text:
Tag Archives: experience economy
The Experience Points Economy
By Thea | Published: March 1, 2010
Experience points are quickly becoming as valuable as real money. What happens when they exceed it?
Posted in advertising, augmented reality, games, social media, The Future | Also tagged culture, macro-organism, retail, social gaming, video games | 8 Comments
Why creative people are really really really important
By Thea | Published: February 5, 2010
The rate of change and the level of complexity have come to a point where nothing is ever finished, because in between the prediction of a successful product and it's launch, everything's changed.
Posted in advertising, games, social media | Also tagged creativity, social gaming, video games | 2 Comments
Rat Race 2020: "Let's start with the assumption that people are amazing."
By Thea | Published: January 19, 2010
Four-day work weeks? Wii Marketing? Robot slaves? What will work be like ten years from now?
Posted in The Future | Also tagged generation omega, video games | Leave a comment
The best advertising doesn't sell. It makes stuff better.
By Thea | Published: December 19, 2009
Advertising sucks. The ads you think don't suck have parts that aren't advertising, and those are the parts that don't suck.
Posted in advertising, Experience Design | Also tagged retail | Leave a comment
10 predictions for the next decade
By Thea | Published: November 26, 2009
Space elevator? World peace? Robot brand ambassadors? Remember - you saw it here first.
Posted in advertising, augmented reality, games, social media | Also tagged 2012, brand engagement, conversation economy, creativity, culture, fashion, gestural interface, habits, identity, macro-organism, predictions, retail, social gaming, user interface, video games | 8 Comments
The conversation economy, part 2: there is no conversation economy
By Thea | Published: November 18, 2009
I was wrong. As it turns out, conversations are just another kind of experience. I will now be using the term "experience economy". I like it better. Joseph Pine on what consumers want | Video on TED.com.
Posted in advertising, augmented reality, Experience Design, games, process, social media, web design | Also tagged brand engagement, conversation economy, culture, entertainment, social gaming, user interface, user-generated content, video games, web design | 3 Comments


text:
Hello and welcome to my new blog all about Mistweaver Monks in World of Warcraft!
This is a project I've given a lot of thought and I've finally started it *eep*. So the plan is that this is a blog for mainly for Mistweavers but of course all are welcome. I'm not a theorycrafter but I'm going to follow all the updates and tidbits about the spec and try to keep you as updated as possible. :)
I will also provide different guides that will hopefully be useful for both beginners and seasoned players. Some basic and some that will be a little more indepth.
But most of all I'm going to do what I love most; rant about mistweavers and drink a lot of tea meanwhile. And you know, eat chocolate. But that's a given, right?
So enjoy!

subset: commoncrawl


text:
This is a review for a very important book that was published May 24th. It's about getting women back into productive employ at a time when gender imbalance in the work place is a hot button. Read on.
So, you've taken a career break. If you are truly serious about getting back to work, She's Back, was expressly written for you. Lisa Unwin and Deb Khan have cleverly challenged all the handwringing surrounding the thorny issue of gender imbalance in the workplace. This book fully explores why 85% of the women who elected (or for whom life circumstances forced them) to jump off the career merry-go-round, want to return to work.
More urgently, it addresses – with mounds of evidence – everything that is getting in the way of all these talented, well trained women. Lisa and Deb are hell-bent at getting them off the bench. They see now as the time to reverse the decades of invaluable social and intellectual capital, which has already been lost.
And that's important, not only for this fallow talent pool, but for the economy at large. Particularly when that economy is missing out on the potential of far greater output at a higher innovation rate. And while this book is written with women in mind, it's really for people, because work-life balance is a minefield for everyone.
The research is compelling and the business case evidence in support of returnees is overwhelming. These 294 pages bring you completely up to date on returning to work, including resource materials with helpful links to more specific issues. It zips along in a thoroughly engaging fashion, filled with snappy catchphrases and incisive quotes from believable people. Case studies are used to good affect and serve to bolster enthusiasm for the all consuming task ahead. There is no getting around it. Returning will not be straightforward but this book signposts every step necessary to confidently Mind the "Career" Gap.
She's Back is divided into three sections. The first outlines the current situation and why work needs women, the second focuses on the individual journey each returnee is on and why each unique story is a strength to be shamelessly exploited. The third is the most important, making the case for female equality, including that elusive financial equality. Money matters. Women want to be personally fulfilled by working but they also want to be paid for it, the same as a man would be.
This book goes to work with deliberate exercises interspersed, daring the reader to face their own demons and clarify their intentions. Women want to get back in but when they do, why is it so often in a job they could do standing on their heads? A lot of that has to do with the way the recruiting system is institutionalized, starting with the algorithms used in the ATS (Applicant Tracking System) point of entry. Contemporary hiring practices are demystified and a comprehensive methodology for making your CV, LI profile and interviewing preparation impeccable, is generously offered. Notably, the tool kit also endorses use of personal coaching, to galvanize efforts and renew confidence; confidence deficits abound in this group.
The facts are clear that the deck has been stacked against women. They face a triple whammy on their lifetime earnings potential. Longevity expectations are higher, they've had lower salaries throughout their working life and that means a smaller pension pot – without even factoring in that women shoulder an unequal share of the costs of childcare and quite possibly ageing relatives. "Since when did any child have only one parent?" is a question worth asking. Today, more women are doing just that because they've been picking up that slack since forever and because there is no way around it, taking a career break is costly. With potentially 20 plus years of career runway ahead, there is an economic imperative to get women back in. She's Back delivers this message, bristling with chutzpah and realistic optimism.
Over 1300 women participated in the research supporting She's Back and the average respondent was a 41 year old with 12 years of work experience. These women want back in on new terms. They want flexibility, they want to be trusted and they want to work in a place where their contributions are valued. This book can help make that scenario possible.
In closing, there is also a strong case, yet to be made, for the women of the baby boomer cohort. They are also a force to be reckoned with. Now aged 54-72, many of these women have an economic imperative. They represent the first generation of highly educated and experienced women who entered the work force in number, back in the 1960's and 70's. Many checked out, long before flexibility, trust and value were something that could be negotiated. In the current environment, the impetus to get woman back into the workplace has never been greater. Age should not represent a limiting factor. There's still time to catch old. Nevertheless, she persisted…..
Deborah Gale, Ageing Aficionado and Intergen Design Leader, The Age Of No Retirement


text:
The NMR group had its annual lab day out on October 5th. It started with a fierce gaming competition. After several rounds of Pictionary, music recognition challenge and DIXIT, my team won! I am now the proud owner of the PI of the year 2016 award (which does look on the picture much larger than it is in reality) :-)
After that, we put our scientific skills to work in a cooking workshop at the Gracht Atelier in Utrecht. Lot's of great food was the result. The best course award was won by a team consisting of Mikeal Trellet and Joerg Schaarschmidt from the CSB group and Mark Daniels - considering we are only doing computational work, a great performance of the CSB group members!
And here is a picture of all the chefs:


