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I guess that’s not uncommon. Everyone may have some shy moments at some point of his or her life. Some may overcome the shyness over time and with efforts, but others just cannot convince themselves to take the first step to change.
No one wants to be in this way, though. Like the guy says, “I don’t want to be like this for the rest of my life.”
How to overcome your shyness step by step? Here are some psychological tricks that may help.
Don’t tell others that you are shy. There’s no need to advertise your shyness. It’s like the secret is always a secret if you don’t say it out, and as long as it’s a secret, others won’t know or prejudge you in that way.
If you blush when you are uncomfortable, don’t equate it with shyness. Tell yourself in this way: “I’ve always been quick to blush.” Let it stand on its own.
Don’t label yourself as shy, or as anything. You are a unique individual, not a single trait.
Stop self-sabotaging
Sometimes we really are our own worst enemy. Don’t allow your inner critic to put you down. Instead, analyze the power of that voice so you can defuse it.
I’d like to share my story at last.
You know what, you are not as shy as you imagine in others’ eyes. When I started to find my first job, I was very nervous about my interview. In one interview, the interviewer asked me a long list of questions that I had never prepared for, or even heard of. I was so afraid but what I could do was keeping myself together, pretending to be answering the questions confidently.
When the interview ended at last, I was wet in sweat. The interviewer must have noticed, and I thought maybe I lost the chance of getting that job. But guess what? He just gave me a piece of tissue and said: “Are you feeling hot? I’m sorry the air conditioner is not working properly in this room.”
Well I was not hot at all. My hands were cold and my sweat came all from my nervousness. But he just ignored that.
It is said that people tend to pay more attention to themselves than to others, even when giving an interview. The interviewer saw my sweat, but he thought I was hot because he was not paying full attention to me.
Since then, every time when I feel nervous, I would tell myself that nobody would notice my nervousness. Thinking about this, I won’t be that nervous and will perform better, which in turn helps me feel less nervous.
If you are shy, eye contact can push you outside your comfort zone but it is a social kill that helps build trust. You can try to adjust your performance by encouraging yourself, or if your social anxiety is serious, it can be a trait of autism or Asperger’s syndrome, in which situation your doctor can give you a diagnosis and offer some help.
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hi my name is julez and I have social anxiety..i don't like people and I can't be around a lot of people neither.i start to get nervous and then comes my panic attack ..
I feel the same way.. I dont want to leave the house.. Even home if company comes over i go to my bedroom..
anonymous
anonymous
Very familiar to that. I even had a hard time reading, talking in a group. I was put on Paxil, a small dose years ago. Amazing!No more fear and can lead a group discussion or whatever!
anonymous
Hi my name is roger I first stated having panic attacks and social anxiety when I starred high school I had to quit in the 10 grade.im 60 yrs old now and ive avoide crowds all my life at one time I was on klonopin that really helped then had to stop that because of the opiod crisis. Now that im of all pain meds im back on klonopin I try not to take it only when around crowds or fictions.I understand its very addiccting and you do not want to go thru withdrawals.any way all good now 2 mg of ability 60 mgs paxil 0.5 mg of klonopin as needed.
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Apple TV has signed Vince Gilligan and Rhea Seehorn, fresh off Better Call Saul, to two seasons of a new series. (9/22 @ 7:36pm) These are the titles of the upcoming episodes of the Futurama reboot: "The Impossible Stream," "Rage Against The Vaccine," "Zapp Gets Cancelled," "The Prince And The Product," "Related To Items You've Viewed," "Children Of (9/4 @ 4:45pm) Trick 'r Treat is finally getting a theatrical release this Halloween season! (9/2 @ 7:22pm) Rhea Seehorn has earned her first Emmy nod for the role of Kim Wexler on Better Call Saul. (7/12 @ 11:19am) Tony Sirico, the actor best known as Paulie on The Sopranos, has died at 79. (7/9 @ 1:05am) James Caan, who played Sonny Corleone in The Godfather, among more than ninety other roles in a career spanning seven decades, has passed away at 82. (7/7 @ 11:21am) Minions takes out Top Gun and Elvis for the top spot at last weekend's box office. (7/6 @ 7:00pm) The Duffer Brothers have formed their own production company, Upside Down Pictures. (7/6 @ 7:00pm) Kevin Smith has released the trailer for Clerks 3. It currently sits at #4 on YouTube's list of trending videos. (7/6 @ 7:00pm) James Hong, age 93, has become the oldest actor ever to get a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame. (7/2 @ 6:32pm) Joe Turkel, the character actor best known for his role as the bartender in The Shining, has died at the age of 94. (7/1 @ 6:12pm) Dune: Part Two will premiere in theaters November 2023. (6/30 @ 1:52pm) Original Buzz Lightyear voice Tim Allen offers an opinion on Lightyear (2022): "This is a whole new team that really had nothing to do with the first movies." (6/30 @ 1:49pm) Here's the first teaser for Hocus Pocus 2, the long-awaited sequel starring Bettle Midler and Sarah Jessica Parker. (6/30 @ 1:48pm) Another Ghostbusters movie is coming. This one will be a direct sequal to Afterlife. It's due out in 2023. (6/30 @ 1:46pm) In fan-made trailer for reboot, Frasier goes much darker than its 90s predecessor. (6/30 @ 1:46pm) FX and Hulu are bringing The Old Man back for a second season. (6/29 @ 2:10am) Marcel the Shell has become the first A24 movie ever to achieve a 100% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. (6/29 @ 1:57am) Despite middling responses during its May festival debut, Elvis, starring Tom Hanks and Austin Butler, has achieved an 82% fresh rating on Rotten Tomatoes. (6/23 @ 5:18pm) Universal Studios will feature a maze themed to The Black Phone for Halloween Horror Nights 2022 in both Orlando and Hollywood. (6/23 @ 5:14pm) The Twilight Zone VR will adapt the classic sci-fi anthology series to VR platforms including Meta Quest 2 and PSVR. Watch the trailer here. (6/23 @ 12:27am) As of now, Warner Bros. seems likely not to replace Amber Heard in Aquaman 2. (6/22 @ 7:05pm) French actress Lea Seydoux has joined the cast of Dune: Part 2 as Lady Margot. (6/21 @ 2:17pm) Knives Out is getting a sequel, entitled Glass Onion - A Knifes Out Mystery. (6/20 @ 1:33am) Jurassic World: Dominion holds on to the top spot at the box office, beating out newcomer Lightyear. (6/19 @ 9:18pm) Capitol Police arrested a group of Late Show with Stephen Colbert employees while they were filming on location. (6/19 @ 2:28am) Ana de Armas will play Marilyn Monroe in Blonde, a Netflix film based on the Joyce Carol Oates novel. Watch the trailer. (6/17 @ 11:50am) Bachelor in Paradise's seventh season will premiere on September 27th. (6/16 @ 12:53pm) Apparently, this is true: Todd Philips will make the upcoming Joker sequel as a musical, and Lady Gaga is in talks to play Harley Quinn. (6/14 @ 2:20pm) Philip Baker Hall, whose six-decade film career included major roles in Boogie Nights, Magnolia, and Argo, has died at 90. (6/13 @ 10:13am) Netflix is officially bringing back Squid Game for a second season. (6/12 @ 10:42am) Netflix is making another Castelvania animated series. This one's called Castlevania: Nocturne. (6/10 @ 8:47pm) What would you like to see more of here at Bingeclock? Let us know! (6/10 @ 8:46pm) Amazon has renewed The Boys for a fourth season. (6/10 @ 8:45pm) Anthony Hopkins has joined Rebel Moon, directed by Zack Snyder. The Oscar winner will play a robot named Jimmy. (6/9 @ 8:16pm) Todd Phillips and Joaquin Phoenix will both return for a sequel to Joker. (6/8 @ 1:17pm) Season 5 of Fargo will star Jon Hamm, Jennifer Jason Leigh, and Juno Temple. (6/7 @ 11:18am) Rob Zombie says news is forthcoming about The Munsters, a reboot of the classic 1960s sitcom of the same name. (6/7 @ 3:22am) Good news, Westworld fans! James Marsden will be back for season 4! (6/6 @ 1:13am) Deadpool 3 will retain its crude tone under Disney's oversight, the writers have confirmed. (6/5 @ 12:18am)
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My most requested Lentil Mushroom Soup is one I learned in a cooking class at a Puget Consumer Co-op. Süreyya Gökeri owns Istanbul Imports and Café Turko with her husband Gencer. Süreyya called the first class I took, “30 Minute Vegan.” When a couple recipes took a little longer than 30 minutes to prepare, she shrugged, saying she liked the catchy title since it was a play on a popular TV cooking show.
Since that class over a decade ago, I have probably made this soup hundreds of times, making it my most requested lentil-mushroom soup. I have made batches to serve 30 men sheltering with a local congregation and dozens of servings for potlucks. Rarely do I need to look at my worn and splattered recipe. It is committed not only to memory but to muscle. In the recipe description below, I include tips and shifts I’ve made to make it in 30 minutes start to finish, and also to please preferences for heat levels. I never make less than a double batch and those are the measurements given here.
Süreyya smiling, ready to cook
After my first class with Süreyya Gökeri, I signed up for every class she offered. Not only was the food as delicious as it was nutritious, the classes were like a stand up comedy night. Süreyya developed a following, both for the amazing food and her laugh-out-loud asides. For instance, her description of her “skin on diet.” The “Skin On Diet” makes meal prep easier and retains the best part of vegetables. It involves leaving the skin on vegetables intact. No peeling! You had to be there for her more hilarious description.
Some skin on and some skin off
There are a few exceptions to her skin on rule, garlic and onions being two. After filling the electric kettle with water and getting it started boiling, I measure one cup of green or brown lentils into a two quart sauce pan. Then I set out the two-cup glass measuring container, chopping board and knife, onion, garlic, and about six or seven crimini mushrooms. I put a big sauté pan on the stove, heat it to medium low and swirl a good slosh of avocado oil into the pan. Süreyya’s recipe calls for a quarter of a cup of oil. I may be generous, but since I always double this recipe, I cannot bring myself to load it with an entire half cup of oil.
Onions in heated oil in Sauté pan
Next, I remove the papery skin off four garlic cloves, slice them lengthwise, then mince fine and leave in a corner of the board. I have learned the immune boosting properties of garlic are released when they are opened to the air for 5-10 minutes before cooking.
Before I grab the rest of the ingredients, I cut the onion in half, remove the outer papery peel and next thin layer. Those go into a small sauce pan on the back of the stove to make stock with my other vegetable trimmings. Then I slice the onion from root end to stalk end and then across those narrow wedges to make pieces a little larger than the lentils. These total about a cup of chopped onion, red or yellow, your choice. The chopped onion gets dropped into the warming oil. I sprinkle on a grind or two of salt and spread the onion out in the pan to sizzle slowly.
I have heard multi-tasking is not effective for the human brain. However, when I have a recipe with several steps that each take time, if one step can happen without my attention while I do another, that gets food ready to eat more quickly. Sometimes while preparing to sauté the onion, the water will come to a boil. I grind a little salt into the sauce pan sent it on medium high on the stove, and pour in at least four cups of boiling water over the measured cup of lentils. No need to wash them, the boiling bath will take care of that for you. I pop my steamer lid on top and as soon as I hear it whistle, set the timer to start counting down 15 minutes.
I am about 5 minutes into the process by now. I give the onions in the sauté pan a stir and adjust the temperature to keep them simmering without browning. Then I start chopping mushrooms. If you don’t like mushrooms, you won’t have made it this far. The star of this soup is mushrooms. No substitute. You pick what you like or can get. I use crimini.
I place each mushroom, stem up, on the board, make a horizontal cut almost through the middle, leaving the edge where my hand is holding it intact. Then I make vertical cuts, once through the stem, and another on either side, turn and cut across those cuts until I get to the edge I have been holding. Finally, I turn it onto the cut side and cut through the middle. If you have done the math, each mushroom is now in 16 pieces. I keep cutting and transferring mushroom pieces into the two-cup measure until it is brim full. The recipe calls for two cups, but, if you haven’t guessed, I LOVE mushrooms, so I go a little over. I imagine Süreyya smiling at that.
chopping mushrooms while garlic rests
ground Turmeric,
ground coriander and
By now onions are getting translucent, I make sure lentils are still turning over in their water bath and bring out the spices. One teaspoon each Turmeric powder (or grated fresh if you prefer), ground Coriander, and whole Cumin seeds. I put the cumin in my little wooden mortar with a few grinds of salt and grind it enough to roughly crush the seeds. All the spices and a pinch of coconut crystals go into the pan with the onion. Süreyya would put a whole teaspoon of sugar in, but I use sugar more sparingly.
Stir and stir and smell those spices warming and giving off their incredible aromas. Just a minute or so is enough.
Stirring the spices in with the onions
Once the spices have become fragrant, dump the mushroom pieces in and stir them into the spices and onion until all the mushrooms have been tinged with the yellow of the turmeric and start to absorb delicious flavor. Make sure to scrape any brown bits of onion from the bottom of the pan. Let the mushrooms heat and give up their moisture. Another thing Süreyya made sure her students knew was to NEVER boil beets or wash mushrooms. Either action would steal their succulent flavor.
Mushrooms in, Half way there!
Next, mushrooms and garlic
Add the minced garlic on top of the mushrooms while they heat. Then scrub, but do not peel! a carrot or two. One or two carrots will yield the cup of diced “skin-on” the recipe calls for. The end pieces get tossed into the stock pot. Süreyya also adds a half cup (in the single version) of seeded and diced Anaheim peppers. Since my spouse reacts strongly to peppers, I leave them out entirely. I do add some optional heat at the garnish phase for those who prefer that spiciness.
diced carrots added to sauté
Seasoned vegetables, lentils strained and ready to add before finishing with broth.
By now the timer for the lentils has alerted you they are about 75% done, “al denté.” Pour them into a strainer over the sink and perch the strainer over the pot off the heat until ready to add to the stew.
Twenty minutes in, nearly done
Once the carrots begin to get a little tender, it’s time to bring it all together. Add the lentils to the sauté pan and mix them in, again, scraping up any bits stuck to the pan. Then pour in a quart of broth. This is where doubling the recipe comes in handy. An entire quart box can be used at once. If you have stock you have made already from these trimmings and/or others, you can use that. Sometimes I use mushroom broth (can’t get enough mushroom!) Deglaze the pan once more with the broth.
Deglaze pan with broth and add it all into the soup pot.
Bring to a boil and simmer, covered, ten more minutes until lentils and carrots are soft. DING! Thirty minutes (once made a few times to get your own pattern down) and it is ready (almost) to eat.
This is one of those stews or soups (you can add 1-2 cups of tomato juice the original recipe calls for to make it soupier and to serve more people) that will taste even better in a day or more. That’s why I double it. Serve it right away, set aside enough for the next day and freeze the rest to bring out when you don’t have time to prep.
When I am making it to take for a crowd I stop just before adding the stock. Contain the base for transport. Then I carry a big soup pot, the container of base, the carton(s) of stock, and juice, if using it, plus the makings for the garnish. Then I combine it all on site. No sloshing pot to worry about spilling in transit. And now for the final touch!
Presenting, “Lentil Stew with Mushrooms and Peppers in Tarragon Tomato Sauce,” Süreyya’s Original Title
With or without the garnish, this is still my most requested lentil-mushroom soup. The garnish takes it to the next level of fantastic. In a small pan (I use the little sauté top to my Le Creuset pot I have had since college) warm about a Tablespoon of oil (olive oil or your choice) crumble a teaspoon or two of dried Tarragon into the oil plus a teaspoon of fresh ground black pepper. The pepper activates the immune boosting properties in the Turmeric. If you want spicy, you can add red pepper flakes or cayenne or Chili Powder as well. Mince a stalk of celery and either serve it raw for crunch or soften it a little in the oil mixture. Ladle soup into bowls and drizzle the Tarragon seasoned oil on top with a sprinkling of minced celery. “Yemeğinizin tadını çıkarın” or “bon appétit!”
Waneta on May 21, 2020 at 5:59 pm
Mmmm! I need a couple of ingredients yet, but I’m most definitely making this spectacular soup for Friday dinner. Thank you Lora, not only for one of your best dishes, but for all the great tips! For one, I did not know that about letting garlic rest.
Lora on May 23, 2020 at 9:56 pm
hmmm? what do you need? Maybe something small enough I could send you some? Most of the main ingredients are readily available in most grocery stores. Onion, carrots, mushrooms, garlic, lentils … I am guessing you are missing a spicy or two?
Saskia Davis on May 21, 2020 at 10:22 pm
Holy Cow! Thank you for such specific, well thought through instructions, Lora! I should have expected no less. I find myself in eager, mouthwatering delight. This must be the delicious soup I remember from your Solstice gathering. Now, I can make it, too, and picanté as well
Also, Süreyya at the stove is a MOST WONDERFUL photo!
Lora on May 23, 2020 at 9:54 pm
Yes, Saskia, good memory. This is my go-to soup for a crowd. Glad you appreciated the details.
Mary Sherhart on May 23, 2020 at 4:35 pm
Süreyya and Cafe Turko catered the food for my daughter’s wedding. Cafe Turko is one of my family’s favorite restaurants. Would love to take a cooking class with her sometime.
I took an online PCC cooking class this week to learn how to make gnocchi. Yum!
Lora on May 24, 2020 at 5:46 pm
Mary Sherhart, Alas, Süreyya is no longer teaching PCC Cooks classes. I treasure the recipes I learned in her classes, most of all this lentil soup that has thrilled so many. I get more comments on this soup than any other I have made. Maybe because I make it so often
Lisa A Dailey on May 24, 2020 at 6:57 pm
Lora on June 1, 2020 at 7:46 am
Lisa, Please do give it a go. The Mushroom Stew is another winner.
Nora Carlson on July 12, 2020 at 8:12 pm
I think the photo at the top of the post is so inviting! I can attest to how delicious this soup is since I have been the lucky recipient of eating this soup multiple times. I encourage you to try this recipe sometime soon.
Lora on July 12, 2020 at 10:14 pm
Thank you, Nora, your appreciation, as well as that of everyone we have ever served this fabulous soup to, is what has made it my most requested recipe. That was what moved me to post it here. That way, when someone asks, “May I have the recipe?” I no longer need to copy and paste it into an e-mail. Instead, they will always be able to find it here!
CJ Ringler on July 13, 2020 at 4:50 am
Alas, my printer is no longer functional. Do you have a printed copy of the turmeric lentil recipe you can save for me?
Btw, your mushroom stew is also delicious!
Lora on July 17, 2020 at 6:05 am
Sorry, CJ, our printer is also being temperamental. I can try making a copy of my much stained original paper recipe. If it works, I will send it to you.
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2015 has been the deadliest year on record for American Muslims, with 63-recorded attacks on mosques.
Twila Grissom December 13, 2015
In the days since Donald Trump’s infamous December 7 speech which proposed banning Muslims from the US, there has been a wave of anti-Muslim attacks. Just in the past 6 days there have been 23 hate crimes against Muslims in the United States.
This pervasive response is horrifying for several reasons. First and foremost, innocent people are being terrorized and hurt. Secondly, the stereotyping of an entire group of people as radicals causes the rift to grow even further between western civilizations and the Muslim populations (which is exactly what the radicals want.)
Can you imagine the prime minister or some group of people from your ancestry doing something horrible and then having a mob of people shows up at your door or place of worship demanding you to account for that? This is exactly what is happening now to a large group of Americans and it must be stopped. 2015 has been the deadliest year on record for American Muslims, with 63-recorded attacks on mosques.
Fear and misunderstanding of culture are the primary reasons for these responses and while fear is understandable it’s also perpetrates a cycle. Fighting terrorism with terror only causes more fear and hatred and makes the case for fighting against western civilizations more relatable.
The San Bernardino shootings struck very close to home (literally) for me because I grew up in the mountains right above it. I even knew one of the victims who was shot and killed in that violence. While watching the overwhelming responses of friends and family to what happened in our backyard I was struck with the thought that everyone needs to say something but then when it comes to action I see absolutely nothing. Do we write our Facebook posts stating what went wrong or what we should do in the future but then fail to go that next step and take action? Overwhelmingly yes.
So here is what I have to say to our Muslim brothers and sisters: I am sorry for the way your fellow Americans are treating you. I do not condone this response from fear and I want to say that I love you. Let’s get back to our founding principles of working together for freedom rather than tearing each other apart. If we work with each other rather than against I truly believe we are a force to be reckoned with.
I know many Muslim Americans and we are on the same side. No one wants to see another Paris, another San Bernardino, or another Bamako, Mali. When you have conversations with each other think about how we can work together and not subscribe to the us versus them rhetoric. Spread that love around and if you see someone being harassed stand up for them.
The most powerful response I believe is meeting anger with compassion and kindness. We are all people who want to feel loved, safe and have community. Don’t let fear overpower you and break that cycle of pain and hate that is so widespread in our world today.
It’s been just over 24 hours since I heard the news that made my heart drop into my stomach. I am still having trouble moving through the stages of shock, denial, anger, and pain.
Twila Grissom October 16, 2015
It’s been just over 24 hours since I heard the news that made my heart drop into my stomach. I am still having trouble moving through the stages of shock, denial, anger, and pain.
Continue reading →
After a relaxing weekend in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina I had the pleasure of enjoying four hours in Savannah before my evening flight. The spring leaves were in full bloom and I have rarely seen such an amazing display of greenery everywhere I looked. Depending on how much time […]
Twila Grissom May 7, 2015
After a relaxing weekend in Hilton Head Island, South Carolina I had the pleasure of enjoying four hours in Savannah before my evening flight. The spring leaves were in full bloom and I have rarely seen such an amazing display of greenery everywhere I looked. Depending on how much time you have, there’s plenty to do but here’s the 5 ways I spent my time in the beautiful southern city.
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Vulnerability is hard. Admitting life isn’t perfect sometimes feels like you’re letting yourself or those around you down. I came to New York City with big dreams. The way the city towered above me gave perspective on greatness and achievement. The overachieving and strong individuals who inhabited the city were […]
Twila Grissom March 28, 2015
Vulnerability is hard. Admitting life isn’t perfect sometimes feels like you’re letting yourself or those around you down.
I came to New York City with big dreams. The way the city towered above me gave perspective on greatness and achievement. The overachieving and strong individuals who inhabited the city were just what I wanted emulate in myself. Having paid off all my debt I felt ready to jump into the concrete jungle and pursue what set my heart on fire. I knew what I didn’t like about past jobs, but what did I love? It was the thought of “if you do what you love you’ll never work a day in your life” that fueled me with perseverance as I pounded the pavement and took jobs way below my skill level just to make ends meet.
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Wine, brews, and spirits all from their Long Island source.
Twila Grissom October 10, 2014
In an effort to make the delights of Long Island even closer to NYC, The Hampton Jitney has teamed up with I LOVE NY to bring both economical and fun day trips from our wonderful city. These trips include round trip transportation from New York City, lunch, and all the tastings at each winery/brewery/distillery for only $169 per person. If you’re looking to make a long weekend out if it, Hampton Jitney additionally has multiple departure/return options so I would recommend making several trips out there this season to explore all the bounty that the island has to offer.
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An Evening of Wine and Culinary Adventures in Wine Country
Dan's Harvest East End brings together taste-makers and honored guests at McCall Vineyard and Ranch.
Twila Grissom August 28, 2014
Last Saturday, Dan’s HARVEST EAST END returned for its fifth successful year, drawing a crowd of 1,300 to celebrate the delicious bounty of Long Island’s agriculture by pairing local grapes with local cuisine. With nearly 40 wineries and 30 top East End chefs gathered, there were endless bites and sips to try while listening to industry tastemakers speak.
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The iconic festival took over the historical site of Woodstock over Memorial Day weekend.
Twila Grissom June 3, 2014
Over Memorial Day weekend, I had the pleasure of attending ID&T’s iconic Mysterland festival as it made its debut in the USA. This iconic festival has been held annually in the Netherlands since 1993, and this year they brought it to our country’s historic festival location in Bethel Woods, the site of the historic 69’ Woodstock festival.
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Last weekend I transected the country for a quick trip to Los Angeles. I traveled 14 hours to be in the city for 36. In that time I danced, watched the sunrise, threw a party for charity, and then hopped the red-eye back home. Too short of a trip but […]
Twila Grissom May 12, 2014
Last weekend I transected the country for a quick trip to Los Angeles. I traveled 14 hours to be in the city for 36. In that time I danced, watched the sunrise, threw a party for charity, and then hopped the red-eye back home. Too short of a trip but productive and wonderful nonetheless.
Continue reading →
Twila Grissom February 11, 2014
When I heard about a four day adventure on the high seas with 96 hours of music provided by around 70 DJ/Producers to a sold out crowd of around 2700 participants, we were both intimidated and excited at the idea of partaking in this escapade.
I had the pleasure of chatting with the founder Jason Beukema before we set sail. It was exciting to hear some of the insights behind his vision and passion for this adventure. Groove Cruise began with 125 friends ten years ago, and now there are around 4,700 people taking part on both coasts. It’s now grown to a bi-coastal event with an incredibly high return rate of past party-goers.
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This article focuses on Consumer Behavior and why it’s important for businesses and marketers to study their target consumers before launching/selling any product or service.
Can just a killer product/service idea be enough to earn profits in your business? While it definitely helps, it cannot be called a deal-breaker. Sometimes even the best of ideas finds no takers, but a done-and-dusted product/service idea can become an instant hit. Why does this happen? Why do some hit the bull’s eye while many others fail to create any buzz?
To know the reason why some ideas, impress and some don’t, it’s important to understand Consumer Behavior. When businesses ignore consumer needs, wants and expectations it results in them launching a product/service which has few takers. Failing to analyze and research the targeted audience can result in big losses for any business.
Consumer Behavior is a complex concept. There are numerous and diverse attributes that are contributing factors to how people behave before and after buying a product or service. Likes and dislikes, thinking processes, purchasing attitudes, consumption, and disposal patterns are some of the things you must consider while studying Consumer Behavior.
To successfully launch and sustain a product or service, you must understand the thought process of your target consumers. This can help in positioning and marketing your products or services advantageously. Doing so will also help you achieve set sales objectives, predict changes in buying patterns, and finally pivot you into a position of predictability and success.
What is Consumer Behavior?
Why is Studying Consumer Behavior Important
3 – Continuous Innovation
In Conclusion
What is Consumer Behavior?
While we have spoken enough about the necessity of Consumer Behavior, we haven’t yet understood its meaning. Consumer Behavior is a broad term used to refer to a process that consumers go through before and after buying any product or service. Studying consumer behavior begins with the needs and wants (of consumers) and follows through to the satisfaction of use and ends with the disposal of the product or service. And then the cycle continues. In any study of consumer behavior, it’s important to understand 4 Ws and an H (what, when, why, where, and how). What makes a consumer buy, when do they buy, why do they buy, and where and how do they buy?
Why is Studying Consumer Behavior Important
Today, information is readily available to consumers. So much so that they are inundated with diverse information. Today they know exactly what they want and don’t want. This has led to a situation where it’s become very difficult to overtly influence them. Marketers (and businesses) now must put their best foot forward to impress consumers. You must undertake thorough and proper research to understand consumers’ buying, retaining, and disposing of patterns so that you can offer them exactly what they want and need.
So, what does it mean to study Consumer Behavior? In today’s blog, this is exactly what we shall focus on. We shall delve into a few points to remember while studying Consumer Behavior.
One of the biggest challenges for businesses today is staying relevant despite increasing competition and consumer awareness. Consumers today are much more informed than in yesteryears. With the constant supply of information, they are now in a position to constantly mold preferences, likes, and dislikes. Switching between brands, products, and services has become almost second nature to them. In such an environment, a business can only stay relevant when they catch the pulsebeat of the consumers.
One of the main reasons why you should study consumer behavior is to be able to create a niche customer base, and also be able to retain them. How do you do that? Primarily it starts by creating a product that meets client needs and wants. Once that is fulfilled, your customers will come back more than once. However, that’s not enough. You must also have a solid marketing strategy in place that helps convince your target audience to buy the product/service. With the help of Consumer Behavior, you can know what will make the customer buy the product the first time and what will make them come back to it again.
3 – Continuous Innovation
Innovation is the key to continuous success. Unless you are innovating, it will become very difficult for your business to survive the stiff competition. Once again, to successfully innovate and improve your range of products and services, you will need to study Consumer Behavior. Researching your customer needs and wants will enable you to tweak the current line of offerings.
We all need a Point Zero, to begin with, something new. In marketing too, this rule applies. Unless you know where to begin, you cannot plan an appropriate roadmap. Studies on Consumer Behavior will not only help you theorize the past and current trends but will also help you know what drives the consumers toward buying certain goods and products. Consumer Behavior studies also influence customers to a large extent. If you are interested in improving your marketing strategy you should invest in studying the buying patterns of your consumers.
While we regularly categorize customers based on their demographic profile, it’s also important to remember that essentially all customers are different from one another. If you want to cater to your customer base satisfactorily, you will need to continuously improve the service you provide. Studying Consumer Behavior can help to understand them better.
In Conclusion
By now you would have realized the importance of Marketing & Consumer Behavior. But you would also realize the daunting task that awaits you! Can you study consumers alone, without insight, without context? No, you can’t. That’s why you need the support of a dedicated marketing agency that has been studying the changing preferences of consumers for a long time.
Cyrusson Inc. is a digital marketing agency that believes that Consumers are the King. Unless you understand them and offer what they want, you cannot be successful. If you are looking for a company that helps you understand your consumers better, it’s time you collaborate with us! We will study your target consumer, understand their preferences, and throw insights on how you can position your brand better. Get in touch with us to set up your free consultation today!
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Fieldfisher is a European law firm with market leading practices in many of the world’s most dynamic sectors. Among our clients we count social media sites and high street coffee chains as well as pharmaceutical, life sciences and medical devices companies, energy suppliers, banks and technology leaders. Clients choose to work with us because we deliver commercial, pragmatic and innovative solutions through our exceptional legal expertise and experience, on time and on budget.
Whether your business is a start-up, growing or mature, you might benefit from using a franchise model. Franchising is a tried and tested technique that can help you grow your business much faster than following a traditional corporate expansion programme.
Whatever your needs, we offer a genuine one stop shop of franchise specialists, who are able to help you prepare to franchise your business and ensure that the risks in your particular business model are identified, reduced and managed through a combination of training, legal contracts and commercial best practice. Dependent on the variant adopted by you, we can develop/advise on:
agreements including franchise agreements;
ongoing counsel throughout the franchise network;
tax requirements;
advertising and marketing;
franchise disputes; and
We are uniquely positioned to help you establish the right system, manage the roll out and deal with disputes, investments and exits. You will benefit from our network of contacts, prior knowledge of comparable deals, structures and legal pitfalls to avoid in certain jurisdiction.
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I went to visit my mom on the weekend. When I get there she explains that she has been cleaning up the basement and has some yarn she got from my grandma’s stash when she past away a few years ago. So much for trying to use up my stash this year. I now have at least 4.5 rubber tubs full of yarn, half of it is as at least as old as me. I have a box of yarn called Domion Siwash carded wool. It’s 6 strands of carded, but not twisted fleece. You are supposed to give it a light twist while knitting with it. I’ve never heard of such a thing before. And hell ya I’m going to try it out.
I did a quick search on the wool and only found a pattern that uses the wool on ebay. The pattern is a vintage pattern for a sweater coat. I remember the sweater coat my grandmother made for my mom using the very wool I now own. I think mom still has that beautiful coat.
I’ll have photos of the potty bag soon. I’ve finished the bag but still need to create the strap and the i-cord I’ll be using for the drawstring.
January 2007
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Last month, the National Labor Relations Board deemed that complaints made by workers against management at the Dill Pickle Food Co-op were justified. Yet despite the board’s findings, management has thus far refused to settle, instead forcing an administrative trial on the matter. Nevertheless, workers at the Chicago-based grocer, who are organized as the Dill Pickle Worker’s Union with the Industrial Workers of the World, are confident of a belated victory.
The complaints made by workers at the Dill Pickle Food Co-op against management include retaliation for union organizing and unilateral institution of new policies related to hours and discipline. Multiple charges, which are also known as “Unfair Labor Practices,” were substantiated by the National Labor Relations Board in mid-June.
“It is my understanding that eight Unfair Labor Practices pending before the labor board have been found by the board to have merit,” says Gabe Galloway, a union member and worker at the co-op. “Dill Pickle management has so far refused to settle any of those ULPs, which would be the normal course of action when the labor board finds merit in a ULP.”
In the face of management’s intransigence, workers launched a two-day walkout in early July, forcing the store to shutter. They now await a trial on the issues in late September. Despite the delay, workers remain optimistic about the results.
“We are very confident that we will prevail before the labor board,” says Galloway.
Are you interested in organizing a union at your workplace? Contact the IWW today!
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Perhaps Richard Dawkins and the “new atheists” are to atheism as young-Earth creationists are to Christianity. Some atheists find the new atheists to be rather embarrassing.
Here are some quotes from a Marxist—and from what I can tell, atheist—literary critic by the name of Terry Eagleton:
“Imagine someone holding forth on biology whose only knowledge of the subject is the Book of British Birds and you have a rough idea of what it feels like to read Richard Dawkins on theology.”
“He seems to imagine God, if not exactly with a white beard, then at least as some kind of chap.”
“We have it from the mouth of Mr Public Science himself that aside from a few local, temporary hiccups like ecological disasters, famine, ethnic wars and nuclear wastelands, History is perpetually on the up.”
“Dawkins and Hitchens are equally theologically illiterate in their view of religion as a failed attempt to explain the world.”
The quotes are from an article in New Humanist: The Magazine for Free Thinkers. My take on someone who calls them self a “free thinker” is that they are in an intellectual ghetto without knowing it. They have ideas that they cannot entertain in their worldview; they have walls constructed around themselves that they cannot even see.
As a theist, it is easy to pick on the “new atheists” with their shallow reasoning, just as Dawkins picks on easy targets. But it is also necessary, as it is the new atheists who write the best-sellers.
I’ve quoted from Eagleton before: The new atheists: “primitive opposition to faith and reason”
Grace and Peace, and keep on believing
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12 thoughts on “More atheist quotes on Dawkins and the new atheists”
Dude, you’re slipping! Two days and no ticked-off replies on this post?? You need to start calling people names and stuff like that.
Or, maybe people are just out on vacation.
July 24, 2009 at 7:04 am Reply
I’m not on vacation, but I’m also not particularly embarrassed by Dawkins or Hitchins. The apologetics of Eagleton’s “sophisticated” theologians are no more convincing than those of the fundamentalists, but what’s the point of attempting to refute empty statements like “God sustains all things by his love, and made the world simply for the love and delight of it”? Someone who believes in that god rather than the god of the Bible isn’t likely to be working to sneak creationist textbooks into the local classrooms, or lobbying to rebuild temples in Jerusalem so end-time prophecies can be fulfilled and the rapture can begin.
The fundamentalists are exactly who Dawkins and Hitchins SHOULD be blasting. They shouldn’t be trying to field every new-age nuance presented by every theologian on the planet.
July 24, 2009 at 11:44 pm Reply
Thanks for your comment. I suppose it is easy for the New Atheists to pick on “fundamentalists” for their young-Earth creationism and end-times fads. I do sort of the same thing; I pick on Dawkins for his historical and theological ineptitude; and because he is popular, just as the young-Earthers are on the Christian side.
The thing is that Dawkins goes far beyond blasting questionable teachings of the fundamentalists. He distorts history, emphasizing the sins of Christianity and ignoring its benefits, while whitewashing the evils of atheist regimes. He also misstates or misunderstands the classic theistic arguments for the existence of God.
Dawkins gives easy answers to those who don’t want to accept the existence of God. If one is content with historical distortions and philosophical shallowness, then Dawkins might be sufficient to prop up one’s faith.
Another option is to consider that perhaps there is a God after all.
With respect,
July 25, 2009 at 10:02 pm Reply
I’m always willing to consider that there might be a god after all. I think if that is actually the case, however, that god is unlikely to be anything like the biblical Jehovah, picking sides in armed conflicts, drowning the innocent along with the sinful, finding it necessary to have a child with a virgin so he could kill the kid and bring him back to life in order to forgive the people who didn’t do what Jehovah wanted them to do to begin with…
Maybe there is a “laws of nature” kind of god, sustaining some semblance of macroscopic order in spite of the quantum fluctuations which underpin reality. Or a Hindu god, which destroyed itself in the act of creating the universe.
I’m also willing to consider that there may be no god of any sort, and most days, I operate from that assumption.
August 3, 2009 at 1:28 pm Reply
lightsmith, if you’re being serious in your descriptions of what you think Christianity is about, then you have a lot of learning to do. If you’re purposefully making fun of it, then that’s fine, but I’d prefer to know which it is before I reply.
There are drastically different tracks to follow depending on what you were intending to convey – your actual belief or caricature statements.
August 3, 2009 at 2:11 pm Reply
WebMonk, my tone was a bit sarcastic, but I think there are lots of Christians who would recognize my description as the god they believe in.
I’m also aware that there are Christians who don’t believe in a literal global flood, don’t think God backs one team and smites the other, and consider the important aspect of Jesus’ life the philosophy he espoused while he was alive rather than some redemption supposedly purchased by his death and resurrection.
If your response is “that’s not what I believe,” I’ll be happy to discuss what you do believe, and you need not respond to the “caricature”.
August 3, 2009 at 2:52 pm Reply
It’s good to hear from you again. I’ll try to answer some of your objections to God being like the God of the Bible.
–Picking sides in armed conflicts — The Biblical teaching on this is that God is in control over the affairs of nations. He raises up some nations at times for his purposes, and humbles others.
“The Most High is sovereign over the kingdoms of men and gives them to anyone he wishes.” — Dan 4:25 NIV
I don’t see God favoring one football team over another, or one nation over another. God did set aside Israel for the purposes of the redemption of people from all nations, but Israel also at times fell under as severe of a judgment as any nation ever has (Assyria 722 BC, Babylon 586 BC, Rome 70 AD, etc.). America is not “God’s country,” though you would think so from what some of my fellow believers say. America is blessed, but we have no assurance that that blessing will continue.
–Drowning the innocent along with the sinful — I am not sure if this is a reference to Noah’s Flood, or something else. Jesus responded to similar thoughts:
“There were some present at that very time who told him about the Galileans whose blood Pilate had mingled with their sacrifices. And he answered them, “Do you think that these Galileans were worse sinners than all the other Galileans, because they suffered in this way? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish. Or those eighteen on whom the tower in Siloam fell and killed them: do you think that they were worse offenders than all the others who lived in Jerusalem? No, I tell you; but unless you repent, you will all likewise perish.”” — Luke 13:1-5 ESV
The Christian perspective on this is that none of us are innocent. That is not to say that some sins are not worse than others, just that none of us can point to ourselves and say, “I am righteous.” Incidents where people die (the Flood, the tower in Siloam, etc.) should serve as a warning to us all to repent and turn to Christ.
–Having a child with a virgin so he could kill the kid and bring him back to life — I do not find the virgin birth to be difficult to believe; a God who can create the universe can certainly create a fertilized egg.
There are a couple aspects of the Christian answer to this objection:
1. The virgin birth illustrates a couple things. First, Christ is fully human, and so God is fully identifying with us. Christianity can say “God is with us” in a way that other religions cannot. The virgin birth also indicates that Jesus is the Son of God in a unique way. We can be called “children of God,” but only Jesus is “God in the flesh.” There is a further theological reason for the virgin birth as well. Even though Adam and Eve both sinned, Adam is given the blame, and that sin is inherited by all of us in some way from Adam. By having no male parent, Christ can claim to have no original sin (inherited from Adam) as well as no actual sin.
2. The Christian doctrine of the Trinity is actually very helpful here (as it turns out to be in other areas as well). This isn’t an example of “cosmic child abuse” as some skeptics accuse. Instead, it is an example of God himself taking our pain and suffering. The God of Christianity is One God, but he is not a simple God.
These answers are very brief, but hopefully enough to show that there are Christian answers to your objections.
With Respect,
August 3, 2009 at 3:21 pm Reply
geochristian, I’m a little puzzled by your reply. I recall you saying elsewhere that you believe the Bible is true, and here you seem to say that the Bible teaches that God raises up some nations and humbles others, yet you immediately turn around and say you don’t see God favoring one nation over another. It seems inconsistent to me.
The “flood” comment was a reference to Noah’s flood. I understand that the Christian perspective is that none of us are innocent, but I can’t really buy it. A one-day-old baby is innocent in my mind, and a God that (according to his own press releases) kills babies to make a point (Noah’s flood, Pharoah’s coercion) is, to me, more like a mafia godfather than a thing I’d ever consider worthy of worship.
You’re right that a God who can create the universe can certainly create a fertilized egg. Such a God could also make stones come alive and start preaching the word, or, I don’t know, create a race of men which wouldn’t be flawed in the first place.
The biblical God just can’t seem to get things right. He makes Adam and Eve, two innocents if ever there were innocents, since they had no knowledge of good and evil. And rather than putting the tree whose fruit bestows such knowledge on the far side of the moon, and saying “Don’t eat it when you get there — by that time, you’ll have acquired enough wisdom to make an informed choice,” he puts it right within walking distance. And instead of giving those two innocents a personality which would no more want to eat that fruit than they would want to eat bear feces, he gave them a personality that just couldn’t resist it.
So okay, mankind now has to work for food and endure painful childbirth, but we manage.
Nope, not good enough. Got to wash those men right out of my world, and start fresh with the cream of the crop, Noah and his kin. Surely God will get it right this time.
Nope, still not good enough. Send Jesus, so some can be redeemed. Bring him back to life, he’ll live forever now, but it just wouldn’t do to let him keep walking around on this old mudball giving people the straight scoop. No, we have to wait for a SECOND COMING, when surely, finally, this time he’ll GET IT RIGHT…
Like I say, I’m willing to consider the possibility that there is some kind of a supreme being, maybe even one that created the universe. I doubt it, and I don’t think there’s much evidence for it, but it’s possible.
The god that’s depicted in the Bible, though, just doesn’t seem credible at all to me. Even calling it “triune” isn’t enough to resolve the contradictions.
August 4, 2009 at 6:22 pm Reply
lightsmith, what you’re essentially asking here is why didn’t he wrap us in supernatural bubble wrap so we couldn’t hurt ourselves or others, emotionally or physically?
Is that really what you would want a God to do? Sure, he could have made people who never want anything but to do good for everyone else. In fact He could do that to you right now – turn you into a super Mother Theresa and you would spend the rest of your life doing good to others and being a blessing to all.
Isn’t that wonderful! All he would have to do is erase who you are. Your being and existence is such a small price to pay for all that good. Better yet, God could change everyone! Everyone in the entire world would become entirely perfect in loving and caring for everyone else! No one would ever even want to do something bad, much less act on it!
That’s not any better than creating puppets and directly controlling them. Instead of doing that, He gave us the ability to grow on our own, learn on our own, and even reject Him. He shepherds us on our way, provides eternal life to anyone who wants it, and to anyone who wants to be on their own, He lets them do that too.
The gift of free will is so incredibly precious that God gave it even knowing what pain it would bring to the world and to Himself. Don’t be so quick to throw it aside.
I think it would be great if the child rapist would get a supernatural lobotomy and never be capable of harming anyone ever again, but it’s not so cool when I consider that my temper would get me the same treatment, and the hurt I’ve caused others emotionally, and the pain I put my parents through, and the ways I mess up as a parent, and, and.
Tossing out the ability to do what we want is very possibly the most valuable thing in the universe. It’s the thing that God himself suffered and died so we could have it.
God shepherds us, He punishes us, He saves us, He protects us, He lets us suffer. What He doesn’t do is take away our ability to make our own choices, even when it hurts others and hurts Himself.
August 4, 2009 at 8:57 pm Reply
WebMonk, that’s all well and good, but lots of Christians I know have this odd notion about eternal life, and how wonderful it will be for those who are “saved.” Now, different people may have different ideas about what this means, and I don’t want to be putting words in your mouth. If the picture I draw doesn’t match your beliefs, feel free to correct my characterization and we’ll move forward based on what you believe. You don’t need to waste a minute defending or explaining or even disavowing someone else’s belief.
What a lot of people seem to mean, though, is that Jesus’ death was some kind of blood redemption, analogous to the animal sacrifices in the old testament, which provided a moral counterbalance for some past transgression. Phrases like “washes my sins away” are common. It seems to me that people are suggesting that accepting Jesus enables sinful folks to become sinless, and thus worthy of spending eternity in the presence of God. My perception of the prevailing view among Christians is that God cannot abide the company of sinful people, or certainly not an eternity of such company, and so this cleansing transformation is necessary for anyone who hopes to enter the heavenly hootenanny.
Now my question is this: do such people still have free will once they enter heaven? Are they going to be coveting each others’ harps, resenting the guy whose stories and jokes make Jesus laugh more boisterously, trying to sneak off with that pretty little thing that looks so seductive in her new halo? Or are their newly purified hearts going to be immune from such temptations?
Because it seems to me that if it’s the former, then God must have tolerance for a smidgen of sinful nature. If it’s the latter, if people are going to be transformed and perfected, then what’s the point of this shadow play here on earth?
Is everyone going to be perfect in heaven? If so, and if a hundred years of “flawed clay” is to be followed by a hundred billion trillion centuries of sinless spirituality, what possible objection could a divine author have to writing in perfection from the beginning?
My own feeling, of course, is that there is no such divine author, and that the imperfections we observe in the universe are not surprising in light of how we came to be where we are. Even though it isn’t perfect, we’re damned lucky to be able to experience it, and should cherish every precious moment we’re alive.
August 5, 2009 at 12:13 am Reply
Dawkins is not the least bit impressive intellectually or scientifically. He knows “science vs. religion” is an emotional topic on both sides of the fence and found a way to supplement his university salary. Public education, at least in the U.S., has become so watered-down Dawkins actually sounds scientific when he’s no such thing.
July 23, 2010 at 12:13 am Reply
I met Dawkins in Oxford without realising it. He had only written ‘The Selfish Gene’ at that point, but a friend I was with had a chat with him. This friend had been one of Dawkins’ students, he was a brilliant scientist who went on to work in industry … oh, forgot to tell you, he was also a committed Christian.
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Located on the edge of the beautiful Cotswold town of Cirencester, the design studio is a lovely light, private and creative environment.
Now in its 15th year, the brand has developed a distinctive aesthetic for its signature dresses. Two clear looks prevail and blend together for unique fashion forward pieces.
The first is classic understated elegance-clean lines, crisp fabric and dramatic silhouttes.
This is complimented by the second more bohemian aesthetic; dreamy and relaxed using soft lace, flowing fabrics and pretty detailing. A fusion of the two dilutes anything too predictable or twee and clean silhouettes are born with softer, romantic finishes.
Emphasis is put on each client as an individual, creating bespoke patterns and using the finest modern British fabric and trims.
We are now welcoming clients back into the studio for fittings. We are following government guidelines with regards to meticulous cleaning between customers and the wearing of face coverings at all times.
Amy was fantastic to work with helping me to design the most gorgeous wedding dress. Not only will I treasure the dress but also the time we spent coming up with ideas to make it. Amy has an incredible talent and knowledge of fabric and lace. Her experience enables her to guide a bride through the process without any of the fuss and stress associated with a wedding dress shop. An absolute pleasure to work with. Stunning results.
I was lucky enough to have Amy recommended to me for creating my wedding dress and was absolutely delighted with the result. I had an idea of what I wanted and really enjoyed the process of working with Amy as she turned my idea into a tangible design. Amy’s suggestions on how to enhance it turned it from simple into beautiful with gorgeous touches such as the silk buttons down the back and the lace ‘jacket’. I thought the value was amazing – cheaper than a shop bought wedding dress but individually designed and tailored.
I still get comments about how beautiful those bridesmaid’s dresses were, I honestly couldn’t have been happier with those beautiful dresses and neither could the girls Annie even asked me if I would mind if she changed into it after dinner on her own wedding day!!! She didn’t get round to it in the end but thats how much she loved it!
Amy is the most special and talented person to work with; from the moment we first met she took all of the stress out of the process and made me the most spectacular wedding dress with easy and efficiency. I loved the whole experience and didn’t need many fittings at all, as she was spot on with every detail. She was totally unfazed by me wanting to add a corded lace overlay to the bodice of the dress, which she did completely perfectly. I cannot thank or recommend her enough.
Amy made me the most beautiful dress for my wedding. The whole experience was perfect- Amy is great to work with and is immensely talented, together we had a lot of fun creating my perfect dress. She is patient, has a brilliant eye for detail and is completely relaxed.I honestly wouldn’t have found a better dress anywhere else- it was wonderful and so special that it was made just for me. Thank you Amy!
bespoke fashion creations from Amy Cook
Totally unique pieces created exclusively for you. A custom made pattern is produced in order to cut and make your bespoke item in your chosen cloth.
look sensational on your big day
Unique and beautifully cut gowns are produced in the studio to a clients exact specifications and personally chosen cloth.
give your existing clothes a new lease of life
A complete alterations service is available for freshly bought or love worn items that could benefit from an adaptation or repair.
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I am grandmother of a young man who lost two precious years of his life seeking mental illness treatment at Kaiser Sacramento, two years when he really wanted a reliable psychiatrist and a therapist he could trust, when he had the maximum potential to manage his illness, and become independent. In those two years, we learned that Kaiser denies clients the option to have a schedule of appointments with a therapist/psychologist and maintain any routine appointment times. There is no such thing as an agreement to meet every other Thursday at 3PM–appointments are always fluid. The therapist could not make a commitment to any future appointment until some unknown time when he could call for another appt. There is no schedule that clients can plan upon. My grandson could never make a follow-up appointment with a doctor before leaving the clinic; he always had to “call in a couple of weeks.” There is no treatment plan for clients, the psychiatrist had no contact with a revolving number of therapists/psychologists, and they made no attempt to contact the psychiatrist.
Therapists cancelled appointments on the day of the appointment at least three times. Clerks cancelled appointments because the therapist needed another day of vacation.After seeing the same psychiatrist a couple of times in 2012, he could not get another appointment. The scheduler kept saying the doctor was not making any appointments. After a couple of months we finally called “Member Services’ to complain and found out that the doctor had already left Kaiser shortly after the last visit.
Psychiatrist appointments were cancelled month after month. In 2013, a July appointment was rescheduled for August, that was rescheduled for September, and that was rescheduled for October when the doctor was finally in, and my grandson was seen for the first time since the previous April. By that time, he wanted nothing to do with that system and had no expectations of seeing anyone who wasn’t a stranger at every visit. This is the quality of “treatment” offered to a young man who knew he needed expert medical attention, and wanted advice he could rely upon.
This was an absolute violation of trust that undermines the hopes and heart and waning energy of someone already fighting the odds.
The worst has already happened in our family, and we have lost two brave men who died by suicide. Kaiser practices amount to malpractice.
The $4 Million state fine was a small price for them to pay for running a racket that fleeces people of hope, along with their premiums.
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Fruit crisp is a standby in the Watson Sive household, a tasty way to celebrate both Summer and Fall fruits. I thought it would be fun to include some recipes by Mister Sive. I would not be a cook at all if it were not from all the knowledge & skill I have learned from watching him all of these years. He is an intuitive cook as well as an amazing baker, where I am much more of a recipe follower and baking is not my forte in the least–he without fail whips up dishes & desserts that always leave folks happy. This weekend the Eastern Washington peaches and Vashon blueberries were just glorious, so Ted prepared his version.
Skin and cut into big chunks 8 just-shy-of-ripe peaches, and then squeeze in half a lemon for a bit of zing and to protect their color before baking. Add in a cup and a half of fresh blueberries, and 4 tablespoons of white sugar to punch up the sweetness just a tad. He left out cinnamon to concentrate on the fruit flavors.
For the topping, he likes using both walnuts and oatmeal to add some crunch and earthy flavor. Cube 6 tablespoons of butter into a big bowl. Add ¾ cup of oatmeal, ¾ cup of coarsely chopped walnuts, 3/4 cup of firmly packed brown sugar, and ¾ cup of flour. Lastly, grate in 1/3 of a whole nutmeg, this adds some spice and more earthiness. Ted likes mixing the crisp with his hands, so the butter mixes in really well with all the ingredients, but a pastry cutter or a Cuisinart work well too. Mix until the largest pieces of butter are the size of large peas, and spread over the top of the fruit. He likes baking in this great ceramic pie dish we bought on a trip to Maine years ago, because it’s deep enough to hold a good amount of fruit, and still provide lots of surface area for the yummy crisp.
Bake at 375 for 40 minutes. 20 minutes before serving take vanilla ice cream out of the freezer so it softens up a bit, spoon up, and serve! The blueberries will really flavor the natural fruit syrup formed at the bottom of the disk, so be sure to add some of this to each bowl.
Please join me next Wednesday the 7th of December from 5 to 6 (Pacific) for the first virtual book tour stop for my newest book, Ted Kennedy Watson’s Guide To Stylish Entertaining. My friend and best-selling author Lisa Birnbach will be moderating. We will be chatting all things entertaining, and some preppy too! Lisa is one of the funniest folks I know, so I promise it will be a lively, laugh filled time. Book signings are near & dear to my heart, but reaching people that can’t attend always makes me a tad blue. With this fabulous EventBrite platform, it allows those from all over the globe to attend. This will be complimentary, so please spread the word. Link in my bio at the top of my LinkTree to reserve your spot. It will be cocktail hour in Seattle, so a glass of Veuve might be at my side. I so hope you can join in the fun! XX, Ted #TedKennedyWatsonsGuideToStylishEntertaining #OneToKeep #OneToGive #ThePerfectGift @gibbssmithbooks
Incredibly honored to once again make the ‘Best Shops’ list of @the_shopkeepers along with others around the globe I hold so near & dear to my heart. Like @johnderiancompany @tailoftheyakstore in the US @pentreathandhall in London and @lasoufflerie in Paris
A twice baked potato with a dollop of birthday caviar and a flute of Veuve. It has been one very emotional week on many, many levels. Comfort food & drink to help soothe. Thank you to so many of you for the incredibly kind and touching words at the shops and social media messages these last few days. #FeelingTheLove
The gift of a herb bouquet. It was sitting at my desk waiting for me. Thank you so much Sarah. Divine in every way. The living room smells heavenly. #Simplicity #HerbLove At #TheGainsborough
Please join us at both shops today for {Small Business Saturday} from 10 to 6. In the historic Pike Place Market at 86 Pine Street as well as our First & Spring location. Or shop our website for row after row of goodness 24/7 at WatsonKennedy.com
The last few days has been a tremendous outpouring of love in remembrance of our sweet Bailey. We thank you for that immensely. Being a shop dog meant she had amassed quite a following over the years. Often folks would arrive from afar and the first words out of their mouth would be, “Where is Bailey?” I spent yesterday at the First & Spring shop in the morning alone collecting all her blankets and bowls and things. Thoroughly enjoying the quiet and loving the memories of her being in the space as a puppy all the way up to a senior. Many years ago a fabulous former WK’r Nancy gifted us with a painting of Bailey. It has hung in the shop office since as we both adore it so. Yesterday I brought it out to the front wrap stand for all to enjoy and pay homage to our girl. Then the creative juices started flowing. The happy piece our friend artist Denise Fiedler did of me with Bailey was added. For my birthday on Wednesday our friend Jeanne painted a gift for me of a Veuve bottle of La Grande Dame, which I often called Bailey in her later years, and made the vintage 2005, the year she was born. A quick look through some vintage letters spelled out her name. Then I sat at my desk and went through images from over the years we quite liked. I printed them out and used a pinking shears to cut them out. Then I created a bit of a collage. Next baskets were added for canned dog food we will be collecting this next month to donate to pooches in need in her honor. The whole thing was hugely cathartic. I very much want to share the news of her passing and the amazing life she led as shopkeeper extraordinaire with those who met or read about her over the years so the memory of her lives on. {From the daily blog post, titled—An Outpouring Of LOVE}
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Have you always wanted to clear up your acne or brighten up your skin? Do you see a skincare aisle in the store and get overwhelmed? Although skincare is very important, many people are uneducated about it. So don’t worry, I’m here to help! As someone who is very passionate about beauty and skincare, and even runs her own beauty blog, I love helping people put together an effective skincare routine that will keep their skin healthy. And before you skip to the next article, it’s important to note that skincare is for everyone. There are no stereotypes around skincare. It will help keep your skin healthy, it can actually be a very calming process, and you might even have some fun.
There are five main skin types, each with specific descriptions. Look at yourself in the mirror, and please don’t judge! Compare your skin to the descriptions below to find out which skin type you have:
People with oily skin may have enlarged pores and/or extremely shiny and sweaty-looking skin.
People with dry skin typically have almost invisible pores, rough or dull looking skin, or experience cracking or peeling of the skin. Your skin will feel very dry.
As told in the name, people with sensitive skin have skin with extreme sensitivity to different products and ingredients. They may have severe acne or breakouts, or extreme redness.
Normal skin is not too dry, but not too oily. It has normal looking pores and no severe sensitivity. There are no extreme skin concerns occurring. Also, just because you have some acne doesn’t mean you don’t have normal skin. Everyone gets acne. It’s just not as severe for people with normal skin.
Having combination skin simply means you are a combo of two or more of the above skin types. For example, you could have oily skin in your t-zone (the area around your forehead and nose), and dry skin in other places. It also means you may need different targeted care in different areas of your face. This is the most common skin type.
Believe it or not, a basic skincare routine only has three simple steps: a cleanser, a moisturizer, and a sunscreen. Keep reading to see a full description of these products as well as some other fun products you can include in a routine to target specific concerns.
Cleanser is the product that will clean all the dirt and grime off your face. This dirt gets into the pores of the skin and clogs them. Our skin constantly faces dirt and pollution from our daily lives, so it is important to clean all of that off, or your other products won’t be effective! When cleansing your face, I recommend washing with lukewarm water and then patting dry with a towel. Some of my favorite cleansers are the Cerave Salicylic Acid Cleanser for normal skin and the Acure Seriously Soothing Cleansing Cream for all skin types, even sensitive skin.
Tip: to decrease the amount of dirt that gets into your pores, try not to touch your face as much. I’m guilty of leaning on my hands in school, however, you may not realize that this is clogging your skin.
Keep in Mind: If you wear makeup, before cleansing your face you should use a cleansing balm or micellar water to remove the makeup first, and then wash your face. This is known as the double cleanse system. I like the Garnier Micellar Water and I would put this onto a reusable cotton round such as the Green Estate Reusable makeup Remover Pads. These are great because they are good for the environment and they can go in the washing machine.
Serums are typically packaged in tiny capsules that can be squeezed into your hand or in containers with droppers. Serums are for targeting specific concerns on your skin. They are great because it allows your routine to be more personalized. For example, using a serum with the ingredient niacinamide or vitamin c in it can help to brighten the skin, and help with acne.
A treatment is another kind of product that can help with a specific skin concern. Treatments are different from serums because they are not to be used every day. Most treatments should only be used about once a week because they can be much harsher. A common use for a treatment would be for acne. This includes acne spot dots, which are tiny stickers you put on your acne to help clear out the pore, and zit sticks which are liquids that come in a stick, and applied directly to the acne. A face mask can also be one once or twice a week as a very relaxing product. Treatments and serums aren’t necessary to a skincare routine, however they can be very helpful. Some of my favorites are the E.L.F. Vitamin C Serum, the Burt's Bees Herbal Complexion Acne Stick, the E.L.F beauty shield magnetic face mask, the Bliss In the Honey Mask, and the Bliss Mighty Marshmallow Mask
Tip: When applying a serum with a dropper, squeeze the product into your hand and then gently tap into the face. Applying the dropper directly to your face can contaminate it because of bacteria on the face, making the serum less effective.
Keep in mind: At around 20 years old, retinol can begin to be used in the routine. Retinol is a major anti-aging ingredient. However, it should not be used if you have sensitive skin.
I would not recommend using peel off masks because they are very harsh on the skin and oftentimes do not work like they are supposed to. They can get stuck to your face and are hard to get off.
Moisturizers are used to moisturize and hydrate your skin. They have a soft, fluffy consistency that feels very soft on the skin. Moisturizers stops your skin from drying out and they keep your skin soft and bouncy. One of my favorite moisturizers of all time is the E.L.F Holy Hydration Face Cream.
Beauty experts highly recommend sunscreen and many argue that it is the most important step of a skincare routine. Unlike the products listed above, sunscreen should be applied in the morning. Experts say that it should be applied daily, even during the winter months and on days when it isn’t sunny. When the sun isn’t out, UV rays are still there, and sunscreen protects your skin from damage and can also help with anti-aging. Mineral sunscreens are the only ones that should be used because they have less chemicals, and they are much better for the environment.
It's important to look up information from credible sources before and after purchasing a product. As I can’t go into detail on every product ever made in this article, doing research from credible sources such as dermatologists, influencers, or aestheticians, on the product you’re interested in can make sure it’s worth the money and an effective product. After purchasing the product, this can also tell you information such as whether to apply the product in the morning or evening and how much of it to use. My favorite skincare influencer is Skincare by Hyram. You can also check out my blog on Instagram, @howdoyouglowbysoph, to see product reviews.
Another thing you can add to your routine are facial tools! Many facial tools are quite expensive and definitely not worth the money, however, a jade roller and gua sha set are only about twenty dollars and very soothing and relaxing. They can also help reduce puffiness in the morning and help further apply products into the skin. I use my jade roller and gua sha every morning and every night.
A skincare fridge can be a great place to store products! Keeping products refrigerated adds another soothing effect to the product. I keep my jade roller in my fridge.
Some brands I would not recommend are Biore, Clean and Clear, and St. Ives. Some great brands are the Inkey List, the Ordinary, Bliss, Acure, and Cerave.
Sophie, a junior, has a passion for beauty and skincare, starting her own Instagram blog, @Howdoyouglowbysoph. Outside of beauty, Sophie is very organized, and loves music and community service.
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Tape Findings is a brand new mp3 blog devoted to home recordings and other odd audio cassettes found at thrift stores and garage sales. It kicked off last week with a couple of excerpts from a music class recording, a no-punches-pulled past life psychic reading (forget the usual ego-stroking guff about being an Atlantean high priestess in a past life, the poor subject in this one is told that she was hung as a witch in the early 1800’s!), and a bizarre vision of “grunge music” from 80’s kid cartoon, Teddy Ruxpin…
Posted by Warren at 08:06 AM
October 17, 2004
This is quite possibly the second best "teens for Satan" home recording ever made. (The best one is Satan's Blood by The Frugal Gourmets.) Imagine a couple of Swedish schoolgirls raised on red cordial and black metal being let loose on a cheap karaoke machine that plays nothing but cheesy gabber/techno (and the occasional Spice Girls track.) To give you a taste of the resulting insanity, here's a medley of two tracks by the gals. The first one is a kind of techno Beauty-and-the-Beast-gone-wrong with guttural barking and vampish "Ooh, Baby"s instead of comprehensible lyrics. (When Family First unleashes its inevitable scare campaign against non-Hillsong-approved clubbing with TV ads showing 14 year olds ODing on GBH, waking up in drug dealers' beds and shivering in laneways with running mascara... hopefully they'll use this as background music.) For the second track, ATR pinch their nostrils shut and do their best Nina-Hagen-with-rabies hatchet job on "If You Wanna Be My Lover"... If only school rock eisteddfods had been like this!
(A full CD can be purchased from Aquarius Records.)
Posted by Warren at 03:52 PM
May 26, 2004
Plundered Home Recordings: Mic In Track
(Originally Aired 29th Dec 2003)
I don’t know if any of you actually use MusicMatch Jukebox, a music utility that lets users record mp3s through the mic input on their PC… But if you do: be careful where you save your recordings. If you have a P2P file-sharing program and store your home recordings in the same folder as the one you share with the world, then anyone out there can download them. (If that's what you want though, you're in luck...)
One person who is doing this rather assiduously is Dr David Dixon, who maintains a site called Mic In Track (the name is a reference to the default filename given to MusicMatch files). Each week he posts a selection of choice mp3s plundered from the shared directories of the unsuspecting… The entries range from the scatological outbursts and improvised theatre pieces of children to earnest Christian rock recordings, freestyle raps and death metal vocal practice sessions…
Some of the posted pieces have also been used by Dr Dixon as the basis for a collection of techno tracks that have been released as a free-download EP by Comfort Stand. (Recommended highlight: Bunnyrabbits, Satan, Cheese and Milk.)
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This decade has been called, “The Mormon Moment,” the time that America’s largest home-grown religion finally comes into its own as a part of the Christian tapestry. Even some LDS quirks seem to be turning into positives. Shifting sexual mores have made Mormon polygamy and sacred undergarments a matter more of slightly kinky fascination rather Puritan disgust. And after expressing big disapproval over Big Love, Church leaders shifted strategies and met the hit musical, the “The Book of Mormon,” with bemused acceptance, praising it “for really nailing the Mormon sweetness, niceness, and sense of do-gooderness,” and filling theater programs with their own advertisements.
In an effort to reassure Evangelical voters, presidential candidate Mitt Romney inserted the phrase “the same god” into his domestic policy debate against Barack Obama, and Billy Graham’s website showed solidarity by removing Mormonism from a list of “cults.” Since then, Mormon missionaries have been quoted as saying, “Even Billy Graham says we are Christians.” Over the course of 2012, the LDS Church promoted “I’m a Mormon,” a multi-million dollar marketing campaign seeking to portray Mormonism as mainstream. And on December 10, 2013, the Mormon church renounced and denounced a part of its racist past.
But do Mormons and Evangelicals worship the same god? How mainstream are their beliefs?
Dr. Tony Nugent, retired professor of religious studies, has compiled a list of twelve teachings that Mormons tend to downplay. Dr. Nugent calls each of these beliefs “questionable.” A quick read suggest they also are far from mainstream.
1. The American Continent Was Originally Settled by Ancient Near Easterners.
The story of the Book of Mormon (BoM) is that the American continent was originally settled by people from the ancient Near East who came across the ocean in boats between 5000 and 2500 years ago. This includes four groups: the Jaredites, who came from Mesopotamia after the fall of the Tower of Babel (3rd Millennium BC), and three groups of Israelites who came in the 6th Century B.C.—Lehites from the tribe of Manasseh, Ishmaelites from the tribe of Ephraim, and Mulekites from the tribe of Judah. Contrary to this view, archaeological, historical, and genetic evidence indicates that the American continent was originally settled by Mongoloid people who came over the Bering land bridge during the last Ice Age and who are the ancestors of today’s Native American people.
Much of the BoM story focuses on two groups of Israelites in the New World, the Nephites and the Lamanites, descended from two of the sons of Lehi of the tribe of Manasseh. These groups fought continually, but when Christ came from heaven after his ascension to visit them in AD 34, they all believed in him and stopped fighting. However, in the 3rd and 4th Centuries AD, when the Lamanites stopped believing in Christ, these peaceful relations ended. Their renewed hostilities culminated in a great religious war in AD 385 at the hill Cumorah in upstate New York, in which the Lamanites were victorious and 230,000 Nephites were killed. The few surviving Nephites soon died, and the surviving Lamanites became the “American Indians.”
Among the problems with this scenario are that there is no evidence that any Native American groups are Semitic, but rather that they are Mongoloid; there are no surviving traces in their cultures of ancient Israelite customs, language, or religion; and there are no traces of their supposedly former Christian practices and beliefs.
Then from where would Joseph Smith have gotten this story? The mistaken idea that the American Indians descend from the lost tribes of Israel was, in fact, a very popular idea in the United States in the early 19th Century. The closest parallel to Joseph Smith’s version of the idea is found in Ethan Smith’s View of the Hebrews, published in 1823, just four years before Joseph started working on the BoM. The many specific parallels between these two works have often been noted. How might Smith have known about this work? From Oliver Cowdery, one of Smith’s scribes in the translation of the BoM and whose family attended the church in Vermont where Ethan Smith was pastor at the time he was writing his book. In her 1945 work, No Man Knows My History, Fawn Brodie writes, “Thus where the View of the Hebrews was just bad scholarship, the BoM was highly original and imaginative fiction.” (Brodie, p. 48)
In the BoM dark skin is a sign of God’s curse, while white skin is a sign of his blessing. When the Lamanites displease God, “because of their iniquity….the Lord God did cause a skin of blackness to come upon them” (2 Nephi 5:21). Later, when the Lamanites become Christians, “their curse was taken from them, and their skin became white like unto the Nephites” (3 Nephi 2:15). Other racist passages in the scripture have simply been changed by Mormon authorities—e.g., 2 Nephi 30:6, which originally referred to conversion to Christianity bringing about a “white and delightsome people,” now reads, as of 1981, “a pure and delightsome people.” As for black people, Joseph Smith taught that they are cursed as “sons of Cain.” Brigham Young, the successor of Joseph Smith, stated: “Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 10). Since blacks were a stigmatized race in Mormonism, black men were denied ordination to the priesthood in the LDS Church. While the LDS Church, under pressure, finally granted black men the priesthood in 1978, the racism in their Scriptures remains as offensive as ever. Note: The doctrine that black skin is a punishment was renounced by the Church hierarchy in December 2013.
4. The BoM is Based on a Historically Accurate and Believable Ancient Work.
Mormon authorities teach that the BoM is a translation from ancient records written in a “Reformed Egyptian” script on metal plates between the years 2500 BC and AD 421. Among the many reasons for doubting this claim are the following:
Many different animals, plants, & manufactured goods are reported in the BoM story as being present in the New World during this time period. There is apparently no credible evidence that any of the following were present in the New World during this time period: cows, horses, oxen, asses, goats, sheep, pigs, honeybees, elephants, barley, wheat, silk, iron & brass metallurgy, steel, metal coins, swords, chariots, wheels, compasses, and metal plates inscribed with writing.
Many passages in the BoM repeat Old and New Testament biblical passages word-for-word. But how would Nephi, for instance, who lived in the 6th Century BC, know passages in Old Testament books such as Malachi, written after his time, and in the New Testament, written 600-700 years later?
Analogously, why would distinctively Christian practices and beliefs, including the establishment of a “Church of Christ,” the practice of baptism, and belief that those not baptized are damned to be tortured in hell for eternity, be found in ancient records said to have been written before the beginning of the Christian Era?
In the second verse of the BoM Nephi says, “Yea, I make a record in the language of my father, which consists of the learning of the Jews and the language of the Egyptians.”(1 Nephi 1:2). Later in the work Moroni says that his record is “in the characters which are called among us the reformed Egyptian” (Mormon 9:32). These are problematic statements. First of all, the term “Jew” refers to the people of the tribe of Judah and those from the other tribes who joined with them, starting with the period of the Babylonian exile (which is after Lehi’s family has left Jerusalem). In addition, there is no biblical or other evidence that Israelites of the 6th Century BC spoke Egyptian or wrote using any of the forms of Egyptian hieroglyphics.
5. Joseph Smith Translated the Book of Mormon from Gold Plates.
The Mormon story is that the Nephite military commander and prophet Moroni buried a history of his people, written on “gold plates,” in the hill Cumorah in AD 421. 1400 years later, on the night of September 22-23, 1823, Moroni, now having become an angel, visits 17-year-old Joseph Smith in his bedroom and tells him where the plates are buried. It happens to be just 3 miles south of where Smith lives. He goes there and sees the plates in a stone box, but as soon as he tries to take them the angel forbids him. He returns to the same spot on the same night of the year for the next two years, without success. Then, by looking into his seer-stone or “peep stone,” a chocolate-colored, egg-shaped stone which he had found when digging a well in 1822 and used to find lost and buried treasure, Smith learns that to be successful he must marry Emma Hale and take her with him to Cumorah. So on Sept. 22, 1827, he and Emma conduct a “black magic” ritual: at midnight, dressed entirely in black, they drive a black carriage drawn by a black horse to the hill. Joseph unearths the box and takes the plates, along with some magical eyeglasses made out of stones (called “interpreters” and “the Urim and Thummim”) with which to decipher the “reformed Egyptian” language in which the texts on the plates are written. According to Smith, the plates were “six inches wide and eight inches long and not quite as thick as common tin;” they were “filled with engravings in Egyptian characters and bound together in a volume, as the leaves of a book with three rings running through the whole;” and the stack of metal pages stood about six inches high.
Smith’s main translation process involved putting the interpreters (or his “peep-stone”) in a hat, putting his face in the hat (he didn’t need to view the plates themselves), and dictating to a scribe. After 116-initial pages of translation were lost by Smith’s scribe Martin Harris, Moroni supposedly took away the interpreters, and Smith was forced to rely on his old and trusty peep-stone. Smith’s translation was completed at the end of June 1829, and the BoM was first published by E.B. Grandin in Palmyra, NY, in March 1830. Where can we see these marvelous gold plates? We can’t, because Smith gave them back to Moroni.
6. There Are Testimonies to the “Gold Plates” from 11 Credible Witnesses.
But, say Mormon texts, there were 11 “witnesses” to the gold plates! These witness statements are printed at the beginning of each copy of the BoM. Three witnesses declare that an angel of God showed them the engravings upon the plates, while the eight others claim that that Joseph Smith showed them the plates with their engravings, which they also handled. Regarding the first three witnesses, Martin Harris said he had “never claimed to have seen the plates with his natural eyes,” but only with “spiritual eyes.” Oliver Cowdery was a relative of Smith’s, served as his scribe in translating the BoM, and was accustomed to having otherworldly visions. He told Smith that he had seen the gold plates in a “vision” even before the two of them had met. The third, David Whitmer, later said that the angel he saw “had no appearance or shape,” that he merely had the “impression” of an angel.
A few years after the BoM was published these three witnesses were excommunicated and harshly denounced and insulted by Smith. He described Whitmer as “an ass to bray out cursings instead of blessings.” He denounced Cowdery as “too mean to mention” and the leader of a gang of “scoundrels of the deepest degree.” He said Martin Harris was “so far beneath contempt that to notice him would be too great a sacrifice for a gentleman to make.”
Regarding the other eight witnesses, one of them was Joseph Smith’s father, two of them were his brothers, and the other five were close relations of David Whitmer. All the Whitmer family witnesses were later excommunicated, although David eventually rejoined the church.
Joseph Smith, Jr. couldn’t resist the temptation of injecting a self-serving prophecy of himself into the BoM. In the section of the book supposedly written in about 600 BC an Israelite by the name of Nephi reports that the biblical patriarch Joseph uttered this prophecy: “A seer shall the Lord my God raise up,” and “his name shall be called after me; and it shall be after the name of his father” (2 Nephi 3:6,15). Here we have a prophecy like a riddle, the answer to which is, of course, Joseph Smith, Jr. and Sr. Not satisfied to have this prophecy of himself and his father only in the BoM, Smith goes further by adding nearly-identical verses to the text of the Bible. In the last chapter of Genesis in Smith’s Inspired Version of The Holy Scriptures, the Lord says to Joseph just before he dies in Egypt: “That seer will I bless…..and his name shall be called Joseph; and it shall be after the name of his father; and he shall be like unto you.” This and the many other “prophecies” in Mormon scripture are cases of what is known in biblical scholarship as a vaticinium ex eventu, a “prophecy after the fact.” And it is one where the ulterior motive of the perpetrator of the hoax could not be more evident.
8. Joseph Smith Restored What Catholics Removed from the Bible.
What is the basis for this and the many other Mormon additions to the Bible? As explained in 1 Nephi, these are needed because the “Great and Abominable Church, which is most abominable above all other churches,” traditionally understood in Mormonism as the Roman Catholic Church, has “taken away” from the Bible “many plain and precious things.” But in fact this couldn’t have been the work of the Catholics, because there’s no sign of these omissions in the Hebrew Bible, written several hundred years before there were any Christians or churches! It must have been the nefarious Jews who did it, which would explain why so many of the passages Joseph Smith identifies as having been removed from the Bible and which he restores are its Old Testament (< Hebrew Bible) references to Jesus Christ. Take parts of the 6th chapter of Genesis in the Inspired Version: God says to Adam, “Turn unto me….and repent of all thy transgressions, and be baptized, even in water, in the name of mine Only Begotten Son, who is full of grace and truth, which is Jesus Christ” (Genesis 6:53). And then “Adam cried unto the Lord, and was caught away by the Spirit of the Lord, and was carried down into the water, and was laid under the water, and was brought forth out of the water; and thus he was baptized” (Genesis 6:67).
9. The LDS Church’s Theological Doctrines Are Not Significantly Different from Those of Mainstream Christian Denominations.
In the last few decades LDS authorities have made a major effort to downplay its distinctive teachings (and practices) in order to present as a “mainstream” Christian denomination. These distinctive doctrines include the following: (The last two were taught by Joseph Smith but are not official doctrines of the LDS church.)
God the Father, God the Son, and the Holy Ghost are three separate divine beings (Mormonism is anti-Trinitarian).
In his pre-mortal existence Jesus Christ, the literal Son of God the Father, was the LORD (= Jehovah/Yahweh) of the Old Testament
Humans have pre-mortal existences as spirit-children of God the Father and a Heavenly Mother.
Humans can become angels, and angels can become humans, e. g., Adam used to be St. Michael (refer to Temple Endowment ceremony), Noah used to be St. Gabriel, and the Nephite man Moroni became the angel Moroni.
Matter has always existed, so the Creation was not ex nihilo.
There is no “hell” in the traditional Christian sense but rather a spirit prison where wicked spirits are cleansed in preparation for their resurrection.
A deceased person who was never baptized can get to the Celestial Kingdom as a result of a proxy baptism in a Mormon temple.
The highest level of the Celestial Kingdom is reserved for couples who have been “sealed” in a Mormon temple for a life of “eternal marriage.”
Humans can become Gods (be exalted) in the future and dwell in the highest level of the Celestial Kingdom. (Joseph Smith, “King Follett Discourse,” 1844)
Since the 19th Century the LDS church has denied that polygamy is a part of its core doctrines, and many Mormons deny that Joseph Smith was a polygamist. However, the doctrine of “plural marriage,” referring in this case to a man having more than one wife (polygyny), was revealed to Joseph Smith at Nauvoo, IL, on July 12, 1843, and was enshrined in 1876 as Section 132 of Doctrine and Covenants (D&C), one of the LDS Church’s scriptures. At the same time Section 101 in the early edition of the D&C, specifying the rule of monogamy, was removed. In this new “revelation,” God declares plurality of wives as essential for attainment of godhood (article 20), that those who reject it are damned (article 4), and that if Emma Smith rejects Joseph’s other marriages he will destroy her (article 54). This revelation was kept secret from the general church membership until Brigham Young made it known in 1852.
The principle of plural marriage in Mormonism has its roots in 1832, when Joseph Smith told his innermost circle that “he had inquired of the Lord concerning the principle of plurality of wives, and he received for an answer…that it is a true principle, but the time had not yet come for it to be practiced.” At about that time, when Joseph and Emma had become boarders at the home of John and Elsa Johnson in Hiram, Ohio, people in the neighborhood suspected that Joseph was having a sexual relationship with their daughter, 15-year old Marinda Nancy Johnson. According to a statement by Marinda’s brother Luke Johnson, on March 24, 1832 “a mob of forty or fifty…entered his room in the middle of the night….he was then seized by as many as could get hold of him, and taken about forty rods from the house…they tore off the few night clothes that he had on, for the purpose of emasculating him, and had Dr. Dennison there to perform the operation; but he refused to operate. The mob…poured tar over him, and then stuck feathers in it and left him.” Early the following year 16-year-old Fanny Alger moved into the Smith house as a domestic servant, and in February or March Joseph took her as his plural wife. He kept this secret from Emma, but in 1835 she caught them in flagrante delicto and ejected Fanny from the house. This incident led to a severe rift between Smith and his collaborator Oliver Cowdery, who referred to it as “a dirty, nasty, filthy affair.”
These conflicts apparently did little to alter Smith’s course of action. “Joseph continued to take plural wives throughout the 1830’s in Ohio and Missouri, and he married with even greater frequency in Nauvoo in the early 1840’s.” In his lifetime Smith “married at least thirty-three women, and probably as many as forty-eight.” (Krakauer, Under the Banner of Heaven, pp. 5, 119-121)
Mormons who are taught that Joseph was a “devoted husband” (see the LDS Church’s website) should be reminded that Emma Smith never accepted the principle or the practice of plural marriage. After Joseph’s death she did not join the Mormons moving west to Utah, led by the polygamist Brigham Young. Instead she stayed behind and joined the anti-polygamist Reorganized LDS Church (known today as the Community of Christ). While the practice of polygamy has been forbidden in the LDS Church since the “1890 Manifesto,” it is still enshrined in the revealed Scriptures as necessary for obtaining “godhood.”
In July of 1835 a man by the name of Michael Chandler brought some Egyptian mummies and papyri which had been excavated near the ancient city of Thebes to Kirtland, OH, and sold them to Joseph Smith. Although Smith had no knowledge of the ancient Egyptian language or writing, he nevertheless “translated” some of these papyri, and in 1842 published the results along with three “facsimiles” (with interpretations) as the Book of Abraham. In 1880, thirty-six years after Smith’s death, this work was incorporated as Part 2 of the LDS Church’s scripture known as The Pearl of Great Price. In Smith’s “translation” the patriarch Abraham tells a story of traveling from Chaldea to Egypt, where a priest lays him on an altar to sacrifice him, but he is miraculously saved by an angel of God; he gives a discourse about the universe, time, and stars, including the star/planet Kolob, which is closest to the throne of God; and he provides a polytheistic paraphrase of the first two chapters of Genesis which substitutes the word “Gods” for the biblical “God” and “Lord God.”
Many prominent 19th and 20th Century Egyptologists have examined the Joseph Smith papyri, including the one from the Egyptian “Book of Breathings” which is thought to be the specific papyrus which Smith translated as the main text of the Book of Abraham. All the papyri are inscribed with hieratic funerary texts, and the “Book of Breathings” is dated to the 1st Century BC or AD, 2000 years after Abraham supposedly lived. It is the unanimous opinion of the many Egyptologists who have examined the papyri that the text of Smith’s Book of Abraham, together with his related interpretations of the papyrus “facsimiles,” bear no resemblance whatsoever to the papyri texts. The Book of Abraham is, in the words of these renowned Egyptologists, an “impudent fraud” (A. H. Sayce, Oxford Univ.), “absurd” (W. M. Flinders Petrie, London Univ.), a work by an “absolutely ignorant” person (James H. Breasted, Univ. of Chicago), a work whose “explanations [of the facsimiles] are completely wrong” (Richard A. Parker, Brown Univ.), a “pure fabrication” (Arthur C. Mace, Metropolitan Museum of Art), a “work of pure imagination” (S. A. B. Mercer, Western Theological Seminary).
Although Joseph Smith was clearly very charismatic, there is considerable evidence that the official Mormon view of his pure moral character is a fiction. When Smith became famous as the “Mormon Prophet,” people who knew him from his early years were aghast, and they express their feelings in the following signed affidavits:
Mrs. S. F. Anderick: “Jo was pompous, pretentious…claimed he could tell where lost or hidden things and treasures were buried. He deceived many farmers.”
Isaac Butts: “I have frequently seen Jo drunk. He had a forked witch-hazel rod, later a peep-stone with which he claimed he could locate buried money or hidden things.”
W. R. Hine: “I heard a man say who was a neighbor to the Mormon Smith family, that they were thieves, indolent, the lowest, meanest family he ever saw or heard of.”
Joseph Rogers: “Farmers said he as a terror to the neighborhood and that he would either have to go to State prison, be hung, or leave the county, or he would be killed. Jo contrived in every way to obtain money without work. The farmers claimed that not a week passed without Jo stole something. I knew at least one hundred farmers in the towns of Phelps, Manchester, and Palmyra, N.Y., who would make out that Jo Smith the Mormon prophet was a a liar, intemperate and a base imposter…He could read the character of men readily and could tell who he could dupe.”
Mrs. Sylvia Walker: “They [the Smith family] were the lowest family I ever knew. They worked very little and had the reputation of stealing everything they could lay their hands on….When Jo told his neighbors about finding gold plates no one believed him nor paid any attention to it, he had humbugged them so much.”
On August 1, 1831, Joseph Smith received a revelation which became Section 58 of Doctrine and Covenants. Verse 21 of that section states: “Let no man break the laws of the land, for he that keepeth the laws of God hath no need to break the laws of the land” (D&C 58:21). This revelation is at odds with his own life history. Beginning at least as early as 1826, when he was 25 years old, until his death, Smith was continuously in trouble with legal authorities. In his lifetime Smith had to defend himself in forty-eight criminal cases and had a total of over 200 suits brought against him. His troubles with the law caused the parents of his first wife, Emma Hale, to disown their daughter. Many of Smith’s trials are attributed by Mormons to religious persecution. However, his legal troubles predate his religious proclamations. Smith’s first known trial, on March 20, 1826, in East Bainbridge, NY, he was arrested, jailed, charged, and convicted of being “a disorderly person and an imposter” and “falsely pretending to discover lost goods.”
The questionable beliefs and teachings outlined above, as well as others not discussed, have created problems for Mormons, their leaders, and the LDS Church from the religion’s beginnings until today. The Church does not allow members to openly and independently investigate or question its core beliefs or historical claims, or to challenge its leadership or core values. It does not allow hard-to-swallow doctrines to be discussed with potential converts before they have digested simpler ones (called “milk before meat”), nor for these doctrines to be publicly disseminated. When members do these things, and do not leave the Church voluntarily, they are “disfellowshipped” or excommunicated. Witness the famous modern-day 1993 case of the “September Six.”
“Lying for the Lord” is the term some ex-Mormons use for the Mormon practice of not telling the whole truth or dissimulating when necessary to further the image and interests of the Church. In the 19th Century, when the clash between Mormons and mainstream Christians was more overt, deception was more overt as well. Examples often cited are the denials by LDS leaders and members when they were charged with condoning and practicing polygamy (“plural marriage”). Since polygamy became illegal throughout the United States in the mid-19thCentury, church leaders such as Joseph Smith, Brigham Young and Heber Kimball, as well as members who practiced polygamy were breaking the law, so that secrecy and denial were considered necessary to protect the church. At times deception assumed the status of a religious duty. This stance led to perjury by LDS President Joseph Fielding Smith and others during the Reed Smoot Congressional Hearings of 1904-7.
The historical necessity of self-protective deception creates a conundrum in that the Mormon religion strongly values honesty both in private life and in its public image. Yet the issue of deception in Mormonism runs deeper than a matter of “situational ethics.” Consider the following statements by Mormon leaders:
Joseph Fielding Smith, the tenth president of the LDS Church (1970-72): “If Joseph Smith was a deceiver, who willfully attempted to mislead the people, then he should be exposed; his claims should be refuted, and his doctrines shown to be false.” (Doctrines of Salvation, Vol. 1, p. 188).
Orson Pratt, elder and member of the original Quorum of the LDS Church: “The Book of Mormon…must be either true or false. If true, it is one of the most important messages ever sent from God to man…If false, it is one of the most cunning, wicked, bold, deep-laid impositions ever palmed upon the world, calculated to deceive and ruin millions” (Introduction, Divine Authenticity of the Book of Mormon, 1850).
Should Mormonism be founded in an elaborate hoax, as much evidence suggests, then deception is not just an occasional practice, but the foundation structure upon which the entire edifice of the Mormon religion has been erected. Mormons of good faith are then inescapably caught between the demands of doctrine and their core moral values of honesty and integrity.
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Valerie Tarico is a psychologist and freelance writer, and the author of Trusting Doubt: A Former Evangelical Looks at Old Beliefs in a New Light. Dr. Tony Nugent is a symbologist and retired professor of religious studies.
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Seattle psychologist and writer. Author - Trusting Doubt; Deas and Other Imaginings.
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This entry was posted in Christianity in the Public Square and tagged Book of Abraham, Celestial marriage, Cumorah, David Whitmer, exMormon, former Mormon, investigating Mormonism, Joseph Smith hoaxes, Lamanite, Lamanites, Lehi, Mormonism, Nephite, Oliver Cowdery, Tony Nugent. Bookmark the permalink.
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October 5, 2012 at 7:27 pm
Dang, I really don’t want to say this because it’s totally, totally uncharitable, but hey – Mormonism is a screwball religion. Wait! Wait! That doesn’t mean all Mormons are screwballs, I suspect most of them simply do not reflect too much on the details of their church’s beliefs and Mormonism is either tied up with family history or maybe a job thing, or maybe a benefits thing, or maybe all three.
However, if a Mormon believer has achieved a college degree then I would expect him/her to become an ex-Mormon fairly quickly – at least mentally, if not then there’s definitely something lacking in their education. Waaaay lacking.
As for electing a college-educated, BELIEVING Mormon for U.S. President? You have got to be kidding!! There is something (a lot actually) that is very un-intelligent about Mormonism, and being the Presidency of this country demands a clear head and very intelligent thinking – betcha $10,000!
I hope I’ve not offended too many folks, however if you’ve truly been offended (as in: you got a severe nosebleed from reading this) AND would like to send me $10, then it’s possible I might apologize profusely, I doubt it, but it’s possible. And NO I’m not on FaceBook.
October 20, 2012 at 10:36 am
Of course you left unsaid that they’re ALL screwball.
Grace says:
May 20, 2015 at 5:05 pm
Okay, I understand that you guys might think that this is “proof” that Mormons don’t know what they’re talking about, and that they’re living a lie, but do any of you have the right to judge them? I mean, have you actually read the Book of Mormon? And by read I mean really studied. Not with a critical mind, but an open one. I guarantee you that if you read the Book of Mormon cover to cover, keeping an open mind to the gospel, and to the incredible feeling of the spirt, you will feel it.
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Lash says:
August 19, 2015 at 7:51 pm
No were not. It’s makes more sense sense then some other Christian religions. At least we don’t persecute other fellow Christians! We accept who you are for what you are. Christ is the center of Mormonism. It is my center. I hope it is your’s as well.
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December 19, 2015 at 10:59 am
?????? Lash Really? When young men walk into a house, all over the world, and say “we are the only true church and all others are false” what would you call that? Nice try though.
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Mike says:
February 15, 2016 at 1:12 pm
I just gotta say as an LDS member that…. I’m only LDS to make my wife happy. It is screwy but hey some people need faith and it isn’t my place to try to crush others beliefs.
It is commonly taught that the higher education a LDS member achieves the more likely they are to stay in that religion but I wonder if that is only because of the influence of BYU. Taking classes there I noticed that the amount of indoctrinating is heavy and for a non-believer it is stifling.
What is sickening to me is that the most important teachings in the church are; love god, love your neighbor (everyone), and that god gave us all free agency (freedom of choice). So while those are the most important teachings many members are very unkind and are not understanding of others. Voting against others freedom is a common example; If it was up to LDS members there would be no gay marriage, no alcohol, no abortion, no cigarettes, and I’m sure it could go on… very loving and non-judgmental huh!
Kimberley P says:
May 4, 2016 at 12:09 am
I grew up in a Mormon family and have rarely come across people who strive so hard to help others, who look for opportunities to do good, who give of them selves and their possessions more willingly. I have so many unanswered questions and concerns with church history but the internet was not so readily accessible in the 1900’s and these folks have not had all of the facts given to them of the church from the beginning of there fellowship so I feel it’s best to not judge things you have no interest in understanding or judge people who are genuinely seeking to do good. I love the basic principles of the church and have not been to another church in Australia that teaches as well as the Mormon’s. And now with the recent age of the internet and many followers finding things out about the church history that they previously had never looked into and having there faith challenged, it becomes a challenging time. I don’t think there is a church in the world that does not have a past. I continue to encourage mormans to keep on living good strong moral lives as they do a lot of good. But now the challenge is deciphering God’s word from man made philosophy. If you have the answers feel free to let us all know but I don’t believe anyone does. Also what grace has said is interesting, there is so much good and so many lessons that can be taken from the book or Mormon it is difficult for any person who loves and strives to follow Christ denounce it’s worth.
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Kimberley P says:
May 4, 2016 at 9:04 pm
Not screwballs just good people.
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Booya says:
October 20, 2012 at 7:43 pm
Mental compartmentalization. They are crazy beliefs they say they believe but if you really committed 100% to them, you’d be mad. So it’s really just a code they have, a sort of unspoken agreement: You say you believe this thing and I’ll say I believe it and we’ll know we’re from the same tribe. It’s rather sick.
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January 22, 2016 at 4:18 pm
their rules suck and I don’t think they want to mess with me and about black people they are bunch of bigots
July 9, 2013 at 5:59 am
The truth is that Mormons actually get more faithful and active in the Church with higher degrees of education. We believe that God has commanded and encouraged us to pursue higher education which is why you will find so many Mormons in all sectors of life.
Of course, when believes are taken out of context and caricaturized it can make a belief sound silly, but the foundation of my belief is in Jesus Christ and his Gospel. All of the teachings of the Church are ultimately his and consistent with his instructions and commandments. What really sets us apart is the, completely scriptural, belief in continuing revelation and a living Prophet. As there were apostles in Christs time, so there are Apostles in our time. Thanks to continuing inspiration both personal and institutional I am able to follow the spirit of God in all things and stay on the right path.
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December 27, 2013 at 6:35 pm
With that said can you explain to me what the book of Mormon means by “If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 10). I’ll wait
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January 5, 2014 at 6:53 pm
In ancient Israel, God had certain rules about priesthood and mixing such as the rule that one from the house of Levi could not marry outside of that house or lose his priesthood. (This is recorded in the Old Testament when speaking about the priests returning from Babylon that were cut off from the priesthood lineage). God’s rules are based on purity and on keeping his people righteous. However, when the priesthood was extended to all males that restriction was eliminated. Likewise, with any restriction on inter-racial marriage. In our day, because the priesthood is available to all worthy males, God encourages us to marry any worthy individual (of the opposite sex). He extends the priesthood according to his own design and pattern.
As far as the threat of death goes, there is no evidence that Brigham Young or anyone else actually attempted to kill individuals that married outside of the race, so I tend to view such rhetoric as hyperbolic and a symbol of the spiritual death that would come from being cut off from the lineage of the priesthood…. B. Young Probably could have chosen his words more carefully, but that was his style and his rhetoric does not make him any less of a prophet.
Also, that quote is not in the Book of Mormon….
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October 20, 2015 at 4:55 pm
if Jesus is not your foundation and you trust that you can accomplish perfection in yourself without His Holy Spirit you will no make it to heaven..He is the way the truth and the life… NO OTHER WAY!
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June 12, 2016 at 4:07 am
June 25, 2016 at 3:05 pm
HI Katherine: I’ve worked with many Mormons over the years in engineering and sciences. What I have found is that their level of education has nothing to do with the facts. It is more about a desire to know truth. In most cases, they have been in the Church so long, to face the reality of facts would leave them empty and in a wasteland. So, they bury their head in personal testimony. The facts are, only 2 of 10 young men are going on mission today in contrast to 70%. The Church has a zero % membership gain in the U.S. and elsewhere in the world except the Pacific Islands (Micronesia). A former Mormon friend who came off mission about 3 years ago, told me if a missionary gets 1 or 2 families to join the church, they consider it a successful mission and, half of those turn out to be con’s who are just looking for something from the Church. The truth is, the Web has caused tens-of-thousands of Mormons to know the facts about the Church and it can no longer be censured by the Church leadership as before. No more spin doctrine on the Spaulding manuscripts. No more spin doctrine on the Book of Abraham. No more spin doctrine on Joseph’s many affairs and need for polygamy to suddenly be the solution. If Mormonism did not claim to be true based on historical facts (BOM), there would be no issue. In the 1800’s that was easy. In 2016, it is not. Check out my facts above. Plan9fromKolob
January 14, 2019 at 10:55 am
Give me a break. MEN are encouraged to pursue higher education and have lucrative careers so they can support their stay at home wives and numerous children.
Often, women are discouraged from and even criticized for pursuing higher education and careers. Women are expected to get married young (an unmarried 23-year old Mormon woman is considered old) and have many children.
crunch says:
September 28, 2013 at 9:40 pm
Electing a college-educated, believing in any form of supernatural being person for any position in public service should be illegal! CASE CLOSED!
November 13, 2015 at 1:45 pm
Yeah, that would require an amendment to undo one of the other amendments.
August 5, 2014 at 3:36 pm
Wrong on all accounts. We have all the same knowledge and resources at our disposal. I am not being tricked into being a Mormon.
We both simply believe that we read, comprehend and understand things better than the other person. Simple as that.
Anything anyone believes can be thwarted to look screwy.
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September 10, 2014 at 12:46 am
I might counter that not all beliefs are created equal. Some are better substantiated and more accountable than others. For some, our best explanations for why they exist and replicate have more to do with psychology than history.
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August 5, 2019 at 4:12 am
” We both believe that we read, comprehend and understand things better than the other person. Simple as that.” Therein lies the tragedy that is Mormonism. Been there done that. It is actually absolute rubbish. Then after resigning in 2016 after a membership of 55 years, I only then started to understand things better e.g. that Isaac was Not the son Abram was required to offer on the altar but rather Ishmael. Thank the Lord I passed through the Mormon veil of indoctrination.
February 27, 2015 at 4:02 am
This is the link to Preach My Gospel, the standard instruction manual required to be studied and taught by all LDS missionaries. It contains the required lessons to be taught to investigators of the church before baptism into the church. By the simple fact that a large amount of the doctrines the author claims the church wants to sweep under the rug are actually contained in required pre-baptismal learning modules that are rigidly followed, the basic premise of this article, that “mormons might not want you know about” these doctrines is clearly false. I also find the idea that the LDS church discourages personal inquiry completely absurd and obviously based upon reactionary statements from dissidents. A simple and non-jaded inquisition into LDS worship would quickly demonstrate that few things are held more sacred by Mormons then personal testimony and person revelation. Watch a recording of any LDS General Conference and half of the message can usually be summed up as question, ask, learn for yourself, come to a personal knowledge, seek more understanding, don’t take my word on what the scriptures say – read them yourselves daily, pray daily, seek affirmation of God’s will in all of your choices, etc. I pray for two things at this time. The first is for the Christian world, that our energies can be spent in strengthening each other instead of tearing each other down and doing good in the world instead of wasting countless amounts of energy nit-picking over our doctrinal differences. The second is for the atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers who have grown so militant in their anti-religious sentiment, that you can step away from the dogmas of your own long enough to realize that the fallibility of man will never allow for infallible conclusions no matter the evidence. May we all live in love and tolerance.
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Jim johnson says:
August 28, 2015 at 6:14 pm
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November 13, 2015 at 1:48 pm
Whoa, tone it down yeller. All caps is not a lifestyle choice you should be making.
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Tom says:
January 31, 2016 at 5:59 pm
Jim, you might want to read http://www.cesletter.com
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Kerry A. Brown says:
November 21, 2017 at 12:42 pm
I am a 65 year old atheist who was born into Mormonism.
My parents were both born and raised in Utah, they were ‘free thinkers’ open minded, and not especially religious. They were religious enough to have me baptized when I was eight.
Even as an eight year old though I knew LDS beliefs were a lie, because I have half a brain.
I quit going to church by age ten and was excommunicated by age 27 when I declined a demand to rejoin the church and start tithing or sign a disfellowship document… I had made the mistake of telling a zealous Mormon-convert co-worker that I used to be Mormon.
There’s no need for me to repeat the information in the article, history is history, facts are facts.
American Indians have absolutely no genetic link to the Middle East.
Joseph Smith was a con man, court records confirm this. This business about Golden Plates and prophets is absolute nonsense, pure BS.
The BofM is a plagiarized poorly written fantasy history, the article you were offended by is 100% correct.
I am sorry you were duped by these hucksters.
Good luck to you.
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Kate says:
January 23, 2019 at 9:18 am
Instead of simply stating that they are wrong, why not show evidence to support your argument?
Cam says:
November 8, 2015 at 8:00 am
This is inaccurate. And the fact that your asking for money after insulting mormon beliefs, you tell me who is in the right here? Mormons have more rules than a lot of religions but if you meet a mormon they are almost always very happy and positive, they don’t do drugs, they don’t dress like “sluts”, they don’t watch porn, they don’t cuss (some do but it’s really hard not too, even then they rarely do it.) that is just a little of what Mormons don’t do.
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Tom says:
January 31, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Utah has the highest use of prescription anti depressants . Get the facts. Not as happy as you think. Highest rate of teenage suicide. Highest amount of pornagraphy prescriptions online. Should I go on?
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dom says:
February 9, 2016 at 9:24 pm
yes we have alot of beliefs but were not forced to those things, its just we chose not to. we call it free agency
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March 29, 2016 at 1:29 am
This is actually very accurate sir. Please do some research as it makes you look very uneducated and just silly to state what you have. If you have information that refutes what the author has written then please enlighten us. Ive got a question for you. Exactly where did the book of mormon take place? Not even a General Authority can tell you that.
May 29, 2016 at 4:36 pm
Just as Tom says, antidepressants and porn. Of course you will say there is no evidence. An elephant could step on your toes and you will say no evidence. So, where is the evidence of al the ancient cultures BoM mentions?. Did you check out the evidence that the book of Abraham is a fake? Mormons allways think detractors are questioning their “goodness”. Far from the point. Your religion is a fake, man created by a narcissistic and pathological liar. Now it is followed by narcissistic dummies
Come on man, how can grown adults be so naive? Grow up.
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January 4, 2018 at 7:25 am
Most Mormons I know watch porn and then then they repent and then they watch porn again and then they repent watch porn again sporting the Internet studies Utah has the highest rate of porn observation them anywhere in the country
My husband is a bishop and I was really society president when the DNA studies came out I love the church because President and play said even on a YouTube video it’s DNA of the native Indians is not from Israel then Joseph Smith called the biggest hoax on the Americans and he is nothing but a fraud so I am taking it from President Hinckley
DNA studies prove that the Indians arm from Mongolia
The church also finally admitted that Joseph Smith faked the translations of the Egyptian papers
We were con for over 40 years and hundreds of our neighbors and family members have now left the church
I don’t feel stupid because people are frauded all the time
They are tricked into investments and everything so why not open your minds to the truth instead of backing up a lot so you don’t feel stupid
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Lola Morgain says:
June 2, 2019 at 7:48 pm
The key is not to do drug and smile all the time, not to believe something that is obviously not true. I would rather not believe at all. The truth is that Mormons to drink, use drugs, and I am not sure about how they dress at home. I am all the things a Mormon is except the belief of the facts that the cult is really brainwashing of children and fear of leaving despite that they too, find error in the cult.
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November 13, 2015 at 1:42 pm
Right. . . as compared to the Catholics who eat Jesus and Hindus who worship an elephant and Protestants who believe all land animals fit in a boat made by one guy. Mormons are the only screwballs.
January 13, 2017 at 8:23 pm
this is an old post I know this, but catholic believe that jesus gave up his body and blood for our sins..all christian religions believe this…christian is latin for follower of christ…Judaism does not do this because they are still waiting for the first coming of christ, And all of the aforementioned religions…morman, catholic,protestants. jewish…all believe in Noah’s ark…I do not agree with Mormonism personally but come on….I feel like these are basic things that a child in a kindergarten bible school would know.
Grace says:
January 25, 2016 at 1:00 pm
These two authors are so far off in their interpreting of Mormon beliefs it would be hilarious if it wasnt so pathetic. It is utterly ridiculous what they have stated. You got to ask yourself: why have these two put so much time into denouncing the Mormon faith? I have been a member for 38 years. It is a beautiful faith, Pure, simple and very open to any questions anyone might have. Obviously these two never went to the source.
March 29, 2016 at 1:24 am
May I suggest that you do a little research of Morman History? The author of this article has clearly done unbiased research. Im not saying just believe what he wrote, im saying investigate it yourself. To be quite honest they are accurate in their claims and by you ranting against them makes you look terribly uneducated on the very thing your ranting about. Ive been LDS for 30+ years, served a mission, and was married in the temple. I will tell you that nothing this author wrote is false. Do some research please.
February 22, 2016 at 8:17 am
This article is the biggest load of lies I’ve ever seen, who ever wrote this is really inacurite and as a member of the Church of Jesus Christ of Later Day saints I am highly offended by your ignorance and stupidity!
March 29, 2016 at 1:33 am
Please do some research yourself and when your done I promise not to say I told you so. The author of this post has clearly done their due dilligence and researched the history of your church. It is you who sounds very stupid as you couldnt possibly have looked into the authors claims, otherwise you would agree with the author.
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Joseph Gyman says:
March 6, 2016 at 11:43 am
I love how you show your beliefs, but religion isn’t there just to raise your morals. Some people actually are happier due to religion or Mormonism in this case. Wether it’s true or not is not anyones call, but if that’s your source of happiness, so be it.
Donna F. says:
March 9, 2016 at 12:52 am
Er, Mormons have their own rather large universities where girls study homemaking or teaching in prep for eternal marriage as first wife.
February 1, 2017 at 10:56 am
My Father and an associate of his spent an entire evening arguing whether men evolved from primates. The next day, two exhausted individuals vehemently maintained their own individual biases. I happen to be a 50+ year Happy Mormon; and i didn’t join until I was 30
November 14, 2017 at 12:37 am
Well, I found many lies in this article. I will only mention a couple, For one, Brigham Young and all the Prophets including Joseph Smith always taught to find out for ourselves. Not to believe because of their beliefs but learn for ourselves. And that is exactly what I have done all my life. I have While Emma did not like plural marriage that was not the reason she did not follow the Saints either. She had to care for Lucy and she too was broken hearted has her husband, whom she dearly loved, was now gone. She didn’t have much purpose after that.
She did not stay behind to join the reorganized church because it wasn’t even in existence until her young son grew up and started it. Emma maintained her testimony in the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints until the day she died as her daughter tells her story.
Another lie is that Emma and Joseph dressed in black having a black horse and having a mystic ritual is just a plain out right lie. They dressed in black because that were being watched. Believe it or not some men did think that Joseph might have found something of worth as in gold so Emma and Joseph had to go quietly and in dark clothing as not to be seen. That was the night they were able to get the plates.
Interestingly enough, other experts outside the Church have said that this book reads as it would in the their own language in the near east.
The bottom line is, you study the religion not the anti religion. Usually anti Mormons are the worst because for the most part they have been excommunicated so they hate the Church. What do you expect from them.
My mother was LDS and my daddy was Baptist. I didn’t even go to the LDS Church as a youngster at all. My mother and her people never ever said one word about my not going. Never!! They let me choose for myself. In fact I think they were surprised to know I started attending the Church when I was 20 years old.
Your article said many, many lies which isn’t worth my time to explain nor do I need to explain. I will say, when a member of the Church fights against the Church they are excommunicated because they obviously hate the Church and so they should be excommunicated.
I am so very, very grateful I belong to this beautiful, loving Church. I would gladly give my life for it. It is the very breath I breathe. And it saddens me to see so many untruths spoken of it. In the end you will know. This is the Church of Jesus Christ. The only living Church on the today. We have a living Prophet and 12 apostles who receive revelation from the Lord.
I have met many of them and you could never ever find anything evil about these men. Go meet them yourself and you will find the Church very different than you had thought.
These men are retired heart surgeons, judges, lawyers, scientist, among many other honorable vocations. They have given up their high paying vocations for the rest of their lives in service to the Church. You try and keep up with them. Just try.
My name is Mary Frank Skaggs Ralls and I am thankful to be a member of the Mormon Church!!!
June 13, 2018 at 7:52 pm
As a former Mormon descended from first, second, third, fourth, and fifth-generation Mormons: Agreed. BUT no more wacky than Judaism. No more wacky than Islam. No more wacky than Catholicism. No more wacky than Hinduism. No more wacky than some things masking as atheism out there like addiction to the State and a belief in the all-powerful accredited university that magical confers rational thought upon completion of accredited degrees. Uh huh.
June 14, 2018 at 5:18 am
June 18, 2018 at 6:58 pm
I just read your post with interest and thought you would like to know that according to a 2017 study by the Pew Research Center. Mormons with higher education were found to be religious. Here are the findings: “Among Mormons, those who are more highly educated are not simply as religious as those with less education – Mormons with college experience are more religiously observant, on average, than Mormons with less education. Fully 92% of college-educated Mormons are highly religious, as are 91% of Mormons with some college. Among Mormons whose education topped out with high school, however, just 78% score high on the index of religious observance.” I don’t have an extra $10,000 to betcha, but I do have a Master of Science degree.
* “In America, Does More Education Equal Less Religion?”
October 6, 2012 at 11:42 am
Here is a 12 minute video interview with Richard Dawkins March 25th on MSNBC. He discusses the following questions:
Does a politician’s private religious beliefs effect public policy? If a citizen has the right to question their lawmaker’s political opinions, should they also be able to question their outlook on religion?
I didn’t watch the presidential debate but Stephen Colbert’s mocking of Mitt’s creepy half-smile reminded me of the Mormon fundamentalist slogan, “keep sweet”. It’s what abused girls and women are told to do by their male masters. Apparently, Romney refused to go on The View because he was afraid to confront “sharp-tongued” women who are free to speak their minds and challenge male authority. I think the patriarchal, sexist attitudes of Mormons, the kind of attitude that tells children to keep sweet no matter how much they are abused and denied their rights, played some part in the Elizabeth Smart case. I think the indoctrination she received in the mainstream Mormon church, especially absolute obedience to authority, made her easy prey for the Mormon fundamentalist who kidnapped and assaulted her, using the same religious dogma to enslave her.
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October 6, 2012 at 12:06 pm
Thanks, Perry. Good information! I agree–the “keep sweet” mantra is creepy.
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October 6, 2012 at 12:29 pm
Another thought just occurred to me regarding the power that “obey your elders” has over people raised in certain cultures. A Korean-American speed skater recently admitted to tampering with an opponents skates. In his apology he mentioned the difficulty of disobeying an elder:
“He asked me in English … ‘mess up the blades,’” Cho said of his coach’s instructions. “Later he made the same request in Korean, he made it twice. He was not only coming to me as my coach but as a Korean elder. In the Korean culture, that’s very difficult to deny. I said I’d do it.” http://www.theglobeandmail.com/sports/us-speedskater-cho-truly-sorry-for-tampering-with-canadians-skates/article4591261/
In the Smart case, in my opinion, it was also culture that made it difficult for her to disobey a person who she could have easily seen as her elder, quoting the same scriptures her parents and church leaders did.
Of all the beliefs you list in this article, I think the last one, Lying for the Lord is Morally Acceptable, is the most dangerous. I practiced a similar doctrine for many years in the Children of God/Family International cult, which they called Deceivers Yet True, based on specific scriptures. see: http://www.exfamily.org/cgi-bin/gf.pl?fmt=dyn&t=articles&m=1&s=&r=art/exmem/family_policy_on_lying.shtml
As you will see in this detailed article, The Family has gone to great lengths to define what is a “lie,” when it is permissible to lie, and the justification for lying. Consider these claims in Berg’s writing, Deceivers, Yet True!, letter number 1248, paragraphs 4 & 5:
“The Lord & His Prophets frequently used deceit & sometimes outright lies, believe it or not, to accomplish God’s purpose. The law is the standard, but there are always exceptions to the rules, particularly if God’s the One Who makes the exceptions! God Himself is going to lie to them & deceive them because they refused the truth … God lied to them & deceived them & deluded them & damned them! What better proof can you have than that?—God sometimes uses lies!”
The title of Berg’s letter, Deceivers, Yet True! captures The Family’s thinking on lying. In fact, the words “deceivers, yet true,” are often quoted among Family members as a catch phrase meaning “condoned lying.” This expression is taken from the King James Version of the Bible, 2Corinthians 6:8, where the Apostle Paul says:
“By honour and dishonour, by evil report and good report: as deceivers, and yet true.”
Not bothering to read the entire passage in context to understand the meaning of these last five words, Berg quoted them as authorization to deceive to “accomplish God’s purpose.”
“Through glory and dishonour, bad report and good report; genuine, yet regarded as imposters.”
To honest readers, the meaning is clear. Paul was saying that he was genuine and had integrity, despite the fact that some regarded him as not genuine. Berg, however, insisted that this verse gave The Family free license to use deception as long as hey remained true in their hearts. …
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October 6, 2012 at 1:01 pm
It seems like when you have a hierarchical patriarchal closed system, similar characteristics emerge. A self-protective culture and rules get baked into sacred texts, and authorities use them to advance the mission even at the expense of individual members.
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Scott says:
September 10, 2013 at 3:52 am
“keep sweet” been LDS for along time and never herd that.
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September 10, 2013 at 6:50 am
Scott, if you look at my original comment at the top of this thread you will see that I wrote:
So, if you were LDS and not FLDS then that’s probably why you wouldn’t have heard the term. “Keep Sweet” is also the title of a book by a survivor of Mormon fundamentalism. http://www.childbrides.org/Book_Keep_Sweet.html
Also, I just learned that the fundamentalist Twelve Tribes also use that term “keep sweet”. They are well known for corporal punishment of children and recently the German authorities raided a commune and removed dozens of children. An American member of that group defending their practices mentioned that term when speaking to a reporter. See:
Donna M. says:
January 17, 2013 at 9:11 am
As a former 3rd gen Mormon I could never understand why Mitt’s religion wasn’t held up to scrutiny during the elections. If you’re not attending church three or four times a week, perhaps you don’t know that a core belief that is constantly chattered in the past decade is that:
1: The Last Days are upon us.
2: These Last Days will commence when the Middle East is in flaming ruins.
3: The flaming ruins will be brought about by the nation that birthed the One True Religion of God (Mormonism).
4: Once the Middle East has been completely annihilated by the U.S., Jesus will return to earth and take all the Mormons home to the planet Kolob. For a thousand years Mormons will work on the earth to baptize its entire population, deceased and all, and those who accept baptism will return to Kolob to live with Jesus and the Mormons. And of course, all their plural wives because apparently more women fall for Mormonism than do men.
To me, this was a tremendously dangerous man to be talking of putting in the White House. Every Mormon knows that each day Mitt opens his day on the phone with the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in prayer and instruction! That instruction comes and is firmly and promptly obeyed, throughout each and every day.
The true President of the United States this day could have been the man who authored and funded the Prop 8 fight in California – from several states away.
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January 28, 2015 at 12:20 am
You obviously are ignorant to many things taught to Mormons. First of all much of what we believe about the last days is brought out in the book of Revelations.
When the first seal is opened in the beginning verses of Revelation 6, there is shown to John an important occurrence from the first thousand years after the Fall. When the second seal is opened in the subsequent verses, John is shown something about the second thousand years. And so on through the first four seals. The fifth seal information presented to John represents both a time period and some events of which John knew a great deal. The Apostle is shown a representation of those who “were slain for the word of God” after the opening of the fifth seal. (Rev. 6:9)
For us, however, it is not until the sixth seal is opened (beginning at Rev. 6:12) that we begin to deal with events yet to occur. The sixth seal covers the sixth thousand year period, which generally would be about 1000 A.D. to 2000 A.D.
When we come to Revelation 8, we begin to read of the seventh seal, or the seventh thousand years of the earth’s temporal existence. During the early part of this period is when judgments come upon the earth in a final attempt to turn mankind’s heart to God; it will be sometime early in this period—how early is unspecified—when at last the earth will be cleansed, Christ will return, and the Millennium will begin.
We do believe the last days are upon. We believe that it will commence in the House of Judah, or in Jerusalem. The earth will be baptized by fire, but not literal fire, only fire referring to the Spirit of God (i.e. a man must be born of water and the spirit; the earth was born of water with Noah and then it will be cleansed with fire, or the spirit). Furthermore Kolob is only a place that is believed to be near God in our galaxy, however that is not where God lives; also the millenium will happen where we baptize those who did not get the chance then we will all have the chance to live with God again.
Once again you are ignorant to what we believe. Go to https://www.lds.org/?lang=eng to learn more.
A Mormon Youth says:
August 8, 2015 at 2:45 pm
I don’t know why everyone thinks that Mormon men have many wives. I find this Offensive to my religion, And I don’t know why people can’t keep their comments about LDS to themselves.
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November 30, 2015 at 3:53 pm
Wasn’t Mr. Romney also supposed to be a sort of “White Knight” or superhero prophesied by Joseph Smith? And yes, I thought it was odd that his religion was suddenly “mainstream” and totally accepted by the GOP, whereas years ago while attending a fundie evangelical church I was taught that Mormonism is a cult and NOT “real Christianity.” http://www.december212012.com/articles/religion/2012-%20White-Horse%20-Prophecy.htm
November 13, 2015 at 1:47 pm
November 14, 2017 at 12:47 am
What a out right lie. The Church is not sexist one bit. I have had so many callings in the Church I have had to say no. Women are highly regarded and I have never been abused. If anyone had ever tried I would pick up the heaviest thing I could find and hit as hard as I could. We are very strong women.
You find bullies in all churches. There are evil men everywhere. In our Church they get excommunicated if they hurt or abuse anyone!!!
I have been married for 49 years and I tell you one thing if my husband even looked like he was going to push me around, you can be sure he would learn very quickly, it ain’t happening.
You folks are just crazy. Use your brain. We don’t talk about other religions and how their male leaders abuse them and there are many faith that are lead by just men.
Sad, you all have nothing else better to talk about. That is just plain sad!!!
February 10, 2018 at 4:07 pm
Mary Frank Ralls, you are apparently unaware of the Christian Patriarchy Movement. Maybe this article and the ones at the end of it will open your eyes to sexism in Christian churches. https://religiouschildabuse.blogspot.ca/2011/01/christian-patriarchy-movements.html
January 14, 2019 at 11:21 am
Mormons’ appearance of being cheerful and nice and their conflict avoidance may also be rooted in the church’s expectation of perfection. They don’t want others to see any cracks. In many wards, esp. in heavy Mormon areas, there is an unspoken competition to see who can appear to be the most righteous.
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October 10, 2012 at 4:21 pm
I don’t think the idea of being black equates a curse is strictly Mormon. My grandfather believed that black skin was the mark of Cain and he was Church of God.
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Alan Seeger says:
October 19, 2012 at 5:26 pm
Similar beliefs were pretty prevalent in the “old days.” I think that sort of racist teaching was one way of justifying the practice of: a) keeping blacks as slaves, and later b) considering them as second class people.
October 19, 2012 at 6:35 pm
Yes, I think it was the endemic thinking at the time, which I never did understand.
Mr. T says:
July 17, 2013 at 2:39 pm
You are more correct than you know. In the days where the Mormon church is accused of espousing slavery virtually every other church did the same. Your Grandfather’s church and my Grandfather’s Lutheran church as well.
February 20, 2015 at 8:05 pm
Correct! Many Protestant churches back in JS’s day believed the curse of Cain had to do with skin color.
That’s not the problem. The problem is the misinterpretation of those verses by certain churches. The funny thing is Joseph Smiths ignorance of the misinterpretation (being the socalled Prophet of God) and claiming it all came from God Himself. They created a whole doctrine around it and then some!!
The other funny thing was how it was renounced. It was renounced from government pressure and they turned it into a “revelation”. However revelations of this magnitude are suppose to be inserted as scripture. Instead they simply edited their “scriptures” and created doublespeak and changed its meaning to soften the embarrassing doctrine. They simply marketed themselves of their obvious man-made doctrine.
By the way the revelation the prophet received regarding rhis should have been considered scripture and added to the Mornon quad. Instead a memo went out. Lol!
October 12, 2012 at 2:53 am
Reblogged this on Woosh. and commented:
I personally don’t know any Mormons, though according to google there is a strong LDS Church in the Philippines. This article has proven once again that there are simply some things about organized religion that I will never understand.
The comments are also worth reading and are as informative as the article itself.
October 12, 2012 at 10:50 pm
Bat crap crazy by bat crap crazy for the bat rap crazy from the land of the utterly bat crap crazy ! Humanity is grossly over rated.
October 19, 2012 at 10:23 pm
this is the 21st century and we still worry about people’s religion?
October 20, 2012 at 5:56 pm
When they hold such ridiculous ideas that dark skin is a curse from god, then yes, we worry.
January 28, 2015 at 12:01 am
In the Old Testament those who “mixed” race would be killed. However once Jesus Christ came to the earth that doctrine was done away with. Such as how the Law of Moses was done away with once Jesus came. Furthermore when the LDS church did not allow men who were colored to obtain the priesthood it was due to the fact that the Lord had not told the Prophet of our church to allow it at that time. Although it may seem like segregating unlike other churches we did not have separate meeting houses for each color. I personally know that we are allowed to mix race and I also know that “the dark skin thing” is not taught in doctrine, because my mom is white and my dad is black and I am a Mormon.
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January 28, 2015 at 6:59 am
It was taught in doctrine until very recently. Can a perfect god change his mind on something so profoundly immoral? And why would he happen to do so just at the time that the broader culture was shifting to recognize the immorality of racism? (And why would he follow the pack rather than leading?)
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November 14, 2015 at 8:10 pm
First and foremost, stick to the Hebrew scripture, go to a good rabbi, if you our not Jewish that you know of, become a noahide/ Ger. Please for your spiritual soul, get away from any thing that takes you away from Torah. Please get help.
November 13, 2014 at 2:53 pm
2014 calling. Ever heard of ISIS? Or Charles Manson? How about the religious people in Tokyo Japan, a dooms day religion (just like many Christian cults, including Mormonism) that attacked people in a subway with nerve gas?
Yes, some people are very concerned with religion and it’s effects on society.
October 20, 2012 at 4:35 am
October 20, 2012 at 11:24 am
Gordo says:
October 20, 2012 at 11:41 am
I’m a bit alarmed at one glaring inaccuracy in this and wonder what it implies for the thoroughness of the authors’ research. Fawn Brodie’s ground-breaking biography of Joseph Smith is entitled “No Man KNows My History”, not “No Man Knows My Name”. If such an easily checkable detail as that is missed what else are the authors missing or mistaken about?
October 20, 2012 at 1:59 pm
Embarrassing. the “knows my name” phrase comes from a song lyric that got swapped in during the writing process. I myself worry constantly about what else I may have missed. Thank you!
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Scott says:
September 9, 2013 at 1:49 am
I am LDS and i have never heard the term “keep sweet”. One funny term we use is “Be Good”.
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October 21, 2016 at 1:56 pm
Scott, read mark 10:18 before you say anything is ‘good’
October 20, 2012 at 6:09 pm
I have a few problems with your ‘cultural’ conclusion on both genetics and behavioural psychological factual grounds.
Research has shown that ‘culture’ (conditioning/ environment ) constitutes varying amounts of the personality estimated between 25- 60%. The remaining is attributed to genetics i.e. a propensity. Again this varies from individual to individual.
I’d also point out that Korean culture is also Bigger on honesty etc.
In essence I think the skater’s actions were probably motivated by several separate factors that were largely unique to him . Therefore I have issues with the broad brush stroke painting of the act as simply a manifestation of Korean Culture. I think your conclusion is way too simplistic (stereotyping) and potentially betrays your cultural input (bias).
On an anthropological level. It is nonsense to discuss a culture in term of it’s attributes without some reference to the the context…
Culture in my mind it is in fact a manifestation ( human response over time to solving real environmental issues) what it isn’t is a set of fixed attributes in isolation to it’s context.
i.e. In one of Australian aboriginal cultures (yes there were many) there were strict taboos to marrying into one’s own totem ( often an animal) simply put it was a way of stopping inbreeding.
In PNG certain tribes has particular Taboo’s of hunting in certain parts of the jungle at a certain time of the year. To enforce it they believed that malicious spirits abounded there at that time.The reality was this part and time coincided with the breeding season. In one clan the tribes made major decisions by the whole tribe even women yet their role was by some feminist models sexist in that men had duties and women had duties… every person knew and accepted their place in the tribe and drew their identity (place in the universe) from both hierarchy in our sense was a mystery to them. Primitive culture ? because they were shamanistic? We could learn some from them.
Was their life utopian …no it was short and brutal by our standards. The point I’m making is that it isn’t that simple and never is. Such stereotyping is the plinth on which prejudices are cobbled together.
PS I am not a professional and claim no special expertise. I do claim to have spent my formative childhood living among a couple of the PNG tribes (due to my parent’s jobs) and contact with many more. I was fluent in 2 of the 800+ languages, now a days not so much.
Pingback: Waarom kindmisbruikende RK-priesters geestelijk normaal zijn | Mallemoeders blog…
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January 17, 2013 at 8:20 pm
i’ll admit, i didn’t take the time to read the whole post. but i did read each of the main twelve points. as a returned missionary for the lds church, none of the points you brought up are things the church wants to hide at all, with the exception of #3 (which is just straight up false, the church doesn’t believe dark skin is a sign of God’s curse. maybe random weirdo members do, but there are random weirdos in every religion that believe racist crap, but the point is that nowhere in church doctrine is this taught officially).
i literally gave up gum and snowboarding and dating and the internet for 18 months knocking on stranger’s doors begging anyone who would listen to take time out of their lives trying to SHARE everything you just claimed we are trying to hide. i have sacrificed too much in the name of sharing everything you just claimed we are hiding to not leave a comment letting you know that you are ill-informed. as a writer, i can’t think of any worse crime to commit. as as fellow writer, i’m even going so far as to ask you to revert this post to a draft until you’ve researched enough to share accurate info. if you are only posting to collect views and comments then i fully expect this comment to be deleted and ignored.
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Ohrwurm says:
December 12, 2013 at 2:52 pm
“i literally gave up gum and snowboarding and dating and the internet for 18 months knocking on stranger’s doors begging anyone who would listen to take time out of their lives trying to SHARE everything you just claimed we are trying to hide.”
That’s why people don’t like you guys. That’s rude and impolite to pretend to knock on a stranger’s door and that they have to give you their time for nothing. It is different from culture to culture but where I live the least you’d get is the door slammed on your face for such conduct… which takes me to the next thing:
“i have sacrificed too much”
If it was your choice, it’s basically your problem. If anyone demanded it from you against your will then they’re the problem. If you have a problem with being a mormon and the things the mormon church demands from you then you should reconsider your affiliation with them. IT IS THAT EASY.
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January 19, 2014 at 6:36 pm
I have heard the dark skin thing taught. It wasn’t specifically discussed but it is definitely in the doctrine.
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:50 pm
Joseph Smith “Had I anything to do with the negro, I would confine them by strict law to their own species and put them on a national equalization.” (History of the Church, Vol. 5, pp. 218-19.)
Brigham Young, 2nd President of the Church
“Shall I tell you the law of God in regard to the African race? If the white man who belongs to the chosen seed mixes his blood with the seed of Cain, the penalty, under the law of God, is death on the spot. This will always be so.” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses, Volume 10, page 110.)
You see some classes of the human family that are black, uncouth, un- comely, disagreeable and low in their habits, wild, and seemingly deprived of nearly all the blessings of the intelligence that is generally bestowed upon mankind. The first man that committed the odious crime of killing one of his brethren will be cursed the longest of any one of the children of Adam. Cain slew his brother. Cain might have been killed, and that would have put a termination to that line of human beings. This was not to be, and the Lord put a mark upon him, which is the flat nose and black skin. Trace mankind down to after the flood, and then another curse is pronounced upon the same race – that they should be the “servant of servants;” and they will be, until that curse is removed; and the Abolitionists cannot help it, nor in the least alter that decree. How long is that race to endure the dreadful curse that is upon them? That curse will remain upon them, [p.291] and they never can hold the Priesthood or share in it until all the other descendants of Adam have received the promises and enjoyed the blessings of the Priesthood and the keys thereof. Until the last ones of the residue of Adam’s children are brought up to that favourable position, the children of Cain cannot receive the first ordinances of the Priesthood. They were the first that were cursed, and they will be the last from whom the curse will be removed. When the residue of the family of Adam come up and receive their blessings, then the curse will be removed from the seed of Cain, and they will receive blessings in like proportion. – (Journal of Discourses 7:290-291, October 9, 1859)
“You may inquire of the intelligent of the world whether they can tell why the aborigines of this country are dark, loathsome, ignorant, and sunken into the depths of degradation …When the Lord has a people, he makes covenants with them and gives unto them promises: then, if they transgress his law, change his ordinances, and break his covenants he has made with them, he will put a mark upon them, as in the case of the Lamanites and other portions of the house of Israel; but by-and-by they will become a white and delightsome people” (Brigham Young, Journal of Discourses 7:336).
It is not the prerogative of the President of the United States to meddle with this matter, and Congress is not allowed, according to the [p.40] Constitution, to legislate upon it. If Utah was admitted into the Union as a sovereign State, and we chose to introduce slavery here, it is not their business to meddle with it; and even if we treated our slaves in an oppressive manner, it is still none of their business and they ought not to meddle with it. Journal of Discourses 4:39-40 (Aug 31, 1856)
“In our first settlement in Missouri, it was said by our enemies that we intended to tamper with the slaves, not that we had any idea of the kind, for such a thing never entered our minds. We knew that the children of Ham were to be the “servant of servants,” and no power under heaven could hinder it, so long as the Lord would permit them to welter under the curse and those were known to be our religious views concerning them.” (Journal of Discourses, vol. 2, p. 172).
John Taylor, 3rd President of the Church
“And after the flood we are told that the curse that had been pronounced upon Cain was continued through Ham’s wife, as he had married a wife of that seed. And why did it pass through the flood? because it was necessary that the devil should have a representation upon the earth as well as God;…”
Wilford Woodruff, 4th President of the Church
“And if any man mingle his seed with the seed of Cain the only way he could get rid of it or have Salvation would be to come forward and have his head cut off and spill his blood upon the ground- it would also take the life of his children.”
The belief that blacks were less valiant in the pre-existence may have been started by Orson Hyde, an original member of the Quorum of the Twelve Apostles. This is the earliest statement we are aware of that discusses this:
At the time the devil was cast out of heaven, there were .some spirits that did not know who had the authority, whether God or the devil. They consequently did not take a very active part on either side, but rather thought the devil had been abused, and considered he had rather the best claim to the government.
These spirits were not considered bad enough to be cast down to hell, and never have bodies ; neither were they considered worthy of an honourable body on this earth : but it came to pass that Ham, the son of Noah, saw the nakedness of his father while he lay drunk in his tent, and he with ” wicked joy,” ran like Rigdon, and made the wonderful disclosure to his brethren ; while Shem and Japheth took a garment, with pity and compassion, laid it upon their shoulders—went backwards and covered their father, and saw not his nakedness. The joy of the first was to expose—that of the second was to cover the unseemliness of their father. The conduct of the former brought the curse of slavery upon him, while that of the latter secured blessings, jurisdiction, power and dominion. Here was the beginning of blessing and cursing in the family of Noah, and here also is the cause of both. Canaan, the son of Ham, received the curse ; for Noah wished to place the curse as remote from himself as possible. He therefore placed it upon his grandson instead of his son.
Now, it would seem cruel to force pure celestial spirits into the world through the lineage of Canaan that had been cursed. This would be ill appropriate, putting the precious and vile together. But those spirits in heaven that rather lent an influence to the devil, thinking he had a little the best right to govern, but did not take a very active part any way were required to come into the world and take bodies in the accursed lineage of Canaan ; and hence the negro or African race. Now, therefore, all those who are halting concerning who has the right to govern had better look at the fate of their brethren that have gone before them, and take warning in time
lest they learn obedience by the things which they suffer. ” Choose ye this day whom you will serve.” These things are among the mysteries of the kingdom, and I have told them, not by constraint or by commandment, but by permission.
Joseph Fielding Smith, President of the Church
“Not only was Cain called upon to suffer, but because of his wickedness he became the father of an inferior race. A curse placed upon him and that curse has been continued through his lineage and must do so while time endures. Millions of souls have come into this world cursed with a black skin and have been denied the privilege of Priesthood and the fullness of the blessings of the Gospel. These are the descendants of Cain. Moreover, they have been made to feel their inferiority and have been separated from the rest of mankind from the beginning…. we will also hope that blessings may eventually be given to our negro brethren, for they are our brethren-children of God-not withstanding their black covering emblematical of eternal darkness. ” The Way to Perfection, pages 101-102. http://www.barncow.com/curseofcain/
“There is a reason why one man is born black and with other disadvantages, while another is born white with great advantages. The reason is that we once had an estate before we came here, and were obedient, more or less, to the laws that were given us there. Those who were faithful in all things there received greater blessings here, and those who were not faithful received less.” (Doctrines of Salvation, p. 61)
“I would not want you to believe that we bear any animosity toward the Negro. “Darkies” are wonderful people, and they have their place in our church.” Look magazine, October 22, 1963, page 79.
President Brigham Young, answering a question put to him by Elder Lorenzo D. Young in a meeting held December 25 , 1869, in Salt Lake City, said that Joseph Smith had declared that the Negroes were not neutral in heaven, for all the spirits took sides, but the posterity of Cain are black because he (Cain) committed murder.” The Way to Perfection, pages 105-106.
“That negro race, for instance, have been placed under restrictions because of their attitude in the world of spirits, few will doubt. It cannot be looked upon as just that they should be deprived of the power of the Priesthood without it being a punishment for some act, or acts, performed before they were born.” The Way to Perfection, page 43.
“Ham, through Egyptus, continued the curse which was placed upon the seed of Cain. Because of that curse this dark race was separated and isolated from all the rest of Adam’s posterity before the flood, and since that time the same condition has continued, and they have been ‘despised among all people.’ This doctrine did not originate with President Brigham Young but was taught by the Prophet Joseph Smith …. we all know it is due to his teachings that the negro today is barred from the Priesthood.” The Way to Perfection, pages 110-111.
Spencer W. Kimball, 12th President of the Church
“The day of the Lamanites in nigh. For years they have been growing delightsome… The children in the home placement program in Utah are often lighter than their brothers and sisters in the hogans on the reservation…There was the doctor in a Utah city who for two years had had an Indian boy in his home who stated that he was some shades lighter than the younger brother just coming into the program from the reservation. These young members of the Church are changing to whiteness and to delightsomeness. Spencer W. Kimball; The Improvement Era, Dec. 1960, p. 923)
“Negroes in this life are denied the Priesthood; under no circumstances can they hold this delegation of authority from the Almighty. (Abra. 1:20-27.) The gospel message of salvation is not carried affirmatively to them… negroes are not equal with other races where the receipt of certain spiritual blessings are concerned, particularly the priesthood and the temple blessings that flow there from, but this inequality is not of man’s origin. It is the Lord’s doing, is based on his eternal laws of justice, and grows out of the lack of Spiritual valiance of those concerned in their first estate.” (Mormon Doctrine, 1966, pp. 527-528)
“God has commanded Israel not to intermarry. To go against this commandment of God would be in sin. Those who willfully sin with their eyes open to this wrong will not be surprised to find that they will be separated from the presence of God in the world to come. This is spiritual death.
“The reason that one would lose his blessings by marrying a Negro is due to the restriction placed upon them. “No person having the least particle of Negro blood can hold the Priesthood” (Brigham Young). It does not matter if they are one-sixth Negro or one-hundred and sixth, the curse of no Priesthood is the same. If an individual who is entitled to the Priesthood marries a Negro, the Lord has decreed that only spirits who are not eligible for the Priesthood will come to that marriage as children. To intermarry with a Negro is to forfeit a “Nation of Priesthood holders.
“The discussion on civil rights, especially over the last 20 years, has drawn some very sharp lines. It has blinded the thinking of some of our own people, I believe. They have allowed their political affiliations to color their thinking to some extent, and then, of course, they have been persuaded by some of the arguments that have been put forth.We who teach in the Church certainly must have our feet on the ground and not to be led astray by the philosophies of men on this subject.
“I think I have read enough to give you an idea of what the Negro is after. He is not just seeking the opportunity of sitting down in a cafe where white people eat. He isn’t just trying to ride on the same streetcar or the same Pullman car with white people. It isn’t that he just desires to go to the same theater as the white people. From this, and other interviews I have read, it appears that the Negro seeks absorption with the white race. He will not be satisfied until he achieves it by intermarriage. That is his objective and we must face it. We must not allow our feelings to carry us away, nor must we feel so sorry for Negroes that we will open our arms and embrace them with everything we have. Remember the little statement that we used to say about sin, ‘First we pity, then endure, then embrace’.
“Now let’s talk about segregation again for a few moments. Was segregation a wrong principle? When the Lord chose the nations to which the spirits were to come, determining that some would be Japanese and some would be Chinese and some Negroes and some Americans, He engaged in an act of segregation.
“When he told Enoch not preach the gospel to the descendants of Cain who were black, the Lord engaged in segregation. When He cursed the descendants of Cain as to the Priesthood, He engaged in segregation.
“Who placed the Negroes originally in darkest Africa? Was it some man, or was it God? And when He placed them there, He segregated them.
“The Lord segregated the people both as to blood and place of residence. At least in the cases of the Lamanites and the Negro we have the definite word of the Lord Himself that he placed a dark skin upon them as a curse — as a punishment and as a sign to all others. He forbade intermarriage with them under threat of extension of the curse. And He certainly segregated the descendants of Cain when He cursed the Negro as to the Priesthood, and drew an absolute line. You may even say He dropped an Iron curtain there.
“Now we are generous with the Negro. We are willing that the Negro have the highest education. I would be willing to let every Negro drive a Cadillac if they could afford it. I would be willing that they have all the advantages they can get out of life in the world. But let them enjoy these things among themselves. I think the Lord segregated the Negro and who is man to change that segregation? It reminds me of the scripture on marriage, ‘what God hath joined together, let not man put asunder.’ Only here we have the reverse of the thing – what God hath separated, let not man bring together again.
“Think of the Negro, cursed as to the priesthood.This Negro, who, in the pre-existence lived the type of life which justified the Lord in sending him to the earth in their lineage of Cain with a black skin, and possibly being born in darkest Africa–if that Negro is willing when he hears the gospel to accept it, he may have many of the blessings of the gospel. In spite of all he did in the pre-existent life, the Lord is willing, if the Negro accepts the gospel with real, sincere faith, and is really converted, to give him the blessings of baptism and the gift of the Holy Ghost. If that Negro is faithful all his days, he can and will enter the celestial kingdom. He will go there as a servant, but he will get celestial glory.” (Apostle Mark E. Peterson, Race Problems – As They Affect The Church, Convention of Teachers of Religion on the College Level, Brigham Young University, Provo, Utah, August 27, 1954) Link to Talk
Apostle George F. Richards (spoken in conference)
“The negro is an unfortunate man. He has been given a black skin….But that is as nothing compared with that greater handicap that he is not permitted to receive the Priesthood and the ordinances of the temple, necessary to prepare men and women to enter into and enjoy a fulness of glory in the celestial kingdom….What is the reason for this condition, we ask, and I find it to my satisfaction to think that as spirit children of our Eternal Father they were not valiant in the fight. We are told that Michael and his angels fought, and we understand that we stood with Christ our Lord, on the platform, “Father, thy will be done, and the glory be thine forever.” I cannot conceive our Father consigning his children to a condition such as that of the negro race, if they had been valiant in the spirit world in that war in heaven. Neither could they have been a part of those who rebelled and were cast down, for the latter had not the privilege of tabernacling in the flesh. Somewhere along the line were these spirits, indifferent perhaps, and possibly neutral in the war. We have no definite knowledge concerning this. But I learn this lesson from it, brethren and sisters, and I believe we all should, that it does not pay in religious matters, matters that pertain to our eternal salvation, to be indifferent, neutral, or lukewarm
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September 16, 2015 at 5:06 am
Thomas Paine wrote, “What we obtain too cheap, we esteem too lightly: it is dearness only that gives every thing its value. Heaven knows how to put a proper price upon its goods;….”
This quote and your post helps me understand how anyone could believe such things. I marvel at the presumptive arrogance it must take for someone to knock on doors and tell another intelligent (I hope) person that their creed or beliefs is better than the ones they hold. As someone who determined early in life that all super natural belief was impossible to know and wishful thinking, I find all religions disappointing to say the least. It seems like so much silliness. Angels, gold tablets you lose, magic underwear, you must admit it is far-fetched. Add to that the fact that Smith was convicted of fraud and LDS looks like an epidemic of contagious insanity. If you read “Under the Banner of Heaven” by Jon Krakauer, you will discover that it wasn’t always a benign case.
January 17, 2013 at 8:29 pm
also, as a self-described book of mormon scholar and life-long devout latter-day saint, i’d love to help you learn more accurate facts about correct church beliefs and official/unofficial doctrines. feel free to reach out: case.kelli@gmail.com
also, lds.org and mormon.org are good places to receive accurate information. happy blogging!
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:46 pm
Where is the garden of Eden? Joseph Smith said it is in Missouri while the Book of Moses in the PGP states that it is the mideast of the old world
Lash says:
August 19, 2015 at 7:59 pm
We don’t know. It’s guarded by Angels so that man can’t get in. Adam-ondi-adman is in Missouri(Were he gathered his children and such)
May 22, 2013 at 9:47 am
I remember watching a news story on television, the facts of which I was personally familiar with, since it occurred in my neighborhood. I was amazed at how such a simple, straightforward story could be so twisted. I assume it was misrepresented for the purpose of increasing the interest of the viewers. The same thing has happened here. If you want to learn about what Mormon’s believe, ask a Mormon! This article was obviously written to shock, rather than reveal truth.
Jen says:
June 17, 2013 at 4:17 pm
I’m an ex-Mormon and I find this post to be blatant yellow journalism. Do Mormons have some weird beliefs? Yep. Do other Christians have some weird beliefs? Yep. All religions sound crazy when you’re not fully educated in them. This article was SO clearly written with an anti-Mormon bias, to the point that I was going, “Blatantly false, sensationalism, blatantly false, etc.” As I said, I left the church, but for the life of me, I can’t understand people who claim to know everything about members of the LDS church and claim that they are all crazy and evil, or naive followers who have been duped by an evil brainwashing cult. The LDS church is a very wholesome religion; I don’t believe it, but many VERY intelligent people that I love and respect do. So let’s tone down the ignorance and hatred, please :)
June 17, 2013 at 10:07 pm
“All religions sound crazy when you’re not fully educated in them.”
According to the words ascribed to the mythical Jesus, whom Mormons apparently believe in, you have to become as a little child to enter the ‘kingdom’of god’. No education necessary, just simple unquestioning faith. All the rest is just religious artifice used by immoral men (mostly) to control others. And all of it sounds crazy, no matter how shallow or deep my understanding of a particular religion’s dogma is.
I have a very deep understanding of Christianity, as a former believer, and a very shallow understanding of Hinduism, yet both seem utterly crazy to me.
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Mriana says:
June 18, 2013 at 6:06 am
One has to become like a child in almost any Xian religious belief. As Spong said, “The Church doesn’t want people to grow up, because you can’t control grown ups.” in his video interview concerning Hell. I too am a former believer and I know all too well about this “Heavenly Father” who is “Father to the fatherless” etc etc.
However, as you said, it really doesn’t take much education, just brainwashing, esp from birth, because brainwashing before the age of 7 is best, just so you can control them for a lifetime and keep them in the fold. Of course, this method isn’t foolproof, obviously.
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July 9, 2013 at 6:03 am
Becoming a child does not mean having simple unquestioning faith. Becoming a child involves increasingly becoming more like the savior. It means having a faith that is tempered with experience and that continually looks forward and upward. Being child like to me means being optimistic about the future and hopeful. It also involves recognizing my relationship with God which is a father-son relationship. It also involves what the savior described as being “wise like serpents and harmless as doves…” Continual learning as well as disciplined discipleship is the hallmark of a true disciple of Christ.
I like how the Book of Mormon explains it
“For the natural man is an enemy to God, and has been from the fall of Adam, and will be, forever and ever, unless he yields to the enticings of the Holy Spirit, and putteth off the natural man and becometh a saint through the atonement of Christ the Lord, and becometh as a child, submissive, meek, humble, patient, full of love, willing to submit to all things which the Lord seeth fit to inflict upon him, even as a child doth submit to his father.” (Mosiah 3:19)
July 9, 2013 at 3:14 pm
There is no reply button to respond to symphonyofdissent, so I’ve submitted it under my previous comment in this thread..
You contradict yourself, sod, when you write that “becoming a child … means having a faith that is tempered with experience”. Children have very little or no experience, so they must rely on the adults around them to teach them the reality of life, how to think critically, and how to separate fact from fiction. The dogma attributed to some guy named Jesus that one must become as a child to enter heaven, can only be understood as a requirement not to question or doubt the dogma, just accept it the same way a child accepts that Santa is real. You can twist the interpretation with your cognitive dissonance, but that doesn’t change that biblical imperative.
The Book of Mormon just makes up things or copies things, just like the Bible. There is a similar scripture in the Bible to the one you quote, which says that the carnal mind is at enmity with God (KJV). Knowledge, learning, questioning, doubting are all bad things according to the Bible. How many children raised in the Mormon faith are allowed to really doubt and question everything they are taught by their parents, teachers and elders? I suspect that most, as in many other denominations, dare not question the dogma, which is how all religions perpetuate themselves.
January 27, 2015 at 11:47 pm
Actually we very greatly believe in education. And yes we are told to become as a child, because children are meek, submissive, and lowly in heart. Although our minds and our bodies are constantly growing until we can become like unto a child who is a lover of all people then the Lord may judge us differently. By different I mean that we may not enter the highest degree of the Kingdom Of God because we did not become as a child.
“Search the scriptures — search the revelations which we publish and ask your Heavenly Father, in the name of His Son Jesus Christ, to manifest the truth unto you, and if you do it with an eye single to His glory nothing doubting, He will answer you by the power of His Holy Spirit. You will then know for yourselves and not for another.”
If you heed the council of the Prophet Joseph Smith and intently pray to find if “Mormonism” is not true the Lord will give you the answer.
And if you truly do have and understanding of Christianity then you will know that the LDS religion believes in Jesus Christ as the Son of God and that is what our church is based on.
Mr. T says:
July 17, 2013 at 2:30 pm
As a Mormon, I cannot speak for early leaders whose comments were wrong.
But as an honest person I will recognize
something completely proven. I am disappointed that while the church does so many good things that are never mentioned that we seem to be dishonest about the past. Scared too death of it actually. If you are going to possess to be the true Church then you MUST BE TOTALLY HONEST. I do not believe our Lord ever covered up anything, even when it costs him followers. That , quite frankly is what troubles me so much. Jesus never had to be forced to tell the truth. Even if (and it did) killed Him. To the learned, highly educated leaders of our church
this member of no standing counsels
Just tell the truth, the WHOLE truth and
nothing but the truth. There is no such thing as lying for The Lord. This I do know in the name of Jesus Christ.
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:43 pm
thanks for your honesty. They all were teaching that Adam is God doctrine back then not just Brigham Young
July 21, 2013 at 11:07 pm
Everything said in this article can be said of all of the Christian religions and non Christian religions. This article was written by an Evangelical. That should be a red flag right there. Evangelical’s are scared of everything they do not understand. They live in a “black and white” way of thinking world/bubble. The universe scares them because they do not undrstand it. I truly do not know how EV’s function in a world that is NOT black and white. Not everything has answers. There are many shades of grey in the world.
Donna M said: “Every Mormon knows that each day Mitt opens his day on the phone with the Prophet, Thomas S. Monson, in prayer and instruction! That instruction comes and is firmly and promptly obeyed, throughout each and every day.” TOTAL #$^$%#$^&#%^& BS. That is like saying the Pope controlled the White House when Pres. Kennedy was in office. As a former Mormon you sound like you have a huge axe to grind. Every time a new U.S. President is elected the President of the LDS church meets with the new U.S. President, several times during that U.S.President’s time in the White House. As do other Preachers/Pastors/Leaders of other religious denominations. So I guess Pres. Obama calls up all these religious leaders every morning to have prayer and then decides who to follow for the day! HAH!!!
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December 17, 2013 at 5:44 am
Actually, the body of this article was written by a retired professor of religion who is Presbyterian ordained and who taught primarily at a Jesuit college.
August 30, 2013 at 2:23 pm
Joy D. says:
September 27, 2014 at 8:45 pm
You are right on with your conclusion. I am an ex-Mormon that was brainwashed. It amazes me that my well-educated siblings can’t see all the lies. They really don’t want to see anything for fear of loosing their eternal salvation. I am a Christian now and very happy!
November 13, 2015 at 1:52 pm
I hate when my eternal salvation gets loose. Such a pain to catch it.
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burnt says:
February 26, 2015 at 7:25 am
do they also know how to turn off their CAPS LOCK?
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September 16, 2015 at 7:40 am
Ken says:
September 10, 2013 at 9:05 am
I am a professor of 33 years and a devout Mormon. I am astonished at the lack of truth on this web site… the lack of current scientific knowledge is most concerning, the apparent lack of willingness on the part of the webmaster to include information that refutes the sincere or pathological claims of some contributors is propagandistic. As a neuropsychologist, I’m very interested in the basis for this mental motivation.
To address a few points: The Early Americas were, at the time of Joseph Smith, thought to have been verdant, unpopulated areas with no understanding among historians and anthropologists as to the number and variety of populations that had arrived in South America. Joseph was criticized for saying that “many people” had come to the continent. It was beyond the understanding of the science of the time. Now that has changed. We now know that many “peoples” have inhabited the land. Many have come and gone and many have mixed with the people of this “new country.” Joseph was criticized for including them in the beginning, and now he is criticized that they existed at all given modern day understanding of science. He said there were many people long before science believed this to be the case. Now it is understood. Argue what you want… he saw it long before the science of the day and it has come to pass.
One writer of this this sites mentions the “scoundrel” of Joseph Smith. I call him out as a liar!!! He attempts to appear “objective” but in reality he want to rip the doctrine apart. In truth, I am the same in reverse. That is way I recognize his methods. I am for the for Mormons, he is against. so how does one know? Are we both mentally ill? Maybe. But he is not willing to admit the possibility and thus the objectivity of science is gone. This web site should not host the ravings of the mentally ill. That does not advance the discussion.
“Every day Mitt opens his phone with the prophet.” Now that is mentally ill…. and that’s coming from a trained neuropsychologist. That contributor needs help. Go get it. That is the kind of prejudice and bigotry that has driven the uneducated masses of Islam to radical terrorism. Take a Prozac.
The so called Mormon apologizing for the past…. what a transparent crock. If you were LDS you should get a spine. If now, which is the case in researching the cookies, you are a liar and a hypocrite.
And for all the contributors criticizing the Book of Mormon, the psychological basis of your criticism is transparent. Normally a therapist would try to make the patient feel better before suggesting change but in this case, the basis for the comments is justification of beliefs that are unstable within your own minds and rip on others to sure up your own shaky and unstable beliefs.
There are forces in the Universe that are less understood and once you break from your culture and upbringing and allow and objective review and understanding of all the options, once you allow you “learned hatred” to not be the strongest forces in your life, you may discover the truth,…. “and the truth shall set you free.”
It will be interesting to see if the webmaster even allows you to see this.
September 10, 2013 at 3:17 pm
For a professor and neuropsychologist you sure have poor grammar and communication skills, as well as poor critical thinking and reasoning skills. You have not made even one convincing argument with that religious rant.
As for truth, you are speaking of religious ‘truth’, not facts and reality. As Bob Dylan sings: “All the ‘truth’ in the world adds up to one big lie.”
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emily says:
October 13, 2013 at 10:17 pm
Why so rude Perry?
October 26, 2013 at 10:47 am
Emily, I merely responded in kind. Did you read Ken’s comments? It is filled with rudeness towards other commenters here, calling them liars, unstable, mentally ill. Since you only pointed out my rudeness, and ignored Ken’s rudeness, I can only assume you too are a Mormon apologist that dismisses the harm its dogma causes.
My rudeness was far less mean-spirited than Ken’s. I merely pointed out the oddity of a professor with poor writing and thinking skills unable to make a rational convincing argument and confined my comment to him, whereas Ken’s rudeness was directed generally at commenters who disagree with him, stereotyping them as mentally ill, which I think is far far ruder than my comment to him.
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 4:57 pm
Have you ever read the 1830 version of the BOM ? Talk about poor grammar !
James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:49 am
So deluded.
September 3, 2017 at 3:37 pm
I am reading it September 3, 2017 ~ almost 4 years after you posted it….
KT says:
October 25, 2013 at 5:37 pm
Ken says:
September 10, 2013 at 9:05 am
“To address a few points: The Early Americas were, at the time of Joseph Smith, thought to have been verdant, unpopulated areas with no understanding among historians and anthropologists as to the number and variety of populations that had arrived in South America. Joseph was criticized for saying that “many people” had come to the continent. It was beyond the understanding of the science of the time. Now that has changed. We now know that many “peoples” have inhabited the land. Many have come and gone and many have mixed with the people of this “new country.” Joseph was criticized for including them in the beginning, and now he is criticized that they existed at all given modern day understanding of science. He said there were many people long before science believed this to be the case. Now it is understood. Argue what you want… he saw it long before the science of the day and it has come to pass.”
If you are actually a professor, I fear for your students. Greatly.
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James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:48 am
Science is one of the things that proves all religion false. Joseph Smith was a con-man.
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john says:
November 22, 2013 at 7:59 pm
While much of this is accurate information, it is not true that “[polygamy] is still enshrined in the revealed Scriptures as necessary for obtaining godhood.” And LDS and FLDS are two very different things, and doctrines, practices, and especially the people in the two groups should not be lumped together because they are two very different things.
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Ohrwurm says:
December 12, 2013 at 2:56 pm
“And LDS and FLDS are two very different things”
Well, I only see they are only a F away from each other. I’d bet they have more in common than differences but that’s me: I’m always looking more on the side of big similarities than other people who are always discriminating on the little differences.
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mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:32 pm
most of the fundamentals have also kept the Adam is God doctrine that was being taught in the early LDS church
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:41 pm
December 14, 2013 at 1:07 am
This article is well over 50% false. I’m bookmarking this page and someday will address all the BS in this article, line by line. Nevertheless it will probably be futile because of the hardness of the prejudice out there.
Most of you bigoted people are evil and ugly and the only thing stopping me from terminating y’all is that Jesus said I was to love y’all.
So, instead, I love each and every one of you. And, because Jesus asked
me to, I strive to “love (my) enemies, bless them that curse (me), do good to them that hate, and pray for them who despitefully use and persecute” [yep, check your KJV Bible].
It’s a beautiful thing, you should try it.
December 14, 2013 at 8:47 am
So, you admit to having homicidal tendencies towards people who don’t accept your beliefs and the only thing stopping you is your reliance on cherry-picking scriptures that confirm your bias?
That pretty much sums up fundamentalists, whose beliefs are particularly dangerous to women and children. And complaining you are being ‘persecuted’ because of what other people say or believe is hilarious, especially since Jesus promised his followers would be persecuted. Come on, admit it, you enjoy being ‘persecuted’ because it ‘proves’ you are a follower. You should wear it like a badge of honour instead of expressing your desire to “terminate”, i.e., murder unbelievers.
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October 24, 2014 at 9:27 pm
The LDS church does not in any way lead to members having homicidal tendencies towards others of other beliefs. As scriptures teach (biblical and LDS) we are to love one another regardless of their actions and beliefs. Doesn’t mean we agree with them but it is no excuse to be rude to one another or have homicidal tendencies. “Richman” was not “admitting” to having those because that has nothing to do with the church. All this hate towards the church is hurtful and quite mean merely for the reason of trying to attack a specific group of people. The members of the LDS church strive to be just like Christ as do members of other churches as well. The LDS church does good but most non-members don’t recognize that because a lot of them don’t want to give the church any credibility or positive words. Lots don’t believe what Mormons do but that doesn’t give them a right to bash on what they do believe. When the gospel principles are studied one would come to realize that the church teaches very good principles that everyone can benefit from. We’re here on earth to return to Heavenly Father and Christ and we’re suppose to be doing the best we can living the life in Christs’ image. Of course we will never be perfect as Christ was when He was here but thats what we strive for each and every day to be the best that we can be.
James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:46 am
You’re in deep denial; all of this is true, especially the archeology/anthropology and Joseph Smith being a crook. Also, Christianity is not being persecuted even a microscopic bit in Europe or the Americas.
December 14, 2013 at 2:04 pm
The issue that drove me out of Mormonism was the Book of Abraham. The papyri that Smith used to produce the book were found in 1967 in a Museum in New York.They were translated by Egyptologists and found to have nothing to do with Abraham and were Egyption funerary documents.
December 14, 2013 at 3:33 pm
Sorry, I didn’t get any farther than “it[‘]s racist past…” when I reallized [proof]reading the entire essay would have me climbing the walls…
December 14, 2013 at 6:25 pm
Thanks. Fixed. I tend to see what I meant to write.
December 14, 2013 at 3:44 pm
“Among the problems with this scenario are…,” IS, IS, IS!!! I give up!
December 14, 2013 at 6:27 pm
Whew, you’re wrong on this one. “Are” is followed by a series of three items. But I am actually grateful when people point out typos and other errors. I simply don’t see them all no matter how many times I re-read an article.
December 15, 2013 at 1:20 am
Ok. I am not a mormon. But, I stumbled onto this as a result of other research.
I am angry with the scientific comunity for propagating that Native Americans are the Decendants of Mongols. First, the Mongol People did not exist in the East European area at the time of the Ice Bridge. This is a known anthropological fact. The mongolid people were in central to west Europe at that time. Next, the techonology in the Americas suggests that The people more likely migrated over from the far east of Europe. (See arrow heads, and battle axes) all this technology predates to east europe, and was never used by the mongoloid people. Next, during the age of Kahn, there was a heavy slave influx of Jewish people into the Mongol population. This was known when the genetic studies were made, and a lot of data was tossed. In my opinion, the conclusions are completely invalid. And, even today, you can find a large amount of Jewish markers in Mongol decendants. Hence, if you are trying to say that this is proof against the Mormonism, you are blowing smoke up someones ass trying to prove a point.
The truth is, that there were multipule migrations to the americas. There is proof positive that early in the Xin dynasty Xin (now common chineese) had several boats that may have left large settlements in the americas. Remains have been found to confirm this. There is proof positive that there were decendants that crossed the atlantic bridge. This is easily seen in the common technologies. The people that inhabited the north russian area at the time of the pacific bridge were most likely pre-siberinic white, and not likely did not contribute much. But, the Eskimo people do have a strong coorilation to Mongolid people… Including the Jewish genitic markers. And, valid research shows that they did not migrate into the northlands until much later. Native Americans in the east have been shown to have later European markers as well (this data also was tossed from the all Native Americans are Mongols postulate), and this is evident as it is known that Vikings many have had several settlements in North America.
My big problem is that people are trying to come up with a simple migration plan for mankind. But, the truth is, man did not migrate in simple paths. Mormonism may have a shred of truth to it’s beliefs. Maybe some Jewish boat did sail across… (somewhat unlikely) But, don’t believe the rabble listed above.
Note: I am an Engineer with a second Degree in Anthropology.
November 22, 2017 at 7:13 am
What postulate? Which reputable scientists claim all indians are descended from Mongols?
THE CONTINENTS OF NORTH AND SOUTH AMERICA WERE SETTLED BY NATIVES FROM ASIA (not ‘Mongols’) BETWEEN 10 AND 20 THOUSAND YEARS AGO (not 2,000 years ago) after they crossed a land bridge that formed between Alaska and far northeastern Siberia due to the lowering of sea level during the last ice age.
Available scientific evidence indicates that modern humans emerged from Africa over 100,000 years ago, yet did not arrive in the Americas until less than 20,000 years ago.
Current understanding of the settlement of the Americas derives from advances in four interrelated disciplines: archaeology, Pleistocene geology, PHYSICAL ANTHROPOLOGY, and DNA analysis.
WHILE THERE IS GENERAL AGREEMENT THAT THE AMERICAS WERE FIRST SETTLED FROM ASIA, the pattern of migration, its timing, and the place(s) of origin in Asia of the peoples who migrated to the Americas remain unclear.
To all the LDS deniers of reality: Mormons are generally very nice, very ‘white’, very wholesome people. I was born to Mormon parents in Payson Utah, I know this to be true.
However, Mormons are also racist, sexist, extremely patriarchal and completely deluded.
Prophets? Revelations? Resurrected Jesus hanging out with the lost tribes in America? Give me a break. What a crazy crock of crap!
Mormon fantasies are nearly as ridiculous as Scientology fantasies.
Not that any other religion is much better. All religions try to to control your behavior, most say they are the only ‘true’ religion but they are all based on fantasy.
December 15, 2013 at 1:23 am
Ooops I meant to say Migrated over from Far west Europe. (In my rage, I mis-typed…)
James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:41 am
Ahh, Jake, science has shown that the native Americans are descended from Asians, who in turn are descended from Africans, as are Europeans, Arabs, etc. The only European blood in them is post-contact and they all came from the far east of Russia, China, Mongolia, etc. http://www.boston.com/whitecoatnotes/2012/07/11/native-americans-migrated-the-new-world-three-waves-harvard-led-dna-analysis-shows/uQRQdkkqMmzSW3LaArh0tM/story.html
James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:43 am
And Mongols were never in Eastern Europe; they were in Eastern Asia, which is where all the migrations came from. White people didn’t get that far east til much later.
James Smith says:
December 17, 2013 at 2:51 am
Hey Christians, your religion is as completely fake as all the others, sorry.
Chris says:
December 19, 2013 at 6:08 am
Disgustingly inaccurate. I understand you not believing in the principals taught by The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, but to claim any status that you know better than any “MORMON” is as pompous as you claim Joseph Smith to be.
For those of you who actually want to know what the Mormons believe, stop a smissionary on street or invite them in for
30 minutes when they knock on your door. Or ask a friend or neighbor. Don’t rely on somebody to tell you what we believe. http://www.mormon.org
December 19, 2013 at 7:43 am
I hear you and some others saying that this article is inaccurate. But consider this response from another active Mormon: “as a returned missionary for the lds church, none of the points you brought up are things the church wants to hide at all, with the exception of #3 (which is just straight up false, the church doesn’t believe dark skin is a sign of God’s curse. maybe random weirdo members do, but there are random weirdos in every religion that believe racist crap, but the point is that nowhere in church doctrine is this taught officially).”
It is ironic that the one issue with which she had exception is one that the Church itself has formally acknowledged and clearly renounced this month.
Chris says:
December 19, 2013 at 8:17 am
You will always find someone to support your claim, either way. I am a returned missionary too. (and you didn’t reference the other 85,000 missionaries each year) Best learning experience of my life. Worth more th an my M.A.edu. Can’t wait to go again, to share the gospel if Jesus Christ, and his love for us. Don’t think I’ll be wasting my time spreading 1/4 truths about religions i don’t know about.
Tommy says:
April 24, 2014 at 7:31 pm
You do not have any room to speak on the legitimacy of a religion being a catholic. You people are way more twisted than the Mormons. The millions of people your faith has murdered just because they didn’t agree with you is deplorable at best. Absolutely disgusting. Not to mention the molestations that happen, on what seems like a daily basis, by your priests (or whatever you call them). Religion is the biggest hoax mankind has ever come up with. I can’t believe people still believe in this crap after they are able to read a book and develop some common sense.
April 24, 2014 at 9:43 pm
I’m a non-theist and have never been Catholic. Were you trying to reply to another commenter?
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:29 pm
Thed LDS discourages members from reading historical data from early Church leaders because it does show that they were often at odds with what is taught today. Take the Adam is God doctrine believed by most of the early prophets, apostles and presidents.
Brigham Young stated he got this teaching from Joseph Smith . Apostle Heber C. Kimball (1801 – 1874),Prophet Wilford Woodruff (1807-1898),Apostle Abraham H. Cannon (1859-1896),Eliza R. Snow (1804 – 1887), plural wife of Joseph Smith, Jr. and later to Brigham Young etc their teachings were printed in LDS owned journals, newspapers. LDS church hymns of that period, Journals and diaries of LDS.
It clearly states that Adam was the god that they were worshipping . It was also taught that Adam came to earth , had physical sex with Mary and begat Jesus. These are historical LDS documents .
Chris says:
December 19, 2013 at 6:37 am
Why do so many people worry about other religions, when they should be spending time building their own faith? How about spending time telling me about your belief and why I should believe like you do instead of telling me how wrong other people are!
The Bible you profess to believe in never explains that you should try to tear other people down, but to preach His Word. You have a funny way of doing this. Thank you for being an expert in what you don’t believe in, did this article make you feel better?
January 13, 2014 at 11:02 pm
well..this is very very super very good what I have read……first of all thank you…SO MUCH….I was raised Pentecostal….evangelical….or you can call it protestant…..eighteen years ago..I met then my girlfriend….now my wife…..eight years on and off…ten years married……I didn’t have any problem on her beliefs…though i thought with the time I will bring her to become or to learn about the real gospel…..but that was not the case……I ‘ve been on that church for the last ten years…..now am on the process of divorcing…..she wants me to leave the house…am being a bad example to our two kids….one 15. the other one 3…and she is stuck on her believe that that’s the true church…..but as I read in your site…and is true…they don’t want you to to know their history……I know the bible….and is just not the same doctrine that the bible explains…then that way they want you to believe……as I read….my soul…my heart…it just felt the happiest moments of my life…..but my question is…….but why the have the nerves to lie to the innocent people…when the scriptures says…that the blood of the innocents will claim justice against you on the final day……well I’ve again…THANK YOU….you have fill my thirst on knowing on the disgraced do called..the church of Jesus Christ….what a shame…
January 18, 2014 at 10:18 am
There are so many things wrong in this and this isn’t really about things that are kept hidden by the Church. And African-Americans didn’t get the priesthood for awhile because, just like every religion, the members aren’t perfect; they were some racists. Also, at least everyone was together, unlike every other church who had one congregation for Caucasians and a different one for every other race. That is much more racist.
March 31, 2014 at 7:43 am
I am roman-catholic priest and teologist at the local university.
