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What Should You Do if You're Threatened by a Mass Murderer?
Calling 911 isn't enough.
On July 23, 2007, two men invaded the Cheshire, Connecticut home of Dr. William Petit Jr., his wife Jennifer Hawke-Petit and their daughters 11-year-old Michaela and 17 year-old Hayley. There wasn't a gun in the house that could have been used to ward off the attackers. They savagely beat Dr. Petit and then left him to focus on the others. He managed to call 911. The attackers tied the girls to their beds. Jennifer was raped and strangled, the girls were sexually abused, then the place was doused with gasoline and torched.
Incredibly, police who arrived at the scene didn't go straight into the house. They were said to have stood around outside for about 25 minutes, and there were off-the-record reports of screams from the house during that time. After having committed three murders, the men tried to escape, and police caught them outside.
Dr. Pettit wanted to know why the police didn't try to stop the killing, but evidently neither Town Manager Michael Milone, nor Police Chief Michael Cruess (when the crime occurred) nor the present Police Chief Neil Dryfe had any comments. According to the Hartford Courant, the police department didn't review their handling of this case. Town officials similarly declined to answer questions from David Heilbroner and Kate Davis, who produced The Cheshire Murders, a documentary that HBO aired in July. The Associated Press reported, "Connecticut Cops Still Mum On '07 Home Invasion Response."
SWAT team and posse too slow
This could have been a matter of incompetence or cowardice. It could also have been a matter of obsolete police procedure. Officers might have been ordered not to do anything until a police supervisor arrived. Or they might have been ordered to wait until a SWAT (Special Weapons And Tactics) team was on the scene.
Until the mid-1960s, police work was generally handled by patrolmen. Then came a succession of difficult challenges, like the Watts riots (Los Angeles, 1965), barricaded gunmen, hostage situations and snipers. For example, on August 1, 1966, a sniper climbed to the top of the Texas Bell Tower at the University of Texas and killed 15 people, wounding 31 others.
These challenges led to the formation of specialized tactical forces — SWAT teams. Their policy has been to proceed slowly and deliberately. In any case, it was hard to move fast, since a SWAT team involved assembling men, advanced weapons and tactical equipment.
The April 20, 1999 massacre at Columbine High School, Littleton, Colorado was a wake-up call. Apparently two disgruntled seniors wanted to do copycat killings that would rival the Oklahoma City bombing (April 19, 1995). Undoubtedly one consideration was that a school was a gun-free zone where attackers could anticipate little, if any, resistance. The idea of these seniors was to detonate two bombs in the cafeteria, driving people out of the building and into a hail of gunfire. The bombs didn't go off, so the duo went inside and began to shoot randomly. They found the largest concentration of students in the library, cowering helplessly under desks, and that's where the killers seem to have spent most of their time. Altogether, 13 people were murdered, and another 24 were wounded. This was the most deadly attack at an American high school.
Some police who arrived at the scene reportedly entered the building but backed off when they saw the bombs. There was a decision for officers to stay outside until a bomb squad or SWAT team arrived. It isn't known if a bomb squad ever showed up. There was a SWAT team, but it was too slow to do victims any good. The shooting began about 11:19 AM, and it ended around 12:08 PM when the killers were believed to have committed suicide. Incredibly, a SWAT team didn't enter the building until about 1:09 PM — about an hour after the massacre ended! See a shocking timeline for yourself.
All the officers gathered outside did nothing to stop the slaughter inside. The more time passed, the more people were killed. This must rank among the worst episodes in the history of American law enforcement.
If you wish to check out the police response to mass murders discussed in this article, or any other cases that might interest you, try to find a timeline and note: (1) the time when killing began, (2) the time when the first 911 call was made, (3) the time when police arrived at the scene, (4) the time when police entered the building and (5) the time when they reached or stopped the killer (who in many cases commits suicide). (1), (2) and (3) are commonly mentioned in press reports. (4) and (5) can be a problem, commonly omitted from press reports.
The point in this article isn't to criticize police. The point is you need to understand that if you're threatened by a killer, you're on your own, and you must take initiative to protect yourself. There's a high probability that police cannot stop the killer in time to save you.
The Columbine experience made many observers realize that the more quickly police intervened, the more lives might be saved. Consequently, it was better to intervene sooner, even though that meant going in with fewer officers. Police departments across the country began training officers to form small groups — commonly four officers — with whomever the early arrivals turn out to be. This is sometimes referred to as the "posse theory." With greater recognition that faster intervention means saving more lives, the small-group strategy was refined. Especially in large, compartmentalized facilities like a school, often with much sound-proofing, it's hard to tell where gunshots might be coming from unless the killer is nearby, so the strategy was to have small groups enter a building and split up, enabling the officers to explore more corridors, rooms, stairways and other parts of a building faster.
The posse theory, however, was never universally adopted, and in any case it, too, involved having officers wait around until there were enough to proceed.
On April 3, 2009 — almost a decade after Columbine — there was another wake-up call: a mass killing at the American Civic Association immigration center, Binghamton, New York, and it was déjà vu all over again. Around 10:30 AM, a man barricaded the rear entrance of the building with a car, so nobody could escape, then went to the front entrance, walked into the building and began shooting. Somebody called 911 right away. The gunman entered a classroom and shot everyone. He fired 88 rounds with a 9mm Beretta and 11 more rounds with a .45 caliber Beretta. Altogether 13 people were killed — the same death toll as at Columbine — and four were wounded. The killer committed suicide.
Police, who had arrived about 10:33 AM, three minutes after they had been dispatched, remained outside the building. They didn't try to stop the killing inside. As at Columbine, they waited for a SWAT team. It entered the building at 11:13 AM, approximately a half-hour after the last victim had been shot and 43 minutes after the first 911 call — far too late to do the victims any good.
There continue to be cases where officers arrive at a scene quickly, then wait around outside while killing goes on inside. Don Alwes, a tactical trainer, noted on PoliceOne.com, "As I go around the country teaching, I encounter many departments still instructing officers to wait until 4 or 6 officers are present before making entry."
Which makes it more likely that officers would be too late to save you.
The most critical minutes
In an effort to help save more lives, Ron Borsch, manager and lead trainer at the South East Area Law Enforcement (SEALE) Training Academy, Bedford, Ohio, began analyzing past experience. He identified approximately 150 cases of what he called rapid mass murder attempts in the U.S. since 1975. He defined this to mean more than four people murdered in 20 minutes at the same place.
"Of the pre-Columbine rapid mass murders," he explained, "the average killing time was 11 minutes, (ranging from 2 examples of 4 minutes, to one example of 20 minutes). Among the known times of post-Columbine rapid mass murders, the average time was down to 8 minutes. Now the average killing time is only about 6 minutes."
In many cases, Borsch pointed out, rapid mass murders are over in less time. At Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut, the killing time was 5 or 6 minutes.
A problem is that the first 911 call tends to come in about 6 minutes after a killer has started shooting.
Then officers have to be dispatched, arrive at a location, enter a building, find the killer and stop him.
The odds are that an officer won't be able to stop much if any killing.
Nonetheless, it's an officer's sworn duty to try. Borsch strongly believes that the first officer who arrives at a location should go straight into a building and begin searching for the killer. He should jog through hallways and spend no more than 5 seconds scanning any suspicious room or other placelock along the way.
A rapid mass murderer almost always acts alone, so a solo officer is unlikely to be outnumbered. In addition, a solo officer has had far more training and more time on a shooting range than a killer. Reinforcements are coming for a solo officer, but nobody's coming to help a killer. At least a third of the time, the sounds of approaching police lead a killer to commit suicide. The sooner that happens, the better, since it could mean fewer people killed.
For example, a 45-year-old man burst into the Pinelake Health & Rehab facility, Carthage, North Carolina, and began looking for victims. Within a few minutes, he killed eight people. He was stopped only because a 911 call was placed right away, police officer Justin Garner happened to be nearby, he immediately entered the premises and began a search. The killer fired his shotgun, and pellets hit Garner in the legs and feet, but Garner disabled him with a pistol at 114 feet. Moore County District Attorney Maureen Krueger reported, "We had a well-trained officer who prevented this from getting even worse than it was."
Revelations about rapid mass murder
Ron Borsch, with three decades of police experience, has reported many important findings about rapid mass murders. For instance:
- Although the overall murder rate declined by about 50 percent since 1980, the annual number of rapid mass murders has nearly quadrupled since Columbine.
- A rapid mass murderer's apparent aim is to kill as many people as possible in a short period of time. Such killers are rarely interested in negotiation.
- These killers tend to be cowards, because they generally favor gun-free zones where few, if any people, are likely to resist their attacks with force.
- Most common targets: 41 percent of rapid mass murder attempts occur at educational facilities — 31 percent at K-12 schools, 10 percent at colleges and universities, so killers prefer facing little children rather than big guys.
- By comparison, 7 percent of rapid mass murder attempts occur at offices, 6 percent at churches, 5 percent at eating places, 5 percent at malls, 4 percent at factories, 4 percent at government offices, 3 percent at hospitals, 2 percent at grocery stores, 2 percent at post offices and 1 percent at bars and night clubs.
