text:
Pochette Bosphore or Pochette Melville

  1. HI everyone, I am looking to get a messenger type bag and I narrowed it down to these two, but I can't decide which one I like more.

    The price is about the same, the Bosphore is $600 and the Melville is $30 more, and they both hold the same amount of stuff.

    The bosphore is in the mono print and the melville is in damier.

  2. I own the Bosphore and love it and get tons of compliments on it. I say go with the Bosphore. Oh and since it is Monogram and has the Valchetta you get the bonus of that new Vuitton smell!
  3. I like the zipper in bosphore but prefer in damier pattern..my vote is Melville especially after seeing recent pics of pfer with it..
  4. ^^ ITA! After seeing pics of the pfer (name escapes me, but she looked great with it!) I think the Melville is very chic!
  5. I like the melville.
  6. Butterfly 17, please let us know what you end up buying...funny thing I saw that bosphore that you asked about in the "authenticate" section...I indeed do believe it to be authentic...I know another poster wrote they deemed it to be fake...my only real question was why the heck did the seller buy it for 845? That part made me wonder. I must insist as an owner of the Bosphore...you will not be disappointed...the strap alone has such a nice weight to it...this bag is my favorite to wear when shopping. It is great.
  7. I like the Pochette Melville more.
  8. Yesterday when I was at the LV boutique at the Short Hills Mall, I did try on both and I did notice slight differences.

    For one, the straps are completely different. The straps on the melville seem to be made out of vinyl type material and say "louis vuitton" across it and the straps of the bosphore are made out of cloth(?) or softer material.

    Also, the front of the melville is a clasp and the pocket sort of sticks out a bit more, whereas the bosphore is more flat and it has the zipper compartment.

    Oh, I want to get the Multicolor Pochette mm with it as well, so I checked to see if it would fit and it fit perfectly in both.

    I was so sure that i was going to get the bosphore and once I was in the store, I realized that I liked the melville just as much, if not more. It seems to be a tiny bit smaller so it just falls better on my shorter frame.

    Decisions, decisions, right?:love:
  9. Yes< I didn't get that whole higher price thing at all. I really wish he had better pictures, though, oh, and more feedback.
    I really want to get it so when I am in tow with the kids I can keep my hands free for the stroller! And if we board an airplane, it just seems so handy, not that I am going anywhere anytime soon, but you never know.


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CyanogenMod 7.2.0-RC2+ "Galaxy5" Port

1,267 posts
Thanks Meter: 4,053
By psyke83, Inactive Recognized Developer on 1st July 2011, 01:18 AM
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CyanogenMod 7.2.0-RC2+ Galaxy 5 Port
Latest release: v2.4 [20120518]
Latest Google Apps package: 20110828

Hey folks,

This is a port of CyanogenMod 7.2.0-RC2+, a community-developed Android ROM based on Gingerbread 2.3.7, for the Samsung Galaxy 5 I5500 (Europa) phone. The current port status is stable - most hardware is working correctly, but see post #2 for known issues.

Special thanks to Motafoca for starting CyanogenMod development, DrMacinyasha for the hosting, OuNao for the fake dual-touch module, sensor work and general assistance, mikereidis (author of Spirit FM Radio app) for helping with FM audio issues, and of course, thanks to all of you for testing!

  • Visit the Basebands thread and make sure that you are using a baseband that is recommended for CyanogenMod. If you are still using an Eclair ROM, you must update your baseband or you will experience boot loops.
  • Visit the ClockworkMod thread and install the latest ClockworkMod build via Odin.
  • Install the GooManager application from the Google Play store.

Installation (updating from older CM7 build):
  • Open the GooManager application.
  • Select the Check for rom updates option.
  • Click on the notification for the available update and then click the Download button.
  • When the download finishes, enter recovery and install the update package followed by the Google Apps package.

Installation (first time/new users):
  • Open the GooManager application.
  • Navigate to psyke83 -> roms -> galaxy5.
  • Click on the build you wish to install from the list.
  • If needed, click the Download Gapps button to download the Google Apps package. The most recent (and most suitable) version will always be selected for you automatically.
  • Click on the Download button to download the rom.
  • Once the download(s) are complete, reboot into recovery and install the update package, followed by the Google Apps package.
  • Important: if you are updating from a stock or custom ROM, choose the data wipe option before rebooting.

