hours alone with himself. That space of aloneness with his thoughts is not a place of anxiety, but a place of joy and introspection. I hope that others get a sense of this slow-space-time, where you exist only with yourself, with those other humans that you are intimate with, and – my father would also say – with G-d. I tried to recreate this kind of in-betweenness (in between the inside and the outside, heaven and earth, body and mind) in the video series and photographs that I have been working on and that I presented in the TEDMED talk. What kind of meaningful or surprising connections did you make at TEDMED? I met a wonderful woman at TEDMED who runs a high-end rehabilitation center in Boca Raton, Dr. Lisa Corsa. Our chance encounter at the coat check turned into a half-hour consultation, wherein she reaffirmed our family’s sense of what intensive rehabilitation should look like. A body that has had every system affected as severely as my father’s needs hours of attention each day if there’s any intention for it to make functional progress. A body that doesn’t move hardens; it stiffens and withers away. We have a wonderful circle of volunteers who give so much of themselves, but it’s not enough. Dr. Corsa helped me get a sense of how far we have to go to advocate and fundraise for my father to receive the minimum amount of proper care and attention. He’s currently living in an institution with limited human resources, and as a result we are only able to provide limited access to physiotherapists each week. She affirmed my resolve to fight for my father’s right to basic daily movement and to seek the funds for intensive physiotherapy, so that he can eventually move back home. Please share anything else you wish you could have included in your talk. Since my father’s stroke, I have become involved in a global community of people who have experienced brain stem strokes, either personally or on the part of a loved one. They are either still fully locked-in, or have since made great progress, including some partial to full recoveries. We share and compare our experiences online. So many of those who have experienced being locked-in were written off too early. Their families were told to expect very little. As a result, they did not receive proper rehabilitation therapies, nor were their bodies moved on a daily basis to maintain a minimum quality of comfort and life. I’ve seen health care professionals refuse to address the locked-in patient directly, speaking about him or her in the third person, insensitive to the fact that the person is still completely conscious and able to communicate. We struggle every day to sensitize health care professionals and institutions. Healing is taxing. But what is even more taxing is trying to heal in systems and institutions that drain the already low reserves of patients and their support systems. My father was able to have the spiritual experience that he had because he had a family and a congregation that preserved him in his role as father, husband and rabbi and advocated for him when he wasn’t able to. More from TEDMED 2014 How autism freed me to be myself Posted on November 26, 2014 by TEDMED Rosie King Rosie King challenges stereotypes of people with autism and contextualizes the issue by asking us, “Why be normal?” "Some people might call my obsession with facts boring. I call it FOCUS." - Rosie King ABOUT ROSIE When she was nine years old, doctors confirmed Rosie King’s self-diagnosis of Asperger’s Syndrome. With two younger siblings severely affected by autism, Rosie had a burning desire to help make the world a more tolerant place for people with autism ever since she was a young girl. She found the opportunity to do so when her family was invited to do Read More… My father, locked in his body but soaring free Posted on November 19, 2014 by TEDMED Published on Oct 19, 2014 At TEDMED, photographer Kitra Cahana shares a new visual language accompanying the extraordinary story of her father's severe brainstem stroke, a catastrophe that transforms into an inspiring and imaginative spiritual journey. What motivated you to speak at TEDMED? It’s very difficult to express the sublime and the surreal in words and photographs. I wanted to attempt to communicate all that my family had experienced in the summer of 2011 – my father’s brain stem stroke, and the profound spiritual awakening that followed – with others. When my father first had his stroke, I wrote down Read More… Posted on October 22, 2014 by TEDMED Published on Oct 22, 2014 At TEDMED, Debra Jarvis draws on her own experience with cancer to offer a witty yet daring look at the way that survivors of disease and trauma can achieve new levels of emotional and psychological healing. For writer, ordained minister, and hospital chaplain Debra Jarvis, humor is a powerful balm. She is not afraid to be funny even when doing very serious work with the sick and dying as a hospice chaplain, a pastoral consultant for volunteer groups caring for people with AIDS and MS, and staff chaplain at the Seattle Cancer Care Alliance. Debra Read More…	7,367
It seems you have no tags attached to pages. To attach a tag simply click on the tags button at the bottom of any page. Included page "clone:ronnie73i301637" does not exist (create it now) These lip contours are incredible. They're lengthy lasting, creamy and pigmented. I've also tried applying the lip contour all more than my lips which also looked actually excellent. If you find that as well drying I suggest putting some lip gloss on prime and voilá. We keep up to date with all the ideal items and technology too, so almost everything we offer you is hugely innovative and designed to treat you in the most gentle however powerful way. So whether or not you are hunting for a facial, waxing or IPL hair removal we offer you a wide variety of therapies to achieve wonderful final results at excellent prices.Awards, engagement parties and anniversaries, job interviews, race days, sporting occasions, Christmas and New Year, are all covered by our hair stylists and makeup artists across the UK. Usually test products ahead of employing them. To test a new product, apply a modest amount to your wrist or arm and wait 24 hours. If you never come out in rashes, hives, or any allergic reactions, the solution is most probably safe.Physical exercise is a needed component of the day. I went to the gym this morning. I have a genuinely fantastic trainer in the city. If you have any concerns relating to wherever and how to use Please Click the next page, you can get hold of us at the web-site. We've worked collectively for at least eight years. Or I do yoga with James Murphy. I like to spin, but I never have sufficient time to do it. 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I only have the reds and hope this is beneficial.Even so the Blurred Lines video star opted to save the appear for an additional time, and glammed up using Kerastase hair goods, make up by Kardashian favourite make-up artist Joyce Bonelli and an outfit styled by Emma Jade Morrison. Slather it more than the skin to preserve your self looking hydrated or run it by way of the hair to fight the dry frizz.I have shade "Wifey", it is a really actually good nude color. Not too warm, not as well orange, just ideal. Sufficient creamy to use easely, but hold all day. Percect match with a lot of nude lispticks. If you have been searching for laser hair removal, beauty salon treatment options, or skin care solutions you may be confused and overwhelmed with so significantly details out there with so a lot of clinics and salons promising miraculous outcomes.I was really excited to attempt please click the next page lip contours because I'd heard actually fantastic items about them. And whilst they are quite pigmented and creamy, general I was very disappointed with the items. I discovered them to be really drying and my lips felt sticky after applying. I'm certainly not going to purchase a lip contour ever once more since Its not worth the funds. - Comments: 0 Paid advertising, on its personal, will not lead to sales. You need to have to combine it with tough, day-to-day function advertising and marketing your book to see outcomes. Volunteer. There are numerous opportunities for you to donate your time, which could increase your feeling of self-worth, keep your skills fresh and give an opportunity to network with other individuals in a exclusive setting.Superb report! I am quite new to renting my particular vacation residence, but preceding encounter tells me that your comments on exceeding expectations are truly important. And the very best way to encourage repeat bookings is to supply an excellent service, right from taking that 1st telephone contact or on-line enquiry, to the adhere to up satisfaction inquiries. I locate that delivering guests with a small gift of local generate is often nicely received.Fill your personal page with your interests in a consistent style. To generate the image of yourself as a marketable brand, your profile page demands to exude a focused concept. This indicates primarily creating a persona. For example, if you are an outdoorsy particular person that climbs mountains and goes to music festivals on the weekends, make certain that not only your music pages and interest pages reflect this, but also that each web page you like furthers this notion. For example, you may well like the REI Sports and the Coachella Facebook pages.It really is most likely a great thought to perform from residence initially to hold costs low. Attempt a mixture of sell online and offline methods to get the word out about your business: distribute flyers and posters in your nearby location and share your gorgeous perform on a blog and on social media.Whether or not you happen to be posting flyers via letterboxes, possessing an employee hand out leaflets in the street or putting the finishing touch to your outgoings, little print-outs are a wonderful way to reach regional consumers directly. Use eye-catching photography or colourful graphics, brand them up with your company logo, very carefully verify the spelling and grammar are best and you will be excellent to go. All of this can be carried out at a reasonably low price, so you can represent your business in a excellent light, with out spending as well a lot cash.So - let's see what learning you can borrow from planet champion brands when it comes to advertising yourself. Frankly, in my knowledge, rejection is typically a kind of protection. What you believed was the excellent job may have been a disaster. It may well take time, but when you look back at it, you will be grateful you didn't get hired.The former advertising consultant, who is in her late 40s, went on a number of dates with Paul Curran following they met on the web in 2004. This is sophisticated marketing and advertising at its best. It is what separates wise brands from absolutely everyone else.If you happen to be calling your chocolate bar Raspberry Coconut Dream, those flavors ought to be easily identifiable when you take a bite. If you happen to be marketing the product as healthy or wholesome, the ingredient list need to follow suit. The company's items are not backed by scientific analysis.Re-evaluate the item style, distribution, packaging, and so on. Tweaking the product with your target marketplace and sales method in thoughts can boost your sales. Chris Perkins is a regional director at Fairplace , a career management firm. He pitches for organization, presents seminars and advises person customers on private influence and self-marketing.Attain out to your individual network with a sort, well-written e mail asking them to support spread the word. Provide all the essential links and details, and kindly ask them to share the book and hyperlinks with numerous close friends or loved ones members. This not only heightens visitors for your web site but also increases awareness for your book, supplying crucial word of mouth buzz that sparks early sales. You are going to be shocked at how numerous individuals want to aid your book get popular.To sell, https://divingcamp07.asblog.cc/2018/08/08/be-taught-what-its-worthwhile-to-know-about-managing-your-repute/, a product, clarify its perks to possible buyers, like how it can make their life less complicated or how it will final for a sell long time. When you are speaking to folks about the item, be enthusiastic and use confident physique language to show that you really think in what you are promoting. Consider about the kind of person that would acquire your product and then anticipate any inquiries they might have so you are ready. Avoid being overly pushy by providing customers time to make up their mind following you give your pitch.In door to door sales, it is extremely crucial to preserve a constructive attitude. Regrettably, you will run across people who are just unhappy. Do not take it personally. That individual doesn't know you and you are only doing your job, and there are many folks out there who will be satisfied to see you.It is the social network's initial economic penalty since the data leak was revealed in March. Earlier this year, Facebook's chief executive, Mark Zuckerberg, above, appeared ahead of the U.S. Congress to answer questions and also met with European lawmakers. - Comments: 0 Assessment your sales functionality. 19 20 You need to analyze your sales at regular intervals. Is the solution selling nicely? Is stock low or high? Are you profiting? How are your competitors performing? Getting in a position to answer these inquiries will aid you maximize your sales, and keep development steady. Treat your staff effectively. If you are very good to your workers and they're satisfied with their jobs, they'll pass Continue [https://Bootlaura4.Dlblog.org/2018/08/09/reputation-management---high-suggestions-and-recommendation-straight-from-the-experts/] that kindness on to clients and invaluably bolster Continue the image of your firm. Or, they will do the same for their employees and sustain a optimistic corporate culture.The Blue Whale suicide game is believed to be a social media group which is encouraging people to kill themselves. It is considerably like selling a solution or service. Prepare data about incentives, commissions, future plans for your company, etc. The right folks must come to you.In reality are proper and incorrect answers. What is right or incorrect is oftentimes hugely contextual and requires a great understanding of the particulars distinct predicament. This seems to argue for more objective reality measures and significantly less perception is reality" individual mysticism and hopeful self advertising.On the internet sales platforms are designed to generate new sales from new clients, whereas person artist websites and social media platforms are important networking tools, created to assist manage current clients. Social media is seldom regarded an outlet for the acquire of art, and the websites of person artists are becoming increasingly inconspicuous on the web.Prove you can market place yourself with a concise, targeted and achievement-driven CV. Use your cover letter to draw consideration to certain places and to demonstrate your study - what you know about the organization and its customers, or what you like about its prior marketing and advertising campaigns, for instance.Along with YouTube makeup tutorials and Instagram fashion influencers, beauty-common denialism has exploded on the internet. In an increasingly visual culture, we are all spokesmodels for our personal brands. Social media puts ever more pressure on appearances, but also on projecting politically correct politics, including advertising concepts like physique positivity, self-acceptance and expanding" the beauty best to incorporate diverse bodies. Points of resistance — celebrity #nomakeup selfies , the rise of a few select plus-size models like Ashley Graham — function as feel-very good distractions from the body conformity overwhelmingly prized on the platforms. Ultra-slim models like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid parrot lines about how they didn't mean" to drop weight even as they post photos to Instagram that appear edited to make them look even thinner. Females are anticipated to execute femininity and feminism at as soon as.Contemplate purchasing targeted ads online even though Facebook, Reddit, Twitter, or Google AdSense. If you have got some funds to spare, you must place it to use. You can commit as little as $five on Facebook to attain 1,000 people, and a lot more funds will reach a lot more folks. If you believe your book has broad appeal or want to give it a severe advertising and marketing kick, you are going to want to invest some money.Fill your private page with your interests in a constant style. To develop the image of your self as a marketable brand, your profile web page requirements to exude a focused concept. This implies primarily producing a persona. For instance, if you are an outdoorsy person that climbs mountains and goes to music festivals on the weekends, make certain that not only your music pages and interest pages reflect this, but also that every single web page you like furthers this notion. For instance, you might like the REI Sports and the Coachella Facebook pages.If you currently have a sizeable presence, do make certain it does not say the incorrect things. Scrub your social media pages until they're squeaky clean: check Facebook posts you are tagged in and untag oneself if you do not want an employer to see them.Goop knew what readers had been clicking on, and it was nimble adequate to meet those demands by really manufacturing the issues its readers wanted. When a story about beauty goods that didn't have endocrine disrupters and formaldehyde got a lot of traffic in 2015, the firm started Goop by Juice Beauty, a collection of clean" face creams and oils and cleansers that it promised lacked these things. When a story about postnatal depletion," a syndrome coined by one particular of the Goop doctors, did even-better-than-typical company in 2017, it introduced Goop Wellness, a series of four vitamin protocols" for girls with various concerns — weight, energy, focus, and so forth. Goop says it sold $one hundred,000 of them on their very first day.So - let's see what understanding you can borrow from planet champion brands when it comes to advertising and marketing your self. Frankly, in my expertise, rejection is usually a type of protection. What you believed was the ideal job may possibly have been a disaster. It may well take time, but when you look back at it, you will be grateful you didn't get hired Here's more info regarding Continue visit our website. . - Comments: 0 Get an ad and pinpoint your marketing targets on Facebook. If you have any type of questions regarding where and the best ways to utilize click through the following document, you can call us at the internet site. If you are straight advertising and marketing a business, Facebook offers a service referred to as Flyers Pro, a cost-per-click marketing method that uses key phrases to target a specific audience for your advertisement primarily based on qualities such as political views, educational status, and profession. This week, in an encore episode, we take advertising and marketing lessons from click through the following document huge brands and apply them… to you. If you have to sell yourself, sell your services, if you want far more likes" and followers, or if you happen to be looking for a job - this episode explores how to manage your social media, how to choose the greatest profile photo, how to preserve a consistent tone of voice, how to avoid cliches in your resume. It is time to overhaul your personal brand.If you have spent your whole operating life in an workplace atmosphere, the transition to functioning for yourself will appear like a massive leap, says Chamberlain. Even so, in a international digital age, this is straightforward to overcome by joining online communities like Workingmums and LinkedIn groups, he suggests. Freelancers can also join one of the growing quantity of co-functioning spaces, which offer all possibilities to network and collaborate with fellow modest companies.There are two possibilities: spend lots of income to a marketing and advertising