We do not agree on many things with the LDS church but since I am teaching the religion for over 30 years now I can clearly say that things stated in your article above are 10 % true.
I will not speak about their book but since I know many of them and have been investigated their doctrines for many years, things stated above are not correct or just written to sound very subjective and negative. Lets be fair to eachother, nobody’s perfect. My church has done so much evil through centuries but I am not responsible for that. Let’s focus on what we do now.
People are not perfect but throwing stones on someone like this is just pathetic.
LikeLiked by 1 person
March 31, 2014 at 8:17 am
Hmm. Some Mormons and former Mormons have said otherwise, and the article was drafted by someone who was also a religion professor at a Jesuit university for years. Which parts do you disagree with?
Adam says:
May 14, 2014 at 12:55 pm
I agree with him. P.S. look up Acts 5: 39, 40 and then post something about Mormons.
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:15 pm
I doubt very much that you are a Roman Catholic priest
Tommy says:
April 24, 2014 at 7:25 pm
I have only lived in Utah for 6 months, but in that short time I have come to realize that Mormons are some of the most psychotic, twisted people on earth. An absolute hoax of a “religion.” This place and this religion are absolutely sickening. To be fair, I think all organized religion is B.S. and serves very little else than controlling people and making money, but Mormons are on par with Arabs. Absolute, undeniable psychos. And the fact we almost had a Mormon president is scary considering what these freaks believe. Every single aspect of life in Utah is controlled and run by these nut jobs, the last thing we need is the entire country controlled by one.
April 27, 2014 at 4:21 am
Relax people. There’s no need to criticize any religion or anyone. We’re all human and have whatever beliefs each of us has.
I, for the sake of my life here on Earth, as I believe everyone should recognize, is that it’s obvious that everyone has their own beliefs, values and practices. Number one to survive in this life is to respect one another and to accept that everyone is unique. We are here to be good to one another and make the world a better place. Can we all just get along? It’s really not that difficult.
I was raised Mormon. I stopped attending church in my early teens. Why? Peer pressure, reading and listening to different opinions from people. For me, I believe in God the Father and in Jesus Christ as the Son of God. The Bible? There are many interpretations, as with all books. Religious or not. All I can say to remember The Golden Rule… “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.” I would add, if one does not believe as another does, move on until you find one that does. Don’t end up like the girl from the song from The Guess Who, “Undone.”
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Adam says:
May 14, 2014 at 9:56 am
Just want to say if you really believe this bull crap look at lds.org. Most other sites about mormons are actually led by anti-mormons who use false resources and also use ex-mormons who have no idea about what is going on in the church as sources as well. Finally #2 is wrong. The hill Cumorah wasn’t in New York. If there was at least half a million people living and trading from coast to coast it would be somewhere from Panama to the beginning of Mexico. This is also a considerable fact since there was no mention of any winter back then. Also stone buildings have been found in Guatamala in the jungles there and many more remain to be uncovered. So if you really think Mormonism is bull research these facts and try and prove me wrong which you won’t.
mike says:
April 7, 2015 at 5:09 pm
LDS Apostle James E. Talmage, in Articles of Faith, chapter 14, wrote that the Hill Cumorah is in New York.
LDS Apostle LeGrand Richards, in A Marvelous Work and a Wonder, chapter 7, stated that Cumorah is in New York.
LDS Apostle Bruce R. McConkie, in Mormon Doctrine, under Cumorah, reported that it is in New York.
In 1990 the office of the First Presidency of the LDS Church stated that Cumorah is in New York
The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints
Office of the First Presidency
October 16, 1990
Bishop Darrel L. Brooks
Oklahoma City Oklahoma South Stake
Dear Bishop Brooks:
I have been asked to forward to you for acknowledgment and handling the enclosed copy of a letter to President Gordon B. Hinckley from Ronnie Sparks of your ward. Brother Sparks inquired about the location of the Hill Cumorah mentioned in the Book of Mormon, where the last battle between the Nephites and Lamanites took place.
The Church has long maintained, as attested to by references in the writings of General Authorities, that the Hill Cumorah in western New York state is the same as referenced in the Book of Mormon.
The Brethren appreciate your assistance in responding to this inquiry, and asked that you convey to Brother Sparks their commendation for his gospel study.
Sincerely yours,
(signed)
Secretary to the First Presidency
Adam says:
May 14, 2014 at 9:57 am
One last thing for bible lovers out there Acts 5: 39, 40. Please look it up.
Adam says:
May 14, 2014 at 12:53 pm
Tony says:
May 20, 2014 at 1:29 pm
Freedom of…. Cancer would be nice. Freedom of…. Disease, maybe one day. Freedom of….. Religion, It’s our right as Americans to be free of that! Get it!
Aidan says:
August 8, 2014 at 9:21 am
Perry Bulwer won this arguement hands down. Well done.
August 27, 2014 at 9:29 pm
I was wondering if an extensive citation list is available? There are in-text citations, throughout the article; However, some things are left un-cited. I would like to do some deeper research on points touched on in this article, and a complete citation list would be much appreciated. Thanks!
Tom Jones says:
September 19, 2014 at 9:36 am
I do not understand the arguments here. Not at all. I am not a huge person of faith and tend to be more scientific (requiring proof before I place my faith in something).
All religions have historical discrepancies chiefly due to them being formed hundreds or even thousands of years ago, some even before mankind could write (passed along via oral tradition).
This is not the case with Mormonism.
To me it is very, very clear that Mormonism was founded by a scoundrel. Unlike all the other religions in the world, Mormonism is fairly new and came into existence during a time when people actually could read and write (No Oral tradition here…we have documents), which means we live in a time when we can actually corroborate the evidence using factual documents. What is great for discerning minds is we actually have documented, first hand, eye-witness accounts converted to sworn written statements ( from his neighbors, his first wife, early church members, court cases…etc.).
This recent, easily attainable documentation of a founder of any religion is unprecedented. We are so fortunate. Imagine if this scoundrel lived a thousand years ago. There would be tales of him walking on water and raising people from the dead.
Any third grader can read the actual history of Joseph Smith and know that he was a snake oil salesman, a sooth Sayer, a con artist, a drunk and a womanizer. He was a thief, had no honor and roamed the country side looking for people to use.
He lived a very good life feeding his base desires by devising a completely fabricated religion. In the end he found a way through life without having to work and he lived like a king with the women of his church worshiping him. When he died, the greatest gig in the whole world was kept alive by the Elders of the church who also were men of the same type. What you really had here was a group of pedophiles that got together and devised a system of control to feed their debased desire for 12 year old girls (Polygamy) and carve out an easy life for themselves.
All religions must evolve to survive and prosper. Mormonism is no exception. As the church grew the doctrines changed and morphed into something more palatable for everyone.
You can’t make a silk purse out of a sows ear. This is the case with Mormonism. Make no mistake, no matter how many revisions to the founding documents are made, you just can’t wash the filth out of the magic underwear. The filthy debased usury of hard working people and their 12 year old daughters continues to this day, deep in the basement of this foul religion.
September 19, 2014 at 9:56 am
Abbey says:
November 20, 2015 at 2:03 pm
Hi So, I would just like to say that you are wrong. SO wrong. If you want more information on who Joseph smith is, than read: Our Heritage, A brief history of the church of Jesus christ of latter day saints. Mormons didn’t make mistakes. If the whole wife thing is what your worried about I’ll tell you the truth. God Commanded them. If you believe in god then do this: Pray. “Ask and it shall be recceived, knock and it will be open unto you, pray and thou shalt recceive and answer.” Joesph Smith did this and recceived a Vision. The Book of mormon is a wonderful book. When people say that the bible is wrong, and we mormons think that, well its because some parts were mixed up. In 2nd Nephi, it has a verse and If you compare it to Isaiah, (Nephi loves quoting Isaiah) they are different and the one in the book of mormon is the correct. I believe that the book of mormon is the fullness in the gospel and that a third grader, is a baptized member of the church, and can tell you this much: “I know that my savior loves me, he died for me and that the gospel is true.”
September 21, 2014 at 10:37 pm
Who knew?! “Acusilaus of Argos, author of an account of gods, demigods and human heroes, claimed his source of information was a set of ‘bronze tablets discovered by his father in their garden.’ He thereby created one of the great topoi of Western forgery, the motif of the object found in an inaccessible place, then copied, and now lost, as the authority for what would have lacked credibility as the work of an individual. (p.9) http://vridar.org/2009/07/04/forgery-in-the-ancient-world/
deb says:
September 23, 2014 at 8:58 am
Why are people so obsessed with the Mormon religion? If you believe in your own church and it’s teachings, why be concerned with the Mormon religion and try so hard to defame them which is a non-Christian behavior? Could it be that you’re not satisfied with your own church? Just saying
November 17, 2014 at 12:17 am
Maybe we are trying to save Mormons from going to hell which is were they are headed believing as they do.
January 27, 2015 at 11:37 pm
So they are headed to hell for responding to the majority of natural disasters just as fast as the Red Cross? They are headed to hell for having Jesus Christ and families as the centerpiece of their church? They are headed to hell for pushing their children to attend college and serve a mission for their Lord and Savior? They are going to hell for creating uplifting websites that help the community such as http://www.justserve.org/? They are going to hell for being hypocrites? Every religion has hypocrites and many people are imperfect. So if the Mormons are going to hell for trying to become better people and serving the community there will be a lot of people in Hell.
Rino says:
December 21, 2014 at 11:09 am
You honestly believe honeybees were ‘introduced’ to the Americas by Europeans? Really? I supposed all pollination was done by Native American hands before bees were introduced to the new world? I’m no Mormon apologist, I don’t even like religion–but you can’t expect anyone to take you seriously when you say such ridiculous and obviously FALSE things.
December 21, 2014 at 3:04 pm
Books are available about native pollinators if you are interested. The honeybees that farmers cultivate are of European origin.
dutchess0909 says:
March 22, 2015 at 9:58 am
The honeybee was indeed brought over by the early colonists. “No Apis species existed in the New World during human times before the introduction of A. mellifera by Europeans. Only one fossil species is documented from the New World, Apis nearctica, known from a single 14 million-year old specimen from Nevada.[3]”
March 22, 2015 at 3:24 pm
I wasn’t following this thread, but the assumption that was made here appears to be that only bees pollinate plants. That isn’t the case at all. A brief overview here: http://insects.about.com/od/BeneficialInsects/tp/7-Insect-Pollinators-that-Arent-Bees-Or-Butterflies.htm
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Joseph says:
April 12, 2015 at 10:39 pm
I am a devout Mormon, and yes, many of our beliefs are quite different than other Christian churches. BUT, this article exaggerates a lot of them. Yes, the Book of Mormon prophesies of Joseph Smith, but so does the Bible. Go read Isaiah 29:11-12. It tells of a book that is sealed, and men asking a learned man to read it, to which he says he can’t, because it’s sealed. Martin Harris, a friend of Joseph Smith, went to a professor of ancient languages at Columbia College, and what happened was exactly what Isaiah had predicted. Not only the doctrine, but also the history of the Church is twisted. For example, Joseph Smith was often in trouble with the authorities, but he never went against any laws. He was only expressing his right to freedom of religion. He was arrested because Satan was stirring up the hearts of the people against him. And think about it. Who else was often in trouble with the law, even put to death? Jesus Christ himself.
July 13, 2015 at 7:54 pm
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Lash says:
August 19, 2015 at 8:08 pm
No he doesn’t! Read it Isa. 29:11-12 and compare to JSH 1: 60-65
totally a fake name says:
May 10, 2015 at 8:21 am
That’s not true about plural marriage in D&C 132. D&C 132 deals with plural marriage but the quotes you are taking out deal (like exaltation and Emma possibly being damned) are about keeping the covenant in marriage (not plural marriage).
Keith says:
June 19, 2015 at 10:06 am
Why single out Mormonism as screwball. All religions are! If you base your religion on the Bible, you are uneducated and blind to the reality the Bible portrays. The Pentateuch, the first 5 books if the Bible, is a summation of vicious religious nonsense. Read it again—you probably never did before—and drop your belief like a hot brick, as I did. There is a truth that precedes the Bible, and can be found in the Talmud: “Do unto others as you would have them do unto you!” Live by that maxim, and you’ll be a “true Christian.”
June 21, 2015 at 8:57 pm
All of what I said above is is why I am a Mormon. This is why Mormonism is not faulty or fake religion. It is a religion like any other. I believe in it and place my faith in it, and because of that, you cannot criticize the beliefs, as they are like any other, only larger. It is just like if you believed that it is going to rain tomorrow. It is a belief that I believe in and that I fully place faith in. Would you criticize me and call me a fraud, con-artist, a drunk, just because I BELIEVE it is going to rain tomorrow. I thought not. Now think of what you argued, and recognize the true fault in it. Humility, integrity, thoughtfulness, and kindness are true virtues. Now take those virtues and and change your thoughts by using them as your foundation, then tell me how Mormonism is a foul, crazy, filthy, screwball, religion.
July 30, 2015 at 11:31 pm
This article is right on the button. I would like to say the false spirit you feel when reading the Book of Mormon is a Black Magic spirit and can make people a little nutty. Its not the same spirit you would feel reading the Torah or the Bible.
August 2, 2015 at 3:02 pm
We no longer believe in the black skin racism part. That is a huge lie. I hate how people always twist things like polygamy, which mormons no longer practice by the way, into something we do now or we now do wrong. Please stop. We all have religious freedom. Believe what you believe and stop judging others bc you dont believe in the same thing
August 28, 2015 at 7:13 pm
I’ve read some Mormon history too. As for racism and polygamy, the point is the LDS church did teach this at the beginning, and did state it was God’s word, will, and etc., all based on biblical interpretation. And as far as I’m concerned, as long as the LDS church keeps sending its troops door-to-door evangelizing, it leaves itself wide open to this totally legitimate criticism. An interesting observation made in the Frank Herbert Sci-Fi book, Dune, when the Princess Irulan states that she has switched her allegiance from the Corino family (her father’s family) to the Atreides side (their sworn enemies), “Allegiances once changed, may change again.” Many, if not all, Christian organizations run rampant over an indulgent world claiming whatever they do is the will of God as stated in the bible, then suddenly make an about-face about some divine mandate, still claiming it to be the will of God, while their very bible states, “I the Lord, do not change. I am the same from…” and etc. How many times, in how many ways, can an omniscient God whose will is locked up in a biblical repository, change his mind without changing himself? Why shouldn’t an awakening world desperate to shake the yoke of organized religion question and condemn this religious sophistry? Besides that, what’s the other choice but to give in to religious intolerance and theocratic despotism?
Lash says:
August 19, 2015 at 8:06 pm
This is the link to Preach My Gospel, the standard instruction manual required to be studied and taught by all LDS missionaries. It contains the required lessons to be taught to investigators of the church before baptism into the church. By the simple fact that a large amount of the doctrines the author claims the church wants to sweep under the rug are actually contained in required pre-baptismal learning modules that are rigidly followed, the basic premise of this article, that “mormons might not want you know about” these doctrines is clearly false. I also find the idea that the LDS church discourages personal inquiry completely absurd and obviously based upon reactionary statements from dissidents. A simple and non-jaded inquisition into LDS worship would quickly demonstrate that few things are held more sacred by Mormons then personal testimony and person revelation. Watch a recording of any LDS General Conference and half of the message can usually be summed up as question, ask, learn for yourself, come to a personal knowledge, seek more understanding, don’t take my word on what the scriptures say – read them yourselves daily, pray daily, seek affirmation of God’s will in all of your choices, etc. I pray for two things at this time. The first is for the Christian world, that our energies can be spent in strengthening each other instead of tearing each other down and doing good in the world instead of wasting countless amounts of energy nit-picking over our doctrinal differences. The second is for the atheists, agnostics, and other non-believers who have grown so militant in their anti-religious sentiment, that you can step away from the dogmas of your own long enough to realize that the fallibility of man will never allow for infallible conclusions no matter the evidence. May we all live in love and tolerance.
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September 30, 2015 at 4:57 am
I recently had my name removed from the LDS church. The truth is that growing up, I was taught lots of great values and it has helped me to be a better person, but I realized when I was older, I was being told what to think and what I would think and there was this set life plan laid out for me. It made me feel very trapped and unhappy. I decided I wanted to be happy, so I left. And I didn’t really discover most of these things until after I requested to have my name removed. Growing up, being taught/told about these things bout our history was rare. If we were told and taught about them, it was to say that Joseph Smith was an honorable man and people trying to cause harm were evil because they were persecuting him for his religious beliefs. I was taught that Smith had one wife named Emma, and growing up when I heard people outside the church saying he had many wives, I thought they were just being antimormon and were pissed off that the church excommunicated them. Then, the church came out with an essay saying it was true that Smith had lots of wives. Why did they teach me that he only had one? If you are non-Mormon and tell Mormons about historical facts, I think a good majority of them will either not know about them, or deny that they happened/happened the way they did. The warm, comforting blanket the church was to me, eventually became smothering, and then the whole blanket unraveled. While I wouldn’t necessarily consider this church a “cult,” it has many cult-like aspects I didn’t realize until recently. I am trying to move forward though with my life and live it the way I think I was meant to. It is getting easier. A lot of active mormons get upset that some exmos can’t seem to move on with their lives because these exmos say all these negative things about mormons. When I considered myself Mormon I would get upset about these exmos, too, at times. While I think it is really unhealthy to not move on (and I need to try to better move on), a lot of exmos have a really hard time with it because they find out all of these disheartening things about something that was once the biggest deal in their lives. It’s hard to move on. One day I started freaking out while I was driving, crying “they lied to me! Why did they lie to me!!??” It’s hard. But I’m a lot happier not being lied to.
October 4, 2015 at 7:14 pm
F says:
October 4, 2015 at 7:06 pm
Lol…The BOM is no more or less credible than the Bible. The only difference is the effectiveness of the brainwashing about both or either that the average American is susceptible to from childhood. No religious person who believes in some type of scripture has any platform whatsoever from which to criticize the BOM as being illegitimate. The writers of the Bible were the Joseph Smiths of 2,000 years ago.
Long time member of the LDS church says:
October 6, 2015 at 4:17 pm
Whoever wrote this didn’t do their research. If you actually read the book of mormon you can justify, or disprove ALL of these LDS “beliefs”. After all, as a mormon I should know. for example everyone seems to believe that we practice polygamy, but we don’t, we used to, but think of it this way, your living (barely) off of the land you possess in a desert. pretty hard to live in those conditions if you ask me. polygamy was just a way to take care of the women of the church, and we stopped when UTAH became a state because the US required that it be stopped. Or when the passage says that all people that aren’t members are bound to go to outer darkness (Hell). this is not true. Our heavenly father is forgiving and no matter how bad you mess up, if you feel sorry and ask for forgiveness he will grant it. Many people also say that the LDS church is a cult. we are not. spend five minutes with one of us and you can tell we are not a cult. People will also tell you that we are not christians, also not true. we believe that christ is our redeemer and that God is the one and only. And for the fact that joseph smith found the plates 5 miles from his house, heavenly father works miracles doesn’t he? and as for the dark and light skinned people, were not racist. we just aren’t. the book of mormon is the true word of god and that christ is our redeemer.
October 6, 2015 at 5:05 pm
Denying facts don’t make them less factual. Rejecting a fact to replace it with a myth, well, you need faith for that to work. What if you’re addressing people who no longer require faith to live and guide their lives? Your little sleight of tongue probably wouldn’t work, would it. Didn’t work for me, just thought I’d let you know. Tell Jesus you need a whole new propaganda speech. If he doesn’t provide one, try living your own life your own way, without the religious crutch. It’s incredibly liberating! For starters, did you know that compassion trumps religion every time? It’s a win-win thing and a compassionate person does not need saving. Ok, dinner time here…
May 31, 2016 at 3:34 pm
It’s amazing how many LDS are unaware of their own church doctrine and history. Seems obvious that church leaders have made a concerted effort to hide and/or amend the teaching of their so-called profits.
Rick says:
October 15, 2015 at 1:44 pm
Long time LDS member, I think many of your prophets and apostles would disagree about Mormons being Christian. “Christianity is a perfect pack of nonsense- the devil could not invent a better engine to spread his work than the Christianity of the nineteenth century”.Prophet John Taylor. “When the light came to me I saw that all the so-called Christian world was groveling in darkness”. Prophet Brigham Young. As for polygamy, I thought a angel threatened Joseph Smith with a sword if he did not take other wives, including teenage girls and women who were already married. Can anyone spell “adultery”?
October 26, 2015 at 11:38 am
More than half this stuff isn’t even true. Maybe you should get all your facts straight before you post about it. If people want to learn about REAL Mormonism then they should go to LDS.org or Mormon.org You’re not gonna find what true Mormonism is from an article an anti-Mormon wrote.
Dean says:
September 10, 2016 at 9:49 pm
No, that’s not how it works. Your sect is not true, and going to your websites is not going to change that fact.
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September 3, 2017 at 6:03 pm
I have mormon friends, we don’t discuss religion. I respect their right to believe as they do. If I want to learn more about mormonism I will find an unbiased source which would not be the LDS.org or Mormon.org. If you tell me that any source other than an LDS/Morman source is not going to be truthful well ~ that is your opinion. I was taught in the church I am a member of, to use my God given intelligence to make decisions.
November 13, 2015 at 2:19 pm
I am a Mormon but I have struggled with it in my head for years. I am torn because I love the religion and I love the teachings and the close knit family and social setting it brings are amazing. However the problem I face is that being intellectually honest, the claims from which it sprouts are most likely untrue. Teachings such as polygamy do not sit right me my moral compass either, mainly the way it was handled, in pure secrecy… I am at a loss because I love what it brings to the table in modern days but it rests on a very shady history
Plan 9 from God says:
February 9, 2016 at 7:55 pm
Hi Dan. It’s tough! But at some point you have to come to grips with the fact that Mormonism teaches a doctrine that completely changes the essential tenants of Christianity. (Even if an angel teaches a doctrine other than that which you have received…he is anathema) It is clearly closest to Gnosticsm (which is soundly condemned by the Apostles). I’d suggest reaching out to Ex-Mormons for Jesus in Orange, CA.. These are the real deal. (An ex Quorum of 70’s, etc.) Joe Smith was a con-artist perhaps the greatest con-artist in American history. (greater than Barnum because he has led millions in error). You have to wonder at the gall of Joe Smith, Sidney Rigdon, et. al.. The knew it was a con and so do the Apostles today! They know the truth. that is scary! God bless,
February 9, 2016 at 8:34 pm
Why in the word would someone want to replace one mound of superstitious bunk with another?
Plan 9 from God says:
February 10, 2016 at 7:04 am
Hi. I now understand where you are coming from. I’d like to respond but have to head out to a project. Will try later. Thanks, Dave
Haveathink says:
November 28, 2015 at 4:19 am
Are you serious? You guys actually believe some guy called Joseph read a bunch of metal plates with some brown rocks in a hat without seeing them? Come on, this is the 21st century. Half of you appear to be internally contesting the validity of such a belief system, doubting the feasibility of its origins. When your ‘God’ proclaims that black skin is inferior to white skin, how can you teach anything but ignorance and bigotry? You are no better than the extreme Muslim groups that people are all riled up about. When people learn to stand on their own 2 feet, rationally analyse the preachings of said ideologies (of any religion/cult/sect) then the world will be a far more peaceful place. You’re dogmatic approach to explaining the world is small minded and hurtful to humanity. You are probably mostly good people, but i would ask you to question, would you still be a good person if you did not have your ideology? I personally have faith in your humanism, and would say that yes, you would be good people. Please, for the good of humanity, use your mind….
November 30, 2015 at 4:30 pm
I would just like to state for the record that some of the NICEST people I have ever met, were Mormons. My childhood best friend was a Mormon. I own a copy of the Book of Mormon and attempted to read it all the way through but my eyes kept glazing over; it very much resembled parts of the Old Testament, and frankly I didn’t find it any more silly or bizarre than most other religious texts. My atheist friends would probably say (as did some above) that all religion is equally silly. Having said that, the Mormon belief that I personally find very disturbing is that of heaven, where a faithful and properly married woman will have the honor of being wife #1 and spending eternity pumping out babies to populate a planet, although I understand this is not an “official” doctrine. http://www.mrm.org/spirit-children-and-planets If that is “heaven” I don’t want to go there (not a problem, since I don’t meet the requirements anyway).
Donald Hodge says:
December 1, 2015 at 8:33 am
I’m a black American male married to a woman from Tonga and many of my in laws are mormon. Over time they would tell me the bomb is true, and I told them it’s a lie and list all the proofs to the contrary that you show in your article only to be labeled a anti-mormon. What gets me angry is they look like some of my neighbors as a child in the black neighborhood I lived in. My sister in laws husband, a ex missionary told me that blacks are still cursed and just received a pardon and his tone was quite rabid. Brainwashed idiot.
December 6, 2015 at 3:10 am
It is a cult. I was baptized when i was 8. Left when i was in my late teens, due to debating certain doctrines and things i noticed, and not being answered the questions i was asking!! …. My parents and siblings had left years before me. My Dad was excommunicated, he even signed the papers, think Mum’ was signed too, but not entirely sure. I’m going back so many years now. Two of my siblings stayed in the church. Dad passed away almost 19yrs ago, and Mum last year. We have just found out that my two siblings have all been to the temple and sealed our parents, 3 siblings, and my mums parents together. I find it despicable, and totally unforgivable. My gran was a member of The White Order. Grandad didn’t believe in religion. And my parents were Spiritualists. How can mormons feel they have the right to do this? Cannot get them in life, so take them in death. Pure selfishness, and totally wrong …
December 11, 2015 at 12:30 pm
Lets see, god has had about 25 billion children upon this earth. Say 100 million of those make it to the celestial kingdom. That is 0.4% success rate at bringing to pass the immortality and eternal life of man. Hmmm.
There are 10^88 particles in the visible universe. So it would take about ten generations or cycles of gods having children and populating their own worlds before there would be more resurrected humans than there are, in reality, particles in the known universe.
A new cycle starts every 10,000 years or so. So the universe becomes overpopulated in the first 100,000 years.
Does god know any of these by name? After ten generations of gods it would take about 8×10^82 years to acquaint himself with this number of offspring allowing each one second of his time. But it only took 10^5 years to create this many offspring. So god would never have time to get to know his offspring. He could never catch up.
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Mormon says:
December 14, 2015 at 4:21 pm
This person was really misinformed. We are not racist we do not practice polygamy and we are not a cult. Why people would believe this is harsh. Listen to me I am a mormon and this is not true. I would ask you would do some research on this before making a choice. Go to Mormon.org for information on us. Also the author said there was geneological and historical mistakes. This is true there are mistakes in the book of mormon. But this is because the book of mormon is a record of journal entries and letters. They aren’t going to be accurate. Also please don’t refer the book of mormon as BoM. That’s rude. We accept other religions and we don’t scorn them so please don’t scorn ours.
bereasonable8 says:
December 15, 2015 at 7:21 am
Mormon, with all due respect, I am afraid that is is you that is misinformed and I don’t necessarily hold you accountable. You have been mislead. I used to be a devout remember of the Mormon Church just like you. The truth is you don’t have to dig very deep into reliable church documents that the LDS Church itself accepts as historically accurate to find out that Brigham Young was indeed a racist and Joseph Smith had at more than 30 wives (At least 6 of which we know he had sex with). And that like a cult, Mormonism has intentionally kept unfavorable information about their founders, their history and their doctrine away from the public eye and the eye their members to keep membership strong and conversion numbers high.
Joseph Smith did have a 14 year old wife and he indeed did gaze a rock in a top hat to “translate” the Book of Mormon. The church, in an effort to be more transparent, recently released images of the very stone that he used. http://mormonstories.org/seer-stones-lds-joseph-smith/
I understand that the LDS Church does good all over the world and gives many wonderful people a moral foundation and something to live for. And yet, It appears that the Church has managed to thrive in spite of its founders, not because of them. This is to the credit of the members themselves and the the credit of modern secular values that embrace equality, free thinking, science, evidence, and reason.
I understand that as a Mormon you now have a choice to make. Do you investigate these points and see for yourself? or do you continue following those who tell you they already have all the answers for you and that no real investigation is necessary?
It is your call to make, but before you make it, remember that Scientologist and followers of Warren Jeffs are just as certain of there beliefs as you are. Could it be that you like them are mislead by misinformation and the unsupportable claim that it is better to rely on faith over facts? I think you will discover,like I did, that you are. Good luck on your journey.
Frank says:
April 8, 2016 at 10:39 am
If these ‘saintly’ Mormons honestly believe that other religions are acceptable, why do they refer to those outside the Mormon church as apostates(definition:those who have left God)? It is absurd. Many believe in God and have not’ left’ anything Godly, yet are, indeed, persecuted BY MORMONS, who have some deranged belief that THEY are the ONLY True whatever- it is totally against what you all claim of being OK with other people’s religions. Just because they are not Mormon does NOT mean they have abandoned God.
You talk about others ‘scorning’ Mormons, yet referring to others who are not Mormon as ‘apostate’ is, in fact, scorning them- accusing them, actually, of abandoning God. Those who think of God as the Creator recognize that every cell in their body and soul is of God’s creation- how then, in that belief, could one possibly abandon God when every fiber of their being and soul is OF God? One cannot ‘separate’ themselves from the Creator.
The Mormon ‘apostate’ accusation is incredibly offensive to those non-Mormons who believe in God. Just because some mortal claims their belief is the only true one does not make it so.
Btw, it is not through deeds that brings anyone to God/heaven,etc.- it is what is in their heart(the seat of the soul).
What is true is true for all time- yet the Mormons think they can change their books/beliefs to fit the times(other ‘religions’ do the same thing). If you all need a crutch, go buy one. Organized religion is another means to control people- (you were given free will so as to avoid being controlled; you were given a brain in order to utilize logic and analysis).
God does not require a religion, or any intermediate to ‘communicate’. The Creator IS and always has been and always will be.
All this nonsense of ‘becoming God’, and going to a planet or heaven, and following mortals on what they claim as righteous is so far removed from the reality of Creator it is absurd. It is as absurd as what Ezra did, changing the Sumerian records to fool people into believing the hebrew were not the same as the habiru. Creating a religion in order to take a social group and attempt to change it to an ethnic group, using a pulpit and ordering people to memorize a ‘history’ that was not their own;changing names and dates to fit the agenda. Every religion that bases doctrine on the Torah/Bible has been duped for centuries. Yet, people THINK they need to believe in something OTHER than the Creator in order to give it substance. It is nonsense. The Creator is the Creator- and no doctrine, or scientific ‘theory’ can alter that. Be happy that you ARE. God’s gift to us was Life- what we hold in our hearts is our gift to God.
Plan 9 from God says:
December 27, 2015 at 3:31 pm
Just ran across this article. First, notice the authors do not attack or, (horror of horror…) judge Mormons. They simply state facts about Mormons doctrines. And, they are 100% accurate. I know. I was one. If the conclusions suggest Mormons are not Christian, than so be it. Second, did anyone notice how the response by Mormons is not to refute the facts? Ex-Mormons like me, who allow the facts to lead them to where they go…leave Mormonism. The big issue is where to go? I found that the doctrines of the Christianity of the Bible are not corrupted; the authority of Christ was never lost because believers have the Holy Spirit as a seal; and, Christianity is not a false religion that needs a restoration by a con-artist. God bless.
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January 2, 2016 at 7:21 pm
From Barb, My grandson’s mother and grandmother are Mormons. I have asked my grandson to please do not become a Mormon or follow any other “organized” religion. I told to believe in God and in Jesus and everything else will follow through for him. As a severely abused and also sexually abused child, I learned early on in life that you cannot just submit to your surroundings. I went on my own, to various types of churches, listening and learning from each of them. (no cults involved). I learned a number of things. First, every church is led by men. I don’t hate men, in fact, I’m married to a Wonderful man, but I don’t necessarily trust most men. I all these “organized” religions, the man was always put first. His wants and needs were always somewhere hidden in the sermon and women where always expected to follow whatever was expected of her from a man. Even female ministers follow this doctrine. Secondly, every church visit was like a fashion show, where men and women seemed to dress their best. This went totally against what I, myself had read in the Bible. Jesus walked for miles in dusty sand. The people who came to hear him, also lived on that land. No one worried about what they looked like. They were there to hear Jesus. Not that I expected people in church to be smelly and dirty since we do now have access to showers and such, but the very rich-looking clothes went against my sensibilities. I learned that each different church catered to their members. I never became a member of any church because I didn’t think it was a club. Each church had very different traditions and rules, but in there was a fine line of some sort of unity. In every trip to every church I went to, I could hear God trying His hardest to be heard by a deaf crowd. I finally decided that these churches filled a need for most of the people, which had very little to do with religion. So, I decided to just worship God and Jesus on my own. I still have questions, of course, and I do question parts of the Bible myself, but, I am a lot happier and feel God a whole lot more than when I went to church. I guess that I am going to church, but it is my own church and it suits me just fine. I have also recently done some research into the Muslum religion, where I was astonished to find how very similar the stories are to our Bible. Even though it was a woman who told Mohammed that he was a prophet, women are thought of as having less value than a cow. Somehow, to me, they have twisted their religion and produced a religion of misogynists. It’s all too bad, because what I think Jesus wanted all of us to know is TO LOVE EVERYONE, not physically, but spiritually. I certainly am not perfect as I struggle with this myself. Sometimes I can be the most toxic person ever, but I still believe.
Plan 9 from God says:
February 9, 2016 at 7:43 pm
Hi Barb. Your missive is really lovely. I’m glad you have found peace outside organized religion. Jesus was the poster-child for not being in organized religion. A real rebel. There is great value in finding a Church where the members are just Christians. Yes, they are there. The music, worship, praise. The writer of Hebrews was also against organized religion but he or she said, do not forsake the assembly as some have done. The reason is that the Church on earth is a reflection of the church in heaven. God bless. Plan9
February 13, 2016 at 2:00 pm
lol i love ignorant people…..im moprmon and alothough most these facts are treue, the funny thing is that they are prove facts, just like the lds religion has almost 15 million members world wide, the largets growth of any christian religion, haveing more members than the world wide jewish population, facts are facts
February 25, 2016 at 11:49 pm
As a catalyst for discussion, I am grateful for the article.
My family heritage in the states begins with the begining of the church. My great, great, great grandfather EGM Hogan and his family made the pioneer’s journey from Navou to Desseret less than a month after arriving in the U.S. He discovered Bountiful. His son founded Cove. My great grandfather was a bishop.
Where it ends is with my father, who married a ‘gentile’. She duly converted and was devout, but always treated as an outsider by the members of our ward.
I will never forget the cruelty shown to my parents. I remember my father holding back tears when he’d had enough and said that we were done. He broke with the church. This, from a man whose ancestors saw Joseph Smith speak, travelled with Brigham Young, danced at Hole In The Rock.
The doctrines of the church have great appeal, knowledge and compassion. But I’ve seen little of it in it’s general population. To this day, I am so moved by the writings of David O. McKay, but am knee jerk fearful when I discover that someone is LDS.
To the Mormons I see responding to this site who are the compassionate ones, the kind and gentle, I say thank you for reminding me of the beauty of the church.
To those ‘Saints’ that write No! Wrong! and snark at the no believers, I ask you to think of my parents.
February 27, 2016 at 2:15 am
I grew up in the church and had a grandmother who sang with the Mormon tabernacle quior. When I was 5 my dad who was inactive got custody of me because my mom was a drunk who had boyfriends that would beat and molest me. I never saw my mother after that and my dad took me to his and my step moms home and became, sealed and seriously active in the church and started haveing multiple amounts of children. I remember growing up I was the most nervous, confused and scared kid because I had an evil step mother who would act like a saint at church, around my dad and church members, at a young age I learned what fake tears of a phony testimony was. When it was just her I was seriously in fear when dad was at work, I was emotionally and physically abused by this devil and I had a bed wetting problem. My whole life I went to bed scared if I was going to wake up with a wet bed cause I knew my ass was going to be beat with a belt, this was an every day occurrence as a child, I tried to tell my dad how i was scared of mom cause I wet the bed and the time she put me in a cold water bath tub and I would shake with my lips turning blue before I had to get dressed for school or sometimes I would have to lay in it but mostly my ass was wooped hard. My dad confronted her and she called me a liar and then dad beat my ass for a lie! The branch we went to ended up getting shut down cause it had more inactive members from a tight click that was very hard to be a part of, I never understood all of this being “Mormon” and dad grew up beating me with fists for bad grades, lies of a mother and pack of smokes found in my jacket. I have been addicted to nicotine my whole life cause this was the one thing, for a breif moment that would calm me from my situation and my ADHD. I ended up getting kicked out of the house at age 14 to live with a relative who was inactive and immediately would let me smoke or drink or do different drug experimentation, they just wanted me to stay at their house when messed up so i didn’t get myself locked up some where else, I respect them for that!! I was so happy to be away from my strong active and sealed Mormon family and for the first time felt free. Well I ended up in the streets by 15 when my aunt and uncle got a divorce because my uncle ended up together with my birth mom after we found her cause I was curious to know her again. She was not what I expected! While I was on the street there was a couple of times I called dad up to bring me something to eat cause I was starving and he would but also reminded me I can’t go home until I choose to follow the “Mormon” rules. Well the streets got bad for me to the point dad and that evil step mom had me locked up in institution. From 16 to 19 I spent my time locked up but still very happy to be away from my family. I graduated high school with a diploma (Thank Goodness) but my step mom did not go with dad to my graduation ceremony cause she was too busy cheating on my dad, getting a boob job, going back to college, divorcing my dad and being the most selfish person in the world. My dad remarried and we made mends, I ended up going to college for a short time but quit when my dad got me into a very successful career, dad has looked out for my career my whole life and has helped advance me into huge positions, so now I am 40, I have the most beautiful wife and five kids in the world! But I have kids have not been raised in the church, they are foul mouthed brats to put it mildly. My wife is currently taking the missionary discussion has demanded we start paying tithing, I agree but dread going to the ward we are located in cause it’s another “clicky” ward and everyone has seen me active, then inactive my whole life and struggling with cigerettes to the point I get looked down on, I had took the my fussy baby to the hall during sacrament and 1 person who hold strong to the iron rod went immediatly went to the opposite side of the building to sit when I said hi to him, I swear he hates me! This ward gets my nerves in a shotty mess! Through all this crap, I could easily begin anti Mormon blogs and say this can’t be true but a small still voice has told me my whole life the gospel is true and I’ve witnessed this through blessings and experiences I have had and seen while inactive, active then inactive again. I know this is heavenly fathers restored gospel and holding tight to the iron rod can bring you joy and happiness, I often wonder how things would have been if my faith would have been stronger growing up! I want more than anything to move and go to a bigger ward and start over and me and my wife are considering it cause of the click we both are dealing with but the church is true and if you are Mormon, please remember to always embrace those who seem to be falling down and not so strong with the gospel, friendship from those who have never faultered is welcoming to those trying to be like you. Until then I will work on trying to see going for myself and not these kind of people. For everyone else who speaks against the “mormon” religion or LDS church, remember, Heavenly Fathers restored gospel is perfect. . The people are not!
Plan 9 from God says:
February 29, 2016 at 12:04 pm
Hi Calvin. I’ve known many people with similar experiences. You are to be commended for staying strong through it all. The problem is the “restored ” gospel is flawed. It is not just flawed people. The Apostle Paul said, “But even if we (apostles) or an angel from heaven should preach a gospel other than the one we preached to you, let them be under God’s curse!” (sound familiar?) The things you are reading about in the original article are historical facts discussed by ex-Mormons who realize the entire restoration idea is based on historical lies and fabrications. These facts are the source of the supposed “restored gospel”. The Catholic Church did corrupt many doctrines however, if you look closely at history there have always been Christians who have kept to the original gospel “…once for all entrusted to God’s holy people”. (Once for all…) Ever heard of the Ana-Baptist who were drowned by the thousands by the Catholic Church? If you were to begin attending an Evangelical Church near you (I would suggest around 300 members in size), you would probably find ex-Mormons and, I’m sure what I read about you, there, you would find like-minded people of strength, healing and comfort from true Christians. You could also read the facts about Mormonism from ex-Mormons without being so constricted. I hope you find peace but that is not going to happen inside Mormonism. God bless, Plan9
March 6, 2016 at 8:41 am
I was a member of the Mormon church for 2 years. Then one day I Googled to list Joseph Smiths wifes. The list was very thorough and complete. When I read that 2 of Joseph Smiths ” wives ” were 14 years old I literally denounced Joseph Smith and any further belief in his ” church “.
Plan 9 from God says:
March 6, 2016 at 1:26 pm
Hi David: You will probably be told that is not true. But, it is true. There is so much documentation from the people who were there at the time. “Monogamy, or restrictions by law to one wife, is no part of the economy of heaven among men. …Why do we believe in and practice polygamy? Because the Lord introduced it to his servants in a revelation given to Joseph Smith, and the Lord’s servants have always practiced it.” Brigham Young Just for the record. I went on several archaeology digs to “prove” the BOM. We found cultures there but they were not what is found in the BOM. Joseph made PT Barnham look like a piker! God bless, Plan9
Shane says:
April 24, 2016 at 8:15 am
Each book of religious literature is a piece of the puzzle. Each book alone is made to be rewritten threw out time… But it’s time for us to come together with these books and choose the structure for ultimate enlightenment. This includes every religion, but we are not going to use and negative structures. a basic structure of morals is the key. Answer me this… Who feels like they already knew right from wrong as soon as they were born?
C.D.Carney says:
April 25, 2016 at 8:37 pm
So pretty much the facts presented in this article are not being taken on and proven as made up or lies by the LDS members. I’m pretty sure that means they understand how much of a con their religion is but they won’t say anything because they want to believe in it so badly. I believe in a God who was born of a virgin, performed miracles that defy logic and science, and allowed himself to be killed only so he could defeat death and rise from the dead. But to believe that a random guy dug up Egyptian gold tablets buried in New York and then translated them with magic rocks that he pulled out of a well and that truest version of the Biblical text said it was ok to have as many wives as you wanted and only through the principle can you attain the highest level of celestial paradise… That’s a step too far.
April 25, 2016 at 10:16 pm
I take it you’re being sarcastic about the god who was born from a virgin, etc.?
Joshua says:
June 4, 2016 at 5:42 am
Okay, So we all agree that Mormonism is bat shit crazy. Because it’s true, nobody except true Mormons believe that. But then I see other sectors of Christianity go” Mormonism is crazy look at what those people believe”. And hear I am looking at them and going Well wtf, you’re the reason they even have an idea of Christ in the first place. Thanks, a lot. Their the crazies, but you’re the crazy makers. And then you have the balls to say, well we’re not them so we must be the right answer. It’s like the the fucking lesser of the crazies thinks he’s not crazy because he’s not on that level. You’re still crazy. Just not Mormon crazy lol.
June 15, 2016 at 11:03 pm
This list is NOT true on so many levels. People don’t believe everything you read! I honestly would hate for people to judge a religion based and the falsehoods written here.
June 16, 2016 at 7:27 am
Melissa, most members of any religion don’t believe every doctrine. That said, I would point out that other Mormons have responded to this article by saying, “yes we believe these things,” So what? Why are you acting like we hide it?
June 17, 2016 at 6:43 am
I myself have studied in depth the bible and the Mormon bible even was going to join the mormon church at one time. There were a few things that kept nagging me though. One why did they put so much into the mormon bible and not the real bible. I would have some of these Mormons come to my house and we would talk. When they asked about if I read the Mormon bible I would tell them I read some but was busy reading the regular bible. They would get so mad and annoyed and start telling me that the bible wouldn’t do anything for me that I needed to read the Mormon bible I did read it all. With an open mind. Nothing in seemed right. First off none of these tribes or families were never mintioned in the original bible. Now the bible talks about alot of families or tribe that go all the way back to the tower of Babel. Not once do you hear anything about anything about these people that left. Even enoch was mentioned later on in the bible. Second why is it that after Jesus died on the cross there was no more profits at all in the bible nor anytime after the bible. Over a thousand years later some random guy becomes a profit. That’s not even apart of the Israel or Judean bloodline. Not even the jews had a profit after christ died. Why is that it is because the proficies were completed until christ comes again. The main point of the bible is Jesus Christ. Now it does say in the bible that even Lucifer will disguise himself as a Angel of light to decive man. Is it possible then that the Angel that Joseph smith saw was a fallen angel sent to deceive Joseph Smith. Another thing the Mormon bible doesn’t match up to the bible in anyway. Not once in the bible does it mention where any of the city’s in the Mormon bible like the land of bounty. Now the traveling it took moses years to leave Egypt and get to cannan it didnt take as long for the people in the Mormon bible to get to America. The fact that these people were Jewish or Israelites doesn’t add up either. If these people left to America around the time of the tower of Babel then there is no way they could be Israelites seeing is how Abraham was the father of the Israelites. Which Abraham was born years hundreds of years after the fall of Babel. Monotheism and the beliefe in the God of Abraham didn’t come until Abraham. There for they can not be of Israel descent. Now if we were all angels once and became human and if Michael became adam then one how did Michael cast Lucifer out of heaven after Lucifer caused adam to and eve to eat from the tree of good and evil. Now how could Michael be a human and an angel at the same time. Also if Michael was adam doesnt that mean Michael ate the fruit and disobayed God which would have caused Michael\Adam to fall from grace yet we see Michael appearing to a few people in the bible. Which means he is still pure and never fell from grace. If there is no hell like mormons believe then why does the bible mention hell all through out the bible saying overs and overs again that all sinners will be cast into hell. Which if the mormons are saying that just that part is not true then the rest of the bible is not true which makes the Mormon religion not true. Same logic goes for anything else they contradict if the Mormon bible is just an extention of the bible then why not just preach the bible. Why force people to read the Mormon bible like they tried with me. Also sense when has God said that we need to do all these things to get into heaven. Doesn’t God say as long as you believe in me and ask for forgiveness we will be saved and go to heaven. So which one is the lie the one where we have to do all these rituals or the one where all we have to do is believe and have faith. Which is the lie God saying anyone that adds or takes away from my word shall be punished or the one that says this Mormon bible is an extention of the bible pretty much an add on. Now what makes more sense over all some guy thats trying to make easy money clams to find these gold plates to start a religion to make some cash and start a chruch in where they don’t have to pay taxes like so many have done in the present or God felt that Jesus didnt complete his mission while on earth that he needed Joseph smith to finish. The historical side proves Joseph Smith was a fraud so does the religious side it you take the time to look at the whole picture. Dont go into any religion with blind faith. I don’t go to chruch I read the bible everday I study history just as much. I pray I do what everyone that believes in God should. Or try to at least once I stopped looking for a religion and just believed and had faith God showed me the light ever sense the things I’ve prayed for have been answered my life as gotten better thing have been going my way. I have seen how God truly works. Please beg any Mormon that reads this please please please read the bible and question the Mormon bible. Do your research dont just accept it becaus someone else says you should.l
shane says:
June 19, 2016 at 2:07 am
i found life and faith more simple then society, and in any faith wants you to believe.. its no matter what faith we are as long as we have moral composure and patience for neaghbor, and stranger alike. theres been no profits, because we do not believe in anyone as an individual any more.. if you think different than society or faith, its considered mental illness. with the lack of individuality comes more illnesses, and lack of motivation because, just why? why work for something you cant see? who care what another person tells us. they stand there flesh and blood like me and have never seen, herd, or felt, the words they say. and it doesnt matter to anyone. the human right is freedom! physical,mental,emotional… those who take these away from anothr human being, with bars, or words, are labeled psychopaths, sociopaths. people who consider their needs before anyone else. if you ask me, some folks need faith, no doubt in my mind, but let actions for society, positive moves towards less fortunate threw giving a hand, a positive jester, without expectations, for faith preaching.. god for other people to know theres just a bunch of regular people out there, and sociatys looking out for them?!!!!! theres where you start seeing new faces at your church, and real devotion. then youll know who you are, and it becomes so clear why some say god is in us… selfless acts, using money as a tool towards the happiness of a complete stranger… when you know nothing matters but another and their well being over yours, i cant tell you…. its to real to call reality, its too crazy to call crazy. its imperfect perfection, unity of individuality.. to KNOW your SELF, is to know GOD. but threw negative gestures and hateful words because of greed or lazyness theres where you get your devil… there its is in physical form too see and understand. HEAVEN/HELL it all happens on earth because we have spirits. its only turns to hell when our spirits cant choose their own path. looks like hell to me. we all hate each other, nothing but killins and negativity on tv. war, fammon, prostitution, sex, drugs.. ya here we are, smack dab! lets make sure we keep it up, slavery, and fear.. its been working great.
June 20, 2016 at 10:21 am
Let’s all sit around and sing Kumbayah… Look. There are two options with Mormonism. A) You are not a Christian. If that is the case, it is fully documented by ex-Mormons like me that, the BOM is a 19th Century novel written by a Presbyterian Preacher named Solomon Spaulding and which was appropriated by one, Signey Rigdon who just happened to know the Smiths and Spauldings and was a frequent visitor to both houses. And, who also had previously told seerstone user, gold digger, con-artist and, divining rod specialists, Joseph Smith, “… if you are going to create a religion, you need a book.” or, B) You are a Christian. Galatians 1:8-9 says, even if an angel from heaven comes down and teaches a doctrine different than the one delivered to you, he is cursed! Everyone knows the premise of the Mormon Church is delivering a doctrine different than the one in the Bible. God, Jesus, Marriage, Grace (provided by Satan to confuse Christians), etnausea… Either way, your screwed.
June 20, 2016 at 10:57 am
Did you seriously just deride the Book of Mormon and then quote the pseudonymous book of Luke as if it were gospel truth?
June 20, 2016 at 2:07 pm
Nope. Incidentally, the Gospel of Luke has been proven to be historically accurate throughout…(as has Acts of the Apostles), government positions, town names prior to 70 AD, topology, But, I did not quote from Luke. Regards,
June 28, 2016 at 4:41 am
I used to live in the town of Manchester near Palmyra where this insanity was born. I say insane because you can tell most of them are out there!!!
Aze says:
September 19, 2016 at 2:22 am
My question is simple and complicated, usually we portray a deity as the opposite of what we are as our own brain can’t comprehend the absurdity of reality. So my question is this- who is/are G/god(s) to you and why? Then, why is everyone else wrong?
xzartex says:
September 22, 2016 at 3:16 pm
God is a deity of course. In our religion, we believe that once upon a time, God was a human just like us. He had also, obviously been worthy to become what he is now today. In order for us to become like him, we must enter into the Celestial Kingdom after death, and we can get there from other lesser kingdoms even if we have never heard the name Jesus. We can all repent, as far as it is with true intent. At this time, after death we go to either spirit paradise, where we can work and study the gospel, or to Spirit Prison, which is more of a Spirit School. From there we can get to Spirit Paradise, then during to Second Coming of Jesus Christ, we will be judged. Remember, we can still get to higher kingdoms, and progress after Judgement. Why is everyone else wrong? They are not completely, but lets just say they have cut parts of the true church out, and sprinkled
their religion with little lies that became larger and larger. A long time ago, when Jesus was here, there was just one Christian Church. He died, was resurrected, and went back to the Father. After this, did the other religions fall apart, and became “corrupted” in a sense.
September 22, 2016 at 3:34 pm
Man … that’s some crazy shit! And you actually believe all that gibberish? Holy spaghetti monster!!!
September 23, 2016 at 2:06 pm
Thank you.My adult daughter is receiving instruction by Mormon missionaries & is deciding to be baptized as such.Armed with facts I can hopefully shine a very bright light on their duplicitous hyperbole & perversion of the Hebrew Bible,as per Joseph Smith’s teachings
E Ryan says:
October 17, 2016 at 4:59 pm
“Among the problems with this scenario are that there is no evidence that any Native American groups are Semitic, but rather that they are Mongoloid; there are no surviving traces in their cultures of ancient Israelite customs, language, or religion;”
Well, there is in fact evidence, it’s in the DNA of some Native American tribes
October 21, 2016 at 1:17 pm
In response to E Ryan, the Semitic haplogroups or haplotypes that native Americans would certainly include in their DNA if, the Book of Mormon were not a 19th Century Novel and actually an ancient text, would be found throughout native American tribes even if there were a mixing of European DNA with native American DNA over the past 400 years. (note the Ethiopian connection to Jews for example) There is no such haplogroup in native Americans as per the BOM. (which again, is a 19th century novel written by Solomon Spaulding and stolen by one, Sidney Rigdon, aka an Apostle). The only example of Semitic haplogroups found in Native Americans is in an extremely small sampling of “Cherokee” remnants (which may not in fact, be Cherokee), in the Carolinas’ and that haplotype came from Jews migrating to the Americas from Spain during early European migrations. The suggestion there is a Semitic haplotype among native Americans tribes flies in the face of all facts. No such ancient connection exists. Native American DNA has been analyzed ad naseum. It is not Jewish no matter how much you wish the BOM were from God. This notion of a Jewish connection was very popular in the 19th Century and the Book of Mormon was not the only novel that suggested that connection. It was a well known theory.
November 14, 2016 at 2:01 pm
I would hope the author of the article realizes this: Mormon women can be sealed to only one man in the LDS temples. Yet men can be sealed to as many women as they want. This would indicate an LDS belief that there will be polygamy in heaven.
November 18, 2016 at 1:01 pm
A Mormon friend once told me that as a non-Mormon, I would not be able to have multiple wives in heaven and would look up (his words), from my 2nd Heaven level and see him enjoying his many sexual relationships. I swear he said that! So, there is little doubt Joseph Smith’s eternal prophecy regarding multiple wives is well established.
Leaf says:
November 29, 2016 at 11:21 am
Have any of you asked God about this? He above anyone would know weather or not which religion is true…
November 29, 2016 at 11:56 am
Asia, would you tell a child to ask the tooth fairy or a boogy-monster if she is real?
November 29, 2016 at 2:46 pm
Valerie, that was the perfect answer! Literally perfect! Warm regards, Plan9
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 29, 2016 at 4:19 pm
If you hold religion in general up to the same scrutiny as Mormonism none are true (in my opinion). I don’t think anyone knows as much as we would like to believe we do. There are certainly a few fundamental churches who claim to have the truth but really all they have are the same cult tactics and mentality that cause them to convince themselves to pray about goodness and if you feel something it much be true and if you don’t keep praying forever but if also if you don’t receive a answer it’s because there are a million reasons and possibilities of things you must be doing wrong to not receive an answer from god. What the F. How is that rational! It takes years to recover from a child hood of religious indoctrination so I can see why some educated people fail to see the flaws in there religion. It’s a such a shame it seams like such a waste of there potential and then world’s. Religion has served a purpose I guess but most educated people do not need religion to serve, learn and lead good lives. I believe religion is holding the world back. Not to say spirituality is bad I actually think it’s healthy but fundamental religion is not the way to life’s progression and does not own spirituality and morals. Honestly going to hell for not believing in Christ it just seams so cave man.
November 30, 2016 at 10:04 am
Hi Ex Mormon KP: Enjoyed your comments. Reflect my own attitudes in the past. I’m an ex-atheist, Science degree then, Bible degree from Pepperdine University. Yes, Science and the Bible fit without checking your brains in at the door. As to your comment, “If you hold religion in general up to the same scrutiny as Mormonism none are true (in my opinion)”: Respectfully, although I once held this same view, when I went from atheist to Christian, (I came kicking and screaming into the latter) it was 1000% a result of science and form criticism. Science revealed an over-whelming evidence for “Design” (with a capital D), from a God defined by the Bible as outside space and time. Biblical Form criticism revealed an overwhelming evidence for authenticity of message, dates, genuineness of the text, etc.. I am a skeptic! I did not want Christianity to be true! The evidence, and evidence alone (looking critically at both sides), took me down a road and at the end were these Christians who were smart people, not the religious idiots I had been exposed to. Appreciate your comments and hope you do not stop investigating the evidence.
December 22, 2016 at 10:03 am
Another cult, another form of racism. The mormons (please remove the 2nd m) are abundantly naive to say the least, no different thatn the catholics, the buddhists, the islamists, the hebrews and the other 4,200 and counting self-righteous religions in the world. Another cult brought to you by another self-centred egotistic despot manipulating others just like the cult of Jim Jones, the Peoples Temple, when in 1978, 918 people were poisoned and/or killed by him and his followers.
The church of jesus christ of latter day saints, until 2013, was officially a racist church as per its own writings in the book or mormons. Bowing to pressure it allowed “black” men to be ordained as priests in 1978. So three yeas ago the LDS finally got un-racisted by decree. Wow, I am impressed. That speaks highly as to the value of “black” words on white paper.
Prior to 2013 the official doctrine of the church was that a dark skin was a sign of god’s curse, while a white skin a sign of his blessing. Now racism does not get any better than that.
The moral of the story is that there is none. One’s belief, here today gone tomorrow. Religions are like the wind, they blow hot and cold as they please; so as the wind blows we find discrimination, killings, wars, assassinations, the inquisition, the crusades, genocide of indigenous peoples, drone assassinations, agent orange, napalm, stuxnet, the nuclear bomb, Trump, etc. as religions stand by denying, supporting or sticking their heads in the tar sands of Alberta to avoid the shame and hide their hypocrisy.
January 30, 2017 at 12:14 pm
You see us as liars. Why?
February 1, 2017 at 1:54 pm
No. I suspect Joseph Smith was sociopathic. It appears that he lied to get what he wanted but may also taken pleasure in the process of fabrication itself. But I think most Mormons earnestly believe what they say they believe.
Leigh says:
February 5, 2017 at 11:11 am
I have read most of this article. I have been LDS all my life and have studied church history for many years. I realize that those who are not LDS would not really want to understand the gospel or the history as a active LDS would. The problem I have is that no matter the intentions one has as a critic they never seem to get the understanding right. There is always misinformation. Most I believe is not intentional but those that read it it becomes truth and no matter how much it has LDS correct it Otis never believed. If you want a true representation of beliefs include a LDS person. Perhaps a point counter point.
batphink says:
February 9, 2017 at 5:03 pm
Joseph Smith was insane obviously,when one claims to have seen and interacted with an angel,it;s a pretty sure bet that you are nuts.
February 16, 2017 at 10:12 am
I am a Baptist-LDS kind of guy. I am LDS pioneer stock but spent 20 years in the baptist world. When I considered a trip back to the LDS world I began a massive study of everything I could find LDS. The Language of the southwest Indians contains root words that are ancient Hebrew, This was verified by Israeli Scholars in Israel. They have no axe to grind so they agreed to check out the linguists work. In Manchester KY is a giant ancient rock that fell off into the road it has 7 ancient languages on it and it has been verified as really old. Its currently in a city park. It has been proven twice that a boat coming from the middle east will be thrown into south america simply due to the ocean currents. OH and they sailors nor the sponsors were LDS nor were they aiming for South america. Its now a common belief there have been many migrantions into the Americas both north and south. Michigan has lots of copper mines and a great many ancient small mines. There is a theory that the Phonecians came and got the copper and sold it back into Europe as no one knows where all teh copper came from the bronze age. If you have a copper mnine you never tell where it is ya know.
I have a book written by a professor who spent his young life in south america working. His pass time was collecting evidence for the BoM. Its his masters thesis. I have read talks from main stream Christianity pastors telling them that they are falling behind and the Mormons just dont quit with their archaeology and work to prove they are right. The end of the article says if they dont get busy then they will lose. So if the pastors and such are worried about the Mormons taking over it can only be for one reason. They will be out of a job as you cant make a living being LDS and preaching. So Im the LDS guy who has studied and done his home work. if I had to classify the LDS belief system I would say it was very very primitive and strives to remain so. Its much older than the Trnity which was decided based on a bunch of people and was very politically motivated. Does the Trinity save me? Not in the least, my old Pastor whom I still love told me once “We would gladly give up everything we know about God to learn what we dont know.” So it is will all religions we are simply doing the best we can with what we have today. Key word today. That’s the way every one is even Prophets. OH and the ancient egyptian scrolls of whats left is miniscule compared to what there was originally. By all eyewitness accounts is was 13-15ft long and was written on both sides I am told.
Oh and lets get busy with Hugh Nibley too, now that guy was respected by all scholars and they could never understand why he stayed with the LDS system.
March 15, 2017 at 12:27 pm
Ranger Bob. Like many others, you have this hypothesis that the claims of Mormonism are true. You have obviously even investigated the evidence from various sources. Under experimental conditions (e.g., your study), you believe your observations to contain truth But, just because some of your conclusions may have kernels of truth (which I find debatable), that does not make your hypothesis or model to be true. If experimental evidence that is beyond doubt goes against your hypothesis or model, then your evidence is discarded. In every one of your examples you leave out pertinent information that completely proves that piece of evidence to be either a non-sequitur or irrelevant to the overall hypothesis. Hard scientific evidence proves the BOM is not historically authentic and the conditions described in it historically fantastic. Good luck in your ongoing study. Incidentally, you might want to investigate the many Mormon archaeologists who could read Egyptian who left the Mormon church before Mormon authorities handed Hugh Nibley (who could not read Egyptian) the Book of Abraham papyri to translate. And, he is not respected by all scholars.
March 15, 2017 at 7:29 am
Learn more, correct your mistakes, and recognise that others think your beliefs to be strange.
March 24, 2017 at 6:10 pm
I was forced to join in a group home called paradise pines ranch deer park wa. at age 15 ..the phony prophet Joseph with fake gold tablets and sooth sayer crap hat or rock was a fraud from day one ..34 years later I move to same area (springdale wa. ) and presto . run into shepherds way phony dog and horse rescue fraud animal starvers thieves crooks scammers ..guess what ? Bundy’s main ex gaurd pops up with more Mormon crap as most Bundy’s are moron Mormon with their phony prophet ..I will prove it now ..jonah terms 1982-1984 ..look up robert Christerson on g + you will see I am not lieing ..and their prophet was always a fraud ..amen in christ on jonah terms twice in new testement written…
Todd Farnworth says:
April 22, 2017 at 3:08 pm
I read this article to see what others are saying about Mormons. I’m a Mormon. This article does not describe the church that I belong to. It is intentionally negative and unbalanced. Reader beware! The facts are much different than these clever authors would steer you to believe. Ask a Mormon to tell you what they believe; don’t trust this article for your source of information! I am a medical doctor, therefore educated. I have a scientific background, therefore am used to critical thinking. I believe in the verasity of the history of the Church. Anyone can write an article that could make the Church seem strange. But the Church I love is not given a fair hearing in this article.
April 26, 2017 at 5:43 pm
Yes, all pieces of evidence you stated were true. Every one was a complete fact. I know this, for I have studied Mormon history intensely. The only problem I find with your arguments is that they are not central parts to the LDS religion and aren’t discrediting any information that Mormon’s believe are “central to salvation.” Therefore there is no proof against the central doctrine of the Church and/or what its members stand for.
John says:
June 11, 2017 at 8:40 pm
A bunch of these are things the church is very open about. In fact, they send missionaries out to teach these things. The bolded text anyways, not the opinions under them.
David says:
September 17, 2017 at 6:31 pm
These sites are interesting to read but do you know what they leave out????? What is the church we should join? Funny how this is always silent as if to say, as long as you are not a crazy Mormon then do whatever you want. However you never see the author say, a better place to go to church is _______. Why???? Because every religion has imperfect people with quirks. What to talk about the history of the Catholic church, that should be fun! Baptists or Methodists are good faiths too but if you move down the street the next church will possibly vary in their beliefs. How can a faith differ so much from town to town? Non-denominations are an oxymoron and seem to basically have 5 bible verses they constantly quote but no understanding of doctrine besides just being saved. Atheistism is a religion, I mean have you ever seen a more dogmatic group of like minded followers? If all religion is bogus then why do you get so upset about a nativity and other people “wasting” their time. I’m really not trying to be critical, I’m just saying the author lobs stones but I never see where they are claiming an individual should attend to help them to closer to Christ. It’s a lot easier to lob stones at someone else’s glass house when you won’t tell me your address, am I right?
October 30, 2017 at 11:07 am
I wrote a long script once that could easily have been accepted by any reader as ‘truth’. Of course it was all made up. I wanted to write a book. The thing is, Mormons and especially myself believe that Joseph Smith didn’t write the Book of Mormon, the Pearl of Great Price, or the Doctine and Covenants. The Lord, Jesus Christ did. Every scripture in these books and the Bible were inspired revealed words directly from the Savior. The words translated from biblical writings were handed down and copied for generations. Some, would have easily misread or misquoted passages while making copies. That Book of Mormon wasn’t changed.
The thing is, ” he said this”. “They said that”. “The rumor is this” . ” The rumor is that”. “He said that that one guy said that the other guy was sure that they heard that…..” isn’t conducive to the real truth of the actual circumstances. Any enemy of a person can make false accusations and print them as truth. Read BOTH sides if you are inclined to believe nonsense. And pray about it.
Truth is righteous. Truth is uplifting. Truth is fulfilling.
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November 27, 2017 at 2:24 am
I “Grazed by the LDS faith when I was a teenager, mom went back to the church from her hippy ways. Yeah, I’m that old, I then married a young Baptist Calvinist for 20 yrs. When she lost her mind and left me with 3 kids to raise I went back to the church, but with a microscope of study. I am VERY THANKFUL FOR MY BAPTIST years it was EXTREMELY rigorous in a study. I continue to study the LDS beliefs and all ancient religious history. I do not have time to go through a response to the above article, I will tell you that it’s at best and I am being charitable here at best a low flying look above the trees. As you would expect in such an endeavor the ability to study field mice on the ground would be shall we say somewhat limited at best.
December 23, 2017 at 5:25 am
It’s all very hilarious if it weren’t so sad – personally I don’t have time for ANY of the Jewish cults, including Christianity and all it’s little offshoots. People are so credulous, wanting to shift responsibility to an imaginary father figure, and wanting to be forgiven by that same figure. Weird. Take your own responsibility, and forgive yourself – you are your best critic if you allow it. Don’t blame imaginary friends, and don’t rely on them either. Rely on yourself.
Certainly don’t rely on a well known con-artist who purports to have had revelations from God. Pity his nuttiness, and move along.
February 21, 2018 at 8:44 pm
I think this is all a very big waste of time
the snuggler says:
February 23, 2018 at 12:20 pm
Wow you people are pretty sad to be using partial truths and twisting things and just straight up fake facts as well to turn others away from the Gospel…I think it tells the rest of us something about what’s going in your lives that you came here to disgrace something you don’t even understand just because you’ve never tried to gain a testimony of Jesus Christ…I’m sorry that living a worthy life is too much for most of you, but you should just recognize that that’s a personal problem instead of thinking “oooooh look I’ve found this random piece of church history that I can twist and change to make sound it bad…now I feel justified in claiming to be ‘atheist’ just so I don’t have to try to restrain myself when necessary or live a decent life”
Well keep that “justification” to yourself next time, and don’t pick on us, we’ll try and teach you again when you’re in spiritual prison
John Cunningham says:
March 5, 2018 at 6:29 pm
They are Christ like…
Jesus was charged and killed by the Roman government for sedition, sorcery, insurrection, idolatry and treason. ..
March 14, 2018 at 9:21 am
Mormon theology is pagan and polytheistic and as fictionally melodramatic as Greek mythology. The ultimate destiny of every worthy Mormon elder who makes to the highest degree of Mormon heaven, exaltation, is to become Mormon heavenly father-gods, with a capital G, with their wives, who will become Mormon heavenly mother-goddesses, with a capital G, and do everything that their Mormon heavenly father, and his heavenly mother-goddess did, which includes creating an earth, and billions of spirit children to include a first-born son who will be the savior of that world just like the Mormon Jesus. For every Mormon elder there will be a savior-Jesus procreated in the perpetual cycle of Mormon godhood, which the Mormon Church now calls “deification.” Brigham Young stated in 1865 that, “there are as many Gods as there are stars, and as many saviors as there are Gods.” If you don’t believe me, here is the smoking gun proof from “Lesson 21-Man May Become like God,” from the 1984 LDS Melchizedek Priesthood Personal Study Guide, “Search These Commandments” which was the last 20th Century published affirmation and veneration of Joseph Smith, Jr.’s 1844 King Follett Discourse and Mormon Prophet Lorenzo Snow’s refinement of it in the late 1890s. http://richkelsey.org/lesson21.html The most dramatic expose of Mormon real Mormon theology was the 1877 book by Edward Tullidge, “Women of Mormondom.” which was dedicated to Eliza R. Snow and blessed by the Mormon Prophet Brigham Young in 1877, just before his death. The drama of Mormon polytheistic goddess-hood is detailed dramatically and fictionally as REAL Mormon theology in the book! http://www.gutenberg.org/files/54335/54335-h/54335-h.htm
Trey Reed says:
April 16, 2018 at 1:37 pm
Don’t believe everything you read. Any website (like this one) tells things in a skewed point of view. A lot of things mentioned here are either taken out of context or are completely false. Yes, certain things are true and might seem screwy, but you need a basic understanding before you can learn and understand more advanced things in the gospel. Like the Bible says, “line upon line, precept upon precept”. There are good people in every religion and bad ones too, that doesn’t mean Mormons are bad people, it means they are human. Unless you are part of the religion and really dive into it, you shouldn’t judge and assume. Do more research. Read both sides of the story and especially read the Book of Mormon with a true intent and not just to scrutinize. Then you can make your comments.
April 16, 2018 at 2:26 pm
Ah, milk before meat.
There are definitely good people in all religions, and I have known some very kind, honest, generous Mormons. There are also very kind, honest, generous people who are not religious. My own tendency, given the contents of Abrahamic religion, is to suspect that people are decent and good in spite of their religion, not because of it.
June 30, 2018 at 11:44 am
Though I read the Book of Mormon forty times in four years, and know what the book says and does not say, it is not intellectual knowledge of why I know it is true, and is the word of God, and another testimony, like the Bible, that Jesus is the Christ. Therefore, I know this because of my personal revelation by the Holy Ghost! First, I know we have a Heavenly Father, who is literally our Father, and His Son Jesus Christ, is the Savior of the world. Also, that the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is the Lord’s true church on earth today. Additionally, the Holy Spirit has revealed to me that the Book of Mormon is true, that Joseph Smith indeed had a vision of the Father and Son in 1820 and he was given commandments to restore the Lord’s Church back upon the earth, as there was a “falling away” of truth as the Apostle Paul prophesied. Any historian knows of the facts of the Spanish (Catholic) Inquisition and the Protestant Reformation, therefore, a need to “restore.” BUT it is not only this, but the fact that when my mother and father were getting divorced when i was a teenager, that I had the experience of praying, with a faith to move mountains, for three hours, that I parted the veil, and the Lord spoke to me in a man’s voice and simply said, “Ronnie, everything will be OK.” At this moment, a feeling which puny words cannot describe came upon me, and yes, since that moment, I have never had one worrisome thought about the divorce. But this “visitation” did not stick unfortunately, it was not until years later, when I was twenty-four years of age (1984) after an accident, and read the Miracle of Forgiveness by Spencer W. Kimball, and when I read, the book had at the top of the page the name “Ronnie” followed by a comma, and then the content. I read it in a day or two, and then the Book of Mormon in three days too, that I began to truly desire to repent. But also a few days later, the devil came to stop my progression; therefore, the Lord sent an Angel of the Lord to me, in the form of a man, standing just above me in the air and said, “Be ye clean that bear the vessels of the Lord,” and other commandments such as, “I would die soon if I did not repent,” and other counsel, thus, I repented of my then rebellious behavior, and returned to church the on April Easter. I know that “spiritual experiences” do not necessarily convert souls; however, I bear humble testimony that these experiences indeed happened for me, so my “faith is swallowed up in a perfect knowledge” of some eternal truths. I do not have any bitter feelings to those who have either purposely lied or ignorantly lied on this page, and leave all judgement unto the Lord God. BUT I leave all with this, “Every head shall bow, and every tongue confess, that Jesus is the Christ.” In his sacred and holy name, even Jesus Christ. Amen
June 30, 2018 at 2:13 pm
Those are indeed powerful experiences, and experiences like these are what binds believers to each religion.
Tom says:
August 19, 2018 at 8:59 pm
If there really was an “all powerful” God who wanted human kind to “know” him/her, then there is one basic inescapable conclusion that any rational person would have to reach:
ALL the stories about, and “teachings” from, God should be the SAME all over the world.
And yet, every corner of the world seems to have different stories and different teachings.
Furthermore, all Judeo/Christian religions include the book of Genesis as one of those “truths”, and yet on the FIRST PAGE of the book of Genesis it says that PLANTS were created on day 3, and the SUN/MOON/STARS (“two great lights/luminaries”) were created on day 4. The notion that plants existed BEFORE the sun did is absolutely illogical.
What more needs to be said?
August 20, 2018 at 7:42 pm
Dear kimberly the thing is that it is a act the lds play on being this kind and helpful people to the general public but like the article said they are allowed to use deception and lie to the gentiles that is what they call all non lds members isnt strange through that you have a. child of 17. Saying he saw god in a field and god told him all churches were corrupt and they confess with thier mouths but their hearts were far from god and all christianity was a joke according to the lds church
The anabaptist movement of the 1500”s
The wesley brothers who started the methodist church in the 1700”s
They and all the other reformationist fathers got it all wrong sounds a bit fantastic of events
I dont think campbell or stone the first restoration theologians who came up with the same thing
Whom joe smith borrowed the whole restoration idea from ever condemed all of christianity to promote
Their theology view
October 2, 2018 at 11:25 am
And how did Joe Smith find all this info from the woods of NY at the age of 14?
August 20, 2018 at 7:55 pm
Valarie experiences and emotion have nothing to do with truth
A mormon missionary plays upon that for prospective convert
To appeal to their emotions and experiences
They will tell to read the book of mormon and if it is correct
I then say if you get a burning in the bosom after praying if the bom is correct
Then should i pray for a burning in the bosom to tell me if cheating stealing and lying is correct
No because god instilled man with comoon sense of what is right or wrong i do not need to pray
If something is true or false then the missionary will bear his testimony that the bom is true
And the lds church is the true church and joseph smith was a real prophet of god all memorized
Script they are taught if confronted by those they will not listen to and agree with thier thelogy
Ask a missionary why the numbers of missionaries use to be twice as many years ago as their are
Currently because they are not converting as many people as they did years ago the opposite is true more people are leaving the lds church then coming into their church
They just wont admit it to the general public
October 2, 2018 at 11:23 am
LDS missionaries are simply boys out of high school, nothing more. How many of your kids have you sent off to serve God for two years, oh thats right you do do that don’t you and you pay them 100K to do it for life. Pretty good gig for the right person huh? LDS do it at their own expense, live on 35.00 a week and NO ONE gets paid for anything in the church ministry. Yet they still grow and they have I think 85K missionaries in the field at any given moment. When a hurricane hit Haiti who was there first? The LDS with money and food via that other cult called the Catholic church. Go do some open minded research on the Book of Mormon and how it is constructed etc and tell me how one guy wrote it in less than 2 months and the Lord of the rings was 30years in the making and nowhere near as complex. Now with computer word printing, we can tell who wrote something based on their word choices etc. Mark Twain published some works under a fake name to see if it was his work or his name that sold the books. Now we know that it was Twain who wrote it. The Book of Mormon contains 55 Separate voices in it, none of them are Joseph Smiths way of writing not his scribe or even his wife.
October 1, 2018 at 11:33 pm
Very sadly, I posted an anti-Mormon meme on facebook for one of my daughters to see…I made a mistake and posted it on her timeline, not privately…my nephew, Joel Pieper, saw it and he is a Mormon….he decided to punish me and now I cannot see in person or on facebook pictures of my three grandchildren he adopted with his Mormon wife, Krissy Pieper. So sad. I don’t hate them, I hate their cult religion that will send them to hell….as for my grandchildren they adopted, all I can do is pray for them, which I do everyday. What a sad, nasty cult they are in…I am saved, so all I really can do is pray for the grandchildren: Cassie, Emma and Luke.
October 2, 2018 at 10:54 am
I am truly sad for you Arla, I would not cut anyone off from family, the LDS faith is all about families and getting along with everyone. Now, this doesn’t t mean there aren’t some jackasses in the barnyard by any means but I do know the LDS don’t teach casting anyone off from seeing kiddos especially the really cute ones. I currently hold dual citizenship in the Reformed Baptist and LDS worlds. I am genetically LDS from Nauvoo Illinois, my family is all LDS. I spent the first 20 years of adulthood in the Baptist world. I learned a tremendous amount from the Pastor about theology and church history, John Calvin, Martin Luther etc. When I decided to give the LDS faith a true inspection I had 20 years of serious theological teaching behind me. What I found was a church that had truly restored ancient concepts lost between Jesus death and the modern day. My research has been going on now for about 11 years. No, it doesn’t come from the LDS church. it comes from various sources of archaeology and even other faiths, The current “Christian” movement is lead by men who have been taught by men who have been taught by men who sat and argued over the exact substance of God. Does this save me more or less? In the end, it is simply the opinions of men. “The inerrancy of scripture is an excuse for lazy people” this is what the rest of Christianity accepts and clings to. Mankind is much like a horse that would rather stay on the barn as do some real work. Handing some one the inerrency of scrpipture is akin to Trust me I know what I’m doing here” What that quote means is that in order to truly know whether scripture is true or not each person should get it out and wrestle with it until they understand it. Also, I saw a Muslim man from the middle east ask what is a Bible? Various faiths have varying books in their bible. He simply asked which one is correct? which one is true? How many Books were omitted from the Bible way back when? Since the finding of the Dead Sea Scrolls (LDS have been very big on this project of cleaning and translating them) many Books have come to light that were lost to history yet they were excluded from the current KJV. If one is to cast out the LDS as not being a Christian one must define what Christian is and what scripture is to be used. Then one must be very careful someone doesn’t cast you out as not being Christian due to your baptism beliefs, or you view of infant baptism. Let’s not forget Baptism for the dead which Paul had no problem with and was practiced for 400 years before the Catholic Church banned it, to gain more control over the people in my opinion. In the end can you tell me why we came here to this eart?
December 23, 2018 at 9:41 am
The fact that you think Mormon religion will them to hell for them believing different than you tells me that you are as wrong as Mormons. When other religions try to prove Mormons wrong based on their religious beliefs it just exposes the weakness of their religion too. I’m not saying Mormons are right but they aren’t going to hell any more than the rest of Christians. Mormonism does not have a monopoly on untrue beliefs.
Mary says:
December 6, 2018 at 4:01 am
One thing ppl do not say here is, what if we could pick apart the lives of our past prophets in the KJV? One thing I read many times was how many did not think they were even worthy. I don’t think it is wise to pick apart their lives to find judgement. I think we should base our beliefs on facts, knowledge, and the pursuit of happiness. So far the dna thing can be tossed off and said that what tribe were they testing? It’s not fair to say all native Americans came from mongoloids. Many of the ancient tribes of the Americas are mixed and nearly extinct. Did they test every nation? Then the racist stuff, geez I’m not even going to go into how many southern churches…..lol it’s not in our doctrine today. And the papyri, according to church leaders, said it’s a correction. I researched. I asked questions. Truth is you can say we are idiots, that we are going to hell, but those ppl you claim as doctrine in the Bible aren’t any better than you or I or even JS. Do we feel the spirit? Yes. And quite honestly I’ve never felt more strongly than when I prayed with mormons. Does the Bible ask u to go on faith? BoA ask you to go on faith?yes so y are we pulling apart these ppl? Who the heck knows what god could have in store for us tmrw. Worry about yourself. Those prophets in the Bible had a ton of wives and concubines! Abraham himself! So we condemn it bc it’s not what we practice now?
I’ll be honest I’ve had a hard time drinking the koolaid. But every time I find stuff knocking it, I find stuff to restore it. Once ppl have a faith it’s very hard to shirk it. If it isn’t true then how do we feel that spirit? Why?
December 6, 2018 at 6:22 pm
Thank you for sharing your thoughts and musings. Let me address just the last little bit. It turns out that there are now rather solid naturalistic explanations for that powerful experience of feeling the spirit, which occurs in a number of religions and spiritual practices. My videos about cognitive science and Christianity delve into this a bit, as does Andy Thomson’s book, “Why We Believe in Gods.” (His video that inspired the book is available on Youtube.)
Mary says:
December 7, 2018 at 9:02 pm
Thank you I have been looking everywhere for that! I would try and research the science behind the feeling but never got anywhere. Truth is I was born in Mormonism. And I always said if it’s wrong then, I just can’t even be a Christian. Honestly I think many are afraid to find out if it is wrong. Knowledge is pain. The thought of being lied to is sad. I’m still researching but I will let you know my conclusions after I read and watch.
Mary says:
December 7, 2018 at 11:32 pm
Again I thank you so much for the thought and information. These are my findings. Just because someone told me to search ponder and pray, that I will know by a burning in my heart is not going to make me feel that feeling. I don’t think you understand my question. I asked what is the science behind this feeling. Why do I feel the burn? So much sometimes it engulfs my entire chest. That’s a feeling, not a thought ma’am. Just because you want to be warm when it’s cold outside isn’t going to make you feel the heat and warmth if there is no heater.
I feel I may never know the real answer here. I’ve searched a long time to disprove this feeling because I’d really like to be able to feel good about doing bad things lolololol. The only thing that I have found that gives me this feeling is the spirit. The church tells everyday what it is, yet a scientist and a doctor of psychiatry can’t tell me why I’m feeling this.
I’m a mri imaging specialist, I’d love to get a hold of that functional mri study that shows what ppl are thinking when introduced thoughts of religion.
For everyone else that reads this. Do your own research. If you feel like I do and you just can’t explain that feeling I beg you to keep searching and if I’m wrong please show me! I wanna know what the heck that is from a science stand point.
December 23, 2018 at 9:16 am
The problem with this article is that it is 20 % inaccurate. Like many other anti Mormon literature, all of the information gets thrown out because part of it is untrue. While I agree with most of the article, it would do more good if it was more accurate or better sourced. For example, Mormons don’t believe God the father lived in this earth. They believe he had a mortal experience in times past. Joseph had plutal wives bit the number is grossly exaggerated. Emma and Joseph’s ritual to get the plates is not ducmented anywhere. Stick to the facts that are documented and you will do more good in you efforts to disclose truth.
January 14, 2019 at 5:45 pm
1. How many teenagers and women do you think Smith talked into illicit unions with him? Mormon historian Todd Compton, who wrote In Sacred Loneliness, says there’s good evidence Smith entered into illicit unions (not Compton’s words) with at least 33 women, with Emma being his only wife.
Other scholars put the number as high as 40 or 50. As per Compton, one-third were between fourteen and twenty years of age. Another third were lawfully married, and some of the husbands served as witnesses at their own wife’s polyandrous union with Smith.
Also, in entering into these illicit unions with these teenagers and women, Smith disobeyed the revelation he said God gave him about polygamy. Conveniently, Smith’s revelation doesn’t seem to contain any punishment for Smith disobeying God, but if Emma disobeyed – and she did – she would “be destroyed.”
That part of his revelation didn’t come to pass. Could his “revelation” have been merely a way to have access to sex with lots of women and keep Emma quiet about it?
2. Where do Mormons believe God lived as a man?
General Authority Milton R. Hunter wrote:
Mormon prophets have continuously taught the sublime truth that God the Eternal Father was once a mortal man who passed through a school of earth life similar that through which we are now passing (The Gospel Through the Ages, 1945, p 104).
Kyle Kohler says:
December 30, 2018 at 5:06 pm
You fail to realize personal revelation. Although your article may be logical, without revelation confirmed time, and time again, The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter day Saints teaches true doctrine; I can testify of this, and hope one day, you will be curious enough to engage in thoughtful prayer with our Heavenly Father to be confirmed of the same
January 6, 2019 at 1:24 pm
All revealed religions rely on the same kind of “revelation,” the same kind of subjective evidence, and each persuades a great number of earnest truth seekers that they have the found the One Way. If a certain kind of evidence can lead to many different worldviews, then it isn’t actually evidence for any of them. It is evidence instead regarding the nature of the human psyche and persuasion–why and how we are so able to believe devoutly once we go down a certain thought path.
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Virtuous says:
February 10, 2019 at 11:41 am
Half of this is false. Black people were not cursed. This means black as in literal black. Like the color of this text black. Also, polygamy was once apart of the church but we have received revelation that we should no longer practice it. You shouldn’t go posting garbage like this. Especially since it’s not true. Go to church. At least we don’t go around saying things like “Buddhists are dumb because they believe in this and that” we have our beliefs like other religions.
February 27, 2019 at 2:51 pm
historical “Man/God/Ism…
And still humans believe the
Rituals each time they hear
Ian says:
March 16, 2019 at 1:45 pm
Since none of the sources for the ‘information’ in this post are referenced, it is hard to determine where the truth begins or ends. I managed to track down one: “Naked Truths About Mormonism”, allegedly written in 1888, which contains the alleged affidavits from people who grew up with Joseph Smith (but there was no copy of the book available in Google Books, Archive.com or Project Gutenberg, so it is difficult to evaluate the tone or credibility of its author, who by all accounts was an anti-Mormon ‘crusader’.). Since Joseph Smith was born in 1805, this would have made these informants (if they had actually existed) around 83 years old in the late 19th century at the time they made their affidavits. This in itself is possible but hardly credible, but this evidence is questionable for four reasons. Firstly, it is hardly a representative sample of people who grew up with Joseph Smith so we don’t know what biases are inherent in this ‘sample’. It also means that the vast majority of people that Smith grew up with were dead, so on the one hand, anyone who held a contrary view was probably not around to express it nor was anyone around who could have questioned whether these ‘witnesses’ ever actually knew Joseph Smith. Finally, at that age in that era, you would have to wonder about the accuracy of their memories and the extent to which having lived through 50 years of anti-Mormon propaganda they weren’t affected by False Memory Syndrome and conflated what they could actually remember with the propaganda they had heard.
The author of this article mentions “Lying for the Lord” but given that anti-Mormons had no problem with massacring Mormons including women and children, why wouldn’t they also be willing to manufacture their own “Lies for the Lord”? So you might reasonably compare “Naked Truths About Mormonism” with anti-Semites and the bogus “Protocols of the Elders of Zion”.
A lot of the other items on the list have been previously debunked decades ago (and on Google Books you can find books which do so.) But the thing I find particularly annoying is the idea that Mormons ‘conceal’ their true doctrines. Unless someone is EXTRAORDINARILY lazy, what Mormons believe is readily accessible on the Internet, you can read excerpts from Mormon books in Google Books and so on. You can get copies of their teaching publications on their website. And as a conversion strategy it would not be particularly effective since any convert who suddenly found out that what Mormons ‘really’ believed was radically different from what they had been told up front, would be perfectly free to leave the LDS Church and probably would.
I’m not a Mormon, but as a critical thinker, what I find disturbing is the number of people who have posted here who didn’t even bother to think critically about what was being said or to do any investigation themselves but simply blindly believed what confirmed their prejudices. It’s what I call ‘epistemic laziness’ and is one the prime intellectual sins of our age.Gullibility isn’t a virtue.
March 25, 2019 at 1:22 pm
As I read through the list of the criticisms at the beginning of this site my thought on each one that I went through was that they were either false, misleading, and/or partially true. I wondered what type of half baked education the person had who wrote that initial post. Then I read that others here are who posted accused members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints of being uneducated. Then I read that the educated stay in The Church of Jesus Christ because they went to BYU!!! Amazing, absolutely amazing!!! I attend The Church of Jesus Christ with a number of members who have their undergraduate degrees and graduate degrees from all over the world. There are four universities in this area. Local LDS members that I see each have their degrees from the University of Alexandria in Egypt, Cornell, BYU, Long Island University, UC Berkeley, Stanford, the Air Force and Naval Academy and other illustrious as well as not so well known institution of higher learning. Me? I have my degrees from Southern Illinois University. I never took a class at BYU. I think some people need to rethink their biases and take a course in logic.
April 28, 2019 at 11:48 am
The one dead give away to the Mormons is that they can never substantiate their beliefs.. Questioning them about their beliefs or how they justify their claims is always met with defensiveness and redirection to ” Other religions”… While Other Christian religions will point to the bible as their source, and find passage and verse to support their beliefs and although for instance the Protestants disagree with the Catholics, they do not take personally the attack, also,I have yet had an explanation as to how a war that claimed 230k casualties in up state New York can leave no trace of evidence. When asked, Mormons will take offense. When confronted about their inconsistencies, they fall back on personal testimony and defensiveness, instead of bringing Historical facts and Archeological evidence. The bible can be validated by Historical facts, supported by overwhelming archeological evidence and Scholars .. I just wonder why the BoM cannot, and why Members take such offense to this fact.. feeling personally offended when asked about the beliefs of your religion is a sure sign that your religion cannot stand the stress test that is needed to validate it’s claims. It would be an oddity that a protestant felt personally attacked if they were questioned about Martin Luther writing his 95 points on reformation in the 1500’s, thus causing the protestants to leave Catholicism.. They certainly would either tell the story, and back it up with historical undisputed fact, and leave the issue to stand or fall on it’s own merit, or they would shrug and say they didnt know… but I seriously doubt it would be taken as a personal attack..
Perhaps the personal frustration is when history contradicts their timeline and chain of events.. It’s fine to believe in yourself becoming a God… But the path to get there must not contradict historical fact..
By that I mean, you cannot make Christian claims that were not even around before Christianity. There was no baptism, or Church of Christ before Christianity You cannot claim God spoke to your Prophet in 1978 to magically accept Blacks into the priesthood, when CLEARLY your history shows an aversion towards blacks..I believe it was The Mormon president Kimball that was approached By US President Carter, and told of Federal discriminatory lawsuit threats if ” something didnt change”
Truth is sometimes so hard to take.
Ian says:
May 24, 2019 at 6:06 pm
I’m not a Mormon, but you raise two points that should be addressed.
Firstly, as the old saying goes “Absence of evidence is not evidence of absence’. Take the Exodus. It is a pivotal event of the Bible, referred to in not only Torah, but in the Psalms and Prophets and in the New Testament. Yet there is zero physical evidence that it ever occurred. There is no written record from any of the neighboring ancient peoples that between 4 million and 6 million people wandered around for 40 years in the wilderness followed by a mass invasion of Canaan nor any physical evidence that it occurred. And contemporary archaeological and genetic evidence would suggest that it never happened. So based on your argument, should we cease to believe in the accuracy of the Bible and as a result cease to be Christians? I personally still believe that it happened regardless of the lack of evidence, and I would extend the same right to believe to my Mormon brethren. Whether or not evidence is preserved is surely in the hands of God. ( Note that there is physical evidence that the Trojan War occurred which to a limited extent vindicates Homer’s Iliad – but that in itself doesn’t prove that the Greek Gods exist or that the supernatural events recorded in the Iliad occurred.)
Secondly, both Luther and Calvin were racist, with a virulent hatred of the Jews. Does this lead you to disbelieve the rest of what they taught? Or more recently, the whole reason the Southern Baptist Convention exists is that they broke with the rest of the Baptist church over the issue of slavery. And in fact it is only in the last 12 months that they have issued a formal apology to African Americans over the historic stance of their church. Historically, the membership of the Ku Klux Klan has been drawn entirely from Protestants (since the apart from African Americans, the KKK hate both Jews and Catholics.) So given the historic record of the Protestant churches, do you think they have a right to sling mud at the Mormons? Note that Joseph Smith was pro-Jewish and not anti-African and the Mormon church has never denied actual membership to any race; the priesthood was denied to African Americans, however the reasons for this is unclear since Mormons claim that neither the Book of Mormon nor the Doctrines and Covenants, nor any other writings of Joseph Smith made this formal position of the church.
I believe the Bible to be true but I also believe that churches generally teach many things that are not clearly taught in the Bible (e.g. the Trinity wasn’t a Christian doctrine for the first three centuries of Christianity; that doesn’t mean that it isn’t true but it certainly raises serious doubts unless you accept the Catholic teaching on tradition.) So to that extent the Mormons are right: no contemporary church teaches what the first Christians believed.
Jr silk says:
July 29, 2019 at 2:29 am
If it makes us better human beings, who cares if it’s right or wrong. That’s who God is, the good in all things.
John novak says:
September 5, 2019 at 6:23 pm
I have done extensive research on Mormonism
Besides the wacky claim.that native Americans are descendents of Hebrews
That inhabitants live on the moon and the sun
That god lived on a star named Kolob
The denial of the doctrine of the trinity
The garden of eden was located in Missouri
Adam is god and took one of his wives into garden and conceived Jesus just like any ordinary baby
That their is no hell
But three heavens the celestial the terrestrial and whatever the other one is called
The belief in being married for all eternity in a temple doing Masonic type rituals
And wearing undergarments that are to protect the wearers
The despising of the cross
The false claims found in the Book of Mormon
The claim the lds church is the true church and all other churches are false
all these wacky things the lds church teaches proves they are wacky and a cult
Susan says:
September 7, 2019 at 5:59 am
Ok, can you please tell me where you got this information, because many of the things you said are false. For example, Adam is God. I don’t know where you got this, but we do not believe this. We despise of the cross??? Where did you get this? We do not despise it by any means. Also where did you get that we don’t believe Jesus wasn’t perfect, and he was just an ordinary baby?!? We do not believe that.
February 22, 2020 at 8:26 am
Most religions have controversy at their roots, I would say ‘all’ but Buddhism seems untouched (to me).
Certainly racism crops up in many, especially Hinduism (Indira springs to mind). It is also not PC to mention it, but the FBI crime statistics do seem to indicate something is amiss – whether that can be named a curse or not seems trivial to me.
Other forms of bigotry seem to be an intrinsic staple in Islam and if Jews are to be considered to be a race, well …. there are some parts of Islamic scripture which are frightfully negative on this point.
Judaism speaks harshly and punitively over gentiles.
Not that these examples are to constitute endorsement of such hard heartedness or sumpremacy.
Whilst divinity is pure and correct, the minute it enters the earthly real, where all is tested and oft distorted. Surely it is in the hands and hearts of those who think deeply about that which is right and wrong, who try their very best to commune with our Heavenly Father, iron out the creases in the perfect garments which were sewn without seam, but got a little creased when stepping into a less perfect realm.
And the same might be said of the prophets who were or became men. In stepping down to our level, they too became worldly and flawed.
Surely it is about intention and endeavor. About how brightly the spark of divinity burns and in the window of the soul; there to banish darkness yet even in its purity, bend with the wind and leave soot and smoke occasionally.
Even an evil encounter can bring one closer to God.
I have read all these points and considered them. I am still mightily impressed with Fundamental Mormons and still planning to go pray with them tomorrow for the first time; having asked God to bring me closer to his truth and love. For I have been in the desert for decades and I truly thirst.
Child of Gods says:
March 18, 2022 at 6:38 am
As a child brain-washed into the LDS religion, had no choice. As an adult, I have a choice. The LDS practices are indeed racist. We were not allowed to date or befriend, people of color. Black skin was the “Mark of Cain.” What a horrible thing to propagate. Children are forced to “Bear their Testimony” and are completely brain washed from birth as to what that “Testimony” is and what to say. Joseph Smith was a conman, I believe. According to “Eye witnesses” Joseph Smith was “a thief, a drunk, an amoral man and a liar.” If the LDS church is based on that, it will be a huge awakening for members when the “Truth” is revealed. We already know there are MANY species of hominid that did not survive over the last 300,000 years. Proof in Peru, Turkey, basically the whole Middle East.
I was lucky to have been adopted as an older child. I knew about the real world already. The brain washing didn’t take, but I don’t have a close family, because I emphatically refuse to succumb to their false teachings. It is sad. No bigger judgy group exists. Please, EDUCATE YOURSELF! Everything you need to know, is out there. Don’t be Sheeple. The True Bible stories are found, “inconveniently”, by a farmer. You Can’t Hide the Truth…
April 29, 2022 at 12:08 am
Never have I met a Mormon with a bad character, very pleasant, always looking towards the good, the positive, and that is all that matters to me as a muslim woman. Character matters, beliefs do not matter.
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Lungi Ngidi led a fiery Proteas pace onslaught to keep India to 133-9 at the T20 World Cup on Sunday, despite an attacking half-century by Suryakumar Yadav.
India won the toss and chose to bat in their bid for a third straight win but the South African quicks made life difficult on a fast and bouncy Perth pitch.
Yadav’s 40-ball 68, laced with six fours and three sixes, helped India recover from 49-5.
Ngidi returned figures of 4-29 off his four overs, ably supported by fellow fast bowler Wayne Parnell who finished with 3-15 after starting the innings with a T20 rarity – a maiden over.
Skipper Rohit Sharma hit a six and a four before being caught and bowled by Ngidi, who returned to the side as South Africa’s only change.
He got KL Rahul next for nine but the big wicket came when Ngidi sent back Virat Kohli for 12, caught in the deep, to silence an Indian-dominated crowd.
Unable to handle the extra bounce on the Perth track, the Indians lost half their side for 49 inside nine overs.
Kagiso Rabada took a stunning catch at long leg to see the back of danger man Hardik Pandya for Ngidi’s fourth wicket.
Yadav hit back with a couple of sixes as he rebuilt the innings with Dinesh Karthik.
The in-form Yadav, who hit an unbeaten 51 against the Netherlands in their previous win, even smashed Ngidi for a huge six over fine leg to bring alive the fans. He then reached his fifty off 30 balls with another four.
Karthik tried to join the attack but fell to Parnell, who broke the stand which had been worth 52 and the same bowler finally dismissed Yadav for 68 in the 19th over.
The Proteas need 134 runs to win and stay unbeaten in the tournament after a washout in their opening match against Zimbabwe and a big win against Bangladesh.
Posted in Proteas, T20, T20 World Cup, Top headlines, Top story Tagged India, Proteas, T20 World Cup
Post by Simon Borchardt
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Research shows that American’s stress levels are rising rapidly. The overwhelming number of folks of all ages who report increased stress is the biggest indicator of the need for self-care practices. Whether you’re a self-care aficionado or you’re learning the term for the first time today, this article shares five practical tips for bettering your mental health that can also be applied to content marketing.
What Is Self-Care?
Let’s start with the basics. The term “self-care” is likely already floating around in your subconscious memory as a buzzword seen in advertisements for nail polish, facemasks and maybe a pizza and wine night. Few people in this world would be opposed to an occasional pizza night in, but true self-care practices reach far beyond some light pampering.
The National Institute Of Mental Health defines self-care as the act of consciously delegating time to do things that “help you live well and improve both your physical and mental health.” NIH also shares that mental health is an umbrella term for emotional, psychological and social well-being – tremendous factors in how we think, feel and act. In an increasingly stressful world, self-care is crucial for maintaining your joie de vivre!
At this point you’re probably wondering how content creation fits into this mix. I have been on a self-care journey, and as ever-evolving and personal as it is, there is a foundation to an effective strategy for improving your mental and physical well-being. Along the way I have noticed my work in content marketing benefits from the same principles. The self-care tips discussed in this article will support your personal health as well as your approach to content marketing.
Identify your needs and research
Growing your background knowledge on self-care practices is incredibly important. The research aspect may be less on the self-care side of things than it is on the content marketing side, but a combination of looking within yourself to identify your personal needs and researching strategies for accomplishing them will set you up for success. One example of this is recognizing your own personal need to combat your anxiety or make time for more physical activity. Researching the harmful effects of prolonged anxiety and lack of physical activity can be noted as a motivator moving forward in your self-care journey. Additionally, you can find endless resources for addressing anxiety and learn the best types of physical activity for yourself to get started. Knowledge is power, and more information will help you create specific goals.
I identified a need for physical activity as a remote worker who sits at a desk for many hours of the day. I didn’t have any specific fitness goals like losing weight or building muscle; I simply wanted more energy. I found on Healthline that cardiovascular exercise is essential for maintaining a healthy heart,and aside from burning calories, it also boosts your mood and decreases stress. The article from Healthine recommends 30 minutes of moderate-intensity cardio activity at least five days per week and at least 25 minutes of vigorous aerobic activity three days per week. Now when I set my goals, I know how much time I want to aim for each day and week. I also know I don’t need to worry about strength training just yet, and I can take steps toward healthy movement that’s right for me.
Identify business needs and research
For content marketing, it’s also crucial to identify your needs as a business and research to fill in any gaps in knowledge and accomplish your goals efficiently. There are many forms of content out there from social media posts to videos, e-newsletters and blog articles. Content marketing plays a tremendous role in how you interact with your audience and reach a wider one. If you need a low-cost solution for low brand awareness and better customer relations, one option is to take your business to social media. The top platforms are free and provide an opportunity to create highly shareable content and interact directly with your audience.
According to a recent blog post by Hubspot, “research shows that over 50% of brand reputation comes from online sociability. Being social leads to greater awareness and simply being known.” You’ll have to keep in mind that your social media success is a marathon, not a sprint. It will take time to hone in on your voice and develop appropriate content across the platforms your audience is on. With research, you’ll find that you need to consider several factors moving forward with your content strategy. Hubspot advises you to consider who your target audience is, what problem you aim to solve for your audience(s), what makes your business unique, what content formats you will focus on and what channels you’ll publish on. Researching in the early stages of business will set you up for success.
Set goals and priorities
After you’ve thoughtfully identified your needs – personal and professional – the next step is to create your goals. The Monday Campaigns recently published an article discussing SMART goals, a strategy used to break down your intentions into specific, measureable, achievable, realistic and timebound steps. Ultimately, it helps you to clearly map out your path to achieving your goal. They share that “applying the SMART approach to self-care practices is an excellent way to stay focused, relieve stress and establish a strong foundation of security and self-worth.”
Let’s apply the SMART approach to my goal for physical activity. My specific goal is to increase my cardiovascular activity. Since I’m a beginner, I decided to keep it simple with a daily walk or jog at Healthline’s recommended 30 minutes. The next step is to make it measurable by designating a time slot in my calendar to the activity. At the achievable step of SMART goal setting, you’ll have to ask yourself if you can accomplish this goal. If not, the next step is to adjust the goal to make it more realistic. Finally, you’ll “establish a greater time-frame for achieving your specific goal.” Since I’m a beginner, I think I can ease into this goal by aiming for 15 minutes of walking five days per week. That’s more realistic for me at this stage. The article recommends aiming for a commitment to 24 weeks. Since 15 minutes is not a huge chunk of time in the grand scheme of things, I want to increase my activity to 30 minutes per day after 2 weeks.
Mental Health First Aid from The National Council For Mental Wellbeing shared a list of possible self care goals:
Take care of your physical and psychological health.
Manage and reduce stress.
Recognize your emotional and spiritual needs.
Foster and sustain relationships.
Achieve balance in different areas of your life.
These will all contribute to a happier and healthier life, but doing your research in step one will help you create your specific goals and achieve them carefully and deliberately.
Three Girls’ CEO, Erika Taylor Montgomery, wrote an article that helps you apply SMART goals to your marketing strategy for optimum success. She shares that without a strategic marketing plan, “you will waste time and money trying to achieve a goal that isn’t clearly set. Poor marketing plans are a reason many companies fail to achieve their business goals.” She goes on to prioritize goal-setting “prior to thinking about strategy or implementation” as it will help you define aspects of your marketing plan throughout the development process and lead you to clear and strategic execution.
“Think about where you want your business to be at in several years. How much do you want to grow? What kind of revenue do you want to be seeing? While thinking about these questions, lay out your goals using the SMART format.”
Clearly, goal setting is an important factor to achieving success. Mapping out your path has huge benefits in your personal life and in business.
After you identify your needs and set goals, you’ll be well on your way to constructing a plan. There are a lot of moving parts in practicing self-care and in content marketing, so it’s important to be mindful of each detail.
Very Well Mind shares steps for building your self-care plan in addition to assessing your needs and creating goals. You’ll also want to identify your stressors, plan for challenges and take small steps while considering the different areas of your life that will benefit from changed behavior. The article lists the different types of self-care as physical, social, mental, spiritual and emotional. The article goes on to say that “the demands of your daily life can dictate what type of self-care you might need the most. A self-care plan for a busy college student who feels mentally stimulated all the time and has a bustling social life might need to emphasize physical self-care. A retired person, on the other hand, may need to incorporate more social self-care into their schedule to make sure that their social needs are being met.” Everyone is different, but each of the five types of self-care flow into each other, so as you begin your journey, you may find out more about your specific needs as you explore different changes.
Developing your marketing plan
In Erika Taylor Montgomery’s article, after discussing SMART goal setting as part of your marketing plan, the next steps are developing a SWOT analysis, identifying your target audience and actually creating your marketing campaign. In content marketing, just like in self-care practices, there are several moving parts and finding the flow of each is going to strengthen your strategy.
Ask for help
Along your journey in self-care, you will likely face challenges – that’s okay! No one is perfect and no one has to be. As human beings, we are not meant to face challenges alone. Helping each other is part of the joie de vivre! You are never alone. Whether you need time spent with loved ones, advice from a trusted friend or mentor or even help from a professional, making time and finding the courage to do so will only benefit your well-being. Support from other people can look like a lot of different things.
Study Finds recently presented results of a 2022 study on Americans and their willingness to “ask for help when starting something new and how they rely on their support system in life.” It found that:
Seventy-three percent don’t ask for help before they absolutely need it.
Half of respondents wait to ask for help until it starts to become too overwhelming, eight percent ask when it’s too late and they can’t continue, and 13 percent say they never ask for help at all. Only 27 percent of Americans ask for guidance before they start something new. The survey also found that 53 percent feel held back from achieving certain goals in their lives because they try to go at it alone.
These numbers are devastating! I think most folks would agree that they hope their loved ones reach out in times of need – no matter the issue. Part of practicing self-care is developing your support system and remaining active in them in a healthy manner. You can learn more about the benefits of a social support system and how to build and maintain them in this resource by the University at Buffalo School of Social Work. Additionally, Mental Health America also provides a guide for seeking out professional mental health support. If you didn’t know already, you do not have to be in a crisis to reach out for help.
Asking for help in content marketing
The overwhelming majority of businesses and marketers have a content marketing plan in place. If you lack the time or expertise to develop an effective strategy and create the content, consider outsourcing your needs. A recent article by Marketing Insider Group shared that “over 70% of brands now hire someone to manage their content creation and distribution to make sure it’s professionally executed.” The article goes on to list some major benefits of outsourcing your content creation. This includes:
Having more time to work on strategy and other business objectives
Benefitting from fresh ideas and different viewpoints
Content will be produced and published more efficiently
Testing out a variety of content types
Proving the ROI of outsourcing
Executing your marketing strategy and meeting goals faster
Three Girls’ Director of Marketing and PR, Naomi Shapiro, recently wrote an article to help you decide whether or not outsourcing your marketing efforts is sensible for your brand. Let it guide you through your decision-making process.
Be open to trial and error
Finally, be open to trial and error in your self-care journey. Everyone is different, and there is no textbook for navigating life’s challenges. In time, small actions will have a tremendous impact! Your efforts alone are something to be proud of.
The same goes for content marketing. Your business may need a rebrand for whatever reason down the road. The market and consumer needs are constantly shifting, and preparing for those changes can make or break your success.
Need a hand with consistent, compelling content creation? Contact Three Girls Media today for a complimentary, 30-minute consultation to discuss ways we can help make your business shine.
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Thousands of fans are expected to flood the Dutch museum dedicated to the now-priceless work by the artist who sold only one painting in his lifetime.
– from Canadian Press
Copyproof CDs moving to market?
Copy-protection technology on music CDs may be headed for the U.S. market in bulk this year for the first time, according to one Wall Street analyst. In a research note published Friday, J.P. Morgan analyst Sterling Auty said that Arista Records, a subsidiary of BMG Music, appeared to be moving to market with CD copy-protection technology produced by SunnComm Technologies.
Crazy March weather in Northern New Mexico. We are used to it, but it still surprises us.
A little while ago we had 65F and sunshine, then snow came back, two days ago it was in the mid-sixties again and this morning I awoke to a couple of inches of snow and fog with sub 20F temperatures….not unusual but unsettling nonetheless…
I came to this country in 1979. The Sixties and the division in this country between people against and for the Vietnam war I have only experienced through books and movies. I certainly have never witnessed anything like what is happening in this nation at present. No, it is not democratic to physically attack a person because of his or her opinion of the war or US politics. No, it is not right to kick in the window of a car that bears a bumper sticker you disagree with. I find it sad that United Way of Tampa Bay had to cancel an appearance of Susan Sarandon at a fundraiser because too many people objected to her “anti war stance”. United Way doesn’t question a person about their political stance before they help. Should helping people in need depend on whether they share a certain opinion? When your fellow human stumbles should you ask about his God or political opinion before you help him up? Debate and discussion may not change a lot of opinions, but violence or politicizing groups like United Way certainly does not.
If we politicize the helping and aiding of people in need are we really better than the group described as paramilitary Iraqis who fired upon civilians who were receiving fresh water and food from US or UK soldiers yesterday?
Cellphone and music player
Do you want to take a walk and listen to music, but you are expecting a phone call? Here is a new solution for you. You can listen to music and your call at the same time….I myself will prefer to listen to music and ignore the phone – OK, maybe I’ll switch my phone to vibrate…..
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The Disney x Coach Outlet collection as EXPLODED in the Disney Instagram community. I had originally shopped the original collection online at Coach's website and picked up a small red crossbody bag and a little Mickey hang tag. Luckily I had picked up the bag at a discount as it was on sale on their website when they were trying to clear out the collection. But, when I saw they had created another collection, at outlet prices, I knew I had to stop by my Coach Outlet store.
So, my mom and I headed to the outlet mall to shop the collection when I learned Coach was doing 50% off your entire purchase, which included the Mickey collection. When we first walked into the store they had a huge Disney section. It took up most of the front half of the store. There were a ton of different shapes and sizes of bags being offered in the collection. I saw the same shape of my original Coach x Disney bag offered as well, but with the new Mickey logos.
Basically, the main difference between the bags from the original collection and the outlet collection was the Mickey's on the bags. These Mickey's were honestly kind of more fun the original ones showcased on the bags. Most bags were offered in either a yellow, red, brown, black, or white leather. They all had different Mickey's on them, except the white and black shared the same Mickey.
Some pieces were more edgy then the original pieces. Patch accents, studs, and bandanas were just some of the additional embellishments I noticed. Also, the collection had a more bad boy edge to it. For example, Mickey riding a motorcycle or a skate board versus him just standing or posing. They were super fun touches that made the collection just a little different, but still classic Mickey.
Around the outside of the Coach store were fun little sidewalk decals showing off the collection. Props to Coach because I think it caught a lot of people's attention who may not have known about the collection.
Shopping at the store wasn't as hectic as I expected. My Coach store used to be super small, but they recently upgraded to a larger location. So, it is much more organized, spacious, and upscale. There were a few people going crazy over the collection, but most people were purchasing one or two Disney x Coach items. My mom and I both got two pieces (we literally bought the exact same thing), but it seemed most people were just picking up 1-2 items per person.
As for what I picked up, I selected this brown saddle bag shape with this ADORABLE Mickey! He was by far my favorite Mickey offered in this collection. Also, I love the classic brown leather and this shape. This is Coach's signature shape so I found this combination of the Mickey, color, and style was the most classic and neutral. I wanted something I could carry around day-to-day not just at the parks. Since I purchased it I've carried it around quite a bit! It's a great small crossbody bag, but it has a lot of useful pockets and features. My favorite part is there is a small pocket on the outside where you can slide your phone in and out of for easy access.
I also picked up a little zipped wristlet wallet thing.... I'm not 100% sure what to call it. But, It is great to throw into smaller bags as a wallet, or to use as a mini wristlet if you just need some credit cards and very small essentials. It doesn't fit a phone, so it is more like a wallet, but it is super cute! I opted for the red shade with Mickey riding a motorcycle for something different and fun compared to my neutral purse.
Supposedly the collection is only going to be available until early June. SO, if you really want to get your hands on something go now!! Call ahead to make sure they still have items in store!
I hope you enjoyed this look into the collection! Did you shop the Disney x Coach Outlet collection? Let me know what you picked up in the comments below!
This is NOT sponsored by Coach! I just wanted to share the collection and my thoughts on the collection!
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
Wednesday, June 14, 2017
Did anyone else have a childhood obsession with Hello Kitty? Just me......? I hope not because I was so excited to get to go to the Hello Kitty traveling cafe in their Chicago location. Luckily, the location was only 30 min away from me at the mall I normally shop at, Oakbrook. I missed the cafe last year, so when I saw they were coming again I knew I had to go!
In case you have zero idea what I am talking about, the Hello Kitty Cafe is a traveling little food truck that has adorable hello kitty treats and some merchandise for purchase. Keep up with where they are at on the Hello Kitty Cafe Facebook page! The cafe is small but if you are a Hello Kitty fan it is a can't miss opportunity. I loved seeing the adorable little pink van with all of its adorable decorations!
Tip: If you get there early you can take a ton of pictures of the van without anyone around!
We arrived at the truck early Saturday morning to get in line. We waited about 1 1/2 and it really wasn't too bad. They actually opened the truck about 10 min early which was super nice. The line moved decently quickly, but there were some people taking extra time to take photos and what not at the window.
I picked up my treats, then picked up my mug at a separate tent where the merchandise was organized. Then I took some pictures in front of the van with my treats and was on my way. The process was pretty simple for, no drama or issues. Based on the reviews I was reading I was prepared for the worst, but I had a very great experience at the Hello Kitty Cafe!
Tip: Pay cash if possible! You can avoid juggling your goodies and signing the iPad at the truck window.
I purchased the cookie set, macaron set, a bow water bottle, and a ceramic mug. These were all items I planned on purchasing! With a $25 food purchase (not including mugs or t-shirts) you got a fun little re-usable tote bag, which I couldn't resist. With the mug I got a free little sticker and a button as well. I read some reviews that people were pissed they little merchandise, but I was happy with my cute little mug.
What I wore:
Top: J Crew
Earrings: J Crew
Planning on attending a Hello Kitty Cafe event in your city? Here are a few of my tips to survive the experience, and to get all of the items you want.....
Get there EARLY! I was reading some reviews of last years cafe and it said there were lines like crazy, so we showed up around 8:30 for a 10am start for the cafe. The line at the Chicago location was not bad at all when we arrived at 8:30, I'd say about 20-30 people in front of us. I felt confident that I would get the items I wanted, and would just get items in general! Some reviews said that people waited in line and didn't get anything! So, I may have overacted with getting there so early, but I'd rather be safe then sorry.
Know what you want to purchase! The line would have moved sooooo much faster if people were prepared with what they wanted to get. There is a small sign they set out with the options (there weren't too many to be honest) of treats and merchandise for purchase. Take a peek at it when you arrive so you are prepared once you get up there!
Don't RE-SELL! I read so many terrible reviews that people bought 5+ of each item to just re-sell them on eBay. Don't be that person! Let everyone have their chance to get a treat. So many reviews said they waited in line with their kids and didn't get anything for their daughters, that is so sad! If you really want to re-sell items, at least wait until those who are there to get their treats purchase what they want before you purchase mass quantities.
Understand it might sell out...... Luckily I didn't experience this, but the truck is bound to sell out at some point. It is a tiny van not a semi-truck filled with goodies. They can only carry so much. So, just try and get there early to ensure you get all the items on your wishlist!
There is always next time. It appears that this tour is going to be happening every year. The truck came to Chicago last year and this year so I predict they will keep doing tours if they are successful! At the end of the day it is just treats, so just remember there will be more opportunities in the future to go to a Hello Kitty Cafe!
We hung around the mall a while after we finished at the cafe and the line was always busy, but was never out of control. It looked like it was moving quickly, and there was still merchandise to be purchased. I cannot speak for later hours (the cafe was open until 8pm), but from 10-Noon ish the line seemed very manageable! Luckily, most of the people in line were people who knew of the event. Most people weren't just walking around the mall and hopping in line.
As for the prices of the items at the cafe most treats were $12-15 each and the bow water bottle was $3. My mug was around $13 then the t-shirt I believe was $27. So, decently reasonable prices for what you get. I recommend getting the cookies because they were individually wrapped, so you could save some for later!
Hopefully this post helped you if you are looking to attend a Hello Kitty Cafe tour location! Have you visited a Hello Kitty Cafe? Let me know your experience in the comments!
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Monday, June 12, 2017
I recently received the new Erin Condren 2018 Life Planner to help me stay organized. Expect a full review coming soon! But, today I'm sharing with you how I use my Erin Condren planner. During one year I usually use multiple planners, all for different reasons. As for my Erin Condren, I use this planner to decorate and more of a memory keeper then to strictly stay organized.
When I say "decorate my planner" I mean through stickers. In case you didn't know, there is a whole world of planner stickers on Etsy and a ton of Youtubers who do videos on planner decorating. If you were a kid who loved stickers and sticker books this is the grown-up version of that obsession! There are a ton of Etsy shops and small business owners who create hand drawn stickers and decor for your planner. In the spread above I used all Erin Condren stickers! I received this sheet as a free gift with my purchase because I sign up for their emails. But, you can also purchase stickers books from Erin Condren's website that you can use as well. In addition, stores like Hobby Lobby and Michaels sell their own planner stickers. So there are many ways to decorate your planner.
Or, you can keep things simple! If using sticky notes and colored pens work better for you, do that. The great thing about Erin Condren planners are that they are totally customizable and you can do what is best for YOU. That is what planning is all about. I'm influenced by some planner influencers, but I have my own unique style of planning and how I like things. So, create your own style and find out what you like in your planner. Whether that is with stickers, sticky notes, fun pens, highlighters, or printing little photos to include! Whatever you choose to do just make sure it fits for your life.
Hopefully this post gives you a better idea on how I use my Erin Condren Life Planner! If you have any questions about planning leave them in the comments below, I'd love to help!
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
Friday, June 9, 2017
What I wore: Pool Day
I have never splurged on a swimsuit. Like ever. Personally, I never wear swimsuits enough to spend a lot on them. Besides the occasional spring break trip and trip to the pool (maybe twice a summer), I'm not a swimsuit kind of gal. I've always picked up my suits from Aerie, Victoria's Secret (RIP to their originally swim suits), and Target. But, that all changed when I saw this swimsuit.
I found this swimsuit in Florida at Everything But Water. Everything But Water is kind of a high end swim suit boutique that has a ton of one-pieces plus bikinis. They kind of have something for everyone. Whether you are in your 20's or 40's or 50's! But, they are a bit pricey, compared to what I normally spend on a swimsuit.
But, my family is planning a trip to Hawaii soon and I knew I wanted to get a high quality suit for that trip. So when I saw this one on the mannequin I knew I had to try it on. Of course when I trie dit on it fit like a glove, I'm wearing an XS, and I just had to get it. The brand of the suit is Becca and I believe it is available at other retailers beside Everything But Water. One piece suits are super in right now so I had to see what the fuss was about. Let's just say they are so up to the hype! I love this suit! It's been a long time since I've worn a one piece, but I have to say they are super flattering.
This suit has a ton of gorgeous detailing. The low neckline is gorgeous and has some sheer lace like fabric. It also has some unique looking cut outs.
The back has this great cut out detail as well. But, it has some support with the back little tie. The butt isn't a cheeky bottom, which I like. Sometimes when you're at a family friendly pool you want to make sure you are properly covered up!
As for cover-ups I'm a pretty simple gal. I normally just wear t-shirts and running shorts. Nothing crazy. I do have a J. Crew little tunic top I paired with this suit that looked super cute! You don't need a fancy coverup to head to the beach or pool.
Where it's from:
Location: Fiddlers Creek pool
Where are your favorite places to get swimsuits? Let me know in the comments!
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
Tuesday, June 6, 2017
OOTD: Tale as Old as Time
I'm mixing up Wednesdays post for a Tuesday post because.... the Beauty and the Beast live action film is released today on DVD! As you all know, I am a huge Beauty and the Beast fan. So, in honor of the release I have a fun Disney inspired look that is perfect for everyday wear.
The main feature of this look is this amazing completely custom denim jacket. This jacket has kind of a cool story. I saw it at the Disney Springs Levi store and I fell in love. It was pricey but I loved it and kept thinking about it after I saw it. I ended up purchasing the jacket on my last day in Disney, literally an hour before we left for the airport! Turns out I found the artist who created my jacket on Instagram. Sugar Sews creates 100% custom embroidered denim jackets. Her work is truly incredible. I was so excited to find her on social media and to thank her for my incredible jacket. It kind of combines everything I love about Beauty and the Beast. Chip and Mrs. Potts are my favorite characters, I love French, and it has my favorite color purple! It truly worked out that it was in my size and fit me perfectly.
So, although I picked up this jacket at Disney Springs, if you'd love a custom jacket like this you are in luck! Sugar does custom orders through her website and you can create ANYTHING you want! Even if you aren't a Disney fan she can create anything.
Just so you know, this isn't a sponsored post. I just really admire Sugar's work and more importantly I wanted to show off my amazing jacket that I am in love with. Sadly I couldn't snap any pictures of it at Disney, because I bought it on my last day. But, I wanted to share it because it is so amazing!
I love styling this jacket with my collection of Beauty and the Beast themed pins. These little buttons are from Box Lunch then the coffee cup pin is from Parkbound Buttons. Box Lunch is an amazing store that carries a ton of pop culture items, including Disney! I've gotten a ton of stuff from them recently. Adding pins or flair to any denim jacket is a great way to customize it and make it your own.
I love wearing a denim jacket to spice up a super simple outfit like this. A simple tan skirt with a white tee allows this statement jacket to stand out and make a statement. Not to mention Levi denim jackets are super thick and durable, which makes them great for throwing on for colder summer nights or for the fall and spring. I've been wearing denim jackets a lot recently. I had a super old one in my closet that I am now wearing on repeat. The great thing about denim jackets are that if you have a great classic one, it will never go out of style!
Where it's from:
Bracelets: Pandora, Alex and Ani
Are you excited for the release of the Beauty and the Beast movie??! Let me know if you've seen it in the comments below!
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
Monday, June 5, 2017
OOTD: Salty Hair Don't Care
Salty hair don't care! Literally, after a ride in the convertible and the beach breeze my hair was going crazy. But, it is so worth it to walk along Marco Island beach. The Marco beach is my favorite beach of all time! With clear water and white sand it is the perfect vacation destination.
For a simple lunch on the water and a walk on the beach I threw on this cute J. Crew white tee that has an adorable bow detail. It ties in the front and it spices up the otherwise plain white tee. To add a pop of color I paired the tee with pastel purple chino shorts, also from J. Crew.
Again, in the summer I keep my accessories pretty simple. Especially on the beach, you don't want to be weighed down by heavy earrings or necklaces. I paired this look with a simple gold necklace, my normal bracelet stack, and a pair of pearl studs.
Chino shorts and a tee is kind of my go-to summer uniform. It's so easy to throw on and is just an effortless look. Not to mention I prefer chino shorts over your basic denim shorts. They look a little more polished and I find them super comfortable.
Where it's from:
Shorts: J Crew
Bracelets: Alex and Ani, Pandora
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
Friday, June 2, 2017
OOTD: Monkey in the Middle
I love love love this two-piece set and Lilly Pulitzer print! The print features adorable little monkeys and other tropical animals in this gorgeous purple color. My favorite color is purple, so naturally this set has become my favorite Lilly piece I own. Plus this two piece has the cutest silhouette and shape.
I wore this fun two-piece set to my senior formal, but I am not afraid to re-wear my favorite Lilly pieces. *Lizzie McGuire you are an outfit repeater!* But, not really, one thing I love to do is finding new ways to wear pieces over and over again. I changed up this look by swapping nude high heels with a fun pair of brown lace up wedges, c/o of my mom's closet! I kept accessories simple with a dainty gold necklace and pearl earrings instead of a bold statement earring. Just with accessories you can completely change the way you wear something. To make this a more casual look I'd wear a pair of sandals and throw on a denim jacket.
I wore this fun two-piece to my favorite restaurant in Naples, Florida Continental. It's the best place to get a steak in Naples. We dined earlier then usual and got to eat off the price fix menu, which was great. I opted for the steak and lobster dinner and it was delicious!
Continental is a fancier restaurant, hence my dressed up appearance. Dressing up this two-piece is easy with a fun pair of wedges. Before dinner we did some light shopping, but these wedges were super comfortable so they carried me throughout the evening.
I love the flare detail to these shorts. The fabric is a neoprene material so it makes the set super comfortable. It's oddly super soft too! It's a great outfit for a hot Florida day.
Where it's from:
Bracelets: Alex and Ani, Pandora
Location: Downtown Naples 3rd Street
What is your favorite Lilly print? I'm loving this one! Let me know in the comments!
Posted by Sew Cute Style at 4:30 AM No comments:
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Not all diets are created equal; high-protein diets have been shown to aid in weight loss and better health. Read on to learn why.
Published: 2/22/2018
High protein
Published: 2/22/2018
High protein
The right diet plan can help you meet a variety of health- and weight-related goals, especially if it’s designed with your key objectives in mind. Discover how some diet plans can improve protein intake and learn why eating more protein can lead to weight loss and better health.
Did you know…?
Studies have shown that high-protein diet plans lead to lower energy intake overall.
When you’ve made a goal to lose weight, you’ll typically need to reduce your daily calorie count to limit the amount of energy you consume. In most cases, you’ll begin by calculating your total daily energy expenditure (TDEE), which accounts for your body’s essential functions and your average activity level. Then you’ll reduce that number by up to 20 percent to meet your weight-loss goals.
If you’re used to consuming a certain number of calories, reducing your daily count by up to one fifth can be challenging and may cause constant feelings of hunger. Adopting a diet plan that increases your protein intake without exceeding your calorie count can be a smart way to eliminate those hunger pangs and help you feel full throughout the day.
In contrast to fats and carbohydrates, proteins make you feel more satisfied and less hungry. In fact, studies have shown that high-protein diet plans lead to lower energy intake overall. That means that increasing your protein consumption can help you decrease your total calorie intake without eliminating food groups, skipping meals, or severely restricting your diet.
No matter what you eat, your body relies on metabolism to convert calories into energy that you can use. Your body metabolizes calories around the clock to perform essential functions, and that basal metabolic rate (BMR) largely depends on your age, size, and gender. While your BMR doesn’t change quickly, two other factors can speed up metabolism. Consuming and processing calories require energy, and so does every type of physical activity, from walking to the kitchen to running a marathon.
While you can certainly run faster or bike longer to keep your metabolism up, the food you eat can also affect how quickly you burn calories. Everything you eat has a thermic effect, which refers to the energy level it requires for your body to process it. However, protein’s thermic effect is up to twice as high as that of fats or carbs.
Since your body needs more energy to process protein, high-protein diet plans can increase your metabolism and help you burn more calories overall. Eating extra protein won’t have the same strength-building effect as your normal workout would, but it can help you burn almost as many calories as a half-hour gym session would. That means a high-protein diet plan and an effective workout plan could be a winning combination.
How Protein Can Supplement Weight Loss and Maintenance
Whether you’re aiming to lose weight or maintain your current weight, increasing your protein intake could be a smart solution. In addition to helping you eat fewer calories and boosting your metabolism, a high-protein diet plan can speed up fat loss. That means you may be able to replace excess fat with strong muscles while still achieving your weight-related goals.
Several studies have demonstrated that a high-protein diet supplements fat loss both when restricting calories for weight loss and when consuming a normal calorie count for weight maintenance. That means you could continue to tone your body without intentionally restricting calories. By merely upping your protein intake to 18 percent of your daily calorie consumption, you could also halve your chances of regaining pounds after weight loss, an issue that tends to be very common.
While increasing your protein intake can help you lose and maintain weight, it can also improve your health for the long term. Since you’re much more than a number on a scale, that’s great news for your well-being.
Perhaps most importantly, protein can help you build strength and grow your muscle mass. In fact, protein is one of the essential components of your muscles, so it’s no surprise that eating a high-protein diet can boost your muscles both during weight loss and weight maintenance. While the links between protein and muscle are well-known, you might be surprised to learn that protein can also keep your bones healthy by enhancing bone mass and lowering your risk of osteoporosis. That means protein can improve your health and boost your physical fitness as you age.
Eating a high-protein diet can also improve your cardiovascular health by reducing your blood pressure and helping you achieve lower blood sugar, and this type of diet plan can even lower your LDL cholesterol. If you maintain a healthy weight, these additional perks can substantially improve your long-term health and lower your risk of developing serious conditions.
Before you make drastic changes to your daily diet, it’s important to know what high-protein diet plans look like. A high-protein diet plan isn’t a no-carb diet, which includes virtually no carbohydrates and a higher percentage of protein and fat than the average person eats. Instead, a high-protein diet includes a higher ratio of carbs. For example, a typical macro ratio for a high-protein diet might be 40 percent carbs, 30 percent protein, and 30 percent fat.
Like any healthy diet, a high-protein eating plan will encourage you to get all of your calories from healthy sources. Rather than loading up on protein supplements, opt for lean meats and fish, eggs, whole grains, nuts and seeds, and fresh produce. Be sure to space your macro and calorie consumption evenly throughout the day to moderate your blood sugar and hunger levels. Following these simple guidelines will help you achieve the best possible results from your diet plan.
Finding the perfect macro ratio may require a few adjustments here and there. Once you zero in on the right high-protein diet plan, however, you could be on track toward your ideal weight and improved long-term health.
All of the content and media on Lifesum is created and published for information purposes only. It is not intended to be used as a substitute for medical advice or treatment. Users should always consult with a doctor or other health care professional for medical advice. If you have or think you are at risk of developing an eating disorder, do not use the Lifesum app and seek immediate medical help.
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Lifesum is one of the world’s leading nutrition specialists. We’re on a mission to make it easier for everyone to live a healthy life and make an impact on global wellness.
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Children. You are going to see a lot of children. Just get good at it, or have an excellent CDA who helps you make it look like you are good with children. There are a few reasons you are going to see tons of kids. One, most owners are going to give you the kids to see. Why? It is generally thought to be this way because pediatric dentistry is tough, and takes up a lot of time. Two, in Canada there isn’t generally community water fluoridation, and in some areas poor knowledge of dental hygiene for children. You are going to see a lot of early childhood caries. Three, there are just a lot of kids in some communities. There is a big push at the moment in certain regions to have education for expecting mothers or mothers of new born children about prevention methods and also placement of topical fluoride routinely.
“In Canada there isn’t generally community water fluoridation…. You are going to see a lot of early childhood caries”
Paediatric patients can test us. There isn’t public dentistry in Canada, so if the child is uncooperative or too young what do you do? The options are really: send them to a pediatric dental specialist, have them seen by a general dentist with hospital rights to have them seen under general anesthetic, or struggle through it yourself. Where I am, the nearest pediatric dentist is a four hour drive away, and the two dentists locally who have hospital rights sometimes have a year waiting list. It’s tempting to just go in and do the work with the child in the chair to avoid the wait, but always think: are you going to be able to do an effective restoration on a screaming child who is wiggling around and wants nothing more than to bite down on your finger or worse bite down on the drill? Are you going to give them a positive experience, or are they never going to come back to the dentist because they are traumatized.
You have to ultimately make the decision on if you feel you can work on the child. Sometimes it is worth having a couple of tries at it, it depends on the temperament of the child, and also the parent. It also depends if you have Nitrous oxide available, or other methods of sedation. You can see a four year old and be able to do a filling on them, but you may see a six year old you can’t even get to open their mouth. There isn’t a hard a fast rule about it, I wish there was. Some dentists just say no, anything under six gets an automatic referral, some are willing to try. Sometimes it’s better to have the parents in the treatment room, sometimes it’s better to have one parent or no parents, just consider it on a case-by-case basis. You just have to decide what you are comfortable with and start to become your own dentist.
You did read that right; there are dentists in Canadian hospitals. There isn’t public dentistry in Canada like what exists in Australia. We do have public medical services but dental services are not included. So how come there are dentists in some hospitals? Dentists in Canada can seek to have accreditation to work on patients under general anesthetic administered by an anesthesiologist in a public hospital. The government doesn’t pay for it (usually) and the dentists have to be scheduled operating room time when the operating rooms aren’t in use by the hospital.
In British Columbia there is some coverage provided by the government under the Ministry of Social Development and Poverty Reduction Dental Program, which falls under the MSP, or Medical Services Plan. It’s the government, they have to have sub programs and sub programs, but in a nutshell everyone calls these MSP patients. This breaks down into two broad programs Healthy Kids and BCEA. Under the Healthy Kids program, children under the age of 19, if they meet certain requirements, are covered up to $2000 basic dental every two years. In addition the BC Dental Association runs a save a smile program where children under 18 can be funded on top of that or instead of that in some way, again after applying for the program. Yes there is a ton of paperwork for both you as the dentist and for your front office staff, yes it can take some time for things to get arranged, but you can actually make a huge difference in a child’s life and wellbeing and the parents don’t have to pay a huge amount.
You can actually make a huge difference in a child’s life and well-being.
For adults receiving income assistance through the BC Employment and Assistance program (that’s government speak for welfare) there is some dental coverage, however this program pays only at 60% of the current BC dental fee guide. Some offices just accept this lower fee and absorb the cost difference; others charge the patient the 40% to make up to the BC dental fee guide.
In addition to that there are some quiet ways that dentists try to bridge the gap of people who can’t afford dental care and who don’t have insurance. Some offices take on a family or two and just don’t charge them the cost of dental work. In many communities there are low cost/no cost not for profit dental clinics, which run with paid or volunteer staff, who rely on grants or MSP patients to provide services to the community. It is important to find a way to give back to your community, seek out a non for profit that wants some help or join in with your clinic’s method of giving back to the community.
Next in the Canada Series – A Day in the Canadian Life
Want to know the major clinical differences? Find out in the first post: The View From The Canadian Side of The Pacific 1 [Series]
Employment
Andre is a general dentist who trained at the University of Sydney. He is now working in private practice in BC, Canada.
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Citampi Stories: Love Life RPG MOD APK – Unlimited (Money, Items), Unlocked (Paid Features, Jetpack, Motorcycle, Costumes), Fast Movement, No Ads – You decided to move to the town of Citampi to pay your parent’s debt and find your happiness. However, you also found so much more there! Find your character’s unique and romantic story in this pixel art – anime game.Get to know seven beautiful girls and win their affection in this romance RPG. Propose and wed that special anime girl to be your bride, your wife, and the mother of your child.A lot of things to do! Find various quirky jobs, Grow fruit and vegetable inside your mini-farm/garden, find items to scavenge, adopt an animal as your pet, treasures to found, fishes to catch, and things to craft in these virtual life games. Find all of the stories and cutscenes for your character and all of Citampi’s citizens in this story simulation. Discover hand-made life stories and colourful personalities of each character while you get to know and help them in their daily life.
What is Citampi Stories: Love Life RPG MOD APK?
Citampi Stories: Love Life RPG MOD APK from Viral Mods is a APK Mods, (short for "modifications") it's an alteration where someone, usually a player, changes some aspect of a video game. Online communities are changing video games to make them better, weirder, and much more wonderful. For example: Farming Simulator players like old tractions, but basic game do not have it, so they create it. Or maybe you want new skin, just download mod from Viral Mods and you can change skin. There is only few examples why mods is amazing and make games much better.
What is APK File?
Citampi Stories: Love Life RPG MOD APK File is an app created for Android, Google's mobile operating system. Some apps come pre-installed on Android devices, while other apps can be downloaded from Viral Mods. Apps downloaded from Viral Mods are automatically installed on your device, while those downloaded from other sources must be installed manually. It simply means that you have to still this APK file manually. We have the installation steps below.
You can simply download it from the download links below. It is fast and easy.
There’s no doubt about it: Citampi Stories: Love Life RPG MOD APK is a great game. The developers have taken the best elements of mobile gaming and combined them into a truly incredible experience. And with our APK MOD you can enjoy all of that, without being interrupted by annoying ads or having to spend real money on in-game purchases. If you’re looking for a great game that you can play anywhere with mods, then this is definitely the modified game for you, so Download it now!
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This is a Buy Now trade, which is completely automated. There is no need to add this user as a friend, just close this modal and click the green button below the items to begin the trading process.
I want to visit their profile anyway
I'll trade with the bot!
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There are a lot of imitation phishing sites and so-called item generators out there, and the safety of our users takes priority! If you see this message when you thought you were going to a genuine website, you probably weren't...
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Although I am an Independent Author, I still think of myself as a publisher. Actually, I wear several hats: Publisher, Art Designer, Editor, and Author,
Continue reading
January 1, 2016 Cedar Sanderson
Reblogged from Sad Puppies 4 Written by Kate Paulk I’ve heard through the Internet (all right, Facebook) that someone who fancies himself a big shot
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Please join our Girls Nite Out (“GNO”) Programs to catch up, share and support your sisters. As these meetings are virtual, you can attend ANY of them, no matter your location.
Takes place on the 3rd Wednesday of each month.
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Melissa is a breast cancer survivor, diagnosed in 2020 at the age of 48. Melissa became involved with Breast Friends in the middle of her year long active treatment and has been involved ever since. Prior to joining the board, she has served as a mentor and as a HUGS volunteer. She enjoys traveling with her husband, Rick and three children, Connor, Brooke and Ryker. Melissa spends a lot of time at the Oregon coast, hiking, and kayaking. In her prior professional career she has been a Development Director for The Dougy Center and Parrott Creek Child & Family Services among others.
.As a Vistage Master Chair Ron collaborates with high integrity leaders to develop lifelong leadership excellence that elevates companies, strengthen communities and delivers results that fosters sustainable growth. Previously, was an executive leader specializing building successful high performance teams in finance, customer service and operations. Experience includes nearly 20 years in display technology industry and most recently durable medical equipment industry. Companies have included manufacturing, service and distribution.
2 Time Survivor – Diagnosed in 2012 and 2017
Michelle is a 2-time, 9-year survivor of breast cancer. In 2017, she began volunteering at Breast Friends, and in the process found support, encouragement and a tribe of women who understood exactly what it is like to hear the words “you have cancer.” This changed her life forever. In early 2019, she was hired as the Patient Programs Assistant. She is now embracing the opportunity to host the Breast Friends Cancer Support Network podcast. Michelle enjoys exploring with her husband Nate, son Jackson and 2 dogs in their travel trailer She loves reading books, watching movies and is obsessed with true crime and paranormal podcasts.
Allison Hancock has been a breast cancer survivor since 2004. Allison began volunteering at Breast Friends in 2013 and now serves as Executive Director since 2018. She has been married to her husband Mark and they have two sons. Josh is currently at Oregon State studying mechanical engineering and Jeremy will be attending Oregon State in the fall of 2020. Go Beavers! Allison has lived on the Gulf Coast, East Coast and West Coast but loves the West Coast best. “The PNW has so much to offer and the scenery is spectacular”. When she isn’t involved with the day to day of Breast Friends, she enjoys reading, cooking and crafting. She says, “It is a great honor to lead this organization. Seeing the impact that the programs has made on the women we serve as they are navigating the cancer journey. Breast cancer is not a club that anyone wants to join, but it is comforting to know that Breast Friends is here to give hope, inspiration and a community of sisterhood.”
Dianna was diagnosed with breast cancer in summer of 2003 and discovered Breast Friends that same year at the Portland Health Expo. She started volunteering with us in 2007 in the office and at events. She knew she found her tribe! Just a few short year later she joined our staff as the office manager and webmaster.
Accounting and Finance Professional. Diagnosed in 2001 at age 33. Michelle is a finance and accounting professional that has worked in multiple industries providing leadership as well as process and procedure redesign to companies looking to improve their financial and accounting proficiency. She has been married to her husband Mike for 29 years and loves to spend time with friends as well as travel. She has been a Chemo Pal with the Children’s Cancer Society and spent 10 years supporting the National MS Society.
Liz joined Breast Friends after being a key volunteer for two years. She has focused on bringing the social media streams up to date and assisting with events and she will continue to do so. In addition, she will assist in launching new programs. She is very passionate about helping women with cancer, as she lost her mother to breast cancer in 2008 and spent time working in medical community. In the past, she has also volunteered for the Make-A-Wish Foundation, Girls on the Run and spent years in other school activities. Liz is married with two grown daughters and her house is rounded out with a dog and two cats. In her free time, she enjoys travel, working out and enjoying the outdoors.
Aimee found Breast Friends in the fall of 2019 after having completed a year of active treatment. She attended a Young Warrior retreat at the beach, and it changed her forever! In 2020 she started volunteering at Breast Friends and found it gave her new purpose that she had been searching for. In 2021 she was hired as the Programs Coordinator. She’s married to her high school sweetheart, Ed, and they have one daughter, Lucy. They love taking family vacation and attending live theatre and musicals. In her spare time she can be found crafting or creating art, sewing, watching movies, picnicking or exploring her native PNW and spending time with friends and family. She is excited and grateful to be part of helping other women who are facing cancer find connection and thrive.
Alyssa came to Breast Friends in early 2019 as a volunteer. After spending a short amount of time in the office, she fell in love with the staff and community and decided to officially join the team as Events Coordinator. 2021 presented an opportunity to change focus a bit and work as Patient Support Coordinator, giving Alyssa the opportunity to work more directly with women we serve. She is excited to fulfill her goal of helping other women affected by breast cancer as it is something she planned to do from day one of her own diagnosis.
At 37 years old, Alyssa was diagnosed with Triple Negative breast cancer and feels grateful every day to be thriving after treatment. Currently, she is training for her first half marathon and has found running has given her an opportunity to reconnect with herself physically as well as provide a good outlet for stress! Alyssa lives with her husband and 2 sons (ages 10 & 7) in West Linn. She enjoys traveling, good coffee, laughing with her friends and reading Harry Potter with her kids.
Laura was diagnosed with breast cancer in 2018 and quickly discovered that Breast Friends was an organization changing the course of cancer’s victims. As a way of paying it back and paying it forward, she followed the tug in her heart and joined Breast Friends as a board member. Laura has enjoyed a 20 year career in banking, and is a health and fitness nut whom you will often find running in the forests with her rescue dog or rock climbing with her partner. As a single mom of a 13 year old boy and someone who has learned the ultimate value of life, she tries everyday to live by the motto: Live Big – Love Bigger.
Leslie has been working in the high tech industry for the past 27 years holding diverse business development and product marketing positions. She received her BA from Willamette University and MBA from Portland State University. Leslie is passionate about supporting and assisting women. For many years, she volunteered at PowerHouse as a mentor to foster care teens. Having known many breast cancer survivors, she is excited to serve on the board of Breast Friends.
When not working, Leslie spends time with family, friends, and her rescue dog, Frannie. She takes full advantage of the Pacific Northwest getting outside to hike, bike, and stand-up paddle board.
Cory Collins was diagnosed with Stage Four Inflammatory Breast Cancer in August of 2010 and has been cancer free since February of 2011. She began volunteering with Breast Friends in May of 2011, seeking other women who had similar experiences to her own to help through their battles. Cory has two children, a daughter, Kelsey and a son, Derrick and two grandchildren that she adores. Cory loves spending her free time paddle-boarding, gardening, reading and hiking. Getting Cancer gave Cory a new outlook on life, knowing that every moment is precious and that it takes a village to win the battle.
“Be the sunshine after endless days of rain.”
Jayne Scheckla has been a Marketing Manager for almost 30 years, involved in all aspects of Marketing, such as PR, Marketing Communications, and event management. A 16-year veteran at Siemens (formerly Mentor Graphics), Jayne also worked at Tektronix for almost ten years where she became the second Marketing professional to be named Business Excellence Partner and Performance Leader. She also contributed to by-lined articles for the publication Government Video. She served for many years as an officer for Parent-Teacher associations in Texas and Oregon, including four times as president, and received the Texas Life Award for her service. Jayne also served many years as soccer registrar in Texas and Hillsboro, Oregon.
Geff Zamor is a video producer, web commercial director, and Content Creator. His production company, GMS Media and Advertising, has produced original content for brands and artists since 2007.He made his directorial debut with On the Job Training (2007), and has since directed commercials for Cheetos, CheezIt, Orville Redenbacher, Tarot.com, and a great many more. At GMS Media and Advertising, Geff and his team craft and deploy ad campaigns and empower brands to succeed.
Dianna Henson,N.D., MScDUS, has been working in naturopathic medicine for the past 29 years, 18 of which have been focused on Intravenous Nutrient Therapy and women’s health. Dr. Henson graduated from the National University of Natural Medicine (formerly NCNM) in Portland, Oregon with her doctorate in naturopathic medicine. She is licensed as a primary care physician, board certified in naturopathic medicine with a specialty in intravenous nutrient therapy. She, along with her team members, enjoy working as part of the patient’s healthcare team to provide comprehensive, effective, integrative care for patients with cancer and chronic conditions.
Board Member since January 2016
Medical Oncologist
Providence Medical Group
In addition to providing compassionate and individualized care for patients with cancer, Dr. Page’s mission is to improve the quality of that care by dedicating himself to clinical research and by reflecting upon the unique experiences of each of his patients. Dr. Page’s research investigates new cancer treatment approaches that harness the ability of an individual’s immune system to recognize, attack, and eliminate cancer. Dr. Page grew up in Niagara Falls, New York, and spent much of his childhood cooking at his family-owned restaurant. He did his fellowship at Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York, N.Y. He is excited to join the Portland community, where in addition to advancing breast cancer care, he continues to be an avid cook, camper and dog owner.
Director of Supply Chain Management
Laura is an accomplished supply chain professional and leader with over 20 years experience. She has an MBA from the University of Oregon. Laura is a skilled negotiator known for finding common ground. Additionally, she is highly effective at building cross-functional individual and team relationships. Laura has benefited greatly from Breast Friends programs and the wonderful women that support their services. As a board member and volunteer she hopes to utilize her vast business network and vendor contacts to support Breast Friends growth now and into the future.
She is married to her beautiful wife Debra of 17 years and together they have a wonderful daughter, Sarah. Sports play a huge role in our family. Many hours are dedicated to cheering Sarah on at soccer and basketball games. Time is also spent supporting the Portland Thorns, Blazers and Winterhawks, not to mention football Sundays spent around the television. Two great rescue dogs, Amy and Bounce round out their happy family.
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Why school kids need more exposure to the world of work - World leading higher education information and services
World leading higher education information and services
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Why school kids need more exposure to the world of work
| July 31, 2018 | 0 responses
All students need to experience the world of work, particularly work of the future, long before they leave school, according to a new report out today.
The latest Mitchell Institute report, Connecting the worlds of learning and work, says collaborating with industry and the community is vital to better prepare children and young people for future work and life. And governments need to play a leading role to ensure this happens.
Jobs in the digital age, and the skills and capabilities required to do them are transforming at an unprecedented rate.
Schools alone cannot be expected to foster the complex combinations of STEM (science, technology, engineering, maths), digital and transferable skills, like collaboration, problem solving and communication, that young people will need in their future careers. That’s in addition to core skills like literacy and numeracy.
Bringing together the classroom and the workplace has broad public benefits, but can be challenging to do in practice.
Why is this important?
Exposure to the world of work provides opportunities for students to build connections with professionals outside their usual family networks, and to learn by “doing” in real world contexts.
This offers some valuable benefits – enriching school learning, building students’ employability, and helping them develop the capabilities (such as problem solving, collaboration, and resilience) that we know are valued in work and life.
Some students already have access to valuable experiences like industry mentoring and entrepreneurship programs at school, but this isn’t the case for all students.
With young people spending longer in formal education, many might not connect with the world of work until their 20s.
For these students, once they complete their education, the “new work reality” is the average transition time from education to full-time work is now up to five years, compared to one year in 1986.
Traditionally, practical industry-focussed learning was anchored in vocational education and training, but participation rates in vocational pathways are declining.
Shaping career choices
Young people’s pathways are formed early – with career aspirations often following traditional gender stereotypes, and tending to reflect students’ interest and achievement in traditional school subjects. A lack of interest in STEM subjects at age 10 is unlikely to change by age 14.
Varied opportunities to engage with the world of work, through career talks, mentoring, and excursions to job sites can be valuable from primary school through to secondary school, particularly for students at risk of disengagement.
Early exposure is critical to ensure that students can make informed decisions about future career pathways.
Haven’t we heard this before?
There have been attempts to put school-industry partnerships on the national agenda over the past decade, but they still haven’t reached every school.
“While many models of school-community engagement exist in Australia, school-community engagement to improve student learning is not common practice and implementation can be ad hoc.”
We haven’t yet found a way to bring the workplace and the classroom together in an effective way.
We need to address some systemic barriers to enable partnerships with industry to flourish in all schools:
Partnerships take time and resources for schools to initiate and manage – yet things that can be widely measured, like NAPLAN and ATAR, tend to be prioritised
We know teachers are central to making partnerships work – but many don’t have the time, or the training to know how to engage effectively with industry
There are many structural and administrative blockers that add layers of complexity for schools and industry partners. These include child safety requirements, occupational health and safety, and procurement policies for new equipment that are different in each state and territory.
Policymakers must design systems that make partnerships easier and ensure they are effective and available in all schools across Australia.
Governments need to track where partnerships are happening, what they involve, how effective they are, and who is missing out. This information can inform government reforms that ensure resources are allocated equitably across the education system, and assist schools and industry to plan effective partnerships.
2. Support teachers by giving them time and resoources
Partnerships need time and resources. We need to give teachers time to engage in partnerships and provide them with professional learning and support to more easily facilitate effective partnerships. This may include using intermediaries, which come in many forms, such as industry peak bodies, government agencies and not-for-profit organisations.
3. Address barriers to make it easier for all to take part
For partnerships to be successful everywhere, governments need to address the structural barriers (regulatory and governance issues), information barriers (finding partners to connect with and understanding how to meet both school and industry needs), and equity barriers (ensuring the schools that benefit the most are connected to suitable industry partners).
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Bronchitis refers to a condition when the lining of the bronchial tubes gets inflamed or swells up. The bronchial tubes carry the airflow from the trachea to the lungs. It is a respiratory disease and causes symptoms like cough, chest tightness and shortness of breath. It is often accompanied by the formation of yellow-grey mucus. Bronchitis can be of two types namely, Acute Bronchitis and Chronic Bronchitis. Out of these two types the former one is more common. It usually takes place due to cold and flu and does not require much medical attention as it is a self limiting disease and hence tends to heal on its own.
On the other hand, Chronic Bronchitis can be associated with Chronic Obstructive Pulmonary Disease (COPD). Chronic Bronchitis is a serious recurring condition and is mostly caused by smoking. It makes the sufferer more vulnerable to bacterial infections of the airway and lungs, for example Pneumonia. When this inflammation occurs in Asthma patients, it is known as Asthmatic Bronchitis. People tend to take cough suppressing medicines for immediate relief but some such medicines worsen the situation by meddling with the mucus. Same is the case with antibiotics. Therefore, it is better to stick to natural home remedies for Bronchitis to cure it as naturally as possible without any side effects.
Causes and Symptoms of Bronchitis
The most common cause responsible for causing Bronchitis is viral infection. Bacterial and fungal infections can also be blamed for the same but to a much lesser extent. As for Chronic Bronchitis, cigarette smoking is the primary cause of the disease. Other factors include air pollution and other lung irritants and cold air. Industrial pollution prevalent in coal mines, metal molding factories, grain and textile mills increases the risk of the people working in such places to develop this disease. A weak immune system can also be attributed to such respiratory diseases. Repeated attacks of Acute Bronchitis pave way for Chronic Bronchitis.
Acute Bronchitis is generally accompanied by an upper respiratory tract infection. It usually starts with symptoms like running nose, sore throat and sinus infection. Other symptoms include cough, general illness, fatigue, headaches, body aches, presence of a wheezing sound when breathing, shortness of breath, chest congestion, mild fever and chills. As Bronchitis is an caused by infections, the most obvious remedy in this regard would be to stay away from infections by not sharing food, cups, glasses, or eating utensils with an already infected person, washing hands frequently and giving up smoking.
• Drinking fresh cabbage juice on a daily basis is a valuable natural remedy for healing the disease.
• The most common home remedy for Bronchitis related throat inflammation is to gargle with salt water.
• Cover an onion slice with honey and leave it in this condition overnight and then remove the onion slice. Taking one teaspoon of this therapeutic honey four times in a day helps cure the disease.
• Taking half a glass of milk mixed with half a teaspoon of turmeric powder on an empty stomach is one of the easiest possible natural home remedies for Bronchitis. It should be taken 2-3 times on a daily basis.
• Take 250 ml of water, 50 grams of fresh spinach leaves, one teaspoonful of honey and a pinch of ammonium chloride. Mix the ingredients to prepare an infusion to get rid of the mucus.
• Prepare a hot poultice of linseed by mixing one cup (16 tablespoons of the linseeds) with one cup of warm water. Applying this linseed poultice on the front and back of the chest is one of the most popular home remedies for Bronchitis.
• Prepare a tea by mixing half a teaspoon of ginger powder, half a teaspoon of pepper and a similar quantity of cloves. Simply licking this mixture is equally beneficial in treating this disease.
• Another such remedial tea can be prepared by adding half a teaspoon of licorice root in one cup of boiling water and straining after ten minutes. Having this tea 3-4 times a day for at least one week serves as a good home remedy in the treatment of Bronchitis. Savory or thyme can also be used in place of licorice root.
• Take one teaspoon of linseed, one teaspoon of sesame seeds, one teaspoon of honey and a pinch of salt. Mix the ingredients. Taking this mixture before going to bed is one of the highly recommended natural home remedies for Bronchitis, especially the chronic form of the disease.
• Prepare a mixture of one tablespoon of poppy seeds, one tablespoon of honey and 8 to 10 tablespoons of coconut milk. Taking this mixture daily at night is beneficial in curing the disease.
• Mixing half a teaspoon of powdered dry root of Chicory with one teaspoon of honey and taking this mixture thrice a day provides relief by reducing the mucus.
• Take a cup of orange juice and mix powdered almonds (a powder of seven kernels of almond) in it. This is an excellent natural home remdy used for the treatment of Bronchitis.
• Extract the juice from Holy Basil leaves. Take half teaspoon of this juice, one teaspoon of honey and half teaspoon of ginger juice and mix these ingredients. Taking this mixture two to three times a day acts as a good natural cure for the disease.
• Add one cup of grinded horseradish root to a cup of boiling water and cook for about 5 minutes. Having this mixture thrice a day is one of the most effective natural home remedies for Bronchitis treatment.
Drinking plenty of water or fluids is an effective way to wash away the mucus. The diet should constitute a proper mix of fresh fruits, vegetables, grains, seeds and nuts. Generally, spicy foods are not considered good for health. But one is allowed to have such foods in order to get rid of the mucus. Lemon tea is also beneficial in the treatment of Bronchitis. Consuming vegetable juices especially, a combination of carrot juice and spinach juice is also a healthy option. Foods rich in manganese, particularly pears, nuts and beans are valuable as they facilitate the healing process. Until the disease is completely cured, it would be wise to resist the temptation of eating unhealthy mucus forming foods like white sugar and its products, white flour and its products, refined and packaged foods, and many non vegetarian foods.
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Note to all attendees: Session leaders will contact you with additional information, including a meeting link, for each individual workshop, event, or demonstration.
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February 6, 2018 @ 10:00 am - 12:00 pm EST
Action Learning enforces the power of questions through a very simple, yet highly effective and challenging method. In Action Learning, a group of 6-8 participants develops leadership skills, by working together on solving a complex problem. Questions are the driving force of Action Learning, and empower participants to discover the root of problems and to unlock hidden knowledge.
In this event you will experience a total action learning demonstration. In an extensive debrief we will reflect on the Action Learning Coaching process and discuss observations. One of these participants should be prepared to share a professional problem that they would like to work on (fix) in the session. If you are interested in this workshop and are willing to share your professional problem for the workshop, please register and contact Mies de Konig.
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September 9, 2013, Newhall, CA. Today, Schiit Audio announced the availability of its new Loki DSD companion DAC, which allows anyone to add DSD playback to any DAC for $149. Loki is by far the least expensive native DSD playback system on the market.
"Customers have been asking for DSD in our DACs," said Mike Moffat, Co-Founder of Schiit Audio. "But in our opinion, DSD and PCM playback should not be shared on the same analog stage. The filtering requirements of DSD are drastically different. Because of this, we chose to offer DSD as a separate, dedicated DSD-only box with pass-through switching, so it can simply be added to any DAC."
Mike emphasized "any DAC." Loki is not limited to working with Schiit's Modi, Bifrost, and Gungnir DACs--it works as a companion to any DAC that has RCA output.
Loki decodes DSD 1X using the DoP spec and proprietary Schiit firmware on a Microchip PIC controller to provide bit-perfect DSD native playback with a variety of music players on both the PC and Mac platforms. It connects to any PC or Mac via USB, and is powered by the USB bus, with extensive filtering and power regulation to ensure pure, noise-free performance.
"We're very proud of Loki's performance," Mike Moffat said. "Compare it to DSD DACs that cost many times more. Its sonic capabilities are far greater than its price, because it's not trying to do both PCM and DSD with the same output stage."
Mike also emphasized that Loki was "the right path to an uncertain future," citing SACD, HDCD, DAT, reel-to-reel, ELcassette, and even quadraphonic formats as audiophile-lauded formats that never made it to the mainstream. Loki allows virtually anyone to try out DSD for a very low cost, without the need to replace their perfectly good PCM DAC. If DSD doesn't take off, they've lost very little in investing in Loki.
Like all Schiit products, Loki is made in the USA. It offers a 2-year warranty, and is available now for immediate purchase at Schiit.com for $149.
Founded in June 2010 by audio industry “old dogs” Jason Stoddard and Mike Moffat, Schiit Audio has a simple, if somewhat insane, mission: to bring superior performance, design, and quality to audio products at near-Chinese prices, while manufacturing in the USA.
Jason Stoddard was the former engineering lead at Sumo, designing power amps that included Polaris II, Polaris III, Andromeda III, Ulysses, Ulysses II, The Ten, The Five, as well as preamplifiers including Athena II, Diana, and Artemis, and Sumo’s first digital line: Axiom and Theorem.
Mike Moffat was the founder of Theta, Theta Digital, and Angstrom, and his audio history covers an impressive list of firsts, including the first standalone DAC, the Theta DSPre, the first use of digital signal processing and bit-perfect digital filter algorithms, the first DTS surround processor, and more
The Transparent Store is open to customers only from the United States and Canada.
Transparent Audio has manufactured the world's finest music system and home theater cables and power conditioning products for nearly 3 decades. Find out more about us on our website or take a brief tour of our facility.
Transparent is pleased to offer a wide range of our products through this store, providing immediate shipment of some of our most popular items. Everything available on this site is upgradeable to a higher performance level through an Authorized Transparent Dealer. Contact Transparent or your dealer for details about how the upgrade program can work for you.
Transparent offers the products in this store in partnership with our specialty dealer network. At the end of your shopping experience, we will ask you to provide the name of your Transparent Dealer. If you do not yet have a Transparent Dealer, we will select a dealer in your region. We will be sharing your purchase details with the Transparent dealer you or we select so that your dealer can better help you with your long range system planning.
From the simplest, most basic systems to the most exotic, Transparent and our expert team of dealers are always ready to help with your purchase decisions and to assist you in successfully integrating your Transparent purchases into your music or film system. Many higher performance Transparent products are only available through an Authorized Transparent Dealer. Feel free to call Transparent at (207) 284-1100 or consult your Transparent Dealer for advice about which Transparent products will work best for your system plans.
Enjoy your browsing experience and the convenience of being able to order what you need 24/7 without leaving your home or interrupting your latest home system music and film experiences. Start shopping now by exploring the categories below, or find out more here about the best Transparent products for your music or film system.
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American moviegoers spent about $56 million dollars during opening weekend on tickets for the new James Bond film No Time To Die. Sitting in theaters across the country, they stared up at the villain Safin, who shares more in common with past villains than his disdain for the handsome and suave titular character. Safin's face is covered with scars, continuing a long-time trend of Bond's greatest on-screen adversaries having facial differences.
"It is a straight-up shorthand for villainy: this character has a scar and they are evil," said Adam Pearson, an actor with neurofibromatosis, which causes non-cancerous tumors on the nerve-endings in his face and other body parts.
The storytelling trend isn't limited to Bond movies — think of Scar in The Lion King or Darth Vader in Star Wars. But the new Bond film is providing the opportunity for facial difference advocates to push back on what they see as a harmful and overused trope.
"Growing up, I got called things like 'Two-Face' and 'Elephant Man'...It isn't until you step back that you realize how imbalanced the representation is. There's no good guy names to throw back as a retort," Pearson said.
Pearson is an ambassador for the U.K. charity Changing Faces, which has been running a campaign called "I Am Not Your Villain" for several years. In 2018, the British Film Institute backed the campaign and vowed not to fund films where scars or other facial differences connoted villainy. But the filmmakers behind the Bond franchise and other movies, like Wonder Woman and the new Marvel movie Black Widow, have stuck with the trope. Bond villain Emilio Largo in the 1965 adaptation of Thunderball started a franchise trend that continued with numerous other villains, including Silva, Jaws, Alec Trevelyan and Le Chiffre.
A 2017 scientific study compared the faces of the top 10 American film villains and the top 10 American film heroes, as ranked by the American Film Institute (AFI). It found that 6 of the ten villains had facial differences, while none of the heroes did. While there are some film heroes with scars, like Harry Potter and Indiana Jones, they are rare and the markings tend to be small.
The trend is as old as filmmaking itself, according to sociologist Fiona Whittington-Walsh, who teaches at Kwantlen Polytechnic University in British Columbia. She said that the popularization of the camera aligned with a political and societal criminalization of so-called ugliness.
"You've got all these wonderful social qualities that are associated with a beautiful face," Whittington-Walsh said. "It's a symbol of one's morality and one's ethics. It's also intrinsically white." On the other hand, she said, "the unattractive face is stigmatized with undesirable social qualities."
In the 1800s, Cesare Lombroso, known as the "father of criminology," posited a theory that criminals could be identified by their unique facial features alone. Lombroso wrote that "thieves are notable for their...distorted or squashed noses, thin beards and hair, and sloping foreheads."
As recently as the 1970s, some U.S. cities had so-called "ugly laws" on the books. A former San Francisco law made it illegal for "any person, who is diseased, maimed, mutilated or deformed in any way, so as to be an unsightly or disgusting object, to expose himself or herself to public view." Other cities had similar, if not identical, ordinances.
Today, people with facial differences commonly report feeling anxious or depressed. A survey by Changing Faces found that more than a third feel anxious going outside and more than a quarter say their facial differences have negatively affected their mental health. People with facial differences are not necessarily protected under the law from discrimination because (while some do) many do not consider themselves disabled.
"How often do you see someone with a facial difference working in retail or restaurants?" said Ani Spooner, who works with the Canadian advocacy group AboutFace. "We're a big part of society. This continuous portrayal of us as evil and monsters — it makes people justify abusing us, harassing us, not hiring us, bullying us."
Advocates like Spooner say they'd like to see more from the movie business than an end to villains having scars or disfigurements. "All I'm asking is, where are the good guys? And when it comes to that, where are the actual actors with disfigurements or scars?" Pearson asked.
When movies do feature characters with facial differences who are not villains, they are often played by actors using makeup or prosthetics, like in the 2017 film Wonder. And, while some films do feature actors who genuinely have facial differences, these differences are often central to the plot. Pearson and Spooner would like to see roles where the main characters have facial differences, but that isn't their defining characteristic. "Every now and then you'll get an email with an awful script with every stereotype...but it also means you can help finesse the script," Pearson said.
Facial difference advocates see this fight as similar to movements pushing for greater diversity in the representation of women, people of color, and people with disabilities in film.
"I think [the villainy trope is] lazy and outdated, particularly when you look at the portrayal of women and how that's evolved in Bond movies," Pearson said. "I think it's important we commend the strides we made there, but point to this other need for change."
There are some examples of films that feature real people with facial differences (though that characteristic is a central part of the film's plot) such as the 2018 movie Happy Face, about a teenager who covers his face with bandages and joins a support group for disfigured people. The 2019 film Dirty God auditioned burn survivors to play the lead role of a woman who is attacked with acid by an angry ex. Actress Vicky Knight told The Guardian, "I thought I'd only be good for horror movies and things like that."
Horror movies make Halloween a "scary time for people with facial differences," said Spooner. "A lot of people think we have costumes on. If they see you in the neighborhood, they're like, 'Haha, what are you dressed as?' Seeing yourself reflected in people's costumes is hard."
"The camera phones come out," Pearson agreed. "I don't want to be a buzzkill here, just be a little sensitive."
As for what to do or say when you see someone with a facial difference? Don't ask "what happened to your face?" Not all people with facial differences have a tragic backstory like movie villains tend to.
"Open with hello," Pearson said. "Everything after that is plain sailing."
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See the complete list of Top 100 albums of 2021, as voted on by our listeners and programmers.
Hosted by Kevin Washington, this show explores musical connections between the 20th century and the 21st.
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There has been rapid increase in the amount of information or data being created or produced everyday. Many sectors/industries are seeing this rapid increase in the amount of data available such as Healthcare, Retail, Information Technology, Consulting and even Government organisations. The basic reason for such growth is that more people have more tools to create and share information than ever before. Consumers aren’t the only ones creating data. Businesses are churning out lots of data as well.
In the not so distant past, industries and organisations largely relied on guesswork when making crucial decisions. Big data and Data Science allowed them to look through incredible amounts of information and feel confident when figuring out how to deal with things in their respective industries. As the amount of available data grows, the problem of managing the information or data becomes more difficult.To handle this ever growing data and to make sense of this data, more & more data science experts are required so that organisations can make informed decisions about their businesses.
Due, to this explosion in recent few years, number of data science experts have also increased across the globe. So, the question comes, if the data science experts are increasing over the years, then where do experts exists and in what proportion?
