tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-65625832024-01-10T13:01:21.383-08:00A Better Tomorrow...A Better Tomorrow Media is about exploring today’s challenges, be they global, domestic, or personal through the lens of creative ideas and the people, organizations, leaders, and communities using them to effect positive change in the world. The goal is to highlight solutions and resources you can use for a better tomorrow. Unknownnoreply@blogger.comBlogger191125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-14760630549169224722018-05-09T06:52:00.002-07:002018-05-11T10:43:54.483-07:00Reminder for Scott Pruitt: You are in charge of the Environmental Protection Agency not the Fossil Fuel Protection Agency<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b> "It's just an acceptance...people are just resigned to having ill-health."</b></span></div>
<br />
<div style="text-align: center;">
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/2dr05PfQl2E" width="560"></iframe></div>
<div style="text-align: center;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donald Trump
was elected President of the United States on November 8, 2016. With his
election and the appointment of <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scott_Pruitt"><b>Scott Pruitt</b></a>, former attorney general of
Oklahoma, to head the <a href="https://www.epa.gov/"><b>Environmental Protection Agency</b></a>, environmental and clean
energy activists knew they would be fighting many challenges to laws and
regulations that the administration and the fossil fuel industry intended to
roll back. Their fears and expectations have become reality. Mr. Pruitt’s
actions—budget cuts, animosity towards career staffers, dismissal of staff
recommendations—have demoralized EPA employees who are scientists, analysts,
researchers, and lawyers, who possess expertise in their fields and who have
served both democratic and republican administrations throughout their careers. Qualified, dedicated personnel have left the agency while Pruitt
has filled a few key positions with industry insiders and fossil fuel lobbyists hostile to environmental protections and renewable energy technologies.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Donald
Trump has taken executive actions to roll back Obama-era regulations and laws. Scott
Pruitt has actively fought to destroy the EPA and its mandates over his long
career in government. He is not only slowly dismantling the EPA and alienating
staffers, but he also has ethical and spending issues. Pruitt is now under
investigation over his profligate spending on the taxpayer dime, including but
not limited to: booking first-class flights (at least $105,000 worth), flying on private
and military aircraft, spending $43,000 on a soundproof phone booth for his
office as well as millions of dollars on a 20-person 24/7 security detail. None
of his predecessors have had that level of protection.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div align="center" style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://www.politico.com/interactives/2018/scott-pruitt-epa-ethics-spending/">The Problems with Pruitt: A Complete Guide</a></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Secrecy
and industry ties make a mockery of his position as protector of the
environment and, by extension, the health of U.S. citizens. Pruitt is accused
of lying to lawmakers during his confirmation hearing about using a private
email address to conduct business as Oklahoma’s attorney general and his
alleged use of multiple EPA email addresses to currently conduct business is
raising eyebrows. Pruitt’s closest aides received sizable salary increases while
he refused pay raises for rank-and-file employees. He received a sweetheart
deal on a D.C. condo from the wife of an energy lobbyist, he has deep ties to
the fossil fuel industry and has used their studies to set policy or deregulate,
while rebuffing input from environmentalists and scientists. </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is a
sampling of the actions the EPA under Scott Pruitt’s guidance has taken per <b><a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/resources/climate-deregulation-tracker/">Columbia Law School’s climate deregulation tracker</a>:</b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 30,
2018: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-issues-proposal-to-restrict-use-of-science-in-rulemaking/" title="EPA Issues Proposal to Restrict Use of Science in Rulemaking"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA Issues Proposal to Restrict Use of Science in Rulemaking</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 13, 2018: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-publishes-notice-announcing-it-will-not-enforce-2015-hfc-alternatives-rule/" title="EPA Publishes Notice Announcing It Will Not Enforce 2015 HFC Alternatives Rule"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA Publishes Notice Announcing It Will Not Enforce 2015
HFC Alternatives Rule</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 13, 2018: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-announces-plans-to-revise-and-lower-ghg-standards-for-light-duty-vehicles/" title="EPA Announces Plans to Revise and Lower GHG Standards for Light Duty Vehicles"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA Announces Plans to Revise and Lower GHG Standards for
Light Duty Vehicles</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">January 4, 2018: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/doi-proposes-expansion-of-offshore-oil-and-gas-drilling/" title="DOI Proposes Expansion of Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">DOI Proposes Expansion of Offshore Oil and Gas Drilling</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">October 10, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-proposes-to-rescind-clean-power-plan/" title="EPA Proposes to Rescind Clean Power Plan"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Proposes to Rescind Clean Power Plan</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">August 25, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/planned-deregulatory-actions-on-unified-agenda/" title="Unified Agenda Lists Planned Deregulatory Actions"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">Unified Agenda Lists Planned Deregulatory Actions</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">June 14,
2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-halts-development-of-emission-guidelines-for-the-existing-oil-and-natural-gas-sector/" title="EPA Halts Development of Emission Guidelines for the Existing Oil and Natural Gas Sector"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Halts Development of Emission Guidelines for the Existing Oil and Natural Gas
Sector</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">May 22, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-stays-rules-establishing-methane-standards-for-landfills/" title="EPA Stays Rules Establishing Methane Standards for Landfills"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Stays Rules Establishing Methane Standards for Landfills</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 4, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-initiates-review-of-methane-standards-for-oil-and-gas-sector/" title="EPA Initiates Review of Methane Standards for Oil and Gas Sector"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Initiates Review of Methane Standards for Oil and Gas Sector</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 4, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-initiates-review-of-ghg-standards-for-new-and-modified-power-plants/" title="EPA Initiates Review of GHG Standards for New and Modified Power Plants"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Initiates Review of GHG Standards for New and Modified Power Plants</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">April 3, 2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-withdraws-proposed-rules-that-accompanied-clean-power-plan/" title="EPA Withdraws Proposed Rules that Accompanied Clean Power Plan"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Withdraws Proposed Rules that Accompanied Clean Power Plan</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">March 15,
2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-and-nhtsa-announce-decision-to-reconsider-ghg-vehicle-standards/" title="EPA and NHTSA Announce Decision to Reconsider GHG Standards for Light Duty Vehicles"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
and NHTSA Announce Decision to Reconsider GHG Standards for Light Duty Vehicles</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 1.5in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; text-indent: -1.5in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">March 2,
2017: <a href="http://columbiaclimatelaw.com/climate-deregulation-tracker/epa-withdraws-request-for-oil-and-gas-industry-to-submit-data-on-methane-controls/" title="EPA Withdraws Request for Oil and Gas Industry to Submit Data on Methane Controls"><b><span style="background: rgb(246 , 246 , 246); color: #2ba6cb;">EPA
Withdraws Request for Oil and Gas Industry to Submit Data on Methane Controls</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The above
doesn’t include actions taken by the <a href="https://www.blm.gov/"><b>Bureau of Land Management (BLM</b>)</a>, the
<a href="https://www.doi.gov/"><b>Department of the Interior (DOI)</b></a>, the <a href="http://www.noaa.gov/"><b>National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA)</b></a>, and other governmental departments to loosen regulations
or repeal them. <a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/02/20/trump-breaking-environment-beyond-repair/sc8Kg39ehzrMCh7jBKNtlJ/story.html?event=event25"><b>These actions range from the expansion of off-shore drilling,the review of national monuments with the goal to open those lands to oil and gas drilling as well as land development, and hitting the solar industry with a 30% tariff thus making it more expensive for Americans to go solar and crippling the industry</b>. </a>Fortunately, most of these actions are currently in the
review process so are delayed or the courts have stopped them from being
implemented or repealed.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, what
to do?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">First, educate
yourselves about the issues. Learn why and how the EPA came about, what its
goals were and are, and how its actions over the decades have improved the
health of our planet and the people living on it. Then seek information about
existing problems and search for solutions to solve them. What are the costs
and benefits of policies to both the fossil fuel industry—which will remain a
part of any energy plan implemented in the near-future—and the clean energy sector.
There is no way to eliminate the coal and oil industries immediately—if
ever—and replace them solely with wind, solar, and other <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Renewable_resource"><b>renewables</b></a>. However,
we need to invest and work towards a world in which renewable energy is the
predominant means of meeting our energy needs.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Second, organize
with like-minded people. Protests can have power, but also work within your
community to encourage citizens to contact their legislators. Register voters,
especially those interested in preserving the environment and embracing the new
technologies and well-paying jobs that the clean-energy sector offers.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Third, as
already stated above, make your demands known by reaching out to your legislators
be it in writing (a letter or email) and these days, increasingly, via social
media. My legislators are all on Facebook and Twitter. Put pen to paper then
send editorials to your local newspaper, or shoot for the big-time publications,
such as the </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/"><b>New York Times</b></a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/"><b>Wall Street Journal</b></a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, or </span><i style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/"><b>Washington Post</b></a></i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, or your state’s major
publication.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Fourth,
encourage your legislators to pressure the President to rejoin the <a href="https://unfccc.int/sites/default/files/english_paris_agreement.pdf"><b>Paris Climate Agreement</b></a>. At the current moment, that may be a fantasy, but it never
hurts to try. In lieu of U.S. participation in the climate accord, it behooves
cities, towns, and states to act locally—<a href="https://www.climateinteractive.org/analysis/analysis-us-cities-and-states-take-action-to-meet-paris-climate-goals/"><b>as some are already doing</b></a>—to help meet
the Paris Climate goals set in 2015.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly, vote.
This is the most important action any citizen can take to engage in their
community, state, and nation. Your vote matters, more than you know. If you desire
change of any sort, you must make your voice heard via the ballot box. Otherwise,
you are letting others make decisions that may negatively affect your life. Register
to vote if you are not registered, then get out there and make a difference.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is your world, your and your family's lives and well-being are at stake, so you must fight for it. Planet earth is our only home. We must protect it for generations to come.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I leave you with this:</span></div>
<br />
<iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/IiG0Yd6oIKM" width="560"></iframe><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Related articles:</span></b><br />
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><a href="http://www.abettertomorrowmedia.com/2018/05/barack-obamas-environmental-legacy.html"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Barack Obama's Environmental Legacy: A Mixed Bag but Progress in the Right Direction</span></a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="http://www.abettertomorrowmedia.com/2018/04/the-epa-is-under-attackheres-reminder.html"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The EPA is under attack...here's a reminder why it is important</span></a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2018/02/20/trump-breaking-environment-beyond-repair/sc8Kg39ehzrMCh7jBKNtlJ/story.html?event=event25"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Trump is breaking the environment beyond repair</span></a></b></li>
<li><b><a href="https://www.publicintegrity.org/2017/11/09/21275/behind-scenes-look-scott-pruitts-dysfunctional-epa"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">A behind-the-scenes look at Scott Pruitt's dysfunctional EPA</span></a></b></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-89489826198230885962018-05-04T07:37:00.001-07:002018-05-04T07:37:30.671-07:00Barack Obama’s Environmental Legacy: A Mixed Bag but Progress in the Right Direction<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/iT-lxXsrgaE" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt; text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">President Barack Obama passed legislation and enacted, via executive order, significant
environmental protections and green energy initiatives during his two terms in office. More could’ve have been
accomplished had he possessed a like-minded Congress that supported his agenda. Democrats only held the majority in Congress from 2009 through 2010 of Obama’s first
term. However, over the following six years, the President would find his agenda and policies stymied at
every turn by Republicans, hence, his use of executive orders.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Obama's environmental legacy has received mixed
reviews all along the political spectrum. Criticisms on the
left are that he did not go far enough, especially regarding climate legislation; while the right insists he went too far with his “job-killing” regulations.
Below are some articles that critique President Obama’s environmental and clean energy policies.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://e360.yale.edu/features/forum_assessing_obamas_record_on_the_environment">Forum: <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span>Assessing Obama’s Record on the Environment</a></b> via Yale
Environment 360 (July 25, 2011)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span class="MsoHyperlink"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;"><a href="https://www.dailysignal.com/2013/06/26/11-problems-with-president-obamas-climate-change-plan/">11 Problems with President Obama’s Climate Change Plan</a> </span></b></span><span class="MsoHyperlink"><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration: none;">via The Daily Signal (June 26, 2013)</span></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://newrepublic.com/article/119790/obamas-environmental-record-doesnt-deserve-krugmans-praise">Obama’s Environmental Policies Don’t Deserve Paul Krugman’s Praise</a></b> via The New Republic (October 10, 2014)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.sierraclub.org/sierra/2016-6-november-december/coming-clean/lets-celebrate-environmental-progress-made-during-last">Let’s Celebrate the Environmental Progress Made During the Last Eight Years</a></b> via Sierra (November 3, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://insideclimatenews.org/print/44934">2016: Obama’s Climate Legacy Marked by Triumphs and Lost Opportunities</a></b> via Inside Climate News (December 26, 2016)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://www.edf.org/blog/2017/01/12/ready-defend-obamas-environmental-legacy-top-10-accomplishments-focus">Ready to defend Obama’s environmental legacy? Top 10 accomplishments to focus on</a></b> via Environmental Defense Fund
(January 12, 2017)</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here is a short list of Obama’s environmental achievements (You can see the entire
list and read about them in<a href="http://legal-planet.org/2016/11/02/obamas-remarkable-environmental-achievements/"> </a><b><a href="http://legal-planet.org/2016/11/02/obamas-remarkable-environmental-achievements/">Obama’s Remarkable Environmental Achievements</a></b> via Legal Planet, November 2, 2016.):</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<br />
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Jumpstarted the green
economy</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Greenhouse gas (GHG)
standards for new vehicles</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">GHG standards for power
plants and factories</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mercury controls for
power plants</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Established more
national monuments than any other president in history</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Designated some 580,000
square miles of ocean off Hawaii as a national monument</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Signed the Frank R.
Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21<sup>st</sup> Century Act</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Blocked construction of
the Keystone XL Pipeline</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Brought 299 species
under the protection of the Endangered Species Act</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Set energy efficiency standards for commercial
conditioners and furnaces</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Stricter air quality
control standards</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Negotiated the 2015
Paris Climate Agreement (Donald Trump pulled the United States out of the
agreement on June 1, 2017.)</span></li>
</ul>
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Environmentalists
and clean-energy activists were expecting this trend of environmental-friendly
regulations and policies to continue with the election of Secretary of State
Hillary Clinton to the presidency. That hope was crushed on November 8, 2016, with the election of Donald Trump. Republicans would now hold power in the executive and legislative branches of government. With that power structure in place, an all-out assault would take place on environmental and green-energy policies as well as on the
Environmental Protection Agency itself, especially with the appointment of former Oklahoma Attorney General Scott Pruitt to be the agency administrator.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Pruitt filed fourteen lawsuits against the EPA as Oklahoma's </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">attorney general.</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> He has close ties throughout the fossil fuel industry, an industry he is now employed to oversee and regulate.
Pruitt has certainly made those hostile to the EPA happy with the actions he's taken since his
appointment. Now, however, Mr. Pruitt finds himself mired in controversy due to
ethical challenges and lavish spending habits using taxpayer money. He has also been
deregulating at an alarming pace. We will examine his impact since
taking hold of the reins at the EPA in the next post. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-73061171994411520522018-04-26T11:28:00.001-07:002018-04-26T11:28:30.286-07:00The EPA is under attack...here's a reminder why it's important<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt goes before Congress today to answer questions about his spending habits and ethics issues. Not only has Mr. Pruitt spent lavishly and carelessly, he is also deregulating at a rapid pace, putting the health of Americans and our environment at risk. In light of all this, it behooves us to review the EPA's history and mission as well as how it has improved the quality of American lives over the past 48 years. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">One needs only to remember, or see photos of</span></span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> (</span><b style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.flickr.com/photos/usnationalarchives/collections/72157620729903309/">Documerica</a></b><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">),</span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"> the condition of the environment in the United
States in 1970 to realize the EPA's value. </span><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">Documerica is a photo project
created from 1971 to 1977 to document the condition and transformation of the
environment as new regulations were put in place and clean-up efforts began. We
have come a long way since then in improving the environment and protecting
U.S. citizens from toxins associated with pollution.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Republican President Richard Nixon signed an executive
order to create the Environmental Protection Agency in 1970. You may be surprised
by that fact given today’s Republican party's animosity towards the agency. However, it is the
truth. Nixon's executive order was not only a wise action, but a beneficial one, one that has improved the quality of life for many Americans. The EPA's mission is short and simple: The mission of the EPA is to protect human health and the environment. </span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="text-align: center;">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://www.epa.gov/aboutepa/our-mission-and-what-we-do">EPA: Our Mission and What We Do</a></b></span></span></div>
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The campaign to reduce pollution and improve the environment was widespread.