company, or do it yourself. The DIY route costs much less (if anything at all) and lets you use your special insight to generate the sort of personalised, precision-targeted marketing and advertising message that an external marketing consultant could never ever pull off.To succeed in network advertising and marketing, start off by obtaining an established, profitable firm with an appealing, powerful product. Organize a meeting with a recruiter and ask any questions you have about the business, and look at earnings disclosure statements on the firm web site to see what the typical seller makes. Be certain to find out your products properly, and create connections with potential buyers. Adhere to up with all leads for sales, and make an effort to recruit new salespeople.Whether you are a vacation letting specialist or a new to the market, the recession and a weak pound have resulted in a current decline in family holidays abroad. Combined with increasing competition from owners renting in order to offset mortgage and upkeep charges - obtaining those bookings has in no way been so critical.Never try to handle Twitter, Facebook, Instagram, Pinterest, LinkedIn, and other individuals all at after. Decide on the a single to two web sites that greatest fits your and your followers, then pour your time into dominating that market place. Illustrative case studies describe an unfamiliar scenario in order to support people understand it. For instance, a case study of a individual with depression, developed to assist communicate the subjective experience of depression to therapist trainees.5. Marketplace your age as a plus. Workers over 50 have a tendency to be self-starters, know how to get the job carried out, and don't need to have as significantly handholding as these with significantly less encounter. And whether you realise it or not, you have a network of contacts from a lot of different walks of life.You can say something like, "I am (your name), and I'm visiting your neighborhood to inform individuals about (your solution or service). Let me show you what I've got." Get to the point rapidly, so you never waste time talking to a buyer who isn't interested.Run an Instagram contest. If it really is a company that you're marketing, photo contests are a great way to engage your followers. Basically create a catchy hashtag that participants can hashtag their entries with and then repost the winner to your Instagram account. You can promote for a contest by posting a graphic to your own account showcasing and explaining the contest and the relevant hashtag. Following conducting tests making use of brain scanning technology they identified that when people talk about themselves it triggers the same chemical reaction they knowledge for the duration of sex and this motivates them to share private details a lot more frequently.The trick is to stay away from evoking past stereotypes of green goods with references to the planets, the babies and the daisies," stated Jacquelyn A. Ottman, a New York-primarily based marketing consultant and the author of the 2011 book The New Guidelines of Green Marketing" (Berrett-Koehler).Some research recommend that over 90% of recruiters use social media to screen candidates. And they devote a fifth of their time seeking at profile photographs. Work with men and women interested in your business or items. Do not focus as well significantly on men and women who are not interested in your business.Determine market trends. Markets hardly ever stand nevertheless. You need to note any changes that you see. What are the changes in demographics, taste, or buyer demands? 12 Are specific merchandise or services gaining traction. Social media is a great way to make get in touch with, particularly internet sites such as LinkedIn (which is created for networking) and Facebook. - Comments: 0 If content engagement is falling across social networks and organizations are finding it increasingly challenging to produce content material that will outcome in much better consumer experiences and better customer engagement, possibilities are e-mail is in the very same boat. Coupling the message with visual elements will obtain the focus of the subscriber at a time when the inbox is quite crowded. Sustain a dialog with your subscribers and bring a sense of realness to what your brand has to convey in accordance with their responses (both optimistic and unfavorable).Don't overdo it on the frequency. How frequently you send an e-mail out will depend on the audience and kind of content. Just make confident men and women do not really feel bombarded. Link to your social media accounts. If folks take pleasure in your email content they might effectively be interested in what you've got to say elsewhere.Advertising has usually been an uncertain business. No a single has ever recognized why, specifically, some people respond to an ad in a newspaper or a spot on Television, a lot much less why specific individuals make a decision to get items when they do. (The oldest cliché in the ad world, typically attributed to the department-shop magnate John Wanamaker: Half my advertising is Click over here now wasted. The trouble is, I never know which half. If you loved this informative article and you desire to acquire more details relating to Our Home Page generously check out our page. ") But to make funds in marketing, you do not have to be all-understanding your advertisements just need to work much better than these of a competitor. To this end, advertisers inevitably pursue some combination of two main approaches. They test and refine their messages, trying to craft 1 as effective and targeted as attainable (junk-mailers of preapproved credit-card delivers, for instance). Or they showboat, placing on a enormous spectacle that is certain to attract someone (Super Bowl advertisers).According to MailChimp's analysis, out of at least 1000 subscribers in the games market, 20.82% opened their emails, and 3.33% clicked by way of. If you can present a desirable subscription based bundle or package, that's 200 customers that may open your e-mail, and 30 that may click on your link.My Top Tip: Create email workflows for all of your segmented lists or marketing and advertising personas. Automated emails , in common, have had a massive impact on our ROI. We often advise them to Our Home Page consumers. Get Well's Operating e mail for practical guidelines, professional suggestions, exclusive content and a bit of motivation delivered to your inbox every single week to help you on your running journey. Coming quickly.You do not have to send the entire report in your e-mail. Just create the short description of the content in your e-mail, then consist of a link to study more on a webpage. Regardless of the uncertainty, e-mail is a single of the most extensively utilised and most profitable forms of advertising and marketing your on the web business can use.But when I get an e mail addressed to me personally, with a couple of straightforward sentences that sound like they came from an actual human, I will take the small amount of time to study them. Even if each types of emails obtain the very same factor, the a lot more direct e-mail feels a lot more sincere. This type of pared-down e-mail is particularly great for when you're reaching out to a loyal client base who have invested a specific amount of time and funds into your solution or service.A excellent subject line can assist grab interest and enhance engagement, but not all topic lines are produced equally. What works for a single company might not function for yet another. For example, a single study of 2.7 million e-mail customers showed that subject lines including sales phrases such as 'discount' and 'clearance' received reduced open prices. However, John Lewis' clearance emails are amongst our best performing.Customers want to feel like brands know them. They want bargains and merchandise specifically developed for them and presented to them in the precise moments they want them. Personalization is the name of the game, and the a lot more you can offer you some type of personalization in your email marketing approaches, the much more ROI you will see from these campaigns.We've seen drip e mail campaigns work fantastic! Inventive way to get your customer's attention and hold them involved without getting pushy". Send at particular intervals following you have designed. Feature blogs and products, or just send a few customized emails to your buyers and prospects with this Simple to develop drip option.Hyperlink all of your individual social media such as Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn to your new blog, web web page, or on the internet information. Ask your buddies to "share" or forward the news about your new advertising and marketing organization. Your new company need to show clientele that you know how to use the latest sources efficiently.Even though it may possibly not seem like considerably, providing consumers the choice to subscribe from transactional emails is a great way to ensure that no possible lead falls by means of the cracks. Nevertheless, studies continue to show that consumers prefer to obtain advertising materials by means of e-mail, creating e-mail advertising and marketing 1 of the most important methods to concentrate on. - Comments: 0 Don't sleep on developing, though. No matter whether you are playing against other telephone players or competing in cross-platform, the capability to create on the fly is what separates excellent Fortnite players from excellent Fortnite players. Laying down walls can save you from incoming shots, and staircases that enable you to get above other players give you a severe advantage in firefights. Creating also lets you traverse the game's map speedily by avoiding obstacles. In short, building is vital to being great at Fortnite, and you need to have to practice it to be a really higher-level player in Fortnite Mobile.If the pin is placed 1 inch to the correct or left of the point exactly where the ball hangs, then you have a possibility to knock it over on the return swing. Carnies will frequently let you practice with this set-up so you're fooled into pondering you can win. But when the throw actually counts, they will shift the pin straight underneath the point exactly where the ball hangs. The shift is so tiny that it can be challenging to detect.Earning a solo win in Fortnite Battle Royale frequently comes down to where you decide on to land at the commence of a match. Landing in a popular location like Tilted Towers can spell a fast defeat when playing solo, basically because there is far more players to deal with throughout battle.Oregon was a trendy pick as a attainable No. 1 seed. 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Initially, they only paid out prizes like cigarettes, sweets, drink vouchers or chewing gum with the monetary aspect not coming into impact until the middle of the 20th century. dig this was only produced achievable due to the machines no longer becoming purely mechanical but electromechanical as effectively, it created them more reputable and fascinating to the player but it also produced them susceptible to fraudulent behaviour.The ultimate supply for US players. Arctic Winter Games live weblog: Day 2 Might 19, 2018 It is day two at the Arctic Winter Games in Hay River and Fort Smith. Adhere to along with all the action in our reside blog. Some players like the reel-spinning slots with the pull handle simply because of their retro feel, but they can be difficult to discover as much more casinos modernize their slot selection.The remaining cards could either be melded in the course of that turn, or added to the player's hand. Nothing truly, if the ball is still in the net, they can pick it up and give it to their group for the restart at the half line. Otherwise, they just get back into position.Keeping your pieces protected is a very excellent practice. Amateur players disregard this extremely Dig This essential rule and spend the value. Even if it looks safe to leave your knight hanging on the side of the board, you need to consider twice prior to doing so (despite the fact that there are exceptions ). To play charades, commence by splitting into 2 teams. Then, have absolutely everyone create phrases or words out on small slips of paper and drop them into a container so no one particular can see them. When you're prepared, have one particular player from the 1st team draw a slip of paper and act out what ever it says. When it really is your turn to act out a word or phrase, keep in mind not to speak and to only use gestures and body movements. If your team guesses appropriately inside 2 minutes, you score a point! If not, let the other team take a turn. - Comments: 0 Dog training is not an overnight process, and often you may possibly really feel that you are not making considerably progress. Despite the fact that some instruction programs may advertise that your Have A Peek Here pup will be totally obedient following just six lessons, Neil Sattin points out that coaching is a lifelong process. For every day conditions and finishing fundamental training with a puppy, it really is important your dog knows when you are pleased with him Speak to your dog in an upbeat, content voice. Be confident to highlight verbal commands with an enthusiastic tone, and try to echo this tone each time you use the phrase or word. Praise your dog excessively when he does something correctly, even if by accident. Pairing encouragement with head rubs and petting is also a wonderful, positive way to let your dog know you like his behavior.Be vigilant in public conditions. A dog typically shows signs connected with dominance in public conditions. This is usually since the dog is under higher stress, is becoming challenged by other dogs, or feels the want to protect himself or you. Sustaining manage of your dog by reminding him of his obedience education can help you steer clear of undesirable circumstances.In the event you adored this information in addition to you wish to get details relating to Have A Peek Here generously check out the web site. As soon as your dog is sitting routinely on command, ask him or her to do this when out and about, before putting its food down, and at the curbside prior to crossing a street. In Maryland, a state employee is education dogs to inspect hives for damaging bacteria — a crucial job as honeybees are sent about the country to pollinate crops.Regardless of whether your dog has been playing fetch for years or if this is his very first time, the following education guidelines from skilled dog trainer, Nicole Ellis, will aid your dog find out how to play with the iFetch in no time at all. After you've found your best match and reserved your new dog, a volunteer will visit you at property to make sure you're ready to welcome your new pet. These are all natural survival instincts for dogs, but given that they are dogs living in a human society, we require to teach them in their own language what warrants concern, what is acceptable barking, and what is not.So you just brought home a puppy…now what? Right here are a few puppy training basics to get you began. I might not be Joey Chestnut in hot dogs, I'm not Greg LeMond in biking but on a venn diagram, I'm right in the middle," mentioned Salem, a five-time Tour De Donut champion. Make certain as properly that you have what you need to have to efficiently train your dog. If you happen to be planning to clicker train, get a clicker. If you happen to be planning to crate train, get the right-sized crate. Also be sure to pick up an appropriate collar and leash for general instruction. A leash ought to be no more than five to six feet in length. The greatest leashes for training are leather. Often verify your equipment to make certain it is in good order and not liable to snap or break.There are a lot of diverse kinds of classes obtainable and activities that you can do with your dog but the first step need to be discovering a Kennel Club approved organisation. These will vary in varieties of classes and techniques of education but all have to abide by the Kennel Club's codes of conduct.Teri Karush Rogers, the editorial director at BrickUndergroundcom, a New York City genuine estate guide, suggests gathering images of your dog interacting with people and other animals getting references from your groomer, veterinarian or neighbor and outlining your dog's routine — for instance, explaining that you plan to hire a dog walker.If your dog has not yet developed the begging habit, never encourage it. Ignore the dog while seated at the table. No petting, no attention, no tidbits. If food is dropped in the dining room, choose it up. If you allow the dog to be your vacuum in the course of dinner, he will always really feel welcome in the space.For dogs that are anxious about getting alone, we want to put our own desires of wanting a content greeting on our arrival property or a snuggle on our departure aside and concentrate on developing a calm and much more independent dog. To aid your dog to be more independent, ignore him upon entering and leaving your property or the area your dog is in. You can save your hellos for later. For example, half an hour after returning you can get down on your knees and excite your dog as a lot as your want. By placing time in between when you come house and when you lavish consideration on your dog, you will not develop a enormous contrast in between the time your dog spent alone and when you stroll by means of the door.That is a frequent problem when it comes to teaching recall to our dogs. We're not practically as exciting as whatever they are carrying out correct now, and yelling at them when they do come back discourages them from wanting to come back the subsequent time. Right here are some instruction suggestions from Bark Busters, the dog education specialists. If you happen to be having real troubles with your dog, give us a contact. - Comments: 0 five. Paddle with nearly-closed fingers. It is a detail, but it works. Paddling out and paddling for waves demand strength and lungs. When you practically close your fingers , you'll save power and boost paddling energy. If you treasured this article and you would like to collect more info with regards to click through the following internet site; http://danutadane78.soup.io/, i implore you to visit our site. And on Saturday afternoon heart-stopping footage was captured displaying one particular man braving 10ft waves at Caswell Bay Beach in Swansea, Wales.The breakwater with its Victorian lighthouse has become a massive attraction when enormous waves crash against it in stormy climate. Etihad flies from Heathrow to Brisbane via Abu Dhabi from £720 (23 hours). From Brisbane, it is about an hour by train or shuttle bus to Surfers Paradise. The Gold Coast also has an international airport at Coolangatta.If it's a hot day, I like to be in the water, and if it's a click through the following internet site cold day, I like to be on land! All jokes aside, I believe I would choose to be in water. Being close to the action in water is like becoming in a various globe. You can see each and every drop of water come off the surfer's board. You can hear them scream in delight at catching a magnificent wave. You can taste the salt when you lick your housing port. You can feel the weight of the ocean rush past you. You can smell the seaweed caught in your hair! Every single sense is heightened in water and it is an expertise as opposed to any other.Move back towards the upper corner ahead of jumping. After moving towards the bottom of the ramp, swiftly aim towards the upper corner and climb back up before jumping to the subsequent surface. You are basically creating a wave motion for each surface you hit (start higher, move low, and then move back up high prior to jumping).Continually altering and in no way under our handle, the ocean needs every surfer to learn rapidly how to read its changes and to move with them or to calmly obey its greater forces. As surfers we can all agree on the value of being flexible. Surfing is such a dynamic sport that we need to keep limber to hold at the leading of our game. And though some of us may possibly not be as "bendy" as we had been ten years ago, there is no explanation to succumb