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Can anyone validate this? Is it a time to act? ( Wisely and quietly?) “Keep it safe, Keep it secret” And Keep it Simple

——-Original Message——-

From: jamie staib
Date: 10/17/08 11:27:52

Subject: FW: A prophetic word from David Wilkerson (Please Read) ( this is from steves daughter ) jamie staib

Subject: Fwd: A prophetic word from David Wilkerson

Read this. My goodness this is mind shaking!

This is meant to prepare you, not to scare you!
You can go to David Wilkerson website and know that he is a man of God that I respect. You can decide for yourself. I love to study Bible Prophecy, because it gives HOPE not fear! God wants his people prepared, not scared.

-David Wilkerson’s Economic Vision
Key points to remember about this vision:
1. From the time the first country goes down, you’ll have two weeks to get your money out of the bank.
2. America will come through this crisis-there will be restoration.
3. But the nation will never be as it was before.
4. God is saying: Get our lives straight… Get rid of idols… Seek the face of God in holiness…
5. God will be a wall of fire about you… And the glory in the midst of you!

It’s about to happen—very soon, one nation, and I’m speaking prophetically–if I’ve ever heard anything from God in my life, I heard it … Very soon a European or North African or Eastern nation is going to default on its international loan and when that happens, within two weeks, Mexico is going to default.
Mexico owes $100 billion —80% of it to American banks—and here’s what is going to happen: about two weeks after the first country goes bankrupt, (we’re going to survive that, because most of that (money of the first country) is owed to European banks—German, Swiss and French banks) but a second country is going to go down, probably Argentina or Brazil, and we’ll kind of live that down and say: “Well, maybe it’s not going to hurt,” but two weeks after the first country goes down, Mexico’s going to default on $100 billion.
And when the banks open the next day at 9 in the morning, $15 billion an hour is going to be withdrawn from our American banks – they’re going to be running our banks-the Arabs—all the Latin American countries, they’re going to be running our banks- and before the day is over, the U.S.A is going to have to declare a “bank holiday.”
And we’re going into six months of the worst hell America has ever seen—there’s going to be chaos—not even the National Guard’s going to be able to quiet it down—we’re going to have to call out the whole U.S. Army.
Now I’ve had visions recently, for I’ve been in New York City and I was in Macy’s in a vision, and I saw people walking around stunned because they couldn’t get their money out of the bank.
Now I’m going to give you a word of advice, the first country goes bankrupt—I’ve documented this and I’ve got it sealed in an envelope, and I’m going to call all my friends and I’m telling you—this is the first time I’ve said it in a public meeting like this—but the first country that bellies up, you go get every dime you have—church get your money out of the bank–because there’s going to be a ‘bank holiday’ and you won’t be able to get a dime for six months. Now, of course, there’s going to be -restored, but the nation will never be like it is again.
There’s going to be fear like we’ve never known—judgment at the door. When I was at Macy’s Dept. store in a vision and I watched people walking around stunned, they didn’t know what to do, they didn’t know what was happening; then a bunch of people walked into Macy’s and suddenly went wild and began to steal and within an hour everybody—I saw the spirit of everybody in the store—they were robbing and stealing—they raped Macy’s and destroyed five floors— Macy’s was raped and ruined in a period of an hour or two.
That’s just the beginning. Folks it’s all in this book (the bible) —we’ve been warned and warned and warned—you can’t tell me God hasn’t warned us. You can’t tell me God isn’t saying something awesome here tonight in this church…we better get our prayer life straightened up, our lives straightened up, get rid of the idols, as Paul writes, and seeking the face of God in holiness or you’re not going to be ready for what’s coming. God’s warning, get ready and you’ll not fear these things that come onto you and you’ll start rejoicing, you’ll not be afraid because your hands will be clean. You’ve been praying and God’s building a wall of fire around you to keep you.”
I believe this prophetic word from David Wilkerson, a true servant of the Lord, needs to be spread. May the Lord speak to your hearts and minds through it and help us to prepare both spiritually and economically for what is soon to come.

Comment by Adamantine:

Can anyone validate the first commentary you just read ? Is this from Wilkerson and when was it? I have pulled it from the Fulfilled Prophecy site but it does  not seem possible yet to prove it is authentic and from Wilkerson. From this you might see why I am both critical and supportive of Wilkerson. These are prophetic words it seems to me and yet I recall him saying he was not a prophet but a watchman on the walls. They are also possibly un-timed which puts there application in the hands of others later who must decide if and when to act.

The commentary  below is certainly from the Wilkerson web site.

I am compelled by the Holy Spirit to send out an urgent message to all on our mailing list, and to friends and to bishops we have met all over the world.AN EARTH-SHATTERING CALAMITY IS ABOUT TO HAPPEN. IT IS GOING TO BE SO FRIGHTENING, WE ARE ALL GOING TO TREMBLE – EVEN THE GODLIEST AMONG US.For ten years I have been warning about a thousand fires coming to New York City. It will engulf the whole megaplex, including areas of New Jersey and Connecticut. Major cities all across America will experience riots and blazing fires—such as we saw in Watts, Los Angeles, years ago.There will be riots and fires in cities worldwide. There will be looting—including Times Square, New York City. What we are experiencing now is not a recession, not even a depression. We are under God’s wrath. In Psalm 11 it is written,“If the foundations are destroyed, what can the righteous do?” (v. 3).God is judging the raging sins of America and the nations. He is destroying the secular foundations.The prophet Jeremiah pleaded with wicked Israel, “God is fashioning a calamity against you and devising a plan against you. Oh, turn back each of you from your evil way, and reform your ways and deeds. But they will say, It’s hopeless! For we are going to follow our own plans, and each of us will act according to the stubbornness of his evil heart” (Jeremiah 18:11-12).In Psalm 11:6, David warns, “Upon the wicked he will rain snares (coals of fire)…fire…burning wind…will be the portion of their cup.” Why? David answered, “Because the Lord is righteous” (v. 7). This is a righteous judgment—just as in the judgments of Sodom and in Noah’s generation.WHAT SHALL THE RIGHTEOUS DO? WHAT ABOUT GOD’S PEOPLE?First, I give you a practical word I received for my own direction. If possible lay in store a thirty-day supply of non-perishable food, toiletries and other essentials. In major cities, grocery stores are emptied in an hour at the sign of an impending disaster.As for our spiritual reaction, we have but two options. This is outlined in Psalm 11. We “flee like a bird to a mountain.” Or, as David says, “He fixed his eyes on the Lord on his throne in heaven—his eyes beholding, his eyelids testing the sons of men” (v. 4). “In the Lord I take refuge” (v. 1).I will say to my soul: No need to run…no need to hide. This is God’s righteous work. I will behold our Lord on his throne, with his eye of tender, loving kindness watching over every step I take—trusting that he will deliver his people even through floods, fires, calamities, tests, trials of all kinds.Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off. I have unburdened my soul to you. Do with the message as you choose.

God bless and keep you,

In Christ,

Comment by Adamantine:
There is much to admire about David Wilkerson’s past Ministry.
1) I would like to suggest that for those who still take the Herb Peters observations as possible then we are entering a time period of potential crisis.
2) Since we do not easily imagine that the whole theory can easily be defended once the WEU is dissolved as planned in July 2011 then we might imagine a crisis of very large proportions required to keep the institution alive.
3) If there were such a crisis would it not likely shake up our whole world?
4) If so should we not be prepared in some manner now?
While it is entirely possible that the theory of Herb Peters will take another “hit” soon for those who surmise otherwise then I would suggest this is a time to actually DO something.
What might you do?
I consider the comments by Wilkerson to be informative. He may not have known a time frame but he felt it was fairly soon.
Quote from Wilkerson March 2009″

“Note: I do not know when these things will come to pass, but I know it is not far off.” David Wilkerson

The theories we discuss on this site fortunately or unfortunately do suggest a time frame.
Neither Herb Peters nor David Wilkerson are alive today to make observations.

If they are not available to comment then I suggest others and this case “we ” will have to make observations ourselves.

I am going to suggest a time frame which was something they never did. Maybe I am being unwise but I do not think so.
I suggest that we need to ponder and pray.

I suggest anyone who values the words of Wilkerson and Peters should considering acting now to be able to deal with world changing events should they occur in the next six months. Actually if the WEU is supposed to disappear in the next two months the time for acting might be now.

Take measures that are not risky to your future but that might make you be better prepared should the rest of the world be entirely caught off guard.

I would suggest doing so quietly because so far no one has come forward to take the heat and say “Thus saith the Lord” on this ;secondly because no one would listen now anyway so close to the Harold Camping error. Third because why set yourself up for derision if we (you) are wrong and fourth if the events are as dangerous as we might surmise then you do not wish for others to know you are prepared. Looting would be on the way etc. Once again do not do anything which would harm your future. I am suggesting actions which are actually self interested. I am probably wrong anyway. Wilkerson and Herb Peters already warned others. Timing would not help the skeptical. I do not think God has retained prophetic giants for us to listen now to so that we do not have to think and act ourselves. It is your call not mine.