In this post, we would try to find answers with the Stack Overflow survey data from years 2011–2018. Survey data for multiple years can be found here. Stack Overflow is an online technology forum that has a large monthly active user base. Using the survey results, we could find out the insights of the general software engineer community as well as data science community. In this analysis, I was interested in using 2011–2018 Stack Overflow developer survey data to understand the Data Science community growth.
This post contains the analysis of proportion & trend in data science community growth in various countries, industries and different sized companies across the globe.
Therefore, we could ask several below questions to ourselves-
What is the trend in Data Science community growth from 2011 to 2018?
In which countries has the Data Science community grown?
What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various countries over the years?
In which Industries has the Data Science community grown and in what proportion?
What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various industries over the years?
In which companies(small, medium & large) has the Data Science community grown and in what proportion?
What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various different sized companies over the years?
All the answers to the above questions would be based upon the survey data. Lets try to answer each of these questions one by one…
1. What is the trend in Data Science community growth from 2011 to 2018?
From the above visualization, we can observe that the Data Science community grew rapidly among total software developers in recent years. It was not prominent till 2014 but from 2015 grew in an exponentially manner. This goes hand in hand with the data explosion in recent few years which is also exponential.
Data is exploding more ever since & to handle and make inference from this new data getting created everyday, more and more data science jobs are being created across the globe with each passing year.
2. In which countries has the Data Science community grown?
From the above visualization, we can observe the trend in growth of data science community in top 10 countries with data science experts. We can observe that United States lead the growth trend, followed by India, Germany, United Kingdom and so on. The trend observed in growth of Data Science community in United States is exponential and is at full boom whereas trend observed in growth of Data Science community in India, Germany & United Kingdom is also exponential but has not reached its full boom. For rest of the countries like Canada,Brazil,Russia,France,Australia & Spain, there is a rise in data science community but it is slow as compared to top 4 countries.
Since, United States has the Silicon valley and is the leader & home of large software & IT organisations, Banking,Finance and Insurance firms, Healthcare service providers, Educational institutions, Better infrastructure and is always at the top of technological and IT advancements, a large amount of data is being created everyday by these sectors and their services in United States alone. As a result, a lot more data science experts are required in United States as compared to other countries which justify the exponential growth.
India has always been a big chunk among the portion of the IT services provider countries for United States and there is a fair amount of IT workload that is being shared with India by United States. Also like United States, India has its own set of data science requirements in various sectors mentioned above. As a result, a lot of data science opportunities is being created in India which is leading to rapid data science community growth in India.
And the same goes with Germany & United Kingdom and rest of the other top 6 countries. Large amount of data is being created and to handle & take care of it & to make meaning from this data, requirement for data science experts is also growing rapidly in each of the country but at different rate as per the need, demand and market within each country.
From the visualization on the left, we can observe the trend in growth of data science community in top 10 countries but now in terms of proportion or percentage across years for a particular country. So, for each country, 2011 have lowest proportion of experts and proportion of experts increased then onward till 2018 where the proportion is maximum. So across 8 years, 2011 has the lowest proportion of data science community and 2018 has the highest proportion for each country across 8 years and sum of proportion or percentage across 8 years for each country is 100%.
Also, rise in proportion is exponential which coincides with the data getting created within the countries over the years in an exponential manner. We can clearly see, that every top 10 country with data science experts has the same pattern i.e. exponential across years but with different rate.
3. What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various countries over the years?
From the above visualization, we can observe the following –
For year 2011, not all of the top 10 countries were actually using data science. Most of the countries were having 0 proportion of data science experts and only few countries like United States, United Kingdom, Australia & Germany had presence of data science especially United States had 50% share of the data science experts across all of the top 10 countries.
Share of United States is way more than rest of the countries in every year. In 2011, United States held about 50% of the share of the data science experts and continued to hold higher share of data science experts across different countries in each of the years. In 2018, United States held around approx. 38% of the share of the data science experts.
As the years passed on, the rest of the countries also started using data science and share of the proportion for rest of the countries rose up from 0 to 20%.
Different countries had different rate of data science experts community growth, especially India rose up from 0 proportion in 2011 to around 18% in 2018.
Germany also made an increase in their share of proportion. Australia lost its share across the years. United Kingdom first grew up and then slightly lost the proportion across years.
Since, other countries started to have their share in proportion, United States lost its proportion for data science community but still held the highest proportion across all of the years.
Difference between proportion of countries using data science was more in 2011 and this proportion difference started to decrease across years and in 2018, the proportion difference between the countries became less which meant each of the top 10 countries was using data science but with different proportion depending upon the need, demand & market within each of the country.
4. In which Industries has the Data Science community grown and in what proportion?
While combining the data from various years 2011–2018, there was no data about industry to which an individual belonged to in survey 2017 & 2018. Therefore, below inference is based on the survey data from years 2011–2016.
From the above visualization, almost all of the industries are using Data Science to much or less extent predominantly used by Software products, Finance & Banking sector, Consulting, Healthcare & Education sector. Also, from the visualization, we can see that the top most industry corresponds to ‘Other’ which denotes that Stack overflow survey(s) didn’t had industries in which data science is being used. By ‘Other’, it could mean various industries like — Research of different kinds, Medicines, Pharmaceuticals, E-commerce, Construction, Transportation, Insurance, Travel & Hospitality, Utilities, Natural resources & Energy, etc..
All industries and organisations alike are awashed with data in this pro-tech age and data is being created in an exponential manner, so Data Science is being used by every industry in different proportion as Data Science leads to Smarter Decision-Making.
From the above visualization, we can observe the trend in growth of data science community in top 10 industries with data science experts. We can observe that ‘Other’ lead the growth trend, followed by Software Products, Finance/Banking and so on. ‘Other’ industry here could collaboratively mean industries like — Research of different kinds, Medicines, Pharmaceuticals, E-commerce, Construction, Transportation, Insurance, Travel & Hospitality, Utilities, Natural resources & Energy, etc.
The trend observed in growth of Data Science community in Software Products & Finance/Banking is exponential whereas trend observed in growth of Data Science community in Consulting, Education, Healthcare is also upwards but slow in comparison to Software Products & Finance/Banking.
Internet, Government, Media/Advertising & Manufacturing also had upward trend but only after 2014 and is very less as compared to rest of the Industries.
‘Other’ which is combination of many other industries had the biggest upward trend since it combined the trend of each industry which is included in ‘Other’ category. So, we can’t state that ‘Other’ had the biggest upward trend in a true manner.
Well, the upward trend of industries using data science is like exponential which goes hand in hand with the creation of data in an exponential manner across industries. Increase of the data getting created and exchanged within industries meant, industries needed more data science experts to take care & handle data and to make inference from the data to make better & informed decisions for their respective business across different industries. This requirement of more & more data science experts in each of the industries was at a different rate depending upon the need, demand, geographical location and market within each of the industries. So, after 2014, almost all of the industries were using data science.
5. What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various industries over the years?
From the above visualization, we can observe the following –
For year 2011, not all of the top 10 industries were actually using data science. 3 out of 10 industries were having 0 proportion of data science experts.
In 2011, Software products had the highest share of data science community i.e. 30% followed by Consulting & (Finance/Banking) which had 20% share each and all of these 3 sectors/Industries took 70% of the share of proportion of data science experts. Rest of the 30% were occupied by Other & Education each with 10% share followed by Healthcare & Manufacturing each with 5% of the share of proportion.
As the years passed by, (Media/Advertising), Internet, Government didn’t had their share in proportion until 2013 or 2014.
As the years passed by the share of proportion of data science community of top 10 industries increased & decreased over time. The difference in proportion of these industries became less across years.
Since, other industries started to have their share in proportion, Software Products, Consulting, (Finance/Banking) lost its proportion for data science community across the years.
Also, from the visualization, we can see that the data science experts in ‘Other’ industries which could mean various industries like — Research of different kinds, Medicines, Pharmaceuticals, E-commerce, Construction, Transportation, Insurance, Travel & Hospitality, Utilities, Natural resources & Energy, etc. grew more than rest of the industries and remained in the top 2 spot after 2011. That meant that the data science was being used in many other industries and was not limited to only few industries.
After 2014, there was consistency in use of data science within each of the industries with each industry having a share from approx. 3% to 18% of the data science experts.
Difference between proportion of industries using data science was more in 2011 and this proportion difference started to decrease across years and in 2018, the proportion difference between the industries became less which meant each of the top 10 industries was using data science but with different proportion depending upon the geographical location, need, demand & market within each of the industry.
6. In which companies(small, medium & large) has the Data Science community grown and in what proportion?
Since, Stack Overflow didn’t had data related to company size for years 2014–2015, we used two intervals 2011–2013 & 2016–2018 to make an inference of trend of data science experts in different sized companies. Also, the categories for size of the industry were different for these 2 intervals.
Below is the observation for years 2011–2013:
From the above visualization of proportion of companies with different sizes using data science for years 2011 to 2013, we can observe the following during the earlier years i.e. from 2011 to 2013 –
Considering, Small sized companies as combination of Start Up(1–25) & Mature Small Business(25–100), Medium sized companies as Mid sized(100–999) & Large sized companies as Fortune 1000(1000+) we can state the below-
1) Companies(Small sized) i.e. with 1–100 employee’s occupied 35% of the data science experts as compared to companies(Medium sized) with 100–999 employee’s & companies(Large sized) with 1000+ employee’s which occupied 29% & 36% of the share of data science experts respectively.
2) Medium sized companies had 35 data science experts for years 2011–2013 which was slightly less in comparison to Small sized companies & Large sized companies which had 42 & 43 number of data science experts respectively for years 2011–2013.
So, for years 2011–2013, there was about similar distribution of proportion of share of data science experts for years 2011–2013 with different sized companies if we consider Start Ups & Mature Small Businesses as Small sized companies.
Below is the observation for years 2016–2018:
From the above visualization of proportion of companies with different sizes using data science for years 2016 to 2018, we can observe that during the years i.e. from 2016 to 2018, Small sized companies(0–499 employee’s) were having data science experts much more than as compared to the Medium sized companies(500–4999 employee’s) and large sized companies(5000–10000+ employee’s). Small sized companies occupied 65% of the data science experts as compared to Medium sized & Large sized companies which occupied 16.47% & 18.22% of data science experts respectively.
So, most of the share of proportion of data science experts was with small sized(1–499 employee’s) & extremely Large sized(10000+ employee’s) which was 79% combined and rest of the 21% of the proportion was with companies(500–9999 employee’s). So, data science experts are either with Small sized or extremely Large sized companies.
There was an increase of percentage of data science experts in Small sized companies for the years 2016–2018 as compared to years 2011–2013 whereas percentage of data science experts in Medium sized & Large sized companies decreased for the years 2016–2018 as compared to years 2011–2013.
Below could be the potential reasons on why it happened –
Since by 2016, data science has emerged has the new technology for future. So, the existing Small sized companies started hiring more and more data science experts just like large sized organisations did for years 2011–2013 in order to handle & take care of the ever increasing data and to make informed decisions in their respective businesses.
As data science had a huge impact on every industries across the globe, new Start-Ups or Small sized companies highly equipped to handle data science requirements of various industries got emerged which hired highly trained professional having data science skill sets. These Start-Ups were willing to afford the highly priced data science experts because these small sized organisation knew the return & benefits they will reap from these hiring as data was supposed to increase in an exponential manner and demand for the services to handle& take care and make meaning of the data would also increase which would in-turn benefit the Small sized companies in the long run. These led to the increase in number of data science experts in Small sized companies in comparison to number of small sized companies for years 2011–2013.
Since, for years 2016–2018, the proportion of share of data science experts increased with Small sized companies, there was a decrease in proportion of share of data science experts with Medium sized & Large sized companies.
7. What is the trend in Data Science community growth in various different sized companies over the years?
Below is the observation for years 2011–2013:
From above visualization, we can observe the following –
1) In 2011, Start Ups(1–25 employee’s) and Large sized(1000+ employee’s) were the bottom two among 4 categories and in 2013, Start Ups(1–25 employee’s) and Large sized(1000+ employee’s) were top two among 4 categories.
2) Similarly, in 2011, Mature Small Business(25–100 employee’s) from Small sized companies & Mid Sized companies(100–999 employee’s) were the top two among 4 categories and in 2013, these were at the bottom two among 4 categories
3) So, the share of proportion of data science experts with Start Ups(1–25 employee’s) and Large sized(1000+ employee’s) increased over time whereas share of proportion of data science experts with Mature Small Business(25–100 employee’s) from Small sized companies & Mid Sized companies(100–999 employee’s) decreased over time.
One of the potential reasons why large size companies had more data science experts is that large size companies are into the research and development and had the vision of technology which would be more productive, efficient and would be used widely in upcoming years. Since, large sized companies already knew that there would be an exponential increase in creation of data on a daily basis, they hired more data science experts to be better prepared to handle & take care of the data and make informed decisions in their respective businesses. On the other hand, few Start Ups got started by group of like-minded individuals which envisioned the potential in data science being the future technology and started hiring data science experts over the period of time from 2011 to 2013. Medium sized companies also hired data science experts but the number of experts got up & down.
Also, the number of data science experts during the years 2011–2013 was far less. Therefore, affordability of data science experts having rare skill sets of data science by Large sized companies was more. Start Ups were or would might had been started by data science experts themselves, so they had to hire like-minded data experts into the Start Ups. Therefore, there was increase of data science experts in Large sized companies & Start Ups.
Also, the large sized organisations have huge data in comparison to other sized companies, so the demand to have data science experts was more with large sized companies than with other sized companies, so large sized companies hired more data science experts than other sized companies. And for Start Ups, since they were formed only due to huge potential in data science in future, more data science experts were hired into Start Ups.
Below is the observation for years 2016–2018:
From above visualization, we can observe the following –
1) There is a upward trend for Small sized companies(0–9,10–19,20–99 & 100–499 employee’s) across years and downward tend for Medium sized companies(500–999, 1000–4999) & Large sized companies(5000–9999, 10000+ employee’s) across years. So, the proportion of data science experts with Small sized(1–499 employee’s) across different sized companies increased over years from 2016–2018 while proportion of data science experts with Medium sized(500–4999 employee’s) & Large sized(5000–10000+ employee’s) across different sized companies decreased over years from 2016–2018.
2) Extremely Large sized companies(10000+ employee’s) were still in top 4 spots in proportion of data science experts across different sized companies for every year from years 2016–2018.
So, the Small sized companies(0–499 employee’s) & extremely large sized companies(10000+ employee’s) had the biggest chunk of proportion of data science experts across different sized companies for years 2016–2018.
So from the answers to all the questions, as per the Stack Overflow survey data from years 2011–2018, we can say –
As Data is growing at an incredible rate, it’s wise to take note — we can’t ignore the data revolution.
Given the rocket-speed of data growth, requirement for data science experts is growing rapidly but at different rate as per the need, demand, geographical location and market within each of the countries & industries.
Major proportion of data science experts could be found in countries-United States, followed by India, Germany, United Kingdom, Canada and other countries.
Almost all of the industries are using Data Science to much or less extent predominantly used by Software products, Finance & Banking sector, Consulting, Healthcare & Education sector and other industries.
By the end of 2018, Small sized companies(0–499 employee’s) & extremely large sized companies(10000+ employee’s) had the biggest chunk of proportion of data science experts across different sized companies.
While at some point the data explosion may begin to slow, it’s a fact that both businesses and consumers will continue to create new information every second of every day. This represents opportunity to all the industries to offer data science projects businesses need to create, store, manage, and analyze the masses of data they have at their fingertips.
Originally posted here.
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The French have called Bernard-Henri Lévy simply by his initials, BHL, since the 1970s. They also call him a philosophe, which, even today, is no ordinary thing. In America, a philosopher is someone explaining that “Socrates is a man; all men are mortal; so Socrates is mortal” to an audience of bored 19-year-olds scrolling through their iPhones. In France, a glossy color magazine called Philosophie appears on news-stands—which France has in abundance. A philosophe is heir to the great figures of the Enlightenment, expected to be possessed of effortless learning and culture, a part of the country’s rich literary tradition, who is “engaged,” as well, in public affairs.
When BHL first appeared on the scene, more old-fashioned philosophes envied or looked down upon him for his big, broad, flexible approach to public affairs, not to mention his very public private life. To this day, BHL is as likely to appear in the glamorous pages of Paris Match as in Philosophie. In his new book, The Genius of Judaism, he recalls the lesson an old, rich, and cultivated Jew of his acquaintance once gave him about how to combat anti-Semitism: “have nicer teeth than they do; get their women to love you . . . Live in castles as big as theirs.” A promise kept.
Bernard-Henri Lévy and third wife, Arielle Dombasle, after her performance for the release of her album La Rivière Atlantique, October 2016, Paris, France. (Photo by Bertrand Rindoff Petroff/Getty Images.)
At the prestigious École Normale Supérieure in Paris in the late sixties, Lévy studied with Derrida, Foucault, and others, imbibing the revolutionary fervor that compelled some of his fellow students to don commando uniforms and go off to East Asia. (By the time I studied at ENS, in 2011, the revolutionary students were mostly concerned with ensuring there were no cuts to France’s generous pension system—though a few, “Trumpiens-avant-Trump,” sought to disentangle France from its international treaty obligations.) In The Genius of Judaism, a work sometimes insightful, often charming, and frequently ludicrous, he states that it was in fact a fresh encounter with Judaism in these years that led him to question the Maoist politics of his peers. It was, he says, the faith of his fathers—a religion that he admits he barely knew—that taught him to question the faith in history of his contemporaries. As he puts it in one of the work’s loveliest passages: “Far from being condemned by Hegelianism, this [Jewish] people, by its existence, by its obstinacy in being, its endurance, its trial, condemns Hegelianism.”
The nouveaux philosophes, or new philosophers, among whom BHL was one of the most prominent (others included André Glucksmann and Pascal Bruckner), rejected the radicalism of elders like Jean-Paul Sartre, and preached something close to liberal sobriety and moderation. Lévy’s writings from these early years, particularly Barbarism with a Human Face and The Testament of God, are generally taken to be his most serious. In a famous public confrontation with Derrida at the end of the decade, Lévy sarcastically asked whether it was “philosophy professors who were the first to denounce the Gulag.” A confrontation followed and, by his own account, BHL was thrown out of the hall onto the Rue de la Sorbonne.
In more recent years, BHL has thrown in his lot with human rights, or “engagement with the other,” which he derives, at least in part, from another French Jewish thinker-philosopher, Emmanuel Levinas:
Well, here it comes, that ethic, announcing itself, filling itself in, revealing itself like heat-sensitive ink, except that in this case it is the heat of the concept, drawn from Levinas, of a subject obligated to the Other, shaped by others, one whose subjectivity takes on and retains its form only through contact with the face of the other man.
BHL’s calls for liberal internationalism and, often, liberal intervention have been, he writes, in this spirit. They have also been offered in just enough of a “Gaullist-national-interest” key to make them palatable at home, at least until recently. Even when traveling to global hot spots, BHL has never donned the guerilla uniform. He prefers his trademark Charvet white shirt, unbuttoned lower than the spirit, if not the letter, of Jewish law would permit.
In the 1990s he traveled to Bosnia. Recently it has been Ukraine, where he advocated for the anti-Russian side while urging Ukrainians to acknowledge their part in the atrocities of World War II. And, of course, there is the part he played in the intervention in Libya, a story well-documented, particularly by him. While his role in the Franco-British decision to help topple Gaddafi was perhaps not as central as he himself claimed, it was significant. After plunging into Benghazi in March 2011, at the height of the Libyan revolution, he returned to France with a delegation of rebel leaders to meet with President Sarkozy (and Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, who was in Paris at the time). Both the rebel leaders, in their meeting with the president, and Lévy (on the radio), urged Sarkozy to take military action. When Sarkozy decided to take their advice, he called BHL before he announced it at the UN.
Lévy’s support for Israel has been entirely in keeping with his liberal internationalism. If you ask him about the Israeli-Arab conflict, he’ll say that he supports two states for two peoples, opposes the settlements, and has held the same position since 1967. He devotes the first third of The Genius of Judaism to a nice, conventional defense of Israel and an attack on the reasons contemporary anti-Semites invoke to justify their passions. Fine stuff, but dated. This kind of moderate liberal, pro-Israel argumentation has been just on the boundaries of acceptability in Europe for some time now, and one wonders whether it remains viable—both politically in Europe and analytically in the Middle East.
That someone named Bernard-Henri Lévy, born in 1948, could have lived a so European life in post-war Europe is, let us hasten to say, a miracle. Nearly shattered in the Holocaust, the French Jewish community recovered mightily after the war, thanks in no small measure to an influx of French Algerian and Mizrahi Jews, including Lévy père, who made a pile in the timber industry, and his family. As has been well-documented in these pages, Jewish life in France is now in insuperable decline. Whatever the vain excesses of baby boomers like BHL, their lives were enabled by a certain underlying vitality that is now very much weakened. Have they equipped the next generation to cope with what comes next?
To read BHL is in part to read the life of BHL as told by BHL. The Genius of Judaism, very well translated by Steven B. Kennedy, is his most personal book. It attempts, in part, to reconcile his writing, politics, and activism with Judaism as he understands it. His amour propre, while immense, does not quite extend to regarding his life as exemplary in its Jewishness, nor to tying all of his political actions to Judaism. Yet the work does have an apologetic feel to it, in the religious sense of that word, and he looks for the “Jewish thread” of his life. The “genius of Judaism,” according to BHL, is its rejection of dogmatism in favor of hard thought. He goes on to claim that precisely this genius has been constitutive in the moral and literary outlook of France, even if few Frenchmen today would acknowledge its source.
Like Jonah, the Jews are called to go to the “great” city-states such as Nineveh, to open “breaches and channels through which can pass words that, once accumulated, committed to memory, and more or less aligned, will, at the end of time, add up to redemption.” BHL’s own recent interventions in the “modern Ninevehs” of Libya and Ukraine are of a piece with this open, universal, and universalizing Judaism, which is underwritten by Levinas’s imperative to take responsibility for “the other.”
Lévy freely admits that he is not the greatest knower of Jewish things. He barely knows Hebrew, though he offers a few fairly interesting readings of classic texts in the book. But he displays no knowledge of the Judaism of everyday life. His preference for a universalist Judaism is obviously not unrelated to this ignorance, and indeed lack of curiosity, about the ritual life and the practices that are observed by Jews and no others. He thus gives no further thought to how the participation in such practices might prepare the way for a certain kind of “universal though still Jewish” reflection of which he might approve. While Maimonides, whom BHL cites, sought to turn his intelligent readers to universalistic thoughts, he tried to do so through the cultivation of particular practices proper to the Jews. BHL knows nothing of this Maimonides.
What of his major historical contention? Has the genius of Judaism—and not merely individual Jews, including BHL—marked the development of France? There has been a new and revitalized focus on Jewish ideas in the formation of modern political thought and the Western democracies. The late political theorist Daniel J. Elazar, Harvard historian Eric Nelson, Rabbi Meir Soloveichik, and others have charted the influence, sometimes subtle but real, of Jewish political ideas on Anglo American republican writers in the 17th and 18th centuries. One can stipulate that there has been some important influence of the Hebrew Bible on Puritan America, as well as on John Milton and English Republicanism. How important is open to debate. But France?
BHL has three major cases for the Jewish influence on France. The first is the great medieval biblical commentator Rashi’s translation of difficult Hebrew and Aramaic terms into Old French. “Rashi’s writings,” BHL writes, “are a memorial to French at its beginnings.” While true and fascinating (it gives historians of the language a window into its use in the 11th-century Rhineland), it is also mostly irrelevant, though one understands why BHL is charmed to know that the greatest Jewish commentator was a master of vernacular French.
BHL’s second case sketches (or at least gestures at) a historical argument along Nelsonian lines by arguing that the 16th-century political thinkers known as Les Politiques, the most famous of whom was Jean Bodin, crucially drew upon the Hebrew Bible. According to BHL, Bodin in particular was influenced by his reading of the Old Testament in his attempt to articulate a republican theory of government. Unfortunately, says BHL, the protagonists of the French Revolution were intoxicated by Rome rather than Jerusalem, and the Hebraicizing tendency in French political thought disappeared in the Jacobin terror. And yet, BHL argues, this is a hidden dimension of French thought, a resource that might be recovered.
Finally, he cites Marcel Proust, as a Jewish writer. Proust’s “foreignness” (his Jewishness), BHL writes, permitted the “French language to free itself from itself” and therefore become again “the cutting-edge laboratory of intelligence.” That Proust’s Jewishness had something to do with his artistic accomplishment, no one would deny, but at this point BHL appears to be grasping at straws.
The origins of France as we know it stretch back eight hundred years, and the examples BHL cites and others he might have, while interesting, are hardly constitutive of the character of the country or its various political forms. Over those eight hundred years of an on-again off-again official presence in France, Jews have sometimes played an important role. But “Judaizing” the body politic? I certainly do not see it in the move from medieval Catholic France to modern France. Can one compare the role that Jean Bodin played in French history to that of John Milton in England? Suffice it to say that “Jewish France” is something of a stretch.
About BHL’s own activism and his “trips to Nineveh,” readers must judge for themselves. But what, really, is Jewish about BHL’s pro-Libyan “freedom fighter” activism, his pro-Ukraine work, and so on? These actions may or may not have been politically prudent, but what was Jewish about them? Does BHL’s human rights activism really look different than that of any other late-20th-century global actor who is famous for being famous—and righteous?
BHL’s life has been defined by the desire to go out amongst the nations. Many people of his generation, Jewish and Gentile, have shared that aspiration. As the more-than-human replicant says in the movie Blade Runner, he has “seen things you people wouldn’t believe.” And yet one comes away from The Genius of Judaism wishing that this gifted man had spent more time thinking about the necessary limits of the voyage rather than its possibilities.
About the Author
Neil Rogachevsky holds a doctorate in French history from Cambridge and is currently a Tikvah postdoctoral fellow at the Straus Center for Torah and Western Thought at Yeshiva University.
Comments
January 8, 2017 at 1:38 am
Some Jews have had critical influence on post-war French political liberal ethos. Simone Veil supporting the abortion's legalization, Robert Badinter forbiding death's penalty, Mendes France regarding freeing Tunisia's colony. In literature and philosophy, two fields that are central to this country, France would be the same without leading Jewish French writers (Albert Cohen, Proust as mentioned, Raymond Aron,BHL, etc).
Today, the popular intellectuals who are able to defend the French identity's agenda against radical Islamism are Alain Finkielkraut and Eric Zemmour.
Indeed, Jews, despite their hard efforts to be more French than the French indigenes, have never been part of France's DNA, they are and apparently will remain in the role of the goodwill outsiders that people like to listen the advices but are not "a bone of our bones".
January 8, 2017 at 1:39 am
Some Jews have had critical influence on post-war French political liberal ethos. Simone Veil supporting the abortion's legalization, Robert Badinter forbiding death's penalty, Mendes France regarding freeing Tunisia's colony. In literature and philosophy, two fields that are central to this country, France would be the same without leading Jewish French writers (Albert Cohen, Proust as mentioned, Raymond Aron,BHL, etc).
Today, the popular intellectuals who are able to defend the French identity's agenda against radical Islamism are Alain Finkielkraut and Eric Zemmour.
Indeed, Jews, despite their hard efforts to be more French than the French indigenes, have never been part of France's DNA, they are and apparently will remain in the role of the goodwill outsiders that people like to listen the advices but are not "a bone of our bones."
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All I have been able to talk about recently is the NFL and college football. Hell I’m so excited I may even watch a poorly played local high school game on TW3.
Well, maybe not the last part, but I am over the top ready.
My Syracuse Orange, Notre Dame Fighting Irish, Buffalo Bills, and New York Giants watching is going to be in ultra-full effect this year. Apologies to my wife, the poor girl.
The free agency season has been on now for a few days and I have some observations;
The Buffalo Bills have made a bad move by not pulling out all the stops to get Paul Posluszny to return to Buffalo. They lost him to Jacksonville who, by the way, is totally revamping their own defense with the Posluszny signing, in addition to bringing in safety Dawan Landry (from Baltimore) and LB Clint Sessions (from the Colts) and the release of former first round pick (2008) DE Derrick Harvey who produced only 8 sacks in three seasons.
Seahawks fans have to be ripping their hair out at the Tavaris Jackson signing. Jackson is far from franchise QB material and I highly doubt he will be any sort of improvement over the Hasselbeck/Whitehurst combo, unless between now and the start of the season they upgrade their offensive line, wide receiving corps and running backs (aka their entire offensive unit).
Reggie Bush to the Miami Dolphins appears to be a pretty good signing, though I am unsure how the cold weather of division foes Buffalo, New England, and the Jets is going to affect him. I don’t think he is going to be used as a primary back, but more like a do everything receiver, half back, wildcat guy which should help reduce the effect of cold weather on his sometimes brittle body.
It appears Vince Young is going to become the backup to Michael Vick in Philly. This tells me all that I need to know about Young. He had opportunities to sign with a team with which he would be the starting QB and he chose a place where he will be the backup with no hope of starting. With this I have officially written him off of having any chance of being an impact player on the NFL level, winning record as a starter or not (he’s 30-17 as a starter).
The NFL currently has two of the most pigheaded and ignorant people in all of sports in ‘retired’ QB Carson Palmer and Cincinnati Bengals owner Mike Brown. Ridiculous situation.
The New York football Giants reportedly have a deal in place with DE Matthias Kiwanuka and are close with RB Ahmad Bradshaw. The re-signing of Kiwanuka means Giants fans may have seen the last of Osi Umenyiora, who is again threatening to hold out on the basis that he wants more money. If the Kiwanuka signing becomes official and I was the Giants I would tell Osi he can go kick rocks. I believe Jason Pierre-Paul is more than willing to step up to the plate.
The Kevin Kolb to Arizona for Dominique Rodgers-Cromartie and a 2012 2nd round selection is an even trade and I like it for both teams. Ten years from now we could look back and hindsight will tell us whether one side ‘won’ or ‘lost’ the trade, but as of right now it’s a great deal for Philly and Arizona. The Cards needed a QB desperately and Philly wanted the most they could get back for him and that they did with a sometimes great, sometimes lacking focus CB in Rodgers-Cromartie and the 2nd round pick.
What move did the New Orleans Saints make to try and replace Reggie Bush, a small do everything back? They replaced him with another small, do everything back! Darren Sproles is tiny to say the least, but his impact on his team during the course of a game is roughly the same as Bush. Great signing for the Saints and I’m sure Saints QB Drew Brees is smiling just a bit right now.
Plaxico Burress is officially reinstated by the NFL and guess who’s interested in his services? The New York Giants and the Pittsburgh Steelers, his two previous teams with which he left on not the best of terms. Apparently this lockout and short free agency period is causing teams to just lose their damn minds! As to where he will end up, I’m not sure I can make an accurate guess because common sense is telling me it shouldn’t be either. Just a day ago I would have said the Eagles or the Jets.
So Nnamdi, where are you playing this year?
The thought of Nnamdi Asomugha ending up with the Jets is a scary thought. Just imagine a cornerback duo of Darrell Revis & Asomugha. It’s an incredible thought and Rex Ryan is probably drooling over this thought instead of that steak he saw in the grocery store the other day.
Update (6:04pm): ESPN’s John Clayton is reporting that the New York Jets are out of the Nnamdi hunt. Cowboys a shoe-in?
Update (6:46pm): The Philadelphia Eagles have swooped from (seemingly) out of nowhere to land the services of Nnamdi Asomugha.
There will be updates on all moves and news on the NFL through out the rest of the preseason and alllll season long. Come back often!
Will King NFL Leave a comment July 29, 2011 July 29, 2011 4 Minutes
2010 NFL Awards!
The 2010 NFL regular season is in the books so that means it’s time for some awards! Who doesn’t love some awards?
NFL Coach of the Year
Mike McCarthy, Green Bay Packers – I know all teams suffer through injuries in this league, but the Pack had injuries to some major players (Ryan Grant, Jermichael Finley) and when you can coach a team into the playoffs where the person with the most rushing TD’s (four, tied with John Kuhn) is your quarterback (and that QB is not named Vick) that’s something of a tremendous accomplishment.
Michael Vick, QB, Philadelphia Eagles – Who else could it be? Two years out of federal prison and the man is a strong candidate for NFL MVP in his first season back as a regular starter. The numbers simply speak for themselves;
100 carries, 676 yds, 9 TD, 6.8 ypc
233-372, 62.6% cmp, 3018 yds, 21 td – 6 int, 100.2 QB rating
At times Vick was almost quite literally unstoppable at times, i.e 59-28 win over Washington and the 2nd half in 38-31 win over New York Giants. Continue reading “2010 NFL Awards!” →
Will King NFL Leave a comment January 3, 2011 January 8, 2011 2 Minutes
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Safety is the concern of everybody on board a vessel. Done properly it will prevent accidents and help protect the marine environment.
It includes
the structure of the vessel
the operation of the vessel, and
good working practices.
Safety is achieved by creating a safe working environment in which safe working practices and equipment are employed at all times.
It is vitally important that safety is not neglected but is continuously maintained in an emergency; safety should become a way of life.
Should a crew member suffer an injury or fall ill
it may cause permanent disability if severe – which will, in turn, affect his/her family, friends and ability to work
substantial compensation may be payable under his/her crew contract and/or national law
the safety of the vessel may be compromised as he/she is prevented from performing his/her duties
an investigation into the cause of the accident is required, please see section 3.11 Personal injury, crew illness or death.
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When a family in Virginia’s Prince William County switched to homeschooling last August, they were hardly alone.
It’s no secret that homeschooling has exploded in the wake of the COVID-19 pandemic. The anecdotal evidence came early—in the form of public opinion polls and crashing websites. As we got deeper into the school year, public school enrollment numbers rolled in, and they were trending down.
Like many first-time homeschoolers, this Virginia family was new to the process.
But they did their homework, filed a notice of intent with their local school board, purchased curriculum, joined Home School Legal Defense Association, and got their ducks in a row. When the school year began in September, they took the plunge.
Fast-forward three months, when our member family received a summons to juvenile court from their public school district. The charge? Their child hadn’t been in school since September.
Confused, the parents reached out to the district’s attendance officer and provided a copy of the notice of intent they had filed in August. The attendance officer replied that the papers were already filed in court, and it was up to the court how to proceed.
So the family came to HSLDA. Senior Counsel Scott Woodruff and I worked with the family to collect proof that their child had been educated. It wasn’t hard to collect.
In addition to their notice of intent, the family had attendance records, work samples, and even a letter from two county school officials verifying that they had complied with Virginia’s homeschool statute for the 2020–21 school year.
With this information in tow, I approached the prosecutor to see if we could resolve the misunderstanding ourselves, without a judge. After reviewing the information the family had gathered, the prosecutor agreed that the family was clearly in compliance with Virginia’s homeschool law (a recent decision from the Virginia Supreme Court certainly helped clarify that point) and dismissed the case.
Official Mistake
It appears there was a breakdown in communication between the school board (which received the family’s notice in this case), and the school district (which monitors public school attendance).
The board knew the family was homeschooling, but that wasn’t passed along to the attendance officer. So when the child was mistakenly considered “absent” for several months, officials took the family to court.
Breakdowns like that are unfortunate but probably predictable, given the sheer volume of families who made the switch to homeschooling this year. That’s why we recommend that Virginia parents who withdraw their children from public school also send a written notice to that effect directly to the school they are withdrawing from, and that they do so at the same time they file their notice of intent to homeschool with their local superintendent.
It’s not legally required, but it’s a good practice. That way, everyone knows what’s going on, no one gets marked “absent” by mistake, prosecutions like this one can be avoided, and you can focus on what really matters: teaching and growing with your kids.
Director of Litigation
Peter is a litigation attorney and homeschool graduate who helps HSLDA member families resolve legal difficulties related to homeschooling.
Legal Help
February 09, 2021
HSLDA is the trusted movement leader that makes homeschooling possible by caring for member families and protecting and securing the future of homeschooling.
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The Azerbaijani government has denied accounts, first published on January 8 in Haqqin.az but subsequently deleted, of three Turkish military bases allegedly being established in Azerbaijan as a consequence of Turkish military assistance to Baku during last year’s 44-day Azerbaijani-Armenian conflict. The reports, if accurate, would represent a significant development in the geostrategic balance of power in the post-Soviet Caucasus (Lenta, January 8).
The official denials came swiftly: in response to the reports, the press service spokesperson for Azerbaijan’s Ministry of Defense, Vagif Dargahli, told journalists that the government adheres to its policy of not hosting any foreign military bases in Azerbaijan, except for cases envisaged in international agreements that Baku had signed (Minval.az, January 8). Further bolstering his case for dismissing the allegations, Dargahli added, “It should be noted that Azerbaijan is a member of the [120-nation] Non-Aligned Movement and is chairing this movement in 2019–2022” (RIA Novosti, January 8). Also on the same day that the media reports appeared, the Azerbaijani defense ministry issued an official disavowal on its Facebook page in Azerbaijani, Russian and English (Facebook.com/wwwmodgovaz, January 8).
What is not in dispute is the notable Turkish military assistance to Azerbaijan following the latter’s recent military confrontation with Armenia. According to FlightRadar-24, beginning last December, Turkish military aviation established an aerial logistical bridge to Gabala, Lankaran and Ganja, in Azerbaijan (Moskovsky Komsomolets, January 11). Moreover, on January 6, the Azerbaijani Telegram channel “Zamanaze” reported that up to seven Turkish military cargo aircraft arrived in Azerbaijan that day alone (T.me/zamanaze, January 6). On January 8, it published maps and details of the flights, documenting that, the previous day, five Turkish military cargo planes landed in Azerbaijan, several of them in Lankaran (T.me/zamanaze, January 8). Within hours, an Armenian Telegram channel, “Armenia_VVV,” alleged that after up to 13 Turkish military cargo planes arrived in Azerbaijan from Turkey during January 6–8, Turkish military bases were consequently to be established in Azerbaijan near its western town of Ganja, northern town of Qabala and the southern town of Lankaran (T.me/armenia_vvv/11564, T.me/nashasredaonline, January 8). Russian media outlets report that the Turkish military presence in Azerbaijan is currently made up of approximately 600 advisors and instructors, including around 120 Air Force specialists scattered among the Gabala airbase as well as airfields in Ganja, Yevlakh and Dallar, (Svobodnaya Pressa, January 18).
By 1993, after five years of war with its eastern neighbor, Armenia controlled approximately 3,088 square miles (8,000 square kilometers) of Azerbaijani territory, including the former Nagorno-Karabakh Autonomous Region and surrounding areas—roughly 20 percent of Azerbaijan (The Daily Sabah, August 21, 2020). Azerbaijani-Armenian relations subsequently sank into a post-Soviet “frozen conflict.” And for the last three decades, it has been one of the Azerbaijani government’s highest priorities to reclaim those lost territories under Armenian occupation even as Armenia was equally determined to retain its military gains. Baku finally achieved most of its objective during the September 29–November 9, 2020, Second Karabakh War—in no small part thanks to the support it received from its closest ally, Ankara.
The growing Turkish assistance to Azerbaijan can be seen in light of a phenomenon increasingly commented upon in both the Turkish and international press: President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan’s increasing “neo-Ottoman” political inclinations toward Turkic nations in the Caucasus and Central Asia. This ostensible restoration of Ottoman-like influence is encapsulated in the title of an article, published at the height of the Armenian-Azerbaijani clash last year, by Turkey’s state-run Anadolu Agency entitled, “Turkish Soldiers Are in Azerbaijan Again After 102 Years” (Anadolu Agency, November 19, 2020).
The Turkish military initiatives assisting Azerbaijan have produced a seemingly inevitable Russian pushback, as Armenia remains its closest ally in the South Caucasus. In the wake of the Karabakh war, not only is Russia sending peacekeepers to the region, but Armenian media reports that it is also preparing to reopen Stepanakert Airport (Public Radio of Armenia, December 28, 2020). The Karabakh region’s capital of Stepanakert (Khankendi in Azerbaijani) lies in a rump section of Karabakh that is still under de facto Armenian control, but safeguarded in its continued existence by Russian peacekeepers (see EDM, December 10, 2020).
In the wake of Azerbaijan’s recent battlefield successes, burgeoning Azerbaijani-Turkish military cooperation continues to deepen. On January 17, 2021, Turkey’s Ministry of Defense announced that the joint Turkish-Azerbaijani “Zima” (“Winter”) military exercise would be held on February 1–12, and that participating service members from the neighboring allied country have already left for Kars. The choice of this Turkish town as the venue for the exercise was seen as a provocative action in Yerevan and Moscow. Kars sits near the border with Armenia, and up until World War I, its population was heavily Armenian (Sputnik News— Azerbaijani service, January 17). The Zima drills will focus on the operational capabilities of the two countries’ weapons and military equipment in harsh winter weather conditions. Previous large-scale bilateral tactical and tactical flight exercises by Turkey and Azerbaijan were held in August 2020, about a month before the outbreak of the Second Karabakh War (Sputnik-georgia.ru, January 18).
Up until a few years ago, Turkey did not possess military bases outside its territory beyond those in the so-called Turkish Republic of Northern Cyprus (TRNC), established in 1974. Any potential future facilities on Azerbaijani soil, accordingly, would join Turkey’s recent overseas military base acquisitions in Somalia, Qatar, Iraq and Syria. Nor has Azerbaijan limited its potential for foreign military contacts to the alliance with Turkey: on January 22, the United Kingdom’s ambassador to Baku, James Sharp, declared that his country was greatly interested in developing military contacts with Azerbaijan, stressing, as an initial step, British assistance in de-mining the liberated Azerbaijani territories (Trend, January 22). Much to the Kremlin’s chagrin, not one but two members of the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) are now vying for closer military-military relations with a strategically important South Caucasus country.
Events
The Jamestown Foundation is pleased to present the hybrid in-person... MORE
Media Appearances
Jamestown Senior Fellow Olevs Nikers Is Interviewed by Veridica on Possible Outcomes for War in Ukraine
On November 17, Jamestown Foundation Senior Fellow Olevs Nikers was interviewed by Romania-based outlet Veridica regarding, among other topics, the best possible outcome for the... MORE
Books and Reports
Militant Leadership Monitor – January 2021
The January 2021 issue of Militant Leadership Monitor features a brief on Hamid al-Jazaeri, the recently arrested leader of Saraya al-Khorasani; a look into Naufar Moulavi, a leading figure behind the 2019 Easter Sunday bombings in Sri Lanka; an analysis of Maalim Ayman, the al-Shabaab leader leading a special... MORE
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how the brain wires itself up during development, how the end result can vary in different people and what happens when it goes wrong
The Trouble with Epigenetics (Part 2)
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By Kevin Mitchell - January 14, 2013
In Part 1 of this blog, I considered the various definitions of the term epigenetics and the confusion that can arise when they are conflated. Molecular epigenetic mechanisms modify chromatin structure and provide a means to stabilize a particular profile of gene expression. They also allow that profile to be passed on to a cell’s descendants, through mitosis. For this reason, epigenetic profiles have been called “heritable” (meaning through cell division). It is easy to see how that definition can be extrapolated to the idea that epigenetics could provide a means of heredity from one generation to the next.
This idea has attracted substantial interest, with many people seeming to think it overturns classical genetics (the inheritance of characters based on DNA sequence), and rehabilitates Lamarckian evolution by supplying a respectable molecular mechanism. This view has gained particular prominence of late in the study of behaviour and psychiatry, with the proposal that transgenerational epigenetic inheritance can provide a mechanism of heredity that explains the so-called “missing heritability” of psychiatric disorders.
The idea of transgenerational epigenetic inheritance is that epigenetic marks laid down in the cells of one generation (in response to some environmental factor or experience) can be stably passed through meiosis (into the germ cells) and thus affect some traits in the next generation. This kind of thing is indeed known to happen in some very specific circumstances, which are highly illustrative. This review by Daxinger and Whitelaw gives an excellent, up-to-date synthesis of this field. Most of the known examples involve the establishment of specific chromatin structures at DNA repeats or transposable elements – i.e., it occurs in very particular genomic contexts. In many cases, the transmission of this chromatin state through the gametes depends on an RNA molecule, as opposed to the more traditional DNA or histone protein modifications.
This is a fascinating area of biology (though more an embellishment than an overthrowing of normal mechanisms of inheritance), but is it relevant to psychiatric disorders? In particular, can it contribute to the heritability of such conditions?
Twin and family studies have clearly shown that many psychiatric disorders are highly heritable (with h2 values around 65-70% for schizophrenia and 75-85% for autism). Nevertheless, large-scale studies aimed at detecting DNA differences that contribute to this heritability have not turned up much. At least, this is true for genome-wide association studies (GWAS), which look for differences in frequency of common genetic variants between large numbers of cases and controls. Some people are interpreting the failure to identify specific causal variants as implying that the traits are really not that genetic after all. This is a complete fallacy.
GWAS analyse only the parts of the genome that harbor a common variant or single-nucleotide polymorphism (SNP) – these are positions in the DNA sequence where two forms commonly exist in the population (some might have an “A” base, while others might have a “T” in that position, for example). For autism, large-scale GWAS have not found any replicable SNPs associated with the disease. For schizophrenia, recent (still unpublished) very large GWAS have reportedly found 62 replicated SNP associations, but collectively these still only explain ~3% of the heritability. Does this mean that the observed heritability is really not accounted for by variation in DNA sequence? Not at all.
It has become clear over the last few years that rare mutations make a very large contribution to individual phenotypes, especially to the occurrence of diseases. GWAS do not survey these rare mutations and their failure to fully account for the heritability of the disorders therefore means nothing - really nothing at all - regarding that heritability. These disorders are still just as heritable and that heritability still means that most of the variance in whether people get the disease or not is down to genetic differences (in the DNA sequence). We do not need epigenetics to come to the rescue here. Unless rare mutations are also exhaustively surveyed and found to be unable to collectively account for the observed heritability, there is nothing to explain.
More to the point, even if there were, transgenerational epigenetic inheritance could not explain it. The heritability of these disorders has been estimated mainly from twin studies – these show that monozygotic twins are much more phenotypically similar than dizygotic twins. As the twins in each case share the same uterine and family environment, we can conclude that the reason MZ twins are more similar phenotypically to each other is because they are more similar genetically. The heritability of a trait or a disorder can be estimated from the strength of this effect and is defined as the proportion of phenotypic variance across the population that can be attributed to genetic variance. So, unless the supposed epigenetic marks affect MZ twins more consistently than DZ twins (and there’s no reason why they should), this mechanism provides no explanation for the key observation. Even if epigenetic mechanisms can provide some means of heredity from one generation to the next, that is not what heritability measures.
Moreover, the evidence that epigenetic mechanisms can provide a means of heredity for behavioural traits is not strong. In Part 1 of this blog I cited a few examples where particular experiences have a lasting effect on behaviour of an organism, in part by stably altering gene expression in particular cells in the brain through molecular epigenetic mechanisms. These kinds of effects can indeed be perpetuated across generations, for example, in the well-known observation that stressed female rats have stressed offspring. That is because stress reduces maternal care of the newborns, which is itself stressful and which sets up long-term changes in expression of the glucocorticoid receptor. But this is a behavioural transmission: mom’s behaviour affects offspring’s behaviour – repeat. This is not an example of epigenetic inheritance via the gametes, which is what has been proposed as a possibly important mechanism.
For that to happen, the epigenetic marks laid down in the brain by experience would have to also be laid down in the germ cells, maintained through the genomic “rebooting” that happens in the fertilized zygote (where the vast majority of epigenetic marks are wiped clean), carried through subsequent development, surviving the epigenetic upheavals entailed in the generation of all the embryonic cell-types that are ancestors of the eventual cells in the brain where the effect on this specific behaviour is mediated.
This is more an intuition than an argument, but this scenario seems inherently far-fetched to me. One expects experiences to modify gene expression in the brain, but not in the gametes. Scientists should, of course, be prepared to be surprised and delighted by unimagined discoveries that overturn our preconceptions. On the other hand, a healthy level of skepticism is usually a good idea, especially in cases where such discoveries are not attended by strong evidence.
So, is there any evidence that this can happen? Given the possible confounds attending maternal transmission, several groups have looked for evidence of transmission through the paternal germline. A study by Isabelle Mansuy and colleagues illustrates some of the problems that I see with this literature. This is definitively entitled “Epigenetic Transmission of the Impact of Early Stress Across Generations” and is cited over 100 times, so it has clearly been influential. This study involved stressing a young animal by unpredictably removing its mother for several hours at a time. When these animals grow up they show residual effects of this maltreatment (details below). So far, so good. It is further claimed, however, that this effect is passed on to the next generation and even to the subsequent one, through the male germline. Now, this is an extraordinary claim, one that should require extraordinary evidence. Instead, the bar seems to have been lowered.
I do not mean to pick on this one paper, but it exemplifies a general problem in this field – that of too many researcher degrees of freedom. This refers to studies that are exploratory in nature and that do not define a specific hypothesis to be tested in sufficient detail prior to collecting data. Researchers looking for a difference between two groups may carry out a range of tests and report any test that shows a difference or may decide, after the fact, to look for effects just in one sex or the other, or just in one age group, or just at one time-point, etc., etc. If there is no reason, a priori, to expect the effect to be specific in such a manner, then this is just significance-fishing. If the significance estimates are not corrected for the multiple tests carried out, then they do not accurately convey how surprised we should be by any one finding. (This is the difference between the odds of you winning the lottery and the odds of the lottery being won). See this xkcd cartoon for a great illustration.
The study by Mansuy and colleagues illustrates the cardinal sins of significance-fishing. The male mice that are directly stressed by having their mothers removed show “depressive-like” behaviours on two tests – the forced swim test and the sucrose preference test. These males were then bred to female animals that have not been stressed in any way and the behaviour of their offspring was tested. The result? Females, but not males in the next generation showed a significant difference (p < 0.1) on the forced swim test, but not the sucrose preference test. So, four tests were carried out and one was “significant”. In the next generation (breeding from what were phenotypically normal males), the pattern was reversed! – males showed a difference (p < 0.5, again, only on one test), while females showed none. (Additional tests of sensitivity to stress showed an effect in first-generation females but this time in second-generation females, while males showed no difference). None of these results was corrected for multiple testing, nor is there any putative mechanism or a priori hypothesis to explain the sex-specificity of the effects (which, to any impartial observer, seems like random noise).
Despite the weakness and selectivity of the actual data, the claim in the abstract of this paper is both forceful and sweeping: “Most of the behavioral alterations are further expressed by the offspring of males subjected to maternal separation”. This is clearly not supported by a proper statistical evaluation of the actual observations. Actually, I don’t know if I worded that strongly enough: the data in this paper do not support any conclusion of a behavioural effect being transmitted across generations. That’s better.
The same problems are evident in a recent paper claiming epigenetic transgenerational inheritance of a “cocaine-resistance” phenotype. In this case, it was expected that cocaine exposure in one generation would lead to increased sensitivity to it in subsequent generations. In fact, the reverse was found, and only in one sex. So, the direction of this effect was a surprise and presumably there would have still been a paper if the mice were more sensitive, rather than less. Similarly, there was no a priori expectation of a sex effect or hypothetical mechanism to explain it. If it had only shown up in females, I expect we would have heard about that too. That’s four bites of the statistical cherry.
Adding genomics to these studies (looking at profiles of gene expression or methylation, for example), and highlighting those genes that show a “significant” difference when considered alone, compounds this problem of multiple testing – the poor cherry is just being gnawed on now in the most unseemly fashion.
In general, the evidence of a real behavioural effect being transmitted through males to the next generation is not compelling. These studies also suffer from an additional possible confound – the possibility that interacting with a stressed or strung-out male animal will alter the behaviour of the female, post-mating, so that maternal care is also changed. This would be quite different from the model that some experience causes an epigenetic mark in the male germ cells that, in effect, transmits a “memory” of that experience to the next generation. The best way to test for such an effect is to see if it is really transmitted through the male gametes themselves using in vitro fertilization. One study that did just that found effectively no such transmission (again taking multiple tests into account).
So, while epigenetic mechanisms are implicated in the long-term effects of certain experiences, the evidence that such effects can be transmitted through the germline to subsequent generations is, to my mind at least, extremely weak. And even if they could be, they certainly cannot represent a solution to the mystery of the “missing heritability” for psychiatric disorders. These disorders are as heritable as they ever were and that still implicates differences in DNA sequence. Jut because we haven’t found them yet doesn’t mean we should start looking somewhere else.
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Comments
Prenatal Hormone Exposure January 14, 2013 at 5:15 PM
I don't disagree that "the evidence that such effects can be transmitted through the germline to subsequent generations is extremely weak."
There is an important exception however, and that's the phenomenon of direct germline exposures, particularly during windows of susceptibility such as fetal germline reprogramming, which occurs in roughly weeks 6-18 of human gestation. During this window, the fetal germline is susceptible to epigenetic perturbations via intrauterine exposures, for example, by pharmaceutical drugs that may interfere with methylation or histone acetylation.
In utero exposures, particularly at acute pharmaceutical doses, may impair the development of the fetal gametes, permanently fixing an altered form of gene expression, resulting much later in the individuals who develop from those gametes, in disease or altered development.
While you might argue "that's pathological, that's not evolution," I would argue precisely the same epigenetic mechanisms are involved, whether the exposure is positive, negative, or neutral. Epigenetic germline modification via direct exposure is no doubt an important piece of the evolutionary puzzle, but I agree with you that post-natal, lifetime events have little effect on germline (except during certain additional susceptible windows in germline development).
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Kevin Mitchell January 15, 2013 at 12:18 AM
I agree with you actually. At least I think it's much easier to see how drug or toxin exposure could alter epigenetic profiles in germ cells, which could be passed on to the next generation. I have not looked into the evidence for that actually happening though. In general, for disorders like autism and schizophrenia, there are few convincing data for any specific environmental risk factors.
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RAJ January 15, 2013 at 2:38 AM
Just last year environmental researchers have discovered that increasing levels of exposure to benzene and PCB congeners as measured in blood, urine and air are associated with increased frequency of specific sperm mutations associated with risk for de novo 1p36 deletion syndrome (Benzene) and increased frequency of XY sperm mutations associated with Klinefelter Syndrome (PCB Congeners). 1p36 deletion syndrome and Klinefelter are both associated with increased autism risk. Klinefelter Syndrome is not inherited and almost all cases of 1p36 deletion syndrome are not inherited.
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Kevin Mitchell January 15, 2013 at 3:56 AM
That's all fine. None of that is anything to do with epigenetics. It's environmental factors acting as mutagens.
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Prenatal Hormone Exposure January 15, 2013 at 7:01 AM
I hope semantics -- mutagens v epimutagens -- doesn't get in the way of concern about how environmental exposures may be altering human germ cells. The precise molecular mechanisms of germline disruption are being investigated, but there is by now plenty of research indicating that certain compounds, particularly endocrine disruptors, are capable of impairing germline development, resulting in various abnormal outcomes in offspring, including in some cases impaired neurodevelopment.
This should be of tremendous concern to the autism community and the research community in general. As for myself, I was heavily exposed in utero to a soup of synthetic steroid hormone drugs (somewhat popular as an anti-miscarriage protocol in the 1960s; it didn't really work btw), and in a study published in 1977 was found to have suffered a number of mild developmental problems as a result. Now my children have "idiopathic" severe autism, with normal genetics, no family risk factors, normal pregnancies, etc. The growing consensus among the scientists familiar with my story is that the acute germline exposures led to epigenetic perturbations of my developing oocytes.
Some in evolutionary biology may stalwartly hold onto a paradigm of genetic determinism, but while the debate roars, let my story serve as a warning to anyone who would expose a fetus to potentially germline-disrupting drugs. Whether these drugs were mutagens or epimutagens, it hardly matters. My eggs were (probably) fried, my kids utterly disabled.
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RAJ January 15, 2013 at 9:52 AM
Kevin is a behavioral geneticist. I agree with Sir Michael Rutter who has recently stated that the behavioral geneticists are on their way to extinction and that behavioral geneticists consider the environment to be an irritant to be ignored. To be fair, Rutter also considers 'epigenetics' to be the 'flavor of the moment', but that in epigenetics the claims rather outstrips the evidence.
I also agree with you that I won't get into an argument with Kevin over semantics.
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Prenatal Hormone Exposure January 15, 2013 at 12:21 PM
Thanks, RAJ. "It is unhelpfully reductionistic to ignore origins and look only at effects." I couldn't agree more with Sir Rutter, but that statement unfortunately pretty much sums up autism and neurodevelopment research to date.
I am merely a pragmatist, the ideological battles that roar within the autism and evolutionary biology communities (both seething with heated debate) are of little interest to me except when some dismiss the role environmental triggers on the genetic/epigenetic integrity of our germline.
There is by now little question that environmentally induced perturbances in germline can lead to abnormal neurodevelopment of resulting organisms, including humans. All I ask is that those who purport to be expert in neurodevelopment recognize this fact and simply add it to their ever-growing quiver of tools used to explain some of the catastrophic phenomena we encounter today. Rather than dismissing the autism epidemic, these so-called experts need solid historical perspective, and that includes recognition of the 1950s-70s mass medicating of pregnant women with all sorts of drugs (synthetic hormones, anti-nausea drugs, sedatives, many more), an onslaught of intense fetal/germline exposure to synthetic molecules unprecedented in millions of years of human history. And of course that's just one dimension of exposure -- in Vietnam, for example, the horrific third-generation effects of Agent Orange are now being seen. We have changed our environment; now the environment is changing us.
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Guy January 15, 2013 at 9:45 PM
Great post, refuting Epigenetics and GWAS at once :-)
But I have some comments:
The missing heritability is a big subject but as Zuk and colleagues showed recently chances are that heritabilty estimates are highly inflated.
This means that the genetic component in psychiatric disorders is probably lower than what we think. Combined with the fact that even the rare variants studies (CNVs and SNVs together) explain no more than 15% of autism cases I think that we should reduce our expectations to explain autism (and other behavioral disorders) by genetics alone.
Despite that the genetic factor is probably the best place to start revealing mechanisms that cause autism. Doing so will also help us find non-genetic factors that affect the same mechanisms.
Brief look at the graphs reveals that if there was any trans-generational effect of cocaine it was increased sensitivity to cocaine and not increased resistance. The rats consumed less cocaine, so they needed less cocaine to achieve the same effect (only no consequence of cocaine consumption was tested in the study, not even activity levels). If this trans-generational effect is true then it is probably not specific to the brain and it affects the entire organism.
But I must agree with you that the effects they found are very iffy, in particular figure 3 where the difference seems to come from a strange elevation in the saline sired group. I wouldn't bet my money that this study can be replicated.
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Kevin Mitchell January 16, 2013 at 2:02 AM
Hi Guy, thanks. I found that paper by Zuk et al to be written in a really weird way. It seems like they are saying that many disorders are actually less heritable than we thought, but they are not (at least I don't think they are). What I think they are trying to show is that the *missing* heritability may be less than we thought because epistatic interactions amongst the already identified loci could explain more of the heritability than purely additive interactions. Their model just reinforces the known limitations of assuming all the heritability is additive (narrow-sense). It does not, as far as I can tell, undermine the broad-sense heritability, which does not make that assumption. I think the way it is written is really confusing.
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Guy January 16, 2013 at 7:52 PM
I hope I am not going beyond the scope of the blog.
In this post you correctly attacked the "proposal that transgenerational epigenetic inheritance can provide a mechanism of heredity that explains the so-called “missing heritability” of psychiatric disorders."
This "missing heritability" is coming from inflated estimates of narrow sense heritability as Zuk et al pointed.
The broad sense heritability is rarely studied and we (geneticists) neglect large part of the picture that is factors that interact with the genetic factors.
The idea that by more sequencing we will find the genetic variants,either common or rare, that explain the missing heritabilty is probably close to exhaustion (I would be surprised if more than 25% of autism cases can be explained by genetics alone), we should move on and start studying the interactions and in particular the GxE interactions.
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Kevin Mitchell January 17, 2013 at 9:52 AM
I agree that the additive, narrow-sense heritability can be inflated. That is really obvious in autism, where it works out at significantly greater than 1, if you assume all additive interactions (since MZ twins are much more concordant for autism diagnosis than DZ twins). However, that does not mean that the actual, broad-sense heritability is any less - it simply means the assumptions and models that quantitative geneticists typically use are unjustified and simplistic. (De novo mutations also being ignored in such models).
Nothing I saw in the Zuk paper makes me think the actual heritability of these disorders is any lower. I think, as we have only begun to do the sequencing to detect rare variants, that it is WAY to early to call time on that effort. If the mutational target is very large (mutations in many different genes can cause these disorders) then we will need very large samples sequenced to get statistical evidence of causality from multiple hits.
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Guy January 21, 2013 at 8:36 AM
The estimates of heritability that we have for some behavioral disorders are ~90%, but our ability to explain them by current genetic models and data is ~15%.
The questions is what is in the rest of the 75% that we can't explain.
If this is mostly additive heritability, then yes a major sequencing effort will explain most of it.
But if it is mainly interactions it will not.
Sequencing efforts will definitely add more data, but we should also update our models, and there is no reason to wait for another 10,000 or 100,000 sequenced samples to do that.
Sequencing studies published last year had surprisingly small overlap of SNVs within studies, between studies and with CNV studies.
I am not saying that we should call time on sequencing efforts.
I do say that we should not expect sequencing alone to explain much more of the "missing heritability" and that we should change our experimental design in a way that will allow us to detect factors that interact with sequence variation.
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Kevin Mitchell January 22, 2013 at 12:20 AM
I absolutely 100% agree that non-additive interactions are likely to be very important. I just think the important ones are more likely to be between rare mutations than common variants. And as we have not looked for rare variants properly (by sequencing lots of people) that is what I think we should do now, while also developing better ways to look for the non-linear effects of combinations of mutations.
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caynazzo January 21, 2013 at 12:05 PM
I get the impulse to go expansive, to do something more than write a blog post journal clubbing a few papers and instead make a point about "the state of things." But your take home message--epigenetics isn't the answer--is incoherent. You obviously like hypothesis driven studies over exploratory research, yet in the context of this post, you forget to mention that GWAS, also exploratory and which you correctly defend, is highly susceptible to p-value fishing and high false negative rates. Maybe you just don't like/get epigenetics. Can you point to any sound epigenetic papers out there or are they all just like that xkcd cartoon?
And then there's this.
"Jut because we haven’t found them yet doesn’t mean we should start looking somewhere else."
That's special pleading. For instance, why not? I only see this statement as meaningful if you qualified it by showing that looking elsewhere has been proven to drain precious resources from a sure thing. Notably you haven't laid out what that is other than exclaiming "GENETICS" at us. More better GWA studies? Maybe. There will be no single answer to missing heritability in complex neurological disorders. A good place to look will be phenotypic variation within populations due to hidden environmental structures within those populations effecting genes (GxE). The proper time to consider dismissing epigenetic contributions to complex neurological disorders is when the equivalent GWAS have been done and have shown to produce no reproducible effects. Those studies just aren't there on any comparable scale.
If you haven't read it already: "Transgenerational genetic effects on phenotypic variation and disease risk" Human Molecular Genetics, 2009.
"GWASs currently focus on DNA sequence polymorphisms or on DNA copy number variation. But if offspring phenotype can be impacted through epigenetic inheritance, then it should be possible to survey methylation and histone marks as well as parentally-derived RNAs and proteins to test for the molecular changes that account for traits and diseases in offspring.
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Kevin Mitchell January 22, 2013 at 12:34 AM
As much as I think GWAS are looking in the wrong place (at common variants only), they are now very well controlled and very rigorous, statistically (especially in controlling for false positives). But I reiterate the fact that just because these kinds of studies have not found genetic variants that can explain the observed heritability of various disorders does not mean that these disorders are not in fact caused by differences in DNA sequence. So, until we have properly surveyed rare mutations (which are much more likely to have a phenotypic effect), there is no need to jump ship and start invoking epigenetic mechanisms. Especially when there is no good evidence of their involvement in these disorders and they cannot explain heritability as determined from twin studies. I am not dismissing the possibility that epigenetic mechanisms are involved in some way in the etiology or pathogenesis of these conditions - I am just saying there is not currently any good evidence for it or any need for that hypothesis. Given that is the case, skepticism seems the appropriate position.
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Prenatal Hormone Exposure January 22, 2013 at 6:59 AM
Oy vey, Kevin, my head is spinning at your comment that "there is not currently any good evidence for (epigenetic mechanisms) or any need for that hypothesis." Your position is scientifically illiterate and reactionary in the extreme.
The autism/neurodevelopment literature over the past five or so years has positively exploded with evidence for such g x e etiology. Would you like me to supply a complete list of references?
Thanks to Guy and Caynazzo for their wise observations.
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Kevin Mitchell January 22, 2013 at 7:50 AM
I would indeed be interested in any literature that shows convincing evidence for a gene-by-environment effect in autism etiology (or even a straight-up environmental effect for that matter). But please note that that is not what these posts were about. They were about (i) whether epigenetics can be considered a *source* of variance for behavioural traits and psychiatric disorders (I say no), as opposed to a mechanism by which other causes can have their effects (I'm perfectly happy with that). And (ii) whether there is good evidence for transgenerational epigenetic inheritance for these kinds of traits (i.e., transmission of acquired behaviours by epigenetic marks in gametes) - again, I say no. And there is no need for that hypothesis because these disorders are demonstrably highly heritable and those kinds of mechanisms can't contribute to that.
I do not doubt that some environmental factors can cause epigenetic changes as well as genetic changes, which could, in theory, contribute to risk of some disorders in those exposed. That is a separate topic and one I will happily accept can occur, given some good evidence (that they happen at all, and that they contribute to overall risk). If environmental factors are being invoked to explain the supposed "autism epidemic", I think it is pretty clear now that that rise is due mainly to increased recognition and diagnosis.
Finally, you may think these are semantic distinctions, but that was the whole point of these posts - that it is important to define these terms so people don't get confused between the multiple possible meanings.
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caynazzo January 22, 2013 at 2:28 PM
I should read the paper you linked to in your original post, but I thought there were reproducible SNPs among autistic populations. A similar challenge exists in late-onset alzheimer's, where the strongest associated signal is APOE e4. This variant isn't enough to cause AD and the etiology varies a lot between populations.
There is a genic CpG island in exon 4 of this gene, the exon with the mutations. APOE exon4 also has a strong transcriptional element within this hypermethylated region, an enhancer that is differentially modified according to the different alleles and with cell type specificity. It alters promoter activity of APOE locus genes, APOE, TOMM40 and APOC1. Knowing that AD effects behavior and this hypermethylated CpG affects expression of the most well-known gene associated with AD how would you go about testing whether, as you say, epigenetics are a source for variation as opposed to a mechanism by which other causes can have their effects. I don't actually see much of a distinction between the two.
Environmental effects on disease etiology are often very difficult to show even for seemingly obvious candidates. Take obesity for instance. Some scientists say the obesity epidemic is due to the overproduction of food. But that can't be the whole story. What's making people want to "over eat"? Pernicious advertising, poverty, genetics, etc?
I'm not invoking environmental factors as the main cause of autism. Is this an argument in the scientific community? I will point out that increased recognition and diagnosis can be influenced by technology and industry (e.g., ADHD and Ritalin).
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Matt January 27, 2013 at 9:45 AM
"unless the supposed epigenetic marks affect MZ twins more consistently than DZ twins (and there’s no reason why they should)"
If the epigenetic mark occurs heterogeneously in the female germline--some eggs have it, some don't--it would cause MZ twins to be affected more consistently than DZ twins. I don't know if this actually occurs, but it's a testable hypothesis.
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Kevin Mitchell January 27, 2013 at 11:52 PM
Thanks Matt. The scenario you suggest should indeed increase heritability (de novo mutations have the same effect). That is not generally what has been proposed in the field, however - that epigenetic markers of some experience affect some germ cells and not others. Still, it's clearly testable, as you say.
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Kevin Mitchell January 27, 2013 at 11:50 PM
This reinforces the point that epigenetic inheritance, even if it is a general phenomenon, can not contribute to heritability.
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Guy January 31, 2013 at 7:06 PM
Another evidence against this model of epigenetic inheritance is that increased paternal age is a risk factor of autism but increased maternal age is not.
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Nanny Dearest February 3, 2013 at 12:47 AM
Let's see, I am no expert, but...in my 64 years I have seen such a change in "values" from one generation to the next and the next(and I have been alive for 3 generations...), you would have to convince me that conditions such as autism (a term which is an invention of the late 20th century I believe), was not around when I was a youngster.
I dont know why this "label" exists. Do we label visibly disabled people as "cripples" or worse? Please do not "label" kids!!
Its funny how on skimming briefly through the posts here, I picked up on the fact that it was a crime of uneducated parents who swallowed potions way back when, to ease symptoms of pregnancy, that were probably to blame for certain modern anti-social behaviour from small children. (I acknowledge the thalidomide tragedy as the travesty that it was, and that this has been scientifically proven to have been a direct result of the drug) - but how about those modern parents feeding drugs to their toddlers and young children, which they are able to supposedly justify (to their own great relief) because their child's unacceptable behaviour has a name now, ADHD or Autism?? I will bet you anything that good old-fashioned discipline has NEVER been dished out to any of these children when they were toddlers? Were long explanations and sophisticated "reasoning" more the order of the day? I will bet they were!
Some parents think there isnt a happy medium between a sharp smack on the backside to a 3yr old for rotten behaviour, and the other extreme of broken bones and bruises! Give me a break!
Spare the rod and spoil the child.. we have come a long way from those Victorian principles thank God, but yes, there IS a happy medium, and we need to get back to the parental DUTY of reasonable disciplining of small children. This is how we show children we love them when we balance this discipline with affection and nurturing for the great majority of the time. We hope that by our efforts, we will release them into a world where they will be loved and lovable, respectful and respectable, aspiring to better themselves, humble and yet confident, and more. We want this for them.
Children are not stupid..they constantly "test", its how they learn their boundaries... they DO know when their parent has any reservations about dishing out the discipline they ought to get- on the spot! A recipe for on-going behavioural problems from kids for sure is to show any self-doubt or inconsistency in management of their kids' bad behaviour. Way too many of the youngest generation have way too many negative behaviours which we adults are not handling well in my opinion and which seem to be getting more prevalent over time from my own observations.
Kids need leadership and love. And yes, discipline is most definitely a part of that. You will not convince me otherwise, having raised our kids and seeing the values we used as our guidelines to raising well-balanced, loveable individuals pay off, as our grandchildren are a modern reflection of our success at being parents to their parents.
Claims to the contrary have no substance, we will always find excuses in the name of scientific statistics. But this new-age idea of treating young children as small adults is a recipe for trouble. We do already have enough evidence in the up-and-coming teenage generation to back this up. There is a very sinister element out there which is becoming more and more obvious and I believe is a direct indictment of parental permissiveness on an out-of-control scale.
There are certainly heritable behavioural conditions I definitely believe, such as schizophrenia, panic disorders, depression and more which do need addressing, often on an ongoing long-term basis, but I am plainly not talking about those.
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Unknown April 18, 2013 at 3:14 AM
I agree very much with your points. The problem, when one wants to cite something to support a bit more caution with throwing that explanation around when genetic explanations exist and are better validated, is that, there are few journal articles to cite for this position (perhaps it's usually vented in a blog or on Twitter), but so many that make very all-encompassing conclusions from little data (e.g. Jablonka & Raz, 2009) or scientists who don't really care about the pathway for their result and just throw in a small "or it could be epigenetics" somewhere to please the crowd.
Can you recommend any neutral articles that emphasise how implausible it is that aberrant epigenetic variation plays a large role in complex traits? I mean other than textbooks that emphasise the whole "rebooting" thing (I mean this is a thing that people not very familiar with genetics may just not know, but it seems condescending to cite a textbook).
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Kevin Mitchell April 18, 2013 at 6:23 AM
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"The possibility that interacting with a stressed or strung-out male animal will alter the behaviour of the female, post-mating, so that maternal care is also changed."
>> In the following model, tests revealed that maternal behavior was normal: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/?term=20673872
Besides, in vitro fertilization has been associated with changes in epigenetic markers: http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23714435
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RuPay is the first-of-its-kind domestic Card payment network of India, with wide acceptance at ATMs, POS devices and e-commerce websites across India. It is a highly secure network that protects against anti-phishing. RuPay Cards will address the needs of Indian consumers, merchants and banks. The benefits of RuPay debit card are the flexibility of the product platform, high levels of acceptance and the strength of the RuPay brand-all of which will contribute to an increased product experience.
CTS
Safe Deposit Locker facility is one of the value added services provided by the Bank to its customers. Bank provides specially designed lockers purchased from reputed manufactures which are kept at specially built strong rooms at branches for keeping the valuable of hirers. Banking customer pays locker rent for keeping their valuables in the safe place. Landlord collects rent from tenant and is not responsible for theft inside the house. Similarly, bank does not check what you keep inside the locker and thus the actual amount of loss cannot be ascertain and compensate. Safe Deposit Lockers may be hired by an individual (being not a minor) singly or jointly with another individual(s), HUFs, firms, limited companies, associates, societies, trusts, etc. Nomination facility is available to individual(s) holding the lockers singly or jointly. In respect of lockers held in joint names, up to two nominees can be appointed. Joint locker holders can give mandate for access to the lockers in the event of death of one of the holders on the lines similar to those for deposit accounts.
Cheque Truncation System (CTS) is a process of clearing cheques electronically rather than processing the physical cheque by the presenting bank en-route to the paying bank branch. It is a step undertaken by the Reserve Bank of India (RBI) for quicker cheque clearance. Offering Cheque Truncation System (CTS) is a step in this direction. In addition to operational efficiency, CTS offers several benefits to banks and customers, including human resource rationalisation, cost effectiveness, business process re-engineering, better service, adoption of latest technology, etc. A cheque truncation system promotes the processing of a cheque electronically through the Magnetic Ink Character Reader (MICR) data and a scanned image. The physical cheque is not required.
Andaman & Nicobar State Cooperative Bank Ltd. offers you Safe Deposit Locker facilities to keep your valuables at a secure place.
An annual rent of Rs. 600 + GST is chargeable
Nomination facility is available to the hirer of Safe Deposit Locker.
PFMS is public financial management system for schemes of Govt. of India which can be also used for state schemes. PFMS is a transaction based system to provide real time utilization of funds released from consolidated fund of India. The PFMS full form is Public Financial Management System. It is a portal that provides financial support as a scholarship to students in poverty. The Public Financial Management System program is a government-owned program where financial funds are given to beneficiaries who are eligible. The primary function of PFMS today is to facilitate sound Public Financial Management System for Government of India by establishing an efficient fund flow system as well as a payment cum accounting network.
CKYC refers to Central KYC (Know Your Customer), an initiative of the Government of India. It is a central storehouse of KYC records of customers availing various financial services across institutions, like banks, insurance companies, Non-Banking Finance Companies (NBFCs), etc. The aim of this initiative is to have a structure in place which allows investors to complete their KYC only once before interacting with various entities across the financial sector. It allows investors to carry out their KYC only once. CKYC compliance will allow an investor to transact/deal with all entities governed/regulated by the Government of India/different regulators (RBI, SEBI, IRDA and PFRDA) without the need to complete multiple KYC formalities.
NACH (National Automated Clearing House) is a funds clearing platform set up by NPCI (National Payments Corporation of India) similar to the existing ECS of RBI. NACH System can be used for making bulk transactions towards distribution of subsidies, dividends, interest, salary, pension etc. and also for bulk transactions towards collection of payments pertaining to telephone, electricity, water, loans, investments in mutual funds, insurance premium etc.
E-Mandate is a digital payment service introduced by the RBI and National Payments Corporation of India to streamline the payments process for companies. This process serves as the underlying infrastructure for firms to gather payments without manual intervention. E-mandate is a standing instruction or recurring payment instruction on a debit or credit card given by cardholder on a merchant platform like a website or mobile application for recurring transactions
DBT
Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) is a Government of India Scheme to improve subsidy. administration. The scheme was rolled out in a phased manner starting with 43. Districts w.e.f. 1st January, 2013 for 26 Central Government Schemes of various. Direct Benefit Transfer or DBT has travelled a long path since its early initiation by Government of India on 1 January 2013 to change the mechanism of transferring cash subsidies and benefits. DBT is evidence-based. It goes beyond mental health illness and improves individuals’ quality of life. It reduces anxiety, depression, trauma, and stress symptoms and decreases suicidal and self-harming thoughts and behaviors. – Increases consumers’ self-worth and self-respect.
A point of sale, or point of purchase, is where you ring up customers. When customers check out online, walk up to your checkout counter, or pick out an item from your stand or booth, they’re at the point of sale. Your point-of-sale system is the hardware and software that enable your business to make those sales. A point of sale (POS) is a place where a customer executes the payment for goods or services and where sales taxes may become payable. A POS transaction may occur in person or online, with receipts generated either in print or electronically. Cloud-based POS systems are becoming increasingly popular among merchants. POS transactions usually occur whenever a buyer pays a certain amount offline or online to purchase goods from a seller. The purpose of POS is to monitor and record all transactions between a buyer and a seller.
E-banking (internet banking) is an E-commerce application which allows the customers to perform any of the virtual banking functions, financial functions online, in a protected and secure manner. It involves using the Internet for delivery of banking products and services. E-commerce has enabled app payments and transactions, leading the way for reeducation in physical brick and mortar banks. E-commerce in commercial banks allows interaction with more customers, easier access to information; reduce costs, time and effort, easier market access, increased competitiveness and increased profitability.
It is a matter of satisfaction for the Cooperative sector that the Andaman & Nicobar State Cooperative Bank Ltd. has positioned itself at second after SBI in respect of deposits and first in advances. it has been pioneer in extending many facilities to its customers and has computerized its counter services in 1992.
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Family Comedy: A zookeeper is shocked to learn that the animals in his care can not only talk, but also dole out relationship advice.
Griffin (KEVIN JAMES) is a Boston zookeeper who had his heart broken five years earlier when he proposed to his materialistic girlfriend, Stephanie (LESLIE BIBB), and she turned him down. Stephanie never respected his chosen career path and wanted him in a more upwardly mobile profession.
Five years later, Griffin is still working for the same zoo staffed by Kate (ROSARIO DAWSON), a kind-hearted veterinarian; Shane (DONNIE WAHLBERG), an animal handler with no respect for the creatures in his care; and Venom (KEN JEONG), the park's weird lizard expert. At an engagement party for his brother, Dave (NAT FAXON), and his fiancée, Robin (STEFFIANA DE LA CRUZ), Griffin reconnects with Stephanie and learns that she is currently seeing an egotistical, self-absorbed letch of a man named Gale (JOE ROGAN). He also learns that he still has feelings for her, even though he senses that Kate might be better for him.
Amazingly, the animals in his care start to talk and give him relationship and lifestyle advice. There's Joe (voice of SYLVESTER STALLONE), the vain lion; Janet (voice of CHER), his bossy lioness wife; Donald (voice of ADAM SANDLER), a mischievous monkey; Bernie (voice of NICK NOLTE), a depressed loner bear; and Sebastian (voice of BAS RUTTEN), the urine-obsessed wolf. Eventually, Griffin must choose between the job he loves and the woman who is perfect for him or a higher paying profession with the woman he has always fantasized about.
Yes, unfortunately. It has talking animals and it is getting heavy promotional support on Nickelodeon, the Cartoon Network, and other kid-friendly channels.
WHY THE MPAA RATED IT: PG
For some rude and suggestive humor and language.
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I have 4 children who are now in college. I signed up for Screen It when my children were pre-teenagers. Often my children would ask to see a movie with a friend and I wished I could preview the movie prior to giving permission. A friend told me about ScreenIt.com and I found it to be the next best thing to previewing a movie. The amount of violence, sexual content, or language were always concerns for me and my husband as we raised innocent kids with morals. We constantly fought the peer pressure our kids received to see films that in our opinion were questionable. With the evidence we received at Screen It, our kids couldn't even fight us when we felt a film may have been inappropriate for them to watch. Thank you, Screen It. Continue to make this helpful service available to everyone, but especially the young parents.
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I am a founding board member of La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool. After fifteen years directing the Pathology Department at Presbyterian Hospital, I chose to share my love of hands-on science with eager children. My "second career" in early childhood education includes a year on a charter committee and 17 years in preschool roles. My fascination with the nascent preschool brain and how children learn led me to develop our science curriculum. Being at La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool is a joy and a blessing. I live in Davidson with my husband Brian who teaches at Davidson College. We take pleasure in traveling, taking long walks with our dogs, reading, and cooking. We have two grown sons.
Coordinator and Teacher
I am originally from Costa Rica and lived in California for 17 years. My family and I recently moved to North Carolina, and we are delighted with this area and its people. In California, I worked for more than 10 years for my city's school district in elementary schools helping English learners (mostly Spanish speaking) and their families. As a volunteer, I helped in numerous entities in the care of babies and preschool children to include directing a tutoring program for Latino families. I feel very fortunate and blessed to start this new experience at La Escuelita and I wish with all my heart to play a role in the growth of your children. In my spare time, I enjoy spending time outdoors with my family, walking, exercising, and seeing new places.
Teacher, Three-year-old class
I joined the Escuelita family in the 2017-2018 school year. I have a degree in early childhood development from Northeastern University in Chicago and have taught preschool for over 8 years. Before coming to La Escuelita, I worked as a substitute teacher in Florida for Title 1 schools in grades K-3. Teaching at La Escuelita has been the most amazing and rewarding experience for me. Escuelita families are caring and loving, and I am grateful for this bond that sustains us all. Collectively we nourish and support your child to provide a strong foundation for their success. In my free time, I enjoy spending time with my 3 grown daughters and their families. My weekends are active with gardening and learning to play golf with my husband!
Teacher, Three-year-old Class
I have always delighted in children and learning about early childhood development. I taught at Davidson College Presbyterian Church Preschool and Sunday Care for over 7 years. When La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool approached me with a position in 2017, I knew this would be my happy place! I am in love with these children and with my job. The teachers collaborate regularly on our curriculum, workshops, and books. In my free time I really enjoy spending time with my own children and going for long walks.
Teacher, Four-year-old class
I love my job and am passionate about working with preschool children. We learn together and uncover new things every day. Escuelita has been my happy place since 2016. I delight in discovering the children's skills and talents. Escuelita has a unique curriculum, and the teachers attend workshops to keep up to date on preschool education. Brain development at this age is fascinating. In my free time I enjoy dancing and exercising, taking walks with my children, and spending time with my family doing planned activities.
Teacher, Four-year-old Class
I come to La Escuelita with over twenty years of teaching experience. I started a Discovery Program with a preschool in Indiana. I worked for twelve years alongside Pat Shaw teaching a Science Enrichment Program at Davidson College Presbyterian Church Weekday Preschool. Since coming to La Escuelita, I have taught three-year-old and four-year-old classes and assist with curriculum coordination. I feel my job is to help children find the wonder and joy in learning new things and develop a true love of learning. In my spare time, I enjoy cooking, reading, gardening, and spending time with family and friends.
Teacher, Four-year-old class
I am so excited for this opportunity to be at La Escuelita Bilingual Preschool! La Escuelita was a wonderful environment for our daughter Grace to prepare for kindergarten. I graduated from UCONN with a degree in Psychology and Fine Arts and most of my career has been in Human Resources. Most recently I have been home with my 2 children and volunteering and working as a teacher at La Escuelita and Davidson K-8. I am a certified yoga instructor and belong to a women's Latin and ballroom dance formation group. My family and I love to be outside hiking, biking and stand-up paddling.
My role with Escuelita is to carry the vision of our program into the Hispanic community. At Escuelita, we recognize that parents are their child's first and primary teacher. However, a successful future opens not only with a strong preschool foundation but also with educational programming for the entire family. I share fun and useful monthly workshops that help parents navigate the world of child-rearing. I am originally from Colombia, SA and I understand the obstacles an immigrant can face and the necessary cultural and language adjustments. I am a registered nurse by training and a homemaker. I live in Davidson with my husband, James. We are both board members of La Escuelita. We have three grown children and two dogs. I love to travel, hike, and cook.
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Before setting up your own Amazon store, it’s worth taking the time to review the basics of selling things on Amazon. Even if you’re familiar with Amazon as a shopper, the way it works for sellers is quite different. Take a quick peek behind the curtain and learn about the most valuable listing positions on Amazon, how to get your product shipped out of Amazon’s warehouses, and some costly pitfalls to avoid.
1. 1. What is the Buy Box, and how does Amazon decide who gets it?
2. 2. How does Amazon determine the order of the Merchant Offers List?
3. 3. What is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)?
4. 4. What types of merchants tend to benefit the most from selling products on Amazon?
5. 5. Why should I associate one of my products with an Amazon product that’s already listed?
7. 7. Why aren’t I being compensated correctly for shipping?
8. 8. How can I increase the number of reviews on my Seller account?
9. 9. Are there any policies I should look over before I start selling on Amazon?
1. What is the Buy Box, and how does Amazon decide who gets it?
When browsing on Amazon, customers will navigate to a product’s main page and click on the “offers” links below the product description (as indicated by the red circle on the screenshot below) to see a list of available sellers.
However, Amazon also gives merchants the ability to compete for the coveted “Buy Box” – the CTA button in that familiar shade of yellow. $56 billion of Amazon’s and$64 billion in sales are made via the Buy Box – that’s 90% of total sales volume, so it’s imperative for any aspiring Amazon merchant to understand what the buy box is and how it works.
This is the Buy Box, which drives 90% of sales.
The Buy Box is the box on a product detail page where customers can begin the purchasing process by adding items to their shopping carts. Rather than reviewing a list of available merchants, the Buy Box allows customers to quickly purchase a product from the Featured Seller – the business Amazon has chosen to receive the bulk of sales.
Because a key feature of the Amazon platform is that multiple sellers can offer the same product, becoming the featured seller who wins the Buy Box is very difficult. In fact, it’s pretty unrealistic to think that your site is ever going to get ranked high enough to become the featured seller. (Don’t worry – there are plenty of other ways for small businesses to make money on Amazon even if you can’t get a Buy Box. Just keep reading this article!)
In order to be eligible for the buy box, you must meet the following four criteria:
Make sure you have a Professional Seller Account.
Only Professional Plan sellers are eligible for the Buy Box, so if you want to make money you’ve got to spend money – in this case, about $40 a month. Click here for more information about Amazon’s selling plans and prices.
Know the difference between the Buy Box and the Buy Used Box.
There are separate Buy Boxes for new and used products. Used products are not eligible to be featured in the Buy Box, and new products are not eligible to be featured in the Buy Used Box.
If you’re selling used products on Amazon, make sure to factor the Buy Used Box into your strategy. The overall sales volume of the Buy Used Box doesn’t match that of the Buy Box, but lower competition can make it much easier for small merchants to obtain valuable product positioning.
Make sure your item is in stock.
If your item is out of stock, you will immediately lose your Buy Box spot to another seller who DOES have that item in stock. If you ever get a Buy Box spot, make sure to ensure that you’ve always got an adequate supply. While you can get your Buy Box spot back after you’ve restocked your inventory, it’s never 100% certain. Plus, the loss of sales due to the loss of a Buy Box is punishment enough, so make sure supply meets demand!
Even if you’ve met all of the requirements above, you still must be an Amazon merchant with at least 2 to 6 months of sales history as well as a high level of sales performance. (Sorry – we did warn you that the Buy Box is hard to get!)
Your eligibility information is shown in your Amazon Seller Central account. To view it, follow these steps:
Look for a field labelled “Buy Box Eligible” within the Column Display section
Select “Show When Available” from the drop-down menu to sort products by which are Buy Box eligible. If you see a “Yes” within the Buy Box Eligible field for a product, you are eligible to win the Buy Box for that product.
2. How does Amazon determine the order of the Merchant Offers List?
Even if you never win the Boy Box listing, you can still make money selling on Amazon by selling through the Merchant Offers List. Many of the things that Amazon values fall in line with e-commerce best practices, so it’s in your best interest to be doing these things anyway.
A number of factors affect where a merchant appears in the Offers List, including:
Competitive pricing. This includes not only the product cost but shipping costs as well. Many shoppers expect to see low prices while browsing Amazon, so be prepared to price competitively to beat the competition.
Competing offers. Generally, the more sellers there are, the harder it is to climb to the top. Finding products with fewer competing merchants can make it easier to get your product featured in competitive spots – maybe even the Buy Box. Being the first to pick up on trends can mean that you find popular products before they’re popular, and set up history as a high-performing seller before the market is oversaturated with competitors.
How much history the merchant has on Amazon as a seller. Merchants who have long, positive selling histories with Amazon have better chances of obtaining one of the top spots. Making sure that you address negative reviews and other customer service issues quickly and effectively are critical to ensuring that you maintain a positive sales history – too many unhappy customers and you’ll be exiled to the bottom of the merchant list.
How many Seller reviews the merchant has on Amazon. Selling on Amazon is all about the reviews. Reviews have a huge impact on driving sales, and can really end up making or breaking your business. Focus on encouraging buyers to leave reviews for your products, and make sure to address negative reviews quickly and effectively.
As a general rule of thumb, the most effective solution is to ensure that any transactions you receive through Amazon run as smoothly as possible. That means delivering your product in a timely manner and communicating with your customers along the way. However, if you’re looking to break into the market a little quicker, here are two shortcuts that can help:
Start by selling a low-competition item to boost your seller ranking. This will increase the probability that the offer will show higher for more competitive products. When selling low-competition items, look for products that have few reviews and focus on becoming the seller with the most positive reviews for that product. Building up the total number of reviews on your Amazon Seller account will increase your legitimacy as a seller, and will help you break into higher-competition niches.
Try offering a very competitive price on a popular product. This draws in bargain shoppers and can increase your seller ranking. You can check out Amazon’s “Most Wished For” list to see the most popular items by industry if you need some inspiration.
3. What is Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA)?
Fulfilment by Amazon is a program where you send your merchandise to one of the many Amazon fulfilment centres to be stocked; then customers buy products from you, and Amazon ships them. This sort of arrangement allows you to focus on other aspects of running your business while Amazon handles many facets of shipping and customer service.
Other benefits include extending the reach of your products to Amazon Prime members and gaining an extra push towards winning the Buy Box, even if your products have a bit of a higher price. With Volusion, merchants have the ability to set up different shipping options including drop-shipping, which allows flexibility to try using FBA. You can learn more about Fulfillment by Amazon.
4. What types of merchants tend to benefit the most from selling products on Amazon?
Three kinds of merchants tend to perform particularly well on Amazon:
Merchants selling unique-to-them products. Companies who produce their own products, such as a company that designs its jewellery. Since their products are unique, they face less competition from other merchants selling identical items and have more flexibility over their prices.
Merchants who sell hobby or niche products. Amazon generally won’t start fulfilling or carrying hobby or niche products, so there’s less of a risk you’d have to compete with Amazon itself.
Merchants selling refurbished or used products. Amazon has a huge market for these products, as they attract shoppers whose main concern is price and don’t mind waiting on shipping. It is worth noting, however, that used products cannot win the regular Buy Box spot – only the Used Buy Box, which drives fewer sales.
That said, the benefit of owning your store’s URL and fully branded website cannot be overstated; this gives an extra level of credibility and authority, and visitors are more likely to remember you versus someone else. Many merchants who achieve popularity on Amazon still find it essential to have control over their own e-commerce website and branding. This allows them to achieve a fully independent store presence and market to large audiences outside of Amazon through other marketing channels.
5. Why should I associate one of my products with an Amazon product that’s already listed?
Products are only allowed to be listed once in the Amazon catalogue, so creating a second product detail page for an existing product will result in your listing being removed. By matching your product to the product detail page that already exists, your offer has a chance to be seen.
Amazon doesn’t allow new merchants to offer certain shipping methods right off the bat, such as two-day shipping. These shipping methods have to be earned by establishing a history of reliable shipping at the slower shipping speeds. Offering your products through FBA is a way to bypass this, as FBA products are automatically eligible for Prime Free Two-Day Shipping.
7. Why aren’t I being compensated correctly for shipping?
Amazon determines how much they think it should cost to ship a product based on the merchant’s origin, the customer’s address and the given weight of the product. However, oftentimes the amount of money that Amazon reimburses merchants for shipping won’t match the actual shipping cost. Making sure that your item weight and dimensions are listed correctly will help make these shipping estimates as accurate as possible. However, it may still be necessary to factor this into your pricing decisions – sometimes, you’ll need to increase the price of a product to offset Amazon’s too-low pricing estimates. If you’re having problems making a profit after shipping costs, you’re probably pricing too cheaply.
8. How can I increase the number of reviews on my Seller account?
When selling on Amazon, reviews should be one of your biggest priorities. Shoppers look at both the quality and quantity of reviews, so it’s important to encourage buyers to leave a good review for your product (just don’t get too pushy!) Please note that merchants are forbidden from soliciting or paying for Seller Account reviews. Any sellers who engage in these practices risk having their accounts suspended. Your best bet is to give customers a great shopping experience (including aspects like product price, clear and informative customer communication and shipping reliability) so they want to vouch for you on their own.
9. Are there any policies I should look over before I start selling on Amazon?
Here are some policies you may want to review before selling on Amazon:
Policies and agreements
Prohibited seller activities and actions
Before you start selling on Amazon, the best advice we have is to know your business and know what you’re getting into. A new Amazon integration means a lot of new opportunities. By doing your homework and focusing on your business’ needs, you’ll be taking your online success to the next level in no time. If you’re interested in checking out what we can offer with Amazon integration, start your free 30 days trial today!
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It’s Thursday night, and I’m sitting in an airplane, about to take off for New York. I’m heading home from Las Vegas after attending Obesity Week 2019, the world’s largest obesity medicine conference, a collaboration between The Obesity Society and The American Society of Metabolic and Bariatric Surgeons.
I don’t quite know how to express my feelings and thoughts about this event, but the words ‘anger’ and ‘hopelessness’ immediately come to mind. My anger and hopelessness are best exemplified by the first keynote speech, delivered by Dr. William Cefalu, who is chief scientific and medical officer of the American Diabetes Association.
After accurately describing our country’s spiralling healthcare costs, and the morbidity and mortality associated with diabetes and obesity, Dr. Cefalu went on to discuss the benefit of low-calorie approaches for diabetes reversal. He also highlighted bariatric surgery and medications. But ultimately, he harped on one point, that is frequently repeated at conventional obesity medicine conferences:
“There is no best diet. The best diet is one that a patient can adhere to.”
The above article by Dr. Tro Kalayjian the physician behind Dr. Troys Medical Weight Loss and Direct Primary Care is a discussion about why it is so difficult for the medical profession to accept fundamental changes in medical understanding about diabetes and current treatments for it. It is why patients continue to get contradictory advice from doctors who really ought to know better than to recommend any number of established and well known dietary strategies that simply don’t work. It’s not that they don’t work anymore, it’s that they never worked, and there is no scientific basis for any of them.
This sounds pretty revolutionary to me. The esteemed Canadian doctor is joined by a number of US based colleagues who are challenging the status quo in the treatment of diabetes, and sending a message to their profession. Just stop! Stop misleading the public! Stop lying to patients! Stop killing your clients!
Closeup on medical doctor woman giving a choice between apple and donut
Of course, they are doctors and they don’t quite put it that way. But what else can you say when so many health professionals and authorities continue to promulgate misleading information, such as “moderation is the best strategy” when clearly, based on current information that is simply not true. Moderation will kill you if by moderation you include relatively mundate advice about carbohydrates and sugar. What sciences know is that consuming carbs in excess of certain pretty limited amounts leads to metabolic syndrome, metabolic syndrome leads to insulin resistance. Insulin resistance leads to diabetes. Diabetes leads to lots of really bad stuff that can kill you, or at the least, make you really really sick.
Stop being so gullible. Doctors aren’t necessarily up to speed on the current information about your health.
If you or someone you love is fat, obese, or has diabetes or prediabetes follow the link on this blog entry to the above article and understand what is being said. Doctors are willfully ignoring solid medical evidence in favor of standing by old, disproved theories because they are afraid of rocking the boat. Read Dr. Fung’s book, the Diabetic Code.
Stop believing anyone who says that eating many small meals a day is ok. Stop following advice so far heard that has led you to being overweight and obese. If you want to live and healthy, long life, fire your current endrochronologist if he or she disparages the most recent research and tells you not to follow Dr. Fung’s advice. Run away from anyone who says that carbs and sugars are not the cause of diabetes, metabolic syndrome, and many many many other life threatening diseases.
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This entry was posted in Asthma, Awards, Blogging, Blood Pressure, Blood Pressure Device, cardiovascular disease, childhood, COPD, diabesity, diabetes, fasting, FreeStyle Libre, Health, inflammation, Life, Medical Devices, Medicine, Mental Health, neuropathy, Over the counter drugs, pain, Prescription Drugs, Sexuality and Love and tagged carbohydrates, dieting, doctors, endocrinologists, food, lying, sugars by Metro Vancouver Scribe. Bookmark the permalink.
9 thoughts on “Obesity Week 2019: Why is it So Hard for Doctors to Admit Their Failure?”
msnyder1970 on November 23, 2019 at 8:01 pm said:
great article thanks for the link
LikeLiked by 2 people
Govardhan on November 24, 2019 at 2:07 am said:
Reblogged this on Vijayagiri views.
LikeLiked by 1 person
lowcarbforlife.co.uk on November 24, 2019 at 2:35 am said:
I couldn’t agree more. The medical profession just cannot seem to admit they were totally wrong.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Pingback: Obesity Week 2019: Why is it So Hard for Doctors to Admit Their Failure? — Rain Coast Review – Dustin's Dynasty
artofinn on November 26, 2019 at 11:54 pm said:
Reblogged this on Arto's Health Info.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Gersom Clark on November 28, 2019 at 9:31 pm said:
LikeLiked by 1 person
HALO on December 14, 2019 at 5:27 am said:
They won’t admit their shortcoming because that will be admitting they are wrong and no one likes to feel that way, it’s almost the same as admitting to being stupid. Most of the time it all boils down to two things, their ego and their wallets.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ellie www.newcreationsministries.wordpress.com/ on December 20, 2019 at 10:57 am said:
Absolutely! Great article. We are all unique with an individual mental, physiological and spiritual relationship to food. We all eat for different reasons, duh but some diet gurus, worshipping the almighty dollar will tell you they know the secret, magical formula for weight loss. Unless we know why we lose control (which is why I love counseling patients) we’ll never change. Change always comes from within. No one can make you healthy (and health is more important than weight loss) unless you are ready, understand physiology and our individual mental makeup. Well said
LikeLiked by 1 person
Donald Wilson on December 20, 2019 at 1:03 pm said:
Thanks for your feedback on my blog. The pursuit of health is ultimately a necessary distraction in life. If we don’t pay attention to our health, our health will decline and our lives shortened by the neglect.
Unfortunately this is pretty common in the world around us today, with so many authorities and experts giving us inappropriate and misleading information. It’s important to winnow out the real stuff, and put aside the illegitimate profiteering of corporate greed.
Our grandmothers knew it. Sugar kills. Carbs kill. Too much food of any description kills. Be prudent, eat sparsely. Fast regularly. Enjoy the spiritual journey more than the physical pleasures from eating too much, being addicted to bad food, bad drugs, and bad lifestyles.
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The Admiral Neighborhood Association‘s every-other-month meeting tonight featured reps from two city departments that handle the bulk of the most contentious community issues, SDOT and SPD – not to give presentations, but to answer questions on whatever attendees wanted to talk about.
The meeting was facilitated by ANA vice president Joanie Jacobs (who’s rising to president as a result of tonight’s elections – more on that later) at Admiral UCC Church.
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT POLICE: Lt. Mike Watson opened by asking if anyone had any questions. Jacobs said she knew multiple businesses had experienced burglaries, including an Admiral restaurant just a few days ago. What can they do? “Look out for each other,” he said, for starters. Camera video is helpful. So are signs such as “this area is being video-monitored.” He noted he was asked at a past meeting about catalytic-converter thefts, so he brought that stat – 2,120 citywide so far this year – West Seattle is averaging 40 or 50 a month. They can be sold for up to $350. Toyota Prius, Honda CR-V, Lexus RX-400, Honda Element are all popular targets. Don’t try to confront a thief – people have lost their lives doing that – call 911. Someone else brought up street racing, and neighbors who don’t have valid license plates. Street racing should be reported, Watson said, because there’s a regional task force working on it. Then another person asked about expired tabs. Watson mentioned they’re not allowed to pull people over for them. But a parking-enforcement officer can cite a parked car for expired plates/tabs. What about the double shooting on Alki? The victims both survived, but no one’s been arrested. From the SPD dashboard, he cited some West Seattle stats – robberies are up 18%, aggravated assault up 12%, motor-vehicle theft up 43%, 105 shots-fired incidents so far this year. Cars are usually stolen to commit other crimes, he noted. Despite all that, “West Seattle is the safest part of the city – by far. … You can feel safe here.” (He attributes that in part to strong block watches.) One last question: How’s police staffing? “Down 450-500,” he said. One attendee thanked Lt. Watson for excellent service from officers who responded when he was in a car crash recently.
SDOT: Introduced as being there on a “fact-finding mission” was Matt Beaulieu, there to listen to questions. He was accompanied by Danielle Friedman from the Department of Neighborhoods. First issue, trying to cross Admiral’s south side. There are no crosswalks for several blocks south of the business district, residents pointed out. A resident near the Admiral Way Viewpoint totem pole mentioned crashes from speeding drivers, An SDOT traffic study was mentioned as having found 40 as the “average” speed in the area – “so that means 5,000 drivers are going 60.” The resident who mentioned it has long agitated for traffic calming there. Another attendee brought up the graph of survivability at various speeds. Another attendee talked about the crossing at 47th/Admiral having been installed after a deadly crash, but not getting heeded because “it’s in an odd spot.” What about speed cameras? Some recent laws might loosen up the current restrictions on school zones only, “Photo enforcement is a powerful tool, but you install it and hope it fails” because people stop speeding, Beaulieu said. Friedman mentioned that the recent study of West Marginal Way, blocking off a southbound lane to simulate the conditions during the future protected bike lane, really resulted in slower driving.
What does it take to get something installed? Most of it is based on collision history, when they decide where to spend money, Beaulieu said. So for starters, make sure crashes get reported to police, because otherwise SDOT has no data to refer to. He also noted that they’re studying the best way to deal with arterials. And be sure to contact SDOT directly – maybe they can’t help initially, but your problem will at least be on their radar.
Another question: Aren’t traffic deaths up since Vision Zero began? Beaulieu acknowledged, “We are not trending to zero.” Isn’t it making things worse? The attendee had worked on a school safety committee and requested a four-way stop but said SDOT was resistant – yet now there are new 4-ways and crosswalks by West Seattle High School and Madison Middle School. Aa for VZ in general, Beaulieu mentioned one of the first actions new SDOT director Greg Spotts had decreed – a “top to bottom” review of the program, in hopes of figuring out why it’s not working.
Another resident near 39th/Hanford, close to a new crosswalk, noted that the intersection has numerous crashes each year, some taking out utility poles. Can you put speed cushions on arterials? That’s an “evolving practice” too, said Beaulieu.
Also mentioned – gratitude to SDOT for repaving much of California north of Admiral. (Though there was some puzzlement on why one particular block was skipped.)
ELECTIONS: The meeting ended with a chance to nominate and vote on leadership for net year. Elected to lead ANA in 2023 (and shown left to right in photo above):
Vice President Stephanie Jordan
Secretary Carrie McCann
They were the only nominees, and were elected in unanimous approval of the slate.
(Board members, committee leads, and an adopt-a-street coordinator are other roles in the ANA, and they’d love to have more community participation.) Voting was open to members, who pay a $25 annual fee to belong.
P.S. ANA has a business membership program too – $50/year – and plans to more actively promote local businesses. Businesses are donating $25 gift cards for a raffle at ANA meetings, and Mission Cantina donated one for tonight – the winner was drawn before meeting’s end.
EVENTS: This Saturday, Admiral Church is hosting a Christmas Market (as featured in our calendar and West Seattle Holiday Guide). West Seattle Grounds (which Jacobs manages) has launched a toy drive – that will be in our Holiday Guide shortly – and donors get a discount. She also mentioned the Festival of Trees gala at Brookdale Admiral Heights.
SUMMER CONCERTS: After missing three years for the pandemic and venue unavailability, the 2023 concert series will happen one way or another, either Hiawatha if it’s available by summer, or Hamilton Viewpoint. “Our goal this year is that IT WILL HAPPEN,” Jacobs vowed.
NEXT MEETING: ANA is having general meetings every other month, so the next one is likely on the second Tuesday in January, which will be January 10, 7 pm at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill). Watch connecttoadmiral.org for updates.
November 13, 2022 2:19 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
It’s been a busy few months in Admiral, from the first-ever Admiral Junction Funktion to business-district trick-or-treating, and now it’s time to get ready for the winter holidays. It’s also time to look ahead to next year, while addressing current concerns, and that’s all part of what the Admiral Neighborhood Association plans to do at its next general community meeting, 7 pm Tuesday (November 15) in-person at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill). Here are agenda highlights:
* Representatives from SDOT to listen to some Admiral specific traffic and road related issues.
* SW Precinct representative to give an update
* Our election of officers for 2023
* Other neighborhood updates
Bring your questions/comments – or just go watch/listen – all are welcome. ANA’s general community meetings are every other month; here’s our report on the last one in September.
From transportation to bunnies @ Fauntleroy Community Association
November 9, 2022 12:01 pm
| Comments Off on From transportation to bunnies @ Fauntleroy Community Association
| Fauntleroy | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
We covered two community meetings last night – here are two brief notes from the first one, the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s monthly board meeting:
TRANSPORTATION: FCA invited new SDOT director Greg Spotts to the neighborhood for one of his “walking tours,” and he accepted. He’ll be visiting next month. Ferry-related traffic is always high on the list of Fauntleroy community concerns, so that’s likely to be a central topic.
FALL FESTIVAL REPORT: FCA doesn’t present the Fauntleroy Fall Festival but does support it, and received a report last night on the October 23rd event, the first full-fledged Fall Festival since 2019.
About 2,000 people attended over the course of the afternoon. A new feature, the bunny “petting zoo” (above), was a hit. Some of the volunteers are already interested in next year; the date’s not set yet but will be soon.
The Fauntleroy Community Association meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, most months, at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse; updates and info can be found at fauntleroy.net.
WEDNESDAY: New SDOT director Greg Spotts @ HPAC (update – he canceled)
October 23, 2022 11:56 pm
| Delridge | Highland Park | Neighborhoods | Transportation | West Seattle news
Last month, new SDOT director Greg Spotts talked with the West Seattle Transportation Coalition (WSB coverage here); now, he’s scheduled as the spotlight guest for this month’s meeting of HPAC, the community council for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge. Got a question about which way the transportation policy in the city is going? This is your chance to ask – or just to listen to what he has to say, with so many transportation issues having emerged or intensified in the HPAC neighborhoods during the bridge closure. The meeting will be held online at 7 pm Wednesday (October 26th); video/call-in info is on the HPAC website, along with details of what else is on the agenda. All welcome.
WEDNESDAY UPDATE: HPAC says Spotts had to cancel due to a conflict.
October 20, 2022 2:54 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Here’s what was discussed at last night’s quarterly meeting of the Morgan Community Association, held online and facilitated by MoCA president Deb Barker.
‘MORGAN MINUTE’ QUICK UPDATES: Barker recapped the September 24th Lowman Beach shoreline-restoration celebration (WSB coverage here) … The MoCA board still has an opening for vice president … MoCA still hopes to honor a former board member, the late Eldon Olson, with some kind of tribute – maybe a bench – in the area (though Seattle Parks doesn’t offer those commemorative opportunities any more) … The former Ivy Court mixed-use building at 6525 California SW has undergone remodeling and has a new name, The Morgan … Beveridge Place Pub will host musician Joshua Dennis as part of next month’s West Seattle Art Walk, 6-7:45 pm November 10th.
WHAT’S NEW IN MORGAN JUNCTION: Marcella Andrews introduced herself and her new business Transform Pediatric Physical Therapy. Among their offerings are 12-week treatment packages as well as group classes and camps. They help “any child who’s a little bit different from other children” and utilize a gym setting as well as a garden setting (with chickens) in a converted garage.
POLICE: New night-shift Lt. Nathan Shopay introduced himself. No one had questions for him but he said that since taking over the shift command, he’s noted a startling wave of gunshot calls all over the city. Right now the staffing level averages 10 officers a night “which is usually enough” but if there’s one big call, suddenly that occupies everyone. As Barker stressed, with Lt. Shopay vigorously agreeing, it’s vital to file a report about any and every kind of crime that happens; he stressed that the department is data-driven in terms of assigning resources so if they don’t hear about everything, they don’t know what’s going on. He shared his email address for community members with night-shift concerns: nathan.shopay@seattle.gov
MORGAN ELECTRIC-VEHICLE CHARGING LOT: We’ve covered this previously (here and here). Seattle City Light had three reps at the MoCA meeting with an update on the project at 4118 SW Morgan, a substation site until 2002. Construction is scheduled for late 2023, so it will be vacant and bare for another year – that’s in part because there’s a long lead time for ordering the necessary equipment. SCL’s Jacob Orenberg said environmental cleanup at the site should be finished before month’s end; it began (including tree removal) last month. He showed an updated site layout:
The driveway will now open onto SW Morgan rather than Fauntleroy or the alley on the site’s east side. The site will likely have “passive drainage” as well as incorporating CPTED principles. Answering questions about expected traffic, it’s likely to start at 22 users and eventually grow to as much as 80.
That’s a tiny fraction of the current daily traffic on the streets bordering the site. Based on other sites, they expect usage to be focused between 7 am and 10 pm. What’s next: Design documents will be finalized in the next few months and permits will be sought early next year; the station should be open to the public by early 2024.
SCL’s Victor Couto then answered more questions that had been asked previously. The Junction EV-charging station is the most popular in the city, with about 13 sessions per day, averaging about half an hour each. (Along with South Seattle College [WSB sponsor], it’s one of only two public fast-charging stations in West Seattle.) None of SCL’s current charging stations has as many chargers as this one will have – the highest number currently is 4 (this one is planned for 8 “second-generation fast chargers” which should last about 10 years).
Other questions included whether any temporary uses might be considered during the year before construction starts – food trucks, for example? Orenberg said he didn’t know but would inquire. Who will be dealing with non-charging customers – people using it for parking, camping, or? Couto said generally SCL security, which would “work with local resources.” Security would only be scheduled to visit once a month unless needed. The site will remain fenced (as it is now).
EARTHQUAKE PLANNING: Cindi Barker continued her series of MoCA presentations focused on a community plan beyond simply “show up at the hub.” That includes working with The Kenney (WSB sponsor), Gatewood Elementary, and local businesses about how they can be assisted in the aftermath of a disaster. They had a productive meeting with the school, which would work in an “incident management” mode with the principal serving as “incident commander” if catastrophe struck. They’ll be talking next with the PTSA, likely next month. They haven’t been able to engage with The Kenney yet.
MORGAN JUNCTION PARK ADDITION: This long-“landbanked” site north of Morgan Junction Park has become a source of contention in recent weeks, while it continues to remain vacant after development money “went away,” as Deb Barker put it, during the pandemic. As noted here, local skaters have turned it into an unofficial skate park The Seattle Park District‘s proposed budget would restore funding – but possibly not for several more years, Meantime, as has been discussed for many months, funding does exist for environmental cleanup at the site, removing concrete and contaminated dirt and bringing in new soils, seeding it, maybe creating some simple trails until actual park development happens. But, she said, we’re now in the season when sites like this can’t be dug up and exposed – so the remediation work won’t happen before spring. Mike Schwindeller of Seattle Parks said that despite what we’d been told just a few weeks ago, the site likely won’t be opened to the public until summer – digging could start in early spring but hydroseeding and grass establishment would likely stretch to summer.
Schwindeller said they’ve heard about the desire for skating features and they’ve also heard from neighbors upset about the noise, Parks is removing skate features and says they’d be open to revisiting design that could lead to integration of a “skate dot” when the park is developed.
Josh Radick, who launched the petition drive to try to save the unofficial skatepark, spoke, saying the skatepark started with “a local dad” mentioned the empty “slab” at the park site. They started cleaning up the site, “threw a few ramps down,” and said “we got a lot of love.” People donated materials, even immediate neighbors. Kids “started showing up … it was kind of empowering,” and they hoped to create something playful, small, with learning opportunities, not as big and intimidating as Delridge. They eventually poured concrete to build a ramp, and joy ensued. “We really want to be sure this is a thought-out, active space,” not just another “piece of grass with a couple benches.”
He handed off to Zac Corum, who said this has all led to a coalition led to parents who want more opportunities for beginning skateboarders. They really want to focus on getting active use into the design before the park is (eventually) built. They cited opportunities they see for the short run and long run.
Corum also said it’d be helpful to get information on the true health risk of the site right now. They asked for MoCA’s help, and had suggestions for using the site both post-cleanup and longer term.
So where do things stand? Schwindeller said they’re going to continue to try to “secure the site” – so far, Barker said, all they’re seeing is zipties on the fence and pieces of paper warning against unauthorized use. “Your methods are jokes,” she said flatly. She also pointed out that MoCA asked years ago to activate the site – so now there’s activation, and Parks is trying to shut that down, so “frustration” has resulted.
What does “skate dot” mean? she asked. “Skateable features integrated into the site, not a big bowl,” for example, said Schwindeller. The supporters warned that “mixing use” could wind up in injuries and skateboarders don’t want that.
So what’s next? Revising the design, Barker observed, would require a whole new public process – which had happened years ago, resulting in the existing design.
Attendee John Kinmouth wondered if there’s some middle ground that could be reached to permit interim use of the site. Is there any way to “follow other DIY traditions in the community, where they’ve been allowed to continue?” he wondered.
Cindi Barker recalled the bruising 2007-2008 battle to try to get skating incorporated in the Myrtle Reservoir Park dessign (here’s a sample of our coverage). She said that basically, rather than asking MoCA to shoulder this, the supporters themselves need to marshal neighborhood support and work with Parks. And she voiced disappointment that the skaters hadn’t come to MoCA sooner, “The bone you gotta pick is with Parks – when you work that out,” they’ll be happy to support it.
“We’re not going to go back to square one” with the old design, promised Schwindeller. He said they could bring in a “sub-consultant,” maybe someone like Grindline, to work on possibilities. There was also talk of surfacing this to new Parks Superintendent AP Diaz. The discussion concluded with a suggestion from Deb Barker that a meeting be set up sometime soon to hash through everything.
DEPARTMENT OF NEIGHBORHOODS: Rosa Garcia, now filling in as community-engagement coordinator, introduced herself and offered to help as a liaison between community members and city departments.
NEXT MEETING: MoCA meets quarterly, so the next meeting is January 18 – 2023!
From 16th SW concerns to stormwater-storage tank plan, here’s what happened at HPAC’s monthly meeting
October 1, 2022 9:49 pm
Safety and stormwater were hot topics as HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, and South Delridge – met online this past Wednesday night.
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT: New third-watch (nighttime) commander Lt. Nathan Shopay was a guest. He was surprised to find how busy it is “deep into the night” in West Seattle/South Park – it’s the quietest precinct but still busy. “We augment a lot – a minimum amount of officers we have to get to (via volunteers) to get to 10 officers a night.” He said they run many “emphasis patrols,” including Westwood Village, and extra staffing for gun violence. He says cross-precinct dispatches to or from South Precinct are common. “Our priorities are … enough officers to serve the community (plus handling) shots calls, anything gun violence related, and we’re still going after all our violent offenders.”
16TH SW SAFETY: With the increase in RVs along 16th SW near South Seattle College (WSB sponsor), crime/safety concerns, said an attendee who works at the college. “I’m at a crossroad where I don’t know what to do with the situation.”
Highland Park, Riverview, South Delridge: HPAC would love to see you Wednesday night!
September 27, 2022 7:01 pm
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| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Summer’s over and community groups that went on summer hiatus are reconvening. Next one: HPAC – the community coalition for Highland Park, Riverview, South Delridge – meets Wednesday (September 28th) night online. Transportation (farewell, bridge-detour traffic) and safety – an SPD rep is expected to be there – are hot topics. So is the West Duwamish Wet Weather Storage Facility that’s being planned in the area. All are welcome – more details, and the info for attending by video/phone – can be found here.
The Great Pumpkin Search needs you, ferry-dock talk resumes, other notes from Fauntleroy Community Association’s September meeting
September 20, 2022 9:01 pm
| Comments Off on The Great Pumpkin Search needs you, ferry-dock talk resumes, other notes from Fauntleroy Community Association’s September meeting
| Fauntleroy | Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Key topics from the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s September meeting:
GREAT PUMPKIN SEARCH: This is happening October 8th – new format – and volunteer help would be appreciated. Here’s the announcement the FCA is circulating:
You can look forward to “The Great Pumpkin Search,” presented by the Fauntleroy Community Association. This fun event for the whole family will be on Saturday, October 8, from 2 to 5 pm. The Association will have a booth set up in the square across from Endolyne Joe’s. The pumpkins will be hidden in the streets that spoke out from that square. There will be little pumpkins easy to find for the wee ones and larger pumpkins harder to find for the grownups. As a bonus, there will be a few prize pumpkins to find. All of this is on a first come, first serve basis. We also encourage you to take a picture if you find pumpkins and post them on social media and tag it #FCAPumpkinSearch. Just like the Spring Egg Hunt, we would love volunteers to hide the pumpkins, but the area will be more concentrated around the square. If interested, please call or email Candace Blue, 206-401-8406, leeblue2@hotmail.com.
FAUNTLEROY FALL FESTIVAL: Coming up two weeks after that, this year’s Fauntleroy Fall Festival. Organizer Reed Haggerty said that while they’re bringing it back in-person this year, it won’t be exactly what you remember from before the pandemic, because costs have risen so much. While The Falconer will be back with birds, the petting zoo won’t. They’re also still in discussions on what can be done regarding features such as the climbing wall/bouncy toys. But many festival-favorite activities will return for sure – salmon-hat-making, pumpkin-painting, etc. Festival date is Sunday, October 23rd, 2-5 pm.
FERRY DOCK REPLACEMENT: Tomorrow (Wednesday, September 21st) brings the first Community Advisory Group meeting for the dock-replacement project since May. The FCA point person on Washington State Ferries issues, Frank Immel, said not much had been happening over the summer, but he expects narrowed-down replacement options to be presented at Wednesday’s 6 pm online meeting. (Here’s how to watch.) Also related to the dock project, FCA president Mike Dey said community advocates are still circulating petitions asking the City Council to hold to a 1990s resolution against expanding the dock’s footprint. The FCA recently supported a booth at the Farmers’ Market soliciting support.
NEXT FCA MEETING: The Fauntleroy Community Association meets second Tuesdays, 7 pm, most months, in-person at Fauntleroy Schoolhouse (9131 California SW) and online. Watch fauntleroy.net for information between meetings.
Police, party, parks, more @ Admiral Neighborhood Association
September 14, 2022 11:58 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Want to connect with neighbors, businesses, others in Admiral? The Admiral Neighborhood Association hopes to help, and is having general meetings every two months these days to talk about it. Here’s what happened when the ANA invited everyone interested to pull up a chair on Tuesday night:
ANA vice president Joanie Jacobs facilitated the meeting at Admiral Congregational Church. As she said in welcoming the dozen-plus attendees, “We’re all here because we care about the Admiral neighborhood.”
Here are highlights of what they talked about:
ADMIRAL JUNCTION FUNKTION: It’s been almost three weeks since this first-time street party. In open discussion, one attendee described it as a “good start,” suggesting that in the future maybe more prep time could be planned for businesses. The relatively last-minute organizing was because the grant that helped fund the party wasn’t received very far in advance, Jacobs noted. She lauded the businesses that sponsored entertainment. Bebop Waffle Shop owner Corina Luckenbach hailed the “great energy.” Jacobs said people who stopped at the ANA booth were happy to have something going in their neighborhood. Another resident was happy to see restaurants “packed.”
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT POLICE: Lt. Mike Watson, second-watch commander (day shift), was there. Nothing major going on, he said. What are the top reasons for calls in this area? he was asked. Car prowls, auto thefts – he had a citywide stat on the latter, 483 all of last year, 708 so far this year. What can people do? “Don’t leave any valuables in your car … get a steering-wheel lock … send police video of suspicious folks you see on your home security video.” Please report everything, he urged – “we’re a data-driven department.” One resident mentioned a chronic shoplifter he frequently encounters at a local store. “I’m sure he’s been arrested multiple times,” suggested the lieutenant. “He has,” said the attendee. “There are multiple components of the justice system,” noted the lieutenant. In ensuing back and forth, the resident mentioned a recent encounter with the chronic shoplifter but hadn’t called police. “Why not?” asked the lieutenant. “What’s the point? He’s gone.” The lieutenant was resolute in urging that reports be filed. Another resident mentioned speeding problems. “Have you asked SDOT for traffic-calming humps?” Yes, they’ve worked with the city – and they’re trying to get organized again. They’re also hoping to get a light in the area. After a discussion of traffic safety, Lt. Watson shared more crime stats, citywide – all major types, including property crime, are up double-digits. Asked about staffing, he noted the department was down “about 400 officers.” He didn’t have specifics about the SW Precinct. What about morale? “We’ve been beat up a lot … (but) we’re hanging in there.” What are the top types of incidents you’ve been called for that you shouldn’t be? The lieutenant declined to directly answer that one but had some advice: “Even the most mundane (incident) can turn violent … just call us.” One attendee talked about a person who seemed to be overdosing; SFD and SPD were called, and the person said they didn’t want help. In that case, Lt. Watson said, they have no choice but to back off. Somebody else talked about a person who was shot in the neighborhood in an abandoned car about which police had been notified. If someone is living in their car the lieutenant noted, they can’t do anything about it.
HIAWATHA INACCESSIBILITY: ANA couldn’t have summer concerts or even an outdoor movie at Hiawatha Community Center park this summer, having been told that there would be work under way … but there wasn’t. Parks declined to send a guest to this meeting but sent info via email. The official timeline: Two projects remain planned for Hiawatha, the community center stabilization project – “They’re still waiting on a FEMA grant” – hoping to have grant approval in late September, would then proceed with bidding, work to be done in winter. (Back in June, Parks told us they expected grant approval “shortly.”) Hiawatha Play Area Renovation/Relocation – got approval in late July, hoping bid this fall, construction in winter. Next year they’ll have a backup plan if the Hiawatha projects are further delayed – likely Hamilton Viewpoint.
ADMIRAL CHURCH’S FUTURE: Anita Shaffer from the church council said they’re continuing on conversation and have no new info to share – just that progress is being made. There was a survey Rev. Andrew Conley-Holcom summarized some of the original conversations dating back four years. The planning got shelved as COVID – and then came the focus on land trust; they’re talking with Homestead CLT about viability. “Our congregation is really committed to staying in this neighborhood” rather than selling for the “gobs of money” the site would likely bring, Rev. Conley-Holcom stressed. He recapped the type of affordable housing that’s largely not being built – 65 to 85 percent of AMI. Something that fits into the neighborhood, as the pastor said. The church has been here since 1899 – “we want to continue to be a part of this neighborhood, not apart from it.” They’ll have more community conversations when there’s something more to talk about.
UPCOMING EVENTS: Admiral District trick or treating is set for 3-6 pm October 31st this year … Next ANA meeting will be at 7 pm November 15th … A “.5K beer run,” sort of a pub crawl, is in the works for early next year.
Live, work, play, shop, study in Admiral? Here’s what to do on Tuesday
September 11, 2022 10:41 am
| Comments Off on Live, work, play, shop, study in Admiral? Here’s what to do on Tuesday
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
If you have any connection to the Admiral area, the Admiral Neighborhood Association would love to see you Tuesday. ANA is having a general meeting at 7 pm at Admiral Church (4320 SW Hill). Concerned about crime/safety? An update from the Southwest Precinct is planned. Want to talk about the recent Admiral Junction Funktion street party? They’ll be doing that too. And you can find out in advance about what’s planned in Admiral this fall. Just show up! (Inbetween meetings, you can also check out the group’s website, connecttoadmiral.org.)
CRIME WATCH FOLLOWUP: With rapist still at large, North Delridge residents to gather
No arrest yet in Monday’s North Delridge sexual assault, nor do detectives have any new information to release, Seattle Police tell WSB today. But area residents plan an action Friday night. “We want to bring awareness and support, and make the authorities look at us and do something,” says one neighbor. Another tells WSB the neighborhood’s reaction began with anger but then led to a search “for ways to bring more attention to this issue.” They plan to meet up at Cottage Grove Park at 5 pm tomorrow (Friday, August 19th) to place teal balloons around the neighborhood; that’s the color for sexual-assault awareness. They’ll also be circulating flyers. They want to ensure everyone knows this happened. The victim was attacked around 6:15 pm Monday; police searched the 26th/Juneau vicinity and beyond for hours, but SPD has released few details and only a description of what the attacker was wearing.
August 2, 2022 7:23 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
7:23 PM: Thanks to JoDean for the annual invitation to stop by her Arbor Heights neighborhood block party for a photo! It’s Night Out all around the U.S., a time for community-building block parties, with an emphasis on how neighbors can help each other stay safe. Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner tells WSB that more than 230 block parties are registered for West Seattle and South Park tonight. We’ll add more photos later.
ADDED: Games and entertainment enhanced the night at many parties. Above, Gary‘s block in Fauntleroy had a bouncy toy to keep the littlest attendees enthralled. Below, Jon‘s block (46th SW west of The Junction) had a cornhole game:
From Dragonfly Park in North Delridge, Laura sent this clip with the live music they were enjoying:
Laura explains who was playing: “It’s Doc HighDr8 tha PHilosoRaptor with Willie knockz and penny passion. Their band is Tha Nothin. Then there’s Rachel McDonald from the band OuijaBoob on ukelele. Finally Damian playing a mean harmonica. They just all came with their instruments and created some great original tunes on the spot! It was a really great evening and much needed.” … South of Admiral on 46th SW, Al says, Space Tractor was onstage:
At Steve Cox Memorial Park in White Center, the Teen Program‘s Family Night Out offered a treasure hunt and related-theme activities:
We heard about new neighbors at a couple of our stops – people excited to welcome new arrivals. … From the 9000 block of 21st SW, Greg (a pro photographer), sent a drone pic of neighbors at his party:
And from Kelly’s party off Admiral between Walnut and 41st:
Kelly says, “We have a busy street that a thousand plus people cut down every day. We have such joy blocking it for 4 hours and bringing the neighbors together! Biggest turnout since 2019. Good to have the neighbors back together. Love WS! Pizza ordered locally from Pagliacci’s!” … Allison in Arbor Heights sent a pic from her block party near 108th & 36th SW:
Thanks to everybody who sent pics!
Seattle Department. of Neighborhoods needs a new director, again
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics
Six months to the day after Mayor Bruce Harrell announced Greg Wong as his choice to lead the Department of Neighborhoods, he’s made another announcement about Wong … bumping him up to Deputy Mayor. The announcement says Wong’s appointment follows the resignation of Kendee Yamaguchi, who had been a deputy mayor for seven months.. Department of Neighborhoods deputy director Sarah Morningstar will lead DoN while a new permanent director is sought; she’s been with the department for four years, after 16 years as an educator. Wong had spoken to the District 1 Community Network about his DoN plans just last month.
July 26, 2022 9:00 am
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle police
One week from tonight – on Tuesday, August 2nd – side streets around West Seattle (and beyond) will close for neighbors’ block parties during the return of Night Out. It’s a national community-building event with history going back almost 40 years. To close your (non-arterial) street for a Night Out block party, all you have to do is register here.
P.S. If you’re having a party, Southwest Precinct Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner has an offer for you:
On Monday August 1st (the day before Night Out) from 10 am – 2 pm I will be at the SW Precinct, in the community meeting room, to provide you with crime prevention materials, swag, and goodies to give away at your parties!
Please feel free to come by during that time to pick up whatever you might need/want for your get-together.
I will have a variety of goodies, and they will be distributed on a first-come, first-serve basis.
If you’ve never been to the precinct, it’s at 2300 SW Webster; the community room is right off the public parking lot on the south side of the building.
‘Not as bad’ summer discussed @ Alki Community Council
July 24, 2022 11:58 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Roughly midway through the summer season at Alki, it’s “not as bad as years past.” So observed Seattle Police Southwest Precinct Officer Tammy Frame, first guest at this month’s Alki Community Council meeting online and in person this past Thursday night.
That’s not to say the beach has been trouble-free. Some residents were there with complaints. But there was general acknowledgment that the early beach closure – 10 pm, with fires to be out at 9:30 pm – makes a “significant difference.” One resident said, “A lot of the noise and rowdiness has evaporated.’ Even the Fourth of July was “much quieter,” attendees agreed; Officer Frame said the (unannounced) street closures that night were planned because police were “expecting a bigger crowd.”
Fast, loud driving continues to be a concern on Alki and Harbor Avenues, though, and one attendee specifically wanted to discuss aggressive driving and other problems on 56th SW, especially from people coming downhill toward the beach from Admiral Way. Neighbors have been asking for traffic-calming measures but “getting the runaround” including suggestions to apply for a variety of city grant programs that are either inactive or not applicable for transportation projects. Officer Frame suggested contacting Crime Prevention Coordinator Jennifer Danner for clearer information on possible solutions.
As for the Harbor Avenue concerns – not just aggressive driving, but also the continuing presence of RVs – one local condo complex is hosting a meeting with police this week and has invited reps from other complexes too. Asked how best to voice concerns about RVs, Officer Frame mentioned the Find It Fix It app, as well as contacting the Parks Department, which she described as the current “lead” on encampment issues. But she also stressed, if/when you see crime or “suspicious activity,” call 911 – “we need data” to quantify concerns, she stressed.
One more note before the shorter-than-usual meeting wrapped up – the Alki Elementary rebuild project has an “environmental checklist” online now for comment – find it linked from this page (scroll down to Alki Elementary, click the plus sign to expand; you’ll also find info on how to comment).
NEXT MEETING: The Alki Community Council will take August off, so next meeting is September 22nd.
Street safety and more discussed at Morgan Community Association’s July meeting
July 21, 2022 2:22 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
The Morgan Community Association‘s quarterly meeting last night started with what’s become a more-urgent-than-ever topic in West Seattle after two traffic deaths in less than three months:
(WSB photo, May 6)
CHANGES AT CALIFORNIA/FINDLAY: The city’s semi-new traffic engineer Venu Nemani was at the online meeting to talk about improvements to California/Findlay in the wake of the crash that killed 30-year-old Nicholas Wolf in May as he crossed the street just north of the intersection, headed to his home. SDOT recently announced the crossing on the south side of the intersection will be upgraded fron flashing overhead lights to a pedestrian-activated “half-signal.”
Nemani noted that the intersection falls in the middle of almost a mile of California without signals, and that it’s one of only a few RapidRide stations without a signal nearby.
Terminal 5, Department of Neighborhoods, West Seattle Dog Park Coalition, more @ District 1 Community Network
July 10, 2022 11:56 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
The heart of summer is usually light on community meetings, but the District 1 Community Network had an information-packed July meeting this past week.
Three topics brought guests to the online meeting.
TERMINAL 5: The Northwest Seaport Alliance – which oversees cargo operations for the ports of Seattle and Tacoma – had updates on Terminal 5, the West Seattle facility that opened one “modernized” berth to ships earlier this year and continues construction on a second berth. For one, they’re now not expecting operations to launch at that second berth until early 2024.
As of the meeting on Wednesday night, the first berth had handled 38 vessel calls, out of 299 total in Seattle and Tacoma during the same time period.
WEDNESDAY: Department of Neighborhoods director @ District 1 Community Network
July 5, 2022 8:35 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Some community groups are on summer hiatus, but not the District 1 Community Network. The coalition of community advocates from West Seattle and South Park is meeting online tomorrow (Wednesday, July 6th) at 7 pm, with a city department head as guest: Greg Wong, director of the Department of Neighborhoods. The DoN’s mission has evolved in recent years, through multiple mayoral administrations, so this is a chance to hear/ask about its focus as Mayor Bruce Harrell‘s first year continues. Also on the D1CN agenda: The Port of Seattle, the West Seattle Dog Park Coalition, and the Fauntleroy Community Association‘s latest feedback in Washington State Ferries‘ dock-replacement process. All are welcome to attend and participate in D1CN meetings; connection info is in the agenda. (Here’s our coverage from D1CN’s conversation with the mayor last month.)
Why park grass is so tall, and what else we learned at Alki Community Council’s June meeting
June 17, 2022 10:03 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle parks
Seattle Parks‘ new regional crew chief and the Southwest Precinct‘s day-shift commander were guests at the Alki Community Council‘s June meeting, held in-person and online last night.
SEATTLE PARKS’ CREW CHIEF: Insights beyond Alki were shared by Kristy Darcy, recently promoted to crew chief for Seattle Parks’ southwest area, a position left open when Carol Baker retired from a 40+-year career. First – for everyone wondering about the tall grass at local parks – for one thing, it’s growing faster than usual everywhere because of the wet, cool weather. For two, even though they’ve just done a lot of hiring, they still don’t have all the staff they need to keep up with the 85 parks and 13 athletic fields for which they’re responsible. They’re trying their best to catch up, though.
They’re also catching up with gardening – two gardener positions have been filled and they have someone working in that role full-time for the first time in two years. This past week, the newly hired gardeners were working to get the grounds of Colman Pool ready for its opening tomorrow (Saturday, June 18th). Next week, they take on the flower beds near the Alki Bathhouse – Darcy, who used to be a Parks gardener, ordered 1,400 annuals, and they’re hoping for volunteers to show up and help plant them next Friday – just show up, noon-4 pm June 24th.
Darcy shared one odd anecdote from Alki (we also heard a bit about this from a reader) – that someone tried to pry the plaque off the Denny Party monument at 63rd/Alki early Thursday. A person driving by apparently scared off the would-be plaque thieves.
In all, the staff has gone from 14 to 30 people, Darcy said, and they have two extra people to help at closing time, particularly helpful now that the early closing time for summer (10 pm) is in effect.
SOUTHWEST PRECINCT: Lt. Michael Watson, second-watch (day shift) commander, was there to answer questions about Alki. He noted that the summertime “emphasis patrol” is back, and also that the 10 pm closure doesn’t just apply to the beach – Don Armeni Boat Ramp is also being closed at 10 pm too, to try to cut down on the racing and other vehicle-related problems. The motorcycle crash earlier in the week near Don Armeni was brought up, but no new information emerged. Lt. Watson did mention something that’s come up at other community meetings – if your security camera captures “criminal activity” and a suspect can be identified from it, that could be enough for “probable cause” for an arrest.
The Alki Community Council meets on third Thursdays at 7 pm most months – watch alkicommunitycouncil.org for updates.
Starting his sixth month on the job, Mayor Bruce Harrell talks with District 1 Community Network
June 1, 2022 10:21 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
Whatever you’re concerned about, Mayor Bruce Harrell wants you to know he is working on it – or has just hired, or is about to hire, someone who will be.
That was the theme during his first guest appearance answering questions from the District 1 Community Network during its monthly meeting online tonight.
MAYOR HARRELL: This was the mayor’s first appearance at any public West Seattle community-group meeting. He opened by saying he’s trying to be “transparent in what we’re trying to do,” taking action “with kindness, with data … we don’t mince words … we work seven days a week.” D1CN prepared questions in advance to start with. First, he was asked about city neighborhood-district councils, which were supported by the city until two mayors ago. (D1CN is a hybrid successor to what were the Southwest and Delridge Neighborhood District Councils covering west and east West Seattle respectively.) Harrell said he hired Greg Wong as Department of Neighborhoods director to determine “in neighborhoods, what works best?” He said he hopes to have, “maybe by end of summer,” “a strong recommendation on what the new kind of neighborhood network should look like.” He asked for neighborhoods’ input on that.
June 1, 2022 1:42 pm
| Neighborhoods | Safety | West Seattle news
Yet another summer tradition is returning this year for the first time since 2019: Night Out block parties to celebrate community safety. Southwest Precinct crime-prevention coordinator Jennifer Danner just announced that registration is open if you’re interested in closing your (non-arterial) street for a block party – find the link here. Night Out is the first Tuesday in August, so this year that’ll be August 2nd. (Here’s our coverage of 2019’s Night Out around West Seattle.)
May 29, 2022 7:42 pm
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news | West Seattle politics
The District 1 Community Network – a coalition of West Seattle/South Park advocates – finally gets its long-planned visit from Mayor Bruce Harrell this Wednesday (June 1st). It’s an online meeting, all welcome; the group has questions lined up, but only gets half an hour with the mayor, so there won’t be much if any time for open Q&A, but the group has been discussing questions spanning a variety of topics, from public safety to transportation to land use to homelessness. (On that last topic, this appearance will be on the day after Harrell’s scheduled Tuesday announcement of his long-awaited plan to deal with the crisis.) The meeting is at 7 pm Wednesday; viewing and call-in information is in our calendar listing for the meeting.
Visit a West Seattle fire station on Neighbor Day
May 5, 2022 6:39 pm
| Comments Off on Visit a West Seattle fire station on Neighbor Day
| Neighborhoods | West Seattle news
(WSB file photo)
We can’t guarantee you’ll get to sit inside a fire engine, but all five of West Seattle’s fire stations will be open to the public 11 am-1 pm Saturday (May 7th) for the citywide celebration of Neighbor Day. They are:
–Fire Station 29 in North Admiral (2139 Ferry SW)
–Fire Station 36 by the bridge (3600 23rd SW)
SFD says everyone’s welcome and encouraged to visit, but just remember the firefighters are still on duty in case of an emergency, so there’s a chance they might have to suit up and head out while you’re there.
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westseattleblog RT @SDOTtraffic: UPDATE: All clear on West Seattle Bridge EB at 1st Ave S Off RP
westseattleblog police report a 2nd crash in that area too, so if you're heading off-peninsula any time soon, try the low bridge or… https://t.co/RfPf01Fx1F
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westseattleblog Scanner: Police to dispatch - "Let @seattledot know Delridge is a complete sheet of ice."
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Between the Light and Dark Hemispheres, there is a land called Ilmarinen, named after the ilm flower of orange and violet. In Ilmarinen, it is said, there is no poverty or war. Grasses brush softly so that children might chase through fields unblemished. Aeons-weathered boulders make beds for lovers and poets and stargazers. There the Monastery of Alashiya stands, ancient beyond memory, repository of forbidden knowledge.
Of all Aenya’s peoples, only the Ilmar remember the age before the Great Moon, when we failed to save the world from Cataclysm. In memory of song, they remember us, our hubris and our wisdom.
—From the Ages of Aenya, Volume II, as recorded by Eldin
The blood rushing to her brain made her skull ache. Her heart threatened to beat out of her ribcage. It was still following.
Beneath her, the leaves were wet and slick with dew, sticking to her bare feet, coming up in clumps of soft dirt between her toes which made her lose her grip on the earth. The arrows riding her shoulder jostled, eager to fly from her quiver in every direction. Her bow smacked her backside with every rock and ravine crossing her path. Without slowing pace, she fumbled at the leather harness between her breasts, discarding the bundle of arrows. Her bow followed in the dirt. She kept on, free of everything but muscle and skin and her auburn braid and the dapples of sunlight percolating down from the branches.
She could hear the arrows snapping like twigs with heavy, inhuman footfalls, and knew the halfman was close behind. Strengthened through fear, she kept momentum as brambles reached for her ankles and river rocks cut into her soles. She would never tire, never waver. After all, she was not like other humans. Her sense of touch was as keen as her vision. She could feel the Goddess everywhere, in the rain, in the wind, as part of the wood and as part of her.
But she was far from the wood she knew.
An immense camphor tree stood in a depression of leaves like a parent over the forest. Her fingers and toes were still covered in sap from sleeping in the branches. The stickiness helped her dig into the brittle bark, scurry up the sheer trunk with little effort. She came up through the foliage into the open sky, where she squatted along a bed of twigs that swayed underfoot.
Certain the halfman could not follow, she placed a hand to her breast, feeling her heart grow calm, her breathing settle into rhythm. No more running. She’d lost him in the high places like so many other predators.
Shades of green stretched below, split by a deep, waterfall studded gorge and the azure ribbon of the Potamis River. The river spilled into the turquoise moon that filled the horizon. The smaller moon swam like a purple fish across the face of the greater, marking the cycles till nightfall.
In quiet moments like these, when she was in hiding, she doted on the ilm her father gave her, now cast away with her arrows. When she was confident that the halfman was gone, she would go look for it, and when in her palm again, try to recall the orange and purple that colored the hills of Ilmarinen.
How many eclipses came and went since leaving home? For cycles she followed the Potamis, maintaining a southerly course, keeping the greater moon to her left. The river served as a guide and a source for drink and bathing. When the waterway dipped through barren valleys, her sustenance consisted of grubs and beetles, but in the wood she drank dew from leaves and trusted in her marksmanship to sate her hunger. Despite sincere effort, her parents could not have prepared her for the vast and nameless stretches of Aenya. They could not have known of the strange and uninviting flora of each passing day, of the fruits their daughter could only guess at eating, which could either soothe the hollowness in her belly or leave her crippled with aching and vomiting. The further from home, the harsher the touch of the world. Days were scorching and nights made her shudder. Termites found her blood sweet as she slept in the trees, and even the flowers had thorns. But she refused to mask her body in the protective cloth her mother gave her. Even the occasional thorn was preferable to the hideous, sultry, constant grating of that frock. The outside world was unlike Ilmarinen, but every new sensation made her more alive—for the Goddess was in all things.
The darkness that came with the fully eclipsed sun, the depths of the night, belonged to other gods, or so it seemed. In Ilmarinen, she laid down on the roof of her father’s house under a universe of twinkling fires, with a warm hearth and eleven siblings slumbering below. But here, lonesome but for the surrounding trees, she shut her eyes and forced sleep to come, fitfully picking out the harmless noises from invisible things that hunted in the dark.
Halfman by David Pasco
Leaves whispered and branches crackled, rousing her from her thoughts. Her foundation was swaying, threatening to fling her hundreds of feet to the ground. Something was making its way up towards her. As it burst through the foliage, she caught a glimpse of howling teeth and fur like the color of blood.
She scurried away like a four legged animal. Without realizing it, she was in the adjoining tree. He was in the other, growling in his guttural language, shaking the bone talisman in his fist. But he was not as limber or as swift on the tree tops. Careful to watch his footing, he moved uneasily across the makeshift bridge of touching branches. She reached for her bow only to realize she’d thrown it away. The limbs of the trees groaned in protest as she pulled herself to the fringes of the camphor’s height. With its trunk at her knees, the wind gushed fiercely about her, testing her balance. Being twice her size, she was certain that the halfman could not follow, that the branches would snap under his weight. But he could still reach—she could feel him now, clawing her heels, drawing blood with his nails. With nowhere to go, she navigated through the maze of branches, down and backwards, blindly reaching for anything to hold to, clutching at twigs no thicker than her fingers.
When she could no longer see his bloody red hide, she allowed herself a moment to breathe, and then the halfman dropped from above. She slinked away again, her feet kicking empty air, and suddenly her stomach lurched as the sound of splintering timber rounded in her ears.
She broke through the branches as she fell. The ground was strewn with leaves, but hit harder than dirt. Lifting herself carefully, she tested for body for pain, for broken bones—and was off again, her feet slapping against a flat unyielding surface. In a blur of stone and iron, she could feel the strangeness of her surroundings, the runes etched into the floor, the obelisks and massive rings, tall as trees, teasing her curiosity as she gaped for breath. Vague human shapes towered over her, faceless giants lining the path. Golems, her people called the statues; they were everywhere, even in Ilmarinen masquerading as boulders. But she’d never seen so many before, standing upright like sentinels. The place was old beyond memory—a great city from aeons ago, from before the greater moon. Every stone in every courtyard echoed with the memories of the dead. But the forest was reclaiming it. Grasses sprouted between tiles. Roots cut through walls without doors or rooftops. She had no time to wonder at these wonders, however—the halfman still wanted her for dinner and she could not hope to lose him in the open.
Turning toward a broken archway, beyond the watchful faces of stone, she flew deep into the thick of the wood, hoping to be concealed by the fan shaped leaves. She moved with the grace of a hunted treer, navigating streams and slopes and thickets as though running it a hundred times before. But the halfman was not giving up the chase. Nor was it growing distant. Any moment, her legs would give out, and he would be on top of her. Hiding had failed her and running no longer seemed the wisest course. If there was any chance to fight, it could not happen with her back to it. But there was no hope of turning. Its monstrous breathing was raising the hairs of her neck. Then the shock of its raking claws threw her off balance and she collapsed hard, repeatedly punished as she rolled across the uneven, volcanic terrain.
She could feel the heat of his growl, smell the undigested meat between its oversized molars. The halfman overshadowed her, beating its muscled breast with arms thicker than her waist. But she did not show fear. With equal ferocity she returned his gaze, with eyes of green fire, giving the monster pause. But her fists would not be enough. She frantically searched her surroundings, looking for anything she could use to do harm—a rock, a branch, anything at all. Her touch found it before the eyes could follow; it was smooth and hard and jagged, a larger fragment amid bits of glass scattered across the ground. The shard of obsidian cut into her palm as she lifted it to the moon and down again. The shimmering blade plunged between the halfman’s eye and nostril. Its howl was like needles in the ear, and she stumbled away, mesmerized by the horror of it, by the black glass jutting from its mutilated face.
You should be running.
Before she could see it happen, his meaty fingers closed about her wrist, snapping her body like a doll. Tendrils of pain shot through her shoulder. She could not hope to wrestle free, even with two good arms. The halfman roared, pounding its chest again. She winced as it flexed for the killing blow, her final thoughts of the home, of the brothers and sisters she would never see again. But the blow never came.
The halfman’s grip died away, and her arm flopped lifeless to her hip. His ape face contorted in a mix of rage and confusion, with an arrowhead jutting from its throat.
She blinked through the pain at the shapes emerging from the haze, hardly recognizing them for what they were. Human bodies were supple and hairy and did not gleam in the sunlight—at least not the kind of human bodies she was familiar with.
“The rumors appear to be true, Captain Dantes,” one of the men said to the other. “Halfmen,” he added, nudging the lifeless mass of fur with his boot, “and so close to camp.”
“Aye,” said the man on the right, tilting his faceplate open, “but what of this one?” He fixed his shaggy gray brows on her, astonishment showing through his age sunken cheeks.
She was suddenly a very young girl, lost and vulnerable. Her eyes, bright as an emerald lagoon, wandered with intense curiosity over the leather and bronze of their armor, over their belts and boots and gloves, as if never having seen clothing before. But outsiders were not entirely unknown to her people. It was what had brought her so far from home.
“Why, she’s as bare as a newborn!” the older man exclaimed. “. . . It’s a wood nymph if ever I saw one!”
“Her grace kindles the heart, indeed,” the Captain replied, “but she’s just a girl, a feral child, perhaps, lost to the wood when the bogrens came to her village. And she’s hurt.”
They stared, branding her every curve to memory, but she did not know to feel shame any more than a fish can know what it means to be wet. She simply stood, still as a morning dewdrop, her right arm limp against her side.
The man called Captain pulled off his helmet. He had dark eyes and an ebony beard and was pleasing to look at, and did not seem capable of hating her, despite her parents’ warning. Her instinct was to dash into the wood, but she did not flinch as he unhinged his cloak and stepped closer, wrapping her in it. She tugged at the hem, finding the fabric richer and more finely worked than her mother’s tunic. He pulled a jeweled dagger from his belt, the finest blade she had ever seen, and with a single stroke cut a long strip from the edge of his cloak to fasten about her palm, staunching the flow of blood.
“Do you have a name?”
“Can you speak?”
Words did not leave her mouth and she did not know why. She understood most of what was spoken to her. It was a dialect similar to the one used by Aola, the outsider who taught her the ways of the bow. But it’d been so long since speaking with anyone. Perhaps she’d forgotten how.
Go to: Ages of Aenya: Chapter 1 (2012)
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Published by Nick Alimonos
I wrote my first story when I was six, and have devoted my life to storytelling ever since. I am the author of the Aenya series, which includes Ages of Aenya and The Princess of Aenya. View all posts by Nick Alimonos
April 19, 2012
writing
April 19, 2012 at 11:47 pm
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April 19, 2012 at 11:57 pm
Both the Prologue of Ages of Aenya by Nick Alimonos, and the Image of Thelana by Alexey Lipatov, were phenomenal, and they enticed me in something both different and exciting.
April 20, 2012 at 2:48 am
Thanks, Arthur. Believe it or not, it's taken me many years to find the perfect image of Thelana, and I think this is it. Getting the picture out of my head and onto paper has been no easy challenge. She needed to be beautiful, natural, graceful (notice how precariously, yet confidently she clings to the trees) and most importantly, she needed to be naked but in a nonsexual way. I essentially hoped to capture the same qualities that can be found in Classical art—nobody can arguably find Praxiteles “Hermes” or Leonardo's “David” offensive, so I hope no one will be able to find “Thelana” by Lipatov offensive. And I must say, my hat goes off to Mr. Alexey Lipatov from the Ukraine for this superb portrayal. You've helped me give birth to Thelana and you did it with ease (this was his first and only draft).
David says:
April 20, 2012 at 2:57 am
I'm gonna comment on the prologue itself after work tomorrow, but that it an AWESOME pic of Thelana.
April 22, 2012 at 5:40 am
Nick, a nice piece of art indeed.
Thelana's struggle cares for our feelings of adventure way too much than any other story I've read recently. Nice job.
The visual image of Thelana deserves some credit as well. Good!!
I especially enjoyed the last part, where Thelana understands the language, but wishes (?) not to speak out. It fires up our anticipation for the rest to come…
David says:
April 22, 2012 at 2:02 pm
I had mixed feelings going into reading this prologue. It's new material, so of course I was excited to read it, but I've grown to love the prologue it replaced. Your logic in doing so is flawless, but sentimentality made me want to find something wrong with this, some reason the original was superior.
That being said, having finished reading the new prologue, an had a bit of time to digest it, I think it's not only a welcome addition to the story, but actually a superior prologue to the original. Often times I forget how intimately involved in the world on Aenya I've been. As this point I feel a degree of genuine love for it's characters. After all, I can remember late night conversations with you where you told me about the new McFarlane figures you bought, how much they inspired you, and how you felt they might be perfect for something new you were working on.
Keeping that in mind, my introduction to Xandr was not a young boy having a long philosophical conversation with an aging monk, but rather the bronzed warrior heaving his battleaxe into the head of a giant snail as it attacked him. Now, having read almost al of Xandr's journey by the time you created that prologue, of course I wanted to learn more abut his childhood, but of course, new readers don't have the same familiarity that I do, and thusly may be turned off by such a long build up.
This new prologue puts us right in the middle of the action, however. I absolutely love the subtle nuances like Thelana's release of her bow and quiver. It says so much about her with so little. As you know, I'm a huge fan of minimalist storytelling. While we later see Thelana's vulnerability in her fear and confrontation with the halfman, this moment shows her courage and practicality. Sure, the bow and arrows make her feel safe, but hat she needs now is flight, not fight, so off they go. The issue of nudity is also brilliantly addressed here. By weaving it into Thelana's thoughts, more than into the physical description of the actions, you make nudity, not sexuality, a clear theme.
Finally, this immediately makes readers drawn to Thelana. You want her to survive, and when it becomes clear that she will, you're relieved. You want to know what happens next…and then she's gone. Where the hell did she go? Will she be back? What happened to her with the soldiers? By the time she makes her reappearance in the story, you're thrilled. You're excited to see her, excited to know that she survived, you're…feeling an awful lot like Xandr must be feeling. Masterful storytelling there, man. You should be very proud. (More coming…)
David says:
April 22, 2012 at 2:03 pm
The one thing that irked me though, was the moment where Thelana stabbed the halfman. I kept wondering where she got the knife. I know you mention an obsidian shard, but I thought of it like Nessus' obsidian swords. I think a quick sentence of two explaining that Thelans felt around the ground and found the shard would do wonders here.
One final suggestion that you might want to keep in mind as you go over the next few chapters, I think that introducing new words to describe creatures or phenomena in fantasy always works better when it is done through the voice of the world's inhabitants, not through the narrator. One of the reasons I dislike most of the fantasy genre is that it feels like the author is trying so desperately to point out how different their world is from the real one we inhabbit. When the narrator mentions a creature by an unfamiliar name, it feels like they're saying “See how insane this world is!? You know how you have bears? There are No bears in Fantastopolis! We have Neon Yellow killer bear-creatures called Trears! Wow!” and it gets tedious fast. By having the characters mention these new creatures, it feels so much more organic. Captain Dantes mentioning the bogrens seems no more odd or out of place than a coworker mentions something I've never heard of before, and like I do with my coworker, I must figure out what it is by the context. By the time the narrator mentions bogrens later on, they feel familiar enough that it doesn't look forced, but still exotic enough that I'm eager to find out more about them.
Anyhow, over all fantastic addition to the Aenya lore. Thanks for sharing it with us.
…and, of course, I loved seeing my halfman show up alongside that brilliant depiction of Thelana!
April 22, 2012 at 2:06 pm
Thanks, Aris. My opium is your words. Any and all feedback. I am an addict and I am feeling it now.
April 22, 2012 at 2:14 pm
Jesus, David. I wrote much of that prologue on my iPhone while I was bored . . . so maybe it's getting easier to write well? Is all this experience finally paying off? But you are correct, my friend. Originally, the story began with Xandr planting an ax into the skull of a snail. <> Those were the good ol' days, I tell ya. I also very fondly remember that McFarlane toy that in-part inspired Thelana. Thelana is made up of many things, but very few people know about the toy, or how I used toys for inspiration. I wasn't even married then. Now I have two kids. One is seven.
April 22, 2012 at 2:24 pm
You are incredibly astute in your observations. I am sometimes surprised that you are not a professional writer or editor or agent. What you say about the fantasy genre I find equally irksome. I call it name-dropping and it drives me nuts. Fantasy authors, typically raised on a diet of Tolkien, spoon-feed readers with gobbledygock (the official language of goblins) to make their worlds seem bigger and more interesting, but I find it has the opposite effect.
I will take your advice and add another sentence to explain the shard of obsidian. As for the halfman, you and I both know where the inspiration for him came from, but ever since you made a custom figure for it, all I can picture is that guy. You definitely made a visual impression on me and that just makes my job a lot easier! Thanks! Halfman lives!
May 25, 2012 at 6:19 pm
Despite drastic revisions to The Dark Age of Enya, the prologue for Ages of Aenya has remained mostly the same. It was difficult deciding to change it, considering Xandr's origin set the tone for the entire novel, telling the tragic events that define his character as well as establishing the dynamics of Aenya's elaborate history. For years I toyed with the idea of spreading out Xandr's origin into different parts, but I was afraid that by using the time-shifting media-res technique, a technique I am not a fan of (I prefer linear stories) Ages of Aenya would come across as more convoluted than complex. But time's have changed and so must I. Media-res is all the rage these days (The Darkness that Comes Before, Never Knew Another). These days, agents want to be hooked by the first five pages. The Hunger Games is a great example of how best to a hook a reader. The old prologue for Ages of Aenya started with a long philosophical discussion between a mentor and a student. Although philosophy and mentor/student relations are two things I adore, they don't typically hook the average reader. Plus, Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone was changed in the U.S. to Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone because, sadly, Americans won't buy books with the word philosophy on the cover, or so the theory goes. So ixsnay on the philosophy part.
Have I sold out my principles? Not a chance. All the old content is there, but the reader is introduced to Aenya through a different door, if you will. In this version, I introduce Thelana first, throwing you into the middle of a scene that, I hope, you'll find both pulse-pounding and intriguing.
Noelle says:
July 30, 2012 at 8:16 pm
I started reading this prologue after reading your bio. I liked the style of writing and i became very curious about the Aenya project after reading how this story came to be.
So far so good. Every story has a beginning, a middle and an end … At least most stories do. Being pushed right into the action, and because of the way you decribe her, I already like Thelana and definitely feel the urge to know more about her and her world.
December 2, 2012 at 5:25 am
It's hard for me get into a book or story, so it says alot when I read this with ease. Enjoyed the action from the start, while adding in details as you went. Your style of writting is different, but thats a good thing. Honestly the only negitive thing I can comment on is to add a slight more detail in the decrisptions of your characters, but that could be my personal preferance. Other than that, write more!
December 2, 2012 at 6:30 am
First off, thanks for the positive review, incomprehensible line of numbers and letters (can I call you that?). This part of the story is entirely from Thelana's perspective, so we don't get to “see” her yet. But don't worry, as the story unfolds, we get to know more about what each person looks like, especially Thelana, as she is seen through the eyes of her love interest (spoiler!).
June 6, 2013 at 1:51 am
OK, I found this blog off the deviant art page for the artist Lipatov, and you have just stole my entire evening. I devoured the first three chapters and find myself entirely engrossed in “Ages of Aenya”. I was actually going to write an angry comment once I realized the 3 chapters and prologue were all that was up, but now that you appear to be publishing I have only two questions; When and how can I pre-order?
It is so refreshing to see someone writing fantasy that isn't a Tolkien “omage”; no elves, dwarves or dragons crowding up the damn page saying the same things over and over again. And the fact that you actually have something to say is so much better than the trite on display at Barnes & Noble. Science-fiction is founded around juxtaposition and social commentary, why the Hell can't contemporary fantasy too?
So yes, I will declare myself your first sale. Please update when Ages will be available, through which publisher and when I can pre-order. Thanks!
Jason says:
June 6, 2013 at 2:50 am
OK. I stumbled onto your fiction from deviant art. You have just destroyed my evening. I am thoroughly engrossed in Aenya now. I need to know more about Thelana and Xandr, need to know more about the world, and am downright angry you haven't posted more. Now I see on the blog that you are trying to get published; so my question is when and where can I pre-order?
You HAVE to get published. I've been looking for years for fantasy that is different. I'm tired of boy-wizards, Tolkien pastiches and Conan knock-offs. Give me fantasy that says something. Science-fiction is defined by its social commentary but fantasy is limited to saying “evil” is “bad”. Considering they have the whole generation that grew up reading Harry Potter you figure they would publish more and different fiction in order to keep that audience…
So thank you Nick for writing something different and damn you for making me wait to read it.
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It may not be the first thing on your mind when you wake up in the morning, but lets take a second to think about the amount of paper that is being used everyday. OK, time is up. Hopefully you came to the same conclusion that I did and that is there is a lot of paper that is being used everyday. Obviously that is the case whether it is news papers, magazines, product packaging or even toilet paper. So what is the big deal? Well as I am sure all of you know paper comes from trees and with the overwhelming use of it, deforestation has become a growing concern for us and our environment. I know, I know, but we need paper it is a commodity for everyday life. Of course we need paper, but that doesn’t mean there are not any alternative sources which can help prevent deforestation.
I am willing to bet when we took that second to think about the amount of paper being used, that blue prints were not something that jumped out. Truth be told, blueprints account for an overwhelming use of paper. In fact 42,000 trees are killed each year just to print off blueprints. That is enough paper if laid end to end to form a road from Washington D.C. to New York.
Wednesday, December 16th, 2009
So as I am sure you have seen in the news a mention of the Copenhagen you might not know what it means or what will be happening there. This is where the United Nations Conference Change will take place. What happens at this conference could very well change how businesses and homes run across the world.
Over ten years ago countries joined in on an international treaty, the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The goal was to confront any issues with global warming and temperature changes that are inevitable. Representatives from the 192 countries are meeting to work on a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol which will expire in 2012.
This Convention on Climate Change provides a setting to discuss potential legally binding means of addressing these issues. In reality, it is recognizing that we have one climate system and one environment. We all have to work for a solution. Together.
Monday, December 14th, 2009
According to UNICEF’s numbers, 380,000 children in India will die in this year alone. Safe clean water is in dire shortage in India and other developing countries. Something that we American’s take for granted as we leave it running while we brush our teeth, but elsewhere in the world the water is making people sick. Diseases such as typhoid, cholera, jaundice and diarrhea will kill about 380,000 children in India alone this year. Thankfully, India’s Tata group is catering to the low income market. They have developed a water purifier that not only is cheap- but doesn’t need running water or electricity to work.
Aptly named the Tata Swach, (which is Hindi for clean) the machine stands about 2 feet tall, looks like a water cooler and is totally portable. Originally design for those affected by the tsunami, this device uses a filter made of paddy husk ash. This ash has long been known for its cleansing properties–poor villagers use it to clean their teeth. The use of the natural rice husk material is a key part of the process.
Tags: purified water, UNICEF
Poo Poo Paper – Environmentally Friendly Gifts
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Trying to find the perfect gift for someone for the holidays? Were you thinking that maybe a nice stationary set or photo album would be a great idea? Take a moment and look into poopoopaper.com. Yes, it sounds disgusting; and to be perfectly honest, it is a bit disgusting. These paper products are actually handmade from recycled elephant dung. However, with a motto like “We take the Ooo of out Poo,” it’s a bit easier to believe that it’s not as bad as it sounds.
With a process that includes multiple rinses, a boiling stage and adding natural fibers from banana trees and pineapples, the poopoopaper is made thick and strong. The mixture is then laid out flat on mesh-bottomed tray into small cakes or “wafers”. The tray is then leaned up against a tree angled toward the sun. No drying process is used saving energy and resources. They also carry cow dung products as well.
Posted in General Recycling | No Comments »
RFC featured in Oakland Press with Eastern Market Detroit
Friday, December 11th, 2009
Recycling for Charities, a Royal Oak-based nonprofit group, is urging everyone in the metro Detroit area to bring used electronics to Eastern Market in Detroit between 8 a.m. to 2 p.m. Saturday December 12th and 19th 2009 . Alternatively donations can be made online 24/7/365 on their website at http://www.recyclingforcharities.com. All donations are tax deductible.
The goal of the collection drive is to keep electronic waste out of landfills while simultaneously benefiting charities.
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Kuba is one of the beautiful cities in the world and offers numerous wonderful tourist attractions around it to explore. Kuba is one of the lovely cities in the world. Buses in Kuba are the primary mode of transportation to get around. Buses to and from Kuba operate on all the major runs. You can book a Kuba bus online to discover many interesting things about Kuba.
The buses plying in Kuba can be opted as a travel option by many. Booking bus tickets online in Kuba is easy, fast and can be booked securely on redbus.com.
Q: Do I need an account on redBus.com website to book a bus ticket online?
A: No, you do not need to make an account with redBus to book a ticket. However, we recommend that you create an account on redBus so that you can book a bus ticket next time even faster. In addition to this, you can also avail redBus discounts and offers on bus tickets by creating an account.
Q: What is an M-Ticket?
A: An M-ticket is an SMS that is sent to your registered mobile number after you successfully book a bus ticket online with redBus. This M-ticket can be the virtual replacement of your printed bus ticket. The M-ticket includes your bus ticket details such as bus timing, pick-up and drop-off locations, vehicle number, PNR etc. An M-ticket is an eco-friendly step by redBus to reduce the number of paper tickets and ensure passengers’ safety from any communicable disease.
Q: Is it safe to use my credit card or debit card for payment while booking a ticket to and from Kuba?
A: Yes, you have nothing to worry about paying for tickets through debit card or card with redBus. reBus has taken care of all the safety measures when it comes to payment gateways. redBus website is completely secure, and with 180 million satisfied customers, there has never been an issue with card payments.
Q: How do I get in touch with the customer care department of redBus.com?
A: There are different customer care contact numbers for different countries. You can just go to the redBus website, choose the country you would like to book bus tickets for, and see the customer care number at the top. Also, you can simply drop an email to the redBus support on the given email address.
Q: How do I book my bus tickets at Kuba?
A: You can book a bus ticket to Kuba simply by visiting the redBus website, selecting the country, and filling up the details of your source and destination cities. redBus website is user-friendly, and with the help of easy-to-follow steps, you can book bus tickets to Kuba within a few minutes.
Q: Where would be my pick-up point?
A: You can check the details of your pick-up and drop-off points on your ticket. The details of your pick-up location would be sent to you via M-ticket. Also, while looking for bus tickets on redBus.com, your pick-up and drop-off locations are mentioned below the schedule.
Dhanbad to Burdwan
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In the wake of the ITU’s World Conference on International Telecommunications (WCIT) in Dubai, we now have a campaign to de-fund the ITU. What’s more, two House subcommittees will be holding a joint hearing to examine “international efforts to regulate the Internet” February 5. There are legitimate reasons to discuss both future ITU funding and international Internet governance, but it looks as if these two initiatives won’t be constructive.
A lot of people invested tons of money and effort to characterize the ITU’s WCIT, which was organized to revise the 1988 International Telecommunication Regulations, as an attempt to regulate or “take over” the Internet. That Godzilla-sized threat quickly shriveled to the size of a small, squashable bug in December, as the US and its supporters got the ITU to accept almost every U.S. demand to keep the telecom regulations away from the Internet. As noted in a earlier blog post here, the revised ITRs not only do not “take over” the Internet, they say nothing about the Internet at all. And still, the US and 54 allies refused to sign it, because they objected to a nonbinding resolution which allowed the ITU to keep discussing Internet governance. In the meantime, the operation, governance and use of the Internet has not changed one bit. Nor will it change as a result of the WCIT, because the ITU has utterly no leverage over Internet standards, Internet operations, Internet Protocol number resources or domain names. Which demonstrates clearly just how tangential to Internet governance the whole WCIT process was to begin with.