to the stiffness that inevitably develops if we never keep standard flexibility training.There are a handful of spots on the Spanish coast that remain undeveloped and the Parque Natural de Cabo de Gata, just east of Almería, is one of them. An area of cliffs, arid hills, spectacular beaches and picturesque fishing villages, this region has a wildness and a sense of space. Stay in San José if you want a little taste of nightlife otherwise remain at Los Escullos, either at the hotel or on the campsite. During the day you can take a walk to the extinct volcano and spend the evening lying on the warm rocks by the sea watching the stars.Hey, you — tall individual! Hauling your bulky camera and housing by way of the surf is hardly ever easy, and staying in shape to withstand wave energy requires ongoing function. To train, I swim in the ocean and in pools. I practice holding my breath. I devote time treading water. I kick hundreds and hundreds of yards with fins every workout session. Getting in shape not only tends to make the perform less complicated, but also could be your key to survival when shooting in bigger waves.Paddling into the wave as standard. Position yourself in the ideal spot close to the shoulder, generate some click through The following internet site forward momentum as the wave approaches (ideally already in the surf stance) then, as the wave picks you up, preserve paddling challenging but cross step your feet to the nose to force the board down the face.The swell can reach 7m here, but nowadays the waves are little and infrequent. We float on our boards in the nonetheless water, so clear you can see the bottom, and chew the fat. Tony moved to Montauk in 1971, when Peter Beard and linked 'whirling dervishes' had been in residence, tripping on acid and getting what sounds like a whale of a time. The surf scene petered out in the late 1970s, when longboards were replaced by tougher-to-ride shortboards, but Tony stuck with it until its resurgence in the late 1990s. Since then he has coached a whole host of A-listers, which includes Ed Burns and Chris Martin.Every day yet another surftip from our surfteacher and pro-surfer Zouhir Hnina. I've noticed it come about a couple of instances. A pal of mine and even somebody I recently met at the beach went out and purchased the very best camera and lens cash could acquire. Then they purchased the cheapest water housing they could uncover on Ebay, utilizing that to protect their three-four thousand dollar camera investment. And that is where they went wrong. Grabbing your rails. Grab the rails on either side of your board, among your upper waist and chest. Any further forward this will create troubles for you going thru the waves, catching a wave and springing up to your feet. If you have a difficulty pearling when you take off, just move your hands down towards your upper waist and you will uncover a main difference in your take off. - Comments: 0 As an alternative of an art print or anything more expected, go for an fascinating piece of folk art. Weathervanes served a objective in the previous and now they are great 3D pieces that add instant decorative interest to any space. Look for intriguing information that tell a story about exactly where the piece came from: most weathervanes have been fixed on leading of properties to act as early weather detection systems. Some even have bullet holes and truly fascinating backstories depending on where these things have been identified. If you need to have little bedroom suggestions for your residence go for a bed with no frame, or if you are genuinely functioning in a tight space, a storage bed may possibly be your very best choice. If the room is not your master bedroom, you could also try out a single bed, or even two single beds since this can separate out the space a bit much more. They can often be pushed with each other if you have a couple staying. Far more space saving bedroom concepts would be opting for built-in shelving and rails for storage and hanging clothing. You can even go for built-in shelves to replace bedside tables, lighting attached to the wall or ceiling rather than lamps, and opt for sliding wardrobe doors which need significantly less room in front. If you have any queries relating to in which and how to use Pop over to This website, you can call us at the internet site. Guaranteeing your furniture alternatives are multi-goal is yet another excellent way to save space. For instance, a dressing table can double as a work space and a dressing stool with a lift-up lid delivers hidden storage.One freezing afternoon last week, right after spotting a sign for an Avalanche Sale: 20-50 Percent Off," I stepped into Cite , a cavernous modern furniture store on Greene Street in SoHo. I wandered about for several minutes, and then stopped at a brown, low-slung, 3-seater sofa near the front of the showroom. A saleswoman was soon by my side.The designer, who studied in Milan and was lately named art director of the ceramic studio BottegaNove , also based in that city, has always been drawn to the antique, the primordial." For this project, she started her research in the Fendi archives, where she mouse click the up coming webpage chanced upon Karl Lagerfeld's Astuccio fur, a lengthy cognac-colored coat created in 1971 from pelts arranged in a geometric pattern. The graphic motif, recreated in thick canes of bamboo, became the surface of a huge oval coffee table that is the centerpiece of her collection. It sits alongside a generously sized curved sofa, upholstered in brown-and-white-striped velvet meant to evoke the jacquard lining of classic Fendi bags. Meanwhile, a pair of [empty] wooden chairs with tall, narrow backrests and a hanging brass planter draw the eye upward, as hand-woven carpets and airy parchment pendant lamps lend the room a warm, lived-in really feel.Decorating a bedroom that your kid will really like can be a pricey affair. The essential to saving funds? Buying pieces that will final, so you can continue to use them even as your youngster grows up. So, we talked to designer Trish Johnston who gave us some suggestions on how to hold charges low while decorating a kid's space.Luxury, style, and functionality can all exist in a teeny space. In truth, smaller areas can often be easier to decorate since each piece of furnishings can truly make a statement. Erin showed us two urban apartments in the same building, each created by Jessica Kelly.If you want to, you can cover the legs completely with rope, from best to bottom, using a new piece of rope in between every rung of the ladder. This will permit your cat access to a scratchable surface nearly anywhere on its new cat tree.If you have a collection of items, like vases of various sizes, shapes, or colors, disperse them throughout the shelves to generate a cohesive look. A piece of plywood extended and wide adequate to rest on two rungs of the ladder at the exact same level. This will offer a platform for your cat. If you want a lot more than a single platform, you will require more than one particular piece of plywood.The show, which goes behind the scenes at the famously secretive Swedish furniture giant - founded in 1943 by the late Ingvar Kamprad, who died final month at the age of 91 - for the very first time, reveals how 203 million copies of the IKEA catalogue are printed in 35 distinct languages every year. The portion of evolution in which animals developed eyes was a massive development," Dean told me one particular day, with customary understatement. We had been sitting, as usual, in a whiteboarded meeting area, on which he had drawn a crowded, snaking timeline of Google Brain and its relation to inflection points in the recent history of neural networks. Now computers have eyes. We can build them around the capabilities that now exist to comprehend images. Robots will be drastically transformed. They'll be in a position to operate in an unknown environment, on considerably different difficulties." These capacities they have been building may have seemed primitive, but their implications have been profound. - Comments: 0 SPRING is my favored time of year. Apps are the neatly packaged applications that make your smartphone wise and your tablet a lot more than just a good, shiny toy. They are digital tools developed to do a certain job. Right here are one hundred of the ideal, most beneficial apps about. A lot of are functional, some are just fun. Edit your profile Click on the My Profile button, exactly where you are going to see that all the sections are empty. You don't have to fill out each and every field in truth, you can leave them all blank if you so pick. Facebook is public, so think before you enter individual information.You will also want to refrain from adding more than a single or two people you know on your fake profile, and never add two people who you wouldn't know if you hadn't been in a specific location (e.g., a college) or event. If you want to change your profile name once you have set it up, you can do so on the ' your account ' page.Particular smartphone apps let you display vital well being info (such as severe allergies or medical situations ) appropriate on your lock screen so physicians and very first responders can see them even with no your password or fingerprint. The "Uncover My iPhone" app must have all of your devices on it if you are signed into it, which includes your iPad. It's not just for phones.Instagram is a social networking site developed for users to share pictures with their close friends and followers. If you liked this short lynwoodwhitehead.shop1.cz article and you would certainly such as to obtain more details concerning discover here kindly browse through our web page. You can develop an account for what ever you like, whether it is a individual account about you, or an account dedicated to your favourite tv show, and so forth. Millions of people use it, and it is a fantastic way to stay connected with the planet.Enter your Touch ID when prompted. If you have Touch ID enabled for the App Shop, scanning your Touch ID will right away prompt the app to begin downloading onto your iPhone or iPad. Even before your phone is lost, find out its unique IMEI code. To do that press the following buttons on your telephone keyboard or panel: #06# Hold the information in a secured location for the day when your phone is missing.Due to the fact our primal thoughts craves distraction, the classic to-do list can avoid interruptions from taking over your day. But humans are also vulnerable to so-called structured procrastination," exactly where in order to avoid operating on a challenging task, they commit time on a significantly less complicated one particular. Answering an e mail or liking a post on Facebook can be a kind of structured procrastination.Add a lot more screens. As your project grows, you will most likely want to add much more screen to show all the content material required for the app to be useful. For instance, if you are making a to-do list app, you will require at least two screens: one particular for inputting a to-do list item, and one particular for viewing the entire list.Then choose the Logged In With Facebook choice, and you are going to find a large list of apps you have logged into making use of Facebook. Choose your "Principal.storyboard" file in the project navigation menu. You will see a blank canvas seem in the Interface Builder window.Enter optional account details. These consist of a profile picture, a bio for your account, or a hyperlink to your individual site. You can add or change this details at any time from within your Instagram profile by tapping the "Edit Profile" selection at the prime of your page.Verify your Tinder messages. To do this, tap the speech bubble icon in the leading-correct corner of the screen. This will load any conversations you have had with your matches. Final year, Europe overtook the US in the number of app-associated jobs designed for the very first time, according to a European Parliamentary Research Service (EPRS) briefing.Every single time you discover oneself about to verify your telephone on trip, ask oneself: What is the greatest issue that could be waiting for you? At the very least, checking your phone will distract you. And if you uncover poor news waiting for you, it can ruin your day.Produce an account today, it will only take a handful of minutes. Continue tapping on the ping button as required to locate your nearby iPhone. Tap and hold a text you want to delete. Performing so will prompt a pop-up menu at the bottom of the screen. If you are not logged in, you will need to enter your e mail address and password when prompted to sign in.Drag the red bars to set a new start off and finish point for the recording. You can tap and drag every bar to adjust where the recording will start and end. Use this to get rid of dead air at the beginning or end of a recording, or to select the portion of the recording you want to turn into a new file.Each a blessing and a curse, WhatsApp's ticks-primarily based system shows when your sent messages have been delivered (one particular grey tick), received (two grey ticks) and read (two blue ticks). Unfortunately, it also makes it difficult to ignore somebody without having upsetting them. Luckily, there are techniques to covertly read your messages, with out these blue ticks appearing on your friend's screen. - Comments: 0 Help \| Terms of Service \| Privacy \| Report a bug \| Flag as objectionable Powered by Wikidot.com	55,034
I found this motif in a chart I was working with, and I like it a lot. It’s simple enough that I daresay I’m not the first person to come up with this border pattern, but I just want to make sure. It reminds me of birds flying. Little Flying Birds has a repeat of 8 + 5 columns and 6 rows. In the written instructions, color A is the light squares above, and color B is the dark. The written instructions below are formatted for stranded knitting, but it is my hope that they could be translated into instructions for other crafts. For instance, if working filet crochet, 1 A could be one open square and 2 B could be two filled-in squares. Designers, please feel free to use this in your patterns (no need to ask). My blog posts and free stitch patterns are supported by subscriptions on Patreon or donations to my Paypal tip jar in the sidebar. If you appreciate my work, please consider helping out. Thanks! Round 2: work knit as follows; 1B, 1A, 1B, (1A, 2B) × 2, 1A, 1B; work from , 1A, 1B. Round 3: work knit as follows; 2A, 1B, 2A, 1B, 1A, 1B, 2A, 1B; work from , 2A. Round 4: work knit as follows; 1A, 1B, 1A, (1B, 2A) × 2, 1B, 1A; work from , 1B, 1A. Round 5: work knit as follows; 2B, 1A, 2B, 1A, 1B, 1A, 2B, 1A; work from , 2B. Previous Post Verve: a needlework chart for any craft Next Post Leave a Reply Cancel reply Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked * Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Archives Select Month December 2022 November 2022 October 2022 September 2022 August 2022 July 2022 June 2022 May 2022 April 2022 March 2022 February 2022 January 2022 December 2021 November 2021 October 2021 September 2021 August 2021 July 2021 June 2021 May 2021 April 2021 March 2021 February 2021 January 2021 December 2020 November 2020 October 2020 September 2020 August 2020 July 2020 June 2020 May 2020 April 2020 March 2020 February 2020 January 2020 December 2019 November 2019 October 2019 September 2019 August 2019 July 2019 June 2019 May 2019 April 2019 March 2019 February 2019 January 2019 December 2018 November 2018 October 2018 September 2018 August 2018 July 2018 June 2018 May 2018 April 2018 March 2018 February 2018 January 2018 December 2017 November 2017 October 2017 September 2017 August 2017 July 2017 June 2017 May 2017 April 2017 March 2017 February 2017 January 2017 December 2016 November 2016 October 2016 September 2016 August 2016 July 2016 June 2016 May 2016 April 2016 March 2016 February 2016 January 2016 December 2015 November 2015 October 2015 September 2015 August 2015 July 2015 June 2015 May 2015 April 2015 March 2015 February 2015 January 2015 December 2014 November 2014 October 2014 September 2014 August 2014 July 2014 June 2014 May 2014 January 2014 December 2013 November 2013 October 2013 September 2013 August 2013 July 2013 June 2013 May 2013 April 2013 March 2013 February 2013 January 2013 September 2012 April 2012 March 2012 February 2012 January 2012 December 2011 November 2011 October 2011 July 2011 June 2011 May 2011 April 2011 March 2011 January 2011 December 2010 June 2010 April 2010 March 2010 February 2010 January 2010 December 2009 November 2009 September 2009 August 2009 June 2009 May 2009 April 2009 August 2008 I'm a knitting designer. I have three basic categories of things that I do. I publish stitch patterns on the blog. Most of them are what I call secret code patterns: I encode the letters of words as numbers, chart the numbers on grids in various ways, and turn the results into lace knitting, mosaic knitting, other kinds of knitting, and needlework charts. I also publish a variety of other random stitch stitch patterns as they occur to me. I also have patterns for sale on Payhip. These are mostly patterns for knitted accessories; there is also one crochet/knitting hat pattern Finally, I write about knitting: I experiment with various knitting techniques, explain existing ones, and talk about fabric structure. I review knitting books. Most of all, I encourage you to try things out and see what you learn from them.	4,356