text:
Young Couples: Focus on an Underserved Population with Huge Potential
Since co-founding Honeymoon Israel together with Mike Wise a year and a half ago, we've had the opportunity to interview hundreds of young couples (ages 25-40) across North America interested in participating in one of our Israel trips.
With every couple we meet, our main question is: why do you want to participate? Is it the large subsidy for the trip? Couples pay just $1,800 including all flights. This is approximately 20% of the cost of the trip. We stay in nice hotels, eat quality food and offer a high level educational experience.
Even with the subsidy, however, it's hard to imagine that this would attract Jewishly unaffiliated, successful, busy 30-somethings with only 2-3 weeks of vacation a year. Even more complicated, Honeymoon Israel is group travel with 19 other couples, something many people typically avoid. Wouldn't most young couples prefer a relaxing week in Mexico or the Caribbean?
One answer is that Taglit Birthright Israel has made the benefits of these kinds of immersive Israel trips understandable for a wide audience. Without doing very intensive marketing, we have a waiting list of several thousand couples and we've scaled up our roll-out to offer 18 trips in 2016 and 30 trip in 2017.
A deeper and more significant answer is illustrated by what has happened in San Francisco and Los Angeles after our first trips. In each city, more than 80 couples applied for 20 spots. The 20 couples we selected in each city demonstrated the most need. They were most on the fringes of Jewish life and did not have a sense, as a couple, of being part of the Jewish community. Consistent with Honeymoon Israel cohorts in other cities, 65% of the couples were interfaith, 20% had one partner undergoing conversion and 15% were both born Jewish.
The trip was transformational for almost all of these couples. The two most consistent things we heard was that the trip was impactful because we do not present any political or religious agenda and that couples got to meet other, similar couples from the same city who are in the same stage of life and navigating many of the same issues related to starting a family. Since these two trips returned home, participants have met almost every week for either a Shabbat dinner or other get-togethers in their cities.
The real highlight of seeing the initial impact of Honeymoon Israel was earlier this week when one couple from San Francisco, Nicole and Gabe, announced that Nicole had given birth to their son. Nicole was one of three women who were pregnant on the trip. Two more couples had an infant at home and many of the other couples were in various stages of planning for their first pregnancy. That explains the sense of urgency that many of these couples feel about becoming part of a community. After Nicole and Gabe's announcement, I watched on social media how their entire Honeymoon Israel cohort began mobilizing to provide meals for the new parents for the next week. Couples volunteered to cook and provide whatever support Gabe and Nicole might need.
Another couple, from Los Angeles (names withheld for privacy), sent out bad news to their Honeymoon Israel group. The email started with: "Honeymoon Israel has provided us a mishpacha, a family, with whom we can celebrate life's greatest joys with, and also with dear friends to lean on in tougher times." One member of the couple will begin undergoing treatment for cancer in the next few weeks. The group is getting together to provide whatever support they need in the coming months.
For late 20- and 30-somethings, life is getting "real." People are less transient, careers are developing, relationships are solidifying and building community takes on new meaning. Couples consistently tell us that it's difficult for them to make new friends as a couple. Yet for couples with no children yet, the Jewish community doesn't exactly offer a warm embrace. Synagogue and federation young adult groups are usually geared for singles and family programming is designed for couples with kids. However, the earlier in their relationship we focus on marginally affiliated couples, and especially interfaith couples, the more likely they will be to feel a connection to the Jewish community. Hopefully, Honeymoon Israel can spur the Jewish community to do more research on older young adults and design more effective engagement strategies for this population.
For Honeymoon Israel, success looks like couples that are exploring building Jewish families and that are actively building community together with other families. Some will be involved in mainstream Jewish organizations and others will create their own community support systems. Our goal is to foster the conditions necessary for couples to feel part of the Jewish people and as part of that to get the support they need as they go through the births, deaths, career ups and downs, divorces and everything else they will experience in life.
We are developing effective follow-up strategies and partnerships for Honeymoon Israel together with a group of incredible local partner agencies in our pilot cities throughout the US. It's critical to note that we are avoiding a focus on producing or trying to get couples to attend events. Shabbat dinners, holiday events and other cultural celebrations are all important, but they should be seen as part of a larger vision of community development and not an end in and of themselves. For discriminating, extremely busy people in their late 20s and 30s, an invitation to another Jewish event is likely not much of a draw. However, if we tap into the real needs people have to create and be part of their own communities then we can genuinely add value.


text:
What's the Best Agency for Digital Marketing in Chicago?
Are you running a business in Chicago? Chances are, you are exploring digital marketing as a means to expand your reach. Chicago is such a great place for start-ups and that only means it's not so easy to stand out from the competition. That's where digital marketing can help.
Digital marketing in Chicago can be done in several ways. The most popular type is Search Engine Optimization. This is one of the digital marketing services eBizUniverse offer.
Increase Your Traffic through SEO
Our Chicago SEO Experts can help increase your traffic by improving your website's rank on the results page of search engines. We put emphasis on using the right keywords because these are the words that your target user will type when searching for something on the Internet.
But more than just using the right set of keywords, there are few more aspects to consider when optimizing a site. If you need help in on-page and off-page SEO, you can count on our consultants to do the work for you.
By letting us work on the more technical aspects of website optimization, you can focus on other aspects of your business. Working with the right SEO Company helps you keep up with your competitor in the business world.
Build Credibility through Blog Marketing
Making your business known should not be limited to SEO. You have to take advantage of the benefits of blogging for your business. When it comes to blog marketing, we keep your audience in mind.
The content should provide value to your readers because it's your chance to build your credibility and generate brand awareness. Do note that your content is not limited to written works. You can also present your ideas through visuals, such as infographics and slideshows.
Reach the Right People with Facebook Advertising
Facebook currently has more than 2 billion users worldwide. Businesses should use this to their advantage. A Facebook page is a must-have for businesses because it's a cost-effective way to gather more leads.
Social media networks like Facebook influence consumers' buying decision. They use it to search for products and services. Consumers turn to Facebook reviews to help them decide whether they should buy something or not.
More than that, Facebook makes it easier for businesses to reach a specific demographic. You can direct your ads to your targeted audience. We can come up with compelling ads that will attract people looking for your products or services.
The thing with Facebook advertising is that anyone can do it but not everyone knows how to do it right. It involves extensive demographic research, just like what eBizUniverse is doing with our Facebook ad campaigns.
Digital marketing in Chicago should be done with a few strategies to make the campaign successful. With that, you can benefit from hiring an SEO firm like us to make sure that it's done smoothly. If you need help with your content marketing strategies, feel free to give us a call.Digital Marketing Chicago


text:
on October 13, 2013 by admin in Insurance Industry, Comments (0)
Obamacare changes help weed out insurance companies – Omaha World
Health insurance reform is weeding out companies that can't make the profits they want from major medical insurance.
The Affordable Care Act, in particular, is speeding up the long-term consolidation trend in the industry by setting benefit standards, requiring companies to accept more people and limiting profits and administrative overhead spending.
States are seeing trends like these: Over the past three years, 14 insurance companies have left Iowa's major medical market, and seven will leave the Nebraska market next year. Major medical policies cover most illnesses and medical treatments, as opposed to limited policies such as dental or vision insurance.
"The pullout of real high-priced, nonstandard companies — I'd say, that's good," said J. Robert Hunter, insurance director for the Consumer Federation of America in Arlington, Va. "Charging excessive prices for a (poor) product, those should fall by the wayside."
Others describe the accelerated trend as a significant change and say that fewer competitors often means higher prices for consumers.
With the new law, also known as Obamacare, there's much less competition beyond price, turning insurance into a commodity like corn or gasoline with little difference from one brand to the next.
"If you can't be a lower-cost player, then it will be very difficult to succeed in a commoditized market," said Cliff Gold, co-founder of CoOportunity Health of Des Moines.
American Family Mutual Insurance Co. of Madison, Wis., stopped selling new major medical policies in Nebraska and Iowa in 2009 — well before Obamacare was passed — but continued insuring its policyholders in 14 states, now down to 396 in Nebraska and 560 Iowa.
Recently, the company told its major medical policyholders that they must find new insurers. They can sign up with Assurant Inc., which operates as Time Insurance in the two states, or seek other coverage.
"There are other products that have enhanced features and benefits that would better serve our customers," said spokesman Steve Witmer. With a small number of policyholders, "we felt the time was right to move on."
Altogether, the companies leaving Nebraska have less than 10 percent of the state's market, said Bruce Ramge, state insurance director, although he said he hates to see any company leave the state.
To continue selling insurance under the new federal regulations, companies had to redesign their policies, establish new premium rates, update computer systems, revise claims-paying processes and renegotiate agreements with health care providers.
"If they had a small market share to begin with, they figured it would be too difficult to recoup those costs," Ramge said.
He said he wouldn't label the companies' past products as poor, however. "Obviously, consumers that were using them found them attractive when they made the purchase."
In Iowa not long ago, about 20 companies offered major medical coverage, said Tom Alger, a spokesman for the Iowa Division of Insurance.
Rules limiting profits under the Affordable Care Act were a factor in some withdrawals, he said, but carriers' reasons differed. "They've been gradually stepping out of the marketplace and changing their business models," he said.
Grant Matthies, principal in insurance brokerage Silverstone Group of Omaha, said the departure of some small companies is "a non-event" because it affects so few people.
"I don't think it's a loss for the consumers," Matthies said. "It isn't really taking away choice because they weren't really the players in the market anyway."
But the requirements of the law likely were a prime reason the companies decided to leave the market, he said.
With many companies leaving the market, how did CoOportunity start selling insurance in Nebraska and Iowa this year?
Gold, the co-founder, said that without a $112 million federal loan through Obamacare, CoOportunity would have difficulty growing to the size where it can spread risks and costs among enough people to succeed.
The loan gives the company the financial backing it needs to begin selling policies and paying claims, and is due to be repaid to the federal government. The Affordable Care Act contained $6 billion in loans to establish other cooperatives around the country.
Because the new law requires insurers to spend 85 percent of premiums from large-group policies on health care claims, he said, it's almost impossible for a publicly traded health insurance company to pay its administrative costs and still make a profit that appeals to investors.
"You don't see for-profit companies starting in the insurance business any more," Gold said. "That's why the ACA seeded nonprofit cooperatives to provide competition in a market that's increasingly less competitive."
Other industries have seen similar long-term trends, he said. There were 80-plus U.S. auto manufacturers early in the 20th century, but by the 1960s, the number was down to four. "I think that's the kind of consolidation you're seeing in health insurance."
Major medical insurance carriers
List doesn't include Medicare Supplement, vision, dental or other types of coverage.
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Nebraska
Coventry Health
CoOportunity Health
Health Alliance Midwest
John Alden Health
Standard Security
Time Insurance
Discountinued for 2014
American Family Mutual Insurance
Companion Life Insurance
Humana Insurance
Independence American Insurance
Reserve National Insurance
Standard Security Life Insurance of New York
United Security Life and Health Insurance
Avera Health Plans
Celtic Insurance
CoOportunity Health
Coventry Health
Gundersen Health
Time Insurance
Wellmark Health Plans of Iowa
Wellmark Inc.
National Health Insurance
Pekin Life Insurance
Humana Insurance
American National Insurance
American National Insurance of Texas
Standard Life and Accident Insurance
Principal Life Insurance
Union Security Insurance
American Community Mutual Insurance
American Republic Insurance
Guardian Life Insurance
Everence Financial
World Insurance
Trustmark Life Insurance
Sources: Nebraska Department of Insurance, Iowa Division of Insurance
Article source: http://www.omaha.com/article/20131012/LIVEWELL26/131019544