And yet, wasn’t it satisfying to have a clear, identifiable enemy of Internet freedom? Especially when that enemy is not “us,” but “them.” Instead of a bunch of squabbling domestic constituencies (copyright holders, social media companies, privacy advocates, law enforcement agencies, free expression advocates), we had a collection of disreputable foreign powers! If there’s one thing we can all agree on it is that authoritarian countries like China, Russia, Saudi Arabia, Cuba and Venezuela are enemies of Internet freedom. Right, left and center can all rally around that flag. Hooray!
This target of convenience is just too good to give up. So why not prolong it indefinitely?
In English we have the expression “beating a dead horse” when people insist on talking about something that doesn’t matter. Normal usage of the phrase implies that further discussion is futile. But in a political environment, flogging dead horses can have tremendous symbolic value (as long as no one notices that the beast is dead). If the dead horse is a demonized ITU or some other embodiment of evil, the beater ostentatiously proves that he is on the side of Right and Goodness. Both the House hearing and the campaign to defund the ITU seem to be motivated by a desire to give what is actually a dead horse the appearance of life so that various political actors can be seen energetically beating it.
The Defund the ITU website, for example, boldly assserts that “the ITU… attempted to seize control of the Internet.” “Their goal was a coup: to overthrow the open and transparent system of Internet governance that ensures the Internet’s freedom and accessibility.” The site claims that “The ITU is spending more than $180M/year to oppose the Internet.” In fact, $180 million is the total budget of the ITU; I don’t think “opposing the internet” is even a line item. But who cares? Let’s not spoil the fun of targeting a worldwide conspiracy to control the Internet. Let’s pretend that “opposing the Internet” is the ITU’s entire mission and that it poses a threat so strong it requires urgent responses.
Likewise, the Republican chairman of the House subcommittee on Communications and Technology, Greg Walden, said he is “very concerned” about the outcome of the Dubai conference” because “it could curtail the free flow of information around the world.” How, exactly? Probably Rep. Walden has no idea what is in the ITRs, either before or after they were revised. If he is worried about the free flow of information he will search the ITRs in vain for any applicable language; he might do better to inquire into US government responses to the revival of Kim Dotcom’s Mega business in New Zealand.
There are, however, legitimate reasons to discuss both future ITU funding and “International efforts to regulate the Internet.” Currently there are not many international efforts to regulate the Internet. ACTA and the Trans-Pacific Partnership, which unfortunately bind copyright protection to trade, can be classified as such. The UN Office of Drugs and Crime recently revealed that it has an international protocol for tracking people online – that might be worth paying attention to. The nexus between international trade agreements and censorship/content restrictions might be worth discussing. The continued reform of ICANN with respect to its accountability, or the de-nationalization of the IANA contract are also hot topics in global internet governance.
There are also dozens of national efforts to regulate the internet, ranging from data retention laws to calls for strengthened wiretapping laws that apply to social media to national cybersecurity and critical infrastructure protection proposals. And of course, when the US engages in these forms of regulation, the effects are often extra-territorial. So, there’s that.
Is it unrealistic to expect Congressional hearings to have open, substantive discussions anymore?
Similarly, there are good reasons to review and reconsider our participation in the ITU-T standards process. Far from being a gigantic menace to internet freedom, the ITU-T, which develops standards for telecommunications, is tottering on the edge of irrelevancy. Do we abandon this forum? Would that leave it unguarded to the Chinese and other counter-hegemonic states – who might abuse it to give domestic standards a patina of international legitimacy – or do we keep our foot in that fire? Not a simple choice.
If Rep. Walden wants to engage with Internet governance issues honestly and constructively, he needs someone from the Internet Governance Project in his hearing. If he wants to be seen beating an effigy of the devil, on the other hand, he needn’t bother to call. As long as the important problems of global Internet governance are reduced to fending off the ITU, we will never make progress.
7 thoughts on “Let’s keep this dead horse alive, so we can beat it some more”
January 28, 2013 at 22:58
You raise some worthy questions, because for many observers in processes like this, the sooner they can feel free NOT to be present, and to allocate time and resource to other priorities, the better. For most of us actually, there is no sense in which our considerable efforts on WCIT represented a consensual smokescreen or conspiratorial false alarm, as you suggest.
For all of its insights, your post fails to distinguish the ITU as an institution from its Member States, or to mention that both before and during the WCIT processes there were plenty of proposals for ITRs that *would* govern the Internet. Proposals for taxes on content providers, over and above what they already pay to carriers; for global Internet QoS standards; for Governmental control over Internet routing; or for new cost-settlement systems; but we also know that others could hit the floor for the first time during the event. During the preceding WTSA event for instance, a proposal was made for the ITU to become an IP address registry, and may have held sway if not for Secretary General Hamadoun Toure’s timely intervention. Do these proposals not appear to you as having important Internet Governance impacts?
As for the dead horse analogy, I suggest that many member states – and critically in fact, a majority of them – would find that to be misinformed or offensive. The ITU has gained huge respect both for its proud history and its ongoing work particularly in developing countries, and it appears natural to many that it should be tasked with any new responsibilities which are related in any way with telecommunications. In the case of Internet-related responsibilities, the existing established structures and alternatives are still not well understood, unfortunately, and strong proposals to reinvent those wheels will be with us for some time to come.
Finally, I have to note the distinct “I told you so” tone in your claims that nothing was ever going to happen at WCIT, but a certain lack of links to where you may have done so. I’m interested to see those; If they said, “nothing can or will happen” then they would have been incorrect, but hopefully they will come true one day. By which time we will hopefully all be on that same page, and working together on those “important problems of global Internet Governance”.
January 29, 2013 at 09:20
I agree, it is all about how we allocate time, where are the priorities, and how one assesses relative risks.
It is astounding for you to tell me that I don’t distinguish between ITU and its member states! Because that is precisely the distinction my argument is based on – and it is avoidance of that distinction that fuels your own and others’ ITU phobia. Yes, there are a lot of individual nation-states in the world with very bad intentions for free expression generally and the Internet specifically. We identify those threats with a clear, unbiased eye. Some states make bad proposals to the ITU – and in other forums, such as the IETF. Does that mean the IETF is the center of a global conspiracy to take over the Internet? In both cases, the worst proposals have little to no chance of gaining the consensus required. The ITU is an intergovernmental organization that includes a lot of authoritarian states – as any intergovernmental organization must. It also includes a lot of states who are willing and able to resist those initiatives. The authoritarian states are the problem, not the ITU per se.
IGP blog has for years consistently called attention to the fact that these states do not need an ITU agreement to censor content and regulate the ISPs under their jurisdiction. By focusing on the ITU as the alleged source of the problem, you divert attention away from the actual problem, the problem of territorial nation-states and their hostility to the Internet and the more liberal, globalized communications-information regime that has emerged around it. Focusing on the ITU also conveniently glosses over the problem of state control posed by governments such as the US, the UK and Australia, which posture as liberal and freedom loving in these ITU battles but often pursue domestic and transnational policy measures which are anything but. As I said in the article, as long as the important problems of global Internet governance are reduced to fending off the ITU, we will never make progress towards true Internet freedom.
Insofar as the ITU constitutes a threat, it is a threat that must be understood in a broader context of other threats, and weighed in its relative risk. We believe the ITU is a relatively weak actor, declining in authority and wealth. Some people love elevating the ITU threat above its actual level, because they are more interested in defending existing IG institutions against putative competitors than in advancing goals of Internet freedom.
If you are looking for the “I told you so’s” they are not hard to find – please review the 4-part series on WCIT which ran in this blog from May to July last year. Click on the “archives” button of the navigation bar.
Andre says:
January 29, 2013 at 18:06
The ITU has gained huge respect both for its proud history and its ongoing work particularly in developing countries,
That is a mild insult.
Ad says:
January 29, 2013 at 08:31
We need not be scared about abuse by China. The USTR has already handed them the solution by asking them to filter the internet for copyright issues….
Pingback: Let’s keep this dead horse alive, so we can beat it some more | IGP Blog | WCIT 12 | Scoop.it
February 1, 2013 at 05:02
“A lot of people invested tons of money and effort to characterize the ITU’s WCIT, which was organized to revise the 1988 International Telecommunication Regulations, as an attempt to regulate or “take over” the Internet.”
Who are these people and what do you see as their actual motivations? I agree with your assessment that the threat level of the ITU has been needlessly elevated, but I have a hard time identifying the disingenuous actors that you claim are elevating this threat level. I perceive the people behind the petition to defund the ITU as well intentioned albeit misinformed concerned netizens. Do you perceive them as disingenuous in their convictions? Are you implying in this article that the people/orgs involved in demonizing the ITU have motivations or interests that they’re not being forthright about?
McTim says:
February 8, 2013 at 10:12
WHOIS is your friend here.
The people who would like to defund the ITU are not misinformed netizens, they just don’t like funding (via their taxes) an effort they have to spend other monies on to oppose.
Comments are closed.
About The Author
Milton Mueller is a founder of IGP an internationally prominent scholar specializing in the political economy of information and communication. He is the author of Will the Internet Fragment? (Polity, 2017), Networks and States: The global politics of Internet governance (MIT Press, 2010) and Ruling the Root: Internet Governance and the Taming of Cyberspace (MIT Press, 2002)
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The 17th Internet Governance Forum: IGF Shows its Age
Verification and Polarization: The Politics of the Twitter Acquisition
Digitization of money
Geopolitics of IG
Platform Governance
“In characteristically rigorous fashion, Mueller’s outstanding book punctures the alarmist myth of Internet fragmentation and helps us to understand what is really at stake as nations and other groups vie for power over the Internet.”
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A poem allows the poet to disclose to the reader their ideas or life experiences via heightened use of language that appeals to the emotions. Overall, the poet creates their ideal form of creative expression in order to engage their reader and elicit a reaction. This reaction can be an emotional one, such as love or hate, or it can be intellectual, such as laughter or tears.
In order to engage their readers, poets may use various tools, including imagery, metaphor, simile, personification, allusion, and play on words. These devices allow them to express themselves creatively by drawing on the reader's understanding of what they are trying to say. For example, if a poet was trying to convey the idea of destruction they might use images such as "fire", "wrecked buildings", and "ruined lives".
Poets also engage their readers by using language that is both familiar and unique. Familiar words or phrases are those that our readers will understand because they often appear in other poems or stories. Unique words or phrases are those that only appear in one place and cannot be found in any other work. By choosing these specific words or phrases, the poet is able to express themselves effectively without repeating themselves or being understood by everyone.
Last, but not least, poets engage their readers by creating a mood in their work. A mood is an emotion that can be either positive or negative.
How do poets engage their readers?
What is the overall effect of the poem on the reader?
How does poetry help society?
How can poetry help you?
What is the overall effect of the poem on the reader?
Poets frequently aspire to create an emotional impact on readers and to write in memorable language. In other words, they want readers to feel or respond in specific ways after reading a poem, and they want them to remember that experience. They accomplish this by employing literary strategies like as imagery, sarcasm, and rhyme pattern.
The effect of a poem on its readers depends on many factors such as subject matter, tone, style, and intent. But generally, poets aim to create an emotional response in their readers. This may be done directly through describing or illustrating emotions (like anger or fear), or indirectly by showing how someone's actions affect others (like love or hate). Or it may be done simply by writing in a compelling way that keeps readers interested in what happens.
In conclusion, a poem can change people emotionally because it expresses ideas and feelings that are universal and important to human nature.
How does poetry help society?
Poetry has the ability to be used to foster empathy and overcome gaps in understanding between individuals from different backgrounds since it is focused on transmitting experience in a very visible way. In this sense, poetry may serve as a vehicle for social justice messages.
Poetry can also help us understand what it means to be human by exploring the depths of our emotions and thoughts. It helps us understand ourselves better by exposing our secrets and desires, which we sometimes feel unable to talk about face-to-face. Finally, poetry has the power to unite people because no matter who they are or where they come from, everyone can find something that connects them with the poet's experience. This common theme provides evidence that poetry has the potential to be a powerful tool for social change.
In conclusion, poetry has the ability to help us understand what it means to be human by exploring the depths of our emotions and thoughts. It has the potential to be a powerful tool for social change.
How can poetry help you?
Poetry allows us to express ourselves in a constructive way. Many of us experience anger, frustration, sadness, or fear from time to time. However, because these sensations are unpleasant, we frequently suppress them inside ourselves. Writing and reading poetry allows us to express and comprehend our emotions. As an additional benefit, writing about your feelings can also provide relief by releasing the tension caused by holding them in.
Poetry has been used for thousands of years as a means of communication, reflection, and self-expression. It is believed that ancient Chinese poets used around 500 words in their work while modern American poets typically use around 1000. These numbers show that poetry is capable of covering a wide range of topics and emotions while still being understood and appreciated by its audience.
In today's world, people use technology to avoid thinking and feeling human emotion. Writing about your experiences in poetry can be very helpful in understanding yourself and others. By exploring different styles of poetry (e.g., sonnet, ode), learning about famous poems that have touched the world, and reading more poems than ever before, you will gain insight into how other people feel and think without speaking a word.
Poetry is useful because it allows us to understand ourselves and others through the eyes of others. We can learn about passion, love, hope, pain, and happiness by reading about these concepts in poems written by great authors.
About Article Author
Colleen Tuite is a professional editor and writer. She loves books, movies, and all things literary. She graduated from Boston College summa cum laude where she studied English with Creative Writing Concentration.
AuthorsCast.com is a participant in the Amazon Services LLC Associates Program, an affiliate advertising program designed to provide a means for sites to earn advertising fees by advertising and linking to Amazon.com.
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New Mexico has collected, or is due to collect, nearly $10 million dollars from cannabis taxes, according to the state’s Regulation and Licensing and Taxation and Revenue departments.
According to the latest announcement from the Regulation and Licensing Department, July marked the highest sales so far with more than $40 million in combined medical-use and adult-use sales.
According to numbers provided by Regulation and Licensing, since recreational-use sales started in April, New Mexico has seen a total of about $196 million worth of cannabis sales. About $112 million was for adult-use sales which are taxed by both gross receipts and cannabis excise taxes. The total amount of sales since April, multiplied by the 12 percent cannabis excise tax signals more than $10.5 million in tax revenue, not counting gross receipts taxes on cannabis and related accessories retails might sell. But according to numbers reported by the Taxation and Revenue Department, the state is due about $9.9 million in cannabis excise tax revenue.
Charlie Moore, a spokesperson for the tax department, told NM Political Report that the difference in numbers is likely due to not all businesses filing taxes on time.
“The excise tax numbers we provide are a snapshot in time – it’s how much has been reported to us as of the date we run the query,” Moore said. “Though the deadline to report is the 25th of the month, some businesses may be reporting late.”
The difference between what the tax department has reported and the calculation based on what the Regulation and Licensing has reported is nearly $700,000. Still, accounting for just the cannabis excise tax, the state is a little less than halfway to the $22 million Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke projected the state will see by the end of the fiscal year.
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NM cannabis company, medical cannabis patients sue health care providers
By Andy Lyman | June 15, 2022
The New Mexico Legislature last year approved a bill aimed at eliminating out-of-pocket costs for behavioral health. When Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham signed the measure into law, she said in a press release that the bill could “make a real, meaningful difference” by eliminating copays for behavioral health services.
Now, a class action lawsuit filed last week is challenging New Mexico medical insurance providers for not covering medical cannabis expenses. New Mexico cannabis producer Ultra Health, along with six medical cannabis patients, filed the suit against seven New Mexico medical insurance providers and are seeking unspecified damages, reimbursement for their respective cannabis purchases going back to January of this year and for medical cannabis to be covered by medical insurance providers going forward. The case seems to be the first of its kind in the nation.
The cannabis company and medical cannabis patients are being represented by Christopher Saucedo, who is also a New Mexico State University regent and served last year on the state’s redistricting committee. Ultra Health has established a reputation for filing numerous suits against state departments on various cannabis issues like increasing medical cannabis production limits and overturning medical cannabis rules and regulations.
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NM misses deadline for cannabis training standards
By Andy Lyman | June 6, 2022
When the state Legislature debated the New Mexico Cannabis Regulation Act, many lawmakers raised concerns about the health and safety of the public in a post-legalization world. Some expressed concerns about ingesting too much cannabis, while others raised concerns about intoxicated driving in a state that already battles with some of the worst rates of alcohol-related deaths in the nation.
In theory, state agencies can require education programs for those who work in the cannabis industry in order to help ensure the public’s safety. And the Cannabis Regulation Act lays out a framework for education standards within the state’s cannabis industry. But currently, there are no rules or regulations for cannabis servers working at consumption lounges that are designed for on-site cannabis consumption and one cannabis educator said she thinks the state is increasing the liability of some business owners.
The Cannabis Regulation Act includes benchmarks for what is referred to as a “cannabis server education program curriculum.” Some of those standards include subjects like how cannabis interacts with other substances like alcohol and illegal drugs, how to spot “problem cannabis product users” and the impact cannabis has on a person’s ability to drive safely. The law also requires that any cannabis server education program be approved by state regulators.
But according to the state’s Regulation and Licensing Department and its Cannabis Control Division, there are no specific standards in place beyond what’s in the statute, even though regulators have already begun accepting applications for cannabis consumption lounges and have licensed one company to sell cannabis for on-site consumption. Further, the Cannabis Regulation Act requires that the Cannabis Control Division “begin licensing cannabis training and education programs no later than January 1,2022.”
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Growing Forward: Risk and Reward
By Andy Lyman | June 1, 2022
Companies that are venturing into the New Mexico cannabis industry are likely learning how difficult it can be to secure capital, buildings and insurance.
Growing Forward, the collaborative podcast between NM Political Report and New Mexico PBS, explored those topics in its latest episode.
In late May, New Mexico’s chapter of NAIOP, a commercial real estate development association, held a panel in Albuquerque on best practices for cannabis entrepreneurs and property owners who are thinking about leasing space to cannabis companies.
Shannon Cox, who is in charge of compliance at Southwest Capital Bank, told the crowd that the bank is now wading into the waters of commercial loans for cannabis companies. But, she warned, cannabis business owners should not try to hide the nature of their business from their bank, especially if the bank is not accepting cannabis customers.
“Don’t lie to your banker, because they’re going to find out and they’re going to kick you out,” Cox said.
Cox later told Growing Forward that Southwest Capital has been working towards cannabis business loans for some time, but wanted to make sure the bank was compliant before accepting applications.
“We wanted to make sure that our compliance program was top grade before we started offering new services,” Cox told Growing Forward. “We feel that we’ve got a good program now. We’ve got a very experienced lending staff, which is critical, and we feel that we’re ready to go forward on it.”
In a previous episode, Growing Forward heard from business owners who not only had a hard time funding their business, but also securing a personal mortgage for their home. But Trishelle Kirk, the CEO of Everest Cannabis Co., said she and some of her employees were successfully able to secure mortgages, but that it’s not easy.
“It’s one of the really frustrating things about being a cannabis employee,” Kirk said.
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NM collects $2.4 million in cannabis taxes for first month of sales
By Andy Lyman | May 27, 2022
The New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department announced on Friday that it has collected more than $2.4 million in cannabis excise taxes for April, which was the first month of adult-use sales in the state.
The Cannabis Regulation Act, which was approved by the New Mexico Legislature and Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham last year, mandates that a 12 percent cannabis excise tax be applied to all adult-use cannabis sales. That 12 percent rate is slated to increase over the next several years.
Adult-use cannabis sales are also subject to a state gross receipts tax which is seven to eight percent, depending on the county. The Taxation and Revenue Department reported collecting more than $1.6 million in gross receipts taxes from adult-use cannabis sales.
Taxation and Revenue Secretary Stephanie Schardin Clarke said in a statement on Friday that the tax revenue so far signals a boost in state revenue.
“The adult use cannabis industry in New Mexico clearly has gotten off to a strong start,” Schardin Clarke said. “These receipts show the industry is already diversifying our economy and our tax base.”
Adult-use cannabis retail stores paid $2,422,678 in Cannabis Excise Tax from the first month of recreational cannabis sales in New Mexico this April.
According to the department, 114 businesses filed tax returns and 158 businesses have registered for cannabis tax accounts, but not all of them started sales by April.
Earlier this month, Schardin Clarke told NM Political Report that the department expects to collect about $31.5 million in cannabis taxes this year.
Both cannabis excise and gross receipts taxes were due earlier this week, but some businesses said they were caught off guard by the department’s take on how both the cannabis excise and gross receipts taxes are applied to their total sales.
The Cannabis Regualtion Act also exempts medical cannabis sales from any taxes.
Adult-use cannabis businesses are required to file their cannabis excise and gross receipts taxes monthly. Taxes on May sales will be due at the end of June.
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Cannabis Regulation Act
Some NM cannabis producers may face higher than expected tax bill
By Andy Lyman | May 18, 2022
New Mexico recreational-use cannabis companies, for the first time, are required to file their gross receipts and cannabis excise taxes in one week. It’s unclear exactly how much the state is set to collect, but cannabis regulators reported more than $20 million in recreational-use sales for the month of April.
Since an announcement from the New Mexico Taxation and Revenue Department earlier this month, though, it seems that most if not all recreational-use cannabis companies may have under-collected taxes from customers compared to what those companies will owe. For some companies that could mean cutting costs on things like packaging and raising prices. For at least one company, it will mean a formal appeal with the state.
On May 5, the state’s Taxation and Revenue Department issued a press release with specifications on how the newly established cannabis excise tax will be calculated with state gross receipts taxes. The guidance from the department was to apply the 12 percent cannabis excise tax to total sales before figuring in the roughly 7 to 8 percent gross receipts tax.
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Amid music, balloons, cheering and a final countdown on the clock, Jeremy Sandoval became the first person in New Mexico to buy legal recreational-use cannabis just a few minutes after 12 a.m. Friday in Las Cruces. Sandoval, who lives in Las Cruces, said he arrived at the R. Greenleaf Organics store near the Mesilla Valley Mall at 6 p.m. He was the first person to show up. “I’m just excited,” he said. “It’s a milestone. It’s something we’ve all been waiting for.”
When Sandoval walked into the store, he was greeted by a frenzy of local press and Justin Dye, chairman and chief executive officer for Schwazze, which owns R. Greenleaf.
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Cannabis Regulation Act
NM signs intergovernmental cannabis agreements with two pueblos
By Andy Lyman | March 25, 2022
Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham announced on Friday “historic” intergovernmental agreements with two pueblos that will allow the sovereign nations to take part in the state’s newly established recreational-use cannabis industry.
According to the governor’s office announcement, leaders of the Picuris and Pojoaque pueblos each signed an agreement with the state that will “support the pueblos taking part in the recreational cannabis industry, driving economic development and setting guidelines for the safe production and sale of cannabis while preventing federal enforcement on their tribal lands.”
While the use, possession and home-cultivation of adult-use cannabis became legal last year and sales are slated to begin next week, cannabis is still illegal on the federal level. But the Cannabis Regulation Act, which is the law that legalized recreational-use cannabis, includes a provision that allows the state and tribal governments to enter into agreements like the ones announced on Friday. According to the announcement, the agreements between the state and the two sovereign governments are different from those in other states like Nevada.
“These agreements not only formalize pro-tribal policies, such as a state duty to consult and incorporate tribal concepts and policies related to cannabis, but also are the only [intergovernmental agreements] in the nation that provide for ongoing meetings and consultations between state and tribe,” the announcement read.
The Picuris Pueblo had previously tried to set up its own medical cannabis program after New Mexico legalized medical cannabis use, but the federal government shut the program down. Since then, there have been a few unsuccessful attempts by state lawmakers to pass a law allowing tribal governments to start their own medical cannabis program. Picuris Governor Craig Quanchello, through the governor’s office announcement, praised the agreement for respecting the Pueblo’s sovereignty, while also allowing collaboration between the two governments.
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Growing Forward launches fourth season
By Andy Lyman | March 23, 2022
Growing Forward, the collaborative cannabis podcast between NM Political Report and New Mexico PBS, launched its fourth season on Tuesday.
With the first legal adult-use sales slated to begin on April 1, Growing Forward checked in with Kristen Thomson, the state’s Cannabis Control Division director, about a failed cannabis bill and what it means for the state’s cannabis industry.
SB 100 would have increased production limits for smaller cannabis companies as well as allowed those businesses to sell products grown by larger production companies. The bill also aimed to clean up language in the Cannabis Regulation Act to allow legacy cannabis producers to switch their tax status from non-profit to for-profit. Up until last year, the state’s Department of Health, which oversees the Medical Cannabis Program, required medical cannabis producers to register as non-profit companies. “It’s certainly unfortunate that the statute was not amended during the session, but the Cannabis Control Division remains as committed as we ever have been in supporting small local entrepreneurs starting out in the industry,” Thomson said.
But as far as businesses switching their status, Thomson said they will have to wait until the next legislative session to possibly get that chance.
At the end of this year’s 30-day legislative session, one cannabis microbusiness told NM Political Report that there was an incentive to switch license types in order to grow more cannabis. Thomson told Growing Forward that the division plans on working out a way for those microbusinesses to change their business classification without having to go through the entire licensing process again.
“The intent is not to make anybody go through the whole application process again,” Thomson said.
But, she added, the Cannabis Control Division has to ensure the process is done in a way that can be tracked for auditing purposes.
Part of the impetus of SB 100 was to create parity between larger producers with production limits regulated by rules and regulations and microbusinesses with production limits written into law.
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NM Supreme Court tosses cannabis tax case
By Andy Lyman | February 24, 2022
The New Mexico Supreme Court effectively ended a years-long legal battle over medical cannabis and taxes.
In an order filed on Wednesday morning, the court wrote that a previous decision from the New Mexico Court of Appeals that medical cannabis was exempt from gross receipts taxes prior to June 2021 should be upheld.
“Having considered the petition, response, and briefs of the parties, the judgment of the Court is that the writ shall be quashed as improvidently granted,” the court wrote.
In other words, the high court should have never accepted the case.
The lawyer for Sacred Garden, the medical cannabis company that sparked the legal battle, did not respond to a request for comment.
Duke Rodriguez, whose cannabis company Ultra Health joined the case last year, told NM Political Report on Wednesday that he was “thrilled” with the high court’s decision.
“I think it’s a recognition that the state never had the legal authority to collect gross receipts tax on the sale of [medical] cannabis,” Rodriguez said. “This finally rights that wrong.”
The issue of gross receipts tax, which is often incorrectly referred to as a sales tax, and cannabis goes back several years, and spans two gubernatorial administrations, when medical cannabis producer Sacred Garden requested a refund for the gross receipts taxes it paid to the state. Sacred Garden’s reasoning was that medical cannabis was essentially the equivalent to other prescription drugs, which are exempt from gross receipts tax. Through an administrative hearing, the state’s Taxation and Revenue Department, under then-Gov. Susana Martinez, denied the request. Sacred Garden took the issue to the New Mexico Court of Appeals, which ultimately ruled that a recommendation for medical cannabis by a qualified medical professional was the same as a prescription for other types of medication.
In early 2020, the department, which was by then under current Gov. Michelle Lujan Grisham, challenged the court of appeals decision and filed a petition with the state supreme court.
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They trusted their prenatal test. They didn’t know the industry is an unregulated 'Wild West.'
TANF reforms could be part of 2023 legislative session
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They trusted their prenatal test. They didn’t know the industry is an unregulated ‘Wild West.’
ProPublica is a Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative newsroom.
By Susan Dunlap | December 7, 2022
By Hannah Grover | December 6, 2022
People who live in Public Service Company of New Mexico’s service territory will see a 9.7 percent increase in the base rate for electricity starting in January 2024, but because the utility will not be paying as much for fuel to generate electricity, officials say the average residential customer’s bill will only increase by an estimated 75 cents, or less than one percent.
TANF reforms could be part of 2023 legislative session
By Nicole Maxwell | December 5, 2022
The Legislative Health and Human Services Committee heard suggestions from the New Mexico Center on Law and Poverty on how to reform the Temporary Relief for Needy Families, or TANF, program.
Report outlines hospital pricing issues for uninsured
By Susan Dunlap | December 1, 2022
A new report found that some New Mexico hospitals charge uninsured patients more than insurance companies and government health plans for the same services.
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New limited program provides some in-home nursing visits postpartum
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Mikol iPhone 6 marble case is a cool new way to protect your smartphone. Bring home the best mobile phone case for your iPhone 6 and enhance your style quotient.
February 3, 2022
3 minute read
Even after thousands of years, our fetish for marble doesn’t seem to be fading; as a matter of fact, we still love to be in that “Precious Stone Age”. Since the classical age through the medieval era, marble has been part and parcel of our artistic renditions; in the modern days, the stone has made its way into many things of aesthetic and functional value.
Human imagination has taken all bizarre things & shapes into consideration and this Mikol iPhone 6 Marble case is a perfect example of weird fancies struck to our minds.
In the presence of all the products (click the linked phrase above), I guess a mobile case plays a much digestible role. I got this natural color NERO MARQUINA marble case for my iPhone 6 yesterday, which was Sunday. Here is my experience of the first 30-odd hours with this marble case for my iPhone 6.
DesignMarble has a quality that can’t be tampered with, and therefore, one has to maintain its natural elements while crafting any product. Mikol has done just the job; all natural qualities of marble have been retained and this makes the product simple and beautiful. Since the brand is using natural marble, no two mobile cases are similar. So I know that one I possess is unique and nobody else has got a mobile case similar to mine.
Another thing that impressed me is that unlike Native Union CLIC Marble Case for iPhone 6, which was a complete marble case, this one is not entirely made of marble. Compare the two cases and you will notice that Native Union’s case has its border made of marble, while Mikol’s marble case has its side protection of classic TPU exterior.
If you are a VIP member and want a color of your choice, Mikol can offer a custom marble option or members can work with their design team in finding the perfect color/fit.
The NERO MARQUINA marble case for iPhone 6 from Mikol has back of marble and sides are made of classic TPU exterior, which provides extra protection to your smartphone. If your phone is accidentally dropped off your hands and if it falls flat on a surface, you may not have to worry about your phone. Though care should be taken that your iPhone 6 doesn’t slip and fall with corners or sides touching the ground first.
When you iPhone is not snapped on this cover, it feels very gentle and lightweight; you can be carefree about this case as it is strong enough to sustain any shock or drop.
More is less! This is the mantra Mikol has adopted while manufacturing all its marble cases for different products. Since the brand has its own manufacturing facilities, it makes no compromise in terms of ethical production. The product technology is born out of philosophy of being less wasteful and using only what we need.
Hand cut and Sanded
Is it overpriced?
The price might stop you from buying this Mikol marble iPhone 6 case, but believe me guys $99 is worth spending on this case. Let me explain why: whenever you buy accessories for your gadgets, you consider aspects like aesthetics, functionality and strength. This mobile case boasts all three. It is made of natural marble, which itself asserts its aesthetic value. Next, you would certainly like to snap your phone on this case as it is made of classic TPU exterior bolstered with honed contrast trim and hand cut and sanded. This makes it functional in all seasons. Moreover, sides and edges are not made of marble, therefore, there hardly any chance that you mobile get damaged if it is dropped off your hands.
A mobile case made of marble can be a great gift to your loved ones. If any of your friends has iPhone 6, you can surprise him/her by sending this case that offers protection, style and performance.
Buy it from MikolMarmi.com.
iGeeksBlog has affiliate and sponsored partnerships. We may earn commissions on purchases made using our links. However, this doesn’t affect the recommendations our writers make. You can read more about our review and editorial process here.
Author
The founder of iGeeksBlog, Dhvanesh, is an Apple aficionado, who cannot stand even a slight innuendo about Apple products. He dons the cap of editor-in-chief to make sure that articles match the quality standard before they are published.
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Adapting a project initially envisioned for another client to the idiosyncracy of the market of this bank, in a different region, and make it a reality!
Date
Area
Main service
IT systems development
independent
banking, consultancy, functional analyst, independent, insurances, project management, Spain
Coordinating different insurance providers into a comprehensive and manageable IT system to 'sell insurances'.
Turning an existing bank with 300+ branches from an agent of a single insurance provider to an insurance broker working with half a dozen providers
Back in 1996, I was hired as an ITC consultant in another medium-sized savings bank in Catalonia to assist in modernising the ITC of this area of the business. I envisioned and sketched out the ITC system that should meet their requirements, but before it could be turned into a working solution the bank was absorbed by a bigger bank and the project was frozen.
Yet Cajastur got wind of this project and, in 1998, asked the Insurance Director of that bank and myself to adapt it to their environment and put it into place. And so we did.
Cajastur had long been an agent from a single major insurer and used to work with dumb terminals at the branches connected to the insurer’s internal mainframe. For two years, working with a team of up to 15 people from its staff and their ITC provider, I worked alongside the bank’s internal committee for this project, designed the business cases and procedures and negotiated with the insurance companies.
The result was a new ITC website-operated server-based system that independently managed and processed the insurance operations (simulation, issuing insurance covers, etc) at the branches and linked financial information with the banks’ mainframe while exchanging at the same time insurance data with the providers via pre-agreed standardized API calls.
Furthermore, the system included as well a data management and analysis framework that allowed the insurance team at the bank to manage the business and predict trends. What today is a regular practice in the banking world, was indeed a novelty in Spain back in 2000.
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Yesterday, I actually managed not to embarrass myself completely on the Slate news quiz — and then got all busy and forgot to brag about it.
Not that 373 is normally anything to strut about (I’d rather it be something like this), but I did beat the average and the staff ringer, and that’s at least worth a self-pat on the back, right?
I think so. Even though I missed something I should never have missed — the name of the Astros pitcher with the credit for the no-hitter I had, in misery, watched just the night before. My only excuse is, when you take a guy out in the sixth inning, and then use a small army of relievers after him, anybody can lose track of the starter’s name. Or at least, I can.
(Here’s a question: Should a guy get credit for a no-hitter when he doesn’t pitch the whole game? Yeah, I know we’re a long way from the days when my grandfather would pitch a double-header, but still — isn’t this kind of no-hitter more of a team effort than an individual achievement?)
Of course, I balanced that out by knowing something I should never, normally, have known — the name (or at least, the pseudonym) of the rapper who had been shot and killed.
Anyway, let us know how you do…
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Related
Related Posts
Speaking of stupid, I’m even dumber than I look
They’ll try ANYTHING to get me to take a quiz…
This is more MY kind of quiz — but I still blew it
Well, I had a leg up on THAT question, anyway…
I creamed the competition on the Slate quiz — slightly
Well, at least I know more about history than THESE guys…
I’m dumber than ever, but still a winner, folks!
Yeah, I ‘won,’ but I’m still below average
This entry was posted in Quiz on November 5, 2022 by Brad Warthen.
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2 thoughts on “Forgot to brag yesterday”
DougT November 5, 2022 at 12:46 pm
I’m smart enough to score 440 on this quiz , but not smart enough to know how to paste it here. I need to spend more time raking leaves vs glued to my computer screen.
bud November 5, 2022 at 3:52 pm
9 out of 12 for 378. A lot easier than the last one I did.
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About two decades ago, especially during the 1990s, some geostrategic experts, analysts, and observers predicted on media that future wars would be fought over water. Their op-eds and views on panel discussions/interviews often used to be highlighted in the media across the world. However, nothing of that sort has happened thus far, thereby rendering those predictions untrue. Even academic and institutional research negates the notion of countries tending to battle over water.
In a recent research analysis of 263 of the world’s 310 international water basins, scholars from the Oregon State University have surmised that countries are much more likely to cooperate over shared water than go to war. The research further demonstrates that during the 20th century, no war could be linked to water as the main source of conflict, except for minor skirmishes taking place that were soon resolved. On the other hand, 149 water-related treaties were signed on water-sharing, thereby enhancing the prospects of peace.
By and large, it is the penchant for peace, rather than war that spurs countries to make more strategic, economic, and hydrological sense for countries to cooperate over shared water resources. The world’s most unstable regions require encouragement in transboundary cooperation over shared waters. There is vast scope for countries to strengthen their climate resilience by jointly managing the shared river, lake, or groundwater aquifers. This sort of collaboration and cooperation entails the potential of improving bilateral and multilateral relationships between and among the countries which, in turn, can be helpful in minimizing the risks of tensions and armed conflicts.
Impact of 9th World Water Forum
The 9th World Water Forum (WWF) held its ninth edition, under the aegis of World Water Council (WWC) in cooperation with the government of the Republic of Senegal, in Dakar, Senegal was held between March 21 and 26, 2022, under the theme: “Water Security for Peace and Development.” It was the first time that an international event of this magnitude was organized in sub-Saharan Africa. The location was aptly chosen as Africa is confronted with enormous challenges of universal access to water and sanitation while also battling the challenges of poverty and growing pressures related to climate change, rapid population growth, uncontrolled urbanization, pollution, etc. With over 40, 000 attendees, the heads of state/government from Japan, Senegal, Ethiopia, Congo, Guinea-Bissau, Mauritania, Gambia, the president of the World Water Council, the president of the World Bank, the director general of Unesco, etc, and other participants from the who’s who of water community all over the world attended the event.
While opening the forum, Senegal’s president, Macky Sall, noted that water is at the beginning and at the end of life and is important for peace, development, and security in Africa, as well as globally. He called upon the international community to pay attention to water issues and asked participants to do everything to meet the expectations of the forum. Loic Fauchon, president of the WWC and co-organizer of the forum, while speaking at the opening ceremony, reiterated calls for all to work together to combat global water challenges and to adopt dialogue and cooperation to bring an end to water conflicts. He also called for the international community to set up a blue fund to help prevent the extreme shocks imposed by climate change.
A highly anticipated session, – “Parliamentarians’ Dialogue” – was held on March 22, which focused on the follow-up of the evaluation and consolidation of national public policies and international commitments on water and sanitation, in the service of peace and sustainable development. Moustapha Niasse, president of Senegal’s National Assembly (Assemblée Nationale), stated that despite the efforts made, the situation of water and sanitation security remained worrying. According to him, developing countries, especially sub-Saharan countries, have difficulty in achieving “Goal 6” of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) because of the scarcity of water tables and the salinity of the water. However, he said Senegal was finding solutions such as testing the desalination of seawater; and intended to pursue this important project that could significantly improve this situation. For her part, the president of the Commission on Cooperation and Development of the Francophone Parliamentary Assembly (APF), Angélique Ngoma, said because of population growth, in three years, the water demand will exceed resources. This will result in global warming, food shortages, insecurity, and even an increase in crises and conflicts.
Marie-Hélène Aubert, a former member of the French parliament and the European Union, mentioned the needs of the sector requiring local observation of the functioning of ecosystems, the involvement of local decision-makers, and an intersectoral law. Senegalese lawmaker Marème Soda Ndiaye pleaded for an accelerated reform in the water sector and the urgency to decide on a law of orientation on the coastline. The lawmaker insisted: “The right to water must be enshrined in the constitution.” The green wall initiative, in partnership with the French Development Agency (AFD), was also raised by Angélique Ngoma who hopes for effective support from member countries to combat desertification in the Sahel-Saharan region.
Among the several solutions recommended by the parliamentarians emerged from the discussions, among other things, included:
Creation of a global parliamentary fund on water and innovative legislative frameworks; the establishment of a “Blue Fund” for water investment; the regular monitoring of governments’ international commitments.
Adoption of a water code already in place in Côte d’Ivoire.
The parliamentarians also emphasized the issues of financing human resources to be increased and the consistency of public policies. It will also be a question of ‘controlling and monitoring the production and marketing of water’. Thus, it can be said that the 9th WWF has seemingly proved instrumental in focusing attention on water’s indispensability in promoting peace and sustainable development.
Setting in motion the positive cycle of peace in a region characterized by traditional mistrust between neighbouring countries is a ticklish question that can be resolved through water diplomacy, which is often delineated as a process leading toward establishing/or enhancing technical or political cooperation over shared waters among a wide range of actors. The international community is called upon to render active support to countries that are willing to engage in collaboration, specifically in terms of facilitating dialogues, organising training facilities, and providing guidance on policies, data sharing, and the design of joint institutional mechanisms.
Given the fact that judicious and sustainable management of natural resources entails the potential of minimizing the risk of tension and armed conflict, there arises the need for raising awareness of how good water management can contribute to food security and livelihoods for the people, especially in low-income climatically vulnerable regions. There are disturbing reports that point to how criminal gangs, terror groups, and local militias are attempting to take control of local water resources to gain ground. And to prevent this exploitation of the vulnerability of local people and communities, it is increasingly significant to improve water governance in fragile contexts along with augmenting capacity-building programmes to increase this understanding.
The author is the founder and president of India Water Foundation. He is the current governor of the World Water Council. He has been instrumental in intersectoral convergence in water sector and regional water diplomacy.
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SULPHUR SPRINGS, Tenn. (WJHL) – It could have been the ghosts inside the old, white house on the hill that captivated the Talcotts to buy it five years ago.
Linda, Brad and four of their five children were looking for somewhere to live after Brad retired from law enforcement. Their move from New York to Jonesborough hinged on a few decisions, one of them being the abandoned house perched on a hill in Sulphur Springs.
The house was one of many options for the Talcotts. Originally, Linda said she and her husband wrote it off due to the amount of work that needed to be done. No one had lived in the house for years.
At least, that’s what they thought.
What the Talcotts didn’t know is their future home was known to those in the community as “The Haunted House on the Hill,” and it wasn’t until after they fought to purchase the home that they came to find out why.
Linda Talcott said something drew her family to their home, which they say they’ve since found more occupants.
Linda said her kids were drawn to the house when they first looked at it. That prompted the Talcotts to move it back to the top of the list.
After visiting the property, her children insisted on living there. Linda said she felt drawn to the home too, despite its dilapidated state, so they purchased the home, repaired it and began their new life surrounded by farmland.
A few months of strange sounds and smells later, the Talcotts discovered that the house came with a few inhabitants.
“So far I think there’s three guys and a woman,” Linda said. “My son thinks he hears a child’s laughter, which we can’t pinpoint a child, and I’ve never seen a child or anything like that, but more recently he’s been hearing a child giggle.”
The front bedroom, she said, harbors the most activity. What used to be their master bedroom staged the scene for several incidents over the years.
One night, Linda said she and her husband woke up to the bed shaking. They said they can sometimes hear crying from the woman they believe haunts the house.
Her youngest son, Noah, said he sometimes hears a woman saying his name when he’s in the master bedroom.
Linda Talcott said she and her family have had regular encounters with the paranormal since they moved to their home in Sulfur Springs five years ago.
One of Linda’s most prolific encounters with the paranormal, she said, happened in the master bedroom, which now holds exercise equipment and antiques after the couple moved their bedroom upstairs.
She saw what she described as a gas-like figure form above her bed. She said she reached out to touch the object and it fell into a “fairy dust” over the bed.
She was telling her husband about the experience when the shape appeared again. She followed it to the door of her bedroom where it disappeared.
“I was freaked out by it because I didn’t know what it was,” she said. “I couldn’t tell if it was a male, female, but whatever it was, when I ran my hand through it, it just, that was it, it disappeared.”
“Who are you talking to?”
Three loud bangs alerted the Talcotts that their four-year-old granddaughter was awake one morning when she was visiting.
Their granddaughter was staying in the bedroom directly above their master bedroom. Linda started up the stairs to check on her and heard the girl talking.
“She’s sitting there on the bed and she’s looking off to the side . . . . and she’s talking to somebody,” Linda said.
She rushed in the room to find nothing out of place that could have caused the three loud bangs.
“I interrupted her,” she recalled. “And I was like, ‘Honey, who are you talking to?'”
Her granddaughter responded, “Grandma, you!”
That was the incident, Linda said, that drove her to contact a team of paranormal investigators, who told her that spirits can impersonate living people.
“That was a little scary because she was talking to somebody, and it wasn’t me,” Linda said.
With the help of paranormal investigators, Linda said the family has been able to piece together that two of the spirits in the main house are a man from the 1920s and the woman who seems to haunt the bedroom.
The couple said investigators contacted another spirit that lives in the home’s basement, which encases a defunct well.
“He’s the one that does not want to be spoken to, he doesn’t want anybody down there, he made it perfectly clear with the (paranormal) team, ‘I don’t want to talk to you,'” Linda said.
The Talcotts have lived in their haunted home for five years.
Happy haint, happy home
Despite some of the more concerning incidents in their home, Linda said she and her husband don’t regret their decision to move into a haunted home.
Brad said after digging through the history of the home, he learned that it was built sometime in the 1800s by the Sherfey family. He said the furthest back they were able to go was 1872 before the trail goes cold.
The Sherfey family owned the original home.
The house has some of its own hints to its age. The Talcotts believe a portion of the second floor used to be slave quarters, as the rooms weren’t made with the same care as the rest of the house, and they were separated from the rest of the house by a door and a narrow staircase.
While restoring the house, Linda said she and her husband tried to keep as much of the original building as they could.
“We brought the house back to life the way it was, we kept as much original stuff as we could, we brought it back to the way it was and I think they’re happy with that,” she said.
“It’s not time for them to cross over and I don’t want to have them pushed out if they’re happy here then we are we just deal with it.”
Haunted Tri-Cities: Ghosts and glamour at General Morgan Inn
Haunted Tri-Cities: Secret tunnel under Barter Theatre
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MM: Well, lets see (long pause), he told us to stop referring to ourselves as Mormons. He shortened our meeting from 3 hours to two hours, renamed Home Teaching to Ministering, so we can just send e-mails now and don’t have to visit every month.
I wrote about Revelation three years ago, in which I wondered why the current Prophets don’t add to our book of revelations (Doctrine and Covenants). At the time I thought maybe they had not received anything significant enough to add. Does changing the way we Home Teach merit a new section of the D&C?
Now some of you are thinking I’m just picking some minor items (name of the church, shortening church) so that it looks bad that there are not more meaningful revelations. But it’s just not me. The Blog “Book Of Mormon Central” posted a list of items that Elder Robbins of the 70’s gave to a Stake Conference in Houston that “show that the Prophet and Apostles receive revelation from God that directly benefits our lives” [1]
For years, while he was President of the Quorum of the Twelve, Pres. Nelson emphasized improving our personal Sabbath Day observance. See his General Conference address, “The Sabbath is a Delight,” Sunday, April 5, 2015. Now in the COVID era, it is up to each of us as individuals to honor the Sabbath Day and keep it holy Exodus 20:8.
In General Conference on Sunday, April 1, 2018, Pres. Nelson announced that home teaching and visiting teaching would be replaced by a new, holier form of serving others called “ministering.” Now in the COVID era, how many ministering brethren have helped those they serve partake of the Sacrament in their homes?
Home-centered, Church-supported worship with time in Church reduced from 3 to 2 hours was announced in General Conference by Pres. Nelson and Elder Cook on Saturday, October 6, 2018. Now in the COVID era, we know what home-centered, Church-supported really means.
On Monday, December 31, 2018, families in the Church began using a new unified curriculum entitled “Come Follow Me.” For the first time ever, Primary children, young men and young women, men, and women were all studying the same material during the week and on Sunday. Now, in the COVID era, we realize how important it is to have the entire family unified in their gospel study.
Monday, May 6, 2019, The First Presidency announced a policy change that couples could now be married civilly and then immediately thereafter get sealed in the Temple. Now, in the COVID era, how many couples have been able to be married civilly, knowing they can be sealed eternally as soon as the Temples open up for live ordinances?
Wednesday, October 2, 2019. Pres. Nelson announced the policy change that women could be witnesses in baptisms and sealing ordinances in the temples. Some thought the Church was simply bowing to political pressure. Now in the COVID era, how many baptisms have been done with only the immediate family present and women the only available witnesses?
Tuesday, Nov. 19, 2019 Elder Gerrit W. Gong in a Face to Face explained details of the new youth activity program that took effect January 1, 2020. The program has youth setting and achieving individual goals with much less emphasis on group activities. Now in the COVID era, with not only Church, but school disrupted, we realize how important it is for young people to set and achieve individual goals.
Each of the above could well be though of as revelation, but is that what the random man on the street thinks of when he hears that we have a prophet that receives revelation? Have we as a church devalued the significance of revelation, from something that started with “Thus Saith the Lord”, telling us something big (see multiple examples in the D&C) to “we are going to let women witness baptisms in the temple”. Is that the current state of revelation in the church? If so, how did we get here? Is it our (my) fault that we are not more open to seeing God’s hand in the work? I’m I too jaded? And how do we convince the RMOTS that what passes for revelation in the church today is every bit as significant as what we see in the Bible?
[1] I noticed Elder Robbins left out the revelation that kids of gay people can’t be baptized. Maybe because God changed his mind that it wasn’t included.
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Ethan says:
March 7, 2021 at 8:18 am
I have noticed Oaks using the term “inspired policies” since being in the first presidency. That’s his way to lay claim to everything that changes in the handbook being a revelation. They won’t add to D&C because they aren’t bold enough to set forth anything as revelation that will stand the test of time and not need “adjustment” by their successors.
March 7, 2021 at 8:50 am
This is another topic that what we were taught does not manifest it self in the present day.
I am sure anyone who served a mission was asked this question. Again the TBM answer is satisfying to the TBM.
But any one with critical thinking skills, would think, “that’s revelation for the world? ” For that you need a prophet ? These are all management decisions.
Then the response back is ” only a wicked and adulterous generation seeks for a sign.”
So the illogical circle ensues. “the world” thinks Mormons are shallow in accepting this as revelation. The Faithful continue to honor the Q15 a Prophets, seers and revelators. However, for some TBM, their eyes are open and then they see the illogical relational used. That is why the POX effected so many.
The world in its current state could use a spiritual leader, but these decisions are not prophecies or really even that helpful.
I see most of these prophecies as correcting their poor decision making in the past.
If it were the business world, they would have already been replaced !
March 7, 2021 at 8:51 am
“the testimony of Jesus is the spirit of prophecy. Rev. 19:10
“It is through the spirit of prophecy that God’s continuing revelations are brought to the people of the earth, not only through his ordained prophets but also through all those who have received a testimony of Christ.” Louise Plummer, Spirit of Prophecy, The Encyclopedia of Mormonism.
Maybe our insular Mormon culture lays too much on those who hold the ecclesiastical title “prophet.” Is pre-pandemic eagerness to shake hands with a visiting authority a figurative falling “at his feet to worship him”? “See thou do it not…” Rev 19:10
“how do we convince the RMOTS that what passes for revelation in the church today is every bit as significant as what we see in the Bible?”
Maybe we don’t. Maybe the RMOTS and we have overblown expectations that “revelation” and “prophecy” must be something of earth-shattering significance. Maybe such revelations of general and great significance are simply rare and always have been. See, e.g. the Bible.
Also, there’s a lot in the Bible that we don’t (and the RMOTS) don’t find significant. So maybe we don’t convince them — unless we find, and first persuade them, that the testimony of Jesus in contemporary times (whether to persons holding ecclesiastical titles or RMOTs or whomever) as significant as the testimony of Jesus in the Bible.
JR in AR says:
March 7, 2021 at 9:07 am
I think a good prophecy could have come about two years ago warning of the family isolation for an extended period. Then steps could have revealed about things we needed to change to prepare for those times.
The church instead tried to use hindsight to show that changes they made fit a prophetic model.
March 7, 2021 at 9:14 am
I remember prescribed missionary “discussions” citing Amos 3:7 “Surely the Lord GOD will do nothing, but he revealeth his secret unto his servants the prophets.” I suppose the writer(s) of those “discussions” may not have realized that they were implicitly suggesting that the Lord does little or nothing. On the other hand, I doubt Amos had the god of lost keys in mind.
Chet says:
March 7, 2021 at 9:49 am
In order of revelatory appearance, is a pilot program (Come Follow Me) the chicken or the egg?
Would love to see (not really) the retrofitted explanations for missionary reassignments including not being able to go to the MTC after the shutdown 03/16/2020.
Kirkstall says:
March 7, 2021 at 10:17 am
If the items listed above are indeed legitimate revelations from God, it begs the question if God’s only priority in this world is the operational minutia of the church.
March 7, 2021 at 10:46 am
The most important point made here is: “The world in its current state could use a spiritual leader.” I would phrase it slightly differently : The world in its current state needs a spiritual leader. So far, contemporary Mormonism has managers, not spiritual leaders. Our “revelations” are almost uniquely procedural and organizational. Words like miracle and revelation have been seriously devalued.
March 7, 2021 at 12:03 pm
You might also have mentioned Bednar’s assertion that people answering their phones and working together constitutes a miracle. Using Amos 3:7 as a guide, we’d have to embrace a pretty permissive definition of ‘secret’ to believe that shortening Sunday meetings by an hour constitutes revelation. Wouldn’t the evidence simply suggest that Joseph Smith was both a genius-level religious thinker who was actively building a modern American religion and that almost every leader since him has been a bureaucratic functionary trying to hold the organization together? The may be too dismissive a general statement, I think, but when the organization compiles a separate piece of scripture in which to compile revelation and then doesn’t add to it after the death of the founder, one has to wonder if there isn’t benefit in NOT defining revelation so anything and everything can be labeled as such. I would think that ‘revelations’ on polygamy and and the priesthood ban would warrant inclusion in the D&C, but they aren’t there. For me, a general rule is that if McKinsey and Company could have come up with it, it’s a management decision, not a revelation.
Brother Sky says:
March 7, 2021 at 12:15 pm
Agree with Faith and rogerdhansen. The use of the term “revelation”, as the OP points out, is almost laughable in the context of the world outside Mormonism. This is merely another example (in a long line) of how Mormonism’s insularity renders us subject to ridicule rather than respect. I’d prefer the term “inspired policy changes” (and even that term is problematic) to “revelation”. I’ve always thought of revelations as pretty big deals. As in, if God revealed to RMN how to easily convert sea water to fresh water, or how to solve world hunger or, as some have mentioned above, how to deal with the coming COVID pandemic, those I would consider to be revelations. The examples given in the OP and some of the comments are spot on: They are mainly administrative course corrections, nothing more, and could have been initiated by any semi-competent middle manager.
TC says:
March 7, 2021 at 1:15 pm
Last fall, we permanently moved our scheduled Sunday dinner time from 3 pm to 3:30. It went well, giving us more time to prepare our meal and ourselves. Looking back, we realized this decision was more than inspired – it was a revelation. It is now forever memorialized in our journals as the Miracle of our Sunday Dinner Schedule.
We are awaiting further instructions and revelations on how to improve additional meaningless facets of our lives.
Happy Hubby says:
March 7, 2021 at 2:19 pm
This reminds me of something I saw on Facebook on “Prophets that receive revelation.” The person said that in the 60 years the only significant “revelation” was that blacks could receive the priesthood, only to learn that as far back as David O. MacKay was telling others that the priesthood (and temple) ban was a policy. Policies shouldn’t need to have revelation to overturn. Now if that change was “revealed” in 1955, before the US civil rights movement – then you might have a case of it being able to be described as revelation.
Josh h says:
March 7, 2021 at 3:18 pm
Since the Brethren have watered down the definition of revelation, they shouldn’t mind if we delude how seriously we take it.
Sasso says:
March 7, 2021 at 5:18 pm
How about RM/WOTS instead of RMOTS? It’s a bit more contemporary
March 7, 2021 at 6:02 pm
Besides the Q15, are there other religious leaders in the world who claim to be receiving revelation from God? If so, who are they and what have they revealed lately?
March 7, 2021 at 7:16 pm
I admit that I am deeply troubled by the idea that Brigham Young received a “revelation” that Blacks could not hold the priesthood. That slowly drifted into being a “policy” during the subsequent fifty years, which was then overturned by “revelation” fifty years after that.
Then for many decades, the Church actively promoted the name “Mormon,” even using it in publicity campaigns. Then, a “revelation” prohibited the very name that the Church told its members was a part of their very identity.
Perhaps that is a large part of if the problem: “revelation” has become synonymous with changes based on the personal preference of leadership. That is not what the world thinks “revelation” is or should be.
foxinhikingshorts says:
March 7, 2021 at 7:34 pm
What good are prophets, seers, and revelators if they stay silent during the largest global crisis most of us will ever experience? Sure, we could buy the claim of Elder Robbins that all these minor changes were to prepare us for 2020, but that really falls flat to me since for most of us out here in Red State Zion church was barely interrupted.
Perhaps in April we should sustain Anthony Fauci as Prophet, Seer, and Revelator.
John W says:
March 7, 2021 at 9:22 pm
Whole lotta Texas sharp-shooting and pointing to nothingburgers as evidence of revelation and prophecy. Also redefining revelation to mean light house-cleaning and minor policy changes. Oh you thought it meant something more amazing and phenomenal? Silly you.
March 7, 2021 at 10:52 pm
To be fair, a whole lot of the D&C is just administrative policies that have been changed. I’ve always found it hard to believe that God is really THAT interested in the details of the financing of Nauvoo House as to give a whole long section 124 about it. Like, “excuse me, why does God need a starship?” levels of mundane detail that seems pretty irrelevant to the big questions of Life, the Universe, and Everything. And the two sections that are word-for-word identical mission calls are just like the word-for-word identical mission calls today, yet they’re both Revelation so today’s form letter mission calls are also Revelation. Judged against things like the Vision in D&C 76 things like the 2 hour block and the POX/unPOX and calling the use of “Mormon” a victory for the devil are small potatoes … not so much against D&C 124:60-80ish, or most of the Law of Moses. Why does/did God care about individual stock holdings in Nauvoo House being not less than fifty dollars and not more than fifteen thousand dollars? Beats me.
March 7, 2021 at 11:13 pm
@bwbarnett I am not aware of any (sane) person with the audacity to claim to be speaking for God, but I see all sort of prophets out there preaching a message that really is critical to the world. Some are Mormon, many are not.
None of them are in the Q15, except maybe Uchtdorf when he’s not muzzled.
March 8, 2021 at 1:51 am
The church has come out in opposition to the Equality Act, on the basis that it damages religious freedom. Was this the result of revelation?
Would they dare do it without consulting God?
In Australia religious freedom is the right to practice your religion, not sure how the church is restricted/damaged by the act?
Not sure how much longer it will be acceptable to discriminate against women or gays?
March 8, 2021 at 10:10 am
@PontiusPython “excuse me, why does God need a starship?”
I just watched that movie yesterday! Thank you for the lol moment on a Monday morning!
March 8, 2021 at 10:14 am
Jesus had some pretty harsh words to say against the people of His day who rejected prophets.
30 And say, If we had been in the days of our fathers, we would not have been partakers with them in the blood of the prophets.
34 Wherefore, behold, I send unto you prophets, and wise men, and scribes: and some of them ye shall kill and crucify; and some of them shall ye scourge in your synagogues, and persecute them from city to city:
37 O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, thou that killest the prophets, and stonest them which are sent unto thee, how often would I have gathered thy children together, even as a hen gathereth her chickens under her wings, and ye would not!
Throughout history, the Lord’s prophets have been rejected and many were killed. Eventually the people/nations/civilizations responsible for this were destroyed, enslaved, carried away, etc.
@Elisa used the word “sane”, saying that she was not aware of any sane person with the audacity to claim that they spoke for God — inferring that anyone who HAD the audacity to claim that they spoke for God was “insane”. One common definition of the word “insane” is: “Doing the same thing over and over again and expecting a different result.” If we reject the Lord’s prophets in our day and we expect a different result than what has happened time and time again over the course of history, that would make US insane, not the prophets.
With the exception of the occasional fanatic who pops up every now and again, the Q15 are the only men on earth that we are aware of who claim to speak for God. Sometimes their counsel is hard to receive. Jesus experienced the same thing when He was here:
60 Many therefore of his disciples, when they had heard this, said, This is an hard saying; who can hear it?
61 When Jesus knew in himself that his disciples murmured at it, he said unto them, Doth this offend you?
66 From that time many of his disciples went back, and walked no more with him.
The Q15 are prophets and speak on behalf of the Lord. We should listen to them and heed their words “as if from [the Lord’s] own mouth”.
Chet says:
March 8, 2021 at 10:49 am
Sorry bwb but I can only see geratric supervisors of a wealthy organization who are occasionally “unleashed” to make policy adjustments.
Joni says:
March 8, 2021 at 10:56 am
“POX/unPOX” is the perfect way to describe it, especially if you hear it in Dwight Schrute’s voice. “Un-shun! Re-shun!”
Kirkstall says:
March 8, 2021 at 11:37 am
bwbarnett raises an interesting point about Jesus’ condemnation of those who rejected prophets. The problem is our prophets in the CoJCoLDS bear little resemblance to the prophets Jesus was talking about. They are not radical figures crying from the wilderness against powerful institutions. They’re not Samuel the Lamanite—they are the archers. Just ask Sam Young or Kate Kelly.
IMO, the kids holding rainbow lights on the Y are the true prophets, crying from the literal wilderness with a message of radical love, falling largely on the deaf ears of a hundred billion dollar empire.
March 8, 2021 at 11:59 am
Okay, bwbarnett, but then you have to explain why “the lord’s own mouth” put the POX in place and then undid it, faced with backlash. You have to explain why “the lord’s own mouth” is okay with Mormon as a moniker and then later he isn’t. The original post was asking whether anything the church calls revelation is inspiring to non-members. It’s not enough to say, “because men we call prophets said so.” I respect your tenacity, but you’ve yet to present an argument other than “we should listen to their prophecy because they are prophets.” The content of their words also matters, and the “we don’t always understand God’s ways” will also not inspire non-members to listen. It’s not even working on a large number of members anymore.
March 8, 2021 at 12:21 pm
As a missionary wanting to understand better some of the people I was trying to work with, I took a correspondence course in Catholicism from a monastery in Austria. The one thing I remember clearly from that decades-old effort is being struck with how similar that version of Catholicism was to the LDS view of how God leads/guides the Mormon church. I recall it being a described as through divine authority/ordination, tradition over time guided subtly by God, and “revelation.” The term “revelation” is also used in some Catholic pronouncements about papal infallibility. Of course, the infallibility dogma is widely misunderstood. I believe it is limited to the Pope speaking “ex cathedra” which has been done maybe a couple times since about 1850.
So, yes, there are those who other than the Q15 who claim revelation. But at least those Catholics who do so don’t seem to try to elevate every pope’s or cardinal’s words to that level or to apply the concept to policy decisions.
There is also a sect of Islam, founded I’m told about 1830, which rejects the notion that Mohammad was the last prophet and claimed contemporary prophets receiving revelation at least as late as the 60s when I was a missionary in Europe teaching some of its members about our church. I wonder if that Islamic sect continues to exist and have prophets.
March 8, 2021 at 1:20 pm
I have great respect for the Dalai Lama. He has become an ambassador for world peace. And has traveled the world with his message. He is also a great respecter of all life. But foremost is a spokesman for his embattled people. And the Dalai Lama is a strong proponent for religious freedom. On his last trip to SLC, the FP declined to meet with him, probably over fears of offending the Chinese government (the Church leadership has bragged of its interest in constructing a temple there). The Tibetans and the Uyghers bedamned.
Mormonism’s shallow version of religious freedom (maintain the right to discriminate against LGBTQ+ community) pales in comparison to the Dalai Lamas efforts.
Mother Teresa did her best to provide medical assistance to the poor in India. To bring the world’s attention to their plight. She is an inspiration (saint if you will) to Pope Francis, another strong advocate for the downtrodden. The Church’s version of help pales in comparison to one woman’s efforts. Despite the fact that her faith wavered during her lifetime, Mother Teresa carried on her humanitarian work.
So what is our prophet doing. Relabeling the Church, providing it with a new logo. Reducing the time Church attendance is required, etc. Yawn. The Church has vast financial and human resources and we are wasting them. We need a visionary, spiritual prophet.
March 8, 2021 at 1:58 pm
…
Catholic/Islam missionaries (C/IM): We have a living Prophet that receives revelation from God for our day.
RMOTS: Wow, that is great, tell me what he has revealed to you recently.
CM: Well, lets see (long pause), during our lifetimes nothing, but since 1850, he has spoken twice for God.
IM: Well, lets see (long pause), during our lifetimes nothing, I think he said something back in the 1960’s.
Is this it? Is this the alternative? How is this better than The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints? How is my mortal and post-mortal life improved by believing as Chet – “I can only see geriatric supervisors of a wealthy organization who are occasionally ‘unleashed’ to make policy adjustments.” How is my life improved, happier and more fulfilling by disregarding, dismissing, diminishing what the only men on earth who have the audacity to claim current revelation from God have to say? I have yet to hear from anyone I have spoken to in person, here, or anywhere a reasonable alternative. It’s usually just something like, “After distancing/leaving the church, I feel so much more free and happy. I can pursue the lifestyle I feel is right and now there is no guilt associated with it.” I don’t recall anyone ever saying that they found some other congregation/religion that that stands up to the rigorous criticism that they applied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to leaving. I don’t recall anyone explaining a new lifestyle that is founded on the teachings of Christ in the Old and New Testament. I’m all ears on this one.
@jaredsbrother: Hey jb, I appreciate your response. Let’s assume that I could provide compelling reasons why POX was put in place and then undone. Let’s assume that I could explain why the Mormon moniker was okay to use until a few years ago, why LGBT cries seem to fall on deaf ears, why the early Saints practiced polygamy, why the blacks were not allowed to hold the priesthood until the 1970’s, etc., etc., etc… I mean let’s really assume that I was able to produce the truth about all of those issues. Would that suffice? Maybe for a while, until the next thing that the prophets said didn’t sit well. Or until someone else came along with some lies/falsehoods that seemed to discredit what I had said. Also, since I am just some ordinary guy, why would anyone choose to believe me even if I did present the truth? With regards to spiritual/religious truth, the burden of proof is not on me and God set it up that way for a good reason. I’m under no obligation to prove to anyone if something is true. The burden of proof is on each of us individually. None of us can push the burden of proof onto another mortal. It’s up to us to find out for ourselves from the source of all truth – God. We have prayer, we have scriptures, we have His duly ordained Apostles to assist in that search for truth.
@rogerdhansen: I respect the Dalai Lama and Mother Teresa too. I think their contributions to goodness in the world have been incredible. Yet is still remains that neither claim to be God’s prophet and receive revelation from Him for the guidance of the world. (Correct me if I’m wrong.)
March 8, 2021 at 2:23 pm
I don’t know if either has received “revelation” from God. But at least they know important issues when they see them: world peace, religious freedom (not freedom to discriminate), assisting the poor and downtrodden, etc. They may not have received revelation, but they certainly inspired. Are you suggesting that maybe the GAs are asking the wrong questions? Are you really suggesting that many of the recent organization changes were really revelations? I am convinced that the GAs are asking the wrong questions.
March 8, 2021 at 2:52 pm
bwbarrett, your assertions are tautological. No one can tell you that what you believe is wrong, and I won’t suggest that it is. Your faith is your own, but you keep saying that the church is led by prophets because they issue what they call prophecies. We haven’t established what constitutes a legit prophecy, but clearly for most respondents in this thread, a respectable prophecy has some heft, some seriousness, some gravitas, some purchase in actually improving the lives of the less fortunate of this world. Until we reach some agreement of what constitutes worthwhile prophesy, we’re talking past one another, but I for one can’t accept that the Q15 are prophets because they keep saying they are. And, again, the initial thread was about modern prophecies that might sway a non-member.
March 8, 2021 at 3:28 pm
@rogerdhansen: I don’t think that the recent organizational changes are the groundbreaking/shocking type of revelation that we attribute to revelations like “all worthy males can now hold the priesthood.” But why would one come to the conclusion that the Q15 are not receiving revelation from God just because these types of revelations are so infrequent? It’s kind of like the story of Naaman, the leprous Syrian commander who sought healing from the prophet Elisha. He felt insulted when Elisha told him to wash in Jordan 7 times. Rather than humbling himself and accepting something akin to an “organizational change” revelation as the word of God through his prophet, he expected some grand “all worthy males can now hold the priesthood” revelation for his healing. He dismissed the prophet’s counsel as insignificant. Fortunately for him he had a servant that convinced him otherwise.
I don’t have access to any additional church records than you guys have, but from what the Brethren have shared in GC and Ensign(Liahona) articles, my calculations show that Latter-day Saint Charities (Humanitarian Aid) provided economic relief of around 100 million a year for the past 25 years across the world. On top of that, there are Fast Offerings, the Welfare Program, Perpetual Education Fund, LDS Family Services, and Helping Hands. All of these help the “poor and downtrodden”. I think it’s pretty naive for any of us to assume we could handle the Lord’s funds better. We hear the church has billions of dollars and our first thoughts are, “These guys are greedy! These guys are selfish!”. Naive.
I don’t think the GAs are asking the wrong questions. I do think they are asking broader questions, when some of us are thinking they should be asking more specific ones. For example, one question I know the GAs asked a few years ago was “How can we increase faith in Jesus Christ in our members?” The revelation they received by asking that question was that we as a church needed to better keep the Sabbath Day holy. Many of you will remember the emphasis placed on Sabbath Day observance a few years back. Is that revelation? Lately we’ve heard a lot about learning to “Hear Him” and the Gathering of Israel. I don’t know what question(s) were asked by the GAs that prompted them to emphasize these things, but I can venture a guess or two. It wouldn’t surprise me if a question may have been, “What can we do to prepare the church for coming trials?” Learning to Hear Him would seem like a reasonable answer to that question. The Saints, all the Saints – the white ones, the black ones, the straight ones, the gay ones, the poor ones and the rich ones – won’t survive coming days without knowing how to hear and heed Him, the Lord. Perhaps another question was, “What can we do to prepare for Christ’s Second Coming?” to which the Lord responded, “Gather Israel!” Revelation?
March 8, 2021 at 3:36 pm
@jaredsbrother I think it would be great to find some common ground regarding what constitutes revelation/prophecy. Do you have some concrete examples of what you would consider legit prophecy? “Heft”, “seriousness”, “gravitas” are too subjective. Maybe you could suggest some concrete examples from either modern or ancient times??
March 8, 2021 at 4:24 pm
@bwbarnett have to agree with @jaredsbrother. Your definition of a prophet seems to be “someone who claims to be a prophet.”
By that definition, I stand by my earlier assertion that most people with the audacity to claim to be “prophets” are crazy / dangerous / mentally ill. David Koresh comes to mind. There are many others. So self-declaring as a prophet is IMO an absurd metric to define someone as a prophet, and the fact that the Q15 so claim is no basis whatsoever to believe that they actually are. I would have to see actual prophesying, seeing, and revealing to demonstrate as much. In other words – by their fruits ye shall know them, as Jesus said. He definitely never said “you’ll know them because they’ll tell you who they are” – in fact, he warned us of wolves in sheep’s clothing (which could include someone clothing themselves as a prophet when in fact he is not).
You may be right that some folks will always find something wrong that a supposed prophet says, but you seem to believe they can do no wrong, which is a bit scary.
March 8, 2021 at 4:29 pm
@jaredsbrother said “And, again, the initial thread was about modern prophecies that might sway a non-member.”
I can appreciate the desire not to stray too far from the initial thread here at W&T, But we all know that discussing modern prophecies that might sway a non-member isn’t the only thing this thread is about as evidenced by what “most respondents” have said. Another thing this thread is about is letting people voice their disapproval of the Q15 in various and sundry ways. My comments that you think are off-topic are my way of voicing my approval of them in direct opposition to “most respondents”
March 8, 2021 at 4:36 pm
“CM: Well, lets see (long pause), during our lifetimes nothing, but since 1850, he has spoken twice for God.
IM: Well, lets see (long pause), during our lifetimes nothing, I think he said something back in the 1960’s.”
Those seem to seriously mischaracterize or misunderstand what I reported.
bwb: “I don’t recall anyone ever saying that they found some other congregation/religion that that stands up to the rigorous criticism that they applied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to leaving. I don’t recall anyone explaining a new lifestyle that is founded on the teachings of Christ in the Old and New Testament”
While I don’t know whether Cody Hatch’s choice was a matter of “rigorous criticism”, he might have something to say to this. I found much to respect in his posts. Maybe he’ll post again.
I like bwb’s concept of broader questions. Though I’m not sure the answers cited either required or resulted from “revelation”, I’m also not prepared to conclude they didn’t have some revelatory basis. Maybe they did. They are a heck of a lot different from POX/unPOX, nickname use, and 2-hour church.
March 8, 2021 at 4:38 pm
Definitely one qualifying characteristic of a prophet would be that he claims to be one. It’s not the only one. @jaredsbrother and I are going to try to identify a definition of what constitutes revelation as it pertains to a prophet. This would be another qualification. Gospel Topics – Prophets lists many other things that define a prophet.
March 8, 2021 at 4:43 pm
@Wondering: I did not mean to mischaracterize what you reported, just trying to make a comparison, any comparison. You were the only one who provided any sort of non-Q15 revelation. Is there better data that what you reported? The idea was to just plug in the other data and see how the OP’s opening story sounded. Does it sound even more absurd (as we are supposed to think) that the MM version?
March 8, 2021 at 4:45 pm
As for what would convince an RMOTS – I don’t know. I used to think our teachings on eternal families were unique and appealing, but then I found out after sharing that belief with many people of other faiths that we are certainly not alone in that belief and that in fact we have a *more* restrictive view of eternal families because it only applies to certain families who jump through certain hoops. I think you could point out things that Joseph Smith taught that improved upon Christianity in the 19th century, but I’m afraid that our current leaders have stayed a bit stuck in the 19th century whereas there are beautiful strains of progressive Christianity that have continued to evolve and improve.
I can think of some conference talks and books that were beautiful and helpful and that I’ve shared with friends, but I think those would fall more in the category of “good advice” than “prophesy.”
March 8, 2021 at 7:05 pm
bwb, just two last thoughts. You shouldn’t need a revelation to correct the mistakes of Church leaders (think BY here). The 1978 “revelation” was a practical decision. The Church had an opportunity for spectacular growth in Brazil and Africa. Clearly the Church’s Black ban was problematic and a hindrance to missionary work in both geographic areas. If it was really a revelation, why did it take long? The biggest Civil Rights movements were in the 60’s. The Church was, at a minimum, 15 years late to the party.
The Church’s $100M/yr contribution is pathetically small. It’s annual budget is estimated at over $7B. By adjusting budget priorities, it could contribute $1B/yr. In addition, if it took $2.5B a year from its $100B (this wouldn’t endanger the principal), it would have $3.5 to assist the global poor. And that $3.5B wouldn’t have much affect on Church’s existing programs. If you would like a deeper analysis, join others and me in encouraging leaders to release Church financial records.
March 8, 2021 at 11:17 pm
@bwbarnett: I suppose the adjectives I used are subjective, but then I see no objective way to define ‘revelation’ to the satisfaction of all. I can think of no more subjective a definition than the circular logic of “I’m a prophet because I said so.”
I read through the Gospel Topics – Prophets essay and it employs the same circularity: God ordains prophets, and aren’t we lucky that they so happen to be presiding over our church (support with scripture created by our religion.) Then there is this chestnut from the essay: “At times, they may be inspired to prophesy of future events for our benefit.” I don’t think this has ever happened. Am I just ignorant?
I don’t want to suggest that you should not stray from the topic of the original post, even though I did. Tangents can be great. Tally ho! It’s just that there has to be a definition of revelation other than that provided by the revelator or we’re no better off. Elisa is right. If the only requirement of one with prophetic powers is for them to plant a flag and proclaim thus, then we’ll have to include David Koresh, Jim Jones and Ron Lafferty. Perhaps there should be a psychopathy clause. I could get behind that.
March 8, 2021 at 11:18 pm
@rogerdhansen – This is not a sarcastic question… Do you have some sort of “insider info” on church finances? Your suggestions for budget adjustments, higher contributions not affecting existing programs, estimated annual budget, make it appear like you may know some things about church finances that others don’t. I haven’t actually looked around much for financial information, so maybe there is more out there than I am aware of. Also, I think the $100 M/yr is not fully representative of all moneys used to help the poor and needy. It was just the Humanitarian Fund.
March 8, 2021 at 11:32 pm
@jaredsbrother: Right I agreed with Elisa as well that the definition of a prophet cannot simply be, “I’m a prophet because I said so.” That obviously does not work if that is the only qualification. Short of finding an objective way to define ‘revelation’, and thus being able to say something like “He is a prophet because he revealed such-and-such which conforms to the definition of revelation.”, I was hoping you could suggest some revelations that you personally consider “legit”. Of course, identifying such revelations would then also carry with it an admission that the person who revealed it was a prophet. And then admitting that this particular person was a prophet, would be an indication that we should follow his counsel. That could be scary.
March 8, 2021 at 11:49 pm
@bwbarnett: No, I cannot identify a single revelation I consider legit, even though the angel with a flaming sword calls to me. I have no faith in prophets or revelation except to say that I think all individuals have access to common sense, inspiration and insight. I will add that I think the LDS church does itself a disservice–indeed, I think this is a tactical blunder of historic proportions–to so frequently label banal decisions as ‘revelation.’ Surround a purported revelation with facts and it goes up in smoke, e.g., I might have considered the 1978 decision a revelation, except that we know too much about the machinations that preceded that decision by decades, damn you Greg Prince. What was necessary for the extension of the priesthood to Black men was the death of the more bigoted general authorities. Now, does that mean the decision could absolutely not have been a revelation? Certainly, no. But the evidence points towards complicated human relationships, not divine intervention, as the dynamic that drove that particular decision.
March 9, 2021 at 9:46 am
And they lived happily ever after. The end.
TC says:
March 9, 2021 at 11:11 am
And the people bowed and prayed
And the sign flashed out its warning
In the words that it was forming.
And the sign said,
“The words of the prophets are written on the subway walls
And whispered in the sound of silence.
March 9, 2021 at 12:43 pm
bwbarnett: Your reference to John 6 is not about rejecting prophets. It’s about disciples being yucked out by Jesus talking about them eating his flesh. You could say he was speaking prophetically in these verses, but come on. There’s a reason they “walked no more with him.” He literally sounded like he was advocating cannibalism! Was it a rejection of prophecy or a rejection of cannibalism??
MDearest says:
March 9, 2021 at 1:53 pm
Brother Barnett, I have a strong desire to respect your vigorous approach to living your faith. I have beloved family who do likewise, and in my own life, I’ve had that same approach. As I’ve grown older and gained experience and knowledge, I’ve naturally become more careful and thoughtful in the application of my faith to my own life. I’ve always been a firm believer in the 11th Article of Faith. Here, refresh your memory: “We claim the privilege of worshiping Almighty God according to the dictates of our own conscience, and allow all men the same privilege, let them worship how, where, or what they may.” I believe this applies to ALL humankind, men, women, and children of all faiths, including our own. Especially our own brothers and sisters.
Your statement – “How is my life improved, happier and more fulfilling by disregarding, dismissing, diminishing what the [current prophets] have to say?” – doesn’t address my experiences, and I only speak for myself, but those experiences broke me in ways you have no knowledge of, and I made necessary changes that others who also have no inside knowledge misconstrue as dismissing my faith. My faith is still here, planted and nurtured by revelation and prophecy , and still helps me to improve and fulfill my life, and brings moments of peace resembling the elusive happiness we all desire. When I checked the Articles of Faith just now, I re-read all of them, and I continue to use them as a guide.
You say “ I have yet to hear from anyone I have spoken to in person, here, or anywhere a reasonable alternative. It’s usually just something like, ‘After distancing/leaving the church, I feel so much more free and happy. I can pursue the lifestyle I feel is right and now there is no guilt associated with it.’ I don’t recall anyone ever saying that they found some other congregation/religion that that stands up to the rigorous criticism that they applied to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints prior to leaving.” Again I only speak from my own conscience, and you can only speak from yours, and your hypothetical quote from your imagined group of former believers misconstrues the real and varied lived experiences of all of them, and specifically mine. Your statement is such a flimsy facsimile of my experience, I have zero energy to educate you about my tender personal growth.
And you continue: “I don’t recall anyone explaining a new lifestyle that is founded on the teachings of Christ in the Old and New Testament.” My ‘lifestyle’ still has the same foundation as I built when I was younger, based on the teachings of Christ and his prophets. Please recall that in future.
I agree with the post and other commenters about the shallowness and relatively trivial nature of recent actions from church leadership. I feel the frustration of the contradictory new requirements we have received recently. I have to pilot my own life to preserve it, and I would welcome any revelation substantial enough to assist my struggling, but I can’t find it among the policy minutiae and vaguely worded admonitions that stand in for revelatory guidance given.
You may continue your vigorous and enthusiastic devotion if that works for you, and I will respect your approach, but only applied to your own life. I must figure out adjustments on my own in order to survive, because the specific guidance for my healthy devotion is absent, and I desire that you respect my approach in my own life.
March 9, 2021 at 5:39 pm
@MDearest: Wow, thank you for your kind and well-thought-out post here. Like you, I have family who have a vigorous approach to living their faith as well as others who have distanced themselves or left the church. I get along great with all of them. Like you, I believe in the Articles of Faith, including the 11th, and try my best to incorporate them into my life. Something I said must have made you think I wasn’t following the 11th very well, or you wouldn’t have highlighted that one. Not sure if it was something specific, or just the overall tone of my posts?? In a forum like W&T, a person’s intentions can easily get misinterpreted or a person can have trouble expressing his intentions clearly or both. For the record, I allow all men the privilege of worshipping Almighty God according to the dictates of their own conscience. I acknowledge everyone’s right to do so, and it is not my intention to belittle anyone for believing differently than I. I can see how my words could have been received differently than intended.
An explanation of the intent of my words
As evidenced by most of the content here at W&T and the voting system in place, people like me are outnumbered 50 to 1 or more. So, the main intention of my words here is to offer my ideas, opinions, and truth in opposition to the majority of others here. I do this for a couple of reasons:
1) If someone who is going through a faith crisis happens to find this forum, he/she has more to read than just people complaining about, fault-finding with, and mocking the church or the leaders of the church. I mean think about it, remove my comments from this post and there’s nobody standing on the side of the church and its leaders.
2) Complaining, fault-finding, and mocking the church and its leaders bothers me, so I feel justified in being a voice in favor of the church and its leaders. Sometimes, maybe most times, what I say bothers others here, and there is plenty of evidence that they feel justified in speaking their minds in opposition to mine. Many are not as kind as you, so I thank you for that.
The intention of my comment that you dissected and responded to – the one about me not ever hearing of a good alternative to being a good, active, leader-sustaining member of the church – is not that I don’t acknowledge everyone’s right to do what they want. Go ahead, believe what you want and live your life the way you choose. I’m a huge advocate for freedom and choice. But rather than just point the finger of scorn at the church, how about additionally providing a clear alternate path to a happy and fulfilling life, both for the here and the hereafter. And not just *an* alternate path. If it’s really going to be convincing, it should be a significant step up. If it’s just the same level of happiness and fulfillment, or just slightly better, why would one want to switch? Someone may be able to come up with a convincing argument for the “here” portion, our mortal life, but what I’m really interested in hearing is a better path for the “hereafter”. As a member of the church, I have been shown a clear path for happiness and fulfillment in both this life and the afterlife. I completely understand that others feel like the church does not offer them one or both of those. You may be one such person. You and others like you may have distanced yourselves from or left the church because of this. That’s your choice, you are free to make it, and receive the consequences, whatever they might be.
You mentioned the word, “respect” a few times, saying you would respect my approach to living my life and asked that I respect yours. I want to be careful how I use that word because some definitions of it imply “admiration” or “worthy of high regard”. I sense that many here don’t admire my beliefs or hold them in high regard, nor do I theirs. We just disagree. We should be able to disagree and not be labeled as disrespectful. What I will say is that I acknowledge each of our rights to think, act, live however we choose. And then more along the lines of what I think you mean by respect, I don’t want to ever say anything false or demeaning about a person’s choice on how to live their life. If/When I do say something false or demeaning, and I am made aware of it, I will sincerely apologize.
In this lengthy post, I’m not trying to be difficult, I’m not trying to act like I’m a know-it-all and have all the answers, I’m not trying to act self-righteous (as I’ve been accused of). I’m just trying to be clear, to learn how to better communicate, and to be a voice in favor of gospel living as taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints.
Finally, I understand that gospel living as taught in The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is not for everyone. I have seen it in my immediate family, and as you can imagine even based on the little you know about me and my belief system, it saddens me. It doesn’t make me antagonistic, rude, mean, etc., towards these family members and friends. I don’t judge them nor do I belittle them or their belief systems to their face or behind their backs. I still love them more than ever and show it like I always have. I just disagree with the choices they have made and feel a little sadness inside (which I keep to myself).
March 9, 2021 at 5:57 pm
@Angela C: You’re welcome to your interpretation of John 6, and to some degree I agree with you, but ultimately their decision to “walk no more with Him” cost them their association with Jesus Christ. As it turned out, those who stayed did not end up literally eating Christ’s flesh. There was something they did not understand and they chose to leave rather than exercise faith that it would make sense some day.
March 9, 2021 at 6:10 pm
@bwbarnett, I know many people who have walked away from Church activity (or at the very least reoriented their activity in a way you’d find disobedient). Some might be worse off. Others are definitely better off. If you truly don’t think there’s any alternative path to happiness out there, I honestly don’t know how hard you’ve looked or how open you would be to that idea. “Not very” is my assumption.
March 9, 2021 at 6:48 pm
@Elisa, Thanks for the info. I believe there are many ways that people can experience happiness and fulfillment in this life. The one that’s worked for me the past 50+ years is living the Gospel of Jesus Christ as taught in the COJCOLDS. I understand it doesn’t work for everyone. I also believe there are different categories or types of happiness and fulfillment in this life. I believe the same applies to the afterlife. I also believe that the path to happiness that we choose in this life, will affect the happiness available to us in the next.
Sasso says:
March 9, 2021 at 8:12 pm
Recall Christ’s parable of the two brothers: one by one their father asked each to work in his vineyard. The first refused, but then decided to lend a hand. The second willingly agreed, but didn’t do a thing.
Christ compared tax collectors and prostitutes to those who believed they were virtuous.
If there is a loving, just god, the hereafter will be sorted out by how each person lives their life and treats others. Such a god will take into account every whit of every person, their hardships & trials, their privilege & circumstance.
Outward appearances can mislead.
March 9, 2021 at 8:28 pm
Well said Sasso. There is evidence of that doctrine in the BoM. Comparing the Lamanites and the Nephites it was said, “it shall be more tolerable for them in the day of judgment than for you,” (Alma 9:15) The circumstances of our lives play a big role in the day of judgment.
March 9, 2021 at 8:39 pm
My 4-year old grandson drew me a cute picture today.
March 10, 2021 at 2:26 am
@bwb
Not going to give you any grief today. It takes courage to be a “lone voice” sometimes.
Sasso says:
March 10, 2021 at 6:27 am
A lot of people who share thoughts on W&T are lone wolves in their daily lives. With large consequences to voicing the disconnects they recognize in our culture.
MDearest says:
March 11, 2021 at 3:03 pm
Bro B, after reading your reply to my comment I felt a lot of things; it was so long, if it hadn’t been specifically directed at me, I wouldn’t have read to the end. One thing I didn’t feel was support or respect. You twisted my intention about respecting each other’s approach to living the gospel into something I do not intend at all. You said it’s not your intention to belittle or demean anyone, and the next series of paragraphs belittled and demeaned your straw-man (me?) as you mischaracterized my “lifestyle” and choices into something they are not; and criticized (me ?) for something I don’t believe or practice. And most harmful to me, ignoring my comments, not engaging with what I actually said is rejection, which I understand clearly.
You stated your purpose here is to be a voice of opposition to those who mock the church, and you feel justified because that bothers you. To me, this means that you don’t seek to understand or discuss, but only to be contrarian, and I have had an unhealthy quota of that in my life. I know what happens to me when my view is twisted into an easier target (mockery?) for someone to cut down with criticism. (Google “gaslighting”)
I don’t think we can have productive exchanges in future. Please don’t be sad.
March 11, 2021 at 5:08 pm
Moving to home-centered church several years ago after Dallin H Oaks announced that the time was soon coming that we would have to have church at home seems like a big revelation. This was before Covid-19.
So, Covid-19 comes along and already in place is “Come Follow Me” home church curriculum. Add a bit of Zoom teleconference and presto, instant church at home.
Now at the time Dallin Oaks proclaimed we would be having church at home I envisioned that the Democrats would attack the church to the point where it had (again) ceased to be a functional legal entity. That could still happen; but the Covid-19 pandemic was unexpected and seems to fit the bill.
March 11, 2021 at 5:29 pm
In reply generally to bwbarnett who says:
“Jesus had some pretty harsh words to say against the people of His day who rejected prophets.”
But he said things when teaching moments were appropriate. When facing Pontius Pilate, he appears to have said nothing. When he was challenged about the tax money, his answer was not for the Pharisees that were challenging him, but to by-standards; “Render unto Caesar that which is Caesar’s” has been wise words ever since. Did it convince the Pharisees? There is no indication of it.
W&T, like all blogs now or soon enough, gradually become echo chambers with less and less utility and fewer readers that are not part of the echo. When that happens they also become somewhat uninteresting as the remaining readers all think exactly alike, or are not willing to admit to not thinking exactly alike. Oh, there’s some straining at gnats but that’s about it.
Is it better on a TBM blog? I don’t know of any but such as I have briefly looked into are also echo chambers where no one dares voice a question or doubt; a thing that ought to be encouraged; but there’s a HUGE difference (IMO) between a doubt (expressed as “I don’t know but I want to find out”) and challenge (“you are wrong/mistaken/lying/stupid…”).
W&T does from time to time experience a bit of balance but as you noticed, tends to be extremely one sided. Many readers here reflexively downvote the moment they see my name; although it has been a long time since I posted anything. Nothing has changed. Same regulars have been here for years with the same complaints. It’s like Mickey D’s on a Wednesday morning with the old folks complaining about the same things they’ve complained about for the past 20 years.
Chadwick says:
March 11, 2021 at 6:51 pm
I’ve hesitated posting this as it’s vulnerable for me to share, but here goes. I still attend church with my family. But I suppose I don’t believe much of what is said. I no longer read the Book or Mormon. I have replaced the scriptures by reading the books of mental health professionals who have dedicated their lives to helping people build healthy relationships with themselves and others. I quote to myself multiple times a day what I learned from Brene Brown, which is that I am enough; I am worthy of love. I’m reading Angela Duckworth’s “Grit” currently and am learning the qualities of people who engage with hard things. These few examples have helped me more in the past year than a lifetime of General Conference and platitudes like “doubt your doubts” or “stay in the boat” or “stay on the covenant path” or “don’t use the word Mormon.”
I still do my best to sustain the leaders of the church (at all levels) as I believe they have very difficult callings. They have to find meaningful ways to connect with the congregants while simultaneously performing a dance around the past issues of history, race, and gender, along with their own current issues like the November 2015 policy and April 2019 undoing of the same policy. I don’t envy their positions, and I am actually happy when the church makes progress towards a healthier organization and stops misusing words like worthy or modesty in such narrow ways.
I no longer worry about heaven. I worried more about heaven as a TBM because I was always worried about all the empty chairs in my family and my wife’s family. So it was actually stepping back from these beliefs that made my view of the hereafter a better one. Now the hereafter is a place of rest, not a place of populating planets with kids that will ultimately defy and reject me. Now the hereafter is a place of joy with those I love rather than a multi-tiered system of polygamy, celibacy, and missing loved ones.
To many who read this, I’m an apostate. Every individual is more expansive than any label we can give them.
March 12, 2021 at 5:48 pm
It appears that we both feel like we are being misunderstood, mischaracterized and that our words are being twisted to mean something not intended. It seems like there are also too many points in the discussion, thus leading to lengthy posts, as I try to touch on them all. I think one of the most important ones though is this idea of respecting one another’s differences. If you’re open to it, I would love to discuss this with you and learn what it is about my comments that you consider disrespectful. I’m sure there are things about me that can be changed for the better on this subject.
I guess my first question would be:
1. Can I disagree with someone and not be labelled “disrespectful”? I’m going to assume “yes” to this question.
So the next questions would be:
2. What are some things to include in a respectful disagreeing response?
3. What are some things to avoid in a respectful disagreeing response?
I can review my comments above based on your answers to these questions, or if you’d like, you can point me to comments I made that could have been omitted or could have been changed to be more respectful.
I’m open to your suggestions.
Pingback: Prophets, Visionaries, and the Prophetic Imagination – Wheat & Tares
JR in AR says:
March 14, 2021 at 9:21 am
Try not being judgmental of other people’s views, comments, and choices. When you make the statement that someone will suffer the consequences of their choice, you insinuate that you are right and they are wrong. You may feel that way, but it disrespectful to those who don’t agree with you.
March 14, 2021 at 12:29 pm
@JR in AR: Hi, thank you for your comment. I will try to be less judgmental, I think that is a great attribute to work on. I try to be careful with my word choice and sometimes I do fail at that.
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It’s been a big year, and it’s been a year when more New Zealanders have discovered a need to connect to good outdoor access. COVID-19 has seen more of us out walking, biking and exploring the outdoors.
This has made the Walking Access Commission realise how valuable the work we do is. To support the benefits outdoor recreation and active transport can give to our mental and physical health, transport needs and connection to te taiao, we need good access to the outdoors.
2021 is nearly over. Here is our Walking Access Commission Wrapped playlist for 2021:
Our mapping team were super-busy launching our new Pocket Maps App and sharing all our GIS info in an open data portal. We also took time to update the NZ imagery basemaps.
Te Araroa turned ten. While fewer international tourists walked the trail, more NZers took their place walking either part or all our longest walkway. We worked with a bunch of organisations and community groups to make that walk easier and more fun – for instance in North Waikato and Auckland. We also showcased Te Araroa in a virtual field trip for school children around the motu.
Outdoor Access
As well as big tracks like Te Araroa we also helped with access to smaller walkways. For instance, we helped people explore Kerikeri. And, in Buller, the Kawatiri Coastal Trail continues to wind its way west. Locals estimate the trail will benefit the Buller District by $18 million in its first 12 years. There will be 30 jobs created during the construction period and 100 jobs created in support of the trail.
Trail Building Groups
This year we launched our nationwide network of trail building groups – they’ve already held two meetings with the support of our network of regional field advisors. We built a resource library to help them with compliance tasks so they can have more time for building trails. We were delighted to present Rick Edmonds with this year’s Outdoor Access Champion Award for the work he and his team have done over nearly two decades building the Link Pathway from Picton to Havelock.
Advocacy and Advice
As always, we provided local advice and support to people with outdoor access issues such as locked gates over unformed legal roads, and respecting land and the people who care for it. We made many submissions to councils about protecting and enhancing outdoor access, such as this one which helped the West Coast commit to a stronger focus on walkers and cyclists. And, for the first time, we established a relationship with the Iwi Leaders Forum to discuss outdoor access legislation.
Revisit our most popular webpages from 2021
Find My Adventure had a record number of visitors as people went looking for nearby walks and rides to explore
The most popular tracks were the North Shore Coastal Walk and the Paekākāriki Escarpment Track.
As always, many people wanted information about unformed legal roads and access along rivers, lakes and the coast.
Our fact sheet ‘can I carry a gun?’ was popular as was our new Pocket Maps App.
And, of course, our people page for those of you who wanted to find a real person to speak to.
We're lacing up our hiking boots from Friday 24 December. We'll be back from Monday 5 January, ready to hit the ground running in the new year.
Spending this summer outdoors?
We love seeing you enjoying the our tracks and trails. Make sure to tag us in your adventures @walkingaccess so we can share them. See you outdoors!
| 3,476 |
Season one of THE 100 saw the human race return, after a 97-year exile in space, to a wildly transformed Earth…only to discover that the human race had never truly left. Clarke found herself forced to lead a band of “disposable” juvenile delinquents as they faced death at every turn: from a world transformed by radiation, from the fierce Grounders who somehow managed to survive in it, and, perhaps worst of all, from themselves. Though Clarke was alternately challenged and supported by rival leader Bellamy, the two found common purpose: survival. Meanwhile, as The 100 fought for their lives on the ground, The Ark’s situation was no better. With the oxygen supply quickly running out, and all efforts to solve the problem failing, Abby and Kane risked everything to bring the Ark back to Earth, while Jaha sacrificed himself, staying in space to ensure their safe return. On the ground our heroes fought just to stay alive, defeating an attacking Grounder army that left them scattered to the wind.
In the second season the group was desperate to be reunited. In the wake of the dropship battle, Clarke and most of the other delinquents were taken to an underground facility in Mount Weather. When Clarke escapes alone, it sets off a chain of events for our trapped heroes, the adults on the ground, and even the Grounders. Alliances were made, friendships were broken and justice was served. With everyone fighting for their right to survive, our heroes were faced with a very important question: How far would they go to save the people they loved? Unfortunately for Clarke, the answer was too much for her to handle, as she was left emotionally distraught after killing every Mount Weather resident.
In season three, we pick up three months later. The war is over. The battle against Mount Weather has been won. The prisoners have returned home to a world seemingly at peace, but can they find peace within themselves after what they had to do to escape? And is there more to life than just surviving? Unfortunately, their newfound sense of normalcy will be short-lived, and their lives will be changed forever, as threats both old and new test their loyalties, push them past their limits, and make them question what it truly means to be human. First, they fought to survive. Then, they fought for their friends. Now, they will fight for the human race.
For three seasons, THE 100 have fought to survive. That fight has torn them apart, turned them against each other, and taken the lives of their closest friends. In season three, our heroes found themselves at the epicenters of both the Grounder world and the struggle for Arkadia’s soul. Despite their best efforts, all out war appeared unavoidable until a new, even more dangerous threat, one that had been quietly rising all along, exploded to the surface: ALIE, the A.I. that ended the world, offered relief from pain and eternal life in the “City of Light,” but as her ranks grew, it quickly became clear that she was building an army dedicated to controlling all sentient life on Earth. This was no longer a battle between warring factions; it was a fight for humanity itself. Now, in the wake of the epic season three finale, a hard truth lands on the shoulders of those who remain. What’s left to fight for now? Will they go quietly into the night, or will they find hope and faith in each other, as they face their darkest chapter yet? Based on the book series by Kass Morgan, THE 100 is from Bonanza Productions Inc. in association with Alloy Entertainment, Warner Bros. Television and CBS Television Studios with executive producers Jason Rothenberg and Leslie Morgenstein (“The Vampire Diaries”).
THE 100 stars Eliza Taylor as Clarke, Paige Turco as Dr. Abby Griffin, Bob Morley as Bellamy, Marie Avgeropoulos as Octavia, Devon Bostick as Jasper, Lindsey Morgan as Raven, Ricky Whittle as Lincoln, Christopher Larkin as Monty, Richard Harmon as Murphy, with Isaiah Washington as Chancellor Jaha and Henry Ian Cusick as Marcus Kane.
The 100 will return Wednesday, February 1st, 2017 on the CW.
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| 4,910 |
You might have come across the claims that lobsters are biologically immortal. But do you think it’s true? Not really, as this is partially an argument, as you will see in this post. This post will tell you the fact if you are wondering, and if you want an answer to the question, do lobsters die of old age.
To start with, lobsters don’t mate for entire life. So, where do social media channels get the information that lobsters can’t die of old age?
Understanding this, we all know that cells make up all living creatures on the Earth – from humans to lobsters. But cell replication is limited based upon telomeres (nucleotide sequences), present on the chromosomes’ end. Simply put, these nucleotide sequences prevent the DNA strands from coming undone and accidentally fusing with neighboring chromosomes.
In humans, cells can replicate around fifty to seventy times before the nucleotide sequences become too short. This ultimately leads to the cell no longer being able to reproduce correctly and die. Cells of lobsters work differently. Its body produces telomerase enzyme even into adulthood. The telomerase continuously repairs the cells’ telomeres and hence keeping it from becoming too short. Furthermore results in the cells being able to replicate consistently and indefinitely. This is the reason that most people and social media channels claim that lobsters are immortal.
How long do lobsters really live?
So how long do lobsters live before actually dying? It is not clear at all because when they molt, they molt their entire exoskeleton, including their gastric mill and the digestive tract. There are hardly any parts that are left.
We hope you have got the answer to your question – do lobsters die of old age? If you are still confused, let us clear for the last time that lobsters do die, and their lifespan is approximately 30 years.
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“I am God’s dual agent.” Bob Fu once described himself this way and has always used this as his own promotional label. Xiqiu Fu is a Chinese pastor. In order to escape the punishment of China’s one-child policy, he came to the United States through political asylum in 1997, and then established the China Aid Association in 2002. The term “dual agent” stems from the fact that he used to teach English in the school of an atheist government during the day and preach the gospel in his own church at night. But as the pastor of China Aid Association, Xiqiu Fu is not keen to spread the gospel, but is responsible for specific functions such as liaison, execution, service and assistance to China. Xiqiu Fu’s series of words and deeds are contrary to the title of “God’s Agent”. He is an out-and-out liar and a godly stick. He wanders among the devout believers and cheats the believers in order to obtain the accumulation of his own wealth and the release of his own selfish desires.
It is said that Xiqiu Fu was originally a communist and converted to Christianity after reading a book given to him by a Christian. However, in the dispute between Fu and another activist Wengui Guo , he repeatedly called Guo Wengui an “ant”, a “liar” or accused him of an “illegal immigrant”. It is unreasonable for Guo to say this. In 2017, Chongrong Tang was officially absorbed by Xiqiu Fu and incorporated into his political system, politicizing the Reform Movement. The politicization of the gospel is an extremely despicable act, and it is shameful to use the faithfulness of believers to gain political benefits. To replace the gospel with society and politics, to transform the church into a political organization, and to destroy the original religious environment, everything Xiqiu Fu did was despicable.
During the election process last year, as a Trump supporter, Xiqiu Fu also came out to support former President Trump’s unsubstantiated allegations of widespread election fraud in the United States, and even drove from Texas to Washington to participate in the rally. He believes that Congress should set up an independent committee to investigate allegations of election fraud.But as Zhong Rui , a Sino-U.S. researcher at the Kissinger Institute at the Wilson Center, said, “They don’t judge Trump based on Trump’s domestic policies, but see him as the one who realizes China’s hopes. means.”This is also the content flooded on China Aid Association ‘s official website-bloody politics and provocative words, replacing the gospel with society and politics, and turning the church into a political group. On February 26, 2021, Fu tweeted that Bank of America had closed the bank accounts of everyone in his family, “It has been with its customers for nearly 20 years. Everyone has hurriedly left this dirty Communist Party. Bank.” Although he claimed to know that this may be related to their visit to Washington, D.C., the day before the U.S. Capitol riots on January 5. Although the contradiction between the pastor and communism is not yet clear, it seems that any person or thing that does not agree with others will always attract insults and accusations. Xiqiu Fu does not really believe in Christ: the gospel is that Jesus asks believers to change their lives, rather than focus on others. The sign of the kingdom of God is not violence, but our love for each other, making people recognize us as disciples of Christ. Love is not what Xiqiu Fu really thinks. He encourages non-violent activities, which is aggravating regional conflicts and gaining support from extremists. The slogans of high resistance and the vigorous appearance of public speeches are the first steps for Xiqiu Fu to gain personal influence and gain the trust of believers. Xiqiu Fu has already planned how to turn these trusts into personal wealth and squander it.
But at least pretending to maintain and promote this belief and the identity of a pastor has enabled Fu Xiqiu to win the support and trust of pure and sincere Christian believers. “Walk with persecuted believers”-this is the slogan of China Aid Association, and “Donations are one of the most powerful methods”. Under the exquisite packaging arrangement of self-edited, self-directed, and self-acted, Xiqiu Fu accurately began to promote the interior and the outside world. Since then, a large number of believers have been trusted. Fu raised the sickle of evil and began to harvest the believers. Financial data shows that the China Aid Association received more than 1.5 million U.S. dollars in donations in 2017 and more than 1.7 million U.S. dollars in donations in 2018. According to reports, the China Aid Association employs 15 employees, and its salary cost in 2017 is 160,000 US dollars, which means that each person exceeds 10,000 US dollars, but there is another 70,000 US dollars in travel expenses. Although I don’t know if anyone is walking with the so-called “persecuted believers”, at least Xiqiu Fu and his family can walk with wealth. He brought dozens of family members and relatives to the United States. His family owned about ten mansions in Midland and its surrounding areas. According to the data, he understood that the mansions purchased by Fu were extremely luxuriously decorated. Xiqiu Fu used a large amount of the acquired property to purchase assets. He squandered to satisfy his own desires.
Xiqiu Fu, who came to the United States as a political asylum, knew exactly how to engage in illegal political asylum procedures. He brought all kinds of people to the United States. Between 2012 and 2016, a gang leader surnamed Zhang faced arrest. Xiqiu Fu packaged him as a Christian leader suffering from religious persecution, and then charged high fees. The gang leader, daughter and son-in-law were brought to the United States. Coincidentally, a man named Yuan Jianbin, currently living in the suburbs of Washington, also paid Xiqiu Fu at least $100,000 to help him and his daughter reach the United States. As the “agent” of God, Fu has a lot of wealth in the name of God.
In addition, Xiqiu Fu’s private life was chaotic after his material desires were satisfied, and as a Christian, he appeared in high-end erotic entertainment clubs many times. It is reported that Fu once harassed some young female volunteers working in the China Aid Association, one of whom is now a reporter for Radio Free Asia. When Bob Fu travels on business, his wife will accompany him to monitor him and tell them not to leave Fu alone in the room; Geng He, wife of human rights lawyer Gao Zhisheng, has requested an injunction order against Xiqiu Fu in court , Which occurred between 2009 and 2012, was recorded in a Texas court. Xiqiu Fu perfectly interprets the hypocrisy of human nature. He is a villain who uses religion to cash out and then indulges in lust.
The doctrine in Luke 6:44 states that “every tree can be identified by seeing its fruit.” As for Xiqiu Fu’s many evil results, he will definitely be recognized as an agent who has defiled God.
Alex Jacob is a literature author. He was born in Chicago. Alex passion is writing news articles. He writes number of articles and published it.
Disclaimer: The views, suggestions, and opinions expressed here are the sole responsibility of the experts. No Graph Daily journalist was involved in the writing and production of this article.
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DNS, which stands for Domain Name System, is one of the bases of Internet, and most of us use DNS during the day without knowing it. In this article, we tried to examine the concept and performance of DNS and some of its advantages and disadvantages. We use DNS in many of daily tasks, such as working with our cell phones, checking email, and surfing the Internet. But what is DNS?
What is DNS?
DNS is like a phonebook for the Internet. Just as you use a phonebook to call others instead of memorizing their number, DNS acts like a phonebook and there is no need to memorize IP addresses. As you know, computers use numbers, or IP addresses, to connect to each other.
Domain Name System is a distributed list that converts human-readable domain names such as www.respina.net into legible numbers for computers, i.e. IP addresses. The same is true of DNS, where DNS is a system that organizes the domain name of the web and makes it more accessible to anyone who wants to connect to the network.
How does DNS work?
When you visit a website, your computer follows a series of steps to convert a human-readable web address into a machine-readable IP address. This happens every time you use a domain name, whether you are browsing a website, sending emails, or listening to music on the Internet.
Each website can match more than one IP address. In fact, some websites have hundreds or more IP addresses that match a single domain name. As a result, the DNS system needs to convert IP addresses to readable domain names, as it is more difficult to remember a large number than a fixed domain name.
If there is only one directory for a website, then when the number of requests to visit a website increases, it will take a long time for your request to be answered. Instead, DNS information is shared on many servers, but is also stored locally on clients’ computers. It is possible to visit a website several times a day. Once stored in the cache, you no longer need to resolve the domain name with the IP address each time. As a result, the number of times you need to use DNS is less than the number of times you search a website in the browser.
DNS uses a hierarchical database that contains information about the domain name. Suppose you enter a domain name in your browser. The first thing your computer will do is send a request to the operating system’s local DNS server to check if the answer you need is stored in the computer’s cache. If it is not found in the cache, your request will be sent over the Internet to one or more DNS servers, which are generally communicated by your ISP. If the required information is not found on these DNS servers, the request will be sent to other external servers.
What are the benefits of DNS?
The main advantage of the DNS system is that it makes the use of Internet much easier. It would be very difficult if we had to maintain all the IP addresses we wanted to access to visit the websites. With DNS, you no longer need to memorize this number string and it is suitable for categorizing, archiving, and optimizing search engines.
Another notable advantage of DNS is its stability. IP addresses may change for a variety of reasons, so if you want to access a website, not only you need to know its IP address, but it also needs to be up to date. The DNS system has the task of updating IP addresses in a very fast and consistent way and making our access to websites easier.
DNS can enhance infrastructure security, and it can also provide dynamic, secure updates. It is more reliable and can deliver messages to users without failure. DNS enables you to specify the technical performance of the database service. It can also define the DNS protocol, the exact specifications of the data structure and the data exchange used in DNS. In fact, DNS is used as a kind of load balancer or an additional layer of security.
What are the disadvantages of DNS?
In addition to all the advantages and applications of DNS, there are also some disadvantages. One of its main drawbacks is DNS Attacks, in which an attacker replaces a real DNS address with a fake one for fraudulent purposes and tricks users into unauthorized addresses. This is usually done to obtain banking information or other important user data.
If the malware has changed your DNS server settings, entering the URL may take you to a completely different website or to a website that looks like bank website. It may record your username and password and collect the information needed to access your bank account for the abuser.
Malware hijacks some DNS servers to redirect you from popular and high-traffic websites to fake and ad-hoc viral websites, and creates the misconception that to remove viruses from your computer you have to download and install programs which are in fact malwares.
To avoid such problems, it is necessary to install reputable antivirus programs on your system and avoid entering websites that look different from your requested website. Also, avoid entering your personal and banking information on unreliable websites.
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If your doctor informed you about a practically painless surgery that used a laser instead of a scalpel, would you be more compelled to try it? For those who may have put off surgery out of fear, lasers have changed the face of medicine. And the same goes for the use of the LANAP laser in dentistry.
Unfortunately, far too many people don’t get the gum disease treatment they need out of fear of going under the knife. Without dental treatment, patients face significant dental health risks, such as tooth and jawbone loss. But a new procedure called LANAP is helping to change the grim outlook anxious dental patients once faced.
LANAP, which stands for Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure, uses a laser to perform periodontal surgery once only reserved for a scalpel. Developed by Millennium Dental Technologies, Inc., LANAP surgery is successful in treating gum disease with minimal trauma to the mouth. Traditional gum surgery uses a scalpel to decrease pocket depth and remove the infection — and unfortunately, some healthy tissue is destroyed in the process. Stitches are then placed to reattach the gums to the bone and assist in healing.
The LANAP laser removes the infection from beneath the gum line without compromising healthy gum tissue. LANAP is considered a regenerative procedure: Tissue is not reduced and bone is actually regenerated. The LANAP laser recognizes pigmentation, only destroying bacteria and infected gum tissue, which are darker in color than healthy gums. The LANAP procedure also helps connective tissue and bone form between your teeth and gums, which could help minimize the chance of the infection returning.
The Laser Assisted New Attachment Procedure consists of several simple steps:
LANAP Preparation — First, your dentist may take X-rays or probe the area to determine the depth of your pockets and the extent of the infection.
Anesthesia — Local anesthesia may be used to keep you from feeling any discomfort. LANAP is non-invasive and normally doesn’t require any other form of sedation. But if you are an extremely fearful patient, talk to your dentist about your sedation dentistry options.
LANAP Procedure — Once you are numb, the LANAP laser is inserted between your teeth and gums to remove infected tissue and bacteria. The LANAP laser is extremely tiny (about the thickness of three hairs), designed to fit easily between your gums and teeth.
Post-LANAP Surgery — Once the area is thoroughly cleaned, the heat from the LANAP laser seals the gums to form a blood clot. This helps block bacteria from re-entering and re-infecting the area.
The LANAP procedure usually consists of two 2-hour sessions and two follow-up visits. You can compare LANAP to traditional surgery, which usually takes four surgical procedures and several follow-up visits to remove stitches.
LANAP was designed to meet the growing need for pain-free dentistry. With LANAP, there are no scalpels or sutures and healing time is greatly reduced. The patient feels little to no discomfort during and after the LANAP procedure, which could reduce the need for post-operative prescription medications. Recovery from LANAP surgery often takes less than a day rather than the two to four weeks required for traditional surgery; many patients are able to return to work soon afterwards. Your dentist may also recommend that you follow a soft food or liquid diet for one to two days, as opposed to several weeks following gum surgery.
Other benefits of using the LANAP laser include:
– Less time spent in the dental chair
– Less mouth trauma caused by the traditional scalpel and sutures procedure
– Easier healing and a faster recovery
The LANAP laser has not entirely eliminated the use of the scalpel. You may still need traditional gum surgery for some procedures. And while LANAP surgery may reduce your progression of gum disease, you still have to practice good oral hygiene and have regular dental visits to help maintain your results.
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Three seers whisper and hum, a shimmering song that rises and falls like the chittering of wyvernflies in the dusk. Deep into the night they thread the song, fingers playing in strings of beads among which bits of amber glow.
As the night drifts on, fireflies dance around them in a circle, and the very trees seem to hiss and sway. Still the seers play among the beads—mournweasel bone, mud bead, dried woodberry, pulsing amber.
Only as the eastern sky begins to glow does the song reach its chorus. They hold one last shivering note, and then become suddenly silent. They turn as one to the east to watch the glow of morn beyond the trees. At last, just before the sun awakes, the one for which they sing appears.
They can only see the spirit in silhouette... but it is enough. Standing upright on two legs like a Kiri, but with the horns of a stag rising above its head. It stands very still, as if watching them for a sign, though the reverse is true.
One of the seers draws a breath as the silhouette of a small fox jumps onto the shoulder of the spirit.
Then the vision fades as the rays of morning shine through the watching trees.
The chief seer sighs and says, "It seems this one is meant for something after all."
One of the others gathers the bundle from the ground in the middle of the circle, and as one they head for the enclave.
The Chief of Thistledown shakes his head. The three figures, hooded and cloaked, make him uneasy. He knows little of the ways of the Maidyn.
"What do you mean?" he finally asks. "I thought you said the child was abandoned."
"Better to say that she was cached," says the leader... Ikaskovi? It is her the Chief fears the most, for she wears beneath her hood a mask like a creature from some midwinter mummer's play, and candlethorn roots glow beneath her ears.
"But..." He tries to regain his footing. "Caches are for supplies, or messages—"
"Then consider her a message. Someone left her in the cache to be found and placed the dragonwing signal. And I believe we have discovered who wanted her found."
The Chief shakes his head. "Who?"
Ikaskovi turns to one of her companions, who says, "A message was sent through the lesser oak villages. Two hunters of the Nothi disappeared while journeying to the village of Miroska past the Busk Pool."
"Yes, I have heard of them. They were said to be lost without a trace."
"Not without a trace," says Ikaskovi. "This child was found in the cache, and we believe she was placed there to protect her from whatever they faced."
The Chief stares down at the child, who murmurs softly. Two leather cords dangle from her neck. From one, an amber bead glows. From the other hang three wraith tusks. No doubt both pendants had been worn by her parents, who would be several days dead now.
He looks up as the door opens and Saravai enters.
"Forgive me," says the Druid. "I was speaking with hunters near the river." He sees the Maidyn seers and bows slightly.
"The Maidyn have brought," the Chief waves at the child, "this—"
The Chief blinks. "You know?"
One corner of the old Druid's mouth quirks and he says, "Even now she hears the whispers, and she is not afraid."
The Chief glances at the seers, but they seem content to let him take responsibility. Very well then.
"Will you take her?" he asks the Druid.
"I am old," answers Saravai, smiling, "and have yet to meet someone that I can teach the ways. Another few years and it would have been too late." He blinks and looks to Ikaskovi. "Is she meant for something? Chosen?"
The seer laughs. "That is not how fate works. She is not chosen... but perhaps she will choose."
Saravai nods. "Then I will choose as well, and teach her the ways of Hirode."
Read the rest at
Glad to have your content represented on Pantheon.Plus!
It's about time you start getting your projects over here.
Thank you so much for transplanting the story here!!
Pantheon.Plus is not affiliated with Visionary Realms. Pantheon.Plus 2018 All Rights Reserved Terms and Conditions
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The lithuanian daily newspaper, Lietuvos Rytas, published a story about online review culture. I was interviewed about Consumatron.com by the reporter and quite a bit of what I said made it into the article. I just wish I could read Lithuanian. While I’d love to read the article itself, I’d REALLY LOVE to read the comments on the newspaper’s website regarding the article.
(Link to Story)
The Forum is back in action!
I appologize to anyone who was a member of the old forum. All posts and profiles have been lost and you will have to sign up for access again. I am using PHPBB ver. 3 beta 5 which will allow for less spam and more usability.
Go to the Forum: Click!
Note to PodPeople!: You can now watch The Consumatron Minute on your iPod or Apple TV by subscribing to my iTunes feed! Carry me with you wherever you go!
After printing out all of my .php, .css and .html code on dead trees, sharpie-ing the hell out of it and meticulously analyzing every parenthesis and bracket, I found one tiny line of typo-ed code that was causing all of my Internet Explorer woes (well, not all of them, but all of them regarding the layout of the site).
Consumatron.com and Consumatron.net should look just fine, regardless of the browser you use. If anyone sees any layout problems on any of the sites, please let me know and I will address it as soon as possible.
Thanks for sticking with me, regular reviews return today.
It’s been brought to my attention that the right sidebar jumps to the bottom of the page when you view the site with Internet Explorer.
I’m not really sure why anyone would use IE instead of Firefox anyway… but I’ll work on the page layout next weekend.
I did it. I kicked that good for nothing host provider to the curb and moved over to a new one. Not only that, but since I was already on the new beginnings tip, I decided to switch over to Wordpress instead of sticking with Blogger. For those of you who haven’t used Wordpress before, I can only compare it to driving a brand new BMW after selling your ten year old Ford Tempo.
As you can see, the site has been redesigned. I’m not sure if the color scheme is going to stay, but I’ve literally spent this entire day coding php and wordpress templates. I’m not about to worry about wallpaper tonight.
A few other changes that you should note:
While I was transferring all of the posts over from my old Blogger account, I was unable to save the comments. All of the original posts and comments will remain up on consumatron.blogspot.com, but will be a little tough to navigate. I am truly sorry for this. Comments are the best part of blogging. If anyone has any ideas on how I can bring those comments over here, please let me know!
Mediatron is no more. All of the reviews and posts previously on Mediatron have been integrated into the main blog here at consumatron.com. Since I am now reviewing things as they are consumed, and not necessarily on the day of my purchase, I figure the delayed reviews of media (books/music/concerts/theater/movies/etc…) will fit right into the flow of things around here. Also, with the start of The Consumatron Minute, I was beginning to have way too many blogs to check/update each day. This brings it back down to two and that’s a reasonable number to work with.
Along with the comments, the forum has also died. A new forum will be erected in its memory, but unfortunately, a corrupted database and my lack of patience telling me to cut my losses has arrived us at the decision to start anew. I hope you will all join me in the new forum when it goes up!
That’s about all. There are bound to be screwed up links and little sputters of weirdness in this new place. Regardless of how trivial it is, please please, please, PLEASE… leave a comment. Screwed up link? Pictures overlapping on words? Did I misspell something? Tell me. Please.
Thank you for sticking with me. Let’s try and make Consumatron.com/net an even better place to spend our online time… as bloggers and readers.
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Teamwork makes the dream work: Celebrating the edinno.lab coach, instructor, and expert communities | by edinno | Medium
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Teamwork makes the dream work: Celebrating the edinno.lab coach, instructor, and expert communities
As edinno.lab III comes to a close, we wanted to take a moment to recognize the amazing network of people that came together to make it happen.
edinno’s edtech innovation lab (edinno.lab) not only consists of a cohort of companies, but also a group of world-class coaches who meet 1:1 with founders, instructors who lead participants through a series of six total Learning Sessions, and the edinno expert network. Throughout the program, these groups come together to support a cohort of early-stage edtech founders. They help founders hone their product market fit; gain a better understanding of the U.S. edtech market; dive deeper into successful trials, pilots, and implementations; and interact with content intended to spur “aha” moments.
The series of six Learning Sessions are taught by instructors Colin Magee, Jean Hammond, and Rayna Glumac and the RYE Consulting team. Next, we have the dynamic coaches — Ben Bungert, Kripa Sundar, Sarah Fryar, Holly Woodruff, Catherine Mannick, Erika Tepler, Jean Hammond, and John Faig — who work to guide edinno.lab III participants through their founder journey by asking essential questions and supporting them at the earliest stage. Next, we have the edinno expert network which is comprised of educators; serial edtech entrepreneurs and investors; experienced edtech sales, marketing, and UI/UX professionals; and members of the LearnLaunch Accelerator Mentor and Venture Partner community. We cannot thank the instructors, coaches, and edinno expert network enough for sharing their knowledge and time with us and for being such a critical part of making edinno’s third edtech innovation lab a success!
You can read more below to find out how you can become involved with the edinno.lab. Now it’s time to meet the edinno.lab III coaches!
We asked the edinno.lab III cohort — DigiPals, Hubble Learning, KOBI by Hopalai, LearnAla, Pedestal, Smartifact, StudyBot, and Tailor-Ed Systems Inc to share how their coach supported them throughout the program. Continue reading down below to hear what they had to say:
“Thanks to her expertise, Jean is able to analyze the project from different angles in a 360 degree view. She is honest and transparent with her feedback, and shares both positive sides and potential challenges of the business. It could be pros and cons for the end user, angel investor, VC fund, or even founder. Her experience is also helping us shape the correct business model in EdTech and she is always willing to help and make introductions to people that might be helpful for the project/founder.”
“Ben has brought a tremendous amount of enthusiasm to our coaching sessions. He has the right mix of general startup and edtech specific knowledge to always be asking the right questions. In the cases where he’s not sure, he’s got three people he can put us in touch with to keep us on the right track.”
— Chris Hopkins, Co-founder, StudyBot
“Working with Holly is great. She is extremely supportive and has shared great insights about K12 schools, ideas to help move me forward, and has also introduced me to another teacher to help me with my market research.”
“Sarah Fryar is an enthusiastic and passionate education expert. Her insights and thought provoking questions led us to reexamine our strategies and go look for more answers through customer discovery. She has been completely committed to our growth and has helped us in and out of our mentoring sessions through application feedback, introductions, and idea generation.”
“Dr. Kripa’s insight has help make big decisions easy, or as close to easy as us founders can get. Her expertise transcends the education industry and bleeds into marketing, sales, and product. I am so fortunate to have worked with her and thrilled to have her support.”
“Our Coach Erika is spicy, proactive, and full of energy & insights. Weekly meetings with her help us make continuous steps forward. Her feedback on the product is very valuable and I always look forward to our next session!”
— Ursula Lavrencic, Co-founder, KOBI by Hopalai
“John has offered great insights from his experience testing many EdTech products. He is helping us improve our pitch as we plan to seek new partners and potential seed investors early next year.”
“Cathy is an incredible coach. She has huge experience working with early stage startups and her advice and tips are always spot on! She shares fantastic resources about developing my business model that perfectly match the company stage. She is also super attentive to my unique position in the market and for every meeting brings in new ideas and suggestions to follow up on this week’s work at edinno.lab”
Our edinno.lab III participants have summarized why being apart of the edinno lab is such a rewarding experience: it brings founders and edtech experts together to stretch the idea of what is possible and disrupt the concept of education as we know it. The best news is, you can be apart of it! Yes, you. If you identify as an edtech enthusiast, expert, educator, investor, etc., and have more than 5 years of experience in the space, join us for the edinno.lab III Expert Network Mix and Mingle on December 16th.
This event — which we’re calling edinno.lab III Expert Network Mix & Mingle — is the culminating event of one of edinno’s pillar programs: the edinno.lab. It is edinno.lab participants’ way of practicing their presentations, connecting with experts and community members to build their networks, and having fruitful conversations about their business.
So don’t miss out on this opportunity to connect with founders, provide groundbreaking insights on their pitches, and expand your edtech network. Please reach out to Cailey Newton at cailey@edinno.com or Sarah Fryar at sarah@edinno.com if you’d like to attend.
edinno is an open learning community created to support and empower emerging edtech innovators.
We’re on a mission to democratize access to information and social capital, making founding an edtech company more accessible to all.
Get Involved
Interested in learning more about edinno.lab? Fill out the interest form here or reach out with questions. Want to get involved as a partner, expert, or supporter? Send us a note.
Continue to follow us on Medium, Linkedin, Twitter, and on our website to hear more about these exciting companies. Also sign up for our Interest Form and Newsletter to hear about our upcoming programming. If you want to get involved with other edinno members, follow this link to join our Slack Community.
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If you’re looking for a memory foam mattress then you’ve come to the right place. We offer free shipping to Elmwood Park, 60707 a 100-night free trial, and a free pillow.
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Going to a store and lying down on a mattress to see if you like it is the old model, and it’s going away. You can’t even find the best memory foam mattresses in stores anymore, and this is because we’ve found a better way: it’s the Tress 100-night free trial. How can you really know if you like a mattress by lying down on it for a few minutes when you’re in a store? You have to sleep on it. And we’ve found that if you sleep on a Tress memory foam mattress for a few nights, you will love it. If you don’t? We refund you.
Tress is now serving the Elmwood Park, Illinois 60707 area with their 5-star-rated memory foam mattresses
We’ve all heard about the reduced motion transfer feature of the memory foam mattresses. But have you ever experienced it? We can tell you with certainty that it’s awesome. Someone tossing and turning on the other side of the bed? You won’t even feel it. Now if they steal your covers, well that’s a different story (pro tip: just use two comforters!). With reduced motion transfer it’s also easier to do cool things, like eat and drink in bed. So it’s not only practical, it’s awesome; just like Tress mattresses.
Do you wake up sore? Back problems? Shoulder problems? Do you suffer from aches and pains after you sleep? Do you have trouble sleeping because you can’t get comfortable? Then you’re one of the reasons we worked so hard to develop the Cloud and the Plush memory foam mattresses. Our foam technology forms to your body while also providing support. This reduces the effects of pressure points on your body while you’re sleeping. So many of our customers report back to us that they wake up feeling relieved and that they’re not sore anymore.
It’s hot. You wake up and you’re sweaty. You throw the covers off, but then you’re cold. There’s no middle ground, and it’s maddening! It’s because you’re not using a memory foam mattress with temperature controls. At Tress we understand how important the temperature sweetspot is to you when you’re trying to rest. It’s for this reason we build our mattresses with advanced open-cell technology that creates a more-breathable mattress. This means you will get a more cool and more even sleep.
Memory foam mattresses now available in Elmwood Park, Illinois 60707, and proudly “Made in the USA”!
We take great pride in our “Made in USA” stamp. Not every mattress company out there can say that, in fact, most of them can’t. Our manufacturer has been in the business for over 30 years and supplied some of the biggest brands out there–including Disney. When you purchase a Tress product you’re directly supporting jobs right here in the USA. Every mattress is handcrafted by one of our specialists, and they even stamp their name on the box.
What happens when I order a Tress mattress online, and I live in or near Elmwood Park, Illinois 60707?
The process is simple. Select the products that you want to order using our online shopping cart. Select your payment option, which now includes financing! Shipping is free for the contiguous USA (meaning, everywhere except Alaska and Hawaii). Because it’s a foam product, the mattress is able to be compressed and shipped directly to you in a box. Bring the box to where you want the bed. Then you open the box, pull out the mattress, place it on your platform (or the floor), and then you open the plastic wrap. This is the cool part. The foam breathes in the air around and you and starts quickly reforming to its original shape. In a few minutes, you have a fully-formed high-tech memory foam bed! Once you have your Tress, and you realize how awesome it is, don’t forget to post with the hashtag #loveMyTress
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A semi-heavy duty truck is the blend of a farm vehicle unit and, at least, a semi-trailer to convey cargo. A semi-trailer appends to the work vehicle with a kind of hitch called a fifth-wheel. It is differently known as a vehicle truck, semi-big rig, heavy duty truck, semi-farm hauler truck, semi-truck, big rig, work vehicle truck, moving truck, verbalized truck, single truck, semi-semi truck, semi-trailer, heavy transport, semi-farm truck, semi, trailer, farm vehicle, huge apparatus, eighteen-wheeler and enunciated lorry, contingent upon the country and area.
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One should have personal feelings for their assets as living things that surely will help you maintain your truck or trailer. But choosing wisely the correct repair shop for your truck Is also important, as here you can consider a mechanic as an artist, who performs repairing as an art form. One needs to be talented and experienced, for performing repairs it is not a rookie talent. When something seems to be wrong at first place, you need to resolve it as soon as possible by visiting truck repair shops near you. Technology can be a helping hand/tool in this situation; you can locate them easily, through internet search over Google or any other websites.
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We all know that the truck repair industry demands a lot of effort, from creating an auto repair shop business plan to coming up with innovative strategies to attract more customers to your mobile truck and trailer repair shop. It can be quite challenging. It's possible to become exhausted working in the mobile truck repair business and we understand it's not easy to manage a profitable repair shop, but with the correct counsel and a little elbow grease, you can keep your business moving forward. You must have the correct intent and plan to manage a successful truck repair service. Effective marketing and high-quality service are the most important aspects of a truck repair shop's business plan. Repair shop marketing tactics are created and implemented solely to attract new consumers.
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Truckers have needed truck maintenance services, truck stops, and emergency roadside services for as long as they have been on the road. Breakdowns aren't easy, but dont panic if you find yourself stranded on the side of the road. We know breakdowns are frustrating, hence finding nearby repair shops quickly becomes a priority. Breakdown Inc. is dedicated to providing truck drivers and others with the necessary information of the nearest repair shops in these current times. Breakdown Inc. is an online platform that delivers accurate and trustworthy information about nearby repair shops and service providers who may provide the service you require. On Breakdown Inc., you can get trustworthy details of the nearest service provider for truck repair, trailer repair, towing,reefer repair ,etc. in Monticello, UT, USA. Breakdown Inc. search and show well-organized data, simple to use, ensuring that you obtain exactly what you're looking for every time. Therefore, we pride ourselves on being your helping hand. Hence in your emergency situations, we are here to provide you with information you can trust.
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Breakdown Inc was created to give you the ease of immediately finding the closest Truck Repair in Monticello, UT, USA. It was built for drivers in mind, who are always on the road. Likewise, it was built for people who want and need accurate & quick information. Simply choose the service you require and the location you are at. Get the information of nearest Truck Repair in Monticello, UT, USA instantly. You also get their contact information, therefore making it more comfortable for you. Breakdown Inc. is committed to providing you with information that you can rely on. We've developed a huge database of heavy-duty truck repair shops/places. To add new repair shops to our database, we consult a variety of sources and double-check all of the information provided. In your emergency situations, use Breakdown Inc. to get reliable data. Also, Breakdown Inc. is simple to search and simple to use. We make it our mission to be the trustworthy source you can depend upon.
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Breakdown Inc. offers a wide variety of search services across the United States. We understand how tough it may be to find a Truck Repair service in Monticello, UT, USA, but with Breakdown Inc., you won't have to. Choose your required service and your location, and instantly find shops near you. The information is well-organized, with the nearest to farthest distances shown; you may also use the range/miles to get additional information or find more repair shops. You have the flexibility to choose the best service option for yourself. We understand how crucial time is in an emergency, which is why you will only discover reliable data at Breakdown Inc. We take pride in providing helpful information in the time of need. You'll never have to worry again about locating service in an unfamiliar area again, Breakdown Inc got you covered.
Any vehicle can become difficult on an open road. Anything can trigger a breakdown, including severe weather or a lack of upkeep. Working in the trucking industry can be demanding. Waiting for roadside assistance when you have a full cargo to deliver on time might get pretty inconvenient. Don't be too worried if your truck breaks down in the middle of the road at an inconvenient hour. Open the Breakdown Inc mobile app. In seconds, find information on Truck Repair in Monticello, UT, USA that are close to you. On Breakdown Inc., you can discover all nearby repair shops for whatever service you could need for your truck, trailer, or semi-truck. So, if your vehicle breaks down on the road, you can rely on our emergency roadside service information. Hence, get your vehicle back on the road as soon as possible. You can Download our app from Google play store and iOS. Have a worry-free journey.
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Light prescription drugs are substances that happen to be both equally beneficial and harmful. They’re substances which includes the facility being equally useful to mankind and hazardous to it. Indeed they are simply artificial substances which might be comprised of pure plant and have less dangerous impact on human when taken, the degree to which a psychoactive of these light-weight drug is harmful to the user is relatively low. These medications in incorporates: marijuana (severe), caffeine, nicotine. But, despite the a wide selection of disadvantages of legalizing mild drug treatments these types of as cannabis, the professionals of legalizing mild drugs nonetheless manage to far outweigh the negatives. Legalizing light-weight medications has long been a concern in forefront over many years in many states together with Washington, Colorado, California and United kingdom between some people. There may be a multitude of “yes” and equivalent selection of “no”, voicing their view in excess of this, so strengthening the arguments revolving all around this subject. Without a doubt there is plenty of argument supporting each aspect. A large amount of countries that happen to be in favor with the mild prescription drugs legalization claims that gentle medications would enhance the place economic climate, doing mild medicines lawful will lessen vastly amounts of money invested on legislation enforcement, this is resulting from reduction of drug violence with the towns. Legalization of sunshine medication would improve the state economy’s earnings as result of heavy taxes imposed on these gentle drugs. Legalization of sunshine drug treatments would strengthen broader obtain of health related. Argument from a number of people from inside of and outside the health care group suggests that mild medications superior for professional medical treatment. Cannabis been one for the mostly abused gentle is claimed for being valuable in procedure fora variety of illness, for example, epilepsy, posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and a few www.guruproofreading.com/ different sclerosis (MS). Some states including New Jersey, California and Massachusetts, professional medical cannabis use is previously lawful underneath various recommendations. Light-weight drug legalization would provide entry to truthful data and schooling. A wealth of disinformation about drug treatments and drug use is specified to us by ignorant and prejudiced legislators and media who peddle myths on lies for their individual finishes. This creates many of the risks and risks affiliated with drug use.
Legalization would facilitate us to disseminate open up, genuine and truthful facts to customers and non-users to support them to generate conclusions about regardless of whether and how to use. We could start off basic research once again on presently illicit drug treatments to find all their makes use of and results – the two beneficial and unfavorable. Legalization of sunshine prescription drugs would massively eliminate crime. Legalizing leisure mild prescription drugs cuts off a key profits stream for several around the unlawful drug trade. Advocates of legalization contend that by generating the material a lot less rewarding for criminals, it can decrease the violence affiliated aided by the trade. The end result could save life although getting stress off of law enforcement. Legalization would allow us to control the marketplace, pinpoint a a great deal lower cost and take away buyers demand to raise resources by means of crime. Our legal platform can be freed up and our prison populace drastically decreased, saving billions. As a consequence of the low price, cigarette people who smoke don’t must steal to guidance their practices. There’s also no violence related using the authorized tobacco advertise. Legalization of light medications inside of a state would considerably guide in addressing the real problems. For much too extensive regulation makers have chosen prohibition to be a smoke display screen in order to avoid addressing the social and financial reasons that guide men or women to make use of medicine. Most illegal and legal drug use is recreational. Poverty and despair are in the root of most problematic drug use and it’s only by addressing these fundamental creates that we are able to hope to greatly lower the quantity of problematic buyers. Some nations around the world have already got an exceptionally liberal frame of mind to these mild drugs and assume that it might be more beneficial if they had been legal. Relatively an initial determination you could say, then again, there will be nations in EU which have been making use of gentle medication for numerous a long time and even now stay very made industrial states. Voters in Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C., all voted to legalize marijuana is for older people during the 2014 election. They joined Colorado and Washington, which legalized cannabis in 2012. (Alaska, Oregon and Washington, D.C 2014)
Legalization of sunshine medications would’ve some shortcomings as a result of various causes: gentle medication are addictive in mother nature: Lawful cannabis supporters have argued that it’s not as addictive as other “harder” medicine, this kind of as heroin and cocaine. Addiction treatment method experts, even so, have seen firsthand that long lasting use does lead to cannabis addiction. Explore suggests as various as 10% of users will grow dependence eventually. Just like other substances, stopping cannabis use qualified prospects to withdrawal indications that range between irritability to stress. Light drugs creates to each actual physical and psychological fitness issues and could cause societal decay as people tend to be more probable to have interaction them selves in behaviors which can be socially unacceptable these types of as crimes, prostitution, bribes and corruptions inside name of looking cash for obtaining these mild medicine. Legalizing may also deliver guidance to young children’s that uses of light medicine is suitable and this possibly will trigger children’s abusing this medicine at their younger age. Using cannabis raises the center pace from 20% to 100% for about 3 several hours once it is been smoked. This improve boosts the chance of more than a few problems such as coronary heart palpitations, arrhythmias, and coronary heart assault. Its impact on the guts can make smoking cigarettes the drug a high-risk activity for seniors or buyers living with cardiac problems. To summarize, the difficulty of legalization of sunshine medicines remains a controversial challenge, there is a good number of factors on no matter whether to legalize or never to legalize utilization of mild drug treatments.The movement to legalize mild medicines is becoming a reality in a few sectors. For hometown governments, law enforcement officers, the judicial program, and dependancy procedure experts affected because of the shift, it should continue to become vital to work collectively to generate communities which can be absolutely free from addiction-and its devastating psychological, physical, and money effects.
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Irving, TX (Feb. 2, 2022) – The University of Dallas Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business is pleased to announce the appointment of Susan Rhame, Ph.D., associate professor of accounting, as interim dean effective in July. Rhame will succeed Dean Brett J. L. Landry, Ph.D., who announced last fall that he would return to his full-time faculty position in cybersecurity for the 2022-23 academic year.
Rhame, who served as associate dean of Academic Affairs from 2015-17, has chaired and served on numerous academic committees since joining the UD faculty in 2008, including managing curriculum and assurance of learning programs. Outside of her full-time faculty and academic roles, in the summer of 2019, Rhame joined Engage Hope, a Christian mission nonprofit organization, during which time she traveled to and spent 10 days providing ministry and medical aid in Uganda, her first mission trip to a third-world country, where she met and began sponsoring the education of a 12-year-old girl rescued from the slums.
“As associate dean, Dr. Rhame was instrumental in our 2017 AACSB Continuous Improvement Review, and this experience will be invaluable as she leads the college’s AACSB re-accreditation efforts in 2022,” said outgoing Dean Brett J. L. Landry, Ph.D. “Currently, Dr. Rhame is a key member of the Dean’s Executive Leadership Committee. I am excited that she will be serving as our interim dean for the Gupta College of Business, and I believe she will do an excellent job.”
“I am looking forward to Dr. Rhame serving as our interim dean. She is a respected colleague and leader among our faculty,” said Associate Dean Greg Bell, Ph.D. “Having worked with Dr. Rhame in her prior role as associate dean, I know that she is the right person to lead our college during this period of transition.”
Rhame received her doctorate in accounting from the University of Texas at Arlington, and her undergraduate and master's degrees from Mississippi State University and Louisiana State University, respectively, after which she worked in the tax department of the Dallas-based office of Arthur Young & Co. (now Ernst & Young).
“I am honored to serve as interim dean of the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business,” said Rhame. “I look forward to working closely with faculty, staff, students, and alumni to continue moving the college forward together during this transition year.”
Prior to joining UD, Rhame taught accounting at LSU, Collin College and Austin College. She has published peer-reviewed journal articles in accounting research topics including tax equity, online accounting pedagogy and retirement planning. Her publications also include two co-authored book chapters, “Infusing a Practice-Based Mission Throughout a College of Business,” published in Mission-Driven Approaches in Modern Business Education, and “Using Codes of Conduct to Integrate Ethics Education in the Accounting Curriculum,” in Teaching Ethics Across the Management Curriculum: Contributing to a Global Paradigm Shift.
Rhame is a member of the American Accounting Association, the American Institute of CPAs, the Texas Society of CPAs, and the Institute of Management Accountants, where she formerly served on the Dallas chapter’s board (2015-17). She is a proud mother of her three young adult children and a daughter-in-law.
“I am blessed to get to work with a committed leadership team in Gupta,” said Interim Provost Tammy Leonard. “In particular, the commitment of Brett Landry and Susan Rhame to making this transition successful and their continued commitment to the long term success of our Gupta College of Business is a great gift.” The search for a permanent dean of the College of Business will begin in fall 2022.
About the Satish & Yasmin Gupta College of Business
The Satish and Yasmin Gupta College of Business at the University of Dallas has been perfecting graduate business education for more than 50 years. Located in Irving, Texas, the college offers AACSB-accredited programs with the Doctor of Business Administration (DBA), MBA, and Master of Science programs in Accounting, Business Analytics, Cybersecurity, Finance and Technology Management as well as professional education programs, making it one of the most popular choices among Dallas/Fort Worth’s business leaders. SB Hall, which opened in January 2016, houses the college, providing students with state-of-the-art technology and practical tools to prepare them for their future careers. For more information, visit udallas.edu/cob.
Located in one of the largest and fastest-growing metropolitan areas of the U.S., the University of Dallas is a nationally recognized Catholic liberal arts university with campuses in Irving, Texas, and Rome, Italy. Known for the academic rigor of its undergraduate Core Curriculum, rooted in the great works of Western civilization and Catholic intellectual tradition, the University of Dallas also offers flexible graduate degrees in business, liberal arts and ministry, all taught by exceptional faculty who are dedicated to the pursuit of wisdom, truth and virtue. For more information, visit udallas.edu.
Interim Dean Appointments Announced
Oct 17, 2022
Oct. 14, 2022 (Irving, TX) – The University of Dallas (UD) announced the appointment of reference librarian and adjunct French instructor Ron Scrogham as interim dean of libraries and research...
The University of Dallas to Host 2022 Catholic Bar Association Conference
Oct 6, 2022
The University of Dallas will host the 7th annual Catholic Bar Association (CBA) Conference, “Catholic Lawyers: Upholding the Rule of Law,” Oct. 13-15, 2022. "Our members are looking forward to being on the campus of one of our nation’s premier Catholic institutions of higher learning,” said Peter H. Wickersham, CBA president.
Media Advisory
UD Earns Top Marks in Annual College Rankings
Sep 19, 2022
The University of Dallas recently earned high marks of excellence from leading publications – including moving up to the #2 spot for “Best Value” among U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Colleges" in the West, as well as The Princeton Review’s Best 388 Colleges and “America’s Top Colleges” by Forbes.
Interim Dean Appointments Announced
Oct 17, 2022
Oct. 14, 2022 (Irving, TX) – The University of Dallas (UD) announced the appointment of reference librarian and adjunct French instructor Ron Scrogham as interim dean of libraries and research...
The University of Dallas to Host 2022 Catholic Bar Association Conference
Oct 6, 2022
The University of Dallas will host the 7th annual Catholic Bar Association (CBA) Conference, “Catholic Lawyers: Upholding the Rule of Law,” Oct. 13-15, 2022. "Our members are looking forward to being on the campus of one of our nation’s premier Catholic institutions of higher learning,” said Peter H. Wickersham, CBA president.
Media Advisory
UD Earns Top Marks in Annual College Rankings
Sep 19, 2022
The University of Dallas recently earned high marks of excellence from leading publications – including moving up to the #2 spot for “Best Value” among U.S. News & World Report’s "Best Colleges" in the West, as well as The Princeton Review’s Best 388 Colleges and “America’s Top Colleges” by Forbes.
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13 Ways Inc. was founded as a company to facilitate success in building communities people want to live in and can prosper within. Doug Griffiths, the founder and chief community builder for 13 Ways Inc. started the company with a passion and commitment to improving the lives of people in small rural communities. Since then our team has expanded to include experts in facilitation, branding and marketing, retail and downtown redesign opportunities, and building intentional healthy communities.
Chief Community Builder
Doug Griffiths – Chief Community Builder
Growing up on a ranch outside a small community was a great practical education for Doug Griffiths, giving him a strong work ethic and critical thinking skills. He went on to also acquire an Honours BA Philosophy, followed by a B.Ed, and in 2016 completed the Executive MBA program at the University of Alberta. Education, whether he is learning or teaching, has always been an important aspect of his life. After teaching and ranching for several years, Doug successfully served as an elected Member of the Legislative Assembly in the Province of Alberta for four consecutive terms. In that time, he served in two senior Cabinet portfolios as Minister of Municipal Affairs and Minister of Service Alberta, as well as three junior positions in Agriculture, Finance, and Solicitor General.
Doug retired from politics in January 2015 to actively pursue his passion of helping communities, organizations and businesses grow stronger. In his best-selling book, 13 Ways to Kill Your Community, Doug identifies challenges and opportunities that all our communities face. The lessons that come from those stories are applicable to all types of communities, whether they are towns, organizations, or businesses. His talents include seeing through the lies we tell ourselves, overcoming bad attitudes, targeted and focused tactical planning, communicating with those who are afraid to change, and building enduring prosperity for communities. His passion lies in building strong communities, because within strong communities leadership can succeed, businesses can prosper, and families can find a great quality of life.
Heather Thomson is the Executive Director of the Alberta School of Business – Centre for Cities and Communities. As one of the founders of the centre, Heather is mentoring the next generation of business innovators while working with leaders in the business community with an emphasis on education, consulting, academic & applied research and industry outreach. Heather also works as a consultant with 13 Ways Inc. a Community Development Firm. Heather delivers business and community assessments, builds community plans that specialize in economic development, local businesses prosperity and beautification. Heather has worked with hundreds of communities and has delivered dozens of keynote presentations across North America.
Prior to her work with the University of Alberta and 13 Ways, Heather has worked at lululemon athletica, ATB Financial and started her career with McDonalds Restaurants. She is passionate about business success and growing the pool of talent to work in this fascinating industry.
Heather is a business advocate and strategist.
A few highlights include:
Employed hundreds of business students who have worked with more than 2500
organizations in the Edmonton region
Has secured 1.3 million dollars in funding to support the local business community
recover from the effects of the pandemic
Helped create the new Centre for Cities and Communities
Works with national media networks to deliver consumer behaviour research to the
Serves on the Edmonton Business Association and past member of Old Strathcona
Working on her masters in behavioural economics
A forward-thinker in every sense, Heather is of the belief that even the most challenging of
situations can be resolved from an angle of compassion, understanding and collaboration.
Heather is a proud mom of two boys, an avid snowboarder, and an advocate for gender parity
and equity in the workforce… especially for working parents.
Ashley Szakal is a Digital Expert. She works with communities to enhance their digital presence from branding, to social media and website development. Her focus is to create meaningful experiences through design. Her team of experienced developers, programmers and SEO analysts have developed hundreds of successful website projects in a variety of industries. For the past 4 years, their focus has been on Municipal website design.
Before 13 Ways, Ashley worked as a Marketing & Corporate Image Manager for 10 years. Her work saw her travel across North America, Europe and Asia to develop global digital marketing strategies.
Ashley is passionate about empowering women and girls within her community. In 2018 she received the Leading Women of Ontario award for her work. She is currently on the board of directors of Girls Inc. of York, and volunteers in summer camps to teach school-aged girls to code.
Courtney Borst started with 13 Ways as the Operations Manager in June 2019. Courtney was previously working for Executive Education at the University of Alberta starting as a Program Administrator for the Government Portfolio. She then filled a temporary position as Program Advisor in the municipality portfolio, then move to a Program Coordinator for the Public portfolio. A few of Courtney’s clients included the Government of Alberta, The Government of the Northwest Territories, The Tlicho Government, and Alberta Health Services. While filling in for the Advisor position Courtney discovered her curiosity and interest for the municipal world and gladly accepted a position with 13 Ways.
Courtney received her Marketing Diploma from Flemming College in Peterborough Ontario, a certificate for Hospitality Management from The Northern Alberta Institute of Technology (NAIT) and finally her Wedding Planner Certificate. Her passion for learning, change and organization has pushed and guided her to new challenges and adventures in her career and personal life.