Recently I was given the opportunity to speak with Cinematic artist Mobsquad Nard. For those yet to hear of this rising star, Nard is a witty quick-spitting southern emcee who’s quickly carving out his own lane in the industry. To sleep on him would be a big mistake. Check out our interview with Mobsquad Nard below and get in tune with his movement. How’s it going man? For our readers that may not be familiar with you and your movement why don’t we start out with you just introducing yourself and letting fans know where you’re from. Alright cool. Can you walk me how you began making music? Well really, first of all I’m big on family. I grew up just on some normal hood shit. You know the summer times we used to sleep over at our aunties’ house and our grandma’s house. You know have big sleep-overs with the family, Stuff like that. And really I started making music just hanging out like that. Me and my partners we were close like family you know, so we would just stay the night at each others house and make a song. We really would just hangout and make music out of the house and that’s how it get started. That’s awesome. It sounds like you certainly have been working on perfecting your sound for a while. I know you have mentioned before you are influenced by artists such as Tupac, Lil Boosie and more, but aside from other artists what things around you do you find really influence the music you make? Like I said, I’m big on family. So that’s one thing. I have a big family and how we carry ourselves is, you know we keep our business within the family. That’s just how we are. We have our values that we stick too. So when I’m rapping, everything I rap about is stuff I have lived. I’ve seen it or experienced it. I would say being around my family and the everyday experiences are the biggest influences in my music. I can relate to other artists when I hear them talk like that. When they are rapping about having their families and their people they look out for, you know I can relate to that. Then when I see or hear others talking about that you know, it motivates me to make my own music for my family or my squad. I see. That makes sense. At what point while you were making music out of the house as a kid, did you began to realize you could really make a career with your music? Once I saw how people were consuming the music I realized it. You know when people started coming up to me and buying CD’s, when they started clicking on the Myspace page, putting my songs on their pages, adding our songs to mixtapes and stuff like that I really began to notice I could do this and be a rapper. I realized it wasn’t just me who liked the music, other people wanted to hear it. You know what I’m saying? When you make music, sometimes you’ll be the only one who wants to ride around and listen to it. Sometimes nobody else is feeling it. And some people even make music that they can’t even ride around and listen to. So with that in mind, when I noticed other people was riding around and listening to my songs I was like, “Ah yeah I could be a rapper.” That also was really my dream anyway. I wanted to be a rapper so when I saw it working I rolled with it. For sure. I always wanted to make music. I always wanted to be in front of big crowds. You know what I’m saying? I always wanted to be able to just be, and be the “it” factor for my family and my people. Speaking of being in front of large crowds, how has the experience been on The Smokers Club Tour? It’s been great. Everything’s been going good on the tour. Fans showing us love, us showing them love. Lots of positive energy and meeting new people. There’s been a few circumstances where we weren’t able to perform in a couple cities, but other than that everything has just been going great man. Glad to hear it. It’s too bad we missed you in Chicago this time, but I will be watching for the next time you come perform here. Okay, so it’s been great so far, but what has been your favorite experience on this tour? Just riding around and being able to live this and enjoy this and smoke with my people. My favorite cities are the ones that have legal weed. I like to go to the dispensaries on my off days and test out different strains and different types of weed. So my favorite two stops have been either Los Angeles or Denver, Colorado. There was a lot of love out in Denver, I enjoyed it. That’s a great way to spend your off days. Aside from touring, last summer you signed with CMG (Cinematic Music Group), could you go through how that all came to be? Well, I’ve been rocking with Shipes, him and I have been cool for awhile now. Way longer than the summer. This ain’t no new relationship or some industry relationship. I actually had linked up with Shipes in my city way back. Shipes actually came to Jacksonville, and a lot of people have never been out here, so you know that’s what was significant to me. A man from New York came to Jacksonville in search for people like us. Then when we did meet, it was all love. We clicked from the first quarter. Both of us chilling doing our thing. You know, bro’s a little older than me but it was all love. He’s very down to earth and when I met him we just clicked from there. We’ve been rocking for years now. It has probably like eight or nine years since then. Honestly when he came down I was a shorty, its probably been eight or nine years. Maybe seven. We just signed the deal last summer in 2015 after I got out of jail, but I’ve been rocking with CMG. They’ve been there helping me. It was just once I got out of jail it seemed like it was time to sign and make it official. Having that relationship before signing is big too in already knowing both you and CMG could work together. You also somewhat recently dropped your project titled Everything Clean But Da Ashtray, now that you’ve been on tour for a little how have fans been reacting to the project? Or how do you feel it is being received? Are fans showing love? Hell yeah man. The fans are loving it. Really they like the title. Everything Clean But Da Ashtray, that’s what really draws ’em in. They love the content that’s in it too. It’s everything they want in music right now, so it’s definitely been received well. Everybody has been embracing the music one hundred percent. Everybody has been hitting me up, Face-booking me, DM’s, following me on Snap-chat, commenting on Instagram just letting me know they are feeling the project. After I perform, if I get the opportunity I’ll get off stage and go hangout at the merch table. You know, holler at fans and chop it up with them. When I do that a lot of people come and tell me how they fuck with the show and music. That’s what’s up man, that has got to be a great feeling. While making the project, what was your favorite track to work on? My favorite track is “Squad Shit”. I just felt like I was really in the zone when writing and recording that one. Everything with that track came together how we wanted. It was towards the end of the album and when we recorded the track we had full momentum going. Then we did the video and it just captured everything we wanted it to, you know what I’ms saying. It was one of my favorite final products on the project. “Squad Shit” is definitely one of my favorites as well. Do you have any projects you are currently working on? Yeah, I’ve got a whole new project finished and done already. Damn you work fast, can you give us the release date or any more details on that project? Ah I can’t give you the date. The date isn’t set in stone yet so I can’t give it to you, but it’s already done and ready for release. I’m going to release it soon. It’ll probably be called, Nardo Davinci. That’s my nickname. Mobsquad Nard aka Nardo Davinci. So I’m thinking of just naming it Nardo Davinci. This one is a true mixtape too. I’ve got original work on there and I’ve got some remixes to industry beats. I went at it from both ends recording my own work, and then I cut up on some industry beats at the same time. Nardo Davinci, I’ll be watching out for that one no doubt. Where do you see yourself in today’s hip-hop industry and what is your vision for your movement? Really I think we are going to be the gateway back to gangster rap. The way we are going, I think down the line when anyone wants to fuck with gangster rap or talk about gangster rap they’re going to have to fuck with us or talk about us. The same way that people who do trap music fuck with Gucci and stuff like that, that’s how it’s going to be for us and gangster rap. Anyone who’s spitting gangster rap and real shit, they are going to have to fuck with us cause that’s what we are. We pride ourselves on being real with our music, and keeping it A1. I see what you’re saying. If you had the opportunity to work with any artist from any generation, who would you choose to work with and how come? If I could pick any artist I would say B.G. I would choose him because he carried on a real legacy as far as his time period in gangster rap. You know that’s real, I would love to make a track with him when he gets out of jail. Free B.G. That would be a cut both you and B.G. on the same track. Now, I know you stay busy, but when you aren’t out on tour or working on music in the studio what are some hobbies you have? I run a Bail Bonds service. So when I’m home I’m working on that a lot. Also always working on building up the brand, taking care of the community, finding ways to help out. You know, whether it is coaching football, or giving out food, or working with the bail bonds we just try to help people out and bring the community closer together. Giving back is great. That’s awesome to hear. If you could offer any advice to younger artists coming up in the industry looking to pursue a career as a rapper, what would you tell them? My advice would be to keep your backbone and be real with what you rap about. Stand up for what you stand up for. If you are a rapper talking about finding a plug and doing this or doing that, then go find yourself a plug. Just be real and be about whatever it is you are rapping about. Make sure fans know you stand for something. Also, don’t fall into gimmicks or jump at the first offer cause that’s how careers get killed. Make sure you have a relationship with the people you are doing business with and be smart and aware of everything going on. That way you can make the moves that will be most beneficial for you and your people. Those are some good words of wisdom. Lastly, is there anything you want to remind fans or make sure they are watching out for? Just that I got that Everything Clean But Da Ashtray out now. Go get that. I got Nardo Davinci coming out real real soon. And God first, I can’t do nothing without God. Also shout out Fashionably-Early for taking time out to interview a real one. Just remember when the red carpets get to rolling and things get to moving, Fashionably-Early was on board first. Thank you. New Artists A Conversation with Montana of 300 Review: Post Malone – August 26th @fashearlymusic ABOUT US Fashionably Early has been your trusted source for finding the artists that are next up for years now. In a landscape that's fueled so heavily by algorithms and 15 minutes of fame, let Fashionably Early be your guide of finding the next generation of artists that matter.	11,841
The coat of arms of Andorra (Catalan: Escut d'Andorra) is the heraldic device consisting of a shield divided quarterly by the arms of the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix – who have historically been the two co-princes of Andorra – in addition to the emblems of Catalonia and the Viscount of Béarn. Utilized unofficially since the Middle Ages, its status as the coat of arms of the Principality of Andorra was formalized in 1993 upon the implementation of their new constitution. The escutcheon is featured on the flag of Andorra.The usage of the arms of the Bishop of Urgell and the Count of Foix stems from a settlement made in 1278 concerning territory sandwiched between the lands they had jurisdiction over. The two parties agreed to protect the principality jointly as co-princes. The arms of Catalonia and Béarn were added, and a "centuries-old carving" of this four-part quartered emblem is featured on the exterior of the country's parliament building – the Casa de la Vall – which served as the meeting place of the General Council until 2014. It was also found on the lintel of a house in Barcelona dating back to 1761. However, its status was not official until it was designated as the principality's coat of arms under Article 2(2) of the Constitution of Andorra, which was approved in a 1993 referendum and came into force that same year Related Item Our hobby dreams have always been big, since 2015 we had a dream of achieving a site that serves Arab collector in all fields of collection that provides the largest amount of information, education for the service of collectors locally and internationally, ...	1,701
How are you coping with the recent news from the Supreme Court? Not well? Today, V asks grief expert Claire Bidwell Smith how to effectively manage our feelings in light of the verdict that has sent many of us into an emotional tailspin. Claire discusses the relationship between anxiety and grief, shares tips on how to practice self-care, and offers advice on how to turn feelings of anger and despair into action. V also explains the most important recent decisions from the Court, including the consequences of overturning Roe v. Wade, the new ruling on the right to carry guns in public, and a decision on religion in schools. Follow Claire at @clairebidwell on Twitter and @clairebidwellsmith on Instagram. Keep up with V on TikTok at @underthedesknews and on Twitter at @VitusSpehar. And stay up to date with us on Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram at @LemonadaMedia. Click this link for a list of current sponsors and discount codes for this show and all Lemonada shows go to lemonadamedia.com/sponsors.Joining Lemonada Premium is a great way to support our show and get bonus content. Subscribe today at bit.ly/lemonadapremium. Hey friends, it’s Tuesday, June 28th, 2022. Welcome to V INTERESTING, where we break down the viral and very interesting news that you might have missed. I’m V Spehar. And on today’s show, well, today’s show is a very special episode. Today we are going to be entirely devoted to the Supreme Court decisions, including, of course, the High Court overturning Roe v. Wade, and ending abortion rights that have been upheld for decades. and that heaviness that we’re all feeling, that is grief, we lost something. So we’re going to learn some ways that we can effectively cope and manage our grief, with therapists and podcast host, Claire Bidwell-Smith. It doesn’t mean we’re not going to take action; it doesn’t mean we’re not going to feel angry; it doesn’t mean we’re not going to grapple with anxiety. But letting yourself feel that initial wave of just grief is so important. And later, we’re going to hear from you. How are you dealing with this news? And how are you moving forward, all that is coming up on today’s the interesting, let’s just hold hands, and we will get through this together. I, like all of you, was taken to my knees with the overturning of Roe v. Wade, and a litany of other attacks on our freedoms that came from the Supreme Court opinions released over the last week. And in many ways, I am still feeling really down. But there’s this one thing I like to do something that helps me when I’m hit with the unspeakable. And that is to read and read and read again, just exactly what was said. And then I try to remind myself of exactly where I’m at in this present moment. Not like where we’re going or what’s next, or try to like, guess what any of it means. Just let’s look at today, June 28th, 2022. What happened? Will you do that with me? Just kind of like, sit here and let’s get things straight for a moment. Thank you for trusting me. We’re just gonna go one step at a time. Okay, the Supreme Court has been dropping tons of opinions before they leave for their summer break. And today we are going to focus on the major decisions that have been handed down. We are talking guns, God and women’s rights. So let’s start with God, shall we? Because I don’t know what God you believe in. But I’ve been talking to whoever will listen lately. So we might as well stop there while we have someone’s attention. The headline was, the Supreme Court has eliminated the separation of church and state. And what they’re talking about is Carson V. Macon, in which the Supreme Court ruled that Maine cannot exclude religious schools from tuition assistance programs, a.k.a, they cannot stop religious schools from getting government funding. The six three decision means that if the state is using taxpayer money to pay for a student to attend to a non-religious private school, it must also use taxpayer funds to cover tuition at religious schools. Now, Maine is one of the most rural states in the country, where more than half of the school districts don’t even have public high schools. So getting a government subsidy to attend a private or like a charter high school out of your town is much more common in rural Maine. But the churchy schools were like, hey, we should get some of that money, too. So, how is this going to affect to the rest of the nation, there is going to be a lot more competition for those government subsidies, which used to be used in like emergency or rare occasions. And the purpose was to make sure that every child no matter how rural community they live in had access to education. But because the court didn’t rule narrowly on this, that it was really just like, Okay, well, if there’s no other school, then I guess we could give taxpayer funds to church schools, because we want these kids to be educated. It will be broadly applied across the United States, meaning the Christian church schools will probably benefit the most. But Jewish day schools, Muslim schools, even the Satanic Temple are all making clear that they to expect to be cut in on government funding for education. So what sucks, I guess, what sucks the most about it? You know, your tax dollars now do go to funding at least some form of religious indoctrination of children, whether you believe in that religion or not, and there’s just nothing we can do about it. The attorney general of Maine said in a statement that some of these schools even refused to admit gay and transgender children or openly discriminate on hiring teachers and staff that identify as queer. Our tax dollars fund a shit ton of stuff that we don’t agree with, like war. But yeah, this is like a very big sledgehammer to the idea of the separation church and state. Now, it doesn’t mean that the church is going to like steal all of the funding or something. It just means that they’ll get a slice of the already very small pie that is serving education opportunities to mostly rural poor children. And speaking of religion in school, the Supreme Court had another six three decision on Monday, they ruled that a high school football coach in Washington does have the right to pray on the 50 yard line after his team’s games, members of his team often prayed with him. Some of them felt like they had to or they might not get playtime. Previous rulings from the court over decades have generally prohibited anything that might seem like pressuring students to participate in religious activities. That is now completely on the table. Okay, so now let’s just put that on the shelf for one second while we move to the next topic. Next up, guns. The Supreme Court says you want to carry a gun, no problem. In another six three decision. Last week, the High Court ruled that every American has the legal right to carry a firearm for self-defense. They struck down in over 100 year old New York law that limited who could carry a gun outside their home. This is a major expansion of gun rights handed down in a case from a state where 10 black people were gunned down by a white supremacist in a supermarket just last month. The ruling makes it easier for a licensed owner to bring a concealed gun into public spaces for quote, self-defense purposes, which is bullshit because we know that having access to a firearm actually makes you 30% more likely to be killed by a gun. So like what are we so afraid of? Why is there so much of a focus on these invisible enemies? If you’re truly trying to defend yourself, then you would keep yourself away from guns it seems, immediately following the ruling. New York Governor Kathy Hochul called the decision reckless and reprehensible adding this is not what New Yorkers want states’ rights. Does everyone understand what a concealed weapon means? That you have no forewarning that someone can hide a weapon on them and go into our subways. Go into our grocery stores like stores up in Buffalo, New York where I’m from, go into a school in Parkland or Uvalde. This could place millions of New Yorkers in harm’s way. This decision isn’t just reckless, it’s reprehensible. It’s not what New Yorkers want. And we should have the right of determination of what we want to do in terms of our gun laws in our state. Have you guys ever been on the subway? Like the New York City Subway, it is tight. It is a tight, hot, pizza eating rat infested metal tube that we as New Yorkers endure because like there is no other way to get around. And of course, it’s not just New York, it’s everywhere. We have to get louder. This is unacceptable. And it’s all part of the agenda from the gun lobby to try and make everyone think like, well, I guess I better get a gun too, fuck that. They’ve been doing this for over a century. This like a gun makes you safer. Everybody has to have a gun. I’ll tell you a fun story. This is one of my favorite stories about Congress. In, 1856 when a Republican Congressman wanted to carry their guns on the House floor, a Democratic Congressman named Preston Brooks beat the ever loving shit out of Charles Sumner on the House floor in front of the entire Congress, and he beat the shit out of him with his cane to prove that guns don’t make you safer. On another note, amidst all of these gun advocates, gloating about how they’ll carry anywhere and how guns make us safer, another senseless act of gun violence occurred and this time in our own TikTok community. Randon Lee was shot and killed in Prichard, Alabama. Randon was the son of beloved TikToker Ophelia Nichols, a.k.a, Mama Tot. He was murdered on the eve of his 19th birthday while he was pumping gas. Police are still looking for his killer. Affiliate tells us that they have to leads. Okay, now that we got those two issues out of the way, it is time to talk about the thing we have all been thinking about and maybe even like avoiding to some level because when traumatic events happen, we go in shock. And that shock can manifest in many ways. One of them can be disassociation. And I know that was true for me. Certainly, it was like I heard the news. I had to put it on a shelf for a minute. And I just couldn’t face it. Because when you are surviving something, that is what