text:
Tendinitis is all too-prevalent in dance injuries and sports injuries. In fact, when someone says "I have tendinitis" it usually refers to the Achilles tendon, without being explained, it is that common. Inflammation, or "itis" can occur in any area of the body.The Achilles tendon comes from the lower end of the calf muscles, and inserts, or is attached, to the heel bone. The calf muscles above, and the intrinsic foot muscles below, are supposed to do all the actual work in moving the foot flexed, or extended (pointed, in ballet).If the foot can flex and stretch without changing its angle (curving outward, or sickling out in ballet, or curving inward, sickling in or 'pigeon toes'), in most cases the tendon will not get irritated.This is presuming that when you are standing on an even surface, the foot is not sloping inward, what people think of as "fallen arches", or is not sloping outward toward the little toe edge of the foot.Runners and other athletes often work on uneven surfaces and depend on both strength and supportive shoes to minimize the variation in foot angle as it strikes the ground or pushes off. Ballet dancers absolutely depend on foot strength to prevent misuse, as they do not generally wear supports in their ballet shoes and pointe shoes. If needed, however, orthotics, or foot levelers, can be worn in dance shoes.If a dancer or athlete has bowed legs, or hyper-extended legs, there will be an angle created just to have the feet flat on the floor. If this situation is understood, the student can be taught how to avoid inflammation of the Achilles tendon through understanding, and correction of, or accurate compensation for, this particular anatomical detail.Correcting the stance of hyper-extended legs by stacking the skeletal joints (ankles, knees, hips and on up) and holding turnout, will correct the natural pronation (fallen arches) of the feet on the floor. Sometimes this is not even visible to a glance in dancers, due to a strong built-up muscle structure that is deceptive. Even chiropractors and physio therapists have to test dancers' muscles extensively, in order not to miss this observation, until they gain experience with it.As more and more athletes are studying ballet principles of turnout and footwork to gain an extra advantage in their performance, and prevent sports injuries, hopefully the area of hyper-extension will also be addressed.Bowed legs require an angle of the foot, for it to be flat on the floor. In ballet, correct use of turnout, developing the intrinsic foot muscles, and always having the body weight placed correctly on the feet (hyper-extension and bowed legs tend to throw the weight back) minimizes the overuse and irritation of the Achilles tendon.Both ballet dancers and athletes need the understanding that poorly developed foot muscles lead to exhausting the calf muscles. This in turn creates tension, loss of muscle tone and strength, and the Achilles tendon develops tendinitis.Once inflammation has set in, rest, and icing must be applied. A courageous patience is needed in recovery, as the pressure to stay in the daily competitive drive for a an upcoming exam, performance or team try-out, must be resisted. You long term persistence in your chosen field depends on avoiding a chronic situation.Ballet, dance, and sports injuries can be prevented. If you are a pre-pro, a would-be ballerina, a dedicated recreational dancer or athlete, study all you can about how to avoid overuse and injury of your Achilles tendon.
Category Archives: News
Athletes Need to Train For Power, Strength, Speed and Agility to Develop a Competitive Edge | altrazone.info
Competitive athletes can improve their performance by focusing on the four conditioning goals of athleticism.Athleticism is a general term used to describe exercises and games requiring physical skills. The components of athleticism can be broken down into four basic conditioning goals:*Strength
*AgilityAs an athlete it is crucial to understand the importance of each, and how each component relates to the others. Having been involved as a competitive athlete and now an active coach for over four decades, I can see that each of these four basic components is essential to optimal performance on the field.It has been said in training circles, that there are three topics which will spawn an instant debate. Politics, Religion, and Training techniques. American strength coaches and exercise researchers often work independently and often in direct competition with one another. There are different "camps" of training methods, each working in direct competition. I have witnessed extremely heated debates between coaches from differing camps. There are a number of Internet forums that are defenders of the ultimate training program. In the U.S., researchers seek publications and compete for grants, often keeping their data and ideas to themselves for fear that another lab will publish similar studies. There is often a sense of competition between coaches and researchers in the US rather than cooperation.Watch an NFL football game, and then ask yourself some questions. Which team used only free weights? Which team used only machines? Which team followed training methods from the "HIT" camp? Which team used only Olympic- Lifts? Which team followed "Power lifting" protocols? Can you tell just by watching the game? Does it matter? What I see are individuals who display some great "athleticism". They obviously have trained the four basic components at some time during their athletic career. If competitive athletes want an extended professional career they better pay close attention to the components of "strength, power, speed, and agility.So which training program do they use? Which one is the absolute best? What do you the aspiring athlete want to use? This is what I have learned after four decades of training. Are you ready for the best kept secret in the world of strength and conditioning? OK, here goes…THEY ALL WORK !!!! I know, "you can't handle the truth".Why did the old USSR/Eastern Europeans dominate world arenas in Olympic sports, especially in strength-power type event? Because Soviet coaches worked together with the exercise scientists to field test and apply their theories. There was no "gap" between the scientists and the coaches as there is in America. In addition, the Soviets were firm believers in coaching athletes to learn basic movements prior to teaching them complicated sport-specific skills.Competitive Athletes need to train for the big four: Strength, Power, Speed, and Agility. Master these areas and you will have an edge over your opponents.
The Bench Strength of Your Organization | altrazone.info
The Toronto sports teams seem to be fighting for position whether it is to get into the playoffs; establish a position in a league; or just start off a season with a winning record. They all have one factor in mind, their "bench strength".So just what do they mean when they talk about having good bench strength? Clearly it is their ability to get the job done if the regulars are unable to perform for any one of a variety of reasons. Sounds reasonable when you think of the Maple Leafs, the Raptors; the Blue Jays or the Toronto Rock, right?But, what does have to do with you? You do not own or manage a professional sports team. Rather you operate a business that is doing it's best to both grow and be profitable. Well, folks, the truth is that if you don't consider your bench strength you could also finish out of the running. Your company could very well end up as a failed business statistic.What exactly is bench strength in terms of a business? Consider what it is you do. Perhaps you produce a product. Perhaps you perform a service. Either way, you make use of a very valuable asset, human resources to achieve your desired results.Those very human resources are the reason you are able to do what it is that you do. You have spent time recruiting the right people with the right skills. You have established procedures that allow them to apply that skill and knowledge in the right way at the right time to the right process.Now consider what your position would be if you did not have that particular resource available to you for a specific period of time. We need only to look to labour disputes to see evidence of the impact that can have on a company. The result can be economic disaster for an organization.If you exclude labour disputes as the cause of the loss of the resource, there are several specific things you can do that will help build your bench strength.a) you can clearly define your processes, ensuring they are documented and avoid duplication
b) you can clearly identify resources that have the attributes and attitude to take over for missing staff members
c) you can provide a specific and properly coordinated Train The Trainer program to develop individuals to be able to step in for missing staff membersEach of the three items mentioned above may require a change in how you do business today but they can also mean that you will still be able to do business tomorrow. Have you measured your organization's bench strength lately? If not, what are you doing about it? If you find it lacking, do you have a resource development plan in place to increase your bench strength?