Latest Changelog:
  • 20120518 [v2.4]
    • Updated CyanogenMod source - version 7.2.0 RC2+ (pre-release).
    • Various improvements to libaudio: updated to Adriano Carrata's rewritten libaudio code (with my Samsung customizations re-added), added user-adjustable audio attenuation (disabled by default - see post #2), implemented Samsung's proprietary snd_set_extamp ioctl to improve audio quality, reduce in-call volume on headsets & fix FM radio background hiss.
    • Updated kernel with KSM (Kernel Samepage Merging) support - disabled by default, see madconfig documentation in post #2 for details.
    • Switched to wpa_supplicant v5 & awext driver. This fixes the issue in which wifi didn't connect properly either on first boot, or when activated via the notification bar/widgets.
    • Switched to libjpeg-turbo for better performance in Gallery & other apps making intensive use of jpeg images.
    • Switched to CM7 version of libgralloc & libcopybit, updated libcamera source.
    • Added support for automatic ROM re-odexing to madconfig (recommended only for people not using an app2sd method).
    • Small change to fake dual-touch driver to slightly improve touchscreen edge sensitivity.
    • Added support for ROM downloads/OTA updates via MAD Manager. Note: GooManager is still supported - it's your choice which application to use.
  • 20120401 [v2.3]
    • Hotfix 3 [18th April]: kernel: fix shutdown issue.
    • Hotfix 2 [16th April]: kernel: enabled CGROUPS + CFQ IO scheduler (seems to reduce lag), various patches to improve performance/stability; g5sensord updated to v3.4 (low pass filter to reduce compass needle dancing).
    • Hotfix 1 [10th April]: kernel: fix headset detection problems, experimental change to improve stability when rebooting to recovery; g5sensord updated to version 3.3 (corrected bug in calibration file, hack to stabilize compass on high pitch)
    • Updated CyanogenMod source - version 7.2.0 RC1.
    • New kernel (label: gio2europa). Based on Samsung Gio Froyo source, updated to latest Code Aurora froyo_almond revision. This kernel has a more accurate battery driver, more efficient power saving for the mmc (wifi/sd) interface, and includes many fixes from Samsung and Code Aurora Forum in contrast our original kernel source.
    • New wifi driver + firmware (, from Samsung Gio Froyo system image). This wifi driver is more recent than our official source, has better mmc power management code, and appears to be more stable. The minimum CPU frequency also set to 122Mhz (really). This frequency usually caused sleep of death issues, but this new driver may be immune.
    • Various patches for memory leaks and minor bugs from gerrit.
    • Updated sensor daemon (g5sensord) to latest revision (v3.1) - adds calibration data persistence, calibrated data and magnetic z-axis, saving of hard and soft iron calibration data. Should fix the Google Sky sensor issue. Thanks OuNao!
    • Enable setup_fs tool by default. This tool will check /data and /cache on each boot, ensuring that they are formatted properly as ext4 filesystems. If not, the partitions will be formatted automatically. This should make upgrading from Froyo more painless, and also fixes a common issue in which /cache corrupts randomly (perhaps due to unclean dismounts when the phone is not rebooted properly).
    • GooManager support now working correctly, which allows for future OTA updates.
  • 20120317 [v2.2]
    • Hotfix 1: changed kernel config (to test for battery improvements), re-enabled WOW suspend in wifi driver
    • Updated CyanogenMod source - version 7.2.0 RC1.
    • Cherry-picked various patches from gerrit to fix issues with core binaries/libraries (dalvik, bionic, zlib, etc.).
    • Kernel: updated europa-battery, pmem, fsa9280, android staging drivers.
    • Kernel: reduce minimum CPU scaling frequency to 122Mhz (to see if sleep of death occurs with the new wireless driver).
    • Wifi: using AR6kSDK.3.0_RC.298 source with patches to allow usage of Samsung's firmware blobs, disable WoW (Wake on Wlan), and fix a certain case in which the driver blocks suspend. Note: the newest driver from freescale (AR6kSDK.3.1_RC.563) is not stable with our phone. This can't be fixed easily, as the problem appears to be within the new proprietary firmware blobs, which is something I can't fix. In the meantime, this driver should work well (and hopefully without any sleep of death issue).
    • dhcpcd: patches to optimize dhcp requests for Atheros AR6003. This improves connection/reconnection speed and reliability.
    • libhardware_legacy: increase wifi loader timeout from 1 second to 5 seconds. This ensures that the wireless driver is given time to settle before the first scan occurs.
    • wpa_supplicant_6: wait for control interface monitor to be brought up before starting. Improves reliability of wireless when reconnecting from idle.
    • libaudio: fix for minimum in-call volume being incorrectly muted in certain cases (including on speakerphone); fix FM audio when using no-microphone headphones.
    • Switched to OuNao's open libsensors - completely fixes accelerometer lag.
    • Switched to "g5sensord", Ounao's open memsicd replacement based on freescale's eCompass code - more battery efficient than proprietary memsicd daemon.
    • GPS: use worldwide SUPL server by default. Initial reports indicate that people are having better connectivity with this setup overall.
    • Compcache: back to 18%.
    • ADWLauncher: lock action buttons by default (helps avoid cases in which users accidentally detach the icons for these buttons).
    • Change scrolling cache setting to further improve scrolling speed.
    • Disable automatic brightness setting by default. Our phone has no light sensor, and I suspect that the software implementation may be causing battery drain.
  • 20120305 [v2.1]
    • Hotfix 2test3 [10th March]: Kernel: reverted all changes since v2.0 release (to hopefully prevent battery drain); ar6000: avoid setting refClock rate (may improve wireless stability); reverted to CyanogenMod wpa_supplicant v6.
    • Hotfix 2test2 [8th March]: Same as hotfix2test1, but using stable kernel instead. Please compare against hotfix2test1.
    • Hotfix 2test1 [7th March]: Reintroduce CodeAurora kernel with fixes for battery usage (but further testing is needed by the community); updated new ar6000 driver to match suspend/resume/bluetooth coexistence behaviour of stock driver; switched to wpa_supplicant & hostapd 0.8.x from Atheros SDK to improve wireless behaviour; fix FM audio when using no-microphone headphones.
    • Hotfix 1 [6th March]: New wireless driver (AR6kSDK.build_3.1_RC.563) from Freescale i.MX53 source release - wireless is now stable. Modified source is available on github (freescale branch).
    • Updated CyanogenMod source
    • New ar6000 driver (adapted from AR6kSDK3.1 source package used by the Sony PRS-T1/JP e-book reader); enabled combo scanning in wpa_supplicant_6.
    • libaudio: fixed combo device issue (ringtone in speaker + headset/headphone)
    • libsensors: using OuNao's libsensors with change to further reduce battery consumption during idle. This completely fixes sensor lag. Thanks to OuNao.
    • Adjusted smartassV2 CPU scheduler to idle at lower frequencies
    • Enabled CGROUPS in kernel to minimize data starvation issues.
    • Updated fake-dualtouch module to v9.1 (fixed).
    • Enabled OTA update support (requires app)
  • 20120206 [v2.0]
    • hotfix 2 (6th February): more fixes for microphone and headset routing. I can't reproduce call echo, so it may or may not be fixed.
    • hotfix 1 (6th February): due to popular demand, the microphone has been enabled to allow voice calls. [sarcasm]In future releases this will be a paid feature.[/sarcasm]
    • Updated CyanogenMod source (almost 7.2.0-RC1).
    • Kernel: updated OuNao's dualtouch module to the latest version (v9.1, which also has edge sensitivity fix).
    • Kernel: updated android staging kernel drivers from 2.6.35 kernel (notably bringing improvements to the lowmemorykiller driver).
    • Kernel: audio driver patches to prevent rare blackscreen during incoming calls from idle/low memory conditions.
    • Framework: disable scrolling cache (prevents lag in certain apps).
    • Framework: switched to stable copybit version with blending bug fix.
    • Audio: further updates to latest CAF libaudio version with FM support added. Bluetooth calling needs testing (I don't have a peripheral to test).
    • Camera: fixed force close error during zoom.
    • Mobiledata: added 2g/3g mobiledata switch option (you can set the mobiledata button to switch between 2g/3g mode instead of simply turning on/off data)
    • FM: Fix audio routing (where headphones sometimes stopped working after closing the radio app); respect upper and lower frequency limits; looping between low/high frequency limit during manual seek is now possible.
    • Network: SIM lock messages will no longer be ignored. This may help people who have problems using SIM cards that require a PIN unlock (note: this is not related to the reboot problems with certain SIM cards).
    • Updated USBController.cpp (tethering) code to possibly prevent reboots after extended use.
    • Refreshed ClockworkMod Recovery official build to (thanks to koush)
    • Moved to new hosting on (thanks to DrMacinyasha), which allows for better ROM Manager integration. This also means no more weekend download restrictions!
    • Improved LatinIME key sensitivity (key presses are recognised with better precision than before).
    • Settings -> About phone -> Mod version will now show the exact build date, which helps you to know exactly what version you're running.
    • Update notifications & automatic ROM updating now available (ROM Manager Premium users only).
    • Increased compcache to 26% (may be useful for those who have no swap).
    • Decreased wifi scan interval to 45 seconds to help with reconnection problems if you use hidden SSIDs.
    • Switched to US GPS servers by default.
    • ???
  • v1.9 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile - 25 January 2012:
    • Hotfix 3 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [26 January]: libaudio: updated code based on rmcc's geeksphone zero version, fixed no mic headsets (including FM routing).
    • Hotfix 2 [bad, please wait for newer hotfix] [26 January]: libaudio: updated code based on rmcc's geeksphone zero version. May help with some routing problems.
    • Hotfix 1 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [26 January]: Kernel: disable samsung's drop_caches hack (may help reduce lag related to paging of swap). libaudio: fix for headphones issue (thanks to kingmaya & OuNao for troubleshooting).
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Updated CyanogenMod source (7.2-RC0)
    • Now using ICS transition and rotation animations
    • Fix for "stuck" notification items
    • Kernel: remove SCHED_HRTICK patches due to instability
    • Kernel: tweak smartassV2 scheduler to use more appropriate CPU frequencies for idle and awake states
    • Use safer mount options to reduce chances of data corruption
    • Reduce default compcache usage to 10% of memory
    • Tweaked TCP buffer for wifi device to improve performance
    • Improved Bluetooth reliability (enable HFP, increase max connections 1 -> 3).
  • v1.8 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile - 6 January 2012:
    • Hotfix 1 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [7 January]: Kernel: back to original europa_battery.c driver from 2.6.32 kernel, with fix for 99% charge issue (should now stably charge to 100% and discharge without any erratic jumps); fixed video encoders and decoders (more efficient decoding of Youtube, etc., and now video recording is as fast as the stock ROM); libcamera: tweaked default exposure settings to slightly darken video recording; Boot: disabled setup_fs service (just in case it's causing a random /cache corruption issue).
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Updated CyanogenMod source (Android version 7.2-RC0)
    • Kernel: rebased on updated Samsung source.
    • Kernel: rebuilt using latest stable linaro gcc release: 4.5-2011.11
    • Kernel: removed mmc31xx axis orientation hack
    • Kernel: added new interactiveX CPU governor
    • Kernel: stability/performance patches added
    • Using new memsicd daemon which doesn't require mmc31xx kernel driver hack
    • Renamed usb tethering device from usb -> rndis (cosmetic)
    • New wifi module built from updated Samsung source; the only change is that Wireless-N mode is enabled.
    • Using wpa_supplicant_6 with ar6000 supplicant driver.
    • Updated adreno200 libraries (from latest Callisto Gingerbread ROM).
    • Tweak LatinIME keyboard (more compact)
    • Enable surface dithering by default (it improves font rendering quality without much performance drop)
  • v1.7.2 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile - 7 November 2011:
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Hotfix 1 [7 November 2011] Fixes wireless hotspot mode. Note that the hotfix is on ROM Manager (but I don't want to be releasing hotfixes any further).
    • Updated CyanogenMod source.
    • Removed optimization from framework that causes split video issues on our phone.
    • Added brightness and vibration presets - should fix notification icon issues.
  • v1.7.1 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile - 1 November 2011:
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Now distributed via ROM Manager.
    • Updated CyanogenMod source.
    • Using stock ar6000 driver & new wpa_supplicant_6 with awext emulation (patch thanks to Nicu Pavel) and fix for wifi hotspot mode.
    • Swapped volume controls when phone is at 90 degree anti-clockwise orientation.
  • v1.6 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile - 7 October 2011:
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Hotfix 4 [fixed2] - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [16 October 2011]: Fixed random disconnect issue with wifi driver; updated wpa_supplicant_6. Note: please report if you can't scan for access points correctly (should only happen if you do a data-wipe/fresh install). If this happens to you, be patient and wait 1-2 minutes for the list to appear properly.
    • Hotfix 3 [fixed] - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [15 October 2011]: [Fixed: MAC address problem with Google Sync] Using CM7 wpa_supplicant v6 with patch to fix wifi-hotspot activation; downgraded to slightly older wifi driver based on 2.6.35 kernel source (should be more stable, prevent sleep of deaths, and has working ad-hoc networking); fixed lense lockscreen text position; fixed problem with "split" video; fixed rendering effects. Note: You should wipe your dalvik-cache to avoid any problems.
    • Hotfix 2 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [13 October 2011]: Reverted to v5 CyanogenMod wpa_supplicant driver (to fix ad-hoc networking); updated wifi driver; new kernel battery driver; decreased lockscreen bottom dip; some optimizations to framework code for increased performance. Note: your dalvik cache will be regenerated (i.e. first boot will be slower), and you may want to clear your battery stats due to the new battery driver. If you have problems, manually clear the dalvik cache.
    • Hotfix 1 - DepositFiles, Mediafire, HotFile [12 October 2011]: New hotfix to celebrate 800,000 CyanogenMod downloads & 1 million total MADTeam downloads! Fixed compass orientation, changed to newer wifi driver due to sleep of death issues with stock version.
    • Updated Gingerbread 2.3.7 / CyanogenMod source - no longer marked as Release Candidate code.
    • Due to reported problems, reverted to stock wifi driver - the only change is that wireless-N mode is activated.
    • Replaced CyanogenMod's v5 wpa_supplicant with Samsung's v6 version. This should improve wireless signal with the stock driver.
    • Fixed light toggle button in notification menu.
    • Optimizations: reduced VM heap size to 24m, disabled surface dithering.
    • Small tweaks & fixes.
  • v1.5 - 1 October 2011:
    • Battery stats wipe?: You must wipe your battery stats in ClockworkMod for this release, since we are using a modified kernel battery driver (and your existing stats file may be invalid).
    • Data wipe?: A regular data-wipe is only necessary if you have problems (as usual).
    • Hotfix 2 [5 October 2011]: Kernel: Bluetooth initialization fix; enabled compatibility with new basebands - you are now free to use any Froyo-based baseband with CyanogenMod. Framework: enhanced dual-touch compatibility (enabling/disabling dual-touch will now change the touchscreen permissions to the proper type). If you're using dual-touch, please re-enable via madconfig after installing this update.
    • Hotfix 1 [5 October 2011]: Kernel: kernel source re-patched from vanilla to avoid unnecessary/unstable patches; fixed reboot/reboot to recovery hangs; optimized size of kernel modules to free extra RAM; upgraded to newer FSR drivers from I5500XWJQ3 ROM; reverted to stable version of compcache (ramzswap) driver; removed OuNao's dualtouch driver from kernel, but re-added as an optional kernel module. Framework: added new "madconfig" script to configure swap and dualtouch activation; various small fixes and hacks removed.
    • 35% extra trololo.
    • Updated CyanogenMod source - Gingerbread version 2.3.7.
    • Fixed audio routing when headphone/headset is connected. You can now force ringtones to speaker - just remember that you need to change this in Settings -> CyanogenMod Settings -> Sound -> Always play on speaker.
    • Fixed FM Radio seek (left/right arrows) - thanks to OuNao.
    • Now includes fake dualtouch driver by default - see OuNao's Fake DualTouch thread for more details.
    • Now using improved ar6000 wireless-N wifi driver (based on Linux compat-wireless-20110329 ath6kl driver, with Samsung's patches for the G5).
    • Small tweaks to the new battery driver's voltages.
    • S2E corruption issues should now be completely solved. If your existing /sd-ext partition is corrupt from previous usage in older ROMs, see post #2 for instructions on how to manually format your partition (this is the only way to clear the bug).
    • [I5508] Touchscreen driver for I5508 now partially working. The x/y axis orientation is correct, but the accuracy is not good. I will try to fix this in future releases/hotfixes.
  • v1.4 - 23 September 2011:
    • Battery stats wipe?: You must wipe your battery stats in ClockworkMod for this release, since we are using a new kernel battery driver.
    • Data wipe?: A regular data-wipe is only necessary if you have problems (as usual).
    • Hotfix 1 [24 September 2011]: Fixed wifi tethering (reverted to v5 supplicant - should not reduce wireless quality as we are still using the newer WEXT driver); fixed stock FM radio; improved FM radio volume code (thanks to OuNao); improved FM audio quality (reduced hiss sound).
    • Updated CyanogenMod source.
    • Deodexed ROM: you can now install the full Google Apps package if you desire. Keep in mind that your first boot after upgrade/fresh install will be slower compared to previous versions, but regular boots will continue to be fast.
    • Patch to prevent S2E from applying bad filesystem tweaks (won't interfere if you don't use S2E).
    • Linked /cache/download -> /data/download by default (so all users can download large apps from Market, even if not using an app2sd method).
    • Kernel: Updated battery driver (based on tass_battery.c 2.6.35 kernel driver) - this should reduce battery drain and prevent the phone from staying stuck on 99% battery for extended periods. Note: your battery stats will be erratic for one or two charging cycles - make sure to wipe your battery stats to help this process.
    • Wireless: new driver with Wireless-N capability & better signal (based on Atheros source from Samsung I5508, with patches from 2.6.35 kernel).
    • Updated to wpa_supplicant v6 (awext -> wext driver) & reverted to CM7 dhcpcd. This restores wireless signals to Froyo levels.
    • Kernel: Updated fsa9280 USB switch driver (from 2.6.35 source).
    • Kernel: change default TCP congestion control method to "veno" - should improve wireless reliability, especially if there is wireless congestion in your area. It can also improve wireless throughput under normal wireless conditions.
    • Enabled hardware-accelerated 2D rendering (note: this feature wasn't working properly in the previous test hotfixes - it's working now, and there is no graphical corruption).
    • Various small bugfixes.
  • v1.3 - 10 September 2011:
    • Data wipe?: only if you have problems.
    • Updated CyanogenMod source.
    • Hotfix 2 [18 September 2011]: Boot: removed custom lowmemorykiller tweaks; kernel: various updates (smartassV2, TinyRCU, Simple and V(R) IO schedulers), bugfixes and optimizations, changed default scheduler to Simple IO; libaudio: code cleanup and reduced overall FM volume; Framework: enabled hardware-accelerated 2D rendering.
    • Hotfix 1 [10 September 2011]: Fixed volume controls on stock FM app (thanks again to OuNao and Mike).
    • Stock FM Radio app now working! Huge thanks to mikereidis and OuNao for the assistance. Note: the volume will be stuck at 100% in the stock app, so take care not to blow out your speakers (will be addressed in a later hotfix). Alternatively, you can use Mike's excellent Spirit FM application which has working volume controls (as well as many other features not present in CyanogenMod's stock FM app). See this thread and Mike's thread on XDA. Be sure to show your appreciation for Mike's work by purchasing the unlock key for his app.
    • Boot: small fix to /dev/log/* permissions (was causing log errors).
    • Graphical tweak to improve GUI performance.

