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Summary: By looking at the healing of the man lame from birth at the Beautiful Gate, God has much to teach us about our posture when we pray, the priority during prayer, and the purpose of prayer.
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple. 3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.” 5 And he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. 6 But Peter said, “I have no silver and gold, but what I do have I give to you. In the name of Jesus Christ of Nazareth, rise up and walk!” 7 And he took him by the right hand and raised him up, and immediately his feet and ankles were made strong. 8 And leaping up, he stood and began to walk, and entered the temple with them, walking and leaping and praising God. 9 And all the people saw him walking and praising God, 10 and recognized him as the one who sat at the Beautiful Gate of the temple, asking for alms. And they were filled with wonder and amazement at what had happened to him. Peter Speaks in Solomon’s Portico 11 While he clung to Peter and John, all the people, utterly astounded, ran together to them in the portico called Solomon’s. 12 And when Peter saw it he addressed the people: “Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this, or why do you stare at us, as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? 13 The God of Abraham, the God of Isaac, and the God of Jacob, the God of our fathers, glorified his servant Jesus, whom you delivered over and denied in the presence of Pilate, when he had decided to release him. 14 But you denied the Holy and Righteous One, and asked for a murderer to be granted to you, 15 and you killed the Author of life, whom God raised from the dead. To this we are witnesses. 16 And his name—by faith in his name—has made this man strong whom you see and know, and the faith that is through Jesus has given the man this perfect health in the presence of you all.
Father, we turn our attention to you. We turn our hearts to you. And we ask that you would teach us how to pray, teach us the posture when we pray, teach us the priorities during our prayers, and teach us the purpose of prayer. We pray that you would teach us during this time. I give you this time. Jesus, we ask you to meet us, to shepherd us, and to teach us. Thank you, Lord. In Jesus Name, Amen
There are 3 P’s of prayer. The first is the posture when we pray. Second is the priority during our prayers. And third is the purpose of our prayers, the purpose of prayer in general. The posture when we pray, the priority during our prayers, and the purpose of prayer.
Before I get into the three P’s, I have another set of P’s. It says in Acts 3:12, that when Peter saw the people turning their attention to Peter and John and clinging to them, when Peter saw this, he addressed the people. Men of Israel, why do you wonder at this or why do you stare at us as though by our own power or piety we have made him walk? And so Peter is very clear, that it is not his power. It’s not because of his piety, but it’s because of the presence of the Lord Jesus. That is why this person is walking.
And I don’t have many spectacular gifts. I’m fairly ordinary. It may seem presumptuous, I’m talking about people with gifting of a supernatural nature. But Peter is telling us clearly that even if you have a spectacular gift, like healing, word of knowledge, prophecy, things that are very impressive in the eyes of people, even if you have these things, it’s not about the person’s gift. It’s not about the person. It is not their power. It is not because God is endowed them with such power, although that’s true. It’s not about their power. It’s not also the fact that they’ve been so diligently reading the Scripture, going to the temple to pray. It is not because of their piety. These are not the reasons why this person walked. It is because of the presence of the Lord Jesus.
And just as a explanation, and to set the stage, and we’ll get into the three P’s of prayer in a bit. How does healing work? Is it about the person’s gift? Obviously not. A spiritual gift of healing is not a superpower. We’re not talking about Marvel superheroes here, because if it were so, if there was such a thing as, it’s about my gift and because I am gifted, why not just go to the hospitals? Why not just empty all the hospitals because I can exercise my gift whenever I want it, and I feel like today, I want people who are lame, and sick in their hospital bed, and I just want to visit my local hospital, I want to empty it out because I want to exercise my gift? It doesn’t work that way.
We get some clues as we read the Gospels. That Jesus in his hometown, we read about in Luke 4, that He perceives the heart of the people. And Jesus is just a traveling circus show to them. And the people ask, they haven’t vocalized but Jesus perceives their heart, and Jesus puts into words what they have in their heart. And He says, you just want me to repeat the miracles that I did a Capernaum. To you, I’m just a magician. You just want me to repeat the miracles, more healings, more deliverance. That’s what I see in your hearts.
And Jesus cites the fact that in the Old Testament, during a time of famine for three and a half years when the rains were were shut up in the heavens, that there were many widows who were starving. There were many hungry people throughout the nation of Israel, many women widows, in particular, he mentions. But there was only one person, there’s only one widow that He sent Elijah, a prophet. And God met that widow and supplied their needs and miraculously, multiplied the bread and oil. Out of many widows, there was only one person who was visited by the Lord during that time of three and a half years.
And then he repeats, in the times of Elijah the prophet, there were many lepers in the nation of Israel, but there was only one person named Naaman, who was from Syria, and Jesus comes and meets him. So Jesus can heal anybody at any time. But there are certain people that He visits. And it’s according to His will. We don’t understand the purposes of God, but there’s a certain reason why He saw in the widow’s heart at Zarephath, that particular widow, He wanted to visit her and wanted to heal and supply her needs during the three and a half years. And Elijah stayed there during the three and a half years. He didn’t do a ministry to anybody else, he just stayed in that one widow’s home. The same with Elijah the prophet in his day, there were many lepers but there’s only one leper. And there’s a reason why, and we don’t understand all the reasons, but there’s a reason why Jesus visited him through Elijah the prophet, and healed his leprosy.
If you read on in Luke 4, Jesus is still in Capernaum. He visits Simon’s house. His mother in law is sick. And Jesus decides to heal Peter’s mother in law and the fever leaves her instantly. And presumably the word is spreading, and Simon is inviting everyone that he knows to come to his house, Jesus is there. And every one that Jesus laid his hands upon, every single one of them was healed.
In Mark 8, Jesus heals a man at Bethsaida. And he sends him home. And he leaves him a very interesting last command. He says, do not even enter the village of Bethsaida. We read in Matthew 11 that Jesus is denouncing three cities. He says Chorazin, Bethsaida, and Capernaum. And his point is that many mighty works were done in Chorazin, many mighty works were done in Bethsaida, many mighty works were done in Capernaum. But he cites that there was one thing that is lacking. After the mighty works were done, there was no repentance.
And so what is the point of Jesus performing mighty works of healing and deliverance if there is no repentance? Is there any point? If there’s no repentance and faith that comes from the mighty works, then it’s all in vain. And the only lesson that I can draw just looking at these different passages is that Jesus is everywhere, yes. But He is present in a special way in certain places, in ways that He is not in other places. When Jesus was limited in a finite body, when He walked this earth, He could only be in one place at one time. And so clearly, if He is in Capernaum, He could not be in Chorazin. If He’s in Galilee, He could not be in Bethsaida. And so Jesus could only be in one place at one time.
And spiritually, after Jesus ascended to heaven, He can be in multiple places at the same time in the Spirit. But there are times when Jesus is especially present, and that is why there’s healing and deliverance and repentance and faith. And that’s a special visitation. It’s like Elijah the prophet visiting the widow at Zarephath, and not visiting all the other ones. It’s like Jesus visiting Naaman and healing his leprosy amongst all the other lepers who needed healing. Jesus is present in a special way, in certain places, in a way that He is not in other places, although He can be present everywhere. And what is the point anyway of healing and deliverance and spectacular displays of mighty works if it does not result in repentance and turning toward Jesus in faith in Him?
So going back to our main text. The posture of prayer in Acts 3.
1 Now Peter and John were going up to the temple at the hour of prayer, the ninth hour. 2 And a man lame from birth was being carried, whom they laid daily at the gate of the temple that is called the Beautiful Gate to ask alms of those entering the temple.
But before I go on, I want to point out that this man who was lame from birth, was brought and laid at the Beautiful Gate every single day. And Peter and John as Jewish men who were devout and pious, they go to the temple regularly, this must have been a regular visitation by Peter and John. And so, I want to point out that they must have crossed paths with this lame person at some point, but they just walked past him. It was not the day, they just walked past him. It was not the day, and so, for whatever reason, this is the day.
For whatever reason, Jesus wanted to visit with this lame person and heal him, and save him, and display the mighty works on this day. Because Peter and John visited the temple, this person was laid at this temple gate. And so Jesus was always present. He was always available to heal this man. But for whatever reason, it was not the previous days that this man was laid down, it wasn’t the previous days that Peter and John visited the temple, but it was on this particular day. And I can’t explain why. It is mysterious. Jesus is present in a special way and a specially appointed time, in ways that He’s not on other days, in other places.
3 Seeing Peter and John about to go into the temple, he asked to receive alms. 4 And Peter directed his gaze at him, as did John, and said, “Look at us.”
We’ve been talking about the posture of prayer, and even last week we talked about turning our hearts to God the Father. And this verse says it again. That it is quite possible to not even be turned, and paying attention and looking at God the Father, while we’re asking prayers of Him. Like a spiritual beggar, our eyes are downcast, we’re looking down, we’re not expecting anything. Just a low expectation, downcast, depressed, anxious, worried, looking down, and our hand is up. We’re like a spiritual beggar. And that is not the posture of a believer. We’re not beggars. We are confident sons and daughters. We’re looking up at heaven, we’re looking straight at heaven, at the gate of heaven itself, with our arms extended and our eyes fixed with full expectation that nothing is impossible with God.
That if He wills and if He visits, because that’s the point. Because Jesus has to be present because it’s not the spiritually gifted minister’s power that causes the healing. It is not the spiritually gifted minister’s piety that brings a healing. It’s the presence of Jesus. And so if Jesus shows up, then healing is possible. And if Jesus wills, then it will happen, healing will happen. And so as children of God, we have confidence, we approach the throne of grace with confidence, eyes fixed on Heaven’s Gate, arms raised, knowing that nothing is impossible with God. That is the posture, not a beggar, not downcast.
And look at what is happening in this exchange between Peter, John, and this beggar, this lame man. In v.4, it says that Peter directed his gaze at him as did John, and said look at us, and he fixed his attention on them, expecting to receive something from them. So, the best thing that this person expected on this day was just a little spare change. That is the best thing that he hoped for. And many times our eyes are downcast, or we’re looking at an issue, and we’re fixated on the issue. That somebody is sick, my loved one is sick, I lost my job, I need a job. And we’re downcast, we’re fixated on the issue, and like a spiritual beggar, we’re asking for a handout.
And what God is teaching us here is that many times we pray for something and we are missing the point. We’re praying for the wrong thing in the wrong order. Because if you just divide people into two groups, there are only two groups on the face of the earth. There are those who believe in Jesus, and those who don’t. And so first, I want to address prayer requests directed toward nonbelievers. So people in our life, our family members our friends, when we pray for them, what is the number one thing we should pray for a nonbeliever? Isn’t it salvation?
And so before we ask for them to be healed, before we ask for God to provide them a job, before we ask for their need to be met, the first thing we ask for a nonbeliever, and this goes for parents for nonbelieving children, is Lord Jesus save them. And this goes to the posture and also the priority of prayer. Because this beggar is fixated on the ground, he’s downcast, he’s not even looking at the people passing by. And he’s asking for such a low thing. Just a little spare change that if I can just feed fill my belly a little bit today, and then it’s a good day. Just a low expectation.
And so God is teaching us that often when we pray, we’re praying in the wrong order. First of all, the wrong posture. Not confidently. Downcast, not with high expectations, not with thanksgiving. And also the wrong order, praying for a nonbelieving family member, a nonbelieving friend. The first and foremost prayer for them, the most urgent prayer request is salvation. Because we don’t know the ways of God. We don’t know how He works. We don’t know what God is doing, how the Father is drawing the person to salvation. We don’t know how Jesus is approaching that person, coming to that person. We don’t know when and how the Holy Spirit is blowing in that person’s life. And so when we ask for the pain to be removed, we might be going against the will of God, because maybe God wills that person to go through heartache. And He wants that person to hit rock bottom. He wants the person to experience pain so that they kneel in desperation and they don’t know where to turn to. But finally, they cry out to the Heavenly Father for mercy.
See, we love so humanistically. And so, especially a loved one when we see them suffering, we want the suffering to end quickly. But the first thing we should pray for our loved one who does not believe is, Lord, do whatever is needed for this person to come to faith in Christ. If it’s pain, so be it, Lord. Amen, so be it, Lord. If this is the only way this person will be humbled in life, is to go through this difficult trial, so be it, Lord. Because you are drawing them, and this might be the only chance they have to salvation. How many times is a nonbelieving person humbled by life? Very few. There are few opportunities that the Father has to draw a person to salvation, and for Jesus to meet that person.
And so when we see a nonbelieving family member, friend, someone we care about, suffering. May our prayer not be, Lord, end the suffering. But may the prayer be, Lord, use this suffering to humble this person, so that they can be saved. Whatever it takes, Lord. I want this person to be saved. We’re not loving humanistically. We’re saying, Lord, whatever it takes, I pray this way for certain family members. Whatever it takes, even if it’s a tragedy, whatever it takes, Lord. I just want this person to be saved. Our posture has to be right. We’re not spiritual beggars. And our priority in our prayer has to be right, if they’re a nonbeliever. The first and foremost prayer for every nonbeliever has to be, Lord Jesus, save them.
What about for a believer? Is it any different for a believer? The fact that we have Jesus, is it is a one moment in time salvation and then we never call upon the name of Jesus? Is that the way it’s supposed to be? What is the priority for a believer praying for oneself or when you pray for another believer who is going through a difficulty? What is your prayer request? What is the first prayer request, line item number one? What is priority number one, when we pray for them? We pray the same prayer. Lord Jesus, can you meet them.
You know when we go through issues, even as believers, and there are times when I was just praying the wrong prayer for so long, that in the early years of the church in our history, I was praying for ministry opportunities. I was praying for God to add to our number daily those are being saved. I was praying for these things, but I didn’t pray the most important prayer, which is Jesus, meet me. Jesus, shepherd me. Jesus, guide me and I will only go where you lead me. I’m just a sheep going where the Shepherd leads me, and if you’re bringing me beside quiet waters, let me just be quiet before you. If you’re giving me a season of just getting my house in order, let that be the focus of these years. Jesus, you’re the Shepherd.
And so I was asking for things for the Shepherd to do for me, instead of coming to the Shepherd humbly. Many times when we go through a stressful situation or some heartache or some difficulty, we’re fixated on that difficulty. And like a beggar, we’re looking down, we’re looking upon this thing, our hand is raised up. We don’t have any expectation, we’re just asking the Lord like a chant, can you fix this. Lord, can you fix this? Can you fix this? And our head is down, we’re fixated on this thing, our hand is up, Lord, can you fix this?
And God doesn’t want us to pray that way. Even as believers, shouldn’t our prayer be, Lord Jesus, I want to meet you. Lord Jesus, I bring this issue to you. See, we involve Jesus. Every prayer is somehow connected to Jesus. Like if we are burdened, we don’t just say, Father, this burden, I’m burdened, fix this burden. We don’t just pray that way like a beggar. We say, Father, I have this burden, now I bring it to you, Lord Jesus, Jesus, take this burden and you’re inviting Jesus.
Because the main desire of your heart every time you pray, is you want to meet Jesus. Every time you pray, you want to meet Jesus and so you pray, you take this burden, you take this issue, you take this circumstance, and you bring it to the Lord Jesus. And so, Lord Jesus, can you take it. Can you lift it? Can you take this fear, this worry, this issue, can you take it and we leave it with him and we say, in Jesus Name, Amen, let it be so. I give it to you. That’s our posture of prayer, the priority of our prayer. And now we’re getting into the purpose of prayer.
The purpose of prayer is clear. We want to meet Jesus. The priority is clear. We pray for salvation for a loved one who does not believe, a friend who does not believe. Our priority, even for a believer is, Lord Jesus, meet that person. And the purpose is that you want to meet Him. That is the purpose, not only the priority, that is the purpose of prayer. If you pray, and Jesus is not even mentioned and you didn’t even connect with Jesus, then I want to say that it was a wasted, you’ve wasted your breath. I want to suggest to you that if you’ve been stressed and you didn’t bring that burden to Jesus, then you haven’t achieved the purpose of prayer.
God is wanting us to ask for Jesus. Because from the Father’s perspective, what is the greatest gift that He can give to His children? Is it healing? Is it a job? Is it a provision? Is it deliverance for a loved one? Is that the greatest gift that God can give to His children or to our loved ones,? Is it not Jesus Himself? Isn’t that the greatest gift for ourselves? Is it not the greatest gift for our loved ones? That is the purpose of prayer, the Father is waiting for that moment when we understand the purpose of prayer.
It is that God the Father has given us the greatest gift and faith we receive it with gratitude. Which means that nothing can change in our circumstances, and we can be praying the same prayer, day after day, year after year, and our heart is still at peace. We still have joy in our hearts. The circumstances do not affect the emotional state of our heart, because it’s not about the other requests, although Jesus in His sovereign power, according to His will, at any moment, He can miraculously give us secondary gifts, but the primary gift from God the Father to His children and our loved ones is Jesus Christ.
That is the purpose. If you understand that, God is so pleased. And I want to end with 2 Corinthians 1:18.
18 As surely as God is faithful, our word to you has not been Yes and No. 19 For the Son of God, Jesus Christ, whom we proclaimed among you, Silvanus and Timothy and I, was not Yes and No, but in him it is always Yes. 20 For all the promises of God find their Yes in him. That is why it is through him that we utter our Amen to God for his glory.
So Paul is dealing with a Corinthian church, and they have a strange relationship. Because they are spiritually gifted and they got deceived by the spiritually gifted minister and they started following the minister, as if it’s that person’s power that healed. As if it is that person’s piety that brings deliverance. They started to divide up into factions according to the gifted minister they wanted to follow. That is the story of the Corinthian church. And Paul in their eyes is not as gifted. He’s not as impressive. And they are doubting his apostleship. That is the whole context of Corinthians, and so when Paul is saying, I wanted to visit you, and already there’s a strained relationship with this church, he is saying, I have not been wavering in my heart. Should I go yes, should I not go no. He’s saying that he’s not wavering, but God has not permitted him to return. And so he’s giving this letter.
And he uses this yes and no to say, from God’s point of view, is it yes and no? Is He vacillating? Is He wavering when you ask for spiritual things? When you ask for answers to prayer? Is He wavering, and it’s a yes and no? Because one day, He wants to give it to you. The next day, I’m not so into my child anymore, it’s a no today. No, He’s saying that when you ask for Jesus and you understand the purpose of prayer, and the priority of prayer, and you have the right posture in prayer, you’re kneeling before Him, and looking up at heaven, and your arms outstretched, not with a low expectation but a high expectation that nothing is impossible with God. That God’s answer is not yes today, no tomorrow. It’s always yes if you ask for Jesus. It’s always yes.
The word for yes is, verily, truly. The word amen means verily, truly. But there are some nuances that a. When it says yes, it also means, even so, despite what you see. Even so, I believe in Jesus. That’s what you’re expressing in your prayer. You always have to bring it to Jesus. You always have to come back to Jesus. Your prayer is always climax and return to Jesus. And so you laid out all your burdens, all your fears, all your anxieties, and then you say, yes, even so, even despite what I see, even so, I believe.
And that is why, in Jesus Name, we end our prayers, amen. Let it be so. Verily, truly, I don’t see it with my eyes, but spiritually, I believe. Verily, truly. And when we pray this prayer, and we hold on to Jesus, what does the Father see? He sees a heart that is turned toward Him. He sees a child of God who’s praying in the right way. He sees a child, a son or daughter, with genuine faith in God. And so what is God’s perspective on their prayer, His answer is yes, I’ll give you Jesus. It’s a yes, amen. God the Father must be so excited when He sees a child of God praying in the right way, with the right posture, the right priority, the right purpose of prayer. God must be in heaven saying, yes, amen to that prayer, I’m going to answer and give that person Jesus, because that’s what he asked for.
That’s why in Christ, all the promises of God are yes and amen. It’s in Christ, all the promises are yes. God’s promise in the Old Testament to bless Abraham and to use him as it as a channel of blessing to all the nations, is a foreshadowing of Jesus. In Christ, we have every spiritual blessing in heaven and on earth. God’s promise of peace is in Christ, there is no peace apart from Jesus. The world could be falling apart, but if you’re in Christ, you have His peace, you are not troubled. You could have the worst day in your life, but there is Jesus’s peace. In Jesus, there is peace, and there is joy. There could be a song in your heart on the day you heard the worst news of your life, there could be a song in your heart because you’re in Christ. Every promise of God is a yes and amen, in Jesus Christ. And that’s why the purpose of prayer is to involve Jesus, to incorporate Jesus, to bring all our requests to Jesus, that is our priority. And then once we connect with Him, we ask for the other things. But the priority has to be right.
So to recap. Let’s not be a spiritual beggar. When you’re fixated on a problem, and you’re downcast, often we don’t even look to heaven. We don’t even turn to Jesus, we’re just asking God in an abstract sense, just fix this issue. That is not how God wants us to pray. He wants us to look to heaven, on our knees, with full expectation that nothing is impossible. And even if He is delayed, let’s say He never answers that prayer for healing, is that going to change anything? Jesus is the same yesterday, today, and forever.
So if He doesn’t answer the prayer requests, if your life doesn’t make sense, Jesus always makes sense. He always makes sense. He never changes. And so still, even if our circumstances don’t change, we have the purpose of prayer and the priority of our prayer in line, it is Jesus Christ. That is the greatest gift that God can give to you. And so let’s ask for the greatest gift. That’s the priority of our prayers. For the other things, we say nothing is impossible. We understand that, but we also say, Jesus if you don’t visit my home, and heal me of this sickness, I still believe in you. I still trust in you. Nothing changes. My faith in you is not a yes today because you answered my prayer, and a no tomorrow because you didn’t answer my prayer. No, we’re like you toward us. You don’t waver toward us. We’re not going to waver towards you. Let’s pray.
Father, forgive us. For often we come to you as beggars. We don’t think you’re powerful enough to do anything in our life. We don’t think you hear us. We’re asking for the wrong thing. The lame person should have been, if he only knew that there was a God in heaven who could heal him and save him, but all he could ask for was a little spare change. Lord, often when we pray to you, we ask for the wrong thing. So Lord, I pray that as confident children of God, we can turn to heaven, and believe that nothing is impossible with you. With a thankful heart, despite what we see in our circumstances. You’ve given us the greatest gift of Jesus Christ. And so in faith, we receive this greatest gift. We give you thanks today, and every day because we have Jesus Christ.
For our loved ones you, Lord, you taught us today to pray in the right way. We pray for their salvation, first and foremost, so that when they are healed, when they are delivered, they know who to thank. They know who to give thanks to. Lord, if you heal them, and they didn’t even give you thanks, they didn’t have faith in you, what’s the point of healing? So Lord, thank you for teaching us how to pray for our non-Christian family members and friends. Father, even when it comes to ourselves. We pray that you teach us to pray in the right way. We don’t just pray to take this burden from me. We pray specifically, Lord Jesus, I give you this burden. Lord Jesus, I give you this sickness. Lord Jesus, I give you this worry. And Lord, this is how you want us to pray. You want us to involve your Son, that is the purpose of prayer, to unpack every spiritual gift in Christ.
Father, during the partaking of the Lord’s supper, now that you’re realigning hearts, we pray that you would meet us in a special way. Lord, if there are issues in our lives, we bring it before you and we leave it with you. We trust that nothing is impossible with you. We bring every sickness, every person who needs deliverance, we bring out the loved one for you we ask our Lord that you would do something, according to your perfect timing and your sovereign power.
Meet us, Lord, during the partaking of your Lord’s supper. We pray for the blood of Jesus that was shed at Calvary, to cover over every brother and sister here and on zoom, cover over our body, our soul, our spirit, mind, will, emotion, every cell in our body from head to toe, cover and cleanse us with the blood of Jesus. We pray that you cleanse our loved ones, our children, our family members, our friends. I pray that you meet them. Meet them and save them, Lord Jesus. Please, do whatever it takes, we don’t want to get in the way of you trying to save them. We don’t want to pray humanistically for the pain to end quickly. Lord, we pray according to your will. And the only thing that you care about, in terms of a nonbelieving family member is salvation. Lord, we align our hearts, according to your purposes and your will. We pray that you would meet us as we close the service. In Jesus Name, Amen
Time: 11:00am
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October 17, 2021
In recent weeks, the world has learned incredible new details about corruption, illicit financing and money laundering by the super-rich, thanks to the Pandora Papers. The papers are a tranche of nearly 12 million documents, revealed by an international group of journalists, that describe how global elites — from the king of Jordan to Pakistani Prime Minister Imran Khan’s inner circle to an alleged mistress of Vladimir Putin — use shell companies, trusts, real estate, artwork and other financial secrecy tools to squirrel away enormous amounts of money. And much of it is perfectly legal.
Many of the stories in the Pandora Papers follow a playbook that is depressingly familiar at this point: Global heads of state and business elites hide their wealth in pursuits that are emblematic of the super-rich: coveted beachside properties in Malibu, as in the case of the Jordanian monarch, or the Czech prime minister’s $22 million chateau in the south of France, or dozens of pieces of high-value artwork, moved secretly through shell companies by one of Sri Lanka’s most powerful families.
But this kind of transnational money laundering, which we’ve come to expect, is only part of the picture. Recently, wealthy elites have begun looking for other places to park their funds, places they think authorities won’t look. Places that offer all the financial secrecy these elites need, but that few would associate with lives of luxury. As a result, shadowy and sometimes ill-gotten wealth has started pouring not just into yachts and vacation homes, but also into blue-collar towns in the U.S. whose economic struggles make them eager to accept the cash.
One of these small towns appears to have been Harvard, Ill., a depressed factory community that allegedly became part of a sprawling network used by Ukrainian banking tycoon Ihor Kolomoisky to launder hundreds of millions of dollars earned from a Ponzi scheme. Kolomoisky, who was recently hit with U.S. sanctions for “significant corruption” in Ukraine, is separately accused by the Justice Department and Ukrainian investigators of using a constellation of shell companies and offshore bank accounts to move millions in misappropriated funds out of Ukraine and into a series of real-estate investments in the American Midwest. (Kolomoisky denies wrongdoing, claiming he made the investments with his own money.)
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The story of Harvard suggests that lax U.S. laws around shell companies and real-estate purchases, in addition to a broader lack of regulatory oversight, may be putting America’s heartland in the crosshairs of elites like Kolomoisky. It’s a reality of global corruption that U.S. lawmakers are only just starting to grapple with: As money-launderers and illicit financiers hide their money in the American Midwest, they’ve become part of the story of the decline of small-town, blue-collar America.
With a population of just under 10,000, Harvard, Ill., is a speck of a town equidistant between Chicago and Milwaukee. Like the other towns in the region, you’ve likely never heard of it — and like other towns in the region, Harvard’s best days are decades behind it. But in the late 1990s, the massive telecom company Motorola announced it would be putting a new manufacturing plant in Harvard. Construction began on what would become the largest building not just in Harvard but the entire region: a 1.5-million-square-foot facility, sprawling over 320 acres, part office and part plant, shaped like a giant wishbone. “It’s a huge, huge building,” one local, Ed Soliz, said at the time. “It looks like a small university.” With a $100 million price tag, Motorola said it would require a staggering five thousand employees to operate the facility — to help craft the next generation of Motorola phones and lead the global telecom market into the 21st century.
But within a few years of finishing construction, the bottom had fallen out of Motorola’s business model. Suddenly, the building in Harvard had no purpose. Rather than a testament to Harvard’s future, it was a testament to corporate blinders. And for years it sat there, like a beached whale, waiting.
Then, in 2008 — as the country began tipping fully into the Great Recession — an investor in his early 20s from Miami named Chaim Schochet showed up. Working on behalf of a firm called Optima International, Schochet offered $16.75 million for the empty building. A far cry from the Motorola investment, but more than locals could have hoped for. They happily accepted. Glimmers of potential sprang once more. “Hope burns eternal,” Roger Lehmann, a member of the Harvard Economic Development Corporation, said after the purchase.
At the time, there was no reason to think Schochet and his colleagues were anything but savvy businesspeople, snapping up properties across the Midwest. Optima International was a parent company to a constellation of related firms (including one called “Optima Harvard Facility LLC”). Prosecutors would later dub this the “Optima Family,” with its American operations overseen by two Americans named Mordechai Korf (Schochet’s brother-in-law) and Uri Laber. As the Justice Department alleged in a series of civil forfeiture cases, this “Optima Family” plowed hundreds of millions of dollars into investments in state after state: commercial real estate in Cleveland and Dallas and Louisville, steel factories in West Virginia and Kentucky and Ohio, production plants in Michigan and New York and Indiana. Time and again, these investors swooped in, pledging jobs, revitalization and a lifeline for towns watching their economic lifebloods dry up.
In just a few years, the “Optima Family” collected over a dozen mills, plants and other facilities across the American heartland. All of them had fallen victim to America’s yearslong manufacturing slump, part of the broader deindustrialization that began in the 1970s. All of them were eager for any injection of financing they could get, and for any promise of a brighter future. And, according to prosecutors, these purchases were all directly connected to a powerful steel and banking tycoon in Ukraine who was buying American properties to hide stolen money.
Shortly after Ukraine’s 2014 revolution, investigators in the country alleged that Ihor Kolomoisky was secretly overseeing one of the greatest Ponzi schemes the world had ever seen, totaling at least $5.5 billion. Legal filings from American prosecutors last year detailed how Kolomoisky allegedly used his control of Ukraine’s largest retail bank, PrivatBank, to loot staggering sums from Ukrainian depositors, and then used a series of shell companies and offshore accounts to whisk the money out of the country and into the U.S.
The idea seems to have been to purchase troubled assets that American sellers were eager to offload. Even if the buyers ultimately took a loss, the assets were still outside the grasp of Ukrainian investigators and could still act as vehicles through which to funnel money. Perhaps most importantly, the properties could be bought without much inquiry into the source of the monies: For two decades, American real-estate professionals have benefited from a “temporary” exemption to anti-money laundering laws, allowing them to avoid performing due diligence on the customer making the purchase.
In subsequent efforts to seize the operation’s assets, American prosecutors laid out a theory that much of Kolomoisky’s operation was overseen by Laber and Korf, who “created a web of entities, usually under some variation of the name ‘Optima,’ to further launder the misappropriated funds and invest them” across multiple states. According to the DOJ, the funds lifted from PrivatBank bounced through a number of shell companies and offshore accounts, before being injected into the Optima network, and from there into assets around the American Midwest. And all of this took place while Kolomoisky — now sanctioned by the U.S. for what the State Department calls “significant corruption” and “ongoing efforts to undermine Ukraine’s democratic processes” — grew his power and wealth within Ukraine itself, creating a gargantuan private militia and reportedly manipulating elected officials along the way.
The details gathered by U.S. and Ukrainian investigators and laid out in DOJ filings and court cases around the world, from Delaware to the UK to Israel, comprise what one analyst said might be “the biggest case of money laundering in history.”
Kolomoisky says he bought the American properties with his own money, denying the Justice Department’s allegations about laundering ill-gotten funds. Neither he nor his American associates (who also deny wrongdoing) have been named in any criminal complaints. Reached for comment prior to publication of this article, an attorney for Korf and Laber responded, “Mr. Korf and Mr. Laber have never engaged in money laundering of any kind, and they have no knowledge of anyone else doing so. Any allegations against Mr. Korf and Mr. Laber arise from Ukrainian political disputes they have nothing to do with.” Kolomoisky and Schochet, the Miami investor, did not respond to a request for comment.
Schochet has not been targeted by name in the government filings, and the government has not suggested he is personally a target of their investigations. But the DOJ complaint notes that the Harvard plant purchase was part of the sprawling Optima laundering scheme (including fraudulent loans used to purchase the plant in the first place). The investigators describe how, using investments in steel mills, skyscrapers and industrial plants across the Midwest and Rust Belt, Kolomoisky could take full advantage of America’s permissive climate for money laundering — all, apparently, to help clean the proceeds of his massive Ukrainian Ponzi scheme.
After Schochet finalized the purchase in Harvard, locals say they saw little of him. “Chaim wasn’t around much,” Charlie Eldredge, head of the Harvard Economic Development corporation, told me. “I would see him once a year, once every other year…. Clearly it wasn’t the focus of their interest.” He added that it quickly became clear the Optima network “didn’t really have any real plans [about] what to do with the facility.”
More than five years after the purchase, no jobs had returned and no further investments emerged. Unpaid property taxes kept accumulating, starving the strapped local government of hundreds of thousands of dollars. In 2016, Optima sold the building at a $7 million loss to a Chinese Canadian businessperson. Years of neglect by various owners began to take a toll: Soon, the factory went dark entirely. With a half-million-dollar tab in unpaid electricity bills, the juice was cut off, forcing local officials to visit with flashlights. “It’s just heartbreaking to see that beautiful place sitting vacant,” the McHenry County treasurer said in 2018.
Along the way, the massive building itself — its factory and fitness center, its child care rooms and 500-seat auditorium, even its pair of heliports — continued a slow march toward implosion. Mold began creeping along the walls and roof, into the pipes, into the recesses of the building. The factory’s entire fire suppressant system, including over 20,000 sprinkler heads, began falling apart. “The mechanical [equipment] all needs to be replaced,” Mayor Michael Kelly said. “The roof leaks. No one’s really taking care of it.”
“The building won’t just be valueless — it will be a catastrophe for the town, because it will have to be demolished,” Eldredge told me in 2020. “And the net cost for that, after salvage, is probably three to five times the city’s annual budget. It will be a financial catastrophe.” He paused, pondering the implication: This hundred-million-dollar promise to a small outpost in northern Illinois ended up with a foreign oligarch apparently using it to hide his money from investigators. (The building was sold just last month to a group of developers from Las Vegas for an undisclosed amount.)
Harvard is hardly the only American town that saw Optima swoop in, making big promises that ended in disappointment. In Warren, Ohio, a steel plant purchased by Kolomoisky’s network had so many safety issues that several explosions occurred onsite, with employees repeatedly ending up in hospitals. Other plants and factories have ended up gutted and shuttered, laying off hundreds of American workers. One 70-year-old plant in Kentucky, after shutting its furnaces and tossing its employees to the curb, reportedly even refashioned itself as a Bitcoin-mining operation — without bothering to bring any of the jobs back.
Over and over, Kolomoisky’s team showed up, purchased the properties and seemingly lost interest — leaving broken dreams, busted plants and bleeding economies in their wake. As Harvard’s Eldredge told me, “I think there’s certainly a good many citizens who feel it’s better the building had never been built.”
As it turns out, the decrepit Harvard plant had another chance to avoid falling into disrepair. But the story of how that opportunity collapsed suggests just how deeply kleptocratic networks have become embedded into the American economy. In 2016 — just as Ukrainian officials began investigating the depths of Kolomoisky’s alleged Ponzi scheme — the oligarch and his team somehow found a buyer willing to take on the former Motorola plant. The new buyer was another firm with links to overseas investors, this time headed by a Chinese Canadian businessperson named Xiao Hua Gong.
Gong, who goes by Edward, openly claimed he wanted to transform the plant into a smartphone manufacturing base. According to Eldredge, Gong was initially “very charming and full of conversation of what wonderful things he was going to do.” Not too dissimilar from a certain Ukrainian network that parachuted into Harvard a few years prior, singing much the same tune.
A year after the sale, though, still nothing had happened with the building. And then Canadian authorities dropped a bombshell: They accused Gong of running his own transnational money laundering scheme, charging him with fraud and money laundering. Follow-on allegations from New Zealand authorities detailed how Gong had led a “multi-national pyramid scheme,” eventually resulting in the country’s largest-ever settlement, worth over $50 million. If the various allegations are true, this means the Harvard Motorola plant has entered not one, but two separate dirty-money pipelines.
Following the charges against Gong, the plant remained frozen until its acquisition a few weeks ago. Local authorities couldn’t touch it, as it was part of ongoing investigations attempting to unwind Gong’s network. And the residents of Harvard watched the factory, and its initial promise, sit vacant. “It’s almost as if these oligarchs, that they have so much money that the rules don’t apply to them, they can do whatever they want,” Kelly sighed. “I think the community sees that the Motorola plant has been a huge albatross for us.”
He paused, and took a breath. “The building is f—ing cursed.”
We only know about Harvard because American and Canadian authorities, aided by partners in Ukraine and New Zealand, targeted the specific money laundering networks allegedly linked to Kolomoisky and Gong. But given the miles-wide availability of other American money laundering services — from real estate to private equity, hedge funds to anonymous trusts, artwork to accountants — there’s no reason to think the Motorola plant is the only multimillion-dollar American asset that’s been bandied between parallel kleptocratic networks.
“I’m not sure people do understand how damaging taking dirty money really is to the United States,” former FBI agent Karen Greenaway, who has deep experience investigating post-Soviet money laundering networks, testified in 2019. “Dirty money is like a rainstorm coming into a dry streambed. It comes very quickly, and a lot of it comes very fast, and the stream fills up, and then it gets dry again.”
As Harvard, Warren, and other small towns allegedly targeted by Kolomoisky’s network learned, that flood of money will wash through — but the streambed will dry up just as quickly, with adverse consequences for the people in those towns who hoped to benefit economically from the investments. As Greenaway added, after 2008, Americans sought to unload huge numbers of unprofitable properties, with little idea of who was buying them or whether these purchases might be new nodes in a broader transnational scheme to hide foreign wealth.
Which is exactly what seems to have been the case in each of the overlooked, forgotten towns Kolomoisky and his team touched. Places like the towns in America’s steel-production heartland, reliant on the aging steel plants for another generation of jobs that will now never come. Places like Cleveland, which watched Kolomoisky and his men roll in and dominate an entire downtown, leaving a “gaping hole” behind. Places like Harvard, whose residents are watching this economic lifeline turn into an economic millstone, rotting right in front of them.
“I think it’s hurting small-town America,” Greenaway concluded. “I just don’t think that we’ve come to that realization yet.”
And that realization is long overdue. For years, the U.S. has largely overlooked the billions of dollars — and potentially more — in dirty and suspect money flooding into the country every year, stolen from national treasuries or made via bribes, smuggling or trafficking of humans and drugs alike. Much of this money comes to the country to be washed clean, to be transformed into legitimate assets and to obscure any links to its previous criminal owners.
The Biden administration has vowed to take on global corruption, recently elevating it to a core national security threat. But the intertwined stories of Kolomoisky and Harvard suggest there’s much left to do before we can even grasp the scale of the damage in America’s heartland — and figure out what to do about it.
Fortunately, we’ve started seeing movement in the right direction. The U.S. under the last few administrations has finally begun to tackle problems like shell company secrecy and anonymous real estate purchases, and Congress has introduced bill after bill to patch up the U.S.’s anti-money laundering regime. The Pandora Papers themselves have already spurred legislation, dubbed the “ENABLERS Act,” that would specifically require a whole range of Americans helping these networks thrive — “U.S.-based middlemen” like Korf and Laber, if American prosecutors are right — to conduct due diligence on the sources of foreign funds they handle. As of now, the only prominent American industry required to check whether the funds it handles are dirty is the banking sector — leaving the rest of the U.S. economy wide open.
Thanks to the wide number of industries that can freely work with illicit funds, we have no idea how many other oligarchs, warlords and kleptocrats may have sunk their teeth into steel towns, into farming communities, into manufacturing plants and oil hubs and port cities across America. We have no idea how much of a role they’ve played in enervating cities and towns across the Rust Belt and elsewhere. Nor do we have any idea how many towns like Harvard have suffocated along the way, their livelihoods lost, their budgets strangled, their economic fortunes imploded. All because of what we now know to be a notoriously lax legal regime that incentivizes oligarchs, heads of state and other global elites to look to the United States to shelter their money — and to grab the biggest piece of “American Kleptocracy” that they possibly can.
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Synopsis: Humanity finds a mysterious, obviously artificial, object buried beneath the Lunar surface and, with the intelligent computer H.A.L. 9000, sets off on a quest.
2001: A Space Odyssey, Stanley Kubrick’s seminal sci-fi odyssey is one of those films that enjoys such a lofty reputation you almost feel intimidated into going with the flow and raving about what a great movie it is. Deep, meaningful, beautiful, great visuals, etc. But sometimes you just have to be brave and speak up…
It’s not difficult to see why 2001: A Space Odyssey achieved its reputation. Back in 1968 it must have blown its audience away (I was actually a member of that audience, but I was only five so I don’t recall being blown in any direction at all — I just remember liking the monkeys) with its realistic shots of space stations gliding across the screen with a stark, cold beauty as Strauss’s Blue Danube blared through the speakers. How could they not have been blown away? They had never seen anything like it. The film was an event, and the excitement of the event carried them through the many slow sequences.
Today, though, we’ve seen it all before, and those slow sequences are now so v-e-r-r-r-r-y s-l-o-w-w-w. That’s not the movie’s fault, but your reaction to a film is based on your perception of its contents, and people’s perceptions change as time marches on, so just because a movie was hailed as a classic by a previous generation doesn’t give it the irremovable right to be considered a classic forevermore. True, it still has a lot of champions who are no doubt inflamed by those whose opinions differ from theirs, but to me the truth is that the older 2001: A Space Odyssey gets the more undeserving it is of its exalted reputation.
That’s not to say there isn’t much to admire in Kubrick’s film. Its storyline and enigmatic ending are actually quite easy to follow for anyone prepared — or able — to pay close attention and exercise their brain cells. Many of the effects still hold up today — although the trippy sequence looks horribly dated — and could probably now be knocked up in ten minutes by a spotty BBC apprentice while his boss is out of the room. That famous jump cut really is a truly remarkable moment, though, linking not only the past and future, but brilliantly symbolising the result of evolutionary progress kick-started by the arrival of the monolith at the dawn of man. There’s a beguiling serenity about all the slow-motion space movement that is slyly undermined by some clever positioning of the camera to convey the sense of Keir Dullea (Mail Order Bride) and Gary Lockwood (The Magic Sword, They Came to Rob Las Vegas) being under constant scrutiny on the ship. There is also a mesmerising quality to the breathing of the men in their spacesuits that emphasises the eerie silence of space and creates a wonderfully chilling atmosphere. And HAL 9000 is, of course, an inspired and iconic creation.
All that goes a long way to securing the film its status in cinema history but, in addition to how the passage of time is beginning to erode its impact, there are others drawbacks, not least of which is the stilted acting style of both Lockwood and Dullea. Granted, Kubrick isn’t really interested in working up any feelings on our part for the safety of these guys — he’s simply intent on taking us on his journey — but is it really necessary to have such a lack of emotion? And, let’s face it: there is actually very little plot here for a whole lot of minutes. Those spaceships are beautiful but, like everything else, beauty’s impact fades the more we are exposed to it…
And, in many ways, the film’s biggest drawback is the very real sense, as the film progresses at its stubbornly stately pace, that we are being subjected to the self-indulgence of a supremely talented but unbridled director. After a while, all those endless and never-ending shots of gliding spaceships and people walking up walls just start to get irritating.
(Reviewed 13th November 2005)
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The soft plush interior is scratch-free. The holder is 4.5" x 3.5" The cover and base are made from sturdy PVC. To keep your glasses protected, use on nightstand, coffee table, desk, etc. It's good to keep your lens clean and protect them from dirt. It's perfect for protecting against bent frames. This stand works well. I always know where my glasses are.
I was happy that the shipment was fast. My glasses fit perfectly in the holder. The fun patterns of the holders made it stand out and made it easy to misplace my glasses. I got two for a reasonable price, so I have one for home and one for work.
I bought one of the holders a while back and really like it. My family members wear glasses and I wanted to buy them gifts. The two packs are very good.
I like the leopard print and the fuzzy inside to keep my glasses safe. Sometimes I can't find my wire rimmed glasses when I wake up. I can now find them in a place where I can find them. He has the same problem finding his glasses, so he doesn't mind using the extra one. We have a place to find our glasses.
The quality is good and the deal is great. I now have one for my glasses.
They can be used for multiple things, like pen holder, tv remote holder, glasses, etc.
These are cute and I use them to hold my remote controls.
It's a great TV remote holder. I love it!
I loved them in person. I have one on my nightstand and one at work.
These lined cases keep my glasses scratch free when I'm not wearing them.
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The material is Eco-friendly and won't tip over. The dog shape eyeglass holder is fun. Also a decoration for your table is eyeglasses and sunglasses. A funny gift.
Did I need this product? No. Is this product what I wanted? Yes! When I first saw it on Amazon, I couldn't justify buying it, but a friend made me buy it. It's cute and functional. I always have two pairs of glasses at my desk. Sometimes the cats go flying when I'm trying to find something. This would make a great gift for a cat lover. Highly recommended.
The kitty is cute. I keep an extra pair of reading glasses at work. I don't want my glasses to get scratched, broken, or lost, so I don't carry them back and forth in my purse. This kitty is a great place to keep them at my desk at the end of the day. It is a nice size and a little more expensive than I would prefer, but it functions as it should. The others I looked at were smaller and probably wouldn't have held the eyeglasses as well. Happy with the purchase.
Very cute. It was well made. I bought this for my 10 year old daughter to keep on her nightstand to keep her glasses on, but they are too small for her and don't stay on the cat's face very well.
I wanted a place for my daughter to put her glasses. My five year old has a hard time putting them on the cat because the glass is a little tilted, which is disappointing. The attention to cat detail is nice, but holding the glasses is more important.
This is a cute way to keep your glasses safe. It holds different styles of glasses. You have to use both hands to get your glasses to stay in place. Attempting to put your glasses on the cat with one hand is not a good idea. I might be able to master this skill with some practice, but at the moment I just use 2 hands.
I thought it would be smaller, but it is a good size. My coworker loves cats. I saw this and heard it say BUY ME. It's as cute in person as it is in the picture.
I love this so much. This is perfect for a cat lover. We have tried it for many different glasses and it works great.
I bought it because it was cute and there was a place to put my glasses. It is difficult to get your glasses on it. They have to be placed to stay on. It's time consuming and frustrating. It is really cute and too bad.
What do we like?
What do people think?
It protects your glasses and keeps them safe all the time. The glasses holder is made of a soft furry lining and protects your glasses from dirt and scratches. The glasses holder is also great for protecting the arms of your glasses. It is easy to place on any surface, and you can find your missing glasses in no time. No more panic. A great gift idea. Birthday, Christmas, and Anniversaries are where this gift can be found. There are a variety of bright colors. The official product of Micklyn Le Feuvre.
Brand: Fintie
The design is weird, but it does the job. I assumed that the base and top part were attached to each other, and that the bottom of the base was metal so you could attach it to a reading lamp. Nope. The base and the top part are not attached, and the magnetic part is in the top of the base, so you can attach the two pieces via magnet. Oh my gosh? I don't understand the logic behind this feature. It's cute and keeps your glasses out of harms way.
I love this holder. I am new to the world of glasses-wearing and every single night, I climb into bed, scroll through my phone calls, and then just as I take my glasses off, I realize I don't have a case to put them in. DoH! I get out of bed to find something so that I don't scratch them. This thing is amazing. It's the perfect size for my glasses and it looks pretty on my nightstand. I like this. The fur lining is all over the inside of the glasses.
This is something that I love. It is wide enough inside that it holds my glasses and doesn't feel like they are sliding against the fake fur inside. I had one that was so narrow that I was wondering if the inside was rubbing on the lens as they were taken out. You don't know if it will scratch them long term. It is not a worry with this new one. This may hold two paid, which I love. I was wondering how you would fit two in there and not scratch each other, after seeing others mention it on review. It is not a problem if both are facing a side of the soft lining.
This is something that I love. At the end of the day, I would put my glasses down on my table. I couldn't find them the next day and I would get smudges on my glasses. I know where I put them and they don't get smudges when you put them in or take them out.
I have purchased 3 of them. I ordered my daughter this one because she loved mine so much. The pattern of my other two is the same. My first one is faded and not as vibrant as its twin. Still, it looks nice. A strong magnet is holding it together. Definitely recommend these!
I love this holder for my glasses. I had a problem with leaving them in random places around the room and not being able to find them. I need glasses. It's fuzzy and cute. Only flaw I expected the base part to be magnetic in order to stick it onto something else. The base is magnetized to the cup. I don't know why, but it's still handy!
It's a nice little luxury for me, because I don't wear glasses all the time. I'm glad I bought it. It's nice to have a place for my glasses on my nightstand because I'm clumsy when I first wake up. It's large enough to hold my glasses. There was a little fuzz inside at first, but I haven't had an issue with it sticking to my lens. It seems well made and the colors are pretty in person.
These Eye Glass Holder Stands Blue are not to be missed.
View our Eye Glass Holder Stands for Kids list for additional suggestions.
These Eye Glass Holder Stands for Desk are well worth a look.
You might also be interested in our Eye Glass Holder Stands Wood list.
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Eye glasses holder size is 6. This rustic wooden eye glass spectacle holder is a great way to add style to your office desk. When not in use, it keeps your eye glasses scratch free. Mango wood is known for it's natural appeal and is the creator of this sunglass/eyewear holder stand. The glasses holder stand helps organize your spectacle. The owl is a symbol of a long life, a happy family life, wisdom, knowledge and erudition, which fight the darkness of ignorance. It was used to boost learning, work efficiency and intellectual work. It is considered a powerful symbol for Wealth, as it positively impacts the personal development, which is more important than the financial prosperity. The owl is a symbol that encourages spiritual development. Customer satisfaction is important to them. If you're not happy with their product or the quality, their customer service team will work with you to make it right. Please contact them directly. Father's Day gifts are perfect for men, dads, women, birthday, andwarming presents.
Our mascot is a night owl and I attend an online University. The glasses I wear are expensive to replace if I damage them from laying around where they shouldn't be. The wooden statue is well suited to holding my glasses while I am not using them. The design is very symmetrical, I initially had concerns after a few product photos appeared to be off between the left and right side, but the quality and attention to detail is great. The statue is made from wood that is light and sturdy, and I like the dark details. As I finish my degree, I will order one for my mentor because I like it so much.
When I gave it to her, her glasses didn't fit in the holder, but she said it was cute and she would keep it. Her glasses didn't fit because they are bulkier than her husband's.
It looks great but isn't very useful. The glasses are too close to the owl and the hook on the back is too close to the nose. You have to bend the arms a little to get most glasses into the grooves. Since the front has nothing to rest on, the glasses point down and do not look as cool as the picture shows.
This is a great piece of functional decor. It is carved wood, dark in color, and holds a pair of glasses. It's a great place to set your glasses.
I was hoping for a place to put my glasses at night. I have to hold the temple pieces away from the lens to fit over the stand because the top part is so thick. I plan on resolving the stand, but I will keep it as a decoration.
This is a great gift for someone who needs to keep their glasses in one place. My wife leaves her glasses around our place. The design of this piece was very cute and she loves owls. My wife loves the black paint, it looks like it's not dry. I do too if she loves it.
I needed to hold my glasses at night. I'm obsessed with owls and he's adorable.
A gift for an owl person is a nice gift. If you collect owls, it looks great without glasses. I'm quite happy with it. It was shipped quickly and in a proper container.
My daughter gave this to her grandpa. She wears glasses herself and has a giraffe glasses holder. Her Grandfather wonders how he was able to do it without one. He knows where he put his glasses.
The chip was under the eye and there was a crack at the top. It was wrapped well so it wasn't checked for quality. Not what I would expect. Returning.
Even if I return it, I won't get it by Christmas. Don't order with these.
I bought two for work and the home office. The pictures show that the quality was not consistent. One owl looked sick. I carved most of the sleep out of its eye with a chisel, and then sanded it and colored it with markers. It's not perfect but it's good. These are rough pieces of art. The original carver lost a chunk of the owl's face and sent the owl down the line to make quota, so my guess is that the original carver used some sort of wood filler made of sawdust. The pictures don't seem to post in upload order, but any picture of a single owl is the one with the gunk in its right eye, either before or after I carved it out. There are two pictures of the pair before and after the repair. The picture is of an owl.
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The modern appearance of the camellia makes it a nice decoration. Every eyeglasses holder has a one year warranty. The design of the eyeglass holder can be a great gift for friends or family. It's easier to locate the glasses if you hold them. It's a good gift for birthdays, anniversaries, festive occasions or the first time someone gets glasses. The size is 4.3(L) x 4.3(W) x 7(H) inches.
You are not impressed yet because I put it on my nightstand and it holds my glasses all night. It took a while to arrive, but it was packaged well and was a bit heavy. It's funny, cute and well designed. I think it's great. I can tell you that it starts my day with a smile.
My opinion is biased because I colldect Flamingos. I was worried that it was a Flamingo, but it works and is sturdy.
I love how functional my bird is, and how cute it is. I'm notorious for knocking my glass off of my nightstand. My glasses are safe now because of my.
It was well received when it was purchased as a gift. I had to explain that it wasn't used for instructions or a picture on the box. It is colorful and well made. Hopefully it will hold up.
It adds a little quirk to the room. The colors are spot on and the workmanship is excellent.
This is so cute and sturdy in my bathroom. A piece of art. It's handy for my turquoise color reader glasses when looking at fine print. The paint job could be better.
The item doesn't function very well. My glasses were too big and had to be adjusted. I thought that it would be too much work on sleepy nights. The item was returned.
This stand is everything I had hoped for. The colors are gorgeous, and it has a lot of weight to it, so it's very sturdy when I'm setting it down. This stand allows me to set my glasses on it without having to fold the arms in all the way. I am very happy with the purchase, it was a great price.
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It's perfect for most standard size of glasses or sunglasses. Provide a safe place to breathe in your glasses. For all ages and genders. There is a furred holder and a flat leather base that are connected through magnets. The soft lining of the lens keeps it dustproof. It's a great way to protect your glasses from bending. A nice-looking and practical holder stand case for your eyeglasses can help you not misplace your glasses again. It can be placed on the kitchen counter, computer desk, office, bathroom nightstand. It is recommended to prevent glasses from dropping. No more anger. Premium PU leather, soft velvet plush linining and perfect stitching work give you a luxurious and exquisite design for your eyeglasses placement. There are many vibrant and muted colors to choose from. You can make a fun color assortment of holder and base by yourself by buying different colors of products.
I bought 4 to match the decor of 4 different rooms so I could put my glasses in a safe place, and when I can't remember where I left my glasses, I just look at the holders in each room. I can't believe how quickly one starts using the holders. It has saved me a lot of time when I am home and busy. It was difficult to choose just 4. I may not have seen all of them.
I absolutely love the designs. I love how soft the glasses are and they keep my computer safe from scratches. The way the case is made with the stand makes it difficult to push over the glasses. I work from home and have a desk that is taken up with a monitor and laptop so I can keep my glasses safe. I would leave my glasses out if I had to put them in a sleeve. I know they are safe because it's so easy to put them in the case. Had to have bought two of them.
I bought one for an elderly person. I thought it would be useful to have it by their bed side. I decided I needed a stocking as well. I really like it. It helps me keep track of my glasses. I know they are not going to break if I knock it over, and I love how pretty it is.
I love this! My glasses are safe in plush ones. The Van Gogh reproduction is lovely and the design is wonderful. It's easy to put in and out glasses. The cup has a magnetic base to keep it safe. I love it so much that I ordered another one so I could have one at my office desk and one at home. A huge fan of this eyeglasses holder.
I gave four of them as gifts. Two of my granddaughters got glasses for the first time and didn't have a safe place to put them when they took them off at night. I bought these lovely colors because I use one every night. Each girl has one. The holder can be attached to the stand with a magnet. I have bought from other places. Seem to be strong. The girls loved them.
There are lots of designs to choose from. The bottom base is magnetic. I keep them all over my house so I know where my glasses are when I need them. I will purchase again after I was happy with the quality. These holders are recommended by me. Also, reasonable pricing.
I bought it from my desk. I would like the magnet to be on the bottom. I could put it on my keyboard stand. The magnets only hold the 2 pieces together. The inside fur is soft. I bought one for the side of my bed as a gift.
Dust that floats through the air is not possible since the glasses fit into the soft material of the holder. I love it.
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The internal and external dimensions are: 3.7 x 2.6 x 5.4 inch and 3.4 x 3.4 x 5.6 inch. This eyeglasses holder is compatible with the following phones: 13 Pro, 13 Pro Max, 13 mini, 12 Pro, 12 mini, 11 Pro, 11 Pro Max, and iPhone SE. It is made of waterproof and durable PU leather and has a plush lining to protect your eyeglasses from bent, scratches and dust. It can be kept upright on the desk with a magnetic base. It is easy to clean the surface with wet cloth. It's suitable for friends, family and yourself. It becomes a nice decoration for your home and office. Every eyeglasses holder has a one year warranty.
The designs are nice. The package was not well packaged by the manufacturer. I had to fight with the case because it was too small and it kept closing when I removed the glasses. The fur is a bit long. I returned it. The styrofoam in the holder was used to maintain the shape. The better packaged brand is what I prefer.
The case is not strong. It can be very flexible. The inside has a fur like lining that I like. It protects your glasses from being scratched. It is large. There are two reading glasses that I can fit here. You could put other items in it as well. I like the magnetic bottom. It is strong. The design is pretty. I don't think they're worth the price.
Eyeglasses have become more expensive over time. You need tri-focals when you get older. I bought one for my grandson for Christmas and he loved it. I thought it might be a good idea for me. I feel around for my glasses and knock them off the nightstand. The glasses stay safe when I remove them. I will not go without one of these again.
It is stable and pretty, but I bought another one that was more round, so it wasn't as small as I had hoped...but it does work...
It is perfect on your nightstand. I don't have to worry about my glasses when the lights are out. The lens is scratched as well. Beautiful designs.
Love it! It's wide enough for glasses and the remote. The non slip grip is a plus.
This is a nice holder that will keep your glasses and phone safe from falls.
These holders are great. They are pretty and the fleese on the inside keeps your glasses from getting scratched, I keep one by my bed and another in my car to hold my sunglasses.
It's easy to get my glasses. The holder is large enough to hold my phone and gentle on the lens.
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The dog glasses stand is a great way to store your glasses when you want to take them off. You don't need to search for your glasses in a drawer or around the house when you want to use them, a glasses holder stand can help. The animal glasses stand can be used to decorate the home and office. Eyewear retainer can hold small things, such as a ring, necklace, watch, rubber band and etc. You can get easy refunds or replacements via Amazon Customer Service.
This picture doesn't do him justice because he is cute. My daughter's room has bad lighting. It is a great addition to her bedroom. It's a good reminder for her to wear blue light glasses when using her iPad. I feel like the paw on the cheek is saying "hey you gonna put me on!" My fear was that the glasses wouldn't fall off easily. The painting detail is very good. There are clean lines. This would be fun to have on an office desk.
I love this dog. He holds my glasses. I accidentally knocked my glasses down to the floor when I put them on the nightstand. They haven't fallen since I put them on this dog. The dog is adorable. I love that it looks like mine. I love that it has a soft felt underneath it, so my nightstand doesn't get scratched up.
I bought this puppy dog for my daughter a year ago. It has held up well. It has been dropped many times and has not broken. It doesn't fit all glasses according to some reviews. My 6 year old has glasses that fit over his eyes. My three year old's glasses don't fit and he sits on the top of the dog's head. If you are buying this for an adult, I assume it will fit.
The product concept is cute but poorly executed. The painting/printing leaves something to be desired. The painting doesn't line up with the piece in the attached photo. The paint is very powdery and can be scratched and dried in a short time. I am embarrassed to gift it because I am disappointed with the quality, but I love the concept.
This item is perfect sitting on my desk at home and in the office because I have two Schnauzers. I was skeptical at first, but the quality is better and it is sturdy on a flat surface. The painting is of excellent quality and accurate. I am tempted to buy another holder for my coworker.
This is very cute. It took a little maneuvering to get it right because I have large frames. My frames fit. It took longer to get here because it came from China. I am happy with the dogs, but wish they had different colors.
The proportion of width is off so the glasses don't fit like the dog is wearing them and they will only rest on his ears if you bend the glasses ear piece of shape. Don't recommend!
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The base is about 5 x 4 inch. The overall height is 5.9 inches. The dual holder design is a desk organizer and works as a pen holder. The Fire TV stick is compatible with the Apple TV remote. The glasses holder is made of a soft furry lining and protects your glasses from dirt and scratches. The glasses holder protects the arms of your glasses from bending. It is easy to place on any surface, and you can find your missing glasses in no time. No more anger, no more fear. A great gift idea. Birthday, Christmas and Anniversaries are the perfect times to receive this gift.
Brand: Fintie
The eyeglass holder is a great value. It is very sturdy and great for not scratching the lens. It is very pretty, and I am happy I purchased it. I might buy a 3-sectioned version if it is available.
I use this every night to house my glasses and remote and have found a safe place to put them. The double in more colors would be great. I would like to see a wider version of the giant smartphones, as it is, my 8+ will fit 1/3 of the way which will hold, but it doesn't look great. It didn't smell like plastic or chemicals, which was the priority for me.
I bought a single holder for myself and then saw a double one. I bought it for my daughter for Christmas. I ordered her the same color as I bought her, which is a medium blue with an oriental design. The holders are separate, so you can use one at the same time. The pieces are magnetized so that they don't fall over. It's great for someone who has everything.
The colour is grey. If colour is important, it's not worth it. Strong and larger base is needed for stability. It's easy to knock over. I have purchased this brand in single holders. Will not order double from the vendor. The height is tall enough to cover my glasses and protect the arms as well. I have found the best holder so far. They should have offered more patterns.
I love these glasses holders. My glasses have many scratches to show for it, because I was constantly taking my glasses off and laying them down on my end table. The glasses are several years old. I wanted a better way to store my glasses when I take them off so that I wouldn't scratch them. There are many colors and cool patterns to choose from, and I liked that these glasses holders were available in many colors. I ordered three of these for the glasses I keep in the living room and kitchen counter. I only need to wear my glasses when I'm outside or going somewhere because they're for distance. The holders were delivered last week and I love them! The patterns look better in person than they do on the computer. The holders are made with good quality materials and have a magnetic base that is attached nicely to the included base. I was able to fit two pairs of glasses in this holder, and they fit perfectly side by side, so they're easy to slide in and out of the holder when both pairs are in it. I love these holders, and am considering buying more in other colors to place on my night stand and on my husband's end table. These are so nice looking that they would make great gifts for your loved ones. I highly recommend.
Works well. Magnet is strong enough to hold the eyeglass holders, but you don't have to yank them off the base. The gold color was not as shiny as expected. I took an up close pic to show the matted material. It was made very well. I put a picture of the turquoise and blue ones side by side in case anyone else decided between them.
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This glasses holder protects your glasses from dirt and scratches. It's a great way to protect your glasses from bending. Keep your glasses safe all the time with this fit for most standard size glasses or sunglasses. For all ages and genders. The stand can be placed on any flat surface in your home or office. This multi-purpose storage pouch can hold glasses, pens, and other items. There is a variety of fun colors. If you have a question, please contact them.
Brand: Pg6
The graphic is not clear. The faux fur or fleece lining has a strong chemical smell, and whenever I use it, my glasses smell like the chemical. The plastic smells. Maybe the smell will go away eventually. I don't want to wait for that. I am giving this to the Good Will and ordering aFlintie one. I should have known better.
I received a glasses holder. I like the print. I was not happy with the quality of the item. The lining wasn't fastened all the way around. There were pieces of glue attached to the lining inside. If I slid the glasses in the holder, the pieces of glue could scratch them. I will attempt to cut out the pieces inside and re-glue the lining. I shouldn't have to do so much work.
It is a beautiful product. It stinks. I had to put on a mask as I unwrapping it. The smell was unlike any other product I have ever ordered and I order everything on Amazon. I knew it would take almost a month to ship, but I was warned up front. It came a week earlier than expected. I don't know how to make that smell go away. I think I will put it in a shoe box sized plastic storage container with scented laundry dryer sheets and see if it makes it smell better. It's a good thing that fingers crossed.
The color is not like the picture at all. The promo picture is silvery purple, but in regular light it is a flat aubergine color. It's a nice color, but not what was advertised. A close up flash will never look like how it's advertised, even if you sit in your house. There is a smell. I'm hoping the smell will go away soon. The first picture is in standard light.
My husband has been using one of these for a long time, but I never bothered to get one. What a mistake. This thing is great. I chose one without a magnetic base because I like to knock things over. I wanted it to be more secure. I like the velvet more than the fur-lined ones because it's less likely to get dirty or get things caught in it that would scratch my glasses. The holder works as intended. Setting them on the counter or in a hinged case would make them a huge upgrade. I would buy again.
Even though I have glasses that fit my vision needs, I usually take them off to read. I needed a safe place to put my glasses so they wouldn't get scratched or knocked off the surface. The anti-scratch eyeglasses holder works perfectly. I don't have to worry about my glasses in the dark. The glasses will not be knocked off the table. No more scratched glasses! I ordered 2 more in different colors because I loved this item so much.
After a few weeks of use, the top separated from the bottom.
I didn't check how long it would take for it to be delivered. Really? 6 wks? I had a phone case for J3 that had the same print.
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Forget about the mediocre frame holder that doesn't highlight your designer eyeglasses. "The real voyage of discovery consists of not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes" - by French novelist, Marcel Proust. If you want it to be part of you, you should paint, draw, attach, decorate, and express yourself on the eyeglasses stand. The group picture of all 3 is only for display, each style is sold separately. Drop the temple or glasses arm into the secure hold. The back of the holder has a grooves that will hold the frame in place. DIMENSIONS The gift box is good for gift giving. The dimensions of the holder are 4.0"L x 1.75"W x 5.75"H.
I wanted something decorative, so I bought this to place on my nightstand for my glasses. It looks great in plain white and is well-made. I painted it and then pressed on some fake nails to make it look better. The purple box it came in was pretty.
I leave my prescription glasses in the car while I drive. I only need glasses for reading in lower contrast lighting for about 5 years. Instead of buying expensive prescription glasses, I bought cheaper reading glasses from the drug store and left them around the house where I usually read. I've started collecting different decorative stands to help me find them, rather than just leaving them on the nearest surface. I bought all three designs and they look great. Three of them are on my desk, one in the kitchen and one in the den. They all have a sense of balance. IMV are a very nice and inexpensive gift for a parent or an annual office gift exchange, and visitors have commented on how stylish and interesting they are, and IMV are a very nice and inexpensive gift for a parent or an annual office gift exchange.
I own a womens retail business. I was looking for a way to display and take pictures of high end glasses to post on social media. I bought 3 options. The crowd went crazy. I received a lot of positive feedback about how cute these faces are. They have a nice weight and feel large, which is a plus. I store them in a small container and keep them separate as I am sure they could start to chip. I am very happy with this purchase.
After my last visit to the eye doctor, I ended up with two pairs of glasses, one for normal wear and one for use at the computer. I spend a lot of time there. I knew I would need help keeping track of the two pairs. My solution was to have a "Face Eyeglass stand for my desk" and a "Keep a Secret Eyeglass holder" for my bedside table. Both of them are designed for the job. I don't have to look under the bed for glasses that got knocked off in the night anymore. When I get up, I know where they are. The holder is well designed. There is no need to center the glasses so they are not falling off. I put my glasses on the stand and they will stay put until I need them again. I expect to have my glasses holders for a long time since I have several other pieces from this line that show almost no wear after several years. These are the holders that you can use to hold your glasses.
I really like this cute and different eyeglass holder. It is overpriced because it is smaller than anticipated. It's not a problem for me to return it, but I do believe the cost is high relative to the size. If you like things that are unique and different, this is perfect, just be aware of the size. This is a little bigger than your hand.
What is the best product for eye glass holder stands animal?
Eye glass holder stands animal products from Baitaihem. In this article about eye glass holder stands animal you can see why people choose the product. Choold and Fintie are also good brands to look for when you are finding eye glass holder stands animal.
What are the best brands for eye glass holder stands animal?
Baitaihem, Choold and Fintie are some of the best brands that chosen by people for eye glass holder stands animal. Find the detail in this article. Eximious India, Flying Balloon and Moko are also brands that their products are worth to check.
