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Small Stitch Reviews: Wildfire  and Lover’s Knot

Wildfire + Lovers Knot Covers.png

Two short reviews of urban fantasy books I’ve read recently!

Title: Wildfire
Author: Ilona Andrews
Release Date: July 25, 2017
Rating: Highly Recommended

I stayed up until 4:30 this morning reading Wildfire, the third book in Ilona Andrews’ Hidden Legacy series. I’m exhausted and am running on way too much instant coffee, but it was worth it.

It was so worth it.

Wildfire is one hell of a ride from start to finish. I started reading it at 1:30 am, thinking that I’d just power throuh a few chapters and be in bed by 2:30. The next thing I knew, it was two hours later than that and I was so keyed up from all of the incredible action that I didn’t know how I was going to fall asleep. (Until I passed out of course.)

Wildfire is a book about magic, super-powers, and political conspiracies that need thwarting. However, it’s also a book about finding and keeping your family together. Nevada’s family has grown and she has even more at stake than she did back when the biggest worry she had was about whether or not an egotistical Prime was going to burn down the whole city.

I don’t know if Ilona and her husband/co-author Gordon will be putting out more books in this series, but I really hope they do. This was a fantastic read and I’m already eagerly awaiting more!

Title: Lover’s Knot
Author: Karen Chance
Release Date: June 27, 2017
Rating: Highly Recommended

At this point in my life, there are only a few things that Karen Chance could write that I wouldn’t read. I’ve been reading her Cassie Palmer series since I was a high school senior in 2006 and I legitimately can’t get enough of her Dorina Basarab series. (Even though I will always be obnoxious about dhampirs.)

Lover’s Knot is a free novella that takes place after Fury’s Kiss, the third Dorina Basarab novel but takes place between 15th century Venice and the 21st century. Dory and her father Mircea are the main characters of this quick, but intense read and I really enjoyed this return to the characters’ relationship.

The book opens with Dory coming back from a blackout to a room full of baby vampires (not literal baby vampires, but like newly turned ones) that her formerly dormant vampire side has been well… baby sitting. Or… holding hostage.

I’m still not sure.

(She’s probably not sure, to be fair.)

I’m a huge fan of the book’s flashbacks to Mircea’s time in Venice in 1457 because those flashbacks are set a little while after the events of Chance’s standalone Mircea novel Masks. (Which is a great book that y’all should read asap.) At that time, he’s also kind of a baby vampire himself. The flashbacks set up Mircea’s power and also give us (and Dory) a clue to something integral in the present day plot.

(A plot that I’m not describing in detail because I know I’ll spoil the hell out of it.)

There are some dark moments as Dory’s lover Louis-Cesare is once again pretty in peril, but for the most part Lover’s Knot manages to be both funny and fun while serving up fast-paced action and some world building that I feel is preparing us for the next books in Chance’s two series.

The only downside to the novella is that I don’t think that you can read it without being vaguely familiar with the characters. If you haven’t read a Karen Chance book in a while, you might be able to pick things up on the go.

If you’ve never read any of her books, you need to start. This is a free read so take your time moving through the series until you’re caught up, but get caught up.

I command it.

About Zina

Zina writes about comics, nerd history, and ridiculous romance novels when not working frantically on her first collection of short stories and complaining about stuff. One day, she'll settle down and write that novel.
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Talk to Our Day Care Providers Today. Call
(734) 508-2117

Professional Child Care Programs

Since 1983, Stony Creek Preschool is dedicated to providing dependable child care services in Milan, Ann Arbor, and the surrounding area. Our programs are designed to encourage children’s natural curiosity in a warm and caring environment. We strive to enrich your children’s learning and growth through our experience and proper guidance.

At Stony Creek Preschool, we provide prekindergarten, day care, infant care, baby care, toddler care services and much more. Our policy is to encourage the initiative and creativity of each kid. We provide an atmosphere where children can learn on their own level and are free to express their own feelings.

For further information regarding our programs, call us at (734) 508-2117.

Why Choose Us?

  • In Service Since 1983
  • Qualified Professionals
  • Safe and Structured Atmosphere
  • Certified in Basic First Aid and CPR

Our Programs Include:

  • Preschool
  • Child Care
  • Day Care
  • and More

Have Any Questions? Call Us at (734) 508-2117.

Contact Us

Stony Creek Preschool

10200 Carpenter Road Milan, MI 48160

Business Hours

Mon - Fri: 6:00am - 6:00pm
Sat & Sun: Closed

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Personal Checks, All Major Credit Cards, Debit
Reach Out to Us!

(734) 508-2117

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Redd Skyy | Workin' on Gettin' There

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Rock: Roots Rock Country: Progressive Country Moods: Type: Lyrical
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Workin' on Gettin' There

by Redd Skyy

Progressive Country Rock that digs down to the roots of the blues, rock, and country, served up with it's own unique blend of strong harmonies and melodic rhythms that draws in every form of music lover from the first few notes of each cut..
Genre: Rock: Roots Rock
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  Song Share Time Download
1. Go On
3:50 $0.99
2. Without You
4:13 $0.99
3. Mockingbird Hill
3:19 $0.99
4. Why
4:44 $0.99
5. Good Night to Drive
4:32 $0.99
6. Sure Like to Try
4:51 $0.99
7. The Door
4:37 $0.99
8. Right Side of the Bed
4:22 $0.99
9. Too Far Gone
4:02 $0.99
10. Gettin' There
4:18 $0.99
11. Missing You
3:12 $0.99
Downloads are available as MP3-320 files.

Album Notes
The best thing about music is when it makes a connection with someone, when they relate to the message or find themselves living inside the story. That's what Redd Skyy accomplishes with this debut album. These songs are real. They're about real life personal journeys. Songs that make you want to drive fast, call your baby, turn it up and sing along, stay out just a while longer with your friends because listening to this record just makes you feel good. And everybody needs to feel a little better these days. The rhythms and lyrics in these songs are like a heart magnet. They draw you right in to the middle of it all.

With the up-tempo love gone bad "Go On", our basic built in survival instinct shouts out from the bridge;
I won't stop you, hold you down
Won't be your ladder while you paint the town
Go on Go on, you're already gone!!

And the slow shuffle "the Door" is a more pointed look at life and self analyzation and what it all really means or doesn't mean;
Been lookin' over my shoulder
Ain't come across nothin' new
Searching for answers to self-imposed mysteries
Turned over some stones...but not any clues
So I'll take my chances as a gambler
A beat up rambler on the road
Oh the trouble in my shadows
There ain't nobody knows
A cold and lonely wall between me
And what I'm looking for
Someday I'll get there, if I find the Door

Everyone needs a lite hearted approach to hope and dreams and finding success, and moving ahead in life. "Right Side of the Bed" is the perfect sounding board for the go-ahead;
Gonna' get me a customized Cadillac
Red with the big tall fins
Slip into something tailor-made
So I can slide right on in
Across naugahide leather under blue sky weather
Yeh it's better than it's ever been
I'm revvin' up the engine I'm out on a binge
And I ain't ever coming back again

"Sure Like To Try" is a nastalgic glimpse of the path relationships sometimes take through time;
Can't speak for anybody else
But don't you ever think about why
The best years can up and fade away
And you can't believe they've passed you by
Just a song like a wind out of nowhere
Takes you back one more time
Don't know if we could ever go back, but I'd
Sure like to try

"Good Night To Drive" is a combination of a love affair with old cars, young love and music;
Sally says she loves me, yeh right
But tonight I think I'll just pretend
Dashlights shining in the windshield
That unusual shade of green
It's a good night to drive
It's a good night to drive
The moon is high and the road is long
It's a good night to drive

"Too Far Gone" is about personal awakenings, and discovery of self, and finding comfort on the journey that lies before us all..., not so much where that road will lead us, but rather where we dare to go on our own. Everyone traveling down the road of life will find a connection to themselves somewhere in this song.
I took a drive up to the mountains
Yeh, I went looking for myself
I found the scenery to be stunning
But I didn't find anything else
Ain't that just the way it goes when you're down and out
Maybe all I need is a little refuge,
A little sense of shelter, that's what it's all about
Cause I'm too far gone to get to where I'm going
Too far gone to turn around
Too far gone and the miles they are showing
Too far gone to look back now

From the first few ending lines with three part harmonies fading eerily into a 60's AM car radio, "Gettin' There" kicks off in a raucous "Little Feat-ish" almost funky groove, holding strong right out to the end.
Show me what I'm after, can you take me any faster
yeh I gotta' get there, I'm workin' on gettin' there
Upside downside, high or low, anyway the wind will blow
I gotta' get there, I'm workin' on gettin' there
Here I go!

And while the lyrics and music speak for themselves, the band continues to make rapid progress. Returning on nearly every engagement between Chicago and New Orleans, Redd Skyy is quickly building a solid following for their brand of hard hitting performances out on the road. Already working in the studio on their next collection of songs, they have recieved considerable attention in Nashville, both from labels and publishing companies. Still distraught over how difficult it can be to " break in ", they continue to focus on the independent process of making music, which is keeping their heads slightly above water.

If you really just like good music, you're not going to want to pass this collection up. And be sure to be listening for some soon to be breaking radio play accompanied by live performances in yours and surrounding areas.

to write a review

Here's somebody who thinks like me and writes to me. I feel it!
Lyman Ellerman has the heart and soul of a simple man, and the God-given gift to to put that simple life down in words and music. He writes a beautiful picture that turns into a music video in my head. Again, I play his songs on my station because I like them. You will too.

I like the music, I like it more each time I play the CD.

connie devlin

best that iheard in long time
i heard them play 3 times now,they get better each time . love there music and show cd is wonderful,can think of no better.

Winona L.

