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Ban Bossy
Yet again, the modern feminist continues to astound with her detachment from reality. In an attempt to usurp yet even more power, Sheryl Sandberg, who's some sort of big-whig at Facebook, started a new social engineering program called Ban Bossy. The premise behind Ban Bossy is that assertive women are called bossy, while assertive men are considered leaders.
I pointed out the website to a friend of mine, who dejectedly messaged me back, saying that in all 4 decades of his life, it was only after receiving the BB message that he'd finally realized that only women were considered bossy in America. The bossy men, otherwise known as assholes, jerks, micromanaging tyrants, and snakes in suits are held in much higher regard than bossy women, or so Sheryl Sandberg would have us believe.
Unfortunately a group of famous and ironically powerful ( a sense of irony is the first thing to go among Utopians) female leaders have taken to the BB podium, urging us all to never remind females that diplomacy, leading by example, respect, and truly caring for others is paramount to not only being a good leader, but having other people believe you're a good leader. Beyonce throws the word Bitch around in her songs but here, she reminds us she's not Bossy, by declaring "I'm not bossy, I am the boss."
If I made such a statement to the men in my platoon in the Army, I would immediately lose all their respect, perhaps irrevocably.
Adam Grant, Ph.D, writes an excellent, though overly PC for my taste, post in Psychology Today, addressing female bossiness. What he has to say matches exactly my own experience. He writes:
We react very differently when power is exercised by high-status and low-status people. In a pair of clever experiments, researchers Alison Fragale, Jennifer Overbeck, and Maggie Neale show that when people with high status also possess power, we perceive them as dominant, but also warm. We hold them in high regard, so we're willing to follow their commands. When the same commands come from people who lack status, we judge them as dominant and cold. Since they haven't earned our respect, they don't have the right to tell us what to do.
When young women get called bossy, it's often because they're trying to exercise power without status. It's not a problem that they're being dominant; the backlash arises because they're overstepping their status.
This is precisely my experience in the Army. I have worked for a couple of female leaders, and worked along side others that clearly thought they were leaders. One female 1 SG, who was way over her head, was bossy on steroids, yet could sometimes be seen crying in her office. Clearly, she always tried to exercise power beyond her status and it rubbed many people the wrong way, to the point that several of them wrote letters of complaint to the company commander. I also witnessed on several occasions, females who tried too hard to stand out and succeed, perhaps with the subliminal belief that they had to compete against men. The most competitive female I've ever worked with in the Army had virtually no friends at the time I knew her.
This is not to say that leaders should appear weak. Indeed, the opposite, as Machiavelli pointed out, is true. The problem with many women, is that they do not understand that demanding respect is seen as weakness. The second we feel the need to declare ourselves Caesar, we show we doubt ourselves.
Many women find it frustrating that men excel is leadership positions and attribute this to a system that selects men merely because they are men. Again, so out of touch are many women brought up in the age of Girl Power, they cannot perceive the truth of the matter. Men, from day one, are raised in an environment of competition. We are expected to be strong and to win. We quickly learn what works and what does not, and we rarely have some all-powerful or bossy organization, like the US government or a womens' rights org to turn to if we fail. We don't even have societal pressures to protect us. Trial and error always trumps academic musings. We learn on the playground that if we are too bossy, we may get punched in the nose. Girls don't have this learning tool, as we all know from a young age that hitting girls is worse than hitting boys. Thus, we learn diplomacy, and if not we get branded the school bully. Our leadership skills grow organically, and we understand that hierarchy is inherent in nature. Sure we want to be on top, but we understand nothing beats hard work and competence.
Some women become frustrated when they are placed in leadership positions and people fail to respond to them. Studies show that young girls are very concerned with the perception of others, that people will not like them because they are leaders. To me, this shows that women actually do think being bossy is leadership. They believe they must be unlikable to lead. So they try to be friends with some people, and then immediately shift to the bossy side of the spectrum when things don't go the way they want. I see this sort of thing with modern mothers. they try to be friends to their children instead of parents. They are afraid of offending their child and think the child will not love them if they don't act like as a peer does. But parents should never be seen as the peers of their children. Many mothers gleefully Facebook and text with their 13 year old daughters, as if they were sisters. The end result of this is that instead of being able to exercise authority by telling the child to be home at a certain time, or doing their homework, squabbles ensue that resemble fights between siblings. In the past my wife has become frustrated with our two daughters, because they unquestionably obey me, but when I leave the house will sometimes even resort to mild forms of physical violence against her, such as a kick to the leg from the 4 year old when she doesn't want to get dressed. The 4 year old won't display such aggression around me, let alone direct it at me. My wife believes this is some sort of magic which the universe has unjustly bestowed upon men. But I think it's because men grow up in a world that asks more of them.
The more women believe and tout the mythology that they have it tougher than men, the less likely they will be received as leaders in this world. They should stop and consider why the ultimate act of despair, suicide, should be so overwhelmingly a male phenomena. Out of the 110 countries listed in Wikipedia under "List of countries by suicide rate", only in one is the rate higher for women than men. In many other countries the rate for men is double or triple that of women.
The feminists are bringing even more scorn upon women in leadership positions with the Ban Bossy movement, without even proving a problem. Respect and the title of leader is always earned. We can earn rank and titles, but status comes with accomplishment. The more women stomp their feet in protest, the more they damage their position.
Toxic Leaders and bureacracy are killing US Army Soldiers
In my relatively short Army career, I have seen more toxic leaders than in all my other jobs put together. The problem has now reached a catastrophic level, with a new report, conducted by the US Army, stating that as many as 20% of all leaders in the Army could be considered toxic. It is tearing the Army apart. This report goes on to state that the majority of soldier suicide involve a toxic leader which made life, a possibly already troubled life, virtually intolerable for the soldier. A former Army officer who now works for the New York Times says he thinks 20% is a low number, and I very much agree. Enlisted military jobs were listed as the most stressful jobs of 2013. Part of the stress is the leadership, not just the Taliban.
I never knew what a toxic leader was before I joined the Army. I had some bad bosses, but I don't think I would have classified any of them, but perhaps one, as toxic. But in the Army, it has been the rare occasion that I have not worked in fairly close proximity to someone that possesses one or several of the Army's listed traits of toxic leaders. I've scoured by brain to think of why it could be so bad compared to everywhere else.
First, let me say that I was skeptical that things were any different in the Army than they were decades ago before the Army's suicide problem and before Toxic Leader became such a popular term. But several things have led me to believe that something has changed, and for the worse (following my thoughts on our nation in general I suppose). First, the suicide numbers are striking. It is more than statistically significant when the rate of people killing themselves doubles within a ten year period and shows little sign of dropping to the levels of seen before the problem arose. Army suicide rates are comparable to the suicide rates among males in prison. I am my Battalion's suicide prevention officer, so I have a professional interest in this. I also have an interest because I have felt the burden of toxic leaders in the Army, and I can say that it effected me in ways that I did not think possible. The military used to have lower rates of suicide than the civilian world. One would expect this in a tight-knit organization in which everyone has a well-paying job, educational incentives, and health care. Also consider that the average soldier has fewer mental illnesses, more education and is less likely to be a criminal than the average US civilian. The Army's response to suicide has been predictably clumsy and bureaucratic. It added several more blocks of training on how to identify soldiers who may be at risk for suicide and this of course entailed more paperwork, online training and seminars. Almost all of which only addressed the symptoms and not the cause of a very serious problem. It could be argued that this type of action adds to the despondency problem in the Army, by adding dehumanizing bureaucracy in the mix, something which Max Weber termed, The Iron Cage. What soldiers really need is very tight units which serve similar roles to families. People join gangs not so they can rob stores and shoot people, but to have connection with humans. I know this sounds stupidly romantic, but it's easy to see and feel the effects of the disintegration of social connections.
Another thing that convinced me things changed is talking to people that used to be in the military before our modern wars. When they read about current issues and how things are done, or hear my stories, they shake their heads. They tell me it was never like this. I real forums online, too, in which high ranking retired NCOs (E8 or E9) say they got out because of the changes they say, an oppressive environment that slowly drained their desire to participate. Many of them state that this trend began 5-10 years ago, which seems to be in line with the suicide trend.
Thirdly, is my own experience. In my entire life as a professional, I have never met a higher rate of narcissistic personalities than in the US Army's officer and NCO Corp. It's now come to light that the narcissistic personality trait is at the core of toxic leadership. This is perfectly in line with my observations in the Army and also my assessment of where our society is headed. The Army is a great microcosm for almost any society, as the values held most dear and the traits most endemic reveal themselves explicitly in the military. Studies show and my own personal experience indicates that people in college and those that are not far removed from college have very elitist attitudes and think they're better than others around them and in past generations. These are the folks that make up the officer corps. And as officers, they are taught by the Army itself that they are better than non-officers. I see this attitude every day. The article I link to shows the definition of narcissism:
"an inflated sense of self-importance and an extreme preoccupation with themselves
All negative and positive traits are magnified in the military, especially during war. Transpose our world of selfies, metrosexual manicures, hourly Twitter updates on the current state of one's hair, breakfast, pants or fecal matter, add the current focus on efficiency, bureaucracy and hyper-rationality and then throw in a college degree and rank, and we get the witch's brew we call a toxic leader.
There are so many toxic leaders in the Army, I would dare call it a culture. I'm not sure what percentage would need to be toxic to be defined as a culture, but if we analyze what a culture is, we find that it's really peer pressure in action. Peer pressure gets a bad rep. It's the way people learn their boundaries within a society. In the Army, toxic leaders with higher rank will have a grievous effect far beyond their own immediate actions, because not only do they make many of their subordinated miserable, but some subordinated will copy their leadership style. The toxic leader is leading by example and everyone should fully expect that his toxicity will be seen by juniors as the way the Army works.
One defense against this could be philosophy. There should be schools for NCOs and officers that teaches the basic foundation of Western ethics and morality. Why not begin with Aristotle? Another issue that is probably contributing to the military's problems, in the ever-growing bureaucracy. The Army is a huge bureaucracy. One of the biggest in the world. According to Max Weber, bureaucracy is the defining edifice of modern Western civilization. Bureaucracy is what maximizes productivity, it focuses on efficiency and makes perfection its aim. Bureaucracy is inherently dehumanizing. In the modern Western military, combine uber-bureaucracy with the inherent utilitarian aspects of fighting wars, and it seems we may have a system that drains humans at emotional levels. I think this is why many officers do not have the emotional intelligence required to properly lead people. In the current environment, emotional intelligence is simply not exercised, so it never develops. I believe that my time as a police officer developed my emotional intelligence to a higher degree than would have been possible if I started out in the Army. While there was significant bureaucracy as a city cop, much of the job required me to deal with a wide range of human emotions and situations. It made me realize that no matter how much we prize efficiency, human beings are not robots. When humans are placed in systems that ignore their humanity, they become despondent. This is essentially what Dilbert shows us.
I myself have felt the sting of bureaucracy and how it perpetuates the negative aspects of narcissistic leaders. The drive for perfection in order to look good in front of the boss trumps all else. One word on a PowerPoint slide that is not agreeable to these types of leaders results in the assessment that the product is a disaster. Font size and type become incredibly important, to the point where people are berated for Calibri instead of Arial. The content of the slide is secondary.
Steve Denning of Forbes magazine, writes:
Are the people who lead these 20th Century bureaucracies incompetent? When it comes to C-suite teams who don't perceive that the world has changed and who try to cope with the new demands of the marketplace by pressing the bureaucracy to run harder, the answer is yes. They are incompetent leaders for the 21st Century. They don't understand what it takes to succeed in their jobs. Comprehensive studies, such as Deloitte's Shift Indexshow that they are running their organizations faster and faster into the ground.
And through their incompetence, pursuing bureaucratic management instead of radical management, these leaders are causing massive damage to the economy on a daily basis and to the lives of people who depend on them: Why Amazon Can't Make A Kindle In The USA.
Denning goes on to write:
What's striking about the list is that these relatively high level people are imprisoned in hierarchical bureaucracies. They see little point in what they are doing. The organizations they work for don't know where they are going, and as a result, neither do these people.
The even sadder part of the story is that the organizations they work for are going down the tubes. Deloitte's Center for the Edge studies show that the life expectancy of a firm in the Fortune 500 has declined from around 75 years half a century ago to less than 15 years and is heading towards 5 years. The pointlessness that these people see in their jobs is an accurate reflection of the deteriorating condition of the firms they work for. When those doing the work are dispirited, it is inevitable that customers too will be frustrated and that the firm will not prosper.
So, even at a purely utilitarian level, these organizations are failing? Why? Because they are made up of people and the people are not satisfied.
This is what is happening in the Army. And I see no evidence at all that the Army will fix it. The focus on efficiency instead of creativity, and the enraging habit of adding processes instead of taking them away is ruining the military. Most of our enemies have no bureaucratic systems, or they are much, much smaller than our own, yet they have basically defeated us, achieving their strategic aims while we founder and fib that we are winning.
I am a creative person. Since a boy, I have enjoyed stories and the fantastic. Instead of maximizing this, the Army usually crushes this instinct. I could write multiple blog posts about the bureaucratic problems in the Army, and how they drain people's souls. Moreover, many of these processes are downright dumb.
