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Fashion & Beauty Miami Beach

Clothes Off My Back Fashion Show with a Twist

Sunday, April 28, 4pm-8pm – Dilido Beach Club atÂ The Ritz-Carlton South Beach, 1 Lincoln Road, Miami Beach Picture yourself sitting on South Beach, with an ocean view, listening to original live music by the Joshua Steadman Band, with a cocktail in your hand as hors dâ€™oeuvres are passed, while watching a â€œbeach chicâ€ fashion show.Â  […]

Anniversary Celebration Miami-Dade County

Backyard Monsters 1st Year Anniversary at the Station

Sunday, April 28, 4-8pm -Â The Station, 60 NE 40th Street, MiamiÂ  Join at The Station to celebrate one year of Backyard Monsters Parties & Omar Rosario’s Birthday. This party will kick off at 4pm outside with full production stage and setup and a FREE BBQ til 8pm. At 11pm we will take the party indoors […]

In the Spotlight Miami Beach Sports & Fitness

Beach Polo World Cup 2013

April 25 – 28, Between 20th and 22nd Streets, Miami Beach The Polo Life, hosted the 9th annual La Martina Miami Beach Polo World Cup, the worldâ€™s largest and most prestigious Beach Polo competition, from April 25th to April 28th between 20th and 22nd Streets on the sands of South Beach.Â The four-day, globally renowned sporting […]

Charity & Causes Fashion & Beauty Miami Downtown

“Pink Sundays” Pool Party and Fashion Show Charity Fundraiser at Club 50

Sunday, April 28, 12pm-8pm – Club 50 at Viceroy Hotel, 485 Brickell Avenue, MiamiÂ Brickell Pink Sundays Miami presents an Uber Lux Pool Party & Fashion Show Charity Fundraiser at 50 Ultra Lounge atop the Viceroy Hotel & Resort in Brickell, for L.E.A.F. Inc. (The Legacy Entertainment & Arts Foundation).Â The benefit will feature:Â Celebrity Appearances,Â Local Celebrity DJ’s,Â Brickell’s […]

Festivals & Fairs Miami Downtown

Taste Of Cuba Festival

April 26 – 28 – Miami Circle, 401 Brickell Avenue, MiamiÂ Brickell Taste of Cuba Festival will feature lots of Cuban food, music, native art, cigars, and daily domino competitions.Â  Hereâ€™s a breakdown of some of the activities: Day-1, Friday, April 26, 5 to 11 p.m. Happy hour kickoff and Guayabera Party featuring drink specials, food, […]

Broward County Charity & Causes Lifestyle

Fundraiser Aboard Floridian Princess To Benefit Memorial Cancer Institute

Sunday, April 28, 11am – Floridian PrincessÂ at the Diplomat Hotel, 3555 South Ocean Drive, Hollywood Fundraiser on the Floridian Princess, a luxury charter yacht, to benefit the Memorial Cancer Institute. Guests will enjoy a leisurely cruise up and down the intracoastal waterway, complete with live jazz, hors dâ€™oeuvres and cocktails, a silent auction and buffet […]

Broward County Festivals & Fairs

Pompano Beach Seafood Festival 2013

April 26 – 28,Â Fishing Pier,Â 222 N Pompano Beach Boulevard,Â Pompano Beach The 29th Annual Pompano Beach Seafood Festival is three days of seaside fun with plenty of live entertainment, arts and crafts, local food, hot sun, cold drinks and of course, the seafood that South Florida is known for. Daily admission is $15.Â The Seafood Festival is […]

Broward County Festivals & Fairs

Deerfield Beach Wine and Food Festival “A Blue Wave Affair”

April 26 – 28,Â Quiet Waters Park, Deerfield Beach & The Bites! Network â€“ a specialized event producer – is proud to present for its third year running â€“ the Deerfield Beach Wine and Food Festival â€“ A Blue Wave Affair! Set at Quiet Waters Park in Deerfield Beach, enjoy food tastings and pairing, wine, […]

Broward County Charity & Causes Sports & Fitness

2013 WALK like MADD and MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K

Sunday, April 28, 7am – Huizenga Park, 32 E Las Olas Blvd., Fort Lauderdale Join the 3rd Annual Walk Like MADD & MADD Dash Fort Lauderdale 5K presented by Maroone & Ultimate Software.Â  Celebrity emcee Tony Segreto on the mic & special guest 2 time silver medalistÂ Paralympic Champion Kari Miller will kick things off with […]

Food & Drinks

Authentically EATalian Restaurant Weekend

April 26 – 28 – Various Restaurants The Italy-America Chamber of Commerce is proud to launch its new project Authentically EATalian Weekend! Get to know the true cuisine of â€œThe Beautiful Countryâ€ during delectableÂ Authentically EATalian Restaurant Weekend, featuring 11 local restaurants offering three-course prix fixe menus at only $39 per person (plus tax and gratuity). […]


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PHP5 Extension Module

Phalcon is an open source, full stack framework for PHP 5 written as a C-extension, optimized for high performance. You don't need learn or use the C language, since the functionality is exposed as PHP classes ready for you to use. Zephir is a high level language, something between C and PHP. It’s both dynamic and static typed and it supports just the features we need to create and maintain a project like Phalcon.

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The Fallacy of Statements of Faith | Sojourners

The Fallacy of Statements of Faith

I have a confession to make.

A while back, I was applying for an editing job with a fairly prominent Christian media company, and in the application process, I was asked to sign a statement of faith. For those unfamiliar, this is a list of things that the organization in question claims to believe, and they ask all who are interested in being a part of it to sign their name, claiming their personal agreement with and belief in the exact same things.

Truth be told, I needed the job. So even though I didn’t actually agree with several points in the statement of faith, I signed it. Turns out I didn’t get the job anyway, so I compromised myself for pretty much nothing.

I had another organization approach me recently about publishing some of my work. They’ve followed my writing for some time and thought that my content would add something valuable to their community. In most cases, when I give permission to folks to “repost” my stuff, it involves little more than a verbal agreement about what they plan to do with my articles. But this one came with two separate agreements I was asked to sign before moving forward.

There, in the middle of both agreements, were the same statements of faith, nearly mirroring word-for-word the one I had disingenuously signed the first time when the job was at stake. But this time, I thought twice about it. I wrote them and explained that, although I’d be happy to work with them, I couldn’t sign their faith doctrine agreement in good conscience.

I appreciate that some folks want to be very explicit and clear about what they believe. I also understand why those in charge of an organization would try to teach or persuade those involved with them to believe likewise.

But personally, I think the whole “sign the statement of faith” thing is more or less pointless.

For evidence of this, we don’t have to look any further than the Catholic Church, the first major institutional body of the Christian faith. A recent poll found that, despite the teachings and public positions of church leaders, a majority of Catholics not only support contraception, but also support Obama’s mandate to require employers to pay for it. Then there’s the troublemaking American nuns, getting into hot water with the male Catholic gentry for not toeing the ideological church line, particularly with regard to matters of sex and sexuality.

So if over half of the faithful openly differ with the Church, and if the hands and feet of the missional arm of the church vocally oppose the Vatican, what’s the point of the institutional doctrine to begin with?

When it comes down to it, what seems to me to be at the heart of such traditions is not so much faithfulness, but rather control. If your inclusion in a system is contingent on you conforming to the beliefs of the leadership, then that institution has the power either to coerce you into compliance or to exile you for disobedience.

But the problem is that it sets up a dynamic that actually encourages people to lie. The fact is, no institution, no matter how powerful, can indelibly change the hearts and minds of its members. They may outwardly claim uniformity, but the inner sanctuary of a human being ultimately is off limits to anyone other than God and that individual. We can use fear, punishment or even positive incentives to get people to fall into place, but there’s never any guarantee that they actually believe what we’re trying to force them to believe.

Some people proclaim the inevitable decline and death of the Emerging Christian movement. Yes, it has its flaws, and yes, in some ways it’s already started to reflect some of the dynamics it sought to subvert in existing faith institutions. But there is no statement of faith to be found, namely because there is no specific body in charge to claim such authority and control.

The day that someone tries to do that, the movement ossifies and crosses over to “institution” status.

The denomination I’m a part of, the Christian Church (Disciples of Christ), has a new slogan, if you will, that some people criticize for being soft or touchy-feely. They claim is that we are “a movement for wholeness in a fragmented world.” Kinda mushy, I agree. But the word “movement” is, for me, the most important of all. We are unified by our common faith in Jesus and in our common call to justice and service in the ways that Jesus called us to serve.

But when it comes to exactly what that looks like and means for each individual, the administrative heads of the denomination are thankfully silent.

Some call that flaccid leadership, or even un-Christian. How, after all, can we be sure that the people who claim to be Disciples of Christ are, indeed, doing it right?

We can’t.

From what I can tell, Jesus never made his disciples sign a statement of faith. In fact, when his followers pressed him for more specifics on what to believe and how to act, he would tell them a story rather than nail it all down in clear terms for them.

If it’s good enough for Jesus, it’s good enough for me.

Christian Piatt is an author, editor, speaker, musician and spoken word artist. He co-founded Milagro Christian Church in Pueblo, Colorado with his wife, Rev. Amy Piatt, in 2004. Christian is the creator and editor of "Banned Questions About The Bible" and "Banned Questions About Jesus." His new memoir on faith, family and parenting is called "PREGMANCY: A Dad, a Little Dude and a Due Date." For more information about Christian,, or find him on Twitter or Facebook.

Faith illustration, Lauren Blackwell /

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Find Out More About Home Coffee Maker in Jerusalem

Published Feb 07, 21
3 min read

Home Coffee Machines - A Guide to Picking the Best One

If you think that all home coffee machines are created equally, you clearly have not taken the time to explore the numerous selections out there. Purchasing the wrong machine might be costly, especially if you're a really serious coffee drinker. Generally domestic java maker advantages include saving time, allowing you to brew unique varieties without needing to get them in volume, and permitting you to relish the taste of one's choice without spending too muchbetter. However, the downside, picking the wrong machine might be costly, particularly in the event that you choose an ineffective one. As with any investment, it is always good to do your research before heading to the shop.