Sounds great!
I have only heard them through twice. Pretty good writing and music for a debut album. I find myself singing snippets of the songs in my head throughout the day.

You have got to see these guys "LIVE", heart & soul all the way. This music is the real deal, listen to the vocals, we can all relate.


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Kaisora Guggulu - 100 Tablets

7 items left

Kaisora Guggulu for Gout, Arthritis, Skin Care

  • Useful in health conditions involving joints, skin.
  • It promotes natural wound healing and helps in quick and early wound healing in diabetics.
  • It improves digestion.
  • It is also useful in inflammatory conditions.
  • Inflammatory Arthritis.

1- 2 tablets, twice a day, after food.
Kaisora Guggulu is an effective treatment for gout, rheumatoid arthritis and knee pain. It provides skin care and delays aging.

It is one of the very famous Ayurvedic herbal product. It acts as – aging skin health promoter, joint health, natural blood cleanser, useful as supportive dietary herbal supplement in many health conditions such as diabetes, skin diseases etc.

Terminologies- kaishore guggulu, kaishor guggulu, kaishora guggulu, kaisora guggulu, kaisora gulgulu – all these terms are synonymous. They are all one and the same.

Each tablet is prepared from powder of

Guggulu - Commiphora mukul, Abhaya- Terminalia chebula, Bibhitaki – Terminalia bellirica, Amalaki - Emblica officinalis, Gudoochisatwam- Tinospora cordifolia, Sunti –Zingiber officinalis, Maricha – Piper nigrum, Pippali– Piper longum, Vidanga – Embelia ribes, Danti- Operculina turpethum, Guduchi – Tinospora cordifolia, Sunthi, Marica, Danti, Ghrita

Aqueous Extract of:

Abhaya- Terminalia chebula, Vibhitaki – Terminalia bellirica, Amalaki - Emblica officinalis, Guduchi – Tinospora cordifolia

How long can it be taken?

It is safe for long-term use.

Related Items


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Retail Manager - N
Joined in
Current Projects

Getting all my original tunes recorded

Favorite Instruments

Electric Bass, and Drums, Electric Guitar, and Acoustic Guitar

Favorite Bands

Stu Hamm, Randy Coven, - Metallica, -Dream Theater, -Rush, Seventh Wonder

Retail Manager - N

It is all about the music

About Me

I have been a musician for over 24 years and proudly representing Music & Arts for 15 years. With a vast array of experience in recording, writing and performance. Although Bass is my main instrument, I also play Guitar and Percussion. I have been with the company for over 16 years, and continue to try and improve in every aspect of musical instrument knowledge and all that goes with it.

Find an expert nationwide

Vernon Music & Arts 860-648-9178 Vernon CT


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Openings and New Hires at Groupon, Rocket Fuel, and Xaxis | Street Fight

Openings and New Hires at Groupon, Rocket Fuel, and Xaxis

Openings and New Hires at Groupon, Rocket Fuel, and Xaxis

Every two weeks, Geoff Michener covers some of the latest job changes taking place in this dynamic industry. Please send him a message via LinkedIn if you’d like to share any job changes. (Plus, scroll down for jobs on offer now.)

Changed jobs, or have one to list? Click here to send us tips!

Rosa MarkarianExecutive Changes at Xaxis and Its Light Reaction Unit
Xaxis promoted Brian Gleason to the role of global CEO. He succeeds Brian Lesser, who was promoted to CEO, North America for GroupM. Separately, Xaxis’ Light Reaction unit brought on Rosa Markarian as vice president of global operations. The mobile advertising firm, which launched in June, enters an increasingly crowded space, but the ability to leverage Xaxis’ substantial footprint should give it some momentum.

Rocket Fuel Hires Political Ad Veterans
Politics is slowly beginning to see the benefits of online advertising. In anticipation of a deluge of new spending as the 2016 election cycle heats up, agencies and platforms have started hiring accordingly. Programmatic mainstay Rocket Fuel has brought on A.J. Carrillo as senior account executive and Jesse Contario as account executive to its politics and advocacy group. Most recently, Carrillo was data director for a parliamentary election in Trinidad and Tobago and Contario was a senior manager at Resonate. These hires come on the heels of Rocket Fuel making Street Fight Summit speaker JC Medici national director of politics and advocacy.

New CEO at Groupon
Groupon has replaced CEO Eric Lefkofsky. Current COO Rich Williams will take the reins of the struggling daily deals giant while Lefkofsky becomes board chair. The transition is not a surprise: In 2013, when Groupon fired CEO and founder Andrew Mason, Lefkofsky filled the CEO role until a successor was picked. Williams, who pledged to spend increase Groupon’s marketing spending by $150 to $200 million in the next year, faces an uphill battle. The company’s stock has dropped roughly 60 percent since the beginning of the year.

YP Exec Hires to Spur Growth
YP has promoted one exec and hired another ad veteran as the company continues to optimize its products and increase revenue. Wendell Hicken was promoted to executive vice president of technology and Stu MacFarlane left Herbalife to become executive vice president of consumer platforms. YP is doubling down on exec hires as growth slows in the crowded SMB publisher sector.

Kenshoo Promotes ex-SAP Executive to Managing Director
Kenshoo has promoted Russ Finks, a former SAP executive, to managing director, Americas. Finks joined the agile marketing software firm in 2013. His previous role was global sales account director and vice president, North American agencies. Finks will lead Kenshoo’s expansion, strategy, and client delivery in the U.S. as well as Canada, Mexico, and Brazil.

SITO Mobile Scaling to Compete in Crowded Geo-Targeting Space
SITO Mobile has hired two sales leaders to bring in more revenue in 2016. Ed Silhan and Evan Rullman have joined as regional vice president of sales. Silhan was most recently at eBay running Northeast advertising solutions for the PayPal Media Network. Rullman was at Opera Mediaworks and Resonate before joining SITO Mobile.

New CPO at Surefire Social
Mangesh Wadegaonkar has joined Surefire Social as chief product officer. He will help accelerate growth for the six-year-old company. Wadegaonkar was vice president of digital solutions at mSpark and a consultant before joining Surefire Social.

Choozle Chooses Product Lead
The Denver-based digital advertising platform promoted Travis Davis, an experienced executive who’s been with the company since its inception in 2012, to director of product. His primary responsibility will be driving innovation for Choozle, which is on a growth trajectory. The company announced $4.6 million in Series A funding in March and is in the process of building out teams across the U.S. and in the U.K.

Looking for a new job? Here are some openings…

Angie’s List is seeking a vice president of analytics.

Booker has an opening for a director of PR, brand, and communications. The company is also hiring in customer experience, operations, QA, sales, and technology. For more on Booker, watch CEO Josh McCarter’s keynote address at this year’s Street Fight Summit.

Button is looking for its first marketing executive.

ChowNow has an opening for a senior director of operations.

Email marketing giant Constant Contact, fresh off its acquisition by Endurance International Group, is hiring a chief product designer.

Fundrise is seeking a content and marketing manager. The company has a range of other jobs available.

Gobble, which just raised a sizable Series A round, is hiring for a community marketing manager role.

LocalVox is hiring for a product manager and content editors. Apply online at the company’s careers page.

Main Street Hub has an opening for a content operations and strategy analyst.

xAd is looking for a vp of sales marketing.

Changed jobs or have one to list? Let us know!

geoff michenerGeoffrey Michener is the co-founder of ProspectWise and head of agency relations at Matchcraft. “Movers & Shakers” is published biweekly.

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International SEO Executive

London, England, United Kingdom · Marketing

Description is the world’s leading marketplace for international student housing, helping students find their perfect home abroad. With over 1,000,000 beds in more than 400 cities and in close proximity to 1,000 universities, we offer the best choice of quality housing options. To date, we’ve helped tens of thousands of students from more than 130 different countries.

Founded in 2011, we simplify the student housing booking process through a free global marketplace that puts security and ease-of-use first. For students, that means having an easy-to-use, secure platform for booking accommodation – and total peace of mind. For landlords, that means having a new digital and global infrastructure which provides access to millions of students. Currently, our website lists more than one million beds in more than 400 cities worldwide. We employ over 160 full time employees, representing 20 nationalities across seven offices worldwide.

As our International SEO Executive, you will be working across all elements of SEO from keyword research and technical audits to competitor analysis. You will own Search Engine Optimisation and deliver the SEO strategy, ensuring an effective return on investment and the continued maturity of the channel.

Reporting into the Head of Digital Marketing, you will help create and implement the SEO strategy, making sure we are visible on relevant terms, identifying problems and opportunities, and proactively making suggestions and recommendations to maximize current and future opportunities

Skills & Experience

Apply for this job


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Listen: Audio Push – ‘The Throwaways’ EP | Stream

Music + Video

Listen: Audio Push – ‘The Throwaways’ EP | Stream

The west coast duo known as Audio Push are back. Today the fellas return with their first new effort of 2017. After a rather busy year in 2016, today Audio Push drops off ‘The Throwaways’ EP. The new project is packed full of tracks they haven’t released yet and finds the fellas effortlessly showing off their lyrical prowess.

Speaking on the new EP, Audio Push stated: “This is a collection of jams that we decided to give to the people for free,” adding “These are some joints that we love but they aren’t going on the album so we wanted to bless the Tribe with them.” The project was produced entirely by Larry Belafonte who laces the fellas with some exceptional sounds to do their thing upon. Check out the new project in the stream below and speak your thoughts on it after the jump. Stay tuned for much more from Audio Push coming very soon!

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Jesse James

Writer, Music enthusiast, style aesthete, footwear aficionado & streetwear hoarder. I also unofficially hold the record for most published blog posts!