Source Code:
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Known issues (any assistance on the following items is welcome)
  • The FM app will make a loud "pop" noise on first start after Bluetooth activation.
  • FM audio requires Bluetooth to be activated. This is how the CM7 FM app works, so please don't ask me to "fix" something that is not broken. Alternatively, you can purchase the Spirit FM app which can activate the FM radio without the need to fully enable the Bluetooth stack.
  • The Camera app does not properly save "zoomed" images at the highest resolution (WXGA). Note: the zoom function would only apply cropping to the image, as our camera does not have hardware zoom capability.
  • Rebooting into recovery can cause the phone to freeze sometimes. This seems to be a bootloader bug, so it's not something I can fix. To minimize the issue, make sure to remove the USB cable each time you want to reboot to recovery, as it reduces the chance of the bug occurring. If your phone gets stuck, use the hard reset key combination (volume up + power on for 10 seconds).
  • Some SIM cards seem to be incompatible with CyanogenMod. Please provide a radio logcat to help diagnose these problems.
  • Kies will not work properly on CyanogenMod. This is not a bug - it's a feature
  • Battery drains. If you don't use mobiledata at all, using the Use only 2G networks option in the Mobile network settings will significantly improve your battery life. If you use mobiledata, I recommended that you make use of the mobiledata 2G/3G switch. This downgrades the cellular network to 2G when you turn off mobile data, thus allowing battery savings without forcing you to use the slower EDGE mobiledata speed.
  • Erratic compass. Recent releases are using OuNao's g5sensord daemon. Its behaviour is not completely accurate yet, so if you wish to revert to the proprietary memsicd daemon, run these commands:
adb remount
adb shell mv /system/bin/g5sensord /system/bin/g5sensord.old
adb shell cp /system/bin/memsicd /system/bin/g5sensord

How to use madconfig:

The below text is the exact output shown when you run madconfig:

Code: [Select]
Usage: madconfig [option]

 * dton    - enable dual-touch
 * dtoff   - disable dual-touch
 * ksmon   - enable Kernel Samepage Merging (KSM)
 * ksmoff  - disable Kernel Samepage Merging (KSM)
 * odexon  - enable automatic ROM re-odexing
 * odexoff - disable automatic ROM re-odexing
 * swapon  - enable swap
 * swapoff - disable swap
In order to use madconfig from the Terminal app, make sure to switch to superuser by executing su before running madconfig.

A few notes on some of the above options:
  • The ksmon option will activate a kernel driver that allows the dalvik interpreter to share memory between processes when possible (via Kernel Samepage Merging). This dalvik interpreter feature has been backported from ICS, and is not enabled by default due to the possibility of causing problems or battery drain.
  • The odexon option will activate automatic ROM odexing. This will move the dalvik cache for system apps/components to the /system partition, which should free about ~32MB from your /data partition. Once activated, this option will automatically re-odex your ROM when you update to a later release of my ROM (not an official build from the CyanogenMod server, or any other builds). I don't recommend using this option if you already use an app2sd method that moves your dalvik cache to the SD card.

