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Durham City

Best to arrive by train for the magical view. Durham is the gateway to great food from the Dales and home to some deliciously understated eating places

In a picnic frame of mind

Head for Durham Market Hall to find a wealth of local suppliers bringing season-ready and super-fresh foods.

At Dropswell Farm Shop near Trimdon you’ll find own-cured salami and chorizo as well cooked meats and local cheeses for your picnic. A fabulous butchery for your portable BBQ.

Time for tea

Crook Hall Garden is the place to sit back and enjoy elegant afternoon tea in hideaway gardens in the midst of bustling Durham. Sparkling afternoon tea teams perfectly with lavish planting areas and greenery to explore.

Fill those baskets

Broom House Farm is a short drive from Durham city centre. Shop for Saddleback sausages from their own butchery, free-range eggs, artisan bread and local Durham dairy products.

Durham Farmers’ Market, third Thursday of the month, brings in-season game, grains, hill lamb and seasonal veg.

Barnard Castle is a trip worth making and not far from Durham. Splendid traditional high street, markets and food producers.

Cross Lanes Organics just off the A66 is an inspiring stop-off. A feature is the traditional wood-fired oven used to make delicious stone-baked pizzas, flatbreads, roast meat and vegetables.

Eat well

In Durham City, Bistro 21 offers a taste of French bistro cooking from the stable of North East food legend Terry Laybourne. The place is rustic and laid back, the food is classic, seasonal and assured. Great value set lunch.

Zen is a place folk flock to in Durham for memorable Asian food. A buzzy, hip spot with heated outdoor terrace. Extensive menu of Thai speciality noodle bowls and blow-out banquets.

Oldfields in Durham is the place to find good locally-sourced bistro-style dining with name-checked suppliers and seasonal ingredients. Good choice of local craft ales too.

The Boat House in Durham is a great place to watch the river flow by whilst you dine on mighty burgers or a great Sunday lunch.

Lay your head

Hire a cool campervan then let the mood take you. Sweet Campers start
the journey in County Durham and let you tootle off with your picnic.

Hit Durham’s coast for a luxey stay. Seaham Hall is perfect for some R&R and breezy beach walks to work up an appetite. Dip in to some superb locally-inspired dining and great wines there too.

Diary date – July 19

Flavours of Durham & the Dales at the Taste of Teesdale Food Festival at Raby Castle, County Durham. Organised by Barnard Castle Farmers’ Market in the grounds of the castle, it brings an abundance of artisan food and drink from across the region.

Related Stories


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John Hesp WSOP 2017 Main Event Final Table Member

John Hesp, whom you will probably remember from the 2017 World Series of Poker Main Event Final Table, from his colorful jacket and friendly attitude opens up about his life growing up as a poor boy in Bridlington, England. He shares his struggles and strifes as he navigated his way through childhood and eventually started his own family. Since John captured the hearts of many during the WSOP he has been approached by Hollywood film makers and is even writing a book. But, you can get the story here first!

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Ko jūs domājat?

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Geto Boys

"Play With Me"

(Children laughing, Toy cranks up)

Hey (x54)

(1st Verse- Violent J)
Every year it's more of us and all we do is fill the box
You might play with me at first, a couple days, a week at tops
Just like your Atomic Supersonic Retro Plasma Car
We will all get tossed inside just like the piece of sh*t we are
I will be your fantasy imaginary special friend
I can feel you, right? Relate with you no need to talk to them
But instead you toss me in the box, leave me to rot away
Hoping you'll pick me again someday...hey, hey

(Chorus- Violent J)
Why don't you come play with me and take me to the other side[take me to the
Other side]
Lost under Ann Raggedy it's lonley when your locked in side [It can be so
Lonley] (x2)

(2nd Verse- Violent J)
I will sit and listen to your bibble babble jibber talk
But when you go in tonight you'll leave me out here on the walk
You'll ignore your little friend or trade me for something instead
Please come get your doggie, don't let him chew off my f*cking head
All your mom and daddy do is work and fight, that's all they do!
I can understand the way you feel because I feel it too
But you'll leave me in the box and I can barely hear you play
Lost among the toys of yesterday, hey[hey]hey[hey]hey

Boys and girls, f*ck that old crusty sh*t
Come down and get your brand new, ha, shiny
Slimy, atomic sh*thead

[Super, duper!]
[S-s-s-s-sonic, sonic]

(3rd Verse- Violent J)
I can see you near the bed when I look through this tiny crack
You become much older now and I don't see you turning back
Seven years in darkness I can only hope my wish comes true
That one day I'll get you in my hands...AND I'LL PLAY WITH YOU!!

A B C D E F G H I J K L M N O P Q R S T U V W X Y Z #

All lyrics are property and copyright of their owners. All lyrics provided for educational purposes and personal use only.
Copyright © 2018 Lyrics.lol


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Press Releases

Back To Press Releases

Caddo Sheriff accepting applications for college scholarship

Wednesday, January 3, 2018

Posted by Bryan Gamble - (318) 681-0691

Caddo Parish Sheriff Steve Prator has announced the availability of a $500 college scholarship for a Caddo Parish graduating high school senior.

The scholarship is made available each year through the Louisiana Sheriff's Honorary Membership Program to help defray the costs associated with higher education. One scholarship is awarded in each parish where the sheriff participates in the Honorary Membership Program.

To qualify for a scholarship, the recipient must be a permanent resident of Louisiana, plan to enroll as a full-time undergraduate student, and agree to use the scholarship at a Louisiana institute of higher education. Applicants must be eligible for admission to the school indicated on their application.

The deadline to apply is March 19. Completed applications should be mailed to the Caddo Parish Sheriff's Media Relations Office, 501 Texas Street, Shreveport, LA, 71101, or can be delivered in person to the Sheriff’s Office at 505 Travis Street, 7th floor. Scholarship winners will be announced by May 1. To receive an application, contact the Sheriff's Office at 681-0813 or click the link below.

Click Here To Print Application

For questions regarding this press release, please contact Bryan Gamble at (318) 681-0691


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Letter to the editor:

Lay off of Fox News

I found your editorial in Fridayâ€™s Sun to be inept and inane.

The only network that offers sanity and cogent news coverage regarding the Trump administration is Fox News. If you want the slanted news that you seem to relish on your pages, then I offer NBC, CBS, ABC, CNN and every alphabet network that exists within the parameters of the television industry.


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In Memory of My Father

Rated NR 96 minutes

The adult children of a Hollywood mogul decide to take drugs, screw around and film the entire thing for posterity. These individuals are so injured by life they can't help but wince from and lash out at any attempt to connect. The youngest son has been bribed by his estranged father to videotape dad's death and the subsequent aftermath. The subsequent wake consists of the family gathering together while it is falling apart in every other sense. Some doses of ecstasy, some well-timed comic barbs and those damn cameras all further exaggerate the drama of their lives. Collected all in one house, the family will have a little love and lots and lots of screaming.

Film Credits

Official Site:

Director: Christopher Jaymes

Writer: Christopher Jaymes

Cast: Jeremy Sisto, Christopher Jaymes, Matt Keeslar, Judy Greer, Nicholle Tom, Eric Michael Cole, Monet Mazur, Pat Healy, Christine Lakin and Meadow Sisto

Show Times

Sorry there are no upcoming showtimes for In Memory of My Father


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Entrees and Exits 01/31/07 | Food + Drink Features | Seven Days | Vermont's Independent Voice

Food + Drink » Food + Drink Features

Entrees and Exits 01/31/07

Entrées And Exits

Restaurant News

Ay carramba! Tortilla Flat, which recently re-opened after closing during the "Winooski Project," is shuttered again. A call to the telephone number during dinner hours yielded nothing but lots of ringing - no voice mail . . . Five Spice Café is closed, too, after a fire last Saturday morning. No word yet on whether new owner Sam Palmisano will rebuild. He bought and renovated the restaurant at the end of last year. Damage is estimated at $750,000 . . . On the same Church Street block, Tilley's Café is open in the space formerly occupied by Coyote Café. See the food feature in this issue . . . The "little chef statue" that used to sit outside Souza's when it was on Main Street is now in the window of the space formerly occupied by Glori Nori, at the corner of St. Paul and Main. A preview of coming churrascaria?

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Arm Balances and Inversions - Yoga Workshop

When: Sat., Oct. 20, 2-4 p.m. and Sun., Oct. 21, 1-3 p.m. 2018

Need a shift in your perspective? What better way than getting upside down?! Join for two workshops for all skill levels. See below for descriptions Saturday, Oct. 20, 2-4 p.m. Fundamentals of arm balances and inversions. Poses to expect: crow, tripod headstand, handstand with the wall and shoulderstand. Sunday, Oct. 21, 1-3 p.m. Deeper dive into the postures and transitions. Recommended to feel comfortable holding crow to gain the most benefits. Poses to expect: side crow series, forearm stand, handstand and transitions.

Price: Single Day: $40, Weekend Pass: $60

Buy Tickets

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Visit our corporate website at   www.jdplc.com Copyright © 2018 Tessuti, All rights reserved.


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Wednesday, March 24, 2010

Thousands of iPhone and Android Phones Get Hacked to Form a Botnet

According to anti-virus and security firm, Sophos, 8000 iPhone and Android smartphones were recently hacked to form a botnet. By downloading an app called WeatherFist, unsuspecting users with jailbroken phones became vulnerable. Fortunately, in this case the botnet was not actually harmful. Instead, it was created by two researchers at TippingPoint Digital Vaccine Labs as a proof of concept experiment to prove how easy it is for these smartphones to be exploited, and just how weak the security is for third party app stores.