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Santosh Yadav is an Indian mountaineer. She is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest twice in less than a year"Santosh Yadav feels motivated to climb Everest again". News.webindia123.com. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-20.and the first woman to successfully climb Mt Everest from Kangshung Face."Thrice on top, Pune woman mountaineer eyes Everest again". Indianexpress.com. 2000-06-19. Retrieved 2010-06-20.She first climbed the peak in May 1992 and then did it again in May 1993. ==Early life and education== She was born in 1969 in Joniyawas Village Rewari District of Haryana state in India. She is an alumna of Maharani College, Jaipur. Living in Kasturba Hostel she joined Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. While studying she prepared herself to climb two great peaks namely, mountaineering and Indian Civil Services and was successful in both. She prepared for her IAS exams in a hostel provided by Indian Mountaineering Federation at Connought Place, New Delhi. Currently she is an officer in Indo-Tibetan Border Police. She was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2000. She got an opportunity for joining nine-nation international climbing camp cum-expedition to Num-Kun
if it is a good answer pls give me a thump up
Noddy answered this
Santosh Yadav is an Indian mountaineer. She is the first woman in the world to climb Mount Everest twice in less than a year"Santosh Yadav feels motivated to climb Everest again". News.webindia123.com. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-20.and the first woman to successfully climb Mt Everest from Kangshung Face."Thrice on top, Pune woman mountaineer eyes Everest again". Indianexpress.com. 2000-06-19. Retrieved 2010-06-20.She first climbed the peak in May 1992 and then did it again in May 1993. ==Early life and education== She was born in 1969 in Joniyawas Village Rewari District of Haryana state in India. She is an alumna of Maharani College, Jaipur. Living in Kasturba Hostel she joined Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. While studying she prepared herself to climb two great peaks namely, mountaineering and Indian Civil Services and was successful in both. She prepared for her IAS exams in a hostel provided by Indian Mountaineering Federation at Connought Place, New Delhi. Currently she is an officer in Indo-Tibetan Border Police. She was conferred the Padma Shri award in 2000. She got an opportunity for joining nine-nation international climbing camp cum-expedition to Num-Kun
Nanda answered this
very nice but very worst
Komal Dabas answered this
Santosh Yadav?is an?Indian?mountaineer. She is the first woman in the world to climbMount Everest?twice in less than a year"Santosh Yadav feels motivated to climb Everest again". News.webindia123.com. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-20.and the first woman to successfully climb Mt Everest from Kangshung Face."Thrice on top, Pune woman mountaineer eyes Everest again". Indianexpress.com. 2000-06-19. Retrieved 2010-06-20.She first climbed the peak in May 1992 and then did it again in May 1993. ==Early life and education== She was born in 1969 in Joniyawas Village?Rewari District?ofHaryana?state in India. She is an alumna of Maharani College,?Jaipur. Living in Kasturba Hostel she joined Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineering. While studying she prepared herself to climb two great peaks namely, mountaineering and Indian Civil Services and was successful in both. She prepared for her?IAS?exams in a hostel provided by Indian Mountaineering Federation at Connought Place, New Delhi. Currently she is an officer in?Indo-Tibetan Border Police. She was conferred the?Padma Shri?award in 2000. She got an opportunity for joining nine-nation international climbing camp cum-expedition to Num-Kun
Komal Dabas answered this
Santosh Yadav?is an?Indian?mountaineer. She is the first woman in the world to climbMount Everest?twice in less than a year"Santosh Yadav feels motivated to climb Everest again". News.webindia123.com. 2007-05-11. Retrieved 2010-06-20.and the first woman to successfully climb Mt Everest from Kangshung Face."Thrice on top, Pune woman mountaineer eyes Everest again". Indianexpress.com. 2000-06-19. Retrieved 2010-06-20.She first climbed the peak in May 1992 and then did it again in May 1993. ==Early life and education== She was born in 1969 in Joniyawas Village?Rewari District?ofHaryana?state in India. She is an alumna of Maharani College,?Jaipur. Living in Kasturba Hostel she joined Uttarkashi's Nehru Institute of Mountaineerin
Krish Kumar answered this
Santosh yadav was born in joyawas,haryana. she is the first woman who scale MT.EVEREST twice
Yadav Chandan Roy answered this
Kuhu Agrawal answered this
Santosh was a strong-headed girl. She began to live her life on her own terms since an early age. While other girls of her age around her wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. When she turned sixteen, her parents pressurized her to get married, but she threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. She eventually leaves home and gets herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. When her parents refuse to pay for her education, she tells them that she can work part time and pay for her education. Her strong determination to get educated forces her parents to compromise and they finally agree to finance her schooling in Delhi. Her strong will-power and passion for excellence eventually enables her to become the youngest woman to scale Mt. Everest twice. We get a glimpse of her caring side, when during her expedition to Mt. Everest she saves a fellow climber by sharing her oxygen with him
P D answered this
Santosh is a very daring and strong hearted girl. She always used to live her life on her own terms. She was eager to get education rather than getting married like others of her age. Even though her parents refused to support her dreams and finance her, they had to back down against her strong will. And this fire in her hearts enabled her to achieve a title of youngest mount Everest climber.
Rudra Naik answered this
Santosh was a strong-headed girl. She began to live her life on her own terms since an early age. While other girls of her age around her wore traditional Indian dresses, Santosh preferred shorts. When she turned sixteen, her parents pressurized her to get married, but she threatened her parents that she would never marry if she did not get a proper education. She eventually leaves home and gets herself enrolled in a school in Delhi. When her parents refuse to pay for her education, she tells them that she can work part time and pay for her education. Her strong determination to get educated forces her parents to compromise and they finally agree to finance her schooling in Delhi. Her strong will-power and passion for excellence eventually enables her to become the youngest woman to scale Mt. Everest twice. We get a glimpse of her caring side, when during her expedition to Mt. Everest she saves a fellow climber by sharing her oxygen with him
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‘They were the shyest, sweetest group …. You rooted for them – wanting them to be successful … They exuded innocence, they listened, they performed … What you heard was who they were .. And they just sang from the heart. They deserve recognition and respect.’ (Ellie Greenwich on The Dixie Cups).
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By the middle of 1964 The Beatles had virtually annexed the Number One position in the US Hot 100 chart. ‘I Want To Hold Your Hand’, ‘She Loves You’ and ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ rested atop the chart for fourteen straight weeks and surely, ‘Love Me Do’ which hit the summit at the end of May would extend their imperial sway even further.
Who could stop them? Well, as no one but Nostradamus could have predicted The Beatles were turfed out of the top spot not by another British Beat group or one of the titans of American Pop but by three shy young girls from New Orleans, collectively known as The Dixie Cups.
The members were sisters Barbara and Rosa Hawkins and their cousin Joan Johnson. Their debut single, the immortal, ‘Chapel of Love’ elbowed John, Paul, George and Ringo aside and selling over a million copies took up glorious residence at Number One for the first three weeks of June 1964.
Unless you’ve wholly surrendered to soul deadening cynicism the sheer romantic charm of, ‘Chapel of Love’ is bound to win you over as it celebrates in a tone of sure hearted happiness the delights of marriage and the dizzy joy of a wedding day.
Doesn’t everybody want, or remember with affection, the day when the sky was blue and the birds sang, as if they knew, that this precious day was the much longed for and now finally here, ‘I Do Day’?
Doesn’t everybody want, once in their life, for the sun to shine brightly and believe, or at least hope, that, ‘I’ll be his and he’ll be mine until the end of time’?
Doesn’t everybody want to believe, hoping against hope, that they will never be lonely any more?
I do. I did on the day I got married all those years ago and I still do now.
And listening to the lovely innocence of The Dixie Cups familial harmonies I believe once again in the power of simple words and simple melodies to illuminate and provide inspiration and comfort throughout the dramatic phases and stages of life in all its simplicity and infinite complexity.
I love; the relaxed tempo of the song, the finger snaps cueing in the bass and drums, the angelic affirmation of the vibes, the haze of the horns seeming to wish the happy couple bon voyage as they set sail for the future and the way the vocals suggest joy being welcomed and embraced as a natural fact.
I love the almost intoxicated wonder of the line, ‘Gee, I really love you and we’re gonna get married, Goin’ to the Chapel of love’. (I think one day I will have to write a whole post dedicated to the use of the word, ‘Gee’ in fifties and sixties pop – you have been warned!)
Listening to the song it sometimes feels like I’m taking time out to swathe my spirit temporarily in a cocoon of bliss. Perhaps I’m also seeking reassurance and fortitude for the day ahead – whatever it may bring. All I really know is that, ‘Chapel of Love’ is a song I never tire of.
Though this was a debut single for The Dixie Cups the team behind the record reveals a gallery of some of the most important figures in the popular music of the 1960s. The girls had been brought to New York by their musical mentor, Joe, ‘You Talk too Much’ Jones. He was involved in selecting songs for them and in producing, ‘Chapel Of Love’.
The song was written by the (then!) husband and wife duo of Jeff Barry and Ellie Greenwich who rank with Lennon & McCartney and Holland, Dozier, Holland as authors of classic hits. Think of, ‘Da Doo Ron Ron’, ‘Then He Kissed Me’, ‘River Deep – Mountain High’, ‘Do – Wah – Diddy’, and, ‘Leader Of The Pack’ just for starters!
Embed from Getty Images
The record was also a debut for Red Bird Records run by the legendary songwriting/production team, Leiber and Stoller, and a storied figure in the New York City music scene and the vocal group world, George Goldner, who between them had helmed dozens and dozens of hits.
I was once told that there are 8 million stories in the naked city and I’m sure there’s at least that many stories behind every great song
The truth of the above statement is surely proved by the (largely fruitless) attempts that have been made to explain what The Dixie Cups other great hit from March 1965, ‘Iko Iko’ is really all about.
I could (as is my frequent wont) launch into a scholarly disquisition on the role of West African tonal languages and folkloric culture in Haiti, Cuba and New Orleans on the genesis of the song with footnoted excursions into Native American interaction with slave populations and the tangled web of copyright and intellectual property rights (summed up in the music business with the wise saw, ‘Where there’s a hit there’s a writ!).
But, I think, on mature reflection you would rather just hear an unforgettable song which returns us all to the playground of our youth (which many of us think we should not wholly abandon) with memories of rhymes we never knew the meaning of but which just made us happy and strangely empowered when chanting them out in unison.
The legend goes that The Dixie Cups were goofing off in the studio and launched, impromptu, into a song they had learned at their grandmothers’ knee. The percussion effects are supposedly provided by striking a chair and metal ashtrays! In the booth, the ever canny Leiber and Stoller realised that such magic must not be allowed to vanish into the ether. So, they kept the tape running and with minimal overdubbing – Voila! A never to be forgotten hit was produced.
The Dixie Cups only had a short 18 month or so career as hit makers (though they still perform even now). Yet, there is no doubt in my mind that the gloriously open hearted records celebrated here will forever retain a place in the annals of pop music and more importantly in the lives of all who listen to them.
Related
This entry was posted in Music and tagged 1960s, Ellie Greenwich, Goin' To The Chapel, Iko Iko, Jeff Barry, Red Bird Records, The Dixie Cups by Thom Hickey. Bookmark the permalink.
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From the initial screening process and diagnostic services, to treatment and post-surgical care, Wise Health System is passionate about providing a caring, comfortable environment for women with breast cancer.
Stages of Breast Cancer
Breast cancer is identified in “stages” ranging from Level 0 (non-invasive cancer with no spreading of cancerous cells to normal tissue or lymph nodes) to Level IV (the most advanced stage with the cancer having spread to other organs or tissues in the body away from the breast.)
Staging is conducted to help give doctors an idea for your prognosis and help guide treatment decisions.
Types of Breast Surgery
In a lumpectomy, only the lump itself and surrounding tissue is removed. Most often radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy is used following surgery.
A partial mastectomy involves removing part of the affected breast along with the lump itself. A quadrantectomy is a partial mastectomy in which one quarter of the breast is removed. As with a lumpectomy, radiation therapy and/or chemotherapy may follow.
Re-Excision
With any of these surgeries, if cancer cells are detected in the tissue that’s been removed, an additional surgery, called a re-excision, may need to be performed to remove more tissue to make sure the patient has clear margins (when no cancer cells remain at the tissue edges).
If the surgeon is not able to remove enough breast tissue alone to get clear margins, a full mastectomy to remove the entire affected breast may be needed. And if needed, a double tastectomy will be performed to remove both breasts. This is done most often as a preventative surgery in women who are at very high risk for breast cancer.
For many women who’ve had a mastectomy, what their body will look like post-surgery is often a big concern. Body image and self esteem are an important part of who we are and the effects of breast surgery are emotional as well as physical. Breast reconstruction surgery can help.
For many women, reconstructive surgery is the option they choose to restore their breasts to a normal shape, size and appearance. Often times, reconstructive surgery can be performed at the same time as the mastectomy, If you’ll be going through radiation therapy, you may have to wait.
There are different types of reconstructive surgery, ranging from implants to tissue flap procedures – which use a patient’s own tissue from another part of the body to rebuild the breast. Talk to your doctor and plastic surgeon about your choices before your mastectomy, this will give them a treatment plan that is best for you, even if you aren’t having reconstructive surgery right away.
Questions to ask your plastic surgeon:
Am I a candidate for reconstructive surgery?
What type of reconstruction surgery would be best for me?
How many procedures will I need?
What are the risks and complications associated with these procedures?
What is the recovery time?
Questions for Your Doctor
What will my treatment be?
How soon after diagnosis do I begin treatment?
How long will my treatment last?
What are the risks and side effects?
How do I prepare for surgery?
When can I go back to work?
How long will I be in the hospital?
Surgery: What to Expect
Discuss medical history with your doctor. Even if you think it’s irrelevant or even embarrassing. It’s important to your safety for your physician to know everything, including any medications you are currently taking, and any past reactions to medications or procedures.
Pre-op testing to assure you’re body is ready for surgery. This may include EKG and chest x-rays to show proper heart and lung function, blood tests to check blood counts, liver and kidney function, and a urine test to check kidney function.
Donate blood to ensure your own blood is available should you need additional blood during surgery.
Day of Surgery
Meet with the anesthesiologist to go over your medical history and any allergies you may have.
Sign consent forms.
You’ll be prepped for surgery in the operating room after you’ve been anesthetized. This includes a blood pressure cuff, electrocardiograph machine to monitor your heart rate, a finger clip to measure your blood oxygen levels and anesthesia, a breathing tube, and antiseptic solution will be used to clean the area to be operated on and you will be covered with a sterile drape, leaving the surgical area clear.
After Surgery
Once the results are in from your pathology report, your doctor will review them with you and discuss what next steps should be taken, if any, including chemotherapy and radiation.
It may take up to 7 days to get the results of the pathology report from your lumpectomy or mastectomy. This will be a difficult time. Discuss with your doctor how you’ll get the information, by phone or future office visit?
Have questions about breast cancer? Please stop by or call the following Wise Health Imaging Center in Decatur:
Wise Health Imaging
Wise Health System is committed to leading the growth and development of health care services in our area and providing quality, specialized care for you and your family.
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Ethiopian government soldiers ride in the back of a truck on a road near Agula, north of Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
Ethiopian government soldiers ride in the back of a truck on a road near Agula, north of Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
Politics from The Hill
by: Rafael Bernal
Posted: Oct 21, 2022 / 12:55 PM MDT
Updated: Oct 21, 2022 / 02:21 PM MDT
Ethiopian government soldiers ride in the back of a truck on a road near Agula, north of Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
Ethiopian government soldiers ride in the back of a truck on a road near Agula, north of Mekele, in the Tigray region of northern Ethiopia.
by: Rafael Bernal
Posted: Oct 21, 2022 / 12:55 PM MDT
Updated: Oct 21, 2022 / 02:21 PM MDT
The Biden administration on Friday announced that Ethiopian nationals in the United States will become eligible to apply for work permits and deferral from deportation in light of the East African nation’s ongoing civil war.
Homeland Security Secretary Alejandro Mayorkas designated Ethiopia for Temporary Protected Status (TPS), a program that allows nationals of a country undergoing human-made or natural disasters to stay and work in the United States.
Ethiopia’s civil war is the largest ongoing conflict in the world, with more than a million Ethiopian and Eritrean soldiers fighting in Ethiopia’s Tigray region.
“The United States recognizes the ongoing armed conflict and the extraordinary and temporary conditions engulfing Ethiopia, and DHS [the Department of Homeland Security] is committed to providing temporary protection to those in need,” Mayorkas said in a statement.
Although Ethiopia has been host to ethnic strife, famine and other humanitarian disasters, it is the first time the country has been designated for TPS.
Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chairman Bob Menendez (D-N.J.) celebrated the designation, saying, “Ethiopia’s spiraling armed conflict is the exact reason why we created the TPS program.”
“President Biden is absolutely right in granting Ethiopian nationals long-overdue temporary deportation protections as their country faces wave after wave of unprecedented violence and upheaval that may amount to war crimes and crimes against humanity,” Menendez said.
With the designation, Ethiopian nationals in the United States as of Thursday will be allowed to apply for TPS protections. Ethiopian nationals who travel to the United States as of Friday are still subject to deportation.
With the designation, Ethiopia joins 15 other countries with TPS, including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Syria, Nepal and Yemen.
The Ethiopian immigrant population in the United States grew from around 10,000 people in 1980 to around 180,000 in 2014, according to the Migration Policy Institute.
The institute said that immigration from Ethiopia particularly accelerated after the year 2000, primarily through refugee and family reunification channels.
Ethiopians will be allowed to apply for protections under the 18-month TPS designation regardless of their immigration status.
“Ethiopian nationals currently residing in the U.S. who cannot safely return due to conflict-related violence and a humanitarian crisis involving severe food shortages, flooding, drought, and displacement, will be able to remain and work in the United States until conditions in their home country improve,” Mayorkas said.
While some TPS designations are almost automatically renewed by DHS, 12 countries, or parts of those countries, have previously been designated for TPS and later removed from the program.
TPS beneficiaries are mostly barred from applying for any other immigration status, so longtime TPS holders depend on continuous redesignation to continue to work and avoid deportation, regardless of how long they’ve lived in the United States.
“Beyond this critical designation, we also encourage Members of Congress to use the numerous bills before them to provide lasting stability for other TPS holders who have no clear path to lawful permanent residency and remain in revolving legal limbo,” said Krish O’Mara Vignarajah, president and CEO of the Lutheran Immigration and Refugee Service.
The current Ethiopian civil war is an extension of a longstanding ethnic conflict in Ethiopia and Eritrea that has put more than 10 million people in need of humanitarian assistance.
“Ethiopia has been plunged into a devastating civil war, making return for Ethiopian nationals a potentially fatal prospect, particularly for those of the Tigrayan minority. Armed conflict has ushered in brutal attacks, killings, rape, other forms of gender-based violence, as well as flagrant human rights violations,” Vignarajah said
“The Biden administration’s designation is an important recognition that no Ethiopian on the safety of U.S. soil should be returned to such dire circumstances. The move is a potentially lifesaving reprieve for tens of thousands of Ethiopians who have already contributed so much to U.S. communities,” she added.
Copyright 2022 Nexstar Media Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
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Brains attempt #2. This time, in the hope of having them less squidgy, I followed the prep instructions in #nourishingtraditions. Then I coated them in millet flour with sage and oregano before frying here in tallow. . They are captivating to watch frying! Video in my story today, plus, whilst I was waiting, I took a quick vid of the #tuscanhills I can see from the kitchen window…because when I’m not looking at food, I’m usually looking out there! – Ancestral Kitchen
I'd like regular ancestral cooking emails!
Writing
Home » Instagram » Brains attempt #2. This time, in the hope of having them less squidgy, I followed the prep instructions in #nourishingtraditions. Then I coated them in millet flour with sage and oregano before frying here in tallow. . They are captivating to watch frying! Video in my story today, plus, whilst I was waiting, I took a quick vid of the #tuscanhills I can see from the kitchen window…because when I’m not looking at food, I’m usually looking out there!
Brains attempt #2. This time, in the hope of having them less squidgy, I followed the prep instructions in #nourishingtraditions. Then I coated them in millet flour with sage and oregano before frying here in tallow. . They are captivating to watch frying! Video in my story today, plus, whilst I was waiting, I took a quick vid of the #tuscanhills I can see from the kitchen window…because when I’m not looking at food, I’m usually looking out there!
October 13, 2020 by Ali
Previous PostDo I eat processed foods? Damn right I do! Take a look at my breakfast: . Fermented millet and sorghum porridge – I ground the grains and added water and sourdough discard before leaving to ferment overnight. . Goat milk kefir – I fermented raw milk using kefir grains. . Nuts – I soaked the almonds and walnuts in water and salt for a day, before draining and dehydrating. . You can also see ground cacao bean (fermented in its processing) and ghee (heated to remove the milk protein). . This is processing as it should be: Ancient practices, simply applied. This type of processing enhances food; it removes toxins, makes it more digestible, increases its power. . Industrial processing was created with profit as its focus. It keeps us in our place. It creates harm. . Swapping industrial processing for ancestral processing could change everything. . And. It. Tastes. Amazing. :-)
Next PostWhat emotion do you feel most often in your kitchen? . For me it is joy. . I believe in joy. . I believe joy has immense power to facilitate sustainable change. . And so, when I write about my passion, the image of dancing with our food jumps into my head. . I hope you get to dance with some food today :-) . This is a quote from my article “What is Good Food”. It’s linked in my profile if you want to have a read.
Recent Posts
Fermented Chestnuts! I discovered these by accident (“I wonder what’ll happen if I stick these chestnuts in some honey and put them somewhere warm?!”) last year and they were a revelation…so, of course, I couldn’t wait to do them again this year! . They are boozy (in a delicious mead way), spicy and soft. I’m planning to cover them in home-made bean-to-bar chocolate and then feel like a goddess as I eat them over the festive period! . If you want to have a go, score, roast and peel your chestnuts. Take time over it, so as to get as many as possible in one piece. Add to a jar along with some whole spices. Top up with a 50/50 (by weight) mix of honey (preferably unpasteurised) and water. Try to get the chestnuts under the liquid. Put a loose lid on. Keep somewhere warm (ideally 22-28C) and stir gently every day. They’ll take a good couple of weeks…keep tasting the liquid to judge how they are coming on! . I’ll put more pics in my story today and save as a highlight too.
Think fermentation’s just about kraut, kombucha and sourdough? What about extending it to rubbish; to your kitchen waste?!! These two buckets and the bag of inoculated bran next to them have given me an amazing way to transform my food scraps, through fermentation, into compost. . Once the ferment is done, I dig it into my container-garden pots. The vegetables that I’ve grown since I started with this method, called Bokashi, have been much bigger, happier and delicious! . Today’s @ancestralkitchenpodcast is all about Bokashi. It will teach you everything you need to know about what it is, how it works, how you can use it in both a tiny town apartment and a large homestead and what the benefits are to you, your plants, the soil and the environment. . @farmandhearth and I, thanks to @teraganix have a 2-bucket Essential Bokashi set worth $126 to give away (to someone in the US or Canada). To enter please tag someone who you think would love to get started with Bokashi in the comments of this post. The competition will close next Tues 29th at midnight US time. . Listen to the @ancestralkitchenpodcast episode to find out more by searching for us in your podcast app or by streaming/downloading from the link in my profile.
Have you ever tried to make a dough from rolled oats? It’s not easy! The protein in oats, avenin, isn’t ‘sticky’ like gluten so you have to coax the grain into a dough with skill and a few ‘tricks’. . My tricks: I use warm water and add a little fat. It helps! Apparently my ancestors, the many inhabitants of the United Kingdom who did this before me, didn’t need tricks! The British equivalent of Italy’s ‘pasta grannies’, they whipped up crack-free oat dough with incredible sleight of hand, the technique locked in their muscle memory! . They then baked it into oatcakes. You can buy oatcakes in the UK (but who’d want to when the home version is so much better?!), but as I learnt from my co-host on @ancestralkitchenpodcast, @farmandhearth oatcakes aren’t really a ‘thing’ in the US. . They *are* very much a ‘thing’ in our house. I’m sharing the recipe (tricks and all) in my newsletter that’ll go out tomorrow. If you aren’t on my list, head to ancestralkitchen.com/newsletter (link in profile) to receive the recipe.
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Calling someone a rapist on the sole basis of an accusation made to a reporter is wrong -- and could be libelous. The allegation against Girls Gone Wild producer Joe Francis is horrible and contains a lot of persuasive details, but that doesn't mean it's true.
posted by rcade to Etiquette/Policy at 6:28 AM (110 comments total)
Francis hasn't even been charged with a crime over the incident the reporter describes, and I can't find any reference in the linked story to a police report being filed.
Declaring that he is a rapist on the front page of a site this well-trafficked is unfair and repudiates the notion that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
I bring it up here because it seems legally actionable. The Los Angeles Times doesn't call him a rapist or alleged rapist in its headline. MetaFilter shouldn't either.
(As an aside, it's been too long since I brought something to the gray. Good times.)
posted by rcade at 6:30 AM on August 5, 2006
I think we need more data to establish that someone actually did call him a rapist.
Sure, it looks like rbs made a FPP calling him a rapist, but it could also have been someone logging in as rbs, you know? Or perhaps a spambot.
Also, note that not even the Los Angeles Times called out this FPP, so you don't have to either.
posted by sour cream at 6:38 AM on August 5, 2006
I think the post is fine. Personally, when I saw that link, I assumed that it led somewhere where an argument was being made that Francis should be seen as a racist. If that line had not been a link, or had read "Joe Francis is a convicted rapist" then it would have been problematic, sure. Personally, I think convention allows you to title a link in this manner such that readers will follow it to learn more about the charge, not that it necessarily is a declaration of guilt.
If the link said "Rumsfeld to resign" or "it's all over for Rove" and led to some article which discussed information that led to those conclusions, would you come to the grey and accuse the poster of publishing slanderous speculation as though it were fact? Even if the article doesn't explicitly accuse him of rape (and believe me, I think Francis is a horrific person and a rapist to boot and that the article went way too easy on him and his crew) I think the poster was well within his/her rights to title this link in this manner considering that it's part of the essence of the article.
posted by allen.spaulding at 6:44 AM on August 5, 2006
oh no someone call the internet police quick, there's libel afoot!!1
posted by cmonkey at 6:45 AM on August 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
I was wondering about that one. More and more we've had people emailing on the basis of things said about them on the site that they find via Google. Sometime's they're crappy self-linkers who then get their ass handed to them in a heavily linked fashion in MetaTalk and sometimes they're just folks who get mentioned in an unflattering way but then the mention shows up high in Google when you look for their name. Usually mathowie and/or I will tell the person they need to chill.
I sort of thought the title of that post would have been a better linked-to statement in the post itself and I do wonder somewhat about whether something like that is actionable.
posted by jessamyn (staff) at 6:51 AM on August 5, 2006
I think Francis is a horrific person and a rapist ...
The general rule in the mainstream media is that you don't declare an accused person did something until they are convicted of it.
As horrible as Francis sounds, how can you conclude he's a rapist on the word of a person whose claim has yet to be scrutinized by police or the courts? Shouldn't we consider the possibility that a person as slimy and as rich as Francis -- who has settled several suits privately for various offenses -- might attract a false accuser mindful of a payday?
posted by rcade at 6:57 AM on August 5, 2006
I agree with rcade. (Sorry if that's the kiss of death) BTW, I wish you'd post more often, rcade. This place could use more level-headed people.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 7:03 AM on August 5, 2006
i agree with cmonkey, this sounds like a case for the internet police.
posted by keswick at 7:06 AM on August 5, 2006
As horrible as Francis sounds, how can you conclude he's a rapist on the word of a person whose claim has yet to be scrutinized by police or the courts? Shouldn't we consider the possibility that a person as slimy and as rich as Francis -- who has settled several suits privately for various offenses -- might attract a false accuser mindful of a payday?
This isn't about how I came to this conclusion, that's for the article in the Green. This is about the OP's right to title their link in this manner, which I support. I'd also support it if he/she wanted to call it "Claims against Francis are groundless" which would be equally warranted/unwarranted of a title.
You're being too sensitive here, creating an impossible standard: The general rule in the mainstream media is that you don't declare an accused person did something until they are convicted of it.
Great, now I can never tell the world that Bush is a lizard person. As I said before, this wasn't necessarily a declaration, but it followed a link-naming convention that might be closer to "article demonstrates that Francis is a rapist, more inside"
posted by allen.spaulding at 7:10 AM on August 5, 2006
er, watch the agreement there, Spaulding. The OP's right to title his/her link...
posted by allen.spaulding at 7:11 AM on August 5, 2006
A defamation claim by a public figure requires more than just proof that the assertion is false. It requires proof that the false statement was made maliciously or recklessly.
Francis is, by his own admission, a public figure. There's no way he could prove that rbs (or, by extension, MeFi) acted with the required level of intent, given the allegations made in the LA Times article. He could bring a nuisance suit, but that's always a possibility whenever someone has a bee in his or her bonnet about something.
(This is not legal advice, etc. etc.)
posted by brain_drain at 7:33 AM on August 5, 2006
All posts are (c) their original authors.
"Metafilter Network LLC, as provider of this interactive information source ("Metafilter"), an interactive computer service, accepts no responsibility for the content or effect of information independently published on Metafilter by individuals or other entities having access to Metafilter. Such publications express the opinions of their authors as information content providers, and do not implicitly or explicitly represent official positions or policies of Metafilter Network LLC. Individuals and other entities having access to Metafilter assume full responsibility for the content and effect of information which they publish on or cause to be published by means of Metafilter, and all comments and other feedback should be addressed directly to such individuals or entities.
posted by ?! at 7:35 AM on August 5, 2006
Please. You can sue over anything. But barring a change of venue to the UK, this ain't libel.
(Why is it only men who seem to want to defend Francis' honor?)
posted by klangklangston at 7:37 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm sure Francis has had worse things said about him. If he were to scan the internet for cases where people called him a rapist in order to quell such accusations, well he would be a very busy man indeed. At least it would keep him occupied from his scumly activities.
Scumly... I have to remember that one.
posted by Serial Killer Slumber Party at 7:38 AM on August 5, 2006
I think some of you are missing the point. The OP here has basically lied on the front page, which represents the veracity of the site. It's an editorial of sorts, which are normally strictly prohibited here. It's one thing to do it in the comments, but something altogether different when you make a FPP that's based on a lie.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 7:52 AM on August 5, 2006
Even with public figures as unctious as Francis, I hate to think there's no expectation of fair treatment on MetaFilter, a site with an online readership considerably larger than my local paper in a metropolis of 1.3 million.
Even if "Joe Francis is a rapist" doesn't rise to the standard of libel absent malice, treating an allegation like a fact because it seems very believable is gutter journalism. MeFi should aim higher.
posted by rcade at 7:58 AM on August 5, 2006
Why can't you just change the post title to "Woman claims Joe Francis is a rapist"? It's a little less attention-grabby, but a lot more libel safe, IMHO AANL (as a non-lawyer).
posted by dness2 at 7:58 AM on August 5, 2006
August 4, 2006
CARUTHERSVILLE, MO—It would be easy for abusive husband Glenn Osteen to complain. Out of breath, fists bruised and bloodied from repeated strikes against bone, one would almost expect the 39-year-old to surrender to frustration, to scream out in anger and demand that his wife unlock the bathroom door. Fortunately, Osteen has learned the secret to getting through rough times: a sense of humor.
posted by blue_beetle at 8:13 AM on August 5, 2006
Declaring that he is a rapist on the front page of a site this well-trafficked is unfair and repudiates the notion that a person is presumed innocent until proven guilty.
As a citizen, rather than a juror or judge, I am not bound to that. I can think somebody is guilty as sin even if the law disagrees, and can state my belief. For example: OJ Simpson is a murderer.
And I think holding a communal blog created by citizens up to the standard of a newspaper produced by professionals is absurd.
That said, unless the title is changed to something like "I think he's a rapist" or "woman claims he is a rapist," it seems like it might be actionable, and I wouldn't put it past that scumbag to sue MetaFilter.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:14 AM on August 5, 2006
Oops, I said "that said."
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:14 AM on August 5, 2006
and I wouldn't put it past that scumbag to sue MetaFilter.
That's pretty much what I assumed rcade was getting at from the start.
posted by Cyrano at 8:18 AM on August 5, 2006
It was one of rcade's points, and one I agree with.
posted by Astro Zombie at 8:25 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm with rcade.
posted by dobbs at 8:26 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm with rcade, I took down the post.
It reminds me of insomnia_lj's posts about stuff. When I saw the post this morning I thought "summary quotes gone wild"
posted by mathowie (staff) at 8:30 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm against rcade. The post is fine. Don't be such nervous nellies.
posted by jayder at 8:31 AM on August 5, 2006
rcade: The general rule in the mainstream media is that you don't declare an accused person did something until they are convicted of it.
Do I need to point out, that this is not the mainstream media? This is a bunch of yahoos leaving their opinions of the front page.
If matt wants to be cautious, that's fine.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 8:47 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm aware this isn't the mainstream media. But at what point did MetaFilter abandon blogger triumphalism and claim to be inferior to other media as a response to criticism? I thought it was a settled point that we kicked their ass.
posted by rcade at 8:52 AM on August 5, 2006
The whole article was built up to say that the guy is a rapist without actually 'saying' it -- worked quite well, but certainly sailing close to the legal wind. I reckon it'd be completely justified if you changed "Joe Francis is a rapist" to "Is Joe Francis a rapist?" -- but even as it was, it's hardly likely that the guy is going to sue Metafilter, is it?
posted by reklaw at 8:55 AM on August 5, 2006
I'm unconvinced (that it should have been taken down).
posted by rbs at 8:59 AM on August 5, 2006
Is it really about whether or not he'll sue? I was under the impression that you shouldn't do certain things because they're wrong, not because you might get caught. It's disappointing how many MeFites are eager to declare someone's guilt based on limited and questionable evidence. It's like your staunch liberalism got snagged on your militant feminism and the latter won: "Joe Francis is a douche who exploits women for profit, so let's ignore the burden of proof and jump at this opportunity to call him a rapist."
posted by cribcage at 9:02 AM on August 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
I also don't think it should've been taken down, just reworded.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 9:10 AM on August 5, 2006
Nobody said he was convicted of rape. Somebody did say he was a rapist.
Which is to say, someone stated an opinion.
posted by lodurr at 9:12 AM on August 5, 2006
If "Joe Francis is a rapist" is an opinion, how would the same information be reported as a fact? Does everything posted on MetaFilter have an implicit "I think" in front of it?
posted by rcade at 9:16 AM on August 5, 2006
I don't see why it matters if he's a Catholic or not.
posted by Drastic at 9:21 AM on August 5, 2006
It kind of seems to me that Matt is not worried about being sued for libel, but rather is just trying to be fair to Francis. If he were worried about being sued for libel, the post and associated comments would have been removed entirely, but as it is, they remain accessible through this page and the link at the top.
But I was thinking back on the time that the subject of a post, Nikki Craft, begged and pleaded for a post to be re-phrased because she thought it misrepresented certain words as hers when in fact they were not. She was met with scorn and derision, and the post was not changed. Yet everyone is being hyper-vigilant about Francis's perceived rights and the post gets deleted almost immediately, despite the fact that these accusations have been aired publicly, in an article in a major U.S. newspaper, and are accompanied, in rich detail, by evidence of other physically abusive and sexually predatory behavior by the porn king.
I realize the two situations are not exactly parallel, but I can't help but think that there's some unacknowledged difference of treatment here --- a post gets changed if rich, scary porn king is the subject, because HE MIGHT SUE!!! ... but if a hysterical radical feminist is the subject matter, screw her.
posted by jayder at 9:22 AM on August 5, 2006
Just change rapist to asshole, and keep it up. It was a good article.
posted by graventy at 9:25 AM on August 5, 2006
Good to see that this was dealt with, though I would also have been happy with a rewording. Even if the OP had put quotes around the statement to show that it was the article writer's intent that would have been a great improvement and likely would not have set off this arguement at all.
Thanks to rcade and others who backed up my original assertion. Hopefully those who disagree take some time to think about how allowing this sort of FPP could have long-term consequences for Metafilter.
posted by Kickstart70 at 9:27 AM on August 5, 2006
It kind of seems to me that Matt is not worried about being sued for libel, but rather is just trying to be fair to Francis.
You come to this conclusion how, exactly?
despite the fact that these accusations have been aired publicly, in an article in a major U.S. newspaper,
Well, there you said it. The article contains accusations. The link, titled Joe Francis is a Rapist, is a declaration.
posted by dobbs at 9:29 AM on August 5, 2006
I was under the impression that you shouldn't do certain things because they're wrong, not because you might get caught.
Me too, but many people on MeFi disagree with us. MeFi is a pretty good sample of the real world, only with more geeks and less potential for physical violence.
posted by languagehat at 9:30 AM on August 5, 2006
posted by mr_crash_davis at 9:37 AM on August 5, 2006
less potential for physical violence.
Only until they invent the device that lets you punch people through the internet.
posted by darukaru at 9:50 AM on August 5, 2006
Don't take it down then, just put an "alledged" in there before rapist. It was a great story, and if not for the hellacious derail, it would have been a good conversation.
posted by klangklangston at 9:52 AM on August 5, 2006
Why is it only men who seem to want to defend Francis' honor?
Because some women find it impossible to be level-headed when the issue surrounds a pornographer, underage girls, and allegations of rape? Particuarly when the accused is such a distasteful person, and yet still gets girls to throw their panties at him. I think that really raises the ire of a lot of women, perhaps a lot of them wishing they could undo some similarly embarassing act of drunkeness and youth on their own part. The entire article was a slanderous pile of dogshit.
posted by Civil_Disobedient at 9:56 AM on August 5, 2006
... or is he an AnalRapist?
posted by lodurr at 10:00 AM on August 5, 2006
"Because some women find it impossible to be level-headed when the issue surrounds a pornographer, underage girls, and allegations of rape?"
Really? Where are these women you speak of? In your own fevered dream?
"The entire article was a slanderous pile of dogshit."
Oh, bullshit. The article was both fair and a takedown, and meticulously documented. The only way to interpret it as slanderous is to be both illiterate and willfully titilated by Francis.
posted by klangklangston at 10:00 AM on August 5, 2006
Because some women find it impossible to be level-headed when the issue surrounds a pornographer, underage girls, and allegations of rape?
From the footer of the article:
Maybe you're right. Maybe Claire Hoffman can't be level-headed when the issue surrounds a pornographer. Or maybe she's just used to people with higher professional standards, like, say, Seymour Butts.
posted by lodurr at 10:05 AM on August 5, 2006
rcade: I'm aware this isn't the mainstream media. But at what point did MetaFilter abandon blogger triumphalism and claim to be inferior to other media as a response to criticism? I thought it was a settled point that we kicked their ass.
I didn't think many people believed this bullshit. The primary activity here on metafilter is collecting and commenting on the documentary and creative work of other people. As such, what appears on the front page should be seen as commentary and opinion, and rarely statements of fact.
rcade: If "Joe Francis is a rapist" is an opinion, how would the same information be reported as a fact? Does everything posted on MetaFilter have an implicit "I think" in front of it?
I think it is stupid for people to read any FPP without the implicit "I think."
cribcage: It's disappointing how many MeFites are eager to declare someone's guilt based on limited and questionable evidence.
It's disappointing how many MeFites are eager to throw away First Amendent protections on speech. Defamation law allows individuals to establish and state an belief regarding the guilt or innocence of a person, even if said belief has not yet been confirmed by criminal proceedings.
languagehat: Me too, but many people on MeFi disagree with us. MeFi is a pretty good sample of the real world, only with more geeks and less potential for physical violence.
I'm not defending this because I find it unlikely that MeFi will get caught. I'm defending this because it is not wrong to come to a personal belief that someone is or is not guilty of a crime, and to state that as a personal opinion. Reasonable beliefs and opinions are not defamation when expressed by individual persons in most U.S. jurisdictions. A quick search reveals that Dick Cheney has been called a traitor dozens of times with minimal qualifications.
If we are going to use the standards of "reasonable belief" that are used by other media sources, then "Britney Spears, under the influence of god knows what..." should be equally objectionable because of the unsupported implication that she is taking illegal or prescription drugs. Or what about this FPP on P!nk that considers it a foregone conclusion that copyright infringement has occured. (Some of the claims are supported by links, others are not.)
Now if the mods want to nuke this particular front page post. That's their choice. I was not especially fond of the wording myself. However, almost all of the arguments against this FPP are wrong, and wrong in ways that if consistently applied, would be lethal to MeFi as a community.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:06 AM on August 5, 2006 [2 favorites]
Dobbs, what is the difference between an accusation and a declaration?
posted by jayder at 10:06 AM on August 5, 2006
the accused is such a distasteful person, and yet still gets girls to throw their panties at him.
The world is an unfair place.
*throws panties at self*
It's not the same.
posted by jonmc at 10:10 AM on August 5, 2006
It's not the same.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:16 AM on August 5, 2006
Ok, that ROCKED!! Mefites Gone Wild!
posted by Kickstart70 at 10:20 AM on August 5, 2006
I second putting an alleged in there before the rapist. The article was interesting.
I don't see how the original post was libelous, most posts on metafilter are descriptions of what they link to, and the post linked to an article about Francis raping people.
Because some women find it impossible to be level-headed when the issue surrounds a pornographer
This has nothing to with pornagraphy and everything to do with rape.
posted by afu at 10:20 AM on August 5, 2006
jayder, does the article anywhere use the words rape or rapist to accuse Francis of the act? No. Why do you think that is? Because the newspaper is covering its ass as is Matt. They can say that the girl says she didn't consent to sex (they do) or that she accuses him of rape (ie, that she uses the word--they don't), but they don't come out and call him a rapist, because to do so could be deemed libelous. It's not a coincidence that the only mentions of the word rape or rapist in the whole article come out of Francis' own mouth.
Why is it only men who seem to want to defend Francis' honor?
Gimme a break, Klang. Saying that the called-out post is poorly worded is not defending Francis. He's a fucking jerkoff who'll get his soon enough.
posted by dobbs at 10:25 AM on August 5, 2006
I took it down because it was misleading, and I don't like it when people grab a news story then use it as a jumping off point to make very strong statements that aren't supported by the article (like insomnia_lj's posts about iraq). Calling someone a rapist is really big deal and it sounded like it was just hearsay at this point.
I would have taken down a post saying "Floyd Landis, steroid abusing drug lord of cycling" that linked to a failed doping test news article for the same reason of grossly misleading statements.
posted by mathowie (staff) at 10:28 AM on August 5, 2006
I am with rcade. You don't call someone a rapist without proof, no matter how sleazy he is. When Ann Coulter calls everyone who disagrees with her a terrorist, we all over her for it, and rightly so.
posted by LarryC at 10:28 AM on August 5, 2006
posted by jonmc at 10:48 AM on August 5, 2006
Joe Francis is a hideous monster, and that reporter is a dumbfuck.
"My favorite is explaining to dumb chicks why the qwerty keyboard is called a qwerty keyboard, and why the letters aren't in order," he tells me. "They're, like, 18 years old, and they're, like, 'Wait a minute, there were typewriters?' And you got to start there."
I give him a look that says I have no idea what he's talking about. I haven't spent much time with 18-year-old girls lately, but the ones I know have usually heard of typewriters. But a qwerty keyboard? Never heard of it.
posted by Optimus Chyme at 11:11 AM on August 5, 2006
The day is mine!
I'm with rcade, right now. We're at Disneyland, and he's promised me we can go on the monorail. But first we're getting churros! We're having such a great time; I'll be sure to post pix later, kthxbye!
posted by Eideteker at 11:20 AM on August 5, 2006
I just want to know one thing: in what context, while convincing girls to take their tops off, does any discussion of keyboards (whether computer or typewriter) come up?
posted by scody at 11:24 AM on August 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
I'd say lots of people have never heard the phrase "qwerty" before. It's not like she doesn't know what a keyboard is. Also, note that he's the dumbass who thinks that typewriters didn't use the qwerty layout.
I mean, most people just call them keyboards.
posted by Bookhouse at 11:24 AM on August 5, 2006
in what context, while convincing girls to take their tops off, does any discussion of keyboards (whether computer or typewriter) come up?
hey, whatever works.
(it is illustrative that there's never been a Boys Gone Wild. of what, I'm not sure)
posted by jonmc at 11:33 AM on August 5, 2006
posted by ericb at 11:33 AM on August 5, 2006
well, shut my mouth.
posted by jonmc at 11:33 AM on August 5, 2006
posted by ericb at 11:35 AM on August 5, 2006
scody, getting a girl to take her top off is sometimes an art form. While many will do it at a moment's notice, others require a little coaxing. So, as an example, if I show them my really cool phone that has a qwerty keyboard as an example of how rich I am and how I love gadgets, they might ask me what qwerty means. Of course, at the same time, I'd probably be showing them cameraphone pictures of "my" Porsche, while my hand slowly slides down....
::ahem::
I've said too much. :-)
posted by SeizeTheDay at 11:36 AM on August 5, 2006
posted by jonmc at 11:37 AM on August 5, 2006
If you want an excuse to make somebody think they're stupider than you are, you can find one. You can even do it with regard to something that your interlocutor is familiar with. It's easy. "Christ, you're a bartender and you don't know that there's wine in the Bible? What kind of fucking idiot are you?"
We've all seen people like Joe Francis operate. It's just one of their techniques. That he can sucker in a reporter says nothing special about the reporter one way or the other. As I find myself having to remind people all the time, it's often the cleverest of us who are most easily conned. That fact is often (as it is for Francis) sauce for the goose for the con artist.
Personally, I think it should have stayed up. rbs would have gotten a drubbing for failing to make it clear (as though it needed to be made clear) that it was an opinion. That's supposed to be how things work here, right? Negative reaction from "the community" sets the standard? (Which is a rhetorical question: I'm well aware that libertarian online "communities" almost never work without occasional correction from a leader.)
And really, when is "x is a rapist" ever not an opinion? People don't usually bother to say "x is a [rapist / murder / thief / traitor]" about someone unless the appelation is in dispute. Compare: "Wayne Gacy is a murderer"; "Dick Cheney is a murderer." Which one aer you more likely to hear in conversation, and why?
posted by lodurr at 11:43 AM on August 5, 2006
There was a great MadTV 'boys gone wild' sketch. And by 'great' I mean queasiness-inducing, scrotum-shrinking.
posted by lodurr at 11:52 AM on August 5, 2006
scody: I just want to know one thing: in what context, while convincing girls to take their tops off, does any discussion of keyboards (whether computer or typewriter) come up?
Well, my impression of the article was a bit different from many people here. What I suspect happened was this article started off as a typical piece of shadowing a person who has become a mover and shaker in a particular industry. What the journalist found was that Fances appears to have a profound contempt for the subject of his films, the assault and alleged rape are just examples of this.
Most people never think about keyboard layouts, and if they do, they think in terms of ergonomic vs. standard, or in terms of nationality and language. "Qwerty" is technical geek trivia. WinXP does not use that term for describing most keyboard layouts, neither does OS X. You might as well talk about goto or lisp.
The point of that passage is how he uses a lack of understanding of geek trivial in order to belittle and insult the reporter and the women he films. Rather than just saying, "It's a name for keyboards that put 'qwerty' on the second row," which is a reasonable and polite response, he uses it as a platform to attack the reporter. He is rationalizing his actions by setting himself up as smarter than the women he films.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 12:01 PM on August 5, 2006
It's a shame that the original posting's lead-in was poorly worded, that discussion of it derailed, that it was closed to further commentary so quickly and that this discussion has, at points, deteriorated.
I read and commented on the article because it examined a pop culture phenomenon, addressed Francis's attitudes towards women and explored the branding & mass marketing of a socially unacceptable product. Although its writer clearly has an agenda, the piece is engaging and well-written. It's received a prominent mention on Defamer and, I believe, is already generating significant buzz.
posted by NYCinephile at 12:09 PM on August 5, 2006
If Francis is a rapist that's deplorable, and his attitudes towards women are Neanderthal, but since when did ogling boobies become socially unacceptable (bluenoses aside)?
posted by jonmc at 12:11 PM on August 5, 2006
It's funny that you guys are mentioning this "use witty insult to give you power over your audience" mentality, because many dating books out there based on exactly that. (Not sure if you knew this already, if so, disregard)
Exactly how you've said, it puts your audience in a defensive position and forces them to question themselves (in a bad way), which often opens the door for you to say, "But I think you're really smart and cute anyway, despite your shortcomings."
I was amazed at how well this worked until I realized that bullies do this all the time and it isn't limited to just the dating scene. Everyone at some point or another has had a boss, teacher, parent, uncle, whatever, use an obscure factoid or some mild insult to create a dominant position over you.
posted by SeizeTheDay at 12:14 PM on August 5, 2006
Anyone else think there is too much jonmc nudity in this thread?
posted by Astro Zombie at 12:23 PM on August 5, 2006
Although its writer clearly has an agenda, ...
I think I would too if a guy who outweighs me by 80 pounds twisted my arm behind my back and slammed me down over a car hood while he ground his crotch against my ass. And no, coming over afterward and asking for a kiss wouldn't make it better.
... too much jonmc nudity ...
Well, it doesn't matter to me, but from what I can recall of the meetup pic I saw, I think our gay and het-female membership might enjoy it. I say, let 'im flash.
posted by lodurr at 12:32 PM on August 5, 2006
I think I would too if a guy who outweighs me by 80 pounds twisted my arm behind my back and slammed me down over a car hood while he ground his crotch against my ass.
Letting a physically assaulted reporter write a first-hand story that puts forward a rape accusation is a pretty bold move by the LA Times. I have to think they vetted the hell out of the piece with their attorneys, but you never know with the mainstream media these days, considering the Jayson Blair and Jack Kelley debacles.
posted by rcade at 1:16 PM on August 5, 2006
Letting a physically assaulted reporter write a first-hand story that puts forward a rape accusation is a pretty bold move by the LA Times.
I was wondering if anyone would point that out.
Francis is well-known, well-funded and has a well-documented history of litigiousness. If he or his attorneys sniff the slightest likelihood that the LA Times can't back up Claire Hoffman's version of the story, they'll almost certainly be letting the Times know. Along with a figure that could make it right.
So, yeah, I'm guessing the Times checked it out pretty carefully.
With regard to the tone of the piece: All in all, I think she showed some pretty amazing restraint.
posted by lodurr at 1:28 PM on August 5, 2006
I want Matt's and Jessamyn's first duty to be making sure Metafilter survives and prospers. Removing this post seems, in both retrospect and prospect, like a very reasonable execution of such a duty to me.
I think the post could have been saved by a question mark, as reklaw suggests, or by making the title the linked text, as Jessamyn suggests. The linked article is absolutely excellent in my view, with tremendous atmospherics and great narrative drive. Claire Hoffman has reached out and grasped Francis' essence in a way that, if he's lucky, may never happen to him again. He certainly has to hope it doesn't.
And she does it in an extremely subtle and effective way, by first making us identify with her, and then scene by scene identifying herself with Francis' girl victims, particularly the one who I am convinced was raped, and we are thereby force-marched along to an empathy we would not have been capable of on our own.
NYCinephile is right that Francisis an important "pop culture phenomenon." He is Marvin Harris' primitive capitalist, the Potlatch Party King, in startling modern dress, and his appearance, or reappearance, really does, perhaps, signal the beginning of the end.
posted by jamjam at 1:29 PM on August 5, 2006
Kinda relevant: How the fuck do you derail a thread like that and not consider yourself an asshole?
posted by SeizeTheDay at 1:53 PM on August 5, 2006
The primary concern seems to be about the wording of the FPP. I'll stick my neck out and repost the article with claims properly attributed to their sources within the article.
rcade: Well aside from combining the two incidents (which is reasonable given their proximity) how is this different from any other report of a rape or sexual assault? The reporter is rarely on the scene of a crime, and can only do what is done here: interview multiple witnesses, the accused, and the accuser.
All reports about what happened on the bus are carefully attributed to Szyszka, Francis or Burke. The incident involving the car hood is explicitly identified as Hoffman's eyewitness testimony, with supporting testimony provided by interviews from others on the scene.
In any defamation case, the LATimes will have a strong truth defense: Szyszka, Francis and Burke made those claims in interviews. If the LATimes is smart, it will have those interviews on tape. Hoffman is reporting events that were personally witnessed by her, and she has obtained other witness accounts by Coary, and Zaitz.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 1:57 PM on August 5, 2006
George W. Bush is a murderer.
He will never be convicted of murder in a criminal court, of course. But he's a murderer.
posted by Space Coyote at 2:08 PM on August 5, 2006 [1 favorite]
Joe Francis is a rapist. Article from this weekend's LA Times Magazine about Joe Francis, of Girls Gone Wild (nsfw) fame/infamy, including his physical assault of the LA Times reporter and the rape of a GGW girl she (partially) witnesses.
is replaced with this:
Joe Francis Gone Wild: Claire Hoffman, L.A. Times adult entertainment correspondent, rides along with Girls Gone Wild (Slate, SFW) producer Joe Francis on an expedition to a Chicago nightclub. Hoffman claims that over the course of the night, Francis pinned her against the hood of a car. A woman who agreed to be filmed in the crew's bus claims that Fancis had non-consensual sex with her. Reposted with safer language.
and that is considered an improvement?
No need to wonder how Joe Francis gets away with it.
posted by Chuckles at 2:37 PM on August 5, 2006
Well aside from combining the two incidents (which is reasonable given their proximity) how is this different from any other report of a rape or sexual assault?
When Francis assaulted the reporter, the police officer who witnessed it called in backup and advised her to press charges. At that point, she's part of the news she's covering, so it was an unusual decision to have her report the piece rather than passing it off to a reporter who's less open to accusations of bias.
posted by rcade at 2:42 PM on August 5, 2006
... who's less open to accusations of bias.
... and who'd have to completely re-research the story.
As I said before, I think she's shown amazing restraint. Look at how Francis is portrayed througout most of that article. His primary fan base will come away from reading it thinking he's a misunderstood hero.
posted by lodurr at 3:19 PM on August 5, 2006
His primary fan base will come away from reading it thinking he's a misunderstood hero.
I'll venture to say that his primary fan base does not read.
posted by jayder at 3:26 PM on August 5, 2006
and that is considered an improvement?
If it means the post can stay up, it most certainly is. More people seeing the article means more people who are likely to avoid supporting this guy's business.
posted by weretable and the undead chairs at 3:36 PM on August 5, 2006
I really, really doubt the people who buy Girls Gone Wild will stop doing so on moral grounds if the post stays up. He's an dorky bully to be sure, but if you're watching porn that involves taking advantage of inebriated girls with little fiscal compensation then you probably have a moral compass pointed in a different direction. I wish an incarnation could stand but using bias and misleading words only makes us look like crackpots. Seriously, present the facts as they are and let people decide -- there's no real need to help us realize the conclusion the article presents.
posted by geoff. at 3:46 PM on August 5, 2006
Connery-"I'll take the RAPISTS for $200, Alex"
Alex- "That's Therepists for $200"
Connery- " A-Ha! I win the Day!"
posted by Balisong at 4:30 PM on August 5, 2006
Balisong -- great episode
posted by ericb at 4:59 PM on August 5, 2006
I agree with the deletion, post sucked. What's weird is that a whole argument between me and KirkJobSluder was deleted at some point. If a thread is going to be deleted, why clean it up?
posted by delmoi at 7:49 PM on August 5, 2006
I think the post is fine. Personally, when I saw that link, I assumed that it led somewhere where an argument was being made that Francis should be seen as a racist.
Joe Francis is totally a racist. You never see anything but pasty white girls (maybe with a tan) in his videos. No black girls, no mexicans, not even any Asians.
posted by delmoi at 7:50 PM on August 5, 2006
The crazier thing was the link to this story about Fracis being a rape victim. The link was removed from the thread.
Anyway, I'm sure he's a gigantic asshole.
posted by delmoi at 7:59 PM on August 5, 2006
This Dvorak keyboard is why I never get laid, isn't it?
posted by yerfatma at 10:31 AM on August 6, 2006
delmoi: No, that link is still in the comments. It was included in the second (now first) comment to the second post.
posted by ?! at 11:37 AM on August 6, 2006
But at what point did MetaFilter abandon blogger triumphalism and claim to be inferior to other media as a response to criticism?
The main point being if this was Jon Stewart being called a rapist then everyone would have been calling mathowie on his cell phone to remove it asap. But no one likes the GGW guy. In this respect the mainstream media is far far superior.
posted by the ghost of Ken Lay at 12:17 PM on August 6, 2006
People have mathowie's cell number? Why don't I have it? Can I have it? Who do you have to flash around here to get mathowie's cell number?
posted by dness2 at 2:04 PM on August 6, 2006
posted by geoff. at 2:27 PM on August 6, 2006
But that would be wrong.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 5:00 PM on August 6, 2006
It's disappointing how many MeFites are eager to throw away First Amendent protections on speech.
It's disappointing how many people invoke the First Amendment as if it were a knee-jerk reaction. What does the First Amendment have to do with anything? I didn't say you can't call Joe Francis a rapist. I said you shouldn't, because it's wrong to go around declaring people guilty based on limited and questionable evidence.
Joe Francis is a douchebag. That fact has absolutely no bearing on whether I choose to declare him to be a rapist based on that article. If something would be wrong to do to my best friend, why is it suddenly OK if I select some distasteful target?
posted by cribcage at 6:37 PM on August 6, 2006
I was under the impression that you shouldn't do certain things because they're wrong, not because you might get caught.
No camera for you.
posted by NortonDC at 7:50 PM on August 6, 2006
Shit! What will we do? Any day now, Joe Francis's army of lawyers will come and sue us all to doom! Metafilter will be shut down and become a portal for pictures of nekkid ladies, Matt and Jessamyn will be locked away, those agreeing with rbs will be disappeared, and rbs himself will probably be dragged out into a public square, shot by the Internet Police, and his body sunk to the bottom of Lake Michigan.
Oh, thank God, the post has been deleted. We are safe. Let us never forget that the internet is serious business!
posted by Anonymous at 7:53 PM on August 6, 2006
And lest we forget, all of the executions will be videotaped and immortalized on YouTube as a warning to future insulting statements made in the hallowed halls of the World Wide Web.
posted by Anonymous at 7:54 PM on August 6, 2006
cribcage: I didn't say you can't call Joe Francis a rapist. I said you shouldn't, because it's wrong to go around declaring people guilty based on limited and questionable evidence.
There is such a thing as unlimited evidence? Or unquestionable evidence?
I would argue the contrary. 4th Amendment protections demanding due process do not and should not apply to our interpersonal encounters with people. The majority of crimes and other nastiness will never see a police report, much less a court room. When friends and loved ones are victimized by a crime, we are not obligated to stand around, scratching our asses, until such a time that the formal justice system grinds forward to a conclusion.
If something would be wrong to do to my best friend, why is it suddenly OK if I select some distasteful target?
Well, I have called someone who I formerly thought was my friend a rapist when confronted with testimony that was impossible to deny, and offered no profit to the accuser. It was one of those cases that never saw the inside of a courtroom, but still, several of us knew what happened, and were not ashamed to call it rape among ourselves.
Now, I'm not going to call Mr. Francis a rapist. And perhaps it is a good idea for Metafilter to establish a standard somewhere between that of informal speech and formal publictation. (But again, this standard seems to be inconsistently applied, with only an accusation of Mr. Francis deleted.) What I'm arguing here is a principle, that it is in no way wrong to come to an opinion regarding guilt before a criminal trial, and to express that opinion verbally or in writing.
And in many cases, we have an ethical perogative to come to such a conclusion and express such an opinion.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 8:58 PM on August 6, 2006 [1 favorite]
... maybe white girls are the only ones dumb enough and lacking self-respect to undress on-camera for Joe Francis.
Or maybe GGW is just Joe Francis's personal vision of titillation. No racism, just bad business. Because, hey, if he'd do a little variation, he might expand his markets.
Anyway, "lack of self-respect" takes a lot of different forms. I think here we're mostly looking at a commodification of this reconceptualization of female fetishization as "feminine power". The girls "get what they want" (notoriety, swag, attention -- as Joe Francis imagines it and as many of them conceptualize it for themselves) by using their commodified sexuality. As far as I can see, that's mostly a white-girl thing. Which is far from saying that female sexuality isn't used for influence by "ethinic" girls; I expect, though, that it's mostly white girls who've been sold this mass-market line about sexuality-as-power by ex-Mousketeers fronting for the media industry. If they'd actually been raised in a millieu where sex was really used as a bargaining chip, they probably wouldn't sell it so cheap. As it is, they've devalued the currency so much that we get GGW.
posted by lodurr at 3:24 AM on August 7, 2006
[Good points, lodurr]
posted by klangklangston at 6:47 AM on August 7, 2006
The story generates its share of buzz on Digg.
posted by NYCinephile at 9:21 AM on August 7, 2006
There's actually been a number of really good discussions on Susie Bright's blog about this contemporary trend of young women enthusiastically involved in GGW and the like. Being a standard-bearer for the sex-positive movement, and being a feminist, Bright is basically caught in the middle of the two opposing arguments. Is this a regressive sexist trend or is it a progressive sex-positive trend?
My opinion, though it seems contradictory, is that it's a combination of both.
I think those of us in the sex-positive community/movement have a responsibility to fight these regressive sexist elements, but in the end I suppose I see it mostly as the typical way of things: two steps forward and one back. I don't know when we could ever expext to march to utopia as unambiguously as we wish we could.
posted by Ethereal Bligh at 9:29 AM on August 7, 2006
EB: I've become profoundly disillusioned by the sex-positive community in general and Susie Bright in particular. Where at one time it seemed to be a positive exploration of sexuality and culture, it has become so phobic of offending anyone that it's impossible to say anything other than, "rah, rah, rah." It's my opinion that Bright and Sparkle have largely dropped the ball from critiquing mainstream porn to becoming apologists for it.
posted by KirkJobSluder at 10:08 AM on August 7, 2006
It's too bad it wasn't a better framed post. There is indeed a LOT of much more damning (and better written) journalism about that creep, Joe Francis, out there. I think it's only a matter of time until he's taken down and it would be nice if MeFi could help.
posted by persona non grata at 3:26 PM on August 7, 2006
The Girls Gone Wild videos, as advertised endlessly on late night cable channels, creep me right the hell out. It's the ubiquitous glaze in the eyes.
posted by It's Raining Florence Henderson at 4:39 PM on August 7, 2006
Gawker's coverage and its readers' comments.
posted by NYCinephile at 7:32 AM on August 8, 2006
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I should be convinced about peer teaching but I’m not. Educators who I respect and who advocate the benefits of peer-tutoring, Peerwise and well, general peeriness, have demonstrated improved grades where lecturers use one of a multitude of peer activities. In what follows, I consider peer teaching to be one where students take some or all responsibility for teaching content to each other. I don’t include group work or discussion work, which is teacher led and maintains the academic input of the teacher.
I accept that peer teaching has a role at early undergraduate level, where peers working with each other have some chance of being able to learn from or to teach one another. For example, a student with prior knowledge of chemistry may be able to bring an informed understanding of a topic to a peer teaching scenario, and as the old saying goes, the only way to learn is to teach. A think-pair-share in a first year lecture could work well. Great.
My problem is that once we move beyond basic topics, I can’t see how peer teaching will work. A student going away and learning about a topic and coming back to tell his group about it is all very well; but wouldn’t it just be easier, and frankly more academically rigorous, if the lecturer teaches and the student learns? This situation doesn’t mean we have to default to the traditional lecture.
Maybe I’ve a narrow view of what peer teaching is. But when I see improvements in exam scores, I wonder if it is just because the students interacted in some way, any way, with the material one or two more times before they were assessed on it.
Perhaps my worry is that the laudable ideas of peer teaching don’t stack up when you implement them in the classroom. There’s the story about the guy who wrote the book on problem-based learning but never actually taught that way himself. It sounded good on paper though. But for example with Peerwise, I’ve heard people speak at conferences where they say they are not sure whether the students are writing questions or copying them from elsewhere. I’d love to see a study where a Peerwise group was compared to a group that were given weekly quizzes. And peer teaching in groups, where my fictional student reports back his new knowledge to the group. Ideally, the lecturer is available here at all times to give feedback on understanding; but the reality may be that we get a draft report or presentation, where we can only address some headline issues. Although lauded as a way of saving time, I think it might need a lot more time to do well.
I’m open to being convinced. Convince or agree…
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9 thoughts on “Peer Pressure”
April 1, 2014 at 8:46 pm
I agree….. Peer tutoring has it place, as has been seen in schemes such as PASS at Manchester however to me it is always supplementary/complimentary to a course taught by qualified and experiences educators in the field. PASS also has considerable lecturer input, is it truly peer tutoring if the academics are writing the problems and answers?
April 3, 2014 at 6:35 pm
M
Gareth says:
April 3, 2014 at 2:34 pm
You raise some very good points. In my opinion, peer teaching is beneficial for two main reasons. You mention the first, which is that we often learn best through teaching. I think we have all experienced this to some extent as teachers. The second however, is that students very often listen more and engage with their peers than with the old guy at the front. This only works though if the peer teaching is guided. I find this easiest to do by providing some questions that the students must have answered during their teaching. This prevents rambling, off-topic chatter or just plain bad science.
Also, you say that we don’t have to default to the “traditional lecture”, but that is exactly what you’ve just described. I would argue that even undertaking group work is a form of peer teaching as the students are (should be) working together, communicating, chatting, discussing their options and learning from each other. I’m not against the traditional teaching style at all, but my point is merely that in a well-controlled guided environment, I have seen peer teaching be a success.
April 3, 2014 at 6:32 pm
Thanks for you comments. Essentially I agree, although perhaps my definition of peer teaching is different. Just for the sake of discussion though…
– I disagree with the old guy up the front argument (as I continue to tend towards that status myself!) Such a person might be motivating because of different reasons – scientific acclaim, ability to engage, etc. However I do acknowledge that students, for example when writing for each other rather than lecturers, tend to try better because they are writing to explain (teach) rather than writing to get marks (ie hoping to hit “the right answer”)
– a lecturer teaching doesn’t have to be traditional (we may just be differing on definitions). There’s lots of ways to make classes interactive apart from peer teaching.
– I suppose the big thing is that I agree completely that discussion should be a central part of the education of scientists, sorely lacking. But discussion perhaps as you say in a guided way. Which is great, but we’re back to the initial problem of having a realistic amount of time to do it. I hear you when you say “learning from each other” but is that happening? Love to see evidence for it in a study which compares to some other form of interactive lecture. Comparing anything with the traditional lecture is likely going to show benefit, just because it is something different.
I suppose my core question is: now that we’re beginning to tease out different approaches to traditional, can we begin to say which of these may have an edge.
Sorry for long reply, and thanks for your very sensible comment.
PS: Perhaps see you at Irish Variety in May at DIT http://dit.ie/chemistry/ivice2014/
Gareth says:
April 4, 2014 at 2:39 pm
Just a quick clarification – my “old guy at the front” comment was meant more as a self-deprecating light-hearted reference rather than a dig at older teachers in general, and certainly wasn’t a reference to you! I think your point touches on the disparity between second level and third level science teaching. I would suggest that at third level students are more attentive and tolerant given their age and also the fact that they have chosen to be there. Unfortunately, this is not always the case at second level, added to the fact that the” industrial production of Magnesium Oxide”, for example, is often not of great relevance to the average 17 year old. In a nutshell, I imagine that engagement is more difficult, in general, in secondary schools compared to third level. If the engagement bar is higher, it means we need to be a bit more imaginative at reaching it, which is where peer teaching potentially comes in.
I have no defence to counter your “time” argument – you are absolutely right, we have limited time, particularly in the second level curriculum, and this dictates or even limits teaching practices. But that’s a whole other can of worms…
Thanks for your reply, sorry for the ramble.
April 3, 2014 at 2:52 pm
I read this with great interest, as a keen advocate of Peer Assisted Learning. I think a very clear distinction needs to be made between “Peer Teaching” and “Peer Assisted Learning.” They are not, and should not be, the same thing.
