text:
<<August 31, 2000>>
Archived distributions can be retrieved by clicking on the top lines of our home page at <http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/>.
Dr. Ihor Bogdan Katerniak <email@example.com>
Howard B. Schechter, Ed.D. <firstname.lastname@example.com>
Dear Ihor:
(1) Many thanks for your msg (ATTACHMENT I).
Sorry for my belated reply.
(2) However, since I don't know about Kennan Institute, I cannot give you my suggestions.
In general, your proposal is excellent, but I don't know
if that will
meet with their specific objective.
(3) Should you be able to receive their fund and make literature
survey on
distance learning activities, we would be very much interested to receive your final report.
Dear Electronic Colleagues:
Pls feel free to provide Ihor with your suggestions.
(4) BTW, while I attended the ICDE/ABED conferences in Sao
Paulo, I could
meet with Howard B. Schechte. He told me that you brought a group of
your Ukrainian colleagues to Loyola College in Maryland.
Dear Howard:
It was my great pleasure to have met with you. Your
project is
very interesting. Let's keep in touch.
Is that with the fund from the U.S. Civilian Research
and Development
Foundation (CRDF) which you once requested? If so, congratulations!!
However, in your proposal to them, you also stated that
you would
organize a workshop in Ukraine in September. What is the status of it now?
Keep up with your good work!!
Best, Tak
From: "Ihor Katernyak" <firstname.lastname@example.com>
To: "Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D." <email@example.com>
Subject: Fw: Short-term Research Grants
Date: Sun, 13 Aug 2000 01:55:31 +0300
Dear Tak:
In attachment I prepare some draft for the Kennan Institute
Research Grants. The applicant is requested to submit a concise
description (700-800 words) of my research project, a curriculum vitae,
a statement on preferred dates of residence in Washington, D.C., and two
letters of recommendation (from LIM and some US Institution)
specifically in support of the research to be conducted at the
Institution. Applicants should also note my citizenship or permanent
residency status in my materials. Closing date are September 1.
But I'm looking for some idea to demonstrate a particular need
utilize the library, archival, and other specialized resources of the
Washington, D.C., area. Maybe you could find for me some idea and make some additions.
Your comments on this application and some additions will very useful for me.
Thanks for cooperation.
The Kennan Institute Short-Term Grants
"On-line study environment: design, distribition and quality management".
May 2000 came with the beginning of activities of Ukrainian
Learning System (UDL System) Project in Ukraine. It is the first project
on Distance Learning in Business Education with the following objectives:
a.. Broaden the scope of educational services in Ukraine
implementing the WEB technologies to make education and research more
efficient, accessible, and more interactive;
b.. Provide professional development in distance education;
c.. Create common course portfolio, develop professional
programs, and distribute them to students, entrepreneurs, managers and corporations;
a.. Develop academic programs using distance learning tools
on the
basis of the Partnership for Distance Learning Development (PDLD). PDLS
consists of 26 educational institutions, corporations, and non-profit
organizations partnering together to build value through the innovative
application of new information technology to education;
b.. Assist universities, schools and businesses in using
telecommunications networking technologies to promote their prodUct and
services in the INTERNET environment.
The partners of UDL System from all over Ukraine develop business
courses, including Project Management, Operational Management, Advanced
Marketing, International Business, Firm Start-Up, Business
Communication, E-Commerce, Decision Making and Risk Analysis, Project
Expert as a Financial Modeling Tool.
While developing course design and curriculum as well as the
distribution models, we came across a number of problems, which require
conducting research and acquire a broad understanding of the main areas
covered by the research literature in open and distance education, and
the sources available.
We have set six major subjects for our research:
1.. Supporting learners and exploring the potential of on-line
communication in DL. Methodology, psychological and pedagogic aspects of
DL. Interaction between learners, their tutors and other experts, and
how it can foster learning in on-line courses. Student assessment.
2.. We are looking for an effective way of infrastructure
design and
effective computer-based support for collaborative learning and problem
solving where people are located at different physical sites and
connected via various forms of technology. How should groups of students
be constructed for maximum learning gain? How can we measure beneficial
3.. Cross-Cultural Approach and Gender issue (women taking
care of
children, rural population, militarymen, disabled etc.).
4.. Effective employment of the new pedagogy and information
technologies in business and management education in Ukraine. Modeling
the new learning environment for other fields of the education system of Ukraine.
5.. Regulation, legislation and intellectual property issue.
6.. Quality and quality standards, managing for quality in
DL and
receiving professional recognition or accreditation.
Distance learning issues are underdeveloped in Ukraine and
other Central
and Eastern European countries are just starting drawing attention to
them. We have to catch up with the U.S.A. where open and distance
learning phenomenon has become extremely popular. The most effective way
to investigate the aforesaid topics is to utilize the library, archival,
and other specialized resources concentrated in the Washington D.C.
area, which is the center of research on open and distance education.
It will also enable us to make some visits to Loyola College
University of Maryland as well as to other leading institutions in
distance education, which are just minutes away from Washington, DC.
On the base of the reviewed and processed materials, resources
approaches I will acquire a broad understanding of the main areas
covered by the research literature in open and distance education, and
the sources available. I will develop a critical appreciation of the
research literature in the selected area of open and distance education,
such as curriculum development, learner support or evaluation.
The end product of research in the U.S.A will be:
a) report on the research, which includes results, a feasibility
design of infrastructure and administrative structure, selection of
courseware, etc.;
b) an article based on the research results.
According to the results of the project:
a.. a seminal will be held at the Lviv Institute of Management
for UDL
System teachers and learners. This will become the 'train-the-trainers'
model and will increase the students' understanding of the global
opportunities their education will make available to them;
b.. discussions have been organized in the UDL System List Server;
c.. one of my students is continuing her PhD research on
communication in distance learning and knowledge transfer in the field
of humanities and social sciences.
Research as a part of UDL System activities can expand Global
onto other countries in Eastern European region in 2001.
List of Distribution
Dr. Ihor Bogdan Katerniak
Lviv Institute of Management-LIM
Technology Promotion Center
57 V.Chornovil Ave.
Lviv 79601
Tel: +380-322-52 2681
Fax: +380 322-52 2682
Fax: +380-322-52 4463
Howard B. Schechter, Ed.D.
Director of Education Programs
IntraLearn Software Corp.
21 Southwest Cutoff
Northboro, MA 01532
Tel: 508-393-2277
Fax: 508-393-6841
* Takeshi Utsumi, Ph.D., P.E., Chairman, GLOSAS/USA *
* (GLObal Systems Analysis and Simulation Association in the U.S.A.) *
* Laureate of Lord Perry Award for Excellence in Distance Education *
* Founder of CAADE *
* (Consortium for Affordable and Accessible Distance Education) *
* President Emeritus and V.P. for Technology and Coordination of *
* Global University System (GUS) *
* 43-23 Colden Street, Flushing, NY 11355-3998, U.S.A. *
* Tel: 718-939-0928; Fax: 718-939-0656 (day time only--prefer email) *
* Email: firstname.lastname@example.com; Tax Exempt ID: 11-2999676 *
* http://www.friends-partners.org/GLOSAS/ *
Return to Global University System Mid-2000 Correspondence


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COLWOOD, B.C. – Kenny Britton scored twice which included the game winning goal as the Victoria Cougars edged the Westshore Wolves 3-1 at The Q Centre on Wednesday night.
With the win, Victoria extended its unbeaten streak to four games.
The Cougars went ahead 2-1 when Britton took a tip pass from Jordan Passmore at centre ice and beat Jordan Spandli on a breakaway at the 1:52 mark of the second period.
Nick Gomerich also scored for Victoria who moved eight points up on the idle Saanich Braves for top spot in the South Island Division.
Saanich does have two games in hand.
Anthony Ciurro, who was nothing short of sensational, made 36 saves which included turning aside all 17 shots fired his way in the third period.
Westshore opened the scoring 6:12 into the game on a goal from Jake Calnan. For Calnan, it was only his third goal of the season.
Spandli made 29 saves but his equally sensational performance could not stop the Wolves from dropping their first game since starting a six game winning streak two and a half weeks ago.
The Cougars went 1-for-5 with the man advantage and a perfect 4-for-4 on the penalty kill.
Next game for Victoria is Thursday, December 15 versus the Kerry Park Islanders. Game time at the Archie Browning Sports Centre, located at 1151 Esquimalt Road, is 7:00 p.m.
1st star, Kenny Britton (Goals: 2, Assists: 0)
2nd star, Anthony Ciurro (Saves: 36, Save Percentage: .973)
3rd star, Jordan Passmore (Goals: 0, Assists: 2)

subset: commoncrawl


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Discover How Mindmapping can help your teen overcome the stress of dyslexia and high school.
Workshop for Families going through High School and Dyslexia
Workshop for Teenagers and parents in UK, USA and Australian time zones. Teenagers with the gift of Dyslexia love these workshops which inspire and motivate them to explore the valuable life long skill of Mind Mapping.
It can save you hours of stress over the High School years and be an effective revision strategy for you and your child. There are two workshops available The Dyslexia and Mind Mapping Workshop and The Brainstorming with a BulletMap Workshop.
• Learn how to Mind Map using BulletMap Method
• Question and Answer
Would you like to listen to a recording now?
Would you like to join one live webinar?
We will cover:
Why do dyslexics find traditional notetaking hard? (Hint- It's not just because of writing)
Why do dyslexics wander off topic and spend hours on essays?
Is your child lazy? Absolutely not. (It's like a car stalling in the road)
"Spider Diagrams don't work". True, but proper mind mapping does.
How do you write notes from the board in time?
Find answers to these questions and much more, in this action-packed 60 min Facebook Live talk for parents, and children. Join our email list. Hundreds of children and parents say its the best talk on mind mapping and study skills they've heard.
Join Now. It's a great way to start the year, and it's free.
Shift your dyslexic gear higher into BulletMapping with our live workshop
How to Study with a Stick Shift Mind
Discover how Mind Mapping helps dyslexics survive and thrive in School. This is an online talk (webinar) to help parents, children and tutors discover how the use of mind mapping can cut through the stress of High school and Exams. It's given by Darius Namdaran, MD and Senior Tutor at Bulletmap Studio via video. He explains how parents can equip their children to turn their dyslexia into a strength at school by mind mapping. will share his system of teaching dyslexics to get through High school with mind mapping and answer peoples questions. The first 30 min engages children and teenagers with animated mind map videos explaining dyslexia, high school and the basics of mind mapping.
If there isn't a date that suits you, if you register we will email you the recording and the next release of dates. Please sign up here.
Or would you like to hear it in person?
Physical Workshops
*Times indicated above are of the respective local area's time zone
Join us on our very first BulletMap Festival
We'd really love to hear from you so please take a moment to share your thoughts or any ways we could help you on your journey with dyslexia.