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Post a Comment


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Can’t Make It to the Game? Get Results for Lakers Sports Via Text (and More)

SUNY Oswego Athletics recently added text message alerts for Lakers fans who want latest results of their favorite teams. Just fill out the online form at to receive an access code sent to your phone, then choose the sports teams you want to follow.

All men’s and women’s sports are included. The text service joins other social media options that include Facebook, Instagram and Twitter.

Sports Information Director Michael S. Bielak said that the Athletics Department began to fully utilize the capability to send text updates last spring.

“When we began to push it last year, we went from about 21 subscribers to now about 110,” Bielak said. “We are trying to grow that even more now that a new year is upon us.”

These social networks give access to any breaking news, in-game updates, post-game recaps, feature stories and images involving the Athletics Department.

SMS (Text Message) Alerts enables fans to:

  • Follow specific sports
  • Receive information, such as schedule changes, for each selected sport
  • Receive a halftime (if applicable) and post-event update with score and notable student-athlete performances

Visit to access:

  • Provides a place for fans to interact
  • Features stories, images and videos throughout the year

  • Provides a place for fans to interact
  • Has the most extensive in-game updates, giving fans pertinent information throughout most of SUNY Oswego’s home events
    Features stories, images and videos throughout the year

  • Gives fans a visual account of the Athletics Department

—Edwin Acevedo M’09

Leave a Reply


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Magna Chamber of Commerce

Your Local Economic Partner

The Magna Chamber of Commerce is dedicated to strengthening Magna’s business community by influencing local and social development.

Join NowLearn More
How We Can Help

Benefits of Membership

We are committed to helping our members connect and their businesses succeed. The Chamber wants to ensure that it is providing the best value for their members. When you join the Chamber, you’re part of Magna’s thriving business community and prosperity.

See Membership Plans

Our members represent a diverse selection of businesses, services and industries in Magna.  Being part of the Chamber shows your investment in the growth, development and future of driving this region forward.  Your involvement with the Chamber identifies you as a leader and community champion.

Make your voice heard through the collective power of the Chamber.  When we join together we ensure that the unified voice of Magna is heard at every level.  And when we use our strength in numbers, we help all businesses succeed and reinforce our community.

The Chamber can play a role in building and enhancing your company’s services, products and employees through offering marketing support.  Members will be highlighted on our website, promoted at monthly educational lunches and offered marketing space on our electronic marquee.

Member to member discounts can allow your company to showcase services and products.  You have the opportunity to connect with other chamber members throughout the community through offering a discount on the Chamber website relevant to your business.

Become a Chamber Member!

Start enjoying the benefits of Membership. Sign Up Today!

See Membership Plans

New Members

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Monthly Events

Monthly Educational Lunches

Every 3rd Thursday of the month
Our monthly educational lunch events provide chamber members and guests the opportunity to engage and network with each other, learn about local businesses and connect with potential clients/customers that will move their businesses forward. (Click ‘Register Now’ Button for Luncheon Pricing and Details)

Register Now

Upcoming Events

  • Magna 4th of July Parade – July 4th
  • Magna Arts Festival – August 18th
  • Shop Small Saturday – November 24th
  • Magna Tree Lighting – November 24th
See All Events

Local Experiences (COMING SOON)


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For Computer Sales,Installation and Repair, Call Us at
(615) 649-6155

IT Support

Managed IT Consultants

Magnum Computer Services is a locally owned and operated business offering a wide range of IT services to businesses, health care organizations and non-profit groups. Our services include IT infrastructure support, network support, data backup, network security and much more. Our highly-trained technicians offer quality services at affordable rates.
Our services are tailored to meet every  requirements of our clients. We also offer on-site service as well as pickup and delivery.

Why Choose Us?

  • Highly Trained Technicians
  • Affordable Rates
  • 11 Years in Business
  • Servicing All Major Brands

Our Offerings

  • Computer Repair, Troubleshooting & Maintenance
  • Computer Sales and Installation
  • Network Sales
  • Network Security, Troubleshooting
  • and more

Area of Focus:

  • Healthcare Industry
  • Auto Industry
  • Churches/Non-Profits

Special Rates to Churches and
Non-Profit Organizations!

Call Us at (615) 649-6155.

Contact Us

Business Hours

Mon - Fri: 8:00am to 5:00pm
Sat & Sun: Closed
After Hours Emergency On Call
Business Checks Accepted
NET 15 and NET 30 Terms

Magnum Computer Services

Nashville, TN 37212, USA

For Network Security Services, Call Us at

(615) 649-6155


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UK’s Prevent programme failing to engage Muslims

London, The Arab Weekly – Prevent, a controversial British government anti-terrorism programme, appears to be failing to engage the Muslim community, which is largely ignoring it, with some boycotting the initiative amid claims it alienates Muslims and could push some down the path of terrorism.

Prevent, one element of a four-part government counterterrorism strategy, aims to respond to the ideological challenge posed by terrorism and extremism, providing practical assistance to people deemed at risk of radicalisation.

Some form of the programme has been in force in the United Kingdom since 2007, although Prime Minister David Cameron’s government has significantly beefed it up. This culminated with the Prevent Duty going into effect July 1, 2015, which made it legally incumbent on key bodies, including schools, universities and hospitals, to “recognise and respond” to any “signs of radicalisation”.

“Prevent is about protecting those who might be vulnerable to the poisonous and pernicious influence of radicalisation… We must work with the overwhelming majority of British people who abhor the twisted narrative that has seduced some of our people,” UK Security Minister John Hayes said.

But with no lower age limit for those who can be referred to the programme and questions about what “signs of radicalisation” teachers and others are supposed to be on the lookout for, many Muslim and non-Muslim organisations, including the National Union of Teachers and National Union of Students, expressed reservations about Prevent.

Mosques and Muslim associations have reacted with suspicion towards the programme, warning it could increase the sense of isolation and alienation felt by some Muslims and make it more likely they would be radicalised.

“It [Prevent] contains the implicit assumption that Muslims are less able to function in an open democracy than other people, more susceptible to totalitarian impulses and that they are more open to be incited to violence. It sends a very negative message to the community and is likely to increase Islamophobia,” former Muslim Council of Britain Secretary-General Farooq Murad said in 2011.

While a number of Muslim associations expressed reservations of the initiative, Waltham Forest Council of Mosques in East London — one of the most ethnically and religiously diverse boroughs in London — announced an outright boycott of Prevent.

“Prevent is an ill-conceived and flawed policy. It is racist and overtly targets members of the Muslim faith,” a statement from the council said.

According to estimates from the Office for National Statistics, Waltham Forest in East London is home to about 280,000 people, some 60,000 of whom are Muslim. Waltham Forest Council of Mosques spokesman Irfan Akhtar described the borough as a “testing ground” for Prevent, warning of the dangers of the government’s counterterrorism initiative.

“Prevent is a one-way street that points the finger at Muslims and Islam and ignores dialogue and engagement,” he said. “Of course everyone agrees with the buzz words the government throws out about tackling extremism but in practice Prevent opens up a way for discrimination against Muslims.”

“There are case studies of families being harassed based on what a 4- or 5-year-old has said. It is totally unacceptable. Prevent is pushing people to shy away from practicing their religion. This policy is discriminatory and makes people fearful about speaking out about their religion.”

There are also questions regarding how teachers or doctors can be expected to differentiate extremists from moderate Muslims, particularly when the “signs of radicalisation” used by the government are so broad as to include boys growing a beard, girls wearing the hijab and even students becoming more studious.

“The teachers we spoke to are reluctant to get involved with Prevent because it is not their job to spy on their students. It breaks down the relationship of trust that is needed in the education sector,” Akhtar said, adding that the Waltham Forest Council of Mosques had been invited to talk to the borough’s teachers’ union.

While the Waltham Forest Council of Mosques, which represents at least eight mosques and religious associations, has announced a boycott of Prevent, figures from the National Police Chiefs Council (NPCC) indicate that many other mosques across the country are refusing to engage with the anti-terrorism initiative.

A report published by Britain’s Times newspaper in late December indicated that less than 10% of Prevent referrals were from within the Muslim community. Of the 3,288 referrals to Prevent in the first half of 2015, 280 — 8.6% — came from within the Muslim community, data released by the NPCC indicated. The remaining referrals were made by public bodies, such as schools and social services.

But in a complex situation, even these figures are not without controversy with the NPCC subsequently coming out to challenge the report. “The figures may not accurately capture the nature of the original source because in many cases members of the community will report in the first instance to the police,” NPCC spokesman Chief Constable Simon Cole said.

Questions also remain about the narrow scope of the figures, with the NPCC yet to release data for the second half of 2015, which would coincide with the Prevent Order and statements from Prime Minister David Cameron directly linking terrorism and non-violent extremist ideology.

Still, for one East London mosque authority, there is sufficient cause not to cooperate with the government and boycott its anti-terrorism strategy. “It scares the children about practicing their religion for they think they could be flagged up as an extremist. We want to get rid of the stereotyping,” Akhtar said.

This article was originally published here.


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Tips for Cleaning, Protecting, and Maintaining Glass Tables

Glass table tops made of  add elegance and beauty to a room. If you maintain and take good care of them, then you can extend their life and keep them looking as good as new for a long period of time. Here are some expert tips for maintaining and protecting mirrors and glass surfaces.