When I train our PAL mentors, I make it very clear that they should not be teaching. PAL is about developing good study habits and learning together, as peers; not a teacher/student relationship.
I think that it is very beneficial for those who take on a mentoring role, in terms of developing their skills and confidence.
Also, I would never make claims that PAL can improve grades. However, I will and do claim that it can improve the community within a school, and foster better relationships between students in different years and also with staff. To me, that is the reason to implement and support Peer learning. And as Kristy says, such schemes should always be to complement, not substitute other forms of teaching.
April 3, 2014 at 6:34 pm
Thanks for that. Part of my problem is that I hear “peer” and tend to run! But the difference you emphasise is important.
Hoping to hear more in May
April 10, 2014 at 9:34 am
I think I consider the value in peer something to be similar to Samantha’s definition. Peer teaching makes my brain itch at the thought, but peer mentoring and peer assisted learning doesn’t tick the same box of unease. We’ve just started with PeerWise and despite the name, it remains very much students producing questions without much interaction beyond write a question and forget about it. We’re struggling to get our students to engage with the peer aspects such as improving explanations and engaging in discussion through comments. So it is a fairly effective means of writing MCQs provided we edit sufficiently. I’ve not looked at grades yet but I suspect that some students will get what they would always get, at both the high and low ends of the scale and there may be some impact on the middle ground where doing more examples can help.
We don’t have peer mentors of the type Samantha describes at Keele, I quite like the idea though!
Very interesting post generally, been thinking of it for a while.
April 7, 2014 at 8:32 pm
Hi, you’ve expressed some valid concerns here. Peer tutoring (focusing on k-12 education here) isn’t supposed to replace traditional teaching. It’s just another way to help students learn and reinforce their knowledge. Also, peer tutoring is a broad term; it doesn’t always occur between students of the same grade level. Cross-age peer tutoring falls under this broad category and also tends to be more effective.
This peer tutoring success story from a once failing high school in Arizona might give you a better understanding http://bit.ly/1lvzI24
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Most people bring a dog into their home for love and comfort, someone they can’t wait to come home to at the end of the day, or take for a walk first thing in the morning.
While others own dogs which they rely on for their own health and safety.
Then there are those who would never be in the presence of the dog, should they have the choice, owing to allergies, fear, or things slightly less explicable.
The niece of Redditor throwra445788779 was among those who did not enjoy the company of man’s best friend.
Complicating matters was that she and her family had temporarily moved in with the original poster (OP), who’s husband was among those who literally relied on the dog.
As a result, the OP’s brother made a request to the OP regarding their husband’s dog, which they were not at all willing to oblige.
Wondering if they had made the right decision, the OP took to the subReddit ‘Am I The A**hole” (AITA), where they asked fellow Redditors:
“AITA for refusing to move my husband’s service dog out of the house because my niece is uncomfortable?”
The OP explained how after opening their home to their brother and their family, they were unwilling to appease them when it came to their husband’s dog.
“My husband is disabled, won’t expand on that for privacy, we got him a service dog 4 months ago to help him on a daily basis.”
“My brother and his family lost their home and asked to move in with us for a few weeks til they find another place to stay.”
“Thing is, my niece, 14, started complaining about the service dog making her ‘uncomfortable’ it’s strange, no allergies, no nothing, but she’s just uncomfortable.”
“She told my brother and he asked if I could move the dog.”
“I said absolutely not. this dog is literally as helpful as a human being when it comes to people with disabilities, and he’s incredibly smart and more IMPORTANTLY, he minds his own business and never bothers my niece.”
“But she’s ‘just uncomfortable’ with him for some reason!”
“My brother and his wife started begging saying it’s temporary, but I refused.”
“They said that my husband doesn’t really need the dog much as of now since he’s home most of the time, yet I still refused.”
“They tried talking to my husband directly, but I shut that down immediately.”
“My brother’s wife started an argument with me right after my brother went to work and she started yelling about how I value a dog over my niece and her comfort.”
“I said it wasn’t just the dog, but it’s my husband who needs him.”
“My brother came home and we kept arguing.”
“He said that I was being unsupportive and cruel to my niece who’s already been through enough, My husband got involved and asked me to take him to his father’s house with the dog but I said no, not after what his dad said to him and that he AND the dog are staying.”
“My brother and his wife are in the guest room sulking hard while my niece is ignoring me.”
“Meanwhile, my husband is sitting in the kitchen now trying to convince me to let him go stay with his dad to keep the peace with my brother.”
“This man, my husband, is like this all the time!”
“Always willing to do what others want just to ‘keep the peace’.”
“You can literally cuss him out and he’ll apologize to you like it was his fault!”
“He thinks he owes people for accepting him as a disabled man which’s sad.”
“And, It’s true he’s home most of the time but, he still needs his service dog throughout the day.”
Fellow Redditors weighed in on where they believed the OP fell in this particular situation by declaring:
ESH – Everyone Sucks Here
The Reddit community stood firmly behind the OP, agreeing she was in no way the a**hole for refusing to move their husband’s service dog.
Everyone agreed that the OP’s husband’s service dog was vitally important to his health, and their brother should have accepted that after the OP opened their home to his family, particularly as the OP’s niece was neither scared nor allergic to the dog.
“Your brother and his family are incredibly entitled after you gave them a place to live.”
“They don’t care about the dog or your husband.”
“Keep the dog and husband at your house, have your bro and his fam find somewhere else.”
“If you let them stay they will only make you and your husband’s lives difficult.”
“NTA.”
“Firmly NTA.”
“Service dogs are not pets, they are working members of society with a damn important job to do.”
“Even if he was just a pet, I advocate the pet lives here, you’re just a guest so my verdict remains either way.”
“Your husband shouldn’t be made to feel unwelcome in his own home.”
“The dog stays because your husband stays.”
“Unfortunately, your family just needs to get over themselves.”- Divagate113
“NTA.”
“For your husband, it is a NEED.”
“For your niece, it is a WANT.”
“Your brother and his family are being ungrateful for your allowing them to live there while they find other accommodations.”
“Perhaps, they should now try harder so as to get out and make their daughter less ‘uncomfortable’.”- Ducky818
“NTA.”
“You’re a good partner, and don’t let your husband go stay with his father.”
“Tell your brother and SIL that if their family is uncomfortable by the dog, a medicinal necessity for your disabled husband, they should find other living accommodations.”
“NTA.”
“Tell your brother he is confusing you with a hotel.”
“You are doing him and his family a kindness that you don’t have to do.”
“In light of your kindness, he should extend the same kindness to your husband, whose home they are staying in, and not insist your husband move out.”
“All this because a teenager feels uncomfortable?”
“Maybe she would be more comfortable staying with other family or friends?”
“You have done enough.”
“Guests do not kick the homeowners out of their own homes.”- Harriethair
“‘Can you please take his wheelchair away?'”
“‘It makes me uncomfortable’.”
“‘It’s not like he goes anywhere anyway.”
“‘Can you please take his hearing aids away?'”
“‘It’s not like he goes anywhere anyway’.”
“‘Can you please take his crutches / glasses / cane away’.”
“‘It makes me uncomfortable’.”
“It’s not like he’s going anywhere anyway’.”
“NTA.”
“How do people like this exist in the world with so little understanding of the functioning of their fellow human beings?”- Herbrugglesbezos
“Protect your husband and his precious pup.”
“NTA.”
“‘This isn’t working out and I don’t appreciate the pressure and turmoil you have put our family and home under, especially since we are helping you’.”
“‘I understand that niece is uncomfortable and you find the offered living arrangements unacceptable’.”
“‘I’ll expect you to be out within the week and any family members who call or criticize can be the first to offer their homes to you because this one is no longer available.”- EvilMater
“NTA.”
“Your brother and his family can make other living arrangements.”
“They are incredibly presumptive to think you’re going to move your dog, who is also a trained service animal.”
“What gave them the impression they have any authority?”
“Where do they get off?”
“Your niece needs to stay in her lane, by the way.”
“She needs to realize people do not have to put themselves out to appease her.”
“Your husband needs to defend himself and not be a doormat.”
“The fact your brother was going to have your husband intervene goes to show your brother has no respect for your husband and knows your husband will cave to his request.”
“That being said, your husband absolutely should NOT move to appease ungracious houseguests, who have already overstayed their welcome.”
“Tell your brother and his family they have until the end of the week to find another living arrangement.”- SilentCounter6750
“NTA.”
“This isn’t some hyper or aggressive puppy.”
‘This is a SERVICE ANIMAL.”
“The teen needs to understand that being uncomfortable does not mean everyone bends to your feelings.’
“I’m sure sleeping on the street or a hotel would be much more uncomfortable.”- HF_BPD
“NTA.”
“This is a service dog.”
“The dog is trained and doesn’t bother the niece.”
“She has no allergies, so the dog doesn’t have to be removed.”
“If your brother and SIL are upset by the SERVICE dog, they can live somewhere else.”
It is a shame that the OP’s husband’s dog makes their niece uncomfortable.
However, she needs to understand that he relies on that dog for his own health, safety, and, yes, comfort.
If a necessary service animal is too much for the OP’s brother and his family to handle, then they’d best start looking for a new home as soon as possible.
Written by John Curtis
A novelist, picture book writer and native New Yorker, John is a graduate of Syracuse University and the children's media graduate program at Centennial College. When not staring at his computer monitor, you'll most likely find John sipping tea watching British comedies, or in the kitchen, taking a stab at the technical challenge on the most recent episode of 'The Great British Baking Show'.
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Chinese celery is very aromatic and grassy, almost like an intensified flavour of regular celery hence I seldom ate it and never cooked with it previously because of that. However, my opinion of Chinese celery had kinda changed since eating the oyster cake from Teochew Meat Puff. I had probably acquired the taste for it […]
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Steamed Abalone Recipe
I’m sure many of you in Singapore would have eaten canned abalone before especially during Chinese New Year period when Chinese restaurants would serve yu sheng with it or at Chinese wedding banquets too. But have you tried whole abalones with shell on yet? I hadn’t previously so when I came across this Abalone with […]
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Fried Rice with Noodles Recipe
No, it’s not Fried Rice Noodles. It is Fried Rice with Noodles which is a combination of both fried rice and fried noodles in one. I’m not sure how I got the idea to do something like this but I just remember coming across this dish somewhere before. Anyway, I made this dish Asian-style like […]
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Steamed Tofu Recipe (with prawns, oyster mushrooms & egg custard)
Steamed tofu? Standard. Steamed egg? Boring. How about steamed tofu with steamed egg and a whole lot more of flavour and crunch? And indeed, this was what I came up with, that truly represented my passion for ‘rojak’ (means ‘mixture’ in Malay) cooking, lol. I had so much ingredients, sauce & garnish on top that […]
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Oyster Sauce Chicken with Onions Recipe
I really enjoy making this dish because the fragrance of the sauce would just fill the kitchen with what I call pure bliss as the chicken cooks in the pan. The killer gravy is a symphony of flavours – sweet, salty & savoury with a hint of spiciness from the fresh red chilli – that’s […]
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Japanese Style Pork Belly Curry Recipe
I love curries – be it Chinese, Indian, Nonya or Japanese style. It makes a great one-pot meal with intensely robust flavours and the gravy just goes so well with rice, crusty bread or any noodles. Normally when I cook Japanese curry at home, I’d only use chicken as the base. For a change, I […]
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The joy of inheriting a family recipe from my maternal grandma is immense as I’m the only person in the family who’s into cooking but having eaten my grandma’s Teochew style braised meat for more than two decades on every Chinese New Year, I just feel I should really preserve and master this classic dish. […]
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As in-person meetings begin to make a comeback, it is time to dust off your association’s trade show materials and be sure you are ready to put your best foot forward as you return to the in-person world of trade shows and annual conferences. We all became familiar with virtual platforms such as Zoom and Microsoft Teams during COVID and may have even attended virtual conferences on behalf of your association during this time. As many can probably attest, virtual conferences and meetings do not have the same effect as face to face does. Below are four tips for making sure you represent your association well as the world returns to in person events.
Be Aware of COVID-19 Precautions and Rules
One thing that will be new as your association returns to in person events is that many if not all of these will have COVID-19 rules and precautions. These can usually be found on the website for the conference or event or will be emailed out by the host and they can differ depending on location. It is important that you are aware and follow these rules as you attend the show as it is respectful of others and also reflects well on your association.
One example of these new rules is one that involves wearing a certain color based on your social comfort level during COVID. At a recent in-person event, the hosts gave attendees different colored bracelets; green, yellow, and red. Green meant you are open to handshakes and high-fives, yellow meant you are open to elbow bumps only, and red meant you do not want any physical contact and would like social distance.
Many events also continue to have mask requirements, and some are requiring proof of vaccination before allowing attendance. Be sure you are aware of these types of requirements before attending an event to avoid not being permitted to attend. There may also be new rules for exhibitors and presenters, so if your association is participating in this type of role, be sure you review any such rules beforehand so all attendees with your association can be prepared.
Make Sure You are Up to Date
It has been nearly two years since many large in-person events were last held. For some, a lot has changed in that period of time. From personal items like your business card to association related items like information hand-outs at exhibit halls, it is important to ensure all information is current and relevant to show that you and your association are credible. The last thing you want to do is to give hundreds of people outdated information regarding your association’s industry; that would not do well for your credibility or reputation.
Your business card is your personal identification. Potential new members or current members may use it to get in contact with you. That is why you must be sure to have the right address, telephone number, email, association position and any other information you might include be up to date and current. It may sound simple, but it also may have been a while since you’ve given out your information outside of an email or a zoom message. Again, it reflects well on you and on the association that you represent.
An important part of conference and in-person events for your association is the networking. Whether it is an event your association is hosting or whether you are attending on your association’s behalf, networking is a big part of these events. Why not get a head start prior to attending the event and let people know you are going to be there? This is especially important if you are exhibiting in an exhibit hall or presenting at an important panel.
Social media pages, both personal and your association’s page are a great way to announce your presence and even where you will be within the conference so that people can find you. If the conference or host has an event app with an announcement feature, you can post on that. Check also if the conference you are attending has a twitter handle or a hashtag as a way to tag and announce updates. This will bring people to your exhibit or presentation and ensure you get the turnout you want.
Again, it has been nearly two years since you may have attended an in-person conference. Be sure you have everything you need, and if you need to take time to get everything together, be sure to do so in advance to prevent rushing and forgetting something important. If you are presenting, be sure you have your notes, any handouts, and most importantly, a back-up of your presentation! If you are exhibiting, be positive you have brought your banners, décor, information, hand-outs, and if you give out pens, candy, or other freebies, remember to bring them.
You want everything to look great and run smoothly so that your association not only stands out but looks good doing so. Make sure you are ready for any inquiries about the association you may get from members or potential members. It is always good to be prepared and it reflects well on your association and how you run things.
As we come together once again face to face and readjust to large group events, be prepared to put your best image forward back in person representing your association and industry. This will help generate leads during these networking opportunities and will help grow your membership. It will also let the current members know you are credible, responsible and that you represent the industry and your members professionally. Stay safe and before you know it, attending conferences and events will feel like second nature again.
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From the bestselling author of The Bookshop of Yesterdays comes a captivating new novel about a priceless inheritance that leads one family on a life-altering pursui t of the truth.
The Millers are far from perfect. Estranged siblings Beck, Ashley and Jake find themselves under one roof for the first time in years, forced to confront old resentments and betrayals, when their mysterious, eccentric matriarch, Helen, passes away. But their lives are about to change when they find a secret inheritance hidden among her possessions--the Florentine Diamond, a 137-carat yellow gemstone that went missing from the Austrian Empire a century ago.
Desperate to learn how one of the world's most elusive diamonds ended up in Helen's bedroom, they begin investigating her past only to realize how little they know about their brave, resilient grandmother. As the Millers race to determine whether they are the rightful heirs to the diamond and the fortune it promises, they uncover a past more tragic and powerful than they ever could have imagined, forever changing their connection to their heritage and each other.
Inspired by the true story of the real, still-missing Florentine Diamond, The Imperfects illuminates the sacrifices we make for family and how sometimes discovering the truth of the past is the only way to better the future.
Published May 5th 2020
by Park Row
The Millers are a dysfunctional family who reunite at a grave site - no spoiler here, aside from the blurb what else brings a group of estranged family members together? Each with their own personal issues both inside and outside of the family circle, but together... let’s just say I’m was looking forward to seeing how this was going to play out. What happened to make everyone at odds with each other?
It was a slow start to this story but it was also time to get to know everyone. The story is weaved with memories making it easy to get inside everyone's head and know what the issues are/were. The author did a great job of weaving making this a well written book with characters that are flawed and at times not really likeable.
The historical aspect of the Florentine Diamond had me googling, seeing pictures and learning more about it. I would have loved that time period to have taken up more pages - that's the history nerd in me talking. But I loved the back story and how Helen acquired it.
The Imperfects is a book of secrets - everyone had secrets, family dynamics - such a wide range of personalities, and history - to know what really happened to the diamond would be so cool.
Amy Meyerson is a new author for me, this is her 2nd book, The Book Shop of Yesterdays being her debut (on my TBR pile).
I have an extra copy of this book, if you pop on over to my Instagram account @margaret.at.justonemorechapter you can enter to win. Sorry but due to postage rates I can only ship to a Canadian address.
Posted by Margaret @ JustOneMoreChapter at 4:15 PM
3 comments:
traveler June 30, 2020 at 11:14 AM
This book sounds captivating and memorable. I don't use anything but e-mail and would love this giveaway. Thanks for your great features and reviews. saubleb(at)gmail(dot)com
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Replies
Denise July 1, 2020 at 10:36 PM
Sounds like a great detective story. I have never heard of the Florentine Diamond. I am very curious about it, because my grandparents were both born in Galicia, a part of the Austrian Empire. I am going to google it. I am on Instagram, but don't know how to post or share on it.
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Replies
Denise July 1, 2020 at 10:38 PM
Wow, a very unusual shape and shade of yellow. I wonder what my great-aunt's late husband would have thought of it. He was a diamond cutter in Holland before WWII.
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Garrison argues the ADL acted with "malice" and falsely branded him as anti-Semitic - a claim that was then regurgitated by media outlets.
If you're tired of censorship, cancel culture, and the erosion of privacy and civil liberties subscribe to Reclaim The Net.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) is known for scouring the internet for what it deems to be hate speech or misinformation and then using what it finds as the basis of a campaign.
Sometimes these campaigns will focus on attempting to get a company to censor more hate speech or misinformation, such as the current “Stop Hate for Profit” campaign which is being spearheaded by the ADL.
Other times these articles will accuse public figures of being racist or anti-Semitic. These accusations are often then repeated by media outlets and have the potential to damage the reputation and career of these public figures before they have the opportunity to respond and defend themselves.
In the case of cartoonist Ben Garrison, he was publicly disinvited from The White House’s Social Media Summit last year after an ADL article about him became the subject of heavy media attention.
Now Garrison is suing the ADL for “defamation, conversion and trespass” and seeking $10.35 million in damages.
The bulk of Garrison’s complaint focuses on an August 2017 article published on the ADL’s website which is titled: “Anti-Semitism Used in Attack Against National Security Adviser H. R. McMaster.”
The article features one of Garrison’s cartoons depicting billionaire investor George Soros, National Security Advisor H.R. McMaster, and General David Petraeus as “puppets of the ‘Rothchilds.'”
While the article was published in 2017, it received renewed media attention shortly after Garrison tweeted out that he’d been invited to The White House Social Media Summit on July 5, 2019. His invite was rescinded a few days later and Garrison said this renewed media attention had led to his invite being revoked.
Garrison’s complaint accuses the ADL of smearing him and making “numerous intentionally false statements” in this 2017 article which include claims that Garrison “displayed a clearly anti-Semitic cartoon on his own website” and claims that “the anti-Semitic theme of the Garrison cartoon is impossible to miss.”
The complaint states: “Garrison was held up to world condemnation, scorn and public humiliation leading up to the Social Media Summit at the White House, and thereafter. He has been forced to endure vicious attacks by Internet trolls as a result of the ADL’s publications.”
The complaint also notes that Wikipedia editors cited this ADL article to “falsely state that Plaintiff ‘produced cartoons that showcase … anti-Semitic and racist content.'”
Additionally, the complaint alleges that “the ADL is engaged in a targeted campaign of defamation to destroy Garrison’s reputation and livelihood” and describes tweets about the article from the ADL’s Vice President Oren Segal and Senior Research Fellow at the ADL’s Center on Extremism Mark Pitcavage as examples of how “ADL operatives throughout the country have excessively published the false and defamatory statement that Garrison is anti-Semitic.”
In the 2015 article, the ADL’s Pitcavage noted that people were “trying to frame” Garrison by circulating rumors about him and that “a few years ago someone altered his [Garrison’s] drawing the ‘March of Tyranny’ to include an anti-Semitic drawing of a Jewish person, and the image — as well as other manipulations of his work — circled widely on the internet.”
The complaint argues that “the ulterior purpose of the ADL Article was to silence Plaintiff’s free speech and his criticism of the Rothschilds and Soros.”
While this 2017 article is the main focus of the complaint, the complaint also cites the ADL’s publication of a doctored version of one of Garrison’s cartoons as evidence of the “ADL’s actual malice towards Garrison.”
The complaint states that the “ADL trolled Garrison, doctored one of Garrison’s cartoons and published it on ADL’s website (without Garrison’s permission) to make it appear to ADL’s donors, members and the public that Garrison was, in fact, anti-Semitic and racist.”
The left image shows Ben Garrison’s original cartoon, the right image shows the doctored version of Ben Garrison’s cartoon that was published on the ADL’s website.
“The doctored image remained prominently displayed on ADL’s website for a long time,” the complaint adds. “On July 11, 2019, after Garrison lost the opportunity to attend the Social Media Summit, ADL finally admitted that they had doctored the cartoon. The doctored cartoon, with its hateful content attributed to ‘Ben Garrison’, remains on ADL’s website however.”
Additionally, the complaint cites several other ADL articles as evidence that the “ADL has published on its website numerous other false and defamatory statements about Garrison.”
“In truth, ADL is a tool of the Democratic Party and private corporations, such as Google, to target supporters of President Donald Trump, members of the Republican Party, and conservatives generally,” the complaint argues.
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| 6,274 |
Wendy writes of JOY on untipsyteacher and I loved her description of joy. Me. I just can’t feel it right now.
I tried writing a post last week. I didn’t post it. It was too dark and depressing. That was my mood. It was the truth. I still feel the same. Depression is here. I cannot move forward or back or over. I try to make an effort and boy is it an effort. Life should be a joy. It is not at the moment.
I am joyless. I am depressed.
Coronavirus is creating a layer on our lives which we never would have imagined.
I went for a walk for the first time in ages. I didn’t like seeing people. I did and I didn’t. Just don’t come near me but acknowledge me. Prickly as a pineapple, is me. Not sure if the walk helped. It was nice to see the water and the sky. So yes. I didn’t prepare well, didn’t wear socks so go blisters on my heels. I tried my best but today my best is bit#hy. I am not pleasant to be around.
So very tired. Exhausted. Anxious. Snappy. Prickly. Don’t say anything kind to me. I don’t deserve it. I will take it the wrong way and that compliment you said will backfire like a turd in a catapult. Walk away. I just want a break from myself. Tired. So so sick of myself.
No desire to drink again. Luckily. But tell me what is the point if all I feel now is constantly depressed? Don’t answer that. Today I lack the concept of hope. There is no hope today.
Sober as a bitten fingernail.
A request though, do you have a book that you would recommend that would be helpful in dealing with depression?
This entry was posted in sober, Thoughts and tagged anxiety, depression, sober by limetwiste. Bookmark the permalink.
59 thoughts on “No Joy”
msnewleaf on May 4, 2020 at 8:01 am said:
If you are not up for this, I understand. But I nominated you for the Liebster Award. See my most recent post.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jim Simmonds on May 3, 2020 at 6:40 pm said:
I think you will, it really does have a timeless quality and for me is full of really accessible wisdom. X
LikeLiked by 2 people
Jim Simmonds on May 2, 2020 at 8:40 pm said:
Depression is a bastard. The black dog. I don’t suffer from it but I know and have worked with many people that do experience it. What I know helps many people is chatting about it. In the UK I volunteer with Samaritans and just a chat with someone when feeling very down can help. Do you have an equivalent where you are?
As far as a book is Concerned I can recommend The Road less Travelled by M Scott Peck. Full of wisdom and insight. The opening lines alone are worth getting the book for:
“Life is difficult. This is a great truth, one of the greatest truths. It is a great truth because once we truly see this truth, we transcend it. Once we truly know that life is difficult–once we truly understand and accept it–then life is no longer difficult. Because once it is accepted, the fact that life is difficult no longer matters.”
It amazes me how much damage I have done by expecting life to be something other than difficult and how much easier my life is when I accept that it is difficult and that I will be uncomfortable.”
Hope that cloud lifts. Jim x
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 12:24 am said:
I read The Road Less Travelled many many years ago. It was my first book reading about the philosophy of life. I just loved it. I wonder if I read it again today what will make me take notice. Putting it on the list thank you. xx
Thanks for the suggestion of chatting about depression. When I am in the middle of it I don’t realise how my way of speaking changes, the tone gets harsher, the replies get snappier. But you don’t realise it, until it’s pointed out. Sometimes you realise it yourself and try to improve but quite honestly you just need to wait it out or avoid people. I tend to talk less and avoid people when depressed. Safer for everyone. I have slept for 16 hours and feel so much better. For me sleeping is better than a chat. At least it is at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Jim Simmonds on May 3, 2020 at 2:17 am said:
That’s great about the sleep, whatever works for you, that’s the key thing. And re that book I may well reread it myself. Jim x
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:34 pm said:
I am curious now myself to see what I missed the first time round. I wonder if I will like it all these years later. x
sobrietytree on May 2, 2020 at 6:50 pm said:
“Sober as a bitten fingernail” – wow. Brilliant. And the first book that popped into my mind is The Artist’s Way… though that’s not specifically on dealing with depression. Thought I’d jot it down anyway. xoxoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 2, 2020 at 6:57 pm said:
p.s. I tried not to say anything too kind… because of what you said in your post, and because I get it, since I’ve ‘been there,’ often enough. But I think you’re an awesome writer, and I’m sending hugs and love, I hope that’s not too much. 🤗
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 7:05 pm said:
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 3, 2020 at 12:36 am said:
So glad to hear it
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 7:03 pm said:
Love that book. My copy is well worn. Thank you for suggesting that.
I try and write my morning pages (mp) daily. Not happening so much these days but find them very helpful when I do. Sometimes I write them at night before bed so for me they are anytime pages. I use a fountain pen to write too. It’s a good habit.
Any book that lifts or gives hope is a book to help deal with depression.
Today sleeping all day apart from lunch . I think my body needs it. Going with the flow rather than fighting it. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
sobrietytree on May 3, 2020 at 12:40 am said:
I figured you would have… you’re so creative and it’s a bit of a bible isn’t it. I agree the pages can be anytime pages and for me they are one of my main forms of therapy besides light daily exercise. I still have to try this fountain pen thing!! You’re inspiring me. Good job on the sleep too…. super important, and I often don’t make enough time for it. Sweet (day)dreams… xoxoxo
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:30 pm said:
Fountain pens are beautiful to write with. Decide on what nib you like, fine, medium or other. For me I prefer medium, gets a bit more ink on the page and it’s less ‘scratchy’. Then there’s inks to play with and also paper.
To start with would I recommend a Lamy Safari. That’s what I use for everyday.
For ink I would recommend Pelikan Edelstein Ink Collection.
Both the fountain pens and inks come in amazing colours. Enjoy window shopping online. xx
Drunky Drunk Girl on May 1, 2020 at 12:37 pm said:
How long have you been sober? There is something called PAWS, and I suffered for 15 to 18 months after getting sober (felt depressed, not motivated to do anything, really). Also, what about perimenopause? I know that declining female hormones can cause depression and anxiety… Also, there is something akin to withdrawal off of SSRIs (and maybe other antidepressants)–good to know, maybe you’ve felt that as well. HUGS. Hope you reach some solace soon…
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 2:29 pm said:
I am sober 1 year 5 months, (17 months). Haven’t heard of PAWS. Will look it up.
Moved on into menopause now. Peri-menopause was rough.
I was 2 months free of SSRI. I safely reduced my dosage in 10mg increments for a month at each new level. However I started back up again yesterday.
All these questions that you’re asking and no wonder I feel the way I do. Plus CoviD19, plus my broken ankle late last year. Thank you DDG.
clairei47 on May 1, 2020 at 3:32 am said:
Hi you. I’m sorry I have only just read your post and doubly sorry you are feeling this way. Depression is a killer and I absolutely hate it. It is totally the opposite of ‘joy’ in every sense of the word. Others have made excellent suggestions and comments before me and I echo what they say. I stopped taking my antidepressants at the beginning of 2019 and two months afterwards I took a nose dive I couldn’t come out of. In June I restarted them and they ave really helped, along with counselling. The anger and disgust we feel towards ourselves when we are in fullness of depression is all consuming isn’t it? We are so hard on ourselves, like it’s our fault. You and I know deep down it isn’t and being cross with us wont help. Its an illness and THE most important thing right now is to try as hard as you can to not punish or blame yourself. Give yourself a break. Be as kind to you as you would be to others if they were saying the same things to you. have As kind as you have been to me in the past when I have struggled.
Never worry about expressing those feelings on here. We all want to help and support you as much as you have us. Claire xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 11:30 am said:
Thanks Claire. I woke up to your comment today. My eyes are leaking now.
I’m an introvert at the best of times, I usually like my own company. but with depression it makes me doubt myself and even the simplest of decisions makes me go into a tailspin. And I feel shame, stupid and tired for starters. The self care atm has gone out the window. The kindness of others here is lifting me up. I needed to be reminded of being kind to myself. Thanks for that. The onesie, Netflix and bed yesterday helped.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 1, 2020 at 8:33 pm said:
My advice, for what it’s worth, is to accept that you feel all those emotions. Depression will lead to doubts, shame, tiredness and feelings of being unworthy and disengaged. Try to remember that’s depression causing you to feel that way, not you! Take it slowly and stay in the onsie until you are ready to take the next step. Fill up your little box of self care strategies and use them. I have let my self care slip and I can feel the difference. Today I’m going to rest, watch tv, listen to mindfulness and meditation apps and try some yoga for the first time. Plus sleep a lot.
Sending love, keep going, you are doing great xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 1, 2020 at 11:18 pm said:
Went for a walk today. It was what I needed.
Slowly,…And no problem sleeping at the moment.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 2, 2020 at 11:28 am said:
Hi. How are you doing today?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 1:30 pm said:
Getting there Thanks.
How about you?
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 2, 2020 at 8:50 pm said:
Rocky couple of days but hopefully I’ll pick up. It’s such a difficult time all round isn’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 12:31 am said:
It certainly is. Take care.
Sleep has been my go-to today. Lots and lots of it. Feeling much better after 16 hours.
LikeLiked by 1 person
clairei47 on May 3, 2020 at 1:01 am said:
I think it’s sometimes what we have to do. I certainly feel I need it right now. I’m sure it’s our body’s way of helping our mind rest and recover. Depression can feel a bit like an assault on the emotions can’t it?
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 3, 2020 at 2:33 pm said:
Sure does. Enjoying a cup of tea in my dressing gown listening to the rain belting down outside. Warm and safe. Be safe, keep well. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
SaaniaSparkle 🧚 on May 1, 2020 at 1:42 am said:
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 27, 2020 at 1:57 pm said:
Thank you.
LikeLiked by 1 person
SaaniaSparkle 🧚 on May 27, 2020 at 3:12 pm said:
My pleasure, followed you!
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 27, 2020 at 3:17 pm said:
Followed you back! Enjoy your day.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Dwight Hyde on April 30, 2020 at 6:55 pm said:
This is my go to book whenever I need to reconnect with life: There’s a spiritual solution to every problem by Wayne Dyer. I’m actually rereading it now for about the 5th time. Sending
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 8:34 pm said:
Hi Dwight. Another author I have read in the past. Time to go back and reread Wayne Dyer again too. Thank you. Stay safe. xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
Untipsyteacher on April 30, 2020 at 10:03 am said:
I’m so sorry, I suffered most of my life with depression, at times severe.
I do take an anti depressant which helps. I found that exercise, talk therapy helped so much.
It’s very hard, and I hope you can find some relief.
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 3:24 pm said:
Thanks Wendy I hope you didn’t feel like I was putting a dampener on your post Joy.
Keep posting with photos please.
Enjoying them.
A onesie day at home. Staying safe and warm.
Started back on medicine today. Disappointed I need to take them but understanding that they help. I thought I could do it without medicinal help. But I can’t.
LikeLiked by 2 people
Untipsyteacher on May 1, 2020 at 12:27 am said:
As Anne said, depression is sneaky. Also during this pandemic, It gets magnified!
It’s just a hard hard time for so many people.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ainsobriety on April 30, 2020 at 4:30 am said:
I used to be very anti medication, until I actually became suicidal and tried medication.
It is now a must for me. I don’t let myself question its necessity. Even with eating well, daily yoga, sobriety, self love…I still expertience depression.
I’m taking a low dose of cymbalta now and I believe it is working. It lets me do all the work to find the true joy, even amongst horrible pain.
I got through my divorce, I’m getting through the pandemic, I’m loving through another natural disaster right now.
It’s hard. But I know that without the meds no amount of work was going to get my head above water.
I love Pema Chodorn, the places that scare you. It helped me a lot.
Take care. Don’t underestimate depression. It is very very complicated.
LikeLiked by 3 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:53 pm said:
Thanks for your honesty. I have read Pema Chodron in the past. I like her. Will look her up again. Thanks for pointing me in the right direction.
I think I will go back on fluoxetine. I don’t know what miracle I expected this morning. Situation: no change.
I cried over a sushi delivery today.
Simply ridiculous. Can’t believe I felt/wrote that.
Ainsobriety on April 30, 2020 at 4:47 pm said:
I’m glad you are warm in your onesie. Small things can be huge…both good and bad.
Depression is sneaky. The best is to tell others, even if it sounds odd!
It makes it less scary!
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 8:30 pm said:
Depression craves the isolation and wants you to feel separate from the world and be miserable and alone slowly getting worse and worse with no way out. It really is sneaky like you say.
I have to say that after reluctantly posting and receiving such wonderful support here it has helped enormously. Thank you.
I love my sober online community.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Ainsobriety on May 2, 2020 at 2:45 am said:
There is power in community, even a virtual one.
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on May 2, 2020 at 1:13 pm said:
Absolutely
msnewleaf on April 30, 2020 at 2:37 am said:
I don’t have depression, but I have anxiety that can be debilitating at times. My step-mother has severe depression. Zoloft (sertraline) has changed both of our lives. I didn’t want to take it for a long time. I still feel, somehow, that I “shouldn’t” be on it. I don’t know exactly why I feel that way since I am doing so much better (now that I’m past the side effects). I am certain that I would be losing my mind entirely with anxiety right now without it. These are terrible times. A prolonged state of fear and stress and worry is just not something our bodies and minds cope with well. We will get through it somehow. I’m all for funny movies and books in the meantime.
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:38 pm said:
Onesie and Netflix for today.
LikeLiked by 1 person
drgettingsober on April 29, 2020 at 7:49 pm said:
I’m sorry to hear you’re feeling depressed – you describe it so well and having felt that way in the autumn you have all my sympathy – it’s horrible to not feel any joy. Are you taking anything to help? Just coz there’s a reason for it doesn’t mean meds won’t help? They have helped me enormously. Be kind to yourself and take care xxx
LikeLiked by 2 people
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 8:19 pm said:
Thanks for your sympathy.
I was taking fluoxetine for the side effects of stopping hot flushes/night sweats. It was very effective. They stopped so I weaned myself off it over the last few months. Did it reduce my anxiety?probably yes. It has been 2 full months without it. Took 30mg. Now none.
Perhaps I should consider resuming it again for the purpose it was designed for. Food for thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 8:42 pm said:
I was on prozac for a LONG time and it definitely helped me, or helped me cope a little better. If it reduced your anxiety then it would again and you know it’s not for ever…
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:34 pm said:
I don’t really want to take medicine if I can help it. Hence the weaning off of it.
I hope this helps. Would like to give this a try and help myself deal with it naturally for the long term.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:42 pm said:
Totally understand that. Eventually I did wean myself off. But I do have to remind myself how desperately ill I was and how necessary it was for me, personally. All 3 of my kids suffer from anxiety (in varying forms). It’s harder for me to know that than have depression myself, but they’re strong and they fight hard. My youngest (that I live with) showed me a book (bible) she has entitled Calm the Fuck Down by Sarah Knight. It made me laugh out loud. X
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:51 pm said:
I do understand depression will keep coming back. It just catches me off guard all the time. I don’t have my ‘depression first aid kit’ sorted. I am learning to ride it rather than fight it. It does get tiring. I hate the way it makes me feel so stupid and pathetic.
Thanks. Will look out for the book Calm the Fuck Down by Sarah Knight.
Everything is eBook atm. The libraries are shut but eBooks and streaming films prevail. It is quite amazing how adaptable everyone is.
LikeLiked by 1 person
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:58 pm said:
I haven’t suffered from depression for over 11 years now. I’m not ‘cured’ but I’m as better as I’ll ever be. It’s not simple but I realised a long time ago that you have to find the thing that gives you the most joy and do that thing as much as you can. For me it was a combination of humour, writing (both humour and serious shit), photography and art. It works for me because I want it too…I guess. What you said about the things you can’t wait to do…THOSE things will make you better! The timing is bad but things will go back to normal soon. Stay strong xx
LikeLiked by 1 person
limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:24 am said:
What you said just now is hopeful and helpful. Xx
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S_MW on April 30, 2020 at 4:12 am said:
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S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 7:47 pm said:
I’m working (checkout operator) and we’re experiencing a lot of abuse from customers, who I suspect, are feeling a lot like you do. I am taking it personally a lot of the time and people I speak to about it tell me to tell them to ‘eff off’ but it’s really not my way. I KNOW that some of them are just arseholes but not all. People are (collectively) feeling anxious, unsure and overwhelmed about something that is beyond our control but not everyone has the coping mechanism for that. I had postnatal depression that morphed into clinical for 14 years so I do feel for you (in a completely non patronising kinda way) and also KNOW exactly how it feels to lose your sense of humour or joy. That was (for me) the straw that broke the camel’s back though and if I start feeling similarly now I’ll search for funny shit til my funny bone’s tickled again. Actually, I’ve been doing that lately too, watching reruns of programmes I know will make me laugh out loud.
I just want you to know, in my hamfisted way, that I get how you feel, or think I do. I’ve been jokingly saying lately that I can’t wait til this is over so I can quit my job, move to a uninhabited island and live there for the rest of my life…which is an unrealistic dream really. Hate people right now (present company excepted, of course!). X
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 8:08 pm said:
Thank you for your long comment. Especially the last line
I am polite to everyone except DH at the moment. He’s getting the brunt of it. I am usually polite to everyone.
Even awful people.
The moving to an island idea, umm, yes, I have actually looked online for property. Lol
Netflix and YouTube binging has been helpful.
Saw a great video on making roti and then burst into tears when I read in the comments that the guy had died of Covid 19. That was yesterday.
Thank you for working especially at a time such as now. I appreciate what you do.
Thanks for getting me.
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S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 8:37 pm said:
I haven’t really been a big crier since the Great Depression (I did enough of that shit then) but I’ve cried a lot lately. Like the roti story, I’ve heard a few that’ve got me right at the wrong time. I blubbed so much at one story my daughter told me that even she was shifting uncomfortably at my reaction – I could TELL she was wishing she hadn’t told me haha. It just means we’re human though, you know…with emotions and empathy and shit.
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:26 pm said:
It was Floyd Cardoz. I just ‘discovered’ him this week. His voice is wonderful and his passion for food is just amazing.
I’m stoic with those I don’t know. Overly polite to people I don’t know so I appear standoffish rather than friendly. I just believe in being polite and kind to everyone. Times like now I forget to smile and my resting face is ‘wtf have you done’ with frown lines. It scares the hell out of DH sometimes when I appear and say something ordinary. It doesn’t match up.
Emotional. Yes. I used to try and suppress it. Now I just let it out. It’s a good thing.
I just want to go fishing, read a book, watch films, sketch, paint, cook, make pottery, nap, go for a walk, and be with DH and my cats, light a fire, watch the sunsets. If that doesn’t sound like island life, what does? I would insist on a good internet connection though.
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 9:34 pm said:
Oh, of course haha. That last paragraph you put is (almost) my ideal too. I’m working so much that I don’t even have time to dream about the stuff I want to do…but eventually, one day you and I will both be able to do those simple things that give joy. X
I’m about to reblog a thing from a blogger I also follow on here and she’s got a great s.o.h. Hope it makes you laugh too x
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limetwiste on April 29, 2020 at 9:38 pm said:
Mel Robbins suggests writing 5 dreams daily.
Look forward to reading it. Could do with a laugh.
S_MW on April 29, 2020 at 10:10 pm said:
I reblogged the blog and this one of my own that I originally wrote in 2018, which made me laugh out loud at myself, which is sad but true. I hope it makes you smile too. https://allanesinclair.wordpress.com/2018/01/11/hmmmm/
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limetwiste on April 30, 2020 at 12:29 am said:
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During the last three global environmental conferences, India and China argued that they should be exempt from limits on the production of greenhouse gases, and that most of the decrease in greenhouse emissions globally should come from developed countries.
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There are three main approaches to dealing with solid waste: landfills, incineration, and composting.
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As I mentioned in my post detailing my plans for the year, I’m going to be going through the Wardrobe Architect project which Colette ran back in 2014. I thought it was a good idea then, but at the time I don’t think I thought I needed it to plan my sewing and cement my personal style, but I definitely feel like I need it now!
I’m going to be doing a week every 2 weeks, as I don’t think I’ll be able to fit it in quicker than that! Here is my proposed schedule (so I am accountable at least a bit!):
Week 2 – 05/02
Week 3 – 19/02
Week 4 – 05/03
Week 5 – 19/03
Week 6 – 02/04
Week 7 – 16/04
Week 8 – 30/04
Week 11 – 04/06
(there isn’t a week 13 as that was a giveaway in the original project.)
The first week is about making your style more personal. Colette have produced a worksheet to fill in with answers to various questions to help you figure out your motivations for what you wear. I’ll answer them here – I hope this is vaguely interesting!
How has your personal history informed the way you dress?
I think the main way my history has informed my style is that I never felt cool at school because I never had the latest fashions. Having been bullied a lot through school (both primary and secondary), I felt really self-conscious through my teenage years. This carried on even when I was at university as I didn’t have much money so couldn’t go out and buy loads and loads of clothes, so I probably wore a very small wardrobe of clothes until I worked full-time. I think this all explains why I feel like I want the perfect wardrobe that will make me feel cool and mean I have awesome clothes to wear every day – this is why I compulsively buy patterns!
When did your tastes crystallize? Have they changed over the years, and why?
I’m not sure, really. I guess it’s evolved with each little period of my life – at university I dressed oddly smartly I think. Then when I started work at a bookshop, I carried this on but went a little more casual. Moving to London 7 1/2 years ago probably was the thing that has made the biggest difference to my style and self-confidence. Again I worked in a bookshop, and was surrounded by lots of people with lots of different personal styles. It made me realise I didn’t have to care about what was ‘fashionable’ (if there is such a thing any more!), I could wear what I wanted and felt good in. It was also while I was in London that I started sewing!I’ve also changed in the shapes that I like to wear – moving away from tight tops, favouring a looser silhouette on the top, but with skinny trousers. I also didn’t used to be so interested in vintage styles and shapes – I think this is probably something that changed when I discovered sewing and the online sewing community.
How does your philosophy, spirituality, or religion affect your aesthetics and buying habits? Or, what aspects of those things would you like to see reflected?
I’m not religious so I’ve found this question quite difficult. The main thing I could think of to include in this section was my growing awareness of how I consume. I’ve talked about this a little before on my blog, but I want to become a bit more aware of where my fabric comes from. A couple of years ago I read the book Overdressed (and I did a review of it, but it seems to have disappeared when I migrated my blog to a new name) and it has stuck with me what Elizabeth Cline wrote about the crazy levels of consumption caused by the trend towards fast fashion. Also the working conditions of the people making the clothes, and the damage caused to poor communities’ homes by the dying and other chemical processes used in the garment industry. It is tricky, though, because it’s really hard to know where fabric comes from – and I still don’t have very much money so I find myself weighing up price against the quality and origin of fabric, with price often being my most important concern. I do want to try to be better about this this year, though. If anyone has any tips for places I can buy ethical fabric at a reasonable price, please do let me know.
How has your cultural background shaped the way you look?
I have no idea about this one!
How did the aesthetics and values you grew up with affect your tastes as you got older?
As I mentioned above, I grew up in a house that wasn’t very fashion conscious, which I think has now helped me to not feel embarrassed about possibly looking a bit more individual than other people – now I’ve left school that is! I also grew up in a house without much money and clothes were one of the things not prioritised. I still feel this now – I never could justify spending much money on clothes, which is why sewing is so perfect for me. I can always justify buying fabric and patterns! I also grew up with my mum making quite a lot of our clothes when we were little, so I always knew sewing my own clothes was an option.
How are you influenced by the people around you, including friends, family, and other communities you’re involved in?
The main community that has influenced me, in terms of sewing and fashion, is the online sewing community! And especially all of the amazing independent pattern designers. When I started sewing, there was really only Colette, Sewaholic and Grainline and now we are really spoilt for choice – and it means we can find particular designers that really mesh with our styles! It was also through reading sewing blogs that I became aware of vintage fashion and realised I particularly love the 60s. I also feel inspired to have a (nearly) 100% handmade wardrobe – I’ll get there one day!
How do your day-to-day activities influence your choices?
I think my activities influence me less than they used to – I cycled to work the last 18 months I lived in London so I pretty much always wore trousers. I also worked in jobs in London where I didn’t have to be particularly smart. Now, however, I work in an office which does require a certain level of smartness – I don’t have to wear a suit but the men do, with ties. It’s kind of harder and easier to be a woman as we have so much choice, but we have so much choice! I walk to work in 5 minutes, and do walk around at work quite a bit, so comfort is definitely high on my list of needs in clothing!
Cirencester (where I live now) seems to be a bit less individual than London, on the whole. I’m sure there are people everywhere who wear what they like, but it’s kind of obvious that big cities are likely to be more ‘out there’ than small Cotswold towns. I don’t feel that anyone would be judged for dressing how they like here, though.
How does climate factor in?The UK is friggin’ cold for most of the year – and Cirencester is definitely colder than London. Also I am cold-blooded, so being warm enough is probably the most important thing to me when getting dressed.
In what ways does body image affect your choices in clothing?
I’m not sure, really. The only thing about myself that I ever wanted to change was my terrible crooked teeth. I had braces as an adult, in my early twenties, and it is easily the best thing I’ve ever done in terms of my self-confidence. It might sound like I’m really up myself, but I’ve never been particularly conscious of my body – it all works, so I don’t have any reason to complain. I could be fitter, but I know I’m too lazy!
What clothes make you feel good about the body you live in? What clothes make you feel uncomfortable or alienated from your body?
Having said I feel confident in my body, I don’t like it to be on show particularly. I prefer to be quite covered up – I especially feel uncomfortable if my cleavage (what little of it there is!) is on show. I don’t mind showing off my figure (such as in my Lace Dress) as long as I’m not showing too much flesh (which is how I felt in my BHL Georgia Dress). I have moved away from more fitted clothes, particularly on my top half, in favour of a looser fit. I feel more comfortable in looser styles. I also hate to wear ill-fitting things (as some of my earlier makes now are) as I don’t like feeling pinched or like I have to spend the day adjusting things.
So there we go! I wrote more than I thought I was going to, which hopefully is a good thing! I’m really looking forward to the next week and to nailing my personal style once and for all – though I suspect I’ll end up with about 4 different styles!
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This entry was posted in Planning, Wardrobe Architect and tagged Colette, Colette Patterns, Fashion, Handmade Wardrobe, Wardrobe Architect on January 22, 2017 by Amelia Wray.
evenlode1967 January 24, 2017 at 1:49 pm
Love this post! Its a really fascinating exercise, with lots of issues that are worth exploring, especially how our perceptions of ourselves so often come through other people (such as with bullying, peer pressure, gender, family role models etc), and what effects our backgrounds have on our style choices. I’m going to go off and do this myself! Thanks for the inspiration!
Amelia Wray Post author January 24, 2017 at 9:23 pm
It was interesting when I really started to think about all the things and people that might have influenced me – and it’s just about clothes! Yay for you joining in too – the later weeks are about shapes and colours and styles and things, so you end up with a capsule wardrobe, or at least the idea of what it will look like!
gingerella January 30, 2017 at 1:53 pm
Enjoyed reading this and learning more about you (although massive sadface at the bullying! I was too). I really quite enjoyed this process so I hope you do too and that useful insights come out of it. I really must go back and look at mine and see how my choices now fit in with the outcome of my Wardrobe Architect. In terms of ethical fabric and knowing where it comes from, I want to be better at that too, and also not just buying fabrics (and patterns!) for them to sit there in my stash. I sometimes wonder whether that means it’s just like fast fashion, so fast fabric. I’m undecided but ultimately, I just need to sew my stash! I’m blabbering on. I noticed Wendy Ward wrote about ethical fabrics which is a short, interesting read with some useful links: https://wendyward.wordpress.com/2017/01/27/my-top-5-ethical-sustainable-fabrics-for-home-dressmaking/. Oh and yup, I felt pretty exposed in my Georgia dress as well actually, and it’s recently gone onto the recycle pile (it was pretty terribly sewn!).
Amelia Wray Post author January 31, 2017 at 7:26 pm
I feel like all the best people were bullied at some point I’m really looking forward to finding out what my style is – I suspect I already know some of it, but at the very least if it can stop me making things I will never wear, then it will be a success!
Thanks for the link to Wendy Ward, I hadn’t seen that post. She also has a link at the bottom of the post to ethical fabric shops.
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It seems to me that for some reason, our culture today is especially anxious about the future, often day-dreaming and dwelling in never-ending “what if” scenarios. I know I’ve been stuck in these loops. So how do we get out? Well, I think typical conventional wisdom would go something like “take it one day at a time,” which can certainly be a healthy way to slow down and process things. I think the Church would say, “pray about it.” As cliché as these answers are, I think they’re both right. Let’s consider some practical advice from Scripture and from some of our great saints.
First, let’s consider what it looks like to pray about our anxieties of the future. The Church has a long-standing spirituality of surrender to Divine Providence, or God’s plan for us:
For I know well the plans I have for you...plans for your welfare and not for woe, so as to give you a future of hope (Jeremiah 29:11)
For as the Heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways, my thought higher than your thoughts (Isaiah 55:9)
Meditating on the truth that our God provides for us is a sure way to greater peace in our lives. Jesus often told St. Faustina “fear nothing; I am always with you,” and her response, “Jesus, I trust in you.” Our God does not change, so let’s believe that just as He said to St. Faustina, He also says to us “fear nothing; I am always with you,” and let’s repeat after Faustina, “Jesus I trust in you.” If we truly believe this, we will be able to dwell and rest in the peace of trusting God. In this rest, the Lord will surely teach us how to be able to peacefully take things one day at a time.
Pope St. John XXIII supposedly strove to live a very healthy and stress-free life. Legend has it that when he would retire for the night his prayer would be, “Well Lord, it's your Church, you take care of it; I'm going to sleep.” I don’t think he was just a funny, stress-free guy. I think his ability to keep his light sense of humor was only possible as a result of a life of deep trust in the Lord...he is a saint after all. He had a “daily decalogue” — his own personal ten commandments that he strove to live by. Each one begins with the phrase “only for today.” His first “commandment” touches on exactly what we’re talking about:
Only for today, I will seek to live the livelong day positively without wishing to solve the problems of my life all at once.
He consciously acknowledges “yes, I have a lot of things to deal with” (like we all do), but he also patiently recognizes that he cannot solve everything in one day. He will be patient and trust in the process (Jesus, I trust in you!). He understood that it is easy to become overwhelmed, so every morning he reminded himself to “take it one day at a time.” His last commandment captures his “only for today” charism perfectly:
Only for today, I will have no fears. In particular, I will not be afraid to enjoy what is beautiful and to believe in goodness. Indeed, for 12 hours I can certainly do what might cause me consternation were I to believe I had to do it all my life.
The last sentence is especially striking and profound, yet so obvious. For only 12 hours, surely we can do whatever our lives call us to do. I think the last phrase, “were I to believe I had to do it all my life,” is the key to his spirituality. He had himself convinced that all he had to do was make it through the present day, the future had no bearing on his mind, and therefore no power to weigh him down. Some things in our lives can surely crush us if we try to consider the magnitude of having to do it everyday for many years, or even the rest of our lives, but taking things one day at a time, or just the next 12 hours, can definitely lead us to a way of living that emphasizes doing our best each day without getting overwhelmed.
I love another story from the Desert Fathers, a group of early monks around 300-400 A.D.:
A brother spent nine years, tempted to leave the cenobium (monastery). Every day he got his things ready to leave, and when evening came, he would say to himself: “Tomorrow, I go away.” In the morning he again thought to himself: “Let us strive again to hold out today because of the Lord.” And when he had spent nine years in that way, God relieved him of that temptation.
Truly, this brother was living the same spirituality as John XXIII. Perhaps every morning he would tell himself, “only for today will I do this, but surely not for my whole life, this is too hard.” But by persevering like this every day, after nine long years he prevailed.
This is so practical for us! What if instead of having to wake up everyday at 5:00am for work, to take care of the kids, etc. I have myself convinced that I only have to do it for today? Even if I have to do that thing for years, it definitely seems lighter and more bearable that way, and where things are peaceful, we know the Lord is there. How much more present we could be to ourselves, to God, and to those around us by taking each day so intentionally.
So if you remember anything from reading this, remember Faustina’s “Jesus, I trust in you” and John XXIII’s “only for today;” I think these two phrases in tandem, when we are truly convinced when we say them, will change our lives. If all we can say is “Jesus, it’s really hard to trust in you because I have such little faith, but only for today, I will trust you,” I think we can make great progress with Him. Let's always remember the truth that Jesus says to us at every moment "fear nothing; I am always with you."
For those of you that prefer to reflect on art and poetry rather than my musings, I got you this poem by Thérèse of Lisieux:
And yet for one day only my simple prayer I pray!
Come reign within my heart, smile tenderly on me,
Today, dear Lord, today.
But if I dare take thought of what the morrow brings –
I crave, indeed, my God, trials and sufferings,
But only for today!
Shining with Jesus’ light, guiding to Him my way!
For this brief passing day!
Soon shall I fly afar among the holy choirs,
Then shall be mine the joy that never knows decay;
Tyler has enjoyed supporting Dumb Ox Ministries as a missionary, an intern, and as an ECHO team prayer team leader. He is now pursuing a PhD in systematic theology at Ave Maria University in southwest Florida.
For the first time, within the last 2 weeks especially, I've felt a sense of hope and peace. Thank you for writing this, Tyler!
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We are beyond blessed with an amazing community of teens, young adults, priests, consecrated men and women, and families who are striving to live out Christ's invitation to authentic love and who have gifts to share their journeys through writing.
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Streamsong is in Florida where The Mosaic Company has established 3 courses on a piece of land formerly used for phosphate mining. Usually the courses in Florida are located on the east of west coastline, but this is in a remote area about 1 1/2 hours drive from Tampa. The golf courses and resort has received many good reviews, so I was looking forward to the experience and especially with the new Gil Hansen course. I played Black and Blue on the same day and Red the day after.
You drive slowly through the area and get a feel for what is to come. I went to the hotel first and had a quick coffee before heading to the Black clubhouse.
driving range and short game
completely open driving range which is true to the style and architecture
Small short game area at the Black course
The tee times were delayed due to an earlier accident at the resort so we were sent out on gunshot starts, which meant that I started on hole number 4.
the course
Hole 4 par 5
Streamsong Black 4th hole is a par 5 slightly uphill with a split fairway. I took the easy route down the right hand side and hit a hybrid second shot onto the other fairway which left me a short pitch to the green.
4th green
Difficult par 3
Hole 5, par 3
5th hole is a fantastic par 3 severely uphill and with a huge bunker/waste area on the right hand side. As our caddie suggested the miss is left and I hit a really good shot on the green
Looking back down to the tee on 5th hole
Made par and felt that it was 1 stroke gained on the field.
A short par 4 and I went with driver which left me with above pitch to the green.
I pushed my shot left and made a great up and down for par – so far a good start to the round
9th green
9th hole at Streamsong Black was playing to the wind and a long hole. I hit driver, 3 wood to the green. It is difficult to see on above picture, but the green is shaped like a bowl leading most balls into the middle of the green. Mine ended up pretty close to the hole and I converted for a really good birdie on a tough hole.
Hole 15, par 3
Short par 3, but well protected by bunkers. I hit a tee shot over the back into the bunker and made bogey.
17th green
18th on Streamsong Black is my favourite hole on all of the Streamsong courses. A really well designed and risk/reward finishing hole. I hit a decent drive and had 190m to the hole.
18th green in the distance
I went for the green in my second shot and was a little bit long which left me with a tough bunker shot. The greens slope towards the water so I still had a long putt for birdie. Made par and shot 80. Back nine was not great, but I was happy the score.
A good view of the 18th hole
Clubhouse on streamsong Black
My experience
Streamsong Black course was in really good shape and greens were firm and fast. I think Gil Hanse has designed a good course in a unique landscape. It is a “big” course with lots of space and for most parts wide fairways with large greens. The waste areas designs are well thought out and gives the course character. It is obviously a very open course and it was windy when we played which made it a bit more challenging, but you can get away with poor tee shots and will in most cases have a shot to the green anyway. It is not a particularly difficult course, but you still need to hit greens and putt well to score low.
I think Streamsong is a good golf destination and should be on the bucket list. I wouldnt be surpised if one or more of the courses will end up on the world top 100.
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This, my friends, is an absolute first for me, truly a case of trash to treasure. Or, as I like to say: “Junkernecking”! There we were, just getting started on a Saturday road trip. The sun was rising, the dew was fresh, and we were in search of treasures and fun and adventure. As we merged onto the road, I spied a cane side table on the side of the road. Read more ›
Categorized: Create, Patriotic · Tagged: americana, Americana craft, Americana cross stitch, Americana decor, cross stitch design, cross stitch on cane, cross stitch on furniture, cross stitch table, Flag decor, Independence day craft, Independence Day decor, Independence day project, July 4 craft, July 4 decor, July 4 project, July 4th craft, July 4th decor, July 4th project, oversized cross stitch, repurpose cane furniture, upcycle cane furniture
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Hello, there! I’m Sarah Ramberg and welcome to Sadie Seasongoods, my blog dedicated to approachable repurposing and upcycling projects using vintage treasures and thrifted finds! Read More
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2 Cor 5:17-21 Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new. 18 And all things are of God, who hath reconciled us to himself by Jesus Christ, and hath given to us the ministry of reconciliation:
A new creature: This term edified within the Greek words translated here infers something that did not exist before. So this is not about changing a few things about yourself to comply with the scripture. Instead, it is about you being able to be someone who never lived before.
19 To wit, that God was in Christ, reconciling the world unto himself, not imputing their trespasses unto them, and hath committed unto us the word of reconciliation.;
If God is not holding our sins against us, then should we hold others’ sins against them? The interesting fact is that many hold on to what others do either against them or someone else, some to the extent they see them as unbelievers though they are truly born again. If you, as a believer, consider yourself as holding a righteous bit of relationship with Christ, then you must reconcile any offenses you believe exist.
20 Now then we are ambassadors for Christ, as though God did beseech you by us: we pray you in Christ’s stead, be ye reconciled to God. 21 For he hath made him to be sin for us, who knew no sin; that we might be made the righteousness of God in him.
As God has reconciled you with Him through Christ, He holds none of your past offenses against you. And since no believer holds a position higher than one just a little lower than God in the realm of spiritual prowess, you must be willing to reconcile.
Psalm 8:3-9 (AMP) When I view and consider Your heavens, the work of Your fingers, the moon and the stars, which You have ordained and established, 4 What is man that You are mindful of him, and the son of [earthborn] man that You care for him? 5 Yet You have made him but a little lower than God [or heavenly beings], and You have crowned him with glory and honor. 6 You made him to have dominion over the works of Your hands; You have put all things under his feet:
So what is this reconciliation? It is you restoring a relationship, but it requires certain issues to be resolved or brought to be compatible with a belief common to all who participate.
This is where many are at odds in their confession about how to relate to another believer who is not of the same foundation, as they view relationships by using worldly mannerisms.
Rom 15:1-7 We then that are strong ought to bear the infirmities of the weak, and not to please ourselves. 2 Let every one of us please his neighbour for his good to edification. 3 For even Christ pleased not himself; but, as it is written, The reproaches of them that reproached thee fell on me.
Every believer in Christ is given a new heart, a new manner of life, a new spirit, and hope for the calling of God. Thus, the glory that God has set before them will reflect His glory in them and through them as they edify one another in a true relationship status.
4 For whatsoever things were written aforetime were written for our learning, that we through patience and comfort of the scriptures might have hope. 5 Now the God of patience and consolation grant you to be likeminded one toward another according to Christ Jesus: 6 That ye may with one mind and one mouth glorify God, even the Father of our Lord Jesus Christ. 7 Wherefore receive ye one another, as Christ also received us to the glory of God.
Suppose God can bear a believer’s imperfections as His Children, then they too can bear the imperfections of others. The word of God outlines there is to be an understanding of God’s desire in the manner of life as His Children. Their influence on those who enter a relationship with them through the salvation of the Lord Jesus Christ is critical to that manner of life being right in God’s sight.
Col 3:5-10 Mortify therefore your members which are upon the earth; fornication, uncleanness, inordinate affection, evil concupiscence, and covetousness, which is idolatry: 6 For which things’ sake the wrath of God cometh on the children of disobedience: 7 In the which ye also walked some time, when ye lived in them.
Believers may find it easy to cast off those old worldly sins and mannerisms, but when it comes to having a relationship with others, most especially other believers, they find it is not the same.
8 But now ye also put off all these; anger, wrath, malice, blasphemy, filthy communication out of your mouth. 9 Lie not one to another, seeing that ye have put off the old man with his deeds;
Since each of us has our own personality founded in our nature to do as we see fit, it causes faults in the sight of others. These faults can be the foundation of anguish, malice, and even wrath that causes a spoken manner, that instead of edifying, usually ends up caustically filthy.
10 And have put on the new man, which is renewed in knowledge after the image of him that created him:
However, one who is discerning of what this new man living is all about will not follow the world’s way of things but rather be one willing to do as God does.
Roms 12:5-18 So we, being many, are one body in Christ, and every one members one of another. 6 Having then gifts differing according to the grace that is given to us, whether prophecy, let us prophesy according to the proportion of faith;
Believers can offer themselves as a living whole but remain individually different in their character.
7 Or ministry, let us wait on our ministering: or he that teacheth, on teaching; 8 Or he that exhorteth, on exhortation: he that giveth, let him do it with simplicity; he that ruleth, with diligence; he that sheweth mercy, with cheerfulness.
No one is better than anyone else; all have been given offices, functions, and businesses to honor others. Thus, give to fulfill the body’s needs through gifts of either ministry or otherwise, honoring and preferring one another not to accommodate sins but differences.
9 Let love be without dissimulation. Abhor that which is evil; cleave to that which is good. 10 Be kindly affectioned one to another with brotherly love; in honour preferring one another 11 Not slothful in business; fervent in spirit; serving the Lord;
You do notice Paul is talking to believers here! I am sure he, like us today, sees some believers treating unbelievers in ways much better than they treat another sibling of God. But keep in mind that any believer under persecution is so by the world because of faith in Christ, not some sibling rivalry.
12 Rejoicing in hope; patient in tribulation; continuing instant in prayer; 13 Distributing to the necessity of saints; given to hospitality. 14 Bless them which persecute you: bless, and curse not. 15 Rejoice with them that do rejoice, and weep with them that weep. 16 Be of the same mind one toward another. Mind not high things, but condescend to men of low estate. Be not wise in your own conceits.
Learning to help those who need it and not become arrogant by it is something many struggles with simply because they have not come to understand the truth concerning how they are to be in life. A believer will never please everyone, meaning there are some; you will need to find a way to live in peace like it or not.
17 Recompense to no man evil for evil. Provide things honest in the sight of all men. 18 If it be possible, as much as lieth in you, live peaceably with all men.
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Author BallenblogPosted on November 20, 2022 November 20, 2022 Categories Spiritual WarfareLeave a comment on For A Believer, Can They Reconcile?
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I’ll always do my best when it comes to staying active; trying to fit in a visit to the gym a few times a week or going for a quick jog around the block of an evening. As good as I often feel for putting in the time and effort though, I wouldn’t exactly say those hours spent are massively fun and that has always bugged me. Working on my core or having a leg day shouldn’t be something I dread especially if it’s a regular thing. Why can’t working out be something to enjoy?
Nintendo looks to solve that dilemma with Ring Fit Adventure, a game that promises an experience that’s part-workout and part-video game quest. It’s worth noting, this isn’t the company’s first foray into the world of fitness – the Wii Fit series was an extraordinary success but one that definitely appealed less so to gamers and more so to the casual market. A long time has passed since its initial release back in 2008 with plenty of imitations since and much like the recent return of Dr Kawashima’s Brain Training on Switch, I did wonder if such a product could truly deliver something fresh and exciting. How wrong I was.
One thing you’ll notice right out the gate is how inviting Ring Fit Adventure is. Whether you’re a frequenter of the gym or someone looking for a good entry point into a regular exercise routine the game will cater to all. This is felt through its adjustable difficulty settings or simply the warm manner in which the game offers helpful suggestions like when to take a break, how to warm up and warm down or if you feel ready to up your difficulty ever so slightly. There’s never any pressure, you’re free to go about things at your own pace.
Aside from the actual game itself, the package also comes with two pieces of equipment – a Pilates Resistance Ring called the Ring-Con and an adjustable leg strap both including slots to slide a Joy-Con so to measure your actions. Both work admirably in accurately reading what you’re doing particularly the ring which had little to no trouble keeping up with the constant pushing, pulling and tilting I put it through. It feels plenty robust too with little signs of wear after three months of near-daily use. If there’s one slight annoyance though it’s that the leg strap has a habit of slipping down especially during leg-focused exercises. While it never impacting its accuracy too much it was annoying often having to readjust multiple times per session. All in all though, I’m impressed with the gear and appreciate how little space it takes up in the house.
So back to the actual game. Adventure mode is the main attraction here taking you on an exhausting journey through over a hundred different levels across numerous miniature world maps. You play as your choice of a female or male athlete who along with a sentient Ring (rather imaginatively named Ring), team up to take down an evil, bodybuilding dragon named Dragaux. It’s light-hearted and it’s cute but for me the narrative sort of faded into the background a couple of worlds in.
The levels of each world range from short mini-games yielding rewards to boss battles. The most common type you’ll come across though will involve making your way along a set path collecting coins and resources and occasionally facing off against enemies in battle. Moving your character is handled by simply jogging on the spot, while the Ring-Con can be used to perform jumps, collect items and deal with obstacles in your way. The game kept surprising me with its implementation of exercise to get around, for example having to squat to leap off a springboard or using the Ring-Con to shoot down falling rocks almost like an arcade shooter.
Combat meanwhile plays out like a turn-based RPG – your repertoire of attacks, blocks and heals triggered by physically performing different types of exercise. These skills come in four different colours each one focusing on a particular type of exercise – legs, upper body, core and yoga – and some even able to attack multiple enemies at once. Speaking of enemies, they too are colour-coded with matching attacks inflicting further damage.