text:
- Reviews
- Great blazer
- I received this black blazer as a gift from my mom. It's so stylish & is a great fabric for all seasons. The small in this fits my size 4 shape very well. I absolutely love it! It looks fantastic with jeans or white chinos.
Write Your Own Review
- Great blazer


text:
Tasty Morsels from Breznican's Star Wars Bakery
Okay, there's plenty on Solo: A Star Wars Story out there on the interwebs. However, if you look carefully, much of it comes from interpretations of Anthony Breznican's work from EW.com. Our own Jason Ward posted pieces pointing to AB's work last week, and here I am bringing up the dustpan
However, these crumbs are quite filling…
Long John Solo?
To wit, watch the intro video from Breznican's most recent story, entitled, "How Treasure Island, The Big Lebowski, and Heat inspired Solo: A Star Wars Story."
This nugget hit home because my father and I would watch Disney's Treasure Island whenever it was on TV. And although Robert Newton's character may have inspired the script of Solo, I also saw shades of Long John in Rogue One's Saw Gerrera, too.
Anthony quoted Jon Kasdan saying:
One of the things that Larry and I talked about right at the beginning of where we started working together on this was what kind of stories we wanted to riff off… One we immediately reread was Robert Louis Stevenson's Treasure Island because we wanted it to be a boy's adventure story, but one in which he encounters characters of dubious intent, and that everyone he would encounter would sort of inform his maturation as an adult.
Howard's Challenge
Before that, Anthony spoke with Ron Howard, the director of Solo about coming to the picture.
Breznican quotes Howard regarding his thoughts as he joined the film:
I actually felt like it was gonna be a very unique, creative experience for me. It happened to fit into my life, and I liked the adventure of tackling challenges, and this was certainly gonna be a hell of a challenge — and it has been… but an exciting one.
That chapter of the tome may be found here.
Criminal Finds
Meanwhile, the filmmakers spoke about the inclusion of Woody Harrelson, Thandie Newton, and Paul Bettany in Solo: A Star Wars Story…
Explaining Val — Newton's character — and her relationship with Solo, Breznican quotes Jon Kasdan:
I will say at first glance, [she] doesn't necessarily have total faith in Han — as a lot of people he meets in his life tend to feel about him… She's a little skeptical of this kid when she meets him. And her relationship with him goes in, I think, an … interesting direction.
The more I hear, the more I like. Read the piece.
Is the Slate Clean?
The news feed has seen quite a few stories like the below:
As others have said, "They don't…"https://t.co/XcMLKJ48Fh
— Obi-John Kenobi (@jmbishopjr) February 13, 2018
Slate's Chris Lee writes:
It is, of course, impossible to quantify what percentage of the Star Wars fan nation is actively wishing for Solo not to succeed at the box office—and that standpoint is not likely reflective of a majority of fans. But in the months before its all-but-inevitable promotional blitz, it's fair to say the movie is already polarizing the franchise's faithful like no installment before it.
An Impromptu Editorial: Just Relax…
"Just relax for a moment." http://t.co/4wfZenvxVv #starwarsgif pic.twitter.com/vVEuSKCFlj
— Star Wars Gifs (@StarWarsDotGif) September 10, 2015
You can surmise my feelings on the sentiments expressed in the above story (and I point to The Last Jedi and The Phantom Menace as other excellent examples of polarization). But in short, I'd prefer that folks wait until the film comes out — and they've seen it — to bash it or wish it away.
After you've seen and disliked it, give an informed list as to why. We may disagree, but maybe you'll educate me, too. Maybe, maybe not.
And yes, while I am predisposed to like Star Wars films (me along with half the planet), I'd also point out (repeat) that some of what I see in fan reception to recent popcorn films (of many genres) seems more akin to what I listened to on sports talk radio; ill-founded arguments that smacked of the shouted drivel one hears standing shoulder-to-shoulder before a late-inning urinal trough.
Honestly, I thought I had escaped that…
Nostalgic for Nostalgia
But I suppose all of this is par for the course.
Star Wars is — and always has been — a mass-marketed, merchandized, pop culture product, passed down generation to generation.
Just as many sports team fans claim, "[insert legendary coach, player, team] was better," in many people's eyes', the current lineup of films will never be as good as the original. They may or may not be right (but as someone who sat in the press box, they were usually wrong).
However, I would point out that to the young people who are picking up the Saga as we speak, this may be the golden age. These may be the films they introduce to their own children. To that point, one wonders how stupid we all sound to the kids watching Star Wars now; adults arguing — not discussing, not critiquing, not enjoying — the relative merits and debits of films that have entertained umpteen millions over a span of 40 years.
Someday, when and if the final Star Wars film is ever released, we may all look back (and I very much include myself in this), look in the mirror and admit how silly all the arguing regarding films depicting little green men and wizards with laser swords really was in the grand scheme of things.


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You Can Now Register for Actually Everything On Amazon
Sure, Amazon is your first stop when you're desperate for a same-day paper towel delivery or you need a good Kindle read, stat. But did you know they just launched a new wedding registry experience (and a shop that sells all the wedding things)? Um, game changer.
Photo via Amazon
We've been clicking and scrolling (and adding to cart…) all day, and we're kind of freaking out over the new features. Here's what the site now has in store for couples planning their weddings:
1. A universal add-it-from-anywhere registry. In the off chance that you can't find what you're looking for on Amazon, you can now register for items from any other website. Just quickly install Amazon's browser add-on and a single click will put just about anything on the web on your wedding wish list!
2. Strangely accurate product suggestions. Amazon is already scary good at recommending products. (How did they know I was looking for a fourth pair of brown leather ankle boots that seemingly go with my whole wardrobe?) Now, let them suggest the perfect picks for your registry based on what you browse. They'll also show you the most-registered-for items of each week, so you can totally copy them.
3. Stuff you actually want to register for.
Yeah, they've got the traditional stuff, like five-piece china place settings and silver gravy boats. But you can also register for that uh-mazing bar cart you've been eying or that stellar sound system your partner has begged you for the last three birthdays. You can also browse carefully curated collections of hand-picked items based on your lifestyle, from "Eclectic Entertaining" to "The Modern Mix" to "Outdoor Elements."
4. Plenty of time to return what you don't want.
You're probably going to want a break from all things wedding once the big day is done. Instead of scrambling to ship back four of the five identical cheeseboards you somehow received, you can enjoy your honeymoon and hit the post office when you get back. Most registry gifts qualify for Amazon's 180-day return policy (instead of the standard 30 days). We'll take it!
5. A list of everyone you need to send a thank you note to.
Amazon might as well be your maid of honor, right? It'll keep track of who bought you what, so you won't lose track of which aunt got you the ecru towel set and which got you the cream one. If only they could write the thank you notes for you, too…
6. A Wedding Store where you can buy pretty much everything.
The new Wedding Store has got everything from bridesmaids dresses and diamond-encrusted wedding bands, to cake toppers and honeymoon destination guidebooks. Now, when you need a bride-to-be sash in a bind, you know where to go!
Set Up Your Amazon Registry Now


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Engineering at its best
Strong project engineering, port captain and supercargo services are the backbone of our business.
ZEAMARINE's engineering division provides creative engineering, port captain and supercargo solutions to assist clients with customized stowage, lifting, and securing arrangements for all cargo types. Our engineering division is staffed with Master Mariners, Naval Architects, Former Vessel Captains and Structural Engineers whose combined experience totals more than a century.
As a forward-thinking ocean transport provider, we are constantly improving our services by offering innovative solutions and our industry expertise to meet the comprehensive needs of breakbulk, heavy lift, dry bulk, and project cargo customers.
Strong project engineering, port captain and supercargo services are the backbone of our business.
Customized Method Statements
Our method statement comprises of a step-by-step loading / discharging procedure, stowage, lifting and securing plans with supporting calculations.
This procedure ensures that your cargo is loaded properly with minimized risk. Additionally, ZEAMARINE's QHSE programs provide the assurance that your cargo will be moved safely and efficiently with no harm to people or the environment.
Port Captain & Supercargo Services
Our highly experienced Port Captains and Supercargo evaluate and execute the stowage and handling of cargoes worldwide. Once loading is completed, a report is drafted including a final stowage plan, detailed discharge instructions and photographs of the entire operation. These reports aid in the reduction of time at discharge ports and risk of damage to cargo.
We use state-of-the-art software for optimal cargo planning. We offer in-house Finite Element Analysis, AutoCAD and 3D animation when planning the most complex and challenging cargo operations.


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Number One is the former, deceased head of G.L.O.V.E. Little is known about his true identity apart from the fact that he is a man. Number One himself only appeared once in the books, which was in a G.L.O.V.E. research facility in China, where he apparently destroyed Overlord with an EMP. However, in Escape Velocity, it is revealed that, in the aforementioned research facility, Overlord implanted a seed of his own consciousness in the man's mind and gradually took over Number One's body. Number One's real name is not known.
In Rogue, it is revealed that he created a clone of himself with a computer implanted in his brain.
| Characters in the H.I.V.E Series
|Main Protagonists in the H.I.V.E Series
|Otto Malpense | Wing Fanchu | Laura Brand | Shelby Trinity | Raven | Dr. Maximillian Nero
|Other Characters in the H.I.V.E Series
|Number One | Pietor Furan | Anastasia Furan | Penny Richards | Tom Ransom | Ms Leon | Colonel Francisco | Nigel Darkdoom | Franz Argentblum | Chief Dekker | Chief Lewis | Diabolus Darkdoom | Dr. Creed | Lucy Dexter
Community content is available under CC-BY-SA unless otherwise noted.