text:
Hammer toe Is a deformity of a toe, in which the end of said finger is bent downward.
The Hammer toe usually affects the second toe, but may also affect the other toes. Finger rotates into a position similar to a claw.
The most common cause of hammer toe is to use short, narrow shoes that are too tight. The toe is forced to be in a flexed position. The muscles and tendons in the toe tighten and become shorter.
The Hammer toe is more likely to occur in:
Women who wear shoes that do not fit well or have high heels
Children who keep wearing shoes that fit small
The condition may be present at birth (congenital) or develop over time.
Rarely, all toes are affected. This can be caused by a problem with the nerves or spinal cord.
The joint half toe is bent. The final part of the toe bends down into a claw-like deformity. At first, you can move and straighten the finger, but over time, you can not do and will hurt.
Often, a callus forms on the top of the toe and is detected callus on the sole of the foot.
Walking or wearing shoes can be painful.
Exams and Tests
A physical examination of the foot confirms that you have hammer toe. The doctor may find decreased and painful movement of the toes.
Mild cases of hammer toe in children can be treated with foot manipulation and splinting the affected toe.
Wear the appropriate size or roomy shoes for comfort and to prevent worsening of the deformity.
Avoid high heels if possible.
Wear soft insoles to relieve pressure on the toe.
Protect the protruding joint with corn pads or felt pads.
A foot doctor can make foot devices called regulators or straighteners hammer toe or you can buy them in a store.
The exercises may help. You can try gentle stretching exercises if the toe is not already in a fixed position. Pick up a towel with your toes can help stretch and straighten the small muscles in the foot.
For a bad case of hammer toe, you will need an operation to straighten the joint.
Surgery often involves cutting or moving tendons and ligaments.
Sometimes it is necessary to connect (fuse) the bones on each side of the joint.
Most of the time, you will go home the same day of surgery. The toe may still be stiff after this and can be equally short.
Expectations (prognosis)
If the condition is treated early, you can often avoid surgery. Treatment will reduce pain and difficulty walking.
When to Contact a Medical Professional
If you have a hammer toe, make an appointment with your doctor if:
Develops blisters or thick calluses on the toes.
The pain gets worse.
Has difficulty walking.
Avoid wearing shoes that are too short or narrow. Frequently check the size of children's shoes, especially during periods of rapid growth.


text:
Anyone who's seen Oprah Winfrey speak knows that one of her magical powers is her ability to make anyone cry on the spot.
Still, it's kind of amazing to see her extraordinary people skills in action. On "The Late, Late Show," the Oscar-winning media titan used a bit of magic on host James Corden, and in a matter of seconds, the waterworks were flowing!
"You seem to have an unbelievable gift," Cordone said to Winfrey, who was on the show with her "A Wrinkle in Time" co-stars Reese Witherspoon and Mindy Kaling.
"When did you first realize you had this power to make people cry?" he asked.
Winfrey admitted she discovered her ability while working a journalist in Baltimore, Maryland.
"You wanted that moment where you could have someone be open, be vulnerable enough to have an intimate connection and cry," she explained. "Now I try not to get people to cry. I withhold the power."
Not so fast, said Corden, and asked her to unleash the power on him.
"Let me just say for you," she began, setting a hand on his shoulder, "Charlotte, Carrie, Max," referring to his three little children he has with wife Julia.
Winfrey continued, "Once on my show a father said, 'Every father has a dream for his children.'"
Cue the tears!
"Oh, shut up!" Corden exclaimed in surprise.
"'And his deepest regret in life will be if he doesn't fulfill that dream for his children,'" Winfrey continued, chuckling a bit. "What is the dream you hold in your heart for Charlotte, for Max —"
"Who are you!" Corden asked, wiping at his eyes. "You can't just roll out people's children like that!"
Oprah: 'I don't have the DNA' to run for presidentJan. 26, 201800:26
No wonder Winfrey plays a character with supernatural powers in "A Wrinkle in Time" — we're starting to get emotional just watching the video!
Follow Randee Dawn on Twitter.