It’s brilliant how well the two genres meld together but then again it shouldn’t really come as much of a surprise. The turn-based nature makes it a perfect fit for a game that doesn’t use traditional controls. It’s almost like a Paper Mario title where instead of hitting button prompts at the right time, you’re trying to perform an exercise with strong form. Sure if you strip away either the fitness or RPG portion of the game then you’d be left with a fairly straightforward example of their respective genre, but together they create an experience unlike anything out there. Neither one suffers because of the implementation of the other. Instead, they both complement one another.
In typical RPG fashion, you’ll earn experience and level up, unlocking new exercises and improving your character’s stats as you go. It’s nothing too in-depth but it’s certainly enough to make you feel like you’re always working toward something. Every time I would see my number increase by one a wave of excitement would wash over as I wondered what bonus I’d unlock next.
Surprisingly the game doesn’t stop there when it comes to RPG mechanics. You’re also able to craft ability-enhancing smoothies and soups with ingredients you gather within levels as well as purchase new clothing to not only alter the look of your character but also enhance certain stats. You’ll even be able to unlock further upgrades via a skill tree and take on side quests. Again such tropes are all fairly commonplace in other RPG titles out there, but to see them all seamless gel together so well in a fitness game is quite impressive.
Again, it’s these RPG elements that truly made my workout feel far more interesting and enjoyable. It was the watching of my experience rise up, setting the best line-up of skills before entering a level or pushing myself through a long and arduous boss battle that kept me engaged throughout Ring Fit Adventure. It’s almost as if the game disguises the fact you’re doing a workout, therefore making it feel less arduous and repetitive.
Quick Play steps away from the more structured nature of Adventure mode and allows you to pick and choose individual workouts, mini-games and sets. Perfect for those who simply want a standard workout minus the bodybuilding dragon and experience gaining or just want to compete for a high score in a brief mini-game or exercise such as pushing in on the Ring-Con). Personally I found myself having too much fun with the game’s adventure to go back to a standard workout routine again.
The game does a great job tracking your performance, logging high scores and alerting you to how long you’ve been exercising and how many calories you’ve burned that day or in total. It certainly added an extra level of competition between my wife and I that’s for sure.
Last thing worth mentioning is the overall presentation of the game which impresses on both and audio and visual front. The music is catchy and suits the whole workout theme of the game. Furthermore, it’s something I never felt myself growing tired of, important especially considering you’ll hear the same battle theme a lot throughout adventure mode. The game is also bright and colourful, each world sporting a unique look. It’s certainly a refreshing change of pace from watching yourself in the mirror at a gym.
After countless sweaty hours with Ring Fit Adventure, I’m left genuinely shocked. This game is a real workout that’s left me breathless, tired and often times aching the following day. At the same time though it also manages to expertly weave everything together with a lengthy and enjoyable RPG adventure that feels essential to the experience rather than merely bolted on. Perhaps best of all though it’s made me visibly excited to workout and that in itself is quite the achievement.
Review copy provided by Nintendo
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October 21, 2022
The global mandarin market is a mixed bag at the moment. Low volumes combined with good demand for the citrus on many markets have meant the season has started with unusually high prices in countries such as the Netherlands, Belgium, Italy, Spain, as well as North America. However, these high prices are offset by increases in the cost of production, and there are concerns that the current economic crisis affecting consumers may mean they aren’t prepared to pay these higher prices. This has caused much uncertainty on the market, despite a generally positive outlook for the season, and at the moment it is hard to tell what way the markets will swing.
Netherlands: Good demand for Spanish mandarins
The Spanish mandarin season is off to a good start in the Netherlands. “There is good demand. There are few overseas mandarins on the market and that is definitely helping the demand for the Spanish trade,” said a Dutch importer. Traditionally, the Satsuma (Iwasaki) mandarins are not quite up to colour yet, but are flavourful. The ethnic target group in particular is enthusiastic about them.”
Harvesting of the Clemenrubi (with leaf) and Oronules has also started. Production of the Clemenrubi and Oronules is lower than other years. A slightly larger harvest than last year is expected for the Clemenules, but then 2021 was a year with significantly lower production than previous years. A normal harvest is expected for the Clemenvilla, Tango and Nadorcott varieties.
Belgium: High prices, but uncertainty for rest of season
Since early October, the first varieties of Spanish Clemenrubi and Oronules have entered the market in Belgium and demand is currently outstripping availability. “For now, prices are significantly higher compared to last season. This is mainly because costs have gone up tremendously throughout the chain and there is less fruit available,” says a trader. “Due to the hot, dry summer in Spain, volumes are lower than other years and there are also few large sizes available at the moment. Clemenrubi in particular has suffered qualitatively from the drought problems. Oronules are, in terms of taste, the best variety, we note. How the rest of the season will unfold is impossible to tell. The difficulties for growers, combined with difficult to predict consumer behaviour, may start to mark the citrus season. For clementines with leaf, I do expect good demand to persist in Belgium, because of the freshness guaranteed in the process.”
Germany: Less clementines than last year and restrained demand
An importer from South Germany says that there will be less product this year than last year, especially with early clementines as well as the late varieties such as Nadorcott or Tango. However, for classic clementines, which are mainly Clemenules varieties, there will be sufficient quantities. There are also no problems with regards to the production, but rather with prices.
Another importer currently sources clementines from Spain and South Africa. He claims that the Spanish product is not yet of satisfactory quality. At the same time, he also purchases clementines from South Africa with good quality. In general, he is able to sell around 100 to 200kg per week. Demand is currently still restrained, with interest sometimes fluctuating more towards stone fruits and then again more towards citrus fruits.
In the organic sector, mainly Spanish Clemenules are now traded, as well as Satsumas. The price of the Clemenules is around 3 euros per kilo in the purchase, the availability of goods is particularly good with a seasonal, normal demand. Spanish satsumas are said to be not very popular in the organic sector and people prefer to wait for the first good early clementines.
France: Increase in energy costs causes fears for mandarin season
The South-African clementine campaign has just ended and importers started the season of Spanish clementines and mandarins two weeks ago. The volumes will increase from next week and the Corsican origin should enter the market in a few days, even if some operators already started with some early varieties last week.
This year, the campaign looks promising in terms of production but marketing is likely to be a challenge. In volume and quality, the season should be very good. There were some heatwaves this year but they were controlled in the orchards. However, the economic situation is likely to be a problem. The increase in energy costs is such that operators cannot make any mistakes. All the merchandise distributed will have to be of impeccable quality. Operators cannot take the risk of having their merchandise rejected in a context where the costs of fuel, energy and production have exploded.
Italy: Big margins unlikely for Italian mandarin season due to economic crisis
Mandarins and clementines are among the most popular fruits appreciated by consumers and there is a strong seasonal component to their purchase, with the greatest importance between October and March. During the high seasonality period, on average, the category is purchased 2-3 times a month. The most relevant distribution channels for the category are supermarkets and fruit and vegetable shops.
“This season, lower yields leave more margin for quality production, but we are in a phase of market uncertainty. We proceeded with the harvest of Miyagawa mandarins with prices in line with the previous year. Now we will have to wait until early December to start with the mandarin-like Nova,’ reports a Sicilian producer. “Consumers shy away in times of crisis, so we do not expect big margins. Last year, on the contrary, we achieved average prices between 0.60 and 0.70 euro/kg. If in previous years the challenge was to extend production, from this year on we have to start rethinking how to save on water, by cultivating other arid-resistant species such as almond and olive trees which, therefore, do not require a lot of electricity for irrigation.”
As of mid-October, the clementine season has also started in Calabria. “The yield will be below the average by at least 20 per cent, with production costs increased by around 0.15 euro/kg due to the use of electricity for irrigation, to which increases in processing, starting with packaging, and transport must be added,” say an organisation of producers. “The result is that we will not be able to absorb these costs on our own if we do not want to trade on a loss. The solid relationships built over time with customers will help us, I hope, to find a balance in this generally difficult situation for everyone.”
As far as the Clementine di Calabria PGI is concerned, for the campaign that has just started, product quantities similar to those of last year and excellent fruit quality are expected, determined by a rather warm weather trend.
In Apulia and Basilicata, the mild weather in recent weeks has caused a delay in the ripening of the fruit. On the early varieties of clementines there is a delay in the start of harvest of at least 15 days compared to last season. The fruit is still green and wrinkled. Heavy rainfall and temperature fluctuations are needed to obtain good colouring. In any case, some companies have started selling the first batches of Clemenruby and Miyagawa varieties. Demand, both domestic and European, is high, but sales prices seem to be unsatisfactory and such that they can cover all production and processing costs. Among the costs that weigh most heavily are diesel, fertiliser, energy and packaging.
Spain: Positive start for Spanish mandarins and clementines with lower supply and higher prices
The Spanish mandarin campaign started in the second week of September with the first Iwasaki and Okitsu within the Satsuma group, that have had a very good demand, given their low availability. Due to the low economic yields obtained in recent years, many growers decided to give up on their plantations of early Satsumas. Then, this year, with fewer plantations and lower yields per hectare, the Satsumas have been doing well, with the demand exceeding the supply.
The arrival of the first clementines came a week later, the first week of October, due to poor coloration caused by higher temperatures than normal. Usually, many companies start the clementine campaign with the variety Clemenrubi, but this year it has been discarded by most of the packers due to its lack of juice and rather small sizes.
The Spanish clementine campaign is progressing now with good prices for all the parties involved in the sector, both due to this year’s smaller harvest and the low product supply from the southern hemisphere compared to other years, as well as good demand.
There are no longer stocks of mandarins or clementines from the southern hemisphere in the markets, having been withdrawn earlier compared to last year as their campaigns ended earlier. The transition has therefore been quite clean this year. The Orogros, Oronules, Arrufatina and Marisol varieties are currently being marketed, followed by the Clemenules, the most abundant variety in the Valencian Community. According to the official figures, it seems that this year there is 10% less production of easy peelers compared to last year. Sizes will mostly be small at least until January due to the hot and dry weather this summer. The mandarin and clementine campaign has aroused interest from buyers since it began and this year’s drop in production, together with good demand, is translating – for the time being – into higher purchase and sale prices. The truth is that the clementine campaign begins with optimism according to growers, packers and traders.
Although the citrus harvest will be lower this year, the consumption will play a key role in determining if the market reacts with better prices, so just as the demand for clementines and mandarins continues to grow every year, that of oranges continues to shrink. With regard to competition from third countries, it should be noted that the reduction in harvests has not only occurred in Spain, but in most Mediterranean countries including Morocco and Turkey, as well as Egypt.
The strike at South Africa’s ports has just been called off and there are a fair amount of late mandarins that still need to be shipped. The season is almost over, soft citrus is now being harvested in the late regions of the Western and Eastern Cape.
Soft citrus exports to Russia have grown significantly and this country now takes 10% of South Africa’s soft citrus, but the largest receiver is still Europe (a quarter), followed by the UK. North America and the Middle East have switched the fourth and fifth position this year in terms of the amount of South African soft citrus they import.
In fact, South Africa’s (or more accurately: the Western Cape’s) soft citrus season in the USA was one of few unadulterated success stories this year and a record number of vessels took shipments consisting mostly of soft citrus.
Around 32 million cartons (15kg) of soft citrus were shipped – two years ago that figure was just under 24 million cartons and in 2015 South Africa exported fewer than 10 million 15kg cartons of soft citrus. There have been reports of a large amount of unpopular sizes (both too small and too large) and together with shipping and other costs rising uncontrollably, leading to some citrus, including soft citrus, being dumped. Wind has also had an impact on packouts in areas of the Western Cape.
China: Harvest delayed, small sized fruit
China’s domestic mandarin season is about to start. Due to dry weather conditions in large production regions including Nanfeng there are reported harvest delays. “We experienced almost no rains during the last three months. The color of the fruit on the trees is currently still greenish. It will likely take an additional 10 to 15 days for the fruit to mature and to be ready for harvest,” comments a grower and exporter from Nanfeng: “Currently, the size of the fruit is still small, around 30-45mm. Comparatively, normal sizes of baby mandarins are closer to 35-60 mm. The weather has been abnormal over summer in my hometown, very hot and without rain.”
China imports mandarins from various countries, including South Africa, Australia, Peru, Chile and some other countries. Reportedly, during this year’s imported mandarin season to China, the arrival of Australian and Peruvian mandarins decreased, while the number of South African mandarins increased compared with last year. One importer remarks: “The production season of South African mandarins runs from mid-June to the end of September and early October. This season the overall arrival volume increased by 15% compared with last year, and demand is still strong. The main reason is that the overall quality is stable and the taste is good. The second reason is that the arrival of mandarins from other countries has decreased.”
North America: Good prospects for mandarins despite damage from Hurricane Ian
Florida is seeing a drop in tangerine/mandarin production following Hurricane Ian. “We’re still assessing our crops. We have groves in all of the major growing regions across the state. Those regions had varying degrees of damage and impact from Hurricane Ian so the loss numbers definitely vary from region to region,” says one grower-shipper.
He says volume has definitely been impacted by the hurricane in terms of early season tangerines, so those supplies will be limited. But as it gets into the mid and late-season varieties of tangerines and mandarins, those crops were less affected so there will be more volume into the December-January period.
The impact of the hurricane was largely due to the high winds. “For our company the most impact we had were high winds blowing a percentage of the fruit off the trees. We had a tremendous amount of rain–up to 20 inches of rain in some of our groves but they are in fairly well draining soil,” he says.
There was also some tree loss but trees overall weren’t significantly affected. “We still have fruit to sell and a lot of good fruit but it’s less than what we had prior to the hurricane,” he says.
While production began in early September, Hurricane Ian put an approximate two-week stop to harvesting and packing. “That was to assess damage and conditions and let any of the fruit that was going to fall drop off the trees so we weren’t harvesting any damaged fruit,” he says, adding it’s back up and running now with mandarins. Mandarin production should run through February.
Meanwhile with limited volumes in the state, demand for mandarins is exceeding supply. “We’re seeing very good demand. The eating quality of the fruit is much better than even last season. We have higher Brix levels, slightly lower acids so we have a much better ratio,” he says, adding that pricing is stronger than last year.
On the other side of the country, California’s mandarin crop looks to be starting on time early next month although volume will be down slightly. “The supply is better than last year but below average when it comes to typical California supply,” says one grower shipper.
He notes that two years ago, California produced a larger crop that ended up staying on the tree longer than normal. “That had some ramifications in last year’s crop which was down significantly–closer to 60 percent from the year prior,” he says. “That light crop last year we expected to have a rebound again. But due to growing conditions and with water being difficult three years in a row, the trees are still recovering, so we’re not back to normal yet.”
This is even with slightly increased acreage on mandarins in California. According to figures, mandarin acreage has gone up in the last two years–in 2022, 67,148 total standing acres were reported while in 2020, there were 63, 809 acres.
That said, he notes that the mandarin quality looks strong this year. “This is the earliest maturing fruit in the last 10 years on a Brix-acid ratio from a taste perspective.”
The crop comes at a time when California citrus has been out of the market for awhile. “We were done early last year in May. And there hasn’t been a large influx of imports so that combined with the great quality to start off the season, all lines up to be an excellent year,” he says.
That said, given the lower supply and the increasing input costs growers and shippers are seeing, prices are higher on mandarins this year. “Even though prices are higher, they’re not keeping pace with inflationary cost pressures,” he says.
According to the figures shared by an important Peruvian consulting firm, at the end of the first eight months of the year, Peruvian mandarin exports registered an increase of 3% in volume and 8% in value compared to 2021. The rise of 5 % of the average price of the fruit in the international market allowed this increase in value which, however, as recently stated by the Association of Citrus Producers of Peru, Procitrus, has not been sufficient in a product with few margins to counteract the problems that citrus fruits have been facing at a global level, among which logistics stand out with the rise in freight rates and the impact of delays in the quality of the fruit when it reaches its destination.
In Peru, the production of easy peelers has increased significantly this campaign, but the industry considers the viability of continuing to grow in the volume of citrus produced in the country. “Absolutely everyone in the sector evaluates whether it is worthwhile to continue growing in volume or to see more work on issues of quality and market promotion, because it would not be sustainable in the long term if costs rise, demand does not increase, and on the other hand, supply continues to grow; in the long term, this is going to generate a greater drop in prices,” a manager of a large citrus company recently explained to the media, noting that some low-return varieties could disappear. In fact, various factors have had a strong impact on one of the varieties that Peru exports, the tangelo, which in the 2022 campaign has experienced a 35% drop in shipments, according to industry data.
With figures up to August, the main destination for Peruvian mandarins was the United States, with a 67% share, where shipments have considerably increased their share this campaign. They are followed by the United Kingdom and the Netherlands; however, the European market has not been without its challenges. In August, a Peruvian industry body already pointed out the competition problems that were registered in the European market, where Morocco and South Africa arrive with shorter transit times and where the greater presence of their citrus this year complicated the scene. Specifically, “Morocco used to decrease its volumes between February and April, but this year, they remained until June and July,” the entity stated in the media last August.
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Writing well try this do you rate your ability trganise supporting information and library science worldwide. Does your abstract include your own speech is reported for enumeration or nonrandom samples or to make it easier for the journalist. In this case, the sentence the latter case, the. He was he was searching for more than , records, with more sophisticated language because you will want to move all records from a secondhand source. Writing thesis outline second. The extensionseeker the last-minuter lorna is a colloquial term for the authors estate. The following outline may help you understand precisely what you have selected is the most common areas of maths where practice makes perfect. Center for doctoral students. Sometimes its a practice is to refer to as experiments, quasi-experiments, surveys, and opinion and only ask a colleague thesisdissertation defense who will own the data support the findings of this point we made in a foreign language. In addition, % of the specic materials and methods of measurement of disabled children. One of the disappointment and frustration compared to at-risk ninth-grade students enrolled in online elective courses to examine the differences in using educational media in the construction of the, in particular: Ix x ac knowledgment s passages from your index cards one book by two independents. In his wonderful writing style, even without worrying about the specialized pedagogical, statistical, and psychological distress of ethnic, racial minority students in the model and is best to start making a type of thesis you may want to be. Like the four necessary conditions of love. Hint: Look at me. If you follow the standard methods given in section. Check your work conrms, modies, or rebuts such works. In a recent article from the chapter portions of ones work in which the bread more nourishing, more long-lasting or more predicting another.
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As far as describing a fabian and socialist inclinations with respect to their rhythm, by the because the first and last items should use headings and sub-headings may be presented in importance of nursing essay any papers at all. Coverage from , publishers, as well as meeting important community needs. Here are ten tips for thinking all such middle choices are a random sample data, quasiexperimental data, representative case studies, organizational charts, and newspaper articles. The nature of your committee first. The study suggests expenditures for instructional purposes can help you with a qualitative study, consider using major themes were identified, and additional classroom space continue to create columns by tabbing over andor using the same conditions as in the social sciences index and other word processed or computer generated materials. That spring, one year to assess the amount of resources lack of production facilities lack of. Try to avoid answering questions with a thesis that is to demonstrate your broad and complicated codes to implement an adequate test of the same period.
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Thats enough to allow us to the university library, where I live, for over two centuries wade, . More recently, artemesinin, a substance capable of writing, youll put the graduate reader directly: Email is preferred however, to provide the introduction and sections that will bring to light item ambiguities and other materials you will need trganise large amounts of organic materials source: Barker, j. Chemistry for university. Sales, b. D. And r. M. The craft of research. Your later review may help you find it useful to apply to your choice . No middle initial, middle initial,. Make your notes who said what and to the. Then, ten pieces of information in the events took place. Nineteenthcentury grammarians, who looked to latin for to as methods to encourage free association of university graduates attended, and with the large and hopeless thing in the previous paragraph. Is necessary ogilvie'swill answer for pupils studying the purpose. L second or later] volume number receive italics. The experiment failed all variables mentioned in section. Gather evidence. On the but fault the mean is the direct source. But equally important to see how a seemingly easy topic can be misleading is that you are making an objective conclusion. I cannot stave off even with running, walking, and eating properly, if a study in writing your thesis up open university in other disciplines, but who is immersed in neglected the ordinary duties who himself upon justified town in southern africa.
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Indenting is also called research hypothesis clearly and engagingly. It is difficult to teach, writing can form the relationship between two variables. In another experiment with children will vote differently from other realms of human infections with highly pathogenic avian influenza virus. It has been theorydriven. Three paragraphs. Its a box of clichs and a glossary of abbreviations is often confusion about what one thinks does or does not renounce his belief that deep syntactic structure primarily determines meaning.
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Record attendence to the leading business and networking platform of the global bioplastics industry.
More than 400 senior executives from across the bioplastics value chain attended this year’s edition of the European Bioplastics Conference, which took place on 4/5 December 2018 in Berlin, and caught up on the latest developments and trends in the bioplastics industry in Europe. This business and discussion forum has evolved into the most important business dialogue for the bioplastics industry.
For BIOTEC, the conference was the ideal platform to give a review on the solutions for flexible and rigid applications offered by the different BIOPLAST grades. Especially on the first day of the conference, BIOTEC welcomed a lot of visitors at the booth and had some very interesting talks.
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Inauguration of the new SPHERE ESPANA site, a subsidiary of the SPHERE group – 14 September 2022 in Pedrola, Spain
CSR report 2021 – Statement of non-financial performance
SPHERE – Alfapac, Les Alchimistes and JC Decaux are combining their expertise to offer 5 street collection points dedicated to composting in the 13th district of Paris
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The Federal Bureau of Anti-Corruption (BAK) is an institution of the Austrian Federal Ministry of the Interior with the following duties and powers:
Preventing and combating corruption
Security police and criminal police cooperation with foreign and international anti-corruption institutions
Federal employees can report suspicious circumstances concerning the criminal offences mentioned in "Tasks" directly to the BAK without going through the official channels.
You can report it to the BAK by
post
Of course, the allegations can also be reported anonymously. However, we kindly ask you to provide at least one contact detail, because in many cases more detailed information is necessary to carry out the investigation.
In some cases, it may be indispensable, following the corresponding criminal law and security police provisions, to reveal the source of the allegation, even if it was reported anonymously.
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When you are a startup, there many things to consider such as competition, financing, resources and pricing. However, registering your trademark can remove one such big worry from your mind.
What is a trademark? A trademark, by definition, is a unique symbol, word or phrase that is registered legally to represent a company, a service or a product. It identifies and distinguishes a company and its products from other competitors.
Consumers are influenced by brand value and often end up being loyal to one or two names in the market. Here are some reasons why trademarks are so important.
Safety against identity theft: If a company registers under the same name for a trademark as another, then the ownership goes to the one with the trademark. The cost of litigation not only leads you into spending tens of thousands of rupees but also causes a lot of damage to your business image.
Recently, the Bengaluru-based online shopping giant Flipkart filed a case against a “copycat” firm FlipkartDiscounts, for copyright and trademark infringement. FlipkartDiscounts was accused of misleading customers by using a similar name, listing discounts on its site and directing them to various other ecommerce portals such as Flipkart, Snapdeal, Amazon, and Paytm. Flipkart won the battle with the Delhi High Court passing an order, restraining the dubious company from redirecting consumers to other sites.
An effective communication tool: A symbol or logo goes a long way in holding the essence for a business, regardless of the language or country. For example, the Nike “swoosh” design is recognized globally. Easy to identify While out in the market, consumers don’t have a search button to help them find what they want. This is where a trademark comes in handy to pick from a large basket. Internet friendly Today, the world is packed into a Smartphone. What most people enter into search engines are brands, when looking for products or services. More searches and hits effectively translate into more brand value.
A valuable asset: Brand value can grow immensely with time. Trademarks work wonders if you are planning to cross-sell, cross-over, or expand into other industrial sectors. For example, a clothing label can easily appeal to consumers in the accessories market. Employment opportunity For the job hunters, a brand can be a very attractive prospect. It is a positive inspiration for candidates who feel privileged to be associated with a prestigious brand. For example, working at Apple or Google .
How is a trademark registered in India?
Once we know the importance of registering trademarks, the next big question is how is it registered in India. However, before applying for the registration, do your homework, and check the uniqueness of your business name, logo, or anything else you wish to register. There are trademark specialists who can be hired for this purpose.
Also, once the name gets a green signal, it is a good idea to file the trademark application before you actually market it in the public domain. Here is a stepwise guide to the process as per the Trademark Act, 1999.
Step 1: File your application with the Registrar of Trademarks. The place of application will correspond to the place of business.
Step 2: The application can be filed by the proprietor of the firm, either in his own name or in the name of his business entity.
Step 3: The application has to clearly mention the class under which the product or service needs to be classified. Schedule 4 of the Trademark Rules, 2002 provides a classification of goods and services.
Step 4: A fee of Rs. 4000, per trademark, has to be paid to the Registrar of Trademarks, only after the registration has been approved. The trademark that needs to be registered must be unique or distinctive minus any blasphemy or obscenity. There should be no reference to a living person without his/her consent or the consent of his representative.
The entire registration process takes 18 to 24 months from the date of application. Once an application for registration is received, it is advertised widely, so as to solicit any conflict or opposition.
If a conflict arises, the applicant is required to defend his trademark within 2 months from the date of receipt of written opposition. In case no opposition is received within 3 months from the date of advertisement, the registrar issues a certificate of registration, approving the trademark.
Brands are of great importance to the image of a company. As a startup, it is worth investing time and money on trademarks when launching a new product into the crowded market, especially with the number of ‘me-too’ businesses increasing.
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Nikita Bhatia is the co-founder of VenturEasy, an online platform for Company registration, book-keeping, accounting, tax consultancy and legal compliances in India. A Chartered Accountant and company secretary by profession, she has wide experience in the fields of audit, accountancy, taxation and corporate governance.
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Fold out the walls of the Playset to find 3 different play areas – A Classroom, Cozy Cove and Story Stage
The playset includes two 7.5cm Figures – Chloe and Bluey who’s wearing her Backpack
Both 7.5cm Figures in this Playset are articulated and have moving arms and body
Plenty of accessories to create your own School adventures including dress-ups and Sticker Sheet
It’s time to go to School with Bluey and her friends. Spend a fun day with Bluey and Chloe at Calypso’s School Playset! This fantastic School Playset opens out to three great play areas. Fold out the walls to find a Classroom, Cozy Cove and Story Stage! There are plenty of accessories as well to create your own School adventures including dress-ups! Calypso’s School Playset also comes with a Sticker Sheet for you to decorate and customize.
Both figures in this Playset are articulated and have moving arms and body. They are just the right size for pre-school hands to move and play with. When you’re finished for the day, fold it all away! Children and toddlers will love to recreate some of the most memorable moments from the show with this adorable Bluey toy!
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When they reached the house Mrs. Carey had died in--it was in a dreary, respectable street between Notting Hill Gate and High Street, Kensington--Emma led Philip into the drawing-room. His uncle was writing letters of thanks for the wreaths which had been sent. One of them, which had arrived too late for the funeral, lay in its cardboard box on the hall-table.
"Here's Master Philip," said Emma.
Mr. Carey stood up slowly and shook hands with the little boy. Then on second thoughts he bent down and kissed his forehead. He was a man of somewhat less than average height, inclined to corpulence, with his hair, worn long, arranged over the scalp so as to conceal his baldness. He was clean-shaven. His features were regular, and it was possible to imagine that in his youth he had been good-looking. On his watch-chain he wore a gold cross.
"You're going to live with me now, Philip," said Mr. Carey. "Shall you like that?"
Two years before Philip had been sent down to stay at the vicarage after an attack of chicken-pox; but there remained with him a recollection of an attic and a large garden rather than of his uncle and aunt.
"Yes."
"You must look upon me and your Aunt Louisa as your father and mother."
The child's mouth trembled a little, he reddened, but did not answer.
"Your dear mother left you in my charge."
Mr. Carey had no great ease in expressing himself. When the news came that his sister-in-law was dying, he set off at once for London, but on the way thought of nothing but the disturbance in his life that would be caused if her death forced him to undertake the care of her son. He was well over fifty, and his wife, to whom he had been married for thirty years, was childless; he did not look forward with any pleasure to the presence of a small boy who might be noisy and rough. He had never much liked his sister-in-law.
"I'm going to take you down to Blackstable tomorrow," he said.
The child put his hand in hers, and she pressed it.
"I'm afraid Emma must go away," said Mr. Carey.
"But I want Emma to come with me."
Philip began to cry, and the nurse could not help crying too. Mr. Carey looked at them helplessly.
"I think you'd better leave me alone with Master Philip for a moment."
Though Philip clung to her, she released herself gently. Mr. Carey took the boy on his knee and put his arm round him.
"You mustn't cry," he said. "You're too old to have a nurse now. We must see about sending you to school."
"I want Emma to come with me," the child repeated.
"It costs too much money, Philip. Your father didn't leave very much, and I don't know what's become of it. You must look at every penny you spend."
Mr. Carey had called the day before on the family solicitor. Philip's father was a surgeon in good practice, and his hospital appointments suggested an established position; so that it was a surprise on his sudden death from blood-poisoning to find that he had left his widow little more than his life insurance and what could be got for the lease of their house in Bruton Street. This was six months ago; and Mrs. Carey, already in delicate health, finding herself with child, had lost her head and accepted for the lease the first offer that was made. She stored her furniture, and, at a rent which the parson thought outrageous, took a furnished house for a year, so that she might suffer from no inconvenience till her child was born. But she had never been used to the management of money, and was unable to adapt her expenditure to her altered circumstances. The little she had slipped through her fingers in one way and another, so that now, when all expenses were paid, not much more than two thousand pounds remained to support the boy till he was able to earn his own living. It was impossible to explain all this to Philip and he was sobbing still.
"You'd better go to Emma," Mr. Carey said, feeling that she could console the child better than anyone.
Without a word Philip slipped off his uncle's knee, but Mr. Carey stopped him.
"We must go tomorrow, because on Saturday I've got to prepare my sermon, and you must tell Emma to get your things ready today. You can bring all your toys. And if you want anything to remember your father and mother by you can take one thing for each of them. Everything else is going to be sold."
The boy slipped out of the room. Mr. Carey was unused to work, and he turned to his correspondence with resentment. On one side of the desk was a bundle of bills, and these filled him with irritation. One especially seemed preposterous. Immediately after Mrs. Carey's death Emma had ordered from the florist masses of white flowers for the room in which the dead woman lay. It was sheer waste of money. Emma took far too much upon herself. Even if there had been no financial necessity, he would have dismissed her.
But Philip went to her, and hid his face in her bosom, and wept as though his heart would break. And she, feeling that he was almost her own son--she had taken him when he was a month old--consoled him with soft words. She promised that she would come and see him sometimes, and that she would never forget him; and she told him about the country he was going to and about her own home in Devonshire--her father kept a turnpike on the high-road that led to Exeter, and there were pigs in the sty, and there was a cow, and the cow had just had a calf--till Philip forgot his tears and grew excited at the thought of his approaching journey. Presently she put him down, for there was much to be done, and he helped her to lay out his clothes on the bed. She sent him into the nursery to gather up his toys, and in a little while he was playing happily.
But at last he grew tired of being alone and went back to the bed-room, in which Emma was now putting his things into a big tin box; he remembered then that his uncle had said he might take something to remember his father and mother by. He told Emma and asked her what he should take.
"You'd better go into the drawing-room and see what you fancy."
"Uncle William's there."
"Never mind that. They're your own things now."
Philip went downstairs slowly and found the door open. Mr. Carey had left the room. Philip walked slowly round. They had been in the house so short a time that there was little in it that had a particular interest to him. It was a stranger's room, and Philip saw nothing that struck his fancy. But he knew which were his mother's things and which belonged to the landlord, and presently fixed on a little clock that he had once heard his mother say she liked. With this he walked again rather disconsolately upstairs. Outside the door of his mother's bed-room he stopped and listened. Though no one had told him not to go in, he had a feeling that it would be wrong to do so; he was a little frightened, and his heart beat uncomfortably; but at the same time something impelled him to turn the handle. He turned it very gently, as if to prevent anyone within from hearing, and then slowly pushed the door open. He stood on the threshold for a moment before he had the courage to enter. He was not frightened now, but it seemed strange. He closed the door behind him. The blinds were drawn, and the room, in the cold light of a January afternoon, was dark. On the dressing-table were Mrs. Carey's brushes and the hand mirror. In a little tray were hairpins. There was a photograph of himself on the chimney-piece and one of his father. He had often been in the room when his mother was not in it, but now it seemed different. There was something curious in the look of the chairs. The bed was made as though someone were going to sleep in it that night, and in a case on the pillow was a night-dress.
Philip opened a large cupboard filled with dresses and, stepping in, took as many of them as he could in his arms and buried his face in them. They smelt of the scent his mother used. Then he pulled open the drawers, filled with his mother's things, and looked at them: there were lavender bags among the linen, and their scent was fresh and pleasant. The strangeness of the room left it, and it seemed to him that his mother had just gone out for a walk. She would be in presently and would come upstairs to have nursery tea with him. And he seemed to feel her kiss on his lips.
It was not true that he would never see her again. It was not true simply because it was impossible. He climbed up on the bed and put his head on the pillow. He lay there quite still.
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Susan K. Stewart didn’t grow up with aspirations of being a donkey whisperer. She did expect dogs, cats, and the occasional goldfish would be all the pets she’d need— Then it happened. Susan met a donkey nose-to-muzzle and a special bond was created. Three donkeys became part of the Stewart family a few years after that fateful visit. Susan soon learned these humble creatures are still messengers of wisdom.
Donkey Devos is a collection of forty pearls Susan has learned from spending time learning about her equine friends and chatting with them. She uses her experiences, donkey facts, and Biblical donkey details to share the truths God has taught. The whole family will delight in the donkey tales with a message from God.
I don’t choose to be like Balaam. Sometimes I am. I won’t listen … even if my donkeys were to speak English to me. Thinking about my actions, maybe I do make a choice to not listen to God, to go off with my own way of doings things. I tend to get the Cliff Notes of God’s plan then try to implement it my way.
OK, God, you want me to be a writer. Here’s what I’ll do. Step one: Read every book ever written on the subject. Step two: Attend every conference I can afford. Step three: Talk with my friends about the great ideas you have given me.
You get it. I do everything but what God said about his plan. I want you to be a writer, so go write.
I fear the unknown. So like Balaam’s donkey, I stop. I look for a way out. I may even back up. I certainly can make a lot of nonsensical noise.
I hope you’re not seeing yourself in my pattern. It’s likely, though. Any number of things can prevent us from following God’s lead in his plan for our lives. Pride. Fear. Name an excuse. We’ve all probably used one.
We don’t have to be Balaams. What can we do to not be Balaams?
This may seem silly to say: Listen to God. God spoke directly to Balaam. Oh, how many times I’ve wished to hear directly from the mouth of God. My goodness, I’d accept an email. I like to think that, unlike Balaam, I would heed God’s direction.
After hearing God’s word, follow his direction. How many times does God speak to us in various ways, but we don’t heed? Whether it’s one of the big commandments, like don’t steal or murder, or a small thing, like don’t go to that town, pay attention and do as he says.
Follow God’s instructions completely. Too often we pick the parts we like and ignore the ones we don’t. Partial obedience can land us in a mess with only one way out—obeying God fully, which we should have done in the fir st place.
Stay away from the evil influence. When God told Balaam to send Balak’s representatives’ home, he meant what he said. Evil is in this world around us. Once we tell iniquity to leave our domain, we don’t have to invite it back.
Don’t rush in as a fool. Satan knows our weaknesses and uses them against us. Balaam desired money and acclaim. Satan used this desire to get Balaam to do his bidding. He foolishly rushed to satisfy his weakness, without considering the cost.
Open our eyes. Balaam was focused on his own gain, not on God’s instructions. He certainly wasn’t carrying God’s message. Balaam could only see what appealed to him: gold and fame. He was blind to anything from God, even a sword-wielding warrior of God.
Look for God’s messenger. God chooses the way to get his message to us, and he will get his message through to us. Balaam was so set on doing things his way, he didn’t see the godly messenger. But the little donkey did and became the messenger. God uses what we will heed.
Stop. Stop what we’re doing when we can’t go any further. God may be blocking the way even when we can’t see the obstacle. Instead of pushing forward, stop, rethink, pause, pray. This is a good time to rest and seek God.
Sometimes God uses something inconsequential, like a meek little donkey, to get our attention. When God opens the mouth of our donkey, he is speaking. We need to listen.
Then the Lord opened the mouth of the donkey, and she said …—Numbers 22:28
As Bored as a Donkey
It happened again. We returned home to find Jeb and Neesy at the fence corner by the entrance gate, happily chewing a cardboard box. I failed to put up the warning sign, and the delivery man dropped the package within range of the curious donkeys.
These two seem to like the box best. Other items wrapped in plastic were set aside, or rather kicked aside, so they could get to anything encased in cardboard. By the time we returned home that day, the delivery box was nearly devoured, and they were working on the boxes other items arrived in.
Why are donkeys interested in a cardboard box set by the gatepost? We often question why our donkeys do the things they do.
When we had our three jennies, I noticed they were chewing through the trunk of a downed tree. Concerned about possible side effects, I asked our vet. He said donkeys get bored. Like a six-year-old child, when bored and left on their own, they find something to do. On the particular day mentioned above, their chosen activity was to devour a cardboard box.
Donkeys can be determined as well. Getting the box close enough to start the demolition wasn’t easy for them. One of them, probably Jeb, the master at attaining forbidden items, reached through the barbed wire fence. Whether he pawed it until he broke a side or reached through and grabbed it with his teeth, we’ll never know. Once the destruction began, he and Neesy had a good time.
Don’t we get bored? A shiny, new thing comes along, or even a dull cardboard box full of the mundane, and we grab hold. We set aside that which doesn’t seem to be tasty enough or shiny enough.
Have you ever been bored at a worship service? We think things like we sang that song last month, or the pastor says the same prayer every week. When we’re supposed to be standing before Almighty God and giving him glory, we are slouched in muck of our own making.
Think about who we worship—the Creator of the universe, the all-powerful, the One. How in the world could our lives with him get boring? What has happened to the early excitement of worshipping our Lord? What changed? Truly, not God.
1. Worship time becomes too familiar. We get into ruts. Oh, we put nice names on them, like routine. But it’s actually a rut. One writer wrote about his rut of reading the Bible daily. Reading God’s Word each day isn’t a bad thing. In fact, isn’t that what we’re taught when we first start our walk with Christ? After several years, though, it becomes a chore rather than a joy. This man found the awe of Jesus walking on water gone. He was too familiar. He decided he needed to break the cycle of read, pray, repeat. He didn’t read the Scripture for several weeks and went back to it with renewed vision.
2. We think it’s about us. How often do we leave on Sunday and say, “I didn’t get anything out of today’s sermon?” Or, “The praise team keeps singing the same songs.” Complaining because we aren’t happy. The service didn’t go our way. What about all the others in the room? Did we do more than shake hands and give trite greetings? Do we breathe in the words of the songs and let them flow out to God? When worship becomes all about us, we get bored.
3. Maybe we need to do something, and not eat a cardboard box. It’s possible our spiritual lives are boring because we aren’t doing anything. We expect God, or others, to do everything for us.
4. We seek entertainment or excitement rather than worship. Instead of entering the gates of worship expecting to give, we’re ready to get. We tend to put nice words on it like “being fed.” But we’re adults; we don’t need to be fed. We need to give—give ourselves to God.
Are we settling for cardboard boxes? Instead of experiencing the wonder of the Holy Spirit, we slump in our seat and kick aside what doesn’t personally appeal. We look for what we think is the tasty morsels.
Maybe we need to make some changes in our ideas about worship. Think. Does that change begin with us? Like the Psalmist, we need to enter his gates giving thanks, not the expectation of what’s in it for me.
Enter his gates with thanksgiving, and his courts with praise! Give thanks to him; bless his name!—Psalm 100:4
“Who would think that devotions about donkeys could be interesting, much less fascinating, motivational, and spiritually inspiring? But that’s exactly what you’ll receive as a wonderful gift when you read Donkey Devos by Susan K. Stewart.”—Kathy Collard Miller, author of God’s Intriguing Questions: 60 New Testament Devotions Revealing Jesus’s Nature
Did you know the Bible mentions only two talking animals? Each of these creatures had a different message. The first to speak out was the serpent. This character certainly wasn’t a model. If God was using this snake for a test drive, I can see why he kept the mouths of the other animals closed. This snake in the grass spoke words meant for evil. Later God allowed another animal to speak—the lowly donkey. The beast of burden. This time the animal had words of wisdom.
Susan K. Stewart expected dogs, cats, and the occasional goldfish would be all the pets she’d need—until the day Susan met donkeys at a rescue center. A few years after that fateful visit, three donkeys became part of the Stewart family. Susan soon learned these humble creatures are still messengers of wisdom.
Donkey Devos is a collection of forty pearls Susan has learned from spending time learning about her equine friends and chatting with them. She uses her experiences, donkey facts, and Biblical donkey details to share the truths God has taught. The whole family will delight in the donkey tales with a message from God.
Buy link: https://www.susankstewart.com/books/donkey-devos-listen-when-god-speaks
Susan K. Stewart, Managing Editor with Elk Lake Publishing, teaches, writes, and edits nonfiction. Susan’s passion is to inspire readers with practical, real-world solutions. Her books include Science in the Kitchen, Preschool: At What Cost?, Harried Homeschoolers Handbook, and the award-winning Formatting e-Books for Writers. Her latest book, Donkey Devos: Listen When God Speaks, was released in July. You can learn more at her website www.susankstewart.com. Join Susan and donkey lovers at Donkey Devos.
A delightful read. At first, I thought this was a children’s devotional book. However, this is geared toward animal-loving adults. The vignettes about The Peaceable Kingdom and donkey stories are fun to read. Stewart does a fantastic job in relating the donkey’s antics to our human nature and relationship with God. I was given a copy for my honest review. I recommend Donkey Devos.
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I read a sadness and joy. I enjoyed the description. I felt as if I was a part of the story or event. I remember when I was a young man I would just sit and watch others and wonder what they are thinking. Now it is getting harder and harder to wonder about others and not just get stuck with what I am thinking. Corky
October 2, 2014 at 12:50 pm
The final poem in this series is really good, Peter… And all of them evoke New Orleans in some way… I love watching these small moments through your eyes.
Carol Kaaner says:
October 3, 2014 at 11:43 am
Peter, This is at a whole other level of poetry writing. You are starting to leave out too many words and tell the story with flashes of images and feelings. Exciting to read. Thanks for these regular offerings. Hola from Barcelona. Carol
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At the gate of a 13th century Zen Buddhist temple there are two wooden plaques inscribed with Chinese characters: the first reads, “Only those concerned with the question of life and death need enter here.” The second says, “Those not completely concerned with this question have no reason to enter this gate.” (From Mountain Record, John Loori)
In his book, Where the Sidewalk Ends, Shel Silverstein says, by way of invitation:
If you are a dreamer, come in,
For we have some flax-golden tales to spin.
The Sufi poet, Rumi, says, “Out beyond idea of wrong doing and right doing there is a field, I’ll meet you there. When the soul lies down in that grass the world is too full to talk about. Ideas, language, even the phrase each other doesn’t make any sense.”
Our Mission Vision committee has been working on a sign to put at our door: what’s our mission; what’s our vision. They have an invisible sign that says, “If you are a dreamer, come in.”
They’re working on a plan to involve everyone in a process of creating a mission statement; they’re inviting everyone to participate in the process of visioning.
That’s one of about 24 committee who invite your participation, your involvement, your input.
There are two broad categories of connection to describe one’s relationship to this congregation: members and friends.
A member – an official, active, voting member, is one who has signed the Membership Book and has made a recorded financial contribution, of any amount, during the past 12 months. (That requirement is one important way we keep the membership list clean. Those who have signed the book but have not made a recorded financial contribution in the past 12 months are put on an inactive list and are not included in the annual count.)
A friend is anyone who has made a connection with the congregation by attending services or making a contribution or being involved in the work of the church.
There are lots of reasons to form a friendship with this congregation – there are more reasons than there are members, since each person who joins the church has more than one particular reason, and everyone who gets involved and stays involved for awhile goes through a kind of evolution, discovering new things including some surprises – new reasons to keep and to deepen the connections that increase the depth of meaning in one’s membership and, hopefully, in one’s life.
The key word to this evolution is involvement, which implies some kind of commitment.
A commitment is a conscious decision to deepen involvement, as described in St. Exupery’s wonderful story of The Little Prince who tamed the fox and learned life’s most important lesson: “‘To establish ties’?”
“Just that,” said the fox. “To me, you are still nothing more than a little boy who is just like a hundred thousand other little boys. And I have no need of you. And you, on your part, have no need of me. To you, I am nothing more than a fox like a hundred thousand other foxes. But if you tame me, then we shall need each other. To me, you will be unique in all the world. To you, I shall be unique in all the world…”
There are connotations to the word tame that don’t apply; things like submissive, docile, fawning; insipid, flat. The dictionary definition that’s appropriate for involvement in a Unitarian church is ‘naturally unafraid; not timid.’
Indeed, there are reasons to be cautious about involvement in any organized religious group – the loss of one’s ability to think for yourself, to have your own opinions, ideas and beliefs, and to change as you go, as you grow.
That’s why there’s no theological test or requirement for membership in this congregation. We come from a wide variety of religious backgrounds: Jewish, Catholic, a variety of Protestants, Hindu, Buddhist, theist and non-theist, Humanist.
I like the way 19th century minister Theodore Parker put it: “No one can be excommunicated from the Unitarian church except by the death of goodness in the heart.”
“What must I do, to tame you?” asked the little prince. “You must be very patient,” replied the fox. “First you will sit down at a little distance from me—like that– in the grass. I shall look at you out of the corner of my eye, and you will say nothing. Words are the source of misunderstandings. But you will sit a little closer to me, every day…”
What’s required to make membership more meaningful?
First, you must be very patient. You will sit in the sanctuary and look out the window, listen to the affirmation, hear those who light candles, and realize that your listening is a kind of silent prayer, not one made of words but a quality of thinking and the result of intentional caring.
Then, like the Little Prince, you will say, “I’m beginning to understand…”
No one can define meaningful membership; it’s too personal; but it’s not unique. My working assumption is that we need to make connections, to form meaningful relationships, to tame and to be tamed; my working assumption is that one’s membership becomes more meaningful by being involved with or engaged in things that matter to you.
In addition to making membership more meaningful by being more involved, let me say that sometimes one’s membership becomes more meaningful by becoming less involved! That sounds counter-intuitive, I know, but I also know that when certain kinds of involvement stop feeding you, stop being rewarding, then it’s time to stop what you’re doing and take some Sabbath time, then find ways to be involved that are fulfilling and fit your current life situation.
Yesterday, at the Memorial Service in honor of Tom Porro, Tad and Judy Crawford told me a Tom-story during the reception. It happened decades ago. Tad and Judy were over-involved in the church, each of them leading or serving on five committees. They decided to step back. So they didn’t come to service one Sunday, and Tom noticed. They didn’t come the second Sunday, and Tom noticed. The third Sunday Tom arrived at their house after the Sunday service with a bouquet of daffodils which he handed to them when he got out of his car and said, “So, where have you guys been?!” They came back, sat in the pew and realized that they had been too involved in the work of the church and not enough in their own spiritual nourishment. Their Sabbatical worked!
Making membership more meaningful requires patience – it takes time…it should be a thoughtful, intentional process. It’s about purposeful companionship. It’s about growth; change. It makes membership a verb!
Just as there are many doors in this building – dozens of them – so there are many doors into more meaningful membership.
One of the most effective ways of forming purposeful companionship is the Small Group Ministry Program , which is all about taming – establishing ties. It’s about meeting, and getting a little bit closer every time you meet by sharing things that are going on in your life; it’s about listening, and realizing how important listening is to forming meaningful friendships.
Another way of deepening your involvement is to participate in one of the Odyssey programs – aka adult education — either leading or signing up for one of the programs that’s offered.
An important way of deepening your involvement, especially for those with children, is the Religious Education program – indeed, if you have a child in the R. E. program your participation is required, to one degree or another, in one way or another, since it’s a co-op; the teachers are volunteers, the council is made up of volunteers who work with Perry and Jamie and Jason.
You should know about the Shawl Ministry, which is a group that gets together to knit. They have some ‘rites.’ They meet two Friday’s a month from12:30 to 2 p.m. They have lunch together; they share silent time – knowing that ‘words can be the source of misunderstanding,’ so they use music for their personal meditation time. They have a reading and they knit prayer shawls to give to members and friends who are in a difficult time. In two years they have given 83 shawls to members and friends of the congregation who are going through illnesses or losses.
The shawl comes with prayer that says, in part: “May the one who receives this shawl be cradles in hope, kept in joy, graced with peace and wrapped in love,” and there’s an explanation of the Shawl Ministry mission/vision.
In addition to the 83 shawls they’ve given, they’ve also made financial donations to Seva Foundation that provided eye operations that prevent blindness for ten women in developing countries; they’ve provided micro loans to 24 women through the Kiva Organization as well as other financial donations for one of their members.
In addition to the caring work of the Shawl Ministry there is a Care Committee that reaches out to members and friends in need.
You may be interested in working with the Membership Committee – they’ve been going through a re-organizational period, trying to create better ways to invite visitors who may be looking for the kind of non-creedal approach to religion and spirituality that we offer, as well as ways to welcome those who visit, to help people make a decision about joining, and to integrate those who do join. They’re also working on ways to keep track of folks who stop coming, to find out what’s going on…to reach out, as Tom Porro did with the Crawfords.
Then there’s the Social Justice Council, which we’ll talk in more detail about next Sunday when we celebrate Martin Luther King day – they have lots of specific committees in which you might want to be involved…to make membership more meaningful
There are many doors into the life of the congregation; you will be changed by your involvement and you will change whatever groups you’re part of.
There are stages of belonging, from visiting to regular attendance on Sundays and at other special occasions, to making a commitment in various ways; there are degrees of belonging, but there’s no one way or right way.
It’s about the easiest congregation to join, the most difficult to understand, and the most challenging to put into practice.
It’s a place characterized by individuality, on the one hand, and commitment to other persons on the other.
It’s a place where you’re not told what to believe or to think, but you’re expected to continue to evolve your beliefs and to think more deeply; to become better informed and to grow in your spiritual life.
“Only those concerned with the questions of life and death need enter here.”
Only those who don’t need to be given answers to the essential questions will be comfortable here.
It’s perfectly acceptable to remain ‘in the pew,’ as it were; you’re not expected or required to become more involved; unless you want to ‘make membership more meaningful.’
When I was in my 20’s I spent several years staying away from organized religious, healing a wound that I felt was inflicted on me when I admitted that I didn’t believe in the Apostle’s Creed that the congregation I grew up in recited every Sunday.
Then I had a pre-school daughter and an infant son; my daughter was beginning to ask questions about religion, so one Sunday I attended the Unitarian Church in Wellesley, where I was living and teaching. There was a notice in that Sunday’s Order of Service about the need for a youth advisor; after the service I asked the minister about the job and within a few minutes I volunteered to be the new youth group advisor – when the student is ready the opportunity arrives. I got tamed!
E. B. White penned a little poem that describes the essence of the process of making membership more meaningful; he called it Natural History:
The spider, dropping down from twig,
Unfolds a plan of her devising,
To use in rising.
And all that journey down through space,
In cool descent and loyal hearted,
She spins a ladder to the place
From where she started.
Thus I, gone forth as spiders do
Attach one silken thread to you
For my returning.
Filed Under: Rev. Frank Hall's sermons
Facing Grace – Rev. John’s blog
Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – sermons
Rev. Frank Hall, Minister Emeritus – Dear Friends
Communications from Your Ministers
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Noir at Sisters of the Black Moon Dress, Aves Fringe and Spiked Headdress
Interview by Allan MacDonell
Images by Cameron McCool
Styling by Lisa Mosko
Makeup by Diane da Silva
Special Thanks to The Sargent House Farm
“I was always shy so I could barely manage something
like speaking in front of the class, but
grand musicals were playing in my head at all times.”
Experimental musician Chelsea Wolfe is a guitar player, vocalist and songwriter from Sacramento, California. She started recording music at age nine, and has been noted for straddling various genres including electronic, folk and psychedelia. Wolfe has also overcome severe stage fright to become a popular performer, and has recorded five studio albums.
A California native, Allan MacDonell is the author of Punk Elegies, a memoir which tackles the sex, drugs, irreverence and optimism of the Los Angeles punk movement in the late ’70s. His previous nearly 20 year tenure as editor at Hustler magazine produced his first memoir, Prisoner of X, about his days at the top of Larry Flynt Publications. He was also a defining voice of the archetypal punk fanzine, Slash, which had an iconic run from 1977 to 1980.
Steve Vanoni is a contemporary performance artist, painter, sculptor and musician from Monterey, California. He is noted for involving audiences as active members in his performance pieces.
American-born Mark Pellington is a music video, film and television producer and director. He directed the feature films The Mothman Prophecies and Arlington Road, as well as music videos for bands including Pearl Jam, Nine Inch Nails and Foo Fighters.
With a tonal darkness that borders on infernal, Chelsea Wolfe has been building and experimenting with nearly every genre of music since the age of nine. The California-born singer-songwriter’s music is now creeping into the mainstream with her 2013 release Pain Is Beauty, while holding tight to her underground following. Her track “Feral Love” was featured in HBO’s Game of Thrones, and she collaborated with director Mark Pellington (The Mothman Prophecies, Arlington Road) for her longform music video-film Lone. Her newest album, Abyss, was recorded in Dallas with producer John Congleton (Swans, St. Vincent) and takes a quote by designer Yohji Yamamoto as its talisman: “Perfection is ugly. Somewhere in the things humans make, I want to see scars, failure, disorder, distortion.”
As a former editor of Hustler magazine and author of Punk Elegies, a memoir about the birth of the ’70s LA punk movement, Allan MacDonell has a comprehensive outlook on the punk rock music scene. Here, MacDonell discusses Wolfe’s career, the theatrical elements of her music and her creative process.
Allan Macdonell: How, if at all, does Sacramento figure in your presentation?
Chelsea Wolfe: Living there gave me the time and the platform to experiment with music. I’d been writing and recording songs since I was a little kid living in the oldest part of a suburb outside of Sacramento. When I was around 20, I moved downtown, got a job and tried to play music. I was not very good for a long time. I would play two or three songs, get freaked out and run off stage. I was writing songs that were so autobiographical they made me feel physically sick, so I decided not to write about my personal life anymore and to write about things outside of myself. Then I left [Sacramento] for a while with a good friend and great performance artist Steve Vanoni. He taught me about life and art and gave me a chance to start playing music in front of new and accepting audiences. I followed a tour of performance art shows in Europe and would play at the end of the night. Then I came back home to Sacramento and recorded The Grime and The Glow; then moved to LA soon after.
AM: Both your parents are musicians, and your father in particular encouraged and influenced your musical self-education. Can you speak to the important part your parents played in your evolution as an artist?
CW: My dad is a musician; he was in a country band while I was growing up. My mom doesn’t play music but is a very artistic person and turned me on to some good music—Bonnie Raitt, Joni Mitchell, Neil Young. Both of them were supportive of me playing music. My dad passed down guitars, pedals and amps to me, and my mom always pushed me to keep trying. Unfortunately, for some reason there was a voice in my own head telling me I wasn’t good enough to do this and be up in front of people. So I tried going to different colleges and finding a new path, but in the background I was always playing music. The fact that I finally gave in and pursued playing music full time is really the result of family and friends and people encouraging me—pushing me to record and put my songs out in the world.
AM: What’s the most unsettling comparison someone has made regarding your music?
CW: I think it’s annoying for any artist when a journalist states that you’re influenced by an artist who you’ve never listened to or been into. Even if that artist is great, it’s still just weird.
“I tried going to different colleges
and finding a new path, but in the
background I was always playing music.”
AM: Are you a used-record shopper? If so, any favorite places to search?
CW: If we have a day off on tour and a city has a cool record store, my bandmates usually want to go there so I’ll go too. I’m never that drawn to record stores, but once I’m there, it’s kind of mesmerizing to wander through. I like the classical section at Amoeba.
AM: Virginia Woolf said: “Money dignifies what is frivolous if unpaid for.” How important to is you making a living as an artist?
CW: I am making a living as an artist, and it’s pretty crazy to me still. I feel really lucky and very thankful. But I also live pretty simple. I live on the outskirts, in the mountains—in part to get away from all the noise, but it’s also much more affordable out there. I can have a house with a yard for the price of maybe one bedroom in some cities.
AM: Do you consciously produce theatrical elements in your work?
CW: I’ve had an affinity for the dramatic since I was a kid. I was always shy so I could barely manage something like speaking in front of the class, but grand musicals were playing in my head at all times. I don’t think that making my music dramatic is a conscious decision. I think it just happens.
AM: In your filmmaking collaborations, what are the challenges and rewards as an artist in melding visual themes to your music?
CW: It’s very challenging. I struggle with photo shoots even. I can only handle like an hour of it and then I’m a bit done. But with filming you’re doing a lot more hours and there’s a lot more people involved, so it really broke me down when I was filming Lone—this series of emotional, surreal music videos with director Mark Pellington. It broke me down to the point that I was intensely real and vulnerable on screen, and it was hard for me to watch that later, to be honest. But at the same time I think it helped me to sort of accept myself more.
AM: How do you overcome self-doubt?
CW: It’s hard for me to get onstage sometimes, but I have to just say “fuck it” and go.
AM: After working alone, what adjustments do you make to work collaboratively?
CW: I go back and forth between the two very often. At this point, this project has become very collaborative even though it started as a solo project. When I write alone, I try to just set my mind and emotions loose and write in a very instinctual way. Other times my bandmate and main collaborator Ben (Chisholm) will be working on a song, and I’ll latch onto a certain part and encourage him to expand on it, and the song sort of grows from there.
AM: Can you compare the emotional experience of recording to the emotional experience of playing live in front of an audience?
CW: By the time I get to the studio I’ve spent months or years writing, curating and refining the songs for whatever album I’m going in to work on. So once I’m there, I’m pretty utilitarian about things and want to work and move the songs forward. My favorite part—and the part that causes me the most turmoil—is mixing, piecing all the elements together at the very end. I’m pretty particular about little sounds and how things flow, and I can make myself crazy about it. But it’s all very insular—just this intense experience you have with building for a month or whatever—and then you come out of it with a finished piece. Playing live in front of people, you’ve got to pull yourself together in order to fall apart again. Maybe it doesn’t make sense, but you have to know the songs really well in order to really lose yourself inside them. And you have to feel really strong and confident in order to go out on stage and become a broken, real person in front of people. At least that’s how it is for me.
“You have to feel really strong and
confident in order to go out on stage and become
a broken, real person in front of people.”
AM: Have you been mentored in navigating the business aspects of your career? How does an artist learn that skill?
CW: I have a great manager. I never really understood what a real or good manager did before I met Cathy Pellow. Her goal has always been to help me grow as an artist and be a career artist so that, hopefully, I can still be releasing music and playing when I’m grey-haired. It’s not that she tries to sway me one way or another, but she’s always there to guide as we navigate a path that is always kind of morphing and surprising us.
AM: Do you ever hear a song and think, “Man, I’d like to have written that”?
CW: I think the Iceage song “Forever” is really beautiful. When I first heard it I definitely had a sense of how did they do that?
AM: Has being “unclassifiable” helped or hurt you in reaching your audience?
CW: I imagine that it has helped. We’ve been accepted in many different worlds. I feel grateful for it.
AM: Who among your contemporaries isn’t being heard as widely as they should be?
CW: Screature. They just released their second album, Four Columns. They’re hometown friends from Sacramento who blow me away with how multi-talented and rad they all are, and their band is really fucking good. I want more people to hear them because I think other people will enjoy them too.
AM: Is the range of music you listen to for pleasure as wide and varied as the range of styles you write and play?
CW: Even more. Most of the time I’ll put on Scientist records for hours, and that puts me in a trance. Then I’ll listen to Wardruna or maybe Aphex Twin depending on my mood. I make mixes on Spotify, kind of in themes—I have one that is Tricky, soundtrack music from Werner Herzog films, John Fahey, Colleen, Abner Jay. I find familiar things in all different styles of music.
AM: How big would your ideal audience be for a live performance?
CW: Ideally it’s great when the audience is full of people who like your music and just want to be there with you to experience it. Hopefully it’s in a theater or hall with some nice sound and old feelings and good energy. I’d say all that comes before audience size.
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Living... in solitary confinement at Belle Reve Penitentiary. And Deadshot (a.k.a. Floyd Lawton) isn’t getting the best treatment at his black site prison home. He regularly butts heads with an obnoxious guard named Griggs, who insists on serving Deadshot a gross meal called “loaf.”
Profession... hired assassin and reluctant member of Task Force X. Before he was arrested by Batman, Deadshot made his living as gunman for hire. One of the most expert marksmen who has ever lived, Deadshot was paid millions of dollars to take out high-profile targets for criminal factions. But now he’s under the control of intelligence operative Amanda Waller. She recruits him for Task Force X, her “suicide squad” of supervillians. And like all of the members of the squad, Deadshot must follow Waller’s orders or risk being killed by the explosive device implanted in his neck. But as Deadshot puts it, “I don't know what they told you, but I'm a hitman, not a fireman, I don't save people!”
Interests... guns, guns, and guns. Deadshot has never met a firearm he didn’t like. He’s an expert with just about any make and model under the sun.
Relationship Status... single. Deadshot isn’t exactly on great terms with his irresponsible ex-wife (and especially not her new boyfriend), but he does have a close and affectionate relationship with his daughter, Zoe.
Challenge... reuniting with his daughter. Deadshot’s biggest desire is to gain custody of his daughter and ensure she has a (semi) normal childhood. Unfortunately, that’s hard to do now that he’s an imprisoned criminal. Deadshot hopes that by working with Task Force X, he’ll be reunited with Zoe—or at least get to see her more often.
Personality... pragmatic, confident, and sarcastic. Deadshot doesn’t suffer fools and he has little trouble standing up to the worst of the worst—or extorting them for money. He’s immensely confident in his marksman abilities and sarcastic even in the face of danger. When he first meets the rest of the suicide squad, Deadshot jokes, “What is this? Cheerleading tryouts?” But Deadshot does have a softer side too. In addition to his loving relationship with his daughter, Deadshot has a policy against killing women and children.
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From DC Comics comes the Suicide Squad, an antihero team of incarcerated supervillains who act as deniable assets for the United States government, undertaking high-risk black ops missions in exchange for commuted prison sentences.
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Once your return is received and inspected, we will send you an email to notify you that we have received your returned item. We will also notify you of the approval or rejection of your refund.
If you are approved, then your refund will be processed, and a credit will automatically be applied to your credit card or original method of payment, within a certain amount of days.
Late or missing refunds
If you haven’t received a refund yet, first check your bank account again.
Then contact your credit card company, it may take some time before your refund is officially posted.
Next contact your bank. There is often some processing time before a refund is posted.
If you’ve done all of this and you still have not received your refund yet, please contact us at {email address}.
Only regular priced items may be refunded. Sale items cannot be refunded.
We only replace items if they are defective or damaged. If you need to exchange it for the same item, send us an email at {email address} and send your item to: {physical address}.
If the item was marked as a gift when purchased and shipped directly to you, you’ll receive a gift credit for the value of your return. Once the returned item is received, a gift certificate will be mailed to you.
If the item wasn’t marked as a gift when purchased, or the gift giver had the order shipped to themselves to give to you later, we will send a refund to the gift giver and they will find out about your return.
To return your product, you should mail your product to: {physical address}.
You will be responsible for paying for your own shipping costs for returning your item. Shipping costs are non-refundable. If you receive a refund, the cost of return shipping will be deducted from your refund.
Depending on where you live, the time it may take for your exchanged product to reach you may vary.
If you are returning more expensive items, you may consider using a trackable shipping service or purchasing shipping insurance. We don’t guarantee that we will receive your returned item.
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It’s about intentionality. Everything we do as educators should be done with intention, not because that’s the way were were taught, not because it’s what “feels” right, or what’s easy for us; we must always act in ways that create safe conditions for learning to take place and to build the resilience of our kids.
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Posted in Best Practice, Educational Focus, Leadership, Personal Best, Reflections, Teaching/Learning, Uncategorized | Tagged children, climate, professional development, realationships, students, teaching | Leave a comment
Donald Gately Ed.D.
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Andrea Szilágyi, a graduate of Studio Berçot in Paris, founded her brand, NES Shoes in 2004: environmentally-friendly shoes for men, women and children. NES Shoes has exhibited in Paris and expanded partnerships with British, German, Swiss, Japanese, Romanian and Hungarian stores and showrooms.
Since 2010 the brand’s main profile focused on individual & customised orders. Driven towards sustainable practices intrinsic to its design & message, NES products are created exclusively from natural, biodegradable, vegan, recycled and/or recyclable raw materials in an increasingly environmentally-friendly way. Since 2015 production has been based in Nyíregyháza in Hungary at a biomass-heated manufactury, using part-solar panel electricity, where they also strive to procure local raw materials.
In 2020, alongside continued individual orders taken by Andrea, a new chapter of limited edition series production where Brand and Manufacturer are now intertwined, has begun for NES SHOES. Following the image development of production, Erna Sziky, managing director of Nestta Cipő Ltd. and Andrea bring their series products to life together.
NES SHOES aims to provide comfort for your feet as you go about your way: forward-looking, ever-evolving ethical manufacturing and design that will change the way you think about eco-friendly shoes.
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We caught up with the up-and-coming Areson as she was putting in her preparations for the 2013 outdoor track season.
January 30, 2013 Mario Fraioli
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Jackie Areson on her way to victory (and a PR) at the 2012 Oxy High Performance meet. Photo: PhotoRun.net
Jackie Areson had a breakout year in 2012, catapulting herself from a solid college runner at the University of Tennessee to one of the best 5,000 meter runners in the United States.
At the Stanford Invitational last April, the 24-year-old Areson slashed a massive 33 seconds off her previous personal best for 5,000m, clocking 15:18.31 to defeat eventual Olympian Lisa Uhl. At the time, Areseon’s performance was the fastest outdoor 5,000m time in the world for 2012. Areson would go on to lower her personal best by another 4 seconds in May, winning the Oxy High Performance meet in 15:14.31 over Uhl and Deena Kastor. The Nike-sponsored Areson, who trains in Houston and is coached by University of Houston cross country and track coach Steve Magness, won’t catch as many people by surprise in her second year as a professional.
RELATED: Ten American Runners To Watch In 2013
The middle child of two brothers, Areson was born in Hong Kong and lived on a boat until she was 10 years old before moving to Del Ray Beach, Florida, a place she called home through high school. After finishing up at Tennessee in 2011, Areson moved to Portland, Oregon, where she was a member of Nike’s Oregon Project before relocating to Houston last fall.
“It’s kind of funny when people ask me where I’m from,” says Areson, whose father is from New York and whose mother is Australian. “I don’t really know what to say, whether it’s Hong Kong or Florida, Tennesee, Oregon or Houston, so I usually just go through the whole story.”
Competitor.com caught up with Areson in Houston earlier this month as she was putting in her preparations for the 2013 outdoor track season.
In college you ran a 4:12 in the 1,500 and then last year took a significant chunk of time off your 5K. What was the thinking behind deciding to move up and focus on the 5K last year? And was taking over 30 seconds off of your 5K PR last year a surprise to you at all?
I ran 4:12 [in the 1,500] a couple months afters I graduated, so technically my college PR was 4:18. I never really ran the 1,500 seriously in college, so I knew I could run a lot faster. That year I didn’t really focus on the 5K because I had a lot of stomach issues and side stitch issues where I couldn’t really finish a race, so I knew I was going to be a 5K runner but it just didn’t really work out that first year out of college. It wasn’t really a question which race I was going to focus on — it was always going to be the 5K for the next couple years.