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On Air Now
Capital Breakfast with Roman Kemp 6:30am - 10am
From Justin Bieber's rock inspired AMAs outfit to Lady Gaga's revealing number - check out the outfits we've all been talking about this week.
Millie chose this classic look for the screening of La Legende de La Palme d'Or in London - and she let the dress do the talking by accessorising with just a subtle clutch bag. Picture: Getty
We LOVE the patterned coat and sunglasses Lady Gaga was spotted wearing in London this week - so chic! PICTURE: Rex
The sleek hairdo works perfectly with this dress, too! Picture: Instagram
.... and doesn't she just look incredible in any decade?! Picture: Splash
Mrs F-V wrapped up warm for the Quintessentially Foundation annual Christmas charity concert in London. PICTURE: Getty Images
We love the ripped jeans and oversized shirt on the Biebs - he looked all kinds of hot at the American Music Awards.
Well, she was at the British Fashion Awards after all! Picture: PA


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who can suggest a ptc site for free?
By despompa
@despompa (472)
5 responses
@iskayz (5422)
• Philippines
10 Sep 08
Hi there! Yeah it's the month of "ber" and Christmas is so near and a little exta cash would be helpful. I have a lot of online programs in my profile. Feel free to check it out. PM me if you have questions. I'd be happy to help! Goodluck!
@Citizen_Stuart (2018)
10 Sep 08
If you look at my profile, there are several banners which you may be interested in. Also if you follow the link to my website (also on my profile) you'll find my website with more moneymaking ideas on it. Nothing that requires any investment, since I believe in making money, not spending it.


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Since the late 1990s there have been many calls for reform of the United Nations (UN). However, there is little clarity or consensus about what reform might mean in practice. Both those who want the UN to play a greater role in world affairs and those who want its role confined to humanitarian work or otherwise reduced use the term "UN reform" to refer to their ideas. The range of opinion extends from those who want to eliminate the UN entirely, to those who want to make it into a full-fledged world government.
An official reform program was initiated by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan shortly after starting his first term on 1 January 1997. On 21 March 2005, Annan presented a major report on UN reform entitled In Larger Freedom.[1]
Security Council reform
A very frequently discussed change to the UN structure is to change the permanent membership of the UN Security Council, which reflects the power structure of the world as it was in 1945. There are several proposed plans, notably by the G4 nations, by the Uniting for Consensus group, and by former UN Secretary-General Kofi Annan.
[edit]UN Secretariat
At another level, calls for reforming the UN demand to make the UN administration (usually called the UN Secretariat or "the bureaucracy") more transparent, more accountable, and more efficient, including direct election of the Secretary-General by the people (see presidentialism).
UN Secretariat/administration reforms seldom gets much attention in the media, though within the Organization they are seen as widely contentious issues. The UN Secretariat has about 30000 staff around the globe, of which 35% work at the headquarters in New York, Geneva, Vienna and Nairobi. They run the bureaucracy of the UN, responding to the decisions by the Member States in the Security Council and the General Assembly.
Among the notable efforts of Secretariat reform since 2005 is the Secretary-General's report Investing in the United Nations from March 2006 and the Comprehensive review of governance and oversight within the UN, June the same year. From the Member States side there is the Four Nations Initiative, a cooperation project by Chile, South Africa, Sweden and Thailand to promote governance and management reforms, aiming at increased accountability and transparency.
During 2005 and 2006 there was little progress within the area of Secretariat reform, not least due to a wide confidence gap between groups of Member States as well as an enforced "spending cap" which soured relations between the North and the South. During late 2006 and 2007 the discussion atmosphere has greatly improved in the UN and successful resolutions have been taken such as resolution 61/261 on Administration of Justice and 61/244 on Human Resources Management.
Enhancing its democratic nature
Another frequent demand is that the UN become "more democratic", and a key institution of a world democracy. This raises fundamental questions about the nature and role of the UN. The UN is not a world government, rather a forum for the world's sovereign states to debate issues and determine collective courses of action. Adirect democracy would request the presidential election of the UN Secretary-General by direct vote of the citizens of the democratic countries (world presidentialism) as well as the General Assembly (just as cities, states and nations have their own representatives in many systems, who attend specifically to issues relevant to the given level of authority) and the International Court of Justice. Others have proposed a combination of direct and indirect democracy, whereby national governments might ratify the expressed will of the people for such important posts as an empowered World Court.
For the UN to become more democratic in a direct sense, several issues would have to be addressed, including:
- Representation would need to be based more on population vote and UN democratic and free elections to the Secretary and Assembly, rather than the present strict one state, one vote principle. Another proposal is to establish a consultative United Nations Parliamentary Assembly (UNPA) as an intermediary step towards a world parliament within the UN structure. An assembly where Liechtenstein has the same voting power as India is far from equally representational (generally considered a key aspect of democracy).
- The United Nations Security Council veto power needs to be either reformed or removed. Again, this could remove a form of counter-representationalism, where the permanent Security Council members have their opinions weighted above others. However, it is not clear, given the very extensive powers of the General Assembly under the UN Charter—as clarified by the Assembly's own 'Uniting for Peace' resolution of 3 November 1950—that an effective Security Council is a necessary precondition to an effective United Nations Organization.
- The UN would have to be given some power of governance over its members, just as a national government has power of governance over its citizens. This would imply having the power to impose sanctions on members who would not follow the UN's determined courses of action and resolutions (including the human rights' resolutions).
- As implied in the previous item, the UN might also exclude from its membership those nations which it determined to be grossly violating the human rights of its people, including the right to periodic democratic, universal, secret-ballot elections (upheld in Article 25 of the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights).
It is likely that the small countries, which make up the majority of the current members of the General Assembly, would oppose the first of these changes (some of these might oppose the fourth), while the current permanent members of the Security Council would oppose the second, and probably the third as well. However, reformers have proposed that with incremental and simultaneous attention to these points, it is possible that the interests of the large and small nations might be reconciled through compromise in order to avert the anarchy and relative powerlessness of the present system which hamper the interests of both large and small nations. For example, if the veto power were progressively limited while also basing the weighting of the General Assembly more on population, large and small nations might be more trusting of the system to assign more supranational authority to the votes of the General Assembly and judgments of an empowered World Court.
Diversity and democracy
Implementation of population-based UN voting also raises the problems of diversity of interests and governments of the various nations. The nations in the UN contain representative democracies as well as absolute dictatorships and many other types of government. Allowing large powers to vote their population's interests en blocraises the question of whether they would really represent the interests and desires of their individual citizens and the world community. Anything like direct election would be impossible as well in the many nations where an accurate direct vote would be impossible or where the local government has power to influence the local voters as well as security of the ballot box. Giving the UN any kind of actual governance power raises the question of how these powers could be carried out. What would happen when a vote of the UN General Assembly demands changes in the borders or political status of a nation, or requires citizens in some nations to tax themselves in favour of other nations, or demands the arrest of the leader of a nation, and is met by refusal?
The subsidiarity principle resolves some of these issues. The term originates from social thought within the Roman Catholic church and states that no larger organ shall resolve an issue that can be resolved at a more local level. It can be compared to federalist principles where entities of the union retain some aspects of sovereignty. Only when two or more members of the federation are affected by any given act does the federal government have the authority to intervene. Giving a reformed UN more powers but enshrining the subsidiarity principle in its Charter would guarantee that the UN does not evolve into a world autocracy that can arbitrarily dictate policy. For example, the fate of Kashmir would have to be decided through a referendum held by the Kashmiris and not by a vote in the General Assembly.
United Nations Parliamentary Assembly
A United Nations Parliamentary Assembly, or United Nations People's Assembly (UNPA), is a proposed addition to the United Nations System that eventually would allow for direct election of UN Parliament members by citizens of all over the world.
Proposals for a UNPA date back to the UN's formation in 1945, but largely stagnated until the 1990s. They have recently gained traction amidst increasing globalization, as national parliamentarians and citizens groups seek to counter the growing influence of unelected international bureaucracies.
Financing reform
On the subject of financing, an interesting proposal has been made:
"A tax on missiles, planes, tanks, and guns would provide the UN with its entire budget, as well as pay for all peacekeeping efforts around the world, including the resettlement of refugees and reparations to the victims of war."[citation needed]
The main problem with implementing such a radical tax would be finding acceptance. Although such a system might find acceptance within some nations, particularly those (1) with a history of neutrality, (2) without an active military (such as Costa Rica), or (3) with lower levels of military spending (such as Japan, which currently spends 1% of its GDP on Defence), it would be unpopular among many consumers of arms. Nations such as these range from the United States, which spends 4% of its GDP on defense, to dictatorships who depend on arms to keep themselves in power. Other likely opponents would be nations engaged in ongoing military conflicts, or others in a state of heightened military alert, such as Israel and Taiwan. Arms producers would also oppose it, because it would increase their costs and possibly reduce their consumer base.[citation needed]
Another problem with the United Nations is that finances are not controlled by the overwhelming monetary contributors. In theory, democratizing the budget by allowing all members to vote on it would be the ideal. However, as in voting matters concerning non-fiscal issues, blocs are formed that effectively quell reform. In general, First World nations (which tend to have strong democratic systems within their governments) contribute the vast majority of finances for the UN. However, Third World nations (which more often than other nations tend to have dictatorships for governments) have more control over where those funds go. This is because the number of Third World nations is larger than the number of First World nations. It is arguable that the high rates of economic growth in many Third World states, as well as a growing degree of liberalisation, such as is occurring in Indonesia and Brazil, both of which are moving away from previous eras of authoritarian rule, could reduce this problem in the future.[citation needed]
Human rights reform
The United Nations Commission on Human Rights came under fire during its existence for the high-profile positions it gave to member states that did not guarantee the human rights of their own citizens. Several nations known to have been guilty of gross violations of human rights became members of the organization, such as Libya,Cuba, Sudan, Algeria, and Vietnam. Meanwhile, the United States was also angry when it was ejected from the Commission in 2002. While it was re-elected, the election of human rights-abusing nations also caused frictions. It was partly because of these problems that Kofi Annan in the In Larger Freedom report suggested setting up a new Human Rights Council as a subsidiary UN body.
On Wednesday, 15 March 2006, the United Nations General Assembly voted overwhelmingly in favour of establishing a new United Nations Human Rights Council, the successor to the United Nations Commission on Human Rights, with the resolution receiving approval from 170 members of the 191-nation Assembly. Only the United States, the Marshall Islands, Palau, and Israel voted against the Council's creation, claiming that it would have too little power and that there were insufficient safeguards to prevent human rights-abusing nations from taking control.
Removal of spent provisions
Several provisions of the United Nations Charter are no longer relevant. In Larger Freedom proposed the removal of these provisions:
- Since there are no longer any trust territories, the Trusteeship Council no longer serves any purpose, and has not met since 1994. Thus, Chapter XIII of the Charter is no longer relevant, and can be deleted.
- Due to Cold War disagreements, the Military Staff Committee never succeeded in its intended purpose. Although it formally still meets fortnightly, it has been effectively inactive since 1948. Thus, article 47, and the references to it in articles 26, 45 and 46 can be deleted.
- The "enemy clauses" in articles 53 and 107 contain special provisions relating to the members of the Axis in World War II (Germany, Japan, etc.) These are no longer relevant; Japan in particular would like to see them removed.
There are also other provisions of the UN Charter that deal with transitional arrangements, and thus are now spent. For example, article 61(3) and article 109(3). However, In Larger Freedom does not contain any proposals with respect to these provisions.
Due to the difficulty in amending the Charter, it is unlikely that any of these spent provisions will be amended except as part of a package making substantive amendments, such as Security Council reform. Further, while In Larger Freedom proposes that certain provisions be removed there is not universal agreement. One school of thought in particular suggests that the Military Staff Committee could be revitalized by member states finally meeting their Article 45 commitments to provide a force able to perform peacemaking and peace enforcement under the legitimacy of the United Nations flag.
Following the publication of Fourth Assessment Report of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in February 2007, a "Paris Call for Action" read out by French President Chirac and supported by 46 countries, called for the United Nations Environment Programme to be replaced by a new and more powerful United Nations Environment Organization (UNEO), to be modelled on the World Health Organization. The 46 countries included the European Union nations, but notably did not include the United States, China, Russia, and India, the top four emitters of greenhouse gases.[2]
See also
- Amendments to the United Nations Charter
- Binding triad: a proposal to change the power mechanisms of the UN
- The Four Nations Initiative on Governance and Management reform of the UN Secretariat