Those of a certain age will remember this commercial: <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="text-align: center;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><iframe allow="autoplay; encrypted-media" allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/j7OHG7tHrNM" width="560"></iframe></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The post-EPA years have resulted in a cleaner, healthier country. The agency's research, recommendations, and regulations have improved the quality of the air we breathe, the land on which we live and toil, and the water we
drink and use for transportation and recreation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Some of the major laws enacted throughout the years
include but are not limited to:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1970
– The Clean Air Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1970
– <span style="background: white;">Lead-Based Paint
Poisoning Prevention Act</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1972
– Federal Water Pollution Control Amendments<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1972
– Federal Insecticide, Fungicide, and Rodenticide Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1972
– Marine protection, Research and Sanctuaries Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1973
– Endangered Species Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1974
– Safe Drinking Water Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1975
– Hazardous Materials Transportation Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1976
– Toxic Substances Control Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1977
– Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1980
– Comprehensive Environmental Response, Compensation, and Liability Act
(Created <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="mso-tab-count: 1;"> </span>the Superfund Program)<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1980
– Fish and Wildlife Conservation Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1982
– Nuclear Waste Policy Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1986
– Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1990
– Oil Pollution Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1992
– Residential Lead-Based Paint Hazard Reduction Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">1997
– Kyoto Protocol<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2005
– Energy Policy Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2007
– Energy Independence and Security Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">2016
– Frank R. Lautenberg Chemical Safety for the 21<sup>st</sup> Century Act<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The site I used to compile the above list is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Timeline_of_major_U.S._environmental_and_occupational_health_regulation">here</a>.</b> The reader can see on the site that during
the 1970s, there were 16 major pieces of legislation passed by Congress. That
shrank to 10 and 11 laws in the 80s and 90s, respectively, to 5 from 2000 – 2010,
and only 1 since 2010. The regulatory landscape was obviously changing. </span></span><br />
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the 80s, the Reagan administration viewed environmental regulations as a burden on the economy and overreach by "big government," and so commenced an era of deregulation and cuts to the EPA's budget and staffing levels. </span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In the 90s, some conservative groups—legislators, think tanks, media, the fossil-fuel industry—organized a massive campaign (that is still ongoing) to challenge climate scientists and climate policy in an effort to foster denial and doubt about climate change and that it was/is largely due to human activities.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Each time a different political party won the presidency or gained the majority in Congress, there has also been a corresponding change in environmental policies, either supporting or impeding the EPA's mission. Democratic administrations tend to expand the agency's authority, while Republican administrations prefer to weaken it via deregulation and budget cuts. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Environmentalists across the country and around the
globe cheered when Barack Obama was elected president in 2008. We’ll examine his environmental legacy in the next post. <span style="mso-spacerun: yes;"> </span><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.epa.gov/history/origins-epa">History of the EPA</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-59961417914144498782018-04-14T15:01:00.000-07:002018-04-14T15:01:44.701-07:00Syria and the future of the world<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">Legislators in our country, on the left and right, can’t agree on anything, and because of this, we have no clear Syria policy or serious plans to help the Syrian people, so they continue to die and suffer at the hands of the Assad regime and other bad actors in the region. If Mr. Trump cared about Syrian children, as much as he claims, he wouldn’t bomb that country (as he did last night with limited air strikes), but rather, he’d open up our refugee program to more Syrians. <a href="https://www.npr.org/sections/parallels/2018/04/12/602022877/the-u-s-has-welcomed-only-11-syrian-refugees-this-year"><b>The US has only taken in eleven Syrian refugees this year</b></a>. Shame on the U.S. Shame on the world for allowing this carnage to continue while closing our borders to those desperate to escape the violence. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">If we decide to engage in an extended military campaign in that country--which may be necessary at some point--we must get more allies on board, especially those in the Middle East; establish a clear strategy and end game; strengthen diplomatic efforts with Turkey and Russia, and yes, even engage with Iran; and do everything in our power to minimize collateral damage (e.g., the killing of innocent civilians). </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">The U.S. currently has no ambassador in Turkey, who is a NATO ally. An ambassador should be assigned, especially since Turkey seems to be working against the U.S. in Syria due to their own self-interest. Turks see the Kurds as their enemy, so they have attacked Kurdish fighters who are assisting American troops fighting against ISIS, thus undermining U.S. efforts. (Note: This is an extremely abbreviated version of Kurdish/Turkish animosities, given the length of this post. I encourage you to delve deeper into this relationship with your own research or read the excellent article, “<a href="http://www.theamericanconservative.com/articles/syrian-kurds-the-other-woman-in-americas-relationship-with-turkey/"><b>Syrian Kurds: The Other Woman in America’s Relationship with Turkey</b></a>,” in The American Conservative.)</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">Jon Huntsman, Jr's ambassador appointment to Russia was a smart move on Donald Trump's part. Huntsman is an honorable man and a capable negotiator. He possesses a cool head and that will be needed as ties between the U.S. and Russia become increasingly strained and/or deteriorate.</span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">More complicated, is the non-relationship between the U.S. and Iran. The U.S. has had no formal diplomatic relations with Iran since April 7, 1980. The one negotiation with Iran in recent years that is cautiously promising is in the Non-Proliferation arena. Although it is controversial in some circles and could definitely be improved upon, the Joint Comprehensive Plan of Action (JCPOA or a.k.a. the Iran Nuclear Deal) finalized in July 2015 is a step in the right direction to containing Iran’s nuclear ambitions. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">I don’t give the Obama administration a pass on Syria either, but the American people were/are weary of war. He wanted Congress to approve a military strike on Syria, but they refused. (Remember: Congress is the body of government who declares war.) </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">This is a moment in history when future generations will look back and ask: What were you thinking? It’s the same with climate change...what were you Baby Boomers and GenXers thinking? We hold the prosperity and health of future generations in our hands with the policy decisions we make today. Will those policies support short-term or long-term goals? I am nearly always in favor of policies supporting the long-term ones. Short-term policies are for emergencies, like financial crises or natural disasters. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: 17pt;">We hold future generations’ lives—be they domestic or foreign ones—in our hands. We can make a positive difference in the world, secure it for posterity’s sake, leave it a better place for them, if only we possess the will. </span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #e4af0a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="color: #454545; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal; min-height: 20.3px;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: ".SFUIText"; font-size: 17pt;"></span><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<div style="color: #e4af0a; font-stretch: normal; line-height: normal;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-64138375797042077552018-03-20T08:27:00.000-07:002018-03-20T08:27:26.086-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - March 20 Edition<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">NCAA Basketball, UMBC,
Higher Education<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/03/the-secret-behind-the-greatest-upset-in-college-basketball-history/555872/"><span style="font-size: large;">The Secret Behind the Greatest Upset in College Basketball History</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"People now know the University of
Maryland, Baltimore County, as the ultimate Cinderella, an overnight social
media sensation, the team that magically emerged as the first No. 16 seed to
defeat a No. 1 seed in the history of the NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament. But
our story is far less fairy tale than it is classic American dream. Our magic
comes from questioning expectations, putting in the hard work, and staying
focused.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The nation saw the results on
the court Friday night. My colleagues, students, alumni, and their families
came to the game knowing the team would give the game their all. Our men’s
basketball team embodies our definition of grit. We knew the players were
bringing both passion and preparation to the game. We knew that they would
listen to the guidance of head coach Ryan Odom, support one another, give their
individual best, and get tougher and tougher as the game went on.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; background: white; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Nevertheless, like the rest of the world,
we were stunned—not only by the outcome but by their execution to the end.
Everybody thought it couldn’t be done because it hadn’t been done. And then we
did it."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/03/the-secret-behind-the-greatest-upset-in-college-basketball-history/555872/">Read more</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Science, Space<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #111516;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-hawking-paper-from-just-before-he-died-could-find-new-universe-2018-3"><span style="font-size: large;">Stephen Hawking submitted a final scientific paper 2 weeks before he died — and it could lead to the discovery of a parallel universe</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #111516;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Stephen Hawking
submitted his final scientific paper just a week and a half before he died, and
it lays the theoretical groundwork for discovering a parallel universe.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #111516;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Hawking, who died
Wednesday at 76, was coauthor to a mathematical paper that seeks proof of the
"multiverse" theory, which posits the existence of many universes
other than our own.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #111516;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The paper, called
"A Smooth Exit from Eternal Inflation," had its latest revisions
approved March 4, 10 days before Hawking's death.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #111516;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.thetimes.co.uk/article/stephen-hawkings-parting-shot-is-multi-cosmic-nbg0t6t9j"><span style="color: #196d8d;">According to the Sunday Times newspaper</span></a>, the
paper is due to be published by an unnamed "leading journal" after a
review is complete."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/stephen-hawking-paper-from-just-before-he-died-could-find-new-universe-2018-3">Read more</a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">War, Syria, Social Media<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/this-syrian-teen-is-using-social-media-to-put-a-face-to-war"><span style="font-size: large;">This Syrian teen is using social media to put a face to war</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">"Najem, who resides in rebel-held eastern
Ghouta, a </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suburb"><span style="background: white; color: #cb2127;">suburban</span></a> <span style="background: white; color: #333333;">area in southwestern </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Syria"><span style="background: white; color: #cb2127;">Syria</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"> that
surrounds the city of </span><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Damascus"><span style="background: white; color: #cb2127;">Damascus</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">, has been documenting the Syrian Civil War through his Twitter
account </span><a href="https://twitter.com/muhammadnajem20/status/938830178473725952"><span style="background: white; color: #cb2127;">since December 7, 2017</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">. The teen posts photos, videos, and
messages that capture what it’s like to be one of the many children and
teenagers forced to fight to survive in the middle of the war.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">The Vietnam War took a turn when the news began
broadcasting images of coffins covered with American flags returning home; a
change in public opinion put pressure on the American government to end the
war. Muhammad Najem’s documentation of war on social media isn’t just a cry for
help, but also a vivid portrait of how war can damage lives and societies. By
watching Najem’s digital diary, followers must more vividly confront the
hardships the Syrian people are facing. Najem’s personal perspective gives the
madness of war a human face. Hopefully, this brave teen’s use of social media
will compel other leaders to act in the face of this atrocity."</span><b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/fbomb/this-syrian-teen-is-using-social-media-to-put-a-face-to-war">Read more</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Community Development<span style="color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/inside-hidden-problem-plaguing-5-million-american-youth/"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/inside-hidden-problem-plaguing-5-million-american-youth/"><span style="font-size: large;">Inside the Hidden Problem Plaguing 5 Million American Youth</span></a><span style="color: #004f81;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"In 2015, roughly 5 million American youth (about 1 in every 8
individuals between the ages of 16 and 24) were disconnected, neither working
nor enrolled in school. Rural counties suffer from a relatively high
disconnection rate — a staggering 20.3 percent — but there is hope. In
communities rife with high rates of child poverty and stagnant local economies,
local organizations like Mississippi Action for Community Education (MACE) work
to guide opportunity youth along pathways to economic security while teaching
them responsibility, discipline, and other skills necessary to succeed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Karen Jacobson, executive director of
the Randolph County Housing Authority, matches disconnected youth in Appalachia
with opportunities for vocational advancement. This is often done by matching
youths with jobs serving other vulnerable populations, especially senior
citizens in need of personal home care. “We’re now placing 15 to 20 percent of
our cohorts each year in the health care field,” Jacobson said.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 3;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mable Starks, president
and CEO of MACE in Greenville, Mississippi, agreed that integrating opportunity
youth into the social fabric of their hometowns is key. She works to improve
education fulfillment and employment opportunities for disconnected youth
through the MACE program, established by community leaders in 1967 to uplift
rural development in the Mississippi Delta. This includes YouthBuild, which
trains students in construction through building housing for low-income
families. “A hundred percent of our students who come into YouthBuild are
active voters,” Starks said. “It takes a community to build a community.”"</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background: white; color: #484747;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/inside-hidden-problem-plaguing-5-million-american-youth/">Read and watch more</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="color: #484747;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Neonatal Care, Maternal Health<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/midwives-study-maternal-neonatal-care"><span style="font-size: large;">A Larger Role for Midwives Could Improve Deficient U.S. Care for Mothers and Babies</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">"<a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/why-giving-birth-is-safer-in-britain-than-in-the-u-s">In Great Britain</a></span>, midwives deliver <a href="https://www.nursingtimes.net/news/hospital/only-half-of-babies-in-england-now-delivered-by-midwives/7013310.article"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">half of all babies</span></a>, including Kate Middleton’s <a href="http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3065678/Call-midwives-calm-duo-delivered-Princess.html"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">first two children</span></a>, Prince George and Princess
Charlotte. In Sweden, Norway and France, midwives oversee most expectant and
new mothers, enabling obstetricians to concentrate on high-risk births. In
Canada and New Zealand, midwives are so highly valued that they’re brought in
to manage complex cases that need special attention.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">All of those countries
have much lower rates of maternal and <a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/wonk/wp/2014/09/29/our-infant-mortality-rate-is-a-national-embarrassment/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">infant mortality</span></a> than the U.S. Here, <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/severe-complications-for-women-during-childbirth-are-skyrocketing-and-could-often-be-prevented"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">severe maternal complications</span></a> have more than
doubled in the past 20 years. Shortages of maternity care have reached critical
levels: Nearly half of U.S. counties don’t have a single practicing
obstetrician-gynecologist, and in rural areas, the number of hospitals offering
obstetric services has <a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/another-thing-disappearing-from-rural-america-maternal-care"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">fallen</span></a> more than 16 percent since 2004.
Nevertheless, thanks in part to opposition from doctors and hospitals, midwives
are far less prevalent in the U.S. than in other affluent countries, attending
around 10 percent of births, and the extent to which they can legally
participate in patient care varies widely from one state to the next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Now a <a href="http://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0192523"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">groundbreaking study</span></a>, the first systematic look at what
midwives can and can’t do in the states where they practice, offers new
evidence that empowering them could significantly boost maternal and infant
health. The five-year effort by researchers in Canada and the U.S., published
Wednesday, found that <a href="http://www.birthplacelab.org/how-does-your-state-rank/"><span style="border: none 1.0pt; color: #217ce3; padding: 0in;">states</span></a> that have done the most to integrate
midwives into their health care systems, including Washington, New Mexico and
Oregon, have some of the best outcomes for mothers and babies. Conversely,
states with some of the most restrictive midwife laws and practices — including
Alabama, Ohio and Mississippi — tend to do significantly worse on key
indicators of maternal and neonatal well-being."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: black;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.propublica.org/article/midwives-study-maternal-neonatal-care">Read more</a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-33271769153880561002018-03-13T07:12:00.000-07:002018-03-13T07:12:37.151-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - March 13 Edition<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight: normal;"><i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Education</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://nwlc.org/blog/changing-the-school-systems-approach-to-discipline/">Changing the School System’s Approach to Discipline</a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“As </span><a href="https://www.brookings.edu/research/2017-brown-center-report-part-iii-race-and-school-suspensions/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #65c8c0; text-decoration-line: none;">data from the
U.S. Department of Education’s Office for Civil Rights</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> shows, Black
girls are more likely to be suspended than any other group of students other
than Black boys. Nationwide, Black girls are 5.5 times more likely than white
girls to be suspended from schools across several states. In the District of
Columbia, Black girls make up 73% of girls enrolled in schools, and 94% of all
girls suspended. This is not a result of worse behavior in classrooms, but the
result of </span><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2016/03/the-criminalization-of-black-girls-in-schools/473718/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #65c8c0; text-decoration-line: none;">racist stereotyping
of Black women as aggressive or hypersexual</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">. Half of Black girls’
suspensions are for minor offenses such as violating the dress code, chewing
gum, or talking back to a teacher. These behaviors don’t pose threats to
classmates or disrupt teaching. But they challenge society’s idea of
femininity– white femininity.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">As a result, these girls are seen as disruptive and unfit
for the classroom environment.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Even when students’ behaviors rise beyond these minor,
subjective offenses, there are many creative solutions schools can employ other
than immediately suspending or expelling students of color. Schools can start
teaching conflict resolution practices, yoga, or meditation, all of which
target the issue head on and are valuable skills for later life as well.
Schools could also bring kids in the classrooms together to solve problems as
group. Or, as an alternative to focusing on the punishment, schools can start
focusing on prevention. Finally, instead of spending money on law enforcement
officers, schools can hire more counselors who have experience with kids going
through issues.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The stakes are just too high to push girls out of school.
Studies have shown being suspended once increases a child’s chance of dropping
out of school.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://nwlc.org/blog/changing-the-school-systems-approach-to-discipline/">Read more</a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Flint, Michigan, Water Crisis, Good Deeds</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5a9ea76ce4b0a0ba4ad7dac5">Will and Jaden Smith’s Company to Donate Water to Flint Until Lead Levels Drop</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Will and Jaden Smith
founded JUST in 2015 to provide a green alternative to plastic bottles and to
invest in communities. JUST’s bottles are 82 percent plant-based, and the
company has initiated </span><a href="http://cadencecodev.com/ourcommunity/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">long-term investments</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> in
Glens Falls, New York, the city where the water is sourced.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Flint water crisis
became a national topic in 2014 after city officials began using the Flint
River as the town’s main water source. The city’s pipes were dangerously
corroded, and they polluted the water with dangerously high levels of lead. In
one study, the Environmental Protection Agency found lead levels in the city’s
water to be </span><a href="http://flintwaterstudy.org/2015/09/commentary-mdeq-mistakes-deception-flint-water-crisis/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">as high as 397 parts per billion</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">,
far above the federal limit of 15 ppb.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_5a9ea76ce4b0a0ba4ad7dac5">Read more</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Legacy, School Lunches, Good Deeds</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><a href="https://www.gomn.com/.amp/life/philando-castile-fund-pays-off-entire-st-paul-schools-lunch-debt?__twitter_impression=true"><span style="font-size: large;">Philando Castile fund pays off entire St.Paul schools lunch debt</span></a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“The initial intention was to
raise $5,000 to pay off the lunch debt at J.J. Hill, knowing that Castile
himself would regularly dip into his own pocket to ensure kids who had no money
could still get their lunch.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But as the
money rolled in, the fundraisers broadened their goal, attempting to feed all
students in St. Paul.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And they did
just that, </span><a data-vars-outbound-link="http://www.fox9.com/news/philando-feeds-the-children-pays-off-lunch-debt-at-st-paul-schools" href="http://www.fox9.com/news/philando-feeds-the-children-pays-off-lunch-debt-at-st-paul-schools" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">FOX
9 reports</a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> that this week they presented a check of more than
$106,000 to St. Paul schools that is enough to cover the lunch debt of all 56
public schools in St. Paul.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"That
means that no parent of the 37,000 kids who eat meals at school need worry
about how to pay that overdue debt," </span><a data-vars-outbound-link="https://www.youcaring.com/allpublicschoolsstpaulandbeyond-914378" href="https://www.youcaring.com/allpublicschoolsstpaulandbeyond-914378" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">fundraisers
wrote on YouCaring.</a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Philando
is STILL reaching into his pocket, and helping a kid out. One by one. With your
help," it added. "Your donations will fill that pocket for years to
come. Thank you for your generosity."”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.gomn.com/.amp/life/philando-castile-fund-pays-off-entire-st-paul-schools-lunch-debt?__twitter_impression=true">Read more</a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Medical Debt, Good
Deeds</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/tv-stations-follow-john-olivers-lead-in-the-movement-to-forgive-medical-debt-20180301">TV Stations Follow John Oliver’s Lead in the Movement to Forgive Medical Debt</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">““In 2014, Ashton joined
up with Craig Antico, who also worked in debt collections, to form RIP Medical
Debt, a nonprofit organization, which focuses on buying and forgiving medical
debt.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Their effort went slowly
at first. “The first couple of years our wives were wondering why we were going
into debt to get other people out of debt,” he said. “We were struggling.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“If it had not been for
John,” he said, “we would be standing on a street corner with a paper cup."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ashton is referring to
John Oliver, who, on a June 2016 episode of HBO’s </span><i style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Last Week Tonight</i><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, did
a scathing report on credit collection practices and the people targeted with
repeated phone calls, calls to employers, garnishing wages, court cases, and so
on.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It’s all too common an
experience: About a third of Americans with credit were contacted by a debt
collector or creditor within a year of a recent survey by the Consumer Finance
Protection Bureau. Of those, more than half of people who were contacted about
a past-due bill were contacted about a medical bill.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Oliver, after excoriating the medical debt system and the
politicians who enable it, made an announcement. He had formed a collection
agency of his own (which, he said, proves that a complete idiot can create a
collections agency), and—with no credentials apart from a minimalist website—purchased
nearly $15 million worth of debt for just under $60,000, less than half a cent
on the dollar. This purchase entitled him to the names, current addresses, and
social security numbers of those who owed the debt, even if the debt was so old
it was called zombie debt. And with this information, he acquired the right to
try to collect debt.””</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/peace-justice/tv-stations-follow-john-olivers-lead-in-the-movement-to-forgive-medical-debt-20180301">Read more</a></span></b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to find out what happened next.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Environment, Energy,
Regulations</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN"><a href="https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/energy-and-environment/2018/3/6/17077330/trump-regulatory-agenda-omb?__twitter_impression=true"><span style="font-size: large;">Trump White House quietly issues report vindicating Obama regulations</span></a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“President Donald Trump’s administration has been
on a </span><a href="https://www.uschamber.com/series/above-the-fold/the-trump-administration-s-historic-year-deregulation" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">deregulatory
bender</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, particularly when it comes to environmental regulations.