First off, you have to determine what sort of home coffee machines that you want. For the best results, you should only purchase machines which can be made by well known manufacturers like Senseo or even Keurig. Additionally, there are many specialty coffee makers available that can provide top quality flavor for an affordable price. In fact, it is probably best to stick with professional coffee machines, especially if you are interested in providing consistent supreme quality beverages on a consistent basis. These professional coffee machines typically include detailed guidelines that enable you to make great tasting drinks in just a matter of minutes.

The Keurig K-Cup domestic java machine is most likely the most common expert espresso maker currently available. It employs a single-cup java cup in which you can brew a variety of different types of beverages. It could produce espressos, lattes, cappuccinos, mochas, along with other specialty beverages. Besides its own exceptional convenience and flavorful taste, the Keurig k cup domestic java maker has no need for a hot dish or warming rack, therefore it is very user friendly and wash.

Another common choice is your Senseo automatic machine. This multipurpose coffee brewer combines convenience and quality at an incredibly reasonable price. The Senseo utilizes the integral, reusable filter that is included within the machine. This filter holds miniature ground coffee cubes which can be removed before the coffee has been brewed, providing a stronger-than-average cup of java with every beverage.

For a really homey cup of Java, then there is nothing much better than an Intellicore coffee maker. This machine creates an outstanding cup of gourmet coffee that rivals the greatest restaurants. IntelliCaf machines brew full-bodied and intense lattes and cappuccinos perfectly, with only the most useful parts from beans that are chosen. IntelliCaf machines tend not to need a java basket or warming tray, and they are incredibly user friendly, making them ideal for people who prefer to create their own coffee in your home. This type of products has become extremely popular, particularly for people who like to treat guests into a great cup of home java at each visit.

Even the Intellicore is among the very popular home machines available on the market today, and it's probably the best overall choice when it comes to what sort of home coffeemachine would best meet your requirements. Other popular options are the Senseo and Ceramic Grinder kinds of coffee machines. If you want to know more about a SESEMENS coffee maker, you may choose to look in the Sensus brewing system by Siemens. This type of machine was made to brew the best coffee possible within an single-cup version. Other great models on this line contain the Zen brewer, the Senseo and Ceramic Grinder, all which are famous for producing top notch coffee and the very best tasting beverages too.

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Ecco Women's Zipflex Sneaker 803763 AW21

$212.45 $259.95

or 4 payments of $53.11 AUD with Afterpay

The ECCO ZIPLEX shoe is a revolutionary ECCO design. Dynamic, this style functions effortlessly as an outdoor shoe that can handle weather and terrain while also complimenting any outfit. With an ultra flexible sole and minimalist style, these are meant for city streets and light hiking trails alike.

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Health care providers, payers, clearinghouses, and billing services are required to comply with the transition to ICD-10.

Among the many changes facing healthcare, the expansion of the ICD diagnosis and procedure code set is perhaps the most challenging. Delays in planning and implementing the new code set can create payment delays and negatively impact your revenue cycle. SoluStaff helps healthcare organizations successfully manage the entire ICD-10 transition lifecycle.

SoluStaff offers ICD-10 transition and implementation services:

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  • Performance dashboards


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Faxing Services Surrey

Sonia Locke Secretarial Services are a well established, well known Secretarial Services company, at Sonia Locke Secretarial Services our aim is to provide quality Faxing Services in Surrey as well as providing Secretarial Services, Photocopying Services and Mail Forwarding Services.

We are situated in Surrey. We can provide quality Faxing Services across Surrey and many of the surrounding areas.

For trusted Faxing Services in Surrey look no further and call us on: 02086 502 999

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webJust got back from a week of fun in Utah.  5 radio interviews and live performances AND my first official single spin on the RADIO!  Thank you MY 99-Five!  It was a blast.  Thank you to all the fans who have been calling in and asking about my song “You’re so Good For me” that is featured on the Lagoon Park Campaign.

Radio was so fun!  (Besides the waking up early part- I went to bed when it was still light one night.)  I love the banter and the off the cuff sorta attitude of each DJ.  101.5 Keith Stubbs was one of the most interesting interviews.  He really cared to ask me about myself and my music and had such great energy.  x96 Radio From Hell,  was a fun bunch as well…(Gina, thank you for taking the time to understand my lyrics.)  KZHT 97.1 was a thrill.  They originally inspired the entire radio tour.

I have such great people on my team and feel totally blessed to have so many fantastic talented people routing for me and helping me each step.  Matthew Williams was up early snapping shots of the interviews.  Matt Hodgson was there as well, as this whole campaign stemmed from those commercials that were a  “Bunch of Magic”- Tracy Chapman 101.5.   Jon and Jeff were there too, keep things rolling.  Chuck Myers on the keys backin’ me up.  The whole thing was a smooth working machine.

It looks like i’ll be back next week for a couple other appearances..so stay tuned.  Don’t forget, “You’re so good for me” is now on itunes and the new music video (Directed by Matt Hodgson and DP Matthew Williams) will be available on itunes in a week or so.

Thank you for all your love and support!


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So You Want A Business

  • 22 Sep 2020
  • 11:00 AM - 1:00 PM
  • Skype

 Registration:      Email or call 801-844-7900

Tuesday, September 22, 2020

So You Want To Buy A Business…

This seminar will be a practical session designed to help entrepreneurs who have decided it’s finally time to own a business.  We will focus on concrete steps that you can take to ensure your entrepreneurial dream does not become a nightmare.  Specifically, we will help you to determine what to buy (stock or assets), how much to pay, and identify specific things about the business that you should investigate.

  • ·         Elementary principles of investment analysis (risk, return, and why cash flow matters)
  • ·         Why it’s important to evaluate the business as an investment (not as a job or a hobby)
  • ·         Key questions that need to be asked and answered (by business owner and/or key employees)
  • ·         Documents you should review (or have professionally reviewed) before agreeing on a price
  • ·         Common deal structures (asset sales, stock sales) and how each could impact the deal price
  • ·         Basic Due Diligence:  simple steps you can take to protect yourself from unscrupulous sellers.

Keith A. Pinkerton, MBA, CFA, ASA

Keith has over 20 years of experience providing economic consulting, business valuation and dispute resolution services. His practice focuses on the analysis and appraisal of closely-held companies, preferred stock, debt securities, healthcare entities and intangibles assets such as patents and trademark rights. Keith has earned an MBA from Baylor University and a Bachelor of Arts degree in Economics from the University of South Florida.  Keith has earned professional designations from the CFA Institute and the American Society of Appraisers.

Nate Lining, CPA

Nate has been in public accounting since 2014. He has provided tax and accounting services primarily to closely held businesses and their owners. He also has substantial experience in business valuation, litigation, and forensic accounting, and is currently working towards the ABV designation. He holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting from Liberty University.

  • ·         Date:                     Tuesday, September 22
  • ·         Time:                  11:00 a.m. to 1:00 p.m.
  • ·         Cost:                      Complimentary -but you must register to reserve a virtual “seat”
  • ·         Place:                    Virtual session using Skype technology
  • ·         Registration:      Email or call 801-844-7900
  • ·          Skype Link:         We will email the link to the Skype session once you register.

The workshop, “So, You Want to Buy a Business”, is offered for informational purposes only, and should not be construed as legal or other professional advice. Consult with an attorney or other professional concerning your own needs and circumstances. The views and opinions expressed by the speaker are not necessarily those of Zions Bank®, its parent or affiliates. Zions Bank is a division of Zions Bancorporation, N.A.,Member FDIC.

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Let’s Be Friends!

Let's make a difference together by speaking words of life.

A House that is Toy Tidy….Is there such a Thing?

One of our favorite Christmas traditions is to carry out our mattresses to the living room and all sleep around the Christmas tree.  We usually sleep around the Christmas tree long before ... READ the POST

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McCarrick’s ‘Nephews’ Still Run the Church | The American Spectator | USA News and Politics
McCarrick’s ‘Nephews’ Still Run the Church
George Neumayr
Theodore McCarrick (YouTube screenshot)

Anybody who bothers to slog through the Vatican’s mountainous report on the McCarrick scandal will not emerge from the experience enlightened. The report’s revelations, to the extent they exist, are inadvertent. The chief one, evident in the feckless epistolary back-and-forth documented in the report, is that McCarrick would remain an honored cardinal to this day were it not for credible accusations against him involving underage teens. Take those charges away, and he would still be popping up at the Vatican for meetings with the pope. That McCarrick had corrupted countless seminarians and priests by pressuring them into his bed simply didn’t shock churchmen, whose standards seemed considerably lower than those of the pagan world.

Well aware of McCarrick’s louche reputation, Pope Francis joked about it, according to previous reports, once jovially attributing McCarrick’s longevity to the devil not having his “accommodations ready” yet. McCarrick’s victims didn’t find his deranged sex addiction amusing and tried to alert churchmen to it. But they didn’t want to listen. Cardinal Donald Wuerl, who succeeded McCarrick in Washington, D.C., was told directly about McCarrick’s abuse by one of his victims, around 14 years before the scandal broke. Wuerl says that he “forgot” about the exchange. Despite this pathological lie, Wuerl is given a chance in the report to tell more of them. He repeats his denials of any knowledge of McCarrick’s misconduct and even portrays himself as an innocent in the belabored, pathetically pussyfooting discussions about McCarrick’s retirement.