text: Uplift your day-to-day wardrobe with this Long Sleeve Barcelona Maroon Shirt. Made from a premium cotton, designed for an ultimate fit. Fashioned with a point collar, clear buttons details along with a French placket and side slit adjustable cuffs. Add an element of design by styling with a handkerchief to any pocket suit for a special occasion.


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Pipeline are regular visitors to North America, and indeed the duo has played all over that continent, from Owen Sound in Northern Canada right down to Memphis in Tennessee, - from New York City to Los Angeles, and from Cambria in Southern California right up to the beautiful wine country of Sebastopol north of San Francisco.The following are some of Pipelines favourite North American concert venues over the last couple of years:
Throughout these tours Pipeline has shared the stage with some of the finest musicians in the Celtic genre including Carlos Nunez, Lunasa, Davy Spillane, Sean Keane, Dervish, Tommy Makem, and The Fureys
As well as Pipelines regular Easter and Christmas tours of Austria, the duo has played Germany and Switzerland literally from top to bottom, - a concert deep in the bowels of the earth, in a uranium mine in the former Eastern Germany and a concert in front of four hundred very dangerous men in a high security jail in Bavaria! Further towards the East, they have visited The Czech Republic and Poland. Their latest excursion into southern climes, included The Scapoli Festival in Italy and two music festivals on the wonderful island of Sardinia. The annual New Years Concert with the celebrated Munich Symphony Orchestra proved one to be one of their highlights.
Aoife Clancy with Pipeline
This is the kind of meeting that doesn't happen often!. The exquisite voice of ex Cherish The Ladies member Aoife Clancy and the combined multi-talents of the virtuoso Celtic duo Pipeline join to present a combination of songs and tunes which leaves nothing more to be said. Clancy and Pipeline's Dermot Hyde and Tom Hake have met on the US circuit before of course, and it was in New York last year that they decided that the mix and the time was right.
"We are interested in presenting good quality music and it helps a lot if you understand each other," says Dermot Hyde, uilleann piper , whistle player and vocalist of Pipeline. "Aoife plays great music, and has a fabulous sense of humour, " he continues, " She suits us well!" Indeed Aoife Clancy will no doubt have gleaned some of that typical Irish wit from her father Bobby Clancy of the celebrated Clancy Brothers.
"These things, like humour and the ability to feel sadness are so important, as they are reflected directly in the music and become a part of it and the way you interpret it," says Hyde. In the Clancy-Pipeline project, there are songs and pieces which will reflect these emotions, - from sad songs about the fate of Ireland during the Great Famine, the mood changes to a light - hearted dance music set within minutes. The contrast that is so typical for the Celtic soul is there!
Clancy and Pipeline have enough experience in the business to know how to Combine Celtic in the right way. Like I said, - this is the kind of meeting that doesn't happen often!. Take it when it comes your way!
Pipeline with Ralf Sotschek
Pipeline are now collaborating with Journalist and author Ralf Sotschek on a new project entitled "THE OTHER IRISH" involving humorous readings by Sotschek interspersed with the typical Pipeline sound of whistles, pipes, harps and song.