As of January, the New York Times counted </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2017/10/05/climate/trump-environment-rules-reversed.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">67 environmental
rules</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> on the chopping block under Trump.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">This
is not one of Trump’s idiosyncrasies, though. His administration is more
ham-handed and flagrant about it, but the antipathy it expresses toward federal
regulation falls firmly within the GOP mainstream.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Republicans have been complaining about
“burdensome” and “</span><a href="https://www.vox.com/science-and-health/2017/3/2/14772518/environmental-regulations-jobs" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">job-killing</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">”
regulations for so long that their opposition to any particular health, safety,
or environmental regulation is now just taken for granted.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For instance, why would the Environmental
Protection Agency </span><a href="http://thehill.com/regulation/energy-environment/375725-major-epa-reorganization-will-end-science-research-program" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">close a
program</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> investigating the effects of toxins on children’s
health? Is there some evidence that the money is wasted or poorly spent? Why
would the EPA allow more </span><a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/03/01/epa-moves-to-overhaul-obama-era-safeguards-on-coal-ash-waste/?utm_term=.1ff3221289d0" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">unregulated
disposal</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> of toxic coal ash? Don’t people in coal regions deserve
clean air and water? Is there any reason to think coal ash is currently
well-regulated?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These questions barely come up anymore.
Republicans oppose regulations because they are regulations; it’s become
reflexive, both for the party and for the media the covers them.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The report was released late on a Friday, with
Congress out of session and </span><a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2018/3/2/17068234/guns-scandal-steel-washington-explained" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; text-decoration-line: none;">multiple
Trump scandals</span></b></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> dominating the headlines. A cynical observer
might conclude that the administration wanted the report to go unnoticed.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Why might that be? Well, in a nutshell, it shows
that the GOP is wrong about regulations as a general matter and wrong about
Obama’s regulations specifically. Those regulations had benefits far in excess
of their costs, and they had no discernible effect on jobs or economic growth.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.vox.com/platform/amp/energy-and-environment/2018/3/6/17077330/trump-regulatory-agenda-omb?__twitter_impression=true">Read more</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Career Advice, Inspiration</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: windowtext;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/in-7-words-millionaire-comedian-chelsea-handler-gives-some-epic-career-advice.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter">In 7 Words, Millionaire Comedian Chelsea Handler Drops Some Epic Career Advice</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">“</span><a href="https://www.inc.com/betsy-mikel/every-morning-millionaire-chelsea-handler-spends-20-minutes-doing-this.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Chelsea Handler</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">is the author of five New York Times best-selling</span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/jeff-haden/6-great-business-books-to-read-in-2018.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">books</a>.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She
runs her own company, </span><a href="https://www.linkedin.com/company/borderline-amazing-productions/" style="background-color: white; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Borderline Amazing Productions</span></a><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and makes a multi-mil</span><span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">lion
dollar living as a woman in comedy, an industry dominated by men.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In
2012, she made Time Magazine's list of </span><a href="http://content.time.com/time/specials/packages/article/0,28804,2111975_2111976_2112087,00.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Most Influential People</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">, and she has also been on Forbes'
</span><a href="http://www.forbes.com/lists/2010/53/celeb-100-10_Chelsea-Handler_ATIG.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">Celebrity 100</span></a><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> list.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">She
is, by all accounts, extremely successful.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">But
she didn't start out that way. She wasn't born with a silver spoon in her
mouth; in fact, her first job was as a waitress, where she brought spoons to
others.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It
was during that waitressing gig at 23 years old that she learned a lesson
that would serve her for the rest of her career, and what she passes along now
as her best career advice:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">"When
you make a commitment, keep it."”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/melanie-curtin/in-7-words-millionaire-comedian-chelsea-handler-gives-some-epic-career-advice.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter">Read more</a></span></span></b></div>
<br />
<br />Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-61011309534604789102018-03-01T08:47:00.000-08:002018-03-01T08:47:50.604-08:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for A Better Tomorrow - March 1 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Politics, Society (</i>Foreign Policy<i>)<o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/a-liberal-defense-of-tribalism-american-politics/"><span style="font-size: large;">A Liberal Defense of Tribalism</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">"From an anthropological perspective, Western
politics has, it may be argued, become more tribal. Tribes are distinguished
from other human groups by their relatively clear social boundaries, often
defined by kinship and demarcated territory. It’s clear that our political
groups are increasingly based on single aspects of common identity with
unambiguous boundaries, such as race and educational status.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Equally undeniable, however, is that most
commentators vastly misunderstand the nature of tribes. The mistaken view of
tribes as primitive, violent, and insular is already having pernicious effects
on our response to this new era of politics. Tribalism, contrary to popular
belief, is not atavistic. But American political rhetoric, by suggesting
otherwise, has become essentially fatalistic; it suggests that tribalism marks
a reversion to some natural and ancestral mode of thinking and, thus, even if
tribes can be temporarily transcended, their pull remains inexorable.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="letter-spacing: 0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">If we hope to live productively in this new
political era, it helps to understand what tribes actually are — and how,
rather than simply being the cause of our political problems, tribalism can
also contribute to the solution."</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/a-liberal-defense-of-tribalism-american-politics/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Continue reading</a></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Education, Arts Programs (</i>Slate<i>)</i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/the-student-activists-of-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-demonstrate-the-power-of-a-full-education.html">They Were Trained for This Moment</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Despite the gradual erosion of the arts and
physical education in America’s public schools, the students of Stoneman
Douglas have been the beneficiaries of the kind of 1950s-style public education
that has all but vanished in America and that is being dismantled with great
deliberation as funding for things like the </span><a href="https://www.usnews.com/opinion/knowledge-bank/articles/2017-05-23/donald-trump-and-betsy-devos-budget-would-destroy-public-schools" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">arts, civics, and enrichment</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> are zeroed out.
In no small part because the </span><a href="https://splinternews.com/the-teacher-who-taught-his-students-to-challenge-the-nr-1823355017?utm_campaign=socialflow_splinter_facebook&utm_source=splinter_facebook&utm_medium=socialflow" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">school is more affluent than its counterparts across the
country</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">(</span><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2018/02/the-parkland-students-arent-going-away/554159/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">fewer than 23 percent of its students received free or
reduced-price lunches</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> in 2015–16, compared to about </span><a href="http://www.broward.k12.fl.us/dsa/EnrollmentCounts.shtml" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">64 percent</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> across Broward County Public
Schools) these kids have managed to score the kind of extracurricular education
we’ve been eviscerating for decades in the United States. These kids aren’t
prodigiously gifted. They’ve just had the gift of the kind of education we no
longer value.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Part of the reason the Stoneman Douglas
students have become stars in recent weeks is in no small part due to the fact
that they are in a school system that </span><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/news/local/education/article201678544.html" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: blue;">boasts</span></a><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, for example, of a “system-wide debate
program that teaches extemporaneous speaking from an early age.” Every
middle and high school in the district has a forensics and public-speaking
program. Coincidentally, some of the students at Stoneman Douglas had been
preparing for debates on the issue of gun control this year, which explains in
part why they could speak to the issues from day one."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://slate.com/news-and-politics/2018/02/the-student-activists-of-marjory-stoneman-douglas-high-demonstrate-the-power-of-a-full-education.html">Continue reading</a></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Work (</i>Yes! Magazine<i>)</i></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><br /></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/3-ways-you-can-find-more-happiness-at-work-20180222">3 Ways You Can Find More Happiness at Work</a></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"We all spend a large part
of our lives at our jobs. Yet how many of us are bored or frustrated at work,
whether unhappy with our company’s goals, stressed from overwork, or dealing
with toxic coworkers? Don’t we deserve better than that?</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">The new book </span><a href="http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/1633692256?ie=UTF8&tag=gregooscicen-20&linkCode=as2&camp=1789&creative=9325&creativeASIN=1633692256" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="color: #428bca; text-decoration-line: none;">How to Be Happy
at Work</span></i><span style="color: #428bca; text-decoration-line: none;"> </span></a><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">makes the case that, yes, we do, and happiness at work should
be our ultimate goal. Written by Annie McKee—an international business advisor
and senior fellow at the University of Pennsylvania’s Graduate School of
Education—the book provides ideas for how to turn your job into a source of
happiness no matter where you find yourself working.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">According to McKee, part
of our collective problem is that too many of us fall in the trap of believing
that “work is work” and isn’t supposed to be a source of happiness, or that
work goals will suffer if we focus on what makes us happy. But research suggests
the opposite: </span><a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s10902-008-9087-4" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #428bca; text-decoration-line: none;">Happier
employees are more productive</span></a><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, benefitting their companies as much
as themselves."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/happiness/3-ways-you-can-find-more-happiness-at-work-20180222" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Continue reading</a></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Corporations,
Political Spending (</i>Brennan Center for Justice<i>)</i></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/fight-corporations-reveal-political-spending">The Fight for Corporations to Reveal Political Spending</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"The administration has been a veritable
font of bad news as executives hostile to reasonable rules have taken the helm
from the Department of Education to the Environmental Protection Agency. But
there’s a little good news coming from the Securities and Exchange Commission
(SEC). Provided Congress allows, it will determine the winner in the
long-running battle over whether publicly traded companies should reveal their
currently hidden political contributions, known as “dark money.”</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stockholders have long been agitating
that the companies they own improve the transparency of their political
spending. This is often done through shareholder resolutions, which are a bit
like ballot questions, to require companies disclose their spending on
campaigns and lobbying. In part as a result of these efforts, </span><a href="http://files.politicalaccountability.net/index/2017%20Index.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f40c1a;">more than half of the S&P 500</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">
have agreed to be open about their political activities. They now share
information that would otherwise be opaque and untraceable, including money
flowing through dark money trade associations and so-called</span><a href="http://www.nydailynews.com/opinion/insidious-foreign-dark-money-threat-article-1.3765048" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f40c1a;"> social welfare organizations</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">,
such as Crossroads GPS, the conservative group founded by George W. Bush
operative Karl Rove.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">But the trend toward transparency is
still being met with resistance. </span><a href="https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2017/uua122817-14a8-incoming.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f40c1a;">Goldman Sachs</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> wrote to
the SEC in December to block its shareholders from voting on a lobbying
disclosure proposal in part because the amount of money at issue “relates to
operations that account for less than five percent of the Company’s assets.”
The shareholders </span><a href="https://www.sec.gov/divisions/corpfin/cf-noaction/14a-8/2017/mcritchieyoung010417-14a8.pdf" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #f40c1a;">withdrew their proposal</span></a><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.brennancenter.org/blog/fight-corporations-reveal-political-spending" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Continue reading</a></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Elections (</i>New York Times<i>)</i></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/us/elections/calendar-primary-results.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_up_20180226&nl=upshot&nl_art=4&nlid=72227480&ref=headline&te=1">2018 Election: Calendar and Results</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">"The 2018 midterm
elections, featuring hundreds of congressional, state and local primaries, will
culminate with the Nov. 6 general election to decide whether
Democrats </span><u style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">can gain control</u><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"> of Congress or if Republicans will
keep their hold on the legislative branch."</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/us/elections/calendar-primary-results.html?em_pos=small&emc=edit_up_20180226&nl=upshot&nl_art=4&nlid=72227480&ref=headline&te=1" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Continue reading</a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-59664293434771785172018-02-26T08:13:00.000-08:002018-02-26T16:24:07.146-08:00America's gun problem: Can it be solved?<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Student protests—teenagers
demanding their right to attend school without the fear of being gunned down by
some lunatic with an assault rifle—have been ongoing since the February 14
massacre at Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School in Parkland, Florida, where 17
people died and 14 others were injured. It’s been riveting and inspiring
watching these passionate, young people stand up to pro-gun legislators, rabid
Second Amendment-rights groups, and the NRA, saying, “Enough is enough.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">While I have no use for guns, nor do I own one, nor can I ever imagine purchasing
one (but, I never say never), I believe people have the right to own guns for
self-protection and rifles for hunting. However, military-grade weapons and
automatic or semi-automatic weapons should only be available to the military,
maybe the police; certainly, not civilians.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;">Parkland's was the <a href="https://www.snopes.com/2018/02/16/how-many-school-shootings-in-2018/"><b>eighteenth school shooting of 2018, though the number is up for debate depending on how a school shooting is counted and defined</b></a>. It's not only school shootings that should concern us, but also the number of gun deaths—homicides, suicides, accidents—and injuries that happen across America every day. Something must be done. </span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">We have a problem no other developed country has: 30,000 gun-related deaths per year. None come close. We have a massive number of guns in this country, largely concentrated in a small portion of the population.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Here are some stats:</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.pewsocialtrends.org/2017/06/22/the-demographics-of-gun-ownership/"><b>30% of the US population owns guns</b></a>;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.npr.org/2016/09/20/494765559/nearly-half-of-guns-in-u-s-owned-by-3-percent-of-population-study-finds"><b>3% of the US population owns 50% of those guns</b></a>;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The US has 10 x the gun-related deaths of other advanced countries;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Gun deaths in the US are 40 x greater than in Great Britain but we don’t have 40 x the mental health issues;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">US states with the highest rates of gun ownership, generally have higher rates of gun deaths;</span></li>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">US states with the lowest rates of gun ownership, generally have lower rates of gun deaths.</span></li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Below, Fareed Zakaria talks about the massive number of guns in our country. It's a brief segment worth watching.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-color: white;"><iframe frameborder="0" height="234" src="https://fave.api.cnn.io/v1/fav/?video=tv/2018/02/20/exp-gps-0218-last-look-america-gun-violence.cnn&customer=cnn&edition=domestic&env=prod" width="416"></iframe></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The proclamation (repeated on the right) that there is nothing we can do to stop these incidents is bull. I get it, some
people don’t want to jump through hoops to purchase guns. However, we should
always make it more difficult for bad guys to obtain a gun. And yes, that may
inconvenience good guys a little bit. So what?</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">If I hear one more
person refer to gun violence in Chicago as proof that strict gun laws are useless,
my head will explode. Here’s a little geography lesson. What state
is located just east of Illinois? Right, Indiana, which has some of the weakest
gun laws in the country. N</span></span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">o matter how strict gun laws may be in one state, t</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">here will be gun-related problems</span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">if it is in close proximity to one with weak gun laws. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">On February 21, the <b><i>Indianapolis Star</i></b>
reported <a href="https://www.indystar.com/story/news/politics/2018/02/21/indiana-bills-loosening-gun-restrictions-advance-one-week-after-florida-shooting/358891002/"><b>that Indiana lawmakers in the state advanced bills loosening firearm restrictions such as changing
background check requirements, waiving the lifetime handgun carry permit fee,
and allowing people to bring firearms onto church grounds, even if a school is
on the premises.</b></a> This is Indiana legislators' actions a mere seven days after the Florida shooting. </span><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]-->
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="line-height: 107%;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="background: white;">There are also too many accidental shooting deaths, especially involving children. I don’t have kids, but if I did, and one of their friends got a hold of a gun because that child’s parents were careless about securing it and they injured or killed my child, those parents would regret the day they ever heard my name. Adults need to be held responsible for these tragedies, even if it’s their own kid who ends up being the victim. Until adults are held more accountable, these tragic situations will continue, and these are totally avoidable situations. Imagine being a child who killed someone else.</span></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">And while people with mental health issues should not have access to guns, they are more likely to be victims of violence than those instigating it. We should not only prevent them from possessing guns but also those with a history of violence, domestic violence included.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Lastly, we should never turn our schools into prisons. Who wants to go to school with armed guards and metal detectors? Teachers should not be armed. Many school systems can’t afford supplies for their classrooms (teachers oftentimes pay for these items themselves), but we’ll pay to arm and train them? Teachers should not be expected to take on that responsibility. That’s not their job. They certainly do not get paid enough to do it. The NRA loves the idea though: more guns equal more money for the gun industry.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">So what can be done? Here are a few ideas</span></b><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 107%;">:</span></span></div>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Implement a universal background check system, which also applies to <a href="http://lawcenter.giffords.org/gun-laws/policy-areas/hardware-ammunition/ammunition-regulation/"><b>ammunition purchases.</b></a></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Close the gun show loophole. Friends and family members purchasing guns from each other must also go through background checks and licensing.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Enact two-week waiting periods. This is a precautionary measure, especially if someone is suicidal or bent on murdering someone who has upset them. A cooling down period is reasonable.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Educate citizens to recognize the signs of violence or unusual behavior in loved ones, friends, and neighbors. If something seems off, report it. This can be tricky, and one must be careful not to abuse the reporting process, but most of us know when someone close to us is struggling or their behavior has changed. Ensure our healthcare system is capable of treating those suffering a mental illness, anxiety, anger, and depression.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Ban assault weapons, bump stocks, and high-capacity magazines. No civilian purchases of semi-automatic, automatic, or military-grade weapons are permitted.</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Allow doctors to report gun-related injuries and the CDC to compile data about these incidents so we have a clearer picture of what is happening around gun injuries and deaths. </span><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">The agency was effectively<b> </b></span><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/02/gun-violence-public-health/553430/" style="text-indent: -0.25in;"><b><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px; text-decoration-line: none;"><span style="color: #351c75;">barred</span></span></b></a><span style="background: white; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;"> from studying gun violence as a public-health issue in 1996 by a statutory provision known as the <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dickey_Amendment_(1996)"><b>Dickey amendment</b></a>. (Click on: <b>Why Can’t the U.S Treat Gun Violence as a Public-Health Problem? </b>below for more information.)</span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul>