The Army must radically change at multiple levels if the deleterious trends so evident are to reverse. But it won't. As usual, I take the line: "We are doomed". The feedback loops that keep civilizations more or less on an upward trend, are not present in the Army. When a leader is toxic, he is the Emperor with no clothes. No one will say anything and soldiers can't quit to find another job, not for years, when their contract expires. Even when the problems of bureaucracy are identified, the reaction of government is to add more bureaucracy, when the first question ought to be: Why do we need to do any of this? How much do we really gain vs the time put into the process?
In the end, we'll all pay the price. We've already paid a large one.
Operational tempo is breaking a small Army
Recently, I've been reading a book called "Black Hearts", a story about a platoon from the 101 Airborne is Iraq. The story is not a pretty one. It is in fact so disturbing to me that I've had to put the book down for days at a time on several occasions. But I will finish it eventually. At the core of the story are bad Army leaders, who think they can bully and abuse people into performing well. One leader in particular, a battalion commander, lords himself over his company captains and blames them for every bad turn the war takes in his area of responsibility.
As I continued reading the book, one point kept standing out: America simply didn't have enough troops to do all of the things necessary to control the country. In one instance the commander ordered that checkpoints be set up along a road, manned by a squad of soldiers at a time. Because there were so few troops, the checkpoints were usually only manned by 4 troops instead of 10-12. In order to satisfy brigade staff, the battalion reports indicated the checkpoints were fully manned, just so brigade would't complain. The soldiers would have to stay at these checkpoints for days on end, sleeping on the ground or in their vehicles and never taking their body armor off because of regulations. Eventually an insurgent simply walked up to a checkpoint and shot two soldiers, killing them. One soldier had his helmet off and was shot in the neck. Investigators found that he would have dies even if he had his helmet on, but the battalion commander told the soldiers of his unit that the dead soldier "deserved to die", because he had his helmet off.
In this situation, a lack of troops made the effects of bad leadership much worse. In fact, too few troops makes everything worse in military operations. One would think this would be obvious, but the modern military is obsessed with technology to the point it believes it needs only a skeleton crew of humans. In the current environment, soldiers are so busy that many times they don't even know how to use newer technology because there is no time to train. I can attest to this fact.
My brigade at Ft. Drum, the 1st Brigade Combat Team, is currently at only 70% manning. This is due to draw downs and the fact that units in Europe have not yet been dissolved, so troops are spread thin. The 10th Mountain Division at Fort Drum is the most deployed unit in the Army since 2001. Everyday is chaos at my unit. There is not enough solders or time to get everything done that needs doing. I feel, personally, as if I have to know everything about everything, that there are no systems in place to keep things running smoothly. Training and maintenance go by the wayside because we are always trying to catch up on bureaucratic functions. In effect, we are a self-licking ice cream cone. It is very stressful on everyone, especially the enlisted people, since shit always rolls downhill. Remember, a Private gets in more trouble for losing his rifle than a General does for losing a war.
A few months ago my unit took a "command climate survey", in which soldiers were asked to rate their leaders and general working environment. The number one complaint from non-commission officers was that they felt they were over worked. I'm sure many people in many jobs feel they are over worked, but I wish people could see the hours and work that a typical NCO int he Army puts in.
Today, our battalion commander, a man I very much admire, spoke to 2-22 Infantry. We are preparing for a large training exercise and were given very short notice about the event. The commander said that when he was first coming up in the Army, the unit would have had two years notice to prepare. This year we were given 21 days. The amount of stress this creates is difficult to explain. And things like this happen almost monthly at my unit. There is no individual in the Army to blame, but we as a nation and our government has to look very seriously at the effect our high tempo-low numbers strategy is having on our military and the individuals that make it up. The low retention and high suicide rates are no coincidence.
Army Leadership is Catastrophically Broken
The longer I'm in the Army, the more I question whether leadership can be taught in a formal manner. The US Army heavily stresses "leadership skills", and talks about leadership incessantly in manuals and throughout its training. Ranger school is essentially a leadership school.
In all honesty I have never seen worse leaders than what I have encountered in the military. People who are downright abusive and in some cases mentally unstable. The Non-Commissioned Officer's Creed states: "I know my Soldiers and will always place their needs above my own." I've seen very few NCOs who live up to that standard. In fact, it is quite the opposite. Most NCOs use lower ranking Soldiers merely to make their own jobs and lives easier. Obviously there is an accountability and rating problem in the Army, which I suspect is the same problem encountered in any industry that does not produce tangible goods. The fact that many NCOs can reach the rank of E7 and higher while remaining tactless bullies to those under them speaks more of the Army's rating system than of the rated NCO. The Army is currently implementing a 360 degree rating system in which the lower ranking Soldiers rate their leadership, but even this will not present an accurate picture of what's going on; lower ranking Soldiers will still be afraid of their bully superiors.
Just a small example of what I've consistently seen in the Army. The senior NCO in my office routinely calls his Soldiers "fags", "nerds" and other derogatory names. Of course he presents this with a small dose of plausible deniability–like he's joking. He may be joking but I'm aware of what he's really trying to accomplish: To psychologically subjugate those under him. If he's truly just joking around, perhaps he would mind if the E4 working for him called him a fag. Doubtful. He doubles his power by telling us all that he can't stand people who can't take a joke. Again, can he take a joke?
This is far from the only time I've seen this kind of behavior. In fact, I am surprised when I don't see it.
The Soviet military held that there was no known way to efficiantly make leaders; leaders emerged and took charge through natural processes and those who displayed leadership characteristics were promoted. I tend to agree with this. A person's psychological and ethical makeup, as well as his or her own personal experiences do more to determine leadership qualities than dreary doctrine.
In any case, it is my fundamental belief that the Army is broken in a deep way. Not only does its leadership exibit a proto-fascist quality in many cases, but the Army's systems do not function well, systems that are used daily and should run like a smooth machine. But a rough-running machine would be tolerable with consistently good leadership. Instead the Army seems to attract and breed borderline sociopaths. In three years I've witnessed ethical and personal violations by NCO that I never saw in any other job. Daily verbal abuse, belittling, sexual relations with lower ranking female Soldiers (against regs), and other actions for which lower enlisted Soldiers would be counseled and punished.
Tim Tebow: A Real Leader
As much as there is a real "Tebow Mania" in the air concerning the Denver Bronco's quarterback Tim Tebow, there is also an equally potent dark side to this mania. Call it Tim Tebow Manicheanism. On one side, there are the people who just like football and appreciate the play of a football player who is winning in a very unorthodox way. Also on that side are people of the Christian faith, who also follow football, who identify with Tim Tebow's beliefs and who appreciate the fact that he is not ashamed to express those beliefs.
On the other side of the Tebow explosion, are the haters and doubters. There are people who had and still have legitimate doubts about Tim Tebow's ability to play football at the professional level. To those people I must point that Tebow still has under 300 pass attempts in the NFL. The Denver Broncos selected Tebow in the first round and he has won the games that Kyle Orton could not. At some point you have to stop doubting his ability and start realizing that he is driving defenses nuts. Any other QB would have been given at least two full seasons as a starter before such judgments were made. Especially a first round pick, like say, Rex Grossman–who's still a starter and performing at a lower level than Tebow.
Then there is the other group of people on the dark side of the Tebow Manichean coin. These are the people who hope Tebow will fail and it is primarily because of his unabashed Christian views. These people hate Tim Tebow more than they hate al-Qaeda. To them, Tebow represents a sappy, Christian anti-intellectualism under which assuredly boils a hatred for hippies, homosexuals and single moms. The haters must ascribe luck to Tebow's success, mock him as a Jesus Freak. Each victory brings a new soliloquy of venom on YouTube video comments and blogs. Yet Tim Tebow keeps winning in the most excruciating manner.
Tim Tebow is a real leader, whatever be his innate ability to throw a football. This morning, ESPN's NLF Countdown presented a 10 minute tape of Tim Tebow with a mic on during his games. You simply can't teach the type of leadership that Tebow displays. At least not with "leadership courses", like the US military and some corporations use. Tebow's leadership comes from character. It comes from confidence in something greater than himself. In the ESPN tapes, Tebow displays an unshakable demeanor, laughing at his own mistakes, constantly motivating his own team mates even as a victory seems more and more unlikely.
We all know leaders who are pretending. They are overly autocratic, mistaking control for leadership. They are afraid that others will see their faults, lest they lose the control they ascribe to success. Ofttimes, they present themselves as intellectuals, failing to recognize that a real leader can capture emotive power more than the intellect. Leonidas was no intellectual. If he were, math would have told him he couldn't win.
Von Steuben's Ghost
Friederick Von Steuben was a former Prussian General Staff member under Frederick the great. Von Steuben found himself out of work after the Seven Years War, but America required his service. George Washington brought him on board to straighten up his rag-tag Continental Army, prone to showing up drunk at work, possessing little respect for authority and generally having no idea how to be a professional army.
Von Steuben, wielding the myth that he was once a Prussian General, put America's Army straight. Despite being only a former Captain under Frederick, the Prussian still possessed an excellent purchase on what it takes to get men ready to fight. And the Prussian system of order and drill was the best in the world. He understood the utter necessity of delegating in a military environment. Instead of merely assigning men to train an entire regiment, he first sent Soldiers to the School of the Soldier, a type of basic training, and then on to their regiments where they were drilled by hand picked Sergeants.
Since the US did not have the luxury of sending marginal Soldiers out of the Army, it was forced to make do. Mal-uniformed, undisciplined, often drunk and lacking any close quarter battle skills, the Continental Army now faced another enemy other than the English; the belligerent Prussian Drill Master, Von Steuben.
Frustrated by his marginal command of the English language, he had his personal translator march up and down the formations cursing at the Soldiers in English.
Von Steuben, along with Nathaniel Greene, wrote the Blue Book, outlining drill and ceremony.
Even today, Von Steuben's vitriolic method of controlling unruly troops survives. For instance, while eating lunch one day at the NCO Academy, one of the Cadre from C Company marched in and explained loud enough to be heard over the buzz of chow conversation: " If you're Bravo Company, get the fuck out! Charlie is coming in. "
In any other job, this would clearly constitute a hostile work environment. Imagine your boss doing this to you as you at your lunch area. In the Army, while not an every day occurence, I would not say this is uncommon. As Bravo Company 1St Sergeant, I maintained a rank higher than any other Soldier in training. I thought about how to handle this. Many in Bravo Co. were grumbling and complaining about this apparent show of disrespect. I myself would have preferred that the Cadre member simply approach me and ask me to tell the troops to eat quickly and move out so that C Co. could eat. By delegating, he would have handed me the responsibility and since I had a better feel for how the people I was with would react, I could give them the order in a tactful manner. The Army itself describes tact as a way to communicate a message without giving offense.
There are of course, times when tact must be thrown out the window. The more immature the Soldier, the more tactless belligerence is needed to make him obey an order. I can assure you that there are many undisciplined troops. For instance, while standing in formation at parade rest or at attention, a Soldier is not supposed to talk. Many though, take the relative silence as an opportunity to draw attention to themselves; the quiet makes them stand out if they crack a joke or yell something out. I've seen over and over where a Sergeant must repeatedly make an entire formation do pushups because a few rabble can't shut up.
On another occasion, we were threatened with negative counseling statements–something that would eliminate a Soldier's chance for Honors–if we talked in formation. During morning PT (physical training), the Senior Cadre told us: "If you don't be quiet, I'll PT you until your noses bleed." I believed him.
Some of this type of talk used to offend me. I was capable of being quiet when told. I saluted smartly and moved out when given an order.
Slowly though, I began to realize that this type of speech was not intended for me. My skin got thicker. I saw that if I merely did what I was told, I actually stood out against 18 year old imbeciles who think everything is a joke. That, combined with competency at my job and excellent physical conditioning, have put me on a fast track. Now, when I hear an NCO cursing at someone, or even a whole formation I'm in, I know he's not talking to me so much as the lowest common denominator.
But I'd like to remind these NCOs that you'll get far more from your troops in the long run if they love you, not merely fear you. You can only get down in the gutter with them for so long. In the end, they must believe that you hold some special knowledge, capabilities or moral high ground. If they see you cursing too often, they'll think you're just like them, and thus they'll lose any sensitivity to your commands and presence.
And I still hate Drill Sergeants.
Leadership is key
Leaadership is the art of gtting someone else to do something you want done because he wants to do it.~ Dwight Eisenhower
Recently, the section I work in at 66 MI BDE (S2, intelligence, security and information) had a change in leadership. It's astounding the difference a good leader can make. The person who's been put in charge is an E8, but he will be staffing the Officer in Charge's position because of a deployment. This guy is super high-speed. I was almost immediately charged with a new energy after he spoke to me briefly about my career development. It went something like this:
"It's clear to me that no one has ever sat down with you and done a career development plan with you. I want you to be an NCO by May." He also said that he's pledged himself to making our unit better, and that "we cannot fail."
He's made immediate changes and set down guidelines that have helped our shop in less than a week. An obvious work-a-holic, I couldn't hope to match his work output, but I'm going to listen and watch intently, because I have something to learn from this person. He made E8 in 8 years, which is amazing. It also gives me great hope that sometimes the Army gets it right and promotes the most competent people the quickest. If I get promoted in May as is the plan, I will have made E5 in 2.5 years.
There's been a couple of times that I did not meet his expectations because I didn't know what they were. He spoke to me and made them clear, and did it in a calm, professional manner. I really appreciated that. I have no problems meeting expectations as long as they are consistant and made clear. When a good leader speaks, one who leads by example, it's almost inconsequential what he asks of you. He's maintained our motivation, given you a clear vision of the future, and when the time for action comes, you execute.