PS: I say the exact opposite of what Harold Camping said:

I am absolutely unsure anything is going to happen. I simply think 30 days of food and some cash on hand is not going to hurt anyone. In the US anyway the interest rate is close to zero. 8)

The rest is based on logic and not revelation. It seems to me we may have entered a time when we may have to “cry wolf” to ourselves a number of times and be wrong and yet be ready over and over again. Most true Christians realize they must be ready for Christ’s return any day but they think we will be raptured or somehow spared any travail. It is possible to prepare and not be crushed if the preparation becomes unneeded. Those who buy fire/accident and insurance from theft do it all of the time. As a Christian watcher we have actuarial tables that the world knows not of. I think they give us reason to be watchful and ready for the thief in the night. It is the non Christian or slothful Christian watcher who will be caught as a thief in the night.

Well this started out as a short post and grew. It is meant as something to ponder quietly.

4 thoughts on “Can anyone validate this? Is it a time to act? ( Wisely and quietly?) “Keep it safe, Keep it secret” And Keep it Simple

  1. The first commentary is not from David Wilkerson. I have contacted them when this so called vision started to spread over the internet and they confirmed to me that its origin was not from him.

  2. Comment by Adamantine:
    So now the question is why anyone would make up a prophecy and/or attribute it to another. Was this accidental or deceit by someone?

  3. Very good question. It does seem like the post was taken ot of The Vision and someone tried to make it current during the economic collapse. Maybe it was someone who thought that David Wilkerson’s vision of 1973 is coming to pass and tried to warn the people.

  4. He has a good point but if there is a crash there isnt much point pulling your money out of the bank. Look at the great depression ( good history lesson) when paper money was worth nothing, So taking money out of the bank in that stage is pointless.
    Stocking up on food now is the thing to do.

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A series of Japanese anime characters in half masks in front of a bright red background. This is a promotional image for Persona 5

The Mundane Magnificence of Persona 5

  • Sponsored
    Office of the General Counsel
  • Persona 5 is a game that is unafraid to tackle some serious subject matter. Suicide, sexual harassment, child abuse, extortion and plagiarism all figure heavily into the plot, and that’s just the first half of the game. Dungeons are equally ambitious thanks to their bombast and gaudiness, each one the manifestation of a tortured spirit. But for all the grandiosity, Persona 5’s best moments lie in the more mundane, in the daily life of our protagonist that reminds us that he is still a high school kid with high school priorities.

    After completing the game’s first palace, the Phantom Thieves choose to celebrate their inaugural victory by splurging on a high-end buffet. The scene is largely out of control of the player, instead playing out as a a vignette that serves as a bookend to the game’s first major story arc. There are jokes about eating too much, sneaking a cat into the building and how out of place the trio looks there among more levity.  It’s a welcome pick-me-up after dealing with a sexual pervert who also abuses high school students.

    After completing the second palace, the Phantom Thieves celebrate by cooking a communal hot pot. During the meal, the group spends time getting to know one another a bit better. The following conversation serves as both as idle chatter and as character building, with the shared meal acting as a symbolic catalyst for their strengthening bonds. The whole scene oozes comfort and warmth, something that the genre isn’t exactly known for.

    Not long ago, a friend asked me what Persona 5 is about, I was not as prepared to answer as I thought. It’s an RPG, I said, but you also live a life day by day. You have to nurture bonds with friends, get a job, read books, answer questions in school–but that Sims-like description doesn’t do justice to the game. After thinking on it, I decided that conflicting themes are the crux of Persona 5. The play between dealing with a dangerous shut-in who is tortured by a horrific past, and a talking cat who complains about not getting enough fatty tuna on his sushi is far and away the best reason to play.

    That contrast between the very serious and the lighthearted is a pillar of the Persona 5 experience. Unlike in other JRPGs, we get a look at the daily life of a student in our world, something we can relate to. And just like our own lives, it’s filled with ups and downs. Each story arc forces the heroes to confront some very serious issues, but between arcs we get to see them in their natural state, catching movies or grabbing lunch with each other.

    My favorite scenes in Persona 5 are those quiet moments where Ryuji eats too much ramen, Yuske reflects on a new piece of artwork, or Sojiro teaches Joker how to brew the perfect cup of coffee. They not only serve to break up the grim tone of the major arcs, they also build the characters in a way that other RPGs struggle with. The real-world setting certainly helps by providing a relatable touchstone for the players, but the relationships between characters would shine even in a fantasy world. For this reason, Persona 5 boasts the best storytelling of any RPG in recent memory.

    Commentary, Games

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5 Best Breakfasts for Muscle Building & Fat Loss Diets

Fat loss breakfast

The number one factor in getting results is being able to stick to the plan.

Finding what works for you is critical, and what we’ve found after working with thousands of clients is that eating a quality breakfast is usually a part of this.

To read our views on whether you should or shouldn’t be eating breakfast, make sure you read our UP Philosophy on Breakfast article.

For the majority who do eat breakfast, one rule you need to stick to is that it must be high in protein.

  • Improved mood, focus and memory
  • Less hunger

  • Balanced blood sugars

  • Improved energy

  • Better food choices

  • Increased strength and muscle mass

Now we know protein is essential for breakfast, what about fats and carbs?

It really does boil down to your individual preferences and goals, but for the average client – think stressed, busy executive – protein and fat breakfasts seem to be the best way to go.

A few reasons for this:

  • Improved focus and productivity early in the morning

  • It may increase fat loss due to longer periods of reduced insulin release

  • There is a theory around 'metabolic flexibility', which refers to the body’s ability to switch efficiently between fuel sources. By focusing on protein and fat in the morning, your metabolism may preferentially burn more fat for fuel later in the day.

  • More practically speaking, if you’re on limited carbs, you may want to save them for the end of the day where you can enjoy them with dinner

Of course, if you genuinely feel great hours after eating a bowl of porridge, then, by all means, include it in your breakfast. The options we’re suggesting are reflective of what our clients eat.

Option 1: Breakfast of Champions

This is a great option for people who aren’t put off by the idea of eating meat in the morning. Frying up a grass-fed fillet steak with some almonds and greens beans to serve with it is one of the best ways to start the day.

Here are some other options to try:

  • Lean cut of red meat or oily fish– e.g. fillet steak, venison, buffalo, salmon

  • Small handful of nuts – e.g. almonds, walnuts, cashews or pecans

  • Handful of greens e.g. spinach, green beans, kale.

Try these Steak and Peanut Butter Skewers, for a tasty and convenient way to eat meat and nut for breakfast.

Get the recipe here...

Option 2: The Quick Fix

A common question we receive from clients is what to eat if training at 6 or 7 am, and eating something like option 1 just isn’t on the cards.

The easiest breakfast to prepare and more importantly, digest quickly is the following:

  • 1-2 scoops of whey isolate

  • 1-2 tbsp almond butter

To make this taste a little more exciting, try making a protein pudding by mixing the two into a bowl with just enough water to make a chocolate fondant-like consistency.

You could also try this protein and nut butter mocha shake, incorporating your morning coffee into this tasty recipe.

Get the recipe here...

Mocha latte protein coffee

Option 3: Eggs

Eggs are a staple in many breakfasts. The key to not getting bored of them is to rotate the way you cook them.

You can poach, boil, scramble, fry or make an omelette with them.

Try this delicious Pizza Omelette recipe for something a little different at breakfast time.

Pizza omelette

If you’re not confident cooking eggs, take a look at our guide to creating perfect eggs every time.

Depending on your calorie intake, you can either eat eggs alone or along with something like smoked salmon or some lean red meat.

Option 4: Greek Yoghurt

Greek yoghurt is particularly popular with our female clients who like the texture and taste of it to kill off any sweet-tooth cravings early in the day.

Whether you go full fat or 0% fat will depend on your calorie intake, but what’s important is you opt for a quality brand that doesn’t add additional sugars to the product.

A 200-300g serving of Greek yoghurt can provide a solid 20-30g of protein with some good fats and a small amount of carbs.

You can either eat it alone or mix in some whey and/or nut butter for additional protein and fats. Berries also work great, especially if you have a sweet tooth and are looking for something low in calories.

Try combining Greek yoghurt with a scoop of whey protein and a tablespoon of almond butter. Mix well for a deliciously simple breakfast, that works well with a variety of berries or seeds on top. This is also great with oats, if you are allowed carbohydrates at breakfast on your meal plan.

