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While some tutors naturally gravitate to certain subjects, Jonathan has been a fixture in NY tutoring for so long and has worked with so many students and trained so many tutors, that he is truly a jack of all trades. His motto is, “I will take care of your child,” and all that that entails. All tutors love students who want to do the work. Very few tutors, like Jonathan, will text your student every day to see if he has done his homework, or will show up during practice tests to observe students while they test.
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I had eight days until I was going to be taking the GRE for the second time. I had tried other tutors previously who did not understand my learning style and did not provide the tools I needed to succeed. I was juggling finishing my applications for business school and polishing essays. If things did not go well – I was not going to be applying for my MBA this year. There was a lot going on in my life. I desperately needed to find the right person. Enter Jonathan Arak. Everything I ever wanted from previous tutors – and lacked, Jonathan possessed, exceeding my wildest expectations. He tailored our sessions to how I learned – something deeply meaningful for someone coming from a learning disabled background. He taught me the effective strategies to excel on the exam – even going above and beyond what other tutors did – even something as simple as organizing scratch paper. Each day on our tight schedule, he was attentive and available, texting me about homework and problems, inquiring if I had completed my assignments or had any questions. More than anything he was kind, patient, and helped me get in the proper mindset to do well on the exam. Jonathan gave me a fighting chance to get into business school this year. He is part tutor, part psychiatrist, and all around great individual. He is hands down the most expensive tutor I have ever used, but he is worth every penny. Thanks! Rob Feder
I could tell from the start that Jonathan was going to be good. In our first session, he completely revamped my test taking methodology, introducing tricks to deal with timing and ways to make informed yet quick decisions on difficult questions. Our sessions started by taking a bird’s-eye view of the test as a whole, with Jonathan making sure I developed a fundamental base that I could build upon as the weeks went by. We gradually drilled down into the finest and most nuanced points of the test, going topic by topic. I was almost waiting to get to a concept that Jonathan couldn’t explain by either providing an example that was impossible to forget or yelling the answer loudly enough in my ear that it would be ringing until test day (if you don’t get the humor, this worked like a charm). That was probably the most impressive part to me – we never found a topic that he couldn’t explain. Jonathan was extremely patient and not only put in the effort to explain every lesson to me, but also clearly considered my learning style and catered to it. The results speak for themselves as I was able to improve my score significantly. I would recommend Jonathan to anyone taking the GMAT or any other test for which he offers tutoring services. Best, David B.
COMMENTS FROM MOTHER OF STUDENT(names deleted by request):
Meant to say—you should know you were the turning point for him academically. He said after his week with you that he had learned he could get much better at something difficult if he simply worked hard at it, and I have seen him applying that ever since. Since he is used to so much coming easily to him (sports, social life, elementary school), he has been very lucky to have learned it without a major disaster first. You must see how much parents want to get you for their kid. It’s because you are like this force of nature arriving and taking the kid to a different mental plane (you don’t fit the category of everyone else in their lives—parents, teachers, everyone adult and conventional—so you really impact them). I am sure you make an enormous difference in most of the kids’ lives. It was so obvious with my son because, in spite of the fact that he was not continuing with the SATs, he himself felt the time with you had been so worthwhile, and I watched him suddenly becoming someone confident that he could achieve things with hard work. That lesson means more than anything else he could have learned! I don’t know if we mentioned he’s been accepted for pre-med at Kings College London–I promise you that he would never be training to be a doctor without that time with you. I’m sure there are many, many other kids who have grown into different people because of you.
Note: Student did go on to achieve a 2110 on the SAT, attended USC, and returned for GMAT prep in 2019.
Education
Bachelor of Arts, Political Science, Minor in Theatre
Hunter College High School
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You are here: Home / Politics / Sen. Jennings: Responsible School Discipline Bill Addresses “Overreactions by School Officials”
Sen. Jennings: Responsible School Discipline Bill Addresses “Overreactions by School Officials”
March 7, 2013 By Dagger News Service
In the wake of several high-profile tragic events, there is a heightened level of sensitivity and awareness in our schools. This has led to countless incidents nationwide involving questionable judgment with respect to discipline issued to elementary school children by teachers and education officials. At least two incidents have occurred recently within our great State of Maryland. I believe these are overreactions by school officials.
While the motivations may be genuine, there has been little argument that suspensions for a piece of paper that looks like a “phaser gun” or a Pop-Tart that may have resembled some kind of firearm are overreactions when put in the youthful context of a 6 to 12 year old elementary school child.
This bill entitled “The Responsible School Discipline Act of 2013”, Senate Bill 1058 sets forth clear, straightforward guidelines on what is and what is not acceptable when handling matters that amount to “children being children”. The bill prescribes an appropriate discipline that must be adhered to during counseling students of all grade levels in any Maryland school that uses public funds. If we wait too long, this type of reaction will become the standard response by school administrators only serving to perpetuate fear amongst our young students, not to mention putting marks on permanent academic records that are neither appropriate nor warranted.
The bill includes a counseling and disciplinary protocol for violations by school administrators. Another key provision makes it impossible for minor incidents such as those in the recent news from being entered into the students’ permanent academic record, unless it involves an upper-school student intent on repeatedly violating school policies with regards to firearms and/or violence. This bill does not alter guidelines for direct acts of violent behavior whether involving firearm facsimiles or other devices.
The resolution is straightforward, easy to understand, and offers the school systems flexibility when dealing with incidents that are clearly more serious. This bill also offers immediate resolution paths for the parent(s); they may appeal expeditiously with their respective school boards.
Comments
Rachel says
March 8, 2013 at 7:27 am
CDEV says
March 8, 2013 at 11:22 am
It’s out of control but laws wont fix it. It got out of control because of zero tolerance laws and people who stopped letting administrators use some common sense.
Monster says
March 8, 2013 at 3:03 pm
CDEV, I don’t usually agree with you, but do this time. We don’t trust anyone to make decisions any more. Because principals and school leaders are challenged so much, Boards have resorted to zero tolerance policies to head off suits. As a result we end up with stupid actions that could have been prevented had an administrator been allowed to think and use his educated judgement. I am amazed that the general public thinks that administrators get up every morning thinking to themselves ” how can I screw up kids today?”
ALEX R says
March 8, 2013 at 7:32 am
CDEV doesn;t think so. Probably Abingdon Teacher doesn’t think so either. Remember, school officials hate it when the electorate try to rein them in. I doubt the bill will pass in The People’s Republic of Maryland.
AbingdonTeacher says
March 8, 2013 at 7:45 am
If you read my earlier comment on this explaining your mistake in calling it a “curriculum” issue when the child was suspended, you would have seen that I thought that the punishment was ridiculous. I’m all for fair and reasonable discipline policies. Suspending an elementary school kid for just being a kid is just not smart.
CDEV says
March 8, 2013 at 11:18 am
Actually I think it is but the problem is other laws which created mandatory penelties. I think the Delegates bill attempts to start addressing this but is out of touch with the reality of a school. If a kid in a gang makes a gun shape and threatens another student with it based on his policy you can not do anything other then give him detention. Perhaps he should seek input from people in schools to find out how to address the problem…..
Fed up says
March 8, 2013 at 7:40 am
A “bill” and policy is what got us into this mess. Do away with “zero tolerance” attitudes and allow some common sense to seep back into the schools and we may actually have progress to where we used to be. Hmmm – maybe these policies weren’t progress afterall?
Ridiculousness says
March 8, 2013 at 9:02 am
While I appreciate Sen Jennings effort to act upon this stupidity, the last thing we need is more paperwork, more laws to jumble an already confusing system of regulations. While this sort of knee jerk reaction of discipline is out of control, so is the writing of Bills to pass into law to counter them. Less Government… that’s what the people are trying to tell you all!!! I throw up my hands to it all… I would love to see the numb minded employees who punished these children so harshly disciplined (written up) for doing so, when a gentle word to the child would have sufficed, and I don’t think another law is required to do it. These matters should have been interceded and put to rest for what they were (a simple act of play) at the next level up, when the behavior of the child was brought to the attention of the administrators. If the people running our schools are so over the top that a pop tart gun is reason to suspend a little boy, maybe we need to wipe the slate and replace them with people who can think for themselves and discern real threat from imaginative play, which used to be a positive thing. It’s a disgrace.
Cdev says
March 10, 2013 at 4:08 pm
The problem is other regulations and laws, by people who have not been in a school sense they graduated, took the ability for teachers and administrators to actually excercise their own judgement.
former teacher says
March 8, 2013 at 10:37 am
Talk about knee-jerk reactions? You need a bill to legislate common sense? Either you have it or you don’t. I can give you hundreds and hundreds of examples of teachers daily doing what is good and helpful to our students. But, I guess the public isn’t interested in them because it is so much more fun to believe that teachers as a group are incompetent.
ALEX R says
March 10, 2013 at 9:37 am
Former Teacher, So what is your solution? How do we get administrators/teachers to act with common sense? And when they don’t, like the Anne Arundle Pop Tart incident, then what do we do? Believe me it is no fun at all to believe the group responsible for educating your children in the public schools are incompetent. We expect the school system to regulate itself so that these silly incidents don’t happen but the incidents continue. So I guess we as taxpayers and ‘consumers’ of public education have decided we have make them act like they should be acting by passing laws.
Monster says
March 10, 2013 at 9:45 pm
Alex R., I usually agree with you, but not on your comments above. You want to blame someone, blame the politicians who try to legislate crap; blame the lawyers who are happy to sue at the drop of a hat; blame the judges who too often side with the philosophy that someone else is at fault, etc. Boards have made these crazy no tolerance policies to avoid the above, but take away the common sense judgement of the people who run schools. Teachers and administrators are victims of these zero tolerance policies, so don’t blame them. We as a society don’t trust anyone to make decisions anymore. You are seeing the result of this when a child is suspended for making a pop tart gun.
ALEX R says
March 11, 2013 at 7:09 am
Monster, I agree there is plenty of blame to go around. But if it were my 8 year old that became the victim of this stupidity then I don’t care how it came about, I’m looking for justice. And justice is not a 2 day suspension for eating a Pop Tart that accidently ends up looking like a gun if you really stretch your imagination.
Cdev says
March 11, 2013 at 7:20 am
Alex I understand that the person wants justice but in fairness it didn’t Accidently end up that way and even if the eating pattern was happenstance the kid recognized the shape and started pretending to use it as such. I agree that a suspension was not warentted here but a bill is what got us in this siutuation and the only bill that will solve it is to repeal the old one not a new one.
ALEX R says
March 11, 2013 at 9:30 am
And when was the last time a bill was repealed? I suppose at the end of the day the only thing that will make the school systems, including their leadership and administrators, really take notice is more lawsuits. Unfortunately the taxpayers foot the bill for the legal defense of the school systems and for the settlement payments. Even if some of the lawsuits aren’t successful they bring negative publicity to the school systems and continually expose the stupidity. Some of the lawsuits will settle out of court for some payment but the lawyers still get a payday.
CDEV, these are grown adults that hold themselves forth as highly educated professionals.
Cdev says
March 11, 2013 at 1:29 pm
I agree the legislators who force these policies are grown adults. They need to accept responsibility. The principal and teacher are simply following the law!
ALEX R says
March 11, 2013 at 1:52 pm
CDEV, I was referring to the administrators and teachers when I said grown adults who hold themselves forth to be professionals with advanced degrees. They are the people that need to exercise common sense. I don’t expect common sense from elected politicians. Show me the wording in any Federal or Maryland State law (code reference please) that says if an 8 year old accidentally eats a Pop Tart that turns out to look like someone’s idea of a gun a 2 day suspension is mandatory. That’s someone’s interpretation with a lot of CYA added. Do teachers and administrators not realize it is stuff like this that makes people hold the lot of them in derision?
Monster says
March 11, 2013 at 8:21 pm
Alex, I think you missed my point. Administrators and teachers don’t want students suspended for making a pop tart look like a gun either. The boards of education pass these zero tolerance policies. It is these policies that take away the common sense decision-making ability of administrators…much like those who want to ban guns in the belief that this will stop violence.
ALEX R says
March 12, 2013 at 8:10 am
Monster, well then they can’t maintain their credibility as professionals and do stupid stuff like that at the same time. I don’t care who told them what.
Cdev says
March 12, 2013 at 2:52 pm
who told them? Well since the BOE is elected….the voters and GA (who was elected) told them!
Monster says
March 12, 2013 at 6:01 pm
Alex, you just don’t want to give up on this, do you? You are missing the point each time you respond. I have come to respect your posts, but am quite disappointed with your current position. Why don’t you attend a Board of Education meeting in
Bel Air and state your support of principals and teachers being smart enough to decide on the Board’s policies and stop the zero tolerance bit. That is why this crazy decision of a pop tart looking like a gun happens- Zero Tolerance.
ALEX R says
March 13, 2013 at 6:36 am
Cdev and Monster, I get your point. Really I do. But this wasn’t a real gun, or a plastic or wooden toy made to look like a gun. It wasn’t a water pistol. It was a POP TART! There is no way anyone in the real world could have mistaken this for a gun. You guys think I need to give the administrators a pass on this because of some zero tolerance policy. I’m not giving them a pass. If the policy is stupid then that’s between them and their superiors, all the way up the line thru the Superintendent to the BOE if that’s where it starts. These folks are educational professionals with advanced degrees and they will go to great lengths to tell you so. And when they don’t go to great lengths Ryan Burbey will.
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 9:04 am
What happens in the private sector when you think your bosses policy is “stupid” and you don’t follow it. You talk about how education needs to mirror the private sector. The people who elected the BOE, the BOE, The Superintendent developed this policy in Anne Arundel County. In Harford County you will notice that principals can not expell students. The worst they can do is refer them to the superintendent for further disiplinary action. It is there that he makes those decision. I do not agree with this; but most of these zero tolerance policies where mandated by politicians and MSDE.
?? says
March 13, 2013 at 7:12 am
Monster, Can you cite the HCPS school board policy that states the zero tolerance approach you say exists?
Monster says
March 13, 2013 at 12:14 pm
???, I don’t believe that HCPS has such a policy regarding guns. I don’t know about other counties, such as Anne Arundel where the infamous pop tart incident occurred. Let the school administrators decide and avoid zero tolerance policies, that is my point.
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 12:55 pm
Maryland has a zero tolerence policy which is legislated by COMAR 13A.08.01.12-1
Paul Mc says
March 13, 2013 at 1:46 pm
COMAR 13A.08.01.12-1 refers, specifically, to a firearm, as defined by 18 USC 921. A firearm, as defined, is any weapon (including a starter gun) which will or is designed to or may readily be converted to expel a projectile by the action of an explosive (there is more to the definition, but nothing applicable).
Even with a zero tolerance policy, there would be no reason under this specific code to suspend or expel a student.
There may be a different policy to which the suspensions are based.
KEESHA JACKSON says
March 13, 2013 at 4:05 pm
So is it reasonable to assume that a Pop Tart can’t expel a projectile?
Maybe the educational establishment stretched a point and believe that it might ‘expel a projectile’ once it reaches your lower intestine? Ha ha, these guys crack me up. And, Cdev, the point is this – it is a freaking Pop Tart! That’s the point. It’s not a gun. It’s not dangerous. Any anyone who participates in this comedy deserves whatever derision they get. From the BOE to the Superintendent to the administrator. When people do stupid things they don’t get to say ‘the devil made me do it.’ That’s the point and the only point. And that’s what led to this legislation.
?? says
March 13, 2013 at 4:42 pm
Monster, If no zero tolerance policy exists that would specify suspension for this type of incident then wouldn’t the problem be with the inappropriate disciplinary measure issued by the school principal? In other words the principal used poor judgement and therefore we should not indict an entire school system. Absent such a specific school system wide policy other principals probably would have, and this particular principal could have, handled the situation differently.
CDEV, I have looked at the COMAR regulation you referenced. It specifically says “firearm” and I found no reference to a facsimile of a firearm.
?? says
March 13, 2013 at 4:59 pm
KEESHA, The reality is that the superintendent and BOE probably had no knowledge of this situation until after the media got hold of the information. Minor suspensions (as determined by the number of days) is most usually handled at the principals level and goes no further. The parents have the right of appeal up the chain all the way through the local BOE and even to the State BOE if they are not satisfied with the result. I would think and hope that someone up the chain will reverse the principals decision before it is ultimately reversed by what will probably be a local BOE that is rather annoyed that they even had to deal with this matter. Superintendents and school boards are not always to blame for these types of situations, but if they fail to correct them then they certainly should share in that blame.
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 9:16 pm
The question was a zero tolerence policy not applicable tothe pop tart. I now HCPS has one on weapons and misrepresentation just like they have one on drugs and misrepresentation (i.e. pretending your japanesse maple leaf is pot).
?? says
March 13, 2013 at 9:56 pm
Cdev says
March 14, 2013 at 9:05 am
pg 19 and 20 of your calander which can be found here!
Pay particular attention to the CDS policy and weapon policy and reconcile that with the Gang, Bullying and Dress Code!
Thee use of the word Administrator will in the policy manual. It is a summary of this document on which pg 13 there is no wiggle room for the principal.
Bruce says
March 8, 2013 at 10:55 am
Ridiculousness, Senator Jennings probably agrees with you. Everyone, seemingly, but those with the power to do anything about it agrees that a sensible “stop it” would be better than all of this. Those with common sense have to voice outrage some how, and Senator Jennings bill is the best way to do it. Hopefully it will get people talking about it and make an administrator think twice next time. If it actually passes, it would be the one bill of over-regulation that at least makes sense.
Michael Dorn says
March 10, 2013 at 7:28 am
If these so-called “educated” individuals had exercised some common sense, we would not even be having this discussion. Apparently the number of degrees you have in inversely proportional to your level of common sense.
KEESHA JACKSON says
March 12, 2013 at 11:21 am
Common sense? That is no longer part of the requirement to work in the school system. In fact when you go to work in the school system each day it is one of the things you must leave at home. And be careful how you eat that Pop Tart.
RTFU says
March 13, 2013 at 6:36 pm
Sadly, you are correct, Michael. I think it is because our current educators are in fear of reprisal from school officials for “thinking outside the box”. Anything not written in black and white is strictly frowned upon as it may lead to lawsuits…or better yet, “SMARTER KIDS!!!!!”
Heaven forbid we have teachers who can think on their own.
Did Al Gore invent the Internet? says
March 10, 2013 at 12:09 pm
We need a law that you must not stop eating food once you start.
KEESHA JACKSON says
March 12, 2013 at 11:18 am
I just noticed that the outline of the states of Oklahoma and Idaho and Florida look kinda like a gun. Should we expel them from the union for 2 days? We certainly can’t reference them in Geography class or whatever they call it now.
The Dude says
March 13, 2013 at 6:37 pm
…and Maryland looks like a buttcrack, guess we are screwed!
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 9:11 pm
And West Virginia is giving you the finger!
Monster says
March 12, 2013 at 6:09 pm
Keesha, you are exhibiting your dislike for education. You have managed to indict a lot of good people with a careless and irresponsible comment. That is your right. Continue to hide behind your computer and spew your disrespect to the people, the majority of whom work extremely hard to do a difficult job. My question to you, How many Board of Education meetings have you attended to offer your opinion?
KEESHA JACKSON says
March 13, 2013 at 6:45 am
Monster, I’m not indicting any one. I am subjecting to ridicule the actions of people who did something stupid. I expect 8 year olds to do something stupid once in awhile. I don’t expect teachers and principals and administrators to compund the stupidity. I don’t dislike education. I dislike the minority of educators that do stupid things and by doing stupid things reflect poorly on “the majority of whom work extremely hard to do a difficult job.”
Monster says
March 13, 2013 at 12:18 pm
Keesha, you also are missing the point.
The Dude says
March 13, 2013 at 6:38 pm
Well, Monster, I guess I am too.
What is the point? That she is merely injecting a sense of sarcasm to a whole scenario of events that have actually happened, and deserve to be on “America’s Dumbest Scandals”?
concerned says
March 12, 2013 at 10:06 pm
Before we “jump to conclusions” and blame the school/administrators, I think we need to realize that we only have one side of the story. We do not know the entire incidents that lead to these suspensions due to confidentiality issues. The only side that has been shown in the paper is the family/student’s. There may be a very good rationale behind these consequences, we are just not aware of the facts. Just because a student is young does not mean that a serious offense could not have occurred.
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 12:57 pm
His apperance on O’Riley was interesting. I am not sure I agree with his dad’ view that there should have been NO consequence but suspension may have been a bit harsh.
Kharn says
March 13, 2013 at 5:41 pm
If a student is being disruptive with his food, make him eat in a secluded area for a few days, don’t make a fool of your school system by suspending him.
Cdev says
March 13, 2013 at 9:09 pm
No a bit more harsh than that. He clearly was aware and willfully using it like a play gun and shoting it at a person. Some counseling during detention would be in order. Alas the principal and teacher followed the policy the beef is with the BOE who set the policy. Despite his dad’s claim that the teacher singled his kid out.
Kharn says
March 14, 2013 at 7:56 am
Ever watch a boy play with a stick? Within 20 minutes he’ll probably point it at someone and say “bang!” or swing it like a sword.
Boys will be boys, stop thinking they should be robots. A simple “Johnny, that is not appropriate for lunch time, save it for recess or after school” works wonders.
Cdev says
March 14, 2013 at 8:43 am
OK but as I said this is a zero tolerance policy because at the opposite end we have a gang banger who is intimidating a kid with his fingers threatening to kill him later. We took the discression out of the principals hand with a zero tolerance policy. We treat them all the same. We are also assuming the other kid was playing along what if that is not the case. What if your kid came home upset because he was not playing and said Johnny pointed a play gun at me and said he was going to shot me. I am sure that is the kid being emotional about it but what if he is not. This is what lead us to this predicerment we stopped letting the principals and teachers make those decisions!!!! All this law does is change the consequences of the zero tolerance policy. We are still left with zero tolerance and we have tied the hands of the principal from actually removing the dangerous kid (the one who intends on intimedating someone) because now his actions can not get him suspended. A gang kid who wears a shirt to school with someone with a gun designed to do so is protected by this law from being dealt with appropriately.
I understand the intent of the legislation and support it but I think the Senator should have consulted people who actually have to implement this policy. He didn’t he created hasty legilation to react to a few specific incidents.
Furthermore if he had really looked he would see MSDE started looking at this issue a year ago in light of the Talbot county kids who had a multi-tool for LAX in their bag.
?? says
March 14, 2013 at 9:03 am
Once again you keep says there is a zero tolerance policy in this situation,. Please cite the school board policy you claim exists.
Cdev says
March 14, 2013 at 9:09 am
This is Anne Arundel and I am not familiar with their internal procedures but I take them at their word that one exists. I showed you the HCPS one. Most schools have one persuant to the same laws cited in the HCPS Policy manual linked above! So the Senators solution is more laws further removing the actual people in the schools ability to make decisions for themselves.
?? says
March 14, 2013 at 10:01 am
CDEV, Your commentary gives the impression that you are addressing zero tolerance policies across the entire education landscape. Your cite of HCPS policy only addressed actions regarding “real” firearms on school property as defined by state law. Everyone likes to complain about all these zero tolerance policies (that really do not exist) which is just as bad as the school administrators that think they do and overreact in situations like the pop tart student.
Cdev says
March 14, 2013 at 11:39 am
You realie in our state we have several layers of policy makers. We have Local BOE’s or LEA’s, we have MSDE which was tasked to make educational policy Sometimes MSDE directs all LEA’s to make a policy regarding X. MSDE has directed a policy regarding NO weapons at schools. Additionally the General Assembly makes laws directing all BOE’s to do X which has also happened in some cases they are reduntant, for example Ms. Jacobs proposed reporter law. It already exists and for teachers results in forfiture of liscencing. No where does the Principal get to make a decision. In HCPS student has weapon Principal MUST call suspend student for 10 days to superintendent who will decide what else must happen!
?? says
March 14, 2013 at 1:52 pm
CDEV, At the local level the school board makes policy that sometimes must adhere to federal and state law. The superintendent develops procedure to enforce policy. In the pop tart case the principal had wide discretion over the action taken and used poor judgement in the execution of their responsibility.
Cdev says
March 14, 2013 at 9:26 pm
I would have to read the policy manual for AACPS to know but if the policy manual says the principal will; than their is no descretion. Again I think the penelty was wrong but I don’t subscribe to the kids will be kids theory espoused by dad. Beside this bill decides what the penelties will be for certian infractions. It also assumes the parents will come in for the meeting.
?? says
March 13, 2013 at 5:03 pm
Please tell me how a pop tart could have hurt anyone? Even if other incidents occurred before hand this does not warrant a suspension as disciplinary action.
The Dude says
March 13, 2013 at 6:39 pm
Ummm, what about if it was a rasberry poptart, and he gave it to a studen that was allergic to rasberries? Only, he chewed it into the shape of a pistol before he passed out.
BOOM! WINNING!
obi one kernobee says
March 14, 2013 at 12:03 pm
Time to ban sticks. Reason? They represent a light saber, which is a weapon of mass destruction capable of cutting through feet of steel doors, and deflecting laser blasts.
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Bob, in Uranus | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
““Delay, Delay, Delay – That’s the name of the game. The system is broken. Why should it take nearly a…”
Open Your Eyes | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
“Perfectly legal. Council is part time gig. BOE members can’t be an HCPS employee.”
“I think there is legal issue with receiving two paychecks from the same local government. But beyond that, there is…”
“Bennet says on his website: "Well, I am a believer in bringing heaven down to earth which is why I…”
“I’ve been wondering about that too??”
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“Corrupt behavior by city officials? No way... I can't even imagine it!”
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“”
yayagg | Body-Worn Camera and Dashboard Footage from April’s Fatal Police-Involved Shooting in Harford County Released
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Bob | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
Bob | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
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Bob | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
“This article reads like it was written as a press release by his campaign.”
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“"City reaches 300 homicides for 8th year in a row" https://www.wbaltv.com/article/city-reaches-300-homicides-8th-year-in-a-row/42017401 According to the Fraternal Order of Police, "There are…”
Bob | Harford County Public Schools Students Participating in Harford Community College Dual Enrollment Courses to Receive Free Tuition
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“All you can see is a D behind his name. Your very sick.”
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“Jacob Bennett is an inspiring candidate driven by core values of public service. Very proud of his hard work and…”
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A woman touches a picture of the late Hebe de Bonafini during a ceremony at the Plaza de Mayo in Buenos Aires on November 24, 2022
Thousands of Argentines on Thursday paid tribute to Hebe de Bonafini, who helped found human rights group the Mothers of Plaza de Mayo, as her ashes were scattered in Buenos Aires in the public square where she led demonstrations for decades.
Bonafini, who died Sunday at age 93, helped found the women-led movement in 1977 in defiance of the country's former military dictatorship, demanding the truth about their missing children.
Some 30,000 people were abducted and presumed killed by the regime or right-wing death squads in the 1970s and 1980s for being suspected leftists.
Alongside the disappearances were the widespread kidnappings of babies born to suspected dissidents held under the right-wing dictatorship.
Bonafini last protested in the plaza on November 10 despite frail health, stating that her doctors had authorized the activity because "they know it's good for my health -- that I need the plaza in order to take care of myself."
For 45 years, through multiple governments, the women marched around the Plaza de Mayo in their trademark white headscarves, in an often futile search for justice.
On Thursday, five of her colleagues who are among the last in the aging army, scattered her ashes in the greenery at the foot of an obelisk in the plaza, while the crowd applauded and sang: "Mothers of the plaza, the people embrace you."
Elected officials and a substantial number of women were in the crowd, including many who lived in fear during the brutal 1976-1983 military regime.
"For me, Hebe is a heroine, because looking for the missing is something that few people dared to do," Virginia Garcia, 42, told AFP.
The Plaza de Mayo was adorned with photos of Bonafini and messages such as "We love you Hebe, mother of the people" and "Resisting is fighting, until forever Hebe."
Bonafini, who attended rallies in recent years in her wheelchair, was born in 1928 in Ensenada, a town 60 kilometers (37 miles) from Buenos Aires.
She was a housewife when the military seized power in 1976, ousting Isabel Peron, the wife of late president Juan Peron.
A few months later, she and a small group of women began protesting in front of the Casa Rosada, the pink presidential palace.
The mothers risked the same fate as their political activist children -- torture, death or simply disappearing without a trace. Instead, the generals tried to laugh them off, mocking them as "madwomen."
People attend a tribute for Hebe de Bonafini at the Plaza de in Buenos Aires on November 24, 2022
A man cries at the Plaza de Mayo in Argentina during a ceremony for Hebe de Bonafini on November 24, 2022
© Copyright AFP 2022. All rights reserved.
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This is the most common type of permanent insurance policy. It offers a death benefit along with a savings account. If you pick this type of life insurance policy, you are agreeing to pay a certain amount in premiums on a regular basis for a specific death benefit. The savings element would grow based on dividends the company pays to you.
This type of policy offers you more flexibility than whole life insurance. You may be able to increase the death benefit, if you pass a medical examination. The savings vehicle (called a cash value account) generally earns a money market rate of interest. After money has accumulated in your account, you will also have the option of altering your premium payments – providing there is enough money in your account to cover the costs. This can be a useful feature if your economic situation has suddenly changed. However, you would need to keep in mind that if you stop or reduce your premiums and the saving accumulation gets used up, the policy might lapse and your life insurance coverage will end. You should check with your agent before deciding not to make premium payments for extended periods because you might not have enough cash value to pay the monthly charges to prevent a policy lapse.
This policy combines death protection with a savings account that you can invest in stocks, bonds and money market mutual funds. The value of your policy may grow more quickly, but you also have more risk. If your investments do not perform well, your cash value and death benefit may decrease. Some policies, however, guarantee that your death benefit will not fall below a minimum level.
If you purchase this type of policy, you get the features of variable and universal life policies. You have the investment risks and rewards characteristic of variable life insurance, coupled with the ability to adjust your premiums and death benefit that is characteristic of universal life insurance.
Contact us for all of your insurance needs!
Illinois and Wisconsin residents, at R Hobbs Insurance Agency, we can work with you to make sure you've got the coverage you need, while at the same time using all possible credits and discounts to make that coverage affordable. Just give us a call at (847) 680-0888 or send us a note at chris@rhobbsinsurance.com. We want to help you meet your goals, and make sure what's important to you is protected!
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Thursday, October 2, 2014
Another Tipping Point That Didn't Tip
We're still here and prospering. This prediction was made five years ago, in December, 2009,
Prof. Sackett is an Australian astronomer, not an atmospheric scientist, so I don't know why her tipping point prediction was taken so seriously. In October, 2014, we have:
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Can’t-Wait Wednesday is a weekly meme hosted at Wishful Endings to spotlight and discuss the books we’re excited about that we have yet to read. Generally, they’re books that have yet to be released. It’s based on Waiting on Wednesday, hosted by the fabulous Jill at Breaking the Spine. If you’re continuing with WOW, feel free to link those up as well! Find out more here
I can’t wait for the final book in the Murphy Brothers series by Jennifer Rodewald.
“You were built for hard things.”
Two years after losing the love of his life to cancer, Connor Murphy is slowly emerging from the darkness of grief, but he wrestles with fears about how he and his twelve-year-old son Reid will manage to navigate Reid’s teenage years on their own. Connor’s single-minded prayer has become, please, no more changes, but when single mom Jade Beck arrives to take on the job Sadie Murphy had done before her death, it becomes clear God has stamped his prayer request denied.
Jade Beck’s prayers were answered when she received the offer of a job as Lakeshore Lodge’s marketing and customer relations manager. Or so she thought. After a messy divorce, she and her two children need a safe place to land and find the peace their lives have lacked, but once she meets her abrupt, brooding supervisor, Mr. Connor Murphy, her fresh start suddenly looks a bit…stale. She’s already endured fifteen years living with a condescending man, and she won’t be a doormat anymore.
As the challenges of single parenting continually push them together, Jade and Connor’s relationship gradually transforms from cold and awkward to respectful and mutually supportive…and eventually to something deeper and more tender. But navigating these changes forces them to deal with the hurts and disappointments of their pasts and confront the fears that hold them captive.
Surrendering their hopes and fears to God has never felt so daunting. Can they learn to see the goodness of God, even in their broken paths, and trust that morning by morning, God’s tender mercies are ever new?
Morning by Morning, book 8 in the Murphy Brothers Stories, is a complex, emotional story of hope after heartache, of deeply moving, tender romance after devastating loss, and God’s faithful love, even in life’s hardest place.
Filed Under: Book Review Tagged With: can't wait wednesday, Coming Soon, contemporary romance, Jennifer Rodewald, Morning by Morning, Murphy Brothers
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I painted this just over a month ago, you might remember when I shared it. It feels like much longer to me. Does it to you? I thought of this one to add to my spree of fall related paintings. Something about the sky feels moody and ready for autumn even though there are still flowers in bloom and green leaves on the tree.
In the video, do you notice how the oil paints look when they are wet and the light shines on them? The sky feels real when the light interacts with the paint as I add each layer, along with the choreography effect of time lapse footage synced with music. What I share is often more about the experience of painting than the painting itself.
Sharing my art through moving, fluid video (and live on stage) is what I want to contribute as an artist, and as a fellow human. It is my hope that I can touch lives through sharing this experience, and that people like you will feel a connection- and will make it your own experience. Your reaction is personal and unique to you, and may even be difficult to explain to others. It is my wish that you feel understood, even though I can’t possibly know your story or why you might feel something meaningful to your own life when you watch these oils flow into finished paintings.
November 28, 2022 New Show!
November 21, 2022 Last Month of Autumn
November 18, 2022 New Painting – “Thanksgiving Turkey & Pumpkins”
September 17, 2022 New Painting – “Alabama Landscape”
Posted byNatalie Buske Thomas October 7, 2021 October 7, 2021 Posted inArtTags:artist, autumn, hope, human connection, painting, tree, videoLeave a comment on A Month Ago
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Two passengers are now dead after the driver’s reckless decisions behind the wheel caused the car to crash into a utility pole.
During their lunch break, a group of Brandeis High School students decided to have a little fun and race vehicles on the eastbound Loop 1604 access road. When the driver of the silver Mitsubishi Lancer tried to pass a dually truck, the dually, unaware of the cars presence, began to turn left causing the Lancer to run off the road and eventually into a utility pole.
Police reports indicate that there were three female passengers in the carwith the male driver, all of whom were taken to the University Hospital to be treated for serious injuries. However, as noted earlier, two of the passengers were not able to survive the crash and are now dead. The second death was not pronounced till the following day when the victim was taken off life support.
The deceased, identified as Gabriela Lerma and Georgina Rodriquez, are deeply missed by her peers at the high school. One of the students, senior Jacob Longoria, talked to reporters saying that when he came out of class, he saw students everywhere bawling and that “we’re hurt, for sure, we’re definitely hurt.”
Pascual Gonzalez, NISD spokesman, hopes that this tragic event serves in the very least as a message to the students of how quickly life can change. Having fun and pushing the limits has its consequences, and Gonzalez hopes that by the students realizing this harsh truth can better prevent them from engaging in such unsafe actions.
The sad reality of this incident is that it will not be the last. Whether it is through reckless behavior or sheer misfortune, accidents are a part of driving and can many times not be avoided.
In the event you are unable to avoid such an accident, procuring an experienced personal injury attorney can help to minimize the damage of the calamity. They can investigate the case, establish the responsible party, and make sure that any ensuing finances are fully compensated.
The right attorney can be the difference between lasting financial struggles and monetary comfort.
Feb 28, 2013 | 0 Comments
Post By admin in Auto Accident, car accidents, DUI driving
After leaving a Fort Worth movie theatre one night at the end of January this year, Amy Anders, 23, and a friend we’re struck by a drunk driver.
The driver, 29 Alan Michael McKinney was intoxicated when he T-boned Amy’s car, killing her instantly. Anders was almost finished with nursing school, and planned to graduate next year. Ander’s family is devastated by the loss of Amy. Her father told news reporters “you couldn’t have asked for a better kid. I thought losing my mom was hard but losing a [daughter], there’s nothing to describe that.”
The driver, McKinney was a civilian employee since 2006 and has been suspended from his job.
Anders was laid to rest peacefully.
If you are ever injured or if you ever lose a loved one in a drunk driving accident caused by the negligent actions of someone else, contact an expert accident attorney who specializes in drunk driving cases to help you recover the compensation you deserve.
Feb 27, 2013 | 0 Comments
Post By admin in Auto Accident, car accidents, DUI driving
Jay Ratliff arrested for a DUI just weeks after teammate Jerry Brown was killed in an alcohol induced accident.
Jay Ratliff, defensive linemen for the Dallas Cowboys, was arrested for driving under the influence.
The news comes just weeks after the lose of teammate Jerry Brown who was killed in an accident when fellow Cowboy Josh Brent crashed their vehicle while driving under the influence.
The arrest happened in the early hours of Tuesday morning off East State Highway 114 after Ratliff crashed his 2011 Ford truck into an 18 wheeler off East State Highway 114.
According to reports, Ratliff was initially driving ahead of the truck before finding his way to the right lane and inexplicably crashing his vehicle into the semi and off the road.
Soon after police arrived they picked up the scent of alcohol on the linemen and took him in for a DWI. The subsequent tests revealed that Ratliff had a BAC of %0.16. That is exactly twice the legal limit in Texas.
Luckily neither Ratliff or the driver of the semi were injured in the accident.
If you or someone you know is injured in an accident, contact a personal injury attorney immediately. No person’s celebrity status should ever get in the way of you receiving the justice you deserve and an aggressive and experienced attorney can help you achieve that.
Post By admin in car accidents
Jamie Nash created “Txt L8r” to promote against distracted driving
As distracted driving becomes more and more popular, so do its fatal repercussions. Some people are not lucky enough to live and tell their story, but one North Texas woman is and she is telling it loudly and often.
On June 27, 2010, as she was driving on a dark, rural road in Ellis County, Jamie Nash decided to send a text that would change her life forever. The content of the text is not what altered the course of her life, like most people, it was the process of doing so. While sending the text, Nash says, “I lost control of the vehicle, and I flipped and hit a tree.” Upon hitting the tree, Nash’s PT cruiser burst into flames burning over 70 percent of her body. Although she may have survived the crash, it was not without lasting effects as Nash has been official labeled disabled due to the disaster.
Now, Nash is taking her story to high schools across the state begging teens to not make the same mistake she did. Her hope is that this dose of reality will be the driving factor that keeps teens from using their phone while driving. With devastating images of the accident and her recovery, it’s hard for teens not to be awakened by Nash’s story.
Nash is not alone in her efforts, nor should she be. Reports indicate that a driver is 23 times more likely to be involved in an accident when driving distracted. AT&T acknowledges this alarming stat and takes on their own endeavors to fight distracted driving by trying to make it as socially unacceptable as drinking and driving.
With a new app that sends out an automatic message while in drive mode notifying the person texting or e-mailing that the person is driving, AT&T hopes that those sending texts will be less inclined to do so. Cathy Coughlin, AT&T Senior Executive Vice President states, “We want to make it very easy for people to let their friends, their family, anyone texting or e-mailing them while they’re driving, to let them know, I’ll get back to you as soon as I can.”
In the meantime, take Nash’s story to heart and do not let yourself make the same mistake. It should not take an app to keep you from driving distracted; the chance of hurting yourself or someone else should be enough.
If, however, you are on the other side of such unnecessary calamities, then you are entitled to compensation that counters the cost of any ensuing finances. You should not be penalized fiscally on top of your physical sufferings because of someone else’s negligence.
Contact a skillful Dallas car crash attorney now to make sure of this.
Jan 22, 2013 | 0 Comments
A man was discovered after being robbed and kidnapped, when his two captors were pulled over in a truck for speeding in Dallas County.
Deputies pulled the truck over at 12:15 in the morning of Sunday, December 30, 2011 when 34-year-old Manuel Torres exited the vehicle and claimed to have been kidnapped and robbed following a traffic accident in Texas. The sheriff’s department says that the deputy “noticed a strong alcohol odor from the driver and began the field sobriety tests,” when Torres stepped out of the car to reveal the true situation at hand.
After the two vehicles collided earlier that evening in Dallas, TX, the suspects demanded money for the damages, then proceeded to rob and kidnap Torres. Torres told deputies that he was forced to take the two men to his house to get property to cover the damages. The deputies then searched for evidence and found money and other property that didn’t belong to the two kidnappers.
Gregory Ramos Guzman, 43, and Ruben Segoviano, 38, were being held in the Dallas County Jail, and both face charges of aggravated robbery and aggravated kidnapping.
Post By admin in truck accident
The northbound lanes of I-35E have reopened this morning after a crash earlier in the day shut them down because of a fiery semi-truck crash.
Around 4:30 a.m, the driver of this truck lost control and consequently slid off the road where he and the truck went through a guardrail and tumbled down an embankment. Upon being trapped in the cab of the truck, which was at this point up in flames, the driver was thankfully rescued by a good Samaritan who witnessed the Dallas truck accident and pulled over to see if there was any assistance she could provide. The Samaritan rushed down the hill where she then lifted the driver out through the window because the door was jammed shut.
Terry Sims, the hero of the day, recalls the situation saying, “I saw flames coming from underneath the trailer. The door wouldn’t open so we had to pull him through the window.”
At this point, it is still unclear whether or not the driver is hurt. However, it is clear that the good deed of this woman has saved him from any further injury.
Accidents are common nature of the road, and when it is raining, such as it was in this particular case, the frequency of accidents is heightened. Knowing this, one should be prepared so that in the unfortunate event you do fall victim to such mishaps, you know how to respond, who to call, and can quickly initiate the process of recovery/compensation.
Being unaware and unprepared of adverse realities can increase the pain they cause in the event they do interrupt your life. Get in touch with an experienced, expert truck collision attorney in Dallas, TX who can be there for you in your time of need and help you get past this tragedy and on with your life. Here is a list of Texas hospitals to look at if you or a loved one is injured in a truck accident:
Dallas Doctors Hospital
Seton Healthcare Family
University Medical Center
Post By admin in Auto Accident, car accidents, personal injury, Uncategorized
An early morning car accident in Ward County, TX occurred Monday that killed two Alpine residents and injured four more.
A spokeswoman for the Texas Department of Public Safety stated that the two-vehicle crash occurred around 12:15 a.m. on Interstate 20. The driver of a Suburban, Robert Victorino, 59 had missed his exit. Carrying 4 passengers, He then backed his vehicle in order to make the exit. The other driver, Jose Luis Garcia did not see the Suburban over the hill and tried to avoid the car once he saw it but failed.
Of the 5 family members in the Suburban, Robert Victorino Jr., 18 was pronounced dead at the scene and Maria Botella Victornio, 41 was pronounced dead later at the Ward Memorial Hospital.
The driver along with his younger son and daughter were taken to the Ward Memorial Hospital in ‘fair’ condition. Conditions on the passengers were not immediately available, however they are believed to be in stable condition.
Garcia, the driver that hit the Suburban was fortunately not injured, however his passenger 48-year-old Alejandro Garcia Paz was taken to the hospital and later released.
No citations have been issued as of Monday
7 out of 10 truck drivers going Mobile
Post By admin in personal injury, truck accident
If you or a loved one were injured by a big rig or a large commercial vehicle and you suspect the driver was being negligent, call a Texas trucking attorney skilled in Texas personal injury law to discuss your case.
Recent studies have shown that mobile is changing the way consumers and industries do business. One particular survey hosted by shipping company Uship noted that now more than 7 out of 10 truck drivers use mobile devices for business purposes.
26,000 truck drivers were surveyed, some interesting facts include:
26% use their phones for social media
Android phones are used more than twice as often as iPhones
>50% said that the national ban on texting didn’t change their behavior on the road
Although we undoubtedly live in a world that continues to thrive through mobile devices, it is important to remember that vehicular safety is always strictly adhered to. Whether it be commercial truck driver or commuter vehicle, distracted driving caused more than 18% of all vehicular accidents this past year alone. Driving while texting increases your chance of crashing 23 times, and is similar to having multiple alcoholic beverages in your system.
Texas Accidents During the Holiday Season
Post By admin in car accidents
Study shows that drivers in Dallas, TX are more prone to auto accidents during the holiday season than at any other time of the year.
According to an All State company review of claims between 2006 and 2010, accidents spike over 22% more than their daily average on December 24th than on any other day of the year. The same findings were found throughout several other dates in December.
The findings show that the following dates are the most dangerous for drivers in Texas.
Dec. 24
Dec. 18
Apr. 7
Dec. 1
Dec. 11
While there is no definitive answer as to why these spikes occur during the holidays, it’s safe to say that the increased traveling and Christmas shopping added with the whether conditions and other distractions play a part.
The following are just a couple words of advice to keep safe this year.
It is no secret that texting, emailing, calling, or doing anything on a cell phone takes away limbs and concentration from driving. The better aware you are of your surroundings the better.
Beware of Conditions
Whether it is rain, snow, or even just traffic make sure you are either give yourself enough time to get to where you need to be and give enough space between yourself and the car in front of you. Obviously sleek conditions make it more dangerous to drive on the roads, be safe and drive slower.
Do Not Drink and Drive
One of the most expensive, dangerous, and idiotic things you can do as a driver is to drive while intoxicated. It is not worth it. Have a sleepover, plan for a designated driver, take a cab, rent a Hotel, do whatever you need to do just do not drink and drive.
If you or someone you know is involved in an accident this Holiday season contact a personal injury and accident lawyer immediately.
Bayard Man Killed in Texas Accident
Post By admin in Auto Accident, car accidents, personal injury, truck accident, wrongful death
A Bayard City Councilor and active community member was killed in a 5 car pile-up just outside of Pecos.
The accident happened last Friday afternoon when a dust storm created low visibility along I-20. A dodge truck towing a horse trailer was accidently rear-ended by a semi which forced several cars in an attempt to avoid an accident collide with one another.
In the end, 79 year-old Louis Baum was pronounced dead on the scene and four others were severely injured.
Baum was the owner of a popular local coffee shop called A.I.R Coffee in Bayard. Friends, family, and patrons of the community described him as an energetic and genuine person who welcomed everyone in to his shop with a caring smile.
As a minister and city councilor who organized many of the great events Bayard had to offer he will be deeply missed.
If you or someone you know is injured in an accident, please contact an injury and car accident lawyer as soon as possible and get the justice you deserve.
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Celebrating National Volunteer Month in Santa Fe April is National Volunteer Month and has also coincided with our Volunteers...
Apr 19, 2021 News
Meet our Interim Executive Director, Bunny Terry
CFFNM is proud to announce Bunny Terry as our Interim Executive Director Bunny has been the Vice-Chair of the Cancer Foundation...
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What is danaquarium?
David Keppelmeyer – a leading industry analyst and windows security expert – has lauded Microsoft‘s decision to release its AntiSpyware free of charge to Windows users.
“This is a victory for the consumer” says Keppelmeyer. “What Microsoft has done here is created a situation where software, free software, has had the sting taken out of it.”
Keppelmeyer explains that spyware and adware, often undesirable application that can record information from a computer or bombard the user with inconvenient advertisements, usually come bundled with software that’s spread free of charge. The software has already been implemented on some online casino websites to prevent hackers from getting into these types of systems.
“It’s been a problem with free software for several years now” he says. “As the saying goes, there’s no such thing as a free lunch, and software is no different.”
“Several popular pieces of freeware come bundled with secret extras that install spy and ad ware onto PCs. For years, you had to pick one or the other, you’d use the free software and get stung with advertisements or spyware, perhaps even worms and viruses – or you’d go without in order to be safe.”
“But with Microsoft AntiSpyware and our previous free antivirus software this isn’t an issue. It gives Windows users the best of the world’s free software, without the problems that are usually associated with it.”
Keppelmeyer explains that Windows is the only operating system that can give you this security. “What Microsoft is offering is a clear and present benefit.”
“Other computer systems without Microsoft AntiSpyware don’t provide the safety that you get with Windows,” he explains, in a swipe at the Linux OS. “when you download free software – even a free operating system – you double this effect. You are putting your computer and precious data at risk.”
According to Keppelmeyer, problems with spyware include identity theft and financial loss. “According to an FTC study more than 27 million Americans have been affected by identity theft since 1998, costing businesses up to $US50 billion a year.”
“You just have to look at free software without Microsoft protection and wonder ‘is it really worth it?'”
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on November 1, 2015 by dana. Leave a reply
U-Power announces Pentium upgrades for Mac Cubes
U-Power – a boutique PC manufacturer from Korea – is set to release an accelerator designed for the Power Macintosh G4 Cube. Unlike previous upgrades the PCube doesn’t contain a G4 – or indeed any other PowerPC Chip – but brings Pentium-M power to Apple’s venerable Cube.
U-Power’s US spokesman Rudy Keppelmeyer explains that the PCube upgrade is designed not for conventional Mac users, instead aims for those PC users who admire the G4 Cube’s design but don’t want to run PowerPC software such as Mac OS, Mac OS X or Linux.
“There are a substantial number of people who love Apple’s hardware from a design point of view, but who have no desire to run Apple software,” says Keppelmeyer. “This upgrade is theirs. For people out of the ordinary.”
The upgrade is based on the powerful mobile version of Intel’s Pentium, the Pentium-M, and initial boards will be available in either 1.5 or 1.8GHz versions with 2MB L2 cache, manufactured on Intel’s 90nm process.
Keppelmeyer explains that the innovative new upgrade is more than just a processor card. “There’s a substantial difference between a G4 processor card and one with a Pentium onboard, and we’ve put the hard work in to ensure Windows compatibility.”
“Not the least of our problems was working around the Cube’s open firmware, the Mac equivalent if you like to a PC’s BIOS. We have glue logic sitting in a layer over the top of open firmware allowing the real BIOS to believe it’s interacting directly with the hardware” says Keppelmeyer. “Combined with a small layer of emulation to allow the execution of open firmware code, any software that runs on the PCube upgrade believes it’s running on a PC with the same specifications as a Macintosh Cube”.
Performance is expected to be slightly below the level of a similarly equipped PC, as the PCube cards must operate with the Cube’s dated 133MHz memory bus. U-Power is already working on a solution, claiming an upcoming replacement daughterboard for the Cube will allow it to use faster DDR memory, faster wireless and other features using Intel’s Centrino chipset.
“We don’t believe this will be an issue with our target market, people who will finally have the Cube they’ve desired and be able to run their favorite software with it.”
Both upgrades will be available early next month, priced at $US399 and $US449 respectively. A 2.13GHz version is planned by late Summer.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 30, 2015 by dana. Leave a reply
Church sues Church in DMCA row
BIRMINGHAM, AL – A pastor in a regional church who has found nearby churches copying his method of worship wants them stopped, and has unleashed a storm of controversy over the following legal battle – one which has invoked federal copyright law, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act and even patent law.
James Keppelmeyer is the pastor at Lake Valley Baptist Church, where he has been conducting his small community oriented services since 1977. In that time he says he has changed the way the community relates to the church.
“We’ve had people coming here you wouldn’t ever have considered churchgoers ten, even five years ago” Keppelmeyer says. “I put this down to hard work by myself and the community. Once you get the right process in place, there’s nothing you can’t do.”
However four years ago parishioners Sarah & Kevin Salter moved away from the area into the city, and due to the distances involved changed to a different church.
“We told them we’d miss them, and understood they needed to worship close to their new home within their own community” says Keppelmeyer. “They went on their way and we wished them the best of luck. Life is ever changing and that ongoing growth is what moved the Salters away from us.”
Upon meeting with the Salters in later years however, Keppelmeyer’s suspicions were aroused when Sarah mentioned the new church was “just like the old.”
They too had a community of parishioners who met on a Sunday. They mentioned the same bible readings, community support – even bake sales and an inspirational pastor who captivated his audiences.
“That’s when I first realised something was amiss,” Keppelmeyer claims, “but I never imagined what thievery I’d discover.”
He decided to investigate further, and over a period of three more Sundays in early 2003 sent followers loyal to himself into the newer Greenside Baptist Church to record their services. Now armed with video and audio evidence, he discovered they were conducting ceremonies almost identical to his own.
“The sermons, the hymns, even the layout of the building. I was stunned. it was as if I was in my own church. I felt like my heart had been torn from my chest.” With this revelation Keppelmeyer contacted his attorney and sent a cease & desist letter to Greenside.
Keppelmeyer based his claims on infringement of copyright law, but the pastor in the rival church hit back. Dr. Ray Seppelt, pastor at Greenside claims he first attempted discussions with Keppelmeyer, but “Trying to talk sense into the man proved fruitless” he said, and decided to fight fire with fire in July 2003.
Eighty four year old Seppelt claims that while his church is indeed newer than Keppelmeyer’s, he has been in the ministry far longer, having been performing Christ’s work since 1951. Not only was Keppelmeyer infringing on his own copyrighted services, Seppelt claims, but he had done so contrary to the DMCA.
“We are a community of open, honest people. That’s how we work. Br. Keppelmeyer has sneaked in, using lies and the cover of proprietary deception to record how we work.”
Seppelt believes this form of reverse engineering of his services falls under the protection of the DMCA, and is sure a reasonable court will agree with him.
The division between the two churches has escalated over the last 18 months, and looks to step up beyond a simple copyright dispute with Keppelmeyer’s latest move.
Keppelmeyer has applied for a patent on the concept & method of worship. While he promises convenient licensing terms to most churches, these licenses come at a cost, and churches must sign declarations that they will not copy his “unique combination of community spirit, sermon methods and family involvement.”
Keppelmeyer has already stated he will not be licensing his worship model to Seppelt and the Greenside Baptist Church.
Investigations into the validity of Keppelmeyer’s patent application are ongoing, but are expected to come up against challenges of prior art by local rabbi Neville Schoenberg.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on October 25, 2015 by dana. Leave a reply
Group finds high level of genetic materials in foods
Margaret Keppelmeyer, head of Chicago’s Pure Foods Advocacy Group has called upon consumers to rebel against what she describes as “contaminated, adulterated foods” forced upon them in the last two decades.
“It’s reached crisis point,” claims Keppelmeyer, whose group has found that levels of DNA, genetic and biological material in foods have risen dramatically since 1992. DNA is a substance that can be used by scientists to engineer foods, giving them qualities they may not have originally had. It’s possible to purify food in the same way that you can purify water through the use of purifying ozone generator machines, however this does not resolve the whole problem.
Genetically engineered rice for example, may contain greater amounts of vitamin A or beta-carotene, a vitamin traditionally lacking in the diets of many living in rice dependent nations.
“In the first study of its kind, we have analyzed foods from six major cities in the United States, and found DNA levels to be near saturation. That means close to 100% of food in major population centers contain DNA.”
Consumers have been falsely led down a path of believing they’re protected by legislation, but the CPFA is finding widespread problems. From ‘farm fresh’ vegetables to spices, breakfast cereals and chocolate bars, nothing seems safe. Imported and locally produced foods are equally affected.
“Before the early 1990s, consumers had a wide range of natural foodstuffs available. If you wanted to make sure your food was entirely natural you had the choice of markets selling wholly organic food, but that choice is gone.”
Keppelmeyer points to CPFA’s research showing that tests performed on foods from health food stores and markets purporting to sell organic foods also revealed high levels of DNA.
“You can always replant a new crop and simply avoid using chemical products for pest control, and the new crop will be pesticide free. DNA is different, it’s spread from an organism to all its offspring. The seed you use now may have a parent plant containing DNA, which results in the plant you grow in your very own garden being contaminated.”
Scientific studies in the last fifty years have shown that DNA may be linked to many serious conditions such as autism, diabetes, cystic fibrosis and many cancers.
Keppelmeyer’s group has testing underway in regional centers, but holds little hope for better results there. “The problem we have is a lack of knowledge. People don’t know better, so they keep buying. What they keep buying the producers will keep providing.”
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Comprehensive Suite of Integrated, Event Management Technology and Mobile Solutions Drives Decision to Reinstate ACTIVE Network as Preferred Partner
Dallas – August 31, 2017 – ACTIVE Network®, the premier global marketplace for activities and events and an industry-leading provider of intelligence solutions, today announced the return of ARATIS Events to its valued customer portfolio. The ARATIS Events portfolio, including The Color Run Australia, The Color Run New Zealand, ROC Race, and Soul Pose, as well as its newly created participant experiences, The Color Movement and Ridiculous Playground, will migrate immediately to ACTIVE’s scalable and reliable technology platform, with the goal of enhancing experiences for its expected 225,000 participants in 2018.
ARATIS Events, comprised of more than 15 annual endurance events across Australia and New Zealand, returned to ACTIVE because of ACTIVE’s investment in delivering participant-centric technology that offers a best-in-class security infrastructure and intuitive mobile solutions, as well as its ability to provide a one-stop-shop solution across the entire event lifecycle. ARATIS Events will leverage ACTIVEWorks® Endurance as its centralized event management platform to handle participant registration, communication, marketing, merchandising, and event-day logistics. In addition, the company will utilize the ACTIVE Event App to enhance mobile communication to participants and spectators, the ACTIVE On-Site™ mobile app to digitally manage event day check-ins and bib assignments, and ACTIVE’s Virtual Event BagsTM platform to conveniently connect participants with sponsor offers before, during, and after the event.
“We’ve been impressed with the investment ACTIVE has made in their event management technology, mobile, and marketing solutions and believe ACTIVE to be the market leader well above other technology providers in the industry. As a result of their comprehensive technology and the relationship we’ve built with their knowledgeable team, the decision to come back to ACTIVE was an easy one,” said Luke Hannan, general manager for ARATIS Events. “As we continue to grow our marquee events, and unveil new participant experiences, the importance of partnering with a fellow industry leader is critical for us.”
Poised to deliver truly unique participant experiences, ARATIS Event’s newest event series, The Color Movement and Ridiculous Playground, are the first events to leverage ACTIVE’s robust technology platform. Packed with themed-activities including a magical foam ocean, world of glittering confetti rain, and bubble-filled chill out zone, The Color Movement, presented by The Color Run®, is an all-ages festival series designed to attract participants of any fitness level. The Color Movement’s inaugural International event, which is set to take place on October 21 at Sunshine Coast Stadium, sold out all early bird tickets within the first two days of sale. Ridiculous Playground, an arena-style event that offers two-hours of unlimited fun on up to 11 inflatables is expected to attract close to 7,000 participants to its International launch in Adelaide on October 7-8.
“We’re very pleased to welcome ARATIS Events back to the ACTIVE Network family, and to support them throughout the launch of their innovative new events,” said Sam Renouf, general manager for sports at ACTIVE Network. “ACTIVE’s integrated event management and mobile technologies will provide an easy, consistent, and superior experience for them, while enabling them to elevate the experience for their participants at the same time.” For more information or to register for ARATIS Event’s latest events, visit www.thecolorrun.com.au and www.ridiculousplayground.com.au.
ACTIVE Network® is the premier global marketplace for activities and events, connecting participants and activity organisers while offering intelligence solutions through its industry-leading data and insights platform. The enterprise-level ACTIVEWorks® platform offers organizers advanced SaaS technology that streamlines the administration of activities and events. The ACTIVE Network Activity Cloud® platform combines intelligence solutions and data tools to provide actionable insights that help organizers better manage their events and increase both revenue and participation. Founded in 1999, ACTIVE Network is headquartered in Dallas, Texas, with offices throughout North America, Europe, Asia and Australia. For more information, please visit ACTIVEnetwork.com and follow us on Twitter.
ARATIS Events is a premium events company with an appetite for ground breaking events and a flair for creativity. At ARATIS we believe the world is always better when people are happy. With over 80 years collective experience in events management, we have reshaped the health and lifestyle of the events industry, making us one of Australia’s most respected event management agencies.
We deliver experience. We create for Joy. We want the world to be a happier place. Our portfolio boasts unique and premiere lifestyle events including The Color Run and The Color Run Night (now Australia’s largest fun run series) operating across both New Zealand and Australia; The Ridiculous Obstacle Challenge (ROC Race) Australia’s first ever game show inspired obstacle event… and it’s all inflatable. And Soul Pose, the first of its kind. Freaking. Awesome. Yoga. Where good people and good vibes come together! Find what brings you joy and go for it!
© 2017 Active Network, LLC and/or its affiliates and licensors. All rights reserved. ACTIVE Network, ACTIVE Network Activity Cloud, and ACTIVEWorks are registered trademarks of ACTIVE Network, LLC. Virtual Event Bags and ACTIVE On-Site are trademarks of ACTIVE Network, LLC. All other trademarks are the property of their respective owners.
ACTIVE Network is on a mission to make the world a more active place. With deep expertise in activity and participant management™, our ACTIVE Works® cloud technology and online event registration software powers the world’s activities and connects people with the things they love, want and need to do.
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Join us at Sibec and engage in the fitness industry's longest running hosted buyer event in Europe. Discover the view of Sorrento, Italy while you engage with the industry's leading fitness suppliers. At Sibec, you'll pre-select the suppliers you wish to meet with, and spend time throughout the event networking via multiple receptions, activities and meals.
As a fully-hosted buyer, you receive the following at no cost:
Three nights' hotel at the exquisite Hilton Sorrento Palace
Airfare up to €475
Multiple receptions, meals and activities
Personalised appointment schedule
In addition to the one-on-one meetings, you also have the opportunity to exchange views and ideas with other owners and operators from the health and fitness industry. This is a rare opportunity to discuss common challenges and opportunities providing you with unique insights about where the industry is heading. This is an integral component of the program and of significant value.
What to Expect
Discover products and services that will meet your current and future needs.
Build strategic partnerships with no distractions - just dedicated time with like-minded colleagues focused on business discussion.
Enjoy time on your own to experience the exquisite Hilton Sorrento Palace
Experience unparalleled networking with peers and new connections for incredible business development
Conduct Serious Business
Build your schedule based on your needs. Each buyer receives a minimum of 15 one-to-one appointments with suppliers they choose.
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Learn about the types of benefits that industry associations provide to their members, and why marketers should think beyond the logo on the website and invest time to explore all the ways association membership can help meet corporate marketing goals.
Stephanie Tierney, Director of Marketing Communications for the Electronic Components Industry Association (ECIA), is keenly focused on engaging members and helping them find their passion within the organization. From serving on standards boards to supporting industry studies, there is a long list of ways companies can get involved and maximize the value of their membership in ECIA.
Stephanie utilizes many channels to stay top-of-mind with members, including enewsletters and LinkedIn. Part of her role includes leading a committee to plan the annual ECIA Executive conference, which is back in person this year (after a two-year pandemic-related hiatus) with the theme "Bucking Normal." ECIA also has a podcast, The Channel Channel, which focuses on industry trends and association news.
It was clear from our interview that there is no "one way" to maximize membership in an industry association, rather Stephanie encourages members to forge their own paths based on business needs and individual motivators. For some, this may come in the form of shaping industry guidelines and for another, it might be leveraging association analyst research for a thought leadership content campaign. Regardless, she reminds us that when it comes to membership, you get out what you put in....so get involved!
ECIA website
2022 ECIA Executive Conference
The Channel Channel
On today's episode, you'll hear the types of benefits that industry associations provide to their members and why marketers should engage beyond just putting that logo on the website and explore all the ways that industry association membership can help meet their marketing goals. Let's do this. Welcome to Content Marketing, Engineered, your source for building trust and generating demand with technical content. Here is your host, Wendy Covey.
Hi and welcome to Content Marketing, Engineered. On each episode, I'll break down an industry trend, challenge or best practice in reaching technical audiences. You'll meet colleagues, friends and clients of mine who will stop by to share their stories. And I hope that you leave each episode feeling inspired and ready to take action. Before we jump in, I'd like to give a brief shout out to my agency, TREW Marketing. TREW is a full service agency located in beautiful Austin, Texas, serving highly technical company. For more information, visit trewmarketing.com. And now on with our podcast.
Hi everyone, and welcome to another episode of Content Marketing, Engineered. Today I'm joined by Stephanie Tierney. She's the Director of Communications for the Electronics Components Industry Association, also known as ECIA. Welcome to the show, Stephanie.
Thank you, Wendy. I'm excited to be here.
I am too. I think this will be an interesting topic today because many of the marketers listening have companies that participate in industry associations, but they're not always directly involved with what membership looks like and not always aware of benefits that marketers can take advantage of. So I think this will be a very educational episode for us.
So before we get started, let's talk a little bit about your career path as a marketer and what led you to your role at ECIA.
Sure. So I have actually always been involved in some capacity with marketing and public relations ever since even back in my high school days. I remember volunteering to help with the yearbook and the newsletter for the school and so on. And so it's always been a little bit of a passion of mine. I really enjoy it, of course, and I always have enjoyed it. So once I got into the real world, so to speak, I was doing marketing type roles for people in the tech industry. I got into the media side a little bit for a while, but I also ended up joining the association industry about eight years ago within the electronic components industry, and I really enjoyed it. I left the industry for a very short time for another association. I ended up coming back, but it's always stay away. I know I couldn't. Debbie Conyers was retiring from ECIA and kind of brought me back in this way and the rest of this history. But it's a great association, great industry, and of course, I've been happy to be back ever since.
Yeah, well, it's not everyone that has quite the extensive background that you do in this industry, and it's not for everybody. It's not easy keeping up with engineering trends and having engineers as your focal audience. So we'll get into that. But before we do, just to give some context to our talk today, what is ECIA and what are some of the key benefits that it provides to its members?
Sure. So, a great question. ECIA stands for the Electronic Components Industry Association and our members share a common goal of promoting the authorized sale of electronic components. So our members are really down to three categories manufacturers, reps and authorized distributors. And again, they all work together. They all work together in their day jobs anyways. And so they all work together for that authorized sales, electronic components. But as far as the association side of it, there's really various benefits really depending on where you're involved. There's professional development. We've got our chief analyst who's working really hard every day doing his research for great stats, supply chain information, industry stats and training webinars, professional development within conferences and so on. So there's all sorts of benefits in our association and really in any industry association.
Yeah, sounds like that analyst is probably pretty busy right now with all of the supply chain woes that we've experienced over these past few years.
Sure, of course.
Yeah. So when you have a new member or just an existing member, who's typically the main point of contact, who owns that relationship with the association?
So that is another really good question because I was thinking about this and I think for many industry associations there isn't just one answer. Sure, we could have sales and marketing people that are our main contact, but we have CEOs, presidents, somebody that's involved in compliance. It quality, it really depends on who is involved and what they're looking for. What is their passion, what is their niche, are they involved in a specific committee, in a specific group? With our association we have councils for each one of the membership types. But we also have our board, we have a conference planning committee, global Industry Practices Committee. There's the EIA Standards Committee. So there is a little something for everybody within our members organization. So I think that to say that only one type of person might own that relationship. I don't know if that's TREW. I really think that it could be a variety of job titles, a variety of people, because the industry association has many roles. Right, so what's your passion, what is your niche, where do you fit type of thing.
Right, it makes sense because you can maybe over here have we need to create a standards panel for some sort of standards and of course you'd have engineers involved with that. And then other times, like you said, conference planning, that's a very different muscle.
Exactly. Different skill set.
Well, do you find that some portion of your membership just doesn't take advantage of a lot of the benefits and why?
Yeah, so I do think that that could happen. We have so many great members. They're so highly involved and I think that's pretty standard in many industry associations. But you do get some members that they might download your logo, put it on their website and call it a day.
Yeah, kind of that credibility thing, slap.
It on there, which is great. But I think that when you do that, whether it's our association or whether it's any association or any membership for that matter, you're really going to put into your membership or you're going to get out of it what you put into it. Right? Yeah, I had mentioned it with the previous question. There's so many ways to get involved, there's so many committees. What is your passion, what is it that you're trying to do? Do you want to influence policies? Do you want to get involved, meet more people? How is it that you want to gain? What is it that you want to gain from that membership? And really, it's up to the member to kind of take that membership, make it their own, put in what they want and that's what they'll get out of it. So we highly encourage our members to get involved with the various committees. Council, you know, I mentioned it earlier, there's literally something for everyone. There's so many, so many ways to get involved, so many ways to make a difference. Even taking industry surveys, I mentioned our chief analyst deal for, he's always looking for somebody to take a survey and be a part of this great data that we're putting out or get involved in conference planning or be a part of the Global Industry Practices Committee.
There's really so many ways to maximize the benefit of your membership, for sure.
So I hear a lot of passion in you explaining that. And I'm guessing part of that is because it's your job, right, to make sure that people understand what all these opportunities are and stay top of mind. So on that note, give me a sneak peek into just a day in the life of an association marketer.
Sure. So I think with many industry associations, the marketing people tend to wear many hats. Marketing and communications is one part of the role. Our newsletter, social media, website content, those types of things, of course that's going to be a part of my role. But member engagement is a very big part of my job too, making sure I'm keeping out there, having an active communication with our members. And again, what is their passion, where can we find something for them and where do they fit type of thing. But also the conference is coming up in October for our association and I've got a big role in that as well and helping run the committee and organizing all of their ideas and such a great committee. We have so many wonderful ideas and I think we wear many hats, I think. So not just one. Every day is a little bit different depending on what the task at hand.
Is for the clients, I'm sure. And the time of year.
Exactly.
So what is the balance when you think about what success looks like for you? How much of it has to do with new member recruitment versus existing member engagement?
So I think that's another really good question. I think it's really important. We don't want to just concentrate on recruiting, recruiting, recruiting. That current membership engagement is huge, making sure that they're feeling fulfilled in their membership, and again, I've mentioned it before, finding their passion, what is their niche, where do they belong with that association? And one organization could have various people involved in the association. So even if we have one person involved from an organization, I bet there could be two or three other people that may find what they're looking for within the association too. So I think working with our current members is just as important as recruiting new members as well. You got to have that balance because if we recruit and they're not seeing the value, that's the point.
Yeah, exactly. It's just that logo on the website and that's right. No substance. Well, I know that ECIA has a podcast and it has a pretty fun name. Tell me a little bit about that and maybe how the podcast came to be.
Well, the podcast came to be before I started, but it does have a fun name. It's the Channel Channel. And we feature all sorts of great hot topics in the industry, industry experts. And the nice thing about this too is the ECIA staff has all been able to kind of jump in on there, depending on who we're interviewing, what the topic is and so on. So it's been a little bit of a joint effort, which is a lot of fun.
I've noticed that the community around electronic components and ECIA specifically really also the community at large, it's really tight knit. You see a lot of long term relationships that are developed. There was recently Eds conference where the whole thing was about networking and meetings and that seems to be pretty unique. Why do you think that is? What is the catalyst for this group being just so close?
And you're so right about that. I think it is such a tight knit group in this industry as a whole. So I think it boils down to a few different factors just alone, the reps manufacturers and distributors, every day they've got their relationship building, they're already coming into it with having a tight relationship, just doing their everyday job. But I will say there are so many passionate people in the industry that are willing to give back to the industry. So you'll see them all, whether it's Eds or another industry conference, you see them all working so hard, volunteering and gathering all of their relationships to do the same thing. I'm going to grab this committee, I'm going to get a few more people to join and we're going to have this big group, we're going to have this big meeting at Eds. And I think that's just the beauty of the industry. So many long relationships that have been built over time. So many people willing to give back to the industry, whether it's through the associations or something else. Just a lot of high passion people willing to give back to the industry. All these networking events, it's really created some really long lasting relationships and it's evident in every event we've ever been to.
Cool. So if there's a marketer listening and maybe they know their company's members of the industry association, whether it's yours or not, but marketing is not engaged, what advice do you have for them and what opportunities might they uncover by engaging?
Yeah, that's a great question. I would suggest reaching out to somebody within the association. Let them know what it is that you're looking for. Whether it's something that's, whether a personal goal, a professional goal, maybe something that the company is trying to do, maybe it's an industry goal. There are ways to get involved and influence policies within the industry in various committees and groups, help work on best practices within the industry. Or maybe just meet people. Maybe it's that somebody really wants to meet others in the industry. Maybe they're fairly new company or whatever it might be. Really just reach out and see whoever it is, whether it's a marketing person, somebody that's involved with member engagement, reach out to that person, let them know what you're looking for and I guarantee that they'll be able to come up with something that says, yes, we got this and this. It's perfect for what your passion is. And really take advantage of just knowing that there's probably a lot more to your industry association than you are even thinking about. There's all sorts of information on the website, but we all know that we get on the website, we kind of scam and you get off the website, ask questions, find out what your passion is and ask questions for sure.
Yeah, I think too many marketers stop at the logo on the website, maybe trying to speak at a conference or webinar be on a podcast, but they're not thinking deeper into Gosh. I go back to the analysts that we talked about at the beginning of this conversation. If someone is trying to position their company as a thought leader or they're trying to write more industry related content, look at all the great resources you have that you could connect so that they have a more robust content editorial calendar. So that's one that sticks out to me is like wow, low hanging fruit. And it's a win win because you have the association in front of that, you have that credibility, but also you're putting your brand out there. And I know that's one of many things that you probably have in your arsenal for marketers.
Yes, for sure. And I think that's a great point. Checking out the calendar of events, there's always something, whether it's a webinar or an inperson conference and where in person events are starting to come back. And that's a great way to be putting yourself back in the forefront of everybody. And even sponsorships, it's a great way for a marketer to get your name out there, be a part of whatever event or industry association event, whatever it might be, sponsorships, like you said, speaking opportunities. Those are all really great ideas.
Well, tell us a little bit more about you have a conference coming up in October, so you are in the thick of it right now. What's the focus of the conference? Where is it? Who are you hoping will attend?
Yes, so that's a really good question as well. It is October 23 through the 25th in Rosemont, Illinois at the Lowe's Chicago Hare Hotel. And it has been so much fun working with the conference committee because here we are, we had to cancel events as a result of the pandemic. And so there's been so much change, so much disruption, and not just pandemic related. I mean, it's been all over the board in the past few years. And so working with the committee has been great. They came up with a really clever theme, bucking normal. And basically the whole point is that they're going to say normal as a state doesn't exist anymore and the resilient are going to thrive through the disruption. And so that's been really fun working with them. They've got some great speakers lined up and really, anybody within the industry is welcome to attend to the event. Tends to be sealed level people, but we get all sorts of attendees as well. It's not just the CEOs and the presidents, we get all sorts of attendees. So definitely looking forward to it.
Great. Well, good luck with all your planning leading up to that. I used to be a conference planner myself, so I know all the details that go into it, but it's so fun too.
Well, thank you so much. We're definitely looking forward to it.
Good. Well, Stephanie, where can our listeners go to connect with you and learn more about ECIA?
Yes, well, absolutely find me on LinkedIn. I'm always on there, part of my job. So find me on LinkedIn ecianow.org. You can always find me somewhere on there as well. But yeah, I would welcome the opportunity to speak to anybody, of course. Great.
Well, thank you so much for your time today. I really appreciate it.
Thank you, Wendy. It's been fun.
Thanks for joining me today on Content Marketing Engineers. For show notes, including links to resources, visit trewmarketing.com podcast. While there, you can subscribe to our blog and our newsletter and order a copy of my book, Content Marketing Engineers. Also, I would love your reviews on this podcast. So please, when you get a chance, subscribe and leave me a review on your favorite podcast subscription platform. Thanks and have a great day.
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Byrd Lockhart (1782-1839) is the namesake for Lockhart, Texas. He was born to Byrd (Sr.) (1750 – about 1813) and Sarah Williamson Lockhart (1763-1831).
Lockhart came to Texas around 1826. There is some confusion about Byrd’s marital status that cannot presently be resolved. The Handbook of Texas Online says that Byrd was a widower by 1826, the year that he came to Texas. Other genealogical accounts suggest that his wife of about eighteen years passed away in 1830 or 1831 after he came to Texas. No other spouse is listed for him besides a Mary Elizabeth Barton or an Eliza Barton. In addition, more genealogy records list Byrd’s spouse as one Mary Elizabeth Barton who was clearly married to another individual and living in Kentucky. This person lived well into her senior years and died in 1861. Though she is sometimes linked to Byrd Lockhart, she was continuously married for nearly forty years to a Clement H. Waring until his death in 1853. Over time, this couple had many children. The time period of the Waring-Barton marriage eclipses the possible dates of Byrd’s marriage to his wife (about 1813 to about 1826 or possibly 1831).
If that were not enough, this potential relationship is further confused since this same Mary Elizabeth Barton Waring had a brother and sister (Catherine Wise Barton and Kimber Barton) who each married siblings of Byrd Lockhart. Catherine Wise Barton married William Charles (or Charles William) Lockhart and Kimber Barton married Margaret Lockhart. It is the association of these members of the Lockhart and Barton families that probably leads people to assume that the Barton sister Mary Elizabeth was the wife of Byrd Lockhart. Many times, confusing and seemingly conflicting facts can be reconciled by modern genealogical records, but not in the case of Byrd Lockhart. His wife cannot be conclusively identified.
Aside from the confusion regarding his marital status, the rest of Byrd’s story seems to hold together fairly well. He became a colonist in Green DeWitt’s colony. Other siblings joined him. His family unit was said to include two of his children (unnamed), his sister Margaret and his widowed mother. There Byrd was a surveyor by trade. Like many other Anglo residents of Texas before the Texas Revolution, Lockhart pledged loyalty to the Mexican government and opposed the Fredonian Rebellion, as Stephen F. Austin had also done. Lockhart seems to have settled in or around Gonzales and served there defending against attacks from the local tribes. Though he personally does not seem to have lived there, he received land around Plum Creek (near the current town of Lockhart) in exchange for opening a road from Béxar (San Antonio) to Matagorda Bay.
Military/political career: He was appointed as commissioner in February 1836 by the provisional Texas government in San Felipe to recruit and muster a contingent of Gonzales Rangers, which he did that month. Lockhart served as a scout under James W. Fannin during the Texas Revolution and participated in the Siege of Béxar at the rank of private under the leadership of a Captain York. He was not present at the Alamo during Santa Anna’s siege and the battle that followed as he was out obtaining provisions and supplies during that two week period. He was discharged from duty in 1836. Byrd is believed to have died of natural causes in 1839 in Brazoria County and is said to be buried in Columbia Cemetery there.
If the Lockhart family is characterized by anything it is that they were devoted to certain family names. Though this is a wonderful family tradition, it also can make it difficult to differentiate between members having the same or similar names.
At least one more of Byrd’s siblings figure into early Texas events. His brother Andrew (married to Esther Briggs) had a daughter named Matilda Lockhart. Andrew was born in Virginia about 1781. The family was living in Ohio by the time Andrew married Esther Briggs in 1810. Siblings from the Lockhart family married siblings in the Briggs family, too as Esther’s brother Robert was the husband of Andrew’s younger sister Mary “Polly” Lockhart. Andrew had served in the Illinois Volunteer Infantry during the War of 1812. He, Esther and their children came to Texas as part of the Green DeWitt Colony and originally settled near the present location of Cuero. Matilda was one of several children including at least four children of the Putman family who were seized by the Comanche while the children were out gathering pecans only about one hundred yards from their home near Gonzales, during a raid in 1838.
Sam Houston, the first President of the Republic of Texas, was known to have been conciliatory toward the native tribes, especially the Cherokee with whom he had lived for a time. Mirabeau B. Lamar, who succeeded him, was exactly the opposite. It has been said of Lamar that he favored expulsion to extermination to solve the problem of Indian depredations. The two had openly disagreed on this and other issues. In response to Indian attacks, Lamar essentially ordered the Cherokee to leave Texas or face annihilation. When they refused, he ordered the Texas militia to attack them, which they did in the “Battle of the Neches” in July of 1839.
There were a number of attempts at negotiations between the Comanche and the settlers to try and achieve peace and also accomplish the return of known captives. The Texans made a number of demands of the Comanches that just over one dozen known Anglo and Mexican hostages be returned to their families in San Antonio at a prearranged meeting place.
When the appointed day came, Matilda Lockhart was the only captive who was returned and she showed unmistakable signs of abuse at the hands of some individual tribe members. The gruesome details of her appearance revealed evidence of cruel and inhumane treatment. The Comanche leaders in attendance also said that the other hostages were held by different bands and that no one leader could speak for them all.
Matilda’s condition and the lack of any other hostages being returned helped to touch off the March 19, 1840 Council House Fight which resulted in tribe members being killed, wounded or held hostage themselves. The council deteriorated, resulting in the deaths of twelve of the unarmed Comanche leaders who were shot inside the Council House. Another twenty-tree were shot in the streets of San Antonio and thirty more taken captive, against seven Anglos who died. This was essentially the end of peace negotiations with the Comanche. In retaliation for the deaths of the Comanche at San Antonio, all the other hostages were killed. This was followed by the so called Great Raid of 1840 in which the town of Victoria and Linnville were attacked and also sacked. This in turn led to the Battle of Plum Creek in August, 1840, coincidentally near the present town of Lockhart, which was considered to be a defeat for the Comanche. Later conflicts revealed the continued animosity between the Anglos and Comanche. Raids and skirmishes between the groups went on for several more decades.
Matilda Lockhart is understood to have never fully recovered from her experience as a captive and she is believed to have died around 1843. Both of her parents, Andrew and Esther, followed her in death in 1846. Of the Putman children, the accounts sometimes use different names, but a daughter and son (Sarah and James Putman) were eventually ransomed. A two to three year old girl (Lucy Putman) was originally said to have killed and buried with the Comanche woman she had been given to, after the woman had died. However, Lucy was likely returned to her family, but not until after 27 years had passed. Another daughter (Rhoda Putman) was not recovered and her fate is still unknown.
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Posted on August 4, 2022 August 29, 2022 Author TexosoCategories biography, frontier times, town namesTags biography, frontier times, history, texas, towns
August 5, 2022 at 5:19 pm
Great writing!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Texoso says:
August 8, 2022 at 8:53 am
Thanks, Marti. The Lockharts were a very interesting family.
LikeLiked by 1 person
August 10, 2022 at 1:06 am
Yes of course, Lockhart… Not Lockett. It’s usually spell check. Nope, it was me. Guess I could at least try to stay slick enough to blame them.
LikeLiked by 1 person
GP says:
August 18, 2022 at 5:45 am
Marti Moser credits your blog for her finding my site, so thank you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
Texoso says:
August 18, 2022 at 6:20 am
Great, and you are always welcome!
LikeLiked by 1 person
GP says:
August 18, 2022 at 12:12 pm
I enjoy your site, even if I don’t always have time to comment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
August 6, 2022 at 8:49 pm
I wonder if Reese Lockett, one of the original Salt Grass Trailride. It was done kind of tongue in cheek to promote the Houston Fat Stock Show and Rodeo. From that, the trail ride they call The Granddaddy of um all.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 2, 2022 at 5:55 pm
Greetings, I am related to Byrd Lockhart, Byrd’s brother Charles, was my 4th Great Grandfather. Anyway, I have hit the proverbial genealogical brick wall. I am looking for who Byrd Lockhart Sr.’s parents were and back.
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Gluten intolerance is a complicated issue. Research continues to unveil new discoveries about reactions to gluten and how they affect peoples´ lives.
Using buzz words to sell food items is a popular tactic for gaining sales for companies. Phrases such as low fat, gluten-free, superfood, and all natural line the shelves of food stores.
Do these words apply to everyone in terms of benefiting health? Do people talk themselves into being gluten-intolerant because marketers make it sound like a healthy option, for example, or is eliminating gluten not necessary for everyone? Gluten intolerance is a serious and real issue, affecting many people.
Gluten is a protein that is commonly found in grains and wheat, among other foods.
Gluten gives bread dough its rubbery and sticky texture, and is also used as an ingredient in foods such as soy sauce, beer, and even pickles.
Gluten has always been a large factor in our diets, but it can cause severe health issues to some people.
What Health Issues Does Gluten Cause?
There are two types of health issues that gluten may cause for people who are affected with the sensitivity to the protein. These are gluten intolerance and a less severe gluten sensitivity.
Gluten intolerance is an autoimmune digestive genetic disease, also referred to as celiac disease.
With celiac disease, gluten causes one’s body to have an autoimmune response that inflames and damages the small intestine’s lining, which can cause pain and make it difficult for your body to absorb necessary vitamins and nutrients from food. People who suffer from celiac disease need to always avoid gluten.
This disease is becoming increasingly common. A study in the Gastroenterology Journal reports that in the past 50 years, celiac disease has gone from affecting 0.15% of people to 0.83% of people in 2009, and now that number has risen to 1% of the population.
Celiac disease is a serious disorder that can cause other health problems such as malnutrition, infertility, and bowel cancer. Here are 13 early signs of gluten intolerance in adults.
Diarrhea is a common symptom of many diseases, so this should only be seen as a puzzle piece to the factors of gluten intolerance. Serious diarrhea may occur if someone who is intolerant to gluten eats it, and therefore their body has a reaction.
Serious diarrhea can dehydrate your body by the loss of electrolytes and water. If diarrhea gets to the point where it causes severe stomach pain, fever, rectal pain, a bloody stool, or any signs of dehydration, it is important to see a doctor to find the root of the issue.
Neurological problems involve the nerves, brain, and spine. These are often serious issues that do not have a cure. According to the Canadian Journal of Gastroenterology, several neurological issues have the common factor of celiac disease.
For example, celiac disease may result in dementia and impaired cognitive function. It may also result in numbness in the extremities, also known as peripheral neuropathy.
Discoordination may also be an issue with celiac disease. If there is no other cause for these symptoms, it is important to test for celiac disease, because it may be the underlying issue.
People with gluten intolerance have higher levels of joint pain than average. These pains are most commonly felt in the back, knees, wrists, hips, and shoulders.
In some cases of celiac disease, joint pain may occur prior to digestive symptoms. However, because joint pain is common in aging people, it may not trigger you to think about testing for celiac disease.
Because the damage to the small intestines in celiac disease causes malnutrition, joint pain may come from nutritional deficiencies. Joint pain may also come from the inflammation that gluten provokes in the people who are affected.
4. Bloating, Constipation, and Gas
None of these symptoms are easy to deal with in everyday life. They may also become serious if constipation goes on for too long.
Celiac disease causes these digestive and gastrointestinal problems. One way to test for gluten intolerance is to cut out gluten completely and see if there is rapid and substantial improvement in bloating, constipation, and gas.
If these symptoms are lost with the elimination of gluten in the diet, it is a tell tale sign that the gluten is causing the issues.
It can be assumed that most adults are tired at one point of another. With long work hours in addition to other responsibilities and commitments, it is easy to lose much-needed sleep.
A less common issue is severe fatigue. This is when you can not seem to get out of bed to do anything and you have lost all motivation to put for energy.
Fatigue and tiredness are two different things. With fatigue, one often has difficulty concentrating, experiences dizziness, has a hard time starting tasks, may faint on occasion, and experiences constant exhaustion. While this can be a symptom of many health issues, celiac disease is among them.
Like many of these other symptoms, a lot of people experience periods of their lives where they feel down in the dumps.
Depression goes a little further than some typical sadness by including insomnia, a loss of interest in everyday activities, anxiety, feelings of hopelessness and worthlessness, and even feelings of guilt.
Depression is able to affect your health and mood in many ways. If left untreated, depression can lead to very severe consequences such as suicide.
Finding the cause of depression is important so it can be treated quickly before getting out of control. One culprit of depression may be celiac disease.
Psychology Today reports that celiac disease may cause depression through malabsorption of vitamins and nutrients from food.
Studies have shows that about 33% of people who suffer from celiac disease are also depressed. Teens with celiac disease are also more likely to be depressed than their gluten-friendly peers. The risk of depression in teens jumps from 7% to 31% with the addition of celiac disease.
Further research has suggested that about one-third or more of people with celiac disease also suffer from depression. You have to admit, that’s a pretty alarming amount.
Heartburn is a painful and uncomfortable feeling in the upper chest caused by the rising of stomach acid into the esophagus.
This may last for several hours, and is often caused by large meals that are high in oil and fat, such as pizza. It is not commonly known, however, that celiac disease can also result in heartburn.
Because people who are intolerant to gluten cannot properly absorb nutrients, this weakens body tissues, including the tissues in the esophagus. This makes the esophagus less tolerant to stomach acid, which in turn can result in heartburn.
Gluten produces an autoimmune response in the body, which actually causes a reaction against a protein that produces tooth enamel. This may result in frequent dental problems, such as broken teeth, cavities, and tooth decay.
Dermatitis herpetiformis is a rash on the skin that causes severe itch and blistering. This chronic condition is known to be the skin form of gluten intolerance. As with other symptoms, not everyone with celiac disease develops this skin disorder.
The symmetrical rash is typically present on the knees, elbows, and buttocks, appearing on both sides of the body. As the rash fades, there is a chance it will have caused the skin to lose pigmentation, leaving behind brown marks on the skin.
Having simple skin contact with a food containing gluten does not cause dermatitis herpetiformis, only with the ingestion of such a food.
In this case, the body produces antibodies that then travel throughout the bloodstream before depositing into the skin. This interaction causes a skin flare up.
Women who suffer from hormonal imbalances can have several symptoms such as mood changes, weight changes, low libido, anxiety, depression, digestive problems, irritability, and fatigue.
Hormonal changes are common during times like menopause and pregnancy, but if for no other reason, they may be caused by celiac disease.
Hormonal changes may be a result of gluten intolerance. Even if you are not intolerant to gluten, but have hormonal problems, it may be beneficial to cut out gluten.
Sensitivity to gluten puts stress on the adrenal glands, which sit above the kidneys, acting as stress buffers for the body.
These glands create hormones that are used by the body to repair itself and deal with daily stressors. The adrenal glands also produce sex hormones in women as they age and begin menopause.
When the adrenal glands become exhausted, the body has a breakdown of its systems. The systems in the body are not able to function at an optimal level and they stop being able to repair themselves.
When body function begins to slow down, one may experience the symptoms of hormonal imbalance. During times of chronic stress, the adrenal glands produce stress hormones instead of sex hormones, such as progesterone.
This often leads to a dominance of estrogen, which can result in heavy bleeding, fibroids, irregular menses, endometriosis, depression, breast tenderness, and infertility.
If someone who is sensitive to gluten continues to eat foods containing gluten, the adrenal glands are put under chronic stress from constant inflammation of the intestines, leading to chronic adrenal exhaustion.
Suddenly losing or gaining a lot of weight with no change in everyday routine may be a sign of gluten intolerance. Weight loss is a classic sign of celiac disease, often due to diarrhea. If you have been losing weight for no particular reason, celiac disease may be the culprit.
However, in children celiac disease often causes weight gain. Up to 75% of children who suffer from celiac disease are either overweight or obese.
Aphthous stomatitis, also known as mouth ulcers or canker sores, are painful open wounds in or around the mouth.
These have been previously associated with both infections and stress, but now ulcers can be connected to gluten as well. As the body’s immune response attacks its own tissue, mouth ulcers may occur.
These tiny, round can be caused by a variety of other issues as well, from stress to infections, but in some cases, they are a result of celiac disease.
Having a weak immune system can result in a high risk for other diseases such as cold and the flu. Celiac disease can easily result in malnutrition. Even if a celiac sufferer eats a healthy and balanced diet, the body does not absorb many of the food’s nutrients.
Nutrients in food is absorbed in the small intestine’s lining, however when a celiac sufferer consumes foods with gluten, the body has an autoimmune reaction of attacking the intestinal villi.
Eventually, the small, hair-like tentacles that line the small intestine become flattened, which leaves them unable to absorb nutrients.
A perfect diet does not matter if the villi in the intestines are destroyed by an untreated case of celiac disease. This will most likely result in malnourishment, which then leads to the risk of weight loss, anemia, infertility, and osteoporosis.
Additionally, children who have undiagnosed or untreated celiac disease are often short in stature due to malnutrition. Some common deficiencies in people with untreated celiac disease include iron, vitamin D, magnesium, calcium, vitamin B12, fatty acids, and folate.