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I've spent a lot of time this week thinking about this formula. (I know I'm missing the Burning Desire underlining DMP and Continuous Action underlining WPOA but this WordPress formatting doesn't have an underlining option, but I digress).
It's funny now, but for a long time I struggled understanding this formula. I mean that literally. For instance I often couldn't remember what PMA or WPOA meant. I had to keep flipping through my notes to recall it. It's like I had a brain freeze on it.
But over the past couple of weeks things started to thaw and now this week it finally clicked. And I mean really clicked. I see now what MKMMA and Think N Grow Rich are so elaborately, painstakingly even, trying to teach us.
Yeah I heard Mark yapping about the importance of visiting the alliance area, but it was just yapping to me. I didn't fully get the importance of having others to bounce ideas off and keep you accountable. After all, I was always told life's not going to do you any favors you need to buckle up and go out there on your own to make it in the world. Inherent in that was that you can't count on others. I think this lone cowboy attitude plays out a lot in the USA. I didn't make the connection that an MMA is one of the major keys to success.
When given the task of the Mental Diet, I thought it's was an interesting task, but it felt like an exercise in futility and I gave it a half-hearted effort after a couple of negative setbacks. I didn't make the connection that the Mental Diet is key to creating a Positive Mental Attitude which is one of the major keys to success!
I worked hard on my DMP in those early weeks. Yet I struggled with is this my major purpose in life? And went back and forth between burning desire and doubt. Now I realize part of the doubt came from not having a Written Plan of Action. What are the actual steps I'm going to take to make this DMP a reality? I didn't make the connection that the WPOA was one of the master keys to success! That a written plan in hand helps remove doubt and fuels the self-confidence one needs to go confidently in the direction of their dreams!
Looking back now it seems almost foolish that I didn't recognize what's been there in front of me all along. But then I remember Haanel saying in 12.23 that the mind cannot comprehend an entirely new idea until a corresponding vibratory brain cell has been prepared to receive it.
Well in week 13 my vibratory brain cells have formed around this simple, yet profound formula for success.
I've decided to incorporate this formula into my Law of Giving. I'm creating a business card with this formula (with definitions on what DMP, PMA etc means). Then every time I talk to someone about my network marketing business or in relation to business around my DMP at the end I'm going to give them this formula.
I can't think of a better gift.