- 62 percent of rapid mass murder attempts are stopped by civilians on-site– not police based off-site.
- 76 percent of successful civilian attempts to stop rapid mass murder are initiated by one individual.
- About two-thirds of civilians who stop a rapid mass murder attempt are unarmed.
- 38 percent of rapid mass murder attempts are stopped by police.
- 73 percent of successful police attempts to stop rapid mass murder are initiated by one individual.
Incidentally, many people refer to the perpetrators as "active shooters," but Borsch pointed out that the overwhelming majority of shooters are generally good, law-abiding people. Some do recreational shooting, and many are in law enforcement. Obviously, when there's a killer on the loose, everyone wants a sharp shooter capable of stopping him. Borsch recommends the phrase "active killer."
Also, Borsch noted that most rapid mass murderers seem to want notoriety. They don't wear masks, hoods or do anything else to conceal their identity. They appear to relish sensational headlines about their exploits. Accordingly, Borsch supports the practice of ignoring their names when discussing their murders.
You're on your own
In 2011, the New York City Police Department published Active Shooter, Recommendations And Analysis for Risk Mitigation, a report listing 279 cases that involve "an individual actively engaged in killing or attempting to kill people in a confined and populated area." Based on internet searches, the research covers cases in office buildings, schools, homes, churches, mosques, airports, factories, warehouses, restaurants, malls, medical facilities, nursing homes, neighborhood streets — on and on. It would be hard to think of a setting that's totally secure.
There have been cases across the U.S. and overseas, in places with and without gun controls.
The report makes clear that we must always be aware of what's going on around us, and we must take initiative to protect ourselves and our loved ones in unexpected circumstances.
The New York City Police Department report includes much basic information about rapid mass murderers, though it doesn't indicate when a 911 call was made, when police arrived at a scene, entered a building and reached or stopped the killer.
J. Pete Blair, Terry Nichols, David Burns and John R. Curnutt, at the Advanced Law Enforcement Rapid Response Training Center at Texas State University, published some related findings.
These researchers studied "active killer events " as they call crimes where the aim is to maximize killing. They gathered data on all such cases in the U.S. between 2000 and 2010. They found that about half the time, killing ended before officers reached the killer.
The point of all this is to understand that even if you're fortunate to live in a place with a great police department, and you've managed to call 911, you're still substantially on your own during a killing time.
The December 14, 2012 massacre at Sandy Hook Elementary School, Newtown, Connecticut makes this dramatically clear. Officers didn't enter the building until after the killer fired 154 shots, murdering 20 children and six adults.
One factor might have been the decision to take time forming three three-officer teams, rather than sending the first officer into the building and trying to save at least a few of the people threatened. Borsch derides as "tactical loitering" this practice of having officers stand around rather than going into a building immediately. Apparently none of the police fired a shot.
The 5 or 6-minute killing time suggests a compelling case to have trained, armed individuals on-site who can provide immediate resistance to a killer.
Gun control is no answer, since Connecticut already had strict gun control laws and special restrictions on assault weapons. Despite gun control laws, robbers, drug dealers, gang members and other criminals never seem to have much trouble obtaining guns. Governments can't even keep illegal guns out of jails and prisons where government has more direct control over people than anywhere else.
Rapid mass murder is likely to go on as long as (1) there are easily accessible victims and (2) there's no effective resistance.
It seems that the only credible solution is to have each school, business or other entity assume responsibility for maintaining its own security. The interest of such entities is different from the mission of a police department. Police respond to calls and go to crime scenes. They don't have a budget big enough to protect everybody all the time. The surest way to gain comprehensive protection is to have trained, armed people already on-site.
Take initiative to survive
Survivors are most likely to be those who take initiative, try to protect themselves and fight if necessary. For years, we were told that when confronting an attacker, whether an urban mugger or a Nazi thug, the best advice was to be passive so as not to provoke the attacker, but plenty of experience has shown that such passivity makes it easier for killers to do whatever they want — not good for us.
In their survey of all rapid mass murder cases from 2000 to 2010, Blair, Nichols, Burns and Curnutt don't attribute as many saves to self-help as Borsch, but they affirm that self-help is vital. They reported, "In 30 percent of the attacks stopped before police arrived, the victims took action to stop the shooter themselves either by physically subduing the attacker (81 percent) or by shooting him with their own personal weapon (19 percent). These data clearly show that it is possible to defend yourself successfully in these events even if you are unarmed."
Blair, Nichols, Burns and Curnutt cite the Virginia Tech case that illustrates the importance of taking initiative to protect yourself. On April 16, 2007, a senior with a history of disturbing behavior went on two rampages at Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg. The first was reported at 7:15 AM in West Ambler Johnston Hall, a dormitory — two dead. At 9:42, shooting was reported in Norris Hall, an engineering building. Police arrived in about three minutes, but the killer had chained all the entrances shut, so that nobody could escape. Breaking open an entrance took another five minutes. Apparently after hearing the police make their way through the building, the killer committed suicide. Altogether, 32 people were dead, and 17 more were wounded.
The Norris Hall shooting spree is of particular interest, because survival rates varied dramatically in the four second-floor classrooms. The doors didn't have locks that would have helped turn those classrooms into safe rooms, so finding ways to prevent the killer from entering depended entirely on the initiative, resourcefulness and quickness of the people in each room.
- "In room 206," Blair, Nichols, Burns and Curnutt explained, "where the potential victims took no defensive actions other than freezing, 92 percent of the people were shot, and more than three-quarters of them died."
- In room 211, people couldn't block the doorway, and the killer got in quickly. Everyone was shot, and two-thirds died.
- In room 204, the door was blocked for a while before the killer got in. The delay enabled many people to escape through the windows before the killer was able to enter the room and start shooting. About 36 percent of the people were shot, and 14 percent were killed.
- In room 205, people successfully blocked the doorway with a heavy teacher's desk and kept the killer out. Nobody was hit — 100 percent survived.
Blair, Nichols, Burns and Curnutt concluded: "Those who took some form of defensive action at Virginia Tech fared much better than those who did not." Freezing and playing dead didn't work, since the killer walked back and forth, shooting at people lying on the floor, some of whom hadn't been shot before.
Do's and don'ts of escape — the best option
People are most likely to be killed if they're trapped in an enclosed space, so the best option is to escape — if it's possible.
It's important to think through your preferred escape route and alternatives in case the preferred route is blocked.
The temptation might be to run, but that could be deadly if you're wrong about the killer's location, and you inadvertently run into him. Walking might be more prudent, since it would enable you to reverse direction fast.
Avoid trying to escape in an elevator (where you could be trapped) or on an escalator (where you would be exposed).
As the Virginia Tech made clear, one's chances of surviving a drop from the second floor were much better than the odds of surviving in one of the classrooms.
How to drop from a second story window: (1) you need to keep your feet down, so you don't land on your head, which could be fatal; so (2) carefully maneuver your way out of a window feet first, facing the building, and hang on to the bottom of the window frame; (3) when you let go, put your hands behind your head, to help protect your head and neck; (4) bend your knees and try to land on the balls of your feet; (5) push out with your legs when you hit the ground, as if you were jumping up; (6) try to roll forward, to reduce stress on your legs and spine — curl your body and pull in one shoulder to roll in that direction (depending on what's below).
Don't assume, though, that you'll be safe once you're outside — look for a place where you might find cover. More than one planned massacre involved indoor terror intended to drive people outside where killers were ready to open fire.
What you should know about hiding
It's worthwhile thinking about how you might escape or where you might hide in the unlikely event a killer came to your school, workplace or other places you often go.
A good hiding place has a door with a solid lock. It's an essential starting point for a safe room.
Even though movies often show somebody blasting a lock apart, a handgun is unlikely to do that.
Discovery Channel's Mythbusters tested the ability of a 9mm handgun, a .357 magnum, a 12-gauge shotgun and an M-1 high-powered rifle to break apart standard padlocks and deadbolt locks. Testers fired three rounds through a hole in a large shooting shield at the front, side and center of each lock. The locks were battered and loosened up to various degrees, but they continued to hold, and the keys still worked.
The 12-gauge shotgun and M-1 rifle did succeed in breaking apart the locks, but the area was showered with shrapnel. Doing this in a small space like a hallway, without a shooting shield, would have been quite hazardous, probably incapacitating a shooter.
Okay, once you're in a room, and the door is locked, you should pile as many large, heavy objects against the door as possible — desks, tables, chairs, book cases, anything available. The more difficult and time consuming it is for a killer to enter a room, the more likely he'll go elsewhere. Also, all those things can help stop bullets.
After a door is heavily secured, turn off lights, silence cell phones, stay low and keep quiet.
A large room isn't a good idea, especially if there are already a lot of people hiding there, because there's no safety in numbers. Active killers go where they can find a large number of potential victims.