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Reverse the Trump Administration’s <b><a href="https://www.nbcnews.com/news/us-news/trump-signs-bill-revoking-obama-era-gun-checks-people-mental-n727221">bill passed last February that rolled back an Obama-era regulation that made it harder for people with mental illnesses to purchase a gun</a>.</b></span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px; text-indent: -0.25in;">Place terrorists’ names on a no-buy list. They are no-fly lists. </span></span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="-webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; color: black; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-variant-ligatures: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: 2; text-align: start; text-decoration-color: initial; text-decoration-style: initial; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: 2; word-spacing: 0px;">
<li><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Organize a buy-back program. The number of guns in this country needs to be reduced. More guns equal more gun violence. That’s a fact.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">These kids protesting out in the
streets are the leaders we need in this fight. Their lives have
been turned upside down. They watched their classmates be gunned down and some
died. It’s their young lives being extinguished. It’s their future; they want
to live it and grow old. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Marches are planned in D.C. and around the country on March 24. I’ll be marching in New York City that day. These young people are right: Enough is enough.</span></div>
<div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="color: #222222; line-height: 17.12px;"><span style="background: white;"><br /></span></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.marchforourlives.com/"><b><span style="font-size: large;">March for Our
Lives Info</span></b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Related articles:</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br />
<ul>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/politics/archive/2018/02/what-i-saw-treating-the-victims-from-parkland-should-change-the-debate-on-guns/553937/">What I Saw Treating the Victims From Parkland Should Change the Debate on Guns</a></span></b></li>
<li><b><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12pt;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2018/02/gun-violence-public-health/553430/">Why Can't the U.S. Treat Gun Violence as a Public-Health Problem?</a></span></b></li>
<li><b style="background-color: white;"><span style="color: #303030; font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.sciencealert.com/scientific-evidence-that-stricter-gun-control-works-saves-lives">Review of More Than 130 Studies Provides Powerful Evidence That Gun Control Saves Lives</a></span></b></li>
</ul>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-41720472399434989532018-02-22T06:58:00.001-08:002018-02-22T06:58:59.633-08:00Ideas, Inspiration, and Actions for a Better Tomorrow - February 22 Edition<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It's time to resume posting these segments, although on a weekly basis rather than a daily one. I commenced doing it today because it is a special one for me: My father was born on February 22, 1942. He is seventy-six years young today. He can still keep up with his grandchildren, for the most part, although now that the two oldest boys are teenagers, that is getting a little tougher. He plays basketball, softball, and kickball with all of us as well as participates each August in the Tell City Schweizer Fest 2-mile road run—albeit walking all but the last couple blocks, when he must be photographed running across the finish line. Happy birthday, Dad! I hope I am as active and healthy as you are when I am your age. I love you. </span><br />
<div>
<br /></div>
<table align="center" cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto; text-align: center;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlq5Kc9qLFW1ZkX4a3iaudPkqOlq_Xih9g-y_oI_Xww8kv0VTpTvdjRnMKmym5ex_6qqght8QW26G22SUV6xcBNl3MZfMPFS0M7nXztgRPYY357XsT-16-HVkXTnWlbPsed5i6w/s1600/enhance+%25282%2529.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="960" data-original-width="720" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjAlq5Kc9qLFW1ZkX4a3iaudPkqOlq_Xih9g-y_oI_Xww8kv0VTpTvdjRnMKmym5ex_6qqght8QW26G22SUV6xcBNl3MZfMPFS0M7nXztgRPYY357XsT-16-HVkXTnWlbPsed5i6w/s320/enhance+%25282%2529.jpg" width="240" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">One of my favorite photos with Dad</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Below are stories/articles worth your attention this week:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-weight: bold;"><span style="font-weight: 400;"><br /></span></span></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Energy, Climate Change </i>(Read or watch)</b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/morocco-turns-the-sahara-desert-into-a-solar-energy-oasis">Morocco turns the Sahara desert into a solar energy oasis</a></span></b></span></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #485b70; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #485b70; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;">Morocco says it wants to be the Saudi Arabia of solar energy. Its flagship project is a first-of-its-kind, $9-billion energy plant called Noor, meaning "light" in Arabic, and the size of the city of Paris. Special correspondent Monica Villamizar reports from the city of Ouarzazate.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #485b70; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-style: inherit; font-variant-caps: inherit; font-variant-ligatures: inherit; font-weight: inherit;"><br /></span>
<ul class="video-transcript" style="background-color: white; border-top-color: rgb(214, 223, 232); border-top-style: solid; border-width: 1px 0px 0px; color: #485b70; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: inherit; list-style: none; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<li class="vt__person vt__person--host" style="background-color: #f1f8fc; border-bottom: 1px solid rgb(214, 223, 232); border-left-width: 0px; border-right-width: 0px; border-top-width: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 20px; vertical-align: baseline;"><div class="vt__body body-text" style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; max-width: 900px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; width: 833px;">
<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 650px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="border: 0px; color: #161f2d; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: 700; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Judy Woodruff:</span></span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 650px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Next, we turn to Morocco, home to the largest solar energy plant in the world.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 650px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Today, the planet Earth meets over 80 percent of its energy needs with either coal, oil or gas. But as climate science and breakthrough technology disrupt the energy sector, Morocco is taking advantage of an abundant natural resource, unobstructed sunlight, to power part of the North African nation.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; margin-bottom: 20px; max-width: 650px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Special correspondent Monica Villamizar looks at a giant $9 billion project.</span></div>
<div style="border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: 1.5em; max-width: 650px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">It’s part of our ongoing series, Peril and Promise, on the challenge of climate change.</span></div>
</div>
</li>
</ul>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></i></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b style="background-color: white; color: #333333;"><i>Leadership, First Impressions</i></b></span></span><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/want-other-people-to-have-a-great-first-impression-of-you-try-these-5-proven-habits.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter">Five Things That Can Really Influence How Others Perceive You </a></span></b></span><br /><br /><span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">1. Be curious.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">Want to be the most interesting person in the room? In a </span><a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/7-questions-interesting-people-always-ask-in-conversations.html" style="border: 0px; color: #009cd8; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">previous article</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">, I posed seven questions a person needs to ask that will ignite </span><a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/7-questions-interesting-people-always-ask-in-conversations.html" style="border: 0px; color: #009cd8; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">captivating conversations</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. But in order for that scenario to happen, </span><a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/this-1-simple-way-of-thinking-separates-smartest-people-from-everyone-else.html" style="border: 0px; color: #009cd8; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">curiosity is the social prerequisite</a><span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif;">. Albert Einstein famously said, "I have no special talents. I am only passionately curious." Perhaps there's an Einstein in all of us.</span><br />
<br />
<div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/marcel-schwantes/want-other-people-to-have-a-great-first-impression-of-you-try-these-5-proven-habits.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter">Read more</a></span></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Foreign Policy</i> (Read or Listen)</b></span><br />
<b style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/" style="font-family: Georgia, "Times New Roman", serif; font-size: x-large;">The Answers are Out There</a></b></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;">Contrary to conventional wisdom, solutions to many of the world’s toughest problems already exist — you just need to know where to look for them. In this segment are six articles in the current issue of <i>Foreign Policy Magazine</i>. </span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#natural-disasters">Think Small to Weather Big Storms</a></b> (Natural Disasters)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#china">Why Beijing Should Dump Its Debt</a></b> (China)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#north-korea">Normalize the Hermit Kingdom</a> </b>(North Korea)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#corruption"><b>Break Corruption with Bitcoin's Back</b> </a>(Corruption)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#health">Inoculate Against a Global Vaccine Crisis</a></b> (Health)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2018/01/16/the-answers-are-out-there-natural-disasters-china-north-korea-corruption-economy/#global-economy">Where the Next Global Downturn Could Come From</a></b> (Global Economy)</span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Travel</i></b></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.cntraveler.com/galleries/2015-06-27/things-to-do-in-america-all-50-us-states" style="text-align: start;"><b>The 50 Best Places to Visit in the U.S.A. </b></a></span></span></span><span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><br /></span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;">I have been bitten by the travel bug over the past decade and while I will be hitting Scotland's West Highland Way at the end of May to hike 96 miles with a group of fabulous women friends, I am also considering some travel closer to home here in the States. On my list of possibilities are New Orleans, Charleston (SC), or Austin. Check out the link above if you are looking for some vacation or weekend get-away ideas of your own. Happy travels! </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; font-stretch: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Georgia, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background-color: white; border: 0px; color: #333333; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-east-asian: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: 26px; margin-bottom: 12px; padding: 0px; text-size-adjust: 100%; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
</div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-30385225589557706802018-02-15T13:56:00.002-08:002018-02-15T13:56:36.363-08:00Making a Difference: A physical therapist assistant becomes a healthcare entrepreneur<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Part
II<o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><b>Guest
blogger: Mary Morgan Saalman </b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: right; margin-left: 1em; text-align: right;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU8919W2Qhjx-aXxfxKHYg0bUDOLF1eg7zk0nzmG3UZV9P0Q31RLz8c5pPF6lLlXl9dNj2TfxIilF05m3aLzaFS1FNtUlYUAyBn4ckx96X4EDCs57Vc-O6TSGBwSRkWidhBivIA/s1600/20180130_210459-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUU8919W2Qhjx-aXxfxKHYg0bUDOLF1eg7zk0nzmG3UZV9P0Q31RLz8c5pPF6lLlXl9dNj2TfxIilF05m3aLzaFS1FNtUlYUAyBn4ckx96X4EDCs57Vc-O6TSGBwSRkWidhBivIA/s320/20180130_210459-1.jpg" width="216" /></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;">Mary Morgan Saalman</td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I returned
from my first <a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/seminars/"><b><span style="color: black;">J<span style="background: white;">ohn F. Barnes’
Myofascial Release®</span></span></b></a></span><span style="background: white; font-family: "arial" , sans-serif; font-size: 9pt;"><a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/seminars/"><b> </b></a></span><span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/seminars/"><b><span style="color: black;">seminar</span></b></a>—taught by John Barnes himself—and
began using the techniques I had learned right away. It was beyond amazing, and
my life shifted forever, as my understanding of the body, all bodies—even those of our
animal friends—was finally clearer. The first person I treated using MFR was a
man who had been with our clinic for months. He suffered terrible neck pain from a
vehicle accident. We were ready to plan his discharge because he had
“plateaued,” which means he had improved about 25% but had shown no progress
beyond that for two weeks. Therefore, insurance dictated that he be discharged
from therapy. However, he still experienced terrible pain and could not turn his head very
far, which was a problem for him considering he was a truck driver. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
asked him if I could use MFR to treat him during his last visit. He agreed. I
worked on him for only thirty-five minutes. I discovered the problem was not in
his neck, but rather, due to restrictions in his pelvis and lower back that were pulling on his fascial “web” all the way up to his neck. He was amazed
when we finished. His pain went from an 8/10 to a 2/10, and he had full cervical
range of motion. He was stunned. So was I. He was incredibly thankful but
couldn’t help but feel discouraged by the fact that he had spent over $1,500 on
his therapy over eight weeks during which he had to meet his deductible. Now, here
I had helped him significantly in just one visit. This was the day I knew I had
to find a way to open my own clinic so that I could practice the work I knew
would help people, especially those who could not afford insurance or
traditional medical care, but how would I accomplish that? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I
was a physical therapist assistant so was required to practice with a physical
therapist under my current license. After an entire year of using MFR to treat
my patients and watching people improve and get their lives back more fully and
quicker than traditional therapy, I knew I had to make a change. So, I bit the
bullet and went to school to receive my massage therapy license. I had no
desire to practice massage, which is not what I do. However, I needed the
license in order to open my own clinic to practice what I know to be a much
needed and affordable healing modality. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I am
strictly cash based. I do not accept insurance. I refuse to be a prisoner to insurance
companies ever again. I know what my clients need to heal. Insurance companies
do not. You might think that people would find it difficult to pay for medical
services out of pocket, that it would be unaffordable. However, this is not
true. I currently charge $70 per hour. That may seem like a lot of money,
right? Well, it is to many of us. However, here is the difference. People do
not have to see their physician to get a referral to visit me, unlike other
forms of physical, occupational, or speech therapy. Furthermore, since MFR is a
full body and mind treatment, my clients improve with fewer treatments than with traditional therapies, which saves them a lot of money over the long run that they would have otherwise had to pay toward their deductibles. Their outcomes
are better with MFR than they had been with traditional therapies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many of my clients have told me that they were so excited to tell their doctors
about me and myofascial release, how it has changed their lives, and helped
them to understand that their body is a complete unit, not merely “areas of pain.”
They tell me that their doctors “don’t buy it.” This is frustrating for
me. Still, some physicians have asked their client to bring them more
information on MFR and my clinic because they are shocked at the incredible
improvements their patient has made [with me] since their last visit. It’s
changing one mind at a time, right?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">My dream came true last August. After much hard work and faith, I opened my
clinic,<b> <a href="https://www.advancedhealingmfr.com/"><span style="color: black;">Advanced Healing Myofascial Release & Wellness</span></a></b>, in Angola, Indiana.
I cannot express how wonderful it feels to be able to help people heal and
learn more about their bodies. I also teach my clients how to treat themselves
at home. My goal is to decrease the number of times they visit my office by
hastening the healing process so that they are not returning to me forever and spending
their precious dollars. Many talk to me about how much money I have saved them,
keeping them out of the revolving-healthcare door by helping them to heal their
bodies, teaching them how to keep their bodies healthy, and more importantly, feeling
much better.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">I do
not turn anyone away. I do my best to work out a payment plan for anyone who
needs help. A traditional therapy clinic will rarely do that. If you do not
have insurance or the money up front, they will not treat you. I consider that
barbaric. Many of my clients have very little, but they do have enough to see
me for a few visits to feel better and learn how to maintain the improvements
made during treatment, saving them money in the long run. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Many
of my clients come to me because their physicians are pushing them to have
surgery for, pick your problem: carpal tunnel, frozen shoulder, back/neck pain,
hip pain, etc. These patients are looking for an alternative to surgery to help
them feel better and function without the pain and/or the cost of going under the
knife. I get results. 75% of my clients no longer need surgery after working
with me. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">Think about this on a larger scale. Any surgery is expensive. Now, think about
the possibility that people receive alternative treatments, such as MFR, to
address their health problems and the possibility that even 50% of these people
no longer need surgery. Think about the cost savings to insurance companies,
which in an alternative universe, would be put back in to the system to help
lower insurance premiums and other healthcare costs. Think about the savings to
people who no longer need surgery, considering that the average insurance deductible
today is $3,000 with a 20% copay on charges above the deductible. Furthermore, most
surgeries cost tens of thousands of dollars, depending on what needs to be done
and if it is done on an inpatient or outpatient basis. My clients averaged paying $400 for my
services. That seems like a deal to me.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">The
cash-based trend is growing in our country. Many therapists are
slowly switching over to cash-based businesses, refusing insurance. It might
seem that this would cost the client more, but it does not. There are also
physicians who are experimenting with cash-based business models solely so that
they can provide medical services to those who cannot afford insurance or to see a
“traditional physician.” Those who have done so state that they now have time
to care for their patients’ needs instead of tackling mounds of paperwork for
insurance companies. Nor are they spending their time developing care plans based on insurance company requirements. They spend more time with their
patients, better understanding their needs as opposed to adhering to the
“conveyor belt” business model they were taught in medical school.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;">There
are many ways to make healthcare more accessible for every person
who needs it. Making healthcare affordable for every single American should be a
priority. Most healthcare professionals sincerely care about their patients and
want to help them heal. It is simply wrong to turn sick and hurt people away. The medical care professionals who are turning toward cash-based
practices are at the forefront of a new business model that will make
healthcare more accessible and affordable to all people. I am proud to be a part of that trend. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times new roman" , serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><a href="http://www.abettertomorrowmedia.com/2018/02/making-difference-fed-up-with-status.html"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Read Part I </span></a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">Disclaimer:
The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog post belong solely to
the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of A Better Tomorrow Media. </span></span></strong><strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-size: 12.0pt; font-weight: normal;"><o:p></o:p></span></strong></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-82988428022552024822018-02-07T09:15:00.000-08:002018-02-07T09:15:18.204-08:00Making a Difference: Fed up with the status quo, a physical therapist assistant discovers a better way to serve her patients<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Part I</span></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Guest blogger: Mary Morgan Saalman </span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b>
</span><br />
<table cellpadding="0" cellspacing="0" class="tr-caption-container" style="float: left; margin-right: 1em; text-align: left;"><tbody>
<tr><td style="text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoUXCZ6HBiZ4-qANW-0hYOuza8hJ53-nv5Gd456E52-T9nsrvzUaWyHqMur69wx0UEx4-c2NQ3zkEgIVT7NWnnkAbevcwHWh1SYvy7U2hcs_KIGwATlzDsXoV45hPQaKYffGfmA/s1600/20180130_210459-1.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><img border="0" data-original-height="1600" data-original-width="1080" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEijoUXCZ6HBiZ4-qANW-0hYOuza8hJ53-nv5Gd456E52-T9nsrvzUaWyHqMur69wx0UEx4-c2NQ3zkEgIVT7NWnnkAbevcwHWh1SYvy7U2hcs_KIGwATlzDsXoV45hPQaKYffGfmA/s320/20180130_210459-1.jpg" width="216" /></span></a></td></tr>
<tr><td class="tr-caption" style="text-align: center;"><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mary Morgan Saalman</span></td></tr>
</tbody></table>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">My life as a physical therapist was hectic. Like most healthcare practitioners, my patients came in for treatment and were out in no time, leaving little opportunity to discuss or understand their situation beyond the physical. Feelings and concerns were after-thoughts. They entered the room and the clock started ticking. Patients were seen usually for forty-five minutes—maybe an hour—during a
typical physical-therapy session. As I treated a patient, I may have felt that we were
making a break-through, but then time was up, and I had to usher them out
because the next patient was waiting. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have become increasingly frustrated with
this situation over the years. The insurance companies always seemed to be a
dark cloud, looming overhead, dictating every move we made. Nothing could be
done for my patients without insurance company approval. Almost always,
patients would talk to me about how they could not afford therapy for very long, or that their insurance wouldn’t pay for it or other less invasive forms of
treatment. The insurance companies, however, were all too happy to pay for extensive surgery, if the
physician recommended it. 'Why?' I wondered. What was their justification for
this and how did it save money, decrease the cost of insurance, or make
healthcare more affordable and accessible?