There is not currently a cure for celiac disease. However, people who suffer from celiac disease can best treat themselves by cutting out every food and condiment that contains gluten.
Some cosmetics even contain gluten, so this is something else to watch out for. However, Scientific American reports that most people do not need to remove gluten from their diets.
While many Americans cut back on gluten due to the craze of gluten-free items, nutritionists say that people who do not do their research or carefully eat balanced meals, can create an unhealthy diet for themselves.
While one third of adults have now reported having the desire to cut back on gluten, this craze is seemingly increasing.
For most people, a gluten-free diet will provide no health benefits. This is due to the fact that whole grains, containing gluten, provide the body with fiber, vitamins and minerals. Alternatively, gluten-free foods are made with grains that have been refined, which lowers their level of nutrition.
People can eat a gluten-free diet that is healthy, but you need to know what you are doing, and many people who are following the gluten-free craze don’t.
People who cut out gluten may begin feel physically better due to the avoidance of desserts and junk foods, but that is not due to the loss of gluten in the diet, it is only due to being more conscious of eating whole foods that are low in carbohydrates and sugar.
To test for an intolerance to gluten, schedule a doctor’s appointment to have comprehensive blood work done. This will be able to sense the gluten intolerance, if it exists.
If the blood test results are negative, yet symptoms are still occurring, remember that some people are sensitive to gluten without being completely intolerant.
Non-celiac gluten sensitivity can cause a reaction from gluten that also results in similar unpleasant symptoms of the gastrointestinal system.
There is no test for non-celiac sensitivity to gluten. If it seems like this may be an issue, consider cutting out gluten for at least 21 days to see if symptoms improve.
This requires a complete lack of gluten in the diet, so it is important to check all labels and all ingredients in every food that is consumed.
Some hidden sources of gluten beyond wheat are rye, barley, bulgur, farro, matzo, oatmeal, seitan, malt vinegar, soy sauce, mayonnaise, and other common foods. It is important to do research before starting on a gluten free diet when looking to see if a sensitivity is present.
These are some symptoms that should be taken into consideration when celiac diseases is on the table. Be on the lookout for these symptoms before consulting a physician and having a blood test.
More articles on digestive health
The Complete Guide on How to Get Rid of Bloating and Gas
12 Best Probiotic Foods for Digestive Health
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Comments
Cher says
I have had these symptoms since birth, have been tested for Celiac several times, always negative. My gastro Dr put me on low FODMAP diet, which includes gluten-free. Learned I had to cut out rice too; it contains a protein very similar to wheat, and can be milled on machinery that mills wheat, too, so cross-contamination is an issue.
Jignel says
Please help me….im really depressed with my situation. I have all the symptoms of celiac disease-bloating, abdominal pain, itchiness in any part of my body among others.I think i have had this gluten intolerance since i was about 30, now im 55, and its getting worse especially the bloating. Worse is, i think my 16 yr old son has also gluten intolerance because lately he had this persistent acne all over his back and his face, and he is really thin now. Please can someone advise me. I desperately need your help pleassse.
Susanna says
Look into the Paleo Diet. It’s all about not only being gluten free but healing the inflammation caused by “conventional” manufactured foods. At the very least, help yourself by researching foods that have gluten in them and cut them out of your diet. If you feel better in a few weeks, then you could suspect gluten intolerance.
Peggy Fera says
This article has been very informative and supportive to my situation. Several years ago I developed an undiagnosed skin rash that covered most of my body. The severe itching was constant to the point that I unable to sleep more than 1 to 2 hours at a time without have to take warm or cool baths. Finally after countless skin testing that always turnout to be negative the Allergist advised me that one of tests inferred I was sensitive to gluten. After many months of research and studying all the foods I ate to determine if gluten would be part of ingredients in them, the rash, along with enlarged liver completely cleared up. If any sign of the rash appears I usually can trace it back to an overconsumtion of foods that mostly likely contained gluten.
Ted says
This is a great article, and I have a few of these symptoms and never quite made the link between these and a possible gluten intolerance. Upon more research, it seems that many people could have a gluten sensitivity, but not full blown celiac disease, and still be adversely affected by even small amounts of gluten.
Thanks for this wonderful resource!
Addison Johnson, RD, BSc says
Ted, glad you found this article helpful.
Janie says
If you think you might have Gluten intolerance or celiac disease, is this something you would be born with or could it come later in life like diabetes does?
Darlene says
wheat and other glutenous flours are not the same as our ancestors had. It is hybridized and full of chemicals that are causing an influx of gluten sensitivites in this age. No one should be eating gluten today. Also we eat way to much of it as it is in all processed products which are unhealty in themselves. Go grain free and organic and you will see your health improve greatly. Also avoid convention meat and dairy as they are full of hormones and antibiotics. If God made it eat it, if man made it, don’t touch it.
Web says
You just said a Mouthful!
Kc says
Wow, you just saved our lives with that statement. We have been suspecting gluten sensitivities and since being gluten free our symptoms have cleared up 80% but I’m hoping that with REAL foods we will all improve even more
Mandy says
This saddens me to read opinionated statements as thought they are science based fact. I’m a commercial wheat farmer and am being evaluated gluten sensitivity. Itest negative for gluten but my health improves without gluten. I’ve done much research and know first hand the wheat in this country is not full of chemicals. It’s not hybridized to increase gluten. Meat and dairy are not full of antibiotics and hormones. Fear mongering from activist groups paid by the companies that benefit from your trend based eating is winning. They are taking your money, brain washing you and your children, and adding to the hunger problems in our world. Oh how I wish ppl would go learn from theit local farmers (many of which are college educated scientist that utilize extensive research and science based data to manage their crops.). I eat clean, healthy, try to avoid preservatives, processed foods, etc. I’m currently off gluten and dairy for good reasons. But I also know full well, without a doubt, that commercial crops and livestock in this country are safer than any food in the world.
Mandy says
Please excuse my typos. I got all into my message and missed a few typos.
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This is the first in a series of articles about self-publishing. This series will cover everything from the technical bits, to self-promotion, to getting books into bookstores.
Since the rise of the digital era, people have been calling for the death of the publishing industry as we know it. We’ve all heard someone claim that publishers are obsolete, they don’t do anything for writers anyway, and that writers are guaranteed to make way more money from self-publishing. But they’re wrong.
True self-publishing—successful self-publishing—needs to be treated like a business, or it will fail in 99.99% percent of cases. The author needs to educate themselves in and do all of the things that a publisher would, or their work will not sell.
For most traditional publishing contracts, the author will make approximately 10% of print sales and 25% of ebook sales. Of course, this varies from publisher to publisher (and from writer to writer). How can this be justified when the author is the one who creates the product?
Roughly 50% of all book sales go to the bookstore or bookseller. This is important; bookstores are struggling to stay alive, and without them, we have no book industry. There is no place to launch or advertise new works, to showcase all the wonderful titles, or to buy your book if bookstores don’t exist. And this 50% from selling your work isn’t pure profit; it covers payroll, overhead costs (including rent, insurance and utilities), purchasing new titles to sell, and all of the other facilities that make spending time in a bookstore wonderful.
In theory, the other 40% goes to the publisher. However, the middleman takes a considerable size of the cut. Publishers work with distributors, who give the publishers a considerable advantage over self-publishing authors. They have huge inventories and print, categorise, advertise, sell and transport the books directly to bookstores.
The money that’s left does go to the publisher. But it’s important to remember what the publisher has invested. Each work has a whole team working on each title, including an acquisitions or structural editor, a copyeditor, a proofreader, a book designer, a typesetter, a production manager, and a marketing manager (potentially two if the title is expected to sell well in both digital and print). That’s not even counting the roles that keep the publisher afloat, including people who work in sales and contracts and royalties and accounting. In smaller publishers, many of these roles overlap, but they still need to be able to support each of these roles in order to stay afloat.
Beware of the vanity press. These are “publishers” that offer to self-publish your work for you; for a hefty fee, they will do a number of services, and provide you with a published book. However, the experience with these publishers is often very sketchy, and there are hundreds of horror stories online of people ten copies of their book that they have no way of selling, or a hundred copies of their work with typos added into the text that weren’t in the original manuscript, or losing $10,000 and not getting anything tangible in return.
Websites like Writer Beware help to keep the industry abreast of these companies, however, there is not a great deal online about Australian vanity presses, and new ones are cropping up all the time. Before using any assisted self-publishing service, and especially before handing any money over or signing a contract, always do a quick background check. Do an online search for their business name next to the word “review” or “experience”, and look for third-party reviews. See if you can find other books that this service has worked on, and how well they have been published or sold. Contact other people who have worked with them, if you can.
When in doubt, contact your state writers centre or the Australian Society of Authors and ask if they know of any writers who have had any experience with them. The Australian Society of Authors also offers a contract assessment service to help you make sure that you’re getting a fair deal. They also guarantee that if you’re dealing with a vanity or scam contract, they will alert you immediately and provide a full refund.
To successfully self-publish a book, the author needs to approach it like they would approach starting a small business in an industry they are not familiar with. It will take research, personal investment, and a huge amount of work.
The first step is to become familiar with each of the things that a publisher would do, and determine how to get them done. For some things, like editing and cover design, it is a very good idea to outsource them to a professional. Other aspects, such as typesetting, are possible to do yourself if you educate yourself and are truly dedicated. Other aspects that need to be considered include whether the title will be published in print or as an ebook, the marketing and self-promotion plan, who the audience is and how the work will get to them, and the overall budget for the project.
Budding self-publishers need to know that this investment is a risk; there is a chance that very few copies of the work will sell, and that you will end up running a loss at the end of the day. If this doesn’t matter, and you are truly passionate about getting your work into the hands of its readers and you are willing to dedicate yourself to having complete control over the project, then it very well may be worth it.
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2 Comments on The Dangers of Self-Publishing: What Do Publishers Do Anyway?
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2 thoughts on “The Dangers of Self-Publishing: What Do Publishers Do Anyway?”
7 February 2016 at 3:48 am
I think distribution would be the killer for many excellent self-published titles, Sophie. Of course, bookstores aren’t the only important venue for sales.
A very useful blog, btw.
7 February 2016 at 4:39 am
Thanks, Penelope! Absolutely, distribution is huge. People can’t buy your work if they can’t find it. But I also think that marketing/promotion is pretty key—the market of self-published ebooks can be fairly saturated, so it’s a matter of cutting through the competition and being seen by your audience.
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Hi, my name is Sophie Mannix, and I have worked in the Australian writing industry for the last three years. Here, I will share everything you need to know to get to the next stage in your writing career.
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Lindsey Vonn is a well-renowned American alpine ski racer listed in the list of women to won “World Cup” races in all five alpine skiing disciplines. Everyone considers her one of the great female skiers and has held 82 ‘World Cup’ victories to her credit.
Moreover, she is the first American woman who has won a gold medal in the downhill at the 2010 Winter Olympics. Her victory of eight World Cup season titles, five Super-G titles, and three consecutive titles in the downhill discipline made her more popular worldwide. Similarly, she was ranked the second-highest super ranking among all skiers in America. Visit her top 109 inspiring quotes below.
“Follow your dreams. If you have a goal, and you want to achieve it, then work hard and do everything you can to get there, and one day it will come true.”― Lindsey Vonn
“It’s amazing. Life changes very quickly, in a very positive way, if you let it.”― Lindsey Vonn
“If you go around being afraid, you’re never going to enjoy life. You have only one chance, so you’ve got to have fun.”― Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn during the race
“I hate being helpless, and I hate having to ask people to do things for me.”― Lindsey Vonn
“In the end, it’s a mental maturity to let your best come out.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Tiger Woods makes me a better athlete.”― Lindsey Vonn
“You are only limited to what you push yourself to, you know? You can always get better.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I enjoy just showing people other sides of me, especially everyone always sees me in my helmet and ski suit. It’s nice to just show everyone me, just me in my everyday clothes or just me in high heels or just me not in my ski gear, basically.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I have a little Nintendo DS, and I play these brain games that are supposed to stimulate your mind.”― Lindsey Vonn
11th of 109 Lindsey Vonn Quotes
“I love ‘Saturday Night Live,’ and it’s such a funny show. I don’t know if I’m funny enough to be on it but definitely would be interested in doing it.”― Lindsey Vonn
“When I first moved to Vail, it was like I was a little celebrity. You know, everyone knew my accomplishments. I was a young, fast teenager and making waves in the ski world. And it was really cool.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Everything about my life seemed so perfect to people. But I struggle like everyone else.”― Lindsey Vonn
“There is a dessert dish in Austria called Kaiserschmarrn – it’s kind of like a sweet raisin pancake with eggs and sugar. It’s definitely not something I can eat often, but if I’ve done well at a race, sometimes that’s my celebration treat!”― Lindsey Vonn
“When you’re young, you develop ways to win, and you think they will always work, but then you get to the top, competing against the other top athletes, and sometimes things don’t work.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I find folding laundry very relaxing.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I never thought my face would be on the cover of a Red Bull Six Pack.”― Lindsey Vonn
“When my parents were getting divorced, I just said to myself, ‘Go to sleep, and tomorrow you can go skiing.’ I cried myself to sleep, and in the morning I was up on the mountain, and I was good.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Ninety percent of the day is working out. Sometimes I get my nails done and go to the grocery store.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I snack on fruit and nuts. In the middle of my long workouts, I’ll have a protein shake.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Mascara is my go-to product before stepping out of the house.”― Lindsey Vonn
“When I get on the World Cup tour, I’m kind of disconnected from the world. I just kind of get wrapped up in my world and wrapped up in trying to ski fast every day, and I forget about everything else.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’m never tired of winning, and I’m never tired of skiing.”― Lindsey Vonn
“It’s so important for kids to get involved with sports in general at a young age.”― Lindsey Vonn
“For sure, 2010 was the best year I’ve ever had. It couldn’t have gone any better for me. Even if I just won the Olympic gold medal, that would have made it the best year of my career and the best day of my life, period. Winning the World Cup races and the overall title just topped it off.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Since childhood, sports has been one of the most important influences in my life.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’m not trying to get five medals. I’m not trying to be Michael Phelps.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Golf is all about patience – one tournament is four days long, 18 holes a day.”― Lindsey Vonn
“People get nervous driving around corners, thinking they’re going to tip over. But you can go soooo much faster through the curves than you realize.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’ve always heard that heli-skiing in Alaska is amazing. I would love to be able to do that at some point in my life.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I have three cows, and I’m looking forward to more in the future, so I’ll have a little herd.”― Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn with her partner
“It seems kind of silly, but it’s really nice to chill in the kitchen with a friend and bake. It relaxes me, and mixing is probably my favorite part.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I try to eat on the healthier side, but baked goods are hard to resist. I just love sweet things.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Being on one crutch to no crutches is a huge difference.”― Lindsey Vonn
“For someone to say I am overweight is completely ridiculous.”― Lindsey Vonn
“You have to be a little crazy to be a downhill skier.”― Lindsey Vonn
40th of 109 Lindsey Vonn Quotes
“I feel like, with ski racing, you need to have a short memory. You crash all the time, and sometimes it’s a really bad one, but sometimes it’s not so bad.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I really like figure skating.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I did gymnastics when I was a kid. I wasn’t very good at it.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I love the cowbell. I think it’s awesome. My family got the cowbell app on their iPhones. It’s a classic part of ski racing.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I get up early, but it doesn’t mean I like getting up early.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I wouldn’t change being married. It was good for me, and I was happy for a period of time, and I learned a lot about myself.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I wish it didn’t take soooooo much to get physically to where I need to be.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I want to keep pushing the limits to see what’s possible. That’s the nice thing about ski racing – no one is stopping you from going faster.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I went from being married to living on my own in L.A., to having a new boyfriend and just being totally self-sufficient and super independent. It’s awesome. I love it!”― Lindsey Vonn
“A part of me is missing when I can’t ski, but I’ve learned there’s more to define me and make me happy, like stand-up paddling and Jet Skiing – things I’d never done before. Or being with people I love and just enjoying life.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I have a race routine. I have a team of people helping me. I have winning habits. I believe in myself. I have balance in my life.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I don’t want to leave skiing early. I want to feel like I’ve done everything I can do.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I don’t really believe that you need to be married to someone to be their life partner.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Everyone saw me on TV or read articles, and it was all about my great marriage, the white picket fence, all this success and my perfect life. But behind the scenes, it was a struggle.”― Lindsey Vonn
Lindsey Vonn with her precious awards
“Everyone knows marriage is tough.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I always channeled what I felt emotionally into skiing – my insecurities, my anger, my disappointment. Skiing was always my outlet, and it worked.”― Lindsey Vonn
“There are times when one certain snow condition is great for one particular brand of skis.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Medals are decided by hundredths of a second, so I need assurance that my vision is perfect every time I compete, no matter what the conditions.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Making ski racing fun and engaging for kids and families is an exciting opportunity and a real passion of mine.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Vail Resorts School of Shred program is a great way to help encourage kids to stay active by getting them outside and on the mountain.”― Lindsey Vonn
“If you work so hard to reach your goal but you lose your pole in the very last run, that’s hard to take.”― Lindsey Vonn
“An overall title is one of the biggest things you can win in our sport.”― Lindsey Vonn
“The Olympics are what I work for. They’re why I spend so much time in the gym.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I want to show America who I am and inspire young kids.”― Lindsey Vonn
“You can get a big gust of wind, and your Olympics are over.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Ski racing is not about how much you weigh. If weight was the key, everybody would be sucking down food.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I feel like winning a world championship was a hurdle I had to get over.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My mom is positive and optimistic.”― Lindsey Vonn
“The thing is I have no ACL. So unless I get surgery, there’s nothing really magical that I can do that’s going to make it better. I just can get my leg stronger, my muscle stronger and try and support it a little more. But that has a small impact. My knee is loose, and it’s not stable, and that’s the way it’s going to be from here on out.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’ve been to a lot of photo shoots, and I see these girls that are just really thin. They’re not healthy. They don’t work out.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My childhood dream was to win the Olympics, and I’ve done that. Everything else is icing on the cake.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Records are the only thing that remain of an athlete, the only thing that people will remember. If I want to ensure that people don’t forget me, I can only stop once I’ve set the bar as high as possible for anyone coming after me.”― Lindsey Vonn
“In the winter, I’m always in Europe. July and September are New Zealand and Chile camps. I’m always on the road.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I ski very aggressively, and the angles that I create with my body are similar to some of the male racers.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I can be normal by myself; no one notices me.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’ve always loved working, doing interviews with the guys on the ‘Today’ show; everyone’s really easygoing, and I always feel comfortable on the show.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’ve never once heard my mom complain about her stroke.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Athletics at the highest level is a sport within a sport.”― Lindsey Vonn
“The Olympics were the most pressure I’ve ever felt.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I won’t lie – I picked up the occasional gossip magazine in the past because I thought that maybe 5 to 10 percent of it was true. Now I think it’s zero percent.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’m not an idiot; I try not to look, but I see what people say about me on Facebook. I see other things written. But I don’t care.”― Lindsey Vonn
“It’s difficult to be at events with a room full of women who weigh half as much as you do.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Just in general, staying healthy and active is important.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I don’t know where I’m supposed to meet a boyfriend. It’s weird.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’d like to keep my personal life private. In reality, I know that’s not possible. In the present, I’m trying to pretend it’s possible.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My crazy training-and-competition schedule leaves very little time to focus on my hair.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Olay BB Cream is a lifesaver, and I wear it every day while I train and compete. Twenty-four-hour hydration and sheer color helps me look flawless even when faced with that unforgiving Jumbotron!”― Lindsey Vonn
“I’m not trying to race the whole men’s tour; I just want to race one time. If you know me, which most people on the World Cup do, they know that this is a legitimate goal of mine and not a publicity stunt.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My mom is really tough.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Life’s short, you know? Especially as an athlete. Your career is very short, and you use the opportunities that you have because you’re not going to have them again.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I want to be known for my athletic achievements, not my celebrity.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Skiing takes so much out of me, and when I start a family, I want to do it 100%.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Nothing really compares to the original ‘Law & Order.’”― Lindsey Vonn
“I can’t picture myself being the people I always looked up to.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I always ate healthy, but it wasn’t scientific. Now it’s a high-protein diet and no carbohydrates. I have more consistent energy, and I don’t get tired after a meal. It does take a very detailed meal plan.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Facebook and Twitter have changed how people follow ski racing. In past Olympics, you couldn’t stay in touch with the fan base that followed you during the Olympics. They thought they had to wait four years to reconnect.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I don’t know if I’ll ever get used to the idea that strangers know who I am. I don’t know if I want to.”― Lindsey Vonn
“The history of skiing is important to me.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I remember when I met Picabo Street, you know, how in awe I was of her and how much she inspired me, and I really hope to be that for young kids.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I use men’s skis because, honestly, they work better for me. They’re longer, they’re stiffer, they’re harder to turn – but at the same time, they’re much more stable.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My mother-in-law’s from Norway, and she’s always liked old-school remedies.”― Lindsey Vonn
“I take risks – that’s my life on the slopes and off.”― Lindsey Vonn
“My favorite ski run in the U.S. is International on the front face of Vail Mountain.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Vail’s a very important place for me. Everyone kind of took me in and accepted me in that town, and they still have to this day. I wouldn’t be a downhill skier if I hadn’t been there.”― Lindsey Vonn
“Especially when I’m in the gym, I get really motivated by hip-hop.”― Lindsey Vonn
“It’s hard to give tips to skiers if I don’t know how they ski, but I think the most important thing in skiing is you have to be having fun. If you’re having fun, then everything else will come easy to you.”― Lindsey Vonn
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Melbourne is the second largest city in Australia. Melbourne is the flag bearer of Australian culture. Although Sydney might debate this with its quota of museums and up and coming events. Melbourne, founded on the 19th century glimmer of gold and the rush to get a stake in the newly opened goldfields is a vibrant multicultural city with the Yarra River as its soul. Beguiling, seductive Melbourne wins the heart with narrow alleyways, sheer sandstone architectural splendor next to funky modern, intimate cafe bustle with coffee aroma tantalizing the senses. Languages are folded into one another in bustling markets and Melbourne charm is an added extra.
Melbourne does not overwhelm the visitor even though it is actually a large city with a population near 5 million. Australians from the country towns, Western Australia, South Australia and the Territories Melbourne is quintessentially Australia, a place to call home. Take the State Library it has a great story about Ned Kelly, bushranger extraordire. What more could you ask for.
For overseas visitors Melbourne has a familiar big city vibe yet still breathes an undeniable identity, Australia.
A favoured city and a favourite Melbourne is a must do destination.
Photo by @visitmelbourne
Top ten things to do and see in Melbourne
It’s free, the City Circle Tram is the perfect orientation of Melbourne. Start with a free tram ride. And it is quaint. City Circle Tram 35 City Circle (Free Tourist Tram) departs every 12 minutes from Flinders Street Station and other designated stops. The tram has stops along its route. Information leaflets are available when boarding the tram. The tram is a heritage W class tram decorated in special maroon and green with yellow and gold trimmings. If you can manage an early start grab a seat and simply relax. Enjoy people watching while the tram circles the city. Trams are a major form of public transportation. Get your tram pass and enjoy the ride.
Photo by @lia_ailana
Photo by @wonderful.pl
Melbourne’s Royal Botanic Gardens has a hidden gem Australian Native Garden plus the grandeur of over 94 acres to spend a day finding out what is around the next corner. There is something for everyone in the sprawling space, duckpools to picnic by, a free garden people mover and a 4km walking track known as ‘The Tan’ that circles the garden. At the centre of the Park is a lake where families and friends meet. The children’s playground is a must do destination for those travelling with small people who need time to jump and run in outdoor spaces. Check out their website for free garden walking tours or join the Aboriginal Heritage Walk. This popular walk explains the gardens from the perspective of the traditional owners.
Photo by Thomas Bassett
Photo by @johnc_83
Insta photo moments Melbourne’s architectural gems range from heritage-protected buildings of various eras and styles. Get ready to update your facebook page as you spot the well known, quirky city buildings, old advertising paintings and contemporary structures. Do not miss the Flinders Street Railway Station, Federation Square (both on the City Circle Tram route), Block Arcade, the Nicholas Building and ANZ’s gothic headquarters. Every July, you can glimpse, for free inside many of Melbourne’s off-limits architectural highlights at the city’s annual Open House event. Check out specialised architectural tours as well as our gallery of buildings on our website. Instagram moments galore.
Photo by Weyne Yew
Photo by Heidi Fin
Explore St Kilda’s a short tram ride away from the city centre. A seaside suburb, a pier and esplanade, a heritage amusement park which still operates, a main street stacked with cake shops and ice cream vendors, and backstreets with art and architecture to gaze at. St Kilda is a seaside retreat for locals, complete with lifeguards and next door is Brighton Beach with its instagram famous beach huts. You have skyline views of the city and, best of all you are within walking distance of Acland Street cafes and cakes. On Sunday there is a craft market set up along the esplanade running alongside the Pier. For playground fans check out St Kilda Adventure Playground. It is within five minutes walk from the beach. For fans of heritage homes a walk around the streets of St Kilda and neighbouring Elwood will showcase Vicctorian mansions, Edwardian houses, art-deco apartments and post World War II modern from the 1950s and 60s. Check out our website for photos to inspire you what to see and observe.
Photo by @willy_anto
St Kilda cakeshops
Festival time and you need a break. Melbourne is a great place to time your trip around the numerous festivals. Melbourne’s events calendar is packed with festivals throughout the year. There is free entertainment in addition to ticketed events. Free street performers, comic, musicians and mine being street favourites. Parks and public venues are used as a stage. In March, there’s Moomba, which is Australia’s largest free community festival. There’s nightly fireworks, celebrity monarchs, a parade, and carnival rides and games galore. Other popular festivals in the city include the Melbourne International Comedy Festival, the Melbourne International Film Festival, the Melbourne Writers Festival, Melbourne Fringe and Melbourne Festival.
Photo by @carpediem.jo
And Aboriginal stories are to be found at Appreciate Aboriginal history, Koorie Heritage Trust Cultural Centre. For an initiation into the practices of the traditional owners, the Wurundjeri people, and an introduction into contemporary Koorie history and culture, check out the Koorie Heritage Trust’s Cultural Centre in Federation Square. City Circle tram stop one. Aboriginal artists are supported by a permanent social history interactive exhibition to provide context for visitors unfamiliar with Aboriginal culture. The Melbourne Museum also has excellent information on indigenous social and culture heritage but is only free for students and members.
Photo by @genturtama
Photo by @blackgin
Explore the laneways for dynamic graffiti embellished street art. Laneways are a labyrinth coiling themselves around the Melbourne city centre. Shadowed lanes and alleys are canvases for artists looking for large blank wall. A few downpipes just adds to the charm. Bright colours, large vibrant art narratives get visitors deciphering the messages. Check out our article and images on street art to get you inspired for your visit. Instagram-worthy backdrops for any selfie. And do not forget to look down alleyways wherever you are in Melbourne.
Photo by James Garman
Photo by @costello.dawn
Melbourne’s is a shopping destination from high end local designers to funky contemporary to a myriad of pop up markets, the city is retail therapy on speed. In most suburbs there are markets selling fresh local produce, handmade crafts, secondhand treasures or gourmet hawker dishes from the Middle East through to spicy Asian. Browsing is part of the retail therapy and is free. And in Prahan and South Melbourne markets you are encouraged to taste and test before purchasing. Temptation with every bite. Besides the grand old lady of markets, Queen Victoria Market, there are plenty of less touristy markets to check out. Perhaps Camberwell Market for a Parisienne flea market vibe; the Rose Street Artists Market in Fitzroy to soak up some Melbourne creativity; the summer-time-only Night Market at Victoria Market for hawker-style food and live music; and the Farmers Market at Abbotsford Convent or the Collingwood Children’s Farm for a bit of rural idyll in the city. A handy tip carry cash as sometimes the bargain does not have electronic payment facilities and for more directions and marketplaces check out our article on markets.
Photo by @thesmithereens_
Photo by Shawn Ang
Museums, the reoccurring favourite is NGV. Entry to the NGV Collection is free; however entry fees may apply to special exhibitions. The entrance is marked by sheets of water cascading against the sheer concrete facade. This is matched by a series of foundations on the pavement where the tired, the weary and the slightly flustered visitor can be found figuring out what to do next. To enter the building just walk towards the water, pass through and I promise you will not get wet. Head into the gift shop to view the water feature from the inside. It is also worthwhile to pick up souvenirs and gifts from the NGV shop. The building was designed by Sir Roy Grounds, the National Gallery of Victoria (NGV) has a collection of more than 73,000 works of art. As you pivot towards the entrance look up and behind the wall of water towards the very large foyer where the world’s largest stained-glass ceiling casts a kaleidoscope of colours onto the gallery floor. And to simply gawp at the entrance it is free. And a bonus the cafe is usually fitted out to match a major exhibition. There are often queues at the cafe and its prices are not bargain basement.
Photo by @donna.ab
Photo by @mrs_cindylynn
Gold mining and Chinese cultural heritage is found in Chinatown. Chinese miners arrived in Victoria in search of the ‘new gold mountain’ in the 1850s and started Little Bourke St from the 1860s. For more than 150 years this section of central Melbourne, now flanked by five traditional arches, has been the focal point for the city’s Chinese community. Explore a red and gold themed Chinese neighbourhood with historic buildings filled with Chinese restaurants, gift shops and Asian groceries. Chinatown also hosts the city’s Chinese New Year celebrations.To learn more about the Chinese-Australian story, visit the informative Chinese Museum, part of the Chinese Visitor Information Centre.
Photo by @tnanablejourney
Photo by @aprilfuhl
Vying to be in the top ten is Darling Harbour.
Darling Harbour is a near miss for the top ten with its main area dedicated to entertainment and visitor experiences. Darling Harbour’s promenade is wall to wall cafes and restaurants with their menus displayed on the pavement to assist with choosing where to eat and drink. Remember to check google for restaurant reviews. And the area is not cheap. You are charged for the privilege of dining at Darling. Many of the guided tour harbor cruises depart from the docks here and it is also home to the Sealife Aquarium. A polished aquarium experience for younger members of your group will not disappoint. It is sometimes crowded as it is part of the mass tour bus circuit. The National Maritime Museum is part of the Darling Harbour. A mecca for all ages interested in the sea and the ocean. Stories of the relationship between the sea and the immigrants who spent months at sea is relayed through personal narratives drawing the viewer into the harrowing experience. A favourite place is the welcome wall.
And there is always the temptation of a day trip to:
Our in depth articles on Melbourn are:
Best Melbourne gardens, top five favourite places to visit
Melbourne photo architecture tour
Melbourne markets & pop up venues, where to go
Facts and tips to make the most of your journey.
From the airport
Melbourne does not have the convenience of a train running directly to the city centre. There are the usual shuttle services, and two public bus service to Southern Cross Railway Station, Here is a link to a handy site informing us of up to date pricing. Welcome Melbourne There are two methods to reach the city centre from Melbourne airport. The most convenient is by taxi, however it is not a cheap option. A Melbourne Airport taxi to the central city will cost around 37€ (AUD$60.00) and the journey will last around 30 minutes to reach the centre. Alternatively, public transport via bus services is available. You can take two forms of bus services, public or SkyBus. SkyBus is the most convenient for travellers new to the city, costs around 12€ (AUD$19) and takes around 45 minutes to reach the city.
Melbourne getting around
Melbourne transport within the city limits is Yarra Tram. Remember to purchase a tram tag on and tag off, electronic travel card, here is the link to fares and ticketing.
Hop on and hop off bus provides an excellent opportunity for visitors short on time to hop, skip and jump between attractions.
Where to stay: tremendous choice from luxury to budget backpacker. Check on our booking button. As always check the physical location of your proposed accommodation that is it on major transport routes.
Check our city guide for information about museums, galleries, family favourite places and day trips outside Melbourne. The Yarra River story is explained and where to eat on the Southbank.
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Payday loan are a good idea when you are against unexpected costs, instance auto fixes, scientific expenses, or household costs. Pay day loan, otherwise payday loans, provide you with a lump sum of cash. This cash is tide you more up until your future paycheck, from which area the financial institution generally wants payment.
Are declined for an instant payday loan could be extremely challenging. Listed below are eight good reason why the loan might not be approved.
Popular Aspects of Payday loan Assertion
#1) Bad credit. Pay day loan loan providers work on delicate credit monitors before it agree financing apps. Such delicate credit checks provide them with their record advice and you will temporary credit history. For those who have bad credit or a negative financial obligation-to-money ratio, they might choose not to grant acceptance.
Yet not, predicated on GreenStarCash, even in the event loan providers are always manage a mellow credit assessment, the latest borrower’s credit history by yourself will not bring about a loan denial.
#2) A fantastic Fund. Of numerous claims enjoys rules about how exactly of several payday loan is going to be taken out at one time. While loan providers might not be able to find retribution to have a great payday loan, these funds can affect your following borrowing.
If you reside in a condition one just lets a borrower getting one to payday loans simultaneously, upcoming any an excellent financing is reasons behind denial. Together with, loan providers can get choose to not expand a loan when you yourself have maybe not paid back past finance while they should not undertake the chance.
#3) The Banking Records. Scratching in your financial records can also be factor in good payday loan assertion. Most loan requests require the newest financial statement. Such things as regular overdrafts often leads the lender to believe you to definitely the probability of you paying off the borrowed funds try reasonable. This may trigger her or him perhaps not granting the application.
#4)Diminished Lead Put. For people who get an instant payday loan but never have a bank checking account to have lead put, you’ll likely end up being refuted. Pay day loan providers just who accept online money you want an account where in order to put the amount of money.
On top of that, pay-day lenders usually require that you signal an ACH contract very they can withdraw installment financing if for example the mortgage appear due. As opposed to an energetic bank account, with no means for lenders so you can withdraw money, your loan application can be denied.
#5) Failure to meet Eligibility Criteria. Pay day lenders each possess their own qualifications criteria, but some was mandated by the condition. If you cannot see any of these conditions the loan application are denied.
Payday financing is actually unlawful in certain states, when you’re a citizen of a state that does not succeed pay day loan the application are not recognized. Similarly, if you are not a good All of us citizen acceptance is not you’ll.
You should be to get years of age or elderly to receive an online payday loan. But not, certain lenders enjoys a top years limitation out of 21 years. While you are underage otherwise you should never give legitimate identification your loan could well be declined. Armed forces people are also perhaps not accepted for cash improve finance due toward Military Lending Act (MLA) laws.
#6) Not Appointment More Standards. Lenders possess certain a lot more conditions. Even when not too common, they could include use of an excellent fax server to help you complete records, otherwise an operating number. If you’re unable to meet such standards, the lending company may well not accept the loan app.
#7) Income Products. Many pay day loan providers require you to keeps current employment. They frequently require proof of a job thru a recent shell out stub, paychecks, or head dumps out of your place of work. If you’re unable to establish their employment, you happen to be refuted. Including, my review here people who use societal shelter as his or her income, is care about-functioning, or are thought an independent company is almost certainly not approved to possess a payday loan.
Even though you utilized, your loan app might still be rejected. Normally as the lender deems you do not make sufficient money getting entitled to a payday loan. Loan providers ount so borrowers to be considered. Loan providers may well not believe appeal or jobless checks as an element of the brand new borrower’s monthly money.
How to prevent Assertion
It will always be smart to opinion the newest pay check lender’s loan qualification criteria in detail before you apply. Ensure that you see all of the criteria as well as have all requisite data in order before-going using with your software. It will help reduce your likelihood of choosing an assertion.
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Blackwater Capital is a family-owned and operated Real Estate Investment business based in Utah. With proven years of experience helping our customers with creative solutions to address their real estate needs.
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"Edamame" by bbno$ is a TikTok favorite set to images of dogs and beachy vacations and other things that people post. Rosie Grant uses it on her account ghostlyarchives (ph), which she bills as about cemeteries and beyond. That is, so many of her recent posts flash from a headstone to a kitchen.
University of Maryland grad student Rosie Grant joins us. Thanks so much for being with us.
SIMON: What's the connection between headstones and spatulas?
GRANT: Oh, Scott, I really love that question and the way it's phrased. There's a lot of connections. I mean, tombstones, when you think about them as being this, like, sort of connection to the living in the afterlife - I discovered during this whole posting on TikTok phase that a lot of people are leaving - not a lot of people, but there are a handful of people who their final mark to the world is putting recipes on their gravestones. So I started cooking a few of them.
SIMON: Oh, mercy. And you've tried them? What's your favorite recipe from a gravestone?
GRANT: I think my favorite one is still the spritz cookie. It's the gravestone of Naomi Miller-Dawson in Brooklyn, N.Y. And her final, I guess, gift to her family was leaving the family recipe that she had never shared in life. And so she shared it beyond the grave. And it's pretty simple. There's no instructions written on the gravestone itself. It's literally just the ingredients. And I found out through TikTok after posting about it, all of these people shared how they cooked the same recipe, the spritz machine that they use. And it's a very tasty cookie.
SIMON: A lot of people have been following you - right? - and trying out the recipes.
GRANT: Yeah. I mean, it's been a really cool way to connect with people during the pandemic. In general, like, cemeteries itself has been a really fun quarantine - I guess you could say quarantine hobby just because you can go outside. You know, you can walk in nature, learn a little bit of history about different local cemeteries and people buried there. And then, yeah, like, posting about actually, like, cooking through these different recipes has been a lot of fun. And a lot of people have posted their own family recipes or how they made a recipe. Even some people have reached out of just being like, oh, I've made this before. This was my take on this gravestone recipe - so, like, kind of an interesting way to connect with people.
SIMON: Have you ever come across a recipe that has made you think, well, now I know why that person is under the ground?
GRANT: You know, no arsenic or anything, luckily. Most of them have just been very, like, beloved family recipes. There have been quite a few that I'm like, oh. Like, there's a good fudge recipe for Kay Andrews (ph) - she's a Utah woman who had her family recipe on their gravestone - that's pretty intense - lots of delicious, hearty butter, sugar, chocolate and whatnot. It's just - I mean, you could die happy.
SIMON: Has this made you feel - well, have you gotten a little more comfortable with death?
GRANT: I think so, yeah. I think posting a lot about it has been my own way of, like, grappling with, like, getting more comfortable with the idea, even, if anything, celebrating it. My family and I talk about it more regularly of like, you know, what will our final resting place be? How do I want to be celebrated in life? How do I want to be celebrated in death? And it's made me personally feel a lot more comfortable with this, like the absurd thing that we'll all die someday.
SIMON: I think what you're doing is very healthy for all of us. Thank you.
GRANT: Oh, thank you. Thank you so much. It's been a really - it's been a really cool thing to connect with people.
SIMON: Yeah. Rosie Grant, who posts and cooks as ghostlyarchives on TikTok, thanks so very much for being with us.
GRANT: Thank you so much. It's been an honor.
Scott Simon is one of America's most admired writers and broadcasters. He is the host of Weekend Edition Saturday and is one of the hosts of NPR's morning news podcast Up First. He has reported from all fifty states, five continents, and ten wars, from El Salvador to Sarajevo to Afghanistan and Iraq. His books have chronicled character and characters, in war and peace, sports and art, tragedy and comedy.
See stories by Scott Simon
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President Bill Clinton once said his goal was to have abortion become, among other things, “rare.” No matter how you read the statistics below, the one thing it has not become is rare.
As of today, it has been 16,972 days since the Supreme Court handed down its 7-2 verdict in Roe v. Wade. “Jane Roe” has repented of her decision, but the Supreme Court has not.
These sobering, chilling statistics I have calculated scream from the page, documenting the world’s modern holocaust.
Normalizing abortion and promoting it as acceptable public policy is nothing more than humanistic, cultural, ethnic, misogynistic, cynical, public health, political, judicially authorized, damnable, premeditated
I realize there are some people out there for whom abortion is permissible, commonplace, and natural. A few even profess to believe, in some few cases I’ve read about, that abortion is supported and endorsed by Scripture. As a way of reminding ourselves that abortion is a crime against nature and an insult to the God of Creation, let us prayerfully go through a Bible study on the subject of birth, babies, and beyond.
God invented, ordained, and blessed the bearing of children as part of His plan for us humans.
Genesis 1:28. God blessed them, and God said to them, “Be fruitful, multiply, fill the earth, and subdue it. Rule the fish of the sea, the birds of the sky, and every creature that crawls on the earth.”
1 Timothy 5:14. Therefore, I want younger women to marry, have children, manage their households, and give the adversary no opportunity to accuse us.
The giving of new life through human birth is understood as a joy-producing, direct blessing from God and a sign of His love and power.
Deuteronomy 28:10–11. Then all the peoples of the earth will see that you are called by Yehovah’s name, and they will stand in awe of you. Yehovah will make you prosper abundantly with children, the offspring of your livestock, and your land’s produce in the land Yehovah swore to your fathers to give you.
Psalm 113:9. He gives the childless woman a household, making her the joyful mother of children. Hallelujah!
Psalm 127:3–5. Sons are indeed a heritage from Yehovah, children, a reward. Like arrows in the hand of a warrior are the sons born in one’s youth. Happy is the man who has filled his quiver with them. Such men will never be put to shame when they speak with their enemies at the city gate.
John 16:21. When a woman is in labor she has pain because her time has come. But when she has given birth to a child, she no longer remembers the suffering because of the joy that a person has been born into the world.
Scripture tells of the “in-the-womb” life of these tiny human beings.
Genesis 25:22–23. But the children inside her struggled with each other, and she said, “Why is this happening to me?” So she went to inquire of Yehovah. And Yehovah said to her: Two nations are in your womb; two people will come from you and be separated. One people will be stronger than the other, and the older will serve the younger.
Luke 1:41–44. When Elizabeth heard Mary’s greeting, the baby leaped inside her, and Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit. Then she exclaimed with a loud cry: “You are the most blessed of women, and your child will be blessed! How could this happen to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me? For you see, when the sound of your greeting reached my ears, the baby leaped for joy inside me!”
God has always made it clear that He knew, formed, and selected His people while they were still in their mother’s womb.
Job 31:15. Did not the One who made me in the womb also make them? Did not the same God form us both in the womb?
Psalm 22:10. I was given over to You at birth; You have been my God from my mother’s womb.
Psalm 139:13–16. For it was You who created my inward parts; You knit me together in my mother’s womb. I will praise You because I have been remarkably and wonderfully made. Your works are wonderful, and I know this very well. My bones were not hidden from You when I was made in secret, when I was formed in the depths of the earth. Your eyes saw me when I was formless; all my days were written in Your book and planned before a single one of them began.
Isaiah 44:2. This is the word of Yehovah your Maker who formed you from the womb; He will help you: Do not fear.
Isaiah 49:1. Coastlands, listen to me; distant peoples, pay attention. Yehovah called me before I was born. He named me while I was in my mother’s womb.
Jeremiah 1:5. I chose you before I formed you in the womb; I set you apart before you were born. I appointed you a prophet to the nations.
The parent-child relationship is holy (set apart) by God as special and as a teaching symbol of what our relationship with Him as our Father will be.
Exodus 20:12. Honor your father and your mother so that you may have a long life in the land that Yehovah your God is giving you.
Proverbs 1:8–9. Listen, my son, to your father’s instruction, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching, for they will be a garland of grace on your head and a gold chain around your neck.
Proverbs 6:20. My son, keep your father’s command, and don’t reject your mother’s teaching.
Proverbs 13:24. The one who will not use the rod hates his son, but the one who loves him disciplines him diligently.
Proverbs 15:5. A fool despises his father’s discipline, but a person who accepts correction is sensible.
Proverbs 17:6. Grandchildren are the crown of the elderly, and the pride of sons is their fathers.
Proverbs 22:6. Teach a youth about the way he should go; even when he is old he will not depart from it.
Proverbs 23:22–24. Listen to your father who gave you life, and don’t despise your mother when she is old. Buy—and do not sell—truth, wisdom, instruction, and understanding. The father of a righteous son will rejoice greatly, and one who fathers a wise son will delight in him.
Isaiah 49:15. [God asks:] “Can a woman forget her nursing child, or lack compassion for the child of her womb? Even if these forget, yet I will not forget you.
Romans 8:14. All those led by God’s Spirit are God’s sons.
Ephesians 6:1–4. Children, obey your parents as you would the Lord, because this is right. Honor your father and mother, which is the first commandment with a promise, so that it may go well with you and that you may have a long life in the land. Fathers, don’t stir up anger in your children, but bring them up in the training and instruction of the Lord.
Colossians 3:20. Children, obey your parents in everything, for this pleases the Lord.
1 John 3:1. Look at how great a love the Father has given us that we should be called God’s children. And we are! The reason the world does not know us is that it didn’t know Him.
Jesus the Christ (Messiah) taught (1) that blessing children is a sacred act, (2) that harming children deserved death, and (3) that rescuing them is the natural and blessed act of a divine shepherd.
Matthew 18:12–14. What do you think? If a man has 100 sheep, and one of them goes astray, won’t he leave the 99 on the hillside and go and search for the stray? And if he finds it, I assure you: He rejoices over that sheep more than over the 99 that did not go astray. In the same way, it is not the will of your Father in heaven that one of these little ones perish.
Mark 9:36–37. Then He took a child, had him stand among them, and taking him in His arms, He said to them, “Whoever welcomes one little child such as this in My name welcomes Me. And whoever welcomes Me does not welcome Me, but Him who sent Me.”
Luke 17:2. It would be better for him if a millstone were hung around his neck and he were thrown into the sea than for him to cause one of these little ones to stumble.
Matthew 19:13–15. Then children were brought to Him so He might put His hands on them and pray. But the disciples rebuked them. Then Jesus said, “Leave the children alone, and don’t try to keep them from coming to Me, because the kingdom of heaven is made up of people like this.” After putting His hands on them, He went on from there.
Mark 10:13–16. Some people were bringing little children to Him so He might touch them, but His disciples rebuked them. When Jesus saw it, He was indignant and said to them, “Let the little children come to Me. Don’t stop them, for the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.” After taking them in His arms, He laid His hands on them and blessed them.
Luke 18:15–17. Some people were even bringing infants to Him so He might touch them, but when the disciples saw it, they rebuked them. Jesus, however, invited them: “Let the little children come to Me, and don’t stop them, because the kingdom of God belongs to such as these. I assure you: Whoever does not welcome the kingdom of God like a little child will never enter it.”
The sacred cycle of conception, birth, and maturing is blessed by God as a method of both continuity and preservation through time of His word, His will, and His law.
Deuteronomy 6:6–7. These words that I am giving you today are to be in your heart. Repeat them to your children. Talk about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
Deuteronomy 11:19. Teach them to your children, talking about them when you sit in your house and when you walk along the road, when you lie down and when you get up.
God sanctified the process of human conception, gestation, and birth by having His own divine and eternal Son experience it as a human.
Isaiah 7:14. Therefore, the Lord Himself will give you a sign: The virgin will conceive, have a son, and name him Immanuel.
Isaiah 9:6. For a child will be born for us, a son will be given to us, and the government will be on His shoulders. He will be named Wonderful Counselor, Mighty God, Eternal Father, Prince of Peace.
Luke 1:30–33. Then the angel told her: Do not be afraid, Mary, for you have found favor with God. Now listen: You will conceive and give birth to a son, and you will call His name Jesus. He will be great and will be called the Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give Him the throne of His father David. He will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and His kingdom will have no end.
And, lest we forget, God has reserved some of His fiercest anger for the pagan nations, and even for the peoples of Israel and Judah, because they murdered (by burning alive; incineration) their new-borns on the altar of Molech/Baal.
Jeremiah 32:35. [God:] They have built the high places of Baal in the Valley of Hinnom to make their sons and daughters pass through the fire to Molech—something I had not commanded them. I had never entertained the thought that they do this detestable act causing Judah to sin!
2 Kings 16:3. [The King of Judah] walked in the way of the kings of Israel. He even made his son pass through the fire, imitating the detestable practices of the nations Yehovah had dispossessed before the Israelites.
2 Kings 17:16–18. They abandoned all the commands of Yehovah their God. They made cast images for themselves, two calves, and an Asherah pole. They worshiped the whole heavenly host and served Baal. They made their sons and daughters pass through the fire and practiced divination and interpreted omens. They devoted themselves to do what was evil in Yehovah’s sight and provoked Him. Therefore, Yehovah was very angry with Israel, and He removed them from His presence. Only the tribe of Judah remained.
Let us pray fervently that this sin will be wiped out of our society.
Let us pray with the greatest love and sympathy for women facing a situation which might end in the death of an unborn child. And when we encounter such a woman, let us—in love and humility—redouble our previous efforts to help her, and to give her the ability to see the larger picture and future consequences of her choices.
Let us pray with urgency for those men and women working tirelessly to offer safe and life-preserving alternatives for these women.
Let us pray for a strong resurgence of the Holy Spirit, to bring an end to the current epidemic of willful ethical blindness that seeks to remove God and His will from all the earth.
And let us pray that God will forgive each of us for what we failed to do in this life that has allowed us to come to this time.
Posted by Dr. Grover B. Proctor, Jr. on July 11, 2019 in Bible Study, End Times, Law of God, Today's World
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I then found out my sweetheart had s** with my brother when i is out during the a married relationship – SIRIS
I then found out my sweetheart had s** with my brother when i is out during the a married relationship
Bywaruna May 7, 2022 May 7, 2022
I then found out my sweetheart had s** with my brother when i is out during the a married relationship
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fourteen Comments
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For example powering, regimen measures including taking outfitted, swinging seats, entering sexual decisions (sexsomnia), or urinating during the poor towns
Hello Mom, Give me a call whenever you Find my spouse ome fathers, too can do almost anything to see their own marriage-ag
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Our people are our biggest asset. We’ve built years of experience in insurance, benefits and risk to help you protect what you have built. We are here to serve you.
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I’m a serial hobbyist that enjoys spending time with my wife, dog, family, and friends when I’m not water skiing, woodworking, golfing, hunting, barbequing, gardening, or watching sports. I’m a fan of KU basketball and all KC sports teams.
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I’m a serial hobbyist that enjoys spending time with my wife, dog, family, and friends when I’m not water skiing, woodworking, golfing, hunting, barbequing, gardening, or watching sports. I’m a fan of KU basketball and all KC sports teams.
I am passionate about giving back to the community through various board involvements and committees. I love all things KC sports and Creighton Basketball. I love golfing.
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I am passionate about giving back to the community through various board involvements and committees. I love all things KC sports and Creighton Basketball. I love golfing.
I enjoy spending time with my family. I served on the board for United Cerebral Palsy and remain active and involved in the community. I enjoy golf, tennis, and all of our local sports teams.
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I enjoy spending time with my family. I served on the board for United Cerebral Palsy and remain active and involved in the community. I enjoy golf, tennis, and all of our local sports teams.
I am a licensed pilot. I travel to Mexico with my Spanish-speaking wife every year. I am the unofficial winner of “best Halloween costume” every year.
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I am a licensed pilot. I travel to Mexico with my Spanish-speaking wife every year. I am the unofficial winner of “best Halloween costume” every year.
I restore homes and 1950s vehicles. I reside on a horse farm in Peculiar, MO. I winter part-time with my wife in Scottsdale, AZ.
I restore homes and 1950s vehicles. I reside on a horse farm in Peculiar, MO. I winter part-time with my wife in Scottsdale, AZ.
I’m a grandfather of 4, 2 boys and 2 girls, and I love to play golf.
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I’m a grandfather of 4, 2 boys and 2 girls, and I love to play golf.
I'm scratch a golfer who also records a sports podcast. A professional singer and avid Denver sports fan (Go Broncos!)
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I'm scratch a golfer who also records a sports podcast. A professional singer and avid Denver sports fan (Go Broncos!)
I played college football at K-State. I enjoy a good Netflix binge. I love Sunday dinners with my family.
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I thrive on creativity in all forms: numbers, music, art, and song. I love solving problems with new solutions. I love being in the mountains and on the water… skiing on anything that moves.
With 3 daughters and 4 granddaughters, my life is not devoid of drama. Baseball is part of my DNA and I played in 2 college world series for MU. I’m passionate about health and wellbeing.
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With 3 daughters and 4 granddaughters, my life is not devoid of drama. Baseball is part of my DNA and I played in 2 college world series for MU. I’m passionate about health and wellbeing.
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Brad Pitt is my 4th cousin once removed (but I’ve never met him), I once bungee jumped from a 200ft crane. I fell out of a moving car but wasn’t severely injured when I was 3.
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Brad Pitt is my 4th cousin once removed (but I’ve never met him), I once bungee jumped from a 200ft crane. I fell out of a moving car but wasn’t severely injured when I was 3.
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My beautiful wife and I have 4 amazing and energetic kids. We stay busy with getting them to all of their sporting events. We love summers at the lake boating and fishing
I played college basketball for UNI. I have two great kids that love playing soccer. I can often be found wandering through Home Depot searching for my next project.
I played college basketball for UNI. I have two great kids that love playing soccer. I can often be found wandering through Home Depot searching for my next project.
I enjoy spending time with family and friends. My wife and I have an amazing daughter that keeps us very busy. I’m an avid sports fan who enjoys playing golfing and basketball in my free time.
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I enjoy spending time with family and friends. My wife and I have an amazing daughter that keeps us very busy. I’m an avid sports fan who enjoys playing golfing and basketball in my free time.
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Good day! My name is Paul Monaco and my purpose is to inform you why my wife, Desley, and I have invested our future in The Farms at Bailey Station. We made our first deposit in March of 2013 and have been living in one of the garden homes since December of 2017.
Our decision was based on a number of factors, the most important being, the people involved in the concept and administration of this lifecare community. They have all proven to be top notch, honorable people. Also, our neighbors and other future residents are interesting and accomplished individuals who have worked in various areas, including industry, banking, finance, legal, military, government, education, medical, transportation, construction, and the clergy. No matter how great the facilities, the most important aspect of life is the personal relationships.
The second factor was the history of success of the founders at Kirby Pines, the award-winning retirement community in the area for many, many years. The same people at The Farms.
The third factor was the location. Churches, town administration, library, shopping – both retail and grocery, banks, restaurants, medical facilities are all minutes away. Also, of note, was/is how many “locals” are now or are future residents. That speaks volumes!
Fourth is the non-ownership aspect. Having possessions at this point in life is a liability more than an asset. The “no responsibility” feature for maintenance and repairs is the lifting of an onus. Just think, yard care and housekeeping services (that are scheduled every two weeks) are included in the monthly service fee. If you experience a problem or have a need, just call management and presto, the solution is at hand. Oh yes, your children will not want your possessions either (except for cash and maybe jewelry).
If you are the initial occupant of a garden home or apartment, you get to design the place. A really nice feature.
Income tax and sales tax considerations. The year that you pay the entrance fee, you can add to your medical expenses an amount in excess of 30% of the entrance fee. This ability along with other tax planning strategies can be significant benefit. Since the farms is a not for profit organization, no sales tax is paid on construction items or appliances and this can be viewed as a savings or to increase your budget.
Medical facilities. The medical campus located “across the street”, once constructed, will provide health care, assisted living, and memory support that is touted as “the finest anywhere”.
Peace of mind. Once you have completed your financial requirement and are medically approved, you have life time care. Management will not turn you out. You do not have to depend on your children or the government, and your children do not have to worry that you will be a burden to them.
We are here until the Lord comes to call!
I hope these thoughts have given you some insight to how we made our decision and help you in your considerations.
Come join us at the Farms. The people and facilities are great!
Your decision to invest in the Farms is not irrevocable, as there is an exit strategy if your circumstances should change.
Good luck in your deliberations!
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You guys know how I love my blowouts. (I mean, duh, right?) Well, although long ago, I used to go super straight, for the last couple of years, I've always veered more towards the whole loose curls/ bouncy/bend-at-the-ends kind of thing. I hadn't really worn my hair super sleek in ages, but I recently rediscovered the look, and now...I'm so into it!
The epiphany happened recently when I was asked to shoot a video with Nexxus for their Oil Infinite line of products (which are now available at Costco, BTW!). I was thrilled to participate, because first, I've been a fan of Nexxus since high school back when I was a major Humectress user. And second, throughout my years as a beauty editor, I've consistently been impressed with the immense amount of science and innovation that goes into the Nexxus products--they're the real deal. And finally, I'd be shooting with Kevin Mancuso, the brand's global creative director, and one of the top celebrity hairstylists in the world.
The shoot was so much fun--but definitely nerve-wracking I don't know what I was expecting (I mean, I think I thought there would be maybe one dude with a small camera on his shoulder and maybe one other guy holding a mike??), but nope. They had totally shut down the Nexxus Salon for the entire day just for the shoot and there were multiple cameras and easily 30 crew members! Gulp. (There was also one other blogger there, who you might recognize in the video: Corrine from Mint Arrow!)
For the shoot, they washed our hair with the Oil Infinite Shampoo and Conditioner, then styled it. Corinne got loose waves and I got the sleek look. And I LOVED it. My hair was crazy shiny and incredibly silky. I also liked how my hair was really swingy and had lots of movement--it didn't just hang there limply at all, which is what I always fear with a flatironed look. Plus, the blowout lasted for days, which for me, is huge.
And now I'm hooked! While I'll never say never to loose curls, ever since the shoot, I've been going for a sleek look pretty consistently. (I even busted out my flatiron for my most recent headshots, as you can see in the last picture above.) I just love the shine that a sleek look gives you and I love how longlasting it is. (Bonus: Sleek hair actually holds up way better in the rain and humidity, because a flatiron closes the cuticle of the hair so tightly that it's harder for moisture to seep in.)
So, here's my beauty-editor-approved way to get a sleek look:
1. Wash with a smoothing shampoo and conditioner, so you can start the frizz-taming process in the shower. Nexxus Oil Infinite has elastin, protein, and six different oils to get your hair really smooth.
2. Rough dry your hair until it's about 80 percent dry using only your hands and a blowdryer. You want to get as much of the moisture out as possible, before you even think about using a brush.
3. Attach the nozzle to your dryer and grab a round brush (I like to use a mixture of boar and synthetic bristles--it gives the best grip). Then, working in small sections, blow-dry each piece, going from roots to tip, until it's smooth. DO NOT SKIP THIS STEP. A lot of people (and, unfortunately, a lot of hairstylists) try to cut corners and go directly from the rough dry to the flatiron, but this is not a good idea. You'll end up using your iron for far too much time, which is incredibly damaging. The flatiron should be the finishing touch of a sleek look, not the main event.
4. Once your hair is totally blown out, take your flatiron and run it over one- to two-inch sections of hair. Move the iron slowly, but do keep it moving (stopping in one spot causes damage). Each section should only get one pass--two tops. Again, any more and you risk breakage.
5. Finish with a spritz of shine spray or a dab of oil to smooth flyaways.
If you'd like to check out my Nexxus video, you can view it here. (Scroll towards the bottom of the page!) It's less than a minute long, which is kind of crazy when you consider that we shot for hours--until 10:30pm that night! And be sure to check out the Oil Infinite line (now available at Costco!) here.
So, what did you guys think of my video debut? (Haha!) And is anyone else feeling a sleek look lately, too?
Disclosure: This post was sponsored by Nexxus via Lunchbox, but all opinions are my own. I am often asked to partner with companies, but I only choose to align myself with brands--and products--that I truly love and believe in.
Posted by The Sparkly Life at 3:53 AM
I love super straight hair so I will have to try these tips! Thanks for sharing :)
May 11, 2016 at 12:35 PM
Unknown said...
May 11, 2016 at 1:18 PM
Will the Oil Infinite also work on fine hair? It sounds awesome!
May 11, 2016 at 1:27 PM
Anonymous said...
These are fantastic tips and you look amazing! That hair!
May 11, 2016 at 1:57 PM
frantic foodie said...
Thank you. I am the worst at doing my hair. I am excited to try this on my hair.
May 11, 2016 at 2:23 PM
May 11, 2016 at 3:14 PM
Unknown said...
Great job! Your hair is always so beautiful! Thanks for sharing your secrets!
May 11, 2016 at 5:19 PM
I have been obsessed with Nexxus for years!!! They make my favorite conditioner!
May 11, 2016 at 6:46 PM
Unknown said...
May 11, 2016 at 6:53 PM
Shann Eva said...
Loved the video...your hair looks gorgeous!!! I can't wait to try these products. Great tip about the rough dry, then drying with the brush before the flat iron.
May 11, 2016 at 8:13 PM
Unknown said...
I will have to try your tips. I love your video. Your hair looks amazing! I need to try these products.
May 11, 2016 at 9:07 PM
Mollie @ sweets on point said...
Your hair always looks gorgeous! I can never get my hair to consistently look nice. Definitely going to try these tips though.
May 12, 2016 at 5:49 AM
sara said...
A long day, but a glamorous long day!! What a fun experience. Straightening my hair is about as much of an effort as i put forth. Makes me have hair envy!
May 12, 2016 at 8:55 AM
Tamara G. said...
Blow dryingthe hair, and then straightening makes a huge difference. Just be sure to protect your hair.
May 17, 2016 at 11:31 AM
Anonymous said...
Never having used best flat iron , I was hesitant about trying this. Happy to say that I should not have been concerned as it is easy to use and does exactly what I was looking for. Although my hair isn't curly, I have lots of curls and waves in it. I wanted to change from my usual short style to a short bob and my hairdresser suggested that I try a flat iron to help control the waves….
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MUFLON are colourful children's wellies and snow boots. The footwear kept in joyful style is durable and waterproof, and the use of high quality materials ensures pleasure and comfort of wearing. Specialized solutions, like cuffs on the uppers and non-slip soles, ensure dryness and safety of the youngest. In MUFLON shoes children are not afraid of rain and snow!
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| 6,626 |
Watched the first two and know it will get faster a few more episodes in so just waiting for it to pick up.
Posts: 822 | Location: Southern New Jersey | Registered: April 03, 2010 IP
Ignored post by ifish73 posted
January 18, 2021 08:15 AM
posted
January 18, 2021 09:50 AM
I watched the first two as well. I enjoyed it. Of course Scarlet Witch (Wanda) was on the character I collected her appearances in Marvel Comics so this has been a real treat.
Posts: 5749 | Location: Meridian, Mississippi | Registered: November 23, 2001 IP
Ignored post by barobehere posted
January 18, 2021 09:50 AM
Bronze Card Talk Member
posted
March 12, 2021 12:34 PM
. . . Errr, I mean “WandaVision” to watch this Friday.
But the making of/behind the scenes show is pretty interesting.
Posts: 661 | Location: Long Beach, CA | Registered: October 15, 2006 IP
Ignored post by Heroes For Hire posted
March 12, 2021 12:34 PM
Platinum Card Talk Member
posted
March 12, 2021 01:43 PM
I caught one episode, I think it was the third episode. I didn't know what was going on and, given later recaps I read, probably would not have know what was going on even if I had seen it from the beginning.
I wonder how popular this type of Marvel or DC or Star Wars, or whatever big universe franchise show you might think of, really is? Or is it just that the market platform is small, so popular viewing can be minimal and still be considered successful?
Perhaps I like my entertainment less complex, but I can't be bothered to know the complete history of a franchise to understand what is going on. I can't make all the character connections, or find all the hidden Easter eggs, or anticipate how this storyline will eventually link up with some other storyline that is running in some other time or place.
It's not that I only want mindless entertainment, but superheroes and mutants should be mindless entertainment since they are not real. I just want to enjoy that stuff for the nonsense it is and not have to read a book to explain what I was looking at.
I feel exactly the same way about something like Twin Peaks too. It makes no sense. People get so invested in some of these shows for years and years, they just don't want to admit that it makes no sense. It's Lost all over again.
Posts: 9637 | Location: New York | Registered: November 20, 2007 IP
Ignored post by Raven posted
March 12, 2021 01:43 PM
Bronze Card Talk Member
posted
March 12, 2021 05:58 PM
Just finished watching the 3rd episode. I liked it in color much better. It has a multi generational feeling. The show is silly fun.
Posts: 859 | Location: IL | Registered: February 07, 2001 IP
Ignored post by stevetrek posted
March 12, 2021 05:58 PM
Gold Card Talk Member
posted
March 12, 2021 07:38 PM
My brother told me about the show and said I should check it out. I've seen the first two episodes and I do like it. For this show, I think you really needed to see the first episode first and then the second rather than a random one out-of-sequence. I'm not up on most of the behind-the-scenes details either. I have heard about the Easter Eggs but haven't looked for them.
I started watching television in the early 70's, "watching" meaning understanding what I was seeing and hearing. "Brady Bunch", "The Mary Tyler Moore Show" and "Partridge Family" were primetime then. All the reruns of the time were 50's and 60's shows and I watched it all. I've enjoyed the re-creation of the look of previous TV decades for the first two "Wandavision" episodes because I was present for a lot of 50's and 60's stuff (cars, furniture, appliances, tech) in everyday life. It was still around in the 70's. I would wonder how many 20-30 year-olds enjoy the evolution of everything from one episode to another or if it is just a bunch of old stuff to them but I have been surprised at how familiar many of them are with various eras of 20th century pop culture. I've worked with people in their early 20's who have caught me slipping a Beatles quote (and not an obvious one) in a conversation and I have caught another singing an old Bill Withers tune.
My mom saw the first episode. She understood that they were going for a 50's look and she could appreciate the attention to detail but she'd rather watch a show from that time rather than an artful re-creation of that time.
Posts: 3663 | Location: San Jose, CA, USA | Registered: December 23, 2002 IP
Ignored post by catskilleagle posted
March 12, 2021 07:38 PM
Gold Card Talk Member
posted
March 12, 2021 07:45 PM
I might watch that one tonight. It was interesting that the second episode had a spoof of the "Bewitched" opening credits along with flickers of color during the episode. That show was one of those that was filmed in black-and-white early in its run and switched to color by 1966-1967.
Originally posted by stevetrek:
Just finished watching the 3rd episode. I liked it in color much better. It has a multi generational feeling. The show is silly fun.
Posts: 3663 | Location: San Jose, CA, USA | Registered: December 23, 2002 IP
Ignored post by catskilleagle posted
March 12, 2021 07:45 PM
Bronze Card Talk Member
posted
March 29, 2021 05:22 PM
Definitely have to watch the show in order. The first 3 episodes are in filmed in B&w and can be fairly difficult for some to get through, but it’s part of the set up for the remainder of the show.
Since it’s only 9 episodes so you don’t have to invest as my time into as as a show like Lost or Twin Peaks. Knowing the backstory from the various Marvel movies are helpful, but not a necessity. The making of/behind the scenes episode fills in many of the nuances of went on in the show.
Posts: 661 | Location: Long Beach, CA | Registered: October 15, 2006 IP
Ignored post by Heroes For Hire posted
March 29, 2021 05:22 PM
Gold Card Talk Member
posted
March 30, 2021 03:52 AM
I've seen only some of the Marvel movies so I'm not up on all the details (haven't seen Endgame yet but have heard bits of what happened). I haven't felt like it was necessary to have all the background to enjoy what's gone on so far - now four episodes in.
Originally posted by Heroes For Hire:
Definitely have to watch the show in order. The first 3 episodes are in filmed in B&w and can be fairly difficult for some to get through, but it’s part of the set up for the remainder of the show.
Since it’s only 9 episodes so you don’t have to invest as my time into as as a show like Lost or Twin Peaks. Knowing the backstory from the various Marvel movies are helpful, but not a necessity. The making of/behind the scenes episode fills in many of the nuances of went on in the show.
| 6,921 |
Guys are not subtle creatures, and he may be uncertain that you like him. The direct approach is best; just go up to him and kiss him!
vote up
you voted
Answer by Kurt (4579)
If you two have dated, then he should have made a move to kiss you by now. If he is a little shy, get close to him, touch him by putting your hand on his arm and then pull him to you. He will get the idea.
vote up
you voted
Answer by chels (177)
If you want a kiss, you be the first to initiate it. If he doesn't want to kiss you then there are plenty of other guys out there that would probably love to kiss you!
vote up
you voted
Answer by djcwoman37 (373)
Be friendly and open, maybe even talking about a kiss. At the end of the date look at his mouth while he is talking and then back at him. If that doesn't work go for a hug, as you pull back, still hugging him brush your lips across his cheek.
| 954 |
When it comes to developing a sugar baby marriage, there are a number of important things to consider. As an example, a young woman may be inexperienced but not want to pay her waning years trying to meet the “Right One. inch Alternatively, this girl may be even more at ease with an older, more mature man. In any case, a sugar baby arrangement can provide many positive aspects to each. The following tips will aid you to establish a successful sugar relationship.
um Include a written agreement detailing the financial support offered by the sugar daddy. It will also placed the rate and volume of obligations. Most glucose daddy-baby arrangements state a monthly cut, which is enough for most sugars babies. However , a sugar baby may want more, including expensive gifts every six months. If it is the case, make sure you include a “test https://bapujisurgicals.com/2021/01/12/ways-to-behave-in-a-sugar-baby-and-sugar-daddy-relationship/ period” in your contract. This way, in case the relationship does not work out, you can always end what is sugar daddy means the set up unilaterally.
o Sweets daddies typically have standard business visits and request a new, attractive lover to come with them. The sugar baby then goes along with him everywhere he goes, which provides her the opportunity to meet new people and experience new places. Usually, sugar daddy-baby relationships will be successful and bring about marriage. They will aren’t just like regular sugar daddies, while. Sugar daddies will typically pay for monthly allowance or even student loans, so that you can provide a better lifestyle with regards to sugar infants.
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Approaches for a Successful Sugars Baby Agreement
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CitySDK is creating a toolkit for the development of digital services within cities. The toolkit comprises of open and interoperable digital service interfaces as well as processes, guidelines and usability standards. CitySDK enables a more efficient utilisation of the expertise and know-how of developer communities to be applied in city service development. The Project focuses on three Pilot domains: Smart Participation, Smart Mobility and Smart Tourism. This talk will present the state of the art in Open Source Linked Data applications, taking the Smart Mobility API as the use-cae. It will discuss preliminary results and invite participants to join the ecosystem.
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(Verbatim copying/translation and distribution of this entire article is permitted in any medium, provided this notice is preserved.)
This article was for the VISION-21 Symposium
sponsored by NASA Lewis Research Center
and the Ohio Aerospace Institute, March 30-31, 1993.
It is also retrievable from the NASA technical reports
server as part of NASA CP-10129.
A slightly changed version appeared in the
Within thirty years, we will have the technological
means to create superhuman intelligence. Shortly after,
the human era will be ended.
events be guided so that we may survive? These questions
are investigated. Some possible answers (and some further
dangers) are presented.
_What is The Singularity?_
The acceleration of technological progress has been the central feature of this century. I argue in this paper that we are on the edge of change comparable to the rise of human life on Earth. The precise cause of this change is the imminent creation by technology of entities with greater than human intelligence. There are several means by which science may achieve this breakthrough (and this is another reason for having confidence that the event will occur):
The development of computers that are “awake” and superhumanly intelligent. (To date, most controversy in the area of AI relates to whether we can create human equivalence in a machine. But if the answer is “yes, we can”, then there is little doubt that beings more intelligent can be constructed shortly thereafter.
Large computer networks (and their associated users) may “wake up” as a superhumanly intelligent entity.
Computer/human interfaces may become so intimate that users may reasonably be considered superhumanly intelligent.
The first three possibilities depend in large part on improvements in computer hardware. Progress in computer hardware has followed an amazingly steady curve in the last few decades [16]. Based largely on this trend, I believe that the creation of greater than human intelligence will occur during the next thirty years. (Charles Platt [19] has pointed out the AI enthusiasts have been making claims like this for the last thirty years. Just so I’m not guilty of a relative-time ambiguity, let me more specific: I’ll be surprised if this event occurs before 2005 or after 2030.)
What are the consequences of this event? When greater-than-human intelligence drives progress, that progress will be much more rapid. In fact, there seems no reason why progress itself would not involve the creation of still more intelligent entities — on a still-shorter time scale. The best analogy that I see is with the evolutionary past: Animals can adapt to problems and make inventions, but often no faster than natural selection can do its work — the world acts as its own simulator in the case of natural selection. We humans have the ability to internalize the world and conduct “what if’s” in our heads; we can solve many problems thousands of times faster than natural selection. Now, by creating the means to execute those simulations at much higher speeds, we are entering a regime as radically different from our human past as we humans are from the lower animals.
From the human point of view this change will be a throwing away of all the previous rules, perhaps in the blink of an eye, an exponential runaway beyond any hope of control. Developments that before were thought might only happen in “a million years” (if ever) will likely happen in the next century. (In [4], Greg Bear paints a picture of the major changes happening in a matter of hours.) I think it’s fair to call this event a singularity (“the Singularity” for the purposes of this paper). It is a point where our models must be discarded and a new reality rules. As we move closer and closer to this point, it will loom vaster and vaster over human affairs till the notion becomes a commonplace. Yet when it finally happens it may still be a great surprise and a greater unknown. In the 1950s there were very few who saw it: Stan Ulam [27] paraphrased John von Neumann as saying:
One conversation centered on the ever accelerating progress of technology and changes in the mode of human life, which gives the appearance of approaching some essential singularity in the history of the race beyond which human affairs, as we know them, could not continue.
Von Neumann even uses the term singularity, though it appears he is still thinking of normal progress, not the creation of superhuman intellect. (For me, the superhumanity is the essence of the Singularity. Without that we would get a glut of technical riches, never properly absorbed.
In the 1960s there was recognition of some of the implications of superhuman intelligence. I. J. Good wrote:
Let an ultraintelligent machine be defined as a machine that can far surpass all the intellectual activities of any any man however clever. Since the design of machines is one of these intellectual activities, an ultraintelligent machine could design even better machines; there would then unquestionably be an “intelligence explosion,” and the intelligence of man would be left far behind. Thus the first ultraintelligent machine is the _last_ invention that man need ever make, provided that the machine is docile enough to tell us how to keep it under control.
…
It is more probable than not that, within the twentieth century, an ultraintelligent machine will be built and that it will be the last invention that man need make.
Good has captured the essence of the runaway, but does not pursue its most disturbing consequences. Any intelligent machine of the sort he describes would not be humankind’s “tool” — any more than humans are the tools of rabbits or robins or chimpanzees.
Through the ’60s and ’70s and ’80s, recognition of the cataclysm spread. Perhaps it was the science-fiction writers who felt the first concrete impact. After all, the “hard” science-fiction writers are the ones who try to write specific stories about all that technology may do for us. More and more, these writers felt an opaque wall across the future. Once, they could put such fantasies millions of years in the future [23]. Now they saw that their most diligent extrapolations resulted in the unknowable … soon. Once, galactic empires might have seemed a Post-Human domain. Now, sadly, even interplanetary ones are.
What about the ’90s and the ’00s and the ’10s, as we slide toward the edge? How will the approach of the Singularity spread across the human world view? For a while yet, the general critics of machine sapience will have good press. After all, till we have hardware as powerful as a human brain it is probably foolish to think we’ll be able to create human equivalent (or greater) intelligence. (There is the far-fetched possibility that we could make a human equivalent out of less powerful hardware, if were willing to give up speed, if we were willing to settle for an artificial being who was literally slow. But it’s much more likely that devising the software will be a tricky process, involving lots of false starts and experimentation. If so, then the arrival of self-aware machines will not happen till after the development of hardware that is substantially more powerful than humans’ natural equipment.)
But as time passes, we should see more symptoms. The dilemma felt by science fiction writers will be perceived in other creative endeavors. (I have heard thoughtful comic book writers worry about how to have spectacular effects when everything visible can be produced by the technically commonplace.) We will see automation replacing higher and higher level jobs. We have tools right now (symbolic math programs, cad/cam) that release us from most low-level drudgery. Or put another way: The work that is truly productive is the domain of a steadily smaller and more elite fraction of humanity. In the coming of the Singularity, we are seeing the predictions of _true_ technological unemployment finally come true.
Another symptom of progress toward the Singularity: ideas themselves should spread ever faster, and even the most radical will quickly become commonplace. When I began writing, it seemed very easy to come up with ideas that took decades to percolate into the cultural consciousness; now the lead time seems more like eighteen months. (Of course, this could just be me losing my imagination as I get old, but I see the effect in others too.) Like the shock in a compressible flow, the Singularity moves closer as we accelerate through the critical speed.
And what of the arrival of the Singularity itself? What can be said of its actual appearance? Since it involves an intellectual runaway, it will probably occur faster than any technical revolution seen so far. The precipitating event will likely be unexpected — perhaps even to the researchers involved. (“But all our previous models were catatonic! We were just tweaking some parameters….”) If networking is widespread enough (into ubiquitous embedded systems), it may seem as if our artifacts as a whole had suddenly wakened.
And what happens a month or two (or a day or two) after that? I have only analogies to point to: The rise of humankind. We will be in the Post-Human era. And for all my rampant technological optimism, sometimes I think I’d be more comfortable if I were regarding these transcendental events from one thousand years remove … instead of twenty.
Well, maybe it won’t happen at all: Sometimes I try to imagine the symptoms that we should expect to see if the Singularity is not to develop. There are the widely respected arguments of Penrose and Searle against the practicality of machine sapience. In August of 1992, Thinking Machines Corporation held a workshop to investigate the question “How We Will Build a Machine that Thinks” [Thearling]. As you might guess from the workshop’s title, the participants were not especially supportive of the arguments against machine intelligence. In fact, there was general agreement that minds can exist on nonbiological substrates and that algorithms are of central importance to the existence of minds. However, there was much debate about the raw hardware power that is present in organic brains. A minority felt that the largest 1992 computers were within three orders of magnitude of the power of the human brain. The majority of the participants agreed with Moravec’s estimate [16] that we are ten to forty years away from hardware parity. And yet there was another minority who pointed to [6] [20], and conjectured that the computational competence of single neurons may be far higher than generally believed. If so, our present computer hardware might be as much as _ten_ orders of magnitude short of the equipment we carry around in our heads. If this is true (or for that matter, if the Penrose or Searle critique is valid), we might never see a Singularity. Instead, in the early ’00s we would find our hardware performance curves begin to level off — this caused by our inability to automate the complexity of the design work necessary to support the hardware trend curves. We’d end up with some _very_ powerful hardware, but without the ability to push it further. Commercial digital signal processing might be awesome, giving an analog appearance even to digital operations, but nothing would ever “wake up” and there would never be the intellectual runaway which is the essence of the Singularity. It would likely be seen as a golden age … and it would also be an end of progress. This is very like the future predicted by Gunther Stent. In fact, Stent explicitly cites the development of transhuman intelligence as a sufficient condition to break his projections.
But if the technological Singularity can happen, it will. Even if all the governments of the world were to understand the “threat” and be in deadly fear of it, progress toward the goal would continue. In fiction, there have been stories of laws passed forbidding the construction of “a machine in the form of the mind of man” [12]. In fact, the competitive advantage — economic, military, even artistic — of every advance in automation is so compelling that passing laws, or having customs, that forbid such things merely assures that someone else will get them first.
Eric Drexler [7] has provided spectacular insight about how far technical improvement may go. He agrees that superhuman intelligences will be available in the near future — and that such entities pose a threat to the human status quo. But Drexler argues that we can embed such transhuman devices in rules or physical confinement such that their results can be examined and used safely. This is I. J. Good’s ultraintelligent machine, with a dose of caution. I argue that confinement is intrinsically impractical. For the case of physical confinement: Imagine yourself confined to your house with only limited data access to the outside, to your masters. If those masters thought at a rate — say — one million times slower than you, there is little doubt that over a period of years (your time) you could come up with “helpful advice” that would incidentally set you free. (I call this “fast thinking” form of superintelligence “weak superhumanity”. Such a “weakly superhuman” entity would probably burn out in a few weeks of outside time. “Strong superhumanity” would be more than cranking up the clock speed on a human-equivalent mind. It’s hard to say precisely what “strong superhumanity” would be like, but the difference appears to be profound. Imagine running a dog mind at very high speed. Would a thousand years of doggy living add up to any human insight? (Now if the dog mind were cleverly rewired and _then_ run at high speed, we might see something different….) Most speculations about superintelligence seem to be based on the weakly superhuman model. I believe that our best guesses about the post-Singularity world can be obtained by thinking on the nature of strong superhumanity. I will return to this point later in the paper.)
The other approach to Drexlerian confinement is to build _rules_ into the mind of the created superhuman entity (Asimov’s Laws). I think that performance rules strict enough to be safe would also produce a device whose ability was clearly inferior to the unfettered versions (and so human competition would favor the development of the those more dangerous models). Still, the Asimov dream is a wonderful one: Imagine a willing slave, who has 1000 times your capabilities in every way. Imagine a creature who could satisfy your every safe wish (whatever that means) and still have 99.9% of its time free for other activities. There would be a new universe we never really understood, but filled with benevolent gods (though one of _my_ wishes might be to become one of them).
If the Singularity can not be prevented or confined, just how bad could the Post-Human era be? Well … pretty bad. The physical extinction of the human race is one possibility. (Or as Eric Drexler put it of nanotechnology: Given all that such technology can do, perhaps governments would simply decide that they no longer need citizens!). Yet physical extinction may not be the scariest possibility. Again, analogies: Think of the different ways we relate to animals. Some of the crude physical abuses are implausible, yet…. In a Post-Human world there would still be plenty of niches where human equivalent automation would be desirable: embedded systems in autonomous devices, self-aware daemons in the lower functioning of larger sentients. (A strongly superhuman intelligence would likely be a Society of Mind [15] with some very competent components.) Some of these human equivalents might be used for nothing more than digital signal processing. They would be more like whales than humans. Others might be very human-like, yet with a one-sidedness, a _dedication_ that would put them in a mental hospital in our era. Though none of these creatures might be flesh-and-blood humans, they might be the closest things in the new enviroment to what we call human now. (I. J. Good had something to say about this, though at this late date the advice may be moot: Good [11] proposed a “Meta-Golden Rule”, which might be paraphrased as “Treat your inferiors as you would be treated by your superiors.” It’s a wonderful, paradoxical idea (and most of my friends don’t believe it) since the game-theoretic payoff is so hard to articulate. Yet if we were able to follow it, in some sense that might say something about the plausibility of such kindness in this universe.)
I have argued above that we cannot prevent the Singularity, that its coming is an inevitable consequence of the humans’ natural competitiveness and the possibilities inherent in technology. And yet … we are the initiators. Even the largest avalanche is triggered by small things. We have the freedom to establish initial conditions, make things happen in ways that are less inimical than others. Of course (as with starting avalanches), it may not be clear what the right guiding nudge really is:
When people speak of creating superhumanly intelligent beings, they are usually imagining an AI project. But as I noted at the beginning of this paper, there are other paths to superhumanity. Computer networks and human-computer interfaces seem more mundane than AI, and yet they could lead to the Singularity. I call this contrasting approach Intelligence Amplification (IA). IA is something that is proceeding very naturally, in most cases not even recognized by its developers for what it is. But every time our ability to access information and to communicate it to others is improved, in some sense we have achieved an increase over natural intelligence. Even now, the team of a PhD human and good computer workstation (even an off-net workstation!) could probably max any written intelligence test in existence.
And it’s very likely that IA is a much easier road to the achievement of superhumanity than pure AI. In humans, the hardest development problems have already been solved. Building up from within ourselves ought to be easier than figuring out first what we really are and then building machines that are all of that. And there is at least conjectural precedent for this approach. Cairns-Smith [5] has speculated that biological life may have begun as an adjunct to still more primitive life based on crystalline growth. Lynn Margulis [14] has made strong arguments for the view that mutualism is the great driving force in evolution.
Note that I am not proposing that AI research be ignored or less funded. What goes on with AI will often have applications in IA, and vice versa. I am suggesting that we recognize that in network and interface research there is something as profound (and potential wild) as Artificial Intelligence. With that insight, we may see projects that are not as directly applicable as conventional interface and network design work, but which serve to advance us toward the Singularity along the IA path.
Here are some possible projects that take on special significance, given the IA point of view:
Human/computer team automation: Take problems that are normally considered for purely machine solution (like hill-climbing problems), and design programs and interfaces that take a advantage of humans’ intuition and available computer hardware. Considering all the bizarreness of higher dimensional hill-climbing problems (and the neat algorithms that have been devised for their solution), there could be some very interesting displays and control tools provided to the human team member.
Develop human/computer symbiosis in art: Combine the graphic generation capability of modern machines and the esthetic sensibility of humans. Of course, there has been an enormous amount of research in designing computer aids for artists, as labor saving tools. I’m suggesting that we explicitly aim for a greater merging of competence, that we explicitly recognize the cooperative approach that is possible. Karl Sims [22] has done wonderful work in this direction.
Allow human/computer teams at chess tournaments. We already have programs that can play better than almost all humans. But how much work has been done on how this power could be used by a human, to get something even better? If such teams were allowed in at least some chess tournaments, it could have the positive effect on IA research that allowing computers in tournaments had for the corresponding niche in AI.
Develop interfaces that allow computer and network access without requiring the human to be tied to one spot, sitting in front of a computer. (This is an aspect of IA that fits so well with known economic advantages that lots of effort is already being spent on it.)
Develop more symmetrical decision support systems. A popular research/product area in recent years has been decision support systems. This is a form of IA, but may be too focussed on systems that are oracular. As much as the program giving the user information, there must be the idea of the user giving the program guidance.
Use local area nets to make human teams that really work (ie, are more effective than their component members). This is generally the area of “groupware”, already a very popular commercial pursuit. The change in viewpoint here would be to regard the group activity as a combination organism. In one sense, this suggestion might be regarded as the goal of inventing a “Rules of Order” for such combination operations. For instance, group focus might be more easily maintained than in classical meetings. Expertise of individual human members could be isolated from ego issues such that the contribution of different members is focussed on the team project. And of course shared data bases could be used much more conveniently than in conventional committee operations. (Note that this suggestion is aimed at team operations rather than political meetings. In a political setting, the automation described above would simply enforce the power of the persons making the rules!)
Exploit the worldwide Internet as a combination human/machine tool. Of all the items on the list, progress in this is proceeding the fastest and may run us into the Singularity before anything else. The power and influence of even the present-day Internet is vastly underestimated. For instance, I think our contemporary computer systems would break under the weight of their own complexity if it weren’t for the edge that the USENET “group mind” gives the system administration and support people!) The very anarchy of the worldwide net development is evidence of its potential. As connectivity and bandwidth and archive size and computer speed all increase, we are seeing something like Lynn Margulis’ [14] vision of the biosphere as data processor recapitulated, but at a million times greater speed and with millions of humanly intelligent agents (ourselves).
The above examples illustrate research that can be done within the context of contemporary computer science departments. There are other paradigms. For example, much of the work in Artificial Intelligence and neural nets would benefit from a closer connection with biological life. Instead of simply trying to model and understand biological life with computers, research could be directed toward the creation of composite systems that rely on biological life for guidance or for the providing features we don’t understand well enough yet to implement in hardware. A long-time dream of science-fiction has been direct brain to computer interfaces [2] [28]. In fact, there is concrete work that can be done (and has been done) in this area:
Limb prosthetics is a topic of direct commercial applicability. Nerve to silicon transducers can be made [13]. This is an exciting, near-term step toward direct communcation.
Similar direct links into brains may be feasible, if the bit rate is low: given human learning flexibility, the actual brain neuron targets might not have to be precisely selected. Even 100 bits per second would be of great use to stroke victims who would otherwise be confined to menu-driven interfaces.
Plugging in to the optic trunk has the potential for bandwidths of 1 Mbit/second or so. But for this, we need to know the fine-scale architecture of vision, and we need to place an enormous web of electrodes with exquisite precision. If we want our high bandwidth connection to be _in addition_ to what paths are already present in the brain, the problem becomes vastly more intractable. Just sticking a grid of high-bandwidth receivers into a brain certainly won’t do it. But suppose that the high-bandwidth grid were present while the brain structure was actually setting up, as the embryo develops. That suggests:
Animal embryo experiments. I wouldn’t expect any IA success in the first years of such research, but giving developing brains access to complex simulated neural structures might be very interesting to the people who study how the embryonic brain develops. In the long run, such experiments might produce animals with additional sense paths and interesting intellectual abilities.
Originally, I had hoped that this discussion of IA would yield some clearly safer approaches to the Singularity. (After all, IA allows our participation in a kind of transcendance.) Alas, looking back over these IA proposals, about all I am sure of is that they should be considered, that they may give us more options. But as for safety … well, some of the suggestions are a little scarey on their face. One of my informal reviewers pointed out that IA for individual humans creates a rather sinister elite. We humans have millions of years of evolutionary baggage that makes us regard competition in a deadly light. Much of that deadliness may not be necessary in today’s world, one where losers take on the winners’ tricks and are coopted into the winners’ enterprises. A creature that was built _de novo_ might possibly be a much more benign entity than one with a kernel based on fang and talon. And even the egalitarian view of an Internet that wakes up along with all mankind can be viewed as a nightmare.
The problem is not that the Singularity represents simply the passing of humankind from center stange, but that it contradicts some of our most deeply held notions of being. I think a closer look at the notion of strong superhumanity can show why that is.
_Strong Superhumanity and the Best We Can Ask for_
Suppose we could tailor the Singularity. Suppose we could attain our most extravagant hopes. What then would we ask for:
That humans themselves would become their own successors, that whatever injustice occurs would be tempered by our knowledge of our roots. For those who remained unaltered, the goal would be benign treatment (perhaps even giving the stay-behinds the appearance of being masters of godlike slaves). It could be a golden age that also involved progress (overleaping Stent’s barrier). Immortality (or at least a lifetime as long as we can make the universe survive would be achievable. But in this brightest and kindest world, the philosophical problems themelves become intimidating. A mind that stays at the same capacity cannot live forever; after a few thousand years it would look more like a repeating tape loop than a person. (The most chilling picture I have seen of this is in [17].) To live indefinitely long, the mind itself must grow … and when it becomes great enough, and looks back … what fellow-feeling can it have with the soul that it was originally? Certainly the later being would be everything the original was, but so much vastly more. And so even for the individual, the Cairns-Smith (or Lynn Margulis) notion of new life growing incrementally out of the old must still be valid.
This “problem” about immortality comes up in much more direct ways. The notion of ego and self-awareness has been the bedrock of the hardheaded rationalism of the last few centuries. Yet now the notion of self-awareness is under attack from the Artificial Intelligence people (“self-awareness and other delusions”).
Intelligence Amplification undercuts the importance of ego from another direction. The post-Singularity world will involve extremely high-bandwidth networking. A central feature of strongly superhuman entities will likely be their ability to communicate at variable bandwidths, including ones far higher than speech or written messages.
What happens when pieces of ego can be copied and merged, when the size of a selfawareness can grow or shrink to fit the nature of the problems under consideration? These are essential features of strong superhumanity and the Singularity. Thinking about them, one begins to feel how essentially strange and different the Post-Human era will be —
_no matter how cleverly and benignly it is brought to be_.
From one angle, the vision fits many of our happiest dreams: a place unending, where we can truly know one another and understand the deepest mysteries. From another angle, it’s a lot like the worst case scenario I imagined earlier in this paper. Which is the valid viewpoint? In fact, I think the new era is simply too different to fit into the classical frame of good and evil. That frame is based on the idea of isolated, immutable minds connected by tenuous, low-bandwith links. But the post-Singularity world _does_ fit with the larger tradition of change and cooperation that started long ago (perhaps even before the rise of biological life). I think there _are_ notions of ethics that would apply in such an era. Research into IA and high-bandwidth communications should improve this understanding. I see just the glimmerings of this now, in Good’s Meta-Golden Rule, perhaps in rules for distinguishing self from others on the basis of bandwidth of connection. And while mind and self will be vastly more labile than in the past, much of what we value (knowledge, memory, thought) need never be lost. I think Freeman Dyson has it right when he says [8]: “God is what mind becomes when it has passed beyond the scale of our comprehension.”