The closer a hiding place is to a window or outside door, the better.
You need to check out a number of possible hiding places, in case somebody else has locked one or more that you had identified.
It would be tragic if you ever desperately needed a good hiding place, and you didn't know of one, or you hadn't identified enough backups, even though you had been going to this school, office or other facility for years.
What if you're face-to-face with a killer?
There are a wide range of situations. When one person acts immediately as an opportunity arises, usually others will get the idea and join in. For instance:
- In a crowded supermarket parking lot, a 22-year-old man shot U.S. Congresswoman Gabrielle Giffords and 18 others as she held an outdoor constituent meeting. Six people died. The killer used a 9mm Glock 19 semi-automatic pistol. When he was hastily reloading, he dropped the magazine. Patricia Maisch, standing just a few feet away, grabbed it. Someone behind the killer hit him on the head with a folding chair. Then he was tackled and brought to the ground by Bill Badger, a 74-year-old retired U.S. Army colonel. Patricia Maisch, together with bystanders Roger Sulzgeber and Joseph Zamudo, reportedly helped subdue the killer until police could take him away.
- A 58-year-old disgruntled maintenance worker broke into a meeting of the Kanawha County Board of Education, Charleston, West Virginia. He wounded one person with an AK-47 and doused two others with gasoline but was unable to set them afire, because three people nearby were quick to pull his gun away and subdue him.
- A 16-year-old boy brought a Winchester 12-gauge pump-action sporting gun to Columbia High School in East Greenbush, New York. He began shooting randomly, but almost immediately assistant principal John Sawchuck managed jump on him from behind, and the gun went off as they hit the ground. Special-ed teacher Michael Bennett was wounded as he came to help. Because of Sawchuck's decisive action, there were no other casualties.
- A 15-year-old boy brought a shotgun and a .22 caliber pistol to school, intending to avenge grievances with the principal, teachers and students. When he aimed the shotgun at a social studies teacher, custodian Dave Thompson managed to grab it from him. The boy reached for the pistol and shot the principal who managed to tackle him and knock the gun away. Others helped hold him for the police, preventing any more shooting, but the principal subsequently died.
- A 36-year-old school bus driver brought a handgun to the Laidlaw Transit Services bus yard and opened fire on her co-workers. One of them was killed, and three more were wounded. Gregory Alan Lee, another Laidlaw employee, was close enough to grab the killer until the police showed up. San Jose sergeant Steve Dixon remarked, "He saved a lot of lives."
- A man, 58, with a 12-gauge shotgun, broke into a Unitarian Universalist Church in Knoxville, Tennessee during a children's performance of Annie. He aimed toward the front of the church, killing two and wounding seven others. Jamie Parkey charged him, and several more church members helped subdue the killer.
- A 69-year-old man with a .32 caliber pistol planned a massacre of residents at the Kkottongnae Retreat Camp, a Korean Catholic community where he worked as a handyman nearTemecula, California. He wounded a man and killed his wife living in one bungalow, but apparently the shots alerted the couple in the next bungalow. They fought him with their fists, furniture, a dumbell and whatever else happened to be available. The killer was knocked out and taken into custody.
- A 53-year-old disgruntled former employee of Grady Crawford Construction Company, Baton Rouge, Louisiana, used a handgun to kill two people and wound a third person there before he was brought to the ground by four other employees. One of them, a foreman, put his finger between the killer's finger and the trigger guard, preventing the killer from getting off more shots.
- A 32-year-old man with a .30-06 hunting rifle shot two students outside Deer Creek Middle School, Littleton, Colorado — only about three miles from Columbine High School. While he was reloading, seventh grade math teacher and track team coach David Benke tackled him and held him until police arrived. Both of the victims survived.
- A 41-year-old man with a .357 magnum pistol started firing randomly at a playground where children were playing, outside Kelly Elementary School in Carlsbad, California. Then he went back to his car and tried to get away. But construction worker Carlos Partida dashed to his truck and followed, eventually hitting and stopping the assailant's car. Partida and several other construction workers piled onto the assailant until the police arrived.
- At Las Vegas' New York, New York casino, Justin Lampert thought the popping sounds were coming from a game. Then he saw people screaming and running past him. Behind them, he noticed a shabby-looking bearded man about 20 yards from where he stood. The man, 51, stopped to reload a 9mm pistol. Lampert took off for him and wrestled him to the ground. It turned out that four people had been wounded. The situation could have been much worse. Lampert was an Iraq war veteran and a staff sergeant in the North Dakota National Guard. His brave save accomplished its mission in less than 30 seconds.
Armed civilians and off-duty cops stop killers
The fastest way to stop a killer is to have somebody on-premises who's armed, whether a security guard, an off-duty police officer or a civilian with a permit. For example:
- Two men broke into a College Park, Georgia student apartment. They separated the men and women, demanded wallets, planned to rape the women, and since the intruders counted their bullets, they seemed ready to kill everyone. Fortunately, one of the male students pulled a gun out of his backpack and began shooting. One intruder was killed, and the other fled.
- A 16-year-old gunman with a Marlin 336 .30-30 caliber rifle broke into Pearl High School, Pearl, Mississippi. He killed two students and wounded seven others. Then he left the school and walked toward an elementary school across the street, presumably for more mayhem. Assistant principal Joel Myrick ran outside to his truck and grabbed his .45-caliber semi-automatic pistol. He intercepted the killer and detained him until police arrived.
- A 30-year-old man with a pistol entered the Players Bar & Grill, Winnemucca, Nevada. He fired, reloaded and fired again, killing one and wounding another. Reportedly this had to do with a dispute between two families. The attacker was killed by a man from Reno who had a concealed carry license for his handgun.
- A 14-year-old boy killed a teacher and wounded three others at a Parker Middle School dinner-dance in Edinboro, Pennsylvania. James Strand, who owned the banquet hall where the dinner-dance took place, got his shotgun and used it to detain the killer for the police.
- A 24-year-old man started shooting his pistol at the Youth With A Mission training center, Arvada, Colorado. He killed two people and wounded two others. He left and later opened fire at the New Life Church, Colorado Springs, killing two more people, wounding another two. But former Minneapolis police officer Jeanne Assam shot back, hitting him several times, and he subsequently committed suicide.
- A 79-year-old man entered a store in New York Mills, New York and began firing a .357 Magnum at employees. One was wounded. Probably somebody would have been killed if off duty police officer Donald J. Moore hadn't been in the store at the time. He stopped the assailant with his .40 caliber handgun.
- A 43-year-old man entered the Appalachian School of Law, Grundy, Virginia and opened fire on administrators with a .380 ACP semi-automatic handgun. It isn't entirely clear what happened next, but he seems to have been subdued by one student, Ted Besen, while two other students, Tracy Bridges and Mikael Gross, retrieved guns from their cars and helped detain the killer for police.
NOTE: An armed civilian who stops a killer must be extremely cautious when police officers arrive, because they know little, if anything, about what happened. They don't know who the good guys and bad guys are.
If they see a civilian with a gun in a place where there has been shooting, they might well assume that person is the killer and start shooting.
The best advice is to drop your gun and open your hands to show you don't have anything.
Don't make any sudden movements.
You might be handcuffed until you have had an opportunity to explain, because the police will be preoccupied trying to determine how many killers there are and who needs medical attention.
Talk a prospective killer out of it?
Although active killers rarely negotiate, since their goal is a maximum body count for notoriety, occasionally a confident, resourceful, compassionate individual is able to engage a killer and persuade him to not to do terrible things. It might be worth trying before shooting begins.
You probably heard about the quiet heroism of a Georgia school bookkeeper. In case you didn't: on August 20, 2013, a man dressed in black followed a student with a pass into the Ronald E. McNair Discovery Learning Academy near Atlanta. The man, armed with a semi-automatic weapon, stopped in the office where he encountered Antoinette Tuff. He told her to call the police and warn them to stay out of the building. She did that, and while she talked with the dispatcher, the man went into the hallway and fired some shots.
The man returned to Tuff, and she relayed the message to him that no police would come into the building. Then she started a sympathetic conversation with him, captured on the 24-minute 911 recording that has some incredible moments amidst periods of silence when Tuff put the dispatcher on hold.
Apparently Tuff didn't display any fear. She took the initiative to share some of her personal struggles. "I tried to commit suicide last year," she explained. "My husband left me after 33 years." She added, "I've got a son who's multiple-disabled. "
He said he had nothing to live for, and she replied, "Look at me now. I'm working, and everything is OK."
She went on to say that she had stumbled but picked herself up, and he could pick himself up, too. She offered to walk with him out of the building, so that nobody would hurt him. He agreed to give her his gun, and she put it on the other side of the office. As directed, he emptied his pockets and lay on the floor with his hands behind his back, awaiting the police.
"Nobody's going to hate you," she said. "You didn't hurt anybody. It's going to be all right, sweetie. I just want you to know I love you, OK? And I'm proud of you. That's a good thing you're giving up. Don't worry about it. We all go through something in life."
Later, after the man was in police custody, Tuff said, "I've never been so scared in all the days of my life."
As these cases suggest, there are times when you must have your wits about you to survive.
Even in the most difficult circumstances, though, there are probably more ways than you might imagine to protect your life and your liberty.