Option 5: The Vegan Option

So far none of the options covered are vegan-friendly. One of the best ways to replicate the ‘Breakfast of Champions’ is to replace the lean red meat with some high quality, fermented tofu and make a ‘scramble’, like so:

  • 120g Tofu

  • 1 tsp turmeric

  • ½ tsp chilli powder

  • ½ red pepper, diced

  • 75g mushrooms, sliced

  • 50g spinach

  • 1 round tomato, diced

  • pinch of salt and pepper

  • Crumble the tofu into a bowl and mix in the turmeric, chilli powder, salt and black pepper.

  • Heat a non-stick pan and add the vegetables except for the spinach, and tofu.

  • Cook together for 5-10 minutes and then add the spinach to the pan.

  • Season and serve.

What if my goal is muscle growth?

For many, the protein and fat options above may still be the best way to go. But if your calories and carbs are high, you’ll probably want to start adding carbs at breakfast too.

The most popular ‘breakfast carb’ are oats. They’re easy to make and taste great.

You could easily make ‘proats’ by adding a scoop of protein to the cooked porridge.

Try this recipe for overnight oats, using different flavour combinations with various fruits and nuts.

Eating well for breakfast doesn’t need to be boring. Once you find the type and amounts of foods and macronutrients you respond to best in the morning, it’s time to get creative to keep your taste buds happy as you stumble out of bed before work.

If you want more mouth-watering and diet-friendly recipes, subscribe to the Eat UP Newsletter here.

Achieve your goals with us!

Contact us for more information about our products and services

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Keep Portland Wild

As in most cities, there are a multitude of critters that live in Portland. But most of them are the standard issue critter that makes its home in most American cities: squirrels, raccoons, rats, possums, and the like. (And yes, many type of birds.)

But over the years, animals not typically associated with “urban” have made their inroads into Portland and a lot of other places. Namely, coyotes. As wolves have been extirpated from much of North America, coyotes have come to fill the void left from their retreat. At first, coyotes stayed in more wild areas, then moved into the urban fringes. And now, they have moved into urban areas just like any other hipster. And why not? There are plenty of places to hide, and plenty of food. Coyote sightings in Portland, while not super common, are more and more typical. (Heck, I chased one down the road one dark winter morning.) And don’t just think that coyotes can only thrive in a city like Portland, with abundant natural areas and lots of detached single family houses: researchers estimate that there are two thousand coyotes living in metro Chicago. Two thousand.

But coyotes are a bit old hat. I’ve been waiting to see reports about even wilder, even bigger animals in Portland. Namely: bears and cougars. And over the last month, we got both.

portlandbearThe first was the bear on June 14. A 2 year old black bear was spotted in the vicinity of NE Killingsworth and 35th, about two miles from my house, early that morn. It was finally found in a tree, where someone from Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife shot him with a tranquilizer gun, captured him, and released him in the wilds somewhere in the West Cascade Mountains. The bear was definitely the news of the day (and also warranted the creation of a twitter account in his name). No one knows exactly how it got into this residential neighborhood, but it’s just a mile from the Columbia Slough, with its wild areas interspersed with industrial could act as a wildlife corridor. (There was a reported sighting of a bear swimming in the Oregon Channel, an arm of the Columbia River between the Oregon mainland and Hayden Island, but that’s about 5 miles from where the bear was captured.) Still, I would have expected the first bear sighting to happen in an area like Forest Park, which seems like such prime bear habitat.

portlandcougarThe cougar sighting, was much more interesting and played out. Over the course of the last week, there have been a few cougar sightings in East Portland, that big ol’ post-war suburban area of town stretching from about I-205 to the Gresham line. (This includes a cat suspected killed by the cougar.) Friday morning alone there were three sightings in the early hours of the day, all close to the I-84/I-205 junction. Then Friday afternoon, the cougar planted itself into a tree at the 2900 block of N.E. 121st Ave, as the occupants of the house were having their Fourth of July barbecue. The police and fire department were summoned, the neighborhood cordoned off, neighbors told to stay in their homes, and yep, the Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife (ODFW) came to tranquilize it and take it away.

This time, there’s a sadder ending: the ODFW decided to euthanize the cougar, for reasons of public safety. “It had become habituated to the city,” ODFW spokesperson Meg Kenagy said. “It had lost its fear of people…When cougars are seen during the day they have lost their fear of people.”

eastportlandcougarmapBut I wonder: how many cougars are in the area? South of the area the cougar was sighted are natural areas like Powell Butte, which would make good cougar habitat. The map of this week’s cougar sightings, however, show a circle of sightings with Glendoveer Golf Course sort of in the center. So maybe it lived there? While a golf course is not as rustic as Powell Butte, it is pretty wooded so there are hiding places. While cougars are solitary animals with large ranges that rarely overlap, Portland is a big enough place that there could be more hiding out. But if there are, they probably keep a low profile unlike the hapless specimen found in the tree.

Now I just hope we get a marmot sighting like they do in San Francisco.

3 thoughts on “Keep Portland Wild

  1. Bears and cougars are pretty exciting urban visitors! Our river valley is a pretty good wildlife corridor and I’ve seen deer a few times and, yes, plenty of coyotes. My daughter and I were out for a sunrise ride about a month ago and spotted a couple of young coyotes just ahead on the trail. The jogger that stood watching them with us decided to go back up to street level because he felt he had “almost just been eaten”. She gave him a good 12 year old look of contempt as he left.

  2. In recent years we’ve seen our share of moose running dangerously through our city. For the longest time we only dealt with erratic woodchucks and skunks – personal nemesis lately – and now bob cats have entered the scene. Frankly, cougars scare the heck out of me, and in a metropolitan area too. I can only imagine how the cougars feel.

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Virginia Small

Experts Question Abele’s Expanded Power

Land-use experts say it’s unwise to give county exec so much power to sell public land.

By - Feb 17th, 2016 01:20 pm
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Milwaukee County Parks. Photo from Facebook.

Milwaukee County Parks. Photo from Facebook.

Fifteen old-growth forests, other green space, and museum sites in Milwaukee County could be sold by the county executive—depending on their zoning. This is in addition to 43 parks whose land is in whole or part not zoned as parkland, and which could therefore be sold, as Urban Milwaukee previously reported. The total acreage of this additional vulnerable land outside the parks is at least 1,750 acres, but could be higher.

A state law (Act 55) passed this summer granted Milwaukee’s County Executive the power to dispose of any real estate–without public input or county board approval–unless specifically zoned parkland. Abele would need only the okay of one additional official, either the elected county comptroller or a real estate professional appointed by the Milwaukee County Intergovernmental Cooperation Council, made up of elected executives from all municipalities in the county.

Abele spokesperson Melissa Baldauff has told Urban Milwaukee he “has no current or future plans to sell parkland,” but nothing in the new law would prevent him – or any future county executive — from pursuing such land sales.

Steve Hiniker, executive director of 1000 Friends of Wisconsin, which “promotes healthy communities” statewide, calls the new law for Milwaukee County an “absurd corruption of the democratic process.”

“It’s a horrible, horrible precedent to grant this much power over public land to one person,” Hinniker says. “It may be quicker and easier not to get public input about land-use issues, but that doesn’t make it right.”

“This has nothing to do with Abele, his intentions or potential decisions,” Hiniker adds. The issue, he says, “needs to be separated from politics and personalities, which is how it’s often being framed.”

In a July 8, 2015 memo, Corporation Counsel Paul Bargren spelled out the new powers granted Abele: “the executive could lease, sell or convey any non-park county property regardless of Board policy and without Board approval.” He added: “The new provision gives the Executive the ability to ‘construct, purchase, acquire, lease, develop, improve, extend, equip, operate and maintain all county buildings, structures and facilities.’”

Introduced at Abele’s request, the wording in Act 55 enabled him to sell 10 acres of downtown land to the Milwaukee Bucks’ owners for $1, which the county board would have likely rejected. In return, the Republican-dominated legislature was willing to give Abele sweeping power over county lands and buildings. None of Wisconsin’s other county executives or county administrators can sell public property without legislative approval. The provision giving the county comptroller a vote on sales of county property is also unusual; Comptroller Scott Manske says he was not consulted before being given this power.

Indeed, the power given Abele was greater than even he realized. Baldauff told Urban Milwaukee he was not aware that much of county parks’ land was not zoned as parkland and could therefore be sold under the new law.

In November, County Board Chair Theodore Lipscomb, Sr. requested an inventory of all land stewarded by the Department of Parks, Recreation and Culture—about 900 parcels. The analysis by Parks director John Dargle, Jr. found 43 of 156 named parks and parkways in the county include land that is not zoned as parkland. In response, Abele has written to officials in municipalities where those parks are located, asking them to rezone the parks in question as parkland. The county board has since passed a resolution, 16-0, urging the county to protect all property managed by the parks department, regardless of zoning. However, this was only a request, since the board has no power over the land under the new state law.