Audio attenuation:
There are now three system properties available to control audio attenuation:

persist.sys.speaker-attn - speaker
persist.sys.headset-attn - headset - FM audio (speaker & headset)
Example usage - set 6dB attenuation on speaker:
setprop persist.sys.speaker-attn 6
Technical details:
  • Kernel 2.6.32:
    • CPU & AHB overclock supported up to 768Mhz, but a safe frequency range (245-604Mhz) is used by default for safety/stability reasons
    • Backported KGSL drivers from 2.6.35 kernel, so we can use the newer Adreno200 libraries that support OpenGL ES 2.0 (faster 3D).
    • Built-in support for CIFS, TUN, compcache (ramzswap)
    • Added extra CPU schedulers: interactiveX, smartassV2 (default)
    • Added extra IO schedulers: Simple IO scheduler 0.2
    • Updated Android staging, pmem drivers from 2.6.35 kernel
    • Patches to improve CyanogenMod compatibility (e.g. USB tethering)
    • Various other stability & performance patches.

Before you ask...
I have no interest or intention to further "mod" the ROM with any kind of hacks or customizations (like custom apps, themes, Swype, etc.). My only aim is to have a 100% stable port of Cyanogen code. Any such requests will be ignored.

Reporting bugs
You must follow these instructions exactly, or I will ignore your requests. Provide the following information:
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  • Describe the problem clearly, including steps on how I can reproduce the issue.
  • Provide a logs from your system taken just after the issue has occurred. I usually need two logs - dmesg and logcat, but if it is a telephony problem, a radio logcat may also be needed.
Logcat: adb shell logcat -d >c:\logcat.txt
Radio logcat: adb shell logcat -b radio -d >c:\radio-logcat.txt
Dmesg: adb shell dmesg >c:\dmesg.txt
  • If I ask you to re-test the issue after a data-wipe, do the following: reboot into ClockworkMod, perform a full backup, then data-wipe, reboot and retest the issue, giving a new log if necessary. You can then reboot into ClockworkMod and restore your data backup.

Alternate download location: Using the GooManager application to download & install my ROMs is recommended. If you want to download via the PC, however, you can use this link.
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1st July 2011, 01:20 AM |#3
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4th July 2011, 02:25 AM |#4
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guyz the cards unmounts n mounts although I haven't taken it out and also I can't decrease the call sound when on Samsung earphone. And there's a notification dat my card has been removed unexpectedly. plz fix it!!! and great work from you guyz!!!
5th July 2011, 10:02 PM |#5
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i have the same card problem. the mod runs great, i don't want to downgrade. please fix it soon
7th July 2011, 12:24 AM |#6
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Originally Posted by alifie

i have the same card problem. the mod runs great, i don't want to downgrade. please fix it soon

u wil find v7 in MAD forum. As I m new I can't post a link. go to the forum and read the installation process carefully b4 flashin ROM. I m usin v7 n the card problem has been solved n battery lasts longer as well.
7th July 2011, 09:06 AM |#7
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great, thanks
7th July 2011, 09:27 AM |#8
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welcme man!!! m on twitter as well. feel free to ask 4 any kind of Galaxy 5 related question. my twitter username: coolabhinesh .
8th July 2011, 05:58 AM |#9
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So far 0.7+update5 has been really stable for me, best of the series so far. 0.6 was a nightmare (hangs while idle, ran very hot, battery life extremely short, sd card disappearing, etc.).
9th July 2011, 10:37 AM |#10
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yup 0.7 is very stable
12th July 2011, 09:46 AM |#11
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Version 0.8 hotfix 3 is out and it's not posted here how come?
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Author Topic: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen  (Read 2848 times)

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Offline kt22mike

Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« on: July 10, 2012, 06:27:17 am »
I am looking for a bike touring company that I can use next summer (2013) to ride across the USA.  I am 63 years old (crap next year I will be 64) and average about a 13mph pace on moderately hilly terrain.

Looking for recommendations for a bike tour company that has - if not similarly aged riders - can deal with a slow ride pace like this.   Hate to end up riding 3000 miles by myself chasing a bunch of fit kids.

Want a fully supported ride - with credit card lodging (hotels and luggage support).  My camping days are well over!!!

Any recommendations?
 How about some websites of similarly aged riders?

Offline Pat Lamb

Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #1 on: July 10, 2012, 10:28:17 am »
That's a tough list of requirements, but you've left out one factor.  How many hours can you cycle at 13 mph?  Ron Wallenfang, for instance, rode slowly from dawn to dusk (search for him on crazyguy), and rode a century or more per day.  You may be able to do some of the commercial tours if you can manage that kind of daily distance.  Most tourists seem to average 40-70 miles per day.

You might want to start your search with either the Cyclists' Yellow Pages, found off the main AC page, or the classifieds in a February or March issue of Adventure Cycling magazine.

If nothing else seems to work for you, you'll have two choices.
1.  Carry your own gear and credit card tour.  As long as you're hitting a motel and restaurant every day, your load will consist of clothes, water, and minimal supplies, tools, and parts.
2.  Relax the absolute prohibition on camping, and look at a van-supported Adventure Cycling TransAm.  One of the guys we met told me he almost never camped on that trip -- there was almost always a motel, B&B, or KOA cabin that he could rent.  The van can carry a 3" thick Thermarest, which is pretty comfortable when you have to camp, as well as a sleeping bag and tent.  Average age of the AC groups I've seen was probably late 50s / early 60s, and their daily mileages are reasonable.

Offline staehpj1

Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #2 on: July 10, 2012, 11:38:30 am »
From what I have seen you really only need to worry about the daily mileage and not the pace.  Most of the groups I have seen seemed to start at various times and straggle in at the end of the day, so no need to keep up.

That said I have never actually been on a supported tour myself.  My comments are based on the supported groups I have met on the road.

Also I have not seen any tight correlation between pace and age.  Lots of fast old riders and plenty of slow young ones.  That said most of the groups I have seen had folks your age.

Offline indyfabz

Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #3 on: July 10, 2012, 02:38:16 pm »
While by no means was it exhaustive, I did some poking around and didn't find any senior-oriented cross country trips. I did find a company or two that caters to seniors, but they didn't offer cross country trips. I guess there isn't enough of a market for it.

I think the motel requirement is the real limiting factor when it comes to finding a supported cross country tour. Even if you were to do it fast, it would be pretty pricey. America By Bike does a fully-supported 33 day indoor lodging tour. 115+ miles/day. The price this year for triple lodging is $5,150. Imagine what a 60 day trip like that would cost.

As noted, you might have to make some compromises, like camping or doing your own credit card trip. And FWIW, the oldest person on my self-contained cross country trip turned 77 during the adventure.

Offline yumadons

Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #4 on: July 10, 2012, 07:09:02 pm »
At 13mph, you'll be able to keep up with a group. As Indy said, the limiting factor will be finding a group who motels it the whole way without doing wildly long days, most do at least some camping.

If you end up organizing your own group, I have 2 resources for you. Stephanie Kirz wrote "Bicycling The TransAm," (available @ Amazon), where she rode E2W with her husband, moteling it with no extreme distances tho they brought camping gear. I emailed her to ask if they ever had to use it and got no reply.

Or for W2E, my husband and I rode the western half of the TransAm to Pueblo, CO, last year - 43 miles per day average, no camping gear, all motels. We're doing the rest this year, but we're not staying on the TransAm. Starting in Pueblo, cutting over to the Katy, then down the Mississippi River Trail, then Chief Ladiga / Silver Comet to end at Hilton Head, SC. If you wanted to motel the eastern half of the TransAm, I don't think you'd have any trouble, towns are closer together in the east than
 the west. We're just wimps who don't want to do the Ozarks or Appalachians  8-)

  • Guest
Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #5 on: July 10, 2012, 07:11:24 pm »
Yeah, lots of people in your age bracket have done it, either camping or motelling. The only senior-oriented tours seem to be 7 - 14 days for the obvious reasons.

Don't toss aside the thought of a solo credit-card tour. I've done it and liked the flexibility of going off route or staying an extra day for an interesting event, illness, or bad weather. (One of those events was a bike rodeo with a bunch of preschool kids on an Indian reservation. Great fun for all.) Also, the local folks are much happier to meet and greet a solo visitor than a group.

Speaking of groups, you never know what you will find and be stuck with on an organized tour. Fifty days with certain types of people can be a grind. Not a problem when solo, assuming you are comfortable with yourself.

Offline danacf

Re: Recommend USA Tour company for Senior Citizen
« Reply #6 on: July 10, 2012, 10:11:57 pm »
Classic Adventures is doing a trip this year, but I'm not sure they will be offering it next yearhttp://www.classicadventures.com/our-bike-tours/usa/coast-to-coast-usa-bike-tour.php.  It's a family run business that has been around for a long time.  Timberline Adventures did a trip in 2010.  The average and median age was 64 and the age range was 57-72.  http://www.crazyguyonabike.com/doc/?o=4V&doc_id=5019&v=1ue.  From my experience, it's usually the 57-72 crowd that has the time and money to do trips like these.