The testimony of Wuerl and other McCarrick enablers only serves to highlight the report’s dishonesty. It is a very selective, self-serving, and above all score-settling document. A great deal of it is directed toward refuting former papal nuncio Archbishop Carlo Maria Viganò, who urged the Vatican to cashier McCarrick. But this material isn’t very convincing. Indeed, many of the footnotes in a roundabout way confirm Viganò’s testimony. Did Pope Francis know about McCarrick’s past? Yes. Did he do anything about it? No.

There is a lot of boring back-and-forth about whether Pope Benedict had imposed “sanctions” on McCarrick in retirement or merely recommended that he live quietly. Who cares? Either way, Pope Francis didn’t continue his predecessor’s policy, passive as it was. Long after learning about McCarrick’s misconduct, Pope Francis was still musing about the purposes to which he could put him. In a footnote, the pope is quoted as saying to Cardinal Parolin, “Maybe McCarrick could still do something useful.”

The pope, after all, had already rehabilitated plenty of other checkered prelates. To this day, thanks to the pope’s protection, the ecclesiastical head of the Vatican bank is Monsignor Battista Ricca. The pope made that appointment even after Vatican correspondent Sandro Magister had established that Ricca’s scandals included an affair with a member of the Swiss Guard, a beating he received at a gay bar, and the discovery by firemen of Ricca trapped in an elevator with a young male prostitute.

It was the Ricca appointment that gave rise to the signature phrase of this pontificate: “Who am I to judge?” McCarrick benefited from the lax ethos that that signaled.

The report, of course, says nothing about the existence of the gay mafia in the Church that elected Pope Francis and that has been receiving plum positions ever since. McCarrick had been part of that bloc. Though he couldn’t vote in the conclave, he acknowledged “talking” Francis up to other prelates. What role that played in the pope’s ginger handling of McCarrick naturally goes unaddressed.

One gets the distinct sense from the occasionally omniscient tone of the document that its authors held much back. For example, we are told that McCarrick found out about Cardinal John O’Connor’s highly confidential letter warning Pope John Paul II about elevating McCarrick. Who tipped McCarrick off to that? The Vatican knows, but it tellingly withholds that information, as that would shed too much light on the string-pullers behind the gay mafia.

In one letter, O’Connor insinuates that McCarrick’s incessant globetrotting could be cover for sex tourism, which surely must have been the case. But the document contains no reports of McCarrick-related misconduct abroad, which strains credulity. One wonders how much actual investigation went into the report. (Its aside about the supposed simplicity of life McCarrick adopted while living with the Incarnate Word order is particularly lame. In fact, McCarrick was dragging unwilling seminarians with him to Atlantic City casinos.)

Here and there the report does advance our knowledge of the corruption around McCarrick. One passage recounts an extraordinary dinner at which a drunken McCarrick, growling about how he deserved “New York” (he was angry that his ecclesiastical career had stalled in New Jersey), grabbed the crotch of a cleric next to him in front of his cronies, most of whom took the incident in stride. One of the bishops present, John Smith, would later vouch for McCarrick’s fine character to the Vatican.

The impression left by all the excuse-making for McCarrick (with some bishops pretending that his sleeping with seminarians was non-sexual) is that of a hopelessly decayed bureaucracy, utterly indifferent to holiness or orthodoxy. In a footnote, the report quotes an exasperated Wuerl, eager to wash his hands of the matter in discussions with other churchmen, saying that he was McCarrick’s “successor,” not his “superior.” In the annals of slimy Church history, Wuerl deserves a special place.

McCarrick’s heterodoxy was as obvious as his depravity. But most of the old letters cited in the report (in which churchmen hesitantly debate his future) never even raise that issue. They all gush about his allegiance to the “magisterium.” There is one intriguing mention of somebody objecting to his support for Theodore Hesburgh’s Land O’ Lakes statement, the 1967 manifesto that called for the secularization of American Catholic colleges. But the complaint went nowhere. Too bad. McCarrick’s support for that document foreshadowed a great deal of mischief, culminating in his suppression of the Congregation for the Doctrine of the Faith’s letter on pro-abortion Catholic pols.

In many ways, McCarrick was a forerunner to the pontificate of Francis, combining an obnoxious political liberalism with doctrinal flakiness. The report makes a point of detailing all the praise he received from politicians, in an effort to spread the blame as widely as possible. It notes that George W. Bush gave him a send-off dinner.

But what does all of this faux-transparency add up to? Nothing. Not a single one of McCarrick’s “nephews” — from Cardinal Cupich in Chicago (his honoring of McCarrick goes unmentioned in the report) to Cardinal Tobin in Newark — has been stripped of any power. If anything, they have gained some since McCarrick’s defrocking.

Now that Wuerl has turned 80, he can no longer serve on Vatican congregations, thereby increasing the power of Cupich and Tobin, not to mention McCarrick’s old roommate, Cardinal Kevin Farrell, who is rumored to be Wuerl’s replacement on the bishop-making congregation. Farrell lived with McCarrick for years in Washington and professed total astonishment at the news of his predation (though in the report, he allows that he had heard rumors about McCarrick’s beach house). In 2019, Pope Francis named Farrell “camerlengo,” the position of overseeing the Church during the period between the pope’s death and the next conclave.

McCarrick is gone, but his influence remains, even extending through Farrell to the next pope. Don’t be surprised if that future pope is a McCarrick crony, too.

George Neumayr
George Neumayr
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George Neumayr, a senior editor at The American Spectator, is author most recently of The Biden Deception: Moderate, Opportunist, or the Democrats' Crypto-Socialist?
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Watchdog probes Aspen for cancer drug pricing

Aspen Pharmacare CEO Stephen Saad

Africa’s biggest generic drug maker Aspen Pharmacare, already under investigation by European authorities over the price of its cancer drugs, is now under similar scrutiny from SA’s Competition Commission.

On Tuesday, the commission announced it was investigating Aspen and multinational pharmaceutical manufacturers Roche and Pfizer for suspected excessive pricing of their cancer drugs.

If the Competition Commission’s investigation uncovers abuses, the matter will be referred to the Competition Tribunal for prosecution. The maximum penalty the tribunal can levy is 10% of annual turnover.

Aspen is being investigated for allegedly abusing its dominant market position to charge excessive prices for three cancer drugs — Alkeran, Leukeran and Myleran — which are used for treating leukemia, bone marrow cancer and lymphoma.

Roche is in the cross-hairs for the price of its breast cancer drugs Herceptin and Herclon, while Pfizer is to be scrutinised for the price of its lung cancer medicine Xalkori.

“This investigation is crucial. It is a matter of national importance,” said commissioner Thembinkosi Bonakele.

Aspen is being investigated by the European Competition Commission for steep rises in the price of five off-patent cancer drugs it bought from GlaxoSmithKline several years ago.

It also faces probes by competition regulators in Spain and the UK, and is appealing against a price-hiking fine in Italy.

“Given that Aspen supplies similar products in SA, the commission has reasonable grounds to suspect Aspen may be engaging in similar conduct locally,” Bonakele said.

“Moreover, Aspen appears to be either the only supplier or at least a dominant supplier of these products in both the South African and European markets.

“Given that Aspen’s products are listed as generic products, it is of concern that none of the markets has observed significant entry of other generic products by competing pharmaceutical companies,” he said.

Aspen investors appeared unperturbed by Tuesday’s developments and its share price closed flat at R275.

“I think Aspen is very confident that in SA, they didn’t do anything with respect to price-gouging,” said Aeon Investment Management’s chief investment officer, Asief Mohamed.

Aspen said it had not increased the price of any of its products outside the regulatory framework approved by the Department of Health, which sets a maximum price for medicines sold in the private sector and controls annual price increases.

The commission believed Roche was using an “ever-greening” strategy to prolong the patents it held on its breast cancer drugs to delay competition from generic alternatives, Bonakele said. Roche charged different prices to state and private-sector patients, which may amount to price discrimination, in contravention of the Competition Act, he said.

Roche’s Aadila Fakier said Roche had yet to be formally notified of the Competition Commission’s investigation, but would co-operate with the authorities and provide any information required.

The commission said Pfizer’s Xalkori had initially cost R152,000 for 250mg and had then dropped to less than half that amount.

Pfizer SA country manager Jennifer Power said the R152,000 price quoted by the commission was wrong.

“We await the opportunity to be contacted by the commission to clarify the pricing for this product. We respect the process initiated by the commission and Pfizer shall fully co-operate with the authorities,” she said.

About the author

Byron Adonis Mutingwende


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The iPhone and Multi-Touch

iPhone Touch Screen The months of rumors are over, the iPhone has been revealed, and once again it looks like Apple has created a game-changer. Steve Jobs was reported to be more excited over this device than anything since the original Mac, and despite the obvious marketing hyperbole in such a statement, the parallels between the first Mac and the iPhone are pretty strong. Both represent a new platform — the iPhone is really a portable, Internet-connected, telephony-enabled Mac — and both represent the first commercialization of a powerful user-interface technology that was previously seen only in research labs. It’s that last bit that people are raving over.

The original Mac was the first wide-scale deployment of a mouse-based interface. The iPhone is the first wide-scale use of multi-touch technology, where the screen pays attention to multiple contact points and understands gestures.

The original Mac was so much more fun to use than a PC — and the iPhone’s gestural interface seems awfully engaging, in much the same way. Both devices connect with more of your nervous system than anything that came before. There’s a tighter feedback loop between what you do and what it does. Our vocabulary for this kind of thing is pretty limited, but what people inevitably say is that such a device feels good to use. It’s more intuitive because it does a better job of responding to your input.

The iPod, with its touch-sensitive scroll wheel also represented a new way to interact with a device, and you could argue that a big part of its success was due to that interface.

I hope that we see a wider popularization of multi-touch input devices in digital media applications soon. We’ve been interacting with our editing systems for a long time and there just hasn’t been much excitement in terms of feel for a long time. We’re due.