And more importantly, was this best for the patient? Why was/is it so difficult to access high-quality,
affordable health care?</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">The
main reason people have difficulty accessing quality medical care is the
lack of insurance or inadequate coverage with high deductibles. For many individuals
and families, a $3,000 or $5,000 deductible feels as if they have no insurance
at all. Many people live paycheck to paycheck and do not have the money to see
a doctor, unless they are forced to because of an illness or an emergency.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another
road block to accessing quality medical care is the fact that our society has
evolved into one that treats the illness while disregarding the overall well-being
of the person. The bulk of our medical practitioners are taught to set
up literal conveyor-belt type businesses that move patients efficiently in and out of the
office, seeing as many people as time affords. Medical students are taught
during their education to look at the body in parts with the mindset of alleviating patients' symptoms in order to make them feel better. Of course, this often
means medication or too many unnecessary surgeries. Many healthcare practitioners feel that if the patient is not “feeling”
their symptoms, well, that’s a good thing, and this is the outcome they and their
patients want. Unfortunately, this has
led our country down an ominous road to opioid addiction, unhealthy habits, and
too many unnecessary surgeries.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Numerous
medical practitioners schedule patients in fifteen- or thirty-minute increments,
perpetuating the conveyor-belt business model, ensuring themselves a healthy bottom line. Healthcare
professionals often limit the time with their patients, which leaves little time to talk and learn about
the “whole” person, rather than just their sore back or headache. This perpetuates the dependence
on pharmaceuticals, which “will fix everything.” I believe it is this mentality, inherent in our healthcare industry, that is preventing us from not only receiving
quality medical care, but also from taking care of our mind and body in
integrated ways, which would improve our health and save us money. The U.S. healthcare apparatus is driven by greed, making the status quo extremely difficult to change. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">Another
obstacle to accessing quality medical care is the fact that insurance companies
dictate patient treatment. Every medical care professional who accepts insurance
must adhere to the regulations of the insurance industry. Every physician’s
plan of care for their patients takes in to account what the insurance
companies will cover. For example, if you are diagnosed with a condition and
have insurance, your ability to receive the treatments or therapies you need
are completely and totally based on what your insurance company considers
“necessary and reasonable.” Your physician might feel you need specific tests
or medications. However, your insurance company may state they are not
necessary. Therefore, unless you can afford to pay for expensive medications or
tests out of pocket, you might not have access to the care that you need to
improve, or sometimes, survive.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">There
are plenty of healthcare professionals, such as myself, who treat the entire person
as opposed to a sick person who has a bad back, a sore leg, or cancer. However,
we are the outliers in the medical community. Even when patients go back to
their physicians and tell them that they went to a healthcare practitioner and
received an alternative therapy and are feeling the best they have felt in a
while, most physicians will immediately scoff and/or write this off, continuing
with their business model of get them in, get them out, see more people, etc. This
is not quality care. It limits people from finding other forms of
healthcare that would not only help them feel better and many times quicker,
but would also save them precious dollars because they would not be caught in
the revolving door of traditional medicine. The rigid adherence
to the traditional medicine model, in my opinion, is a defect in the medical programs in
our universities, as many healthcare professionals will agree.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">For
the record, I am not saying that medications do not have a place in healing, because they
most certainly do. There are medications that indisputably save and improve
lives, and I am thankful that we have talented people who can create these
medications and find cures for terrible diseases and conditions. On the other hand, if we would begin to pay
more attention to and tend to our overall health—our bodies, minds, and spirits—maybe some of
these diseases and afflictions would become less common.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">It
is for the reasons I have outlined above that my mindset about bodies and health
have evolved over my twenty years in the healthcare field, as a practicing
physical therapist assistant. I have practiced in every area: pediatrics,
hippotherapy (using the horse as a therapy tool), outpatient clinic, long-term
care, and home health. I have always loved what I do. I love helping people to
feel better and regain their lives. However, as the years went by, I could not
help but feel that something was missing; something just wasn’t right. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">I
also began to realize that although many of my patients recuperated almost
100%, most others would not. Most patients show improvement. Maybe they
begin therapy with a pain level of 9/10 and they finish with one of 5/10 and improved, yet limited mobility. Many patients were returning several times a year
for the same problem. Why? And why is this acceptable? Why can’t people improve
more, sooner, and spend less time and money on therapy, physician visits,
medications and/or surgeries? As physical therapists, most of us are taught in
school to treat the “areas” of pain or the “conditions.” Someone comes in with
a painful shoulder, so we treat only that shoulder, ignoring that there is
an entire body and systems within the body that all communicate with one another. It
was these feelings of inadequacy and frustration that led me to find, what I
feel to be, one of the most important modalities/treatments for our bodies, the
<a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/"><b>John Barnes Approach to Myofascial Release. </b></a><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">John
Barnes is a physical therapist who developed his technique after experiencing
his own dramatic injury in college over forty years ago. He focuses on treating
the<b> </b><a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/about/fascia-definition.aspx"><b>fascial</b> </a>system. He has trained over 150,000 therapists, nurses, chiropractors,
and physicians worldwide. Myofascial release is a gentle, hands-on technique
that releases restrictions in our fascia, or connective tissue. To learn more
about fascia and how John F. Barnes’ Approach to Myofascial Release has helped
to heal thousands of people, you can visit my website <a href="https://www.advancedhealingmfr.com/"><b>Advanced Healing Myofascial Release and Wellness, LLC</b></a> and/or <b><a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/">MFR Treatment Centers &</a> </b></span><a href="https://www.myofascialrelease.com/" style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;"><b>Seminars</b></a><span style="font-family: georgia, "times new roman", serif;">. You will find helpful information, articles, and book
recommendations about the fascial system and the conditions and diagnoses that
MFR can help. If you are interested in finding a therapist or attending a seminar, you can search for
one in your area on Mr. Barnes' website.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">After my first seminar, not only did my life change,
but also the lives of many of my patients. It was beyond anything I could
imagine and set me on a new path to healing others.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;">In<b> Part
II </b>we learn about Mary’s transition in the medical field, trends in the industry, and how she started her own business. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #222222; font-size: 12.8px;"><b><span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></b></span>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;"><b>Mary Morgan Saalman</b> is mother to Austin and Delaney and wife to Michael Deimen as well as 'mom' to three dogs and four cats. She recently </span><span style="background-color: white; color: #222222;">relocated from Jasper, Indiana, to Northwestern Ohio, where she reestablished her business, Advanced Healing Myofascial Release & Wellness. She specializes in The John F. Barnes Approach to Myofascial Release. When not treating clients, she enjoys spending time with her family, hiking, kayaking, and is an avid reader. She also enjoys traveling, exploring new places, and meeting new people.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;">
</span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333;">Disclaimer: </span></strong><strong><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">The views, thoughts, and opinions expressed in this blog
post belong solely to the author, and do not necessarily reflect those of A Better
Tomorrow Media. </span></strong><b><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></i></span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><i><br /></i></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "georgia" , "times new roman" , serif; font-size: x-small;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-13272091806746554192018-01-30T07:27:00.000-08:002018-01-30T07:30:46.423-08:00Revitalizing small towns through tourism<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/">Travel + Leisure</a></i></b> magazine published the article, <b><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/best-small-town-america">The New American Small Towns</a></b>, in The Big Idea section of their May 2017
issue. Small towns across America were
highlighted for their unique natural resources, recreational opportunities, regional interests, and new commercial
and hospitality ventures that are attracting outsiders, especially those from
urban areas. These towns included: Thomas, West Virginia (population 600);
Salida, Colorado (population 5,300); Lostine (population 300) and Joseph,
Oregon; and Tubac, Arizona (population 1,200).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The article suggests how tourism can help revitalize rural communities, especially those whose populations are decreasing as young people move to cities where good jobs and opportunities are more plentiful. These towns are also proving to be a bridge to close the urban and rural divides in the United States. Every community and/or its region have
unique attributes, be it a river, great hiking trails, distinctive
retail outlets, local artists and artisans creating one-of-a-kind products or entertainment,
lodging offered with a more personal touch, and much more. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">My hometown newspaper, the <b><i><a href="http://www.perrycountynews.com/">Perry County News</a>,</i></b> published <a href="http://www.perrycountynews.com/content/ventures-footpath-mentor"><b>a story on December 26 about Cannelton, Indiana, resident Vince Gagliardi who is an avid hiker and organizer of guided hikes through the Hoosier National Forest. </b>I</a> discovered in the article, per Gagliardi, that the area in which I
grew up has “…more miles of trails than any other county in the state.” That is
a fact that Cannelton, Tell City (my hometown situated four miles from Cannelton), Perry County, and the state of Indiana should promote to
lure visitors to the area and along with them, their spending dollars to help boost the local economies. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz79gBGGWyKlRI5_QT3aMkSWUWqeW4nfsHuQkG2ljT3loP5b-Gj3q3w6hMwPGsyw7apMTW3DjX8PrwBYRJCaVkDD7_boRB5tYhXkR34qtDtL48t0-KPQWWnMYFi1NOnDRbvuRDYA/s1600/Hoosier_National_Forest.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" data-original-height="423" data-original-width="740" height="227" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjz79gBGGWyKlRI5_QT3aMkSWUWqeW4nfsHuQkG2ljT3loP5b-Gj3q3w6hMwPGsyw7apMTW3DjX8PrwBYRJCaVkDD7_boRB5tYhXkR34qtDtL48t0-KPQWWnMYFi1NOnDRbvuRDYA/s400/Hoosier_National_Forest.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I reached out to Mr. Gagliardi with a few questions. He was
gracious enough to respond and allow me to share his answers. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Deborah:</b> When did you start organizing guided hikes? <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>Vince</b>: Growing up in
Maine I spent my fair share of time in the forest camping and hiking with
my family. After moving to Perry County Indiana I quickly discovered the
Hoosier National Forest and instantly fell in love. A close friend of mine
introduced me to a gentleman named Bill Simpson. Bill had been in charge of the
hiking club (Perry County Hiking Club) for fifteen plus years and invited me to join the group on a hike. It was
great to be able to share the trail with other people. I proceeded to show
up for the final six hikes, two of which I led because of Bill's health. He told me that he was done a</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">t the end of the season, </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">and if I wanted to take it over, it was mine.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>D</b>: What kind of
participation have you found for each hike?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>V</b>: The
participation has been great! </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have hiker friends who drive down from places like Bloomington and even farther north just to hike for the day.</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I have had people from all walks of life come
out. Lawyers, teachers, stay at home moms, even a couple of nuns have become
regulars. Believe it or not the majority are women who want to hike
but not alone for fear of getting lost or the Boogeyman, which is perfectly
understandable. Most have never even been hiking before but have an
interest. That's why I included two low-mileage beginner hikes so that people could try hiking this distance before attempting longer ones. I have even thought about
hosting an Intro to Hiking class one evening at the local convention center in
the spring to help provide proper information. My wife likes to poke a little fun by
telling me "You only want to do it to give you an excuse to talk about
hiking." There's probably a little bit of truth to that. I
believe I have the only wife in the world that can tell me to "take a hike" and
actually mean it, but after ten years together, she knows what I need. I use it
sometimes to detox from the stresses of daily life and always come back a
calmer person.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>D:</b> The schedule is limited to nine hikes through April 21. Is this volunteer for
you or do you charge?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>V</b>: Yes, the schedule is a little limited. My predecessor had
it that way to avoid hunting season and possibly hotter temperatures. However, I extended it until the end of April instead of ending in March, as was previously done. Next year I would like to try starting in October and
ending in May. It is strictly volunteer, and I am a "one man
show." It would be nice to get some help in the future though. A large
group can get spread out so it would be nice to have a person in charge at
both the front and the rear. Back in the 80's when the club was first formed, there
was a yearly fee. Right now, anyone can participate for free. I'd like
to keep it that way.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>D:</b> If volunteer, do
you plan or think this could turn into a business venture for you?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>V</b>: Even though I
own a successful auto repair shop in Cannelton and really enjoy what I do,
I would love to get paid to hike. That would be my dream job!!<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b>D</b>: What would it
take for you to do that, if you wanted to?</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">V</b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">: </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">As fantastic as it would be to open some sort of
outdoor guide business, unfortunately, I really don't think there is enough
interest in the area to properly sustain it, although I'm working with the
county's tourism board to change that. I was told by the old timers numerous
times that thirty years ago on a nice weekend the Hoosier National Forest in Perry County could
have 10,000+ people hiking, horseback riding, and camping. It would be great to
bring some of that interest back. Perry County has more miles of trails than
any other in the state. </span><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I could talk for hours on the subject.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We wish Vince much success with this endeavor. Southern Indiana is beautiful, especially in the fall, so October hikes would be well-timed. Hiking is not only excellent exercise but also a great way to explore the area. Regardless whether the Perry County Hiking Club remains an avocation for Mr. Gagliardi or he transforms it into a busi</span><span style="background-color: transparent; font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ness, this is an example of how rural
communities and small towns could capitalize on their regional assets. If a town
of 300 or 600 people can get creative and attract tourists, others can too.</span></div>
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Tourism directors in these communities, regions, and states should actively promote businesses, performances, excursions, etc., via
websites, social media, and ads in national media—online and print. Although most small-business grants I've found tend to be for scientific/technological research and development or for nonprofits, grants could be used to develop tourist attractions and tourism-related businesses. It would behoove small towns across America to think more creatively about how they can exploit their unique attributes, implement strategies to invest in new businesses and artistic ventures as well as finance the marketing efforts necessary to help them succeed. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Could a <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/"><b>Kickstarter campaign</b></a> be a way of raising initial funding? It could. The <a href="https://www.kickstarter.com/projects/thejenningshotel/the-jennings-hotel-the-hotel-that-kickstarter-buil"><b>Jennings Hotel in Joseph, Oregon</b></a>, was funded via the Kickstarter platform. Are there low-interest, small-business loans available at a local bank or credit union? It will take money</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">—private and public—</span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"> to make money, but each community profiled in <i>T+L</i> are thriving and showing the world why a visit to
their town is worth it. </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><o:p> </o:p> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Is tourism a cure-all for what ails small-town America?
Probably not because hospitality and tourism jobs tend to be lower paid than
those in manufacturing and technology. However, tourism can be one tool in the
rural community revitalization toolbox. <o:p></o:p></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">For more information about the Perry County Hiking Club, visit their <a href="https://www.facebook.com/Perry-County-Hiking-Club-131627217507956/"><b>Facebook page</b></a>.</span></span><br />
<br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cross-posted at <a href="https://evergreeninstitute.wordpress.com/2018/01/30/revitalizing-small-towns-through-tourism/"><b>Evergreen Institute for Progressive Thought</b></a></span><br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-10911667172864570912017-12-18T08:00:00.000-08:002017-12-18T08:00:10.151-08:002018: Working Toward a Better Tomorrow<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Thomas_E._Ricks_(journalist)"><span style="color: black;">Thomas E. Ricks</span></a> </b>wrote in a <span style="color: black;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/12/06/whats-wrong-with-us-were-living-in-a-tragedy-but-we-dont-know-how-to-do-that/#"><b><span style="color: black;">brief post</span></b></a> </span>on the <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/"><b><span style="color: black;">Foreign Policy</span></b></a> website on December 6:</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"People stuck inside tragedies often make the mistake of thinking they are nearing the end when they are only in Act 1. And that is where I think we stand, still at the beginning of this long ride. All around us, the selfish and malevolent are thriving, flatterers are rising, and good people feel simply powerless.</span></i><br />
<i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></i>
<i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">What especially bothers me is this: For about a year now, I've feared for the future of our country, for the first time in my life. But lately, on top of that, I've begun to suspect that I won't live to see the final act."</i><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Mr. Ricks accurately describes my feelings about the past year. I have become increasingly concerned that we are being led down a rabbit hole from which we will never dig out. Regressive and harmful policies are being championed, the truth is being obscured and denied, compassion is lacking, and political polarization is widening. I am filled with despair. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I was filled with a different kind of despair fourteen years ago today when </span><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">I was diagnosed with leukemia. December 18, 2003, was a terrifying day, but as scary as that experience was, I maneuvered through chemotherapy and bone marrow transplant over the next six plus months with much optimism because I've always been an optimistic person—it's who I am, or was, anyway. It saddens me that my optimism is being overshadowed by pessimism. I have become jaded and have engaged in behaviors detrimental to my well-being, trying to anesthetize myself from the ugliness and ignorance so prevalent nowadays—or so it seems. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Yet, the world has always been afflicted with conflict, illness, and inequality. We are just more intensely aware of it because of the 24/7 news-media cycle. It's not only traditional media, but social media has made us all journalists and opinion writers. False information is easily spread and when it is proven to be a lie, retractions are rarely made, so the lie remains and becomes truth to many, which is toxic and destructive to a democratic society.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">I am hardly alone, I know, as 2017 is coming to a close. I refuse to go through 2018 consumed with the anxiety and rage I've experienced this year. It is unhealthy and does nothing to help right the wrongs I see occurring in the world. Therefore, I have printed off Mr. Ricks' short post and will keep it with me as a reminder to not fall into the trap of despair, thinking nothing can be done and that our country is stuck heading in a direction I, and many others, find reprehensible.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Anger and anxiety will fuel my desire to fight harder to create a world in which I want to live: One that respects everyone's right to life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness; a world where more people vote and engage in their communities; a country where people have enough food, adequate healthcare, decent housing, and effective public schools that help all children thrive, especially in our rapidly changing world where automation and artificial intelligence will continue to replace the human workforce, presenting ever increasing challenges to people's financial well-being and thus, their quality of life; a world that cares about preserving wildlife, protecting the environment—land, air, and water—and yes, mitigating the negative impacts of climate change; a world that works together to tackle problems, not scapegoat others or narrow the field of opportunity to only the wealthy and well-connected.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">That's a tall order. There will never be true equality; that is impossible. There must be incentives to encourage innovation and entrepreneurship. I believe in capitalism, just not crony capitalism. I believe we must have robust competition. Competition is a quaint concept anymore as mega-mergers and consolidations in the fields of media, healthcare, air travel, and communication (to name a few) have squelched it, giving consumers less choice, not more. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpQxtF7xcCpZooVUxKSEQNzO0IUaXsVCwXDxS01WRAbdtp2q1-HSS1il84e8OFVRyAf9JZzSuw9fV1hmAyidiTXxsLZblCltBIOdrrxrtBmVbz1K0Bydk-M4qSOKHienJ_DNTLA/s1600/BookCover2014_360w528h.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; display: inline !important; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em; text-align: center;"><img border="0" data-original-height="528" data-original-width="360" height="320" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtpQxtF7xcCpZooVUxKSEQNzO0IUaXsVCwXDxS01WRAbdtp2q1-HSS1il84e8OFVRyAf9JZzSuw9fV1hmAyidiTXxsLZblCltBIOdrrxrtBmVbz1K0Bydk-M4qSOKHienJ_DNTLA/s320/BookCover2014_360w528h.jpg" width="218" /></a><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">This is a lot to digest, and so much more could be written. However, I leave it here for now: There are solutions out there, and they are where my focus is going to be in 2018. As for my anxiety and anger, it's time to start meditating again. I found this practice to be effective during my cancer treatment period. In fact, I did it so regularly that even amid the fear and uncertainty of that time, it was the most calm and centered I've ever been—before or since. Maybe it's time to reread </span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><a href="http://booklocker.com/books/7487.html"><span style="color: blue;">Rebirth</span></a></b></i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://booklocker.com/books/7487.html"><span style="color: blue;"> </span></a>and remind myself of all the strategies I used to heal myself, especially emotionally, which is what I most need now.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">So, I will breathe slowly, in and out, focusing on my breath, calming down, and appreciating all I have this holiday season. I am grateful for my friends and family, especially having watched my nieces and nephews grow from babies to the amazing young people they are today. Both my parents are alive, which is another blessing. Their presence in my life is never taken for granted. This cancerversary, I commit to making changes that will contribute to better health, physically and emotionally. I leave you with this from<span style="color: blue;"> </span></span><i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://booklocker.com/books/7487.html"><span style="color: blue;"><b>Rebirth</b> </span></a></i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://booklocker.com/books/7487.html"><span style="color: black;">(2nd edition)</span></a><span style="color: blue;">:</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Perspective is the most important
lesson learned during my cancer experience. I may still lose control from time
to time, but I manage to eventually put it into the right context. For example,
a few years post-transplant when I was back in the work world, while walking up
Park Avenue to the office, sheets of rain flooded the streets and sidewalks. I
was gritting my teeth and growling under my breath because a frigid temperature
and harrowing winds were compounding my misery. Overwhelmed by these external
and internal dramas, my irritation intensifying, I forced myself to stop—literally
stopped in the middle of the sidewalk (a major faux pas in New York City, by
the way)—take a deep breath and ask myself: Would you rather be out in this
crappy weather or in a hospital bed receiving chemotherapy? (Yes, I actually used the word "crappy.")</span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: 0.3in;"><br /></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormalCxSpFirst" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-add-space: auto; text-align: justify; text-indent: .3in;">
<i style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: 0.3in;">The answer was a no-brainer. My
mind-set swiftly shifted and a smile formed on my face as I unsuccessfully
leapt over an expansive, ankle-deep puddle, soaking my feet in the process. I
was out in the world living my life. It was exhilarating and wonderful, despite my cold, wet feet." </i></div>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Have a wonderful holiday season.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Cheers!</span>Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-86344691881891951852017-11-06T10:28:00.001-08:002017-11-06T10:28:15.757-08:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better TomorrowThe daily round-up of positive articles, interesting ideas, and inspiration will be taking a break until 2018. Thank you to those who have visited this site over the past several months.<br />
<br />
The goal is to post a few pieces of original writing on various topics over the coming nine to ten weeks as the year winds down and restart the daily round-up in the New Year. In the meantime, please go back and review some of the amazing stories and compelling ideas for a better tomorrow that we've shared here over the past many months.<br />
<br />
Thank you and enjoy the upcoming holiday season. Cheers, to a better tomorrow!Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-17447059561340877382017-11-03T12:50:00.001-07:002017-11-03T12:50:27.063-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - November 3 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Global
Health, Fraud</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/world/2017-11-03/blockchain-and-global-health"><span style="font-size: large;">Blockchain and Global Health</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"There are a several reasons why fraud and waste are rife in the global
health sector. Donors tend to send money to ministries of health and other
organizations in large tranches, mostly because making smaller grants involves
higher transfer fees and bigger administrative burdens. This creates surpluses
and easy targets for graft. What’s more, supply chains in low- and
middle-income countries are often weak and opaque, sometimes involving dozens
of changes in custodianship before goods reach their destinations. Medicines
and equipment can easily go missing or expire–as <a href="http://www.gavi.org/library/gavi-documents/legal/programme-audit-report---pakistan,-july-2017/"><span style="color: #0a72ce;">1.3 million doses</span></a> of
pentavalent vaccine (a kind of vaccine that protects against five diseases) did
in Pakistan in 2015. The cost of identifying the breakdowns in supply chains
often outstrips the value of the goods that are lost.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> Many
international organizations are trying to deal with these problems. Since July
2011, <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2006-01-01/reforming-world-bank"><span style="color: #0a72ce;">the World Bank</span></a>, the Asian Development Bank,
the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development, and several others have
blacklisted 368 individuals and firms involved in corruption. But such scrutiny
takes money and time. The World Bank employs 417 people to monitor compliance
with its financial and procurement standards, and in a single investigation in
the case of Mali in 2010, the Global Fund reviewed some 59,000 documents.