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LogicalDOC has many interesting features, but requires some configuration process to show its full potential.

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LogicalDoc keeps crashing

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I am having an issue with logical doc when putting it under a bit of load (3 documents every 3 seconds) via the web service upload
The system crashes and does not respond to web requests even though tomcat is up -

It gives me an operation timed out message

When trying to login to the web interface it simply says "Loading Messages" and never ends

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Re: LogicalDoc keeps crashing

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This is probably a memory problem,
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How best to see 2 images side by side

Discussion in 'Mac Basics and Help' started by novetan, Nov 3, 2010.

  1. novetan macrumors 6502

    Sep 3, 2010
    I yet to find a neat solution on my own.

    I want to view photo A and B side by side for comparison. (both A and B are saved in folder xyz)

    When I click on A, it displayed in preview. When I click on B, it places B in the same preview as A. So I can only view A or B one at a time and not side by side.

    So I try quickview on B while maintaining A in preview. But when i click on A to shift to one side , quickview on B disappear. So I have to tap on the xyz folder ( anywhere) to bring out B in quickview again.

    Is there a better way to put images side by side as what I'm doing above, the image B seems to be playing hide and seek until I have to click a few times here and there just to get them in position.

    Then how about putting 3 images, A, B and C side by side. I know, one way is to import into photoshop regardless of the no. of images but if its a big file, it takes time.

    Can I do some default setting to work like Window where I just click on any amount of images and individual preview will appear.

    Thank you.
  2. Sambo110 macrumors 68000

    Mar 12, 2007
    Hmm, Preview just opens them up in different windows for me. You could go into Preview's settings, and change groups of files to open in separate windows? And then just open them together and it should open in two windows.
  3. novetan thread starter macrumors 6502

    Sep 3, 2010
    Ah, thank you so much.

    Still new to Mac. Always never think of going into preference.

    Its fixed now.

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Old Dec 21, 2005, 10:06 PM   #22
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rinniethehun wrote:

Did you try what I suggested...uninstall the Fuji software [don't reinstall] and plug your camera directly into your USB port?

Before you unplug your camera, do you wait to see the 'safe to remove hardware' message?

the Hun

Sorry i wrote it wrong i meant i uninstalledand installed it again i have done this all the day now it dont work.

I havent tried plug the camera directly in , i will try that now.

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  1.    #1
    Has anyone recently received a Covertec case from Mobile Planet? I ordered the Black Leather case (not the horizontal case) back in early December and I still don't have it. It always says that it is backordered, and the due date has been pushed back several times. The data on the website now says 2/18/04, but I have not very optimistic.

    This is typical of the bad experiences I have had over the years with Mobile Planet. Are there any other distributors for this case?
  2. #2
    I ordered a Covertec (Horizontal) case on 1/16, and it was likewise repeatedly pushed back as "backordered". I finally received it 2/15. It was definitely worth the wait!

    Since Covertec is manufactured in Europe, and there is such a large demand, I suggest being patient. The delays are probably beyond Mobileplanets control. FYI, I was NOT charged until the case was actually shipped.
  3. scottfi's Avatar
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    I had the same case ordered on 12/10 from mobile planet and just finallly gave up on it and purchased it from ebay (there are quite a few listed). It just arrived today. It's brand new and the price was exactly the same as mobile planet only w/out the waiting.... and waiting... and waiting...

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I’m now into the intense part of my running training with increased speed and distance each week. I just hope I have what it takes to get past the next few weeks without getting injured. It does come at an intense period – year end closing. Great!!! I’ve just increased the odds of not surviving but I don’t want to live by excuses so its a go for multi-tasking. Time to step up training and work mode!!! How? I have no idea but lucky for me the future comes one day at a time so I’ll find a way somehow.

I’ve come to accept that my life is one busy mess and I’m done with laid back modes so just bring it. I won’t back down on life’s challenges… Not now… Not this time… and hopefully, Not ever… The best part about being busy is that you get to prioritize. You learn to know what matters and what does not. You get lesser and lesser time to whine or to entertain whiners. And it sure beats just lazing around waiting for life’s blessings to come. Good things come to those who strive in life.
It goes a lot crazier in the days to come. I have to prepare for meetings… Resume my training… Meet Some Friends… Join an International Marathon in Subic… Take midnight flight to Taipei… Meetings… Meetings… Meetings… and Fly back early dawn to Manila and that all happens in a span of 5 days… and that’s just the beginning… It’s gonna be deadline chasing time after that while chasing my sub 60 running goal.
The year has taken off at such an accelerated pace which does contradict how I entered 2011… sound asleep… Oh well, No holding back on life anymore…. It’s a GO GO GO for 2011. Positive things come from positive thoughts so I’d rather spend my energy on things that can make me better. Good times will come, I may not know when but I know it will and I’ll patiently wait for the better days to come. It happened a year ago and fingers crossed, it could happen again… =>

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Posted by: Fr Chris | March 16, 2014

Our Lady weeps over the suffering of God’s children on earth

An all-powerful leader decries problems in the adjoining state, and declares he must act so as to protect unarmed civilians against a cruel government, or an impotent government, or to answer their supposed pleas for assistance: 1912, 1938, 1940, 1945, 1956, 1968. One would think that the 21st century would never have seen that again in Europe – but here we go. And as then, Europe – and now America – does nothing of consequence.  Not even a firm protest!  Apparently very few people in our current government know much about Russian history, or the history of the Nazi and Soviet dictatorships, as we watch the farce of elections in Crimea under the presence of 20,000 Russian soldiers and a host of armored vehicles. Yesterday Russians took over a gas plant outside of Crimea, and Moscow announced that “numerous calls on Russia to protect peaceful civilians” inside Ukraine have been received and that “these appeals will be considered”   (Moscow Heightens the Pressure on Ukraine- Wall Street Journal, March 15, 2014).  Does any of this sound familiar?

1912 – Imperial Russia declares that, because of chaos inside the new Republic of China, it is annexing parts of Mongolia, despite the fact that the new Republic of Mongolia said that it did not want or need any Russian interference. 1936 – Hitler takes back the Rhineland, the Allies do nothing despite violation of Treaty.   1938 – 12 March: Hitler marches to the Austrian border so as to give Austria “peace” from its civil disorders, the Austrian government backs down for fear of bloodshed; Austria is annexed. Allies do nothing.  Hitler says he acts to protect German minorities outside of the Reich.

Hitler’s actions in Central Europe 1938-1939

29 September: Allies give German-inhabited Sudetenland, with all of Czechoslovakia’s fortresses, to Hitler as his “last demand.” 1939 – 15 March – Hitler invades defenseless Czechoslovakia. 21 March – Hitler demands Danzig Free State and direct link across Polish Corridor to East Prussia as a “last demand.” 1 September: Hitler accuses Poland of atrocities against German minority and invades. 3 September: France and Great Britain declare war. Pamphlets are dropped over the Third Reich calling for peace, but no military action is taken whatsoever.  Poland fights alone.   17 September: USSR invades Poland from the east, stabbing her in the back as she is fighting Nazi Germany in the west. This is allegedly done in order to “protect civilians” because the Polish government had supposedly collapsed, ignoring the fact that the Polish government and army are very much alive and fighting, waiting for France and the UK to act.  New People’s Assemblies are set up, which petition Stalin for annexation; he joyfully welcomes them to the Soviet motherland.  Poland is partitioned between the Nazis in the west and the Communists in the east.

The Red Army frees Ukrainian and Belorussian peasants from the White Eagle of the Polish lords.

To the north, the USSR forces the Baltic States to allow Soviet military bases to be established because of the fighting in Poland, and attacks Finland.  1940 – USSR blocks the ports of Estonia, Latvia, and Lithuania and prevents their navies from sailing. “People’s Self-Defense” militias are set up by the communists along with Soviet troops and take over the three states. New elections are held under Moscow’s occupation, and over 90% vote in favor of the Soviets: vote results are released before the voting is finished. The new governments “voluntarily” ask for annexation by Stalin, who happily welcomes them. 1941 – 22 June, Hitler orders the invasion of the expanded USSR in a surprise attack.  Stalin is caught unprepared.  But Stalin will win in the end, defeating Hitler and establishing the Warsaw Pact, which put an enormous distance between Russia itself and any possible invasion from NATO in the west of Europe. 1944 – In October, Subcarpathian Rus’ is liberated from fascist rule by the Red Army. Czechoslovakia’s delegates fly in from Moscow to resume civic life in their easternmost districts and prepare to restore the Republic going westward from the province. But, the Soviets interfere and declare that the people must “choose” if they want unification with the USSR.   1945 – First (and only) Congress of the People’s Soviets of  Subcarpathian Rus’ is elected under Red Army occupation: over 90% of the votes are in favor of the Soviet delegates.  This body petitions Stalin for annexation to the USSR.  Stalin joyfully welcomes the province to be “rejoined” to Ukraine, a territory which had never ruled over Subcarpathian Rus’!

Blessed Theodore Romzha, bishop of my Byzantine Catholic Church in Subcarpathian Rus’ was executed by the Soviets in 1947 for his resistance to Stalin’s plans to destroy the Church.