For more about what a big-screen multi-touch interface might look and feel like, check out my previous post on the subject.

Explore posts in the same categories: Avid Wish List & Bugs, User Interface

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If football has enjoyed an almost uninterrupted bull market for its content rights for 25 years, what is it to do if this primary cash resource appears to be drying up?
Phil Carling
Phil Carling has over three decades of experience at the highest level of sport business. He is Global Head of Football for Octagon advising leading brands and rights owners on their commercial and marketing strategies.
Addressing the football rights plateau
4th July 2019, 09:05

At great personal risk of future ridicule, I am calling the top of the market in terms of broadcast rights for elite football. My evidence is based on the belief that the most successful organisation of the last 20 years in selling media rights has been the English Premier League and in its most recent rights sales cycle, it has become apparent that, even for this doyen of commercial excellence, some sort of ceiling has been reached.

The final reckoning on the next three-year cycle has the scoreboard as follows: an overall value of £9.2 billion, with a split of £5 billion for the domestic rights; and £4.2 billion for International rights. Such riches would content most rights owners but they mask a disturbing truth. Namely that for the domestic rights the cycle-on-cycle trend was static. Yet even more alarming was that stagnation was also apparent in the global markets as well. Save for two massive deals secured over two cycles in the USA (NBC) and China (PP-Sports), the picture would have shown cycle-on-cycle decline.

If this is the case then the latter trend is the most alarming for all elite sports rights holders, since it is the growth of International media markets that has been the key source of growth for almost two decades. The Premier League has been the trailblazer and consequently its fortunes in this regard must be seen as the canary in the cage for the market overall.

That a plateau has been reached is made more concerning by the threat of further erosion from piracy

That a plateau has been reached is made more concerning by the threat of further erosion from piracy, which appears to continue unabated, with those in authority powerless to plug the dam. As if this were not bad enough, digital platforms have begun eating the dinner of the linear media business model, and it is this model that has sustained the almost continuous growth of elite sports rights for a generation.

So if football has enjoyed an almost uninterrupted bull market for its content rights for 25 years, what is it to do if this primary cash resource appears to be drying up? Moreover, what will be the media model that emerges from the plagues of piracy, the growth of digital advertising platforms and the decline of the linear TV model?

Forty years ago sponsorship was the only show in town with media rights an unregarded bonus, tolerated because it provided the audiences which attracted the sponsors. For the 1978 World Cup, Fifa unveiled its first modern sponsorship programme. The model was one in which the ratio of sponsorship revenue to media revenue was close to 90:10. Fast forward to now, and Premier League revenues are 98:2 in favour of media rights.

This startling reversal in the relative importance of income streams may hold a clue to the future of elite sports in a world where consumers are losing the will to pay for content, traditional broadcasters are losing the war for advertising budgets to the digital giants and audiences for elite sports are increasingly global.

We now need to look at the advertising business in order to develop the full prognosis. For 100 years major advertisers and their agencies have planned and bought media via conventional channels such as newspapers, print, outdoor and latterly television and radio.

This arrangement is now under attack from media fragmentation and consumer cynicism with profound consequences for advertisers, the media and the agencies. We are at an inflection point in which the two bellwethers for advertising, Unilever and Procter and Gamble have both made a startling and recent change of strategy.

Historically the mainstay of linear television (remember they invented the soap opera), both organisations have made the decision to build their advertising around engagement and platforms which deliver not just eyeballs, but contextualised eyeballs. The pair are looking to both buy and create audiences which have a passion for the content and the context in which the message appears. They are also looking at how this operates as a creative territory and how they can develop fully integrated sponsorship strategies that work not only on the broadcast platform but at the event and experiential level.

Building complex portfolios of rights and assets across multiple geographies provides a far deeper and engaged relationship with consumers than was ever possible via a 30-second advert in UK television's Coronation Street or even a Champions League match. It is these developments that will shape the broadcast landscape for football and sport over the coming 10 years.

In a world where content is king, sport is the king of content and king of kings is elite football

This trend offers a fascinating opportunity for the owners of the content that most engages global consumers, namely music, entertainment but above all, sport. In a world where content is king, sport is the king of content and the king of kings is elite football. Moreover, the core axiom in elite sport is that talent follows money, eyeballs follow talent and money follows eyeballs (Carling’s axiom).

So, we have a world where conventional media has topped out and its business model is under siege from piracy and the digital platforms. In addition, the digital platforms are eating an ever-greater share of the advertising cake. Meanwhile the advertisers themselves are questioning the benefits of pure audience reach and frequency and seeking ways to reach their consumers via more engaging and integrated platforms with a range of creative and assets.

The conventional wisdom has it that the digital platforms will eventually step forward and replace the linear broadcasters as the buyers of elite sports content. There is evidence of this emerging but it is clearly far from a core strategy and is driven by the desire to feed the voracious appetite of programmatic buying algorithms. Investment strategies for the digital platforms are by and large decided on the west coast of America, and as a consequence football (soccer) is often not understood and is seen as something for which other countries hold an unfathomable passion.

Nevertheless, as the major brands transition to ‘engagement marketing’, the media platforms will have to adapt, especially the FANGs who will inherit the media-buying world. Even the most vehement football agnostic cannot ignore the sport’s global appeal and the consistent growth of the elite competitions in evangelising their product to new markets. The increasing concentration of wealth and talent into few competitions is set to continue. It is for this reason that rights for elite sports in particular, if properly packaged, can become the new cash cow.

The business model would see the disappearance of public broadcasters as platforms for elite live sports rights, a trend already well advanced in anything other than highlights. The gradual elimination of mixed schedule commercial broadcasters would also seem inevitable (except where protected by legislation as with the World Cup and European Championships). The final phase will see those specialist broadcast platforms reliant on subscription revenues similarly removed from the dance because they can no longer compete and in time will have had their model eliminated by the twin famines of piracy and competition for advertising revenue.

The giants that will inherit this world will be those platforms that can offer global connection to a ubiquitous audience, unhindered by the constraints of geography. The model will take sport full circle back to the early days of commercial television. Advertisers will fund the acquisition of rights on behalf of the platforms and will to all appearances be like the soap brands of old.

In return, they will receive what current media buying cannot deliver, namely a targeted consumer via a passion platform with fully integrated rights beyond the broadcast platform. In such a world, it will become necessary for the rights owners to act smartly by integrating their own rights with the media platforms.

From a commercial perspective, elite sports rights owners should redefine themselves as media and content businesses

From a commercial perspective, elite sports rights owners should redefine themselves as media and content businesses and hire and structure themselves accordingly. This redefinition and focus cannot happen too early.

It is probable that in order to fund this development, rights owners themselves will take a share of advertising revenues. It may even be that with certain sports some premium rights will be held back and kept behind a paywall for premium services. Again, rights owners will call the shots and must balance revenue needs against the benefits of mass exposure and advertising revenue.

One other key watch-out will be to avoid the assumption that the inheritors of this brave new world will be from the USA. There is every possibility that the impetus will come from markets like China where powerful imitations of Amazon, Google and Facebook have been allowed to flourish and are now set to storm global markets backed by huge wells of capital. Elite sports also sit well with the country’s social and economic priorities as well as offering a proven model for extending soft power.

In summary, the key trends of fragmentation, consumer cynicism and piracy pose an existential threat to elite rights holders and linear media platforms alike. As with all things that are intrinsically desirable however, the very best content will find a new way to create value. This will most likely take sport back to its very early commercial origins with advertisers funding the presentation of elite sport on digital media platforms, both currently imagined and yet to emerge. This model will be perfectly suited to their need to reach consumers in a more engaging and integrated way.

For the platforms, they need only the vision, the reach and the resources to become the giants of tomorrow’s world. From a rights owner perspective the future is extremely bright but playing what is a very strong hand correctly will still take skill. The key watch-outs remain. As legendary Liverpool manager Bill Shankly said 50 years ago, “the things that are important in football now will still be important in 50 years’ time."

One of those important things, and for Shankly probably the most important thing, was that the fans are at the core of all value and must be treated accordingly. Fans are the lifeblood not only for professional sport but also for the media that follows sport. Rights owners have a duty to maintain and grow the fans’ passion and allegiance with every asset in their armoury. This is true at federation, competition and club level.

Failure to understand that ownership in sport is merely custodial is a crime and those that transgress are always punished in the long term. Remember fans of chariot racing once destroyed Constantinople in a riot over race-fixing. That sport is not even popular in Rome nowadays.


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Barcelona and Real Madrid Make Bad Signings Too

I don’t think too many people expected Alex Song to be a big part of the Barcelona plan for success this season, unless injuries took their toll on the first team. I’m not sure a lot of fans thought Luka Modric is some substantial upgrade to Real Madrid, or better than one of their midfielders. It didn’t stop Marca voters to choose them as the worst signings of the season so far.

Alex Song was the surprising signing of the summer. He wasn’t linked to any transfer moves, but all of a sudden, in a matter of days, Barcelona seemed really keen on getting the Cameroonian, who has established himself as a rising defensive midfielder, but is also useful in other defensive positions. He was purchased for £15 million and has mostly played when Barcelona were short of a centre back, so far playing a total of 17 times for the club.

Luka Modric has been used a bit more regularly, playing in 13 matches for Real Madrid in the La Liga, but his minute total bring him to just about eight full matches. While he can play as an attacking midfielder or in a more retreated role, there doesn’t seem to be a chance he can take over for either Mesut Ozil or Xabi Alonso, coming up just short or more than that when it comes to quality differences between him and the other players. Modric cost  Real Madrid £33 million, quite expensive for a rotation player.