you are doing. You are surviving it. It takes all of your energy, all of your thoughts And that’s what we’re doing right now, okay, we are surviving this. So, we’re going to reflect on where we are. And I’m going to remind you of what was said in the overturning opinion of Roe v. Wade. Without all of the extra scary stuff and speculation. We’re just going to talk about what happened, so that we can understand it, survive it and then we’ll think about maybe what we can do next. Decision number four that we’re talking about today, the Supreme Court overturns Roe v. Wade, the Supreme Court ruled that the Constitution makes no reference to abortion. And so this court interprets that there are no constitutional protections for the procedure. Writing for the majority, Justice Alito states that abortion is a quote, moral question. And the Constitution does not prohibit states from regulating or prohibiting abortion, insisting that the laws surrounding abortion be made at the state level. Last week’s decision will rapidly impact about half of all the states 13 states with trigger bands will prohibit abortion within 30 days. And in some of these states, abortion is already fully illegal. A couple of the states have pre roll bans still in place that could be reactivated and other states have bans blocked by the courts, but will likely act quickly to move ahead now that there’s no federal protection. The Washington Post has a great map that is tracking everything and when these abortion bans go into effect. So we’ll link to that in the show notes. That is some of the immediate impact of this decision. But at least in Clarence Thomas’s mind, this ruling could only be the beginning. He wrote a separate concurring opinion. And in it, he says the court should now reconsider other decisions, like the one that founded the right to contraception, or the one that founded the right to sex between consenting men, or the one that founded the right to same sex marriage. And he says that the court should correct the error it made in those cases. And what a bastard thing to say, what a shitty, terrible taunting thing to say, to put in writing, while folks are already dealing with the loss of bodily autonomy. Okay, you know what, I’m going to kick you while you’re down. Now, we’re also maybe going to configure marriage and other privacy rights. And I know some folks are like looking at all this and trying to figure out how it affects them. And it’s not so clear. We are all just processing a lot here. And I know that’s true, because you told me, I heard from so many of you, there are literally 1000s of voicemails, 1000s, sharing your anger, your frustrations, your fears and your real time reactions to the news that Roe v Wade had been overturned. And I am so grateful that you trusted me to be that outlet for you. Here’s some of what you had to say. I’m just one year old in college and I had an abortion probably two months ago now. It was probably the best decision I’ve ever made. And I have no regrets about it whatsoever. And I think that it needs to be made fully legal everywhere. It save my life. As a woman who serves to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States. I now feel like all the trauma, all the mental, physical, emotional, trauma that I had to go through being a woman in the military was for nothing. My rights aren’t protected now and I served my country. I just want to say that I’m not even angry anymore over Roe v Wade, it’s really just the disappointments just grief for the women who found that the baby’s gonna kill them but have to carried it and raise grief for the women who have to carry and risk their body because they’re rapists planted a seed and then grief for the children who are gonna get abused mentally and physically in the foster care system, because I was a child who grew up in the foster care system. And I was so excited to get out because I could make decisions as an adult. And now that I’m 20 years old, I’m 20, I’m the crosshairs of life in my future. I’m not ready to have a child and I can’t make that decision for my own body. I’m so irritated right now is an understatement, as a 22 year old woman, I never thought this day would come and yet here I am scared for my life of my choices. I will be moving and I don’t even know if I’m gonna have a choice of the state that I’m going to live. I am shaking with anger. I feel so betrayed by the nation that we live in, that which actively choose men and women who vote against us, who have think that they have such control of us. That we can’t even control ourselves. Half of this nation is now gone, because of the choice that they’ve made. I’ve seen a lot of people talking about it, and I’m not the owner of a uterus, but like, my fucking soul, like ache for my friends, and my sisters and my family. And people close to me who need this, this freedom to have that choice, in your fucking body. Living in a red state is so difficult, and just the fact that it had to happen on my birthday, really add salt to the wound, because it’s just on my birthday, I lost the rights to my body, sort of lost the rights to me as an individual. But I’m getting through it, hopefully. So thank you. Oh, as you can hear, we are all dealing with a lot of emotions, anger, despair, solitude, and there is just nothing harder than feeling alone. So I want to thank you again for trusting me to share in this painful journey with you, for immediately springing to action by joining in the petitions, calls to Congress and protests. We heard from so many of you, and we will play even more of your comments at the end of this show. After the break, what can you do with all that emotion and energy? I’m happy to welcome author therapist and grief expert, Claire Bidwell Smith, who’s going to talk with us about how we can effectively cope and manage everything that we’re feeling right now. So, Claire Bidwell Smith is a therapist, renowned grief expert, and best-selling author. She is also the host of NEW DAY for Lemonada Media, which is now available three times a week on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. In fact, we’re going to do a little crossover here, this conversation will also appear in The New Day feed on Wednesday. Claire, thank you so much for joining me. I’m glad to be here. Thanks for having me. Let’s get into it. Let’s indeed, I knew that we had this interview, like when the decision came out, and I’m telling you like all people who wait to see their therapist, although, in this case, my guess I’m like, Oh, my God, I cannot wait to talk to somebody who is an expert in this terrible feeling that we’re all having. Yeah. You know, there’s like, no easy way to talk about the overturning of Roe v. Wade, in a way that can like actually capture the weight of the decision. How did you feel when Friday’s decision was announced? You know, we knew it was coming on one level. And then the actuality of it was just devastating. And you know, I think, you know, as someone who works in end of life and death and grief, you know, losses like that, too, you know, we can know someone is going to be dying of cancer, and we can think we’ve got our heads wrapped around it. And then it really happens. And we are floored in a way we didn’t expect and I think that this was like that for a lot of people. Yeah, I was in the most surreal experience of my life at VidCon just surrounded by Tiktok influencer, like it could not be more unusual or vibrant or silly space to have got this news in. And folks were having a hard time like, putting their finger on like what it was they were feeling. It wasn’t exactly anger. And then it wasn’t exactly sadness. Is it right to say that it was grief? It was acollective loss? Yeah, absolutely. It is grief. And I think it’s important that we let ourselves name it as such. Grief has so many emotions that come with it. But the feeling of grief is really, you know, mourning something that we’ve lost. And that feeling of loss in this case is very real. The anxiety and uncertainty, the fear that comes with what has happened and what is to come from this. There’s so much tied up in it. But I think if we skip over the grief part, we really do ourselves a disservice. But I want to skip over the grief part, is the hardest part. I know, I know, it’s much easier to feel angry, it’s easier to feel even afraid sometimes, but to really let ourselves steep and the sadness that comes with this, is hard. There’s a lot of reasons to be sad about this. There’s so much sadness, I mean, just the like the layers and the history and the years and what this means for so many people, to really let yourself feel that sadness is really hard. But it’s also really important, you know, I think we should let ourselves just so steeped in it, really feel it find support while we do that, be around other people who feel the same way, cry together, you know, it doesn’t mean we’re not going to take action, it doesn’t mean we’re not going to feel angry; it doesn’t mean we’re not going to grapple with anxiety. But really like letting yourself feel that initial wave of just grief is so important. When I was at VidCon, there were so many female identifying folks who were like, taking it from one side to side of like, this is their body, this is going to be happening to them physically. But there was a lot of what we call like the TikTok boys with the cute haircuts and the thigh tattoos who were also asking me to like V, I feel like I don’t know, I feel like something bad happened to me too. And I was like it did it did happen to you too. Yeah. And they were talking about how they felt like a little bit of a loss of their youth. Like, they lost something they lost an option. They lost sort of like, and watching their faces, these young boys even understanding that they couldn’t put words to it, but that they also lost something and they didn’t know what to do what it was like, talk to other men about it. But for men, it can be difficult to talk about grief. Do you have any, like helpful hints for the guys out there? Well, I’m glad to hear that they are talking about it and even when we can’t name it, you know that kind of ambiguous feeling of loss and not being able to pinpoint exactly why or what it is just being able to express that find other people who are also kind of feeling similarly. I think so often we try to skip past that kind of stuff. We try to bottle it up men, especially culturally are taught to do that. So the fact that they weren’t Talking about it and naming it is so is so clear and so important. I think that everyone should feel threatened by this, you know, everyone should feel threatened by this. And that’s really scary to feel. Oh, those poor guys. I know, just the whole the whole group because it was such a young group of people and they just, it was like watching a wave crash on them, because they maybe never really thought about it that much before that moment. So there’s something that happens to our mental health collectively, right? When a single event has such a big effect on so many people. Can you talk about, like what this means? I mean, we know what it means for like our community for our friends and family we’re talking to but as a nation, what this can mean for people? I think it’s very triggering on so many levels. You know, I think this kind of thing activates past traumas, it activates so many other ways that we’ve had rights taken away that we have lost bodily autonomy. I mean, there’s just so many layers of it. And so, as a nation as a culture, we are feeling it and we’re spinning out into a new place, right, just as when the pandemic hit, and all of a sudden, culturally, we all went into a new space, this is going to have a similar effect. Plus, we’re still like in the throes of the pandemic. So it’s like another setback to our mental health, right, we haven’t climbed out of this hole, we haven’t climbed out of the Trump pole, we haven’t climbed out of, you know, like, there’s just, there’s just been so many, you know, national traumas that we’ve been going through, and we can’t seem to catch our breath between them. And so we just keep going back into these spaces that I think it’s a big mental health concern. You know, I think the anxiety levels in the country are skyrocketing. I think depression. I think hopelessness is something that a lot of people are experiencing. And the division is really making it difficult too, to heal. You said exactly what I was thinking to ask you about next, like, while many of us experienced this, sort of collective grief, this sadness, this confusion, the shock, there were a lot of folks who were celebrating it, and I would even say gloating about it. And that almost hurt more in some ways, because it was like this silent, like you passed. Or some people, those were family members. For some of us who are grieving, our family members are celebrating, you know, and that how scary is that? How hard is that to grapple with? I can’t tell you how many clients I have, over the last four or five years who have gone through major family riffs. You know, and this is going to cause more of that. It’s so hard. I mean, just on that point, before we get more into, like how we heal or process this. But on that point of, you know, you’re hearing people gloat maybe your family member or maybe it’s your dad, maybe it’s your husband, for some people were telling me like their boyfriends were celebrate, like there was there was just like bad stuff to it. How do they, how can you protect yourself from that? I think you have to get really boundaries. I mean, I think this is why we’re making choices of who we need to spend time with, who we need to be talking to where we need to be leading for support. I don’t think we should be subjecting ourselves to people who, you know, are really opening these wounds for us who are activating us and triggering us in this moment, we’re already so vulnerable, or grieving or anxious, or angry. And so I think just getting really serious about the boundaries, no matter the cost, I mean, the cost is really going to come at ourselves if we don’t take care of ourselves and keep those boundaries in place. Yeah, when the news broke, we were just expected to keep working like everything else, right? Just keep pushing just okay, you’re gonna have to put that on the shelf and turn it on, because it’s time to clock in or do whatever it is that you’re supposed to do. Just no time to process what was happening. Can you talk a little about like what that does to your body and to your mind? I mean, I don’t think we can do that. I think that the I think that the stress level it puts on us is enormous, I think the sense of incongruence How can we just go about our day when we’re reeling from this? I think we have to take a mental health day, when something like this happens. I think we have to take care of ourselves. I think we have to speak up about it too, you know, and we have to say so you know, I can’t be here right now. I can’t be here today. Here’s why. And really, really have some compassion for ourselves. And just do those self-care things. That sounds so basic. I know like they’re so eye rolling, right? Like rest, limit your news intake, do some meditation to walk in nature. But seriously, well, we have to we can’t keep going like nothing’s happened. I don’t roll my eyes at it. Because I always forget, like, no matter how many times I go to therapy, like twice a week and I still forget and I’m like, oh right, go outside. Go outside, breathe some air. Go look at a tree. Yeah, but what when you can’t do that, do you have any kind of like, what about for the folks who can’t afford to or just aren’t in a job where they can do that thing? Like I think a lot about like, I’ve been culinary following chefs and restaurant folks like, what can they do if like, you have to be somewhere else but you also have to give yourself like inside quiet time. Yeah, I mean, I think if there is someone in your environment in that situation that you can and just let them know how you’re feeling so that you don’t feel like you’re so bottled up or you’re hiding it, then that’s great if you can’t, and you just have to keep moving. I think getting really present, you know, not letting your mind spin out, bringing your thoughts back in. I mean, whatever you can do to get really present, whether you’re noticing the temperature in the air, or you’re just taking different kinds of breaths, or you’re turning your thoughts back to a positive memory, you can come back to the grief and the anger and the rage and the anxiety later. But in those moments, just to take care of yourself, like come up with a mantra. I love mantras like, I repeat them in my head all the time when I freak out, you know, something just like I’m safe right now. I’m loved, like and just keep repeating those things until you’re in a space where you can safely grieve. Go have a good hard cry in the walk in freezers. That was always my favorite. Crying is my favorite. I cry all the time. Is there any truth to the fact I heard one time? So if it’s not true, just please lie to me. Because I’ve been living on this. That crying resets your emotional equilibrium. I haven’t heard that. Exactly. But it makes sense. It sounds really good. You should hold on to that one. And it is truly a great stress reliever. It’s really helpful for your nervous system. So I think crying, it’s good when we bottle it up. I mean, you know how your body feels when you’re trying not to cry? I don’t think that’s a good plan. Yeah, no tension headaches for anyone having you as an expert guide on this grief journey that we’re about to go into? Can you show us a little magic ball of like, what has happened historically, in situations like this, like how long does it take to start to feel like you’re back in your body or what happens next? I think grief is really different for everyone. You know, it’s it doesn’t have a set timeline, it doesn’t have a series of emotions that you go through in a formulaic way. So grief really manifests differently for everyone. It takes longer than most people think. But I think one of the things that I really find interesting about grief is that it can be very transformative. Because when we let ourselves grieve, we really have to ask ourselves to look at pieces of who we are and pieces of who we want to be, and what really matters to us. And so from there, once we start to explore those answers, we can become the person that we need to become in order to make the changes that we want to see. Now we lose a little bit of ignorance, when we’re faced with grief, we don’t get to just kind of like those guys talked about. I know, they were like, wait a minute, I don’t get to just sort of live in a bubble of it’s not going to happen because it happened. So now I do. And that’s sad to hear, you know, but also if I think about it for me, like every hard, terrible thing that’s ever happened to me, has made me the person I am today. You know it they were horrendous to go through. I wouldn’t wish that on anyone. Yet at the same time. I’ve grown so much each time. And I’m grateful for the knowledge I have now the compassion I have now the strength and wisdom that those things have brought me. If there was something that you could tell folks right now, who are struggling with this news, what would it be? Just be kind to yourself, you know, like, give yourself permission to grieve, like give yourself permission to just double over and sob or whatever it’s going to look like or permission to spend all day in bed. You know, we will get to the action and the anger and all the things there. It’s coming for sure there’s going to be a tidal wave of it. But right now, like let yourself grieve and let yourself heal and take care of yourself and just be kind to yourself. Thank you so much, Claire, I just appreciate you making the time to join us and hold our hand through this. Claire Bidwell Smith hosts the podcast New Day and shares great information and tips like that every Monday, Wednesday and Friday. And we had so many messages from folks, so we’re going to share some more of those voicemails. That’s what you can expect up next. Claire, thank you so much for taking the time with me. Thank you, V. I appreciate you. As I mentioned before, last week, we reached out to ask you how you were coping with the Supreme Court news. And wow, did we hear back, the voicemail box was flooded with 1000s of calls from y’all over the weekend, voicing your concerns with the Supreme Court’s recent actions. And so I wanted to end today’s show with a few messages that really expressed your passion, and some visions for how we can move forward. I am right here with you. Just calling to say thank you for all of your information and updates. But as a father of three amazing young girls, this new news is just disgusting. But living in Chicago and having the safety of a blue state. I just wanted to know if there were any websites or things coming together to get women from red states who need to get to blue states, connected with people who can make that happen. So, if you know of any resources that I can get in contact with to offer anything. I’d love to do that. I really just want to understand how do we expand SCOTUS? Like, is there a way for the voters to be able to make a larger Supreme Court than what we have now I don’t know how that works. So if you could please do a TikTok on what we as citizens need to do to get more Supreme Court justices so that it balances things a little better. I would so appreciate it. Thank you. Thank you all so much, again, for leaving me those voicemails humped up gonna be listening to them for quite a while, taking notes just trying to be helpful, you know, in whatever way we decide. We can show up in this world. It’s gonna take months, it’s gonna take years for us to get back what we lost. And I will be with you every step of the way. Listening to your stories and trying to find better answers. Be sure to tune into this Friday’s episode when we’re going to be chatting with some of my military pals to get an insider’s look at life in service. You can also leave me a voicemail, that voicemail box is staying open and we will keep checking it. You could talk about how you feel about Roe or for anything else that’s on your mind. That number is 612-293-8550. Also, please subscribe to Lemonada premium on Apple podcasts. Follow me at @underthedesknews and take care of yourselves. Thanks. Thanks for showing up today. V INTERESTING is a Lemonada Media Original. Our producers are Rachel Neel, Xorje Olivares, Martín Macías, Jr. And Dani Matias. Executive Producers are Stephanie Wittels Wachs and Jessica Cordova Kramer. Mixing and Scoring is by Brian Castillo, Johnny Evans and Ivan Kuraev. music is by Seth Applebaum. Please help others find the show by rating and reviewing wherever you listen and follow us across all social platforms at @VitusSpehar and @UnderTheDeskNews, also, @LemonadaMedia. If you want more be interesting, subscribe to Lemonada premium only on Apple podcasts.	34,300