subset: commoncrawl


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Lexington, VA is in the heart of some of the most beautiful country in the US. Now, the winners of the fabulous, all-inclusive getaway contest sponsored by Blue Ridge Outdoors Magazine will have the chance to enjoy the region's wonderful outdoor activities.
First you'll enjoy seeing the Natural Bridge; one of Virginia's most cherished natural wonders.
The prize package includes TWIN RIVER OUTFITTERS River Paddle or Tubing Adventure for Two. TRO provides their guests with fun and safe river trips that range from lazy river to whitewater paddling experiences with true mountain views. They are the oldest and most experienced outfitter operating on the Upper James River and have been safely running paddle trips since 1978.
STONE BRIDGE EQUESTRIAN CENTER , a premier multi-discipline riding facility located in the Shenandoah Valley of Virginia, will provide a Horseback Riding Experience for Two.
Winners will also enjoy two tickets to the NATURAL BRIDGE CAVERNS , and descend more than 34 stories into the Earth to view magnificent natural display. While underground, tourists can explore cavern structures such as the Colossal Dome room. This room is an enormous dome shaped natural feature that was created over thousands of years. Walking from the dome room, visitors can also see other places like Mirror Lake, the Well Room and the stalactites and stalagmites that grow from the Canyon Room.
For more information and entry, check out BLUE RIDGE OUTDOORS .
VIRGINIA'S NATURAL BRIDGE PARK AND HISTORIC HOTEL – Two Nights Lodging
TWIN RIVER OUTFITTERS – River Paddle or Tubing Adventure for Two
STONE BRIDGE EQUESTRIAN CENTER – Horseback Riding Experience for Two
NATURAL BRIDGE AND CAVERNS – Tickets for Two
WALKABOUT OUTFITTER – Two $25 Gift Certificates
COLONIAL DINING ROOM – Breakfast for Two
HAYWOOD'S RESTAURANT AND PIANO BAR – Dinner for Two
(dinner for 2 at Haywood's does not include alcohol or gratuity)
SWEET THINGS ICE CREAM – Dessert for Two


text: Build the Basket is aimed at retailers who are doing the basics brilliantly, but want to make a bigger impact by growing the trend of mission shopping. The aim is to increase the overall basket spend in your store. You can do this by tapping into other meal occasions and opportunities for bulk deli meats.


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While Wednesday morning shows on Fox, CNN, and even NBC covered the outcome of the Democratic primary in Michigan, in which Hillary Clinton got 55% of the vote with 40% going to 'uncommitted' and lost the black vote 32% to 68%, ABC's "Good Morning America" and CBS's "Early Show" made no mention of the Democratic primary.
On the "Early Show," co-host Harry Smith and "Face the Nation" host Bob Schieffer made mention of the Democrats once, early in the 7am hour, and then it was only about Tuesday's Nevada debate:
SMITH: Let's talk about the Democrats for a second because there was this truce called. I watched the debates on cable last night. And it was so peaceful and so calm and, you know, if you were looking to get a little rest, that might have helped you a little bit.
SCHIEFFER: This is something that's just gotten completely out of hand, and it's in the interest of both Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama to get this thing over with, this argument about is he going to be the black candidate, is she the woman candidate. They need to be running on their qualifications. And I think both of them have now realized they've got to get past this, but they've got to get their supporters to get off this. They can't seem to give it up. This is not helping either one of them.
On "Good Morning America,"at the beginning of the 7am hour, host Diane Sawyer and "This Week" host George Stephanopoulos also focused entirely on the Nevada debate:
SAWYER: Put on your track shoes there for the marathon there. I want to mention that the Democrats had a debate last night. But seemed like the boxing gloves were back in the box. Let's listen.
SENATOR HILLARY CLINTON: You know, we're all family in the Democratic Party.
SENATOR BARACK OBAMA: I think Hillary said it well.
JOHN EDWARDS: The things that Senator Clinton just spoke about are correct.
SAWYER: So, a lot of nice last night. What did you learn from the debate? Anything new?
STEPHANOPOULOS: Well, they decided to give each other the night off. I think that was the most important thing we learned. What we also learned is that all three candidates actually realized that this debate over race that they've been engaged in over the last week wasn't helping any one of them. And they really worked hard to get off that, despite a number of questions on that subject. They wanted to move on to other subjects. And, I think, finally, coming into Nevada on Saturday, big local issues in Nevada. The state of the Hispanic community there. What's going to happen with this Yucca Mountain nuclear waste depositary? What's going to happen with the economy are taking, are really leading the pack there. And I think the candidates all wanted the chance to talk about those issues and they did, but there was no real engagement.
Meanwhile, "Fox & Friends" covered the Democratic results in Michigan early in the 6am hour with a report by Jeff Goldblatt:
JEFF GOLDBLATT: As far as the Democratic side is concerned? Well, Hillary Rodham Clinton beat this other guy called "uncommitted," 55 percent to 40 percent. There were no other Democratic front runners on the ballot because of the decision on the part of the national party to strip the state of Michigan of all of its delegates for moving its primary forward into the month of January. Now, Hillary Rodham Clinton's supporters, they see this as a big win for them because they didn't campaign here and they still got 55 percent of the vote. But, looking in the numbers, some political observers say "you know what? Hillary Rodham Clinton yes she did win the plurality, but she didn't even get 60 percent ." And in many parts of the state they got six to eight inches of snow and you still had 40 percent of those coming out yesterday voting for this guy "uncommitted."She didn't poll very well with the young voters and didn't do very well with Democratic men. Back to you.
On CNN's "American Morning," co-host John Roberts and "Time" Magazine's Mark Halperin not only analyzed the Democratic results in Michigan at the beginning of the 7:30am half hour, but also examined the fact that Hillary Clinton lost the black vote to 'uncommitted':
ROBERTS: So they're trying to put the issue of race behind them. But the results of last night's polling in Michigan gave us a very important signal about how African-American voters are feeling.
HALPERIN: As you said before, Hillary Clinton was the only name on the ballot of the candidates still in the race. She won, but uncommitted drew a lot of votes, and a huge percentage, according to the exit poll, of African-American votes. That is a problem for her going forward in South Carolina, in particular, where at least half and maybe more of the vote will be African-American, and also in some of these big states coming up on Super Tuesday. The big African-American vote, she has to address that in South Carolina. It's kind of a dry run to see if she can win some of it back from Barack Obama.
ROBERTS: Our exit polling showed last night that 68 percent of African-American voters cast their vote for uncommitted. So, that's a very big sign for her, that there are some troubled waters ahead.
HALPERIN: Some of that was probably directed by the Obama campaign below the surface, but some of it was clearly organic. The Clinton family in politics has been able to rely on African-American votes. One of the real challenges she faces from Obama is obvious appeal to his fellow African-Americans.
Finally, on NBC's "Today," co-host Meredith Viera made a brief mention of Clinton winning the Michigan primary at the beginning of the 7am hour , but did not go into details:
MEREDITH VIEIRA: Mitt Romney desperately needed a victory in the state where he grew up and he got it. Hillary Clinton won too but her race was uncontested since no delegates were at stake there.