This isn’t the only bad or expensive signing Real Madrid have made in recent years. Nuri Sahin was purchased for €10 million in 2011 and has hardly been used since, currently spending his time on loan in Liverpool, where he isn’t doing too well either. Some would argue that bringing in Fabio Coentrao for €30 million wasn’t the wisest of choices as well. A year earlier Pedro Leon was also signed for €10 million from Getafe. He has played only six matches for Real since arriving. The biggest flop of all should be Kaka. Yes, he’s had his moments, but for €65 million, you should get more than the odd brilliance here and there.

It hasn’t been perfect for Barcelona as well. Alexis Sanchez isn’t a flop, but he’s going through a terrible second year at the club after a promising first one. He was signed for €26 million from Udinese, scoring 15 goals in 41 matches last season. This year? Only 1 goals in 19. Dmytro Chygrynskiy is one of the bigger enigmas. The Ukrainian full back was purchased from Shakhtar for €25 million in 2009 and ended up playing only 12 matches. At the end of the season, Barcelona sold him back for €15 million, helping Shakhtar making an impressive profit on what was basically a one year loan.

Zlatan Ibrahimovic wasn’t the best piece of business as well. The Swedish striker was purchased for €42 million + Samuel Eto’o. He did provide some good numbers for Barcelona, scoring 16 league goals for the club. He was loaned to Milan and later sold to Italy for €24 million. That season another purchase that hasn’t really fulfilled its potential occurred, as Keirrison signed with the club for €14 million. Since? He’s mostly been loaned out to teams, currently to Coritiba in Brazil, still not playing a single time for Barcelona.

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SEC News

Georgia to check out Miller

Devin Miller and Derrick Brown

Devin Miller and Derrick Brown

ATHENS, Ga. — Class of 2016 Lanier High School linebacker Devin Miller was in Athens to take in the Georgia Spring Game this past Saturday. Offers are slowly starting to come in, and schools are starting to show interest, but the visit Saturday was a special one.

“I love it out there at Sanford,” Miller said. “Almost like I fell in love with the atmosphere at Georgia immediately.”

The linebacker/safety is just starting to make a name for himself, and the Bulldogs are going to take a closer look this spring. His lead recruiter is new running back coach Thomas Brown.

Top player in nation returns to UGA

“Coach Brown said he would be back at my school either sometime this week or in two weeks to visit,” Miller responded. “He, as well as Coach [Tracy] Rocker, will be there to evaluate me when spring practice starts. … I think Coach Brown is a great coach. He is a very straightforward and respectable person and I like that kind of vibe that he gives.”

UGA Insider | Read sports analysis and news on UGA sports

There were several things that stood out to Miller on the visit.

“The coaching staff did definitely with some new coaches coming in,” Miller replied. “Also the atmosphere at Sanford.”

Miller returns to Lanier for his senior season, where he is the second leading tackler for the Longhorns. He collected 86 tackles, 20 tackles for loss, four sacks, and 13 quarterback hurries last season. The leading tackler of course is five-star prospect Derrick Brown, the No. 7 player in the nation and a huge Georgia target.

UGA Insider: 3 Things We Learned from G-Day

“Well it’s definitely a challenge playing directly behind that 6’5 305 frame but we make things happen on our side of the ball,” Miller responded. “Most teams realize on film not to run the ball our way on the strong side. If you watch both of our highlights you may see that we have some of the same clips tagged because either one of us always end up in the play.”

Miller has visited Georgia Tech and Georgia and will visit Georgia Southern this weekend. He currently has offers from Charlotte, Georgia Southern, Liberty and South Alabama.

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IndyStar staff Indy 500 picks

1. Scott Dixon: Pole sitter is in a groove reminiscent of 2008 when he won the 500 and the series championship.

2. Simon Pagenaud: While focusing on Helio Castroneves, Will Power and Juan Pablo Montoya, maybe we’ve overlooked the Frenchman.

3. J.R. Hildebrand: My prediction policy is to pick one outside Penske and Ganassi. J.R. has a strong Chevy.

What you should know about the Indy 500 starting lineup

1. Helio Castroneves: With three wins, two seconds, a third and a fourth — 12 top-10 finishes overall — in 14 Indy 500 starts, Castroneves is an IMS savant.

2. Marco Andretti: Marco’s kind of been forgotten — well, ignored — in the run-up to the 99th 500, but dadgum, all he does here is contend (five top-4s in nine starts).

3. Graham Rahal: Off to a great series start, coming off consecutive podium finishes, but this pick bucks odds; he has finished top 10 just once (third in 2011) in seven 500 starts.

250 mph at IMS? Bring it on, say drivers

1. Scott Dixon: He’s consistently been one of the fastest all week and the last time he won the pole in 2008 he won the race.

2. Simon Pagenaud: A smart driver, starting in the top row, backed with the resources of Team Penske.

3. Sage Karam: He’s sneaky fast, has a year of experience at IMS and has three-time Indy 500 champion Dario Franchitti coaching him.

Download the IndyStar Indy 500 XTRA App

1. Scott Dixon: Picking the pole winner is low-hanging fruit, but the last time the Kiwi started up front he finished in the same spot.

2. Juan Pablo Montoya: The 2000 winner’s starting spot isn’t representative of the quality of his car.

3. Marco Andretti: Honda may be able to milk a little more in fuel efficiency, and it may be enough to get a famous last name to take the celebratory milk swig.

1. Simon Pagenaud: You can’t go wrong with a Penske driver, plus 10 winners have come from the outside of Row 1.

2. Josef Newgarden: Young, ambitious and up and coming.

3. Scott Dixon: Fastest car in the field, of course.

Indy 500 schedule: Things to do at Carb Day

1. Simon Pagenaud: He will get the ‘Pit Pass Live’ bump for co-hosting IndyStar’s web show. He’s also starting on the front row.

2. Justin Wilson: I like the tall driver squeezing into the cockpit and keeping up with the shorter guys.

3. Marco Andretti: This would be four third-place finishes for him.

Where have all the IndyCar bad boys gone?

1. J.R. Hildebrand: He’s put down some of the fastest laps around the Speedway this month and it would be a great story if Hildebrand, just one turn shy of winning the 2012 Indy 500, can find redemption.

2. Will Power: The safest pick this year, which is funny considering he’s never finished higher than fifth in seven previous tries in the 500, but the reigning IndyCar Series champ gets to start from Row 1 and is coming off a win in the Angie’s List Grand Prix of Indianapolis earlier this month.

3. Simon Pagenaud: Starting alongside his new Penske teammate on the first row (Power), Pagenaud should be in the mix until the end.

1. Helio Castroneves: After a near-miss last year, Helio joins the exclusive four-win club.

2. Ed Carpenter: Would be the best career finish at Indy for the Butler grad.

3. Will Power: Not a bad month in Indy — 1st in Grand Prix, third in Indy 500.

1. Scott Dixon: Pole-sitter won from that post in ’08, demonstrated great poise under chaotic conditions in qualifying.

2. J.R. Hildebrand: Speed talks at IMS this weekend, and Hildebrand has been posting impressive lap times around the track.

3. Simon Pagenaud: Talking to Curt Cavin all month for Pit Pass Live, you know he’ll do well.

Latest News


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SEC News

Aranda’s LSU defense may be simple, fun and fast

BATON ROUGE – In most cases, before a defense can do anything well, it has to get lined up right.

This was often a problem at LSU the last two seasons. Frequently, as the ball was being snapped, LSU players were looking at one another in confusion and pointing in various directions like lost motorists before GPS as they tried to adjust their play call to how the offense lined up and shifted. Consequently, there were often wide open spaces in the middle of the field.

The Tigers’ Global Positioning System may be solved in 2016 by new defensive coordinator Dave Aranda, who has almost always had his defense pointed in the right direction regardless of where he has been on the globe – Wisconsin the last three years, Utah State in 2012 and Hawaii in 2010-11.

“The call is the call,” Aranda said at the high school coaching clinic at LSU last week. “You align to the field (wide side or short side), not to the offensive formation (strong side or weak side based on which side the tight end lines up at). And you just go.”

LSU’s Harris throws 4 touchdowns in stealth scrimmage

Sounds simple. And it has worked.

Wisconsin had the No. 2 scoring defense in the nation last year with 13.7 points allowed a game under Aranda. Only national champion Alabama was better at 13.4. LSU was 41st with 24.3 points a game allowed. The Badgers were No. 3 in the nation in total defense with 268.5 yards given up a game, while LSU was 25th with 347.2 given up. Wisconsin was fourth in rushing yards allowed at 95.4, while LSU was 17th at 122.9. Aranda’s pass efficiency defense last season was No. 2 in the nation, while LSU’s was No. 51.

From 2013-15 under Aranda, Wisconsin’s defense was in the top five in the nation in scoring defense, total defense, pass defense and rush defense. His Utah State defense finished No. 8 nationally in points allowed with 15.4 a game. His Hawaii defense in 2011 finished 15th in the nation with 35 sacks. His 2010 Hawaii defense led the nation in turnovers caused with 38 and was second in interceptions with 23.

Aranda tries to get his defense to fool the offense before it fools his defense.

“It’s that ability to make things look like more than they are,” he said. “We move guys around so the offense thinks it’s one thing, but it’s another.”

So far, LSU’s defenders are having a blast despite the fact that they are on their third defensive coordinator in three years with John Chavis leaving following the 2014 season for Texas A&M and Kevin Steele bolting to Auburn after last season.

“It’s not a lot of adjusting to what the offense is doing,” said defensive tackle Christian LaCouture, a two-year starter who will be a senior next season. “I feel like we’ll be trying to make plays and keep the offense on their toes instead of the other way around. We’ll not be sitting back and letting them come to you. Coach Aranda’s brought that in. You’re attacking.”

Aranda has also brought in a variety of fronts for the offense to look at react to first. He will use a 3-4 alignment much more than LSU has used in decades in addition to its customary 4-3. And he may use a 2-man front at times.