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Bad Capitalist

Philosophy, Politics

DNA moneyWhat is a capitalist? You hear the term thrown around a lot in the media and on blogs. It is often defined as someone who has a powerful nose for the dollar; someone who is always looking for ways to make money.

There is good capitalism; the type of capitalism that grows, innovates and improves our lives. There is bad capitalism which seeks to degrade, exploit and leave nothing behind. The latter, I believe, has been given too much reign over the American economy.

I feel this way because everywhere I look there is an example of some CEO or venture capitalist wrecking companies for profit, selling stocks short to make money off a market crash or finding creative ways to skim profits from those who actually work for their salary.

Who are they?

They care for nothing except currency, capital. They do not have any loyalty to God, country, family or anything else. They sure as hell don’t care about their workers. Everything is expendable when it comes to profit. One cannot underestimate this particular aspect.

They don’t want steady growth. They want volatility. They profit off the constant up and down. I attended a seminar full of energy traders and a woman giving the keynote speech said as much. She took a marker to a dry erase board and drew a steady line going up and then she drew a zig-zagging, jagged line that trended up. She pointed to the second one and said, “This is what we’re looking for.” There were a lot of nodding heads in the crowd. My jaw was on the floor. An economic crisis wasn’t a crisis for these people, it was an opportunity to make even more money.

They feel because they’re smarter, richer and more educated that it really makes them better people than the rest of us. They believe that somehow those three elements are literally part of their DNA that other people just don’t possess. This fuels an extreme sense of entitlement.

So what? Someone might say. Who cares? These people make money that also goes into 401(k) accounts and hedge funds, which benefits the lowly investor. That’s true. Except when things go south, like they did in 2008, the investors pay for it while the capitalists come out smelling like a rose, as usual.

They spoon feed the public nonsense about ideas such as the “invisible hand,” “a rising tide lifts all boats” and “war is good for the economy.” They want everyone to think that their fortune and our misfortune is due to causes beyond anyone’s control. In truth, extreme capitalists are the invisible hand. A swelling tide lifts their boats. War is good for them.

In 2008 oil companies were making record profits off the ever-increasing price of fuels. Their product had tripled in cost over the span of a year while demand was dropping. Executives told Congress “this is just how the market works.” Financial experts got on TV and said the same thing. They were doing their damndest to convince people that they’d stumbled upon all of these price increases like Jed Clampett.

As it turned out, oil prices were skyrocketing thanks to the clever trading methods of speculators working for investment banking firms. It wasn’t the end users of the oil who were buying the product. It was financial institutions buying and then selling oil as if it were a stock. Guess who turned out to be some of the masterminds behind the increases? Former traders from Enron.

CEOs earn more than 300 times more than most employees. According to the laws of capitalism, that would mean that they’re somehow offering 300 times more value than workers. Which isn’t true. Workers have their title for that reason, they’re doing the work. CEOs and managers make decisions and select the person best-suited for the work. That’s an equal partnership regardless of what the CEOs say about their leadership. Their value is not inherent in their salaries, it’s just what shareholders are willing to pay them.

Personally, I have no problem with capitalism. It has served me well. It has served America well. However anyone feels about capitalism, any objective look at America’s situation will see that it has fueled this country’s greatness.

But the capitalism and capitalist I speak of is unhinged, financial sociopathy.

Capitalists working in the government shroud themselves in conservative cloaks. The only thing they understand is cutting taxes regardless of spending levels or government excess. They do their best to choke government agencies through budget cuts or legislative restrictions to force a public sector necrosis. As the government fails under the pressure of reduced revenue and toothless authority, the capitalists point to the ineffectiveness and say “You see? Government doesn’t work!”

Government is ineffective. It is mired in bureaucracy. It doesn’t work because the capitalists don’t want it to work. They want the roles now served by government to be disintegrated so either the private sector can take that role over or that role ceases to cost taxpayer dollars.

They care nothing for equality or social progress. By nothing I mean they don’t care if equality improves or worsens, so long as it doesn’t affect their bottom line. Once lawsuits happen, then you begin to see business pushing back against added discrimination standards.

Take a CEO in America. When someone dies due to their product, a CEO’s first though isn’t, “How do we fix the problem to keep it from happening again?” They first think, “How do I keep this from costing the company revenue? How do I keep the public from finding out about this? How do I fight this in court to prevent hemorrhaging cash?”

They claim these principles are part of a philosophy. They say that they believe in the private sector’s ability to be efficient. They claim that their companies’ profits support their employees and their families. They claim their success fuels the success of other businesses. They pontificate about the multiplier effect.

Don’t be fooled. At the end of the day their goal is simple: they don’t want to pay taxes and they want more opportunities to make money. They don’t care about anything else. They don’t care about taxpayers. They don’t care about customers. They don’t care about responsibility. They don’t care about the environment. They don’t really care about the quality of their own goods and services. They don’t even care about their own company. They care nothing about these constructs unless it serves the purpose of generating profit. They don’t care about any system of social justice, government or civilization. They only care about themselves.

That is their mind.

They’re always around us and we can do nothing to rid ourselves of them. But we do need start recognizing who they are as opposed to the effective capitalists. We have to stop lionizing them and rewarding their exploitative behavior.

This begins with identifying them.

Black Belts and Brown Shoes

Philosophy, Politics, Religion

Humans have such highly-charged brains which has led us to accomplish some pretty amazing feats in our brief history. Space travel. Global communication. Combustible engines. Mass media.

It is equally amazing and mystifying how we waste that surging intellect on the oddest social constructs whether it’s what color shoes to wear with what belt or how no one looks each other in the eye when they’re in the elevator. There are books written on the subject of etiquette and how to avoid social miscues that draw unapproving looks from fellow hominids.

I’m fairly certain some of those odd social hang ups have some sort of survival root such as not making eye contact with strangers. Some of them though, like the belts and shoes, not wearing white pants after Labor Day and fork placement in a table setting, have no important basis. To me they are preferences that have somehow become “proper.” This is stupid of course. Many of these fabricated faux pas are things that don’t really matter in life and yet we spend so much time trying to adhere to them.

Why are we so concerned about this stuff? I woke up one morning and made a mental note of every action I took that was designed to fit some social norm. Yep, it started with my belt and shoes; then the right color of socks with my pants; then brushing my hair; then holding the door open for someone.

It’s probably that herd mentality that runs so strong in our DNA. Our survival has become irrevocably linked to social connections. We need each other to make it in this world, especially now that most people don’t know how to grow their own food or build their own shelter. Somewhere along the way though, these insignificant habits have become ingrained in that social necessity.

What’s worse is people who refuse to play along with some of these dumb rules are labeled misfits, non-conformists and abnormal. We even diagnose people with a disorder when they don’t pick up on specific social cues. We also make these social norms part of religion. Not only do we make people outcasts because they’re different, we also try to tell them that they’re going to hell too. There’s something wrong with labeling someone as diseased because they won’t make eye contact or their obsessively absorbed with a hobby or they just don’t care about matching their belts to their shoes.

To me, that’s dangerous. Criminal behavior is one thing. There are acts which work against the societal model on which our survival depends. But behaviors considered odd that have no effect on others is not the same thing. And therein lies the tragedy. What is considered different sometimes becomes anathema. We begin to judge people’s worth and abilities based on how they dress themselves. We interpret someone’s skill level with how well they fit in with others. We try to draw conclusions about each other on things that are, at the end of the day, preferences.

I firmly believe that we’re smarter than that. But yet again, this whole habit of judging based on immaterial social norms is based on one thing: mental laziness. We don’t want to think. Looking beyond someone’s appearance and odd behavior requires work. We actually have to invest time into getting to know someone and we just don’t want to do it. So we take shortcuts and pass judgment based on whether people know how to dress, use a salad fork for their salad or how neat they keep their desk.

Yes it does take a lot of energy to get to know someone and it’s not always feasible to do that with every person who crosses our path. But there is one thing we can do when it comes to dealing with people who are different: stop judging them so quickly based on superficial habits. We don’t have to take them to dinner or become their best friend. But we can reserve judgment until we’ve had time to know them and understand where they’re coming from.

We can do this because we have such high-capacity minds. Maybe it’s time that we used them.

Are you a Dexter or a Heisenberg?

Since I’ve become a father I haven’t had much time to sit in front of the silver screen like I used to. I loved sitting in the theatre, alone, getting drowned in a celluloid universe.

But now a lot of my pop culture needs are met through television and Netflix. I have lucked out and happened to pull fatherhood at a time when TV shows have never been better. There’s a trend that I’ve noticed in these past two years as a parent with regards to those shows that has piqued by philosophical nature.

I find myself torn between Dexter and Heisenberg.

First though, I’ll start with Nietzsche. I’ve always been a slight fan of his philosophy on a person pursuing their best self. Whether someone is extremely religious or not (and Nietzsche wasn’t) there’s still something important to gain from his ideology. We should all be more introspective to find out what our true purpose is and then go all in to fulfill that purpose.

You can find the basic Nietzsche philosophy in a lot of popular culture these days, especially TV. Tony Soprano, Dexter Morgan, Walter White, Greg House, hell even Barney Stinson are characters driven by a deep, personal desire to become something great, regardless of what others or society thinks.

Interestingly enough, Dexter and Walter White, or his alter ego Heisenberg, represent two distinct personality types, goal oriented vs. process oriented. Having been a big fan of both shows, I wonder at times which one I’m more like in so far as how I seek to be the best me.

Dexter is very much someone who is goal oriented. His every waking moment is spent working towards the next kill. He does his best to balance a lot of background distractions such as family, work, etc. but his motivation is about getting someone on his table. Once he finishes one victim he begins to move on to the next. He revels in each one by keeping a drop of blood in a slide to represent each time he’s achieved a kill. Dexter is always after another kill.