Baldauff says that zoning of 14,394 acres in named parks will soon get resolved. However, she said there are also 936 acres of land managed by the county parks department outside of named parks, and 880 acres of farmland the parks department leases. The War Memorial is zoned as parkland, but the county zoo and some museum sites are not.

This has become a lightning-rod issue because park sales have been forbidden dating back to the 1800s. Yet O’Donnell Park along the lakefront was nearly sold to Northwestern Mutual in 2014. Abele negotiated a contract allowing redevelopment which was voted down in a tight vote by the county board. Supporters argued the site was mostly a parking garage; opponents noted this was public trust land with a public pavilion and included green space that could have been turned into a high-rise development by Northwestern Mutual.

Later, Abele continued trying to sell O’Donnell, spawning concerns by board members that he might sell other public land.

Mike Carlson, interim executive director of Gathering Waters: Wisconsin’s Alliance for Land Trusts, says the public needs to be involved in the sale of public land. “Without a public process, you lose the potential value of citizens galvanizing to protect resources that matter to them,” he said.

John Horwich, recently retired director of green infrastructure for The Trust for Public Land, says there are occasionally legitimate reasons to sell public land. “Sometimes government-owned land is indeed surplus” he notes, but any such sales normally involve public comment and approval by an elected body.

George Meyer, executive director of the Wisconsin Wildlife Federation, a statewide conservation organization, notes the state’s public land-sale process takes pains to involve the public. That includes posting parcels considered for sale, public-feedback options and DNR field reviews. In one instance, anglers expressed outrage that Northern Wisconsin lands with prime spring ponds were on the auction block. After full vetting, the parcels will be offered to governmental entities before being advertised for competitive public bidding.

Kevin Shafer, Milwaukee Metropolitan Sewerage District executive director, says “public input is vital” in all MMSD’s land-use decisions since “it’s [the public’s] dollars we are using in this work.” MMSD has purchased 3,300 acres in four counties for innovative flood management. Acquisitions are protected through permanent conservation easements and MMSD engages with neighbors about how to use such lands to meet multiple community needs.

Manske says he “will always notify the supervisor representing the district” where any land deal is being considered. The supervisor can then choose whether to hold a public hearing about it, even though the board will not get to vote on it.

Abele may decide to involve the public in any decisions to sell county land or buildings. But under the new law there is no requirement that he or his successors do so. And while Abele is now urging municipalities to change the zoning of all parks to parkland, zoning codes could in the future be changed and variances are common. Deed restrictions and permanent conservation easements more effectively preserve public land, experts say.

Wisconsin’s 1999 “Smart Growth” law requires municipalities to develop comprehensive land-use plans with mandatory public input. Policies must adhere to those plans. Hiniker questions “whether a Milwaukee county executive could make deals that contradict a municipality’s comprehensive plan.”

Act 55 does not require land deals made by the county executive to follow consensus-driven plans. For example, the county has a natural-resources-stewardship blueprint: A Land and Water Resource Management Plan for Milwaukee County: 2012-2021 (LWRMP), prepared by the Southeastern Wisconsin Regional Planning Council. The 228-page plan was created in consultation with county environmental-engineering and parks staff. It built upon decades of research, incorporated public input, and was vetted by municipal, regional, state and federal officials. It serves “to guide the activities of the County Environmental Services Division, which acts as the County’s land and water conservation department.” It also informs the board’s Parks, Energy and Environment Committee — “the county’s land conservation committee.”

Abele could choose to be guided by such planning and procedures, or ignore them. All it would take is a sign-off from that real estate professional appointed by the ICC, who might decide a good sales price for the land is more important than any concerns of planners or the public.

Which additional lands and property could be sold?

Land managed by the county parks department, but outside of named parks, used for flood/pollution management, resource preservation, research, education, cultural enrichment and passive recreation. Such sites may lack parkland zoning. The executive may also sell or lease many other properties not managed by the parks department, including the airport.

The Milwaukee County Land and Water Resource Management Plan identifies important lands that, unless zoned as park land, could now be sold:

Prime Natural Areas & Critical Habitats: High-value sites have significant “remnants of the pre-European settlement landscape—as well as other areas vital to the maintenance of endangered, threatened, and rare plant and animal species.” This could include irreplaceable land.

Environmental Corridors: Greenways connect multiple parcels and provide extensive habitats for plants and animals. The county plan recommends that development in environmental corridors be “limited to transportation and utility facilities, compatible outdoor recreational facilities, and, on a limited basis, rural density housing located at the fringes of upland environmental corridor using conservation design principles…” It says remaining primary environmental corridors should be for “natural and open land uses.” Development of county-owned land in these corridors could harm natural habitats.

The Charles Allis Art Museum. Photo in the public domain.

The Charles Allis Art Museum. Photo in the public domain.

Agricultural Lands: A program begun in 1995 conserves farmland in environmental corridors and for future recreation. These lands are leased for agriculture. Sup. Gerry Broderick said at a recent committee hearing, “This is exactly the kind of land developers would like to get their hands on.” Some sales might be justified, he said, but “it deserves to be considered in a public review process.”

Historic Sites and Buildings: The Charles Allis Art Museum is not zoned parkland and could be sold or removed from county oversight. Other historic properties may also be unprotected. However, Villa Terrace Museum of Decorative Arts is zoned parkland and city officials are working to rezone as parkland the 1913 building housing the Milwaukee County Historical Society.

When asked about his approach to conserving and developing county land legacies, Abele declined multiple requests for comment. No timeline has been set by his administration for releasing a complete inventory of all properties that could be eligible for sale.

County Natural Areas That Could Be Sold

The following natural areas, owned fully or partially by Milwaukee County as of a 2011 report, are not identified as part of a park or parkway and depending on their zoning status, they could be sold.

  • Bluemound Country Club Woods
  • Camelot Park Woods
  • Fitzsimmons Woods
  • Grange Avenue Woods
  • Harbinger Woods
  • Harwood Avenue Woods
  • Hawthorn Glen
  • Menomonee River Swamp-South
  • Mitchell Woods
  • Oak Creek Bluff and Beach-North
  • Oak Creek Low Woods
  • Ryan Road Upland Woods
  • Ryan Road Woods
  • Wil-O-Way Woods
  • 60th Street Woods

Information about these and other prime natural areas begins on page 72 of A Land and Water Resource Management Plan for Milwaukee County, 2012-2021.

5 thoughts on “Experts Question Abele’s Expanded Power”

  1. Dennis Grzezinski says:

    The foresighted leaders of our community who more than a century ago thought to preserve our green necklace of parks, parkways, riverways, and other open spaces, including our once extensive County Grounds in Wauwatosa, must be rolling in their graves.

  2. Jeremy says:

    Newsflash! Every conservation organization in the state thinks that green space should be sustained or expanded. Waiting for the follow up by the Commercial Real Estate Association to say that every prime park parcel should be developed. It’s all a little much.

  3. Virginia Small says:

    Jeremy, I agree there is a common, even constructive, tension between land-conservation goals and “development pressure,” especially in metro areas. That’s why land-use issues are invariably addressed as a community, allowing people representing varied interests and goals opportunities to weigh in.

    Although conservation lands play different roles in SE Wisconsin than in other areas of the state, conserved lands directly play a multi-billion role in the state’s economy. Sustainability proponents say “smart growth” is crucial to good urbanism and sustaining individual metro areas as well as the planet. As for realtors, they seem to be the first to say that nearby green space is a big selling point.

  4. Jeremy says:

    Virginia, parks are fantastic for residential property values. The idea that any or all of the county-owned parks or natural areas are in any danger is to engage in “Trump style” fear mongering. If the goal was to sell them off, they’d have been gone within a week of Act 55. This all ignores the practical realities of some of these locations like finding people that want to buy them and ability within local codes to build anything on them.

  5. Virginia Small says:

    It’s hard to link Trump-style fear mongering about Latinos, Muslims, etc. and land-use experts analyzing the public’s role in decisions about public land.

    Act 55 established parks zoning as a litmus test for land deals that require board approval. It’s been clearly stated that other legal restrictions, mostly still unknown for respective parcels, could also be in play.

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Car Storage in Tri Cities, TN

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Find Tri-Cities vehicle storage near you. Compare Tri-Cities car storage unit sizes, prices, amenities and discounts. View pictures, descriptions, and read customer reviews to assist you in making a selection, when looking for a location to store your automobile. Once you select a cheap vehicle storage space the in Tri-Cities that best fits your needs, simply reserve online for FREE and lock in your car storage price, save money and time. If you prefer, you can call and speak to a friendly and professional customer service representative, who could answer all your questions and who could take a reservation over the phone for FREE. No credit card is required to reserve vehicle storage in Tri-Cities online or by phone. A detailed confirmation e-mail will be automatically forwarded to your inbox. Your storage space will be available for you when you arrive at the self-storage facility on your move in date. Finding public storage for your vehicle in Tri-Cities, or in nearby cities like Blountville, Bluff City, Walnut Hill or Spurgeon is that fast, easy and affordable.