Author adminPosted on May 14, 2020 January 6, 2021 Categories UncategorizedLeave a comment on E1Sref1 1993 Vernor Vinge
It's not exponential, it's sigmoidal
Over Thanksgiving dinner, Saul Griffith was complaining about the lack of mathematical literacy among people who should know better. “Take all that talk about the exponential growth of various web sites. Don’t people realize that those curves are actually sigmoidal?”
And of course, he’s right. These curves look exponential but eventually they do flatten out. In fact, one of the most important sigmoidal functions is the logistic function, originally developed to model the growth of populations. Wikipedia notes: “The initial stage of growth is approximately exponential; then, as saturation begins, the growth slows, and at maturity, growth stops.” In fact, most of these curves aren’t even sigmoidal, they are sinusoidal. (This is, incidentally, why Ray Kurzweil is most likely wrong about the singularity.)
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LAFHA is an allowance paid by an employer to an employee to compensate for additional expenses incurred and any disadvantages suffered because the employee is required to live away from their usual place of residence in order to perform their employment duties.
The term ‘additional expenses’ does not include expenses the employee would be entitled to claim as an income tax deduction.
For a payment to an employee to be considered a LAFHA, there are three conditions that must be met:
1. It is an allowance you pay your employee in respect of the employment of that employee.
2. The duties of their employment require them to live away from their normal residence.
3. The whole or part of the allowance is in the nature of compensation for:
non-deductible additional expenses your employee might be expected to incur, or
non-deductible additional expenses your employee might be expected to incur and other disadvantages suffered, because the duties of your employee’s job require them to live away from their normal residence.
Do you have to pay tax on the LAFHA?
A LAFHA paid to you is income tax-free and should not be included as assessable income in your tax return. Conversely, you cannot claim a deduction for expenses which have been covered by a LAFHA. However, your employer may be required to pay Fringe Benefits Tax on the value of the allowance or benefits provided.
**The above material has been sourced from the Australian Taxation Office. For further information please visit their website
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I am one of the rare people who like to move. I like sorting stuff. I like throwing stuff away. I like having new, clean space to fill with things I need rather than things I might need someday. I like traveling for the same reason. There is serenity in having everything you need in a suitcase or two. When my husband and I headed off to live for a year on an island in Maldives, we took two suitcases each. Okay. I also packed a box of research books that I shipped. They traveled the world then landed back on my front walk months later when they couldn’t find me. I managed to write the book without them. We returned home ourselves fourteen months later with everything we owned in the same suitcases, having bought a few things and thrown out others.
This week I’m taking the trash bag and heading into the manuscript that is set in Maldives. It came in at 50,000 words — a little long for middle grade. My goal was to fit it into my downsized space of 40,000 words. That isn’t just throwing out the charming knick-knacks that seemed appealing at the time but just clutter space. It isn’t culling a few phrases that don’t fit any more. This is a major move — getting rid of anything that doesn’t complete the story arc. Sorry guys. I may have to leave a minor child or two behind.
Step 1. Jot down the story I want to tell. This is what happens. These are the essentials that can’t be left behind.
Step 2. List the main characters. Can I tell the story without one or more of them? Yes! I found the little mite scurrying around. Does she add to the story. Well, yes. Some nice tension there. Definite red herring possibilities. Is she essential? No. Sorry kid.
Step 3. Delete all references and rewrite scenes without this character. Did my story change? Yes — for the better.
Step 4. Several thousand words cut, and now I’m looking for redundant information. In my home I have, but don’t really need, three hair brushes and two potato mashers. They aren’t hurting anything or taking up much space — but if I get rid of them I’d have space in the drawers for other things I might actually use. How many times has a reader in my manuscript learned a fact because different characters in different scenes needed the information? There’s one … another … hmmm, lots of times. Each character may need to know a fact, but the reader only needs to hear it once. Slice redundancy.
Step 5. Cute dialogue? My first drafts tend to consist of lots of long conversations between characters. It helps me draw out personalities and relationships. But I don’t have room for chit-chat. Make sure every word adds something to the story or character.
Step 6. Is something happening? Here, I hear Kate Milford, writer extraordinaire, screaming, “GET OUT OF HER HEAD!” Is there action in every scene, or is someone thinking? And by action, I don’t mean they are walking to the door or brushing their teeth. The reader needs to know the characters by What They Do. Put them in a movie. How will the director shoot this scene where my character is pondering her options?
Step 7. At this point, I smooth transitions. I pinch every description checking for fat. Maldives is a gorgeous country and I have fifty descriptions of sand, water, etc. Pick the best, and most age appropriate, and let the rest go.
I’m done. Ten thousand words, gone. Same story. Faster. Leaner. More action. I’ll admit that I copied my cuts into a FANDITHA outtakes folder just in case I found I couldn’t really part with some of it. But now that it is done, I’m not tempted to retrieve a single word from the scrapheap. Now I’m wondering how many books I have to write before I learn not to put the fluff in the first time.
Mirka Breen on August 18, 2014 at 10:24 said:
You are a true rarity in liking to move, Cynthia. I’d call it a blessing. I wish! (I blogged about this last week.) As to de-cluttering, I share your joy in this. Clean, trim & fit is a good feeling, in life and for our work.
Diane Lohr Wilson on August 18, 2014 at 10:34 said:
This is terrific. I’m working on a middle grade (10-14) book too. Lucy Meets Her Match. It’s 33,000 words at this point, so certainly not too long, maybe not long enough? Not sure. But I can use your tips for revision even so. Thanks!
Shawn Simon on August 18, 2014 at 11:29 said:
This is so helpful, Cynthia! I’m often too wordy with my stories, so these are super , useful tips for me! Thank you!!
Author: Stepping into a New Role, Stories from Stepmoms
Janet K Brown (@janetkbrowntx) on August 18, 2014 at 13:50 said:
Good suggestions, Cynthia. We all duplicate more than we think. Allowing 1 character to take on 2 roles helps strengthen as well as conserve words.
Kate Milford on August 20, 2014 at 08:34 said:
Cyndy, I wish I had read this post before I had to do my last revision–one of the editor’s wish list items was that I’d cut 150 pages out of it. Needless to say, I didn’t quite get there. I’ll be re-reading your guide here when the draft comes back and I still have cutting to do.
Get out of her head…HAHAHA! Yeah, that sounds familiar.
Cynthia Henzel on August 20, 2014 at 09:06 said:
Yes, Kate. Get out of her head is the best advice I ever got. Now just have to balance that with Lindsay Eland’s refrain, “How did she FEEL about that?”
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DSU President Search USM President Search Contact Careers News
The Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning voted recently to extend the contract of Jackson State University President Dr. Carolyn Meyers following a careful review of the university under her leadership.
"Dr. Meyers' commitment to preparing Jackson State University students to be global leaders has been evident throughout her tenure," said Trustee Aubrey Patterson, President of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. "While she uses data to drive decision-making, she is always mindful of the impact these decisions will have on students. She ensures they are educated in an environment that is both caring and challenging and are prepared equally for the workforce and serving others as they graduate."
Dr. Meyers was named the 10th president of the Jackson State University on December 1, 2010 and began serving in the role in January 2011. She was formally sworn in on March 30, 2012.
During Dr. Meyers' tenure, Jackson State has enjoyed record enrollment, improved the freshman profile and was named an Apple Distinguished School. The university has expanded its impact with three new campus locations, increased course offerings for evening, weekend and online studies and implemented the nation's largest freshman iPad initiative, which provides all first-year students with iPads to aid with their coursework.
"Dr. Meyers has taken Jackson State's mission as Mississippi's only urban university very seriously, expanding opportunities for students throughout the metro area and beyond," said Trustee Alan Perry, Vice President of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning." By expanding into Madison County and downtown Jackson, the university is reaching out to students, particularly non-traditional students who have family and work responsibilities, who may not otherwise have an opportunity to earn a degree and fulfill their dreams."
Selected as HBCU Digest's Female President of the Year in 2014, Dr. Meyers has placed an emphasis on a commitment to excellence and serving students, so that they are prepared for the future. Jackson State's "Passport to the World" study abroad program has partnered with the Council on International Education Exchange's "Passport Caravan" program to allow hundreds of JSU students to study abroad.
"I am honored and very pleased that the Board of Trustees of the State Institutions of Higher Learning has placed their confidence in my leadership at Jackson State University. The opportunity to continue to serve our students and to work with all of our stakeholders is precious to me. I am excited about our future and determined to build upon the accomplishments of the past four years. I pledge to continue to make all of our stakeholders and the IHL proud of JSU," said President Carolyn W. Meyers.
Jackson State was named an Apple Distinguished School for 2013-15. The designation is reserved for programs that meet criteria for innovation, leadership, and educational excellence, and demonstrate Apple's vision of exemplary learning environments. The INNOVATE and CREATE spaces within the H.T. Sampson Library use technology to enhance student success and allow for collaboration among faculty.
"Jackson State University is thriving under Dr. Meyers' leadership," said Trustee Bob Owens, member of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. "She celebrates the history of the institution, but is not afraid of change. She has improved the campus, enhanced the facilities and utilized technology in unprecedented ways. This creates an experience for students that is second to none and will prepare them well for the future."
Under Dr. Meyers' leadership, Jackson State University earned a 10-year reaffirmation of accreditation from the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and national accreditations in business, teacher education and engineering as well as full certification by the NCAA. Dr. Meyers pushed Jackson State University enrollment to an all-time high of 9,508 and positioned the university to become a national model for educating the underserved and achieving global recognition for excellence in education, research and service.
Dr. James Renick, provost and senior vice president for academic and student affairs, said, "Dr. Meyers is an incredible leader with vision, foresight and strong academic values. I am delighted that the Board of Trustees of the Institutions of Higher Learning has made this decision and I look forward to continuing to work with Dr. Meyers to further develop this great institution."
Dr. Meyers has carefully managed the university's finances to ensure they are diversified and strong enough to support its people, programs and plans for the future.
She has also focused on reaching out to the community and ensuring that Jackson State plays a vital role in the success and prosperity of the Capital City. The university has supported the Greater Jackson Chamber Partnership's Vision 2022/One Voice initiative to build a blueprint for developing a vibrant city, hosted representatives from business, government and nonprofits attending the Jackson Business Developers Roundtable and produced a holiday celebration for the community.
"Leadership sometimes means making hard choices and hard decisions. Dr. Meyers is not afraid of making those hard choices and decisions," said Trustee Ed Blakeslee, a member of the Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning. "She makes the students a priority and is also aware of the important the role that Jackson State plays in the city and the state. Her decisions are guided by what will help students succeed and will help the university, the Capital region and the state to thrive."
Throughout her tenure, Dr. Meyers has worked to fulfill a vision of Jackson State that is focused on for all students, strong in its reputation, unique in its formal and informal learning environments and programs, and valuable and relevant to the local and global communities - a true Urban University.
"Congratulations to our President, Dr. Carolyn W. Meyers. Dr. Meyers recognizes that Jackson State University is a crown jewel among institutions of higher learning. She has unparalleled footprints of leadership and a vision that has propelled the academy to turn challenges into opportunities establishing it as a model of success worth emulating," said Jackson State University Faculty Senate President, Dr. Glenda Y. Windfield.
A native of Newport News, Va., Dr. Meyers brought to Jackson State University more than 30 years of academic and administrative leadership experience in higher education, serving most recently as President of Norfolk State University in Norfolk, Virginia. She served as Provost and Vice Chancellor for Academic Affairs for North Carolina Agricultural and Technical State University, where she was a tenured professor of mechanical engineering and Dean of the College of Engineering. Dr. Meyers also was a tenured faculty member at the Georgia Institute of Technology and was the first Associate Dean for Research in its College of Engineering.
Dr. Meyers earned a bachelor's degree in mechanical engineering from Howard University, a master's degree in mechanical engineering and a doctorate in chemical engineering from the Georgia Institute of Technology, and completed post-doctoral work at Harvard University. She is a fellow in the American Society of Mechanical Engineers and a board member of the American Council on Education.
Dr. Meyers has published numerous articles and reports and given more than 200 invited presentations and technical papers on education and diversity topics as well as research and technical topics. Her numerous awards and honors include the National Society of Black Engineers' Golden Torch Award and the National Science Foundation's Presidential Young Investigator Award. Dr. Meyers has received a joint resolution from the Virginia Legislature and a concurrent resolution from the Mississippi Legislature commending her leadership and service to higher education.
"Dr. Meyers has done a remarkable job of helping Jackson State grow without losing sight of the individual student," said Dr. Jim Borsig. "She ensures that students have a robust learning experience while at Jackson State and graduate prepared to make a difference."
The Mississippi Board of Trustees of State Institutions of Higher Learning governs the public universities in Mississippi, including Alcorn State University; Delta State University; Jackson State University; Mississippi State University including the Mississippi State University Division of Agriculture, Forestry and Veterinary Medicine; Mississippi University for Women; Mississippi Valley State University; the University of Mississippi including the University of Mississippi Medical Center; and the University of Southern Mississippi.
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Air Conditioning Standards Are Based on Male Metabolism : Shots - Health News Air conditioning standards are based on the needs of a 155-pound man. Researchers say it's time to admit that women don't need to be chilled as much and crank up the thermostat.
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Women, There's A Reason Why You're Shivering In The Office
It may be August, but in the office it feels like January. And there's a mysterious man to blame. Neil Webb/Getty Images/Ikon Images hide caption
It may be August, but in the office it feels like January. And there's a mysterious man to blame.
He was probably about 40 years old, 155 pounds, white and wearing a suit. And he's the reason why women are shivering at their desks in air-conditioned buildings.
At some point in the 1930s, someone defined "metabolic equivalents" — how much energy a body requires while sitting, walking and running. Almost a century later, the back-of-the-envelope calculations are considered a standard for many things, including air conditioning.
But using that metabolic equivalent could be unnecessarily ramping up energy bills during summertime, researchers say, and it's time to plug in the right numbers so that air conditioning settings aren't biased toward men, and fewer women are reaching for the sweater.
"Garbage in, garbage out," says Boris Kingma, a biophysicist at Maastricht University in the Netherlands and lead author of the study, published Monday in the journal Nature Climate Change. "So, if you put in the wrong metabolic rate, you get an answer which is of course not valid."
Even while sitting quietly at a desk, the human body is working to keep everything running smoothly — the brain churning, blood flowing and vital organs at a cozy 98.6 degrees Fahrenheit. It has to work harder if the temperature isn't quite right.
"Basically if you are sitting in an office and the temperature is neutral, then your body is able to completely control or maintain core temperature only by changing skin blood flow," says Kingma.
If the temperature is just a little too cold, the body starts making tweaks to preserve heat. Vessels will keep blood closer to the body's core, leaving hands, feet and nose cold and pale. The person might feel the urge to grab a sweater or boil up some tea.
In general, women feel colder than men do at the same air temperature. They prefer rooms at 77 degrees Fahrenheit, while men prefer 72. Body size and fat-to-muscle ratios are largely to blame for that discrepancy.
"Fat cells produce less heat than muscle cells," explains Kingma, which is why women's higher fat-to-muscle ratio can make a difference. Plus women tend to be smaller than men, so "in general, women have a lower resting metabolic rate than males."
To determine a female metabolic equivalent, Kingma had 16 women in T-shirts and sweatpants hang out in a temperature-controlled room, and calculated the rate at which they were consuming oxygen and releasing carbon dioxide. It's a good measure of how much energy someone's generating. He found that their metabolic rates were significantly lower than the standard resting metabolic rate. So their bodies actually needed higher room temperatures to be comfortable.
This is just one of many studies over the years, from Japan to Finland, concluding that bodies of different sizes work really differently, depending on their dimensions, age and gender. Men and women of exactly the same size will produce different amounts of energy, because of slight variations in body function, skin surface area, organ size and fat distribution.
Even though the energy requirements between bodies vary only slightly, Kingma argues, they can affect energy use in unpredictable ways. "If you are feeling a bit cold, you might drink a cup of tea more," he says. "And boiling a liter of water takes really a large amount of energy."
There's no unified agreement on variations in metabolism among body types, says Bjarne Oleson, head of the International Center for Indoor Environment and Energy and professor at the Technical University of Denmark. What is clear is that Americans keep their buildings way too cold.
In the summer, international standards recommend temperatures between 73 and 79 degrees Fahrenheit. "But very often when you are in the U.S., they are between [68 to 73 Fahrenheit], which is really what we recommend for winter," says Oleson.
He thinks dress codes are more to blame for discomfort than temperature standards. "Women adapt much more their clothing in the summertime to the outside temperature than men do," says Oleson. But air conditioning is "operated so men in the business suit feel comfortable."
All this temperature talk might seem silly; just put on a sweater, right?
"But we know that temperature also influences your productivity," says Oleson. Uncomfortably chilly or hot offices can puncture concentration and increase errors in basic tasks like typing. Multiple studies have found that 72 degrees Fahrenheit is the best temperature for productivity and learning.
Cold air is also expensive. In 2005, to cut energy bills and help the environment, Japan's Ministry of the Environment introduced a special summer dress code and cranked up the temperature in government offices to 82 degrees. Similar efforts in South Korea, the U.K., and at the United Nations headquarters in New York seem to have wilted. But after a decade, Japan's "Cool Biz" campaign is still going strong.
Air conditioning temperature is just one standard that is coming under scrutiny as people start overhauling outdated standards based primarily on one body type.
"In some instances, it's a matter of life and death, like for automobile safety," says science historian Londa Schiebinger, who runs the Gendered Innovations project at Stanford. She says the standard of the 155-pound male body pops up all over engineering, biomedical and health research. It's one reason why car crash-test dummies had to be redesigned, and why some medicines were recalled as too dangerous for women.
Redesigning things to more accurately reflect the population, she says, can make life better for all, like when the cockpits of military aircraft were redesigned to fit female pilots, or when osteoporosis was reconsidered to include male patients.
"My suggestion here would be that all engineers, architects, urban planners, automobile designers go back and look at their standards," she says. Then ask: "What is the basic standard that things are engineered for? Who is the assumed ideal subject or user?"
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After a long fight, the zoning board in Warren has approved it to operate in the town. The business is called Natural Green Choice Consultants and it is run by brothers Jeffrey and Michael Motta.
Pending an appeal, the two would begin growing medical marijuana commercially and distribute the product to retailers across the state.
The Mottas said they will be using a sophisticated greenhouse to create an ideal environment for the weed to grow. That environment would produce some potent stuff for patients suffering from long term illnesses like cancer.
"We felt like we could give an organic product and we wanted to take a chance in the business," said Jeffrey. "We wanted to take a chance because we enjoy growing it for our patients."
Both Jeffrey and Michael said they use marijuana for medicinal purposes and they want to help others suffering.
"I’ve had a bad back since I was 19 years-old. I fell off a roof," said Michael. "I’ve had to deal with that the best I could without getting on any prescription drugs."
As expected, some residents voiced some concerns over the brothers opening this new operation, but they said the business is highly regulated and there’s no room for error.
The brothers said that the system is so strict, they can’t even use this product for themselves.
"I smoke the product but I can’t touch that product because you’re on camera for every little thing," Michael said.
The Mottas have what’s called a ‘micro license’, which essentially lets them only keep two-and-a-half pounds of surplus, on top of orders they need to fill.
The brothers are hoping to start growing by the end of the year.
Related
Congress votes to avert rail strike amid dire warnings
Community Energy Fair took place in Fall River Thursday
'It is not legal to drive and smoke marijuana': Drug recognition expert talks cannabis legalization, keeping roadways safe
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Unseen Physical Traits: Blood is a thick red paint, close enough to real blood but different under close scrutiny
Sleep Patterns: Doesn't sleep much, but prefers to stay in Daylight, where shadows and nightmares can't reach
Speech Style: Polite and Shy on the surface, will revert to crass and rude language when stressed beyond help
Habits: Smokes, or when that's unavailable he'll suck on lemon drops. Adores sweets. Personality:
Garry is a gentle, soft-spoken man who utilizes feminine pronouns of the Japanese language due to the fact that he doesn't like using crude speech. He's mysterious yet expressive, and his mood can change quickly depending on the situation. When talking to Ib, however, he is kind to her no matter what. His gentler side shows when he spends time with Ib. He will do much to protect her, even saving her when she faints, and giving her a piece of candy to lighten her spirits. He will often help Ib in many ways, ranging from moving anything that blocks her way to translating words that Ib does not know.
He show signs of extreme protectiveness over Ib, and can go to extreme measures to protect her, even to the point of risking his life.
In the past, Garry was a rough smoker that used crude language and various street skills to survive. He also has a short temper. He still smokes.
He carries a Blue Rose made of soft fabric and a canvas stem. When this Rose is damaged, so too, does Garry take Harm. His Rose has Fifteen[15] Petals.
He Is terrified of:
Women with Yellow hair
Ladies in Blue, Red, Green, and Yellow Dresses
Appearance:
Garry is tall and has a lean figure. He wears a long, dark blue, tattered coat
that he claims to be "fashionable." Underneath, he wears a light green T-shirt. He has light purple hair with a few darker streaks, pale skin, and black eyes. His hair always covers his left eye. He wears pale brown pants with a black belt, and black shoes.
Garry is covered in scars. Absolutely covered in them.
Starting from his feet, there are glass shard scars all over the soles and tops of his feet, thorny rose vine scars on his ankles, and then shins and up have various knife cuts, burns from various sources, tearing marks from where fingernails ripped skin off, and around his knees were more thorn scars. Then up further there are mainly thorn scars around his waist and on the front of his torso are more burns, cuts, and thorn marks wrapping around him. It's the same for his back except for a circle on the lower part just above his waistline, where there are no marks at all except a brand that says "G U E R T E N A", which looks to be carved and burned into his lower back, seared and cut repeatedly to make sure it never goes away. The thorn scars continue around his arms and up his neck, where they end just on the underside of his jaw, just kissing his cheeks,The scars on his arms end on his wrists just shy of his hands.
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Meet the online shop Local Eclectic! Local Eclectic is all about emerging and independent jewelry designers and unique pieces.
It’s a fabulous place to drool over fine jewelry. Launched back in 2013 to share their favorite emerging and indie jewelry designers, they – read : Founder Alexis Nido-Russo and Co. – slimmed it down to jewelry only.
Below is a little Q&A with Alexis, explaining us how to pick new pieces and more!
Where did the idea for Local Eclectic come from?
“I wanted to create an online destination where girls like me could shop the best of the best from emerging and indie designers. When I started the company in November 2013, we weren’t focused on jewelry at the time, it was everything from clothing to home goods. The current iteration of the business came about really organically once I saw that our customers were gravitating to jewelry.”
What makes Local Eclectic different from other online stores?
“Our focus is jewelry and we’ve really honed in on that market and while there are other shops who focus on indie designers, we set ourselves apart by trying to offer really accessible price points. We have a range so you’ll find everything from fine to semi-fine and fashion jewelry. We’ve also really fine-tuned our aesthetic and brand over the past few years which has helped in taking the brand to the next level.”
Moonstone & Diamond Hexagon ring by Carrie Elizabeth Jewelry & To Have & To Hold ring by Lust and Luster
What do you love about jewelry?
“I love that it’s the finishing touch that pulls everything together. But what’s really funny is that after having the business for 3.5 years, I don’t wear that much jewelry except for my staple pieces; it’s like I’ve been overexposed. I love looking at jewelry and discovering new designers that I haven’t seen anywhere else that I know our customers will die for.”
What are your current favorite pieces?
“We just launched the Circle Teardrop Moonstone ring with Melanie Auld which she designed exclusively for us that I’m obsessed with. The Snow Queen Dainty ring from Tippy Taste is so sparkly and delicious and shockingly affordable. EVERYTHING from Charlie and Marcelle! And the Freya ring from Materia Prima will probably be my next purchase…I just love it!”
Who are the Local Eclectic buyers/customers?
“What type of customers do you try to reach? Girls, girls, girls and the guys and gals that shop for them! Our customers are women looking for something that’s a little different. She’s looking for jewelry that is high quality, nothing mass produced and fair prices.”
[All images thanks to Local Eclectic]
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I currently am finishing up my bachelors in exercise science. I have competed in USA swimming for over eight years and also competed as a college athlete for a Division Two Program with the University of Texas Permian Basin. I have so much passion for the field of coaching, exercise science, and psychology services. I have coached previously both as an age group coach, swim instructor, and summer league coach and have enjoyed every opportunity to help swimmers learn the correct technique to better themselves in the pool and to also help prevent injuries from occurring. I’m passionate to get back into the field of swim coaching!
My experiences come from coaching four years at the high school level, as well as four years of a local club team and finally making the move to coaching at the collegiate level for DePauw University for the past 3 years. Many of the experiences that I have come across came from the fifteen years I have been swimming competitively, my years as a high school swimmer, and for my years as a college athlete in swimming and water polo. Throughout my years as an athlete I have been able to experience many different styles of coaching, techniques and understanding of new ways to teach certain strokes. I have had the pleasure of working with many different coaching styles as well as coaches who have brought a new way in looking at the strokes. Through my prior experience as a teammate and as an assistant coach, I have learned many lessons and techniques that have helped me be an excellent and proficient coach - all of which I employ in my coaching duties today. Among others these include teaching proper stroke technique, instilling a winning work ethic, running drills to maximize conditioning, helping maintain a healthy mental attitude and explaining race strategies for many of the events. When it comes to my coaching philosophy. I am a big believer in the idea of how one's body feels, and what is going through one's mind before and after each race. Helping with ideas, race strategy and mental positivity is one of my biggest focus points as a coach. When getting to the heart of the season in regards to racing, meets and practice there is no other place I would rather be than on the pool deck. Being able to coach everyday, talking to the team and getting to know them/what they want to work on throughout the practice, week or even the season really helps me focus on what should be prioritized when writing for practice groups. I have had the great fortune to work with wonderful athletes, and they are a huge reason why I love coaching. Being able to connect with them and just help when they are on and off the pool deck really helps make that connection stronger, and also helps build trust between myself and the team.
Collegiate Assistant Swimming Coach Watertown, MN, USA
Aug 22, 2022
Nearly fifty years of coaching experience. Learned from Frank Elm at Rutgers University and Bob Matson at the Wilmington Aquatic Club. Used this high level of education to build high school teams and developmental programs. Most recently completed 18 summers providing a feeder program for local USA teams, including Indian River Rats in Fort Pierce. The Swim Squad mentioned above has utilized my high school swimmers as volunteers and then as paid staff. We have developed a consistent teaching methodology and are known in our area for our success at teaching superior stroke mechanics. I'm also an occupational therapy practitioner with a specialty in aquatic therapy. I'm particularly good at training younger coaches. I'm open to a new challenge- in a hot weather state only. Very interested in a college coaching position. I enjoy coaching Masters and am good at teaching adult beginners. Florida, California, Hawaii, or Puerto Rico, one of the islands, Mexico. Austin, Texas- possibly. Would consider any place in the world as long as there is hot weather. I'm currently ten minutes from the beach and working as a private coach, mainly for adults of all levels. Can only give up living here in Vero Beach for an amazing opportunity where I can fully utilize my talents.
Aug 21, 2022
I have been the BLA/Dolphin Aquatics’ Program Director since 1996. I am also the Director of Alumni and Community Engagement at Saint Thomas Academy. Coaching highlights: 2021 Inductee into the Hinsdale South Foundation Hall of Fame 2018 NHSACA National Swimming Coach of the Year ASCA level 5 Coach 7 Olympic Trial Qualifiers 15 National Qualifiers 30 Junior National Qualifiers 24 High School All Americans 2 World University Game Gold Medalists High School Dual Meet record 151-7-1 15 State Championship Teams 14 at STA 1 at Minnetonka HS (The most State Swimming Championships in the History of Minnesota High School Swimming) 1996,2013 2014 2015 2016 MN High School Coach of the Year. 1991 MN ASCA Age Group Coach of the year
Swim Coach Portland, OR, USA
Jul 15, 2022
Berrin Yavuzer Age Group Coach - Senior Coach - Masters Coach - Swim Instructor 26 El Toyonal Mobile: (510) 778-4458 Email: berrinyavuzer@gmail.com Education 2018 – California College: Early Childhood Education: 12 units 2020 – 2022 - ASCA Level 1-2-3-4 2017 – 2022 Coaching and Swim Instruction Courses from USA Swimming 1986 – 1991 Marmara University, Art Institute Bachelor of Art in Movie and Television Production Istanbul, Turkey Current Certifications Since January 2021 – Lifeguard Since February 2020 – ASCA Level 1-2-3 - 4 November 2019 – USA Swimming – USAD Coach’s Advantage Tutorial November 2019 – USA Swimming – Athlete Protection Training November 2019 – USA Swimming – Club Leadership and Business Management 101 February 2019 – Certified Pool / Spa Operator Since December 2018 – Masters Swim Coach Since May 2018 – USA Swimming: Heads-Up Concussion Training Since October 2018 – Age Group Swim Coach February 2018 – USA Swimming - Maintaining a Positive Culture Since February 2018 – USA Swimming -Preventing Bullying February 2018 – USA Swimming -Safe Sport Since January 2018 – In Water Safety Training for Swim Coaches Since December 2017 – Heart Saver First Aid CPR AED Since December 2017 – Adult Learn to Swim Instructor Work Experience 2022 – WCAB - 10 & Under Assistant Coach 2021 – Present – OCC Assistant Coach 2020 – 2021 – Shadowing OA swim team 2019 – 2020 – Emeryville Aquatic Club – Age Group Coach 2019 – 2021 – Albany Unified School District – CA, High School Resource Para-Ed. 2017 – 2019 – Albany Unified School District – CA, TK/K/1-12, Lead Para-Ed., Special Ed. 2018 – Oaklantis Swim Team - Swim Instructor / Coach Subbing 2017 – Richmond Plunge Adult Learn to Swim Instructor – with Coach Carol Nip 2017 – Present – Private swim lessons 2015 – 2017– AAA Swim Team Volunteer 2004 – 2020 – Coaching my two kids. 1999 – 1991 – Assistant Director, Post-Production, Announcer, News Editor - TURKEY
Age Group Coach - Senior Coach - Masters Coach Orinda, CA, USA
Former member of the CAL men's swim team (2011-2016). 2x American Record Holder, 5x NCAA Div I National Champion, 2x NCAA Div I National Team Champion, 15x NCAA All-American, and was on USA National teams (2009-2011). Over the past 4 years I have served as the National Group Assistant Coach and the Senior Group Lead Coach at Scottsdale Aquatic Club. This past August I was given the reigns Senior Group. Through mindful healthy program of individual personal development, mental health practices, overall athlete development all while making each individual feel 'seen' and welcomed, the group grew from a roster size of 16 in August, to 45+ by the end of March. I did not have the best experience in my swimming career which also spilled over into my overall development as a human being; this was much in part to a coach I had in my life. To which my driving force in why I do what I do is: "I never want an athlete to feel the way I felt growing up".
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E-Update for the Week of August 9, 2021 - EducationCounsel E-Update for the Week of August 9, 2021 - EducationCounsel
Staff
News and Press
News and Press
E-Update for the Week of August 9, 2021
E-Update for the Week of August 9, 2021
09 Aug
E-Update for the Week of August 9, 2021
On August 6, USED announced it will extend the current freeze on student loan repayment and interest accrual through January 31, 2022.
On August 6, USED announced it will publish a notice in the Federal Register establishing a negotiated rulemaking committee to rewrite regulations for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, income-contingent repayment plans, and borrower defense to repayment, among other issues.
On August 3, the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee split evenly along party lines on a vote to advance the nomination of Catherine Lhamon to serve as U.S. Department of Education (USED) Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights.
Lhamon nomination fails to attract bipartisan support in HELP Committee vote, path forward will require procedural move from Majority Leader Schumer: The Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions (HELP) Committee split evenly along party lines on a vote to advance the nomination of Catherine Lhamon to serve as U.S. Department of Education (USED) Assistant Secretary for Civil Rights. The 11-11 vote means that Senate Majority Leader Chuck Schumer (D-NY) must move through a procedural hurdle to discharge the nomination from Committee and hold additional debate before a confirmation vote on the Senate floor. A press release from Ranking Member Richard Burr (R-NC) is here.
August 3, 2021
Coronavirus Updates (as related to education):
White House launches national effort to increase student vaccination rates before fall reopening: As part of the Biden Administration’s efforts to increase vaccination rates across the country, the White House announced several actions to support the vaccination of children in K-12 schools and students in college. The White House outlined recommended actions for schools and colleges such as incorporating the vaccine into sports physicals for student athletes; inviting pediatricians to schools’ “back to school nights;” and providing resources to schools and colleges to host pop-up vaccination clinics on campuses. As part of the initiative, the White House also announced a Back to School “Week of Action” between August 7 and 15, which will include several national events to spotlight the need to vaccinate before school resumes this fall. A press release is here.
August 5, 2021
U.S. Department of Education (USED):
USED extends student loan repayment freeze through January 31, 2022: USED announced it will extend the current freeze on student loan repayment and interest accrual through January 31, 2022. According to a statement from USED Secretary Miguel Cardona, the extended repayment freeze will “give students and borrowers the time they need to plan for restart and ensure a smooth pathway back to repayment.” According to Bloomberg News, who originally reported on the announcement, the Administration intends for this extension to be the final freeze and repayments will begin starting February 1, 2022.
August 6, 2021
NAEP to be readministered to 9 year-olds next year to gauge impact of pandemic: The National Assessment Governing Board, which sets policy for the National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP), voted to amend the upcoming school year’s assessment schedule to replace the 2022 administration of the Long-Term Trend of 17-year-olds with 9-year-olds. In effect, the decision means that the same group of 9-year-olds that were tested just before the COVID-19 pandemic will be re-tested in 2022 in an effort to better assess the pandemic’s impact on student learning. A tweet announcing the decision is here.
August 5, 2021
Five more states have ARP ESSER spending plans approved, 29 states still awaiting approval: announced that it had approved plans for five additional states and their proposed use of American Rescue Plan Elementary and Secondary Schools Emergency Relief (ARP ESSER) funding. With the approval of Hawaii, Montana, New Hampshire, New York, and Pennsylvania, 22 states have now received both tranches of their ARP ESSER fund allocations. The remaining states will receive their remaining funds once the Department receives and approves their state plan. Six states still have yet to submit their draft plans to the Department. A list of approved state plans is here.
August 5, 2021
USED releases ‘roadmap’ to support school reopening for in-person learning: USED released the “Return to School Roadmap,” a resource to support students, schools, educators, and communities reopen for in-person learning during the upcoming school year. The guidance document includes three “landmark” priorities that USED is encouraging schools, districts, and communities to focus on as they enter the 2021-2022 school year, which include (1) prioritizing the health and safety of students, staff, and educators; (2) building school communities and supporting students’ social, emotional, and mental health; and (3) accelerating academic achievement. The document collates previously released tools and strategies to support schools, districts, and communities in advancing these priorities, and outlines how federal funding can be utilized to support a safe return to in-person learning. A press release from the Department is here. Remarks from a White House press conference where USED Secretary Cardona introduced the Roadmap and answered questions on school reopening are here.
August 2, 2021
U.S. Department of Education (USED):
USED seeking nominations for a Negotiated Rulemaking committee to address several student loan programs and regulations: USED announced it will publish a notice in the Federal Register establishing a negotiated rulemaking committee to rewrite regulations for the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program, income-contingent repayment plans, and borrower defense to repayment, among other issues. The committee will meet virtually beginning in October and will negotiate the regulations through the rest of the year. In the notice, USED solicits nominations for primary and alternative negotiators from various constituent groups, including dependent and independent students, student loan borrowers, state higher education executive officers, and public and private nonprofit institutions of higher education, amongst others. The Department is also “especially interested” in nominations that “represent the perspective of historically underserved and/or low-income communities.” A press release is here.
August 6, 2021
USED expands Second Chance Pell experimental program for next award year: USED announced that it will expand the Second Chance Pell pilot program for the 2022-2023 award year. With the expansion, a total of 200 colleges and university will be able to participate in the pilot program, an increase of 69 institutions from the previous award year. According to the Department, students who have participated in the program, which was initially launched by the Obama Administration in 2015, have earned a total of more than 7,000 credentials. The expansion of the Second Chance Pell experiment is a “crucial step toward the reinstatement of Pell Grant eligibility for incarcerated students,” said Amy Loyd, Acting Assistant Secretary of USED’s Office of Career, Technical and Adult Education. A press release is here.
July 30, 2021
Upcoming Events (Congressional and Administration):
On August 11, 12 and 13 at 1:00 pm, the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau (CFPB) will hold an event titled, “Consumer Advisory Board Meeting.” The meeting will focus on a discussion of broad policy matters related to the Bureau’s Unified Regulatory Agenda, including recent Bureau initiatives related to the COVID-19 recovery and trends and themes in the mortgage, and student lending marketplace. More information and registration are here.
Upcoming Events (Outside Organizations):
On August 9 at 2:00 pm, Career Education Colleges and Universities will hold an event titled, “Clery Act Compliance Essentials for Career Schools.” The event will feature a conversation with a representative from USED’s Office of Federal Student Aid (FSA) on Clery compliance from the postsecondary career school perspective. More information and registration are here.
On August 12 at 6:00 pm, the Education Trust will hold a book release event titled, “Districts That Succeed: Breaking the Correlation Between Race, Poverty, and Achievement.” The event will feature a book talk focused on the work that educators in school districts around the country have done to ensure that teachers can teach, and students can learn. More information and registration are here.
Latest from EducationCounsel:
Sean Worley and Scott Palmer wrote a blog post for the Wallace Foundation titled, “American Rescue Plan: Five Things State and District Leaders Need to Know Now.” The post provides a brief overview of the American Rescue Plan (ARP) Act, key processes and timelines, and recommended actions that state and district leaders can take as they continue planning for how they will use their latest pandemic relief funding.
Publications (Administration):
On August 3, the National Center for Education Statistics (NCES) published a report titled, “One Year Later: Relationship Between 2015–16 Bachelor’s Degree Recipient Enrollment in Further Education and Pell Grant Receipt.” The report analyzes data from the 2016-17 Baccalaureate and Beyond Longitudinal Study to examine how Pell Grants for bachelor’s degrees relate to later education. Key findings include identifying that students who had a Pell Grant went on to master’s degree programs at higher rates (56 percent) than those who did not (50 percent); that overall, use of grants and scholarships in 2017 did not differ for students who had used and had not used Pell Grants for their bachelor’s degree; and that the majority of students who received a Pell Grant for their 2015-16 bachelor’s degree used federal loans to pay for their further education. The full report is here.
Publications (Outside Organizations):
On August 5, the Student Borrower Protection Center (SBPC) published a blog post titled, “Student Debt in Disguise: How Employers are Using Predatory Debt to Hurt Workers and Hold Back Competition.” In the post, SBPC urged consumer watchdogs and policymakers to protect borrowers from “training repayment agreements” (TRAs) and other predatory contract terms that are “21st century indentured servitude made possible through shadow student debt.” Other key findings from the report include that employers are “abusing purported opportunities” for learning and employee training requirements to make leaving a job “literally unaffordable”; that TRAs “unfairly protect” employers from labor market competition; and that employers “may be looking to shadow student debt” in the form of TRAs as a “replacement for noncompete clauses in employment contracts.” The full post is here.
On August 4, the American Enterprise Institute (AEI) published a report titled, “The $200 Billion Question: How Much of Federal COVID-19 Relief Funding for Schools Will Go to COVID-19 Relief?” The report explores the question of how much of the Elementary and Secondary School Emergency Relief (ESSER) funding will go toward reopening schools and COVID-19 recovery, as opposed to spending not directly related to the pandemic. The report considers ESSER funding provided from all three pandemic relief bills: the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act; the Coronavirus Response and Relief Supplemental Appropriations Act (CRRSAA); and the ARP Act. Key findings include estimating that $78 to $123 billion could go toward non-COVID related spending; that the large federal investment, coupled with an “excess of unspent…funding,” could affect Democratic ambitions to provide a permanent increase in Title I funding; and that districts may struggle to avoid “ineffective, unnecessary, or otherwise undesirable” expenditures. The full report is here.
On August 3, McKinsey & Company published a report titled, “How HBCUs Can Accelerate Black Economic Mobility.” The report explores the potential role of Historically Black Colleges and Universities (HBCUs) in fostering increased economic engagement amongst Black Americans. Key findings include identifying that strong HBCU networks could increase Black worker incomes by around $10 billion, in addition to strengthening the economy with $1.2 billion in incremental business profit, $300 million in decreased student-loan debt, and $1 billion in additional consumer expenditures. The full report is here.
On August 3, the Center for Reinventing Public Education (CRPE) published a report titled, “How Much Have Students Missed Academically Because of the Pandemic? A Review of the Evidence to Date.” The report is part of a series that aims to provide a definitive account of the best available evidence on how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected America’s students. In the report, experts reviewed studies that were gleaned from CRPE’s COVID-19 K-12 research database of more than 300 studies on the pandemic’s academic impacts. Key findings include identifying that test scores show that the average student mastered less academic content because of the pandemic; that other measures of instructional time, engagement, and academic progress strengthen the credibility of these findings; and that the pandemic’s average impacts on academic achievement, while significant, mask substantial variation in impacts across subjects, grades, demographic groups, and geography. The full report is here.
Legislation:
A bill to provide for emergency operational cost reimbursements for child nutrition programs for certain additional months, and for other purposes.
Sponsor: Rep. Alma Adams (D-NC)
A bill to amend title 11 of the United States Code to modify the dischargeability of debts for certain educational payments and loans.
Sponsor: Rep. Steve Cohen (D-TN)
A bill to prohibit Federal funding for educational agencies and schools whose students do not read certain foundational texts of the United States and are not able to recite those texts or that teach that those texts are products of white supremacy or racism.
Sponsor: Rep. Jason Smith (R-MO)
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to improve Federal oversight of foreign funding in education.
Sponsor: Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to provide for Federal student loan reform.
Sponsor: Senator Marco Rubio (R-FL)
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to make college affordable and accessible by expanding access to dual or concurrent enrollment programs and early college high school programs.
Sponsor: Senator Gary Peters (D-MI)
A bill to amend the Child Care Access Means Parents in School Program under the Higher Education Act of 1965.
Sponsor: Senator Tammy Duckworth (D-IL)
A bill to amend the Higher Education Act of 1965 to direct the Secretary of Education to issue guidance and recommendations for institutions of higher education on removing criminal and juvenile justice questions from their application for admissions process.
Sponsor: Senator Brian Schatz (D-HI)
A bill to provide additional funding under the Child Abuse Prevention and Treatment Act.
Sponsor: Senator Ben Ray Lujan (D-NM)
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LA CRUZ, Costa Rica – A 24-year-old Haitian man in a local motel near the bus station here – readying to move through Nicaragua – revealed a truth at sharp variance with common media and immigration-activist narratives about the large numbers of Haitians now illegally crossing the U.S. southern border.
The story is that Haitians who are now flooding through and gaining admittance and bus rides to American cities need permanent asylum to avoid deportation to the violence, poverty, and government persecution they’ve just fled in their home country.
But Center for Immigration Studies interviews with the Haitian man pictured here and with dozens of others during a recent 10-day period in northern Costa Rica indicate that this narrative is mostly fable. Significant numbers of Haitians recently arrived in the U.S. or still en route enjoyed years of peace and relative prosperity in Chile, which boasts South America’s strongest economy and a government generous with residency and work authorization for Haitians. He and his brother arrived in Chile four years ago; its government has provided safe harbor to at least 185,000 Haitians as of 2020.
A newly legalized Haitian boarding an American bus heading to Florida in April 2021, Del Rio, Texas
In fact, every U.S.-bound Haitian that CIS met here – more than two dozen – said they had lived and worked in the safety, security, and prosperity of Santiago, Chile’s capital. for four, five, or even six years. Others lived in Brazil, the world’s eighth largest economy strongly rebounding from the pandemic. Now, tens of thousands are, in calculated moves, unmooring from their comfortable Chilean lives for an upgrade at the U.S. border, including this Haitian whose brother recently crossed and beckoned him to the easy entrance and richer rewards of United States life.
Asked how four years of life in Santiago, where he’d worked as a baker and Uber Eats driver, compared to the Haiti they’d left years ago, the probable future U.S. asylum claimant promptly answered: “A thousand times better.”
Then why come to the United States border now, when his life in Chile was so peaceful and non-threatening?
“Because,” he said, chuckling, “life in the United States will be a million times better.”
To achieve U.S. asylum, which provides work authorization and leads to a green card and eventual citizenship, petitioners must persuade asylum officers and immigration judges that if deported they face government persecution on the basis of at least one of five conditions, such as their political opinion, ethnic or religious affiliations.
Did the government of Chile ever threaten you, CIS asked?
“No, that never happened there.”
So you were never afraid?
The young Haitian man showed videos of beautiful Chilean beaches he’d enjoyed and others depicting warm memories of urban Chilean nightlife. He said he always found enough work to support himself and a lifestyle allowing him buy his favorite fashion clothing brands on the Internet.
Well-dressed Haitians from Chile are met by a driver at a bus stop in northern Costa Rica
“It’s a nice country,” he said of Chile.
All the Haitians CIS interviewed said that the triggering development in their decisions to abandon the good life in Chile was that President Biden started letting in Haitian families who illegally crossed the American border so that they could apply for asylum and secure an economic upgrade. Several women in advanced stages of pregnancy timed their journeys to reach U.S. soil in time to give birth U.S. citizens.
This Haitian man said he was well aware that single men like himself, his friend here in La Cruz, and the brother can evade Border Patrol and be home free because the Biden administration has eliminated most deportation activity.
The Joe Biden’s election “makes it easier to get into the States. It’s a reason,” the Haitian said for leaving now.
All Haitians CIS interviewed offered similar stories and motivations.
A choir shirt patch worn by a Haitian boy indicates how entrenched they were in Chilean life
Some mentioned that they felt driven from Chile by a sting of racism among regular citizens, though not from its government.
“I felt persecuted because of my skin color and because we don’t speak Spanish,” one said.
However, none of the Haitians who mentioned street-level racism seemed much dissuaded when reminded that President Biden, Vice President Kamala Harris and many prominent American lawmakers have repeatedly declared that “systemic racism” permeates the United States.
Laughing out loud at the idea that America was racist, the young Haitian man at the La Cruz motel said he did not believe any of those high-level government assertions.
“No. No. America isn’t racist,” he said.
Instead, the more common calculation seemed to be a desire to trade up from a good life to a better one.
Ronald Polydor, 25, recently arrived in Los Chiles, in northern Costa Rica, with 15 other Haitians by bus for an overnight stay in a bare-bones hostel with his wife and 6-year-old son. In the morning, they would all be moving with smugglers through Nicaragua.
Polydor said he’d been supporting the family as a mechanic in Chile for four years and had even found opportunity there to obtain advanced certifications in his field. Chile provided legal residency and plenty of work. Never did the government there persecute Polydor or any Haitian he knew over all the years he lived there.
“No. No. No. No,” he answered when asked that question.
But Polydor twice had no luck applying for a nonimmigrant visa to the United States, neither as a tourist nor a student.
Haitian migrant Tomas Hubian in Los Chiles, Costa Rica, en route with his wife and children to the U.S. southern border.
The U.S. turned down his visa applications for no apparent reason, he said, though he probably was rejected because Haitians are at high risk of abusing such visas and overstaying them to live illegally in the country in perpetuity. Now, he laughed, the illegal way to enter is, paradoxically, legal and he got on the road as soon as he could raise the smuggling money.
He wanted to leave Chile because he believes he can earn in a month what he could earn in an entire year in South America.
“I prefer the legal ways but now, it’s up to God,” he said, chuckling at his good timing.
Tomas Hubian, a 26-year-old father of a 9-year-old and 3-year-old boy said he’d been living in Santiago for the past four years, knowing his smuggling money would go to waste due to President Trump’s border enforcement policies.
“When he [Trump] was in, it took luck,” to cross over successfully. “We would have been put back in Mexico and lost our money.”
He never lacked for work and money to support his family in Chile. Hubian said he felt safe, secure, and never once threatened by the government. Hubian said he and his wife used their time in Chile while Trump was in office to save smuggling fee money for when Trump was out.
As soon as Biden won, Hubian said, word arrived from the U.S. border that parents with children and pregnant women were receiving fast-pass legal authorization to go anywhere in the United States.
“If we have kids, my friends said, we have a high chance of getting through.”
Although Hubian did not specifically know about American political asylum, it’s a safe bet the same friends will let him know that his next step once in the city of his choice will be to apply for asylum on a claim that he simply cannot be returned – to Haiti. Not a word about Chile.
A Haitian immigrant woman seven months’ pregnant pauses with her husband in Costa Rica on her way to the U.S. southern border.
For others, the chance to give birth to an American citizen was part of the calculation. CIS observed many of the Haitian women on the smuggling trail in Costa Rica were in advanced stages of pregnancy, often seven months.
Haitian national Peter Thesaus, 25, who was traveling with a wife and Brazilian-born child to join a relative in Florida, said his 6-month pregnant sister is on the way from Brazil further south. He and his extended family had been living and working comfortably and securely for six years in Brazil, on his job with a local hospital, until Biden’s election prompted his departure.
He admitted that his pregnant sister’s trip was carefully timed so that the child would be born an American. That would help the child qualify for a variety of welfare benefits, of course, but also help anchor the rest of the family and dissuade family-separating deportation.
Mass Abuse of U.S. Asylum System – Where Even Losing is Winning
These Haitians have a lot of company coming from safe, secure, and economically viable South American nations where the major complaint is not government persecution so much as that they cannot match the craved American lifestyle. Many among the tens of thousands of Haitian migrant families seeking that upgrade who have already crossed the U.S. border and been let in are often well-dressed with modern cell phones and cash for smuggling fees.
They all have one year from their illegal entry to apply for asylum.
Down here in Costa Rica, before they fall under the sway of immigration lawyers, their unlawyered testimony comes more purely from the heart.
Haitians en route to the southern border readily admit they decided to uproot their comfortable Chilean or Brazilian lives mainly because they heard President Joe Biden was handing out passes at the U.S. border to families and also were rarely deporting single adults who make it to the interior. (Most single adults caught at the border still get repatriated to Mexico as part of the Trump-era “Title 42” pandemic containment measure still in place, though there is no limit on repeat attempts.)
Two former immigration judges say such people are ineligible for asylum because they were already “firmly resettled” in a safe country for years and will claim Haiti as the offending country, avoiding all mention of Chile or Brazil, which Haitians could choose as a return preference but won’t. Haiti conditions are the better bet. But even citing Haiti can be a stretch for immigration judges because political unrest there affects a fractional few; most Haitians are fleeing poverty, which is generally not a legitimate basis for asylum.
“I think the vast majority will be denied,” said former Immigration Judge D. Anthony Rogers, who held court in Dallas for 17 years. “The fact that they’ve resided somewhere else is a negative factor in front of a judge about whether they actually have a fear of return to Haiti.”
Andrew “Art” Arthur, a current CIS fellow who served as an immigration judge in Pennsylvania, agreed the asylum claims of people initially fleeing poverty but settled into comfortable protected lives in a third country have little chance of receiving asylum.
A northbound Haitian family looking for a smuggler in La Cruz, Costa Rica, is coming directly from Chile after five years living and working there.
“Asylum is for people who don’t have anywhere else to go,” Arthur said. “These people actually have somewhere to go where their lives are not in danger. They were already settled. They’ll lose. They’re all going to lose.”
On average, the Executive Office for Immigration Review statistics show that only about seven percent of Haitian asylum claims were granted in 2020, accounting for an abandonment or withdrawal rate of 42 percent and a denial rate of 51 percent.
“It’s an abuse of the system,” Arthur said. “A drowning man will reach for the point of a sword; that’s the idea behind the asylum system. But these people aren’t drowning. They’re sitting on a beach.”
But both judges say claims-abandonment and losing is still winning.
That’s because the real purpose of mounting an asylum claim is not to win asylum but instead to buy years of legally authorized time inside the United States, and then, if you lose your case, the next thing is almost as good: illegal residence but with slight risk of deportation, a government amnesty-type rescue, or both.
The current average backlog for asylum case adjudications, after all, is now three years, and appeals can stretch that into many more.
“This is all an exercise in buying time,” Rogers said. “That’s what folks do in using the asylum system.”
By the time their petitions are finally abandoned or rejected years later, the Haitians will already have established roots, often bearing anchoring U.S.-citizen children, and forming effective lobbying organizations in states like Florida. In any case, even those inside the U.S. illegally can’t really be deported because they join a nationwide population of millions, which the Department of Homeland Security has not been able to reduce. The chances that most illegally present Haitians (who avoid convictions for serious felonies) will ever actually get deported are nil.
The Biden administration was conducting some scheduled repatriation flights to Haiti’s capital of Port-au-Prince in February before coming under pressure to stop them. These had sharply tapered off by April, and It’s unclear now if any repatriation flights are leaving these days.
Arthur said that no significant number of Haitians coming in now will be deported after their asylum claims fail “because no one is ever going to remove them under this administration. Whether they get asylum or not doesn’t matter to them. They just get to stay here forever.”
As well, many asylum-losing Haitians can reasonably expect rescue from other quarters. One is Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a renewable form of relief that prevent deportation and grants work authorization, sometimes for decades.
The Biden administration in May issued just such a renewal (the fifth one) of a 2010 TPS grant for Haitians who were here when an earthquake struck their home country a decade ago, and expanded it to include tens of thousands new illegal arrivals who who came before May 2021.
Fashionably dressed Haitian women exit a bus in Los Chiles and prepare to board a pre-arranged smuggler taxi for the Nicaragua border
Many of the thousands of recent arrivals undoubtedly include Haitians who’d been living comfortably protected lives in Chile and Brazil for the last half decade. The TPS designation cites only Haiti as the place of no-return, given its “serious security concerns, social unrest, an increase in human rights abuses, crippling poverty” and other problems very far from the Chile and Brazil that had harbored them.
But Haitians who came from Chile before May 21 probably have an easy in.
“These people will more likely than not lie about having been firmly resettled in Chile,” Arthur said.
Even if such Haitians are weeded out, thousands still leaving Chile who missed this TPS extension can plausibly presume they’ll get in under the inevitable next one and then the one after that, while their delayed, backlogged asylum petitions keep them legal and then happily illegal while still working for years afterward.
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Does your lack of data security keep you up at night? No? Well, it should. Your data is your lifeline. It’s where you keep all your information about your customers, your competitors, and your own performance. If it were to fall into the wrong hands, you’d be in big trouble. Not only would your operations grind to a halt, but you’d also be opening yourself up to potential litigation, as customers sue you for allowing their personal information to enter the public domain.
Scammers are becoming more and more successful in getting personal information. Even big companies like Verizon have suffered serious data breaches. Hackers stole more than 280 million records from Verizon, costing the company millions of dollars in lost revenue.
Small businesses, therefore, need to ask themselves whether there is anything they could be doing better to protect their data. Recently, Matt Watchinski, a cyber security expert, told Business Insider what small businesses should be doing to protect their data. This is what he recommended.
Teaching your employees about safe conduct online is essential for protecting a business against data breaches. The reason for this is because hackers know that employees are usually the weakest link. It turns out that modern anti-virus and firewall software is actually pretty good. With numerous updates from Windows and software security companies, remotely hacking people’s computers without a human in the loop is tough.
People, on the other hand, are much easier to get around. They can be fooled by a variety of seemingly innocuous tactics, including getting them to give out usernames and passwords after following unscrupulous links. The best way to deal with this is not to have your IT department clean up the mess afterward. Instead, it’s to educate your workforce, according to Watchinski. It’s about having clear rules that apply in every situation. Never type in your password after following a link. Never respond to emails asking for information. And never leave devices logged in unattended.
Watchinski says that prevention is much better than cure. Most issues, he says, can be avoided by taking simple precautions anybody can understand.
Be Careful With Email
Email and instant messaging services seem so unthreatening, mainly because we use them every day. Many employees trust them so much that they’re willing to click or download any attachments, no matter what the source. Employees believe that the attachments are harmless, but later on, they discover that they’ve been locked out of their account or their computer is running slow. Links are often bad news. They’re the number one way businesses get infected with harmful malware.
It’s worth telling your employees that they must never click on a link if they don’t recognize the sender. And even if they do think that they recognize the sender, they should make sure that it is who they think it is and not a scammer. Scammers will often choose email address names that are very similar to email addresses employees are used to getting emails from. They might change the position of the “@” or change a word from singular to plural, so it looks almost identical to the genuine email address. Small businesses need to communicate the importance of checking that the emails are the same, even if it is time-consuming. After all, it’s better than being locked out or having all your data stolen.
Technology has the potential to revolutionize business models. In fact, data is already doing this, allowing companies to make better marketing decisions and offer enhanced customer service. But all that technology can land you in a lot of trouble, especially if you don’t monitor communications in and out of your company.
The good news is that the same technology that is allowing your business to make better decisions is also helping to keep your network secure. Intelligent algorithms, also known as AI, are now able to monitor the entire network, looking out for packets of information that contain things that look like credit card numbers of passwords. They’re then able to alert you immediately if they think that there’s been a breach.
Watchinski says that the costs of not monitoring your network can be high. You only realize something is wrong when it’s too late, and the damage is done.
Your network might be behind an enormous, impenetrable firewall, but there’s a good chance that this isn’t the only place where your company intersects with the wider digital world. Many companies are now also on social media, opening them up to new threats.
It turns out that hackers love social media. The reason for this is that businesses are usually a lot more lax about security when using Facebook than they are when they’re using their official internal resources. They neglect to use the proper Facebook privacy settings to protect their data and end up exposing themselves to criminals. Social media security needs to be as extensive as regular business security. The same standards need to apply, no matter which platform your colleagues use.
Backing up data used to be a real chore. Businesses had to physically save their data to a bunch of external hard drives and then store those drives in boxes. It was expensive and extremely time-consuming. With the rise of the cloud, though, those days are long gone, and so too are the excuses for not backing up data.
Data backups can now be performed remotely and automatically on a weekly basis. Having a backup means that your company doesn’t have to suffer a loss of data which could destroy its ability to operate.
When you think about it, the difference between our attitude towards our smartphones and our office computers is pretty comical. Office computers are safely stowed away in our offices, password protected and powered down because of the sensitive data they contain. Smartphones, on the other hand, have little more protection than our jacket pocket, and yet they contain the same sensitive information.
This is why Watchinski recommends that small businesses think carefully about how to secure their mobile devices, especially if staff are constantly on the move. The first thing he suggests is using encryption software. Encryption software makes it harder for hackers to intercept conversations between your colleagues. He also suggests that every mobile device has a password combined with a timed lockout feature. This means that even if the device is left unattended, a person without the password cannot access it. Finally, he suggests that all mobile devices have a remote wipe feature. This allows you to delete any sensitive information as soon as you discover that the phone is lost.
If you’re a computer buff, you’ll have noticed that Windows and iOS get regular updates. Sometimes these updates are just to add new features you’ll never use. But more often, they contain important security patches to protect your computer against the latest threats.
According to Watchinski, security applications are only as good as their most recent update. No anti-virus software he says is 100 percent foolproof. But updating these critical applications on a regular basis prevents you from being another target of a malicious campaign.
Firewalls are a little bit like a city gate. They control the information coming into and going out of your computer network. In theory, firewalls are supposed to prevent anything from coming in that is dangerous.
Photo Credit: Photo source
Of course, in the real world, this isn’t how things usually work, especially if your business is the first to be targeted by a particular kind of attack. However, once the nature of an attack has been identified, software security companies are pretty good at updating the firewall to counteract the new threat.
The easiest thing people can do to improve their data security, according to Roland Cloutier, a board member of the National Cyber Security Alliance, is to boost the strength of their passwords. Cloutier is amazed by how many businesses that need to protect precious data still use passwords like “password” as their passwords.
Crafting a good password is easier than most people think. Cloutier says that the best passwords use combinations of capital letters and regular letters, as well as numbers. This vastly increases the number of combinations criminals need to crack the code. Cloutier suggests that companies avoid using actual works and instead make sure that their passwords are generated randomly.
Microsoft also provides some guidance on what to avoid when it comes to passwords. For instance, don’t write common words spelled backward – this is something hackers will try. Also, don’t contain any personally identifiable information in your password, like your date of birth, for instance. Why? Because there’s a good chance that a determined hacker could find this information somewhere on the web.
Finally, Microsoft says that companies must avoid using sequences of letters and numbers that are close together on the keyboard, like “12345.”
Cloutier says that companies should change their password every 90 days.
Check out this official password strength testing tool to ensure your passwords are doing their job:
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I read this article and found it very interesting, thought it might be something for you. The article is called Is Your Business Safe?and is located athttps://www.masterhousemedia.com/strategy/is-your-business-safe/.
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| 12,039 |
Sixty-two years ago today - yesterday, for most of you reading this, since I live near the tail-end of time zones - the Enola Gay dropped a nuclear bomb on Hiroshima.
Very roughly 100,000 people died: from the blast, then from the firestorm, and later from radiation. No one knows just how many, and while the death toll is still argued, "horrific" is sufficiently precise for most discussion. Amid the greater horror of World War II it was hardly a squib. The fire raid on Tokyo the previous March killed more than that; the bombing of Dresden a few weeks earlier nearly as many. The war as a whole provided several hundred Hiroshimas worth of senseless human destruction.
Still the atom bomb (to use an old-fashioned phrase) stands out. There was and is something that catches the attention about an entire city reduced to rubble as far as the eye can see. So do a host of details. As a geek kid the images that chilled me most were the victims of whom nothing remained but their shadows, burned like photographic negatives onto surfaces behind them at the moment of the flash. I assumed they'd been vaporized, which they probably weren't (they'd have been luckier if they had been), but it is not an image you forget.
In practical terms, though, what stood out about the atom bombs wasn't the sheer scale of destruction, but that it was wrought by a single bomb from a single plane. That is what turned all conventional military thinking on its head. Poor Alfred Nobel thought that high explosives would make war impossible, but dynamite, TNT, and the like only contain about ten times the destructive energy of plain old black powder, which which people had been cheerfully slaughtering each other for centuries. The primitive Hiroshima bomb released rather more than 1000 times its own mass in TNT equivalent energy, and by the 1950s the H-bomb improved on that by another factor of a thousand.
(If you want to know more or less everything non-classified about nuclear weapons, I recommend the Nuclear Weapons FAQ. Numerous mirror sites carry it as well.)
The Bomb did not make war impossible, but in some real and meaningful sense it has rendered war obsolescent. The wretched people of Darfur might fairly beg to differ. It is no accident, however, that since 1945 the horrors of war have been visited almost entirely upon people who were already on the margins of an industrializing world. Put most bluntly, it has been visited upon people who don't have nukes, nor the near-term prospect of getting them.*
Bismarck once said that the one thing you can't do with bayonets is sit on them. After Hiroshima, the major powers swiftly - and fortunately - realized that this is the only thing you can do with nuclear bombs. So long as you have one, any would-be attacker is restrained by the prospect of getting nuked. If you use it, you face the prospect of getting nuked in return. Nuclear defense is a non-starter, not because of all the technical problems of defending against ICBMs ("hitting a bullet with a bullet"), but because there's almost no dividing line between perfect and irrelevant. If I launch 1000 nukes at you and you stop 99 percent of them, you just kissed off ten cities. Hence the best acronym of the nuclear age: MAD, Mutually Assured Destruction.
I bring this up on this blog because there is a whole subgenre of SF, military SF, which is broadly predicated on ignoring this fairly basic reality. If I may overgeneralize a bit - not for the first time, not for the last - military SF is essentially all about World War II in SPAAACE. It may be tarted up with an extra-retro flavor, like Weber's Honor Harrington books (Napoleonic Wars in SPAAACE!) But let's not kid ourselves. Space dreadnoughts, carriers, drop-ships for planetary landings, all that cool stuff we talk about over at SFConsim-l, all is written by and for people who haunted the World War II section of their local library when they were kids. (In US public libraries, using the Dewey decimal classification system, I knew to head straight for 940.54.)
The World War II of military SF differs from the real one in one basic respect: It almost always seems to end on August 5, 1945. Even when SF geeks talk about weapons of annihilation, the favored techs are oddly roundabout - for example, the ever-popular changing of an asteroid's orbit so it smashes into a planet with dinosaur-killer force. Come on, guys 'n' gals, no need to get that complicated. If you want to slag a planet, just nuke the hell out of it. It isn't like people who know how to build starships are going to forget how to build nukes.
In typical SF settings, where interplanetary/interstellar travel takes weeks or months, the thirty-minutes-till-Doomsday element of the Cold War may be absent, but the prospect of credible nuclear defense remains nearly as illusory. Yes, your defending space fleet can engage the attackers far off in space, but it won't be like a spacegoing Midway or Salamis, because the attacker can lose 99 percent of their strike force and still annihilate your homeworld with the remaining one percent.
This makes traditional great-power warfare a pretty dubious proposition - which does not (alas) render it impossible, but does mean that such time-honored motivations as ambition and greed, or even folie de grandeur, don't quite stand up. Even foolish statesmen rarely make war without some semi-demi-plausible illusion of success. "We will cross through Belgium and reach Paris in weeks." "They'll greet us with flowers." Nuclear weapons make these illusions far harder to sustain. That leaves paranoia and outright dementia. Neither can be ruled out, sad to say, but they are not "politics by other means." They're merely beyond stupid.
Nor is there even much story material in the scenario I outlined above - the heroic space admiral nearly wipes out the enemy fleet, but the remnants still wipe out her planet. It rarely makes for a great read, and the prospect for sequels is pretty much nil.
I am not so optimistic as to suppose that the obsolescence of war means that everyone will join hands and sing "Kumbiya," or even pursue mutual understanding through dialogue as a solution to their differences. The last 62 years have provided substantial evidence to the contrary. However, the political use of force and violence may take different forms.
We already see evidence of this. Since 1945 many more governments have been overthrown by their own army than by anyone else's, making armed forces a somewhat uncertain means of ensuring national security. Most recently we have learned that deterrence doesn't work against people who think that being incinerated is the crown of martyrdom. The Osamas of the world, however, are of limited utility to rational (or even semi-rational) power players. They are not particularly reliable tools - and if you give one a nuke and they use it, can you really count on conventional "plausible deniability" to protect you from nuclear retaliation? How lucky are you feeling?
There might be something to be said for wars of assassins, a la Dune. Power players might be more disposed, if not to Kumbiya at least to mutual understanding through dialogue, if their own necks were on the line instead of just a lot of 19-year-olds and even more "collateral" victims. Really, mutual understanding through dialogue has a lot going for it. As Churchill said, jaw jaw jaw is better than war war war.
If that still falls short, even a future era of coups, assassinations, and sporadic terrorist acts is an improvement on cities blasted to rubble, and populations that leave no mark of their passing but shadows burned into the streets.
* I try not to be political here, but let's get real. As things are now, if you were the Iranians, wouldn't you want a few nukes?
Posted by Rick at 8/06/2007 04:26:00 PM
25 comments:
I've been to Trinity out in the desert and picked up some green glass that was missed in the big cleanup. (I sent a bunch to friend of mine who immediately washed his hands an found a lead box for the stuff.)
But more importantly, I have a personal investment in the events that happened at Hiroshima. My father served in the Pacific theater during WWII. He was one of the folks that helped liberate the Philippines, and if it wasn't for the two bombs dropped on Hiroshima and Nagasaki, he'd of been in the first wave to invade the homeland of Japan, along with at least three of my older uncles.
And he probably would not have survived the landing. If the US had invaded Japan, millions would have died. So it puts me in a quandary: I see nuclear war as being about as stupid as anything man has done to himself, but I thank the folks at Los Alamos for saving my dad's life.
A little side story to all of this. My dad was part of the occupation forces, and he had been assigned to Hiroshima. According to him, every safe in the city had been opened by someone, he thought some special ops troops might have been there first. Me, I think it was probably the locals taking advantage of the disaster.
In any case, at ground zero, in the basement of the Hiroshima Prefectural Industrial Promotion Hall, he found two bottles of saké.
Did he think about it and save them for their historical significance? Did he think about how much they would be worth today? Or did he look at two bottles of saké and think, "I bet that's mighty tasty."
Yes, he and a buddy of his, drank the two bottles of Ground Zero saké and then threw the bottles away.
Sometimes you wonder about people...
August 7, 2007 at 12:13 AM
Anonymous said...
Well, speaking hypothetically, if I'd just been trough what he'd been through and then had to walk around a city that looked the way Hiroshima looked post-Bomb, I'd be in a hurry to get pissed too.
August 7, 2007 at 5:24 AM
Rick said...
I don't have the personal connection, but I've never doubted that in Truman's shoes I would have ordered their use.
Also, I have to wonder: Suppose the bomb had only been "demonstrated" (as some suggested) by dropping one over Tokyo Bay. Perhaps Japan would still have surrendered, but would the full destructive power have been fully appreciated in the postwar era?
The general experience of "superweapons" and the like is that their effects on the battlefield fall way short of expectations. ("The German trenches will be shattered by the drumfire barrage; our lads won't meet any resistance.") If Hiroshima and Nagasaki hadn't seared the full horror of nuclear weapons into our consciousness - so to speak - the outcome of Cold War episodes like the Cuba missile crisis might have been terribly different.
On a relatively lighter matter, I agree with Anon - in your dad's shoes, I'd have drunk that sake too.
But talk about a hot toddy ...
August 7, 2007 at 8:24 AM
Anonymous said...
a little extra on nuclear weapons and strategies... and on the problems a country has when it decides to build nuclear weapons
August 7, 2007 at 8:39 AM
Rick said...
Marcus - alas, the Blogger message box cuts off long URLs. I'm reposting them with line breaks inserted - to visit the sites, copy into a text editor, eliminate the line breaks, then copy into your browser:
I think I recognize the poster of these items, Stuart Slade, as someone who used to post at the Warships1 message boards.
If it's the same person, I think he's a British naval ship designer.
August 7, 2007 at 8:59 AM
In SF, there was also a war of assassins and saboteurs in Samuel R. Delany's Triton.
No spacecraft dropping nuclear weapons on Titan colony, just an enemy agent causing the artificial gravity of a couple of city blocks to shut down, incidentally creating a breech in the colony dome.
August 7, 2007 at 8:59 AM
Yeah, I'd bet it was one hot toddy. He did say it tasted great, but that could be a case of circumstances and state of mind.
He said he didn't see any of the victims, they were all in various hospitals by the time he was deployed.
As for nuclear war, I guess we were blessed with leaders who always erred on the side of caution when it came to the bomb. I mean if Goldwater had won the election, we might have used tac nukes in Vietnam.
Winchell, I've always favored dumping the leaders of the opposing sides into an arena with nothing more than clubs. Let the better fighter win!
August 7, 2007 at 2:00 PM
Anonymous said...
To be fair to the SF writers who try to write about future war the properties of space as a tactical and strategic environment do makie the use of nukes problematic. The amount of damage caused by a near miss drops off very rapidly without any shockwaves, Even a hit on the hull will not function in the way that detonating a nuclear weapon in an atmosphere would. Info available on the Atomic Rocket site:
Missile defense also takes on very different character in a confrontation across inter-planetary distances. Rather than having minutes to react to a launch and use counter-measures weeks or months are available. And without an atmosphere to cloud your targeting abilities thos nukes, and their sensitive guidance and systems and warheads, are going to be very visible as they chart a predictable course towards their target.
Now granted, if you can get a nuke inside a presssurized space, without depressurizing it in the process, the ship or habitat is going to be annihlated. Then again if you can sneak a nuke onboard you could more easily sneak assasins and saboteurs on board. How you do either of those is a horse of a different colour.
August 10, 2007 at 7:27 AM
Rick said...
Doug - I agree that on a tactical space combat level, nuclear weapons are not all that awesome. Though the radius for radiation crew kill is far larger than for physical damage to the ship, unless the crew compartment is like a bank vault.
Where MAD still applies is against planets. True that you'll have a lot more time to intercept the strike - the problem is that if your defense is anything less than perfect it's probably ineffectual.
Think of it this way. In a traditional space battle scenario, if one fleet destroyed 90 percent of the other at no loss to itself it would be a crushingly one-sided victory. Wipe out 90 percent of a decent-sized incoming nuclear strike and the remaining 10 percent will still make a glowing charnel house of your homeworld.
August 10, 2007 at 10:58 AM
Anonymous said...
Fair enough. Though a lethal dose of radiation is far lower than an immediately crippling dose, Leaving an enemy crew with only days or weeks to live may not have the desired effect. For starters a crew under those conditions doesn't have to conserve reaction mass to get home. It could be possible to sucessfully "kill" most of an enemy force only to get wiped out by the resulting Kamikaze run from men who know they'll never see home again, and will never have to face court-martial for targeting enemies who try to surrender.
The real trick though is that you can't guarantee that you'll get 90% of an attack. You could get only half, or you could get them all. But give a range of possible outcomes between, let's say, 70-100% it's possible that someone will risk it, particularly if some experts claim that the 95-100% interception rate is far more likely than the 70-75% 5 percent of a nuclear exchange is nasty stuff, but there were plans based around limited exchanges of nuclear weapons dreamed up during the Cold War. There is a precedent for that kind of thinking. When people believe that their civilization is at stake even the risk of millions of death seems acceptable. It still sucks to be in the way of the 10% that gets through though.
For the author the most obvious way around this is to set up rules of conduct among the various states and/or species operating in the setting. In David Weber's books there is the Eridani Edict restricting the used of ship based weaponry on planetary targets. In Babylon 5 even the use of kinetic weapons such as mass drivers on planetary targets is forbidden by treaties.
A war of assasins, saboteurs, and insurgents has potential; but many will try to avoid this in favour of more traditional models of warfare for a simple reason: we like traditional warfare. James Bond, Jason Bourne, and other super-spies of fiction aside covert warfare doesn't have right flash and fanfare.
August 13, 2007 at 6:03 PM
Rick said...
Doug - yeah, "dead men flying" have nothing to lose, which could make them very unpleasant to deal with while radiation sickness does its gradual work.
On another level, though, this undermines the flash and fanfare you allude to. There's always been a revulsion toward poisoning that doesn't apply to plain old butchery by sword or explosives. Entirely apart from the "strategic" use of nuclear weapons, space battles sort of lose their coolness if the usual outcome is "everyone dies a few weeks after their hair falls out."
Regarding strategic defense, a belief in invulnerability is possible, but it's harder to sustain against nuclear weapons, which is more or less why the Cold War stayed cold. The threshold level of recklessness needed is higher.
"Eridani Edict" style rules are possible, but they bug me in much the same way as the trope of needing human intuition to use FTL (in order to avoid robotic starcraft) does - it has a whiff of artifice or special pleading. I would more readily accept tacit Cold War style rules, where the two sides skirmish in remote parts of space, but are exceedingly cautious about upping the ante.
"Flash and fanfare" - that's a really interesting issue. But I'll take a shot at it (so to speak!) this way: Whatever happened to dueling? It seems to me that it died out as a social custom roughly when personal weapons became reliably destructive enough that the probable outcome was to leave both duelists dead. War may go the same way, for the same reason.
August 13, 2007 at 9:56 PM
Anonymous said...
Judicial combat, which is what I presume you mean by dueling in this case, requires a greater authority to enforce the decision. While a dispute between individuals might be resolved throuhg one of the participants being dead or seriously injured at the end of the bout in a squabble between states a simple duel of champions cannot force the loser to accept the arbitration. Why should they? If all the threat available is mutual annihlation for all combatants then refusing to accept the arbitration doesn't really put them in any worse position then they were in to begin with. Once upon a time reputation was a big enough deal to be worth dying over, but now? Having some backwater colonists or asteroidécomet miners, but why would governments consent to such activity?
Personally I love the idea of having spacefaring populations handle disputes through Judicial combat. I've nver been a fan of pistol duels, and rapiers just don't feel right; somehow my mind always keeps going back to late-medieval and early renaissance poleaxe techniques. I think there was a suggestion of a staff-and-hook tool to aid in maneuvering in freefall on the Atomic Rocket page, though I can`t seem to find it right now. Possibly some variant of a tool like that could make a nice weapon for resolving disputes the old fashioned way.
But as fun as it might be to envision that sort of stuff (Yay! melee weapons back in the story without needing the Force!)official judicial combat runs into the same problem any idea of the Eridani edict or any other form of code of conduct does: what if people care too much to accept the rules? Expecting politicians or military commanders to sit by while their people are dying when they have more destructive weapons available, or expecting a government to make concessions just because they couldn't find as good a fighter, seems to be wishful thinking.
The issue of radiation will come up with or without nukes due to the conditions of space, and most authors will include or assume more advanced anti-radiation meds and treatment in their settings. The real problem with nukes is with planetary settings rathetr than ships, finding good reasons to send down the ground troops instead of just slagging the place can require a little bit of work. The book Starship Troopers does contain some arguments in that regard.
As far as nukes in space go a nuke has the dubious privilege of being easier to disrupt than either laser or kinetic kill weapon (all that the defenses need to is destroy some electronics rather than knock the entire object of course). It is questionable how much of the destructive power will be applied to the enemy vessel in a tactically useful way. They may still be mean weapons, but how effective would they be in actually winning engagements?
Now, none of this prevents a model of little skirmishes as opposed to the big war; people not wanting to put all of their eggs in one basket could do that anyway. Losing a fight over some little comet cluster to the militia that your enemies have been arming just isn`t as fatal as the enemy fleet geting a salvo past your home defenses, regardless of the weapons being used. Nukes just up the ante a little.
August 16, 2007 at 4:44 PM
Rick said...
Doug - I haven't forgotten about your reply, but I only finally finished a post I've been struggling with for about three weeks.
I'll just briefly say that by duels I wasn't thinking formal judicial combat, but like The Three Musketeers, where as I recall it was in violation of the edicts, but they did it anyway.
August 26, 2007 at 9:52 PM
nyrath said...
Doug said: I think there was a suggestion of a staff-and-hook tool to aid in maneuvering in freefall on the Atomic Rocket page, though I can`t seem to find it right now.
Go to sidearms, and scroll down to Mark Fergerson has an interesting idea, the good old "Doc" Smith style Space Ax.
September 4, 2007 at 8:39 AM
nyrath said...
Another interesting example of "judicial combat" was in the short story "Masterplay" by William F. Wu.
In the future, the court system was so clogged with cases that an alternative was offered. Instead of court, the two involved parties could opt for "trial by combat". Instead of lawyers, both parties would hire warriors to fight a duel, winner would win the case for their client.
The amusing part is that the "duel" is a wargamming duel, with the warriors competing in a computer moderated war game drawn at random from some historical period.
September 4, 2007 at 8:43 AM
Anonymous said...
Sorry I haven't posted in reply but about a week ago I damaged a tendon in my left hand and as a result am trying to get used to typing one-handed. I am working on a reply but between this and a bunch of other stuff my ability to write has been affected.
September 5, 2007 at 4:48 PM
Rick said...
Winch - hardly a formal weapon, but how about a good old fire ax? I believe that aircraft have them, and spacecraft might as well. Utility knives surely also have a place in some kinds of fighting.
And speaking of Doug's "staff and hook" reference, in a stillborn story I had someone use a "cargo handler's wand," a staff with a spring-loaded net. I couldn't figure out a way, alas, to give his opponent a trident.
Doug - ouch! Hope you get to feeling better soon!
September 5, 2007 at 9:05 PM
Anonymous said...
Winchell-The space axe wasn't actually what I was thinking of, though it isn't a bad idea. Proportions are a bit off, try a more modest axehead and cut down on the mass a little, there may not be weight in freefall but you still need to swing that mass.
There was a Freefall comic strip on your site that showed the use of a staff as a maneuvering aid, and the obvious addition to that it a hook on the end to let you latch on to things. Modifying that design you can get designs similar to a halberd (hook, axe, and spear point), bill hook (hook sharpened on concave surface, the guisarme (blade-hook sharpened on the convex surface) and a number of others. Haft length will vary based on a number of factors, but between four and seven feet might be a good ballpark. But if the overall proportions of the weaponized forms remained similar to those of the tool forms practice with the one could carry over to the other. Very useful for worker's revolts in places where guns are restricted for ship or station security. Realistically, if you've got the resources and wherewithal to act openly you'll get a gun, but knives, axes, and modified tools are sometimes weapons of necessity; and as such may have more cultural resonance for would-be futuristic duelists than a sword of an old-Earth design.
This page had the Freefall strip:
I'll probably repost some or all of this, along with other thoughts, under the newer heading. I just wanted to finish off some thoughts here.
September 22, 2007 at 9:47 AM
Anonymous said...
Hi. Two things; why would anyone want to nuke a perfectly good life-bering planet? Because, unless there are gobbs of them out there, the whole point is to conquer it, not destroy it. Second, why are you going on about axes and the like? If you can build a spaceship, then you should have power-tools; modify them for combat! A chainsaw in a melee... Anyway, that's all I had.
October 21, 2007 at 10:27 PM
Well, in space age there is a defence against nukes. That is living deeply underground. On Moon, with its lower gravity and no inner heat you can build cities tens of kilometers deep, and it will be hard to destroy it with nukes.
February 8, 2013 at 6:43 AM
Canageek said...
Hey Rick: There is an easy solution to that: Revert to non-ideological warfare. If you think about it, wars of annihilation are actually pretty recent (If you exclude barbarian tribes that took their entire population into battle). If you have a situation where warfare is being fought for material gains, as was warfare in say, the 11th century, then you wouldn't use nukes; those would destroy what you are trying to take over. All you have to do to set this up is make terreforming a world to be fit for human habitation a long, very delicate process that a single nuke will destroy. This is far from unbelievable, given how complex ecology is.
Then separate the populace from the rulers. It is tempting to use recent politics as a basis for this, but a better idea would be to tie the work of Karl Wittfogel into it, with greater reliance on technology requiring increased specialization, which requires increased authority over the people. You even talk about this in your Hard Guide.
Then you can have the people taken over without any worry about them fighting back; One overlord telling them how to expand the colony is pretty much the same as another. Then there is no incentive to use nukes; Then incentive is to land your transport ships filled with soldiers to depose the goverment.
Now the real question is why you want to take over a colony in the first place, but if you have a good reason for a colony existing then you can make this up pretty easily.
February 9, 2013 at 7:52 AM
Rick said...
Deep underground cities are hard to directly destroy, but pretty easy to cut off, which ultimately pretty much amounts to entombment.
War for gain is an interesting approach - I've read that the War of 1870 was the last war in which the winner made a direct financial profit, war reparations exceeding war costs.
In broader perspective the outlined scenario reminds me somewhat of *Dune*.
And mentally flagged as an interesting point for future discussion!
February 11, 2013 at 7:47 PM
Canageek said...
The thing that bugs me about nukes is that you destroy whatever you use them on. Why would you travel through the interstellar void to wage war? Well, the same reasons people have always go to war. Historically there have been three reasons you go to war (That I can think of): To gain wealth (Loot, slaves, etc: Think Roman wars, viking raiders, etc.), to gain land (A lot of medieval wars, empire building ah la the Islamic Empire or Roman Empire) or to wipe out an opposing population (World War II on the Eastern front, where Hitler attempted to murder the Slavic population of Russia would be the most obvious example, or the Cold War as it spiralled out of control with neither side willing to submit to the other in the event they lost)
Space warfare actually lends itself to preventing wars of annihilation, since mutually assured destruction isn't a problem. If you can win the first strike then you don't have to worry about them launching a space fleet to strike back at you. You can invade and rule your opponent without worrying about them launching ICBMs back at you as you land your troops. It suddenly is possible to stage an invasion without nukes flying back at your capital.
February 12, 2013 at 8:53 AM
Canageek said...
Sorry, I got distracted and didn't finish my first point: We normally think of wars of annihilation because that is what we've been faced with for the last few years. However, if you take away strong ideological motives, and prevent mutually assured destruction you could go back to the older type of warfare.
I can't see a colony having anything worth the expense of raiding, but taking the entire colony could be, and if the new goverment isn't any worse then the old one, it could be quite profitable, given a long enough period to pay back. That isn't even to cover the political possibilities of controlling a colony; just look up the colonial period and upgrade the technology.
February 12, 2013 at 9:39 AM
Are you talking about 511 tactical kilt
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This life style has its moments of total disorientation. When you first wake up in the morning the interior surroundings are familiar, but beyond that it takes a few moments. Now that it is cool enough over night to have the windows open, I often hear road noise or people talking when I wake up in the morning. Trying to figure out where the sounds are coming from takes time.
The first thing I remember is where I’m staying. Following this is an understanding of where the roads are in relation to the campground. Finally comes the concept of where in the campground I am in relationship to other campers and the roads. At this campground figuring out where I am in relationship to other campers and the road is taking a little longer. The last time I was here I was at the other side of the campground facing the other way.
I suppose I could just look out the window, but that takes more energy than I want to expend at that moment. This morning it wouldn’t have helped. The day started out with heavy fog that didn’t lift until around nine thirty. The fog set my mood for the day. I didn’t get dressed or open the shades until it had lifted. It also played havoc with the television reception. The signal from the Jacksonville transmitters wasn’t strong enough on several stations until close to noon when the air had dried out a little. I ended up listening to the Boston Sports radio stations on the internet. They were doing a bang up job bashing the Patriots performance yesterday.
Most of the things I was going to get to today ended up meeting Mr. Procrastinator. He’s a real good friend of mine. He seems to be around whenever I want to goof off or do nothing for the day. The only real consequence of his visit today was that I don’t have anything interesting to write about tonight.
This little critter on the tree trunk watch my every move for a good five minutes. I’m not food, so I must have been a threat.
I took several walks around the campground and watched the sites fill up for the night. There are about 4 rows totaling about 25 sites that turn over regularly. The other 50 or so sites are longer term residents. The arrivals start around two and continue until around six.
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Posted on October 30, 2016 by roadtriprob
Sunday October 30th 2016
Today started with an early morning rain shower. It wasn’t a heavy rain. It just lasted long enough to get my attention. Had it not been almost time to get out of bed, I probably wouldn’t have woke up. By the time I actually did get up, the sun was breaking through to stay for the rest of the day. It was a little cooler and less humid than yesterday.
The activities for the day were pretty much driven by the NFL. I started watching the Bengals Redskins game from London during breakfast. It had enough action to make in interesting including an overtime period that ended in a tie. The New England Patriots were playing at 1PM, but the local stations carried the Oakland vs Tampa Bay game. To get my Patriots fix, I needed to take a drive in my car listening to the Sirius/XM radio coverage of the game.
The satellite radio carried the Bills radio network coverage today. It is interesting to here the Buffalo bias in the call. It seemed like every Patriot successful play was lucky and every Bills success was because a brilliant out maneuvering of the Patriot defenders. Bills failed plays were because of bad calls or dirty play be the Patriots. I’m sure a Buffalo fan would hear bias in the Patriots call, but I don’t think it is as extreme as this sounded. Even coverage by national announcers that is supposed to be unbiased, will often have some bias. I can live with it as long as I get to here what’s happening on the field.
While I was driving around, I stopped at several stores to browse for things that I’m going to need to buy soon. Some call this shopping. I look and look then suddenly commit and buy. I’m never sure when that event happens. Sometimes it is driven by need and other times impulse. Today was just a browsing kind of day during half time and a little bit of the third quarter.
After the Patriots game I returned to the campsite to watch more TV. I took a break from football to watch the NASCAR race from Martinsville VA then it was back to football. Now I’m watching the Worlds Series Game 5 from Chicago as I’m writing this blog entry.
Large section of the middle of the campground was empty by 11AM this morning. By 6PM about half of the empty spaces were filled.
The campground, which was full last night, emptied out significantly this morning. It turns out that most of the sites were taken by a camping group. I am learning that Florida camping groups do most of their yearly camp outs in the fall and spring. During the summer it is to hot and in the winter the snowbirds take all the places. October thru early November weekends are prime time for these groups. Another, even bigger group, is here next weekend. That is why I couldn’t get a site after Thursday.
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Posted on October 29, 2016 by roadtriprob
Saturday October 29th 2016
The humidity has returned along with seasonal normal temperatures in the 80s. The good thing is that it goes down into the 60s over night. Today started out hazy, maybe even foggy, but cleared off quickly about the time I dragged myself out of bed.
I went for a drive to check out the area and the storm damage. The area around the campground is probably 10 miles inland from the coast. If you look closely you can find evidence of damage. Most often this is in the form of a pile of debris waiting to be taken away. Occasionally you can spot a big old tree down in open area like a front yard. In general this area isn’t in bad shape.
As you get closer to the coast more damage starts to appear. In addition to even bigger piles of debris, billboards and signs show damage. The billboards that are higher than the tree tops were subject to very high winds. Some are half gone others are completely gone. The ones protected by the trees didn’t get visibly damaged.
Other types of signs show damage as well. Lots of street signs are twisted. They no longer face the correct direction for drivers to follow. The signs for stores and restaurants also took some damage. One McDonald’s sign had holes punched through the middle of the red plastic and the golden arches above sign weren’t complete arches anymore.
Downed fence, debris piles and lots of sand off the beach.
In St. Augustine Beach there was sand where it didn’t belong. In some areas the sides of the streets have banks of sand. It almost looks like snow piled up after a snow storm. I know they don’t have plows so it probably got there by traveling cars over time. The parking lot for the fishing pier still had areas with 3 to 6 inches of sand over the paving. It’s not enough to get stuck but it made for interesting driving and parking.
Out on the beach you could see where the sand came from. The further toward the water you walked the less visible sand you encounter. Pebbles and broken seashells are the predominant surface. The tide was out when I was there, but even at high tide it looks like some of the rough surface will still be visible.
At the edge of the beach a great deal of damage can be seen. Signs and sign posts are completely broken off. Fences are broken down or have totally missing rails. Piles of debris are here as well. A great deal of clean up has happened, but the debris has yet to be carted away. I passed several huge dump trucks full of storm debris on the way to whatever magic disposal site they are using.
I didn’t look much south of the St Augustine Beach pier. This area has residential property closer to the beach so more damage probably occurred. I’m not really looking to see a disaster area. I’m more interested in seeing evidence of the storms force than property damage.
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Posted on October 28, 2016 by roadtriprob
Friday October 28th 2016
I got packed up and underway by 11am this morning. The weather was not fully cooperating. It was a sunny day but the wind was strong from the northeast. High profile vehicles, like motorhomes, react to every gust.
My travel route for the day was I-4 east to I-95 north to St. Augustine. It was only 150 miles, but I-4 was recently named the worst interstate in the country. The criteria was number of traffic deaths per mile. I’m sure the statistic was heavily influenced by the fact that from south of Orlando to I-95 it is one big construction zone. The 70 mile stretch of highway mostly travels through congested business and retail areas. These were the areas under construction while the more rural areas didn’t seem to have much construction.
The average speed through the construction zones was around 30mph. Most of the time it was three lanes of stop and go travel. When it was clear travel, the road surface was so rough, the RV was bounced around like a ping pong ball in boiling water. I would give the road the worst rating based on the bumps.
As I got closer to the coast in the Daytona Beach area, the storm damage from hurricane Matthew started to be evident. There were piles of dead trees all along the north bound side of Interstate 95. Across the highway on the south bound side the downed trees were leaning back into the woods. It didn’t look like that side had been addressed yet. Other indicators of the storm were mangled road signs and torn billboards. I would say they made a lot of progress in the three weeks since the storm passed this area.
Site 55 at the Stagecoach RV Park.