Walter White, however, is more about a process. Throughout his career in the meth world, he worked to perfect his product. He was obsessed with the process, the right amount of chemicals for each batch and striving for the highest purity. He does have a goal of leading a meth empire but he knows fully that it has to be built on a superior drug. For Walt, there is no dollar amount or purity level that serves as a finish line. He wants to make the best meth.

Yes, they’re fictional characters. I understand that. What I like about the comparison though is that they demonstrate two different paths for living your life. I don’t mean choosing to kill people or make meth but the focus on what is more important: who you are or what you do.

I’ve decided I’m a Heisenberg. In my writing I care more about becoming a better craftsman as opposed to creating a masterpiece. I like finishing stories and books but at the end of the day I want to believe I’ve improved my skill.

While goal-oriented people are highly valued in the job market, there are two major pitfalls for someone who is obsessed with results. 1) When you are too focused on the finish line, the means by which you get there blurs and you may use unethical behavior and possibly take short cuts. 2) If you are going after a major goal, what do you do when you get there? If someone has a goal of running a marathon, the motivation to keep running might dwindle once they finish one.

For me it’s more important to master a process. Results are important. Otherwise how would you know if you’re becoming better at your process? I guess a person who’s truly successful at self realization is adept at focusing both on their skill as well as their accomplishments.

I’d rather be known as a good writer than a person who wrote a good book. I may never achieve either, but my pursuit will be the process.

God Threshold III

Philosophy, Religion

You take a photograph with a digital camera. You upload it to a computer. When you look at the image on the screen, it’s a familiar scene that you’ve just recorded. Underneath it though, is code, lots of code. While you see a picture, the image is produced on screen through a long string of coded information that the computer needs to display said image.

It’s not really all that different from your brain processing your sight. You open your eyes. Images are processed and the information is sent to your brain through signals in your nervous system. It is your brain that actually produces the image.

But there’s a tremendous difference between how a computer and a human brain translate and display images.

You can take two computers and connect them with a wire. That forms a network. Using software you can take the code of a photograph and send it to the second computer through the wire. The second computer, regardless of its operating system and sometimes regardless of its internal architecture, can then take that code and produce the exact same image that you first saw on the first computer.

The brain does not do that. If you witness two cars hitting each other on a street and a person standing next to you witnesses the same wreck, both of you can walk away with different interpretations about which driver was at fault. People disagree on what they see even if they see the same exact thing. You can show the same picture to two people and they can both see different things.

The point? No matter how much two people relate to each other whether it’s verbal or physical, it is impossible for one person to completely transmit their own personal experience to another. We can all look at the same thing and agree on the details of what we see but we can’t all see it the same. We can all listen to the same songs but we can’t fully share those songs between each other so that each person has the exact same code as another person.

No matter what we process through our experiences and reason, it is all colored by our individual minds. And every individual mind has its own color.

People, while they can communicate like a computer network, cannot have their brains wired together to share information and then experience that information in the precisely same manner. At the end of the day, all we really know is what we process through our own minds.

Is it any wonder then, that we can never fully agree on what reality is? We can all look at the same picture but we all have a different perspective.

Perhaps I’m wrong and reality does exist. It still doesn’t matter. We can never fully know reality because said reality would be processed by each of our different, unique minds.

Much of this boils down to the same question which I’ve posed many times on this blog: can something exist that is beyond our ability to experience? By that I mean is there something that we don’t possess the physiological necessities to experience? We didn’t have the ability to see bacteria until the microscope was invented. But even then, we had been experiencing bacteria (illness, etc.) despite the fact we couldn’t process its existence through base, empirical means. Our minds are incapable of processing the microscopic life form. But through technological advances, we can and did eventually experience it through sight.

I am speaking of something that can exist beyond any ability to experience; something that no amount of technology could ever find for us?

Or is the whole universe accessible to us and we can’t we just can’t experience it yet?

Shot of Reason

Philosophy, Politics, Uncategorized

We all know how I feel about vaccines. Vaccines do not cause autism and there is no reputable study that proves this.

A recent study released shows that campaigns intended to lure anti-vaccination parents back to the dark side of reason have backfired, turning parents who were lukewarm to the idea into total crusaders against the needle.

What bothered me about the story was not the argument of vaccination vs. anti-vaccination. It’s the core issue of people being turned off when they’re confronted with an opposing view. There was another study done in 2006 when people who considered themselves conservative were shown a fake report arguing the case for weapons of mass destruction in Iraq. They were then given a report that factually refuted false report’s claims. Did the test subjects shift their thinking? Nope. Apparently being accosted with facts only strengthened their resolve.

That’s a problem with people that has always bothered me. And this isn’t about conservative vs. progressive, science vs. God, global warming vs. Big Oil. It’s about basic logic and how our biases can so easily overpower our abilities to think straight.

I’ve touched on this before, about thinking. We become quite entrenched in our beliefs and once we reach that state, we can’t be convinced otherwise, facts be damned. We’ll result to all different types of faulty arguments to hang on to our cause, strawman logic, anecdotal evidence, sometimes just outright denial.

But why? Why do we latch on to our personal ideas and refuse to let go? The problem really boils down to one thing: laziness. That’s a dangerous combination. Considering two sides to a debate takes work. Keeping an open mind actually requires intellectual energy that we are either too lazy or too obstinate to maintain.

A closed mind requires no energy. It requires no thought process. It requires no ability to comprehend. It makes life simple because we don’t have to waste time trying to understand a different point of view.

The other danger non-thinking laziness presents is that it propagates pseudo-debates. Thanks to petroleum-funded “research” about global warming, they have managed to create a “debate” about the issue that does not exist. More than 95 percent of climate scientists agree that global warming is real and that it’s our fault. But those who stand to lose billions and possibly trillions to CO2 emissions caps and other regulations have created an image of a two-sided issue. You don’t really need to have a debate, just the appearance of one, to confuse those who haven’t yet made up their mind. Once the undecided people find out which side they’re on politically, they gravitate in that direction and there you go, a contentious issue where there previously was none.

The anti-vaccination folk have now done the same thing and they don’t even have well-funded, contrarian research on their side. The numbers of those without vaccines are going up, as are the number of cases of preventable diseases like whooping cough.

How exactly do you solve this problem? How do you get people to stop blindly going in the direction they’ve always traveled?

It starts with one thing: thinking. But that can’t happen with a closed mind.

First World Problems

Philosophy, Politics, Religion

If it’s one thing I can’t stand to hear from someone is how some particular thing is “destroying our nation.”

Whatever it is, no it’s not. Our country is just fine. Lately every single politician, political movement, religion, atheist, communist, socialist, fascist, congressman, president, governor, mayor and the Post Office is destroying our country.

What exactly is so bad that some sort of harbinger has been unleashed declaring the end of the United States? Are we slugging it out in the streets for a top spot in bread lines? Do we face some kind of energy crisis? Are armed guards kidnapping random people in the night? Do we wake up to assault gun fire and mortar shelling every day like they do in Syria? Any genocide going on?

No. None of that is happening. We don’t have any REAL problems. We bitch about the political fighting in Washington, tax breaks for the rich, lazy people on food stamps, etc. But, I’m sorry, those are not nation-destroying troubles. Ronald Reagan’s Iran Contra scandal, George Bush’s recession, Bill Clinton’s philandering, George W.’s warmongering and Obama’s fight for his healthcare plan have not destroyed this country and none of it will.

Do we have problems? Yes, we do. The government spies on everything from our phone calls to our top scores on Angry Birds. Politicians on both sides lie about facts and use fear and anger to generate fervor among their electorate. Our economy at times seems to hang by a thread. The public denies scientists when they don’t like what scientists have to say.

But by and large, these things ARE being held in check. We still have our smartphones and our memes. We still drive our gas-guzzling trucks and SUVs. We still have McDonalds, buffalo wings and Pizza Hut. This Sunday our nation will sit collectively for five hours while we enjoy our annual descent into junk food and beer during our beloved Superbowl.

Can things escalate to the point that our country will be destroyed? Of course. But we’re nowhere near that point. The fact that we’re so much in arms about the NSA, political discourse, climate change, economic regulations, welfare costs and healthcare shows that we do at least care about what’s happening even if we keep electing 90 percent of incumbents in Congress who do nothing about it.

And I won’t lie, sometimes I get caught up in the drama of it all and join in the chorus of doomsday. But I think enough is enough.

I’m not saying we should never be worried. I’m saying stop it with the histrionics. Let’s keep our eyes on the realities of our world. There are countries with genuine war zones, food shortages, widespread disease and genocide. But it’s not our country. Our issues are, at the end of the day, first-world problems.

It’s the deep paranoia and the actions that people take based on that paranoia that can cause serious problems. But even then, that won’t be the end of us.

How to Find a Skunk

Philosophy, Politics, Religion

During the height of his steroids scandal, a reporter asked pitcher Roger Clemens about his opinion on those who accused him of juicing. His response was a quote from his mother.

“Never get into a pissing contest with a skunk.”

This is pretty good advice, especially when it comes to social media. In the past couple days I’ve found myself soaked quite a bit in skunk urine thanks to the discussions surrounding duck caller Phil Robertson. In case you haven’t heard he made some ill-advised comments about the lives of African Americans prior to the Civil Rights movement and the sexual effect of a woman’s vagina vs. a man’s anus. Like many of the great debates in our time, the intellectual back and forth has been aired out on Twitter and Facebook.

Most of the time when there’s a controversial news topic, I shy away from the online bickering. I once lost a friend (well on Facebook anyway) about the Trayvon Martin shooting. When I do venture into a hyped discussion, I try to keep my opinions on topic and usually I stick to it.