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UT College of Business Again Ranked Among Nation’s Best: Supply Chain Program Top-5

US_newslogo-SmKNOXVILLE, TN —The University of Tennessee, Knoxville, College of Business Administration and supply chain management/logistics program continue to be ranked among the nation’s best institutions, according to the U.S. News and World Report 2014 undergraduate rankings.

The UT undergraduate supply chain management/logistics program ranked fifth among public institutions and sixth nationally, up one spot from 2013. The undergraduate business program ranks 27th among public universities.

“We are pleased with the recognition from U.S. News of our supply chain management program and the college overall,” said Stephen Mangum, dean of the UT College of Business Administration. “While rankings are not our primary measure of success, the feedback afforded is significant and adds to the accumulating evidence that our faculty and staff are moving our programming in directions deemed valuable by our constituents.”

The university keeps close tabs on lists such as the U.S. News annual rankings as it continues its journey toward being a Top 25 public research university. The Top 25 initiative includes efforts to make strides in recruiting and retaining excellent students, hiring world-class faculty and staff, and strengthening capacity and productivity in research and scholarship.

Areas where UT has improved in the U.S. News ranking criteria since last year include graduation rate, reduced class sizes, increased faculty resources and alumni giving, and a better assessment from high school counselors across the nation.

U.S. News and World Report ranks universities based on academic reputation, graduation and retention rates, student selectivity, resources and alumni giving. The list includes American colleges and universities offering bachelor’s, master’s, and doctoral degrees.

About University of Tennessee

Haslam College of Business, University of Tennessee, Knoxville TN
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Fullmetal Alchemist: Brotherhood (2009)

Season 1, Episode 21, Advance of the Fool
Release Date: 2009-08-30
Runtime: Minutes
Edward and Alphonse meet with Mustang at the hospital, where they look over the events that occurred in the Third Laboratory, and they realize that the Homunculi's hideout may signify just how high up the level of corruption in the military is. Scar returns to Central to begin his killing spree anew, and the brothers come up with a dangerous plan to both confront Scar and lure the Homunculi out of hiding. Ling and Lan Fan hear of their intentions and eagerly agree to assist them, but are soon faced with a situation that threatens their survival.

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First week of International intern, Aga

<My first week in VANK>

* Aga (Agnieszka Michalczyk)

Aga 1

On the first day of my work I came to the office  a bit scared. I wasn’t sure what I will do or how people there would be like. A day before I was thinking really a lot about my future work.

So.. it’s almost 9am and I’m entering the office full of anxiety, scared and not sure how people will react when they see me. But I was surprised, positively surprised. I was greeted warmly by Gi Tae. It was another shock, how is that possible that boss is so nice, enthusiastic and just open to people. He was smiling all the time which made me a bit relaxed. Though I wasn’t prepared for another explosion of joy when Bo Kyung entered the office. Everyone was just so nice. I couldn’t imagine better welcoming. I thought in my previous work in Poland people were kind but I guess I didn’t know what kindness is. I didn’t expect such a warm welcoming as I didn’t expect such a nice work. I think I can understand why people in the office smile so often, the atmosphere here is so pleasant and warm. I can only hope it will stay as it is now which I’m sure it will.

The welcoming was perfect and so were those 4 next days. I was waking up every morning with a smile on my face and coming to office for a work was a pleasure for me. I could experience various of new things. Of course I had my responsibilities but while doing work I learned as well. What is more, I had a chance to meet minister, which was a really great experience for me, participate in historical lecture (though it was in Korean and it was hard to understand, I enjoyed it a lot and learned pretty much during a short lecture), or be interviewed. I have to mention delicious food I was able to try during lunch hours! I am happy that I was able to come here and work with VANK. I’m looking forward for next weeks and I hope they won’t finish too fast.

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The world that was childhood

Very recently, I stumbled on a copy of ‘Swami and Friends’ by R.K.Narayan, and that book effortlessly transported me back to my childhood. I blended with ‘Swami’, and re-experienced the bliss of my childhood.

The anxiety with respect to teachers, parents, textbooks and exams…

The joy of the 3 o’clock bell, when we dispersed from school, to run home, and to break free from a world we didn’t understand…

The joy of finally teaming up with friends, and experiencing freedom in its most absolute form-

The freedom to run, jump, bake in the sun, drench in the rain, soak in mud…

The freedom to be a child.

We grew up in the outdoors, in the sun and the rain. Our toys were simple, and in any case, they were only accessories.

We dreamt ardently- of owning a hoop or a catapult or a tricycle, and we would fantasize over it day and night, as if that was the ultimate goal in our life.

Holi, Diwali, and Christmas were all special, because holidays signified unrestricted freedom. We would break loose from our homes early in the morning, and celebrate our togetherness with colors and crackers and cakes.

Childhood, to me, was a perpetual celebration of togetherness and freedom.

It was an effort to let go of ‘Swami’, and to get back to myself. But when I finally did, I realized that we were fortunate with respect to childhood. It might have been a bit of an ‘urban childhood’, but it was far from being a ‘technological childhood’.

Today, childhood has a completely new dimension.

My colleague’s son was only an year old, when the computer made an entry into his little world. He was fascinated by the gadget, and this fascination turned into an obsession. To the extent that the child lost interest in his physical environment.Over the next couple of years, when he should probably have been growing up amidst his grandparents’ love and pampering, amidst other children, amidst his parents’ care and attention, in a world of stories and pets and parks, he grew up with a machine. His parents reveled in his computer skills, until the teacher at his playschool identified a subtle speech deficit in him. A visit to the paediatrician confirmed a speech deficit, predominantly with respect to comprehension. Inadequate environmental stimulation and communication were identified as part of the contributory factors. In the subsequent months, the child was subjected to an overdose of speech therapy, and it was agonizing for the parents.

A documentary comes to my mind. A girl child, with her tresses uncombed, falling on her shoulders, sitting by a pond studded with water lilies. There is silence around her, and that serenity is reflected in her being. She dreams as she plays with a water lily, and nature caresses her in its lap.

In stark contrast is the picture of a boy who sits in his room, playing a game on the computer. The room echoes with noise, as the boy fires bullets in the game. There is something profoundly disturbing in the contrast between the two scenes.

Somewhere along the line, childhood moved from the outdoors into the confines of a room. A child now grows up within the four walls of his room. There are stress lines on his face, as he desperately tries to fit into the world. He goes to school with a heavy burden on his shoulders. The 3 o’clock bell is no longer exciting, because he has to rush for tuitions.

In the emptiness of his plush apartment, he finds solace in machines and gadgets. There is an entire spectrum to choose from. He grows up with gadgets. He develops technical skills at the expense of emotional intelligence, at the expense of artistic creativity. He struggles at all his relationships, and battles with stress in his day to day life, unable to deal with the pressures. Relationships break and marriages fail.

And my mind wanders back to the little girl by the pond, feeling her peace, her contentment, her joy…

5 thoughts on “The world that was childhood

  1. The whole situation is scary. Much as I want my kids to play outdoors, I feel insecure in letting them play outside.

    Something is wrong with me and a lot is wrong with this world.

    I am scared of kids being over-run by cars drifting as a means of entertainment and ‘play’ by careless teenagers who have nothing left in their world that would excite them as much as an adrenaline rush gotten by endangering lives.
    I am scared of kids being kidnapped by perverts for their pleasure and used and thrown somewhere in a bin. I am scared of kids being attacked by racists.
    Overprotecting kids though puts them at a disadvantage by not giving them a chance to learn to tackle the ‘real’ world.
    It’s striking a balance between over exposure and over protection that exhausts me emotionally and mentally.

    1. Parenting has transformed into a big challenge and eternal conflict in these times, Taheseen. Most of my friends are in the same dilemma. And it is impossible to alienate oneself from external influences. Actually, I plan for this as another activity for the ‘group’. For parents to discuss their concerns with regard to parenting.

  2. Pingback: THE WORLD THAT WAS CHILDHOOD – Vidya Chathoth

  3. Pingback: The Prithviraj versus Mohanlal Debate – Vidya Chathoth

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The delight of super hard tofu

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If you are like me, you have been fiddling around with tofu for years. After all, isn’t the off white soy bean curd one of the original healthy foods? And like me you discarded the stuff years ago. It just never lived up to the hype.But wait! There is something new to try, and it really works! It’s tofu, that is super firm, and this stuff is the real deal.

The point of tofu is that you need to add some protein to your vegan dishes and it is high in protein. The problem has always been the consistency of the stuff. Yes,I have read the directions and you can squeeze the water out, but no matter what, regular tofu just breaks down when cooked. Sometimes I think tofu mayo is about the only application where it really works.