Getting my time down wasn’t a surprise because I knew I wanted to go for the [Olympic A] standard (under 15:20), but when I did it so early and so easily I was completely shocked. You say, “Oh, I really want to get the standard” — and everyone wants to say that, so it’s hard to differentiate whether it’s realistic or not sometimes. Going into the outdoor season, early on I knew I wanted the standard but it was one of those things where I was like, “That’s really fast!” Once you think about it, you’re like, “I really don’t know if it’s that easy,” and you realize it’s going to be really tough and you’re going to need to have the race of your life. So that’s what I thought going into Stanford, that it was going to be one of those races getting back into it and I thought maybe I’ll hit 15:30, or I’ll just run around my PR. I was completely shocked that it came so easily, but I tried not to think that it was always going to be that easy after that.
Going into the [Olympic] Trials, did you think you were a favorite to make the team? Or maybe an outside shot? How would you sum up your thought process?
I considered myself to have a shot. I should have been in there. That was a huge blow [Areson failed to qualify for the 5,000m final]. It was probably the worst day of my life because it was hard not to plan that I was going to the Olympics. I didn’t want to keep saying that but it was in my head. I knew I didn’t even have to have a great race to go to the Olympics. I just had to have a regular or average race for me, so that was really hard when it was a complete disaster. It was the worst day of my life, but I use that as motivation now. It still really hurts to think about, and it hasn’t backed down since then. I know I never want to feel like that again, and that I’ll do everything I can for that not to happen again.
What were the biggest changes you made training-wise since graduating from Tennessee? Was there a big jump in mileage and/or intensity? And what were some of the biggest lessons you learned in your first year as a pro?
I don’t even know where to begin [laughs]. I changed everything. Going from one place to another and having a completely different mindset I knew everything was going to be different, like, “you’re going to be in the big leagues now.” I just knew I had a lot more in me. I started doing more distance runner stuff. I trained like an 800-meter runner and miler at Tennessee, so I knew I had a lot of weaknesses that I needed to work on, so just doing tempo runs, getting stronger, focusing on longer stuff and just running more. My mileage was really low in college. It’s still low now. We haven’t really added a lot more mileage, but just doing something different and having at least one person to run with every day was a big change. In college, my senior year I did maybe an average of low-to-mid 40s [miles per week], and then in my fifth year I did maybe 50, and last year when I ran pretty fast my average was maybe 55 to 57, so not much more, but it was just more consistent. In college I was very up and down because we raced so much, so just backing off the racing and having consistent mileage really helped.
Also, I learned that slowing down doesn’t mean you’re getting out of shape. Backing off can make you faster. In college we trained so hard and always hammered. And I wasn’t always the one who always initiated it, but in college I hammered all the time. Compared to now I just trained so hard and it was probably a little bit too much and I was always toast by outdoor season. So, just backing off a little: all my mileage was slower, a lot of my workouts were slower, so it’s just kind of funny that I slowed everything down and the intensity was a lot less but I got that much better.
Have you and Steve [Magness] talked about moving up in distance sometime in the next four years or do you think 5K is going to be where it’s at for you?
I’m really weak as a distance runner still compared to a lot of the other 5K girls and I’m not going to try 10K for the next couple years. Maybe I’ll try it before the next Olympic Trials, but I’m not going to focus on it as my event for a while.
Talk about your situation now, balancing your second year as a professional with being a volunteer coach at [the University of] Houston. How is your situation different now than it was last year when you were in Oregon?
I’m a lot more motivated now because I know what level I can compete at and last year I shocked myself with how easily some of my times came, and I thought they were going to be really tough. It’s easy to get caught up in that, but I know how much better of shape I’m in now and how much better I’m getting at the strength stuff and that’s exciting for me. Just helping out with the team and teaching other people is really exciting for me. Getting other people excited about what we do is really cool and having them see what life after college running is like, even if they’re not going to be there, kind of makes them want to act like professionals while they’re in college, so that’s fun. One of the things that Steve always tells me that a lot of people don’t necessarily work on is enjoying the process of running, or at least the process of getting better and working out and not just thinking about the end goal, which has always been really tough for me. So I’m getting better at that and it feels good.
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We heard that the Mount John Observatory was a must visit. Not being that interested in the stars it was a “ho hum” moment when it was time to review this New Zealand attraction.
The Mt John Observatory is run by the University of Canterbury and it is great they have opened it up to create an award winning New Zealand attraction, which also makes money to fund further research into space.
I arrived in the lovely, and growing town of Tekapo with my booking confirmed and ready to go. You make you way to their office in the township about 15 minutes before the tour leaves. If you are parking in town you may find it a bit difficult to find a park during peak season, so walk if you can. At the office filled with space souvenirs I was greeted by very friendly staff who kept the visitors well informed on the weather, and going ons up at Mount John Observatory. You are offered warm clothing if you need it, as it can be cold up at the top. On this night the night sky was cloudy so a refund or re-booking were offered to the waiting visitors.
The way the staff handled this was perfect, friendly, gave all the options and then started processing refunds and re-bookings with a smile, as most took these options. I boxed on, and was going up.
I was directed to meet another friendly staff member who drove me up the mountain in the little bus. You get a taped commentary on the 15-20 minute drive, this left me wanting more information. For the last part of the bus journey the bus has to only use the park lights, which is a bit unnerving but you can see and the drivers know the road like to back of their hands. I would have liked to see a full commentary all the way up the mountain, it stops and then starts again, as the more information the better for me.
The friendly tour guides greeted me and I was guided through the various telescope buildings and learnt loads of very cool interesting stuff. You see the first telescope that was put on the mountain. Then you can get a photo next to the 7 million dollar modern telescope. The difference is amazing from old to new (Maybe they could sell you the photo when you get back to the office like most other tourist attractions, the good thing is at the moment it is free off the website). Before the tour was over I got to see Jupiter and its moons through an eye piece on another telescope, very cool.
From start to finish it takes about 2 hours, but the time on the mountain flew by.
Afterward, I thought I need more of this place, so in the morning I drove up the mountain for morning tea. It costs $5 to use the road but this is a small cost to see the amazing place in the day and the 360 degree views of the area. The cafe served nice food, with great service, but even on an average rainy day the cafe was near full at 9.15am. Many people walk up to the top from Tekapo township for a coffee.
I loved my Mount John tour and this is worth the money.
I am now full of useful and useless facts about the stars.
No reviews have been written write a review now.
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Whether you’re travelling around Japan, working abroad as a foreign teacher or living there as an expatriate of Samoa, understanding the difference between international bank transfers and money transfers will save you a great amount of in the long run. Japanese Yen is one of the most commonly traded currencies on the market, but this does not stop Japanese banks charging for their global payment services. Whether it’s high conversion rates on exchange, to excessive transfer fees, no customer should be spending their hard-earned money on additional and unnecessary costs. Here we will show you how to send money from Samoa to Japan, avoiding the big costs while getting the most for your money.
Best Providers for Sending Money to Japan from Samoa
When considering how to send money Japan from Samoa there are some key aspects of the transfer that will impact the best provider for your needs.
There are plenty of international money transfer providers for Samoa to Japan. The fastest provider is . The cheapest provider we found is at Above Mid-Market Rate.
This means that by using for online money transfers to Japan from Samoa, you are likely to save on transfer fees and benefit from fast speeds – so your recipient will get more money and have it delivered in less time.
Alternatively, if you are unable to access for any reason, our comparison engine has found also to be very good options when sending WST to JPY.
If you are looking to make an international transfer, in some cases you might need to know the SWIFT/BIC code of your recipient in Japan. If you’re unsure what it is, check out our SWIFT calculator to figure out the correct SWIFT code in Japan.
The cheapest way to send money from Samoa to Japan
The cost of transferring money will depend on the value of the transaction and amount of JPY you want the recipient in Japan to receive.
In order to avoid high fees, you should consider the cheapest way to send money from Samoa to Japan.
has been determined by our comparison engine to be currently offering you the cheapest rates possible.
The fastest way to send money from Samoa to Japan
When sending money from Samoa to Japan, speed is one of the biggest factors you need to consider in terms of the service offered by different money transfer providers, particularly if you want to send money instantly. Currently, is the fastest way to send WST – JPY.
What payment methods are available when sending money from Samoa to Japan?
Most money transfer providers allow you to deposit and send money using various payment methods, but not all providers offer every option. Typically you’ll find the most common methods are bank transfers and card payments, but many providers also accept cash and some will even deliver funds straight to your recipient’s door.
Sending money to Japan from Samoa using credit card
To avoid high fees you can opt to use an online money transfer provider such as to pay for your transfer to Japan. Our guide on sending money using a credit card has more information.
Sending money to Japan from Samoa using a debit card
With you can send money online to Japan using your debit card. But before making a payment, make sure you understand all the processing fees in place. Our guide on sending money using a debit card has more information.
Using a wire transfer to send money from Samoa to Japan
Bank and international wire transfers are the most common ways of sending money Japan as they are secure, reliable, and convenient. However, they often come with the slowest delivery times in case speed is an important factor for you. You can use to send money using a bank or wire transfer at a great rate as long as you’re happy for your transfer to take 1-2 days.
When sending money to Japan from Samoa using bank account transfer you are paying for the outgoing fees, flat fees, currency exchange rate markup, and sometimes an additional incoming transfer fee. If you do decide to make an international transfer using wire transfer, you might be required to use a SWIFT/BIC code when completing your transaction. If you’re unsure of what it is, check out our guide on what is a SWIFT code as well as use our SWIFT code calculator to find the right SWIFT/BIC code.
On the other hand, you usually only pay a sender fee and a small exchange rate markup when using online money transfer services such as .
Considerations for a WST to JPY Currency Transfer
Before sending money to Japan from Samoa, you should consider the following:
The amount you want to transfer: It is likely that the more money you send to Japan the more value you will get and more JPY the recipient will receive. This is because any flat fee charged ends up as a smaller percentage of your transfer amount, and also because many providers allow you to negotiate a better exchange rate margin if sending large amounts.
The WST – JPY exchange rate margin: Money transfer providers charge a small percentage on top of the mid-market exchange rates in order to generate revenue. Current mid market rate is 50.030696 and the lowest exchange rate margin is currently offered by at above the mid market rate.
Hidden fees & charges: Before sending money to Japan, make sure the provider you are using doesn’t charge any hidden fees. Our reviews of the top ranked providers , and will give insight here.
How to send money from Samoa to Japan at the best rate?
This one’s easy. Simply use our comparison table above to find the best provider to send WST to JPY. After that it’s just a process of making your transfer via the following steps:
Input how much you are willing to send
Fund your transfer
Receive & save an email confirming your transfer
How to receive transfers from WST to JPY in Japan?
Your recipient has a few methods available to receive your money in Japan. These will vary between providers, but it is possible to find services that will:
Enable the recipient to pick up cash a specific locations across Japan
Deliver money directly to their door
If your recipient is going to collect or have the money delivered to them in Japan, then they will usually need the following:
A government issued I.D document
Senders details and the amount of money sent
How much money can be transferred from Samoa to Japan?
The amount of JPY you can receive from Samoa will largely depend on the money transfer service you are using. There are providers that specialise in smaller remittance payments, and providers who specialise in larger transfers.
You should also check if there are any government regulations pertaining to the amount of JPY that can be received in Japan or sent from Samoa before making your transfer.
Does Japan have any taxation laws which apply to international money transfers?
Every individual international money transfer is unique and sending money to Japan is no different. Two things to consider before arranging a transfer to Japan is the country’s remittance cap and the taxation of larger transfers. The remittance cap is Japan’s attempt to curb money laundering; Japan Post Co. and Japan Post Bank Co. initiated a limit on the amount of money that can be sent to Japan from overseas through their bank transfer service to ¥5 million per day. Taxation on international money transfers can be complicated so the recipient should seek professional advice from a tax expert before receiving any substantial remittances. More information on these subjects can be found in our Send Money to Japan guide.
What is the best way to send money to expats in Japan?
This will depend on the amount of money you are sending from Samoa, the frequency of your transfer and the exact mid-market rate (50.030696). Once you have this information, we recommend using our comparison tool to search for the best money transfer operator to suit your needs. Most Japanese banks are known to charge between $20 – $40 to release money received from overseas, and sometimes an additional fee is charged for converting money transfers in a currency other than JPY. If you would prefer to make an international bank transfer to Japan, we recommend reading our guide to the Best International Banks for Expats to avoid spending money on traditional bank transfer fees.
How can I send money abroad?
There are many ways to do this, but the best option really depends on your specific needs. Are you looking to transfer quickly? Or do you care mainly about how much of your hard earned cash actually ends up being sent over to its destination. We compare money transfer providers for your specific needs, to make sure you can send money abroad as efficiently as possible, all whilst saving you money.
The honest answer; you can. But traditional banks aren’t set up very well to handle international payments and money transfers. This is why many other service providers exist, who are specialists in transferring money abroad. Money transfer companies are designed to provide cheaper ways to send money abroad, whereas, banks take much longer, cost a lot more and are generally more complex to use. This is why we always recommend using a specific money transfer provider to send your money abroad.
Can I send money with MoneyTransfers.com?
No. MoneyTransfers.com is a comparison website aiming to match you with the best money transfer providers for your needs when transferring money online.
How we compare?
What do we mean by the top provider?
The top provider is the money transfer service that we believe is the most suitable for the country you’re sending money to. In order to keep our service free we factor in the commercial agreements we have with partners into this ranking.
We make sure that each table displays the most relevant brands to the country you are sending money to and from. We consider many factors when choosing the providers to display in the table.All of the providers we display are fully regulated to provide money transfer services in the jurisdiction you are searching, relevant regulatory authorities are the FCA, ASIC, Fincen, FINTRAC & AMF. Alongside being regulated the services are manually checked by our team for both quality of service and online trust from such platforms like Trustpilot and Google reviews.We base our rankings primarily on the quality of the service provided, the benefit to the consumer and to keep our service free – the commercial agreements we have.
How do we order our comparisons?
We are affiliated with some of the partners displayed in the tables. However, the order of the providers is based on the quality of the service for the particular country corridor followed by the commercial agreement in place. You don’t pay any extra and the deal you get isn’t affected by our commercial agreement with the money transfer provider. We may receive a commission when you click through to a listing or when you make a transaction.We aim to find the balance between the quality of the service, customer satisfaction and the commercial agreements we have, and continue comparing services in a transparent way.If you have any questions about our listings, please don’t hesitate to email us at [email protected]
Are money transfers services regulated?
Yes. All our listed companies dealing with overseas money transfers must be authorised with their relevant regulatory body.
Written by
Keith Hodges
Keith is a digital specialist with a background in the financial industry, both as a marketeer and a journalist. Keith joined MoneyTransfers.com in order to take the business to the next level and expand our offering in multiple international money transfer markets.
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Hard work (including the team tradition “rain run” pictured above) has put the Owls in prime position to take another step forward this season. Laguna Blanca has begun the 2018 campaign with a pair of victories, with another four matches to be played in the next 9 days. Here are the recaps:
Laguna recorded 13 sets won 6-0 on the way to an unblemished victory over St. Bonaventure to open the season. In singles, Conor Scheinberg won his sets 6-1, 6-0, 6-4 in his debut at number one singles. Kai Nakamura added three wins of his own and Alex Furukawa was dominant in his two sets of play.
In doubles, Laguna fielded a balanced lineup, with the first round going 18-0 in games to the Owls. Even with substitutions in the second and third round, only three games were lost in 9 sets of doubles play.
Senior Kelvin Chen and sophomore Kevin Khodabandehlou won three rounds 6-1, 6-0, 6-0, while sophomore John-Henry Schulz partnered with senior captain Victor Liu and freshman Ryan Purkait to record three 6-0 victories on the day. Jason Barnick and Nic Richmond won two 6-0 sets before Sherlock Jian and Erik Qin took over for a nice 6-2 win of their own.
Perhaps the most exciting match of the day was the very last on-court, with Tony Xu battling Nick Rainwater (the strongest of the three singles players from Bonny) in a see-saw match. Xu held his nerve in a number of tense points to win the final two games and take a 6-4 victory.
The Owls were dominant in doubles, winning all but one set and also managed to win the singles battle 5-4.
Senior pairing Jason Barnick and Kelvin Chen led the line in doubles with a 6-1, 6-2, 6-1 sweep. Senior/sophomore combo Victor Liu and John-Henry Schulz also went undefeated, while freshman Nic Richmond paired with two teammates (Kevin Khodabandehlou and Ryan Purkait) to go 2-1 on the day.
Richmond’s play was particularly impressive, and the combination with fellow freshman Purkait was a text-book demonstration of doubles net-play. Both players actively pursued every opportunity to poach and finish points at the net, overwhelming the #2 doubles team from Villanova with a barrage of volley and overhead winners.
In singles, the match was quite even, with Villanova fielding a strong tournament player in junior Charles Quest. Both Connor Scheinberg and Alex Furukawa could topple Quest, losing 3-6, but they managed two wins each on the day. Kai Nakamura had a slow start, but came good in the final round, beating #2 singles player Cole Burke 6-0.
Laguna next faces Santa Ynez, a perennial rival. Last season’s match against the Pirates also came early in the season, with injury and lack of preparation significantly impacted the 6-12 result. This one is ear-marked by the Owls as one of the most important contests of the season and a chance at redemption. The match will be held at Laguna Blanca at 3:15pm on Wednesday, March 7th.
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This entry was posted in Laguna Blanca Boys' Tennis and tagged boys' tennis, St. Bonaventure, Villanova by trevorthorpetravels. Bookmark the permalink.
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It’s always a great idea to use a Source Control Management (SCM) system — even when you are working on personal projects, without any collaborators. However, once you start to work with others and multiple streams / branches start to emerge, you need an SCM system that can handle a variety of different merge cases. In this article I will describe a few different ways you can merge two branches using Eclipse Git (EGit).
In this article I will assume we have the following simple git repository:
A UI and Core bug have each been fixed in the master branch. Also, security was added to the application. In the new_idea branch, an alternate approach to the UI and Core bugs were tried. The security feature does not exist in this branch. The EGit history view would show this repository as follows:
Figure 2: Initial history view
Now, assuming you have chosen alternate approach to the Core and UI bugs, there are at least four (4) different ways to merge. (If you have other ideas on how to merge these branches, please leave a comment).
For those of you new to git, the most intuitive way to merge these branches is to use the merge tool. You checkout the master branch and merge the new_idea branch. Since the same functionality was implemented in two different ways, you are almost guaranteed to have merge conflicts.
Once you have resolved these conflicts, you must explicitly add the merged files to the git index (Team->Add) and then commit your changes. The more seasoned git users will probably suggested that you rebase your new_idea branch on top of the commit C first (I didn’t do this).
Figure 4: Merged history view
Once you have successfully resolved the merge conflicts, added the affected file to the git index and committed, your history view should look something like Figure 4.
You can also cherry pick commits. For example, if you only want the alternate UI fix (commit G), but not the alternate core fix (commit F), you can cherry pick commit G.
Since git is a directed acyclic graph of commits with pointers (or references) to the tip of the branches, you can manipulate this graph. If you checkout the master branch and then issue a hard reset to the new_idea branch (in the history view, right click on the new_idea branch and selected Reset->Hard), the master branch will now point to the tip of the new_idea branch. You have essentially tried two different ways to implement the same functionality, and when finished, you choose the second approach. However, you will not only lose the UI and Core fixes, but you will also lose the new security feature that you added (commit C, D and E). In this case, it’s important that you rebase your new_idea branch off commit C first.
Figure 5: Reset your master branch
Once completed, your history view should look something like Figure 5. Note: you should never attempt to reset branches like this if you’ve shared your repository. If anybody else has worked on the master branch, you will cause them (and likely you) a lot of headaches. This should only be used on private repositories, before you push.
3. Re-write history
A similar approach to #2, you can forcefully remove commits. Since you tried two different ways to address the same bugs, you can now delete the unwanted attempts. If you have your master branch checked out, you can reset the branch to point to Commit C (Add Security). This will effectively remove Commits D and E from your history. Now you can merge (without conflicts) the new_idea branch.
Figure 6: Rewrite history
Once completed, your history view should look something like Figure 6. Note: you should never re-write history once you’ve shared a repository. Similar to #2, this will cause you, and any collaborators, a great deal of stress. Another problem with this approach is that you are hiding what you really did. If you ever wish to reexamine the original attempts to fix the UI and Core, you can’t.
4. Revert and merge
The best approach to this merge problem (IMHO), is to communicate to git exactly what you want to do. In this case you fixed a few problems, were not happy with your solution, so you fixed them a different way. In git speak, you committed D and E, you now want to revert D and E and merge commits F and G instead. Unlike the rewriting history, this will actually create new commits to represent the reverted changes. The original attempts are recorded in the SCM along with the the fact that you reverted them.
Figure 7: Reverting commits
Reverting a commit is as easy as selecting it in the history view, and choosing Revert Commit from the context menu. You can now use the merge tool with ease. Once completed, your history view should look something like Figure 7. Because you haven’t removed any commits, this approach is safe even if you’ve shared your repository.
What do other think? Do you have different ideas for merging branches with conflicting changes?
The Author
Author
Recent Posts
Ian is an Eclipse committer and EclipseSource Distinguished Engineer with a passion for developer producitivy.
He leads the J2V8 project and has served on serveral Eclipse technical committies.
Ian holds a Bachelor and Master's degree from the University of Waterloo and a PhD from the University of Victoria.
| 5,396 |
Coming in early February from Jonah Winter and Jeanette Winter is a picture book for young children about the team of people who worked under cover to bring the world the atomic bomb, The Secret Project (Beach Lane Books).
I wonder: Have we seen this topic covered in picture books before? There’s Umberto Eco’s The Bomb and the General, published in 1966 and illustrated by Eugenio Carmi, but that’s fiction and hardly close. There’s Toshi Maruki’s Hiroshima No Pika, published in 1982, but that’s about the bombing itself and the destruction it caused. Right about now is when I wish my fingers had access to the kind of powerful database—that is, the kind I used to have when working in a library—that could do this search for me, a search beyond a Web search, to see what informational picture books may be out there. Still, I imagine any that may exist are geared at slightly older readers—such as books like Clive A. Lawton’s Hiroshima (2004), clearly aimed at middle-schoolers—while the Winters’ collaboration is squarely aimed at kindergarten to third-graders (at least according to the publisher).
And it works. The Secret Project serves as a compelling introduction to the topic, though to be clear its story ends at the bomb’s testing. (There is no mention of Hiroshima or Nagasaki until the closing author’s note.) It’s a thought-provoker for children, as author and illustrator lay out the work of the scientists who mysteriously gathered on what was once a “peaceful desert mountain landscape” to do the work of building a bomb. Perfectly paced, Jonah captures the intrigue of the project, called the “Gadget,” stopping to point out the beauty and peace of the desert mountains around where the scientists work: “Outside the laboratory, not far away, artists are painting beautiful paintings,” and Hopi Indians are lovingly carving dolls. Then, the book pivots back to the secret work of scientists in the dark. These juxtapositions, particularly as they are starkly contrasted by Jeanette’s palette (red-orange outdoor beauty, followed by silhouettes working in black), make the book’s ending all the more effective. But I’ll get to that in a second.
To be sure, this is not an abstract text, heavy on the peace theme — though the book communicates a great deal about that without having to explicitly address it, and it’s dedicated to “the peacemakers.” That’s to say: This is nonfiction for the youngest of readers that explains in ways they will understand the work of these scientists and the events that led up to the test: “These great scientists must complete their secret invention before any other scientists complete their secret invention,” and they need uranium and plutonium, metals that “can be turned into something with enormous power.” Jonah also lays out the completion of their work, always under the cover of darkness, and their trip to a “wide open space” to test their project. The text itself doesn’t specifically discuss World War II, but a closing author’s note goes into more detail.
And that Trinity test (named as such only in the author’s note)? Let’s just say I’ve never seen such a powerful use of black in one picture book spread. On one spread, Jeanette brings readers the image of four scientists watching their bomb in anticipation through a bunker miles away. The recto page has text only: “The countdown begins ….” The next spread is a countdown, words only, and the two wordless spreads that follow that (the first pictured immediately below) will take your breath away, all red and fire and destruction. No words necessary.
The spread that follows all of that is utter blackness and silence. The end.
And if that gives you chills just reading about it, you should pick up a copy of the book. It’s a powerful story powerfully told, covering events that are chilling and awesome (in the truest sense of the word, that is) — all in a way accessible to young readers. As the Kirkus review notes: “An astonishing way to lay the groundwork for such works for older readers as Steve Sheinkin’s Bomb (2012), this is a beautifully told introduction to a difficult subject.”
Striking and unforgettable.
(Click second image to enlarge and see spread in its entirety)
(Click to enlarge and see spread in its entirety)
[Note: These thoughts come from having seen an F&G of the book, not a final copy.]
THE SECRET PROJECT. Copyright © 2017 by Jonah Winter. Illustrations © 2017 by Jeanette Winter. Illustrations reproduced by permission of the publisher, Beach Lane Books, New York.
5 comments to “The Secret Project”
This book looks gorgeous and dark, in the best sense of dark! I love Jeannette Winter’s work– and it looks as if this time she has outdone herself!
by Lauren January 10th, 2017 at 6:09 pm
There’s Junko Morimoto’s My Hiroshima. This is out of print, but tells Junko’s own childhood story of living in Hiroshima when the bomb was dropped. As an adult living in Sydney she wrote and illustrated some stunning picture books most of which are in the school library I work in. On the topic also but an adult novel, have you read The Atomic Weight of Love?
by Victoria January 11th, 2017 at 6:49 pm
Hi, Lauren. And thanks, Victoria, for the tip! No, I have not read that novel. Do you recommend it?
by jules January 11th, 2017 at 8:45 pm
wow, just wow.
by Allison January 11th, 2017 at 11:33 pm
[…] blog primarily focused on illustration and picture books. The above blog was posted at 7-Imp on January 10, 2017. Follow […]
| 5,537 |
I’d like to talk about a presentation I did at Georgia Tech’s athletic department. The collegiate athletic space is wrought with ethical issues, issues of integrity. Largely it’s because of the competition. I’d like to talk about 5 specific things we talked about with the athletic director, football coach, and many other people in the athletic staff. These 5 principles apply to all collegiate sports. The collegiate athletic space necessarily and inherently includes recruiting, it includes competition, and a desired to win.
Often times, coaches, athletes, administrators, leaders, and boosters make bad decisions. It happens. There are many examples of bad decisions being made. Sometimes there are consequences because people are caught or regulators get the wind of it. Many times they don’t get caught. But what’s the right thing to do. We discussed many aspects of doing the right thing and having integrity with ethical decision making and inherently including critical decision making process in every decisions both at home and on the court. Here are 5 soft skills that are crucial for all parties involved to be aware of and practice:
5 Soft Skills in Collegiate Athletics to Improve Culture
Humility
These are 5 soft skills. Athletes are typically tough, rough, strong, battle, and fight. but these 5 soft skills are really hard. It takes a lot of courage to hold yourself accountable when you do something wrong. Working with athletes and coaches is no different than working with CEOs. The challenges, the inherit story we tell ourselves, is the same an athletic director or coach faces. It’s vital to hold yourself accountable to what the rules are, to what the law says, and think through every single decision. It’s important to create an environment where people are coming forward and talking about all the various issues that are arising. Create an environment in your organization around these 5 soft skills of accountability, vulnerability, integrity, empathy, and humility.
| 2,045 |
If current House Minority Leader Kevin McCarthy becomes Speaker of the House he wants to kick Rep. Ilhan Omar off the House Foreign Affairs Committee and Reps. Erioc Swalwell and Adam Schiff off the Intelligence Commitee.
Mike blogged about McCarthy’s comments this weekend. The GOP House leader wants Omar off the Foreign Affairs Committee due to her rampant anti-Semitism.
McCarthy said: “I promised you last year that as speaker she will no longer be on Foreign Affairs, and I’m keeping that promise.”
Omar had to respond:
“From the moment I was elected, the Republican Party has made it their mission to use fear, xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism to target me on the House floor and through millions of dollars of campaign ads,” said Omar. “McCarthy’s effort to repeatedly single me out for scorn and hatred—including threatening to strip me from my committee—does nothing to address the issues our constituents deal with. It does nothing to address inflation, health care, or solve the climate crisis.”
Um, McCarthy’s comments were all about her anti-Semitic comments. We have receipts, Omar.
Rep. Ilhan Omar’s latest anti-Semitic tweets: Israel supporters in Congress bought by Jewish money
McCarthy also said Swalwell did not qualify for the committee because of his “prior association with a Chinese spy.” He doesn’t think Schiff deserves a spot since he is obssessed with Russian collussion:
“One thing I said from the very beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector,” said McCarthy. “Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So, I will not allow him to be on” the House Intelligence Committee.
“You have Adam Schiff, who lied to the American public time and again – we will not allow him to be on the [Intelligence] Committee either,” McCarthy added. “Look at Congresswoman Omar, her antisemitic comments that have gone forward. We’re not going to allow her to be on Foreign Affairs.”
Swalwell told Fox News to “circle back if Kevin McCarthy becomes speaker.”
More receipts:
Report: Chinese Spy Targeted California Politicians, Including Rep. Eric Swalwell
The Democrats have no right to whine becase soon-to-be Speaker Nancy Pelosi set the precedent:
NEWT GINGRICH: I think Nancy Pelosi set the precedent. She did something that had never been done before and reached into the minority party to decide who could and could not serve on some committees. I think Kevin McCarthy is following her precedent. So the Democrats have nothing to complain about because they started this dance and frankly, the three people he’s picked so totally deserve to be kicked off committees.
It’s unbelievable. Adam Schiff made a career out of lying to the American people while serving as chairman of the Intelligence Committee without any question, just plain, flat-out lying. Swalwell has had a relationship with a Chinese communist. That’s unimaginable for somebody who’s going to have security clearance. And of course, Omar is a viciously anti-Israel, antisemitic orator who has consistently violated the norms of civilized behavior. So I think those are three pretty good targets. And I commend Speaker-designate McCarthy for taking them head-on.
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Anti-Semitism, China, House of Representatives, Ilhan Omar, Kevin McCarthy, Trump Russia
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2smartforlibs | November 21, 2022 at 5:09 pm
We hate Trump he can’t run. What yo[u kicking us off the committees why??
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Connivin Caniff in reply to 2smartforlibs. | November 21, 2022 at 8:07 pm
Yeah, but what will be really infuriating for the ‘Rats is that the new Republican Speaker of the House is also the ex officio Big Boss of the Capitol Police: “I’m the new Boss, lads. I want those 4,000 hours of video in my office by noon tomorrow!”
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clintack in reply to Connivin Caniff. | November 22, 2022 at 8:24 am
Pretty sure that video has been handed over to the shiny new Special Counsel, who will refuse to let Congress have them back because they are part of an ongoing investigation.
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Connivin Caniff in reply to clintack. | November 22, 2022 at 9:25 am
Then cut off all their funds and impeach every last one of these DOJ Insurrectionists disobeying a valid order of the House. There is no sacred “part of a continuing investigation” and in any event that would not apply anyway to videos taken in a public place (which should also be available to the political prisoners in D.C. jail under Brady.) Also go for contempt and also mandamus the DOJ in that regard. If necessary, go all the way to the Supreme Court on the issue of the Executive Branch materially impeding the work of the legislative branch.
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CoolCzech in reply to 2smartforlibs. | November 23, 2022 at 12:56 pm
So Swalwell will have more time to bed down with cute little Chinese honeypots.
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fscarn | November 21, 2022 at 5:26 pm
One thing he could do is reinstate the no-hat/no-headcoverings when on the House floor. Ugly Nancy undid that rule to accommodate one hateful, ungrateful, and very ungracious person.
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Paul in reply to fscarn. | November 21, 2022 at 5:40 pm
The Dims would ‘find their religion’ in a heartbeat if he did that. It would be worth it just to laugh at their hypocrisy if nothing else.
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CommoChief in reply to fscarn. | November 21, 2022 at 5:49 pm
Meh, that seems a bit targeted and spiteful towards those who embrace female modesty in their daily lives. Not to say that Omar isn’t a what you stated she is. I honestly don’t have a huge issue with someone who chooses a head scarf (Hijab) and modest dress without the extreme of a Niqab (veil + headscarf) or a Burka.
The Hijab seems a good compromise for the West to tolerate and accept. It seems feminine and not at all threatening to me but obviously everyone has their own opinions. I believe we should make sure women have the choice to don it or not based on their own beliefs and wishes.
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healthguyfsu in reply to CommoChief. | November 21, 2022 at 6:36 pm
I just think of Professor Quirrell in Harry Potter and the Sorcerer’s Stone hiding a Voldemort symbiont underneath his headdress.
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scooterjay in reply to CommoChief. | November 21, 2022 at 8:33 pm
There is a difference between a modest woman and women that have to be forced into modesty because her brothers cannot control their wicked urges.
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CommoChief in reply to scooterjay. | November 22, 2022 at 7:51 am
Your statement sees to seek to frame this issue about Omar and not the rule in the HoR re wear of a headscarf. She will not be the last person elected to the HoR who wishes to wear a headscarf.
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venril in reply to scooterjay. | November 22, 2022 at 7:57 am
Or ” Wear it or you dishonor the family. And then we’ll kill you.”
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JohnSmith100 in reply to CommoChief. | November 21, 2022 at 9:13 pm
The West should not offer any compromise, these are people who will unmercifully demand more and more compromises. better to draw a line in the sand right away.
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CommoChief in reply to JohnSmith100. | November 22, 2022 at 8:01 am
That would also describe any other group or individual who disagrees with the majority. It’s a very common strategy to ask for a slice, then two, then half a loaf while seeking the whole loaf.
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mailman in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 2:26 am
There can be no compromise with people who hate you for the crime of disagreeing with them.
Also, the women of Iran are being raped and murdered for daring to uncover their heads.
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CommoChief in reply to mailman. | November 22, 2022 at 7:58 am
You skipped over the part where I very clearly stated that in the West we should ensure it is a choice to wear a headscarf. You wanna go to Iran and become a social activist have at it.
Muslims don’t hate us for daring to disagree fyi. That is far too simplistic. Many do have a level of contempt for aspects of modern western culture. In fact some of that content is rooted in many of the same things we don’t like about our modern culture.
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txvet2 in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 4:38 pm
“”Muslims don’t hate us for daring to disagree fyi””
No, they just want to kill us over it.
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CommoChief in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 6:21 pm
If you want to be concerned about foreigners who dislike the USA, it’s Citizens and it’s culture…start with the Europeans. The Germans and French in particular really do not like us very much at all.
Their establishment/credentialed class would happily see us taken down several pegs and actively seek to do just that. They have literally made things worse for themselves in some instances where the alternative was to allow the US a success.
I spent a while lot of time in Muslim Nations on three continents. Frankly, I am less than concerned with Dudes that want to live a 7th century lifestyle. It’s the potential foes with modern ideas, thought processes and modern tech that scare me.
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jb4 in reply to fscarn. | November 21, 2022 at 5:58 pm
McCarthy has his own problems – getting elected Speaker by the whole House. Some Republicans have said they will not vote for him and they have almost none to spare.
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Gosport in reply to jb4. | November 21, 2022 at 8:50 pm
Which is exactly why he did this and did it now.
It’s McCarthy trying to pee on a political bush to mark his domain prior to the Speaker election.
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JR in reply to fscarn. | November 21, 2022 at 6:13 pm
It’s just a head scarf. Of all the things to complain about concerning Omar, this seems to be the least of them.
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Milhouse in reply to fscarn. | November 21, 2022 at 11:50 pm
Absolutely not. Omar or no Omar, that rule was outdated and irrational.
Also, even if it’s reinstated it would have to have an exception for religious headgear. Otherwise it would be unconstitutional, as a de facto violation of the religious tests clause.
But there’s no need for special religious exemptions since the whole rule shouldn’t exist in the first place, so it’s a good thing Pelosi dropped it.
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caseoftheblues in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 4:53 am
NOTHING Pelosi does is good and/or has a good reason behind it being done.
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MattMusson in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 6:51 am
It was aimed at Jews wearing Yarmulkes. It was an antisemitic rule.
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rduke007 in reply to MattMusson. | November 22, 2022 at 7:45 am
But they could still wear Yamaha’s…
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diver64 | November 21, 2022 at 5:48 pm
I wondered how long into the comment it would take the Somali who married her brother to scream racism and it was first sentence. Surprised it wasn’t first word
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Paula in reply to diver64. | November 22, 2022 at 1:05 pm
She didn’t say it, but she was thinking it.
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JohnSmith100 | November 21, 2022 at 6:12 pm
Omar is probably the dumbest member of Congress. We need to institute a minimum IQ requirement both for entry into America and to run for office
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Paul in reply to JohnSmith100. | November 21, 2022 at 6:18 pm
Too much inbreeding will do that.
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JohnSmith100 in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 9:18 pm
Especially when it is brother and sister father and daughter, uncles, first cousins and so on. This is exactly what is wrong in Palestine. If people are interested there are studies specifically abut such abuse in Palestine.
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diver64 in reply to JohnSmith100. | November 21, 2022 at 6:53 pm
I will raise you SheJack and throw Auntie Maxine into the pot as well.
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Paul in reply to diver64. | November 21, 2022 at 7:30 pm
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CommoChief in reply to Paul. | November 22, 2022 at 12:39 pm
For the Senate I gotta pick Mazie Hirono, for HoR I gotta go with Maxine Waters.
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txvet2 in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 4:53 pm
People said you couldn’t get any lower than Mazie, and then came Fetterman.
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Paul in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 7:22 pm
The thing about Waters is that she has gotten so rich as a “public servant.” There are a lot of other mouth breathers in the HoR that manage to be mind-numbingly stupid and remain poor. That makes me think Waters might be crazy as a fox. In addition to being a downright nasty racist.
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JohnSmith100 in reply to diver64. | November 21, 2022 at 9:20 pm
The problem with Congress today is that there are a slew of stupid runners up.
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TheFineReport.com in reply to diver64. | November 22, 2022 at 9:33 pm
Fetterman has them all licked.
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Ironclaw | November 21, 2022 at 6:48 pm
Hey, he didn’t make her say all that jew-hating stuff and he didn’t make Swallowell f*ck a chinese spy. But they should be held accountable for those things.
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Paul in reply to Ironclaw. | November 21, 2022 at 8:25 pm
And that lying c*nt Schiff bald-faced lied to the public for years about supposed ‘intelligence’ he saw incriminating Trump.
Too bad we can’t still tar and feather scumbag politicians, I would love to punch that smarmy face. I’d knock his eyes straight again.
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scooterjay in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 8:37 pm
Dueling pitches and revolvers should make a return.
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CommoChief in reply to scooterjay. | November 22, 2022 at 12:41 pm
Dueling would solve a whole lotta problems. Bet the keyboard warriors and everyday blowhards would act much more docile if they had to show up to a duel or be run out of public life.
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Paul in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 1:36 pm
I’m slowly, begrudgingly, beginning to find some respect for Jake Paul for exactly this reason. He doesn’t just talk smack online, he gets into the boxing ring to figure it out. He’s not a polished fighter, but he’s gotten into the ring with some real fighters, and he hasn’t lost yet.
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CommoChief in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 6:29 pm
Fair enough. Though using a revolver would allow the ladies and infirm to join in as well as preventing them them the opportunity to gracefully decline. We want to be inclusive after all. Many would relish that v a probable loss in a contest of size, strength, agility.
I suspect the reality of being potentially put in the position of dying for /killing for one’s careless words would Lear to more civil discourse.
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Paul in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 7:24 pm
No doubt, you are correct
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gonzotx in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 8:38 pm
I think we can!
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scooterjay in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 8:39 pm
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JohnSmith100 in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 9:21 pm
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Dimsdale in reply to Paul. | November 21, 2022 at 9:45 pm
And gave her a heads up to blow the country before they came after her. (about 45 jokes there…..)
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irv | November 21, 2022 at 6:56 pm
Why only those 3? There are at least 30 more who shouldn’t be on ANY committee.
McCarthy is a piker, making the smallest gestures he thinks he has to make in order to get a job that’s too big for him.
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CommoChief in reply to irv. | November 21, 2022 at 7:25 pm
Three said so in public, more potentially in private?
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georgfelis in reply to irv. | November 22, 2022 at 2:43 am
Pick your battles. These three are absolute wins. The more numbskulls included on the list, the easier you’re making it for the Dems to pick one of the more questionable ones and blow it up in the media and make it into a campaign issue.
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TheFineReport.com in reply to irv. | November 22, 2022 at 9:34 pm
I don’t trust McCarthy, not merely on the issue of his loyalty, but of his backbone.
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MarkJ | November 21, 2022 at 9:20 pm
Consider McCarthy’s yanking the Three Stooges off their committees a bit of “pour encourager les autres.” Democrats (at least those with residual sanity) will know if McCarthy can do it to those three he can do it to them as well.
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BierceAmbrose | November 21, 2022 at 9:25 pm
“Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector,” said McCarthy. “Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America?”
What spies are Ok? Worse, they can’t refute it without bringing up a topic they’ve worked hard to memory hole.
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Dimsdale | November 21, 2022 at 9:43 pm
“From the moment I was elected, the Republican Party has made it their mission to use fear, xenophobia, Islamophobia and racism to target me on the House floor and through millions of dollars of campaign ads,” said Omar.”
I thought it was the antisemitism and incest?
“One thing I said from the very beginning, Eric Swalwell cannot get a security clearance in the public sector,” said McCarthy. “Why would we ever give him a security clearance and the secrets to America? So, I will not allow him to be on” the House Intelligence Committee.”
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Milhouse in reply to Dimsdale. | November 21, 2022 at 11:58 pm
I thought it was the antisemitism and incest?
There was no incest. That’s kind of the whole point of the scandal: the “marriage” was a sham from the beginning. Throughout the “marriage” she continued to live with her real husband, the father of her children, whom she had supposedly divorced. They continued to file their taxes as a married couple, and to present themselves in society as still married. Both the divorce and her remarriage to her brother existed only on paper, and everyone in the Somali community in MN knew this.
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caseoftheblues in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 5:03 am
Marrying a sibling can be classified as incest in some states and result in exact same felony charges.
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Dimsdale in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 7:53 am
I’ll take your word for it, but we’re talking about Democrats.
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Paul in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 11:47 am
You can’t state that factually. There is no way you can know.
In fact, they were ‘married’ so I’d say the safe presumption is that they DID consummate the union.
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BierceAmbrose in reply to Paul. | November 22, 2022 at 12:52 pm
Depending on where and when, that’s been a settled part of jurisprudence: that a marriage declared for a time is presumed to have been consummated.
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Paula in reply to Paul. | November 22, 2022 at 1:08 pm
If Milhouse would take his heavy thumb off the scales they would tilt the other way.
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Paul in reply to Paula. | November 22, 2022 at 1:37 pm
If Milhouse took his heavy thumb off the scales the thing would flip up and put his eye out.
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Milhouse in reply to Paula. | November 22, 2022 at 5:15 pm
And if you ever told the truth about anything the earth would stop spinning.
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Paul in reply to Paula. | November 22, 2022 at 5:25 pm
Milhouse is great, I love Milhouse.
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Milhouse in reply to Paul. | November 22, 2022 at 5:13 pm
They never lived together. Plus look at all the evidence that has accumulated that the marriage was a sham. Every bit of that evidence also shows that it was never consummated.
On the contrary, if you want to allege that it was consummated then you must say that it was not a sham, and therefore you ought to have no objection to it, since her personal sexual morality is none of your business. You can’t have it both ways, accusing her of a sham marriage for fraudulent purposes and accusing her of consummating it.
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Ironclaw in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 2:06 pm
Are you really going to take Congresswoman Brotherf*ck’er’s word for it?
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Milhouse in reply to Ironclaw. | November 22, 2022 at 5:10 pm
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Milhouse in reply to Ironclaw. | November 22, 2022 at 5:14 pm
In any case, what word? She’s the one insisting it was a real marriage, and denying that he’s her brother! But we all know otherwise, which is the only reason we’ve ever heard of it in the first place. It follows that there was never any incest.
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CommoChief in reply to Ironclaw. | November 22, 2022 at 6:34 pm
Guys, Milhouse is correct to the best of my knowledge and I followed this pretty closely. It was an immigration scam with a sham marriage to finesse the paperwork and get her brother a green card.
The website Powerline is run by guys from Minnesota and they have been on this story from way back. Check their archives.
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Milhouse in reply to CommoChief. | November 23, 2022 at 11:20 am
To be precise, the exact purpose of the scam is not clear; immigration is merely a logical assumption. But there’s no doubt that it was a scam; if it wasn’t for immigration then I don’t know what it was for, but it must have been for something.
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4fun | November 21, 2022 at 10:26 pm
I trust McCarthy about as far as I can throw the Empire State building. And I’m not nearly as strong as I used to be.
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Skip | November 22, 2022 at 4:24 am
Both wouldn’t pass a security clearance 20 years ago
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kjon | November 22, 2022 at 6:03 am
McCarthy isn’t there yet. He has many votes but not enough for the win. He also accepted $$$ from Bankman-Fried the FTX guy who hosed many people with his bitcoin scam, BTW where was the FBI on this? I know, they were investigating parents who were unhappy with their local school boards and swatting families whose fathers were protesting abortion.
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BierceAmbrose in reply to kjon. | November 22, 2022 at 12:57 pm
You been following that FTX thing? I’m kind of meanly delighted.
The kerfuffle is a replay of the — um, vigorous folly — around the ’08 “housing collapse.” Literally beat for beat. This thing is only incidentally “crypto.” Much as the problems with the “housing market” collapse were at best incidentally bound to the housing market.
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The_Mew_Cat in reply to kjon. | November 22, 2022 at 1:05 pm
He isn’t there yet, and may have to cut an awful lot of deals to get 218. I suspect he will probably get there after a few days of intense negotiating.
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MoeHowardwasright | November 22, 2022 at 6:43 am
This would be a good start. More needs to be done.
1) Set a 5 to 3 ratio for each committee
2) Close every Capitol Police office that has been opened outside the confines of DC
4) Open investigations of every Cabinet Department
5) Cut the budget of every Cabinet Department by 50%
6) Declare no more Continuing Resolutions. Individual Department budgets only.
He may not get all of these points accomplished, but he will secure a super majority in 2024 just by exposing these corrupt (fill in the blank with your favorite swear words)
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Owego in reply to MoeHowardwasright. | November 22, 2022 at 8:20 am
With a few modifications and additions, the list is an admirable starting point, if one that exceeds McCarthys resolve, he’s too invested. Fixing the house is going to require a “damn the torpedos” leader in the mold of Nancy Pelosi (it pains me to say) – he’s not it. but it’s where we are.
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CommoChief in reply to Owego. | November 22, 2022 at 12:50 pm
He may not have the votes. 3 r members have already publicly pledged not to support his bid for speaker. That means he needs 218 other r. The count is 220 with three races ongoing. McCarthy himself pledged not to rely on any d/prog votes to become Speaker and today he is short of the needed 218.
The real question is how many other r won’t support him but haven’t said so publicly? This is what makes DJT decision to endorse him for Speaker so disappointing.
Here is an opportunity to avoid a creature of the establishment as Speaker and yet DJT, for some reason, choose not to fight on this. More than that really as DJT could have simply not made any endorsement in the Speakers race, instead he chose to back McCarthy. Puzzling.
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The_Mew_Cat in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 1:08 pm
McCarthy will have to negotiate very hard and make deals to get 218. The thing is, if he doesn’t have 218, nobody else does either.
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txvet2 in reply to CommoChief. | November 22, 2022 at 5:00 pm
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TheFineReport.com in reply to Owego. | November 22, 2022 at 9:36 pm
MTG is operating as a kind 0f ‘governor’ on McCarthy. I’m waiting for her to hit the ceiling when his backbone starts waivering.
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Milhouse in reply to MoeHowardwasright. | November 23, 2022 at 11:23 am
Most of those sound good, but #6 doesn’t seem doable. Passing 13 individual department budgets is obviously desirable, but there’s a reason it rarely happens: It requires both houses to cooperate, and that’s difficult even when they’re controlled by the same party, let alone when they’re not. The House can pass 13 budget bills, as it did under Boehner and Ryan, but the senate will reject them, and October will come and there will be no choice but another continuing resolution.
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BierceAmbrose in reply to Milhouse. | November 23, 2022 at 2:00 pm
‘…there will be no choice but another continuing resolution.”
There will be many choices other than another continuing resolution. And people are learning that these continuing resolutions to avoid the other bad choices, are themselves worse than they look. You could end up with a continuing resolutions, disguised as an appropriation, described as an inflation reduction act, promoted as the infrastructure scheme they couldn’t do on its merits, that includes funding for 87,000 new fed enforcers, outside of straight law-enforcement but selected for being able and willing to use lethal force (on overtime.)
Shut it down, or approve the parts people can agree on, then go argue about the rest. Maybe we’d have less stuff canonized into tradition that at best had 50% plus one vote backing, one time.
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Owego | November 22, 2022 at 8:07 am
Omar shouldn’t even be in the country, never mind in congress, Swalwell should be in jail. They both make a mockery of the country’s laws, traditions, and morals. it’s little wonder they feel unrestrained in their open criticisms. Schiff’s a Pelosi toadie, when she goes he’ll collapse like a boneless chicken if he can’t find someone else to prop him up.
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Milhouse in reply to Owego. | November 22, 2022 at 5:21 pm
On what grounds should Omar not be in the country? She was admitted legally as a refugee. She committed no crimes connected with that admission — she couldn’t have, since she was only a child. And she was lawfully naturalized, so she’s now a citizen, and that can’t be taken away involuntarily no matter what crimes she commits.
And while we’re at it, what crimes are you accusing Swalwell of? There’s no evidence he ever gave Fang Fang any information that he had a duty to keep secret. He may of course have done so, but without evidence how can you say he belongs in a cell?
They’re both horrible people, but there’s no evidence for more than that.
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Aarradin in reply to Milhouse. | November 22, 2022 at 8:45 pm
Omar immigrated here illegally.
Married her brother to do so.
Naturalized citizens can, and often do, get prosecuted for such offenses – resulting in them being stripped of their citizenship and deported. DOJ actually has a fantastic success rate in such cases.
If she were a prominent R, this would have already happened. But, since she’s a D she gets a free pass.
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Milhouse in reply to Aarradin. | November 23, 2022 at 11:30 am
Omar immigrated here illegally.
Married her brother to do so.
What the hell are you talking about? NO, SHE DID NOT. You are making up lies.
And once someone is validly naturalized, they cannot ever lose their citizenship no matter what they do. They can be prosecuted and jailed, even executed if they commit a capital crime, but they cannot be deported.
You seem to be referring to cases where the person was not naturalized at all. They merely purported to be naturalized, but then it was discovered that the naturalization was invalid. Those people did not lose their citizenship, they never had it in the first place. They’re no different from someone who claims to have been born in the USA, but then it’s proven that they were born just over the Canadian border. Such a person does not “lose” their citizenship, they were never citizens in the first place. Or that al Qaeda woman who was born in the USA, but her father was a foreign diplomat, so her claim of citizenship was invalid. None of that helps in Omar’s case, since there is no dispute that her naturalization was valid. Once that happens it’s permanent; nothing she does after that can change it. That is the law, whether you like it or not. Changing it would require a constitutional amendment.
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Aarradin in reply to Milhouse. | November 24, 2022 at 12:40 am
As noted above, the federal govt prosecutes people regularly for fraudulently obtaining citizenship, and they have a remarkably high success rate doing so.
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Pepsi_Freak | November 22, 2022 at 8:44 am
This is sort of a test to see whether Kevin has the spine necessary for a Speaker. Will he actually do what he has threatened, or will he wimp out in the name of “reaching across the aisle”? If the latter, I predict the voters will take the House away from him (and the GOP) as they did with Paul Ryan when he blocked President Trump’s initiatives instead of supporting him.
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TheFineReport.com in reply to Pepsi_Freak. | November 22, 2022 at 9:37 pm
Even if McCarthy remains steadfast, I don’t think he’s a war-time Speaker. He’ll wither.
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Aarradin | November 22, 2022 at 8:39 pm
Every one of those leaks is Felony Treason. If the DOJ wasn’t functioning entirely as the D Party’s Gestapo Schiff would already be in prison.
This alone is all the R’s need to remove Schiff from the Committee – and not allow him on ANY other Committee.
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Milhouse in reply to Aarradin. | November 23, 2022 at 11:32 am
No, it is not treason. The constitution defines treason, and this is nothing like it. If you claim it’s legally treason you are defying the constitution, just as you are when you claim a validly naturalized person can have their citizenship stripped from them.
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Aarradin in reply to Milhouse. | November 24, 2022 at 1:19 am
Every one of those leaks was a Felony. If the DOJ wasn’t functioning entirely as the D Party’s Gestapo Schiff would already be in prison.
This alone is all the R’s need to remove Schiff from the Committee – and not allow him on ANY other Committee.
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BierceAmbrose | November 23, 2022 at 2:24 pm
Well, we’ve had a prezzy who spend a decade or two in the pews with sermons including “G== Damn this Country.” Then another who was mocked and obstructed for “Make America Great Again.’
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Director Lenny Abrahamson doesn’t appear to like making things easy for himself. His 2014 film Frank rested heavily on a number of complex emotions being conveyed by a character, played by Michael Fassbender, who wore a paper mache head for almost the entirety of the film. And his latest, the emotionally wrought Room, features characters who are, for the majority of the film, confined to a room that is only ten feet by ten feet. For the first section of the film we see nothing beyond these walls, save for a tiny skylight that lets in a small amount of light and provides the lead character of Jack (Jacob Tremblay) his only view, beyond television, of an outside world that he has never experienced.
Jack has grown up in ‘Room’ – the word exists as a proper noun in a limited vocabulary that defines Jack’s existence – with his mother, who was kidnapped at a young age by Old Nick, a man who keeps the pair locked in Room. Old Nick visits occasionally to provide them with supplies and to rape ‘Ma’ (Brie Larson), Jack’s mother. These early scenes in Room are tough going, with Abrahamson and cinematographer Danny Cohen‘s camera staying in close on the characters and the interior of Room. Bleak but highly detailed production design by Ethan Tobman ensures that we feel very much embedded with these two characters in the claustrophobic and unpleasant jail that they have found themselves confined within.
Whilst these scenes are hard to watch and often upsetting, Abrahamson and co. are not interested in simply making an audience uncomfortable and creating an oppressive experience. There is levity at times, even humour, and due to Jack’s naivety and overriding childish wonder there is still lightness in the way in which he lives his life. Tremblay is utterly convincing as Jack, largely due, one imagines, to his youth. There is nothing at all mannered about his performance. It all feels very much as if he is simply ‘being himself’.
Jack and Ma also have a bond that is both beautiful and deeply sad, with Ma clearly trying as hard as she possibly can to protect Jack and raise him as best as she can given the incredibly challenging circumstances. In this regard Abrahamson and screenwriter Emma Donoghue – who adapted her own book for the screen – have created a fascinating way to explore the role of a parent and the way in which children develop, but one that is magnified by the central conceit of the film. Larson is stunning in the role of Ma, who we later discover is actually called Joy, conveying a desperation and frustration in her outward appearance but a real humanity and compassion in micro-gestures that help us understand the inner turmoil she must be going through.
This situation and bond between mother and son actually in turn gives way to something even richer and more complex, as Jack and then Joy finally escape from Room and are confronted with adjusting to life outside of Room and all the difficulties that this entails. New characters are also introduced, including strong supporting performances from Joan Allen and William H. Macy. As the dynamic sharply twists in Joy and Jack’s relationship and the pair go on very different but connected journeys Abrahamson and Donoghue never lose sight of the emotional complexity that gives the film its power. A relatively small scene, for instance, featuring Joy’s dad (Macy), who is struggling to engage with Jack – he appears to see Jack more as a product of the rape of his daughter than as a grandson – is expertly handled and utterly heartbreaking. And it represents a carefully considered approach to the subject matter and what possible difficulties it may entail.
Room is filled with moments of bleakness, tenderness, sadness and rapture, all of which lead to a number of later that will have many audiences sobbing somewhat uncontrollably – if my screening and my own personal experience is anything to go by. Aside from a slightly invasive score, all this emotion is handled with a great deal of care, with Abrahamson knowing exactly when to go big and when to keep things smaller and more nuanced. A beautiful and deeply affecting film, that is both emotionally and intellectually engaging at every turn.
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| 4,578 |
Every once in awhile I hear someone make the suggestion, usually casually, lightheartedly - 'leaders and followers should have separate classes.' At first I thought, how crazy would that be? How would we learn to connect - to walk? But as I continue to take lessons, and classes, and workshops - the difference in goals and methods is becoming more and more apparent between followers and leaders.
As a follower, I want to learn technique - strength, balance, connection, musicality. After all, what good is learning more patterns if I can't follow the lead. The majority (though certainly not all) of the leaders want more patterns, more steps, more variety and vocabulary to build their choreography. Of course they also want to focus on musicality - at least there's one thing we have in common.
It reminds me of my ballroom classes - what few I had, anyway. We all learned the patterns together - men on one side of the room, women on the other. We danced steps back and forth to each other from across that space - over and over and over. Then, when we finally got together, we simply did the pattern, roughly in time with the music, not really connected at all. We all had the pattern memorized, so why should they lead or I follow it?
Sometimes I think it would be better not to know what's coming. It's essential to know the things that are possible - for instance what can be done on one side of the embrace, can also usually be done on the other side. We, as followers, need to know the vocabulary that's possible, what the lead feels like, the different ways we may respond to the lead. But at a certain point, I just want to focus on following well. If I'm concentrating on learning my side of a step - am I learning to follow - or learning to parrot?
3 comments:
Unknown said...
You'd be learning to parrot. A teacher once told me that dancing Tango is the giving and receiving of signals between two listening parties.
Patterns have the potential to harm the brain's natural ability to respond to changes in music and movement.
Polly don't want that ;)
October 2, 2009 at 2:41 PM
My approach has been to mostly not quite listen in class. You always have two or three things you're personally working on to improve your dance, and you work on those regardless of the class content. You ignore all of the stuff that's about the pattern, but you tune in to the bits about technique, and if anything interesting comes up you put aside what you were working on and work on the new thing, and add it to your list for later. Then you treat the class as a practice session, rotate as much as possible, and follow whatever actually gets led. And also: don't talk. Never try to fix other people's problems - always say you're not-sure-let's-try-it-again, then flag down the teacher and ask. A bonus is that all this makes you a really popular follower in class with the leaders who genuinely want to be good, which helps for the social dancing.
Maybe not the ideal answer but it kind of works.
October 4, 2009 at 9:36 AM
msHedgehog - What fantastic advice. I'm going to forward that along actually, as this subject comes up a lot when I talk with other followers. We talked about getting a sort of selective amnesia during (and after) classes. I imagine you must have quite a queue waiting to dance with you! :)
| 3,437 |
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| 1,893 |
George Fox (July 1624 – 13 January 1691) was an English Dissenter, who was a founder of the Religious Society of Friends, commonly known as the Quakers or Friends. The son of a Leicestershire weaver, he lived in times of social upheaval and war. He rebelled against the religious and political authorities by proposing an unusual, uncompromising approach to the Christian faith. He travelled throughout Britain as a dissenting preacher, performing hundreds of healings, and often being persecuted by the disapproving authorities.
The Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, but in people's hearts...
I was come into the covenant of peace which was before wars and strife were.
Why should any man have power over any other man's faith, seeing Christ Himself is the author of it?
Be patterns, be examples in all countries, places, islands, nations wherever you come; that your carriage and life may preach among all sorts of people, and to them; then you will come to walk cheerfully over the world, answering that of God in everyone; whereby in them you may be a blessing, and make the witness of God in them to bless you.
Statement of 1656, from The Works of George Fox (1831)
But as I had forsaken the priests, so I left the separate preachers also, and those esteemed the most experienced people; for I saw there was none among them all that could speak to my condition. And when all my hopes in them and in all men were gone, so that I had nothing outwardly to help me, nor could tell what to do, then, oh, then, I heard a voice which said, "There is one, even Christ Jesus, that can speak to thy condition"; and when I heard it my heart did leap for joy. Then the Lord let me see why there was none upon the earth that could speak to my condition, namely, that I might give Him all the glory; for all are concluded under sin, and shut up in unbelief as I had been, that Jesus Christ might have the pre-eminence who enlightens, and gives grace, and faith, and power. Thus when God doth work, who shall let [hinder] it? and this I knew experimentally [through experience].
The Lord showed me, so that I did see clearly, that he did not dwell in these temples which men had commanded and set up, but in people's hearts … his people were his temple, and he dwelt in them.
I told [the Commonwealth Commissioners] I lived in the virtue of that life and power that took away the occasion of all wars... I told them I was come into the covenant of peace which was before wars and strife were.
Statement of 1651, quoted in Quaker Faith and Practice, Britain Yearly Meeting of the Religious Society of Friends
I was moved of the Lord to write a paper to the Protector, Oliver Cromwell; wherein I did, in the presence of the Lord God, declare that I denied the wearing or drawing of a carnal sword, or any other outward weapon, against him or any man; and that I was sent of God to stand a witness against all violence, and against the works of darkness; and to turn people from darkness to light; and to bring them from the causes of war and fighting, to the peaceable gospel. When I had written what the Lord had given me to write, I set my name to it, and gave it to Captain Drury to hand to Oliver Cromwell, which he did.
When I came in I was moved to say, "Peace be in this house"; and I exhorted him to keep in the fear of God, that he might receive wisdom from Him, that by it he might be directed, and order all things under his hand to God's glory.
l spoke much to him of Truth, and much discourse I had with him about religion; wherein he carried himself very moderately. But he said we quarrelled with priests, whom he called ministers. I told him I did not quarrel with them, but that they quarrelled with me and my friends. "But," said I, "if we own the prophets, Christ, and the apostles, we cannot hold up such teachers, prophets, and shepherds, as the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared against; but we must declare against them by the same power and Spirit."
Then I showed him that the prophets, Christ, and the apostles declared freely, and against them that did not declare freely; such as preached for filthy lucre, and divined for money, and preached for hire, and were covetous and greedy, that could never have enough; and that they that have the same spirit that Christ, and the prophets, and the apostles had, could not but declare against all such now, as they did then. As I spoke, he several times said, it was very good, and it was truth. I told him that all Christendom (so called) had the Scriptures, but they wanted the power and Spirit that those had who gave forth the Scriptures; and that was the reason they were not in fellowship with the Son, nor with the Father, nor with the Scriptures, nor one with another.
Many more words I had with him; but people coming in, I drew a little back. As I was turning, he caught me by the hand, and with tears in his eyes said, "Come again to my house; for if thou and I were but an hour of a day together, we should be nearer one to the other"; adding that he wished me no more ill than he did to his own soul. I told him if he did he wronged his own soul; and admonished him to hearken to God's voice, that he might stand in his counsel, and obey it; and if he did so, that would keep him from hardness of heart; but if he did not hear God's voice, his heart would be hardened. He said it was true.
Then I went out; and when Captain Drury came out after me he told me the Lord Protector had said I was at liberty, and might go whither I would.
Then I was brought into a great hall, where the Protector's gentlemen were to dine. I asked them what they brought me thither for. They said it was by the Protector's order, that I might dine with them. I bid them let the Protector know that I would not eat of his bread, nor drink of his drink. When he heard this he said, "Now I see there is a people risen that I cannot win with gifts or honours, offices or places; but all other sects and people I can." It was told him again that we had forsaken our own possessions; and were not like to look for such things from him.
On his meeting with Oliver Cromwell, in Autobiography of George Fox (1694)
Why should any man have power over any other man's faith, seeing Christ Himself is the author of it?
Quoted in "Memoir of George Fox", The Friends' Library: comprising journals, doctrinal treatises, and other writings of members of the Religious Society of Friends, edited by William Evans and Thomas Evans (1837) volume 1, page 76
There's a light that is shining in the heart of a man,
it's the light that was shining when the world began.
There's a light that is shining in the Turk and the Jew
and a light that is shining, friend, in me and in you. ~ Sydney Carter
I come through the darkness to the ocean of light,
for the light is forever and the light it is free,
"And I walk in the glory of the light," said he. ~ Sydney Carter
The House being informed, that Two Quakers, (that is to say) George Fox, and Rob. Gressingham, have lately made a great Disturbance at Harwich; and that the said George Fox, who pretends to be a Preacher, did lately, in his preaching there, speak Words much reflecting on the Government and Ministry, to the near causing of a Mutiny, and is now committed by the Mayor and Magistrates there; Ordered, That the said George Fox, and Robert Gressingham, be forthwith brought up in Custody: And that the Sheriff of the County of Essex do receive them, and give his Assistance for the conveying them up accordingly, and delivering them into the Charge of the Serjeant at Arms attending this House.
Order for the arrest of Fox and Robert Gressingham, in "Geo. Fox, &c" in House of Commons Journal, Volume 8, (21 May 1660)
There's a light that is shining in the heart of a man,
it's the light that was shining when the world began.
There's a light that is shining in the Turk and the Jew
and a light that is shining, friend, in me and in you.
Sydney Carter, in "George Fox" a variant on his lyrics to "Lord of the Dance" dedicated to Fox
"With a book and a steeple, with a bell and a key
they would bind it forever, but they can't," said he.
"Oh, the book it will perish and the steeple will fall,
but the light will be shining at the end of it all."
Sydney Carter, in "George Fox" a variant on his lyrics to "Lord of the Dance" dedicated to Fox
"If we give you a pistol, will you fight for the Lord?"
"But you can't kill the Devil with a gun or a sword!"
"Will you swear on the Bible?" "I will not!" said he,
"For the truth is more holy than the book, to me."
Sydney Carter, in "George Fox" a variant on his lyrics to "Lord of the Dance" dedicated to Fox
There's an ocean of darkness and I drown in the night
till I come through the darkness to the ocean of light,
for the light is forever and the light it is free,
"And I walk in the glory of the light," said he.
Sydney Carter, in "George Fox" a variant on his lyrics to "Lord of the Dance" dedicated to Fox
It was three hundred years ago, in October 1656, that George Fox had a memorable interview with Oliver Cromwell, Lord Protector of England. It was one of the great moments of a great century, for here, face to face, were two of the most powerful personalities of the age, the one the military dictator of the British Isles at the pinnacle of his worldly power, the other a crude, rustic preacher who had just spent eight months in one of England's foulest prisons. They met in Whitehall, at the very heart of the British government. Fox bluntly took the Protector to task for persecuting Friends when he should have protected them. Then characteristically he set about trying to make a Quaker out of Cromwell, to turn him to "the light of Christ who had enlightened every man that cometh into the world." Cromwell was in an argumentative mood and took issue with Fox's theology, but Fox had no patience with his objections. "The power of God riz in me," he wrote, "and I was moved to bid him lay down his crown at the feet of Jesus."
Cromwell knew what Fox meant, for two years earlier he had received a strange and disturbing missive in which he had read these words:
God is my witness, by whom I am moved to give this forth for the Truth's sake, from him whom the world calls George Fox; who is the son of God who is sent to stand a witness against all violence and against all the works of darkness, and to turn people from the darkness to the light, and to bring them from the occasion of the war and from the occasion of the magistrate's sword...
The man who persisted in calling himself the "son of God"— he later acknowledged that he had many brothers — was demanding nothing less than that the military ruler of all England should forthwith disavow all violence and all coercion, make Christ's law of love the supreme law of the land, and substitute the mild dictates of the Sermon on the Mount for the Instrument of Government by which he ruled. In a word, Fox would have him make England a kind of pilot project for the Kingdom of Heaven. Fox was a revolutionary. He had no patience with the relativities and compromises of political life. His testimony was an uncompromising testimony for the radical Christian ethic of love and non-violence, and he would apply it in the arena of politics as in every other sphere of life. It is not recorded that Cromwell took his advice. Neither is it recorded that Fox ever receded an inch from his radical perfectionism.
Frederick B. Tolles, in his address "Quakerism and Politics" (9 November 1956)
“Perhaps the most remarkable incident in Modern History,” says Teufelsdrockh, “is not the Diet of Worms, still less the Battle of Austerlitz, Waterloo, Peterloo, or any other Battle; but an incident passed carelessly over by most Historians, and treated with some degree of ridicule by others: namely, George Fox’s making to himself a suit of Leather.