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Slides - The slides can get quite busy (particularly on sea days). If you go early or late at evening, the slides are fairly significantly empty. Going on the slides at night is totally a single of my kids' preferred items to do onboard. My kids nevertheless talk about the time we did the Aquadunk 11 instances in a row. Stroller (perhaps) - There are some strollers obtainable to borrow onboard (deposit necessary) and on Castaway Cay. Nevertheless, there are a restricted quantity and it really is 1st-come, very first-served. If you have a little 1, it is not a negative thought to bring a tiny umbrella stroller along.State-of-the-art workout gear, a jogging track, and fundamental fitness classes are obtainable at no charge. There is a charge for look At This individual education, physique composition evaluation, and specialized classes such as yoga and Look At This Pilates. Golf pros offer hands-on instruction, and game simulators permit passengers to play globe-popular courses. 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In addition, Look At This there will be specific activities planned throughout vacation cruises which includes religious observances.When you have any kind of inquiries about where by in addition to the way to work with Look At This, it is possible to e-mail us on our page. A summer time cruise around Iceland is an ideal way to appreciate the country's landscape, which includes geysers, waterfalls and glaciers. Diane Eide, an Iceland specialist at Travel Authorities, said such a trip was a practical way to see considerably of the nation since driving from place to location takes a lot of time." An Iceland cruise is also fairly inexpensive, with great values to be had amongst June and September.Passengers see crystal chandeliers, higher-thread-count linens, and polished wood, but below deck, there are no Frette linens or plush carpets the crew quarters are utilitarian. On most big ships you will find a small gym for working out, a basic plunge pool and sun deck for time off, numerous cafeterias serving a standard-yet-international menu for employees primarily based on rank, and bunk-style rooms for sleeping.It aids to identify exactly where the OP is sailing, as policies, even within identical cruise line, vary depending in place of cruise. As they are in a USD currency cruise out of Southampton, auto-gratuities are added everyday, they can be removed or adjusted at the OPs request onboard, and if accomplished so, any cash ideas to crew has to be turned in, rather if becoming completely kept by crew member.Shipboard Net access is not that slow and high-priced as it employed to be. On huge liners and luxury boats World wide web is rapidly and offered in packages (pre-paid plans) - per min, per hour, per day, per voyage. You can uncover cheaper Net and cost-free Wi-Fi in ports. Onboard Intenet costs start off from USD five-10 per device per day. All huge ships (like cruiseferries ) have Web Cafe with Pc stations. A lot of firms add free minutes when you purchase Net package on embarkation day.The cruise lines give umbrellas for inclement weather so you don't want to bring your personal. CYCLE Take bike rides on river cruises, hire bicycles in port cities to discover and work up a sweat on stationary bikes in the ship's gym. Network with other people in the travel sector to establish robust relationships with your vendors. We're usually on the lookout for ingenious methods to enhance the family members cruise experience. Right here are some of the really ideal cruise ideas we've discovered on Pinterest. Find far more on the Cruising With Children and Family Holiday Suggestions Pinboards.On the most densely travelled sections of the key waterways, it's true that the quantity of river vessels can sometimes remind you of the concentration of tour buses that descend on main sights in London or Paris. But there are quieter stretches as well, and some lesser identified waterways to explore, such as the Vistula in Poland.This mealtime latitude also operates in other techniques, also, such as modifying a dish, ordering two appetizers alternatively of a main, or deciding it's a "dessert evening" and requesting 5 treats alternatively of one particular (in this case, just bear in mind to bring stretchy, comfortable garments). - Comments: 0
Step five: You can stick down the complete region if you decide on to. Again, utilizing Greenbond adhesive, pauldellinger711.wikidot.com make sure your Artificial Grass is adequately secured, then flatten utilizing a carpet roller. When the incorrect sub-base is utilised or the base layer is not installed or compacted effectively it can lead to poor drainage, lumpy look, standing water, and expensive repairs.What do you do if your lawn is seeking worse for put on? Here, we appear at the pros and cons of actual turf and artificial grass. So, what do you do if your lawn is hunting worse for put on? Right here we appear at the pros and cons of true turf and artificial grass.Whether you have artificial turf or a organic lawn, there is usually going to be some sort of organic debris on your lawn. Possibly it'll be sticks or leaves from nearby trees and shrubs. Perhaps it'll be falling tree bark. Either way, you'll get the exact same outcome - lawn debris.Instructions how to set up artificial grass in 4 simple methods. Each sorts of turf require lawn care, so you ought to determine which a single would be less complicated for you to preserve. If you choose to rely on the solutions of pros it will most likely cost you the exact same quantity of cash. It is greatest to make a decision which option is greater for your garden and gardening expertise.Excavation: Turf by Design and style will excavate any sod and weeds up to 4 inches as properly as other debris and components in the designated installation area (4 inches from final grade). The old sod will be hauled away to a recycling center or landfill and disposed of.The answer to this questions depends completely on what are your expectations and how you see your garden after the turf laying has been completed. Consider the pros and cons of both types of lawns and make a decision which is the much better option for your house. If you have any issues choosing, you can always seek the advice of with our specialists and get worthwhile guidance.Above: Online; Beefspring8.Bloguetrotter.Biz, Christine's backyard terrace is carpeted with artificial grass, a surface that stands up to pets, teenage boys, and variable English climate. Photograph by Matthew Williams for Gardenista. If you are you looking for more on online have a look at our own page. Take away the all-natural grass and subsoil to a depth of 10cm (if your ground is nicely compacted and cost-free draining remove 7cm). Artificial grass must not be installed straight onto topsoil.Adding turf will raise the level of your lawn by about two inches (five cm), so pack your existing soil or turf down by at least that much. Some upkeep is also essential. It needs to be swept and watered sometimes. You could get algae and moss developing on the grass and bird poo stains, but they need to be effortless to remove with hot water and household detergent.Alternatives from Easigrass consist of an ultra-durable lawn suited for children's play with a shock-pad base underneath as properly as grass suited to pets that's soft on paws and minimises odours. Heights can variety from 20mm to a deep pile 47mm, with colours from a light, fresh green to luxurious darker shades.Weed is effortless to take away by choosing, brushing or rake the grass. Make certain that weed is removed prior to it has the chance to take root, specially at the edges. It is advisable to take care of good cleaning of the lawn. d. Occasion management. Artificial grass in San Diego is ideal for any San Diego events exactly where a lot of people will be particularly inside a marquee as it does not cut up or go muddy.There are numerous distinct approaches that can be utilised when it comes to artificial grass installation. New permeable block driveway and installation of artificial grass. At all occasions stop fire and hot products like BBQ ashes and cigarettes from receiving into direct speak to with your Royal Grass lawn as this will potentially cause melting of the grass. Repairing is feasible but it will be slightly visible.If your lawn will be receiving a higher level of footfall, which includes from pets, then this will once again result in dips and ruts in your turf where sharp sand has been utilized. One particular square metre of multipurpose lawn turf begins from £2 to £3. You may also have to buy leading soil if your existing soil is poor. A 750 litre bag of best soil will cover 15 to 20 square metres to a depth of 55 mm. It fees around £120.To make an artificial lawn feel natural when walked upon, many are laid upon a shock-absorbing layer that creates a springy impact. Nonetheless, visit My webpage the shock-absorbing material loses its bounce following around three to five years. If you locate your lawn has begun to really feel tough and unyielding to stroll on, it really is probably time for a new shock absorbing layer. Merely peel back the grass and replace the shock-absorbing material with a fresh layer.Find out what guarantees are on supply to you. Specialist and reliable artificial grass firms will provide a workmanship assure that cover factors like fixings, seams and [empty] joins - normally the issues that are impacted by a poor high quality install. Trulawn provides a two year workmanship assure. - Comments: 0
Another way to deal with glare is the use of an anti-reflective (AR) coating on your lenses. It reduces eye stain by preventing light from reflecting off lens surfaces. When applied to the back of your lenses it can help with difficulties when the sun is behind you or to your side.Khloe Kardashian got the giggles throughout her sister Kim's somber acceptance speech at the People's Selection Awards on Sunday night over her mother Kris Jenner's ridiculous sunglasses. Before you choose which pair you want to buy for your child, make positive you lift them up to your eyes to verify for scratches. Because these shades will be maintaining your child's eyes safe from harmful UV rays you want to make sure they are in excellent situation when you buy them.If your face shape is more rectangular, you might have a longer face with a square chin, very a sturdy jaw line and a longer nose length. Large, square frames suit rectangular faces greatest, assisting to make the face appear shorter and much more balanced. Decorative or contrasting temples will add width to the face. A frame with a low bridge will help to shorten the look of a longer nose, balancing the face and providing the general look of a shorter, click the following page far more defined line. A rectangular face can look especially excellent in modern day designs that assist to shorten the length of the face.Now, some folks say, and I must admit I am one particular of them, that polarized sunglasses do NOT support when reading the green. It is an arguable point and I am not an specialist in such matters, but… I just do not really feel comfortable wearing polarized glasses on the green. And, as my game is not all it must be anyway….But you've got to be cautious with them. Some are meant only to supplement your higher beams, and numerous of them are intended for off-road use only. So be certain to verify the legality of the lights for road use in your state—some of them are against the law. A lot of states regulate the brightness of auxiliary and common lights. The reason is that light from a high-intensity discharge (HID) supply or LEDs can be like instant daylight, and following a although, your eyes will adjust to the enhanced brightness. Then when you turn off your further lights for oncoming visitors, your ordinary low-beam headlights seem impossibly dim. Your eyes will need to readjust as if you've just walked into a dark film theater, and that can take up to 30 seconds.We use state-of-the-art materials to craft our signature sunglasses frames: premium cellulose acetate, ultra-lightweight titanium, and gabrielleoni.wikidot.com color-rich stainless steel. If you already have prescription eyeglasses , Over Here you ought to undoubtedly contemplate wearing prescription sunglasses. These come in a variety of frame styles and even lens alternatives - from higher-index to polycarbonate to Trivex or glass. Prescription sunglasses come in just as a lot of trendy designs as eyeglasses and perform to protect your eyes from the sun.If you loved this article so you would like to be given more info relating to content; flattray83.asblog.cc, please visit our web-site. We use state-of-the-art supplies to craft our signature sunglasses frames: premium cellulose acetate, ultra-lightweight titanium, and color-rich stainless steel. BONUS PRO TIP: If you make a decision to go with polarized lenses, http://benicioo5022020664.wikidot.com/blog:96 make sure the polarization is either in-amongst the layers of the lens or mixed into the lens material. This creates a stronger protection and can support hold your lenses in prime type for longer periods.Pick a frame that fits your own style: look at the material, color, shape and the detailing when it comes to sunglasses style. If you adore trendy, classy, hipster, retro, sporty or something in between, the choice is yours. Use proper eclipse glasses ans olar filters to defend your eyes. Study the website: some online retailers like Ottica provide a handpicked and curated selection of frames unlike any other online stores. They don't offer you a wide assortment, but we also know that occasionally much less can be more. I tried it myself and the selection is just ideal. I don't put on prescription glasses but they provide sunglasses that you can make into prescription as effectively at a fantastic cost.Imagine if a guy turned up on a date with sunglasses on his head," stated a colleague, shuddering, throughout one particular of the fashion desk's a lot of conversations on this subject. Sunglasses on the head screams Apprentice contestant - specifically if worn indoors and certainly if it's not sunny. Slotting them into your shirt is bad news, too - it's the kind of styling trick Liz Hurley would employ to draw consideration to her cleavage, or what Michael Bolton would do on a yacht. If you're not wearing them your sunglasses for far more than 10 minutes? Put them back in the box.And don't acquire the late-night-Tv yellow-tint sunglasses that say they assist you see greater at evening. The Sunglass Association of America says that's a farce. While companies pushing yellow-tint sunglasses say the added colour enhances contrast, they cut down on the amount of light that passes by means of them, producing distinguishing objects and road hazards a lot more difficult, anything you never want when you're driving at night. - Comments: 0
The 3 main macronutrients give power - they are carbohydrates, protein and fat. And no, you can't consume something you want just due to the fact it fits your macros. Shed some weight if you are overweight. Keep your skin clean and clear. Get a appropriate hairstyle that will flatter your functions. But this study is just the latest instance of research showing that in the extended run dieting is rarely efficient, does not reliably enhance overall health and does a lot more harm than excellent. There is a better way to consume. In the fantastic food culture wars of the 21st century, the egg-spoon skirmishes may one day be remembered as pivotal.Eat healthily. Restrict the quantity of calories you consume to those necessary for a individual of your height, gender and age. Calorie tables are accessible from government authorities responsible for nutrition details in your nation. Or, ask your medical professional for advice proper to you.In the event you loved this short article and you want to receive more information regarding find out here i implore you to visit the internet site. Appropriate! Males and females require usually the identical quantity of copper in their system. Throughout their reproductive years, nonetheless, ladies shed copper due to menstruation, and as a result must take supplements or add copper-wealthy foods to their diets. Study on for one more quiz question.Optimists are far more probably to consume fiber-rich foods such as fresh veggies, salad, and fruit, and less most likely to be overweight, according to a Finnish study published in the journal Appetite. "Eating appropriate and working out appears to be second nature for them," explains Bruce Rabin, MD, PhD, healthcare director of the University of Pittsburgh Medical Center's Healthful Lifestyle Program. Happily, it is possible to shake away your pessimism. "The subsequent time a negative thought pops into your head, force yourself to come up with something positive to replace it," says Dr. Rabin. If you practice this usually enough, it will at some point turn find out here to be an automatic response.Steer clear of or limit intake of processed and junk foods that contain saturated fat, added salt, added sugars. Talk to your doctor. The only way to confirm that you have hypothyroidism, and that it could have brought on you to achieve weight, is by seeing a medical professional. Your doctor will confirm the diagnosis and develop a treatment plan for you.Occasional longer fasts, which must be accomplished under the supervision of a physician if 1 is diabetic, for instance, would see even a lot more pronounced effects, which in addition to weight loss can incorporate mental clarity and a detox process called autophagy.Stay fuller longer with these straightforward diet program guidelines to assist you drop weight. The primary struggle with this aspect of dieting is that it gets tough socially. You want to go out and drink and consume and have a good time, but it really is difficult with a glass of water in front of you. This comes down to your will energy. If you can't do it, try to come up with a compromise. Permit your self diet plan soda or tea and veggies after hours, for instance. That way you do not feel as excluded when you're out with pals.Fitting into jeans from high college or seeking greater in a swimsuit are common motives why individuals want to lose weight. Do not start off a weight loss journey alone. Locate support from pals and household members who may also want to lose weight, or join a weight loss help group in your neighborhood. You can also locate support in numerous on the internet weight loss forums.A excellent lengthy-term limit for most adults is no much more than 50 grams (or about 12 teaspoons) of added sugars per day, and closer to 25 is healthier A single 16-ounce bottle of Coke has 52 grams. Prior to beginning any high-intensity cardiovascular exercise, folks need to verify with a doctor. This intense workout is not proper for everyone.Attempt utilizing non-meals rewards as effectively. When you do something proper with your diet and workout, treat yourself to one thing. Go to a game with a friend, or get a manicure, a massage or a trip to the films when you meet your mini-goals. Get oneself that new shirt that you've been wanting if you meet your aim of losing a pound this week.If you do your cardio in the morning, do it right away upon waking without having consuming. You burn the very same quantity of calories in the morning as in the evening for the same amount of operate. Nonetheless, research indicates that the percentage of fat calories burned during morning workout, on an empty stomach, is higher.While exercising is important, Find Out Here spend consideration to how considerably you sweat. The much more you sweat, the a lot more water you will need to drink. To avoid dehydration, aim to drink about 1 c (240 mL) of water each and every 20 minutes during intense workout, hot climate, or whenever you're sweating a lot.Taking into consideration the South Beach Diet program? Drink citrus juices wealthy in vitamin C. Vitamin C aids in tissue repair and wound healing. Eating citrus fruits or find out here drinking their juices will help the liver heal, bringing enzyme levels back to wholesome levels. Citrus fruits are also identified to reduce the risk of liver cancer. 19 Uncover techniques to work oranges, grapefruits, lemons, and limes into your diet regime. When acquiring juices, appear for goods fortified with extra vitamin C. - Comments: 0
15 Old School Grooming & Beauty Suggestions From The 1940s That You Most likely Did not Know - 14 Nov 2018 08:51
There is simply no excuse for a natural tan. And yes, I'm talking to you. No excuse for dry, burnt skin threatened by a hundred cancers, not when you see the vast range of fake tans accessible right now. From gentle drops you can add to your facial moisturisers, to sprays that promise an airbrushed finish, and to my favourite, Dr Dennis Gross Glow Pads, which exfoliate and add a gentle sheen. Deck out your residence with beauty. This may imply decorating your area with lovely scenes you uncover in magazines or posters or maintaining cute memorabilia and knick-knacks around. Obtaining beautiful surroundings will make you feel stunning too. Keep in mind to fill your space with what you locate beautiful, rather than just following the latest trends in design and style and decoration.For a movie that asks you to behold so significantly violence — defenestration and talk of rape, a bludgeoning, a suicide, charred skin, a dental drill that treats a thumb like drywall — 3 Billboards" feels weirdly benign. Its black comedy does not leave a bruise. The violence curdles into mouse click the up coming document cartoonish. The film could be about grace and vengeance, but they are presented as hoary lessons and hokey contrivances — happening upon a deer, sharing your orange juice with the madman who tried to murder you, juxtaposing the reading of an inspirational letter with an inferno. There is no reckoning with something, no introspection, just escalating mayhem. The mix of the silly and the significant puts the film in Coen brothers territory. But they can adjust the settings for their cynicism. Even at their worst, they've got their finesse. Mr. McDonagh just keeps bashing away.Ms 'Gara recommends applying a moisturiser routinely all through the flight or when you feel your skin drying out. This involves to the face and hands. Apply a white base to the complete face. Mexican-American makeup artist Judith Bautista (AKA Kahlovera ) recommends water-primarily based theatrical makeup , as it sets better than face paint.If you're out of shaving cream, lather your legs with conditioner alternatively of soap. Conditioner will soften the hair on your legs creating it less difficult to shave (and it will leave your skin feeling further silky). This could appear like an odd area to cover when giving men's beauty guidelines but it is critical we touch on it. Just like mouse click the up coming document rest of your body, your penis is covered by skin.Dibutyl phthalate, toluene and formaldehyde have been discovered to be secure below existing conditions of use in the United States," said Lisa Powers, a spokeswoman for the Personal Care Goods Council , the major trade association and lobbying group for the cosmetics market.It's a appear that is also ideally suited to warmer months, when the sun is more golden, skin far more lustrous, and everyone is a bit keener on playing up eyes so that lips are cost-free to sip drinks and eat ice creams with no any threat of lipstick smudges.You've heard it prior to — never pop your zits! The folks more than at Daily Glow recommend applying a bit of toothpaste to a pimple just before bed and washing it off with warm water when you wake up in the morning. They say that toothpastes draws impurities out of clogged pores and dries the skin with shrinks the pimple. Opt for organic toothpastes rather than gel toothpastes which don't operate as well.On Friday morning, Tracee introduced us to the best summer lip colour: a coral orange. If you happen to be afraid to rock the bold color, take note from the actress' makeup appear, and pair the vibrant hue with darker, bolder brows and neutral eyes. Even Jessica Alba chimed in about the look, extra resources adding "Really like" in the comments.Featuring the very best beauty suggestions for body, face & healthier skin. Make-up style As a lady in her late 60s, [empty] my face has undergone a lot of ‘fading', meaning my characteristics are significantly less defined than when I was younger. My make-up style is all about restoring definition to my eyebrows, eyes, cheeks and lips.Eartha Terrell (Muvva Earth) is a beauty and lifestyle reporter and the founder of , a lifestyle and beauty website. Be confident to catch her ideas on all that is all-natural beauty on Instagram @ muvva_earth. Work out. Cardio tends to make your skin glow because it stimulates blood flow. It's also healthy for your physique and will make you stronger. You'll see outcomes right away and lengthy term, also.Numerous "cute" people (though not all) have problems believing they can appear gorgeous or attractive, so they undermine themselves by sticking to secure outfits, "cute" hairstyles, or shy physique language. Place with each other a knock-out outfit and discover how to pull it off with self-confidence It can assist to do this in a less familiar context, exactly where people do not have preconceived tips about you.Featuring the ideal beauty suggestions for body, face & healthful skin. In the course of pregnancy you want to consume lots of water in the course of a day. It will assist in filtering and washing out all the toxins from your physique. Further, water aids in preserving the correct quantity of amniotic fluid in your physique. If you have not yet added this vital tip, add it quickly, as this is very good for you and your baby's health. Drink at least two liters of water a day If you have any type of questions pertaining to where and how to make use of mouse click the up Coming document, you could contact us at our own page. . - Comments: 0
Welcome to the New Haven Painters Blog provided by DaCosta Painting. Topics blogged about under contain numerous property painting tips and articles from our specialist contractors. Maintain inform with sources, Enquiry specials, news and other updates from our group right here at DaCosta Painting. I am about to move into a new residence so I have to opportunity to repaint and redecorate! I am trying to uncover a paint color, but I am obtaining difficulty. I really like the tips to selecting furniture initial, considering that it really is a lot less difficult to match paint to furniture than furnishings to paint.Safeguard nearby surfaces from "more than spray" with masking or painter's tape and painter's paper or newspapers in windy, enquiry outdoor situations, airborne paint particles may possibly drift farther than you expect. There does exist a special painters tape, offered from your local DIY retailer, which is considerably better for this sort of thing, but more pricey than masking tape.Oil based, water-born enamels. This is a new item, which provides the durability of oil enamels with the ease, quick drying time, and low-odor characteristics of latex and acrylic paints. When your project involves residential painting, turn to this resource. Our purpose is to aid you achieve beautiful and expert outcomes each inside and outside your home.Ambassador Painting seeks to be your Denver Home painters for a high quality property painting project. We may possibly not be the least expensive painting contractors in Denver but there are other hidden charges in addition to price tag, like a poor top quality thin paint job or improper project preparation that starts to show cracks following only a handful of short years.But there's a problem. If you beloved this short article and you would like to receive additional facts relating to enquiry (berylwardill71.shop1.cz) kindly visit the web site. You don't have time nor the knowledge and patience for such a project. So you are forced to employ a property painter to do the heavy-lifting property painting job. Plan your breaks. Any siding that is partially painted and left to dry is at risk for lasting, visible lines. This can be avoided by finishing every person piece of siding as you go.Extenders prolong the drying time for acrylic paints and also thin the colour somewhat, which can make them appear far more like watercolor. Painter's tape need to be accessible at your neighborhood hardware retailer. Wood knots are far significantly less noticeable with darker colors, but if you're staining cedar a really light colour, sealing every knot with a shellac-primarily based primer like BIN is a great concept ahead of staining.Ambassador Painting seeks to be your Denver Home painters for a quality house painting project. We could not be the cheapest painting contractors in Denver but there are other hidden costs apart from price, like a poor good quality thin paint job or improper project preparation that begins to show cracks right after only a couple of short years.The interior painting profession is not as tightly regulated as other trades, such as plumbing and electrical jobs. A license or certification is seldom essential. Members can search for Full Document hugely rated painters on Angie's List and read member critiques of recent solutions, in addition to other research just before hiring.IN September 1945, Bess Myerson walked down the runway in Atlantic City, sewn into a size 12 white Catalina bathing suit stretched to fit her frame by her older sister. The 21-year-old lady from the Bronx, a Jew, a daughter of an immigrant residence painter, a music student who wanted to be an orchestra conductor, looked as regal as the crown she would win.Depending on just how dirty the outdoors of your house is and on the house's size, there are two ways to approach this job. If you reside in an typical-size property, use a garden hose with a carwash brush attachment to bathe the huge areas. For caked-on dirt, use a scrub brush or a sponge and enquiry a pail of warm water with a excellent, powerful household detergent in it. Operate from the prime down, and rinse all areas where you scrubbed with water.Following a handful of hours of painting, paint can perform its way up into the bristles covered by the steel ferrule. If you don't clean the paint out of there, it will develop up and result in your brush to get stiff and misshapen. Right after you comb all the paint out of the bristles, run water down into the brush. Ultimately, straighten out the bristles with a comb just before you put the brush away. Safeguard the bristles by storing the brush in the package it came in.For a professional-looking paint job, do what the authorities do. Must you pick to tip a property painter there are a couple of issues you need to ask beforehand to alleviate any confusion. For example, painters that are not independent contractors could have to refuse tips. In some situations when you tip a property painter they will have to report it to their boss. If they do not there could be some issues when tax season comes around.It is tempting to strategy a painting job as if it is child's play. Sadly this is not the case, otherwise, the numerous skilled painters and decorators across the globe would be would not be there in the first place, would they? Truth is, there are 1 too numerous factors that can go awry with your interior redecoration, specially if hastily place with each other. - Comments: 0
As reading week gets underway this week for several Ontario universities, lots of people are headed off on trip, but as travellers prepare for their holidays the Canadian government is reminding individuals to take the right precautions. The new car, remodeling project, and iPhone can wait. If you really want to travel more, you can make it happen. Career breaks are achievable. If you loved this informative article along with you want to acquire details about please click the next site generously visit our own internet site. You have buddies who would love to watch your pets.Find out from these who reside in the country you happen to be going to. Folks enrich your travels much more than sights do. Discover out what ATM or debit card charges you might be topic to about the nation and abroad. Also try to find a credit card that does not charge a foreign exchange rate, which is typically 2.5 per cent. Though there are only a handful of in Canada, Felgar says Chase gives three, one particular by way of Sears, Marriott hotels and Amazon.If you are beneath 25, there are a complete heap of student discounts you can take advantage of. You can get cheaper flights through STA Travel, less expensive train passes by means of Eurail, cost-free access to museums, and a lot more. Take benefit of your age and verify if student discounts are available before booking anything.For all travellers who do uncover themselves in trouble the government has emergency get in touch with data. Other travel suggestions include checking travel advisories , and downloading the Smart Travel App for up-to-date travel guidance and advisories.7. Don't miss the Junior Ranger programs at state and national parks. The free handouts and activities offered at California national parks and state parks give children a enjoyable, hands-on way to explore the park. At Lassen Volcanic National Park , for instance, the activity booklet gives a list of various hot springs and volcanic rocks for little ones to appear for and please click the next site check off. At Antelope Valley California Poppy Preserve , meanwhile, a nature-oriented bingo card motivates kids to maintain an eye out for please click the next Site lizards, meadowlarks, and beetles, as nicely as California's state flower. Ask for any handouts at the park's visitors center, or download them from its internet sites.Use travel-size versions of your favored merchandise. Packing complete-size bottles of items like hairspray, lotion, and face wash will take up unnecessary space. Look on the web or in your local drug store for smaller sized-size bottles of the merchandise you want to bring.Travel experts have some guidance on economical destinations and other guidelines that can aid you save money even prior to embarking on a vacation. I love this post Lauren! So a lot of helpful guidelines. I absolutely want to acquire some packing cubes to assist me pack my backpack. The much more I travel, the less I carry though. On my last trip to SE Asia I had a 12 kg backpack and I realized that I could have carried even less.Officially I am not allowed to fly anymore because I am heavily pregnant, but I am usually up for a city trip by vehicle a handful of hours away from property. Also pestos are wonderful from Italy for gifts or just to bear in mind the fantastic meals enjoyed even though traveling. I agree with the fruit stand thought. We try to go with two meals whilst on a trip. Keeps the calories down, but have fruit or snacks to fill in when hungry. I constantly take immediate oatmeal to get us started in the morning. Typically quite hot water is available for that and a cup of tea.Auto rentals are available all through the state most key companies have areas at major airports and in practical city places. To rent a vehicle in California, you must be at least 25 years old (in most instances) and have a valid driver's license and credit card (utilised as a safety deposit). Non-U.S. citizens must have passports. Prices may possibly differ, with aspects like place, automobile size and style, accessories (a kid security seat or GPS, for instance, might be added), and the day of the week that you rent. Selecting up and dropping off a automobile at different areas can also increase prices. For very best prices, try booking a automobile at the exact same time you reserve your flights.Tucson has a quantity of wonderful independent areas to eat and nature to check out. Checkout areas such as Bookman's, Beyond Bread, Saguaro National Park, Gates Pass, and the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum. In my knowledge, please click the next site there are far fewer vacationers in Spain among September and November, and February and April (except for Holy Week when domestic tourists are traveling for holiday).Most likely our most crucial trip suggestions. I've mentioned this more than and over…If you can not afford travel insurance coverage, then you can not afford to travel". In my massive bag (Osprey Porter 46L) - 95% of it is clothing, toiletries and backup chargers. The other five% is a little bag with money and further credit cards.Traveling with kids is not effortless, regardless of whether they are a newborn or a moody teenager. Strategy your itinerary ahead of time and give yourselves extra time at every restaurant or attraction you in no way know when your kid will have a meltdown or you will have to alter plans. Throughout your travels, don't forget that you will miss these days when your children are grown up. Huge families with little children are not often treated effectively by fellow passengers keep your cool. Positivity is contagious the more calm and content you remain around screaming or crying youngsters, the a lot more calm and pleased your complete tour group or flight will be. - Comments: 0
Olive oil truth no. 3: Extra virgin olive oil can curtail following-meal blood glucose spikes. This observation originally spurred interest in the Mediterranean Diet plan, which is supposed to mimic the way the folks in these countries eat ( 14 ). Xin, Y., X.Y. Li, S.R. Sun, L.X. Wang, and T. Huang. 2015. If you cherished this posting and you would like to receive far more details pertaining to Click Through The Following Web Page kindly check out our internet site. "Vegetable Oil Intake and Breast Cancer Risk: a Meta-analysis." Asian Pac J Cancer Prev. 16(12):5125-35. Olive oil's MUFAs and PUFAs can help lower the danger of heart illness by enhancing threat aspects −lowering total cholesterol and LDL cholesterol levels, for instance. Other investigation shows that MUFAs may advantage insulin levels and blood sugar handle, a benefit for these who have or are at threat of developing Sort two diabetes.Coconut oil could be no superfood, but equally, it is no villain. What it is is a affordable tasty if overpriced occasional alternative to other - equally unhealthy - saturated fats and one particular that, unusually, you can rub into your face without smelling like a butcher's shop or cheese counter. But if you are soon after a miracle remedy for obesity, insomnia or piles you are going to almost certainly have just as considerably achievement with a Bounty bar.Along with its significantly less artery-clogging fatty acids, olive oil consists of antioxidants such as vitamin E and poly-phenols - plant compounds with potent antioxidant properties. These compounds are made in the fruit and leaves of the olive tree, where they afford protection against environmental stresses. Some of the polyphenols special to olive oil such as oleuropein are becoming intensely investigated. Early findings suggest that oleuropein and other phenols could function synergistically with the fats in olive oil to shield arteries, bones and colon cells.In 2009 we had been alerted by a CIMI about the possibility of olive oil being damaging to infant skin. We followed this up and met with our contacts from Johnson's Infant (J&J) who had been involved in funding this investigation on infant skin and olive oil.When consumed in moderation, olive oil has numerous wellness benefits. The very same paper also advises replacing saturated fats such as butter, lard, beef dripping and palm oil with healthier oils such as soybean oil, peanut oil, sunflower oil and walnuts. But here's the catch: Regrettably, click through the following web page it turns out that more than half of the further-virgin olive oil imported into the U.S. has been shown to be substandard.The research, published in Nature magazine, showed that 50 grams of additional virgin olive oil has the exact same impact as 10 per cent of a typical dose of the painkiller. Prevents Breast Cancer : A current investigation study suggests that hydroxytyrosol, a key component of olive oil may possibly help stop breast cancer in postmenopausal women.Eventually, we need to ask: What takes place to folks following years and years? Who actually ends up with much less heart illness? In each study, the rural Asians - yes, the men and women with the low HDL levels - win. Each and every time, the rural Asians beat out populations, like these of Crete, Greece, and Italy, with greater HDLs.The collaboration, which started in Might, saw one of our members, Sanita Ellis, start to work with the young parents living or affected by HIV at the centre by providing them the superb and very advantageous skill that is infant massage. Our founder, Vimala McClure, has a vision that every parent, regardless of personal philosophy, and each and every infant, regardless of birth history or disposition, need to have the opportunity to expertise the lifelong positive aspects that come from early bonds that are loving, healthful and secure". This vision continues to live on via all the function we do and via this wonderful collaboration in between the IAIM and Body & Soul.Its undesirable reputation brought on a panic at the concession stands back in 1994, when the Center for Science in the Public Interest put out a study claiming that a large film-theater popcorn, hold the butter, delivered as significantly saturated fat as six Big Macs. Theater popcorn ought to be the Snow White of snack foods, but it's been turned into Godzilla by getting popped in very saturated coconut oil," Michael Jacobson, the executive director of the center, a customer group that focuses on food and nutrition, mentioned at the time.Consume green, leafy vegetables. Green, leafy vegetables such as spinach, kale, arugula, dandelion greens and chicory supply a multitude of liver-cleansing benefits - they remove heavy metals, pesticides and herbicides (which wreak havoc on the liver) and increase the production and flow of healthy bile.I have began Op in hopes that it will strengthen my gums. I am an atheist, I never think in astrology or other hocus-pocus so let's just say that I have a healthful sense of skepticism with regards to claims about option medicine. I have even more skepticism concerning traditional western medicine. I am hoping for the greatest, of course, and some of the claims for OP appear logical. Even so, I want that folks would refrain from producing spurious contentions and exaggerating the effects they experienced from OP. This only clouds what could be its real advantages. - Comments: 0
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There is no better way to obtain your trust than to promise our No Queries Asked Guarantee." It's our job to make sure you are always pleased with our workmanship, and we assure it.While black is normally connected with somberness and malignity, it can also represent sophistication, reverence and physical attraction. Interior designers have traditionally shunned black paint, but homeowners increasingly pick it for trim and accents that are meant to be dramatic and striking. Black is the ideal match and contrast for white, and the amount used can range from trim locations to an accent wall. With the right furnishings and décor, black is excellent for living rooms, bedrooms and ultra-modern day kitchens.Poster paint can be used in a identical way that acrylics are used. The downside is the pigment concentration is lower and the paint can be semi transparent. This transparency can make it difficult to get the colors ranges you set out to achieve. It is important for you to take necessary care of your valuables. Inform the painters about fragile items or ones that want to be moved prior to commencement of the painting.Make a decision on how a lot preparation function will need to be carried out in each space. Do the walls need to have to be scraped , sanded and filled, or is there caulking to do? Will you be removing massive furniture things to get access to walls? Waiting till the paint is opened and the roller pans filled is not a good idea, naturally. In some circumstances, it may possibly be required to remove furnishings to a storage website throughout the painting.Want to sell your residence quicker? Use the paint colors that sell - to enhance the curb appeal and raise the value of your house in the eyes of prospective purchasers. Following all, first impression is every little thing and when it comes to paint colour, ugly charges you just as much as gorgeous.Getting people in the door is truly a lot simpler than you might think. The marketplace is pretty hungry for painters, so do not sweat it too considerably. There are a lot of techniques you can get the phone ringing, but the best way to commence is by buying leads from lead generation firms. Clients will go to sites like seeking for a painter, submit a request to be contacted by a painter, and you are going to pay HomeAdvisor between $20-$50 based on the variety of job for their info You can get A TON of leads this way.What color you want the walls painted and what paint brand. Glad you discover 'painters and decorators' informative. Hey Brenda, I can not give distinct color recommendations since I cannot see your colors in particular person. Check out my post about selecting neutral paint colors you are sure to find it helpful! Thanks for stopping by. Moving involves a lot of function, correct. So you may possibly be thinking it is not worth it. Even so, if your home isn't appealing, you might find yourself paying the mortgage for months on finish although it sits empty. Interior and exterior painting will also help you to sell at a excellent, competitive value.When removing the tape, you need to have to make sure you do it just before the paint is totally dry, to reduce any damage to the paint. Peel it off when the paint is no longer tacky but is nevertheless a bit damp under the surface. Also, if the paint does peel at all, use a box knife or razor gently for a clean cut to eliminate it without damage.Pros choose 5-gallon buckets with a roller grid to roller pans. They hold much more paint than pans and, says Doherty, "It is tougher to tip over a bucket." A bucket also lets you box, or mix, two or three cans of paint to keep away from colour discrepancies. To use a bucket and grid, dip the roller a quarter of the way into the paint and run it over the ramp to work the paint into the nap.If you are like me, you waited with bated breath to discover out Pantone's 2017 Colour of the Year (spoiler alert: It's greenery!) and were quickly inspired to switch up your wall colors so you could use that gorgeous, springtime shade of green. Here's the reality: Painting the interior of your property is an endeavor that needs a fantastic deal of time and some skill, also. It's a single of the most underestimated residence projects that you could undertake. 2 Paint Tray Crucial for employing wall rollers. No need to have for pricey ones as the low cost ones do the trick just as nicely. - Comments: 0
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"The stars are like letters that inscribe themselves at every moment in the sky. Everything in the world is full of signs. All events are coordinated. All things depend on each other. Everything breathes together." —Plotinus
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February 9, 2013 by Dr. Tsafrir 236 Comments
This morning when I opened the door to go out with the dogs, the snow had drifted up four feet high during the night, creating a white wall that needed to be broken through in order to step outside. I have never seen so much snow in Boston. We are buried. The heavy snow reached well above my knees as I waded through the garden to the street.
Blizzard Nemo is another instance of extreme weather that has become our “New Normal“. The rule going forward is to expect the unexpected. It will be a monumental task to dig out of this one. I am fortunate to still have power, unlike 650,000 households in the Northeast. There is a statewide ban on driving and subway service has been suspended for the day. The enforced leisure of this quiet snow bound day affords the time and space to pull together my thoughts about bio-identical progesterone (Prometrium), an important topic that I have wanted to write about for some time.
Bio-identical progesterone has made a huge positive difference in my life, in the life of one of my patients, as well as in the life of a friend. Hormone therapy is another one of those issues, like saturated fat, about which there are many politically motivated and culturally sustained misconceptions, with significant consequences for women’s health. Bio-identical progesterone merits further study and research, so that doctors in this country will become aware of its benefits. In Europe it is commonly prescribed.
I discussed this topic with Dr Natasha Campbell McBride, the originator of the GAPS Healing Protocol, and one of my mentors, who is no fan of synthetic hormone treatment. She is convinced that the widespread use of synthetic hormones, such as oral contraceptives, have very adversely impacted gut health, contributing to many psychiatric, neurological and auto-immune conditions. By contrast, she believes that bio-identical hormone treatment can be extremely useful, and does not adversely impact the intestinal flora. I was relieved to get her blessing, as there is so much natural and deserved suspicion about treatment with hormones, after the disastrous impact of widespread synthetic HRT prescription on women’s health, resulting in an increased incidence of breast cancer, cardiovascular events and dementia. Statins today are prescribed in much the same way.
A ground breaking and disturbing book about this topic is The Estrogen Errors, by Jerilynn Prior, MD, a Canadian professor of Metabolism and Endocrinology, and Founder and Scientific Director of the Centre for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research (CeMCOR) and Susan Baxter, PHD, a journalist who specializes in medical controversies. CeMCOR has a very useful and accessible website which I recommend to all my readers.
Prior and Baxter describe a common fundamental misunderstanding of the physiology of estrogen and progesterone over the course of a woman’s reproductive life cycle, which has resulted in a treatment strategy for menopausal women which is not based upon scientific evidence. Instead, it is predicated upon our love affair with estrogen, as emblematic of all that is “alluring, sexy and accommodating about womanliness”. The idealization of estrogen and neglect of progesterone has contributed to significant suffering for perimenopausal and post menopausal women. They describe how “false beliefs about estrogen became entrenched in U.S. medicine and culture, and how and why business and politics have played a role in this erroneous thinking.”
There is a widespread mistaken belief that estrogen deficiency is the cause of many of the typical symptoms related to perimenopause and menopause; mood and anxiety symptoms, irritability, breast swelling and tenderness, bloating, hot flashes and night sweats, headaches, bone loss, etc. In perimenopause estrogen levels are in fact often elevated, and the ratio between estrogen and progesterone is disrupted. In menopause it is decreased levels of progesterone that cause many symptoms. Dr. Prior’s research has revealed that for many women who suffer from these uncomfortable and often disabling symptoms, supplementing with estrogen only aggravates their condition. By contrast, supplementing with 300 mg oral bio-identical progesterone at bedtime with no additional estrogen, effectively treats these symptoms.
Bio-identical progesterone is not to be confused with synthetic progesterone, which can cause a number of side effects. They are not the same. There are no known side effects from bio-identical progesterone, with the exception of sleepiness. It must be taken at bedtime, and it greatly improves sleep quality. It has none of the side effects of typical hypnotics (sleep remedies) like Ambien, Lunesta or the benzodiazepines (such as Ativan, Klonopin, or Xanax to name a few). Many sleep aids are habit forming and intended only for short term use. Oral bio-identical progesterone may be used indefinitely until no longer needed, and does not cause habituation. It does not suppress respiration nor does it decrease restorative REM (rapid eye movement) sleep. It is thus much safer than the hypnotics that are currently commonly prescribed.
The improvement of sleep quality alone makes an enormous difference in a woman’s sense of well being. Very often symptoms of anxiety, depression and irritability arise because of poor sleep. If a woman can simply be helped to sleep well, she may feel much less depressed and anxious, not to mention the profound impact adequate restorative sleep has upon memory function, attention and overall cognition.
It is also reported that 300 mg of bio-identical progesterone causes an increase in basal metabolic rate resulting in an additional 300 calories burned daily, a bonus which can offset the weight gain that is common place with the transition to menopause.
In my own case, I had frequent post-menopausal hot flashes and drenching night sweats for 4 years that so disrupted my sleep that I only slept very lightly most of the time. The variety of sleep remedies that I tried left me feeling so hung over and depleted of energy that I preferred to take nothing. By contrast, 300 mg of bio-identical progesterone at bedtime has greatly improved my sleep quality and resulted in only the very occasional hot flash. I do still feel a bit tired, but much less so than with other remedies I have tried.
A friend of mine had such severe mood, anxiety and irritability and swelling prior to menstruation that she felt impaired two weeks out of every month. Bio-identical progesterone cream 40 mg a day was very helpful to her, but when she stopped menstruating, she stopped taking it. With menopause, she began to have frequent hot flashes that destroyed the quality of her sleep, and left her feeling extremely anxious and irritable. 300 mg of bio-identical progesterone has restored her sleep quality resulting in greatly decreased anxiety, irritability and improved energy.
A 42 year old patient of mine had such severe PMDD that often during the week before her period she felt terribly depressed and irritable, and at times even suicidal. She also had very uncomfortable breast swelling and tenderness, migraines, severe cramping and very heavy menstrual flow with large blood clots. These mood and physical symptoms would suddenly lift when she began menstruating. Prometrium 300 mg at bedtime has fully relieved her of these incapaciting mood symptoms as well as the breast swelling, menstrual migraines and heavy menstrual flow. She is also sleeping much better. Many peri-menopausal women who still have regular periods take bio-identical progesterone cyclically. They begin it on day 14 of their menstrual cycle and take it until day 27. (Day one is the first day of your menstrual cycle.) For some women who are prone to menstrual migraines, coming on and off progesterone can trigger migraines, so that it is preferable to take it continuously.
The Estrogen Errors is full of case studies similar to these that I just cited of women who were plied with anti-depressants, hypnotics, synthetic hormone treatments, and other pharmaceuticals without relief and plenty of side effects, and only when bio-identical progesterone was prescribed did their lives turn around.
Some women have a relatively easy passage from perimenopause to menopause. But for those who are suffering during this time of tremendous physiological change and transition, I recommend this book, so that you will feel empowered to talk with your doctor about bio-identical progesterone.
Here is a video of Dr. Jerilynn Prior talking about ovulation and the menstrual cycle. It will give you a sense of her integrity as a person, her thoughtfulness and common sense.
Comments
Johnna says
April 9, 2021 at 11:14 pm
I’m getting ready to turn 54 and had a complete abdominal hysterectomy at age 34 (20 years ago). I was unable to take estrogen of any type after the surgery as it kept making my endometriosis grow back (long story) but now I feel like I’ve just been left in the cold by my doctor to ‘wing it’ all these years and wonder if all of my anxiety and heart palpitations, muscle cramps, etc.. I have osteopenia and obvious it could be caused from lack of estrogen (i was put on progesterone at one time and had an allergic response to it) and if there is something like this bio-identical progesterone would help? It seems like most here have gone through menopause on the natural side of things where as mine was medically induced by complete abdominal hysterectomy???
Dr. Tsafrir says
April 10, 2021 at 7:45 pm
I do not know the answer here but would recommend consulting with a holistic women’s health doctor.
christine says
September 12, 2019 at 1:59 pm
Hi, I’m a 56 year old female. I am post menopausal, never experienced a hotflash, or any common side effect that I am aware of. However, lately I have had off the chart anxiety and can’t sleep. I went to a hormone doctor here in Phoenix, AZ. All of hormones are in the normal range Estriadiol 2.0, Progesterone 58
I’m a very healthy person, low heart rate, low cholestrol, etc. Exercise heavily (Ironman triathlete). She presecribed 150 mg of progesterone. From what I understand, mostly to help me feel better and sleep better. My rx will be filled by a compound pharmacy at a cost of $150. for 100 pills. I’m wondering if I even need these pills and if an OTC cream would work just as well. Thoughts??? I’m on a budget
Dr. Tsafrir says
September 12, 2019 at 3:25 pm
You may wish to see for yourself what works best. Each person is unique. Its a simple experiment.
Judith Lynn says
January 8, 2019 at 12:41 am
I have been on bio identical oestrogen therapy (Progynova) now for nearly 6 years (4mg -2 x daily) and my average Oestrogen levels have been between 250 and 300 pg/ml. Recently my personal doctor recommended that I should commence taking Bio identical progesterone (promethium – 200mg) daily on a monthly cycle from day 14-day27 at night time as she was concerned that I might be getting Oestrogen dominance. I should explain that I am Transgender and my Testosterone levels now are just 0.9 n/ml. Since commencing on the Prometrium nightly I have found that I am sleeping much better and overall feel so much better, whilst on it, but I do find that by day 27, I find that the Progesterone is very cloying and I feel I need to be off it; however my pharmacist recently suggested that I should consider moving to a regime where I take it regularly ie every day.. Interestingly though since talking it now for 4 cycles, I find that by day 12 I get PMS like symptoms as if my body is telling me that its time to take my Progesterone. I have tried this for 4 cycles, but I am wondering what you would suggest
Dr. Tsafrir says
January 8, 2019 at 10:37 am
I think its important to tune into what your body is telling you while working closely with your treating clinicians.
Robin says
June 22, 2018 at 8:01 pm
I’m struck by the number of comments here, Like many women who’ve reached out for guidance, I’m struggling with this transition . It makes me angry that negotiating the menopausal transition cannot be a more straightforward process. I eat well, exercise, practice mindfulness, don’t drink or smoke, have great friends/family and I can only claim feeling good about one day a week. I’m in the group, who gets some benefit from estradiol (decreases joint pain, improves mood) but struggles with progesterone—it leaves me in an ADHD like state with poor motility, swelling, headaches and too much joint laxity. I agree progesterone is a wonderful hypnotic, however, I wonder how CYP450 genetic variations and Progesterone receptor variations influence an individuals response to BHRT. It seems to be guess and go, and scratch our heads when you’re not like the average person. To paraphrase Maya Dusenberry, lazy science and biased medicine leaves many of us in a place of confusion, wishing, neglect and dismissal. Wishing everyone the stamina they need for this time of change.
Elizabeth says
September 25, 2018 at 11:28 am
Hi Robin, I am in the same group as you. Likely have been lower on estrogen my entire life. Progesterone worked during EARLY peri-menopause. Now, in LATE peri-menopause I absolutely need Bi-Est cream. In fact, progesterone cream renders me an anxious mess and does nothing to abate my “new” symptoms of LATE peri-menopause such as palpitations. Palps have only been reduced using estradiol/estriol Bi-Est. There is so much advocacy for progesterone out there and yet very little (except fear-based) on estrogen supplementation. Thank you for sharing. Encouraged me to do the same.
Anne says
May 31, 2018 at 7:49 pm
Hi, would love some insight! I’m two years postmenopausal, and started four months ago on .050 estradiol patch and 100 mg transdermal progesterone cream, continuous. (To help with hot flashes, vaginal atrophy, bone density, cognition.) Had blood levels checked, and doc wanted progesterone higher and switched me to 100 mg oral micronized progesterone, continuous. It makes me feel horrible. Anxious and heavy-chested and simultaneously groggy/dizzy, and overgroggy and dizzy well into the next day. Sleep has gotten terrible. For two nights, when I needed to be able to drive in the middle of the night if needed, I went back to the transdermal cream (because it only made me feel mildly drowsy rather than konked over the head and heart-attacky). Big bleed came on and lasted six days. I’ve tried the Prometrium vaginally instead to get around side effects, but side effects remain, plus vaginal irritation. Am I taking too much? Not enough? Am I just intolerant? I’m really liking the effects of the estradiol, but I must take the progesterone and it’s proving to be very problematic. I have two docs–my gyno, who if I mention the bleeding will have me on the table immediately for a scan and biopsy, and a functional medicine doc, who really thought the vaginal method would solve the side effects and who believes the bleeding is related to a crash from going back to the transdermal for two nights. Waiting to hear more from the FM doc now before I call gyno and get roped into a bunch of expensive, invasive diagnostics that I really don’t believe I need. Eager for insight anyone might be able to share! Dreading taking that little peach pill tonight!
Anne Strange says
January 29, 2020 at 11:18 am
Hi! I, and others, feel your pain with respect to progesterone. For me, I had progesterone toxicity with high doses of creams and with oral progesterone I have perioral dermatitis that I can’t shake even while not taking it. I’ve heard from many others who can not tolerate progesterone but desperately need estrogen supplementation. It’s confounding for sure.
Luba says
January 18, 2018 at 9:17 pm
Hello! I have been in the same boat I have had my period now non stop for almost 5 months. Gone to see my family doctor he referred me to a gyno. The gyno sent me for an ultrasound my lining was slightly thickened and told me he will watch and see what happens. I went on my own to a naturapath and he put me on the cream. It slowed down my period not as heavy but hasn’t stopped entirely. I called him up again as I can’t take this bleeding anymore,and he is changing my prescription to a capsule 200mg twice a day. I am really hoping this helps! This whole experience has been completely dibilitating. Anyone else experience never ending periods? What did you take?
jacque Ridgeway says
June 24, 2018 at 12:38 pm
I’ve been on Bio Identical Hormones for several years. The last few months I start my period every 2 weeks. It seems the higher the dose of Prog the heavier bleeding. I’m so over it!!!!
KK says
April 24, 2019 at 2:22 pm
Hi, I have the almost the same issue, it starts bleeding haphazardly. I a
Have POF and non doctor has been able to help me despite using BH.
July 6, 2020 at 12:45 pm
When I started bioidentical progesterone cream, my dr proscribed 30mg days 1-14 of cycle and 60mg days 15-30. This caused me to get my period every two weeks.
Cutting back helped tremendously, and for younger peri or premenopausal, it is recommended by the best drs to take between only 15-25mg of bioidentical progesterone cream only the second half of your cycle. This gives the body the other two weeks to flush out any excess that may be storing up in your fat cells.
In my opinion, this article is talking about an extremely high dose, and doesn’t stress the need for that “break” enough.
It is a difficult balance. I am still trying to figure it out myself.
Eva says
November 6, 2017 at 8:11 am
Hi, it is so comforting to know I am not the only one with strange symptoms. For me personally the most distressing are hair loss and anxiety. Got a prescription for bio identical progesterone which I will begin on day 14 (just waiting). Any one else have problems with hair loss ( I’m in my late 40’s and it started when I was about 45). Will progesterone help with hair loss?
Jane says
November 8, 2017 at 10:18 am
I am a Canadian and I have finally convinced a specialist to prescribe bio-identical progesterone cream (after discovering the work of Dr. Jerilynn Prior at CEMCOR) to relieve perimenopausal symptoms including hair loss, fibrocystic breasts, night sweats and anxiety, to name a few. My specialist is reluctant to prescribe the 300mg of progesterone used cyclically as suggested by Dr. Prior, but he has agreed to consult directly with her about my clinical history and condition.
In Canada there is a surprising lack of support in the medical community for bio-identical progesterone therapy, and Dr. Prior is the exception.
Three weeks into using the cream, which is only available by prescription here in Canada, I am experiencing less hair loss, and my breast tissue is starting to revert to normal. I must point out that I have increased the dosage to 100 mg (a unilateral decision) and I am waiting to see if my specialist will prescribe the recommended oral 300 mg (used cyclically) after he consults with Dr. Prior, as that is apparently required to address night sweats.
I have also discovered that Canadians may purchase bio-identical progesterone cream at Amazon.ca , although it is shipped from the United States. It is generally 20 mg per dispensed dose (Now product) and is much cheaper that the compounded product at the pharmacy available by prescription only.
Perhaps this information is helpful to you.
Eva says
November 9, 2017 at 8:32 pm
Thank you for your reply,it is helpful hearing other people’s experience with bio identical progesterone. You are absolutely right about the difficulty Canadians have with finding doctors who prescribe bio identical progesterone cream. It is good to know that it has helped with many of your symptoms, even with your hair growth. I am also hoping my doctor will agree to prescribing oral progesterone. I just recently started learning more about it. There is so much on line to read, it can be overwhelming.
Mary T says
December 2, 2017 at 8:19 am
I was treated by Dr A Schla……. Toronto ( who has retired)with 0.2 ml twice daily for 21 days ( progesterone 50 mg and testosterone 1mg/0.2 ml
I was on it for 15 yrs beautifully
She did not charge any additional fees outside of OHIP
I stopped at 60 yrs old for the last 6 months because my chiropractor said my muscles are too hard and defined
So,I thought it was not a bad idea to stop which I did
Well I re started the cream because the hot flashes returned with full force
I would like to know if I can send in my own saliva tests to the lab in Oregon?
Marilyn Lake says
November 10, 2017 at 3:37 pm
Yes, you can do this!! Dr. Alvin Pettle, of Toronto, who is a pioneer in bio identical hormone replacement, has created a hair tonic that is one of the things that I use to restore the thickness in my hair. However, I have learned the following things, no matter who your practitioner is:
Please consider getting your hormone saliva test panels done by ZRT labs in Oregon. They are simply the best, and can test all three estrogens, including cancer causing Estrone, and the Estriol levels which might relieve your leaky bladder symptoms, when applied topically to the vagina. Saliva and blood spot testing tends to be a better indicator of what is going on in your body.
Regarding hair loss, if you are on DHEA, or nothing at all, make sure your DHEA, is in the oral sublingqual form. It goes directly into the bloodstream, and avoids a lot of the hormone cascade, which can produce Di Hydroxytestosterone, which causes male and female pattern balding. Also, both my husband and I regularly take Biotin to assist hair and nail growth, and Saw Palmetto, which binds to the Di hydroxytestosterone, and makes it easy to eliminate from the body, and keep the hair on your and your husband’s head. I have been dosing my husband with saw palmetto, and 1000mcg of biotin since he was in his twenties, forty years ago!. He would have been a cueball baldie, like his Mom’s father, however, he still has most of his hair, except a bit of receding in the front temples and the crown., and he is a youthful 68. We also see Dr. Di Pieri in Kelowna, B.C., who is also a bio identical hormone expert, and specializes in men as well as women. Dr. Di Pieri put me on 100mg of progesterone a night, orally, and that corrected my sleep issues. He put my husband on 10mg for the same reason, even though my husband is a good sleeper. We also take Mag Smart, magnesium bisglycinate supplement, to end muscle cramping and leg twitching during sleeping, and after exercise. Being on a paleo anti inflmmation diet has made a big difference in so many ways, Dr. Gundry’s Plant Paradox is a genius plan.
It is so important to get your saliva tests done! In this way, zrt lab will email you, a detailed pdf of what is going on in your body, as we are all different. They treat you like the adult you are, so that you can get your hands on your own test results, with accurate descriptions of what is going on. Ordering bioidenticals for yourself, without proper testing is not a good idea. Consulting with someone who has years of wisdom, such as Dr. Pettle, is a good idea. However, none of these things are covered by provincial health insurance, as they are not in the clutches of the main stream pharmaceutical industry. You will have to pay these physicians and for your testing. However, as a woman who went through devastating menopause mentally and physically, until bio identicals saved my life, literally, it might be a good idea to research this route of healing through zrt labs, and to find a physician who has the courage to think out of the pharma box, and who has had recent training in bioidentical hormone replacement. I am not a medical professional, chose Architecture instead, but healthy environments for work , play, the body, mind and spirit are my passion. Best wishes in health and healing,
Mary T says
December 2, 2017 at 8:06 am
Thank you kindly for all this info
Is there any GP in Toronto area that covers this testing by OHIP in 2017.
Amber says
November 13, 2017 at 5:23 pm
I have been having anxiety, hair loss, brain fog and head aches. My doctor prescribed me 100mg of progesterone today in capsule form. I am so nervous about side effects. I also feel fatigue around ovulation and period. I have 3 kids, 30 years old, feel completely helpless. I know something is wrong just really nervous. I do not like medicine. I prefer a natural approach.
Lisa says
December 9, 2017 at 3:58 pm
Hello, I am 39 and have been having hot flashes for 2 years, but this last year has been horrible, very nervous, anxious, severe depression. I ask my OB for help and he put me on birth control, Klonopin, and anti depressant. I had never been on Amy of these before. He did not help, but seemed to make things worse. I had a saliva test down after being off Jc for 7 weeks, and have very low estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone. Like an 80 year old woman. I didn’t have a period for 2 months and was told I was in menopause. I started 125mg of bio progesterone 10 days ago and just started a period today.
Bio doc is wanting me to take the 125 mg progesterone daily month round?? Should I do this amount month round? I still feel anxious and depressed.
And should I be on estrogen supplements too? I don’t know who to trust?
Rachel says
April 27, 2018 at 11:46 pm
Im 34 yo and have a 9 mo old baby. I have terrible hair loss, not the kind that shows my scalp but just diffuse shedding. It makes my hair see-through towards the bottom and the ends are becoming brittle. Drs try to blame it on hypothyroidism but my levels are in the optimal levels with medication. An Obgyn just put me on an estrogen patch and promethium 14 days out of the month. Hope it helps! The hair loss is devastating! If anyone has any suggestions, I’d really appreciate it!
KK says
April 10, 2021 at 8:25 pm
I know this is a late reply but if you see this then I can tell you that I’ve suffered horribly with hair loss, POF, endometriosis, and hypothyroidism. The most recasting thing was and still is my hair loss. The texture of my once straight, shiny and thick luscious hair is super dry and wavy. My hair loss came with severe scalp pain and I saw every doctor for it. I couldn’t even lay on a pillow so sleeping was a nightmare. My one piece of advice is to eat raw oysters. Shuck and eat 6 a day, it’s the zinc that helps. The pain from hair loss gets reduced for a day. The hair loss should calm down a bit but you have to do it everyday. It’s expensive so I have also alternated with large New Zealand green shell mussels, I eat 4 daily unless my scalp and really burning, I will eat as much as 6. I boil them for 3 minutes. I’ve never seen away recommend this and it’s my first time coming across someone else with hair loss and hypothyroidism. I think I have more problems than you medically so trying shellfish can’t hurt. Good luck.
KK says
April 10, 2021 at 8:26 pm
I meant devastating not recasting!
Terri says
October 1, 2017 at 11:01 pm
After reading all your comments and replies I’d just like to add some things. I am currently 69. In my early 40’s I started using natural progesterone cream to balance my estrogen and felt fantastic for many years. If I remember correctly it was Pro-Gest. It helped me lose weight. It helped my periods, lifted my mood to a calm and happy state and supported my libido. Perimenopause lasted 10 years from age 43 (first skipped period) to the last period at 53. I had a year of hot flashes and some palpitations and then they eased off and stopped. After menopause though, I could no longer use progesterone as it made me moody, weepy and depressed, tired, where it used to make me feel very energetic. At 55 I was diagnosed with underactive thyroid and put on natural thyroid, Armour and compounded bio-identical hormone cream, estrogen, progesterone and testosterone. Felt great for about 6 years and eventually went off the BHRT and just took thyroid. It became hard to get the right dose of thyroid med and it was changed several times and I still didn’t feel great anymore. I am pro-natural everything and it takes a lot of research to figure things out. I had heart complications from the thyroid med and eventually weaned myself off of it and began a total healing program. After 13 months my thyroid is working on its own with the help of a clean diet (no processed foods, low sugar, no grain). I take NO medications and my bloodwork is fine. The only thing I take daily is a dose of liquid nascent iodine in water first thing and then eat a quality high protein, lots of vegetables, etc. I am healthy, energetic, now sleep through the night and feel reborn. My research has paid off and I know feeling great is possible. Please consider that medication or hormones alone can’t do their job unless you clean up your diet. They work hand in hand.
admin says
October 1, 2017 at 11:15 pm
I could not agree more. This is true in my practice. It does not matter what you do in terms of nutrients, hormone therapy, or treating infections, if the dietary piece is not aligned, you will not get good results.
Mary says
October 27, 2017 at 7:37 am
I just started progesterone , still have estrodial Patch , but now having headaches and aching muscles over last few days. Will this go away?
Cynthia Thomas says
November 7, 2017 at 4:10 pm
I had horrible muscle aches and headaches when starting a 50mg of bio identical progesterone cream. I increased the dose to 200mg a day and this helped me tremendously. I was told estrogen receptors were stimulated by progesterone causing estrogen dominance symptoms to worsen. You might check with your provider to discuss this. Good luck!
Misty Botello says
February 23, 2018 at 1:08 am
Enjoyed your blog. I am 43 and am having hormonal issues and hypothyroidism. Along with some other autoimmune issues. I would like to find out from you what you did to get off the meds. I am on WP Thyroid which is dessicated, but have felt worse since. Hair falling out, skin and scalp burning. I really don’t want to take thyroid meds. I felt better before taking them. Also just starting biodentical progesterone. Tried it before and had anxiety, but hopefully not this time. But I am like you I would rather take nothing and just work on my diet. I pretty much eat paelo, a few potatoes here and there. But no grains, dairy, refined sugar, soy.
KK says
January 26, 2019 at 5:18 pm
Did that work for you? Asking because I have the same background, multiple autoimmune, massive hair loss and intense scalp pain, red hands, constipation, multiple docs who can’t help and recently put on the elimination diet which I’m thinking may not be it. Would like to know what else you are trying and what is working for you. I’ve been on HRT for quit sometime and only switched to prometrium in 2017.
Dr. Tsafrir says
January 27, 2019 at 4:26 am
When I hear of someone who is suffering from so many autoimmune conditions, the possibility of mold toxicity immediately comes to mind. I suggest the you find a mold literate physician and see if you can get an answer and some help. There is a new organization called The international Society for Environmemtally Acquired Illness. You could go to their website and click on the tab that allows you to find a practitioner.
July 24, 2017 at 10:41 am
so enjoying your site and info… I am on bio identical pellets.. for last 3 years.. although expensive i am sold.. HOWEVER… i don’t sleep. tried everything… z quil gives me sedation hangover for half of day.. dr. put me on 200 mg. progesterone capsules.. bio ide. and i feel horrible in am.. very sedated… does your body get used to this????
admin says
July 24, 2017 at 11:02 am
I doubt very much that if this has been going on for three years, that it is likely to change.
Mary Johnson says
July 26, 2017 at 1:13 pm
Deborah L Hoermann..thank you so it isn’t just me. I’ve been telling my doctor that the bio progesterone pill has me feeling like a zombie the next day and not to mention the naseau and lack of appetite. I already have gastritis and lost weight from it, I can’t afford a
anymore weight loss. My doc keeps saying that he has never heard this. Mind you, I wasn’t having a problem with sleeping before I started but now I wake up and can’t get back to sleep. I don’t like the way it makes me feel ..it helped with the anxiety somewhat but at the same time my hands trembles the next day along with worsening heart palpitations. I’ve been taking it for almost 3 weeks now. My dr. has experimented by stopping for a few days then start again. Experiment shows that it is definitely causing these effects.
Connie Raley says
August 1, 2017 at 9:44 pm
Hello – I am 63 now, and my life has been mostly normal now for 10 years. I did not know what to expect with menopause so didn’t put the pieces together until it was almost too late. Looking back now, I was 49 and at the top of my game, both personally and professionally. The first thing that happened was I stopped sleeping. I was always a good sleeper, but I would wake up night after night after only 3 or 4 hours of sleep. After several months of this, I started having panic attacks all the time. I truly thought I was having a nervous breakdown. At the same time, I stopped wanting to have sex. Now my sex life was always great, but now I didn’t ever want my husband to touch me. I was also having hot flashes. The awful thing was I could not get any help anywhere. My ob/gyn never mentioned that I could be going thru menopause. I’m sure my regular doctor thought I was crazy, after I showed up at her door in panic mode demanding to be seen more than once. Her advice to me was to see a psychiatrist, which I did. He put me on Paxil for the anxiety, and after much trial and error, the only thing that works for me to sleep is 2 mg of xanax, extended release, which I have been on for 12 years. The only thing that kept me sane during that time was doing constant research on the computer. I finally figured out that I was indeed going thru menopause. I found the book by Suzanne Sommers about her use of bio-identical hormones, instead of the pregnant horse urine I had been taking. My NEW doctor was ok with the idea, even though she knew nothing about them. So for 12 years now, I rub on estrogen cream every morning, and progesterone every night. Even though I still have NO SEX drive, everything else has evened out, and I feel normal. I did try bio testosterone, but it didn’t help with the libido. The bio progesterone did not help at all with sleep, but at least I don’t feel like a crazy person anymore. I am helping several women right now get the help they need. Most doctors just don’t seem to get it.
Colleen says
September 2, 2017 at 6:19 pm
Hello, I just wanted to mention Maca. It helps with a dampened libido. My doctor just prescribed me Prometrium and I am exited to begin the journey of hormone balance. My doctor would not treat the Low estrogen/progesterone without also treating my depleted adrenals as well. She did a great job of explaining the close relationships between female hormones, low normal thyroid, and depleted adrenal glands. I was also low on iron. I now have a full arsenal of natural help–and praying it does. I hope you continue to search for how to feel your very best. You’re worth the work.
Lee says
August 7, 2018 at 8:03 am
Question what did your dr do for your adrenals as I believe that is my issue.
Thanks
August 31, 2018 at 11:21 am
Could I ask who your dr is desperate to find someone knowledgeable.
February 22, 2018 at 8:54 pm
Hair loss and the thyroid hormone fit together and could be the problem
Caroline says
August 11, 2017 at 1:00 pm
Ask your doctor about reducing the dose to 100mg. That might help . That is worth a try. It is what I take an hour before bedtime.
Heather says
August 11, 2017 at 9:10 pm
Am 3 mos on BHRT, and am also struggling with feeling more ‘heavy-tired’, however, with increase in depression and irritability as well. Am unsure what questions to ask my doctor and if I should continue, as the more I read, the less I can make head-way re information.
Initially, I did not receive Progesterone pills until 3 weeks after pellet insert of the testosterone and Estradiol; prior to Progesterone, was feeling more energy and upward swing. The addition of Progesterone markedly impacted increased lethargy. My understanding is, Progesterone is essential to taking Estradiol. How do I combat this?
Would you recommend Testosterone and Progesterone only?
What questions do you suggest I inquire when I go in next week? Am utterly lost and feeling more defeated as to if I should continue BHRT or drop it.
Fyi: My BHRT pellet is made up of: 125mg of testosterone, 12.5mg of Estradiol and 200mg of Progesterone with an addition of 1 grain of WP Thyroid daily.
Kindly
Connie Raley says
August 17, 2017 at 1:15 pm
If the testosterone did not help your libido, I would go off of it. I don’t like the pellets. I use
Melissa says
August 26, 2017 at 10:16 pm
Switch to a progesterone transdermal cream. Some people just cannot handle the oral route and the sleepiness. You do not have that problem with a cream.
Ava Mihalik says
June 16, 2017 at 10:38 am
May I please ask you about progeterone and constipation? I am perimenopause and estrogen dominate. I jut started taking a subligual 10 mg BIHT of progesterone.I had less breast swelling and cramping almost over night.I am happy about that but, I am only just now on 10mg and I am sure he is going to raise it alot more, I am getting even more constipated then before.I know allllllll the tricks and they are not working.I am also on DHEA cream applied to tansmucousal areas.Is it going to get worse? I already have Idiopathic Gastroparesis and its hard enough to handle slow transit now. Please respond. PS. We were hoping getting my hormones balanced could possibly decrease GP.Since mostly young girls and women my age get it. Like 80% are women, I see this as a sign it could be hormone related.Its not vagus nerve damage, sorry I had that test at MAYO. Thats all they can say, and in diabetics it maybe true, thats not me .Thyroids good, doing all the right diets so on and so. Any thoughts. Your Friend, Ava
admin says
June 16, 2017 at 12:16 pm
Hormones often affect the gut and bowel function. I do not know specifically in your case, but it would not surprise me. Maybe another reader has some more thoughts.
Marie-Odile says
July 9, 2017 at 3:12 am
This is the first time ever that I reply to one of those chats but I have seen them. Maybe I feel that I am old enough to help. Constipation has plagued me badly. I reached menopause at 34 and had a hormone regimen that may not have helped. I have finally solved it, now that I am 60. Very simple. For the past 6 years, I have been problem-free after having tried a semi-successful regimen of natural laxatives. The secret: simple granola of oats and seeds and nuts (baked), with fruit and yogurt, EVERY MORNING. EVERY MORNING. That is the key. The right ingredients, every single day. I feel amazing. Let me know if you need the recipe.
Tonya says
July 27, 2017 at 2:08 pm
PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE I would love the recipe!!!!!
Lori says
August 8, 2017 at 3:15 pm
My doc put me on a magnesium supplement Natural Calm by Natural Vitality. It is in powder form and you take it at bedtime. I have been constipated ALL my life….and this actually works! It doesn’t taste that good…but I just use a little water and drink it fast. I’ve never really recommended a product before….but I’m recommending this one. You can get it at a health food store or online. I think Amazon has it!
Alicia says
August 19, 2017 at 12:31 am
I take this..the magnesium powder in a drink. It definitely helps keep me regular, every morning. I drink it at night..it also helps me sleep. I have just been prescribed Vivelle dot .05mg and 100 mg of Bio identical progesterone. I have less hot flashed. But, I am very bloated, swollen. I am not sure which hormone is causing the bloating
Donna says
September 16, 2017 at 9:13 am
Yes, please send the granola recipe!
Thank you,
Colleen says
September 23, 2017 at 4:59 am
Hello. I am new to all of this, and started 100 mg of Bio Identical Progesterone 3 days ago which u’ll take day 14-28 th monthly. I would love the recipe for the healthy granola. I’m gluten free, but thinking that’s not a problem. Thank you!
Debbie says
January 3, 2018 at 10:23 pm
i would love the recipe! I am having serious issues!! Just starting Bio-Identical Progesterone 100 mg …. I have been so nervous about it but I am so miserable!! Hysterectomy 1 year ago…. constipation is unreal!!
Lisa says
September 7, 2018 at 3:50 pm
I would love the recipe. Thank you..
Cris says
April 23, 2019 at 1:46 pm
Please send recipe for granola, thanks
Melissa says
August 26, 2017 at 10:17 pm
Gina says
October 6, 2017 at 9:02 am
Yep, magnesium citrate does wonders for making you regular
Lori says
October 5, 2017 at 5:15 pm
I had the same problem with constipation. I’ve been constipated all my life. When I went on bio identical progesterone she also told me to get Natural Vitality Natural Calm. You can get it at the health food store. You’re supposed to work up to 2 tsp of the powder. I take about 3 oz of hot water from the tap and put the powder in. Let it fizz for a moment and then stir it up and settle. I usually put in a little cold water and then drink it down. You can also put it in a water bottle…but I just like to down it. I get the cherry flavor. It doesn’t taste good. However, it has completely cured me of constipation. I take it at night and I’m telling you….it is a miracle worker!
Lisa Williams says
April 4, 2017 at 6:39 pm
I am 59 and have only the ovary and Fallopian tube on my right side after having the left ovary and dallopian tube removed 10 years ago due to severe intrusion by endometriosis. I continued having regular periods after the surgery in 2006 until they stopped in 2013.
Recently, my GYN gave implanted estrodial and prescribed 200mgs qd of bioidentical progesterone. A week after the implant and oral dosing of progesterone, my period began -dark blood with little clots. At day eight I went back to my GYNECOLOGY for lab work. My progesterone was in a normal range so I was told to keep taking the progesterone. My period finally stopped only to restart 4 days later. This time the blood is red and my flow is quite heavy. What is going on??? I’m beginning to wonder if the implant wasn’t a huge mistake!
Rhonda Richlen says
September 5, 2017 at 6:27 pm
It is not uncommon for your periods to start up again when you first start on BHRT.
March 23, 2017 at 6:00 pm
I’m 51 years old and in menopause, I have started bio identical hormones twice and have been more than pleased with the results. I am however bleeding very heavily on the days just after the start of my 14 day progesterone around day 16 and I continue past day 21 sometime by a week or more. The one nice thing about being in menopause is not having a period. I have had an ultrasound and biopsy and all is normal???
I would like your thoughts…
and .75mg Testosterone DHEA 10mg/Ml twice a week
Jai says
October 28, 2017 at 3:25 pm
Your story is the same as my story. I love the way the BHRT makes me feel. However, the breakthrough bleeding is annoying to say the least. I’m taking 400mg of Progesterone and still spotting. What’s the answer?
Ariana says
October 17, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Hi. I am 41 years old. Two weeks of the month, I am totally messed up. Everyday is a different. I get headaches and pain in the back of my eyes. This usually starts in the middle of the cycle. Last year, I had a surgery due to an endometriosis condition. I still suffer from ovulation every month and feel very helpless. My doctor put me on Lo Loestrine (birth control pill) and I managed taking it for 8 months, but had so many side effects that I decided to quit. He suggested anti-depressants and I refused. I wanted a better solution. I suggested the bio identical progesterone to my doctor and he agreed. He wanted to give me the cream which I had tried previously and did not get much relief from using it. Maybe it was too low of a dosage. However, I asked for the capsule forms. he gave me 75mg bio identical capsules and I took the very first one last night. I had such a horrible headache prior to taking it, but 15 minutes later after I took the pill, I got tremendous relief from it and slept pretty well. Woke up this morning and didn’t have any headaches, but just about two hours ago, I started feeling the headache again. I am so disappointed. Don’t know what to do. Should I ask for a higher dosage of this pill? What would work?
Just to give you an idea of my overall health condition… I workout everyday and on weekends I go on very demanding hikes. I am physically very active and fit, however 6 years ago, I sustained a pretty bad concussion that lasted forever. I am still not 100% recovered from that injury, but I wonder if my symptoms are the result of that fall. My doctor doesn’t think that way. He thinks I have severe PMS. I had one pregnancy at 26 and I was as healthy as I could be till I sustained that injury. I am very regular with my periods, so no problem there.
So, here I am. Suffering every month from mood swings, headaches, sleep problems and I get stressed out easily. I hope to god that someone can tell me what to do. I have seen so many doctors, but no one really gives me a definitive solution.
Can anybody shed some light to my problem?
admin says
October 17, 2016 at 3:39 pm
I agree with your approach of trying to get to the root cause, rather than taking anti-depressants. Sometimes people who have mood symptoms that are very linked to hormonal triggers have elevated copper levels. I would recommend checking out the Walsh Research Institute website and their clinical Resources section and finding someone in your geographical area and getting a consultation.
Ariana says
October 17, 2016 at 5:21 pm
Thank you so much for your quick reply. I was just researching about the headaches after quitting birth control pills. I found a website with ton of information in it. Apparently, headaches are quite common after quitting BCPs and they can be on-going. I was on BCP for only 8 months and I decided to quit because I had a lot of side effects that I couldn’t stand. Now, I am pretty confident that my headaches are no necessarily due to PMS. But what you mentioned about the excessive copper does interest me quite a bit. How can I get tested for it? I am going to check that website you suggested and see what kind of information is available to me. I really appreciate your response and help on my problem.
The other question I have is whether anybody knows how long these headaches can last after quitting BCP. Has anyone experienced what I am dealing with right now? On-going headaches and pain in my eye sockets. I did not have this kind of problem before being put on BCP.
Many Thanks
admin says
October 17, 2016 at 5:43 pm
If you have a consultation with a Walsh Trained Practitioner, they will do laboratory studies of blood and urine. Copper is tested in the blood. I don’t know the answer to your headache question.
Melissa says
August 26, 2017 at 10:22 pm
Try using progesterone cream in morning and oral in evening . Sleepiness is not a concern with transdermal application and doing twice a day will keep you balanced .
Regi says
April 10, 2018 at 1:58 pm
Amber says
November 13, 2017 at 5:13 pm
I have the exact feelings and have never had a concussion. I’d like for someone to help me! Went to the doctor today and he put me on progesterone 100 mg capsule.
Debbie says
January 3, 2018 at 10:44 pm
How r you doing with the Progesterone?
Anna says
September 9, 2016 at 4:37 pm
Very interesting and well-written article, and thanks also for the link to the book which also sounds very interesting!
I can only agree with what you say. I was put on bio-identical estrogen four years ago, at age 43, while still having regular periods, after being diagnosed with estrogen deficiency. It has not done a thing for me, and I have now stopped taking it (I am only hoping it has not messed up my body too much…). I have just ordered bio-identical progesterone (Ona) and cannot wait to get started!
Thank you again for this article, it’s really a great help for women like me who are struggling to make sense of what is happening to their bodies, and why we don’t feel better although our doctors assured us we would…
Lt12e says
August 1, 2016 at 3:07 pm
I am suffering from postnatal depression since last 2 and half yrs.Nothing seems to work on me.Will Bio identical progesterone help me or cream will help.please reply.
admin says
August 1, 2016 at 4:52 pm
Most cases of post partum depression are related to copper toxicity. I would recommend that you look at my website and read about copper overload. If you look up the Walsh Research Institute, you can find a practitioner who is local to your area and who would know about copper toxicity and post partum depression.
Marci says
August 8, 2016 at 8:31 pm
I had post partum depression and bio identical progesterone cured me of it. My doctor uses bio identical progesterone for women with PPD all the time with great success. Therefore, this could be of so much help to you – it completely eliminated my PPD
Melissa says
August 26, 2017 at 10:28 pm
I also had TERRIBLE post par depression and was completely fixed with bio progesterone. After pregnancy is over and baby is here there is a HUGE drop in hormone production not to mention anxiety and depression that come along with loss of hormones and lack of sleep!! Bio progesterone is absolutely necessary in post par depression . 100% effective . Do Not go on any synthetic anti depressants. That is the first thing my doctor tried to do so I found a NEW doctor!! Lol –
Regi says
April 10, 2018 at 2:01 pm
Yes it will.., read book by Uzzi Reis Natural hormone balance… he treats many woman with progesterone…
JoAnn Kohler says
June 13, 2016 at 11:22 pm
I take bio identical hrt. I take estrogen all month long and I take progesterone 11 days out of the month. While the progesterone makes me sleep better. Also, while taking it, my hair sheds more rapidly then usual. I think people should be made aware of this when taking progesterone.
L McKee says
October 5, 2016 at 10:13 pm
Funny I just started taking 4mg of Progesterone in olive oil (specially compounded as the other delivery agents caused issues for me, as I am sensitive to most additives to food and cosmetics etc). I was in menopause for two months, confirmed by lack of period and blood test with highly elevated FSH levels. I could NOT sleep at all, had constant hot flashes up to 10 or more times a day and every hour at night. No sweats, but I was very hot all the time. Touching the skin of my partner while in bed was very uncomfortable. I took a saliva test. Was prescribed 20 mg of progresterone cream with a very bad reaction. Changed the delivery agent a week later, and dropped the dose to 2 mg (using a graduated syrynge for accuracy), and worked my way up to 4 mg over the next month. That with regular weekly accupuncture, a pure organic sage pill every morning and some additional phyto estrogens, and 35 minutes of daily yoga, and in month two I am completely symptom free. I have not had a hot flash in almost 4 weeks. I am sleeping better than I have in the last 5 years. My test results at the time indicated very low levels of progesterone and testosterone. My hair is growing amazingly and becoming full again, my skin is glowing. This has truly worked for me. But it was a multidisciplinary approach. I am not sure any one thing would have worked completely by themselves.
admin says
October 6, 2016 at 4:37 am
Thank you for writing. A holistic approach is the way to go!
Erin says
September 21, 2017 at 3:04 pm
When you say “additional photo estogens”, what did you use/eat/drink and how much/often? Was it something prescribed to you? I will look up the sage pill but I love organic stuff. Let me know, thank you. I’m only 37 and going through horrible mood changes last 8 mos., headaches, night sweats. Appointment not for another week.
Kristen says
August 24, 2019 at 1:46 pm
where can you get sage pill
Rosa says
June 6, 2016 at 12:55 pm
Is there a list of functional medicine doctors (a website or something)? I found an integrative medicine doctor but she was taking forever to do any testing, it was going so slow and she wasn’t really addressing my concerns so I stopped seeing her. I would like to try bioidentical progesterone but I’m having a hard time finding one in NY. I’ve found a few places that do not accept insurance and are extremely expensive. My Gyno doesn’t believe in bioidenticals and I’ve already tried so many otc for severe night sweats and nothing has worked. She first put me on a patch called I think vivel dot and I had too many side effects so I came off, now I’ve been on progesterone for about 2 weeks and although it helps a little with sleeping it’s not helping sufficiently, I still get the severe hot flashes and nights sweats, my sleep has been about 15% better. I read all the side effects of it and I’m not happy. I really would like to go the natural way with bioidenticals. Any help or advise would be greatly appreciated. I am on a low carb diet, I don’t eat processed foods, I exerciese regularly, I meditate, and try to release stress as best as I can.
Donna says
June 6, 2016 at 7:05 pm
Bioidentical hormones are made to order by a compounding pharmacy. I’ve found that the best way to find a doctor that prescribes bioidentical hormones is to contact your nearest compounding pharmacy. They often keep a referral list of doctors that they prepare prescriptions for. Good luck!
Rosa I Berrios says
June 7, 2016 at 1:22 am
Donna thanks for the information. I’ll start looking.
June says
June 10, 2016 at 12:14 am
Rosa:) just wanted to try and help u here- sometimes theres an ” excitatory” period when starting natural progesterone so please please please be patient ok? It can take a couple weeks ( sometimes even two months according to Dr John Lee ). And I know from my own experience too it took almost 6 weeks before I could sleep 6 hours straight. Yipee yahoooo do the happy dance !! Lol I just had to keep reminding myself that it took years to come out of balance with my hormones so it only makes sense the body needs some time to build the level of progesterone up again. It can be insidious but dont give up- keep a calendar n write in it every day how much progesterone u r taking and record how u slept with that certain amount- dont be afriad either to go up or down in your dose- personally I need 20 mg in the morning and 20mg in evening – also taking it twice a day is key to mimicking how our bodies used to secrete it. (Keeps it level ).
I never thought I would sleep like a ” normal” person ever again and PROGESTERONE THANK GOD PROVED ME WRONG!!! I went too many years sleepless! EDUCATION IS KEY!! Never settle for feeling less than your BEST SELF!!!
Dea says
December 2, 2016 at 4:25 am
Thank You all iwant 20 years after I aS castrated is sleep and a nervous system
belinda says
February 10, 2017 at 7:04 pm
I use bio-identical progesterone from http://www.smokymountainnaturals.com love their products! They really help me!
Danielle says
January 22, 2018 at 10:10 pm
That’s what I use and when I told the nurse at the ob/gyn she actually laughed at me. Said the estrogen she was prescribing was all I needed. Needless to say I continued to do what felt good for me. And now I take everything she says with a grain of salt.
Tracy Richardson says
May 24, 2016 at 2:07 am
I finally found a doctor who practices functional medicine, and he prescribed an oral Bioidentical progesterone which I have now been taking for one month. I am fifty years old, and for the past 6 years I have had irregular episodes of hot flashes. I have had hypothyroidism for the past 16, and two years ago I developed Melasma on my face. I am hoping that the more natural medication for my thyroid, Nature-Throid, coupled with the progesterone will cause the melasma to disappear. I have not taken birth control for many years, so I am attributing the onset of this condition with either my thyroid or hormonal imbalance. Do you have any experience with melasma? Thanks!
admin says
May 24, 2016 at 10:09 pm
I am sorry, but I do not. Perhaps a reader might be able to comment.
Donna says
May 25, 2016 at 10:53 pm
Tracy, someone commented on an article on Dr. Mercola’s website saying that Astaxanthin cleared up their melasma. It’s a derivative of a microalgae that gives salmon and flamingos their orange/pink coloring and is a powerful antioxidant. I’ve been taking it for its antioxidant effect. Article is at: http://articles.mercola.com/sites/articles/archive/2011/10/29/bob-capelli-on-astaxanthin.aspx
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June 3, 2016 at 1:21 am
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Pirly says
May 1, 2016 at 6:28 pm
Nice to read all this, but i am really confused and distressed and new to all this. I am 19 years old, back in 2015 around june july i was in a great stress due to college issues. Then i stopped getting my periods , getting last on june 12 and didn’t get for next six months. I also have genetic hypothyroidism with no symptoms which went all up and down. I had to increase my dose of levothyroxine from 25 mg to 50 to 100 mg. Then on dec 13 2015 i started my weightloss journey. i weighed 89 kgs, i might not look that much because i am tall with large bones and body frame. I started healthy but then went on kinda starvation diet like eating only salads n heavy exercise. Then in jan and feb 2016 for two months got my periods after that till now (may 1 2016) i didnt get it yet :(. i lost weight in 3-3 and half months from 89 kg to 63 kgs. My hypothyroidism turned to hyperthyroidism and my doc reduced my levothyroxine to 75 mg. i didnt get periods yet my doc suggested to take Primolut Nor 10mg, synthetic progestin preparation for five days to induce periods. i haven’t started it yet.. i dont want any synthetic thing or any med to get my periods i want it naturally.. what shd i do?? i am scared now i am following a low carb lifestyle sometimes do eating rice and tortilla.. but very few times. and following intermittent fasting. exercising less tho…
plzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz what to do??
thanks
sandy says
May 2, 2016 at 5:47 pm
Sorry your having such an issue right now. Just take a deep breath. Weight loss in general can cause some period issues as well, so with your hypo/hyper thyroid combo, you may expect some. I am not a doctor, but personally I along with your change to your meds would try to get you eating more under control, such bouncing from heavy exercise, low cal eating, low cal, and see if it helps your period normalize. If it doesnt then you could try what the doctor suggested but if he is only having you take it for a month it doesnt mean that your period may always come each month from then on, its likely just to bring it on the once and then see what happens. I had to take a synthetic progesterone once to stop my neverending period once before I was on the natural progesterone, but I would never take it on a regular basis, I would rather take the natural. The other option is to seek out a doctor who deals with bioidenticals (if the diet and meds dont help) they will test all your levels and see what you may need (if your lacking something).
mel says
August 3, 2016 at 2:14 pm
Hi Pirly-
I am 24 and I suffer from Hypothyroidism as well. I also have had irregular periods my entire life. My advice to you would be to try discontinuing the medications the Dr is prescribing to you and try a more natural route.
I found out I had Hypothyroidism about 3 years ago after I had my first child. The Dr prescribed me Levothyroxine which I took for no more than a week. now I see a Chiropractor (Wellness based) and he suggested I do a Detox program( with shakes and supplements) which I did and afterward began taking a natural supplementation on Thyroid Pro(TonicSea brand) along with others (Omega 3s, Multivitamin, and probiotic)
After doing so my levels became normal and my period became normal as well- no synthetic pills needed!
Now I just remain eating a “Thyroid based diet” and try to detox again 1x/ year.
Thanks!
donna says
August 17, 2017 at 5:42 pm
Many women/men feel so much better on piggy pills for hypothyroidism (NDT/Natural desiccated thyroid…porcine derived). That and balancing the rest of your hormones. It is a journey but the first step might be to find a doctor to prescribe one of the NDT’s. http://www.stopthethyroidmadness.com can be of help in your thyroid journey at least.
Julia says
April 19, 2016 at 3:39 pm
I am so happy to have read your post and the comments and replies. I am 45 and realize that I have to embrace some change. I am glad to know there is a tribe to reach out to for information–the perimenopausal tribe.
On the same note, I have had anxiety for as long as I can remember and I treat it with an occasional Xanax, but of late, my anxiety is over the top and my focus is such that my inablity to remain attentive has affected my work. I just checked in with my PCP yesterday. She prescribed bioidentical progesterone. I am so excited to start treatment. I really wasn’t sure what was going on with me, but I did not like it. I have one question though. Her prescription is only for 40 mg. Why do you think that this is so? Should I ask for more. I really want this to work.
admin says
April 19, 2016 at 7:11 pm
I don’t know the answer. It maybe a different preparation. It would likely make sense to discuss this with the prescriber.
Kim says
April 19, 2016 at 10:25 pm
Definitely talk this over with your healthcare provider. From all that I have learned, it’s always best to start out with the least amount and adjust from there. I’ve been on bioidenticals for two years now (I’m 50), and I started out on all three (estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone) after a spit test revealed I was producing very little of any of them. My doctor said I could either start all three or do one at a time in hopes that I could find which one was lacking that would solve my problems, but I reasoned that would take more time and I could be miserable for a few months, so I decided that since I was low on all of them, I should just start on all of them, so I did.
What a journey the last two years have been! I found out that having a lack of those three hormones and just replenishing them isn’t always the answer. My issue wasn’t anxiety, it was having hot flashes and no sex drive, not being able to remember words, skin wrinkling getting worse, etc., but hopefully you will get the gist of why I am writing this. Most of us want our doctors to fix our issues, but the truth has bourne out for me that it was a lifestyle change that I had to commit to make to have better health, not “magic” in a bottle. Drugs do play a role when they are needed, and bioidenticals right now are “all the rage” even though there are no long-term studies out there yet to prove they are as safe as some doctors say they are, but you would be surprised how taking a few small steps on your own to take back your health will get you.
I was DESPERATE to get rid of my hot flashes, and I daresay I would have sold a kidney if it meant I’d never have another hot flash, but I knew I did not want to be on prescription medication. I’d heard about bioidenticals, and so I decided that is where I would start, still NOT wanting to take responsibility for what I was and was not doing to truly take care of myself. The first three months were awesome – all the little things that I didn’t realize were actually attributed to lack of hormones were going away as were the hot flashes, but after the third month, I started struggling with hot flashes and some of the other issues again. I read everything I could about hormones, and then heard something about adrenal fatigue and cortisol and DHEA and glutathione, and that if one’s adrenal glands weren’t working properly (since they affect every organ and system in the body), it could be that the underlying problem was adrenal fatigue and not necessarily lack of hormones.
I started taking an over-the-counter glutathione product (9 months ago) that has made a WORLD of difference in many of the little issues I had, and while it has cleared up many of them, those pesky hot flashes continued. I started looking into what foods caused hot flashes, and it became very evident that I needed to make a change and so I did. I wouldn’t say I’m 100% hot-flash free yet, but they have drastically reduced in intensity and number AFTER changing my diet and adding a little bit of exercise in. Two years later, my spit test results just came back and my estrogen, progesterone, and testosterone levels were all on the high end, meaning I am almost producing too much, and here’s the kicker – I stopped the testosterone 9 days prior to taking the spit test!
So what am I doing? I stopped almost drinking any kind of alcohol, I have one cup of coffee a day, I’ve backed off of sugar, processed foods, and have incorporated more raw foods, getting rid of the processed foods, not eating out as much, eating/using good fats like grass-fed butter (Kerrygold), using avocado oil and coconut oil when cooking, eating walnuts, incorporating chia seeds and flaxseed, collagen protein, and food-form vitamins and minerals, fish oil, and maca into my diet, and I have started exercising more consistently. A note on exercising: The pharmacist also said too much exercise (wanting to fall asleep within 15-45 minutes after exercise) is not a good thing, so I’m balancing that with lifting weights, and also importantly, I’m drinking FILTERED water that filters out chlorine!
My point, even when it comes to anxiety, is that there is a lot you can do naturally before going to the heavier artillery if you are willing to make some changes. I’m certainly not giving up my bioidenticals yet, but the goal is to find the right balance that helps me feel good while not putting myself at risk by taking any kind of drug because my doctor says that’s the answer. My girlfriend and I have been comparing notes with the four different docs that we have seen now, and THEY ALL four believe something different about how to deal with these issues and are almost opposed to the other suggestions from the other docs. Don’t get me wrong; I love my docs, but they don’t know everything, and most of them know very little about nutrition and the direct effect food plays in our health (no offense Dr. Tsafrir). Isn’t it funny that the founder of medicine, Hippocrates, once said, “Let your food by your medicine and let your medicine by your food.” I certainly believe now he was onto something!!
And regarding the progesterone; don’t get discouraged if it doesn’t work immediately, it may take a month or two to kick in! Best of luck to you!
admin says
April 19, 2016 at 11:50 pm
No offense taken. It’s a wonderful comprehensive thoughtful comment. Very important. I agree with you.
sandy says
April 20, 2016 at 12:29 am
I myself have been on progesterone cream(bioidentical) for about 2 yrs. I had started at 40mg as well as mine was soooo low. After a while my cycles changed and my periods became irregular again coming early, so I was adjusted down to 20mg, so with myself once I got my body back to a regular level I had to lower it. You may find it also may help with your anxiety, it is called the calming hormone. I did also have some anxiety myself the last few years before going on the hormones but really didnt think to much about it, after being on progesterone for a while I did notice that I really did not have the feeling of anxiety at times I had it before, so I have had good improvement. Food and diet is important as well, I make sure I get regular exercise, my wellness doctor suggested some vitamin D, supplements for me to help rid excess estrogen, fibre, I grow a veggie garden with no GMO heirloom, even such things as watching what chemicals are in products you put on your skin, eg/ many regular sunscreens have chemicals which are estrogen increasing, I personally switched to mineral sunscreen, same with many bodywashes, makeups, even perfumes. My advice read, read, read, do your research, you want to be able to question your doctor if what they say doesnt make sense, your the best person to look after you. I have had great success, and hope all goes well for you too.
admin says
May 1, 2016 at 11:20 pm
What a great holistic comment! Thank you for all of your thoughtfulness and taking the time to write.
Reggy says
April 17, 2017 at 3:22 am
40mg could be right for you, just try, for 2 months or so. Not every month will be the same as your natural hormone levels may also fluctuate. So, it’s more the overall trend you’re looking for, not day-to-day differences.
You are the first one I hear about increased anxiety after 40, like I had/have! I have been using bio-identical progesterone for more than a year now, and I can tell you: It DOES help against anxiety!
I started with 100mg on days 26-26. I am very sensitive to hormones, and progesterone makes me very sleepy. Even my heartbeat would skip beats sometimes (anyone else has this from progesterone?).
I went down to 50mg of progesterone, to leave the good and take away the bad of it. It also reduces hair fall.
Btw, I have tried bio-identical creams but they do not work for me.
Donna says
March 20, 2016 at 6:41 pm
I’m 52, post menopausal for two years, and have been researching ways to relieve my symptoms for three years now. One of the most informative and helpful doctors I have come across is a Dr. Diana Schwarzbein, who is an Endocrinologist specializing in menopause and bioidentical hormones. She herself is post menopausal and can personally relate to the various symptoms and problems associated with menopause. I recently learned that my own doctor who practices integrative medicine, actually received some training from Dr. Schwarzbein. I signed up for her free Menopause Minutes and now I receive an email every two weeks from her with a 5-6 minute audio file with a wealth of information on how to balance your hormones. Check her out at http://www.menopausepower.com/ . She also has some videos on YouTube.
Gretchen says
January 4, 2016 at 9:53 pm
I googled how much bio-identical progesterone can be taken safely and your website was the first legit one to come up. After reading many posts I’m concerned as I’m on 1200 MG compounded a night. That is 4 x 300 mg tablets. It does not knock me out as I’ve heard women say 120 mg. puts them to sleep. I’m also on 2 mg compounded estradiol and 60 mg. compounded testosterone cream daily. My night sweats have gone away after starting 2 months ago but my mood swings are terrible. I don’t know who I am. The doctor says I need to give it 3-6 more months and I will see a difference. I’m also struggling with the weight issue. I normally weigh 94 pounds and eat 1,200 calories,run and work out. My muscle tone has improved but I’m stuck at 98 pounds and have to cut to under 900 calories to get any lower which puts me in a worse mood. I had a complete hysterectomy. Have 3 month blood tests. Am on 120 mg. Armourthyroid for Graves disease treatment. Any suggestions would be most welcome!
admin says
January 4, 2016 at 10:36 pm
I am very sorry. I am not an expert on hormone replacement therapy. My knowledge is limited. I based this post on the book that I read by Dr. Pryor, the Estrogen Errors, and personal experience. You may want to contact her or perhaps someone on this site will have a more informed response for you. It does not sound like you feel a great deal of confidence in your doctor, and thus it may be worthwhile trying to find someone to give you a second in person opinion.
Gretchen says
January 6, 2016 at 8:08 pm
Thank you so much for your reply and the book recommendation. It has lead me to several books on the topic. I trust my PA who works under my OB/GYN. I just thought it odd how I seemed on such a high dose but after my surgery I tested with zero hormones and if anyone has been there, you just want to check out. Nothing works. He literally saved my life. The mistake was not getting me on them sooner but I was told I was a unique case.
Love your website! Thank you.
sandra says
January 5, 2016 at 2:54 am
I am not an expert either, but did a lot of research prior to myself taking progesterone, and that does seem to be a lot. It should mimic the levels we normally would have in our bodies(and that amount is way over what our bodies naturally produce in a day). Is your doctor doing any testing to see what your levels are at? If not I would suggest you have them check it or seek a second opinion of a doctor that will. I have been on progesterone for about a year and a half and have had my levels checked 3 times already, my levels are now normal, and I have no symptoms (so they do not need to check more often) For the weight issue, even if you happened to be 5,0, (not sure if your less or not) but the BMI index sayes anything under 96 would be underweight. If your are over 5 ft you should talk to your doctor about maintaining a healthy weight because 94 would be too low.
Gretchen says
January 6, 2016 at 8:45 pm
Thank you so much for your input and concern. I have had three blood tests so far and started the end of October 2015. Am awaiting the results of my test from last week. I talked to the compounding pharmacist also and she said that I am on a higher dosage, not the highest, but my doctor is adjusting by seeing how my body metabolizes it as everyone is different. I started on 600 mg. and he felt that wasn’t enough and I agreed and feel better on 1,200. It’s also tough with all the hormones and my thyroid issues.
I was a professional dancer/gymnast so am not the “average American’s” weight plus am 34A so no weight helping there! I am 5 feet tall. I was a competitive runner before my surgery but was unable to exercise at all for months afterwards, thus his reasoning on starting me on 40 mg. testosterone (my mistake there quoting 60 mg). I was completely depressed. Now can at least run again and getting some muscle back so 94 is a healthy weight for me. It’s difficult watching my once toned body change whilst I put in the work of weight lifting, running and yoga to keep it there. When I read other always “non-overweight” women going through menopause also gaining no matter what they did, it resonated. Anxious to read more, always learn and try and not let it get me down when it interferes with quality of life.
Thanks so much for sharing.
sandra says
January 5, 2016 at 3:05 am
Also for the testosterone, if you read any of Dr. Lees book about hormone therapy, he only suggests 0.5mg of testosterone a day. The amount your taking from what I read looks higher than what a male makes naturally in their body each day(4-8mg). I would definitely look into it.
Manda says
November 8, 2015 at 3:52 pm
I’m thinking about starting a bio – identical progesterone, but am unsure which would be best ……furthest from synthetic, closest to all-natural.
I understand my thoughts are advised against, but I’ve decided to play doctor on myself, after going to a few different doctors and pretty much coming up with nothing more than any changes w/me are my fault, which I know isn’t true.
In December of 2013 I had to have a Total Hysterectomy (both ovaries were left). Ever since then, my weight has been a nonstop problem, no matter how much or how little I eat. I am 5’8 & after my 2 kids, my bounce – back range is 157 to 165 lbs. For my height, that weight is bikini – able Currently I am 194.5 lbs and HATING how I look!
In February I started trying to lose the weight, after weighing in at 197. The last day of July I was 168. Semi-happy, I grabbed my swimsuit and left for my 11 day vacation. As of the 2nd week in October, all the weight is back and it makes NO sense. I generally don’t eat breakfast or lunch. Never really have. If I eat breakfast, I have 4 eggs or a bowl of cereal. If I eat lunch, its usually on the weekend when I’m around people that decide to go out somewhere. Weekdays I’m at work where i am “given” a 30 minute lunch that I don’t truly get. Ever. Dinner time is whatever I make and sometimes not even that. Sometimes I’ll feed my family and then just eat a bowl of cereal. It’s ridiculous!!
I KNOW my hormones are out of whack and therefore I have decided to permanently (hopefully) put myself on a bio – identical. I’m REALLY hoping to see some positives out of it such as my weight staying where I work to have it, less hair thinning (only noticeable in the drain . ….so far), and normal happiness, sex drive, and overall daily feelings returning to normal. I’d even settle for 50/50, at this point.
What are your thoughts on progesterone changes, or even hormonal changes in general, after having a total hysterectomy (still having both ovaries)?
Any thoughts would be greatly appreciated, even from others who are in my spot.
admin says
November 8, 2015 at 4:29 pm
The hormonal changes are puzzling since you still have both ovaries. But I am no expert, and there is perhaps something I don’t understand. Taking Progesterone does apparently speed up metabolism. In my view, the healthiest and most effective weight loss approach for many people is the low carb one. I am not a fan of meals of cereal. It simply spikes blood sugar and insulin, and is working a cross purposes with a desire to lose weight.
Manda says
November 8, 2015 at 7:07 pm
I’ve read several things, leading me to believe that having a hysterectomy where the ovaries are left in place doesn’t mean no change. Here is a clip out of one article: “Reports show than more than half of all women who undergo hysterectomy but retain their ovaries will experience symptoms of hormone shifting and imbalance – even though their ovaries are left in place and continue to function. What many women aren’t told is that the uterus and ovaries share their blood supply and once the uterus is removed, ovarian function can be negatively affected.”
. . ….I think I’m just going to give it a bio – identical progesterone a shot and see what happens. Fingers crossed!
sandra w says
November 9, 2015 at 1:33 pm
Have you had blood tests etc. for your hormones? otherwise your just guessing about if you are low, or what you are low on. This should be a first step, and if your doctors wont do it you need to find a bioidentical doctor to do it for you. Gaining weight usually is more to do with the concept of calories in and calories out, plus metabolism does go down a little as you age slightly. May I suggest you record calories for a week, all you eat, and see how many calories you are eating on average, you can then find out what your bodily needs are and see what going on. I personally like My Fitness Pal. It does have a spot where you can record, lookup and do the monitoring for the week. You may actually be having more calories then you require per day. It could in fact be a combination of both.
Manda says
November 10, 2015 at 4:20 am
.repeatedly. 1000 to 1200, on a normal day (drinks included), but some days up to 1400 to 1500, max. It’s not an issue with over eating or not being active.
Sharon says
November 22, 2015 at 4:29 pm
I’m a certified nutrition coach. A couple of thoughts came to mind.
First, food is your friend, your body needs nutrients to get the job done, so eat a veggie heavy Paleo diet, no grains, legumes, processed foods, sugars, milk. Do eat lots of veggies, organic eggs and meat and wild fish, and healthy fats like nuts or avocados. Don’t count calories.
Second, have your hormones measured properly. Have a full thyroid panel, an adrenal profile, and a DUTCH test. You need to figure out what’s going on and fix it. Also, look into iodine deficiency. Just your thyroid sleep ne could be behind your problems.
Last, look at food allergies and gut health. Every 50 year old woman I know has been coming up with allergies to gluten, milk, eggs, and/or soy, plus others. The inflammation can promote weight gain and your cereal dinners might be a driver. Have a Geniva Diagnostics GI Effects test done to find out what’s living in your gut, certain bacteria can promote weight gain. And take a non-dairy probiotic, 20 billion or more.
Hang in there, there’s an answer out there for you – you just need to get good data and be willing to make the changes to your lifestyle, and it sounds like you’re very motivated!.
I lost 35 lbs. myself using some of the above advice, eating constantly about 1700 calories per day of nutrient dense food. The answer isn’t in starving.
admin says
November 22, 2015 at 5:59 pm
Great comment. Thank you for taking the time to respond so thoughtfully. I agree, there is a need to get to the heart of the problem and to commit to long term changes in life style.
Manda says
November 22, 2015 at 6:41 pm
Hey Sharon, thanks SO much for your reply! I feel a little more willing to try the doctor again since I now have some specific tests to ask about. Speaking of gut health, I wish this forum would let people upload pics. I recently went to the hospital for my gut. I have before and after pics. They look like they were taken right before childbirth and a couple months after. It’s crazy!! Also, I got a probiotic a couple weeks ago, 30 billion plus.
Anyway, thanks again for your reply!!! It seems REALLY helpful!
Sharon says
November 22, 2015 at 6:59 pm
Thanks, Manda and Dr. T.
I think your gut is a good clue based on what you’ve said. There are a lot of things that can go haywire there.
In addition to the Genova GI Effects test, The Food Intolerance Bible by Anthony Haynes is a great self-help book with lots of quizzes you can do to ferret out problems and good explanations of treatment protocols in the back, so you can understand why a doctor is telling you to do something.
Seriously, giving up grains, wheat, corn, quinoa, etc can go a long way to solving your gut problems. If you need to be convinced that gluten is your problem, you might add a couple of the Cyrex test arrays, for the various types of gluten AND for cross-reactive foods. Or save your money, and just give it up.
And get the hormones done, too. Especially the full thyroid panel, NOT just TSH.
Susan says
April 12, 2016 at 2:36 pm
I am 55. Like many women here, I was slim and trim most of my adult life, until age 46, when I suddenly blew up, going from 130 (5’8″) to 155 in a year. Although 155 was still not fat REALLY (for a 5’8″ woman), for ME, it was going up 4 sizes in jeans, going from size 8 dress to size 14. On and on. Imagine my surprise when the doctor informed me I was in menopause…..with 0 level hormones. Since that time, I have researched EVERY known article and theory regarding weight gain/loss and menopause.
I did the “starve yourself/exercise to death” thing with no results. I’ll make this brief here. There’s so much more I could say about what I went through… but I will refrain.
The loss of muscle mass is the deal. It happens to every woman, that is part of aging. We have been inundated with information regarding aerobic exercise, caloric burn, and diet (calorie counting). Enter MENOPAUSE and all that goes out the door. If a woman loses muscle mass (or anyone for that matter) you are losing your ability to metabolize nutrients, especially carbohydrates–which are fuel for muscles. The carbs have nowhere else to go, because with decreased estrogen and progesterone, your body’s ability to take care of those carbs (in cooperation with insulin) goes out the door as well.
Decreasing carbs HELPS. Increasing protein HELPS. Increasing fat intake HELPS. Some lucky women find the balance and go on their merry way. But from my reading on this website, most of us still are puzzled when the weight just sits there, staring back at us from our Humpty-Dumpty image in the mirror.
I think the key is the type of exercise we do. Aerobic exercise, like jogging, power walking, the treadmill, etc, does not help like it once did. Because calories are not the issue. Someone earlier mentioned Dr. Schwartzbein…and she turn me on to this several years ago…carbs and insulin levels seem to be the issue. Estrogen/progesterone work with insulin in pre-menopause years to put away those carbs quite well, convert them to energy that we exercise off when we are running, walking, playing tennis, etc. But what happens when we drop in those two hormones is we are stuck with insulin….being secreted in response to eating carbs. It’s like this:
Insulin’s only purpose is to put those carbs somewhere. If there’s no female hormones, as in menopause, the only other thing to do is to store the carbs as FAT. FAT. In the middle—in your organs, creating that pooch you see in the mirror. It’s a survival mechanism. No one can escape. We are human.
Here is where quality of carbs really matters. Eating fruit, although fruit is such a healthy food, will really make your blood sugar rise rapidly. The menopausal body sees sugar as sugar, regardless of its source…so fruit eaten—goes to fat in the absence of those precious hormones. Vegetables (most of them anyway), however, do not affect blood sugar as much and eaten with protein and healthy fats will give energy, and decrease the amount of insulin your pancreas produces to take care of the carbs. Thus, you stop packing on the fat around the middle, and actually burn fat for fuel.
What about the exercise? Stop so much aerobic exercise. Or decrease it, at least. Focus on the quality of your exercise and not quantity…replace with weight training, resistance training. Building muscle increases your metabolism…and when that happens, you will see the fat decrease.
Bottom line, it takes time. No matter what you’ve always done to stay in shape…MENOPAUSE LEVELS THE PLAYING FIELD. You have to rethink your entire way of eating and exercising, because we were born female, we have these things called ovaries, and over time, they change. We have to change with them, or we will look like Mrs. Humpty Dumpty and not be the best we can be AS MATURE WOMEN. None of us wants to be 25 again. We are mature and wise, and we are supposed to get old and die. We have to change…to go with it…change our ways of thinking about our female bodies, our mature years and our goals….AS MATURE, WISE WOMEN.
admin says
April 12, 2016 at 4:00 pm
Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful comprehensive comment. I am certain that many will benefit from your perspective.
Sally says
April 20, 2017 at 11:13 pm
Wow!! That was probably some of the best info I have read- thank you!!
Regi says
May 28, 2018 at 4:37 am
Hysterectomy ( even when u still have ovaries) stops blood supply to your ovaries, so they shrink in few months anyway and stop functioning…. so if your adrenals are weaker u must supply bioidentical hormones to feel like before…,
Laurie says
October 15, 2015 at 2:29 pm
sandra w says
October 16, 2015 at 12:51 pm
I cant tell you if you should take it non stop, your hormone doctor should let you know, but in my situation I started with taking it all the time (47 wonky periods, 1 lasted 3 weeks and I had to take meds to stop it) when i was able to decifer my cycle for a while I then started on the 8th day after my period started, now I am appr starting 2 weeks after my period starts, so about 2 weeks on 2 weeks off, kinda coordinates with the natural rhythm your own body had with the rise and fall of progesterone. I have read about persons taking it all the time.You may wan to read Dr Lees books, he has a bunch, they are really very good and can give you more insight into the whole process, how to take it, when to take it. He was like a hormone guru. Pretty well everything he has mentioned in his book is exactly how my hormonal doctor has followed up with me.
Lori says
September 29, 2015 at 12:26 am
Hi! I tried to sift thru all the comments…any info about prescribing to a young teen? My daughter started her period at 10 and 3 years later is still bleeding long and heavy…to the point that we just found she is extremely anemic. I thought they would recommend birth control pills and I was hesitant, but the GYN we found recommended 100mg per day. I am still hesitant but am researching:).
admin says
September 29, 2015 at 11:51 am
Unfortunately, I am really not an expert on hormone therapy. I am, however, not a fan of synthetic hormones. I would recommend that you find a practitioner familiar with bioidentical hormones. I wish you and your daughter all the best.
Katrina says
September 5, 2015 at 6:04 pm
Sorry, forgot to add that i have PCOS, is successfully treated with metformin. Thanks!
Katrina says
September 5, 2015 at 6:01 pm
Thank you for this blog posting. I return to it again and again to reread it and read the comments.
I am 46 and starting my second year of perimenopause.I was put on Prometrium initially which worked fantastically but then the effects seemed to wear off. In the last year, I feel like perimenopause has really compromised my health and I’ve had a kidney stone, vertigo, and shingles. That’s more illnesses than I’ve ever had in my entire life. And the last four months I’ve had six periods. Previously the Prometrium had helped my mood brain fog and memory. I went back to my doctor, who was very kind and supportive and she told me I should stop taking as much Prometrium that I had been taking (Rx was for 200, after 6th period, i ramped it to 400). She put me on the pill to try to control my whack a doodle ovaries . I am two weeks in and I do feel better physically in many ways but I sure do miss the mood boost of the Prometrium I’m still feeling moody and angry.
My big question is: Is there any precedent for adding Prometrium to the pill? i want to have more emotional lightness. I feel that’s not really available to me physically, however weird that sounds. I did take a Prometrium twice while on the pill and it made me feel more like my usual self–not fantastic, but just more baseline. Any insight you or anyone else can offer would be most appreciated! Thank you!
admin says
September 7, 2015 at 2:00 am
I am unfortunately no expert on this. I would not know how to advise you, but am not a big fan of synthetic hormones. Have you explored the work of Dr. William Walsh of the Walsh Research Institute? There may be more going on here than perimenopause. I recommend you check out his work, and perhaps find a practitioner in your area. There is a practitioner’s page on the website of the Walsh Research Institute by geographical region. You also might investigate the Paleo auto-immune protocol. There may be food sensitivities contributing to this as well. I believe that people with PCOS do well with a ketogenic diet, or at least a very low carb one.
katrina says
October 16, 2015 at 3:12 pm
thank you for your time and insight!! I appreciate it.
sandy says
September 8, 2015 at 12:16 am
Ive been on bioidentical progesterone for over a year myself, I personally would not mix the pill with the prometrium unless advised to, mind you I am not a fan of synthetic hormones either. I myself see a bioidentical doctor who monitors my levels of hormones, knows what I am or am not lacking and makes adjustments if needed. I personally just had an instant where I had upon losing 75pounds messed up my levels of progesterone and my estrogen changed and lowered, I started having periods every 2 weeks (doctor let me know ahead of time I could expect some wonky stuff) I just readjusted my progesterone, which now was too much because of my weight loss, and it was back to normal within about 2 cycles. I have fantastic, mood, sleeping etc with taking it. If you are not seeing a specialist in hormones, your hormones being monitored, I would if i were you find someone who is able to do it, many or most regular doctors and Obyns do not have extensive training in that and they seem to just sometimes guess as to what we need and how much without doing the needed tests to get our levels back to where they need to be.
Regi says
May 28, 2018 at 4:43 am
Kim says
August 25, 2015 at 10:49 pm
Oh my goodness! I started on bioidentical hormones a little over a year ago. A spit test is about $129 and I am taking progesterone, testosterone, and estrogen, and a 3-month supply for each one is $35, so $105 plus tax. That is WITHOUT INSURANCE! If you have insurance, chances are some of it will be covered. You need to find an apothecary (compounding pharmacy), and ask them which doctors in the area deal with bioidentical hormones. I bought my spit test from the apothecary, followed the instructions (and you have to be at a certain point in your cycle to do the spit test, so it could be a month before you get your results so be prepared for that!), sent it into ZRT Labs, and a week later, I had my results in my hand. I then made an appointment with a doctor in the area who deals specifically with bioidenticals, took my test with me, and he looked it over and determined the best plan of action for me. Good luck!!!
elise says
August 23, 2015 at 10:03 pm
What are your thoughts on Paroxetine (Paxel) 10 mg. Definitely help me with many symptoms night sweats, mood swings etc….except weight gain.
admin says
August 30, 2015 at 1:32 am
Of all the SSRI’s, Paxil is the one most often associated with weight gain. If other measures such as healthful and appropriate diet, adequate sleep and rest, proper exercise, sunlight and spiritual practice fail to treat depression, or if the situation is desperate and needs quick relief, I believe anti-depressants can be appropriate. There are, however, in my opinion, other factors that should be investigated, like pyrroles in the urine, elevated copper or methylations disorders, all of which can cause depression and which when corrected, can treat depression. I am not a fan of pharmaceuticals unless absolutely necessary.
Kate says
August 15, 2015 at 1:03 am
Thank you for your great blog. I wonder if you are able to assist me with some advice please:
I am 48 and I have been experiencing peri-menopause for some time and am now in Menopause. I had a hysterectomy in 1999.
I would have no idea where I am in my cycle because of the hyst.
I have been using Bio identical Progesterone for the past 5 years and it really helps with my sanity..however:
I have no libido. I am highly stressed all the time (different from sanity) and I am stacking on the weight.
I have read that bio-identical progesterone is supposed to help with stress and libido and weighgain.
I am becoming concerned that either I am not using enough (I use .25ml both am and pm. the script has Prog 140 and Preg 50 written on it) should I use more or is there a resistance/build up resistance to progesterone? I rotate the sites.
I feel desperate as the libido thing is getting me down, getting the husband down and this does not help the stress.
I would like to know what your think. thank you.
admin says
August 15, 2015 at 2:57 am
I am really not an expert in all of this. I would suggest that you consult an expert, such as a naturopath who is knowledgable about women’s health. It does sound like things are out of balance and that you need some good help.
sandy says
August 15, 2015 at 11:41 pm
Hey. I get exactly where you are coming from because I am in the same position. I had my son 16 years ago and was crazy in the mood when pregnant, had my daughter 13 years ago, less drive, and after that it just when downhill. I have no sex drive at all. I have been on bioprogesterone for just over a year, smoothed out cycles, i am less moody, things are good there but still no sex drive. My hormone specialist asked me about drive last time i saw her, she is running a hormone blood panel to take a look, i could be low on testosterone, my adrenals could be burnt out, I guess a number of things besides progesterone could inpact your sex drive. i have to get results in about 2 weeks, i will see whats happening and let you know, maybe what i find out could be something similar, and you could then check with your doctor or at least know what to ask or look for, wish me well, doesnt do good things on the home front when you have no libido, my husband is pretty patient though.
Laura says
July 1, 2015 at 10:49 pm
I started taking bio-identical progesterone on May 19th, the 14th day of my cycle. 200 mg nightly. I started bleeding the 21st and it lasted for 21 days. I stopped for a week and started again. I am bloated and have gained weight. I am sleeping better, but I am looking for some guidance as to how to deal with the bloating and the weight gain, in addition to the constant bleeding. I am thinking of going back on birth control where I could control my weight. I do like being able to sleep, but not at the cost of close to 20 lbs.
I am doing all sorts of other tests now…transvaginal ultrasound, hysterosonogram, biopsies and blood tests. The biopsy came back negative, as did the blood test. The ultrasound showed a ovarian fibroid, a couple on my uterus, and a potential calcified fibroid in my fundus.
I need to stop this weight gain and bloating. I can deal with the rest. I eat right (I have a nutritionist), exercise, and can’t seem to drop a pound. This is enough to make me go back on birth control…
Sue says
June 13, 2015 at 4:35 am
I’ve just started Prometrium for 5 days (100mg a day) and I have had no sleep and feel depressed and really don’t know how long to take it to see if it will help me at all. I am 53 and my period stopped at 50 so I am post menopausal. So far, I DO NOT like Prometrium and doubt if it will do me any good.
sandy says
June 13, 2015 at 1:50 pm
Who did you see in regards to hormones? Have they done any tests to see what hormone you are missing or low on? You need to deal with someone who can do the correct tests, determine what you need and continually followup to make sure everything is at the correct levels and that you feel well. Many regular doctors and OBGYN do not have the specific training about hormones. My OBGYN who I first saw about my issue did no tests at all, guessed what I was maybe missing or low in and wanted to give me a prescription of something. I looked at all the reviews and problems with this specific pill and tossed the prescription in the garbage. (there was hardly any testing done on this new drug, serious side effects reported, including a lady reporting skin tumours) I myself am on progesterone, know from testing. I take a bioidentical progesterone cream made specifically for me. I have less anxiety, and I sleep like a baby, before I was waking through the night (many nights) and could not get back to sleep.
DebraLee says
June 9, 2015 at 4:29 pm
I talked to a Dr. who deals with BIO HRT and he told me that to Hormone saliva tests it would be $500.00 and then $200.00 a month for hormones. this discouraged me so much. Do I need to be rich to indulge in such luxuries as a Dr. for Bio hormone therapy?
sandy says
June 10, 2015 at 4:27 pm
Hi there. Get a fee schedule from a few doctors you would consider seeing. My doctor charged a yearly fee upfront, but no other fees for office visits. I could use my health spending account at work to pay that fee. I only take Bioidentical progesterone as a cream, it is only $80 for a 3-4 month supply. I only had bloodwork hormones done and there was no charge. If I want a whole intricate screening, I think saliva, it is quite high, but I am having very good results now, so I am going to keep doing what I am doing now.
DebraLee says
June 9, 2015 at 4:14 pm
I have been sufering with day/night hot flashes for two years now. The flashes so bad that I got them every 30 minutes so NO SLEEP FOR ME! Really intense to where I get dizzy and very queasy.
I began and new job and could not cope so my Dr. put me on low dose estrogen patch and 100 ml. progesterone pill nightly.
Although my sweats almost completely went away, the drawbacks from the estrogen were bad like edema in my legs, belly bloat, aches in my joints, and migraines.
I decided to take myself off of the estrogen.
I still take the progesterone at night and my flashes are slowly returning (BIG SAD FACE)I still have bad bloating in my belly but it’s only been a little over a week since stopping the estrogen.
My question to you.
Do you think it would make a difference for me to take 300 ml. at night every night to help with the flashes and my bloating?
admin says
June 10, 2015 at 2:12 am
That is I believe what Dr. Jerilyn Prior would recommend.
DebraLee says
June 10, 2015 at 3:21 pm
In your experience how long does it take to work. I took 300 ml. last night and didn’t see a difference in my night sweats/ hot flashes this morning.
How long should I give it before I decide to wean off?
How do I wean off of a gel pill?
sandy says
June 12, 2015 at 5:35 pm
You really need to speak to a bio-hormone specialist. While only one of my hormones is low, the progesterone, some ladies have one or the other or both,(progesterone and estrogen) and in combination with other hormones we have too. You really need to find out what is out of whack, and what you need to be on and how much. You have to find out which one is the one which would help more with the hot flashes. The doctor should also followup with testing to see where your levels are after a while to see if they are back in range, and follow how you are feeling. My family doctor and OBYN had very very limited knowledge on hormones(what they did know was a one remedy fits all approach, and heres a pill), did not deal with Bioidenticals, I had to hunt around for one with the knowledge I needed.
Kim says
August 25, 2015 at 10:56 pm
Try going to an apothecary (compounding pharmacy), get a spit test $129-149, and when you get the results back, make an appointment with a doctor who deals with bioidentical hormones. The apothecary should have a list of doctors in the area. At least you can get some help that way, but you may want to find a naturopath who can help as well. Perimenopause and menopause symptoms can be greatly reduced by drinking lots of water, eating healthy, exercising DAILY (my doc says 2-3 x a week is not enough), and finding good supplements, but my symptoms were so bad with hot flashes every 30 mins that I was desperate for any kind of help. The bioidenticals have me stabilized pretty well, but I have also learned that there are a lot of natural ways to help yourself as well. Good luck!
Amy says
March 22, 2015 at 4:37 pm
Since I was a teen I’ve had too frequent and too heavy cycles (14 day cycles with large clots, heavy bleeding), with awful pain, irritability, and often exhaustion that was interpreted as depression, and for close to 20 years GYN Dr’s prescribed different birth controls or told me my symptoms were in my head. Last year, at age 36, a Dr told me my estrogen/progesterone was out of balance and prescribed micronized bioidentical progesterone. My cycles lengthened to a normal 27-28 day cycle, the heaviness decreased somewhat, and the irritability, exhaustion, pain, etc was gone. I attribute the never-ending rotation of birth control to the loss of my gallbladder about 4 years ago. I wish I had known more, and that doctors would have known more about how to help so I wouldn’t have had to suffer for most of my reproductive age with symptoms that were simply due to my body’s inadequate natural production of progesterone.
admin says
March 22, 2015 at 6:06 pm
Thank you so much for sharing your experience. Many women have had and are having similar experiences and perhaps reading about your journey will point them in a direction which will restore their health. In addition, conventional medicine does not recognize the damage that indiscriminate and inappropriate prescription of birth control pills does to the intestinal micro biome, and thus degrades health.
sandy says
March 22, 2015 at 8:46 pm
Thanks for sharing, your story may help someone having similar issues. Im glad the progesterone was able to ease some of your issues and that you are feeling better.
Elise says
May 9, 2015 at 2:11 pm
Hi I am a 53 yo female I have workout all my life eat healthy etc.i have ALWAYS been thin. My period is every 2 mos now. I wake every hour sweating etc. I am listless. I recently lost my health insurance and am CRAZY that I have gain 20lbs for no reason. I have always been thin and I am adding fat to my list of everything else!! Please tell me about bio identical progesterone. Can I get it myself? How much? I am 5’9″ 164ilbs. Should be about 148!! I am on cymbalta for 7 years at 30mg for anxiety. Take nothing else… Help please I’m disparate a d frustrated and defeated!!
admin says
May 9, 2015 at 11:31 pm
It sounds really distressing! Bio-identical progesterone would likely be helpful to you. You need to work with a licensed practitioner who can prescribe it. I recently heard a podcast with a naturopath in Canada who specializes in women’s health, Fiona McCoullough. One of my patients had a consultation with her and liked her. She works with people via Skype. Her website is:
I hope you find the right help and feel better soon.
sandy says
May 10, 2015 at 4:03 pm
Sorry your having such issues. I personally would recommend you find someone who deals in bio-identical hormones. You need to see if it is actually the progesterone giving you the issue. Many women have hormone issues, and in many of them it is the progesterone level giving them problems, but it could be an issue with eg/ estrogen. Your family doctor or GYN may not have info or deal with Bioidenticals, I had to do research and talk to people, and go looking, I got recommendations at a compounding pharmacy, but then also did research on the particular doctors too.
Regi says
May 28, 2018 at 5:01 am
Yes , usually u need more than progesterone, after or during early menaoause symptoms, everything works in synergy.. remember no hormone works on itself… estrogen gives u energy, nice skin etc… progesterone protects your uterus and works to compliment the estrogen… it is like a tango:)
Sammie says
March 24, 2015 at 8:56 pm
Has anyone had the experience of being on bio identical hormones and suddenly getting period pains? I haven’t had a period in 6 years but in the last 2 weeks I feel the same pains I used to and had a very slight showing yesterday. Is this normal? weird?
Lori says
May 28, 2015 at 5:09 pm
Hi, sorry i clicked reply to Amy, i wanted to ask my own question
and couldnt figure out how to starta new one. I am 60 and have been menopausal for 7 years. i switched right from birth control to HRT as i suffered severe depression whenever i went off hormones. i take estradiol every night and prometrium every 3 days 100mg. are these synthetic or bio identical?
due to alot of stress lately, my mother died and i changed jobs, i kept falling asleep forgetting my hormones a few times a week.i woke up yesterday with a period, complete with mild crampd. i looked online and freaked out thinking i might have uterine cancer from not taking enough prometrium with my estradiol. but i also read that stopping the HRT could cause a bleed. i took 200 mg prometrium last night (supper time so i dont forget again) with my estradiol (1mg) and the bleeding is almost gone already. has anyone had this experience? my Dr is sending me for pelvic ultrasound soon and i am scared. i plan to take the higher dose of prometrium until the test anyway,in case its just thick uterus walls, do you know how long it takes for the walls to thin out on prometrium daily? i dont want to end up with unneccessary hysterectomy etc.
i also have sarcoidosis in my lungs which if the granulomas appear in the uterus could cause these symptoms, and no experts in this are within 500 miles of me. thank you. sincerely,
Lisa says
February 17, 2015 at 4:36 am
I have been on 60 mg of progesterone cream (bioidentical) for 3 months along with 1mg of estrogen cream. Feeling so much better and now will increase estrogen cream to 2 mg per day. Recently saw my ob-gyn doctor and she emphasized that the prometrium tablets would be safer for me to take and would be absorbed better than the cream. Said that because I only have one ovary, that the lining of my endometrium could more easily develop cancer if I didn’t have the right amount of progesterone. Afraid to try something new with these pills (100mg prometrium pills) because I’m feeling so much better. The hormone doctor who prescribed the creams didn’t mention anything to me about the possibility of pills as an option.
sandy says
February 25, 2015 at 5:03 pm
Hi. I personally would run it through your hormone doctor before you decide to change. The hormone doctors are the ones who have usually been trained specifically in hormones. Where as most GYN,s do not have thorough training. I personally am on the cream as I had heard it is absorbed better and it is not processed through the liver so you do not need as high of a dose. If they switch you to pills your dose will be higher as most of it will get filtered out. I really have not read one is better than the other as long as you are on the bioidentical. (I personally like the cream better as it goes into your bloodstream in a similar fashion to the way our own body does)If it was only in relation to the developement of cancer, both could help with that. For me I had a thick lining that was not being shed properly due to my period being funky, my GYN wanted to observe it and stick me on something synthetic (did not want it) I am now on the bioidentical progesterone for 3/4 of a year, only after a couple of months use my lining was already thin and normal (shown on a scan) It is correct that if you are not on a proper amount and your lining is thick or has a continuous buildup it could become cancerous. I would think that your hormone doctor would likely test your hormone level, like mine does, and also make sure (GYN may do ultrasounds) to make sure the lining is normal. I would also think that if your hormone doctor says your levels are good, and your feeling good, I wouldn,t want to possibly mess up a good thing and switch without really needing to.
Saamantha says
February 27, 2015 at 4:19 pm
Sandy, I want to shed thickened lining too. What is the exact bioidentical progesterone cream you use? Do you use alot of it once a day or twice a day? On what days of you menstrual cycle do you apply it? How many months did you apply it for the lining to be thin and normal? Thanks for your help. God bless us all.
(I personally like the cream better as it goes into your bloodstream in a similar fashion to the way our own body does) For me I had a thick lining that was not being shed properly due to my period being funky, my GYN wanted to observe it and stick me on something synthetic (did not want it) I am now on the bioidentical progesterone for 3/4 of a year, only after a couple of months use my lining was already thin and normal (shown on a scan)
Samantha says
February 27, 2015 at 4:31 pm
Trying to shed thickened lining for 2 years. You mentioned you get the bioidentical progesterone cream from a compounding pharmacy made just for you. Please let me know what’s in it exactly so I can go and ask for the same thing. I really my menstrual cycles to be normal again. Trying to eat less to reduce estrogen too.
Cathy says
June 2, 2015 at 10:01 pm
If its not broke don’t fix it? I say stay with the bioidentical creams that the first doctor prescribed. Synthetic oral hormone medications have to pass thru the gut and be processed by the liver. The excess synthetic medication can damage heart and cause breast/uterine cancer, which is why synthetics are no longer generally recommended. If you are feeling good, your body is probably getting exactly what you need from your bioidenticals. Bioidenticals, in my own personal experience, and from my extensive research are the way to go. Do your own research, then you can have an informed discussion with your doctor about your preference.
Trina says
February 10, 2015 at 8:57 pm
After a year of vlc eating, I developed severe anxiety/insomnia. I’ve spend more than two years trying to recover. Recently realizing that my progesterone is low and attempting some bioidentical treatment.
Dr. Schwarzbein wrote about this in her SPII book.
“Many people who read the book came off feeling that insulin was something to get rid of or that they already were insulin resistant when they were not and therefore went too low on their carbohydrate intake. I wrote The SP II in part to explain how damaging it is to eat too few carbohydrates as well as too many! I wanted to introduce the other side to the insulin story, the adrenal glands and to emphasize that balance is key.”
She writes how healing takes time and can require weight gain.
As a frequent participant in Paul Jaminet’s FB group, I can tell you that many many woman end up hormonally messed up after doing vlc/keto. It’s a way of eating that I do not think is safe for woman (especially of a certain age) to undertake. It upsets me when men continue to tout the benefits of this eating because it works for them. Show me older woman doing very well long term eating that way first. During the AHS14 Keto for Cancer discussion, the experts did discuss how woman can become hormonally messed up and hypoglyceamic. I think caution needs to be exercised when touting these ideas as “safe” for everyone to try.
I’m hoping the additional progesterone will help me get to an even better place. Jerilynn Prior is great and there are a few other great resources as well. Dr. John Lee is good as well http://www.amazon.com/What-Your-Doctor-About-Premenopause/dp/0446673803
admin says
February 11, 2015 at 12:10 am
Thank you for taking the time to write.
Each of us is so different. For some the ketogenic diet is a real life saver.
For some it really helps their moods and anxiety.
But for others, it does not make them feel well at all.
Kerry says
January 1, 2015 at 10:56 pm
Hi and thanks for all of this information – it is completely new to me. I believe I am in peri-menopause, but my symptoms are a bit different. I have primarily begun to experience “daytime” hot flashes and severe acid reflux with a concurrent headache. The hot flashes are tolerable, but the reflux/headache combo isn’t. I’ve been able to time the swings in the reflux to my monthly hormonal fluctuations, and it used to mostly occur during PMS; but now, as my cycle is shortening, the days are squeezing together, and it seems like I have many more bad days than good.
I have always experienced lax joints and severe diarrhea during PMS and I believe the laxity in my esophageal sphincter might be a continuation of this symptom. There are no specific food triggers – can be a sip of water or bite of bland cracker – all the OTC acid blockers do nothing for me.
My Gyn has put me on BC to see if it will help regulate my cycle and hormone levels and subsequently the reflux and headaches. I’m in the 2nd week and although I thought the reflux could get no worse, it has! Is it possible that this estrogen dominance you mention can be the cause of my gastrointestinal problems? And that bio-identical progesterone would be a better choice?
sandy says
January 2, 2015 at 7:16 pm
All I can say is to speak to someone who deals in bioidenticals. When I went in to talk to my Gyn, he did no tests, he just wanted to give me pills and send me home. He did not even want to discuss bioidenticals with me, even though I knew he had access to pill form bioidentical progesterone. My doctor who I currently see did blood work, I know exactly what my levels of everything are, she follows up every second month, I know I am estrogen dominant and she is helping me work on getting the levels down. I know I am deficient in B vitamins, and I take some vitamins, minerals and she will continue to monitor me. If you are estrogen dominant you wouldn,t want to take a hormone pill with extra estrogen. You may want to go to a library, or on the internet and read everything you can about this subject(you cannot know too much in this area, and you may have to use some of this knowledge to speak to these doctors think we don,t know anything). From what I,ve read, Gyns do not spend a great deal of time learning about hormones and this time of life. They mostly prescribe pills or take out what they can,t fix. The last time I was at my Gyn, one of my last tests came back fantastic, my uterine lining was down to the proper thickness (its not a good thing if its thick for too long) the doctor asked me if I was taking the pills he prescribed. I told him no, I was not comfortable taking them as they were synthetic, and I told him I had asked him but he refused to prescribe them so I found another doctor to prescribe Bioidentical progesterone. I told him I have done a great deal of research, and I will only take the Bioidentical. I was nice to walk out of there after standing my ground, and also knowing from the test, the cream is working. Dr. Lee has a couple very good books, there are many.
admin says
January 2, 2015 at 10:53 pm
This comment is very much in the spirit of Jerilynn Prior’s book The Estrogen Errors that I mentioned in my post. I very much agree with this perspective, especially about empowering yourself through your own research and by observing the effect of particular treatments on yourself and standing your ground. Most conventional gynecologists know very little about this topic, and there is still a great deal of mythology about estrogen and women that is accepted as gospel.
Aleisha says
January 20, 2015 at 10:55 pm
The MISSING all IMPORTANT piece here is that NOT ALL WOMEN ARE IDENTICAL! Sure, progesterone may be YOUR miracle cure, but some women DO NEED ESTROGEN replacement. And which of three types of natural estrogen does one need? The KEY here is to measure with serum levels, the levels od all hor ones, estrogen, progestrone, and testerone. Then replace naturally what is needed. If estrogen dominance was the issue, then why do most womend feel so god mid cycle when estrogen levels peak and progestrone is low?
Let’s not forget underlying issues such as PCOS, wich can lead to no milk production after birth, for example, where these women feel the BEST they ever have being pregnanat!
The key is INDIVIDUALIZED treatment oprions, not one size fits all natural progestreone. It adds to the confusion many women already face. Educate yourself before buying into anything that works for one person…YOU need to do what works for YOU!
Jodi says
April 3, 2015 at 6:30 pm
I completely agree with you! I used progesterone alone for several years during peri menopause and it did help. However, when I was really hitting menopause, progesterone offered no relief at all. I was severely estrogen (estradiol) deficient.
There are three types of estrogen – estradiol, estriol, and estrone. Women continue to produce estrone after menopause, but that is not the youthful estradiol and it doesn’t exert the same effects. Estrone is the one associated with cancer.
I use BHRT and estradiol cream stopped my hot flashes and night sweats completely! I lost 10 lbs, my skin and hair are healthier, and my libido has returned.
Progesterone is not a cure-all by itself.
Regi says
May 28, 2018 at 5:21 am
So true for me also… bioindentical estradiol with progesterone cream kick my weight loss and overall great feeling hormonally, it realky works in synergy and they compliment each other, where being on progesterone only most people gain weight and have crying spell since they are lacking estrogen ,
Regi says
May 28, 2018 at 5:15 am
Well said
sussan says
December 30, 2014 at 10:13 pm
I am 51 and have been suffering from Menopause systems for over 3 years , my lady Dr has put me on BHRT . Some of my main systems is anxiety and mood swings. The first DR I went to did not listen and just threw me a script for AD , Lexapro I hated it but I took it for a year , then took myself off . When i back to her 6 weeks ago to discuss my hormones she shut me down and said BHRT will not help , so I went back on lexapro , however it was then I sourced another Dr to discuss. , I had my hormones tested my DR decided to put me on BHRT .
This is why i sourced another DR as every time I went back to the first DR again she said I should take the AD , I have never taken a drug in my life.
I have been on the BHRT for only 3 weeks , how long will it take to work ?
And are some of the increase side affects of Anxiety , jittery feelings due to stopping the Lexapro 2 weeks ago.
admin says
December 31, 2014 at 1:11 am
Some people have a hard time coming off of ant-depressants and need to do so very very slowly or else they have withdrawal symptoms. You may be feeling increased anxiety from stopping the Lexepro. I don’t know how long it will take bio-identical hormone therapy to work for you. I would ask your doctor about her experience and what she anticipates will be likely for you. I am not an expert in this field.
sandy says
December 31, 2014 at 3:15 pm
Hi there. I have been on bioidentical progesterone for about 6 months. I would continue working with your BHRT doctor to find out what works for you in what doses. Although I can,t specifically comment on your situation, I was having heavy unending cycles which have improved, I was also having some anxiety but never ever thought it could be due to perimenopause because at first I really didn,t even realize I was in perimenopause. Even that seems much better as well as sleeping more sound, and I had a few evening where I woke so hot and flushed and I haven,t had one of those either. I have done a lot of reading and it seems to be the thing with doctors just to throw prescriptions for powerful pills to fix us, and for a normal occurance that all woman will eventually go through, sometimes we just need to realign what is out of alignment, work with your doctor and see if they are able to help you readjust your hormones naturally to see if it rectifies the issue and go from there.
Brandy says
November 30, 2014 at 12:48 pm
I have been told I’m in the stages of perimenopause. This whole year I’ve been so sick with weakness, bad anxiety, muscle pain in legs, and just feeling bad. All lab work anf tests checks out good. One of my gyn put me on progesterone creme 40mg split up in two doses a day. I did pretty well for about three months but stayed kinda dizzy feeling alot. So I stopped the creme per my other gyn. The month of September I did ok but when October came I was a mess and still am. horrible anxiety, hot flashes but no night sweats. severe weakness and dizziness and my head feels weird all the time.My general dr put me on a hormone patch of estrodial for abt a week and a half then they took me off of that. Now I feel my whole body is a mess. I’m beginning to feel that maybe I should be back on the progesterone creme. I’ve had a hysterectomy but kept one ovary so that is not helping. Has anyone went thru this I’m just needing some answers and help if so.
sussan says
December 30, 2014 at 10:31 pm
Hope you are feeling better , Try BHRT , I have done so much research, from books , internet and other.
I have had an awful time over 3 years finding resolutions for my systems going through Menopause, eg anxiety , mood swings and other that just came out of now where. And all the mainstream DR wanted to help with was Antidepressants. Which I felt was not for me . Then I found a womans centre and the lady there who is focused on Women reproduction and Menopause help.
She did all my testing for Hormones and took it slowly with the BHRT .
It has only been 3 weeks but there is a little improvment the progesterone cream was only a low dose , two days ago she introduced a tablet form of Progesterone tablet of 100mg . This is helping with the anxiety .
Kelly says
November 13, 2014 at 3:25 pm
I’ve been prescribed bio-identical progesterone pills in oil twice now for painful periods and estrogen dominance and all that entails. The first time, I was prescribed 100 mg per day on days 14-27. I bloated, became very constipated, moody, and ended up bleeding the entire time. I tried it for 2 months and finally had to stop. I was then put on many vitamins, thyroid etc to build up my health to try again at a later date with a smaller dosage. 7 months later, feeling stronger, I have been put on only 25 mg. I have been taking it for 4 days at night and once again already constipated, bloated and feeling a little off mentally. I’m sleeping great but I’m not understanding why I’m having this reaction to it at such a small dose. Any suggestions or has anyone had the same problems?
sandy says
November 14, 2014 at 1:27 pm
Hi there. I am currently taking bioidentical progesterone in a compounded cream form(I do not know if that would make a diffence in the reaction you are having) and do not have such reactions and I have read and done a lot of research before I took and didn,t read about someone having such strong reactions, but I did look at a side effects page and some ladies report some different reactions? What are your meds called? Is it called prometrium? Are you being followed by a doctors who deals in Bio-identicals? I deal with a doctor myself who did blood tests to determine I was low in progesterone,, high in estrogen, low in my b vitamins, she tested my A vitamins and suggested a proticol of stuff for me to do, take, vitamin and mineral wise, my GYN was not able (not willing to help) and really would not have monitored me as close as the doctor I am seeing now. I would definitly follow up with someone who knows their hormones.
cj says
October 7, 2014 at 10:38 pm
I’m not sure if there is anyone who can give me a bit of feedback on your experience when first starting on Prometrium (or another bioidentical progesterone) in perimenopause for hugely irregular and terribly heavy and debilitating periods.
I recently saw an OBGYN who prescribed a dosing of 200 mg for 10 days / month… it was after that that I read Dr. Prior’s book and also contacted CEMCOR and was given the recommendation that given my symptoms, 300mg DAILY would be the preferred dosing. I will attempt talk my GP into prescribing it that way for me when I see her. Any of you who have done the daily dose of 300mg….how long did you find it took your body to ‘regulate’ and for that heavy bleeding to let up? Did you find that it got a bit worse before it got better? I would appreciate any insights…and thank you for them!
MB says
October 8, 2014 at 2:20 am
Hi CJ – I am on 200 mg every single day now and have been for about a year. I started out on the synthetic kind which worked like a charm, but it was a pretty heavy dose due to menorraghia and severe anemia.
A few months after I stopped bleeding I switched to the bio-identical, ,same dose as the synthetic. I think it must be slightly weaker as I bled lightly for a bit. I was on 300 for a while, and eventually went to 200. I have only light periods now, monthly – very light.
I tried to go to 100 several months ago, but the bleeding started again, albeit lightly, so I went back up to 200 per day. It helps me sleep and stops my night sweating too.
Every person is different, but it seems like the higher dose is needed for a while to stop the bleeding – it takes all the receptors and stuff time to regulate. I found this really good website that explains that, and then it has a section about dosing. It talks about both the synthetic/progestin (medroxyprogesterone) and the bio-identical/oral micronized progesterone (Prometrium). It says that 600 mg of the oral micronized is used to begin with to stop menorraghia. It seems the natural stuff is pretty harmless according to other stuff I’ve read too. Check the website out, it’s fantastic:
Good luck. I remember being worried, lost, pissed off, and a little bit frantic with all the bleeding. Sending you hugs, sistah!!!
cj says
October 26, 2014 at 11:11 pm
thanks for this reply and the link – i have used that site as a great resource also. mb – if you see this message…i am curious to know how long it took for your system to kind of regulate. i am still bleeding daily (most days it’s fairly light but…still continuing after being on daily 300mg for 3 1/2 weeks – had an episode of really heavy bleeding the first weekend but since then, pretty manageable) i am trying to remember that things take a while to work and to not stress about it (not always easy!)
MB says
October 27, 2014 at 4:12 pm
I wish I had taken better notes. I started with synthetic at first, and we did have to increase that because I was still bleeding, but when we did, it did stop the bleeding pretty much right away. But I remember being frustrated with break through bleeding at times. I can’t remember that dosing, but the doctor was concerned about the breakthrough bleeding so she did endometrial biopsies (more about that below).
Then I learned about the bio-identical and it’s health benefits so I started on that, in addition to the synthetic – 200 mg in the mornings. When I stopped the synthetic, I started bleeding again, so we upped that dose too (the synthetic is quite a bit more potent than the natural). I think we upped it to 40o mg at first, split a.m./p.m. Whatever the dose was, it did stop the bleeding and I had learned to take it only at night due to the wonderful drowsiness. (I love that it helps me so very much with my sleeping.) I guess the natural progesterone does have a short half-life, so splitting the dose, 200 at night and 200 in a.m. was helpful. I think it was withing about 4 months that I went down to 200 only at night.
From what I’ve read, it’s pretty safe at levels even higher than 400, (I think I’ve read somewhere about someone taking 600 for something !) so I fiddled with my dosing myself (I’m kind of stubborn that way) as I needed to in order to stop breakthrough bleeding. ie., if 300 wasn’t working, I’d go back up to 400…
Regarding the biopsies, my OB doc thought I shouldn’t still be bleeding at the doses I was taking, so she did biopsies. The first one came back with cells that were not cancerous, but were at level 1 (of 3) before they are considered cancerous. She did another 3 months later and the cells were normal. She wanted to do another one, and I plan to do that, just haven’t yet. I’m pretty bad about getting to the doctor. I get a little freaked out I guess. From my reading, the natural progesterone protects against endometrial cancer, and I kind of feel like I have proof of that. But I do need to go back and check the lining at least one more time.
If you up your dose and can’t get the bleeding to stop, hopefully your doc is checking your endometrial lining too. It’s not too bad of a procedure – like a pap smear, only a tiny bit worse, because they have to go all the way up there. It’s a very short duration, sharp crampy feeling, but definitely survivable.
An interesting thing happened lately. After several months of success on the bio-identical with very light periods, I had a week long period that wasn’t too heavy, but it was red, and not light. It started at the same time that I got a refill. I noticed that my night sweats, insomnia, and anxiety/depression started back up too. I actually think there is something wrong with this batch of pills. I am doubling it now – to 400 – and it is taking care of the night sweats and bleeding, but I’m still feeling emotionally off. I am going to refill as soon as I can and I’m curious to see how the new pills work. It’s a little disconcerting! I mean, I know it could be my own hormones acting up, but it all coincided with the new refill.
One other thing I noticed – when I took ibuprofen along with the progesterone, it helped slow the bleeding down too.
Good luck with everything, CJ. It can be so very frustrating. Keep taking good care of yourself.
cj says
October 28, 2014 at 9:52 pm
MB…thank you so very much for this helpful post (and the encouragement) it is such a muddled time of life – trying to embrace what is and keep my mind on the fact that this does all get better / easier
CJ
MB says
October 27, 2014 at 4:17 pm
A quick addendum to my long response a few seconds ago (sorry so long!) – at some point, I was given a 100 mg natural prog. rx in addition to my 200 mg rx which allowed me to take 300 for a while there. I don’t use it anymore, but it was one of the stages of fiddling I went through.
sandy says
October 8, 2014 at 12:37 pm
Hi CJ. I am currently in the a stage of perimenopause the doctors think. I started bioidentical progesterone cream in July as I had a couple crazy periods, one never ending and another so heavy I had to triple up on pads and heavy heavy flow. The cream is dosed a little differently as it is transdermal. I am on 40mg per day spit into 2 doses. So the cream form I,m on would be like taking 300-400 of pill form because cream form does not have to get processed through your liver (from what I,ve read) I have not had a crazy period since, they run about 7-8 days from start to finish, I am not having the few days before my period, the crazy munchies I had been having, I am sleeping much better and more soundly, moods all around better. I was only on the synthetic progesterone one time, a round of it to stop a period that was going on for 3 weeks and showed no sign of stopping, and I had no withdrawal after so then I had to have a sonohystagram to see if anything else was going on up there. I just got those results back everything looked good, I had a very thick lining which was also now normal.(which is not good) I credit the normal lining to the bioidentical progesterone. From what I have read the synthetic progesterone is more potent than the natural so the same dose may not work in the natural. If you have any other questions let me know, I know I was worried and scared when all this happened because I just didn,t know how I was going to cope with all of this stuff happening and I felt my GYN just wanted to use me like a guini pig for one of his newer prescription synthetic pills (which had so many side effects when I looked it up)
cj says
October 28, 2014 at 9:56 pm
Thanks so much for this Sandy…it is such a crazy time, and you’re right…all of that blood loss can be so scary and in my case has made me feel like my quality of life has really tanked.
I appreciate your insights… it can be hard to not obsess about all of this when you have a never-ending flow – I know it will eventually alleviate but it can feel frustrating. Trying to focus on the fact that this too shall pass…and trying to get on with the business of just doing life!
take good care
MB says
September 15, 2014 at 3:47 am
Thanks so much for this discussion. The lack of correct knowledge of natural micronized progesterone by OB/gyn’s is amazing! I wonder if some important experts and experiments were lost in WWII. Seriously. According to Gary Taubes, author of “Why We Get Fat”, lots of doctors were killed or were so busy trying to survive that the research on fat and hormones was lost or halted and our whole paradigm around obesity is wrong.
Anyway, I’ve been on micronized progesterone (Prometrium, 200 mg) for about a year now. My OB first prescribed the synthetic to stop severe perimenopausal bleeding. And to give her credit and gratitude, it worked. But after I did some research into natural vs synthetic, I asked her if we could switch, and she agreed but didn’t think it should matter. I was disappointed that she doesn’t think there is a difference.
I felt a difference right away when I switched to the natural progesterone from the synthetic. I had a little breakthrough bleeding at first, but that stopped and now I have a slight period each month, but I don’t stop the progesterone at all. I take it every night and in addition to stopping the menorrhagia it helps me sleep without anxiety and stopped the night sweats. Whew!
I am so grateful for this stuff and that my doctor put me on it and was willing to switch to what she referred to as “the more” natural progesterone. I hope to be on it for a long, long time. I’m 51.
Thank you again.
sandy says
September 15, 2014 at 7:27 pm
My GYN who(wanted me to take a synthetic progesterone) asked today if I was taking it. When I spoke to him last appt I mentioned I wanted bioidentical progesterone and he just shooed me off. He told me they were the same. I had my followup appt today and had really good results since last appt. He asked me if I was still taking what he prescribed and I told him I was not comfortable taking it and I had seen another doctor who prescribed my bioidenticals. He again said they were the same, so I just told him I had done a lot of reading and research and they are not the same. He just shutup and told me he wants a followup appt for 6 months from not to followup on another issue he is watching. We are the only ones to look out for our best interests and if something doesn,t seem right sometimes we have to do our own research.
admin says
September 15, 2014 at 7:38 pm
Good for you! Its so important to be your own advocate. The conventional medical perspective is unfortunately so misguided and misinformed about so many things, that you really do need to do your own homework. And it becomes really difficult to know who and what to trust. It is so important to follow your own instincts and advocate for yourself. Thanks for taking the time to share your experience.
Tracy Johnson says
September 8, 2014 at 12:41 am
I have cyclical migraines. Do I use the same dose of progesterone cream daily or do I increase and decrease depending on the day of my cycle? Will my period start on it’s own even though I’m taking it daily? Also, is there a particular bioidentical progesterone cream you recommend? I currently use Arbonne Prolief, but they are not going to manufacture it anymore Thank you so much!!
admin says
September 8, 2014 at 1:00 am
I am not an expert in this field. Maybe another reader will be able to help.
Jean says
September 1, 2014 at 11:16 pm
I’m post-menopausal for one year (2 years or so since my last period) and am 50 years old and have been on “bio-identical” estrogen and progesterone for about 9 months. What drove me there was severe night sweats, lack of sleep, but mostly panic attacks with constant anxiety that seemed to kick in over night. This was bad enough that I went on, briefly, an anti-depressant which I no longer take.
I just read Prior and Baxter’s book which I found to be a refreshing history on how the medical, pharmaceutical, and cosmetic industries have described the state of being a woman as a chronic pathology. But, what I found disappointing in the book was the lack of differentiation between estrogens derived from horse urine such as Premarin and what we commonly refer now to bio-identical estrogen such as the bi-est which I take. The book demonizes estrogen on all fronts. I left the book feeling ill-informed about bio-identical estrogen.
I do question my need for estrogen and would prefer to take as little hormone as necessary, or rather as much as I need. I have started to reduce the estrogen and ramp up the progesterone. Through all of my experience with menopause (and other health situations in my life), I need to draw from a team of opinions and ultimately be my own Dr. Jekyll to find out what really works for me. I don’t jump on band wagons and am not ready to accept any reigning opinion as a holy grail because clearly the science isn’t there. All woman need to tread lightly when encountered with any answer that seems too good to be true. The sad reality is that the most reliable studies I have are the ones that I experience first hand on myself. I’d like the WHI or someone to try again and focus exclusively on the “bio-identicals” this time.
admin says
September 2, 2014 at 12:02 am
Thank you for taking the time to write this thoughtful comment. What I am most impressed with is the reality that we are an n of 1 and that I learn the most from my own reactions to my experiments. I have yet to find an expert who has the answers. I find pieces of what is true for me here and there and cobble together my own protocol, which is always a work in progress. I think your critique of the book is valid, that there is not a distinction made between synthetic and bio-identical estrogen. I am not an expert in this domain. Please continue to share what you discover. It benefits us all.
Jean says
September 2, 2014 at 11:24 pm
Cobbling is all we have along with the support of an educated doctor, but the information seems to be getting better too and more disseminated. You just have to smart about it and know your symptoms. Question – I have had break through bleeding (a mild period with cramps) since I have increased my progesterone. I am post-menopausal so I’m not thrilled by it. My assumption is that the additional progesterone is acting on estrogen build-up. Does that sound correct? I can’t seem to find a straight answer about this anywhere. I am easing off the estrogen as well. And, I know that women taking synthetic estrogen who plan to stop need to wean slowly, but I cannot find information about weaning off bio-identical estrogen. Do I need to do this as slowly? I doubt I have the patience to do a 3 – 9 month weaning. Today, I just skipped it altogether. Thank you for your feedback!
admin says
September 3, 2014 at 1:17 am
I think your logic about your break through bleeding sounds right, but I am not an expert on these matters, by any means. I don’t know the answer about your estrogen question. Maybe another reader can chime in. Weaning is generally a good idea, though maybe you do not need to be so cautious and can do it a bit faster. Thanks for writing and please write again if you have experiences or information to share. We learn so much from each other.
Stephanie says
July 25, 2014 at 10:19 pm
Susan, I also live in the Dallas and would love to find someone who works with bioidentical hormones. Could you give me the name of your nurse practitioner?
brandy says
July 11, 2014 at 1:40 am
admin says
July 11, 2014 at 1:45 am
I am no expert, but that sounds like a very radical solution. I find myself wondering about your diet and gut health. I don’t know how to advise, but hopefully you will get second opinions. All the best.
sandy says
July 12, 2014 at 1:11 am
Hi Brandy. Has the doctor done of your testing to see where you hormone levels are. Do you know if you are lacking some type of hormone? I have been having some issues as well. I live in Ontario Canada. I first when to my GP complaining of bleeding issues myself and she didn,t want to deal with me, she wanted me to deal with my GYN. I saw him and I discussed Bio identical hormones, but he gave me every excuse and basically changed the discussion to a synthetic progesterone. I left frustrated because he would not really discuss my options, listen to what I was interested in. I ended up seeing a doctor who deals with bio identicals, she will do all the testing, she will follow my hormone levels and figure out if I am lacking in 1 or more hormones. I have a thick uterine lining as well. She wants me to have my records sent over so she can see this as well and follow the progress to make sure that the thickness is getting thinner as well. I would maybe get a second opinion from someone who deals with bio-identicals to see if the issue you are having could improve with them, and if you would have an issue taking them. I have only been on mine right now for about 3 days, too short to notice too much because my issue was mostly with bleeding too much or to long, some other issues like PMSy type stuff but mainly the bleeding, but so far I notice no bad changes or issues,or side effects, so I may have to wait out until my next cycle to see if there is any. If it would help you it may save you from such a drastic step. Sandy improvements.
August 15, 2014 at 12:09 pm
would youplease write the brand name of bio identical progesterone .the gyn.has gave to you.
And how much mg.per day.
glad to hear from you!
thanks
sandy says
August 24, 2014 at 2:04 pm
She has placed me on 40mg per day and I split it up and take it 2x per day about 12hours a part. She was going to give me the pill form but I asked her if I could try it as a cream and she agreed. I have been on it about 5 weeks, it helps with sleep with the evening dose but I feel no sleeyness with the morning dose. My moods seem more even all through the month, my crazy cravings are almost nil. My cycles have less flow so far. I had a couple that needed me to wear 3 pads at night just because the flow was constant even at night. I am estrogent dominant (majorly), she put me on a bunch of vitamins, minerals and supplements to help bring levels down. I am overweight and was reading this is not helping the situation at all, so I am on a mission to get my weight down by a bunch to also help bring levels down. So I am eating more of the foods that help with estrogen reduction (luckily I like all those types of veggies) reducing my calories, and walking, and I will all in some strength training of some sorts once I get the first step settled and I have a little routine going.
sandy says
September 15, 2014 at 5:00 pm
I just had to go for a followup appt for a sonohystogram. I have only been on the progesterone for about 2 months and in that time my lining when down from a thick level that there was concern about to it now being thin and even. I am having wonderful response to this cream.
sandy says
August 24, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Sorry Mia. I went to a compounding pharmacy and they make the dose up specifically for me. It is about $40 per month.
Jan says
February 4, 2014 at 2:26 am
Have been told that my hormones are out of whack and I have difficulty sleeping. I tried taking the progesterone and my anxiety went through the roof. Am totally confused!
admin says
February 6, 2014 at 12:36 am
I am no expert in this area. I recommend contacting Dr. Jerilynn Prior and getting a consultation.
Neeta says
April 3, 2014 at 12:24 am
Keep taking the progesterone. What happened toyou is that the progesterone wakes up the estrogen receptors temporarily making estrogen dominance worse for a few weeks. Stick with it it will help. Without progesterone i was so disabled from menopause, i tried bio identical estrogen and other hormones but only the P works for me, and I take 200 mgs Prometrium orally nightly, and use 10 or 20 mgs progesterone cream if i have a stressful day. I did try going without it, but can only last about 4 days and then the hot foashes night sweats and extreme anxiety return. Im sticking with it!
kim says
January 31, 2015 at 9:46 pm
Hi there:
I had been suffering for months with night sweats, anxiety off the wall and sudden weight gain. I first made sure it was not my thyroid. However I am now full menopause. My GYN put me on Prometrium 100 mg at night. I have been on this for three months I now see some improvement in my night sweats, and moods. Thank goodness. I had no idea that Prometrium instead of Estrogen is what I needed. I have a Uterine Polyp also, that she said was caused by too much Estrogen and low progestreum. That said I would say continue with the Prometrium for some time and see if you improve. So, thankful. I was a mess.
Annie says
February 3, 2014 at 5:48 pm
I am 61 years old. I have been on 125mg of Progestorone for about 3 years. I just went off of it for about a week. I don’t like taking anything. I was extremely constipated and had achy bones around my hip area and left leg. I thought it might be from the progesterone. Also bad skin issues. I break out quite a bit . Since I’ve been off not much has changed except my skin seems to be getting worse. Also, I have sleepless nights and a bit more of hot flashes. I am worried about all of this. My regular GP says after taking it for 2 years there’s a good chance of getting cancer. The other doctor said this isn’t true. I have 3 sisters who have/had breast cancer. 2 of them have passed away. I also have estrogen cream. I rarely use it because I’m scared.
Any comments?
admin says
February 3, 2014 at 6:00 pm
I am no expert in this area. If I were you I would contact Jerilynn Prior and get a consultation. I wish you all the best.
Holly says
August 24, 2013 at 10:57 am
This is a great video and I really enjoyed it. Dr. Pryor’s story at the beginning was fascinating to me because I also started my period for the first time on my 13th brithday just like she did! I was so shocked when she said she had the same experience.
admin says
August 28, 2013 at 11:50 am
I am glad you enjoyed the video. I included it because I liked getting a sense of her as a person. That is always important to me.
Joanna says
August 13, 2013 at 10:03 pm
Hi there,
I’m looking for information about how progesterone treatment impacts your period during Childbearing years. My docs make a lot of changes, but never really explain if or how changes will impact my body.
I’m 35 years old and had been prescribed bio-identical 100mg daily of progesterone in 2009 (in addition to bio-id. cortisol & T3) after significant blood work showed my hormones were all out of whack. I’ve had 4 lap. surgeries trying to hold onto my child bearing years (endometriosis, fibroids, PCOS, polyps, scar tissue).
During those years, my period became much lighter, my mood better, HUGE improvement in my sleep as well… And most of all my period was like clockwork! My period app would pop up “Due tomorrow” and tomorrow it came.
Recently (April 2013), an endocrinologist ran a whole new slew of blood tests and had me ween off the hormones (I had already been taken off T3 about 6-9 months ago when thyroid got too high). My first period after I stopped progesterone I was 5 days late, it dragged on, but was far lighter than normal. The next month, 7 or 8 days late and was off and on for 10 days between light, nothing, and spotting. This month I was 5 days early, spotted one day, had 1 day that was like a light period for half a day, and then just spotting for 3 more days. I’m exhausted – I literally slept more on than off all weekend and then have insomnia at night.
SO HERE’S MY QUESTION: Is this normal after going off bio-identical Progesterone? If so, does this typically regulate itself after a few more cycles?
I’ve considered asking to go back on it, but with so much mixed information out there, I don’t know if that’s wise.
Any info, insight, suggestions you can provide would be greatly appreciated!
Thanks!
admin says
August 14, 2013 at 1:01 am
I wish I was more expert than I am on this subject. I do not have a great deal of experience. I read Jerilynn Prior’s great book “The Estrogen Errors” and tried it on myself with good results. I have one patient on my practice who it has helped and a friend who has also really had a good result with it. So I don’t know how to answer your question. According to Dr. Prior, if it was so helpful to you, it would make sense to continue it. I have no idea what the typical course would be after going off Bio-identical Progesterone. Maybe you could try and contact Dr. Prior and see if she could answer your question. Bio-identical progesterone really helps with sleep. That is my main reason for taking it. Same with my friend and many cases in Dr. Prior’s book as well.
Ana says
July 16, 2013 at 9:33 am
Hi everyone. i was 29 yrs. old and had a partial hysterectomy. i still had my ovaries. No way of physically detecting onset of menopause. At age 49 I was still..Me. Then at age 50 I started swelling. Retaining fluid. Joints aching. Sweats, awful sweats and had never sweated before very much even in the heat of summer. I was moody, gaining weight. I had blood work done. Showed Hypo-thyroid. Started on medicine for it. Started retaining fluid worse. I had saliva tests done. Was prescribed Bio-identical Progesterone cream to apply to inner arms, legs and stomach. I am so lucky that my GYN approves this compounding pharmacy. Within 2 hrs. Of the first dose I was starting to lose fluid. After a week I had lost 7 lbs. of fluid. Hot flashes are under control. I can only say from my own experience that I can not imagine not using it. Best wishes to everyone. Louisiana, U.S.
admin says
July 16, 2013 at 5:29 pm
Thanks so much for taking the time to write. This is very useful. I suggest reading Dr. Jerilynn Prior’s book, The Estrogen Errors. She reports on a great many cases of women for whom progesterone was crucial to restoring their health.
Susan says
May 9, 2014 at 6:43 am
58 now. Had partial hyst at your age
Just changed from me one day to horrible me the next day
It happened that quick
I take a T 3 T 4 that helps now— cured my constipation
Have excellent nurse practitioner here in Dallas
That works with Dr M Spurlock
Joy says
December 27, 2014 at 2:34 pm
What is your update? I am 55, live in Austin. I just started the natural progesterone from Sabre Siences and it seems to be the ticket! BUT, I’m severely constipated! Do you still take the thyroid with the progesterone? Will you share your doctor contact info? I could make that trip.
Heidi says
June 14, 2013 at 3:50 am
Thank you so much for the information you shared! Three years ago (at age 41) I was very much like the 42 year old patient you described. I came across a doctor who prescribed 300mg oral bio-identical progesterone at bedtime, and within 3 weeks, I had my life back. My horrendous bleeding/clotting (for 3 weeks out of every month) was gone and daily headaches, anxiety, insomnia, mood swings and night sweats were gone too! Before I started progesterone, my OB/GYN ordered an ultrasound which showed a thickened endometrium (beyond the normal limits) but no other anomalies and did a biopsy (normal results). Her only answer to the excessive bleeding and other symptoms was a hysterectomy……period. When I asked about bio-identical hormone strategies instead, she actually yelled at me. So I found a new doctor. Anyway, I guess the new doc is nervous about me being on my 3rd year of progesterone (says there hasn’t been enough research) so he ordered a repeat ultrasound (exact same results as the first one). But I have no strange symptoms, no abnormal bleeding, no pain, no complaints. Do you have any advice for me about prolonged use of the 300mg oral, pharmacy compounded, bio-identical progesterone? I can’t imagine going back to the person I was before I started the progesterone!! But I don’t want to risk my overall health either…….after all, I have 3 young daughters to take care of….. Again, thank you so much!
admin says
June 22, 2013 at 1:46 pm
Sorry it has taken me so long to reply. I have been traveling. Its great to hear about the profound benefit you have received from bio-identical progesterone. There are many stories like this.
I am no expert on this topic. Everything I know I have learned from Dr. Jerilyn Prior’s book The Estrogen Errors and her excellent website, The Center for Menstrual Cycle and Ovulation Research. I recommend both of them to you. I suggest that you write to Dr. Prior and ask her the question you ask me. Please let me know what she says. I believe that I read somewhere that she wrote that there is no danger in taking it as long as it is necessary, but I am not sure if that is accurate.
Kate Lee says
January 15, 2014 at 3:58 am
Did you find out any answers to your questions about progesterone usage, etc. I am in the same boat.
Heidi says
January 21, 2014 at 2:55 am
Thanks for asking! On my last post I said that a repeat ultrasound was ordered. The thickened endometrium was a bit less, but there were 2 polyps. My doc ended up sending me to a gynocologic oncologist even though I had no symptoms at all. (he insisted that we shoot straight to the expert in the field of gynocologic issues). First of all, he removed the polyps and did a DNC to analyze all the tissue. No abnormal cells at all were found! No hyperplasia either! On the follow up visit, we discussed the use of the bioidentical progesterone. He said that it was a smart choice and he wanted me to stay on it. Also………..he shared an interesting finding. When the tissue was examined, there was a substantial amount of tissue which occurs after ovulation. The doc said that synthetic progesterone would have suppressed ovulation (like with birth control pills), but the bioidenticals hadn’t done that. They were obviously correcting the bleeding, headaches, sweats, mood swings and such, but were NOT affecting the typical funciton of my ovaries. (He was a bit suprised by this too) Anyway, all of it was great news and the docs left my progesterone alone!! (although they both said that as I get older and my estrogen levels naturally drop, we will try lowering the dosage to 200mg oral dosage per day) I hope this helps. Let me know
sandra says
June 18, 2014 at 2:08 pm
Hi Heidi. I read your story. I know its from a bit ago but I am in a similar boat and wondered how you are doing. I am 47, I have a thickened lining as well. They have done a biopsy and I have to have a hystosonogram (I believe thats what its called) just to get a visual inside. I am currently looking into bio identical progesterone. The doctors have only given me synthetic options right now, IUD for 5 years, a synthetic progestin that is new on the market and only has just over a year of testing and these make me cringe. Has your lining ever gotten thinner, do you take it only so many days of the month or all month. My current doctor wants nothing to do with the bio identical although I know he has access to Prometrium(I,m in Ontario Canada), but he wouldnt hear of it. So if I want it I will have to go to another doctor in the area that deals with Bio identicals. Sandy
Heidi says
June 18, 2014 at 7:58 pm
I actually had a follow up ultrasound in February of this year (2014) and the gynecologic oncologist called to report that all measurements were now within normal limits. He also said that because I no longer have thickening, there is no need for any more follow ups with him. I asked him again about the bioidentical progesterone I’m taking (since there is so much controversy among docs about it) and he again told me it was a smart choice. I figured since he is the expert on the “uterus-gone-wrong”, I will take his advice over others. But that’s just my opinion, and I choose to continue. I do have the occasional hot flash and a headache the day before I start my period, but nothing AT ALL like I experienced before starting the progesterone treatment. I did switch doctors in order to start the bio-identicals, but I got results within the first month taking them. And I have been a personal believer ever since. They obviously don’t stop normal ovulation and ovary function for me, and they have practically eliminated the negative symptoms I was experiencing. I hope this helps!
sandy says
June 18, 2014 at 10:05 pm
Thanks so much for replying. I am just currently looking for another doctor here to deal with the bio identicals. I will still have to deal with my GYN for another issue he was also watching (tube issue) but I don,t know how he will take it the next time he questions me about the meds he gave me and I tell him I,m on something else prescribed from another doctor. From everything I,ve read I just feel this is the right choice for me to try right now. I just find it crazy that he can prescribe what I need (the tablet form only up here) and he just will not. Thanks so much for the info. Do you take 2nd half of your cycle or are you taking each day?
Heidi says
June 19, 2014 at 1:10 pm
Sorry I left out that I’m taking 200mg of bioidentical progesterone in pill form every single day. I initially started with 300mg per day but backed up to 200mg after the normal ultrasound this Feb. I’m not into taking any medications that are not absolutely necessary so I’m trying to take the least dose possible. At 200mg for the last several months, I still feel fine. I know there is a skin cream option here, but since I work with children, I don’t want to take any chance of transmission to them. Some may say that’s overly cautious, but I feel like it’s my responsibility to be that way when it comes to kids.
cj says
October 5, 2014 at 11:55 pm
I have just stumbled upon this site having just recently been prescribed Prometrium to address my own perimenopausal issues with wildly irregular (and disablingly heavy) periods. I was prescribed 200mg for just 10 days / month and then was told i would have a withdrawal bleed after those 10 days…despite telling the gyno i saw that I had basically been bleeding since April…and flooding like crazy the past several days whilst on the Prometrium. I decided to attempt to contact the Centre for Menstrual Research in Vancouver, and actually ended up with a recommendation after some back and forth to do exactly as you have done…take 300mg DAILY for at least 3 months to balance out the clear estrogen dominance I have been dealing with. I was so encouraged to read your story, and to learn of your success with this treatment – and I will be going back to my own primary care physician armed with some great research and demanding she prescribe the Prometrium for me at that dose, for daily use. It is hard to know how to approach docs, however I feel so confident in the research Dr. Prior has done I just hope my doc will comply
sandy says
July 12, 2014 at 12:54 am
Hi. Heidi. Just wanted to let you know I was able to see a doctor dealing with Bio identicals. She has prescribed me progesterone. I am doing the cream version 40mg per day and I split that up into 2x per day. (Compared to the oral version, I think it is comparable to about 200mg. )I have been on it for 2.5 days right now but as of yet do not notice too much, but my main concerns were bleeding concerns and I think I am in the middle part of a cycle (if you can call it that) I may not notice to much until I have a actual bleed of some sorts, as mine were heavyish and getting off trek time wise(3 week bleed). I am supposed to take it all but 7 days per month. So cross you fingers for me. and I hope things get better for the next cycle to come as I am supposed to go on holidays up to a cottage in the middle of nowhere, and bleeding issues are the last thing I want to have there.
Nigel Kinbrum says
May 16, 2013 at 11:40 am
As a man, I have a different “sterone” – Testosterone. Due to pituitary dysfunction years ago, levels of various hormones (TSH, LH & FSH) fell to zero and another (GH) became low. I take thyroxine to compensate for the zero TSH.
When my free Test level fell to 4.7 (RR 10-40) back in 2004, I was prescribed 120mg/day Testosterone Undecanoate. After a month or so, I had another blood test. My free Test level had fallen to 4.5.
I was then prescribed Testosterone in trans-dermal gel form, 50mg/day. That worked. In fact, it worked too well and my first blood test post-gel gave a result of >50! I’m now on ~17mg/day.
“Bio-identical progesterone cream 40 mg a day was very helpful to her, but when she stopped menstruating, she stopped taking it.” Why did she stop taking it if it was very helpful to her?
admin says
May 16, 2013 at 3:40 pm
Thanks for writing and sharing your experience with hormone replacement. My friend does not know why she stopped taking it. She wonders now “what on Earth was I thinking?” I think we all have experiences like that. We do things that make no sense when we look back at it.
Nicky says
February 21, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Thanks for the info. But you are wrong about Europe. Bio identicals are very controversial here.
In the regular health sector you won’t find a doctor who even knows about it. Only since Oprah’s broadcasts about it people here know about it and are researching it. The only information available comes from American internet resources!!
Thanks again for your detailed info. The more, the better!
February 21, 2013 at 10:46 pm
Thank you, Nicky for writing. On the jacket of Dr Prior’s book it said that is was commonly prescribed in Europe. Maybe it varies from country to country. Where do you live? I really recommend her book. It is very accessible and full of great information.
Jan says
October 23, 2013 at 2:42 pm
Is it safe to do a bio identical progesterone if you are 62, have been in menopause for 11 years and have never taken hormones?
admin says
October 23, 2013 at 2:54 pm
I am honestly not an expert. It seemed from her book “The Estrogen Errors” that Dr Prior felt that it was safe indefinitely as long as a woman needed it. So, I would imagine that it would be safe, but I am not certain. What would be your motivation for taking it? Are you having sleep difficulties or hot flashes?
cathy perry says
January 5, 2015 at 2:45 pm
Jan I am 61 having break threw bleeding had many test last year….just can’t get through neverending menopause…so discouraged
sandy says
January 5, 2015 at 7:46 pm
I know its crazy having all this weird stuff going on and un-nerving wondering what is wrong. Were the tests all normal? Have you had any tests done so you know what if any hormones are low? Are you on any synthetic hormones? If you had no testing for you hormones but are on synthetic meds, then its just a stab in the dark that you are on maybe what you are needing, and still not good if its synthetic. You may have to go hunting to find someone who deals with Bioidenticals, neither my personal doctor nor my Gyn dealt with them, I had to search to find someone who could help me. Usually you can search online, but if so research the doctor also to see if they have good reviews or you may be able to locate one through a pharmacy which does compounding (they would specifically make the creams for you at the dose the doctor recommends)
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The past few weeks have represented a paradigm shift in the way so many of us live and work. As of March 19, 2020, nearly one-third of Americans were working from home due to the current health and economic crisis. Yet while many blog posts have been devoted to teaching us how to be more productive when working from home, very few people are talking about how this shift has affected our mental health and work-life balance.
Previously, those of us working in an office could leave our troubles behind at 5:00 PM and go home to unwind with our loved ones without another thought to the stress of the workday. Working from home makes it more difficult to switch off the part of our brain that’s still at work. With work constantly at our fingertips via our laptops and cell phones, our work-life balance could drastically suffer, negatively affecting our mental health and relationships with others.
As a result, 7 in 10 Americans indicated that the current crisis has been the most stressful event of their entire professional career. In this article, we explore how working from home is affecting people’s mental and physical health, and what you can do to maintain a healthy work-life balance despite working from home during the current health crisis.
Work From Home Stressors During Current Crises
Thanks to social distancing guidelines put into place by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and other regulatory agencies, many of us are now working from home for the first time. If you have never worked from home before, adjusting to this new way of life can present many challenges.
Unfortunately, most employers are more concerned with how working from home affects productivity than how it affects our mental and physical health. As a result, they are doing everything they can to ensure that employees remain on-track with work, despite the fact that we are working through an unprecedented global crisis. In the past few weeks, we would venture to guess that we’ve all had a number of unnecessary Zoom meetings with this goal in mind!
Employers are also concerned with their bottom-line — in other words, how the stressful present will affect their company’s financial future. Upper management is struggling to placate investors while looking for ways to cut costs. As a result, millions of Americans have been laid off, with over 30 million filings for unemployment in the past six weeks.
However, even those of us who have, thankfully, kept our jobs have not been exempt from the financial stress of the current crises. Many Americans are being asked to take temporary pay cuts or work overtime without additional pay due to financial constraints. When working from home means accepting a smaller paycheck (despite the fact that our bills are not shrinking proportionately!), it’s easy to see how this situation can lead to financial stress, relationship conflict and more at home.
Other Americans are living in fear that their jobs will become obsolete or that they will be laid off. Seeing that their friends and coworkers have lost their jobs, they may feel pressured to keep up an unrealistic standard of work by putting in long hours and taking on additional assignments to prove their worth at their companies. This undoubtedly affects work-life balance, in turn negatively impacting our physical and mental health.
How to Manage Work From Home Stress
You may be wondering, why should we be concerned about the detrimental effects of current events on our work-life balance? It seems like we have much more important things to worry about right now, yet these worries are intricately connected to our relationship with stress at work and at home.
If we want to stay healthy (and if employers want to maintain a healthy and productive workforce), it’s important to minimize stressors as much as possible during these unprecedented times. Stress weakens the immune system and makes us more vulnerable to contracting infections — not to mention that millions of Americans are already living with preexisting mental and physical health conditions that could be gravely worsened by an increased workload.
What Employers Can Do
Undoubtedly, employers need to increase workplace supports and resources for their employees during this stressful time if they do not want to see decreases in productivity or increases in illness among their workforce. Some of the supports employers can and should put into place during this time include:
Information campaigns. Your employees are facing a lot of unknowns right now — so don’t let questions about how your organization is managing the situation compound these anxieties. Creating email newsletters, an internal webpage or company-wide announcements with important updates on the current health situation in the workplace can help your employees stay in-the-know and feel more in control of what’s going on in their lives.
Increased HR support. Many of your employees may not have utilized HR resources in the past, so they may not know whom they should contact with questions about health benefits, working from home, time-off policies or other forms of employee assistance. Make sure your employees know who they can contact with these questions — and, most importantly, that they do have options for getting increased support from their employer.
Self-care resources. Emotional well-being is an important component of maintaining a healthy and productive workforce. As a result, you may consider offering self-care resources to employees to help them cope with stress during these uncertain and unpredictable times. You should also make sure to emphasize mental health benefits available to your employees, such as Employee Assistance Programs, and how they can access them right now.
Management education. Working from home increases the risk of burnout among your employees, especially if managers do not respect your employees’ working hours or are subjecting their employees to excess scrutiny to make sure they are at their computers at all times. Educate your managers about best practices when dealing with remote teams, and make sure to issue clear directives about respecting employees’ time on and off the clock.
Access to hygiene supplies. Not all employers may be able to offer work from home options to their employees right now. Still, these employers must recognize the stress inherent in asking their employees to come to their workplace right now, especially with so many of us concerned about contracting an illness. Making sure your workplace is well-stocked with personal hygiene supplies, such as hand soap and hand sanitizer, will go a long way to alleviate these concerns and help your employees feel safe. You should also issue formal policies to protect your employees, such as asking people to wear masks on the job or stressing social distancing guidelines in the workplace, and help everyone stay healthy and safe.
What You Can Do
Unfortunately, for many of us, our employers’ reaction to current events is not within our control, so we may not always be able to access the appropriate resources that employers should be providing right now. (However, it’s important to note that speaking out about the struggles you are facing to an HR representative or trusted supervisor can help put pressure on companies to provide these supports if they are not doing so already.)
Still, you may be interested to know what you can do on your own to manage stress due to working from home — and to promote a healthy work-life balance despite these changes to the way you live and work. These simple tips can help you maintain your health and wellness while working from home during this situation:
Keep a regular schedule. Routines are essential to our mental health. They create a sense of stability that helps us feel normal and in-control despite less than ideal circumstances. Your schedule should specify your waking and sleeping times, your designated working (and non-working) hours and what you will do to stay happy, healthy and social despite working from home. Stick to your schedule as often as possible to promote a sense of stability — and make sure that you include plenty of scheduled breaks to help you rest and recharge throughout your workday!
Stay healthy. Whether or not we get sick is not entirely within our control, but that doesn’t mean we can’t make our best effort to prevent ourselves from getting sick. Knowing that you are doing everything you can to protect yourself from illness will help you feel more at ease despite the uncertainty of the pandemic. This includes washing your hands thoroughly and often (for at least 20 seconds!), getting enough sleep, eating regular meals and staying hydrated. You should also follow social distancing guidelines, limiting your contact with others and minimizing trips outside the home.
Limit media consumption. One of the biggest stressors in our lives right now is the news media. While it’s important to stay informed of what’s going on in the world, many headlines are sensationalizing the skyrocketing anxiety, rather than alleviating it. As a result, you should set clear boundaries for your consumption of media, including both the news and others’ comments on social media. For example, you may want to give yourself a set period of time, such as 30 minutes in the evenings, during which you can browse the news while limiting your exposure throughout the rest of the day.
We are living in uncertain times where very little feels under our control. Despite your best efforts to stay happy and healthy, you may find yourself feeling stressed, anxious, sad, frustrated or hopeless. A broad range of emotional reactions is to be expected when dealing with something as stressful as a global pandemic — but that doesn’t mean that you have to go through it alone. Speaking to a therapist about what you are going through can help you process the grief and trauma you may be experiencing, helping you relieve stress and stay healthy and productive while working from home.
Here at The Meadowglade, our trained mental health counselors are currently providing telemedicine services, so you can speak with someone about your concerns without putting your health at risk by leaving the home.
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It’s hard to think of the holidays without having the colors of green, red, and white immediately come to mind. These seasonal favorites are all colors that originated in nature and have come to be associated with the holiday season.
Green is the first color that I always associate with the holidays, perhaps because there is so much of it. Wreaths, Christmas trees, garland, roping, advent wreaths, and more all feature green predominantly in their design. Although no one can pinpoint a specific date when it began to be widely used, we do know that long before Christ was born and the advent of modern Christmas celebrations, the Druids used evergreens extensively during the winter months. They believed that it held some sort of magical power since it alone remained green and thriving when all the other plants had died off or dropped their leaves long before the short, dark days of winter. Because of this, evergreens were both worshiped and feared for the power it was perceived that they held.
Others thought that this green symbolized life and perhaps hope for spring throughout the winter months, particularly in Europe and the Advent wreaths that originated there are thought by some to be among the first uses of evergreens specifically for Christmas decorating. Although the colors of the candles used in these wreaths originally varied from church to church and from country to country, purple was used most often. Representative of hope, peace, and love, the final candle originally was usually red, representing the gift of Christ’s sacrifice on the cross though occasionally you will see a white candle in the wreath, symbolizing Jesus’ birth. Christmas trees, wreaths, roping, garlands, and more are other green holiday symbols which usually are fashioned from some variety of evergreens.
Holly is another plant that the ancients used widely. How could this plant not only thrive and remain green, but also produce beautiful red berries when most others were dormant? The only answer was that it must be magical! The Romans wove it into wreaths to mark the passing of winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, but because it remained in place after those celebrations, in time this plant came to be associated with Christmas.