Be Careful With a Glass Table Top – Know All the Dangers

You definitely love tables with glass tops. Be it your end table, coffee table, or dining table, there is something about glass that makes it look and feel better than other materials. Although they make any home look stylish, they also pose huge dangers. Here is why. Tables that have glass tops have always been

Tips on Choosing a Dining Table with a Glass Top

Meals are usually served on a dining table every day. It’s crucial to take meals in a relaxing and good dining environment. These tables come in a wide variety of sizes and shapes. However, a typical one will have a flat top and four legs. The most common shapes are rectangular, oval, square, and round

Be Stylish and Safe by Using Tempered Glass Top for Your Table

A table top made of tempered glass is the ideal choice when choosing to have table tops made of glass in your home. Today, many families and individuals are using glass for their table tops. This is due to the simplicity of glass and the sophistication and style it adds into a home’s interior décor.


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Practice Peace

I’m never quite sure what to do with the emotion that rises after these violent attacks on innocent people. I don’t know how to help or how to grieve or how to return to normal life without feeling guilty for still having a normal life.

Another senseless act of violence. Another set of emotions. Another set of fear. Another set of grief for those affected.

Another reminder to love.

To love the people that are easy to love and also those who aren’t.

And most importantly, a reminder to love the person who’s the hardest to love.

There is very little I can do to stop the violent attacks that are happening in the world, but what about the violent attacks that are happening close to home—the violent attacks that are happening in your own body, expressed through your own thoughts and your own behaviors? I’d like to think that I’m not violent toward myself, but when I look closely at the dialogue I choose or the way I react to behaviors that don’t suit me, sometimes it can look like a war-zone. I’m not sure that I can go around wishing for world peace, when there isn’t peace right here, within myself.

There isn’t much I can do to prevent violent attacks on innocent people, but there is a lot I can do to stop the violent attacks that are happening within myself.

To allow diversity. Different emotions. Different thoughts. Different moods. Different behaviors. And to accept each one as unique and special and exquisitely beautiful as it builds a colorful array of variation and rich culture within myself.

To accept. The light, the dark, the deep, the shallow. To accept these varying aspects of myself, and recognize that even the things that seem imperfect lend themselves to cast perfect shadows in order to allow the light parts to shine even brighter.

To release. Release anger, release fear, release hurt, release resentment. And not just to release it, but to transform it into something that will enrich my life. To learn from these things; to alchemize my emotions into something beautiful: from sorrow to compassion; anger to activism; envy to inspiration; and fear to love.

To love. Not just to love the parts that are easy, but to love the parts that aren’t easy. The parts that scare me, trouble me, annoy, or irritate me. There is something there, beneath them, and the only way to find the gift is to love through the shadow that engulfs it.

To learn. And if, despite my best efforts, an attack still occurs, I’ll learn from it. How did it happen? What led to it? Where was I not paying attention? When did I stop listening? How can I get in front of the assault; in front of the build up; in front of the mindless cruelty toward myself?

Practice peace. Peace isn’t a onetime deal. Self-love isn’t graduation. Acceptance doesn’t show up and then stay without being entertained. It’s ongoing. It’s practice. It’s patience. It’s trying again and again and again.

World peace starts with inner peace.

Will you try?

Photo: Maggie Lochtenberg

How to Meditate Without Driving Yourself Crazy

There is no doubt that a regular meditation practice can change your life. It teaches you to tune in and understand yourself in ways you never thought possible. It strengthens your inner resolve to become a conscious observer of whatever comes up—both internally and externally—and opens up an unlimited source of inner space and peace.

It seems simple enough—just sit and breathe—but there’s this unruly, free-spirited influence called the mind—and it loves attention. When we try to ignore it, it just seems to get louder. Sometimes it helps to have a bit of direction, so here are a few tips to help make it more do-able:

  • You can practice anywhere, anytime, for any duration. And you don’t have to sit still. The important thing is that you’re comfortable, so if sitting in a pretzel position on the floor isn’t your thing, try a different position. And if sitting still makes you feel crazy, try a moving meditation instead. There are no rules, so be creative in your approach.
  • It’s important to recognize who’s in charge. I know it might feel like your thoughts are running the show, but truly, it’s the other way around—you have the power to control your thoughts—and meditation is a great way to get them organized and under control. Take a moment to observe your thoughts; if you’re observing them, then you can see that they are separate from ‘you’ as an observer. When you recognize the distinction, you can determine which thoughts you choose to keep and which ones you want to release. Furthermore, when you separate yourself from your thoughts, you’ll see that you can meditate on the essence of you that contains your thoughts, rather than be swept away by them. You can still meditate while there is some thought activity still going on—you’re just not getting wrapped up in whatever story is playing out.
  • Your mind loves to be busy, so give it something to do. Select a mantra (a word, phrase, or sound repeated to aid in concentration), or you can simply count from 1-10 over and over again. Using the counting method, the idea is to start back at one again when you notice that your thoughts have started to drift. (When I first started to practice meditation, I never made it past four). You’ll notice that in the beginning it’s hard to get the mind to stick to one thing—it’s sort of a free spirit—but meditation is about disciplining the mind so that you can use it as a tool, rather than the other way around. It’s just like anything else; it takes time and practice to develop strength and discipline—so keep trying.
  • It might help to think of your thoughts as creative little sparks of imagination, (sort of like little kids). Without direction, they dance and bounce all over the place, but once they gain a bit of focus, the possibilities are endless. So be kind and patient as you work with your thoughts. Politely ask them to settle down; give them some direction, and keep working on it. You may have to redirect your focus 30 times in two minutes—that’s okay! That’s why it’s called a practice, and it does get easier.
  • Another thing to keep in mind as you start a meditation practice is that you don’t have to try to figure anything out, or try to seek peace, because inner peace and wisdom is your natural state. All meditation does is help you slip into that natural state, which is sort of hiding beneath the static noise of the mind. As you practice, you’ll open up more and more space and you’ll realize that the peace you crave has truly, always been there.
  • One of my favorite methods is to just let it be. Rather than allow your mind to take center stage, simply allow it to remain, but turn the volume of it WAY down, so that it’s like a soft murmuring of noise far off in the distance somewhere. Then place your direct focus on your breath, your body, a mantra, or whatever you choose as an anchor point.
  • And, if in spite of all your efforts it still isn’t working out, simply try again later. Next time, maybe try a different time of day or a different approach. Whatever you do, try again.

The important thing to remember about meditation is that it is a practice and it does get easier. Let go of what type of experience you think you should be having or how it should feel—because if you get stuck on an idea of how it should be, the experience might make you feel even crazier than before you started.

And stick with it. Even if it feels like nothing is happening during the time that you actually spend meditating, it is having an influence on the rest of your life. Your intention to simply be present with yourself sends a powerful energetic vibration to the Universe, letting it know that you’re ready to expand your consciousness. Give yourself permission to experience whatever comes up and accept that your process is perfect in whatever way it manifests for you.

To help get you started, I’ve added an audio recording of a brief 3-minute guided meditation. I hope it helps. You can listen to that right here:

Also, I spoke about this topic on  KSL Studio 5 recently. You can watch the clip right here. I hope it helps.

I’m sending loads of love your way; happy meditating!


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The Wonderful Things

A few weeks ago, I posted a follow up piece to ‘The Wonderful Things’ titled ‘The Single Most Important Thing I Do For My Kids Each Day’ (you can read it here.) This post is the original, which some of my readers have requested I re-post. This post was actually written a couple of years ago, but it is still something we do in my home every night. My kids are almost teenagers now, and they love it just as much.

I have recently started a new addition to our bedtime ritual. As I tuck each of my boys in at night, I share something wonderful that I had observed about them during the day. My boys call it ‘The Wonderful Things’. It has quickly become a much anticipated part of bedtime, and it is regularly talked about during the day as they wonder what behaviors will make it into the prestigious category of ‘The Wonderful Things’. I started it as a way for me to let them know that I appreciate their efforts. I believe that growing up is hard work and that the daily rituals that have become habitual and natural to me as an adult are still being learned and practiced at their stage in life.

What I did not expect is the enormous shift in their behavior. The moment they knew that I was paying attention, they started to pay attention. I started receiving more random hugs and offers to help. There is less resistance toward picking up dishes, brushing teeth, cleaning rooms, etc. I find it interesting to observe how the simple act of conscious awareness helps us to make the choices that reflect how we want to carry ourselves in the world.

I must admit, this new ritual takes real effort in observation, and as I am learning to be more aware of their behavior, I’m beginning to become more aware of mine. I quickly realized that I never take time to look at ‘The Wonderful Things’ about me. I’m very quick to notice the things that I do that are not wonderful, and in fact, those ‘not wonderful things’ stick with me for a very long time and shape the way I view myself.

My practice of observing the beauty and grace in my children has now evolved into seeing the beauty and grace in my husband, family, friends, nature, music, and even myself. And just like the shift that is happening in my children, I’m feeling a shift, too. The more aware I am of my own wonderful things, the more I want to express it. One of my favorite quotes is by Genpo Roshi, which states, “God, Goddess, Koan, mantra, anger, fear, hope, faith…I become that on which I’m concentrating.” I’m beginning to see how much truth there is in that quote.