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Dynamic duo Marianne Petit and Jody Culkin will be at Maker Faire this weekend (Oct. 1-2) with "Fairy Tales, Science Fiction and Freud: Telling Stories." The works consist of pop-up books with embedded electronics, animation, 3D papercraft, VR, and other materials and objects that tell stories originating in the 19th century. This would be exciting enough–but to make it event better, one of Jody's projects is based around Harriet Hosmer's time travel play 1975. (Plus, Jody is my aunt.).
Archive for the 'Uncategorized' Category
"Fairy Tales, Science Fiction and Freud: Telling Stories" at Maker Faire
Posted in Uncategorized on September 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Julia van Haaften Dorothy O. Helly's Works in Progress Talk Oct. 17.
Posted in Uncategorized on September 30, 2016| Leave a Comment »
Julia van Haaften, my "seminar sister" in the Women Writing Women's Lives Seminar, will be speaking about her forthcoming book Berenice Abbot: A Life in Photography on Oct. 17. I can't wait for this talk–or for the book to come out.
WWWL Dorothy O. Helly 'Work in Progress' lecture
Monday Oct 17, 2016 4-5:30PM
CUNY Graduate Center
365 Fifth Avenue, rm 9205
Berenice Abbott: A Life in Photography by Julia Van Haaften
Julia van Haaften has spent a quarter century researching and writing the first-ever biography of American photographer Berenice Abbott (1898-1991). It begins with Abbott's troubled lower middle-class Ohio origins, through post-WWI Greenwich Village and 1920s Paris, and ends after the photographer's rediscovery in the go-go art world of 1970s New York. Less an obsession than the fulfillment of a mission, undertaken while Abbott was still alive, the book is scheduled for publication by W. W. Norton in fall 2017. The author was the founding curator of photographs at The New York Public Library in 1980 before shifting to its Digital Library Program; she retired in 2010 as director of collections for the Museum of the City of New York. She will discuss the surprises and long meander of her Abbott biography, which was aided by an NEH summer stipend and an NYPL Cullman Center fellowship, not to mention the insight and enthusiasm of the photographer's many friends and associates.
Women Writing Women's Lives 25th Anniversary Conference Blog
Posted in Uncategorized on September 14, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The Women Writing Women's Lives Seminar is hosting a blog on its website in the weeks leading up to its 25th anniversary conference. Members will be posting their thoughts on feminist biography and memoir and how they have changed in the past 25 years. The first posts are by Diane Jacobs, author of Dear Abigail, and Carla Peterson, author of Black Gotham. Check back each weekday for new posts.
Women Writing Women's Lives 25th Anniversary Conference
Posted in Uncategorized on July 15, 2015| Leave a Comment »
The Women Writing Women's Lives Seminar is having a conference celebrating its 25th anniversary conference on October 2 at the CUNY Graduate Center.
This seminar, of which I'm lucky to be a member, has been instrumental in promoting feminist biography. The conference description explains, "Biography and memoir writing have been transformed by feminist understandings of women in society. Members of the New York-based Women Writing Women's Lives Seminar (WWWL) have contributed to these changes, through their many books, for 25 years. Meeting monthly, these writers, scholars, academics, journalists, novelists, and filmmakers discuss their work and explore new ways of telling women's stories."
I'm looking forward to it.
Sedgwick Symposium
Posted in Uncategorized on June 10, 2014| Leave a Comment »
I spent several days last week at the Sedgwick Symposium in St. Louis, devoted to the study of the 19th-century author Catharine Sedgwick and her contemporaries. The location was selected to honor Sedgwick's sketch "The Great Excursion," which appeared in Putnam's Monthly in 1854. I was honored to be asked to give a plenary talk, titled "'It is More My Home:' Harriet Hosmer's Journey from the Sedgwick School to St. Louis to Rome." A bonus for me was that several of Hosmer's works are in St. Louis, giving me a chance to visit them. All in all, a wonderful few days filled with lively, inspiring conversation (and a few local mircobrews)
Eric Foner's Tips for Teaching History
Posted in Uncategorized on January 13, 2014| Leave a Comment »
The Atlantic Monthly has an interview with the historian Eric Foner, titled "You Have to Know History to Teach It." It is a sad state of affairs that we need a prominent historian to announce that fact, but it does seem to be where we are at. He also suggests you need a passion for the subject to be a good teacher, a sentiment with which I also agree.
This is my favorite part of the interview:
Do you have other specific advice for what teachers can do to more effectively instruct history students?
The first thing I would say is that we have to get away from the idea that any old person can teach history. A lot of the history teachers in this country are actually athletic coaches. I mention this in class, and students always say, "Oh yeah, Coach Smith, he taught my history course." Why? Well, Coach Smith is the football coach, and in the spring he's not doing much, and they say, "Well, put him in the history course, he can do that."
They wouldn't put him in a French course, or a physics course. The number-one thing is, you have to know history to actually teach it. That seems like an obvious point, but sometimes it's ignored in schools. Even more than that, I think it's important that people who are teaching history do have training in history. A lot of times people have education degrees, which have not actually provided them with a lot of training in the subject. They know a lot about methodology. [That's] important, but as I say, the key thing is really to love the subject, to be able to convey that to your students, and if you can do that, I think you'll be a great teacher.
Or no, maybe this is:
"I think there's a general tendency in education nowadays toward what you might call the pragmatic side of education, which is fine. The students need to have jobs eventually, no question about it. But education is not just a vocational enterprise—teaching people the skills that will enable them to get jobs–although that's obviously part of it. [We]'re also teaching citizens. We try to teach people the skills that come along with studying history. The skills of evaluating evidence, of posing questions and answering them, of writing, of mobilizing information in order to make an argument. I think all of that is important in a democratic society if people are actually going to be active citizens. Teaching to the test does not really encourage emphasis on those aspects of the study of history."
Friends in the Paper of Record
Posted in Uncategorized on October 3, 2012| 1 Comment »
In the last month, several of my close friends and warm acquaintances have been mentioned in the New York Times. I am proud of them all.
Perri Klass praised Jennifer Hart, aka Book Club Girl, for her work in reissuing the Betcy-Tacy series, calling her the "heroine" of the annual Betsy-Tacy convention. (And I urge anyone who grew up loving Laura Ingells Wilder to give the world created by Maud Hart Lovelace a try).
Scott Korb, who was my colleague at the Harriet Jacobs Papers, contributed a fascinating article about Jacobs' work as a reporter in Washington at the beginning of the Civil War to the Times' Disunion series about the Civil War. (And that is the second time this year Jacobs has been featured in the NY Times).
William deJong-Lambert, a fellow Bronx Community College history professor, and his wife Cheryl were featured in the article "Where to Go Outside and Play in New York City." This summer, the deJong-Lamberts published Outdoors with Kids New York City: 100 Fun Places to Explore In and Around New York City.
And finally, Paul Thureen's theater company The Debate Society was the subject of a laudatory piece titled "Old Friends Whose Past is Always Present." The company's new production Blood Play is now in previews the Bushwick Starr.
Congratulations, one and all.


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Knockout Networks Brings You Hot Models on Sex ed, dating, Quotes, words, Sexy Spanish and Fitness. Many of them in Bikinis as they bring you lessons.
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The Extraordinary Chambers in the Courts of Cambodia (the "ECCC") – more commonly known as the Khmer Rouge Tribunal – conjures a conflicted image of both justice and injustice. It has been plagued by allegations of political interference, a lack of sufficient funding and criticism regarding the length of the procedure. Many senior Khmer Rouge officials have also passed away or been deemed unfit to stand trial, and therefore evaded justice.
Today, 17 October 2014, marks the beginning of the second phase of the trial of two former senior Khmer Rouge officials, Deputy Secretary of the Communist Party of Kampuchea Nuon Chea (88 years-old), more commonly known as Brother Number Two, and Head of State of Democratic Kampuchea Khieu Samphan (82 years-old). During the first phase of their trial they were convicted of crimes against humanity for their roles in the forced movement of people and the execution of Khmer Republic soldiers, and sentenced to life imprisonment.
Case 002/02 will consider allegations of forced marriages and rape, the crime of genocide against Cham and Vietnamese, internal purges, the murder and persecution of Buddhists in Tram Kok District, and the targeting of former Khmer Republic officials. It will also consider crime sites including, amongst others, S-21 Security Centre, Kraing Ta Chan Security Centre, and Tram Kok Cooperative.
The consideration of forced marriages and rape has become a key element of the trial. The Khmer Rouge subjected those between the ages of 18 and 35 to arranged marriages in an attempt to situate the state above concepts of family and religion. Following a state ceremony, couples were forced to consummate their marriage. This nationwide policy has led the ECCC to accept 780 civil parties under the charge of forced marriage, the second largest group of civil parties that the ECCC has admitted.
Cham and Vietnamese minorities also faced dire human rights violations under the Khmer Rouge. Chams, for example, were regularly assassinated and murdered. They were forced to eat pork, remove their hijabs and cut their hair and forbidden to pray. Vietnamese were segregated from Khmers, forbidden to speak their own languages and subjected to 'ethnic cleansing'. However, years later justice is yet to be delivered for the grave violations suffered, and Case 002/02 may simply be too little too late for many of the victims.
Case 002/02 could be the ECCC's last opportunity to provide dignity and closure to the victims, and to leaving a lasting positive legacy on the Cambodian domestic courts. Time is running out considering the age of the perpetrators and the victims. Also worrying is the Royal Government of Cambodia's suggestion that there will not be further trials.
Lois Gauthier, CCHR International Intern, contributed to this blog post.