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3 Things I Loved About Disney's Old Key West Resort and 3 Things I Didn't
For my recent Girl's Trip to Disney World, we stayed at Disney's Old Key West Resort. I am a Disney Vacation Club owner and so Old Key West was a good option for multiple reasons. The resort is one of... Continue reading →


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He says the corrupt officials were leveling false accusations against him after he launched an investigation into the CPC, in order to coverup their wrongs.
Petroleum minister Arjuna Ranatunga says he will ask the CID to takeover investigations into the Ceylon Petroleum Corporation, which has become a den of thieves.
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Meetings and incentive programmes at the Don Carlos Resort
Hold your company meetings at the Don Carlos Resort in Marbella. We have 13 multi-purpose salons where up to 1,000 delegates can meet simultaneously.
We specialise in creating and organising major company events and conventions, endorsed by more than 40 years experience. And if you prefer, you can also hold your incentive programme in Marbella with our tailor-made proposals.
We will help you surprise your participants with the possibilities afforded by the resort and by the surroundings of Marbella.
Our team of professionals will advise you every step of the way.
First, we get to understand the goal of the programme and offer tailor-made proposals. We appoint an Event Manager as a single point of contact throughout the event, who is permanently available.
The inspection visits are prepared with the highest level of commitment and will enable you to test the event on a small scale.
We offer the possibility of creating a personalised website for the event, with the option of making online bookings for your participants.
Transparency in our processes and the possibility of holding a meeting before the event with all the heads of the departments involved, to ensure consistent objectives and maximum synergies.
If you wish, we will welcome the participants with a private check-in, adapting to your timetables, space requirements or brand image.
We are firmly committed to the highest quality in catering services, with a wide selection of set or tailor-made menus.
We undertake to provide you with ongoing technical support during the event and free Internet connection.
Meetings in Marbella - Don Carlos Resort
Our wide experience and the versatility of our facilities are the ideal combination for your meetings in Marbella: product launches, seminars, exhibitions, workshops, work interviews, business meetings, training…
Should you require any additional set-up or equipment, do not hesitate to check with us and we will provide the desired solution.
Incentive programmes in Marbella
Do you need to organise an incentive programme in Marbella? The Don Carlos Resort will help you combine teamwork with fun, sports and relaxation. You just need to define the goals.
The Don Carlos Resort has great versatility, and will adapt its facilities and indoor spaces to the requirements of each event or incentive organiser.
We will advise you on the different options for organising challenges, open air activities, excursions around the Marbella area... Share your needs with us and we will make sure that your company event is an unforgettable experience for your entire team.
Shall we organise a welcome party in our Beach Club? A sports tournament in the resort? Would you like our recommendations on activities in and around Marbella? A game of tennis? A golf tournament? Water sports activities?
We personalise your meeting or incentive programme
Our challenge is to anticipate your needs at all times in order to exceed your expectations. This is why we take the concepts of "personalisation" and "tailor-made" very seriously, offering a wide range of branding and brand image opportunities, depending on your event's requirements.
From the first inspection visit, we incorporate your logo into every step of the event to create an experience in line with your brand values, we offer the personalisation of amenities, gifts in the rooms for your participants, and space lighting and décor in accordance with your corporate colours... Just ask us and you'll discover the wide range of options for branding and personalisation which the resort offers for a guaranteed impact.
Are you looking for the functionality online tools? For your event at the Don Carlos Resort we offer the possibility of creating a free and personalised website where the participants will be able to book rooms at the agreed price and find all the necessary information to ensure proper organisation and coordination.
Bars and restaurants
Our exclusive chefs have created fantastic menus that combine Mediterranean specialities, national and local dishes. We can also provide international gastronomy, if the concept of your event so requires. Delight your guests with a cocktail and banquet in one of our multiple, spacious open air areas, with more than 40,000 m2 of spectacular gardens. Depending on your programme, we can organise banquets for lunches and dinners in the open air, at the poolside, on the terrace of the Los Naranjos Restaurant, with views of the sea, in our gardens, or in the marvellous Beach Club.
We have ideal locations for coffee breaks near the meeting rooms or in the open air, at the poolside. In this way we can transform these short breaks into magnificent gratifying moments of peace and switching off.
Just let us know how you want your breaks for gastronomic enjoyment to be and the ideal location. The creativity of our catering team will surprise you.
Accommodation for your guestsAt the 5* Hotel Don Carlos, we have 243 spacious and elegant, designer rooms, most with sea views, or mountain views, which will fascinate your guests and provide them with the utmost comfort during the event and their stay.