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Apr 23, 2018
In this episode, I am excited to have Diane Costigan on to talk about different ways to experience wellness and mindfulness, from meditation to EFT tapping.
As a seasoned executive and career coach, Diane works with all levels of attorneys to drive performance and career-related goals. She currently serves as Winston & Strawn's Director of Coaching, where she coaches lawyers on topics such as business development, peak performance, and leadership and career strategy. Diane is a prolific speaker and writer and has been quoted in Forbes, Law360, and Law Practice Magazine. Diane earned her M.A. in Organizational Psychology from Columbia University, and B.A., cum laude, Phi Beta Kappa, from the College of the Holy Cross. She has a certificate in Organizational and Executive Coaching from NYU and is an Associate Certified Coach (ACC) with the International Coaching Federation. She is also an Integrative Nutrition Health Coach (INHC) through the Institute for Integrative Nutrition, and a certified Emotional Freedom Technique (EFT/Meridian Tapping) practitioner. Diane is a second-degree black belt in karate and a long time meditator.
Topics Covered
Resources mentioned:
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31-day program. Spend just 6 minutes every day to practice mindfulness and meditation. Decrease stress/anxiety, increase focus and concentration. Interested? http://jeenacho.com/mindful-pause/
Diane Costigan: [00:00:04] You know, feel feelings so that you can free them.
Intro: [00:00:12] Welcome to the Resilient Lawyer podcast. In this podcast, we have meaningful, in-depth conversations with lawyers, entrepreneurs, and change agents. We offer tools and strategies for creating a more joyful and satisfying life. And now your host, Jeena Cho.
Jeena Cho: [00:00:33] Hello my friends, thanks for being with me for another episode of The Resilient Lawyer podcast. In this episode, I have Diane Costigan. As a seasoned executive and career coach, Diane works with all levels of attorneys to drive performance and career-related goals. She currently serves as Winston & Strawn's Director of Coaching, where she coaches lawyers on topics such as business development, peak performance, leadership, and career strategy.
[00:01:00] Before we get into the interview, if you haven't heard the last episode on The Resilient Lawyer podcast, go back and check it out. I shared just a six-minute guided meditation practice to help you let go of stress and anxiety. It's a preview for my new course, Mindful Pause. So often I hear lawyers tell me that they know they should meditate, but they just can't seem to find the time. So I wanted to create a course that would make it really easy for the busy lawyers to fit it into their very busy schedule, it's just six minutes a day. Of all the hours you dedicate to your clients, work, and others, don't you deserve to have at least .1 hour to yourself? Mindful Pause is designed for lawyers like you; think of it like taking your daily vitamin to boost your well-being. Head on over to jeenacho.com to learn more, or check it out in the show notes. And with that, here's Diane. Diane, welcome to The Resilient Lawyer podcast. I'm so happy to have you.
Diane Costigan: [00:02:03] Thanks Jeena, it's such an honor to be part of this podcast so thank you for inviting me. I'm really grateful.
Jeena Cho: [00:02:09] So let's start by having you give us a 30-second introduction to who you are and what you do.
Diane Costigan: [00:02:16] Sure. I'm an integrative coach and I help lawyers successfully reach their goals by tapping into and/or increasing their personal power and resourcefulness. I like to think of myself as a resource for them to leverage along their path to success, and also happiness because I don't think they're mutually exclusive, even in the law.
Jeena Cho: [00:02:42] Yeah, I totally agree with you. And I'm often surprised by lawyers that will look at me sideways when I mention that word, happiness. "We're lawyers; we're not supposed to be happy." You know, it seems like no one really goes through life thinking, "I'm going to be as miserable as possible." That's such an innately human thing to desire, happiness and peace and love. And all those words that I think some lawyers have an almost allergic reaction to. So you know I feel like you have one of those jobs that is very coveted and everyone would love to have, so how did you end up in-house as a coach?
Diane Costigan: [00:03:28] It is funny you say that, because I almost feel like my career path is that I spent 10 years at a law firm doing more professional development type stuff, then I was out as a consultant for 10 years doing coaching, training, and consulting. And now I'm back on the law firm side, and I have said several times that the job I have now is actually the job in hindsight that I really wanted the first time around when I was in a law firm. So it just kind of took me a little bit of time to realize that. But how I got it, I do think that my 10 years of consulting really helped to tee me up nicely for the job. Like I said, I had 10 years of seeing how a law firm works and doing true professional development. And then I had the benefit as a consultant of seeing how different firms approach professional development. And then I was also, during that time (and this was one of the reasons I really left my first law firm job, because I was able to work so personally and one-on-one with so many different lawyers, probably like hundreds of lawyers in the last 10 years) I was really able to see things they all had in common, things that show up differently, and I was able to create programs and training, and just really customize the coaching that I was doing as a consultant. But it kind of got to the place, I loved consulting and I loved the firm, I worked for Volta Talent Strategies, which is an amazing company. But I really got to the point about a year ago where I wanted to just grow some roots, and rejoin a law firm so that I could almost go deeper in a sense, and really learn only one way of doing things or system of doing things.
[00:05:23] You know I do a lot of business development coaching for example, and you know when you're an external coach who does business development, you have to understand the compensation and credit system of every firm you're working with. And while there are a lot of similarities, there can be differences. And so it's just nice to be at one place and learn one system, one culture and one way politics shows up. So you know, I think that's sort of how I decided that I wanted to come back to the firm. And then you know, being that I do career coaching I literally put myself through the process I would have suggested to a client as well. I got really clear on what I liked and what I didn't like about my job, I went back and reviewed all the jobs I had had and did the pro-con for all of them.
And I think probably the biggest thing I did was informational interviews, you know I talked to people. I think my role is a little different in that I'm working with partners and associates, and I'm doing mostly performance coaching actually, and some career coaching. So I talked to everyone I knew who did something similar or had bits of that job at law firms, and that's sort of how I got the information I needed. But I think how I ended up here specifically at Winston & Strawn, is I followed my longtime mentor Sue Manch. And I really do credit our mentor relationship, but also just staying in touch and networking and you know, really looking to her for any career move I made. And it just, I think all of the stars kind of aligned between all of those things. And so once Sue decided to join Winston and they had already had this position kind of in mind, you know all the stars kind of aligned.
Jeena Cho: [00:07:25] Wow. Are you the only full-time coach at the firm, or are there other full-time coaches as well?
Diane Costigan: [00:07:31] I'm the only full-time coach, but we do have at least one other person. My colleague Julia Mercier, who is our Director of Planning and Development. She is also a certified coach. And so you know, she's working with me on some coaching things, I'm working with her on some training things; so that's been a really nice synergy. And I do intend at some point, probably calendar year 2019, to train up some of our other internal staff, particularly on the HR side and the Recruiting and Attorney Development side, and then some other people on the Learning and Development team. So we're going to train them at least to have coaching skills; we're really trying to build a total culture of coaching, and that's one way (in addition to my role) that we're going to try to deploy resources to that end.
Jeena Cho: [00:08:32] That's great. You know I need to zoom out a little bit. Can you talk a little bit about what coaches do? Because I often find that lawyers don't fully understand what a coach does.
Diane Costigan: [00:08:45] Yeah, no that's a great question. You know, coaching at its root is focused on helping you achieve goals that you set that are meaningful to you. And, it's a process. I like to say it's a process of both transformation and empowerment. So transformation meaning, you know something because you're going to have a goal, something will always be different by the end of your time in coaching. And that might be that you've developed a skill further that you wanted to develop, that you have changed or enhanced a way that you're approaching something. It could be accomplishment-based, making partner in a law firm for example, or bringing in a certain amount of business. It could also be changing your mindset around something, or changing beliefs that you have, limiting beliefs that might be getting in the way. Or it could be changing behaviors that you're engaging in that are getting in the way. So it's a process of transformation, and then it's also a process of empowerment in that (in theory) you know, coaches don't tell you what to do; they don't give you the answers. It's not advising or mentoring or counseling. It's really working with you to pull the information from you, as coachee, to reach your goals. So that's in general what coaching is and what coaching can do for lawyers. And I'm probably implementing it in different ways internally, but that's really the route. There's always something that we're working on.
Jeena Cho: [00:10:25] Yeah I've worked with various coaches over the course of my career, and I always found that I love working with a coach because they don't have their own agenda; they're fully focused on you and what your goals are. And there's not that many people in your life that play that role; where they're going to really listen to you, ask you really great questions. And I think when I first started working with a coach I was sort-of like, "Okay here's my problem, go solve it."
Diane Costigan: [00:10:54] Exactly, yep.
Diane Costigan: [00:10:55] That's not what happens at all, it's like okay, let me ask you some questions about your specific questions or your issue. Sometimes they ask one right question and you see the problem in a completely different way and I think that's where the magic in coaching happens.
Diane Costigan: [00:11:14] Yeah, absolutely. I mean, I think for a mentor the compliment you can give is, wow that was really good advice. And I think for a coach the best compliment you can get is, wow that was a really great question. But I agree, I would be staffed up with coaches all the time if I could. I do work with my own coach. But I mean, I've used coaches for a ton of different things. And you're right, it is kind of a luxury to have someone who's just intently focused on you.
Jeena Cho: [00:11:44] Yeah, totally. So I know that you and I also have, well we lots of different things in common. But I know you meditate. So, will you share a little bit about your journey, how did you start meditating?
Diane Costigan: [00:12:00] I've definitely had a long journey with meditation, I probably started later in my teenage years, it kind of started where I would drift in and out and it wasn't a full-time thing, but I would say in the last ten to 15 years it's been more of a constant in my life. And I think I got into it as a teenager, someone introduced me to a progressive relaxation. Have you ever done progressive relaxation, where you tense your muscles and then release them with breath? It's a great stress reliever. So someone introduced me to that, and so that's kind of like my early day's entry into it. And then I went to a Jesuit college, and I did this five-day silent retreat. I think it was five days, anyway, it was such a powerful transformational experience. I mean, really when in your life do you ever. I mean for an extrovert like me it was incredibly intimidating and frustrating, but so, so powerful. Because really, when do you get that kind of time just yourself and your thoughts? So you know, that definitely got me more into it. And then I guess I got into it also as I started getting deeper, I started to really see there are spiritual benefits to it. Anyone who's sort of a seeker or really always working on personal development, I think there are lots of benefits so you know, that was probably the next kind of wave for me. And I did this online course through the Meditation Society of Australia, which was so amazing and lovely and I just love to hear their Australian accent, that really helped.
[00:13:48] So that got me even deeper, and then I think shortly before I left my first law firm job, I really got into (and it's still a big part of my own practice as a coach) just focusing on stress management. Then I got more into seeing the benefits of meditation from that angle and the neuroscience, so that pulled me in a little bit deeper. But I guess I would say over the last 10 or 15 years, I've had a very regular practice where I probably meditate every weekday. I mean I shouldn't say every, you know sometimes when I'm traveling or I don't sleep well it doesn't happen. But I try to meditate every morning before work for about half an hour. And then on the weekends, I try to do something else that's meditation but not so organized or formal, maybe some focused reading or quiet time or just doing something I'm really interested in. But I think if somebody put me on a panel and asked me, if you could only pick one tool for success in life and career what would it be? Hands down, no question I would say meditation.
Jeena Cho: [00:15:14] Yeah, I feel the same way. It's like one of the most important things I do in my life. And I can tell the difference on the days when I don't meditate, it's funny because sometimes if I go for like a week without meditating, my husband can notice and he'll be like, "Are you meditating?" So it makes a difference, yeah
[00:15:43] So I think one of the things that are such a challenge, especially for lawyers who are so busy, is actually getting your butt in the chair or on the cushion and actually doing it. Do you have tricks or habits or other things you do to make it easier to habitualize that practice?
Diane Costigan: [00:16:07] Yeah, I have a few. I think one is, I like to say I cheat it. And what I mean by that is I think you need to find a way to meditate that works for you. And sometimes (and this is true for me) it's not sitting formally. I do have a sisyama bench and very rarely I will get it out and sit, fully erect and straight up, with my hands and some Mudra position and I meditate. But for me, what I have found works is I meditate laying down. And sometimes I don't even get out of bed, truthfully. But most days I get out of bed, I basically commute from my bed to our couch. I get a heating pad, this will change in the summer but certainly, for the winter months I get a heating pad and I put it under my back. I wrap myself in a cozy blanket and then I put one of those sleeping masks over my eyes. I put headphones in and for now I mostly do guided meditations. Occasionally I'll lead myself in meditation, but I think because I have a job that's so people-facing to me it's such a luxury to have someone else tell me what to do, or guide me through something.