I challenge my readers to take a day or a week, or a lifetime to shift your awareness. Make an effort to see only the wonderful things about yourself, your family, your friends, your children and your life. I promise you that what you will find is a different world entirely.

You’re Right Where You Need To Be

There will be moments in your life when you feel stuck.
Moments when you feel left out; lost; alone; forgotten.
Moments when there are no ideas, no direction, and no pathways.

There will be moments when you can’t stand the skin you’re in.
Your life may spread before you like a giant, starless sky…vast, dark and empty.
You will want to expand; explode, or implode…anything other than this.

These moments may frighten you.

They might make you question everything you know.
Burn it up. Tear it down. Start all over. Run away.
Maybe you should. Maybe you shouldn’t.
My challenge for you, when you encounters these moments, is to stay.

Just stay.

Sit in the dark for a while.
Maybe even accept it.
Maybe even find relief in the unknowing.
Breathe it in; breathe it out.

Because even though you might not see it yet, something is happening.
Birth is happening. Life is happening. Death is happening.
You’re like a whole galaxy of stars that glimmer and fade and glimmer again.

We sink into the dark so we can experience the exquisite return of light.
Your job is to allow the experience of it; whatever it may be.

And listen.

Listen carefully to the quiet unknown.
Listen to the dark.
Listen to the silence.
Listen to the feeling of being lost.

If you’re listening, you won’t miss a thing.
You’ll catch the next spark just as its being born.
The light will burst out from within.
And you’ll be graced with a new path; a brilliant idea; a fresh perspective.

And you’ll realize that you were never lost.
You are always right where you need to be…
Right here.
Right now.

The Single Most Important Thing I Do For My Kids Each Day

If you’ve got kids, I know you’re busy, and I don’t want to add one.more.thing to the long list of things you already do for them each day. However, this one simple thing that I do seemed to take on a life of its own and turned into something that not only improves my kids’ lives, but mine as well.

Every night when I tuck my kids in bed, I tell them ‘the wonderful things’ that I noticed them doing that day. It’s usually nothing big—it’s helping me take in the groceries or doing homework without being asked—what’s big is the message behind it; the message that I see them. I recognize what they’re doing, and I appreciate it.

When I started this a couple of years ago, I wasn’t expecting anything; I just wanted to make sure that I focused on the good things they were doing, because, ahem, I admit, that sometimes I was way too quick to notice the not-so-good things, and I didn’t want that to be the main source of attention they were receiving from me.

‘The wonderful things’ quickly became the highlight of our bedtime routine, but it wasn’t forgotten the next morning—they thought about it all day, and worked on ways to add to the list.

If you decide to do this, don’t be discouraged if you can’t find three wonderful things (I tried to go for just one wonderful thing, but they insist on three), and I’ll be honest; sometimes I can’t think of anything. Sometimes the day is so busy that I just haven’t had the time to notice specific behaviors.

If I can’t think of anything, I make it light and fun; I laugh about it or make up something silly. Or, I apologize for not noticing and ask them to tell me something wonderful that they did that day. The important thing is that there is dialogue around their achievements and that the focus is on the good stuff, not the bad.

If they’ve had a particularly hard day and the behavior has been, well…less than angelic…then we talk about how they handled it; we talk about how they let it go or if they learned anything from it. Sometimes the wonderful thing is that they are talking about it with me in that moment.

The most important thing is that you shift your focus away from the negative and place it on the positive, because whatever you focus on becomes bigger. And when you make it a point to talk about it, you’re holding yourself accountable for your awareness. The very best part is that your kids will take ownership of their behavior because they know that they’ll be recognized for it, and that is worth every second of one.more.thing to do for your kids.

PS: I wrote about ‘The Wonderful Things’ when I first came up with the idea a couple of years ago…if you’d like to read about it, you can check it out here.

Cause For A Celebration

I caught myself rushing into the ‘next thing’ the other day, when I realized that I hadn’t stopped to celebrate the thing I just did.

It’s seems that many of us have this ‘go, go, go’ mentality (myself included), that keeps driving us forward, and while the enthusiasm and motivation is good, It is so important to recognize the ‘in between’ stage; the moment when one thing has ended and another hasn’t yet begun.

Otherwise, what’s it all for?

And more importantly, if you don’t stop to pause, listen, feel, and offer a moment of gratitude for your accomplishment, then how will you proceed into the next phase with conscious clarity?

Your path is changing all the time, and if you’re barreling forward without an upward glance or a pause to take in the view, then you just might find yourself…well, lost.

Or you might be moving forward in ways that are so familiar that they’ve become habitual, and when that happens, you might find yourself running circles and wondering why you keep getting stuck in the same scenarios with the same types of people.

It is so important to pause. One breath. One moment. One day. One week, if you need it—and celebrate what you just did.

And celebrate the little things—it doesn’t have to be a huge party; a simple moment of recognition will do.

You got out of bed without hitting snooze? Celebrate.

You chose the apple over the oreo? Celebrate.

You made the call, published the post, finished the project? Celebrate. Celebrate. Celebrate.

Because your time is worth it. Your effort is worth it. YOU are worth it.

And also because your next move will be fueled by rest, appreciation and self-love, and those are all really important qualities to bring into whatever is up next for you.

How will you celebrate today?

P.S. I bought myself the sweetest treat this week to celebrate the launch of my new project, Make it Manifest. Come check it out on Instagram. It is SO lovely.


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Urban geometries

Urban geometries (Mandala-HH3_150922_3241i-Edit-2)

Urban geometries. iPhone 6 photo of downtown Boston, Massachusetts taken from the Fiduciary Trust Company building.

To email me about this mandalagraph, click here.

© Harry Hull III and Mandalagraphs.com, 2016. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of photographs and other material on this blog/website without express and written permission from this blog’s author and owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Harry Hull III and Mandalagraphs.com with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.


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mental health, Project Status, quilting

Crushed By Comparison and How To Talk To Anxious People

I few months ago I had this vision for a quilt project. Using only left over fabric from another quilt project I would make a blue/purple peacock on a background that went from yellow to orange to red. I was super excited when I started working on the project. Check out that eye!!!

I was so excited I did not read the pattern closely and ended up piecing the project backwards. I thought that was pretty cool because I think I have enough fabric to make another one in reverse, so green to blue to purple background with a yellow/orange peacock. If I made the second one the correct way it would look like they were mirror images.

Then I started scrolling through other people’s interpretation of the pattern on Instagram, realizing that what I was treating as background was actually the peacock’s feathers.

Now my idea feels stupid to me. How did I not catch that the feathers make up the background?! I’ve spent more than 30 hours hand piecing this project, and I don’t want to look at it. I don’t want to do another version mirrored version of my same stupid idea.

Some of you may be tempted to write a comment about how much you like what I made and reassure me that my idea is not stupid.

I am gong to invite you not to do that.

If I don’t believe that for myself either I won’t believe it from you, or I will need you to remind me forever. This is why telling someone who is anxious that everything is okay is a waste of your time. If a person cannot do it for themselves, then it won’t stick when you do it. You’ll have to keep doing it. Forever.

It is also not effective to tell people who are anxious to calm down or stop worrying. That’s roughly the same as me telling you not to think about Abraham Lincoln.

Seriously, stop thinking about Abraham Lincoln.

Stop thinking about the beard and the top hats or the Emancipation Proclamation.

Image result for abraham lincoln

To which any sane person would say, “Every time I try to stop thinking about him you remind me of him, and I start all over again.” That process is exactly what happens to an anxious person. Each time you tell them to calm down they are reminded of their anxiety and start all over again.

So what to do instead? Ask people what they need to handle whatever it is they are worried about. If they don’t know, I either invite them to take a few deep breaths or take a few moments to think about it. I do not solve the problem for them. Solving the problems leaves ME with the burden of relieving THEIR anxiety. No thank you.

Where does this leave me and the peacock? First I need to make peace with how my original vision is different. Then I need to decide if I want to spend another 30+ hours making another version or if  I want to move on.

One of my favorite things about quilting without deadlines is that I can put something away for awhile and look at it again when some of the original emotion has worn off. So away goes the peacock for a bit.

Until then, I’ll be thinking about Abraham Lincoln.


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Bleach 407 Prediction

June 9, 2010

Bleach 407 Spoiler Prediction
Via : Bleach 407 Spoiler Page @MS

Tessai appears to help Hachi and Unohana heal the wounded.
He talks to Kisuke, and nods to isshin.
Ichigo opens the Senkaimon, and Ichigo and Isshin go through.
Flashes to Yammy vs Byakuya and Kenpachi fight.
Yammy is defeated, Byakuya says he and Kenpachi will return to Soul Society Byakuya and Kenpachi both pass through the senkaimon..
Kurostuchi says he will begin experimenting with yammy.
Flashes to Rangiku in Fake Karakura town. She also opens the Senkaimon and talks about how she’ll stop Aizen and Gin.
Hiyori is still being healed, but she looks better.
Flashes to Gin and Aizen.
Aizen asks where would they place Karakura town. Aizen is then able to detect the enriched soil and heads in towards Karakura town, which is covered in a barrier.
Aizen is just about to shatter when several people jump down at him. They all have the Gotei 13 capes, but there is no symbol on them.
Aizen asks them why they took so long.
The several people unsheathe their zanpakutos and they call aizen and gin traitors, and a threat to both worlds. They all exclaim they are squad 0, and they will destroy aizen and the hougyoku.

5 of the seven are men, the rest are women.