I got the last available site at the Stagecoach RV Park when I called yesterday. The park is full tonight. It doesn’t seem to have taken any damage from the storm. It looks the same as it did in August when I was last here.
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Posted on October 27, 2016 by roadtriprob
Thursday October 27th 2016
I had two objectives today. The first was to slow down after yesterday’s heavy tourist focus. I’ve been in a fairly heavy tourist mode for the last couple of weeks. It goes with the territory. Orlando is after all a tourist mecca.
The second objective is to prepare for a travel day tomorrow. My two weeks here at Tropical Palms is ending. I’ll be moving north to the St. Augustine area for a week or two. So far I’ve only been able to secure a reservation for 6 nights, but I have a couple of other places to check.
When I’ve been in one place for more than a week, the travel preparation is a little more complicated. For shorter stays I generally put stuff away as soon as I finish using it and some things just don’t come out of their storage area. Over a two week or longer stay things seem to come out and stay out until it’s time to move on. Since I’m only moving about a hundred and fifty miles, I don’t have to rush in the morning. I will have time to finish packing things before the 11AM checkout.
Five or six foot alligator in the pond at the campground.
On my daily walk around the campground I finally saw an alligator in the pond. All of the warning signs on the fences raised my suspicions that I might see one. On my last walk about the campground, the gator crossed the pond to get a good look at me. It was almost like it was expecting me to feed it. I hope others haven’t been feeding the alligators.
Spooky looking head of the turtle under the surface of the water.
I also saw the big turtle again. I’m more impressed by the turtle than the alligator. Although this is the first alligator I’ve seen this fall, they are more common than the turtle. Both creatures look very much like the ancient dinosaurs they evolved from.
I made one more grocery run this afternoon to restock the refrigerator and cupboard for the next few days. While I don’t believe there are any issues, I am traveling into an area that hurricane Matthew impacted heavily.
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Posted on October 26, 2016 by roadtriprob
Wednesday October 26th
This afternoon I made my last visit to Disney for this stay in the Orlando area. I’ll be back for 5 nights in December staying on Disney property at the Fort Wilderness campground. Visiting the resorts and parks at Christmas time is a fun experience.
Today’s visit was to the Magic Kingdom. I secured my three Fastpasses earlier in the week for Splash Mountain, Buzz Lightyear Space Ranger Spin and the Haunted Mansion. The plan was to arrive late and stay late for the Fireworks. The first part worked out but I didn’t hang around for the fireworks. The park was crowded and the standby times at the various attractions were mostly 40 minutes and up. I couldn’t find a good way to spend the 2 plus hours I needed to wait for the fireworks.
The park is decorated for Halloween. On alternating nights the park has a special Halloween themed separate admission event. Most of the street lamps on main street have some form of Halloween decoration and the flower beds are in Halloween colors. In the theme areas the Halloween decorations are not as obvious, but plantings are still very fall themed.
I chose Splash Mountain and Buzz Lightyear as Fastpasses because I didn’t get to ride them last winter. It was to cold to get wet on Splash Mountain and Buzz was closed for repairs. The last time I road Splash Mountain was fifteen or twenty years ago. The queue areas has been expanded and enhanced since then. I remembered the theme for the ride chasing Br’er Rabbit through the briar patch, but anticipating the 50 foot drop I really didn’t pay attention. I don’t like roller coasters, but this is a log flume ride. At least, that’s what I kept reminding myself. I didn’t hate the ride and will probably ride it again.
In addition to the Fastpass rides I rode the steam train around the perimeter of the park and I rode the Journey of the Little Mermaid. The Mermaid ride is a cute underwater simulation of the events in the Little Mermaid move. A couple of things I noticed. The song is as haunting as the It’s a Small World song and for some reason this ride is not getting as much attention as other rides. It only had a 5 minute standby time. I enjoyed it.
Ariel greeting visitors to her ride.
I also had supper at the Columbia Harbor House restaurant. The menu has been updated since last winter. I had the fried shrimp and a lemonade. The fish and chips I’ve had in the past are no longer on the menu.
I was back at my RV home a little after 8PM.
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Posted on October 25, 2016 by roadtriprob
Tuesday October 25th 2016
I spent most of the day in research and planning mode. I need to add details to my general plans for the winter. I’ve known for some time that I want to stay in Florida until the end of January then head west for Arizona in March. I made reservations through December 30th last June, but I haven’t gotten around to completing my plans. I need reservations for January in Florida and March in Arizona assuming I’ll be traveling west during February.
A couple of visitors to the RV park this afternoon.
Soon after I made the November and December reservations I went into intense sell the New Hampshire house mode. It really is only in the last couple of weeks that I’ve slowed down to a more relaxed life style. Shortly after closing on the house I traveled to Alabama to get warranty work done on the RV. I got back to Florida in time to run to Georgia away from hurricane Matthew. The last two weeks I’ve been playing tourist as the realization set in that I could slow down.
So far I’ve been met by three obstacles in my search for a place to stay in January. The obstacles are high prices, lack of availability and repetition. The repetition element is a desire not to stay in the Orlando area where I spent time last winter and for the last two weeks. Ideally, I’d like to be on the Gulf coast from Tampa south during January.
The fact that all of the parks I’ve checked in my target area are more than twice what I paid last winter for a monthly rate has me annoyed. Just for the heck of it I checked the place I stayed last winter. That’s where the repetition concern comes into play. Interestingly, they still have similar prices, but don’t have room in January unless I’m staying for three months or more.
I’m working my way through a short list of parks starting with the lowest price acceptable park. To determine acceptability, I look at internet reviews, blog comments by other full time RVers and a check of the area and site layout using Google Maps. So far I have two places that don’t have availability on the New Years weekend, but are ok for the rest of the month. One other place is in the process of expanding and their new area is “planned” for completion before January. Tomorrow, I’ll try more parks at higher price points and further inland.
This evening, I decided to check out Disney Springs at night. I wanted to see the lighting in the new areas. The floating lanterns in the river separating the Landing area from Town Center had drawn my interest during the day. They turned out to be less than spectacular at night. In general, Disney Springs comes alive with entertainment at night, but the lighting isn’t all that impressive.
Living Statues in Halloween attire at Disney Springs.
For a weekday evening in October, there was a lot going on. There were street performers, bands and solo artists in gathering areas throughout the complex. Music also drifted out of the bigger restaurants like House of Blues. The crowds were thick around the entertainment, but judging by the empty spaces in the parking garage, many more people can visit the park before it will be consider close to full. The new Town Center area is about one third of the total space so the complex is considerably bigger than it used to be.
One of many bands at Disney Springs.
I will have to remember that night time is a better time to visit Disney Springs than the afternoon. Since I don’t plan to go back during my stay at Fort Wilderness in December, I’ll have to remember until 2018 when my next opportunity to visit id likely come up.
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More EPCOT Food and Wine Festival
Posted on October 24, 2016 by roadtriprob
Monday October 24th 2016
Another great Florida day with a high temperature around 80 degrees. I did chores in the morning and returned to the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival in the afternoon.
The biggest chore was the laundry. This park has small front load washers, but high capacity dryer. My two loads of washing made for one quick 18 minute dryer load. The variety of machines, costs and cycle time to do the laundry continues to amaze me. No two parks are the same. So far the cost has varied from one dollar a load of wash to $3.50. This park was right in the middle at $2.25 per wash load and seventy five cents for the short dryer run.
Spaceship Earth at EPCOT
Late this afternoon I went back to the EPCOT International Food and Wine Festival for dinner. The only attraction I visited was a repeat of Soarin. I enjoyed it so much the other day, that I got another Fastpass for it. You really get the feeling of flying like a bird over the land and water. This time I had a seat closer to the center of the theater. It results in a clearer view of the picture. Last time, nearer the right side of the theater, the picture was a little distorted.
For dinner I started with the Lobster roll at the American Pavilion. It was good but hardly more than 3 mouth fulls. It was about 3 inches long. For my next course I had the Black Pepper Shrimp from the China pavilion. It had 3 little shrimp on top of noodles. Again it was good, but tiny. The entries with a drink each cost more than $20 combined and I really needed another one or two to complete the meal. My bottom line on the Food and Wine festival is good food, but terrible value.
After eating, I hung around the world showcase until 8PM. I watched the Fireworks from the Hollywood Studios park. They can be seen clearly from the bridge near the International Gateway entrance. Trying to take pictures of the fireworks with my camera is a lot of fun. I didn’t hang around until 9PM for the EPCOT Illuminations show. It’s a good show the first couple of times you see it. After that it seems nothing more than fire on a lake.
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Posted on October 23, 2016 by roadtriprob
Sunday October 23rd 2016
It was a beautiful day in central Florida. There wasn’t a cloud in the sky all day. The temperature topped out around 80 starting from a low in the 50s this morning. The humidity and temperature is supposed to increase every day this week.
River separating Town Center from The Landing
I went to Disney Springs this afternoon. I wanted to check out the new Town Center section in a little more detail and do some general people watching. The traffic getting there wasn’t to bad. One thing that helps is Disney has built bus lanes into the median of Buena Vista Drive. Keeping them out of the main traffic flow really helps.
The first surprise at the Springs was the on-going construction on the Observatory. The conversion of Planet Hollywood into the Observatory must be behind schedule. It looked like they had full crews working on the exterior with more people inside the building. The other construction areas in the Landing section of the Springs did not have any workers present. I imagine they want the Observatory restaurant open for the holidays.
The crowds were very heavy for a beautiful Sunday afternoon. I didn’t expect it to be such a popular place on a weekend afternoon. There was also a great deal of security present. Disney security was in blue and the local sheriffs in green. I’m used to seeing one or two of each during a typical visit, but today they were at every corner in pairs with singles walking the grounds. Nothing was reported on the evening news, but it seemed to be an unusually heavy presence.
I spent about 2.5 hours walking around and checking out the shops. I successfully resisted the urge to buy anything not even any food. The new stores in Town Center are higher end places. They are some of the same names you see at outlet malls except these don’t pretend to have discounted prices. Some of the names I recognized are Tommy Bahama, Columbia Sportswear and Under Armour Brand House. Others like Uniqlo seem to have an Asian origin. Uniqlo is apparently a Japanese clothing store.
I didn’t pay much attention to the restaurants. The couple of menus I looked at had medium to high priced entries listed. You had to read the description to get a clue about the content of the meal. Usually the name will clue you in on the general category (pasta, meat, fish,…) but not some of these dishes. Disney has needed more restaurants that aren’t in the theme parks. I think they have filled that need.
The New England Patriots game was on TV at 4:30 so I rushed back home. I don’t want to miss an opportunity to watch the Pats when they are on the national broadcast. I miss be able to watch all of their games on TV. Down here they get the show the Dolphins, Jaguars or Bucs games. It doesn’t look like Orlando broadcast market has been designated the home area for any specific one of those teams by the NFL.
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Old Cars at Old Town
Posted on October 22, 2016 by roadtriprob
Saturday October 22nd 2016
This campground is a different place when the weekend campers arrive. I woke up this morning to loud music, kids at play and loud conversation. It was only 8AM, but it got worse as the day went by. From noon to 3PM, there was a party for the end of the summer term for the long term residents complete with DJ. I think this is a bit of a party campground.
To get away from the DJ, I went grill and grocery shopping. I need to replace my propane gas grill. It’s ten years old and showing its age. I wasn’t very successful finding a new grill. The big box stores like Home Depot, Walmart and Lowes have limit stock on hand. They are using the space for Christmas decorations. The Camping World has grills on display just not what I’m looking for. The old grill will last awhile more so, I will continue looking.
I got back to the campground with my groceries as the DJ was finishing his set. It really didn’t look like many people attended the party. Many of the long term residents that have kept their RVs here since May will be leaving for during the higher priced winter season. That season begins on November 1st.
It was loud
It had a license plate so it must be street legal.
This evening I walked up to Old Town to observe the crowds at play and check out the cars at the Cruse-in. Every Saturday night since sometime in the 1990s, Old Town has held a classic car show and parade. For some reason, according to the PA announcer, tonight had a particularly heave turn out of cars and spectators. It maybe because of the weather. For the first time this fall in Florida, the temperature got low enough that I had to put on a sweatshirt.
There were many restored cars on display. The majority were muscle cars from the 1960s and 70s, but there were a fair number of cars from the 20s, 30s, 40s, 50s and some later years. The Halloween holiday spirit was on display. Zombies, witches and spiders were popping out of the engine compartments of cars and trucks. Also in tune with the season, I think the roar of some of the engines would wake the dead.
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John Legend married Chrissy Teigen. It was everything you could have hoped for. The couple, soon to be celebrating seven years of marriage celebrated a number of unexpected events, including a four-hour delay in the ceremony. They embraced the challenges and turned them into positives in the typical Teigen-Legend fashion.
The Ceremony was delayed for four hours
Local wedding vendors provided a lot of help to the couple
Teigen, the first to admit she is anxious, tweeted in May that she had bought five wedding gowns in the run-up to her wedding. After a fan posted that Teigen was once seen at Barneys, she admitted to buying a Celine bag in order to “not feel guilty about asking for the bathroom.” The fan added: “I knew that I loved you before, but that strengthened it.” Teigen replied in the affirmative. Teigen replied, “Wowowowowow anyone who knows me knows that this is very true all the time,” which was confirmed by her friend on Instagram.
Teigen’s friend commented, “Sot of like the time you bought 5 wedding gowns that you didn’t wear because you felt guilty about trying them on. Which is exactly why I LOVE TRYING ON wedding dress.” “THOSE WENT to GREAT HOMES,” replied the Sports Illustrated model.
Teigen wore three Vera Wang gowns at their wedding: a full-skirted ballgown to the ceremony, a figure hugging mermaid silhouette at dinner and a red trumpet dress at the reception.
The Ceremony was delayed for four hours
It was difficult to throw a destination wedding. Teigen didn’t expect that Legend’s family members would be delayed for hours due to travel issues. The couple decided to wait until their loved ones could attend the ceremony, which naturally had a domino effect throughout the day.
Teigen told The Knot that “[the guests] enjoyed a lot more cocktails because the ceremony was about four hours late.” Teigen said in 2017. “Yeah… some of our family missed their flight. Because everyone wanted to keep it secret, the flight was cancelled. They didn’t want me to be stressed out. It was all a lot, however.
Teigen stated to The Knot, when asked what she would change if she had the time back, that she would like to be able to write more meaningful vows. I swear to God. She said that she wanted to marry again because she wants to honor my vows. “I was very anxious. I am a great writer. This is what I pride myself in. However, I felt so anxious and rushed that I didn’t write them as I would normally.
Local wedding vendors provided a lot of help to the couple
Teigen and Legend wanted to include as much local food as possible in their wedding to make it more memorable for their guests. Many of their guests flew from far away to be there. The model suggested that guests should eat at small, intimate, local restaurants. It will not only make your guests feel more at ease, but it also makes the event seem more casual, friendly, and relatable than going to a big catered affair in a ballroom. People really enjoy going to a local Italian restaurant and being with the people of the area. That is something I believe people truly appreciate.”
Teigen said that the couple worked with local vendors as well as a planner in Italy to execute their big day. She said, “Make sure you get a planner who is familiar with destination weddings, as there are many language barriers.” It’s difficult to find vendors. You can also get discounts if there’s someone in the area that’s able. It’s unlikely that someone will be able to offer you discounts on florals or tables if they are moving to a new area. You’ll save a lot of money if you get to know someone.
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Some people have a picture in their minds of what a “great mom” looks and acts like. Perhaps you picture a Stepford Wife, or one of the moms from Workin’ Moms, or somewhere in between. The truth is that being a great mom is not one-size-fits-all. You can be a great mom under any circumstance!
Have you ever felt inadequate as a mother? The answer is yes, always yes. Every mom has felt a sense of inadequacy somewhere along the line. Every mom has dealt with guilt. I am here to reassure you that despite those feelings and the things you sometimes have to do to get through your day, you are certainly a great mom.
Let your kids have screen time.
Sometimes, mama just needs a break. Letting your kiddo watch a movie or their favorite show is a great way to get some time to yourself. Besides, who doesn’t like vegging out in front of the TV?
Every mom out there has had to have repeat meals like this just to get through the week. You know your child will eat it; it’s cheap, quick, and easy to serve. Feeding your little one (or little ones) is tiring when you have to do it three times a day, seven days a week. Sometimes, you just need something quick that you know they will eat.
Pick up fast food.
When you are rushing around after work between activities and have no time to cook, fast food is a godsend. Going through the McDonald’s or Chick-Fil-A drive-through is one of life’s greatest conveniences when you need to feed your family in a pinch.
Mom deserves some time away without her children. Resetting and refreshing are essential. Remember, if you’re not there for yourself, you can’t fully be there for anyone else, including your kiddos.
Have a messy house.
The best houses are the ones that are lived in. It is a false expectation that your home must be perfectly tidy while trying to raise and take care of your family. It’s great when the stars align and both the playroom and kitchen are clean, but it’s like a solar eclipse – take a picture. It probably won’t last long!
Let your child have sugar at times when you know they really shouldn’t.
Fruit snacks for breakfast, am I right? Sometimes, it’s just easier some days when you don’t have any fight left to give. And sometimes, you just need ten more minutes of compliance as you navigate the grocery store (toddler moms especially, you know what I mean).
Wear the same outfit multiple times a week.
Is there time to do laundry when your children need so much of your attention?
Go to the office five days a week.
Don’t let the guilt creep in for this one. Working outside the home makes many moms an all-around better parent. Going to the office can give you a much-needed break from parenting, and when you return home, that time with your littles is even more valuable.
Stay home with your kid(s).
Whether you work from home or don’t currently have a career, being able to stay home is a gift that many women dream of. Kids do not have to go to school or daycare to socialize, which can bring a lot of relief to a mama if they’re too anxious to utilize childcare.
Have an incomplete baby book.
Life happens, and before you know it, your little infant is a toddler. If you’re anything like me, their baby book is only partially completed. Thankfully, I have a lifetime of photo and video memories stored in iCloud!
Miss the life that you used to have before you had children.
A photo will come up on my Timehop or memories and take me back to a carefree time when all I had to worry about was myself (and my dog). It was a simpler and more joyful time! I always feel guilty for missing and reminiscing about that time, but I know deep down that it is perfectly fine to miss the life I used to lead while still loving my life today with my family.
Hide in the closet from your children when you just need a few minutes of silence.
Silence is one thing that is hard to find in a busy home full of children. There’s nothing wrong with grabbing a few minutes of silence as you hide in the comforting darkness of your closet.
Hide the good snacks and eat them alone in the pantry.
Am I the only one that has eaten cookies alone in my pantry? I cannot be alone in this!
Sleep train your baby.
You can still be a great mom and sleep train your baby after a certain age. Sleep is an incredibly valuable commodity, and some moms are just better moms when they are not waking up regularly in the middle of the night to feed or soothe their baby. This is a personal choice, and no one way to sleep train (or not sleep train) is better than the other!
Mute influencers that make you feel “less than” on social media.
Don’t feel like you have to follow them and aspire to live the same life! Your life is different than that of an influencer, and you will parent in different ways. On that note, you can mute or unfollow anyone on social media that does not make you feel like a great mom (because, don’t forget — you absolutely are!).
There are so many different qualities that make you an amazing mom! Your babies are safe, loved, and cared for. While it may be challenging, it is important to try and filter out other people’s opinions on what makes a “great mom” and to let go of some of the guilt and enjoy your children as much as you can.
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The team is small and extremely efficient. It is their passion to get God’s Word into the hands of those who do not know him that drives them each and every day. They also care about, and care for, those they work with – partners, investors, vendors and beneficiaries of the audio bibles. We are blessed with an amazing team.
Board of Directors
Chairman
Chairman
Brian serves as Board Chairman for Davar. He has served on the Board since 2009. With an extensive background in executive leadership, technology, and electrical engineering, Brian currently serves as the Managing Director of S3 Ventures, an early, expansion and growth stage venture capital firm focused on technology and medical device companies. Brian passionately desires to eradicate Bible poverty for oral learners worldwide and to see lives changed by the power of God’s Word. Brian and his family reside in Austin, Texas.
CEO, Davar
CEO, Davar
Mark served on Davar’s Board of Directors for over two years before being appointed as CEO in 2018. With his business background and years of C-level leadership experience, Mark leads Davar forward in wisdom, stewardship, and efficiency. As CEO, Mark values collaboration and partnership at every stage of our process – from new relationships with translation partners, to stories of life change from engagement partners, Mark is enthusiastic about bringing the Body of Christ together in order to effectively finish the Great Commission task. He and his wife reside in Austin, Texas.
Board Member
Board Member
John serves as a longstanding member of the Board of Directors at Davar Partners International. John is actively engaged in commercial business as Co-owner of RiskScape. He offers a wide variety of technical expertise in GPS technology and data solutions. As an entrepreneur and technology pioneer, John provides Davar with both knowledge and passion to make the Word of God freely and widely available to all people. John and his family reside in South Africa.
Board Member
Board Member
Michael serves as the President and General Counsel of the Ron Blue Institute. He writes, speaks, teaches, and develops curriculum primarily in the areas of stewardship and generosity. He is the co-author of two books, Master Your Money and God Owns It All, and the author of a Bible study titled Financial Hope. Michael is married with three boys and lives in Austin, Texas. He is passionate about teaching God’s Word and regularly does so at his church, Southwest Bible Church, in Austin.
Board Member
Board Member
Kevin Peck is the Lead Pastor of The Austin Stone Community Church in Austin, TX. Kevin works to bring strategic leadership, strong teams and a passion for developing leaders to the local church. He also serves as the Vice President of Leadership Development for Acts 29 and coaches dozens of senior leaders every year through Strategic Leadership Communities with Lifeway Leadership. Kevin completed his doctoral work in Executive Leadership at Southern Seminary. He co-wrote “Designed to Lead: The Church and Leadership Development”. He is married to Leslie and together they have 3 beautiful girls Ellie, Halle, and Ivey.
CEO, Davar
CEO, Davar
Mark served on Davar’s Board of Directors for over two years before being appointed as CEO in 2018. With his business background and years of C-level leadership experience, Mark leads Davar forward in wisdom, stewardship, and efficiency. As CEO, Mark values collaboration and partnership at every stage of our process – from new relationships with translation partners, to stories of life change from engagement partners, Mark is enthusiastic about bringing the Body of Christ together in order to effectively finish the Great Commission task. He and his wife reside in Austin, Texas.
Chief Financial Officer
Chief Financial Officer
After many years and considerable history in corporate business, finance, and accounting, extensive experience consulting in the steel industry, and a background in non-profit management, Ehab felt compelled to join Davar to oversee the financial development and growth of the organization. Ehab offers a wealth of experience from the business sector, and he passionately desires to make God’s Word available to people of every tongue. Ehab and his family reside in Galilee, Israel.
Riaan leads the Productions department, ensuring we are able to deliver high quality productions on time and within budget. He has been with Davar since 2013 and resides in Pretoria, South Africa. Riaan has 22 years in project management, of which 12 years were in media production management.
Nathan Court
Nathan Court
Nathan is the Productions Technical Manager and resides in Cape Town, South Africa. He is a qualified Sound Engineer with 20 years of experience in Live Sound Reinforcement and Studio Recording.
He joined Davar in 2013 where he went on to do Bible recordings in countries such as USA, Mozambique and South Africa. Nathan’s passion is to share the word of God to the world through excellence.
He currently manages the technical aspects of Davar’s productions where he oversees the recording, editing, mastering, quality control, audio distribution as well as providing training to the technicians at the studios.
Sound Engineer
Sound Engineer
His name is Mutsubi Ngwenya better known to family and friends as Rev.
Rev currently resides in the Capital City of South Africa, Tshwane in an area named “Pretoria East”, with his lovely wife and two wonderful children.
He has been with Davar for 6years, working alongside dedicated team members all around the world with one common goal “To create opportunities for oral learners to fully experience the Bible in their home language.”
Rev has always had a fascination for audio i.e. what is sound, how does sound behave in various environments, best methods of recording and reproducing various sounds for various platforms. It is for this reason that he studied “Sound Engineering”, and has been working as a Sound Engineer professionally for 11 years.
Anna has a Bachelor of Arts in Communications from Angelo State University and a Masters of Arts in Communications from Texas Tech University. Anna has a proven and extensive background in Event Planning and Communications. Anna loves Jesus and is excited to be a part of Davar’s ministry. She is a native Texan who lives just north of Austin with her beautiful family.
Heidi works directly with the CFO to manage the finances. She joined Davar in 2019 and lives in Pretoria, South Africa. She has long been associated with Davar as her husband, John, has served on the board for more than 10 years.
Director of Advancement
Director of Advancement
Help provide much needed audio Bibles for oral learners around the world. Learn more about our latest projects in need of additional funding to complete the recordings and make available for distribution.
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Why narcissists are more hated than psychopaths.
Posted on March 7, 2016 by luckyotter
All four Cluster B disorders are vilified, especially on the Internet, but for a long time I wondered why NPD seemed to be even more demonized than ASPD (antisocial personality disorder) and psychopathy and seemed to be regarded as the most “evil” disorder to have. After all, most narcissists are not going around breaking the law, murdering people (not physically, anyway), and most at least pretend to be nice to you, at least if your relationship is only casual. They make a good impression and most have families and respectable jobs. They go to church, teach second grade, and volunteer at the food pantry. If you’re just acquaintances or casual friends with a narcissist, they can even be a lot of fun. They also provide a lot of our entertainment, as narcissism (including NPD) is over-represented among celebrities, and what would we do without our movie, sports, and pop stars? Antisocial people are far more likely to be in prison and most aren’t making a mark in the creative arts. So why is it that narcissists are hated more than anyone else, at least on the Internet? I think I finally figured out the answer to this, and there are a few reasons.
1. Narcissists are more likely to have raised us.
Not too many people with antisocial personality disorder become parents, or are allowed to keep their children for very long of they do. They don’t need to have children for narcissistic supply since they don’t require that, and if they do have kids, their bad behavior is so obvious that their kids are usually taken away from them at a young age. They don’t pretend to be good parents but secretly abuse their child the ways narcissists do. They may even voluntarily give up a child because raising it is too much bother and gets in the way of their antisocial activities.
2. Narcissists are more likely to have been a lover or a spouse.
Psychopaths and people with antisocial personality disorder tend to be loners, or run in packs (gangs). They tend to dislike commitment and because they don’t require supply from other people, they usually have no use for a close relationship. If they marry, it could be for financial reasons since all they care about is what works and what is practical. As a result, while they can’t really love, they may not really be that emotionally abusive.
3. Psychopaths and people with antisocial personality disorder (ASPD) seem like rare, exotic (and often caged) creatures.
There’s a common perception of antisocial and psychopathic types being somehow apart from the rest of humanity, maybe not even quite human. As a society, we are drawn to and fascinated by serial killers (though technically, a few, like Ted Bundy, have had an NPD diagnosis) and a sort of cult has grown around psychopathic mass murderers, bank robbers, and serial killers. They make good entertainment. They’re also cool (something narcs are not). In the movies, TV, and novels, the anti-hero is a “rebel without a cause” who usually fits the criteria for ASPD or psychopathy. Even if they’re not committing crimes, they seem like exotic free agents who do whatever they want, whenever they want, and don’t give a damn what anyone else thinks. Think of Ferris Bueller. Ferris was more antisocial than narcissistic but he became a role model for millions of teenagers in the 1980s because he was just so cool. If he was a narc he would have been cast as the villain. Compare Ferris with Nellie Olson, the spoiled, bratty rich girl in Little House on the Prairie. Any questions?
4. What you see is what you get.
While psychopaths and people with ASPD lie well and often, it’s usually to avoid getting in trouble. They can be manipulative, but only to get what they want from you (and what they want isn’t narcissistic supply but more practical things that help them achieve their goals). They don’t lie just for the sake of lying. Gaslighting, triangulation, and other types of emotional abuse that involve vicious lies about another person’s character aren’t really their thing.
5. Narcissists are sneaky.
Related to the above, narcissists are always trying to undermine or even destroy you behind your back. Essentially, they are huge cowards. Psychopaths and antisocial people don’t care about such “niceties” and tell you what they really think of you right to your face. No, they don’t have any empathy either and they don’t give a damn if they hurt your feelings, but they usually won’t be pretending to be your best friend either (unless you can be of practical use to them in some way) .
6. Narcissists wallow in self pity.
Psychopaths and antisocials don’t feel sorry for themselves or waste other people’s time whimpering about how everyone hates them or how they never get any breaks. That’s because they don’t care what you think of them and they make their own breaks, even if they have to break the law to do it. Narcissists are not only hypersensitive, they are very dependent on other people. People with ASPD pretty much operate alone. They’re too cool for such narcissistic shenanigans as wanting to be liked and admired.
7. Narcissists are high maintenance.
Psychopaths and antisocial people do not require narcissistic supply, therefore they don’t demand too much emotional sustenance from other people. Narcissists constantly require being blown up like a punching clown doll (and make you want to punch them).
8. People assume most psychopaths are in prison.
It’s not true, of course (some are running huge multinational corporations or running for political office), but most people assume anyone with ASPD/psychopathy is in prison and therefore no danger to the rest of us. In contrast, narcissists seem to be lurking behind every tree and lamp post and hiding under every bed.
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This entry was posted in essays, narcissism, psychopathy and tagged antisocial personality disorder, Cluster B disorders, comparison of narcissism and psychopathy, hatred of narcissists, narcissism, narcissistic personality disorder, psychopathy by luckyotter. Bookmark the permalink.
23 thoughts on “Why narcissists are more hated than psychopaths.”
truthaholics on March 7, 2016 at 1:02 am said:
Reblogged this on | truthaholics and commented:
“Narcissists wallow in self pity.
Psychopaths and antisocials don’t feel sorry for themselves or waste other people’s time whimpering about how everyone hates them or how they never get any breaks. That’s because they don’t care what you think of them and they make their own breaks, even if they have to break the law to do it. Narcissists are not only hypersensitive, they are very dependent on other people. People with ASPD pretty much operate alone. They’re too cool for such narcissistic shenanigans as wanting to be liked and admired.”
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Lady Quixote/Linda Lee on March 7, 2016 at 1:15 am said:
Brilliant. I think you are definitely onto something.
My only disagreement with this is where you said “we all love our serial killers.” Really? I sure don’t! Especially not after my own mother tried to gas us all to death. Maybe I don’t understand how you meant that statement about loving serial killers? It kinda freaked me out, to be totally honest.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 1:19 am said:
You know what I mean. Maybe I’ll change the phrasing. By “love” I meant strong interest. They are interesting.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 1:23 am said:
I changed the phrasing. “Love” was misleading.
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Lady Quixote/Linda Lee on March 7, 2016 at 1:30 am said:
Ok, good. Sorry if I was being too picky. I guess that is a trigger for me. Now that I have thought more about it, you probably meant that society as a whole has a morbid fascination with psycho serial killers.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 1:30 am said:
Yes, in fact that’s what I changed it to.
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Lady Quixote/Linda Lee on March 7, 2016 at 1:31 am said:
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bluebird of bitterness on March 7, 2016 at 3:18 am said:
That’s true, sadly. I wonder why that is?
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 3:24 am said:
I never really figured it out. I’ve read though, that the fascination is because “living vicariously” through such antisocial people (such as through movies, books etc.) is a socially sanctioned way to satisfy our darker urges or shadow side without actually giving into it.
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Lady Quixote/Linda Lee on March 7, 2016 at 3:48 am said:
I was wondering that too! I was also thinking that maybe I am immune to that fascination, because of what happened in my childhood. Which might explain why I didn’t understand, at first, what Lucky Otter was talking about.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 3:49 am said:
I’m not as fascinated with them as most people are. I’m more fascinated by the fascination with them.
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Lady Quixote/Linda Lee on March 7, 2016 at 3:57 am said:
Haha, that makes sense! Your mind is so intelligent, deep thinking and inquisitive. Of course you would be fascinated by that.
sandrasweetsiesta on March 7, 2016 at 1:31 am said:
I get now why N’s are the least popular, like they’re more likely to have children that they keep, so therefore the number would go up, a higher percentage. My N mo is a P and the harm done was so unbelievably bad that I might put it in another category beyond psychopathy, if there is one, I would call it possessed. But as you said, a lot of P’s don’t bother with kids and in my opinion they get away with their wrongdoings more than the straight N. Sometimes a P’s damage inflicted, well, it can be hard to identify the source/person it came from, therefore another reason they are less hated.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 1:34 am said:
You made some good points. I agree with you that Psychopaths are less likely to get caught, but the damage narcissists do is more emotional and more subtle and therefore harder to detect in some cases. Sounds like your mom was a Malignant Narcissist (which is basically a combination of high-spectrum NPD and psychopathy/sociopathy or ASPD) My ex was the same way — a malignant narc with a lot of antisocial traits. Cluster B disorders tend to occur together a lot.
nowve666 on March 7, 2016 at 2:40 am said:
Thanks. It seems to boil down to the fact that narcs are more in your life or underfoot. Psychopaths are really more subtle. Our “superficial charm” make us pleasant company. We often get what we want with a minimum of harm to those who are useful. We are good in bed and can be heartbreakers. But that’s because we’re so loveable. Lots of psychopaths despise narcs. But needy people are rarely well liked.
luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 2:43 am said:
Thanks for your remarks. But once again (sigh) PLEASE do not refer to me by my actual name on this blog. (comment edited).
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katiesdream2004 on March 7, 2016 at 5:33 am said:
I appreciate the list and identifying the fact that by the time a Narc is done with you they’ve created hatred. It is reassuring to know hatred is the inevitable result if you want to save your life from NARC destruction. It is almost as if they can’t be content until they’ve crossed every line of decency. I resisted hating my narc sister for decades. I worked hard at tolerance and second chances, attempts at compassion for her self-pity and it seemed no matter how selfless I might attempt to be she upped the ante. By the time I went no contact I understood she was like bull in a bullfight, my happiness was the red flag she was determined to shred and if she couldn’t shred it she’d turn her horns on me and gore me.
Here are some of the gifts narcs give contrasted with psychopaths
1. A narc destroys your ability to trust people because in time you learn every action or word has an agenda and the agenda is going to cost you and hurt you, Psychopaths don’t invest the time in a the carefully orchestrated multilevel destructive master plan. They want instant gratification while the NARC is willing to do a set up for years
2. They want LONG term victims, they want you to stay in their orbit and do all sorts of things to get you stuck in that orbit, promising a future they have no intent on carrying out but use as a lure to keep you enthralled while the kick your head in with their steel toed boots. Psychopaths may rob you but they aren’t going to keep coming back for years to the scene of the crime to repeat it over and over again
3. Narcissists ability to enlist allies among the “good people” by appearing the hapless victim of their scapegoat is renowned — they can convince psychologists, MD.s teachers, relatives, clergy that their bad seed child or other intimate should essentially be executed. The flying monkeys will then perform an execution of 1000 papercuts. Psychopaths get no sympathy and allies for doing something criminal to you.
4. A narcs victim looks positively crazy after their mind has been screwed with enough by the insanity producing Narc strategies. The Narc knows this and its a strategy/ Victims of psychopaths by contrast will get some compassion as a crime victims. Its clear whom the actual victim is
5. Psychopaths don’t do the famous never say what you actually mean that a NARC does.
6. Lastly if I were to summarize whey I hate the Narcs in my life, I would say this…. they wanted destruction in my life. They wanted an atomic bomb drop wasteland in which I was utterly destroyed when I finally had the sense to leave. I wondered “why weren’t you content with a divorce, when it was obvious a sociopathic narc ex wanted me to pay with my blood everytime he had effort out my direction. Rather than just have an affair, the thing has to be flaunted, use as a tool of degradation, shame and humiliation and wounding, to his joy and satisfaction. So the apparently joy they get out of creating havoc, pain and suffering the “getting off in some sadistic satisfaction for making people really suffer is the difference. A psychopath will create suffering in his quest for his weird fetish or gratification its a by product, In a narc, the suffering is what they are after in the first place
Lastly, I remember countless ways, times opportunities in which my mother’s entire existence seemed bent on sticking it to her scapegoat daughter. I was clueless for decades that those conversations in which I’d share happiness about something, anything to which she tell me “oh you are wrong, those people don’t like you they are just tolerating you” or that job will end badly, or the guy isn’t interested in you it is your dad’s money he wants…., She stomping on every dream I ever had and explained it with the statement ” I just don’t want you to be disappointed”
So her ripping to shreds of my dreams was her being a good mother, sparing me from disappointment when in fact, I tended toward depression and any little hope I got was a good thing. The expression of any hope was going to be annihilated by her because hope wasn’t allowed. This is the mild stuff, she did far worse to me over time. But like many people here I was clueless for a very long time that hope crushing was intentional. Later I learned that she got pleasure out of doing it, she gloated when she screwed people over while they said “she is just the sweetest thing”
It is crazy making and you do not trust human goodness at all after growing up in that. We hate what they did to us, and the damage caused all of it with plausible deniability, calculated, planned, block by block like a lego creation years in the making carnage.
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luckyotter on March 7, 2016 at 11:51 am said:
Katie, these are fantastic! I should add them to the list. Or do a “part 2”
I suppose you have heard of the Dark Triad of traits which Malignatn narcissists have all 3 of: Narcissism, Psychopathy and Machiavellianism. One alone is not going to make you malignant–you have to have 2 or 3. Of the 3, I think the worst is the narcissism (Machiavllianism is really a part of the narcissism in my opinion).
The only “benefit of the doubt” I’ll give is that the narc is sometimes not aware of what they are doing. But that doesn’t make it any less evil or damaging to their prey. Even if it was called to their attention what they’re doing, they would still keep doing it, using denial and lies and gaslighting to make THEM right and YOU wrong.
Thank you for your comments. I’m sorry you had to grow up with such a toxic mother.
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Kevin Taylor on April 14, 2016 at 1:04 am said:
Could it be that most of the haters are daft Bible bashing Americans? If I and a Normal American (if there is such a thing) walked around any European city; me wearing a tee shirt saying “British Narcissist” and the other wearing one with “Normal American” on it … who would get the most mud slung at them?
Most pathological narcissists are actually Borderlines who only have relationships with other Borderlines. Most are just a minor pain in the arse.
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OFAC Settles with Hong Kong Trading Company for $5.2 Million for Violations of Iran Sanctions Program | Michael Volkov – Ghirai
OFAC Settles with Hong Kong Trading Company for $5.2 Million for Violations of Iran Sanctions Program | Michael Volkov
January 21, 2022 by admin
OFAC got off to a brisk start in 2022. After announcing Airbnb’s application procedures at the beginning of January, OFAC announced a settlement with Sojitz (Hong Kong) Limited, a Hong Kong-based company in China that engages in foreign trade. Cross-border trade financed $5,228,298 for violations of the Iran sanctions program.
Sojitz HK violated Iran’s sanctions program by making payments in US dollars through US financial institutions for Iranian high-density polyethylene (HDPE) resin originating from its Hong Kong bank to HDPE-supplying banks in Thailand. By doing so, Sojitz HK paid the financial institutions that processed the funds to engage in prohibited financial transactions related to goods of Iranian origin.
Between August 2016 and May 2018, Sojitz HK employees acted in violation of Sojitz HK’s policies and procedures to have Sojitz HK purchase 64,000 tons of Iranian-origin HDPE from a supplier in Thailand for resale to buyers. Sojitz HK paid the purchase price by wire transfer to the Thai supplier upon confirmation of the shipper for shipment to Chinese buyers.
Sojitz HK made 60 separate payments in US dollars from its Hong Kong bank to the Thai supplier’s banks, totaling more than $75 million. Each US dollar payment was processed and settled through several US financial institutions, including private correspondent banks linked to Hong Kong and Thailand banks.
Non-compliant employees of Sojitz HK have removed all references to Iran from the money transfer instructions. Immediately prior to trading in HDPE, noncompliant employees of Sojitz HK were specifically notified on several occasions that they could not make payments in US dollars in transactions relating to Iran. Subsequently, the non-compliant employees deleted the Iranian country of origin information for HDPE from the relevant transaction documents. In particular, the non-compliant employees did not mention Iran in the bills of lading.
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Based in Delft, Kenza is responsible for supporting the MGP team across the entire client base. Her responsibilities include competitive market research, press list building, award and conference calendar building for various clients, and managing social media for MGP.
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Senior PR Consultant
Erin is a PR and social media professional with more than 20 years of B2B and B2C experience, spanning a variety of sectors including mobile, telecom, transportation, AR/VR, fintech, education, cloud, connected home, IoT, travel and enterprise. Her expertise runs wide and deep: developing and executing PR strategies for clients, competitive analysis, messaging, media relations, analyst relations, content and blog creation, social media campaign development and media training.
Erin has worked with companies at every stage of their lifecycle – startups, mid-market and globally traded companies – including AltspaceVR, Autodesk, Automatic, Glu Mobile, Salesforce, Sidecar, Slacker Radio, StudyMode, WorldMate and Xirrus. Earlier in her career, she spent time in Sydney, Australia gaining valuable overseas experience and working with numerous global telecom companies. She’s since gone on to work with companies all over the world including Israel, Japan, Mexico, France, the Netherlands, the U.K. and the U.S.
An expert at securing media coverage, Erin has landed clients in numerous broadcast, consumer, technology and business publications, i.e. CNBC, The Wall Street Journal, TechCrunch, The Verge and USA Today. She’s also placed a wealth of contributed content over the years in VentureBeat, Forbes, WIRED and the podcast, USA Today’s Deep Dive.
Erin hold a bachelor’s degree in Journalism from Chico State, and was certified in social media by the University of San Francisco.
A lifelong Bay Area native, Erin is a self-proclaimed news junkie, world traveler and enjoys reading, wine tasting and visiting farmers markets. She loves taking her puppy to Crissy Field and watching her eat sand.
CEO & FOUNDER
As CEO, Mindy is responsible for the overall strategy, vision and direction of MGP, including operations, business development, marketing and PR. With more than 25 years of B2B and B2C experience, Mindy has defined the strategy and run successful programs for numerous seed-stage startups, challenger brands and publicly traded market leaders, catapulting them onto the global stage and playing a significant role in helping many of them to exit.
Mindy’s sector experience runs wide and deep – AI, VR/AR, gaming, mobile (devices, apps, messaging, security, analytics), IoT/smart home, consumer tech, cryptocurrency/blockchain, sleeptech, adtech/martech, fintech, cybersecurity, 3D sensors, edtech, enterprise/SaaS/big data, ecommerce and more. She specializes in new product launches, playing an active role in propelling startups and challenger brands onto the global stage. Throughout her career, Mindy has built strong relationships with journalists, analysts and conference organizers, alike – consistently winning media coverage in some of the most respected tier-one global media and annually placing clients as speakers at highly regarded conferences such as Mobile World Congress, CES and SXSW.
Prior to founding MGP, Mindy spent time in senior-level roles in the media/publishing sector at the Financial Times, E.W. Scripps Co. and Inman News Group.
A California native, Mindy can usually be found with a can of La Croix sparkling water or cup of green tea in hand. She has a proclivity for travel, gourmet cooking, wine, music, weekend excursions with her husband, and a warm spot in her heart for The Netherlands.
Senior PR Consultant
Ginny has more than 25 years of diversified experience in all aspects of online and offline marketing, with the last 10 years in financial services-related industries including real estate technology, residential real estate services, new home building, mortgage lending, retail operations and technology, ABA and joint venture mortgage relationships.
Based in the San Francisco Bay Area, Ginny cut her teeth in public relations in the Silicon Valley handling high tech clients in the 90s. Prior to MGP, Ginny founded and ran her own marketing consultancy firm, Cain Communications, where she worked with a variety of clients in the tech, real estate and mortgage industries. She also previously served as VP of marketing for several top 10 nationally ranked real estate brokerages, including Alain Pinel Realtors and Prudential California, Texas and Nevada realty.
A 360-degree marketer, Ginny understands that a client’s needs often include everything from public and community relations and advertising to web content and online marketing. She has a vision around the 360-degree concept and the experience to back up the vision.
Ginny holds a bachelor’s degree in business marketing form Cameron University in Oklahoma. She’s also an incessant Francophile and a weekend gourmet.
Senior PR Consultant
Colleen is a communications professional with more than 13 years’ experience – including broadcast TV, in-house and agency PR – working with an extensive range of enterprise, consumer tech and lifestyle brands. She is responsible for developing and executing marketing and communications strategies for clients. Her specialties include campaign and product launch planning, messaging and content creation, integrating traditional and social media strategies, and providing executive-level counsel and event planning.
Colleen is highly accomplished at building productive relationships with both traditional media and key vertical influencers via an integrated approach to PR and social media. She has worked with an extensive range of B2B and B2C companies throughout her career including Meebo, Mobclix (acquired by Velti), Yodlee, Google, Inbenta, Sony Online Entertainment, Favado App (Savings.com), FabKids (acquired by JustFab), Tindog, Social Gaming Network (SGN), Bunchball, JustAnswer, Coupon Craze and SmartyPig.
Based in San Francisco, Colleen has an insatiable appetite for discovering new music and local restaurants and recently completed a month-long excursion in Patagonia. On sunny days, you can almost certainly find her at the beach with her dog, Bruce.
Managing Director
As Managing Director, Natalee is responsible for creating overall client strategy and ensuring that all PR campaigns map to both the short and long term goals of each MGP client. She brings a wide breadth of global PR experience to her role, representing companies at every stage of the business lifecycle – from startups to the Fortune 100. With more than 17 years of PR experience, Natalee has cultivated strong relationships with members of the media, important industry conferences and influential market analysts. Her B2B and B2C sector expertise spans AI, mobile, VR/AR, automotive, adtech and marketing tech, fintech, hardware (including test & measure), big data, enterprise/SaaS and more.
Natalee began her career in journalism and brings a unique reporter perspective to her PR approach. Prior to joining MGP, she served as vice president of SF-based PR firm, Incendio International, where she represented large companies such as Flextronics International, Sun Microsystems, Sanmina-SCI, as well as young startups including Soft Kinetic, Taulia and FollowAnalytics. She holds a bachelor’s degree in broadcast journalism and political science from Brigham Young University.
Based in Denver, Natalee is a prolific writer, avid cyclist and sometimes triathlete who loves to travel the world with her husband and two kids.
Account Director
Antonio Hicks possesses over a decade of communications and branding success. Having worked across diverse industries including B2B and B2C technology, gaming, sports, entertainment and consumer lifestyle, Antonio’s experience is a consummate public relations, communications and brand expert.
Prior to joining MGP, Antonio led marketing and communications for StreamLabs, the number one streaming software and platform used by today’s top streamers on Twitch, Facebook, YouTube, Mixer and more. During his tenure at StreamLabs, Antonio built the company’s brand and messaging, consistently raised the company profile via coverage in top-tier outlets such as The New York Times, TechCrunch and VentureBeat, and also produced and curated StreamLabs’ highly successful presenting conference, Expanding the Stream, an invite-only day summit featuring the best and brightest from the video gaming, eSports, social media, and streaming companies.
Antonio previously worked for Spark PR, where he launched numerous Silicon Valley start-ups and product introductions into the market, including: the world’s first 3D body scanner, the Naked Fit; the newest intro to supersonic travel from Boom Technology, Boom Supersonic, along with some of the most innovative technology startups across multiple verticals such as health and fitness, e-commerce, mobile gaming, VR and smart home.
Prior to Spark PR, Antonio served as PR Manager for Seattle Theatre Group, the largest performing arts organization in the Pacific Northwest region, where he managed PR for hundreds of performances annually, and also created and launched STGtv, a premiere video platform on YouTube and Amazon Fire.
Earlier in his career, Antonio worked for New York-based boutique firm, Estabrook Group, where he worked closely with high-profile professional athletes, celebrities and media companies to develop and build their brand, including the number one athlete in the world, LeBron James and NFL superstar, Terrell Owens. His work with Fortune 500 companies includes Microsoft Branded Entertainment, Bing Search, and Reveille (producer of the Emmy-Award Winning shows Ugly Betty, The Tudors, and The Biggest Loser.)
Based in San Francisco and with a passion for storytelling, technology and the arts, Antonio enjoys digging deep to find the best story angles to pitch reporters that will resonate with their audiences. In his spare time, Antonio likes to travel the world, explore his passion for cooking and kitchen gadgets, enjoy fine dining in San Francisco, and catch what’s playing at the Yerba Buena Arts Center.
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The MVPerformers are the Ambassador group of the Mon Valley Performing Arts Academy and can be seen in performances throughout the Southwestern PA area. (Well.... hopefully beyond this area eventually!) The MVPerformers participate in a core curriculum of specific vocal, dance, and acting technique courses. We hold our MVPerformers to a high standard of commitment, work ethic, and integrity. In order to ensure the highest quality of training for each individual student, members of the MVPerformers are accepted by audition only.
7 years with MVPAA - Ally Grodz is a 6th grader at California Area Intermediate School. She has studied at the Academy for 7 years and has enjoyed 4 summers of Summer Experience in which her roles included: a member of the Ladies Garden Guild in James and the Giant Peach Jr., Kowalski in Madagascar - A Musical Adventure Jr., Pinocchio in Shrek the Musical Jr., and Alice in Alice in Wonderland Jr. Ally loves attending all of her classes at the Academy, especially Tap and Performers. When she isn’t studying at the Academy, she is listening to selections from musical theatre, jamming to Weird Al, chatting with friends, or playing with her cat, Finnegan.
5 years with MVPAA - Brynn Gardner is a student at Marion Elementary. She has been in multiple productions with the MVPAA including: Madagascar - A Musical Adventure Jr. (Old Woman), Shrek Jr. (Little Pig), and most recently Alice in Wonderland Jr. (Flower and Crab). She loves her MVPerformer class, and her favorite subject at school is science! When she's not on stage she can be found shopping, playing basketball, skiing, or riding a quad or snowmobile!
5 years with MVPAA - Sydney has attended 4 summer experiences where she has had some really fun roles, such as Little Fiona in Shrek the Musical Jr., part of the Cheshire Cat in Alice in Wonderland Jr., and Lynn the Lemur in Madagascar-- A Musical Adventure Jr. Although she really does love all of her classes at the academy, acting classes are her favorite. She absolutely loves being a MVPerformer and is so excited to be a part of that group. Some fun facts about Sydney: she loves to do anime sketches, is learning to play the ukulele, guitar, flute and piccolo . She also likes to relax by crocheting. She is a huge Pens fan, she loves to watch the games with her brother Jacob.
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A legal agreement between the School District of Philadelphia and a partner organization that speaks to partnership expectations and required documentation for school-based partners. The SPA can be prepared online through the submission of a form by the partner and executed using electronic signatures.
School-based Partner Programs that meet the following criteria:
Formal entities (nonprofit organizations, private corporations, and
government agencies),
Providing high-quality and ready-to-implement programs or services,
Within District school communities,
At no cost to the District or its schools.
Who is responsible for signing the SPA?
The individual responsible for executing agreements on behalf of your organization (e.g. Director, President, CEO).
What information should I have ready before beginning the process of preparing a SPA?
Organization’s official name, including corporate designation (e.g. Inc., LLC, etc.)
School locations where providing programs or services
School Partner’s Scope of Work:
Days of the week and time of day when program operates
Grade range of students served
Primary goal(s) of the program/services
Total number of SDP students that will be served
Can my organization negotiate the terms and conditions of the SPA?
Unfortunately, the SPA terms and conditions are non-negotiable. If your organization wishes to negotiate terms and conditions with the School District of Philadelphia, you will need to pursue the traditional process of preparing a Memorandum of Understanding through the District’s Office of General Counsel.
Which documents will be required along with my executed SPA?
Once you complete your SPA form, you will receive additional detail about the next steps for submitting the following required documentation:
with students:
Helpful links re: where to get clearances are listed in the School Partner Onboarding Guide.
Two separate liability insurance documents, including 1) a Certificate of Insurance and 2) an Additional Insured Endorsement, sent to spainsurance@philasd.org.
Insurance requirements are listed in the School Partner Onboarding Guide.
A third-party evaluation of your program or your program’s theoretical
framework/logic model. These documents are encouraged, but not required.
Are partner staff required to complete or attend the Office of Family and Community Engagement’s (FACE) Volunteer Orientation?
Partner staff are NOT required to complete FACE’s Volunteer Orientation. You are only required to complete and submit clearances listed in the School Partner Onboarding Guide.
What are key points from the School Partnership Agreement?
This agreement does not cover any exchange of dollars. If you are being paid by SDP or a school for the program at issue, you will need a Limited Contract Agreement (contracts up to $20,000) or an Agreement for Services (contracts over $20,000).
This agreement covers one program and all SDP school sites where that program is operating. If your program is operating in multiple schools, please make sure to list all District schools within which your program is operating.
If your program is also located in charter schools, the SPA will not cover those program sites. You are encouraged to obtain a separate legal agreement for any non-District program sites.
If your organization operates multiple school-based program models, a SPA must be completed for each separate program.
This agreement does not cover student-level data sharing. School Partners seeking student-level data for the purpose of research or evaluation must complete the Office of Research and Evaluation’s Data Request Form.
School Partners must agree to be compliant with FERPA and all other applicable laws.
The SPA must be renewed annually.
Is a P.O. Box an accepted form of address?
Unfortunately, we are unable to accept P.O. Boxes as the official address for your School Partner Agreement. If the P.O. Box is your official address, please provide a physical mailing address to which mail can be delivered to your organization.
Can professional development (PD) related programs complete a SPA?
The SPA is intended for programs that serve District students as their main audience. Dedicated Professional Development programs should pursue a Memorandum of Understanding instead.
If I’m an organization with multiple programs, will I need to submit more than one SPA?
Yes, each program that you offer must have its own School Partner Agreement, because each agreement contains a scope of work that must be specific to each program model. If you have other programs for which you need to prepare School Partner Agreements, please submit them here.
(Please note that each agreement covers one program and all program sites that are District schools. If your program is operating in multiple schools, please make sure to list all District schools within which your program is operating.)
Will summer programs need a SPA?
Yes, any program that operates within District schools should be covered by a legal agreement for the appropriate contract year.
Can the staff of my organization complete clearances independently, or does the entire organization have to be part of one submitted certificate?
Individuals affiliated with your program may submit their own clearances through the District’s online clearance submission portal. However, if you are authorized to submit clearances for your staff and/or volunteers on behalf of your organization, we recommend organizing and scanning all certificates into one batch, as this will speed up the processing and review time. If training is completed as a group, you may hand in one certificate with your organization’s name on it, featuring an attendance sheet with dated signatures from each participant.
Is my program eligible for the SPA if students and/or their families are asked to pay a registration or enrollment fee?
Cost to families/students is not something that we currently consider when determining School Partner Agreement (SPA) eligibility. You are welcome to continue with the SPA completion process if your program is at no cost to the District or its schools.
If your question wasn’t answered here, please feel free to contact Marianna Sann at msann@philasd.org
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Bad breath can be an indicator that something's going on in your mouth. Perhaps it's as simple as a few slices of pepperoni and onion pizza for lunch. Or maybe your oral care habits haven't been as consistent as they could be. Both are easily fixable. But what if your bad breath stems from something more complicated? If your breath smells like ammonia or you have an ammonia taste in your mouth, it may be a sign of a problem with your kidneys. Here's what you need to know about kidney functions and what having ammonia breath could indicate.
The Function of the Kidneys
To understand how kidney health relates to your oral health, it's best, to begin with a simple anatomy lesson. Humans have two kidneys. Both are about the size of a fist and located on either side of the spine just below the rib cage.
The kidneys are vital to your health as they remove waste products from your body. They filter the blood and help ensure any excess fluids leave the body through urination. They also perform other functions, such as controlling red blood cell production, releasing hormones to regulate blood pressure, and helping the body maintain healthy bones by producing vitamin D.
Kidney Disease and Oral Health
One of the products removed from the blood supply by kidneys is urea. When the kidneys fail to remove all of the urea, the urea breaks down into ammonia. Hence, the reason people with renal problems often have breath that smells like chemicals or ammonia breath. Additionally, the body is unable to absorb calcium properly as a result of kidney disease. Lack of calcium can lead to bone loss, impacting the jaws and the bone around the teeth.
Ammonia Breath Causes and Treatments
Often something else going on with the body, including some other illness, results in kidney disease. Some of the common causes of kidney disease are:
An injury to one of the kidneys
Ammonia breath will only subside once you treat the underlying condition. First and foremost, you need to seek the help of a medical professional. Until then, there are plenty of different ways to mask bad breath.
Carry a toothbrush and toothpaste with you for on-the-go brushing.
Stay hydrated by drinking lots of water.
Avoid pungent foods like garlic and onions.
Clean your tongue with a soft-bristled toothbrush or tongue scraper.
Quit smoking and using tobacco products.
Monitoring your overall health is the most important way to recognise that there might be something wrong. Your body could be providing clues. So, when you book an annual physical with your primary care physician, go ahead and schedule regular dental check-ups at least twice a year. Talk to your dentist about developing a good oral care routine that includes brushing at least twice a day. Follow that up with regular flossing or cleaning between your teeth to remove food particles from spots a brush might not be able to reach.
Bad breath can be unappealing, but it is also treatable, even if there is a deeper issue causing it. Talk to your primary care physician and dentist as soon as possible if you notice ammonia breath, and they will be able to help make a treatment plan that's right for you.
This article is intended to promote understanding of and knowledge about general oral health topics. It is not intended to be a substitute for professional advice, diagnosis or treatment. Always seek the advice of your dentist or other qualified healthcare provider with any questions you may have regarding a medical condition or treatment.
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We walked the Inca trail and not knowing how we would do at altitude it was a pleasant surprise to feel fine.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
The vacation provider really organised a good trip and the organisation was excellent.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes they are very careful to carry out all their garbage and we stayed and supported the locals along the way.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
A great experience.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The staggering scenery throughout the trek, and the sense of achievement reaching the tops of passes, especially to look at Machu Picchu.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Bring hand sanitiser and wet-wipes. Don't try to bring too many luxuries with you - embrace the experience!
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Efforts seemed to be made to reduce environmental impacts. I am not sure about the other items, since there were a handful of "middle" companies involved before you got to the staff.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Reaching the top of Dead Woman's Pass on the second day - that was the highest and most difficult point so it was a real feeling of achievement.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Slow down and enjoy the views! The hike was less challenging than we had anticipated and so we were able to take our time and not rush too much. I had considered using walking poles but in the end I was really glad that I didn't bring any along as I didn't need them at all. Also, you don't need to carry much water with you as you can buy it along the way and the porters can provide you with a refill every morning.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes - for our group eight porters, a cook and a guide were all employed from the local area so it was helping local farmers to supplement their income. The porters were also very careful to make sure that everyone on the hike was respecting the local environment and leaving as little trace as possible.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great fun and an amazing experience. Thank you to our brilliant guide, the incredibly athletic and dedicated porters and to the guys in the UK who organised the trip for us; everything was perfect.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The most memorable part of the trek was on Day 2 where we hit the highest point of the trail at 4,732m. We encountered a small hailstorm when we were heading down. Fortunately, the hailstorm subsided after we break for lunch. We were greeted by wonderful scenery throughout the trek.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Because of the high altitude, it is advisable for trekkers to give themselves at least 3 days to acclimatise. Having a basic level of fitness would be ideal to allow for better appreciation of the whole trekking experience.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Every trekker can do his/her part in protecting environment. We have amongst us in the group people who picked up plastic bottles that were thrown along the trail. And by supporting the local crafts and visiting the area (without destroying the natural beauty of the trail), we can provide livelihood to the locals.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
I'm generally happy with the vacation and would give it a 4/5 rating.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
A difficult question as the whole trip was memorable and exciting, but I think that the first view of Machu Picchu from the Sungate was probably the highlight! However our homestead stay on Lake Titicaca was a really memorable part of the vacation. We stayed on Amantani Island and our hosts were extremely kind and welcoming to the 5 of us and as our guide was as useful as a statue, they looked after U.S. And had us to the right place at the right time! It was a humbling experience that we would not have missed.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Leave the Inca trail to the last part of your vacation and give yourself lots of time to acclimatise to the altitude! There is no way we could have managed the trail after a couple of days as we all suffered some symptoms from the altitude.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Local people definitely benefited from our trip, with the people on Uros, Amantani Islands and other guides and craft sellers getting business from us. From the beginning, we were given advice from our guides about looking after the environment and generally most people respected these guidelines.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
This was the chance of a lifetime and we grabbed it with both hands! A fantastic experience and I cannot recommend it enough!
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
The view, it was breath taking from start to finish.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
Warning about day one sleeping at -10 in front of Salkantay mountain.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
As well as the great trekking and superb scenery, the strong point of this trek is that it visits villages in the highlands of Peru and shows something of the way of life of local communities. One of our guides came from a village that we walked through, and we saw people in traditional (but everyday) costume herding llamas and alpacas in the mountains.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
As a reasonably fit 68 year old, I found the passes at over 4000 metres quite tough going in spite of having spent a week at altitude before starting. I would advise anyone to be well acclimatised before doing this kind of trek.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
Yes. The partner company in Cusco uses local guides and helpers, and has a good reputation for supporting local communities. Camping in villages also brings them money and support.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Very well organised, well supported, a tough walk at times but certainly well worthwhile. I would recommend it to any reasonably fit person who wants to see the scenery and the life in the mountains near Cusco, and/or wants an alternative to the oversubscribed Inca Trail.
1. What was the most memorable or exciting part of your vacation?
Great experience. Lots of exercise! Beautiful views and sites throughout. The guide, camp chef, and porters work really hard to make the trip enjoyable.
2. What tips would you give other travelers booking this vacation?
For this trip we purchased a Sawyer personal water filter, and can't imagine doing without for travel in the future. Healthier than purification tablets. Reusable for 100,000 gallons of water. Saves all of those wasteful plastic bottles. Also bring a wide-brimmed hat, good suncream, bug repellent, 2 rolls of toilet paper, and a pack of wet wipes (good for daily deodorizing). Rent two walking sticks unless you are in awesome shape. Saves the knees and catches any falls. Tip your guide, chef, and porters well! An extra amount means little to us but a lot to them. At the end of the trip, donate any shoes or equipment that you may not need in the future. Ideally spend 3+ nights in Cusco before the trip. I have a sulfa-allergy and didn't want to take the acetazolamide (altitude medication) in case of a reaction, and it took me 5 days in Cusco before I felt normal.
3. Did you feel that your vacation benefited local people, reduced environmental impacts or supported conservation?
All contact staff, guide and porters were local. Camp food was locally sourced (and surprisingly delicious!). Would have liked to see less plastic use (snack baggies could have been paper). Would like to see local drink/snack vendors along the way have beverages in glass recyclable containers if possible. Or recycling barrels at these sites.
4. Finally, how would you rate your vacation overall?
Great. Was a bit apprehensive that I could do the trek and manage the altitude, but so glad to have done it now!
You can trust Responsible Travel reviews because, unlike many other schemes, reviews can ONLY be written by people who we have verified have been on the holidays. In addition, we don't run these holidays ourselves - our only interest is giving you the best independent advice.
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Our Affiliate program not only gives your friends and community a discount off of our classes, it also gives you a reward for every new student you refer. Think of it as our way of saying Thank You for your part in helping our community grow.
This Program is for you if...
You've taken our classes and/or have studied privately with Kiran
You want to share the transformation with the people you love... or your larger community
You are looking to earn a passive income through a channel that's in total alignment with your values
How it Works
You send your friends and referrals to your Affiliate Page on our site.
They get a discount on courses, plus other bonuses, such as a discount on our eBooks and online products.
You get paid for each and every referral that signs up for class. (Or you can apply your referral bonuses
FAQs and Commonly Asked Questions
Do I need to have taken the courses to promote the work?
Ideally, we want our Affiliates to have significant personal experience with Kiran's work and the courses. However, if you feel like your life has been strongly transformed through her work and felt that it's had a real impact on you, you are welcome to apply to join the program.
How will I be paid for referrals?
As soon as the refund deadline for courses close, we will send the full payment for your referral as per our agreement to your Paypal account or, if you choose, we will credit it to your account for future classes and private sessions with Kiran
What if someone signs up but doesn't use the link I sent?
If they don't use your link, they also won't get the discount, so have them send an email to [email protected] as soon as possible so that we can get them sorted out.
How to Get Started
Send an email to [email protected] to indicate your interest.
We will send you our agreement
We will send you information on terms, rates and how to get started.
Share your link with family, friends and even your community so that all sales are linked back to you. You can post your unique link on your website, in a blog post, in your newsletter, or through any social media outlets you use (Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, etc.).
For professional organizations...
For professional organizations, once we have an agreement, we will set you up with a unique referral page on our site.
Finally... Of course we know that you'll only share authentically about how your
journey and how this work has impacted your life.
Terms and Conditions
Referral fees are payable on all classes taken by your referral for one year (the Body class, Accelerated Healing & Fearlessness). This program does not include a referral fee for private sessions or any other goods or services provided by Mystic Girl in the City.
If for any reason a participant is granted a refund, no referral fee will be made for that sale.
Only sales generated via a unique tracking link will be credited to any individual affiliate, and referral fees will only be paid on those credited sales.
No additional incentive (such as cash back or free goods or services) may be offered in association with the affiliate program without our consent.
The amount payable will be determined privately by email. You will be responsible for any receiving fees charged by Paypal.
Affiliates will not be paid referral fees if they sign up for the course themselves using their own affiliate code.
Referral fee payments will be after the refund period for classes closes.
All fees will be paid in US dollars. The actual amount you receive will depend on your Paypal account currency and the Paypal exchange rate at the time of sending the fees.
Mystic Girl in the City reserves the right to change any aspect of the affiliate program, or remove it, at any time without notice.
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In their 2014 book Dare to Journey: The Path to Meaningful Wealth, financial advisers Angelo Cabrera, Ricky So, and Aristides Merida, Jr. quote that “the rich get for free what the poor have to pay for.” The financial system is a reality that works either for you or against you – there is no middle ground. And it favors those with resources.
Now, before anyone starts protesting at how elitist and discriminatory this may sound at first (and I was one of those who had that sentiment at first, myself), I invite careful, objective analysis of this statement. And what it is is that it’s a truth – not a derogatory comment of any kind.
How so? First, don’t necessarily think of “rich” and “poor” in terms of financial volume achieved. Rather, think of them in terms of skills – financial skills, to be precise. Or awareness. It’s entirely possible for a person with more money to be “poorer” than one with less, if he were not as financially aware.
What does financial awareness – or the favorite term today, financial literacy – bring anyway? It empowers people to manage their resources more wisely, with the future and others in mind. No one has infinite wealth, and not cared for wisely, it will run out eventually. And you won’t bring any of it with you when you die, so there’s no use in hoarding it all for yourself. Besides, your Truly Best Life is all about selflessness, so sharing the wealth (and the love) is a no-brainer.
Which brings me to the topic of credit cards.
Cabrera, So, and Merida observe that audiences who are asked if they have credit cards do so a bit sheepishly, as if they were ashamed to own such. But the credit card, in reality, is one of the basic manifestations of the aforementioned quote. It’s relatively easy and accessible. And, most importantly: it is a tool, which means that in itself, it has no powers. It’s up to the user of the tool to use it wisely or not.
I’m somewhat of a credit card collector, having quite a lot today for someone of my age and status (I stick to mostly using around three, though). Yet I’m regularly offered new cards, and that’s because – based on feedback of banks – I have a very good credit score. Besides, most banks generously waive the annual fee especially if you’re a well-behaved user, so I get many of these essentially for free – plus the oh-so-many benefits that wise usage of a credit card can bring. Here are five of them.
1. Credit cards are convenient.
Ask anyone what they like the most about having a credit card and “convenience” would probably be one of the top answers, if not the top. Most major establishments around the world today accept credit cards, though it’s a bit less prevalent in developing economies (like here in the Philippines, where cash-only is still common in micro- to small-scale enterprises, and even some large fast food chains). Be that as it may, <data on credit card acceptance around the world>, which means that more often than not, one will be able to just swipe (or tap, in some cards’ cases) instead of having to fork out a wad of bills.
Isn’t that convenient, then? Many of us are frustrated by long queues upon checkout or payment. The process of paying in cash, especially with more denominations or if your purchases are worth more, can slow things down. If you’re given change, and you’re the type of person who has to put it back properly in your wallet or purse right away, it can also be annoying for those waiting in line. A credit card does away with all of that.
Credit cards can also be used as an emergency mode of payment if you don’t have cash, or enough cash, on hand. Personally, I don’t bring around a lot of cash on myself anymore, to reduce the risk of theft, and to keep my Average Daily Balance (ADB) in my bank accounts as high as possible. I keep a bit of cash for purposes such as parking or tipping, but most of my expenses my card can cover.
Which leads to the next benefit.
2. Credit cards offer flexibility.
Unlike debit cards, you don’t deduct the money from your account right away when using credit cards. It’s up to you to pay it whenever you want to – within the allotted time frame. This is usually from the moment you swipe until the due date of the billing cycle your transaction came under – the usual is 3 weeks after the (usually monthly) cycle ends. So, if you happened to purchase something relatively hefty at the start of the billing period, you essentially have nearly two months to pay it off.
This is particularly useful for business, when you have to purchase raw materials or goods whose value exceeds your current cash liquidity, but you also expect it to be translated into sales within the same period as well. As a distributor of natural and wellness products, this flexibility is very beneficial for me, especially in bulk orders I can’t pay in cash. It’s embarrassing and not very professional to ask for pre-payment (unless the customer is unfamiliar to you and asks for their order to be delivered to them), so a credit card is greatly helpful in this case. In fact, I know some people who have a ton of different cards and allot one business or one category per card, for organized expenses.
Personally, I like to pay off my charges as soon as I swipe the card – the benefits of online banking – rather than wait until the deadline. It clears my mind and gives me finality of what I’ve swiped for. It also frees me from a false sense of security that I have more money than I actually have – thereby giving me a clearer, more accurate picture of my finances. Why get a credit card then, you ask? I’ll get back to that later. Besides, some cards charge multiple payment (within one month) fees, such as those from Metrobank and RCBC, to recoup processing expenses. You’d think they’d reward good behavior…
3. Credit cards teach you discipline.
Perhaps the biggest reason why people who dislike credit cards do so because they’re concerned of spiralling into debt. That’s true, and it can happen… if you’re not disciplined. Again, a credit card is simply a financial tool that can be used or misused, and a lack of discipline translates to misusing this tool.
Anyone who says that learning discipline isn’t a benefit should take time to evaluate themselves or seek guidance. Discipline and self-control is so crucial to Truly Best Living that without it, when things go awry or when temptation arises, all of these would get hurled out the window.
In ethics in university, we took up Kant, who taught that one who does something out of a sense of duty, of commitment, because they “have” to, is actually morally or ethically superior to one who does it because they “want” to. In the case of the latter, there is an underlying (or overarching) motive or vested interest. Our professor used this example: Suppose a man picks up his wife at the airport at six in the morning. If he prepares thoroughly for it, such as dressing up, tidying the car, and even buying breakfast, he does it because he “wants” to – perhaps out of a desire to impress his wife or simply show her how much he loves her. This is still, technically, an “ulterior motive” that is in itself unrelated to the task at hand, that of fetching someone.
However, if he does it without these gestures, such as turning up at the airport only in sweats, not yet having shaved or showered, he is doing so out of a sense of duty, of discipline, and is thus morally “superior”. Without the desire to show off his love, there is no “ulterior motive” – just the commitment or responsibility. He may not feel up to the task, but does it anyway. That’s discipline.
In living your Truly Best Life, you will encounter a lot of situations where you’ll have to do something you don’t want to do, or not do something you want to do (such as buy something you can’t afford but really want). Living a life of selflessness, of awareness and service, will at times challenge our self-interest, with the easy way out being to only help ourselves. Discipline, however, keeps you rooted in your values, your principles, even though you may not feel up to it. This is equivalent to the second stage of conscience as we were taught in my Catholic high school, or conscience you follow because you know what’s right and just (the first stage is because you fear the consequence).
Self-discipline in credit card usage means that just because you may have a sky-high credit limit, and thus can swipe like there’s no tomorrow, it doesn’t mean you should. For starters, are you sure you have enough money to pay it off responsibly and on time? (And, if you want to be even more financially literate, limit that “money” to your disposable income, not your entire wealth.) Are you able to track your credit card usage?
I personally have charts and trackers for each of my credit cards, including the one who’s paying for it (such as my customers, my company, or a family member who asked me to swipe for something), the exact amount, and if I’ve paid for it already or not. I organize them by billing cycle as well. I never max out my credit limit, and I always have a keen idea of how much money I actually have (and how much I need to save), so I don’t abuse my credit privileges.
That’s why my credit score continues to improve, with my only interest having been because of a miscomputation on my part, and my cards all receiving generous limit increases every year. Because I know my limits (literally and figuratively) and I can pay off my debts in full, ahead of time, I can maximize the benefits of a credit card and not be afraid of it.
4. Credit cards are rewarding… literally.
More than the convenience and flexibility, my primary reason to get the cards I have – and to pay using them for as much of my transactions as possible – is because of rewards.
Of the five benefits I’ve listed, this is perhaps the most striking example of the rich getting for free what the poor must pay for. And having this just one tool can make all the difference between financial empowerment and lack thereof. If you’re disciplined, and use the tool well, you can avail of its benefits.
Most credit cards have corresponding point-based rewards systems where you earn points per x units of currency you spend. A few of them are cash-back credit cards, where you don’t earn rewards points BUT you get back a small percentage of the transactions you swiped – which is also inarguably a reward in itself. Rewards points can be redeemed for freebies, such as appliances, gadgets, tickets, or gift certificates.
Many cards also have their respective promos in partnership with various establishments, such as travel sales, hotel and restaurant discounts, and installment payments for gadgets, appliances, and luxury goods. For credit card collectors who can manage their resources responsibly and resist temptations, this is a gold mine for their common lifestyle habits, such as eating out with the family or taking annual trips.
All because of that plastic card. If you pay in cash for all your transactions, you’d lose out on all these rewards. True, it would take time to build them up, because rewards points are relatively expensive. But having that incremental wealth is better than none, and since most rewards points don’t expire anyway, you can build it up over several years for maximum benefit!
Taking into consideration my personal preferences and needs, my favorite type of credit card is the travel credit card, where points you accumulate are automatically converted into frequent flyer miles, or where, at least, the rewards system is generous in miles conversion. I’ll be coming up with a post of my preferred travel credit cards in the Philippines, so stay tuned!
5. Credit cards help prepare you for the future.
The point of personal finance and financial literacy is to be able to secure your future (and that of your loved ones’) and staying rooted in the present at the same time, no head-in-the-clouds type of fantasies. This is why Gawad Kalinga’s call to action of investing in the Philippines is so impactful and powerful: we are reminded that our lives are meant to be shared, not just with our loved ones, but also with the wider society we operate and live in. To invest in our country is to prepare it, and ourselves, for the future. But I digress.
How do credit cards help prepare you for the future? For one, opening a credit card with a certain bank begins having a relationship with said bank. They say not to spread yourself too thin, so I restrict my bank accounts to only a couple, but I have cards from other banks so that, at least, I have a record with them – hopefully, a good one.
As mentioned earlier, I’ve had the fortune (pun intended) of having my credit limits increased every year because of good behavior. But beyond that, having a good credit score – and it applies not just to credit cards, but also your other bills – is beneficial in the long term. For one, you’ll be able to afford swiping for correspondingly huger purchases, perhaps even negotiate for a temporary increase in limit or terms if necessary. You’ll also be more likely to be approved for loans, should you need them in the future.
You may not be needing them per se, but it’s always better to be prepared for whatever comes your way, than not. As we become older, there will be many life changes we need to prepare for, such as buying a car or a house, education of children (if any), medical bills (or, at least, insurance to mitigate these), and the like. Through all that, the rewards system still stands, so for these bigger-ticket purchases, you’ll get correspondingly greater rewards as well. The convenience and flexibility factors are definitely perennial as well and should be a godsend. Of course, this is assuming good self-discipline – so it is always wise to start cultivating that behavior as early as possible, to handle small things well in order to handle big things well.
Many people often express their anxieties and regrets at getting or using credit cards. But if you really want to maximize resources provided you, I encourage you to face those fears and just cultivate self-control and discipline. With a wise and prudent approach, you’ll have nothing to be afraid of, and you’ll even benefit from it.
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Tagged credit card, credit card benefits, Finance, financial literacy, personal finance
Published by Aloy Chua
Aloy Chua is an educator, entrepreneur, writer, speaker, and consultant. He is the founder of The Daily You, Iroseh Trading, and Cura Learning, and believes in empowering every individual to live their Truly Best Life, a life of genuine purpose, rooted in awareness and service. He loves travel, boots, Pokémon, wellness, reading, music, and technology. Find out more about Aloy at http://www.aloychua.com. View all posts by Aloy Chua
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Martha, busy serving and fretting, loses sight of just who this special guest is that has come to her home to dine. There is a subtle connection between this week’s Gospel story and the Eucharist. We can come to Mass so busy and distracted that we perfunctorily go through the motions of Mass, forgetting whom we are so privileged to receive. We all easily forget to be like Mary and choose the best part.
Jesus has come to visit the family in Bethany and share a meal. At Mass, we come to Jesus’ house to visit and, yes, share a meal. We, like Martha, may approach Jesus frenzied, anxious, and worried about many things — work, home, or family. Perhaps we are also aggravated at someone we think should be assisting us, lending a hand, or helping out somehow.
Jesus’ words to Martha that “there is need of only one thing” should refocus our attention, too, on what is truly important. Like Martha, our eyes should remember who is before us. Sitting at His feet fills us with all the blessings and graces necessary for whatever lies ahead. Whether we face days of strife, hardship, or smooth sailing, it is inconsequential if we’ve not made developing a relationship with Christ our number one priority.
In all things, Jesus’ presence can restore and maintain our peace, keeping us steadfast in the hope of what’s to come, not just overwhelmed by the task before us. Jesus is truly present before us in the Eucharist. This time in Mass is our opportunity to choose the better part. To leave our toiling behind and sit at the master’s feet. To learn from his teaching, absorb his every word, to worship him in thanksgiving, and receive him — body, blood, soul, and divinity. The place we come “to rest under the tree… [and] refresh yourselves; and afterward, you may go on your way” (Gen 18:1-10). When we eat, we digest the food we’ve consumed, converting it into fuel for our bodies. However, when we consume Jesus in the Eucharist, he changes us, producing an in-dwelling of grace — fuel for our soul.
Jesus in the Eucharist is fully, truly present under the guise of bread and wine. In the flesh, no wonder Mary of Bethany preferred to sit by his side rather than scurry about and miss this incredible privilege to be in the master’s presence.
I remember a time in my life when I attended Mass with more of a Martha than a Mary mindset. I would grab a bulletin on my way into the church. During the Mass readings, I would daydream, running the week’s chores and tasks through my mind. During the homily, I would doodle my to-do list in the margins of the bulletin. My mind would wander again during the Consecration, unaware of the supernatural, glorious, awe-inspiring event happening upon the altar before me. The moment heaven and earth mystically collided — the humble substance of bread and wine became the even more humble substance of my Lord and Savior. The number one to-do on my list unfolded before me, yet I was distracted and longed to be someplace else. Then, driving home, I’d complain about never getting anything out of Mass.
Of course, I didn’t. Like Martha, I’d let the world cloud my vision and keep me from the one thing needed — the better part. Praise God, like Mary, it was not to be taken from me. Eventually, as I learned more about the Catholic faith and the beauty and magnificence of the Sacred Liturgy, I allowed myself to be present to all Jesus had for me in those moments. I left my agenda at the door and surrendered every moment of this visit to him.
In the words of St. Paul and the wisdom Mary possessed which Martha would soon learn, the better part exists in “the mystery hidden from ages and from generations past. But now it has been manifested to his holy ones, to whom God chose to make known the riches of the glory of this mystery among the Gentiles; it is Christ in you, the hope for glory.” (Col 1:26-28) Most significantly, in the Real Presence of Jesus Christ in the Eucharist.
Readings for the 16th Sunday in Ordinary Time: Lectionary 108
I am anxious and worried about many things.
Help me to remember there is need
You who comes to me in the Mass,
Body, Blood, Soul, and Divinity.
Provide me the grace, to choose
the better part and not allow it
to be taken from me.
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Costa Rica confirmed five new cases of the coronavirus over the past day, totaling 956 cumulative known cases, the Health Ministry announced Tuesday afternoon.
Over the same period, six more people recovered from COVID-19, leaving Costa Rica with 634 total recoveries and 312 known active cases.
Ten people have died after contracting the coronavirus. Thirteen people are hospitalized with COVID-19; two people are in intensive care.
Costa Rica has processed a total of 23,703 diagnostic tests for SARS-CoV-2 (123 more than Monday), which corresponds to 4,637 tests per 1 million people. The country has averaged 230 daily tests over the last five days.
Ongoing coronavirus measures
Costa Rica has extended its border restrictions, banning foreign visitors until June 15. The government has announced a timeline for reopening the country and began opening national parks and beaches last week.
“Imported cases are one of the biggest risks we face as a country,” Román Macaya, president of the Costa Rican Social Security System, said Saturday.
Health Minister Daniel Salas said Monday that Costa Rica will re-apply measures if the amount of cases begins impacting the country’s healthcare capacity.
“Let’s be responsible, please,” said the Minister of Public Security, Michael Soto, noting the amount of people who have flouted health recommendations. “You are risking your health, and also the health of your family and people around you.”
If you believe you may have contracted the coronavirus or have questions regarding the virus, contact Costa Rican health authorities by dialing 1322.
Click a blue marker for more information. Data updated through May 25. We are updating with Tuesday’s data:
Tico Times graph.
Timeline of COVID-19 in Costa Rica
March 6: Costa Rica confirms first COVID-19 case.
March 9: Costa Rica suspends mass gatherings, tells employees to work from home.
March 16: Costa Rica declares State of Emergency, restricts entry to non-citizens
and non-residents. In-person teaching suspended.
March 18: Costa Rica reports first COVID-19-related death.
March 20: Costa Rica reports second COVID-19-related death. All national parks close.
March 23: Beaches and religious centers ordered to close. Nighttime driving ban announced.
March 31: Costa Rica inaugurates coronavirus-specific hospital at CENARE.
April 4-12: Costa Rica imposes significant travel restrictions during Semana Santa.
April 15: Costa Rica reports fourth COVID-19-related death.
April 17: Costa Rica registers first day-over-day decrease in known active coronavirus cases. This trend continues until May 12.
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Autumn, with it's leaves falling from the trees and to the ground, does the same to me, strips me bare and to the core.
With all 3 occurring, always, at once?
It gets harder and harder to put my shoulder down and just plow through.
September means the end of days filled with sun, hours, and my children about me and within my reach.
My birthday means another year older, with less dreams realized, and the ticking of the clock marching on.
Autumn, with its trees left skeletal, has always reminded me that another year has also lost it's life, and is coming to an end.
As I said, not.a.good.time for me.
And, I'm faced with the ordinariness.
Of me.
I am ordinary.
I had the dreams of any person for myself.
To write to the point where people reading my words would be able to feel my ache; to be able to dance a barefoot dance so exquisite that to those watching, the sound of the music would fall away; to be able to sing in the clearest voice that those listening would be left unable to move and only to sit, and listen, and not a thing more.
But my life has worked itself to be one of ordinariness. Where I have laid my dreams down.
I am an ordinary woman who stays home with her children.
There is no book that has my name on its cover, there is no ballet where I danced to the point of utter silence, there is no song that anyone heard me sing, that left them breathless.
But, then, I look at my children, and they are the song I didn't sing, the dance that never was, and the book that remains unwritten.
When I look in their eyes, I enter a plane of existence other than the 3 dimensional one we live in. There is no skin nor bone that separates us.
When I catch their faces, turned at such an angle, that for a split second where time stops, I see the ghost of my face in the curve of their cheek.
No matter how poetically written, or eloquently delivered, the account of my life is that of an ordinary woman.
I am ordinary.
Am I really? [see below]
Tweet from Ree, ThePioneerWoman
Gotcha! * [my apologies if I had you goin' and played on your emotions and made you deeply concerned enough to leave something awesome on here for me......I can be obnoxious like that...I still do not like autumn, my birthday, or September--that doesn't change]
65 comments:
Cheryl Thursday, October 07, 2010
Also, you, my friend, are FAR from ordinary. You can't touch so many people the way you do by being ordinary.
Besides, you're the freaking EMPRESS!
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Kristina P. Friday, October 08, 2010
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KiKi Friday, October 08, 2010
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The Mayor! Friday, October 08, 2010
SWEET!! Yes, we do so love our Twitter...& our Blue Nun!! You, my dear, rock the world in so many ways, & have touched so many people! Never for a moment think you are ordinary...besides, you've spent far too much time in Crazy Town, you have to be certifiable by now! Thank you again for playing along...what fun we have together!! :-))
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The Mayor! Friday, October 08, 2010
WAIT!! One more thing!! HAPPY BIRTHDAY!!! How did I miss that?? Of course, I too spend September wallowing in a pit of despair...losing my kidlets, losing the long summer days, losing my sh** trying to get back to routines & crazy schedules...but still, no excuse...I hope it was as fabulous as you are!!
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Booyah's Momma Friday, October 08, 2010
You are anything but ordinary! Although, I had to admit... I had to Google Blue Nun, because I had no idea what it was. Maybe I am the one that is ordinary.
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The Blogging Goddess Friday, October 08, 2010
You are famous and I can say I knew you when...and my dear...you are hardly ordinary..perhaps extraordinary...yes, definitely extraordinary.
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The Last Girl Standing Friday, October 08, 2010
I love Ree! She just seems so down-to-earth. Mind you, I still didn't have the guts to talk to her when I came face to face with her at blogHer. Instead I tweeted that I had just seen her and wanted to ask her to set me up with a cute cowboy. lol
For the record, you are extraordinary. When you write I feel your ache, dance to your music and sing your song.
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Jessica Friday, October 08, 2010
Lol! That's wonderful! Congrats! They say ordinary people do ordinary things. You, my dear, do extraordinary things both as a writer and mother, and, are thus, extraordinary!
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Anonymous Friday, October 08, 2010
I've been following you since you flew onto the scene breaking all my records for number of followers. I've felt completely awed by your writing and your love of your children.
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Susan Payton Friday, October 08, 2010
I was just blogging around this morning and found your blog. I love reading different blogs, it's so enjoyable getting to know different people, different points of view, and the seeing the different talents people have. Thank you so much for letting me visit.
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Joann Mannix Friday, October 08, 2010
Look at you! Chatting with the superstars!
And the word I define you in is so far more than ordinary, it is extraordinary.
You are extraordinary in your exemplary mothering. You are extraordinary in the way you embrace those around you. You are extraordinary in these words you weave. Just look at that post. Take a moment and reread it. It is spellbinding. You are extraordinary in the grace with which you choose to live your life.
And as for me personally, you have left your mark on me. You have taken me in and lifted me up at times when I needed it the most. You have pushed and held my hand and what you have given me is invaluable. And i know, that I am one of many. I'm pretty sure there was a post written about a certain Fairy Blogmother, by a certain Gigi.
So, you my dear, are far, far from ordinary. You are grace and goodness. You are Empress Extraordinaire.
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Eternal Worrier Friday, October 08, 2010
I'm not a lover of this time of year either. Going to and coming home from work in the dark...yuck. Thank you for your comment at my blog. I have to say that blog posts with 'pictures of one year olds smashing cupcakes into their faces' sounds very funny to me and I did infact smile as I read your comment something that I dont do often when reading my own blog.
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Deborah Friday, October 08, 2010
Am I out of the loop that I don't know who that woman is? I'm so far out of the loop I think loop is a thing that typesetters look through. Oh right! It is! (I am a recovering typesetter.)
But I know who you are. I see your generous spirit everywhere. You are giving everywhere, most of all to your family and darling children.
Rock on Empress. I will always live in your kingdom.
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Anonymous Friday, October 08, 2010
Cool beans!!! And you say she and I are buds!!!
And whaddya mean not telling us it was your birfday? And whaddya mean that I didn't know you had a Twitter? And whaddya mean I have a Twitter but haven't figured out how to match it up to my blog?
You're the coolest of the cool. You have a mural, for pete's sake!! And you Tweet with Ree! Why worry about being normal? Normal is totally overrated... and I think impossible with a houseload of boys.
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Lemon Gloria Friday, October 08, 2010
No, lovely lady, you are far from ordinary. But the melancholy of fall is a powerful thing, and it will pull a person down if you let it.
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Organic Motherhood with Cool Whip Friday, October 08, 2010
Happy Birthday, sweet Empress!! You know I think you are extraordinary. And then some.
Rock on with your bad self, chatting with the Pioneer Woman. You know I love you. xoxoxox
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TKW Friday, October 08, 2010
High five and a herky! Ree is awesome!
Happy Belated birthday, famous one!
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Jack Steiner Friday, October 08, 2010
Dreams don't quite die until we let them- unless you are like me and want to play in the NBA. I think that it ended when I turned 41 and accepted that I wasn't going to be 6'5.
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Lori @ In Pursuit of It All Friday, October 08, 2010
I don't do my birthday any more. It was too agonizing for too long. I don't think i can skip the getting older part, damnit, but I am done with the annual grief that is my birthday.
But loving wishes for you, regardless.
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Bossy Betty Friday, October 08, 2010
Empress--You are indeed special--to so many people!
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Carrie Friday, October 08, 2010
Are you kidding me? You have plenty of time to make your dreams come true. Have you seen Betty White lately? She is on FIRE! I'm just saying... ;-)
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Coffeypot Friday, October 08, 2010
I like September. It's my birth month, too (27th) and it's football weather. I love the changing colors of the trees and the cooler days.
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Cluttered Brain Friday, October 08, 2010
i was just gonna say U R not just ordinary. You are extraordinary. And now that you got a tweet from Ree...Wow!
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Dana @ Bungalow'56 Friday, October 08, 2010
Wishing we lived closer, would love to go for a coffee, a non virtual one. Sometimes this cyber thing is just not enough. I've been really trying to figure out what it is that brings joy into our lives. True Joy. It happens to me when I least expect it. I want to bottle it up and have it on hand when I too am feeling ordinary and that my life is well... ordinary. I think it is when we realize it is in the ordinary that life is waiting for us... waiting to be unwrapped, experienced and en"joy"ed. Look who's being Yoda now? Have no idea what got into me there. But I'm too lazy to delete.
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ComfyMom~Stacey Friday, October 08, 2010
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tulpen Friday, October 08, 2010
Happy Birthday, whenever it actually is.
This is my absolute FAVORITE time of the year. I'm sure if we sat down over a case of wine I could convince you to love it. And maybe you could convince me to love Twitter, 'cause so far? Meh.
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Shell Friday, October 08, 2010
Had to laugh at your "punchline."
But, really- the feeling of being ordinary- none of us ever dreams of growing up and being ordinary. But, to our kids, we are not.
At least not until they are teenagers. And then I'll have to find another argument.
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twelvedaysold Friday, October 08, 2010
See? You really are an empress.
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Pamela Friday, October 08, 2010
See? There's no way The Pioneer Woman would tweet just an ordinary old blogger!! I keep telling you this, but it's true - you ROCK!! Don't ever forget it. Oh, and Happy Belated, my dear Empress;) xoxo
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Helena Friday, October 08, 2010
If you are ordinary, then it cannot be a bad thing.
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Only You Friday, October 08, 2010
Ha, no one is tweeting me! But then I barely know what that is...so behind on the times!