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U.S. home values rose at a modest pace in December, a sign there are too few potential buyers to bid up prices.
Real estate data provider CoreLogic says home prices rose 5 percent in December from 12 months earlier. That is down from the 5.5 percent price gain recorded in November. It's much lower than the double-digit gains that occurred last year.
Yet those much larger increases in early 2014 priced many potential buyers out of the market. Sales of existing homes actually slipped last year, after several years of gains. There is a bright side to the price slowdown, however: Smaller price increases, along with lower mortgage rates, may spur a rebound in sales this year.
The biggest yearly gains were in Colorado, Texas, New York, Nevada and Michigan. Just three states saw prices fall compared with 12 months earlier: Maryland, Vermont and Connecticut.
The state data also reflects the steadier nature of the increases. Prices rose 7.1 percent in Nevada, after jumping more than 20 percent early last year.
"As the year progresses, we expect upward pressure as low inventories and more first-time buyers drive up home prices," Anand Nallathambi, CEO of CoreLogic, said.
Nationwide, home prices are still 13.4 percent below the peak reached in April 2006, before the housing bust. There are 27 states that are at or within 10 percent of their peaks, CoreLogic said.
Sales of existing homes slipped 3.1 percent last year to 4.9 million. But this year, economists expect sales will get a boost from lower mortgage rates, healthy hiring, and lower down payment requirements from mortgage giants Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac.
The pickup may take a few months to appear. Signed contracts to buy homes slid in December, according to the National Association of Realtors. Signed contracts usually result in final sales one-to-two months later.
Still, other recent data on housing suggests that sales and construction are on the upswing. While sales of existing homes fell in 2014, they picked up in December, increasing 2.4 percent from the previous month to a seasonally adjusted annual pace of 5.04 million. Many economists forecast sales will rise to about 5.2 million this year.
Mortgage rates have fallen for four straight weeks and the average rate on a 30-year fixed mortgage is just 3.63 percent. That makes it easier for would-be buyers to purchase a home. It has also prompted a spike of refinancing applications that could enable many Americans to lower their monthly mortgage payments, freeing up cash to spend or save.
Home construction, meanwhile, jumped 4.4 percent last month to an annual rate of 1.09 million. Builders began construction on 1.01 million new houses and apartments in 2014, the most in nine years and 8.8 percent more than in 2013.