Aranda plans on keeping things simple, fast at LSU

“You’re not going to see the same look all the time,” said LaCouture, who will be in the nose guard position with sophomore Greg Gilmore as his backup. “We’re not going to run a 3-4 the whole game. We’ll run a 4-3. I mean, gosh, we might run 2-man fronts. I’ve seen him run that at Wisconsin on film. So far, we’re multiple, and I think it will change on a week-to-week basis.”

Sophomore Davon Godchaux, a starter the last two seasons at defensive tackle in the 4-3, has been working as a defensive tackle in the 3-4 with sophomore pass rushing ace Arden Key, a defensive end last year, as an outside linebacker.

Godchaux had a one-word answer when asked what will be different about LSU’s defense in 2016.

“Violence,” he said. “Violence. Aggressive. I mean, coach Aranda’s laid back, but when you’re on the field you can tell by the play calling, he just turns it on. That’s what I love about him. Laid-back guy, not much hollering, but when you get on the field, you’re going to see aggressive play calling.”

Aranda loves to play man-to-man coverage, thus freeing up his options for various blitzes or disguised blitzes. LSU is very strong at cornerback, particularly with Tre’Davious White returning for his senior season instead of becoming a likely first round NFL pick. There is also Dwayne Thomas, who started five games at cornerback as a junior, Keven Toliver II, who started seven as a freshman, and Donte Jackson, a track star and LSU’s fastest player who will return for his sophomore season in August after academic issues recently forced him out of spring practice.

“The ability to play man has always been at the forefront for me,” Aranda said. “And I’m really excited about the ability to do it here.”

Aranda has plenty more defense to put in, but the players feel that they will not be thinking too much and trying to remember where they are supposed to be as their opponents are about to snap the ball.

“I feel like it’s going to be easier for everyone to understand,” White said. “It’s looking more like we’re all going to be on the same page.”

With free minds, LSU’s talented athletes can be free to run.

“He’s had top defenses wherever he’s been, whether it’s Utah State, Wisconsin, wherever, and he knows what to do. He knows how to make you great,” LaCouture said.

“I’m very excited,” Godchaux said. “I think we will be a lot better. It’s going to be a lot more exciting. So far, I think he’s probably the best defensive coordinator I’ve ever been around.”

Dave Aranda’s career highlights

• His 2010 defense at Hawaii led the nation in turnovers caused (38).

• His 2011 defense at Hawaii was 15th nationally in sacks (35).

• His 2012 defense at Utah State was eighth in scoring defense nationally at 15.4 points per game.

• His 2013-15 defenses at Wisconsin allowed an average of 289.4 yards per game, first in the nation over that span, and 16.4 points per game, second in the nation during that time period.

Coverage of LSU and commentary supported by Hebert’s Town and Country auto dealer in Shreveport located at 1155 E Bert Kouns. Research your next Chrysler, Dodge, Jeep, or RAM at

New LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has a proven track record of devolping elite defenses.

New LSU defensive coordinator Dave Aranda has a proven track record of devolping elite defenses.


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Bracket Hub

Abilene Christian beats Stephen F. Austin 69-60

ABILENE, Texas (AP) — Payten Ricks had a career-high 15 points and Abilene Christian got its first Southland Conference win of the season 69-60 over Stephen F. Austin on Saturday night.

Jaylen Franklin added 11 points and eight rebounds and Jaren Lewis scored 10. The Wildcats (7-8, 1-3) had their largest lead at halftime 33-21 and never trailed after the break.

The Lumberjacks (6-9, 1-2) scored 10 straight to open the second half and tied it at 36, 42 and 47. Abilene Christian answered with a 13-3 run to lead 60-50 with 2:14 left and made 7 of 10 free throws to go with Franklin’s layup to close it out.

Ty Charles had 15 points and a career-high 14 rebounds, and Isaiah Traylor added 12 points on four 3-pointers for SFA.

Abilene Christian pulled away late in the first half after Lumberjacks leading scorers, TJ Holyfield and Ivan Canete, each picked up three fouls.


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SEC News

Guilbeau: LSU has a few corrections to make for SEC opener at Miss. State, but O is On it

Glenn Guilbeau

Glenn Guilbeau

BATON ROUGE – Ed Orgeron is not Les Miles.

He is also not Nick Saban.

Through his first two games in his first real head coaching job (Interim posts can be misleading and are not a good barometer.), he seems in between the two extremes.

He is not a Les-like laid back, happy-go-lucky comedian who thinks everything is going to work out fine, and through a lot of Miles’ career it did as well or better than most other coaches of his era.

He is not a robotic, no nonsense task master teacher who thinks of nothing but “The Process” 24 hours, seven days a week. That’s not Saban either, but that is what many think. It’s more like 16 hours, 6.8 days a week.

Orgeron is somewhere in the middle, with a bit of a lean toward Saban. He seems relaxed and in control like Miles, but not too relaxed. He has enjoyed the good part of LSU’s two victories to open the season as there have been zero turnovers. But he seems to have a Saban-like hard edge toward the parts of LSU’s game that have been lacking so far. And he knows that could lose a game for him, such as this Saturday against Mississippi State.

No. 11 LSU (2-0) plays at Mississippi State (2-0) at 6 p.m. Saturday on ESPN2.

He is not ready to crown quarterback Danny Etling as this great quarterback, though Etling does have an impressive .709 completion percentage and 189.46 efficiency rating through two games, having completed 22 of 31 for 398 yards with a touchdown and no interceptions.

Etling was sacked twice Saturday in the 45-10 win over Chattanooga, but for the most part Orgeron knows Etling has barely been touched. He saw how Etling and the offensive line wilted under the pressure of Alabama last season. And he knows Mississippi State under new defensive coordinator Todd Grantham will be a very difficult challenge.

“Again, there’s going to be some times,” Orgeron said, and didn’t finish the thought on Etling. But you knew where he was going. Then he said, “Mississippi State has a great defensive coordinator. They’re going to give him some pressure. We’re going to have to protect. He’s going to have to make some plays with his feet.”

Meanwhile, it’s only week three and Orgeron has already about had it with his kickers. Jake Gonsoulin missed a 40-yard field goal and Connor Culp missed one from 47 yards Saturday. Gonsoulin missed a 34-yard attempt against BYU last week. Orgeron went for it on fourth down in the fourth quarter Saturday – and failed – partly because of a lack of confidence in his kickers.

While Orgeron did not go on a humorous Saban-ian rant, he was close. And he was funny, but he was ripping his players, no matter how you look at it. And sometimes that’s a good thing.

“We still need to find a field goal kicker,” Orgeron said. “We don’t have a guy right now who’s going to make the kicks that we want. So, we’re going to open it up.”

This does not mean an open casting call to LSU students Monday morning, but that might be next.

“Very concerned,” Orgeron began. “I mean, we can’t go for it all the time. And we need to get points. And we need to get it fixed fast. And hopefully, we can. I don’t know, maybe Arden (Key) can come back next week and kick a field goal.”

I do believe it’s a mindset, and it’s got to come from me. And I’m not putting up with it any more.”

All right. Let’s hear it for tough love.

READ MORE: LSU Football Is Fun Again

Orgeron feels the same way about the penalties – 10 last week and 11 this week.

“That’s totally unacceptable,” he said. “They’ll learn the lesson. They’ll get better at it. I do believe it’s a mindset, and it’s got to come from me. And I’m not putting up with it any more.”

As far as LSU’s slow start Saturday with Chattanooga taking a 3-0 lead on a 65-yard drive in 14 plays with three first downs and a fourth-and-two conversion, Orgeron said the following:

“Got after their butt. I mean, it was just an eye opener.”

LSU opened its season with a very clean, 27-0 win over BYU. It did not follow that up properly Saturday.

“I thought we were very spotty, inconsistent,” Orgeron said. “It’s going to be a tough week in practice. We’re going to get some things right, and we’re going to be ready to play.”

There’s clearly a new sheriff in town. Look at all those suspensions last week.

Look for clearly LSU’s best performance of the season next week with Key at outside linebacker, not kicker. Orgeron will be the one kicking … you know what.


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No. 23 Belmont women win 18th straight

JACKSONVILLE, Ala. (AP) — Kylee Smith had 17 points and eight rebounds, Sally McCabe added 16 points and nine boards, and Belmont won its 18th straight with a 66-35 victory over Jacksonville State on Wednesday night.

Belmont held JSU to single-digit scoring in the first three quarters and led 49-22 entering the fourth for its 42nd consecutive Ohio Valley Conference victory. It’s the second longest streak in the nation behind No. 1 UConn at 94.

Darby Maggard added 12 points on 4-of-16 shooting for Belmont (27-3, 17-0). Smith made three of Belmont’s 10 3-pointers, including one in the second quarter to become the 10th Bruin to reach 1,400 career points.

Jacksonville State (17-11, 11-6) was just 12-of-63 shooting (19 percent), including 3 of 16 from 3-point range, and hit just 8 of 15 free throws. Rayven Pearson grabbed 11 rebounds and Tasha Magruder had eight boards and five blocks.


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01:29 GMT07 May 2021
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    While the Democratic party is under fire for harshly limiting the number of its candidates’ debates, Vermont Senator and 2016 Democratic hopeful Bernie Sanders has taken to social media, to win both of the GOP debates we’ve seen so far instead.

    It’s not just public opinion that’s asserting Sanders to be Wednesday’s debate’s big winner. He also posted what’s become — officially — the most liked and shared debate-related Facebook post of the evening, by far:

    “The evening was really pretty sad. This country and our planet face enormous problems. And the Republican candidates barely touched upon them tonight. And when they did, they were dead wrong on virtually every position they took. The Republican Party cannot be allowed to lead this country. That's why we need a political revolution.”

    By Monday afternoon, the post had 38,866 shares and 189,718 likes.