But the other day I went to Trader Joes, which is a store around here that is a supermarket, sort of. Most of their offerings are store brands, but they are also known as purveyors of odd ball items. In this case extra hard tofu. Anyhow, when I say hard, I mean it. This brick was about the consistency of a very hard cheese at least, which we breaded and baked after soaking in a barbecue sauce.

All I can say is wow, it’s like the old joke ” tastes just like chicken” . As opposed to the old stuff, it really absorbed the flavor of the sauce, and is springy, like meat. So if you happen to have someplace you can buy super hard tofu, buy it and experiment, you will not be disappointed, especially in the chewing department. Don’t forget your dentures!

Author: Bill Kushner

I grew up in the San Fernando Valley area of Los Angeles and I now live in sunny Cleveland Heights Ohio with my family!

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Nutrition for Kids

View this document on Scribd

Parents know that the road to lifelong good health starts with healthy eating and plenty of exercise. Getting kids and families started down this path is easy with a little assistance.

In this Physicians Committee For Responsible Medicine guide you will find the tools you and your family need to achieve many of your health goals: up-to-date health and nutrition information, advice on changing habits, tips to get your family started, and plenty of delicious recipes.

Please consider making a donation to PCRM

2 Responses to Nutrition for Kids

  1. Ivan says:

    thank you for your suggestions

  2. kid cameras says:

    Nice post, it is exhausting to discover a good digicam for kids with all of the selections.

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Sunday, December 11, 2011

Nonuts and ice cream, can it get any better?

Bug's favorite things in the world?  Ice cream and doughnuts.  Only he doesn't say doughnuts, he says nonuts and he says it in a deep voice and gets all goofy.  If you want to bribe him, you're best doing it with a trip to Dunkin' Donuts.  He likes the chocolate glazed doughnuts best and it needs to be cut up and eaten with a fork.  If it's not cut up, he won't eat it.  He will call and call and call begging you to come cut up his doughnut and to get a fork as he is not able to get into the silverware drawer.

The funny part?  He doesn't always eat all of either one.  So often I will see him leave the table with 1/2 of the doughnut or ice cream left.  If the ice cream is in a cone, he usually doesn't get to the cone part.  But still, he claims they're his favorite thing.

However, if you put a plate of cucumbers, cauliflower, broccoli, and well, basically any vegetable, he'll eat the whole plate and ask for more.

The other day I was talking to my mom on the phone.  I was in the kitchen and Monkey was in the family room.  My Mom said she saw a doughnut maker.  I casually and quietly "A doughnut maker?"  She said she wasn't planning on buying it buy thought of Monkey when she saw it.  Well Monkey, who doesn't listen to you when you're sitting next to you, is around the corner in the other room and he comes trotting in, "A NONUT MAKER???!!!  I want a doughnut maker!  I yuuuuv nonuts"  And here we thought he might be having problems with his hearing.

Can life get any better than ice cream and nonuts?  I think not!
Haha!  As I sit here finishing typing, he comes along and stands over my shoulder saying, "Ice cream!  Nonuts!  Can we get some Mommy!"

  1. Oh man. you should totally get him a nonut maker. I can just imagine how EASY and FUN that would be to make them ALL THE TIME...

  2. I want a nonut maker too! I totally recommend the baby cakes cake pop maker. There's so much you can do with it besides cake!


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  • You can change the USB settings so that your phone will sync, charge, etc. when connected to a computer.
  • 1. Plug the USB cable into the phone and the computer.
  • 2. Touch and drag the notification bar down.
  • 3. The current USB setting is displayed (e.g., USB for file transfer). To change it, touch Touch for other USB options.
  • 4. Touch the desired option (e.g., Charging only).
  • 5. The USB setting has been changed.
  • The MTP (Media Transfer Protocol) and PTP (Picture Transfer Protocol) options have similar functions that enable file transfer between your ALCATEL ONETOUCH Idol 4 and computer. Select PTP to transfer pictures and select MTP to transfer music, videos and other media files.


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Been Busy

Well, that's why there's been not much happening here. But hopefully things will change soon.

I've been away most week-ends of late and busy studying for my upgrade exam. But the week-end just gone I successfully passed my AOCP(A) certification so am now again awaiting a new call-sign. But once I've got that, that'll be the end of upgrades. Yay!

I've also grabbed myself a collection of ceramic resonators, crystals and variable capacitors so hopefully now with study out of the way I can start trying to build oscillators and VXOs. After that I hope to be well on my way to building a transmitter – hopefully just a simple DSB transmitter to start with.

I'm still hoping to post up about my FSM and my little portable 2el beam for 2m. Hopefully now I'll have the time – with plans of being around home for the next few week-ends. But that said next week I'm doing a presentation at the club on WSPR, so I'll need to get that together too.

Hope you're all well, and hopefully I'll post a bit more soon as things get moving again.

P.S. Obviously with the new callsign on it's way in a couple of weeks you can expect the site name to change again. But I'll give fair warning before that. 😉

2 thoughts on “Been Busy

  1. Well done another upgrade so soon. Got to admit the big red book has been shelved for a while as I have been busy "getting back to work" retirement never lasts. This day and age money doesn’t go to far.Congratulation again VK1?? another bottle of wine I guess.Stan

  2. Thanks mate!

Understand shelving the big red book. My saving grace was that I booked in the exam and paid upfront, so I was committed to it. Luck, as the last month was a struggle with so much happening and very little study. But pre-booking kept me trying.

New callsign will hopefully be VK1IS. I'll keep ya posted.

Cheers.

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Hajra Atiq Omar

While working with the United Nations in Pakistan, I attended a training session with Wali on Young Women in Leadership (Y-WIL) in February 2010. He was the first trainer in the year-long program which was a huge drawback for us; because the benchmark he set was too high for his successors to meet!

For me, the highlight of not only the two-day session, but, the whole one-year program, was a life lesson that has changed my view of life. In a cold February afternoon, Wali said to our group: “You can lead a happier and more content life if you take the path of least resistance.”

It has taught me to not let go of humility in times of triumph, and, to accept the failures gracefully. Like Henry Ford said: “Failure is simply the opportunity to begin again, this time more intelligently.” It is, undoubtedly, one of the best lessons I have learned in my life and has helped me in more ways than I could have ever imagined. It has made me a better, happier and more content person.

The transition from becoming a pessimist to an optimist has anything, but, easy. Nonetheless, every bump in the road has been worth it. It is one of the things that keeps me going during my tough times. The change in my personality is evident from a compliment I recently received: “Hajra, you have a way of finding peace in almost all situations and it’s admirable.”

After getting married three years ago, I moved to the UAE. During my early days in Abu Dhabi, I met with Wali again who happened to be visiting for a training session. Being a career-oriented woman, the path to becoming a full-time homemaker, at least temporarily, wasn’t easy. It was a short coffee meeting in one of his breaks. I didn’t want to miss the opportunity of getting his take on a career change.

Having worked only in development sector in Pakistan, which is next to non-existent in UAE, finding my calling wasn’t easy. I was looking at him to point me in the right direction to which his response was: “What you can do for yourself, no advice can. This is the way I teach. I make people find their way.” To be honest, I was a little baffled at that time but I can’t thank him enough to encourage me to find my own passion.

I explored a lot of options, and, resultantly, turned to teaching which has given me immense satisfaction. Being able to impact young minds is undoubtedly a huge responsibility. But it is satisfying to know that you have helped widen someone’s horizons. If I am able to do a quarter of what Wali did for me for even one of my students, I will be the happiest person in the world!

Thank you Wali for being a positive influence on me and on countless others. You are truly an inspiration!

Based in Abu Dhabi, Hajra Atiq Omar teaches standardized tests such as SAT, GRE, GMAT, IELTS and TOEFL and business management subjects to Bachelors and Masters students and is a mom.

  • Sana Rehman

    Impressive particularly transition from being a pessimists to an optimistic


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Heaven in ordinary

84 miles, about 240,000 steps (thanks Fitbit!), nine days, sixteen walking companions (plus a dog), through marsh  and valley, along road and river, over hill and stile, in city and country, town and village … to end at the appropriately named Wallsend around 2pm this afternoon!

It is finished.

My feet were particularly sore after a lot of pavement pounding today along very ordinary streets and paths through Newcastle.  That’s not to say there weren’t some glory moments, such as the Swedish deli we came across, the views of the Tyne, the fisherman who caught a crab as we passed and the Quayside where we timed it just right to see the Millennium Bridge in action!  But after all I’ve seen over the past nine days, the end of the walk4andy felt very … well, ordinary.  The pathways and pavements could easily have been in Leicester and looked very similar to the ones I walked just two weeks ago to get to Mountsorrel in fact.

There was something very ordinary about walking that last section with just my family too, with Wendy my wife, and my two daughters Erica and Hilary.  All of us found it a bit wearing and hard-going on the feet and there were the usual family arguments as we began to rub each other up the wrong way.  All very ordinary.