A view of soybeans being planted on a farm in Balfour, South Africa on Oct. 20, 2021. Regenerative agriculture is a loosely defined term, but generally involves promoting on-farm soil health and carbon sequestration through practices like cover cropping and no-tilling. Will Cannon does more to sequester carbon than the average U.S. farmer. After he harvests his corn and soybeans, he plants cover crops, which sequester carbon all winter long, on his entire 1,000-acre operation in Prairie City, Iowa. He's avoiding tilling, or plowing, his soil as much as possible, which helps keep carbon stored in the ground. "I've kind of had a passion for conservation all my life," he says. "We've always been pushing the envelope on what we're trying to do." Cannon is getting help to finance this climate-friendly way of farming, which costs him thousands of dollars for additional machinery and seed, from the kinds of companies that ultimately buy his product. Footing the bill in his case is PepsiCo and Unilever, which own food brands ranging from Lay's and Gatorade to Hellman's and Ben & Jerry's. This kind of cross-supply chain partnership could become increasingly common. A consortium of 12 food companies, including Mars, PepsiCo and McDonald's, announced a plan to scale up the amount of regenerative farmland. The plan was released just days before the 27th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP27) in Egypt. While the practices regenerative agriculture encompasses are nothing new, it's becoming an increasingly popular climate change mitigation tool, especially among mega food corporations. "I think [regenerative agriculture] has a tremendous but under-tapped opportunity to have a major impact on climate change," says Jim Andrew, PepsiCo's chief sustainability officer. The food system accounts for a third of global greenhouse gas emissions and the private sector largely controls that system. Corporations, including Mars and PepsiCo, have made commitments to net zero greenhouse gas emissions. But the industry is inextricably tied to emissions, with an enormous, multi-million ton carbon footprint. Part of that stems from rampant deforestation. The corporate food industry also relies heavily on plastic packaging — another big source of emissions. "They're invested in the system which generates greenhouse gas emissions, and essentially they are trapped by the need to continue to not only be profitable, but to grow their profits," says Ricardo Salvador with the Union of Concerned Scientists. This isn't the first regenerative agriculture commitment PepsiCo has made. Last year, the company, which earned $9.7 billion over the past year, committed to converting its entire 7 million acre agricultural footprint to regenerative practices by 2030. The company says that will eliminate at least 3 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions. Most of the farmland in that footprint grows potatoes, whole corn, oats, and oranges In its first year, PepsiCo inched only 5% of the way through that goal, enrolling 345,000 acres in its various regenerative agriculture programs. Still, Andrew is optimistic. While he won't reveal 2022 acreage yet, he calls it "a decided step up." Currently, only 15% of global farmland is cared for using regenerative practices, according to the new action plan and report from the Sustainable Markets Initiative (SMI). The group says that number needs to scale up to 40% by 2030 in order to keep global warming to 1.5 degrees Celsius, as laid out in the 2015 Paris Climate Agreement. And that won't be easy, especially given the current global agriculture market. "The commodity system tells [farmers]: Yield at all costs," says Sarah Carlson with Practical Farmers of Iowa. "And yield at all costs means that Mother Nature then pays. Climate change is her telling us: No more." Converting to regenerative agriculture is a financial risk for farmers. It can cost tens of thousands of dollars to buy new equipment and additional seed, fuel and labor. And in its current state, the commodity crop market doesn't provide incentives to incur that cost. "We need to invest in those farmers to de-risk that transition," she says. "I do think that companies have a huge role to play in making a big shift on the landscape." That could manifest in a number of ways, but Carlson says one of the most effective would be to bake it into procurement contracts. In other words, the onus would be on the company to buy an ingredient (corn, rice, potatoes, etc.) only if it was grown using sustainable practices. "That's absolutely an essential part of this plan," says Grant Reid, outgoing CEO of Mars and chair of the SMI taskforce. The plan, while lacking in specificity, lays out five general strategies to financially incentivize farmers to transition to regenerative agriculture. The strategies range from direct payments to farmers to encouraging governments around the world to commit policy and public money. Reid, former chief procurement officer for Mars, says another strategy is to change the way companies buy their products. "We used to buy a spec against the quality and price," he says. "Now I think we need to have our sustainability teams and our procurement teams working closely." Reid acknowledges prescribing any one fix across twelve of the largest global food companies is unrealistic. What works for a fast food chain might not work for a beverage corporation. And, along the same lines, what works for a rice farmer in India might not work for a corn farmer in Iowa. "There's no one size fits all, right?" he says. "There's not one crop, one company, one country that's identical. So you can't be too prescriptive." But that lack of precision could make it difficult to track the coalition's climate progress. Especially because there's no standardized definition of regenerative agriculture. There's no step-by-step guide or menu dictating what constitutes a regenerative farm. "We're satisfied so far when somebody tells us that they're using a regenerative practice, say, reduced tillage or cover crops, without then asking the question: How do you know that? What is the actual, quantifiable, verifiable result?" says Salvador with the Union of Concerned Scientists. In other words, there's no standard for how much carbon is sequestered on one acre of cover crops, for instance. That number will vary by region, crop and farmer. "In addition to being verifiable, it needs to be permanent," says Salvador. "Because if it's not permanent, then in essence it's not really helping us with climate change." Despite his cautionary notes, Salvador acknowledges the important role of private industry in scaling up regenerative agriculture across the food system. Ultimately, if the world wants more farmers to farm like Will Cannon, food companies need to send those market signals. While most of his farming neighbors still look at him and his untilled ground funny, Cannon thinks that could change if the private industry keeps putting their money where their mouth is. "As farmers, we've got to offer a bountiful crop again in the future, and I'm hopeful for the seeds that a lot of these companies are trying to plant right now," says Cannon. Corrected: November 2, 2022 at 11:00 PM CDT A previous version of this story said the coalition of major food companies plans to nearly triple the amount of regenerative farmland over the next eight years. That is not their plan, instead that is what would be required to meet goals in the Paris climate agreement. Corrected: November 2, 2022 at 11:00 PM CDT A previous version of this story said the coalition of major food companies plans to nearly triple the amount of regenerative farmland over the next eight years. That is not their plan, instead that is what would be required to meet goals in the Paris climate agreement. Dana Cronin is a reporter based in Urbana, Illinois. She covers food and agriculture issues in Illinois for Harvest. Dana started reporting in southern Colorado at member station 91.5 KRCC, where she spent three years writing about everything from agriculture to Colorado’s highest mountain peaks. From there she went to work at her hometown station, KQED, in San Francisco. While there she covered the 2017 North Bay Fires. She spent the last two years at NPR’s headquarters in Washington D.C., producing for shows including Weekend Edition and All Things Considered.	8,622
Psalm 127:1 "Unless the Lord builds the house, the builders labour in vain." Our Call now is just to obey. Believe Him that He will perform that which He said He would do. Be faithful to work in the capacity that He has called us to. It is a great blessing and honour to be engaged and included in what God is doing. Bible based teaching and building a strong community of believers We present Bible teaching and a Christian ministry in the power of the Holy Spirit and prayer that will inspire and nurture true Christian faith. Inspiring a personal relationship with Christ. To serve people with ministry of worship, music, Bible preaching and teaching and a relationship of encouragement and support. To proclaim the Word of God and salvation through Jesus Christ Our Mission is to live and serve Christ in our homes, the church, and community because there is a God who loves us and has called us into His fellowship and work. Our Vision is that we fully and freely live in Christ, giving witness and ministry in the name of Christ, as a mature Christian community in our society. In April 1994, Peter and Anne Wiebe were called to Taber. We started out as a Bible Study held in their home. The first service began in their home with two other families. By August, they needed more room and rented the old Mennonite Church. In the first service, 20 people were in attendance. On October 29, 1995, we had our charter service and had our first 6 baptisms. In July 1996, we officially joined the Evangelical Mennonite Conference. Growth was substantial and in August 1996, we purchased and moved to our current location. In spring 2000, Peter and Anne Wiebe resigned. Edwin and Lillian Plett had their Pastor installation service September 10, 2000. While membership was stagnant, average attendance increased over the years. By 2004 we ran out of space and added a trailer for extra Sunday School space. We had an average attendance of 120 people. By the year 2006, membership and attendance were steady. Pastor Plett announced his retirement and resigned. On October 22, 2006, Dave and Audrey Wiebe had their Pastor installation service. By 2007 we were at an average attendance of 180 people. In 2008, Dave Sawatzky was hired as the part time Youth Pastor. Attendance was an average of 200 people. By 2010 we were running out of room again and began discussing and expansion. In spring 2011, we began an expansion that more than doubled our space. On October 16, 2011 we had our first service in the new building. In January 2012, Dave Sawatzky resigned. By 2013 we had an average of 240 people in attendance. In August 2013, Dave Wiebe announced his retirement from full time pastoral work. Dick and Margaret Loewen had their Pastor installation service in September 2013. Over the next few years, during the time of transition, attendance fluctuated and dropped to an average of 200 people. In July 2017, Dick Loewen resigned. The lay ministerial took the over the leading and preaching while the pastor search began. In Spring 2018, Dave Wiebe came out of retirement to take on the position of part time interim pastor. He held this position until early 2019, when Jim and Janice Crawford became the new Senior Pastor couple and currently serving in this role. We also currently have two Associate Pastors, Dave Wiebe and Abe E Klassen. We see an average attendance of 250 people and have many families with small children joining us. Our Facilities From being in a home, renting the old GC Mennonite Church, purchasing the old Moose Hall, and transforming it into our current facilities, we have come a long way.	3,738
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JAMA-(ENEWSPF)- A study published in the Journal of the Amnerican Medical Association shows some promise in the treatment of COVID-19 with remdesivir. Patients treated with the antiviral drug showed a recovery time that was shorter by four days compared to those treated with placebo. The coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) pandemic has strained health care systems across the globe, necessitating drastic public health measures and prompting a fervent search for effective treatments. The experimental antiviral drug remdesivir (manufactured by Gilead) was granted Emergency Use Authorization by the US Food and Drug Administration in May 2020 for patients hospitalized with severe COVID-19.1 At the time, there had been 2 randomized clinical trials (RCTs) that had compared a 10-day course of remdesivir with placebo. The first, by Wang and colleagues, failed to show a benefit but recruited only 237 patients and may have been underpowered. The second, the National Institutes of Health–sponsored Adaptive COVID-19 Treatment Trial (ACTT-1), randomized 1063 patients and found that those assigned a 10-day course of remdesivir had a recovery time that was shorter by 4 days (median, 11 vs 15 days) compared with placebo. No significant difference was found in mortality between drug (7.1%) and placebo (11.9%) (hazard ratio, 0.70; 95% CI, 0.47-1.04). Since the Emergency Use Authorization was granted, there has been a huge demand for remdesivir from both patients and physicians, generating considerable debate over how to ensure adequate, equitable, and affordable access. While ACTT-1 was ongoing, the company sponsored a third RCT involving patients hospitalized with moderate COVID-19, the results of which are reported in JAMA by Spinner and colleagues. The study was conducted at 105 hospitals in the United States, Europe, and Asia. Investigators enrolled 584 patients aged 12 years or older with confirmed severe acute respiratory syndrome coronavirus 2 (SARS-CoV-2) infection, radiographic evidence of pulmonary infiltrates, and an ability to maintain an oxygen saturation greater than 94% while breathing ambient air. Patients were randomized 1:1:1 to a 10-day course of remdesivir (n = 193), a 5-day course of remdesivir (n = 191), or standard care (n = 200). The trial was open-label because of the inadequate supply of placebo-containing vials. The original primary endpoint was the proportion of patients discharged by day 14, but the endpoint was changed at study launch to a 7-point ordinal scale of clinical status (range: death = 1; discharged = 7) assessed on study day 11. The authors powered the study to detect an odds ratio of 1.8 for the difference in clinical status scores for either active group compared with the standard care group. The groups were compared using a model that assumed clinical status would be distributed proportionally across the scale, thus allowing a summary odds ratio. Secondary endpoints included time to recovery, time to clinical improvement, hospital length of stay, adverse events, and mortality. The assigned treatment groups appeared well balanced at baseline. Among those randomized to a 5-day remdesivir course, 76% completed therapy, whereas only 38% of those randomized to a 10-day remdesivir course completed the full course with a median treatment duration of 6 days (interquartile range, 3-10 days). Overall, the cohort incurred a moderate hospital course, with a 1% (6/584) mortality rate and 65% (379/584) discharged by day 11. Patients randomized to 5 days of remdesivir had a higher odds of having a better clinical status distribution compared with those receiving standard care (odds ratio, 1.65; 95% CI, 1.09-2.48; P = .02). The 10-day course, however, did not differ from standard care (P = .18), and comparison of the primary outcome distributions failed the proportional odds assumption, precluding an ability to estimate an interpretable odds ratio. There was no difference between either remdesivir group and standard care in any prespecified secondary end-point analysis. The study by Spinner and colleagues reported benefit with a 5-day course but, like the study by Wang and colleagues,2 reported no benefit with the 10-day course that had been shown to be beneficial in ACTT-1. Thus, there are now 3 RCTs of remdesivir in hospitalized patients with differing results, raising the question of whether the discrepancies are artifacts of study design choices, including patient populations, or whether the drug is less efficacious than hoped. There are important design differences across the trials. First, ACTT-1 was larger and therefore was better powered to find smaller differences. Second, the study populations are not the same. All 3 RCTs required evidence of pulmonary involvement. However, ACTT-1 and the study by Wang et al recruited patients who required supplemental oxygen or ventilatory support whereas Spinner and colleagues included patients who did not require oxygen (although 15% had deteriorated to the point that oxygen was required between enrollment and study initiation). The benefit observed in ACTT-1 was reported as confined to patients requiring only low-flow supplemental oxygen and perhaps breathing ambient air. Thus, it is not immediately clear that the study populations alone are adequately different to explain differences in results across trials. Moreover, it is plausible that antiviral therapy is more efficacious if started sooner, and therefore targeting moderate rather than severe disease would be a reasonable approach. However, severity