Couple of things I’ve learned about social media squabbles 1) you never change anyone’s opinion about the subject matter and 2) you never feel better after unleashing your view on said subject matter.

My  latest foray into online debate centered on Robertson’s incendiary comments and how 1) he was entitled to make them, 2) A&E was entitled to kick him off the air, 3) Biblical edicts are sometimes relative (i.e. slavery, bacon, gays, etc.) and 4) I have a poor habit of “selective reading” as one of my friend’s friends put it.

I had a long night answering comments from people who claim 1) that Christianity is under attack,  2) that my education is inadequate, 3) that Muslims have free speech which Christians don’t, 4) that my remarks really miss the point, etc. etc. etc. etc. Luckily I think I survived the night with most of my friends and followers lists intact.

I knew what I was getting into but I just couldn’t help myself. Why do I, and others for that matter, feel the need to argue even when they know they can’t win? For me, I guess there’s this hope that maybe I can at least get others to see a different point of view. Their personal stance may not change but they’ll broaden their perspective. Hopefully.

This never happens. Ever.

I think that social media and the Internet in general fuels people’s sense of self-importance. Maybe because we feel that we can broadcast our opinions to the entire world in an instant it somehow gives those opinions some sort of credence. It’s particularly enticing when you know that your message is concentrated to people you know. (Only egomaniacs spout their opinions for everyone on a blog.)

Unfortunately though, online “debates” usually become nothing but a bunch of people sharing opinions that everyone already knows. No one becomes educated or enlightened. It just turns into a digital yelling match and the volume of your voice does not make you right. (Except for me. I’m always right.)

Word of advice though, when you see a skunk, turn around. Walking away doesn’t mean the skunk is right about gay marriage.

Extreme Christ

Jesus earring

So there’s this tattooed, progressive, vulgar woman making the lefty church rounds spouting her particular message about Jesus Christ in her own distinct way. Minister Nadia Bolz-Weber’s delivery seems to speak to today’s generation of disillusioned youth seeking some kind of spiritual catharsis from an unconventional source.

Her style is really nothing new. But lately she’s been drawing a new audience — regular folk. Turns out that you don’t have to be some violence-desensitized, angst-ridden twenty-something in order to be turned off by traditional, organized religion. It’s a rising trend that shows no sign of slowing. The most rapidly growing religious identity in the U.S.? Athiesm, agnosticism or unafilliated.

People have problems with religion, at least the traditional model be it Catholics, Protestants or Evangelicals. They’re just not filling the pews anymore. Some feel the exodus has to do with the political involvement with conservatives in government. Others blame secularization. Personally I feel there is a bit of hypocrisy in how people act compared to what they profess to believe. I also think  too many people use their religion to justify divisiveness, violence and outright avarice.

In the past maybe young people felt obligated to stick with religion despite their reservations but I don’t think that guilt is working anymore.

Movements from unconventional ministers like Bolz-Weber are growing and in different manifestations. Many of these non-denominational churches are centered on a dynamic personality, like Joel Osteen or Joyce Meyer. Others are based on a theme like Cowboy Church. I once went to a service crafted entirely for bikers. People are capitalizing on those seeking God in a nontraditional setting.

It bothers a lot of people. Even Pope Francis, the loose-talking Jesuit recently named pontiff, is facing backlash from traditional Catholics irate that he’s doing such cavalier things like not judging gays and granting interviews to athiest journalists.

I’m a faltering Catholic, a heavily liturgical denomination. The mere presence of a guitar at a Protestant service rubs me the wrong way because the only version of Amazing Grace I’ve ever heard was accompanied by an organ. Sadly, contemporary is just not my cup of tea. I can see why some are repulsed by Francis, Bolz-Weber and Biker Church.

Yet, so what? To me all of those who have been devoutly religious their entire lives should be happy that the prodigal children have found another path to the same destination. Even if they don’t like the way the message is presented, they should at least rejoice that the lost are found.

Some of the deniers are more afraid that the newcomers are changing the message. Legitimate fear, maybe, but I think that fear is usually based on the notion that unless someone’s worshiping the way they worship, then they’re not true believers. Ironically, this is the large part of the reason why people get sour on God in the first place — worshipers look at those who believe different and condemn them for being different. This irks me particularly with Christians because Jesus preached the exact opposite. There’s a certain instance in the Bible when His disciples walked up to Him complaining that there was a man performing miracles in Jesus’ name. He rebuked their intolerance.
“Anyone who is not against us is for us.”

-Mark 9:40

God Experience

My first experience with God wasn’t a happy one.

It was in a CCD class. My teacher was going over the experiences of hell. Some woman had gone to the depths of the inferno in some dream and came back to tell people what it was like. She was some sort of inverted prophet.

The teacher told the story as though she was recalling a memory about a past storm. She described the fire and how the flames burned hotter than coals.

I don’t know why, but her talk got to me. I was only about 12 or so. Since I’d been born, God and the devil and heaven and hell were nothing more than theories, beings who were out in some ethereal world that had nothing to do with me.

But that day, the reality hit me that my actions did matter. Somebody was watching and keeping tally. I didn’t look at it though, from the stance that I had heaven to gain by doing good. I became all about avoiding hell. For all I cared, I could get stuck in some dentist’s lobby for eternity as long as the fiery coals weren’t sticking to my skin.

How did the talk from some volunteer Sunday school teacher get to me? It wasn’t as if she were a nun or a priest. She was just some mother who was trying to get through to a group of teenage kids.

I never shared with anyone that experience and how it thumped my soul into action. I started sitting closer in the front pews, while my parents stayed in the back. I paid attention to the homilies and the gospel readings.

Profound effect. Still didn’t know why.

I looked at ways to avoid hell. Someone told me if you died wearing a scapula or a rosary, you were guaranteed refuge in heaven. Then they taught me about confession and how if I died after confession my soul would be cleared and I’d be safe. Others told me to lead a good life and do good things and God wouldn’t condemn me. The inferno and my escape from it was always on my mind.

What bothers me now is I never questioned it. I never tried to investigate the teacher’s claims or ask myself why I got so scared.

Since then, I’ve come to believe that it was because of my first memory as a child. When I think back as far as I can, the first thing I remember happening to me was burning my hand on a barbecue pit. I was at some family get together, some second cousin’s graduation or something. I was walking around and I remember my hand sticking to some 55 gallon drum cut out as a pit. Searing pain, that’s what stuck with me. It burned and wouldn’t stop. Family members scrambled around me, some relative grabbed a bag of ice and put it on my arm. I’m not sure if it helped or not.

That’s it, that’s all I remember from that day, that moment. Talking to my mom about it one day, she was surprised that I remembered that, I was only about 18 months old, she said. She told me she kept bandages on my hand for a long time, even had to put a sock on it to keep me from hurting it again while there was raw skin exposed.

Maybe my mind connected hell with burning my arm. Maybe it’s bullshit. I don’t know.

It’s taken many years but the effect of putting hell off has waned, though not entirely.

Now, 34, I don’t know how God works and how people go to heaven or hell. I see good people, great souls, who don’t go to church or tout any religious ideology. I’ve met righteous muslim people and Jewish There are good “church-going” people, judgmental, narrow-minded, who have no business being rewarded for their intense dislike of things that are different.

I do believe there is a God but I think He’s more of a mystery to me than that day in Sunday school.

So, at a crossroads now, not knowing where I’m heading or what to do about it. Boat listlessly drifting in an open sea.

I’m not an atheist but I now see where they’re coming from. There is so much unfathomable evil in this world and this God that believers describe doesn’t seem to fit with that reality, or reality as we know it.

How can a God who drowned the whole world let genocide go unchecked? I mean a vile genocide, like Rwanda or Cambodia. People hacked to death, heads cut off in public. Women raped. Outsiders tortured. But no God.

Athiests see so many people utilizing religion as a channel to dominate and justify heinous activity. I see now how evil the institution can be and how they really believe that it’s ok to kill, rape, torture and destroy those who think different.

How can you blame someone for thinking that no divine would let these things happen?

Sure there are testaments, Bible passages, inspirational stories that are offered by ardent believers that there is something great and unknown.

I can’t say I don’t believe in that ideal. What I can say is, I’ve slowly  shed off the memory of the day I became firmly entrenched in the idea of hell. I’m awake now. The afterlife is uncertain again and I can’t go back to sleep.

God Threshold II

Philosophy, Religion

galaxy cutout

Regarding the God Threshold.

Can something exist that we don’t have the physiological ability to experience? If it does exist, do we have the ability to comprehend and/or identify it? Can we ever fully understand that unknowable unknown?

I am not talking about something like a far-flung galaxy, a parallel universe or string theory. Those are things that we don’t yet have the capability to understand; we have the ability. I am referring to an ultimate unknown. We are all endowed with reason and the ability to process our experiences. How do we put our thumb on something that’s beyond both?

Heisenberg states that we cannot know the exact location and velocity of a given particle at the same time. It lends to not being able to know two things about one thing at the same time. How do we know something when we know nothing, and can experience nothing about it?

It’s an important question I think. If we think that everything is within reach or could become within reach, then to me, we make ourselves the center of the universe. If  nothing exists beyond our ability to experience, then we feel that nothing is beyond our grasp. It is then our universe; everything else is just a part of it.

To be continued…


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The If Tool executes a branch of the action flow if the condition is evaluated as True and another branch if the condition is evaluated as False. To swap the True and False branches, right-click on the element and select Swap Connectors. Use the Properties Pane to edit the condition. Use the If Condition window to edit complex expressions. Open it by double-clicking Condition in properties pane or right-clicking on the element and selecting Edit Condition.

Name Description Mandatory Default value Observations
Label Identifies an element in the flow.
Condition Boolean literal or expression to decide which path of the flow to execute. Yes

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How do you manage stress?