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The Meditation Center has a history spanning over 20 years having started operations  in 1997.  Over the years it has had many contributors who played a role in its continued advancement.  Their invaluable dedication and support has made it possible to offer a diverse spectrum of activities aimed at spiritual empowerment, to both New Yorkers and visitors from other parts of the USA as well as from abroad. Throughout its history, the key objectives however have always remained intact.

The Center shall be a lighthouse–a beacon of peace, love, strength and stability serving people from all walks of life who represent all cultures and traditions.

The Center shall be a place of lifelong learning, guided by the truth of universal principles.

A safe and serene spiritual oasis, the Center shall inspire individuals to look inward, upward, and forward to explore their true nature, innate values, and higher purpose.


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Tuesday, 6 March 2018

High time to turn #Selective

"But, there are times when we might learn a good thing out of the thing you are referring to as crap." was my answer.

"But you can learn a million good things from a better option in the same time that you invested on that crap hoping to find 'a good thing' there. Time, you see! It is the one thing that we lack on because life is too small to waste on shitty things. Make it big instead by being with people, doing things, reading books that are worth." was the reply I got back.

Okay! So, I was never that selective kind. Be it books, movies, humans, I've wasted pretty much time finding 'good things' out of crap and what I am/was eventually left with was some years wasted on non-deserving humans, crap books, useless stories and what not.

I have been all ears to stories that nobody ever heard, stories that interested me but left me all wasting some of the important moments of my life on things and people that don't even matter. And, when I say crap, I hold no grudges and no hard feelings against you/it. It's just that I've realised the meaning of 'Let it go' a l'il late but at a fairly perfect time of my life.

I have realised that I have wasted a lot of energy on doing things that were not meant for me/didn't made me happy.

I have realised the value of spending time with oneself.

I have realised the value of spending time in doing things that matter to you.

I have realised that not everyone will listen to you when you have a lot to say so better shut the fuck up and write it down.

I have realised that not everyone will understand you, your things, stop giving them explanations. People will go, let them go and move on.

Stay alone than being with people who degrade you. Or spend some time sorting their life maybe.

Do not expect good things happening to you when you are not even ready to spare some time for yourself.

I have realised that instead of spending time watching that crap on TV, better do something you've always yearn to do. Read maybe!

And while reading, be selective with what you are allowing to enter in your mind because 'time' like it was mentioned above is something we lack. So, let's stop wasting it on wrong ones and spend it with the right ones.

Don't you pick out the best apple from the basket from a lot of rotten ones? Do it with your life too.

A l'il less stories, a bit more of facts.
A l'il less of speaking, a bit more of learning.
A l'il less of crap, a lot more of worth.

I am trying to be a better human and trying to expand my horizons. You should too.

PS: Thank you for the lesson. I realised it a bit late but what's better than being late than never. ❤

PPS: Sure, fun and entertainment is important. Try to dedicate least possible time to it maybe.

  1. I enjoyed reading this one as much as I loved disagreeing with a bit of it. The article is pretty blunt and straight which makes it look even better. ;)

    1. It was just a thought. A thought of that time. I am glad you enjoyed reading it. ❤

  2. Nice write up Mani! The best part is that I can relate to it.

  3. Oh missed out on the smiling face.hehe here it is..and many more smiles to come for your blogs :)

    1. And, while I am replying you, I can actually imagine a smiling you all the way in Singapore. Keep smiling always. :-) ❤


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Advocacy Training

Policy Assembly 2017

Come learn how you can help advocate for state policy priorities that advance health equity in Western Massachusetts. Policies to be addressed include food security, transportation, economic justice, and community-clinical health integration.

Join multi-sector community leaders & advocates from Berkshire, Franklin, Hampden, & Hampshire Counties, including…Planners * Public Health professionals * Clergy * CHWs * MDs * RNs * Teachers/Faculty/Students * Board Members * Administrators * Business owners * Contractors * Municipal Staff & you!

There’s no cost to participate, but you must register.

Wed, April 26, 2017
9:30 AM – 12:30 PM EDT
Add to Calendar

Shriners Hospital’s Community Room
516 Carew Street
Springfield, MA 01104

Hosted by:

UMass Amherst School of Public Health & Health Sciences
Western MA Health Equity Network

Facilitated by:

MA Public Health Association

With financial support from:

Baystate Medical Center’s BETTER TOGETHER Grant Program

Questions or suggestions?

Contact Andrea Freeman,, 857-263-7072 x103 or Risa Silverman,, 413-545-2529

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What is redlining? Definition and meaning

Redlining is the practice of turning down loan or insurance applications to applicants who live in an area considered to be a poor financial risk. Loan or insurance applicants are ‘redlined’ because they live in a particular neighborhood – originally drawn with a red line on a map – that financial institutions consider either troubled or poor. In many cases, the areas are excluded because of race or ethnicity. The applicant is not evaluated or judged by his or her creditworthiness, but by other criteria.

The term ‘redlining’ is predominantly an American one. Most people in the UK, Ireland, Australia and New Zealand, including bankers and financial experts, are unlikely to be familiar with the word.

The term ‘redlining’ was coined in the 1960s by John McKnight, an American sociologist and community activist.

RedliningIn Atlanta in the 1980s, of the homes that were sold, banks and savings & loans arranged four times as many mortgages in white areas as in black areas. In middle-income white areas, they represented 35% of all home loans, and just 9% in middle-income black areas. Even low-income white areas received more of their loans from banks than upper–middle-income black areas. (Source: ‘The Power of Color’, Bill Dedman)

Although redlining is mostly used when referring to financial services, it has also been found in other services, such as supermarket deliveries and health care. As far as supermarkets are concerned, the term may simply be a line beyond which it is too far away for deliveries.

According to SAGE Knowledge:

“Redlining is the name given to various practices involving the denial of services such as banking and insurance, or even housing, to residents of specific neighborhoods or urban areas on the basis of race, income, status, or class. Redlining can extend to other resources, such as the location of parks, community centers, workplaces, or supermarkets.”

“The practice makes it extremely difficult or even impossible for residents of poor inner-city neighborhoods to borrow money, be approved for a mortgage, purchase insurance, or gain access to financial services.”

Redlining is unethical

Redlining is seen as an unethical practice because the individual may have a good credit record, income and overall qualifications to be approved for a loan.

In America, ever since the Community Reinvestment Act of 1977, redlining has been illegal. However, critics say it still exists across much of the country.

Redlining ProtestsA protest against racial discrimination in Seattle, May, 1964. There were protests against redlining across the country. African-Americans, especially those with good credit ratings, said the system was deliberately rigged against them. (Image: seattle.gov/cityarchives)

In most of the advanced economies and many emerging ones, redlining is illegal where the bank uses race or ethnicity as a basis for excluding a neighborhood from access to financial services.

However, redlining is not outlawed when areas or neighborhoods are excluded for scientific reasons – perhaps the area is in a flood zone, or there is a geological fault line (crack in the Earth’s crust) going through the middle of it.

Redlining in America

In its heyday, redlining mainly excluded black inner-city neighborhoods. In the 1980s, Bill Dedman, an investigative journalist, was awarded the Pulitzer Prize for a series of articles – The Color of Money – that showed that financial institutions would frequently lend to lower-income white applicants but not to middle- or upper-income African Americans.

In Part I, which appeared in the Atlanta Journal in May 1988, Dedman wrote:

“Whites receive five times as many home loans from Atlanta’s banks and savings and loans as blacks of the same income – and that gap has been widening each year, an Atlanta Jounal-Constitution study of $6.2 billion in lending shows.”

“Race- not home value or household income – consistently determines he lending patterns of metro Atlanta’s largest financial institutions, according to the study, which examined six years of lender reports tot he federal government.”

Redlining for scientific reasonsWhile redlining in order to exclude people for racial or ethnicity reasons is illegal, it is allowed for scientific reasons. People who live in an area with a high risk of earthquakes, hurricanes or floods, for example, will be charged higher insurance premiums.

In addition to raising awareness of redlining of minority areas in America, Dedman’s articles triggered Congress to expand disclosure of data allowing analysis of racial patterns in data related to mortgages.

According to an article by Brentin Mock in CityLab, part of the Atlantic newspaper, on September 24th, 2015, Hudson City Savings Bank reached a $33 million settlement with the US Justice Department after an investigation discovered that it had been avoiding doing mortgage business with Latinos and African American between 2009 and 2013.

According to the Justice Department, it was “the largest residential mortgage redlining settlement” in its history.

In an interview with Emily Badger from The Washington Post, US Attorney Paul Fishman said :

“If you lived in a majority-black or Hispanic neighborhood and you wanted to apply for a mortgage, Hudson City Savings Bank was not the place to go.”

Video – Redlining

This video is part of a documentary that shows how African-American soldiers returning from fighting in WWII had to face the discriminatory practice of redlining in their own country.


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Hewlett-Packard to separate PC and printer businesses

American multinational information technology giant Hewlett-Packard Co. is planning to split its less profitable corporate hardware and services operations from its more successful printer and personal-computer business.

In other words, the Palo Alto-based company is going to break itself into two separate entities.

The Wall Street Journal broke the story during the weekend, quoting unnamed people who claim to be familiar with the plan.

Hewlett-Packard, commonly known as HP, will carry out the split via a tax-free distribution of stocks to shareholders in 2015.

If everything goes according to plan, HP will become two publicly traded firms, each one with annual revenue exceeding $50 billion.