Funny post...you had me nearly crying the whole way through. First of all, HAPPY BIRTHDAY! I can't believe you didn't tell us. I love people's birthdays! You are so not ordinary, Alexandra, and you know that you don't need anything "official" to prove your worth and value in the lives of others. I love that you saw that value reflected in your children. And that is a mother's work, isn't it? We don't get accolades or recognition. But you know you've done something extraordinary by raising your children to be good human beings. You're a caring, wonderful mother and friend and there is nothing simply ordinary about that.
Love to you for the best year to come!
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Anonymous Friday, October 08, 2010
Happy Birthday!
Did you get my package?
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mypixieblog Friday, October 08, 2010
Empress... if there's anything you are... it is FAR from ordinary. I would never put you two in the same sentence. Ever. Your words always sing to me and I love to hear your stories. You don't need your name in print to validate that you are sincerely loved and admired in the blogging community.
Lookatchoo, rubbing shoulders with the fabulous and famous. I can say I knew you when ;)
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Ms. G Friday, October 08, 2010
Did I miss a birthday? That won't do. Happy Birthday now!
"To write to the point where people reading my words would be able to feel my ache"
Mission accomplished Dear Empress, you are Exquisite!
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Unknown Friday, October 08, 2010
Ordinary is not a word I would use to describe you. You take the time to share your words, you share your love for your children, you share your encouragement. Each of us is lucky to read your words, and I wish you a truly magical birthday.
The twitter is just gravy!
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KLZ Friday, October 08, 2010
I love you, I love Twitter. You are both so lovely and equality-oriented.
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Lucky Dame Friday, October 08, 2010
Ordinary? Hardly.
We all bow down to you and your greatness.
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Hutch Friday, October 08, 2010
I'm not a fan of the word ordinary. I think everyone has their own story and uniqueness that to others sounds like a dream. I dream one day of having kids and being able to look at them and see bits of myself reflected back. And I would never have been able to put it as eloquently as you just did. So no, I don't think you're ordinary :)
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Anonymous Friday, October 08, 2010
Nice one! You had me fooled. Although, it is the first time I visited your blog, so I didn't know what to expect.
And your thoughts of dreams put aside...even if it is a bit of a joke, it's also: not. Which is sad, and makes me all the more pleased to laugh at it.
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Little Girl::Big Glasses Friday, October 08, 2010
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Kimberly Friday, October 08, 2010
Empress, you know I'm going to totally kick you in the taco. I was all deeply concerned for you and I was all "I better think of something really facken heartfelt" cause I'm all caring of you like that and when I got to the bottom, I didn't get it and I had to re-read it. Empress, I read this again.
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lisahgolden Friday, October 08, 2010
I love Twitter for that ability! I got a tweet from the author Ayelet Waldman and nearly plotzed.
Ordinary is subjective. Now stop that.
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Claudya Martinez Friday, October 08, 2010
Yup, I agree. I think you are extraordinary, too.
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Liz Friday, October 08, 2010
I WAS feeling all sad and empathetic towards you, but now I see you are just a faker faker belly-acher! That's so great that Ree tweeted you!
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mdforkids Friday, October 08, 2010
Yeah, you totally had me. Still, it was beautifully written and executed. A tweet from the Pioneer Woman!? Awesome.
Happy Belated Birthday. I still love the line "I see the ghost of my face in the curve of their cheek". Have a wonderful weekend :)
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The Flying Chalupa Friday, October 08, 2010
Damn, I was caught hook, line and sinker. What a gorgeous, poetic post, I thought! And it is - gorgeous, poetic and mischievous! You are so VIP in the blogosphere, it's not even funny. Especially when you wear that red ermine cape I love. It matches your sapphire crown.
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Melinda Saturday, October 09, 2010
Well, your writing is certainly not ordinary -- and I know when life gets a little less crazy -- when those kiddos are grown -- you will find your dream again and maybe that name on a book!
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Unknown Saturday, October 09, 2010
Clearly there is no need for my to plump your ego, as the tweet from Ree has you on Cloud 9. Need I say that I'm green with envy?
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Life Without Pink Saturday, October 09, 2010
OMG girl you made it!!!! lol
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Sheena Simpson Saturday, October 09, 2010
There doesn't seem to be anyone else around. lala Oh sorry, got caught in the moment. You and I are destined to be great friends I see it now. It's only right royalty stick with royalty. (Don't tell anyone but I am Queen in my kingdom.)
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Joey Lynn Resciniti Sunday, October 10, 2010
I think any of us could morph into extraordinary at any moment, but does it have to be on Twitter?
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Thought Bubble Ten Monday, October 11, 2010
Wow! I snuck in lured by your post and perhaps hoping that your great writing skills might rub off on me! And what did I find? A gathering of admirers toasting one of blogosphere's celebrities.
I am in awe. I don't know anyone here but that won't stop me from expressing my admiration for your writing (what little I've read of it) and to say how I too have felt desperately 'ordinary' and perhaps have more reason than you for feeling so!
But, like everyone else here, I too hasten to add that you don't smell the slightest bit ordinary to me. Every good wish to you. May you continue to rise to the greatness of your ever expanding vision!
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Mrs.Mayhem Monday, October 11, 2010
You're a celebrity!
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The Absence of Alternatives Monday, October 11, 2010
Most of the awesome movies are about ordinary people do ordinary things that turn out to be extraordinary. And yes I agree: Twitter is unique in this way.
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Natalie Monday, October 11, 2010
I'm soooo waiting for the day that Ree or The Bloggess acknowledge me. I'm pretty jealous right now ;)
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K A B L O O E Y Monday, October 11, 2010
You foiled your own argument, Empress, by writing too damn well. But I feel you. My birthday doesn't do me in, nor even the ordinary-ness that has overtaken my *big* plans and expectations. But the Winter? F*ck, yeah. I get the S.A.D. blues so bad I want to switch anti-depressants and buy one (or twelve) of those 'spensive UV lamps. Let's keep commiserating.
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Anonymous Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I may be a few days late in wishing you a happy birthday, but just wanted to say that you are FARRRR from ordinary. See? even PW thinks you're pretty rockin'!
And today is my boy's b-day... maybe that could make up for my missing yours? Maybe?
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Yuliya Tuesday, October 12, 2010
I want to be your kind of ordinary, beam me up Scotty...er Empress!
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Amber Page Writes Wednesday, October 13, 2010
Rock on with your bad self, you Pioneer Woman attention gatherer you! I echo your thoughts about fall. Sucks, really.
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Anonymous Thursday, October 14, 2010
This post made me get chills down my arms (the part about your kids being your unsung song) . . . and then laugh! I love the PW as well. She's the one who got me into this whole crazy blogging world.
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Unknown Saturday, October 16, 2010
I am cracking up. You had me going! I love your sense of humor. But you know, I live for Fall - I kid you not. All the happy things. Adventure, my marriage, my birthday, new starts ...
Just catching up after all this time away. :-)
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Lanita Friday, October 22, 2010
I crave ordinary.
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SurferWife Friday, October 29, 2010
And the famous continues..... With more love from The P Woman herself.
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Tina Saturday, September 01, 2012
Har den äran på födelsedagen min vän! That's Swedish for happy birthday my friend. You and I are opposites I just learned. Autumn is my favorite time of year. The ONLY redeeming qualities of summer are it's looser schedule, and the constant presence of the two miracle children God blessed me with. Well them, and all their friends, all day, one big party of teens, eating me out of house and home and having a blast. We're "the house" where the neighborhood gathers. Seven boys on our short little 1/2 circle of a street. The names and ages have changed as people come and go, but it's a families with kids neighborhood (build in 1974) I love having kids around."
I LOVE being "the house:. Secretly hoped for it since childhood when we were that house for our neighborhood, and my wonderful mother would let everyone in and let us EAT BETWEEN MEALS because there were kids over hwo were used to snacks between meals ;-) I digress. I'm on bed rest for asthma and am taking crazy drugs and can't shut up.
Back to autumn. It finally gets cooler. The slant of the sun changes. Leaves turn amazing colors. Then comes winter, cold, stark, icicles hanging like daggers, snow covering the ground, covering up all manner of unsightly things. Blizzards leave you housebound, but kids can walk through snow and show up. We drink cocoa and make popcorn and sit in front of our wood burning stove. Holidays. (This magical place I'm raving about is Colorado).
Ok, post length comment. Sorry.
I can't expect you to remember me, but I've been your follower since 2010...and you mine. Or were. I can never tell who it is who leaves...does anyone know how to find out, btw? I've just met a lot of people in between and can't make it around to ALL the people I follow with any consistency. So hi. Nice to see you again. (I probably had under 30 followers when we met. I'm nw at 391...)
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Editor’s Note: We regret to inform you that The Evening Look’s Holmes Hall correspondent O. Justice has found Jesus and now lends his extensive investigative talents to The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints. L. Squirrel has temporarily taken up the quest to discover the elusive Holmes Hall in his stead. This is the story of how we lost Justice. We eagerly await his return.
Read the first installment of the Holmes Hall series here.
Dark, wet, and dreary. The perfect weather. With my trenchcoat collar popped and a black bowler hat atop my head, I retain complete anonymity. I am one with the night, only visible by the smoky light of my vintage Woodrow Wilson pipe, custom-engraved with “Black Lives Matter”. I can stealthily drift across the campus of this mysterious institution, rivaling Sisyphus in my devotion to duty. The drizzling rain makes it easier to escape from the clutching grasps of the diabolical swine who roam these forsaken lands. They seek to muzzle me, to cover my mouth and suppress my speech by force. But I will not be silenced. As a wise man once stated, they merely adopted the dark. I was born in it, molded by it. And men of the darkness do not wear masks.
The weather reminds me of a similar night many moons ago. The night when I became a pariah. But I was not searching for the place that currently occupies my every waking moment. I was searching for a person. I was searching for the foundational scholar of this column and the quest it entails — Justice himself. He had been missing for almost sixteen hours. He left at dawn that morning, stumbling half-naked off the second-floor balcony of our offices and proclaiming a breakthrough in the case. It was the second-to-last time I would ever see my friend.
I knew something was terribly wrong when the clock struck eleven. He never missed an opportunity to lay back in the moldy reclining chair stolen from his grandmother’s estate sale, throw back some gin & tonic, and accuse Jimmy Kimmel of war crimes. His absence from this nightly ritual was a grim sign indeed. I set off immediately, searching for the obvious signs: a trail of discarded mini bottles of Fireball or the scent of cocaine cut with Annie’s white cheddar mac n’ cheese powder. I picked up a trail that took me in circles around a large, circular brick building, finally concluding by the statue of a man dribbling a basketball in shorts that revealed a disconcertingly large bulge. Perplexed, I wondered if it was indicative of a larger health issue. Fearing that all was lost, my attention was suddenly drawn to the gray-roofed quadrilateral complex to my east.
The building was surrounded by flashing lights, blinding me with their suddenness in my pitch-black surroundings. I had seen nothing like that since a forgotten day in Budapest many years ago. I walked up to the building, sneaking past the driverless cars to take a look inside. Peering through the foggy glass, I saw Justice for the last time. He was magnificent, riding a Zamboni in circles around the ice as he tossed popcorn at imaginary spectators, a Taiwanese flag draped from his shoulders. A field of broken glass littered the rink and a gigantic container of industrial lubricant lay sideways, spilling its contents into the west net. It was an ethereal sight, but it disappeared before I could truly comprehend its brilliance. A cadre of armed men swooped down from the rafters, tackling Justice to the ice. I turned away, unable to watch the scene unfolding before me. Justice may be blind, but I can see clearly now. The rain is gone. I can see all the obstacles in my way. They told us that Justice was put into rehab. They told us he was doing well; he discovered the Bible from some missionaries and was moving to Utah. But I know the truth.
You may have gotten my friend. Converted him to your coffee-less hullabaloo, filling another page in your binders full of men. But know this, o’ faithless guardians of Holmes Hall. I am coming. I will not cease. I am homeless, untethered to this mortal realm. And so I fear not the reaper as I throw glass at stone houses. And I will tear down the gates that guard this modern-day Forbidden City, unleashing its many gifts upon the world. I just have to find it first.
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Posted on October 12, 2020 April 16, 2021 Categories All Posts, Campus, The Morning WatchTags Detective Work, fiction, Holmes Hall Saga, Losing a Friend, Mormonism, Munn, NoirLeave a comment on Who Is The Holmes Hall RA?: O. Justice, Where Art Thou?
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Entitled Egyptian, this 1990 mixed media collage abstract on paper is by optical abstract artist Bernard Zawisa (1925-2000). Entranced by the color of the seasons and the versatility of the newly-developed acrylic paints, Bernard J. Zawisa spent half a century crafting vivid abstract forms with acrylic, ink, and mixed media. He began his art practice after serving in the US Air Corps during WWII, receiving his BA from Wesleyan University and his MFA from the University of Iowa. Following his studies of Art History and English, he joined Southern Connecticut State University as an art professor in 1958 and taught until his retirement in 1994. During his summers, Zawisa created art while traveling throughout North and Central America, Europe, and the Middle East. He placed great importance on the intuitive transition between color and form unique to acrylic paint, and avoided figurative content. His work is now represented in the permanent collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, DC. The Salon is proud to host several of his more raw and angular early work from the 60’s (Works of Texture, Bridge Series), his highly geometric and organized paintings from the Early-Mid 70’s (Quatrefoil Series, Circle Series, Grid Pattern), and a selection of his late works from the late 70’s to 90’s (Star Series, Galaxy Series).
Signed and titled lower right. Excellent vintage condition. Framed in the original artist selected vintage frame lightly restored with archival materials and conservation clear glass.
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Events
Date November 14, 2008
I have been a missionary doctor in Mozambique for many years, and an unusual way to spread the knowledge of the Christian faith has developed here, that of a Scripture memory catechism class. There are 21 men from various churches and backgrounds who meet together on Saturdays to check out on Scripture memory they have done during the week. Though all of them appreciate the passages they have committed to memory, perhaps few would have put so many hours into the effort without the material remuneration that was the reason we began the programme over ten years ago.
Living in a land of ubiquitous poverty, we are beseeched continually by beggars wanting alms, by more sophisticated strangers pleading for large bursaries for study programmes or house building, and by our own brothers and sisters in Christ facing pressing financial needs to continue school or obtain medical care. Driving a car and owning a computer while surrounded by so much poverty is one of the disadvantages of living in a place like Mozambique. In our early years I sometimes wished I could return to the States for a few moments so I could enjoy an occasional candy bar without feeling guilty. Over time one does become inured to such things, but then he must lament what has happened to his soul in the process.
Mindful of Christ’s instruction to give to everyone who asks, yet not wanting to promote a welfare mentality, we always tried to find some job people could do to earn the money they wanted. However, some people requested a whole month’s salary ($77 here), many handicapped people couldn’t work at all, and the time it took to help all the supplicants earn their money soon made the first approach unwieldy. Finally we stumbled upon the idea of paying people to memorize Scripture. We offered everyone requesting money a day’s wage for every eight verses they learned. That way they could get as much money as they really wanted at the rate they needed it. We soon found that most people didn’t need the money that much, but over the years perhaps a hundred have been diligent to earn significant sums of money this way. Single mothers with little ones to feed, students with school fees to pay, and even young children trying to lighten the family’s financial load have memorized Scripture.
A few ambitious single fellows even constructed excellent huts and paid all their bills just from their memory work. The total assistance for all participants seldom exceeds $60 a week, yet it makes a significant difference for those who take advantage of it.
The preceding explanation is offered to lessen on the one hand the gall that some would perceive on the part of someone paying people to memorize Scripture, and to avoid on the other the unwarranted pleasure of thinking the memory work was being done solely for its own sake. One pleasant assertion we CAN make without qualification is this: the family sponsoring the Scripture catechism project does love the Word of God and would gladly lay out much more to see that Word penetrate the minds and hearts of even more Mozambicans.
The Scripture verses are arranged like a catechism, with 323 questions relating to both doctrine and Christian living. Each response is a short passage of Scripture, usually one to four verses in length, which answers in a pithy, distinct fashion the question set forth. The first two pages of the catechism are given out for free, but after that the participants buy each of the 40 succeeding pages. Anyone who does not own a Bible puts half of his first earnings into purchasing one at a cost of $3.00 (eight verses). Each Saturday the participants check off on their verses, but before they receive credit for new ones they must successfully pass a short review of previously learned passages. That way they keep their memory work fresh through constant review at home.
Of the 21 people now in the programme, eight have learned the entire 323 passages and serve as proctors for the other students. The proctors can earn up to $6.00 (about two days’wages) each Saturday by passing a review of 30 previously learned passages. In this way they cycle through the entire catechism every 11 weeks.
Though the original reason for the programme was to help with the financial needs of people who were motivated to help themselves, we have seen satisfying spiritual results, especially in the case of our church members.
One man years ago went through a period of trial at home that caused him to cease attending services for a month. When he returned he testified to the congregation that during this time a verse he had memorized in the programem, 1 John 2:19, kept repeating itself in his mind, ‘They went out from us, but they were not really of us, for if they had been of us, they would have remained with us; but they went out in order that it might be shown that they all are not of us.’ The thought that this verse could possibly apply to him was so disturbing that he roused himself from his lethargy and returned to the Way, and continued faithful right up to the time of his death.
Another young woman strayed into sin and was chastened severely but lovingly from the Lord. Rather than growing bitter, she saw a host of verses she had memorized on chastening being played out in her own life and was full of wonder that God would love her so much as to compel her to abandon the path she was pursuing. Of her own volition she confessed her sin to the church and gave a moving testimony from one of the verses she had learned in the Scripture catechism, Proverbs 3:11-12, ‘My son, despise not the chastening of the Lord, neither be weary of his correction, for whom the Lord loveth he correcteth, even as a father the son in whom he delighteth.’ Since that time she has grown consistently from strength to strength, walking close to the Lord and loving him.
There are other encouraging stories related to the Scripture catechism programme. Thank God with us for the fruitfulness of his Word, and pray that we might see more of its transforming power in our ministry.
Dr Charles Woodrow and his wife Julie serve in Nampula, Mozambique, with Grace Missions Mozambique. The above is taken from their October 2008 Newsletter. The Woodrows are members of Faith Community Church in Oxnard, California.
What Can We Learn from John Knox? November 24, 2022
If it were to be asked what is the recurring theme in Knox’s words and writings the answer is perhaps a surprising one. Sometimes he could be severe, and sometimes extreme. Given the days and the harshness of the persecution he witnessed, it would be understandable if these elements had preponderated in his ministry. But […]
Reformed, But Ever Reforming October 31, 2022
It is rather audacious to claim that we are reformed. It can also be misleading when we call ourselves Reformed Churches. For this might imply that we believe that our denominations are truly reformed; or, even worse, that at some point in the past we were or became reformed and that the task of reform […]
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Ton Jansen has worked tirelessly for 35 years to achieve quick, gentle and lasting cures for his patients. In this book, his third, he continues to add new remedies to reach this goal for our patients. It is an indispensable tool to achieve consistently better results in our practice.
Homeopatic insight into plant and tree remedies
“A patient’s case can seem like a forest of symptoms. There can be so much information, and we need to process it. We need to find ‘the way through the woods’! This book aims to do just that.”
Ton Jansen’s book “Fighting Fire with Fire”
treatment solutions for 21st century diseases
“In the thirty years that I have worked in my practice, I have always studied and read a lot. I wanted to understand the truth about homeopathy. I believe this is very important, especially when we look at the public opinion of homeopathy in the western world today. Homeopathy deserves recognition as the powerful and elegant system of medicine it truly is…
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Sapient is a digital business transformation company and a tech giant which works for many big names across the globe. In the year 2016 Sapient wanted to do a hiring campaign which could change the image of Sapient amongst the target audience who were disruptors and not the safe players.
Our campaign aimed to address the complete spectrum of talent management at Sapient we articulated traits that will make talent succeed in the ‘new’ Sapient – the disruptor or innovator who can challenge the status quo, invent or innovate, transform clients, adapt to change and redefine them while having fun at work and giving back to the society. We wanted to attract well-rounded personalities with a drive to reimagine the world we live in. The campaign tagline had to be a strong call to the disruptor, innovator – we chose “Troublemaker” because we firmly believe no one ever created history without creating a little bit of trouble.
Sapient is a digital business transformation company and a tech giant which works for many big names across the globe. In the year 2016 Sapient wanted to do a hiring campaign which could change the image of Sapient amongst the target audience who were disruptors and not the safe players.
Our campaign aimed to address the complete spectrum of talent management at Sapient we articulated traits that will make talent succeed in the ‘new’ Sapient – the disruptor or innovator who can challenge the status quo, invent or innovate, transform clients, adapt to change and redefine them while having fun at work and giving back to the society. We wanted to attract well-rounded personalities with a drive to reimagine the world we live in. The campaign tagline had to be a strong call to the disruptor, innovator – we chose “Troublemaker” because we firmly believe no one ever created history without creating a little bit of trouble.
Sapient is a digital business transformation company and a tech giant which works for many big names across the globe. In the year 2016 Sapient wanted to do a hiring campaign which could change the image of Sapient amongst the target audience who were disruptors and not the safe players.
Our campaign aimed to address the complete spectrum of talent management at Sapient we articulated traits that will make talent succeed in the ‘new’ Sapient – the disruptor or innovator who can challenge the status quo, invent or innovate, transform clients, adapt to change and redefine them while having fun at work and giving back to the society. We wanted to attract well-rounded personalities with a drive to reimagine the world we live in. The campaign tagline had to be a strong call to the disruptor, innovator – we chose “Troublemaker” because we firmly believe no one ever created history without creating a little bit of trouble.
Sr. Integrated Creative
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Brief: To promote Gold’s Gym in the most cost-effective manner, minus television commercials, print or outdoor advertising.
Solution: We created regular leaflets with a slight twist. And took it to jogging parks across the city. The leaflets have a printed image of a man’s stomach. The leaflets were folded three times and as a result of this, got divided into eight parts. These folded leaflets were handed over to the targets. When a jogger unfolded the leaflet with ease, he saw actual eight pack abs – just the result they desired.
Message: a) Building 8-pack abs is as simple as unfolding this paper.
b) On the flip side of the opened leaflet, a note mentions that one producing this leaflet one would receive a 20% discount on enrolling at any branch.
Within a week of this exercise, Gold’s Gym saw 400 people walk in across all branches in Mumbai, of which 223 people joined the gym under different plans.
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Certainly we can and probably should spend the time & effort to study, with significant rigor, the outcomes of mismatched admissions to demanding programs….but truly, it’s much simpler than all that.
Consider a Track Meet.
In order to run the 800 m. at State you have to be fast. How fast? Well, first you have to make it on the Team. That’s pretty fast. Then you have to win at any number of meets; that’s even faster. Then fast at District…then faster still at Regionals….and only then — after winning at every single qualifying test — only then will we say, “Yes, Bob, we’d like you to run the 800m at State.”
There is no mismatch problem. Everyone who’s in the race is qualified. Everyone who’s there is fast. We know they’re fast because they had to prove that speed over and over again against the best competition throughout the season. No doubts; no mismatch; fast vs. fast, may the best man win.
Now let us consider a State Track Meet in which we ‘special-handle’ the unqualified.
We take Steve, as for instance, who isn’t fast enough to make on to his school’s varsity team and we put him there anyway. He loses a lot of races. But that doesn’t matter because we mismatch him again at District and Regionals. He finishes at the bottom. And then, through an entirely misplaced sense of Diversity, Inclusivity, and Equity, we take poor old Steve….,poor SLOW old Steve…and we give him a lane at the State Meet (because, gosh, it’s good to have a number of Steves at State Meets). Steve then gets his butt kicked.
Not just a little bit kicked. Steve is humiliated. He is lapped before he finishes the first 400. He quits the race, partway down the backstretch because the winners are already on the podium being metal’d. He feels horrible; the Coach is pissed; the team feels bad for Steve and angry that Bill, a much faster runner, was pushed aside to make room for good, old, slow Steve.
Did this embarrassment do anyone any good? Is Steve now a better person because he failed utterly at a contest he never should have entered?
In Real Life…life outside these ivied halls…mismatch problems don’t happen because, in Real Life, real talent matters. No one is shocked at that. The reason I’m not starting guard for the extraordinarily NON-DIVERSE, NON-INCLUSIVE, NO-EQUITY Lakers is because I’m not not not not not anywhere near good enough to play starting guard for the Lakers (even though there’s no one who looks like me actually on the team).
So why do we play these silly reindeer games here? Why do we place the academically unqualified in positions they’ll only fail? Why do we move aside the better candidate to humiliate a lesser? Do we consider that harmless? Do we consider the resulting humiliation a ‘good try on our part’?
It’s sad; it’s pathetic; it’s wrong…and it’s all kinds of cruel. It’s also unconstitutional and immoral. It obviously must stop…even without reading the paper which tells us what everyone already knows. This does not and cannot work.
Anonymous
Kansas City, Missouri
Author Letters to the Editor
“Dollars on demand” policies must end
Nov 20, 2022 › Letters to the Editor
The Navy’s DEI efforts are a much needed course correction
Science and history should be a part of Great Books
Nov 13, 2022 › Letters to the Editor
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“Dollars on demand” policies must end Nov 20, 2022
If you borrow money you have to pay it back. Terence, this is stupidly silly and obviously true stuff. The fact that a bunch of overgrown children, who have no … Continue reading ““Dollars on demand” policies must end”
The Navy’s DEI efforts are a much needed course correction Nov 20, 2022
To the editor: A recent article titled “The United States Naval Academy is Adrift” by Mr. J. A. Cauthen, a fellow alumni and former history teacher, decried the “Wokeness” of … Continue reading “The Navy’s DEI efforts are a much needed course correction”
Science and history should be a part of Great Books Nov 13, 2022
To the editor: Unfortunately these Great Books programs are mostly philosophy oriented. I found that they were greatly deficient in two areas: (1) science and math: only Darwin’s Origin of … Continue reading “Science and history should be a part of Great Books”
The “ivory tower” has long been the lens through which...
Jill Biden and the Doctoring of Doctoral Degrees for Nondoctors Feb 17, 2021
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50 years ago, I was a first-year student at the University of Texas School of Law. Then, it occupied about the same place in the hierarchy of American law schools … Continue reading “An American Law School, Then and Now”
Which Majors Do Students Most Regret, and Why? Dec 1, 2022
Former students regretting the choices they made during college isn’t a new phenomenon. Perhaps they wish they’d attended a different school, taken out fewer student loans, or considered their school’s … Continue reading “Which Majors Do Students Most Regret, and Why?”
How Our Higher-Education System Could Put Students First Nov 30, 2022
American higher education is a stunning success, but mostly for the people who work in it. Faculty members and administrators enjoy employment that pays pretty well and is more secure … Continue reading “How Our Higher-Education System Could Put Students First”
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At The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC, Paul offers clients nearly 20 years of experience obtaining full and fair compensation in serious auto accident claims. Paul focuses his entire practice on these cases. Before opening the personal injury practice, Paul was an insurance adjuster for three years. He understands the insurance industry and utilizes that knowledge in pursuit of the best possible outcome for every client.
Paul has successfully represented Colorado clients in a wide variety of auto accident claims, including:
Suffering serious injuries in a motor vehicle accident can change your life forever. When these injuries occur in accidents that happen because of another driver’s negligent behavior, victims have the right to be fully compensated for their medical care and any other losses associated with the accident.
These are complex cases, and the insurance companies that represent negligent drivers will go to great lengths to avoid paying the full value of your claim. If you have been seriously injured or a loved one has been killed in an auto accident that occurred because of another driver’s negligence, it is important that you have an experienced attorney representing you from the start.
UM/UIM coverage is special coverage that is designed to cover gaps between the negligent drivers’ policy limits and your actual damages from an accident. Under Colorado law, UM/UIM coverage must be offered with every auto insurance policy that is issued. In fact, you have to specifically refuse it in writing in order for it to be excluded from your policy. If you did not sign a document stating that you did not want UM/UIM coverage on your policy, it is a virtual certainty that you have it.
Pedestrian and Bicycle Accidents
When a person is hit by a car, the resulting injuries can be life changing and are often fatal. Many of these cases are the result of negligence on the part of the driver. In these situations, the drivers are liable for any losses their victims suffer, including medical care, loss of income long-term care and other considerations.
Obtaining fair compensation in these cases can be quite challenging, and the quality of your legal representation can have a direct impact on the quality of your results. If you were hit by a car, it is important that you speak with a reliable attorney as soon as possible. Even if you were jaywalking, which is technically a violation of the law, you still likely have a claim for damages.
Head, neck and back injuries can be extremely debilitating and often leave victims to face a lifetime of hardship. Sadly, these injuries that have some of the greatest potential to cause lifelong suffering are frequently some of the most difficult to get insurance companies to take seriously in the event of an accident claim.
Insurance companies are notorious for dismissing head and brain injuries as little more than a bump on the head and an opportunistic money-grab. If you or a loved one has suffered a head or brain injury in an auto accident, having a reliable legal team behind you can help to ensure that you receive the full and fair compensation you deserve under Colorado law.
In any contractual agreement, each party has a duty of good faith and fair dealing to the other. While many people do not think of them as contracts, an insurance policy is a contract between you and the insurance company. The insurance company has a duty to treat you fairly under the terms of the policy and can be subject to legal action if it fails to do so.
Often referred to as insurance bad faith, there can be many different ways that insurance companies can breach the terms of their policies. In some cases, they will claim that the terms of the policy do not cover a particular type of loss. In others, they may attempt to settle your claim for less than it is worth or fail to defend you against a particular claim.
If a person has died as a result of the negligence of another person, company or entity, surviving family members have the right to seek compensation for the losses they have suffered as a result. This is a difficult and emotional time, and the assistance of an experienced lawyer can be extremely valuable.
The Colorado Wrongful Death Act allows for lawsuits on behalf of certain relatives. The statute gives you and your children the right to pursue damages for the losses you have experienced as the result of your loved one’s death. It may also be possible for your loved one’s parents and others who were economically dependent on him or her to join you in the wrongful death action. In this lawsuit, the beneficiaries recover personally and directly for the damages they have incurred as a result of losing their loved one such as loss of benefits, future income and companionship.
If you’ve been in a car accident, you’re probably feeling scared, alone, confused and on top of that, you may be suffering injuries that are affecting your everyday life. You need help navigating what to do next and we’re here to help you. The car accident attorneys at Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, LLC are here to support and guide you through the difficult legal processes that come with car accidents.
1. Call The Police: this is incredibly important for your insurance claim; make sure to document everything
3. Seek Medical Attention: if you’ve been injured, first and foremost your health takes precedence and you will need an accurate diagnosis to support any and all claims. Be sure to keep everything pertaining to your accident and try to go within the first 72 hours of your accident
4. Call Your Insurance Company: find out your coverage, understand your policy
5. Call Paul: when you call Paul, you speak to Paul. And if we accept your case, know that you’re in good hands with our law firm
$3,200,000
$1,000,000
Slip and Fall
$1,684,404
Motorcycle
“They take a very sincere and purposeful interest in their clients. I am glad I hired them. Having an accident shakes up your whole world. You may think you can handle it by yourself. You could be making a big mistake. Don’t make that mistake. These folks have high standards in professionalism and their ethics are exceptional. You can’t bs them so be straight up. These are very competent attorneys. They don’t blue sky you and they will work hard to make you whole again.”
Fantastic experience. Came to the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm regarding a subrogation matter with regards to a car accident and my insurance company. They were polite and extremely considerate of my situation. Our first meeting was very straightforward and John was very respectful of my situation. He fully understood the subrogation laws and the issue as it pertained to my situation which left me very confident in their ability to handle my case. Within just a few weeks the case was settled for more than I expected. I cannot recommend enough John and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm.
I was in two car accidents 2 weeks apart and though I went through several attorneys I ended up with the best one in the end. Matthew Shows always answered our questions and took the time to explain things whenever we were not sure. Shanna Arnold was always amazing and super friendly and helpful! Would recommend this law firm if you were in an accident.
I had the pleasure of working with Jonathan Stine for several years after an Auto accident where my lower back was fractured. Jon assured me that we would be able to get compensation for the limits of the case. After seeing many doctors over the course of 5 years Jon and the law firm were able to achieve getting the most compensation I could. There was a 6 figure settlement with the person that caused the wreck and another 6 figure settlement from underinsured coverage. Jon and his team came up with a plan to represent me right away, stuck to it for over 4 years and achieved exactly what was discussed. Thank you Jon and your team for all the support over the years.
My attorney Heidi Tanner was amazing. She was responsive, professional and dedicated. She is so responsive. I couldn’t have been happier with her service. I highly recommend her to anyone with a personal injury case that wants justice.
My lawyer Heidi Tanner took on my difficult case and from her first introduction to me I was impressed me with her responsiveness and true professionalism. She and her team worked until we were able to get a final conclusion. She and her team made me feel comfortable and I hope I never need her help again but if so would ask her for help. Thank you again for giving your best. I appreciate everything you have done for me.
Jonathan Stine, our attorney, and everyone at the Paul Wilkinson firm are incredible. After a serious head-on collision and significant life-altering injuries caused by a distracted driver, our insurance company offered us an insultingly low offer. The Paul Wilkinson firm got aggressive, filed lawsuits (they aren't just interested in settling cases the easy way without litigation like many firms), defended us like family, and ultimately got us a significant six figure settlement. They not only sued and settled with the defendants insurance company, but filed an additional lawsuit on a bad-faith claim with our insurance company. The experience was great on every level--they really care about you as people while helping you heal, recover and receive a fair shake. Bravo and deepest gratitude.
Great service. Great attorney Michael Stegman helped me with my case. Returned our calls all the time and an awesome man.
This was a enduring type of process. And totally worth the wait! So if you are not equipped with a sense of patience then you should not seek services from a company that makes sure that all ducks are in row. They really combed through my case and followed up with me in a timely manner.
i got the chance to meet paul and work w heidi and i could not be more happy with the outcome of my case . heidi got the job done exactly the way i asked and in a timely manner. thank you paul wilkinson law firm you guys are5 stars!1
The folks at Paul Wilkinson did a tremendous job helping me with my case -- which was not exactly a straightforward one. Matthew Shows fought for my settlement for two years and literally set new precedent to get the job done. I can't recommend these guys enough!
Great service. Great attorney Michael Stegman helped me with my case. Returned our calls all the time and an awesome man.
This law firm really helped my life in so many ways. I was injured in a wreck and my back and neck were injured and messed up. I went to a couple of attorneys and they all turned me down except Paul Wilkinson. My assigned lawyer Heidi helped me through the process. She was very professional and firm plus made sure I was headed in the right direction. I finally after years of pain got care and treatment through the law firm. I cannot thank this firm enough for their help in my case. I got what I deserved and Heidi made it happen.
I would highly recommend Heidi Tanner and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm if you have been injured in an accident for which others are responsible. Heidi was dedicated to fighting for a fair settlement for me and was professional and communicative throughout our experience. When you Call Paul, ask for Heidi!
I worked with Heidi Tanner on my hit and run case. She was fantastic. She was very quick to reply to my questions and was detailed in her replies. She is very knowledgeable and passionate about what she does. I hope I don’t need to but I would hire her again. Not only is she a great attorney she took my case on like it was her in the accident.
I chose not to go to litigation for personal reasons, so I am sure I would have seen a higher settlement ,but I had a terrific experience working with this law firm. I worked with Jonathan and Shanna who were both very professional, responsive, and always made me feel at ease with my case. Responses to my questions were immediate and they were able to explain things I did not understand on my level. I will not hesitate to work with this firm again if I ever need a lawyer.
This team is a group of dedicated, professionals who care deeply about helping you. I always felt like they had my best interest in mind. The biggest thank you to Heidi Tanner, who went above and beyond to help me get the compensation I deserved after a battle with difficult insurance companies. She had to jump through many hoops but still continued to fight for me. I am so grateful to her and The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm!
Best personal injury lawyers in Denver. The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm helped me where other lawyers couldn’t. Paul and his staff were warm, realistic, knowledgeable, and helpful. By far the most exceptional experience I have ever had at a law firm. Thank you for your amazing work and dedication. Highly recommended
The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm are the best! They (especially Jonathan & Shanna) helped me out a lot, they're even working on my husband's case. They helped me out with Medpay, always kept in touch and updated with me. I really appreciate all their hard work. Thank you all so much!
The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm are the best! They (especially Jonathan & Shanna) helped me out a lot, they're even working on my husband's case. They helped me out with Medpay, always kept in touch and updated with me. I really appreciate all their hard work. Thank you all so much!
I was a pedestrian walking in the crosswalk in a well lit area where I was hit by a vehicle in January 2019. I had contacted Frank Azar as well as the drivers insurance company where they both told me they could not help in any way. Shortly after I contacted the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm where Paul personally conversed with me about the accident and decided to represent me. In just shy of about 4 months, he had contacted the insurance agency and changed their minds. I have now been compensated $125,000 USD for several outstanding injuries
After my auto accident, Paul Wilkinson himself came to my house to review my case when all other firms insisted I come to them even though I was suffering from a concussion and had no vehicle to get there. That is AWESOME. Garrett Croom was outstanding in the speed with which he gathered and prepared all the necessary documents and Michael Stegman was fantastic in quickly settling this case with the insurance company. Thanks to ALL of you
Had an amazing experience with this law firm my case manager Alexis was absolutely out standing made sure I understand how they were going to help with my case they also checked in on me made sure all my appointments were being made that need to be got me a good settlement amount on my case as well I definitely want to thank Alexis for all her support thru out whole journey
Heidi Tanner was simply amazing. She was so helpful and did everything she could for me! I would recommend her and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm to anyone. Thank you for everything!
I'm so thankful to this team for all that they have done. There were a few times I felt like communication could've been better. With the exception of Alexis Harden she is the BEST! Always responded timely and with compassion. She is the reason for 5 stars.
I highly recommend Heidi Tanner at the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm for personal injury cases. After I was assaulted, I found it a bit difficult to find a firm that was willing to accept. The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, and the highly professional services that Heidi provided to me, made the long find well worth it. Heidi is extremely kind, attentive, and responsive; she went above and beyond my expectations and I would 100% reach out to her in the future if needed. Heidi was able to make the process feel comfortable and easy - for I have never been through anything like this before. Thanks so much, Heidi, and everyone else at the firm!
Aug. 26, 2020 Heidi Tanner was my attorney at Paul Wilkinson firm. Shanna Arnold was her paralegal. They were ROCKING AWESOME! Heidi and Shanna were very friendly and were fairly prompt with my questions. Whenever I came into the office, Paul Wilkinson would come and say hello and ask how I was (most other attorneys don't do that.)This law firm is NOT at all like another firm in Denver! I actually had2 car wrecks 3 weeks apart, the second one I was t-boned and had to have 2 back surgeries. Both insurance companies accepted total responsibility as neither wreck was my fault. Heidi assured me thatshe would work with the medical companies and get my expenses reduced as much as possible. She was AMAZING and did an excellent job! Yes, it did take 1 1/2 years for both cases to get all the bills settled and my doctor to release me, so IF you need to wait, it WILL be worth it! Shanna promptly got my settlement checks to me. I have not had to pay any bills on my own. Heidi took care of all the expenses. I just needed to recover. If I could give this law firm a 40 star rating, I would! I believe anyone using the Paul Wilkinson firm will be pleased. I do recommend Heidi and Shanna, since I worked with them the most. EVERYONE in this firm were always very friendly and personable! Paul Wilkinson has a great staff and Paul DOES care about you!
Jonathan was fantastic! My case started back in 2016 and he helped me through the entire process during these last 4 years. It was a long journey, and going through something as big as this wasn't easy as a senior in high school when it all first started. Jonathan always made it clear that I was his top priority and had my best interest in mind. Thank you Jonathan and the team at Paul Wilkinson!
Jonathan Stine represented me for Paul Wilkinson Law Firm in three different law suits. The initial was a simple rear end at a red light where he quickly and efficiently settled the case for much more than I ever anticipated. Shortly after that I was rear ended by a box truck, then a few months later side swiped by an eighteen wheeler, Mr. Stine fought hard against nasty opposing counsels through years of lawsuits to get me the settlements that I deserved. He refused to let the opposing counsel bully me despite continuous attempts and made sure that I was always prepared for the road ahead and knew exactly what to expect. His hard work and dedication to my well being saw me through three of the toughest years of my life and he never stopped fighting for me and protecting me. Mr. Stine and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm will always be considered family after the battles that they went through to settle my legal difficulties.
I Had been in a head on collision and the lawyer I had hired at the time wasn't doing the job they needed to be doing. I call and to to them over a Paul Wilkinson law firm. They were a great help the did the work to release me from my contract with the other lawyer not to mention that Mathew Shows really took care of me. He made sure I got the medical attention I needed. I got the impression the he really cared about what happened to me and how he could help. I would highly recommend these guys, if I ever get into another accident I can promise you I will be calling these guys again to get the situation handled... Thank Mathew Shows for everything.. It was a pleasure to work with you...
I was represent by another law firm in a previous not-my-fault auto accident and did not return to them for this recent auto accident claim. Paul Wilkinson Law Firm came highly recommended. Best decision ever! I was represented by Matthew Show and a case manager, Alexis Harden. Both were professional, knowledgeable, polite and empathetic. They handled everything. I highly recommend Matthew Show. Great attorney, great team. Thank you, Matthew and Alexis!
Johnathan has represented everybody in my family and has done an amazing job! Very communicative and reliable. Exceeded expectations every time!
I highly recommend Heidi Tanner and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. Heidi is a true expert in her craft and I knew I was in great hands from the moment I met her. Heidi will take your case personal and fight for what you deserve. I was very impressed with the way she used her skills during my case and how she also interacted with the opposing council. I cant thank Heidi enough for helping me out.Call Paul and ask for Heidi you wont be disappointed.
Jonathan Stine with the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm represented me after I was treated unfairly by an insurance company after a car accident. Jonathan and his team were professional and diligent throughout the entire process and helped me get necessary medical care that the insurance company denied. He was not only a great attorney his staff was courteous and helpful when I had questions about my case and when I needed to talk to He had no problem getting on the phone. He put together a top notch team and together they were able to get me far more then I could have ever expected for my case.No one wants to get in car accidents but I was happy to have such a supportive and experienced team of attorney to help guild me through. Jon had no problem taking time to explain the options and give me the ability to choose what I want to do with my case.
Heidi Tanner took over our account and aggressively pursued our case against the insurance company. She stayed in contact with us about our medical treatments and followed up with the various doctors.The adjusters for the insurance companies were giving us the run around for a settlement and the time frame in which we had to settle. To protect us, she filed a lawsuit in Federal Court after which she brought in a mediator and resolved the case. I was impressed by her tenaciousness and mediation skills. Heidi is very quick and does not allow anyone to run over her or her clients.I would highly recommend Heidi and the Paul Wilkinson Firm.
Working with Mike Stegman has been a very enjoyable process! He kept me in the loop over the whole process and was great all around. If you need help with any personal injury legal issues or other legal issues, mike is your guy!
I love my attorney Heidi Tanner. On the onset, I did not expect a lot for my accident, but I believe she helped me get a maximum settlement. I moved out of state the year before my settlement. Amid the COVID-19 crisis, we stayed in constant communication via email, phone calls and Zoom. I highly recommend Heidi and the Paul Wilkerson Law Firm.
I can't say enough about Paul and his team. I was in a motorcycle accident and spent quite a bit of time fighting with insurance, health care, towing companies etc... As soon as they took my case, they handled everything. Matthew in specific was terrific and attentive. I needed help dealing with all the issues and they were there for me. That accident turned my life upside down. Paul and his team took care of everything they could while I concentrated on healing and getting back to work. Thank you all!
my attorney HEIDI TANNER. did an exceptional job working on my case. she went way and beyond to explain everything. her professionalism,dedication,understanding,patience to me and my case was superb. i would refer HEIDI to anyone because she cares,helps,understand for what you are going thru.
Heidi is an excellent attorney she did her job very diligently to get me the most that she can get I would highly recommend this law firm.
I highly recommend Heidi Tanner! I am so thankful she took my case. I was with another law firm for my car accident and was very unhappy with the lack of work being done on my case. So I switched to Paul Wilkinson and from the moment Heidi took my case I was in good hands! She fought hard for me to get the best settlement and communicated with me every step of the way! You won't be disappointed!
I want to thank Heidi Tanner for doing such an amazing job on my case. She is someone that you want to have by your side in an accident case.She will fight for you like a true fighter till the end to get you what you deserve . I am so grateful for what she did for me in my case. I extremely recommend her to fight for you in your case just like she fought for mine.
Mike Stegman was fantastic! He was given my case midway through, He is friendly, explained the process clearly, communicated any updates in a timely manner, didn't mind answering any questions, and negotiated with the insurance and medical company like a champ. Very Happy with the outcome and Mike!
To this is a great law firm. The saw me very shortly after I called. They expain everything you need to know in a very clear & understandable way. I highly recommend this law firm.
Jon was amazing!!! He picked up my case midway and truly took care of me. He is personable where he needs to be and fights for you when you need it. While I hope to never need his services again, I wouldn't hesitate to use him if I did.
The Paul Wilkinson law firm, was professional, knowledgeable from the get go.They took the worry and pressure away.Didn't have to deal with the insurance company again.Mike did a great job in negotiations , believe he settled for much more than I ever could have with insurance company. Would recommend the Paul Wilkinson law firm to anyone . Very thankful to Mike and Paul.Sincerely Vaughn Barker
I was referred to this law firm, and specifically Jonathan Stine by a friend of mine. Jonathan was amazingly professional, direct, and extremely helpful. I had a mid sized case, and it was Jonathan, and his assistant Shanna's hard work that enabled me to recover my losses from the accident, and pay my medical bills. I can't express how much they helped me through this amazingly confusing process of dealing with an insurance company. I recommend The Paul WIlkinson Law Firm, and specifically Jonathan Stine to anyone who has to deal with an insurance company after an accident.
Heidi agreed to take my case after another firm turned me down due to statue of limitation on my case expiring shortly (under 1 week by the time Heidi took my case). The staff did excellent job filing everything by deadline. Heidi was great on setting clear expectations: what is reasonable expectation on settlement, how much expenses could run for going to trial etc. Both Heidi and her staff were respectful of my wishes (I preferred communication by email, not phone). Overall content with outcome, and feel better educated in case of a future such case should something happen again
Jennifer Simpson was EXCELLENT!! Communication was exceptional! I am so happy with the results! I would recommend to anyone looking for a great firm.. Thank you so muchSincerely, Jesse Sandoval
In 2016, I was involved in a car accident. I though I was not going to get the help I needed. I was wrong. Heidi was very helpful. She made sure I was receiving the medical help I needed and checked in with me to make sure all was getting taken care of. I am very pleased with how determined she was to help me. Thanks for your hard work.
Jonathan and Shanna worked with me on my personal injury case with high subrogation for health insurance and minimal auto insurance. They did a fantastic job with handling everything, in fast timely matter as well with keeping me informed. they even called just to see how I was doing and if I needed anything. I had several injury's and surgery's. I could not ask for a better out come.
I had a great experience at The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. They really fought for me. I had a low impact vehicle collision that has caused me severe discomfort and pain in my back for the last three years. I went to a different law firm previous to The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm and they thought that my case wasn't worth pursuing because as they put it, "there isn't enough property damage to your vehicle." Well I was damaged and the previous law firm didn't care, they only cared about making money. My lawyer took the time to understand my injuries and made sure the insurance company for the guy who hit me didn't get away with not compensating me for my medical bills and injury treatment. I would recommend Mrs. Tanner if you ever find yourself in a situation where you need to fight for your rights to fair treatment from opposing insurance companies.
Last year I was involved in a automobile car accident that changed my life. After a rough start with attorneys Heidi Tanner took over my case. I was very impressed with her attentiveness and speed to answer any questions I had. She was sympathetic and honest. I appreciate everything that her and Anna did to help ease the stress of my medical bills. They even got me a pretty hefty settlement. Thank you both so much!
The team at the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm was outstanding! I wasn't the easiest client to deal with but they always took care of my needs and ensured I was respected and helped at all times. My attorney Heidi Tanner as well as my legal assistant Shauna were nothing short of life savers! Best firm in town!
My experience at the law firm was extremely successful. I had very serious injury and the law firm handled my case in record time. My first encounter with Jonathon Stine and Paul Wilkinson was professional and put me at ease immediately. I left feeling that I was gong to be completely taken care of. I am very pleased with the outcome ! Highly recommended !
Great overall experience!! Heidi is a knowledgeable attorney who truly made me feel like she had my best interest in mind. Issa was always ready with answers to my millions of questions. Molly's smile could be seen over the phone as she was truly courteous and caring ever time i called. I would highly recommend this team to anyone seeking great representation at a very reasonable cost!
The Paul Walkinson Law Firm are very friendly to work with. Over the past four years of my case they have always been there to comfort my family through the case as well as answering questions. When I was 14 years old I was in an ATV accident and we were able to settle the case recently with a lot of hard work and dedication. We had some ups and downs with my case but they were able to push through and resolve them. Everyone in the Law Firm is super friendly and always are able to help. Highly recommend!
My experience at the law firm was extremely successful. I had very serious injury and the law firm handled my case in record time. My first encounter with Jonathon Stine and Paul Wilkinson was professional and put me at ease immediately. I left feeling that I was gong to be completely taken care of. I am very pleased with the outcome ! Highly recommended !
After my car accident in December 2017 I was not interested in dealing with insurance on my own, especially right before the holidays. I reached out to other firms and felt like I was not a priority. At this time I began working with Jonathan Stine and Shanna Crain at the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. Working with him and Shanna has been an amazing process. The day I sat down with Johnathan he made me feel like a priority. They have a personal touch that make someone who is not familiar with legal processes feel comfortable. He was honest and fair and made me feel like he was on my team all the way. They kept me up to date throughout the process and fought for me when the Insurance company pushed back. I am beyond happy with the results, this team is amazing!
We highly recommend The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm, they are excellent and highly professional. Our attorney, Jonathan Stein, worked diligently for 3 1/2 years on our case and the resulting settlement was life changing. Thank you Jonathan!
Jon Stine at the Paul Wilkinson law firm is truly one of the best in this business. Unfortunately, anytime someone needs him and his services, they normally are not in a good place physically, mentally or emotionally. Jon is able to make a bad situation into as smooth of a process as it can be when it comes to car accidents. He is not only knowledgeable and experienced when it comes to helping his clients but he truly goes to bat for them. He and his team truly only want the best outcome for you as the client. He helped me when I needed him the most. Jon is honest and upfront and will tell you what is realistic. All of the qualities are exactly what you need when hiring an attorney. Honest, strong, genuine and fair. They are so good at what they even do I have even referred a handful of my clients to him when they are in need and they have only said positive things about their experience. Going to any other law firm would be a huge mistake!!
Wow!, Paul took on my case with 1 in 20 odds stacked against him in a medical malpractice case. Paul put together a fantastic team to take on big insurance, won my jury trial, and gave me and my wife justice. I can't say enough how much I owe Paul and his team of attorneys. Thank You!!
I owe a lot of Gratitude to The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. Paul & Jonathan absolutely did not have to take my case considering we were at the very end of being able to file and push forward. I was in an accident in 2014. A driver that was texting and driving rear-ended my mother and I at a stoplight. I wasn’t sure how I was going to proceed considering I went to the hospital in an ambulance. I figured I would take care of the case myself and within a couple of months I met a guy named Michael Sawaya. Yes THE Micheal Sawaya. The made for “TV” Attorney. Always telling us how much they care from beginning to end about each and everyone of their clients. Believe me The Sawaya Law Firm is just that. “ALL FLUFF” sounds great on TV let me tell you about my experience with the Sawaya Law Firm. Let me start with the fact that I have been off and on with a 28 year Substance Abuse Addiction. At the time of the accident I had been clean and sober for about a year. In 2017 almost 4 years clean and sober I had a relapse. After several procedures and finding out that I was 28% impaired on my right hand side of my body due to nerve damage caused by the other driver of our accident. The only reason that the Sawaya Law firm was very excited to take on my case was because there was $250,000 coverage on the other drivers insurance. The maximum they could go after. After the fact that in 2017 I got into legal trouble personally due to my addiction. A simple possession charge. Since that’s what addicts and alcoholics do. Not saying all people in recovery relapse but yes that is part of my story. After acquiring $101,000.00 in medical bills. Being sent from this doctor to that doctor to that neurologist to physical therapy. I just wasn’t getting any better. The Sawaya Law Firm only cared about how much money they were going to put into their pocket and really didn’t give a damn about me and my injuries or bills.After working just over three and a half years on this case. I was called to the Sawaya Law firm only to be told that they were dropping my case because they felt they weren’t going to be able to earn enough money to go after the case. I was absolutely floored. My personal substance-abuse and legal issues had nothing to do with the fact that the other driver crashed into my mother and I and caused a lifetime damage to me. At the same time that I was clean and sober. But low and behold my case wasn’t made for TV and the Sawaya Law Firm dropped me like a hot potato.Not knowing exactly what I was going to do with over $100,000 in medical bills hanging over my head. They really offered no assistance to figure the situation out literally dropping my case within weeks before deadlines that were required for me to seek any kind of support or assistance. They claimed they wanted the best for me and sent me to a couple of other attorneys. Which I am grateful to those other attorneys considering the fact that they brought me to the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. The day I called Paul Wilkinson he requested that I come in and speak with him and his partner. This case was a shaky case and they did not have to take it whatsoever. But I truly have to say that Johnathon jumped in with 2 feet and took on this case. Truly helped me by clearing all the medical bills in my case. Literally barely making it by the skin of our teeth with the timeframe and unprofessionalism that the Michael Sawaya law firm did to me. But I have to say honestly that Jonathan and Paul went above and beyond and I truly felt that they cared more about me than the thousands upon thousands of dollars they could’ve earned for the case.I am truly grateful to the Paul Wilkinson law firm. I personally and strongly suggest if you are in need of a firm that truly cares about people more that the bottom line. Paul Wilkinson Law Firm is it. Its also suggested if you jump out of a perfectly working airplane that you should pull the ripcord on the parachute thats on your back. If I had to do it all over again I would have contacted Wilkinson Law Firm first!
So I'm an old client but I guess it really doesn't matter I just wanted to do my review for some reason today and let people know what kind of attorney you're pairing yourself with. I truly believe in my heart that he is an attorney that cares not just to get money that you need and want but he looks for long term as well. I worked with him in the past and although my case didn't get settled and there was no money to be claimed I have to tell you that Paul Wilkinson wrote me a $3,000 check out of his own pocket to help me recover from a lot of the economic hardship I was having due to this accident and I'm almost 100% sure he never got that money back or recovered it any shape way or form so I just thought I'd share that he truly cares and does his job from his heart and I would recommend him to anyone.
I would highly recommend The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm. They were kind and efficient during an incredibly difficult time in my life. They took charge when dealing with the insurance companies and were courteous if I had questions.
Fantastic experience. Came to the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm regarding a subrogation matter with regards to a car accident and my insurance company. They were polite and extremely considerate of my situation. Our first meeting was very straightforward and John was very respectful of my situation. He fully understood the subrogation laws and the issue as it pertained to my situation which left me very confident in their ability to handle my case. Within just a few weeks the case was settled for more than I expected. I cannot recommend enough John and the Paul Wilkinson Law Firm.
I was in two car accidents 2 weeks apart and though I went through several attorneys I ended up with the best one in the end. Matthew Shows always answered our questions and took the time to explain things whenever we were not sure. Shanna Arnold was always amazing and super friendly and helpful! Would recommend this law firm if you were in an accident.
Accidents can be terrifying, traumatizing and often, life-changing. We have recovered tens of millions of dollars for Colorado injury victims. Let us help by putting our expertise to work for you. Fill out the Free Consultation Form and a member of our legal team will be eager to answer questions and help you.
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If you’ve been injured in an accident, the attorneys at The Paul Wilkinson Law Firm can help you get the justice you deserve.
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A fence becomes a large component of the landscape that makes the space safer, more secure, and potentially more beautiful. For homeowners that want the professionals to handle the fence project from start to finish, here’s how a fencing company can help with “a fence installation near me” in Franklin Lakes and Ramsey, NJ.
Related: Aluminum Fence or Vinyl Fence? Which Material Is Best for a Front Yard in Ramsey, NJ?
Many factors go into the way a fence looks and functions. Aluminum, vinyl, chain link, and wood can all make a good fence, but it’s important to determine exactly which one is perfect for your landscape and your needs. Each one has its advantages and disadvantages according to function, strength, looks, and maintenance. In many instances, more than one material could do the job. A fencing company will be well equipped to give you all the options, their pros and cons, and help you make the final decision on your fence materials.
The fence design—along with the materials—are what you will be looking at day in and day out, every time you look out your windows or spend time in your landscape. Fence styles can fit either a traditional, contemporary, or rustic home and some are more versatile than others. A white picket fence, for example, isn’t likely to fit well in a sleek and modern landscape design but there are modern versions of the white picket fence that add a nostalgic feel with a modern flair. A fencing company can help you choose historically accurate fencing for a traditional or historical home; sleek modern fencing; or any other style to suit your home and personal design aesthetic.
Looks aren’t everything. A good fence has to navigate uneven ground and go around obstacles while meeting your functional needs. A professional company has the expertise for proper fence placement in terms of zoning regulations as well as physical obstacles and variations in the land.
The permitting process is a necessary part of fence installation. Your fencing company may submit the required drawings and plans when required, it can be present for any inspections, and take steps to ensure that your project is in compliance.
Even with the most straightforward fencing projects, there will likely be a few challenges along the way. The installation experts at your local fencing company have the experience to deal with challenges that come up including buried utility lines and obstacles such as rocks or tree roots.
With a fencing company, you can be sure that fence lines will be razor-straight, that corners will be sturdy, that undulating land will be fenced in a functional and attractive way, and that there will be proper fence post and gate post spacing for a clean, finished look.
Verifiable Insurance
Even despite stringent safety measures, sometimes accidents happen and you as the homeowner don’t want to be on the hook when they do. Professional fencing installation companies will have verifiable insurance that covers work-related accidents that could take place during the fence installation.
Related: How a Fence Contractor Can Help Define a Sports Court Area in Franklin Lakes and Saddle River, NJ
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At Plomberie Pro-Drain, plumbing diagnostics and leak detection are our specialty. Pipes, joints, sewers or drains in poor condition in your home or business can lead to many problems such as vermin, unpleasant odors and water leaks and can have a great impact on your health. Therefore, it is recommended to act quickly and contact a certified plumber for a quality inspection.
Our experts perform leak tests on your pipes and ducts to pinpoint the source of leaks and infiltrations in order to make the necessary repairs.
What Types of Tests Are Performed?
Two types of tests can be performed depending on the client’s needs and situation:
Smoke tests are used to detect deterioration of drains, sewers, pipes or plumbing lines that may be causing water leaks, vermin and odors.
The smoke used to perform this test is not harmful to humans, animals or plants. There is an odor to enhance leak detection by smell, but this odor disappears after adequate ventilation of the area.
Benefits of Smoke Testing
No loss or damage caused by unnecessary excavation to try to detect leaks. Excavation can also be very expensive to perform and repair.
Smoke can get through very small cracks and crevices. This means that the smoke test is very reliable in finding even the smallest problems.
There is no need to clean up after a smoke test. Only good ventilation of the premises.
Camera inspection tests are performed to identify sources of blockages. In fact, if you are considering selling your home or buying a new property, a camera inspection of the pipes could save you many problems and easily save you thousands of dollars.
It is recommended to regularly inspect your pipes and plumbing lines to prevent potential problems. If you notice any signs of deterioration such as unpleasant odors or water damage, don’t wait until your next appointment and contact Pro-Drain’s emergency plumbers as soon as possible.
If you think you have a gas leak in one of your drains, act quickly and call Plomberie Pro-Drain. Some gasses can be harmful to your health. Moreover, gasses can be dangerous if they are flammable. Let us test your drains for leaks and find the problem quickly.
We offer a 24/7 emergency service. Our experts will come to you with the necessary equipment in a timely manner to perform the tests and fix the problem quickly.
Have an emergency?
Reliable Experts at Your Service
Pro-Drain’s team has over 18 years of experience in the field to meet all your residential, commercial or industrial plumbing needs. Our experts are qualified to offer you the best solution in a fast, safe and efficient way. After our repair, excavation, or inspection of your drains we even make sure that the site is properly cleaned.
If you have any questions or would like to make an appointment with one of our experts, do not hesitate to contact us. We are happy to offer 24/7 services to meet your needs at any time.
After a smoke or camera test, we will create a work plan with you. If we find a deteriorating pipe, drain or sewer, a water leak, or vermin or gas infiltration, we are just the team you need by your side. Renovation planning will be put in place to ensure your well-being and health. Your home, business or industrial premises are in good hands. Don’t worry about it!
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I continue to be surprised at the new ways people are seeking to live out church community in the midst of a rapidly changing culture. I wonder where God will take us? Take a look at the following article from the PCUSA website (there is a link to the NCD website at the end of the article):
Farmhouse becomes mission center to house new church development
To grow church literally on six acres halfway between Dallas and Forth Worth
Office of Church Growth
Imagine a new mission center in a farmhouse, housing a new congregation in the Presbyterian Church (U.S.A). As project co-pastor Shane Whisler puts it, “We asked ourselves: what if you started a church by putting the mission committee in charge?”
Whisler and his wife Pat Felter are leading a new ministry called East Broad Outreach Center in Mansfield, Texas. Their vision for this new church development, supported by
Grace Presbytery, Synod of the Sun and the General Assembly Mission Council, is to create a mission center that houses a Presbyterian congregation.
Already they are growing — literally. They’ve planted an organic community garden next to the small farmhouse to add fresh flavor to their food pantry. This summer, the garden helped feed up to six large families a week. “You can’t always tell by looking, but there is great cultural and economic diversity here,” says Whisler. “In some of the newer homes, families are struggling to pay their mortgages. We also know there is large population of veterans around us, some homeless. We’re working with a local VFW post trying to locate them and make sure they feel welcome here.”
Shane Whisler of East Broad Outreach Center poses with custom made clothing made by a woman who works part time at a silk screening business. She did so out of gratitude for the food and moral support given to her at the new church development in Mansfield, Texas.
Whisler has heard stories of combat veterans who take great comfort in holding a guitar in their hands instead of a rifle. “We could do something like that here. It’s just a matter of us finding the people God wants to reach and being flexible enough to listen to God’s spirit.”
Whisler is quick to credit the vision for this mission center outreach to leadership within Grace Presbytery and a dedicated steering committee that opened the door to him and his wife in October 2010. “The Holy Spirit and mission work, big and small, across our denomination are our inspiration for this approach to church planting,” he says. “The vision for this mission center lined up exactly with what we’d been praying about for seven years,” adds Felter.
In addition to the organic community garden, the mission center offers a “back-to-work clothes closet” for people seeking employment for the first or fourth time in this difficult economy. Word is spreading; folks are making deposits of food and clothing in the plastic bin under the carport. “One woman was so grateful for the food and moral support,” says Whisler, “she told her boss at her part-time silk screening job about us. Two weeks later she delivered 25 custom printed East Broad Outreach Center t-shirts and hats for only one dollar each.”
As Whisler and Felter develop this new faith based community, they are deeply committed to showing peace, justice and love. Their first monthly worship service is on Saturday, October 8. They already host meditation and discussion sessions called Friday Night Candle Lights. They are building relationships with the growing number of folks who aren’t members, who come to the farmhouse to do hands-on mission work. They also host a monthly faith and music exploration event at a local restaurant in this growing city of 60,000. “I was an interior designer in my first life,” says Felter. “I went back to Austin Seminary where I met Shane. When I volunteered for mission work up in Alaska, I thought I’d be a missionary. Turns out I am one in Mansfield.”
A father of two Girl Scouts installs an automatic drip irrigation system this spring in the organic community garden at East Broad Outreach Center, Mansfield, Texas. He volunteered for the job and donated many left over supplies from his own yard work.
Felter has a “bucket list” of things she’d like the mission center to work on, including stopping human trafficking. “I have a hard time keeping up with Pat’s ideas,” Whisler says, to laughter from both of them. “Shane will go out and find community,” she says, “and I’ll organize.”
East Broad Outreach Community is home to three Girl Scout troops who bring additional life to the property. “They held a day camp here that brought 130 girls and volunteers together,” says Whisler. Whisler met a father from one of the Girl Scout Troops when he offered his help. “The father installed an automatic drip irrigation system in our garden and taught me how to add to it.”
Whisler has also developed “a great partnership” with Trinity Presbyterian Church in Mansfield. Using Facebook, he hopes to get additional partners from all over the country to pray for the mission center that houses a worshiping community. “We would also love to host mission teams that could travel here to help develop the property so we can use it to teach core values of environmental stewardship, peacemaking and faith building.” Felter adds. “Come see us at eboc.org.”
via Presbyterian Church (U.S.A.) – News & Announcements – Farmhouse becomes mission center to house new church development.
Author BrandonPosted on February 14, 2012 February 14, 2012 Categories ArticlesTags Dallas, Fort Worth, New Church Development1 Comment on Farmhouse, Mission Center, New Church
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While it might seem that the online classroom, as a reflection of academia, is a cordial and polite space for discussion, those in the trenches know that bullying and political unrest can show up even there. One problem gaining recognition is microaggressions. According to Merriam-Webster, a microaggression is “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).”
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While it might seem that the online classroom, as a reflection of academia, is a cordial and polite space for discussion, those in the trenches know that bullying and political unrest can show up even there. One problem gaining recognition is microaggressions. According to Merriam-Webster, a microaggression is “a comment or action that subtly and often unconsciously or unintentionally expresses a prejudiced attitude toward a member of a marginalized group (such as a racial minority).” Because instructors often learn of challenging situations from students, a trusting environment is key in addressing this issue. You can establish trust at the start of class by asking students to share a bit about themselves and also sharing why your subject matters to you. Humor is a great way to humanize students and break down potential barriers before they have a chance to become established. A good book on this subject is The Speed of Trust by Stephen Covey. The book not only explains the business case for the value of trust in working relationships (applicable to students and teachers as well) but it includes step-by-step ideas for building and, if needed, repairing trust when it has been broken. An atmosphere of trust in the online classroom gives students the confidence to come to you when problems arise. Another strategy is to identify positive intentions. It is easy to assume the worst when someone is on the other side of a challenging situation. But few people are genuinely cruel. Usually they have a motivation that makes perfect sense to them. Before having a difficult conversation, spend some time thinking about what might motivate the challenging behavior besides a simple desire to be mean or difficult. Additionally, people tend to have a negativity bias when reading text. Maybe the student is misinterpreting another student's comment. You can start the conversation by stating what you think to be the underlying cause of the student's behavior, which can disarm the student and often illuminate any misunderstandings. The next strategy is to deal with the challenging situation as quickly as possible. Most people want to put off uncomfortable confrontations for as long as possible. The hope is that by doing so, the issue will go away. Unfortunately, that usually doesn't happen—indeed the situation often gets worse. Then, when the conversation finally happens, the other person may justifiably ask, “Why didn't you tell me this sooner?” Avoiding procrastination allows you to nip the problem in the bud, before it gets out of hand. Now that you have decided to have the challenging conversation, the next strategies will address how to have it successfully. You'll want to avoid having the conversation in text. When you think about it, most communication in a conversation does not occur in words. People respond to tone of voice, hand gestures, facial expressions, and eye contact. All of these indicators are missing in a text-based conversation. Have this kind of conversation in person if possible. If a face-to-face conversation is not possible, use a video chat tool such as Zoom, Skype, or Blackboard Collaborate Ultra. Be sure that both participants have live video. If only one person is able to benefit from the visual cues, the imbalance is as problematic as not having video at all. If you can't be in person or use live video, the next best thing is the telephone. While the body language won't be evident, you will still benefit from hearing another's tone of voice and pauses. Once you are having the conversation, you'll want to express yourself as skillfully as possible. Having a challenging conversation is a skill you can learn. Instructors have difficult conversations with students, colleagues, and administrators all the time. It is well worth the effort to learn how to do it well. Additionally, when you learn how to have these conversations skillfully, they are much less stressful. Although there are many books and trainings on this topic, one of the best is Crucial Conversations: Tools for Talking when the Stakes Are High by Kerry Patterson et al. Resources: Covey, S. The Speed of Trust. [City]: Free Press, 2006. Patterson, K. Crucial Conversations Tools for Talking When Stakes Are High, Second Edition. [City]: McGraw-Hill, 2011. Tugend, A. “Praise is Fleeting, but Brickbats We Recall.” New York Times, March 23, 2012. http://www.nytimes.com/. Stephanie Delaney is the Dean of Extended Learning at Seattle Central College.
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Croatia soccer fans react during a live screening of the 2018 FIFA World Cup final between France and Croatia, in Our Lady Queen-Croatia park in Mississauga, Ont. on Sunday, July 15, 2018. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Christopher Katsarov
Croatian Canadians set to cheer on favourites as Canada plays Croatia at World Cup
Meet a group of Canadians who won’t be wearing the maple leaf on Sunday
The Canadian Press
Nov. 25, 2022 7:30 a.m.
Sports
Marinko Buric and his family have their red and white Croatian soccer jerseys ready for when they’ll visit a friend’s house to watch Canada and Croatia play at the World Cup this Sunday.
Buric expects it to be a noisy morning, with a big breakfast and lots of cheering for the team from Croatia, despite the fact that it’s Canada’s first time at the tournament in decades.
“I have always been much closer, when it comes to soccer, to the Croatian national team than the Canadian one,” said Buric, a Halton Hills, Ont., resident who was born in Canada and is of Croatian descent.
“Soccer is a big part of the culture in Croatia.”
While many Canadians will be cheering on their men’s soccer team, numerous Canadians of Croatian descent say their loyalties lie with the opposing team.
Susan Katana Cork said it had been hard for her to choose between the two teams but she ultimately decided to cheer for Croatia.
“I am almost torn in a sense because I am a Canadian, but I am also Croatian because of my family heritage,” said the Markham, Ont., resident. “I would like to see Croatia win despite the fact that … I was born and raised in Canada.”
Canada is playing at the World Cup for the first time in 36 years and Sunday’s match will mark its second game at the tournament taking place in Qatar.
Croatia’s soccer team is making its sixth World Cup appearance since the country gained independence in 1991. The team came third in 1998 and lost the final to France in 2018.
Erica Zlomislic, a director at the Croatian Heritage Association, said though she loves Canada, she hopes Croatia clinches the match.
“When it comes to sports, people have divided loyalties,” she said, adding that she is planning to watch the game with her family at home in Toronto.
“Croatia is a very small country of less than five million people. But we have excellent people in sports …. For a country that small, it is amazing how well we do.”
Zlomislic, a Canadian of Croatian descent, spent years as a journalist covering the war in Croatia in the early 1990s. She’s so fond of Croatia’s team that she’s even kept its jersey from 1998 World Cup.
She said she hopes Canada, which is playing in group F, advances to the next stage of the tournament but she’s rooting for Croatia to win the World Cup.
The World Cup began last Sunday amid controversy surrounding host country Qatar’s human rights record. Human Rights Watch criticized the alleged abuse of migrant workers employed to build World Cup infrastructure, and violence against the LGBTQ community. Qatar has said “everyone” is welcome to visit during the World Cup but they should respect the country’s “culture.”
Canada defeated Mexico and the U.S., two powerful teams, among others in the World Cup qualifier matches, defying expectations as it cleared its path towards Qatar.
Despite playing in a relatively difficult group – Canada lost its first game 1-0 to Belgium – Canada has a chance to advance to the knockout stage given its strong performance during qualifying competitions, said Marko Gotovac, a coach at Mississauga Croatia Soccer Club.
“When you look at Canadian soccer, certainly I would consider this team in this generation probably the best we have had in the history of our game here in Canada,” he said.
“I am sure that they will give trouble to every team that is in the tournament.”
Gotovac said the Canadian side has stars like Alphonso Davies and Jonathan David in its roster, and all the team’s players this year have served as role models for many of the young players he coaches.
“Canadian boys are going to come out there and have that fighting Canadian spirit,” Gotovac said.
“My wish is for a high-quality match and whoever wins that match between Croatia and Canada, I am sure they deserve it.”
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I had smoked too much marijuana and taken cocaine a few times which I did not tolerate very well. I ended up in a full-blown psychosis and was only lucky to get back home to Norway safe again.
From that time on, during the ages of 22 to 29, I had to use an antipsychotic medication as a way of keeping healthy and not struggle more with psychosis.
For several of those years, I struggled with going back to cocaine and marijuana a little bit while traveling. I had also gotten used to drinking and partying a lot and was addicted to nicotine.
At age 29 in 2016, I learned about micronutrients.
I had started to fear that I was not as sharp mentally as I used to be, something my girlfriend at the time noticed too. I was under the impression that it would be a terrible thing if I was dependent on taking antipsychotics for the rest of my life, as the doctors had told me I would possibly have to do, so when I learned about Hardy Nutritionals and how micronutrients had helped many people who struggled with bipolar and similar mental illnesses, I was all ears and delved deep into learning all about them.
I eventually started on micronutrients in August 2016 and got a lot of help from Hardy's Product Specialists while I tapered off of my two bipolar medications.
I did know that there was a certain chance I would get sick again with psychosis when going 100% off of the medications, and relying only on DEN for support, but I had decided to take that chance as the literature seemed to point towards there being at least a 50% success rate for people going off of meds and using DEN who have similar diagnoses to mine.
After about a month or so I started feeling quite fragile mentally, a bit emotionally fragile, from reducing medications while taking DEN.
By December 2016 I had lost possibly around 25 kg weight or so, for some reason my stomach did not function optimally.
By February 2017 I was starting to get a psychosis again as I had been without medications at that point for two months or so, and for me, it seemed like I needed some level of antipsychotic.
By March 2017 I was able to get myself into a mental hospital, which helped take away the stress from my parents as I had stayed with them a little during this tough period, and in this facility, I could relax more or less and start slowly back up on Risperidone again that I had come to realize I probably needed after all, to some degree.
I was able to get rid of most of the psychosis symptoms after about two to three months of a high dose of medication.
I had used two milligrams of Risperidone in the past to be ok, but I know that together with the other medication for bipolar, Orfiril, both made me feel quite cluttered mentally and I easily fell into routines and habits I couldn’t quite spot myself.
I felt like those years before 2016 when I had become a little bit of a robot mentally, and despite using the medication I did at times have small psychosis symptoms that bothered me a little. I also drank too much at times and was addicted to nicotine. Drinking at times with this illness did not make those symptoms better either.
In 2017, after having used DEN for about 12 months, I felt like I was refreshed mentally, even though I had added back the Risperidone. Compared to before, I felt much more clear, despite the whole process not having gone optimally as I had hoped.
I was able to quit nicotine 100% for 5 months.
I was able to quit Scandinavian tobacco and cigarettes from around January until April or May when I had another moment of weakness due to a break-up. I had also been able to live almost without sugar which was a good change for me. I had been used to a lot of sugar in my everyday diet from drinking a lot of soda. For the next two years from 2017-2019, I went to therapy while I continued to use DEN at 9-12 pills per day, and also taking 3-4 mg of Risperidone.
But, I went back to smoking, drinking too much, and a few times I used weed again.
Then, at the start of 2019, something good happened. I had started to realize the bad effects of alcohol and how it made me get psychosis symptoms in my everyday life even with some medications, not a lot, but to smaller degrees. This made it feel tough to sit on the bus or be around a lot of people. Especially if people were laughing I could easily feel uncomfortable and think maybe this was about me somehow.
But then, therapy led me to make the decision again to stop drinking.
I first went three to four weeks without alcohol, and then when that went fine and I felt much better mentally, I decided I would just continue now without alcohol in my every day. Those two to three years I had often bought three to four beers many times per week, sometimes even on a Monday or Tuesday before 09:00 in the morning, as I did not work. It was not a good tendency, and this way of living probably started when I backpacked if I would be honest. Just drinking whenever I wanted if I was bored or felt like it. Just because it felt good.
Finally, in 2019 I had come to the point where alcohol was no longer my friend and I would feel better long term if I didn’t drink, especially with regards to the psychosis symptoms in my everyday life.
So when it came to September-October 2019, I was still free from alcohol and marijuana, and this felt great. But I was still addicted to nicotine.
That autumn of 2019 I came across one of the most inspirational figures of motivation and practitioners of self-discipline I have seen, David Goggins. The Navy Seal that had once been fat and out of shape, went on to do three Navy Seal Hell Weeks in one year, completing two of them, including training as an Army Ranger and participating in more than 60+ ultra-marathons, often finishing in the top five.
I came across his book “Can't Hurt Me” after watching many of his videos online.
It made me start to work out hard and practice my own discipline, so for two months straight I was running in the cold rain, after 10 years without much running or proper exercise like that at all. I was swimming 1000-2000 meters at a time. And I was doing spinning or gym bicycling. All the training improved my own discipline again, and at the same time, I quit tobacco and nicotine once and for all.
You can read my full story and methods from this period of how I quit nicotine 100%, and am still 100% nicotine-free to this day, one year and three months later, in 2021 – here: “The 35-Day Challenge To Get 100% Nicotine Free”. It is all there in a short Kindle Ebook, where you can follow in my exact footsteps to quit nicotine 100% too if this is something you struggle with.
So I would say I attribute now having been able to quit nicotine to both working out, learning about David Goggins, and taking Daily Essential Nutrients.
My life is much better now.
In the past two to three years, I have been able to secure my finances and gotten a part-time position where I can work from home for my previous boss. It has been a big help to have something to do, but also contribute to something as well, and earning a little more than I otherwise would have on disability. I have a new relationship with a wonderful girl who is healthy for me to be with and we are planning to marry in a couple of months. I have gotten out of over $20,000 USD of credit card debt, and $40,000 USD of personal debt, through a debt arrangement. I have a new and better apartment, where my girlfriend and I can live better, compared to where I lived before in a cellar apartment. I also started a new venture with my boss doing Pay-Per-Lead marketing, which I had an interest in for many years.
So all in all although I was not able to get rid of my medication 100%, I will still say that I feel that a lot of things have changed in a very positive direction since starting Daily Essential Nutrients.
As they say, you have to look at the whole person.
So for me, it seems that combining the medication with taking DEN has been a very positive thing in my life, and I am now also free from alcohol, marijuana, and nicotine.
I had many positive things happen as a result of taking Daily Essential Nutrients. I also got back into golf again, playing and practicing a lot, which I hadn't done properly for many years at this point, after having trained up to the age of 20 or so. In 2017 after having used DEN for about 12 months I won the club championship at my home course, after having won in 2011 and 2003 previously. So part of what got better in my life was that I found golf again, playing almost better than ever before.
What I would advise people who are similar to me is: don’t stop taking Daily Essential Nutrients. I believe that it has helped me a lot, and it will help you too, but if you need to consider taking medications too, a combination might work well also. And second, realize that for most of us with mental disorders, alcohol, weed, drugs, even nicotine, are simply not our friends, and it won't help us feel better long term. Long term, most people will likely be a lot better off leaving those things behind, and I think that over time it's easier to do so if you have the support of taking Daily Essential Nutrients every day.
Good luck, and thanks for reading my story!
Did you know that Daily Essential Nutrients is proven to help people quit smoking? Learn more here.
Hardy Nutritionals® multivitamin-mineral products are powered by our proprietary NutraTek™ mineral delivery technology, which combines each mineral with specialized organic molecules—just like nature—to optimize absorption and distribution to body cells. Our flagship supplement, Daily Essential Nutrients, is widely considered to be the most research-backed micronutrient treatment.
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Consult with your doctor when altering your treatment regimen and before adjusting your medication dosing.
Information from Hardy Nutritionals® is for educational purposes only, and suggestions should not be considered medical advice.
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| 10,589 |
In 2020, artificial intelligence will no longer be a vision of the future, but a tangible reality: language agents such as Siri, Cortana or Alexa are already pervading our everyday lives. The smart assistants play our favorite music, make restaurant suggestions, recommend films, identify the fastest route to our destination and steer our car better into the parking lot than we could. We use artificially intelligent systems that are becoming more and more a matter of course both at home and at work. AI systems have slipped into our everyday lives and they are here to stay.
ClearPeople is a Consultagency™ - a hybrid breed of business offering technical consulting with digital agency services. We employ a team of "bright, expert and human" digital Consultagents in London and Alicante, specialising in delivering digital transformation. We help bridge the gap between business, marketing and information technology, bringing these sometimes disparate and traditionally unconnected worlds together.
Article | July 20, 2022
Increased use of the internet and smartphones demands better mobile applications be developed. Innovation is the key driving force that can make or break the market regarding mobile app development. A fantastic team of mobile app developers and smart innovation employing the latest technology produce a huge hit app. Let us learn more about how the mobile app development market grows. The Market for Mobile Application Development The mobile application development market is projected to grow at a 13.4% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, with a value of $187.58 billion recorded in 2021. This is due to the increased use of the internet and smartphone platforms, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The app's algorithms learn and understand user interests to deliver refined results that generate better user engagement. As Ericsson and the Radicati Group forecasted, 6.64 billion people own a smartphone today, which is around 83.32% of the world population, and by 2025, 7.33 billion people will own a smartphone. As a result, there is a substantial rise in demand for better smartphone apps, for which creative and innovative mobile application development is the need of the hour. Innovation will give your business a competitive edge it's never had before. It will also open up new ways to grow your business. Discover the top innovations in mobile app development. Innovations in Mobile Application Development Some of the technological breakthroughs in mobile app development will greatly improve the user experience in the future. These focus mainly on the implementation of the latest technological innovations to realize functionality that has never been seen or done before. Let us now delve into their specifics. In-App Paid Features: Android and iOS Development While Android has a market share of 70%, iOS has grabbed a market share of around 28% in the mobile operating systems market as of 2022. In-app advertising and in-app purchases generate the major ROI from mobile applications on both mobile operating platforms. A great UI and UX go a long way toward boosting your app and business, and they also help you rank highly in the respective app markets, i.e., the Google Play Store and the App Store. Rolling out constant updates and adhering to the security standards of the marketplace keeps your business app ranking at the top. Augmented and virtual reality With the AR kit, you can design and make 3D mobile apps for your customers that use virtual reality. AR and VR are constantly changing the business of making mobile apps. You can use these trends to give mobile users really great experiences. A few of the sectors making successful use of these technologies include gaming, e-commerce, retail, interior design, real estate, tourism and travel, education, training, healthcare, manufacturing and construction, advertising and marketing, and entertainment. Your AR and VR mobile apps are more valuable if you can meet your expectations for maximum ROI with a minimum budget. You can do this by making constant improvements to your minimum viable product. Beacon Technology The beacon technology uses a smartphone's Bluetooth to identify any store, museum, or other business in the vicinity. As mobile devices get more powerful, IoT and edge sensors will be used more and more. Because of that, beacon technology will change the way we interact with the world. This technology sends notifications to your customer’s phone about your product when the customer passes by, sends content and descriptions about an ongoing event at your location to your customers, and more. Proximity marketing and indoor navigation notifications are the few ways retail is using this technology. With the help of beacon technology, your business can track assets, keep track of contacts, offer access to loyalty programs, gather advanced data, and send mobile tickets. Al and ML The versatility and power of innovations in Al and ML keep them relevant. For example, they let you turn pictures into animations that look real. These animations provide real-time analytics and other valuable insights. As an AI learns from its own experience, providing a better customer experience based on the data you feed it helps create intelligent chatbots. Personalized shopping assistance, fraud prevention, task automation, smart content, voice assistants, and autonomous vehicles are a few of the examples where you will see AI implemented. An AI trains itself through machine learning, or ML. ML forecasts future data trends using available historical data. This invaluable addition to your existing apps transforms the way they interact with customers. We are one step closer to a super-personalized experience. Wearables Wearables let you make calls, find your way to your destination, measure and analyze your vital signs in real time, and look at your own personal insights. So, app developers and businesspeople should focus on making apps that give people who use wearables a great digital experience. Getting better apps for wearable devices can greatly enhance their functionality and the user experience. From listening to your favorite music to tracking your fitness goals, taking notes, finding a parking spot, and adhering to your health and fitness regimen, a wearable device does it all. If developing your company’s wearable app delivers more value, this technology is not just a game changer but a lifesaver for many. Predictive analytics Predictive analytics is essential to e-commerce. When it comes to making mobile apps, predictive analysis can help improve both the process and the user experience. By putting together information from many developers, it can help predict problems and suggest solutions. Your predictive analytics will be better if you use artificial intelligence (AI), data mining, machine learning, modeling, and statistics. The data that your small and medium-scale businesses have gathered over a period of time becomes one of the most valuable sources of information that helps predict and forecast future market trends. Unexplained market rises and falls will now have an explanation, as will mobile apps that can precisely tell what, when, and where needs to be changed, replaced, or repaired. Using constants and variables that are already known, predictive analytics and data modeling can help make accurate predictions about the future. Blockchain Technology The world of blockchain has innumerable possibilities. Applications backed by blockchain technology benefit from end-to-end encryption. This means no one but you can retain data ownership rights. Blockchain technology is used for a lot of important communication and financial transactions because it is safe and private. Blockchain holds promise for better efficiency, productivity, and performance, as well as for elevating the user experience. Blockchain is more secure and reliable, offers better transparency in financial transactions, makes you go password-free using an SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer), promotes simplicity, protects your identity, safeguards access to your digital data and information, and helps transmit and receive accurate data with the help of balanced data transfer using several nodes at once. On-Demand Applications As lockdowns and quarantines went on for a long time, many delivery apps started to appear. There were apps for taxis, grocery stores, and even medicine delivery. The on-demand model is likely to grow as more service-based companies shift their focus towards on-demand apps. Technology is always changing, and every year, new versions of technology hit the market. That's why we need to keep up with the latest updates and use them to make applications that are both new and full of features. That's a must for a successful launch of a mobile app. Making the development process easy for the developers reduces the time it takes to develop applications using the software. There are options like rapid application development software, no code, and low-code application development software. These can include mobile app development, SaaS (software as a service), cloud apps, on-premise standalone apps, desktop apps, and web-based apps for many devices, including IoT devices. Using AI to power the application development process speeds up development, testing, and deployment, which helps a lot with scaling from small to medium to large and beyond. Some quick and effective mobile app development platforms include Quixey, Zoho Creator, AppyPie, AppSheet, Bizness Apps, Appery.io, iBuldApp, Shoutem, Rollbar, JIRA, AppInstitute, GoodBarber, Caspio, and more. Long-Term Benefits of Mobile App Development Innovations for Your Small Business: Creating a winning product doesn’t have to be a long process. Improvements on the product offered by competitors and finding competitor product shortcomings, along with using innovative technologies, help add value to your mobile app as a product. Mobile app development innovations help in many ways, such as: Improve your brand's relationship with your customers. Offer 24/7 access to your business, Get excellent customer insights, Efficiently market your product online, Save on additional marketing costs, Boost employee efficiency by increasing engagement. Improve communication, shreds down the busy work and Streamline the data. Generate a new revenue stream from ads targeted at in-app purchases. As a result, you meet customer expectations efficiently, allowing you to expand your business and attract potential customers. Your customers and potential customers are always looking for something new and exciting to experience and adopt. Sooner or later, they make habits of seeing something, and then they start thinking of that mobile app as a standard benchmark to look up to. Talking about the scalability of a mobile application, there is a lot of scope to improve using innovative technologies, and all minor to major updates take you from where you are to where you want to be. Finding the right mix of technologies will help your business grow and expand. Tying everything together Business growth for small-scale businesses starts with new inputs and strategic technological investments in mobile app development. Although they sound promising, striking the right balance to implement innovative technologies relies heavily on rigorous predictive analysis. Tools and technologies help meet customer expectations at scale and grow the business beyond imagination with the power of innovation.
Article | August 8, 2022
The next step in industrial technology is about robotics, computers and equipment becoming connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and enhanced by machine learning algorithms. Industry 4.0 has the potential to be a powerful driver of economic growth, predicted to add between $500 billion- $1.5 trillion in value to the global economy between 2018 and 2022, according to a report by Capgemini.
Article | July 14, 2022
Whilst there are many people that associate AI with sci-fi novels and films, its reputation as an antagonist to fictional dystopic worlds is now becoming a thing of the past, as the technology becomes more and more integrated into our everyday lives. AI technologies have become increasingly more present in our daily lives, not just with Alexa’s in the home, but also throughout businesses everywhere, disrupting a variety of different industries with often tremendous results. The technology has helped to streamline even the most mundane of tasks whilst having a breath-taking impact on a company’s efficiency and productivity
The advances of AI in healthcare
Article | February 11, 2020
With the Government investing £250 million into the project, the Lab will consider how to use AI for the benefit of patients – whether this be the deployment of existing AI methods, the development of new technologies or the testing of their safety. Amongst other things, the initiative will aim to deliver earlier diagnoses of cancer. It is estimated that in excess of 50,000 extra patients could see their cancer being detected at an early stage, thus boosting survival rates. More specifically, a study has shown that AI is quicker in identifying brain tumour tissue than a pathologist.This would have a positive knock-on effect in other areas, such as enabling money to be saved (that otherwise would have been spent on further treatment) and reducing the workload of staff (at a time when there is a crisis in NHS workforce numbers).