and duration are not synonymous: in both the study by Spinner and colleagues and ACTT-1, patients reported a median 9 days of symptoms prior to enrollment. Use of open-label vs placebo control groups also could have influenced the results. In the open-label trial by Spinner and colleagues, clinicians prescribed agents with putative antiviral activity, such as hydroxychloroquine, more commonly in the standard care treatment group. These agents have not been shown to improve disease course in SARS-CoV-2 infection, but clinicians may have provided other aspects of background care differently in the control vs active treatment groups. As suggested by the authors, clinicians may also have inadvertently delayed hospital discharge in the remdesivir group to facilitate the completion of the treatment course (which is delivered intravenously). Both these possibilities seem unlikely, but they would bias findings toward the null. In contrast, a placebo design would protect against bias from such effects. For the choice of primary outcome, all 3 RCTs used some variation of an ordinal scale that ranges from recovery through increasing levels of ongoing hospital care to death. While Spinner and colleagues measured the primary outcome at study day 11, ACTT-1 and the study by Wang et al used the scale to assess time to recovery. Use of this ordinal scale approach is endorsed by the World Health Organization and is common in COVID-19 RCTs.2,3,6,7 However, the scale is a newly created, and potentially problematic, outcome. First, each step on the scale is not necessarily of equivalent clinical significance. For example, moving from the clinical state of “not requiring” to “requiring” supplemental oxygen is less important than moving from “requiring mechanical ventilation” to “death.” As long as the distribution of clinical status scores is proportional, the main consequence of variable clinical significance across the scale is one of meaning: it is difficult to translate a summary odds ratio into a clinically meaningful statement for patients, clinicians, and policymakers. A second problem, however, occurs if the distribution of differences is not proportional. If an active agent improves scores at one part of the scale but worsens scores elsewhere, there is no clear way to quantify the net benefit. This problem occurred for Spinner and colleagues when comparing the 10-day course with standard care and may reflect a more widespread problem with the use of such scales. Spinner et al did not formally compare the 5- and 10-day courses of remdesivir. However, in a fourth RCT involving 397 patients, Goldman and colleages7 reported no difference in outcome between 5- and 10-day courses, although the study did not have a control group without remdesivir and was potentially underpowered. Both Spinner and colleagues and ACTT-1 report a minority of patients receiving the full 10 days of therapy in those assigned a 10-day course, which further confounds any attempt to disentangle whether differences in outcome could be due to duration of therapy. In addition, these RCTs all concluded enrollment before findings from the RECOVERY trial were published showing that dexamethasone reduced mortality in patients with severe COVID-19 but not in hospitalized patients who did not require supplemental oxygen.8 Although some patients in the remdesivir RCTs received corticosteroids, there was no formal cross-randomization and interrogation of treatment-by-treatment interactions between remdesivir and corticosteroids. The report by Spinner et al in this issue of JAMA provides important new data on the potential efficacy of remdesivir in patients with moderate COVID-19 and suggests modest clinical benefit for the 5-day course compared with standard care, although, as the authors acknowledge, the clinical importance of this finding is uncertain. Some of the variations in results from the RCTs of remdesivir could be due to differences in study design. Nonetheless, in aggregate, important questions remain regarding the efficacy of remdesivir. First, the optimal patient population is unclear. Second, the optimal duration of therapy is unclear. Third, the effect on discrete clinical outcomes is unclear. Fourth, the relative effect of the drug if given in the presence of dexamethasone or other corticosteroids is unclear. Some of the RCT findings suggest remdesivir could improve recovery for many millions of individuals around the world who may be hospitalized with COVID-19. However, the costs to produce and distribute remdesivir at such scale are considerable, and, most importantly, whether remdesivir offers an incremental benefit over corticosteroids, which are widely available and inexpensive, is unknown. It, therefore, seems prudent to urgently conduct further evaluations of remdesivir in large-scale RCTs designed to address the residual uncertainties and inform optimal use. The article notes one Conflict of Interest Disclosure: Dr Angus reported receiving personal fees from Bristol Myers Squibb, Bayer AG, and Ferring Pharmaceuticals Inc; receiving stock options from Alung Technologies Inc; and holding a pending patent to selepressin for treating sepsis and a pending patent to proteomic biomarkers of sepsis in elderly patients. No other disclosures were reported. 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If anything offensive, inappropriate, or otherwise unwholesome appears, please notify us so we can take steps to block that specific advertiser. Email the URL or advertiser name to [email protected]. eNews Park Forest provides news and timely information for residents of Park Forest, Illinois, and surrounding communities. We are independent journalists and not affiliated with the Village of Park Forest in any way.	12,753
I have used Harris Lawn Care services for almost a year now. They are very professional, do awesome work, and not only know lawn care but how to take care of the customer as well. The only reason I stopped service is I sold my home thanks in part due to the curb appeal they provided. My Realtor loved their service. Their web pay is simple and easy to use. Four clicks from the E-mail I received and I was done. I highly recommend them and would not hesitate to use them again. Self-Motivated Reliable I used to do my own lawn and i am very particular about it. I want for it to be well trimmed with defined edges and uniform. It took several hours to achieve the level of quality I was looking for, that time always got in the way of other activities and during the summer is almost a weekly chore. I had tried other services and always had to go behind them. I met the owners of HLC through some networking and gave them a try. I was impressed with the speed and quality and decided to hire them permanently. They are the most reliable service I have known and always stand behind their work. Whenever I have a concern the owner respond right away and goes above and beyond to make sure I am happy. I have 2 dogs and they make sure they are safe while working around the yard. Their online billing really sold me on it, I pay online and best of all their average billing makes this easy to manage. Great work, great ethics, highly recommended!!! Steve Harris has several hardworking crews that have been coming to my house for a while now. They are all extremely polite and get the job done quickly. Once they have done the yard/grounds the first time, you don't ever have to tell them how to do it the next time. It's over in a flash but well worth it. I had had Steve do some special projects and they all turned out perfectly. But what I really appreciate: Steve comes by , checks the grass, etc. and then decides it doesn't have to be done that week. I think a lot of lawn services do the work regardless. But Steve is not out to make a buck on you unless he sees the work needs to be done. I want to thank you for taking care of my lawn this past year. You were efficient and always on time. I have recently retired and will be caring for my own yard this summer, but will continue to recommend you to family and friends. Thanks for the great job! It's always a pleasure to do business with you. Thanks for the wonderful service throughout the years. We appreciate all you did. Formerly of Haughton, LA You do great work. Great job and always on time. Thank you for the professional job your team supplied. I shall continue to recommend your group to others.	2,884
About a year ago, I reviewed Parallels RAS. At the time, the pandemic had just started, and the world was desperately trying to cope with the challenges of working from home. I saw Parallels RAS as a handy tool that could make it easier for users to remotely access the applications they need to do their jobs. Being that a year has passed and most of the people in the world are still stuck working from home, I wanted to revisit Parallels RAS to see how the product might have changed over the course of the pandemic. As was the case with the previous review, I set up Parallels RAS on an AWS virtual machine instance. Parallels makes their software available in the Amazon Marketplace, which makes the deployment process quick and easy (Parallels also offers an on-premises version of its software and a version that is designed to run in the Microsoft Azure cloud). From the time that I logged into my machine, it only took about half an hour to get the software running. In the time that has passed since my previous review, Parallels has indeed released a new version (version 18). This new version of Parallels RAS boasts several new features, but the one feature that really caught my attention was the new automated image optimization capabilities. Parallels has introduced over 130 built-in optimization capabilities. As an alternative, you can create an optimization script if you require additional flexibility. Optimizations not only help to improve the end-user experience, but they can also help an organization to drive down its cost by increasing user density while also reducing the hardware footprint. Admittedly, I had a little bit of trouble finding the optimization settings within the management console. In case anyone is curious, you can access these settings by clicking on Farm, selecting your server, and then choosing the Site Defaults option from the shortcut menu, as shown in the figure below. Optimizations are also available at the server level and also for templates. This is where you go to access the new optimization features. Once the Site Default Properties window opens, select the Optimization tab. As you can see in the next figure, all you have to do is select the Enable Optimization checkbox. You can allow Parallels RAS to apply the optimizations automatically, or you can choose the manual option and select the specific optimizations that you want to use. There is also an option to force optimization on all of the enabled optimization categories. The reason for this is that for future optimizations only the changes are applied rather than the entire set, so it helps to make any future changes more efficient. Before I move on, I wanted to quickly point out the warning message at the bottom of the window indicating that you will need to create a backup before performing any optimizations because restoring a backup is the only way to undo an optimization if the optimization ends up causing any problems. In some situations, it actually is possible to undo an optimization without restoring a backup, but it really depends on the nature of the optimization. If, for example, an optimization simply disabled a couple of system services, then you could obviously turn those services back on. If, on the other hand, an optimization removed or modified files, you would need to restore a backup to undo the optimization. I am hoping that Parallels will add an undo feature in the next version, but being that the optimization feature is brand new, I’m not going to deduct any points over the absence of what I consider to be a wish list item. Another improvement to Parallels RAS is that starting with version 18, administrators have the ability to evaluate the end-user experience. Specifically, administrators can monitor the login duration, inbound and outbound data, bandwidth availability and usage, network latency, the number of disconnects and reconnects, and the user connection flow. Parallels has made it easy to access this information. To do so, just go to Farm \| RD Session Hosts, and then click on the Sessions tab. This tab lists all of the current user sessions along with a wealth of information for each. Incidentally, these same details are available for any session category such as VDI sessions or Windows Virtual Desktop sessions. Although accessing this information is effortless, there are two things that you need to know. First, there are far more columns of information than what will comfortably fit on the screen. If you don’t take the time to use the slide bar at the bottom of the screen, you could be missing out. You can also display the window in full-screen mode and then right-click on a header and choose the “size all Columns to Fit” option if you want to try to fit everything on screen at once. For a complete list of all session details available, right-click on the table header in the Sessions tab and choose “More,” where you can select to show the columns with details you are interested in. The second thing that you need to know is that it can sometimes take a little while for some of the columns to be populated. This is especially true for the logon duration and UX Evaluator, as described in the product’s documentation. Incidentally, the UX Evaluator is Parallels’ own overall dynamic value that is intended to provide a quantifiable value of the user experience. If you look at the next figure, you can see that I have condensed the columns as much as I could to show you the types of information that are available. The screen capture after that one shows the remaining columns. These are a few of the columns of data that are available. This is the rest of the information for the connected sessions. I think that the information shown on the Sessions tab is tremendously helpful. It gives admins an easy way of seeing which users are consuming the most bandwidth and who is having a good experience and who is not. Administrators could also use this tab to find users connecting from an outdated client or who have been connected for an excessive length of time. As it stands right now, you can sort the various columns by clicking on the column header that you are interested in. If you look closely at the previous screen capture, you can also see that there is a search feature, as well as a tool for sending messages to a user. You can access far more detailed information by double-clicking on a session. Doing so not only provides you with very detailed session information, it also gives you the option of exporting that information, as shown below. You can double-click on a session to access more detailed information. I have chosen to focus my review on the available optimizations and on the session metrics because those are the features that struck me the most. However, Parallels RAS version 18 also includes several other new features such as support for FSLogix Profile Containers, full integration for Windows Virtual Desktops, The ability to deploy clones from a template(even if the Hyper-V hosts are not hosting the templates on shared storage), and a new web-based management console that can be used as an alternative to the desktop console and enables management from mobile devices. I always conclude the reviews that I write for TechGenix by giving the product a star rating, ranging from zero to five stars, with five stars being the highest possible score. After spending some time evaluating Parallels RAS 18, I decided to give it a score of 4.9 stars, which is a gold star award. It’s obvious that Parallels has put a lot of work into version 18 of its RAS software by adding a number of very compelling new features and capabilities. At the same time, though, I think at least some of these new features could be expanded in the future. The new web portal, for example, is not yet a full replacement for the desktop management console, but I do not doubt that it will be in the future. I am also hopeful that Parallels might one day expand its session metrics to include a root cause troubleshooting feature. Despite the various ways that Parallels RAS might be enhanced in the future, version 18 is a solid release and is definitely worth the upgrade. Free trial Brien Posey is a freelance technology author and speaker with over two decades of IT experience. Prior to going freelance, Brien was a CIO for a national chain of hospitals and healthcare facilities. He has also served as a network engineer for the United States Department of Defense at Fort Knox. In addition, Brien has worked as a network administrator for some of the largest insurance companies in America. To date, Brien has received Microsoft’s MVP award numerous times in categories including Windows Server, IIS, Exchange Server, and File Systems / Storage. You can visit Brien’s Website at: www.brienposey.com. Previous post How to Set Up and Manage FSLogix Profile Containers with Parallels RAS Next post What is Parallels RAS? Parallels Remote Application Server (RAS) is an industry-leading solution for virtual application and desktop delivery. This cloud-ready, scalable product supports deployment through Microsoft Azure and Amazon Web Services. Parallels RAS offers an impressive, native-like mobile experience on iOS and Android devices. With minimal effort, it works with Microsoft RDS and all major hypervisors. 