1945- The Allies order Poland to abandon hope of retrieving the one-fourth of the country annexed to Moscow in 1940, and instead clear out 5 million Germans from Silesia, East Prussia, West Prussia, Danzig and parts of Brandenburg and Pomerania to compensate Poland with these “Recovered Territories”, to which 2 million Polish refugees from the lost provinces came.

Over 19 million people were forced out of their homelands in 1945-48 as Germans, Poles, and Ukrainians were driven out to find refuge elsewhere.

1956, 1968, 1979 – USSR invades Hungary, Czechoslovakia, Afghanistan so as to “defend socialism.” 1994 – Ukraine surrenders her nuclear weapons in exchange for assurances that the US, UK and Russia will guarantee her permanent borders, as drawn out in 1991.  Ukraine says that these are guarantees, in 2014 the West says these were only assurances. 2000 – Russia begins distributing Russian passports to ethnic Russians in all of the countries along its borders: the Baltic States, Belarus, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Kazakhstan.  With these passports, these people are guaranteed Russian protection.  Later, Tajikistan is forced to cede six military bases to 15,000 Russian troops.  2008 – Russia responds to Abkahazia and South Ossetia  after charges of civil unrest, and 5% of Georgians become refugees in their own country. The West protests, US sends ships into Black Sea, nothing happens, to this day as Russia occupies these two Georgian provinces. 2005 – Putin states: we should acknowledge that the collapse of the Soviet Union was a major geopolitical disaster of the century. As for the Russian nation, it became a genuine drama. Tens of millions of our co-citizens and co-patriots found themselves outside Russian territory. He went on to point out that Russia itself faced the threat of being destabilized, and paid a heavy price for this collapse.

See Map at top of blog!

2014 – February: the Kazan Icon, Russia’s holiest image, is flown across the Black Sea in Putin’s private helicopter: to bless the Olympics in Sochi, or to bless future military operations against Ukraine?

28 February – Military actions against the Simferopol airport, blockade of the Ukrainian navy, and Russian Airborne forces arrive: occupation of Crimea begins. Yanukovych appears in Russia and suddenly Crimea is a victim of neo-fascist, anti-semitics, nationalist extremists who threaten the peace-loving Russians of the peninsula.  Russia acts in response to the cries of terrorized Russians and the so-called local militias in Russian uniforms with Russian armaments “appear.” 6 March – the Parliament votes “unanimously” in favor of joining Russia. However, media fail to report that the chamber was lined by armed soldiers, that the vote was called suddenly, and that the Ukrainian and Tatar delegates were unable to get to the building in time to have their say.  16 March – the highest election turnout since 1991 takes place, and 95.5% of all votes are for unification with Russia. The Crimean Tatars boycotted, as did most Ukrainians/ pro-Ukrainians, denouncing the election as illegal and without merit.

File:Crimean Tatar 2001-num.svgPercentage of Crimean Tatars in population of each raion of Crimea, 2001

The question now is, what happens next? As I put this together, Russian troops have taken over a gas facility on the mainland, and there are “appeals” from Russian citizens (Ukrainian citizens with Russian passports) in Donetsk oblast for assistance. God only knows what is going to happen next – balkanization of Ukraine? And what will become of the Greek Catholics and Roman Catholics in Crimea who have been struggling for so long to get churches set up? And the Tatars, who have been returning home after 60 years in exile in Central Asia? And Ukrainian patriots, and the isolated Ukrainian military men and their families? I go to bed tonight once again praying for Ukraine’s sovereignty, and the opportunity to put the Euromaidan revolution into good government for the sake of all residents. Russia is still trying to find its place in the post-Cold War world; its population has been crashing with more deaths than births for decades, and a low life expectancy; and Russia fears the advance of NATO up to its borders in the Baltic Sea, bringing up memories of 1941 and the need for keeping the Russian homeland protected by buffer states. What will happen in this volatile mix? Again, God knows. All that I pray for is peace, peace, peace. The Ukrainian Greek Catholic and Roman Catholic Churches  have been in the forefront of calling for respect for human rights and an end to the kleptocracy of Yanukovych and his ilk, and of the need for democracy.  The Ukrainian Kyiv Patriarchate, and now the Metropolitan of the Moscow Patriarchate Church in Ukraine, also call for peaceful resolution and the opportunity for Ukrainian citizens to establish a democracy. I don’t know why the Kazan icon was flown over the Black Sea, but I hope that the prayers of Our Lady, which are always for peace, will be heard by those who have the power to change the course of history on earth below her.  Ukraine deserves better.

The dark green oblast at far left, Uzhhorod, is home of my Byzantine Catholic Church. This was annexed to USSR in 1945.

  1. Thank you for this valuable article.

  2. What is the news source for Putin having the icon of Our Lady of Kazan flown over the Black Sea in February, 2014?

    • 1. Amir Taheri in a leading Arab language newspaper. But darned if I can now find another source for it! As far as I could find in an hour of Google, each one references Taheri as the source, or one of the stories which sources Taheri. So now, your question is prompting me to search further, both in Russian and English. If you or someone else finds other sources, or for that matter Taheri’s source, let me know. Thank you.

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Me, Earl, and the Dying Girl by Jesse Andrews

Because of the film adaptation of this book that was released in June I thought I’d give this one a try, despite being sick of sad cancer books. After spending a good day or two reading, I realiaed that I was very eager to see the movie because to me, the story seemed like it would fit better on the big screen than in would on pages. Jesse Andrews did a good job of making it rather light hearted but I can’t honestly say that I liked it. It could just be that it isn’t my type but I will tell you what I did and did not like so you can determine how you feel for yourself.

I felt a lot of secondhand embarrassment during my time with this book. I felt bad for Greg (the main character) because he was kind of a loser, and despite his best intentions I didn’t think he was all that nice. I always felt like reading something painful while Greg was in social situations and I don’t like that kind of discomfort as a reader. I thought he wasn’t a good enough friend to Rachel (the Dying Girl), or a friend at all really. He was in it because of his mom and Earl was in it because of Greg. But the difference is that it always seemed like Earl cared. When Greg was with Rachel it seemed like he tried but it seemed like he was preoccupied with other things a lot.

I did like Rachel, she seemed like a real person. I liked Earl, too. Earl always seemed to really know what is going on with the world. I like that Earl doesn’t always let Greg off the hook too.

I’d give it a 2 and a half stars just because of how painfully awkward I felt reading Greg’s conversations.

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So, I thought it would be useful to do a recap of my current academic, employment, and financial situation at the end of each month, so I can track my progress over time.

This month, I opened the door to many employment opportunities and more or less stayed on top of all of my academic responsibilities. As for my progress on the financial front, I'll let you be the judge!

This month, I:
  • applied for summering positions at 15 law firms in my hometown;
  • budgeted a year-end surplus of $3,680, which means that I will only owe $3,420 for my second year of law school (which cost a total of $25,000+);
  • applied for a PT law student position with the federal gov., and successfully wrote the exam (it turns out that the time commitment is actually only 15 hours/week instead of the 25 hours/week initially advertised); and
  • came up with a solution to my make-it-and-break-it New Year's resolutions pitfall: I will be challenging myself to reach one major objective each month, instead of one ginormous one all year.
So... Starting tomorrow, I am on the hunt to live on $80 of groceries all month. I'm a little frightened at what exactly this means I will have to eat... It will take some planning on my part, but it will be well worth it. Plus, a challenge is always fun! I am, after all, a student and would rather invest the money and watch it grow than to spend it away and watch my balance on my line of credit grow.

Also, if I end up being offered the PT job (following the interview, of course), I could potentially end up being completely debt free for the current year of law school with a little extra padding in my savings account, which is unheard of among my peers, as most are scraping approx. $10,000-15,000 in debt each and every year - even those from wealthy, financially supportive families.
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Psst! How to Curb Gossip in the Teacher’s Lounge

By Andrew Hawk

Psst! How to Curb Gossip in the Teacher’s LoungeHaving worked at four different schools as a teacher and a dozen more as a teaching assistant, I have been familiar with the teacher’s lounge for a long time. This private sanctuary offers teachers a place not just to eat, but also to recharge for the remainder of the day. In this simple room, bonds are often formed between teachers. These bonds can have a vast impact on the work chemistry of a teaching staff.

Unfortunately, this room can also be home to less positive interactions. I have worked at a school where gossip was a major problem. When gossip gets out of control, it can have a negative impact on student learning outcomes. In addition, things being said behind closed doors and not out in the open are one of the major indicators of a toxic work environment.

Venting is a healthy thing for people to do when they are frustrated. It is completely necessary and understandable. However, I suggest venting to a trusted friend or family member outside of the workplace. (Even then, do not include confidential information while venting.) Venting your frustration with a colleague or a student to a group of coworkers is never a good idea.

Unfair to Students and Colleagues
In the course of a school year, teachers will often come across private information about students that may affect their classroom performance. For example, if a student’s parents are getting a divorce, this is likely to have some impact on his behavior at school. Letting other teachers who might come into contact with that student know about a situation like this is not gossip. But telling every adult in the school about it and adding your opinion on the matter is gossip. Not only is it pointless, but it is dehumanizing to the student.