The Future of AI in Defensive Cybersecurity
Article | July 20, 2022
Increased use of the internet and smartphones demands better mobile applications be developed. Innovation is the key driving force that can make or break the market regarding mobile app development. A fantastic team of mobile app developers and smart innovation employing the latest technology produce a huge hit app. Let us learn more about how the mobile app development market grows. The Market for Mobile Application Development The mobile application development market is projected to grow at a 13.4% CAGR from 2023 to 2030, with a value of $187.58 billion recorded in 2021. This is due to the increased use of the internet and smartphone platforms, as well as artificial intelligence and machine learning. The app's algorithms learn and understand user interests to deliver refined results that generate better user engagement. As Ericsson and the Radicati Group forecasted, 6.64 billion people own a smartphone today, which is around 83.32% of the world population, and by 2025, 7.33 billion people will own a smartphone. As a result, there is a substantial rise in demand for better smartphone apps, for which creative and innovative mobile application development is the need of the hour. Innovation will give your business a competitive edge it's never had before. It will also open up new ways to grow your business. Discover the top innovations in mobile app development. Innovations in Mobile Application Development Some of the technological breakthroughs in mobile app development will greatly improve the user experience in the future. These focus mainly on the implementation of the latest technological innovations to realize functionality that has never been seen or done before. Let us now delve into their specifics. In-App Paid Features: Android and iOS Development While Android has a market share of 70%, iOS has grabbed a market share of around 28% in the mobile operating systems market as of 2022. In-app advertising and in-app purchases generate the major ROI from mobile applications on both mobile operating platforms. A great UI and UX go a long way toward boosting your app and business, and they also help you rank highly in the respective app markets, i.e., the Google Play Store and the App Store. Rolling out constant updates and adhering to the security standards of the marketplace keeps your business app ranking at the top. Augmented and virtual reality With the AR kit, you can design and make 3D mobile apps for your customers that use virtual reality. AR and VR are constantly changing the business of making mobile apps. You can use these trends to give mobile users really great experiences. A few of the sectors making successful use of these technologies include gaming, e-commerce, retail, interior design, real estate, tourism and travel, education, training, healthcare, manufacturing and construction, advertising and marketing, and entertainment. Your AR and VR mobile apps are more valuable if you can meet your expectations for maximum ROI with a minimum budget. You can do this by making constant improvements to your minimum viable product. Beacon Technology The beacon technology uses a smartphone's Bluetooth to identify any store, museum, or other business in the vicinity. As mobile devices get more powerful, IoT and edge sensors will be used more and more. Because of that, beacon technology will change the way we interact with the world. This technology sends notifications to your customer’s phone about your product when the customer passes by, sends content and descriptions about an ongoing event at your location to your customers, and more. Proximity marketing and indoor navigation notifications are the few ways retail is using this technology. With the help of beacon technology, your business can track assets, keep track of contacts, offer access to loyalty programs, gather advanced data, and send mobile tickets. Al and ML The versatility and power of innovations in Al and ML keep them relevant. For example, they let you turn pictures into animations that look real. These animations provide real-time analytics and other valuable insights. As an AI learns from its own experience, providing a better customer experience based on the data you feed it helps create intelligent chatbots. Personalized shopping assistance, fraud prevention, task automation, smart content, voice assistants, and autonomous vehicles are a few of the examples where you will see AI implemented. An AI trains itself through machine learning, or ML. ML forecasts future data trends using available historical data. This invaluable addition to your existing apps transforms the way they interact with customers. We are one step closer to a super-personalized experience. Wearables Wearables let you make calls, find your way to your destination, measure and analyze your vital signs in real time, and look at your own personal insights. So, app developers and businesspeople should focus on making apps that give people who use wearables a great digital experience. Getting better apps for wearable devices can greatly enhance their functionality and the user experience. From listening to your favorite music to tracking your fitness goals, taking notes, finding a parking spot, and adhering to your health and fitness regimen, a wearable device does it all. If developing your company’s wearable app delivers more value, this technology is not just a game changer but a lifesaver for many. Predictive analytics Predictive analytics is essential to e-commerce. When it comes to making mobile apps, predictive analysis can help improve both the process and the user experience. By putting together information from many developers, it can help predict problems and suggest solutions. Your predictive analytics will be better if you use artificial intelligence (AI), data mining, machine learning, modeling, and statistics. The data that your small and medium-scale businesses have gathered over a period of time becomes one of the most valuable sources of information that helps predict and forecast future market trends. Unexplained market rises and falls will now have an explanation, as will mobile apps that can precisely tell what, when, and where needs to be changed, replaced, or repaired. Using constants and variables that are already known, predictive analytics and data modeling can help make accurate predictions about the future. Blockchain Technology The world of blockchain has innumerable possibilities. Applications backed by blockchain technology benefit from end-to-end encryption. This means no one but you can retain data ownership rights. Blockchain technology is used for a lot of important communication and financial transactions because it is safe and private. Blockchain holds promise for better efficiency, productivity, and performance, as well as for elevating the user experience. Blockchain is more secure and reliable, offers better transparency in financial transactions, makes you go password-free using an SSL certificate (Secure Sockets Layer), promotes simplicity, protects your identity, safeguards access to your digital data and information, and helps transmit and receive accurate data with the help of balanced data transfer using several nodes at once. On-Demand Applications As lockdowns and quarantines went on for a long time, many delivery apps started to appear. There were apps for taxis, grocery stores, and even medicine delivery. The on-demand model is likely to grow as more service-based companies shift their focus towards on-demand apps. Technology is always changing, and every year, new versions of technology hit the market. That's why we need to keep up with the latest updates and use them to make applications that are both new and full of features. That's a must for a successful launch of a mobile app. Making the development process easy for the developers reduces the time it takes to develop applications using the software. There are options like rapid application development software, no code, and low-code application development software. These can include mobile app development, SaaS (software as a service), cloud apps, on-premise standalone apps, desktop apps, and web-based apps for many devices, including IoT devices. Using AI to power the application development process speeds up development, testing, and deployment, which helps a lot with scaling from small to medium to large and beyond. Some quick and effective mobile app development platforms include Quixey, Zoho Creator, AppyPie, AppSheet, Bizness Apps, Appery.io, iBuldApp, Shoutem, Rollbar, JIRA, AppInstitute, GoodBarber, Caspio, and more. Long-Term Benefits of Mobile App Development Innovations for Your Small Business: Creating a winning product doesn’t have to be a long process. Improvements on the product offered by competitors and finding competitor product shortcomings, along with using innovative technologies, help add value to your mobile app as a product. Mobile app development innovations help in many ways, such as: Improve your brand's relationship with your customers. Offer 24/7 access to your business, Get excellent customer insights, Efficiently market your product online, Save on additional marketing costs, Boost employee efficiency by increasing engagement. Improve communication, shreds down the busy work and Streamline the data. Generate a new revenue stream from ads targeted at in-app purchases. As a result, you meet customer expectations efficiently, allowing you to expand your business and attract potential customers. Your customers and potential customers are always looking for something new and exciting to experience and adopt. Sooner or later, they make habits of seeing something, and then they start thinking of that mobile app as a standard benchmark to look up to. Talking about the scalability of a mobile application, there is a lot of scope to improve using innovative technologies, and all minor to major updates take you from where you are to where you want to be. Finding the right mix of technologies will help your business grow and expand. Tying everything together Business growth for small-scale businesses starts with new inputs and strategic technological investments in mobile app development. Although they sound promising, striking the right balance to implement innovative technologies relies heavily on rigorous predictive analysis. Tools and technologies help meet customer expectations at scale and grow the business beyond imagination with the power of innovation.
How are Low-Code and No-Code Apps Fuelling Digital Transformation?
Article | August 8, 2022
The next step in industrial technology is about robotics, computers and equipment becoming connected to the Internet of Things (IoT) and enhanced by machine learning algorithms. Industry 4.0 has the potential to be a powerful driver of economic growth, predicted to add between $500 billion- $1.5 trillion in value to the global economy between 2018 and 2022, according to a report by Capgemini.
Article | July 14, 2022
Whilst there are many people that associate AI with sci-fi novels and films, its reputation as an antagonist to fictional dystopic worlds is now becoming a thing of the past, as the technology becomes more and more integrated into our everyday lives. AI technologies have become increasingly more present in our daily lives, not just with Alexa’s in the home, but also throughout businesses everywhere, disrupting a variety of different industries with often tremendous results. The technology has helped to streamline even the most mundane of tasks whilst having a breath-taking impact on a company’s efficiency and productivity
The advances of AI in healthcare
Article | February 11, 2020
With the Government investing £250 million into the project, the Lab will consider how to use AI for the benefit of patients – whether this be the deployment of existing AI methods, the development of new technologies or the testing of their safety. Amongst other things, the initiative will aim to deliver earlier diagnoses of cancer. It is estimated that in excess of 50,000 extra patients could see their cancer being detected at an early stage, thus boosting survival rates. More specifically, a study has shown that AI is quicker in identifying brain tumour tissue than a pathologist.This would have a positive knock-on effect in other areas, such as enabling money to be saved (that otherwise would have been spent on further treatment) and reducing the workload of staff (at a time when there is a crisis in NHS workforce numbers).
ClearPeople is a Consultagency™ - a hybrid breed of business offering technical consulting with digital agency services. We employ a team of "bright, expert and human" digital Consultagents in London and Alicante, specialising in delivering digital transformation. We help bridge the gap between business, marketing and information technology, bringing these sometimes disparate and traditionally unconnected worlds together.
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OutSystems | November 16, 2022
OutSystems, a global leader in high-performance application development, today announced at its NextStep 2022 Software Innovation Conference, the new OutSystems AI Mentor System. This enhanced solution gives a comprehensive set of AI-based development, security, and quality analysis tools that provide expert-level assistance across the most critical areas of the software development lifecycle. With AI Mentor System, IT teams can more easily optimize their architecture for performance, identify and fix security-related coding errors, and minimize technical debt and wasted development time. For more than four years, OutSystems has been infusing AI across the platform and the entire software development lifecycle to help developers, tech leads, and architects create software much faster and with enterprise-grade quality. OutSystems AI Mentor System aids developers at every development step, providing intuitive, in-the-moment help when they need it. The AI Mentor System also automates repetitive tasks, eliminates tedious work, and validates applications before they go into production to ensure they are built and maintained to the highest possible quality standards. Each of the AI Mentors serve as developers’ assistants, improving the development process for dramatic efficiency. "The traditional software development approach needs to change and our advanced AI literally shaves weeks and months off of the development process, while increasing the quality and security of every app," said Gonçalo Gaiolas, OutSystems Chief Product Officer. “AI Mentor System is like having a team of experts enhancing and extending the collective expertise of your team. OutSystems is catching potential issues and serving up solutions for the dev team, so they can focus on creating awesome solutions. This System is a prime example of high-performance low-code, with the agility of a visual programming language and a powerful AI engine, supporting faster and more accurate development at every stage.” AI Mentor System Capabilities The OutSystems AI Mentor System is an evolution of the previous Architecture Dashboard within the OutSystems Platform, offering more robust capabilities and integrating new patent-pending AI technology. The solution includes the following Mentors: Code Mentor – Breakthrough AI-assisted development predicts what to do next, suggests the best option, and adds it to a developer’s code, fully configured and adapted to the business logic and context. Additionally, Code Mentor enables developers to use natural language to describe complex data required for an application and the built-in AI will automatically generate the proper SQL query, saving developers an enormous amount of time. Architecture Mentor – An AI-based enterprise architect that reviews code to ensure it meets critical architectural standards. Security Mentor – An AI-based security lead that reviews code to identify code vulnerabilities introduced during the development process. Performance Mentor – An AI-based performance expert that reviews code to identify possible performance bottlenecks and ensure that apps consistently perform at peak efficiency. Maintainability Mentor – An AI-based portfolio analyst that scans the company’s entire application portfolio looking for opportunities to reduce technical debt. The Maintainability Mentor is like having an AI-based development manager reviewing application code to root out duplicated code and suggesting opportunities to refactor applications. “The biggest value (from AI Mentor System) is that it provides a top down analysis of our code base, identifying areas in the architecture where best practices need to be applied,” said Scott Finkle, Vice President at McConkey Auction Group. “We schedule a dashboard review every week to see the results so we can address the issues identified. As a result, our code base is kept clean and is much easier for developers–especially new–to understand and work with. The categories are helpful for informing us of the areas we need internal training and where we have business and other risks. It is a significant asset to our developers as well as the business.” Additional OutSystems Platform Updates OutSystems released a series of additional enhancements that bring added power and flexibility to the platform: Static Application Security Testing (SAST) – With the platform’s new SAST API, customers can automate security testing of application source code with third-party tools such as SonarQube, Veracode. OutSystems is the only leading low-code platform that supports SAST, an essential step in building strategic enterprise applications. Customers can join the OutSystems Early Access Program (EAP) to access these new features. OpenID Authentication for Platform Users – The OutSystems Platform has long supported third-party Identity Providers (IdPs), such as Okta or Azure Active Directory, for application users. Customers can now use their corporate-standard IdP – using the OpenID Connect standard – to authenticate platform users as well. Customers can leverage their existing IdP investments and implement sophisticated governance strategies for large-scale enterprise development teams. Expanding Enterprise Observability – While the OutSystems Platform includes sophisticated, built-in tools for application monitoring, customers increasingly want to standardize on a single tool for all of their monitoring and observability requirements. This new capability moves application logs to a specialized logging subsystem and exposes these logs through the OpenTelemetry API. Customers will see new levels of performance for sophisticated monitoring regimens and out-of-the-box support for third-party monitoring tools such as Datadog, New Relic, and Dynatrace. Customers can join the OutSystems EAP to access these new features. Integration Builder support for MongoDB – OutSystems Integration Builder dramatically accelerates developers’ ability to connect apps to data sources through secure and scalable integrations. Until now, Integration Builders supported 13 common data sources such as SAP, Salesforce, Azure SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL – and now supports MongoDB. This is an important addition for customers that want to accelerate the development of applications that take advantage of NoSQL-based data. With Integration Builder, customers use wizard-style configuration to configure their MongoDB integrations without having to write a single line of code. Those integrations are scalable and secure and can be reused throughout a customer’s app portfolio. Developers can experience these new features and access OutSystems with a free trial version and experience these capabilities by visiting the OutSystems page. See the OutSystems Platform at NextStep 2022 OutSystems is presenting the enhanced OutSystems Platform at the company’s NextStep online event November 15-17. Join OutSystems, its customers and partners for a look at high-performance low-code in action with companies around the world. Watch the event live or on-demand. About OutSystems OutSystems was founded in 2001 with the mission to give every organization the power to innovate through software. The OutSystems high-performance low-code platform gives technology leaders and developers the tools to rapidly build and deploy their own business-critical applications. The company’s network spans more than 600,000 community members, 400+ partners, and active customers in 87 countries across 22 industries. OutSystems is “The #1 Low-Code Platform®” and a recognized leader by analysts, IT executives, business leaders, and developers around the world. Some of the most well-known brands use OutSystems to turn their big ideas into software that moves their business, people, and the world forward.
Seismic and Microsoft partner to power the future of sales with Viva Sales
Seismic | September 26, 2022
Seismic, the global leader in enablement, today announced a new partnership with Microsoft for its seller experience application, Viva Sales. Together, Microsoft and Seismic will transform the future of sales and streamline daily workflows for the modern salesperson. Today’s salespeople use numerous apps and tools in their daily work but are challenged with bringing together the bigger picture across meetings, email, chat, and CRM. Breaking down silos of data, Viva Sales empowers sellers in their flow of work within Microsoft 365 and Teams, reducing busy work and maximizing sellers’ time for the most valuable area of their work – engaging with customers and closing deals. Embedded within the Viva Sales workflow, Seismic will provide content production, collaboration, task automation, and engagement intelligence for Viva Sales users across the meeting experience to help drive deals and relationships forward. The joint vision of Microsoft Viva Sales and Seismic is to streamline the buyer engagement experience for relationship-based sales teams and increase productivity through preparation, automation, and intelligence. “Microsoft has been one of our longstanding partners and we’ve always had close alignment across our product and go-to-market teams, so we’re thrilled to help launch Viva Sales. “Our leadership in sales enablement, content automation, enablement intelligence, and buyer engagement will perfectly complement the mission of Viva Sales to improve seller productivity and drive revenue. We can’t wait to get started.” Hayden Stafford, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Seismic Microsoft’s partnership with Seismic for Viva Sales will add AI-powered capabilities for virtual meetings, the key vehicle for modern sales teams to interact with prospects and customers. As the first step in this journey, the Seismic Enablement Cloud™ will provide recommended content and training for follow-up as part of the Viva Sales AI-powered post-meeting call summaries. Looking ahead, sales organizations can expect content and training recommendations, pre-built digital sales rooms, and meeting analysis powered by Seismic. “We’re united with Seismic in our commitment to empower sellers through relevant content and an improved seller experience. Our plan to integrate Seismic with Viva Sales will help sellers have more personalized customer engagements whether they are in the office or on the road, with a helpful assist from the AI-driven insights and content,” said Lori Lamkin, CVP, Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Applications. About Seismic Seismic is the global leader in enablement, helping organizations engage customers, enable teams, and ignite revenue growth. The Seismic Enablement Cloud™ is the most powerful, unified enablement platform that equips customer-facing teams with the right skills, content, tools, and insights to grow and win. From the world’s largest enterprises to startups and small businesses, more than 2,000 organizations around the globe trust Seismic for their enablement needs. Seismic is headquartered in San Diego with offices across North America, Europe, and Australia.
Edge Impulse, the foremost development platform for ML on edge devices, today announced a joint initiative to advance professional machine learning implementation by bringing Renesas' DRP-AI Translator software directly into Edge Impulse Studio. Edge Impulse Studio allows developers to quickly and easily create and optimize solutions with real-world data. The company's platform streamlines the entire process of collecting and structuring datasets, designing ML algorithms with ready-made building blocks, validating the models with real-time data, and deploying the fully optimized production-ready result to an edge target. The DRP-AI is Renesas' low-power, proprietary AI accelerator. The integration of DRP-AI Translator software into Edge Impulse Studio will now allow users to access its features inside the Studio environment, rather than needing to run it externally. Out-of-the-box hardware support for the integration is currently available for Renesas' new RZ/V2L Evaluation Board Kit, which offers high-precision AI inference capabilities combined with top-class power efficiency. Powered by DRP-AI and dual 1.2GHz Arm® Cortex®-A55, RZ/V2L is ideal for exploring industrial monitoring and visibility solutions. "A sound technology strategy involves coupling reliable hardware with intelligent software. "I am thrilled to connect with Renesas in making our machine learning software tools even more capable by allowing users to directly access the features that make Renesas' hardware world-class." Zach Shelby, CEO and co-founder of Edge Impulse "Edge Impulse offers our customers a state-of-the-art cloud environment that works seamlessly with Renesas' RZ/V2L MPUs," said Shigeki Kato, Vice President of Renesas' Enterprise Infrastructure Business Division. "Using the integrated development environment, engineers can easily build full-scale AI Machine Learning solutions for a wide range of applications including industrial monitoring systems, smart buildings, smart cities and other vision-based inspection systems." About Edge Impulse Edge Impulse is the leading machine learning platform, enabling all enterprises to build smarter edge products. Their technology empowers developers to bring more ML products to market faster and helps enterprise teams rapidly develop industry-specific solutions in weeks instead of years. The Edge Impulse platform provides powerful automation and low-code capabilities to make it easier to build valuable datasets and develop advanced ML with streaming data. With over 40,000 developers, and partnerships with the top silicon vendors, Edge Impulse offers a seamless integration experience to validate and deploy with confidence across the largest hardware ecosystem.
OutSystems | November 16, 2022
OutSystems, a global leader in high-performance application development, today announced at its NextStep 2022 Software Innovation Conference, the new OutSystems AI Mentor System. This enhanced solution gives a comprehensive set of AI-based development, security, and quality analysis tools that provide expert-level assistance across the most critical areas of the software development lifecycle. With AI Mentor System, IT teams can more easily optimize their architecture for performance, identify and fix security-related coding errors, and minimize technical debt and wasted development time. For more than four years, OutSystems has been infusing AI across the platform and the entire software development lifecycle to help developers, tech leads, and architects create software much faster and with enterprise-grade quality. OutSystems AI Mentor System aids developers at every development step, providing intuitive, in-the-moment help when they need it. The AI Mentor System also automates repetitive tasks, eliminates tedious work, and validates applications before they go into production to ensure they are built and maintained to the highest possible quality standards. Each of the AI Mentors serve as developers’ assistants, improving the development process for dramatic efficiency. "The traditional software development approach needs to change and our advanced AI literally shaves weeks and months off of the development process, while increasing the quality and security of every app," said Gonçalo Gaiolas, OutSystems Chief Product Officer. “AI Mentor System is like having a team of experts enhancing and extending the collective expertise of your team. OutSystems is catching potential issues and serving up solutions for the dev team, so they can focus on creating awesome solutions. This System is a prime example of high-performance low-code, with the agility of a visual programming language and a powerful AI engine, supporting faster and more accurate development at every stage.” AI Mentor System Capabilities The OutSystems AI Mentor System is an evolution of the previous Architecture Dashboard within the OutSystems Platform, offering more robust capabilities and integrating new patent-pending AI technology. The solution includes the following Mentors: Code Mentor – Breakthrough AI-assisted development predicts what to do next, suggests the best option, and adds it to a developer’s code, fully configured and adapted to the business logic and context. Additionally, Code Mentor enables developers to use natural language to describe complex data required for an application and the built-in AI will automatically generate the proper SQL query, saving developers an enormous amount of time. Architecture Mentor – An AI-based enterprise architect that reviews code to ensure it meets critical architectural standards. Security Mentor – An AI-based security lead that reviews code to identify code vulnerabilities introduced during the development process. Performance Mentor – An AI-based performance expert that reviews code to identify possible performance bottlenecks and ensure that apps consistently perform at peak efficiency. Maintainability Mentor – An AI-based portfolio analyst that scans the company’s entire application portfolio looking for opportunities to reduce technical debt. The Maintainability Mentor is like having an AI-based development manager reviewing application code to root out duplicated code and suggesting opportunities to refactor applications. “The biggest value (from AI Mentor System) is that it provides a top down analysis of our code base, identifying areas in the architecture where best practices need to be applied,” said Scott Finkle, Vice President at McConkey Auction Group. “We schedule a dashboard review every week to see the results so we can address the issues identified. As a result, our code base is kept clean and is much easier for developers–especially new–to understand and work with. The categories are helpful for informing us of the areas we need internal training and where we have business and other risks. It is a significant asset to our developers as well as the business.” Additional OutSystems Platform Updates OutSystems released a series of additional enhancements that bring added power and flexibility to the platform: Static Application Security Testing (SAST) – With the platform’s new SAST API, customers can automate security testing of application source code with third-party tools such as SonarQube, Veracode. OutSystems is the only leading low-code platform that supports SAST, an essential step in building strategic enterprise applications. Customers can join the OutSystems Early Access Program (EAP) to access these new features. OpenID Authentication for Platform Users – The OutSystems Platform has long supported third-party Identity Providers (IdPs), such as Okta or Azure Active Directory, for application users. Customers can now use their corporate-standard IdP – using the OpenID Connect standard – to authenticate platform users as well. Customers can leverage their existing IdP investments and implement sophisticated governance strategies for large-scale enterprise development teams. Expanding Enterprise Observability – While the OutSystems Platform includes sophisticated, built-in tools for application monitoring, customers increasingly want to standardize on a single tool for all of their monitoring and observability requirements. This new capability moves application logs to a specialized logging subsystem and exposes these logs through the OpenTelemetry API. Customers will see new levels of performance for sophisticated monitoring regimens and out-of-the-box support for third-party monitoring tools such as Datadog, New Relic, and Dynatrace. Customers can join the OutSystems EAP to access these new features. Integration Builder support for MongoDB – OutSystems Integration Builder dramatically accelerates developers’ ability to connect apps to data sources through secure and scalable integrations. Until now, Integration Builders supported 13 common data sources such as SAP, Salesforce, Azure SQL, MySQL, and PostgreSQL – and now supports MongoDB. This is an important addition for customers that want to accelerate the development of applications that take advantage of NoSQL-based data. With Integration Builder, customers use wizard-style configuration to configure their MongoDB integrations without having to write a single line of code. Those integrations are scalable and secure and can be reused throughout a customer’s app portfolio. Developers can experience these new features and access OutSystems with a free trial version and experience these capabilities by visiting the OutSystems page. See the OutSystems Platform at NextStep 2022 OutSystems is presenting the enhanced OutSystems Platform at the company’s NextStep online event November 15-17. Join OutSystems, its customers and partners for a look at high-performance low-code in action with companies around the world. Watch the event live or on-demand. About OutSystems OutSystems was founded in 2001 with the mission to give every organization the power to innovate through software. The OutSystems high-performance low-code platform gives technology leaders and developers the tools to rapidly build and deploy their own business-critical applications. The company’s network spans more than 600,000 community members, 400+ partners, and active customers in 87 countries across 22 industries. OutSystems is “The #1 Low-Code Platform®” and a recognized leader by analysts, IT executives, business leaders, and developers around the world. Some of the most well-known brands use OutSystems to turn their big ideas into software that moves their business, people, and the world forward.
Seismic and Microsoft partner to power the future of sales with Viva Sales
Seismic | September 26, 2022
Seismic, the global leader in enablement, today announced a new partnership with Microsoft for its seller experience application, Viva Sales. Together, Microsoft and Seismic will transform the future of sales and streamline daily workflows for the modern salesperson. Today’s salespeople use numerous apps and tools in their daily work but are challenged with bringing together the bigger picture across meetings, email, chat, and CRM. Breaking down silos of data, Viva Sales empowers sellers in their flow of work within Microsoft 365 and Teams, reducing busy work and maximizing sellers’ time for the most valuable area of their work – engaging with customers and closing deals. Embedded within the Viva Sales workflow, Seismic will provide content production, collaboration, task automation, and engagement intelligence for Viva Sales users across the meeting experience to help drive deals and relationships forward. The joint vision of Microsoft Viva Sales and Seismic is to streamline the buyer engagement experience for relationship-based sales teams and increase productivity through preparation, automation, and intelligence. “Microsoft has been one of our longstanding partners and we’ve always had close alignment across our product and go-to-market teams, so we’re thrilled to help launch Viva Sales. “Our leadership in sales enablement, content automation, enablement intelligence, and buyer engagement will perfectly complement the mission of Viva Sales to improve seller productivity and drive revenue. We can’t wait to get started.” Hayden Stafford, President and Chief Revenue Officer at Seismic Microsoft’s partnership with Seismic for Viva Sales will add AI-powered capabilities for virtual meetings, the key vehicle for modern sales teams to interact with prospects and customers. As the first step in this journey, the Seismic Enablement Cloud™ will provide recommended content and training for follow-up as part of the Viva Sales AI-powered post-meeting call summaries. Looking ahead, sales organizations can expect content and training recommendations, pre-built digital sales rooms, and meeting analysis powered by Seismic. “We’re united with Seismic in our commitment to empower sellers through relevant content and an improved seller experience. Our plan to integrate Seismic with Viva Sales will help sellers have more personalized customer engagements whether they are in the office or on the road, with a helpful assist from the AI-driven insights and content,” said Lori Lamkin, CVP, Dynamics 365 Customer Experience Applications. About Seismic Seismic is the global leader in enablement, helping organizations engage customers, enable teams, and ignite revenue growth. The Seismic Enablement Cloud™ is the most powerful, unified enablement platform that equips customer-facing teams with the right skills, content, tools, and insights to grow and win. From the world’s largest enterprises to startups and small businesses, more than 2,000 organizations around the globe trust Seismic for their enablement needs. Seismic is headquartered in San Diego with offices across North America, Europe, and Australia.
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Are you thinking of buying a mattress? These are some things to keep in mind when making a decision about a new mattress. A firm mattress is an essential investment, and one that isn’t too firm may not be a good choice for your back. There are many firm options available. We’ve broken them down into the best features. Read on to discover which mattress is the best choice for you. You will feel rejuvenated and refreshed in no time.
Saatva coil on-coil mattress
Casper Original foam mattresses offer cooling and support. Its Zoned Support ergonomically aligns your spine while AirScape circulates air to keep you comfortable and cool. The Casper Original mattress has thousands of 5-star reviews. Casper Original mattresses are made with proprietary materials and 4D Sleep Technology. They provide the best night’s sleep. The mattress has four layers of foam that provide the best balance of support and cooling.
To allow for greater air flow, the Casper Original mattress’ top layer is made of open-cell foam memory foam. This foam also helps to keep the mattress cool in warmer temperatures. The middle layer is firmer with zoned support foam, which provides a generous lift for your hips. The base layer is a dense and supportive layer that prevents your body from sinking and provides additional support for your entire body. Casper is a great choice if you are looking for a foam mattress that is eco-friendly.
The Casper Original mattress is made of memory foam and offers a bounce. Its affordable price tag makes it a popular option for the average sleeper. Although the Casper Original is a great choice for a king-sized bed it is not for everyone. Before you buy a mattress, make sure you read our Casper FAQs. These FAQs will help you choose the right model for you.
The Casper Original’s top layer is made of plush polyfoam, which provides instant comfort. The contoured shape of the layer provides firm support to specific areas of your body. The last layer is made up of dense polyurethane foam which offers excellent motion isolation. Casper Original is a great choice for side and back sleepers. You can even try it if you’re unsure about it!
There are two versions of the DreamCloud mattress: the premier and the standard. The standard DreamCloud is made with a combination of innerspring coils and memory foam, while the premier features a plush cashmere Euro Top. The Premier is the preferred choice for those looking for a luxurious bed. The difference between the two models is in the price and feel. The DreamCloud Premier is more costly than the standard model but offers similar benefits.
It has a pocketed coil system that is individually wrapped and comes in a variety of sizes. These coils provide support along the perimeter of the bed while still allowing plenty of air to flow throughout. Its base layer is made with high-density Polyfoam for durability. The DreamCloud might be right for you if your weight is a concern. This hybrid mattress’ durable polyfoam construction will ensure a restful night’s sleep.
The DreamCloud can offer the support you need if you are a side-sleeper. If you sleep on your stomach, a firmer mattress with deeper compression support is better. For stomach sleepers, the top foams of DreamCloud can cause backaches. A thicker mattress with better support is best for stomach sleepers. It is important to consider your body’s weight when buying a mattress.
The DreamCloud Mattress is an ideal choice for most people, but some may find it too firm. If you’re prone to hip pain, you may want to consider another brand. The DreamCloud can be used with most bed frames and foundations. It is not recommended for stomach-sleepers. There is no weight limit. However if you are very heavy, you should consider a firmer mattress. This mattress is compatible with most bed frames.
The Allswell Supreme hybrid mattress is a superb choice for side sleepers. With plush Euro-top fabric and pressure-relieving foam layers, this mattress offers an excellent mid-level level of firmness. The unique design includes pocketed coils that are thicker and perimeter-bound coils. This mattress provides more support. The Allswell Supreme Hybrid mattress is priced affordably and will please many consumers.
The Allswell Supreme Hybrid comes with a Quantum Edge coil 8-inch system for exceptional support. These coils are reinforced on all four sides to provide superior edge support. You’ll find the Allswell Supreme Hybrid to be the perfect medium-firm feel mattress for a sexy or romantic partner. Because of its firm but buoyant feel, it is recommended for back sleepers. The mattress has a plush Euro top with a Reinforced Quantum Edge to provide extra support and less movement transfer.
The Allswell Supreme Hybrid Mattress, a luxurious option priced below $1000, is available. It boasts a thickness of 14 inches and premium materials. This mattress is designed for back and combination sleepers. It offers premium comfort and support. It is made of dense foams and a supportive coil system for a high-quality, long-lasting sleep. It is also a luxury option for back sleepers.
The Allswell Supreme Hybrid is suitable for back sleepers of all sizes. Its Euro top softens the surface, while the memory foam comfort layer contours to the shape of your body. A transition layer of Energex foam offers extra contouring to promote proper spinal alignment. The Allswell Supreme Hybrid provides back sleepers with great support that isn’t too heavy.
The Nectar memory foam mattress offers incredible value and will give you the best night’s sleep. Not only does it provide exceptional support, but it also has dual action cooling. It features a cooling layer and a top layer made of gel-coated, memory foam. The Nectar Lush provides superior cooling and support for a peaceful night’s rest. With a cooling top layer and a dozen inches of premium materials, the Nectar Lush is a great value.
The Nectar memory mattress is supportive and firm, allowing the user to sink into the mattress. This provides excellent pressure relief and is ideal for people of all weights and body types. This mattress is not suitable for heavy sleepers, however, as its firmness may cause it to sag around the shoulders. It is also soft and supportive, so that anyone can sleep on any area of the mattress without feeling uncomfortable.
Nectar’s unique cooling covering is an integral part of its overall design. It keeps the mattress cool by promoting air circulation. Tencel, a material that repels bedbugs, is used as the cooling cover. It promotes heat-wicking and air circulation by circulating fresh air throughout every movement of the mattress. The cooling cover will not become dirty or need replacement, unlike other memory foam mattresses. However, if the cover does get wet, the company will replace it for free.
The Nectar mattress is suitable for all sleeping positions. It provides you with pinpoint pressure relief and buoyant support as you sleep. This prevents you from being interrupted while you sleep, keeping you comfortable. The Nectar is not a memory-foam mattress, despite its name. It doesn’t provide the same luxurious comfort and sophistication as memory foam mattresses. It is also an environmentally friendly option for consumers concerned about toxic and chemical based foams.
Saatva coil on-coil mattress
The Saatva coil-on-coil bed is a well-built American-made mattress that has high performance ratings. It features a coil on coil system, encased with a foam external layer. The coils are designed to provide a restful night’s sleep. Unlike other brands, the Saatva is made in the United States, and its materials and construction meet high quality standards.
Saatva coil-on-coil mattresses are constructed in a variety of ways depending on the firmness or thickness that you choose. The Euro-top layer consists of a soft, breathable material with antimicrobial treatment. The comfort layer has a 3-inch Euro cushiontop for cushioning. The mattress is supported by individually wrapped pocketed coils that add bounce and airflow. This makes the Saatva coils-on-coil bed an excellent choice for those who want a firmer mattress.
Another benefit of the Saatva coil-on-coil bed is its edge support. The dual coil design and foam edges around the coil layers enhance edge support and prevent you from rolling off the edge of the mattress. This makes it much easier to get in and from bed. And the mattress’s durability makes it ideal for a wide range of sleeping positions. Therefore, it’s a great choice for any sleeping position and budget.
The firmness rating for the Saatva coil-on-coil mattress is 7. This mattress is on the firmer end of industry standards. Its coil on-coil construction provides firm support, as well as a zoned support system that provides pressure relief. The memory foam is used as the middle layer. Individuals looking for pressure relief will love the Saatva coil-on-coil mattress.
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Being a creative thinker is one of the attributes most sought-after by employers. We want children that can come up with new ideas – whether they are finding different solutions to a maths problem, composing a piece of music to reflect a mood or emotion, or deciding on the best tactic to use to put the ball in the hoop. Creative thinkers have open minds and are free thinkers and so they are able to express their thinking in different ways, producing new ideas or concepts.
Nadeen News - September 2018
We encourage children to take care and pride in what they do and to, wherever possible, produce the very best work that they are capable of. This is true whether this work is a piece of writing, a painting, a javelin throw or a speech. Craftsmanship means taking care to make sure that the quality of what is produced has been practised and honed and is the best job we can do.
Nadeen News - September 2018
Much of success in life comes from how confidently we approach things – especially things that are difficult or unfamiliar. We know that confident children make successful learners but also successful people. We build children’s confidence by making it safe for them to step outside of their comfort zone and we encourage them to try new things. Effective feedback – both about what went well and what didn’t – helps us to grow and gain confidence in what we are doing (no matter how old we are!).
Nadeen News - September 2018
The ability to think about what people tell you, decide whether or not it is true or reliable, or whether you agree or disagree is essential in your capacity to make good decisions. Nadeen children are taught to make decisions, to take calculated risks, to evaluate and compare and to solve problems. These critical thinking skills prepare children to be independent learners and change makers.
Nadeen News - September 2018
We communicate in different ways and these are all essential in developing relationships that help us throughout our lives. We teach children to be emotionally and socially literate through the way they communicate with and relate to others.
Nadeen News - September 2018
Our modern, ‘throw-away’ society does not always encourage or development commitment in children. We believe that showing commitment to your learning is one of the most essential elements of making progress and cannot be underestimated. We teach children not to give up when learning is tough and that the greatest satisfaction and pride come after you have had to struggle for it. Eureka!
Nadeen News - September 2018
We want children to be constantly questioning, reflecting, pondering, analysing and seeking to know more. This is what drives our passion and interest in the things we love and it makes us better learners. Our Big Question creative curriculum helps to encourage independent thinking and enquiry, as do sessions of philosophy for children, and many, many stories.
Nadeen News - September 2018
In life, we have to be able get on with anyone to get the job done. This requires a set of social and communication skills that aren’t always easy to master, but it also requires an understanding that people working effectively together can achieve more than the sum of those individuals working separately. We are like bees in a hive!
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Not completely recovered from a stress fracture in the neck of the femur, Amélie Kretz will be conspicuous by her absence from the World Cup not without a twinge in her heart.
Injured in training at the end of January, the two-time Olympian will leave for Spain next week for her final preparation ahead of her return to competition.
“I am unfortunately not ready to take departure, Kretz said. I thought for a long time that I could make it back in time for Montreal, but that's not the case. It would be too risky to hasten my return. It's boring because the opportunities to race in front of my family and friends are rare.”
“Montreal has been presenting international events since 2016 and I only participated in 2021, to continue Kretz. In addition, I did not finish the race last year due to an Achilles tendon injury. Injuries and scheduling conflicts, as was the case in 2016 when I was preparing for the Rio Games, prevented me from being present.
The sprint format that will be honored in the metropolis weighed heavily in the balance when making its decision. “The format played a big part in my decision,” she explained. With the elimination formula, the format of the worlds requires that you do three sprints not counting the mixed relay. It's risky for someone coming back from an injury.”
Kretz, however, assures that she is progressing very well and that her return is imminent. “The goal is to compete in the Commonwealth Games,” she said. I am the only woman to have achieved the standards by obtaining a Top 16 at the Games and a Top 8 at the World Cup. They will have no choice but to take me. Canada has three spots and the other two girls will be discretionary picks.”
Triathlon Canada has not yet announced the identity of its team in anticipation of the Commonwealth Games which will take place from July 28 to August 8 in Birmingham, England.
Like Kretz, Alexis Lepage will not start in the world championship, but for a very different reason. “I took a break after the Tokyo Games and I haven't found the desire to return to competition,” he said. It looks like a retirement even if there is nothing official. I achieved my boyhood dream by qualifying for the Games and completed my Masters in Management in December. I think it's a good time to move on.”
In March, Lepage took part in a training camp with the Quebec team in Florida. “I felt exhausted and the intervals weighed heavily on me,” he said. Having the knife between the teeth permanently does not suit me anymore. That's why I'm thinking about retirement.”
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About The Author
Rob Wilson has been a reporter on the news desk since 2013. Before that she wrote about young adolescence and family dynamics for Styles and was the legal affairs correspondent for the Metro desk. Before joining The Gal Times, Rob wilson worked as a staff writer at the Village Voice and a freelancer for Newsday, The Wall Street Journal, GQ and Mirabella. To get in touch, contact me through my rob@bobrtimes.com 1-800-268-7128
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This was an action brought April 3, 1879, in the circuit court of the United States for the district of Kentucky, by Dickinson against the county of Daviess, on bonds and coupons alleged to have been issued under the statute of Kentucky of February 27, 1867, (chapter 1505,) incorporating the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company, the material provisions of which were as follows: By section 1, five persons named, in Daviess county, and certain other persons named, in each of four other counties, are 'appointed commissioners, under the direction of whom, or any three of whom, in each of said counties, subscription may be received to the capital stock of the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company hereby incorporated.' By section 2, 'the capital stock of said Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company shall be one million dollars, in shares of twenty-five dollars each.' By section 19, 'the county courts of Daviess' and those four other counties 'shall have power, and are hereby authorized, to subscribe to the capital stock of said company in such number of shares as may be determined by said county courts, respectively, and to levy upon the tax-payers of such counties, respectively, such taxes as may be necessary to pay the stock so by them respectively subscribed; and said county courts may, if they shall deem it prudent, issue the bonds of said counties, respectively, for the amount of stock subscribed, or any part thereof; said bonds to be in such sums, and payable at such times, as said county courts may determine upon. But before such stock shall be subscribed by such county courts, the said county courts shall submit to the voters of said counties the proposition to subscribe stock and the amount thereof, (to be suggested and fixed by the commissioners named herein in each of said counties,) at an election to be held on the third Monday in April, 1867, in each of the counties aforesaid, due notice of which shall be given by the sheriffs in each of said counties, by written advertisements posted in each of the voting precincts thereof for at least thirty days before said day of election; and said stock shall not be subscribed unless a majority of all the votes cast at said election be in favor of such proposition; and said county courts shall have power to appoint suitable and necessary officers to conduct such election, and to provide for the collection of the tax aforesaid, if a majority of the votes cast at such election is in favor of the proposition aforesaid.'
At the trial the following facts were admitted: At March term, 1867, of the Daviess county court, upon the suggestion of the five commissioners named in the charter of the railroad company, that court ordered to be submitted to the voters of the county, on the third Monday in April, 1867, this proposition: 'Shall or shall not the county court of Daviess county subscribe ten thousand shares, being the sum of two hundred and fifty thousand dollars, to the capital stock of said Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company?' At April term, 1868, GEORGE W. TRIPLETT, presiding judge, and a majority of the justices of the peace of the county being present, the county court, upon motion, of EDWARD C. BERRY, one of those justices, adopted the following order: 'In obedience to the will of the majority of the voters and tax-payers of this county, as expressed and recorded in the poll-book at the election held on the fifteenth day of April, 1867, it is now ordered that this court do subscribe two hundred and fifty thousand dollars to the capital stock of the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company, and GEORGE W. TRIPLETT, presiding judge of this court, is ordered and directed to make said subscription of said stock in manner and ferm as prescribed by the charter incorporating said company.'
At July term, 1868, of the county court, 'it is ordered that George W. Triplett, presiding judge of Daviess county court, William B. Tyler, [who was the treasurer of the railroad company,] and E. C. Berry be, and are hereby, appointed a committee on behalf of the county court of Daviess county, to have bonds executed and prepared of a sufficient amount to satisfy and pay off the subscription on the part of the county of Daviess to the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company. That said bonds be executed and made payable as follows, viz.: Fifty thousand dollars, five years from date; fifty thousand dollars, ten years from date; seventy-five thousand dollars, fifteen years from date; seventy-five thousand dollars, twenty years from date,—the county reserving the right to pay at any time after five years; the interest on the same, at the rate of six per cent. per annum, to be due and payable semi-annually at such place or places as the committee may determine upon; and that said bonds shall be of such denominations as said committee shall deem best, with interest coupons attached, and said bonds shall be signed by the presiding judge of Daviess county and the clerk of the county court of Daviess county, and have the seal of the county impressed on each; and said committee, or a majority of the same, may sell and dispose of said bonds either to the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company, or to individuals, or other corporations, on such terms as said committee may deem best and most advisable to the interests of the county of Daviess in paying the subscription of said county to the said Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company; and they are hereby authorized to raise funds from said bonds, either by sale to individuals or corporations, or by contract with said railroad company, so as to pay off and meet all calls made by the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company by reason of the subscription of stock on behalf of the county of Daviess to said railroad company. It is further ordered that whenever any bond shall be sold or otherwise disposed of by said committee for the purposes aforesaid, that a list of said bonds shall be made, giving the amount, number, and denomination of same, with the amount of coupons attached to each at the time of their disposal; and said list so furnished shall be entered upon the records of the county court of Daviess by the clerk of same.'
GEORGE W. TRIPLETT, the presiding judge, and Thomas C. Jones, the clerk of the county court, claiming to act under the authority of this order, signed as such judge and clerk bonds of the county, and under the seal of the county court, as follows:
Bonds payable in five years, to the amount of. $ 51,250
Bonds payable in ten years, to the amount of. 65,200
Bonds payable in fifteen years, to the amount of. 76,500
Bonds payable in twenty years, to the amount of. 127,500
The bonds of each class had distinct letters, and were numbered in a series; and each bond, omitting the letter and number, the sum and time of payment, and the coupons annexed, was as follows:
'On account of stock subscribed in the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company, ___ years after date, the county of Daviess, in the state of Kentucky, promise to pay to bearer the sum of ___ dollars, with interest thereon at the rate of six per cent. per annum, payable semi-annually, upon presentation of the proper coupons hereto attached, the principal and interest being payable at the Deposit Bank, Owensboro, and to secure the payment of which the property and credit of the county are pledged.
'In testimony whereof, the judge of the county court of Daviess county has hereunto set his hand and affixed the seal of the said court, and caused the same to be countersigned by the clerk of the said court, who has also signed the coupons hereto attached, this ___ day of ___, 18__.
Each bond had the following certificate plainly printed on the back thereof: 'This bond is issued as authorized by an act of the Kentucky legislature approved February 27, 1867, entitled 'An act to charter the Owensboro & Russellville Railroad Company,' and by an ordinance of the county court of Daviess in pursuance thereof;' and signed, 'GEORGE W. TRIPLETT, Judge of the County Court of Daviess.'
All the bonds so issued (except bonds to the amount of $800, payable in five years, and of $200, payable in ten years, which were sold and delivered to individuals by Triplett, Tyler, and Berry, committee as aforesaid, in September, 1879) were delivered by Triplett to the railroad company in various amounts on different days from June 5, 1869, to March 22, 1870. The last two deliveries were as follows: On February 17, 1870, were delivered bonds, payable in 10 years, to the amount of $12,500; like bonds, to the amount of $53,700, having been delivered previously. On March 22, 1870, were delivered bonds, payable in 20 years, to the amount of $92,500; the amount of like bonds previously delivered being $35,000, and the amount of all bonds previously delivered being $227,950. Of the bonds delivered to the railroad company before February 17, 1870, there were afterwards returned by the company, and canceled and destroyed by the county, bonds payable in five years to the amount of $100, and bonds payable in fifteen years to the amount of $3,000, leaving the excess issued $67,350. Among the records of the county court was a register, open to public inspection, in which were registered all the bonds as they were delivered.
The coupons on all the bonds were paid by the county up to and including January 1, 1877. The county also paid, before July 1, 1877, all or nearly all the bonds payable in five years, as well as five bonds of $100 each payable in 10 years. The other bonds have not been paid.
The court, against the defendant's objection, admitted testimony of the plaintiff that at various dates from February 1, 1870, to July 9, 1875, he purchased, before maturity and for value, the bonds and coupons sued on. These consisted mostly of bonds payable in 10 years, to the amount of $9,000, being some of those delivered to the railroad company on February 17, 1870, and the unpaid coupons annexed; and of coupons for $1,380, detached from some of the bonds payable in 20 years, which had been delivered to the railroad company on March 22, 1870. Payment of the bonds and coupons held by the plaintiff was demanded by him on January 1, 1879, and refused by the county.
Upon a bill filed May 12, 1875, by tax-payers of the county against the county court, the railroad company, and various bondholders by name, (not including the present plaintiff,) the circuit court of the county, on January 24, 1876, adjudged that the issue of bonds beyond $250,000 was unlawful and void, and that the county court be restrained by injunction from levying any tax to pay the excess of $67,350, or interest thereon; and on March 30, 1876, the decree was affirmed by the court of appeals. Daviess Co. Court v. Howard, 13 Bush. 101. The defendant moved the court to instruct the jury to find for the defendant. But the court overruled the motion; and, at the plaintiff's request, instructed the jury that if they believed that the plaintiff purchased the bonds and coupons sued on, before their maturity and for value, and without notice that more than $250,000 of bonds had been issued by the defendant, the law was for the plaintiff; and that the plaintiff, before purchasing the bonds, was not bound to examine the records of the county court, and cannot be presumed to have known what the records contained when he made the purchase. The defendant excepted to these rulings and instructions, and, after verdict for the plaintiff, sued out this writ of error.
Mr. Justice GRAY, after stating the case as above reported, delivered the opinion of the court.
The county court had no power to subscribe for stock in the railroad corporation, or to issue bonds therefor, except as authorized by statute. The statute authorized the county court to subscribe for such an amount of stock only as should be fixed and proposed by the commissioners named in the statute, and be approved by the vote of a majority of the voters of the county; and the authority of the county court, either to levy taxes or to issue bonds, was limited to the amount so proposed and voted. That amount was $250,000. The county court therefore had no authority to issue bonds for a greater amount, and any bonds issued in excess of that amount were unlawful and void. By the statute, the bonds were to be in such sums, and payable at such times, as the county court should determine. The county court ordered that the bonds should be executed and made payable, $50,000 in five years, $50,000 in ten years, $75,000 in fifteen years, and $75,000 in twenty years, and that the bonds should be signed by the judge and the clerk of the county court, and have the seal of the county impressed on each. Notwithstanding this, bonds so signed and sealed were issued of each class to larger amount, amounting in all to $320,450, showing, after deducting bonds returned and canceled, an excess of $67,350. To the extent of this excess the bonds were invalid, and the county is liable upon bonds to the amount of $250,000 only. It does not deny its liability to that amount.
Then comes the question which of the bonds are valid and which invalid. We can have no doubt that the test is which were first delivered if that can be ascertained, and without regard to the classification of bonds according to times of payment in the order of the county court; for, as the county court was authorized to determine at what time the bonds should be payable, any one taking a bond signed by the presiding judge and the clerk, and bearing the seal of the county, had the right to presume that it was valid, provided the county court had not already issued bonds to the amount limited by the statute and by the vote. The certificate of the judge of the county court upon the back of each bond that it was issued as authorized by the statute, and by an order of the county court in pursuance thereof, cannot estop the county to deny that the particular bond is void because the county court, at the time of issuing it, had exhausted the power conferred by the act of the legislature and the vote of the people. The certificate is not a recital in the bond. It is not the act of the county court, is not under its seal, nor signed by its clerk; but is simply the certificate of the person holding the office of judge of that court. Neither the statute, nor the vote of the people, nor the order of the county court, empowered him to make such a certificate, or to determine the question whether the county court had exceeded the power conferred upon it. An officer's certificate of a fact which he has no authority to determine is of no legal effect. Dixon Co. v. Field, 111 U. S. 83; S. C. 4 Sup. Ct. Rep. 315. Nor can the payment of interest on all the bonds have the effect of ratifying bonds issued beyond the lawful limit; for a ratification can have no greater force than a previous authority, and the county cannot ratify what it could not have authorized. Marsh v. Fulton Co., 10 Wall. 676.
The necessary consequence is that the court below erred in instructing the jury that the plaintiff was entitled to recover on all the bonds and coupons sued on, if he purchased them before their maturity and for value, and without notice that more than $250,000 of bonds had been issued by the defendant. Merchants' Bank v. Bergen Co., 115 U. S. 384; S. C. 6 Sup. Ct. Rep. 88.
The judgment must therefore be reversed, and the case remanded, with directions to set aside the verdict and order a new trial. What part of his bonds and coupons the plaintiff may enforce against the county may depend upon further evidence of the exact dates of the delivery and the purchase of the several bonds, that may be introduced upon another trial of this case, or perhaps in some other suit to which all the bondholders may be made parties, and therefore no opinion is expressed upon that question.
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ESL forum > Techniques and methods in Language Teaching > As a teacher...Is it possible to be ´friends ´ with students at school?
As a teacher...Is it possible to be ´friends ´ with students at school?
As a teacher...Is it possible to be ´friends ´ with students at school?
This question has been going around my head for quite a long time and I can ´t really figure out the answer......
I ´ll explain what I mean with this because this situation has made me feel quite frustrated and sad.
I have a group of students (secundary school) which was very good friends with the previous teacher, and when I started classes with them they were reluctant to work with me. Some even answered back in a very rude tone to me for no reason. They would tell her in the corridor, they wanted her back.... This made me feel very nervous and insecure because I never expected something like this! And although I tried to make classes fun, taking games, different activities, even working late to make things attractive for them, they still had the same attitude. And I feel it ´s unfair, because I do worry and try hard for my students to learn and have fun at the same time. This made feel quite sad. I don ´t know If you know what I mean with all this?
One day, one student left the class while I was writing on the board..... and another student told me (in a very rude way..shouting) "She told you she was going to talk to the headteacher!!" This was a lie because no-one came to me to ask for permission to go out.. And I ´m not deaf! I didn ´t say this, I just continued the class... and the next day I went to talk to the headteacher... but He didn ´t help me either... So things were left just like that! Next class I said to this girl: ´you can ´t go out without permission ´ and she basically ignored me when I talked to her!
This situation makes me feel really nervous everytime I go to this class. I realized after a few days, that their problem is not the way I teach, but that their ´friend ´ (the other teacher) is not there anymore! and I don ´t know what else to do.. becase it ´s a problem with my person, for no reason at all!.. Just because and it makes me feel real bad!.
I have a very wonderfull relationship with other groups, (in a different school) but I don ´t consider myslef ´close friends with them. ´.
So I started wondering how can some young teachers become so good friends, go dancing with students, lend them money, (As it happens with this teacher).
What do you think?
31 May 2009
First of all let me tell you that I feel sorry for the difficult situation you are in.
You are trying so hard to get everything right yet they don ´t give you a chance.
Have you ever confronted this class with what is going on? That ´s what I would do, because it would make the situation clearer and might help them to mature and move out of their blockade. It ´s a blockade concerning you, but it ´s also a blockade in their heads.
This is where you should move in and help them become more mature.
They grieved over a person they were very familiar with and liked very much. That ´s 100% legitimate, and I would tell them that. It all boils down to the subject of "loss". Every loss leads to pain and takes a while to heal, even if it ´s "only" a beloved teacher.
But hey, you ´ve got to move on from there. Or rather, they do. Life is going to present them with losses until the day they die, and if they don ´t learn to cope with them, to move on, to create new bonds, to develop techniques of dealing with loss, frustration and change of circumstances, they ´ll be stuck and remain emotionally imbalanced or immature.
This is what you as a teacher might have to show to them. And it might be your chance. Such lessons in life can be very valuable.
Talk to them about it. Maybe talk about losses in general - let them talk about losses they ´ve experienced or people around them have experienced. I don ´t know how old your students are, but even younger ones (that are old enough to be as rude as you described them) should understand.
That ´s what I would do. I would ask them which ways of dealing with loss, overcoming loss and adapting to a new situation they can think of and of the advantages it would have for the class to move on in this way.
And I might describe to them quite vividly what might happen if they don ´t. Not at all in the sense of threatening hem, but in the sense of showing to them what clinging forever to someone or something that has gone means and what a waste of energy it really is.
In all this I would try NOT to talk about my feelings and not to show them how hurt I am. I would concentrate on my role as THEIR NEW TEACHER , on the chance to teach them and share something with them that is more valuable than English and on what I might be able to trigger in them.
If you continue wondering about "being friends with students", simply ask them about it. Ask them whether they want their teachers to be their friends and whether this sort of friendship truly exists. Ask them where respect comes into it. Ask them whether the only type of teacher they can respect or even accept is the "friend" type. I talk quite openly about these things with my students.
Some teachers are very close to their students, others remain quite distant and professional, others are somewhere in between. Personally I think that it´s really good that students are confronted with all sorts of teachers because it´´ll teach them to adapt to and deal with all sorts of human beings. Having a mixture of things is much more interesting and educating than being confronted with ONE TYPE all the time.
Personally I´m beyond the age of being good friends with my students - they are my children´s age. What I want to "impress" them with isn´t friendship, but competence, concern, a high level and a professional attitude. Sometimes it hurts a bit to see their hearts going out to young teachers, but basically I´m quite content with the role I chose.
All this is probably not going to be easy, but not openly discussing what is going on will make things impossible.
Good luck to you and let us know how you ´re getting on.
31 May 2009
I think they want to call your attention and they have somehow found you concentrate on their behaviour. Keep on working like you have done and talk about nobody is guilty of changes. You are there to give them your knowledge and if you can become friends later on, it would be wonderful but if not, your goal is they learn what your are teaching. It sounds rude but it is the truth. I have had groups like them and suddenly they change their attitude towards me. You and they need time........ Try to make funny activities and offer them a prize (could be a chocolate, a lollipop or something you see they really like). the activities could group activities like (a hangman, competition between girls and boys making them to practice the structures taught, guessing games and so on)
Hoping my comment could help you.
31 May 2009
Are you comfortable with the other teacher? If the students see you with her and interact with her, they may warm up to you. This previous teacher could really help you with this transition.
Also, maybe she had the same problem when she first started with this group. She might have some tips about how she worked out the management problems you ´re having now.
I would also have a talk with my students.
As for your question about being friends with your students, well, on this one, I have to say that I don ´t want to be friends with them. I am their teacher. It does not mean I am not warm to them or that I don ´t like them but my priority is to be a teacher and make them progress in their learning acquisitions. They know that they can come to me if they have a problem but they also know that I ´m the adult and they are the students.
31 May 2009
I agree so much with everything Dorothea wrote. I had a group like that last year and I tried everything you did, QueenJade, and then I got fed up and just decided to confront them the way Dorothea encouraged you to do. It worked with some of them fantastically, some of them at least started paying attention to me with respect, and some of them stayed the same, which eventually made me realize those treated the last teacher the same.
Frankly, I was shocked when you mentioned lending money to students... I agree with manonsky(f). You are a teacher(if we don ´t respect that word, who will?)! You are not their friend or their parent. Some kids like to push our buttons, intentionally or not, especially with the ´our last teacher ´ speech, but you get over it after a while. If you want to be a good teacher, as it is with everything in life, you have to find your own voice and find a way to care about your work and students, not letting it consume you. (I ´m one to talk - online on a Sunday afternoon, ha?!) Unfortunatelly sometimes, with such groups, you feel like the classroom is a battlefield. And you, dear, have to find the wisdom of a good, but firm, queen/king to bring peace to your battlefield, as soon as you can. Don ´t give up, and don ´t think it ´s YOU - it ´s never just you, it ´s never just them, it ´s always everything. Confront them, but don ´t wine, and you ´ll see if they ´re up for a compromise or not. Kids, like all of us, are creatures of habit - they were used to that other treatment and they ´re fighting for nothing to change. But they are also creatures of order - establish yours and it will get easier in time. You are the adult in this situation. I ´m just telling you things I was saying to myself last year, and they worked. I couldn ´t try being nice to the other teacher, because she moved far away and nobody sees her anymore, but I would definitely try it if I were you. That ´s good advice from manonski (fr). But don ´t beg, don ´t ´bribe ´, don ´t ´cry ´ - be the teacher!
I think I have a good relationship with most of my students, but I think none of them would ever call me a friend. But when they meet me or introduce me to somebody, they call me the teacher. That ´s more than enough for me!
31 May 2009
You have been given some wonderful advice. I, too, followed a teacher that was really loved. I agreed with them that she is wonderful and that I miss her, too, because she had more experience with ESOL than I do. However, I tell them that I am there to help them any way that I can to graduate. Yes, I have given lunch money and even bought prom dresses, but my students are truly needy. I really knew them before I went this far. My husband even did a study skills group for the social studies graduation test with them. The bottom line is that you have to give them some time to realize that you really do care and that you ´re going to be there for them. Just hang in there!
31 May 2009
Thank you so much for replying to my post! I know it ´s a little bit depressing to post something like this! But I thought (as I ´ve read before how supportive you all are towards teachers all over the world..I thought I might ask for help in this situation).
Dear Dorothe, thank you very much for all you wrote! Manonski (f).... and all of you! It encouraged me to read what you think about this.
I never thought of confronting them with the issue of losses, it is a really good advice! While I read your posts, I thought about it... And I think I never confronted the group because I guess it was such a shocking situation that it made me feel very insecure. And maybe I felt I was not going to be able to cope or solve the problem. I continued with classes, trying to smile and feel in control, even though some days I felt I was actually shaking inside, feeling not good enough for the job!..
I don ´t have any personal problems with the previous teacher she is 2 yrs younger than me. I actually talked to her about this problem and she didn ´t take it well. She doesn ´t see the point that making such a strong bond with students it ´s not really good for them. Sometimes, she would tell me students went to her asking her to come back and laughed at it. In a way, I have realized that some teachers like developing this type of relationship with students because we all like to be loved and accepted by students but maybe this is not the way.. I don ´t know!
Students are 17-18. And I ´ve been teaching for 3 years, I finished the teacher training at uni not long ago. I feel that sometimes, to confront students with these issues is a wonderful thing, I just often feel that the teacher training college doesn ´t teach you to deal with so many things we do have to deal at schools.... Of course, we don ´t have to be psychologists to have common sense and solve a problem like this, but I feel only years of experience give you tools that are necessary to use with students...
31 May 2009
You ´re right. We don ´t get taught these kinds of problems when we do our course and those are really important issues we have to deal with.
Since your students are practically adult, I ´m not sure "confront" would be the right way to go. I ´d be having a discussion but I ´d try to keep it positive as much as I can.
Also, if the other teacher is not really willing to work with you, the least she good do is not work against you. I ´d kindly ask her to support you when they kids go to her and ask her to come back. When she laughs it off, she undermines you and it ´s not professional on her part.
Hope you ´re able to resolve your situations and remember that you have a place to vent here anytime.
31 May 2009
zailda
I had the same problem last year, a group of intermediate students just rejected me at the first class. They were being taught for the same teacher since they started but she ´s only able to teach up to the level they had just left.
She was like a mother to them and they loved her very much. I completely agree with lomasbello and said I was there to help and teach them. Most of students who never had been in my groups are afraid of me because they think I ´m very strict, charge responsiblitity, commitment and good behavior in class.
In fact I respect them, do everything I can but I want the same in return and if that doesn ´t happen I normally act effectively to make things come back to the way they should be, and I ´m not afraid of using authority (not authoritarism - not sure about the spelling and too lazy to check, sorry) if it ´s necessary.
After first class they went to talk to the previous teacher and unfortunately she was resented because the director "had taken" her class saying she wasn ´t able to teach them anymore. Maybe she thought I was her "enemy", so she supported and agred when they said they had hated me. To make things worse she came to school eartlier the next day to tell me the entire story. I felt sick with her behavior, supporting such immature complaints from the students and went to the director ´s room and told her everything that was happening. In my opinion the previous teacher´s behavior showed lack of ethyc and messed things up.
I don ´t know what the director and her talked before but the second class was a terror and after finishing it I swear I thought firmily about never return there. But I did. And decided to be firm, ignore their acts to provoke me and just do what I know and let things go on. When they complained about something I did or said, comparing me with the previous teacher I just pointed that she was one person and I ´m another, but both of us were engaged in giving them the best education and make them show the best they could.
Little by little students started paying attention and even against their willing they started enjoying the classes, learning and asking questions. The previous teacher has a different style of giving classes, the students listen and fill lots of grammar sheets. I started improving their knowledge with games, board games, and I teach with total participation of the ss, I build the information with them and let them discover the most.
They loved the new style and I could see their eyes shinning every time I proposed a brand-new activity. It was a great semester and the other one wasn ´t diverse. Their grades got higher and some of them cried when the last class finished.
I never went out with them or lent them money, but I guess they understood I was there to help them and do my best to teach. Now they have another teacher and every Saturday they come to my class for a "fifty-cent talk" (as we call it here in Brazil).
It was hard at the beginning, but since they found out that nothing they could do would change things they relaxed and enjoyed.
Hope my experience can be of some help.
Have a good Sunday.
31 May 2009
The more authentic we are as human beings and the more open we are even about difficult situations and the less we try to create a picture of someone who is always in command, always on top of things - the more our students will respect us and see us as human beings.
I suppose it takes them ages to look beyond our "function" or role as teachers and realize we ´re actually human beings, even if we are authentic, but being authentic certainly speeds up the process ;-)
31 May 2009
I always had this problem the other way around.
I can tell you that I never was "friends" with my stds but the relationship I wasable to build was very nice and they simply "liked me" more than my style or the way I explained things
I tried to help my colleagues by supporting their decisions and cutting off every nasty comment that was said tome, even on line, since at the time I had a mail and msn account just to chat with them (with specific teaching purposes)
Once I left the school it became worse and the teacher left in place acted all "sentimental" and even cried when she was told they wanted my back saying "Well, Im NOT Veronica"
Bad mistake, in the end she had to leavecause she couldnt take the preassure.
What I would do? Maybe,instead of trying hard to have them like me, do the complete opposite, make my classes stiff and boring and be really strict with them. If at a certain time their attitude should change I would then create a game and start showing my real me. In fact when I have problems with any group I act that way and once their attitude improves I try to get closer
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Tryouts for Philadelphia Union’s inaugural Junior Pre-Academy have begun. PSP contributor Scott Pugh shares his perspective as his young son goes out for the team.
We didn’t talk about it much. I wasn’t sure how he would react. Being only seven years old, he’s never been in a real tryout before. I told him we were going to play soccer at YSC. No big deal. He’s done it before with YSC’s “Little Kickers” starting at age three, continuing with “FUNdamentals,” and then the “Player Development Program.” Every experience he’s had at YSC has been positive and the philosophy of coaching young kids at the complex has been evident for me from day one. It’s always been high quality and fun.
So when my son was lucky enough to get an invite to try out for Philadelphia Union’s new Juniors Pre-Academy program, I knew this was something we wanted to check out. As the tryout day approached, he asked more questions about the program and he started to get excited–especially when he figured out that the Pre-Academy could lead to entering the Academy. He quickly put two and two together and figured out that was how Derrick Jones got to the first team.
“So…if I do good, one day I could play for the Union?” he said with a big grin. I explained that it was a tryout so there might be a good chance he doesn’t get selected. He wasn’t really nervous, just excited…”I totally want to do it, Dad.”
When we arrived at YSC on a chilly 32-degree morning this past Sunday, I became a little nervous for him when I saw that there were 170 kids his age in attendance. It didn’t phase him at all. He grabbed a ball, introduced himself to a boy he didn’t know and they went off to pass before I could say “good luck.”
The parents were all asked to come inside to get some information about the program from Iain Munro and Tommy Wilson, and that’s when I started to realize…
The Union have hit it out of the park.
Mark my words. This group of 2009 and 2010 boys that are beginning their journey through the Union youth Academy system will bear fruit for the club. Expect to see a big increase in home-grown talent in about ten years.
It’s been two years since I wrote a series on how much of soccer in the US is still struggling to catch up with a multitude of research on best practices for youth development, especially at the critical formative ages of 7 to 11, or what many now refer to as “Zone 1.” Listening to Iain and Tommy discuss the program was music to my ears.
“I’d take ’em all if I could,” Iain said in his charming Scottish accent.
Bingo! He knows that not only is expanding the “base of the pyramid” critical to developing the best players, but that there is no way to predict which players at age seven will become the best at age eleven, fourteen, or eighteen.
The Union Pre-Academy will seek to build an environment conducive to fostering development. That means a few things – kids will be given freedom to make mistakes, absolutely critical to developing creative players. They will spend more time playing the game and less time focused on tournaments and competitions where adults care more about win/loss records and rankings than the kids do.
The vast majority of the coaches hold either a UEFA Pro License or a USSF “A” License, the highest certifications available to coaches. Not only that, but they recognize the importance of preventing burnout and injury that can occur in single-sport children. The program will include a multi-sport winter season where the focus will be to broaden the players’ athletic ability overall.
According to the Pre-Academy website, “Our objective is to provide a fun and nurturing program that develops a long-term passion and love for the game.” The players will strive to become better not because they are told to, but because they want to.
“Kids respond to challenges, not threats,” Iain said. It nearly brought a tear to my eye. It’s exactly what a parent wants to hear, and exactly what a soccer-pediatrician-data-nerd like myself has been saying for years, despite often being met with criticism from the “old school” soccer guys.
I went back outside to watch my son play. The boys were definitely some of the best I’ve ever seen at that age. And there were a lot of them. But the best part was that he had a huge smile on his face. I don’t know if he’ll be selected or not, but there is one thing I’m absolutely certain of…
The Union’s new Pre-Academy looks to me like the best place in the country to develop young soccer talent.
Reddit
Author: Scott Pugh Scott is a pediatrician and father of two active boys (who he is teaching to say "American football" for the pointy ball sport). His love affair with the Union began while stationed in Italy with the Navy where his first memories of the team invariably include streaming games at 3am or cursing a buffering icon. He is still active in local men's soccer and very happy to be recently promoted to the OVER 35 leagues! You can follow him @spugger77
March 28, 2017 at 10:06 am
I kicked a piece of ice around the ground myself two Sundays ago surmising, surfing the grounds watching the kids play that day mine amongst them; looking for and at talented little footballers. Who sees it differently. Who controls. Who makes others better. Who dares to dominate.
I appreciate the need to win now for some Union people and Union fans. Full Stop.
I appreciate MORE the opportunity to have a kid who loves the game learn in an environment tailored to excellence and self expression. I recognize fully the birth and growing pains likely to accompany this endeavor. I trust it will be fantastic. This is a massive undertaking and 100% without question in the best interest of US Soccer.
Hopefully, not long from now a full complement of little Pre Academy kids once or twice or three times a year will descend in Orlando or Anaheim or some other magical kingdom and square off against each other… fly to distant lands and display the true birth of US Soccer greatness. It is coming. It is coming.
I tip my hat to your little boy for his courage. I hope he is among those selected at this crossroads- or maybe another along the way. Blessing.
spugger says:
March 28, 2017 at 12:45 pm
Same to yours. It really is an exciting program and makes me confident for the future of US Soccer.
Guido says:
March 28, 2017 at 10:18 am
Nice article but couple things to mention. First of all: Derrick Jones played with my son at LMSC and went from LMSC to the Union. His main development occurred on fields without grass while growing up in Liberia. 2nd of all: kids develop differently. Some will get into the pre-Academy and do great for a couple of years, then falter and get cut. Others will not make the pre-Academy, will end up playing for LMSC or Continental or other travel team and then do great at U14/U15 and will get into the Academy. It is all a crapshoot. Looking back the key thing my sons got from travel were the amazing friends they made and the fun they have playing in College. But these days with the Academy, kids get cut left and right and many kids become insecure because of this ‘will I be cut next’ hanging over their heads. It is great for those who always do great during their whole youth career but many don’t. Wish your kid all the best and hope he will have plenty of fun and become the next Pulisic!
March 28, 2017 at 10:36 am
Comments noted Guido- a few points of rebuttal.
I think from the perspective of a 7 year old, how Derrick Jones got to the first team, was Academy. That’s the point of the marketing aspect of all this by Union HQ. I think you and me and the author know the timeline. The question is…does it really matter relative to a little boy who tells his dad, I want to be the next Derrick Jones.
Secondly, I have found the ingrained try out experience at some unnamed local clubs to be as ~ if not more cutthroat and political ~ steeped in a ‘this kid is part of the cliche but this kid is not’… so I’m also not too sure that matters in this instance as well.
Do not believe there will be ‘cuts’ in Pre Academy save the annual opportunity to trial and play yourself either into or out of the pool and as with all things that will likely be meritocracy based. Who is spending time getting better outside the setting versus the who is not spending the time getting better outside the setting.
March 28, 2017 at 11:13 am
Correction: unlike all things this will be merit based.
spugger says:
March 28, 2017 at 12:56 pm
+1 on the Derrick Jones comments from El Pachy. Believe me, if there was a neighborhood park where 20 kids were kicking a ball around every day after school until it got dark — that’s where my son would be. Unfortunately, that’s not the culture in most places in the US. So, if you’re going to do organized soccer, my vote is for a place that allows the kids freedom of expression and prioritizes fun over wins/losses when their in the Zone 1 years. A healthy distaste for losing doesn’t come from fear of being yelled at by a coach, it comes from an inner desire to be the best, and that is developed in challenging, not threatening, environments. When I was growing up, it was wanting to beat the kid who was 2 years older and a foot taller than me – that was a challenge that I wanted to win, and I wasn’t afraid to fail 90% of the time because there wasn’t an adult yelling at me to “get rid of the ball.”
Guido says:
March 28, 2017 at 3:13 pm
The best youth coach in England was couple days ago on TalkSport and he talked about why England has not produced many more stars to help England win something. He talked about all the great organized programs they have that prioritize fun over wins & losses but said they do not replace what used to happen in the parks and school playgrounds. He said that this was the fundamental reason why Messi and Neymar are world stars and why England does not have anyone even close.
One of the reason why my youngest one is killing it in College is because he started to play Futsal when he was very young. Boy, do I miss those fustal tournament at the Wildwood conference center!!
ScottE says:
March 28, 2017 at 11:07 am
Good stuff Scott. My son was also there for 2008 tryouts, and I left impressed too. It was particularly good to hear that they encourage other sports at this age, and would work with families there.
March 28, 2017 at 12:17 pm
Great read Scott!! All the best to your lil Slugger! How cool too that he sees the path to first team! Keep the hope and dream alive for him! Again all the best to you and your family!
March 28, 2017 at 1:00 pm
“They will spend more time playing the game and less time focused on tournaments and competitions where adults care more about win/loss records and rankings than the kids do.”
“Not only that, but they recognize the importance of preventing burnout and injury that can occur in single-sport children. The program will include a multi-sport winter season where the focus will be to broaden the players’ athletic ability overall.”
Both of these concepts are massive for kids. If they are on the path to greater success in the sport, they will benefit from the freedom of not playing non-stop tourneys. They will also develop skills and strengths by playing other sports. And then there is the obvious and well-documented orthopedic advantage to multiple sports for kids.
These two points give me great hope for the future of player and personal development. If a kid stops playing when they are 12-16, at least this path will increase the likelihood that it is for a better reason than burnout and too much pressure from the LaVar Balls of the world.
Good luck to your boy. Sounds like he’s already having fun, which is always paramount at his age.
March 28, 2017 at 1:20 pm
With all due respect to these very salient points… there are cultural and worldview aspects at play beyond simply stating LaVar Ball puts too much pressure on his kids.
For every story 15 years down the road a young adult retells of an overbearing parent there are likely three stories that relay the importance of a necessary mentality a parent helped instill whether that kid went on to professional athletics or overcoming obstacles in life…. just so happens he had a forum for wider view.
March 28, 2017 at 1:24 pm
The idea of LaVar Ball is more about the parent who is living vicariously through his child, and who does not have the child’s best interest at heart.
March 28, 2017 at 1:42 pm
So I understand fully, the issue is with the LaVar Ball you have seen on TV…not the ‘LaVar Balls’ of the world which is being generalized.
These are two different things.
March 28, 2017 at 1:55 pm
He’s not a unicorn. There are many parents like him throughout the world, and especially here at home.
My first memory of the uber-parent was Marv Marinovich. That worked out well.
There are positive examples, as well. But they are usually the people who don’t seek the spotlight for themselves.
Pete says:
March 28, 2017 at 1:40 pm
Sounds like a great program, but where does that player pool come from? Kids playing at YSC in Wayne? Is there any equivalent for kids north of the city? In the city? Just curious.
March 28, 2017 at 2:57 pm
IN the city? No chance.
spugger says:
March 28, 2017 at 3:05 pm
My understanding is that they can come from anywhere. I believe once they hit the true US Development Academy ages, then some US Soccer and/or MLS rules might define the catchment area. Now – not many parents would be willing to drive from South Jersey 3x/week, so it does limit things a bit. There are more and more clubs that are trying to do things with a “development first” mentality, and there are many that are offering scholarships to those that can’t afford it, but we’re still a long way from providing equal opportunities to all kids in the US. In fact, there’s no where else in the US where this type of program exists in connection with a professional team to this extent as far as I’m aware. That being said, I believe Derrick Jones was playing for Lone Star FC (?) in the city at the time the Union found him.
Guido says:
March 28, 2017 at 3:20 pm
correct; Derrick Jones was playing for Lone Star and LMSC.
The Ukranian Club now has an Academy as well. http://www.ukrainiannationals.com/usda/
But looks like they start only at U11.
My sons played on teams where parents drove their kids 1.5hrs to and 1.5hrs back from practice! This is not uncommon on top teams.
Pete says:
March 28, 2017 at 5:33 pm
Thanks for the answer. To the other comment about driving, I get parents driving kids an hour or more to and from teams, but it seems, again, like it’s ruling out all but the affluent. I’m not trying to criticize. It seems like the Union has methods to ID kids from other places/socio-economic circumstances. I’m just not sure what they are.
March 28, 2017 at 8:04 pm
Hopefully, in time there is a satellite in the city. an old abandoned warehouse. multiple open futsal courts.
if I had a couple million I’d be building it as we speak.
Guido says:
March 28, 2017 at 10:48 pm
March 29, 2017 at 9:20 am
Philly Futsal no loner there. Anthony left.
Not to mention…boy I felt it was expensive.
March 30, 2017 at 2:01 pm
Andy99 says:
March 31, 2017 at 7:00 am
Anthony brought Philly Futsal back to KoP this past winter.
OneManWolfpack says:
March 28, 2017 at 2:20 pm
“As the tryout day approached, he asked more questions about the program and he started to get excited–especially when he figured out that the Pre-Academy could lead to entering the Academy. He quickly put two and two together and figured out that was how Derrick Jones got to the first team.”
— This is so great to hear… this is what the next generation of American player needs. Soon this will be the norm, and that’s exciting. I wish your son and all the other kids, the best of luck!
spugger says:
March 28, 2017 at 3:10 pm
Yeah, I agree. Same with Pulisic. Once kids believe that “one of us” can do it, they get some belief. Just the fact that my redhead, Main Line kid believes that he could be just like Derrick Jones is super cool in my book.
March 28, 2017 at 4:37 pm
Interested to hear about the “invites” were decided. Any idea? I have all girls, so I’m removed from that process. I know that at least one local club was not thrilled about the program. One of the parents with boys in that age group told me that club sent out an e-mail with veiled criticism of the YSC program.
MSG says:
March 28, 2017 at 4:55 pm
Scott Pugh, 2015, on travel soccer tryouts: “Trying to identify talent and potential by comparing children to their counterparts at young ages is one of the biggest mistakes we’re making with youth soccer.”
Scott Pugh, 2017, on Pre-Academy tryouts: “So when my son was lucky enough to get an invite to try out for Philadelphia Union’s new Juniors Pre-Academy program, I knew this was something we wanted to check out.”
Looks like someone’s position on youth soccer tryouts is evolving.
spugger says:
March 28, 2017 at 7:27 pm
Haha. Not exactly. If you read the article, I highlighted Iain Munro’s main point “I’d take ’em all if I could.” And he’s not just offering platitudes. Tryouts themselves weren’t the main problem in my 2015 series. It was tryouts intended to find the best kids at that time with a focus on who would win the coach the most U8 games. Instead tryouts (like what the Union Pre-Academy is doing) should be focused on 1) finding the right fit FOR THE CHILD, and 2) looking for long-term potential over current size/speed, etc. But thanks for reading my stuff!!
MSG says:
March 29, 2017 at 12:10 pm
Rest assured, I did read the entire article. Regardless of what Iain Munro said, or what you think he believes in his heart, the fact is that the Union Pre-Academy officials are only going to offer positions to a select group of young players judged most likely to succeed in their program… a practice you were highly critical of just two years ago.
Don’t you think it’s a little unfair for you to attribute the most noble of intentions towards anyone associated with Union Pre-Academy – because YOU think its best for YOUR child – while making broad assumptions that coaches involved in other youth soccer programs have a win-now, win-at-all-costs approach to the game?
spugger says:
March 31, 2017 at 12:53 pm
I think you’re unfairly oversimplifying my position. Where have I ever said that Union Pre-Academy is the only one doing it right and everyone else is doing it wrong? I was very clear in my previous series that lots of coaches/clubs in the area are “doing it right,” but there are just as many that still place an emphasis on winning now (perhaps driven even more by parents than coaches), more than on the development of the kids. Again, I am not “highly critical” of using tryouts to select kids likely to succeed in a program. I am critical of how you define that success. If you mean which kid is going to win you games this season, then yes, I’m critical of that goal. If you mean instead, which kids are going to fit the level of play, work hard with a positive attitude and potential for growth, then yes, tryouts are necessary when there are limited resources. Sure, in a perfect world, every kid who wants to play soccer should get to play in a nurturing environment with quality instruction.
April 1, 2017 at 1:24 am
solid rebuttal…waited patiently, choosing not to put words in your mouth.
Andy99 says:
March 31, 2017 at 7:01 am
Is this program free for those selected and intended to supplement club soccer or does it come at a cost and is instead of playing for the clubs?
March 31, 2017 at 10:38 am
Good questions.
Not free. Maybe someday. Think training comp and solidarity may one day change that at this level and maybe others.
My understanding is the price is commensurate with local travel… not inexpensive local, local travel and not top price point travel.
It is not a supplement as I understand as well. I do believe kids will be afforded the opportunity to play with local clubs though as a guest.
Regarding: Anthony and Philly Fustal. Can you expand. I was up at Competitive Edge quite a bit this winter didn’t see anything and nothing seems to be on line. Thank you.
Andy99 says:
March 31, 2017 at 4:43 pm
Here’s the link to the results for the youth leagues. Ran for only 8 weeks on Friday nights…
April 2, 2017 at 10:19 pm
My son was also there that day and your words mirror my own. I was so impressed from start to finish that I want my son to be in this program no matter what. I am so disappointed with every other program in the area unfortunately and wish more focus was placed on recognizing a child’s skills and improving upon them instead of just throwing kids on a field in a game with no direction or organization. I don’t see how that helps the kids learn and become better than they were before they joined the league.
I realize it is very possible that my son will not be selected. There were soooo many talented children at the tryouts and he hadn’t played in a few months. He didn’t play his best but at least he had a great time. I just know in such a program as this that he could be so much better. He has the skills and the drive…he just needs an environment where he can actually grow and develop. Kudos to the Union Pre-Academy. If Dom(my son) is not selected this year, be sure we will try again next.
April 28, 2017 at 9:01 am
I went through this about 10 years ago with my daughter. YEs the Union started a similar program back then and it was open to girls as well as boys. In the 10 years since (my daughter was not selected) she has blossomed into a player now being recruited for college. The program is a smoke screen to get identified players into the club by calling it an open invitation. If you have attended a YSC training session or played in one of the indoor leagues you get an invite (not sure if this specific tryout was at a cost but ours was back in the day). THe Union or YSC or whatever “Official” name needs to provide the appearance of equal opportunity by offering the tryout. For the most part, just like ODP and the CFC and PF programs the spots are “reserved”. True that some gems may be discovered is also the purpose of casting a wide net. of the 170 there to tryout how many will be selected, then take into account that 75% of the pool is already identified before the tryout. When call backs happen (my daughter made it through a few rounds) you will see new kids show up with each round. One other thing to take into consideration, the Union Academy scouts are also sourcing through the city to find athletes and offer them the scholarships. Soccer, just like any sport has a “type” and that “type’ is determined by the club, if you look at the make-up of the academies, players like Christian Pulisic are an anomaly. So while I am sure your boys enjoyed the day of soccer it would be interesting to see which players made it through and then track where they are in 10 years. To one of the earlier posts, players migrate to where they will play and parents whether wrong or right will get there little Johnny or Sally to teams where they will play, good soccer parents will do the same but also look at the level of training. My daughter had drive and determination to make it to one of the better teams in the area, as a parent I supported her and had some knowledge and understanding that the combination of being on a team that can win, with a coach that can train is good, but to get to the next level she needed to want to work. There is also a huge network in the Philly area for soccer that funnels players between the preps and the academy teams. If you make one you make the other.
August 4, 2017 at 10:45 am
Within this question are actually solved many times.
Watch out and do not flood
J says:
September 2, 2017 at 9:55 pm
Training is great but this program has very few elite players. Some kids don’t know how to do things as simple as throw ins at 9 years old. Club teams with good coaches offer same training. Played first games this week and my son’s team had coaches I never saw during the first 2 weeks of training nor did those coaches have any interaction with my son’s team until 20 minutes before their game. He had a different coach for each of his first 2 games which for me isn’t good for a young player. They accepted a massive amount of kids. Many of the coaches already knew the kids. My son was one of the kids no coaches knew and although after watching he appears to be one of the better players at this point, it’s just not what I expected from the talent end of things. Each age group should probably cut 1/3 of the kids they kept.
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Governor Ron DeSantis Awards $9 Million to Three State Colleges Serving Floridians Impacted by Hurricane Ian | Get There FL
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Governor Ron DeSantis Awards $9 Million to Three State Colleges Serving Floridians Impacted by Hurricane Ian
Avon Park, Fla. (October 25, 2022) — Today, Governor Ron DeSantis awarded $9 million to support workforce education programs in high-demand fields across the state, with a focus on serving professions and Floridians impacted by Hurricane Ian. Institutions receiving funding are South Florida State College (DeSoto, Hardee and Highlands counties), St. Petersburg College (Pinellas County), and Daytona State College (Flagler and Volusia counties) through the Critical Workforce Needs Grant Program. These funds will support programs that help students graduate and enter careers in emergency management, law enforcement, health care and education – all of these fields are in-demand in Florida and are especially important occupations in communities after a disaster like Hurricane Ian. Through these awards, Florida is helping communities impacted by the storm get back on their feet and supporting their recovery. Over the next three years, 2,000 students are expected to graduate from these programs.
“It was great to award $9 million for workforce education programs that will help Floridians who were impacted by Hurricane Ian,” said Governor Ron DeSantis. “As we rebuild and recover from this storm, training highly skilled individuals to work in health care, law enforcement, emergency management and education will help communities now and prepare them for the future.”
“With today’s announcement, Florida will continue to effectively support these critical workforce pipelines to fill critical positions,” said Commissioner of Education Manny Diaz, Jr. “As we continue to recover from Hurricane Ian, Governor Ron DeSantis is helping to ensure our workforce education meets the modern demands of Florida’s growing economy.”
The Critical Workforce Needs funding will help each college establish its own regional partnership with its area school districts to support the development of career academies in healthcare, law enforcement, education and emergency management.
Funding will be awarded as follows:
South Florida State College – $2.8 million to support workforce education programs.
Daytona State College – $2.8 million to support workforce education programs.
St. Petersburg College – $3.4 million to support workforce education programs and oversee this initiative.
In 2019, Governor DeSantis set a goal to make Florida the number one state in the nation for workforce education by 2030. During the 2020-2021 school year, Florida had the highest number of students enrolled in Career and Technical Education (CTE) programs in state history with more than 772,000 K-12 CTE and over 380,000 postsecondary CTE students.
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Working on how we genuinely see and feel about our parents provides the greatest opportunity to grow and develop into principle-centred human beings, leaders, entrepreneurs and benefactors. However, this can be incredibly sensitive, and likely painful, transformational work which we cannot do by ourselves effectively.
“All of us develop our expectations about how people will treat us based on our relationships with our parents.” Susan Forward PhD
One day, around 4-5 years ago, I was speaking to my mentor Chris Nash about my family and the plans that I had for ensuring they would be safe, well and looked after in the future. I was speaking about my different family members. Then Chris asked, “What about your mum?” I had completely omitted her from my plans… and arguably the most vulnerable member at that!
That was a humbling ego-decimating reality check to say the least!! My lack of integrity was revealed right there and it was another bitter pill to swallow in my transformational mentoring journey. This was because it awakened my conscience to show me how my resentment was causing me to be psychopathic in terms of a lack of compassion for my own mother.
Here I was, through my role at Lighthouse, talking to people about becoming a benefactor for themselves, their families and the vulnerable whilst being in complete denial of looking after the most vulnerable member of my very own family!
This article is an open, candid and heartfelt expression of how I got to this tragic point in my relationship with my mum and what I did to transform it through transforming myself. I’ll share how it was through my mentorship at Lighthouse International Group from Paul Waugh and Chris Nash that I was able to face my biggest fears when it came to my relationship with my mum. This has had a positive impact on my overall health and happiness.
1. Deep introspection, holistic self-examination and a fortifying commitment to absolute truth is the only way that we can start to transition and transform our characters. Part of this self-examination requires having an open and honest look at our upbringing, our parents and our relationship with them.
2. Unless our parents have proactively sought to work through their own personal challenges, they are unlikely to be able to give us the essential mentoring, coaching and counselling we need to have the foundation to become healthy growing adults. This can cause underlying resentment that’s often projected onto others.
3. To drop any resentment we feel, we need to forgive, and the work of forgiveness starts with forgiving ourselves. This forgiveness work, especially in sensitive and painful areas like our childhood, cannot be done alone. I would not have been able to genuinely forgive my mum without the mentoring, coaching and counselling I received at Lighthouse International Group.
This article is predominantly written for anyone who has:
i. experienced/is experiencing a difficult relationship with a parent (or indeed any other family member)
ii. grown up with a parent or other family member suffering from bi-polar disorder (or equivalent mental health condition)
iii. struggled/is struggling to forgive someone who has hurt them in some shape or form
v. an interest in how mentorship can enable them to overcome issues like the above in order to heal, strengthen and, in time, go on to help others
In particular I really hope that this will serve to help those who have had difficult relationships with their parents. I say this because these relationships are the most formative ones we have and therefore provide the biggest opportunity for us to grow.
There will likely be one or more of the following reactions to this article:
Inspired: most likely because you have gone through, are going through or want to go through the transformational experience of self-examination by working through any childhood resentment towards parents or other family members.
Indifferent: it all seems like hard work and things seem fine the way they are. Why rock the boat?
Fearful: just the prospect of questioning these formative relationships seems too scary to even look at.
Judgmental or offended: this article is on the incredibly sensitive and emotive subject of questioning family relationships which may stir up ill-feeling.
The reality is that if we do not challenge this area of our lives in order to grow up emotionally, then we will remain emotional children in adult bodies for the rest of our lives (AKA old infants). It takes great fortitude and courage to do this because it involves stepping onto tender ground. However, this challenging work enables us to grow into emotionally mature and responsible adults with healthy expectations of our parents and, by extension, any authority figures in our lives like bosses, political leaders etc. It's not healthy to be scared, in awe of and/or constantly seeking approval from such people in our lives!
M. Scott Peck addresses this issue in the Road Less Travelled in which he describes why a client transferred his experiences and expectations of his parents to others in his life,
"To a child his or her parents are everything; they represent the world. The child does not have the perspective to see that other parents are different and frequently better. He assumes that the way his parents do things is the way that things are done. Consequently the realization – the ‘reality’ – that this child came to was not ‘I can’t trust my parents’ but ‘I can’t trust people.’ Not trusting people therefore became the map with which he entered adolescence and adulthood. With this map and with an abundant store of resentment resulting from his many disappointments, it was inevitable that he came into conflict after conflict with authority figures – police, teachers, employers."
For years one of my core values has been forgiveness, but to apply it to my life as a virtue (i.e. a value-based behaviour) has been far easier said than done. For those who know me the best, they will know that the relationship with my mum has most definitely been the biggest challenge for me and also where my biggest personal breakthroughs have been made.
Predominantly due to her bipolar disorder, my mum was unable to give me a lot of what I needed and wanted from her as a child. There were a variety of incidents from which I carry the scars to this day. As I got older I resented her more and more for this. Then from this resentment came two of my biggest fears.
Firstly I feared that I had inherited bipolar disorder myself and because of seeing the suffering my mum experienced (and subsequently caused) I feared that I may be destined for the same fate. I suppressed this fear to the point where I felt that if no one else knew about her condition, then this fear would somehow go away. Therefore outside of my immediate family I never told anyone about my mum’s condition until I was 23 years old. Until then this fear was literally eating me alive from the inside.
For instance when living in the Caribbean after graduating I was going through a depressive phase and feared the worse as I did some self-assessments online. I felt obliged to tell my girlfriend at the time and just thought, “That's it! This relationship is over!”… with this thought I created a story that all hopes of leading a happy, healthy and fulfilling life were over.
Bless her, she was remarkably unnerved by this and yet I knew she didn’t really understand the potential future suffering I foresaw for myself and anyone close to me in the future. Because I felt like my life had ended before it had started there were times where I just felt like jumping off the top of the 5-storey block I was living in at the time. Having lived through this dark spell without deadly consequences has led to me taking my mental health very seriously. This is probably one of the biggest reasons for being involved with Lighthouse International Group; not only to become healthier in all human dimensions, but to be helping others to become healthier physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.
Secondly, because of my compounding resentment towards my mum, I feared the day I would need to speak at her funeral… what would I say about a parent who couldn’t be a parent to me? As I and we have learnt at Lighthouse International Group; to question, challenge or just highlight areas of imperfection in parenting can be met with such scorn and viciousness... ESPECIALLY from the mothers!
The fact that even daring to suggest that parents can become better people and parents is probably the greatest taboo we have unveiled through our research and real-life experiences meant I suppressed this fear. I feared the likely judgment from others potentially seeing me as a cold, wicked and nasty person. Yet I would cringe when seeing greetings cards like "World's best mum ever!" I would love to have been able to say and write something like that, but it was simply not true and I didn't want to live a lie for the sake of social norms, niceties and conventions.
Simply put, deep down in my soul, following graduation from university, I was coming to terms with the reality of the upbringing that I didn’t receive; not being equipped for life. Sure, I could read, write, add up and recall information (like a computer), but where was I in terms of knowing who I was and the reality of my potential? Why did I feel nervous around people? Why would I turn red like a beetroot when any form of attention was directed my way? Why would I feel awkward around the opposite sex? Why did I freak out when I thought I’d done something wrong? Why would I do things like eat when I wasn't even hungry or indulge in minor forms of self-harm? The list would go on and then on a more primary level I was debating; what was my vision for my life, my mission and my values?