We arrived at Segedunum to see where the Wall ended and the fort has been partly excavated and we wandered round the excellent exhibition there.  Again it all felt like a very ordinary family day out.  And yet it was anything but.  I had just walked 84 miles across the country from one coast to the other, in memory of Andy and raising awareness (I hope) and money (about £2500 I think now) for VHL.

My pilgrimage had come to an end in a rather unspectacular way with a pot of tea and a plate of scrambled eggs on toast!

Then after waving goodbye to Wendy and Erica at Newcastle station, Hilary and I went to evening prayer at St Nicholas’ Cathedral, again the routine ordinary prayers said day in day out by Anglicans all over the place.

But in its very ordinariness I think there was something quite extraordinary going on.  I have said how much I don’t want this journey to end, and the challenge with these sorts of experiences is always how to carry them back into ‘ordinary life’.  Here today I found the ordinary right here in the extraordinary journey and when I let go of my anxiety for some amazing bolt-of-lightning revelation of what this has all been about, I saw the beauty in the ordinariness and felt the peace that came from it.

Towards the end of Andy’s life, it was the very ordinary things that made him happy – the bacon sandwich, a visit from a friend, the trip out to do a bit of shopping, the Earl Grey tea and proper coffee.

It is not for nothing that George Herbert, another of my favourite poets, described prayer as ‘heaven in ordinary’.  This whole walk4andy has been one long prayer, a prayer for my family and for all those struggling with VHL, a prayer for myself and my struggles with grief, a prayer for the church and the churches I have had contact with en route, a prayer for God’s kingdom to come – in me, in us and in our broken world. #thykingdomcome

May that prayer continue to grow and bear fruit as I return home, the kind of prayer George Herbert also called ‘The soul in paraphrase, heart in pilgrimage’ and yes, ‘heaven in ordinary’.

Sworn Brothers

I am a big fan of the Game of Thrones.  For those who are not GoT fans, the stories by George R.R. Martin include ‘The Wall’, a huge edifice protecting southerners from the dangerous monsters north of the Wall. (I’d just like to point out that I am on the south side of the Wall in this picture!)

The Wall is manned by the Night’s Watch, a band of sworn brothers from here there and everywhere, of every race and class.

The reason I tell you this is because the Wall in GoT was inspired by Hadrian’s Wall.  I have been reading a bit about the people who guarded it, the auxiliary units made up of a mixture of people from across the empire and more locally.  The old gods and the new are worshipped together.  Few would choose to go to this Godforsaken outpost of the empire, the back of beyond, about as far as you could get from civilization in Rome.

Of course, many now choose to visit this beautiful part of the country.  Today I was delighted to be joined on my Wall by family members from Leicester and London, some of whom are facing their own battles right now and so it was really special that they gave up time to come and walk.   I was also joined by a friend from north of the border, a brother in faith, who I haven’t seen for ages and so it was very special to catch up, put the world to rights and to pray together.

But the big surprise was at Birdoswald where I saw again the party from Argentina I had met on day one at the Cathedral.  Not only was it a joy to reconnect but also humbling to have Danny pray for me out on the Wall.

The sworn brothers of the Night’s Watch abandon their old lives to ‘take the black’.  They form a new family based on the vows they have made and their common purpose to protect the Wall and guard against evil.  They’ve got one another’s back.  Our police and armed forces do a not dissimilar job, much of which goes unseen, and for which we should be grateful.

I had a wonderful company of ‘sworn brothers’ on the Wall today, people who have got my back just as Andy did when I was growing up, people who will love and protect me, who will pray for me and walk with me, and for whom I am grateful.

At the end of the day outside Greenhead Church, Nathan and I said evening prayer together in the warm late afternoon sun.  I was reminded of the words of the evening service of compline which includes the prayer:

As the night watch looks for the morning

So do we look for you, O Christ.


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Preliminary planning for 2018 travel

It’s never to early to plan, eh? Recently, I was asked about my list of destinations that I want to visit this year, which featured my standard of Kyrgyzstan, Kazakhstan, Armenia, Georgia, Serbia, and Kosovo. For sure I want to visit them, as they’re very close, thus saving precious time and money. However, after talking with other people lately, I’ve decided to throw in some new destinations.

  • Armenia is a place that I haven’t really heard about in terms of its travel. Neighboring Georgia is all the rage lately, but I figured that it’d be a shame to pass up Yerevan. I have two options in mind, with the first being that I’d do a dual Georgia-Armenia trip (no word yet on where I’d fly in to), and the second is that I can use the May holidays to take a mini-trip to there. Admittedly this is quite a short period for both options, but I figured I’d test the waters for a return trip.
  • As I’m taking Portuguese lessons, the mother country of Portugal is naturally on my list. Lisbon’s trams are iconic, and I want to see them in person. Furthermore, I’ve heard that the food and wine there is divine, which is fortunate because I love fish.
  • The Former Yugoslav Republic of Macedonia is increasingly popping up on my radar. Lake Ohrid is obviously one their biggest attractions, if not the biggest, but Skopje looks pretty neat as well. Honestly, I’m really fascinated by the country’s history/I want to learn more about an under-the-radar destination, so when you combine that with the fact that I’m still trying to work my way through the remaining Balkan countries, its appeal is becoming more evident. Upon further consideration, I’m thinking of possibly combining a trip to the FYR with Bulgaria to really optimize the trip.
  • Maybe because I’ve been going back and re-rereading the book Playing the Moldovans at Tennis, but Romania’s neighbor is looking like another possible May holiday destination; it’s one of those places I’d want to feel out before committing to visiting for a longer period. Also, one of my goals is to visit what is Europe’s closest answer to “what if the Soviet Union still lived on?” in the wannabe breakaway region of Transnistria. Alas, word has it that the paperwork to enter there is arguably as bad as Russian bureaucracy, hence it being a dream for further along in the future.
  • As Kramer and Newman found out in one of my favorite sitcom moments, “do not say Ukraine is weak.” Ukraine, I’m reliably told, is yet another New East rising star, and lately I’ve been perusing quite a few articles about all things Ukrainian. If you look past the murky political situation, Kyiv for all intents and purposes looks to be pretty hip and rapidly transforming.
  • Tromsø, in Norway. Nothing special here, but one of my longstanding goals in life is to visit the northern part of Norway. Though given the incredibly high prices in Norway, I’d probably visit in May if I did end up going.
  • I’ve been meaning to visit the Middle East at some point, and I figured Jordan would be a good starting point. Amman apparently combines the old with the new, and that blend is something that appeals to me. Plus, the ruins of Petra present themselves without comment!
  • Hear me out: Oman. One of two Middle Eastern countries on the list, Oman is unique in that it isn’t reliant on oil. Hence why I’m curious to see what life is like there! And really, how much do you know about the country? Being honest as well, Anthony Bourdain’s segment there piqued my interest, and what I saw on his show seemed a highly unique blend of old country and the new, modern cities.
  • Tunisia as well. This admittedly is a bit of a pipe dream, but I do want to check out North Africa. Not much is planned other than I want to visit there, but hey, who knows what might happen.

Within Russia, I do have a few destinations I want to see at some point while I’m here. With the upcoming World Cup, I don’t know if and when I’ll get a chance to travel to these places, given the reports of alleged price-jacking for flights.

  • Kazan. One of the biggest cities in Russia, you can see the juxtaposition of Christianity and Islam, which is absolutely fascinating. Quite a few of my friends either have visited there or are originally from there, and they’ve said nothing but positive things about the city!
  • Khanty-Mansiysk. Where? It’s the capital of the Khanty-Mansi Autonomous Okrug, aka the center of Russia’s oil production. In all honesty, the only reason why I know about it is because of the hockey team of the same name, but looking more into it, there’s a huge amount of fossils there. In essence, I just want to see a northern region of Russia.
  • For destinations that absolutely are only targets for the summer, Murmansk and Arkhangelsk. I’m lumping both of them in together because they’re both far in the north, but I hope to be able to see the Barents Sea and the White Sea respectively. If I haven’t already mentioned it, going to extreme points of countries is what excites me and these readily fulfill that criteria!
  • Grozny. Yes, I know what you’re thinking: “The capital of Chechnya? Why the hell would you want to go there?!” One expat in the corresponding Moscow group posted a link where some guys visited there, and it looked pretty normal. In fact, the authors of the article mentioned they found it to be rather neat! Big streets for the region’s capital and the general lifestyle of any city in the world; that normalcy is something I’m keen on experiencing firsthand. Plus as I always say, travel makes people more connected and furthers better tolerance and knowledge. I don’t know when I’ll be able to go, but I’m already doing some preliminary research on the timing to visit.

So, has anybody visited these places? If so, I’d love to hear about your experiences!