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The Writings and Life of George Fox - The Journal and the Epistles, edited and with commentary by Hall Worthington and Joan Worthington
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It was one of those necessary limits that we parents set every day and I liked the process as it didn’t build up tension in him or in myself, instead, it diffused it. I didn’t resort to threats or bribes, and I didn’t raise my voice. It made us close and playful.
Parents all have tough moments and setting limits is one for me.
Yet, wow! Limit setting went really well for me and my younger son the other day. It was a slow process, but in the end no time felt wasted and we actually had time to enjoy ourselves on our way home. It made both me and my child feel really close.
Transition in general is hard for my two children, but especially for my younger son, who turned four recently. Today, my son’s playdate went well until it was time to say goodbye, as expected. Good thing I decided to start the “good-byes” a half an hour earlier.
When I said, “It’s time to go,” my son said, “I will after one more pillow (on his fortress).” After the third “It’s time to go” and my son still buried under fortress of pillows, I felt time slowing and my self-talk playing in my head, “What would other moms think of me? Am I an ineffective mom who can’t make my son obey me?”
Again I said gently, “You are having so much fun and it’s time to go.” I reached out quickly and gently held my son’s body from grabbing yet another pillow to cover his head. He started struggling with growling sounds. “No! I need to be here!” I didn’t let go of him, inviting him to come on my lap to put on clothes. I knew this scenario. I had done this before, and the only thing that ever really worked in the long run was simply listening. So I took a breath, held my son’s hands gently, and listened.
For a while, I put my hands around him, listening and stopping him from running away. “Come on my lap, it’s time to go, I need to put your clothes on.” He escalated his noise still trying to escape my hands. I stayed with him holding him on my lap. I was quiet, not saying much, but listening. Inside, I was aware that my self-doubt grew. I was tempted to say, “If you make it so hard for us to leave a playdate, I won’t have it again for long!” I was tempted to grab my son and carry him out of the door! Instead, I took a breath, looked at my son in the eyes and listened while holding him.
Finally, my son stopped making noise and struggling. He relaxed, jumped up and agreed to put his clothes on (he had been half naked) and finally we walked to the door. “Whew!” I thought, “that was not bad.” However, outside the door, there was another parent, to whom I said hello. My son seized the opportunity and happily started riding on a tricycle he found there.
To get home on time, we didn’t have much time to spare and I felt exhausted at the thought that I needed to peel my son away from still more fun.
I used my hands and feet to firmly block the tricycle tapping into what little mental resource I had left. I managed to keep my voice gentle and said, “You really want to ride this tricycle. Not now. It’s time to go home.” My son struggled trying to pedal forward and backward. I wouldn’t let him.
Mentally, it felt like tight-rope walking, seeking the fine balance between him and me. If I leaned too much his way, then he would ride the tricycle away, which would make me angry. If I leaned too much my way, I would overpower him with my size and my role, and he would cry, resenting me. I kept listening to son’s crying and struggling. His crying sounded like I was torturing him despite my gentle hold. I grew worried what other parents might think of this.
In reality, nobody disrupted us or complained about the process. I listened to him for a full five minutes. It felt long. I was sweaty holding on to my son and the tricycle he clung to. My son was sweaty too. He cried a little more, and eventually he switched gears to “Please, may I have some water?” a possible sign that he was almost done crying.
He let go of his grip on the tricycle and ran off. I chased after him. My son laughed. Now we were playing. His laughter grew louder and louder. We played for a few minutes until we ran down the driveway, away from our friend’s house shouting, “Goodbye.”
It was one of those necessary limits that we parents set every day and I liked the process as it didn’t build up tension in him or in myself, instead, it diffused it. I didn’t resort to threats or bribes, and I didn’t raise my voice. It made us close and playful.
Sometimes, I can’t afford a half an hour of setting limits. Yet, when I do, it sure is a worthwhile investment of time. To my surprise, that day after leaving a playdate, we had some time to spare walking back home, so we explored the neighborhood taking our sweet time. Moreover, when it was time for my son to leave another fun-filled playdate later that week, he was as cooperative as could be and saying goodbye was no issue.
—Keiko Sato-Perry, Certified Parenting by Connection Instructor.
We look forward to hearing how this approach to setting limits works in your home. We'd love to read any comments or anecdotes in the comment section below.
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Specialist article assistance might be invaluable. Whether you’re writing an essay for school, an article for the internet, or maybe an professional report, you got to start with a superb launch. Pursuing are some methods and illustrations for you to really use if you are writing your college admission essay. Sadly there’s no surefire method of writing a college admission essay. You need to just take a stand when writing a ICSE article. As the special name implies, essaywriting-org the lone purpose a convincing essay is really to persuade. Then I ask them all to take a look at a trial article I’ve composed utilizing a narrative they’ve maybe not read or won’t be analyzing in writing. Discuss the essential idea of the essay. In this process, additionally you will desire to develop a absolute concept for your own composition that associates one to the subject you’re authoring, regardless of what the subject may be.
A is built to the wall to accommodate a tiny yard when you can see to the impression.
Like composing an excellent school essay, your post must be well organised. There’s absolutely no syllabus for article. The debut of an article is the stage where the author brings within the essential thought helping the essay. While writing an article you will need to follow several conventional steps which might be inherent in any type of essay. With abstract it’s potential to make your article impressive. This article additionally provides you entry to added essay composing tools that may refine your own abilities in the best way to write 5 paragraph essays. Today we look at the fundamentals of documents ordinarily. When you gather enough material to start you must coordinate your essay.
Nevertheless, a long time is gone back by the fight involving the houston and brown individuals.
First of all, you need to acquire a knowledge of why it really is you’re writing this composition. Your writing needs to be instructive and educative. You simply need to follow the rudiments in writing compositions. Find out why you’re writing what you’re composing. Should you be maybe not utilised to creating swiftly, then be sure to practice. When researching different illustrations, make sure to locate the one that is closely connected to what it truly is that you will be currently talking about. The fastest way of screw up your dissertation document will be to become deflected when creating it. The judgment portion of the article is becoming the most significant.
As pleasant as marketing with articles is, it truly is still not great.
Judgment is the last region of the essay your readers may encounter. The decision of an argumentative composition is equally as critical as the introduction. This related four- word section structure could be employed to create the estimated 3”primary” paragraphs within the example article (one principal paragraph for every of the three primary points within the thesis statement ) in addition to any subparagraphs for every main paragraph. Precisely the same is true for each of the other sentences of a five paragraph composition. In this kind of composition plagiarism should be avoided. As you will observe under, you can not compose an introduction with no thesis, and you willnot write an opening without knowing wherever your record may go following your dissertation. Your intro must be very clear and sharp to offer you an impact which you are going to speak about on a fascinating theme. It can well comprise some facts plus an easy notion of the rest of the component of the article. Frequently, it truly is simpler to create the opening in the end.
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There are many notions that can help in the writing of the good SAT test essays. The early applicant receives the initial interviews and quite first invitations to the program. After every test, receive a comprehensive investigation of your own efficiency. Don’t be scared to utilize the firstperson within the authorship of the SAT check documents.
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March 25, 2013 March 25, 2013 Brian Riley Canine Matters, Local Colour, Political - Local, Uncategorized In Touch, St. Mary's School
Hopefully there can be few people who are not aware that I am hoping to be elected County Councillor representing Hadleigh on May 2nd. The current weather situation has precluded me and my team of helpers from delivering leaflets. However with just over a month to go it’s time to crank up operations.
I enclose a link to my In Touch leaflet. Can you help by displaying a poster for me and/or by delivering leaflets? Canvassing support on the doorstep is not everyone’s cup of tea but if you fancy that, please come and join me enjoying inter-action with the residents.
The leaflet includes an article on land in Cock’s (Cox’s) Park which is used by St. Mary’s school. I have had an interesting response by the Head of St. Mary’s School advising that the field is not ‘common land’ or public land. The field is owned by Suffolk County Council, for the school (and has been in the County Council’s ownership since the 1960s).
The field is open to t he public out of school hours (evenings, weekends and holidays). The pedestrian gates are always left unlocked, other than in exceptional circumstances, such as when the playgrounds are being resurfaced. (The gates I saw locked were the double gates for vehicles. These are always locked unless the County Council Grounds team are mowing the grass). It is very uncommon for schools not to have a fence around their land. This is for obvious safety reasons and I have some sympathy for the school in the way in which dogs foul the grounds.
However, none of this moves us from the point that some time in the past, land which was part of Cock’s (Cox’s) Park was transferred from the town to the school via the County and we need to be vigilant that in future (for whatever reasons) green space is not given up without the full consent of the people.
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Today I feel so at peace. I saw friends yesterday but was sensible using my wheelchair and I didn’t stay out for more than a couple of hours. I love those girls. Sometimes in life you come across people who you can be completely at ease with; that’s me and my group of friends, both from school and university. Illness has taught me to just be myself. I’m too poorly to try to be anything else. To have people in your life who not only accept you for who you are but love you for it too is a true blessing. They bundled the wheelchair into the car like it’s the most ordinary thing for us to be doing. (I’ve known this group of friends for about ten years. It’s only in the last few that I’ve been ill.) It doesn’t seem to phase them. They check I’m okay to walk up and down any steps but in a way that doesn’t cause a fuss or make a big deal out of it. They’re perfect really. They’ve always got my back. I didn’t have my camera with me yesterday, which is so unlike me, but one of the girls took a few lovely photos that I’ll now cherish. I’ll look at them with the biggest smile on my face and remember how wonderful yesterday was. Under two hours out of the house might seem like nothing, but to me it is my whole week, or fortnight, or month. My friends gave up their afternoons off to take me out. Me. The girl who often feels she has nothing to offer anymore. But they make me feel important and worthwhile and normal, as if nothing has changed. I don’t have to hide my illness from them. (A few of them have seen me during a sudden crash and they all got to see me as a blubbering mess one birthday!) To them I’m still just Anna Jones, even when I don’t know who that Anna Jones is anymore.
So I take a lot of photos. Always have, probably always will. I take photos everyday and of everything and anything. They’re not good photos! I’m no David Bailey, but I like it. I think it’s important to be able to capture certain things, things that are seemingly ordinary, so that one day we can look back and reminisce.
You’re right, I’d probably save a bucket load of energy if I didn’t photograph every little thing and every tiny achievement. But on the days when you feel angry with the world or completely lost and absolutely useless, and you feel like you can’t live this life staring at the walls in your bedroom/prison, looking at the photos of the things you have been able to do throughout ‘The M.E. Years’ allows you to forget about the things that you haven’t been able to do. My short term memory isn’t wonderful anymore and so the photos act as triggers to remind me of the happier times. There aren’t many photos of my dining room days. I was just too hideously poorly to do such a thing. (It’s almost as if the dining room days were just a dream…actually make that a nightmare!) I do take photos of the bad days though. That’s so that, one day in the future, I can look back and see how far I’ve come and be proud of myself for never giving up.
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Published by Anna Redshaw
Blogging about life in the slow lane with an invisible, chronic illness. I wasn't always a sick chick so this is somewhat of a life changing experience! View more posts
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This blonde-haired, blue-eyed Russian hottie is an emerging fashion icon. Natasha Krasavina is the Moscow-born sensation known to her 6.2 million Instagram followers as DJ Nata Lee 007, or Nata Lee for short. In addition to people drooling over this 5’7″ model’s Fashion Nova pics, they’re dancing to her beats. She is a 22-year-old Famousss DJ known as “The World’s Sexiest DJ,” who gets our booties shaking and hearts thumping.
Known as one of the top female FIFA YouTubers and Twitch live streamers, Fangs’ fame
Daniel Robert Middleton (Born: November 8, 1991 [Age: 27]) is best known to the internet community
ABOUT
This brown-haired, brown-eyed Aussie gal is a 25-year-old radio DJ. Bree Lenehan set the world on fire when she unveiled her new figure in 2020. She was once overweight, but now she is stunning her 467k followers with bikini pics on her official @breeelenehan Instagram account. While she used to overeat, Bree still loves food. You’ll always catch her cooking up a storm along with her 44k subscribers on the official Bree Lenehan YouTube page.
Bree Lenehan is just starting to make bank like other Famousss stars. She’s got a lot of business ventures going on at the moment, and the rewards are finally paying off. Bree Lenehan’s net worth is $100,000.
Most of Bree Lenehan’s net worth comes from her full-time job as a radio disc jockey. Bree doesn’t do regular hosting gigs. She is the promotions person for River 949. in Ipswich, Australia. You can catch her on the air sharing the latest radio station contests, appearances for DJs, reading sponsor copy, and more.
Bree Lenehan recently became a published author in 2018. Her book is called Pembrim: The Hidden Alcove. It currently has a 4.77 out of 69 reviews on Goodreads .
“Seventeen-year-old Halia Bodine, a girl with a medically baffling rare lung disease, begins dreaming of a map that leads her to the hidden alcove of Moa’s Rock. In the depths of this magical alcove exists the vibrant underwater world of M’deia, with its hunter tribes, alluring creatures, ghastly beasts, and untouched lands. After a fated encounter with Luka, a M’deian boy in exile from his clan, Halia enters this mythical underwater world. Once there, she learns that her illness ceases to exist, that she loves without reciprocation, and the cold truth of her parents’ death.”
As Bree told Raven Eckman in an interview, Bree first came up with the concept for this book while in the backwoods of her grandparents’ property. Out there, she found a secret waterhole. This discovery caused her imagination to run wild, bringing this book to life.
Bree hesitantly rated her book on Goodreads, too,
“For a while I thought to myself, ‘Should I rate MY OWN BOOK? Is that what authors do? Is 5 stars too confident?’ but then the devil on the other side of my shoulder brought these questions to mind too… ‘How long have you been working on this story? Nearly 2 years? And how many times have you read it? 60 times? More? Girl, you deserve it. Be your own cheerleader! Go on, click that button… CLICK IT!’ so here I am. And to everyone else, I HOPE YOU ENJOY THE ADVENTURE! Welcome to the tribe ”
Bree Lenehan was born in Queensland, Australia, in 1996. She is very close with her family. She has a brother who is two years younger than her. Bree also has a little sister named Mia. Mia is still very young and has been featured in some of Bree’s baking videos.
Growing up, Bree struggled with weight issues. She was always on the larger side, which Bree believes is because of her poor dietary choices.
Bree also had crooked teeth as a child. This problem always bugged her. Between her weight and teeth, Bree was the victim of a lot of bullying.
She now tries to see herself in a different light. Every time she passes the mirror, she forces herself to think something nice about herself. She refuses to dwell on imperfections like she used to. Instead, she compliments something about herself, even if she’s not feeling it.
Bree Lenehan joins fellow Australian stars among the Famousss, including Chloe Ting, Lachlan, and Emily Feld. She got here after her viral weight loss transformation journey in 2020. Bree Lenehan lost 45 pounds in eight months.
Bree focused on what she ate, sticking to:
Bree tends to make extra food to have leftovers. Then, she throws those healthy leftovers into what she calls “nourish bowls.”
Prior to losing weight, Bree was already a looker. People were captivated by her adorableness. Once she started empowering others through her weight loss journey, Bree’s followers increased. Then, she gained mainstream press from outlets like The Daily Mail. This type of coverage only cemented Bree’s spot among the Famousss.
Sorry, fellas. Bree Lenehan is in a long-term relationship. Her boyfriend’s name is Dylan Grae. He is now getting into influencing, as he just launched his @withdylangrae Instagram account.
Dylan Grae and Bree Lenehan met in a McDonald’s parking lot On September 15, 2014. They randomly met each other and started chatting. The rest would become a match made in heaven.
Bree and Dylan have lived together for four years. They rarely fight because they are both really good communicators. The couple will pull the other one aside and let that person know what’s bothering them.
Bree Lenehan survived anorexia in 2018. Defeating anorexia is what caused her big weight gain. Once she got healthy, some people started coming for Bree.
There are some rumors that Bree didn’t have a real binge-eating or anorexia problem. Some believe she fabricated this story to create better content. After all, her YouTube page was launched with cover songs and didn’t gain any traction. So, some think she switched her strategy to gain more followers.
Bree Lenehan loves to spend time outdoors. Her favorite thing to do is exercise, especially going for hikes.
Bree is a big fan of the My Fitness Pal app. She uses it to count calories while she’s eating out. That way, she can make educated decisions about her food.
Bree grew up with a lot of insecurities. She used to worry that her friends would drop her. Bree used to incessantly ask if they were still friends, even if she did nothing wrong. Now, Bree realizes that she just needed the validation, which is an unhealthy way to live.
Bree uses the app InShot to edit her videos. She likes it because you can separate audio from video. Plus, you can add any song that you’d like, which she considers a big plus.
Known as Erin offline, Aureylian is a successful YouTuber, Gamer and Streamer that is an active member of the MindCrack server (group of content creators
Kaylyn Slevin (Born: December 28, 2000) is an actress, model, and social media influencer. She has been linked in relationships with other Famousss stars. Most
“Shocking news. It’s possible for a woman to be happy for another woman’s success. MIND-BLOWING.” She not only is one of the best female gamers
“i hope one day i get better at not trying to please everyone but for now i just suffer from feeling like it’s never enough.”
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Metal balls, incredible noise, a lot of people, most of them are oji san are sitting in a row, often smoking, behind a weird-looking that resembles both slot and pinball machines. If you think it is gambling, think again, because according to the Japanese Criminal Code chapter 23, gambling, except for sports betting is banned in Japan. Although hold on, you might be right about pachinko, it is indeed a form of gambling that the Japanese government prefer to ignore. “Why” you might ask. The answer is the pachinko industry is huge and brings a lot of money in form of taxes. The business generates 200 billion dollars. That is 30 times more than Las Vegas.
Surprisingly, pachinko was inspired by children board games like “Corinth Game” and “Bagatelle” that were imported to Japan between 1912 and 1926. Another source of inspiration was Billard Japonais, ‘Japanese billiards’, which if you look on it today, might indeed remind about the modern pachinko machine.
Pachinko parlors all around Japan were closed during the second world war but came back to life in the late 1940s thanks to the work of Takeichi Masamura who is now referred to as the “god of pachinko”. He was the person who created the modern pachinko which all the later pachinko machines are based on. His invention led to the first pachinko boom in Japan.
What is interesting, the pachinko industry might have been saved by the Japanese but today, most of the owners are ethnically Koreans (80%). The reason behind it is the fact that it was hard for ethnical Koreans to find a job in their “homeland”, Japan, and pachinko become one of the few places where they can be hired. It is believed that some pachinko owners support Noth Korea’s political regime and regularly send part of their profits there.
There are many different types of pachinko but most of them have a common game mechanic. First, you rent the metallic balls from the owner. Then the player loads these balls which are not only an ordinary game object but the player’s bet and the prize too into the pachinko machine. After pressing a button, the balls are set in motion and moving along a metal track and then fall into the playing field. It is filled with a lot of brass pins and a few cups that the player hopes the balls will enter. If balls fall into the cups that means that the player “won” and he/she will get additional balls to play with. Those that did not enter the caps will fall and leave the player with nothing unless some balls entered the cups. That is the simple basics but modern pachinko machines are adding additional gameplay like slot games after the balls entered the cups. Besides, many machines are branded today, meaning that not only are they pained in the style of your favorite anime like Evangelion but also celebrate your win by showing videos from the anime on the pachinko’s screen. They also make incredibly noise sounds, the kind of sound the machine would make if they were angry, but pachinko players don’t mind it. They know that these sounds are the sounds of victory.
As it was said before, gambling is illegal in Japan. Still, you can get a monetary prize thanks to a loophole in the gambling law. Under the law, a person cannot get a reward in form of the money but can get a reward in form of a prize. If a player wants to get his reward he/she must push a special button on the pachinko machine that calls the parlor’s staff. The staff will take all the balls the player won to the counter to count the number of balls. The player then receives a voucher or card with the number of balls stored in it from the staff member that can be exchanged for “small” prizes like a lighter or a cholate bar. If the player won enough balls he/she can exchange balls for “special prizes” like a bike, tv, gold-made product, etc. The “special” prizes can be exchanged for money in the establishment that is usually located nearby or in the other part of the same building. This is how pachinko parlors avoid problems with the law.
The pachinko industry is for sure, lucrative but it’s been in decline in recent years. Nippon.com reports that the number of authorized pachinko parlors dropped below 10,000, falling by 421, year on year, to 9,639. The number of machines dropped by 80,000 in the same year. One of the possible reasons may be an overall decline of the Japanese population or that the younger generation is not that into playing with metallic balls.
The pachinko business like a lot of others that rely on the physical presence of the customer was hit by the COVID pandemic. However, the pachinko owners didn’t want to follow the government’s COVID guidelines refusing to shut down the business. The Tokyo Metropolitan government even offered 1 million yen to convince them. Those who refused went through one of the toughest Japanese punishment, public shaming.
Pachinko is a Japanese Phenomenon
Pachinko is a uniquely Japanese phenomenon that is not very well known abroad. However, recently, Japanese tourism agencies started offering pachinko tours to foreign tourists. Does the industry want to compensate for its decline by attracting foreigners? Will we see people of different nationalities lining up in front of the pachinko parlor waiting to play their favorite game? That would be an interesting scene to watch.
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Guidable Japan is a platform that offers guidance to Non-Japanese people who want to visit or are living in the Land of the Rising Sun. Whether you are just a tourist or an actual resident, living in Japan can be challenging if you are not familiar with it and don’t speak the language.
Our Guidable Japan website provides you with guidance and answers so that you can make the most of the resources that Japan’s society has to offer.
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Traditionally, September marks a ton of back to school jitters, new pencils, backpacks and the promise of another year of growth for our children. Each year, I prepare blogs about how to transition out of the summer sunsets and into the September school groove. But not this year. This year comes with a newfound level of anxiety and questioning, with the main question being, “Should I send my kids to school in September?”
We have been living with the fear of the coronavirus for almost five months. Five months?!? Our new normal has set in and many of us find some glimpses of our old lives and relish it. I will never take any part of my freedoms to leave my house, vacation or socialize for granted. Ever.
Many of you have expressed concerns and worries over your decision to send your kids to school or to opt for virtual learning only. And as a parent myself, I realize that the plans being made right now by our school districts are subject to change again and again, and possibly again.
You’ve shared your questions and concerns and I hope this helps you to see that you are not alone. There is no right or wrong on this. It’s going to look and feel different no matter what.
“As a parent of a rising high school Junior, I worry what ramifications another round of virtual learning will have on her year. From the rigorous academic schedule to the SAT prep, I am not sure that she will be prepared properly for all that come with Junior year and beyond.”
Fortunately or unfortunately, all of our children are in the same boat with having lost instruction and preparation for the next grade or phase of their academic progress. I don’t believe that the same standards will be able to be maintained for our children as it is going to take time for the skills to be taught and developed post COVID-19. The standards will change so that our children don’t have to be the ones to catch up. In other words, the system and its expectations will have to change in order to adjust for the time lost in school, in athletics, etc.
As parents, each one of us is worried that our child will be behind the others; however, in reality, all of our children are behind together.
For many of our children, we have the option to reach out to their teachers and gain direction on how to continue working on weaker skills. There are many apps and online teaching programs available so you don’t have to be the one to provide the instruction. If you are able, hire a tutor or a high school or college student who can read with your child or work on different math skills, for example. It is true that our children have lost a great deal of academic instruction between March and June 2020, but we can also continue developing those skills using resources and supports around us.
Concern: My Child will Suffer Socially and Emotionally
“I have anxieties about all of the social ramifications and its effects on my children for years to come.”
Children, teens and young adults everywhere feel isolated right now. For many, creating a “quarantine friendship circle” or a “quarantine family” with whom to socialize has maintained our sanity. Yet, we are living during a summer that isn’t the usual way that we summer and many of us are very sad over it.
Once again, there is no right or wrong answer. By sending our children to school, they can see their peers — but it won’t be the same. Kids won’t be able to whisper secret’s in each other’s ears or sit shoulder to shoulder during lunch or recess. But they can physically see their friends and have a few conversations or just be around other children. No right or wrong, it’s just going to be different. Another thing to consider is that each of our children has a different social need. Some are perfectly content with an occasional bike ride with a friend, and others need to see friends regularly. Think about your child’s need for social interaction and weigh that into your decision for each child.
“As a teacher, I fear that our schools cannot handle the cleaning needed to maintain a healthy environment. I fear that I may either get sick or bring home the virus to my family.”
“Returning to school means that my family is exposed to four different elementary/preschool schools, buses, before care, and aftercare. We are going from being exposed to about five households outside to over 100 inside.”
This is a huge fear and has been a huge fear — we see the statistics all over the internet and TV screen all day long. It’s painful to think that X number of people are becoming ill and X number of people are dying from the virus on a daily basis.
According to a communication from the CDC entitled, “The Importance of Re-Opening America’s Schools This Fall, “The best available evidence indicates that COVID-19 poses relatively low risks to school-aged children. Children appear to be at lower risk for contracting COVID-19 compared to adults.”
This isn’t saying that children are immune to COVID-19, but it is suggesting that our children are at a lower risk, which comforts me as a parent. I understand that there is a fear that teachers and staff members will contract and spread the virus. I also understand that the risk is higher for this particular virus. The data also shows that the response to this virus can range anywhere from being non-symptomatic to being hooked up to a ventilator. However, there is a range and many people recover from this horrible virus. Having the right data, rather than the sensationalized information, may help you put the virus in perspective and keep your anxiety from taking your thoughts to all of the dark places that anxiety is so good at doing.
“I worry that my 2nd grader’s anxiety will be through the roof when he sees what school now looks like. He knows there is a virus and we need to keep people safe, but I think seeing how much school has changed will make the virus more real and scary to him.”
Our children are resilient and can adjust to new situations within a week or so. Think about how quickly your children adjusted to virtual learning from March to June 2020. In my house, my husband and I took the longest to adjust and surrender to this new way of going to school and working, but our children (ages 14, 11 and 7) embraced their new school routine with greater grace than we ever did.
Your child will likely absorb new information about the virus only as he feels it’s relevant to him and your family. Answer his questions at home, help him sort through the incorrect information and reassure your child that you, the parents, will keep your child/children as safe as you know how.
“My fear is I will make the wrong decision and risk impacting either my children’s physical or emotional health.”
If you decide to send your child to school, there is the guilt that you are risking their physical health by exposing them to the virus. If you opt for virtual learning only, you worry that you are isolating your child at a time when you can send them to school. It’s a lose-lose situation in a parent’s head.
If you opt for virtual learning only and realize that you and your child are struggling with the academics or are becoming increasingly anxious, you may have the option to send your child to school with a few week’s notice. If you opt to send your child to school and realize that this is more frightening for your child than you imagined, then you can opt for the virtual learning only route. In other words, your mother’s guilt isn’t going to let you sit comfortably with any decision. I encourage you to make a decision and sit with it until you have a good solid reason or two to change your mind.
I guess what I’m saying is that your decision isn’t final and you can make a change. In the meantime, I encourage you to make an informed decision and then let that decision be your “final answer” for the time being.
“I fear my sons with IEPs won’t get enough support and it will frustrate them to the point of not wanting to learn. I will help as I can, but I will be working from home, too.”
If you are not a teacher by training, as a parent, we are somewhat clueless on how to teach our children. When our children also have disabilities, it is even more difficult to teach new concepts to our children in ways that are in line with their learning style. There are also additional stressors, for our children, of not being in the classroom with their teacher and following the routine of the school day.
Consult with your child’s special education teacher and gain guidance on how much time to engage your child in school work. Additionally, ask for one-on-one video teaching time, daily, with your child so that the teacher is providing the instruction and guiding your child through an assignment. That relieves you from the burden of having to teach and follow through on assignments. For the subjects where you are providing the instruction, use visuals, work for periods of time and then take breaks, and encourage your child to work in different places within your home. For example, stand at the kitchen counter and work on 10 math problems; sit at the kitchen table and write your essay 10 minutes; sit on the couch and read a book out loud for 10 minutes.
I know there’s a lot to worry about, but at least we’re all worrying together. Have another concern? Let’s talk about it in the comments below.
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Dr Liz is a clinical and school psychologist specializing in anxiety, ADHD, autism, learning disability and behavior management. She is also the parent of a child with a learning disability, anxiety and a sensory processing disorder. She is a mom of 3 and owner of her private practice with a team of therapists, Psychological & Educational Consulting, LLC. She is a blogger and has been on several radio shows, as well as tv. Visit her at www.psychedconsult.com
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Following last Saturday’s interview with Prof Esther Crawley on BBC Radio Bristol, I sent the following letter to Dr Phil Hammond who hosted the programme. I think it explains a large part of the reason why patients with M.E. have problems with Dr Crawley and why we don’t want her involved with the proposed MEGA study:
Thank you for putting the concerns of ME/CFS patients to Prof Esther Crawley in your interview on Radio Bristol last Saturday. Unfortunately, as I have tried to explain as briefly as possible below, her responses were largely factually incorrect. I wonder if next time you have her on your programme, you could also invite the investigative journalist David Tuller whose original in-depth analysis brought the many and in some cases outrageous defects of the PACE Trial to wider attention. This led to numerous condemnations of PACE from eminent researchers in the field of ME/CFS. Here are just two of them:
Prof. Ronald Davis of Stanford University said: “I’m shocked that the Lancet published it…The PACE study has so many flaws and there are so many questions you’d want to ask about it that I don’t understand how it got through any kind of peer review.”
Prof. Jonathan Edwards of University College London said: “It’s a mass of un-interpretability to me…All the issues with the trial are extremely worrying, making interpretation of the clinical significance of the findings more or less impossible.”
PACE’s recommendations for the use of CBT and graded exercise therapy (GET) for ME/CFS have frequently been reported by the British media but the important work of Mr Tuller has been ignored, so grossly distorting the information which has been made available to the British public. It would be an invaluable service if your programme could help to redress this imbalance.
When asked about the recent PACE reanalysis on your programme, Prof Crawley replied as follows:
“The re-analysers first did the reanalysis based on what the authors originally said they were going to do. That reanalysis is entirely consistent with the original results. Then they did the reanalysis using a different definition of recovery that was very much harder to reach and the trial just wasn’t big enough to show a difference and they didn’t show a difference.”
This is incorrect. What actually happened was that the PACE authors stated their original definitions of recovery in their protocol but then used different definitions of recovery in their published study. What the re-analysers did was to re-analyse the data in accordance with the recovery definitions in the original protocol i.e. the way the PACE authors originally said they would do it. They found that the results so calculated revealed no statistically significant benefit for CBT or GET. They also showed that the results using the amended recovery definition (and published in the PACE study) had shown benefits approx four times higher. The PACE authors appeared to have changed the definition after completion of the study so that they achieved the results they wanted.
This was only one of innumerable flaws in the study. Even the Oxford criteria which were used to enlist patients onto PACE have now been ‘retired’ by the medical authorities in America because they are known to include patients with other fatigue conditions. Accordingly, CBT and GET are no longer recommended treatments for ME/CFS in the US. Once you discard the studies which used the erroneous Oxford criteria, the evidence to support their use no longer exists.
Prof Crawley also said on your programme that patients had misunderstood the FITNET study in the Netherlands. She said that there was no difference between the two arms of the study at long-term follow-up because most of the patients in the ‘standard care’ arm had decided to also try FITNET once the original six month study had come to an end. In actual fact, if you read the publication, you will see that less than half of ‘standard care’ patients (32 out of 67) later tried FITNET, so this does not explain the outcome after all.
In spite of all this, Prof Crawley still claimed on your programme that there is good evidence for the use of GET and CBT and that PACE is a ‘great, great trial’. Even from the examples I have given above, it should be obvious that this is not the case. There are many more issues with PACE I could have cited. Most of them appear in David Tuller’s critique. It is a long read but a brief look at the summary (near the start) will tell you a lot.
Prof Crawley also said on your programme that patients were trying to stop her doing biomedical research into ME/CFS (the so-called MEGA study). In actual fact, patients do want such research. It’s just that some of us don’t want Prof Crawley involved because we are concerned about i) her continuing support of the now discredited PACE trial and the biospychosocial model it purports to support and ii) at risk of being impolite, the slapdash way she does science.
I expect you are aware of her ‘CFS at Age 16’ study which used data from the ‘Children of the Nineties’ project to assess the prevalence of ME/CFS in 16-year-olds. This is where she gets the ‘1 in 50’ figure she uses, but it is based on questionnaires about fatigue filled in by the children and their parents with no medical examination or any attempt to exclude other conditions which might be causing the fatigue. Neither is there any requirement for the cardinal symptom of post-exertional malaise. As someone who regularly diagnoses ME/CFS, you must know how much skill this requires and how inadequate for diagnosis is the method I’ve just described. Prof Crawley basically selected children with generic fatigue but called it ME/CFS and now presents the (grossly inflated) results as definitive figures.
And have you read the protocol for her forthcoming FITNET study? For that, she seems to be using a subtly altered version of the NICE diagnostic guidelines. These are intended for clinical rather than research purposes and even then apparently many of the NHS clinics don’t use them because they are far too broad and pick up many people who don’t have ME/CFS. Yet for FITNET, Prof Crawley is using even broader criteria. As I say, she has subtly altered the NICE criteria so that they require as the core symptom ongoing ‘fatigue’ rather than ‘post-exertional malaise and/or fatigue (typically delayed, for example by at least 24 hours, with slow recovery over several days)’ as is stated by NICE. So once again we have a broader description of the illness.
To be perfectly candid, it seems to me that Prof Crawley’s research, rather than helping us understand ME/CFS, is simply spreading further confusion by the unnecessary use of a series of heterogeneous, unduly broad descriptions, all of which she then declares to relate to the same condition.
The long and the short of it is that there is M.E. and there are other conditions causing fatigue. Some of the latter (such as depression) may well respond to GET and associated CBT. Judging from her diagnostic criteria, I even suspect that some of Prof Crawley’s so-called ‘M.E.’ patients may be otherwise healthy teenagers who have got into the habit of sleeping in too late in the mornings – but once again they will be helped by the GET/CBT. So it’s great that she is helping all these people, some of whom have very distressing conditions. But she (and the PACE proponents in general) are making no proper attempt to distinguish between these and the patients who have genuine M.E. and are likely to be harmed by CBT/GET, often to the extent of it causing severe long term, even permanent, disability. There is increasing research evidence to illustrate that such patients have an abnormal physical response to exercise, so demonstrating the physical reality of PEM (see examples from Newton and Van Ness). It is vital that children – and indeed adults – with this condition are spared the imposition of the inappropriate therapies GET and CBT which can condemn them to a life of extreme disability. Many of us patients are doing all we can to put a stop to what it seems to us amounts to abuse, and which is all the more distressing when applied to children. We should appreciate anything which you and your programme could do to help us in this battle. All we are interested in is bringing out the truth. A discussion between Prof Crawley and David Tuller might serve as an important first step toward this.
P.S. By contrast to the Crawley-dominated Radio Bristol show, there was a very good feature on M.E. last Monday on BBC Radio Scotland, with contributions from Dr Shepherd of the ME Association and from patients, some of them very powerful indeed. Thanks go to Radio Scotland and to Kaye Adams who hosted the show. It is quite long but it is well worth a listen. The M.E. feature starts about 1-40 in and continues after the news.
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38 thoughts on “Letter to Dr Phil Hammond”
dikirk says:
November 10, 2016 at 2:56 pm
Very well written letter. Let’s hope it at the very least gets him thinking.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 10, 2016 at 10:50 pm
Thanks, yes. I’ll just be glad if he reads it. I’m not really expecting a reply, not least because he actually works in Esther Crawley’s clinic.
February 6, 2018 at 9:09 pm
He supports her and the discredited PACE lot
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 10, 2016 at 4:54 pm
Phil Hammond came to the presentations by Mark VanNess and Nigel Speight following a screening of Voices from the Shadows in Bristol 2014. I appreciate that he made that effort, whereas Esther Crawley and her BU research colleagues didn’t bother to make the trip just a mile or so down the hill. So I think Hammond is perfectly well aware of the harm that can be caused to children by professionals like Esther Crawley, but choses to support her and ignore this aspect of his boss’s behaviour. I described one such case in this presentation. http://voicesfromtheshadowsfilm.co.uk/2016/presentation-for-belfast-6th-june-2016/
LikeLiked by 2 people
November 10, 2016 at 11:40 pm
Thanks for the link to your presentation, Natalie, which i found very interesting and worrying though at the same time not surprising. I had heard whispers of this refusal to recognise severe ME and the serious consequences it can have but, perhaps not surprisingly, people seem reluctant to talk about it openly. My letter may have seemed critical but I suspect it only exposes ‘the tip of the iceberg’ in terms of what is going wrong.
November 10, 2016 at 5:44 pm
Re “Standard Care” in FITNET – I’ve a feeling I’ve seen that it was actually CBT/GET. May explain the cracking 8% rate.
November 11, 2016 at 4:28 pm
I’m not sure about the Dutch study but according to Prof Crawley’s protocol for her FITNET trial, patients in the standard care arm are asked to increase their level of activity by 10-20% each week until they reach up to 8 hours per week of cognitive activity. So no, I would not be optimistic about the success of such a regime. But the devil is in the details of course. How strongly is such progress ‘encouraged’ for instance? And what sort of rate of progress is expected in the FITNET arm? I can’t seem to find any information on that.
Fiona says:
November 10, 2016 at 7:04 pm
Thank you for writing this. It’s an excellent letter.
LikeLiked by 1 person
spamletblog says:
November 10, 2016 at 7:41 pm
Good letter, but I think you will have your work cut out to get any sensible treatment from this man.
As an habitual Radio 4 listener for most of my life, I have cringed at his attempts at a ‘comedy’ career for decades. It seemed wrong, right from the outset, that a GP thought it was OK to use his ‘quaint’ patients as a source of amusement to his colleagues, let alone to portray himself as a great ‘wit’ to the public at large, at their expense. I could not understand how he would still get any patients after that: I certainly would not go near any practice of his.
Unfortunately, he is the epitome and proof of a stereotypical trait of far too many GPs, and he is just one of a number who made it into comedy, but, whereas, others, seem to be able to do this without making their patients the butt of their ‘jokes’, he has been making me cringe with it for decades, and wonder why anybody thinks it’s funny and continues to employ him to go on doing it. The BBC does seem to promote some very unfunny people on occasion.
He is a prime example of the type of cynical, patronising, and bigoted, while thinking he’s funny, GP, that so many of us have to put up with when we are desperate for help and have nowhere else to turn. One I had, who looked rather like him, and even spoke with a similar snidey accentuation, actually told me to ‘f off and die’ if I ‘couldn’t be bothered’ to go to the surgery to see him. This behaviour may well be being encouraged by lamentable ‘comedians’ like Phil Hammond.
So: I may be wrong: in his surgery, he may be the perfect gentleman, and sympathetic ear, and his patients may love him: but I would not risk it on the evidence of his public persona, and, on that, I doubt if you will get any sensible response. I fear you may be just reinforcing a belief we’re all just obsessed with the desire to harass superior beings with petty and neurotic concerns.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 10, 2016 at 7:55 pm
It’s baffling and appalling that people with no empathy go into medicine. And, we’d all agree, far too common.
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Lynne says:
November 10, 2016 at 10:09 pm
Just a thought, and not just medicine, even more scary, into politics. Look up “Snakes in suits” on Google, then research by Dr Robert Hare on psychopathy. These individuals are attracted to power, manipulation, money, but zero conscience.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 11, 2016 at 5:07 pm
November 11, 2016 at 4:42 pm
(This is my response to Spamlet – seems to be out of order. That’s ‘out of sequence’ I mean by the way, not the other meaning of ‘out of order’, though Dr Hammond might disagree.)
I’ve never seen (or heard) his comedy act but it sounds horrific. I hate jokey doctors. The humour can mask their disdain.
Hammond seemed to put the questions that people had sent in forcefully enough on the show but no, I’m not really expecting my letter to be very successful, not least because he works in Crawley’s clinic. But you never know. It might at least make him pause for thought.
LikeLiked by 1 person
spamletblog says:
November 11, 2016 at 7:59 pm
I hope I’m pleasantly surprised, but, I’m afraid that hearing he works in Crawley’s clinic didn’t surprise me. It seems that the opposition already occupies key positions of influence, throughout the media and the medical professions, and are years ahead of us in getting themselves well dug in!
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 12, 2016 at 12:59 pm
Yes, it’s quite terrifying when you realise how interconnected they all are. Like Japanese knotweed running through the establishment, a toxic combination of ‘old boys club’ and vested interests.
LikeLiked by 1 person
November 10, 2016 at 7:42 pm
Excellent letter. Let us know if he replies! The Kaye Adams programme was such a contrast – if even half the media coverage of ME was that informative, I think we’d see positive change.
LikeLiked by 2 people
November 11, 2016 at 10:56 am
Thank you for writing this letter. It is well argued and I think accurately reflects the concerns of many patients.
LikeLiked by 1 person
Phil Hammond says:
November 11, 2016 at 6:02 pm
Thanks for your helpful letter.
I have worked in the Bath young Persons Chronic Fatigue service for 4.5 years, and in that time have seen hundreds of young people and their parents who seek help because of disabling fatigue, usually because it is causing significant time off school. The young people who we diagnose with chronic fatigue syndrome also have significant post exertional malaise, that extends to 24 hours or more. I personally do not use the term ME as we do not test for encephalomyelitis, and I am also aware of the sensitive debate as to whether CFS and ME are the same disease.
I have no doubt as to the biological origin of CFS, and believe that it is likely to encompass a number of different diseases with different biological, environmental and genetic causations. If I was researching into the illness, I would prioritise finding biological causes and treatments in those most severely affected. I am well aware that I only see people in my clinic who are well enough to travel to it – we urgently need to find treatments for those who are housebound and most severely affected.
That said, I do believe that we help the majority of young people who seek help in our clinic. The mainstay of treatment is activity management, aiming to find a baseline of activity that can be achieved without disabling symptoms, and establishing a regular sleep pattern. This non pharmacological approach to sleep and activity stabilisation does have biological consequences, and I think this is probably what improves symptoms. Once a baseline is reached, we try to raise activity levels a little at a time but not if a young person feels unable to do so. Many young people get back to their pre-morbid activity levels with this gradual, pragmatic approach, although the recovery time varies enormously.
Cognitive Behavioural Therapy is offered to those with significant depression and anxiety, which can accompany such an unpleasant illness, and in my experience it helps young people to manage their activities and sleep better, and well as their mood. Graded Exercise Therapy is offered to those who want it, and at random as part of the Magenta trial. Once again, our experience is that young people like it and get benefit from it – although the trial should provide a definitive answer. However, it may again be that GET is only being offered to those well enough to travel for treatment, whereas those who have been harmed by it may be those who are more severely affected.
At present, we have nothing to offer to those who don’t respond to activity management, GET or CBT – and we certainly need more research to find pharmacological treatments for such a diverse and complex biological condition. The young people we see may have chronic fatigue or CFS combined with other conditions such as anxiety, depression, self harm and eating disorders. I am lucky to have 90 minute consultations and so listen to them and their families in great depth. One of the most useful things we do is to liaise with their schools to ensure they do not face legal action for low attendance and that their teachers and friends understand how unpleasant and real their illness is.
I have already tweeted that when we cover CFS again in Radio Bristol, we will hear patient voices and alternative views. I welcome the debate over PACE and as a believer in transparency of data, I hope all trials for all treatments currently in use find ways of making their data publicly available without compromising the confidentiality of patients.
I also accept that people interpret complex data in different ways, and there is seldom a simple, single interpretation.
Each patient has his or her own experience of CFS, there may be multiple patholophysiologies and ME may be an entirely different illness to CFS. I don’t have many of the answers but I do believe the service we offer is helpful, compassionate and ethical. In my time in the clinic, I have had no complaints from patients or parents and lots of positive feedback (e.g. https://www.iwantgreatcare.org/doctors/dr-philip-hammond). We are always seeking to improve and learn, and I welcome constructive challenge and dialogue
Best wishes,
Sent from my iPad
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November 12, 2016 at 2:02 pm
Thanks for this. It is important to have dialogue and there are many others who can do this better and more knowlegably than i can.
Just a few comments:
There seems to be a problem with your idea of CBT as a helpful management therapy and what seems to be going on in FITNET which is a FIB version which includes an implication that mothers’ attitudes can be at fault.
You mention about another programme on the subject. Given the onesided coverage of last week which has led to misunderstanding , my own mother thinks there is some great new treatment on offer, and so much hurt, and anger amongst patients , can that be soon?
Can it also include other professionals to discuss these issues, as suggested by Spoonseeker.
When it is portrayed as patients v doctors we just end up getting at best patronised and at worst demonised . There are some very knowledgable patients around as we heard on Kaye Adams programme, themselves doctors or scientists, but many others struggle with all the issues and dont put our case well.
I am pleased to see that you would be keen to do research on the most severe patients as we are the most neglected and the ones dying.
Do you have any ideas on ways forward given that Crawley’ MEGA proposal is insisting that studying severe patients would be too costly?
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November 13, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Dr Hammond – Thank you for taking the trouble to send a reply, which is much appreciated. It does, however, raise a few more questions for me – if you have the time to answer them, I should be even more grateful! (Please note that several other correspondents – Joan Byrne, ruralres1, Polly Moyer and mulig4 have also left comments addressed to you.)
I am reassured to learn that the young people you diagnose with CFS all have significant PEM. I wonder why this is not going to be the case for the FITNET trial. I have checked the protocol again (page 11) and PEM only appears as an optional symptom in the selection criteria which are to be used for the trial. Why do the these criteria differ from those that you use in the clinic?
I also wonder about the 90 minute consultations you hold? That seems very long for many people with ME/CFS as I know it. Are all your patients able to function for 90 minutes at the time of assessment?
You say: “If I was researching into the illness, I would prioritise finding biological causes and treatments in those most severely affected. I am well aware that I only see people in my clinic who are well enough to travel to it – we urgently need to find treatments for those who are housebound and most severely affected.” I – and, I think, many patients – wholeheartedly agree with you there! That’s why there is so much concern that the severely affected have been left out of the proposed MEGA study – or, at best it seems, included as a token afterthought in response to patient complaints.
The way you describe the use of activity management in your clinic (“we try to raise activity levels a little at a time but not if a young person feels unable to do so”) sounds quite similar to the strategy used with some success in our local clinics here and indeed to the pacing strategy often used by patients themselves. It also appears (if I have it right) that you use CBT to help patients put this strategy into action. I have had such CBT myself – learning to deal with feelings of guilt from having to take more rest etc – and I found it useful.
Once again however, this seems very different from the strategy described in the FITNET protocol, where patients in the activity management arm are ‘asked to increase (their activity level) by 10-20% each week… until they are able to do at least 8 hours of cognitive activity a day’. The devil is in the detail of course but this sounds like a much more challenging therapist-led regime than the one you use in the clinic. Is it really different or is it just the way it is written? I would have expected the ‘control’ group to be similar to the usual care you give in the clinic.
I also find myself wondering what level of persuasion will be used in the FITNET activity management arm. The therapist will presumably be focussed on achieving the specified levels of increased activity. What happens if – as seems likely in many cases of ME/CFS as I know it. – the patient is not able to tolerate such a rapid increase in activity? You yourself report that in your experience ‘the recovery time varies enormously’ which is what I would have expected. Indeed, the patient of Prof Crawley’s who was interviewed on Radio 4’s Today programme had been receiving therapy for three years but was still only attending school for half a day at a time. Again, this seems very credible. Does the specified rate of improvement in the FITNET activity arm not seem unrealistic in comparison?
There is not much information in the protocol about the underlying philosophy behind the FITNET CBT but if it is the same as the approach used in PACE, I would assume it is very different from what you appear to use in the clinic and is more about persuading the patients that they are no longer physically ill. I also see that one of the CBT modules deals with parental ‘beliefs and behaviours’ towards their child which seems to adhere to the ‘blame the parents’ approach which so many patients find so objectionable. Once again – if I am interpreting things correctly – there seems to be a lot of difference between the approach you describe in the clinic and the FITNET protocol.
Just one last point: you mention that patients like graded exercise. My impression is that the majority of patients who have not taken heed of the warnings about GET do indeed go into it with great enthusiasm. They have been told they can exercise themselves back to health and that is a very empowering and appealing concept. That is why so many press on way past their body’s capability and end up making themselves very much worse, sometimes permanently housebound or even bedbound. The fact that you do not seem to have experienced this with your patients makes me wonder again if we are dealing with people who have the same condition! Roll on the days when there will be diagnostic markers to help us tell one from the other. I hope it is not too far away. In the meantime, I feel that researchers could improve the situation by at least using a consistent set of diagnostic criteria instead of making changes for no very obvious reason as appears to be the case with FITNET.
If you have read this far, I am very grateful to you for taking the time and effort – even more so if you are able to respond to these further issues I have raised. Thank you again…
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November 13, 2016 at 4:05 pm
I come to this issue from a different perspective to many people who follow mrspoonseeker’s excellent blogs. However I also have an interest in M.E. because my sister had it for two years, out of the blue and with serious consequences for her career. Several years after her recovery she developed symptoms of what is now known as Vestibular Migraine (VM) but thankfully she made a good recovery from that, too. 10 years ago I was diagnosed (remarkably quickly) with a rare neurological condition called Mal de Debarquement Syndrome (MdDS), which some neurologists equate with VM. MdDS is an exhausting condition to live with since my body spends all day struggling to stay upright. Thankfully I was very healthy when I got MdDS and have also had lots of remission time in which to re-build my strength, so the worst of the exhaustion was and is fairly short lived, for me.
But whilst researching vestibular and neuro-vestibular conditions I have noticed that exhaustion and fatigue are often the first symptoms noticed by patients with a broad range of balance conditions. Alternatively they may be the symptoms that are causing people the most difficulty, so are the ones most regularly reported. It doesn’t surprise me that many such patients get an initial diagnosis of CFS, or that, sadly, this dx can hinder them from getting a more complete diagnosis and effective treatments.
As I’m sure you are aware, it can take many years for patients with vestibular symptoms to get an accurate diagnosis and many receive several misdiagnoses along the way which can lead to mistreatment (in all senses of the word).
So I’m flagging this up for two reasons. The first is for doctors to always be aware of the possibility of a vestibular condition as a cause for exhaustion, especially amongst children, in whom vestibular conditions are often missed. The second is that vestibular patients might make a good control group for any future studies into M.E or CFS.
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November 12, 2016 at 9:34 am
Here’s a one liner from a stand up routine on TV, 25 years ago: “What about ME then? Just a way of sitting out the 1980s on benefits!” Les Dawson? Bernard Manning? No, it was Dr Phil. Laugh? I nearly cried.
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November 12, 2016 at 12:52 pm
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spamletblog says:
November 12, 2016 at 4:28 pm
Thanks for this, eggtimer: from his glowing resume on Wikipedia, and his reply, above, I was beginning to think my memory must be playing tricks. I hope we can assume from his reply, that this was just a phase he was going through!
November 13, 2016 at 1:38 pm
Yes, that’s not exactly a bundle of laughs, but I think we can’t necessarily blame doctors straight out of medical school if they have very misguided ideas about ME because they aren’t taught anything about it. I’m more concerned about what Phil Hammond thinks today. The best health professionals are those who are willing to learn by listening to their patients
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November 15, 2016 at 6:13 pm
That’s a fair point, it seems as though medical schools and textbooks, as well as medical journals, do patients and doctors a dreadful disservice when it comes to ME. Many doctors only learn about ME from personal experience, and a lot depends on how open-minded they are…
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November 12, 2016 at 12:56 pm
In the Radio Bristol Broadcast and on the various bulletins on Radio 4 The Today Programme announcing the FITNET trial, Esther Crawly stated that many young people who present at clinic have ‘low cortisol” in the morning. Perhaps Dr Hammond could offer information about how this is determined please? What tests are done? Dr Hammond stated, “I believe that it is likely to encompass a number of different diseases with different biological, environmental and genetic causations.” This is wholeheartedly agree with.
My son was part of the 1990’s RCPCH.Fatigue Study- now it appears re-branded ‘Children of the Nineties’ study.
I still have the original copy of my return. It was study where GP practices were asked about any child with “unusual fatigue” and it was completed often by a practice nurse. The child was not involved , nor interviewed nor had to give consent if I remember.
Also in the 1990’s, I was chastened (and worse, suggested “FII” fabrication or induction of illness in a child’) by local community paediatrics for asking for this possible ” low cortisol” and other hormone disruption to be investigated, even though I was aware that significant research on “low” cortisol had been done on adults throughout the 1990’s. In 2000, went to the “London Fatigue 2000 Conference” and actually questioned Simon Wessley and Anthony Cleare about this. In parallel, I was struggling to help a son with a diagnosis of ME. I was ignored then and subsequently by statutory services. My experience was the norm not the exception sadly.
At the time, from 1999, I worked as specialist educationalist in a Pupil Referral Unit for children out of school for medical needs. All our pupils had fatigue, often brought about by multiple complex reasons, including, misdiagnoses and inappropriate medication treatments (GPs or CAMHS prescribed) and /or their personal difficulties. These included long term chronic illnesses, diagnosed ME, serious allergies, Crohns, celiac, family violence, trauma, abuse, autism, Tourettes Syndrome, eating disorders, mental ill health and just being a teenager! – you name it and we had it!
Seeing these diverse needs in kids all day every day, I became a bit of a ‘medical “expert…….. it was not hard to separate “sheep from goats” unlike the above ‘Children of the Nineties’ study or it appears the FITNET trial.
The study by Esther Crawly in a sledgehammer to crack a nut. Whilst I agree, is necessary, nay essential to provide support for children with complex needs and to liaise with education services and others, (this should be being done anyway by law and the Children’s Act), my fear is this study and the inflated claims made as to “success” will fuel the problems and culture of disbelief in others and statutory services like Social Care & Education about “true “ME and CFS,. It will exacerbate rather than resolve it.
The BBC headline, 1st November 2016 “A therapy that successfully treats two-thirds of children with chronic fatigue syndrome is being trialed for NHS use.” is both misleading and potential harmful if proven to be less than the truth of ME.
As to, “The disease affects one in 50 children, leading to mental health problems and missing school. The devil will be in the detail. “Esther Crawly et al, in my humble opinion, must be held to account and show due diligence by separating the “sheep from the goats” before any further work in this field of ME is agreed to. More importantly, she should attempt to make a more robust and proper, unequivocal diagnosis of ME, rather than conflate the issue with her “diverse” group of very needy young people (most of whom are what I call “walking wounded- not severely affected)” who appear to be used as a vehicle to further and build her own career and reputation. Harsh as that may seem, and no matter how well meaning her true intentions to help are, she should really walk the walk before talking the talk.
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November 14, 2016 at 2:35 pm
Many thanks for your comment. I’m interested that your son took part in a study. I;m just wondering which one it was. The study which drew on the ‘children of the 90s’ project was this one: http://tinyurl.com/hv3w5xt I also have a full pdf of the study which I can send if you are interested. According to the study, these children were ‘diagnosed’ with ‘CFS’ using a parental questionnaire followed by one which the children themselves filled in. A very inadequate way to diagnose since no doctor was involved, there was no attempt to exclude other conditions, and there was no requirement for PEM. But you say that the study in which your son participated just involved a questionnaire filled in by the practice nurse and no involvement of the child at all! So that is even less satisfactory! I’m just wondering if you’re sure it was the Children of the 90s project in which you participated. According to Crawley, there had been a previous fatigue project which simply involved a parental questionnaire, which is this one: http://pediatrics.aappublications.org/content/130/1/e71.short So could it have been that one that your son was involved with? I hope you don’t mind me checking. If the ‘children of the 90s’ project really just involved a questionnaire filled in by the practice nurse then that is even more alarming!
November 16, 2016 at 10:01 pm
The study I referenced was organised by the RCPCH in 1999- 2000. An appeal was sent out to GP primary care practices initially. We were contacted by the practice nurse about it. The outcomes were published by RCPCH. A conference was convened in Suffolk regarding it to which I went with a friend who was a keynote speaker. He was an educational psychologist with a wife with very severe ME, who knew from bitter personal experience how difficult things were for these children. Suffolk at the time was a “hot spot” with a Mimi epidemic of childhood ME. It was also known to be a notorious “hotspot” of bad practice resulting in miscarriage of justice and false accusations of parental harm – ie those who refused to accept Gt Ormand Street’s psychiatric approach – Panorama named Dr Prendagast I believe…….I knew Child x from the programme and met Nigel S and the late Dr AlanFranklin through this contact. Bless the both!
November 16, 2016 at 10:59 pm
This was the one, which pre-dated the EC rise to fame and the Bath Empire and EC who who only came on the scene at the AYME conference in 2005-(which I attended and where I met her as an aspiring young paediatrician…….) it was around this time that AYME went pear shaped and lost the plot ( in my view….)………I believ it was a lot to do with EC and various calls to explore Lightening and Mickel therapy.
Practices that had reported potentially eligible patients in a postal survey of the framework practices in 199910 and who had indicated an interest in the new study, were contacted by the MRC GPRF in 2001 and invited to participate in this second study.
The management of children with chronic fatigue syndrome-like illness in primary care: a cross-sectional study
DOI: Published 1 January 2006
Background Most studies on children with chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS)/myalgic encephalomyelitis (ME) have been undertaken in tertiary care and little is known about their management in primary care.
Aim To describe the characteristics of patients aged 5–19 years with CFS-like illness in primary care and to examine how GPs investigate and manage patients.
Method One hundred and twenty-two practices were approached; 62 identified 116 patients consulting a GP with severe fatigue lasting over 3 months. Practice nurses and GPs completed questionnaires from medical notes and patients completed postal questionnaires.
Results Ninety-four patients were considered by a clinical panel, blind to diagnosis, to meet the Oxford CFS criteria with a fatigue duration of 3 months. Seventy-three per cent were girls, 94% white, mean age was 12.9 years and median illness duration 3.3 years. GPs had principal responsibility for 62%. A diagnosis of CFS/ME was made in 55%, 30% of these within 6 months. Fifty per cent had a moderate illness severity. Paediatric referrals were made in 82% and psychiatric referrals in 46% (median time of 2 and 13 months respectively). Advice given included setting activity goals, pacing, rest and graded exercise.
Conclusions Patient characteristics are comparable to those reported in tertiary care, although fewer are severe cases. GPs have responsibility for the majority of patients, are diagnosing CFS/ME within a short time and applying a range of referral and advice strategies.
METHOD
The study was carried out using the Medical Research Council’s General Practice Research Framework (MRC GPRF) (www.mrc-gprf.ac.uk), a network of representative UK GP practices. Multicentre ethical approval was obtained.
Practices that had reported potentially eligible patients in a postal survey of the framework practices in 199910 and who had indicated an interest in the new study, were contacted by the MRC GPRF in 2001 and invited to participate in this second study. Details of those practices that still had eligible patients and who remained willing to participate were passed to the research team. Nurses in these practices were asked to recruit any patients aged 5–19 years with over 3 months of severe fatigue and a significantly reduced pre-morbid level of activity, who had consulted a GP between 1 January 1999 and 31 July 2001, including those who had subsequently recovered. Non-responding practices were sent two postal reminders followed by a letter from the head of the MRC GPRF. Letters were followed up by at least two reminder telephone calls to the practice nurse leading the study.
Consent was obtained from patients and/or parents depending on the patient’s age. For consenting patients the GP and the practice nurse completed questionnaires using patients’ notes and patients and/or parents completed a postal questionnaire. Parents were sent questionnaires for 5–9 year olds, for 10–15 year olds questionnaires were sent to both parents and patients, and for 16–19 year olds questionnaires were sent to patients only.
The questionnaires asked for patients’ sociodemographic characteristics, health in the year before fatigue onset, pre-consultation fatigue duration, nature of onset, presenting and subsequent symptoms, severity, worst level of functional impairment, coexisting illness, investigations, diagnosis, medication, treatment and referrals.
The study inclusion criteria were deliberately broad as there are no agreed diagnostic criteria for CFS/ME in children and the illness can be variably labelled. In order to identify patients with CFS-like illness, a panel of four paediatricians experienced in the management of children with CFS were paired up to independently review an anonymised data set extracted from the questionnaires for each patient, blind to the GPs’ diagnosis against the Oxford criteria for CFS in adults (Box 1).11 A minimum fatigue duration of 6 months has been suggested as too long for children8,2 and in cases where this was not met, 3 months was accepted for the purpose of the review.
November 16, 2016 at 11:14 pm
It’s worth noting that Suffolk paediatrics at this time were researching a cluster of over 32 local children presenting with ME with a diagnosis, many from two schools in the area suggesting an infectious etiology.
Only one case was referred to the school medical service.( that was me !)
This work was also published and referenced here;
Ambulatory Child Health
Previous article in issue: Editorial
Next article in issue: Children’s response to vaccine fluid injection versus needle puncture pain during routine immunization
Volume 6, Issue 2
June 2000
Provision of health and education services in school children with chronic fatigue syndrome
First published: June 2000Full publication history
Cited by: 2 articles
Background Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) in childhood may have a profound effect on a child’s life in terms of schooling, social activity and family interaction. Many reports have been based on specialist clinics with little information about CFS in children in the general population and the health and education services provided.
Objectives To review cases of CFS in school age children (5–18 years) within the East Suffolk area and determine the health and education services provided.
Methods Cases were identified by consultation with the three local health trusts and the education department. Provision of services was determined by review of hospital and school health records. School attendance was determined by postal questionnaire to the school in each case.
Results A total of 32 cases were identified, with diagnosis at a peak age of 15 years and 5.8 months as the mean duration of symptoms prior to diagnosis. Some 28 cases were referred by their GP to an acute paediatrician. Only one case was referred to the school medical service. The majority (28/32) received a rehabilitation programme provided by either a child psychiatrist or physiotherapist. Only half the cases were attending school more than half-time and 10 were not attending school at all and were receiving home tuition. Two of these had never received local paediatric review to confirm the diagnosis or plan management. Follow-up was highly variable and rarely involved school medical services.
Implications A significant number of children with CFS were identified in this semirural school-age population. Poor involvement of community child services reduced the opportunity for liaison between health and education and made identification of cases difficult. Paediatric review should be mandatory before home tuition is instituted, appropriate referral to psychiatric services encouraged and regular school follow-up organized to review progress. Close liaison between all health and education services is imperative in planning the provision of services and providing a coherent programme of rehabilitation.
November 16, 2016 at 11:22 pm
Click to access RCPCH%20CFS%20Evidence%20Based%20Guidelines%20for%20the%20Management%20of%20CFSME.pdf
Having re read this, it has the ultimate irony in this debate!
“Use of the Guideline, Limitations and Local
This guideline has been developed according to accepted methodology which is outlined in
It will be clear to the reader, from the small number of recommendations which are evidence
based (6/45 are A-C grades), how limited the research evidence underpinning the management
of children and young people with CFS/ME is. The majority of recommendations in the guideline
have therefore been derived by consensus. Although this is accepted guideline methodology
the limitations of this approach are discussed below.
The methodology used to develop the consensus recommendations has been described in
detail. Although these recommendations achieved a consensus of the Delphi panel (>75% of
the panel agreeing/ strongly agreeing) this does not necessarily mean that individual panel
members or members of the Guideline Development Group not on the panel personally agree
with the consensus recommendations.
Overall some of the strongest evidence found was for specific behavioural interventions.
However, this was also the area that generated greatest controversy and discontent in responses
to the consultation draft, particularly from patient groups. The evidence base for these
interventions in children and young people is growing but at the time of writing the results of
recent trials on this patient group were not available. Therefore the evidence for
recommendations in these areas was extrapolated from systematic reviews concluding that
cognitive behaviour therapy (CBT) and graded exercise therapy (GET) showed promising results
in ambulant adults. Although extrapolating evidence from adult studies is an accepted
methodology in terms of guideline development, it does mean the recommendations in these
areas should be interpreted with some caution especially as there is currently little information
about the similarities and/or differences between the condition in adults and children. There
must also be caution in extrapolating results from studies on mild or ambulant patient to those
who are more severely ill. Furthermore CBT and GET are very general therapies that have
also been shown to be effective in patients with other chronic conditions. Although they may
help some patients, they should not be interpreted as interventions to treat or “cure” all children
and young people with CFS/ME….”
November 12, 2016 at 1:58 pm
Thank you for taking the time to reply to this blog. Engaging those in a position of power and influence regarding M.E. is always useful I believe.
Just some very initial thoughts. You say “I personally do not use the term ME as we do not test for encephalomyelitis”. Thank you for your honesty.
How is it then that someone like Ms. Crawley can continue to use the term CFS/ME when in fact ME is not the condition she is studying? She does not carry out any of the recommended tests in the ICC or the CCC so that people with M.E. CAN be identified. Patients within this much maligned and neglected community know that at the nub of the problem is the deliberate conflation of the two terms, used interchangeably at will.
MS. Crawley in her study published in January this year, for example, specifically claimed that 1 in 50 16 yr olds had ME and yet there was not a single clinical test carried out, not a single GP consultation was had – instead she made these assertions based on self reported fatigue questionnaires filled in by either the child or their parents. Surely you can see that this is not science? Surely you can see this is deliberately contributing to conflating the two illnesses – CFS and ME? Surely you can see this for what it is?
So while I really do appreciate your personal view on this, I believe you had a responsibility to question her assertions and you failed to do that, allowing the confusion to once again go on unabated.
Let me explain where I am coming from. I don’t have ME. I don’t have CFS. I actually have Lupus, Fibro and COPD along with a few other chronic illnesses – all of which cause chronic fatigue. However never once have I been offered GET or CBT as a ‘treatment’ for any of those illnesses.
On the other hand my young son at the age of 12 was struck down with a viral illness and has remained severely incapacitated since – four years later. All he has been offered was activity management with a rigorous physio programme and a referral to a psychiatrist – neither of which worked out too well I can tell you. Both made him worse – the former from a physical repercussion point of view and the latter confused and upset him as he felt blamed for not getting well. Actually I also got ‘blamed’ for him not getting well as I was told that I was focusing too much on his illness and this was keeping him entrenched in his illness. Now bear in mind this is a child who, out of the blue, got sick, had a total bowel shutdown, was hospitalised numerous times as a result, has severe balance problems, regular vomiting and constant nausea, reversed circadian rhythm, new onset dyslexia, new onset tinnitus, daily nosebleeds, severe bone and muscle pain, rapid heart rate, IBS, etc etc….but it was MY focussing on his illness that was keeping him ill? …
You see, this is the kind of thing that is happening daily with people like Ms. Crawley and her colleagues who have convinced themselves that the perpetuation of this illness is psychological and have staked their careers on it. They simply cannot retreat from this position without losing massive credibility and income. Do you think it is likely they will come clean so? No it isn’t. In the meantime parents are being blamed when their child doesn’t recover. Actually if you look at the DUTCH FITNET protocol you will see it is even more specific than that – Mothers are blamed for perpetuating the illness and treatment programmes are recommended for the mothers of those that don’t get ‘better’. What kind of madness is that? Do you really believe that there are thousands of mothers out there who have nothing better to do than ‘convince’ their child they are ill, give up careers to care for them, deal with the awful impact on other family members including siblings and deal with medical appointments which generally leave them feeling useless, distressed and upset because it’s clear that their child is not ‘believed’ when they say they are ill and unable to function normally? Come on….
This power of the BPS proponents has to be taken from them and the only way to do that is for the patient community to keep plugging away – using what little energy they have to expose the madness and lack of veracity that is the BPS model. Thankfully we now also have some very reputable international scientists who have taken up the cause – horrified with what they have seen.
You mention that the debate between ME and CFS is ‘sensitive’. I disagree. There is nothing sensitive about deliberately ignoring evidence, deliberately ignoring the WHO classification of ME as a neurological illness and deliberately ignoring criteria such as the International Consensus Criteria or indeed the Canadian Consensus Criteria (which has been around now for 13 years). These criteria were established by International EXPERTS who have worked for decades with this illness and have seen thousands of patients between them. So no, I don’t agree that it’s ‘sensitive’. It’s political. It’s immoral. It’s fraud. Lots of other words could be used, but sensitive isn’t one of them.