Several companies have opted for a break up this year. In September, eBay President and CEO, John Donahoe announced that PayPal would be spun off in the second half of 2015.

Meg Whitman head of HP

In 2011, Meg Whitman was brought in to change HP’s fortunes.

Also in September, Amsterdam-based multinational Royal Philips announced a plan to split its lighting and healthcare divisions. The healthcare and consumer lifestyle units will merge and become one company called HealthTech.

HP a struggling giant

HP has been struggling in a changing market. In May 2014, the company said it would be firing 16,000 more employees than the 34,000 it had originally planned to lay off, after publishing better profit but lower revenue figures for the quarter.

HP, known for its software design, personal computers, server systems and printers, has faced growing competition and rapid changes in the technology industry.

Chinese company Lenovo knocked HP out of first place to become the world’s biggest PC maker in 2012.

Former eBay chief, Meg Whitman, was brought in to head HP in September 2011. A restructuring plan was launched in 2012 aimed at simplifying the company’s business processes, encourage innovation, reduce costs and ultimately deliver better results.

Ex-Chairman of HP, Ralph Whitworth, was quoted by the Wall Street Journal as saying “This (the split) would be a brilliant move at just the right moment in the turnaround. It would liberate significant trapped value.” Mr. Whitworth’s company, Relational Investors LLC, owns about 1.5% of HP.

According to rumors flying around Wall Street, Ms. Whitman will become Chairman of the printer and PC business, which will be called HP Inc., and CEO of Hewlett-Packard Enterprises (the other entity). Patricia Russia is slated to be Chairman of the enterprise firm.

About Hewlett-Packard Co.

Hewlett-Packard Co. was founded in a one-car garage by Bill Hewlett and Dave Packard in 1939. The company helped usher the personal computer revolution.

In 2013, HP posted sales of $112.298 billion and net income of $5.113 billion.

The company employs more than 317,000 workers worldwide.


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I was really lucky this past week to team up with some really talented people, and a stunning venue, and fourteen lovers to host seven pop-up weddings in Western Australia. Villa Pourzand in Cottesloe was our home for the day, Perth put on stunning weather, Anthea Auld snapped pics, Poppy and Willow Bloom Stylist along with Maisey Collections made the place look super stylish and massive “I DO” Love Letters graced the ceremonies as well. You know that you’re hitting the right chord with people when the news want to cover it, and Seven News Perth also came along and talked to us all. Check out the video below or watch on the Seven website.

There’s another fancy elopement coming up in Perth on May 24 and dates are being released soon for Brisbane, Gold Coast, Sydney and Melbourne – find out more at popupwed.co


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When it rains

When It Rains

When it rains it sometimes pours…

If it were raindrops falling on my head I’d find my friend, my companion, my greatest strength near.

If the rain were steady and thunder cast lightning I’d hear her voice whisper subtle in my ear saying “this too shall pass.”

Days of thunder can appear with such madness. Whereas she can be found near with such comfort of warm gentle hands; a hug to keep the storms formation away from turbulence and ruins.

Perhaps God’s will silenced the withering storm as it unsurpassed the pastures left behind unscathed. The storm that could have flooded the earth now surrenders to the sound of harmony under a willow tree from afar.

It is there she sat under this old willow tree looking up into the sky as the clouds lifted. The glimmer of sun shines through the scatter clouds as the storm settled embarked onto another journey.

It is there under this willow tree she rested, waiting, anticipating my arrival from afar left undone, dry in the musk left behind.

I walk this distance from afar and sat next to her with my head leaned into her shoulder. I closed my eyes as she placed her hand gently on mine and said “the storm has passed yet another day.”

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Santa’s Workshop: Cookies & Ornaments with Santa

December 13 @ 5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

Dates: Sundays (December 2nd ,9th, 16th ) 10am-12pm or 1pm-3pm
Thursdays (December 6th, 13th, 20th) 5pm-7pm
Price: $20 per Child (Parents are Free)
508 E. 112th Street Kansas City, Mo 64131 *** (816)491-8992
Pick a time slot and come decorate cookies & ornaments with Santa to take home. All supplies for decorating both Cookies & Ornaments will be supplied & distributed to your children when you enter the individual workshops. They can also come sit on Santa’s lap and tell him what he or she wants for Christmas. You can take all the pictures you want complimentary.
Call us for more info. Time slots are filling up Fast!
Book it soon through eventbrite.com.

December 13
5:00 pm - 7:00 pm

To list an event in the Community Calendar, please complete the form here.


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Have You Said, "Thanks" Today? This Is Why You Should

It’s such a simple expression of gratitude. How many times do you think you say it — or hear it said to you — in a day?

As we approach Thanksgiving, gratefulness is top of mind for many of us. Here at Juice Plus+, we are thankful for many things, including:

  • Our millions of customers around the world
  • The hundreds of thousands of amazing people who choose to share Juice Plus+
  • Our dedicated corporate staff that support our mission to inspire healthy living around the world

Speaking of healthy living, it turns out there are a number of mental and physical benefits of being grateful. Without going into an exhaustive look at the published studies — you know we can geek out on research here at Juice Plus+ (after all, we do have more than 35 studies that highlight the impact of Juice Plus+ on health) — we thought it would be interesting to examine the relationship between thankfulness and a healthy lifestyle.

Gratitude Improves Your Mood
At its root, gratitude helps us acknowledge the goodness in our lives. That goodness may be tangible or intangible, and it may come from within us or from outside of us. Especially when we recognize that good comes from outside of us, it helps connect us to something bigger than ourselves — whether that’s other people, nature, or even a higher power.

As a result, gratitude is strongly and consistently associated with greater happiness in positive psychology research. Focusing on what you’re grateful for can help you feel more positive emotions, build strong relationships, enjoy good experiences, and deal with adversity.

Gratefulness Encourages Healthier Habits
According to Susan Peirce Thompson, a cognitive scientist who specializes in the psychology of eating, practicing gratitude can also boost your impulse control, which helps you slow down and make better decisions at the dinner table.1

More specifically, one study found that people who express gratitude tend to exercise more often, eat healthier, and attend regular doctor check-ups. Those behaviors, in turn, likely contribute to further longevity.

Saying “Thanks” Helps You Sleep
In addition to being thankful for a good night’s rest, saying “thanks” before you go to bed (or at anytime really) may help you sleep better and longer. Emma Seppälä, a happiness researcher at Stanford and Yale Universities, says, “Count blessings, not sheep.” Those positive thoughts may have soothing effects on the nervous system.

Showing Appreciation Supports a Healthy Heart
Expressing gratitude may bolster heart health as well based on studies by Paul Mills, a Professor of Family Medicine and Public Health at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine.

The studies revealed that people who kept a regular journal in which they documented what they were grateful for — from their children to travel and good food — had reduced levels of inflammation and improved heart rhythm compared a control group. Plus, after only 2 months of this new routine, the journal-keepers also showed a decreased risk of heart disease.

How to Cultivate an Attitude of Gratitude
As you can see, you have a lot to gain from saying “thanks.” And the great thing is that there are many simple things you can do to be more grateful in your own life. Last year we shared this gratitude challenge, and we encourage you to give it a try.

How does saying or hearing someone tell you “Thanks!” make you feel? Let us know in the comments below!

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Want to leave a comment? We'd love to hear it. Please note that all comments are moderated. Anything resembling spam will be deleted. Try to make this a meaningful conversation for all involved.


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What happens when she can’t write? When even words, her very best friends and the marchers who never break ranks, when they won’t come? Then, she falls into the most indulgent contemplation, the most abstract romanticism, where Gustav Klimt and all the Romantics resided.

She remembers contemplating fate once, imagining that fate (grand destiny) must play itself out, and if it does not, that all the clocks in all the world must simply come to a stop and time will start to go backward, for minutes, then years, then eras, finally eons, until the moment is discovered when fate went off it’s rails. And then, fate corrects itself, lifting itself back onto the treads, and time resumes. All is right with the world again.

Every moment since she was born, every step, has led her to this place. And those around her, to their places. Where they converge, into fire and into brilliant light and into an understanding that only the very fortunate ever get to glimpse, in their one life, this one. She is thankful she gets to see it.

The animal lit upon the the panic button, paws and fur and limbs pressing upon it hard, helpless against the threat of being at the mercy of a lion who may embrace her, may desert her.

The animal exhibited all the typical responses, fully in Fight or Flight Mode:
Acceleration of heart and lung action
Paling or flushing, or alternating between both
Inhibition of stomach and upper-intestinal action to the point where digestion slows down or stops
Constriction of blood vessels in many parts of the body
Dilation of blood vessels for muscles
Inhibition of the lacrimal gland (responsible for tear production) and salivation
Dilation of pupil (mydriasis)
Auditory exclusion (loss of hearing)
Tunnel vision (loss of peripheral vision)
Shaking (the interminable shaking!)

The animal tells herself to gather her courage. Be brave.

She is a small animal, licking her small paws, waiting for the Crown’d King to call her to the glory of his audience…he, the host of the kingdom.


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Etsy Founders Launch New Company: A for Business

Etsy is quietly one of the world's most popular websites. Buying, selling, and talking about crafts and handmade items is apparently big business. Behind the scenes though, it's been rocky. After drama over Etsy's leadership in August 2008, two of it...


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Posted .

When it comes to replacing your missing teeth, there are quite a few options, and one of them is with dentures!