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It's hard to know what to believe these days with all the mixed messages you see and hear. On the one hand, there are warnings of a skills shortage. For example, a recent survey by Randstad Canada found the following: "According to survey respondents, two thirds (66%) of Canadian employers have trouble finding the right people for specific jobs. And even more (58%) believe Canadian employers are experiencing problems finding highly qualified people. Additionally, 55 per cent of Canadian employers say they expect a shortage of highly qualified employees within the next three years. While more than half of Canadian respondents also say they expect to see a shortage of staff in specific jobs."
On the other hand, post-secondary students are being told that a university education no longer guarantees a good job and comfortable existence (did it ever?) and to expect to be underemployed in a never ending circle of temporary positions. For example, the headline of an article in a recent issue of MacLean's Magazine read: "The new underclass: Why an entire generation of ambitious, smart and well-educated Canadians have no future." (italics mine) At the end of January the CBC aired a documentary called 'Generation Jobless' which also focused on the plight of new university graduates struggling to find work and toiling in jobs that don't require a degree.
So what gives? Many employers are saying they cannot find the highly skilled workers they need, yet a number of university graduates are struggling to find work where they can utilize the knowledge and skills they gained through their education. According to the experts, the problem is a mismatch between the skills employers are looking for and the skills many of those looking for work have to offer. I can see this to a certain extent when talking about specific technical skills, but again there are conflicting messages. For example, the Canadian Association of Career Educators and Employers (CACEE) conducted a survey of 450 Canadian employers who said that the core skills they value most include "communication, analytical ability and a strong work ethic," as well as teamwork and problem-solving skills. Aren't these just the skills that many university students develop?
So what is a current university student to think or, more importantly, do? One piece of advice I've come across is to tailor your education to labour market demands; for example, find out what occupations or professions are growing and in demand and pursue a degree relevant to those areas. I would caution any student about using this approach because predicting where demand will be in the labour market in five or even one year can be a bit like forecasting the weather! As a matter of fact, the MacLean's article referred to above begins with an example of a university graduate who did just that. She got a degree in applied linguistics with the goal of teaching English as a second language: "She chose a vocation that, by unanimous opinion, represented a path to steady employment – teaching English as a second language to the thousands of immigrants pouring into B.C." By the time she graduated in 2008 with "the gold standard of ESL qualifications," government funding for language transition programs had been significantly reduced and "the entry level position she imagined would launch her career never materialized."
So what do I advise? Two things for today. First, regardless of what you are studying, becoming involved in activities outside of the classroom and even off campus is key to learning about - sometimes even creating – work opportunities, making important connections and building your skills base. (If you're a regular reader of this blog, you'll recognize this is a theme that I and guest bloggers come back to again and again.) Second, be critical about what you see and hear regarding what the labour market holds for today's graduates. Some of it can be quite alarmist. An article on the University Affairs website about the CBC documentary referred to above makes some excellent points about how statistics and labour market forecasts can be used to paint a particular picture. For example, the 15% youth unemployment rate referred to in the documentary includes all Canadians 15 to 24 years old. However, the unemployment rate for 25 to 29 year olds, which includes more individuals who have completed a degree, is just under six percent. Wouldn't that be a better group to compare university graduates with?
I'll end this post by saying I in no way want to leave the impression that finding a good job after you complete your degree will be easy. How soon you find work, the opportunities that will be available, where you'll end up, etc., etc. depend upon so many factors, a number of which you have little or no influence upon. But I think you gain a lot of getting a university of education and the value of your degree should not be measure only by the jobs you work in over the course of your career.


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Thing 18 – Tagging Folksonomy,and Social Bookmarking
Using tags, or as it's know on the net – folksonomies – is very helpful in locating information. I am constantly using tagging on my own personal computer for example. In MS Vista, you can easily tag files and folders with your own words, so you can find them very fast as you need them. This works the same way out on the 'net, using sites that have organized their content using tags.
I'm even using tags to find other blogs in the 23-things project that use terms like 'thing' and 'resa'.
A disadvantage of using tags is that your description of an item might be totally different than others, and might not add to the larger group of users trying to find information. Additionally, there is a lack of precision when one describes something with a one-word tags.
I suppose if Melvil Dewey could see what was going on, he would not be amused.


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Action on peace and development in Afghanistan is imperative, says UN envoy
NEW YORK - An immediate push for peace and development is now imperative to end suffering and put the Afghan people on a path to progress, said the UN Secretary-General's Special Representative for Afghanistan at United Nations headquarters today.
"A major challenge is at hand," said Tadamichi Yamamoto, who is also the head of the UN Assistance Mission in Afghanistan (UNAMA). "The Government has to pursue both an inclusive peace process and economic growth against the backdrop of an intensifying insurgency."
In a briefing to the UN Security Council, Mr Yamamoto called on the Afghan Government, together with the international community, to "work hand-in-hand to make a discernible change in the lives of all Afghans so they feel the upward lift of economic and social progress."
On peace, Mr Yamamoto spoke about UN efforts to rally Afghanistan's neighbours to recognize their own stake in the process, while at the same time recognizing that the Taliban can be a part of the country's long-term future.
"I travelled the region extensively to discuss how neighbouring countries can support and play a proactive role in peace efforts," said the UN envoy. "I urge the countries concerned, particularly in the neighbourhood, to support the Afghan Government's interest in an intensified regional peace effort."
While reiterating the UN's long-standing call for peace talks with no preconditions, Mr Yamamoto offered that Afghans and the world should be ready to accept the Taliban back into society. "The Government, neighbouring countries and other key powers should reinforce the message that the Taliban can be part of Afghanistan's future, and its political and social fabric," he said.
To underscore the suffering of the Afghan people and the need for peace, the UN envoy detailed the rising civilian casualty numbers as documented by UNAMA's own recent annual report. "I am gravely concerned about reports pointing to an intense spring fighting season," he added.
Rounding out his urgent call for action, Mr Yamamoto said: "We all need to make peace our new and absolute imperative." Afghanistan's most important battle ahead, he concluded, is the one for a lasting peace.
SRSG Tadamichi Yamamoto's Briefing to the UN Security Council
Report of the Secretary-General: The situation in Afghanistan and its implications for international peace and security
Media Stakeout Following SRSG Tadamichi Yamamoto's Briefing to the Security Council


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- Connect
- About the Library
- Collections and Resources
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- The Resurrectionists
- A Telling of Wonders
- Foundations: The Monstrous in Antiquity and the Middle Ages
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- Collecting Curiosities: The Rise of the Medical Museum
- Popular Culture And Freak Shows
- Case Studies and Learned Societies
- The 18th Century: Monsters as a Battleground for Scientific and Philosophical Debates
- A New Era: The Birth of a Modern Definition of Teratology in the Early 19th Century
- Works Related to Teratology
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The Document Delivery Department provides a variety of users with access to articles/chapters from the Academy Library's journal and book collection.
Your document needs can be quickly filled using the Academy Library's outstanding biomedical and public health resources of over 750,000 volumes and many current serial titles. Whether you need a medical research journal article, medical illustration, conference proceeding, excerpt from a book, or any other type of document, we can get it to you. The New York Academy of Medicine is copyright compliant, through the Transactional Reporting Service of the Copyright Clearance Center.
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Natalie Bourbonnais-Spear, Grants Manager
Natalie Bourbonnais-Spear is passionate about relationships people have with their environments. Her academic and professional career has been focused on working with Indigenous peoples in the field of traditional knowledge and environmental assessments in Alberta, British Columbia, and Nunavut, as well as internationally (West Africa and Central America).
She brings a multidisciplinary background, with a Master's degree in biology from the University of Ottawa, a Bachelor of Science from the Université du Québec à Montréal, and a Minor in Anthropology from the Université de Montréal.
Natalie has 12 years of professional experience that includes project management, as well as report and proposal writing. She is excited to be part of the Y2Y team and to apply this experience to conservation initiatives in her role as Grants Manager.
Originally from Quebec, she moved to Alberta in 2005. She was drawn to the Rocky Mountains early on, and now lives in Canmore with her partner and two young children, where they can be found hiking, camping, cycling, skiing, and otherwise enjoying the beautiful landscape.


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State of Rhode Island
State PoliceDepartment of Public Safety
Colonel Ann C. Assumpico
Superintendent, Rhode Island State Police
Director, Rhode Island Department of Public Safety
The Rhode Island State Police is a full-service law enforcement agency staffed by men and women committed to serving and protecting our residents, visitors, businesses and institutions. Rhode Island State Troopers have proudly served Rhode Island with honor, bravery, and professionalism since 1925. Each and every one of our sworn and civilian members play an integral part in the success of our agency. Our reputation is a testament to the character of the men and women who have served, and continue to serve within the ranks.
The demands of law enforcement are ever changing and, as such, the direction of this agency is constantly evolving. We take pride in the quality and degree of training our troopers receive and their coordinated efforts with federal, state, and local agencies. It is our promise to maintain a well-trained, knowledgeable, and efficient police force that will be able to adapt to future needs.
On behalf of the men and women of the Rhode Island State Police, thank you for visiting our website and your interest in our agency. We look forward to your continued support and partnership as we work to keep Rhode Island safe. Our organization is committed to building on our past achievements and maintaining the high regard that Rhode Islanders have in their State Police.
Ann C. Assumpico


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New Product Submission Form
May 9, 2017
Editorial Submissions
Editorial Submissions
Each issue of Window & Door Magazine includes an Industry Products section that features descriptions and photos of new product offerings. Companies submit a press release announcing one single product. An editor will edit these releases for length, style and clarity, to run in the Industry Products section.
We run products in every issue. So, you can submit a new product release at any time.
NOTE: By submitting images to the submission form, you agree that you/your company are the originator or copyright owner of the work, and that you grant Window & Door Magazine and its parent, the WDDA, permission to use your submitted work in publications and related materials.
Publisher reserves the right to edit all submissions. Questions? Contact Emily Thompson, firstname.lastname@example.com.
Fill out my online form.