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Power of Existence (存在の力 Sonzai no Chikara ) is a fundamental energy required to exist in this world. It comprises practically every living and non-living thing in this world, and is also needed by Crimson Denizens in order to manifest themselves.
It is usually undetectable by humans unassisted and Crimson Denizens and Flame Haze are the only ones who can usually see Power of Existence, which usually comes in the form of a blue flame (anime only).
The Concept of ExistenceEdit
Power of Existence is essentially "how something gives an impact on its surroundings". It can be found on any object, be it living or non-living; it is also somewhat present on dead people or animals. This is because Power of Existence, like what its name implies, is the amount of existence something has in the world.
In a Normal Human's PerspectiveEdit
Humans are born oblivious to the concept of existence. They are born with a certain amount of Power of Existence; this amount increases or decreases depending on how influential they become. People who pass away or are killed by means other than being consumed by Crimson Denizens retain a small amount of Power of Existence, which allows other people to remember them even though they are no longer living.
Usually, a person who lives in a high-class society like royalty or the elite acquires a larger amount of Power of Existence because of the amount of influence of their respective families. Meanwhile, there exists "Great Ones" (偉大なる者 Idainaru Mono ) — people whose Power of Existence is very immense and can also be influential even when he/she does not undergo the process of becoming a Flame Haze. According to Alastor, Shana is classified as a "Great One", as she was able to survive the strain of casting the Tenpa Jōsai, a spell that killed its former caster (Mathilde Saint-Omer), as it requires a vast amount of Power of Existence. Alastor stated that the reason behind this is that unlike Mathilde, Shana was able to carry inside her a large amount of Power of Existence equal to that of what is required for the Tenpa Jōsai.
Status is usually part of the criteria set by Crimson Lords who seek their partners; Margery Daw is the daughter of an aristocrat, Wilhelmina Carmel is presumably a part of the royalty, Khamsin Nbh'w is a Middle-Eastern prince, Karl Berwald is a nobleman and Seere Habichtsburg is an aristocrat's famous entertainer.
In the Perspective of Torches and Flame HazeEdit
Torches display the effects of losing one's existence; as a Torch loses the fixed Power of Existence given to it, it loses its ability to give an impact to anyone it has interacted before becoming a Torch. When the "flame" inside it flickers out, it disappears, as if he/she did not exist in the first place.
Flame Haze, on the other hand, undergo a different process; when they agree upon the contract between a Crimson Lord, the entirety of the Power of Existence that he/she possesses will be taken up by the existence of the contracting Crimson Lord instead, causing the person to lose his/her identity. Khamsin has experienced this phenomenon when his father, surviving an attack from a Crimson Lord, lived on as if Khamsin was never his son.
Artificial ExistencesEdit
Because of the innate ability of Power of Existence to create "something that exists" to anything that possesses it, it can allow an entity with temporary or no existence (like Rinne or artificial creatures created through other means) to live as if it was created naturally. Hecate once used part of her immense Power of Existence to create a vessel in her image, which she used as surveillance to Yuji.
Existence InterferenceEdit
Shana has also demonstrated that other beings can interfere with another person's (mainly a Torch's) existence. In Shana's case, she uses a small portion of the departed Torch's (Yukari) flame and melds it to hers. The entire process is not fully-explained, but the effects are extensive and immediate, causing Shana (or any Flame Haze for that matter) to exist with the identity of the Torch.
Likewise, Crimson Denizens can do the same thing, as the Crimson Denizen Mare and the Crimson Lord Leanan-sidhe use the existence of Torches (the "Mystes of the Papagena" and Lamies respectively) to conserve their consumption of Power of Existence and to conceal their presence to others.
Making the Impossible PossibleEdit
Power of Existence is the main requirement for Unrestricted Spells; it goes both ways: taking Power of Existence from themselves or taking the Power of Existence of things on his/her environment.
While it is not necessary to give away the Power of Existence to create Treasure Tools, some humans, such as Tenmoku Ikko and Johann, intentionally sacrifice their own Power of Existence in order to become the Mystes by their own will.


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September 5
Please email firstname.lastname@example.com for event submissions
Wednesday September 5
Giving Birth: The Castle Experience
Adventist Health Castle, 6-8 p.m., $45-$80. This class is specifically geared for couples giving birth at Adventist Health Castle. Participants will learn different aspects of the birth experience, from preparing for the hospital to caring for the baby. Recommended for couples in their third trimester. (263-5400, adventisthealthcastle.org)
The ALPHA Course
Hawaii Voice KTV & Lounge, 808 Sheridan St., Wednesdays through Nov. 14, 6:30-8:30 p.m., contact for cost. Take a practical introduction to the Christian faith that allows attendees to explore questions about God and faith in a relaxed and nonjudgmental setting. (532-1111, email@example.com)
Hawaii Watercolor Society 2018 Open Show
Hoomaluhia Botanical Gardens, 45-680 Luluku Road, daily through Sept. 27, 9 a.m.-4 p.m., free. View the works of talented artists such as Barbara Littenberg and Kris Preslan. (hawaiiwatercolorsociety.org/2018-open-show)
Kupuna Independent Life Series
Iwilei Senior Residence, 888 Iwilei Road, Wednesdays through Dec. 5, 8:30 a.m.-1 p.m., contact for cost. Seniors age 55 and older can receive health and wellness workshops, exercise, support groups, free and nutritious breakfast and lunch, and more. (732-7755)
Lea Lea Little Planet
Waikiki Aquarium, daily through Sept. 30, 9 a.m.-4:30 p.m., $8-$15. Keiki and their parents are invited to enjoy fun and educational activities, including a mysterious coloring that draws fish in a digital museum, a futuristic augmented reality sand castle and much more. (waikikiaquarium.org)
Karl Maruyama
Basalt, 6 p.m., free. Enjoy a performance of classic and contemporary music. (dukeslanehawaii.com)
Mango Season
Tommy Bahama Restaurant and Bar, 6-9 p.m., free. Enjoy a solo musical performance by acoustic singer-songwriter Curtis Kamiya. (mangoseasonmusic.com)
Mele Pakolu Series
Royal Hawaiian Center, Sept. 5-6, 6-7 p.m., free. Enjoy steel guitar, slack key and Hawaiian piano performances. (royalhawaiiancenter.com)
Royal Hawaiian Band
Ala Moana Center, 11 a.m., free. (alamoanacenter.com)
Sing For Your Life
Kilauea District Park, 4109 Kilauea Ave., 10:30 a.m., $5. Join a day of fun, upbeat singalong entertainment for the elderly. No one is turned away. (425-3348)
Digital Prism
Honolulu Country Club Gallery, 1690 Ala Puumalu St., gallery hours through Oct. 21, free. See conceptual art, portraiture, the natural world, abstract work and graphic design by artists Veronica Carmona, Derrick Elfalan, Carren Han, Deborah Lee and Christine Ohtani-Chang. Membership forms will be available for interested artists. (349-7584, digitalarthawaii.org)
Manoa Valley Theatre, 7:30 p.m. Wednesdays-Thursdays, 8 p.m. Fridays-Saturdays and 4 p.m. Sundays through Sept. 26, $22-$35. Manoa Valley Theatre kicks off its 50th anniversary with an off-Broadway musical comedy consisting of a female beauty pageant performed by an all-male cast. (manoavalleytheatre.com)
Little Picture Show
The ARTS at Marks Garage, Tuesdays-Fridays through Sept. 29, noon-5 p.m., fee. View a number of miniature water-based paintings. (hawaiiwatercolorsociety.org/little-picture-show)
'My Little Pony: The Movie'
Waianae Public Library, 85-625 Farrington Hwy., 3:30-5 p.m., free. Families are invited to join a special movie screening. (697-7868)
Portfolio 2018 Exhibit
HiSAM Gallery Shop X MORI by Art+Flea, 250 S. Hotel St., gallery hours through Oct. 27, free. View an exhibition of 30 works by globally acclaimed local artists Ashley Bickerton, Kaili Chun, Yvonne Cheng, Paul Pfeiffer, Garnett Puett and Lawrence Seward. (friendsofhisam.org)


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Pretty Things
Just now, as I sat down to type, I had the urge to push my right foot down on the lever that gives the sewing machine its power. Its not that I spend too much time sewing, its that I spend too much time being awake. I've adapted to my decrease in mental awareness. I no longer clip the wall with my elbow when I turn corners or put the cereal box back in the refrigerator but sometimes as I'm making lists of things I need to do, I forget what I needed to remember. My defense for stretching out the hours in one day is that being deprived of the chance to make pretty things is worse than being deprived of sleep. My husband doesn't agree but he's standing here next to me, also not sleeping. Does anybody else have this problem? (The one about making things instead of sleeping, not about husbands.)
17 comments:
- Fauve Design said...
owmy such yummy fabrics,i especially like the michael miller apple fabric!
- March 1, 2007 at 5:46 AM
- Cammeron said...
I love that movie! That is exactly the scene that inspired me to make the card! Hahaha
- March 1, 2007 at 7:07 AM
- Kell said...
- This comment has been removed by the author.
- March 1, 2007 at 8:58 AM
- Kell said...
(my computer had a bit of a hissy fit so here is my comment reposted)
i totally agree! ( your husband & my bf must subscribe to the same newsletter lol!) I can tell myself i'm just putting so items together for a page kit before the idea leaks out, but then i just have to put it togther and make sure my page is just right ( and a huge mess on my floor). And then I wonder why i'm tired that day, only to do the whole thing over again that night. If i don't, i find i dream about adhesive!
- March 1, 2007 at 9:01 AM
- Joyous said...
I never feel like my day is complete if I haven't done something creative.
- March 1, 2007 at 9:17 AM
- Elsie Larson said...
haha... funny girl...
i actually have to opposite problem.. when i feel really stressed i want to sleep more.. but i guess that is good... i don't know... but that will all change, im sure, when we have a baby one of these days...
give sebastian and brett hugs for us today. we miss you a lot! :)
- March 1, 2007 at 9:51 AM
- OpaqueSkies said...
Once I pulled an "all nighter" of scrapbooking. My husband was camping that night with some friends, and I just finished the SDU classes, so I was so excited to experiment.
I sometimes go to put the cereal in the refrigerator now, or the milk in the pantry. I'm afraid of what I'll do when I have children and am sleep deprived. ;)
- March 1, 2007 at 9:54 AM
- Andrea said...
yes! yes! i will go a few weeks at a time of staying up until 1am just so i can sew more things! but then i eventually give in and go to bed at a decent time for a few weeks before it starts all over!
- March 1, 2007 at 10:35 AM
- Joyous said...
I got your cutie-cute make-up bag today, thanks so so much! LOVE it!
- March 1, 2007 at 11:23 AM
- Jenna said...
somehow i've taught my body, my pregnant body, that 6 or 7 hours is sufficient sleep so that i can sew into the wee hours of the night. and yes, i need to create more than i need to sleep. its just more satisfying, more productive. :)
- March 1, 2007 at 11:41 AM
- Sarah said...
I totally agree and now I have a newborn so I am really battling the lack of sleep and being up but not able to create anything at the same time:(. Life comes in seasons! Try to get one hour of creativity in every day. Even if it is as simple as organizing by craft room or supplies. It feeds my soul!
- March 1, 2007 at 1:50 PM
- Laura said...
sometimes! i want to stay up late just so i can get "one more page done". i end up staying up though and finishing about 3 or 4. it's a tad frustrating sometimes! :)
- March 1, 2007 at 2:32 PM
- longnecklady said...
I tend to sleep more. But then get frustrated that I didn't get something creative done. It really tends to work against each other. Guess i need to figure that one out.
- March 1, 2007 at 4:19 PM
Sleep is sooo over-rated!! I have to keep reminding myself that my body & my mind need it.
My best friend made this comment to me tonight, about our lack of memory, "We're alpha-moms & we do too much multi-tasking. That's why we're losing our memory!"
Alpha-mom!!LOL!! I love it;)
- March 2, 2007 at 1:23 AM
- Charin Adams said...
I for sure have the same problem! :)
I have been staying up until 2, 3 in the morning to get my scrapping done while Katie's sleeping...crazy! :)
- March 2, 2007 at 3:24 AM
- Kendra said...
I tell people all the time that I think sleep is a huge waste of time. Wish we didn't have to do it.
- March 2, 2007 at 6:42 PM
- Michelle said...
i too stay up way to late to create! its an obsession/hobby! i just tell DH that i could take up drinking! LOL!
- March 2, 2007 at 6:50 PM