I felt this gap, I felt let down and the resentment towards my parents slowly started to build. In the case of my mum; not only did I want her bi-polar condition not to exist, but I also didn’t want her to exist... this is a terrible thought to have!! Please sit with that for a moment... imagine not wanting the very person who carried you for months in their womb in your most vulnerable state to even exist! Yet that’s what was going on inside of me when being prepared to face the reality of how I felt, not how I wanted to be seen to feel about my own mother of all people.
Any mention to me of ‘mum’ was met with a blankness and a void in the depths of my soul. Then at the same time I lived in fear that she would have another bi-polar episode. In my early twenties I was offered the responsibility to be her power of attorney; effectively having the authority to have my mum sectioned. Fortunately my aunt offered to take that on because she and I both knew I was too weak and fearful to take on such a responsibility. There I was, just wanting to get on with my life and with my mum’s condition it felt like I had a burden hanging round my neck. This is why I actually felt quite ashamed reading about the example of someone like Olivia who embraced the opportunity to care for a vulnerable family member.
So I went through my twenties with these fears suppressed away in my subconscious. How I felt about my mum was a bitter pill to swallow; it can be seen as social suicide to express that you resent, potentially sometimes even hate, your parents. I could, however, never heal from the damage caused by this resentment without first admitting what was going on inside to myself. After all we can’t change a situation that we fail to acknowledge even exists! This is why the Alcoholics Anonymous 12-step program effectively starts with admitting that there’s a problem we are unable to control.
I wanted to forgive my mum because I knew this was the right thing to do. I even remember I twice told her I forgave her, yet the resentment seemed to remain. It was eating me up inside. I simply couldn’t do this work of forgiveness by myself!
The Reality of What It Takes To Make a Breakthrough
To truly transform and make lasting breakthroughs is incredibly challenging. This is because it inevitably involves facing inconvenient and painful truths about ourselves and others. Understandably the significant majority of the world’s population find deep introspection and self-examination so intimidating to the point they will deny the need to do it themselves. Not only that, but there are those who will even judge, mock or ridicule those who do... I and we have plenty of evidence for that from the trolling at Lighthouse International Group!
Deep introspection, holistic self-examination and a fortifying commitment to absolute truth is, however, the only way that we can start to transition and transform our characters. It is through the transformation of our characters that we become truly disciplined people capable of facing uncertainty and overcoming adversity. This all starts with an impactful and lasting paradigm shift as Stephen Covey explains in The 7 Habits of Highly Effective People.
“In the words of Thoreau, “For every thousand hacking at the leaves of evil, there is one striking at the root.” We can only achieve quantum improvements in our lives as we quit hacking at the leaves of attitude and behavior and get to work on the root, the paradigms from which our attitudes and behaviors flow.”
Our work at Lighthouse International Group is about helping conscientious people overcome the barriers to realising their potential. The integrity to this mission naturally starts with the work done by each Associate Partner, mentor, coach and counsellor at Lighthouse. So in line with this I wanted to write about my own personal experience of transitioning and transforming through one of my most testing challenges. The purpose is to share what it means for us to face our biggest fears and the need for community to do this. Naturally I wanted to do this with a real-life experience rather than academic theory because this is predominantly an emotional process, not a mental one!
Pioneering psychologists like Sigmund Freud, John Bowlby and Jean Piaget would base their work on the influence of parents on the development of a child. As stated at the start of this article, in Toxic Parents, Susan Forward PhD summarised this by saying, “All of us develop our expectations about how people will treat us based on our relationships with our parents.” Hence the reason anyone embarking on any form of therapy can expect to be asked about their relationship with their parents.
As children we often have unrealistic expectations of our parents to the point where we can have a deluded, often rose-tinted, perception of them. We see them as gods and we want them to be perfect; to be superhuman and our greatest heroes. Sukh Singh has written about this here. The reality is that, like us, our parents are fallible human beings with their own personal fears, worries and insecurities. Unless they’ve proactively sought to work through these issues, they are unlikely to be able to give us the mentoring, the coaching and the counselling we need to have the foundation to become healthy growing adults by the time we’re 18-21 years old.
The fact that social scientists state that millennials are the most infantilised generation to date shows that the next generation is simply not getting the upbringing they need to be prepared for life. What does that mean? It means that young adults are becoming increasingly dependent on their parents rather than independent; not just physically and financially, but also mentally, emotionally and spiritually. This means that more and more young people today lack the fortitude to face and overcome their fears.
Getting to the root of what was going on is where the mentorship from Chris Nash and the community support from those involved at Lighthouse International Group helped me the most. Whilst I had dabbled with some counselling at the end of my time at university, I had never committed to looking at the darker sides of me and my personality. In line with realising my potential, this would be necessary as backed up by leading clinical psychologist Jordan Peterson who has said,
“I don't think that you have any insight whatsoever into your capacity for good until you have some well-developed insight into your capacity for evil.”
Chris was the first person who I felt genuinely wanted to understand what was actually going on inside of me AND to help me to process these toxic emotions. One experience that comes to mind is how when I was around 16 I was encouraged by my dad to write a letter to my mum to express how I felt about her and my relationship with her. It was full of bitterness and resentment; my mum acknowledged receiving it, but she didn’t really want to discuss any specifics in order to reconcile our differences. Although in hindsight I can’t blame her because of what I had invested into the letter, but at the time I resented her more for this lack of reply. I had made a photocopy of this letter and symbolically held onto it for years… similar to the way I was holding onto my resentment! Then one day when I was doing a physical clear-out I came across the letter again. Because of the way Chris was helping me to face the reality of my mum and her condition, I decided to rip the letter up to shreds. This spontaneous, yet symbolic, act felt like I’d let go of a massive weight I was carrying on my shoulders. The process of forgiving my mum only truly started happening as I started to forgive myself for the resentment I had been carrying towards my mum.
Another big breakthrough was an experience I had around the time of joining Lighthouse International Group as an Associate back in 2012. I was enjoying a curry at Kuti’s with Paul Waugh, Kris Deichler and Shaun Cooper. I was sharing a bit about my mum, her condition and the impact it had made on me. As I was opening up I remember that Paul Waugh looked at me and said, “You’re lucky not to have bi-polar.” Almost instantly I broke down into tears. At the age of 32 no one had really acknowledged this deep fear of mine in an explicit way. So the tears were tears of relief as I took another step out of the shadow of the dark cloud that had been hanging over me for pretty much the whole of my life.
What I have learnt through my personal discovery and real-life experience is that forgiveness is not a one-off act. It is, in fact, more of an attitude, a moment-by-moment way of being. Whilst with that conversation I had dropped the fear of inheriting bipolar disorder, I hadn’t dropped the resentment.
With the wake-up Chris gave me 4-5 years ago (that I described at the start of this article) and his subsequent support I decided to change the way I saw and felt about my mum. Having unrealistic expectations of her was poisoning any opportunities to have a healthy relationship with her.
However, what I’ve been learning is that accepting someone for who they are doesn’t mean sympathising with them. It’s loving to challenge those around us at a level that is stretching, but possible for their current capabilities. Whether it’s a friend, a peer, a family member, a client or even ourselves, finding the right level of challenge requires great wisdom, discernment and the willingness to make things right where mistakes are made.
One time a few years ago when visiting my mum I had a strong feeling to do something different to previous visits. Normally I would just sit and chat with her over a cup of coffee at her house. However, I decided this time we ought to go for a walk. After some resistance she realised I wasn’t going to take ‘no’ for an answer and came out with me. We went up the local hill and whilst out we found a memorial to a lost loved one. The family had provided cards and pens for people to write their dreams on coloured cards to hang on the tree. I took this photo of my mum with hers:
My mum's wish, "Wish that there will be an end to fighting and wars and fairness for all."
After the initial resistance to going out, it was a challenge to convince her to go back home! As well as the wonderful experience of learning more about my mum and what was important to her, I also discovered afterwards that she hadn’t actually been out of the house for months. In a way it was good that I didn’t know this because that would’ve likely affected the way I’d approached the situation. Rather than moaning at her for not going out (as I would’ve done), I affirmed her, saw an opportunity for us to build our relationship and took the lead.
This is a small example of how pushing a parent to be a healthier human being can forge a stronger relationship. It’s also why it saddens me so much when parents of those involved at Lighthouse are closed to the opportunities to build the relationship with their son or daughter through a willingness to be challenged in order to reconcile any differences. Tragically over the years we’ve seen parents (and siblings) try to assert control over their grown-up child who is simply striving to become more of an adult.
Whilst spending time with family one Christmas I only got to see my mum briefly because of her being unwell. Seeing her in that vulnerable state was a huge wake-up call. So I made the commitment to speak to her each day; setting my phone reminder for 1:15pm each day to call (still set as a reminder to this day).
For the next 6 months I called her every day. At the start she didn’t really want to speak, wanting to end the call as quickly as she could (I know that move, because I’ve done that many times myself!). However, I persisted and from that we probably had the healthiest relationship since being a young boy. I dropped the resistance to her not being able to be a parent who could mentor, coach and counsel me. I started to accept more as to who she actually was rather than who I wanted her to be. The fruits of this self-examination were that for the first time since being a young boy I could feel some genuine affection towards her.
As time went on, I regrettably let this commitment slip, but I still kept in touch more than I had in previous years. I certainly kept in touch more than if I’d not had the reality check from Chris about how my resentment was poisoning the relationship with my mum. And at the same time I was also encouraging other family members to have healthier expectations for their relationship with my mum.
The next and last time I would see my mum in person was for my 40th birthday. Just a few months afterwards she was diagnosed with a brain tumour. It was stage 4; malignant and terminal. It meant that I was going to need to face my second biggest fear and once again Chris was there by my side to face and navigate the concoction of emotions released through this.
The biggest breakthrough was seeing what my mum’s passing represented. It represented the death of the lingering, subconscious hope that my mum could be a parent in the truest sense of the word; a mentor, a coach, a counsellor and an inspiring force in my life as a source of security, guidance, wisdom and power. Her condition had severely restricted her ability to be the parent she wanted to be for me and that I needed her to be as a sensitive child looking to become an adult. Again I broke down in tears at facing this reality, but it was a liberation as it freed me up to accept her imminent passing. It also helped me to do my best to love her as best I could in the last weeks of her life.
I’ve publicly shared my eulogy for my mum and what I’ve written in this post explains why it took me a decade to write the letter I eventually wrote as my eulogy for her. This post has taken an additional two years to write; it is another part of the legacy I am building in honour of my mum and her life. I have made so many mistakes, but also learned many lessons thanks to being mentored that I am now able to share. This is what it means for me to atone for the way that I saw, felt about and treated my mum. I sincerely hope others can learn from the mistakes I made.
The tragic reality I’ve seen is how damaging unhealthy relationships with our parents can be for ourselves and therefore for others. If you have (or someone you know has) the self-honesty to work on letting go of parental resentment, then I would love to hear from you.
The plant I bought in remembrance of my mum continues to grow two years later.
I will close by saying that whilst we do not have full responsibility for what others do to hurt us (whether intentional or not), we do have the responsibility to address any resentment and other toxic emotions we hold inside of ourselves. It’s life-decimating to hold onto this ill-feeling as is stated by Bert Ghezzi in the book The Angry Christian,
“Resentment is like a poison we carry around inside us with the hope that when we get the chance we can deposit it where it will harm another who has injured us. The fact is that we carry this poison at extreme risk to ourselves.”
I hope this has inspired you to embark on your own path to forgiveness and wish you the best for this journey whether I can be part of it or not. What I do urge again is that this can’t be done by yourself. I never would’ve been able to face this letting go of resentment without the love, care and compassion of Paul Waugh, Chris Nash and the Lighthouse Community as a whole over the last 13 years of my life. If there’s anything that I and we can do to help, then please feel free to email me or connect with me on social media.
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This evening, I decided to do something I've been toying around with since the summer. I finally deleted comments from my blog entirely. Where it all began I began this blog as a hobby back in the spring of 2007, shortly after I began to learn more about the potential that blogs held. Life was much simpler back then. For one thing, I taught 6th grade beginning band only. My obligations outside of school were minimal, and the amount of time I spent in front of the computer was similarly low. Life was much simpler back then. I long for that again. Where it has taken me In the fall of 2007, I moved to the middle school where I
by Joel Wagner - July 31, 2007 July 5, 2010 0
In the Band Director world, the fourth year in a school district is a special year. When I got my first job, I remember that it was my boss' fourth year in that school district. Everything at the high school is more special during the fourth year than it has been in previous years. I think this concept also applies to most high school coaches as well as elementary elective teachers. Why? There are a number of reasons that this is a special year. The first is that I have been to every high school football game and marching competition that every student in the high school band has been involved in. This year's seniors have gone through
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Hanging out with Morgan Russell, Sebastian, from the Spiral Tribe technopagan Free Party collective (joining in at 4 p.m. from a still ongoing rave), an official from the UN Drug Control Department, a lecturer at University of Vienna WU, artists, writers, tech-heads, political activists, Konrad Becker and some t0 crew. Names withheld to protect the innocent.
There is a position that it's absolutely necessary to commodify our ideas, because this is a way of communicating them beyond the reach of our personal time and presence in space time. The other position is: that's not good, it's better that people meet and come together in person and share space and time together, by talking, touching, dancing, whatever. All commodifications of those things that happen in this specific situation should be banned, and there should be a glass-ball around these temporary events of realness.
H. BEY :
There is nobody to ban anything. There is no pope of the Temporary Autonomous Zone to say what's doctrinal or dogmatic. But I don't believe that the best way to communicate ideas is to commodify. I think there is a trend now which is called anti-media and the idea is to even actually reach more people without being recuperated into the medium. There, once you are taken in by the media, yours ideas are no longer alive. The are precisely commodities which are going to be sold by somebody. They are representations of their desires.
I would resist the idea that jumping into the media as if it were just a neutral ocean of discourse, is always the best tactic. Right now it seems to me to be a particular bad tactic, because the mediaworld is eager for false images of dissidence and resistance. I think this is because people everywhere feel disgust with the commodity “deal” and they would like to have something different, but they are still susceptible to believing that a commodity or a lifestyle item, like a T-shirt, is the thing itself instead the representation of the thing. It's in this area that I perceive some danger in promiscuous embrace of media.
There is this issue of how do you start to create a change within the system. An important element that has been overlooked. For example a musician, who creates a piece of music and puts it on a record himself, the responsibility is always kind of finished once he got it on record, if he goes up far. He doesn't seem to realize that going from spiritual to material, you must follow the flow of your commodity - if you like - right to the people you wanna give it to. And that is something that is very important to the future of changing the way the creativity is mediated. In particular when you focus on creative things that have the ability to wake people up, Trance-forms of music for instance. It's the same with creating anything. Am I gonna give it to Sony for a desk job, or am I gonna try to create my own independence? I have seen a lot of people who have been getting a record label together, they get a lot of artists on their label and when they day comes to pay this artists they do not pay these artists. This is happening with Techno, actually a lot of the artists have suddenly realized that, once again a music scene is created of the back of the underground musicians who never got paid for what they did. Bringing music back to what it originally was.
Here we are at this great revolutionary music, where we use crystals and electricity to create sound energy. We have suddenly got this massive change in music, where you can use any sound you want in the world. And you've broken the mould that the piano set up, and you suddenly enter into a realm of pure frequency again - rhythm and frequency, from which to build a new structure. But where is our reference point in the western world? Where is that reference point for why I'm gonna make this kind of music?
And that's why the filter becomes cloudy and that's where it's important to attain an independent network for musicians and creative people.
And it has to be commercial in the end!
H. BEY :
Let's not be too puritanical about it. There is absolutely nothing wrong with making a honest living as an artist. That's a different proposition than whoring yourself to a big label who's just gone alienate you from the very people that support that creativity. And they will eventually kill you as an artist - we've seen that over and over again. That is the most common story within the music industry.
I totally agree with you, with the idea that you play this by situation, not by some kind of dictate or ideology. And in each case you come up against as a performer and a recorder, you gonna make this decisions all over again new, because every time it's a new situation. So there are no rules, maybe it's even conceivable at a certain point, if everything is perfect. If you've been really, really clever and devised your strategy in the most impeccable way, then you can even enter into the major media and have the effect you're interested in having. But I see very few examples of that, and so I think that very few people have impeccable strategies in this sense. Most of us have to struggle against our own impurities and imperfections as well as the impurities and imperfections that are inherent in any creative activity. So on the whole I support your statement.
Hakim Bey Talks with users of Public Netbase March 18.1995 Space * Raves * Music S:
On that point for me it's interesting living in a communal group. The way that suddenly you realize that the whole process of what you are doing is in fact an ego game, that you are working out amongst all the other people involved - we all come from western society.
It took me psychedelics to wake up to be honest. And it took me being in a situation whereby Britain had an underground movement which lasted for four years solid. And this movement was a Free Party movement. This was coming together thousands of people and all dancing underneath the stars for sometimes periods of two weeks. This were serious nights of partying. This brought us to the edge where we suddenly realized where our freedom lay.
Everyone thinks we are free, we were told that - and I believed it all the way - but suddenly when you push out and find out that by expressing your freedom you got riot police coming in and beating people up, suddenly you find out that your freedom doesn't stretch so far.
There is this issue in Britain of Common Land. I remember when we were in Leeds we were looking for a place to do a party. The traditional place in Britain is Common Land. I went to Leeds to have a look at the maps of Common Land, and all the land that was given to the people, there were only two pieces left. I checked both places. First was a field for a farmer's corn and the second place was an airport… This is land that was given to the people for specific parties and festivals, put it's not there anymore, it's been sold off.
This shows us that in the end you need physical space. If you want Immediatism, you want physical space.
Maybe we should go to virtual space.
But this is a contradiction to immediacy, cause immediacy claims that you shouldn't use the media to come together but you use physical space. And in the end this is inconsistent.
H. BEY :
This is not exactly what I've said. What I said was that there is no Temporary Autonomous Zone without physical space. I didn't say that there is no interrelationship between cyberspace and physical space. Of course there's a relationship - there are many different kinds of relations. But what I'm talking about, how I'm defining freedom for the time being, if it doesn't include the body it is an illusion. If my eyes are free but my nose isn't, so this is not what I call freedom. I say there is no festival inside cyberspace. If it doesn't interpenetrate with the physical world, then it's simply another form of representation. Everything which was once lived, has now moved away into representation. And if this is felt to be a form of un-freedom, than it is precisely representation which we find ourselves in a struggle against.
In this sense it may be necessary to ultimately take up a very hostile stand toward cyberspace, or we may find it is a useful weapon, but we will not find our freedom in a machine. We won't find our freedom as a representation in a machine. I can turn myself into a cartoon figure going to virtual reality and act all kinds of fantasies but that won't be live, that would be representation. A representation of myself to the space and a representation of the space to myself. In that circularity there is no exit - there is no escape from that kind of viscous circle. So that's why I don't say that there's some dichotomy between the physical and the non physical but the one without the other is not freedom. You see what I'm saying?
No that's not true! Because you can leave this material world. It's not so easy but it's possible - you can go into immaterial, antimaterial world.
For me that's an interesting point. All live is representational anyway, we are living in a type of illusion or cyberspace reality where we have these meat machines to walk around. Cyberspace doesn't exist yet. In the moment the closest space that we have to cyberspace is innerspace, where creativity - perhaps - ultimately comes from.
H. BEY :
Well, we all know, that there is no absolute direct experience - that the body itself is a medium, that proprioception is mediated by the nervous system etc. etc. But I still maintain that it is possible to construct a hierarchy of values in which certain things are more and certain things are less embodied. To simply take some kind of Berkeleyan idealism, which is what I'm getting from you - to say that the body has no reality and therefore there is no difference between virtual reality, whether it be virtual or actual virtual reality, is something that I have to reject.
I don't see this lack of distinction. I know that there is a great platonic, mystical, gnostic dualist tradition, which you guys seem to be here today to represent, which really does believe, that we are going to leave our body, that there's some real eternal entity inside the body, which is going to escape and is going to heaven when you die. I don't know this shit and frankly I don't believe it - it's finished - I might as well go become a Christian.
I can show you this concept mathematically - you can proof it. Matter, antimatter - other forms of energy. The last human chess master - if the computer is better in chess than the best human chess master the same can happen to literature and music.
H. BEY :
First of all I've never met anybody from the antimatter world. So I don't have any opinion about the existence of consciousness within the world of antimatter.
Second chess can be reduced to mathematics, we know that this is true, but we don't know that literature or life or flesh can be reduced to mathematics. That has not been shown to my satisfaction and if it's shown to yours I would appreciate some references.
On this issue, for me, you would help me if you would clarify the difference between meditation, the psychedelic experience, the trance dance, what happens at rave parties. I think on these lines as a backup to what I'm doing with the techno side and also looking at creativity and the idea of clearing the ego from the process and allowing pure source energy through. What is the difference?
H. BEY :
Possibly we're talking about different states of consciousness. My inclination is to think everything is real, which of course means reality becomes a very fuzzy concept. But I have experience of the world of the imagination too. It's on the level that one experiences it. It's of course very very real. It can change your life and through it you can change the world. So the imagination is clearly something which is as real, in this sense, as anything else. Virtual reality is as real, in this sense, as anything else. But I would go back to the idea of a practical hierarchy, which has to be ultimately, subjectively based. Is it doing it for me, or is it not?
On the bases of the only possible values, that we can create for ourselves - this kind of gradation of media, by which I mean language, body, everything, can arrange in some kind of a useful program for oneself, where certain spaces are more liberated. Certain modes of consciousness are more joyful. That's really the best I can say. .
What about the idea of improvisation, the whole idea of reflecting the moment. How that is necessary to the development of the consciousness, it does seem to have the ability to pull the mind in and take it somewhere. This whole process is very important for culture and has been obliterated in the west for the past few hundred years but does seem to emerge through the subcultures and always has done.
H. BEY :
I think improvisation is a good key to this. If you can develope a kind of Zen-approach to this levels, so you need not use a hard and fast religion, ideology or philosophy to prejudge the utility of one level over the other that would be the appropriate modus operandi. The best way to go would be what I call a psychic martial artist.
What about the interfacing of creativity and technology?
H. BEY :
I think what we need is critical consciousness. Critical consciousness towards the entire construct of technology. Technology is not neutral, it's not God-given, it doesn't come from the burning bush, it doesn't emerge from the world of antimatter. It's something that human society makes. So all of human society is inscribed in the machine in this sense - and then the machine becomes a force to reinscribe something on society. And you can have the negative aspect of this, and you can be truly creative - why not. I'm absolutely not denying anyone's creativity. All I'm asking for, for myself, is critical consciousness about technology.
But where is the original critical? If I have to be in tune with everything and this reconciling and peaceful and enjoying… Where comes the critical stuff…?
H. BEY :
You trying to force me to be a 1964 hippie - I was a 1964 hippie and so those kind of ideas are very much in my work, but you're only picking on those ideas.
When I look at your essay on Immediatism it's an archetype of ideal immediate contact and exchange. This is what you describe. And as kind of an opposite I see the mass-produced gift that one hands over at a potlatch. This is what you suppose in this paper.
H. BEY :
But you missed the most important sentence, that this is not a dictate - this is a game. You wanna play the game? Enjoy the game. This is not the Communist party.
Sure, but you want something critical, so I wanted to know where is the source of being critical - where is my potential to disagree?
And this body is against something that is just purely abstract and constructed, socially true. And there is a chance to become critical, if there is a difference between what happens in my body and what happens on the street. No? I think we need this tension, this opposition, these dichotomies to create a possibility for freedom.
H. BEY :
You do have a dogma. I don't. Your dogma is dichotomy, is conflict. You're saying no progress without conflict.
No, I say no progress without distinction. This is the basic stuff and there is always this difference emerging. So I think if we want to create some Immediatism, as an extra capitalist entity, we must have a capitalist skin for that, otherwise it will just come apart.
No I disagree - I think if you look at the way youth-culture evolved in the 60's, especially in Britain you had a lot of hippies with seeing a different side to reality, and there reaction was not to get involved with big business. They did not want to become a commercial entity. The next thing that came along was punk. Punk does seem to be impart on commercial entity. But every underground scene learns from the one previously. You will see that the balance of those two polarities there does seem to be a will to go into the commercial zone, cause you know when you get in there you have the reference point to keep you straight.
You have been talking about the weather…
H. BEY :
The weather reports are always to me the most charming way of catching up on the massmind. The attitudes which are expressed on the weather channel are apparently neutral. But in fact they are deeply influenced by cultural attitudes. I just noticed last winter, when we had a lot of snow in N.Y. This wonderful kind of manichean mythology of good and evil began developing around the weather. And then I realized, that it has always been that way. It has always been a good day or a bad day. If it's a bad day they tell you with long faces and if it's a good day they are smiling and are happy. But I think the I Ching says: Every day is a good day. Every kind of weather has its beauty and there is certainly a great beauty in a storm. There is a vast dis-ease on the fact, that we have not yet subdued nature; We haven't finished conquering nature. I get this gnostic dualist flavour from the weather report and I can go and take that analysis into the news-report where it is even more apparent
For me the metaphor of the living earth is marvelous, I like all that goddess stuff, whether it is literally true or not does not actually concern me. One could feel so much in tune with material reality that it would take on spirit in a very real and vivid way. One would come to feel the earth as the great goddess on or even inside we all live. From this point of view the weather is actually the skin of the goddess and we are living inside the skin, not on the surface. The myth of the living earth which has a lot of political use now, a use for struggle.
The ecological and environmental movement has a lot of positive aspects. But we've also seen how it can be coopted by the forces of reaction, even by the forces of corporate hypocrisy - Earth Day is sponsored by Monsanto and Exxon. First of all the concept Earthday sucks, and second if we had an Earth Day, we would never allow Exxon to hijack it. But it's because we don't understand even something simple as the weather, that this things happen. I guess that's my little moral for that fable.
I included your essay on the Chinese secret society the “Tong” on Zero News because I find it relevant in respect with how to work from a heretical, autonomous position. Are you suggesting to have new secret societies?
It's one of my most experimental ideas and I feel on shaky ground, because many secret societies have been used for many different things.
Well, specially Vienna as one of the hot spots of conspiratorial Freemasonry through all history would be a good place to talk about secret societies. It's one of my most experimental ideas and I feel on shaky ground, because obviously many secret societies have been used for many different things not all of which we would approve of.
But actually what kicked me off on thinking about this was William Burroughs in an interview he did with a very small zine called Homocore. They talked about the Tong as a possible model for homosexuals in an age where aids and neopuritanism would cause them to have to disappear tactically from certain areas of society for self-protection if nothing else. But it is also clear that early masonic organizations where mutual aid societies, rather than being run for the profit of an corporation, a genuine non-hierarchical mutual insurance scheme. The Tongs in China were originally revolutionary groups. They were supposed to restore native Han Chinese autonomy against the Mongol invasion which became Djing dynasty. They wanted to restore the Ming. But they were soon historically diverted into crime which is also the fairly useful idea for a secret society because we all know how many nice and enjoyable things are considered to be crime in our modern nations, which are in fact completely harmless. Like smoking pot. In America it's a terrible crime; There's half a million people in jail for smoking pot.
Perhaps, I'm asking, might it be better, instead of going out on the street, smoking a joint to become a martyr and get thrown in jail and make some kind of weird political point out of our own misery, maybe it would be better just to have a little “secret society” for the production and consumption of marihuana. That just would ignore the state and his hysterical bullshit.
Now extending that metaphor in other activities, social, economic, sexual or creative activities even, where you don't want, for one reason or another, the incursion of outside powers and forces, which are bigger and stronger and have all the guns and all the money - one way to do it is to disappear. The model for that would be a secret society.
I like to say that I don't believe in absolute secrecy; Virtual secrecy would be plenty. By which I simply mean, you don't make an ass out of yourself in the media. The worst example I've seen is Waco. Koresh the leader was a media hawk. And he went on television and boasted about the guns he was collecting and dare the Texas police to come and get him. He made a big splash at the local media and that was enough to reach the ears of people in Washington, who thought it would be very convenient to burn up some right winged Christians, right on that point of history, to show that Bill Clinton is the hero of left liberalism. So there was this woman Attorney General take the rap for what was essentially an act of political suppression. It was meant to terrify every autonomous christian right wing group in America, just the way two years before the same tactics were used against a group in Philadelphia called Move - a black nationals group - who put loudspeakers on the roof of their houses and constantly broadcasting their back to Africa message to the whole neighborhood. They were not hurting anybody, they were just being noisy and obstreperous. So the city of Philadelphia came in and burned down 90 square blocks of the city and killed everybody, with one or two exceptions, including women and children who died inside the buildings. The same happened in Waco.
So it's not a right wing plug or a left wing plug. It's a plug of power against autonomy. Anyone who behaves an autonomous fashion is the villain. If you go and boast about it in the media, you are asking to be smashed. Cause they have the guns and the have the money. So I'm only suggesting the Tong as a possible model we need to explore. I'm not saying I believe in it. I don't think it's the solution to anything but I think it's a very interesting model which needs to be explored again. In the 18th century the secret societies were the edge of the revolutionary wedge and we are maybe in a situation like that again now.
How does this relate to conspiracy theory. It seems to be a very touchy item with liberals but is embraced by highly obscure right wing fanatics.
I love conspiracy theory. I make some use of it in my work but I try to keep it on a metaphorical level and not to get carried away and become a literal believer in anyone's conspiracy for a number of reasons.
Because first there is an old problem, with which even Tolstoi was dealing with - is whether history is made by great individual human beings, who act on history, or whether history is made by great unconscious surges of economic and social movements, that are far greater and broader than any individual. So that Napoleon is simply the one who is carried on the front of this wave. Rather than being a leader he is actually pushed forward by the wave of history.
The great-men theory of history is a very dangerous trap and clearly if you believe literally in conspiracy theory, then you are believing in the great-men-theory. You are believing that a very small group of very brilliant individuals who can actually conspire to change history, usually to their advantage.
For example. Is he the leader of this thing or is he just pushed forward on the wav e of some kind of techno-economic development and if it was not Bill Gates it would be someone else. Robert Anton Wilson likes to quote: “When it is steam engine time it steam engines.” Like when it is time to rain it rains. When it is time for steam engines some vast IT produces the steam engine. In fact we know plenty of examples where the same scientific discovery is made simultaneously by five or six people within minutes around the world. Not because of some Jungian archetypal anima floating around but because science got to that point. And five or six people were smart enough to realise it right away. There is also the point that the first working steam engine was actually built on an incorrect scientific theory, if I am not mistaken. It was made by someone who thought he was doing one thing but actually did something else altogether and it just happened to be a steam engine. That happens plenty of times too.
The problem with conspiracy theory is to believe that there is one particular group of human beings who are in control of my destiny. That's a philosophical extreme to which I don't wanna go.
On the other side it's obvious that people do conspire. That there are conspiracies, secret forces behind outward political shows of power.
It is clear that there is not one single known politician in America who has any real power at all. They are simply working for big corporations and economic interests like oil, or the global market itself. The best model is, that there are many, at least several conspiracies and that they interlock, that they compete, that they melt into each other, that they separate from each other. If we wanna know what's going on, if we wanna understand history as it is happening we should know something about these conspiracies. Again critical consciousness is a useful tool here.
Maybe there could be some common denominator that would create a collective behavioral pattern that people seem to follow. It could show itself materially when it is actually guided by conscious individuals minds.
Absolutely but would it make any difference? I often think it does not matter whether this conspiracies are conscious or unconscious, there could also be an unconscious conspiracy. Consciousness is maybe not always that great a force in this.
S.:
The real interest for me again lays in the creative process and its function within the translation from spiritual to material. Because if we are getting into the level that maybe these things are unconsciously orientated. Then that would imply that by opening yourself to whatever these unconscious entities are and building a relationship towards those. Your creative flow can actually increase in its potential to have an effect on the material.
The archetypes obviously do have their real side and their unreal side. I'm not a deep student of C.G. Jung, but I wonder if he didn't come to reify the archetypes and give them a more solid basis in real reality, some categorical reality, then they deserve. Never the less there is an aspect of the archetype which is “real”. No one who has worked a spiritual path would ever be able to empirically deny this fact. The point is again surfing - can you serve the archetypes or are you gonna be swamped by the waves. Pardon the California talk. Jung is of limited use for me, because I feel he made these creatures too powerful. It's also necessary to rebel against the archetypes.
S.:
To put it into a modern idiom - again to use the Ravescene - surely all of this is something everybody experiences, when they go to a Raveparty. This is something that is the buzz of being at Ravepartys. Suddenly there you are building a much better relationship with whatever this is - this creative flow is. And I think the way that all underground techno music actually is progressing towards the idea of anonymous music for the white label single, which was absolutely the main vehicle for the music in the beginning. I mean recently once again we see the trend towards commercial music, but I think the original vibe of Techno was purely anonymous white label music that was rhythm and frequency based. Now, this came flooding through with the advent of the technology that happened and occurred at that time. And all these elements coming together to create the individual moment seems to have launched this new vehicle for exploring consciousness. Now the question I have - the best point I can find as an improviser within that medium is to look to these archetypes whatever they are. I don't have any words for them. I am not gonna try and put them into any kind of bracket from any person who came previous to me. Because I learn all of this direct from source at a party. Now this is the point I am trying to get: What was that then? If that wasn't something that helped not only in my creative flow, but also brought me to a deeper understanding of myself.
Well, if I understand the ideal structure of the Rave, if I can put it that way, there's no hard and fast separation between the musicians and the dancers - there's no hard and fast separation between any of the components of the Rave. And yet the structure itself is contained and there is supposed to be a co-creation, which is a slimy word but let's use it in quotes again, that the experience you are discussing arises, is emergent in co-creation. And this would seem to me to be a guaranty against any kind of malign position. And you would have to tell me from your own experience, whether you see people freaking out and getting possessed by the devil or whether you see them joyful and sensual possessed by lets say… I don't know…aphrodite and the muses.
S.:
What about a possible progression into a situation whereby we can actually transcend the necessity for using a psychedelic drug and progress to the level of using music as a means to do the same job?
I just remembered some friend of mine in the 60's who said that he was going through magic and occult meditation, he was gonna recreate the same effect that he got from marihuana. So he could save 5 $ a week. He did it, he succeeded. But he said it was too much trouble so he went back to smoking pot.
S.:
But don't you think that probably came back through the idea of behavioural patterns and the way people react to that kind of situation. Is the western world finding it so hard to kind of attain the same kind of discipline on consciousness that was known through - I suppose - other cultures, you know ?
Clearly there are analogies to be drawn between the Rave and something like the Sufi musical and dance ceremony, or indeed any kind of trance or meditation music, dance, action theater scenario in any traditional culture. The difference there is that the forms are predetermined to some extent. But the idea is always within those forms is to achieve spontaneity and lift off. Ultimately the goals are not too different. Our position is, we find ourselves distrustful of all those structures, because we know what other baggage came along with them historically. Even the Christians had this at one point and maybe some of them even still do - some of the more ecstatic sects, even the ones that we think of as right winged Bozos. Snakehandlers, protestant wackos in America who handle snakes and drink poison.
S.:
Maybe that's why it is so necessary for it to come into a modern day medium like the Rave culture, where the same pieces of information can be picked up direct from source, rather than having to go and check out the history of this situation. This is the interesting element. And if that is the case, that does seem to imply that there is some information that is available to anyone who goes through this process. And if that is the case, then that really does imply that dance dream of material consciousness that is this level, which does seem to have some pretty archaic information. That does seem to be available to anyone who's disciplined enough to push in that direction.
I would say that we don't wanna have to reinvent the wheel every ten years. So it is possible for us to look at these historical models, whatever you wanna call them. At the same time we don't wanna become the slaves of those models. We want our own model - we want a model which is continually not finished, because any model which is finished then you become a slave of your own system. Blake said, that he had to have a system of his own or he would become a slave to somebody else's system. I say, your own system must be unfinished or you become a slave to yourself.
And what do you think about the world wide increasing repression from the Mafia that becomes bigger and kills more and more people like us?
I think that's a function of the global market. Up until 1989 there was a dichotomy between communism and capitalism. It might have been a false show, a pseudo spectacular illusion. But never the less it defined the discourse. The evil empire here and the evil empire there in contradiction with each other. Then in 1989 suddenly this discourse collapsed and there's no more dichotomy. Instead there's a false unity built on a - what seems to me to be a multiplicity of misery. And within the inelectable process of dialectics, the global market will also produce instantly its own negation. And that negation, you could say, has a positive form and a negative form. The positive form of the negation might be these Zapatista uprising in Mexico. Which I look on as the first true revolutionary action taken against the global market. But the negative result of this - the “negative negative”, if I can put it that way, would be a phenomenon like the mafia, which is moving into the vacuum of power, left by the collapse of the discourse of '89. I don't know whether this is the future we are looking at. If you study certain reports from Russia these days you might think this is actually the future we are looking at.
Again conspiracy theory. I have been fascinated with Mafia related Freemasonic, you know the Italian Propaganda Due lodge and all this kind of thing. It is conceivable that this is in fact the new negation. And we haven't even realized that yet, that we are in a new war and we haven't even seen what the war is. But other than that, I can't answer your question, because I can't read the future.
There are other movements, for example in Japan and Italy that where independent from this, without the phenomena of the Soviet Union collapsing.
Which phenomena are these now? You mean like Yakuza, Camorra, … various forms of the Mafia? We put too much importance on these different forms. It seems to me that they are fulfilling a very closely similar functions in their various societies, using various cultural matrixes, that is slightly different from Italy to Japan after all. But the functions being the functions being served, seeming very similar to me. Let us not forget, that there are reasons why the Mafia is so popular. The Mafia actually delivers what you want, whereas the government doesn't - the Mafia actually delivers what you want whereas religion doesn't. I think Malcom Mc Larren said: Drugs will always be popular because drugs actually can make you feel like the people on television advertisements appear to be feeling. And precisely this is where the Mafia comes in with the most brilliant commodity strategy in the modern world, possibly, which is that they deliver the drugs. Which is what people want. We can't just cup some moralistic stance here - that's the Mafia and this is us. We are implicated. We have to decide in what way we extricate ourselves from that implication or in what way we make use of it even. Who knows? It's a very mysterious, entangled situation.
You seemed to argue almost against free will, you suggested that there's a negative aspect as the result of the outcome of this end of capitalism versus communism. You are saying that perhaps falling into the dualistic gnostic idea that this negative and evil and something else is positive or good and you are suggesting perhaps also that all these movements, these Mafia antithesis to the free market economy is something which is something beyond the control of the individual human beings. Are you saying we are all caught up in this, we have no free will?
No, absolutely not, although the whole question of free will is very dicy indeed. The son-in-law of the prophet Mohammed, was once asked whether he believed in free will or determination and instead of answering he jumped up and down on one foot and then jumped up and down on the other foot. And so itïs like “yes” and “no”. And between the “yes” and the “no”, that's where heads fly off from their necks and stars fly off from heaven. That's a quote from a sufi poet, Ibn-Arabi. So, “yes” and “no”, clearly for the most part we are swept along by these shitstorms of history, but every once in awhile, be it even only a room of this size, some kind of resistance, some kind of area, space of resistance, space of dissidence occurs spontaneously or some crackpot philosophy, it doesn't much matter. So I don't think we are simply the passive victims, by the way I don't necessarily consider the Mafia to be the antithesis of the global market , I think it might be the apotheosis, I'm not sure, but there are some signs in that direction. So, I donït know, I donït think we are the powerless victims of history, not at all.
But we have already argued that we the powerless victims of the weather. And that human technology hasn't advanced to this stage.
No, I didn't say that we are powerless victims, I said we could be joyful participants with the weather, which is a little different, think. And I also don't believe that there's some kind of morality involved in like not shutting the windows when it rains, if you don't wanna get your etchings wet. we do what we do. And the attempt always to draw a philosophical line to say “yes” on this side and “no” on that side, is to ignore that magical space is between the “yes” and the “no”.
Without wanting to appear a total fascist , isn't this something up to each individual to make judgment ?
No, I don't think so, that's to deny the social. That's to reduce everyone to powerlessness, because there's fairly good evidence that the atomised individual in the modern world is not making it, is not achieving the overcoming of misery.
So you are arguing against any type of synthesis ..
… of individualism and social , yeah I argue for a new kind of synthesis between the individual and the social. That's what I do.
What do you think about the internet? Is it possible for you to see the humans using computer technology to organize human knowledge to communicate with each other? Should people have one common understanding of what is true?
The internet works very well on a epistemological level. If we see the internet as a epistemology rather than ontology I think we would be on the right way. The internet is a great tool for knowledge but as a state of being it leaves something to be desired, perhaps. And knowledge after all is something that finally only exists when information is appropriated to the individual or to a group and becomes an actual active part of live. So I would be hesitant to - a modern hesitant, I think I would be distrustful of a global epistemology and that is to say system of knowledge, because that would imply that each and every user of the net must experience the knowledge coming into their body and into their live in a more or less precisely the same way and that would bother me. The internet as a tool or even as a weapon for knowledge strikes me as the - why not - maybe the most exiting and interesting area of discourse that we have going right now this very hot little minute. But I see it as a field of struggle, not as a beautiful gift that we've been given, which has its own inherent perfection in it - in some structural way but just as another kind of technology which has brought about some very very peculiar side effects having to do with chaotic perturbation, with actual - you know - chaos - bringing it to be in a chaos. And within that chaos there's a potential for the most hideous misery as well as the most - you know - amazing freedom and happiness. And it's a curious and interesting fact that the internet derives from military structure to begin with. It's a fact that the structure of the internet is already compromised in this sense.And the task that faces us is, if we can go and consider ourselves netactivists.
Hold on a moment though, the road system in the US, the federal Highway system was built for military purposes.
Yes, absolutely. Most of civilization is derived from military purposes.
But if you drive on a road it doesn't mean you buy out to the military philosophy ?!
Does it not ? In a certain indirect way, it does. You know, how many people die in automobiles every year, on the face of the earth ?
Would you rather walk?
Actually, yes. But that's just my taste.
But the military never do it by themselves, they always use scientists to do it for them.
This is called pure war. We don't have Generals and armies and all that stuff. This is war in virtual space. This is war on a global space. This is war which can be hot or cold or lukewarm.
So where does that leave room for art?
Resistance.
Art as the tool of the resistance?
What's about to go to these people that you think make all the bad and cooperate and try to establish my communication?
The best of luck to you. Somebody mentioned Wired magazine which is widely known here but Wired magazine is a financial support of the Think Tank, which has some marvelous name like Institute for Peace and Justice or something like that - which is actually run by Newt Gingrich - so that he could have access to the people. So the corporations can get access to mailing lists, where they can sell their products. What I'm saying is, that the cooperation with people, whom I'm not calling evil, put simply inimicable to my interests - o.k.? - is almost bound to involve me in a situation which can only increase my misery. If, for example, I were to believe that Wired magazine represents the hippest, coolest attitude towards the net - and many people believe that because Wired magazine tells them it is, then you will find yourself upshit creek without a paddle, as we say in my homestate. You find yourself in a position where your energy will be coopted in ways that will not result in your increased happiness. It would be like the story that Sebastianïs told about certain rockgroups who made certain music, that made that move to cooperate with global market forces and who in fact find themselves in a very sad and miserable situation and that drives some of them to suicide. While the millions of dollars they are making, they have no longer a creative relation with their listeners, they co-creatives. So, I would say: each situation is a new situation - there are no hard and fast rules to be made about these things.
Every offer of a million pounds has to be read on its own merits. Every offer of a smack in the face has to be read on its own merits. But there's no foregone conclusion that will gonna choose the million pounds over the smack in the face. Because sometimes it's necessary to resist. And you know whether this resistance ever comes to an end - I don't know and frankly I don't care. That's not what is important to me. The struggle is probably eternal. But on my small personal level there are definite ups and downs. There is a definite map that I could draw based on experience. If not on the future, which will lead me to make value judgments about who I'm gonna collaborate with - what actions I'm going to perpetrate, what art I'm gonna create - I'm not asking for socialist realism here, Iïm not even asking for committed art or political art. I'm simply asking of myself on a critical awareness of these issues. So when Wired magazine comes to me, if it ever does, and offers to buy a piece from me, this is what they get from me. [shows his middle finger] I can't do other. The expense is too great.
Should they go to hell or what?
Yeah, I'd like to blow the bastards up!
Wouldn't that be more interesting to offer them a piece that would expose exactly what you think about?
No, it wouldn't necessarily be a good thing. I just did an interview with High Times which is a magazine I have a lot of problems with, but ultimately I felt that the audience - it was going to reach - there might be some interesting things I could say for them. And so I swallow some distaste for High Times as a magazine and I do collaborate. That was a choice I made - might turn out to be a hideous mistake - I don't know. On the other hand I don't collaborate with Newt Gingrich. High Times is independently owned. S. Newhouse or Rupert Murdoch does not own it. S. Newhouse owns half of Wired and the other half is going to Newt Gingrich. There's no space for me, even if they would publish my bitter, vicious critic of them and their politics. Even if they would put it in their magazine it would be contextualized in such a way, that they can say: See how cool we are? We even let this ranter come into our magazine. We can absorb those ideas - we are rich - we are big, we are bigger than he is, we are bigger than you are - we've got it all - baby! This is the only answer. [shows his middle finger again]
Hakim Bey Talks with users of Public Netbase March 18.1995 Strategies to Free Choice X:
But the virus is more than the cell. The cell has all the productive facilities. Still it is the virus that kills the body.
S.:
These people focus on the product and the finished sold thing rather than realizing that the real gratification of going and buying a piece of commodity can actually be doubled when you create it yourself, and not only by the buzz of independence - you start to wake up when you turn your vision into a different direction which might make you poorer in the long run, but it might bring you close that you actually really enjoying that object that comes up.
Anyway, I don't also even use the virus as a symbol of total negativity. I think there is a positive virus too. It's something that goes through a membrane. It penetrates a membrane and crosses a border and a lot of border crossings are very useful.
The question is: Are we creative enough to formulate phrases and texts that are subversive enough to value their inclusion in that text we basically oppose? That was basically the Pasolini line of argumentation. [H.Bey groans] And I think if we invest some thinking in what is the basic motivation of people to read Wired? Because they want to feel like being part of something spectacular, and out of the norm and an innovation and so on. Maybe that's it and they want to be part of the community. So if anyone offers an alternative points of entry or points of access for the feeling of the immediate contact - so this might have an effect and it would maybe induce people to adopt the difference stand towards regulation of communications in Cyberspace.
Yeah - maybe that's true. The spirit bloweth where it listeth, as the good book says. The spirit goes where it wants to go. And so if the spirit feels like making an appearance in a Tom and Jerry cartoon - somebody told me the other day on morning television - well the spirit is bloody well going to do it. If somebody wants to read Bugs Bunny as the eternal anarchist, that is in fact a possible reading of Bugs Bunny. And in fact a lot of popular culture is completely infested with subversive memes. And there are plenty people whose first turn on to the idea of resistance actually comes from an area which is theoretically not where thatïs supposed to happen. After all, if school is supposed to socialize you for a lifetime of consumption and death, never the less some people sometimes inadvertently come across some poem or painting or mathematical formula in school, which has a different effect - and drives them away from the socialization process and education and into a field of resistance - you know, romantic rebellion or selfrealization or journeying to the east or whatever it might be. So far be it from me to dictate to the spirit, where it's going to manifest itself - HOWEVER! Right? There's a big “however”. And that “however” is, that we have some brains, we have some taste and we can make decisions. There is absolutely no vast, monstrous force from the unconscious that is preventing us from making these decisions. We can actually make decisions. This is an area of freedom. Even if we get crushed for the decisions we make, we have that moment in which we can act freely. Or at least within the parameters of our whole cultural, social conditioning or whatever you believe in along those lines - I'm not a behaviourist - I think there is a little sneaky area where freedom occurs. On that bases and on that bases alone.
There is … I think pressing cause to distrust and even to despise certain areas of the media .. now.. today .. here. And on that bases I simply can't accept to be absorbed into every medium. I'm going to resist, because my little area of freedom is valuable to me. And I see it threatened through the media - I really do. Maybe this is because I'm a writer and a media worker and I overvalue the media but I really, literally think this is true for a vast numbers of people. There is such a thing as media trance, which is a negative form, there really is such a thing as brainwashing, as there really is such a thing propaganda. In fact every advertisement is a form of brainwashing and propaganda on some level even if it's very clever and it's very artistic. So - oh God - I'm forced - you know, it's a funny paradox - I'm forced to make these choices about my freedom.
But is freedom a position?
Well, I said in the paper that freedom is a psychokinetic skill, by which I meant its skill, which is developed through the selftraining of mind and body. Its psychic martial arts. Freedom is a process, it's not closed and can't be defined within closed borders and it's in a constant state of becoming. So there's never an end or beginning to it and there's also never a definition to it. Nevertheless something we taste, something we smell, it's something we make love to.
Talking about Wired magazine which showed its true colors by wanting to copyright the “@”- sign. I believe that's one of the things that clearly showed them for what they are.
Sure and then everyone on the net who uses the “@” has to pay them and then, you know that's $5 less freedom for you and me.
Plus, High Times I think they are a great magazine, after all they encourage gardening.
Yes, and they also encourage their readers to vote for Clinton. Which I thought was a terrible mistake, and they did that on the basis that some of them where at some political convention tabling some marihuana literature and Al Gore - our vice-president. Iïm sure you never heard of him.
Yes, we did.
Oh, yes you did? How very surprising.
He wrote a book once.
Yeah, it was on the environment. He whispered to them over the table: “Give us a chance.” And so on this basis High Times actually urges their - I donït know, several million readers, as I understand it - to go out and vote for Clinton and Gore. Yeah, and a lot of “gardeners” have ended up in jail since then.
But another thing I wanted to look at is that you suggested that each and every individual can make a choice through expression of free will. And it seems this can't be an individual thing, but it has to be social. It has to be media edited in some way. That the individual, now with equipment, technology - which can allow the individual to make music, to make art and to share it with many people without going through the big media machines, like Sony. Now we all have a chance to make a difference to participate in our own expression of art, of our spirituality, of our antimatter world.
Well, after all we always - there is nothing different there - that possibility was always there. Technology doesn't change that in any deep way.
T.V. is the most one-way medium there is. But now we have a two way medium.
S.:
I really must make the point at this moment. Connected with what happened in Britain with the free party scene. That exactly what you are talking about us now having this new freedom to use this technology, you know for our own independent purposes, let me to be in a situation where thousand Ravers getting threaten up by the riot police for expressing that exact same thing.
It's a threat to the establishment, but isn't that why we should be involved with?
You need bandwidth to communicate in the first place, you need high tech to connect the bandwidth and then you need place to come together. So at three points in this life circle you need access to physical space, physical resources, money and competence.
The Republican Party has no monopoly on those items in America . AT&T has no monopoly on those items, the 20th century has no monopoly on those items, T.V. has no monopoly on those items. All those things are available through other channels. So there is absolutely no dictatorship of reality that tells me which media I'm going to achieve these goals through.
We can talk for free. I just use air and my own body to articulate. If we talk through the media then I need some kind of background of my live, some worklive some heritage or whatever to be able to use these media.
Iïd like to make a distinction, and it's only an ad hoc distinction between what I call intimate media and what I would call commercial or mass media. And I've personally made a decision to work within the intimate media. By intimate media I include actually quite a wide range of things, most print although I would make certain political judgments about certain magazines; cable T.V., listener sponsored or public radio, which is different than the European state run radio. I work for a radio station in N.Y. which is supported almost entirely by their listeners. Twice a year we go on the air and make absolute fools of ourselves by begging and pleading for money. And that's the way the station has been kept going for 30 years. As a result the present government despises us. There have been questions asked in the senate recently. They are trying to get a list of everyone in the national public radio who ever worked for our organization so they can purge them. And they are meanwhile trying to cut off every penny that might have gone to us from them.
S.:
It doesn't matter what medium you use for creativity. The reason why I'm so into Techno is because it's so easy. But it doesn't stop you doing a guitar and doing a record yourself - it doesn't stop you from doing anything. It's once you have that material piece of creativity - is how you get out to your public. That is the issue that needs to be addressed. Because the artist is forgotten. It is a two way process from spiritual to material and you must follow through all the way. Otherwise you are allowing other people to stamp their vibe on your thing.
There are channel captains that control whatever goes down to the customer. But if you want to own the media, own the channel at least for some enough packets to transfer your tune, then it is the question of what is the background to act your generating the cash. Is it just created by serving in the military all day saluting and then sponsoring a private radio that says military is shit?
S.:
No. No. No. - What it is, is using the medium and it is fortunately backed up by youth culture for one example. You have many individuals thrown into a backdrop of the youth culture. Now all these individuals are approaching creativity in whatever way they can. And there are all these different options as to which way they can put their music out. Now the thing about the individual moment of the music called the creativity is that we have a scene. And in that scene you have a particular style of music that gets born. And if it gets born you counteract the commercialization of the one mechanism that came previously. Now what you have is a situation whereby the musicians at that point have got what Sony needs. And it's whether they give it to them or not - the point is it takes the musician to wake up to that whole thing on a big level before you can put a plug on that thing. And you can actually reverse the process by having musician or creative person run outfits, in whatever means you like, from cooperatives to tribal situations. But the point is that you are changing the way in which that former creativity goes out. And you doing at in a time when you are nipping it in the butt. And that's an important issue to get across to the creative people. Because we do have at this time a revolution in music, in technology, in internet, in all those different things. And they make it very easy for us to go up, but actually we don't wanna give it to them H.Bey: I think we gonna wrap it up in a few minutes. So in case anyone was saving up a different topic for the end run here - now is the time to bring it up.
Rich People XXX:
The idea is, there are so many rich people supporting capitalist ideas. Do you have experience in trying to have access to some rich person?
Charles Fourrier, the socialist utopian thinker, used to stay in his house everyday at twelve noon, just to be home in case a millionaire would come and wanted to see him - never happened. He died a disappointed man. Then we've been talking actually a lot this week about Gyorgy Soros - he finances a lot of internet development in Eastern Europe and Africa and he is promoting a number of think tanks on drug legalization - but I haven't met him, either and I don't know whether what would happen if I did. No - the simple answer is no. I've never gotten any high finance from those directions. It's kind of a socialist tradition to accept help from millionaires. Robert Owen, the great English socialist reformer was himself an industrialist millionaire. Lenin had private help hand. It was a mysterious German millionaire who financed his return to Russia. There are many interesting historical examples of a play between millionaires and rebels. But myself can't add any story.
You don't have to attain millionaires to develop the bandwidth that is necessary to reach people.
That's what I said earlier. I feel the internet is still on this chaotic stage where it is very much worth while struggling for it. But I also don't accept it as a given. I think it began in war and it will continue in war and it's we are in the struggle, if we are on the net we're in that struggle.
| 59,374 |
‘The universe has a cause.’ The claim seems uncontroversial enough. David Hume was perhaps more right than he could have known when he wrote of the human mind’s proneness to associate cause with effect regardless of whether it has a rational basis for doing so (which it ultimately does not); increasing evidence suggests that the principle of causality may well be something not learned through experience, as he had suggested, but biologically and psychologically inherited, which would render us creatures made naturally uncomfortable by the prospect of a cause occurring without its corresponding effect, or, more relevantly, the reverse. It is upon this intuitive inclination—an inclination which, it is worth repeating, has no basis in rational thought—that rests one of the most popular and persuasive arguments for the existence of a supernatural first mover (or, more bravely, a god): the kalãm cosmological argument.
Taking its Arabic name from its roots in Islamic theology and championed today by Dr. William Lane Craig of ReasonableFaith.org, the argument generally takes the following form:
Premise one: Everything that begins to exist has a cause;
Premise two: The universe began to exist;
Conclusion: Therefore, the universe has a cause.
To grant credit where it is due, this argument benefits from logical validity. In simple terms, this means that it cannot be the case that the conclusion is false if the premises are true, since the former logically follows from the latter. That makes the task of refuting this syllogism a plain one; one or both of the premises must be shown to be false.
I often find, in the efforts of my atheist friends and colleagues to do just this, a subordination of the importance of the first premise to the importance of the second. In an attempt to reverse this philosophical injustice, I shall simply grant the second premise. It may be the case, of course, despite the overwhelming evidence that our universe is not an eternal one, that something came before it (if ‘before’ can even make sense in such a context), or that it is only one of many coexisting in a multiverse. On this point it is fair to remain agnostic, and so I will not attempt to prove false the claim that the universe began to exist.
However, I will stress that in granting that ‘the universe began to exist’, we are really granting that ‘the universe began to exist out of nothing’. If the universe were created out of preexisting material, we would be left with the question of where this material itself came from, and the argument would prove nothing important. If ‘beginning to exist’ means anything philosophically significant in this context, it must mean beginning to exist ex nihilo.
It is with this in mind that we should assess the first premise: ‘Everything that begins to exist has a cause.’ This phrase, in all its unassuming simplicity, has the potential to strike its reader as a truism, but it pays to ask yourself an important and relevant question: when have you ever actually known something to begin to exist? Have you ever seen something begin to exist, or even heard of such a thing? You may be inclined to answer that this happens all the time. Just this morning my coffee began to exist — only, it didn’t really begin to exist at all, rather it was the product of a rearrangement of preexisting matter.
Keep in mind that if the kalãm seeks to draw a parallel between things within the universe beginning to exist and the universe itself beginning to exist, they must ‘begin to exist’ in the same fashion. To reiterate, for philosophical relevance the kalãm argument must deal with things that begin to exist from nothing. Since this was obviously not the case with my coffee, it is an inappropriate comparison. What, then, within the universe, has truly begun to exist (from nothing) at a particular point in the past?
Nothing. The answer is nothing. Energy cannot be created or destroyed, and thus nothing in physical existence ever ‘began to exist’ in the sense we are interested in. Not my coffee, nor my computer, nor my father, nor the Burj Khalifa. Even something as seemingly abstract as an idea cannot begin to exist from nothing, since ideas are ultimately nothing more than signals in the brain, and hence physical in nature. It is this realisation that allows us to dispel the first premise as founded on an equivocation fallacy, since the concept of ‘beginning to exist’ is being used, it seems, inconsistently.
Nonetheless, it might be said, this variety of matter and energy constantly rearranging itself must itself, collectively, have an origin. This is of course plausible, but this origin would consist in the very beginning of the universe itself, when all matter simultaneously began to exist. That is to say, no matter has ever begun to exist except when the universe itself came into being. The only thing that ever actually began to exist from nothing, then, is the universe itself, and even this can be confidently asserted only because of our previously granting an entire premise of the kalãm.
Consider the implications of this. If the only thing that ever began to exist (in the relevant sense) is the universe, then the first premise, ‘Everything that begins to exist has a cause’ becomes ‘The universe has a cause’, since the universe is everything that begins to exist, being the only thing that began to exist. It should be immediately apparent that this premise is identical to the conclusion, and thus the kalãm can also be rendered as follows:
Premise one: The universe has a cause;
Premise two: The universe began to exist;
Conclusion: Therefore, the universe has a cause.
As is clear, the second premise is in fact irrelevant, and the argument is now transparently circular. It says nothing whatsoever, since the first premise states the same as the conclusion, and therefore is not a functional syllogism, but a mere claim. It is a claim which, to be at all convincing, will require far more to support it than this unimpressive yet ubiquitous attempt.
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Posted in Uncategorized on April 4, 2020 by Alex J. O'Connor. 113 Comments
113 comments
Ollie says:
April 4, 2020 at 6:16 PM
Brilliant – such a well-made argument! This had never occurred to me before.
LikeLiked by 1 person
August 14, 2020 at 3:45 PM
I am wondering why cosmic skeptic has never done any videos or articles on neat death experience science ??
Is it because it severely weakens the atheistic stance from science alone ?????
Noah says:
January 1, 2021 at 10:40 PM
I can’t speak for him, however it might be because that argument is one from personal experience, someone claiming they witnessed god or heaven or had a spiritual experience when almost dying, or dying and being revived.
As it is known, personal experiences are very unreliable, hallucinations and delusion are completely possible explanations for these experiences, it is also completely unverifiable whether or whether not someone actually had an experience with a real god or not and so is very unreliable in determining the reality of the world.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 1:54 AM
April 5, 2020 at 10:07 AM
Yeah. Good point. You can’t say “whatever begins to exist *ex nihilo* must have a cause ” if you haven’t observed any actual cases of that. Now one could say “That’s precisely the problem with that”, but that would imply that the KCA’s proponent’s claim is false.
You, rightly it seems, point out that if only the universe formed ex nihilo then Premise 1 becomes circular. Perhaps one could respond by saying that it’s axiomatic that IF something forms ex nihilo, THEN it has a cause, independently of the rest of the argument and it just so happens that we observe the universe having formed ex nihilo.
The problem with this response is that it would make P1 a priori and not dependent on observation. I don’t know of any compelling a priori reason to accept P1.
In fact, someone (I think Richard Carrier) argued that it’s not just possible but probable that a universe would arise from nothing, in the literal sense of no physical states at all, not just the Lawrence Krauss quantum field sense. His reasoning is that in that case, there would be no laws of nature like the principle of sufficient reason and hence nothing to exclude such an event.
May 13, 2020 at 5:09 PM
I’m not a student of philosophy, so forgive me if I’m making false assumptions here. But, if Alex’s argument holds true, isn’t there an implied assertion that it is more reasonable to assume that a universe sprang into existence causelessly, contrary to its own physical properties, than that a prime causer, whose properties perfectly match those required, created it?
That is an illogical assertion, is it not?
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May 28, 2020 at 11:45 PM
October 8, 2020 at 9:49 AM
You’re absolutely right, it is an illogical assertion. At best, what Alex’s post does is force the proponent of the Kalam to rephrase his first premise and maybe knock down one of the multiple reasons for believing the first premise (namely experiential), but it does absolutely nothing to show that the first premise itself is false. The new syllogism can be stated as follows:
If the Universe began to exist, it has a cause.
The Universe began to exist
Therefore, the Universe has a cause.
Rithula says:
November 12, 2020 at 4:03 PM
It isn’t! He refutes the truth of premise 1, which states that everything that begins to exist has a cause by suggesting that the origin of the universe is the only instance that we have of something that actually began to exist, by granting the second premise. Since there is nothing we can compare it to, the claim that everything that begins to exist has a cause is rendered meaningless. That is all. Nowhere does it suggest that the universe sprang into existence causelessly and neither does it hint that.
LikeLiked by 1 person
May 26, 2020 at 3:36 AM
I see no reason to think that either Carrier or Krauss has made the case for a universe from nothing. David Albert had a pretty devastating review of Krauss a few years back:https://www.nytimes.com/2012/03/25/books/review/a-universe-from-nothing-by-lawrence-m-krauss.html
May 28, 2020 at 9:33 AM
With all due respect, I disagree:
Josh says:
August 13, 2020 at 9:10 AM
Not brilliant at all. More like the ruminations of a millennial who thinks he knows things others haven’t already refuted.
September 10, 2020 at 12:55 AM
Your borderline condescending name-calling and focus on an opponent’s trait has been duly noted.
2. “thinks he knows things others haven’t already refuted”
Citation needed.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 2:12 AM
He’s humble enough to know that there will always be things he doesn’t know. How many people do you know, at his age, are digging for real answers about the nature of reality? Most people, young and old, are only concerned with the material bullshit of this world. And, it appears, that he’s not buying into the man-made version of God.
April 5, 2020 at 10:08 AM
Reblogged this on AnonofReason.
Andy says:
April 5, 2020 at 1:46 PM
LikeLiked by 2 people
April 5, 2020 at 10:16 PM
The point you make about circular reasoning is very good.
The other thing about the First Cause argument is the assumption that a “first cause” is identical to God as understood by Jews, Christians and Muslims.
God, according to these religions, is a being who is supremely wise, good and powerful, and who loves us as a father does his children.
Suppose you could prove the existence of a First Cause, whatever that may mean. What difference would it make? Why would this be any more relevant to everyday human existence than the Big Bang theory or any other theory of theoretical physics?
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 10, 2020 at 10:30 PM
I think it is a mistake to critique the Kalam argument, taken as an argument for theism, on the first two premises (as nearly all of its critics do). While such critiques are certainly legitimate, the reasons why they are legitimate can become very technical very quickly and thus lose the majority of listeners. It is the cleverness of the Kalam that it relies on the very strong intuitions of its intended audience.
The best place to attack the Kalam is on its all important but often understated THIRD premise – to wit “if the universe had a cause that cause must be a timeless, spaceless, immaterial, uncaused, personal agent” (quoted from William Lane Craig). And the best way to attack this premise is to point out (1) that no person has, or ever could have, ANY of the first four attributes mentioned (let alone all of them) or (2) if you are allowed to postulate a particular individual person possessing the first four attributes, you should also be allowed to postulate particular instances of countless other items from everyday life that might also have those attributes (a Giant Computer, for example) and would therefore also serve as the cause of the universe.
April 11, 2020 at 2:54 PM
You’re right, of course. The reason I brought up religion is that the only times I’ve ever heard the First Cause argument is in the context of argument for monotheistic religion.
In that regard, even if you could show that the universe was created by an all-powerful sentient being, that would not prove the existence of the Heavenly Father of Judaism, Christianity and Islam. Such a being might not have any more interest in individual human beings than a biologist has in individual bacteria in a petri dish.
May 1, 2020 at 6:27 PM
How is that so if the cause is the first cause? Wouldn’t the first cause of necessity from the effect produced (the universe) have these attributes? If not, then the effect is greater than the cause.
October 4, 2020 at 4:20 AM
I find your second premise to be very entertaining, and while I do agree with the logic of Alex’s syllogism, I don’t see how a giant computer or any other created object would be able to share the same quality as a being such as God. You can change the values and attributes of that computer to match that of God, but then that wouldn’t be a computer anymore. XD
October 6, 2020 at 10:21 AM
The cause of the universe does not need to have the qualities of God (ie, a “person”). It only needs to be a cause. Lots of things other than a person can be a cause. That’s the point.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 3:07 AM
Are you aware? Do you exist? Of course you do. You do exist, you always have, and you always will. When your body dies, you will still be aware of your existence. This awareness is the cause, the creator of the universe. The universe is a reality within True Reality. The universe is also known as the Land of Duality or The Land of Separation. The creator of this reality was you. It was me. It was us. We are the creator that forgot that we are the creator. Only a creator can dive into its own creation. That’s why there is no true creation in this realty. Every thing, every thought, every scene, every whatever, has already been created.
TheLogicalApologist says:
April 11, 2020 at 4:33 AM
I really enjoyed your thoughts on this. I have not explored this argument much actually. However, I do have a few thoughts:
I think that our fascination with the origins of the universe and thus the decades of conversation surrounding the concept of the “first cause” has to do with our understanding of beginnings. Everything around us seems to have a beginning and an ending, so to speak. My own life had a beginning and will have an end. A book has a beginning and an end. Likwise, your post and even this very response had a beginning and an end. Therefore, it seems only natural for us to think about how the universe began. Now, let me tie in your ideas of causation. You’re right. A cup of coffee does not come into existence ex nihilo. However, I don’t think that the cup of coffee is irrelevant because of this. The particular arrangement of atoms and molecules forming that cup of coffee did have a cause in time in space. Would it not exist should I have chosen not to make that cup of coffee? Indeed, the matter/energy existed prior and would exist after, but that cup of coffee would not. Likewise, my examples of my life, a book, your post, and my reply all have causes. Therefore, it seems natural, even logical, to posit the question of the beginning of the universe as well as its cause.
Regardless, one can merely say that the universe did not have a beginning at all. Yes, there was a first “bang” that began the expansion of the hot, dense singularity of matter and energy. However, as you have pointed out, matter and energy cannot be created nor destroyed within our universe. So, maybe the singularity didn’t have a beginning? After all, is that not the argument of theists as well? God does not have a beginning and therefore does not have a cause.
Personally, I jump straight to the question of fine tuning within our universe. Why is there anything within our universe at all, let alone the perfectly calibrated universal constants that allow life to exist as it does?
Overall, thank you for your thoughts and the conversations.
Gary says:
April 19, 2020 at 7:27 PM
How is the universe is perfectly calibrated? This loaded phrase requires definition. There have been at least 5 mass extinctions previously on planet Earth, and the Earth is in the beginning of another mass extinction right now. A planet that periodically annihilates nearly all life is your idea of perfectly calibrated? It is only arrogance that presumes humanity is immune to this process. Or what other meaning do you attach to the phrase, “perfectly calibrated?“ We know for a fact through cosmology and astronomy that the universe is violent and deadly. It’s only a matter of time before humans go the way of the dinosaurs. Perfectly calibrated indeed.
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TheLogicalApologist says:
April 21, 2020 at 2:40 AM
Just because life can perish, or that parts of the universe are hostile to life, does not mean that the universe is not calibrated for life. I do not mean that life cannot die in such a universe. Rather, I mean that should the physical constants and forces that govern the universe be any different than they are now, life would not exist. The values of the universal forces (such as the gravitational constant, weak and strong nuclear force, etc.) as they currently stand allow for the universe we live in. Can we die? Can species go extinct? Sure. Would life exist if the constants of the universe were even slightly different? No. These forces govern how sub atomic particles bind to one another and allow stars to be stable. Changing them changes the very fabric of how the universe works. If life is as fragile as you have already explained, then how could it survive, let alone originate in a universe where the forces that govern it do not allow for such a thing? The universe is, as they say, fine tuned.
David says:
April 21, 2020 at 3:56 AM
As an athiest who ultimately finds the “fine tuning argument” for theism unconvincing, I also find that many athiests do not understand the argument and fail to respond to it appropriately. The fine tuning does not guarantee that life will exist and thrive at every time or place in the universe. Rather the fine tuning is needed for life to exist AT ALL. As such it is a legitimate point to raise and something that does seem to need an explanation. The reason that it is not a good argument for theism is because there are other, better explanations for it that do not require the existence of God or gods.
May 1, 2020 at 6:36 PM
So what is really being said herein this post? The universe is uncaused? The universe is eternal? or The universe is self-caused? What?
David says:
May 1, 2020 at 10:53 PM
// So what is really being said herein this post? The universe is uncaused? The universe is eternal? or The universe is self-caused? What?//
I believe that what is being said is that IF the universe had a cause ( a proposition, by the way, that is not necessarily true), then that cause not only does not have to be a personal agent (ie God), it is very unlikely to have been a personal agent (ie God).
May 11, 2020 at 5:05 AM
Your analysis is not scientifically sound. ‘Universal constants’ don’t actually exist. Quantities and metrics are the product of human construction and do not exist in the natural world. They’re just tools that scientists and engineers use to quantify the physical properties of the universe and establish consistency. Centimetres, Joules, Newtons, etc. are just tools for us to ground abstract physical phenomena so that we can work with them reliably. Suppose that two intelligent civilizations arose and that they developed completely different systems of measurement and thus completely different conceptions of ‘universal constants’. Theists tend to miss the fact that naturalistic explanations for the evolution of the cosmos are not only corroborated empirically but are able to account for all perceived fine-tuning. Science cannot be 100% accurate, but its the best tool we have. Looking at evidence alone, religion is 0% accurate. Remember that the laws of physics are descriptive in nature. They describe phenomena that are intrinsic to the universe itself. If the universe was in fact engineered by some higher intelligence than said higher intelligence is a terrible engineer.
With regards to the question of ‘why is there anything in our universe at all’, I don’t know. Nobody really knows. Nobody can really know. My guess is as good as yours. The concept of God is merely a postulation and does not deserve to be granted any more weight.
July 7, 2020 at 10:15 AM
Referring to:
“Your analysis is not scientifically sound. ‘Universal constants’ don’t actually exist. Quantities and metrics are the product of human construction and do not exist in the natural world.”
I think you’re missing the actual meaning of why those universal constants appear to be fine tuned.
1. Of course you can use nanofeet, fahrenheit and stones and measure time in “moons” – the constants are still going to be precisely the same, just expressed in different numbers with different units.
2. it’s not so much the actual value of the constants but rather the way they relate to each-other what makes the universe work.
What is usually misunderstood, though, is that the existing one is not the only combination of constants that would make a functioning universe that supports life.
It’s more like: change one slightly and you’ll have to adjust all the others to make it fit again.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 2:30 AM
There isn’t any “thing” in the universe. There is only consciousness. What you see in the physical world is really you just perceiving energy. Energy is condensed, or crystallized consciousness. Consciousness, at its core, is awareness. This is All That Is. This is God.
November 20, 2022 at 7:47 AM
is it reasonable in your mind to postulate that the universe just always was. is your “i dont know how it got here” a genuine acceptance of the possibility that it just always was as a reasonable option – if its not a reasonable option then do you have to discount a creator as being even less reasonable in order to maintain genuine indifference ?
Robert says:
October 16, 2020 at 12:13 AM
I think the fine tuning is a typical case for the Anthropic Principle. The universe must be fine tuned for otherwise we wouldn’t exist. Or in other words: It is not surprising that the cat has holes in the fur, exactly where its eyes are.
Also I think part of the argument misses the point. No one is claiming anything about the universe having a cause or not. It is only shown that the Kalam argument is circular and therefore of little help.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 3:38 AM
Time only exists in this reality. Time is not real. Time/space, is the perceived movement from one scene to the next. The Land of Duality(universe) is the ultimate paradox. It is a reality, but it isn’t real. The experiences you have and the wisdom you gain, are real. The reality is not “out there.” The reality is within your consciousness. The reality is a dream state. One could say that God is the original pure consciousness/awareness. You, as a souled being, contain all of the attributes of this God consciousness. These souled beings, us, are the ones having experiences in the Land Of Duality. And, by the way, the universe is dumb. I’m serious. It only appears perfectly calibrated, but it actually took eons to settle down. The Earth, on the other hand, was fine-tuned to be habitable for us souled humans. But it gets crazier. Earth is a dream within the dream of the Land of Duality. It was developed by us.
BDCA-1 says:
April 12, 2020 at 6:31 AM
curious student here; i have a few ideas i’d like to talk through with someone.
“only, it [my coffee] didn’t really begin to exist at all, rather it was the product of a rearrangement of preexisting matter.”
Couldn’t we still consider it to begin to exist, though? Though it is formed of preexisting matter, the coffee itself did not exist prior to that point in time. It began to exist, just not ex-nihilo.
“Keep in mind that if the kalãm seeks to draw a parallel between things within the universe beginning to exist and the universe itself beginning to exist, they must ‘begin to exist’ in the same fashion.”
If we take this to Aristotle’s 4 causes, maybe we could consider the “efficient cause” to be the fashion in which the universe (or anything) is caused. Iirc WLC is referring to an efficient cause when he mentions “cause” in the kalam.
E.g.: 1. Everything that begins to exist has a [primary source of change or rest];
2. The universe began to exist;
Conclusion: Therefore, the universe has a [primary source of change or rest].
So I don’t think both have to refer to an ex-nihilo causation. Wouldn’t that be sort of mixing up formal causes? (The universe being formed out of nothing and coffee being formed out of pre-formed matter).
Premise 1 can be defended by considering that something cannot come from nothing.
To consider it false the contrary would have to be true (that something can come from nothing).
I hope my comment isn’t too over the place. I’m a med student with an interest in philosophy and the quarantine is giving me some extra time to pick up some philosophy.
LikeLiked by 1 person
April 15, 2020 at 8:13 PM
It was shown by Ibn Taymiyya that the early scholars of Islam did not believe in creation of the world ex nihilo. It is sufficient to realize that every part of the world begins to exist out of another part in order to infer the existence of the eternal Originator of all things. The world may very well be preceded by other worlds in a series without beginning, and that would still not entail that there is anything external to God that is uncreated by Him. The evidence for God, says Ibn Taymiyya, can be known directly from the everyday origination of trees out of the earth and living things out of their parents. It can be predicated on the impossibility in the infinite regress of causes and dependencies, but not on that events do not regress into the past.
Alex also claims that matter changes only by rearrangement. This is a false claim as matter totally changes into heat and radiation and vice versa. Matter is not created ex nihilo, but it is certainly created out of energy and matter. Things fundamentally change and perish, and only God, the eternal Creator of all things, is not subject to perish.
April 18, 2020 at 7:58 PM
//Things fundamentally change and perish, and only God, the eternal Creator of all things, is not subject to perish.//
This seems to be the crux of your argument, which, unfortunately, is fallacious (argument from ignorance fallacy) how do you know that god is the creator? and he/she/or whatever is eternal? and the creator of all things? and is not subject to perish? what do you even mean by god? you may define the noun god any which way you like, but definition is not the proof of god’s existence.
You see my friend, you are making sweeping assumptions about the so-called “creator” who nobody knows anything about, and whose existence has not been proven so far.
April 24, 2020 at 6:23 AM
//You see my friend, you are making sweeping assumptions about the so-called “creator” who nobody knows anything about, and whose existence has not been proven so far.//
The originated nature of things entails their dependency on an eternal God. If you do not accept this to be the case, you must allow either for an infinite regress in dependencies or for a circular dependency, when both are rationally impossible.
The infinite regress in dependencies assumes that a sum of originated things exists by an originated thing included in the sum. This is impossible because the sum exists not by itself, and therefore not by a part of itself with greater reason.
The circular dependency assumes that things originate themselves by means of originating their causes. This is also impossible, for if a thing may not originate itself, it may not be the cause of its cause with greater reason.
It so only remains that things originate without an originator, which is impossible.
This is illustrated in a verse in the Quran where God reminds the polytheists who knowingly rejected Faith of their dependency on their Creator:
((Or were they created by nothing? Or were they the creators of themselves?))
To avoid these contradictions, the Originator must be made eternal and necessary, not an originated or a possible existent.
Atheists generally do not understand they are originated, and Alex here is a good example. He believes that nothing ‘begins to exist’. But if one believes that he does not begin to exist, one will obviously not know that he has an Originator. This is why I thought it is crucial to point out that matter not only rearranges, but is also fundamentally created and annihilated.
As for why I believe that God is Creator of all things, it is because there is nothing in the world that is not originated or subject to perish. Every part of the world is originated and is therefore dependent on its Originator. The evidences for God are as many as His creations.
If you are asking me instead for the reason I believe that this Originator is one and only, not one being among others in a pantheon, then this calls for a more complete explanation of the arguments for His oneness. Those arguments are mentioned in the Quran and have been fully explained by Muslim scholars like Ibn Taymiyya. Generally, they are predicated on the fact that God is unrestricted in power, and on the fact that He is sufficient for His creations, such that they are necessitated by His will and are unchangeable by another god.
More clearly, if multiple creators existed, God would be restricted in power and agency, and the different creations of each god would not be causally connected in one system, but would be causally disconnected necessarily. This is both impossible and nowhere to be seen.
This very argument is mentioned in the Quran: ((Nay, but We have brought them the Truth, and lo! they are liars. God has not taken any son, nor is there any god along with Him; else would each god have assuredly championed that which he created, and some of them would assuredly have overcome others. Glorified be God above all that they allege.))
I am not defining God into existence, Jack. I am simply describing God with meanings laymen find self-evident, and that may be additionally inferred through reason should natural intelligence no longer suffice.
God is an the eternal Creator of all things and is the Most High above all things. He is the maximally perfect being who is described with the highest attributes. He is the Sufficient one to whom we all turn for help when desperate, and is the Independent one on whom all things depend. None has right to be worshiped but God, which is the meaning of the first testimony of Faith: “La ilaha illa Allah”.
David says:
April 24, 2020 at 3:25 PM
//The originated nature of things entails their dependency on an eternal God. If you do not accept this to be the case, you must allow either for an infinite regress in dependencies or for a circular dependency, when both are rationally impossible.
//
Or it could be that the originated nature of things depends on something other than God. For example it could depend on a Giant Computer. If you say that a computer is not eternal, I will reply that I am imagining a computer that IS eternal. If you say that no computer could be eternal, I reply that a person cannot be eternal either. If you say that the Giant Computer is just another name for God, I reply that the Giant Computer can’t be God because the Giant Computer is not a person. If you say that the eternal first cause must be a person, I simply ask “Why?”
April 28, 2020 at 7:58 PM
David, the fact that you are able to imagine an eternal computer does not mean that it is philosophically possible for a computer to exist eternally. To judge a matter as possible, you have to look for evidence of its possibility. This evidence may be its very existence, the existence of something similar, or the existence of that which is less possible and closer to impossibility.
Take our Resurrection as an example. In the many verses of the Quran, God does not demonstrate the philosophical possibility of Resurrection by the fact that we can imagine it to be. Instead, He demonstrates its possibility with evidence, namely that He created us once and can do it again. In this way, the exalted God does not stop at epistemic possibility, for it does not suffice as evidence. You on the other hand have only mentioned that you find an eternal computer epistemically possible. You did not demonstrate that it is actually so.
A closer look at your silly conjecture will also lead you to realize that it is a rational impossibility which entails contradictions. An eternal computer is a philosophically impossible notion for many reasons. Tools are obviously not agents but a means of creation. They are influenced and used, unlike that which is eternal, independent and self-sufficient.
This should be a sufficient reply, unless you intend to posit a God who is without intention or will. If this latter is your intention, then know that God has more right to intention than you do. It is God who has instilled creation with will and knowledge. He is therefore a willing being necessarily. The Giver of perfection does not lack perfection but is more worthy of it.
David says:
April 28, 2020 at 10:26 PM
//… the fact that you are able to imagine an eternal computer does not mean that it is philosophically possible for a computer to exist eternally. To judge a matter as possible, you have to look for evidence of its possibility. //
EXACTLY! And the fact that you can imagine an eternal PERSON does not make that possible either. Every single person you have ever met in your entire life has been finite. Evey single one. In fact the very concept of an eternal, timeless, spaceless person is an absurdity in nearly every sense of the word.
April 29, 2020 at 9:05 AM
I have already pointed out evidence for that an eternal God is necessary and that an eternal computer is not even possible. Read through my posts carefully, David.
God is neither spaceless nor timeless. It is indeed absurd to claim that God is timeless or spaceless as you correctly point out. God is both above the world and before it in time. He is Most High and is the First without beginning and the Last without end.
This was the belief of early Muslims, and was equally the belief of early Christians, before they slowly strayed towards irrational strands of Greek philosophy. This has been clarified extensively in the works of Ibn Taymiyya.
David says:
April 29, 2020 at 2:24 PM
You have not given any evidence. You have simply stated that an eternal person is possible while an eternal computer is not. Making a statement is not evidence.
If there is some reason to think that an eternal computer cannot exist – for example that no computer you have ever seen was ever eternal – then exactly the same reasoning will apply to show that an eternal person cannot exist.
If there is some reason to think that an eternal person might exist – for example that such a person is Most High and First without beginning and Last without end (not that these words constitute a reason to believe anything) – then the same “reasoning” would allow for an eternal computer that has the same properties.
Can you not see the perfect symmetry of the case?
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 3:48 AM
You are correct that something cannot come from nothing. But consciousness has many tricks up its sleeves. It creates the illusion of matter by bringing energy down to its lowest form. We trick ourselves all the time with illusions. Our brains and minds are quite easily fooled. Just think of virtual realty. And no, life is not the matrix, but you could say it’s like a very convincing hologram.
April 21, 2020 at 4:54 AM
“The universe had a beginning”
This has not been demonstrated.
Why does existence require a cause? And why does there have to be a “beginning”? If the theist demands a “No” to these questions for god (special pleading?) then it must be granted for the universe.
Suppose current cosmologists have it wrong and the universe is closed so that it is eternally expanding, contracting, and re-born in a never ending series of big bangs?
And I don’t buy that the universe quantum mechanically self created itself from nothing. Krauss postulates vacuums are never really empty. That might be true in a universe full of stuff— matter, energy, and observers looking into the vacuum! We also have laws of nature that govern quantum physics. In a pre-existent state where space, time, stuff don’t exist, and it’s hard to contemplate this even as a thought experiment, what laws would govern self emergence?
Let’s assume the Big Bang pre-existent state is beyond the reach of physics because the laws which govern science break down in the singularity making the characterization of that state unknowable. This does not mean NOTHING existed, only that what came before is unknowable.
This is what I believe:
If something exists, something has always existed.
You could call that something God, but that is not required. Theists still have the burden of proof for supernaturalism. I’ve yet to hear a case made that does not end with faith, presuppositionalism, or circularity.
In my opinion, the cosmological argument is a dead end.
August 15, 2020 at 7:00 AM
The Muslim theologian Ibn Taymiyya was of the opinion that God is perpetually creating and has always been originating universes. In his view, the species of the worlds is eternal but every particular world has a beginning. This view does not entail that anything is eternal with God or is uncreated. Rather, a nominalist who adopts this view can still believe that God is the Creator of all things.
Your points should worry only those theists who are unaware of the fact that substances originate and perish. Indeed, many theists, just like Alex, believe that creation ex materia is only to rearrange already existing matter. The substances according to them do not change into a new creation. The substances may have existed eternally. For this reason, these theists try to justify the existence of God with a major act of creation ex nihilo. They may invent subtle arguments to prove that substances and components of matter were originated out of nothing in the distant past.
According to Ibn Taymiyya, people who resort to this usually lack a proper conviction in God’s existence. The existence of God instead ought to be innate and known directly from observing the signs in His world, signs like trees and animals and minerals. These signs are originated as a substance, not just as a form or arrangement. They are therefore effects of a Creator who is neither originated nor contingent. These signs are also nowhere observed to originate ex nihilo. They are only observed to originate out of a matter that has ceased to exist and totally changed into a new creation.
If it is understood that the components of the natural world are changing and begin to exist out of other things, not just rearrange into new forms, most of the arguments against God’s creative agency will be resolved straight away.
I have written a booklet with the title ‘Shining Pearls of Faith’. It makes a quick and brief mention of these points, and also deals with many questions that are usually posed by atheists from a Taymiyyan viewpoint. Search for Shining Pearls of Faith in youtube and you will find the link to the pdf in the video description.
Wish you all the best in your search for answers.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 3:59 AM
Things, material things, don’t actually exist. Awareness is the only truth as it is itself existence. Every “thing”, and all of creation, is built off of the foundation of awareness. God is a human creation, and that’s why it’s so messed up. All That Is is more appropriate.
May 12, 2020 at 2:33 PM
Great point. Dan Barker made the same point in his article “Cosmological Kalamity”. You can check it out here: https://infidels.org/library/modern/dan_barker/kalamity.html
Nancy says:
May 12, 2020 at 5:22 PM
Look, I agree with most everyone here that the kalam has problems, mainly because I agree that I don’t think premise 2 could ever be conclusively proved/agreed upon. But egad, please, for the love of all good things, do not reference that horrible Dan Barker article. It’s just about catastrophic for someone of his apparent intelligence. Just the theological and philosophical misunderstandings alone are enough to make me feel like my brain is bleeding out through my ears. And this is from someone who is completely and utterly uninterested in defending WLC’s version of the kalam (or indeed any version of the kalam that I have ever heard).
David says:
May 12, 2020 at 11:05 PM
Sorry – I read the Dan Barker article and thought he did quite a good job at demolishing the KCA on philosophical grounds. Perhaps you could be more explicit about where you think he went wrong.
Nancy says:
May 13, 2020 at 3:41 PM
Sure. There are so many things I have problems with on Barker’s article that to deconstruct it entirely would take forever. But just to give a highlight of some of the areas I have problems with in only the “begging the question” section (don’t get me started on the others): he seems to misunderstand how theists use the cosmological argument, none of which simply “assume a NBE” but rather derive as a logical consequence of the argument that there must be a NBE (also, “the old cosmological argument claimed…that everything has a cause” – LOL, no. Never. Do give theistic philosophers some credit.) And it’s hardly like the idea of a NBE has come from nowhere (“Where do theists obtain the idea in the first place that there is such a set as NBE? By what observations or arguments is the possibility of beginningless objects warranted?”) Does he seriously not know this? There are tons of arguments of philosophical reasoning that aren’t strictly theistic in nature that argue that there must be at least one, if not more, NBE. Heck, for centuries scientists thought the universe was a NBE. He also wastes several paragraphs destroying the idea that some complex thing can come from something simpler, something no theist ever would actually disagree with him on because most theists believe that God is absolutely simple. Christians call it the doctrine of divine simplicity and Muslims call this Tawheed. (It boggles my mind that Barker doesn’t know this, given his past life as a preacher – just goes to show you don’t apparently have to know classical theology to become a preacher in the United States). Even Craig, who I don’t think fully accepts the doctrine of divine simplicity as traditionally formulated, still believes that God is simpler than the universe. So Barker’s gone down some bizarre side road with this and apparently doesn’t understand how Craig or other defenders of the kalam defend the idea of the cause as God (I’ll get to that). He also, I should add, misunderstands most teleological arguments in the footnote he drops in [8]. “If functional complexity requires a designer, then the designer also needs a designer, because the designer must be at least as complex as the thing it designed.” Seriously? He’s about to go on to prove this entire principle was wrong, but he’s still advocating it as a legit way of “refuting teleological arguments”? I suppose he’s trying to do this to show that the theistic worldview is somehow internally inconsistent, but it’s just embarassing once you realize that theists don’t actually believe this point re complexity. Most teleological arguments don’t argue this: rather, they’re formulated something along the lines of, “the potential for the effect must exist within the cause” which is not the same thing as saying the cause must be as complex as the effect. It’s a fine distinction, but if you’re going to argue against teleological arguments in a public manner, you really ought to understand it. (PART 1)
May 13, 2020 at 6:22 PM
Nancy, when you state that you don’t think premise 2 could ever be conclusively proved/agreed upon, could you clarify your concerns there?
To the best of my understanding of current cosmology (which is admittedly limited), there is active discussion around the *nature* of the universe’s beginning, but there seems to be pretty widespread agreement that the discussion is needed because there was, in fact, a beginning that we want to to understand.
Nancy says:
May 13, 2020 at 3:43 PM
(PART TWO) With regard to Barker’s main point regarding the kalam begging the question, I don’t even know where to begin. I could criticize the whole construction of his argument from a lot of different angles, but for the sake of argument, let’s just go with how he’s put it together and just start with his conclusion. In order to avoid begging the question in his formulation, he says that theists must answer no to the question: “Is God the only object accommodated by the set of things that do not begin to exist?” To which theists would actually happily reply … no. First off, Barker concedes that theists only need to come up with a theoretical possibility of something other than God as a NBE to avoid this begging the question (“if theists allow the theoretical possibility of an impersonal transcendent object in NBE–and it seems they must allow this, or some other nontheistic hypothesis”), and I don’t know of a single theist who wouldn’t accept something other than God as theoretically a NBE for premise one. The most obvious examples are things like numbers or mathematical truths, but they might also concede as theoretically possible something like “an immaterial aether out there beyond space-time…” Further, a great many theists would happily agree that in real life, not just in theoretical possibility, there exist NBEs other than God per se. The most obvious case in point is actually with Muslims, who believe the Quran is eternal. But even Christian theists would happily agree that NBEs at least in a temporal sense (which is the sense the kalam cares about) aren’t inconsistent with the Christian idea of God. Christians would say something like, “Mathematical truths are eternal ideas in the mind of God” (and ideas are not equivalent to God), and some (ironically) have even argued that the universe is past eternal. So things other than God being past eternal even in real life, much less in theory, is not a problem for most theists. Thus the actual structure of the kalam survives Barker’s critique.