    "It wasn't even close," Brandon Silverman, CEO of CrowdTangle, a company that measures and analyzes social media interactions, told The Hill.

    The most shared post from an actual GOP candidate’s page came from Ben Carson’s campaign manager, who received 9,795 shares and 139,338 likes:

    “Tonight, we accomplished everything we imagined. Dr. Carson showed America a different kind of leader. A leader that understands what you say is important – not how loud you scream it. America responded overwhelmingly. Tonight we gained over 300,000 new Facebook fans. More than Jeb Bush has in total. We gained more Twitter followers than anyone. On top of all of that, we raised over a million dollars in small donations.In every metric that matters, Ben Carson won tonight.

    Barry Bennett,

    Carson Campaign Manager”

    Sanders once again snarkily live-tweeted the debate using the hashtag #DebateWithBernie, with his tweets receiving thousands of retweets, several of which passed 10,000 retweets, and his best surpassing 17,000.

    During the debate on August 6, Sanders also sent out the most retweeted tweet of the night when he wrote, "It's over. Not one word about economic inequality, climate change, Citizens United or student debt. That's why the Rs are so out of touch.”

    August’s top tweet currently has 32,988 retweets.

    On October 6, Sanders will finally get to take the stage for the first Democratic party debate, when he’ll face off with other contenders for the ticket.  So far, five have announced their candidacy in addition to Sanders: former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, former Maryland Governor Martin O’Malley, former Rhode Island Governor Lincoln Chafee, former Virginia Senator Jim Webb, and Harvard professor and political activist Lawrence Lessing.

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01:02 GMT07 May 2021
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    American journalist Michael Kinsley once famously wrote, "A gaffe is when a politician tells the truth, some obvious truth he isn't supposed to say" — and it appears that former Vice President Joe Biden has just had one.

    Speaking at a dinner for the Delaware Democratic Party on Saturday, Biden praised his own record at the Democratic Party.

    "I know I get criticised. I'm told I get criticised by the new left. I have the most progressive record of anybody running for the United… anybody who would run," he quickly walked back, drawing a round of cheers and applause from the audience.

    "Of anybody who would run," he repeated, making a sign of the cross.

    The 76-year-old went on to deliver what one would describe as a Democratic candidate-style speech; he criticised Donald Trump for stoking division and anger and noted that next year's election will be the most important vote in a century.

    "We're living in the battle for the soul of America," he said. "We have an overwhelming need to restore the backbone of America."

    On Tuesday, he stirred up speculation that he would run in 2020 at a conference of firefighters in Washington, DC, who met him with a standing ovation and chants of "Run, Joe, run!"

    READ MORE: Biden Plans to Focus on Infrastructure Reform in 2020 Election Bid – Reports

    "Save it a little longer," he told his supporters. "I may need it in a few weeks."

    A CNN presidential poll in Iowa revealed last week that Biden, with 27 per cent, was leading the pack of possible Democratic contenders, with Bernie Sanders securing 25 per cent of the votes and other candidates earning less than 10 per cent of support.

    Earlier this month, Hillary Clinton ruled out a third presidential run.

    Meanwhile, over a dozen Democrats have entered the presidential race, with the latest being Texas Rep. Beto O'Rourke. Other potential nominees include senators Bernie Sanders, Amy Klobuchar, Kirsten Gillibrand, Kamala Harris, Cory Booker and Elizabeth Warren, former Colorado governor John Hickenlooper, and former housing secretary Julian Castro.

    If Biden and O'Rourke Can Why Not Abrams?
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Opposition to Agriculture Nuisance Law Amendment – SB1448

Below is an open letter to Arizona legislators encouraging them to oppose SB1448. We have also shared a letter from researchers at the Center for a Livable Future at Johns Hopkins University describing the public health implications of industrial-scale animal production and a letter from Arizona attorney Howard Shanker describing SB1448’s negative legal implications.

March 23, 2021

RE: Oppose Agriculture Nuisance Law Amendment – SB1448

Dear Legislators:

Please vote against the passage of striker SB1448. This proposed change to Arizona’s agricultural nuisance law (or “right-to-farm” law) would allow large-scale industrial agribusiness operations and most notably, concentrated animal feeding operations (CAFOs) to escape responsibility for their negative impacts. It would also take away the rights of local governments to protect the public health and welfare of their citizens.

There is a wealth of research showing the negative economic, social, health, and environmental impacts suffered by people who live and/or work in or near CAFOs (see e.g., 2008 Pew report on industrial farm animal production in America). Additionally, intensive industrial agricultural operations such as CAFOs operate under woefully inadequate state and federal environmental regulations that fail to address public health and welfare impacts associated with their planning, siting, and operation.

Researchers from Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health in the Department of Environmental Health and Engineering have provided an evidence-informed, expert perspective on the public health and environmental considerations stemming from industrial farm animal production that is highly relevant to local communities and policymakers in Arizona in this context (see attached March 18, 2021 letter). In short, myriad peer reviewed studies have consistently shown the following:

  • Significant amounts of toxins are released from CAFOs into the environment causing pollution to air, water, and soil.
  • For example, communities surrounding CAFOs are exposed to large amounts of gaseous pollutants such as ammonia, methane, volatile organic compounds, endotoxins, pathogens, and particulate matter.
  • This pollution, in turn, causes increased illness rates observed among people who live near them (see the American Public Health Association’s policy on imposing a moratorium on new and expanding CAFOs to protect public health).
  • The widespread, routine administration of antibiotics to keep animals alive in confinement increases the very deadly risk of antibiotic-resistant bacteria in both livestock and people.
  • Living near CAFOs has been linked to psychological distress and other public health problems
  • Property values decline and quality of life decreases significantly and consistently in areas near CAFOs.
  • Local economies suffer rather than improve as small-scale farming declines. A reduced property tax base limits local government ability to provide services.
  • With our current COVID crisis, this might be the most dangerous time in our state’s history to abandon our rural small farmers, businesses, and residents.

SB1448 would severely limit the power of local government to regulate these types of facilities and strip away their rights to protect public health and welfare, as well as their democratic rights of self-defense and self-determination. Creating more statutory protections for CAFOs to shield them from liability and responsibility for their negative impacts will not result in desired outcomes.  An industry that seeks to do this must be questioned.

Arizona residents are familiar with the problems caused by CAFOs. These are NOT “farms.” In Arizona, some confine hundreds of thousands of animals (sometimes millions) in unnatural environments. In the town of Maricopa in Pinal County, a coalition of residents once organized itself to try to address concerns about the air emissions and public health risks posed by the numerous CAFOs located within or near the city. “Cow Town” was identified by USEPA as one of the biggest air polluters in the state, as well as in the nation. In Tonopah in Maricopa County, an entire community has been impacted by a massive CAFO that local, state and federal laws and governmental regulatory agencies have failed. See the Right-to-Harm film for more information. These circumstances have left residents with very few viable options to protect themselves. Often, a nuisance action is the only mechanism people have to protect themselves.

While purporting to protect farming and farmland, U.S. right to farm laws impede private property rights and the capacity to file nuisance lawsuits. They disrupt the common law by tipping the scales in favor of big agribusiness and industrial agriculture, as opposed to protecting other kinds of more traditional farming operations, local business operations, and enjoyment of private property. The proposed right to farm amendment is emblematic of how powerful agribusiness interest groups dominate and overtake government and lawmaking at the expense of real people, real voters, and real independent family farmers. If enacted, Arizona will help advance market domination by extractive polluting agribusiness industries to the detriment of other farmers, rural communities, and the environment.

The CAFO industry has largely succeeded in escaping responsibility for its impacts by rolling back federal regulations and stripping away public access to information regarding CAFO pollution. Thus, as proposed in this bill, for Arizona to enact a presumption that an agricultural operation is not a nuisance if it’s operating in compliance with local, state, or federal laws is a misnomer.  Most industrial animal agricultural operations have successfully avoided any meaningful regulation to begin with. In effect, SB1448 will make it so an agricultural operation could be a significant polluter and still not be held accountable and liable, simply by arguing they are operating in compliance with nearly non-existent or weak laws.

SB1448 will have serious negative implications according to Arizona attorney, Howard Shanker. He states in the attached letter, dated March 20, 2021, that there is an unfortunate common theme with this bill:

(1) the legislation purports to take on a problem that does not exist; and

(2) the specific legislative language is not intended to protect agriculture from frivolous suits, but rather to allow agricultural facilities to operate with impunity.

This legislation is a shield for wrongdoing. It is not in the public interest and/or based on sound policy.  There are already sufficient protections in place to guard against frivolous litigation and the wrongful imposition of punitive damages (which is likely why the problem does not exist). This legislation does not serve its stated purpose.

The bill awards costs and fees to the prevailing party.  Generally fees are not available in tort actions.  This is because the prospect of having to pay a defendants’ fees could have a chilling effect on a plaintiff’s willingness to bring suit. The proposed language essentially shields agricultural operations from the prospect of having to pay punitive damages.  Not only would an operation have to meet the new statutory definition of “nuisance,” it would have to have been subject to a “criminal conviction or a civil enforcement action.”

It is unconscionable to require neighbors of CAFOs to risk up to hundreds of thousands of dollars in order to protect their health or property from damages caused by CAFOs, while protecting these operations from responsibility, especially in light of inadequate government regulations and enforcement. A similar rule has had a chilling effect on nuisance cases brought against large-scale livestock operations in Wisconsin since the enactment of this law in 2009.

Moreover, SB1448 could have negative public health and financial impacts on not only Arizona, but throughout the country. Yuma County is responsible for 90% of all leafy vegetables grown in the U.S. In 2018, there was an outbreak of E. coli in lettuce from a Yuma farm that sickened at least 210 people in 36 states and killed five. The FDA traced the E. coli strain to a water canal that irrigated the Yuma lettuce farm and suspect that a nearby CAFO caused the contamination.