Dentures are successful and reliable appliances that replace all or just a few of your missing teeth. There are two types of dentures available in the dental world today: Complete dentures and partial dentures.

A complete denture is made to fill your gummy smile with strong, beautiful, and functional teeth. The appliance is removable and is a great option if you are missing all of your teeth. When wearing the appliance, you will place the denture over your gums and suction it to the roof of your mouth. This appliance is custom made to fit perfectly in your mouth, and it successfully gives you the full, beautiful smile you have always wanted. It may take some time to get used to at first, but you will become a professional denture wearer with some practice.

A partial denture is a great option if you have a gap of consecutive missing teeth. This appliance is a great tool that replaces your teeth and fills the gap in your smile. When you wear the partial denture, you will place it into the gap and will clasp it to the remaining natural teeth that lie on both sides. This removable appliance will make eating, talking, and smiling possible once again.

If you’re interested in either of these appliances, we invite you to call our office today and schedule an appointment with our friendly dentist. We look forward to working with you!


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Threading The Needle Pose- #IYOGLAXFLEXUARY

Hello My Beautiful People! Today’s pose, Threading the needle, teaches us to look within and know that your body is your temple. We all have limitations but in order to know what they are, you have to do as the pose says, thread the needle, and put in a little work.

Step By Step Threading The Needle Pose:

  1. Start in table pose, with your hands on the mat, wrists directly under your shoulders, knees under your hips and toes under your ankles. Point your fingertips towards the front of the mat, shins and knees hip width apart. Gaze down at your mat softly.
  2. Exhale, slide your right arm underneath your left arm, palms facing up. your right shoulder should come down all the way to the mat. Place your right ear on the mat and cheek on the mat and gaze towards the left.
  3. With your left elbow lifted at a 90 degree angle, and hips raised, position your head comfortably so that you are not pressing your weight on your head. Hold here for 4-8 breathes,
  4.  To release from this pose, Press through your left hand as you slide your right hand out from under your left shoulder. Return to Table pose, and then repeat on the other side.

A Matr3Moni Reminder:

“NO MATTER WHAT, it’s your body and your choice.”

Please be careful while practicing; If you have prior injuries be extremely mindful of every movement and how it affects your body. By now you know your body and the difference between your pain and your stretch, so again, be careful.

Along with being mindful while practicing, you also have to be mindful of what is going on in the inside of your body and mental/spiritual realms. You can work your body in such a positive way and still counter the positive vibes by not having healthy habits and/or awareness. Do not fight against yourself, find ways to incorporate wellness habits into your daily activities. Start trying new activities that engage all of your core muscles, and then some that you didn’t know you weren’t working already.

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too much bitter

The only truth about the purpose of anyone’s life is to stay alive. At the end of the day, no one is capable of having any more noble cause than this.

 Also,  I owed some one an apology. So here it is. With warm regards. My apologies.


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10 + 1 reasons to oppose war

Remembrance Day—and, for Anabaptist-Mennonites, Peace Sunday—is once again upon us. It is the season to mourn the loss of human life in war. And the season to commit, once again, to building a culture of peace.

Resistance to war is part of the very heart of MCC.  As an agency of Anabaptist-Mennonite churches, MCC holds to the confession that war and participation in war are counter to the way of Jesus.  For us, resistance to war is at the core of our identify as pacifist Christians.

But there are many other reasons to oppose war.  And we suspect that many Canadians—who may not share our theological commitments—can nevertheless affirm these reasons.

War’s destruction in Homs, Syria. MCC photo/Doug Enns

  1. War kills and harms soldiers. War kills, injures and disables the very people who must carry it out. It causes high levels of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and can lead to moral injury as well – namely, the deep shame, guilt, anger or anxiety experienced by soldiers as a result of killing or harming others. Some soldiers may commit suicide. Since 2010, 130 Canadian soldiers have taken their own lives.
  2. War kills and harms civilians. In the 20th century, some 200 million people were killed in war, and many millions have already been killed in this century. War not only kills, it also mains people, separates family members, causes disease, hunger and other forms of deprivation. Toxic substances released by some weapons result in severe birth defects, long after wars are officially over. Another frequent weapon of war is rape and other forms of sexual violence against women and girls. The human cost of war is staggering and the impacts extend over generations.
  3. War creates refugees. War causes people to flee their homes for safety, sometimes crossing an international border. The UN currently reports that around the world 65 million people are forcibly displaced. The personal upheaval for these individuals is profound, the social and political consequences breath-taking.
  4. War harms the natural environment. War contaminates earth, air and water. It destroys natural habitats, killing their flora and fauna. The use of Agent Orange by the U.S. to defoliate the Vietnamese countryside continues to wreak havoc on Vietnam decades later, while use of Depleted Uranium in Iraq will mean radioactive contamination for thousands of years to come. Even in peacetime, standing armies harm the environment because of their enormous carbon footprint.
  5. War’s financial cost is enormous. Consider these statistics: Canada’s 12-year military engagement in Afghanistan cost $8.4 billion, while U.S. conflicts in Afghanistan and Iraq (and related violence in Pakistan and Syria) from 2001 to 2016 cost about $4.8 trillion. The Institute for Economics & Peace determined that in 2016, the impact of violence (including war) to the global economy was $14.3 trillion per day – the equivalent of more than $5 per day for every person alive. What might be possible if those funds were invested in peacebuilding rather than war-making?
  6. War sets back development. The destruction of homes, schools and hospitals, as well as transportation, electrical, water treatment and sanitation systems in wartime can set back economic, social and community development for decades. Wars prevent farmers from farming, children and youth from going to school and ordinary people from going to work. A typical civil war in a medium-sized country costs more than 30 years of GDP growth. No wonder the United Nations in 2015 identified the promotion of peaceful and inclusive societies as one of its key Sustainable Development Goals.
  7. War empowers the weapons dealers. War is good business for those who manufacture and trade in weapons and weapons system. In 2015 just 100 companies sold $370 billion worth of arms, and just one company —U.S.-based based Lockheed Martin—had $36 billion in sales. Weapons dealers often have undue influence on politics and foreign policy. In 1961 outgoing U.S. President Eisenhower warned against the power of the “military-industrial complex” to perpetuate war; in many ways, his predictions have come to pass.
  8. War distorts truth. In 1918, U.S. Senator Hiram Johnson’s 1919 stated, “The first casualty when war comes is truth.” How very true! War promotes prejudices and stereotypes about people considered “enemy” and often portrays the enemy as less than human, thereby legitimizing the use of violence against them. War reduces moral categories to the simple binary of “we are good, they are evil.” Nuanced public discussion becomes increasingly difficult and sometimes impossible.
  9. War does not address root causes. While war may end in some measure of “peace” if accompanied by comprehensive peace negotiations, it rarely addresses the grievances that give rise to it, whether hunger, class division, religious or ethnic conflict, access to land and resources, political exclusion, etc. Because of this, many wars lead to new wars. The war against ISIS, for example, is rooted in the Iraq War, which is rooted in the Gulf War.
  10. peace buttonsThere are many nonviolent alternatives to war. Diplomacy, dialogue, disarmament, development, conflict resolution, peace education and strategic peacebuilding are only a few of the nonviolent approaches available to prevent war and thereby avoid war’s horrific consequences. A growing body of expertise also points to nonviolent alternatives to addressing terrorist and extremist violence. States and societies truly interested in peace have many nonviolent tools and approaches at their disposal!

Martin Luther King Jr. stated, “Wars are poor chisels for carving out peaceful tomorrows.”  Many reasons confirm his words.

By Esther Epp-Tiessen, Public Engagement Coordinator for the MCC Ottawa Office.

Download MCC’s 2017 Peace Sunday Packet: Praying for Peace.

4 thoughts on “10 + 1 reasons to oppose war

  1. I completely agree, Esther. Thanks for putting this together. (see my own version of this list at http://www.consciencecanada.ca/?p=284) So can I put in a plug for Conscience Canada? It continues to work hard at providing an alternative for folks who don’t appreciate their tax dollars being used for such destructive and wasteful purposes.

  2. Thank you so much for writing this. I’m a Winnipeg writer and have shared it on my Facebook page. It is important to note that many of us who are non-religious and those who hold different religious beliefs would benefit from reading this as well. I hope it gets viewed by many. Very important piece, thanks again.

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Watching the Calendar

Earlier this week, Lorie and I made our biweekly visit to the National Institutes of Health (NIH) for my infusion of the experimental agent M7824. The two day trip was uneventful and included a variety of imaging and other diagnostic tests, including an ultrasound of my spleen and a chest x-ray to monitor the pleural effusion in my left lung.

Fortunately, all of the tests came back fine and I was cleared to receive my regular infusion of M7824. As with all the previous treatments, there were no adverse reactions and we returned home later that evening.

However, with the month of July rapidly approaching, I can’t help but start to feel quite anxious. This is due to the published results from Bristol-Myers Squibb’s “CheckMate 141” phase 3 trial with Opdivo® (nivolumab), an anti-programmed death 1 (PD-1) monoclonal antibody also known as a checkpoint inhibitor. In that study, 361 patients with recurrent squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck (SCCHN) whose disease had progressed within 6 months after platinum-based chemotherapy were assigned, in a 2:1 ratio, to receive Opdivo every 2 weeks or standard, single-agent systemic therapy (methotrexate, docetaxel, or cetuximab). The primary end point was overall survival.