text:
News & Press
Join Our Email List
Emmett Till was murdered 65 years ago on August 28 1955 in Money, Mississippi. At only 14 years old, he was kidnapped, brutally tortured, lynched, and killed during a racially motivated hate crime that ultimately helped launch the modern-day civil rights movement. On August 30, 2019, Elijah McClain was taken off life support after being tortured by Aurora PD days before in Aurora, Colorado.
The past is not past. The specter of Till's devastating crime remains ever-present through modern-day racially motivated murders. The burdens borne by families such as Emmett's (Thelma Wright Edwards and Deborah Watts), Eli McClain, (Sheneen McClain), George Floyd's (Philonise and LaTonya Floyd) Ahmaud Arbery's (Wanda Cooper Jones and Marcus Arbery Sr.), Trayvon Martin's (Sybrina Fulton and Tracy Martin), Jordan Davis' (Lucy McBath and Ron Davis), Eric Garner's (Gwen Carr), Breonna Taylor's (Tamika Palmer) De Von Bailey and many others force them to speak up loudly, demand justice and take action when others won't.
On August 28th at 7 PM Mountain Time, Tune in and listen or watch as Destination Freedom Black Radio Days presents: "A Letter from Heaven to America from Emmett Till" by Donnie L. Betts.
"A Letter from Heaven to America from Emmett Till" a radio drama/podcast featuring music and sound effects. "Letter" has 14-year-old Owen Zitek as Till and Betty Hart as Mamie Till and Brian Landis Folkins followed by a concert of 23 minutes for every year that Elijah McClain was on this planet. Players include Monique Brooks Roberts, Lionel Young, Andrew Jacob Betts, Onyx Oats, Shelia Davis, MD Annastezhaa Mitchell-Curtis and Kari Clifton all are string players like Elijah McClain.
Funds raised from the concert will go directly to the McClain family. https://www.gofundme.com/f/elijah-mcclain
Donnie L. Betts receives lifetime achievement award from CBCA
Radio, film, and theatre practitioner, donnie l. betts, is a black man who has been making a personal statement about the marginalization of black Americans for decades with the intentional lower-casing of his name. But in 2016, as protests over ongoing racial inequities in America spilled into stadiums, streets, and reservations across the country, the lower-cased betts was having a decidedly upper-case artistic year.
As America's simmering racial divide was being ripped open from the Dakotas to Dallas, betts was directing two culturally significant and achingly relevant productions for the Aurora Fox: The first local production of the seminal Native American tragedy Black Elk Speaks since it was premiered by the DCPA Theatre Company in 1994; and the first staging of the classic opera Porgy and Bess by any local theatre company in at least 20 years -- and certainly the first since it was reimagined as a more accessible Broadway musical by Diane Paulus and Suzan-Lori Parks in 2012.
Black Elk Speaks recounts with wrenching rawness the systematic genocide that wiped out an estimated 80 percent of the Native American population over a century. The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess tells the story of a reckless, drug-sniffing woman who turns to a disabled street-beggar for rescue from the clutches a violent and possessive lover in the oppressively racist slums of Charleston, SC.
No one but betts gets either of those productions to a Denver stage. No one but betts gets the level of cultural authenticity he achieved in Black Elk Speaks with a cast made up largely of indigenous actors. And no one but betts collects the deep cross-section of talent he has on display at the Aurora Fox in The Gershwins' Porgy and Bess through Jan. 1.
Our report from the set of the Aurora Fox's Black Elk Speaks
We're talking well-known local veterans like Leonard Barrett Jr. as the cripple Porgy, Dwayne Carrington as Crab Man and Michael Peters as the odious Crown, alongside the sensational second generation of Anna Maria High, Faith Goins-Simmons and Tyrell Rae, who all three continue to be lightning on any stage. All of this matters not without a Bess who can off the equal challenges of properly singing – and playing the wounded Bess. Enter the heart-breaking and ear-seducing Tracy Camp from the San Francisco Opera.
Porgy and Bess, newly opened in these final breaths of 2016, will certainly go down as one of the most significant achievements of the Colorado theatre season. This production has it all – a rollicking onstage band led by Jodel Charles; an evocative and fluid slum set from Jen Orf; masterful (as always) work from designers Linda Morken (costumes), Shannon McKinney (lighting), and El Armstrong (sound). And perhaps most seductively: It has living, pulsating, innovative choreography from Laurence Curry. It's a dream team.
"This is a production that must be seen -- for the sheer scope of its ambition, among other things," wrote Westword's Juliet Wittman. "Consider what it took for director donnie l. betts to assemble his terrific small orchestra along with a large cast of tuneful and talented African-American actors, and to meld voices that range from operatic to musical theater into a harmonious, soul-swelling whole."
No one but betts, whose roots in the Denver theatre community go back to the very beginnings of the Denver Center. When the DCPA Theatre Company was created in 1979, betts was the first local actor hired, working alongside the likes of Tyne Daly, Delroy Lindo and Tandy Cronyn. That ensemble would later be joined by Mercedes Ruehl, Annette Bening and many other future stars.
betts was a DCPA regular for nine intermittent seasons. But of all the shows he performed in, it perhaps was one he did not appear in -- Black Elk Speaks -- that would most impact his future life. Betts was performing in another play on a nearby Denver Center stage nearby, but he would watch Black Elk Speaks from the wings every chance he got. Twenty-two years later, he brought it back to life at the Aurora Fox.
It's been a long road for betts preserving the culture and voice of the disenfranchised, underrepresented and underserved. But as the protagonist of Black Elk Speaks says: "The longest journey is to the heart."
Donnie l. Betts at a Glance
- Born in Dekalb, Texas, the 12th Child of 12
- Attended Angelo State in San Angelo, Texas, on a Football Scholarship and Later Metropolitan State College in Denver and the Yale School of Drama
- Founding Member of the DCPA Theatre Company, City State Ensemble, and the Denver Black Arts Company
- Performed on Broadway in The Gospel at Colonus, 1988
- Founded No Credits Productions, LLC, a Film and Video Production Company That Launched His Monthly Destination Freedom Radio Series for KUVO in May 1998,
- Moving to KGNU in 2001
- Occasionally Appeared in the Perry Mason Movies That Were Filmed in Denver in the Mid-1990s
- Directed More Than 30 Theatrical Productions in the Denver Area
The True West Awards, now in their 16th year, began as the Denver Post Ovation Awards in 2001. DCPA Senior Arts Journalist John Moore -- along with additional voices from around the state -- celebrate the entire local theatre community by recognizing 30 achievements from 2016 over 30 days, without categories or nominations. Moore was named one of the 12 most influential theater critics in the US by American Theatre Magazine in 2011. He has since taken a groundbreaking position as the Denver Center's Senior Arts Journalist. His daily coverage of the DCPA and the Colorado theatre community can be found at MyDenverCenter.org
By Sonya Green
If you're a dog owner, scooping up poop comes with the territory. Unfortunately, not all owners are created equal. There are those that shriek away from their responsibilities giving poop picking parents a bad name!
What if your dog's poop was worth money? What if every time a pet owner did the right thing the life of another furry friend was spared? Would pet owners be more inclined to remember to dispose of the smelly stuff properly? Donnie Betts the creator sure hope so. It's why one half of the duo, Donnie created Paws Here, an aesthetically pleasing piece of art that serves as a functional, eco-friendly trash dispenser that gives back to the communities that choose to adopt and display it. A percentage of all sales proceeds are contributed to local athletic, arts programs, and to Humane Societies. Made in the USA.
Donnie isn't a pet owner. So why would he create something for pets? "It was very simple," Donnie said. "I am a big-time walker who got tired of always stepping over dog poop on trails. I also didn't like passing by the smelly trash cans with no lids that were overflowing with dog poop bags."
Donnie decided that there had to be a way to take care of people, animals, and nature. It was then that Paws Here came to life as art serving nature. On the outside, it's a beautiful, sleek, clean piece of art that looks like it should be prominently displayed in a museum. Upon further inspection, you can see that the custom made trash dispenser is made of high quality, brushed stainless steel. It stands 48 inches tall. Some of the materials used to create functional art are recyclable. Made in the USA.
Pull-on the tongue and you'll get a biodegradable bag. Lift up the tail, you'll find a trash can with a sealed top and a latch. The best part, after you dispose of the poop you can wet your hands and lather up to clean up immediately. City Dog Designs is constantly looking for ways to improve their product. The two men are currently looking for partners and investors to add items such as a doggie water bowl and instant hand sanitizer.
Reaction from dog owners, pets, and the general public to Paws Here has been favorable. Donnie is now working on creating a design for playgrounds using hard recyclable plastic instead of steel. He is also working on design requests for other animals. A percentage of all sales proceeds are contributed to local athletic, arts programs, and to Humane Societies. Made in the USA.
To learn more about Paws Here Doggie Waste Station products and pricing, call (720) 318-9895.
Paws Here Is Trademark and Copyright Protected.
Dallas, The direction of Donnie l. Betts works well in the intimate/comfortable space of the Muse. Betts has an extensive theater film background and a great visual eye.
Slut Energy Theory is a story of sexual freedom found the hard way.
Philadelphia Weekly
Betts tracks Brown's many faces, from the performer who wowed Today show hosts, to the social activist who persuaded Chicago gang members to join one of his routines to get them off the street.
Denver Post
K2 is a daring evening of theater for the Aurora Fox, not because it's a new play (it premiered in 1982) or because the approach is experimental, but because it asks a lot of both actors and audience. We have to be willing to give ourselves over to a bleak and terrifying place and the actors, working in a cramped space, have to give their emotional all. Fortunately, they're up to it. Jude Moran is a passionate, sometimes blubbery, sometimes amazingly brave Taylor, while William Hahn gives Harold dignity, strength and nuance. Director Betts keeps the rhythms between the right and true.
In 2008, eleven climbers were killed on K2. One of them, 61-year-old Hugues d'Aubarède, wrote this the night before he died: "I would like everyone to be able to contemplate this ocean of mountains and glaciers. I am suffering from it, but it's too beautiful. The night will be long but beautiful."
The Gazette
The mission of Martin Luther King Jr. comes to life in Colorado Springs.
De'Von Bailey's death adds intensity to Colorado Springs theater's new show.
Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days Honors Emmett Till and Elijah McClain
While actor and documentary filmmaker Donnie l. Betts was an original member of the DCPA Theatre Company, City Stage Ensemble, and the Denver Black Arts Company, and appeared on Broadway in The Gospel at Colonus, he says radio drama is his favorite format.
"It lets you use your imagination," Betts says. "You can visualize what you want to visualize, and that's always fascinated me."
More than two decades ago, he got the rights to scripts written by Radio Hall of Fame member Richard Durham for Destination Freedom, the radio drama that was originally produced in Chicago between 1948 and 1950. Using the moniker Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days, Betts updated original scripts to make them more contemporary, while he and other writers penned scripts to perform at various venues around Denver. Two years ago, Betts started producing Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days in podcast form.
• Donnie l. Betts Leads Destination Freedom Into the 21st Century
• Dazzle Hosts In-Person Conversations About Race This Week
• 100 Colorado Creatives: Donnie l. Betts
Last year, Betts reached out to the family of Emmitt Till, the fourteen-year-old Black boy who was tortured and killed in Money, Mississippi, in 1955 in a racially motivated hate crime that ultimately helped launch the Civil Rights movement. He asked them about creating a script based on Till for Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days. After getting the green light from Till's family, Betts wrote A Letter From Heaven to America From Emmett Till, which will be performed live at Dazzle and live-streamed on Friday, August 28, the 65th anniversary of Till's death.
"Emmett never had a chance to tell his story himself because he was killed," Betts says. "So now you have witnesses to tell the truth as they knew it. Some kind of embellish it to make themselves look better, and the true killers never really said anything. They confessed to the killing, but they never really said what happened."
A Letter From Heaven to America From Emmett Till is written from the perspective of Till, who will be portrayed by fourteen-year-old actor Owen Zitek, and explores how Till would address the United States from Heaven.
"He's looking down from Heaven these past 65 years," Betts says. "What's been happening in America that's even different from the time that he was killed? And so he's calling on America to change, but he's also telling America, 'This is what you've been doing. And we've been watching you. I've been watching you. MLK has been watching you. [Black civil-rights and human-rights activist] Ella Baker has been watching you. All these other people who've been watching you are looking for you to change.' This is what I'm saying. This is what Emmett is saying in his letter."
Following the performance of A Letter From Heaven to America From Emmett Till, there will be a concert honoring Elijah McClain, who died last August after Aurora police officers restrained him in a chokehold.
The concert, which will be 23 minutes long (a minute for every year McClain lived), will include string players, like McClain, including Monique Brooks Roberts and Lionel Young, Andrew Jacob Betts, Onxy Oats, Jeff Hughes, Annastezhaa Mitchell-Curtis and Kari Clifton. Funds raised from the concert will go directly to the McClain family, and donations can also be made here.
While more than six decades separate the deaths of Till and McClain, betts says that there are many parallels between the two.
"Both of them were young, innocent and happy," betts says. "Physically, they were very small and were attacked by grown men and tortured. And their deaths sparked a series of protest movements, call for justice — not only for them, but for a lot of other people, too. This current movement was sparked by the death of George Floyd, but if you look at the groundswell of activities for Elijah McClain, it's unparalleled."
Destination Freedom: Black Radio Days takes place at 7 p.m. Friday, August 28, at Dazzle, at 1512 Curtis Street. Seating will be limited to 50 people and masks will be required. Tickets are $20 and available at the Dazzle website. The event will be live-streamed (with a $10 suggested donation) via Dazzle's YouTube and Facebook pages as well as at No Credits Productions LLC.
Jon Solomon writes about music and nightlife for Westword, where he's been the Clubs Editor since 2006
Contact us if you're interested in learning more about donnie l. betts' films, videos, plays, and radio shows. We proudly serve the entire Front Range of Colorado and beyond.
In "Flyin' West," four Black women hold fast to their chunk of Kansas prairie
By Lisa Kennedy
Special to The Denver Post
Just how vulnerable the pursuit of happiness could be for Blacks during Reconstruction is on aching and wry display in Pearl Cleage's "Flyin' West." So, too, is the tenacity of the liberated.
The play, a welcome collaboration between Firehouse Theater and Aurora's 5280 Artist Co-Op, is getting an engaging production at the John Hand Theater through May 7.
At the outset of the play, a bundled figure toting a rifle and wearing a brimmed hat and heavy coat strides into a compact homestead on the outskirts of Nicodemus, Kan. That powerful person turns out to be Sophie (Adrienne Martin-Fullwood).
Sophie, along with Miss Leah (Latifah Johnson) and Fannie (Kenya Fashaw), have settled a broad swath of land on the outskirts of Nicodemus, due in part to the Homestead Act.
There is a lot of beauty in this drama — directed by donnie l. betts — and no small measure of trauma.
Fannie and Sophie's youngest sister, Minnie (Yasmine Emani Hunter), arrives by train with husband Frank (Abid Hassan) wearing a hat tilted to cover her bruised face.
That she's been struck riles her sisters and Miss Leah. That Frank is the sort of man who would commit that act and exert control over Minnie makes the fact that Sophie plans on handing Minnie a deed to a third
of the land a surprisingly effective cliffhanger. Will Frank somehow purloin Minnie's deed? Will he sell her portion of the land to a cadre of "white gentlemen" he made friends with on the train? Will Minnie see the light and stand up to him? And why's he so dang evil?
"Flyin' West" pits two biracial characters — or, in the parlance of the time and the play, "mulattos" — against each other. Literally and figuratively, Sophie and Frank are nemeses, to be sure.
Frank may have his reasons for being so bitter, so dark — chiefly, his being so light — but his smarminess and violence quickly put an end to audience empathy. He's a villain in the twirl-of-mustache sense; the root of his moral affliction is his status as a bastard son of a white enslaver.
The 1995 play tangles with colorism in ways that remain compelling but also feel shaped by the racial identity quandaries circa its original production.
As Sophie, Martin-Fullwood commands. Besides being an admirable frontierswoman, she is also an activist. Through much of the play, she is at work on an address she intends to deliver to her fellow Black citizens about not selling their property to speculators.
Don Randle completes the able and attuned ensemble as Wil, a kindly aw-shuckster who spent time in Mexico and has set his cowboy hat on marrying Fannie.
Johnson's portrayal of pipe-smoking Miss Leah reaches a satisfying apex when she begins telling a story of a young, enslaved woman whose apple pie was a source of delight to her enslaver. (At Sunday's matinee, the audience acknowledged how much they appreciated the show and its skilled ensemble and how much Frank had incensed them, showering Hassan's curtain call with boos and applause.)
Betts cleverly teases the two meanings of melodrama with "Flyin' West."
There is the heightened version, in which on-stage brutality and outsized emotion figure. (Frank is downright dastardly; our heroines' fates hang in the balance.) There is also the original sense of "melodrama" as a tale told with music. The sisters beautifully belt out the hymn "Walk on By Faith" (arranged by Larea Edwards, who composed the play's original music); Minnie wails her lament, "In the Dark," written by Hunter.
The director also knows his way around the story of Black towns in the West. His short documentary, "Dearfield: The Road Less Traveled" (which aired on Rocky Mountain PBS), recounts the history of the long-gone Black settlement in Weld County.
Nicodemus, the last remaining Black settlement in the West, will celebrate its 144th Homecoming Emancipation Celebration in late July.
Lisa Kennedy: firstname.lastname@example.com
THEATER from page C1 to C3
"Flyin' West." Written by Pearl Cleage. Directed by Donnie l. Betts. Featuring Kenya Fashaw, Abid Hassan, Latifah Johnson, Adrienne Martin-Fullwood, Don Randle and YasmineEmani Hunter. At the John Hand Theater in Lowry, 7653 E. 1st Place, through May 7. For tickets and info, go to firehousetheatercompany.com.