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Hours: Mon.-Thu. 11:30 a.m.-midnight; Fri.-Sat. 11:30 a.m.-1 a.m.; Sun. 11:30 a.m.-9 p.m.
Pacific Coast Brewing is located in an elegantly restored historic building in Old Oakland that harks back to the Gold Rush era. The microbrewery hosts free music acts throughout the month, but it's best known for its large selection of beers -- 24 on tap -- as well as its tasty selection of common bar food, including burgers and other upscale American pub snacks. On weekend nights, especially in the summer months, Pacific Coast Brewing can become a crowded, lively place, especially because of its large, heated, outdoor patio.


text: The Black Vine is a toxic chemical substance that can poison the ground it touches. It causes burns on the skin of victims. S. and the anarchists discover that Vevoda is selling the substance to dictators around the world when they stumble across a crater full of the substance during their escape. It is manufactured in the mines of the Territory. S. later discovers that Vevoda and his followers drink a distilled version of The Black Vine as wine.


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Kwankwaso seeks release of Islamic sect members
AS Muslims yesterday celebrated Eid-el-Fitri, marking the end of the Ramadan, the Sultan of Sokoto and President-General of the Nigerian Supreme Council for Islamic Affairs (NSCIA), Alhaji Muhammad Sa'ad Abubakar III, has condemned the bombing of the United Nations (UN) office at Abuja, which left scores of people dead.
The Sultan, who spoke shortly after the Sallah prayers, described the incident as "an abominable act in our religion especially in the blessed month of Ramadan.
Meanwhile, Governor Rabiu Musa Kwankwaso of Kano State has asked security agencies to release members of the Yusufiyya Movement, popularly known as Boko Haram.
He also demanded the immediate release of other members of religious groups who are currently in detention.
In a related development, President Goodluck Jonathan yesterday asked Nigerians to be their brothers' keeper, saying that the nation's diversity should be a catalyst for development.
Jonathan told the Muslim faithful included top federal government officials led by Vice President Namadi Sambo who came to pay him the Sallah homage that "this is a period where we have to be our brothers keepers. Irrespective of the language we speak, irrespective of the part of the world or country we come from, Allah has made it possible for us to interact."
The Sultan, who condemned the blast, commiserated with families who lost their loved ones and property.
He called on Muslims "not to allow themselves to be used by our enemies in achieving their desired goals".
"We should also not allow them to cause us to commit acts prohibited by our religion. We therefore call upon all those involved in this nefarious act to fear God and desist from committing this grievous act", he stated.
He advised them rather to seek avenues of dialogue with the leaders on the problems confronting the nation in general while assuring them of his continued assistance in providing solutions to such serious problems through peaceful means and dialogue.
The monarch also described as "very unfortunate" the post election violence witnessed in the country after the April elections, which resulted in loss of scores of lives and properties as well as created fear in the minds of the people.
He observed that since leadership belongs to God and he alone gives it to whomever He pleases, there was need to avoid what could cause conflict and insecurity like the case in other countries of the world.
He urged the people to co-operate with the new leaders and the leaders to have the fear of God and compassion towards their subjects.
The Sultan also condemned the violent clashes, which occurred in Jos recently, which left many people dead and inestimable properties destroyed.
Copyright, Blaise APLOGAN, 2010,© Bienvenu sur Babilown
Toute republication de cet article doit en mentionner et l'origine et l'auteur sous peine d'infraction


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Diversity & Inclusion
Diversity is not just skin deep at Woodward. With students from more than 20 metro Atlanta counties and different religious, racial, and ethnic groups, as well as varied socioeconomic backgrounds, Woodward truly is a scale model of both Atlanta and the world. Our students bring an amazingly rich variety of perspectives and experiences to our campus to create a dynamic learning environment that provides our students with true perspective—understanding others' and their own views of the world as they embark on their lives after Woodward.
Woodward's commitment to embracing differences is an intentional one with annual occasions such as Week of Understanding, an Academy-wide celebration of the many and unique differences within our community, an ongoing commitment to being recognized as a No Place for Hate school, and an Anti-Bullying Policy that prohibits the bullying or cyberbullying of any person on our campus.


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Luna excavated a small cavern right up to this clump of Turtleheads to keep cool and it hasn't shown any sign of wilting. It's 3'tall stems are still showing some blooms through this drought too. The dark glossy leaves make a nice background for any plants in front of it. You can't deny those sassy pink lips with a little white tongue sticking out are sweet.
For more wildflower inspiration head over to Gail's at Clay and Limestone.


text: Pacific Grove, Calif. iStock By Amanda Gokee April 5, 2017 If you're looking for unique accommodations, Airbnb has a wide variety of places that are sure to be more interesting than a cookie-cutter hotel room. Check out these crazy accommodations to get a taste of the kind of quirky properties available through Airbnb.See Also on Kiplinger: 11 Satellite Cities Poised to Thrive in 2017 Isla Mujeres, Mexico iStock 1. The Seashell House, Isla Mujeres, Mexico The Seashell House, or "Casa Caracol," is a property on Isla Mujeres, an island just off the coast of Cancun. For just over $300 a night, you'll feel like you're sleeping inside a giant, immaculate white seashell. Sponsored Content This two-bedroom, cliffside home was designed by Raquel and Eduardo Ocampo, and its unique design is something of a local attraction. According to the listing, passers-by sometimes try to peep over the fence to catch a glimpse of the place. (See also on WiseBread.com: 5 Cities Where Airbnb Is Way Cheaper Than a Hotel) Atlanta, Ga. iStock 2. Famous treehouse outside of Atlanta If you want a whimsical escape from the realities of adult life, there are a surprising number of tree houses for rent on Airbnb. In fact, the site has a whole wish list devoted just to tree houses. Advertisement This treehouse in Atlanta goes for $375 a night and it's been named Airbnb's number one most wished-for listing worldwide. No wonder it was featured on the Animal Planet show, "Treehouse Masters: Ultimate Treehouse IV." A cheaper (but just as dreamy) alternative is this treehouse in Andalucia, Spain for just $44 a night ($27 for each extra guest). Loire Valley, France iStock 3. Quirky cocoon in France's Loire Valley This listing is certainly something you don't see every day: a cocoon perched amid nets in the trees of Fondettes, France, near the town of Tours. Fashioned as a large nest, this tent-like orb ($132 a night) has a circular queen bed inside and looks to be an unforgettable way to spend the night. (See also on WiseBread.com: Does It Make Sense to Stay in a Hotel Anymore?) Advertisement Putney, Vt. iStock 4. Converted train depot in Vermont In Putney, Vermont, this historic train depot is now accepting guests from Airbnb. The whole one-bedroom depot is yours from $81 a night. The Connecticut River is just a few minutes' walk away, with nearby hiking, biking, and cross-country skiing in the winter. Even closer are the railroad tracks that this depot would've served in the past, so you'll have to put up with the sound of passing trains three or four times a day. Be sure to bring your earplugs! Amsterdam iStock 5. Houseboat in Amsterdam What better way to experience Amsterdam, a city of canals, than by staying on a houseboat? This modern houseboat is listed at $141 a night and includes your own private studio in the bow of the boat. The owner, Sonja, custom-built the interior of the boat and now she's sharing this dream with her Airbnb guests. It's sure to be a novel experience to recount when you get back home. John Steinbeck iStock 6. John Steinbeck's writer's studio Maybe you can get your creative writing juices flowing with a stay at this 1920s cottage owned by John Steinbeck in the early 1940s when he was writing "The Log from the Sea of Cortez." The home has been renovated to pay tribute to that period. If you're planning a stay in Pacific Grove, California this cottage looks to be cute and cozy, not to mention having an interesting history. Advertisement See Also on Kiplinger: 11 Great Ways to Spend or Invest $10,000 Taos, N.M. iStock 7. Out of this world in Taos, New Mexico This listing's title says it all: "Brand-new Studio Earthship" is an otherworldly home located just outside Taos. Built into the side of a hill, this place offers an experience in off-the-grid living for those wanting to try something a little different. The house is completely self-sustaining, with a rainwater catchment and electricity that is generated on-site. But don't let that scare you off. The house comes complete with all the modern amenities, including Wi-Fi, Netflix, and a high-efficiency washing machine. It lists for $125 a night. (See also on WiseBread.com: 10 Vacation Rental Alternatives to Airbnb) Antwerp, Belgium iStock 8. Indoor camping in Antwerp, Belgium Try out "indoor camping" in Antwerp with these remodeled, luxuriously decorated caravans (free-standing campers) for $38 a night. The caravans are inside a theater and performance space that you're welcome to use during your stay in the caravans. You can even book an Argentine tango class. Balearic Islands, Spain iStock 9. Container home in Balearic Islands, Spain Container homes and other small-scale living spaces have been gaining popularity recently. Try it out first hand for $155 a night in this completely remodeled home made from shipping container modules in Palma de Mallorca. Advertisement See Also on Kiplinger: 20 Best Travel Sites to Save You Money This property sleeps three, and while the inside space is limited, it does come with a wood terrace and small outdoor pool. The minimal design is sleek and not a square inch of space is wasted. This article is from Amanda Gokee of Wise Bread, an award-winning personal finance and credit card comparison website. More From Wise Bread 10 Vacation Rental Alternatives to Airbnb What to Do About a Terrible Airbnb Stay 5 Cities Where Airbnb Is Way Cheaper Than a Hotel 5 Travel Destinations That Are Cheaper Due to a Strong U.S. Dollar The 6 Best Vacation Deal Websites This article is from Wise Bread, not the Kiplinger editorial staff. Advertisement Check Out Kiplinger's Latest Online Broker Rankings Advertisement More From Kiplinger Most Popular Most Shared 31 Cheapest U.S. Cities for Early Retirement - Slide Show 15 Things Retirees Should Buy at Costco - Slide Show Best States to Retire 2018: All 50 States Ranked for Retirement - Slide Show 20 Dividend Stocks to Fund 20 Years of Retirement - Slide Show Most Popular Most Shared The Best Vanguard Funds for 401(k) Retirement Savers - Slide Show How to Calculate the Break-Even Age for Taking Social Security - Article 4 Important Tax Items Every Retiree Should Know About - Article 20 Dividend Stocks to Fund 20 Years of Retirement - Slide Show