[00:17:37] And for me, it just feels so good and it's such a critical part of my self-care. Now that I'm thinking about it, it's like I'm creating this safe womb experience for myself. And it's just such a powerful way to start my day, I only do it for half an hour, and I look forward to it. So I think if you can do it in a way that works for you, that you look forward to, that's great. But I guess what I tell lawyers who are interested in meditating is, and I know you'll relate to this. I think there are several challenges, but one is I think they set bars (no pun intended) so high for themselves that you know, if they can't be on an ashram in a week-long meditation retreat, they don't want to do it. Or you know, they feel like they're not doing it right. So I always say, set realistic expectations when you're beginning a practice. So even if you're meditating for one minute, you don't want to go from meditating zero minutes a day, zero days a week to trying to do it for an hour, five days a week. And there are lots of good apps out there, I mean that's what I love about your six-minute meditation. I just think that's genius. And I have something similar where I say, 'everyone has 10 minutes.' Like everyone has ten minutes, especially you have to have ten minutes if it's something good for you. Ten minutes or something good for you is better than no minutes of nothing good for you.
[00:19:17] And I guess my other recommendation I usually make to busy lawyers is to go for guided meditation. I mean, I think going for an eight-week MBSR course really works for some people and they come to a place in their life where that's what they need. And that's great, but it can be too much for other people. So just going to something where you're popping headphones in and listening to a guided meditation is a great way to whet the appetite. And then you build from there, instead of trying to do something that's not realistic and then not feeling good about not keeping up with it, and then running a bad or negative script in your head about it.
Jeena Cho: [00:20:05] Right, totally. Yeah. And that desire to do things perfectly, you know I think when you start to meditate that shows up so strongly. And that's sort of the funny thing about meditation, you start to notice I do have this perfectionist tendency. and so be it myself enticed allow myself to do this as I am you know. And I think that's such a critical reason for doing this practice, like whatever your idea of a perfect meditation practice is, letting go and just showing up as you are.
Diane Costigan: [00:20:48] Yeah, I think also another myth that I think many people have but I know lawyers specifically have, is this worry or myth that they have to quiet their minds to be able to medicate. They say, I just have so many thoughts I can't stop them, and so I'll say awesome, you're going to be an amazing meditator. Because that's what you do in meditation. We're not trying to stop the train of thought, we're just trying to sit with it, label it, be with it, inquire about it, process it, and then let it go. So I think there are a lot of misconceptions, and that's a big one.
Jeena Cho: [00:21:31] Yeah, and I think what you said about starting small, to me that's the key. You know, if you don't have half an hour do fifteen minutes, if you don't have fifteen minutes do five, but do it as close to daily as you possibly can. And then also if you don't do the practice for a while.. and that's the other place where I notice a lot of lawyers will get tripped up. Because they'll do the practice for a while, let's say ten days. And they're feeling great, they're starting to notice that they're feeling a little bit less stressed and they have a little spaciousness. And then something comes up and then they don't meditate for five days, and then it's like well I didn't meditate for the last five days, so therefore I failed at this, and I might as well just not do it at all. And it's like no, you can just pick up right there. Just start on that day; let go of all the negative self-talk and the self-judgment and just begin again. And again, I feel like that's another thing that meditation teaches, is that you can just pick things up and continue your practice. And letting go of all the inner narrations of not doing it perfectly and not doing enough, and on and on and on.
Diane Costigan: [00:22:43] No, absolutely. I think that's a lot of what happens in coaching too. If somebody is on the business development side and they're working on moving their conversations more to the professional side from the personal side if they're trying to convert a personal friendship to get business. And we might be working on different strategies for them to do that, and they may be implementing them but then there's one day where they didn't, for whatever reason. And they'll come back in the next time, and to your point its like, "It's an epic fail." They kind of catastrophize about it. And I'll just say, "Well let's just do an automatic do-over." Right? The point is you're aware now; you might not have been aware, or maybe you were aware and you made a choice not to do it, it doesn't even matter. In this current moment of awareness, what are your choices? So what might you have done differently, what's your plan moving forward? But let's just leverage the awareness wherever it's happening.
Jeena Cho: [00:23:52] Yeah. So shifting gears a little bit from meditation to Emotional Freedom Technique, and I'm actually not that familiar with that is. So can you start by explaining what it is?
Diane Costigan: [00:24:05] Sure. Emotional Freedom Technique or tapping or EFT is basically a modality, it's an energy, psychology, modality where you simultaneously use your fingers to tap on different Meridian points from the acupuncture/acupressure system, while you're talking about or experiencing something that's uncomfortable or painful. Whether its physical pain, emotional pain, or even the pain of being in that critical voice that you mentioned before. And what it does is while you are stimulating the acupressure points, it actually switches on the relaxation response. So it basically pulls your body, your nervous system out of the fight or freeze response, so that you can then experience whatever's going on while you're being calm about it.
[00:25:10] I've probably been tapping for about 15 years, and similar to meditation I got into it originally for public speaking. Because I had a huge (and I know that's something else you and I share) really deep fear of public speaking. And so I used EFT to work on my anxiety around that, and then I would kind of come back to it over the years. But I would say probably six years ago it ended up back on my radar screen, and it's something I do every day. I really believe in it so much that I got certified in it, and it just has so many benefits. I mean first and foremost, it's a stress-reduction tool. Who doesn't need one of those in their toolbox, right? So it physiologically reduces stress, but I think it also is so powerful to help you process that critical voice; those unhelpful thoughts and emotions that we have that then inform maladaptive behaviors that get in the way of our success. So that's the upside, the downside of tapping is it sounds a little weird and it looks a little weird.
[00:26:34] I've been saying EFT is in new meditation, because 10 or 15 years ago when I was trying to introduce meditation to law firms, people would look at me like I was crazy. And then it kind of shifted to this interest but resistance to it, where they'd say okay let's talk about meditation or mindfulness but can we not call it that, can we call it something else? And now it's so mainstream, everyone wants to talk about it. Before I left my firm, we were getting so many requests for proposals on meditation stuff, and I refer people all the time who are interested. So I think EFT is the new meditation, I have tapped with a number of lawyers at this point. I did a stress management workshop here at Winston for our first and second years, and I had them meditating and tapping. So I do think that's my next big passion is to try to bring that in more of a powerful way to the legal community, because I just think it's so helpful. And even when I'm not necessarily having someone tap, I'm kind of using the armature or the structure of EFT, which is really feel feelings so that you can free them.
[00:28:07] And I know this is true for me but I know for many of the lawyers I work with, sometimes when they get into trouble from a stress management perspective or if they're just blocked from their goals or their success, it's often because they're not allowing themselves to feel the emotions that are coming up for them. I think sometimes we either stuff down our emotions and just ignore them or deny them. And unfortunately, they'll come out somewhere at some point, and probably not in a helpful way. Or we just hunker down, as my coach likes to say, "We unpack our bags and stay there." And emotion is energy in motion, and if you're stuffing it down or if you're staying in it, it's not doing its job of moving through you. And so EFT (and other modalities, it's not the only one) is a really effective tool for giving you some peace and calm to feel those feelings and to process them. So even if I'm not tapping with someone, I may be asking them what's the predominant feeling they have about that. And then we'll go through, which you can do in meditation as well right. Once you create that space and once you can detach from the emotion, you can explore it. Is it appropriate, does it make sense that you're feeling anger right now?
[00:29:45] And sometimes the answer is yes so then you go to the next question, and sometimes the answer is no and that's all it takes. But if the answer is yes and okay, sounds like based on what you're telling me anger is an appropriate emotion, we might explore why the person's angry, what the system around that anger is. Or we might say okay, well sounds like it's valid that you're feeling anger. Is that a helpful emotion for you to be feeling, based on what you're working on? And sometimes it is, anger can be a very helpful emotion if it inspires you to action around something, whether it's standing up for yourself or setting a boundary. But again, you don't want to stay in that anger; you want to use it for what it can do for you and then move past it.
Jeena Cho: [00:30:36] Right, it's just like fuel and you can kind of propel yourself forward and move through it. You know, I didn't realize the tapping technique was called Emotional Freedom Technique, because I've done it before with my therapist. So I was like oh, I know exactly what you're talking about. So for folks who might want to try it, where do they go to learn how to do this? Is this something they have to go see a therapist for, where would you learn this?
Diane Costigan: [00:31:06] That's such a great question, and to me that's one of the best parts about EFT and similar to meditation; you don't have to go to a tapping practitioner to do it, you can do it on yourself and so it's very effective and versatile. I would suggest, I'm a big fan of The Tapping Solution, and their website is thetappingsolution.com. And they have a number of books, they have just a general The Tapping Solution Approach to Stress and Anxiety, they've got a book about how to use tapping for weight loss and body confidence, they have one for chronic pain. So they have lots of different resources. And then another good resource is eftuniverse.com. And that's where I did my training and my certification. But I think one of the best parts is you can work with someone, but you can also do it for yourself. And I would also go onto YouTube. There are lots of wonderful YouTube videos. The EFT practitioner that I work with who is amazing, her name is Julie Schiffman and she has a number of videos that I will often send lawyers links to. Like I will introduce the concept of tapping if I think it will be helpful, and then if they seem skeptical I'll send them a video and then we might do it the next time. And then Brad Yates is another EFT practitioner who has a lot of really wonderful videos. It's so wonderful to hear that your therapist uses tapping, I think it's such a great complement to a therapeutic practice, but I would say if you're tapping on things that are rooted in trauma I would definitely recommend that you work with a certified practitioner.
Jeena Cho: [00:33:11] Yeah, that makes a lot of sense. Well, we covered a lot of ground today. So one final question before I let you go: what makes a resilient lawyer, what does it mean to be a resilient lawyer to you?
Diane Costigan: [00:33:28] To me, it's about taking ownership of their well-being. When I think of resilience, I think about the ability to bounce back from things that are stressful. And I think to be able to do that, you have to be on top of your stress management game, and paying attention to your well-being. So I think as part of that, it's the willingness to be aware: aware of what might not be working (with respect to your well-being,), and a willingness to work on that. To look at the things that aren't working, and put yourself through a process of working on that. And I think resilient lawyers really understand that it is both a practice and a process. It's not like you all of a sudden in the mail get this diploma that says you're fully resilient, right? I mean, it's something that we constantly have to work at. So it's a process and you're always learning, but the process is fueled by the practice. It's about showing up every day and engaging in self-care, whether that's meditation, nutrition, exercise, getting time out in nature, spending time with the people who are really important to you in life, or hopefully a combination of all of those things. That's part of the everyday practice that will help you to be more and more resilient. And I think resilient lawyers get that.
[00:35:10] But I think it also (this may be a way longer answer than you were looking for) involves courage. Even if it starts with a tiny nugget of courage, but its courage to stand up for yourself. It's courage to set boundaries where you need to set boundaries, it's courage to say no to the things you need to say no to, the courage to say yes to the things that will stretch you and help you build that practice of resilience. But I think, I'm probably going to end up alliterating here because I just love alliteration, but I think it also involves a level of compassion, particularly compassion for themselves. To your point, if you don't meditate for five days, there's no reason to self-flagellate about it. Self-compassion is much more of a resiliency skill there, to say hey it happens, and here I am going to pick it up again. And I think they also are good communicators, they're willing to communicate about their feelings, what they need, when somebody has pushed a boundary, and maybe even apologizing when they've pushed a boundary. So I think those are some of the ingredients that go into being a resilient layer.
Jeena Cho: [00:36:30] Thank you so much for your time and sharing your wisdom with us today, I really appreciate.
Diane Costigan: [00:36:36] Thank you so much, thank you for having me. I'm really grateful.
Closing: [00:36:42] Thanks for joining us on The Resilient Lawyer podcast. If you've enjoyed the show, please tell a friend. It's really the best way to grow the show. To leave us a review on iTunes, search for The Resilient Lawyer and give us your honest feedback. It goes a long way to help with our visibility when you do that, so we really appreciate it. As always, we'd love to hear from you. E-mail us at email@example.com. Thanks, and look forward to seeing you next week.