text:
Both the Miami Heat and Los Angeles Clippers were fresh off of tough losses the night before and came out last night looking a bit tentative as the two teams sized up their opponent throughout the opening quarter. Miami scored an identical 24 points in the 1st and 2nd quarters, both enough to top the Clippers and take a 5-point lead into the break.
One thing that had to chance was the 11 turnovers committed by the Heat, because those are the kind of mistakes that will come back and haunt you later in the game. The Clippers kept the game close throughout the 3rd quarter and drew even at 65 apiece with just over a minute left which let to a mini-scoring frenzy to close out the 3rd quarter. By the time it was over, there was 12 minutes left and the Heat would have a 1-point deficit to overcome.
The 4th quarter was just a back and forth seesaw match as the teams battled until the game was very tight down the final stretch. Miami had an opportunity more then once to put the game in their favor, but missed free throws would end up being a killer for the Heat at the times they would be most valuable. LeBron James missed 2-of-4 from the charity stripe in the final 16 seconds of the 4th quarter, which forced the game into OT.
It was there that things began to unravel for the Heat in more ways then one. With the Heat down by 4, Mario Chalmers hit Miami's only field goal of the OT, drilling a triple to get the Heart within one. Following a Blake Griffin layup, the Heat was down 3 with just under a minute left in overtime. Chris Bosh put up a hook shot that looked to be going in but DeAndre Jordan 'blocked' the shot and basically altered the path of the remainder of the game.
Upon further review, the ball was absolutely a goaltend; itl was on its way down when Jordan came into contact with it, but hey...that's basketball, right? Just like you can't expect your favorite player to hit every shot, you can't expect every NBA official to get every call correct. Trust me, I'm as pissed off as any of you guys out there, but it is what it is. We still have the best damn teams in the league right now and its only early January. Time like this I just think to myself BRING ON THE PLAYOFFS already because that's where we shine!
- LeBron James made it to the foul line 18 times but only made 9 of them.
- Miami had just 1 FG over the last 12 ½ minutes of regulation and overtime.
- Relatively quiet night for the big 3: Bosh 16 and 11, LeBron 23 and 13, Wade 17 and 7. Solid numbers under normal circumstances, but not very 'Big 3'esh'
- LeBron did come away with his 200th double double in the loss.
- Props to Erik Spoesltra for going bonkers on the missed goaltend call in OT. He got his ass thrown out of the game and certainly will make sure the league takes a good look at that replay. That's something that gets your players' attention, knowing that their coach totally has their back.
- The Heat bench was non-existent last night. 11 points on 5-of-14 shooting, 12 boards, 2 assists, 3 steals, 2 blocks, 5 turnovers.
- Norris Cole played 15 minutes, missing all 5 of his field goals. He had 3 boards, 2 assists, and 2 turnovers. Chalmers had 1 turnover in 40 minutes.
Alright, that's enough from me, I'm going to bed. If I missed anything, feel free to leave in the comments; Awesome place to come back and play an amazing game is coming up this week.... Miami heads to Denver on Friday night to face the Nuggets.