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Encrypted Email - How Decryption Works?
I remain impressed with the rapid turn around of your service. Thanks again.
Bruce G. Kinzy, MD, PA
1. Install Decrypto. We have Decrypto App available for iOS devices, Android devices and Windows OS.
2. Register App. Run App, enter your phone number, email address and 4-digit numeric password. Click button "Register".
3. Decrypt File. Now simply click HCEF file that is attached to your email and content of the file will be automatically decrypted and shown in the native App. On i-OS devices, open file via taping Decrypto icon.
You need to register your App only once, however, it is safe to register App more than once and on more than one device.
You can register your App only after at least one email was sent to you with the HCEF file attached to it.
Please remember your password - you will need it if you attempt to register App more than once or register it on more than one device.
Do not forward encrypted files to others - HCEF file made for you can only be decrypted by you.
Yes, you will be able to open HCEF files from Microsoft Outlook.
I remain impressed with the rapid turn around of your service. Thanks again.
Bruce G. Kinzy, MD, PA


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2 tablespoons extra virgin olive oil
3 tablespoons unsalted butter
1 yellow onion diced
2 stalks celery, diced
1 carrot, diced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 ½ pounds button mushrooms, sliced
¼ cup all-purpose flour
¼ cup white wine
1 ½ quarts chicken broth
1 bay leaf
1 sprig thyme
¼ cup heavy cream
Kosher salt
Freshly ground black pepper
Heat a large, heavy pot over medium-high heat until hot but not smoking. Add the oil and butter and swirl to coat the bottom of the pot. Add the onion and sauté for 4 to 5 minutes, or until soft. Add the celery and carrot and sauté for 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft.
Add the mushrooms and sauté for another 5 to 6 minutes, or until soft. Add the garlic and sauté 1 to 2 minutes more, or until fragrant. Stir in the flour. Add the wine and simmer, stirring, for a minute or so. Add the broth, bay leaf, thyme, and cream.
Bring to a boil and simmer, stirring occasionally, for about half an hour, or until the flavors come together. Discard the bay leaf and thyme sprig, remove from the heat, and puree with an immersion blender until smooth. Season to taste with salt and pepper, ladle into bowls, and serve immediately.


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History of Old Spice
The first Old Spice® product, called Early American Old Spice for women, was introduced in 1937, closely followed by Old Spice for men in 1938. The Old Spice products were manufactured by the Shulton Company that was founded in 1934 by William Lightfoot Schultz.
Early American Old Spice was developed around a colonial theme. When Old Spice was introduced, William Lightfoot Schultz was interested in maintaining a colonial framework for those products and chose a nautical theme for Old Spice. Thus, sailing ships, in particular colonial sailing ships, were used as a trademark. Through continuous use and advertising, the various ships have become a valuable trademark identifying the Old Spice product for men.
The original ships used on the packaging were the Grand Turk and the Friendship. Other ships used on Old Spice packaging include the Wesley, Salem, Birmingham and Hamilton.
Procter & Gamble purchased the Old Spice fragrances, Skin Care and Antiperspirant and Deodorant products from the Shulton Company in June 1990.
Since purchasing the Old Spice line, we have continued to provide many of the original Old Spice products as well as introducing several new products that have enhanced the Old Spice line.


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I can't tell if I'm being rational or if I'm on the crazy writer hamster wheel. I have an agent at a legit, reputable agency who has a great track record of sales. After unsuccessfully attempting to sell my debut last year, I wrote something new and sent it to him about three months ago. We worked together to develop the idea and I sent him a synopsis before diving into the writing as per his request, so I know he definitely liked the general direction it was going. But he still hasn't gotten back to me after I sent him my draft--the first time I followed up politely after about five weeks, he promised he would get to it ASAP, and I recently followed up again to...radio silence. Here are my questions:
1a) Do I need to hop off the crazy wheel
1b) is the feeling of "Oh, my gosh, I'm about to get dumped" legitimate?
2) Is the following up obnoxious? I feel like since I'm a client it's ok, but I also don't want to be That Person.
3) What should I do if the radio silence continues?
Drink more
Ok, enough jocularity about a very real problem: writers who live in Mercury's time zone trying to synchronize their watches with agents who use Pluto's clock.
Agents exist in publishing time. It is the time of epochs, glaciers, and dentist drill duration.
Writers, while spinning on their rodent wheels, are capable of counting nanoseconds out loud.
As you might imagine this leads to some
An agent saying "asap" does not mean as soon as possible, or rather it does only if you remember that soon involves hell freezing over...twice.
Your agent does intend to get back to you in a timely fashion. It's just that stuff happens that makes that almost impossible.
For starters, remember this is an edit, and it's not on editorial deadline. That means there's no money attached to increased wait time.
And if your agent is trying to figure out how to tell you s/he doesn't like it, or it needs more work than you think, well forgive her for being slow to write that email. Those are no fun.
To give you some context:
In the last week I've had several things set fire to my do list including: reading a manuscript that had a next day decision offer pending; a client casually mentioning a crucial piece of information that meant the proposal needed to be revised instantly; three things that arose from other client calls that needed to be addressed pronto.
My to do list and to be read list is a moving target. What I think I'll do and read this coming week may not be what I planned.
I've learned (and maybe your agent hasn't) that a quick "not yet" often soothes a writer's fears.
Your agent may not do that because his/her clients reply not with "ok, thanks for the heads up" but "damn it, when then?' which is an email I don't like to get either.
And for all my virtuous words here, I had to send eight emails this week to writers who wondered if I was dead or fled (I am neither which I hope they were happy to hear.)
That said, you need to figure out what you're doing for the next year and waiting isn't it.
So the answer to (3) is this: email your agent with a kind but firm tone. You need to know if the ms is headed in the right direction. Ask him/her to reply with a simple yes/no (and be willing to abide by this!) by Date Certain (a week not less.)
By "abide by that" I mean you do not follow up asking for any other input. [One of the reasons I often don't answer emails from non-clients or query writers is cause I know it means a conversation will ensue and I don't have time for that what with fending off the torch carrying mob of writers who are chanting and boiling oil in my foyer as we speak.]
If you don't hear back, call.
If you don't get a call back or an email, call again.
If you have silence after that, you've got a problem, but let's deal with that later.


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Dr. Garibaldi makes impact at 2017 Mackinac Policy Conference
Detroit Mercy President Antoine M. Garibaldi attended the 2017 Mackinac Policy Conference, May 30-June 2, and had an opportunity to meet with several media outlets, legislators and policy makers to discuss the work that the University is currently engaged in to aid in the re-emergence of the city and its neighborhoods.
On Wednesday, May 31, Dr. Garibaldi was a guest on the WJR-Radio 760 AM radio program, "Caring For Kids," hosted by Children's Hospital of Michigan Foundation President & CEO Larry Burns. During the on-air interview, Dr. Garibaldi highlighted many of the programs and services that Detroit Mercy provides to the community. Listen to the interview online.
Also on Wednesday, WTVS-Channel 56 (PBS) MiWeek co-host and The Detroit News Editorial Page Editor Nolan Finley focused on current education trends in our state for MiWeek live from the Grand Hotel porch. He interviewed Dr. Garibaldi during this segment (see photo above). Check it out online.
On Thursday, June 1, Dr. Garibaldi joined WWJ Newsradio 950 morning co-host Tom Jordan live to discuss the University, the future of neighborhood development around the three University campuses and the Live6 Alliance.
Also on Thursday, Dr. Garibaldi joined WXYT 1270 AM's "Small Talk" host Mark Lee to talk about the Live6 effort and development around the Detroit Mercy McNichols Campus. Listen to the interview online.
Later on Thursday, WFDF 910 AM radio host Karen Dumas talked with Dr. Garibaldi live on air about different ways the University continues to work with the city, urban education and the work conducted in partnership with the Detroit Public Schools, including the need to attract more minority men in the teaching field. Detroit Mercy's College of Liberal Arts & Education has begun the "We Need Great Teachers" partnership. For more on Dr. Garibaldi's interview, listen to his interview online.
President Garibaldi also wrote the guest editorial, "Lessons from campus echo on Mackinac," for Crain's Detroit Business, May 31.