Feeling too much stress? Get more recovery.

With the overwhelming amount of stress that many Americans may feel every day, it's easy to imagine how stress in our lives can lead to disengagement from work, clients or families, burn out or depression.

"If we have too much stress in our lives (without recovery), we feel burned out or may develop health issues."

However, studies from the Human Performance Institute™ show that it's not the stress that causes problems for many people, it's their lack of recovery. As humans we require cycles of stress and recovery in order to keep developing. If we have too much stress in our lives (without recovery), we feel burned out or may develop health issues. However, if we have too much recovery (with no periods of stress) we will fail to expand our capacity for growth.

Storms happen

High stress or "storms" are not necessarily a bad thing, as long as we learn how to approach them:

  • Storms take us out of our comfort zone, much like stressing a muscle.
  • They are a stimulus for growth, as long as we seek quality recovery.
  • It's important that when you have periods of high stress that you find time to disengage and recover.
How do you manage stress? - Energy graph
Graph that shows that when fully engaged stress (energy out) grows. When fully disengaged, recovery (energy in) grows.

Relax, re-energize and recover

Now, more than ever, is the time to maintain or establish a regular, consistent schedule for recovery. By purposefully planning the time to disengage and relax, you can better handle the "storms" in your personal and professional life.

Types of recovery

Many people view recovery as lying around watching a movie, taking a nap, even having a glass of wine or a beer. The truth is, recovery is possible while in motion. This type of recovery is called active recovery whereas inactive recovery is called passive recovery. Both types are essential for full engagement where you are energized, positive, connected, focused and committed. Recovery includes any activity that is enjoyable, fulfilling and prompts positive emotions, and with it a flush of positive endorphins. Depending on what your interests are, it might mean working in the garden, exercising, yoga, meditation, massage, time with friends, quiet time alone, playing sports, reading a book...the list goes on and on. The key is finding what works for you.

  • Take a walk or stretch break every 90 minutes
  • Get a good night's sleep (7-8 hours)
  • Snack throughout the day; never go four hours or longer without food
  • Try a deep breathing exercise every four hours
  • Do at least three cardiovascular interval workouts per week
  • Do at least two strength training workouts per week

  • Find something or someone who makes you laugh every day
  • Call a family member or friend daily
  • Read bedtime stories with kids every night
  • Have a date night with your spouse every other Saturday
  • Listen to music or sing to yourself daily
  • Turn off your cell phone during dinner

  • Reprioritize your tasks daily
  • Delegate a task to someone else
  • Schedule a break in your day
  • Read a book or magazine for fun
  • Write in a journal for 5 minutes before bedtime

  • Write five things you're thankful for in a journal or on paper; read it every night
  • Write a mission statement; read it every morning
  • Put a new picture of your family on your screen saver every month
  • Volunteer for something once a month


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Company and Marketing Strategy

Strategic planning
The process of developing and maintaining a strategic fit between the organization’s goals and capabilities and its changing marketing opportunities
Mission Statement
The organization’s purpose, what it wants to accomplish in the larger environment
Market-oriented mission statement
Defines the business in terms of satisfying basic customer needs
1. Build profitable relationships
2. Invest research
3. Improve profits
1. Increase market share
2. Create local partnerships
3. Increase promotion
Business Portfolio
The collection of businesses and products that make up the company
Portfolio Analysis
A major activity in strategic planning whereby management evaluates the products and businesses that make up the company.
Strategic business unit (SBU)
A unit of the company that has a separate mission and objectives that can be planned separately from other company businesses
Strategic business unit (SBU)
Also called Key-business
Product/market expansion grid
A tool for identifying company growth opportunities through market penetration, market development, product development, or diversification
Market Penetration
A growth strategy increasing sales to current market segments without changing the product
Market Development
A growth strategy that identifies and develops new market segments for current products
Product Development
A growth strategy that offers new or modified products to existing market segments
A growth strategy for starting up or acquiring businesses outside the company’s current products and markets
the reduction of the business portfolio by eliminating products or business units that are not profitable or that no longer fit the company’s overall strategy.
Value chain
A series of departments that carry out value-creating activities to design, produce, market, deliver, and support a firm’s products
Value Delivery Network
Made up of the company, suppliers, distributors, and, ultimately, customers who partner with each other to improve performance of the entire system
Market Segmentation
The division of a market into distinct groups of buyers who have distinct needs, characteristics, or behavior, and who might require separate products or marketing mixes
Market Segment
A group of consumers who respond in a similar way to a given set of marketing efforts
Market Targeting
The process of evaluating each market segment’s attractiveness and selecting one or more segments to enter
Market Positioning
The arranging for a product to occupy a clear, distinctive, and desirable place relative to competing products in the minds of the target consumer
Marketing Mix
The set of controllable tactical marketing tools—product, price, place, and promotion—that the firm blends to produce the response it wants in the target market
Marketing Planning
Involves a strategies that will help the company attain its overall objectives.
Marketing Strategy
Consist of specific strategies for target markets, positioning, the marketing mix and marketing expenditure levels. It outlines how the company intends to create value for target customers in order to capture value in return.
1. Executive summary
2. Marketing situation
3. Threats and opportunities
4. Objective and issues
5. Action programs
6. Budgets
7. Controls
The Parts of a Marketing Plan
Executive Summary
Presents a brief summary of the main goals and recommendations of the plan for management review
Current Marketing Situations
Described the target market and company’s position in it, which includes, a market review, product review, a competition review and distribution.
Threats and Opportunities Analysis
Assesses major threats and opportunities that the product might face, helping the management to anticipate important positive or negative developments that might have an impact on the firm and its strategies.
Objectives and Issues
States the marketing objectives that the company would like to attain during the pan’s term and discusses key issues that will affect their attainment.
Marketing Strategy
Outlines the broad marketing logic by which business unit hopes to create customer value and relationships
Action Program
Spells out how marketing strategies will be turned into specific actions that will answer the ff. questions:
• What will be done?
• When will be done?
• Who will do it?
• How much will it cost?
It shows expected revenues (forecasted number of units sold and the average net price) and expected cost of production, distribution and marketing. The difference is the projected profit.
It includes measures of return on marketing investment.
What does SWOT in SWOT Analysis stands for?
Marketing Implementation
The process that turns marketing plans into marketing actions to accomplish strategic marketing objectives
Marketing Control
The process of measuring and evaluating the results of marketing strategies and plans and taking corrective action as needed to ensure that objectives are achieved.
Operating Control
Involves checking performance against the annual plan. The purpose is to ensure that the company achieves the sales, profit and other goals set out in its annual plan
Strategic Control
Involves looking at whether the company’s basic strategies are well matched to its opportunities.
Return on Marketing Investment
The net return from a marketing investment divided by the costs of the marketing investment. Marketing ROI provides a measurement of the profits generated by investments in marketing activities.
Growth-share Matrix
A portfolio-planning method that evaluates a company’s SBU in terms of its market growth rate and relative market share. SBUs are classified as stars, cash cows, dog, and question mark.
Marketing Control
The process of measuring and evaluating the results of marketing strategies and plans and taking corrective action as needed to ensure that objectives are achieved.


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Great ways to work with Office

Savvy tips here! View these infographics as PDF files -- or download the FREE templates (PowerPoint 2016 files) to customize and print them as posters or cheat sheets.

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The Clyde Hertzman Legacy Fund

Clyde Hertzman

The Clyde Hertzman Legacy Fund

Family and colleagues of Dr. Clyde Hertzman have established the Clyde Hertzman Legacy Fund to support academic investigation and community initiatives that strengthen the social and emotional development of young children. Social and emotional development in the early years prepares children to be self-confident, inquisitive, trusting, empathic, compassionate, cognitively competent and capable of relating well to others. No other aspect of children’s development impacts so deeply on their life course. Dr. Hertzman increasingly understood this to be the core of human development.

About This Project

The fund will be based on the principles embodied in Dr. Clyde Hertzman’s work. These include:

  • fostering interdisciplinary “cell to society” investigation to increase our understanding of and ability to create environments where children can thrive,
  • using academic research as a catalyst for community mobilization and community development processes
  • promoting evidence-based programming and educational tools that support children and families, and
  • informing policies that seek to reduce social inequalities in children’s health and well-being.

The Clyde Hertzman Legacy Fund will begin by supporting the collaboration between the Dalai Lama Center for Peace and Education (DLC) and the Human Early Learning Partnership (HELP), in cooperation with Clyde’s family, to expand a new and innovative early childhood development indicator and community development tool called the Heart-Mind Index. The Heart Mind Index was Clyde’s innovation, and he provided ongoing support and direction throughout its development. It is a first of its kind in the world.

The Heart-Mind Index (derived from the Early Development Instrument) is a population-level measurement that provides a comprehensive and holistic assessment of the mental and emotional well-being of groups of children in communities. The data generated through the Heart-Mind Index can be used for planning, programming, policy development and community mobilization around issues related to children’s Heart-Mind well-being. The DLC and HELP will partner with communities in the Heart-Mind Index project; to understand and interpret the resultant population level data; and develop community-based initiatives that seek to create caring environments and relationships that will educate the hearts of children. The broad goal of this initiative is to contribute to the creation of a conscientious and compassionate society.

More about heart-mind learning:

About Dr. Clyde Hertzman

Need Help?

Phone 604.827.4111 or toll-free in North America 1.877.717-GIVE

Charitable business # 10816 1779 RR0001

More info on Tax Creditable Gifts


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Why are my Call Back times off?