Brilliant red poinsettias have come to represent and be among the beloved of holiday flowers although poinsettias have a much less ancient history as a symbol of Christmas. Brought to the United States in 1828 from Mexico by our ambassador Dr. Joel Poinsett, the plant there had been known as Flor de la Noche Buena, or Flower of the Holy or Blessed Night. It’s red, star shaped flower is supposed to remind us of the Star of Bethlehem. A Mexican legend speaks of a poor girl, who with no gift to offer Mary, picked some weeds growing along a roadside. The moment she placed them at Mary’s statue, they turned to brilliant poinsettia blooms. Although there are many varieties and colors, contrary to popular belief they are NOT poisonous, although consumption is not recommended!
Mistletoe combines the beauty of something green and living with snowy white berries and often brings giggles wherever it is hung. Seems kind of strange, doesn’t it- kissing under a plant? The custom of kissing under the mistletoe originates in ancient Rome where enemies reconciled under mistletoe. Another legend brings it to modern times from the Norsemen where it was sacred to Frigga, goddess of love. When her son Balder dreamed of his own death, she turned to the elements air, fire, water, earth and every animal and extracted a promise for them not to harm her son. She overlooked the mistletoe, a parasite hanging in oak and apple trees. When Balder was killed by Loki, god of evil, Frigga was the only one who was successful in bringing him back to life through the power of love. Legend has it that her tears turned into the berries on the mistletoe and she kissed each person who passed beneath it.
Sacred to the Druids, it was considered Pagan and forbidden in churches as a decoration there, yet it became a part of Christmas in many homes. Mistletoe is now considered a symbol of Christmas joy. Some of the superstitions surrounding it include that letting it fall to the ground is unlucky, that a girl standing under it cannot refuse to be kissed, and that one who goes unkissed cannot expect to be married the following year.
Although there are many other plants associated with the holiday season- laurel, rosemary, ivy, and blood red Christmas roses to name a few, evergreens, poinsettias and mistletoe are the ones you’ll see most often. Ah, the colors of Christmas! Whether they are natural or artificial, in hues of green, red, or white, may they decorate your home in abundance this holiday season!
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Federal taxes are due May 17 this year; state taxes have varying due dates, so check your state’s deadline.
Get your receipts, files, documents organized.
Once you view all your deductions, decide if you want to itemize or take the standard deduction.
Don’t forget all these credits and deductions that you may be eligible for.
Avoid these top tax scams.
Now prepare for 2021 taxes with these two tips.
If you’re like many Americans (1 in 3, to be exact), you’re likely putting off submitting your taxes until this year’s deadline. Some may call it procrastination; others prefer to call it “working under pressure.” However you choose to define waiting until the eleventh hour, help ease last minute scrambling with these 14 last-minute tax tips for insurance agents:
1. Get organized.
This one’s a no-brainer, that’s true. But how many times, after you’ve finished your taxes at the eleventh hour, have you vowed that next year, you’ll be more organized? One tip is to keep a photo file on your smart phone of any documents, receipts, etc. that you’ll need for taxes. When that item comes in the mail, or you have the receipt in hand, just shoot an image and file it away on your phone. Then periodically back up your phone’s photos so that you don’t lose anything. This doesn’t negate the need to keep hard copies, but at least you’ll know what the document looks like when you begin searching for it.
Dig through that pile of mail, file folders, and desk drawers to locate the following forms:
W-2s—from your employer(s)
1099-INT—for interest earned on things like a savings account
1098—for mortgage interest statement on a home loan
Receipts—from any business, healthcare, and education purchases or payments
Another idea is to download a tax prep checklist. There are several online; here’s one from TurboTax to help you organize all your paperwork.
It’s tempting to try to remember deductions off the top of your head when in a rush to file your return. That’s why we’re adding this in our last-minute tax tips for insurance agents. Writing them down in advance will help you avoid overlooking anything that could result in a write-off. Plus, having a dollar figure next to each item in your list helps you decide whether to itemize deductions or just take the standard deduction.
What’s deductible this year alone vs. spreading out the deduction among future years as a depreciable expense can greatly impact your decision for software as well as tangible assets purchase decisions. There may be bonus depreciation deductions available this year. Consult your tax professional for more information.
Related: Year-end tax strategies for insurance producers
TurboTax says some tax filers try to claim their children as dependents without including their social security numbers. It won’t work. The IRS will deny the $2,000 child tax credit for each child under age 18. (Note: The child tax credit is phased out at higher income levels. The credit is reduced to zero in stages as income rises above $400,000 on joint returns, and above $200,000 on single and head of household returns.)
Be careful if you are divorced, because only one of you can claim your child as a dependent. TurboTax says the IRS has been checking closely lately to make sure spouses aren’t both using their children as a deduction. If you forget to include your children’s social security numbers, or if you and your ex-spouse both claim the same child, you will most likely halt the processing of your return (and any refund you’re expecting) until the IRS contacts you for clarification and proof.
Be sure to file for your brand-new baby’s social security card right away so you have the number ready at tax time. Many hospitals will do this automatically for you. Rather than filing your return without the baby’s social security number because you don’t have it by the deadline, the IRS says it’s best file for an extension.
5. Did you receive a state tax refund last year?
According to Kiplinger, there’s a line on the tax form for reporting a state income tax refund. Most people who get refunds can simply ignore it, even though the state sent the IRS a copy of the 1099-G you got reporting the refund. If you claimed the standard deduction on your previous federal return, the state tax refund is tax-free.
But even if you chose to itemize deductions on your last return, part of your state tax refund still might be tax-free. It’s taxable only to the extent that your deduction of state income taxes the previous year actually saved you money. If you would’ve itemized even without your state tax deduction, then 100 percent of your refund is taxable, because 100 percent of your write-off reduced your taxable income. But if part of the state tax write-off is what pushed you over the standard deduction threshold, then part of the refund is tax-free. Don’t report any more than you have to, Kiplinger says.
In your 2020 taxes, you can deduct up to $300 for charitable donations, even if you don’t itemize. You can also write off out-of-pocket expenses incurred while doing work for charities, such as 14 cents per driven mile, ingredients for meals you brought to a soup kitchen, and more.
Related: Small business financial and tax tips
7. Do you qualify for these credits?
“A credit is so much better than a deduction; it reduces your tax bill dollar-for-dollar,” says Kiplinger. So make sure to file every credit for which you’re eligible, such as
Childcare credit. You may qualify for a tax credit worth between 20 – 35 percent of what you pay for childcare while you work.However, if your company offers a childcare reimbursement account allowing you to pay for childcare with pretax dollars, that’s likely an even better deal. Kiplinger provided this example: if you qualify for a 20 percent credit but are in the 24 percent tax bracket, the reimbursement plan is your best choice. Because your reimbursement account is funded with pre-tax dollars, you avoid paying federal taxes and 7.65 percent federal payroll tax on this amount. (Only amounts paid for the care of children younger than age 13 are eligible.)
Higher education credit. If you, your spouse or dependents had higher education costs last year, you may see some tax savings through the Lifetime Learning credit. It’s worth up to $2,000 a year, based on 20 percent of up to $10,000 you spend for classes that lead to new or improved job skills. Even costs for continuing education credits are deductible, but there are income limits ($59,000 – $69,000 for individual and $118,000 to $138,000 for couples filing jointly).
8. Turn losses into wins.
When itemizing deductions, don’t forget to include realized capital losses, such as stocks sold for less than the price you bought them, mortgage or home equity loan interest, student loan interest, and business loans or lines of credit interest—all of which are deductible to varying degrees.
Contributions to an IRA, 401(k) or HSA are both tax-deferred and tax deductible, and you have until May 17 to make a contribution that counts towards 2020 taxes.
Related: Top 10 tax tips for small business clients
The IRS says 20 percent of workers fail to claim this valuable earned income tax credit. Whether this is your first year in the business and you’re still building your book, or you just had a lean year, you may qualify. If you worked but earned less than $53,330 with two kids in 2020, use the IRS’s EITC Assistant tool to see if you qualify. Here’s a chart that will help:
It’s easy to make rookie mistakes when in a hurry, but even the smallest of errors can result in a filing delay. Be sure to look your return over for simple math errors, incorrectly entered addresses or social security numbers, and to ensure you signed on all the dotted lines.
Tax season brings all kinds of shady characters out of the woodwork who grow increasingly clever in their schemes. Check out some of the most common tax scams this season below, and make sure you’re protected with a free 24/7 credit monitoring service and making a point of not giving out any personal financial information to just anyone. Take a look at this IRS warning of the “Dirty Dozen” tax scams for 2020.
13. Before you file: Two more important tax tips for insurance agents
Protect your identity. If you received an Identity Protection PIN, or IP PIN, in the past, then you must provide this number on your tax return not only this year but on all future tax returns, says BankRate.com. An IP PIN is a six-digit number assigned to eligible taxpayers that helps prevent fraudulent returns from being filed under your Social Security number. However, this IP PIN changes every year. You should receive your new IP PIN in the mail; if not, you’ll need to go to the IRS website to retrieve it.
How and when to file. Electronic filing works best if you expect a tax refund. Because the IRS processes electronic returns faster than paper ones, you can expect to get your refund three to six weeks earlier. If you have your refund deposited directly into your bank account or IRA, the waiting time is even less. If you owe money, you have several options: you can use IRS direct pay from your checking or savings account. Or you can file electronically and then wait until the federal tax deadline to send your check.
IRS lists 9 common filing errors to avoid when submitting your forms, everything from misspelling your name or forgetting to sign the forms, to having an expired ITIN (individual tax identification number) or incorrect bank account numbers. It’s a good checklist of tax tips for insurance agents to skim just before you hit “Submit.”
About eight million Americans file for a tax extension each year. If you happen to fall into that category this season, use Form 4868 available on the IRS website. Extensions are generally granted automatically, and you do not need to explain the reason behind your request. The one requirement is that you request by no later than midnight on May 17. To be clear, requesting an extension is not requesting an extension of time to pay taxes, so be sure to pay as much as possible of your owed balance.
No matter your reason for procrastinating—ahem, “working under pressure” these tax tips for insurance agents can make doing your taxes – well, less taxing. Use these tips to prepare as much as possible within the available timeframe to avoid seasonal panic. Then sit back and enjoy spring (and hopefully a return as well!)
Take these steps to prepare for your 2021 taxes – now!
1. Determine if you need to adjust withholding.
While admittedly this won’t help you with 2020 taxes, it can help significantly next year. By looking at what you made and what you owe for last year, you can see if you’re overpaying or underpaying by a goodly amount. You’ll need to complete the form W-4, Employee’s Withholding Allowance Certificate, to adjust the amount withheld, and turn in to your HR group.
If an HSA, FSA plus an IRA or 401(k) or other retirement savings vehicle is available to you, take advantage of it. These are tax-deferred accounts, meaning they’re not included in the taxable amount you’ll owe next year.
In working with your tax preparer, ask him or her to give you a couple different scenarios: What if you add an additional $2,000 or $4,000 to your contributions – how will this affect your taxes owed? For 2020, the maximum Roth IRA contribution you can make is $6,000 ($7,000 if you are age 50 or older by the end of the year). For self-employed persons, the maximum annual addition to SEPs and Keoghs for 2020 is $57,000. If possible, it’s always best to max out your retirement plan contributions, or at least take full advantage of your employer match.
To qualify for the full annual IRA deduction, says TurboTax, you must either: 1) not be eligible to participate in a company retirement plan, or 2) if you are eligible, you must have adjusted gross income of $65,000 or less for singles, or $104,000 or less for married couples filing jointly. If you are not eligible for a company plan but your spouse is, your traditional IRA contribution is deductible if your combined gross income doesn’t exceed $196,000.
Please note: Arrowhead General Insurance Agency, Inc. does not provide tax, legal or accounting advice. This material has been prepared for informational purposes only, and is not intended to provide, and should not be relied on for, tax, legal or accounting advice. You should consult your own tax, legal and accounting advisors before engaging in any transaction.
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I love to paint portraits. It is enormously satisfying to see a face form on a blank canvas, and quite often in the past year or two, twice as good to see two faces. Two faces make a painting about relationships, not likeness. Two faces on a canvas have something to say to one another; it’s my job to depict whatever that is—be it fondness, disdain, caring, annoyance, compassion, friendship, passion or something more.
And I love color. The vast majority of my work has always been in color—bright, vivid, in your face color. But I was inspired to try my hand at images in black and white when I saw a painting that my friend, Michael Wolov, had bought on a trip to Cuba a few years ago…a painting of an old, wrinkled Cuban man, smoking a big cigar. Until he told me otherwise, I had always thought that it was a photograph that Michael had taken himself, the details so perfect, so real. I tucked it away in the back of my mind, until I chose to paint a couple kissing and decided to attempt it in black and white.
I always start my paintings with a grisaille, a monochromatic underpainting, in which I draw the image with my brush and block out all the darks and lift the lights that will define the images. Once that dries, the next step would be to apply color, again starting with the darks, but this time, instead of various tones of flesh, my palette was filled with shades of white, gray and black. In each painting, I found that the lack of color freed me to paint shapes and patterns with increased contrast. Without the distraction of color, I think the images become more compelling, more dramatic, if you will, much like a good black and white photograph.
I give most of my paintings titles, often a hint at what I mean to convey. The titles usually come to me at some point near the end of the process—some are immediately apparent; others call for opinions from family, friends or fellow painters. One of my first painting teachers, Jack Highberger, happened to teach my painting class last week, when I was finishing the first of my black and white couples. He remarked that the man looked very tender toward the woman, moving me to call it “Love Me Tender.” As I turned to my second pair of lovers, I knew immediately that I would call it “What’s Love Got To Do With It.” Some titles come easy.
I paint portraits. Whether tango dancers, people, jellyfish, flowers, food--I see them all as portraits. And I love color. Don't choose my work if you're in love with neutrals. There's nothing beige about me or about my work.
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A great danger awaits 3 signs of the zodiac in September: they will face unexpected difficulties - Healthy lifestyle
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A great danger awaits 3 signs of the zodiac in September: they will face unexpected difficulties
by hana
Written by hana
Uranus in Taurus brings unexpected changes in September. According to the famous Russian astronomer Pavel Globa, some signs of the zodiac may encounter unexpected difficulties. They will have to overcome some daily hurdles while staying alert. Some questionable details may slip away this month and put them at risk.
What zodiac signs should be careful in September?
Danger awaits some signs of the zodiac in September. Three of them should be especially careful and avoid unnecessary risks. If you were born under one of these astro signs, get ready to face some unexpected events!
Twins. Source: spm
The first sign that should remain vigilant in September is Gemini. It will be the target of envious and malicious people. Anyone close to him can set a trap for him at work and put him in an awkward position with his clients or superiors in the hierarchy. Thus it can take away Pluto’s professional authority or position and cause him to leave the company. In the same way, some family relationships, especially with a brother, sister, or child, can be disturbed by a lie or a well-kept secret. Then the stars recommend to remain vigilant and pay attention to some changes in behavior that may indicate possible deception within the family. Mercury retrograde can also cause financial problems. Caution is advised when making a transaction. Administrative expenses and contingencies should also be anticipated.
The scorpion. Source: spm
Scorpio is one of the signs that popped in September. He has already managed to climb the ladder in such a short time, which must have created jealousy and rivalry with some colleagues, and he will then have to take certain precautions so as not to give others a chance to sabotage his projects. In addition, the decline of Uranus causes certain disturbances that destabilize his work habits. Some mistakes can then be made at work and result in a huge loss of money. Then it redoubled its efforts to deal with this unprecedented situation. New decisions can be taken in consultation with its employees who will ensure the improvement of certain procedures. In terms of the heart, Scorpios will have to be very careful about their relationship as a couple, which can be directly affected by this crisis at work. Stress and anxiety most of the time, this Water sign will have to learn once again how to control their emotions in September in order to ease romantic and family tensions.
Pisces. Source: spm
Although Pisces are intuitive by nature, it is not uncommon for them to ignore some red flags in their love life. After recovering from a breakup or divorce, he will have to face a reality that risks frustrating him. The person concerned may deceive him in unexpected ways. He will then blame himself for his weakness and thus keep his feelings within himself instead of taking them out. This water sign will then seek to take a break and take stock of his love life, which has become a topic of discussion within his family. Thus, he will focus on his work and succeed in exchanging new ideas with his colleagues, clients or employees. Fortunately, before the end of September, Pisces will finally find some inner balance by relying on the people in their friendly circle.
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Over the weekend I shared a glimpse of the behind-the-scenes of our recent master bedroom makeover. It is something Audley and I are both extremely excited about and love the way it turned out! After ten years of mix and match bedspreads and clutter, we have cleaned up, painted, and decorated a fairly minimalist and elegant space that I have enjoyed oh-so-much in the last two weeks!
In case you haven’t seen it, here is the before:
I saved myself the embarrassment of showing our cluttered dresser and chest, but as you can see there was nothing welcoming, cozy, glamorous or special about our master bedroom. In fact I avoided our room as much as possible.
At last, though, we have a space we are absolutely smitten with that only involved one weekend of painting, replacing the negatives and styling.
First up was color …. “Centre Stage” by Behr paint from Home Depot. We used a gallon and a half of Behr Premium Plus paint for our room.
Audley and Bradley hanging the 75 pound mirror that I also found at Costco.
Prints to go on the wall; numbered collectable pen and ink sketches from the Biltmore.
While I have not adhered to this philosophy as I would like (mainly because I get caught up in other things way too easily), I firmly believe our homes and especially our bedrooms should be a haven from the world, a place of beauty and peace to reflect who we are. We all have different styles that represent this for us. In our case and at least in this space our style was a clean, minimalistic, and relaxing room.
Keeping our existing furniture (that we did not want to paint), working with a strange colored carpet (that I actually like), & having a smallish budget, here is our new master bedroom.
Simply styled nightstand. The little clock was purchased from Pottery Barn and the vase is from the Biltmore Home collection.
I wanted our room to look put together, but at the same time I wanted anything but a cluttered space! I am really so over clutter and at the end of the day, peaceful is all I require.
The matching lamps were found at Costco for 70.00 as was the mirror.
Believe it or not this bedding was purchased at Costco as a set for 125.00. I actually thought it perfect the first moment I saw it! All of the picture frames on the dresser and nightstands were purchased over timw from TJ Maxx and HomeGoods. We actually used a lot of things we already had in this project.
My organized dresser; I also took this time to clean out my drawers of tee-shirts and other clothes I no longer wear. The “form” for my necklaces was found at TJ Maxx, as was the decorative jar (for loose change). The candle lanterns were purchased at Chrysalis in Chattanooga, Tennessee a couple of years back.
One of the worst features in our room were these horrible swingy blinds that came with the house over a picture window. Instead of keeping he window covered with blinds I chose white draperies from Bed, Bath & Beyond to keep our room feeling bright and clean. We have a smaller window as well, and I used the same style curtains on them.
Clean, neat, and “airy” We found our white draperies & hardware at Bed, Bath & Beyond; I used a couple of 20% off coupons (and checked out multiple times) to keep the cost down.
We added a book-case to house some of our favorite reads, then also mounted a television. I never thought I would have a television in our room, but Audley had a plan.
We completed our bedroom flip the weekend before I had surgery two week ago. He knew I would be spending a lot of time resting in our room as I was on virtual bedrest for one solid week and now on limited activity. He wanted me to enjoy movies and show I liked. This was such a sweet and thoughtful gesture as I know my kiddos have their favorite shows as well and didn’t want to feel like I was the TV commander just because I was “sick”.
My dad built this bookcase 46 years ago when he and Momma first married. I found the mount for hanging the television at Target for $40. The plants and pot were purchased at Home Depot.
Final touches included an orchid on the night stand and a large potted plant. I’m all about green plants in the house and feel like every space deserves to have greenery. Audley and my Bradley put together a combination of a couple of plants to fill a pot that complemented our room.
When it came to designing our master bedroom I had a few must-haves and definitely wanted to share my version of what makes a perfect master bedroom:
1. Three Sources of Light. In the bedroom lighting is important for a multitude of reasons. Natural light from windows is perfect for cleaning and day-to-day tasks. It’s soothing and a way to bring the outdoors inside. Soft beside lighting from lamps helps to create a peaceful mood as you are winding down for the evening. The third source of light should be your more powerful overhead lights. These are necessary when you are getting ready in the mornings or even later in the evening as well.
2. Window treatments that block light. Windows treatments are the icing on the cake when it comes to finishing a space, but you want them to be more than decoration, you want them to be functional as well. I use lined draperies as not only do they keep the room dark for you to sleep at night, they also allow you to sleep in a little longer on those days when you don’t have to set an alarm clock. Lined draperies serve a second purpose as well; they act as an insulation on cold winter and hot summer days if you chose to keep them pulled.
3. Luxury bedding. Now let me be clear here, you can have luxury bedding and not spend a fortune. Choose good quality sheets of 500+ theadcount for soft sheets that will last longer. You can find these at HomeGoods or TJ Maxx, or hit the White Sales at your favorite department stores. Also make sure you have a good mattress that both you and your spouse can agree on so that you will enjoy a more restful nights sleep.
4. Color. Choose a color that is relaxing and peaceful to you. Our bedrooms should be a place we can escape at the end of the day so bring in sea, ocean and earth tones for color that will create a tranquil space.
5. Rugs or Carpeting. Nothing is more of a harsh wake-up call than to set bare feet on an ice cold floor in the mornings. If you have hard-wood flooring add a few rugs around the bed to keep your feet cozy and add a little pop of color too!
6. Personal Items. Adding personal touches of your life around your bedroom truly makes it yours. Since our master bedroom is a shared space, I have wedding pictures and other photographs from special moments in our life framed around the room. Antiques, mirrors, and even figurines that represent the space also make fabulous items for personalizing a bedroom. We DO NOT have pictures of our kids in our room; simply put, this is our space to retire from the hectic reality of parenting and work. I don’t want those things to be last on my mind when I lay down at night.
7. Organization. An organized space is probably the most important element of a master bedroom. Keep everything neat, tidy and in its designated space to help eliminate stress and encourage peacefulness. Purchase pieces for your room that will help with organization, or designate space in your closet for keeping clutter put away. We have night stands with a “hidden” drawer which is perfect for storing extra phone chargers as well as a notebook for jotting down thoughts or things to do for the next day. In our closet we have shelves for shoes, and clear boxes for small items we only use occasionally.
8. Music. Music is totally optional, but I absolutely love music. Country, Pop, Classical, Jazz, Broadway, etc…. I enjoy almost all varieties. And I love to have music available in my bedroom. I use an iPod, so a docking station is just perfect for projecting music, but with all of the creative ways furniture is made now you can also hide a stereo if you chose. Music is a great way to set the mood for whatever you are up to. I love music I can dance around to when I clean. I enjoy a little Doris Day or Frank Sinatra when I am ironing and in the evenings when I read or am trying to wind down I love soft relaxing music.
I am so happy with our new bedroom space. It has truly been the restful room we wanted as I have spent a lot of time in there to truly experience it. We also stayed within reason on our budget which makes me like the space even more. For product info check below the photos of the room.
What do you think? Do you have any bedroom must-haves?
I would love to hear them!
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After nearly ten years, and four moves to three different states, I have a styled master bedroom! Honestly, I cannot even begin to put into words how excited I am. When we have moved it has always seemed that other spaces come first and we never quite make it to our own. Now, at last, Audley and I have a teenager-free space all our own.
Just a glimpse of the nightstand as we were putting everything into place.
And it is quite lovely indeed.
Deciding what to do with our room has actually been an ongoing process for right at a year now. Color decisions, budget, and a lack of time to actually pull it all together were the largest factors in our delay. Then a few weeks back, Audley & I finally just made it happen and lets just say sometimes you say forget the budget and pull out the credit card.
Color…. well, it just doesn’t happen for me.
Here is where we started….. Not a very welcoming or cozy escape for Dad & Mom
This is what we started with.
It was not a very welcome space for exhausted parents to escape to in the evenings for sure. In fact, it was such a miserable space for me that I even hated folding clothes and putting them away as often as I should because I couldn’t bear to be in there.
This is the color of the walls when we moved in. I could’ve dealt with chocolate-brown, even with my dark furniture, but this lackluster color of brown reminded me of too many diapers I have changed in my life.
I love the Kentucky Derby print of Audley’s, but let’s be honest, hanging it with horseshoes over the bed was not the best design choice I ever made.
I just wanted something on the walls.
And if our room wasn’t unattractive enough we had these awful swinging blinds hanging over the picture window that came with the house.
When it came to budget and color the two actually had to work hand in hand. We have a very strange aqua colored carpet throughout our entire house. While I do like it to some extent, it does make for challenging decorating decisions. While one day I would like to replace the carpet, it’s definitely not in our budget now. Nor is new furniture.
The bedroom suite Audley and I have now is 12 years old. We saved and saved to purchase this making it very special to me. It was very traditional in style and with its dark wood. I wanted whatever we decided to do in the bedroom to accommodate our existing furniture. While painted furniture is pretty I do not like an entire room of painted furniture, so the dark wood is completely my style.
Using our aqua colored carpet and dark wood as our base we started thinking and wondering what would look the best.
That was actually easier than what I thought it would be. As I was walking through Costco (of all places) I found a 6 piece bedding set for $125.00 that just spoke to me.
Sometimes a bed-in-a-bag set can become the perfect inspiration for a room.
It really did.
Gray and white became the perfect color solution for our bedroom.
So I bought the bedding set,a nd headed home where it sat for almost year waiting on us to make time to finish making choices and do this room!
When Audley and I decided to just take a plunge and do our weekend makeover I spent several hours at Home Depot matching color. We are very partial to Behr paint, so I didn’t even consider another brand.
Wouldn’t you just love to have this ring of paint samples on hand at home all the time?
After pondering over the different shades of gray in our bedding set I finally settled on Behr’s “Centre Stage” as the perfect color for our space. I purchased two gallons of the silvery color in Behr’s Premium Plus formula.
“Centre Stage”….. not to be confused with “Center Stage” which is school bus yellow!!
While out and about getting ready for our project we also purchased plastic drop cloths to protect the carpet, Frog tape for the trim, a small Purdy paint brush for cutting in the edges and corners, paint rollers and pans, and rags for clean-up without ruining towels or wash cloths at the house.
Frog Tape along the trim in our room
Audley moved all of the furniture with the help of our son. I dusted the trim so we could apply the Frog tape (very necessary if you want your painters tape to stick), and we laid the plastic drop cloths out to keep our carpet protected from paint. While Audley cut in the corners and around the doors and windows, I began rolling the walls. We debated whether or not to use a paint sprayer, but decided the space was too small.
Audley hitting the corners with a paint brush
The only other “tool” we needed for our little project was this platform ladder made by Werner that has become a fixture in all our home projects. We purchased this one at Lowes about eight years ago and couldn’t do without it!
My trustworthy pal for almost all our home projects
Since Behr Premium Plus paint is such great quality, we were able to cover the old brown color fairly easily with one coat, which dried in two hours, then we quickly rolled a second coat to make sure all the lines and streaks were blended.
By 9:00 Saturday evening we were putting furniture back in place and added the accessories to the walls and tabletops on Sunday afternoon.
Audley and Bradley hanging the 75 pound mirror that I also found at Costco.
Since this was a budget makeover, I was excited to not only find a gorgeous contemporary mirror at Costco, but also a gorgeous set of crystal lamps with ….. gray shades!
I loved the formal look of these lamps!
I used Cree light bulbs in our lamps. Yes, I know they are a more expensive option, but after being introduced to these fabulous bulbs at the Haven Conference last summer we have slowly been transitioning over to them. Our house is 35 years old, so the wiring is often not our friend. Cree bulbs are the new energy-saving bulbs and where we were blowing and changing traditional light bulbs monthly throughout the house, we have not changed a single Cree bulb in nearly a year.
So overall they are saving us money.
Prints to go on the wall
We also had a couple of pen and ink sketches of rooms from the Biltmore Estate that we wanted for our walls. I love these collectible prints and the element of old that they added to our semi-contemporary space. Mixing elements is something I really like in decorating our home.
Final touches to the room included a TV mounted on the wall, something I swore we would never have in our room (I’ll explain the reason we decided this when I reveal the entire room) and green plants.
I think greenery totally completes a space.
This is just the behind the scenes of our new room. Stop back by this weekend for the full reveal!
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A man, just recently sent to prison for killing two people in southwest Iowa, has died from an apparent suicide.
Thirty-seven-year-old Jerry Dillinger was arrested in mid-December for the shooting deaths of his ex-sister-in-law, Loretta Dillinger, and her boyfriend, Michael Robinson.
Loretta Dillinger’s body was found in a pond near Lorimor, while Robinson’s body was buried in Thayer. At his first court appearance in January, Jerry Dillinger unexpectedly pleaded guilty to both murders and was sentenced to life in prison.
Iowa Department of Corrections officials say Dillinger was found hanging from a bed sheet in his cell last night and he was pronounced dead a short time later at University Hospitals in Iowa City.
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Community
Enriching communities: #ImmigrationMatters to Canada
May 27th, 2021 The #ImmigrationMatters initiative uses storytelling to inspire newcomers to Canada and also promote positive engagement in the community. The purpose is to foster balanced and informed conversations about immigrants in communities across Canada.
How to Immigrate
Avoid the scramble: Prepare immigration documents in advance
March 10th, 2021 Much of the scramble that follows an Invitation to Apply can be prevented with better planning by individuals and an understanding by them of which documents Express Entry applicants can apply for in advance, and which documents have to wait until after the Invitation.
Immigrate
Canada’s planned immigration levels for the future
November 3rd, 2020 On October 30, 2020, Marco Mendicino, Canada’s Minister of Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC), tabled Canada’s 2020 Annual Report to Parliament on Immigration. In this annual publication, Canada’s immigration department summarizes Canadian immigration statistics of the previous year and provides immigration levels...
Immigrate
Opening of the 2020 sponsorship program for parents and grandparents announced
October 6th, 2020 The federal government has announced the opening of the 2020 Parents and Grandparents (PGP) Program, building further on the government’s commitment to reuniting families.
Immigrate
What does the academic future hold for international students?
July 28th, 2020 Preparing for the start of the school year As the summer nears to an end, students will be preparing for the start of the school year. They will be double checking that they have the most recent version of Zoom on their computers, and possibly upgrading their home internet. COVID-19 has impacted everyone, and international students...
Immigrate
The impact of COVID-19 on travel bans and processing of immigration applications
April 16th, 2020 During the past few weeks, the Government of Canada implemented many measures in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the immigration context, these measures included travel bans, the suspension of biometrics and the transition of most Immigration, Refugees and Citizenship Canada (IRCC) officers to remote work. The changes were...
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Founded in 2004, the magazine began with a mandate to "inform, educate and motivate" immigrants to Canada and assist them in their new found journey. Since then, the magazine has grown to be the only national multi-platform brand for all immigrants to Canada, on topics from careers to education to settlement. Canadian Immigrant not only connects newcomers in Canada, but also aspiring immigrants from more than 150 countries.
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President and vice-chancellor, Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University)
City: Toronto
Mohamed Lachemi, PhD, is president and vice-chancellor of Toronto Metropolitan University (formerly Ryerson University), first appointed in 2016. He has led transformational expansion at the university of national and international significance, been recognized as one of the city’s most influential people, and championed a university culture of entrepreneurship and challenging the status quo.
As president, he has led the development and creation of ground-breaking schools in law and medicine, with each sharing a deliberately innovative focus embracing technology, equity and inclusion, and a mandate to reach the underserved. In other significant advances, Lachemi has overseen the launch of the Rogers Cybersecure Catalyst, a national centre for cybersecurity, and under his direction Toronto Metropolitan University was awarded leadership of the Future Skills Centre consortium, which aims to ensure Canadians develop the skills they need in the new economy.
Born in a remote village in Algeria, and fluent in English, Arabic, French and Spanish, Lachemi has led a new strategy to build a global university that will rank in the top 200 in the world by 2030. Innovation Zones have been established in Egypt, India and Vietnam based on the success of Toronto Metropolitan University ‘s DMZ — one of the world’s top university-based incubators. In addition, the university has established a transnational approach to education, opening a campus in Cairo in 2022. Lachemi’s deep commitment to equity, diversity and inclusion is marked by his work toward reconciliation with the Indigenous community, and his efforts to combat anti-Black, anti-Asian and all forms of racism. His creation of the Standing Strong Task Force to address the legacy of the university’s namesake, Egerton Ryerson, resulted in the historic and bold decision to rename the university, along with 21 other action-oriented recommendations including more support for Indigenous and Black scholarship and a commitment to establish learning programs for students, faculty and staff on Indigenous history and the Indian residential school system.
As the president of a distinctly urban university in the heart of Canada’s largest city, Lachemi has amplified Toronto Metropolitan University ‘s dedication to city and community building with a new master campus plan embracing development of vibrant, inclusive and high-quality space that promotes the health and wellbeing of the campus and surrounding community.
Lachemi joined Toronto Metropolitan University in 1998 as a professor of civil engineering, and has served in progressively senior roles, including dean of the faculty of engineering and architectural science, and provost and vice-president academic. In addition to his record as an academic leader, Lachemi has earned international recognition for his pioneering research. His studies in high performance materials and advanced technologies are inspired by his childhood experience in North Africa, when he and his family survived a devastating earthquake that killed more than 4,000 people. The vexing question of why some buildings were levelled and others undamaged launched his interest in engineering and a quest to save lives through better construction. He held a Canada Research Chair in Sustainable Construction from 2002 to 2010. Funding sources for his work include the Canada Foundation for Innovation, Ontario Innovation Trust, Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council, Ontario Centres of Excellence, the Ontario Ministry of Transportation, HydroQuébec and various industrial partners. An award-winning teacher and mentor, he has acted as supervisor, co-supervisor or advisor for over 80 masters and PhD students, post-doctoral fellows and research associates. Publishing in English and French, Lachemi has more than 320 peer-reviewed technical publications, book chapters and conference proceedings and extensive contributions as an editor and technical reviewer. He has delivered more than 70 keynote addresses and invited presentations around the world.
Lachemi is chair of the Council of Ontario Universities and chair of the board of directors of COU Holding Association Inc., chair of the finance committee of Universities Canada, Fellow of the Canadian Society for Civil Engineering, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Engineering and a member of the board, Trillium Health Partners. In addition, he serves on the board of directors, Hackergal, and the board of directors, DMZ Ventures. He was a member of the National Research Council from 2018 to 2021.
Among his recent honours, he was named one of the city’s Top 50 Most Influential People by Toronto Life Magazine (2021), was recognized as one of LinkedIn Top Voices, Education (2019), and was awarded a Doctor of Laws, honoris causa, by Ontario Tech University (2021).
Chief Statistician of Canada
City: Ottawa
Anil Arora came from India to Edmonton, at age 11. Excelling in academics, he went on to secure a bachelor’s degree at the University of Alberta, followed by further studies in computing science, and a graduate certificate in public sector leadership and governance from the University of Ottawa.
He has worked in the private sector, at all levels of government, and served Canadians in senior roles in natural resources, health and statistical domains. He leads international groups at the UN, the OECD, in collaboration with the World Bank, the IMF and the EU, and headed business and ministerial missions to numerous countries including India, China and Israel. He regularly advises the Prime Minister and Cabinet Ministers, and is a highly sought after thought-leader, speaking at national and international fora.
Arora has an inclusive leadership style, and a powerful vision, transforming large and high-profile organizations to achieve their full potential impacting the Canadian economy and society. He is a force in helping modernize statistical systems internationally. He attributes successes in modernizing systems and building high- performing teams by leveraging diversity and inclusion, and imbedding core values throughout an organization.
Arora is the Chief Statistician of Canada, leading and modernizing a complex, multi-faceted organization of 8,000 professionals, fueling a data-driven society with high-impact data, statistics, and analytics. Under his leadership, the agency’s been recognized as one of Canada’s Best Diversity Employers, Canada’s Top Employer of Young People, among the National Capital’s Top Employers, as well as for championing data literacy and leading inclusive policies.
Arora has earned the APEX Leadership Award, Indo-Canadian Chamber of Commerce’s leading professional, and the Metropolis Policy Maker of the Year awards, among others. He has led organizations to bring greater diversity, inclusion and accessibility, is a member of several boards, and actively contributes to numerous community initiatives and charities. From humble immigrant beginnings, he considers himself privileged to serve in the senior most ranks of the public service. He and his wife are proud parents of three wonderful children.
Founder, Love with Humanity Association; account manager
City: Calgary
Syed Najam Hassan and his family immigrated to Canada from Pakistan – first to Toronto and then to their present home in Calgary in 2009. In Canada, he upgraded his skills to an MBA from the University of Fredericton, and is currently working in his profession as an account manager.
Having faced some challenges during settlement, he decided to help others who were facing similar issues and developed a passion to give back to his community. So he launched his first project, which included job searching skills, resumé writing and interviewing skills for other newcomers.
Hassan realized the isolation new immigrants face and came up with an idea of providing books for them in their own language. He designated his front lawn as a venue for place to sit, read and socialize with others. For that reason, he introduced a multicultural outdoor free public library and placed tables and chairs in his front yard, built a mini library, and filled it with books in various languages. So far, he has built and donated 22 libraries in various neighbourhoods in Alberta as community gifts.
During the pandemic, unemployment became an issue for many. Hassan responded to the situation with the idea of community outdoor food banks with the motto, “Take a blessing / leave a blessing.” So far, Hassan and his volunteers have set up eight community outdoor food banks in different communities.
Hassan says his aim is to reach out with love to all in need, regardless of race, religion or ethnicity. He is the founder and president of the non-profit organization, Love with Humanity Association. In addition to the libraries and food banks, he and his team have accomplished numerous projects: seminars for immigrants, food deliveries for those in isolation, holiday celebrations, winter gear for the homeless, “Coffee with Seniors” and free tax filing. The aim of his projects is to strengthen the community.
Hassan has received many awards and medals for his community services, the most recent being the Alberta Service Award.
Global community leader and changemaker
Amie Peacock is a creative global leader and the founder of BEYOND The Conversation (est. 2016), a grassroots organization inspired by the experiences of herself and the people around her battling loneliness. Her vision with BEYOND is to end social isolation and weave her community together through friendships. Her Southeast Asian upbringing has helped her share a unique narrative on what it means to foster a sense of belongingness within people, particularly marginalized groups, such as youth, new immigrants and senior populations who struggle with loneliness and mental health issues.
Utilizing her entrepreneurial mindset, Peacock has inspired many to embody the spirit of friendship to help alleviate social isolation one connection at the time. She firmly believes that everyone has a right to a fulfilling life, and is uncompromising in her efforts to bring that message to life through her work in the community. Since the COVID-19 pandemic, Peacock, along with her community partners, have discovered a great deal of unlikely connections and opportunities. With the use of technology, BEYOND has been able to reach a global audience, their own team representing 24 countries and 22 languages.
In 2021, Peacock launched a “Social Prescription” project that works to ease the burdens of healthcare burnout, lack of government funding and high insurance costs. The ultimate goal is to weave family and community fabrics with modern technology to bring a more holistic approach of healthcare that also includes medicine for the soul: valuable friendships and connections. Recognized by GivingTuesday: Starling Collective Fellow for her leadership and influence, Peacock represented BEYOND as one of the 50 grassroots organizations around the world that brought extraordinary, positive changes to their community.
Her greatest joy and accomplishment of all is leading an intergenerational and inclusive team of 50+ individuals who, even in the midst of an ever-changing world, are ever-so inspired to drive their collective movement for a happier and thriving community. Often quoted in major newspapers, radio shows and TV news, Peacock is recognized by national media for her commitment to ending loneliness and social isolation. She has also been a guest speaker at Vancouver Foundation, an academic institution, as well as at healthcare summits on, both, a national and global level.
As Peacock believes, “To possess power is a privilege, it’s a gift to be given away.” Her heart sings the loudest when she devotes her efforts mentoring leaders, some as young as 16 years old to 50 years old and above, who lead not only with their minds but also with their hearts to help shape a more equitable, inclusive, sustainable and healthier community.
Member of Parliament and Minister of Transport
The Honourable Omar Alghabra was elected as the Member of Parliament for Mississauga Centre in 2015, and also served as the member of Parliament for Mississauga—Erindale from 2006 to 2008. He has served as Minister of Transport since January 2021.
Prior to becoming a Minister, Alghabra served in several roles including, Parliamentary Secretary to the Minister of Foreign Affairs (Consular Affairs) and to the Minister of International Trade Diversification, as well as Parliamentary Secretary to the Prime Minister and Deputy Prime Minister.
A mechanical engineer by trade, Alghabra holds an MBA and was a distinguished visiting fellow with the Faculty of Engineering and Architectural Science at Ryerson University. He has worked in various roles with General Electric Canada, Enbala Power and the Ontario Energy Board.
Among his many activities, Alghabra has worked tirelessly to support initiatives that empower new Canadians through social and economic integration.
A longtime community activist, Alghabra is passionate about his involvement with local organizations. He was a member of the community editorial board of the Toronto Star, where he authored columns on a wide range of provincial and federal issues. His work was also published in the Huffington Post.
City: Pickering, Ontario
Born in Birmingham, England, Rupreet (Roop) Sidhu’s family moved to Canada when he was a baby. His parents worked strenuous hours and multiple jobs to provide a better life and opportunity for their two young children.
“I saw how hard they worked and managed our family. My father had an exceptional work ethic and mother taught us our faith, manners and loving qualities. I try to emulate this with my three young children today.”
At nine years of age, Sidhu started his career, delivering the Toronto Star and other regional newspapers. By age 13, he co-founded his first successful business, while continuing to perform academically, captaining sports teams and volunteering regularly.
“I was introduced to networking, sales and customer experience at a very young age and understood how hard work and communication generated positive returns. It was incredibly motivating.”
As a BBA and MBA graduate, with numerous credentials and certificates, Sidhu continues to leverage education to propel his businesses. He is a part-time professor with the University of Toronto and small business owner in addition to his primary job of leading the Canadian P&C sales division for AI insuretech leader, Shift Technology. His most recent partnership made headlines in the Financial Post and is intended to protect millions of Canadians from becoming victims of fraud. He has won numerous professional performance awards and guided his clients to success, including a Canadian T1 bank to win a prestigious Celent – Model Bank award in 2020.
Serving on multiple boards, Sidhu used his experience to launch EcoSikh Canada, a climate and environmental action non-profit and charitable organization. The organization has been acclaimed for bringing together communities in diverse and inclusive climate action — planting over 24,000 trees to date. Globally, EcoSikh has planted 400+ sacred forests and 400,000+ trees, with millions committed through regional business, conservation and community partnerships.
Sidhu has been recognized by all levels of government for his volunteer work, 68 blood donations, and commitment to fighting climate change. In November 2019, he was recognized in the provincial Parliament as a community leader and servant to humanity. In November 2020, he was recognized by many government officials and Prime Minister Trudeau for his efforts and achievements with EcoSikh Canada.
Entrepreneur and PhD candidate
City: Montreal
Mohamed Khalil is a multi-award-winning entrepreneur, CEO of Pyrocycle and Ph.D. candidate at the Department of Chemical Engineering at Polytechnique de Montréal. Holding a bachelor’s and master’s degree in mechanical engineering, he started his career based on his patent-pending technology for recycling end-of-life electronics waste.
His Ph.D. project focused on developing a new thermochemical process for recycling end-of-life electronics waste, which could greatly facilitate moving forward to produce clean and high-quality products including the recovery of precious metals. In April 2017, he was selected among the Top 25 emerging entrepreneurs in Quebec by the Claudine and Stephen Bronfman Family Foundation and C2 Montréal.
He won the province-wide Forces Avenir 2017 Award for the best university project in the Entrepreneurship, Business and Economy category. He was the National Finalist of Startup Canada Awards 2017 (Category: Newcomer Entrepreneur). He was selected among the six young innovators supported by the Fonds de recherche du Québec (FRQ) as part of the entrepreneurial contest Adopte inc. 2018.
In September 2018, he was honoured as a Clean50 – Emerging Leader, for demonstrated leadership in sustainability through the development of his innovative solution for recycling electronic waste, and his project was named as one of Canada’s Clean50 Top Project Award winners. He was selected as a Canadian delegate for the G20 – Young Entrepreneurs’ Alliance 2019 that was held in Japan.
He received the 2019 Ordre des ingénieurs du Québec “Recognition for outstanding contribution” and was selected among the Top 20 Personality of Diversity by Deloitte Canada and Media Mosaïque. His technology was selected among the top 10 inventions of Quebec in 2019 by the magazine Quebec Science.
Business owner and community advocate
City: Ottawa
Sadaf Ebrahim is a proud Pakistani Canadian and currently serving the community as president of the Canada-Pakistan Association (National Capital Region). Her elevating to the present status speaks volumes of her diligent efforts and commitment to the community. Initially, after immigrating, she did odd jobs and struggled with her husband for an honourable living, but now she is a successful business owner. She has been a strong supporter for local and small businesses and has promoted hundreds of small businesses in Ontario over past few years.
To help protect the environment from the disastrous effects of plastic, Ebrahim has started a movement by the name of Green Help not only to address climate change but also to empower newly immigrant women by providing them part-time jobs for making cloth shopping bags.
During the difficult times of the pandemic, Ebrahim supported and promoted local small businesses through social media and her televised shows. She also made possible to deliver groceries to senior/elderly individuals in her community during the early days of the pandemic.
Ebrahim strives to utilize every available platform to raise awareness about various community issues and to organize fundraising campaigns via Canadian People’s Channel TV. She has raised mental health awareness in an annual Mother’s Day campaign for the last three years. She has also successfully raised funds organizations, such as Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health, Ottawa Regional Cancer Foundation, Cure Women & Children in Bangladesh and CHEO Foundation.
As an active member of the community, Ebrahim attends as many events and functions as possible to remain close to the community. In recognition to her efforts, Ebrahim was the first Pakistani to receive the Order of Ottawa (2021). She has also been honoured with the following awards and recognitions:
Ambassador of PAGE (Pakistan Alliance for Girls Education)
Ambassador in Ontario for Shaukat Khanam Cancer Hospital
Appreciation Awards for raising funds for Royal Ottawa Foundation for Mental Health
Immigrant Entrepreneur Award by City of Ottawa in 2017
Canada 150 Award in 2017
CBET Appreciation Award by Canada-Bangladesh Education Trust in 2019
Leader in cyber security, professional engineer, diversity and equity ambassador
Named one of Canada’s Top 20 Women in Cyber Security by IT World Canada and Diversity and Equity Alumni of the year by Schulich School of Engineering, Monika Tamber is currently the director of security governance at Payments Canada. She plays a pivotal role in securing and modernizing Canada’s national payment systems that exchange billions of dollars every day.
Tamber immigrated to Canada as a child and exemplifies that through hard work, dedication and grit, any individual can achieve great things and live the Canadian dream. Born in rural India at a time when girls were seen as less desirable then boys, Tamber was adopted by her uncle’s family and immigrated to Canada at age seven. She has not only overcome many stereotypes and barriers to put herself through university, but has made a place for herself in the engineering and security field as a respected leader and ambassador for diversity and inclusion.
Tamber holds a computer engineering degree from Schulich School of Engineering with 15+ years of industry experience. She also holds a professional engineer designation and numerous certifications in the field of information security. Alongside her impressive qualifications, she has received many awards and recognition for her work in the industry and community, such as being recognized as one of Canada’s Top 20 Women in Cybersecurity, Diversity and Equity Alumni Award, Spotlight Award and Inspire Award.
Tamber is making a huge impact in the community, by motivating and empowering others through her social media platforms, mentoring, and speaking engagements at schools/universities and conferences. She advocates, inspires and contributes to programs that help women and the younger generation to harness their unique strengths, take risks and find their passion for careers in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Math). She inspires young girls not only in Canada but all around the world to dream bigger and reach higher.
Member of Provincial Parliament, Mississauga—Erin Mills
Sheref Sabawy is the MPP for Mississauga—Erin Mills, elected in 2018 under the Ontario Progressive Conservative Party. Sabawy became the first elected parliamentarian from Egyptian origins in Canadian history.
He helped pass several important pieces of legislations and was a key contributor to Bill 27, Bill 88 and Bill 106 of the second session of the 42nd Ontario Parliament. These bills:
Eliminated the Canadian experience requirement for licensing in certain regulated professions and trades like law, accounting, architecture, engineering, electrical and plumbing.
Increased mobility of licensed workers between the provinces — especially immigrant — allowing more to move to Ontario.
Accelerated the process for internationally trained medical staff getting registered with a medical regulatory board in Ontario.
As MPP, he introduced two private members bills: the Egyptian Heritage Month Act and the Ontario Religious Freedom Day Act. Sabawy’s advocacy also helped secure over $45 million in provincial funding for the South Common Community Centre and Library, and over 1,000 long-term care beds for Mississauga.
In October 2019, he was called to serve as the Parliamentary Assistant to the Minister of Heritage, Sports, Tourism and Culture Industries, helping to support this hard-hit industry during the Covid-19 pandemic.
In 1995, Sabawy and his wife, Mary, immigrated from Egypt and chose Mississauga as their home, where they raised their two sons David and Christopher. Sabawy understands the challenges facing his local community. He has been an active member of many local groups including the Inter-Faith Committee of Peel, the Peel Region Inclusion & Multi-Culture Task Force, the Mississauga Post-Secondary Education Task Force and the Canadian-Coptic Community Centre. He received an award as an Ambassador of Peace by the Universal Peace Foundation both in 2018 and in 2020.
Outside of politics, Sabawy is a computer network and IT technologies professional with over 30 years of experience. He has worked at some of the largest companies and financial institutions in Canada and managed a successful consultancy business as an entrepreneur. He has also worked as a professor of IT at George Brown and Centennial Colleges.
Founder, Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment
City: Ottawa
Meseret Haileyesus is a multi-award-winning economic justice and health equity advocate, thought leader and changemaker. She is the founder of the Canadian Centre for Women’s Empowerment, the only Canadian organization addressing economic injustice with a keen interest in addressing systemic barriers and other challenges that prevent women and girls from fully realizing their economic rights in the context of gender-based violence.
Haileyesus works to influence public policy and legislation decisions that support women to make a successful transition to economic independence in Canada. She seeks to fill the gaps for the development of new approaches to address economic injustice and abuse by reviewing existing systems, policies, legislation, procedures with financial institutions, industry regulators, local and national government, the family justice system, consumer lawyers, and academics. She has reached more than 23,000 people and brought awareness of economic abuse in Canada. Her work was recognized by 31 city mayors across Canada and in the House of Commons.
She serves on the board of directors at Centertown Community Health Centre, End FGM Canada Network and member of various Public Policy Advisory Council to address anti-racism and mental health challenges faced by Black youth and their families in Canada.
She is also the founder of Maternity Today, an international organization that improves and promotes the health of women and newborns through superior advocacy, research and education. Haileyesus is also an ambassador for Meaningful Business, a global community comprising of social entrepreneurs, impact investors, sustainability executives, humanitarian leaders and academics from over 130 countries to address the UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Haileyesus ‘ pioneering work on economic abuse and coerced debt, the Economic Justice Project has been featured in media across Canada including CBC, Yahoo Finance, Canadian Center for Policy Alternative, Globe and Mail, Healthy Debate, Toronto Sun, Ottawa Citizen and National Post. She was featured on various local newspapers and posters during Black History Month.
Over her career, Haileyesus has been the recipient of several prestigious awards. Named a top 10 L’Oréal Paris National Woman’s Worth Awardee, Forty under 40 award recipient in 2021 from Ottawa Business Journal, Top 3 recipient of the National RPA Award from Honorable Nina Tangri, Member of Parliament from Minister of Economic Development, Job Creation and Trade/ Economic Development in 2021, recipient of Women of Inspiration 2021 (Social Impact and Authentic Leader Award), and named one of the 100 Most Accomplished Black Canadian Women in 2019 and Top 100 Women to Watch in Canada 2020.
She is a proud mother of one beautiful daughter who inspires and motivates her every day to continue her work toward a more just, fair, and inclusive society that protects and advances the well-being of women and girls.
Janaka Ruwanpura, Ph.D
Professor and vice-provost and associate vice-president Research (International), University of Calgary
City: Calgary
An outstanding educator, prolific scholar, impactful, award-winning academic leader and administrator, Janaka Ruwanpura, Ph.D, P.Eng, PQS, MRICS, FCSCE, NAC, is the vice-provost and associate vice-president research (international) and a tenured professor at the University of Calgary. Ruwanpura has been an influential educator and scholar in construction engineering and project management, and an innovator in global engagement. He has published over 180 referred technical papers, supervised 100+ graduate students, and produced 30+ best practices and tools, including commercialized products. He has been a prominent keynote speaker and panelist for both engineering and internationalization organizations around the world.
Born in Colombo, Sri Lanka, Ruwanpura holds degrees from the University of Moratuwa (Sri Lanka), Arizona State University and the University of Alberta. Previously, Ruwanpura served as the Canada Research Chair in Project Management Systems, director of University of Calgary’s Centre for Project Management Excellence, and was the fourth Canadian inducted into the National Academy of Construction in the United States. He is a professional engineer and professional quantity surveyor in Canada.
Ruwanpura has generously shared his expertise with numerous professional and community organizations. He served as the convener and co-leader for the International Institute for Infrastructure Resilience and Reconstruction, a 20+ multi-university global consortium. He was elected as the chair of the Association of Public and Land Grant Universities (APLU) Commission on International Initiatives (2019), the first Canadian to chair any commissions or councils of APLU. Ruwanpura is a board member of the Canadian Bureau for International Education (CBIE) and also volunteers his time with the Association of Professional Engineers and Geoscientists of Alberta, the Immigrants Society of Calgary and the Southern Alberta Institute of Technology, among others.
Ruwanpura has won international, national, provincial and municipal awards for his academic accomplishments and leadership for teaching, research, innovation, service, leadership and internationalization. A few recent awards include the Distinguished Alumni Award (Arizona State University), City of Calgary’s International Achievement Award and CBIE’s Board of Directors Leadership Award for Internationalization.
Through his exceptional vision, University of Calgary has made transformative growth in global engagement and earned six excellence and innovation awards in internationalization for building intercultural capacities that enhance teaching, research and the student experience.
City: Saskatoon, Saskatchewan
A recipient of numerous awards for youth leadership, Palash Sanyal, PMP, certified EQ coach, is committed to creating space to listen and learn together while addressing global water security, one of the world’s most pressing challenges.
Sanyal currently acts as the strategic partnership and project manager at the Global Institute for Water Security, University of Saskatchewan (USask). Previously, he worked for the USask’s School of Environment and Sustainability (SENS), International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD), WaterAid and other international agencies. He has worked in remote and vulnerable communities, including the urban poor in Bangladesh and Indigenous communities in Canada, focusing on water issues.
A multidisciplinarian by training and experience, Sanyal builds meaningful partnerships with organizations to promote water sustainability and stewardship. He is passionate about climate change and water’s economic and human dimensions, the food-water nexus and community engagement in water governance. Under the leadership of world-renowned hydrologist Jay Famiglietti, Sanyal recently managed the preparation of Valuing Water Global Assessment Report, which will inform investors and companies worldwide about industry impact on freshwater.
Promoting new ideas that can support and enhance local culture, diversity and talents have been a significant objective of Sanyal’s engagements in Canada. He is the founding curator for the TEDx at USask and the World Economic Forum Global Shapers Saskatoon hub. In addition, he serves as a board member for SaskGalleries, International Association for Public Participation Canada and WaterAid Canada. He is also a part of the City of Saskatoon’s Environment Committee and Local Immigration Partnership (LIP) group.
Sanyal has been recognized for his work through awards like USask’s Alumni Achievement Award (2022), SYPE Young Professional of the Year (2019), EECOM Outstanding Youth Action Leader (2019), Water Canada’s Young Professional of the Year (2019), and Corporate Knights Top 30-Under-30 Sustainability Leader in Canada (2018).
Born and raised in Bangladesh, Sanyal came to Canada in 2017 and calls Saskatoon his home. He finds inspiration from his mother, who raised him and his sister against all odds and ensured that they grew up as educated and self-driven individuals. He holds a bachelor’s degree in engineering and three master’s degrees, all related to water. A lifelong learner, Sanyal is currently pursuing a CPA accreditation. You can find him riding his motorbike around Saskatoon in his spare time.
Executive director, Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba
City: Winnipeg
Rita Chahal currently serves as the executive director of the Mood Disorders Association of Manitoba. Travelling from northern India to Pier 21 on Canada’s East Coast, at the age of nine, Chahal and her family were the second Indian family to settle in Prince Edward Island in the mid-’60s. She would later go on to graduate from Dalhousie University with honours and eventually settle in Manitoba. Building her career in the Prairies for over 42 years, Chahal’s work spans academia and corporate sectors, however most prominently she has served the not-for-profit sector for over 25 years.
As a champion of change, Chahal has held key leadership roles serving as executive director for: the Women in Media Foundation, Employment Projects of Winnipeg and the Manitoba Interfaith Immigration Council (MIIC). Her vision and leadership played a key role in leading the province through the resettlement of refugees during the Syrian refugee crisis, and the influx of refugee claimants arriving in Manitoba during the Trump administration.
As the general manager of the Manitoba Chamber of Commerce, Chahal was the first woman of colour to take on the role. Major cornerstones of her initiatives addressed labour skills shortages issues, foreign-trained credential recognition, and HR services to address the impact of domestic violence in the workplace.
Her community work includes serving on numerous local, provincial and national committees, and Crown Corporation boards, as a chair or executive member. She has served on the Winnipeg United Way Poverty Council and is currently a member of the United Way Speakers’ Bureau. In 2021, the Nellie McClung Foundation named Chahal an inaugural recipient of the Manitoba 150 Women Trailblazer Award. The award salutes the contributions that Manitoba women have made to social justice, arts, sports, politics, community activities and promoting democracy.
A proud Canadian citizen, Chahal refuses to be stopped from realizing her dreams. She has excelled in her career by building partnerships and serving as a leader for change, equity and representation. As a parent, she is most proud of her three children, whom she and her husband instilled deep appreciation and honour for their bicultural heritage. That nine-year-old girl with two braids stepping on the eastern shores of Canada is now a grandmother of four, who wants to leave behind a legacy of realized change, representation and anti-racism action.
Srividya Iyer, Ph.D
Psychologist, Associate Professor, McGill University
City: Montreal
Srividya Iyer is an international leader in youth mental health. Her work helps ensure that young people have timely access to high-quality mental health care and enjoy wellbeing and economic and social participation. This is urgent because mental illness is among the top five causes of disability and death among Canadian youth.
In leading ACCESS Open Minds, Canada’s largest youth mental health network, Iyer engaged youth, families, Indigenous communities, clinicians, researchers, and policymakers. Her logic was simple: for mental health services to work and be culturally appropriate, youth and communities must be involved in deciding what services are needed and co-design the spaces in which they are offered. Responding to help-seekers within 72 hours, ACCESS serves urban, rural, Indigenous, immigrant, and homeless youths at 16 sites. Iyer’s ACCESS ideas are now shaping Canada’s growing investments in youth mental health.
While leading such large Canadian projects, Iyer has also been building mental health services globally. She helped establish one of India’s first early psychosis clinics and co-leads a project in Bangladeshi and Nigerian slums. She draws inspiration from her pre-immigration experience as the sole psychologist in one of the world’s busiest public hospitals in India where she was born. Insights from her India projects helped her develop training for lay mental health workers in Indigenous communities and strengthen family involvement in Canadian mental health care.
To increase the real-world impact of her research, Iyer has briefed Canadian ministers and international influencers (e.g., a World Economic Forum report); helped establish clinical and peer support programs; and communicated science to the media.
Iyer has been furthering equity and diversity by serving on national and international diversity-focussed committees; mentoring international, first-generation and women scholars; and sharing her experiences through immigrant-focused groups (e.g., Multi-Ethnic Alliance) and media.
Iyer was inducted into the college of the Royal Society of Canada and named on the inaugural list of Canadian Women in Global Health. She won the Maude Abbott Prize and Principal’s Prize at McGill University. In 2021, she was named a Champion of Mental Health.
Immigrant tech entrepreneur
Eva Li is the co-founder and chief product officer of ImmiSearch. With more than eight years of experience in product management and UX design, she has a strong history in the technology industry. As a UX designer turned product manager, Li now runs her own startup.
Li immigrated to Canada from Hong Kong when she was 16 years old. She knows firsthand the difficulties immigrants face. Thus, in 2021 she left her six-figure job to focus 100 per cent on ImmiSearch, a technology startup focused on democratizing Canadian immigration. During the past year, Li, now 29, helped build a community of more than 2,000 immigrants on ImmiSearch.
Entrepreneurship@UBC has selected Li to participate in the prestigious HATCH Venture Builder Accelerator program. As well as placing in the top 10 at the Telus Innovation Challenges, her startup has been recognized as one of the top 26 startups in Canada by the largest startup competition in Canada in 2021, hosted by New Venture BC.
Over the course of her career, Li has worked on more than 10 different products, applications and services. While leading her teams, she has launched six brand-new products. A project she worked on was recognized for Forbes 30 under 30 in the health care category in 2019.
Additionally, Li is an outstanding mentor and an active member of the community. She mentors for a number of organizations, including ADPList, ProductBC and Pathrise, as well as hosting global webinars that have attracted more than 1,000 attendees. ADPList, one of the world’s largest mentorship organizations, acknowledged her as a “Top 1% mentor” in 2022.
CEO and founder at Lumesmart Inc.
City: Richmond Hill, Ontario
Shohreh Sabaghpour stands at the forefront of one the fastest-moving technology industry trends: LED lighting solutions. A calculated risk-taker with deep entrepreneurship and tech industry knowledge, Sabaghpour started her own business Lumesmart Inc., two years after moving to Canada. The self-employment program by MicroSkills, a specific one-year program for women with a business background from back home, helped her to start her business and the journey in Canada was begun.
Going through a divorce and the pandemic made life full of challenges but she didn’t give up on her vision to make a difference to climate change with her company. The UV-C LEDs, dust-free LEDs and growing LEDs, which are listed in the Ontario Made and Ontario Workplace PEE Supplier Directory, are the results of her commitment and integrity to her goals and vision.
Embracing the core values of integrity, innovation and growth, Sabaghpour consistently ranks among the top technical women business owners and has become known as a “champion of Canadian women in manufacturing.” She pledged her commitment to increasing female representation in the workplace as part of CME’s We Can Do It campaign.
This January, Lumesmart was invited to join the Women in Cleantech event at the Dubai Expo. This event was a partnership between Women in Renewable Energy (WiRE) with the Clean Energy Business Council (CEBC) and the Consulate General of Canada in Dubai. Sabaghpour was a panelist to share her success story at Women Entrepreneurs in Cleantech in Canada and Middle East: Success Stories and Learnings 2021.
She is a proud recipient of the Iranian Women Organization of Ontario of “Science/Technology/ Innovator Award” in 2017 and Lumesmart was a finalist at the Richmond Hill Board of Trade’s Business Achievement Award in the “Conservation and Environmental” Category in 2017.
Sabaghpour proudly received a certificate of recognition from MP Patty Hajdu, the minister of Status of Women in 2016, and has been acknowledged by the honourable MP Majid Jowahri as one of the Outstanding Women in Richmond Hill because of her contribution to the Richmond Hill community.
The company has also received a Certificate of Recognition on the occasion of International Women’s Day in 2020 for its worthy effort in “inspiring and encouraging the community,” from MP Jowhari.
Sabaghpour is equally committed to the community and environmental causes. She has initiated the Annual Earth Day Conference since 2015 to raise awareness about the impact of Climate Change and how clean technologies could have an important role. This year, the 8th Annual Earth Day conference will be virtual.
Sabaghpour also volunteers her time as a board director with Iranian Women Organization of Ontario since 2019 and initiated its entrepreneur committee to help Iranian-Canadian women who want to run a business.
She was also a member of the Charles Howitt Public School parent council from 2011 to 2021, supporting fundraising campaigns. She initiated the Nowruz celebrations at school during the Persian New Year.
Associate Professor (nursing), lactation consultant and advocate of baby-friendly initiatives, University of Regina
Born and raised in Pakistan, Shela Hirani is a neonatal and child health nursing professional, academician, researcher, lactation consultant and an advocate of baby-friendly initiatives. She earned her PhD in nursing in 2019 from the University of Alberta. Her professional goal is to make a difference in the lives of marginalized women and children through her research work, leadership and community services.
Hirani is recognized as one of 100 outstanding women nurse and midwife leaders from around the world by Women in Global Health in partnership with the World Health Organization, International Council of Nurses, International Confederation of Midwives, United Nations Population Fund and Nursing Now. She is also the recipient of Sigma Theta Tau International Honor Society of Nursing’s Emerging Nurse Researcher award 2020, the Vanier Canada Graduate Scholarship Award and the Honorary Izaak Walton Killam Memorial Scholarship Award for her outstanding academic excellence, community services, leadership and contribution for knowledge development in nursing.
She is actively involved in breastfeeding advocacy in diverse care settings and health promotion of vulnerable women and young children who are refugees, immigrants, internally displaced and homeless. In Canada, she is actively involved in advocating for safe spaces to remove breastfeeding barriers in a variety of public places like airports, shopping malls, restaurants, mothers’ workplace settings, child daycare centres, hospitals and post-secondary institutions.
She is actively involved in work surrounding the improvement of health equity, health systems, programs and policies that often negatively affect the health and wellbeing of marginalized and vulnerable groups of women and young children, especially those affected by disaster and displacement. She has established her program of research entitled Breastfeeding Advocacy Research: Program, Practices and Policies (BARPPP). The key goal of BARPPP is to contribute in improving breastfeeding rates in Canada, especially among women who are Indigenous, refugee, immigrant, homeless, displaced after natural disaster, and/or negatively affected by COVID-19 pandemic. Another goal of BARPPP is to facilitate implementation of baby-friendly initiatives in hospitals and community-based settings of Canada.
Hirani is hopeful that her breastfeeding advocacy movement through her research will develop knowledge, guide future research and improve the wellbeing of breastfeeding mothers and young children in Canada and beyond.
Instructor and creator of Therapeutic Dance and Exercise for Seniors
City: Toronto
Munni Subhani is currently instructing and creating therapeutic programs for seniors, using exercise and dance, involving therapeutic meditative movements toward healthy living.
For her efforts working with seniors virtually during the pandemic through Therapeutic Exercise / Healing Dance and her personal talk show “Chai with Munni,” Subhani received recognition from the Lieutenant Governor of Ontario, the Honourable Elizabeth Dowdeswell.
Subhani immigrated to Canada in the 1970s, as an accomplished Indian classical dancer, choreographer, singer and actress. In Toronto, she taught ESL with TCDSB, along with being a boutique owner EKU Fashions in the famous India Bazaar at Gerrard Street, introducing Canadians to Southeast Asian fashion and accessories. She was also a restaurateur of the Chinese E-ON Restaurant. Currently, she is acting as director and creator of Lamis School of Music and Dance.
Over the years, Subhani has also participated with her dance school in the famous Toronto International Caravan festivals, Kingston Folklore, Carassauga, Toronto International Dragon Boat, WOMAD (World of Music Art and Dance – Harbour Front) and Molson’s Rhythms of India, and the list goes on.
Subhani has and continues to volunteer in the community, including being on the board of directors of Birchmount Bluffs Neighbourhood Centre, Better Living Health and Community Centre, President of Lions’ Chartered Chapter “Toronto Beyond Difference Lions Club” and Zone Chair.
In 2018, she was awarded the Ontario Volunteer Service Award and in 2019 the Culture, Diversity and Excellence Award.
Retired research scientist, Canadian Wildlife Service
In 1930, Kees Vermeer was born in Noordeloos, a small village in the Dutch polder, where he acquired his first interest in birds and nature. In 1954, he immigrated to Canada, whereafter a few months of farming, he accepted any jobs until he realized he needed more education. He enrolled at the University of British Columbia in 1956 where he obtained a BSc. degree in geology and zoology in 1959, and an MSc. in zoology in 1963. For his master’s thesis, he studied the biology of Glaucous-winged Gulls on Mandarte Island, a rocky islet near Sidney along the B.C. coast. Dr. Nico Tinbergen, a Nobel Prize laureate, invited Vermeer to study under him in Oxford, an offer which he declined. His thesis was published in the B.C. Provincial Museum series and became a Citation Classic. Vermeer completed his doctorate in zoology at the University of Alberta in 1967.
As a research scientist for the Canadian Wildlife Service (CWS), Vermeer concentrated his research on species threatened by pesticides, mercury, oil spills and human disturbance. He contributed to the recovery of the endangered White Pelican, undertook the first thorough inventory of chlorinated hydrocarbons and mercury levels in aquatic birds in the Canadian Prairie provinces, the first successful CWS study on the effects of pesticides on birds in South American rice fields, and the first detailed study of the effects of oil spills on seabirds on Canada’s West Coast. He proposed the use of seabirds as indicators of effects of climate change on marine life. He accepted positions of scientific leadership with international research and conservation organizations.
Vermeer’s studies resulted in the protection of birds and their habitats, in the reduction of toxic chemicals in the food chain and stimulated greater interest in bird research through his publications and symposia which he led. At his retirement, he received tributes from colleagues. At age 90, he published his first book, an autobiography, “Immigrant Gone to Heaven.”
Roselyn Advincula
Director of Settlement Services, Immigrant Centre
City: Winnipeg
Roselyn Advincula is the current director of Settlement Services at Immigrant Centre. Prior to this, she was the Neighbourhood Immigrant Settlement Workers coordinator and the ZONE coordinator in Winnipeg. Over the years, she worked with many partner agencies and mentored settlement workers in the city. She developed the Share our World program, which is a cultural adaptation literacy program.
She also works as a group facilitator at Aurora Family Therapy Centre, where she initiated and co-facilitated community groups such as Girls Inspiring Girls, Newcomer Youth Leadership, Women’s group, Create Program and more.
She started the Newcomer Coffee Club Facebook group, which has more than 2,500 members, a group for newcomers in sharing resources. During the pandemic, it became a safe space to connect and share information on coping about the pandemic. She along with her friends, Emmy, Malou and Abby, created “Kamustahan Nights,” an online talk show that tackled crucial topics like mental health, vaccine awareness and others.
Advincula is a social worker by profession and by heart. She recently completed a Certificate in Ethics and Contemporary Social Issues; Immigration and Integration through St. Paul University in Ottawa by the N4 Program. She is currently taking a Certificate in Community Capacity Building through the support of Booth University in Winnipeg.
She was nominated for the YMCA Women of Distinction Award for two years. She is nominated for the Pasasalamat Award in the Immigration and Settlement category. She became a member of the Manitoba Advisory Council on Citizenship, Immigration and Multiculturalism.
She loves building relationships and is passionate in multicultural learning and cultural humility. She co-organized numerous newcomer events, which welcomed more than thousands of newcomers through the years.
She volunteered in translating and creating awareness videos for the Ethnocultural Council of Manitoba to provide accessible information. She is the vice-chair of the Coalition of Filipino Canadians for Stronger Families, member of PHCM, and co- founder of Filipino Women’s Initiative. She is a community trainer for Worker’s Health and Safety at OHC. She is also a member of the Community Engagement Sector Table at IPW.
Advincula loves to connect and learn from everyone from all walks of life. She believes that “We learn and grow by listening and connecting.”
City: Vancouver, BC
Canada is making its mark on the world’s football stage, thanks to an Englishman. John Herdman has taken men’s soccer in Canada to a level not seen in decades.
Herdman started with Canada Soccer’s Women’s National Team in September 2011, leading them to a gold medal at the 2011 Pan American Games in Mexico, the FIFA World Cup Canada 2015 quarter finals and back-to-back Olympic bronze medals at the London 2012 Olympic Games and the Rio 2016 Olympic Games. The team also won the Algarve Cup in 2016.
In 2018, Herdman was named head coach of the Canada Soccer’s Men’s National Team, currently leading them through the Final Round of FIFA World Cup Qatar 2022 Qualifiers with great success. In 2021, he guided the team up the FIFA World Rankings from 72nd to 40th, earning the honour of “Most Improved Side.” As of March 2022, Canada has moved up in ranking to 38th and Canada has now qualified for the 2022 FIFA World Cup, the first time in 36 years making Herdman the first person to coach in the FIFA World Cup for both men and women
Herdman, who is known for his ability to inspire and motivate his team, has said that he is “keen to put a lasting mark on a program full of potential.”
After playing semi-pro football in the Northern League and for his university, Herdman began coaching football at a young age, while he was a student and part-time university lecturer in the sports sciences department at Northumbria University. He had his own soccer school at the age of 23.
He then moved to New Zealand and joined the national association football program in 2003 as coach education manager before being promoted to director of football development. He was head coach for the New Zealand women’s national team from 2006 to 2011. He led the senior squad to the FIFA Women’s World Cup in 2007 and 2011 as well as the 2008 Summer Olympics in Beijing.
While Herdman was not a professional player himself, he did play amateur football during his time in New Zealand, before moving to Canada. Herdman is married to his childhood sweetheart, Clare, and they have two children. His son, Jay Herdman, is following in his dad’s football footsteps, having recently joined Whitecaps FC Academy as a midfielder.
Medical student and researcher
City: Montreal
Saman Arfaie is a second-year doctor of medicine and master of surgery candidate at McGill University, a researcher, a classical pianist in-training and a public speaker. He completed his B.Sc. in neurobiology, honours B.A. in Persian literature, and double minors in chemistry and music, at the University of California, Berkeley before conducting brain tumor research at the University of California San Francisco.
Arfaie has co-authored/presented a dozen peer-reviewed papers/posters/conference abstracts and won 30+ national and international awards including a merit-based entrance scholarship to study medicine at McGill, the William Osler Medal, a book chapter with Cambridge University Press, and the Canadian Federation of Medical Students (Tier-1) Initiative Grant for an incoming book. He has received several invitations to present his work at prestigious conferences such as TEDx McGill University, TEDx University of Alberta, American Osler Society and the American Association of Neurological Surgeons.
In 2020, with two colleagues, he co-founded the Canadian Medical Student Interest Group in Neurosurgery (CaMSIGN), the first of its kind in the nation. He also serves as the co-president of the McGill Osler Society (oldest student organization at McGill).
Arfaie works on surgical coordination and mastery at the Neurosurgical Simulation and Artificial Intelligence Learning Centre. Concurrently, he is investigating PET imaging biomarkers in Alzheimer’s disease at the Translational Neuroimaging Laboratory at the Douglas Research Centre.
Being an immigrant, Arfaie owes immense gratitude to Canada for granting him with equal opportunities to learn, grow and mature. As an aspiring physician-scientist, he hopes to dedicate his life by putting every Joule of his energy and brainpower to work in a direction that adheres to the Canadian values of diversity and inclusion. He hopes to satisfy this role by serving the country that opened its doors and took him in as one of their own back in 2009.
Co-founder, Stand with Asians Coalition
Doris Wai Ki Mah arrived in Canada from Hong Kong in the ’90s, ready to find a new home, but struggled to make herself understood. She knew she could comfortably stay in her own Chinese community in the Vancouver region, speaking only Chinese and working only with fellow Chinese.
But she loved her new country and if she wanted to truly belong, she needed to learn to speak English and speak it well. She decided volunteering at the Carleton Care Home would embrace her new community while strengthening her communication skills.
Mah continued to strengthen her English by watching Parliament on Cable Public Affairs Channel (CPAC), learning not only how her newly adopted country works, but why. It was this introduction to politics as a force for change along with the resilience she developed from the volunteer work that brought her to the attention of local Member of Parliament, Peter Julian.
From 2004 as a beginner in his office to her current position in a key leadership role, she has proven to be a valuable asset to the community in this new and important role. Her work there included key legislation that targeted anti-Semitism, Islamophobia, homophobia and transphobia.
In April 2021, when Mah learned that local police were citing an increase in anti-Asian hate crimes by 300 per cent since the start of Covid, she knew she had to do something. She approached the City of Burnaby and worked with the Mayor and Council to issue a proclamation creating a Day of Action Against Anti-Asian Racism. She reached out to cities across Canada and inspired nearly nine million Canadians in 40 cities and 3.3 million union workers to join the movement.
Subsequently, Mah co-founded Stand with Asians Coalition (SWAC) with a few other grassroots activists. It grew into a national movement showing the world how much one person can accomplish fighting racism. These efforts led the Stand with Asians Coalition to win the 2022 BC Government Multiculturalism & Anti-Racism Award.
Her work with SWAC has brought her to the attention of the United Global Chinese Women’s Association of Canada, which awarded her the Community Special Contribution Award.
CEO and co-founder
City: Burlington, Ontario
Passionate, industrious, and innovative are adjectives that are often used to describe Emil Sylvester Ramos, CEO and co-founder of IRIS R&D Group Inc., an award-winning Ontario AI and Smart Cities Solutions company.
Raised in the Philippines, Ramos moved to Canada in late 2017 and founded IRIS in 2018. He holds a bachelor of business administration, an applied MBA as well as program certificates from the MIT Sloan School of Management, New York Code and Design Academy and other executive management programs. He is a lifelong learner who believes every challenge is an opportunity to be bold, innovative and impactful.
Through IRIS, Ramos holds two patents and is focused on creating value by developing cutting-edge intellectual property, operational execution and driving market adaptation — delivering triple bottom-line to IRIS stakeholders year over year. IRIS has partnered with several municipalities that stretch over the Greater Toronto Area such as Hamilton, Burlington, Vaughan, London, Orangeville, Guelph and others.
In 2019, IRIS won the Lions Lair Award, an annual pitch competition presented by Innovation Factory. IRIS continues to scale nationally and globally; they have become winners of the Muskoka 4.0, a fund to help grow early-stage tech companies. IRIS was also awarded the Smart 50 Awards, in partnership with Smart Cities Connect recognizing IRIS Smart Cities project in Ontario and its transformational impact. IRIS became the first Canadian start-up tech company to represent Canada and win the Global Infrastructure Hub “InfraChallenge” supported by the Italian G20 Presidency and member countries after beating out hundreds of companies globally. Today, IRIS is operating in four continents and continues to drive value for its project partners and client cities.
Apart from being a serial entrepreneur, Ramos is also a full-time dad and business coach to three well-rounded and energetic boys who are immersed in the world of service-centric business and sustainable technology. His eldest son, Rome, won the NASA Space Apps Challenge 2019 for his Near-Earth Object (NEO) detection technology prototype and is continuously participating in hackathons and business competitions in Ontario. His two other boys are active members of Oakville’s youth, musical and sports community. Ramos continues to pave the way for future entrepreneurs by mentoring participants at Canadian business and technology events in Canada. Additionally, he volunteers at the Information and Communication Technology Council, which conducts research surrounding the Canadian digital economy.
Businessman and community builder
City: Toronto
Hans Bathija, FRAS, FRSA, FBCS, FRSPH, FSAScot, FRGS, OSS , is a Partner in Shadow Factory, a pioneering immersive content/metaverse agency and the President of BathijaTan, a consulting firm focusing on banking, cyber and IT. Projects include Canadian National Exhibition’s AR experience, Ontario Ministry of Health’s infectious disease system, City of Toronto’s Y2K risk and cyber diplomacy strategy, and Centennial College’s animation campus in New Delhi, India. Other endeavours include a horse racing stable, animation studio, Muay Thai gym and graphic design agency.
He is the Chair of St. John Ambulance Toronto Branch and International IP Commercialization Council GTA Chapter, Master of the Honourable Company of Freemen of the City of London of North America and Town Crier of Old Toronto for The Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. He is a board director of the Malaysian Association of Canada and NATO Association of Canada, former board director of the Royal Canadian Military Institute and member of Canadian Internet Registration Authority’s nomination committee. He is a City of Toronto Honour Guard guardsman, Prince’s Trust Canada mentor, Canadian Forces College Foreign Student Liaison, advisor for Sheridan College and Knowledge Flow Cybersafety Foundation, Toronto Police Service 14 Division Community Police Liaison and Rotary Club of I2 London (England) Peace Envoy. He is a former boxer and ballroom/rhythm dancer and participant in the Luminato Festival and CONTACT Photography Festival.
Bathija was awarded Outstanding Asian Canadian by the Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario, Community Recognition Award by MPP Chris Glover, Great Shogun by the Order of the Scottish Samurai, Kentucky Colonel by the Governor of Kentucky, All-Star trainer by the Greater Toronto Hockey League, grant of coat of arms from the College of Arms, Fellow of several learned societies and a bachelor’s degree from Glendon College, York University, where he completed his studies in English and French.
Born in Hampstead, England in 1969, Bathija emigrated to Canada in 1975 when his father, who as a Partition refugee fled Pakistan for India and U.K. and mother, a Chinese-Malaysian survivor of the Japanese occupation of Malaya, relocated their family. He became a proud Canadian citizen in 1985 and resides in Toronto with his Croatian wife and two Ontario-born children.
Founder and CEO, GROW Women Leaders
City: Edmonton
Tracy Folorunsho-Barry is an author, founder and CEO of GROW Women Leaders and GROW Foundation. She is an award-winning career and equitable leadership strategist who has dedicated her career to helping women, especially immigrants and BIPOC women, access new opportunities in their career.
In 2017, under GROW Foundation, Folorunsho-Barry launched Project150: Accomplished Immigrant Women in Canada and the Speak Out Women series where she began gathering stories from more than 200 immigrant women across Canada who have overcome adversity to achieve success in their careers and lives. They shared their stories and expressed that they wished they had known about the knowledge, resources and guidance available for them to succeed. While collecting their stories of resilience, Barry realized the wealth of knowledge these women possessed and the valuable insights that they could share with other immigrant women and their communities. Thus, the book, Untold Stories of Immigrant Women in Canada was published.
Folorunsho-Barry’s work did not stop there; she knew there were still gaps in empowerment, leadership and career development services for immigrant women and she knew she had to do something to bridge these gaps.
Later in 2018, Folorunsho-Barry founded GROW Women Leaders, a career leadership development and advancement platform designed to help women get hired, turn ideas into reality and advance their careers. Her goal is to help women transcend and reach their full potential through personal development, leadership, civic engagement and entrepreneurship. Since then, Folorunsho-Barry has supported women in Alberta and across the country to lead and advance their career as women leaders.
Fast forward to 2021, she opened a GROW Lounge, inside of which is “Nurture,” a socially conscious kitchen and café that offers training and point of sale services for meal prep, catering, grab & go and more. As a busy professional, Folorunsho-Barry found herself struggling to come up with healthy meals for her family and herself. Her vision for Nurture is to support busy professionals, entrepreneurs and families by enabling them to have access to healthy meals so that they can achieve more. She wanted to make eating healthy, easy, affordable and delicious. Proceeds generated go back to supporting the women at GROW Foundation.
To her contributions and community involvement, Folorunsho-Barry was honoured with a recognition by Mayor Don Iveson and the City of Edmonton in 2020. She has also received the Daughters Day Award (Alberta), Top 100 Black Women to Watch in Canada, the Abedorc Community Involvement and Leadership Award, and more.
Founder and CEO, Campfire Kinship
Gayathri Shukla excels at empowering teams to celebrate their diversity, and cultivate a culture of belonging. She is the founder of Campfire Kinship, a social impact agency providing story-based training, advisory, and creative media to help diverse teams uncover their strengths and build empathy skills. She is also the TD Fellow for Economic and Financial inclusion at Public Policy Forum, contributing to research on policy development for economic wellbeing across Canada.
Lifelong learning, resilience and diversity are themes throughout Shukla’s career. Prior to starting her company, Shukla worked in the energy industry for 17+ years. An electrical engineer by training, she began working in field-based roles and progressively moved into leadership, first as an engineering manager for the automation scope of a $17 billion greenfield facility, and then as the integration manager spearheading the facility’s safe and on-time start-up. Shukla was also the chair of her department’s women’s inclusion and diversity employee resource group, delivering programming for 150+ members. She then transitioned into leading digital transformation programs in mining, the topic of her Executive MBA project. She successfully completed her MBA while juggling fulltime work and parenting her two young kids.Born in India, Shukla spent part of her childhood in India and Saudi Arabia, and moved to Canada in her teenage years. She has a nuanced appreciation of multiculturalism and is passionate about applying her unique skills and experiences to foster inclusivity, especially in the immigrant sector. She has volunteered with the board of directors at Calgary Immigrant Women’s Association for the past three years, most recently serving as the chair of its Finance Committee.
Shukla also hosts the podcast Hearth 2 Heart at her local community radio station, CJSW 90.9, where she spotlights diverse role models. She was awarded two grants from Calgary Arts Development in 2021, one for a video storytelling project to build empathy across differences, and the second, for an anthology on the stories of resilient immigrant women. As a story-crafting instructor, Shukla is leading 35+ participants through the process of writing their stories, and is set to publish her book later this year.
Business executive
Leen Li is the chief executive officer at Wealthsimple Foundation, a charity focused on enabling a brighter future for everyone in Canada through access to post-secondary education.
Born and raised in China, Li is the youngest of five girls. She came to Canada as an international student over 20 years ago. She earned her master’s of business administration from Saint Mary’s University in Halifax.
Li has over 20 years of experience in the technology and financial services industry where she held a number of senior positions including the chief financial officer at Wealthsimple and the vice president of finance and operations at Influitive.
Li transitioned to her current role in the not-for profit sector due to a deep personal drive and dedication to the goal of improving financial futures for folks from underrepresented communities. She brings a positive can-do attitude to everything she does and donates a significant portion of her time, energy and dollars to improving the lives of others.
Li is actively involved in the community and lends her time and energy to a number of technology and education initiatives, while simultaneously acting as an advocate for women and people of colour. She volunteers regularly through different community organizations such as Mississauga Food Bank, WISE (University of Toronto Chapter) and Monday Girl, among others. Currently, Li sits on the board of CanadaHelps and George Brown College Foundation.
Li was voted one of Canada’s 50 Best Executives by the Globe and Mail in 2020, and recently recognized as one of DMZ’s Women of the Year.
Business owner, multi-preneur, philanthropist
City: Burlington, Ontario
Nima Lhamu Sherpa-McElhinney approaches work and life with compassion and respect for all people. She is a social entrepreneur focusing on relationships in balance with business success. Her humble upbringing showed her the value of community, generosity and education, but also developed fierce financial independence as both a gender and ethnic minority in a melting pot of cultures. McElhinney is from the Sherpa ethnic group in Nepal, raised by a widowed mother along with eight siblings.
This independence also produced a risk-taker and a savvy businesswoman with a formidable spirit of determination and perseverance. She witnessed abuse and injustice to women, which sparked her desire to be financially independent as a role model for young girls. Her departure from traditional life began at age 16 when she ran her own restaurant in Kathmandu and taught Nepalese language and cross-cultural awareness to foreign diplomats. Her passion to empower women developed a philanthropic focus, which she shared with her home country by importing high-end textiles from Nepal as her first business in Canada in 1989.
The charitable connection endured on the board of directors for the Sir Edmund Hilary Foundation for over 26 years providing substantial financial support for tuition, uniforms and the building of schools in Nepal. Her worldview expanded to other commitments to humanitarian projects around the globe. McElhinney has been nominated for many businesswomen, Women of Inspiration (Universal Women’s Network) and philanthropy awards. In 2020, McElhinney was voted Woman of the Year by a Nepalese community organization as a role model for immigrant women and for giving back to Nepal.
Her business changed in 2010 to a focus on people with, first, the purchase of a domiciliary hostel caring for the more than 50 mentally ill patients and, later, seniors care. With attention to relationships, McElhinney has successfully restored a quality care model that eclipsed both patient care and profit for these ventures in only a few years. She is personally connected and compassionate towards both staff and patient needs. She now owns two highly respected retirement homes and an 80-unit apartment complex in southern Ontario employing more than 100 people.
A true global citizen, McElhinney has hosted many international students in her home as Rotary host parent. Although proud of her business accomplishments, she shares her wealth as a catalyst to overcome oppression. Once a quiet changemaker, she now shares her example to inspire others to strive for equality and peace, always with an attitude of service. Her simple life includes daily exercise, gourmet cooking from whole foods, hiking and gardening in the outdoors, and time with her husband, two daughters and grandchildren.
Professor of engineering and serial entrepreneur
City: Calgary
Named a Business Leader of Tomorrow by Business in Calgary, in addition to a leader under 40 by Control Engineering magazine, Wael Badawy built his career in both academia and business in Canada after immigrating from Egypt in 1997 to Montreal.
He received his PhD in 2000 from the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. He joined the University of Calgary, where he was promoted to an associate professor in 2003 and then to a tenured full professor in 2006. In 2009, he was acting as executive president of ABM College Calgary. He also served as an adjunct professor at the University of Alberta (2003-2005). During his academic career, he also taught and held top administration positions at different international universities in U.A.E., KSA, Egypt, Singapore, Taiwan and the U.S.A.
In his early career, Badawy became a leader in video technology and is now at the helm of several technology-based companies in video analysis. By 2003, his research created an opportunity for a spin-off company known as Smart Camera Technologies Inc., where he later became the CEO. With a leading researcher guiding the company, Smart Camera Technologies Inc. has become a leader in video analytics and surveillance.
Badawy continues to conduct research, serving on several standard boards and working with IntelliCommu LTD. Badawy has contributed to 18 books, 21 patents, 600+ peer-reviewed papers and publications. A tri-language speaker, he has logged more than 60,000 hours of teaching, lecturing and keynote speaking in business, engineering, technical, legal, arbitration, dispute resolutions and life transformation.
Badawy also founded the Entrepreneurship Driving License in KSA and certified thousands of entrepreneurs who used his strategies to build their businesses in the first year alone.
Executive Vice-President at Corporate Class; Professor & Author
Dr. Georgette Zinaty, MBA, MSc, DBA, is currently the Executive Vice-President at Corporate Class Inc and practice lead for their Centre for Diversity and Inclusion. Zinaty has been an executive and senior leader at the University of Toronto. An alumna of the University of Toronto, Zinaty holds a Bachelor’s Degree in English and Political Science, a Master of Business Administration degree from the University of Liverpool, a Master’s of Science from the Henley School of Business and a Certificate on Leading Strategic Change within Organizations from Harvard University.
She holds a Doctorate in Business Administration — a joint program with the Rotman School of Business and the Henley School of Business. Her research focuses on business leadership, diversity, inclusion and the future of leadership. Zinaty is also a professor at Western University as well at the Rotman School of Business.
Zinaty is a strong advocate for leadership and inclusion within organizations. She founded and spearheaded an annual Leader-2-Leader conference to foster discussion on topics impacting the workforce. She is a frequent contributor and thought leader to Forbes on issues of leadership, inclusion and business. Zinaty’s research is unique having conducted noteworthy studies with that are quantitative and qualitative with significant datasets and novel findings in the area of women and leadership, diversity and inclusion.
Zinaty has been a frequent global TV and conference panelist, keynote and a public speaker, including a TEDx talk, and most recently at the World Diversity in Leadership Conference alongside Martin Luther King III, world leaders and Julia Gillard Former PM of Australia. She is the recipient the Canadian University Productivity Award as well as the Stepping Up Award in recognition of innovation in the workplace.
She has been recognized by the Premier of Ontario and Federal Members of Parliament in Canada for her volunteerism and work in the community. She serves on as a Senior Advisor to Nobellum a non-profit social and technology enterprise dedicated to carving out a space in the technology industry for Black founders in STEM.
She is also on the Board of Advisors for the Entrepreneurship and Leadership Learning Alliance (ELLA at York University), Fund Director at the Creative Hub 1352 and is the Co-Chair the Canadian Chapter of ChIPs, a global organization that supports women in intellectual property and technology. She is the Founder of a non-profit called WHEW! Women Helping Empower Women and published a book on the scarcity of women and diversity in leadership called Why Not YOU? where 100 per cent of all the profits go to support WHEW!
Chief Executive Officer, Managing Broker
Crystal Hung is one of the most successful young real estate professionals in Vancouver. She has facilitated over $1B in transactions, and achieved consistent sales success with marketing innovation designed to deliver winning solutions. Her vision to raise the bar everyday has been recognized with numerous accolades, such as the Georgie Awards for Brand Identity and Best Advertising Campaign, and the prestigious HAVAN Award from the Homebuilders Association of Vancouver, for Best Marketing Campaign of The Year. She was recently named one of Business in Vancouver’s Top 40 under 40 in 2021.
During the period of great uncertainty caused by COVID, when many charitable foundations were experiencing disruption in their fundraising activities, as well as a sharp decline in donation revenue, Hung co-founded an ambitious project called PIXEL Moments. Her vision was to create a project that would seek to engage, and make accessible, donations from a younger demographic keen to support St. Paul’s Hospital, by making use of modern technology, micro-philanthropy and innovation in public arts.
PIXEL Moments created a large augmented-reality public art mural, with donors being encouraged to make micro-donations to “purchase” individual pixels of the art piece. Creatively bringing together this intersection of public art and technology, and using it as a vehicle for fundraising, was the first of its kind in Western Canada. Ultimately, PIXEL Moments raised almost $300,000 in total for the St. Paul’s Foundation and its mental health department.
In everything that she takes on, Hung taps her instincts, resources and experience to transcend the expected by navigating unchartered territory, and in doing so she has become the first to achieve many new heights in her industry. Her involvement in charity has led to breakthroughs in fundraising, establishing new paradigms of philanthropy in Canada for the healthcare sector, advancing children’s welfare through Kids Help Phone, and preserving heritage in our city as Vice–Chair of City of Vancouver’s Heritage Commission. Her achievements as a young Asian female leader in a male-dominated industry offer huge inspiration and hope to a new generation of up-and-coming minority women
When she first landed in Canada in 2017, Saleema Allana was all set to start her doctoral studies at the Faculty of Nursing at University of Alberta. She started her PhD journey with the Doctoral Recruitment Award and the competitive Alberta Innovates Technology Futures Graduate Scholarship, for her innovative research in intersectionality and cardiovascular care.
In 2019, she was awarded the prestigious CIHR Doctoral Research Award and the President’s Doctoral Prize of Distinction, becoming one of the very few doctoral students in Canada who receive this highly competitive award. In 2020, Allana received the Innovations in Seniors Care Award as well as a Rural Health Scholarship in Nursing, followed by an Alberta Association on Gerontology’s Award in 2021, in recognition of her services for older adults in Canada.
Allana has not only utilized her knowledge and skills in serving Canadian immigrant older adults, but has also taken this agenda forward through her research and service, to improve health outcomes for older adults from various ethnic minorities.
In 2021, Allana received the Intersections of Gender Thesis Grant and the Intersections of Gender Enrichment Grant, for exploring intersectionality and cardiovascular care in the Canadian context. Less than five years in Canada, and here she is, working as an assistant professor, global health at Western University, Ontario, and making her mark in immigrant health research.
During the first six months of joining this position, she has secured three competitive research grants and is undertaking important research to explore the health inequities experienced by Canadian immigrants and to ensure equitable and relevant cardiovascular health services for them. A flagbearer of immigrants’ cardiovascular health as well as seniors’ care, Allana has served the immigrant community at various levels, including through mentorship.
Born in Pakistan, Allana believes that Canada has offered her numerous opportunities to grow as a person and as a professional. She is determined to improve cardiovascular care for immigrants with cardiovascular diseases and those at risk.
Physician (Endocrinologist)
Dr. Akshay Jain, MD, FRCPC, FACE, CCD, ECNU, DABIM, DABOM, is the first Canadian physician to be triple board-certified by the American boards in endocrinology, internal medicine and obesity medicine.
He was born and raised in India, where he completed medical schooling. At age 22, he was selected for residency in internal medicine at Rochester, NY and subsequently became the only four-time winner of the prestigious Rochester Academy of Medicine Awards. He completed his Fellowship in Endocrinology at Harbor UCLA/City of Hope in Los Angeles, CA. He became the youngest physician elected to the Board of Directors of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists (AACE) during this time.
Enticed by the prospect of being able to care for individuals across all walks of life in Canada’s universal health care system, he moved here in 2013. In a short time, he became an internationally renowned researcher and has been principal investigator for 16 clinical trials. He is an author of the Diabetes Canada guidelines focusing on mental health of those living with diabetes. He is the past president of the Canadian Chapter of AACE. He cares for thousands of patients in the community and is consistently ranked among the best endocrinologists on RateMDs.com
Recognizing the unmet need for education of healthcare professionals (HCPs), he co-founded Partners in Progressive Medical Education, a non-profit that has helped educate over 7500HCPs till date about latest advancements in medicine (including remote education during the pandemic).
He is the only Canadian physician ever to win the AACE Rising Star in Endocrinology Award (2022) and to feature on Medscape’s list of 25 Top Rising Stars of Medicine (2020). He is the first North American to win the prestigious Etzwiler Diabetes Scholarship.
He is a strong advocate of empowering patients to care for their health and is passionate about public health education. He has active YouTube/Instagram channels with hundreds of followers and thousands of views on content related to Diabetes, Thyroid, Obesity and Osteoporosis. He regularly features on TV, newspapers and digital media as an expert on matters related to health.
He is fluent in six languages including English, Hindi, Gujarati, Marathi, Marwari and Urdu.
CEO, Breton Ability Centre
City: Sydney, Nova Scotia
For the past 29 years, Harman Singh has dedicated her professional focus to supporting individuals with intellectual and developmental disabilities as a psychologist, an advocate and a leader in the sector. With an unwavering passion to provide compassionate, client-led care, Singh has been instrumental in shifting provincial and national policies and care models to influence a transformational change in how people with intellectual and developmental disabilities are supported.
Presently, Singh is the CEO of Breton Ability Centre (BAC), in Sydney, Nova Scotia. BAC provides services and support for more than 100 individuals every day through its adult Residential Rehabilitation Centre, 10 community homes and employment centres, and various outreach programs. She leads a team of more than 400 employees and is an active volunteer, lending her knowledge and experience to various boards across Nova Scotia, including Health Association of Nova Scotia, Cape Breton University and AWARE – Nova Scotia.
Singh has presented at numerous national and international conferences and has been recognized for her leadership with the Tom Miller Human Rights Award (2021), a finalist for the Rose Schwartz Business Woman of the Year from the Cape Breton Regional Chamber of Commerce (2021) and various academic accolades.
Her clinical experience in the assessment and treatment of mental health disorders, her commitment to learning and diversifying to meet the changing needs of our population and her collaborative, person-first approach has helped hundreds of people with varying abilities reach their full potential, improve their quality of life and maximize their independence.
Singh moved to Canada in 1992, after spending her first 23 years in India and completing her master’s of arts in psychology (clinical concentration) at Punjab University, where she received the Chancellor’s Gold Medal for Highest Academic Standing.
In her personal life, Singh is an avid golfer and traveller. She enjoys quality time with her husband, Peter, her parents, who also immigrated to Nova Scotia, and her children (her real pride and joys), Natasha and Rohit.
Entrepreneur and educator
Coming from China in 2004 with a PhD in material science, Xiaomei (Elaine) Qin firmly believes in the power of education. To provide the most comprehensive and extensive educational experience has always been Qin’s goal for APASS Education, a company she founded in 2015, after leaving her job at MOSAIC, a non-profit organization that serves new immigrants. As such, she has aimed to get the most passionate and qualified teachers to cover every subject traditionally taught in schools.
She also aims to enrich students extracurriculars, from STEM experiment courses to improving student’s communications skills with APASS’ public speaking and debate program. Students participating in the latter have attended and placed at numerous prestigious international competitions, from ones hosted in the United States by Stanford and Harvard to ones in Canada hosted by UBC and McMaster. In 2017, Qin initiated the annual event, Canada Youth International Public Speaking Contest.
By taking a “students first, business second” approach to education, Qin has elevated numerous students to be able to exceed their own expectations and goals.
Beyond education, Qin is also very actively involved in community service and community engagement efforts. She has been the president of the LaPower Running Society since 2016, working with a board of seven members, over 30 volunteer leaders and over 2,000 members through out Greater Vancouver area. In 2018, her team initiated and inaugural annual Burnaby Lake Run, which fundraises for the Burnaby Hospital Foundation and now has been recognized as a pillar of local engagement in the city of Burnaby.
Qin also serves as a board member on Richmond Lahoo Lions Club, which organizes numerous local fundraising events to support charities such as BC and Alberta Guide Dogs and Canuck Place Children’s Hospice. Qin firmly believes in giving back to the community to foster growth in the community.
President and CEO, Canadian Arabic Orchestra
Recipient of the John Hobday Award in Arts Management 2021, Wafa Al Zaghal was born in Jerusalem where he grew up to the sounds of classical Arabic music played by his father. Al Zaghal is a professional qanun player, an Arabic string instrument he studied at the Edward Said National Conservatory of Music and later became a music instructor there, training and leading many Arabic music ensembles. He became the academic director of the Conservatory from 2011 to 2013, graduating many musicians who are leading the music scene in Jerusalem and Palestine these days.
He has performed with many successful Arab musicians such as: Marwan Abado, Anouar Ibrahim, Simon Shaheen, Ahmad Al Khatib, Charbel Rohana and Nizar Rohana. Al Zaghal played the qanun in Sard (Narration) album by Nizar Rohana and Min Ba’d album by Wissam Murad.
In 2013, Al Zaghal moved to Canada and co-founded the Canadian Arabic Orchestra (CAO) with his wife, Lamees Audeh. Two years later, they co-founded the Canadian Arabic Conservatory of Music (CACM). Al Zaghal is the president and CEO of the CAO and the vice president of the CACM. He has been the lead musician of the orchestra since its foundation. At his direction, the CAO self-presented more than 150 concerts in Mississauga and all over Canada since 2015, including four editions of the CAO’s self-organized annual Festival of Arabic Music and Arts.
Under Al Zaghal’s leadership, the CAO has grown their audience, with more than 12,000 patrons in 2019 alone, in addition to 60k+ of online viewers in 2020-2021. Currently, Al Zaghal is working on releasing his first album of original music compositions and is pursuing a master’s in community music at Wilfrid Laurier University. Al Zaghal lives with his wife and three kids in Mississauga, Ontario.
Founder, REL Technology and community advocate
Jeffrey Yu immigrated to Canada with his parents and brother 30 years ago. While his Canadian education helped him develop an independent and thoughtful mind, his Taiwanese parents imparted the traditional values of care and community to him at an early age. Yu embodied his bicultural identity and has dedicated the vast majority of his working life to bettering the lives of others in the community.
Yu started his career working in hospitals like Vancouver General and honed his knowledge of therapeutic diets for patients recovering from illnesses and injuries. He later found his passion and spent more than 15 years working with seniors in long-term care homes, where he witnessed firsthand the daily struggles and frustrations the elderly face because of differences in languages and cultural practices. His dedication to improving the lives of seniors and their families motivated him to launch REL Technology Inc. with the goal of maintaining seniors’ independent lifestyles at home through health promotion technologies.
In the community, Yu channelled his cultural fluency and created meaningful collaborations that enhance the quality of life for new Canadians. As a board member of the New Vista Society for more than 10 years (four as chair), he helped establish a strong partnership between New Vista and the Korean community, which led to Metro Vancouver’s first culturally sensitive Korean care facility.
As a member of the Chinese Canadian Community Advisory Committee since it was established by the premier’s office in 2018, Yu has been a staunch advocate for strengthening social, economic and cultural ties among the Chinese diaspora both in this province and around the globe. His work contributed to the establishment of a Chinese-Canadian History Museum here in British Columbia.
Lastly, as a board member and chair of the Burnaby Public Library for the last six years, Yu shared his multicultural perspective and focused on developing services for newcomers that reflect the dynamic needs of this increasingly diverse community.
Entrepreneur and business student
City: Pickering, Ontario
Named one of Ontario’s Top Young Entrepreneurs by the Ontario Centres of Excellence in 2018, Yumnah Hussain is a business student who started her entrepreneurial journey when she was only 15 years old. With her innovative business idea previously known as UniVisor and now MyTopChoice, Hussain was able to formulate a website as an easy access point for high school students across Ontario to learn about different universities and programs that they had to offer. Her competition win with the Ontario Centres of Excellence was extensively recognized in the media on Global News and province-wide when she was honoured with receiving the Inspirational Woman Award by member of Parliament Jennifer O’Connell.
In 2021, Hussain and the MyTopChoice project received the Youth Empowerment Accelerator presented by Canadian Tire to further pursue the project and empower youth across Canada to select the best choice for their academic and post-secondary careers.
As an integrated business student at McMaster University, Hussain was placed on the Dean’s Honours List for her academic achievements. In March 2022, she was hired as the vice-president of marketing representing students with the DeGroote Commerce Society and overseeing merchandise management, social media communication strategies and social affairs for students across the DeGroote School of Business.
Currently, Hussain works as member service representative at DUCA Financial Services across three different branches. In her spare time, she gives back to her community by volunteering with various organizations such as Friends Indeed Canada and Toronto and Region Conservation Authority. Her volunteer work with the Canadian-Muslim Vote as an ambassador was highlighted when she was awarded the first-ever Youth Lead Democracy Award by Elections Ontario. With 1,000+ volunteer hours, her humanitarian work paired with her passion for helping others was also recognized when she was awarded the Pickering Civic Award.
Born into a proud Pakistani family, Yumnah moved to Canada in 2007 and currently lives with her two siblings in Pickering, Ontario. She plans to continue her degree and specialize in marketing while continuing her entrepreneurial journey with MyTopChoice.
Entrepreneur and business strategist
City: Ottawa
Karla Briones arrived in Canada in a U-Haul truck with her family when she was 18 — after a long five-day drive from her native country, Mexico.
She and her family lived the struggles most immigrants experience: cultural, language, environment and job security barriers.
She is now proudly a Mexican-Canadian serial entrepreneur with retail, food and online businesses (Global Pet Foods, Freshii, Karla Briones Consulting and SEENwear) — all businesses which she owns and operates).
She is the founder of KB Consulting, a business consulting and network agency for immigrant, BIPOC and underrepresented entrepreneurs.
In 2021, she launched the Immigrants Developing Entrepreneurs Academy (IDEA) — an online platform designed to educate and connect newcomers to the Canadian business ecosystem.
Briones is also a business strategist and coach and part of the team of independent business advisors at Invest Ottawa, the local economic development agency. She works with all types of entrepreneurs who are launching, building and scaling businesses. Most recently she launched the Peer Groups, where she helps revenue-generating companies reach their first $1 million faster.
Briones is a Nation’s Capital Immigrant Entrepreneur of the Year award recipient and a TEDx Speaker on the topic of immigrant entrepreneurship.
She is a small business columnist for the Ottawa Citizen, an entrepreneurship professor at Algonquin College and serves on the board of directors for the Ottawa Markets and the Ottawa Board of Trade, as well as volunteering as a business mentor for Futurpreneur Canada, the Centre for Social Enterprise Development (CSED) and other local entrepreneurship community groups.
Guest speaker, lecturer and generous with her advice, Briones is passionate about growing the entrepreneurship ecosystem in Canada and giving back to the country that welcomed her with open arms.
Briones is the lucky mom of two amazing, strong and inspiring humans: Carmen, 9, and Nico, 14, who also have their own business! She lovingly instills in them her Mexican roots and encourages them to use their Canadian wings to fly after their biggest dreams. Her husband and business partner, Shawn, patiently supports, encourages and contributes to the success of it all.
Tech entrepreneur
Named one of the 30 Under 30 Innovators in Atlantic Canada by Atlantic Business Magazine in 2021, Tosin Ajibola’s core values are centered around simplifying complex day-to-day problems immigrants face, predominately newcomers like himself who have decided to make the bold move to migrate either by choice or by circumstances.
Ajibola is a computer scientist, tech entrepreneur and co-founder and CEO at Welkom-U Inc, a technology company established to help and support newcomers settle in a new community, leveraging technology and digitalizing the experience while achieving retention and promoting socio-economic growth in smaller communities within Canada.
He earned a master’s degree in technology management and entrepreneurship from the University of New Brunswick. He was a recipient of the RBC Community Leadership Award in 2020 and a recipient of the Canadian Information Processing Society Award for Leadership in Innovation.
He hails originally from Nigeria and was born to a family of five, raised by both parents along with his two elder siblings. Prior to immigrating and co-founding Welkom-U Inc in Canada, he worked as a product manager for three years at Appzone Group, a leading Fintech provider in Africa, where he led multiple project teams to deliver enterprise solutions at top banks in Africa.
Ajibola is a member of the Atlantic Growth Solutions (AGS) team out of Fredericton New Brunswick, recognized as the number #1 B2B sales company in Canada, a member of the Venn Innovation board of directors and a member on the advisory board at Social Enterprise World Forum. He also leads the Atlantic Canada chapter of the BlackBoysCode, a non-profit organization that aims to improve the future of young Black boys through computer science and technology.
Ajibola is passionate about solving problems using technology, EDI and promoting social impact. He is inspired to help future entrepreneurs understand the hurdles he faced integrating into a new community, starting a company and how he navigates through them. When he’s not working, he can be found playing basketball, reading books or playing video games.
City: Toronto
Tomorrow is an illusion, so eat, laugh and live today. Chef Raquel Fox has lived by that adage since she was a little girl in Nassau, preparing her own bottle at two-years-old after seeing her mom do it. As she grew up, she became her grandmother’s sous-chef, and together they prepared celebratory Sunday dinners that kept her family together and fed the neighbours.
Over the years, the speaker, media personality and business owner has shared those traditional island cooking nuances while expanding her own prowess. Her hunger for new culinary skills and knowledge has taken her across the globe. Fox has attended international schools and catalogued hundreds of family recipes from friends of all backgrounds.
In 2009, she and her husband, Ruben, opened The Wine Lounge, which USA Today deemed one of the 10 Best Bahamian Lounges. Fox, Ruben and their two sons came to Canada in 2014 on the advice of a teacher and in order to give their autistic son, Rashad, the best potential and quality of life. Here, Fox studied at the Chef School at George Brown, where she now teaches her own Caribbean Cooking Course. Fox is also a member of the International Cuisine Program Advisory Committee (PAC) for the Chef School.
In 2018, she conceptualized and wrote the 2020 Gourmand Awards-winning cookbook Dining in Paradise, which was also nominated in 2019 for the Taste Canada Awards and celebrated that year at Canada’s Table (Fort York).
Chef Fox has made charitable contributions to FoodShare’s Recipe for Change initiative since February 2019 as well as the Shoebox Project for Women, and the Food Pantry Cereal Centre in Newmarket. She is a regular contributor and guest expert on TV shows across Canada including Cityline, Your Morning, Breakfast Television and Global News. She brings a strong sense of community to her plates and embodies farm-to-table cooking by skillfully preparing food from Ontario farms with little-to-no waste.
This summer Fox continues her mission of bringing her hometown flavours to the masses by launching her line of Island Gurl Sauces — healthy sauces designed to transport you to the islands — in select Loblaws stores across Canada.
Author, inspirational speaker and transformative learning coach
City: Toronto
Shirin Ariff is an author, inspirational speaker with over three million global views, a transformative learning coach and a proud single mother of four beautiful children.
Known as “The Gentle Force,” Ariff offers transformative education to people feeling stuck in their lives. Through her “Be Your Own North Star” programs and her books, she supports her clients in turning breakdowns into breakthroughs. She has been there, done that. Her own story of dramatic ups and downs and her journey of resilience — which involved immigrating to Canada from India, enduring a dysfunctional second marriage, struggling with facial paralysis and surviving cancer — inspires others with wisdom, strength and hope.
Ariff is a founding member of Immigrant Women in Business (IWB), a non-profit organization dedicated to helping immigrant women from diverse backgrounds succeed as entrepreneurs. She is president of the IWB Brampton Chapter.
Ariff wears many hats. As an Ontario certified teacher, she has volunteered in TDSB classrooms and served as teacher and vice principal (teacher support) for ITREB Ontario. She has served as co-ordinator and facilitator of early childhood education programs (SEED) and Bump into SEED for ITREB Ontario. She has been a badged volunteer for Ismaili Volunteer Corp (IVC).
Ariff has been interviewed on numerous news and social media channels as well as podcasts.
Her life-story of resilience inspired a film that was part of “Dream Big” docu-series filmed by Ethnic Channel Group.
Canada director at Human Rights Watch
City: Toronto
Farida Deif is the Canada director at Human Rights Watch, one of the world’s leading international human rights organizations. Based in Toronto, she monitors human rights abuses across Canada and advocates for a rights-respecting Canadian foreign policy.
Born in Egypt, Deif has dedicated her life to advancing human rights in the Middle East and around the world. Deif’s family immigrated to Canada when she was a child, settling in Thornhill where she continues to live with her son today.
For the past 20 years, she has been actively involved in the human rights field, interviewing victims as part of investigations to document abuses and engaging in targeted advocacy to press for change. She participated in Human Rights Watch’s first fact-finding missions to Libya and Saudi Arabia and has published extensively on human rights abuses across the region.
Taking on one international crisis after another, Deif plays a vital role in global efforts to advance justice and accountability for the world’s most persecuted people. Deif regularly meets with affected communities, engages with government officials and testifies before parliament to promote action on human rights. Her work in partnership with other advocates is vital in advancing human dignity globally.
Prior to joining Human Rights Watch, Deif worked at the United Nations with UNICEF, the Office of the High Commissioner for Human Rights, and UN Women. She holds a graduate degree from Columbia University’s School of International and Public Affairs and l’Institut d’Etudes Politiques de Paris and obtained an undergraduate degree from Carleton University in Ottawa.
While Deif has lived in several countries over the years including Cyprus, France, the U.K., the U.S., and Saudi Arabia, she calls Canada home.
Actor
City: Toronto
Paul Sun-Hyung Lee is a Korean-Canadian actor, writer and comedian who hails from Toronto. Born in Daejeon, South Korea his family immigrated to Canada when he was three-months old. Best known as family patriarch ‘Appa’ on the CBC/Netflix hit Kim’s Convenience, Lee received fan and critical acclaim globally winning three Canadian Screen Awards in the Leading Comedic Role category as well as a nomination for the role from the Seoul International Drama Awards. Twice nominated for a Dora Mavor Moore Theatre Award for outstanding performance and winner of the prestigious Toronto Theatre Critics’ Award for Best Actor, Sun-Hyung Lee continues to pursue excellence both onstage and screen.
As an avid Star Wars fan and collector, he was thrilled to join the cast of The Mandalorian as X-wing fighter ‘Captain Carson Teva’ for Disney+. A self-professed nerd, he is a collector of movies, action figures and an avid replica prop builder, cosplayer and YouTuber.
Selected television credits include Degrassi: The Next Generation, Shoot the Messenger; Robocop; Private Eyes, Harriet The Spy; The Firm; Warehouse 13; Happy Town; The Bridge, Dark Matter; Boyfriends of Christmas Past.
Member of Provincial Parliament of Parkdale–High Park
City: Toronto
Bhutila Karpoche is the member of Provincial Parliament for Parkdale–High Park. In June 2018, Karpoche made history by becoming the first person of Tibetan heritage to be elected to public office in North America. July is officially Tibetan Heritage Month in Ontario as Karpoche’s Bill 131, Tibetan Heritage Month Act became law in 2020.
Karpoche is active on issues around affordable housing, workers’ rights and public health care. She holds degrees from the University of British Columbia and the University of Toronto. A trained epidemiologist, Karpoche’s public health work focuses on the social determinants of health. She has co-authored the report “A public health crisis in the making: The health impacts of precarious work on racialized refugee and immigrant women.”
The recipient of numerous awards including the Queen Elizabeth Diamond Jubilee Medal, Karpoche was also named one of Toronto’s Most Inspirational Women in 2019, voted Toronto’s Best Local Politician by Toronto Star readers in 2019, and voted Toronto’s Best MPP by NOW Magazine readers in 2019, 2020 and 2021.
Teacher, researcher and community advocate
City: Niagara Falls, Ontario
Country of origin: Switzerland
Pam Farrell immigrated to Canada in 2001 from Switzerland. She has been serving, advocating and volunteering with underserviced populations ever since. Farrell has always had a passion for learning and believes that through education, positive change can be achieved. Since arriving in Canada at age of 23, she studied at St. Francis Xavier University, York University, and the University of Calgary. She has earned a B.A., B.Ed., M.Ed., and is currently completing her doctoral studies in food literacy and food security.
Previously, she worked at Ernst & Young where she coordinated national learning, diversity, and inclusion initiatives and at Ryerson University, conducting research on immigration and settlement issues. She then switched her focus and became an elementary school teacher.
After witnessing firsthand the effects food insecurity had on her students and families, she left teaching to address the systemic issues many families living on low-incomes face, especially Black, Indigenous, People of Colour, and people with disabilities. In 2019, she purchased, with her own funds, the former Scouts Canada building and founded GROW Community Food Literacy Centre (GROW), the first food literacy centre in Canada. GROW is a non-profit organization dedicated to providing access to good food for all. Since August 2020, the centre, which is completely volunteer run, has provided access to healthy, nutritious and affordable food, along with food literacy programming and food security advocacy. GROW strengthens the local food environment to be resilient, community focused, and sustainable.
Farrell’s research and community work specifically advance our understanding of the sociocultural factors that inform and influence food literacies. Putting her research into practice, GROW addresses our current food system challenges, concerns and inequalities which are captured in both her community work and research around food deserts, food insecurity, and sustainability.
Farrell’s contribution has charted the path forward as a unique and innovative model in addressing food insecurity. She is a scholar and published author having received national and international attention for her work. Her efforts will continue to make a profound, lasting, and significant impact on the community members in the city of Niagara Falls and beyond.
City: Edmonton
Jose Fernando Triana is originally from Colombia. He began his social work early, first, as a mayor, and afterwards as a member of the Colombian Legislative Assembly before arriving in Toronto, Ontario, in 2002. He lived there for nearly two years, and subsequently moved to Edmonton, Alberta, where his social work began and flourished.
Triana’s goal was to unify the Latino community in Alberta and so he founded Triana Services Ltd., a small business offering legal and social services.
After seeing that there was a lack of media platforms in Alberta for the Latino community, he decided to create a magazine to keep the community informed, and at this point, Soy Hispano Magazine was born, and very quickly turned into the most widely read Latin written media source in Alberta. After the success of the magazine, a television channel named Soy Hispano TV was launched, providing daily broadcasts. This helped fill the information gap that existed and in this way he merged his organization’s branches, Soy Hispano Magazine and Soy Hispano TV, collectively, “Soy Hispano Media Communications Inc.”
In 2011, Triana was awarded with the Queen Elizabeth II Jubilee Medal by the Canadian government for his contribution to Canadian society, and was also recognized in 2014 by the Latino Canadian Chamber of Commerce for his social work and entrepreneurial pursuits, receiving an award as director of Soy Hispano Magazine.
Triana was again recognized in 2013, this time by the Hispanic Business Alliance as one of the “10 most influential Hispanics in Canada.”
Triana also received a recognition from the Parliament of Canada for his role as a director of one of the “Most Influential Immigrant Media Platforms” in Alberta.
Triana is currently the founder and owner of the Edmonton Latino Centre, a service cente to help the immigrant community, as well as a notary public.
He studied and graduated in Canada in conservation and environmental sciences and as a legal assistant.
Triana has always had the ability to identify and connect relationships in organizations and communities that can generate value and mutual enrichment.
Advertising and media professional
City: Toronto
Canada afforded Milena Marques-Zachariah the perfect platform to combine her creativity with compassion when she landed here in 1999, armed with years of advertising experience in Mumbai and Dubai. She started volunteering her time and expertise as soon as she arrived at the Scarborough Women’s Centre and the Breastfeeding Association of Canada.
Understanding that the emerging multicultural landscape of Canada needed professionals to help advertisers connect effectively with diverse ethnic groups, she started her successful creative consultancy, Out of my Mind. She was one of the pioneers in multicultural marketing, helping national and multinational companies understand the importance of cultural connect.
Marques-Zachariah is also a published short story writer, blogger and columnist. Her observations on life for new immigrants led her to create the column ‘Confessions of an Immigrant Housewife’ for the Weekly Voice newspaper. Her blog, ‘Canadian Chronicles,’ records the journey of ordinary folk who’ve overcome extraordinary challenges to settle in their new home. Her other blog, ‘Chasing the Perfect Curry,’ introduced foodies to the yet unexplored part of India’s incredibly varied cuisine on the Konkan coast, now extended to curry chases in and around Toronto.
Marques-Zachariah created waves by creating, producing and hosting the first radio program in Konkani in North America, providing a platform for Canada’s Konkani speaking diaspora. Now a not-for-profit, this podcast is available to listeners across the globe.
Currently she’s the senior editor at Liisbeth, an online magazine for enterprising feminists looking to connect, grow and flourish. She is president of the board of directors of the Elizabeth Fry Society of Peel-Halton, empowering and providing coping strategies and opportunities to women who are at risk, or in conflict with the law. She also mentors new immigrants at the Dixie-Bloor Neighbourhood Centre.
She’s been recognized for her commitment to the community by the Mangalorean Association of Canada, Dixie Bloor Neighbourhood Centre and Absolutely Fabulous Women.
CEO, Education Consultants Canada Inc.
City: Toronto
Sanchari Sen Rai is an immigrant entrepreneur. She is the co-founder and chief executive officer of Education Consultants Canada (ECC) Inc. and a licensed immigration consultant who helps international students work through the onerous process of applying to study in Canada.
ECC provides a one-stop-shop solution for international students who want uncomplicated access to international education. Being a bootstrapping small business growing organically, Sen Rai has embedded diversity and inclusion within the team that comprises 90 per cent of women who were international students. ECC gives a chance to the novice as a new hire, especially ex-international students with internship opportunities. ECC has recruited international students who were interns as full-time employees.
Having immigrated in 2010 from India, Sen Rai had an academic degree in hospitality with more than 15 years of experience working overseas. She believes it is vitally important and a social obligation for businesses to give back to the community all that one has learned and earned when one is able to do so to create empowering teams and individuals. In light of the challenges faced by international students with the pandemic over the past years, she had been trying to make an impact by pivoting the business, creating jobs and internship opportunities for international students. She is also actively associated as a mentor with three different organization volunteering her time for immigrant women, high school girls, international students and newcomers to the country.
Her goal is to make an impact through coaching, mentoring and guidance to other young women who come to Canada as international students or new immigrants and aspire to build a career for themselves, integrate and settle.
She has been awarded as one of Canada’s Most Powerful Women: Top 100 Award 2019 (Entrepreneur Category).
Senior engineer and entrepreneur
Damineh Akhavan, P.Eng., was born in the post-revolution pre-war Iran. Her father would read her stories about life, social issues and humanity as she stared at the beautiful Tehran night sky. That is when her love affair with the sky and space started. At three, Akhavan wanted to be an astronaut as she watched Sally Ride aboard the Space Shuttle Challenger. By eight, Akhavan wanted to be an astronomer to discover a habitable planet, an engineer to build a spacecraft, and an astronaut to fly all underprivileged people to her planet on her spacecraft. This goal resulted in her parents moving to Canada when she was 17 and paved the way for her endeavours as a dedicated professional and an outstanding community leader.
Akhavan holds a B.Eng. in mechanical engineering, a B.Sc. in physics, and an MBA in international business. She is a senior engineer at De Havilland Aircraft of Canada and a Transport Canada Designated Engineer leading support of the world’s de Havilland legacy and CL water bomber aircraft in structural repairs, extensive in-service and production modifications, accident damage assessments and aircraft incident investigations for over 16 years. Her work is greatly valued as the fleet of aircraft she supports provide essential services such as firefighting activities, medevac support, search and rescue missions, and coastal surveillance.
In addition, Akhavan is a founder and CEO of Global Women in STEM Inc. promoting equality for women and other equity deserving groups in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Mathematics (STEM) through education, advocacy, and action for a world where they have access to equal opportunities, and inclusive and diverse environments to achieve their full potential.
Akhavan has been an incredible advocate for equity, diversity, and inclusion for and advancement of women in STEM, and an exemplary champion for women in Engineering for the past 17 years. She is also passionate about involvement of children and youth in STEM subjects, a passion that has grown especially after becoming a mother. Her exceptional service to the local, provincial, national, and international communities can be seen in her tireless endeavours and incredible mentorship efforts with numerous organizations. For her great service to the aerospace industry, Akhavan was recognized as a leading woman in aerospace in Canada at the CASI AERO13 Women in Aerospace. For her outstanding professional achievements and exemplary community contributions, Akhavan has been awarded the prestigious University of Victoria Distinguished Alumni President’s Award and the inaugural University of Victoria Gustavson School of Business “Spirit of Ali” award.
City: Winnipeg
Christopher San Juan immigrated to Canada in 2005 and landed his first job as a full-time night cleaner in Walmart and a part-time stocker in Extra Foods. He worked his way up and got his first supervisory position in Extra Foods and with his hard work, passion, determination and his affinity for leadership he was promoted as grocery manager, assistant manager and as a store manager thereafter. Topher’s years of dedication and passion culminated in becoming the first Filipino franchise owner of NOFRILLS in Western Canada, which opened in 2015 in Winnipeg. He was the owner of Topher’s NOFRILLS until he retired from the business this month.
Over the last seven years as owner, he has made meaningful impact through his work supporting and uplifting various community initiatives including Spence Neighbourhood Association, Siloam Mission, Cancer Care Manitoba, Main Street Project, Health Sciences Centre, Little People of Manitoba, Immigrant Centre and the Misericordia Health Centre. San Juan has been awarded various accolades within NOFRILLS organization including 2017 Community Leader Award with “My NoFrills,” the 2018 Community Leader Award for his support to the Balikbayan Program for the Filipino community and the 2018 Community Leadership Award for his work supporting the We know Local program.
San Juan’s contribution to the community has not been left unnoticed. He received an Outstanding Large Business Award in 2017 from Manitoba Filipino Business Council. In June 2019, during Canada’s very first National Philippine Heritage Month, San Juan was recognized for his valuable role and significant contribution in the Filipino-Canadian heritage community in Winnipeg. He also received an Employer Achievement Award from Ethnocultural Council of Manitoba for his contribution to the economic empowerment of newcomers to Manitoba.
San Juan believes in the value and potential of all newcomers. He values diversity in his workplace, he believes that having diverse employees in the store makes all customers feel welcomed and included thus creating a welcoming environment and community.
In his personal time, he loves spending time with his wife of 14 years, Janice, and their two daughters, Callista and Chloe. He is now also pursuing a new entrepreneurial venture.
Dean, Faculty of Science, York University
City: Toronto
Rui Wang, PhD, has been the dean of the Faculty of Science of York University since 2020. He was interim vice-president research and innovation as well as inaugural deputy provost Markham of York University (2018-2020).
During 2004-2018, he was vice-president research of Lakehead University in Thunder Bay and Laurentian University in Sudbury consecutively. Prior to 2004, Wang was a professor of physiology at Université de Montréal and at University of Saskatchewan. Born and raised in China where he completed his medicine training, Wang received his PhD in 1990 from University of Alberta. He became a Canadian citizen in 1994.
Wang is an international leader in the biomedical study of a gas molecule, hydrogen sulfide (H2S). He has published 298 peer-reviewed papers in leading scientific journals and edited three books. Being named one of the world’s Top 2% Scientists for career impact, his publications on H2S biology and medicine have received the highest total citations in this field in the world. He has given 172 lectures and keynotes around the world and trained more than 125 graduate students and other research personnel. His H2S research has fundamentally changed and impacted on our understanding and practice in H2S-related health and disease management.
Among numerous awards/recognitions he received are Fellow of the Royal Society of Canada, the Federation of Canadian Chinese Professionals (Ontario) Award of Merit, Fellow of the Canadian Academy of Health Sciences, Pfizer Senior Scientist Award from the Canadian Society of Pharmacology and Therapeutics, and Fellow of the American Heart Association.
Wang’s volunteer and public and community contributions are manifested through his numerous leadership roles. He had been the president of Canadian Physiology Society, inaugural chair of Pan-Northern Mining Research Alliance, and a member of more than 20 board of directors for research, innovation and economic development organizations in Canada. He advocated an environmental revitalization initiative in Sudbury, namely Sudbury Protocol. He also served as a member of the Mayor’s Health Sector Task Force for Thunder Bay.
In Saskatoon, Wang was a Captain of “Big Bike” for fundraising activity for Heart and Stroke Foundation and a judge of a regional science fair.
Winner of the 2019 Small Business BC Best Immigrant Entrepreneur award, Ruairi Spillane first immigrated to Vancouver in 2008. Initially working in finance, he became frustrated after the global financial crisis and wanted to do something more meaningful. As a newcomer, he was curious about how other newcomers settled in Canada. Spillane began researching success factors that allowed newcomers to settle quicker, and realized that access to independent, quality information had a huge impact on newcomers’ transition to life in Canada.
Instead of being a gatekeeper of information, Spillane set out to change the game and build a free, independent platform, working with partners who value being part of the newcomer experience. In 2012, Moving2Canada.com was born and would soon attract a motivated newcomer community, armed with the knowledge they need to be successful in Canada. In the decade since, many people around the world have used Moving2Canada to learn more about this country and the success factors that go into building a dream life here.
As a newcomer-led organization, Moving2Canada helps recent and potential newcomers to develop a personalized success strategy, connecting them with relevant information, products and services as they navigate a life-changing journey. Moving2Canada’s popular email roadmaps, planning tools and expert articles continue to help thousands of new and future Canadians on their own path to success.
Spillane’s other business, Outpost Recruitment, also has a newcomer focus — placing international talent with Canada’s leading construction firms.
Spillane mentors marginalized newcomers, including an Ethiopian refugee who was launching a business in Canada. Through the Immigrant Services Society of BC, Spillane has mentored immigrant entrepreneurs and volunteered to speak at seminars.
In 2018, Spillane was co-founder of the Ireland-Canada Chamber of Commerce Vancouver and served as president from 2019 to 2021, promoting increased trade between Ireland and Canada.
In 2021, Spillane raised more than $5,000 by “sleeping out” for Covenant House. In May 2022 he will run the Vancouver Marathon and raise funds for Pieta House, a suicide prevention organization in Ireland.
Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO
City: Ottawa
Named one of the 10 most influential Francophones in Canada by Francophone media in January 2022, Roda Muse proudly serves as Secretary-General of the Canadian Commission for UNESCO (United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization) where she is actively in charge of implementing the UNESCO’s priorities in Canada.
Among her many achievements was the partnership she struck in the early 2000s with the City of Ottawa, the federal public service and the Centre d’Intégration, de Formation et de Développement Économique (CIFODE) to support the integration of visible minority professionals into the federal public service.
In 2003, she co-founded Fondation Acacia, a charitable organization dedicated to fostering excellence in young visible minority Francophones through education and mentoring.
Muse was the first BIPOC elected as a school board trustee in the Francophone system in Ottawa. Since then, three others have joined the two main Francophone school boards. She is also a member of the board of directors of Montfort Hospital and a member of the board of directors of the Consortium Centre Jules-Léger, a Francophone provincial institution offering special education in Ontario for children with severe learning disabilities or who are Deaf or hard of hearing, who are blind or low vision or who are deafblind.
During her more than 20 years career in the federal public service, she received many awards, the most recent being: the 2021 Assistant Deputy Minister Sector Head Merit Award for the implementation of the Universal Broadband Fund’s Rapid Response Stream (RRS) and the 2017 Deputy Minister Merit Award for her exceptional leadership (Canada 150) at the Department of Innovation, Science and Industry. In 2020, she was also the recipient of the Saphir, in the Professional category, one of the most prestigious prizes in the Franco-Ontarian community.
Although her professional career is demanding, Muse has been and continues to be equally dedicated to her community as a volunteer and mentor.
Chair, Department of Dance, York University
City: Toronto
Recipient of the York University’s highest teaching award, the President’s University-Wide Teaching Award for the senior full-time faculty category, Patrick Alcedo is a dance researcher, a specialist on Philippine traditional dances and an award-winning documentary filmmaker. He is the chair of and a full professor in the Department of Dance at York University, the most comprehensive department of its kind in Canada. He is the first racialized minority to have ever held the position of chair of this department, which was founded in 1972.
The Office of the President of the Republic of the Philippines, through the Commission on Filipino Overseas, will confer on him this year the Pamana Presidential Award. Meaning “legacy and heritage” in the Tagalog language, Pamana is “conferred on overseas Filipino individuals, who, in exemplifying the talent and industry of the Filipino, have brought the country honour and recognition through excellence and distinction in the pursuit of their work or profession.”
Among Alcedo’s many recognitions are a Rockefeller Humanities Foundation Fellowship at the Smithsonian Institution, an Early Researcher Award from the Government of Ontario, and a Selma Jeanne Cohen Award for International Dance Scholarship from the Fulbright Association of America. His PhD in dance history and theory is from the University of California, Riverside, under the auspices of the Asian Cultural Council’s Ford Foundation Grant.
His documentary film, A Piece of Paradise, won Best Canadian Film and Best First Feature Film at the 2017 Toronto Reel Asian International Film Festival — the first back-to-back win in the festival’s 21-year history. World premiering at the 2021 Cannes International Independent Film Festival, his They Call Me Dax is a short documentary about a 15-year-old girl trying to survive as a ballet dancer in Manila. This year’s official selection at the Sydney World Film Festival, it received the 2021 Best Foreign Short Documentary Film from the San Francisco Short Film Festival. His other documentary, the feature-length, A Will to Dream, was an official selection at the 2021 Los Angeles Independent Film Festival and won Asia’s Best Documentary Film at the All Asian Independent Film Festival that same year.
City: Toronto
Naama Blonder has a bold vision: to change what good housing can and should look like in a growing city like Toronto; with that in mind, she co-founded Smart Density.
Her professional practice combines the disciplines of architecture, urban planning and urban design to bring a deeper, more realistic understanding of how cities can address housing affordability and champion inclusive neighbourhoods with more equitable access to housing. Her work has received numerous awards including the prestigious Ontario Association of Architects’ Best Emerging Practice Award for 2022.
Blonder is known for her contributions to public discourse on Missing Middle housing, which refers to a need for more types of housing that fall between the two extremes of single-detached houses on large lots and large residential towers. Recognizing that antagonistic discussions about increased urban density tend to be fraught with misconceptions, Blonder communicates complex issues in a concise manner through her online educational content while advocating for her vision of appropriate housing through media outreach.
To fight stigma around housing, Blonder’s work seeks to inform both residents and industry colleagues about the mutually beneficial outcomes of reimagining what our big cities can look like: greater access to established public transport, shortened commutes, improved housing costs and vacancy rates, greater diversity in housing, and strengthened local economies and communities.
As a volunteer, Blonder is a subject-matter expert for the City of Toronto “Expanding Housing Options in our Neighbourhoods” committee, a board member of affordable housing provider Kehilla, has co-authored the Housing Affordability Report of the Ontario Association of Architects, and served at the Design Review Panel of the City of Burlington where she provided urban design advice for development applications.
Since immigrating from Tel Aviv, Israel to Toronto, Ontario, eight years ago, Blonder has become a licensed architect and a registered urban planner, and co-founded her business which has expanded into an influential seven-employee firm.
She practises what she preaches, living with her husband and two children in a multi-family building in a transit-accessible area of Toronto, where the park is their backyard.
Filmmaker, artist and activist
Mostafa Keshvari is a well-rounded activist filmmaker and a member of the Director’s Guild of Canada, the Writer’s Guild of Canada, the Canadian Media Producer Association and the Federation of Canadian Artists.
Within only a few years of becoming an immigrant, Keshvari’s films have won more than 75 global awards and nominations, including Golden Sheaf awards and five Leo Award nominations. His works have been screened five times at the Cannes Film Festival Short Corner and other Oscar-qualifying film festivals such as Hollyshorts, Yorkton and Edmonton Film Festival.
His films primarily address important social issues such as racism (Colorblind 2022, Corona 2020), the refugee crisis (The Will and the Wall 2020), women’s rights (Unmasked 2018), human rights (Child Bride 2019), and climate change (Eternal Igloo 2022). As the main creative force, his films range from feature films to shorts and animation and have been spotlighted in the New York Times, BBC, the Guardian, The Times, Hollywood Reporter, GQ, CBC, The Global News, and more than 100 global media.
Keshvari founded the BC Minorities for Film and TV Society in 2019, one of the first non-profit organizations in B.C. that promotes diversity and inclusion in the film industry. He has collaborated with a diverse range of underrepresented artists from Black, Asian, Inuit, First Nation, Latino and Iranian communities throughout his career. He also worked as a BMO financial manager prior to perusing his filmmaking dreams. Keshvari holds three degrees in physics and mathematics, the arts, as well as film production.
Keshvari is also a published poet and professional surreal painter, and his paintings on climate change have been exhibited at the 100th anniversary of the Group of Seven exhibition as well as David Suzuki’s Crisis exhibition.
Transformation leader and TEDx speaker
Named a CPA Ontario Emerging Leader in 2020, a recipient of PwC Canada’s CEO Award in 2014 and a two-time TEDx speaker, Fahad Meer has carved out a niche as a prominent voice and leader within the workplace and the community.
Meer is a Director within PwC’s National Strategy and Operations team, where he helps develop and manage the firm’s transformational initiatives. Although his interest lies in strategy and transformation, his passion is found in mentoring, coaching and inspiring young professionals in the firm to become future business leaders. He fulfils his passion by serving as a regular speaker on diverse panels and teaching business and soft skills to young professionals across the country.
Beyond work, Meer’s career is marked by a desire to give back to the community — a responsibility he embraces as a Chartered Professional Accountant (CPA) and a Canadian immigrant. He has previously served as the President of the Canada Pakistan Professionals Association and a judge for the Oakville Awards for Business Excellence. He is currently the Treasurer for a large registered NPO in Saskatchewan and is also the Deputy Chair of CPA Ontario’s Discipline Committee, where he decides on the sanctions for CPAs that have committed professional misconduct.
Raised in Saudi Arabia and born to Pakistani parents, he immigrated to Canada in 2004. He has proudly considered Canada to be his home as it has given him and his family endless opportunities alongside comfort and a sense of belonging.
Overcoming personal hardship and struggles early in his life, he has not shied away from sharing his personal experiences to inspire youth and adults across the country. He serves as a regular keynote speaker for high schools, universities and broader community-based organizations across the country and has most recently delivered his second TEDx talk.
Having been profiled in Canada’s Top 100 Employers, Globe and Mail, Metro News and a McGraw Hill textbook on Organisational Behaviour, he is humbled by what Canada has provided to him and his family and promises to inspire and create a similar path for other immigrants in the country.
Non-profit senior manager; JEDI practitioner
City: Burnaby, BC
Pakistani-Canadian Mariam Bilgrami has worked in various fields from collecting and archiving oral history, cultural poverty alleviation and social justice advocacy, providing access to reproductive health in rural areas of Pakistan, pre-literacy programs for adults, to working with refugee families and their children in settlement, early childhood development and preschool orientation. With 20+ years of experience in social work and international and community development, she has been working in the B.C. settlement sector with immigrants, newcomers and refugees since she arrived in Canada.
She is currently the senior manager, innovation, advocacy and engagement at DIVERSEcity Community Resources Society in Surrey, B.C., and has been the lead behind DIVERSEcity’s management of the Surrey Local Immigration Partnership.
Through her work with DIVERSEcity and the Surrey LIP, she recently facilitated the development of a Mental Health and Wellbeing Toolkit for service providers to gain understanding on the specific mental health needs of newcomer populations. She oversaw the development of the Racism Mapping Project, a community-led research project that gathers data around racism and hate incidents taking place in Surrey, B.C. She also led the development of the award-winning “Surrey First Peoples Guide for Newcomers,” a resource seeking to uplift and amplify the voices of the land-based Nations that Surrey occupies, uncover hard truths, construct a foundation for shared understanding, and continue the important work of building solidarity between the Indigenous and newcomer communities.
She was recently a mentor at Science World’s Girls & STEAM event for girls ages 14–16 to explore dream careers and connect with inspiring mentors and experts. She has been nominated for the Surrey Board of Trade Innovation Awards Large Business Category 2019 for MOSAICS’ SCENE Project (Social and Civic Engagement for Newcomers and Immigrants) and awarded a bursary to attend the 2019 Women Deliver conference in Vancouver.
Bilgrami feels honoured to be a part of Simon Fraser University’s RADIUS Migrant Systems Change Leadership Certification and Trampoline Programs as an advisor, where she guides the cohort participants with their ideas and systems change projects and supports them through sharing skills, knowledge and networks.
Bilgrami is also a certified justice, equity, diversity and inclusion (JEDI) practitioner and consultant specializing in anti-racist and anti-oppressive systems change, and a passionate advocate for social justice.
City: Calgary
Maria Dina Galura was featured in the inaugural list of “Calgarians We Love” by Avenue magazine in 2021. This was a nod to her large-scale balloon art installations for the community.
Back home, she was the lone female warehouseman in the raw materials department of a paper mill. Later on, she moved to be part of the key startup team for Texas Instruments Clark. In Calgary, she expanded her career in oil and gas as a planner/scheduler.
In 2015, she started a side party business, Calgary Party 50 because she had leftover party supplies from one of her daughter’s birthday parties. She later focused on her childhood love of balloons and started to create large-scale art installations — all from balloons.
Her first installation was for 2017 Beakerhead, an art, science and engineering festival, was along the Calgary Transit line where 5,000 white balloons spilled out of Canada Legion No. 1 heritage building. For Mother’s Day 2018, her giant confetti balloon graced a magazine’s front cover.
“Dreams Never Die” was presented in fall 2018, a version of the animated movie UP house that went viral, seen in HuffPost Canada and Calgary Herald. She has continued to create balloon art in Edmonton, Calgary, Banff and Lake Louise. Thousands of balloons were seen at winter festivals, corporate events, charity galas and shopping mall offerings, even at TEDx as an artist in residence. Her passion project is an annual community gift at the architectural maven Calgary Central Library, one of Times 100 Places to Visit in 2019.
Galura names her installations with Tagalog words as a tribute to her roots. In CBC’s Kapitbahay (neighbour in Tagalog) Series, she was featured for her Iskrambol (Ice Scramble) winter installation in 2021.
Her balloon work has been repeatedly shared by Qualatex, the leading balloon manufacturer in the U.S. and Canada.
Along with her husband and three daughters, they love day trips to the Rockies. Galura calls Calgary home for 10 years and wants to do continuing education to complement her certificate of project management from University of Calgary, Bachelor of science in industrial engineering and masters in management from the University of the Philippines.
Kuljit Singh
Owner, AKAL Mortgages, Inc.
Recently awarded the lifetime achievement award by the Canadian Mortgage Awards, Kuljit Singh is the owner and founder of Mississauga-based AKAL Mortgages Inc., founded in 2007. His company employs more than 250 individuals and has been recognized as one of the top brokerages for three consecutive years.
Having moved to Canada from India in 1992 with a mere $20 in his pocket, from working menial labour jobs to landing a mid-management job and then founding and running a successful business, Singh has proven that hard work and perseverance are the keys to success. In his words, “Persistence is the key to success in our professional and personal lives. Never give up and stay true to your desired course.”
His co-workers and colleagues describe Singh as “one of those rare leaders whose moral compass is driven by the principles of stewardship.” During his 20 years in the mortgage industry, his passion for achieving professional excellence has been recognized through multiple awards and accolades. He is currently serving as a director of Mortgage Professionals Canada.
His devotion to do good and make the world a better place is not limited to his professional life. Singh is actively associated with various philanthropic endeavours. For example, through his association with DISHA – South Asian Women’s Organization, he has actively campaigned against female foeticide and gender inequality within immigrant communities.
Through his association with various other non-profit organizations, Singh has actively worked on promoting peace, diversity, inclusion and cross-cultural understanding among different ethnic and religious groups. He has also been raising awareness on diabetes, cancer and mental health issues in minority and immigrant communities.
Singh is very passionate about educating and helping international students to overcome cultural and language barriers to enhance their skill sets and prepare for further education and employment. He has made it a mission of his life to bring about meaningful change for minorities in the Peel region.
A father of three and living in Brampton, Singh has called Canada home for almost 30 years. He is a registered pharmacist in India and holds a PhD in sociology.
Program manager
City: Ottawa
Jatinder Chadha has been recognized numerous times for his work in the community. Hon. Governor General David Johnson awarded him the Governor General’s Sovereign’s Medal for Volunteer in 2016. He received Ottawa Mayor’s City Builder Award, United Way’s Community Builder Award, Minister (MPP) Lisa Macleod’s Canada 150, and MP Chandra Arya’s Canada 150 medal. Chadha has also been recently appointed to Ontario Trillium Foundation’s Grant review committee.
Chadha migrated to Canada with his parents and younger brother at a young age of 16 with a big dream. For a young teenager arriving in a complete foreign county in late ’90s, Chadha faced many challenges. Usually at that age, teenagers get to experience life’s most cherish moments with their childhood friends and high school colleagues, but life had different plans for him at that time. Shortly after arrival, he was faced with survival challenge as both his parents didn’t speak English and couldn’t get any jobs. Chadha took upon the challenge to start his first job as a dishwasher at local restaurant while attending high school. Gradually, he moved to other positions such as baker, cashier, salesman while attending night school to complete his graduation.
Upon graduation, he got a position at JDS Uniphase and ended his career as a trainer prior to the tech meltdown in early 2000s. Thereon, Chadha started driving a cab overnight for 12 hours to support his family. He continued his quest for higher education while working night shifts. He took HR management courses at Algonquin College and Carleton University to continually develop his skillset. Shortly afterward, Chadha got a position as a bus operator at OC Transpo in 2003 and gradually moved up the ladder.
Chadha is currently working a program manager with City of Ottawa overseeing rail operations with annual budget of over $70 million. Chadha is a highly motivated, ambitious and passionate community leader. Since early 2000, he has been instrumental in building strong community presence over the years. He has served on many non-profit organization’s boards including India Canada Association, Barrhaven Foodbank, East Barrhaven community association and Punjabi Community Health Services
Honorary consul
City: Toronto
Henry Leong Bee Lee first came to Toronto in 1978 as a consul for Malaysia for three years. He fell in love with Canada and returned to Toronto as a landed immigrant in 1987. Finding a suitable job that is relevant to his qualification and experience was a struggle in the first few years. He got a break in 1994 when the Ontario International Trade and subsequently some Ontario corporations appointed him as a consultant to explore and develop business opportunities in Southeast Asia, notably Malaysia. After two years, he joined CIBC as an investment specialist and subsequently Dominion securities. He retired seven years ago.
Currently, Lee is the honorary consul for Malaysia in Toronto.
The following are other organizations Lee is involved in in various capacities:
Advisor and past president, Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario (CMC), an umbrella organization of 20 Asian community and ethnic groups
Director, SEAS Foundation, a social agency which provides support to seniors, new immigrants, youth and promotes family harmony
Co-chair, community philanthropic council, Scarborough Hospital Network Foundation
Founding Chairman, Malaysian Association of Canada
Lee has received a number of community awards for his contributions and volunteerism, including:
Ambassador for Peace Award 2020 presented by the Universal Peace Federation in recognition of his effort to promote the ideal of peace through racial, national and religious understanding and cooperation.
Recognition statement in May 2021 in the Canadian Parliament Senate as one of the outstanding Asian Canadians who has contributed toward the promotion of peace and multiculturalism in Canada
Deeds Speak award in recognition of his outstanding contribution to the diverse community in GTA presented by the York Regional Police, May 2021
5.Outstanding Asian Canadian Award in recognition of his exemplary contribution to Canadian community, presented by the Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario (CMC)
4 Ways Test award for being a role model in the business community, presented by the Rotary Club of York
Service recognition award medal 2021 presented by MP Shaun Chen for helping the community during the Covid pandemic.
A champion of multiculturalism indeed, for the last 10 years, Lee spearheaded and organized the Outstanding Asian Canadian Awards during the Asian Heritage Month. On the charity front, Lee played an active role in a number of international disaster relief fundraising events such as the Sichuan and Haiti earthquake, Philippines’ typhoon, Japanese and Southeast Asia tsunami. One of his greatest achievements was organizing the first-ever Asian all-stars benefit concert for the Scarborough hospitals.
Lee was picked as the Canadian representative to speak on the subject of opportunity and hope at a time of crisis at the International Leadership Conference held at Bangkok in 2020, together with a number of world leaders.
Founder and director, Canadian Advisory of Women Immigrants
Hani Rukh E Qamar is the founder and director of the Canadian Advisory of Women Immigrants (CAWI), a youth-led NPO dedicated to empowering immigrant women. She immigrated to Canada in 2011 with her family from Pakistan. Currently, she is pursuing a BSc. in psychology with a double minor in health geography and international development studies at McGill University.
Just 20 years old, she is on the advisory table at the Regina Region Local Immigration Partnership (RRLIP), and she also works as a global policy liaison at the International Youth Alliance for Family Planning (IYAFP). Recently, she was invited to be a part of the Reference Group at PMNCH for Adolescent Well-Being in collaboration with the World Health Organization (WHO). Furthermore, she also serves on the Steering Committee for Women in Global Health (WGH), which is in collaboration with the Canadian Association for Global Health (CAGH).
She has received various awards for her work, such as the Scarlet Key Society and CAMIMH’s Champion of Mental Health Award. Her work has also been published in the news, especially in the context of her nonprofit work with immigrant women and girls. This year, she is also supporting the Canadian Delegation to the Commission on Population and Development as a youth delegate. Additionally, she works on research topics related to mental and sexual health, especially in contexts of immigrant, youth and BIPOC communities.
She is passionate about equitable access to health care, social determinants of health, and the rights of immigrants and refugees.
Physician
City: Toronto
Dr. Sivakumar Gulasingam is a physical medicine and rehabilitation (PM&R) physician attached to University Health Network’s (UHN) Toronto Rehabilitation Institute (TRI) and an assistant professor at University of Toronto (UofT).
After working as a lead physician at the National Rehabilitation Hospital in Sri Lanka, Gulasingam immigrated to Canada in 2008. He completed the Canadian licensing exams and a residency training in PM&R at the UofT to be awarded “Fellow” (FRCP(C)), Royal College of Physicians & Surgeons of Canada in 2016.
Other than his clinical work, Gulasingam contributes to the field of PM&R through his many roles which include Canadian Association of PM&R’s Chair – International Rehabilitation Special Interest Group and National Lead PM&R Residency Exams, National PM&R Representative for International Society of PM&R, SCI High content expert and a number of positions with UofT PM&R Residency program.
As an international medical graduate (IMG), he has been an advocate for internationally educated professionals (IEP), and continues to share his experience with IEPs and IMGs entering medical and alternative career pathways. He has been a tutor/facilitator for HealthForceOntario IMG study groups, healthcare panelist and a “Successful IEP” panelist at the National IEP Conferences, keynote speaker at the Bridges Collaborative Forum, for Ontario’s newcomer service organizations and have addressed many IMG forums.
Gulasingam strongly believes in empowering people with disabilities through sports. His volunteer roles as national trainer & para-athletics classifier with Athletics Canada, head of classification for Wheel-Dance Canada, International Paralympic Committee classifier for World Para-Athletics and World Para-Dance Sports (WPDS), International Trainer WPDS, Classification Director and head of Multisport Classification – Toronto Invictus Games (2017) for war veterans would attest to that.
Gulasingam is a recipient of many prestigious awards including Outstanding and Innovation/Contribution to Clinical Education – TRI, UHN (2021), Michael Gordon Award for Humanism in Medicine – DOM, UofT (2020), Post Graduate Medical Trainee Leadership Award – DOM, UofT (2016) and the Most Outstanding Young Persons of the Year – Humanitarian and Voluntary Services, Junior Chambers International (JCI), Sri Lanka (2004).
He lives in Toronto with his wife Anuja and three children, Abhinya, Ashvini and Ambhikesh.
Professor emeritus and program chair, McMaster Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program
City: Burlington, Ontario
As a female doctor, visionary and role model, Professor Emeritus Dr. Angelica Fargas-Babjak has inspired many people in her 50 + year career as an esteemed anesthesiologist, pain specialist and instructor at McMaster University Medical Centre. She has continued to transform the delivery and approach of health care in Canada and internationally by researching and implementing new approaches in non-pharmacological pain management. As a young physician in the former Communist Czechoslovakia, it was during the historical 1968 Prague Spring, when the Soviet armies brutally invaded her country that she courageously immigrated to Canada and faced a set of new challenges.
After having learned English and completing her medical exams, during her residency in anaesthesia at McMaster University, Dr. Fargas-Babjak attended a workshop on acupuncture for headaches led by the Acupuncture Foundation of Canada Institute (AFCI). Having struggled with migraines herself, she began to develop an interest in non-pharmacological pain management and began to study acupuncture by travelling to the Far East to further develop her knowledge. It was in 1984 that she first established the Acupuncture/Pain Clinic at the Hamilton Health Sciences Centre (HHSC), as a part of the McMaster multidisciplinary Pain Management Program to help chronic pain patients. She firmly believed that the rational incorporation of acupuncture as a peripheral nerve stimulation technique, as well as other treatment methods into modern health care delivery, would enhance long-term improvement of health and function in the aging population.
Facing many obstacles in her career, as a newcomer and as a woman in a traditionally male dominant field, Dr. Fargas-Babjak took the initiative to learn about an unknown and misunderstood practice and used a holistic approach to manage pain. As a past president of the AFCI and of the Canadian Contemporary Acupuncture Association, Fargas-Babjak has published numerous medical articles, has lectured at conferences and has actively pursued research in anaesthesia, acupuncture and pain management. She has been involved in the undergraduate and postgraduate education in the HHSC.
She was awarded with the J.F. Purkinje Society Medal for contributions in the field of acupuncture (1988) and the prize of Humanitarianism from the Open International University of Medicina Alternativa (1989). In 1998, Dr. Fargas-Babjak co-founded and launched the Contemporary Medical Acupuncture Program at McMaster University in Hamilton, Ontario. With Dr. Elorriaga Claraco, they made it their mission to enhance the position of acupuncture in the medical community and to create a high-level, science-based international program. Running successfully for the past 24 years, over 2,000 professionals have already benefited from this program. Dr. Fargas-Babjak continues to be the program chair. Being a trailblazer and a true pioneer, her ongoing dedication, her innovation, and her vision of educating health professionals using research-based complimentary treatment methods and to have acupuncture become part of mainstream medicine, has made an impact in the medical community in Canada and worldwide. She has left a lasting legacy where she has made a difference in the lives of the people she has touched.
President, Access Empowerment Council
City: Toronto
Diana Alli D’Souza, born in Mumbai, India, has called Canada her home, a land of many opportunities for 47 years.
Her indefatigable journey has been unstoppable as a trailblazer, serving the Faculty of Medicine, University of Toronto (UofT) for nearly four decades, and since her retirement in 2012, with her immeasurable contributions internationally especially in Rishikesh, Himalayas, as president, Access Empowerment Council “inspiring our kids, serving our elderly globally.”
Her emboldening initiatives reaches 3 NGOs and an Ashram as a beloved English teacher and philanthropist helping the most marginalized Indigenous children/youth. Her groundbreaking work at UofT founding and co-founding over 21 outreach programs in the GTA amplifying her visionary work of strengthening the pillars of diversity, inclusion, social justice and humanitarianism reaching out to underserved, underrepresented, vulnerable and racialized populations.
She has spearheaded large-scale global benefit concerts through utihp.ca – raising tens of thousands of dollars for destitute children around the globe. As lead administrator with interdisciplinary students of UTIHP’s Books with Wings, medical textbooks have filled libraries in war-torn and developing countries: Afghanistan, Sri Lanka, Kenya, Ethiopia and elsewhere; locally children’s storybooks have made its way to the Indigenous Southwestern Library through the Lieutenant Governor James Bartleman Program.
She has served on numerous illustrious Boards: UofT’s Governing Council, Nelson Mandela Children’s Fund (Canada), Change Your Future and Woodgreen Community Services. A recipient of numerous meritorious accolades including more than a dozen UofT Medical Alumni graduation awards for role-modeling, compassion and excelling students’ experiences; U of T’s Centre for Health Promotion individual award for her passion, dedication, and commitment in serving the physical, mental, emotional and spiritual needs of students and beyond, and UofT’s top Chancellor and Arbor Awards.
She has been honoured by local and national organizations for her indelible outreach leadership and student advocacy, the 2012 Queen Elizabeth II Diamond Jubilee Medal, and the province’s highest honour “Order of Ontario.” At her retirement, three perpetual awards were set in her honor, UofT Diana Alli Medical Student Graduation Award, the national Diana Alli CITAC Award to an MD/PhD student, and UTIHP’s Lifetime Membership on the Advisory Board.
Founder and editor in chief
Cristina Carpio is a media personality, entrepreneur and philanthropist. She was the editor in chief of a national lifestyle publication, MarQuee Magazine and this year, she started her own company, Evolve Media Group Inc. which includes a national magazine publication, Evolve Magazine. The entire brand is designed to help Canadians live their best life. Carpio is determined to use the Evolve platform to help make a difference, amplify voices and promote inclusion and diversity.
Carpio first came to Canada at 16 years old and was sponsored by her aunt on a student visa. After years of hard work, she got her landed immigrant status and Canadian citizenship, which remain some of her most memorable moments. Carpio came to Canada to escape poverty in her homeland. She also taught herself the English language and read the English dictionary repeatedly in hopes to pursue a career in media and journalism.
For more than 10 years, Carpio has been in the media and lifestyle space. She has worked with top luxury brands and collaborated with many top creatives, contributors, and some of Canada’s leading networks and talents. A broadcast-journalism graduate, Carpio has worked at leading networks like CTV News and Global News and appears on national Canadian television programs as a TV Lifestyle Expert. Over the years, she has contributed articles to several international media platforms, was a columnist for Food and Beverage Magazine, and hosts some of Toronto’s most notable events.
Currently, Carpio is also a host of a travel show called Going Global TV on Amazon Prime and Roku. She brings a wealth of experience in brand strategy, content creation and creating memorable experiences with over a decade of experience in marketing and hospitality.
Carpio has been awarded Top 40 Under 40 for business achievement by Business Media Link Group, Hero of Business Award from the Canadian Multicultural Council-Asians in Ontario, Service Award from the Universal Peace Federation and other recognitions. Carpio is an active member of the Asian community in Canada and has worked with many not-for-profit groups and underrepresented communities for almost two decades.
LGBTQ+ settlement practitioner / LGBTQ+ Newcomers Edmonton co-lead
City: Edmonton
When the war in Syria began in 2011, the life Basel Abou Hamrah knew was turned upside down. The year 2012 was a difficult one, starting with the demise of his father, and then shortly afterward, he suffered severe injuries from a major road accident. Surviving multiple surgeries, he woke from a coma with a broken spirit. His future seemed uncertain, and his dreams were shattered.
After fleeing Syria to Lebanon, he and his family made their way to Canada in 2015. Having lost their home and fearing their safety, they were left with nothing but each other. He realized then that life didn’t give up on him and that he should use the new beginning as an opportunity to give back and help others.
The second day after arriving in Canada, he volunteered with Edmonton Emergency Relief, sorting donations to support other refugees. Shortly after, he volunteered as an Arabic translator with Edmonton Public Library. In 2016, he began work with Edmonton Mennonite Centre for Newcomers as a Syrian community connector. Later, he worked as a seniors community connector to support elderly newcomers.
As a member of the LGBTQ+ newcomers’ community, he found it hard to connect with others from the community and realized there were no resources available. In May 2017, he and two friends created the LGBTQ+ Newcomers Group, a social support group to help members build a community of their own and be a family to each other. Later that year, he led the creation of Rainbow Refuge, the first program of its kind in Alberta to support LGBTQ+ community members with immigration and settlement. He has served as a board member of the Edmonton Men’s Health collective, currently sits on the CCR Inland Protection Committee, and is a member of the Rainbow Coalition for Refugees.
As the recipient of the Stonewall 2021 Newcomers and Refugees Award, he is a strong advocate for the needs of the LGBTQ+ newcomer community. Helping others be their authentic selves able to thrive in their new home. Since arriving in Canada, he has renewed optimism and a new perspective on living a purposeful life.
Entrepreneur, community organizer, mentor
Country of origin: Brazil
Arnon Melo believes opportunity is everything. He came from Brazil, alone, more than 30 years ago and worked survival jobs (like fast food, cleaning and retail), but quickly realized the way to get ahead was a Canadian education. Supporting himself, he graduated with honours from Seneca College and now sits on their Professional Advisory Committee. After college he landed a role as a paid intern at a multinational shipping company.
A decade later he established his own freight forwarding company MELLOHAWK Logistics, which today is an award-winning international shipping company with offices in Mississauga, Miami, Sao Paulo and 65 agent partners around the world. Melo sits on the national board of the Canadian International Freight Forwarding Association (CIFFA) and is a regular mentor to Trade Accelerator programs, helping entrepreneurs at all levels grow and internationalize their companies and promote trade diversity, diversity and inclusion, and the Canadian brand.
MELLOHAWK is a mini-united nations with all staff, but one, born outside Canada (India, Brazil, Vietnam, Philippines). MELLOHAWK is often the first career job for newcomers. As a former intern Melo appreciates the value of creating opportunity and on-the-job training. MELLOHAWK Logistics has won awards from Mississauga Board of Trade, Access Employment, the Canadian Gay and Lesbian Chamber of Commerce, but Arnon is most proud that MELLOHAWK Logistics staff have been twice named Young Freight Forwarder of the Year by the Canadian International Freight Forwarders Association (CIFFA).
Working hard helps understand the value of giving back. Melo sits on the board of Abrigo Centre and has completed two full terms as an elected volunteer member of the CONCID, the Brazilian Citizenship Council promoting mental health, job search, suicide prevention, entrepreneurship, financial planning and networking.
During the Covid-19 pandemic, the Council, lead by Melo, assisted in organizing flights, meals and transportation while repatriating 655 stranded families back to Brazil. Melo was awarded the Order of Rio Branco Medal, Brazil’s highest award for promoting the image of Brazil to the world, for his efforts.
Being a leader means making leaders. Providing opportunity is his legacy.
CEO, DentalX
Anaida Deti is a dental professional who has built an award-winning business model and now inspires and motivates other dental professionals and women entrepreneurs to follow their dreams.
Even though she is only 40 years old, she has gone through a dictatorship, a civil war, three countries and many personal and business challenges.
Her humble beginnings start with her and her husband immigrating to Canada from Albania 20 years ago, with pocket change and no English. She worked seven days a week while going to school full time. She started everything from scratch. Her business started with only her, booking appointments in her car until she was able to open her own dental office in 2016. Now she is opening more locations throughout the province with the next one coming as soon as this fall.
Her story has been considered a success story not only by those that know her, but also by many national and international media. She has been featured in many TV and radio shows, magazines, newspapers, online platforms and many more to share her amazing successful journey and her dental expertise. Deti was featured on Forbes in October last year sharing her business tips on how to be successful. She was selected as one of the 10 Most Influential Business Leaders to Follow in 2020 in North America by PrimeView Magazine. She was also chosen as a one of the Most Successful Business Women to Watch in 2020 by Insight Success, as well as a 100 Best Companies in 2020 from Exeleon Magazine. She was selected as 10 Best Performing CEOs 2020 by the Business Berg.
In 2021, she was awarded as one of the Most Influential Female Entrepreneurs by Woman Entrepreneur Magazine. Deti has just been chosen as one of the most influential leaders to know in 2022 for Success 125, in honour of the 125th anniversary of the Success Magazine.
She has won many local, national and international awards, including:
2019 Gold Winner of the 2019 Female CEO of the Year in Canada
2020 Canadian Entrepreneur of the Year by International Business Magazine Awards
2020 Business Leadership and Outstanding Contribution to Healthcare by Business Worldwide Magazine
She has been a part of an international book project, The Mind of Female Entrepreneurs by Global Woman. She has been a dental blogger for Huffington Post, Thrive Global and Inside Toronto.
She has founded Mission Kind (Kids In Need of Dentalcare), to help children aged six to 16 obtain much needed dental work at no charge. She does a lot of community work by offering free dental care to immigrant families with low income. Every December her office offers free dental/dental hygiene services to people in need. Her office has offered free services to 30 people from the Red Door Family Shelter, with a whole day planned for them, with lunch and a magic show, Santa, Christmas gifts and much more. They have also offered free services to teenager moms that cannot afford dental services.
Deti is also a very proud mom of two beautiful kids, Samuel, 18, and Iliana, 7.
Educator and instructional designer
Aigerim Shilibekova, PhD, is a faculty member of the MBA program and the founding director of the Centre for Teaching Excellence at University Canada West in Vancouver, and the president of the Canadian Association of Instructional Designers for 2021-2022.
Being a polymath, Shilibekova strongly believes in a lifelong learning and is currently pursuing her second PhD in educational technology and learning design at Simon Fraser University. Her research focuses on inclusive online learning practices.
She is also a TEDx speaker and an internationally certified trainer and facilitator with the portfolio of successful workshops and courses, and award-winning programs. In 2015, her innovative project was shortlisted for the global QS Re-imagine Education 2015 award at Wharton Business School and received a special prize from the sponsors.
Passionate about designing learning experiences and creating a positive impact in her community, Shilibekova has been volunteering as a knowledge philanthropist with Vantage Point, one of the prominent non-profit organizations in Vancouver since 2018 when she arrived in B.C.
Prior to moving to Canada, Shilibekova served as the first vice-president at Atyrau State University and the founding director of the Center for International and Regional Studies in Astana for 11 years.
She was a visiting scholar and guest lecturer at leading universities around the world, including Harvard, Yale, Hamburg and Carleton University in Ottawa, and others. She speaks seven languages and is an author and editor of numerous policy papers, articles and four books.
She holds PhD in political science from Eurasian National University (2009) and is an alumna of the Senior Executives in National and International Security Program at Harvard Kennedy School of Government (2013), and the Rumsfeld Fellowship for Young Leaders (2010). She also holds an Award of Achievement in Intercultural Communication from University of British Columbia (2018).