Worse, auditors can only identify fraud that has already occurred. They cannot
track and stop problems as they develop. The result is that donors catch only a
fraction of transgressions, months or years after they have happened. And when
donors respond by suspending aid, patients suffer.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This is where blockchain
comes in. Commonly referred to as a distributed-ledger technology, blockchain
creates secure digital records of transactions that can be accessed by approved
users across a wide network. Every transaction validated by the network adds a
new “block” to the “chain,” creating an indelible record that can be accessed
in real time. A number of multinational corporations—from Walmart and IBM to
the mining giant BHP Billiton—are already using the technology to manage supply
chains, following goods as they move around the world."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Fall
Travel, Italy</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #282f2f;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/trip-ideas-italy-november"><span style="font-size: large;">Why November Is the Best Time to Travel to Italy</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"For
many travelers — both those who have had the chance to visit in person and
those who dream of it — <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/road-trips/best-pastry-shops-italy" target="_blank"><span style="color: #282f2f;">a trip to Italy</span></a> is
often envisioned in the summer, when they can stroll the piazzas eating
gelato or take a dip in Lake Como.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But
Italy, <a href="http://www.travelandleisure.com/syndication/difference-between-ice-cream-and-gelato" target="_blank"><span style="color: #282f2f;">much like gelato</span></a>, is
something to be enjoyed year-round, and one of the best times to go is
November.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #282f2f; letter-spacing: 0.25pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Sandwiched
between the peak seasons of summer and the winter holidays, November is a time
when museum lines are shorter, restaurants are less crowded, and even airfare
dips. But those aren't the only reasons to book your trip now.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Aid groups could similarly use the technology to oversee medical
supplies as they travel from factory to patient. As a shipment of vaccines
approaches its destination, for instance, each of its handlers—from the crew
unloading the shipment at the airport to the courier bringing it by motorcycle
to a village clinic—could use a smartphone to tag it with a permanent,
real-time record of where it has been, when it was there, and who has dealt
with it. All these details would become part of the shipment’s digital
identity, creating a record of its custody and making it impossible for goods
to be stolen or replaced with counterfeits without the network being notified."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Immunotherapy,
Cancer, HIV</i></b><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<a href="https://labiotech.eu/mariola-sohngen-mologen-cancer-hiv/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=meetedgar"><br /></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #1f2430;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://labiotech.eu/mariola-sohngen-mologen-cancer-hiv/?utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=meetedgar"><span style="font-size: large;">The German CEO Pushing for an Immunotherapy to Treat Cancer and HIV</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #353a45;">"Immunotherapies, and checkpoint inhibitors in
particular, were the first type of therapy that could truly transform cancer
patients into long-term survivors. While other therapies, including
chemotherapy, prolonged survival a couple of months, a certain percentage of
patients treated with checkpoint inhibitors, in the order of 10-20%, live on
for years.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: #353a45;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Now, the next step is: how would you increase the number
of patients that benefit from it? And the answer was quite clear. Everybody is
trying to combine immunotherapy treatments to enhance the effect, and it works.
Currently, there are hundreds of combination trials ongoing worldwide.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; opacity: 1; text-align: justify; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #353a45;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Then, if you look at the complexity of the
immune system, there are so many targets that you can trigger. Many are still
there to be explored. And the whole medical community is learning so much about
how to treat cancer, how to tackle it. With every year, we are coming closer
and closer to making many cancer indications manageable diseases. The number of
patients that survive cancer today is much, much bigger than compared to the
past."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Artificial
Intelligence</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/james-paine/5-ai-trends-to-know-in-2018.html"><span style="font-size: large;">5 AI Trends to Know in 2018</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"It wasn't so long ago that <a href="http://www.inc.com/jordan-kasteler/machine-learning-amp-artificial-intelligence-101-for-executives.html?cid=search"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">artificial intelligence</span></a> was reserved to the realm
of science fiction according to the public. Skip ahead to 1997 and IBM's <a href="https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Deep_Blue_versus_Garry_Kasparov" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Deep Blue</span></a> brought
real artificial intelligence into the public eye when it bested <a href="https://www.inc.com/tom-popomaronis/chess-grandmaster-brilliantly-speaks-out-about-how-losing-to-a-computer-was-good.html?cid=search"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Chess Grandmaster Garry Kasparov</span></a> in 2
matches(though losing the series 4-2). Fast-forward to last year and AI has
beat the masters in virtually every game you can think of, <a href="https://www.wired.com/2016/01/in-a-huge-breakthrough-googles-ai-beats-a-top-player-at-the-game-of-go/" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">including Go</span></a>(which
is both older and more difficult than Chess). From mastering games to
contemplating the meaning of life, <a href="https://www.inc.com/video/5-things-artificial-intelligence-can-already-do-better-than-humans.html?cid=search"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">AI has made major strides</span></a> in recent years.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A fully developed, self-teaching AI unit is no longer a dream,
it has transitioned into an inevitability with the only real question being
"who will get their first?" There have been so many artificial
intelligence breakthroughs in recent years, it can be difficult to imagine what's
next.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So, in the hopes of shedding some light on that subject, <b><a href="https://www.inc.com/james-paine/5-ai-trends-to-know-in-2018.html">here's a list of 5 AI trends</a></b> to watch
in 2018."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Feel Good Story, Animal Rescue</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #111111; letter-spacing: -0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/11/03/sailors-rescue-zeus/?utm_content=buffer38fcd&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=buffer">Sailors rescue Zeus</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="color: #111111;"><span style="letter-spacing: -0.533333px;"><b>"</b></span></span>Zeus the dog was on a sailboat whose motor supposedly failed. The
USS Ashland came to the rescue."</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-83806681277036938392017-11-01T14:05:00.000-07:002017-11-01T14:05:01.960-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - November 1 Edition<div style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: small;">Affordable Care Act, Open
Enrollment</span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-top: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/aca-open-enrollment-if-you-buy-coverage-in-the-individual-market/?utm_campaign=KFF-2017-October-ACA-Open-Enrollment&utm_content=62535120&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter">ACA Open Enrollment: If You Buy Coverage in the Individual Market </a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“If you buy your health plan on your own (rather than getting
coverage through an employer), you may purchase a 2018 plan either through your
state’s health insurance marketplace or off-exchange. If you are low-income,
you may be eligible for Medicaid coverage. If you don’t have health coverage in
2018, you may be subject to a tax penalty.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">WHAT’S COVERED</span></b><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">All plans in the individual market must be comprehensive, covering
doctor visits, hospitalization, prescription drugs and maternity care without
restrictions for physical or mental illnesses or conditions that existed before
coverage began. Preventive services like immunizations, screenings and birth
control, are covered with no additional out-of-pocket cost. Insurers cannot
charge you more based on your medical history or because you are a woman.
Insurers can only vary premiums based on your age, the number of the people in
your family covered by the policy, and whether you use tobacco.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: 1pt none windowtext; padding: 0in;">WHAT’S AVAILABLE</span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Plans both in and out of state marketplaces come in four levels –
bronze, silver, gold and platinum. The metal levels signify differences
in the amount of deductibles and other-out-of-of pocket costs they require for
covered benefits. In general, bronze plans tend to have the highest deductibles
and lowest premiums, while gold plans generally have lower deductibles but
charge higher monthly premiums. All plans are required to have an annual
out-of-pocket limit on your cost sharing for covered services in-network. That
limit can be no higher than $7,350 per person in 2018 ($14,700 in a family
policy.) If you are under 30, you may be able to get a “catastrophic” insurance
plan that charges the highest possible deductible ($7,350), with monthly
premiums that are even lower than under bronze plans.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.kff.org/health-reform/fact-sheet/aca-open-enrollment-if-you-buy-coverage-in-the-individual-market/?utm_campaign=KFF-2017-October-ACA-Open-Enrollment&utm_content=62535120&utm_medium=social&utm_source=twitter"><b>Read for more info.</b></a></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Childhood
Obesity, Education<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/these-colorado-preschoolers-learn-hands-on-farming-to-prevent-childhood-obesity"><span style="color: black; font-size: large;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/these-colorado-preschoolers-learn-hands-on-farming-to-prevent-childhood-obesity"><span style="font-size: large;">These Colorado preschoolers learn hands-on farming to prevent childhood obesity</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white;">“As childhood obesity soars among low-income communities with
limited access to fresh produce, some educators in Colorado are combating the
problem by joining the farm-to-preschool movement. Now these preschoolers are
learning their ABCs while picking veggies from the school garden and preparing
healthy meals. Special correspondent Cat Wise reports.</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/these-colorado-preschoolers-learn-hands-on-farming-to-prevent-childhood-obesity">Read the full transcript or watch the video</a>.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Social Media, Regulation, Monopolies<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; margin-right: 26.25pt; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.slate.com/blogs/future_tense/2017/11/01/facebook_google_are_too_big_to_stop_election_meddling_on_their_own.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Facebook and Google Are Too Big to Stop Election Meddling on Their Own</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“Three of the most recognized companies
in the world—Google, Facebook, and Twitter—served as </span><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/technology/technology/2017/10/congress_is_finally_asking_facebook_twitter_and_google_the_right_questions.html"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">target
practice</span></b></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> Tuesday as
executives submitted to two hours of questioning from a Senate subcommittee on
terrorism about how exactly Kremlin-backed operatives used their platforms to
hurt Hillary Clinton’s prospects of winning the presidency, spread
disinformation, and stoke social unrest to American voters before and after the
2016 election<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But that was only the beginning. On Wednesday, general
counsel from all three companies have two more hearings to sit through with the
House and Senate intelligence committees.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At Tuesday’s hearing, senators came armed with display
boards pasted with printouts of <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Russian-backed content that appeared engineered to rile
the far edges of America’s deeply polarized electorate. And while many of the
senators who submitted questions aren’t as fluent in social media as a YouTube
star or a Twitter-addled journalist, the power of social media to influence,
deceive, and manipulate voters wasn’t lost on anyone. Nor was the fact that
these massive internet platforms have, in a sense, grown out of control.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">…Facebook admitted that it is unable to
know whom it’s doing business with, which is exactly how Russian-backed actors
posing as faux activist groups and nonprofits were able to buy ads and create
inauthentic pages on Facebook, Twitter, and Google. Russian agents were even
able to organize over 60 real-life events from coast to coast across the United
States before and after the election, at least 22 of which drew American
attendees according to a Monday </span><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/russian-backed-facebook-accounts-organized-events-on-all-sides-of-polarizing-issues-1509355801" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">report</span></b></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> in the <em>Wall Street Journal.”</em></span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Leadership, Gratitude<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.success.com/blog/why-gratitude-makes-you-a-better-leader?utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=Social&utm_campaign=Post"><span style="font-size: large;">Why Gratitude Makes You a Better Leader</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“A few years ago, I made my first gratitude list, naming those
who bring out the best in me. They include:<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My dad, who showed me how to live and lead.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My mom, who made me feel loved every day of my life and taught me to pass on that love to others.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My wife, Margaret, who fills my life with joy.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Elmer Towns, Theologian, who sparked my dream of building a great church.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.thewoodeneffect.com/" target="_blank">John Wooden</a>, the legendary basketball coach, who encouraged me to make every day my masterpiece.</span></li>
</ul>
<ul style="margin-top: 0in;" type="disc">
<li class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">My workplace team, who inspire me to keep reaching, turn visions into reality, and rein me in when I am out of control.</span></li>
</ul>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">I wrote for 30 minutes straight that
day, filling line after line. I could have written for three hours and
still not included everyone who has touched my life. That’s why I add to it
periodically—sometimes in writing but more often in simple reflection. It’s my
way of </span><a href="http://www.success.com/article/top-of-mind-6-ways-to-make-others-feel-appreciated" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; text-decoration-line: none;">acknowledging the gifts people offer</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;"> me daily, from those who inspire my wildest dreams to
the server who takes a minute to deliver a kind word with my cup of coffee.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">This reflection time allows me to see that gratitude is
the antidote to the three deadly diseases that can ruin a leader: pride,
isolation and selfishness. When your name graces a company, it’s easy to
develop an <a href="http://www.success.com/article/how-to-keep-your-ego-from-getting-the-best-of-you" style="box-sizing: border-box;">inflated sense of
self-importance</a>. How quickly we forget the many hands that
contribute to our success. Such arrogance drives us away from people. The
resulting isolation blinds us to the needs of others. From such a cauldron,
selfishness percolates and ultimately spills over into every decision we make.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Gratitude counteracts those tendencies. When
we thank people, we’re reminded of our dependence on them and inspired to serve
their needs instead of insisting they meet ours.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Heroes</span></i></b></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-41824821/the-men-who-save-cats-from-trees?ocid=socialflow_twitter"><span style="font-size: large;">The men who save cats from trees</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"When your cat gets stuck, who you gonna call?<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">In the US state of Washington, there are some
incredibly tall trees that can reach up to 30 metres high. So when cats climb
into them, they often find they can't get down again.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Shaun Sears and Tom Otto are professional tree
climbers and they realised there was a cat problem. So they decided to do
something about it - and so Canopy Cat Rescue was born."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="body" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click <a href="http://www.bbc.com/news/av/world-41824821/the-men-who-save-cats-from-trees?ocid=socialflow_twitter"><b>here</b></a> to watch the video.</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-30346509413945704802017-10-31T11:00:00.001-07:002017-10-31T11:00:02.657-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 31 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #14171a; letter-spacing: 0.2pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Affordable Care Act, Health Care, Enrollment</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://khn.org/news/5-things-to-know-about-aca-at-year-5/">5 Things To Know About ACA At Year 5</a></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Open enrollment for people who buy their own health insurance starts Wednesday and ends Dec. 15 this year. That’s 45 days, six weeks shorter than last year — and only one of the big changes consumers need to consider. The Trump administration has cut back on marketing and funding for navigators to help people through the process.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Here are five important factors to keep in mind if you plan to sign up for 2018 coverage under the Affordable Care Act.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
</div>
<ol>
<li><strong style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">The health law has NOT been repealed.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">The requirement for most people to have insurance — and most employers to offer it — is also still in effect.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Like your mama said, you better shop around. </span></strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Cost will be a factor.</span></strong></li>
<li><strong style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-indent: -0.25in;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333; font-weight: normal;">Buyers should also beware.” </span></strong></li>
</ol>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Click on the article title for the details of each factor enumerated above.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Elections,
Technology</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #3f3f40;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.reuters.com/article/us-usa-cyber-election/senators-aim-to-protect-election-systems-from-hacking-idUSKBN1D022S?feedType=RSS&feedName=topNews&utm_source=twitter&utm_medium=Social"><span style="font-size: large;">Senators aim to protect election systems from hacking</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #313132;">“A bipartisan pair of U.S. senators plans to
introduce legislation on Tuesday seeking to boost the cyber defenses of state
election systems, after warnings from senior U.S. officials that future elections
may be vulnerable to foreign interference.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Securing America’s Voting Equipment,
or SAVE, Act is the latest attempt by lawmakers to respond to what U.S.