text:
To understand Belief-Shifting it helps to first look at the circumstances many of us live in every day. We often carry false beliefs with us, stubborn and emotionally charged stories that we tell ourselves about our reality. These false beliefs can leave us feeling stuck in one place, blocking what we truly seek in life and clouding our own inner wisdom. They are embedded deep inside of us, twisting our perception and keeping us from experiencing peace and understanding the way we know is possible, but can never seem to reach. No amount of meditation, psychotherapy or positive mantras can touch these false beliefs, because we've created them ourselves and cannot see their truth on our own. They are illusions of the mind that we cling to without even knowing they exist.
Belief-Shifting is a healing method that facilitates the release of conscious and subconscious activities of the mind that originate from a perspective of an individual 'self', where the 'self' is separate from the wholeness of Life.
Working with a Belief-Shifting practitioner, illusions of the mind are dispelled by revealing how the mind creates the illusion in the first place. Once the illusion is released, the Truth of Reality presents itself automatically. Like a mirage in the desert, once seen for what it is, it no longer tempts you to go toward it–you are free from the illusion.
The reality is that most of the decisions we are making in life are directed by a very fast, automatic processor that occurs below our conscious awareness. It is this sub-conscious processor that is causing a lot of our inner suffering and is responsible for distorting our perceptions, mis-informing us
about the true nature of our experience and mis-guiding our decision-making.
Belief-Shifting Works By…
Creating a Healing space of Unconditional Love and Acceptance.
One of the biggest challenges that we have in healing our minds is a habitual tendency to judge and try to change or control whatever we are looking at. This tendency often occurs when we choose to take a good look at the way our own mind operates. Often, when we truly see the activities of our mind, we judge them and want to change them. Unfortunately, that is a recipe for keeping whatever the mind is doing and may even add more challenges to your experience through additional mind activity.
A Belief-Shifting practitioner is highly skilled and practiced at creating the appropriate loving accepting, non-judgmental space necessary to safely explore the mind. The practitioner has honed very particular language to support an attitude of investigation, curiosity and interest that suspends judgment. Your practitioner will prompt and guide you to safely see how your mind is operating and will support you in the process of surrender.
Bringing Sub-Conscious Processes of the Mind into Conscious Awareness
Most of us identify ourselves with a slow thinking conscious mind that thinks in a linear fashion and reasons things out. We tend to think this mind is making decisions and directing our life.
The reality is that most of the decisions we are making in life are directed by a very fast, automatic processor that occurs below our conscious awareness. It is this sub-conscious processor that is causing a lot of our inner suffering and is responsible for distorting our perceptions, mis-informing us about the true nature of our experience and mis-guiding our decision-making.
A Belief-Shifting practitioner knows how to direct you down into the sub-conscious mind. Your practitioner knows when the answers to their questions are coming from the conscious mind rather than the sub-conscious mind. A difficulty that can be encountered when attempting to see how the sub-conscious mind is operating is that the conscious mind jumps in with answers and explanations that are not the 'real' answers of the sub-conscious mind. Many people are fooled by these answers and are directed away from genuine insights. Your Belief-Shifting practitioner is trained to know the difference and will help you get to the 'real' answers so you can have powerful insights into how your sub-conscious mind has been mis-guiding you.
Creating the Ideal Conditions to Support the Mind in Surrendering its False Beliefs
Letting go of beliefs of the mind is not always as simple as deciding to let them go. Every belief that your mind accepted was put there by you because you believed that it would be helpful to you. You thought it served a purpose. You thought it kept you safe. In order to let a belief go, you need to have sufficient motivation to let it go. Every part of you has to be willing to give up this belief. This happens when you see that it does not serve you.
Your Belief-Shifting practitioner knows how to create the ideal conditions to find your willingness and motivation to surrender these false beliefs. Your practitioner will help you bring up into conscious awareness:
- the guidance that your sub-conscious mind has been sending to you
- the reason your mind thinks this guidance is helpful to you
- the reality of how well this belief actually serves you (generally it has little or no value)
- the costs and consequences to you in keeping this belief
- the perceived risks of letting the belief go
Once you have seen that the belief you are holding is not doing what it says it will do (or at least not doing it very well) and that you are paying a huge price for keeping it, your motivation for letting it go will automatically be present. You will willingly surrender it.
One of the intentions of Belief-Shifting is to remove those beliefs that tell you to hide or avoid Life rather than face it and
rise up to meet it.
Belief-Shifting does NOT…
Provide Replacement Beliefs
There are many programs available that attempt to change beliefs in the mind. These programs attempt to replace negative or toxic beliefs with ones that are meant to be positive or loving. There can be some value to this approach, however, this is not Belief-Shifting.
An important premise of Belief-Shifting is that the mind cannot heal the mind. The philosophy Belief-Shifting holds is that all beliefs create at least some distortion of reality because a belief is a thought about reality rather than reality itself. Therefore, Belief-Shifting seeks only to surrender false beliefs without providing a replacement. Life itself fills the void of a relinquished belief.
When you work with a Belief-Shifting practitioner, you will not be asked to embrace any particular belief system. Your practitioner will work within any religious or spiritual beliefs that you currently consciously hold. You will be personally shown the problematic belief in your subconscious mind and given the choice about whether or not you want to let it go.
Assist in Manifesting Dreams or Desires
There are many teachings and programs today that suggest that the mind can manifest your dreams and desires if you only know how to use it properly. Programs like 'The Secret' or 'The Silva Method' or 'Psych-K' tell you that you can create your life and your experience by visualizing, having positive thoughts, eliciting positive feelings, or holding the 'right' set of beliefs. This is not Belief-Shifting.
The philosophy of Belief-Shifting is not one of attempting to control one's life or Life itself. Our philosophy is there is One Life that joins and unifies us all. When this Life is seen without the mind's distortions, its inherent beneficence can be seen and recognized. We believe that it is unnecessary to determine what Life should be and that Life will take care of itself. We also believe that any attempt of the mind to control life will cause the person to suffer in the forms of shame, guilt, apathy, grief, fear, anger, loneliness, deep sadness, disconnectedness, and life dysfunction.
Remove Life's Challenges
Many times when people seek out help, they are looking for a way to change some circumstance in their life. They may be trying to solve relationship troubles or money troubles or figure out why they can't lose weight. We often tend to believe that we would not suffer or we would be happier if something about our life circumstance was different than it is. We seek ways to change life or we seek ways to change ourselves with the hope that if we do, our life circumstance will change.
It is true that when false beliefs are surrendered sometimes some of life's circumstances improve because we now see Life's flow better. We are more open to Life unfolding itself and we are more willing to go where it is taking us rather than expending energy and exhausting ourselves in an effort to resist it or make it be otherwise.
However, this does not mean that Life will not have challenges that it asks us to meet. It is through Life's fierce grace that many of our most valuable lessons are learned. Life challenges us for a reason. We are meant to greet those challenges, not look for ways to avoid them. One of the intentions of Belief-Shifting is to remove those beliefs that tell you to hide or avoid Life rather than face it and rise up to meet it.
Belief-Shifting removes the false voice so that this wise voice can be heard
and listened to.
Belief-Shifting Does…
Remove Distortions of the Mind to Restore Correct Perceptions of Oneself and the World
Beliefs of the mind, whether they be held consciously or buried in the sub-conscious mind are equivalent to looking at a map. A map is meant to represent the territory. Beliefs are supposed to represent Reality. The map is not the territory. Beliefs are not Reality. A poor map that has errors does a poor job of assisting someone who is trying to navigate the territory. Likewise, a poor belief system gives poor guidance.
However, beliefs do more than simply mis-guide, they also distort the way you look at Life. Once a belief is held in the mind, it shows you Life in a way that validates its own existence. It becomes self-reinforcing. For example, if you sub-consciously believe that you can't trust others to help you and that you must do everything yourself, your mind will show you all the examples that support this belief and disregard all the examples that disprove it. Beyond that it will often even lead you to ask for help from people who will likely let you down and prove that you can't rely on anyone else. With this belief in place, there is a distorting lens on your life that produces a sense of being alone and unsupported in the Universe. It is not really true but as long as your mind is doing this, it will seem very true to you.
The purpose of Belief-Shifting is to identify these distorting beliefs and assist you in letting them go. When the belief is no longer present, there is no longer a distortion and you can see the world as it is. Your perceptions of yourself, of others and of the world clear up and allow you to perceive Reality as it is.
Bring the Mind to a Less Active more Peaceful State
Beliefs of the mind keep the mind in an active state and ask you to move with its activities. When beliefs are in our mind, they are attractive to us. They call our attention to them. They keep us distracted from the current moment and draw us into their distorted illusions. These illusions create emotions that can be powerful and overwhelming. They interfere with our engagement and our enjoyment of life.
Belief-Shifting very quickly allows you to let go of activities of the mind. You will notice that the way you see and feel about the issue that you received a Belief-Shift around changes immediately. You will have a clear-sighted, calm view which allows you to act and respond appropriately to the situation in front of you.
Allow you to Clearly Hear your Own Inner Wisdom and Guidance
Since beliefs in the mind give you guidance about how to see and respond to the world, they also obscure your connection to the wholeness of Life and the guidance that it can provide to you. Most people have had the experience of something giving them guidance that felt like it was coming from something greater than themselves. It was not coming from the mind. This wise guidance is always available to you but is obscured by the false voice created by your own beliefs.
Belief-Shifting removes the false voice so that this wise voice can be heard and listened to.


text:
If you are new to the web, starting up a website can be daunting. However, with domain name hosting and domain name registration from EGS Web Services, creating a web presence is a breeze.
We can advise you on various important factors surrounding selecting and registering your website address (or domain name).
Once you have chosen the name, we will deal with all the technicalities on your behalf including the paperwork and configuration so that the address works with your email and points correctly to your website.
If you have already registered your Domain Name elsewhere, EGS Web Services will assist you in transferring your domain to consolidate all your web services in one location.


text:
Apollo Tyres Ltd. came into inception in 1972 and has since been a trusted name in the business of manufacture and sale of tyres. With the corporate headquarters in Gurgaon, India, the company cater to over a 100 countries across the globe.
The company markets its products under the two global brands: Apollo and Vredestein. These products are available in countries across the globe through a vast network of branded, exclusive and multi-product outlets. Apollo Tyres has multiple manufacturing units in India, the Netherlands and Hungary.
Apollo tyres are manufactured in India and Europe and are available across all categories, including commercial, passenger vehicles, two wheelers, farm and industrial.
As a brand philosophy, Apollo Tyres believes in giving its customers new choices that put them in control and help them to conquer the road ahead. Apollo enables individuals to achieve their own potential, when it comes to driving and in every area of life as reflected in its tagline 'go the distance'.
A choice of global and Indian original equipment auto players, Apollo Tyres' genesis dates back to the mid-1970s, when the first corporate identity was unveiled. It stood for passion, aggression and determination to achieve excellence in all spheres.