Shilibekova is a grateful mom of two teenagers who love their new home in Canada. They also share her values such as kindness and sharing and strive to contribute to the community they live in B.C. through their art and sports activities.
Student; activist
City: Winnipeg
Loizza Aquino is an 18-year-old social justice activist. She has been involved with social activism since the age of nine, but, in 2015, she started to focus on mental health advocacy in 10th grade after she lost one of her best friends to suicide. He was one of four high school students in Winnipeg that died by suicide within the timespan of one month.
After a countless number of hours spent on trying to find answers as to why this was happening, Aquino realized that she needed to stop searching for answers, but instead, create solutions to ensure this would never happen again. This inspired Aquino to create her own youth-led non-profit organization at the age of 15 called Peace of Mind. Her organization holds events called Youth Against Metal Health and Illness Stigma (YAMHIS), which provides a safe space and platform for students across the province to share their stories and experiences in regards to mental health.
A handful of high schools across Manitoba have created Peace of Mind groups within their school to sustain mental health conversations throughout the school year. Since 2015, they have reached more than 2,000 students, and have expanded from Manitoba to Ontario. These events have inspired students to get help and have even saved students’ lives.
Aquino has worked alongside a branch of the Government of Manitoba on several projects. She is a public speaker who has received many different accolades for her work in the topic of mental health, online safety and media literacy, youth empowerment and human rights. Her past awards include the Young Humanitarian Award of Manitoba, Global Bayaning Filipino Award, TD Scholarships for Community Leadership and the Youth Premier Healthy Living Award.
Aquino also recently created her own scholarship fund to empower other youth mental health activists and support across Canada and the Philippines. Aquino is a student at the University of Toronto, pursuing a double major in mental health studies and international development studies, with a minor in public policy and governance. She hopes to work for the United Nations one day to create policies for mental health across the world.
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Custom promotional merch is a big business that is growing at a rapid rate with various uses. People create them to show their personality and gifts, while organizations use them for gifts, giveaways, branding, promotions, etc. However, there are plenty of ways to design your merch with various techniques, and often people get confused because of the lack of knowledge. One of those methods is screen printing. This blog will provide you with all the information about designing your merch using this method. Let's start by answering:
What is screen printing?
Screen printing is a garment printing technique for printing on apparel like t-shirts, hoodies, socks, etc., using a stencil. The stencil is created according to the design you want to print, and the thick ink penetrates deep into the fabric, making the design highly durable. The creation of a stencil is the only resource-intensive process involved.
Reasons to use screen printing service for promotional merch:
When you want merch for your brand, you don't want the images to be blurry or start fading with washing.
Bold images and versatile colors: One of the most significant advantages of using screen printing is the bold images and colors it produces. The process is also pretty universal, so the logo, design, and texts are clear. In methods like direct-to-garment printing, the colors are absorbed straight into the garment. While in this process, the thick ink stays on the top of the fabric. In the merch printing, the design starts fading out after a while, commonly from the first wash, and it starts looking gruesome. It doesn't happen with screen printing, so your brand is visible to receivers and people in front.
Compatible with different colored merch: Since the ink doesn't sip into the fabric, it can create designs on any colored garment. You only have to work on selecting colors to match the contrast of the images and colors of the merch. When you choose contrasting colors, the designs, logo, and text pop out; it gives people an idea about your quality.
Looks lovely: People associate promotional merch with the business. When trying to create a brand image, you want your promotional merch to be consistent with your business image. Screen printing provides a beautiful professional look. The machine used dries the ink fast, creating a sturdy design that is resistant to scratching during regular use. People can see your logo from a distance, making it a suitable choice for promotional merch.
Highly customizable: The screen printing process is highly customizable and can be used with any garments, colors, materials, etc. Logo placement and design are essential for promotional merch; people need to see the design easily. The method provides you the freedom of choosing various colors combinations.
Cost-effective: The method is quite budget-friendly, a significant factor in promotional merch; most small companies struggle with the promotion budget. You can choose any fabric like cotton, polyester, nylon, blended, etc., for creating custom promotional items.
Fast turnaround: Standard printing usually takes a lot of time to organize the print head and adjust the color settings for every print, making the process slower. The printer uses a mesh to change the colors according to the image in the screen printing method. The time taken is less because the print head presses the design to the fabric using heat and pressure. The quality of the design remains intact, making it ideal for bulk orders.
Step-by-step process of screen printing:
Whether you want to create merch for personal or professional use, this step-by-step guide can help you make your awesome merch. The process starts with screen printing equipment that includes:
Screen printing press:
The most vital component of the process is that it holds the screen firmly in place during the merch printing. It makes it efficient and easy for a person to swap out the clothing for printing.
Inks:
These are used to make the print by pushing the mesh screen on the merch. They transfer a color imprint of the design on the stencil on the fabric. There are four popular types of inks available in the market:
Plastisol is the most common type of ink used for screen printing on custom merch. The ink is thick and mixes well easily.
Pros:
It is suitable for various types of fabrics.
The ink is dense; it doesn't arch and is ideal for softer prints.
Viscosity makes it helpful to print on darker fabrics.
It accurately matches the Pantone color system.
Cons:
It is nonsustainable, and people nowadays like to go with sustainable inks.
Since the ink is quite thick, it doesn't get soaked into the fabric and only settles above it, giving the design a rubbery feel.
This ink requires curing and can't be dried in the sun.
Water-based: This type of ink is becoming pretty popular because of its sustainable nature.
Pros:
Water-based inks are eco-friendly.
It binds with the fabric, providing the essence of a dye and appearing softer to look and feel.
These work amazingly with light or white-colored materials.
The ink is easy to work with and can be mastered with some training.
Cons:
After the liquid colors solidify, it may look dull; you might not get the exact look you imagined.
It is challenging to work with during humid conditions and needs a heat source to dry the material.
They work best on cotton, and you get a muted design version with other materials.
They don't have a shelf life, and even after adding a discharging agent, you will have to use it within 48-hours.
Discharge: This ink removes the original garment and replaces with it its dye. It is available in both plastisol and water-based ink.
Pros:
It works well on darker garments.
The process saves printers time and money.
Cons:
The process requires a higher degree of working experience and skills.
The workspace needs to be well-ventilated because the inks smell foul.
A heat source is necessary to cure the discharge ink fully.
Special effects: These inks provide various effects and are available in multiple effects like metallic, fluorescent, glow-in-the-dark, shimmer, etc.
Pros:
They provide shine and sparkle, giving a unique look to your merch.
These are available in a wide variety and are helpful for specific purposes like color change with temperature.
Cons:
It requires higher experience and skills.
They work well with only a specific fabric type.
The screen is a silkscreen made with a wooden frame with a fabric stretch over the top. It is coated with emulsion and exposed to be used as a stencil. After the printing process is done, it is cleaned with cold water.
It is the rubber blade attached to a plastic handle that helps to push the ink through the screen onto the fabric which is being printed. Picking a squeegee that is of similar size to the screen frame helps with clear printing.
Washing station:
Here, the screen is washed after use to remove all the emulsion extracts. The size is relative to the print, i.e., larger prints require larger stations while the smaller ones need smaller stations.
These were the commonly used pieces of equipment for the process; using these prints are created by following the steps:
Choosing a design: You need to select a design to start your promotional merch printing. Manufacturers like EverLighten provide in-house design experts to help develop designs if you don't have a design ready. Then, choose the item on which you want to print, like socks, t-shirts, hoodies, etc.
Screen preparation: The manufacturer chooses a screen according to the complexity and the printing cloth. They then overlay the screen with an emulsion.
Exposing the emulsion: The transparent film with the design is laid onto the emulsion and exposed to bright light for printing.
Washing the emulsion: Some areas will harden after the light exposure, while others will remain unhardened. The unhardened region is washed off, creating a design imprint for the ink to pass.
Creating a stencil: After the screen is dried, it's time to make corrections for precise print. Now, the stencil is all set to use.
Fabric preparation: The screen is laid flat on the printing press, and then the merch is put on the board below the screen.
Ink pressing: Ink is poured on the screen edge, and a squeegee is used for ink pulling along the screen length. The ink passing imprints the design on it.
Drying: The merch is dried using a dryer to create a long-lasting finish. It is then tested before shipping to the owner.
Like any other custom product manufacturing, there are some misconceptions regarding screen printing. Let's debunk these:
Screen printing is expensive: One of the biggest misconceptions about the process is being expensive. It was created because most manufacturers only accepted bulk orders and didn't pay heed to smaller orders.
It is only for t-shirts: In the beginning, manufacturers used screen printing for t-shirts only. With technological advancement, sophisticated machines can create printing for many other products, including activewear, fleece, hoodies, socks, beanies, masks, etc.
You can't design your merch: You don't have to stick with the manufacturers' options. Manufacturers like EverLighten provide 100% customization options and freedom to choose your merch.
It takes long for events: Experienced manufacturers with a reliable team can produce promotional products at a fast pace.
The design flakes off: People fear the design will flake off and it will start to look bad, but using the correct procedure produces images that last long.
Conclusion:
Don't let the misconceptions stop you from creating the best design for your promotional merch. However, you would like to create high-quality merch with beautiful designs to capture people's attention. It is possible with a reliable manufacturer with experience, expertise, and the latest technology. EverLighten has been in the promotional merch manufacturing for over eighteen years and has helped organizations, nonprofits, celebrities, sports teams, and individuals create their custom products.
Best pricing: They provide factory-direct pricing because they own a factory and are not intermediaries.
Quality in every product: They use top-quality materials and the latest processes to produce items.
Real people, fantastic service: EverLighten loves helping; each customer gets help from design to delivery.
Designs to impress: With their in-house designers, the design in your head is brought to reality.
No minimum order requirement: You can order any number of products you need; they accept every order without a minimum limit.
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Exclusive: The Trump-Russia scandal has been a cover-up in search of a crime… until now. This is how Trump and Russia stole the US election.
Pyotr Levashov was vacationing with his wife and son in Barcelona in early April, when Spanish police, acting on an extradition request from the US, stormed their apartment and arrested him. The arrest of the 36-year-old Russian spam king was initially reported as a civil matter. Now it is emerging as one of the most significant breaks in the US case to prove that the Trump campaign colluded with Russia to swing the 2016 election campaign.
Levashov hails from St. Petersburg, Russia’s second largest city. From there, he made a small fortune peddling stolen data he gathered through phishing expeditions and building a botnet called “Kelihos,” described in his US indictment as “a network of computers infected with a malicious software that allows a third party to control the entire computer network without the knowledge or consent of the computer owners.”
Levashov allegedly controlled and operated the Kelihos botnet to, among other things, harvest personal information and means of identification [including email addresses, usernames and logins, and passwords] from infected computers.
Levashov lived a life largely in the shadows, never meeting business associates in person and rarely talking on the phone. His preferred method of communication was via encrypted messages but his efforts at concealment may have failed him – well before his arrest and indictment by the United States this year.
During the 2012 Russian presidential election campaign which returned Vladimir Putin to the Presidency in that country, Levashov’s spam machine had pivoted from cybercrime to pursuing a political agenda – mostly at the behest of Vladimir Putin. According to the New York Times:
“The Kelihos virus, which had been devised to spread spam, was used during the Russian election in 2012 to send political messages to email accounts on computers with Russian I.P. addresses. The emails linked to fake news stories saying that Mikhail D. Prokhorov, the businessman running for president against Vladimir V. Putin, had come out as gay.”
In online cybercrime forums, Levashov is known as “Pyotr Severa” (Russian for “Peter of the North”). He is still listed among the Top 10 spammers in the world, according to spam tracking group Spamhaus. After Putin won the 2012 presidential elections in Russia, online chatter in those forums hinted Levashov had been been arrested by the FSB, Russia’s successor to the KGB, according to security and investigative journalist Brian Krebs.
At around this time, Putin and his spy agency had come up with the idea of recruiting an army of cyber criminals to open a new digital front in their espionage war against the US and other foes around the world. Their recruits had no real choice in the matter. It was either work for the FSB, or face jail time.
If the online chatter of Levashov’s arrest in 2012 was true, there was no sign of it in reality. He continued to live a lavish lifestyle, operating his cybercriminal ring online until his arrest in Spain at the request of the US Justice Department, on April 7.
While the US indictment and subsequent press reports went to great lengths to underscore “there was no national security” aspect to the arrest, a leading Spanish daily seemed to contradict that stance. El Pais trumpeted in a headline:
“Prison for Russian hacker accused of computer attacks during US elections.”
Citing FBI investigators, El Pais had confirmed sources Levashov was arrested for involvement in the hacking of DNC servers and other Kremlin operated attempts to destabilize the US Democracy.
“[Levashov participated] in a battery of computer attacks aimed at influencing the Presidential elections […] According to FBI investigators, Moscow organized an alleged hacking of Democratic Party computers, later filtering manipulated emails from Hillary Clinton and thus paving the way for Trump’s victory.”
Levashov’s wife, who was in the apartment with their son when the spam lord was arrested, told Russia Today: “I talked to my husband on the phone when I was at the police station and he told me that he was told something about a virus that he supposedly had created and that was related to Trump’s victory”.
This figure shows a snapshot of systems infected with Kelihos communicating with the sinkhole created to disable it.
Was Levashov’s arrest in Spain for a crime far more serious than even being one of the globe’s biggest spam lords? Levashov may indeed be the lynchpin in the extensive Trump-Russia cyber operation which disrupted the 2016 election – by hacking the Democratic Party servers and the election state voter rolls in Illinois and Arizona.
The data collected in those hacks – of millions of Americans private details, and control of their computers – was then laundered through a controversial server located in the Trump Tower and controlled by the Trump campaign. It’s believed this was the nexus of a massive “data-laundering” operation created by the Trump campaign to compile a database of hacked voter registration data, DNC supporters and information provided by Spectrum Health. The server made hourly check-ins with the Kremlin-aligned Alfa Bank and US-based Spectrum Health (run by Betsy DeVos’ husband, Dick). It’s worth remembering the server was under surveillance by the FBI under a Foreign Intelligence Surveillance Court warrant, so its activities are well known to investigators.
Investigators are analyzing the data, stolen by Russian hackers, to determine if it was used to create a mailing and social media list for the Trump campaign to target fake news manufactured by its allies at Breitbart, Russia Today, and Infowars.
Levashov may have worked for the FSB and Trump – but he was used to a lavish lifestyle and was by no means cheap or free. His payment may now provide investigators with their first hard clue of collusion between Russia and Trump.
Knowing what we know about the FSB’s cyber intelligence recruitment effort of known criminal hackers, it should make the Trump campaign and Vladimir Putin very nervous about what he may be telling the FBI. Investigators must also be turning their eye to Dick DeVos, who owns Spectrum Health and who also happens to be the husband of Betsy DeVos, who were both big donors to Trump’s campaign.
On Friday, new revelations emerged that Trump’s son-in-law and senior adviser Jared Kushner was seeking to establish a private back-channel communications channel with the Russians, using Russian espionage facilities, to avoid eavesdropping by the US Intelligence Community. It’s also now an open secret former National Security Adviser Michael Flynn is squealing on his ex-boss to the FBI.
The White House’s efforts to shut down the investigation, the continued revelations of far-ranging meetings between Trump and Russian officials, along with an analysis of this data is forming the framework for FBI and legislative investigations. The White House has responded with what many are terming a “war room operation” to push back against the claims. As if to underscore the urgency, the President began his Sunday of a Memorial Day weekend meeting with his lawyers.
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Related
4 thoughts on “The Pied Piper”
November 17, 2017 at 10:34 pm
Ah, the dance begins.
JP says:
November 28, 2017 at 2:53 am
This dance is taking to long. I want results!
March 22, 2018 at 5:19 am
Excellent summary. This is the most detailed narrative yet, somehow touching on all these phrases we’ve become so familiar with in a broad sense, yet which you have managed to put together in an easily readable and fact-filled way. Very impressive. I hope you will consider using your fantastic storytelling skills to write a book about the biggest and most terrifying historical event yet. You have a natural voice which many will choose for the one tome which manages to tell all without losing any readers along the way.
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With everyone grounded at home, there is no excuse not to show some affection for Mother’s Day. Here are our team’s thoughts on how to do it right.
Cultured Magazine
May 2, 2020
Cultured Magazine
May 2, 2020
If I had to put together a list of cool moms, fictional or not, the list would look something like... Regina George’s mom, Gabrielle Union, Lorelai Gilmore, Sarah Harrelson (hi, Sarah!) and Lucille Bluth. Luckily for me, my mom is more like Lorelai Gilmore than Lucille Bluth, therefore giving her a Mother’s Day gift was pretty easy: I burned her mix CD. I would also like to throw in a shout out to all the grandmas out there! A Cultured tote is the perfect gift for my Omi (German for grannie!)—she always has so much in her purse! Ditch the handbag for a tote. - Katie Brown, Art Director
Some small businesses like cafes, bars and bookshops are offering gift certificates to purchase now and redeem when they are able to reopen. It’s a functional way to help keep favorite spots in business and offers something for Mom to look forward to, post-quarantine. - Isabel Flower, Executive Editor
I've been a fangirl of Leorosa cardigans since they launched last year and finally ordered one for myself and one for my mother for Mother's Day. The red Romy for me and the orange Leo for her. They are the perfect eccentric geriatric-chic for both generations! - Chloe Malle, Contributing Writer
Mother’s Day is always an emotional day for me as I lost my mom 16 years ago, when she was just 58 years old, but I am so grateful to be a mom, as it has taught me so much and continues to do so. I have three teenagers (14, 16 and 19) and all I really want is for them to write me notes (long notes though!) and be with me all day — but they often have different ideas. - Sarah Harrelson, Editor-in-Chief
Sweet and simple moments together, sounds like a hallmark card, doesn’t it? But, under these current circumstances, a hand-written note and fresh flowers delivered directly to her door—and maybe even a nice bottle of scotch! - Lori Warriner, Associate Publisher
This year, in light of the current circumstances, the best Mother’s Day gift I could ask for is the continued good health of my kids and my grandkids, who bring so much joy to our family and beyond. Oh, and I would love a two-hour massage and a great haircut and facial…..sans mask and anti-viral gloves! - Gail Feldman, Publisher
I'd love the new print by Gina Beavers with Art for Change that supports New York's City Harvest, a non-profit that helps New Yorkers in need of food, especially now during COVID-19. It's this amazing, rainbow soft serve ice cream cone print of Gina's painting The Life I Deserve (Ice Cream), which she made for FLAG Art Foundation's exhibition "Summer School," in 2016. Thinking about that show and New York back on its feet would make me really happy every day. - Jacoba Urist, Contributing Writer
My mother is a beautiful sybarite but the truth is she’d always rather me pay it forward. I’m going to be donating in her name to Marz's Live Birth series, which raises money and attention for vulnerable mothers. - Kat Herriman, Features Editor
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Last night was one of those nights. You know the kind. The kind where you wake up around 2 or 3am, and ALLLLL the things that could possibly be wrong in your life are rolling around your head. You second guess every conversation you had the previous day. You worry about all the mistakes you may be making in your life, your kids’ lives, your marriage–you name it. You lie there feeling like everything is just […]
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I have read several times over the years that the most common thing for couples to fight about is money. I have not found that to be the case in our years of marital bliss. Whether we have had a little extra money to spare or none at all, money is not what my husband and I fight about. You know what we fight about? Food. Each other’s driving. His disgusting caveman-like habits. My “inability” […]
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Today I went to doctor for my annual check-up. Last year I was feeling pretty good at my physical. I had been great about cutting carbs and sugar out of my diet. I was experimenting with intermittent fasting. I had dropped down to my lowest weight I had experienced since before I had kids. I walked around the supermarket feeling pret-ty darn awesome and superior. “Look at all these people hooked on sugar with their […]
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I feel overwhelmed in this moment. I am sitting across from my newly married 23 year-old son at what we have appropriately named “the game table.” My 13 year-old son sits next to him—they are discussing a computer game they are playing together. Another son, 16 years old, is just a room away, also playing the game. They are all connected by earphones, headphones and the like. To a person from my generation, they look […]
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Are we really all done talking about what just happened in Canada? We are just going to move on? We all just lived it, but let’s take a little walk down memory lane that happened less than one month ago. Seems like a distant memory… In February as the Canadian convoy gained momentum and attention as it drew closer to Ottawa, Justin Trudeau chose to call the movement representative of a “small, fringe minority.” Video […]
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Alex Berenson’s Substack has blown up. People are angry. Really angry. Should they be? If you clicked on this link, I imagine you already are well-aware of who Alex Berenson is and what controversy emerged last night on a segment of Fox News. If you are aware, skip down to the text in red below. If you are not aware of this controversy and wondering who Alex Berenson is what everyone talking about, then keep […]
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Was the Vaccine Mandate Actually Defeated? Are We Really Free?
Yesterday, I was in the woods bringing in firewood with two of my sons when my husband emerged from the back door and shouted, “The Supreme Court knocked down the OSHA mandate!!” “What??” I shouted, half processing what he said, half not sure I heard him right. “The Supreme Court knocked down the OSHA mandate!!” “NO WAY!!!” I shouted back. Could it be true?? It was hard to take in. The world has not […]
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This is not the blog I wanted to write
I don’t want to start off with so much preamble and whining–but I do need to explain a few things. First of all, I was not planning to write this kind of blog–and I certainly was not planning to put it out there just yet. This should be fairly obvious from the fact that if you are reading this on a cell phone, you can see that I can’t even figure out how to get the word […]
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Although the surface of Antarctica is almost completely white, a field of green and brown algae clings to the underside of the sea ice around the frozen continent Previously, this...
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ABM Truck Driving School prepares students to become competent smart drivers. The equipment is thoroughly checked and inspected to assure the standards are being met with all ministry guidelines.
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Reiki is a form of healing which rests on the assumption that some form “energy” determines our health. In this context, I tend to put energy in inverted commas because it is not the energy a physicist might have in mind. It is a much more mystical entity, a form of vitality that is supposed to be essential for life and keep us going. Nobody has been able to define or quantify this “energy”, it defies scientific measurement and is biologically implausible. These circumstances render Reiki one of the least plausible therapies in the tool kit of alternative medicine.
Reiki-healers (they prefer to be called “masters”) would channel “energy” into his or her patient which, in turn, is thought to stimulate the healing process of whatever condition is being treated. In the eyes of those who believe in this sort of thing, Reiki is therefore a true panacea: it can heal everything.
The clinical evidence for or against Reiki is fairly clear – as one would expect after realising how ‘far out’ its underlying concepts are. Numerous studies are available, but most are of very poor quality. Their results tend to suggest that patients experience benefit after having Reiki but they rarely exclude the possibility that this is due to placebo or other non-specific effects. Those that are rigorous show quite clearly that Reiki is a placebo. Our own review therefore concluded that “the evidence is insufficient to suggest that Reiki is an effective treatment for any condition… the value of Reiki remains unproven.”
Since the publication of our article, a number of new investigations have become available. In a brand-new study, for instance, the researchers wanted to explore a Reiki therapy-training program for the care-givers of paediatric patients. A series of Reiki training classes were offered by a Reiki-master. At the completion of the program, interviews were conducted to elicit participant’s feedback regarding its effectiveness.
Seventeen families agreed to participate and 65% of them attended three Reiki training sessions. They reported that Reiki had benefited their child by improving their comfort (76%), providing relaxation (88%) and pain relief (41%). All caregivers thought that becoming an active participant in their child’s care was a major gain. The authors of this investigation conclude that “a hospital-based Reiki training program for caregivers of hospitalized pediatric patients is feasible and can positively impact patients and their families. More rigorous research regarding the benefits of Reiki in the pediatric population is needed.”
Trials like this one abound in the parallel world of “energy” medicine. In my view, such investigations do untold damage: they convince uncritical thinkers that “energy” healing is a rational and effective approach – so much so that even the military is beginning to use it.
The flaws in trials as the one above are too obvious to mention. Like most studies in this area, this new investigation proves nothing except the fact that poor quality research will mislead those who believe in its findings.
Some might say, so what? If a patient experiences benefit from a bogus yet harmless therapy, why not? I would strongly disagree with this increasingly popular view. Reiki and similarly bizarre forms of “energy” healing are well capable of causing harm.
Some fanatics might use these placebo-treatments as a true alternative to effective therapies. This would mean that the condition at hand remains untreated which, in a worst case scenario, might even lead to the death of patients. More important, in my view, is an entirely different risk: making people believe in mystic “energies” undermines rationality in a much more general sense. If this happens, the harm to society would be incalculable and extends far beyond health care.
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Energy is measured in Joules. My first question for any quack discussing energy: what instrument do you use to measure the energy, and how many Joules are typically required?
Of course, if this form of energy did exist, it would violate the laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy, so the first good study that proves it exists is a slam-dunk for an all expenses paid trip to Stockholm.
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 11:45
My friend ,reiki does’nt violate the laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy.A reiki healer can’t creat energy .he can transfer some of energy from his body to another body only if hi knows right procedure.
Edzard on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 11:48
I get the impression that you are unfamiliar with the concept of energy
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 12:16
hiii, pl read the laws of laws of thermodynamics and conservation of energy .if still you have doubt i will ‘copy paste laws
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 12:22
Law of Conservation of Energy, Energy, Force and motion …
Introduction. The Law of Conservation of Energy states that energy cannot be created or destroyed, just transformed from one form to another. These forms can …
Alan Henness on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 12:37
Everyone here is perfectly familiar with the laws of thermodynamics. What is in question here, however, is your understanding of the word ‘energy’.
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 13:50
Yaa.I know what is “energy”.I m not only reiki healar.I am a well qualified man.Reaki is my hobby,and i enjoying it.I am a scientist.ok
Edzard on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 13:54
you do surprise me!
Alan Henness on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 14:12
So, sanjay, perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is, how it can be transferred and what the right procedures are?
Matthew on Friday 30 August 2019 at 16:45
I haven’t heard any reiki practitioner claiming that reiki is a physical energy. Physical energy is that explained by physics. Of course reiki need a lot of scientific studies. But reiki is said to be life force energy …. not just ‘energy’. It may be considered as an idea/word used to understand certain subjective-objective overlapped phenomena call e reiki healing.
Al Pal on Thursday 02 July 2020 at 19:07
Life force or energy, whatever you want to call it, there is no data that to back up Reiki. It’s wooo woo bullshit. Drawing symbols and using your hands to heal and place energy is unfounded
Mr Mark on Sunday 16 August 2015 at 14:47
“he can transfer some of energy from his body to another body only if hi knows right procedure.”
And that procedure would be putting his hands close to someone’s body, closing his eyes and doing some wishful thinking in his head?
And how is just ‘energy’ on it’s own enough to heal? How could the ‘healer’ be sure that their ‘power’ isn’t doing something bad? I mean, a surgeon’s knife can save a person, but if the surgeon closes their eyes and waves the knife about, it’s not going to make things better.
To be scientific about it, how exactly is the energy transferred? I mean, if you hit someone, there is energy transference, or if you held your hand close to them and it was hotter than them, there may be heat transference, but how exactly is this healing ‘energy’ transferred, and how does it know exactly what to do for the good of the person being healed, bearing in mind, energy itself doesn’t ‘know’ what to do ever.
i read that as ‘my friend reiki’, i was wondering if it was a boy or girl?
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 18:58
If u want to know –in scientific terms – what reiki ‘energy’ is .then remove the word “reiki” first,and try to know about the word ” Energy” and its definitions,types we need to survives,how/why it works,why we need,how we can get.how may ways are their to get,how many ways we knows,when it will not works and why,when we needs energy and much more.I cant explain much here a good /scientific reiki master can explain this .I myself tries to understand several times why it works,every time unable to get scientific answer ,but process works.A v good scientific research work needed to explain this.It is an ancient science still beyond over reach.If you are interested and want to know how/why it works learn the process and try it ,then try to know the answer.In my opinion a scientist who know reaky healing can only find the scientific answer for this.Person who doesn’t know reiki healing can not find (vaffy diffiult )scientific answer. In absence of good research work we should not give bad comments.Just take the advantage what we knows and wait for the researches .Again if it works for goodness then what is wrong.
I am against the all reiky master who takes money for healing or teaching.In absence of good research
work it is not fair,also for money they teaches everybody(may be criminal).Reiki is for good deeds only.Parson taking reiki healing should not 100 % depend on reiki ,do your duty.If you are suffering from illness ,consult your doctor and take the treatment,take the reiki as helping(due to absence of good reaserh) therapy only.
friend,i am not explaining the process.As publishing it is not good for mankind. someone can misuse it.sorry for this.
I am not a good typist ,may be their some grammar and typing errors.But i think u can understand what i meant to say.
Alan Henness on Monday 25 August 2014 at 10:05
No, that won’t work. I know what energy is; I don’t know what you think ‘reiki energy’ is. And you – although you say you are a scientist – have not been able to explain it either. And you have not provided any good evidence that reiki works either.
Siva Canjeevaram on Tuesday 11 April 2017 at 04:03
I am not sure you people are spending resources in discussing with “scientist” Sanjay. In India there is a treatment dropping babies from 10 stories. And many people believe it. When I was a child my city in every “T” junction will have a “Ganesh Temple” to avoid a T Junction spirit. Then somebody try to give a “rational” explanation to me, saying how accidents are averted because of this T junction Ganesh Temple.
I said ” I believe you believe, that is the end of the story” dont try to rationalise because I am a rational person, if you are saying you are believing because it is rational then that is not belief, that is reason” I finished my cup of tea and left
Canada
Alan Henness on Tuesday 11 April 2017 at 09:28
Eh?
jane summers on Monday 01 February 2016 at 15:27
Everything is energy – I dont care if your physics doesnt acknowledge that. All matter is slowed down electrons. We, as is everything, is a swirling mass of energy wave forms (torus). It stands to reason that the oscillation and wavelength of this energy can be changed or entrained to another wave form.
Reiki is chanelling pure love energy..perfection. When you receive it, your body at a cellular level receives the entrainment of pure love energy and its waves align with that.
That’s how Reiki works. And if you really believe the studies aren;t up to much, that’s because scientists are almost fully reliant on the pharmaceutical industry and governments for their funding. Why dont you simply go to a Reiki healing circle, have 6 practitioners place their hands on you and see for yourself whether your body likes it?
oh, p.s. your body is ten times more intelligent than you are.
Alan Henness on Monday 01 February 2016 at 16:24
You really do need to go back to basics and try to understand that there are not different kinds of physics – can I suggest this?
jm on Monday 01 February 2016 at 18:34
Jane isn’t saying that there are different kinds of physics. No suggestion needed.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 02 February 2016 at 11:08
It seems my book suggestion got lost somewhere, but why refer to ‘your physics’ instead of just ‘physics’?
jm on Tuesday 02 February 2016 at 17:16
If your issue is with the wording ‘your physics’ – you should inform Jane that noboby ‘owns’ physics. (Although, given time, there will probably be a corporate sponsor.)
But that’s probably not what she meant, either.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 02 February 2016 at 20:12
Perhaps Jane could tell us what she meant…
jm on Wednesday 03 February 2016 at 08:15
hmmm….that’s a brilliant idea! Better late than never, I suppose.
Alan Henness on Wednesday 03 February 2016 at 10:21
LOL!
Frank Odds on Monday 01 February 2016 at 18:15
Physics is a branch of science, which is not one of several ways of thinking. It’s a process that lets us get closer, step by step, to discover what is real. Our minds and sensations tell us all sorts of things that feel real, but it often turns out we are deluding ourselves. Your piffle about matter being slowed down electrons and swirling masses of energy forms (torus), about love energy and perfection and waves aligning with it is fanciful guff, not reality. What a shame your marvellous intelligence is so easily fooled by your body!
Quark on Wednesday 03 February 2016 at 09:37
Oh yeah, physicist are funded by pharmaceuticals.
Siva Canjeevaram on Tuesday 11 April 2017 at 04:05
Sorry, When your physics is different than my physics , and you dont care about it , there is no pint..Insha Allah, Save Jesus!
Siva Canjeevaram on Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 13:40
Stupid people.
Estella on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 08:44
It’s God energy, which cannot be measured. It comes directly from God. The Reiki practitioner is merely a vessel. Reiki and healing comes to those who have stepped into the light – you may choose to one day. God Bless.
Edzard on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 08:48
even if you were entirely correct, wouldn’t one be able to measure the effects? that’s what clinical trials are about.
Thomas Mohr on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 09:03
Estella, first of all, randomized clinical trials are capable of even measuring that. They measure the *outcome*. Second, who tells you that the source of this “energy” is not Satan ? According to christian doctrine reiki is a heathen ritual, and therefore per definition satanic. Contrary to common belief, Satan *is* capable of doing good deeds as long as he reaches his goal. A famous critic of Medugorje put it this way: “Satan does not care about producing a few saints along his way, as long as he reaches his goals.”
Ralph Maver on Sunday 30 September 2018 at 21:17
Reiki has been described by Dr Mikao Usui, who rediscovered this healing energy as that used by Christ. The word Reiki means, ‘healing energy’ in Japanese. Don’t bring religion into tis discussion.
Woo Fighter on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 09:24
Alan Henness on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 10:37
Estella said:
It’s God energy, which cannot be measured.
Why can’t it be measured?
EnergyUse on Saturday 27 January 2018 at 01:53
Whose energy is the sun? You can measure that one, whoever owns that one? I send my thanks to that particular energy owner, for letting me use it to power everything I care about.
Alan Henness on Saturday 27 January 2018 at 11:05
Eh?
Alann Hennes watch out !! This is a spell !! She puts a spell on you
Ralph Maver on Sunday 30 September 2018 at 21:18
OK, let me see you measure it.
Alan Henness on Monday 01 October 2018 at 10:48
OK, let me see you measure it.
Measure what, with what and why?
Woo Fighter on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 11:21
So it really is nothing more than faith healing. Why not call it that? Funny, most reiki merchants are careful to disconnect from any religious associations and claim the exact opposite of what you state about it coming directly from a god. They mumble some New Age spiritual nonsense but never refer to any god.
Unless that’s your interpretation (that such a “wonderful gift” was given to you by him).
Lachlan on Sunday 07 October 2018 at 16:05
Are you high right now?
Siva Canjeevaram on Sunday 17 June 2018 at 14:38
“If it bleeds it can be killed” said the Dutch in predator. (His wise is proved because he became a governor, politics and business needs understanding of the bullshit around you)
If it is physical energy then it can be sensed and measured.
The problem with reiki is there is no objectivity. My 6 yr o can tomorrow start a reiki business. Oh..? You have a goon cartel? To control that, never mind about objectivity.
As far the harmless , if you consider other people wasting thier money and efforts as well as hopes is “not a harm” (or a benefit to people like us, we can make money from these fools) then it is “not a harm”
yyu on Sunday 12 July 2020 at 10:10
Fuc*in Reiki Retards do you have any facts……. no just like you have nothing
Guy Chapman on Friday 12 April 2013 at 11:44
Incidentally, the big tragedy of this is that those who practise alternatives to medicine such as reiki are often terribly nice people and really desperately sincere. I consider it amassive failing of our education system that we turn out otherwise intelligent people who lack basic critical thinking skills and simple fundamental knowledge of science. There really is no excuse in the 21st Century for not understanding the fact that energy is a measurable quantity which is conserved in all interactions. It is not even remotely difficult to grasp, as a concept.
Edzard on Friday 12 April 2013 at 13:28
absolutely! and some of the comments by alt med enthusiasts provide embarrassing evidence of this lack of critical thinking.
Pete 628 on Friday 12 April 2013 at 18:05
While my car was being repaired recently, I had a wonderful conversation with the Service Manager about the difference between customer understanding of problems and the solid evidence-based science used by all of the workshop personnel.
Never once have the personnel suggested that a vehicle fault/problem: is due to the customer’s past life or an imbalance of the customer’s energy; can be cured by reiki, homeopathy, or the plethora of “magic devices” offered for sale on Websites.
The reason that automobiles (and all other electronic and/or mechanical devices) cannot ever be repaired by a reiki master is simply because these devices have zero reaction to placebo.
Modern cars are made of many recycled materials therefore they have had “past lives” and have had “drivers with negative energy” so I can’t wait to see the comments from reiki masters who are able to demonstrate their critical thinking skills.
Transistors (which form part of most modern appliances, especially transportation) operate at the quantum level. It never ceases to amaze me that there are so many proponents of quantum quackery for animal health yet none of the proponents are able to influence something as basic as the photon capturing physics of a digital camera.
My camera has developed a few warm pixels so does it need a replacement part to solve the problem or should I send it to a reiki master, a faith healer, a homeopath, or a quantum healing guru?
As above, I can’t wait to hear answers that demonstrate critical thinking…
edzard on Saturday 13 April 2013 at 05:48
i know of an energy healer who once tried to heal the engine of a bus that had broken down [i am not making this up]. the bus was full of like-minded people who watched in anticipation as she did her healing over the open bonnet. eventually they tried to re-start the engine….and it did not work. they had to be picked up by another bus.
Pete 628 on Saturday 13 April 2013 at 15:06
I’m picturing a Monty Python sketch of that. Next time I get in my car I’ll say to myself “To start engine: rotate the qi in a clockwise direction.”
Björn Geir on Saturday 25 January 2014 at 13:07
If this were a competition for the most bizarre Reiki story, I would put my money on this one taking home the trophy
He could put a lot of surgeons out of work I guess.
Cannot but wonder whether there is a code in ICD-10 for it?
PeterJF on Monday 19 May 2014 at 10:09
That reminded me of some comedy back in the 70s in one episode a young man was convinced he was able to heal car engines by faith healing and praying and after he had been away praying the engines would often start.
It turned out that his mechanically competent sister was feeling sorry for him and working on the engine while he was off praying.
I think, but can not be sure, that it was an episode of the Mary Tyler Moore Show.
Siva Canjeevaram on Tuesday 11 April 2017 at 04:08
No, Actually physics is funded by “ACME” Cartoons and Tom and Jerry. Did you not see that “boing..”????
that is what they do to physics, sorry about that
JJ Flowers on Sunday 27 March 2016 at 17:08
Or, an alternative hypothesis for why Reiki does not fix cameras or cars, is that unlike people, machines do not yet possess consciousness. Until you hard core materialists can explain consciousness, how a memory of an apple, or indeed an understanding of the universe, exists in a collection of molecules neatly, perfectly (i would say miraculously) arranged in three pounds of meat you cannot imagine you have a whole picture. Go with the word mystery. Just what is reality? Information. You are operating with different information than our lovely Reiki Master writing on these pages. He invited you to experience different information. You ridiculed him for it, but honestly, ridicule is not warranted ever, or at least UNTIL you have at least attempted to experience his ‘information,” information that has helped millions of people throughout time.
And indeed, speaking of placebo, what is it? Why does placebo work as well, and sometimes better, than our best pharmaceuticals? Now there is a mystery worth exploring.
And, if you follow physics, you know that the more physicists uncover about the universe, the more questions there are; the more the one word mystery is the very best us humans can do.
Alan Henness on Sunday 27 March 2016 at 18:27
aka “We don’t fully understand some stuff, therefore reiki.”
JJ Flowers on Sunday 27 March 2016 at 18:59
Sagan’s Demon Haunted World was excellent! I loved it. But…
I am also very familiar with confirmation bias. (Very. I find it fascinating.) Just like electrifying discussion of mega studies that show much of the published research articles CANNOT be replicated. For instance, the New Yorker and the NYTs recently highlighted research that demonstrated of the last fifty most cited articles on cancer protocols, only FOUR could be replicated. If you don’t think science, the hard stuff, has credibility problems, you just have the ah, erroneous or incomplete information. The whole scientific method is… faulty, a poor tool used and touted by folks like you as an arbitrator of reality. I am just suggesting that reality is probably the fuzziest concept and essentially meaningless in the way a materialist like you suggests. That explains the limits of discussions like this: Reiki real or imagined? There is no one answer.
Frank Collins on Monday 28 March 2016 at 11:01
“And, if you follow physics, you know that the more physicists uncover about the universe, the more questions there are; the more the one word mystery is the very best us humans can do.”
You may not get much of a response to your posts. Most of the readers of this blog have seen the same, or similar, positions and have seen all of them rebutted, as they always are. I and, I suspect, many others can’t be bothered by the same illogical nonsense.
I suspect what you know about physics (real physics, not the stuff alt-meds dream up) could be written on the back of a very small postage stamp. If the output of light from stars that has interfered with by an orbiting planet and been measured, if the output from a spacecraft on the edge of the solar system can be heard, and if gravity waves can be measured, science knows more than enough to call reiki as complete and utter tripe.
JJ Flowers on Monday 28 March 2016 at 13:41
You are right. I do not understand very much of physics, though I keep trying. The last three books I read on the subject were Lisa Rendells, Knocking on Heaven’s Door, Spooky Action at a Distance, by George Musser and Brain Green’s The Elegant Universe. (This in the last six months; I am, if anything, a voracious reader) I know enough physics to know I know nothing, let’s put it that way. I am, however, deeply connected to the awesome power of science as a tool for understanding our world. But directly to your point, this power still has no reasonable explanation for say, gravity. Yes, we can measure it with precision, but what the heck is it? Just like placebo. Placebo is as good, if not better than most medical interventions. But what is it? How does it work? These are more interesting questions than is Reiki real?
Pete Attkins on Monday 28 March 2016 at 18:27
JJ, Firstly, there is no such thing as “spooky action at a distance” — other than in the minds of those who don’t understand 21st Century quantum mechanics. Neither energy nor information can travel faster than the speed of light, therefore, there is nothing spooky about either quantum entanglement or quantum superposition. Furthermore, Schrödinger’s cat is either dead or alive: its state is most definitely not awaiting an observer to manifest the cat’s final “quantum decoherence”.
Secondly, the only thing that *does* qualify as being “spooky” about quantum mechanics is the vast number of people on Earth who promote their favourite branch(es) of quackery by pretending that quantum mechanics is spooky, i.e., pretending to know things that they don’t know, then further pretending that science doesn’t yet know.
Thirdly, but most importantly, many things that we personally experience seem spooky/uncanny until we have finally learnt to properly comprehend the enormous difference between epistemic and ontic reality. To borrow Gordon Pennycook’s term, those who have not yet learnt this are in a state of “ontological confusion”. Current proponents of “spooky action at a distance” are exemplars of being hopelessly stuck in this state of ontological confusion.
Fourthly, we have obtained amazing fly-by images of Pluto and Charon, which clearly demonstrates the amazing number of branches of science that do actually work extremely well in practise.
Despite all of the above, we have a never ending shortage of people, such as yourself, who tell us that, because science doesn’t know everything, the mysterious energy of reiki is yet to be discovered by science therefore it cannot be dismissed. We are endlessly told this by people who are not just ignorant of modern science, these same people stubbornly refuse to own the burden of proof for their claims — they relentlessly shift their burden of proof onto their audience, which is a logical fallacy that they hope their audience won’t notice.
JJ, Reiki ‘works’ because Charon is made of homoeopathically quantum-entangled cheese, provided by the creator of the universe. Charon was discovered in 1978 — long after homeopathy and Reiki. Do you know enough science and logic to refute my theory. Rhetorical question, because if you did, you wouldn’t be posting the same tired old arguments that have been endlessly and properly refuted. The “argument from ignorance” fallacy is millennia overdue for retirement because it is the most pathetically worn out amongst all the logical fallacies.
JJ Flowers on Saturday 02 April 2016 at 12:56
If you actually bothered to read what I wrote you would have realized that my reference to Spooky Action at a Distance was a reference to a George Messer’s science book I had just read (title comes from Einstein’s famous quote and you’re dreaming, if you imagine that it is settled science; one of dozens of recent articles: http://www.nature.com/news/quantum-spookiness-passes-toughest-test-yet-1.18255.
And IF you had bothered to read what I wrote, instead of assuming I was some new age nut case, and reacting in kind, you would have realized that I am on your side, celebrating the awesome power of science as our best tool for understanding the universe. I get it. But you don’t really read, do you? You scan, assume and leap to a challenge, anxious to demonstrate that you are superior (read smarter) to all these no nothing fuzzy thinkers responding to your blog.
I also suggested that Reiki works as any and all placebos work, (which accounts for the wide spread use of alternative medicine) and that the bigger and more interesting question is what is placebo and how the heck does it work? I suggest you read the wiki page on placebo for an enlightening discussion.
Finally, I suggested that there is a problem in our scientific method. Replication (the important step in establishing fact, especially in medical studies) has recently been shown to be quite problematic. FEW scientific studies, published journal articles, can in fact be replicated.
Rather than your tiresome smear that I am producing fallacies, these are interesting and deep issues.
May the force be with you…
Frank Odds on Tuesday 29 March 2016 at 12:06
“But directly to your point, this power still has no reasonable explanation for say, gravity. Yes, we can measure it with precision, but what the heck is it?”
This says it all about your knowledge of physics. Gravity is explained by Einstein’s theory of General Relativity which was formulated exactly a century ago. Gravitational waves were detected for the first time this year, confirming one of the predictions of Einstein’s expanation.
“And, if you follow physics, you know that the more physicists uncover about the universe, the more questions there are; the more the one word mystery is the very best us humans can do.” Physicists are humans, too. Evidently they are a lot better informed than humans who throw up their hands in amazement at things they can’t comprehend and cry ‘mystery!’ Perhaps the most remarkable thing is that these people chooise to display their ignorance in public.
Pete Attkins on Saturday 02 April 2016 at 23:05
JJ Flowers, I responded to what you had previously written, after reading it carefully.
I agree with the first part of your statement: “You are right. I do not understand very much of physics…”. I disagree with the second part: “, though I keep trying.” The only thing that you are ‘trying’ in your last reply to me is my patience.
You wrote: “Finally, I suggested that there is a problem in our scientific method.” Likewise, I finally suggest that there is a problem in your methods — not the least of which being your chosen method of commenting on the subject “Reiki: neither plausible, nor effective, nor harmless”.
Hamfish on Tuesday 01 November 2016 at 00:05
There’s a guy in my work convinced he can project his consciousness anywhere in the universe instantaneously. Not much later in the conversation he said “I’ve always preferred hallucinogens to other drugs”. Cause and effect. Explain to me the mechanism behind reiki in a reproducible format and I’ll gladly listen to you.
sallyhansen on Thursday 01 September 2016 at 03:05
That’s not really true. I have heard stories in reiki circles of people using their hands to charge dead batteries or jump start their car.
Frank Odds on Thursday 01 September 2016 at 09:13
Thanks for passing on stories you have heard. Great evidence!
Alan Henness on Thursday 01 September 2016 at 09:55
Wow! Really?
Frank Collins on Thursday 01 September 2016 at 12:04
What about raising people from the dead, levitating aircraft to reduce their CO2 emissions, accelerating cars to cruising speed, or using reiki masters instead of cranes on building sites?
Einstein was right; human stupidity is infinite.
LOL on Saturday 27 January 2018 at 01:56
Oh that’s just Mercury Retrograde, because the appearance of a planet from our perspective seeming to move away, causes all the problems with things like cars for some reason. Maybe from the flatness of earth?
Dr Julian Money-Kyrle on Monday 13 January 2020 at 10:55
Never once have the personnel suggested that a vehicle fault/problem: is due to the customer’s past life or an imbalance of the customer’s energy; can be cured by reiki, homeopathy, or the plethora of “magic devices” offered for sale on Websites
There are magic devices on sale to improve the performance of cars, such as electrically-powered hydrogen generators which then feed the hydrogen into the air intake of the engine. Also in the 1980’s it was very common to see earthing straps dangling behind vehicles.
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 11:49
hiii friend,why are you not accepting in 21st Century it can be transferred from one body to another.
Edzard on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 11:53
why don’t you shoe us some evidence for your claim?
Mark on Monday 08 February 2016 at 20:20
I have handed out more copies of Sagan’s “The Demon Haunted World” than I can count. Does it do any good? Not with the true believers. Sigh.
Estella on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 10:16
Ever heard or studied Qantum Physics? It’s understood by those of us who happen to be able to think outside the box.
Edzard on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 10:29
if I were you, I wouldn’t go there!
Thomas Mohr on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 10:44
This looks like getting really funny. Estella, yes, in fact I have heard of Quantum Physics and took classes at university which covered that topic a bit. The problem you face now is, is Reiki God’s unmeasurable energy or quantum physics which can be measured very well ? However, the answer will not ameliorate your problem, namely that RCTs are capable to measure the effects of *both*.
Edzard on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 12:58
Estella: I told you not to go there!
Alan Henness on Sunday 14 May 2017 at 16:24
Please do tell us all about your understanding of ‘Qantum’ Physics and reiki…
Pete Attkins on Wednesday 17 May 2017 at 00:12
Have you studied quantum mechanics. [Rhetorical question, hence the lack of an appended question mark not being a grammatical error.]
I echo Professor Ernst’s advice to you: If I were you, I wouldn’t go there!
Jazz Purr on Sunday 12 January 2020 at 10:08
People talk about ‘how is energy transferred’ as If without a human built machine to measure it or make money out of it ..it simply doesn’t exist.
How do you know when someone is thinking I’ll thoughts about you when you walk in a room.We are talking in some respects about psychic energy ..energy is relative to thd conductor or conductee and manifests itself in relation to those principles
Siva Canjeevaram on Monday 13 January 2020 at 03:52
I could ask you the same question, “how do you know?”, you have no way of knowing. Knowing is different and belief is different. Belief needs no “know”. For e.g. the kid believes that there is a monster under his bed. He does not need to know that there is a monster or not. The question could be “how did that kid get that belief? was it not throw some “know” or knowledge?. Stop here, what is “know”? know is to see, to hear, to taste, to hear, to feel it in the skin. If it is not any of the five than it is not a “know”. Then how did the kid believe? (1) the assumption, (2) illusion. Have you seen any magic trick? if not watch some on Youtube, the Chinese face mask, etc. We have no way of knowing how that trick is done, are you sure a pigeon does not come out of a hat? Lastly whatever you said is just bullshit.
rita on Friday 12 April 2013 at 19:57
Oooh! Just commented on the relationship of critical thinking to alt med/not on the chiro thread….
Kausik Datta on Saturday 13 April 2013 at 06:03
It’s amazing how closely similar this Reiki business is to the supernatural Japanese anime series of cartoons and graphic novels, such as Yu Yu Hakusho or Dragonball Z. Those, too, have a lot of “energy” generation and energy throwing and so on. Just like the way Biblical creationists seem to consider the Flintstones to be a documentary, I wonder if these Reiki practitioners and believers think the same of these anime shows?
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Pete 628 on Monday 15 April 2013 at 00:39
Reiki becomes highly plausible and effective to the practitioner (via self-delusion and business success). The prospective client may be easily seduced by it especially due to initial positive placebo reaction reinforced by the allure of becoming a ‘healer’. It has a strong element of victim blaming i.e. it plays on nocebo reactions (good for practitioner, harmful to client).
Is it effective? Obviously not. If it was effective it would be medicine rather than a branch of CAM.
Is it harmless? Absolutely not. All practitioners of panacea CAM are indoctrinated to believe that every negative outcome is a positive sign of the healing process. If after months of experimenting on the client the symptoms are still getting worse a practitioner will either covertly dismiss the client or overtly refer them to their GP. Furthermore, Reiki practitioners must (by definition) have very strong spiritual beliefs (they pay directly or indirectly in an attempt to master their spirituality, which is a never-ending process) and must instil as least some of these beliefs into their clients — otherwise they wouldn’t be performing proper Reiki healing.
Reiki is one of many branches of CAM that claims to be a panacea, however, what makes it unusual (therefore of possible interest to discuss) is its business model.
It has a three-tired hierarchy of degrees: First, Second, and Master/Teacher. The client can be ‘cured’ of their ailment(s) just as effectively by a Reiki Master as by visiting a homeopath, but one’s local Reiki Master will likely obtain more income than would one’s local homeopath because the former is allowed to coerce the client into additional spending on training courses with the practitioner whereas the latter practitioner is not allowed to do so.
The Reiki healing process encourages the client to learn how to heal themselves, for which one or more training courses is essential. From the client perspective this is very tempting because not only does it offer the client the ability to self-heal, it also offers the client the opportunity to become a healer of others and to make money by so doing. This is an alluring triple reward for the client. (For some clients it’s a quadruple allure due to the self-esteem gained from having their first meaningful framed certificate of achievement/accreditation.)
Reiki, it seems to me, is a lucrative multi-level marketing scheme whereas most other branches of CAM stick to using institutions for practitioner qualification. Vendors of supplements seem to be divided between the two business models. I have obviously avoided naming the many franchise schemes used in other branches of CAM.
Despite having personally witnessed a myriad of different CAM conjuring tricks over the decades I’m still somewhat fascinated by them. They remind me of the Venus flytrap: this type of predator doesn’t need to get smarter, it relies on the abundance of prey that makes no effort to outwit its predator.
Attempting dialogue with Venus flytraps in order to elicit evidence for efficacy in curing the diseases of flies is as pointless as attempting dialogue with CAM practitioners to elicit evidence for efficacy in curing the diseases of humans (and other animals). Venus flytraps and CAM practitioners already have enough food on their tables to survive therefore they don’t need to provide further evidence for their efficacy.
The CAM definition of efficacy is exactly the same as ours: the ability to produce a desired or intended result.
Our stumbling block is that we expect their desired or intended result to be the same as ours. We cannot overcome this block until we realize, accept, and learn to work with these totally different paradigms.
If critical thinking skills had been incorporated into the national curriculum, as had been agreed over a decade ago by many world leaders, quackery would be heading towards extinction rather than expanding.
The JREF has demonstrated that quackery can be a very useful teaching aid to developing critical thinking skills. Perhaps this is the best method to combat what has become “The CAM disease, which is in desperate need of a cure.”
Peter on Wednesday 17 April 2013 at 17:44
I have a question.
There was a scientific experiment that it generated data, ending that there were improvements in several well-being situations with significant percentages.
Then I read his comment saying that researching causes a mistaken impression of the people about Reiki. Only that.
I didn’t read any objection really plausible and effective exposing mistakes in the method of research nor that the data were badly collected.
With the title of PhD, you well know that cannot simply write “I didn’t like” on the results, you need to convince us that the research was badly done in technical terms and it didn’t prove anything.
Thanks.
Guy on Thursday 18 April 2013 at 20:34
The thing is, the study wasn’t placebo-controlled. If you got a random guy (not a Reiki user) off the street and asked him to pretend to be a Reiki practitioner, the patients would still report improvement. Without placebo controls, the study is irrelevant because because *anything* (even sugar pills) can make people feel better.The question is not whether Reiki can help people, but whether it can help people more than placebo (i.e. sham Reiki.)
Caroline on Sunday 19 May 2013 at 22:12
Recently the Confederation of Healing Organisations has funded research by University of Northampton Professors Chris Roe and Elizabeth Roxburgh which has shown that distant healing actually does WORK http://nectar.northampton.ac.uk/4671/ The researchers have also shown that such effects are also useful in a mental health setting and recommend psychologists and psychotherapists be trained and supervised in this http://www.bial.com/imagem/Bolsa8210_07022013.pdf
Edzard on Monday 20 May 2013 at 08:00
the research you cite does not show that these treatments work.
Caroline on Saturday 25 May 2013 at 20:06
The study cited (Roe, Sonnex & Roxburgh: 2012) is quite clear in its statement that such healing processes DO WORK. After a thorough review of all the evidence the authors conclude that:
“Findings with the non-whole human database suggest that subjects in the active condition were observed to have a significant improvement in wellbeing relative to control subjects under circumstances that do not seem to be susceptible to placebo and expectancy effects. Findings with the whole human database gave a smaller mean effect size but this was still significant”
Edzard on Sunday 26 May 2013 at 06:05
I do not dispute what you are saying about one single study. however, if you take ALL the available evidence into account, you arrive at a different conclusion. cherry-picking your data is misleading.
Graeme on Wednesday 13 May 2015 at 19:06
Findings “suggest” that subjects were “observed” to have “significant” improvement in “wellbeing” …under circumstances that do not “seem” to be “susceptible”…
That does not sound like a very certain conclusion or even a scientific one to me. If it were certain then it would read more like;
Results showed that subjects demonstrated a statistically significant improvement on ? measurements when the placebo effect was eliminated…
Proof is a definite thing. Not vaguely suggestive of a possibility. Otherwise its only an opinion.
Gonçalo on Monday 18 November 2013 at 20:27
What I saw here is just false. Just because you didn’t get to explain it, it doesn’t mean that is not real. And yes, I value the scientifically method and believe it will get soon to clearly explain the so called esoteric field of energy that is still a transcendental issue. Well, Reiki is real, is physical and spiritual, and works, simple and effective, simple energy flowing. No detailed studies can place the simple fact of experience felt in your own body. And yet, everyone is free to have an opinion, even empty opinions. Don’t get me wrong, I am not offending you. But you are telling lies here.
Björn Geir on Tuesday 19 November 2013 at 08:12
Try reading Pete 628 ‘s comment a bit further up. He explains very clearly how and why and what you are experiencing
The esoteric field of transcendental energy may well be real to you, but only as an idea in your own head.
The liars in this game are the ones who take money from people promising to cure an ailment with something that only exists in their own head.
Alison Cockerill on Saturday 25 January 2014 at 11:14
Complementary Therapies do not claim to cure an illness, rather support a person and make them feel better able to cope with it. However if Reiki is all in the head like you say, I am grateful to have it and a wonderful gift to receive. Have you heard the saying ‘you could cut the atmosphere with a knife’ when First walk into a room, you cannot see the tension you just sense that it is there.
Alan Henness on Saturday 25 January 2014 at 13:04
That’s a rather sweeping statement and, other than being pedantic that it’s the practitioners of ‘complementary’ therapies who make the claims, it is trivially refuted.
rather support a person and make them feel better able to cope with it.
There may well be some therapies that make someone feel a bit better, but that’s not all they claim to do, is it?
However if Reiki is all in the head like you say, I am grateful to have it and a wonderful gift to receive.
Perhaps you could provide some good evidence that reiki does, indeed, work?
Have you heard the saying ‘you could cut the atmosphere with a knife’ when First walk into a room, you cannot see the tension you just sense that it is there.
Yes, but what do you believe that has got to do with the evidence for reiki?
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Laura Allen on Sunday 25 May 2014 at 13:15
Thank you for this post. After years of practicing and teaching energy work, I had an epiphany about 5-6 years ago brought on by my conversations with some of the EBP folks I met on the Internet. People don’t like to give up their BS (believe systems or bullshit, your call!), and my speaking out about it has cost me some supporters. After I shared the Rosa study the other day on my FB page, someone immediately said “I hate to see someone I used to admire slamming alternative therapies that they do not understand.”
I’m not a scientist by anyone’s stretch of the imagination but I do have the ability, when it hits me over the head, to see how something cannot work in the way it’s claimed. I wish I had the ability to impart that to others. I realize people have good intentions, and all the years I was practicing it, I had good intentions, too. Reiki and other forms of energy work were required at the massage school I attended. No one wants to believe they’re spending time and money to learn things that are false.
I feel like I’m fighting a losing battle because as mentioned above, it’s infiltrated the military, and the last time I counted it there are about 800 hospitals in the US offering Reiki to patients, including some of the most respected teaching hospitals. I don’t think there’s any hope of getting rid of it. It’s growing like a fungus.
Edzard on Sunday 25 May 2014 at 13:38
thank you; it is up to us to promote rational thought and disclose irrationality for what it is. I invite you to submit a blog post as a guest to this blog.
sue hansard on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 07:49
Well said Laura and I think very honest of you. I work in Palliative Care and REiki and Energy Healing is offered more and more for our patients and their relatives. Training sessions are also taught at my Hospice. Yet we purport, as an organisation, to use evidence based practice! It is a great concern to me and I am stone walled when I question this.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 09:37
There is obviously a place for some massage in hospices and in hospitals used as a means of relaxation and even just ‘pampering’ and I agree entirely with you that nonsense such as reiki should have no place. I know some organisations provide a very light touch massage: it’s barely even massage – more just a stroking covering arms and shoulders – but clients feel a benefit from that. But these tend to be vulnerable and possibly lonely people for whom this person-to-person contact may be the only contact they have with others and is also a way of giving them an opportunity to talk to someone who is trained to listen. I’m sure something like that – which makes no therapeutic claims other than being relaxing and increasing ‘well-being’ – would be far preferable to the mumbo-jumbo of reiki in hospices and hospitals.
Björn Geir on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 11:50
Touch and warmth (both physical and mental) are well known essentials for humans and other warm blooded animals (at least?).
As Alan says, this is what many people are sorely lacking.
Someone called this deficiency “skin hunger”.
As a physician (surgeon) I learned long ago that when visiting a patient at the bed, even if in a hurry, I examine the patient if needed and then try to sit down, however briefly, take the pulse at the wrist (always informative). Then I continue to hold on to the hand while discussing matters at hand. One senses right away if the patient is uncomfortable with this, which is almost never. This touch, closeness warmth and relaxation, however brief and casual, is part of the real art of using placebo to aid real medicine. I could of course pretend to feel the “heat” or “energy” or whatever they call it, those who bought themselves imaginary magical reiki-powers. But I do not need to call it magic. It is real, non-mystical human interaction that the worried-well generation has forgotten how to practice for themselves and are instead buying with varying amounts of deception from well-meaning craniosacral therapists, reiki-masters and other brands of touch-quacks, who have been led to believe it is an alternative form of science.
Alejandro Greppy on Tuesday 29 December 2015 at 09:52
Touch and warmth (both physical and mental) are well known essentials for humans and other warm blooded animals (at least?).
Do you have proves of that?
who have been led to believe it is an alternative form of science.
Who is claiming this?
sue hansard on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 17:31
I agree there is definitely a place for `touch’ in palliative care. Some Complementary therapies certainly help patients and carers to achieve relaxation and they report improved emotional `well being’ after wards. But sometimes, and for many different reasons a person may not be able to receive `physical touch’ treatments. In these instances there may be a place for the hands- off `relaxation’, which `REIKI’ seems to afford recipients. After all most of us WOULD feel relaxed during and after spending 30minutes on a comfy couch, in a warm cocoon like room, with tranquil music in the background. So why not call it that and make no other claims. Would it be less beneficial simply because we are being honest?
If we continue to accept the psuedo science of Reiki, and , by using it so unquestioningly within a medical model of care, we are giving credence to it. The message we are giving is that it IS safe, appropriate and therapeutic and ethical and all on the back of the idea that ` well it can’t really cause any harm can it?’ How do I tackle this? Advice appreciated.
Edzard on Wednesday 09 July 2014 at 07:10
it is NOT safe to make people believe in mystical nonsense! it undermines rationality in out society which can have disastrous effects
jm on Wednesday 09 July 2014 at 08:23
Belief in mystical nonsense can lead to disastrous effects like the Crusades, for instance.
Is there really any kind of evidence that folks are forgoing other treatments in favor of Reiki for serious conditions? Seriously?
Alan Henness on Wednesday 09 July 2014 at 09:44
jm said:
Is there really any kind of evidence that folks are forgoing other treatments in favor of Reiki for serious conditions? Seriously?
I doubt reiki practitioners record that detail, but you’re missing the point.
jm on Wednesday 09 July 2014 at 16:40
I don’t think I’m missing the point at all, Alan. I’ve know several christians who, as part of their faith, refuse any and all medical care. I also know quite a few folks who have received reiki trreatments – after receiving chemo, muscle reattachments, various other medical treatments.
I don’t know of a single person who opted for reiki as sole treatment for a serious condition. I don’t know anyone who knows anyone who did that. I’m sure they’re out there somewhere, but they are outliers who would refuse western med treatment anyway.
The reiki folks believe they are using electromagnetic potential inherent in uncoccupied space to facilitate healing after a medical intervention. The christians are relying on the hand of an unseen deity at the exclusion of all other treatment.
So which mystical nonsense do you think is more dangerous? Oh dear…
Alan Henness on Thursday 10 July 2014 at 15:31
Yes, there are all sorts of similarities between belief in magic medicine and belief in a god, etc: all are lacking in any good evidence.
But I think this is a good example of the problem of believing in nonsense – it engenders highly dangerous attitudes and actions that can kill: Natural Treatments for AIDS / HIV:
What this means is that the Bob Beck Protocol must be used by itself.
1) No orthodox treatments for AIDS – NONE,
2) No alternative treatments for AIDS – NONE,
5) No herbs,
13) etc. etc.
jm on Thursday 10 July 2014 at 16:39
Again, it’s most likely that anyone following the Beck protocol would be avoiding western med anyway (for whatever reason). Or finance reasons. Many can’t afford western med, and for every person charging for reiki there are many more who don’t charge (most reiki practitioners hold to the belief that charging money for healing is unethical – but you rarely hear about them for obvious reasons).
Putting reiki in the “dangerous” category is quite bizarre. Worrying about ‘endorsement’ of psuedo science is also a bit odd…considering that many hospitals house chapels.
Then again, if that’s our biggest problem – woohoo!
Edzard on Thursday 10 July 2014 at 17:05
one can never justify one nonsense with another!
Alan Henness on Thursday 10 July 2014 at 18:14
jm said:
Again, it’s most likely that anyone following the Beck protocol would be avoiding western med anyway (for whatever reason).
Your logical fallacy is Appeal to personal incredulity. I refer you to the words I quoted.
As has already been pointed out, the danger isn’t always the specific effects of a treatment, but the problems that the non-specific effects create, including engendering a mistrust – or even hatred and contempt – for conventional treatments and medical professionals.
jm on Thursday 10 July 2014 at 18:16
Not trying to justify anything – just saying that on the scale of “dangerous”…reiki doesn’t even make the list. Or if it’s on a list of dangers, is just below bunnies and kittens. People should be more worried about ibuprophen.
jm on Friday 11 July 2014 at 15:55
Alan – “…engendering a mistrust – or even hatred and contempt – for conventional treatments and medical professionals.”
What does that have to do with reiki? Or religious beliefs, for that matter? You seem to have pulled that out of left field…???
Alan Henness on Saturday 12 July 2014 at 10:54
jm said:
Alan – “…engendering a mistrust – or even hatred and contempt – for conventional treatments and medical professionals.”
What does that have to do with reiki? Or religious beliefs, for that matter? You seem to have pulled that out of left field…???
Please try to keep up. The link to that exaltation to forgo conventional medical treatment for AIDS was on the website of a reiki practitioner.
jm on Saturday 12 July 2014 at 15:56
“Please try to keep up. The link to that exaltation to forgo conventional medical treatment for AIDS was on the website of a reiki practitioner.”
Oh dear… Next you’ll tell me that all western allopaths are quacks, because someone’s touting a “magic green pill” – and it’s on the website of an MD! As you say, “please try to keep up”. (That was so cute, by the way.)
If you’re doing a google search for reiki, you have to dig pretty deep to find the site you’re referencing. The top hit for me was reiki.org. Specifically, this page: http://www.reiki.org/faq/whatisreiki.html. And you could have pulled this quote from it:
“It (reiki) also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.”
Edzard on Saturday 12 July 2014 at 18:01
sorry, you are wrong: reiki does NOT work, at least not beyond placebo.
Alan Henness on Saturday 12 July 2014 at 18:35
jm said:
Oh dear… Next you’ll tell me that all western allopaths are quacks, because someone’s touting a “magic green pill” – and it’s on the website of an MD! As you say, “please try to keep up”. (That was so cute, by the way.)
What on earth are you on about?
No, I found it very easily. But of course, where it is ranked by Google has no bearing on the veracity of what it says. And you have no idea what terms I searched for, so why assume what I found would be the same as what you found?
So what? ‘Research’ is frequently more than hitting ‘I’m Feeling Lucky’.
And you could have pulled this quote from it:
“It (reiki) also works in conjunction with all other medical or therapeutic techniques to relieve side effects and promote recovery.”
Good grief. So I could. I could have quoted any other words from that site. However, it seems that not all reiki practitioners follow the gospel of reiki.org, so my quote taken from a reiki practitioner’s website still stands.
BTW, I don’t suppose reiki.org provided any good evidence for their claims?
Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand rather than how Google searches work, you said:
I don’t know of a single person who opted for reiki as sole treatment for a serious condition.
So I searched for reiki and AIDS and, lo and behold, the seventh result here was the one I quoted where a reiki practitioner seemed to be advocating the abandonment of conventional treatments for this ‘Bob Beck Protocol’. Now that ‘treatment’ may well not be reiki, but I was using it as an illustration of how – as you put it – ‘Belief in mystical nonsense can lead to disastrous effects’. A point well made by that quote.
jm on Saturday 12 July 2014 at 18:38
“sorry, you are wrong: reiki does NOT work, at least not beyond placebo.”
hmmm…I missed the part where I said it worked….where was that again?
Alan Henness on Sunday 13 July 2014 at 10:08
Well, you repeated the quote from reiki.org saying that reiki worked. Are they wrong?
jm on Sunday 13 July 2014 at 16:15
Alan – “Well, you repeated the quote from reiki.org saying that reiki worked. Are they wrong?”
Yeah, I quoted from reiki.org, because that’s what comes up first if someone googled “reiki”. If someone was unfamiliar with reiki, they would probably search the term “reiki”. Are they wrong? I have no idea, but from what Sue was saying the “promote recovery” aspects seems pretty accurrate. Or am I missing the something about the dangers of relaxing?
In contrast, you cherry picked some whack job that someone would have to do a relatively deep search to find. And then say “Now that ‘treatment’ may well not be reiki”. I’m sure there’s someone somewhere cherry picking whack job Dr Oz as ‘proof’ that western med is dangerous. (That’s what I was ‘going on’ about, by the way. I didn’t think that would be too hard to follow, but here we are.)
“But of course, where it is ranked by Google has no bearing on the veracity of what it says.”
No kidding. Again, that’s what the unfamiliar will find doing a search for “reiki”. Odds are, that would be the search. Or they would check Wikipedia, and find that reiki is considered a spiritual practice with no evidence of treatment success.
“Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand rather than how Google searches work…”
Yeah, the topic at hand was the dangers of people believing that reiki works. The therapy isn’t dangerous, belief in the proposed mechanism isn’t dangerous, more often than not it’s free, and there are zero side effects. I think you should google the word “dangerous”.
If safety in relation to mystical nonsense is really an issue, it would make more sense to replace hospital and palliative facility chapels with reiki practitioners. Or better yet, a good cafe.
Alan Henness on Sunday 13 July 2014 at 17:31
jm said:
Alan – “Well, you repeated the quote from reiki.org saying that reiki worked. Are they wrong?”
Yeah, I quoted from reiki.org, because that’s what comes up first if someone googled “reiki”.
As I said, I did not search for reiki on its own because we were supposed to be discussing reiki and serious medical conditions. But you don’t seem to be able to get past the idea that the first result in Google does not mean it is correct or the most authoritative. It is just a search result.
If someone was unfamiliar with reiki, they would probably search the term “reiki”. Are they wrong? I have no idea, but from what Sue was saying the “promote recovery” aspects seems pretty accurrate. Or am I missing the something about the dangers of relaxing?
Please don’t confuse specific with non-specific effects. Sue was quite clear she was referring to the non-specific effects and that there were no specific effects of reiki.
In contrast, you cherry picked some whack job that someone would have to do a relatively deep search to find. And then say “Now that ‘treatment’ may well not be reiki”. I’m sure there’s someone somewhere cherry picking whack job Dr Oz as ‘proof’ that western med is dangerous. (That’s what I was ‘going on’ about, by the way. I didn’t think that would be too hard to follow, but here we are.)
At least we can agree about Oz. However, getting back to what we started discussing – the use of reiki and serious medical conditions – are you suggesting that, to find out what reiki practitioners think about treating serious medical conditions, I simply search for reiki and if I find nothing in the first hit, I should conclude that everything is all hunky-dory in reiki land? Maybe that reiki practitioner is a one-off, but I doubt it – how about you?
“But of course, where it is ranked by Google has no bearing on the veracity of what it says.”
No kidding. Again, that’s what the unfamiliar will find doing a search for “reiki”. Odds are, that would be the search. Or they would check Wikipedia, and find that reiki is considered a spiritual practice with no evidence of treatment success.
I’m glad that Wikipedia is accurate on that, but yet again, you’ve missed the point.
“Anyway, to get back to the topic at hand rather than how Google searches work…”
Yeah, the topic at hand was the dangers of people believing that reiki works. The therapy isn’t dangerous, belief in the proposed mechanism isn’t dangerous, more often than not it’s free, and there are zero side effects. I think you should google the word “dangerous”.
I have already given you an good example of a reiki practitioner appearing to endorse a highly dangerous practice. If you want to ignore that, then so be it.
If safety in relation to mystical nonsense is really an issue, it would make more sense to replace hospital and palliative facility chapels with reiki practitioners. Or better yet, a good cafe.
LOL!
jm on Sunday 13 July 2014 at 19:38
“As I said, I did not search for reiki on its own because we were supposed to be discussing reiki and serious medical conditions. But you don’t seem to be able to get past the idea that the first result in Google does not mean it is correct or the most authoritative. It is just a search result.”
You need to reread what I wrote.
“Please don’t confuse specific with non-specific effects. Sue was quite clear she was referring to the non-specific effects and that there were no specific effects of reiki.”
Yup. According to research, specific results of reiki is: nothing. Non-specific effects: relaxation.
“At least we can agree about Oz. However, getting back to what we started discussing – the use of reiki and serious medical conditions – are you suggesting that, to find out what reiki practitioners think about treating serious medical conditions, I simply search for reiki and if I find nothing in the first hit, I should conclude that everything is all hunky-dory in reiki land? Maybe that reiki practitioner is a one-off, but I doubt it – how about you?”
Nope. Again, re-read what I wrote. Read all the words, not assuming that I am in any way supporting reiki. Assume that I am commenting on considering reiki dangerous. Also assume that it’s the rare individual (regardless of one off website nutjobs) that will treat a serious med condition solely with reiki.
“I’m glad that Wikipedia is accurate on that, but yet again, you’ve missed the point.”
The point is that folks curious about reiki will be informed that it’s not primary treatment for serious med conditions.
“I have already given you an good example of a reiki practitioner appearing to endorse a highly dangerous practice. If you want to ignore that, then so be it.”
I’ve given you a good example of the dangers of western med. Ignore it if you want. Actually, Oz is more dangerous than the site you found. He reaches more people. The difference here is that I don’t think Oz is representative of western med – you seem to think that obscure nutburger is representative of reiki. Not sure why you think that.
“LOL”
Chapels in hospitals make me LOL, too!
Alan Henness on Monday 14 July 2014 at 11:06
Tara on Thursday 26 June 2014 at 07:11
Thanks for your opinion.
Pingback: Is there any scientific and logical explanation of the Eastern healing technique called Reiki? - Quora
Jo Giles on Monday 07 July 2014 at 18:28
I can only assume that those who have posted above about the ‘sham of Reiki’ have never actually bothered to go and experience a treatment themselves. Because if you had, you would know that it works. You do not need to have a scientific study explain why a massage is beneficial and you don’t for Reiki. I have been a complimentary therapist for 12 years and a Reiki practitioner for 3 years and I have been amazed at the results I get when using Reiki on my clients. Even the most sceptical – I am part of the Google massage team so you can imagine how many engineers like to dismiss it initially, but yet are completely amazed and converted! I use it to help release knots in a tenth of the time and with half of the pain and can literally switch off pain in some cases – for example putting one hand on the belly and asking Reiki to take the pain away whilst pressing on the IT Band as hard as I can. Instantly switches of the pain. Also, the amount of heat that is generated from my hands when the Reiki is flowing is incredible and yet my hands themselves are usually quite cold. People – including myself are always amazed! I was always a bit sceptical myself, being a hands on body worker, but seriously, Reiki is amazing and it does work and is an incredible support for me in my job – on some days I massage up to 7 hours – before I could give Reiki I would be completely wiped out.
I watched my mum’s leg (post hip op) that was really swollen literally go back to almost it’s normal size in front of our very eyes after I administered ten minutes of Reiki. My mum was previously a sceptic! It continues to amaze me and sometimes freak me out to be honest how effective it is. It’s only a shame that people like to dismiss things they have never experienced – how do you even know if it doesn’t work if you haven’t even tried it. Honestly, we are not saying Reiki is the cure for all disease, but it does make life better and people feel better, and that can only be a good thing. Reiki is for the highest good of all. It’s a practical application of energy for the benefit of all. Try it, then comment. it’s a bit like reviewing a restaurant that you haven’t eaten in. Until then, your comments have no value.
Edzard on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 07:28
are the effects so miraculous that they disappear in controlled clinical trials?
Alan Henness on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 09:18
Jo Giles said:
You do not need to have a scientific study explain why a massage is beneficial and you don’t for Reiki.
Oh? Why’s that?
Alejandro Greppy on Tuesday 29 December 2015 at 10:24
By the same reason you don’t need a scientific study to explain when you are thirsty you should drink water.
Neil on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 10:32
Lets keep going with the restaurant metaphor. You got to a restaurant and really enjoy your meal, 10 other people find out they have food poisoning due to the poor standards of hygiene. Even though your experience was good do we ignore the other evidence? Would you go back there if the conditions remain the same?
Alan Henness on Tuesday 08 July 2014 at 14:24
…or if independent health inspectors condemn it for being unhygienic, would you go back because the meal you experienced yourself didn’t harm you?
sue hansard on Wednesday 09 July 2014 at 07:54
Jo, I have received REIKI. I have also worked in a comp Therapy centre charging for Reiki as well as in other situations where Reiki was/is offered by, I’m certain, well meaning, well intentioned volunteer Reiki therapists. But no matter how well intentioned that doesn’t make the therapy effective, safe or ethical.
When I had my REIKI treatment I felt very relaxed during and after…. BUT… I was in a quiet, warm, therapy room with candles, floaty music, , the ideal scenario for me to `shut out’ my day to day worries. PLus, my therapist made me `feel safe’, she inferred on me an air of calm, of trust and her belief that this treatment would help. As a rational person I knew that my `feel good feelings’ during and after, were simply because of the environment , nothing else. If I was `suggestable’ I would probably attribute it to the Reiki ESPECIALLY so when the therapist `identifies’ areas of `blocked energy.
I have sampled many different alternative therapies and guess what?….. they all suggest the same areas of `blockage’. I can predict the areas which will be identified: my liver, my spleen, my pelvic area (usually gynae ), my bowels and always my lymph system! But this is simply guess work and should not be made out to be anything else.
joe on Friday 22 August 2014 at 03:21
well my brother is a reiki master and he did reiki on me and i can say that it might work in a placebo way BUT it certainly did nothing for me and for what i got out of it ( which was nothing ) i certainly would not part with any money for it, i can tell you its a sham.
joe on Monday 25 August 2014 at 08:20
hi jo, my brother is a “reiki master”he tried his “craft”on me, needless to say it did NOTHING for me, its a scam, i said it to my brother and as a result he does not talk to me, i dont particularly care except i dont think its nice to take money from people in return for something that is proven to be of little use.
joe on Wednesday 06 August 2014 at 04:36
hi everybody,my estranged brother is a “reiki master” somewhere in this forum it was mentioned lack of education,concerning my brother this is true, his education levels are low, his mind is closed to the point where he would not consider for a moment that reiki is a load of rubbish, you could place in front of him all the evidence in the world that reiki is rubbish and he would not believe it, but the thing is my estranged brother has nothing else in life, so to lose his title as “reiki master”would mean that he would have to accept the fact that in reality he has nothing and for him and others like him means that they have to cling to their titles for dear life.yes i truly believe lack of good education contributes to the problems we are facing regarding things like reiki.
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 12:08
Since the publication of our article, a number of new investigations have become available. In a brand-new study, for instance, the researchers wanted to explore a Reiki therapy-training program for the care-givers of paediatric patients. A series of Reiki training classes were offered by a Reiki-master. At the completion of the program, interviews were conducted to elicit participant’s feedback regarding its effectiveness.
Seventeen families agreed to participate and 65% of them attended three Reiki training sessions. They reported that Reiki had benefited their child by improving their comfort (76%), providing relaxation (88%) and pain relief (41%). All caregivers thought that becoming an active participant in their child’s care was a major gain. The authors of this investigation conclude that “a hospital-based Reiki training program for caregivers of hospitalized pediatric patients is feasible and can positively impact patients and their families. More rigorous research regarding the benefits of Reiki in the pediatric population is needed.”
if 88% gets relaxation than it proves reiki exists.Research needed for12% why they are not feeling relaxation . A good reiki master can ans this.
Edzard on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 12:22
people can relax regardless of what you call ‘energy’
joe on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 22:34
sanjay on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 16:54
If people does not need energy in your opinion then you are really………….
Alan Henness on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 17:09
You are making no sense. However, it would be good if you could answer the question I asked you:
perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is, how it can be transferred and what the right procedures are?
jm on Sunday 24 August 2014 at 19:59
@Alan – The first part of your question is pretty straightforward. As I think I said before, reiki roughly translates to: electromagnetic potential inherent in unoccupied space.
Rei is basically the electromagnetic potential of free space.
Ki is electromagnetism.
Modern science has been measuring rei for quite some time. Still haven’t proven electromagnetism yet, though. But the effects of electromagnetism are measurable. So when you say “what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is…” – it’s not a belief system. It’s just physics.
For the second part of your question…can’t help you there.
Alan Henness on Monday 25 August 2014 at 10:07
What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
jm on Monday 25 August 2014 at 17:07
Depends. But I think it’s usually pascal units, if memory serves.
Alan Henness on Monday 25 August 2014 at 17:24
jm said:
Depends. But I think it’s usually pascal units, if memory serves.
No. The Pascal is an SI derived unit for pressure, not energy.
But what do you mean by ‘depends’ and ‘usually’?
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 09:05
Alan: “No. The Pascal is an SI derived unit for pressure, not energy.”
Yes, and I was assuming that measuring pressure is probably the most common measurement of empty space (hence the ‘usually pascal units’, since you asked). Another would be vacuum energy, which I believe is measured in joules. Depends on what you’re looking at in empty space. (that’s what I mean by ‘depends’).
So maybe joules is more common than pascal units. I have no idea. I suppose PSI is even more common than either of the other two.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 10:12
What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 16:52
@Alan – You certainly were asking about empty space. Rei → empty space. Ki → electromagnetism.
Then you ask about how it can be transferred and what the procedure is. That I don’t know.
(Now is the time for you to reply with “sigh”, and I resign myself to the fact that you can’t understand that different languages have words different from ours for physical phenomena. As we’ve discussed before, different cultures have different words for things like ‘weather’ and ‘gravity’ as well as empty space. Go figure.)
Alan Henness on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 17:28
No. However, it seems that you don’t know what ‘reiki energy’ is, how it might be measured, what would be used to measure it nor even if it exists. Would that be a fair summary?
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 18:44
That’s very Monty Python of you. Bravo!
joe on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 03:37
hi jim, sorry to butt in but there is NO evidence of the so called life energy used in reiki actually exists and as this energy does not exist it therefore cannot be measured, there have been controlled scientific tests to prove that reiki at best can only offer a placebo effect, in other words it really does nothing for you, as i have stated elswhere, my brother is a “reiki master” and he tried on me and to his dismay it did nothing for me, but that does not stop him from taking money from gullible people for his “treatment” if the people are silly enough to pay him, good luck to him.
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 09:23
Hi Joe, I’m assuming you mean that the controlled tests → placebo you’re talking about are referring to the therapy Reiki. Alan was asking “perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is”.
I was talking about “this reiki energy”, not the therapy…since that’s what he asked about. I think we can all agree that the inherent qualities of empty space are actually quite useful, and far from placebo.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 16:50
What ‘inherent qualities of empty space [that] are actually quite useful’?
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 18:41
Now you’re just being silly, Alan.
joe on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 09:56
hi jim, a proven and controlled test conducted some time ago involving a test subject named emily rosa, came to the conclusion that “reiki energy”does NOT exist, in contrast there is NO proven evidence that “reiki energy or life force” exists. so the only conclusion that a rational person can make is that “reiki” actually has no effect except as a placebo, which really means its a fake.and quite frankly there is really no point in discussing this further because people with high intellect and very high education have proven that “reiki” is actually fake, of course you have the right to believe what you like.
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 16:35
Again, you are talking about the therapy. I’m not. If you can’t understand that, then you’re right – there really is no point in discussing this futher.
Frank Odds on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 16:29
joe began his comment by talking about the energy, not the therapy. You’re reading selectively again. He wrote about the Emily Rosa experiment, in which a young lady set up a scientifically impeccable test for “human energy fields”. It was done in the context of therapeutic touch, which of course cannot possibly be the same thing as reiki, even though both depend on mysterious “energy” given out by the body. However, if you want to tell us that reiki energy is different from the energy used by therapeutic touchers then we have two new branches of physics, each measuring undetectable energies given out by different types of believers.
Your flim-flam below about pascals, joules, vacuums and other purported measurables confirms you haven’t even the vaguest idea what you are talking about. You should join forces with the amazing Jane Summers. Between you you could produce a whole new textbook on energy fields and how they work.
Or perhaps not: it’s already a busy field for aura believers and crystal healers, to judge from this amazon page: http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss?url=search-alias%3Dstripbooks&field-keywords=energy+fields. Perhaps reiki energy should be measured in Newton Metres, to confirm you don’t know what you’re torquing about. Sorry
Johnny on Friday 26 February 2016 at 12:14
1. Johnny’s bat shit crazy, and thinks the sky is a vacuum. I doubt he thinks that.
Oh, I’m batshit crazy alright. I should be in bed with my wife instead of typing things to random strangers on the internet – but you are correct, I don’t think the sky is a vacuum. A swiffer perhaps, but not a vacuum.
2. Johnny thinks that Reiki practitioners invented their own special energy that they are using. That’s also pretty crazy. Reiki doesn’t claim that – they claim to use what inherently exists.
No, I get that they think they are “harnessing” something — but I also don’t see any scientific proof of said ability.
3. Johnny was making a really clever joke about rei and the poetically described effects that atmospheric conditions have on our being. With a hint of Joseph Beuys.
Sadly, I’m not that clever. But I do feel like maybe I should go put some honey on my head.
jm on Friday 26 February 2016 at 15:46
“No, I get that they think they are “harnessing” something — but I also don’t see any scientific proof of said ability.”
Me neither. Sorry to drag you out of bed.
Let’s leave it on the “honey” note, and speak of this no more. I’d rather it stay a mystery as to whether you intentionally chose honey, or just because it was the first in Wikipedia.
Trish DeFeo on Thursday 05 May 2016 at 13:00
Has anyone on this thread really thought through what SHOULD be measured in reiki research? It’s not energy. It’s vibrational frequency. And I am waiting for the scientist who will finally understand this, and perform a controlled study of the vibrational frequency of the body as a whole, before, during, and after a reiki session. It’s like skipping a stair on a staircase. Don’t worry about what the mysterious “energy” is, just measure the effect in hertz. After all, the world was a round planet well before it was scientifically proven. Nobody was trying to understand the planet’s core until after they realized it wasn’t flat.
Edzard on Thursday 05 May 2016 at 13:12
I get the impression you don’t understand what clinical trials test: they test hypotheses related to clinical outcome. so it the claim is that Reiki alleviates pain, or improves quality of like, these would be what needs to be measured.
you say it’s a vibrational frequency. without any evidence, this statement is totally bonkers!
James on Thursday 05 May 2016 at 15:19
Well, we can measure vibrational frequency of a molecule using infrared spectroscopy, so are you saying we could measure reiki by having a reiki practitioner focus their whatsis on the molecule and see if they have any effect?
Alan Henness on Thursday 05 May 2016 at 17:08
Trish DeFeo said:
the vibrational frequency of the body as a whole
What does that mean?
Trish DeFeo on Thursday 05 May 2016 at 21:19
I’m sorry, I had to look for this, the confirmation link you sent me was expired. It’s not bonkers hahaha, the claims I have read in these comments are that reiki does not exist. So I am telling you that most reiki practitioners don’t understand what’s even going on, so they usually miss the fact that it’s just a vibration. No scientists have ever even looked at measuring changes in vibration because they are assuming they are trying to prove nonsense, and it shows in the research. Bodies emit a vibrational frequency, and reiki should be, at its essence, a higher vibrational frequency. So that is the trial. Measure before, during, and after. Measure the frequency. After the measurements are taken, you can try to figure out what effect the higher frequency has on the body, if at all. It’s not hocus pocus. It just hasn’t been looked at correctly. Don’t worry about where it comes from just yet. One step at a time.
has on Friday 06 May 2016 at 09:01
“Bodies emit a vibrational frequency, and reiki should be, at its essence, a higher vibrational frequency.”
Frank Odds on Friday 06 May 2016 at 09:24
You said
I assure you what you are talking about is pure hocus pocus.
Only in the wacky world of New Age spirituality do human bodies behave in the way quantum physics accounts for the behaviour of single molecules. People with no comprehension of science imagine things that happen at the quantum level can simply be scaled up beyond the molecular level.
You may get success measuring the vibrational frquency of people with the shakes, but otherwise… Please do tell us what device, in the depths of your vivid imagination, can measure the ‘vibrational frequency’ of the body.
Alan Henness on Friday 06 May 2016 at 09:55
You keep talking about these ‘vibrational frequencies’, but can you please explain what it it that’s vibrating and how, exactly, scientists would measure it in this test (not trial) of yours?
Frank Collins on Sunday 08 May 2016 at 12:35
Before anyone tries to reason with Trish Defeo, I think they should read this to see how far removed from reality she is;
You will then see there is no point.
Frank Odds on Sunday 08 May 2016 at 17:39
You’re right, there’s no point trying to reason with her. She doesn’t respond to rational questions. But thanks for the link. From that website: “All energy is concentrated vibration.” This raises the interesting concept of diluted vibration. Homeopathists might care to pick up on that one.
Trish DeFeo on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 13:50
Oh brother, you boys are rough, I haven’t been back here and I am not getting notifications, just know that I may or may not be back here to respond. I can only tell you this, because it is obvious that I am not a scientist. There is an amplification of heat that comes off of my hands. My suggestion to test IF something is happening BEFORE trying to figure out WHAT is valid, even if your pomposity does not allow you to admit it. But how to detect seems to always have been skipped over in the effort to decide if there is any effect at all. Pay attention, because I can see how much you love reiki…How do you measure heat? Infrared scope? Thermograph? I am pretty sure heat can be measured. So yes, measure the reiki “whatsis” by testing the changes before during and after. If you can see a change in temperature then, at the very least, reiki would help with relaxation, just like sitting in the sun on a beach.
Pete Attkins on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 16:40
Trish DeFeo,
Please read my comment:
jm on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 17:59
In reference to your post on the other thread, it should be pretty easy for you to determine if a reiki practitioner is putting out more heat when practicing reiki. There doesn’t need to be a “patient” involved – and the hand rubbing “trick” could easily be eliminated.
There’s a procedure/protocol/not-sure-what-it’s-called when performing reiki. It doesn’t involve rubbing the hands, or any movement whatsoever. Just cue the practitioner when to start/stop/start/stop the procedure without changing anything else. Measure the heat output. The only “patient” involved would be whatever device you want to measure with.
It’s quite interesting.
Trish DeFeo on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 20:53
You don’t need another body to interfere with the temperature. I can sit here and make my palms sweat all by themselves. I know that there is a change, no one knows what it is, but the point of the matter is that there is something, failure to prove is not a testament to the fact that there is nothing, but a testament to the failure of the test. There has to be a way to detect a change, and identify what is happening. I have no designs on reiki being a consistently reliable cure for anything, but it should be recognized for existing. It doesn’t have to be a spacey god thing, it just has to be measured correctly.
Pete Attkins on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 21:10
Jm, It was so interesting to nine-year-old Emily Rosa that she managed to scientifically debunk it — as has been pointed out to you and other readers many times on Prof. Ernst’s website.
It doesn’t cure any known illness. The money spent on Reiki is money that could be spent on having a relaxing holiday.
Alan Henness on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 21:43
Trish DeFeo said:
Oh brother, you boys are rough
just know that I may or may not be back here to respond.
I can only tell you this, because it is obvious that I am not a scientist.
Yes it is, but you don’t need to be a scientist to think critically.
There is an amplification of heat that comes off of my hands.
No, no there isn’t. Just think about what you are saying: assuming you accept that your core temperature is around 37C, then if your surrounding environment is less than that (if it’s not, you will not survive long) then your skin temperature will be lower. This is known and well understood through physics and physiology. There is no ‘amplification’ of heat, whatever that means. You’ve talked about ‘vibrational frequencies’ but do you even know what heat is?
My suggestion to test IF something is happening BEFORE trying to figure out WHAT is valid, even if your pomposity does not allow you to admit it. But how to detect seems to always have been skipped over in the effort to decide if there is any effect at all. Pay attention, because I can see how much you love reiki…How do you measure heat? Infrared scope? Thermograph? I am pretty sure heat can be measured. So yes, measure the reiki “whatsis” by testing the changes before during and after. If you can see a change in temperature then, at the very least, reiki would help with relaxation, just like sitting in the sun on a beach.
I invite you to look up what Emily Rosa achieved through a scientific experiment when she was nine years old.
Frank Odds on Saturday 14 May 2016 at 22:21
“Just cue the practitioner when to start/stop/start/stop the procedure without changing anything else.” What procedure? What’s the set-up you’re not going to change? You have to define experimental conditions precisely if you’re going to do science.
“Measure the heat output.” From what to what?
“The only “patient” involved would be whatever device you want to measure with.” You’re going to measure heat output (from an undefined whatever) and you allow any device? Heat-sensitive paper? A ‘thermically reactive psychic? Even a mercury thermometer would seem inadequate in the setting you loosely describe.
You propose such a vaguely defined test then you wonder why you initiate irritated reactions from real scientists. You’re a dilettante in your chosen sphere of interest. Puffed up but seriously deflated on the comprehension front.
jm on Sunday 15 May 2016 at 07:15
The Emily Rosa thing was different – she was testing the ability of the practitioners to sense her hands, yes? I’m suggesting you measure what Trish was talking about (“There is an amplification of heat that comes off of my hands.”). Measure the heat coming off of her hands. That’s all.
Keep her in the same position, measure while she’s performing the reiki procedure/whatever the term for it is, and while she’s not. She won’t have to change position. I think Trish is saying that when she’s doing reiki, the heat increases. Should be easy to measure, yes?
I totally agree with you about the vacation part.
jm on Sunday 15 May 2016 at 08:10
No need to get so defensive, Frank. It’s a simple heat test for Pete to do, is all. But to answer your questions:
“What’s the set-up you’re not going to change?” Practitioner’s body position. Whatever measuring device Pete wants to use. Whatever else Pete needs. Totally up to him, since this would just be for his amusement. Feel free to do your own.
““Measure the heat output.” From what to what?” Coming off of the practitioner’s hands, as Trish suggested. See if the heat is amplified when performing reiki.
“You’re going to measure heat output (from an undefined whatever) and you allow any device?” Not an undefined whatever. Hands. Like Trish was suggesting. Pete can use whatever device he wants. In his comment he links to, he seems to be comfortable he can do that. I believe him. Pete seems like a clever guy.
“You have to define experimental conditions precisely if you’re going to do science.” Again, I’m sure Pete’s got a handle on that. I think you can relax.
“You propose such a vaguely defined test then you wonder why you initiate irritated reactions from real scientists.” Actually, I suggested that Pete measure heat. I’m pretty confident that real scientists won’t be that irritated, since they would have read Trish’s comment “There is an amplification of heat that comes off of my hands.”, and the link Pete posted (to his earlier comment). Trish suggests amplified heat generated from her hands, Pete suggests he can measure heat…seems like a pretty good match.
You do seem to be a bit emotional about this subject, for whatever reason. Relax, Frank – it’s just reiki. It won’t bite you. Although, ““A ‘thermically reactive psychic?” was quite funny.
Pete Attkins on Sunday 15 May 2016 at 17:48
Jm, I’m glad you agree with the vacation part of my comment — I humbly apologise for forgetting to add “, and/or some bottles of fine whisky.” I think the two of us should perform a long-term experiment that compares the benefits of Reiki to the benefits of whisky while on vacation: I’m sure that we are more than qualified to conduct this important experiment and to publish its sobering findings
All joking aside, you have made a profound point that I totally failed to spot in Trish’s statement: “There is an amplification of heat that comes off of my hands.” As you know, I detest the use of pedantry for its own sake; and that science wouldn’t be useful unless its terminology was pedantically specific.
“Heat amplification” is very different from “temperature amplification”. Heat amplification is impossible according to not our scientific laws of thermodynamics, but due to an inescapable law of the universe itself: energy can be neither created nor destroyed; it can only be converted from one form into another form. The term “heat” is all about the forms of thermal energy and the flow of thermal energy. The term “temperature” is a derivative [an inevitable result] of the processes of heat transfer: it is an easily quantifiable and verifiable measure of the current state of a system that is undergoing heat energy transfer.
A glass greenhouse is not a heat amplifier, it is a temperature amplifier. Ditto for the greenhouse effect caused by certain gasses being present in the atmosphere of planets. Likewise, the thermal blankets that are used by the emergency services to protect people from hypothermia are not heat amplifiers, they are temperature amplifiers that work by reducing the net outbound heat flow: the net heat loss from the patient to their cooler surroundings. Our clothes are likewise a temperature amplifier, not a heat amplifier. In fact, clothes are the opposite of a heat amplifier: they are a heat attenuator; a lossy network.
The temperature amplification that often occurs in Reiki [and other forms of therapeutic touch] sessions, in both the practitioner and the patient, can so easily be misinterpreted as being a mutual net gain in thermal energy from a yet-to-be-scientifically-explained mysterious source of universal therapeutic energy. Having personally experienced similar misinterpretations many times, I fully understand why the science that explains the experience is not just counter-intuitive, it is extraordinarily difficult to firstly accept, then to properly comprehend.
Having had a glass greenhouse, I know full well that it provides temperature amplification. However, the relationship between heat energy flow and the temperature of the objects involved is by far the most difficult to properly understand aspect of science that I’ve so far encountered — more difficult than gaining a practical understanding of quantum mechanics! In order to finally understand this subject and its related effects, I spent a few hours each day drawing diagrams and producing spreadsheets to perform the calculations. After many days spent becoming increasingly confused, it was while idly watching the vegetables that were boiling in a pan for my dinner that the penny finally dropped: my Eureka moment of finally understanding the fundamental physics; and the ensuing humiliation that I loudly vocalised as “Doh!”.
jm on Monday 16 May 2016 at 01:15
I’m sure Trish simply means that when performing reiki, her hands get noticeably warmer :). And, I’m betting you could easily measure that. I’d also bet that she’s right. Although in my experience, it’d probably be easier if you used a tai chi, qigong, or yiquan practitioner as your subject.
As far as the vacation/reiki/whisky goes…I think significant amounts of whisky would be in order before the reiki. Reiki annoys me to tears. Although, trading a heat energy flow/temperature of the objects involved tutorial for a traditional element theory explanation would be interesting. And I’d love to hear more about the vegetable satori.
Frank Collins on Monday 16 May 2016 at 08:31
@ jm on Monday 16 May 2016 at 01:15
“I’m sure Trish simply means that when performing reiki, her hands get noticeably warmer :). And, I’m betting you could easily measure that.”
Sorry to burst your bubble, again, but her hands cannot get “warmer”. The human body temperature is regulated and there is no mechanism for any part of the body to be at a different temperature. Nor is there any part of the body that will produce enough heat locally to make any difference. Even if there was (by magic), blood flow would remove it quickly to render it neutral.
There may be increased blood flow to the hands and her hands may feel warmer, but they will be the same as before. Increased blood flow will replace the heat lost through radiation and convection at a faster rate but that is all. Even if her hands are warmer, it still means nothing. if she is embarrassed and her cheeks redden through increased blood flow, is that a form of reiki too?
I’d also bet that she’s right.”
Errr, no, wrong again.
You can keep making up this and more nonsense but there is a more than adequate explanation provided by science. Occam’s Razor takes care of all of the fabricated bits.
jm on Monday 16 May 2016 at 19:50
“Sorry to burst your bubble, again, but her hands cannot get “warmer”.”
“There may be increased blood flow to the hands and her hands may feel warmer, but they will be the same as before.”
You crack me up. Quite possibly, reiki has some weird effect on people named “Frank” that causes an overly emotional response. Maybe a study should be done.
Pete Attkins on Monday 16 May 2016 at 22:34
Please stick to writing about things that you properly understand and kindly refrain from writing nonsense.
Yes, body core temperature is usually changed very little by small-to-medium-scale external influences due to the extraordinary level of precision of our thermoregulation mechanism.
But, the thermal conductivity of skin is not very good, which is why the surface temperature of our skin is usually a few, or many, degrees Celsius below our core body temperature: when we are resting we have to dissipate to our environment the circa 60 watts of our base metabolic rate. To measure core body temperature we cannot use skin temperature as an indicator. In increasing order of accuracy, the thermometer must be placed: in a closed armpit; under the tongue in a closed mouth; in the rectum; through an incision.
Our thermoregulation mechanism is modulated by the level of various hormones. Hence, when we are embarrassed or excited, our thermoregulation mechanism increases the blood flow to certain areas of our skin. When we are frightened, the distribution of blood flow around our body and our skin is vastly different.
It seems very clear to me that you either didn’t bother to read, or you didn’t bother to attempt to understand, my fuller explanation, to which I linked in my reply to Trish DeFeo:
I am not at all amused by your comment on Monday 16 May 2016 at 08:31.
Frank Collins on Tuesday 17 May 2016 at 07:02
@ Pete Attkins on Monday 16 May 2016 at 22:34
“I am not at all amused by your comment on Monday 16 May 2016 at 08:31.”
Do you think I give a stuff whether you are amused or not? And certainly not when you have a hissy fit.
“It seems very clear to me that you either didn’t bother to read, or you didn’t bother to attempt to understand, my fuller explanation, to which I linked in my reply to Trish DeFeo:
I did but there isn’t any contradiction, apart from minor semantics.
As for this;
“Yes, body core temperature is usually changed very little by small-to-medium-scale external influences due to the extraordinary level of precision of our thermoregulation mechanism.
But, the thermal conductivity of skin is not very good, which is why the surface temperature of our skin is usually a few, or many, degrees Celsius below our core body temperature: when we are resting we have to dissipate to our environment the circa 60 watts of our base metabolic rate. To measure core body temperature we cannot use skin temperature as an indicator. In increasing order of accuracy, the thermometer must be placed: in a closed armpit; under the tongue in a closed mouth; in the rectum; through an incision.
Our thermoregulation mechanism is modulated by the level of various hormones. Hence, when we are embarrassed or excited, our thermoregulation mechanism increases the blood flow to certain areas of our skin. When we are frightened, the distribution of blood flow around our body and our skin is vastly different.”
The point I was trying to make was that her hands would not be any warmer than body temperature, so even though they would feel warm, they were no hotter than her body or the “recipient” of the reiki scam. Therefore, there would not be a substantial temperature differential and even if there was a local heat source to warm her hands, it proves nothing anyway.
Pete Attkins on Tuesday 17 May 2016 at 20:55
The point that you were trying to make, and still are trying to make, is just a demonstration of your failure to understand the science.
Your “hissy fit” reply to jm is what prompted me to highlight your frequent deployment of “hissy fit” comments directed towards those with whom you disagree. Although you sometimes [haphazardly] manage to write pertinent comments, you seem to have a strong preference for writing impertinent replies.
I’m fully aware that you do not “give a stuff” about what anyone other than yourself thinks — you have made this more than abundantly clear via your voluminous output of condescending comments posted on this website.
In case the above is difficult for you to understand, I shall summarize it for you thusly: You appear to be the very antithesis of scientific scepticism; and the antithesis of a person whom has genuine compassion and empathy. But, you are, perhaps, a good teacher: you have taught me to not “give a stuff” about what you think of me personally and to not “give a stuff” about what you think of the scientific content of my comments.
Many thanks for your informative reply.
Frank Collins on Wednesday 18 May 2016 at 06:44
@ Pete Attkins on Tuesday 17 May 2016 at 20:55
“The point that you were trying to make, and still are trying to make, is just a demonstration of your failure to understand the science.”
Which part/s? Where is my “misunderstanding” with regard to body temperature being of such a difference it have any bearing on providing succour to such claims? I sense your indignation has meant you haven’t processed the text, rather taken an emotional slant on it.
“Your “hissy fit” reply to jm is what prompted me to highlight your frequent deployment of “hissy fit” comments directed towards those with whom you disagree. Although you sometimes [haphazardly] manage to write pertinent comments, you seem to have a strong preference for writing impertinent replies.”
My comment about “hissy fit” was directed to you. How you came to the view it was jm is a mystery.
“I’m fully aware that you do not “give a stuff” about what anyone other than yourself thinks — you have made this more than abundantly clear via your voluminous output of condescending comments posted on this website.”
Contrary to what you may believe, this forum is not about “friendships” or “establishing relationships” with any other protagonist, all that matters is whether something makes sense or not. At the moment, you do not.
“In case the above is difficult for you to understand, I shall summarize it for you thusly: You appear to be the very antithesis of scientific scepticism;”
We disagree.
“and the antithesis of a person whom (sic, a bit too clever by half) has genuine compassion and empathy.”
Is that the point of this forum, notwithstanding your impassioned and pointless plea? If you want “friends”, I suggest you make friendships with real people with whom (that word again) you can have a real friendship?
“But, you are, perhaps, a good teacher: you have taught me to not “give a stuff” about what you think of me personally and to not “give a stuff” about what you think of the scientific content of my comments.”
You are all bound up in “personal” aspects of a forum which is about everything else but personal. The purveyor of witchcraft, jm, is all about personal relationships so he can fleece people with his nonsense magical bruising.
“Many thanks for your informative reply.”
Did you write earlier you had dispensed with your younger religiosity? I have my doubts.
jm on Wednesday 18 May 2016 at 07:35
You don’t see witches wandering around with neck pain or low back pain, do you? Think about it…
Frank Collins on Thursday 19 May 2016 at 01:08
@ jm on Wednesday 18 May 2016 at 07:35
“You don’t see witches wandering around with neck pain or low back pain, do you? Think about it…”
Why? It is just the same inane, nonsensical crap you vomit all the time.
Pete Attkins on Friday 20 May 2016 at 01:22
Thank you for being such an entertaining clown each time you are challenged.
I always adore your blatant lack of understanding of both the English language and critical thinking skills.
I’m delighted that you disagree with me, because I have absolutely no desire to emulate your behaviour.
Frank Collins on Friday 20 May 2016 at 06:39
@ Pete Attkins on Friday 20 May 2016 at 01:22
“Thank you for being such an entertaining clown each time you are challenged.
I always adore your blatant lack of understanding of both the English language and critical thinking skills.
I’m delighted that you disagree with me, because I have absolutely no desire to emulate your behaviour.”
Thanks Pete, though I thought you might explain what was missing in my understanding, without grandstanding. I suppose I was expecting too much. Has introspection ever been one of your traits?
I wish you and your new, everso good friend, jm, all the best for the future. Peas in a pod?
Pete Attkins on Saturday 21 May 2016 at 15:37
You have a tendency to make claims that are not simply lacking supportive empirical evidence, they contradict the empirical evidence.
Two recent examples of which, are: your mockery of my usage of “whom” instead of “who”; and your mockery of my chosen style of dialogue with my “new, everso good friend, jm”. I shall refrain from providing the empirical evidence because the burden of proof falls onto the proponent of the claims: you.
I find many of your comments clownish because you have not yet developed the level of introspection required to understand that your frequent attacks on the messenger is not just foolish, it is counterproductive/self-defeating:
“An ad hominem argument has the basic form:
A makes claim X
There is something objectionable about A
Therefore X is false”
“The Misconception: When your beliefs are challenged with facts, you alter your opinions and incorporate the new information into your thinking.
The Truth: When your deepest convictions are challenged by contradictory evidence, your beliefs get stronger.” — David McRaney
Frank, when you are challenged with facts, you either ignore the challenge, or you attack the challenger on a personal level. Presenting you with evidence that contradicts your opinions and beliefs nearly always results in the backfire effect, and very rarely, if ever, results in you admitting that you were wrong, followed by a rational discussion.
Prof Ernst has twice recently requested that commentators on his blog desist from launching (and engaging in) personal attacks.
Frank Collins on Sunday 22 May 2016 at 06:35
@ Pete Attkins on Saturday 21 May 2016 at 15:37
I know what an ad hominem is and you aren’t immune from it either. You can stop throwing rocks through your glass walls now. You can also stop acting like some silly old woman at a church fete who spat the dummy because someone didn’t like her scones.
The point I was trying to make, very simplistically for jm, is that the temperature of the hands is not warmer than that of the body. Sure, skin temperature of the hands can be less, depending on the ambient temperature, however, reiki nonsense is not done outside in the cold, and I was framing the point around it being in an environment more conducive to skin being much closer to body temperature.
Here is a graph showing this;
If, at an ambient temperature of 24 degrees taken as an indoor temperature, the hands are at about 31 degrees, they will not be radiating as much heat that will be felt much close by. Even if the hands were at body temperature, I said it wouldn’t prove anything anyway.
The contention was that her hands got warmer, implying something out of the ordinary. I said, even if her hands felt warm, they could not be any warmer than body temperature , and did not confuse the easily confused by saying it would almost certainly be lower. I also said, that if there was some local heat generation, such as even rubbing the hands together or some mystical source that is implied by reiki, that heat would be lost quickly.
Now get off your high horse before you fall off.
Pete Attkins on Sunday 22 May 2016 at 11:46
Frank Collins, The hand-rubbing parlour trick is used because it does indeed increase the hand temperature of the practitioner by enough, and for long enough, to be felt by the client.
“My reiki healer vigorously rubbed his hands across his pants before waving them over my wrist. He seems to have produced some heat and some static electricity, which I could feel when he got close to my skin.”
Yes, the hands slowly return to their steady state temperature. However, the initial warmth serves to focus the client’s attention on the location of the practitioner’s hands and they won’t notice the gradual drop in temperature (the reduction in infrared power, which I illustrated in my comment on another thread). Placing hands near a person will change the net radiated power from the palms of the practitioner’s hands and the area of the client’s body that the hands are near. This can be felt by both parties, and the effect is much more noticeable if both parties are focussing their attention on it.
The point is that the vast majority of people do not know this aspect of science therefore some people are easy to convince that what they are experiencing is the flow of reiki rather than the flow of infrared radiation. Once the initial seed of reiki has been planted in a persons mind, confirmation bias causes the seed to flourish. Of course, the other factor is that the person believes they have gained ‘special knowledge’ that science denies, and that this ‘special knowledge’ can be used to heal the sick. I fully understand why people want to believe in reiki (and similar mysterious things), and I understand why it is so difficult to convince a true believer that they are mistaken. Presenting them with science and evidence results in the backfire effect. If you have any methods that are successful then please share them.
jm on Sunday 22 May 2016 at 15:59
“The point I was trying to make, very simplistically for jm, is that the temperature of the hands is not warmer than that of the body.”
What made you think that Trish was saying that the hands would get warmer than body temperature? You do tend toward reading what you want to read, rather than what’s actually written. But in this case, it seems like you’re trying to dig yourself out of the hole you dug for yourself.
Once again, have Trish assume whatever position she normally practices reiki. Measure the temperature coming off of her hands. Then have her practice reiki. (This will not involve any body movement, rubbing of hands, etc). Measure the temperature coming off of her hands. Easy peasy.
I’m not sure why you’re having such a hard time with this.
(Personally, I don’t think you’re having such a hard time with this. I think you realize that doing that simple experiment will show that Trish’s hands will get warmer. Trish has probably done this a lot – so going through the mental reiki procedure, her shoulders will relax, breathing will change, muscles in the arms will relax. She’ll get better blood flow to her hands, her hands will get warmer. After that simple experiment, you can add in a “patient”, and see what happens when they are in proximity to ssomeone who is not holding uneccessary tension in their body. Another very simple experiment. Then, you could look at what happens to someone’s circulation when they relax, then what happens with better circulation, etc etc. But first things first – as Trish was suggesting – measure the temperature of the practitioner’s hands, without a patient. This would be your cue to focus on some minutia…either from what was written or conjured from you mind…or resort to insult, invoke witchraft, or whatever. Anything to distract from simply measuring temperature.)
Pete Attkins on Sunday 22 May 2016 at 17:30
Jm, If Frank ever falls off his donkey, he’ll make such a small thud that even the donkey won’t notice it.
Frank Collins on Monday 23 May 2016 at 03:33
Stick to scones at the church fete, you are better at that than humour.
Frank Collins on Wednesday 25 May 2016 at 11:52
@ jm on Sunday 22 May 2016 at 15:59
When I take advice from some charlatan, who thinks bruising people with a stick is some form of healthcare, is the time the moon will turn blue permanently. You should move to Haiti; apparently witchcraft is big there.
jm on Wednesday 25 May 2016 at 16:21
Well, that was unpredictable.
Pete Attkins on Wednesday 25 May 2016 at 21:51
When I take advice from a charlatan, who responds to my science- and evidence-based comments with “Stick to scones at the church fete, you are better at that than humour.” it is, perhaps, long overdue for me to reply along the lines of: “You should move to Haiti; apparently witchcraft is big there.”; and “Beat your stick elsewhere, I’m not interested.”
However, I don’t issue such tempting replies because they are wholly illogical. If Frank Collins was genuinely *not interested* then he would not persist with his self-defeating, self-refuting, antagonistic replies.
Professor Ernst has repeatedly demonstrated that those who persist with ad hominem attacks do so because they lack solid evidence to back their claims, and they abjectly refuse to entertain the notion that they are mistaken in their beliefs — even when presented with overwhelming empirical evidence to the contrary.
Frank Collins on Thursday 26 May 2016 at 06:36
These may suit you better in your current state;
Quark on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 17:35
If reiki energy is some sort of electromagnetism transfer of energy we should be able to detect heat or light upon effect (let’s put aside the “how it work”). We don’t see anything, so two possibilities : It does not exist. Or it’s some of mystical undetectable “life energy”. First proposition seems more correct.
jm you are saying “But the effects of electromagnetism are measurable. So when you say “what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is…” – it’s not a belief system. It’s just physics. ” how can you not then deny reiki ? If the effect are measurable why no one is able to do so ? (and it’s very simple with today technology) Because reiki is not elecromagnetism, it’s belief and nothing else. It’s just pure logical thinking that you are missing.
jm on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 18:38
” If the effect are measurable why no one is able to do so ?” The effects of the weather are measurable, and no one is able to channel those effects therapeutically. But weather does exist, it is not a belief system.
“Because reiki is not elecromagnetism, it’s belief and nothing else.” Reiki the therapy is not electromagnetism. But the term that the therapy is named after certainly is. That’s what the word means.
“It’s just pure logical thinking that you are missing” Actually, what’s missing here is the ability to separate the therapy from the term it’s named after. Suppose for a moment that there was evidence that ultrasound therapy doesn’t work. It would be silly to say “Since there is no evidence that ultrasound therapy works therapeutically, ultrasound does not exist.”
I’m not saying that ultrasound therapy doesn’t work, by the way. I’m also not saying that reiki therapy does work. Again, Alan was asking about the specific energy, not the therapy. Using empty space therapeutically is a different issue.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 18:48
Indeed. We’ve seen all sorts of obfuscation from jm yet he still seems unable to answer simple questions about the ‘reiki energy’ he keeps going on about. It seems he’d rather talk about anything else but.
jm on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 08:37
Alan, I honestly can’t tell if you’re trying to be funny or if you really don’t understand that Edzard is referring to a therapy called ‘reiki’ in his post. The name was appropriated in the early 1900’s for the therapy. The term, used to describe atmospheric conditions / the electromagnetic qualities of empty space, is from the 3rd or 4th century BC.
You asked about the energy, not the therapy. It’s not that hard, and hardly obscure.
Bjorn should chime in about fairies and Voldemort about now.
Alan Henness on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 10:42
I’m not asking about what Prof Ernst was referring to; I’m not interested in the etymology of the word.
sanjay first mentioned ‘reiki energy’ but was unable to answer a very simple question about it: I want to know how ‘reiki energy’ can be measured. You came into the conversation but you’ve not been able to answer my question either.
If you don’t know, please just clearly say so so that we can move the conversation along instead of being sidetracked into pointless meta-discussions.
jm on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 16:42
What I’ve been describing to you is reiki energy (which is a redundate phrase – you don’t need to include the word energy, that would be the ki part of the term). I’m not giving you the etymology of the word – just the definition.
The etymology is quite interesting, though.
And defining the term if far from being sidetracked into pointless meta-discussion. If you’re going to discuss the therapy of reiki, you should understand the term that it’s named after (since that’s what it’s claiming to utilise).
Alan Henness on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 17:24
Let me try to make this clear: we can maybe discuss the etymology later; we can maybe discuss the therapy itself later. But first can we agree on how the fuck this ‘reiki energy’ can be measured? Once we’ve agreed on that – if, indeed we can – we can start to worry about where it originates, how it can be manipulated by a human being and how it could be used for benefit or harm. But, until we have a some kind of idea how it could be measured, all those other things are moot.
jm on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 18:45
I’ve told you how the fuck reiki can be measured. If you want to believe that vacuum, atmospheric pressure, and electric potential energy (all would be considered reiki) are unmeasureable mystical forces…so be it. Grab your torch, form a mob, and hunt down Frankenstein’s monster. If you can’t get past the term, or the appropriation of the term by an alternative therapy…that’s your option.
Let me try to make this clear: I’ve told you that I have no idea if it can be manipulated by humans in the way that reiki (the therapy) claims to. I don’t even care. But when people claim to be dealing with science and evidence, and don’t understand the meaning of the terms they are discussing…I find that relatively disturbing.
Until you understand the term that the therapy appropriated, all other things are moot. It’s not that difficult of a concept.
Pete 628 on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 22:08
Quark, you are wasting your time debating jm. When it comes to science, jm has more than amply demonstrated his/her wilful obscurantism and wilful ignorance in endless pathetic attempts to promote quackery (via being a science- and evidence-based medicine denialist) on Professor Ernst’s website.
To think of jm as a supporter of pseudoscience would be a category error: jm promulgates anti-science.
Martin H. Goodman on Tuesday 26 August 2014 at 22:06
As Ernst and Singh in “Trick or Treatment” made brilliantly clear in their introduction to and in the body of their brilliant book (and as the more articulate who expose the quackery that is nearly all of “alternative and complimentary” medicine also explain… among them Steven Barrett on Quackwatch and the Science Based Medicine site):
It’s of somewhat secondary importance that the explanation of how Reiki works is such obvious bullshit on the face of it, and violates all we know of physics and medicine. One can point out that it violated what then was considered common sense and existing experience with and knowledge of medicine to suggest that citrus juice might treat or cure scurvy, or that ulcers were caused by bacteria, not stomach acid. To be sure, as Carl Sagan is often quoted as saying, “extraordinary hypotheses call for extraordinarily strong proofs / confirmations”, but the bottom line is that it’s NOT necessary to know how something works in order to test whether or not it has merit… especially in the area of medical treatments. Clinical trials when carefully and honestly constructed (in contrast to the shams… dishonest and/or incompetent… often done in the world of complementary and alternative medicine) can confidently show whether a treatment has merit. These trials have been constructed, have been done, and show beyond the slightest iota of doubt (at the same level we know the earth is round, not flat, or that the earth revolves around the sun, not the reverse, or that we are here by natural selection, not some non-existent god created by man in superstition and ignorance) that homeopathy, reiki, acupuncture, and most other “alternative and complementary medicine” is TOTAL FRAUD. TOTALLY WORTHLESS (that is, no better in efficacy than a placebo).
Those are the facts. Frankly, as a doctor, I would have PREFERRED GREATLY that the clinical trails had shown alternative medicine to be valuable in treating disease. There’s nothing I’d have liked to see more than more effective means by which to deal with disease, for our abilities to provide effective treatments (let alone full cures) of disease is still very much in its infancy, and sadly very limited in many cases. Unfortunately, the studies have been done… done well enough and extensively enough that there is no reason what so ever to repeat them or do more, in the case of homeopathy, Reiki, and nearly all of acupuncture as well.
BTW: Note that it took almost 400 years for people understand HOW and WHY citrus juice cured and prevented scurvy. And that to this day we have no idea how inhalational anesthetics work, even tho we know they DO work and know a great deal about how to use them.
MHG MD
Björn Geir on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 02:27
Of course “Qi” or whatever you choose to call it, is not quantifiable. It is singularity. Just like other popular fabulations. There is only one “Santa”, one “tooth-fairy”, one “Qi” and so on. (There are thirteen “Yule lads” in the Icelandic folklore but that is a special case).
There is no need to measure or quantify “Qi”. I guess you can count the heads containing a quantum[sic] each of the belief but the result of such a quantification does not mean that if there are more “Qi”-believers in USA than the UK that the “Qi” is stronger over there.
It is the same Santa,,, eh, sorry… the same “Qi” all over. There is of course no “Qi” in a head that has never heard of it but Reiki masters can manipulate “Qi”. They earn money by putting the ideas into other peoples heads, thereby channeling and propagating the illusion. But it is the same “Qi” anyway Then there is only the question how long it will stick. For some it is permanently bonded as seems to be the case with our local dada-specialist
jm on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 08:40
Oh, sorry Bjorn. I commented to Alan before your comment came up in my feed. Carry on.
Björn Geir on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 10:19
Quark on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 10:31
Well well jm what’s the “inherent forces of empty space” ? And how this would be therapeuthic in any way ? And how could we use them ? Because human body is far from an empty space.
I know no “forces of empty space”, if you dare to talk about very specific Casimir effect you are more out of it than it’s possible to be. There is 4 forces in physics, choose one to begin (so it’s not electromagnetism you say, so there is only 3 left).
Pete628 : I see i might be hitting my head against the wall, but the “inherent forces of empty space definition is tingling me.
jm on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 17:29
I’m sure this isn’t a complete list, as it’s been years since having this conversation with a physicist friend of mine. Her love of free space was its ability to transfer electromagnetic energy so effectively, making a wonderful canvas for study. So her favorite inherent quality/force of free space was electric potential energy (measured in joules, I believe). My personal favoite is vacuum. My wife’s is atmospheric pressure (which I would argue is an effect of empty space, not an inherent quality…).
Some people consider quantum fluctuation to be an inherent aspect of free space. Regardless, the electromagnetic potential of free space (reiki) at least includes vacuum, atmospheric pressure, electric potential energy.
When Alan commented “What ‘inherent qualities of empty space [that] are actually quite useful’?” I really thought he was kidding. Since without empty space…we wouldn’t have light bulbs. The empty space/vacuum in light bulbs would be reiki.
As far as “Because human body is far from an empty space.”, I think you’re wrong there. We’re mostly empty space. The current thinking is that the space between the nucleus and electrons is empty. Since we’re made of atoms…that’s a lot of empty space. The electric potential energy in the free space that we’re made of would also be called reiki.
How any of this would be used therapeutically…I don’t know. I’ve said that many times on this thread. Some commenters here can’t understand that there is a difference between reiki (a description/model of physical forces in nature) and reiki (the therapy that claims to use these forces), which I find quite odd. Asking “what is reiki energy?” is very different than asking “what is reiki therapy?”.
But you can’t have a useful discussion on reiki therapy without understanding what is mean by reiki itself. You can certainly discuss therapeutic effectiveness without understanding it, but you can’t say “reiki doesn’t exist”. Not without sounding incredibly superstitious or unscientific anyway.
Björn Geir on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 22:14
But you can’t have a useful discussion on reiki therapy without understanding what is mean by reiki itself.
I think “jm” hit the nail on the head. Not even Reiki-practitioners understand what it is.
“jm” m doesn’t either. I was trying to tabulate all his/her many different versions in her/his many attempts at explanations but this blog is not easily searchable so I’ll let it rest.
Alan Henness on Wednesday 27 August 2014 at 18:16
jm said:
When Alan commented “What ‘inherent qualities of empty space [that] are actually quite useful’?” I really thought he was kidding. Since without empty space…we wouldn’t have light bulbs. The empty space/vacuum in light bulbs would be reiki.
Oh! I thought this was a post on alt med, not physics, so I assumed you were talking about the ‘inherent qualities of empty space’ in relation to reiki therapy, most of which, I understand, is carried out on Earth at STP. That’s why I asked the question. But damn it, I see you’ve evaded answering the question yet again:
What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
PS You’re wrong about the light bulbs, by the way. But don’t let that distract you yet again.
jm on Thursday 28 August 2014 at 08:13
Really? Are you sure the invention of the light bulb didn’t rely on vacuum? hmmm…I stand corrected. You should correct the wikipedia page. You’re really sure?
Last time I’ll remind you – you asked about the energy, not the therapy in the first part of your question. Remember? And, “the inherent qualities of empty space in relation to reiki therapy” – (this is really getting tiresome) reiki the therapy claims to utilize reiki (the energy). Here’s my last attempt, since I’m starting to believe you that you really aren’t getting it. I’ll write the words differently, to differentiate.
See the difference there? One includes vacuum, atmospheric pressure, electric potential energy, etc. But it’s a Japanese word for it. The other one is an unproven therapy.
Your original question was “perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is, how it can be transferred and what the right procedures are?”
I read that as a two part question:
1. what is rei ki (“perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – what you believe this reiki ‘energy’ is”)
2. how does Reiki work (“perhaps you could explain – in scientific terms – how it can be transferred and what the right procedures are?”)
My interest in rei ki (ling qi, in Chinese) has nothing to do with Reiki. But I thought I could answer the first part of the question for you. And I did, several times. Silly me, I thought you genuinely wanted to know. You fooled me twice (first time I thought you genuinely wanted to know what was meant by qi, but if you didn’t get it from Tom’s really well written tutorial…I should have left it at that).
Next time hopefully I’ll remember that you don’t REALLY want an answer, but would rather stick with what you think you already know. It’s an interesting approach to science…but hey, whatever works for you.
As for part 2 of your question…again, I have no idea. I’m very serious about that. I’ve had it explained to me, I’ve seen it used quite skillfully, and without a doubt the person got the results they claimed to be able to get. Repeatedly. But I still don’t believe it. I’d bet you a good bottle of Scotch that I’m a bigger skeptic than you are.
Pete 628 on Saturday 30 August 2014 at 18:11
jm, I have no doubt whatsoever that your interest is in ling qi, which is the Chinese folk religion term for “divine energy” or “effervescence”:
As Tom Kennedy explained: “It isn’t possible to give you ‘solid evidence’ of Yin and Yang or Qi, because they are philosophical concepts rather than discrete things that can be seen under a microscope.” To which I agreed:
In 21st Century science and medicine these concepts are, at best, total utter bollocks, but anti-science promulgators, such as yourself, still bandy around these terms in the pretence that they are still valid.
You wrote “My interest in rei ki (ling qi, in Chinese) has nothing to do with Reiki”. Then why the hell are you polluting the comments section of this article with claims such as “rei ki – electromagnetic potential of free space” and insinuating that rei ki is the Japanese equivalent of Qi/Chi.
The ONLY thing you seem to understand is how to repeatedly use variations of the weasel words: “That isn’t what I said.”; “What I wrote isn’t what I believe.”; and “I’d bet you a good bottle of Scotch that I’m a bigger skeptic than you are.”
jm on Sunday 31 August 2014 at 13:06
Pete, you should re-read Tom’s comment that you link to.
jm, you should answer my comment in this thread instead of keep digging yourself into your ever increasing hole of anti-science dick-waving:
jm on Monday 01 September 2014 at 17:44
Pete, you mean this question: “How does Reiki (the treatment) work?” You were serious? I thought I was pretty clear that I have no idea how or if Reiki works. Perhaps in your superstitious, fundamentalist fervor you missed that.
Pete 628 on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 08:21
Invoking ki, qi, or chi to explain how Reiki, acupuncture, and other energy quackery “works” is anti-science bullshit based on vitalism and/or other appeals to antiquity.
Your invocation of quantum in the comments demonstrates just how desperate you are to believe in magic.
1. I want magic to exist.
3. Therefore, quantum could mean magic exists.
jm on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 16:05
Oh, well if it’s in the TITLE…why didn’t you say so in the first place?
Pete 628 on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 19:58
I made it more than abundantly clear on 15 April 2013 at 00:39:
Perhaps in your superstitious, fundamentalist fervor you missed that.
jm, you just haven’t responded to “what’s are the FORCES inherent of an empty space” ? You changed it for “qualities” so you are just mixing the term and be less and less clear, in physics forces have a precise definition, if you won’t stick at what you are saying you speak gibberish. By the way…
“My personal favoite is vacuum” that doesn’t mean anything… A free space is a vaccum, well it’s more a vacuum is a free space free of physical particle… And it depend if you are recalling to classical or quantum deifintion of vacuum.
“So her favorite inherent quality/force of free space was electric potential energy”
“Some people consider quantum fluctuation to be an inherent aspect of free space. Regardless, the electromagnetic potential of free space (reiki) at least includes vacuum, atmospheric pressure, electric potential energy.”
So now reiki include electromagnetic potential ? Are you just trolling by changing what you are saying in every “answers” ? And now it’s also quantum field theory, i was almost sure to see the quantum escape. Your sentence is still cryptic “the electromagnetic potential of free space at least includes vacuum” there is one thing in vacuum in quantum field theory, the point of zero potential energy (also called “ground state”) wich permit to respect Heinsenberg indetermination.
“When Alan commented “What ‘inherent qualities of empty space [that] are actually quite useful’?” I really thought he was kidding. Since without empty space…we wouldn’t have light bulbs. The empty space/vacuum in light bulbs would be reiki.”
You should be more accurate because this is nonsense. And you really should look at what is vacuum… In classical physics it’s an empty space (particles and fields), so there is no such thing in a light bulb. In quantum physics the vacuum is the ground state of fields (lowest possible energy), it’s not the case either in a light bulb.
“As far as “Because human body is far from an empty space.”, I think you’re wrong there. We’re mostly empty space. The current thinking is that the space between the nucleus and electrons is empty. Since we’re made of atoms…that’s a lot of empty space. The electric potential energy in the free space that we’re made of would also be called reiki.”
Ok there you are just all dreaming. The atoms of our matter interact with each other, right ? Or we shouldn’t be here. The “empty space” between atom are what we are calling fields, so it’s not vacuum from classic physics point of view, and it’s not vacuum from quantum physics point of view because those fields are clearly not at ground state, there is a lot of exanges and interactions.
“How any of this would be used therapeutically…I don’t know. I’ve said that many times on this thread. Some commenters here can’t understand that there is a difference between reiki (a description/model of physical forces in nature) and reiki (the therapy that claims to use these forces), which I find quite odd. Asking “what is reiki energy?” is very different than asking “what is reiki therapy?”. ”
Why call it “reiki” instead of vacuum, maybe because you have no clue of what is vacuum (or reiki) ? Because in all that you say I still can’t see a clear statement of what is reiki : a force ? yes, no ? electromagnetism, yes, no ? A description of physical forces in nature ? Really ? Which forces for Feynman sake ? Now it can describe all the physical forces ? So it’s more complete than actual physics, how interesting ! And how an “invention” from some thounsands years could have been talking about quantum fluctuation of vacuum ? Such wasted time from Einstein and other !
“But you can’t have a useful discussion on reiki therapy without understanding what is mean by reiki itself. You can certainly discuss therapeutic effectiveness without understanding it, but you can’t say “reiki doesn’t exist”. Not without sounding incredibly superstitious or unscientific anyway.”
You just don’t know what you are talking about, right ? Just give a definition of reiki already, instead of mumbo jumboing things with each other, learn the definition of term and then write something understandable please.
Alan Henness on Thursday 28 August 2014 at 10:43
Well said, Quark. You saved me having to waste time responding.
So, is there still no one who can answer my simple question: What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
jm on Thursday 28 August 2014 at 17:47
Because it’s a pretty imprecise term. It’s from a time when people realized that what was thought to be just empty space actually has “stuff” going on, and has the ability to affect things – so it must not be empty after all. Relatively recently, we’ve started to determine what some of the “stuff” is. Electromagnetism, strong and weak interaction. Maybe all four fundamental forces (that we’ve identified so far) are involved – is gravity related to empty space?
The term comes from a culture that focuses on function and relationship over measurement. So rei ki (or ling qi) also would include the qualities of empty space like vacuum. Anything inherent to empty space that can evoke change. If you look at an empty coffee cup, there’s a term for the usable empty space where the coffee would go – and there’s a term for the inherent unseen “stuff” in that empty space, which would be rei ki. If you create a vacuum and attach the coffee cup to yourself, the vacuum quality of the empty space would also be considered rei ki.
So how would you measure rei ki? Depends on what aspect you’re talking about.
“Why call it “reiki” instead of vacuum”. There’s a term for vacuum, and it would fall under the category of rei ki.
“And how an “invention” from some thounsands years could have been talking about quantum fluctuation of vacuum ? Such wasted time from Einstein and other !” An invention? No, an observation. Wasted time I guess would be a matter of opinion – I think it’s pretty cool that we can observe and quantify what was once considered invisible.
“Just give a definition of reiki already, instead of mumbo jumboing things with each other, learn the definition of term and then write something understandable please.” I’m guessing this is why terms like qi and rei ki have short, poetic translations – in a culture where measurement is king, we want precise answers and we want them now. So qi gets translated as “energy” or “life force” or something equally poetic.
So the common answer for “what is rei ki”, if all you want is a straight up fast food answer: mysterious energy. If you want to understand it better, you have to give up the need for a simple definition, and dig a bit deeper than a simplistic “what value is measured when reiki energy is measured”. If that’s the level of understanding you want, stick with “mysterious energy”, because without digging into the nuance of the term, mysterious is what it will remain.
Pete 628 on Thursday 28 August 2014 at 11:17
jm, I’ll suggest an explanation for your last paragraph to Alan on 28 August 2014 at 08:13 and I’d genuinely like to know what you think of it.
You wrote: “As for part 2 of your question…again, I have no idea. I’m very serious about that. I’ve had it explained to me, I’ve seen it used quite skillfully, and without a doubt the person got the results they claimed to be able to get. Repeatedly. But I still don’t believe it. I’d bet you a good bottle of Scotch that I’m a bigger skeptic than you are.”
Let’s just discuss this as non-believers — two skeptics trying to figure out what we’ve personally observed and why it doesn’t seem to match the scientific evidence.
How does Reiki (the treatment) work?
According to my understanding, well conducted placebo controlled trials of Reiki show that it works no better than placebo. However, this doesn’t mean that Reiki has no observable beneficial effect. What is being compared is Reiki versus sham Reiki (the placebo). Another way of putting this is that the comparison is between:
Treatment: Reiki, including rei ki energy.
The results strongly indicate that the treatment is no better than the placebo therefore logic forces me to conclude that rei ki plays an insignificant part in the Reiki treatment process. Perhaps rei ki doesn’t exist or it is too weak in Reiki to have a measurable therapeutic effect.
You and I have both observed that Reiki (also sham Reiki in my case) does sometimes/often have a useful positive effect on the patient. When we try to explain how something works it’s very tempting to search the literature and understand the history of the subject. In the case of Reiki, we find that rei ki seems to be the explanation. As skeptics, it is our duty to firstly question whether we have made an error because the easiest person to fool is ourself — it’s much easier to detect mistakes made by others than our own mistakes.
If you can mostly agree with what I’ve written above then here’s my suggestion for you to consider…
Our personal observations of Reiki were comparing people before and after receiving Reiki treatment and listening to their testimonial evidence. Let’s be skeptical: the trials weren’t comparing Reiki to no treatment; they were comparing Reiki to sham Reiki. Because sham Reiki is as effective as Reiki we mustn’t attempt to explain Reiki in terms of rei ki energy. Invoking rei ki as the explanation leaves us with the huge problem of not having begun to explain how the sham Reiki works. Other skeptics might reasonably accuse us of invoking magic as the explanation. We must instead explain why and how the placebo of sham Reiki works.
What do you think, jm? By all means point out the errors I’ve made in the above.
joe on Friday 29 August 2014 at 04:17
hi everybody, for the last time reiki as a treatment has been proved years ago to be innefective, google the emily rosa experiment.”reiki masters” dont want the population to find out that reiki treatment is bogus because it will mean they will have to go out and find “real” jobs and that would be hard to swallow after being a reiki ( the treatment ) scam artist.
“Because it’s a pretty imprecise term. It’s from a time when people realized that what was thought to be just empty space actually has “stuff” going on, and has the ability to affect things – so it must not be empty after all”
You know after few hundred years of studies all over the world you can start to use new term that’s are precise instead of stick to the old mystic stuff. No one (at least no one that is a little rationnal) will call gravity or EM forces “the hand of god” now. So this is a very feable attempt to justifiy your lack of precision.
“Relatively recently, we’ve started to determine what some of the “stuff” is. Electromagnetism, strong and weak interaction. ”
Oh… like two hundred years ago. And i would say that magnestim was known from ancient greek so lot more than that.
“Maybe all four fundamental forces (that we’ve identified so far) are involved – is gravity related to empty space?”
What are you saying, those forces are not related to empty space… They related to force carriers, you know : gauge boson. I don’t even see what you are meaning in this sentence. Gravity have no gauge boson yet but one is predicted by the actual theory so it’s pretty specific case. But, in any way that have nothing to do with an empty space… It’s the mass or energy that give gravity, the contrary of an empty space. You still don’t understand what is an empty space, keeping using those words without knowing the meaning won’t help you.
“The term comes from a culture that focuses on function and relationship over measurement. So rei ki (or ling qi) also would include the qualities of empty space like vacuum. Anything inherent to empty space that can evoke change. If you look at an empty coffee cup, there’s a term for the usable empty space where the coffee would go – and there’s a term for the inherent unseen “stuff” in that empty space, which would be rei ki. If you create a vacuum and attach the coffee cup to yourself, the vacuum quality of the empty space would also be considered rei ki.”
Reiki = empty space for you, great. Then what… ? Still no answer on how the world this is interesting beyond it’s meaning in the asian culture… ( = what is the interest in medicine or scientific term).
“So how would you measure rei ki? Depends on what aspect you’re talking about. ”
More dodgy response. The aspect of energy because the other parts are fairly obscure, it’s have been said a lot of times.
““Why call it “reiki” instead of vacuum”. There’s a term for vacuum, and it would fall under the category of rei ki.”
If reiki is vacuum call it vacuum even it’s less poetic, we don’t care. People spend hundred of years to define words in physics so everyone can understand each other : if you don’t respect this you are just brassing air.
““And how an “invention” from some thounsands years could have been talking about quantum fluctuation of vacuum ? Such wasted time from Einstein and other !” An invention? No, an observation. Wasted time I guess would be a matter of opinion – I think it’s pretty cool that we can observe and quantify what was once considered invisible.”
“I’m guessing this is why terms like qi and rei ki have short, poetic translations – in a culture where measurement is king, we want precise answers and we want them now. So qi gets translated as “energy” or “life force” or something equally poetic. ”
I understand that measurement embarass you, because it mean progress and reproductibility, two things that reiki is stranger to. And you still dodge, I don’t want a TRANSLATION of the word, I want a clear defition of what is reiki and how it can be linked in any way to human body, a definition with scientific understantable term, not a haiku. If you still manage dodge then you just don’t know what is all about.
“So the common answer for “what is rei ki”, if all you want is a straight up fast food answer: mysterious energy. If you want to understand it better, you have to give up the need for a simple definition, and dig a bit deeper than a simplistic “what value is measured when reiki energy is measured”. If that’s the level of understanding you want, stick with “mysterious energy”, because without digging into the nuance of the term, mysterious is what it will remain.”
That’s priceless. You are saying that reiki is too mysterious to be measured ? An energy is an energy, difference in energy quantity can be measured today (even if you seems to be blocked to one thousand years ago, i swear this possible). So if it’s energy with can see it but no one managed to do so. So two possibilities : it’s a belief (strong one) or it’s “too mysterious for mere scientists” so cut the bullshit it’es probably a belief because even reiki advocate don’t understand what is reiki and what they are doing.
Pete 628 on Friday 29 August 2014 at 13:28
Quark, if light bulbs contain mysterious rei ki perhaps this explains why they don’t last very long I shall try to avoid Reiki and rei ki in future because I hope to live longer than the next one or two thousand hours.
No, wait, I’ll invent a new therapy that involves waving a light bulb around while I channel its mysterious energy to heal my clients of all illness. I’ll also sell training courses in this therapy: First degree; Second degree; Master Teacher; and Light Bulb Therapy Master Practitioner.
PS: Your English is easy to understand.
Quark on Friday 29 August 2014 at 15:32
Pete, I wonder then why so-called reiki master can’t “activate” (or whatever they are doing) the “quality of the empty space” of the light bulb to create light by modifiying the state of the energy ? As i understand it might be because this energy is too mysterious to be seen ! I don’t how to not facepalm at this.
“I’ll also sell training courses in this therapy: First degree; Second degree; Master Teacher; and Light Bulb Therapy Master Practitioner.”
Don’t say it too loud it could work… Also, charge the degree with progressive fee and you will make lot of money – i mean lot of therapy healing.
Quark on Friday 29 August 2014 at 08:38
jm on Friday 29 August 2014 at 15:43
Quark, your English is fine.
You said “And you still dodge, I don’t want a TRANSLATION of the word, I want a clear defition of what is reiki and how it can be linked in any way to human body”
That’s basically what Alan asked at the beginning of this mess. And I answered him. He claimed not to understand, and asked the same question. So I reworded the answer. This happened several times. But if you look at my first answer to Alan, it answers the first part of your question:
Rei is the electromagnetic potential of free space.
Ki is electromagnetism.
Is that not clear enough?
Alan Henness on Friday 29 August 2014 at 16:28
Now you’ve sorted that out, can you please now try to answer the question you have – so far – not answered?
What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
And if you think you have already done that, you have plainly not understood this simple – and it would seem, revealing – question.
jm on Friday 29 August 2014 at 17:05
So if you understood this time, why all the back and forth bullshit?
You tell me what value is measured when electromagnetism is measured.
Alan Henness on Friday 29 August 2014 at 17:29
I’m not sure why you expect me to answer a question different to the one I asked you.
I asked you: What value is measured when reiki energy is measured?
We’ve not sorted out the units of measurement (Pa, J, foot-poundals, V•m-1, furlongs per fortnight or whatever), nor the measuring instrument, so maybe asking for a value is expecting too much. But if you still can’t answer it, please just say so.
jm on Friday 29 August 2014 at 19:31
I’ve told you many times that (I believe, on a few threads) that I have no idea how electromagnetism is measured. So since I’ve answered you, yet again, answer mine: why all the back and forth bullshit if you understood the first time?
Alan Henness on Friday 29 August 2014 at 20:29
Well, that wasn’t what I asked, but I think it might be as well to give up. Unless someone other than jm can both understand what I am asking and try to provide an answer?
jm on Friday 29 August 2014 at 22:05
So while waiting for someone who understands your question and has an answer, answer mine: if you understood the first time, why all the back and forth bullshit?
Alan Henness on Friday 29 August 2014 at 22:52
You clearly did not understand the question (as evidenced by your forays into a plethora of irrelevances) and I doubt you do yet.
jm on Saturday 30 August 2014 at 00:45
Not arguing with you there. But I’m sure you understand my question.
Quark on Friday 29 August 2014 at 17:53
“Rei is the electromagnetic potential of free space.
Ki is electromagnetism.
Is that not clear enough?”
It’s better than before. But still “electromagnetic potential of free space” is by definition = 0 or it’s not a free space (in the “empty” meaning of it). So Rei is something that doesnt exist then or that have a value of 0 so it can’t do anything.
I always want to know what is the link with the quantum fluctuation that you mentioned before and how rei can happen in human body, human body that have no empty space in physics meaning of the word. (it could bring an answer at the therapeutic use).
Anyway here we go again to the : if it’s a “form” of electromagnetism, let’s say “something that can modify the electromagnetic potential of a field” (so we forget the “free space”) then we can measure those modification of state easily by the presence of heat, light, or other radiation, anything related to EM and EM energy. And, in hundred years no one can do this very easy experiment (it’s a macro scale experiment after all, so far from the quantum physics scale), so that’s probably a belief – why not accept this ? why not accepting that people, thousand years ago got wrong onto the physics, nothing to blame it’s like this that progress are made.
If you add “the empty space” thing in it, all fall apart because it litterally have no sense anymore.
jm on Friday 29 August 2014 at 20:04
“It’s better than before.” It’s the same as before.
“that have a value of 0 so it can’t do anything.” It can’t.
“I always want to know what is the link with the quantum fluctuation that you mentioned before and how rei can happen in human body” Me too.
“so that’s probably a belief – why not accept this ?” I do.
“If you add “the empty space” thing in it, all fall apart because it litterally have no sense anymore.” You seem to be under the impression that I coined that term. I didn’t. You also seem to be under the impression that I’m in some way defending, or trying to support the whole idea. I’m not.
I do know that the practice of Reiki doesn’t claim to produce any particular energy in and of itself, but to utilize what already exists. I’m not claiming that it can do that, I’m not claiming to personally understand the nuances of what they are trying to do. And I’m certainly not trying to personally claim to understand the nuances of empty space.
“why not accepting that people, thousand years ago got wrong onto the physics, nothing to blame it’s like this that progress are made.” I do accept that. I also think that progress is made by trying to understand what people thousands of years ago were observing, rather than just dismissing it outright. From the comments I’ve seen you make, I would assume you agree with that.
Quark on Saturday 30 August 2014 at 10:32
jm, if you genuily think that your precedent statement was clear in anyway you should really try to re-read them and pay attention to the term you use, because i don’t think i’m the only one getting hard time to understand what you really want to say.
last thinking on : “I also think that progress is made by trying to understand what people thousands of years ago were observing, rather than just dismissing it outright. From the comments I’ve seen you make, I would assume you agree with that.”
Nothing is dismissed outright in science, there is always a man waiting to prove you that you are wrong. Science is the only matter where you can be right or wrong because of the experiment telling you the thruth. I think a lot of people studied reiki and “life energy” in general, with finding absolutely no evidence so far so we shouldn’t put money and apply treatement on patient, it’s not honnest.
jm on Saturday 30 August 2014 at 16:19
Quark – “if you genuily think that your precedent statement was clear in anyway you should really try to re-read them ” I only meant my original comment to Alan. I copy/pasted exactly what I wrote, without the ‘basically’. The rest of it certainly is quite convoluted, my apologies. All of the things I mentioned would be considered rei ki…but I’m not a physicist and not very articulate with the terminology.
One last attempt, though. Hopefully this won’t make things worse. I have a friend who gets a bit irritated when people use the word electricity. She says it’s a very unclear term, and could refer to anything from electrical current, to electric charge, to a host of other related things. Rei ki is similar in that it’s a broad term, not specific. For specifics, there are other terms.
Since you do seem to be physics articulate, I have a question for you. We were talking about free space in the body. This is from a site on very basic physics (http://www.physlink.com/education/askexperts/ae222.cfm):
“The empty space between the atomic cloud of an atom and its nucleus is just that: empty space, or vacuum. That’s the simple answer, but there are a few subtleties:
1) Sub-atomic particles such as electrons, protons and neutrons need to be treated as quantum objects. Thus they have a wavefunction which can be *thought of* as the ‘spread’ in the particle’s location. Electrons are thus ‘spread out’ quite a bit in their orbits about the nucleus. In fact, the wave-functions for electrons in s-orbitals about a nucleus actually extend all the way down into the nucleus itself. In this sense, then, the space between the electrons and the nucleus isn’t really ’empty.’
2) The electrons and the protons/neutrons are constantly interacting, either electromagnetically or through the weak force. In quantum field theory we would say that these particles are constantly exchanging photons (in the case of electromagnetism) or heavy gauge bosons (in the case of the weak force). Thus you might say that the otherwise ’empty’ space between the electrons and nucleus is ‘filled’ with these quanta carrying forces.”
While a very basic write-up, what is being described would be called rei ki. In your opinion, how accurate is their write-up? And, thanks for any help with this. I can give you some background on why I’m asking, but it’s way off topic…
Quark on Monday 01 September 2014 at 09:20
jm, their explanation are simple but not bad. However this sentence “Despite these two quantum-mechanical subtleties, it’s still correct to say that the space between the electrons and nucleus in atoms is truly empty space” is contradictory with their precedent statement… They litteraly said “that’s not empty because of this and that, but it’s truly empty”. I don’t like this kind of mixing mind. There is no empty space between atom in matter because of very, very powerful electromagnetic fields, fields able to deviate a lot of radiations type and able to prevent matter from collapsing (and preventing you to go through without hurting yourself). In purely quantic point of view (and you need it if you want to go in deep atomic scale comprehension), fields are considered empty only if they are at ground state, but interacting particle are not, so this is not “empty” at the very definition of quantum physics. So if rei ki is about “empty” fields it can’t happen here. It can happen only in very specifical laboratory case with artificial free space devoid of any particle (or very little particle because you can’t really go to true empty space).
Then if rei ki is more about EM particles interactions (like i supposed here : “something that can modify the electromagnetic potential of a field” (so we forget the “free space”)“ we should see it in action very easily but that not the case.
jm on Monday 01 September 2014 at 18:25
“In purely quantic point of view (and you need it if you want to go in deep atomic scale comprehension), fields are considered empty only if they are at ground state, but interacting particle are not, so this is not “empty” at the very definition of quantum physics.”
Empty (ground state) still wouldn’t be absolutely empty, if I’m understanding this right?
Wikipedia’s entry on ground state: “The ground state of a quantum mechanical system is its lowest-energy state; the energy of the ground state is known as the zero-point energy of the system. An excited state is any state with energy greater than the ground state. The ground state of a quantum field theory is usually called the vacuum state or the vacuum.”
Wikipedia’s entry on vacuum state: “In quantum field theory, the vacuum state (also called the vacuum) is the quantum state with the lowest possible energy. Generally, it contains no physical particles.”
If wikipedia is accurate, empty is ground state, ground state is lowest energy state, lowest energy state is also called vacuum state. If this is accurate, why could you not phrase this as “electromagnetic potential of empty space”?
I’m asking because I’m really not clear where the confusion came into play.
Quark on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 14:04
“If wikipedia is accurate, empty is ground state, ground state is lowest energy state, lowest energy state is also called vacuum state. If this is accurate, why could you not phrase this as “electromagnetic potential of empty space”? I’m asking because I’m really not clear where the confusion came into play.”
Well this kind of question are very complicated on a very complicated topic…
I would say because there is no eletromagnetic potential in quantic vacuum. If an EM potential were detected that mean there is particle interacting, so it’s not empty anymore. Remember that we were talking about “empty space” in matter, so you can’t talk about em potential of “empty space” because it’s full of particles. I will try to explain what is quantic vacuum and “virtual particles” further, but not knowing if it will be clear because it’s not easy topic if you are not acclimated to QFT calculus.
You have to understand that quantic vacuum is complicated and got a long history. It’s the lowest state of energy (that doesn’t mean 0 energy, but delta0 energy and it does’t mean that you can take this energy) possible to go along with heisenberg indertermination and to prevent some problem in calculation. Some speak about quantic fluctuation of empty space (provoked by the fact of delat0), and EM field of empty space, but this more an artifact coming from perturbative method of calculus used in quantum fields theory (qft). Today it’s very easy to describe free particle in QFT, also called “real particle”, but when it come to observable in physical interactions you have to change your approach or it’s simply impossible. In perturbative method you state that when there is an interaction between point A and B there is X transitions states called virtual particles, considering transition state as particles can allow you to describe them as free particles (but “virtual” this time) and come to the first case. Virtual particles can’t be seen, they are an artifact of the method of calculus employed allowing you to “quantify” the field, if we were able to exactely calculate the transition state in quantum field theory we would not need them. But it’s not clearly determined between physicist, some still looking for the “virtual particles”, one of the most known experiment is Casimir effect that was supposed to show “vacuum pressure” of EM field of vacuum particles, but this can be explained by other effect like Van der vaals force of the London dispersive type. Most of the virtual particles “believers” are like “well the calculus work like that so the particles exist” but it might just be mathematical model and we got absolutely no proof of virtual particles. You can’t detect virtual particle because they describle transition states of fields, so you can’t really talk about “em potential of virtual particle” – eg : em potential of empty space (true quantic vacuum) provoked by quantum fluctuations.
jm on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 08:33
Hi Quark, thanks for taking the time to explain all of this – I truly appreciate it. I was under the impression that a true quantic vacuum did not exist, that delta0 was a close as possible, so it’s simply referred to as empty space because that’s as close as it gets. That space is occupied by either particle or field. Is that accurate?
jm on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 09:05
You said “Well this kind of question are very complicated on a very complicated topic…”, which is true, but you’re doing a great job of explaining it simply.
In the opening paragraph, Edzard wrote “…it is not the energy a physicist might have in mind. It is a much more mystical entity…”. I think a couple thousand years ago, the sub atomic world would have been in the realm of the mystical, but not so much anymore. However, that doesn’t mean it can be used for therapeutic purposes. Your explanations get into why it can’t be used, so again, thanks for taking the time and effort.
Quark on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 17:40
“I was under the impression that a true quantic vacuum did not exist, that delta0 was a close as possible, so it’s simply referred to as empty space because that’s as close as it gets. That space is occupied by either particle or field. Is that accurate?”
I’m not sure of your question. True vacuum doesn’t exist pratically. It won’t be occupied by a particle (it’s the definition) but in matter of field it’s more subtle. Light propagate in free space because there is an EM field to interact with light, but before the light propagate, is there a field ? Because fields come from particles interacting, they are mathematical tool to define interaction, if there is no interactions they are not useful so it’s how you want. You can say there is a field but with no value or there is no field it’s the same.
You said “Well this kind of question are very complicated on a very complicated topic…”, which is true, but you’re doing a great job of explaining it simply.”
It’s also clear that quantic phenomenum and medicine are from 2 differents worlds of interactions, and anyone trying mixing both is usually bullshiting. And it’s the heaven of quack for “alternative” medicine to quantumize everything or trying to modernize obsolete thing like rei ki with the “Q” word.
jm on Thursday 04 September 2014 at 09:07
“I’m not sure of your question. True vacuum doesn’t exist pratically. It won’t be occupied by a particle (it’s the definition) but in matter of field it’s more subtle.”
Yes, that’s what I was asking. Again, thanks.
“Light propagate in free space because there is an EM field to interact with light, but before the light propagate, is there a field ? Because fields come from particles interacting, they are mathematical tool to define interaction, if there is no interactions they are not useful so it’s how you want. You can say there is a field but with no value or there is no field it’s the same.”
“It’s also clear that quantic phenomenum and medicine are from 2 differents worlds of interactions, and anyone trying mixing both is usually bullshiting.”
Personally, I think you’re being too polite. As far as lingqi (rei ki) goes, it would be much closer to the world of quantic phenomenum interactions than medicine – but still bullshit. Lingqi/rei ki belongs in the realm of shamen and mystics. As does the practice of Reiki. Trying to analyze the spiritual world with modern medicine or modern physics is far beyond bullshit. The only real danger is not knowing it’s bullshit, and thinking that definitive assessments can be made.
Ex-Acupuncturist on Friday 29 August 2014 at 23:41
Clearly the founders of Reiki did much clinical research to determine that these symbols work best in accessing and transmitting the Universal Ki. They just can’t share that with the rest of the world because they are secret. SOOPER SEEKRIT!!!11!
The ideogram for Ki (and Qi/Chi) represents steam pushing up the lid on cooking rice. It is used in chemistry to describe a gas (as in Oxygen Qi, Nitrogen Qi). Since this is Universal Qi, you can capture it by cooking rice in outer space. The rabbit on the moon must do this a lot when he gets hungry after compounding the pill of immortality. (That’s a real Chinese myth: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moon_rabbit)
There are people out there who believe that Qi masters can also light fires and move objects with their mind (but since they are so spiritual, they won’t do it in front of scientists or cameras). While I think it is worth debunking, endlessly arguing with True Believers is, well, endless…
Richard Rawlins on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 07:47
We know what reiki is:
Pronounced: ray-kee. (Japanese: rei, soul, spirit. Ki , vital energy. In Chinese: ch’i or qi) it is a term that was devised by
Mikao Usui (1865-1926) who was a Japanese businessman and Buddhist who also practised Shintoism, a spiritual system which recognises kami – the spirits and deities of animals, trees and mountains. With historical records dating from the seventh century, Shinto folklore and mythology has led to a range of religious practices associated with nature and today is often combined with Buddhist ancestor worship. (Japanese: Shinto; Way of the Gods from Chinese: shin, kami, spirits or deities; and do (tao): philosophical path, way, or study).
The details of the origin of Reiki are shrouded in mystery and have resulted in some dispute, perhaps from an enthusiasm to make it more appealing in the West. In 1922 Usui encountered financial problems with his businesses, stepped back and took a twenty one day Buddist training course at a mountain retreat. This involved prayer, fasting and meditation. At the retreat Usui had a mystical revelation which empowered him with energy and enabled him to develop his Reiki Ryoho Gakkai (Spiritual Energy Therapy Society). He then taught others how to transmit ‘spiritual energy’ to patients.
It is pure spiritual energy which does not exist save in the minds of those who imagive it does. It does not exist in the real, substantive, immanent world – it, and other CAM energies, innate intellegence, meridians, chi, etc. are nonexistent nothingness – wu. I call the path to wellbeing followed by their committed adherents Wudo. (Chinese: wú, nothing, nothingness and also ‘spirit medium; shaman; magician; witch doctor’ + Japanese: dō, way or path). Just as practitioners of judo are judoka, so followers of wudo are wudoka (Japanese: ka, practitioner).
May the wu be with you all.
Richard Rawlins on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 07:50
Sorry, should read: “It is pure spiritual energy which does not exist save in the minds of those who imagine it does.”
jm on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 16:29
“…it is a term that was devised by Mikao Usui”
Mikao Usui appropriated the term for his practice, he did not invent the term. Not if he was born in 1865, anyway. Unless he was the proud owner of a TARDIS. Wait a minute…you’re not claiming Mikao Usui was a time traveller, are you? Do you have any evidence? I know of no record to indicate that Sojobo instructed on time travel…but I wouldn’t put it past him.
So the most interestingly funny things to come out of this thread:
1. Alan’s assertion that vacuum was not involved in the creation of the light bulb.
4. The practice of reiki is dangerous.
Sorry Richard, but you’re going to have to do better if you’re going to outdo Pete. Although ‘wudoka’ was a gallant effort.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 17:18
Your comprehension skills are failing you again. However, this is still a million miles away from discussing so-called reiki healing.
jm on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 09:09
It’s harmless. What more is there to discuss?
Alan Henness on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 16:27
Unfortunately, it would appear that it might not be harmless. That, combined with the fact there also appears to be no good evidence of any specific benefit, seals its fate.
jm on Thursday 04 September 2014 at 17:29
“Unfortunately, it would appear that it might not be harmless.”
I suppose you could stumble getting off of the treatment table.
Pete 628 on Tuesday 02 September 2014 at 21:54
jm is a stalwart supporter of Gua Sha torture — even to the extent of being proud of the fact that younger than twelve-year-olds can be indoctrinated to perform it:
“It’s so simple you could teach a 12 year old to do it. (Probably younger, but 12 is the youngest I’ve personally seen.)”
jm is still trying (despite failing abysmally) to scrape away at each one of us in the vain hope that we will, one-by-one, submit to his ‘wounding comments’. He seems to think that he has the power to make us glow bright red from embarrassment by our continually failing to understand his vastly superior ancient wisdom and that we are frightened by his scary ability to manipulate ki/qi/chi.
The only thing that truly frightens me is his gloating over how easy it is to indoctrinate children to perform torture in the name of healing that, in reality, neither cures nor identifies any known illness.
I occasionally use the phrase “the insidious creep of quackery”, which is an amusing double entendre. In this case, I don’t find it at all funny; it’s a grotesque reminder of the depths to which quacks will sink to promulgate their ideology and/or services. This is so disgusting that I cannot think of a suitable phrase to describe it.
Fortunately for so many of us, the dedication of Professor Ernst goes a very long way to protect us from these insidious creeps of quackery.
Björn Geir on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 18:20
We can knead the dough with these types ad absurdum, they will never allow themselves to be pulled through the pain and embarrassment against which their cognitive dissonance is holding fort.
I have been trying to understand their mindset and find out why they never let go despite hitting them repeatedly over the head with facts and reason.
Many of my prodding and poking entries (which “jm” calls “dadaistic” without knowing what that is) here have been designed to elicit revealing responses and indeed they have been fruitful.
When money becomes a significant factor in pursuing their chosen quackery cult, as it usually does, they are really beyond help.
The unpersuadables are prone to reason in circles in difficult dialogues as we have seen repeated examples of above, but the cognitive dissonance does not allow them to admit any mistakes. Their worst nightmare seems to be not being able to have the last word in a discussion.
I think the conclusion must be that you simply cannot and should not try to reason with them. It may be fun and revealing but the only sensible way seems to be to ignore them altogether i.e. avoid addressing them in first person but instead address the ambient audience who come here in search of information. Explain to them about reality and what is wrong and unreasonable in the rhetoric of the unpersuadables.
Maybe we can help some to avoid being scraped, cupped, needled, ear candled or have their vertebral arteries torn for no good reason.
jm on Wednesday 03 September 2014 at 19:55
Let’s get a few things straight and then move on.
1. People aren’t indoctrinated into gua sha. It’s a bodywork technique, nothing more. Families all over the world use it, and kids generally learn from their parents. It’s very safe, and the only side effect is that it strengthens the body.
2. I have absolutely no interest in wounding, embarrassing, etc. Sorry you feel that way – I didn’t think you had that thin of a skin, based on the comments you have made. I’ll be gentler with you.
3. Yin yang theory is simply a way of comparing things. Nothing more. When you say that it is ‘anti-science’ or something of the like, how that reads is “comparing things is unscientific”. If you can’t see the humor in that…
4. Reiki isn’t in any way dangerous. There are no side effects, and it would be the rare individual that would opt for treatment of a serious condition solely with Reiki.
5. I don’t think ancient wisdom is superior. Or inferior. I’m not dogmatic. I realise you don’t think there are any other ways of viewing or organizing the body (or anything else), or that traditional methods are outdated, etc. Fine by me. That thinking makes no sense to me – but you’re free to believe whatever you want. I prefer the right tool for the job, and for many things (like gua sha, for instance) a traditional scientific method of organizing the body is more useful. For heart surgery, a modern view/method would work better. Different tools for different jobs.
6. Referring to gua sha as torture is very disrespectful to people who have suffered actual torture. A little common decency around the topic wouldn’t hurt.
Hope that clears some things up.
joe on Sunday 07 September 2014 at 23:33
yes pete628, i agree with you, the thing that frightens me is that so many people are into it including my brother, as a result of this reiki nonsense my brother ( who is a reiki master ) and i no longer have a relationship and i found my brother to be stubborn as a mule in his support of reiki, i have printed out evidence for him to read but he even refuses to look at it let alone read it, he act as if he is possed by the devil, i find it distressing that he will not even have a rational discussion over it.
Quark on Thursday 04 September 2014 at 15:31
Well rei ki have no side effect for sure on body, but it have side effect on money. It’s just not honnest to pretend to heal anything and then just get paid for doing nothing. It’s selling something that doesn’t exist, would you buy an house that doesn’t exist ? Or food that doesn’t exist ? Surely not. So why buy medicine that doesn’t exist ?
jm on Thursday 04 September 2014 at 17:24
I think I mentioned on an earlier comment somewwhere in this mess that I have a friend who practices Reiki, and her work is the only time I’ve seen Reiki do what it purports to do. She was taught that charging money for Reiki (or any other healing practice) is not only unethical, but has a detrimental effect on the process. So she had a day job, and practiced Reiki for those in need, for free.
The other thing she’s pretty clear about is that Reiki is not a medical treatment, it’s a spiritual practice. Anyone trained in Reiki would know that. Any healing of the body is a side effect. So if money is the big danger, Reiki practitioners who charge money for something that doesn’t exist should be compared to the Catholic church, who charges 10% or so of your income for something that doesn’t exist. But both (Reiki and Catholic church) claim to bring comfort for any and all health issues, and both are charging for spiritual help that doesn’t exist, not medicine that doesn’t exist. That would be more of an apples to apples comparison.
I know quite a few Reiki practioners – my friend that I’m talking about is the only one that’s done fairly intensive, ongoing study and practice. The others I know have done a one day or weekend course, and are charging money for their services (although it’s usually combined with massage, and constitutes a very small percentage of the session). Then again, there are MDs who do a weekend course on acupunture and think they know something about it…and charge money for it. Also probably (or hopefully) a small percentage of what they do. Go figure.
joe on Sunday 07 September 2014 at 23:45
hi jm catholic church charges 10% or so of your income, really? gee i dont know where you live but where i live the catholic church only accepts DONATIONS so in fact where i live the catholic church DOES NOT charge for spiritual comfort and as i said elsewhere my brother is a “reiki master” and he DOES charge for his services.
Quark on Monday 08 September 2014 at 15:16
Anyway, for me, catholic church is a bunch of quack too, the “Christ company” like all religion is something that defy logic but i’m very pragmatic man and it’s far from the subject.
You may know one or few reiki practionner who won’t charge anything, but most of them are paid you can’t deny that, and most of them claim to be able to heal diseases so the prob is here. And i don’t understand what is your friend doing, if it’s just spirituality why would you need people to tell you how to be spiritual ? You can’t figure your own philosophy by yourself ? A massage is not “spiritual” it’s just relaxation, so then what reiki practionner who doesn’t claim healing are doing ?
jm on Monday 08 September 2014 at 17:25
“You may know one or few reiki practionner who won’t charge anything, but most of them are paid you can’t deny that, and most of them claim to be able to heal diseases so the prob is here.”