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5 Reasons People Choose Real Estate Investment As Their Job

When young people are asked this question “What career would you like to choose in the future?” you will get to hear many answers. Doctor, pilot, president, business person, jet fighter pilot, astronaut, scientist, computer genius, surfer, swimmer, athlete, footballer, rugby player and even a hacker sometimes. The one answer that you will fail to hear a child replying is that they want to be a real estate professional.

A majority of the people today will attest that what they answered in that question when they were young is not what they are doing today. The good thing is that as an adult, you can finally make a wise decision based on income, passion, adventure and growth.

Below are 5 reasons people choose Real Estate Investment as their job.

More freedom

The professionals have a lot of freedom since they can be their own bosses if they are not working for another real estate professional. Apart from that, one can design their own work schedule that will fit their day to day timetable. This means that they can work as much or as little as they want. While this is a good thing for many people, it can be quite a challenge for others.

To ensure that you are able to reap big rewards in the end (I mean fat commissions); you need to have a great work ethic. Uncle Ben in Spiderman told his nephew that “With great power, comes great responsibility.” In this case, “responsibility plus a great work ethic equals success.” While the professionals can work under a broker, it does not mean that he/she will be the boss always. Real estate agents can become their own bosses at the snap of the fingers. This provides more freedom to the professional which enables one to streamline their day to day activities.

Higher rewards

According to research, many people look down on a real estate investment profession especially when they get to learn that a professional gets to earn around $40,000 in a year. This makes many people to think that real estate profession as a career is not rewarding. What they don’t know is that real estate professionals earn high rewards in terms of commissions. Every house a real estate professional sells means a fat cheque in the bank without even counting the yearly salary.

The best thing about being a real estate professional is that you can work as a part time profession treating the job as your hobby or work at it fulltime. In order to become a successful real estate broker, it means that you need to have goals, the right plan and an effective hardworking team.

When compared to an office job where you have to report at 9 am and leave at 5 pm while awaiting a monthly fixed salary, being a real estate agent seems more rewarding. While an office job can pay higher yearly especially in the corporate world, you will have to work crazy hours and meet even crazier demands.

Ensures more control of your life

The one thing many people who work in offices fear is losing their job or quitting their job in order to start a business. In an office job, one is assured of a fixed monthly salary that comes with benefits such as health. Bonuses may be provided at the end of the year but it’s not a surety. For real estate professionals, they can start working under another successful professional.

Within 6 months or one year, they can decide to venture out and together with a few others; they can open their own real estate firm. They can get to hire their own employees and grow their firm with ease. Real estate professionals don’t fear losing their jobs as they know they can create one. This means that they have more control in their lives. One can build a business off one successful client.

Less startup times

In most professions, you are required to undergo several certification programs in order to be qualified and be given a job. With real estate, you don’t have to undergo this; you can start now and earn commissions in no time.

Majority of the courses can be completed in no time while at other times; one can receive training from a qualified profession and still be successful.

Unlimited room for growth

As a investment professional, one will not only grow their portfolio but they will get to grow themselves. One can hire many professionals who will enable the business to grow and acquire more assets around the world.

This will not only mean more money and success to you but to your business as well. A majority of successful people in different ventures will tell you that surrounding yourself with smart people is ultimate road to success.

Final Thoughts

A real estate investment job is not only a great way of understanding how investment works but it’s a great way to learn tips and tricks. You can grow to become your own boss and hire smart people to help you achieve your dream. The job offers you unlimited growth and unlimited rewards if done in a smart way.

It’s not about property ownership it’s about control!  Visit Property Millionaire Intensive to get more details.

Do you have the desire to become financially free through property investment? Visit Property Intensive Seminar for more details.

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Endangered Downloads

I’ve posted an article in a few places commenting briefly on the implications of Github, Google and others (but notably not SourceForge) deciding not to offer downloads as a service to open source projects. My instinct tells me this is a warning sign; I’d be interested in your views.

One Response

  1. It costs them a lot of money and is cumbersome to maintain and patrol for abuse. That simple.

    People often think that distribution is a simple task in open source. It’s not. I’m running a mid-size FTP mirror for Debian among other project, and we’re doing a lot of work just around that. As soon as your project grows beyond the playground level it’s no longer sufficient to just put it on a web server somewhere.

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Friday, 21 April 2017

After closing half its libraries Brent Council agrees Memorandum of Understanding with volunteer libraries

The Brent Council Cabinet is set to approve a Memorandum of Understanding on Community Libraries at its meeting on Monday.  In 2011 the Council closed 6 of the borough's 12 libraries in what they called the Libraries Transformation Projects. Local residents launched campaigns to keep four of the libraries open: Preston, Kensal Rise, Cricklewood and Barham. Neasden and Tokyngton libraries, the former in a very needy area, appear to have gone for good.

The SOS (Save Our Six Libraries) campaign was faced with the dilemma of campaigning for the retention of securely financed, professionally staffed libraries or keeping a local facility going through a volunteer system and fundraising. Some campaigners thought that keeping some kind of service going temporarily would make it easier for a future administration to restore the library.

The Brent libraries issue became something of a national scandal and contributed to Cllr Muhammed Butt's overthrow of Cllr Ann John's Labour leadership. In the event Brent's closures were ahead of the field and other councils, of various political complexion, have since closed libraries  citing government cuts as the reason. Currently there is a militant campaign in Lambeth LINK.

Since then there have been attempts by various lead members to reach an agreement with the volunteer libraries with Preston and Barham facing particular difficulties because the Council is the landlord of their premises.

The Officers' report LINK sets out the current situation:

Brent’s community libraries receive no direct funding from Council library service budgets. They are wholly independent organisations. They are not included within the Council’s statutory service, and they have full flexibility to tailor their offer to local need and interest and are eligible for various funding streams as independent organisations.

 The four community library premises are:
·      Barham Library, 660 Harrow Road Wembley HA0 2HB (15 year lease)
·      Cricklewood Library, 152 Olive Road, London NW2 (999 year lease being finalised)
·      Kensal Rise Library, Bathurst Gardens, London NW10 5JA (999 year lease being finalised)
·      Preston Community Library, 2 Carlton Ave East, Wembley HA9 8PL (currently has a temporary lease arrangement).
The MoU (see below) sets out various ways the Council will support the community libraries without committing to any additional expenditure.

The case of Preston Community Library, where uncertainty remains over its premises as Brent Council seeks to redevelop the site, is addressed directly:
A temporary lease arrangement is in place until the end of the 2016/17 school year as a short term solution. Long term plans for the site are at the development stage.
 In September 2016 Cabinet agreed to redevelop Preston Park Annexe for new homes and D1 space appropriate for library use. Since then the Council has appointed 5Plus Architects to lead the design of the redevelopment proposals and undertaken workshops with Preston Community Library to understand their long term service delivery needs and spatial requirements. The next stage of the design process will be to translate the findings into a design solution that is supported by Preston Community Library. Further consultation will then be undertaken on design proposals before final decisions are made.

The development of the site will provide a potential long term solution for Preston Community Library. However at present the medium term options for the library are not clear. Officers will continue to work to address this with the library within the constraints of the Council’s property portfolio and market options.

 Council officers recognise the strong social value provided by Preston Community Library and are keen to support the group in continuing to provide a service throughout the transition process
In a curious post on his blog LINK, former councillor James Powney, lead member at the time of the Transformation Project, says:
In Barham, Paul Lorber appears to be trying to play the Council for either financial gain or as part of his political manoeuvrings prior to the 2018 elections.  In Preston, the existing group appears to be given an undue influence that does not sit easily with either the Council's financial obligations or the building's ACV status.  Such arrangements can lead to ugly rumours about the integrity of Council decision making even where there is no legally proven case against them.
  This is the Memorandum of Understanding:

  1. It is good to know that Brent Council recognise that local libraries 'contribute significant social value' to the parts of the borough which they serve.

    That is what hundreds of local residents told them in the 2010/11 consultation exercise on the "Libraries Transformation Project", yet those views were ignored by Brent's Executive at the time.

    Will any of the councillors who made the decision to close half of our libraries have the guts to admit that they made a mistake?

  2. Of course they won't. They don't have the guts to do so. Unlike the people involved in the establishment of these community libraries who have shown that they have guts in setting up these much needed facilities.

  3. I loved that use of 'transformation' so much that I started using it all the time. It comes in very handy in such contexts as 'Transform the door, that draught's going right through me' and 'Rural Wales used to be very religious, on Sundays the pubs were all transformed'.

    Mike Hine

  4. After my initial reaction above, which might be considered "negative", I should add that I believe the Memorandum of Understanding is a good step in the right direction.

    I fully support the work of the four community libraries, and Brent Council working with them as much as possible, to provide a valuable service to parts of the borough that were deprived of their local library in 2011.

    I think that James Powney's comments are mainly "sour grapes" against a former political opponent, who stood up for local libraries when he was intent on closing them.