intelligence agencies say was a multi-pronged cyber operation, including
hacking and online propaganda by Russia during the 2016 presidential election
aimed at helping President Donald Trump. Moscow has repeatedly denied the
accusations.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The bill will be introduced by Democratic
Senator Martin Heinrich and Republican Senator Susan Collins, a Heinrich
spokeswoman said. It does not currently have other co-sponsors.</span></span><iframe data-integralas-id-5166e7ce-be85-a888-1194-cef197b966d1="" frameborder="0" height="1" id="google_ads_iframe_/4735792/us.reuters/tech/article_2" marginheight="0" marginwidth="0" name="google_ads_iframe_/4735792/us.reuters/tech/article_2" scrolling="no" style="background-color: transparent; border-width: 0px; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit; margin: 0px; padding: 0px; vertical-align: bottom;" title="3rd party ad content" width="1"></iframe></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #313132; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #313132; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Until we set up stronger protections of
our election systems and take the necessary steps to prevent future foreign
influence campaigns, our nation’s democratic institutions will remain vulnerable,”
Heinrich said in a statement.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Technology, Medical Care</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #3e433e; letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #3e433e; letter-spacing: -0.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://techcrunch.com/2017/04/12/toyotas-new-robot-leg-brace-can-help-those-with-partial-paralysis-walk-again/">Toyota’s new robot leg brace can help those with partial paralysis walk again</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="background-color: #f9f9f9; color: #3e433e; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Toyota is introducing
a new robotic leg brace called the Welwalk WW-1000 that can help patients with
partial paralysis affecting one side of their body walk again. The robotic
exoframe is worn on the affected leg, with a large motor component at the knee
joint that provides just enough assistance to the patient, letting them recover
their own walking ability therapeutically over time.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #3e433e; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #3e433e; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The robotic wearable
is paired with a custom treadmill and a harness that is anchored above the
patient, with medical staff able to watch and control the whole apparatus from
a convenient touchscreen input device. The </span><a href="https://apnews.com/922334b3bfb84cc4bfeff03259dc1b95/Toyota-shows-robotic-leg-brace-to-help-paralyzed-people-walk" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #089e00;">Associated Press reports</span></a><span style="color: #3e433e; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> that
the Welwalk system will be made available to medical institutions in Japan
later this year, with a rental model that charges a one-time fee of around
$9,000 and then $3,200 after that on a monthly basis. Those costs are not
overly burdensome by medial equipment standards, and the system could
drastically reduce recovery time for patients overcoming partial paralysis
resulting from conditions include strokes."</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Opioid
Addiction, Treatment</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #4c4e4d;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/30/16339672/opioid-epidemic-vermont-hub-spoke">I looked for a state that’s taken the opioid epidemic seriously. I found Vermont.</a></span></span></b></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“These professionals
are at ground zero for Vermont’s relatively new addiction treatment program,
which is unique in its comprehensiveness. Their holistic approach to Tyler’s
case is emblematic of Vermont’s strategy as a whole: a focus on the science and
research, with a desire to get everyone — even patients who can prove to be
very difficult — in treatment to save their lives.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It’s a time-consuming
effort, but one that providers in the state enthusiastically participate in to
push back against the deadliest overdose crisis in US history. This is, after
all, a crisis that led to </span><a href="https://www.cdc.gov/nchs/nvss/vsrr/drug-overdose-data.htm" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f7177;">more than 64,000 drug overdose deaths</span></b></a><span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> nationwide
in 2016. Opioid overdoses alone could kill </span><a href="https://www.statnews.com/2017/06/27/opioid-deaths-forecast/" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f7177;">as many as 650,000</span></b></a><span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> — or more people
than live in Vermont today — across the US in the next decade.</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tyler’s story shows
big challenges remain, but Vermont’s effort appears to be working. According to
figures from the </span><a href="https://wonder.cdc.gov/mcd-icd10.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><b><span style="color: #4f7177;">Centers for Disease Control and Prevention</span></b></a><span style="color: #4c4e4d; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> (CDC),
the drug overdose death rate for New England was about 24.6 per 100,000 people
in 2015 (the latest year of state-by-state data available), which was the
highest for any region in the country. Yet Vermont was not only below the
regional average at 15.8, but below even the national average of 16.3 — a fact
that some people on the ground attribute in part to the state’s unique system,
known as the hub and spoke.”</span></div>
<div style="-webkit-font-smoothing: antialiased; background: white; box-sizing: border-box; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #313132;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Success, Well-Being</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #333333;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/is-too-much-ambition-making-you-miserable.html"><span style="font-size: large;">Is Too Much Ambition Making You Miserable?</span></a></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Research by psychologist Tim Kasser "has shown that the
pursuit of materialistic values like money, possessions, and social status--the
fruits of career successes--leads to lower well-being and more distress in individuals.
It is also damaging to relationships," reports Esfahani Smith, who
explains that the research shows that these damaged social bonds dent
well-being. The article weaves in moving personal stories, literary references,
and discussion of the debate around Sheryl Sandberg's book </span><i style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Lean In </span></i><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">to explore the issue in depth. </span><a href="http://www.theatlantic.com/health/archive/2013/04/relationships-are-more-important-than-ambition/275025/" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">It's well worth a read in full</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">But Esfahani Smith isn't the only thinker who apparently feels
this is an appropriate cultural moment to push the career oriented to think
carefully about the tradeoffs they may be making. This week the </span><a href="http://www.dumblittleman.com/2013/04/13-things-happy-people-do-differently.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">blog Dumb Little Man advises</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> those
looking to be happier to not chase status.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Your brain is wired not only to figure out where you sit
in the professional and social pecking order against others, but to reinforce
your position in that pecking order," says writer Steve Errey, who
continues: "When you get wrapped up in establishing or maintaining status,
the moment your place in the hierarchy drops you're going to feel pretty
horrible... Don't get into the status game--there are no winners."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Elsewhere, legendary Harvard Business School professor Clayton
Christensen has warned </span><a href="https://www.inc.com/jessica-stillman/you-are-measuring-success-wrong.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">that chasing short-term success often leads to soured relationships
and regrets long term</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, while polarizing blogger Penelope Trunk
frames the same debate in her characteristic absolutist terms, </span><a href="http://blog.penelopetrunk.com/2010/02/16/test-is-your-life-happy-or-interesting/" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #009cd8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">warning that you can have an
interesting life or a happy one, but not both</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Trunk may present things in black and white, but when the
question is fashioning a good life for yourself rather than attracting the
maximum number of clicks to your post, the real takeaway is probably not an
either/or choice but a question of shades of grey.”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-16718794071099150632017-10-30T10:22:00.002-07:002017-10-30T10:22:43.161-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 30 Edition<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Public
Spaces, Terrorism</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.aspeninstitute.org/blog-posts/public-squares-front-lines-fight-terrorism/"><span style="font-size: large;">Public Squares Are the Front Lines in the Fight Against Terrorism</span></a><span style="color: #004f81;"><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #004f81;">"“</span>In the US, a debate has raged about
whether these kinds of measures—many of which went into effect after
9/11—detract from the very purpose of public spaces: <a href="http://www.citymetric.com/skylines/how-security-transforming-public-space-494" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004f81;">to be free, comfortable, and open
for all.</span></a>With each tragic mass shooting that takes place in US
cities, that <a href="https://www.citylab.com/design/2016/06/orlando-shooting-public-space-security/486971/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004f81;">debate rekindles</span></a>.
There’s also the question of equity. Certain types of people <a href="https://www.aclu.org/other/whats-wrong-public-video-surveillance" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004f81;">may be disproportionately
scrutinized</span></a> as a result of their race, religion, or income.
They may pay unfairly for something someone else did in the past, Vonier said,
speaking of low-income populations, in particular. “That’s something we must be
cognizant of and sensitive to.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Of course, less intrusive tweaks can
go a long way. One example is the sunken wall around <a href="https://ggwash.org/view/10710/security-experts-like-the-public-disagree-on-security" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004f81;">the Washington Monument</span></a> in
Washington, DC. Recently, the European Commission released <a href="http://europa.eu/rapid/press-release_IP-17-3947_en.htm" target="_blank"><span style="color: #004f81;">a new action</span></a> plan, which allows cities to
share effective but subtle solutions and fund them. “I think we can find the
middle ground between closing down everything and security for citizens,”said
Séverine Wernert, who is a part of the European Commission’s Security Union.”"<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Housing<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: black;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.fastcompany.com/40482921/this-three-story-tiny-house-fits-in-the-footprint-of-a-parking-space">This Three-Story Tiny House Fits In The Footprint Of A Parking Space </a></span></span><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"In Helsinki, like many cities, there
isn’t enough housing to keep up with demand. Some people blame a lack of land
to build new housing, but one design firm argues that there is enough land–if
you know where to look. The firm’s new building is designed to fit in a single
parking spot.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The city is not designed because of
humans–it’s designed because of cars,” says architect Marco Casagrande,
principal at the Helsinki-based <a href="https://www.casagrandelaboratory.com/"><span style="color: #22458f; text-decoration-line: none;">Casagrande
Laboratory</span></a>, which designed the new tiny house. “All the streets in
cityscapes are based on car dimensions. This I found a little bit strange. We
have all this talk about the density of cars getting less and less in cities,
and at the same time, we are talking about people moving into cities . . . but
we don’t have space to build. Nobody has been questioning car parking spaces.
They are everywhere. So this talk about no land to build in cities is nonsense:
It’s everywhere, but it’s just for cars.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">A
prototype of the design, called <a href="https://www.casagrandelaboratory.com/portfolio/tikku/"><span style="color: #22458f; text-decoration-line: none;">Tikku</span></a>
(Finnish for “stick”), built for Helsinki Design Week, has a footprint slightly
larger than 8 feet by 16 feet. But with three stories, it has enough room to
make it a comfortable place to live or work."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Travel,
TSA</i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://amp.travelandleisure.com/airlines-airports/new-tsa-security-measures?source=dam"><span style="font-size: large;">What Travelers Need to Know About New Airport Security Measures</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"New TSA security measures announced in July are being
rolled out in airports around the country, most recently at large hubs
including Baltimore–Washington International Airport and Orlando International
Airport.<b><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN">Passengers now need to take out all large electronics and
put them through security in a separate bin from their carry-on bags, a process
that has long been in place for laptops.</span><span style="color: #222222;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN">The TSA said it was responding to a threat that
terrorists could be targeting airports by attempting to disguise bombs inside
large electronics."</span></span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Social Media, Fake Accounts, Russia</span></i></b><br />
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><br /></span></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><span lang="EN" style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/alltechconsidered/2017/10/29/560461835/how-russian-propaganda-spreads-on-social-media?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2056">How Russian Propaganda Spreads On Social Media</a></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Earlier this
year, a Facebook group page called Blacktivist caught the eye of M'tep Blount.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">As a supporter of Black Lives Matter, Blount figured
Blacktivist would be a similar group. The Facebook page came with a message:
"You have a friend who is a part of this group," and it had a huge
following — over 400,000 as of late August.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Blount found that Blacktivist's page shared information
about police brutality. Videos often showed police beating African-Americans in
small towns. "It was like, 'Wow! This is happening in this community too.
I really hope they do something about it but they probably aren't going to,'
" she says.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">As it turns out, the Blacktivist page was not like Black
Lives Matter, at all. It appears to have been linked to Russia, and Facebook
has since taken it down. The group was carefully crafted to attract people like
Blount whose behavior on Facebook showed they mistrusted police and were
concerned about civil rights.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">It was just
one of the many calculated ways in which social media platforms have been used
lately to covertly sow divisions within society. Later this week, Facebook,
Google and Twitter will face members of Congress to answer questions in three
public hearings about their role in enabling Russian interference in the 2016
U.S. presidential election. The hearings are also expected to shed light on how
Russian propaganda has spread in the U.S. through these major social media
platforms."</span><br />
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b>
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">U.S.
Census</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Listen or read:</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/show/the-2020-census-is-at-risk-here-are-the-major-consequences">The 2020 Census is at risk. Here are the major consequences.</a></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">"Data
collected by the U.S. Census Bureau every 10 years is used to draw voting
districts and determine how much funding to give to states, counties and
cities, but underfunded and without a director, the agency is now on the verge
of collapsing. Hari Sreenivasan is joined by former Census director Kenneth
Prewitt to discuss what a crippled census in 2020 could mean for our democracy.</span><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Kenneth Prewitt:</span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">They’re trying to do the 2020 census
at roughly half of the price of the 2010 census, whereas the 2010 was double
the price of the 2000. That was the one I was engaged in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">So, yes, enormous advances have been
made in using technology to reduce the cost. But if you are not even funded at
that level with these new technologies, well, you’re simply ill-prepared to do
the census in 2020.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The bad news is, it’s not being
funded, and we currently don’t have a leader. We don’t have a director in the
Census Bureau, so we’re not ready in that more important sense.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">And then another issue, we’re trying
new technologies this year for the first time ever in a census. And you have to
test them, or you should test them. There’s no money to test them. Just it’s
like you had a fighter fly a plane that puts a new technology in it that’s
never been before, rolls off the assembly line, and they say, oh, go directly
into action."</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-78416064657043362752017-10-27T10:05:00.000-07:002017-10-27T10:05:04.101-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 27 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspiration,
Women, NFL, Security<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Read and Watch:</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #404040;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.espn.com/espnw/culture/feature/article/20994956/from-teen-mother-nfl-security-chief-cathy-lanier-rise-law-enforcement-ranks"><span style="font-size: large;">From teen mother to NFL security chief, Cathy Lanier's rise through the law enforcement ranks</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #1a1919;">“Behind a nondescript
doorway there was a meeting. Men from the FBI, local police and the sheriff's
department were receiving a high-level security briefing about one of the
biggest terrorist targets in the world. The recently appointed head of Homeland
Security was there, surrounded by men in blue uniforms, brown fatigues and
black suits, many sporting translucent cords curling around their ears.</span><b><span style="color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #1a1919;">At the head of the
table sat a 49-year-old woman with shoulder length blonde hair barely touching
her new black suit coat. She had purchased it a few weeks earlier when, for the
first time in her adult life, she actually had to go out and buy "work
clothes." She never spoke at that February meeting, just listened politely
to the men around the table because she knew what they were going to say before
they said it. More than 4,000 officers from 40 different law enforcement
agencies were about to follow her lead, even though she had been on the job for
only a few months. Even though she dropped out of high school when she became
pregnant at age 14. Even though many said she destroyed her career when she
filed a complaint to her police department, claiming sexual harassment on the
job.</span><b><span style="color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #1a1919;">As chief of security
for the NFL, Cathy Lanier has one of the most coveted jobs in law enforcement.
Once a headstrong teenager who drove her mother crazy, she now commands respect
and admiration from men not generally accustomed to seeing a woman in charge.
Her path to the top has been unorthodox, as she keeps breaking society's norms
to enforce its laws.</span><b><span style="color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #1a1919;">But Lanier will tell
you she didn't have any choice. She needed to make a better life for her
newborn child. For Cathy Lanier, it has always been about taking care of
family.”</span><b><span style="color: #404040;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Gun
Laws</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #222222;"><a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-laws-stop-at-state-lines-but-guns-dont/?ex_cid=538twitter"><span style="font-size: large;">Gun Laws Stop At State Lines, But Guns Don’t</span></a></span></b><b><i><o:p></o:p></i></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The relationship between state gun laws and the flow of
firearms between states can be measured using data from the Bureau of Alcohol,
Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, <a href="https://www.atf.gov/resource-center/firearms-trace-data-2016"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">which traces guns</span></a>’ origins and where law enforcement
recovers them. An analysis of data from 107 pairs of bordering states<a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-laws-stop-at-state-lines-but-guns-dont/?ex_cid=538twitter#fn-2"><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">2</span></sup></a> throughout the country shows a
relationship between the strictness of a state’s gun laws relative to its
neighbor and the number of firearms recovered<a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-laws-stop-at-state-lines-but-guns-dont/?ex_cid=538twitter#fn-3"><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">3</span></sup></a> from that neighbor.<a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-laws-stop-at-state-lines-but-guns-dont/?ex_cid=538twitter#fn-4"><sup><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">4</span></sup></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Jens Ludwig, a professor at the University of Chicago and
director of the University of Chicago crime lab, notes that ATF data “that has
been analyzed by academics across the country regularly shows that in cities
that try to control gun violence by supplementing federal regulations with
additional local gun laws, those laws are regularly undermined by crime guns
coming in from other states.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #222222;">For instance, an </span><a href="http://www.npr.org/2017/10/05/555580598/fact-check-is-chicago-proof-that-gun-laws-don-t-work"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">NPR fact check</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> of the White House talking point noted that Chicago is
close to the borders of two states — Wisconsin and Indiana — that have weak gun
laws. A </span><a href="http://www.chicagobusiness.com/Assets/downloads/20151102-Tracing-Guns.pdf"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">2014 report</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> from the city of Chicago noted that 60 percent of guns
used to commit crimes in Chicago from 2009 to 2013 originated outside of
Illinois, and Indiana and Wisconsin were two of the biggest sources of
recovered guns.</span><a href="https://fivethirtyeight.com/features/gun-laws-stop-at-state-lines-but-guns-dont/?ex_cid=538twitter#fn-5"><sup><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #008fd5; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">5</span></sup></a><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"> And Illinois is not alone.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Cancer, Appearance<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><a href="https://www.curetoday.com/publications/cure/2017/fall-2017/more-than-skin-deep-improving-physical-appearance-after-cancer"><span style="font-size: large;">More Than Skin Deep: Improving Physical Appearance After Cancer</span></a></b><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“Look Good
Feel Better is one of several nonprofit programs that taps into the power of
tending to personal appearance to bolster the spirits of people with cancer.