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Jared and Tana Byerly, along with their children have a commercial cattle herd. Photo by Eileen J. Manella. Jared and Tana Byerly wanted their children to grow up in a tight-knit farming community MOUNTAIN GROVE, MO. – When Jared and Tana Byerly knew one another as neighbors and schoolmates in their childhood, they didn’t know that their lives would come full circle, back home to Mountain Grove in Wright County, Mo., to farming and to each other. After five years of living in Highlandville, Mo., and starting a family, Jared and Tana wanted more for their children. They wanted to give them what they had growing up: a close-knit community in farming country. As parents, they liked knowing the teachers and other parents who would be spending time with their children. In 2014, they returned and bought a home with some land and began cattle farming. “I’d take summers off and come back and help him all summer, in my early 20s,” Jared said of a herd of 200 commercial Angus, belonging to his grandparents, Delmar and Gail Hicks. Jared’s father also raised cattle for a while. “I always enjoyed being around cattle. My friends had big farms and I’d help them out. If you live here, there’s always opportunity to be exposed to that stuff [farming].” The Byerlys run 40 head of registered and commercial Angus, raising them to sell for seedstock and beef. They have 35 acres at home and rent another 300 acres across town from family. Jared appreciates the support of family. “It takes a lot of land to run cattle,” he said. They began with bottle calves, sold the commercial cattle in 2018 and on advice from an uncle, purchased one pair of registered Angus to start the herd. Since then, they have worked some commercial cattle back into their program. Tana recalled learning about cattle from her grandparents, Paul and Elsie Dear of Mountain Grove. “My grandparents had cows. I helped feed them, but nothing like what we have now.” The Byerlys practice and encourage local trade by selling their cattle for beef, as well as seedstock. They use Campbell’s butcher shop in Norwood, get eggs from a neighbor and buy Ozarks Mountain Creamery milk. “His mom lives here, my mom lives here. They help a lot. And we can count on friends to help out,” said Tana. Besides being a mother to Brock (17), Masen (12), Max (8) and Willa (4), Tana is a stylist at Outskirts Salon and is also a dog breeder. She still finds time to help with the cattle from time to time. “I like being out with the cows. I’ll go feed with him if he needs help or go check cows,” Tana said. The Byerlys try to give the cattle as much grass as they can cultivate for them, and have implemented a rotational grazing program. “Your building block is the soil. You have to get the soil right first and then you grow good quality grass out of that,” Jared said. “From there, your animals thrive. And then those nutrients that come through the soil, in product. “I use grass, forage, whatever’s available. It’s a mixture of perennial and annuals that naturally occur here. There’s fescue, orchard grass, clovers and crabgrass among other grasses.” The cattle at Byerly Farms don’t eat grain. He gives them mineral salt and occasionally feeds them alfalfa hay. Regarding fertilizer, Jared said, “I’m not too worried about fertilizer. We’re trying to build up organic matter and get the microbial population up in the soil. This is toward a long term goal of building up soil that doesn’t need chemical inputs. “It takes a life to learn everything that goes with it. I talk to people that have been doing it for 40 years, they’re still learning as they go and adjusting because things change,” said Jared. While he will reach out on occasion to a veterinarian for assistance, such as when he’s vaccinating the herd, he does as much as he can on his own. The calving season is in the spring, starting in April. Jared’s long term goal is to have a maternal, registered herd. In helping his program to grow, and leaning toward natural methods, Jared takes inspiration from the vast experience of farmers who have more years in than he does. He also draws from many educational resources such as podcasts like “Herd Quitter” and “Working Cows,” and books and schools. “I attended Flying Cow Genetics to study fertility and AI,” Jared said, which he does himself. He is a member of Heart of the Ozarks Angus Association purchased his first registered Angus and the association’s annual sale He now consigns animals to the sale and said the Oct. 15 sale offered one of the best heifers he has raised. Photo by Eileen J. Manella Jared acknowledges the difficulties of farming and how there’s not a big profit yet, and it’s humbled him. “It’s a challenge to support it until it can take off on it’s own,” he said. “It’s like every mistake that could be made, I’ve made it and learned from that mistake.” “I love it. Sometimes I feel like I don’t have a choice,” he said. “It’s something I’m drawn to. If I wasn’t doing it, I’d be miserable.” “He’s invested and is interested in this. He buys books on soil fertilizing and reads every night about farming,” Tana said admiringly of her husband’s drive to learn. Farming is just one of his jobs. Jared works full time for Howell Refrigeration, but with a nonstandard schedule that allows him more time to farm than most jobs would. He has an associate degree in Heating, Air and Refrigeration from Ozarks Technical Community College. Tana runs a poodle breeding business called Oodles of Red Poodles where she breeds standard poodles. She’s a hobby breeder producing two litters a year. “ Of the Byerly children, Willa is the most eager to get involved with animals. “She’s always trying to help,” Tana said about her daughter Willa. “If I’m working cows, she’ll run around and get in front of them and try to get them to move for me,” Jared said. Tana has enjoyed watching her daughter grow up in the farming life. “We have one cow that she gets to ride and she likes that. She likes cows and likes to feed them.” They have promised to give Willa a horse when she turns 5. “We’re busy,” Tana said about parenting, working and farming. Jared joked that one of Tana’s biggest challenges must be, “…listening to me talk about cows.” With a knowing laugh she agreed. “He just thinks about cows all day long.” As a couple, they laugh easily and often, reflecting on their adventurous life. Commercial Cattle working cows Previous articleStriving for Perfection Next articleThe Family Business Building a Legacy Back to His Roots Retired with Goats LEAVE A REPLY Cancel reply Please enter your comment! Please enter your name here You have entered an incorrect email address! Please enter your email address here Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. Ozarks Farm & Neighbor is the Ozarks' most read farm newspaper. Reaching cattlemen and livestock producers in Southwest Missouri, Northwest Arkansas and Eastern Oklahoma. © Copyright 2021, all rights reserved. No information may be reproduced without permission of Ozarks Farm & Neighbor, Inc. We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies. Manage consent This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. 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Gluten-free food gets knocked around a little too much. Whether or not you think it’s a fad, too bad: it’s here to stay. en How to make Indian-inspired cocktail meatballs Now playing Chicago's foremost Southern chef reveals his secrets to Thanksgiving gravy November 21, 2017 Now playing How to make the Whiskey Sour (with a twist) September 28, 2018 When I was making pizza at my former job, I’d hear about how bummed out some people were that they couldn’t come visit us to eat because they couldn’t eat gluten. Then I would be the bearer of good news: We had a gluten-free Detroit-style pizza and we could make it vegan if needed! There were a few times I brought out a gluten-free pizza, and someone nearly burst into tears because they hadn’t been able to eat pizza in so long. Our gluten-free pizzas were actually fantastic, with a texture just as fluffy as their wheat flour counterpart. They were (and still are) a joy to eat. Which is proof that even though gluten-free flours have a different texture and flavor than wheat, food made with them doesn’t have to be terrible. That being said... there’s a lot of not-so-delicious gluten-free stuff out there too. So now down to it: DiGiorno has released a new frozen gluten-free pizza in its signature puffy rising crust style, joining a handful of other options on the shelf. (This is not DiGiorno’s first go-round with gluten-free: in 2017 the company released a gluten-free pizza with an ultra-thin crust, but it was ultimately discontinued.) Right now these new pizzas are exclusively available at limited Target locations, but additional national retailers will have them later this year. DiGiorno sent me a sample so I could give it a try. The options are either cheese or pepperoni, and they both retail for $9.99 each, which is not cheap for a frozen pizza. DiGiorno’s already not the cheapest of the bunch (unless it’s on a steep sale). So how does DiGiorno’s gluten-free option stack up to the original? Is it worth the extra cash? This Snow Joe can clear a 22" by 13" path in a single pass. Are you capable of moving up to 25 tons of snow in an hour with your shovel? Probably not, but this snow blower is. Buy for $174 at Amazon The regular version of DiGiorno pizza comes undercooked; it finishes and rises in the oven. The gluten-free variety appears to be similarly parbaked a bit. It comes out of the package with a little color, and it feels pretty solid even when slightly thawed. It bakes at 450 degrees Fahrenheit for 13-14 minutes, which is less than the regular, which bakes for 18-21 minutes (further affirming my parbaking theory). This is not a detraction, just something I noticed. There wasn’t much of a rise to it after it came out of the oven either, but that’s not a big deal. It’s still the same thickness as a typical DiGiorno pizza. Here’s the cross section (not a fantastic photo, I know). You can see it’s a little on the dense side, but I generally expect frozen pizza is going to be that way. It’s frozen pizza. It’s supposed to be a sturdy puck, otherwise it’ll just turn into a pile of mush as it’s baking. I am very happy to report that this is a good gluten-free frozen pizza. Right out of the oven, the bottom of the crust has a satisfying, audible crunch that’s a nice contrast to its interior chewiness. After that, it’s your standard frozen pizza: thick sweet sauce, decent mozzarella, you know the drill. But I want to focus on the crust. One key thing I’ve noticed in gluten-free items is gumminess. In the worst cases, the gumminess accumulates in your teeth pretty quickly and piles on in a gunky layer as you’re chewing. While the gumminess is still present in the DiGiorno crust, it’s minimal. It’s still noticeable, but not distracting by any means. There are no off or sour flavors either. My main issue with DiGiorno pizzas in general is that they are just too doughy and hard to finish, which feels like a waste of food. Chew, chew, chew. This is 100% a personal preference. Some people like thick crust, I like thin. I’ve never been a fan of the DiGiorno’s crust style, but that’s just me. If you like bready, go nuts. protein In terms of ingredients, though, what’s interesting to me is that the crust isn’t made from potato, rice, corn, sorghum, teff, tapioca-based, or any other alternative flour. It’s wheat starch, if you can believe it. There’s a note on the ingredients list that says, “The wheat has been processed to allow this food to meet the FDA requirements for gluten free foods.” I’m aware that there are processes available to remove gluten from wheat (like in Wondra flour), but this is a surprising decision. At the very least, I’d think this would cause anyone with Celiac disease or really severe gluten intolerance to hesitate and not want to risk trace amounts of gluten. I did my due diligence and asked a DiGiorno’s PR rep how the wheat-starch-based pizza could be considered gluten-free. I got this response: “We followed the FDA standards to ensure the product was gluten free. We use wheat starch that goes through a comprehensive rinsing process to remove the gluten proteins. This process maintains other wheat proteins to give us that unique bready texture.” So the pizza is gluten free by FDA standards, but this is certainly something to note. So overall, if you’re someone who’s looking to minimize gluten in your life and are also sorely missing frozen pizza, I’d happily recommend the DiGiorno gluten-free pizzas for their overall flavor and faithfulness to the original. As the company mentioned, it’s gluten-free by FDA standards. But that’s not the same as wheat-free, if that’s something you need to take into consideration for your dietary issues.	6,034
Far far away, behind the word mountains, far from the countries Vokalia and Consonantia, there live the blind texts. Separated they live in Bookmarksgrove right at the coast of the Semantics, a large language ocean. A small river named Duden flows by their place and supplies it with the necessary regelialia. It is a paradisematic country, in which roasted parts of sentences fly into your mouth. Square September 24, 2019 Jonathan is a co-founder and managing partner of Grit Mind Partners. He is also a managing director of A. Denya Holdings, a family holding and investments company, and an active board member of Telefire, the fire detection and extinguishing systems manufacturer, founded by his family . Prior to founding Grit Mind Partners, Jonathan spent 12 years with Telefire where he served as the VP of marketing and sales, achieving unprecedent growth as a market-dominant leader, and managed a successful M&A deal in which the majority stake in the company was sold to Israeli PE fund Tene Capital. Today, Jonathan assists the Telefire’s management team to grow the business and preserve the legacy. He holds a BA in Business Administration, a law degree (LL. B), and a Global MBA, all from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC). Jonathan is married to Shani; they have a beautiful daughter, Alon, who means the world to them. Jonathan has been a member of the Israel Bar Association since 2012 and a certified mediator since 2014. Additionally, he volunteers at the IDC Alumni Association and is a former wasted football talent. Matan is a co-founder and managing partner of Grit Mind Partners. Prior to founding Grit Mind Partners, Matan (CPA) gained significant experience in the Mergers & Acquisitions division at EY, where he advised management and boards of directors on their operations and strategic decision-making, capital structure matters, and growth opportunities. Matan was responsible for sourcing, executing and monitoring deals with a focus on leveraged buyouts of family-owned businesses and executed ILS 2 billion in M&A transaction value. His clients spanned from healthcare, retail, transportation, banking to industrial services, as well as a range of niche businesses. Matan served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) through the rank of Captain in the elite combat engineering unit of the Israeli Engineering Corps. He has expertly led high-pressure missions, and trained and mentored dozens of officers and commanders. Matan holds a BA in Business Administration and Accounting (cum laude) and a Master’s in Financial Economics, both from the Interdisciplinary Center (IDC). He is married to Hila, is the proud son of a career IDF officer (Maj. Gen) and the best mom in the world, and has one older, inspirational sister. He is also addicted to sports – running, football, snowboard and more. To Matan, friends are family and family are friends. Email Address Co-founder and managing partner of Grit Mind Partners. He is active in the daily management of the firm and all investment decisions. Prior to founding Grit Mind Partners, Matan gained significant experience advising both high-growth and established companies in the Mergers & Acquisitions division at EY, where he advised management and boards of directors on their operations and strategic decision-making, capital structure matters, and growth opportunities, as well as executed on NIS2 billions of marquee M&A transactions , including the acquisition of the largest transportation company in Israel. He was responsible for sourcing, executing, and monitoring deals, with a focus on leveraged buyouts of family-owned businesses. His clients spanned healthcare, retail, transportation, banking, industrial services, and a range of niche businesses. Matan served in the Israeli Defense Forces (IDF) through the rank of Captain in the special elite combat engineering unit of the Israeli Engineering Corps. He has expertly led diverse 40-member teams on high-pressure missions and trained and mentored dozens of officers and commanders. Matan holds a BA in Business Management and Accounting (cum laude) and a Master’s in Financial Economics, both from Interdisciplinary Center (IDC). He is married to Hila, and is the proud son of a career IDF officer (Maj. Gen) and the best mom in the world. He is also a talented football player, a sub-40 10km racer, and a snowboarder. To Matan, friends are family and family are friends.	4,717
A very modest number of TFs were acquired in September of 2017. And none of them were Decepticons. Autobots, roll! Hot Rod TR Hot Rod was already first acquired back in Dec of 2016. So why did I buy this a second time? In the post for Dec 2016, I mentioned that I broke off the head connection mechanism while removing Firedrive from Hot Rod on the very first transformation attempt. Read that post for all the details and for my thoughts on the figure. But suffice it to say I don’t like having broken Transformers in my collection. And at less than $10, I felt justified in getting another Hot Rod. He is the star of the G1 Movie, after all. I took care not to break the connection mechanism this time. The packaging arrived in less than perfect condition, as you can clearly see in the above pic. I would definitely file a complaint with Amazon if my intention was to keep this figure mint on the card. But I planned to open this, and at less than $10, it’s not really worth my time. The Last Knight figures continue with Drift. AoE gave us a very good Deluxe class Drift, one of my few favorites from that line. So how does TLK Drift fare? Overall, he’s not bad. In robot mode, he’s got decent articulation and his proportions are well balanced. The iconic twin swords are on full display here. This Drift is colored mostly red in robot mode, and that’s quite a departure from the blue AoE Drift. Close up shot. Pretty good face sculpt. Drift has got the full samurai motif going on, from the samurai face plate to the samurai shoulder pads. Notice the Mercedes logo on the center of the chest. Drift is luxury class samurai… no ghetto swordsman here. Backview of TLK Drift. Notice he has twin shorter swords, stored on his back over the shoulders. So this guy comes with a total of 4 blades. Very, very cool. In TLK, Drift transforms into a Mercedes, while in AoE he was a Bugatti. Transformation to car mode is completely different from AoE. In AoE, the front of the vehicle transforms into the chest, while in TLK it transforms into the feet. I won’t describe the rest of it too much since the transformation is not that complicated and not terribly original. In alt mode, he’s mostly black, with just a touch of red on the very bottom of the vehicle. He looks good as a Mercedes, though I still prefer it if he was a Bugatti. Below is a shot of TLK and AoE Drift side by side. All in all, I like this Drift. I think AoE Drift is still better, but TLK Drift has got some nice features going on too. Recommended. We really don’t need any more Movie-verse Bumblebees. But I suppose the execs at Hasbro just love pumping out more of the one Transformer character that even the most casual of fans can identify by name. This is the second Deluxe class Bumblebee figure in the TLK line. I passed on buying the first one, which was just a repaint of AoE Deluxe class Bumblebee. This second one is a brand new mold. Word has it that this new TLK Bumblebee is a mass retail toy representation of Masterpiece Movie Bumblebee (MPM-3). I can neither confirm nor deny that assertion, since I don’t have MPM-3. And I’m not gonna pay about $100 to find out. From what I know, the overall transformation schema is the same. But TLK Bee is obviously smaller. I will also guess that the materials used are cheaper and the mechanical complexity is toned down. In robot mode, TLK Bee looks good. I like the details on the figure. Compared to previous deluxe Movie Bumblebees, TLK Bee appears more show accurate. TLK Bee is capable of some fairly dynamic poses since he’s pretty well articulated. He comes with a gun-arm accessory, which he uses in the shot below. This can be used on either arm. However, the arm does need to be removed to attach the gun-arm. I should point out that the construction of TLK Bumblebee is not the best. The feet pieces are quite loose. The hip joints are a bit loose too. The result is that it’s difficult to stand the figure. While TLK Bee is capable of a wide range of poses, he cannot hold it because of the weak construction. Close up shot of TLK Bee. The face sculpt is quite good, and I like that the eyes are painted blue. I believe the Autobot logo on the forehead is painted on. In this pic below it looks a bit sloppy since it’s totally magnified, but under the naked eye it actually looks quite good. I commend Hasbro for including this bit of detail. Transformation to alt mode is a completely new design. Like I said, I don’t know how much of this is borrowed from MPM-3, but for a deluxe class mass retail toy it’s definitely cool. From a engineering perspective, I rate this deluxe Bumblebee second among all the deluxe Movie Bumblebees. And if you’re wondering who gets first honors, it’s Battle Blade Bumblebee from Revenge of the Fallen, Hunt for the Decepticons subline. In alt mode, TLK Bee has black coloring painted over the hood and roof. All the Movie deluxe Bumblebees has been pretty good in alt mode, and TLK Bee is no exception. The gun-arm accessory can be attached in alt mode, but it looks quite silly. Underside of the vehicle. All in all, this Bumblebee is good, but just short of great. I would give it much higher recommendation if the build and construction had no issues. But as is, I would still get it. It’s without a doubt one of the better deluxe Bumblebees made. I don’t think you would be missing out on too much if you passed on this, especially if you already have too many Movie Bumblebees taking up precious shelf space. But I would definitely get this Bee over many others that have been made in the Movie-verse.	5,748

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