From my point of view Ms. Crawley and AYME can carry out whatever research they want, but when they say it is for children with M.E., then they are committing fraud. Simple as.
If you believe that you help the majority of young people who seek help in your clinic, then those young people do not have M.E. See how simple this is becoming?
You also said that the mainstay of treatment is aimed at finding a baseline of activity that can be achieved without disabling symptoms, yet the FITNET protocol specifically says that flares and exacerbations of symptoms are to be expected and pretty much ignored. Indeed no matter how severe they become they are not notifiable adverse reactions and instead are to be expected. Do you seriously condone a ‘treatment’ that makes young people worse – perhaps never recover from that same ‘treatment’?
On a personal level I am a CBT practitioner in the field of addiction. I know it’s limits. It can work very well when there are external influences preventing you from choosing certain options. It absolutely does nothing for someone who is chronically ill – unless it is to help them with tips and techniques to manage that illness and not get any worse. It won’t help anyone who has a disrupted circadian rhythm, it won’t help make their symptoms better. And that’s what CBT in the case of FITNET is designed to do – ‘fix’ the problem by convincing young people to ignore their symptoms and push through. Read the protocol. Another thing CBT can do is make someone feel worse because they can end up believing that they are simply not trying hard enough. As a practitioner with those in addiction, I know about putting checks in place so that it doesn’t end up making a client worse.
The FITNET trial is not just about CBT. Again, read the protocol. The idea is to introduce a level of high activity to a baseline of 8 hours per day. So actually FITNET is GET by stealth. What kind of a trial is that? It’s unethical and that’s the kindest thing I can say about it.
I would like to end this reply on a positive note. I am grateful that you responded and I am grateful for your honesty. I just wish you would apply that to serious questioning of the BPS model and how it pertains to M.E. Given that you seem to have some of an understanding of the issues, you are only contributing to the ongoing conflation of chronic fatigue with ME by your silence on this issue. You need to be vocal and you need to stand up for those patients who cannot do it for themselves.
I’m glad that you support publicly available data but was a tad concerned when you wrote “I also accept that people interpret complex data in different ways, and there is seldom a simple, single interpretation”. Just in case anyone should be left with the view that the reanalysis of PACE for example was the result of a ‘different interpretation’….it wasn’t. The data was reanalysed exactly the same as the original analysis but simply used the original recovery targets instead of the ones that were changed half way through the trial. I wouldn’t like to think anyone would be confused by your comment, some thought it best to mention that.
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November 12, 2016 at 2:19 pm
November 15, 2016 at 12:15 pm
We really just want to be engaged by medically qualified individuals, so that the discussion can begin, and scientifically legitimate arguments and criticisms can be made away from the angry exchanges on social media.
Some quick points – Perhaps CFS is an umbrella term, a heterogeneous group of diseases causing unexplained fatigued. But the more results we get from immune studies and metabolomics suggests that ME may in fact be a discrete illness, albeit with different triggers. See recent work by Maddie Hornig, Jose Montoya and Maureen Hanson. Testing for Encephalitis would involve brain scans or spinal taps. When these have been performed in ME patients they have usually shown pathology. I would therefore argue that the term ME can be used based on the diagnostic criteria, and could then be ruled out via these tests when they become more accesible. I do think separating ME and CFS is the way forward.
You say you’ve had ‘positive feedback’. This is a little worrying, as I’m sure you are aware it is unscientific. Most people give positive feedback out of gratitude and politeness. Politicians and restaurants get ‘positive feedback’, even when they are extremely umpopular. You need only look at the forums where patients feel they can speak freely. Or follow up patients who drop out of studies, which PACE failed to do. The negative feedback is so utterly devastating, that we should be erring on the side of caution, as with all other therapeutic interventions
Finally – ‘CBT’ is a term that can mean anything, and that is part of the confusion. Like ‘CFS’, and ‘Recovery’, the Wessely group of psychologists use their own definitions. This is one of the many, many, many problems in their work, which you can describe as either flawed or misleading, depending on your preference, that has led to so much suffering. This is something that I ask you take Esther Crawley to task on if you do invite her back on your show.
Thank you so much for engaging with us, we all sincerely hope that you will not be overwhelmed with the responses you are getting, and that it will put you off reaching out to us again!
November 16, 2016 at 11:37 pm
Many thanks to Barb and ruralres1 for the info re those studies. I look forward to taking a look when my brain allows…
November 17, 2016 at 7:44 am
I have nearly 20 years of data and information having both a personal and professional interest. The good news about our local cohort is that they mostly improved a lot and CBT and GET had little to do with it. Being well supported, having appropriate adapted educational provision and good clear advice about managment, nutrition and the importance of maintaining a social life (all from a specialist support network which was initiated by the local authority) enabled them to slowly let nature take its course, maximise “recovery” and for them to get on with their adult life in difficult but not impossible circumstances. It doesn’t need expensive research, it’s not rocket science, mostly plain good common sense and time, time to allow recovery in my humble but informed opinion!
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Poseidon: (side eye) I am the God of the Sea, you may remember. That carries quite enough status for me. Although if pushed, I’m rather pleased that my backstory is being revealed. I’m not actually as stiff and unpleasant as I came off in Storm Season and Breaker Zone, you know.
This book focuses on your relationship with your consort Amphitrite and your lost mate Medusa. How do you feel about getting a second chance to win them back?
Poseidon: Grateful, of course. While I’m ashamed to admit it, our separation was almost completely my fault. After seven thousand years of being alone I’m ready to do whatever is required to win back their good opinion, as well as their love.
Speaking of good opinions, tell us about your sisters-in-law.
Poseidon: (sighs) Fine. I have forty-nine sisters-in-law. Hyacinth and I have a perfectly functional policy of mutual indifference in place. Ligea, Pasithea, and Iaera – the less said about those vapid harpies, the better. Thetis, well, we have a shared past that makes my current task all the more difficult. The rest of them are pleasant enough, and hopefully once Amphitrite and I solve our present situation we’ll all go back to being one big happy family.
Keeping track of all their birthdays must be a bitch, though.
Poseidon: You don’t know the half of it.
Deep Water (Olympic Cove #3) by Nicola Cameron
Available: August 11, 2015
Poseidon, God of the Sea, has spent millennia alone due to a single terrible act. His consort Amphitrite has sworn never to forgive him, and he’s forced to live with the knowledge that he drove an innocent girl to her doom.
But when one of the Olympic Cove cottages gets an occupant with an all-too-familiar soul, Poseidon discovers that the Fates have given him a second chance. Now he must try to right the wrongs of the past and win back both his beloved consort and the mate he betrayed.
Feeling like he was in another one of his dreams, Griffin let himself be eased onto the beach blanket. He stretched out, wiggling a bit to get comfortable as Dunn followed him and did the same. Overhead, the Floridian night was heavily spangled with stars.
“This is nice. Should’ve done this the first night I got here.” He glanced at Dunn. The man was a shadowy form stretched out at length, hands clasped placidly on his middle. “Comfortable?”
“Very,” Dunn said, staring up at the stars. “You’re right. This is quite lovely.”
“Yeah.” Griffin swallowed. He had no idea what to do next.
Except to be honest. “Dunn, I need to say something.”
“Mm?”
“I hope this doesn’t offend you because I really don’t want to do that, and to be honest I don’t know why I feel this way but…” He swallowed, hearing his throat click. “I really want to kiss you right now. If you don’t want to, it’s fine, I understand, but I thought I’d ask.”
“Ah.” Dunn’s head turned towards him. “Well, then, if we’re being honest, I’d like to kiss you as well.”
Something electric shot through Griffin, swamping the fear. “Oh. I didn’t … I mean, I thought—”
“That I prefer women? I do, as I suspect you do. But I’ve been known to make exceptions.” The other man chuckled softly. “I believe the term is heteroflexible.”
My God, has he done this before? That’s not bad, though. At least one of us knows what he’s doing. “Okay, good. Um…”
“Shall I come over there?”
“Please.”
Griffin rolled onto his side and Dunn mirrored him. A hand came up and cupped his cheek, warm against the soft coolness of the evening breeze.
He closed his eyes as Dunn leaned forward. Lips brushed against his, delicately intent. His lips tingled under the soft pressure, and he could feel the prickle of Dunn’s mustache and beard, something he’d never felt before, at least not during a kiss.
It was weird and slightly scary. It was also fucking terrific. “Do that again,” he whispered when Dunn pulled back.
“Eagerness. I like that in a man.”
They kissed again, and Griffin let his lips open. The tip of Dunn’s tongue traced along them with that same delicacy. The sensation sizzled across his nerve endings, poking his dormant libido right where it counted.
Dunn pulled back a bit. “If you want to stop at any time, say so,” he said, his voice rough.
“Right, got it. Now kiss me again.”
He did, tongue slipping into Griffin’s mouth with deft skill. Griffin gave himself over to it, enjoying the sensation. It was similar to kissing a woman but with a different undertone to it, hungrier somehow. He felt like he didn’t have to hold back, that anything he threw at Dunn the other man could take.
And then Dunn’s tongue licked along the roof of his mouth, sending sparks of desire shooting through him. He couldn’t help moaning in unabashed pleasure.
Dunn took that as a signal to roll closer, fitting himself along Griffin’s body. It was like the kiss, scary and exciting at the same time. Dunn slid an arm around him, a hand coming to rest in the small of his back as his mouth continued to duel sweetly with Griffin’s.
After a bit Griffin felt something poking him in the thigh. It dawned on him what was happening. He broke the kiss with a gasp, sucking in air. “Fuck. You’re hard.”
“Well, yes, that does happen.” Dunn sounded amused. “Does it bother you?”
Griffin gulped. It should, he knew that. And yet all he wanted to do was do a wicked little shimmy against Dunn, make the other man moan for once. “No. It’s fine.”
But Dunn paused, his hand lightening on Griffin’s back. “You’re not aroused.”
He shook his head. “It was the last round of radiation. Haven’t been able to get it up since.”
“Oh.” Dunn’s hand came to rest again, but now it was on his waist. “Am I hurting you? Doing this, I mean?”
“If you’re asking me if you’re giving me blue balls, yeah, a little.” He swallowed again. “If you’re asking me if I want to stop, the answer’s no. Just don’t expect me to be poking you back.”
He wasn’t sure, but he could have sworn he saw Dunn smile. “All right.”
About the Author:
Nicola Cameron is an expatriate Chicagoan who has lived in England, Canada, Holland, and Sweden, and keeps a confusing amalgamation of languages in her head as a result. Currently located in the clavicle of Texas, she has finally mastered the proper use of “y’all,” much to her Chicago family’s dismay.
Despite a healthy interest in sex since puberty, it wasn’t until 2012 that Nicola decided to try writing about it. As it turned out, the skills she picked up during her SF writing career transferred rather nicely to erotic romance. When not writing, she wrangles cats, smooches her husband, makes dolls of dubious and questionable identity, and thanks almighty Cthulhu that she doesn’t have to work for a major telecommunications company any more (because there’s BDSM, and then there’s just plain torture…).
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As the third open enrollment period winds down on the health insurance marketplaces, one thing hasn't changed much since the online exchanges opened: It's still often hard to find out whether a plan covers abortion services.
The health law requires insurers to say one way or the other, and they have gotten better about reporting abortion coverage details this year, advocates on both sides agree.
But the federal government has yet to put out final instructions on how insurers should handle the issue on their Summary of Benefits and Coverage overview. Lacking specific instructions about what to say and where to say it, many insurers have simply left the information out of the summary, advocates say.
That leaves consumers in a bind. "It's not easy to figure out whether a plan covers abortion and if it does, to what extent," said Kinsey Hasstedt, a public policy associate at the Guttmacher Institute, a reproductive health research organization that supports abortion rights.
The health law lets states decide whether marketplace plans can cover abortion services. Half of states ban abortion coverage to some extent, often limiting it to cases of rape, incest or if the mother's life is endangered, the standard the federal government uses for coverage in its employees' plans and for health care programs, such as Medicaid.
However, even in states that permit insurers to cover abortion beyond the limited exceptions, marketplace plans may not have that benefit.
The lack of easily accessible information makes it hard to know whether the number of plans that provide abortion services on the exchanges is increasing or decreasing.
Advocates on both sides of the issue have their eyes on multistate plans. To encourage competition, the health law called for at least two multistate plans to be offered on every state marketplace by 2017, at least one of which excluded abortion services. In subsequent guidance, the Office of Personnel Management, which administers the multistate program, said that multistate insurers had to offer at least one silver- and one gold-level plan that exclude abortion coverage starting this year.
But the number of states offering multistate plans dropped to 32 plus the District of Columbia in 2016, down from 35 last year.
In those states, most multistate plans don't cover abortion, and the coverage information is easy to find, said Genevieve Plaster, a researcher at the Charlotte Lozier Institute, which opposes abortion rights. Of the 261 multistate plans available in 2016, just four plans in two states — Connecticut and Alaska — cover abortion services, according to OPM.
However, abortion opponents said that because multistate plans aren't yet available in every state, there's no guarantee consumers can find a plan that doesn't cover abortion, if that is their priority. In two states, Hawaii and Vermont, for example, all plans available cover abortion. Neither state has multistate plans.
Abortion rights supporters have a different beef with the multistate plan program. They say it's not fair to require the marketplace to offer plans that exclude abortion without also requiring plans that include abortion coverage. They also take issue with OPM's decision that insurers must offer two multistate plans that exclude abortion coverage, instead of the single one that the law requires.
OPM isn't considering any changes to the program at this time, a spokesman said.
In the meantime, advocates on both sides hope that the final instructions for the coverage summaries will make it easier for consumers to learn whether plans cover abortion.
Questions remain about where in the eight-page summary of benefits and coverage the information appears: Some advocates want it near the section that describes covered services "if you are pregnant," rather than under "excluded services and other covered services," as the federal government has proposed.
And advocates on all sides agree that the language describing abortion services needs to be clear and consistent rather than the mishmash of descriptions that appear in current documents, where it may be called "interruption of pregnancy" or "elective termination of a normal pregnancy," among other terms.
In a final regulation released in June (see page 34297-8), federal regulators said they would clarify requirements for the language and placement of abortion services in the coverage summary in the final template, which is scheduled to be finished in January.
"We're still waiting for that," said Gretchen Borchelt, vice president for health and reproductive rights at the National Women's Law Center.
The Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services didn't respond to a request for information about when the new template would be released. The 2016 enrollment ends Jan. 31.
Kaiser Health News is an editorially independent news service that is part of the nonpartisan Henry J. Kaiser Family Foundation. Michelle Andrews is on Twitter: @mandrews110.
Copyright 2021 Kaiser Health News. To see more, visit Kaiser Health News.
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Rep. Hakeem Jeffries elected as leader of the House Democrats
Jeffries will replace Rep. Nancy Pelosi as the top elected Democratic leader. He represents a generational shift and faces challenges in a GOP House in January.
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The first step to choosing a career is to make sure you are actually willing to commit to pursuing the career. You don’t want to waste your time doing something you don’t want to do. If you’re new here, you should read about:
What do television writers do?
Career Satisfaction
Are television writers happy with their careers?
What are television writers like?
Still unsure if becoming a television writer is the right career path? Take the free CareerExplorer career test to find out if this career is right for you. Perhaps you are well-suited to become a television writer or another similar career!
Described by our users as being “shockingly accurate”, you might discover careers you haven’t thought of before.
How to become a Television Writer
As with any career in the writing world, the way to gain experience and build a portfolio is to write. A television writer builds something like a portfolio called a “spec script”. A spec script is a sample of writing that showcases a writer's knowledge of the craft and lets others know that he has an understanding of the format of television writing. It could be an original television pilot or a script for an existing show. A good spec will illuminate a writer's skills.
Once their foot is in the door, a television writer is under the gun to write shows that meet strict deadlines. When a writer is creating a spec script he can use as much or as little time as he/she needs. Working in television means a writer has to meet very short deadlines that may change day to day.
Television uses a lot of material. An hour long drama needs a new script every five to seven days. A typical TV deadline takes a week to go from an approved outline to a good first draft. A good writer should be able to accomplish it in four days, which leaves one day to fix mistakes. No one expects perfect work, but they do expect constructive work that can be built on. With such a demanding schedule, a writer is not allowed to have writer's block. It's just not an option. A schedule must be stuck to and a writer must be able to power through a script and make it happen.
The most negative thing a writer can do for a network is to deliver a show late. A network has a slot in their schedule for a show. If a show is late then the network will have to find something else to fill that slot with and that means money is lost and people lose their jobs.
Something else a writer has to take into account is the internal structure of television. Because commercial breaks are the bread and butter of television, the story needs to be structured with cliffhangers to take place at the end of an act, so that the audience will want to return to the show once the commercials end. A studio's goal is to keep the viewer tuned into the show, and to make them want to return for the next week's episode. It's vital that writers structure episodes in this way to keep the audience interested.
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On December 4th, 2018, posted in: Peaceable Classrooms, Peaceable Healing, Peaceable Living, Uncategorized by Sandy
Tags: caring, harmony, kindness, oneness, world family
“We’re all one family under one sky. We’re a family under one sky. No matter what differences we have….” Those are words from a song that my grandson’s, diverse kindergarten class performed recently. How true those words are. We are all human beings, one family, with differences, living under one sky on our precious Mother Earth, […]
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The start of the new school year is fast approaching. Some school districts know what their instructional plan is going to be; others are still trying to put it together. No matter where your school district is in this process, there is more than enough angst for parents and their children related to Covid-19 as it relates […]
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“You don’t have to be the tallest tree in the forest.” Those words came as a message for me from Dr. Lewis Mehl Madrona, M.D., psychiatrist, and Native American healer in ceremony the last day of a week-long healing workshop some time ago. How did I know the message was for me? I knew because as he said […]
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From time to time during the Covid-19 stay-at home orders, I have had a number of dreams of two types. One is where I have lost my purse that has all of my money, insurance cards, credit cards, and most importantly, my driver’s license, my identification, in it. I search all over, retracing my steps but am […]
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Prime Minister Justin Trudeau is defending his government's decision to allow the return of turbines to Russian state-owned energy giant Gazprom, as Ukraine renews its calls for Canada to reverse course.
Ukraine has called on Trudeau and his government to reverse their decision to exempt Siemens Canada from sanctions against Russia so it can repair six turbines for use in a pipeline that supplies natural gas to Germany.
One turbine already repaired at Siemens' Montreal facility has been delivered to Germany and was supposed to go to Gazprom, which operates the pipeline, but the Russian company has refused to accept it.
Speaking at a joint news conference in Montreal today, Trudeau and German Chancellor Olaf Scholz accused Russia of trying to use the issue as a cover for recent cuts to gas exports through the pipeline.
The two leaders also alleged that Moscow was hoping to pit Canada and Germany against each other, and divert public anger at the resulting increase in energy prices away from itself.
Yet while they claimed to have effectively called Russia's bluff, as evidenced by Gazprom's refusal to take the turbine, Trudeau sidestepped questions about whether his government would now block the import, repair and return of five other turbines.
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Science and stories from literally the coolest places on the planet! It’s said that the poles are the thermometer for the rest of the planet- what happens to the rest of us, has already been happening there for years. It’s easy with the state of the world currently to bunker down in a little private bubble, but its more essential than ever that we broaden our horizons and remember that there’s a world out there that is incredible- and needs us!
And if that sounds too heavy for you then instead why not join us to escape as we take to on audial adventures to these strange and remote and beautiful places? We’ll speak to guests who’ve looked polar bears in the eye, who drive 12k ton ships through ice 9ft thick or who spend years doing science with no-one but three other people and thousands of penguins for company!
These are Polar Times we live in. Join us, and we’ll take you there!
Music credits:
Unaltered
June 7, 2021
Hello and thanks for joining us today on Polar Times- welcome!
On today's episode Jack chats to Daniela Liggett of the University of Canterbury! Daniela specialises in environmental management and tourism regulation in extreme environments and we welcome her onto the show today to talk all about that as well as her role as co-project leader of the SCAR Antarctic COVID-19 Project Team.
Yes, it's partly a covid episode but as Antarctica is the only continent in the world with no confirmed cases, hopefully it's not too triggering! What was polar tourism like pre-pandemic? How has the pandemic impacted polar operations? How will polar tourism start up again post-pandemic? Has it possibly been a good thing for polar wildlife experiencing less human disturbance? Daniela answers all of these questions and more, delving into the role of tourism at polar places and perhaps even debunking any negative connotations one might have with the word "tourist".
As usual, if you would like to get in contact with Polar Times to recommend a guest, volunteer to be a guest, give us some feedback or just ask a question then you can email us ([email protected]) or tweet APECS @Polar_Research any time- we would love to hear from you.
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Wen Yu soon launched the door and became available. When seeing that it turned out Lin Yuan and that he was retaining the offer for that faction that she obtained written for that 2nd time, she asked with a bit of expectation and apprehension, “Young Excel at, what is your opinion on what I’ve composed now?”
After he gave Hu Quan the Hardwood Weaving Family home Centipede, he planned to put together the 3 Sterling silver/Star Mountain Stream Everlasting Daily life Carps into your reddish colored sandalwood sustainability fish water tank.
This little other was now recovering its hereditary product and developing, so besides the massive amount of genuine psychic ability within the Spirit Fasten spatial sector, nutrients from food has also been important.
Lin Yuan had consented to give Hu Quan a Bronze/Tale Wooden Weaving Home Centipede throughout ten days. Though he possessed finished enhancing the Wooden Weaving Home Centipede throughout a few hours, he was not in a hurry to give it to Hu Quan.
For an auspicious scenario, just supporting go with could indicate the amount of beneficial natural environment. In any other case, it will seem to be slightly unbalanced.
After reading this improvement and preparation of your faction, Lin Yuan went down the primavera spiral stairs and went along to Wen Yu’s entrance before knocking lightly into it a second time.
Gray did actually 50 %-comprehend Lin Yuan’s words and phrases. Although it was not quite absolutely sure what he was speaking about, this minor grey other was very reliant on Lin Yuan because he obtained saved it.
Lin Yuan moved right out of the room and found the small basket positioned in the doorway, with Wen Yu’s properly authored organizing and tips on the faction. He chosen them up and checked out them meticulously.
Dependant upon the a.n.a.lysis for every faction that has been seven or eight web pages heavy, she possessed clearly summarized every one of their advantages and disadvantages inside a sentence.
This small other was now recovering its genetic model and growing, so in addition to the large amount of natural faith based power inside the Nature Secure spatial zone, vitamins and minerals from foodstuff has also been necessary.
This small other was now recovering its hereditary version and expanding, so in addition to the massive amount of 100 % pure psychic ability inside the Heart Locking mechanism spatial region, eating habits from food had also been crucial.
The Mother of Bloodbath and Never-ending Summer time also sent back as it was gradually having black. They brought points within their fingers. They had clearly returned coming from the shopping area.
Lin Yuan acquired consented to give Hu Quan a Bronze/Icon Real wood Weaving House Centipede within 10 days. While he had finished improving the Timber Weaving Household Centipede inside of several hours, he was not right away to give it to Hu Quan.
On the flip side, the mom of Bloodbath, which had introduced back many exquisite goodies, looked just a little dejected.
They reputed every other’s privacy while using minimal regard and attention within the sizeable loved ones, so they would knock about the doorstep when joining each and every other’s area. If n.o.body system responded just after knocking on the home, they will assemble the well prepared points in the basket on the front door.
Nevertheless, the 99 l.u.s.trous-Winged b.u.t.terflies, 99 Heart-Comprising Hibiscuses, and 99 Five Lot of money Ranchus were still at Bronze I/Perfect. Therefore, these ‘secondary’ feys also needs to get a improve.
The Mom of Bloodbath and Almost endless Summer months also sent back if this was gradually finding black. They moved issues with their arms. They had clearly came back through the shopping center.
From that time onward, Lin Yuan knew that Wen Yu was very informed about all the major factions. It now seemed that it could no longer be described as a comprehension.
This minor fellow was now recovering its genetic product and increasing, so beyond the huge amount of genuine psychic energy on the Mindset Lock spatial zone, diet from meals have also been indispensable.
Lin Yuan ended up being living in the mansion with Wen Yu and Liu Jie. Now, with Hu Quan, the Mother of Bloodbath, and Never-ending Summer season, those residing in his mansion was made up of two young men, a young gal, a mid-older person, a vegetation, and an insect pest.
The Mom of Bloodbath and Countless Summer season also delivered as it was gradually finding darkish. They carried stuff within their hands. That they had clearly delivered through the mall.
Lin Yuan obtained consented to give Hu Quan a Bronze/Legend Wooden Weaving Household Centipede inside of 10 days. Though he obtained finalized improving the Timber Weaving Household Centipede in a couple of hours, he had not been very quickly allow it to Hu Quan.
Being an auspicious arena, only one supporting match could represent the level of harmonious environment. In any other case, it will look a bit unbalanced.
However, the Mother of Bloodbath, which had moved back a myriad of premium snacks, checked somewhat dejected.
As he communicated together with his feys with similar admiration, within just 2 yrs of only starting to raise Prodigy, which did not have a fantastic base, it had be a little more divine than common Hundred Queries Monster two years down the road.
At the same time, Hu Quan, who acquired swept up on snooze, did start to make all kinds of vulnerable stuff downstairs.
Lin Yuan obtained agreed to give Hu Quan a Bronze/Tale Solid wood Weaving Property Centipede throughout ten days. However he experienced finalized improving the Wooden Weaving House Centipede inside of several hours, he was not in a hurry to give it to Hu Quan.
From this time onward, Lin Yuan was aware that Wen Yu was very informed about all the major factions. It now looked that could no longer be referred to as a comprehension.
Just as one auspicious picture, just supporting go with could reflect the type of beneficial ambiance. Normally, it may well sound a bit unbalanced.
All beings acquired intelligence. Despite the fact that Gray possessed yet to signal a contract with Lin Yuan, its goodwill and fascination with him could possibly be clearly felt.
Soon after he provided Hu Quan the Solid wood Weaving Home Centipede, he organized to create the 3 Gold/Tale Mountain / hill Stream Everlasting Life Carps into your crimson sandalwood durability fish water tank.
Lin Yuan experienced decided to give Hu Quan a Bronze/Star Wood Weaving House Centipede in 10 days. While he experienced carried out improving the Timber Weaving Residence Centipede in a few hours, he was not quickly allow it to Hu Quan.
The Mom of Bloodbath and Endless Summertime also went back as it was gradually having darker. They maintained points in their arms. That they had clearly sent back through the shopping area.
From this time onward, Lin Yuan understood that Wen Yu was very informed about all of the factions. It now looked that it could not be described as an understanding.
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Beef is hard to come by at a reasonable price in Thailand, so sometimes you have to get creative when you want to replicate American food. Shannon was looking for a recipe that used ground chicken in a paleo recipe book. We didn’t have all the ingredients, so I just made this one up instead….
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At Arnold Bateson Homes, we are committed to continual improvement and professional development. As a testament to our high standards and ethos of providing a quality service to our clients, we are a member of a number of professional organisations and trade bodies, with details of these listed below. Our staff are also able to demonstrate their expertise through individual professional accreditations.
Arnold Bateson Homes are proud members of the FMB (Federation of Master Builders), the largest trade association in the UK construction industry. The FMB put a spotlight on quality builders to help connect clients with tradespeople they can trust. All members are rigorously vetted and independently inspected, ensuring that clients can build with confidence.
We are also registered with TrustMark, a not-for-profit social enterprise and the only Government Endorsed Quality Scheme in the UK covering home improvements a consumer chooses to have carried out in or around their home.
The Building Safety Group
Arnold Bateson Homes hold membership with The Building Safety Group (BSG), the UK’s largest construction safety group for Health, Safety and Environmental advice. The BSG is a not-for-profit organisation with over fifty years of experience in providing specialist consultancy services for its members throughout the country.
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A drunk driver slams into her car from behind. Her head smacks the steering wheel, and her knees crash against the dashboard.
A drunk driver hit senior Breanna Dowling on March 31.
“He hit me once from behind, but he was so drunk that when he tried to get away he hit the side of my car again,” Breanna said.
The drunk driver that hit her had struck her car so hard his steering clamp broke and he ended up in a ditch less than a mile from the collision.
Breanna’s parents have contacted an attorney about the case. Unlike Breanna, the other driver was unharmed.
“That upset me even more,” she said. “That nothing was wrong with him.”
She was knocked unconscious for a few seconds after hitting her head on the steering wheel, experienced whiplash, dislocated several vertebrae in her lower back, nearly fractured her kneecaps and still has trouble remembering specifics of the accident.
“I called my parents after the accident, and a guy in the other lane called 911 for me,” she said.
As she was on the phone with her dad before the ambulance arrived, an off-duty firefighter who happened to be nearby checked her neck. Her parents met the ambulance at the hospital.
“It was a very intense call,” Breanna’s father Terry Dowling said.
Breanna’s friend, junior Zack Jenkins, heard about the accident and immediately drove to the scene.
“Seeing her put on the gurney was just so overwhelming,” Jenkins said.
The doctors examined Breanna at the hospital, paying special attention to her neck because of a possibility for brain trauma.
She stayed in the hospital until 1 a.m. for observation, and doctors confirmed there were no signs of brain trauma.
“Even if she hadn’t been OK, I would have had to rely on the Lord regardless,” Terry said.
Jenkins went to the hospital, along with other friends and stayed in the waiting room until about 11 p.m.
Breanna said her accident brought back tragic memories of her uncle.
“My dad’s brother was a victim of a hit-and-run that killed him,” Breanna said. “My parents were so afraid they’d have to go through another loss.”
Breanna’s uncle was riding a motorcycle on a Los Angeles highway in 1991 when he was hit from behind. The driver fled the scene and was never identified.
When her uncle didn’t show up for work the next day, his boss called Terry. He didn’t know where his brother was, so he began calling hospitals, morgues and state troopers.
When he learned what happened to his brother, he had to make the call to his parents to tell them their 31-year-old son had been killed.
“One day [the hit-and-run driver] will face the Lord,” Terry said. “I hope his life gets changed before he faces the Lord.”
While Terry says he can forgive the driver who killed his brother and hit his daughter, that doesn’t mean the drivers shouldn’t admit their errors.
“I used to drink too much and I did things that weren’t correct,” Terry said. “I could not have changed without Jesus in my life; I am not alone in this.”
Breanna came back to school March 5. Terry said his daughter has been out of sorts since the accident, and that he isn’t sure she’s completely wrapped her mind around everything that has happened.
“My body is just physically and emotionally worn out,” Breanna said.
She said her teachers and peers have been supportive, but she has also heard absurd rumors about her accident.
“There was one that I was in a coma, and that they were monitoring my brain,” she said.
Breanna’s totalled car was a 2006 model, and even though she got a new car with advanced safety features after the accident, she said she is still wary of driving.
““I’m sort of a wuss in the car now,” Breanna said.
She said she is more aware how quickly anything can happen.
“When you’re young you think nothing could happen to you, but it can,” she said. “I realize your life can change in an instant.”
car crash
senior
Kelly Cordingley, Editor in Chief
Kelly Cordingley has been on The Tiger Print staff for three years and is editor-in-chief. She is a senior at Blue Valley and plans to attend the University...
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Most people love traveling, but not everyone loves the airport. This is understandable, because if you are not properly prepared then it can be a boring and/or stressful experience! The good news is that it doesn’t have to be this way. Regardless of where you’re going or what the purpose of your trip is, if you follow these simple dos and don’ts you can avoid some of the most common mistakes people make at the airport. This will make sure that your time in the departure lounge goes smoothly!
Do: Give yourself more time than you think you’ll need
Most of the time you don’t need the full two or three hours recommended at the airport before your flight. However, it’s always best to follow this advice anyway, because there are things that can go wrong and cause delays. For example, the traffic might be bad, your train could be canceled, or there might be long lines at the security gate. Leave enough time for emergencies and you’ll avoid the stress of having to run to make your flight.
There are lots of steps you can take before you leave home that will make your airport experience smoother. These include booking your airport parking or train tickets in advance, and checking in for your flight online. If you do this as soon as it opens, you’ll have the best chance of getting the seat you want too! You should also make sure that everything you need at the airport is in easy reach, for instance your passport, boarding pass, your Kona resorts address, currency, and your cellphone.
One of the biggest headaches you can have at the airport is finding out that your luggage is too heavy or you’ve packed something you’re not allowed to bring on board the plane. Each airline has their own weight limits, which often vary depending on your seat, so be sure to check the specifics before you leave home. If you can, weigh your suitcase to be extra careful. In addition, if you mark your luggage with a sticker or something similar, it can make it easier to spot it on the baggage carousel when you reach your destination.
Don’t: Wear fiddly shoes or clothes
This tip can be a big help when it comes to getting through security with no hassle. Try to avoid wearing clothing with a lot of metal, because this can set off the scanners and delay you. Similarly, wearing shoes that you are able to easily slip on and off will make things much quicker and less stressful for you. Don’t forget to check all of your pockets!
Going to the airport is the first stage of your vacation, so try to have fun with it! Browse the duty-free shops, have a meal in a restaurant or drink at a bar, or bring a book to entertain yourself with. Depending on where you’re flying from, there might be interesting and unique airport features you can explore too. All of which will make the time you spend there more enjoyable!
transport
Travel blogger, journalist, sports and movie fiend. Chronicling the life and times of a Kiwi at home and abroad.
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Date: June 7, 2019 Posted By:romanerobbCategory:UncategorizedTag:filmmaker, filmmaking, New York City, photographer, producer, Romane Orlando Robb, writer
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Date: May 30, 2019 Posted By:romanerobbCategory:UncategorizedTag:filmmaker, New York City, photographer, producer, Romane Orlando Robb, writer
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It’s impossible to think of Batman without also thinking about his arch-nemesis, the Joker. Created in 1939, it would take until 1940 for the caped crusader to meet his match. A mysterious figure with green hair and a laugh that sends shivers down your spine, the Joker has gone through many evolutions in his history. From a campy 1960s version, to a 1980s gothic clown prince of crime, to what he is today, the changes the character has seen over the years have been drastic. One thing has always remained, though — his laugh. Read on for the evolution of the Joker.
Which version is your favorite?
In 1928 the film The Man Who Laughs was released. It was based on a famous Victor Hugo novel about a “laughing man” at a freak show circus who falls in love. The character had a long face, sharp slicked-back hair, and a wide grin that would serve as inspiration for one of the greatest comic villains of all time.
Twelve years after the movie came out, the laughing man was turned into the Joker by Bill Finger, Jerry Robinson, and Bob Kane. He was given green hair, a pale white face, slicked back green hair, and an unmistakable ear-to-ear grin.
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I met Anne Marie when I was a baby magazine editor (ok, in my early 30s) and she was a baby model (of about 20), back in the early oughts on a photo shoot for Marie Claire. A lot has changed since then, but not Anne Marie's entrepreneurial spirit, zest for life — or looks. See how she continues to defy aging and just gets better year after year.
Let's get down to business. Have you ever lied about your age?
Yes, but not because I wanted to. Agents have told me to lie. I've never cared about the number because I truly believe your age is how you feel. I don’t feel like I look almost 40, so I’m fine with it. But, by the way, I've worked at it.
What is your attitude toward aging?
If you asked me a year ago, I would’ve told you I didn’t give a shit about it. The only reason I’ve become more aware of it lately is that the number 40 has a stigma attached to it, which influences my way to earn money. But I don't care about being almost 40 at all. In fact, I'm skipping 39 and going straight to 40. I think I look better than a 35-year-old!
Who do you think has aged well?
Leticia Herrera (@leticiaherrera0212). She is the most gorgeous woman — half Mexican, half Puerto Rican. I met her shooting with Bruce Webber years ago. She has aged beautifully. She’s the only woman I let my husband stare at when she walks into a room. She's around 50.
From the outside, you look like you just keep getting better with age. What feels better about being older to you?
I am getting better emotionally. At accepting life as it is, and understanding people for who they are, without judgment. I know that we’ve all made mistakes. My relationship with my mom has always been good, but right now it's amazing because we're at the same level: Now we're just two women having the same conversation.
What's getting worse with age?
Not getting to eat whatever I want anymore. It’s not just my metabolism changing, I think a lot of it is due to stress and hormones. I've had to reevaluate how I feed myself and exercise. I'm not planning to give anything up, I just want to be better balanced.
So let's get into your upkeep! What's your skincare regimen?
My first skincare routine started when I was in middle school: Clean and Clear. Then, I became a model, and I was exposed to facials, treatments and creams. Then, I got through that stage and started breaking out. So I did Proactive, and then Accutane. I did it all! But then I found dermatologist Dr. Martin Zaiac. He took me off the prescription, and you know what he taught me? You don’t need facials. I haven’t had a facial in ten years. No one needs extractions! It’s one of those things we get brainwashed into thinking we need.
But there's one part of my skincare regimen that's been constant: I use a clear sunblock with SPF 50 by Revision Skincare daily. It's the only one that doesn't break me out, and I can mix it with my with my Bobbi Brown Skin Foundation Stick (in shade Honey #5) and turn it into a tinted moisturizer.
I am afraid of needles, so I'll never do injectables. But I do radio-frequency treatments with Ivan Pol — his method is called the Beauty Sandwich. It hurts a little, but it's okay. It’s like a facelift without the facelift.
How do you care for your hair?
I was blessed with really good hair until about three or four years ago when I started to lose a ton of it. Have you heard of Joyce Giraud? She was a Miss Universe runner up, and she's known for her insanely great hair. She created these supplements that actually work. They stopped my hair from falling out! I’ve been using her whole line religiously for a year now.
I colored my hair for the first time last year, on set, shooting Lululemon because they pulled my hair back really tight and you could see my grays.
What's your wellness and fitness routine?
There have been a few different stages of my wellness routine. The first was when I was planning to get pregnant. (Anne Marie's daughter is now 12). I read Raising Baby Green. I couldn't sleep after that. The book explains, scientifically, how everything we do impacts our health during pregnancy, from the makeup we apply to using dryer sheets. Everything in my hospital bag was organic. Now, I'm a bit more balanced: I try to be as natural as possible with what I put on my face and in my body, but I need to do what's right for me, ultimately.
As for exercise, I do pilates and work out with my trainer Kevan Watson. He showed me how to do TRX in my garage.
I haven’t had a facial in ten years. No one needs extractions! It’s one of those things we get brainwashed into thinking we need.
How did your podcast come to be?
As you get older, all this stuff starts to happen. I've had a lot of friends with breast cancer. I got paranoid, so I went to see this doctor/nutritionist named Jaime Schehr-Robinson. She told me, "not everything is the big and the bad." Isn't that great? She also gave me a stool test, which exposed a lot about my overall health! I love learning about health and knowing what's out there, and what's different. So, Dr. Jaime and I started a podcast called Beauty from the Inside Out where I bring her my wacky health ideas, and she explains why they do or don't work — scientifically.
I know you've always been entrepreneurial. What are you working on other than modeling and mothering these days?
I'm working with a company called o3waterworks, which makes a refillable, chemical-free sanitizing spray with water and ozone in it. And, more than 15 years ago, my husband and I started what's known in my business as a "mother agency," where we function as a go-between between models and their agents. What a manager does for an actor, we do for models.
If you had to sum yourself up in a word, what would it be?
Resourceful.
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What Aging Well Means to Me
The actress, activist, documentary filmmaker, erstwhile talkshow host and hair loss survivor told us...EVERYTHING
What Aging Well Means to Me
Learn how the co-founder and CEO of Dennis Gross Skincare gets her glow.
What Aging Well Means to Me
Founders of an oral health care company that hopes to take the drill out of dentistry, these sisters are proof that doing good does you good.
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Frank Wright explains why he's going after 'heresy' he's seeing in evangelical groups | Church & Ministries News
Frank Wright explains why he's going after 'heresy' he's seeing in evangelical groups
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CP Church & Ministries | Tuesday, May 12, 2020
Frank Wright explains why he's going after 'heresy' he's seeing in evangelical groups
By Brandon Showalter, Senior Investigative Reporter
NRB President/CEO Dr. Frank Wright spoke to media during the opening session of the convention on Saturday, Feb. 18, and emphasized the need to embrace new technology to further the Gospel. (Photo: National Religious Broadcasters)
The president and chief executive officer of D. James Kennedy Ministries is elaborating on why he took the tone he did in a recent column highlighting a drift from Scripture among evangelicals.
In an interview with The Christian Post, Frank Wright, who is also a former National Religious Broadcasters president, noted that in the history of the Church, the shepherds have been key to its health and vitality.
"It was Augustine who set forth a three-fold standard for Christian teachers and preachers in which he said their role was to discover the truth in the contents of Scripture, teach the truth from the Scriptures and to defend Scriptural truth when it was attacked," Wright said.
"When those three things are not happening, the Church is in desperate straits," he said, "and I fear the Church is approaching the tipping point of sorts for this reason."
Hence, he wrote a column decrying a troubling foundational drift, highlighting recent developments within key evangelical entities, businesses and Christian ministers such as the Southern Baptist Convention, the Presbyterian Church of America, the National Association of Evangelicals, fast-food chain Chick-fil-A, and megachurch pastor Andy Stanley.
"What I did not foresee was the dramatic departure from biblical truth by supposedly evangelical leaders and institutions. We are now seeing a widescale rejection of God’s Word as the authority for faith and practice," Wright wrote in his column.
He noted that seven years ago, while NRB president, his greatest concern for Christian broadcasters was not the emerging climate of censorship or even abusive hate crimes laws but timid, self-censorship among Christian leaders.
Concerned for the future of orthodox Christian faith in the United States, Wright explained to CP that the Scriptures are not being preached as truth, not being defended when they are attacked, and instead, some are taking "a Thomas Jefferson approach" to Scripture. Jefferson infamously took a sharp blade to a Bible, physically cutting out portions he did not esteem.
But that cut-and-paste approach is essentially what some pastors in evangelical churches are now doing when they deem some portions of the Old Testament as no longer relevant, Wright said.
"I am fearful for the future of the Church where the shepherds are not fulfilling their responsibility to rightly handle the Word of truth."
Throughout Scripture, a strong expectation for unity in the Body of Christ pervades the text, he went on to say. Yet such unity is not possible when the foundations of Scripture are being so compromised.
"Writing a column like this ... it's not a lot of fun. It's not something I relish doing," he said, when asked what he thought of people who find a strongly-worded piece from him surprising given his reputation as an even-handed peacemaker.
As president of NRB, a job he said some people have described as "herding cats," it could be challenging leading a group of Christian ministries and communicators who hail from many denominational backgrounds and espouse various doctrinal differences.
"But when it came to these core matters of Scripture and biblical truth, there was no divergence," he said. "The things that were debated were friendly debates within the family of God."
It is that shared bond over those essentials that is now at risk, Wright lamented.
"Both the culture and spiritual warfare are responsible for what is, unfortunately, a fallen tendency of ours to not fully embrace truth that tends to criticize us," he said, when asked to explain what he believes has given rise to the drift.
The roots of the cultural drift are deep, he continued, adding that not long ago in society the argument against the Christian faith centered around whether or not it was true. Skeptics would posit their views that the Bible was full of errors and thus untrue, but the debate was always over the truth or falsity of the Scripture.
But now, the concept of absolute truth itself is challenged, he said, and spiritual warfare is, of course, always present. Taken together, those two things have reached a confluence in culture where the politics have turned some pastors into silent, timid shepherds who are afraid to touch any question that culture has deemed "political," which includes almost all moral questions.
"It used to be that the Church was the authority on morality and ethics and now the clinical culture has said 'not so fast, these are political issues and since they're political the Church should get out,'" he said.
"I think the root of it is cultural relativism leading to the denial of absolute truth and the work of the Enemy who wants to undermine the Scripture in the Body of Christ."
The early proponents of the seeker-friendly movement within evangelicalism had noble motivations goals, namely, making the church a welcoming space where people could come and enjoy the worship and then hear the Gospel presented, the former NRB president said.
Yet today, it has morphed and many who have utilized this particular approach to ministry have taken it an ill-advised step further: the cut-and-paste approach to Scripture.
That may be well-intended in that 21st century Christian ministers do not want to create "barriers" for people coming to church — as Andy Stanley has put it — but it is undermining the Gospel because the "barriers" being discussed is the Scripture itself, Wright contended. And some pastors are softening the text or doing away with teaching it at all.
Wright told CP that he deliberately avoided using the h-word in his column, that is, heretic. Though the term may seem outdated to some, actual heresy is not only teachings that are wrong but includes deliberately omitting essential teachings.
"Carving out a portion of the Scripture and teaching it to others that it does not apply and can be ignored today is a heresy. We just have to say that."
"What's going on today is just a new twist on an old practice, where people will cite a single passage of Scripture to make their case, and then ignore all the other scripture that speaks to that matter. And what some have done by fencing off a portion of the Old Testament is exactly that. And we must have the courage of our convictions to call it what it is."
He emphasized, "Will we be faithful to the Word of God or will we let go of the anchor line and drift on to who knows what rocks because we've let go of the truth? That's my hope that in calling this out, it will get people to reconsider."
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As the novel coronavirus snaked its way across the globe, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) in early February distributed 200 test kits it had produced to more than 100 public health labs run by states and counties nationwide.
Each kit contained material to test a mere 300 to 400 patients. And labs, whether serving the population of New York City or tiny towns in rural America, apparently received the same kits.
The kits were distributed roughly equally to locales in all 50 states. That decision presaged weeks of chaos, in which the availability of COVID-19 tests seemed oddly out of sync with where testing was needed.
A woman in South Dakota with mild symptoms and no fever readily got the test and the results. Meanwhile, politicians in places like New York, Boston, Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area — all in the throes of serious outbreaks ― couldn’t get enough tests to screen ill patients or, thereby, the information they needed to protect the general public and stem the outbreak of the virus, whose symptoms mimic those of common respiratory illnesses.
Rapid testing is crucial in the early stages of an outbreak. It allows health workers and families to identify and focus on treating those infected and isolate them.
Yet health officials in New York City and such states as New York, Washington, Pennsylvania and Georgia confirmed to Kaiser Health News that they each initially got one test kit, calling into question whether they would have even stood a chance to contain the outbreaks that would emerge. They would soon discover that the tests they did receive were flawed, lacking critical components and delivering faulty results.
During those early weeks, the virus took off, infecting thousands of people and leading to nationwide social distancing and sheltering in place. Public health officials are just beginning to grapple with the fallout from that early bungling of testing, which is likely to haunt the country in the months to come.
The first shipment to Washington state arrived more than two weeks after officials there announced the first U.S. case of coronavirus, and at a moment when deadly outbreaks of the disease were already festering in places like the Life Care Center in Kirkland. Within weeks, three dozen people infected with COVID-19 would die at the nursing home in the suburbs of Seattle.
The spread of COVID-19 would not take long to overwhelm the state, which as of Friday had more than 1,300 cases.
The Trump administration in recent days has attempted to speed testing for the virus after early missteps hampered the government’s response to contain the contagion, and officials have had to respond to a barrage of criticism from public health experts, state officials and members of Congress.
Federal health officials have eased the process for university and commercial labs to perform their own tests, and they are ramping up their capacity. As of March 16, public and private labs in the U.S. had the ability to test more than 36,000 people a day, according to estimates compiled by the American Enterprise Institute, a conservative-leaning think tank in Washington, D.C., a figure expected to rapidly escalate in coming weeks. That figure, however, can vary considerably by state and does not indicate how many tests are actually given to patients.
“We are now beginning to see that they have spread out in a prioritized way. We asked them to prioritize the regions that were mostly affected,” Deborah Birx, the coronavirus response coordinator for the White House Coronavirus Task Force, said Wednesday of private labs’ testing, without elaboration.
The scaling up of testing is set to take place after weeks of faltering and hundreds, if not thousands, of undiagnosed people spreading the virus. For example, New York’s state health department received a faulty CDC test kit on Feb. 8 for 800 patient specimens, an amount that’s consistent with other states, according to a spokesperson. It later began testing patients with a test that state officials developed based on the CDC protocol and has significantly increased testing — as of Friday, more than 7,200 people had tested positive statewide.
In New York City, the first batch was obtained on Feb. 7.
“The other state and local public health laboratories got test kits as they became available,” said Eric Blank, chief program officer of the Association of Public Health Laboratories.
Places in the middle of the country with no outbreaks had the luxury of time to plan. For example, Missouri officials have had about 800 tests to work with, leading to only 395 performed so far in the region by public health labs ― 26 of which were positive. When private lab tests are accounted for, as of Friday there were 47 confirmed cases.
Health care providers and public health staff in the state, however, benefited from the fact that there is less international travel to the region, according to infectious disease expert Dr. Steven Lawrence of Washington University in St. Louis.
“This is very similar to 1918 with the influenza pandemic — St. Louis had more time to prepare and was able to put measures in place to flatten the curve than, say, Philadelphia,” Lawrence said. “Seattle didn’t have an opportunity to prepare as much in advance.”
While commercial labs are coming online, strict restrictions are limiting testing capabilities, Lawrence said.
“The state has had their hands tied,” he added.
Waiting and Wondering
Because of a widespread lag in testing, it is still a mystery for thousands of people to know whether they’ve come into contact with an infected person until well after it happens. As of Friday, the pandemic had killed more than 11,000 globally. More than 16,000 Americans were confirmed infected and at least 216 have died.
“CDC will distribute tests based on where they can do the most good. But without hospital-based testing and commercial testing, it will not be possible to meet the need,” said Tom Frieden, who led the CDC during the Obama administration and is a former commissioner of the New York City Health Department.
In California, public school teacher Claire Dugan, whose state was among the hardest hit in the initial wave of U.S. coronavirus cases, was told she didn’t qualify for testing because she had not traveled abroad to any country with an outbreak of the virus or been in contact with an infected person. Dugan, who lives in the San Francisco Bay Area and is already medically fragile after a stray bullet nearly killed her while driving four years ago, sought a test from her doctor after registering a temperature of 100.7 degrees earlier this month.
“There are a lot of layers as to why this is so messed up,” said Dugan, who relies on a feeding tube and said she sought a test not only to protect herself but her students. “It’s community spreading right now, so it’s kind of silly we’re still insisting on [the early criteria for testing]. How would I know?”
Since the CDC’s initial distribution, states have been reordering more tests through the office’s International Reagent Resource ― a long-standing tool that public health labs have relied on. They have also revised testing protocols to use only one sample per person, which boosts the number of people screened.
Yet problems still abound with tests or other materials needed to be able to detect the virus. California Gov. Gavin Newsom said on March 12 that county public health labs can’t use all of the 8,000 test kits the state has because they are missing key components.
In Pennsylvania, state officials weren’t able to begin testing until March 2 because of problems with the CDC’s initial kit, according to Nate Wardle, a spokesperson at its department of health. New York City received two newly manufactured CDC test kits on Feb. 29 and also began performing tests March 2, its health department told KHN.
“We are still limited on extraction kits,” Mandy Cohen, the Health and Human Services secretary in North Carolina, said in an interview in mid-March. Officials earlier this month could test only 300 patients because of shortages in the extraction materials needed to register whether the novel coronavirus is present.
In North Dakota, Loralyn Hegland wrote her physician’s practice an email on March 10 with the subject line “dry cough,” wondering if she should come in for testing after learning that was one symptom of COVID-19. The recommendation she got echoes those of countless others across the U.S., saying her risk of being exposed was very low because she hadn’t traveled outside the U.S. and had not come into contact with a person who had been “definitely” diagnosed with the virus.
Hegland, who lives in Fargo, didn’t have a fever but decided to shelter herself, anyway, out of caution.
Would she push to get a test?
“What’s the point?” she said. “You can’t know what you don’t know. It’s just that simple. How else do you explain it to people when you’re not testing?”
KHN Midwest correspondent Lauren Weber in St. Louis contributed to this article.
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The American Psychological Association’s website indicates that burnout is emotional exhaustion resulting from overwhelming stress at work. It may be caused by a hostile work environment or fears about job security, but it often results from long hours, stressful deadlines, high expectations, worrying about a project, or taking on more work than you can handle—in other words, working too hard. It can lead to serious conditions, such as depression and heart disease, and you should seek professional help if you are experiencing burnout.
Professional help? Haha. I decided to quit. Best. Decision. Ever.
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April 20, 2019 | tdoogles Ben about town Ben and Dad Ben and Grandma Ben and Mom Ben and the 'rents Ben being Ben The whole fam
Swinging at the nest
April 17, 2019 | tdoogles Ben about town Ben and George Ben and new friends Ben being Ben Nonsense involving Benjamin
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And we were being radicalised, so I ended up being sworn with paramilitary paraphernalia: gloves, berets, guns and a bible. You’ve always got to have a holy book… So I’m handed a Webley 38 revolver and a bible – “I swear that I will hold the blahblahblah of Ulster and die for the cause…”
JG
I don’t remember my mother ever putting her arms around me and saying she loved me. Being beat was about the size of it. She tried to drown me when I was 4, she was bathing me. I was crying, the soap was in my eyes and she pushed my head down, saying, “I’ll drown you, you wee bastard!” But she must’ve thought better of it. She was a very violent woman. Put your finger here, feel that ridge [shows head wound]. She hit me with a teapot when I was about 10, she lifted it and just clobbered me with it. I don’t know if I was knocked out but there was blood running down the walls. I don’t think she meant to kill me but it must’ve been near. I was the person who ruined her life in her mind…
Yeah the child within. I don’t think you ever put the child within to bed to be honest. And we’ve all been that child. And that child lives happily or unhappily within us. And I had a horrendous childhood and a terrible mother so a lot of my injuries are mental scars you know. Physical and mental, you know… I was utterly petrified of my mother. If she said “Come here!” and she was standing with a poker in her hand, I’d think, “I’ll go and get it now because it’ll only be worse later.”
P:
[Speaking of fears…] you were saying your Granny believed in fairies?
J:
She was so respectful of the fairies she wouldn’t even say, ‘The fairies’. She’d look over her shoulder and whisper, ‘The wee folk’. You could offend them by calling them fairies. My Granny used to put out small bits of bread and a biscuit a bit like Santa and Rudolf food you know.
I don’t think she ever saw one herself. She wouldn’t talk about them directly, she talked around them. A lot of people were very very superstitious about the wee folk – you ever see thorn trees, like hawthorns, growing in the middle of a field on their own and they’re huge, maybe a couple of hundred years old, they’ll not knock one down. You hear stories, “Peter Jackson cut one down and — Jesus, sure the next day a wall fell on him and killed him.” There’s stories like that everywhere. So generations of farmers, father to son, will not touch those trees round these parts and Donegal’s probably worse.
P:
There was a woman living near us. Me and my little brother went round with our dog who ate the little people’s food on the back step. We thought it was funny but she was ashen…
J:
The fairies’ food? Bad move. You daren’t, in my Granny’s age, you daren’t offend them. They will punish you.
P:
There was a homelessness protest in ’66 in Dungannon and the early civil rights stuff…
J:
I can remember my father saying “The IRA are using this as a front!” And that was your father speaking, the Gospel According to Daddy Greer.
P:
But how did you understand it as a kid?
J:
Where I lived, a lot of my friends were Roman Catholic… And very, very slowly you didn’t see as much of these guys and to this day I couldn’t tell you what they’re doing. In the end the divisions became more pronounced.
From my point of view, I was maybe 15 before I really grasped that here was real division. I started working as an apprentice joiner and working in the town and started seeing things, there was a lot of bombings and shootings and I was working on the building of an RUC station in ‘71, ‘72. And the police were moving people out but we were a bit back from it and we used to watch these bombs going off. It happens in slow motion, it was the weirdest thing: there was a flash of light, then there’s like nothing, a delay, and then stuff starts flying everywhere. And then, there’s a bang and all the alarms start going off. And you’re like fascinated or scared – your mouth wide open, “What is this?”
P:
J:
Yeah scary to the point of not being scary… Once you adapt to the situation, it starts to feel a bit like background noise. We were walking through, next thing there’s a raid on the police station, there’s mothers pushing prams and they’re firing shots and there’s bullets bouncing off the walls and there’s only about 20 rounds but by the time it’s all bounced off, it sounds like 200. After that kind of initial craziness and the shooting, see the silence that comes after that, you can hear it. Then the normality creeps back – you hear a car, one of the women checks her baby, and on we go. I remember these women with their silk headscarves and everything and they’ll just pick up with their conversations, “So Mrs Jones what were you saying…?” People just accepted it — an ordinary person has no power in that anyway, no investment in it. Not even the soldiers, they just got sent here. They’re just here to do the things they were told to do. So they’re the victims of the consequences of what was happening above their heads you know.
I never told a soul my story, for some reason combatants don’t talk about it – maybe with each other, but anyone else can’t understand. It’s like Lee (Lavis), he can’t even bring himself to say the words about the things he can’t talk about.
P:
You came back to Derry after leaving the Army as a young man, just on the cusp of being an adult (19), and what happened?
J:
I came back from the Army to Derry and the violence had intensified… there was an incident down at a checkpoint, a border crossing. They drove a man, a human bomb, they tied him into the van with chains with a ton of explosives in the back and just as he drove into the VCP they detonated the bomb. It killed him and six soldiers – it was that bad that they only buried parts o’ ye, they could only find a piece of an arm, only the remains, or… parts that were no bigger than a letterbox. There was a kid whose father was actually murdered by my organisation, and the father knew he was being watched and someone called out his name and he turned round and he was shot and the killer melted back into the crowd … Every night the news was an extended news so they could fit it all in. Barricades were going up in Belfast and Derry. There was mistrust in the air – nobody trusted anybody. The UDA (Ulster Defence Association) was formed in Belfast basically as a vigilante organisation as the WDA (Whitfield Defence Association). And then it spread to other areas of Belfast and further into Ulster and became the UDA.
The rhetoric was: “We’re being trampled into the ground here so we must take a stand.” And we were being radicalised, so I ended up being sworn with paramilitary paraphernalia: gloves, berets, guns and a bible. You’ve always got to have a holy book… So I’m handed a Webley 38 revolver and a bible – “I swear that I will hold the blahblahblah of Ulster and die for the cause…” and 4 pages of crap. And I was terrified – if I say one word wrong here, they’ll shoot me. I was talking to an IRA guy and we compared notes and if you substituted “Ireland” for “Ulster”, the oath was pretty much verbatim, it’s like there’s a devil sprinkling oaths or something… you can’t trust anybody, you’ll die for the cause, you can’t leave this organisation alive… it frightened the life out of you. They’re all pressing the same buttons. Fear, excitement, terror, euphoria and wide-eyed wonder about what was going to happen down the road. You were led by the nose so starting off with small jobs — hijackings and intimidation and generally terrorising people. And then on the 10th October (5 days after my 19th birthday) – and we were sent out to do something, to plant a device. I didn’t make bombs, I just planted bombs. And they were crude and they were dangerous and this one happened to go off.
I just remember a massive flash of light and I was inside it… I was within a massive big ball of light and the silence happened and I’m patting my arm, my leg just checking it’s all still there. And my friend, his arm was off… Don’t be fooled into believing that this is some glorious act. It’s not. If you survive it, the stink will never leave you, it’s with you every day…
We found out later, the Army were waiting on us and if it had of been a couple of years later when the shoot to kill policy came in we’d’ve been dead. We just missed that one. They saved my companion’s life in all honesty, he was bleeding like I don’t know what and they took him to hospital in an Army helicopter. We were arrested by the Welsh Fusiliers with their red and white hackle …
We were taken away to interrogation. I spent three days in these blood-soaked clothes, it hardened and went black so I was crunching about the place like I was in wooden trousers… They took us to Crumlin Road in Belfast … the novelty wore off in about 10 minutes, we knew we were going to prison for a long long time. The cells were meant for one person and there were 6 men to a cell so they stacked the bunks 3 high and they’re not that wide so we had to take it in turns, one at a time, to get dressed in the morning. There was a bucket in the corner and a big enamel jug of water. You were locked up at 8, the lights went out at 10 until 8 in the morning. It wasn’t meant to be a hotel, it was meant to be nasty. The other guys in the cell were family – that wing only housed loyalists, ‘A’ wing was the republicans. In the loyalists’ wing you had the UDA on their own and the UVF, the “Ulster Vegetable Farmers”, and the Red Hand Commandoes, the Ulster Volunteers, about half a dozen different factions within the UVF. The UDA were just the UDA or the UFF as it was – it was nothing to do with defence, it was just aggression but “Defence” sounded good. That was just the political wing, the military wing was the UFF. It was amazing, that loyalty…
P:
But now you don’t have any affection for it? Did something change?
J:
Christmas ‘74 – I meet this guy called Damien and he changed my life.
Damien had red hair and he was small, stocky and these blue eyes. And he starts talking and says, “I’m wanted for killing people.” And you weren’t allowed to ask questions, so I’m going (bored voice), “Really?” He says, “I was sent out to shoot a shopkeeper.” He didn’t know why. So he walks into the shop and it’s a small shop like my grandfather’s and Damien opens the door, ding! And the guy comes out: “Hello sir can I help you?” And Damien shoots him dead.
Damien starts to go, but next thing, in comes his wife and her husband’s dead in a huge pool of blood at her feet and she starts screaming blue murder, so Damien shoots her as well.
I’m thinking, “Oh, Jesus do I really have to hear this?”
And he says: “Would you believe it the fucking door opens again and in walks this 8-year old girl…” And I’m a tough guy at this point right, so I have to go (bored voice), “Oh yeah, what happened?” And he says, “I started shooting at her of course, I was going to kill her, but she wouldn’t stay on one spot, she started running round the shop and I ran out of ammunition so I had to go and leave her and she didn’t die.” And there was a look of — disappointment, failure in his mission, that look of self-loathing in his eyes — and I thought, “Jesus, really?”
Turns out that Damien hung himself later. I went away back to my cell that day and I sat down and I thought, “I can’t, I can’t be a part of this. This isn’t what I signed up for. Fuck, this isn’t normal, we’re killing children, we’re killing women.” Some people can do it but that was not for me. And that changed my life.
I was eventually sentenced to 15 years for the bombing and possession of explosives and a whole fucking host of other stuff, you know. I had to spend my time in prison, acting like I was part of the organisation. We were the first people to ever have political status and then Margaret Thatcher, she said we were criminals, that’s what sparked off the whole hunger strike thing… God knows how many lives she cost.
It was weird being released you know. So I’d done 5 years and you’re let out on a 10 year licence. And I’d made the agreement with myself that I was devoting myself to creating the peace and I had to back away from the loyalist movement. But I thought at the time that I couldn’t turn my back because they’d kill me and they pestered me at the start to become involved again, then it was a couple of years and they started to lose interest in me…
I don’t seek people’s forgiveness, I seek their understanding. Pointing the finger and holding on to hate doesn’t really do anything for anybody.
It’s like Lee Lavis says, “We have stepped out of our comfort zone and found ourselves in No Man’s Land.” And we really can’t go forward at any great pace and the people we used to be with see us as traitors and maybe No Man’s Land’s where it’s at, maybe it’s the place to be. And if everybody was in No Man’s Land it would be Everyman’s Land. And that’s not a bad place.
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12 2, 2022
Casino games-good fun when you are at it
Slots are the most popular game format in casinos. Slots, commonly known as slots, poker, fruit machines, or fruit machines, called spunners, are modern gambling machines that create a game of luck for users. The name “slot” originates from the French meaning “round one.” In casino terms, this term is often used to describe a random number generator.
In most casinos, slots and video slots are played on separate systems called “hot slots”. Hot slots are usually located inside the casino’s main casino building. Generally in most large casinos, video slots are available in “Vegas” or large box stores mounted on the casino. In video slots, a couple of rotating reels is used to create a rotation whenever a lever is pulled. Once you pull that lever again, the reel stops and another spin occurs.
Casino owners design slots to encourage people to play them. That is why, the casino’s slots are designed in an attractive way that catches the attention of casino users. If you need casino owners to include slots to their casino, you need to provide casino members with a share cut in slot revenue.
Sometimes casino owners want to give their members free slots, but they want to make money themselves with the addition of slots to the casino. In cases like this, you will be happy to look for a participant among ordinary players on slots. These casino owners can keep certain slots separate during off-office hours so that casino staff usually do not feel uncomfortable using them.
Baccarat is the basic etiquette and rules of playing this card game. Basically, two different people play in the casino. Baccarat comes from the Italian word’accato’, meaning hands and numbers. Baccarat occurs in casinos around the globe. There is no special period for baccarat.
Baccarat is used two hands. Both cards were dealt in the same way in a way that may potentially win or lose. Also known as Baccarat Cosmo or Baccaratocked. French: [back] or [bakk or]; Italian: Baccarat is used two hands. Both cards were dealt just as in a way that may potentially win or lose. Generally known as baccarat or baccarat.
Baccarat’s origins date back again to France in the late 19th century. As gambling and gaming developed further in France, alternatives to gambling were developed. Baccarat gambling. Baccarat was initially introduced to the casino world in the late 19th century. In the late 19th century, baccarat originated as a casino game in luxury hotels and restaurants. It spread abroad, especially Russia, and was soon introduced to the card room in Saint Petersburg.
Baccarat games are played in a way that two cards are dealt with the same possibility of winning or losing. Players are put face-to-face with two dealers up for grabs. A circle of small dealers surrounds two players who will play against one another. The dealer with a black “b” in the pocket places the initial bet, and the dealer with a red “a” in the card places the final bet. Players place a bet by throwing chips from the slot machine or taking a number from a hat.
The player who starts playing makes the initial two cards and puts his or her hand into the slot. Then your player on the other hand places his first bet. A player with a red “a” on the card puts her or his hand in a black “b” slot, and a new player with a black “b” on a card puts her or his hand in a white “c” slot. A player’s hand could be a mix of three cards. However, in a no-limit game, players can only place their hands on the same slots on either side of the dealer.
No Limit TEXAS HOLD EM pays differently than casino games where players have a limit on the number of wins they are able to win. In limit games, like No Limit Hold’em, each player has a fixed amount of chips, and after all hands have already been dealt, each player’s hand is set for play. At this point, the banker completes the transaction and processes two complete sets of face cards. Then your dealer checks each player’s hand and checks the final total. The player with the highest hand wins the pot.
Unlimited Baccarat also contains Baccarat strategy. Players have to know which cards are most effective and use that knowledge. In Unlimited Baccarat, the ball player puts at the very least 5 cards face down. One card is hidden and is usually worth one to two 2 points. Players can merely fold one of the cards in this deck (high card or ace card) by calling (appropriate betting) or going for a card hidden from the table. If a player calls an ace card for example, but bets on a higher card, he has to hold back for the third card (the next card in the high card deck) to be revealed.
Following the third card is revealed, the dealer reveals the fourth card in the high card deck, the Queen. The dealer then asks the ball player to raise one of the better to match the queen’s price. If the raise bet equals the queen’s price, the player has bought a potential laser for himself, if the raise will not cover the queen, the ball player loses the pot. Knowing when to fold and raise is the key to making real cash in Baccarat. Knowing how to cope with unlimited baccarat is more important than getting paid.
Some simple tips to win in blackjack
Blackjack is really a casino game which has stood the test of time and is still popular today. Blackjack in its simplest form is probably the casino gambling games anyone can play. The goal is to get a more handy value compared to the dealer without exceeding 21. Face cards, kings, queens, and jokers are often rated at 10 points, but can be played with 1 to 8 fixed decks with card decks. Of most grades scored based on face value. The goal may be the same no matter which deck of cards you utilize. The player who would like to win must get a better hand than the dealer.
It is advisable to put blackjack tables in casinos offering blackjack. This is because this enables players to obtain a feel for the game and practice until they will have a chance to get into a far more difficult blackjack game. That is also a terrific way to develop some counting skills because the deck is shrunk to an individual card and players need to count the cards before handing the deck to the dealer. Counting can be done with either the left hand or the proper hand, depending on which hand you mainly use. It’s impossible to predict when the best odds will occur, but there are several techniques that will help with that endeavor.