Under SB1448 if a crop farm owner files a nuisance suit and wins the case, the court would not be allowed to award punitive damages unless the CAFO has already been criminally convicted or has had an enforcement action against it already. This would undercut already unenforced environmental health and safety laws. And if the crop farm owner loses the case, they would be forced to pay the CAFO’s costs and fees. Also, local government would be prohibited from declaring the CAFO a nuisance if the facility is considered in compliance with nonexistent and/or woefully inadequate laws. Thus Arizona communities will be unable to protect their residents from further damage.

At this very moment, communities all over the country are dealing with the implications of the poor choices made by their lawmakers having enacted similar misguided provisions disguised as protecting the “right to farm.” Corporate agribusinesses are the only real beneficiaries of these laws. Government needs to work for the people. Far more people will be negatively impacted by passing this legislation than those who will benefit from it. As such, we urge you to cast a “nay” vote on SB1448.

Dan Mack
President of Board of Directors
Save Tonopah Oppose Poultry Plant (STOPP)
Tonopah, Arizona

Daniel E. Blackson
Tonopah, Arizona

Michael Wirth
Tempe, AZ

Sandy Bahr
Chapter Director
Sierra Club, Grand Canyon Chapter
Phoenix, AZ

Karen Michael
Secretary of Board of Directors
Animal Defense League of Arizona
Phoenix, AZ

John Rumpler
Environment America Clean Water Program Director
Environment Arizona
Mesa, AZ

Craig Watts
Director of Field Operations; Farmer and former contract grower for Perdue
Socially Responsible Agriculture Project
Golden, CO

Lynn Henning, Director of Field Operations
Farmer and Recipient of the 2010 Goldman Environmental Prize
Socially Responsible Agriculture Project
Golden, CO

Hannah Connor
Senior Attorney, Environmental Health
Center for Biological Diversity

Martha German
Member, Board of Directors
Humane Voters of Arizona
Phoenix, AZ

Dr. Loka Ashwood
One Rural Collective
Lexington, KY

Krissy Kasserman
Factory Farm Organizing Director
Food & Water Watch
Washington, DC

Patrick Kerrigan
Retail and Organic Standards Coordinator
Organic Consumers Association

Anna Mohr-Almeida
Kids Climate Action Network

Doug Bland
Executive Director
Arizona Interfaith Power and Light

Laura Dent
Executive Director
Chispa Arizona

Shelly Gordon
Arizonans for Community Choice
Mesa, AZ

Cecil F. Michael, Jr., MD
Peoria, AZ

Linda Butler
Tonopah, AZ

Steven Love
Chino Valley, AZ

Lorna Proper
Arlington, AZ

Theron Proper
Arlington, AZ

Angela Renaud
Marengo, IA

Richard Renaud
Marengo, IA

Jane Magee
Tonopah, AZ

Fred Lillie
Tonopah, AZ

Steve Farley
Former Arizona State Legislator
Tucson, AZ

Deb Thompson
Retired Lieutenant, Phoenix Police Department
Former Director, Animal Cruelty Investigations, Maricopa CO Sheriff’s Office
Tucson, AZ

Nancy Young-Wright
Former Arizona State Legislator
Tucson, AZ

Marlee Stephens
Flagstaff Arts and Leadership Academy Environmental Coalition
Flagstaff, AZ

Dr. Brandon Burr
Director of Food Policy
Animal Wellness Action
Center for a Humane Economy
Scottsdale, AZ

Lauren Kuby
City of Tempe
Tempe, AZ

Dr. Kevin Gibson
Protect Our Water Arizona
Snowflake, AZ

Deborah Wilson MD
Gynecology, Advanced Laparoscopic Surgery
Director, Feathers Foundation and Circle L Ranch
Scottsdale, AZ

Cary Meister
Conservation Chair
Yuma Audubon Society
Yuma, AZ

Lain Kahlstrom
Director of State Affairs
Animal Wellness Action
Phoenix, AZ

Hazel Chandler
Arizona Chapter of Elders Climate Action
Phoenix, AZ

Sarah King
Flagstaff, AZ

Cyndi Tuell
Arizona and New Mexico Director
Western Watersheds Project


text:
How Surrender-ship Transforms Everything

Surrender - Blog by Sri Guru

Blessed with the teachings of numerous saints and enlightened beings, our rich cultural heritage has echoed the words Ashray, Samarpan and Sharanagati for a long time. These words, which mean ‘surrender-ship’, are discussed in our scriptures as often as the Guru-disciple relationship. But what does it truly mean to surrender yourself to a Guru? Why is it important? How does one invoke this essential virtue? Who better to answer these questions than our living Master, Sri Guru!

Why surrender is essential for the path?

To begin with, surrendership does not signify submitting to an oppressive power like a prisoner or a slave does. In fact, its meaning is quite opposite because it is a virtue that leads to liberation! Surrendership towards an enlightened Master is a core value that a seeker must embrace to traverse the spiritual path. Without a compassionate Guru, even our scriptures would struggle to explain the vastness of God, for their verses can only lead to wisdom and not experience. Moreover, it is not possible to understand and experience the omnipresent God-consciousness by remaining entangled among the binding forces of this material world. We need a Guru who has an elevated perspective, one who can help us rise too. This is why every being who has ever attained self-realisation knows that the only way to discover our true nature is by surrendering to the lotus feet of the Guru. The ability to surrender is a privilege that no other species has, except human beings.

How to invoke surrendership?

In the 111th verse of Shri Atmasiddhi Shastra, Param Krupadu Dev says,

“Varte Nij Swabhav Ka, Anubhav Lakshya Prateeti…”

—Shrimad Rajchandraji

Through this verse, he associates the notion of surrendership towards a Guru with Experience, its Aim and its After-influence. Thus, the meaning of surrendership can be broken into three aspects:

  1. When we aren’t in a Guru’s physical presence and congregation, we should have a deep yearning (Lakshya) for it in our hearts. Having a sincere aim and longing to be in Guru’s aura is an important step to invoke surrendership.
  2. When we are in the presence of our Guru, we must flow in the experience that can manifest at physical, mental, emotional and spiritual level. This experience is what ignites the flame that burns and demolishes our long-held vices and attachments within.
  3. The feelings of joy, peace and purity are effortlessly invoked in the aura of a living master. However, when ripples of these profound experiences keep resonating within us long after we have been in Guru’s presence, then only we can say that the seeds of surrendership have been sown. The after-influence that lasts long is a clear way to ascertain that a seeker is ready for surendership.

Surrendership helps transform easily

The human conscience, Antahkaran, comprises the faculties of Mann (mind), Buddhi (intellect), Chitt (subtle layers of conscious mind) and Ahankar (ego).  Sri Guru says that when we deeply commit ourselves to an enlightened Master, it transforms these faculties and brings about a radical shift in our Antahkaran:

Transformation of Mann (Mind)

With the guidance of the master, feelings such as anger, resentment, jealousy or inferiority that we have been harboring since long, begin to diminish. Simultaneously, our thoughts become inclined with the spiritual and holistic well-being of every creature. By letting go of our greedy & selfish tendencies, we are able to think about the welfare and prosperity of others. When this happens, it is a sign of the transformation of mind.

Transformation of Buddhi (Intellect)

When we develop the awareness, wisdom and courage to choose between the right and wrong, irrespective of the circumstances, it shows that the intellect is transforming in Guru’s surrendership.

Transformation of Chitt (Consciousness)

Chitt is an essential facet of our consciousness. It is associated with our sense of awareness, the ability to focus and concentrate as well as our memory. Thus, when our Chitt transforms, we become more aware both outside and within. Our focus improves and we observe elevated concentration levels. This holds immense importance, especially in today’s world where the dominance of digital media has caused our attention span to drop at an alarming rate. The ability to concentrate on a singular subject matter is weaker than ever due to widespread practice of multitasking. Sri Guru often reminds us to check our overindulgence of digital media and tendency to do several tasks at once because they damage our Chitt in unprecedented ways.

Transformation of the Ahankar (Ego)

In Guru’s surrendership, we understand the true nature of Self. Therefore, we start relating ourselves with our eternal Self, rather than our short-lived and limited identities. Transformation of ego does not mean its elimination. It simply means that instead of being constantly occupied in our temporary mortal identities, we embrace our true and permanent nature of existence.

The arrival of a Guru is a blessing. But the awakening of love and surrendership towards a Guru is one of the most profound moments in a seeker’s journey.

—Sri Guru

Surrendering to a Guru in no way compels us to renounce the world we live in. In fact, it brings forth remarkable changes within us by adding the virtues of oneness, awareness and wisdom. In the presence of a Guru, our life becomes like a river stream that goes through various twists and turns without offering any resistance, before it finally merges into the Ocean of Self.

Understand more about Surrendership with Sri Guru’s Satsang series on Shri Ambalal Bhai – an epitome of devotion, whose surrender to Shrimadji was the sole reason behind his awakening.

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  1. Thank you sooo much 🙏 #Shree_Guru❤🙏🙏

    1. Jai krupadu 🌹❤
      Thank you so much SRI GURU 🙏🙏

  2. Koti koti Naman
    Reading this blog draws me closure to you
    Thankyou immensely

  3. Thanks for enlightening me better for meaning of my name spelt as “surrender”… My luck to have been chosen bu Sri Guru Prabhu in this birth, too…jai krupadu

  4. Thank you so much Sri Guru for being the path in your life. Thank you so much for making us walk on the path. And thank you so much for leading our destiny.

  5. Naman Sri Guru 🙏🙏🙏
    Sadguru taar ab, taar ab 🙏🙏
    Thank you so much 🙏🙏🌹🌹

  6. Thank you so much
    Shri Guru Ji

  7. 🙏🙏🌹👏👏♥🌹

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