Finger-pointing is a common form of gossip that occurs among teachers. At the elementary level, this often happens between grade levels. Maybe the third-grade teachers think that the second-grade teachers grade too lightly. For this reason, so the gossip goes, the students are never ready for third grade. Perhaps fourth grade believes that third grade does not assign enough homework. For this reason, the third graders are never ready to embrace fourth-grade homework. You get the idea.

The problem is that in the midst of the finger-pointing, relationships deteriorate and nothing seems to change. If one grade level has a problem with how another grade level operates, all people involved should come together and hash out their differences.

Here are some tips for curbing gossip at your school:

Don’t Avoid the Teachers’ Lounge
When I was in college, professors told teaching candidates to stay out of the teachers’ lounge. My classmates and I were told that this was the best way to avoid becoming part of the gossip circles that exist in some schools. The problem with this strategy is that if all the people who do not gossip stay out of the teachers’ lounge, then gossipers are given an open area for gossiping. I am not suggesting that people go into the teachers’ lounge and confront gossipers, but you can make a big impact by leading by example.

Raise Awareness
Most teachers understand that gossip exists but do not understand its possible repercussions. The basic definition of a toxic environment is a place where the staff stand in the way of change. Gossip is one of the key elements of a toxic environment. If you think you may be working in a toxic environment, approach your administrator about pursuing a building-wide professional development on the subject. Better yet, do some research and offer to hold the professional development yourself.

Before you start training your colleagues on the dangers of gossip, do a little self-reflection and make sure that you are not a culprit yourself. If you are, you should form a plan to alter your behavior. Two good rules of thumb include the following: First, keep student information on a need-to-know basis. Second, do not say something about a colleague behind his or her back that you would not say to his or her face.

Voice Concerns at the Appropriate Times
Not everything needs to be said in a building-wide meeting. If one grade level has concerns about another grade level, stating the concerns in a full staff meeting will probably do more harm than good. However, somehow the two grade levels will need to come together to work out their differences. If you are in a situation like this and do not think the teachers will be able to resolve an issue on their own, approach your administrator about the matter. It will be the administrator’s duty to act as a facilitator in the matter.

Reach Out to the Island Teachers
“Island Teacher” is a term I have heard used to describe teachers who want to be on their own little island. They do not want to collaborate, and they do not want to do things as a team. These people are often the subject of school-wide gossip. Honestly, they bring most of it on themselves. If you work with someone like this, try to find a way to lure him or her off of the island. Gossiping about what a bad team player someone is will not change the situation.

Andrew HawkAndrew Hawk has worked in public education for fourteen years, starting as a teaching assistant in a special education classroom. He has taught first, second, and fifth grade as a classroom teacher, and for the past three years, has worked as a resource room teacher, providing services for fourth and fifth graders. Working as a special education teacher has given him the opportunity to work with a variety of age groups and exceptionalities. In 2011, he earned his master’s degree in special education from Western Governor’s University. When Andrew is not preparing for school, he enjoys spending time with his wife and daughter.

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Share your comments, stories, and ideas below, or contact us. All comments will be approved before posting, and are subject to our comment and privacy policies.

FSP Springybook Signature(c)© 2016 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved.

This entry was posted in Elementary Angle and tagged , . Bookmark the permalink.

2 Responses to Psst! How to Curb Gossip in the Teacher’s Lounge

  1. Concerned Teacher says:

    I have seen gossip, gaslighting and miscommunication become extremely problematic for teachers in education lately. This negative behavior seems to have resulted in the changes that have taken place with the leadership model over the past 8 years. Unfortunately the current leadership model seems to creates division, displaces children as top priority and has created a system of communication where much is lost in translation. The current team leader model makes it hard to suggest opinions without backlash.

    After teaching for 20 years in elementary education, I have seen positive and negative changes take place. I have seen the pendulum swing back and forth, mandates come and go. I have witnessed struggles and growth. Of all the changes, I find the model that has been least effective to education is the team leader model accepted by most districts. I say this as a teacher who has been leader on and off the teams so I view it from both sides. Before the team model, the entire school was a team, all were leaders. We were friends across the grades, we lunched as one team, our team was our school, each equal members. Our goal was to improve our school for children. Grade levels would meet and discuss plans. There was not one chosen leader, all were leaders, voices were equal, and conversation were natural as the politics of the meeting were not predominant, rather the problems occurring in the classroom at that moment.

    Team models where there is one leader automatically create division. Pecking order is established, survival is the goal rather than the issues in the classrooms. Becoming friends with the leader so you have a voice is the underlying concern. Rather than focusing on problems at hand, there is a natural propensity to constantly speak in a manner that will be well perceived by the leader who then has discussions with the coach and principal. This is not always the case because there is the occasional team that works, however it is a shot in the dark where we assume positive intentions at all times from every member, there is no flexibility there.

    This system automatically takes away transparency. The team members can’t be transparent, and the leader must speak in a way that is acceptable to the administration. This is a system where control is not in the hands of the teachers. The leadership meetings become a place where conversations are had in privacy and only the chosen are invited. We need to go back where meetings are had as one team, where all are invited. As it stands the concern of what is happening to the school that used to funnel through a unified system has been replaced and thrust through a bureaucratic machine no better than an elaborate creation of Rube Goldberg. With the past team model, all were team leaders, the conversations, leadership and objectivity were organic and student driven. On given days, different members lead due to natural changes, good days, good plans and organic dynamics that could be called into action depending on the situation.

    Schools need to return to the traditional team model where we are trusted to discuss topics we see as problematic. The micro management must be removed so we can see what is happening in our own classrooms at the moment instead of being forced to be bobble heads in survival mode. Our power as teachers has been diminished through this current model I am afraid. We are gaslighting each other because we are in survival mode as opposed to being trusted to be the professionals we were trained to be. We need to call this for what it is and work towards a system that gives all voice and respect so that we can once again return to the immediate needs at hand, see each other as supporters rather than adversaries and become the actual teams we were without feeling oppressed or resentful. Veteran teachers and new teachers must have equal voice as it used to be and problems should be taken to one person, the administrator, so we are no longer playing a game of telephone but actually addressing the needs of our students.

  2. bizigal says:

    For most of the reasons you mentioned, I added a “confidentiality clause” to my child’s’ IEP. Teachers who were on the IEP team were held accountable for blatant gossip. Most were scared and avoided any talk outside of what was acceptable to teach my child throughout the course of the day. I am working on my next article about this same topic. Thanks

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5 Ways to Make Character Education Work in the Classroom

By Garth Sundem, author of Real Kids, Real Stories, Real Character

5 Ways to Make Character Education Work in the ClassroomIn a 1978 episode of the Muppet Show, Sam the Eagle says to rock star Alice Cooper, “Let me come right to the point. You, sir, are a demented, sick, degenerate, barbaric, naughty freako!” For educators of a certain vintage, this was our first experience with character education. Unfortunately, it didn’t work. Cooper says, “Why, thank you!” and poor Sam the Eagle chalks up one point for freakos and zero for civilization. Since lecturing students about their character flaws does about as much to instill grit, kindness, creativity, humility, persistence, and courage as a moralizing puppet’s attempts to reform Alice Cooper do, the question is, what does work?

One good source for answers is a report titled “What Works in Character Education” by Marvin W. Berkowitz, a Sanford N. McDonnell Endowed Professor in Character Education at the University of Missouri–St. Louis College of Education, and Melinda C. Bier. It is a summary of research-based character education programs.

“Character education is not optional in school—it is inevitable,” Berkowitz and Bier write. According to their research, here are five characteristics of successful character education programs:

1. Family and/or Community Involvement
In some successful character education programs, parents, families, and community members are “consumers” of the program themselves—they learn about character along with students. In other programs, family and community are partners in character education, working with schools and teachers to implement and deliver a character education program. No matter the mechanics of exactly how parents and the community are involved in a school’s character education program, this involvement is an important feature of a program’s success.

2. Explicit Agenda
Character education takes place in the background of everything you do every minute of every day in your classroom. The extent of this background learning depends on the unmeasurable, and sometimes ephemeral, sum of how you interact with your students and how you shape your students’ actions and attitudes in your classroom. However, Berkowitz and Bier find that programs designed to specifically improve character do best when time is set aside for character education. When you’re teaching character, tell your students that you are teaching character. In addition to the implicit learning of your classroom environment, when it’s time for character education, make the learning explicit.

3. Integration into the Academic Curriculum
On the surface, this seems to contradict the previous point: How can you set aside time for character education while making it part of the curriculum? What Berkowitz and Bier mean by this is that character education shouldn’t be a modular tack-on to the “more important” work of content-area education. Integrating character education into the academic curriculum means recognizing it as a tool to “promote academic learning and achievement.”

4. Professional Development
Teachers have hundreds, if not thousands, of hours of training in the best ways to help kids understand and become skilled in content areas like language arts, science, and math. The idea that we are qualified to teach character education because our own lives have (supposedly) turned out okay seems a little thin. Instead, effective character education programs invest in their teachers’ skills. Whatever character education program your school uses, Berkowitz and Bier show that it is most effective when teachers are trained to use it.