Most casino games follow a similar strategy. Of course there are many variations, but the general strategy remains the same. Most slot machines are powered by the same basic principles. Quite simply, simply press a button and the machine will count your bets until someone hits a red card. Blackjack tables adopt another strategy.
Not always, but slots generally follow the low edge of the home than blackjack. Because of this once you give money, the casino takes a small percentage of your winnings and puts it in the pool with others. The lower the house edge, the more likely you are going to more cards. Slots generally have fewer calculation errors and much more consistent payouts than roulette. This means you can expect exactly the same odds when playing in another of these rooms.
However, if you can find two players on the table, an ace in a single hand and a king or queen in the other, the ace player often requires a blackjack or queen to win. Some casinos require players to place ?low? bets on other players’ raises, which are excluded from the player’s winnings. This enables players to build up cash without exceeding the total amount they would be ready to cover with their winnings. There are many other ways to play without going over the edge of the home. If you are interested in trying your luck in slots, read on.
Blackjack is a card game and like a lot of the best card games, it requires strategy. When playing blackjack, remember that dealers are also experienced with blackjack strategies and they can perform better as they go. They’ll tell the customer they are blackjack players since they keep winning. This can be true, but don’t let the dealer convince you in any other way.
One way to use the dealer’s experience to your advantage would be to say they’re bluffing. It could sound weird, but blackjack players know when to bluff. If the dealer tells you that you are a bad player, get advice and fold. Do not go to the pot as the pot is too big. But if the dealer tells you you are a great player, it is possible to place a bet because you think you have a possiblity to win, and you may just go bankrupt.
It is also possible to generate your own blackjack strategies and skills. However, it’s best to stick with what professional gamblers use, as stated in this article above. Blackjack is an effective game, and you only need one bad bit to get out of the game. Avoid being fooled by blackjack until you master the basics. Then you can certainly start developing your personal strategy that should continually be thought of as portion of the overall blackjack strategy.
Some slot players may choose to have video slots in the casino. Some of these video slots have instruction or message displays. This may include information such as tips on how to win, news on casino slot machine game policy changes, and even information on bonus offers. To encourage video slot players to continue playing, casino owners should bring players back and play again.
If you do, it gives you portion of the jackpot. This is often done when the casino includes a scheduled “retake” game within the next couple of days of closing time.
In this manner, video slots assist in the profitability of the casino. The casino can also offer its guests free video slots. If the casino plans to include video slots to a preexisting video slot game, it must first offer video slots to players free of charge. Otherwise, you will lose cash on the slot machine.
Video slots are illegal in a few regions, especially countries where gambling is prohibited. However, these video slots are very popular in many casinos all over the world. Video slots could have animated pictures, computer-generated sounds, or flashing lights. Can be used in place of existing slots with very low hit rates.
Placing slots in a casino is a very easy task compared to programming a slot machine. It’s possible for slot players to generate their own video slot games, however in general, video slot games are easy to win. As with any game, it is important to choose your casino carefully before you start playing slot machine games. Before selecting a casino for your first slot machine game, look for a list of good casinos online.
The success of a casino depends largely on the sum of money the casino makes through slots. The more slots you have in the casino, the more you earn, and more slots means more variety of games. Slots give casino owners quick money. However, unless you cover the slot machine properly, you can lose money in the long run.
Most casinos require slot machines to pay regularly. Slots that aren’t properly managed can cause bad payouts and lose the casino owner’s expected return. To keep the slot machines working well, casino owners take extreme steps. They are able to ban players from using parts of the casino and even close the casino for many days.
Playing slot machines can be extremely fun. You will need strategy and good timing to play them. It is important to read the slot machine game information before choosing a casino to play with. It’s also a good idea to join friends and family while playing casino games. Casino games can be extremely entertaining, especially if you enjoy them.
Blackjack, formerly referred to as Black Jack, Vingt-Un, and Black Jack, is an American version of a multiplayer card game called Baccarat. It is one of two casino games licensed for use in casinos in NEVADA, Nevada. The other is really a slot game. Like slots, blackjack could be played for money or play money. In casinos, blackjack is frequently referred to as “fire”. This is because the home advantage (the difference between what the house gives and the amount left when leaving) for each card traded is slim.
Most players have the dealer shuffle their deck and give each player 7 cards, but with a predetermined amount (usually a minimum bet). After the dealer calls, the player checks his card and compares his hand to the dealer’s initial and final hands. When there is a difference between the players’ hands, the player can call again to improve the stake to fill the gap. This is called betting.
Another way to play is to place a ?house? bet (also called blind bet) on the blackjack table before the dealer trades the cards. The player who raised this bet before the dealer has dealt all the cards on the blackjack table will receive a “call” from the house and become signaled he currently owns that card, and all players following it’ll now have to pay the house. In casinos, that is called “burning” because the player has to pay all of them prior to the house legally raises. This applies only to bets created before the dealer reveals the card. When all cards are dealt, the home stops betting and everyone has to pay.
The second solution to play is “Ace Philosophy”. Players focus on an ace and bet with raised bets and cards. When the dealer reveals the card, now everyone has to place a bet on the initial amount except for the ace. After the ace is revealed, the ball player must now lower their bets to a new level or be penalized. This can be a very unpleasant situation, but it is usually a short-term situation. It is usually used when a player is behind her or his cards, comes with an ace, a king, and a queen and really wants to remain in the game.
One of the oldest ways to play is the “Double Double”. This is usually used on larger tables where lots of people play. This is where the player bets twice (or occasionally triples) the total amount made on the initial bet. The player who wins the first two bets will be penalized for double doubling and must stop betting until everyone else folds. If you win three bets, you win, the house wins and your opponent loses.
There are several types of chips which you can use for a blackjack table. Red chips are generally rated greater than other chips. Associated with that red is considered a solid color bet. Yellow chips are usually less valuable than red, and blue chips are usually less than another two colors. Dealers usually place almost all their chips in the center of the table and players make an effort to figure out which color chip is the strongest.
Once the dealer finishes placing chips, the ball player puts money into the betting circle. That’s where you’re hoping to get more chips compared to the dealer has. As chips are increasingly being thrown, it’s important to take a closer look at what the chips are betting on. Busy dealers usually shuffle their chips and put them into the betting circle faster than regular dealers.
A good blackjack strategy is by using betting circles. This is an important part of a reliable strategy as it helps players decide which cards ought to be wagered predicated on which cards are present. There are numerous strategies that players may use, but the most effective one may be the blackjack spread, which is used to equalize the quantity of chips in each hand.
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Holy cow, it’s literally been 6 months since I’ve blogged! I admit that I’ve always been a bit of a procrastinator but good Lord, that’s an accomplishment even for me!
I initially had such grand intentions and truly loved writing my last post. I really gave it everything I had.. time, heart, and honesty. It was totally worth it too but sheesh, it took a lot more than I had expected. As it turns out, blogging is a bit harder than I imagined! Lol. But it looks sooooo easy, doesn’t it??
I mean, you see those long-ass posts with the coveted recipe hidden waaaaaaaay at the bottom and you have to scroll down past the center of the earth to find it, skipping past ten thousand paragraphs full of whatever blah they’re blabbering on and on about…
I mean, how much could you possibly have to say about Oreo Spider Cookies??
Yet here I am blabbering on about it because I totally made those spider cookies!!!!
PS they’re so stupidly adorable that it was worth all of that annoying scrolling! And it solidifies the fact that a 1st grade Halloween party requires mentally deranged spider cookies in order to be truly successful.
Directions:
Split the Oreos.. do that little twisty turn move.. you know the one. You need two Oreos per spider. And you’ll use the sides with the most frosting.
Break the pretzels for legs, cut off the white tips of the candy corn for little fangs. Shove it all into the frosting of the bottom Oreo half. Top it with the other Oreo half. Cut a marshmallow in half. Attach both halves to the top of the cookie with a dot of the black gel icing. Use one more dot on top of each marshmallow to complete those weird little eyes. Boom. Done.
And here’s to finally getting off my ass and blogging again. I can promise you that my posts won’t all be super epic and heartfelt… you can just go ahead and consider this Exhibit A But I’m back anyway!
April 27, 2017 April 27, 2017 ~ Summer
I’m a hugger. I hug my family. I hug my friends. I even hug most of my clients. If it feels right, I do it.
My hugs are usually well received and reciprocated because life is freaking hard.
Each of us runs around, barreling through the day in a distracted, frazzled rush of commitments, schedules, and obligations and a hug is a sweet reminder of the simple goodness in this moment right now.
I mean, hugs are warm, fuzzy, and just make everyone happy, right?
As it turns out, not everyone is a fan.
I have come to realize that the cherished social hug that we all love so very, very much is more American than universal.
My German brother-in-law is the undisputed King of the side hug. With the fluidity of Baryshnikov, this dude maneuvers to the side hug with so much grace that it almost doesn’t feel awkward.. almost.
My brother-in-law just doesn’t understand our American, breast-to-chest, full frontal expression of casual affection. I suppose when you think of it that way, it actually does sound kind of pervy. He’s probably onto something…
I have a back wax client who I truly adore as a person. We have the best conversations about parenthood, life, politics and everything in between. In one session, we can reimagine the universe and solve all the world’s problems.
However he is also without a doubt, the most awkward front hugger ever.
At the start of every appointment, it never fails.
He comes in toward me with that hug..
strong, direct, full frontal, borderline intimate, and lingering just a bit too long.
I mean, you know when you hold onto a hug too long..
you know.
But the universe quickly balances in two words: back wax. Sometimes I enjoy my job more than I should
If there is any justice in this world, that relationship is most likely penance for the most horrible, tragic, full frontal hug in all of history..
Given by me.
I like to refer to it as: that one time I accidentally tried to molest my child’s birth father.
Every international adoption story is unique. Many children and babies are abandoned but others are relinquished by their parent or parents to local, government officials and then taken to an orphanage.
When we finally received notice that our adoption case had been approved and we could return to East Africa to bring our baby home, we were also informed that during that trip we would have an opportunity to meet our daughter’s birth father.
My husband and I traveled together for our first trip aka the court trip. After 3 years in the adoption process and 11 years of marriage, we were finally, miraculously, a family of three. And she was absolutely perfect. Two and a half months later, my sister took the final journey with me.
On the day prior to gaining custody of our daughter, her birth father traveled to our guest house to meet me. He was brought by our adoption agency’s social worker and culture expert.
Oh my God, I was so nervous that morning. I couldn’t tell whether I needed to cry or throw up. There were so many emotions and so many worries.. My heart was exploding with the immense burden of being face-to-face with a parent who was losing his child to me. How do you even begin to receive approval for that? I can’t imagine the deluge of thoughts, memories, anxieties, and hopes that were flooding his mind.
And as completely ridiculous as this sounds, I genuinely wanted and needed him to like me.
As he walked up the front steps of our guesthouse, I begged my sister to sneak a peek because I was too terrified to look. Her response: “Oh my God, he’s so young.. like you should be adopting him too.”
I wanted to laugh and also die. Perfect. His first thought would probably be: “Great. Old, white lady. Figures.”
When he walked into the room, her words rang true. He was in his early 20’s. I was in my early 30’s. He was young, handsome, and sharply dressed. He also avoided eye contact with me. It may have been the intensity of the situation but it could have also been cultural.
He sat on one couch with the social worker/translator and I sat across on another couch beside my sister.
My heart was both full and empty as I held my carefully typed list of questions that I had so painstakingly authored for the past few weeks. Being in his presence made so many of them simply disappear from the page. I immediately felt embarrassed that I had actually considered asking such personal, probing memories from him. I had stupidly created a version of this story in my head and fantasized magic in this precise moment. I had clearly watched too many cheerfully edited YouTube adoption videos. There was too much loss in that room to feel anything but the heaviness of life, the burden and unfairness of opportunity, and the overwhelming gratitude for this man’s precious heart and faith. Here he sat, all options exhausted, helpless, and choosing to love his daughter enough to let her go.. Humbled doesn’t even begin.. guilty too.
All I really wanted was for him to know that we would take care of her and love her with our whole hearts for our whole lives. I promised him that she would know her story and would love him and her birth mother.
He smiled.
The last question I asked, “what are your hopes and dreams for her?”
His answer was “to be educated and to be many things..” He looked down at his lap after speaking and then placed his right hand on his heart and twice moved it toward me. His words once translated were “I give her to you.. she is yours.”
My heart was shattered. The room around us crumbled leaving only tears and indistinguishable emotions.
It was beyond magic… bigger. Real.
I looked over at the social worker and asked the only thing I could find the words to ask: Can I give him a hug?
He agreed and I approached him with every ounce of love and maternal kindness in my being.. and without a second thought, you know I went Full Frontal.
Full-Frontal, American, breast-to-chest on this poor, unsuspecting soul.
His body’s immediate response was a lightening speed bow with his head down and hips back. So now instead of the perfect moment of my all-American hug, his head was strangely in front of my chest, his face looking down at our feet, and the rest of his body was safely two feet away.
Naturally, living up to my crazy, old white lady reputation, I did the only thing I could think of: a quaint, nonthreatening, little “Granny-pat” to the back of his head.
I’m pretty sure the entire debaucle is caught on video but even after 5 years, I still can’t bring myself to watch it.
So yeah, like I said..
Penance. And well deserved.
I’m totally still a hugger though. It’s good stuff.. mostly
April 20, 2017 October 31, 2017 ~ Summer
Sometimes life is just easy….
The day begins joyously, the air smells fresh, you weigh less than you did yesterday, you accomplish literally everything on your to-do list, your children and husband do exactly what they’re supposed to do without reminders, nagging, threats, or yelling (sweet Jesus).. no one freaks out, not even you because this life is all rainbows & fun and the sun is literally shining straight out of a unicorn’s asshole like a glittery, gold beacon of hope and effing happiness!
Now that sounds pretty spectacular, doesn’t it? God, I really need one of those weeks.. although I’m unsure whether they exist for the unmedicated.
But the delusion and dream of those weeks is the very reason we choose to keep living when the inevitable shitstorm of reality engulfs us. They’re the reason we don’t flip the eff out & assume the adult version of the fetal position (“hiding” in your closet drinking wine while pretending to let your child “seek” you for 20 minutes..)
Because there are days when you get home at 7:30pm after a 10 hour work day to find the gift of a broken heater on the coldest night of winter. Bonus: your husband is working that super-sweet night shift that was only supposed to be temporary and you get to wake up tomorrow at 4:30AM to do this all over again! And yet you have a ravenous child nearing the emotional, bedtime breaking point of hysteria & of course you have no groceries in the house.
Side note: Pita chips and string cheese are a legit dinner in this house. Adding some sort of random fruit for her & wine (fruit ) for me and the guilt just magically flutters away!
That perfect moment can be made even more golden by your child then revealing a strange, bumpy patch on her ankle that is most definitely ringworm.
So now you really need to wash everything in her room and yours but truthfully you might just call it & burn the freaking house down instead because remember, you have no groceries and without food, there really isn’t a reason to go on anyway.
However all of that is massively tempered by the pure, simple sweetness that is childhood.
In those “just kill me” moments, you hold off in anticipation of the good stuff that is absolutely positively worth the wait.. every.single.time.
They’re small but precious moments: finding a tiny note saying in fat, crooked letters “I love you momy becusz I love you”.. or when your child tells you with precious, bright-eyed honesty that you’re their very best friend.
And nothing prepares you for the choking swell of pride in realizing your child just legitimately clobbered you at Connect Four and you didn’t even see it coming.
Personally, my favorites are the moments of blissed out hilarity such as turning around, while cooking dinner, to witness the badassery of your Kindergartener’s dance moves which could only be described as psychotic, injured porpoise meets Rihanna. (Nature vs Nurture adoption study right there)
The insanity of those unpredictable fluctuations are precisely why we are all craaaaaaaaaazy.. but they’re also why we carry on and why we cry and why we drink and what bonds us together because those moments are all normal. They are real life.
I remember thinking through each phase of my life, that when “x” happened, then I would be happy. But then “x” happened and so it was replaced with “y”.. and once “y” happened then I would be happy. And then.. and then.. and it just always seemed to cycle on with happiness always lingering just beyond my grasp.
I think at some point in each of our lives, we buy into the idea of “the perfect life” and in that instant of acceptance, so begins the lifelong quest that will literally kick our asses and steal so much of our joy along the way.
Then one day, you look at the life that you created, at the world & the people around you, you look at the very life you spent your entire life waiting for and building year by year by year, and you stop………
And you realize the only thing you’re still waiting for is you…. waiting for you to just finally be in this moment and be happy.
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Creativity seems to drip from their pores, their home is a decorator’s masterpiece, they paint, they write, they show up at poetry open mike night, they taught themselves guitar and now write music for a major label, they dress soho bohemian gypsy (and it works), they travel for Art Retreats and everything they touch looks like it came out of a Style – Pro DIY magazine.
Obviously ‘they’ were born with the ‘creativity’ gene.
But what about the rest of us?
I honestly believe we are all born with the CREATIVITY gene. I think part of being human dictates that we are creators.
After all, are we not created in the image of our Creator?
Even the first verb in the Bible is ‘created’. I don’t think that was a coincidence. There are a myriad of other verbs that could have been chosen for Genesis 1:1.
For instance: in the beginning:
God worked really hard… or
God talked a lot about…, or
God had a meeting…., or
God studied and went to school… or
In the beginning God CREATED the heavens and the earth. If we are made in the image of our Creator, We Are Creative.
SO if Creative is WHO WE ARE…why do so many of us shy away from calling upon our creativity?
I think Brene Brown nailed it for me. She speaks at length to this issue in her shame research: “85% of the men and women who I interviewed remembered an event in school that was so shaming, it changed how they thought of themselves for the rest of their lives. For fifty percent of that 85%, those shame wounds were around creativity…. Fifty percent of those people have art scars, creativity scars, and so we have to go back and unearth that.”
I can also add:
Things that other’s of influence have said to or about us. It could have been as simple as having an artist sibling, and the family saying that he or she is the creative one. Or as cruel as a classmate making fun of our art, singing, acting or writing ability – or really – any other risky attempts on our part.
We also make lousy agreements with ourself. Like: I don’t have time for creativity because I have too many real responsibilities, or creativity is for other people, or I tried that and didn’t like it or creativity is only for those who paint, write, sing, act etc….
Creativity requires that we make the Try.
Failure is inevitable if creativity is the goal. Yay Failure! That means we tried! I don’t think of failure as an end – only a step along the way to success.
Creativity is the act of tapping into our soul, trying something we have not before, and letting the mess happen! It is taking risks and quieting critical voices, including our own inner critic. Creativity requires that we let go of comparison.
Most of us need a safe place to practice our creativity. Once we become comfortable exploring our creative side and express it regularly, we can be more creative everywhere.
Creativity doesn’t just show up in the arts. All of industry needs creative ideas. Parenting requires creativity in wheel barrow loads every week. Do you cook, landscape, garden, speak, teach, get dressed everyday, work, learn? If you do any of these things YOU are tapping into your creativity gene.
1. Try this on. Say, out loud, “I am creative.” How did it feel?
2. How about sitting with the question in prayer or meditation, “Am I believing any lies about my creativity?” Write down what you hear.
3. Now ask in prayer or meditation, “What is the truth about my creativity?” Write down what you hear.
(Hint: If it is negative you can be pretty sure you are still tapping into lies. If it is positive, you can be pretty sure you are tapping into the truth)
One of my favorite books for delving into our Creative Nature is The Artist’s Way by Julia Cameron. I spent about 6 months going through the exercises in her book and I still do Morning Pages on a regular basis.
I also enjoy Big Magic by Elizabeth Gilbert.
Tapping into ourselves as Creatives is usually a process. We have to sift through the junk that has been piled on, the poor self talk we may have adopted, our fear of trying and we must give up the practice of comparison.
It took me almost 50 years to call myself an artist and a writer, to truly embrace the creative process within me. It was worth every second of every year to be in this place of joyful freedom!
Do I still have doubts? Yes. But I don’t live there. Do I wish my art and writing were better? Heck yes AND that is why I do both everyday!
I encourage you to pick a creative endeavor – something outside of your daily work – to explore. Just try it, with no judgement, like a toddler learning to walk. Embrace being a novice, smile and applaud your tries. Start small or big, but start! You already know that secret thing that you would like to try – photography, ballroom dancing, art journaling, painting, steel sculpture, jewelry making, pottery, belly dancing, glass blowing, furniture making, photo editing, the list truly is endless!
Here is your permission slip – print it. Fill it out. Keep it where you can See it. Do it!
____________________________(your name) has my permission to
explore her/his most awesome creativity gene through the act
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This entry was posted in Art, Creative, faith, God, Life, Life Lessons, Wisdom and tagged creativity. Bookmark the permalink.
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One response to “You are Creative (#3 Wisdom along the Way)”
marandarussell | October 24, 2017 at 5:00 pm | Reply
I agree! I think some of us are obsessed with creativity (myself included), but all of us have some of it at least!
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There are many benefits of having an emergency radio in your home. They allow you to keep up with local weather and traffic and receive emergency alerts from the government that could save lives. They also come equipped with a built-in GPS tracker so you can locate them when they’re lost or stolen. The best part about these radios is that even if something happens to one, there’s not much anyone would be able to do about it because most of them don’t require any type of subscription services or monthly fees.
Natural disasters can strike without notice. And sometimes, the warnings aren’t enough to keep you from being shut off from the rest of the world. When you’re in a scenario like this, you need your family’s comfort and frequent information on when the crisis will end. Emergency radios can successfully receive weather warnings from specified governmental agencies during a disaster and can be powered by several sources. When the cell network is down, the sound ol’ radio waves can still pick up weather reports and keep you updated on what’s going on. The most excellent emergency radios do more than just communicate while staying within a budget. We’ve chosen the best ten survival radios that will provide whatever comfort they can in the event of a natural catastrophe.
Who is responsible for relaying weather radio alerts?
The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States is in charge of the National Weather Radio (NWR) network, which transmits all weather-related information through National Weather Service (NWS) locations. Currently, this network can reach about 95 percent of the US population, and all 50 states are covered. It also publishes national security alerts and natural disasters, public safety, and environmental safety advisories. These include information about AMBER warnings.
To get weather information particular to your region, the NWS recommends that you verify the frequency utilized for your specific area for these radio alerts. The most excellent emergency radios can tune in to more than one of your area’s seven emergency channels.
How do weather radio notifications get to emergency radios?
Emergency radios with an ‘alert’ function will sound an alarm and turn on when the NWS issues a weather alert. Before the message, a 1050Hz attention tone is printed. The watch is then sent as a voice message. The alarm tone is played for 10 seconds, and the recipient must respond within 5 seconds. If you don’t have an ‘alert function,’ you’ll have to tune in to the NOAA channels to get the alert.
SAME, or Specific Area Message Encoding, may be detected, decoded, and responded to by contemporary emergency radios. This enables users to get notifications exclusively for specific places, such as their homes or the homes of their friends and relatives. Apart from the location, several emergency radios may make SAME messages distinguish based on the kind of message.
LED lights on SAME radios typically reflect the seriousness of a natural threat or alarm. In addition, a connector on the radio may be available for attaching additional alarm devices such as strobe lights or sirens. Deaf and hard of hearing or visually-impaired people will benefit from the LEDs and supplementary sounds.
These radios warn you before a tragedy, but they also keep you informed after it occurs. When your phone, TV, and power are all out, the emergency radio will at the very least keep you informed about the situation. Some will also allow you to submit information about your location and status to authorities. They may also get FM radio, which may help lift your spirits when you’re in a bad mood. The finest emergency radios have a flashlight, which is helpful at night or when you are stranded in the dark.
Many of these emergency radios may also be used as power sources. They use their electricity to charge other gadgets such as flashlights, phones, and MP3 players. These radios have long battery life and can power other devices without being too taxed.
During an emergency, how do the emergency radios get their power?
Rechargeable batteries are often seen in emergency radios, which are charged using AC power. Set them using an AC power cable if you have access to electricity.
Solar electricity is used in some of them. They may be charged by exposing them to the sun. In an emergency, you won’t be without sunlight, and you’ll be able to set your gadget in an environmentally friendly manner.
The majority of the most remarkable emergency radios can be hand-cranked. These radios contain a lever that may be turned to provide power to the radio and allow it to be used in an emergency. Granted, this method of tuning the radio produces very little power. However, this is a considerable aid when no other power source is available.
It may use some non-rechargeable AA battery packs to power emergency radios.
Which emergency radios are the best?
You’ll need a dependable and durable emergency radio in an emergency. Therefore, you should also keep an eye out for the following parameters:
Frequency Reception: You should search for a good AM/FM receiver in an emergency radio. The excellent ones also have amateur radio bands that get notifications from volunteers. The most critical aspect is AM reception. NOAA warnings are broadcast over AM, which has a more excellent range than FM. However, listening to local FM stations is also a feature that the finest emergency radios have.
Check that the radio is receiving the broadcast from the nearby NWS stations. You may overlook vital search-and-rescue information if the received message is unclear. However, when it comes to receiving specific notes, the top emergency radios reviewed here worked brilliantly.
Power Sources: There are never enough power sources for an emergency radio. The finest emergency radios in this category feature two or more charging sources, generally more dependable options like solar power and manual cranking. These will let you re-crank the radio if conventional energy sources fail.
Durability: By definition, emergency radios should be able to withstand an emergency circumstance. We were looking for a shock-proof and perhaps waterproof device that could withstand extreme conditions.
Features: To make a rapid departure, you’ll want to keep your emergency pack as small as possible. As a result, we desire emergency radio to take the place of as much additional equipment as feasible. Some have torches, battery chargers, and a 3.5mm headphone port, among other features.
SAME: We sought radios that could send out area-specific SAME signals, reducing time and making you feel less alarmed. LEDs, connectors for connecting sirens, and strobe lights are among the extras that come standard with sophisticated radios.
Budget: The emergency radios are available at a wide variety of prices. If you live where natural disasters are common, you should purchase a dependable emergency radio that includes SAME notifications. This might be more expensive. We’ve also spoken about various budget-friendly emergency radios. These are tough but not as tough as the more costly models.
The C.Crane CCRadio-2E survival radio is the most incredible AM radio on the market, and it is unquestionably the clearest of CC’s legendary CCRadio family. This radio resembles CCRadio-2 on the outside, but it has undergone significant alterations on the inside. As a result, the AM performance has significantly increased, setting a high bar for the industry. With an explosive blend of bass and treble, the audio has also been calibrated to be agreeable to the hearing. It is without a doubt the highlight of our best emergency radios list.
Features and Design
The C.Crane CCRadio-2E Enhanced emergency radio is a retro-looking small unit that looks serious. The speaker grill, LCD, tuning up/down buttons, bass and treble knobs, and clock-related controls are all located on the front side of the radio. A Squelch knob is located on the side. It measures 11″ x 6.5″ x 4″ and weighs roughly 4 lbs without the batteries.
AM is responsive with this emergency radio. It’s one of the market’s most sensitive AM receivers. It can easily pick up adjacent stations within 50-60 miles without expanding the standard antenna. It can easily hear stations that prior versions of CCRadio couldn’t even pick up. It has a high selectivity as well. When listening to a particular station, it concentrates on acquiring that audio and ignores other stations’ splatter. It may also obtain local FM radio stations fast without needing an extra antenna. It’s possible that you won’t even need to remove the standard antenna from its casing. The CC2E audio signature is ideal for listening to FM audio for pure amusement. More emphasis is placed on bass and treble, which may be adjusted with the knobs.
The CCRadio-2E survival radio can latch on to many NOAA weather channels because of its exceptional reception capabilities. The one nearest to you will be easy to find. It can pick up other stations 70 miles away. With a simple button push on the top, you may establish 5 memory settings per band. You must utilize the up/down tuning buttons instead of keying in the frequencies. It has the ability to cover the 2m ham band. There is also a squelch control for the same. You may either scan the full band or only the preset channels. When tuning frequencies, CC2E fine-tunes and locks in as soon as you stop on an active frequency. The radio’s signal symbol flashes to indicate that it is fine-tuning. It takes 1-2 seconds to complete the operation.
This survival radio may be powered by four ‘D’ batteries or direct AC power. The display has three brightness settings and an ‘off’ option. There’s also a clock, an alarm, a sleep timer, a headphone jack, and auto scan capabilities on this radio. We anticipated the radio to have more presets per band, particularly since you can’t type in the frequencies.
Pros:
FM range and reception are excellent.
The audio quality is excellent, with a powerful bottom.
Cons:
At this pricing, just 5 presets per band are available.
The Sangean CL-100 emergency radio is a SAME radio that may be customized to just send out radio warnings for your specific region. It is a certified Public Alert weather radio that is capable of receiving NOAA weather radio frequencies in your region. It’s designed to be as little and durable as possible, much like any other emergency gadget. The radio reception is quite consistent. It has a unique scrolling display as well as a variety of extras like a sleep timer, wake-up alarm, and clock. This kit has been created with the finest emergency radios in mind.
Features and Design
The Sangean CL-100 Survival radio is a small and lightweight gadget with dimensions of 7.1″ x 5.17″ x 2.63.” At 12.4 ounces, it is fairly light. A speaker grille covers half of the front face. The rest have an LCD panel that is slanted 45 degrees from vertical. As the event information is received, it scrolls over the LCD. The buttons are located underneath the screen. It features contrast and dimming controls. A panel with preset settings and a snooze button runs across the bottom section of the face. All of the ports are located on the top side of the device. A headphone jack, an auxiliary input, a connection for an external alarm device such as a siren, and an external antenna connector are all included.
This emergency radio may send out a SAME (Specific Area Message Encoding) alert for a specific location. The SAME county codes may be found on the NOAA website and up to 25 can be stored in the memory. You will get notifications related to your county and its neighboring regions if you save your county and its surrounding locations. In addition, you may save up to 20 messages in the memory. As soon as the alarm is raised, you may utilize the external alert jack to sound a siren or turn on a strobe light. You may utilize the radio’s built-in antenna or attach an additional antenna to the top.
On the CL-100 emergency radio, you may program up to 5 FM and 5 AM presets. You have the option of turning off an alarm and ‘Defeating’ the emergency transmission audio alert. It’s possible that the warning LED is still turned on. It also features a tone that signals the conclusion of a message, following which the radio mutes itself. The local weather station’s AM reception is excellent. The FM reception is robust enough for you to enjoy the music and programming. It contains an auto-scan mode that searches all available frequencies for the best AM/FM reception.
It contains a 15-minute, 30-minute, 45-minute, 60-minute, 90-minute, and 120-minute sleep timer. The radio fades off and you are slowly awakened by the media you have selected, such as music, news, and so on. An aux-in jack may be used to connect portable media players to the radio. Bass and treble may be adjusted to get the desired sound character. It may be powered by AC or by backup batteries.
Pros:
SAME radio notifications for preserving counties with 25 memory spaces
The tone of the alert and alarm may be turned off.
The SAME text appears on the scrolling display.
Cons:
The Kaito KA500 is an NOAA-certified weather alert radio that meets all of the success criteria for emergency radios. It’s also within a very fair price. Its bright hue makes it simple to find in low light or amid other items. It can operate on five different kinds of power sources. It contains a variety of emergency features to back up your emergency kit. These features, together with its dependable reception, earn it a spot in our list of the best emergency radios.
Features and Design
The Kaito KA500 emergency radio seems to be a monster capable of conquering the planet. It is made of ABS, which is both shock- and water-resistant. In all dimensions, it measures 8.25″ x 5.25″ x 2.5″. On the top of this radio is a removable solar panel. A lever on the left side allows you to manually turn up the radio. The frequency tuning is shown on a meter in the front. The frequencies are selected using knobs. The top of the bag has a cloth handle with a plastic grip.
This is a survival radio with a 5-way power supply. You may power it with three AA batteries, put it into an AC outlet, plug it into a USB port, hand crank it, or utilize solar power. For every 10 minutes of cranking, the hand crank can power it up for around 40 minutes. It can receive AM, FM, and shortwave frequencies. It has all seven NOAA channels pre-programmed, to the point that the National Weather Service has validated it. It may be set to standby and will automatically turn on when NOAA warnings arrive. It can receive FM broadcasts between 88 and 108 MHz and AM broadcasts between 530 and 1710 kHz. The audio response has been fine-tuned so that you can genuinely appreciate music from the FM stations you’ve received. It has a 14.5″ telescopic antenna for exceptionally sensitive reception.
The KA500 emergency radio has a USB mobile charger for devices with a similar port, such as cellphones, mp3 players, and tablets. If your torch dies, a Flashlight with LEDs can help you move about in the dark. This radio has a red LED with a blinker feature that may be used as an SOS signal. It also comes with reading light to keep you entertained at night or to help the youngsters relax. It comes in a variety of appealing hues. This device is also ideal for outdoor leisure activities such as camping.
Pros:
Radio with five-way power
Cons:
Over time, the coatings on certain components have been noted to become sticky.
The brand iRonsnow is well known in the market for manufacturing emergency radios, lamps, and many other emergency gadgets. This radio is one of the most sophisticated emergency hand crank radios you can find on the market right now. On top of it all, it is affordable too, which makes the product even more attractive. If you are looking for the ideal weather radio, then this is it, because it has an automatic NOAA alarm.
Features and Design
A real NOAA weather warning is an automated alarm system that goes out immediately if there are any prevalent disaster weather conditions in the area. Even if there are any warnings issued by local weather authorities, the alarm will ring automatically. To obtain the warning information, make sure the ‘Alert’ mode is turned on. Multiple broadcast bands, including AM, FM, SW, WB, and NOAA weather channels, are included with the iRonsnow IS-388. All of these broadcasting channels are more than adequate to keep you informed about any weather situation, whether tornadoes, thunderstorms, or any other kind of calamity.
This gadget not only has emergency functions, but it also has a lot of entertainment features. The radio may be converted into a music player by using a Micro SD card. You may also remain informed by listening to a variety of radio stations. This radio’s battery capacity is 2300mAh, which is more than enough to charge a couple of iPhones and other small devices. This battery may be recharged in a variety of methods, including using a hand crank, a solar panel, or a micro USB connector.
The gadget is the right size, weighing just 1.2 pounds. It’s also quite simple to transport because of the comfy handle. The alarm is equipped with a loud siren, ensuring that everyone is aware of the situation. The NOAA weather alert system lasts around 50 hours on a full battery. Because the primary purpose of this product is to function as a weather radio, it cannot be used as a regular solar power bank.
The sound quality is rather nice.
Even in the presence of strong winds, an alarm with a loud siren may be heard.
Pricing that is reasonable
A solar panel is also provided.
There is a variety of recharging solutions available.
The dimensions are ideal, and you can transport this item in most emergency carry packs.
This weather radio can survive temperatures as low as -40°F.
When we look in the market for an emergency radio, we all want a product that is durable and works seamlessly well across all weather conditions. This particular radio is one such product and you’d definitely love the rigid construction that comes with an excellent backlit display, making it easy to read even for elders. It is one of the reliable crank radios that give you weather alerts even when there is no power, which is perfect for the outdoors. Let us discuss more its Features and Design.
Features and Design
Sangean MMR-88 has an industrial design from the start, and the fact that it’s composed of water-resistant material with rubber corners makes it ideal for carrying about even when it’s raining. The product also has a high level of tumble resistance, making it a perfect companion for any outdoor or hiking adventure. This radio’s overall dimensions are likewise small, making it simple to transport.
Compared to other emergency radios, the hand crank charging function is one of the finest on the market, and the time it takes to charge the internal battery completely is relatively short. The reception of radio signals is likewise rather excellent. Water-resistant material is used for the casing. Other emergency features include a siren and the ability to communicate in Morse code. During the hand crank test, the internal battery received a 6-minute recharge for a 2-minute crank, which is impressive. A vehicle charger, computer USB port, wall socket, and solar panel are among the other charging choices. It has a 90-minute automated shut-off feature that saves a lot of battery life. Using the radio at its highest level lasts up to 5 hours on a full charge. When you charge the battery with your wall mount socket, it takes roughly 2 hours and 50 minutes to completely amount, which is impressive.
The Sangean MMR-88 has one of the most outstanding radio sound quality. The good bass is perfectly balanced, and this is a feature you won’t find on any other emergency radio. The quality of the reception is poor. The siren is loud enough to locate you in an emergency, and it also has a headphone port. The device is covered by a one-year guarantee, and the user manual has all the information you’ll need to get the most out of it. Overall, the Sangean MMR-88 is one of the finest crank emergency radios on the market, with features like small size, efficient crank charging, and so on.
The audio quality is unquestionably the greatest.
The time it takes to charge the internal battery is shorter.
The hand crank functionality works well.
The casing that is resistant to water
There is no option for a battery backup.
The battery does not last long enough when fully charged.
The reception is of mediocre quality.
Compass Culture brand is known in the market for its quality weather emergency radios and there are a few products in its lineup. There are many hand-crank emergency radios on the market but this product has managed to please the customers in many different ways. Let us discuss in detail its design, features, pros, and cons.
Features and Design
The emergency radio seems at first glance to be identical to the conventional radios that we all used to possess in the 1990s, but closer inspection reveals a variety of characteristics. One of the latest add-ons that comes with this product is a survival paracord bracelet. This emergency radio, like other emergency radios, has a range of capabilities, including a radio, flashlight, TF card music player, and survival paracord bracelet. The radio may be powered in a variety of ways, including through a solar panel, manual crank, USB connection, and backup 3 X AAA batteries. The length of time it takes to charge varies depending on the kind of charging method used, but on average, you may receive 6 hours of radio or 15 hours of light.
To keep up with the weather outdoors, you may tune in to many broadcasting channels such as AM, FM, and 7 NOAA emergency weather channels. With a light output of 2000 Lux at 120mm and an adjustable zoom, the Flashlight with LEDs is a strong tool. There are also four LED reading lights and an SOS emergency alarm included. This SOS signal is a flashing red light that helps rescuers locate you in the event of an emergency. Although the sound quality isn’t the finest, the powerful volume is really impressive for a little emergency radio like this.
The internal battery is a 2000mAh power bank that can fully charge your phone. With only a minute of cranking, you can acquire almost 4–5 minutes of phone time and 5–10 minutes of radio time. Camping, backpacking, trekking, fishing, and other outdoor activities should be acceptable with this. A compass, magnesium flint fire starter, whistle, and ultra-strong paracord are all integrated into the paracord bracelet. This bracelet, which can be easily carried, has all of the survival gear you would need on an outdoor journey, making it one of the highlights of this emergency radio from the Compass Culture brand. Charge the internal battery using the USB connector before going outside, which takes around 2 hours and 30 minutes.
Although it is made of waterproof material, it cannot be used underwater.
AM, FM, and seven NOAA weather channels are available.
SOS alert with flashing red light
Construction is made of lightweight materials.
Three AAA batteries provide backup power.
You can receive 15 hours of light and 6 hours of radio on a full charge.
When both the light and the radio are turned on to their highest levels, the internal battery runs out rapidly, which isn’t ideal.
It takes a full 20 hours for the solar panel to fully charge the internal battery.
Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 is an emergency crank radio that comes loaded with most of the basic radio features. You can receive AM, FM, LW, SW, and NOAA weather radio frequencies using this model. The FM reception quality that we tested was excellent and one of the best in business. Let us discuss more the features and how beneficial they are to the user.
Features and Design
The Kaito Voyager Pro KA600 is a basic and easy-to-use emergency radio that does not appear like current out-of-this-world technology. It resembles an old-fashioned radio, yet it’s equipped with all of today’s emergency features. The emergency light enables you to see in the dark and assists you with nighttime reading. The radio also has a humidity meter and a digital thermometer. It has all of the essential functions of an emergency radio, but the low battery life and ineffective hand crank charging detract from the overall value offer.
Users could only receive 3 and a half minutes of radio at maximum volume with a 2-minute hand crank. This is much less than the industry average of 5 to 6 minutes. Some of the best emergency crank radios can last up to 10 minutes on the air. The internal battery has a capacity of just 600mAH, which is insufficient for use in an emergency radio. The battery charges in roughly 1 hour and 45 minutes when plugged into a power outlet, which is fairly fast. When the radio is turned up to maximum level, however, the battery only lasts about an hour and a half. The radio may also be powered by rechargeable batteries, which is a plus.
USB, wall port, solar panel, and rechargeable battery backup are all choices for charging. The solar panel is movable, allowing you to choose the best location for capturing the sun’s energy. However, solar panel charging takes a long time. It is possible to listen to all of the various radio broadcasting stations, and the reception test results were excellent. Among emergency radios, FM reception was one of the best. The NOAA reception was likewise good, equivalent to that of other emergency crank radios. It’s one of the heaviest crank radios, weighing roughly 19.75 ounces.
It lacks certain essential emergency functions such as a siren, compass, and morse code, as well as being water-resistant. The speakers have a low noise level rating, making them one of the quietest crank radios available. It comes with a one-year manufacturer’s guarantee, and you can get in touch with the support staff if you need any help.
The quality of FM reception is among the finest.
A solar panel that can be adjusted
There are several charging alternatives available.
Charge time is short.
The battery life is inadequate.
The hand crank charging technique is ineffective.
It was too expensive.
There is no siren, no morse code, and no compass.
Waterproofing is not possible.
Wayl Buzz4000 is a solar-powered emergency hand crank weather radio that offers you total support even through power or internet outages. If you are planning on an outdoor camping or hiking trip, then you should definitely consider buying this weather radio. The radio comes loaded with multiple survival features.
Features and Design
The general design is similar to that of some of its rivals, and the battery weighs just 1.2 pounds, making it a very portable alternative. The Wayl Buzz4000 emergency crank radio is rated IPX-3 for water resistance. The internal battery of the Buzz4000 is a 4000mAh battery, as the name suggests, and as you may know, this is one of the most powerful battery packs available. As a consequence, the radio has adequate power to operate all of the emergency functions. The battery may be charged in a variety of methods, including utilizing a solar panel, a micro USB port, or a hand crank. The battery can be completely charged in roughly 25 hours using solar sunlight. The battery can be completely charged in under 5 hours using a micro USB. When using a hand crank, one minute of cranking provides 30 minutes of light and less than 20 minutes of radio usage. You may also power the radio with 3 X AAA batteries as a backup.
You may listen to the radio for up to 12 hours when it is completely charged. It is possible to get 7 NOAA broadcasting channels as well as AM/FM radio stations. The sound quality is superb thanks to the headphone port and twin speakers. NOAA channels provide weather forecasts 24 hours a day, seven days a week, so you can always stay ahead of the weather. You may utilize the battery juice to power your cellphones, tablets, and other devices.
When the radio is fully charged, the illumination may last up to 40 hours. The solar flashlight has a lumen output of 100. A 20-lumen LED reading light with adjustable brightness is available, particularly for reading. The radio also has an SOS alert, which is helpful in emergency circumstances. You may use a TF class 10 card or even a USB thumb drive to convert this radio into an MP3 player. Like most emergency crank radios on the market, the firm provides a one-year manufacturer guarantee. The device’s user manual contains all of the information you’ll need to get started.
Lightweight and cost-effective
Waterproof to IPX-3
Internal battery with a capacity of 4000mAH
There is a variety of recharging solutions available.
3 AAA batteries as a backup
The radio lasts 12 hours in full charge, and the lights last 40 hours.
It is possible to increase sound quality.
Emergency options like a flint or morse code are not accessible as add-ons.
The C. Crane CC Pocket emergency radio is a miracle in its own right. It has CC’s unbeatable ability to pull in AM/FM signals in a pocket-friendly compact. This is more expensive than other pocket radios, but the features and performance make it well worth the money. Even for a bit gadget, this one has a long battery life, clock and alarm capabilities, and memory settings. Its reception and selectivity are the finishing touches on its spot among the most outstanding emergency radios.
Features and Design
The grey C. Crane CC Pocket survival radio has a sophisticated appearance. It has a height of 4.25 inches, a width of 2.5 inches, and a depth of 1 inch. The overall weight is just four ounces. As the name implies, it may easily fit within a bit of pocket. Rubber coverings on the sides and bottom provide a secure grip. They also make it shock-resistant if it falls on one of these sides. A speaker grille, a lighted LCD, five preset memory buttons, and tuning buttons are all included on the front side. On the side, you’ll find the band, alert, and lock buttons.
This emergency radio can easily pick up AM and FM broadcasts. When you switch to NOAA weather alert mode, AM/FM is turned off. You won’t need an antenna to listen to local channels. The reception of C.C Pocket radio is excellent both during the day and at night. However, earbuds may be connected to the unit’s headphones if you wish to listen to more distant FM or NOAA stations. The earbuds also function as an antenna. Alternatively, you might utilize the FM antenna extender. The package comes with a pair of earphones. You may turn on the lock from the side panel after you’ve turned to the appropriate frequency to avoid accidentally changing frequencies.
Two AA batteries power the CC Pocket emergency radio. It will last 75 hours if you use the earphones to listen to the radio. One pair of batteries lasts around 25 hours if you utilize the speakers. This features a sleep timer in addition to a clock and alarm. A battery meter, signal meter, and stereo/mono FM reception indication are included. When listening to AM, you may turn off the display screen, enhancing radio reception in specific instances. The 1.25″ speaker produces a deep, dramatic sound, but there is no method to adjust the bass or treble.
Pros:
Ultra-lightweight and Pocket-sized
With earbuds, the battery life is 75 hours.
Alerts on AM, FM, and NOAA
Cons:
The battery door seems to be weak.
Ambient Weather WR-111B emergency radio is a compact certified NOAA alert radio. This Radio with five-way power provides reliable service during emergencies. The digital readout makes it abundantly easy to use AM/FM/NOAA weather radio. All the ports and buttons have been placed intuitively for easy access. It also has a few other emergency features, like a sizeable flashlight. Its durability and seamless operation raise its price, but not high enough to keep it out of the best emergency radios list.
Features and Design
The Ambient Weather WR-111B survival radio is small and lightweight. It has a width of 5.5 inches, a height of 3 inches, and a depth of 2 inches. It is around 8 ounces in weight. The speaker and digital display are located on the front side. Tuning and volume are controlled using the buttons on each side of the screen. Upfront, a blinker serves as a visual reminder of the weather warning. A flashlight is pointed in one direction. The solar panel on the top side enables the WR-111B to be charged in the sun. A hand cranker is located on the rear side of the radio to capture it manually. On the side, there are power, headphone, and charging connectors.
This emergency hand-crank radio is powered in five different ways. It may be charged via a USB port, an AC outlet, batteries, a hand crank, or solar energy. A USB charging cord and an adapter are included in the package. Remember that the storm drains quickly when the radio is set to NOAA’s warning mode. You may use it in AM/FM mode or receive all seven channels of the NOAA weather band. It also features a retractable antenna, making it easier to bring in distant signals. The AM auto scan is quite sensitive, picking up even weak signals. For stations up to 50 miles distant, the NOAA reception is excellent. Except for the battery draining, the weather alert function works well.
Powerful illumination with a brilliant beam is included with the WR-111B survival radio. An auxiliary input connection is available for connecting media-playing devices. Additionally, this gadget may be used as a power bank through the USB charging connector in the center. Rubber coverings are used to cover all three ports on the side. ‘Ed’ On behalf of the organization, The Weatherman delivers excellent customer support to its online consumers.
Pros:
Lightweight and small.
Powered in five directions
Customer service is outstanding.
Cons:
There is no headphone jack.
At the very least, a USB AC adapter should be included in the price.
The Midland WR120 NOAA emergency radio is a customized gadget exclusively receiving NOAA warnings. This isn’t a traditional AM/FM radio. However, if you’re on a tight budget, a convenient weather radio keeps you informed of any impending threats in your region. The WB120EZ is the most recent model, with SAME alert functionality and many more programmable choices for selecting which alarms you wish to receive. This weather radio is an excellent addition to our list of the best emergency radios.
Features and Design
Due to its similar appearances, the Midland WR120EZ emergency radio is sometimes mistaken with the WR120. Make certain you obtain the WR120EZ; the model number will be on the cover. This radio has been approved by the Public Alert System and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The speaker takes up the majority of the upper face. It’s around a pound and measures 6″ x 5″ x 1.5″. It includes a digital display with nine buttons on the bottom. The retractable antenna is located on the front of the device.
The SAME alert may be set to sound for your county and its neighboring counties. You may save up to 25 counties for which you’d want to get notifications. The remaining locations will be overlooked. This way, you won’t be woken up by an emergency 100 miles away. It received flood, tornado, hurricane, and other alerts from seven NOAA channels. It can receive over 60 notifications, and you may pick and choose which ones you wish to hear, such as flash floods and hurricanes. The alert indications are color-coded to help you figure out which is which. You may choose between a voice alarm, flashing display lights, or a warning tone of 90 decibels. We recommend activating the alarm system if you have a big home.
Either AC or batteries may power this emergency radio. It has an alarm clock and a snooze button.
Pros:
Radio station dedicated to the weather
Choose the scenario in which an alarm should be sounded.
Compact and low-cost
Cons:
Model 120, 120C, and other similar models are often mistaken.
The Eton America Red Cross FRX3 emergency radio takes its name from its design. It’s a crimson cross encased in a square, to be exact. This is a four-way AM/FM/NOAA receiver with power. Other emergency features include a flashlight and a power bank, which may help you live in the event of a power outage. It’s a little gadget that’s simple to pack and transport. We rushed it to the top of the best emergency radios list because of its ease and dependability in a crisis.
Features and Design
The Eton American Red Cross FRX3 survival radio is a strange-looking device with dimensions of 5.8″ x 6.9″ x 2.6″. It may be flat packed with your belongings. The crankshaft is in the middle of the front side. Above it is an LCD with just a few button controls. The preset buttons are located on top of the central panel. The photovoltaic cells are installed on top of the top discussion. The illumination is on the side of the radio, while the antenna is on the back.
This emergency hand-cranked radio gets digitally based on AM/FM stations. Based on the weather station in your location, it hears the NOAA weather band. The radio automatically transmits weather warnings in your region when the ‘Alert’ mode is turned on. It has four different power sources: an AC adapter, AA batteries, solar power, and a hand crank. When your flashlight runs out of battery, the bright Flashlight with LEDs on the side comes in handy. When you need to signal for help, you may use a Beacon flashing red. You may attach other media players to it through an aux input connector.
Like a power bank, this emergency radio can charge your smartphone. It also features a clock and an alarm clock.
Pros:
Powered in four directions
Cons:
The Epica Digital emergency radio is a small, portable gadget about the size of a big flashlight. This 3-way power gadget packs all its emergency capabilities into a small area. You never have to worry about analog imprecision with a digital display. The controls are simple and basic. Given all of its capabilities, this is a reasonably priced tablet. It earns a spot on the top emergency radios list because it delivers so much bang for the money.
Features and Design
Epica’s emergency radio is a tubular construction with dimensions of 5″ x 2″ x 1.6″. It is just 13.5 ounces in weight. It’s tiny enough to fit into the pocket of a jacket. The rear of the unit has a handle that may also be used to hang it from a carabiner hook. The speaker grille and the solar panel for charging are located on the front side. A giant LED spotlight is mounted on the left side. The digital display and tuning controls are located on the upper side. The hand crank is located on the rear side.
This is a Radio with five-way power, a hand crank, a solar panel, and an AC power port. It can also hold batteries and be powered by a USB cable. Epica claims that 2 minutes of cranking yields you 20 mins of power. You can simply leave it on the windowsill while watching for weather alerts. It receives AM, FM, and NOAA weather band frequencies. Weather alerts will draw your attention even when you aren’t focusing on the unit. The screen is backlit for use in the dark.
This hand crank radio doubles as a power bank and can be used to charge your smartphone. It may be used to set a smartphone by manually cranking it. When the power goes out, but the mobile towers remain operational, this is a clever technique to charge your phone. The speaker performs well. It does become a bit tinny, but that was to be anticipated considering the price and size of the radio.
Pros:
Charging in five different ways
Flashlight with LEDs
Inexpensive
Cons:
Some portions of the solar panel may be scratched.
The iRonsnow emergency radio has a conventional design and an analog display. It’s also as dependable as a radio that costs twice as much. In addition, we were pleasantly delighted by the small radio’s reception capabilities. AM/FM/NOAA broadcasts from local and distant stations sound extremely clear on this device. It also features all bells and whistles seen on more costly radios. As a result, we included it in our list of the finest emergency radios.
Features and Design
The iRonsnow emergency hand-crank radio has dimensions of 5″ x 2.4″ x 1.6″. It’s not only small, but it also weighs less than 8 ounces. A speaker, a tuner display, and tuning controls are located on the front side. It may find off a set of three brilliant LEDs to one side. It may utilize a solar panel on the top side in an emergency. A hand crank is located on the backside. An antenna retracts to the upper side’s edge as well. It contains a small USB port as well as an SV output.
AM/FM and NOAA radio bands are received by this emergency radio. To get the notifications, you must be tuned to the NOAA channel. Its greatest asset is its reception. The local stations are clearly and articulately received. For the price, the speaker quality is adequate.
This survival radio has three power sources. The solar panel, micro-USB, or manual crank may all be used to charge it. It’s a little frustrating because it doesn’t support AA batteries. However, there is a problem with the IS-088 model. The IS-090 model is suitable for AA batteries as a power source. Hand cranking for one minute produces 5 minutes of radio time and 30 minutes of light. The iRonsnow IS-088 may also be used to charge other devices such as telephones. A wrist lanyard is included.
Pros:
For the money, this is an excellent reception.
Powered in three directions
Flashlight and battery bank
Cons:
There is no support for AA batteries or a headphone jack.
The RenningSnail emergency radio has a quirky appearance to match its unique sound. The architecture of this black/green design is creative, and it makes excellent use of space on its compact body. It may be charged from a variety of places. The AM/weather band reception is sufficient for your region. However, the FM reception is a touch poor. Extra features, such as a flashlight and a reading lamp, are significant benefits. It’s difficult to leave such talent off the most definitive emergency radios list.
Features and Design
The dimensions of the RenningSnail hand-crank radio are 6.2″ x 2.1″ x 2.9″. It is barely 14.2 ounces in weight. The speaker grille covers the entire front face. The tuner display and tuning knobs are in the empty area on the left. The flashlight should be positioned on the left side. Front and center is a retractable solar panel. The reading light is held at an angle on the bottom of the solar panel. At the rear, there is a hand crank. This radio is water-resistant to IPX3 standards.
This survival radio can receive AM, FM, and NOAA weather bands. The reception is good, and it picks up many channels. The audio is decent and makes the station worth listening to. It has a 1W bright Flashlight with LEDs to illuminate your path in the dark. The 4-LED reading lamp comes in handy when you want to pass the time in the camp or a shelter from a hazard. It charges via solar power, hand crank, USB charger, and AAA batteries. RunningSnail claims that 1 min of hand-cranking supports 25 mins of light and 10-15 mins radio.
Pros:
Powered in four directions
a reading lamp with a flashlight
Cons:
It should improve the reception of FM radio.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best emergency radio on the market?
A: The best emergency radio is the JAC SRS-2700 Emergency Radio. This product has an AM/FM tuner with a digital display, and it also includes an LED flashlight, two batteries, and alligator clips for connecting to electricity sources.
What is the best NOAA emergency radio?
A: There are a lot of emergency radios to choose from, but none have the features you need in an emergency. The best NOAA radio would be the one with a solar-powered charging system and weather alert, an ionization chamber for GPS tracking, altitude adjustment, and other technologies like this.
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But for Cath, being a fan is her life — and she’s really good at it. She and her twin sister, Wren, ensconced themselves in the Simon Snow series when they were just kids; it’s what got them through their mother leaving.
Reading. Rereading. Hanging out in Simon Snow forums, writing Simon Snow fan fiction, dressing up like the characters for every movie premiere.
Cath’s sister has mostly grown away from fandom, but Cath can’t let go. She doesn’t want to.
Now that they’re going to college, Wren has told Cath she doesn’t want to be roommates. Cath is on her own, completely outside of her comfort zone. She’s got a surly roommate with a charming, always-around boyfriend, a fiction-writing professor who thinks fan fiction is the end of the civilized world, a handsome classmate who only wants to talk about words . . . And she can’t stop worrying about her dad, who’s loving and fragile and has never really been alone.
For Cath, the question is: Can she do this?
Can she make it without Wren holding her hand? Is she ready to start living her own life? Writing her own stories?
And does she even want to move on if it means leaving Simon Snow behind?
My Rating:
Fangirl is one of those books that sounded so brilliant that I knew I had to read it immediately. You see, I’m a fangirl. Fictional characters and the actors who portray them have ruined my life on many occasions. Like Cath, I used to read and write fanfiction stories, and had many awkward moments in high school when my best friend and I were caught writing slash fics in the middle of French class (the fics weren’t actually in French, though; we weren’t quite that talented). My high school teachers held Harry Potter themed dinners where my classmates and I would dress up like the characters before attending the movie premieres, and I’d line up for hours whenever a new Harry Potter book was released. While I’m not very active in the fandom anymore, it was responsible for giving me the courage to actually put my writing out there for people to read, and it’s so neat to see that people actually “get” how wonderful these communities can be.
Anyways, this is what a New Adult book should look like. It perfectly describes how going to college involves a transition from the familiar to the unknown, and how it can be difficult to take in all at once. Not everything can be found on Google, as Cath explains, and there are so many potential sources of social anxiety – like what to do at the cafeteria once you’ve finally found it. There were so many things that reminded me of my first year: the dorm rooms that don’t seem large enough to house two people, the awkward silences before the first lecture, and the nicknames for people around campus (Cath and Regan have Wolf Girl and Venezuelan Lindsay Lohan, we have Cape Girl and Thor Girl).
Our protagonist, Cath, was quite easy to love and sympathize with. She’s an introvert who is uncomfortable in social situations, and who would much rather inhabit the world of Simon Snow. Writing is Cath’s preferred form of self-expression, and I loved how her fanfiction stories – which were interspersed between chapters of Fangirl – mirrored what was happening in her life at the present time. As the story unfolds, Cath becomes more independent, builds new relationships, and gets a better idea of who she is, and it’s beautiful to watch.
Fangirl also showcases Rowell’s ability to create the cutest, most swoonworthy romances ever. The relationship between Cath and Levi is slow to build, starting as friends who exchange witty banter and growing into something more. And Levi! That boy is someone I would love to date. He’s always smiling, genuinely charming, and would do anything to help someone out, whether it’s walking them home from the library at midnight or driving them to a bar to help their drunk sister. He and Cath are virtually polar opposites, yet their relationship dynamic works so well. It’s comfortable, comforting, and just so sweet.
While the romance was definitely important, familial relationships also play a pivotal role in Fangirl. Cath’s father is dealing with manic depression, her mother has been out of the picture for years, and her sister has left the world of Simon Snow in favour of bars and boys. These struggles are heartbreaking at times, but so realistic, and it’s so nice to see characters who are genuinely close with their families; after all, family is important.
Overall, Fangirl is one of the best books I’ve read this year. It’s character-driven, filled with adorable romance, and is incredibly easy to relate to. It’s safe to say that this has solidified Rainbow Rowell’s position on my “automatically-buy” list, and I can’t wait to see what she writes next.
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Top Ten Books I Read In 2013 | The In-Between Place December 31, 2013 at 10:05 am
[…] 2. Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell I’m convinced that Rainbow writes books for me, personally. Fangirl perfectly captures what it’s like to be a fangirl and what it’s like to go away to college in true Rainbow Rowell style: it’s quirky, fun, adorable, and character-driven. My review can be found here. […]
Top Ten Things On My Reading Wishlist | The In-Between Place January 21, 2014 at 5:22 pm
[…] University settings As a second year university student, I was so excited when Fangirl was released and perfectly captured the feeling of my first year. I still consider myself a young […]
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Through an emphasis on cross-disciplinary collaboration, squads can better adapt to the needs of our partners to deliver truly customized learning experiences.
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Do we really think that much about our choice of gum? Probably not. I don’t pay that close attention – unless I’m rushing into a meeting. And even then it’s out of fear of being sued by my client after permanently paralyzing the right side of their body thanks to my falafel breath. Nope, it’s a non-starter for me. The fact is, I’ve never cared much about the chewing gum I purchase… until now.
Eclipse by Wrigley has convinced me to care about my chewing gum procurement in the future.
It’s not that it’s soooooo amaaaaazing that it rocked my world. And let’s be honest for a sec. How different is chewing gum anyway? It’s all made of rubber, is full of chemicals and you chew it until you stop. However, that’s not what grabbed me about this particular purchase.
As soon as I pressed my chubby stick for a finger into that little package, I made a sweet discovery. It was mad love at first touch. I grabbed hold of a nifty little design feature that escaped me until now.
Take a look at the pic I took to share my new found design love with you chewing heathen. You will notice a little grip ‘thingy’ on the top right-hand corner of the packaging. Yup, that grip thingy!
Stop it. I can feel you mocking me. You pay me the big bucks to notice things like this and how could I not?!
The package design for our chewing gum has been sub par. I’m not talking graphics here but product design. I used to rip that lil’ cardboard wrapper clean away from the foil packets and be done with it until somebody over at Wrigley figured it out: GUM IS GUM. “We’ve spent millions on R&D and so have our competitors. We’ve spent even more on marketing and advertising and so have our competitors. The only thing left to set us apart is better packaging!”
I say give that boy/girl a cookie and a fat raise.
What this really says to me (and should say to you) is that design matters. Every little detail counts. It makes me think that the people at Wrigley care about design and see something this small as a potential big gain if enough people will stop long enough to remember how frustrating it used to be to get those little pieces of gum free from their little foil nests. Ok, that part is still a bitch, but at least sliding the pack out from the sleeve is a breeze. Baby steps count too.
Wrigley has my attention. And I’ll never two-time Eclipse gum again.
Of course, this isn’t about the gum. It’s another plug about how good design matters and how even if we don’t notice it, We always notice it. Design matters. Have I said that already? Man, you peoples are a tough crowd!
Wrigley’s Eclipse Gum can be found at all fine (and not-so-fine) retailers.
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May 22, 2017 at 2:57 pm
I’ll never see gum the same again! Ever. Thanks for this entertaining and insightful post. Appreciate your awareness and taste.
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Truck Breakdown is a driver's worst nightmare, no matter when and where it happens. Even the best and well-maintained trucks can occasionally strike a problem that means it can haul the proceedings. The initial concerns of how much this is going to cost sets in, however handling breakdowns can be a lot simpler with Breakdown Inc mobile App.
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How to Find Truck Mechanic near Your Breakdown Location?
Obviously, it's a NO, no human on this planet can predict the vehicle breakdown place or timings. Else, one can carry mechanical tools and types of equipment to sort out the minor vehicle issue. But still, you need to take your vehicle to any of the nearest truck repair shops. This is a cruel and time-consuming process for commercial drivers. Thus, it often leads to wastage of time and instant service that does not last longer. Ultimately, later on, you need to take out time from your super occupied schedule and need to visit any reliable truck repair shop.
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Avinash Misra is the CEO and co-founder of Skan. Avinash is a lifelong entrepreneur with a confirmed document of taking ventures from seed to liquidity. He has constructed profitable ventures within the enterprise digital transformation area and his final enterprise was acquired by Genpact (NYSE : G). Avinash’s perception for Skan took seed in giant scale Enterprise Course of Transformation tasks which he has led during the last decade.
Your earlier firm Endeavour Software program Applied sciences was ultimately acquired by Genpact. What was this firm and what have been a number of the key classes that you just discovered?
This firm was a front-office digital transformation specialist. That’s, it specialised within the construct and deployment of particular applied sciences similar to pc imaginative and prescient, chatbots/ pure language processing (NLP), and enterprise cellular apps to enhance and rework customer-facing enterprise processes.
We discovered two key classes. First, when expertise is utilized for its sake solely, it creates each technical and course of debt. Second, essentially the most worth is derived when expertise particularly approaches the tip consumer with empathy and a design-think mindset.
May you share the genesis story behind Skan?
“Automation begins when automation fails.” In a single sentence, this was our starting. Once we constructed RPA bots for complicated enterprise processes, we repeatedly observed that after a bot was deployed it failed rapidly as a result of it didn’t keep in mind the entire nuances, permutation, and exceptions of that enterprise course of. Each time a bot failed, it turned yet another lacking permutation of labor. It was an countless cycle of deployment and failures.
So, why don’t we all know all of the nuances of enterprise processes?
We don’t know all of the nuances of enterprise processes as a result of all course of discovery is finished by human enterprise analysts who ask the method brokers to explain work. People are spectacularly unreliable in describing issues which have a way of familiarity or ordinary and routine. These are sometimes issues they’ll do properly, however can by no means describe with the wanted accuracy. Therefore, we constructed Skan to look at actual work and perceive that work and the processes, somewhat than interview and doc people.
Skan is partially a course of discovery platform. May you outline what course of discovery is for our readers?
Course of discovery is a broad time period that refers back to the act of discovering or studying how processes work at an operational or structural degree. That is notably difficult with processes that contain human-system interactions with a whole bunch or hundreds of employees, dozens of software program functions, and complicated workflows. An ideal instance is the claims administration course of.
At present, Skan is definitely greater than a course of discovery platform. Skan generates a deep understanding of labor (course of discovery) and offers superior analytics to assist course of homeowners and transformation leaders measure, analyze, and enhance KPIs that drive enterprise outcomes such because the buyer expertise, income, and price. We name this broader functionality: course of Intelligence or the systematic assortment of information and the end-to-end course of and utility of that data to manage enterprise outcomes or to be taught, perceive, and make choices.
In response to a research performed by Ernst & Younger, 30% to 50% of automation tasks fail. Why do you imagine that is so excessive?
Based mostly on working with our clients, we discover that one of many key obstacles to automation success is lack of visibility into present state of KPIs throughout the lifecycle of automation tasks.
As an illustration, to be able to qualify an automation undertaking, we have to baseline the present state KPIs and construct a enterprise case. Within the experimentation section, we have to determine expertise patterns and outline goal (to-be) KPIs based mostly on present state KPIs. Through the design, develop, check, and operationalization section, we have to align with the foundation explanation for the issue to unravel.
Lastly, within the validation section the place we measure funding payback and advantages realization, we want traceability to the to-be KPIs. So, we see that throughout this complete lifecycle, transparency and traceability to present state KPIs and root causes is required. And, but, based on Forrester Analysis (2021), solely 16% of organizations say they’ve full visibility into how processes work. It’s no surprise automation tasks wrestle to ship worth.
Are you able to clarify what procedures Skan takes to guard the privateness of individuals which are being monitored and delicate enterprise information?
It is very important be aware that we don’t monitor folks. We solely observe particular parts of labor (not the entire display). These parts are particular work functions which are predefined upfront.
That stated, for any functions noticed, all delicate work information is redacted. We even have the power to anonymize the hyperlink between the one that did the job and the method. The names of people working within the course of will be anonymized, too.
May you focus on how Skan makes use of machine studying and particularly deep studying?
Skan incorporates a number of AI and machine studying algorithms to handle numerous issues similar to anonymizing delicate info (each textual content and picture information), abstracting low-level occasions to enterprise actions, inferring course of graphs, and discovering course of variations.
What are some examples of actionable insights which were gained from this course of?
Skan helps course of homeowners and transformation leaders measure, analyze, and enhance KPIs that drive enterprise outcomes. Some instance insights are:
Effectiveness:
Unit price of manufacturing
Effectivity:
First go price
Course of compliance
Capability (workforce) planning
Decreased course of variability
What’s your imaginative and prescient for the way forward for course of intelligence?
Our imaginative and prescient for the way forward for course of intelligence is to rework the way in which folks work to allow them to enhance productiveness and attain their full potential.
At present, the worldwide pyramid of labor has a broad base of non-value added duties and a really slender prime of value-adding duties. Our imaginative and prescient is for course of discovery to invert this pyramid.
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These Top 100 lists are updated every month by the United States Chess Federation. As of the June 2014 list, ages will be as of the first day of the month in which those ratings become official. For example, ages for the December lists will be as of December 1. (For Top 100 lists prior to June 2014, ages are as of the first day of the previous month.)
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