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12th Annual Foundation Golf Tournament
12th Annual Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Golf Tournament
On August 19, 2016, the Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes (BVLH), in Hebron, NE, will be hosting its 12th Annual Golf Tournament at the Hebron Country Club.
The Foundation and their fundraising efforts make it possible for our residents and staff to enjoy the "extras" beyond the basics that daily operation funds provide. Some of our residents don't have family or friends who provide for them so the work of the Foundation is vital for their care and comfort.
Fees are $240 for a four person team, which includes coffee and rolls, boxed lunch and a grilled burger meal for supper. Team check-in begins at 8:00 am and teams will tee-off at 9:00 am. Space is limited to 24 teams, so early payment of your entry fee will secure your team's participation. Entry forms are due by August 5th.
Click here to download a sponsorship and team participation entry form. There are ways to participate even if you don't golf. We welcome you sponsoring or participating in one or all of these ways:
- Have or sponsor a team – We are accepting only 24 teams, so register early!
- Tournament Sponsors – All tournament sponsors will be listed on printed materials and we'll post your business on our website as a 2016 Golf Tournament Sponsor (www.blvh.org). There are various levels of sponsorship, see the entry form form more details.
- Tournament Gift Bags – Each golfer gets a favor bag. Gifts can be golf balls, tees, koozies, mugs, towels, hats, notepads, pens, etc. It's a great way to advertise your business!
- Food and Drink Donations – It's as simple as providing water, sports drinks, juice bottles, items for grab-and-go breakfast or boxed lunch.
Our 2016, proceeds will be used to purchase a shower chair for the Care Home. The shower chair allows dependent residents to have their showers and cares done in a safe and easily managed method. The chair helps make the tasks easier, safer, and puts less stress on the residents and staff. The chair can be used to keep track of weights, assist in protecting skin integrity (less risk of developing sores or open areas) all while keeping residents clean and comfortable.
Please help us make significant strides toward this year's goal!
If you have any questions or need additional information, please contact Megan Hinirchs at 402-768-3916 or email email@example.com.
Courtyard Terrace Assisted Living Week 2015
In observance of National Assisted Living Week, September 13-19, Courtyard Terrace Assisted Living in Hebron, Nebraska is hosting a series of events developed as a special opportunity to bring together residents, families, employees, volunteers and the surrounding community to celebrate "Nourishing Life, Mind, Body and Spirit".
This theme celebrates the countless ways assisted living caregivers nurture the whole resident. Communities across the country work each and every day to ensure that the lives of their residents are fully nourished in each and every way. Conversely, residents nourish the lives of team members and volunteers by, with the support of loved ones, sharing their inspiring lives. There is a true bond built between residents and their families, staff, friends, and volunteers that makes assisted living community a home for them.
"The ability to care for our elders is an awesome responsibility that Blue Valley Lutheran Homes does not take for granted," said Nancy Fangmeier, Activities Director at Courtyard Terrace. "This celebration recognizes the bonds built between residents and the assisted living professionals who are committed to providing person-centered care and services."
Courtyard Terrace is kicking off the week with a special presentation by Richard Schmidt, "The Singing Cowboy" on Sunday, September 13th at 2:00 pm. This special musical presentation is open to the public and free for all. Please join us for this wonderful musical experience!
Just a few of our special events throughout the week celebrating "Nourishing Life, Mind, Body and Spirit" include a Fleece Blanket Project, Cindy Chinn and her Theremin, a sing along with Janelle Bruning and a ceramics demonstration with Lucky Stradley. The week will end with a special Tailgate Party and watching the Huskers football game against Miami.
National Assisted Living Week is an annual event sponsored by the National Center for Assisted Living (NCAL) and Nebraska Assisted Living Association (NALA). Established by NCAL in 1995, National Assisted Living Week provides a unique opportunity for residents, families, staff, volunteers, and the surrounding community to come together to share with our residents a variety of events and activities that show them how much we care for them.
Courtyard Terrace Assisted Living is a 41-unit assisted living community located in Hebron, Nebraska. For more information on National Assisted Living Week, visit www.nalw.org or contact Blue Valley Lutheran Homes – Courtyard Terrace at 402-768-3900. Please stop by and visit us!
11th Annual Golf Tournament Results
11th Annual Golf Tournament Raises More Than $12,000
The 11th Annual Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Golf Tournament was held August 21 at the Hebron Country Club in Hebron, Nebraska. With a beautiful day and 95 golfers, the Tournament was a huge success; raising more than $12,000.
"We continue to be overwhelmed by the support we receive, particularly with the participation in our annual golf tournament," says Megan Hinrichs, Director of Development. "Everyone from individual donors, to players, sponsors, and volunteers step up to help make a difference. It's extremely gratifying, enabling us to address the needs of our residents."
The Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Golf Tournament began in 2004, as a way to raise funds for remodeling and upgrade projects that normal operating expenses do not cover. This year's funds are earmarked for The Gardens. The funds will be used to add a driveway to The Gardens entrance making it easier for residents to leave for appointments or for family and friends to come and visit their loved ones.
A beautifully sunny day with a strong breeze set the stage for a wonderful day with golfers enjoying the scramble competition, food and beverages, flag prizes, and a great golf experience. Golf teams came from Hebron, Ruskin, Bruning, Deshler, Davenport, Lincoln, Omaha and surrounding areas to participate in a day of relaxation and golf.
The tournament champion this year was the Eric Krupicka team with a score of 55. The first flight winners were the team from Capital Sanitary/ LTC Midwest, with a score of 62. The second flight winner went to the Crop Production Services team with a score of 67. Each flight winner was awarded a commemorative cooler.
A wonderful hamburger and polish dog supper was donated and cooked by NuStar Energy of Geneva, Nebraska.
The Foundation for Blue Valley Lutheran Homes would like to thank all of the sponsors, players, volunteers and donors for the tournament this year.
|Golf Tournament Sponsors
|Diamond Sponsors
Thayer County Bank
LTC Midwest, LLC
|Platinum Sponsors
Farm Bureau Financial Services, Nate Casey
|Supper Sponsor
NuStar Energy
|Gold Sponsors
Moeller Electric
Quality First Insurance
Seim Johnson, LLF
Petersen Oil & Fertilizer
|Lunch Sponsors
Bruning State Bank
First Choice Vending
|Hole-in-One Sponsors
Berwyn and Betty Petersen
Fred and Ardie Maschmann
|Bronze Sponsors
Byron State Bank
Midwest Ear, Nose and Throat, Dr. Bowen
Kathy and Roger Retzlaff
Solution One
|Breakfast Sponsors
Dick Walsh Insurance
Grace Lutheran Church
Hiland Dairy Company
Hebron Rotary Club
|Hole Sponsors
Diode Telecom
Tom Posey Real Estate and Appraisal
Kent and Kris Reckewey
Women of the ELCA– Christ's Lutheran Church
|Flag Prize Sponsors
81 Trailer Sales
Ray and Eileen Asche
Blue Valley Bowl (x2)
Carleton Body Shop (x2)
Eakes Office Supplies
First Choice Vending (x9)
MetalQuest Unlimited
Nebraska Health Care Association
Price Funeral Home
Riverside Motel
Southeast Valley Irrigation (x2)
True Value
|Other Sponsors
Bethany Lutheran Church
Breezy Pointe Farms
Hergott Enterprises
Hebron Chamber of Commerce
|Special Thanks To
Hebron Country Club
Nate Casey
Robert Harms
Idonna Kripal
Carlece Kenner
Janelle Bruning
Deb Craig
Sharon Ebke
Ken Else
Shari Fischer
Pat Kenner
Fred Maschmann
Berwyn Petersen
Lloyd VanCleef
Kelli Day
Kathy Retzlaff
Nikki Drohman
Alan Jarecki
Pam Kozeal
|Golf Teams:
Brase Farms
Breezy Pointe Farms
Bruning State Bank
Blue Valley Lutheran Homes
Capital Sanitary/ LTC Midwest
Cornerstone Bank
Crop Production Services
Nikki Drohman Team
Farm Bureau Financial Services
Doug Fintel Team
Foundation for Thayer County Health Services
Eric Krupicka Team
Norder Supply
Peace Lutheran Church
Price Funeral Home
Quality Concrete
Reinke Manufacturing Team #1
Reinke Manufacturing Team #2
St. John Lutheran Church #1
St. John Lutheran Church #2
Sudbeck, Lubben and Pulliam
Thayer County Bank
11th Annual Golf Tournament
11th Annual Golf Tournament
August 21, 2015 · Hebron Country Club, Hebron, Nebraska
Registration begins at 8 a.m.; Start at 9:00 a.m.
Each year, Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Foundation holds a golf tournament to help raise funds for renovation projects at The Gardens, Care Home, Nursing Home or Courtyard Terrace.
This year, the Foundation will use the money to install a circle driveway at the Care Home. It will allow residents easier access to vehicles for doctor's appointments and be more convenient for family members and friends to visit loved ones. The challenge is to raise $15,000 to start this project.
We are currently signing up teams for a four man scramble golf tournament. There is a limit of 24 teams, so sign up today!
The single team fee is $240, cart rental is $45. To sign up, please contact Megan Hinrichs at 402-768-3916 or email email@example.com. Download the Entry Form by Clicking Here.
If you would like to be a sponsor for the golf tournament, prizes or lunch, please contact Megan for more information. Your participation is appreciated. Hope to see you at this year's event on August 21st.
Golf Tournament Sponsors
|Diamond Sponsors
LTC Midwest, LLC
Thayer County Bank
|Platinum Sponsors
Farm Bureau Financial Services
|Hole-in-One Sponsors
Berwyn and Betty Petersen
Fred and Ardie Maschmann
Petersen Oil & Fertilizer
|Gold Sponsors
Moeller Electric, Inc.
Quality First Insurance
Seim Johnson, LLF
|Silver Sponsors
|Bronze Sponsors
Kathy and Roger Retzlaff
Byron State Bank
Midwest Ear, Nose & Throat Specialists, PC
|Hole Sponsors
Diode Communications
Tom Posey Real Estate and Appraisal
Kent & Kris Reckewey
Tom Posey Real Estate
Women of the ELCA – Christ's Lutheran Church
|Breakfast Sponsors
Dick Walsh Insurance Agency, Inc.
Grace Lutheran Church
|Lunch Sponsors
Bruning State Bank
|Supper Sponsors
NuStar Energy
|Flag Prize Sponsors
Riverside Motel
81 Trailer Sales
MetalQuest Unlimited
Carleton Body Shop (2)
Eakes Office Supply
Price Funeral Home
Ray & Eileen Asche
Riverside Motel
Southeast Valley Irrigation (2)
|Gift Bag Sponsors
Tom Posey Real Estate
Start a New Career in the Medical Field with the Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Nurse Aide Training Program
Start a New Career in the Medical Field with the Blue Valley Lutheran Homes Nurse Aide Training Program
Imagine a job that rewards you for caring about others…that is exciting and challenging…a job where you make a difference. Whether you're just starting your career or ready for a change, now is the time to consider becoming a Nurse Aide (CNA).
As a Nursing Assistant, you will be an important part of today's world of health care, with knowledge and skills that are always in demand. The Blue Valley Lutheran Homes (BVLH) Nurse Aide Training Program prepares individuals with the information and the experience needed to become a Nurse Aide who will provide quality care for residents in our long-term care facilities.
Students learn in a hands-on environment under the eyes of caring and professional nurses. They are taught the art of compassionate care for people in the long-term care system. Through lecture, DVDs, role-playing, and clinical practice, students learn procedural skills such as vital signs, bathing, dressing and positioning. The classroom is equipped with nursing beds and medical equipment to practice skills prior to the clinical rotation. Graduates of the BVLH CNA program are well prepared for the requirements to pass the state test.
Classes will begin on July 20, 2015 and will meet on Monday and Wednesday evenings from 4:00 pm to 8:00 pm for five weeks. Two Saturday classes will be scheduled after the classes begin. Anyone interested in the program must be at least 16 years of age.
Contact BVLH Kelli in Human Resources at 402.768.3615 or email her at firstname.lastname@example.com. Class participants must sign up ahead of time and need to fill out an application before being accepted into the class.
Course Benefits
- Small Class Sizes
- Hands-On Experience
- Licensed Instructors with Professional Experience
- Course Length 5 Weeks
Openings at Blue Valley Lutheran Homes
Blue Valley Lutheran Homes has openings at all four of their facilities: Courtyard Terrace Assisted Living, Care Home, Nursing Home and The Gardens.
Call to schedule a Tour or ask questions: 402-768-3900
Is a Gift Annuity right for you?
Are you looking for secure sources of fixed income for now or future retirement? If you are like many individuals who own appreciated assets, you are tired of living at the mercy of the fluctuating stock and real estate markets. You recognize that if you sold your appreciated assets you would face a high capital gains tax.
There is a solution, a plan that provides you with fixed income for life, avoids capital gains tax and leaves a lasting gift to your favorite ministries. This plan is called a charitable gift annuity.
A charitable gift annuity is a contract between you and the ELCA. You transfer your appreciated assets to the ELCA in exchange for the ELCA's promise to pay you fixed income for your life. The income can be quite high depending on your age, and a portion of your income stream may even be tax free. Best of all, you will receive a charitable deduction for the value of your future gift and the joy of contributing to your favorite ministries.
There are excellent options for establishing a charitable gift annuity. For current income, you may transfer property for a fixed income beginning as early as this year. Or you can establish a deferred gift annuity, take your charitable deduction now and receive payments at the designated future date. A deferred gift annuity also offers the option to establish the gift annuity now and take a current deduction while maintaining a flexible future retirement date.
Several types of assets may be gifted in exchange for a charitable gift annuity.
A cash gift is an excellent way to fund a gift annuity. A large portion of the annuity income will be tax free.
Capital gains tax may be bypassed on a gift of appreciated securities to fund a gift annuity. A portion of the income stream will be taxed at the lower capital gains rate and another portion may be tax free.
Myron wanted to make a gift for two of his favorite ELCA ministries and had heard that a Charitable Gift Annuity might be a good way to give. His stock had appreciated greatly over the 15 years he owned it. Because of the fluctuating markets, Myron desired to sell his stock. However, he wanted to avoid paying high capital gains taxes. Myron called Lutheran Planned Giving Services and discovered that he could transfer his stock in exchange for a charitable gift annuity. He could begin receiving income now, take a current charitable deduction and avoid capital gains taxes on the gift. Best of all, a portion of his income would be tax free! Myron decided to transfer his appreciated stock in exchange for the gift annuity and was delighted with the resulting fixed lifetime payments and the eventual gift for his favorite ministries.
Sharon was disappointed in the poor return she was receiving from her savings and certificate of deposit. investments. She thought about investing in stocks but felt they were too risky. Sharon attended a seminar put on by Lutheran Planned Giving Services at her congregation and learned about the Charitable Gift Annuity. Since she recently turned 82, she learned she qualified for a fixed lifetime payment of 7.2%. She was excited about the additional tax savings of a through her current deduction and receiving a portion of the payments tas free. Sharon was comfortable with the fact that this was a gift and not an investment, as she felt she had adequate assets to live on and could afford to make this gift now. Sharon was most excited that the remainder would pass, at her death, to the ELCA ministries she so loved.
All inquiries are confidential;
there is never an underlying sale, cost, or obligation.
Craig Stirtz, President
5858 Wenninghoff Rd., Ste 2
Omaha, NE 68134
402-342-5728 w
402-616-0312 c