5. Providing Models and Mentors
“Many programs incorporate peer and adult role models (both live and literature based) and mentors to foster character development,” Berkowitz and Bier write. Every good writing class teaches the lesson “show, don’t tell,” meaning that a reader can best understand a fictional character through the character’s thoughts, words, and actions rather than through the writer’s blunt statements about the character. Berkowitz and Bier show that it’s the same with character education—like Sam the Eagle, we can tell our students all about character, but being inspired by the presence of character in action goes about a light-year further toward affecting students’ expressions of character after the bell rings.

Berkowitz and Bier show that character education, when done right, works, leading to long-lasting effects on the “head” (knowledge, thinking), “heart” (emotions, motivation), and “hand” (behavior, skills). Evidence also shows how to do it right . . . and, by extension, how to do it wrong. Using these guidelines can help students not only know character, but also feel it in a way that will help them carry character outside the classroom and into the hallways and homes where life happens.

Author Garth SundemGarth Sundem is a TED-Ed speaker and former contributor to the Science Channel. He blogs at GeekDad and PsychologyToday.com. He has been published in Scientific American, Huffington Post Science, Fast Company, Men’s Health, Esquire, The New York Times, Congressional Quarterly, and Publishers Weekly. Garth grew up on Bainbridge Island, Washington, and currently lives in Boulder, Colorado, with his wife, two kids, and a pack of Labradors.

Free Spirit books by Garth Sundem:

Real Kids, Real Stories, Real ChangeReal Kids, Real Stories, Real Character

We welcome your comments and suggestions. Share your comments, stories, and ideas below, or contact us. All comments will be approved before posting, and are subject to our comment and privacy policies.

FSP Springybook Signature(c)© 2016 by Free Spirit Publishing. All rights reserved.

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A Place for Buddy

We just got back from touring an autism treatment program for Buddy, and we’re very optimistic and excited. Ever since I became concerned about autism with Buddy I’ve had a hard time finding a place that seems to understand autism which has been a source of frustration (there’s nothing worse than being scared there’s a problem, having people tell you he’s behind but will grow out of it and not to worry), and I think we finally have.

Things I like about their program.

  1. 1:1 teacher/student ratio. At Buddy’s current school there are a lot of kids and not a lot of teachers, and a child with autism needs A LOT of engagement and really need to be shadowed constantly.
  2. 50% of the time is one on one, the rest is with the other students.
  3. There’s a playground across the street owned by the Boys & Girls Town that they have a contract to use, and Buddy can play there with them while being shadowed by a therapist who can help him learn to play with other children (this has been the hardest thing for me. Sometimes he plays very well with other children, sometimes he wants to but just can’t break the ice and it’s so hard to watch).
  4. No worksheets. Everything is natural, play based learning. We evolved to learn through play, not worksheets, and finding a place in my area that does not focus on worksheet drills and focuses on learning through play has been exceedingly difficult. Play IS the mechanism by which children learn.
  5. They have a gross motor therapy room with a ball pit. Buddy saw that and jumped right in and did not want to leave! So yeah, Buddy liked it there a lot! I explained that he is sensory seeking and they actually knew what I meant and understood the other autism lingo.
  6. They did not give me that condescending false hope that he will start talking and acting like a typically developing child in abut a month. Everything was realistic. I feel like they actually understand autism.
  7. Once a month they will either meet me or my husband in the home to check out concerns, progress, and to work on issues in the home to help Andy and I improve how we interact with him, and also to help Sissy learn how to interact with him. As a therapist I strongly believe that when one person in the family has a problem, the whole family has that problem, and the actions that each person in that family performs or fails to perform either makes the problem better or worse. So even though Sissy is not yet two, she’s affected by having a sibling with autism and also needs support. So I like that the whole family is going to be included.
  8. It’s more hours during the week than what he currently has, and it’s year round. So not more of this getting him in a schedule and it getting messed up by summer or Christmas break.

So Andy and I are very happy with what we saw and Buddy really liked playing there. We think this will be a good place for him and that he can grow and thrive there. They did not promise me a miracle, everything was realistic, and they accepted his autism behaviors as autism behaviors and not being defiant or manipulative.

Of course, until we meet our very high deductible, we’re going to be paying through the nose for this. This is one of those instance where I want to emphasize that a person’s financial resources matter. Person A with a child like Buddy who can afford the therapy will get it and see their child progress. Person B with a child like Buddy who can’t would have to settle for what the school offers, and considering all of the labeling of his behavior in pre-school, frankly that would put that kid on the path to juvenile delinquency. The thing is I have worked with people less fortunate and seen how their children are punished by the school system for having autism. But that’s the subject of another blog.

For now we’re just overjoyed to get Buddy into this program and out of the schools. End of February!

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On Radical Kindness

As promised, here are my remarks for our 2016 National Honor Society induction ceremony.

Good evening. Before I begin, I want to thank you for asking me to speak tonight. I am honored, and so very proud of all of you. As our current Public Speaking teacher, I feel just a tiny bit of pressure to perform.

The National Honor Society is comprised of students who have demonstrated excellence in scholarship, leadership, service, and character. YOU are the people I send my freshmen to for help. You are the ambassadors of our school and community. I hope that what I have to say to you tonight supports this mission, gives you something to think about as you go forth.

So, to do this, I need you to play along with me for a moment.

Close your eyes.

YOU are Harry Potter jumping into the Pensieve, the sparkling sink of memories, here. If you were to narrate your own story, right now, what would the critical, most important moments, the game changers, look like? Thinking backward, what events have led to your sitting here tonight? What is your story?

When I tell mine, I have landmarks – good and bad – but ALL that good has something in common: kindness. I’m not talking about getting a pay-it-forward coffee in the drive-through at Dunkin’, although that is a sure way to put a smile on my face. I’m talking about deeper, life-altering kindness, a kindness that is not safe, or comfortable, or easy.

Now I want you to take a moment and look to your left, and look to your right. Search the crowd like a spotlight. Whose story do you know? Think of someone you had trouble with today, a freshman in your way on the ramp or a cranky teacher or your best friend, or your mama. What is their story? What do you think their day was like today? Visualize concentric circles and move out, and think about those in your – school – community – state – nation – world. How very many stories are we missing?

My story is built upon the radical kindness of others.

I have experienced radical kindness at the hands of professors who, when my options were to lug a feverish toddler to class or stay home, said, “you are both welcome, come”. In this they said, “you are smart, you are welcome, you are worthy.”

I’ve experienced radical kindness in the words of writers who, knowing what criticism would come, told their truths anyway. For in telling their truths they nodded to the rest of us and said, “you are not alone.”

I’ve experienced radical kindness in Target-line conversations and smiles and held doors and when reading “I’m proud of you” scribbled in the margins of a most challenging grad paper. In this, they said, “you are seen, you are valued.”

Each of these moments required pause, they required time and energy of the giver, a moment outside of oneself (or ones phone).

Each of these moments ferried me over the difficult ones, and it is not hyperbolic to say that I would not be here, right now, without each one of them.

Radical kindness happens in the margins. Radical kindness is not random.

It is empathy, and validating the feelings of others.

It is humility, and knowing we are one of many.

It is respect, regard for that which is different from you.

It is a verb. Not an idea, but an action.

It is recognizing that we ALL have a story.

I fail at this every day, and that is okay. Giving advice to young writers, lecturer and writer Andrew Solomon says “ . . . It is nearly impossible to hate anyone whose story you know . . .” and this thought sits like a virtual worry stone in the pocket of my heart. My daily failure means I am trying. It does not stop me from showing up again the next day, and the next, and the next, for I must.

Now is the time for radical kindness.

This is not to say that the act of “paying it forward” is meaningless. There will never be too much of that. It is to say that you are getting older, and more mature, and you are ready to make the hard choices – to look beyond yourselves.

It is often much easier to pay $2 for a cup of coffee than it is to stop and help someone pick up their dropped papers in the hall. It is easier to judge than to wonder. It is easier to give a present than it is to listen, and it is much more comfortable to complete a “random act of kindness” than to tell your friends “please don’t say that” or “leave him alone.”

But you are ready to make the hard choices. You need 0 dollars to change your way of moving about this one, wild and beautiful world.

Mother Teresa once commented on the state of the world: “If we have no peace, it is because we have forgotten that we belong to each other.” So again, I ask you to look to your left, and look to your right. Search the crowd like a spotlight.

Now, stand up.

If you are comfortable doing so, grab the hands of those next to you.

Here are your people.

In radical kindness we affirm that we do, indeed, belong to each other.

Thank you.

The ceremony was lovely and the most difficult moment was restraining myself from helping when two young gentlemen behind me were struggling to place the new NHS pins on each other.

Now I am tired, and am looking forward to a weekend of very little other than house cleaning and hockey.

One thought on “On Radical Kindness

  1. I absolutely love your speech! The message is so important and needs to be heard everywhere! You have done an amazing job sharing the importance of radical kindness!

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