Call Back times being off is usually a Time Zone setting.  First item to check is your own TimeZone setting.  To do this:

  1. Login as a Caller
  2. Click on your username
  3. Select your Time Zone
  4. Save Changes

If this was not set or set incorrectly, all Call Backs going forward will be correctly set.  This will NOT reset Call Back times previously set.

If the incorrect times are for an External Agent that you are setting appointments for then your company's VanillaSoft Admin will need to:

  1. Login as an Admin
  2. Select Project
  3. Go to Routing
  4. Select Appointment Setting
  5. Go to Manage External Agents
  6. Select the External Agent
  7. Select correct time zone
  8. Save Changes

If Time Zones were correct, the issue could be not fully understanding the time zones when selecting the time for the Call Back when resulting a call.  Things to consider when selecting that time:

  1. Contact's Time - This time is determined by the Contact's first phone number that VanillaSoft can detect the time zone from. (VanillaSoft can not determine toll free numbers or invalid area codes).  There is a possibility that the contact does not reside in the same time zone of their phone number.  This happens most when contact's move but keep their old cell phone number.
  2. Caller's Time - This time is determined by your set time zone

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What is 'Direct Deposit' in Billing Settings?

Within the Affiliate Billing section, you will see the payment method 'Direct Deposit' this is used for UK bank transfers.

If you have a UK bank account and wish to have payments sent to this account simply fill in your details for Direct Deposit.

You should enter your UK Sort Code in the Routing / Swift Number field.

If you wish to have payments via Local Bank Transfer in another country or via International WIRE simply select 'WIRE'. If your country is supported we will send your payment via local bank transfer, if it isn't we will send your payment via International WIRE.


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Playing backward-compatible games on your Xbox One

Select digital and disc-based Xbox 360 and Original Xbox games can be played on Xbox One. These backward-compatible games use an emulator for the older Xbox operating systems, providing most features of those systems, such as screenshots, broadcasting, and Game DVR.

  • For a list of backward-compatible games for Xbox One, see the Backward Compatible Game Library.
  • To see if games you own are backward compatible, sign in at My games, then select Xbox 360. If a game shows as being Backwards Compatible, you can play it on Xbox One.

On this page

How to play backward-compatible games on Xbox One

Just pop your game disc into your Xbox One. If a digital game you bought is compatible with Xbox One, look for it in your games list under Ready to install.

Accessories and Kinect

Accessories designed for Xbox 360 or Original Xbox, and games requiring those accessories, don’t work on Xbox One. This means racing wheels, fight sticks, and other accessories won't work with Xbox 360 or Original Xbox games you play on Xbox One. Also, games that use the Xbox 360 Kinect will not work with Kinect on Xbox One.

Play backward-compatible games with friends on Xbox One

Start a party chat using either the Xbox One party chat or the in-game Xbox 360 party chat.

Xbox 360 or Original Xbox to Xbox One party

To party chat with friends who are also playing on Xbox One, press the Xbox button , then select Multiplayer > Start a party. This works for anyone on Xbox One, whether they’re playing games made for Xbox One, Xbox 360, or Original Xbox.

Xbox 360 to Xbox 360 party chat

To start a party with friends using Xbox 360, go to the Xbox 360 guide while you're in the Xbox 360 game by pressing the View  and Menu buttons  at the same time. Then select Party > Invite Players to Party > Select the friends you want to play with.

Once your friend accepts your invite, you'll both join the party.

Playing a multiplayer backward-compatible game on Xbox One

If a game supports multiple players on the same console, you'll be able to add a second player to a game as you’d normally do on your older Xbox. Make sure both people first sign in on Xbox One.

If you hit problems with backward-compatible party or multiplayer games, try the Xbox One Multiplayer Game Solution.

Xbox 360 achievements

If you earned achievements on Xbox 360, you'll still have them when you play on Xbox One.

View your Xbox 360 achievements by:

  • Using the Achievements feature in your Xbox 360 game
  • Selecting Achievements from the Xbox 360 guide
  • Selecting Achievements in the Xbox One guide

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Can I change my event registration details?

If you need to make changes to your event registration details, or you can no longer participate in the event, you will need to contact the event organisers directly.

These contact details are normally listed at the bottom of the event website's contact page found from the "Contact" link in the navigation bar.

    Have more questions? Submit a request
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I Am No One

I Am No One

A Novel

Downloadable Audiobook - 2016 | Unabridged
Average Rating:
Rate this:
A mesmerizing novel about memory, privacy, fear, and what happens when our past catches up with us. After a decade living in England, Jeremy O'Keefe returns to New York, where he has been hired as a professor of German history at New York University. Though comfortable in his new life, and happy to be near his daughter once again, Jeremy continues to feel the quiet pangs of loneliness. Walking through the city at night, it's as though he could disappear and no one would even notice. But soon, Jeremy's life begins taking strange turns: boxes containing records of his online activity are delivered to his apartment, a young man seems to be following him, and his elderly mother receives anonymous phone calls slandering her son. Why, he wonders, would anyone want to watch him so closely, and, even more upsetting, why would they alert him to the fact that he was being watched? As Jeremy takes stock of the entanglements that marked his years abroad, he wonders if he has unwittingly committed a crime so serious that he might soon be faced with his own denaturalization. Moving towards a shattering reassessment of what it means to be free in a time of ever more intrusive surveillance, Jeremy is forced to ask himself whether he is 'no one', as he believes, or a traitor not just to his country but to everyone around him.
Publisher: New York : Random House Audio, 2016
Edition: Unabridged
ISBN: 9780735286375
Characteristics: 1 online resource (10 audio files) : digital
audio file
Additional Contributors: Crossley, Steven
OverDrive, Inc

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2018 Subaru Impreza 2.0I‑L (AWD)

New Car
$27,980 Drive Away *
From $115 / week #
Quartz Blue
Hatchback, 5 doors, 5 seats
Stock No.
Fuel Type
Petrol - Unleaded
Fuel Economy
6.6L / 100km
Green Rating
Continuous Variable
Engine Power
115 Kw / 196 Nm
4 cyl, 2.0L Engine
Drive Type
All Wheel Drive
On Sale NOW! We will get you Sydneys best deal and are motivated to make your next Subaru Purchase nice and easy and one you wont forget. Welcome to Subarus largest retailer in NSW a one stop shop for all your new vehicle needs. All Trade Ins are welcome and Easy on the spot finance available to approved applicants. Onsite FREE and easy parking available for all customers. No reasonable offer refused, independent wholesalers trying to buy your vehicle, free accessories plus more!Sydney?s No.1 Subaru Dealer wants your business! 3 years warranty, capped price servicing. No reasonable offer refused, independent wholesalers trying to buy your vehicle, free accessories plus more!! Enquire today and let our dealership look after you!

Drive Away *
From $115 / week #
Enquiry Sent
We will contact you as soon as possible to confirm your enquiry.
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  • 12 Volt Power Outlet
  • Adjustable Steering Wheel - Tilt & Telescopic
  • Airbag - Window
  • Airbag Knee Driver
  • Android Auto
  • Antenna - Roof-Mounted Shark Fin Type
  • Anti-Lock Braking
  • Apple CAR Play
  • Auto Climate Control with Dual Temp Zones
  • Automatic Stop/Start
  • Automatically Activated Hazard Lights
  • Aux/USB Input Socket
  • Bluetooth Connectivity
  • Body Coloured Exterior Door Handles
  • Body Coloured Exterior Mirrors
  • Brake Assist
  • Cargo Tie Down Hooks/Rings
  • Central Locking Remote Control
  • Centre Console Box - Multi-Purpose
  • Child Proof Rear Door Locks
  • Child Seat - Isofix Anchorage System
  • Child Seat Anchor Points
  • Collision Warning - Full Auto Brake
  • Cruise Control Intelligent/Active
  • Cup Holders - Front and Rear
  • Door Pockets - Front AND Rear
  • Dual Front Airbag Package
  • Dust and Pollen Filter
  • Electric Parking Brake
  • Electronic Brake Force Distribution
  • Electronic Stability Program
  • Engine Immobiliser
  • Headlights - Auto On/Off Function
  • Headrests - Adjustable on All Seats
  • Hill Holder
  • Intermittent Wipers - Variable
  • Lane Departure Warning
  • Lane Keeping Assist
  • Lane Sway Warning
  • Lead Vehicle Start Alert
  • Leather Gear Knob
  • Leather Steering Wheel
  • Luggage/Cargo Area Light(s)
  • MAP/Reading Lights - Front & Rear
  • Multi Function Control Screen
  • Multi Function Steering Wheel
  • ONE Touch Convenience Turn Signal
  • Paddle Shifters ON Steering Wheel
  • Radio CD with 6 Speakers
  • Rear Lights - LED
  • Rear Privacy Glass
  • Rear Spoiler
  • Rear Window Demister
  • Remote Boot/Hatch Release
  • Remote Fuel Lid Release
  • Reversing Camera
  • Seatbelts - Height Adjustable Front Seats
  • Seatbelts - Load Limiters Front Seats
  • Seatbelts - Pre-Tensioners Front Seats
  • Side Airbags
  • Side Skirts
  • Split Fold Rear Seat
  • Sunvisors with Vanity Mirrors & Illumination
  • Torque Transfer Control
  • Traction Control System
  • Tyre Pressure Monitoring System
  • Voice Recognition System
  • Whiplash Protection System

Suttons Subaru Rosebery finance professionals are available and willing to help you finance your next vehicle purchase with tailored, flexible and competitive auto finance packages. Please contact us to discuss your exact requirements.
Weekly payments of $115 are available to approved applicants to finance the purchase of the vehicle shown at $27,980.00. Based on annual percentage rate of 9.25% a term of 60 months, $8,394.00 balloon, payments in arrears, nil deposit. Fees and charges apply. All application approvals are subject to lenders credit criteria.
Comparison rate of 9.83% is based on a 5 year secured consumer fixed rate loan of $30,000. WARNING: This comparison rate is true only for the examples given and may not include all fees and charges. Different terms, fees or other loan amounts might result in a different comparison rate. Offer expires December 2018.
Dealer Licence Number: 21093, 45600 - Suttons Subaru Rosebery
* Driveaway Price — New and Demo Car Price inclusive of all dealer and government charges.
† Total Dealer Price — Used and Demo Car Price is total on-road price excluding government charges (transfer fee & stamp duty).
# Indicative weekly repayment only. Please refer to 'Finance' section above for this vehicle to see more details.
Disclaimer - Terms & Conditions 'All vehicles are subject to prior sale. We strive to provide the most accurate and complete description of the vehicle, including pricing, model and photographs. However, it is highly recommended that all vehicle details are confirmed with the dealership, as the latter cannot be held accountable for any inaccuracies.