Treatment with Opdivo resulted in longer overall survival than treatment with standard, single-agent therapy. The median overall survival was 7.5 months (95% confidence interval [CI], range 5.5 months to 9.1 months) in the Opdivo group versus 5.1 months (95% CI, 4.0 months to 6.0 months) in the group that received standard therapy.

Recall from prior posts that M7824 is a completely novel, first-in-class, bispecific fusion protein of an avelumab-like, anti-PD-L1 antibody linked to two molecules of TGF-beta trap. Therefore, I always viewed M7824 as a “potentially” superior alternative to Opdivo given its added mechanism of action, hence my strong interest in participating in the M7824 clinical trial.

Assuming for a moment that M7824’s treatment effect is at least comparable to Opdivo, and considering that my disease recurred around December 2016, an expected survival of 7.5 months would translate to the July/August 2017 timeframe.

To be fair, an apples-to-apples comparison of Opdivo and M7824 isn’t possible. However, the results of Bristol-Myers Squibb’s “CheckMate 141” trial serve as a contemporary data set for checkpoint inhibitors in the treatment of recurrent SCCHN and are definitely something that I keep my eye on.

Lorie and Michael Becker enjoying ice cream in Bethesda, MD

Barring any surprises, I’ll continue biweekly treatment with M7824 and then repeat imaging in July to see whether or not my disease has progressed. In the meantime, I’ll continue to savor simple moments like enjoying ice cream on a warm summer evening with my wife (see photo).

2 thoughts on “Watching the Calendar”

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God’s Love for You

The generous will themselves be blessed, for they share their food with the poor. – Proverbs 22:9

God’s love for you
Changes thought
Giving self-confidence
To do what you ought.

God’s love for you
Gives determination
To keep going
For the duration.

God’s love for you
Inspires you to hope
Even when down
To the end of your rope.

God’s love for you
Helps you to plan
Each and every step
To do what you can.

God’s love for you
Initiates action
To get things done
Without hesitation.

Poem by Mark Shields – © 10-25-2018

The photo was taken at a Feed My Starving Children event at my church. We hand-packed meals for starving children around the world.

About Mark Shields

Mark volunteers as a member of the media ministry team at his church. A few years ago, he started an on-line Bible study guide called “This Day with God Devotional”. He uses this as a tool in his journey through the Bible. We live in a very busy world with busy schedules so this tool has helped him continue with daily Bible reading and study. Each of the studies are designed to help apply our faith in the work place, at school, or at home. Join him on this journey or check in every so often to read his thoughts.
This entry was posted in Generosity, Poems and tagged , , , , , , . Bookmark the permalink.

One Response to God’s Love for You

  1. Mark Shields says:

    Reblogged this on This Day With God and commented:

    What can change your thinking and in turn your attitude and finally your behavior is God’s love for you. This love is an affirmation and you can internalize this love to give self-confidence, determination, and help when faced with difficulties. God’s love inspires us to hope by praying daily, asking Him to help plan step by step, and the initiative to take action.

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McKenna Dark Brown Rectangular End Table

SKU T753-3

With an Old World design and exotic details, the beauty of the "McKenna" accent table collection is sure to enhance the style of any home environment. The rich brown finish is beautifully complemented with the Old World look of inset stamped metal elements and buckle belt accents to create an exotic style for this collection. With the unique design of the slide open top of the storage coffee table and ample storage space throughout the collection, this furniture is perfectly designed for your living area. Enhance your home with the exotic Old World design of the "McKenna" accent table collection.

Exotic campaign styling.


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Researchers identify a mechanism that fuels cancer cells' growth

November 16, 2018  19:03

Scientists at the UCLA Jonsson Comprehensive Cancer Center have identified sodium glucose transporter 2, or SGLT2, as a mechanism that lung cancer cells can utilize to obtain glucose, which is key to their survival and promotes tumor growth. The finding provides evidence that SGLT2 may be a novel biomarker that scientists can use to help diagnose precancerous lung lesions and early-stage lung cancers.

Cancer cells require large amounts of glucose to survive and grow. Past research has established that passive glucose transporters, or GLUTs, are the primary means the body uses to deliver glucose to tumors. However, more recent studies have found some cancers, such as prostate and pancreatic, also rely on SGLT2 to utilize glucose, which spurred the UCLA scientists to study the role of SGLT2 in relations to lung cancer.

Finding ways to diagnose lung cancer earlier when it is easier to treat is imperative because it is currently the leading cause of cancer-related deaths in both men and women worldwide.

The researchers used positron emission tomography, or PET scans, to capture SGLT activity in lung cancer cells. They were able to use SGLT2 activity to monitor the effects of SGLT2 inhibitors to treat mice with genetic models of lung cancer and mice that had been implanted with human lung tumors.

The researchers found unusually high levels of SGLT2 in human specimens of lung cancer, showing that these tumors predominantly utilize SGLT2, but not GLUTs, to transport glucose in the early stages of tumor growth and even in pre-malignant lesions that precede the development of lung cancer.

The study suggests that lung cancer can be detected earlier, when it is much easier to treat. By using SGLT2 as a biomarker, lung cancer could not only be found earlier than it often is today, but it could potentially be discovered even before lesions become cancerous. The researchers also provided evidence that a common FDA-approved inhibitor drug (which is currently used to treat diabetes) could help block SGLT2 activity in cancer cells. The inhibitor could be used to block glucose uptake and help reduce tumor growth.

The research is published in Science Translational Medicine.

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Business Banking

Chase Kicks-Off National Small Business Week with Educational Events

New York, NY Apr 30, 2018 During this year’s National Small Business Week, JPMorgan Chase is celebrating by holding events for and in support of small business owners.

“We know small businesses are a critical engine of economic growth and the backbone of our communities, so when we support small businesses, we support job creation, economic development and our communities,” said Andrew Kresse, CEO of Business Banking at Chase. “That’s why Chase is proud to sponsor National Small Business Week for the fifth year in a row and celebrate small businesses today and every day.”

The week-long celebration for small businesses is a signature event of the U.S. Small Business Administration (SBA) and recognizes the critical contributions of America’s entrepreneurs and small business owners.

National events during the week

Chase is hosting and taking part in a number of local and national events to provide small businesses access to relevant content, resources and thought leadership. National events include:

April 30 - The Association for Enterprise Opportunity’s 2018 National Microbusiness Conference for professionals providing capital and technical assistance to microbusiness owners. JPMorgan Chase is the lead sponsor for the conference, which takes place in Detroit from April 30 to May 2.

May 1 - SBA’s 3-day virtual conference (May 1-3), where Chase for Business will have a booth containing resources, research and product offers. Chase for Business will also have physical booths during the SBA’s multi-city Bus Tour (May 1-3), which is meant to feature some of America’s most outstanding business owners.

May 3 - Chase for Business presents “Hug Your Haters: How to Embrace Complaints & Keep Your Customers” webinar with the SBA and SCORE, featuring business strategist Jay Baer with guidance on how to respond to customer complaints. The webinar takes place from 1-2 p.m. ET.

Small business commitment

In addition to the week’s events, JPMorgan Chase has recently doubled its Small Business Forward initiative to $150 million over five years to help small businesses run by women, minorities and veterans with both the capital and technical assistance they need to grow.

Even more recently, the firm announced the:

  • Launch of Entrepreneurs of Color Fund in the South Bronx and San Francisco. Using the model from Detroit that launched two years ago with support from W.K. Kellogg Foundation and Detroit Development Fund, JPMorgan Chase announced in February it would expand the Entrepreneurs of Color Fund to South Bronx and San Francisco with a $5 million investment, helping provide underserved entrepreneurs with access to the capital they need to grow, create jobs and drive local economic growth.
  • Expansion of its Ascend 2020 program to 10 U.S. cities. In April, the firm announced a $2.5 million expansion of this program, which connects minority entrepreneurs to business schools, suppliers and community partners to improve access to management, markets and money.

Chase clients honored by SBA

Chase is also proud to celebrate clients who were selected by the SBA as “Small Business Person of the Year” for their respective states, including:

All state winners will be formally recognized in Washington, D.C., on April 30, and will have the chance to be named the nation’s Small Business Person of the Year. The events will be streamed live on SBA’s Facebook page.

Chase serves more than 4 million small and midsize businesses in the U.S. and is among the top SBA lenders in the country. The bank will be offering special product promotions for small business owners during National Small Business Week and through the end of May. Customers can learn more by visiting their local branch.

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Google Home’s Action Growth

Recently, new “Actions” have come to Google Home — Domino’s, Netflix, Headspace. Thirty four are now available. You can check out the current list here. However, we’ll probably see a mushrooming very soon of new actions over the coming months — maybe 300 by the end of March 2017.

What’s different in Actions for Google than Alexa Skills Kit is that the former is designed to also be accessible on the hundreds of millions of Android devices that are already in market through Google Assistant (Assistant is now embedded inside of Google’s Android keyboard). This makes it compelling for developers who might want to bring a new audience into their APIs and services.

When Google releases its numbers behind Google Home shipments, it’ll help attract (or maybe detract) developers. Likewise, the Embedded Google Assistant SDK might draw in developers as Assistant spreads to more devices.

Amazon could counter this by releasing its own Alexa Voice Service integration either onto Amazon.com (a mic button?) or maybe into its Amazon apps for Android / iPhone. If it does, it likely will be after a lot of hard engineering work on perfecting the user experience.