Nancy says:
May 13, 2020 at 3:44 PM
(PART THREE) The next aspect of Barker’s critique in this section is basically the idea that theists haven’t shown that the cause is God. In his conclusion, Barker asks “If no, then what are the other candidates for the cause of the universe, and how have they been eliminated?” (First off, as a side note, this is a strange way of phrasing the objection. The theist doesn’t actually have to show there are other realistic candidates for the cause of the universe, per se, in order to avoid begging the question … they only have to show that there are other potential NBEs). His talk of eliminating other candidates as the cause, which he does throughout, also seems to misunderstand how theists arrive at God as the cause in the kalam, which is not by going, “Can’t be X, can’t by Y, therefore God!” but rather more as a positive case – that is to say, “The cause must have X quality for reason A, quality Y for reason B, quality Z for reason C, but an entity with the qualities of X, Y and Z is simply what we mean when we say God.” But what Barker really wants to know is how defenders of the kalam justify the idea that the cause is an immaterial mind rather than an impersonal force, to which he says, “Craig appears to be justifying the hypothesis of a personal external force via the fact that the natural universe contains complex intelligence and free personal agency–humans, for example–and a creator must be at least as complex as the thing it created.” But this is literally not what Craig – nor any defender of the kalam – argues as to why the the cause must be personal! But what boggles my mind is that Barker actually gives the real reason Craig argues for this earlier in the paper, acknowledges this is the reason that Craig argues for a personal creator, and then doesn’t connect the dots or even bother trying to refute it anywhere in the paper: “Craig argues for a personal creator: “We know that this first event must have been caused. The question is: How can a first event come to exist if the cause of that event exists changelessly and eternally? Why isn’t the effect as co-eternal as the cause? It seems that there is only one way out of this dilemma, and that is to infer that the cause of the universe is a personal agent who chooses to create a universe in time.”” COME ON. Barker ought to be trying to refute this point, not the stupid complexity one. Every section of his paper has problems like this – the whole thing is a disaster, but hopefully this highlights the types of problems I see in it. Again, none of this is to say that there are no valid critiques of the kalam. Clearly there are. This is just not one of them.
May 26, 2020 at 3:31 AM
CS gives no argument for his comments about the principle of causality He just declares it to be the product of wishful thinking, mentions some advances in biology with no citations, and then considers the matter settled. He hasn’t seriously considered the ramifications of denying the principle of
causality–like if things can just happen with no cause, why doesn’t this happen all the time? The fact that we can even rationally understand the universe at all would be a miracle if things just changed, mutated, stopped working etc. randomly with no cause.
May 28, 2020 at 8:22 AM
Alex, I love the clear, logical way you build your argument, and your obvious avoidance of mean-spiritedness or the straw-man approaches so disturbingly common to these exchanges.
To your argument: It seems to me that by equating the universe to the group of all things that begin to exist, you are relying on a unique definition of “begin to exist” (that nothing new actually ever began to exist except when its components began to exist along with everything else in the universe, i.e at the Big Bang). The definition appears to be plain old reductionism.
For example, you state, even “ideas are ultimately nothing more than signals in the brain, and hence physical in nature.” This is hardly a settled matter. We actually have no real idea what ideas are, other than what we’ve guessed them to be. Similarly, you assert that your father (hence a human soul with consciousness) is nothing more than the rearrangement of existing matter, a statement which requires an a priori naturalistic assumption about the nature of consciousness.
I enjoyed your article!
June 24, 2020 at 11:21 AM
You seem to fail to distinguish between efficient, material, formal and final causes, because you fail to distinguish between existence and being. Even Schopenhauer, the great atheist, who had his own debunking of the cosmological argument, did not make the category error conflating material causes with the Aristotelean “efficient cause”, between existence in time and space (according to the principle of sufficient reason, under the law of causality) and being, which is pure idea, the obverse face of the unmanifest and groundless Will. You would do well to read his World as Will and Idea and also his On the Fourfold Root of the Principle of Sufficient Reason. Even if you disagreed with Schopenhauer’s philosophy, his analysis of Idealism vs Materialism is brilliant, and takes in the whole sweep of the philosophical history of these ideas.
Also read Thomas Aquinas’ Summa Theologica and/or Edward Feser’s summary of the arguments. Feser is no supporter of William Lane Craig’s, but grasps the categorical difference between existence and being, where reality is composite of idea and matter, rather than merely matter lacking any objective or ideal reality, taking on evanescent forms accidentally either as composites of atoms or as convulsions of singular matter in time and space.
June 29, 2020 at 10:48 AM
Speaking as a Christian, I agree with the thesis of this article. The beginning of the universe (I mean, assuming such a beginning occurred) is an event sui generis. In the nature of the case, we cannot appeal to our experiences, or generalisations therefrom, in order to develop a constraining framework, from the onset, regarding what may or may/not have taken place. I see no a priori reason why an infinite chain of causes, or an eternal universe, or any variants of similar ideas should be excluded as possibilities simply because we have not seen things coming into existence with our eyes in the few hours we have been alive.
Your argument here is cogent and is a sensible application of scepticism to claims that conceal their assumptions with their pedestrian appearance: for this is what it is to speak as if “everything that begins to exist has a cause”, it is to assume that our limited experience is enough to make universal statements about the way things come into existence. This is very naive philosophy and falls to the ground under the criticisms of Hume and Kant. I don’t think Dr. Craig advances this because he is dishonest or foolish—he is clearly a brilliant man. He advances this because he has committed himself to a certain pattern of thinking and cannot see outside of it.
I would recommend to you the writings of Cornelius Van Til and the lectures on philosophy by Greg Bahnsen (available online for not that much, just google) if you want to encounter the only true defense of Christianity that is available after Kant.
Chris C says:
June 30, 2020 at 4:46 PM
Thank you both for this article and for your recent interview with WLC which I enjoyed very much.
A similar objection:- The intuitive appeal of “X began to exist” where X is an everyday object stems from the fact that there is a moment in time at which the object exists and an earlier moment in time at which it did not. This does not apply where X is the universe, since the “beginning” of the universe corresponds to the first moment of time, and so there is no earlier moment at which the universe did not exist. Even if premise 2 retains some intuitive appeal since there is still a first moment at which the universe existed, this distinction between the universe and everyday objects is significant for how we see premise 1. There is no reason why a thing should require a cause if it is impossible to identify a point in time at which it did not exist
I find it interesting to note that (in your interview) WLC defines “begins to exist” such that “X began to exist iff X exists at a time t and t is the *first moment* at which X exists”, rather than “X began to exist iff X exists at time t and there is an *earlier time* u at which X did not exist*”. WLC’s definition therefore hides the distinction just outlined between the universe and everyday objects.
July 4, 2020 at 9:16 AM
I agree Amari,. We all navigate life (and do science) on the basis of a set of assumptions that rely on circular reasoning (as John Frame puts it). When we are comparing world views we kritique the internal consistency of those world views.
July 14, 2020 at 10:39 AM
Alex, you wrote “… the first premise, ‘Everything that begins to exist has a cause’ becomes ‘The universe has a cause’ …” based on the notion that only the universe began to exist. But if that basis is true, shouldn’t “ Everything that begins to exist has a cause” actually become “if the universe began to exist then it has a cause?” Then this version of the argument shows no circularity. Rather, it is plainly modus ponens. And putting it like this leaves this premise bare. Sure, the original premise will be used to argue this one, but that is where according to your analysis the circularity exists.
Brock says:
July 26, 2020 at 2:12 PM
Exactly, look at the debate between Copleston and Russell.
You also should make the distinction between time and creation as a theist might argue even if the universe is eternal it is still created meaning it doesn’t matter to the thrist if it is eternal or has a beginning middle and end. It still has a cause. Nothing begets nothing so we’re does something come from. Where does your cup of coffee come from?
You must guy also ask why you elevate someone like Hitchens? What you get from doing that. Is there such a thing as universal truth? To claim there isn’t in this paper Lance is to make a universal claim. Nonsense.
October 15, 2020 at 5:43 AM
I saw your podcast with Peter Singer, and got up to where you started making an argument against being able to do something good without wanting pleasure for doing whatever it is that you did. So I’ll introduce something that’ll make you think, to push against your egoistic hedonist argument: replace “pleasure” for “satisfaction,” and your argument for reciprocal altruism gets hazy. The poet who prefers to live a life of sorrow for the sake of writing better poetry could in fact do so for pleasure, as you say. But, it is equally plausible that her preference for sustaining a sorrowful life to the benefit of her poetry is a satisfactory experience. Take someone who has a mental disability, for example. But this disability prohibits them from properly interpreting their own emotions in the way that allows them to identify their own emotions, specifically. Nevertheless, they still have an interest in poetry. Absent of sustained sorrow, in this example, it would be irrelevant. For in order to sustain sorrow, one would have to be able to identify this experience has a sorrowful one. But if they cannot do so; as in, they are unable to do so, yet still have this interest in writing poetry, then the experience of writing good poetry would be a satisfactory one. Not a hedonistic endeavor. So, it is possible to want absent of however it makes you feel with respect to a pleasurable experience.
October 31, 2020 at 5:56 PM
Dear Cosmic Skeptic.
I seek clarification, [I am not a student of philosophy], does your argument mean that the Kalaam argument is essentially valid but vacuous. It is basically a tautology?
Thank you.
Belobog says:
November 13, 2020 at 9:19 PM
I’m not sure your critique of the kalam argument is really fair, but anyway, the premises you argue for and grant themselves form an argument for the existence of God:
1) Nothing begins to exist ex nihilo; everything that begins to exist depends on something else that already exists to bring it into being (argued in the post)
2) Everything material began to exist (granted in post)
3) Something non-material brought the (material) universe into existence (from 1 and 2)
4) God exists (from 3)
December 6, 2020 at 8:48 PM
4 does not follow from 3 unless you either (a) add a premise of the form “if non-material things bring material things into existence then God must exist” (or similar) or (b) explicitly define God as “whatever it is that brought the universe into existence”. (b) would be disputed on purely semantic and conventional grounds – that is not how God is defined traditionally – while (a) would need a very lengthy argument to support it, and all such arguments as have so far been attempted have been soundly critiqued in the literature.
February 26, 2021 at 6:01 PM
I shall try to reach the meaning of the following syllogism, which you propose: “If the universe were created out of preexisting material, we would be left with the question of where this material itself came from, and the argument would prove nothing important. If ‘beginning to exist’ means anything philosophically significant in this context, it must mean beginning to exist ex nihilo.” So, you start off by proposing that if the universe began or has a beginning then the proposition makes sense only as it being founded on the existence of nihil or μηδέν, that is to say, the beginning itself, the being of beginning carries the meaning of the absence itself, or the being of absence. But, already, there is a placelessness easily spotted, right from these first thoughts. And by placelessness, i mean a lack of definition of what is really being said. This placelessness comes or brings it self as we try to consider nihil or no-existence or no-essence as a possible and true place. In other words, to say that a beginning of an existence presupposes a facticity of no-being (μηδέν) is to say that no-being is a being, as it must be a limited thing, if it is to be considered as the thing from/ex (εκ) which a beginning can be. For example, let’s think of a person we love. At some point the person perishes. Now, the absence of the person can only be if the person already was known, and not the opposite. Thus, we cannot miss something that wasn’t known to us. In that sense the understanding of presence leads and enables the understanding of absence. That is to say, that ex nihilo cannot be, if something hasn’t been understood already to exist where nihilo now stands. Nihil, always means the absence of something, already understood in a way. So, nihil ot the no-being Is only as long as being Is. Therefore, we must have nihilo ex existentio and not existentio ex nihilo, or in an other context, chao ab ordo and not ordo ab chao. But now, the question comes by force; Are existence and beginning the same thing? What does it mean, for something to begin? We say, I began my day happy, I begin to see that things are not the same, I will begin the journey. We see that the word “begin” carries with it, the meaning of something that opens up, it signifies an opening, that is to say, a revealment. Now, what is being revealed, is revealed as our own revealment, while, at the same time, it reveals ourselves to the world, to others. For example, when I say, I an beginning to have feelings, I mean that feelings reveal themselves to me, and, the same time, that I am revealing myself to the feelings. Also, the meanings of revealment or opening which we derive through the inquiry of the word “begin”, lead to a somehow, more mystical door, which leads to the meaning of that which already was, but wasn’t known to us. For example, when we say the morning began, we already mean that the sun has revealed itselm or himself, but this doesn’t mean that what is being revealed and brings the morning is stopping to exist before its revealment. And this we know, because when we see the first light, we know that after some time, we will see the sun. Thus, we know, that the sun hasn’t stopped to exist, but for some period of the day, which we call night, we couldn’t see it or him. What remains secret to us entirely, is where the sun is going at night or when it or him disappears. I am not gonna delve into this region, here, nor to any explanation of any science or other wisdom. Apart from this, then, we can understand that the meaning or revealment carries us to the meaning of unconcealment or apo-calypse (απο-κάλυψη > of/off – concealment/coverment) or ec-calypse (εκ-κάλυψη > from/due to – concealment/coverment). To conclude, then, It seems that, “begin”, through the meanings of revealment, openning and unconcealment, is, in fact, being understood as “begin to be”, that is to say, that begin signals the passing from concealment to unconcealment, the revealment and openning of something.
Tim Harris says:
March 20, 2021 at 1:18 PM
I am no logician, but Alex’s point seems fair enough to me. But there are two points I should like to raise (having recently watched a video on Youtube from some years ago in which Alex debated, with a moderator, a young American Christian on the subject ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?):
1) The question ‘Why is there something rather than nothing?’ seems to contain it in the assumption that ‘nothing’ is the default state, that ‘nothing’ is somehow more probable than ‘something’. But why should it be? One might try asking instead, ‘Why isn’t there nothing rather than something?’
2) The whole argument about ‘nothing’ and ‘something’ seems, for someone like myself who has lived in the Far East for nearly fifty years, to be quite extraordinarily parochial and to derive from the obsessions of the Abrahamic religions. Is it not possible to step outside the framework, and framing, of these religions? There is a world elsewhere.
Fr Hugh MacKenzie says:
April 8, 2021 at 9:42 AM
Great refutation. “Rearrangement of matter and energy” has been conflated with “ex nihilo cause”.
Significant though is Alex’s acknowledgement that it is “plausible” that “this variety of matter and energy constantly rearranging itself must itself, collectively, have an origin [which] would consist in the very beginning of the universe itself, when all matter simultaneously began to exist”, across the whole of space and time I would add.
The human creation of new holistic unites with new functionalities relative to human values not our biological niche might help the argument in that direction.
Brian says:
April 17, 2021 at 6:23 PM
The so-called “Big Bang” occurred when consciousness entered the void. Matter did NOT explode outward, but rather consciousness was torn apart from the void. There is no such thing as matter. You cannot create something from nothing. Scientists know that matter is not made of matter. Understand what consciousness really is, and EVERYTHING will start to unfold and reveal itself to you. It’s all very simple actually, but very, very few people actually understand this. Consciousness is not a product of biology. Biology is a product of consciousness.
Brian says:
April 21, 2021 at 4:03 AM
May 24, 2021 at 11:34 AM
Love your work, Alex. I am an atheist too, if an atheist is one who does not believe in skyhooks. However, as a former philosophy student, I have to disagree with your paper here. It seems you have misunderstood the kalãm. You write,
“If ‘beginning to exist’ means anything philosophically significant in this context, it must mean beginning to exist ex nihilo.”
This is false. Imagine a bit of motion in your mind’s eye, this motion must have a starting point. Then you go to this point and ask, “Where did it come from?” When you follow the kalãm argument through, you will arrive at a point which contains all points, a timeless singularity. If you don’t arrive at this point, then you need to train your mind’s eye a bit further.
This is the whole of the kalãm: you arrive at a timeless point.
It is true that the kalãm suffers from the old notion that is causality. Nobody believes in cause and effect anymore, except the ignorant. That is, the universe is not divided into fragments, which means you cannot form the picture that is cause and effect. If we conceptually divide the universe into parts, we get paradoxes like: Where do the inside stop and the outside begin? The old, Greek philosopher was so puzzled by this, so he invented the door to shut everybody up. The universe does not know any paradox, which means it is not fragmented. In short: we can throw the cause and the effect out the window. Still, we can replace cause and effect with motion and the kalãm makes sense once more.
“only, it didn’t really begin to exist at all, rather it was the product of a rearrangement of preexisting matter.”
This is false. Your coffee, which is the preexisting matter, must have a starting point, unless you believe that everything can start in medias res.
“To reiterate, for philosophical relevance the kalãm argument must deal with things that begin to exist from nothing.”
False. It is clear that it is from timelessness. Timelessness is not the same as the concept of nonexistence.
“Energy cannot be created or destroyed,”
There you go!
“It says nothing whatsoever,”
False. The kalãm takes you irrefutably to a timeless point.
William Lane Craig’s point is that this timelessness must have a will in order to create the universe and avoid the infinite regress paradox at the same time. To this date, Craig is the undisputed champion. Nobody has debunked the kalãm. It is a pipedream to believe that anyone has. I have tried to debunk it. But since I am a nobody in the eyes of the world, nobody has ever read my argument for why existence is.
It would be awesome if you gave me some feedback.
June 2, 2021 at 12:28 AM
If anybody here appreciates a great movie, check out Inherit The Wind. The 1960 version is the best, but the later version is quite good, and it’s free on YouTube. https://youtu.be/NYCfo4hVolQ
June 17, 2021 at 5:26 PM
Began to exist need not be restricted in meaning to coming into existence from absolute nothingness. Here it might be of benefit to use the language Aristotelian metaphysics. Being is that which exists. Beings don’t just exist but exist in a particular way, as a dog, a man, a horse, etc. The particular way of existing is called essence. That which determines the essence is form. I think that’s what Alex was referring to when he said ‘arrangement of parts’. A particular essence can cease to exist (corruption) and give way to another essence (generation). Example: Paper when burned ceases to exist and generates charcoal. Before burning, charcoal was not there. It’s nothing as charcoal. Charcoal had no being before burning. After burning, the paper is no more. It’s nothing as paper. So when we say that charcoal began to exist after the burning of paper, we are saying that a new form has emerged, ergo also a new essence. The efficient cause is what brings about the change in form. Formal change brings about a new being or causes something to begin to exist and another to cease to exist.
From ordinary experience we see many examples of the truth contained in ” What begins to exist has a cause” . I put a glass of water in the freezer. The water freezes. The water froze because the low temperature of the freezer caused the molecules of water to rearrange. But water became subjected to the low temperature because I put it inside the freezer. A soccer player kicks the ball. The ball shoots up into the air and moves toward the goal. These examples generate the insight that ” For every effect there is a cause.” By effect we mean any change. To begin to exist is a change, either a formal change or the acquisition of form by absolute nothingness. The first is second matter acquiring form. The second is first matter acquiring form. First matter is absolute nothingness. Second matter is matter with pre-existing form, an essence.
brian says:
October 30, 2021 at 4:32 AM
The mind loves complexity. Wisdom loves simplicity. The truth resides in simplicity.
You are pure consciousness, which is awareness. Awareness always was, always is, and always will be. Then we have this thing called energy. Energy is the only thing that All That Is ever created, yet it is everything. This energy is “outside” of pure consciousness and is used by souls to create an illusionary landscape in order to have experiences. Awareness/Energy/Experience. Your experiences lead you to deeper insights about your surrounding world, and more importantly, about yourself. The entire setup of Earth and life, was intended to help you remember who you really are as a soul, not as a human. It was designed to help you realize that all energy is actually yours and that you were always a sovereign being.
Earth has served it’s purpose.
October 30, 2021 at 4:53 AM
“Awareness always was, always is, and always will be. ”
This does not describe my awareness. My awareness went away only last night. Thank goodness in came back again this morning. And why should any other awareness be different from mine. I have not yet even confirmed that there is an awareness other than mine.
June 18, 2021 at 4:34 AM
In your dialogue with Dr. Craig, Alex, I got the impression that you were saying that the arrangement of parts is extrinsic to the thing that begins to exist. If you will recall Aristotle’s composition of corporeal beings, Being = Form + Matter. Form (the arrangement of parts) is intrinsic to the being of a particular essence. It’s what makes it what it is. Of course, as you said, the form is ‘imposed’ on the essence by the efficient cause.
brian says:
October 30, 2021 at 4:56 AM
You are too focused on the creation itself. The creation was intended for you to understand who YOU are, not the matter within it. You existed long before “matter” existed.
Creation didn’t start at the beginning.
Creation started at the END.
Science is the study of the creation.
Evolution is the slow march back towards the creator.
The experiencer meets the creator.
They are both you.
Ascension is when the human reunites with his/her soul while in the creation.
June 27, 2021 at 8:42 PM
brian says:
October 30, 2021 at 5:50 AM
You’ve made an amazing point about something very profound. I want you to really feel into the meaning of “awareness.” I promise you that “your” awareness never goes anywhere. Awareness is the cause of all things and experiences, and the last time that awareness tried to get away from itself, a little thing called the Big Bang happened. This was the creation of The Land of Separation, or at least the belief in separation. It is a dream of All That Is. A dream is when consciousness is unaware of it’s origin, and it’s unaware that it is both the creator and the experiencer. The really crazy thing is that ultimately there are not multiple dreamers. . .there is only one. There are many souls, but there is only one consciousness, one dream, one dreamer, and one awareness. Consciousness CAN NOT separate itself, nor can it move.
October 30, 2021 at 1:40 PM
If my awareness does not go anywhere then there must be times – and places – that I am not aware of it. And if I am not aware of my own awareness, then it does not exist. The one thing I can say for certain about my awareness is that if it exists then I will be … well … aware of it. Everything else is sophistry and speculation. I was not aware of the Big Bang taking place. So either the Big Bang never took place, or it did take place and my awareness did not exist at the time. And if my awareness did not exist at the time of the Big Bang then it had no influence on it.
brian says:
October 30, 2021 at 5:11 PM
You ARE awareness.
October 30, 2021 at 9:02 PM
brian says:
October 30, 2021 at 11:59 PM
It is utterly impossible NOT to be aware. Awareness does not turn on and off–it always is. This is your core and your absolute truth. I AM that I am. I am aware, so therefore I exist. You will still be aware even after you die. It’s like a light in your house that is always on, but there is no light switch to turn it off. You can’t ever turn it off. Ponder this for a few days or weeks and see what happens. Did you not exist when you typed your question?
October 31, 2021 at 12:08 AM
Did I exist when I typed my question? Yes.
Did I exist when the dinosaurs existed? No.
Which means either (a) There are times that I exist and times that I don’t exist, which in turn means I don’t always exist (the light is not always on, contrary to your claim)
OR (b) The dinosaurs did not exist (contrary to the claims of modern science)
brian says:
October 31, 2021 at 12:52 AM
It’s irrelevant if dinosaurs existed or not, but lets pretend they did. You may not have existed as a human, but you did exist. You existed long before dinosaurs and you existed before time and Earth existed. And yes, the light is always on. You ARE that light. Why are you trying to make an argument that you don’t exist? By definition of nonexistence, there is no such thing as nonexistence.
October 31, 2021 at 1:01 AM
I was not aware of existing before time and Earth. And I am not aware of existing as anything other than a human. But if existence=awareness (which is your claim) then I am not aware of being aware. Sounds like a total contradiction to me.
brian says:
October 31, 2021 at 11:00 PM
Awareness=existence. This is not just a claim, it’s reality. The reason why you don’t remember your past experiences or lifetimes is intentional. It’s known as Tabula Rasa. If you were to carry all of your experiences, memories, traumas, and baggage, from one lifetime to the next, it would be detrimental to your soul’s development. If you like to read, read The Red Lion by Maria Szepes. This is an excellent book that will help give you some insight on this.
Your soul DOES remember. When your soul, which is you, agreed to incarnate as a human, it didn’t bring all of its consciousness into the human form. The soul dedicated only a tiny portion of itself for the human emanation. The rest of your consciousness resides on the so-called “other side” of the “veil.” Your soul has many other emanations as we speak, and they are all you. Because of this intentional veil, you don’t see or remember your soul. But your soul sees and remembers you–it IS you. This is how we created an “anything goes” type of stage for souls to act out on. This is why there is so much discord. Free will at its finest. It’s basically just a big damn Shakespearean play.
November 1, 2021 at 7:32 AM
Seriously, Brian, I really don’t think you have thought through your “philosophy” very carefully.
brian says:
November 8, 2021 at 4:16 AM
It’s esoteric information. It’s for those who can comprehend it. It’s also for those who are willing to consider it. It’s your choice if you choose to be neither. But as the days and years go by, and as interesting and unexpected things start happening in our strange world, you might wish that you had at least considered it.
You are not the human form. You are not your thoughts or your emotions. You are not your false, self-given identities. You are the awareness behind these things.
Awareness is the cause of ALL THINGS.
This is not a theory.
Reuben says:
December 29, 2021 at 7:31 PM
That, frankly, was really bad. Just swap the first 2 premises in the original argument to get around Alex’s objection.
P1: The universe began to exist.
P2: Whatever begins to exist, must have a cause.
C: The universe has a cause.
That case is more closed than my briefcase in my closet. Hint: my briefcase is closed.
February 10, 2022 at 3:11 PM
Circularity ultimately is a problem for atheism.
An atheist, for instance will say something like the following: “I base my beliefs upon evidence”. Where then, is the evidence for this? What evidence is there that one ought to base one’s beliefs on evidence?
A similar problem can be applied to logic itself. Why should we base our views on logic? Any argument you make presupposes logic and is therefore a circular argument. The same applies for a number of presuppositions that lie behind a materialistic worldview. At a meta-level they are just asserted with circular justification, or without any justification.
So not only are atheists and theists similar in the regard of not having justification for major assertions and presuppositions in their worldview. I would posit that God provides a justification for logic, numbers, and so forth, as they are emmanations from Him. In Exodus when God is revealed to Moses He says ‘I AM that I AM’—which is a circular argument. “God just is” then from this we can justify these other things. So in this respect I would argue that the theistic perspective is superior, because it posits one circle at the bottom of the worldview, rather than numerous circular assertions.
David says:
February 10, 2022 at 10:44 PM
Why can’t the atheist say that logic “just is”, or the need for evidence “just is”? Why are theists allowed to terminate their line of enquiry (at God) while atheists are not? Who is making up these rules?
February 11, 2022 at 2:11 PM
Well I didn’t say you can’t do that, my point was that you get to a similar point in the atheistic worldview with a number of things. ‘Numbers just are’ or ‘I just believe the external world is real and the senses are reliable’ etc. So if you really dig deep in the atheistic worldview you get to all kinds of things like this, that are just granted without justification. Whilst atheists will critique theists for having beliefs that they cannot justify, this is ultimately true of atheists. My argument is that theism is superior because rather than a number of unjustified presuppositions it relies upon just one. Logic, numbers, consistency in nature, the external world and what-have-you are justified in God.
February 10, 2022 at 10:47 PM
Theism is not a superior position. It is a vastly inferior position to anything that science provides.
February 11, 2022 at 2:13 PM
What is your basis for believing one thing ‘superior’ and another ‘inferior’, by which I mean what is your criteria for making this judgement?
February 11, 2022 at 8:03 PM
So the question is not “which position has a starting point?” Let us assume that both positions have a starting point. For atheism the starting point is logic. For theism the starting point is a person who can create logic as an act of will (and presumably remove it as an act of will too). The question then becomes which starting point is the more “reasonable” to accept. What do you think? Is it reasonable to assume that logically true statements are necessarily true? Or is it more reasonable to assume that some particular person exists, already possessed of knowledge and the capacity to act in the world, and also the ability to create and deny logical truths at will?
If we allow ourselves (as atheists do) to assume that logic is necessarily true then theism is ruled out immediately, because theism is a logically incoherent position. A being who can create or destroy logic at will would have to be logically incoherent, would it not? This is what makes atheism the superior position.
February 11, 2022 at 8:32 PM
Well if logic is an emanation of God then it is a part of Him and is thus not necessarily an external thing that is subject to change at His will. Thus the necessity of logic is an extension of the necessity of God.
But anyway back to my question, you seem to have stated that science is the provider of what you define as a ‘superior’ worldview. I’m just curious about where within science you can derive notions of ‘superior’ or ‘inferior’? Because surely science just delivers the facts. An ant is not superior or inferior to a catepillar or a human, or a rock, they are just different configurations of matter. Any idea of inferiority or superiority is a judgement applied using some other standard. So I’m just curious as to where the standard that a worldview based on science is superior is derived?
February 11, 2022 at 8:41 PM
Just to elabourate a little more on my reply, in Christian theology Christ is the Logos, which means a part of His being is being that which makes sense of reality, gives it coherence, and meaning. So to me the notion that God could negate this is not in line with Christian theology. To say God can change logic is to say that He can make Himself not exist, or not God which is anathema to me because God necessarily exists.
February 11, 2022 at 9:25 PM
Think of philosophy as a kind of game. To play any game the players have to agree on the rules. If they don’t agree on the rules they can’t play the game. It doesn’t matter where the rules come from, as long as both players agree with them. I play tennis. I have no idea who made the rules of tennis. I don’t care. I have agreed to play by the rules, wherever they came from, so I can play.
The starting point for theism is that God (as defined by traditional theology) exists. I don’t agree to that rule. If God exists, that existence must be rationally argued for (“proven” if you like – though “proof” may be too strong a concept). For science and other rational enquiry the starting point is logic and the various other rules of inference and argumentation. I agree with these rules. At this stage my question for you is “do you agree with these rule?” If the answer is “no” then we can terminate the discussion right now as there is no conceivable basis on which it can proceed. If the answer is “yes” the discussion can go ahead. We don’t need to discuss where the rules came from.
So at this point the question is not “which position is ‘superior’ or ‘inferior’?” The question is “do you agree to play the game (of rational enquiry) by the rules?”
Now once we agree to these rules (assuming we do) we can see immediately that theism is ruled out (or, at least, is implausible), because (a) there are no good arguments for the conclusion that God exists and (b) there are several good arguments (the Problem of Evil, the Divine Hiddenness argument, etc) for the conclusion that God does not exist. It is here that we see the superiority of atheism over theism, not with any discussion surrounding the origin of the rules of enquiry.
February 12, 2022 at 12:12 AM
But the whole argument is about justification of a belief. The atheists arguing “you have no justification for a belief in God.”
So to my mind it is relevant that an atheist cannot justify belief in the external world, the consistency and uniformity of the laws of nature, logic etc. You’re saying “just give me those things and then I can win the game” I’m saying without those things you cannot claim any knowledge with certainty. So at the very least you must concede that as far as having worldviews based in things that have no justification atheism and theism both suffer from this issue.
In so far as things like the problem of evil, the atheist wants to be granted a position of there being such a thing as evil as a position to argue from, but their worldview cannot justify that. It’s like the atheist wants to play Monopoly but be given all the money and the properties from the start, so they can win. My point is merely that two can play the game of “you have no justification or evidence for what you believe in” but when you point that out to an atheist they just want to be granted all their presuppositions so they can be right. To my mind it doesn’t work like that.
February 12, 2022 at 12:57 AM
OK, consider as an example “belief in the external world” (which you raised). In order to believe that God exists (as an external reality) you must first believe that there is an external reality. Justification for belief in external reality cannot “emanate from God” (or any such jargon). Belief in an external reality is logically prior to belief in God. This is not optional – nothing else makes any sense at all. In other words the theist is in exactly the same position as the atheist in relation to this question. Not an analogous position. EXACTLY the same position. The atheist must believe in an external reality before they can believe science stuff, the theist must believe in external reality BEFORE they believe in God.
To put this another way: the atheist DOES have a justification for belief in external reality – the same justification that anyone (theist or atheist) has for belief in external reality, which must come before any specific belief in specific external things. If you feel this justification is inadequate for the atheist, it is inadequate for the theist as well. We have to agree that belief in external reality is justified before any further discussion on such topics (as God, or science, or anything else external) can proceed. Once that agreement is in place we can move on. I can, however, consistently DISAGREE that God is part of external reality, unless ADDITIONAL justification for that position is provided (hence the statement “you have no justification for a belief in God”).
On the Problem of Evil: the atheist does not need to justify belief in evil (though I dispute that they can’t – another discussion). They merely have to use the theist’s own concept of evil. The theistic position is inherently and internally self contradictory on this issue. Of course we do have to be able to say that inherent internal contradictions are fatal to any logically consistent position, but as we have seen this is just a matter of agreeing on the rules of the game.
February 12, 2022 at 5:59 AM
I would say it is the same position, without God both the theist and the atheist can’t really claim any knowledge. The Christian theist like myself however would claim that knowledge is revealed by God. This is the additional justification.
You don’t use the theistic standard of evil to analyse God because the theistic standard is that God is the standard of good. Anything you might posit based of human action, or the natural world is assuming a certain standard of good within an atheistic framework because the Christian theistic framework does not attribute these things to God, but to man. So the argument is made with atheistic assumptions which are not present in the viewpoint of Christian theism.
But anyway, that aside, my contention is that at the very least theism and atheism both equally suffer from taking an unjustified initial step out of the dark. So the main contention that atheists level at theists (major assumptions at the basis of their worldview) is applicable to themselves. A theist will, in my instance at least, admit that God is an assumption made without evidential support, but is one that is used to make sense of everything. The atheist on the other hand will often be blind to their own unjustified assumptions and just keep asserting “where is your evidence?” Well where is the evidence that evidence is the standard for belief? Or for not being a brain in a vat? We both make these leaps away from that darkness from within we must say we cannot know anything and we both do it without justification. It’s just that you take issue with how theists do it. However you cannot use the fact that theists do it as an argument because atheists do the same thing but in a different way.
February 12, 2022 at 9:25 AM
I am entitled to ask you to justify your belief in something if it is a belief I do not share, especially if you expect me to adopt the same belief (which many Christians do). On the other hand you are not entitled to ask me to justify my belief if it is a belief you DO share – such as the belief in external reality – especially if you do not have a justification for it yourself. Theist and atheists share a set of genuinely basic, unjustified beliefs. The difference is that theists add an extra set of beliefs that SHOULD be justified but are not.
February 12, 2022 at 10:20 AM
I’m not expecting you to do anything.
My argument is that God is the grounding for this set of unjustified beliefs, so He is the singular, unified explanation for all of them. Rather than a set of different assumptions that are independently asserted without justification. So rather than X number of unjustifiable assertions, there is just 1 from the theistic position.
Now you might say well you have no justification for that. Yeah, that’s my point. But you have no justification behind any claim to knowledge about anything. Theism is thus more coherent. Logic, numbers, the external world, love, morality and other such transcendent things are justified in God, and we know God through His revelation to us.
Without this grounding you just end up in a position of truth being annihilated… All you can say is ‘well in some form I can suppose I exist, aside from that everything else is based on assumption’ You might say these are reasonable assumptions, but then you are pulling reason out of thin air. Epistemic nihilism is the only solidly grounded worldview given the atheistic presuppositions. Yet atheists do not act like that is the case, they consistently assert knowledge and truth as being things they have access to.
I’d say that they are correct, knowledge and truth do exist and they are grounded in God. You might object and say ‘well you have no way of knowing that’, well okay but you have no way of knowing anything. At least the theistic worldview is internally consistent enough to provide a coherent basis of making claims to knowledge.
February 12, 2022 at 12:16 PM
God cannot “ground” such things as logic, number or the existence of external reality, nor can belief in God “ground” belief in logic, number or external reality as God depends on these things being true before his existence (if he exists) even makes sense. For example, in traditional Christian theology (at least some versions of it) God is thought of as a “trinity” – ie three persons in one God. But this idea cannot make any sense (whatever sense it does make) unless you already have a concept of number – the numbers 3 and 1 in particular.
So when you say that atheists have multiple basic things they accept without justification while you only have one, that is simply untrue. You have the same set of multiple basic beliefs, and then you add one more. If parsimony and simplicity are what you are looking for, atheism would seem to be closer to that ideal.
February 12, 2022 at 1:22 PM
To that I would say that oneness and multiplicity are grounded in the Triune God precisely for that reason. This is precisely why the Christian God is superior to other versions of monotheism, precisely because within the mystery of the Godhead is oneness and multiplicity and thus a grounding for numbers.
My main point is that logically consistent atheism is the same thing as epistemic nihilism. It is a position without any metaphysical grounding. So even if I were discard my contention that theism is superior for having a metaphysical grounding that averts epistemic nihilism, my point stands that the charge levelled at theists ‘where is your proof!’ or ‘you can’t justify your beliefs’ can equally be levelled at atheists. Having unmet burdens in regard to justification is something that unites theists and atheists.
I would say that a position which leads to epistemic nihilism, and thus undermines its own capacity to determine truth, has no grounding for objective morality, and ultimately no purpose or meaning is an incoherent position to hold, and certainly not one that anyone could practically live their life by without assuming things are otherwise.
February 12, 2022 at 8:19 PM
So it would seem that, by your own admission, theism also leads to “epistemic nihilism” as there is no ULTIMATE justification for belief in anything – including God. For you, what makes theism superior is that it has fewer “things” that one must believe without justification. But why is having fewer things an important factor? That is just another belief that you hold without justification. I could equally contend that what is important is having things that are simple. So while the atheist believes in a handful of unjustified things like logic, numbers, external reality and one or two others, the theist believes in one unjustified but really complicated thing that has the (mysterious and inexplicable) ability to “emanate” all of those other things, as well as having other properties such as, omnipotence, omniscience, having 3 persons (rather than 5 or 27) in the “godhead”, parting the Red Sea for Moses, etc, etc, etc.
I repeat my previous suggestion. We need to start with a set of rules in order to play the game (of rational enquiry). I suggest those rules include belief in logic, number and external reality. Don’t worry about where those things come from. As long as we agree to play by those rules, it doesn’t matter where they come from. Don’t worry about “epistemic nihilism”. Its going to be part of any set of beliefs anyway, so you might as well not worry about it. If we agree to those rules we can keep playing the game and see where it leads. If not we might as well stop playing now.
February 13, 2022 at 6:39 PM
Well I would say that it doesn’t lead to epistemic nihilism, but you disagree with my reasons for positing that. My view is that God is the essential being that roots all metaphysics, and my justification for that is it is more coherent than saying ‘we have no grounding for any metaphysics, but we just have to assume certain things and move on’. To my mind the latter is ultimately a position that undermines all ability to claim any knowledge or truth. You may contest that I am adding to these foundational assumptions, but I would posit that I am refining them into one. So your charge is that you make X no. of foundational assumptions, and I make X + 1 right? My contention is that I make 1 and this foundation is what we are assuming when we ‘just assume’ logic or numbers etc. These assumptions are not separate from the necessary assumption that is God. You may say I have no proof for my proposed unification of all these foundational assumptions, however I would merely say that you have no proof that proof is even a standard for anything, nor any ability to claim any knowledge whatsoever. I’m saying God has to exist in order for there to be any meaning, or truth, or knowledge about anything, and the rejection of that is the rejection of those things.
I’m not using this as an ad-hominim by the way, I don’t mean to say you at a personal level don’t know anything, I am saying of course you do, and in my view that is because God exists. If not then you are in the dark. You can say I’m doing some kind of sophistry or whatever, and you can reject my argument if you please, but even if I were to concede your rejection, it is a fundamental reality that, if that is the case, both the theist and the atheist are guilty of the charge of having beliefs that they cannot justify. So I would say, this being so, the charge that theism is a inferior position because it does so is unfounded, and it is often the case that an atheist will argue ‘you have no justification for a belief in God.’ You have no justification for logic etc. At the level of grounding fundamental beliefs the atheist is lacking, yet they argue as though this is not the case. Have a good week
March 13, 2022 at 10:39 PM
Proving that what begins to be must have a cause is sufficient for the argument to be valid. So, if men begin to exist, there must be a cause, whether considered with regard to the body or the soul. Let us consider with regard to the body: Its immediate cause is the parents. We cannot, however, continue ad infinitum in this succession; nor arguing from evolution theory. Therefore, there must have been a first matter. Or, in other words, a matter first began to exist. This, then, is enough to prove the point in question. For if a thing first began to exist from a cause, and could not otherwise exist, then secondary things either were transformed from it, or also began to be out of nothing. In any case, a First Cause is absolutely necessary. Since to say that any matter is eternal is an absurdity. For what then is meant by “matter”?
March 14, 2022 at 4:02 PM
If something began to exist out of nothing, there must be a First Cause.
At least something in the Universe began to exist out of nothing.
Therefore, there must be a First Cause.
Because the fact that at least something in the Universe began to exist out of nothing is quite obvious, for the things in it are limited, and therefore at least something in it had a beginning out of nothing, and that from something that has none of its limitations. For otherwise it could not be the origin of something, for it would itself need to have its origin from another, which succession cannot proceed ad infinitum, since infinity does not permit succession.
Therefore, there must have been at least something that came into being out of nothing, that is, from absolute non-existence, not from any pre-existing matter, and by something that has not its limitations, none of them. For, since this something that came into being had no existence before at all, and there was no existence like its, with limitations, it came out of nothing, it being infinitely inferior to its Cause. Or, in other words, there must be a First Cause, itself unlimited, that is, without the limitations found in what it causes, which First Cause is, then, necessarily eternal (not limited in and by time), so that what came to be came by it, and at least what came first came out of nothing.
Dan says:
March 17, 2022 at 4:14 PM
Interesting article, but I’m not sure I buy your reasoning. Two things occur to me; First, we have seen plenty of things begin to exist since a change of state is still a valid beginning. So what is the rational that an ex nihilo beginning should be an exception to the observable norm. Second (and more importantly), ideas are ex nihilo beginnings. You say “ideas are ultimately nothing more than signals in the brain” but this is a purely materialist view and doesn’t line up with the immerging view that the universe, at it’s most fundamental, is made of information. Matter is interchangeable and is far less important than the information (order of arrangement) of the matter. It is the information that makes a generic substance (matter) into something specific with meaning. Information is not physical. Certainly, it is REPRESENTED physically. But the physical representation is not the information itself. This is even a legal fact (think about intellectual property laws). Information is timeless and has no mass and it is only acted upon by space-time when an instance of it is created in our physical universe. A purely materialistic view of the universe denies IP and causes problems like the Theseus’ paradox. All this to say, ideas are ex nihilo beginnings.
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Alex J. O'Connor is the owner of the Cosmic Skeptic Blog and YouTube channel. He is an atheist, science enthusiast and advocate for political and educational secularism.
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Innovative peer mentoring strategies have been shown to significantly improve staff retention for long term care providers. According to BC Care Providers Association, senior care will be the fastest growing industry in BC at 4.2% annual growth from 2020 to 2025, opening an expected 18, 000 positions for health care assistants. This is an alarming statistic considering the challenges that long-term care providers are having with staff shortages now.
Most recruitment efforts today are focusing on student programs, partnerships with education institutions, tuition relief, international recruitment and creating attractive, full time positions with benefits. While these efforts move the needle in the right direction, they fall short of the required target. Initiatives that place increased value on the role of health care assistants in long term care will promote culture change and likely make the biggest impact.
“We cannot solve a problem with the same thinking that created the problem” Albert Einstein
Research suggests that much of the turnover for direct care staff happens in the first 3 months of starting a new job but there are plenty of experienced care staff that are leaving the profession early. Exit interviews highlight a common reason for leaving as “no opportunities for advancement”, “feeling undervalued”, “stressful work environment” and “unmanageable workload”.
Well-executed, peer support programs reduce staff turnover by improving the on-boarding experience for newly hired staff and introducing them to a culture of collaboration, leadership and support. Experienced staff have more opportunities for growth and advancement within the peer support program itself.
Many health care assistants report feeling isolated in the workplace, especially when starting a new job. Peer mentorship fosters supportive connections to other team members from day one. The primary role of the peer mentor is to help new employees become comfortable with their job responsibilities, the team and culture. Mentors answer questions, offer guidance, help problem solve and prepare new graduates for the difficult emotions related to witnessing death while caring for adults that have complex physical and emotional needs.
Grief is undeniably present in long term care settings and staff require support to recognize and process their individual emotions and experience. Peer mentorship provides an opportunity for more seasoned staff to share their coping/self-care strategies and make staff aware of available resources to assist them.
Typically, there is no discussion around death and dying during job orientation and training programs focus more on the clinical skills/tasks required in long term care. This oversight undoubtedly impacts the retention of health care assistants as many are unprepared for the emotional impact of the work they do.
By investing in peer mentors, you not only offer new staff a comprehensive orientation with on-boarding support; you offer existing staff a workplace culture that attracts talent, drives engagement, values people, impacts job satisfaction, and supports continuous growth & learning.
Peer mentors bridge the gap between front line workers and managers, improving the manager’s understanding of new employee’s strengths and weaknesses and helping to ensure that any problems are addressed early in the employee’s tenure.
Peer mentors go beyond teaching new hires proper ways of doing tasks, they help them build and sustain relationships. To build these relationships, new health care assistants are supported with strengthening skills such as interpersonal, communication, self-awareness and problem-solving skills.
Implementing a peer mentoring program in long term care settings takes careful consideration and design. It is time consuming and involved when done right, but well worth the investment when you consider the potential impact on workplace culture and the economic benefits of reduced turnover.
Mentor selection is key and requires a formal and transparent selection process. An effective mentor understands your organization’s values and is familiar with the culture. Staff that demonstrate informal leadership and good interpersonal skills are good candidates. With adequate support and training, peer mentors do more than orient new hires; they advocate for their unit, support their co-workers and are actively involved in culture change activities such as developing and implementing client-centered caregiving practices and staff wellness.
Investing in peer mentorship is a wise investment with rich dividends
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The papaya is a large, tree-like plant, with a single stem growing from 16 to 33 ft. tall, with spirally arranged leaves confined to the top of the trunk. The Papaya fruit is a type of berry. It is ripe when it feels soft (as soft as a ripe avocado or a bit softer) and its skin has attained an amber to orange hue.
The ripe fruit of the papaya is usually eaten raw, without skin or seeds. The unripe green fruit can be eaten cooked, usually in curries, salads, and stews. Papayas have a relatively high amount of pectin, which can be used to make jellies. The smell of ripe, fresh papaya flesh can strike some people as unpleasant. The black seeds of the papaya are edible and have a sharp, spicy taste. They are sometimes ground and used as a substitute for black pepper.
Unity is a family owned grower, packer, shipper operation that provides top quality Tropical and Ethnic Specialty produce across the country.
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We are open 5 days a week Monday-Friday from 8:00am to 5:00pm Visit our Headquarters, Get Directions 25399 SW 157 Avenue, Homestead, Florida, 33031
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When Einstein wrote “failure is success in progress”, he was (probably) hoping to diminish the stigma around failing and emphasising that failure is inevitable and should be accepted. Today, failures are indeed accepted. We fail, embellish them with a positive spin and move on to try again: ‘Don’t dwell on and regret your failures in the past, look forward’. My blog posts have echoed this by complementing a brief recognition of my failures at self-discipline with a redeeming justification that, hey, at least I tried!
I now regret this. One’s own failures should be exposed, dwelled upon and be painful. For without the pain, we will not regret and without the regret, we will not change from the mindset that led us to fail in the first place.
Failure comes from not matching the expectations of yourself or others, arising from these two inherent sources of uncertainty:
Externally-driven failure or success, i.e. losing a match thanks to a great performance of your opponent in a sports match
Internally-driven failure or success, i.e. losing a match thanks to your performance in a sports match (on match day, your performance may be inevitable but as the inevitable result of your training and effort beforehand)
Failures are always a combination of these external and internal factors and are therefore often treated all alike. We therefore applaud ourselves for trying, and accept failure as the inevitable result of this.
“It is hard to fail, but it is worse never to have tried to succeed.”- Theodore Roosevelt
But we need to distinguish between these failures. Those driven by external factors should be recognised as out of one’s control and therefore quickly passed on. By contrast, those driven by internal factors are worth regretting.
Why beat yourself up over the past?
When we consider a failure, I think we consider it as an aberration. A one-off, fleeting moment of weakness that led to us capitulating to the TV-remote or a bag of crisps. Failure is considered an ephemeral state, an uncharacteristic deviation, from our current mentality or approach. We find the positives and quickly moving on. The prevailing attitude seems to say, “don’t get stuck in the past, regret is pointless”. But is it really in the past?
You are still carrying that ‘baggage’
I think such aberrations are actually the most revealing of our mindset. If ‘you know’ you would never do that, then clearly the past was a different ‘you’ but it was not a ghost, it was you!
Psychologist Carol Dweck developed the idea of a “fixed vs growth mindset”. The former views abilities as static, unchangeable and hard-wired. The latter views them as mutable characteristics, things which can be improved upon through hard-work and effort. Those who succeed, the CEOs, the athletes, the stars, have a growth mindset. In this context, we need to view ourselves as less static and more dynamic. You are connected to your past-self, especially the not-so distant past-self and quickly finding the silver-linings to move forward with will not change this person.
As Will & Ariel Durant wrote “the past is the present unrolled for understanding and the present is the past unrolled for action”.
We must therefore distinguish between internal and external factors in our failure and to do so, we must dwell on it first. From this reflection and inquiry, we can identify the parts of our mindset that led to the failure and begin the work of changing them.
The regret I speak of is the internal disappointment about something for which you had personal control over. An emotion that is harsher than disappointment but softer than guilt or remorse. Regret is a powerful but painful emotion and unsurprisingly, people resist it.
Drew Barrymore captured this in her quote, “I never regret anything. Because every little detail of your life is what made you into who you are in the end.” I used to subscribe to this for two reasons. Firstly, from every failure, I learnt something and had I not failed, I never would have learned that valuable lesson. Secondly, it was all in the past and seemed futile to lament that which cannot be changed.
This was until my father gifted me the book, “You’re not that Great” by Elan Gale. What Gale emphasised was that regret was an important form of self-introspection. How unimaginative are you that you cannot envisage a world in which you and the events of your life are slightly better? How perfect do you think you are that you would not change anything that ‘made you into who you are in the end’?
A bad decision may have had some positives in retrospect but perhaps the better decision would have had more! The search for silver-linings is good when the failure is inevitable, but it prevents the much-needed reflection when the failure is within our control. Such a time is for self-assessment and introspection in turn, analysing one’s shortcomings to make better choices in the future but also, as regret is painful, as a deterrent from failing again.
When one looks at Instagram, you cannot help but wonder, where are all the unhappy people? In the virtual life we live on social media, failures are ignored or at best fleeting. They are deemed unimportant or a private affair. My blog has been the similar. It has become the preserve for my thoughts and opinions on what I, or others, get wrong and how I now try and correct for it. My posts mention failure as fleeting and ephemeral, a thing of the past, and redeemed by my attempts to change.
I have been wrong. Understanding failure requires more than acknowledging its presence. Failures need to be exposed and dwelled upon to be understood. Furthermore, they continue. Over the past few weeks, I have been stuck in a slump. Excuses aside, I have not taken control of my life and dwindled time away refreshing news and cycling sites. I became lazy and passive with life. I started multiple blog posts but my focus would wander and leave them unfinished. I avoided thinking or recognising this slump, hoping it would just disappear. Maybe it was just a one-off and time would sort it out.
Making sure I didn’t regret my finish time on a wet race in the Netherlands (Dam-tot-Dam)
It didn’t. Finally, this past week, I decided to dwell on it and admit that maybe, just maybe, I was part of the problem! I had wasted the time and opportunities; such precious moments were now lost, and I regretted it and I still regret it, fortunately memories are short. There are no redeeming factors or silver-linings, just regret. And with this regret, I took a step back to try and identify why I had lost focus – it was a loss of autonomy. My work permit to Kenya had been due to take 3-4 months and it had been 7 months in a holding pattern with no permit in sight. For the first 5 months, I was very glad to have the privilege of living in Amsterdam but as it prolonged, angst was building. I felt distracted and in this frustration, my meditation practice fell away and the blogs were left unfinished. With this understanding, I better accepted that my future was a bit unclear but I could determine how in ‘control’ I felt. I have reinstated my (intermittent) meditation practice and now finished this blog, I have begun the work of changing my mentality.
We are all terrified of failing. In response, society has adopted an overtly positive message around failure. Self-help gurus like Tony Robbins write that “I’ve come to believe that all my past failure and frustrations were actually laying the foundation for the understandings that have created the new level of living I now enjoy.”
Whilst this may be true, and we should not be ashamed of our failures, it also absolves us the self-introspection and regret. Some failures are inevitable and out of your control but most are not (entirely). Failures are a reminder that we can improve and in order to do so, we need to dwell upon why the ‘yesterday-you’ did something your ‘today-you’ would prefer not to. Rather than embellish our failures, if we regret them, we might have fewer.
Relevant posts – You might like Self-Discipline: keeping your worst-self in check or Self-Improvement: the pursuit of a better self
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A hypocrite who enjoys engaging with ideas, challenging my own and exploring new ones. View all posts by kapuras
Posted on September 30, 2018 January 9, 2019 Author kapuras
Anonymous says:
October 4, 2018 at 8:46 pm
Very thoughtful analysis of FAILURES and alternative ways of dealing with them.
October 31, 2018 at 4:38 am
Thanks for the post. Good food for thought. Regret is a strong word. Is it possible to neither regret or forget? Failures are essential to doing anything worthy.. We need to be wary of any associated negativity (regret?) pushing us away from further risk taking… towards worthwhile endeavours. We need our failures close, to guide us, but I would like to see them more as mentors than tormentors.
October 31, 2018 at 2:06 pm
Hey James, thanks for the comment and love the like “more as mentors than tormentors”. Regret is powerful and the regret I speak of is not to lament long-after a mistake but to dig deep and question ourselves when failure does occur and was partially in our control. To then draw lessons and carry those, as you say “need our failures close”.
Many are paralyzed by fear of failure and so the positive twist is important. However, in this positivity, I think the attitude towards failure is to quickly move on and avoiding the regret which can bring self-introspection and improvement. Thanks for reading!
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The undersigned ATM Professional Staff Organisations note with great regret yet another attack of Airlines for Europe (A4E) on the European Air Traffic Management in the form of a joint letter of A4E member airlines’ CEOs to the European Air Navigation Service providers (ANSPs). The letter enumerates a number of ATM-related issues as cause for the delays.
We understand that delays and lack of capacity might be frustrating but every day ANSPs and their staff are doing the utmost to deliver safe and quality services to airlines and their passengers. While recognising the constraints we as professional staff representatives believe that Europe should be proud of its ATM system. Given the different cultural and national backgrounds it is remarkable that we have been able to build a cooperative system that delivers such an incredibly high level of safety and efficiency. A4E, on the contrary, is very selective in terms of the numbers they portray as hard facts, demonstrating a self-centred point of view only directed at profit margins rather than at offering true benefits for the European citizens. As cited in our joint report entitled Efficiency, capacity and growth in European aviation – Why industrial action in ATM is not the issue published in March 2017, the airlines themselves are actually the cause of over half (!) of all the delays. In July 2017 delays caused by airlines have accounted to 1 million minutes, a fact airlines prefer to conceal. For instance, one airline in the UK recently used a non-existent ATC strike as a reason for not paying EU compensation, when in fact they were directly attributable for the delay. Another major budget airline from Ireland and A4E member is currently drawing large media attention for a high number of last-minute flight cancellations without showing any respect for their stranded passengers. ATM, together with the whole aviation community, can only continue to improve and promote transparency and responsible attitudes as their core values. Therefore, the undersigned ATM professional staff organisations: - - urge the Commission to seek a broader spectrum of opinions as the Single European Sky process moves forward rather than a subset of loud, well-funded stakeholders; calls on A4E to stop its disgraceful media campaign against the European Air Traffic Management System and instead engage in a meaningful dialogue with the organisations concerned.
1 million minutes delay
← Joint Public Statement on the Regulation of Remote Towers Operation ETF and ATCEUC joint press conference →
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Top News India: Out of 100,000 MW solar power, 40,000 MW will be in the form of rooftop solar power -Tripathi
Latest headlines, Top News India, Breaking news headlines, India news on Bollywood, health, lifestyle, relationship, real estate and career News.
Out of 100,000 MW solar power, 40,000 MW will be in the form of rooftop solar power -Tripathi
Congratulating the GRIHA team for creating a “100% indigenous green building rating system”, at the inaugural session of the 7th GRIHA Summit, Dr. A. K. Tripathi, Director, Ministry of New and Renewable Energy, Government of India, said, “Out of the 100,000 MW solar power, 40,000 MW will be in the form of rooftop solar power, which translates fully into the building stock, which
directly relates to green buildings. 26 states and UTs have established guidelines for rooftop solar power which will definitely add to the overall effort of enabling green building.” He also said that the Hon’ble Prime Minster has put special focus on RE by including it in Pragati Review.
“We are also making efforts to incorporate green architecture into civil engineering and architecture based courses,” Dr Tripathi further added.
Dr Ajay Mathur, Director-General, TERI & President, GRIHA Council said, “The dovetailing between BEE and GRIHA’s works has led us to a process where we have an example of what good, clean and liveable buildings can be like. Considering that two-thirds of infrastructure to exist in 2030 is yet to be built, it presents us with a huge opportunity to ensure that all new buildings are green. With the strong support of MNRE, GRIHA provides a platform to both enable and ensure this green-ness.”
Expressing pleasure at the engagement with GRIHA, Mr. Pau Abello Pellicer, MD, Parryware, commented in his special remarks, “Parryware’s commitment to environment conservation has led to innovate the eco-range of sustainable products like high efficiency flushing systems, sensor operated faucets, shower panels, waterless urinals. These products meet the GRIHA parameters and are endorsed by it. We’re also working on energy, water and GHG footprint reduction projects. This accomplishment asserts the fact that our products support the cause of green buildings.”
Setting the theme of the Summit, Ms Mili Majumdar, Secretary cum Treasurer, GRIHA Council, said, “The annual Summit reflects TERI and GRIHA Council’s continued commitment to the cause and mission of Sustainable habitats. GRIHA is committed to contribute India’s INDC goals and shall ensure that sustainability as a concept touches all strata of our society and reaches all homes and habitats in the country”.
The narrative of sustainability and green buildings assumes even greater importance at present as India’s ‘Smart Cities’ initiative mandates 80% buildings in the shortlisted cities to be green. The GRIHA rating system has also been acknowledged as India’s own green building rating system in the INDCs submitted by India to UNFCCC.
Thus, with a view to transforming our urban centres into smarter, high-performance habitats, THE GRIHA Summit would be hosting discussions over the next two days around vital sustainability issues - energy and water management, innovation in transport, and recovery from waste at building, campus, and city level. The Summit will see the presence of representatives from government and private entities alike, who will share their ideas and examine the current endeavours in sustainable design, both at micro and macro level that will be showcased during the programme.
As a prelude to the main conference, the Summit also hosted a set of side events along with an exhibition of a multitude of green products, all aimed at transforming the discussion of sustainability and green buildings into a comprehensive and prolific experience for the attendees. The programme will culminate into a site visit of a GRIHA registered project - Solar Energy Centre, Gurgaon on 20 February. This visit will be an opportunity to explore the on-site implementation of the much discussed green practices in this sector.
TERI-GRIHA (developed by TERI) was launched in 2005, which was subsequently adopted by the Ministry of New and Renewable Energy (MNRE), Government of India in 2007. GRIHA Council was established jointly by TERI, MNRE and other stakeholders as an independent body for further development and operationalisation of GRIHA in 2009. GRIHA is a tool developed by TERI, with an objective to ensure energy-efficient building construction. It is a tool that combines initiatives essential for mainstreaming sustainable habitats in India. It helps to design, build, operate and maintain a resource-efficient built environment.
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At Northway Medical Associates, we do more than offer primary physician care to our patients – we strive to work with every patient to help them achieve a healthy, sustainable lifestyle. Our team of expert doctors have years of experience serving patients of all ages throughout the Baldwinsville and Fulton, NY areas, and we take a holistic approach to family medicine, focusED on achieving overall health in the long-term. Instead of just focusing on treating illness, we strongly believe in the power of preventive care, in which nutrition counseling is one of the most important parts of that prevention.
Why Should I Get Nutrition Counseling?
One of the most important and often neglected pieces of maintaining a healthy lifestyle is diet. Your diet impacts virtually every part of your overall health, from physical attributes like weight and body mass index to long-term health outcomes like heart disease or cancer. While every individual dietary choice only has a small effect, over the course of a lifetime, these choices can add up and have a profound impact on the health of your body. They say that diet is the best health insurance, and at Northway Medical Associates, our mission is to help you ensure a lifetime of healthy living.
Our professional nutrition counseling services give you access to the expertise of our Baldwinsville providers, allowing you to construct a diet plan that helps you achieve the healthy lifestyle you deserve. Our nutrition counseling patients regularly report a variety of positive impacts on their lives after changing their diet, including:
Increased energy
Higher powers of conversation
Improved mood
Less general fatigue and tiredness
Delays in the aging process
In our professional nutrition counseling services, we'll work with you to construct a plan to achieve a healthier lifestyle. Your expert provider will talk to you about your current diet and lifestyle, then work to create a nutrition plan that works for you, while also ensuring you get the healthy foods you need. We follow a simple three step process, combined with a commitment on your end, and you'll experience all the benefits that a healthy diet has to offer:
First, you'll have a complete evaluation and consultation with one of our New York providers. This appointment will evaluate every aspect of your lifestyle and diet to determine how nutrition can best benefit you.
Based on this evaluation, your physician will work with you to create a comprehensive diet and meal plan. We focus on implementing the patient's input, so we'll customize your diet to make it feasible and easily achievable no matter what your situation.
You'll continue to check in with your Baldwinsville physician on the progress of your plan and your health. With a continued commitment, you'll benefit from a healthy lifestyle for years to come!
Schedule an Appointment with Your Baldwinsville Family Physicians
Nutrition counseling is an excellent way to dramatically improve your overall health and improve your quality of life, and if you're interested in finding out more about how nutrition counseling can help you, we'd be happy to speak with you. Call us today at (315) 598-7105 for our Fulton, NY office or (315) 635-5700. We'll answer any questions you may have about nutrition counseling, and if you're ready to get started, we'll set an appointment for your initial consultation - and set you on the path to a healthier, happier lifestyle.
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THE PRESIDENT: In our lives and the lives of our nation — the life of our nation, there are moments so stark that they divide all that came before from everything that followed. They stop time. They rip away the trivial from the essential. And they force us to confront hard truths about ourselves, about our institutions, and about our democracy.
In the words of Scripture, they remind us to “hate evil, love good, and establish justice in the gate.”
Last week, [Vice] President Harris and I stood in the United States Capitol to observe one of those “before and after” moments in American history: January 6th insurrection on the citadel of our democracy.
Today, we come to Atlanta — the cradle of civil rights — to make clear what must come after that dreadful day when a dagger was literally held at the throat of American democracy.
We stand on the grounds that connect Clark Atlanta — Atlanta University, Morehouse College, and near Spelman College — the home of generations of advocates, activists, educators and preachers; young people, just like the students here, who have done so much to build a better America. (Applause.)
We visited the sacred Ebenezer Baptist Church and paused to prayed at the crypt of Dr. and Mrs. King, and spent time with their family. And here in the district — as was pointed out — represented and reflected the life of beloved friend, John Lewis.
In their lifetimes, time stopped when a bomb blew up the 16th Street Baptist Church in Birmingham and murdered four little girls.
They [Time] stopped when John and many others seeking justice were beaten and bloodied while crossing the bridge at Selma named after the Grand Dragon of the Ku Klux Klan.
They stopped — time stopped, and they forced the country to confront the hard truths and to act — to act to keep the promise of America alive: the promise that holds that we’re all created equal but, more importantly, deserve to be treated equally. And from those moments of darkness and despair came light and hope.
Democrats, Republicans, and independents worked to pass the historic Civil Rights Act and the voting rights legislation. And each successive generation continued that ongoing work.
But then the violent mob of January 6th, 2021, empowered and encouraged by a defeated former president, sought to win through violence what he had lost at the ballot box, to impose the will of the mob, to overturn a free and fair election, and, for the first time — the first time in American history, they — to stop the peaceful transfer of power.
They failed. They failed. (Applause.) But democracy’s — but democracy’s visi- — victory was not certain, nor is democracy’s future.
That’s why we’re here today to stand against the forces in America that value power over principle, forces that attempted a coup — a coup against the legally expressed will of the American people — by sowing doubt, inventing charges of fraud, and seeking to steal the 2020 election from the people.
They want chaos to reign. We want the people to rule. (Applause.)
But let me be clear: This is not about me or Vice President Harris or our party; it’s about all of us. It’s about the people. It’s about America.
Hear me plainly: The battle for the soul of America is not over. We must stand strong and stand together to make sure January 6th marks not the end of democracy but the beginning of a renaissance of our democracy. (Applause.)
You know, for the right to vote and to have that vote counted is democracy’s threshold liberty. Without it, nothing is possible, but with it, anything is possible.
But while the denial of fair and free elections is un-democratic, it is not unprecedented.
Black Americans were denied full citizenship and voting rights until 1965. Women were denied the right to vote until just 100 years ago. The United States Supreme Court, in recent years, has weakened the Voting Rights Act. And now the defeated former president and his supporters use the Big Lie about the 2020 election to fuel torrent and torment and anti-voting laws — new laws designed to suppress your vote, to subvert our elections.
Here in Georgia, for years, you’ve done the hard work of democracy: registering voters, educating voters, getting voters to the polls. You’ve built a broad coalition of voters: Black, white, Latino, Asian American, urban, suburban, rural, working class, and middle class.
And it’s worked: You’ve changed the state by bringing more people, legally, to the polls. (Applause.) That’s how you won the historic elections of Senator Raphael Warnock and Senator Jon Ossoff. (Applause.)
You did it — you did it the right way, the democratic way.
And what’s been the reaction of Republicans in Georgia? Choose the wrong way, the undemocratic way. To them, too many people voting in a democracy is a problem. So they’re putting up obstacles.
For example, voting by mail is a safe and convenient way to get more people to vote, so they’re making it harder for you to vote by mail.
The same way, I might add, in the 2020 Election, President Trump voted from behind the desk in the White House — in Florida.
Dropping your ballots off to secure drop boxes — it’s safe, it’s convenient, and you get more people to vote. So they’re limiting the number of drop boxes and the hours you can use them.
Taking away the options has a predictable effect: longer lines at the polls, lines that can last for hours. You’ve seen it with your own eyes. People get tired and they get hungry.
When the Bible teaches us to feed the hungry and give water to the thirsty, the new Georgia law actually makes it illegal — think of this — I mean, it’s 2020, and now ’22, going into that election — it makes it illegal to bring your neighbors, your fellow voters food or water while they wait in line to vote. What in the hell — heck are we talking about? (Laughter and applause.)
I mean, think about it. (Applause.) That’s not America. That’s what it looks like when they suppress the right to vote.
And here’s how they plan to subvert the election: The Georgia Republican Party, the state legislature has now given itself the power to make it easier for partisan actors — their cronies — to remove local election officials.
Think about that. What happened in the last election? The former president and allies pursued, threatened, and intimidated state and local election officials.
Election workers — ordinary citizens — were subject to death threats, menacing phone calls, people stalking them in their homes.
Remember what the defeated former president said to the highest-ranking election official — a Republican — in this state? He said, quote, “I just want to find 11,780 votes.”
Pray God. (Laughter.) He didn’t say that part. (Laughter.)
He didn’t say, “Count the votes.” He said, “find votes” that he needed to win.
He failed because of the courageous officials — Democrats, Republicans — who did their duty and upheld the law. (Applause.)
But with this new law in Georgia, his loyal- — his loyalists will be placed in charge of state elections. (Laughs.) What is that going to mean? Well, the chances for chaos and subversion are even greater as partisans seek the result they want — no matter what the voters have said, no matter what the count. The votes of nearly 5 million Georgians will be up for grabs if that law holds.
It’s not just here in Georgia. Last year alone, 19 states not proposed but enacted 34 laws attacking voting rights. There were nearly 400 additional bills Republican members of state legislatures tried to pass. And now, Republican legislators in several states have already announced plans to escalate the onslaught this year.
Their endgame? To turn the will of the voters into a mere suggestion — something states can respect or ignore.
Jim Crow 2.0 is about two insidious things: voter suppression and election subversion. It’s no longer about who gets to vote; it’s about making it harder to vote. It’s about who gets to count the vote and whether your vote counts at all.
It’s not hyperbole; this is a fact.
Look, this matters to all of us. The goal of the former president and his allies is to disenfranchise anyone who votes against them. Simple as that. The facts won’t matter; your vote won’t matter. They’ll just decide what they want and then do it.
That’s the kind of power you see in totalitarian states, not in democracies.
We must be vigilant.
And the world is watching. I know the majority of the world leaders — the good and the bad ones, adversaries and allies alike. They’re watching American democracy and seeing whether we can meet this moment. And that’s not hyperbole.
When I showed up at the G7 with seven other world leaders — there were a total of nine present — Vice President Harris and I have spent our careers doing this work — I said, “America is back.” And the response was, “For how long?” “For how long?”
As someone who’s worked in foreign policy my whole life, I never thought I would ever hear our allies say something like that.
Over the past year, we’ve directed federal agencies to promote access to voting, led by the Vice President. We’ve appointed top civil rights advocates to help the U.S. Department of Justice, which has doubled its voting rights enforcement staff.
And today, we call on Congress to get done what history will judge: Pass the Freedom to Vote Act. (Applause.) Pass it now — (applause) — which would prevent voter suppression so that here in Georgia there’s full access to voting by mail, there are enough drop boxes during enough hours so that you can bring food and water as well to people waiting in line.
The Freedom to Vote Act takes on election subversion to protect nonpartisan electors [election] officials, who are doing their job, from intimidation and interference.
I’ve been having these quiet conversations with the members of Congress for the last two months. I’m tired of being quiet! (Applause.)
Folks, it’ll restore the strength of the Voting Rights Act of ’65 — the one President Johnson signed after John Lewis was beaten, nearly killed on Bloody Sunday, only to have the Supreme Court weaken it multiple times over the past decade.
Restoring the Voting Rights Act would mean the Justice Department can stop discriminatory laws before they go into effect — before they go into effect. (Applause.)
The Vice President and I have supported voting rights bills since day one of this administration. But each and every time, Senate Republicans have blocked the way. Republicans oppose even debating the issue. You hear me?
I’ve been around the Senate a long time. I was Vice President for eight years. I’ve never seen a circumstance where not one single Republican has a voice that’s ready to speak for justice now.
When I was a senator, including when I headed up the Judiciary Committee, I helped reauthorize the Voting [Rights] Act three times. We held hearings. We debated. We voted. I was able to extend the Voting Rights Act for 25 years.
In 2006, the Voting Rights Act passed 390 to 33 in
the House of Representatives and 98 to 0 in the Senate with votes from 16 current sitting Republicans in this United States Senate. Sixteen of them voted to extend it.
The last year I was chairman, as some of my friends sitting down here will tell you, Strom Thurmond voted to extend the Voting Rights Act. Strom Thurmond.
THE PRESIDENT: You can say that again: “Wow.” You have no idea how damn ha- — how darn hard I worked on that one. (Laughter and applause.)
But, folks, then it was signed into law, the last time, by President George W. Bush.
You know, when we got voting rights extended in the 1980s, as I’ve said, even Thurmond supported it. Think about that. The man who led the longest filibu- — one of the longest filibusters in history in the United States Senate in 1957 against the Voting Rights Act [Civil Rights Act]. The man who led and sided with the old Southern Bulls in the United States Senate to perpetuate segregation in this nation. Even Strom Thurmond came to support voting rights.
But Republicans today can’t and won’t. Not a single Republican has displayed the courage to stand up to a defeated president to protect America’s right to vote. Not one. Not one.
We have 50-50 in the United States Senate. That means we have 51 presidents. (Laughter.) You all think I’m kidding. (Laughter.)
I’ve been pretty good at working with senators my whole career. But, man, when you got 51 presidents, it gets harder. Any one can change the outcome.
Sadly, the United States Senate — designed to be the world’s greatest deliberative body — has been rendered a shell of its former self. It gives me no satisfaction in saying that, as an institutionalist, as a man who was honored to serve in the Senate.
But as an institutionalist, I believe that the threat to our democracy is so grave that we must find a way to pass these voting rights bills, debate them, vote.
Let the majority prevail. (Applause.) And if that bare minimum is blocked, we have no option but to change the Senate rules, including getting rid of the filibuster for this. (Applause.)
You know, last year, if I’m not mistaken, the filibuster was used 154 times. The filibuster has been used to generate compromise in the past and promote some bipartisanship. But it’s also been used to obstruct — including and especially obstruct civil rights and voting rights.
And when it was used, senators traditionally used to have to stand and speak at their desks for however long it took, and sometimes it took hours. And when they sat down, if no one immediately stood up, anyone could call for a vote or the debate ended.
But that doesn’t happen today. Senators no longer even have to speak one word. The filibuster is not used by Republicans to bring the Senate together but to pull it further apart.
The filibuster has been weaponized and abused.
While the state legislatures’ assault on voting rights is simple — all you need in your House and Senate is a pure majority — in the United States Senate, it takes a supermajority: 60 votes, even to get a vote — instead of 50 — to protect the right to vote.
State legislatures can pass anti-voting laws with simple majorities. If they can do that, then the United States Senate should be able to protect voting rights by a simple majority. (Applause.)
Today I’m making it clear: To protect our democracy, I support changing the Senate rules, whichever way they need to be changed — (applause) — to prevent a minority of senators from blocking action on voting rights. (Applause.)
When it comes to protecting majority rule in America, the majority should rule in the United States Senate.
I make this announcement with careful deliberation, recognizing the fundamental right to vote is the right from which all other rights flow.
And I make it with an appeal to my Republican colleagues, to those Republicans who believe in the rule of law: Restore the bipartisan tradition of voting rights.
The people who restored it, who abided by it in the past were Richard Nixon, Gerald Ford, Ronald Reagan, George H.W. Bush, George W. Bush. They all supported the Voting Rights Act.
Don’t let the Republican Party morph into something else. Restore the institution of the Senate the way it was designed to be.
Senate rules were just changed to raise the debt ceiling so we wouldn’t renege on our debt for the first time in our history and prevent an economic crisis. That was done by a simple majority.
As Senator Warnock said a few weeks ago in a powerful speech: If we change the rules to protect the full faith and credit of the United States, we should be able to change the rules to protect the heart and soul of our democracy. (Applause.) He was right.
In the days that followed John Lewis’s death, there was an outpouring of praise and support across the political spectrum.
But as we stand here today, it isn’t enough just to praise his memory. We must translate eulogy into action. We need to follow John Lewis’s footsteps. We need to support the bill in his name.
Just a few days ago, we talked about — up in the Congress and in the White House — the event coming up shortly to celebrate Dr. King’s birthday. And Americans of all stripes will praise him for the content of his character.
But as Dr. King’s family said before, it’s not enough to praise their father. They even said: On this holiday, don’t celebrate his birthday unless you’re willing to support what he lived for and what he died for. (Applause.)
The next few days, when these bills come to a vote, will mark a turning point in this nation’s history.
I know where I stand. I will not yield. I will not flinch. I will defend the right to vote, our democracy against all enemies — foreign and, yes, domestic. (Applause.)
And the question is: Where will the institution of the United States Senate stand? Every senator — Democrat, Republican, and independent — will have to declare where they stand, not just for the moment, but for the ages.
Will you stand against voter suppression? Yes or no? That’s the question they’ll answer. Will you stand against election subversion? Yes or no? Will you stand for democracy? Yes or no?
And here’s one thing every senator and every American should remember: History has never been kind to those who have sided with voter suppression over voters’ rights. And it will be even less kind for those who side with election subversion.
So, I ask every elected official in America: How do you want to be remembered?
At consequential moments in history, they present a choice: Do you want to be the si- — on the side of Dr. King or George Wallace? Do you want to be on the side of John Lewis or Bull Connor? Do you want to be on the side of Abraham Lincoln or Jefferson Davis?
This is the moment to decide to defend our elections, to defend our democracy. (Applause.)
And if you do that, you will not be alone. That’s because the struggle to protect voting rights has never been borne by one group alone.
We saw Freedom Riders of every race. Leaders of every faith marching arm in arm. And, yes, Democrats and Republicans in Congress of the United States and in the presidency.
I did not live the struggle of Douglass, Tubman, King, Lewis, Goodman, Chaney, and Schwerner, and countless others — known and unknown.
I did not walk in the shoes of generations of students who walked these grounds. But I walked other grounds. Because I’m so damn old, I was there as well. (Laughter.)
You think I’m kidding, man. (Laughter.) It seems like yesterday the first time I got arrested. Anyway — (laughter).
But their struggles here — they were the ones that opened my eyes as a high school student in the late — in the late ’50s and early ’60s. They got me more engaged in the work of my life.
And what we’re talking about today is rooted in the very idea of America — the idea that Annell Ponder, who graduated
from Clark Atlanta, captured in a single word. She was a teacher and librarian who was also an unyielding champion of voting rights.
In 1963 — when I was just starting college at university — after registering voters in Mississippi, she was pulled off a bus, arrested, and jailed, where she was brutally beaten.
In her cell, next to her, was Fannie Lou Hamer, who described the beating this way, and I quote: “I could hear the sounds of [the] licks and [the] horrible screams…They beat her, I don’t know [for] how long. And after a while, she began to pray, and asked God to have mercy on those people.”
Annell Ponder’s friends visited her the next day. Her face was badly swollen. She could hardly talk.
But she managed to whi- — whisper one word: “Freedom.” “Freedom” — the only word she whispered.
After nearly 250 years since our founding, that singular idea still echoes. But it’s up to all of us to make sure it never fades, especially the students here — your generation that just started voting — as there are those who are trying to take away that vi- — vote you just started to be able to exercise.
But the giants we honor today were your age when they made clear who we must be as a nation. Not a joke. Think about it. In the early ’60s, they were sitting where you’re sitting. They were you. And like them, you give me much hope for the future.
Before and after in our lives — and in the life of the nation — democracy is who we are, who we must be — now and forever. So, let’s stand in this breach together. Let’s love good, establish justice in the gate.
And remember, as I said, there is one — this is one of those defining moments in American history: Each of those who vote will be remembered by class after class, in the ’50s and ’60s — the 2050s and ’60s. Each one of the members of the Senate is going to be judged by history on where they stood before the vote and where they stood after the vote.
As my fath- — my grandfather Finnegan used to say every time I walked out the door in Scranton, he’d say, “Joey, keep the faith.” Then he’d say, “No, Joey, spread it.”
May God bless you all. And may God protect the sacred right to vote. (Applause.) Thank you. I mean it. Let’s go get this done. Thank you. (Applause.)
January 11, 2022 • Press Briefings
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Brian Trota was born and raised in Toronto. He is a certified Career Coach with a specialization in network growth and job search planning. He's also a published author with a special interest in career development. He founded Your Dynamic Career in 2018 with the desire to help people find a better job and create better career paths. He is currently completing his first ebook. He is based in Brantford. You can contact him directly at: YourDynamicCareer@gmail.com
Career Development Hidden Job Market
How to Create, Host and Promote a Professional Meet-Up Group (Pt. 2)
December 19, 2018
2 mins read
There are many great benefits to starting and maintaining a professional meet-up group. If you are willing to take time to build one up you will definitely reap the benefits sooner than later.
Promote the Benefits
It might be a bit tough in the beginning to attract professionals to the meet-up you just made. Focus on giving loads of value to the attendees. Along with the networking aspect to it, promote it as an important learning-based meet-up where they will meet like-minded professionals. Try to acquire guest speakers or develop workshops on skills needed in your specific field. Brainstorm ideas of providing interesting parts to the meet-up and try to make it unique in comparison to others in your area.
Promote on Social Media
Promotion on social media is a big part of getting your meet-up the attention of the right professionals. At first try spending a few dollars on boosting ads (On Facebook) and see what the reaction is. As your meet-up grows word-of-mouth will be an essential component to your marketing strategy. Facebook and LinkedIn are the two cornestone social media platforms that you must be using.
You don’t have to spend an arm and leg on branding your meet-up and creating a website. You can find a decent designer to create a logo on Fivrr and you can easily create a website on Squaredspace, WordPress, Wix, or Google–check out which one best fits your needs, but all are pretty good. Remember to print out business cards–you can use a local printer in your area or use Vista Print which always has some type of promotion going on! For between $250 to $350 you can have a well-branded, decently marketed meet-up with a great website!
Sponsorship
You can really put your skills to the test by connecting with local business or organizations if they want to sponsor your meet-up(s). You can create simple packages and again tout the benefits of your meet-up. Try building your event over time and you will at least have something established to sell–whether it be the growth of the meet-up, quality of guest speakers or the workshops that you have created.
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With my rhinestone jewelry adorning my long black and white gown, I strode into the home of our host, Tom, already filling up with our usual crowd of party lovers. With drinks in hand, giving air kisses to upturned cheeks, we toasted one another with a wide variety of drinks, attempting to speak French on this July 14 La Fete National on Bastille Day Celebration. Perhaps like the others, I had spent most the day getting nails done, acquiring an elaborate hair style, deciding what to wear and take as a gift for our handsome host, who handed me a chocolate martini while giving me a kiss on the cheek. Ohh la la! A greeting frequently heard as more guests arrived.
Finally Janelle sauntered in with William, another party regular, who picked her up at Minnetonka where she is presently living, caring for a man dying of cancer. Looking as beautiful as ever, she expressed her agony to one and all that her beloved Serena had lost at Wimbledon — in two fast sets! How disastrous that this woman she so idolized should lose yet another championship tournament, in two quick sets, at that.
Now this may seem a bit like an extreme reaction to some, but to Janelle, a DACA, who has no place of her own, no means of earning a living that would require a Social Security number, and no means of safely securing any funds she earns, she is pretty much forced into a migratory lifestyle. I didn’t realize just how all encompassing and lonely a lifestyle she was forced to live, thus making Serena’s life of vital importance. For here was a black woman who defied all odds to win the most tennis championships of any player thus far. When I first met Janelle two years ago, she was staying with one or more of Tom’s friends while here from N.Y. She mentioned then she was a model and certainly looked and dressed the part. She was in the carload of party goers who dropped me off at my home and asked to see my house when Tom walked the two of us to the door. Hearing I was a writer, she came in and wondered if she could have a copy of my book, kinda hinting my home looked like a nice place to stay. Waving good-bye with my book in her hand, she left with Tom and friends while I thought to myself, no more ‘the man who came to dinner’ scenes for me. I valued too much living alone, a relatively new experience for me.
But two years later, squeezing my hand for dear life as we sat in the lobby of a theatre presenting an opera with our usual party friends, she told me of how desperate she felt in her present setting and how badly she needed to have her story written and published — that her life as a DACA needed to be told. I, for lack of a better phrase, ‘felt her pain’ – that resulted with her moving in with me. My home was a perfect setting as I had a bedroom suite and private bath on a separate floor and with her iPhone and Apple computer, she had easy access to the outside world . And so I began interviewing her for a series of blogs appearing on my web-site while she sought some kind of employment with help from some of Tom’s friends, particularly William, who had access to the theatre world. I learned she had worked as a photographer, model, set builder, makeup artist and photo editor and had organized shootouts indoors and outdoors. But summertime in the Twin Cities with few jobs available, needing a source of money, left her moving into a home in Minnetonka on the outskirts of St. Paul to take care of an elderly man very ill with cancer. William could provide her with transportation there occasionally when he had work there. And so before I knew it, she was GONE, taking all her worldly goods with her.
Renee’ and I were baffled! The three of us had become such good friends on the days Renee’ worked with me on Organizing my home and Simplifying my life. Janelle’s now been gone more than a month and knows not where she will be or go when her client dies. When that happens she will be doing what she has done every since she left the home of the Jewish woman in NY with whom she lived for four years. Every since then, when a job opens, no matter how far away, ALL your stuff goes with you since you may not be back and you cannot afford to keep a place elsewhere, not even a locked storage. Everything she owns fits into two huge suitcases and a few shoulder bags.
It then occurred to me that all she owns is her own body. Nothing more! How can she plan her future. Could you? Stay tuned……
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The Rate of Change is Staggering!
“Good luck to all of us and this little experiment with Democracy. I hope we can hang on to it. It’s been pretty cool.” — Christine Rousu
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Interview with Hannah Godfrey, Senior Vice President Global Commercial Development at Adyen - Erevena
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Interview with Hannah Godfrey, Senior Vice President Global Commercial Development at Adyen
Hannah Godfrey, Senior Vice President Global Commercial Development at Adyen, talks to Maddy Cross, Partner at Erevena, about her trans-Atlantic career in SaaS sales. She urges business leaders to be more proactive about recruiting women into sales roles, promoting diversity and reaping the associated benefits.
Adyen is a Dutch payment company that allows businesses to accept e-commerce, mobile, and point-of-sale payments. Hannah is based in London, from where she has been remotely connecting with an international team after joining Ayden during a year of lockdowns.
What attracted you to a career in sales?
Like many people, it was something I fell into by chance. I studied languages at university (Spanish and Portuguese) and wanted to be a journalist and travel the world. So, when I graduated, I applied to lots of internship programmes at publications that I really respected but didn’t hear back from most of them. The job market at the time – 2009 – wasn’t very good, so when I saw a position advertised at a company called Brandwatch in my hometown of Brighton looking for Spanish and Portuguese speakers, in desperation, I thought I’d give it a go.
It was only when I got to the interview that I learned a little about what sales was. My initial thoughts were to take the job, earn some money, then go traveling and build my way up to being a journalist. As you can see, it didn’t work out that way and I’ve now happily spent my whole career in sales.
What opportunities arose from that first job?
Brandwatch was a small SaaS start-up employing about 15 people. There wasn’t much specialisation of roles in the industry at the time, unlike today. So, I was selling, prospecting and managing accounts. The company grew very quickly and after a year I was sent to New York to open the US office. I spent four or five years in New York growing the team before moving across to San Francisco to open a West Coast office.
I was with Brandwatch for around seven years and saw them grow to about 500 people with a similar increase in revenue and customers. I then moved to another Silicon Valley SaaS company called Tubular Labs as VP of Sales, running a sales team across the US. This was another great early career experience but after a year I decided it was time to move back to the UK.
How did the transition from the US to the UK go?
I hadn’t worked in London before but that’s where I decided to set up my own SaaS consulting company, Godfrey Group. I knew the SaaS market in the US, but felt Europe was a little behind the US. I went through my LinkedIn network and had as many coffees with different people in the industry as I could. I found myself working on go-to-market strategy for multiple early-stage SaaS companies, more specifically on sales strategy, coaching, mentorship, playbook design and so on.
What prompted the move from consulting back to sales?
My business was acquired by a Silicon Valley SaaS consultancy and I became UK Managing Director. This took me beyond just the early-stage SaaS ventures to working with the likes of Google and Adobe. After three years I decided that it was time for me to get back to executing, rather than consulting and I took on the role that I’m in now at Adyen. They’re a leader in the payments industry and I’m building a commercial strategy for our mid-market segment. It’s not too different from some of the consulting work I was doing before because I don’t have a sales team. But it’s definitely a change and I’m enjoying it very much.
What stops women considering a career in software or technology sales?
The number of women in tech sales is super low. The issue is systemic. If you don’t see ‘me’ in a company or see ‘me’ in the recruitment process, whether that’s by gender, race, economic background or culturally, it’s much, much tougher to make the decision to work there. You think that maybe it’s not for me as I don’t see myself represented.
Then there’s the issue of job descriptions. I see so many that I just want to tear up and start again. The type of language used portrays sales as something aggressive and demanding. And when you see job descriptions that are 70% travel, you know that creates a barrier for many women, who also need to prioritise other responsibilities like children. Whereas in my experience, it’s not such a consideration for men. I think we all need to shift the perception of sales – I’ll come back to the interview process later.
What should businesses be doing to encourage more women into software sales?
They should look for diverse talent in diverse places. They need to rip up the recruitment rulebook. It doesn’t have to be someone with a university degree or a specific number of years in technology sales. Some of the best candidates I’ve ever hired have come from totally different backgrounds.
Companies need to be proactive about recruiting women. When I hear them saying that they hire more men because they don’t get enough women applying, I throw my hands up in the air. They need to go out seek diverse applicants. And look closer to home, with mentorship and coaching within their own organisations. There’s going to be capable, amazing saleswomen who are currently in different roles, perhaps in account management, or marketing. Maybe they’re thinking “sales isn’t for me” and just need some encouragement.
What about the interview process that you mentioned earlier?
Yes, this can be a blocker to recruiting a more diverse sales force. Women who’ve taken a career break to have children often find themselves facing interview panels where the men simply can’t get their head around the career gap. There’s a sense that a woman returning to work has been out of the game too long. It’s hard not to feel a bit despairing when you think about it and I can’t really say that I’ve seen much improvement in this. But it can change. It needs a new mindset. One that accepts that women make great salespeople.
What advice would you give to a young woman thinking of a career in SaaS sales?
Don’t be put off and don’t undersell yourself. I also think as a gender we tend to be perfectionists. I have a personal motto that says my 80% effort is better than my 100%. I’ve learned over the years that, for me, putting in 100% goes above and beyond and leads to burnout. You can’t do everything perfectly, in any given day, something has to give, whether it’s work, home life, or one of the other balls you’re juggling. So, it’s about being realistic with yourself. Many men I know just jump into situations and don’t worry about 100% perfection. And that would be my advice to women coming into tech sales – jump in and give it a go. You might surprise yourself.
You’ve mentioned networking – how can this help women in sales?
I believe it’s important to reach out to women in senior leadership positions. Ask for a chat or arrange a coffee. I’ve done so much of that in my career – to men as well as to women. People in senior positions are often thrilled to be asked how they got there. It can be a way to open doors to new opportunities. And we need to open doors. One reason for the SaaS industry being so bad for gender diversity is the money. Where do we get investment from? Venture capital. There’s a systemic problem with gender diversity in the VC industry. At the same time, these investors have so much knowledge. In my experience, many of them are willing to share that knowledge, so don’t be afraid to initiate a conversation with investors.
I’m also a member of the Revenue Collective, which is an invaluable private networking and knowledge-sharing network for people in senior roles associated with ‘revenue’, for example VP of sales, chief marketing officers and chief revenue officers. There’s also an associate programme for emerging leaders, who are currently at account executive level. We host workshops, events, dinners, plus have a Slack channel where we share tips and learning, and more. I lead the Women of EMEA group and it’s absolutely fantastic. You can find out more about it on the website www.revenuecollective.com or via LinkedIn.
What impact has the Covid-19 pandemic had on women’s roles in your industry?
I am really hopeful for a positive outcome. Remote working – which we’ve all had to get used to – is an equalizer. Talent is no longer bound by location. And the 9-5 working day is dead. This is great for women who want more flexibility and I can see more people refusing to join companies with strict policies on hours and location. Of course, there are huge challenges ahead for collaboration as some people go back to the office, while others don’t. But there definitely seems to be a new normal emerging work wise.
While I was in the US, I came across many SaaS companies already operating 100% remotely and they were doing incredibly well. A lot of this is down to trust. Do you trust your employees to be as productive out of the office as they are in it? Where I work at Ayden, there’s an amazing culture that gives you this flexibility. There’s also an exchange programme where you can go and work from any of our global offices. I think if you find the right people who are interested and passionate about the work they’re doing, they’ll do it from anywhere.
On a personal level, joining a company during the pandemic has been a challenge. I’d expect to be travelling out to meet colleagues in different countries, but I’ve had to do it all via Zoom. Working on a big change management project requiring a shift in mindset isn’t easy remotely. At the same time, I come back to my earlier point that it has been an equalizer because I can just reach out to anyone via Zoom.
What are your hopes for the future of women in software and technology sales?
I’d love to see a level gender balance. There’s no reason why it shouldn’t be 50:50. It will just take a proactive effort from more senior leaders to recruit more women. They need to shift their mindset and allow for the different circumstances of people in their teams. After all, as the data confirms, more diverse teams achieve better results.
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6 July 2021
Interview with Helen Sutton, Senior Vice President EMEA and APAC Sales at Dataminr
25 January 2021
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