text:
|Thesaurus—a treasure box for writers.
|There are dangers with the treasure box.
Used sparingly a thesaurus can make #writing sparkle, with overuse readers are blinded @DiAnnMills (Click to Tweet)
|Thesaurus—a treasure box for writers.
|There are dangers with the treasure box.
DiAnn Thank you for sharing. I love using a Thesaurus. It truly is a treasure box. I find words that I never knew existed. While writing, I often get stuck on one word; can't get it out of my head. I like the word but the readers don't want to see it over and over again. My Treasure Box helps me find a better oneReplyDelete
My favorite Treasure Box is the Flip Dictionary. I tend to dig inside when I have a paragraph or section where the subject is voiced more than once. I like to change up its name. That's when they really come in handy.ReplyDelete
I love words and everything about them! Thanks for posting!ReplyDelete
Great post, DiAnn, especially the part about sending the reader to the dictionary. I get very frustrated when I'm reading a book and have to keep a pen and pad handy to write down all the words I need to look up. This is when less is definitely more. :)ReplyDelete
DiAnn, thank you for your post. What a great analogy -- because our words ARE treasures, aren't they?! And what a lovely way of expressing the balance we must master -- using thesaurus treasures to sparkle and not to blind. Excellent!ReplyDelete
Excellent post. I'm linking to it on July 17th. :)ReplyDelete
Thank you for sharing this! I love that thesaurus means treasure box. :)ReplyDelete


text:
Country Living editors select each product featured. If you buy from a link, we may earn a commission. More about us.
The 50 Most Beautiful Lakes in America
How many have you visited?
From nature preserves to boating fun lands, these still waters beckon with stunning scenery.
The state motto "Alabama the Beautiful" rings true at Lake Martin, which boasts 750 miles of gorgeous shoreline. Among the landmarks are Acapulco Rock and Chimney Rock—two rugged cliffs where swimmers bravely take the ultimate summertime plunge.
With more lakes than any other state (over three million in total!), Alaska offers picturesque waters at every turn. For jaw-dropping views and ample wildlife (salmon in the water, bears and moose on the shore) drop anchor at Salmon Lake just outside the small town of Nome.
Massive Lake Powell holds a whopping 24,322,069 acre feet of water when full and is 558-feet at its deepest point. Essentially a giant canyon filled with crystal-clear waters, it offers striking dessert scenes as far as the eye can see and is a mecca for wakeboarding and house boating.
Horseshoe Lake may take its name from its unique shape, but it is better known for its ancient cypress trees. They bring an austere beauty to the Arkansas body of water, which is also a popular spot for fishermen in search of bass and panfish.
The unbelievably blue water and surrounding mountain ranges make Lake Tahoe, which straddles California and Nevada, the standard-bearer for beautiful alpine lakes.
Blue Lake delights both on and off the shore. Take a dip in its sparkling waters or hike the five-mile trail that winds around its shore. Get the best of both worlds and jump in to the azure waters after scaling the cliff-jumping spot in the Brainard Lake Recreation Area.
New Englanders' hearts may belong to the sea, but plenty of them have fallen hard for Lake McDonough. Locals take to "Lake Mac's" East Beach for a picture-perfect swimming hole that also has canoe and kayak rentals.
Spend a day at Dover's Silver Lake and you'll feel as though you've stepped back in time. With no commercial outposts and blessedly few boaters it's an idyll spot for fishing, swimming, and picnicking.
Near the tip of the Sunshine State lies Lake Okeechobee, Florida's largest freshwater lake. (It covers an impressive 730 square miles.) A popular spot for fisherman it's also surrounded by part of the Florida National Scenic Trail, making it an equally big draw for hikers and bikers.
Northern Georgia's Lake Rabun enjoys translucent waters and an evergreen-strewn coast. As if that weren't enough, it's also the country's unofficial wooden boat capital. (Think gleaming Chris-Crafts, Stanleys, Eclos and more.) To see these beauties in full display you'll want to visit during the annual Wooden Boat Regatta, which takes place each July 4th weekend.
Okay, Hawaii isn't exactly rife with lakes. But the Big Island's Lake Waiau makes up for that scarcity with a breathtaking reservoir perched 13,000 feet above sea level. (Arguably one of the highest lake in the United States.) Located a short distance from the famed Mauna Kea Observatories, it's a prime spot for stargazing by night.
Redfish Lake originally took its name from the abundance of sockeye salmon that could be found there during spawning season. While the sockeye's numbers have dwindled (and can now only be caught on a catch and release basis) it's still an outdoorsman's oasis with ample fishing, hiking, and boating. Check-in to the Redfish Lake Lodge for a vacation complete with historic cabins, home cooked meals, and a charming general store.
As one of North America's five great lakes, Lake Michigan needs no introduction. And while it bears the name Michigan, much of its shoreline is located within Illinois. Whether you take it in by boat on its vast waters or by the beach in downtown Chicago, this iconic lake is a site to behold.
Near the town of Monticello, you'll find handsome Lake Shafer. A tourist favorite, Lake Shafer has ample campsites and hotels, plus boating, swimming, and fishing. Kids of all ages will also want to spend a day at Lake Shafer's Indiana Beach, a frolicking amusement park with a Ferris wheel perched right along the water's edge.
Recreation is plentiful at Clear Lake, where Midwesterners flock for fishing, skiing, tubing, and, above all, sailing. As the highest point in Cerro Gordo County its abundant of wind makes it a sailor's paradise. Another vessel of note, The Lady of the Lake, is a charming steamboat that chugs along the lake.
Pretty Wilson Lake was constructed by the Army Corps of Engineers in 1964. Among its top attractions is Rocktown Natural Area (in Lucas Park), a craggy 300 acres renowned for its Dakota sandstone pillars that are chock-full of Cretaceous era fossils.
Load up the pontoon boat and head to Kentucky Lake, where sunny coves are begging for laid-back days soaking up the sun. While you're there don't miss Land Between the Lakes, a nearly 200,000-acre wooded area nestled between the shores of Kentucky Lake and neighboring Lake Barkley.
Lake Pontchartrain's mammoth proportions have inspired country songs. And at an impressive 24-miles wide it's easy to see why. While it's technically an estuary (connecting the Gulf of Mexico and neighboring fresh waters) plenty of folks in Cajun country carry a torch for this impressive waterway.
Tucked on the western side of Acadia National Park is Echo Lake, which has the pristine waters and vistas you'd expect of one of the country's most scenic states. But the real magic of Echo Lake is its temperature. Unlike the neighboring sea, it reaches pleasant temperatures prime for swimming. In other words, it's the rare Maine location where you can swim sans chattering teeth.
Calling all boaters! Deep Creek Lake teems with wide waterways and pleasant marinas. From kayaking to ski boating, this Maryland lake will, well, float your boat.
In the summer, Spy Pond welcomes ample birds, fish, and sunbathers. (Bay Staters love to while away an afternoon here!) But the 103-acre kettle pond is equally beloved during the winter when it freezes over and becomes a prime spot for ice skating and hockey.
The Great Lakes steal most of the praise when it comes to Michigan, but Torch Lake deserves its fair share. With clear waters (you can see your toes!) and ample sandbars, it's plain to see why plenty of Michiganders carry a torch for the Traverse City lake.
Sure, Minnesota has Lake Superior, but Lake Mille Sacs is also a sight to behold. It's a true fisherman's lake, regularly listed as one of the top bass spots in the country, as well as Minnesota's premier ice-fishing destination in the winter. Last but not least, it's one of the few North Star State lakes that's big enough for chartered fishing excursions.
Whether you spend your time at Hugh White State Park or the Dogwoods Golf Course, Grenada Lake's welcoming scenery will remind you why Mississippi is the Hospitality State.
No Missouri summer is complete without a visit to Lake of the Ozarks, where there's over 1,000 miles of shoreline and fun is the name of the game. From canoeing to wakeboarding, rustic cabins to spiffy resorts, putt-putt to ranked golf courses, this vacation oasis has something for everyone. And don't miss an aerial view of the lake; its serpentine shape makes it apparent why it earned the nickname "The Magic Dragon."
With ample room for boats of all types (motor, sail, and paddle), trophy-size fish (trout, yellow perch, and white fish), and flawless views (the Swan and Mission mountain ranges can be seen in the distance) this Glacier National Park lake is flat-out perfect. Plus, in July and August the shores abound with fragrant and delicious Flathead cherries.
Covering 35,700 acres, Lake McConaughy is one of Nebraska's largest lakes. And thanks to its white sandy beaches it's also one of the most popular for summer vacationers. Located in the heart of the state's Cowboy Country, its shores also lay claim to a number of historic sites including Ash Hollow, a famous stopping point on the Oregon Trail.
Nevada's Liberty Lake, a glacial tarn in the Ruby Mountains, can only be reached by foot. While the hike is on the difficult side, visitors tend to agree it's worth the trek. Along the way you'll pass towering pines, mountain streams, and end with postcard worthy views of the lake's blue-green waters.
Located in a state park of the same name, Echo Lake features a popular swimming beach and abuts up to the White Horse Ledge and Cathedral Ledge, both of which are acclaimed rock climbing destinations in New Hampshire's White Mountains.
Owned and maintained by Princeton University, meandering Carnegie Lake is equally loved by great blue herons and the varsity crew team alike. Proof that spending a day on Carnegie Lake is a genius idea: Albert Einstein once frequented it in his sailboat.