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Flash: PdF Symposium on Wikileaks and Internet Freedom, Announced for Saturday December 11
BY Micah L. Sifry | Wednesday, December 8 2010
In the digital age, should all information be free?
Does good government require secrecy, or more openness?
Can we trust private internet service providers to defend free speech?
Is Wikileaks a terrorist organization, or the beginning of a new kind of transnational investigative journalism?
This Saturday in New York City, we'll be discussing these urgent questions with a stellar group of thinkers and doers from the worlds of politics, journalism, diplomacy, activism and technology, including:
Emily Bell, Director of Tow Centre for Digital Journalism at Columbia Journalism School
Esther Dyson, EDventure
Charles Ferguson, Director, Inside Job and No End in Sight
Arianna Huffington, Co-founder and editor-in-chief, The Huffington Post
Jeff Jarvis, Professor, CUNY Graduate School of Journalism
Andrew Keen, Author of the forthcoming book, Digital Vertigo: An Anti-Social Manifesto
Gideon Lichfield, Deputy digital editor, The Economist
Rebecca MacKinnon, Senior fellow, New America Foundation and author of the forthcoming book, Consent of the Networked
Mark Pesce, Author and futurist
Andrew Rasiej, Co-founder, Personal Democracy Forum
Jay Rosen, Professor, NYU School of Journalism, and PressThink.org
Carne Ross, Director, Independent Diplomat and former UK Diplomat
Douglas Rushkoff, Author, Program or Be Programmed: Ten Commands for a Digital Age
Micah L. Sifry, Co-founder, Personal Democracy Forum
Zeynep Tufekci, Sociology and Anthropology Dept., University of Maryland
Katrin Verclas, Principal, New Rights Group
Tom Watson, Author, CauseWired: Plugging In, Getting Involved, Changing the World
Dave Winer, Editor, Scripting News and Visiting Scholar, NYU
Tickets are $10 and space is limited. To register, go to http://pdfsymposium.eventbrite.com/
Saturday, December 11, 10am-2pm*
Riverpark: A Tom Colicchio Restaurant
450 East 29th Street (east of 1st Ave just before the FDR & East River)
New York, NY 10016
*Please note, breakfast and lunch will not be served, but coffee and light refreshments will be available.


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Shuttle Opens Silent PC Market to the Mainstream
Shuttle Opens Silent PC Market to the Mainstream news post from TweakTown's online news computing and technology content pages
Shuttle have further extended upon their XPC lineup with a new "all-silent" design in the XPC SD11G5 offering, This small form factor XPC is based on Intel's highly efficient Pentium-M platform, helping to keep things nice and quiet without compromising performance. Also keeping heat and noise levels down is the inclusion of their *external 220W PSU. For all the details, head on over to the Shuttle website where the press announcement resides. Alternatively, you can get straight to the official product page here folks.
Launched today, Shuttle's newest XPC rede?nes what users expect from a silent PC. "Whether it's an of?ce workstation, a home server, or a home theater system, a silent PC solution offers numerous tangible bene?ts over a standard PC," explained Shuttle global marketing representative, Johnny Tsai, "With the XPC SD11G5, Shuttle has created a silent PC system that meets the price and technical simplicity to be a success in the mainstream market."
To bring silent PC to the mainstream, Shuttle designers followed one well known rule, KISS (Keep it simple, Stupid) aiming for a silent PC solution that simply delivers, even to users new to this enthusiast group. Traditionally, customizing a PC for silence would involve premium-priced after market components and time consuming research and modi?cations, but the XPC SD11G5 comes equipped with many of these optimizations built in.
- Articles and Reviews from around the Web
- XG Magnum 500W PSU @ InsaneTek
- Thermaltake Swing Series Case @ ThinkComputers
- X800 GTO and GTO2 to X850 XT Mod @ TechPowerUp
- System tuning bei RAM-Disk @ Planet3DNow
- SunbeamTech X-1300 Gaming Mouse @ Phoronix
- Creative WebCam Live! Motion @ Trusted Reviews
- Dynatron P22 Intel Socket 775 heatsink @ Pro-Clockers
- Detail on the KickButtComputers.com Casemod @ GamerGod
- Thermaltake Muse USB 3.5" Drive Enclosure @ BigBruin
- Lian Li PC 6070 SE-S Case @ TecCentral (Translocated)
Last updated: Apr 6, 2020 at 09:02 pm CDT


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MacKerricher State Park offers beach, bluff, headland, dune, forest and wetlands habitats. The park was at one time part of the Mendocino Indian Reservation as well as a part of the Union Lumber Company. It is located three miles north of Fort Bragg on Highway 1, near the town of Cleone. Phone (707) 964-9112 for more information.
Six campsites are accessible (#67, #74, #83, #118, #120, #143). Routes of travel to restrooms are generally accessible. Restrooms with showers near campsites 26 and 74 are generally accessible.
The campfire center has wheelchair accessible and companion seating available. Parking, and a 300-foot boardwalk leading to the campfire center, is accessible.
Picnic Area
Two accessible picnic areas are located in the Laguna Point parking lot. Parking, routes, and nearby vault restrooms are accessible. An accessible water station is located near the restrooms.
The Laguna Point Interpretive Trail is a 0.60 mile accessible boardwalk loop, set atop the bluffs, which offers sweeping vistas from Fort Bragg to the Lost Coast. Overlook platforms along the boardwalk loop allow whale and harbor seal watching, and contain educational exhibits. The trailhead, accessible parking, and accessible restrooms are located at the Laguna Point parking lot.
The Haul Road Trail is an old paved road that is used as a multi-use trail that provides sweeping vistas of ocean beaches, dunes, and cliffs. The trail is generally accessible. Portions of the trail may at times not be fully accessible due to forces of nature. The Haul Road consists of three sections. Visitors can travel from one section to another, but accessible connection between the sections is not possible. The Silvergate Section of the trail is approximately 0.87 mile long with accessible parking and restroom in the parking lot next to the Beachcomber Motel. The Laguna Point Section of the trail is 1.29 miles in length with access to the Laguna Point day-use area. The Ward Avenue Section of the trail is 0.83 mile long with accessible parking on Ward Avenue.
Beach/Shore Access
A beach wheelchair is available upon request for use at California State Park beaches in the Mendocino coast area. Call (707) 937-5721 at least 7 days in advance.
Visitor center: One van-accessible parking space is located near the kiosk and visitor center. The small visitor center has a usable ramp. The exhibits in the visitor center are accessible.
Laguna Point: Educational exhibits have been installed along the accessible route to the vault restrooms.


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Just a couple of days ago, Reddit launched an official app specifically geared toward helping users read "Ask Me Anything" threads, but the app was only available for iOS users through the App Store. It was promised, however, that the app would be available for Android "later this week." A mere two days later the app has been released.
The app, for those unaware, allows users to see when an AMA is active, get notified when an AMA is trending, ask questions (of course), vote on questions, and easily sort for questions that have already been answered. The app can also quickly search for AMAs related to a specific topic like politics, sports, or entertainment.
Ask Me Anything may not be up to speed with Google's latest design vision yet, but its clear that effort was put in to design an app that is consistent with its iOS counterpart while also making use of some of the interface elements unique to Android. If you haven't already left this post for the Play Store, hit the widget below to grab the app.