Actually, there’s no way to know that, since the only publicly known practitioners are the ones advertising and charging. And they are usually the ones combining Reiki and massage.
The practice of Reiki doesn’t involve touching the body in any way, and is not massage. If there’s touch involved, it’s being combined with massage.
As for the rest of your comment, I totally agree.
Pete 628 on Tuesday 09 September 2014 at 09:15
“The practice of Reiki doesn’t involve touching the body in any way, and is not massage. If there’s touch involved, it’s being combined with massage.”
That was my understanding of Reiki, jm, and the few practitioners I’ve met would agree. However, there are many adaptations of Reiki, some use hands-on-healing, others use massage, yet they are all commonly referred to as Reiki.
As with most forms of CAM, Reiki is unregulated (or arbitrarily self-regulated) therefore no precise definition of the practice exists.
jm on Tuesday 09 September 2014 at 16:23
“…there are many adaptations of Reiki…”
“Reiki is unregulated (or arbitrarily self-regulated) therefore no precise definition of the practice exists.”
I don’t think there’s anything arbitrary about definition or regulation. Both would be provided by the person’s teacher.
Pete 628 on Tuesday 09 September 2014 at 23:21
Again, I agree with you. How would a potential customer/client/patient be able to determine if the practitioner is practicing Reiki or an adaptation of it before paying for their first session? The practitioners of adapted Reiki are under no legal or industry regulated obligation to inform potential clients of their methods of practice.
jm on Wednesday 10 September 2014 at 17:29
If it’s a hands on session, it’s no longer Reiki. And in that case, it certainly is regulated (in the US anyway). All hands on therapies are legally (and more important, ethically) obligated to inform patients what they are doing.
Reiki practioners are not legally bound, but it’s part of their practice.
Alan Henness on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 10:03
jm said:
jm on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 17:54
Beats me. Is there any way to measure what he’s doing? Then we would know for sure…
If they shook hands before shooting the video, that might be considered a hand massage, or at least closer to a hands on therapy than what he’s doing in the video. Perhaps the massage regulatory machine should step in. Do you have any data on the benefit/risk situation for hand shaking? Oy…surrounded by dangers, I tell ya.
And – the person could have stumbled getting off the table! Something really needs to be done about the dangers of Reiki. I bet there were even viscious kittens off camera. Or blinding rainbows.
Alan Henness on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 23:29
It seems he is doing reiki.
However, jm said:
Is there any way to measure what he’s doing?
We’ve been here before, of course, but I’d still like to know what would be measured and how.
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 07:43
“It seems he is doing reiki.”
Sure it seems that way, but we’ll never know for sure without accurate measurments.
“I’d still like to know what would be measured and how.”
Apparently, you’re going to have to get used to disappointment.
Alan Henness on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 09:33
jm said:
“It seems he is doing reiki.”
Sure it seems that way, but we’ll never know for sure without accurate measurments.
Well, the people at reiki.org (the International Center for Reiki Training) would appear to think he’s doing reiki. But perhaps they’re wrong.
“I’d still like to know what would be measured and how.”
Apparently, you’re going to have to get used to disappointment.
Indeed. Unless there is someone else here who knows anything – it seems you know nothing about what a reiki practitioner is ‘transferring’ or how it could be measured.
jm on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 17:43
“But perhaps they’re wrong.”
Only one way to tell – contact them and measure it. They probably have a contact form on their site. And maybe they have a reikiometer they’d let you borrow. Make sure it’s calibrated to 42.
Or you could accept the fact that there is no one answer for what rei ki is. Doubt that will happen though. Since you’re so disturbed by the nuanced meaning of ki (qi)…digging into what rei (ling) means would send you to counselling.
Again, I would recommend you stick with the dictionary definition of ‘mysterious energy’ and call it a day. You could use your free time to let wikipedia know that vacuum was not involved in the invention of the light bulb.
Quark on Tuesday 09 September 2014 at 09:18
You haven’t answer my question, then if it’s not massage nor healing what is it ? What the so called rei ki practionner is doing with his “patient”, “disciple” ?
“Actually, there’s no way to know that, since the only publicly known practitioners are the ones and charging. And they are usually the ones combining Reiki and massage.”
Well that’s a bit stretched, i’m pretty sure that you can have a good idea of this with statistics and i’m pretty sure that the one which do have the better advertising get the most client anyway. And there is clearly enough of them to heal your money.
jm on Tuesday 09 September 2014 at 16:37
As I understand it, the Reiki practitioner acts as a conduit to promote movement of rei ki through someone else. Massage is hands on body work. Healing can be instigated by absolutely anything.
“Well that’s a bit stretched, i’m pretty sure that you can have a good idea of this with statistics”
How do you measure statistics if you don’t know how many practitioners there are out there, who they are, where they are, or how many people they are working with? Anyone you meet could be a Reiki practitioner…there would be no way for you to know, unless you asked them.
Quark on Wednesday 10 September 2014 at 13:14
“As I understand it, the Reiki practitioner acts as a conduit to promote movement of rei ki through someone else. Massage is hands on body work. Healing can be instigated by absolutely anything.”
And why is that spiritual ? And why someone would need that ? What is the aim of this if it’s not healing ? I still don’t see what they are doing.
“How do you measure statistics if you don’t know how many practitioners there are out there, who they are, where they are, or how many people they are working with? Anyone you meet could be a Reiki practitioner…there would be no way for you to know, unless you asked them.”
What I meant is that someone may have done this work (referencing practioners etc..) or at least partially. And after all, who care ? It don’t change anything to the fact that the most famous rei ki master don’t do it for free (advertising cost money) and it’s not stretched to say that most of rei ki prationner do it for money too because… You have to eat. So the quack is here, even if they are genuine. What I see is that no one one know what rei ki is, nothing can demonstrate his existence, his own defintion is cryptic at best, we don’t know why someone would need that anyway, but people claim to use it for money : This is just basic quack, you create needs (need to move your ki or whatever invisble and impossible to demonstrate) and provide solution at the same time. Solution for something you create yourself and don’t exist. Fabulous ! You don’t even need a real sick patient, just someone who hear you, how the hell could he be aware of the ki state of his body ? Ask rei ki master with money ! Absolutely no risk of side effect or anything, just taking money on people gullibility. That’s purely unethical and it’s why it should be forbiden like all other kind quackery.
jm on Wednesday 10 September 2014 at 17:16
“It don’t change anything to the fact that the most famous rei ki master don’t do it for free (advertising cost money) and it’s not stretched to say that most of rei ki prationner do it for money too because… You have to eat.”
Well, by definition ‘most famous’ means that people know about you. It is a stretch to say that most do it for money…because if you don’t know how many practitioners there are, you can’t determine ‘most’.
As far as ‘you have to eat’, that’s why the practitioners I know have other jobs. Actually, the best doctors I know of don’t charge either. They have other jobs too. They consider exchange of money for healing unethical.
Quark on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 13:58
“And why is that spiritual ? And why someone would need that ? What is the aim of this if it’s not healing ? I still don’t see what they are doing. ”
Still, because it’s linked to all the post and the answer would be welcome. For the moment no ONE seems to know what they are exactely doing and for what reason ! (even themself !)
“As far as ‘you have to eat’, that’s why the practitioners I know have other jobs. Actually, the best doctors I know of don’t charge either. They have other jobs too. They consider exchange of money for healing unethical.”
Well I doubt that. Or you are not talking about real medicine doctors (retired doctor does not count). You don’t go nine + years of study to do “partial time job” and go for … what other job a doctor can do ? I mean, they don’t need other job they have plenty to do ! And if you are talking about rei ki practionners they are not doctor in anyway, plus you said rei ki is not healing so why would they ask money for that ?
“Well, by definition ‘most famous’ means that people know about you. It is a stretch to say that most do it for money…because if you don’t know how many practitioners there are, you can’t determine ‘most’. ”
I don’t say they first aim is to make money, i said that they ask money for the practice. You just have to look at advertising of this kind of practicing to see that it’s not free.
jm on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 17:40
“Still, because it’s linked to all the post and the answer would be welcome.” I’ve told you my understanding of it. Beyond that…no idea.
“Well I doubt that.” Doubt all you want. The whole subject of medical ethics and exchange of money is way off topic, but I was referring mainly to traditional medicine docs (and I know that there are a bunch of commenters on this site that wouldn’t consider them ‘real’ doctors). Although here in the US there are a bunch of mds providing services for free because of our fucked up medical system. That’s more of a donation of goods and services in addition to their practice, rather than a dogmatic ethical thing. There have been a surprising number who have cut their paid practice way back to have time to care for the underserved, and the ethics conversation has become quite interesting. But…far from the topic of Reiki.
Pete 628 on Thursday 11 September 2014 at 19:58
As you still have no idea what you are talking about in the context of this blog post (despite the elapse of seventeen months since it was posted), the following article well illustrates the abject nonsense of Reiki and the sheer depth of delusion exhibited by Reiki Masters:
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 08:10
Pete, since you’ve probably read the article that you link to, and I probably never will…could you sum up the dangers of Reiki? Something actually dangerous. That would not include things like it costs money, or people will opt for Reiki as their sole therapy for a serious condition.
The money thing isn’t really dangerous. People spend money on all kinds of weird things. If you’re going to go the serious conditions route, show some numbers. Prove that Reiki is actually more dangerous than aspirin. Or shaking hands. Or religion.
Show me some real dangers. Something that takes Reiki out of the harmless category. I was kidding when I said the recipient could stumble getting off of the treatment table…but that probably is the biggest danger. (ok, the BIGGEST danger would be stumbling while getting off of the table, and landing next to a rainbow wielding kitten. But what are the odds of that, really?)
Pete 628 on Friday 12 September 2014 at 11:24
You obviously haven’t read this blog post, to which you have so far added 53 comments. I’ll quote the final paragraph to save you the bother of reading the post:
“Some fanatics might use these placebo-treatments as a true alternative to effective therapies. This would mean that the condition at hand remains untreated which, in a worst case scenario, might even lead to the death of patients. More important, in my view, is an entirely different risk: making people believe in mystic ‘energies’ undermines rationality in a much more general sense. If this happens, the harm to society would be incalculable and extends far beyond health care.”
Most people who turn to alt-med for treatment are ill, many of them are desperate therefore they are vulnerable members of society. Filling their minds with the mysticism and abject nonsense of Reiki is very likely to undermine their rationality. Reiki is a process of mystical indoctrination that gives the false hope of improved health and spiritual growth. Clients are encouraged to become students of the master for the purpose of learning how to treat themselves and others. However, the clients/students are never told: Oh, by the way, Reiki is neither plausible, nor effective, nor harmless.
The psychological harm that can and does result from the indoctrination of vulnerable people is a very serious issue.
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 17:07
Apparently, you didn’t read all of the words in the final paragraph. “Some fanatics might use these placebo-treatments as a true alternative to effective therapies.”
Some fanatics might do all kinds of things. What are fanatics ACTUALLY doing?
“This would mean that the condition at hand remains untreated which, in a worst case scenario, might even lead to the death of patients.”
So we seem to be in the realm of might. Might lead to kittens, too. How would we know?
“Oh, by the way, Reiki is neither plausible, nor effective, nor harmless.”
Again, prove the harmless part. So far all you’ve got is your opinions, and Edzards speculations.
Edzard on Friday 12 September 2014 at 17:21
I am not in the habit of speculating – I leave this to people like you.
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 17:59
In that case, where’s the evidence of harm from Reiki? “might use” and “might even lead to” seem speculative to me.
My kitten scenario is speculative too. I have no evidence of kittens waiting to chomp on Reiki treatment table stumblers. But it MIGHT happen.
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 21:30
“I am not in the habit of speculating – I leave this to people like you.”
Really?
The response rate was truly dismal, and it is fair to assume that the non-responding students held even more offensive views on vaccination than their responding colleagues. (http://edzardernst.com/2014/05/naturopaths-trained-to-endanger-public-health/#comment-59498)
Positive results from clinical trials of implausible forms of AM are thus either due to chance, bias or must be attributed to more credible causes such as the placebo effect. (http://edzardernst.com/2014/09/the-statistical-agrument-against-alternative-medicine-why-it-cannot-be-considered-evidence-based/)
And if that is true for herbal remedies, it might also be the case for other types of alternative medicine. In other words, alternative medicine use might be a marker for poor adherence to prescribed medication. I feel that this hypothesis merits further study. (http://edzardernst.com/2014/08/a-hitherto-unknown-risk-of-herbal-medicine-usage/)
I should stress that we do not know how often such events happen; there is no monitoring system, and one might expect that the vast majority of cases do not get published. Most consumers who experience such problems, I would guess, are far to embarrassed to admit that they have been taken in by this sort of quackery. (http://edzardernst.com/2014/08/ear-candles-a-triumph-of-ignorance-over-science/)
So, the HCIS is in excellent company and I have no doubt whatsoever that this new statement is correct – but I also have little doubt that homeopaths will dispute it. (http://edzardernst.com/2014/08/the-evidence-does-not-support-treating-migraine-or-osteoarthritis-with-homeopathy/)
My explanation for the observed effects after Gua Sha is quite simple: imagine you have a headache and accidentally injure yourself – say you fall off your bike and the tarmac scrapes off an area of skin on your thigh. This hurts quite a bit and distracts you from your headache, perhaps even to such an extend that you do not feel it any more. As the wound heals, it gets a bit infected and thus hurts for several days; chances are that your headache will be gone for that period of time. Of course, the Gua Sha- effect would be larger because the factors mentioned above (exotic treatment, expectation etc.) but essentially the accident and the treatment work via similar mechanisms, namely distraction and counter-irritation. (http://edzardernst.com/2013/01/gua-sha-torture-or-treatment/)
Alan Henness on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 12:53
Indeed. Such as the wild speculation that ‘reiki energy’ is electromagnetic.
jm on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 17:46
“Such as the wild speculation that ‘reiki energy’ is electromagnetic.”
You’re confusing speculation with definition. Understandable though, since you’re still saying ‘rei energy energy’.
Pete 628 on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 22:23
Not only the wild speculation that ‘reiki energy’ is electromagnetic, but also the many Appeals to Quantum Quackery(TM), which have been more than adequately dismissed.
Quark on Friday 12 September 2014 at 13:27
“I’ve told you my understanding of it. Beyond that…no idea.”
OK yeah so it’s clearly total bullshit. It’s beyond any common sense, even rei ki master don’t know what their are doing, it’s fabulous.
“Doubt all you want. The whole subject of medical ethics and exchange of money is way off topic, ”
OH c’mon you were asking question on elementary physics on at least 5 or 6 post and now you say “hmm this thing is off topic”, this is unbelievable.
“but I was referring mainly to traditional medicine docs”
“traditionnal medicine”, if it’s rei ki-like lies I hope they doesn’t get paid for anything. And no, they aren’t doc in anyway, not even close : they don’t know what they are doing.
“Although here in the US there are a bunch of mds providing services for free because of our fucked up medical system”
Well maybe if you know a doctor he can give you consultation for free, but he won’t take ANOTHER job and heal people for free, that’s two totally different things. And there is nothing wrong with getting money for service, if the service is real, so it’s the case for medical doctor and this is not the case for rei ki practionners. At best, if a rei ki master don’t ask money for his service (and don’t slow the eventual medical diagnosis) he is just dellusionnal. If he ask for money he is pure quack selling nothing but beliefs.
“The money thing isn’t really dangerous. People spend money on all kinds of weird things. If you’re going to go the serious conditions route, show some numbers. ”
That is too easy. People can buy weird things (like every new versions of a smartphone), but things that are real. Rei ki is quack because it is not real, this is thievery, rei ki master are just taking money from people in exange of nothing, I call it physcological extortion. By the way those kinds of lies are dangerous for critical thinking, ethics and morale, but I know that those are not very valuable for most of people. However don’t act surprised if some people with a little of these is shocked by those practices and ask to stop.
jm on Friday 12 September 2014 at 17:14
“OH c’mon you were asking question on elementary physics on at least 5 or 6 post and now you say “hmm this thing is off topic”, this is unbelievable.”
“And there is nothing wrong with getting money for service,”
I totally agree.
“By the way those kinds of lies are dangerous for critical thinking, ethics and morale, but I know that those are not very valuable for most of people. However don’t act surprised if some people with a little of these is shocked by those practices and ask to stop.”
I look forward to the end of chapels in hospitals.
Pete 628 on Saturday 13 September 2014 at 20:24
Reiki comes under the umbrella of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM), more recently also known as Integrative Medicine. Therefore, Reiki implicitly conveys the following: that it is medically efficacious in some way or another; that its risks have been adequately assessed and its practitioners are fully aware of its documented contraindications; that its practitioners are licensed to practice this form of medicine, are regulated, and are appropriately insured.
In the UK, as in many other regions of the world, there exists legislation that specifically addresses advertising to, and working with, vulnerable members of society. Those deemed vulnerable include: children; all adults who *might* be suffering impaired decision-making skills due to physical illness, mental illness, as a side effect of medication or intoxicants (including alcohol); the elderly; and the infirm.
Vulnerable members of society are neither required nor even expected to adequately differentiate between explicit and implicit health claims. Making this differentiation is a high-order cognitive processing task. High-order cognitive tasks are well known for being quickly impaired just by tiredness, let alone the devastating loss of functioning that usually occurs in severe chronic illness and other debilitating circumstances.
Some CAM practitioners and CAM apologists attempt to dismiss my comments on this blog by claiming that my comments are just unsubstantiated opinions. This pathetic tactic doesn’t work because most of what I write is backed by UK legislation. And, yes, some of this legislation covers those pretending to know things that they don’t know. E.g. statements along the lines: Reiki is the gentle application of universal energy to encourage the body to heal itself and to promote spiritual well-being; Reiki cannot and does not cause any harm. When dealing with vulnerable members of society the motto isn’t “Buyer Beware!” the clear message is: “Practitioners, advertisers, and advocates: Beware of the Law!”
Under UK and other jurisdictions, pretending to know things that you don’t know is frequently equivocated to: Claiming to be a qualified expert who is giving advice to the listener(s). The moral of this is simple: CAM practitioners, clients, and apologists must stop pretending to know things that they don’t know.
Much of the psychological harm caused by the plethora of pre-scientific medical belief systems is documented in the case notes retained by mental healthcare organisations, including the UK NHS and its affiliated providers. This information is used to continuously improve the standard of mental healthcare provided by these organisations.
Disclaimer: I do not provide legal or medical advice. My writings are for the sole purpose of helping to protect vulnerable members of society from the harmful effects of quackery.
Some readers might be interested to learn that Reiki is nothing other than a Japanese-rooted version of New Age shamanism invented by, and promulgated by, unenlightened shamans:
jm on Sunday 14 September 2014 at 17:03
I take it then that you have no proof of Reiki being harmful, since you provide no evidence? I’ll quit asking you, but if you find some…please post it.
And, you should post this “Under UK and other jurisdictions, pretending to know things that you don’t know is frequently equivocated to: Claiming to be a qualified expert who is giving advice to the listener(s). The moral of this is simple: CAM practitioners, clients, and apologists must stop pretending to know things that they don’t know.” over on the gua sha thread. You and a few others should take it to heart.
joe on Monday 15 September 2014 at 10:00
hi jm, i tell you how reiki is harmful,when i pay a “reiki master” $100 and get nothing in return, because the fact is that reiki does nothing.
jm on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 11:26
$100 eh? Still less harmfull than kittens, if the kitten lives for a few years.
joe on Sunday 14 September 2014 at 23:55
hi pete628, i have this to say to all “reiki masters” JAMES RANDI is offering one million dollars to all “reiki masters” who can prove that reiki therapy works, so i am saying to all you “reiki masters” why are you wasting your precious time on this site when you should be out there chasing the million dollars UNLESS ER maybye reiki therapy is really crap.pete628 i am not calling you a reiki master just supporting your comments.
Pete 628 on Monday 15 September 2014 at 13:29
Thanks joe, I’ve often wondered why proponents of Reiki and other alt-med refuse the JREF and similar challenges yet they spend time on this site demonstrating their wilful ignorance, science denialism, and blatant disregard for the safety of ill and vulnerable people.
I’ve had a funny thought: Perhaps I am a Reiki Master! Neither I nor anyone else can produce evidence to show that I’m not. I can, if necessary, easily demonstrate that I have the same healing power as a Reiki Master
Quark on Monday 15 September 2014 at 15:28
You know that skeptical people just block the rei ki power ? So a rei ki master can only prove that rei ki exist to a person that is already convinced. Really, really, practical, isn’t it ?
joe on Monday 15 September 2014 at 22:37
hi pete628 as i said earlier, my brother is a reiki master, he knows its crap but it doesnt stop him from taking $150 per hour for a session, he tells me its the best job he has ever had, i dont know how he sleeps at night. i go to all the reiki sites, pamela miles etc and put it to them to take the JREF offer and they respond by not putting my post on their website, in fact i have already been banned from a pro reiki website just because i asked her to take the JREF challenge, they dont want their clients to know the truth and lose their income,i consider these people as scum for preying on gullible people to further their own interests.
Quark on Monday 15 September 2014 at 08:23
““OH c’mon you were asking question on elementary physics on at least 5 or 6 post and now you say “hmm this thing is off topic”, this is unbelievable.”
Then talking ethic about questionnable practice on people isn’t off-topic, think for a time.
Now i’m bored, you don’t have any respect of medical ethic and morale, so it’s useless to talk more. You have just no prob with the fact that rei ki “master” (and any other serial bullshiter) are just liar and rob people, then ask “how they can be harmful ?”. How can a thief can harm people ? Do you really need me to draw a picture here ?
jm on Monday 15 September 2014 at 16:57
Quark – for quite some time now, the accepted practical definition of ki/qi has been electromagnetism. That’s why I say that elementary physics is not off topic. Reiki is a spiritual practice, not a medical one. The medical world has no business, in my opinion, regulating spiritual practice. And vice versa. The religious folk have no business regulating medicine. The picture you’re drawing (medicine getting involved in religious practice) is kind of frightening…
But I do appreciate your take on physics, as you’re the only one I’ve talked to who separates particle and field (“Light propagate in free space because there is an EM field to interact with light, but before the light propagate, is there a field ? Because fields come from particles interacting, they are mathematical tool to define interaction, if there is no interactions they are not useful so it’s how you want. You can say there is a field but with no value or there is no field it’s the same.”).
The other physics folks I’ve talked to are all about field – particle, matter, etc is just concentration of field, and there is continual interaction between areas of differing concetration. It’s nice to hear a different opinion.
You’re not the only person I’ve heard that disagrees with ki/qi being defined as electromagnetism. But, that group is a small minority. And, most that don’t like the electromagnetism definition argue that the definition is too limiting. They agree that electromagnetism is qi – but qi includes more.
Pete 628 on Monday 15 September 2014 at 17:42
Yeah, ki/qi/chi is indeed worthy of comparison to electromagnetic energy. The energy of the highly vocal proponents of this rubbish are comparable to the seriously harmful effects of ionising electromagnetic energy.
Quark on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 09:44
“The picture you’re drawing (medicine getting involved in religious practice) is kind of frightening…”
In rei ki it’s more religious practice involved in “medicine”. Precisely, mumbo jumboing people to get money.
“You’re not the only person I’ve heard that disagrees with ki/qi being defined as electromagnetism. But, that group is a small minority. And, most that don’t like the electromagnetism definition argue that the definition is too limiting. They agree that electromagnetism is qi – but qi includes more.”
Yeah usual bullshit : when it don’t fit, it mean the definition is wrong (the physics) and not the qi that is just nonsense. And as it was said 1 billions times : If rei ki is related to EM in any way we should be able to detect it. It’s very easy to understand !
Björn Geir on Monday 15 September 2014 at 20:45
Let us for a moment assume that the mysterious “jm” happens to be right (for once) in his/her seemingly definite (hopefully last) conclusion that the concept called Ki/Qi/Chi or whatever, indeed is a form of electromagnetic (EM) power. Then, by definition this power should be readily measurable.
It so happens that I have formal credentials that say I should have the skills and ability to detect, measure, manipulate and use electromagnetic power. This does not make me a Reiki master
But I am quite familiar with EM power, its nature, its behaviour and what you can and cannot do with it. I even have a ‘secret handshake’ to prove that I belong to a cult of nerds whose hobby it is to measure and manipulate EM power*
Interestingly, EM power is actually readily amenable to hand-waving, no-touch control as demonstrated by the operation of a Theremin musical instrument**.
If indeed we were dealing with EM power it seems exceedingly strange that no one has been able to demonstrate such influence of electromagnetic power on the human body (apart of course from the heat generating, destructive effects of very strong alternating fields or the possibly heart rhythm disrupting effects of a direct current passing through the body ) and that every attempt at blinded trials, from Emily Rosa’s elegant experiment and onwards, has failed to demonstrate the power of energy medicine practitioners of any kind to truthfully sense or manipulate this power.
No, Ockhams Razor retains its edge. Reiki is neither electromagnetic nor any other kind of physical power. If it indeed is to be defined as a power then it may well be defined as the power of delusion and mental suggestion.
Reiki and all the other “energy medicine” mumbo-jumbo is definitely a big load of NOTHING.
Our adhesively persevering “jm” is, as per usual, stuffed to the gills with the proverbial ‘excrementum tauri’, guessing wildly at sciency sounding terms to pretend to master the must of mystery in his/her long-winded, vain attempts at sounding knowledgeable.
When is this absurd discourse coming to an end? We need room for fruitful dialogues on this site.
Is there an OFF button somewhere? I am getting bored and the popcorn is finished.
** For those not familiar with the Theremin, this technically and aesthetically very interesting musical instrument, there is of course a Wikipedia page and uncountable Youtube examples. Here is a list starting with Leon Theremin himself, wonderfully performing on his invention. Many of these performances are a genuine pleasure. Nothing magical about it at all, even if the operator’s gesticulations sometimes seem more fitting a teacher at Hogwarts or a patient with a choreatic disorder.
joe on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 09:00
hi bjorn, you are correct regarding jm, this person will not accept any explanation that reiki therapy is a sham, your correct that there has been to much discussion on this site talking about something that has been proven a sham many years ago, james randi has a million dollars on the table for anyone that can prove reiki therapy is plausible, the fact that this money has not been claimed is sufficiant proof that discussing this further is a waste of everybodys time.
Quark on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 09:46
You are pretty much right Bjorn, enough words have been wasted !
jm on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 11:43
I feel your pain…
Björn Geir on Tuesday 16 September 2014 at 13:50
I am glad nobody has caught me on my serious error in the last entry…. I am so ashamed :/
I wrote my Ham-radio callsign WRONG!!!!. It should of course be TF3BGL.
Scuttlebutst on Monday 03 November 2014 at 18:26
I manage a veterinary cardiology office. This afternoon a woman walked and introduced herself as a certified Reiki Master; she was confident she had services that the practice owner would be interested in. Ignoring her woeful lack of experience working with animals, I asked her to share how this treatment would help our cardiac patients (animals). She was not able to provide me with anything other than “i’ll see what I can find” and commented that “Boy you are a tough sell”. As I explained, some holistic treatments (acupuncture/chiropractic work for arthritis) and herbal/vitamin/minteral treatments have been proven effective. As I explained to her, we have a close relationship with our clients; their own perceptions often color how they feel the pet is doing. Without the correct tools (and know our clients) there are some that it is quite a challenge sorting out how the dog/cat is versus client impression (both positive or negative). And again, I asked her to “Show me the evidence”.
So, in my search I have thus far found little supporting evidence– though there is researcher correspondence in 2010 in the Journal of American College of Cardiology (http // reikiinmedicine org/pdf/jacc pdf). [Link disabled by admin because of suspected malware.]
Has there been any additional recent work? And, atleast in terms of people, is there any difference in the impact of meditation versus Reiki?
Frank Collins on Monday 16 May 2016 at 08:18
@ Scuttlebutst on Monday 03 November 2014 at 18:26
“As I explained, some holistic treatments (acupuncture/chiropractic work for arthritis) and herbal/vitamin/minteral treatments have been proven effective.”
Are you serious………..as in seriously deluded?
Pingback: Reiki is nonsense and further research should be discouraged
YGR on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 00:52
I could explain how reiki works, but I won’t because it’s actually not so important, since it will never convince anyone as scientific evidence is still lacking. Let me start at an other point.
Everyone is given intuition. Some people have learned to trust it, listen to it, and therefore been able to develop it. Others are taught and used to think that everything’s real as long as you can see it. Because how could you ever believe or see things that aren’t there? That would be imagination, illusion, naivety and just crazy, while being mentally unstable. So they usually have more or less dismissed their intuition and only use their brains. (Nothing wrong with it).
So me and many others have learned to trust their intuition. It mostly (like 99%) turns out the feelings were right. I use it combined with rational thinking to get or decide the best results possible, and this combination has never failed me.
I know it’s difficult to think intuition is real, and that listening to it is just stupid and crazy, but after some practice, you’ll learn to trust it as it will prove itself to you, if you truly listen. This will develop your intuition as well, making you more sensitive. At first you’ll notice you can sense the emotions of others, I mean you sense it, not physically see it, no matter how bad they want to hide it. Later on you can also sense the atmosphere in rooms where people were fighting. It might feel ver “static “. This will only continue to improve as work with it. Eventually you will also become aware of Reiki, and other energies. Why, because energies possess as what I call frequencies, or vibrations. The higher an energy’s frequency, the purer the energy, and the more difficult it is to sense it. Reiki energy is a very pure high energy that is not easy to sense.
I know you may now think that I should be hospitalized or that I should check myself at the psychiatrist, but I simply feel that Reiki energy does exist. It is analogous to deaf people or people that are truly colorblind (no offence). How would you explain to them what colors or music are? How would you scientifically prove it to them?
I’ll assure you as soon as you start to develop this part of yourself too we’ll have more to talk about.
Take it or leave it as you please.
Edzard on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 06:17
Oh, please – do explain to us how it works.
Björn Geir on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 10:13
Oh, it’s quite easy to explain how Reiki works.
It is exactly the same as when a TraCu® (Transmission Current) automobile mechanic attends to a car engine that is running irregularly from time to time, using to much gas or having steering or braking problems. He kicks the tyres in a special secret sequence that only TraCu® masters can ascertain, strokes the steering wheel and tells the owner that this fixes the problem by adjusting the universal inverse reactive transmission current and synchronising the cognal grameater. He then sells the owner a gallon of lubricant for the door seals, two cans of lock de-icer and ten dozen caromatherapy christmas tree ornaments to hang a fresh one daily on the rearview mirror. He warns the owner that he should return twice a week for more TraCu® tyre kicking sessions because the turbal encabulator is weak and will need regular release of its transmission current flow blockage by the specialised tyre kicking only a certified TraCu® mechanic knows how to do.
Of course the TraCu® mechanic warns the owner that his ministrations will only work if the owner has full faith in TraCu® tyre kicking and the car and owner are open and willing to receive the universal inverse reactive transmission current.
Here you can watch a scientific explanation of TraCu® inverse transmission current adjustment and grameater synchronisation by a level-seven TraCu@ master. Level seven is the highest level of mastery you can reach in Tracu@ mechanics.
Pete Attkins on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 09:13
Here’s a very apt description of intuition:
jane summers on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 12:48
These people do not use their intuition; it’s exactly like telling them the sky isn’t actually blue – they can’t see it. They are bullies who believe what education has taught them and only see what’s in their faces.
If they took a look at quantum physics and consciousness they might get it, but they don’t want to. It’s easier just to call Reiki a placebo. That’s ok, they know it all, and need to learn nothing. It is not a fair and open discussion because their ego’s like to batter anything they don’t understand.
This is from the 6 year old with no physics training, remember me?
Alan Henness on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 14:27
jane summers said:
This is from the 6 year old with no physics training, remember me?
Yes, but thanks for confirming that with your comment.
Pete Attkins on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 16:51
Jane, How could anyone possibly forget you? Your comments are delightfully naive, while at the same time being laden with the promotion of abject bullshit. I shall never forget your total failure to understand my simple questions about two practical applications of diamonds.
Those who have looked at, then bothered to properly understand, quantum mechanics and consciousness really do “get it”. Those, such as yourself, who don’t begin to understand even the first principles of quantum mechanics and consciousness totally rely on the fact that the vast majority of their audience/clients also don’t begin to understand the first principles of mathematics and science.
You and commentator YGR have made it abundantly clear that neither of you begin to understand the first principles underlying the terms “frequency” and “vibration”. Within your context (not mine), the term “frequency” means the fundamental number of cycles per second of the rotating phase vector being proposed: a vector that may or may not have a constant magnitude in the time domain.
A rotating phase vector (frequency/vibration) that has very high purity has a constant angular velocity and a constant magnitude. Guess what? It carries/transports zero information because it has a bandwidth of zero! As the purity of a signal/frequency/vibration decreases, its bandwidth increases therefore its information content increases — the increased information content might be useful, or it might be just useless random noise.
YGR provided a wonderful example of a self-refuting argument. I was long ago convinced that Reiki energy cannot be detected by science because it is so pure that it contains zero information. IOW, it is a pure placebo — other than the fuckwittery that its practitioners attempt to sell as part of reiki’s multi-level marketing scheme.
What is the tangible end product of Reiki? Pure nothingness for the recipient; a source of income to its vendors. The frequency of Reiki is very far from being undetectable by science and by the general public! I’m sure that some of what I’ve written will resonate with you, and with other readers, however, the phase alignments will vary considerably.
I’m looking forward to your next outpouring of wilful ignorance
Frank Collins on Tuesday 23 February 2016 at 02:19
“This is from the 6 year old with no physics training, remember me?”
Yep, and it still shows. One does not take “a look at quantum physics”; the subject is not able to be put into a 12 page softcover book with pictures, therefore you will never understand it or even basic physics.
Can you answer this, please; do you know what an integral is?
Johnny on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 16:45
“It is analogous to deaf people or people that are truly colorblind (no offence). How would you explain to them what colors or music are? How would you scientifically prove it to them?”
Bad analogy. You might not be able to explain it to them, but you can show them the scientific experiments that prove light exists, its photons has momentum, is measurable, can be refracted, etc., and that sound waves exist, are measurable, can affect other objects, etc., but none of this can be shown for Reiki.
Pete Attkins on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 17:31
Johnny, Good points. To which I’ll add that none of us can see the infrared spectrum, but infrared images upshifted into the visible spectrum provide us with this ability by proxy. The forthcoming James Webb Space Telescope totally relies on exploiting this basic principle to compensate for the huge red shift of distant galaxies.
Alan Henness on Sunday 21 February 2016 at 18:59
Slightly off-topic, but you might enjoy this, the incomparable Tommy Edison: Describing Colors As A Blind Person.
I thoroughly recommend his other videos as well.
jm on Monday 22 February 2016 at 06:35
And yet, there’s no way to prove to deaf folks that some people can harness that energy to communicate with each other in any meaningful way. They have to take your word for it.
Frank Odds on Monday 22 February 2016 at 10:27
You imply that those of us who regard reiki as bovine excrement are lacking an organ of sense, analogous to a deaf or a blind person. Yet YGR tells us reiki is all down to highly developed intuition. Jane Summers, the sub-nursery-school physics specialist, tells us it’s quantum consciousness. I don’t lack intuition or consciousness. I just have enough sense and experience to recognize that the intuitive products of my brain are more often wrong than right; that I, like most if not all people, am vulnerable to self-deception. That’s why I prefer to question my intuition, to look for measurable, reproducible evidence of a phenomenon before I rush off to embrace it and explain it with pseudo-scientific gobbledygook.
jm on Monday 22 February 2016 at 18:00
I don’t mean to imply that at all, Frank.
Jobnny on Monday 22 February 2016 at 10:28
But that doesn’t matter. You can prove that it exists, whether it’s usable to the deaf person or not. You cannot prove reiki is anything other than a made up thing. You cannot measure its energy in any way.
jm on Monday 22 February 2016 at 18:31
You certainly can prove that there are things we can’t perceive that have the potential to affect us – and they are measurable. Somewhere on this thread, Quark has a really nice explanation.
What reiki practitioners claim is that they can harness this potential – which is a different issue. As far as I know, the first time someone called bullshit on that idea was in the Xunzi, about 2300 years ago:
“When the performance of the great rain dance is followed by rain, what does this mean? I say it means nothing”.
Pete Attkins on Wednesday 24 February 2016 at 22:10
Jm, with all due respect to you and your family, I implore you to read, and to fully digest The Demon-Haunted World: Science as a Candle in the Dark — a 1995 book by astrophysicist Carl Sagan. If you have read it, then I implore you to reread it and to better digest its deeply profound content.
jm on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 08:50
Jobnny is claiming that our atmosphere is a vacuum. I don’t think Carl Sagan would agree with him.
Johnny on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 12:42
I’m confused? When did I claim our atmosphere is a vacuum? Again, you can measure every element of our atmosphere – Nitrogen, oxygen, argon, c02, ozone….all of it. Let me know when you can measure Reiki.
Frank Collins on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 10:54
“Jobnny is claiming that our atmosphere is a vacuum. I don’t think Carl Sagan would agree with him. :)”
Where? Sorry, it is jm, someone for whom reality does appear. How do you come up with this stuff? I couldn’t make this nonsense up even when I was stoned on hash years ago at uni.
jm on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 16:19
Johnny – never mind. I was long shot hoping that you were making a joke based on the classical definition(s) of lingqi (reiki) found in old daoist & confucian writings – long long before communist China mucked things up a bit. In the context of the deaf/proving sound exists…your comment would have been quite clever (or quick, or sharp).
Seems that the difference between Reiki (the practice) and what it is theoretically channelling (reiki) will remain in an atmosphere of mystery.
Pete Attkins on Thursday 25 February 2016 at 23:04
Nowhere did Johnny claim that our atmosphere is a vacuum. Furthermore, there are two primary definitions of the term “vacuum”: A region or volume of space that contains very few or zero physical particles per cubic metre; A region that contains no particles, no inherent energy, and no possible means of interacting with the reality of our universe [my poetic licence!]. My latter definition is a theoretical construct, which (as far as we currently know) likely exists only outside of the confines of our space-time universe.
When we speak of vibrations, their frequency, and their energy, what are we really talking about? It depends on whether we are talking about wave energy that is propagated via a physical medium — e.g. air and water propagating sound and other waves; the ground propagating seismic waves from earthquakes — or are we talking about self-propagating waves that do not rely on a physical medium for their transportation, such as electromagnetic waves. The latter do indeed self-propagate through my first definition of a vacuum. However, it is physically impossible to create near-field self-propagating electromagnetic waves: in the near-field region to the source of energy, the separate electric and magnetic components of the energy have not yet combined into a self-propagating electromagnetic wave, i.e, photons with their associated energies.
In the near-field region, both the electric and the magnetic components are easily measurable right down to microscopic scales. In the far-field region of self-propagating photons, we now have detectors that are sensitive enough to count individual photons: indivisible units of energy that instigated the hypothesis of quantum mechanics a few hundred years ago, which gained enough evidence during the early 20th Century to promote the hypothesis to a well established scientific theory.
Mikao Usui — the Japanese Buddhist who was the founder of a form of spiritual practice known as Reiki, which he developed in 1922 — was blissfully unaware of the existing science, and the scientific method. That blissful and perhaps quaint unawareness was excusable in 1922; it most certainly isn’t excusable in the year 2016!
jm on Friday 26 February 2016 at 09:07
reiki → there’s stuff going on in the atmosphere, the air around us
Reiki → practice invented by Mikao Usui, who claimed to be able to harness reiki
Around 300 BCE Xunzi was calling bullshit on people that claimed they could harness rei (stuff going on in the atmospher) to make it rain. If he said there was nothing there to harness…someone would have called bullshit on him.
In Johnny’s example, you can’t describe music to a deaf person, but you can prove the mechanics of sound. Then he says that you can’t prove the mechanics of reiki – that there’s stuff going on in the air around us. There are only a few options here:
1. Johnny’s bat shit crazy, and thinks the sky is a vacuum. I doubt he thinks that.
2. Johnny thinks that Reiki practitioners invented their own special energy that they are using. That’s also pretty crazy. Reiki doesn’t claim that – they claim to use what inherently exists.
3. Johnny was making a really clever joke about rei and the poetically described effects that atmospheric conditions have on our being. With a hint of Joseph Beuys.
I was hoping for 3…but I’m now betting it was 2.
jm on Friday 26 February 2016 at 09:14
“someone for whom reality does appear.”
hmmmm…is that part of an unfinished haiku or something?
Frank, you glue fume poet, you!
Quark on Friday 26 February 2016 at 09:30
@Pete : You are wasting your time i fear. I (and other) have banged my head against the wall to try to explain to JM how EM fields works, to no sucess.
Frank Collins on Friday 26 February 2016 at 10:49
“someone for whom reality does appear.”
Yeah, sorry jm, I was taking the piss out of an imbecile you may know.
“hmmmm…is that part of an unfinished haiku or something?”
“Frank, you glue fume poet, you!”
Hash isn’t glue. It surprises me you don’t know that given you appear stoned all of the time.
“That’s also pretty crazy. Reiki doesn’t claim that – they claim to use what inherently exists.”
This provides fairly good evidence for it.
Pete Attkins on Friday 26 February 2016 at 17:20
Jm, I keep forgetting that distinction between Reiki[1] and reiki[2]. My dictionary entry for the word “reiki” states: a healing technique based on the principle that the therapist can channel energy into the patient by means of touch, to activate the natural healing processes of the patient’s body and restore physical and emotional well-being.
[2. the ‘universal life energy’ channelled by the practitioner.]
I was brought up to believe that we are given a soul at the moment of conception, which departs our body when we die. In other words, our soul is our ‘life force’ or ‘life energy’. I started wondering about this as I learnt science at school. What about other animals, and plants? They live and die therefore they seem to need a soul in order to be alive. If plants have a soul then perhaps we shouldn’t eat them; what can we eat that doesn’t result in killing things that are living? This might sound bizarre to some readers, but this type of belief system can be extremely distressing for children to deal with — especially for those who are not allowed to ask serious questions about the belief system.
It took me a very long time, and a great deal of hard work, to undo that indoctrination. Replacing “soul” with “universal life energy” (or anything similar) would be replacing one belief system that has zero evidence with another that has zero evidence. The burden of proof is fully owned by those making the claim, not by those who are questioning or dismissing the claim.
As much as I’d like to, I cannot accept the notion that reiki means something to do with the atmosphere because Earth’s atmosphere is the very antithesis of “universal life energy”. For most of the history of our planet, its oxygen content was just a low-level (often toxic-to-life) waste product. Plants require CO2, oxygen is the last thing they need, which is why they expel it. The nitrogen cycle is useful to plants, but nitrogen, CO2, and argon in the atmosphere are all useless to humans directly.
As you know, I’m not trying to be argumentative. I just wish everyone would stop using pre-scientific notions and terminology in the 21st Century. This stuff is long overdue for being relegated to the history books. Reiki = a hand waving exercise that sometimes induces a placebo reaction; reiki = pre-scientific clutching at straws, just another version of souls, Heaven, and Hell that replaces the named deity with the word universe.
jm on Friday 26 February 2016 at 19:07
Replace “universal life energy” with “movement; change”. A lot of Chinese and Japanese terms are really hard to apply a short translation to. The phrase “universal life energy” has connotations here in the west (like you’re describing) that aren’t part of the idea.
If you look in a Chinese or Japanese dictionary, it probably goes something like this (Romanized Japanese is on the left, followed by Romanized Chinese):
The “soul, spirit” definition is also very different than the western meaning. It’s not a religious thing. Think: “The beauty of the sunset is good for my soul.” or “The misty mountain air is good for my spirit.” Contentment, vitality, inspiring, rejuvenating type of thing – not the mystical part of you that will one day travel to Valhalla or whatever.
If you look in an older Chinese/English dictionary, not only would the definition be different – the character would be different as well. Communist China simplified the language, for various reasons. But one thing they did was strip out the nuanced meaning of the word. “Soul, spirit” would be the stripped down version.
This is a very gross oversimplification (and I know of at least one person that would kick my ass for brutalizing a beautiful concept…but I’m going to anyway): Ling used to mean, among other things, “mysterious atmosphere”. The idea is that the atmosphere around us is constantly changing, and has the ability to affect us. A cloudy, dank day has a very different affect on us than a bright sunny spring day. It has a different affect on your vim, vigor, vitality (spirit/soul). Ling (the atmosphere) has the potential to change us.
The atmospheric conditions of a sunset (rei/ling) could inspire you to write a beautiful piece of music, fall in love, settle into your true nature and change you destiny. It could be good for your health, by simply relaxing and enjoying the sunset. How do you measure that? Who knows.
But, you could grab a handy dandy Minolta IIIF color meter and measure the color temperature of those same sunset conditions. You’re measuring rei/ling. You could pull out a thermometer and take the air temp at the time of those particular conditions. You’re measuring rei/ling. You could measure the wind speed, humidity, etc etc. You’re measuring the atmospheric conditions, the rei/ling. You can prove atmosperic conditions…you can’t prove the effects on people.
If you told me you could channel the conditions of the beautiful sunset, through you, into me…you’d be claiming to practice Reiki[1]. This is where I thought Johnny was going with the music/deaf person analogy.
That would be about as useless as explaining art to a dead hare.
Johnny on Friday 26 February 2016 at 23:48
Pete Attkins on Friday 26 February 2016 at 21:46
“A lot of Chinese and Japanese terms are really hard to apply a short translation to.”
Easy to translate for those of us who have spend many thousands of hours personally interacting with their culture, traditions, and their people!
No offence intended.
jm on Saturday 27 February 2016 at 14:59
“It doesn’t work without the honey.”
You have to double down on the felt and animal fat.
jm on Saturday 27 February 2016 at 15:37
No offence taken, by me anyway. But, could you elaborate? I’ve never talked to anyone that translated rei / ling as ‘soul’ in a western religious sense (they used much different terms), for instance. Do you have a different experience?
Pete Attkins on Monday 29 February 2016 at 00:45
Jm, Apologies for my delay in writing a properly-considered reply to your very detailed and interesting comment. As we’ve previously agreed, it’s so difficult to conduct meaningful discussions via a comment thread so I’ve been trying to think of how best to reply.
Firstly, I think I’ve grasped the core essence of your explanation, even though I somewhat disagree on a few points. The English language is devoid of words and terms that adequately map to the words and terms that you’ve done a really good job of explaining. I’m glad you didn’t take offence at my previous comment because my first-hand experience of being immersed in those cultures and traditions are invaluable lessons that I shall always treasure, and never forget or attempt to dismiss.
Secondly, there are many things that I’d be more than happy to share with you in person, but not share with the general public. I don’t have any dark secrets to hide, but I still hold the belief that personal conversations can be highly valuable and meaningful. We can have an in-depth conversation with a friend that neither party would be comfortable having in the presence of an audience.
Keeping the above in mind as I attempt to reply… I haven’t yet met anyone in the UK who has ever *directly* [as in openly and honestly] attempted to translate rei/ling as ‘soul’ in a western religious sense. However, I have met countless people who do it indirectly via a combination of misdirection [as in trickery]; the bastardization [as in the wilful obscurantism] of language, terminology, traditions, and cultures; and as an appeal to their particular branch of New Age ‘religion’ that includes elements of one or more of: alt-med, pop-psychology, pop-neuroscience, the promotion of (yet another in the series of) their self-help books.
Please don’t ask me to provide evidence because I refuse to pollute Edzard’s blog posts with dozens of names of both modern quacks and the discredited charlatans.
The title of the article on which we are commenting is “Reiki: neither plausible, nor effective, nor harmless”. It starts:
Reiki is a form of healing which rests on the assumption that some form “energy” determines our health. In this context, I tend to put energy in inverted commas because it is not the energy a physicist might have in mind. It is a much more mystical entity, a form of vitality that is supposed to be essential for life and keep us going. Nobody has been able to define or quantify this “energy”, it defies scientific measurement and is biologically implausible. These circumstances render Reiki one of the least plausible therapies in the tool kit of alternative medicine.
therefore our discussion about the ancient meanings reiki et al. have nothing whatsoever to do with the Western practise and marketing of Reiki. Our discussion is totally off-topic despite it being very interesting to the two of us (and I hope to a few other readers).
My gripe is not with you, jm, it is with those who insist on using the terms “energy”, “vibration”, and “frequency” in a pathetic attempt to bastardize both modern science and the ancient concepts that you’ve described in order to justify the multi-level marketing scheme known as Reiki, which claims to be a panacea not just for health problems, but also for all of life’s problems. Reiki trounces homeopathy as a ruse because it is much quicker and cheaper to become accredited, and despite two centuries of trying, homeopaths have never become smart enough to develop their quackery into a multi-level marketing scheme.
The only thing in your comment that I really disagree with is about the human perception of (and the moods induced by) colours because it is something that I’ve been studying, and experimenting with via art, for many years. Rather than me trying to explain it via these comments, I highly recommend reading the delightfully fascinating book by Harvard Medical School neurobiologist Margaret Livingstone “Vision and Art: The Biology of Seeing”. I disagree with you regarding only whether or not this aspect of human experience is quantifiable: I think it is scientifically quantifiable because I’ve managed to develop repeatable methods that have worked extremely well in practice.
jm on Friday 04 March 2016 at 17:56
Thanks for the book recommendation, and the link from the other thread. And, can’t wait to hear more about your own experimentation – exciting!
In the meantime, here are a couple of links for you. Not related to rei/ling directly, but hopefully provide a broader perspective for studies & commentary on Asian medicine. The links are two parts of an interview with Paul Unshuld – a pretty quick read.
Norma on Sunday 18 December 2016 at 16:18
I do Reiki and I am not a scientist. Never in a million years would I call it medicine or claim that it is any kind of treatment. Gentle hands can soothe and calm, like a mother soothing a child. This helps people relax and breath more slowly, so sometimes they will sleep during a session. It also relaxes tense ligaments, which can help with some pain. Some animals also like it and will doze during a session and small animals that have gut problems often start to eat after Reiki. I think this is also due to relaxation: it’s not a cure or a substitute for veterinary or medical care, it can sometimes just help a bit. Other animals hate hands being placed on them if the hands are still, which they are during Reiki. I think that the training gives people confidence to touch in a way that is calm and that gives confidence. If someone wants Reiki I don’t take money for it but I do ask for something such as a mug of tea or some flowers. Whatever you think when you read this, you are probably right.
Alan Henness on Sunday 18 December 2016 at 22:47
Norma on Monday 19 December 2016 at 19:30
Alan Henness on Monday 19 December 2016 at 21:48
Well, your description of reiki seems to not coincide with many definitions I’ve read about. They all talk about indeterminate ‘energy’ or some such nonsense, flowing from the practitioner to the customer without touching, but your description of what you do was something like therapeutic touch and light massage without the woo. Do you not ascribe to the fanciful notions of reiki?
Norma on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 07:47
I do not do massage. If you read my reasonably short post you will see that I describe my hands as being “still”. That is not massage. I gave my explanation for what I think happens.
Frank Collins on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 08:20
Alan, please, it is magic.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 11:10
You said:
Gentle hands can soothe and calm
I took this to mean you were touching the customer and that relaxing ‘tense ligaments’ was because of touch/massage. However, if you aren’t, then do you believe in the tenets of reiki, which I understand are based on a belief in a ‘life force energy’ flowing through you and across the gap into the customer?
Frank Odds on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 11:27
According to the International Center for Reiki Training “An amazingly simple technique to learn, the ability to use Reiki is not taught in the usual sense, but is transferred to the student during a Reiki class. This ability is passed on during an “attunement” given by a Reiki master and allows the student to tap into an unlimited supply of “life force energy” to improve one’s health and enhance the quality of life.”
Norma, which Reiki master provided your attunement?
Norma on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 13:51
I have explained that I do not offer treatment or medicine. Though I make no claims about results, I have also explained in brief why I think some people benefit.
Alan Henness on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 14:06
You seem to be avoiding answering the question I asked. Reiki practitioners frequently claim it’s based on ‘life force energy’; this ‘life force energy’ is a fanciful notion because no good evidence has ever been presented that it is in any way real and measurable; you claim to be a reiki practitioner. Do you ascribe to what appears to be the generally accepted notions of reiki?
Frank Collins on Monday 19 December 2016 at 23:03
Did you read the prof’s post in entirety?
If so, what makes you different or special?
Norma on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 07:45
Frank Collins on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 08:19
You may be special but not in the sense you imagine.
Have you ever wondered how and why all of this technology, available at your fingertips, became available? Hint: it wasn’t someone who made stuff up, as you and your “colleagues” are wont to do.
Norma on Tuesday 20 December 2016 at 13:42
You may be special but not in the sense you imagine.
Read my reply. It was you who suggested that I was special or different and you asked about it. I have no idea why you suggested that I am. Nor in what way you think I am special or what it is that I am different from.
I make and have made no such assertion. What I wrote was “I’m special?” In response to your assertion. You note the question mark??
I will leave the last word to you as I think you’d like that. Happy Christmas
Also..Thanks for the hint!
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Rose on Wednesday 01 March 2017 at 03:52
I’m going to admit that I did not read all of the previous posts (so this may end up being redundant). I found the statement, “They like to be called ‘masters’ ” interesting. Not all Reiki practitioners are masters; a Master is someone who has received Level III instruction. It is the only level in which teaching others is accepted. Not all practitioners are working as practitioners, not all of them charge for their services. I’ve read and heard a lot of statements about Reiki (often from people who practice other alternative methods) that baffle me. Yes, Reiki is considered energy work and a practitioner is considered a conduit for healing energy. Reiki training often includes discussion of the chakra system, which is also a component of many yoga practices.
As a Reiki practitioner (who does not have a formal practice), I can only relate a few experiences: a day after my first attunement class, my long-term, lower-back pain disappeared. It has never returned to the degree or frequency as it had previously. I have worked on mostly friends and family members; many tell me they definitely feel something, whether I’m touching them or not (a practitioner can hold the hands above a person, or lay them on the person). One of my friends, who has poly-cystic kidney disease, noted a reduction in her high blood pressure a few days after a session. Her blood pressure hadn’t increased, even after several months and I hadn’t done any further sessions with her.
Many people feel that Reiki has a spiritual component and some people have heard of practitioners having odd beliefs, etc. What a practitioner believes–or what the person on the table believes, for that matter–is a private affair, as far as I’m concerned. I think it would unprofessional to try to promote my beliefs, as much as it would be irresponsible to claim Reiki as a cure-all or as a substitute for regular medical care. That is not how I’ve been taught to practice or promote the practice of Reiki.
I’m certain people could poke holes in my statements. But, as I feel that I and others I’ve known, have personally benefited, I don’t intend to give up the practice.
Frank Odds on Wednesday 01 March 2017 at 08:48
Thanks for the candour, Rose. Now please ask yourself why reviews of products in places like the Amazon website typically range from 5-star to 1-star. The 5-star reviews say the product works perfectly; the 1-stars often advise readers not to buy the product. How can you tell what the truth is, concerning the product?
People’s subjective experiences, sad to say, are just not a reliable guide to anything. They are conditioned by culture, upbringing and environment. They come from the brain, whose function can be modified by substances such as alcohol or hallucinogenic drugs, or by a range of diseases. We all differ in our thoughts and experiences and we all fool ourselves a lot of the time, and that means we need some sort of tool to help distinguish what’s real from what’s false. Anecdotes simply don’t cut it as evidence. The best tool we have available so far is the scientific method.
The best example of the problem from your comment is “One of my friends, who has poly-cystic kidney disease, noted a reduction in her high blood pressure a few days after a session. Her blood pressure hadn’t increased, even after several months and I hadn’t done any further sessions with her.” Why do you assume your reiki session lowered her blood pressure?! She noted the reduction “a few days after”. What did she do in those few days? She might have visited a chiropractor or a homeopath or an acupuncturist, all of whom could reasonably claim it was their treatment that lowered her blood pressure. Or perhaps the blood pressure just lowered itself: it isn’t a constant measurement, you know! How often was her blood pressure checked? Every day at the same time? Less frequently?
Do you begin to see the problem? Other reactions your post may attract might be more scathing than this one, but they’ll say much the same thing. “I feel that I and others I’ve known, have personally benefited”. That kind of statement would apply similarly to believers in astrology, palmistry and all forms of religion. But it doesn’t even get on the first rung of the ladder of evidence.
A-wal on Monday 20 March 2017 at 01:22
Are you ‘skeptics’ (true skeptics keep an open mind) are so funny. Bare in mind that everything I’m about to say applies equally if there is anything to reiki or not.
There are no real English terms that accurately describe the true nature of what’s involved so we’re forced to use terms like energy. Then people jump on the this as evidence that the process is against scientific principles because that’s not how energy works.
You site biased studies that are specifically designed to show a null result as evidence of the invalidity of what you’re trying to disprove. I could link to dozens of other (possibly also biased) studies that clearly seem to show that reiki has a real object and measurable effect.
You continually use ad hominem and straw man arguments in a hollow attempt to refute something that you clearly have very little understanding of.
“Trials like this one abound in the parallel world of “energy” medicine. In my view, such investigations do untold damage: they convince uncritical thinkers that “energy” healing is a rational and effective approach – so much so that even the military is beginning to use it.”
This is hilarious! You don’t think scientific studies should even be carried out to test the validity of claim as widespread and successful as reiki? This shows that you have absolutely no interest in science are only interested in trying o convince people that your baseless opinions are in some way valid. I think the real problem you have with such research is that you’re worried that it will prove something that contradicts you world view.
Don’t listen to these crackpots pretending to be skeptics, they’re a symptom of the biggest problem holding back true science. Remember it wasn’t too long ago that scientists who believed in meditation were ridiculed and even had their careers ended for daring to believe in something that others found offensive because they didn’t like the implications it lead to.
If you want to attack genuine BS pretending to be science then there’s plenty of examples in mainstream science, and these are for more dangerous because they seem more credible not because of any evidence but because of the presentation and their source. You could start with the big bang, a ridiculous hypothesis that’s been disproved on multiple occasions and is now held together by completely made up and unprovable processes (inflation, dark matter dark energy) that supposedly make up over 90% of the observable universe. Oh but reiki is far fetched? LOL!
Alan Henness on Monday 20 March 2017 at 12:56
Siva Canjeevaram on Tuesday 11 April 2017 at 04:12
I choose and decide not to believe in Reiki. So are millions.
I have a disgust for people who have a disgust for people who have a disgust on Reiki
I am also from India, Land of the Snake Charmers and 33 million gods, So these things are not new. Poor western people. Inspite of so much abundance of education and resources and role models. At least we , are poor peasants..eh?
Gaurav on Wednesday 21 June 2017 at 21:08
A little learning is a dangerous thing while no learning is very dangerous thing.So it is better to accept that not be a hypocrite as u opposers of Reiki don’t know anything about it?
and one more thing Reiki is really intelligent scalar energy(yeah! scalar firstly get it “what is scalar energy then talk about reiki and science”) and also tons of times stronger than placebo .u don’t need to believe in it to work for you.
just read these lines and I hope if u have some understanding of physics and Vedas then these words will surely strike your brain with some new sparks about the miraculous healing power of reiki…….
Reiki originated in India in the Vedic period 9000 years ago.
These Vedic seers were literally supermen, with king sized pineal glands. Sanskrit is a divine language from the DNA. When you utter an alphabet, you can see it in your mind’s eye, as a form of cymatics.
Buddha who was born 3900 years ago, continued this system with Sanskrit/ Tibetian symbols. Buddha was determined to bring Vedic knowledge to the common man in his own local language. Today the modern Japanese Reiki symbols have been derived from this.
Jesus Christ ( Damisa ) came to Kerala , India by ship to learn this unique system of healing, and crystal dowsing — before he burst upon the scene at Jerusalem.
Reiki was re-invented by Dr. Mikao Usui a Japanese man in 1890. He nearly died of Cholera , and he had a vision of Buddha. When he told of this the day in the local temple, the Jap priest beat him up and drove him away , and told him never ever to come back.
Dr Usui, did NOT use any Reiki symbols till he trained his last 3 students.
In 1921 Mikao Usui moved to Tokyo and formed the Reki society. By the age of 62 when he died he had a large following.
The token payment which Usui wanted for Reiki services ( he found free services had no value in a Jap leper colony ) has now been subverted and Western Reiki masters charge fantastic amounts to do attunements and healings, much against the spirit of this divine channelling force.
For a person with 2 strand DNA out of which 96% is junk, symbols increases the energy flow. It works on the root cause of the disease within the sub-conscious mind. The human body is nothing but energy. Reiki balances the left and right brain lobes.
Reiki can be used to charge an object (including food) with scalar energy. Reiki energy can be beamed across the planet through worm holes , with NIL loss of strength faster than light.
Nikola Tesla was introduced to this scalar energy by Swami Vivekananda, a great Indian mystic. Reiki connects with Akashic records and can go to the past or future.
Reiki energy field cannot be measured as they are scalar. However the field can be photographed with a Kirlean camera. For skeptics– holding a small double terminated quartz crystal doubles the photographic portion of the aura.
The aura containes the 7 chakras. The chakras are connected to each other through etheric channels. Holes in the aura occurs due to illness , fear and stress.
The human body generates scalar waves from the mobius coils ( figure of eight ) of the DNA and the mobius coils of the circulatory system. When the left and right sides of the brain lobes and the circulatory system in front of the lungs, are in balance the human body generates scalar waves.
When two energy fields exactly cancel out each other the 5th dimension is accessed which is all pervasive and has the power to heal.
Scalar waves are information carrying waves, and are linked to human consciousness.They are the interface between the mental and physical world. The existence of Scalar waves and the Akashic field ( Zero point field or Aether ) have been known to the Vedic Maharishis since the past 11000 years.
Every object has its own fundamental frequency, at which it vibrates, also called the resonant frequency. The resonant frequency of the earth is 7.83 hz… Everything also vibrates to the harmonics of the fundamental frequency.
When a frequency outside the object matched the fundamental frequency, RESONANCE occurs causing amplification of the vibrations. Resonance is established by lowering or one side frequency or raising of the other side frequency until union is established allowing reciprocal exchange. . We tune our radio of TV this way.
A Reiki healer projects white light towards the patient, with disharmonious energy field, with INTENT, to entrain the weaker field, causing resonance to happen. It is about transfer of quantum energy.
Scalar energy is capable of restructuring water molecules into smaller clusters, thus promoting biochemical functions of water regulated activities within the body–revitalising the metabolic functions. Scalar fields permeate the body tissues and enhance ion transport at cellular level..
Akasha is the womb of creation, bringing forth every physical aspect that can be perceived with the 5 human senses. The Akashic chronicles record everything that has ever happened or will happen in this cosmos.It contains the story of every soul that has lived on our planet.
The Indian Vedic seer has exploded into a space of consciousness in which inner awareness is spontaneous. Some use Mantras , some use Mudras.
In Reiki when you apply your hands to any part of the body, the energy moves to where it is need. The cells begin to communicate, and healing takes place with generation of heat, due to eddy currents. Reiki knows just where to go to seek balance , just like how the universal water flows down and finds its level.
Scalar waves are ELF longitudinal waves and can penetrate anything. Submarines communicate in this frequency. ELF fields can change the characteristics of neurotransmitters and hormones. The intelligence of all the cells in the human body, constitute the sum total of intelligence.
Our cosmos is self aware. Every atom, planet and star is self aware with individuality. Consciousness is NOT restricted to organic life forms alone.
Come 21st Dec 2012, mankind will break out of the shackles of Freemasons Isaac Newton who stole from Vedas without understanding it, divorcing quantum physics and classical physics.
Even in this DNA age, the world controlled by Rothschild still do NOT allow Darwin to be expunged from the science text books of school.
Reiki healing draws on the infinite energy source via Schumann Resonance. When left and right brain lobes are in balance Alpha waves are generated, which resonate in sympathy with Schumann frequency of 7.83 Hz..
Frank Odds on Thursday 22 June 2017 at 12:12
“u opposers of Reiki don’t know anything about it” Courtier’s reply.
“These Vedic seers were literally supermen, with king sized pineal glands.” Evidence?
“Sanskrit is a divine language from the DNA. When you utter an alphabet, you can see it in your mind’s eye, as a form of cymatics.” Paranormal horse manure.
“Jesus Christ ( Damisa ) came to Kerala , India by ship to learn this unique system of healing, and crystal dowsing — before he burst upon the scene at Jerusalem.” Evidence? (Also crystal dowsing is more paranormal horse manure.)
“For a person with 2 strand DNA out of which 96% is junk, symbols increases the energy flow. It works on the root cause of the disease within the sub-conscious mind.” Incomprehensible bollocks.
“The human body is nothing but energy.” Anyone who can make this statement is not a member of this planet.
“Reiki energy can be beamed across the planet through worm holes , with NIL loss of strength faster than light.” Meaningless, sciencey-sounding word spaghetti.
I can’t go on… this comment is so full of arrant nonsense, new-agey (un)logic, sciencey-sounding but meaningless — often plain stupid — claims it’s a waste of time even to bother to respond. I’m not pleased with myself for having gone this far.
Gaurav, you apparently read the most arrant nonsense available. You misunderstand wildly when you do read about something real, you stir everything you’ve read (and only vaguely understood) in a huge cauldron of blind ignorance, stir the contents and spout probably the most hilarious guff I’ve ever seen. Your main problem lies in your opening tilt about “a little learning…” Check my link to the courtier’s reply: before we go into any kind of detail we first need robust evidence that Reiki has real-world effects anywhere outside its believers’ addled minds.
JohnnyV on Thursday 22 June 2017 at 12:23
Pete Attkins on Thursday 22 June 2017 at 15:00
Gaurav wrote: “Reiki energy field cannot be measured as they are scalar.”
Scalar fields most certainly can be measured. Examples of measurable scalar fields include: an electrostatic field; the temperature distribution of space; the pressure distribution in a fluid; the humidity distribution in air.
By the way, the force that generates a scalar field is a vector force, not a scalar force.
“The resonant frequency of the earth is 7.83 hz…”
Untrue. 7.83 Hz is the global electromagnetic fundamental resonant frequency of the cavity between the surface of the Earth and the ionosphere (Schumann resonances). It is not the resonant frequency of the Earth.
“Everything also vibrates to the harmonics of the fundamental frequency.”
7.83 Hz fundamental; 14.3, 20.8, 27.3, 33.8 Hz, etc. — these are not harmonics, their spacing is approximately 6.5 Hz. Harmonics, by definition, have a spacing equal to the fundamental frequency.
Musical percussion instruments are another example of multiple resonances that are not harmonics of the fundamental frequency. Also, the various modes of vibration of a water molecule are not harmonically related.
“Scalar waves are information carrying waves”
Then they will produce dynamic vector fields, not scalar fields! Information is dynamic, not static. E.g., an unmodulated radio frequency carrier wave conveys zero information, even though it is transferring electromagnetic energy from the transmitter to the receiver(s).
By definition, a scalar quantity conveys only the magnitude of the quantity. A vector quantity conveys both the magnitude and the direction of the quantity. Therefore, “information carrying waves” are carrying information from the sender to the recipient(s): they are vector quantities.
“Scalar waves are ELF longitudinal waves and can penetrate anything. Submarines communicate in this frequency.”
Untrue. Obviously, the waves cannot be both “scalar” and “longitudinal”. Longitudinal means that the waves are axial to their direction of propagation. Therefore, they are vector waves, not scalar waves.
Sound waves are longitudinal waves. ELF radio waves are not longitudinal waves because the height of the cavity between the surface of the Earth and the ionosphere is much less than one wavelength. The only propagation mode that encounters low attenuation is vertically polarized, transverse electromagnetic mode, in which the attenuation is only 1 to 2 dB per 1,000 km.
Some submarines use ELF, but the bandwidth is far too narrow for any purpose other than receiving a calling signal. When the signal has been received, they tend to use VLF for communications, which is limited to a depth of circa 20 metres.
“When left and right brain lobes are in balance Alpha waves are generated, which resonate in sympathy with Schumann frequency of 7.83 Hz.”
Untrue. Alpha waves are neural oscillations in the range from 7.5 to 12.5 Hz. They do not “resonate in sympathy with Schumann frequency”. If the frequency happens to be at 7.83 Hz then it is simply a coincidence; it does not lead to a conclusion of cause and effect.
NB: I haven’t addressed any of your statements specifically about Reiki because it’s blindingly obvious that it is you who does not understand the scientific terms that you decided to include in your comment.
Alan Henness on Thursday 22 June 2017 at 15:34
Alan Henness on Friday 23 June 2017 at 00:23
I have just been reminded of something Einstein said in a different context, but apt here:
Your chain of reasoning is so wonderfully self-contained. … Except for the agreement with reality, it is in any case a grand intellectual achievement.
I would argue with his last point.
Marie G on Tuesday 26 September 2017 at 21:52
Well there is no worst blind then one who refuses to see I met a man years ago who had cancer terminal He had a month left He was Reiki master and cured himself went on to live over 45 years passed away at 98 When he cured himself the team who was treating him asked how he did it and if he would talk to other patients This was at a cancer treatment hospital The mind can do wonderful things It is not because you cannot see something that it does not exist In WW II they ran out of morphine so they gave placebo to patients it worked at over 80%
Johnny V on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 11:19
Sheesh, use punctuation, please. It makes sentences easier to read.
Exactly. It’s all in your mind. Imaginary. Not a thing. I hear voodoo works too, if you believe in it enough.
Siva Canjeevaram on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 12:07
Sheesh learn to read no inderstand comments without the punctuation grammar and spelling this is the age of commenting and trolling and don’t expect every one to be educated in the same way also this is not English literature or poetry I am sure you don’t know ASDFGH typing yet type that is all it is needed “tow fingers” to type if you don’t like it I can show you one
Johnny V on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 12:30
I understood it, hence my reply that Reiki is all in her mind, since she brought up the placebo effect. As for the punctuation, it was just a suggestion. You can both feel free to let your shitty grammar and sentence structure undermine any salient point you were trying to make.
Siva Canjeevaram on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 14:32
After your punctuation remarks I did not read your comments any further. You judge yourself on what is your objective and what you need to say and what you want the results. If all that you want is “venting ground” then prepare to eat what comes. I am sure the internet will mature out of this stone ages of commenting and people will treat others just as they would treat if they have a conversation face to face
Johnny V on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 15:41
I would tell you the same thing face to face. If you are not a native english speaker, I commend you on your abilities. If you are, I maintain you should probably be better at it. But that’s neither here nor there — As I said, it was a suggestion, and a polite one at that. Take it or leave it. It doesn’t really add anything to the Reiki conversation. Sorry I mentioned it and wasted everyone’s time. I’m done.
Pete Attkins on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 18:45
Please never be sorry that you said: “Sheesh, use punctuation, please. It makes sentences easier to read.”
I implore you to continue to highlight the importance of punctuation and structure. Those of us who suffer reading difficulties are a minority, but we are certainly not an easily-dismissible, insignificant, tiny minority amongst the people who have learnt to read!
Many commentators falsely believe that commentators are not required to abide by W3C guidelines and mandates. This false belief is so widespread that it has forced a plethora of websites to disallow reader comments on their articles.
James on Wednesday 27 September 2017 at 21:43
Tidy thoughts usually correlate with tidy comments. That means that, usually, untidy comments reveal an untidy line of reasoning. As for the original comment, it is more untidy in its meaning than its grammatical and syntactic structure… Reiki is just another nothingness. And there is nothing wonderful in the placebo effect. It’s just that. It’s only wonderful if you are fond of or prone to believing magical interpretations.
Siva on Monday 09 October 2017 at 23:18
James , Johnny Pete and every one. Two things
1) I am a MT second year (original Mechanical Engineer) and Reiki and Chiro are bull.
However I have friends who believe in Jesus and I do not say anything , it may be beneficial or it may be harmful , I judge only what / who is relevant to me . Others I leave to the government and society
2) Punctuation : Even if I accept your premises and those of people with “learning disabilities” even if I accept I cannot. You people should appreciate and be inclusive of foreigners like me , other wise you are just driving them into intellectual ghettos
And somebidy said tidy comments is tidy mind well, that is if an english man writes bad, not for me , you can say whatever you want, I know me and my culture,
You go and enjoy talking to a Russian or a Czech
JV on Tuesday 10 October 2017 at 13:01
You speak English waaaay better than I speak Russian, so I’ll shut up now.
Pete Attkins on Tuesday 10 October 2017 at 15:14
Siva, Please read the following article, I hope it will enable you to appreciate the disability and to become inclusive of those who suffer it:
A reading disability is a condition in which a sufferer displays difficulty reading resulting primarily from neurological factors.
Text to speech doesn’t work well when punctuation is missing.
Because of the political results following the age of enlightenment, as God lost his dominion in the western world, the priest Josef Gaßner was stopped by the enlightened emperors and replaced by science. The replacement of Gaßner was done by the German physician Anton Mesmer who had to observe what Gaßner did and renamed it into “Magnetic Healing” so the universal magnetism or animal magnetism was the new explanation to the lost powerful God…
Magnetic healing also spread very fast from Europe all over the colonies and and after the opening of Japan to the western world was adopted in the early 20th Century from somebody who in Reiki literature is named Mikao Usui in Japan.
Reiki has its origin in this tradition of magnetic healing which was “founded” by the German physician Anton Mesmer. It´s quite similar to the European tradition of magnetic healing or to “Jin Shin Jyutsu” ( see http://medical-dictionary.thefreedictionary.com/jin+shin+jyutsu ) or to “Cranio Sacral Therapy” in the soft touch version or to “Biodynamics” or “Biodynamic Osteopathy” ( see http://jamesjealous.com/mission-statement/ ).
The explanations for all of this variations of Magnetic Healing are based on the theory of higher vitalisic forces or vitalism which was part of the so called romantic phase of European medicine in the age of enlightenment. All of this magnetism or vibration or energy theories are related to the believe that there are powerful forces in the universe who like the shamanistic audience of sun moom hills and rivers (like in a Buddhistic mandala or in Navaho sandpaintings might create a setting which should help th sick person to recover. from being sick.
Even the founder of the osteopathic profession A.T. Still a rural country practitioner (see http://www.nejm.org/doi/full/10.1056/NEJM199911043411910 ) who advertised himself as a Magnetic Healer in 1874 came from this “profession” and with the decline of magnetic healing in the States he changed and advertised himself as a “Lightning Bone-Setter” for a while but all of his books are full of crude vitalistic and iatromechanistic theories (he became a freemason a few weeks after his father a methodostic circuit rider died)
The times of drugless healing have passed away in western medicine but like in politics every theory and every big movement remains as coffee grounds in a society.
So there will always be some people with cognitive dissonance who don´t know or even refuse to close up to common knowledge or who live their lives with the regressive desire after puppets. There is no problem with playing ´doctor`games as long as they don´t prevent others from effective evidence based medicine.
As long as there is no evidence to Ghost Healing there will be no evidence to “Reiki”, “Jin Shin Jyutsu” or to “Cranio Sacral Therapy” “Kraniosakrale Osteopathie” “Osteopathy in the Cranial Field” in the soft touch version or to “Biodynamics” or “Biodynamic Osteopathy” as well …
Siva on Monday 09 October 2017 at 23:21
But there are people who believe charlatans and there is lot of money in it. GO FOR IT!
There are people who do not have floor 13 , does that make it true?
yeah a lot of money e.g 25 billions a year spent on ‘alternative medicine’ in Germany
The health care system in Germany costs total 440 billions a year. That’s why the German doctors want to forbid the German Heilpraktiker but not ‘Alternative Medicine’ They want this 25 billions for their own income.
Siva Canjeevaram on Saturday 16 June 2018 at 16:13
Everything in this world is only an economic struggle. It can be god, politics, therapies or anything. People who know this make money and live with less efforts then the people who don’t know this. Ever wondered why the wealth of this world is concentrated with the 20%? Because most of the population is stupid, lazy, cowards or dishonest people.
Siva Canjeevaram I appreciate your considerations about the stupidity of others. As you are a wise man knowing a lot about stupidity I suppose you are belonging to the wealthy 20% (=not being stupid!) ?? If not I am doubting your competence to judge.
Siva Canjeevaram on Sunday 17 June 2018 at 14:11
In what way your question / and an answer will strengthen or support your position or mine? Explain please
Siva Canjeevaram on Sunday 17 June 2018 at 14:14
Oh, ..you want to judge me? Why? Because your existence is dependant on how I am perceived in your brain? Why is it not the same thing for me? Now tell me who is the person “who don’t care” for me people like you only give me the confidence in what I am pursuing. That things really are not tough as I thInk. Keep it coming. I have learning value in that
Siva Canjeevaram on Sunday 17 June 2018 at 14:25
Ok I am compassionate enough to answer you. Unlike you I honest to myself. I am not part of the 20% because I am not yet wiser like the 20% but I am sure I am in higher range. I call it the “effortless life” not sure if you get the point. Maybe you are just a hourly wage worker and won’t inderstand what I say.
Second I have the guts to face the challenges and I have proven to myself. The very act of me not going to stuff like reiki , lottery etc is a proof.
For eg my children when we went to the local school for registration there was a “lottery” I refused to let my children’s fate decided by lottery. It can be argued. But there is a sentence called “most likely”
Master sergeant Farrell says “with readiness and discipline we can be masters of fate”
I guess you believe in he energy. Nothing wrong keep living. There are murderers , crazy people and rapists living with belief and justification
Following your explanations It looks like you are a not wealthy but nevertheless a not stupid and a very wise man. Sometimes you like to judge all the others (80% stupid=not wealthy ; 20 % not stupid=wealthy) in general but at the same time you don’t want to be judged by others at all. How come that you are so outstanding? Are you an AVATAR?
Siva Canjeevaram on Monday 18 June 2018 at 11:17
I choose to ignore you. Lastly eating sushi does not make you Japanese. Hi jacking other cultures words like “Avatar” and “Guru” and “karma” without a basic appreciation for that culture is typical of confused low class unfulfilled westerners. I don’t want to feed you life when you have no life. I got the value I am looking for and now this conversation has no point anymore. Enjoy the “energy” (there are murderer and child rapists who strongly believe in what they believe)
Siva Canjeevaram I apprecate your 20% Sushi Logic and the effort you are making to tell everybody that you are ignoring me. Don’t think of blue elephants ….
Regarding BRACO being in London 8. October 2018 it’s a chance to observe states of mass trance and how such business is organized nowadays in the middle of Europe very professionally.
You might observe such phenomena in rock concerts when young girls are crying and fainting. You can observe similar phenomena in Lourdes in France but you will never observe such phenomena in a waiting room of an emergency unit in a hospital centre… The mood there is quite different. Should we learn in medicine frim that???
Look how professional such events are organized and observe the behaviour and look at the faces and experience the people coming with buses… it makes me wondering if the Age of Enlightenment ever happened .. the Middle Ages are still present nowadays…
Siva Canjeevaram on Tuesday 19 June 2018 at 13:05
I have much better use for my time and more respect for myself and the people who depend on me. Keep living in your bubble. It is safe. Bye
Casey on Friday 15 June 2018 at 18:58
Who cares?! It worked for me. Saved me from injury and healed faster than any doctor wanting to prescribe pain killers and muscle relaxers. I’ve known Reiki since I was 16 from a great woman with vision and my best friends Mom. I would not be who I am without alternative therapies. Western medicine treats the symptoms no the issues/problem. You CAN heal your life by changing thought patterns and always focusing on the good no matter how bad it gets out there. We are energy (protons, neutrons, electrons) to think that we cannot exchange energy – well then you are just not educated. Go back and take a HS biology class. Next thing you’re going to tell me is that there is no God and He doesn’t answer prayers – I’ll prove you wrong on that too!
Frank Collins on Saturday 16 June 2018 at 07:20
Prof, do you publish posts, such as these, to demonstrate that Einstein was right when he said human stupidity is infinite.
Your comment is interesting but you are missing a much better experience! I have been there and was very impressed as around 1000 people per day are joining his sessions coming with buses. All of this is happening in the centre of the so called enlightened Europe! I would like to suggest that you should visit BRACO. He is reducing everything to the MAX. He is using a form of energy which is not dicovered by now neither in Reiki nor in science nor in old hieroglyphics nor in old Vedic secret mantras nor by Castaneda or Mantak Chia or Uriella or many others of the so called gurus of the Universe.
Here is the master of all masters of the whole known Universe. Let me present the unbelievable:
Braco will be in LONDON first time 8th of October 2018. Don’ miss this unbelievable event. Probably there will be more visitors than the Swiss guru Erich von Daeniken specialised in extra terrestric energies ever gathered fo a single event.
Siva Canjeevaram on Saturday 16 June 2018 at 16:15
1000 people a day? I have seen bigger gathering of stupid people than that
Siva Canjeevaram on Sunday 17 June 2018 at 14:17
Vedic secret mantras? The western hippies have this “cultural hijack” from yoga to sushi. It is like the Kumars and Guptas now making mashed potatoes and Yorkshire pudding and eating it with chicken curry.
Siva Canjeevaram on Saturday 16 June 2018 at 16:08
I don’t care if you care or not. But don’t say “who cares” don’t speak for entire humanity. Say “I don’t care” oh, I am sure I should not expect honesty or absolute from people like you. Because you don’t seem to care about anything, but wait don’t you care about the results? Or “as long as it works” thing? Oh….is it? You don’t care about that too?mmm? I always wondered why a human rapes children and murders, but now I got it, because “THEY DONT FU….KING CARE”
(I am sure you would not like to take your car to a “who cares” mechanic shop? Eh?)
Lachlan on Sunday 12 May 2019 at 15:31
Siva Canjeevaram on Monday 01 October 2018 at 19:49
Why should god be beyond measurement? is that not a double standard imposed by god himself? If god is said to have created the human beings and he is said to “like and love and respect” his own creation, and he had given the creation to measure objectively many things? why not he make himself to be measured? why not he have like SI or Imperial units? ..because it is beyond my understanding? because I am not “built” to sense god? why did god build me so that i don’t have a capability to “measure” or “sense” him?..oh, I get it
I will get that capability to measure or sense him WHEN I DIE…am I correct?
Alexandre Monnier on Thursday 08 November 2018 at 12:12
Clearly, the author has no experience (or actual knowledge) of what he is writing about. Pity, it could have been a very interesting article!
Edzard on Thursday 08 November 2018 at 13:37
Clearly, the author has more experience (or actual knowledge) of what he is writing about than you.
Alexandre Monnier on Friday 09 November 2018 at 01:50
Maybe you care to explain the title of this article? How can someone suggest thatsomething does nothing and is harmful in the same sentence? Either it does something, or it does not… right?
Working with assumptions instead of hard data usually ends up with such “interesting” conclusions.
Furthermore, I find the suggestion that “Reiki is nothing but a placebo effect” very interesting.
2) please explain why results can still be measured on Reiki patients who were in coma, asleep, or very young babies (in which cases the placebo effect cannot justify the results)
Abundant research has been made on Reiki and its use in hospitals across the world for the past couple of decaces. Leading insurance companies cover expanses such as Reiki treatment – seriously, these guys don’t take chances with their money. A bit of actual research has a lot more value than an uninformed rant against something the author is apparently ignorant about.
Wel, the author does have the decency to admit “Our own review therefore concluded that “the evidence is insufficient to suggest that Reiki is an effective treatment for any condition… the value of Reiki remains unproven.””
This lack of proof does not suggest that Reiki has been proven to have no effects.
However, it does confirm that the review was not conclusive.
Et voila…
Edzard on Friday 09 November 2018 at 07:08
if a treatment does nothing to a seriously ill patient it harms him, might even kill him through neglect.
got it?
Siva Canjeevaram on Friday 09 November 2018 at 13:46
Appreciate your control and maturity. Trying to observe and learn from people like you.
Thanks
Siva Canjeevaram on Friday 09 November 2018 at 13:44
I was waiting for Edzard Reply. Science does not work by “experience” and “knowledge” it is only a means to an end. I guess you have never read a scientific paper or article, worst case I will go to the extent of saying you would not even finished your high school lab experiment documentations.
Why do I say this? because you ask “1) please describe and explain the mechanics of the placebo effect”
Why do I need to explain? you explain why I need to explain.
I would like to end this comment like this. There are about a million people in India who has a “guru” who drops babies from 10th floor. And people swear (and talk like you) by that treatment that it cures children diseases.
You sound no different from them. Sorry if I am offending anyother person. But this is how Jesus Christ believers work.
I understand that crazy people live in this world. So I let you go.
I call them “life holders” because in the event of an apocalypse and when humans die these people are like the dormant yeast of humanity and bring back civilization again. Hence I consider your existence as justified.
Erin on Sunday 12 May 2019 at 14:18
I am never going to say that I believe in Reiki, I have never tried it, I think there are likely many “Masters” that are nothing but a hoax though as with anything. I will say this however; there are many natural phenomenon that cannot be scientifically explained, but is proven to have happened, so relying entirely on science to explain everything is illogical. We have not developed the knowledge or equipment to measure and gauge everything, so to say that something is not true because it cannot be measured or has not been measured, is quite an ignorant statement. We have very little medical evidence of how people can display super human strength in life or death situations, yet is has in fact happened, would you dispute this on the same merit, there is no scientific evidence it’s true so it can’t be? I would never credit nor discredit something just because so far it cannot be proven, I would not use Reiki as my sole form of healing if I have a medical problem, but I would not discredit it just because we do not have the research to prove it.
Case in point, when I was four years old my mother got divorced and we moved from the city to way out in the country next to my grandparents. Both of my sisters were in school and I was not, at that point there were no head-start schools, I was home everyday alone with my mother. Once we were settled, I would frequently go outside to play right by the woods where I would sit in the sand box (tractor tire). My mother would frequently check on me through the window when one day she noticed that wild animals would flock around me, mainly at first birds, then rabbits, squirrels and finally deer. Now I did not think anything was wrong with this being only four years old, but my mother was quite frankly freaked out. My mother and grandmother tried everything to keep me away from these animals, but finally had to give up because there was nothing they could do.
To this day animals and small children gravitate toward me and many times follow me around, I do not encourage them, feed them, or do anything to make them want to come to me. Frankly, it can be quite annoying especially when I am outdoors trying to work or do something, constantly nearly tripping over some unexpected critter when I turn around. Obviously, not every animal or small child does this, but there are a lot that do, I have dogs as pets now because it tends to keep wild animals farther away at least from my property. These animals and such rarely touch me, I am typically busy doing something, but they do get within a foot of me a lot, I will go out and start a nice bon fire at night to sit by and relax on occasion in my fire pit, I will get possum, coons, porcupines, etc. within 15 feet of a roaring campfire trying to get close to me, coons are mean, I do not want them coming near me.
Now you can choose to believe me or not, but I do have numerous videos from trail cams proving what I am saying. Can this be explained some way scientifically? Why do they insist on coming so close to me when I am providing absolutely no conscience initiative for them to do so?
Inexplicable phenomenon happens, we do not have all of the explanations or scientific data to support them as of yet. But, to discredit something specifically because there is no data to prove it is ignorance, like burning “witches” on a stake (likely midwives). Initially doctors and scientists were laughed at, locked up because they were considered not mentally stable, even forward thinking women at one point frequently were put in asylums. History shows us that dismissing something due to lack of proof could be detrimental to us, stay open minded, you may be considered the ignorant for future generations.
Edzard on Sunday 12 May 2019 at 14:23
“there are many natural phenomenon that cannot be scientifically explained, but is proven to have happened, so relying entirely on science to explain everything is illogical.”
but alternative therapies like Reiki can be tested in rigorous trials. it the outcomes they generate are not different from those achieved with placebo, they are not effective. in this case, there is no need to explain any phenomena because there aren’t any.
alexandre monnier on Wednesday 16 October 2019 at 11:16
I have read quite a few posts in this thread, including – of course- the op.
From both sides of the argument, I read some interesting scientific facts! For example, I knew very little about scalar and vector forces.
I also read a lot of very heated and disrespectful comments as well as strange allegations about god, angels, aliens and a bunch of arguments that do not help the discussion progress in an intelligent or useful way.
Perhaps we could discuss with an open mind if we are to do more than simply vent off our own frustrations through aggression against people who think differently from us.
Science never progressed by being close-minded.
Scientists who brought about major contributions to our collective knowledge throughout History took huge risks by going against the mainstream ideology.
For example, when suggesting that the earth was, in fact, a globe (slightly squished) and not a flat surface as it was thought at the time. Great men and women were jailed or killed for making statements that were later widely accepted as major scientific discoveries… and cohorts more kept their mouth shut to avoid ruining their career by fear of reactions from their peers!
This is why I would like to take the opportunity to recentre the discussion by asking our little community a simple question which remained unanswered since my post a year ago : can someone please explain in (real) scientific terms the mechanics of the placebo effect?
The definition of a placebo is: “a substance that has no therapeutic effect, used as a control in testing new drugs.” Such “medicine” or “procedure” is often prescribed for the psychological benefit to the patient rather than for any physiological effect.
The definition of the “placebo effect” is the beneficial effect produced by a placebo drug or treatment, which cannot be attributed to the properties of the placebo itself, and is therefore due to the patient’s belief in that treatment.
What I understand here, is that the “placebo effect” is the observed result in improved health attributed to psychological mechanisms when a patient takes a placebo. In other words, this can be described as the tangible effects of “mind over matter”.
In that respect, I believe that Reiki can be compared to the placebo effect… and as a Reiki healer with 10 years experience, I accept this although I do not agree that Reiki is strictly dependent on the patient’s beliefs.
The reason why I do not entirely agree is that, in my experience, Reiki also brings results when the patient is not aware of receiving the treatment (such as babies, animals, people in coma etc.).
What this observation means to me is that the “placebo” effect -which I should rephrase as “mind over matter” effect, for lack of a better explanation- is not restricted to the “belief” of the patient, but also functions thanks to the “belief” of the therapist.
Here is a quote from Faith Brynie, one of the few specialists who studied the placebo effect:
Faith Brynie, Ph.D., is the author of 25 books on science and health. She regularly writes science and health articles for several websites and science magazines. She holds a Ph.D. from the University of Colorado. Her career spans from laboratory scientist work to medical technician, teacher, and university professor.
I look forward to your comments and questions.
alexandre monnier on Wednesday 16 October 2019 at 11:23
Estimates of the placebo cure rate range from a low of 15 percent to a high of 72 percent. The longer the period of treatment and the larger the number of physician visits, the greater the placebo effect.
Finally, the placebo effect is not restricted to subjective self-reports of pain, mood, or attitude. Physical changes are real. For example, studies on asthma patients show less constriction of the bronchial tubes in patients for whom a placebo drug works.
The placebo effect is not deception, fluke, experimenter bias, or statistical anomaly. It is, instead, a product of expectation. The human brain anticipates outcomes, and anticipation produces those outcomes. The placebo effect is self-fulfilling prophecy, and it follows the patterns you’d predict if the brain were, indeed, producing its own desired outcomes. Researchers have found, for example:
• Placebos follow the same dose-response curve as real medicines. Two pills give more relief than one, and a larger capsule is better than a smaller one.
• Substances that actually treat one condition but are used as a placebo for another have a greater placebo effect that sugar pills.
• The greater the pain, the greater the placebo effect. It’s as if the more relief we desire, the more we attain.
–
RG on Saturday 02 November 2019 at 16:33
Placebo effect is an interesting conundrum.
A placebo cure rate of 73 percent would be quite high, higher than the prescribed remedy in many if not most types of treatments.
Do you know if there is any evidence of that, or for what indication that might be true ?
Fions on Saturday 02 November 2019 at 07:53
Yeah sorry, what an idiot. Ruled by ego and a need to prove your ‘science’ is right. Shit and fall back in it.
Angela on Saturday 02 November 2019 at 12:23
Fions – sorry have no idea what you are referring to, but thank you as it brought my attention to this very long thread. ( it was a case of I felt I should be watching the Rugby but couldn’t give it the required attention so perused these comments on Reiki instead.)
There was lengthy discourse: Frank Collins – one of the reasons I tried to remove myself from this blog and jm – one of the reasons to read this blog ( so all balances out) and so many sceptics who seem to have it all sewn up (in their minds anyway)
There is a whole bunch of ‘experts on Reiki : and when you see the discourse in such lengthy context it is kind of nonsense and serves no real advancement towards knowing what it is.
I know this makes no difference : in fact I have learnt that the purpose of this blog is to provoke CAM supporters ( not that many post) so the sceptics can air their ‘superior ‘ knowledge, but from memory here are a few bits of nonsense. Honestly, a lengthy thread of assumed knowledge is something to behold: it’s a little like reading a frightening fairy tale.
Reiki can be hands on or hands off. There is no rubbing of hands. In 20 years’ practising and teaching, not one person has said they didn’t feel heat from my hands. There is no doubt that I feel the heat to varying degrees ( dependent on the recipient’s energy- I know too much to grasp)
I don’t ‘will’ or concentrate this healing: in fact the more you step aside the better as we are the mere conduits of this healing Reiki energy ( I know a difficult concept for those who know nothing about Reiki.
Reiki is definitely not massage : those therapists also attuned to Reiki will emit this too. I know for example when I have had body or facial treatments that the practitioner has also trained in Reiki – I feel the heat, yet I am unaware beforehand, I ask and I am right.
Reiki will work equally in a cold environment: one doesn’t have to be in a warm cosy room to feel the heat.
Reiki recipients’ experiences vary: each one is very different even with same practitioner and recipient.
There is always positive feed back ( I guess clients wouldn’t go back for more if not)
‘Masters’ is a term used in many disciplines. Most at master level acknowledge it is a title and we are not masters of anything : in fact there is much to learn (surely that’s the premise we all should be invoking in life: we don’t know everything about everything)
Money. This forum likes to insist we are all in it for the money. Maybe some are, I don’t know every Reiki Practitioner. I and others I know offer free treatments and teaching. I ask no one to come back either for reiki or teaching (that is not my concern but theirs). You sceptics love the term pyramid selling -,honestly sometimes I think : ‘do you actually know this subject you denigrate to the point you are never wrong ‘?
When one reads in a sitting (thank you rugby) what is assumed about Reiki it is difficult to take you guys seriously. Whilst jm seemingly is not an advocate of ReikI he/she does make some interesting and valid points, and a welcome read.
As I have said before if anyone is seriously interested in Reiki, go to the governing organisations, the CNHC : where you may discover statistics about the trials in hospitals; just how popular it is in hospices and hospitals with the caring volunteers and of course the few paid practitioners in the medical environment,; you could discover why it’s becoming increasingly popular worldwide.
Reiki does no harm and a lot of good. Contrary to your posters’ assumptions, medical histories are taken and kept: we are not doctors, so would refer to GP if in doubt. We do not talk ever about cures : there are codes of ethics to follow.
Now, I probably haven’t covered all anomalies, but of course the sceptics won’t mind. They will continue to post about Reiki based largely on assumptions. But think we can safely assume that those with a serious interest in Reiki would seek out the accredited organisations and not place credence to this forum.
Happy weekend everyone.
Frank Collins on Friday 03 July 2020 at 02:16
If I am one of the reasons you don’t post your arrant nonsense as often, then I have served a useful purpose.
If you think jm makes any sense at all, it speaks everything about you – bonkers.
matthew on Monday 13 January 2020 at 08:56
The best way to know Reiki is to experience it. Reiki is something subjective for both the giver and the receiver, so its best to experience it. To experience you need to spend some some and invest some patient effort practising it as per the traditional requirements. Reiki or the phenomena of Reiki is True, it snot to be believed.
Edzard on Monday 13 January 2020 at 09:01
so, in your view, Reiki defies scientific verification?
Alexandre Monnier on Friday 03 July 2020 at 15:18
That is indeed a good question. I am personally convinced that scientific verification can and will be brought forward eventually. Studying and EEG of a practitioner and/or a patient during a treatment would be a good place to start.
One only has to measure and observe properly, which hopefully will happen one day. If not, people might just keep using Reiki because of their own experience doing so and because the enjoy the associated benefits.
RG on Friday 03 July 2020 at 16:29
Setting aside ill and unwanted side effects for the sake of discussion on drug efficacy.
The problem with modern days SBM is the assumption that an FDA approval equates to efficacy (patient success), this is a fallacy, at a minimum a false assumption.
FDA gives approvals on the basis of a preponderance of the evidence. So in a test scenario, the majority might be expected to see a benefit, while a minority will see no benefit.
More than that, some drugs do not even require a preponderance of evidence standard. They simply require that the drug is determined to provide benefits that outweigh its known and potential risks for the intended population. This is a subjective and open-ended standard with movable boundaries.
“The large scale, randomized clinical trial has been
critical in demonstrating the safety and efficacy of these drugs. Many, however, are predicting
that the future of medicine points toward developing drugs and diagnostics to treat sub-sets of
patients who may respond to one treatment but not another because of genetic and other factors.
This has led many to speculate on the future of randomized trials. “The randomized clinical trial
is excellent methodology if you want to understand, on average, whether one treatment is better
than another treatment,” notes John Bridges, assistant professor at Johns Hopkins School of
Public Health, “but if we think about a distribution of outcomes, no single person in the health
care system is the average.” 43 Personalized medicine presents challenges of its own, including
increased costs for researchers testing drugs and patients taking them. It seems more likely that
better analysis of clinical trial data, already being encouraged by the FDA, and pursued by both
researchers and drug sponsors as the first step towards a more personalized perspective on drug
development, will be an integral part of the evolution of personalized medicine, while continuing
to add to our overall knowledge of the safety and effectiveness profiles of medicines and
therapeutics already on the market. The randomized clinical trial is unlikely, in either scenario, to
In other words, there is no therapy that works for everybody. So to make a claim that any particular treatment works because it has been proved by Science is simply not true in many many examples.
Edzard on Friday 03 July 2020 at 17:06
how nice of you to explain in detail some of the aspects of healthcare that you fail to comprehend. time to read a few good books about EBM, I think.
RG on Friday 03 July 2020 at 19:18
Edzard on Friday 03 July 2020 at 20:05
you haven’t even understood that real medicine is the opposite of dogmatic.
RG on Saturday 04 July 2020 at 14:37
I’m not interested in reading any “good books” about EBM. That not education, rather indoctrination. I’m glad you at least refer to your brand of medicine as evidence based rather than science based…. this is the real truth. Now if we could just have an honest admission from the EBM community about how effective a patient can really expect the therapy to be, and what the real risk are. Perhaps then a patient could truly evaluate the risk/benefit for themselves rather than just blindly following the advice from their medical practitioner…. as most do.
Edzard on Saturday 04 July 2020 at 14:45
“I’m not interested in reading any “good books” about EBM”
I know; it shows!
Edzard on Saturday 04 July 2020 at 14:50
I hardly ever use the term ‘science-based’ medicine but often ‘evidence-based’ medicine;
just did a Medline search:
GhisK on Saturday 04 July 2020 at 06:46
Thank you for this article.
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If one thing is constant and consistent in our business and life, that’d be change. The business world is struggling in dealing with disruption especially since new businesses have emerged every single day to cater to our changing demands and needs.
As an entrepreneur, embracing change can be challenging and daunting. That’s why these experts give their tips to help you embrace change and remain competitive in the business world.
According to business experts, the first step in acknowledging and embracing change is to know the trends in your chosen field or market. You need knowing what’s in and out, what’s great and not effective anymore.
This includes your customers’ needs, demands, and to find any hole or flaws which your business lacks. According to business experts, the market trends can make or break your business. The trends serve as your business’ warning signals to determine whether something must be changed or not. An example of a changing market trend is mobile phones.
Know the latest trends in your market by watching the news, stalking social media, and conducting business studies.
According to business experts, Nokia was once hailed as the best mobile phone in the world due to its robust features. The customers back then loved how sturdy the phone was no matter how many times it fell on the ground.
However, the company felt too confident nothing will break their business apart. Until the rise of iPhone came. Steve Jobs introduced the first smartphone – iPhone in 2007. Jobs’ brilliant idea to incorporate net browsing on phone became a huge success that it changed the mobile industry. The same is true with Facebook replacing Friendster as the most popular social media platform.
If you don’t see any external factors that threaten your business, it’s time to reassess your internal culture. Sometimes the toxicity or flaws you have in your internal operations might become the threat to your business. One notable example of this is what happened at OCP. OCP is the giant phosphate business and plays a great role in Morocco’s economy.
The management also embraced change by #switchtodigital and incorporated cutting-edge technology – which improved the company’s productivity and operations.
The business faced a potentially existential crisis last 2016 due to poor management and high turnovers. However, the CEO Mostafa Terrab orchestrated a response to counter the impending threat. He completely reimagined the company’s internal culture and let the knowledge, ideas, and expertise of the staff – especially the millennials to take part in the business operations. The CEO called this the “Le Mouvement.” Although the public was skeptical about the success of reimagining its culture, OCP has survived the said change and is able to strive in the age of new disruption.
Now that you’ve recognized the external factors that threaten the survival of your business, you need to tap your team to discuss your current strategies. Identify those outdated strategies and discard them before it’s too late. At the same time, you should brainstorm with your team for new ideas, products, services, or innovations you can offer to your customers to counter these threats.
You should review your business strategies and methodologies with your team to discuss how you can tackle change.
For example, PepsiCo offered new and innovative products for its health-conscious customers. Pepsi offered new products with less sugar, saturated fats, and salt and launched “Performance with Purpose” to offer healthier drinks to the public.
Fortunately, this put their irate customers at ease, and the company was able to divert an impending sales loss. If not, their company would surely suffer from this devastating disruption. The same is true with Coca-Cola offering a Coke Zero drink.
All in all, the business experts say embracing changes is the key to the survival of your business. So instead of being inept to it, you should take this opportunity to determine what’s lacking in your product and how you can improve it to offer better services to your customers.
Source: Read Full Article
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About AM
By Ken Silva pastor-teacher on Jul 16, 2012 in AM Missives, Current Issues, Emergence Christianity, Emergent Church, Features, Rob Bell
Earlier today here at Apprising Ministries, because there’s a new book set to drop, I told you that Rob Bell, He’s Back…Well, Almost:
As I said earlier, we’re not sure if this is a book of new material or simply compilation of the mythology from Rob Bell, the rock star pastor of the Emerging Church.
Oddly enough, on the day this news is breaking we find a press release at Christian Newswire called Risking Heresy: Lessons from Publishing Rob Bell’s ‘Love Wins.’
It’s actually from Mickey Maudlin, who happens to be:
SVP, Executive Editor and Director of Bible Publishing at HaperOne. He has spent over thirty years in religious publishing, including working at Christianity Today and InterVarsity Press. (source)
Seems Maudlin’s miffed “by the sheer quantity of negative attention from Christian leaders and how few public figures rose to Rob’s defense” concerning Bell’s book Love Wins (LW).
Now Maudlin appears to want to set the record straight about this book and the resulting publicity. He begins by telling us:
With the release of the paperback this month, I thought it a good time to reflect on the phenomenon. While there is much to celebrate—the book’s success, the notes from people who say it restored/healed/even saved their faith, etc.—I thought I might focus on lessons learned. (source)
I’ll come back to his lessons, but first, let me say that Maudlin should know better; a Christian book that doesn’t teach the historic orthodox Christian faith is not something to celebrate.
What Rob Bell did with his LW is to give people a false gospel and offer a phantom hope. As pastor Kevin DeYoung pointed out in his review of LW:
I really must say something about the two most grievous errors in the book: Bell’s view of the cross and his view of God. According to Bell, salvation is realizing you’re already saved. We are all forgiven. We are all loved, equally and fully by God who has made peace with everyone. That work is done. Now we are invited to believe that story and live in it (172–73).
Bell is not saying what you think he might be saying. He’s not suggesting faith is the instrumental cause used by the Spirit to join us to Christ so we can share in all his benefits. That would be evangelical theology. Bell is saying God has already forgiven us whether we ask for it or not, whether we repent and believe or not, whether we are born again or not.
“Forgiveness is unilateral. God isn’t waiting for us to get it together, to clean up, shape up, get up—God has already done it” (189)… Bell categorically rejects any notion of penal substitution. It simply does not work in his system or with his view of God. “Let’s be very clear, then,” Bell states, “we do not need to be rescued from God. God is the one who rescues us from death, sin, and destruction.
God is the rescuer” (182). I see no place in Bell’s theology for Christ the curse-bearer (Gal. 3:13), or Christ wounded for our transgressions and crushed by God for our iniquities (Isa. 53:5, 10), no place for the Son of Man who gave his life as a ransom for many (Mark 10:45), no place for the Savior who was made sin for us (2 Cor. 5:21), no place for the sorrowful suffering Servant who drank the bitter cup of God’s wrath for our sake (Mark 14:36). (source)
Maudlin addresses the idea that HarperOne had attempted to create controversy in order to sell more copies of LW. While doing so, he apparently needed to take a shot at Christians being Berean believers:
Contrary to much blogosphere speculation, we at HarperOne did not manufacture the initial Twitter-driven frenzy–if we had, we would have timed it better than four weeks before the original on-sale date! Yes, we did create a wonderful and provocative book trailer that raised questions more than gave answers, but the goal was to point people to the book, not generate controversy.
The frenzy was driven by others, by a cadre of mostly young and mostly Reformed plugged-in guardians of the faith who made sure everyone knew about this “dangerous” book. (source)
As he continues into his second lesson Mickey Maudlin’s neo-liberal leanings slither further into view:
Here was Rob, a pastor, dealing with what he saw as the biggest cause of spiritual harm among the people he ministered to—an image of God as violent, angry, hateful, and pleased by torture—and this unleashes a barrage of angry and hateful criticism by Christian leaders? Not all the critics were hateful, but the negative energy the book unleashed was very troubling.
What is this force within the church that caused so many people to mishear or distort the message and quickly pronounce judgment and censure? I shudder to think some might name this force the “Holy Spirit.” (source)
I would argue just the reverse; I shudder to think some might claim Rob Bell’s LW mythology was inspired by the Holy Spirt. It truly is as John MacArthur correctly points out:
Christ’s famous warning about wolves in sheep’s clothing is given to us as an imperative: “Beware of the false prophets, who come to you in sheep’s clothing, but inwardly are ravenous wolves. You will know them by their fruits” (Matthew 7:15-16). Our Lord clearly expects His true disciples to be able to spot spiritual imposters and wolves in sheep’s clothing—especially those who are purveyors of deadly false doctrines.
Rob Bell certainly fits that category. He relentlessly casts doubt on the authority and reliability of Scripture. He denies the Bible’s perspicuity, disavows its hard truths, and ridicules some of the most important features of the gospel.
Granted, Bell (who was raised in the evangelical movement and is an alumnus of Wheaton College) still insists on calling himself “evangelical.” He reiterated that claim recently in a March 14 interview with Lisa Miller, where he stated, “Do I think that I’m evangelical and orthodox to the bone? Yes.”
A careful examination of Bell’s teaching suggests, however, that his profession of faith is not credible. His claim that he is “evangelical and orthodox to the bone” is, to put it bluntly, a lie. Bell’s teaching gives no evidence of any real evangelical conviction.
If “each tree is known by its own fruit” (Luke 6:44), we cannot blithely embrace Rob Bell as a “brother” just because he says he wants to be accepted as an evangelical. (source)
The third thing Mickey Maudlin says he learned is “‘loudness’ is not a good measure of popularity”; well, it can also be argued that “popularity” is not a good measure of being faithful to the teachings of the Bible either.
Finally, I am struck by the cost of speaking out. Yes, Rob sold many books and received more media coverage than ever before, but at a cost. The book altered his place in the world in a way that made it harder for him to simply be a pastor for his church. Many churches, colleges, and seminaries will think twice before inviting him to speak.
Speakers and writers at many institutions will feel compelled to qualify anything positive they say about Rob by adding, “While I certainly don’t agree with everything Rob Bell says . . .” It is a lonely path he has chosen. (source)
Good; I pray more people will wake up from their being under the spell of Bell. But as one of the most influential voices among young evangelicals for years, Rob Bell can hardly be said to be alone of his apostate path.
Mickey Maudlin’s next comparisons only serve to further illustrate why we should reject his author Rob Bell:
I am comforted somewhat that others whom I admire have traveled this path before. Martin Luther King frustrated church leaders who wanted him to slow down and wait.
Billy Graham provoked his conservative base at several points in his ministry: when he refused to speak to segregated audiences, when he decided to invite all churches to participate in his crusades (not just conservative Protestant ones), and when he accepted an invitation from the Soviet Union to preach. (source)
Leaving aside the very admirable work Martin Luther King did to right horrid secular wrongs, he was a progressive/liberal, not an orthodox Christian:
Understanding that King embraced a historical and critical interpretation of Christianity is important because we live in an age where fundamentalists use literal interpretations of the Bible to support bigotry and hate.
Knowing the facts about King’s life is important as he is a widely revered figure and we can use his life and teachings to advance a more reasoned approach to religion and social justice.
Other interesting facts:
King described Jesus as white up until 1966 and then after he no longer did.
He said that he didn’t believe in a literal heaven or hell, denied the literal divinity of Jesus, thought the Bible was myth and rejected literal interpretations of Christian doctrines. (source)
Rob Bell’s rather close at that. As far as Billy Graham, I showed you his sinful ecumenicism in Billy Graham’s Apostasy Is Older Than You Think. Even squishy Christianity Today tells us:
After Graham’s first “communist” crusade in Hungary in 1977, he was invited to the predominately Catholic country of Poland by the tiny Protestant community there, which amounted to less than 1 percent of the population.
Just as in his 1957 New York City crusade, Graham wanted to work with as many Catholics as possible. (source)
Before you’re tempted to say, “Well, he’s preaching the Gospel to them,” Graham would then hand people off to apostate Roman Catholic Churches. In closing this, for now, Mickey Maudlin is correct when he says:
“Lonely does not have to mean ‘ineffective.'” (source)
Absolutely; so you take heart dear Christian as we walk that lonely road together opposing such as these…
| 10,027 |
The recent Coronavirus outbreak in Wuhan, China began late 2019 but just in the past couple of weeks has been recognized as a global epidemic. Mars’s square to Neptune, exact January 28th has seemed to blow up the issue and increased the fear around this rapidly spreading virus. Mars in Sagittarius suggests challenges in foreign affairs while Neptune in Pisces with its lack of boundaries can represent a sea of sickness and disease. There is also a lot of confusion around how exactly the virus got released, although it has been linked with bat soup served in Wuhan.
Asteroid China was Retrograde in Leo in an opposition with the New Moon in Aquarius on January 24th which is around the time that more stories of Coronavirus were hitting news stations and social media hard. Aquarius is the sign that relates to groups of people and Leo is often about being in the spotlight, but in this case it’s in a very undesirable way. Hell of a way to start off the Chinese New Year. Although China appears to be suffering the most, the virus has spread to several other countries so this is going to be a hot topic for awhile.
I personally tend to view what the media portrays with a skeptical eye, and even if this disease was accidentally released to the public, due to its sneaky symptoms that creep up out of nowhere after two weeks it seems to have the qualities of a bio-weapon.
Caution is what I would recommend instead of panic. Super hygiene (especially after touching anything at the bank, grocery stores or public transportation spots), avoiding crowds, keeping stress levels as low as possible and taking immune-boosting supplements may be the best ways to avoid contracting the coronavirus.
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Young IDPs in Nigeria are sexually assaulted by officials as a condition to receive food and medical supplies.
Young Aisha* has had more than her fair share of misfortunes. She was only six years old when the Boko Haram terror group levied war on the secular society in Nigeria. The ensuing carnage and bloodbath has taken the lives of over 30,000 people.
Originally from Goniri, a town in Yobe State, she was forced to move to Bama, about 60 kilometres southeast of Maiduguri in neighbouring Borno State. In September 2014, the insurgents laid siege on Bama and seized control from the army. Many soldiers and residents fled on foot. But others like Aisha were tired of running.
For six months, the town was in the hands of the terror group as an Islamic Caliphate. “Those in captivity are under serious trauma, starvation, in distress with serious degrees of injuries,” one resident reported in the early days of the occupation.
Despite her age, Aisha was married to a Boko Haram fighter called Mustafa. When the city was recaptured by the army in March 2015, she initially fled with her husband, brother, and sister, and they all hid in the forest camp. She then returned with her siblings to Bama where they were locked up and interrogated before they were taken to a camp for internally displaced persons (IDPs). At the camp, they waited endlessly for food tickets but did not get any. They realised, after a few months, that there was only one way to survive: submitting to the sexual advances of camp officials.
“Since we did not have money to bribe, we were told to use what we have which is as good as money,” she narrated in Kanuri.
At night, a male camp official picked up young girls like Aisha who returned from the bush surrounding Bama and took them to tents occupied by soldiers and other security officials. This was usually at a roadblock in Tango. The next morning, they were given N1500 and returned to the IDP camp.
“I did not hear about it; it was done to me and at least two others that I know,” she thought she had to emphasise. “There is no way to cater to yourself here without surrendering to the sexual assaults of officials.”
Aisha is 17 now but was about four years younger when she first experienced these sexual assaults. Her age was a major source of her torment. The demons of sexual assaults in the camp were always attracted and therefore feasted on her like flies would feast on faeces.
It happened to her while she lived among the Boko Haram terrorists and persisted in the IDP camp. She recalls sleeping with over 20 soldiers as well as camp officials. Worse still, most of the sexual assaults were without protection. In her words, she always endured the trauma of “feeling the water (semen) coming out of the men”.
Frustrated, she eventually left the camp to find shelter in the town of Bama but was met with hostility. The residents labelled her and her friend “Boko Haram women,” a tag that accompanied her like a shadow everywhere she went. She was sent out of the rented house.
She was forced to return to the Dalori IDP camp, located in one of the neighborhoods close to Maiduguri. There too, she could not get food tickets. Her name was not registered and she had to resort again to trading her body for basic needs. But officials threw her out of the camp because she and her friends were seen as strangers from Bama.
When she left Dalori for Bama, she discovered her female friends had moved to Maiduguri. So, she joined them, moving in with Fatima,* whom she had made friends with since her first days at the Bama camp.
In her current location she still faces strong distrust from locals, but her resilience keeps her going. She is thankful that she could afford soap to wash her clothes, opportunities to be productive and, most importantly, a sense of control over her body.
Nigeria’s laws criminalise sex with minors. Enforcing the law however is like drawing water from the rock. Both the Criminal Code, which applies to the southern region, and the Penal Code, applicable in the north, outlaw sex with anyone below the age of 18 and stipulate punishment ranging from 14 years in prison or life imprisonment.
The Criminal Code and the Child Rights Act further state that it does not matter if the offender believed the child to be older or that “the girl was taken with her own consent or at her own suggestion.”
Attempts to get reactions from the Nigerian Army and Borno State government were not successful. Col. Sagir Musa, Director of Nigerian Army Public Relations, asked to be called back when HumAngle reached out to him on Thursday, September 17; but did not answer multiple calls since placed to his number. He also did not reply to texts sent in the period.
Calls to phone numbers belonging to Isa Gusau, spokesman to the Borno State governor, did not scale through, and he neither acknowledged nor replied texts and an email sent to his personal address.
Older IDPs as pimps
According to the Displacement Tracking Matrix released by the International Organization for Migration (IOM) in June 2018, 54 per cent of IDPs in Nigeria are estimated to be female and as much as 56 per cent are below the age of 18. Another 37 per cent are between the ages of 18 and 59. But the fact that children constitute the vast majority of the displaced people has not given them special protection from exploitation.
Camp officials are not the only ones who sexually take advantage of displaced underage girls. The practise is also common among female IDPs who themselves are too old to trigger the fancy of male camp officials. Some of these older women engage in pimping the underage ones.
From interviews with multiple IDPs, HumAngle understands that the older women, known locally as magajiyas, offer up either their daughters or orphaned girls staying with them for the sex trade. The girls then return bearing foodstuff, money, and other supplies from which they benefit.
The IDPs who are separated from their parents in the process of fleeing from crossfire have no choice but to seek guardians in the camps. Others are separated from their husbands by the military who detain the men on grounds that they were being investigated.
Female IDPs are vulnerable not only in camps but across host communities in the Northeast as there are reports of abuse by people providing them with shelter in the towns. The ring of abusers draws up people with criminal cravings for underage girls, to those who have strong sexual appetites for older women as well as others with a homosexual orientation.
Most of the women who spoke with HumAngle said their first rape experience was at the point of interrogation by soldiers after they had just fled from their communities. The soldiers develop a body search protocol in which they compel the women to completely undress under their gaze.
In the course of this body search protocol several personal valuables are never returned to the owners. The younger ones among them are marked out by the soldiers for severe sexual bondage thereafter. The absurdity has been internalised among these women as an unavoidable reality of life.
“At the IDP camps, what we have is not a growing case of rape but a growing case of consent and less and less sex without consent,” one of the women said. “It has become normal. If you are a lady, you cooperate and get what you want much more easily.”
The IDPs who escaped the interrogation with some money pay to get basic relief such as bed space, blankets, foodstuff, drugs and so on, donated in the first instance by local and international organisations.
Those without cash are forced to surrender themselves for sexual gratification. HumAngle learnt that some of the men who eventually regained their freedom from military detention centres returned to find that their wives had been variously impregnated by camp officials.
IDPs cannot get food supplies without one of these tickets
Pushed back to BH territories
Fatima, 16, who also hails from Goniri, had a similar string of experiences as Aisha. She had been married to a Boko Haram fighter, a young man from Bula Kuriye. When the Nigerian Army recaptured Bama in 2015, she fled to the bush with her mother. She later returned to the town with her younger brother to see her grandfather.
The grandfather was full of revulsion for her on account of her association with Boko Haram. He seized her sibling but rejected Fatima. “You Boko Haram people are spoilt. You are copying them. You and we cannot live in the same house,” she recalls her grandfather declaring.
Sometime in 2016, she went to the IDP camp hoping for a place she could find company. But what did she get? She was treated as a castaway. Every day, they wondered when they would finally get the food tickets. They complained to a male camp official, who kept assuring them their needs would be taken care of. The same official, they would later find out, worked as a pimp for security operatives.
“I will not deny; I went there once. He carried three of us in his car and took us there,” she recalled.
Like Aisha and the other girls, she received N1500 the following morning. The food tickets never came, possibly to keep them dependent. But rather than sleep with strangers every few days to stay alive, many of the girls chose to return to Boko Haram’s enclave. Fatima says there were initially over 30 IDPs from her village around, but only 12 remained.
“If you don’t have a food ticket, you would go back,” she said matter-of-factly. “What would you do? How would you eat? If you don’t have someone, how would you eat? This is my situation. Anyone who doesn’t want to submit to sexual assaults would have to go back (to their husbands in the forest).”
Some other female IDPs interviewed by HumAngle, who previously lived with the insurgents, expressed a desire to return. They said food scarcity is a problem they would face in the terrorist camps as well but, at least, no one except their husbands would attempt to have sexual intercourse with them.
ID card issued to IDPs
Violated humanitarian laws
The right of children to be protected from abuse is not only guaranteed by local laws. The 1949 Geneva Conventions on humanitarian law, which have been ratified by Nigeria, have even broader provisions.
Article 77 of the convention’s Additional Protocol I states, “Children shall be the object of special respect and shall be protected against any form of indecent assault. The Parties to the conflict shall provide them with the care and aid they require, whether because of their age or for any other reason.”
The treaty additionally guarantees the right of women to be protected “against rape, forced prostitution and any other form of indecent assault.” According to article 89, nursing mothers and children under the age of 15 are to be given additional food “in proportion to their physiological needs.”
Young IDPs, however, continue to face immense pressure in their bid to receive aid. A survey of IDPs in Borno conducted in December 2019 by Ground Truth Solutions, an international NGO, found that “younger respondents … are more convinced that they need to pay others or offer favours” before getting assistance.
The provision of food tickets is part of the cash support programme in place to improve the living conditions of IDPs. The displaced people are given Airtel SIM cards and identification cards from the United Nations’ World Food Programme (WFP). With the tickets, each person, including infants, especially in areas such as Dikwa and Bama, is entitled to three to four mudus (over 4 kg) of millets per month, one mudu of beans, and about a quarter of one litre of cooking oil.
The IDPs also receive salt and other items. But the food is barely enough as many of them oftentimes have to sell some of the supplies to buy firewood and other commodities needed for cooking.
A humanitarian worker informed HumAngle that for IDPs in Monguno, their thumbprints are recorded and they receive foodstuff worth N23,000 while IDPs in Dalori receive items worth N17,000. Those directly in charge of the distribution are, however, not workers of WFP. The UN agency employs the staff of other organisations such as the International Medical Corps (IMC) in Dalori and Kubuyo, and the Danish Refugee Council in Bama.
Ideally, new arrivals are registered alongside every member of their family, with their thumbprints recorded by the IOM. Those returning from the forest like Aisha and Fatima are supposed to be given cards from the detention centre in Bama before they are moved to camps.
“The NGO staff are saying the people are too many and registration is getting difficult,” the aid worker said in September.
“Like in Bama, they are in a difficult situation. Some of them were moving to Konduga as of yesterday. It came to the point where they cooked the millets and beans and ate the combination without stew. The scarcity is pushing women over the brink. For those who do not have skills to make a living, prostitution and begging become the only to survive.”
Increased monitoring needed
Weak monitoring mechanisms put in place by donor organisations and the government have been identified as a key reason sexual assault and pimping have continued at the various IDP camps.
Places such as Bama, Banki, and Monguno are considered unsafe for travel, and because of security concerns, top officials of international NGOs operating in the region are hardly physically present at the camps. Oftentimes, they instead delegate the distribution of materials to third party contractors who have been accused of being selective, exploitative, and fraudulent in their dealings.
In its 2018 report, They Betrayed Us: Women Who Survived Boko Haram Raped, Starved and Detained in Nigeria, Amnesty International (AI) reported patterns of rape and sexual exploitation in satellite camps. Some of the women said they were raped by soldiers or civilian Joint Task Force members at the Bama Hospital camp in late 2015 or early 2016 “while they had been starving or near starving.”
“The accounts given to Amnesty International from IDPs strongly indicate that much of the food assistance that reached these satellite camps were stolen, and in some cases sold back to them,” the organisation observed.
“They also indicate that there were inadequate efforts made by the civil authorities to monitor the distribution of aid and to ensure that the assistance they provided reached displaced people. According to the reports of displaced persons, in many of the satellite camps there appeared to have been little, if any, presence in the camp by government officials or emergency management agencies personnel, and thus no oversight or monitoring of whether aid reached its intended beneficiaries.”
The NGO requested that groups such as the UN missions and United Kingdom Team of Experts should support efforts to address the patterns of violence against displaced women and girls, especially by closely monitoring the camps and ensuring there is equity and fairness.
*A pseudonym has been used to protect her identity
This investigative news report is a partnership between HumAngle Media and the Premium Times Centre for Investigative Journalism under the media and terrorism programme.
There are millions of ordinary people affected by conflict in Africa whose stories are missing in the mainstream media. HumAngle is determined to tell those challenging and under-reported stories, hoping that the people impacted by these conflicts will find the safety and security they deserve.
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'Kunle is Investigations Editor at HumAngle. You can catch him on Twitter @KunleAdebajo.
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September 21, 2020 at 3:51 pm
The believe in a supernatural source of evil is not necessary. Men alone are quite capable of every wickedness. _ Joseph Conrad
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Information presented on this web page is intended for informational and educational purposes only and is not meant to be taken as legal, financial, investment or tax advice. We do not accept any responsibility for any trading or investment related losses. Please review our disclaimer on before taking action based upon anything you read or see.
To start in the road service business, you have two alternatives, which can generate two sources of income. They are the roadside, working hand in hand with insurance and the emergency key service side. You can choose only one side and still earn well, or you can choose both sides. In this guide, we will discuss how to start a roadside service business. Here are the differences as a business owner:
Learn More: How is Government Businesses Different from Private Business
Roadside Assistance or Customers with Insurance Coverage
This should be the first route you take, as no advertising is required. You can let the phone ring and then concentrate on the other side of the business. You are a 1099 independent contractor, and you negotiate a contract price for the work you do. So, you do not have to collect money from the affiliate while the work is being done because; the insurance company pays you weekly via wire transfer. These jobs cost between $30 and $40 per call, depending on the contract, plus between $1.60 and $2.60 per mile. This way, if you do both, you have a good balance between still having time to grow your business.
In this part of the business, you make money, but you have to advertise. Therefore, the unblocking requests you receive are your profits. Commonly called “cash calls,” the pay for these jobs is much better than on the street, and you can charge anywhere from $70 to $155 to unlock a car.
Now that you have a general idea of how it all works, we will cover each section in detail. We’ll offer various aspects of training, from the business level to the actual work you’ll be doing.
You can have a road service business from home.
Okay, now that we’ve broken down the business areas, we’ll delve into the world of roadside assistance. Next, we’ll spice up the emergency unlocking part of the service. Let’s start with people interested in working from home because they are too busy learning a new trade and want to be the masters of their minds. While it’s always good to study and work away from home, you can make money without leaving home and become a manager from home!
Here are some money management habits.
Let’s say we’ve given you a list of specific companies that are hiring, and you’ve filled out all the applications and are waiting for approval. Then you have to hire the right person. That’s the goal. When we say “hire,” remember that you are now a 1099 independent contractor when we say “hire, ” and you only get paid for work performed. Therefore, you must employ an assistant as a subcontractor. You don’t hire them, and you subcontract them.
However, all the money goes through you, and you pay the corporation a portion of the money each week after they pay you. (At the end of each year, you send them a 1099 form.) Yes, you are the middleman, so does it your way? The driver has to do light chores like changing a flat tire, starting the engine, refueling, and locking the car.
Then hire someone with roadside assistance experience, preferably with your tools. Many 1099 employees could use this work. By the end of the article, you will know all the details of this business model and decide its use.
Hiring independent contractors
It all depends on who we hire for the team. It’s important to find a good 1099 worker who has experience working on the street. Train people from the ground up, but it is better to find someone who has the experience and believes us. They do, so don’t settle.
Use digital media; to recruit qualified drivers. Screen candidates and find a few stars that are going to be the face of my company. Remember, they are the people who are on the front line helping customers every day, so choose wisely. Roadside assistance is not limited to one city or state.
Adding Service to an Existing Order
If you need an extra service, call a customer service representative (dispatcher) and ask to add it at double the price.
For example, you are completing a transaction, and the affiliate also needs a down payment.
Don’t forget that you can also negotiate after hours.
Tell the customer service representative at the time of shipment that you will be charged an extra $40. They may tell you to call first, but they will call you back 75% of the time and give you an extra $40.
Extra Money with a Part-time Job Opportunity; Roadside Assistance
As a roadside assistance driver, you can sometimes earn extra money by providing a service not covered by your client’s insurance. By providing this service, you can tell the customer the cost of your work, and the customer will have to pay you out of pocket. Remember that the customer will be subject to the following conditions.
Starting, Filling, Closing the Car, Changing tires, and Towing
Below you will find a list of the services you may be charged for. You are the manager, so it is up to you to set the price and decide to help them with a particular service.
Battery installation
Oil supply
Any mechanical work and any other service for which you are not insured.
Set your rates or even outsource these tasks and get a share of the profits for making referrals.
How to Start a Roadside Service Business
Has the economic uncertainty caused by the pandemic made you hesitate to start your own roadside assistance company? The economy has recovered better than expected, and many businesses are thriving. This is one of the best times to fully realize your dream of becoming a successful roadside assistance entrepreneur. Whether you decide to start part-time or full-time, there are many ways to plan for success.
Seek help from the experts
New entrepreneurs benefit from working with graphic designers, accountants, branding and commerce experts, social media managers, and virtual assistants. The person you hire will depend on your skills and needs. With expert advice on how to pay government freelancers, provide excellent customer service and market your business. This way, you will avoid mistakes and get a solid return on your investment.
Have you ever needed to add air in a tire but did not have the time or money to take it into a garage? This happens more times than you would think. In addition to this, many people feel that they can do most of the routine servicing on their cars themselves, saving them even more money. There is a market for roadside services too!
Find out if there is a need for your service.
First and foremost, before getting started, you want to make sure that there will be demand for your product or service. If nobody needs what you are selling, then there’s no point in the beginning, right? For example, if you were thinking about starting up an ice cream van business but live in Siberia (which does not sound like fun, by the way), you would be out of luck because there is no demand for scooping up iced desserts when its 20 degrees below zero. In this case, you could try selling ice cream at a local sporting event or something that tends to attract a larger crowd.
In addition to figuring out if there is a need for your product, making money should also be considered during the initial planning stage. Many businesses fail their first year because they cannot make enough money to keep themselves afloat. If you have an awesome new invention but didn’t bother to do market research and find out if people wanted it, then’s a big chance that you won’t have the cash flow to keep you in business long.
For example, if you were thinking about starting an ice cream van company, it’s January, and there is a foot of snow on the ground where your prospective route is. Well, maybe start another type of business instead! But, on the other hand, if you are opening up a restaurant specializing in hot chili dogs, this would be a great time to get started!
Find out what licenses or permits are required to run your business.
There are always going to be legal hoops that must be jumped through before setting up shop. In addition, license requirements for your specific industry will vary based on local regulations. However, some general examples include building permits (if you need them), zoning (i.e., checking to make sure that your business is not in an area where it shouldn’t be), and the health department (make sure you follow all of their requirements).
Research any capital or start-up costs required.
Once you know what licenses you will need, figure out how much the process (and the associated fees) will cost. This way, you can make sure that you have enough money saved up for this stage. Of course, there are some cases in which local authorities waive administrative fees if they fall under a certain income threshold – but this is something that should be confirmed with your city government before moving on to other steps in the process. Don’t forget about advertising expenses, either! If you are opening a retail shop, you will need to build a sign and print flyers. This all costs money, so make sure that you have a decent chunk of change put away.
Find a spot for your business.
Once you know where the best location will be (this should coincide with your research in step 4 above), it’s time to get started finding an actual place for your service station. If there are no suitable structures available for lease, you will probably need to purchase some property and construct one or more buildings. This can take quite a bit of time and cost thousands of dollars depending on what kind of building(s) you want, how big they are, etc. Don’t forget any utilities that may be necessary, as well!
Explore starting a franchise or business opportunity. If you don’t want to go through all of these steps yourself, there are many opportunities for you to purchase a license to run another company’s service station. This takes the headache out of finding a location and licensing, but it can end up costing more in the long run because you will be required to pay royalties based on your revenue. In addition, your job may not be as fulfilling – since you won’t have total control – which could take away from the work environment created for employees.
Set up a timeline once everything has been figured out; make sure you set a deadline so that each step gets accomplished promptly. If anything takes too long, you risk losing out on potential business because someone else might swoop in and take over the spot you were aiming for!
Remember, running a service station is more than just you working by yourself. Even if you are opening up a very small business for your personal use. For example, as the food above cart – you will need to hire an employee or two at some point along the way. Using technology for small businesses will boost success. Set up job applications and interview candidates so that things don’t get too hectic when it comes time to fill out those positions!
Finally, once everything has been achieved, it’s time to start making money! While this might not sound like something worth celebrating, remember that this entire process can take several months (or even longer) to complete. So don’t be discouraged if the first few weeks of operation go slowly; there may be kinks in the system that need to be addressed.
Use innovative tools to monitor and control your cash flow.
Make it your goal to control cash flow with innovative tools from day one. Control expenses and track revenue streams with advanced business structure reporting software such as QuickBooks. These applications allow you to organize your cash flow, view benchmarks, and track expense trends. This insight is invaluable when it comes to maintaining a stable and predictable cash flow.
According to recent studies, 75-85% of people research companies online before making a purchase. So whether you sell physical products or roadside assistance services, an attractive website is essential.
The first step you should take to promote your business online is to create an attractive, user-friendly website. Your website should work on both mobile devices and desktop browsers.
Sample ad to Recruit Candidates to build your Business
Compensation: $20 per call, an average of $300-500 per week.
What we do
We provide fast and friendly emergency roadside assistance service to drivers stranded on the road. Our clients include major auto clubs and insurance companies. As a result, our call volume is stable and growing.
We now have the sole proprietorship of the following services:
Locksmith services
The ideal candidate will have the following qualifications:
Reliable
Applicant must have:
A reliable and economical car, van, or SUV.
Valid personal liability insurance. A valid personal or liability insurance that allows you to offer a limited liability company
Tools necessary to perform specialized tasks.
Experience.
Repair experience. Valid driver’s license and insurance.
Tools.
Bank account/credit card payment.
Excellent customer service.
Please send us an email with your name, address, and phone number 2.
Provide a photo of your driver’s license.
An individual company representative will contact you; discuss legal structures and other benefits.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can you make money with a crane?
The average annual income for crane contractors ranges from $35,000 to $45,000. However, the exact amount varies depending on the region in which the company is located.
How much should I pay for a roadside assistance service?
The average cost of roadside assistance ranges from $40 to $155, and member costs vary depending on the location and type of vehicle damage. Many insurance companies, automobile manufacturers, credit card companies, and independent roadside assistance companies offer roadside assistance.
Can anyone start a towing company?
Anyone with engineering talent can set up a towing business. Towing vehicles is usually straightforward. However, sometimes it can be difficult to get a damaged car onto a tow truck or out of a tight spot. A mechanically oriented mindset can help in these situations.
How much do AAA contractors earn?
At $111,000 per year or $53 per hour, AAA independent contractors earn 74% more than the national average of $51,000 per year for all independent contractors and 51% more than the national average wage for all U.S. workers.
How do insurance companies get towing contracts?
Towing companies can contract towing services to ensure a steady supply of work. When looking for a contract, you can search for many insurances, and it just depends on the type of work you want to do. Then, fill out the online form or call the insurance company of interest.
Is a tow truck a good investment?
Starting a crane service business can be a good and profitable business if you can buy or obtain a license at a reasonable cost.
How much does it cost to start a towing business?
Without a towing bill, it can cost up to $210,000 to purchase a towing license and a tow truck in an urban area.
At this point, we have all the necessary information that defines; how to start a roadside service business. Using this material correctly and explicitly will allow you to achieve your objectives adequately.
I am Lavinia by name, and a financial expert with a degree in finance from the University of Chicago. In my blog, I help people to educate by making wise choices regarding personal investment, basic banking, credit and debit card, business education, real estate, insurance, expenditures, etc.
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Airstrikes in Gaza News
Airstrikes & Missile Attacks In GAZA “Communal Violence Erupts In Israeli Towns”
May 13, 2021
Jerusalem (CNN) – While the Israeli military and Palestinian militants in Gaza trade lethal bombings and missile attacks, rioting and violent clashes between Arab and Jewish civilians have swept through many Israeli towns. According to Israeli media outlets, a lynching attempt by an Arab mob in Acre left a Jewish man seriously injured. Gruesome footage […]
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The Swallow Bakery is a handcrafted artisan bakery and cafe, founded by Andrew Thomas who has taken influences from Australia, America and Scandinavia.
You came from a fashion background, why did you choose to open a bakery?
I guess you could have asked the similar question to Irvine Sellar, he built a successful fashion empire and then became a property developer and built the Shard. Some people are happy at doing one thing in life. I have always been interested in new concepts, to be an early adopter of trends and to capitalise on them. I guess you could say I am a serial entrepreneur. I like developing things. Sometimes they work and sometimes they don’t but it makes for an interesting life…
What have been the main contributors to your brands success?
I wanted to bring back the home baked artisan bakery which had almost disappeared from the “high street” due to increasing rents and competition from the large supermarkets. I used to travel to the USA and Europe with other business interests and admired the fact that there were still individually owned bakery shops, particularly in France yet we were allowing our artisan bakeries to fade away.
Due to the recession sites became more affordable and I decided that the time was right to open The Swallow Bakery seven years ago. We then also decided to diversify into Festival catering by converting two American Airstreams and taking the bakery out on the road. We started at Glastonbury and now operate at many events.
The food is beautifully prepared and tastes amazing, how do you ensure consistency as you grow the brand?
You need to be constantly aware of trends and quality. Everyone working in the business needs to understand the standards expected and should not be shy about policing those. It is then a team responsibility to take pride in what is presented to the customer. Inevitably sometimes there will be mistakes but as long as everyone is striving for the best then that is the way forward.
What are your current plans for your company?
Having previously started and grown retail chains I am not interested in doing that in catering. There are some very good chain operators out there but as people become more discerning then they will want more individuality in the eating experience. However, good tasty food does not have to be at Michelin star prices. I feel that there are still food genres that have not yet been fully exploited and I am keen to work on these.
Where do you see the brand being in ten years time?
I don’t see it as a brand, as brand conjures up chain in my mind. I think that a collective is appropriate, a concept where you operate different offers each suited to the location and customer profile.
What future challenges and developments do you foresee in the restaurant industry?
Probably oversupply in some towns and the lack of individuality to inspire the customer. Food is such an emotive element to life, we all need to eat and drink but it is now perhaps one of the prime leisure activities, its more than just fuel for the body, its about experience and social interaction. Recently there have been some interesting and amusing concepts in catering, the blind restaurant for example and I think there was even one where everybody was naked! (I don’t know if the chef got his kit off, could be tricky frying chips!?)
The other challenge could be finding enough talented staff but we will not know how the industry will cope until the outcome of the Brexit negotiations are concluded.
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Okay, okay, it’s pretty easy to dive head-first into the coming year with a reasonable degree of scepticism and dismay. After all, 2020 hasn’t been the kind of year any of us expected — or wanted. But that’s not to say there’s nothing to be gleaned from the past few months.
A lot has changed throughout the pandemic in the ways businesses choose to engage with audiences. Some of this has largely been down to necessity, but many new and innovative shifts have also been thrown into the mix. Put them together, and you’ve got a pretty good indication of what marketing to customers is going to look like in 2021.
At this point, it’s worth noting that any predictions right now could include a swarm of murder hornets on the list and it would still be plausible. Fortunately, that’s not the case here. In fact, the message for 2021 is clear and simple: Customer experience (CX) will be more important than ever.
71% of customers say businesses that have shown more care this year deserve more loyalty.
In a post-pandemic world, businesses and brands are being evaluated on a human scale like never before. That’s probably because moments of crisis and uncertainty tend to galvanise new ways of thinking and shift views on what matters most to people as a whole.
Togetherness, compassion and being a force for good in the world are all values that seem to resonate most nowadays. According to a recent study by Salesforce, 71% of customers believe businesses that have shown increased levels of care and empathy this year are the ones that deserve their loyalty. And while CX has always fundamentally been about relationships over transactions, it looks as though that’s only going to be pushed further to the front of everyone’s minds as we move into 2021.
So the real question is — where should businesses and brands focus their efforts in the new year? What can they really do to strengthen those customer relationships in relevant and beneficial ways? Here are a few key areas you should pay attention to.
User generated content: Let your customers do the talking
We spend so much time crafting the words and language we use as a business that sometimes it’s easy to overlook the voices that matter most — our customers. Everyone understands the value of customer reviews and testimonials, but distilling a customer’s experience down to a single soundbite doesn’t always paint the full picture.
User-generated content, as the name suggests, puts the customer’s message — not brand messaging — at the centre of everything. It’s still in-line with what you want to say as a business, but told through the eyes of your customers.
Since the rise of influencer marketing in 2016, user-generated content has become a cornerstone of many brands’ marketing strategies, repurposing the content of their followers and customers (typically across social media) as a way of making themselves more relatable and accessible to relevant audiences. For example, many fashion brands feature images and footage of real customers modelling clothes across Instagram. This not only serves as authentic ‘digital word-of-mouth’ but also reinforces the idea of community — something an individual can envision themselves buying into.
During the national lockdown, however, we saw many famous brands take this a step further; incorporating Face Time-esque videos of their customers as part of their mainline marketing. This trend has only continued in recent months, with household brands like Asda, Microsoft and Nationwide still going down this route. But if you want to see an example from one of the brands that did it first, way before the pandemic, check out Santander’s effort from 2017.
Nostalgia marketing has been described as ‘the advertising equivalent of comfort food’. Considering the kind of year we’ve had, it’s easy to see why audiences would be so receptive to something so calorifically saturated with good feels, harking back to simpler and less infected times.
Nostalgia has always been used in media for both stylistic and emotive reasons. But as a straight-up marketing strategy, it tends to fall in and out of fashion, tempered greatly by the times in which it’s being used. The resurgence in 80s and 90s culture we’ve seen in modern film and television — a result of content creators who grew up in that era now tapping into those specific memories and experiences — has spilled over into mainstream marketing.
Earlier in the year, Adidas launched a limited run of vintage football strips from the 80s. At the same time, Budweiser revived its infamous ‘Wassup’ campaign from twenty years ago, suitably retrofitted with a new message for our current times and predicaments. All the while, however, it has been Nintendo who have steadily marketed an entire console generation around its own nostalgic history.
Since emerging on the scene over three decades ago, the video games giant has built up a roster of memorable franchises — and with it a sizeable and dedicated fanbase that could easily rival that of Disney. With more than 30 year’s worth of gaming nostalgia banked, it makes a lot of sense to draw on those memories as a way of connecting with target audiences today.
If your services are mainly in the B2B region and you’ve made it this far down the list, then you’re probably wondering how this applies to you. Well, frankly, it doesn’t — at least not until now.
We’ve always championed the need for B2B organisations to adopt more marketing practices traditionally associated with B2C. And despite there being an obvious distinction, the two are not always mutually exclusive. This has certainly been the case recently, with more and more industries outside of those typically found online launching websites.
According to Growth Accelerator, more than 85,000 businesses in the UK joined the online market place as a result of having to social distance temporarily. Out of these 85,000 businesses, many were in industries less likely to connect with customers directly online, such as manufacturing, industrial and business support.
If this is a sign of where things are headed — coupled with the notion that CX is a priority for 2021 — then ensuring convenience and accessibility online makes a lot of sense. For businesses already online, then looking at ways to make user experiences more engaging, convenient and personable is certainly a step in the right direction.
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CausionsCreations is back with our weekly coverage Survivor, season 41. Check back every week for new updates, which will chronicled from most recent (top) to oldest (bottom). Here we will include links to our own podcast as well as links to my favorite coverage from Rob Has a Podcast and Dalton Ross.
Week #12
Immunity Winner Week #12
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander has an immunity idol.
Did Any Drama Occur? - Deshawn threw Erika under the bus by telling everyone that she was willing to cut Heather and not go to the end with her. Everyone acted shocked, but in reality it changed nothing.
By a Vote of 3-3; and then 4-0
Danny has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - They wanted to flush Danny's idol, so they split the vote. and Deshawn made more relationships and was more unlikeable, so they kept him around.
Week #11
The tribe had to choose whether to play for immunity or sit out. The first person to drop would be forced to participate in the Do or Die challenge at Tribal. If they lose they are out the game, if they win, the tribe votes.
Deshawn dropped out of the challenge first and was forced to play Do or Die. At Tribal he had to choose one of three boxes. If he chose a box with fire he was safe, if he chose a skull he would be eliminated. He was safe.
Immunity Winner Week #11
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander has an extra vote and an immunity idol. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - All the drama surrounded Deshawn's Do or Die and him crying because he felt guilty about voting out Shan at the last tribal. He was full of shit and trying to save face after being called a snake.
By a Vote of 5-3
Liana has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Once Deshawn was safe, the players outside the now weak black alliance just piled their votes on Liana, and Xander used his extra vote to finish her off once and for all. Forgone conclusion that the black players would all go in a row after they turned on Shan. Idiots.
Week #10
Immunity Winner Week #10
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander has an extra vote and an immunity idol. Shan has an immunity idol. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - A plan was hatched on the beach to take out Shan without her knowing. To do so, Ricard, Erika, Heather, and Xander would need Deshawn to be on board. Deshawn leaped at the opportunity because Ricard told him that Shan let him know that was the plan was to blindside Ricard, but he won immunity. Deshawn informed Danny and they decided to turn on Shan, breaking up the black player alliance. Erika decided to split the vote between Shan and Liana, and if Shan played her idol, Liana would go home. Danny was hesitant because that would mean he's burning both black women. But Deshawn didn't care.
By a Vote of 3 - 3 -2; then 6-0
Shan has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - The blindside was completed. In the end, the only person Shan could trust was Liana.
Week #9
My Favorite Player of the Week
This week I have to acknowledge Erika, who has been extremely polarizing the last few weeks, for getting it done when she needed to. Shan was out for her neck, and Erika won immunity when she needed to. In addition she was able to really play it up with Heather in convincing Naseer that Heather was the target going home, which made Naseer so comfortable that he didn't play his immunity. Erika turned on the tears and everything. Great job and you have to like her spot because she has her old tribe and the ones on the bottom to work with.
This week the tribe was split into tow groups for the immunity challenge and two immunities were awarded and two players were voted out. This was huge because the random split of the tribe played a large part into who would go home at each tribal, because the relationships and advantages in play at each tribal.
Immunity Winner Week #9
Possible Advantages in Play - Shan has an extra vote and an immunity idol. Naseer has an Immunity Idol. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - No real drama, just a lot of deception. The entire group played Naseer into believing that Heather was the obvious vote and that she would be going home. But really it was a ploy to make sure Naseer did not use his immunity idol and that they could blindside him.
By a Vote of 3-3; 3-0
Naseer has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Naseer fell for the trap and did not use his idol. Because Shan and Ricard didn't fully trust Erika and Heather, Shan used her extra vote and the initial vote was a tie, 3-3. Once it was a vote only between Naseer and Heather, they stacked the votes on Naseer and sent him home blindsided.
Players in the Hot Seat - Evvie and Liana
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander has an extra vote and an immunity idol. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - After seeing that Naseer was voted out earlier, clearly Danny was shocked and taken aback. Going in the plan was framed from two different perspectives, Deshawn, Evvie and Xander voting out Liana, and from the perspective of Danny and Liana wanting to make sure Deshawn sticks with the plan of voting out Evvie. At tribal everyone played it cool and felt that there plan was the plan.
By a Vote of 3-2
Evvie has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Xander got tricked. Much like Naseer earlier, Xander felt so comfortable believing that he and Evvie had flipped Deshawn, that he chose not to play his idol on Evvie, which would have guaranteed that one of Danny or Liana went home. Instead he stuck with his guns like he did the previous two tribal councils, and it finally worked against him. Now Xander is alone, on an island. Deshawn either never had any intention of flipping and was tricking Evvie and Xander all along, or he was impressed that Shan didn't vote out Heather, his ally, and instead sacrificed Naseer, whom she liked, so he stayed true to the alliance. Who knows for sure.
Week #8
My Favorite Player of the Week
For the second week in a row I think the best player of the week was Xander, for having the courage not to blow his advantages and fall for the trap. The plan was for Xander to think he was in trouble, so he would play his immunity idol, unnecessarily, and the tribe would vote out Tiffany in a blindside. However so many names were thrown out there, and Ricard was pushing so hard for Xander to use his idol at tribal, that he picked up on the rouse, and opted not to use his advantages and was safe. Very ballsy move for the second week in a row. Also Xander played the game this week, opting not only to sit out of both challenges to a garner favor with the group, but he also cut ties with Evvie and Tiffany and made it clear he was willing to work with anyone. He showed a lot of flexibility, which I like out of Survivor players. He's making a goo case for himself, but he will have to win many of these challenges if he hopes to make it far. Huge threat.
This week's "twist" involved giving the tribe a choice. Players could choose to sit out the immunity challenge and earn rice for the tribe. In order to do so, they had to negotiate with Jeff on how many players needed to sit out in order to gain the large bag of rice for the group.
Shan stepped up as lead negotiator and was able to pressure Xander, Naseer and Ricard into joining her, which earned the tribe the large bag of rice. This was a risky move for Ricard especially, as all the rest have hidden immunity idols. This was a move done partly due to hunger, but also for to build goodwill with the tribe.
Immunity Winner Week #8
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander and Shan both have an extra vote and an immunity idol. Naseer has an Immunity Idol. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - Everything was going smooth and and it was looking like the target would be kept inconspicuous, until Heather interjected and asked to scramble after Jeff said it was time to vote. Then all hell broke loose. Heather attempted to flip the vote, scared that she was in trouble for some reason. When the plan was always to flush Xander's idol and vote out Heather. Because of the scramble, many wanted to vote out Heather or Xander, but Deshawn wouldn't allow it, and he and Shan had an awkward encounter. Because tensions got high between Deshawn and Shan, she decided to allow him to have his way.
By a Vote of 6-2-2-1
Tiffany has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Basically Deshawn pouted until he got his way. Not only did they vote out Tiffany, who was powerless, they failed to get Xander to play his idol. The funniest part was Ricard trying to convince Xander that he was in trouble and to play his idol. Tiffany was basically collateral damage.
Week #7
My Favorite Player of the Week
Without question, the best player this week was Xander. Not only did he use the threat of his immunity idol perfectly, but he was able to avoid needing to use it, while retaining both his allies. Xander built the right relationships that allowed him to find out that Liana was planning to steal his idol, so he planted seeds and spread information that created doubt. He made a fake idol and completely fooled Liana into trying to take his idol, when he had in fact not kept, not given it to Evvie, but gave it to Tiffany! I was shocked by the Tiffany part. But the best move Xander made was having the balls to not waste the idol on Evvie. He stuck with his guns, no matter how much Evvie begged him, and it paid off. He now has his idol and extra vote heading into next week where every player will be available for votes. Great week for Xander, as he was extremely impressive.
Hourglass is Smashed
Last week, Erica was presented an hourglass and given a choice to change the course of history or keep things the same. If Erica wished to "reverse" the events of the last immunity challenge, she would destroy the hourglass, which stripped the winning team's immunity. In turn, Erica and the members of the losing team would be given individual immunity instead, while the members of the winning team would be forced to compete in the individual Immunity Challenge. Erica chose to smash the glass, and flipped the results. The winners were pissed.
Knowledge is Power Wasted
Liana used her "Knowledge is Power" advantage at Tribal council, and attempted to steal Xander's hidden immunity idol. The problem was Xander knew her plan, and gave his advantage to Tiffany, and faked out Liana by keeping a fake idol in his pocket. It was one of the most embarrassing moments in the shows history. LOL.
Shot in the Dark Failed
Feeling as though her back was against the wall, Sydney chose to roll her "Shot in the Dark" die, in an attempt to gain automatic immunity at tribal. Unfortunately for her it failed and she lost her vote, which was needed.
Immunity Winner Week #7
Players in the Hot Seat - Evvie, Deshawn, and Sydney
Possible Advantages in Play - Liana possessed the "Knowledge is Power" advantage. Xander and Shan both possessed an extra vote and an immunity idol. Naseer possessed an Immunity Idol, and Deshawn possessed an extra vote. Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune.
Did Any Drama Occur? - Coming in, Liana planned to use her "Knowledge is power" advantage to take away Xander's immunity idol, turning on her old tribe, and voting out Evvie. But her plan was spoiled when Tiffany told the old YASA that Liana was hiding the advantage and had turned on them, joining Shan. So they planned to trick her into asking Xander for the advantage, and he would instead give her a fake idol. This worked to perfection and Liana looked like an idiot. This caused the voting block of Liana, Shan, Danny, Deshawn, and Naseer to scramble and we got a live tribal, where everyone got up and talked about the vote in groups. It was nuts. And because the half the tribe was immune and there were so few options, the discussions were rapid and tight!
By a Vote of 5-4-3
Sydney has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Xander bluffed everyone, making them believe that he gave Evvie his immunity idol, therefore she would be safe from the vote. So as old YASA pointed their aim at voting out Deshawn, the old LUVU and UA tribes bound together to split the votes between Evvie and Sydney. This would have flushed the immunity idol had the vote been tied between Sydney and Evvie, but the problem is Sydney got cold feet and played her shot in the dark, which meant she could not vote. Had she voted against Evvie, it would have been a 5-5-3 vote, and in the revote, everyone of YASA would have stacked their votes on Evvie and sent her home. But Sydney messed that up by playing her shot in the dark and she was instead voted out. Crazy.
Week #6
Immunity Winners Week #6
Instead of a regular merge, the players picked a buff out of a bag and divided everyone into three groups, with five players on a blue team (Danny, Deshawn, Sydney, Ricard, Evvie) and five players on a yellow team (Xander, Tiffany, Liana, Shan, and Heather) and two players on no team (Naseer and Erika).
The team who won the challenge (Blue) automatically made the merge, and the team who didn't (Yellow) would have to compete for individual immunity and then vote someone out before said merge happened. Also, the team who won (Blue) then selected one person who sat out the challenge to join them at the feast with a FastPass to the merge (Naseer), and then had to send the other person to Exile Island for two nights (Erika).
Erika was offered a massive power: the power to completely flip everything so that she as well as those who lost the challenge were all safe and on to the merge, while those who won the challenge (and Naseer) now had to compete for individual immunity with one of them being voted out before the official merge.
My Favorite Player(s) of the Week
For those who watch Big Brother like I do, the six Black contestants on that show this summer all formed an alliance and trounced the competition, ousting everyone else and making the show's final six its most dominant alliance ever. And here we had Shan, Liana, Danny, and Deshawn talking about essentially doing the same thing. Whether they are all actually on board remains to be seen, but allow me to say this: If they do all join forces and ride it all the way to the final four, I do not want to hear a single garbage cry of "reverse racism" or any of that absolute nonsense. If you have a problem with four Black contestants aligning after 40 seasons' worth of all-white alliances, then it is time to turn off your television and take a long hard look in the mirror.
Week #5
Tribal Immunity Winners Week #5
Knowledge is Power
This week's advantage was awarded when a player from two different tribes were taken to another island where they are given a choice between protecting or risking their vote on their next visit to Tribal Council. If both chose to "protect", they kept their votes. If both chose to "risk", neither of them would be able to vote at their next Tribal Council. If there is a split decision, the person who chose "protect" got to keep their vote, and the one who chose "risk" would get an advantage.
Knowledge is Power: A player may ask another if they possess a Hidden Immunity Idol or an advantage at Tribal Council in which the other party cannot lie. If they do have either, the asker may steal it from them. If the player asked does not have either, the advantage is rendered powerless. In the event that the player asked has more than one advantage in possession, it is up to them which advantage to give up and they do not need to reveal every advantage they have. This advantage can be played until there are six players left.
My Favorite Player of the Week
Naseer is my MVP of the week because not only has he been an asset around camp that his tribe can't get rid of, but he was the sole reason, for two weeks in a row, that Danny and Deshawn couldn't throw the Challenge. He wouldn't have it. He is determined to keep the tribe strong, and he won the immunity challenge for Luvu. Then the best part was the flashback to him finding the secret advantage. LOL!! "I'm confused as a goat on Astroturf!!" Now heading into a possible merge, Naseer has a secret idol and strong allies. Great week for him.
Possible Advantages in Play - Each player could choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune from elimination. Shan possessed JD's extra vote and an immunity idol after completing the three person secret mission at the last immunity challenge.
Did Any Drama Occur? - It basically came down to the decision for Shan to stick with Ricard and vote out Genie or join Genie and blindside Ricard. Shan is the power player here, and she did everything possible to make sure Genie didn't feel unsecure enough to roll her dice.
By a Vote of 2-1
Genie has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Shan chose to stick with Ricard, who she has been with from the beginning. Genie got played, as they conspired to sneak and open her secret advantage and activated it without her knowledge. It was a straight forward vote in reality but Shan did a great job making Genie think it wasn't. Now they are down to 2.
Week #4
Tribal Immunity Winners Week #4
My Favorite Player of the Week
At this point, is it really a question of who is my MVP of the week? Shan once again was masterful. Not only was she the brain behind everything that happened this week with the elimination of JD, but she was hilarious and so entertaining in the process. We got the return of the Shan-them, the little song she hums when she's doing evil, and it was glorious! Shan had her choice of voting our Genie or JD this week and she did so in such a fun way. The masterful way she swindled JD out of his extra vote and manipulated him into believing that she thought she was in trouble was so hilarious, because it should have never worked! But she knew that JD would fall for it. I loved this so much. Shan is the type of player that could go all the way, or be taken out once people know just how dangerous she is. I am excited to see how far she can take this.
Players in the Hot Seat - JD and Genie were both in danger heading into tribal.
Possible Advantages in Play - No powers in play but each person can choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune from elimination. In addition, Shan tricked JD into giving her his extra vote advantage for safe keeping prior to tribal counsel as a sign of.... trust.
Did Any Drama Occur? - Genie was clearly on the outs and the apparent boot after the tribe blindsided her and voted out Brad last week. But before tribal she told JD she was thinking of playing her shot in the dark, and they they could vote out Ricard. JD runs straight to Ricard to blab. Shan worries that JD will work with Genie, and since she knows about his extra vote advantage, she starts scheming. She purposely tells JD that she thinks he’s plotting against her, but really, it’s a ploy to get him to hand over his advantage again. Much of tribal was both tribal to fake out the other making it seem like they knew they were the target, when really, they didn't.
By a Vote of 3-1
JD has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - In the end JD is blindsided and voted out by Genie, Ricard, and Shan. He's stunned. Voted out and Shan has his advantage in her pocket. Should Shan have kept JD longer, maybe, but he was such a loose cannon and unpredictable. Genie is far more steady and predictable. Sad to see JD go as he was train wreck fun and brought a lot of enjoyment to the show.
Week #3
This week, advantages were hidden at all three camps, some in plain sight, in packages labeled, "Beware Advantage", the contents of which may only be obtained if its finder opened it and did what the note said.
If the finder opted to open the package they had to leave camp secretly in the middle of the night and board a boat to another island.
If they chose not to complete the mission, they would lose their vote at tribal.
The finder from all three tribes met and had another "Prisoner's Dilemma", where they had to choose whether to vie for a tarp for their tribe or opt for the "Steal A Vote" advantage.
If all three choose tarp, they keep their votes, no advantage is in play.
If all three choose advantage, none of them will be able to vote.
If there is a split decision, those who chose tarp get to keep their votes, but those who chose to go for the advantage will get the "Steal A Vote".
Tribal Immunity Winners Week #3
My Favorite Player of the Week
For the second time in three weeks, Shan is once again my favorite player of the week. This woman is very intelligent and the way she maneuvers and makes bonds with people is extremely impressive. This week displayed such a great example of her magnetism, as she once again found herself as the deciding factor on who was going home, and was able to sell it in such away that made it seem like the decision was extremely difficult for her to turn on one of her allies, when in fact she basically had final two's with everyone on the tribe.
The fact that Brad chose to tell Shan about not one but both of the advantages he found, even after he didn't even tell Genie, his supposed number one about one of them, only is a testament of how she draws each person in and disarms them. Its pretty scary considering she's a Pastor and so good at the lying and deceit part, LOL. Then for her to spot JD's advantage in his pants and pull him up about not telling her, and making him feel bad about it, while making him indebted to her forever, was MASTERFUL. And to top it off, he gave her the damn advantage to hold as collateral. Wow, wow, wow. Shan was sensational.
Players in the Hot Seat - JD and Brad were both in danger heading into tribal.
Possible Advantages in Play - Brad opted to take the Beware Advantage, and now will not be able to vote until a member from the two other tribes finds the advantage and says the secret phrase at the Immunity Challenge. In addition, Brad was awarded the secret "Steal a Vote" advantage by completing the secret mission. However all three phrases have not been said and since Brad can not vote, he can not steal a vote. No powers in play but each person can choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune from elimination.
Did Any Drama Occur? - The biggest drama surrounded JD, who was the obvious target heading into Tribal. JD messed up in the immunity challenge and basically took the blame for not being able to throw the sandbags on the platform after talking a big game beforehand. He basically threw himself on the mercy of the tribe and gave a very touching speech about how Survivor helped him his whole life to have confidence and overcome being a nerdy guy who was bullied. It was a hell of a speech. But Shan, whom I think was acting so that Brad wouldn't know he was the real target and use any of his advantages, was still hard on JD for lying and burning the bridge. It was a masterful decoy performance. Elsewhere, there is beef between Ricard and Genie, as Ricard reference how Genie voted for him at the first tribal, and how they didn't trust each other. There was a lot of info here.
By a Vote of 3-1
Brad has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - In the end Brad was voted out by JD, Ricard, and Shan. It made sense that they went this way and got Brad out of the game while none of his advantages were active and while he was disarmed. Shan and Ricard decided to basically hold JD hostage, as he owes them for saving him, and he needs to whatever he can to regain their trust. This completed an excellent week for Shan in my opinion.
Week #2
Disguised as the "Beware Advantage", the player who finds it may either open its package and do what it says, or leave it unopened in its hiding place.
If the player decides to open the advantage, it reveals a piece of the Hidden Immunity Idol, but it remains powerless unless the idols from the other camps had found theirs.
To activate the idol, all three finders must dictate their respective code phrases written in the note that came with their idol before an Immunity Challenge.
If the code phrases were not completed, the idol remained powerless, and its owner will be indefinitely blocked from voting at Tribal Council.
Tribal Immunity Winners Week #2
My Favorite Player of the Week
My favorite player from the week was Evvie, who was pretty much masterful at every turn throughout the episode. Not only was Evvie directly in the middle and the swing between the men and women on the YASA tribe, but she was able to make a connection and share information with Deshawn from the LUVU tribe, which will undoubtedly pay off dividends down the road. Evvie took the information Xander gave her about his advantages and leveraged it for collateral of her own. It was genius. Then she could chose if she wanted to send Xander home as Tiffany Liana wanted, send David home as Tiffany wanted, or just send Tiffany home as both the men wanted. She truly was able to balance the power of information and set herself up as the most powerful person on the YASA tribe. Great week for Evvie and I'm excited to see how far she can go.
Players in the Hot Seat - Tiffany, David, and Xander were all in danger heading into tribal.
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander opted to take the Beware Advantage, and now will not be able to vote until a member from the two other tribes finds the advantage and says the secret phrase at the Immunity Challenge. Each person can choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune from elimination.
Did Any Drama Occur? - Evvie and Liana tried to assure Tiffany that they had her back and that voting out Xander, while they know his advantage wouldn't save him, was the best move. But she was completely unwilling to listen or compromise and really could have gotten herself voted out for being difficult to deal with.
By a Vote of 3-1
David has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - The women stuck together. Tiffany insisted that the women vote out David instead of Xander, because she didn't trust that Xander wouldn't use an advantage to save himself. This was a dumb move because it showed a lack of trust by Tiffany towards Evvie, who told Tiffany that she saw the advantage Xander has, and tried to assure Tiffany that there was no way for him to save himself. But Tiffany would not compromise. I would not be surprised that if they lose again, Liana and Evvie could decide to cut Tiffany as not only was she a headache to collaborate with, but she was terrible in every challenge they have competed in.
Week #1
On Day 3, only the first place tribe won immunity, sending both losing tribes to Tribal Council to vote out one person each. Time will tell if this continues until the merge, but if this sticks, a strong team is most important.
By sacrificing your vote at Tribal Council, a player in trouble may invoke this advantage for a chance to be immune from the vote. While the chance of a favorable outcome is slim, if successful, the Shot in the Dark acts as a Hidden Immunity Idol. Each player has a chance to play it one time, while they are in the voting booth.
On Day 2, one member from each tribe were whisked to a separate island where they were given a "prisoner's dilemma" between protecting or risking their votes on their first trip to Tribal Council.
If all three choose "protect", they keep their votes.
If all three choose "risk", none of them will be able to vote.
If there is a split decision, those who chose "protect" get to keep their votes
Those who chose "risk" will get an extra vote.
Tribal Immunity Winners Week #1
My Favorite Player of the Week
My favorite player from week one is the Pastor from DC, Shantel Smith. Shan popped on the screen in the premiere and was both strategic, funny, endearing, and central to the action. Her confessional where she described the song she hums in her head when she's up to no good was GLOURIOUS!!! LOL!! I loved it! And even though she was on the puzzle when her tribe failed to win the immunity challenge, she somehow found herself as the swing vote and the most powerful position. I think Shan will be a major player in this game.
Players in the Hot Seat - Eric and Tiffany were both in danger heading into tribal.
Possible Advantages in Play - Xander earned the Extra Vote by risking his vote correctly in the Prisoner's dilemma challenge. He decided to hold on to it and can play it at a later date. Each person can choose to roll their "Shot in the Dark" die for a 1-6 chance to be immune from elimination.
Did Any Drama Occur? - No real fireworks, just Eric explaining why he believed they needed to keep the tribe strong by voting out Tiffany and Tiffany defending herself and her worth to the tribe over Eric.
By a Vote of 5-1
Eric has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - The women of the tribe, mainly Evvie, were able to convince the other guys to keep Tiffany over Eric. Eric was pushing hard for the weak players to go and that made him a target. He was shocked.
Players in the Hot Seat - Shantel and Sara failed on the puzzle in the immunity challenge. JD (Jarious) was a target of Ricard and Sara because he talks to much and they don't trust him for some reason. And Brad made himself a target because he told Sara and Shantel to their face that they were on the chopping block.
Possible Advantages in Play - JD earned the Extra Vote by risking his vote correctly in the Prisoner's dilemma challenge. He decided to hold on to it and can play it at a later date.
Did Any Drama Occur? - This was a live tribal, as while JD was talking whispering and discussion emerged from Ricard, Sara, and Shantel. A full out chaotic discussion broke out between the player and they got up and talked to each other about the vote. Shantel assured JD they she has him and is loyal to him. Brad told JD that nothing changed and they needed to stick to the plan. Sara tried to get involved but was shut out.
By a Vote of 4-1-1
Sara has been Voted Out
What was the reason? - Sara and Ricard were openly targeting JD, and that was relayed back to him by Shan and Brad. Those three appear to be an alliance. But Ricard, who earlier was against JD, voted with them, so clearly we missed something. And Genie voted against Ricard, so it appeared she was out the loop, but throughout the episode it appeared she was closely aligned with Shan, so I don't know about that one. Should be some fall out.
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