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Jessica Torres Killed in Hit-and-Run Collision on North Fair Oaks Avenue [Pasadena, CA]

Jessica Torres Killed in Hit-and-Run Collision on North Fair Oaks Avenue [Pasadena, CA]

27-Year-Old Woman Dies after being Struck by SUV near Claremont Street

PASADENA, CA (October 21, 2018) – On Sunday evening, a Pasadena woman was struck and killed by a hit-and-run driver as she crossed North Fair Oaks Avenue, just north of Claremont Street. The deceased victim was later identified as 27-year-old Jessica Torres.
As per reports, the fatal incident occurred at around 7:20 PM, in the 1100 block of N Fair Oaks. Torres was crossing the street outside the crosswalk when a northbound white sports utility vehicle struck her.
According to police officials and an eyewitness, the impact sent Torres airborne before landing under a parked car. The suspect fled the scene in the SUV, driving north then east onto Washington Boulevard. It is suspected that the SUV should have substantial front-end damage.
Paramedics arrived at the scene and found Torres with major injuries and unresponsive. They were unable to revive her and she was pronounced dead at the scene. Officers later arrested 24-year-old Francisco Javier Soto-Cedillo of Pasadena, on suspicion of vehicular manslaughter and felony hit-and-run. It is unclear at this time whether or not drugs and alcohol were contributing factors in the accident.
The Pasadena Police Major Accident Investigation Team (MAIT) closed down North Fair Oaks Avenue during the investigation from 8:00 PM Sunday until 12:45 AM Monday morning. Anyone with information regarding the incident is urged to call the authorities at (626) 744-4241. Tips may also be provided anonymously to LA Regional Crime Stoppers at (800) 222-8477.

Sweet Law Group offers our deepest sympathies to the family and friends of Jessica Torres. May she rest in peace.

If a loved one was wrongfully killed by in a pedestrian collision, contact the experienced attorneys at Sweet Law Group. Our firm has over 40 years of experience in the field, and we do all it takes to win your case and achieve the justice and compensation that you deserve. Call (800) 203-3061 to arrange a free initial meeting with one of our experienced legal professionals in your area. We are available to clients 24 hours a day/ 7 days a week by email, text message, phone, and online chat.

Results & Experience Matters | No Fees Until We Win | 24/7 Attorney Access | 100% Free Consultations

© 2018 Sweet Law Group  |  All rights reserved. |  17872 Mitchell N, Unit 100, Irvine, CA 92614 |  Accident News

Website Terms of Use & Disclaimer

Lawyer advertising. This website is designed for general information only. You pay no fees unless we recover for you.

Privacy Policy

News Service Disclaimer: The Sweet Law Group provides this news service to keep you informed about accidents and events happening in and around your community. The information in these articles is obtained from a variety of secondary sources including press releases by law enforcement, websites, and news reports. This material is for general information only and its accuracy cannot be guaranteed; for complete details about a given event or accident you should refer to an official police report.


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VALENCIA, CA - 1 Injured in Big Rig and Car Crash at Commerce Center Drive and Franklin Parkway

VALENCIA, CA – 1 Injured in Big Rig and Car Crash at Commerce Center Drive and Franklin Parkway

Big Rig and SUV Collide on Commerce Center Drive in Valencia Injuring One

VALENCIA, CA (November 21, 2018) – One person was injured following a traffic collision between a big rig and an SUV Wednesday morning in Valencia.
The collision happened around 9:07 a.m. at the intersection of Commerce Center Drive and Franklin Parkway.
According to the California Highway Patrol, the big and a red Ford Flex collided for unknown reasons. The impact injured one occupant in the Ford SUV.
Los Angeles County Fire Department officials responded to the scene along with paramedics to rescue the situation. The injured patient was then taken to a hospital in an unknown condition.
The roadway was shut down while the investigation was being conducted.
No additional information was provided at this time. We will continue to update this post as new details are released.
To reduce your risk of being involved in a collision with a big rig, always keep your distance with them. Make sure to give large trucks plenty of room, both when behind and in front of them. Be sure to follow all rules of the road, always passing on the left and maintaining a safe speed. When drivers drive predictably, it is easier to avoid accidents.

For over 44 years, our car accident attorneys at The Sweet Law Group have been helping people like you deal with the challenges of the legal process after an accident. Our team help injured victims recover the maximum personal injury settlement with the least amount of stress. If you or a loved one has suffered injury in an accident, we urge you to contact us today at (800) 203-3061 for a free consultation with an experienced personal injury attorney. Let us together fight for justice and financial benefit that you are entitled.

Results & Experience Matters | No Fees Until We Win | 24/7 Attorney Access | 100% Free Consultations

© 2018 Sweet Law Group  |  All rights reserved. |  17872 Mitchell N, Unit 100, Irvine, CA 92614 |  Accident News

Website Terms of Use & Disclaimer

Lawyer advertising. This website is designed for general information only. You pay no fees unless we recover for you.

Privacy Policy


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Baby Float - Yellow Duckie (3-18months)

R 390.00
We have run out of stock for this item.

As used for hydrotherapy in baby spas around the world, Swimava Baby Floats are pediatrician approved and used at bathtime and pooltime. The product is recognised worldwide for its many emotional, physical and developmental benefits.

Swimava baby Float, Safety Guide and pump all included in a reusable wet bag.
Suitable for infants enjoying water time in bathtubs and baby friendly public swimming pools.
Ideal for use in our Compact Home Baby Pool.
Suitable ages 3-18 months
Minimum weight 5.5kg
Maximum weight 13kg

**Never leave your infant unattended in or near water!**                                         Message brought to you by Swimava South Africa

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Catholic Exchange: Supporting Our Parishes is an Act of Love

One of the biggest struggles many Catholics face each year is how to financially support our parishes and dioceses, while also giving to the poor and needy, and providing for the needs of our families. This topic results in a wide range of opinions, some of them heated.

The most recent sex abuse scandals, including the horrifying Grand Jury Report out of Pennsylvania, has made it even more difficult for many people to want to support their parishes or dioceses financially. This withholding is seen as a just response to the scandals and it is true that money talks. Withholding financial contributions is an effective mechanism for bringing about change, but in doing so we need to consider prudently, justly, and charitably what we hope to accomplish and the consequences of withholding our financial support, especially within our own parishes.

There are in fact just reasons for not donating to a certain cause, even within a diocese, but we should prayerfully discern if this is what God is truly calling us to do. We are stewards of the parishes we are members of and we share in that responsibility together as a community. If we do not provide for the material needs of our parishes, then they will no longer be able to function and provide for the needs of the worshipping community now and for future generations. In truth, our sharing in the material gifts and goods that God has given to us is an act of love towards God and our neighbor.

Our decision should be measured and prudent, so that we don’t end up hurting our own communities and the efforts of the many good and holy priests serving our parishes.

Financially supporting the Church in love

There is much more to supporting the Church financially than simply an obligation or a duty. In fact, a sense of duty only moves us so far. We are meant to support our parishes and the Church out of love—caritas. It is within our parishes where we are nourished by the Word of God and the body, blood, soul, and divinity of Christ in the Holy Eucharist through the celebration of the Mass. It is in our parishes—as the worshipping community—that we enter into the great mysteries of our faith as one body and encounter the Living God. It is in that encounter where we learn to love as Christ loves and that love sends us outward into the world.

Love dwells in relationship and relationships always require something of us. There is nothing more demanding and life-giving than our relationship with Christ who draws us into the life of the Holy Trinity and who binds us to one another in the love between the Divine Persons.

In the love-story recounted by the Bible, he comes towards us, he seeks to win our hearts, all the way to the Last Supper, to the piercing of his heart on the Cross, to his appearances after the Resurrection and to the great deeds by which, through the activity of the Apostles, he guided the nascent Church along her path. Nor has the Lord been absent from subsequent Church history: he encounters us ever anew, in the men and women who reflect his presence, in his Word, in the sacraments, and especially in the Eucharist. In the Church’s Liturgy, in her prayer, in the living community of believers, we experience the love of God, we perceive his presence, and we thus learn to recognize that presence in our daily lives. He has loved us first, and he continues to do so; we too, then, can respond with love.

Pope Emeritus Benedict XVI, Deus Caritas Est 17

This community of believers is comprised of those men and women who have entered into the Sacrament of Baptism in order to die to self and rise to a new life in Christ. We are no longer on our journey alone, rather, we are now in communion—communio—with the rest of the Mystical Body. We most readily live that communion through our parishes when we come together in the Liturgy, Sacraments, prayer, service, and community. In order for the Sacraments to be made present to us, to attend Mass, enter more fully into communion through ministry, and delve deeper into what we believe, we must have buildings and resources at our disposal. This is an aspect of being a member of the worshipping community.

Read the rest over at Catholic Exchange.

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