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Hey Baus Beauties! In this video I share an idea called I/R theory which can help you boost your confidence, personal identity, and outlook on your own success. Is you've noticed the #10 on my makeup table in the background of my recent videos here I explain why it's there and what it means to me.
Categories: Health, Inspiration


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My cold calling scripts and templates are tools to help you engage and interest prospective customers. Don't turn them into a crutch by obsessing over each and every word and reciting them without feeling into the phone hoping for magic. I and every other sales and marketing expert will tell you that the magic is to develop your own voice and be passionate about what you are doing.
As far as I am concerned the real purpose of prospecting scripts to help with cold calls is to get you to a point where you don't need them. Remember that there is no magic sales and marketing formula that will get you instant and lasting results. The only way to succeed is through consistent, persistent, creative effort.
•Cold Calling Tips
•Cold Calling Techniques
•Free Sales Leads
•Business Sales Leads
•Sales Lead Generation
•Qualifying Sales Leads
•Using A Sales Lead Sheet
•Sales Lead Management
•An Effective Cold Calling Routine
•Prospecting Tips
•Sales Process Management
•Cold Calling Scripts Consultant
Creating Cold Calling Scripts
My take is that all cold calling scripts follow a similar pattern in moving customers from "Unaware" to "Aware" and then "Interested" in the sales process. The goal of a cold call is to make a positive impression on a complete stranger, create interest in what you are saying and agree on next steps.
You have limited time to do all this and so your call should be methodical and planned around the follow steps I have broken down for successful cold calls: Greeting, Permission, Introduction, Quick Next Step, Benefit Statement, Qualification and Set Next Step.
Understanding these steps is more important than memorizing cold calling scripts! Once you are comfortable with the steps of how a cold call should proceed experiment with language and wording that works best for you and resonates with customers. At that point you won't need a script but will learn what to say naturally.
This is how each cold calling script of yours should begin. Say your name and where you are calling from. Using your full name is most appropriate for business calls. Addressing the customer by first name is okay and will make them less likely to put up their guard at too much formality (think of a telemarketer asking in a formal tone, "Can I speak with Mr. So-and-So?" You want to avoid that and be more casual).
"Hi John. This is [full name] calling from [organization]"
If you have a reference or a reason you can include that in your greeting:
"Joe in purchasing said I should give you a call"
"I notice you do [a,b,c business] and thought you may be interested in a way to [x,y,z benefit]"
If you are comfortable with a quick quip to lighten the tone of the call right off the bat, go ahead:
"You're a hard guy to get a hold of!"
Keep it short and sweet and don't launch right into your pitch without asking for...
The next step in most cold calling scripts is to ask for permission to speak. This is something I consider crucial and yet sadly lacking in the training provided to many telesales professionals. Following your greeting, you must ask a question or say something to gain acknowledgment form the customer and their approval to proceed.
"Did I catch you at a good time?"
"Do you have a moment to speak?"
"You're not busy right now, are you?"
"Are you the correct person to speak to about [x,y,z]?"
If you do not ask for permission to speak then many times whatever you say will go in one ear and out the other. On the other hand, by granting you permission, the customer is saying, Sure, I have a minute, what have you got? They will then listen to you rather than ignore you or simply wait for an opportunity to say, "no thanks!"
The first question on the customer's mind as they sit back to listen is, Who are you?. As such, this is the first question my cold calling script template addresses. You have said who you are in your greeting and so now simply state what you do in terms of the benefit you product or service provides them.
An introduction may or may not be necessary depending on whether what you do is self-explanatory or ties into your "Benefit Statement" which comes next.
"We are a marketing company that helps companies like yours with branding, PR and product positioning"
The best introductions lead right into your "Benefit Statement". In fact, the introduction can itself be in the form of a Benefit Statement thus combing your Introduction and Benefit Statement into one.
"We help manufacturing companies like yours achieve reduced time-to-market for new products through optimized testing."
Remember that your benefits are different than your products or service and should describe the actual results you help your customers achieve. Your introduction should utilize specific industry keywords your customer may be aware of and explain anything that you do which is different and compelling.
"Our Support Automation software allows computer-based organizations like yours to save time and money by resolving common computer problems automatically"
Quick Next Step
The second question on most customers' minds after you have introduced yourself is, What do you want? The Quick Next Step I include in cold calling scripts both answers this question and puts the customer at ease by stating a very casual purpose for your call. The easiest of these is to say that you wanted to see if they were interested in seeing some information on x, y, z.
"I wanted to see if you would be interested in looking at some information on how you might be able to improve efficiencies"
Right away, the customer can relax now that they know you are not calling to sell them anything or ask for some kind of commitment. The first thing most people want if they are interested in something is more information anyway. If you have identified the correct contact related to your solution they will most likely say, "Sure" and give you their e-mail address.
If used properly, the Quick Next Step is an invaluable tool in your cold calling script repertoire. You will find that most people are more than happy to provide you with their e-mail address for information. They feel far less threatened and are happy to listen to you for a couple of minutes to see if the rest of what you say makes sense. If necessary, assure customers that you will not spam them.
Your Quick Next Step can also include a Benefit Statement that leads into that discussion below. Instead of mentioning information about your solution, rephrase that to say information on the benefits they will receive through your solution. The difference between the two is what differentiates "You" Marketing from run-of-the-mill sales and marketing.
Benefit Statement
The customer's next question is, What can you do for me? The cold calling script template provides the answer by expanding on your Introduction above. You have put yourself in context by explaining what your organization does so now expand on this further with one or two key customer-centric benefits. These should be pains they can resolve or gains they can achieve through your solution.
"We can supply you with the lowest-priced parts and the fastest delivery time, guaranteed."
"We've helped hundreds of companies like yours achieve 25-40% lower operating costs by being able to measure employee productivity more effectively."
Your Benefit Statement may be in the form of a question which leads to the Qualification stage below.
"Is part of your work continually looking for ways to improve quality and output?"
The Benefit Statement is the "hook" of your pitch and should be compelling and directly relate to the customer. Work at key benefits that resonate with customers, a unique way you can help them beyond the general platitudes of 'save time and money' which they probably have heard many times before.
Completing the Greeting, Permission, Introduction, Quick Next Step and Benefit Statement steps should take you no more than 30 seconds. You do not have the luxury of an idle conversation as it is crucial to engage and interest the customer. Therefore, up to this point it is important to follow the steps and get the customer to the point where they are relaxed and listening to you.
Qualification is where you begin to find out more about the customer's environment and needs as well as answer their own initial questions. You should have set criteria for what makes for a "good prospect" in addition to the VBANT - Vision, Budget, Authority, Need, Timeframe - qualification questions outlined on the Qualified Sales Lead and Sales Lead Sheet pages.
In your initial conversation, you should not expect to cover more than one or two of the most important questions. After all, you started off by asking for "a minute of time" and you do not want to overload the customer, simply whet their appetite for more information.
Turn this and future qualification discussions into back-and-forth discussions with questions, answers and observations feeding off one another. Use your comments and answers to customer questions as an opportunity to seed more benefits. In this regard, qualification and benefit statements continue throughout the sales process until you strike a deal.
Basic qualification revolves around using the "Six Serving Men" of What, Why, When, How, Where and Who:
"What is your environment like today?
Excellent, thanks. A lot of our customers have similar environments."
"Why is reducing costs so important to you?
That makes sense. I guess keeping your shareholders happy is a priority for the whole company, right?"
"When were you planning to fix this problem?
Okay, so you can't make any decisions on this before next year's budget at the earliest, right?"
"Where do you see yourself a year from now in terms of revamping your current processes?
And why are a, b and c the first on your priority list?"
"Who is most eager to see a solution implemented besides yourself?
Excellent. It's always important to have executive support for an initiative like this.
Remember that one of the main purposes of qualification is to shine as much light as possible on your customer's pain and benefits you will provide them. You should be like a doctor diagnosing his pain using "What / Where / How / When / Why / Who" and getting it to a point where it is so unbearable your customer has no choice but to fix it!
In addition to these cold calling scripts samples my The Sales Lead Center page has links to other important information regarding properly qualification. In terms of your first call the goal, once again, is to simply "break the ice" and get the discussion going.
Set Next Steps
Your initial call should not take more that five minutes on average. The goal is simply to engage and interest the customer and put yourself in a position to be able to follow up on Next Steps. The final piece of the template for cold calling scripts is to hammer in specific follow-up items.
Begin by noting the customer's e-mail address if you do not already have it.
"Thanks so much for your time. It was great speaking with you. Can I make a note of your e-mail address so I can get that information out to you?"
Sending information opens up the door to a simple follow up which is to touch base and see if the customer has any questions. Make sure to ask for any other relevant contact information as well.
"Is it okay if I touch base with you some time next week to see if you have any questions? What is the best time to call you? Is this the best number to reach you at?"
You can also begin setting expectations for future discussions.
"If you are interested in find out more at that point, we can schedule a 45 minute demonstration for you and your team."
Follow up on action items from today's discussion.
"Okay, so I'll send you out some information as well as the customer references you asked for. When do you think you'll have had a chance to speak with your Director?"
You should set next steps and get affirmations throughout the entire sales process in each of the cold calling scripts you use. Always make sure to book a meeting from a meeting. It is rare for a customer to take the initiative and call themselves and if they say they will, that usually means they are trying to politely dismiss you. If the timing is not right, check one last time and then keep the door open for a future call if it makes sense.
"Are you saying you do not want to learn how you might [repeat key benefit] or avoid [repeat customer pain]?"
"I understand. You just don't have this as a priority right now. That's fine. If it's okay, can I check back in six months? In the meantime, don't hesitate to touch base yourself if anything changes."
That completes this section on cold calling scripts. Make sure to visit related pages for my advice on cold calling tips, templates and more.
•Cold Calling Tips
•Cold Calling Techniques
•Qualifying Sales Leads
•Free Sales Leads
•Business Sales Leads
•Sales Lead Generation
•Using A Sales Lead Sheet
•Sales Lead Management
•An Effective Cold Calling Routine
•Prospecting Tips
•Sales Process Management
•Cold Calling Scripts Consultant
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Cold Call Sales Pitch Hi John. This is full name calling from organization
I notice that you are in a,b,c business and thought you may be interested …
All Cold Calls Are Similar I love your DIY scripts template; I think it is great the way you have structure the basic elements of colds calls. I think that all cold calls are the …
DIY Cold Calling Scripts I think you have done a great job creating these DIY cold calling scripts and I hope that other readers benefit from these invaluable tips as much as I …
Pitching to doctors Not rated yetHi Hussain, it's rob...I a, going to try the above in my pitching to doctors. There are some nuggets in your philosophy that I realize I haven't implement …
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Each year, there are more new cases of skin cancer than breast, prostate, lung, and colon cancer incidences combined. Stop thinking melanoma and skin cancer only happens to other people and that if you get it, it is trivial to remove. Remember to wear sunscreen daily and to reapply every 2 hours or so.
If you need help applying sunscreen to your back and to other hard to reach areas, use the SunBuddy Lotion Applicator. It's compact, foldable, discrete, and can mean the difference between healthy and cancerous skin.
Myth: It's just a small melanoma mole. Just cut it off and I'll be fine.
Reality: This may be true for basal cell and squamous cell skin cancers that begin on the surface of the skin, but no so for melanoma. Melanoma occurs deep in the skin and can spread via the blood stream to major vital organs. Once the melanoma mole is removed, you may be still at fatal risk and may need advanced treatment.
Myth: If I get a small melanoma mole and have it removed, my skin will heal really fast.
Reality: Inches of skin around the melanoma site may need to be removed, often times leaving a long scar several inches long. Melanoma can deeply penetrate your skin, requiring the doctor to cut down all the way to the bone and leaving a concave hole that is visible even after the area has healed.
Myth: Only older people get skin cancer.
Reality: One in five Americans will develop skin cancer if the course of a lifetime. Melanoma is the most common form of cancer for young adults 25-29 years old.
Myth: Skin cancer usually appears on your back and shoulders.
Reality: This is true for men, but the most common site for melanoma for women is on the lower legs. Another common area for skin cancers is the face and hands, where the skin is thin.
Myth: A "base tan" protected your skin.
Reality: There is little evidence that this is true. Any tan at all is a sign of skin damage and there is no such thing as a safe tan.
Myth: I need some sun or I'll be Vitamin D deficient.
Reality: While it is true that the sun synthesizes Vitamin D in our skin, too much sun exposure can break it down. Rather than taking the risk and soaking up direct sunlight without sunscreen, doctors recommend 1,000 IU of Vitamin D daily and recommend consuming foods high in D, such as salmon, eggs, and fortified milk or taking a D supplement.
Myth: SPF 100 offers twice the protection of SPF 50.
Reality: The FDA is promoting the SPF cap to be 50. SPF 50 blocks 97 percent of UVA radiation, and there is little to no data that proves an SPF over 50 is more effective.
Myth: It's a cloudy or overcast day, so I'm not at risk.
Reality: This is not so. Although the UVB rays that make you feel hot and burning may be minimized, UVA rays are still full force no matter the weather. Don't forget to wear sunscreen.
Myth: Awareness has gone up and people aren't getting skin cancer.
Reality: Melanoma has been on the rise in recent years and so has the use of tanning booths. One American dies of melanoma every hour and younger and younger people are developing skin cancer. In fact, melanoma is the second most common form of cancer in 15-29 year olds and the most common form in 25-29 year olds.
Myth: People with darker skin do not get skin cancer.
Reality: It is true that darker skinned people face a lower risk of skin cancer. However, they are more likely to die from it. Since darker skinned people do not easily burn, they have a false sense of security and often overlook early warning signs of skin cancer.
Know your skin type to beeter protect it from the sun. Match your skin to the color that best resembles your own.
The ad above is produced by the Cancer Institute NSW and tells the true story of a 26 year old young man who died of melanoma in March 2010. Wes was just like any other "normal young guy" and loved being active outdoors. He covered up the best as he could and never went to the beach intending to get a tan.
"Wes was a gentle and private person, mindful of taking care of himself," his parents said." He spent lots of time outside but he was always mindful to protect himself from the sun and wore hats, sunscreen and the appropriate clothing."
When Wes was 23 years old, he was diagnosed with melanoma of 1.4mm (0.05 inch) on his neck. Even though the melanoma was cut out, it had already spread to Wes' bloodstream and eventually, it spread to his brain. "I just thought, you know, you get it cut out, you'll be fine," said Wes' brother. "You see that many ad campaigns about skin cancer and melanoma, you sort of take notice, and you just think it's never gonna happen to you."
Wes' story closely reflects that melanoma is the most common cancer in 18 to 39 year olds. In all age groups, twice as many men men as women die of the disease.
Australia has the highest incidence of melanoma in the world and it is a particular problem for men. According to the Cancer Council Australia, more than twice as many men than women die from skin cancer (1297 compared with 600 women in 2010-11). Young men are more likely to think their risk of skin cancer is low.
We here at SunBuddy, thank Wes Bonny's parents and brothers for sharing their story to help save others from the same fate.
After more than 30 years, the FDA has finally updated regulations for sunscreens. For years, mislabeling has caused mass customer confusion and misleading claims. With skin cancer on the rise, consumers have the right to know if their sunscreen of choice is safely and effectively protecting them from the sun's cancerous UV rays.
The new FDA regulations require sunscreen brands to rework their labels and possibly their formulas because of new testing methods. Major sunscreen brands had until December 2012 to comply with the new regulations. So, the sunscreen products available today at your local retailer should include the updated labels to make it easier for you to choose the right one for you.
Keep in mind there quite a few changes. But in the end, it is a win-win situation for us, the consumers.
Here's a summary of what to look out for:
SPF Protection
Sunscreens with a SPF of 15+ can be marked to reduce the risk of skin cancer and premature skin aging.
Sunscreens with SPF 2-14 must now display a warning that the product has not been shown to prevent skin cancer or premature skin aging.
A sunscreen cannot claim to provide 2 hours of protection without valid data and tests to prove it.
Broad Spectrum
Prior to the new FDA regulations, there was no standards regulating the term 'broad spectrum.' Thus, some sunscreen brands stated broad spectrum protection even if the sunscreen contained only a small amount of UVA blocking ingredients. In essence, the term 'broad spectrum' was more a marketing gimmick.
However, the new FDA regulations only allow sunscreens to be labeled as broad spectrum if they provide a SPF of 15 or higher and have passed a FDA-sanctioned test to prove protection against UVA and UVB radiation.
Proof versus Resistant
The terms 'waterproof', 'sweatproof', and 'sunblock'are no longer allowed on sunscreen labels. The term 'water-resistant'may be used if the sunscreen has been tested to protect the skin for 40 to 80 minutes of swimming or sweating. A disclaimer must be included to instruct the consumer to reapply after 40 to 80 minutes or to use a 'water-resistant' sunscreen if swimming or excessively sweating.
Although not a regulation, the FDA is promoting the SPF cap to be 50. The FDA claims that they have not found data that proves SPF 100 to be more effective than SPF 50. Therefore, consumers should not be misled that a sunscreen product of SPF 100 provides double the protection on a sunscreen of SPF 50. This is simply not true.
Makeup Claims
In the past, cosmetic companies have labeled their makeup products to include SPF and broad spectrum protection. Because the new FDA regulations that do not make a distinction between beach and cosmetic products, makeup products that claim sun protection are subjected to the same regulations and tests as sunscreen products. Thus, this will cause cosmetic companies to re-evaluate their claims and possibly alter their ingredients and labels.
Sunscreen Sprays
The FDA has requested additional data from manufactures to determine if spray-on sunscreens are effective and/or harmful if inhaled.