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Attendance/Early Release Procedures, House Bill 410 and Bus Passes
Attendance/Early Release Procedures, House Bill 410 and Bus Passes
If a student is absent from school, a parent must notify the attendance office to inform the school of their student's absence. Without this notification, Ohio Law requires that the school contact parents by phone or letter to inform them of the student's absence. If your student is going to be absent or late, please call the front office at 740-657-4300 or 740-657-4330.
Absence Guidelines:
- Tardy-Students who arrive within 90 minutes of the school starting time or are out of school for 90 minutes during the day will be considered tardy.
- Half-Day Absence-Students who are in school for more that 90 minutes but less than 3 hours and 20 minutes will be considered a half-day (1/2 day) absent.
- Full-Day Absence-Students who are in school for less than 3 hours and 20 minutes will be considered a full-day absent.
- PM Tardy-Students who leave within 90 minutes of the end of the day will be considered a PM Tardy.
Early Release:
If your student is leaving early for the day or has a doctor's appointment, please send a note in with your student. Notes are to be dropped off in the front office at the beginning of the day. We do understand that sometimes you will not know an appointment time until that day. Please give us a call at 740-657-4300 and let us know what time you are picking up your student. The front office will write a pass and try to have your student in the office waiting for you to sign them out.
If your student is getting picked up by someone who is not on their Emergency Medical Form, we will need a note with a parent/guardian signature on it before we will release your student. Please notify the person picking up your student that we will ask for identification.
If your student is going for a Doctor's appointment, please ask them for a school excuse and have your student hand that into the front office. A student returning to school for the day does not need a parent/guardian to sign them back in. You may drop your student off at the front door and we will get them back to class.
Bus Passes:
In order for your student to ride a bus home with another student, we will need a note signed by a parent/guardian. The note must include your student's first and last name, the first and last name of student they are riding home with and the bus #. These notes need to be turned in at the beginning of the day in the front office. The passes will be printed and the student can pick up their pass on their way out to the buses.
Thank You. If you have any questions about Attendance, Early Release and Bus Passes, please give us a call in the office.
House Bill 410: Ohio's Attendance Law
The Ohio General Assembly recently passed House Bill 410 to encourage and support a preventative approach to excessive student absences. With the implementation of House Bill 410, the counting of absences changes from days to hours. Here are some important points to know about the new law.
- Attendance is important. As early as elementary school, students who miss just 2 days a month, regardless of the reason for the absence, are more likely to fall behind academically and less likely to graduate. This is true regardless of race, ethnicity, language, family income, and other variables.
- The new law focuses on habitual truancy. Habitual truancy is when a student is absent without a legitimate excuse 30 or more consecutive hours, 42 or more hours in one month, or 72 or more hours in one school year.
- A school must create a Student Absence Intervention Plan when a student is habitually truant.
- A Student Absence Intervention Plan is a student-centered, personalized plan that addresses barriers to attendance when a student becomes habitually truant. The school, the family and the student will collaboratively develop the plan. The plan spells out agreed-upon strategies for improving attendance.
- The new law also addresses excessive absences. Excessive absences occur when a student is absent with or without a legitimate excuse for 38 or more hours in one month or 65 or more hours in the school year.
- The goal of House Bill 410 is to decriminalize truancy. However, there is still the potential for court involvement even with a Student Absence Intervention Plan. Once a plan is in place, a complaint against the student will be filed in Juvenile Court 61 calendar days after the plan has failed or if the student has been absent without legitimate excuse for 30 or more consecutive hours or 42 or more hours in a school month during the plan's implementation.