Currently in its 28th year, Look Good Feel Better is a collaborative effort
among the Personal Care Products Council, the American Cancer Society and the
Professional Beauty Association. Licensed beauty professionals, including hair
stylists, makeup artists, aestheticians and nail technicians, volunteer their
time to teach participants about skin and nail care, as well as how to use
cosmetics, wigs, turbans and accessories.</span><b><o:p></o:p></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white;">“We recognize that living with cancer can be
overwhelming,” says Louanne Roark, executive director of the Look Good Feel
Better Foundation of the Personal Care Products Council. “Our goal is to help
people with cancer feel more confident about putting themselves out there,
whether they’re going to work, taking their kids to school, grocery shopping or
just looking in a mirror at home.”</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br />
</span></span></div>
<span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Leadership,
Movements</i></b></span></span><br />
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/just-transition/no-more-white-saviors-let-people-lead-their-own-movements-20171024">No More White Saviors: Let People Lead Their Own Movements</a></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“A new book by Jordan Flaherty, </span><em style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">No More
Heroes: Grassroots Challenges to the Savior Mentality</em><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">, offers insight into
how the practice of “saviorism” injures our movements and provides visions for
an alternative and much-needed praxis.</span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">You’re no doubt familiar with the White
savior: a person of privilege picks a cause they know little to nothing about
and insists on solutions that inevitably cause more harm than good. As Flaherty
explains, the savior mentality cannot exist without turning people into objects
who need rescuing.</span><br />
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“It is as old as conquest and as enduring
as colonialism,” he writes. As an activist and a journalist, Flaherty has
witnessed firsthand the harms of saviorism and neatly lays out countless
examples of its failure—perhaps most poignantly when he writes about Brandon
Darby. Flaherty cites numerous articles and other activists for his
well-researched chapter about Darby, a man he’s known for several years.”</span><br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></span><span style="color: #231f20; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Education, Homework</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span lang="EN" style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://psmag.com/education/making-homework-matter-dont-ban-it-fix-it"><span style="font-size: large;">MAKING HOMEWORK MATTER: DON'T BAN IT, FIX IT</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white;">“How can we fix homework?</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white;">Cory Bennett is doing his part to answer that
question. Bennett, now an assistant professor of education of Idaho State, was,
for many years, an eighth-grade math teacher in Hawaii. His school was
unusually diverse, both ethnically and socioeconomically. Bennett's initial
approach to homework was traditional—to teach math concepts in class and assign
relevant homework to drill them in. Basically, a lot of rote work. Students
weren't onboard. They rejected the homework; soon, most of the class was
failing. Rather than blame the students, Bennett re-examined his approach and
realized, as he told me, "I didn't know what they knew." Likewise, he
had no idea what their lives were like outside of class.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">So one day he quashed
the planned homework assignment and asked his students to write a 100-word
essay about what it was like to be their age. What Bennett received from his
kids changed the way he taught. Having a "lens into their mind"
helped explain why the traditional homework regime failed. The kids did not
have a place to study at home; they had to care for siblings after school; they
were overly preoccupied with being accepted among peers to focus on homework;
they were dealing with parental problems at home. Normal stuff—but it all
mattered. Together, these accounts, according to Bennett, not only explained
the broken homework model, but "transformed my instructional
practices."</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">By better
understanding "the lives of my students," Bennett says he was able to
appreciate how they needed to be empowered while at school. Everything they
wrote about, all their insecurities and ambitions, spoke to a neglected desire
for some level of autonomy over classroom learning. To pursue this goal Bennett
did something simple but powerful: he let the students know he wanted them to
succeed. Then he asked them to provide ideas about how to master the
mathematical material in the confines of the classroom. Essentially, he said,
"Here is what we have to learn; do you have ideas about how to do it?”</span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-83850901764911668082017-10-26T09:57:00.000-07:002017-10-26T09:57:15.604-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 26 Edition<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">American Soldiers, Military<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><span style="color: #111111; letter-spacing: -0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/24/the-right-way-to-honor-the-troops/"><span style="font-size: large;">The Right Way to Honor the Troops</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Our troops deserve to be thanked for their service. But the best method
for honoring them might be the least practiced of all: learning what they
actually do. This has the advantage of being something Americans can do today,
before the next war starts, or before the inevitable announcement of troop
casualties. American citizens have always had this choice — they can be passive
recipients of White House and Pentagon messaging, or empowered citizens who are
better informed about military policy and less susceptible to political
manipulation.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">To get started, here are <a href="http://foreignpolicy.com/2017/10/24/the-right-way-to-honor-the-troops/"><span style="color: blue;">20 important aspects of U.S. military policy</span></a> that
anyone can explore further by clicking the embedded links. The amount and
granularity of such information has decreased since 9/11 as each administration
becomes less and less transparent. The reports and databases linked below do
not necessarily include covert or clandestine missions, and some are undoubtedly
incomplete even beyond such omissions.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">But the U.S. armed forces are still relatively open to scrutiny compared to
other great power militaries. That’s why honoring the troops by learning what
they do costs nothing more than the price of a reliable internet connection —
and why there’s no excuse not to set aside the necessary time.”</span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">Family Leave, Work-Life Balance</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></span><b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://fortune.com/2017/10/25/ibm-careers-maternity-leave/?utm_campaign=fortunemagazine&utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&xid=soc_socialflow_twitter_FORTUNE">IBM is Giving Its New Moms and Dads Even More Perks</a></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span lang="EN">“<a href="http://fortune.com/fortune500/ibm/">IBM</a> on Wednesday is increasing
its existing parental leave and introducing a policy that reimburses employees
for surrogacy expenses for the first time.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The paid maternity leave available to new birth mothers employed at the
tech giant will increase from a maximum of 14 weeks to 20 weeks. Fathers,
partners, and adoptive parents, meanwhile, will receive 12 paid weeks
off—double the previous benefit of six.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The Armonk, N.Y.-based company is also offering employees a reimbursement
of up to $20,000 for expenses related to adoption or surrogacy; it previously
offered $5,000 for adoptions only. The new reimbursement will be available to
employees even if their adoption or surrogacy efforts are unsuccessful, allowing
workers to pursue parenthood “without devastating their bank accounts,” Barbara
Brickmeier, IBM’s vice president of benefits, told </span><em style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Fortune</em><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">She said the new benefits reflect the company’s realization that “no one
size fits all.”</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“We have a general approach of wanting to meet employees where they are,”
she said. “People are forming families in various ways.” She pointed to the new
surrogacy reimbursement in particular as benefiting both straight and same-sex
parents. She said employees had asked for the perk.”</span><br />
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b>
<br />
<b><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Puerto Rico, Recovery, Solar Energy</span></span></i></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/25/560045944/tesla-turns-power-back-on-at-childrens-hospital-in-puerto-rico?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2053">Tesla Turns Power Back On At Children's Hospital In Puerto Rico</a></span></span></span></b><br />
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Tesla has used its solar panels and batteries to restore
reliable electricity at San Juan's Hospital del Niño (Children's Hospital), in
what company founder </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bap6TqcjowK" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="background: white; border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #5076b8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">Elon Musk
calls</span></a><span style="background: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> "the
first of many solar+battery Tesla projects going live in Puerto Rico."</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The project came about after Puerto Rico
was hit by two devastating and powerful hurricanes in September, and Musk
reached out about Tesla helping.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Musk's company announced its
success in getting the hospital's power working again less than three weeks
after Puerto Rico Gov. Ricardo Rossello tweeted on Oct. 6, "Great initial
conversation with @elonmusk tonight. Teams are now talking; exploring
opportunities."</span><br />
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Tesla's image of the project's
solar array, in a parking lot next to the hospital, has been liked more than
84,000 times since it was </span><a href="https://www.instagram.com/p/Bapz5hrB5KH/" style="-webkit-tap-highlight-color: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; font-stretch: inherit; font-style: inherit; font-variant: inherit; font-weight: inherit; line-height: inherit;"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #5076b8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">posted to Instagram</span></a><span style="color: #333333; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> Tuesday.”</span><br />
<br />
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; float: none; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Future of Work, Public Policy</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/10/the-future-of-jobs-polarized-unequal-and-health-care/543915/"><span style="font-size: large;">Why Nerds and Nurses Are Taking Over the U.S. Economy</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Manufacturing will fall. Retail will wobble. Automation
will inch along but stay off the roads, for now. The rich will keep getting
richer. And more and more of the country will be paid to take care of old
people. That is the future of the labor market, according to the <a data-omni-click="r'article',r'link',r'0',r'543915'" href="https://www.bls.gov/news.release/ecopro.nr0.htm"><span style="color: #458cd5;">latest
10-year forecast</span></a> from the Bureau of Labor Statistics.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">These 10-year-forecast reports—the products of
two years’ work from about 25 economists at the BLS —document the government’s
best assessment of the fastest and slowest growing jobs of the future. On the
decline are automatable work, like typists, and occupations threatened by
changing consumer behavior, like clothing store cashiers, as more people shop
online.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The fastest-growing jobs through 2026 belong to
what one might call the Three Cs: care, computers, and clean energy. No
occupation is projected to add more workers than personal-care aides, who
perform non-medical duties for older Americans, such as bathing and cooking.
Along with home-health aides, these two occupations are projected to create 1.1
million new jobs in the next decade. Remarkably, that’s 10 percent of the total
11.5 million jobs that the BLS expects the economy to add. Clean-energy
workers, like solar-panel installers and wind-turbine technicians, are the only
occupations that are expected to double by 2026. Mathematicians and
statisticians round out the top-10 list.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">These projections aren't just a fun experiment for economic
forecasters and journalists who need unfalsifiable predictions to write about.
They can help college students pick their major—for example, the projected
growth of statisticians augurs well for math—and shape debates about government
spending.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">At times, however, it seems like nobody at the
highest level of government has any clue these reports exist. When President
Donald Trump talks about the future of the economy, he often praises steel
workers and manufacturers. But manufacturing is the only major industry
projected to decline in the next decade, and steelworkers are projected to add
just 9,000 jobs in the next 10 years. That is about the same as the projected
increase in drama and music professors at private colleges, an occupation that
no politician considers symbolic of the American idea (sad!).<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Here are <b><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/10/the-future-of-jobs-polarized-unequal-and-health-care/543915/"><span style="color: blue;">the four major themes of the employment projections</span></a></b>.”</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<b style="background-color: transparent;"><i><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Women, Leadership, Media</span></span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/about/events/womens-media-awards-2017"><span style="font-size: large;">Women’s Media Awards 2017</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The Women's Media Awards 2017 will be held on Thursday,
October 26 in New York City. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #333333;">Awards</span></strong><span style="color: #333333;"> will
be given to <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/secretary-hillary-rodham-clinton" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127; text-decoration-line: none;">Hillary Rodham
Clinton</span></strong></a>,<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"> <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/maria-hinojosa" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Maria Hinojosa</span></a>, <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/ashley-judd" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Ashley Judd,</span></a> <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/april-ryan" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">April Ryan</span></a>, <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/maria-elena-salinas" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">María Elena Salinas</span></a>,</strong> and <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/gail-tifford" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Gail Tifford</span></a>, </strong>and also
recognizing the film “<strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/hidden-figures" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Hidden Figures</span></a></strong>.”
And we will be celebrating the landmark <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;">80th
birthday of our co-founder <a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/jane-fonda" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Jane Fonda</span></a></strong>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #333333;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/profile/maya-harris" style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="color: #cb2127;">Maya L. Harris</span></a></span></strong><span style="color: #333333;">, lawyer, MSNBC analyst, senior policy adviser to the
2016 Hillary Rodham Clinton presidential campaign, and former board co-chair of
the Women’s Media Center, will host this event for the first time.”</span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; text-align: justify;">
<span style="color: blue;"><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.womensmediacenter.com/about/press/press-releases/hillary-clinton-press-release"><span style="color: blue;">Hillary Rodham Clinton</span> to receive WMC Wonder Woman Award</a></span></b><b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span></b></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><strong><span style="font-weight: normal;">“Clinton</span></strong> is
an advocate, attorney, author, First Lady, U.S. Senator, U.S. Secretary of
State, and Democratic presidential candidate who has devoted her life to
working on behalf of women, children and families.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Women’s Media Center is
presenting its first—and only—WMC Wonder Woman Award to Clinton as she is a
hero to millions in the United States and around the globe for her
extraordinary accomplishments and public service. Like Wonder Woman, she seems
to have superhuman strength, resilience, and courage. She also blazes new paths
so that everyone has equal opportunity to pursue their dreams, and she has done
much of it in the face of enemy fire.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; text-align: justify;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; text-align: justify;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Hillary Clinton’s actions
have inspired and protected women and men on every continent,” said <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">Gloria Steinem</span></strong>, <strong style="box-sizing: border-box;"><span style="font-weight: normal; mso-bidi-font-weight: bold;">co-founder of The Women’s
Media Center</span></strong>. “She has battled negative forces and helped to
maintain a fragile peace with her negotiating skill on behalf of this country
and peace-seekers everywhere. She has handled all this with grace, grit,
determination, integrity, humor and fortitude while remaining a steadfast
feminist, advocate, activist, sister and tireless leader in the revolution.
With this award, the Women’s Media Center declares Hillary Clinton our Wonder
Woman.””<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Congratulations to the winners!</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-76540271607846234072017-10-25T11:56:00.001-07:002017-10-25T11:56:34.592-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 25 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Positive Habits, Personal Development<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/nicolas-cole/10-positive-habits-that-will-immediately-make-life-better-.html"><span style="font-size: large;">10 Positive Habits That Will Immediately Make Life Better</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“I am a firm believer in the power of positive habits. It's so
easy to point at the clouds and say, "This is where I want to be."
Anyone can do that. The challenge is to get your hands dirty and do what you
need to do each and every day in order to turn those dreams into a reality.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">1. Keep your first promise of the day.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: .25in; margin-right: 0in; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The first promise all of us make to ourselves every day is what
time we're going to get up. And you know what? A large majority of
us break that promise. The alarm goes off. You hit snooze. And without
even meaning to, you've already started the day on the wrong foot. You made a
promise the night before that you decided not to keep.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Get in the habit of practicing making a promise to yourself and
keeping it. This is about more than just "waking up." This is about
the habit.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 2; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">2. Dress for success.<o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Look good, feel good. <o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Part of your morning routine should involve embodying the energy
you want to bring into the world. This has less to do with "looking
professional" and more to do with getting yourself in a positive frame of
mind. When you feel comfortable in your own shoes, you carry yourself with a
different energy. It's the energy that matters.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b>Click on the title of the article to read the other 8.</b><o:p></o:p></span></span></i></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Foreign Policy, North Korea</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/north-korea/2017-09-10/korean-missile-crisis"><span style="font-size: large;">The Korean Missile Crisis: Why Deterrence Is Still the Best Option</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“It is
time for the U.S. government to admit that it has failed to prevent North Korea
from acquiring nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles that can
reach the United States. North Korea no longer poses a nonproliferation
problem; it poses a <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/north-korea/2017-08-22/take-preventive-war-north-korea-table"><span style="color: #0a72ce;">nuclear deterrence problem</span></a>. The gravest danger
now is that North Korea, South Korea, and the United States will stumble into
a <a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2017-03-22/vision-trump-war"><span style="color: #0a72ce;">catastrophic war that none of them wants</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The world has traveled down this perilous path
before. In 1950, the Truman administration contemplated a preventive strike to
keep the Soviet Union from acquiring nuclear weapons but decided that the
resulting conflict would resemble World War II in scope and that containment
and deterrence were better options. In the 1960s, the Kennedy administration
feared that Chinese leader Mao Zedong was mentally unstable and proposed a
joint strike against the nascent Chinese nuclear program to the Soviets.
(Moscow rejected the idea.) Ultimately, the United States learned to live with
a nuclear Russia and a nuclear China. It can now learn to live with a nuclear
North Korea.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Doing so will not be risk free, however.
Accidents, misperceptions, and volatile leaders could all too easily cause
disaster. The Cold War offers important lessons in how to reduce these risks by
practicing containment and deterrence wisely. But officials in the Pentagon and
the White House face a new and unprecedented challenge: they must deter North
Korean leader Kim Jong Un while also preventing U.S. President Donald Trump
from bumbling into war. U.S. military leaders should make plain to their
political superiors and the American public that any U.S. first strike on North
Korea would result in a devastating loss of American and South Korean lives.
And civilian leaders must convince Kim that the United States will not attempt
to overthrow his regime unless he begins a war. If the U.S. civilian and
military leaderships perform these tasks well, the same approach that prevented
nuclear catastrophe during the Cold War can deter Pyongyang until the day that
communist North Korea, like the Soviet Union before it, collapses under its own
weight.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Elections</span></i></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="http://electionlawblog.org/?p=95659"><span style="font-size: large;">NYC Voter Purge: “City Board of Elections Admits It Broke the Law, Accepts Reform”</span></a></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i><span style="color: #222222;">WNYC</span></i><span style="color: #222222;">:<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The New York City Board
of Elections is admitting it broke state and federal law when it improperly
removed voters from the rolls ahead of the presidential primary last spring,
including more than 117,000 voters in Brooklyn.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">That’s according to a
draft consent decree announced Tuesday— nearly a year after the Board was sued
in federal court for violating the National Voter Registration Act and state
election law.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The Brooklyn voter purge
was <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/story/democratic-voter-rolls-drop-more-60000-brooklyn-presidential-primary/" target="_blank"><span style="color: #3c3cb3;">first reported</span></a> by <a href="http://www.wnyc.org/story/de-blasio-demands-explanation-boe-drops-126000-brooklyn-democrats/"><span style="color: #3c3cb3;">WNYC</span></a> just days before last spring’s
primary election.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">As a part of the settlement,
the Board agreed to a series of remedial measures that will be in place at
least through the next presidential election, November 2020 — pending court
approval. <o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">The deal restores the
rights of improperly purged voters and establishes a comprehensive plan to
prevent illegal voter purges in future elections.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"> </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> </span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Travel,
Children<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="color: #222222;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--></span></span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><span style="color: #232323;"><o:p></o:p></span></b></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://amp.travelandleisure.com/trip-ideas/family-vacations/how-long-kids-wait-are-we-there-yet">How to Entertain Your Kids on a Flight or Road Trip</a></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="background-color: white; color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Kids may say the darndest things, but they’re actually quite predictable.</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">According to a psychologist, most kids younger than 12 can only wait 49 minutes and 47 seconds before asking the dreaded four words: “Are we there yet?”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="color: #262626;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">On long-haul flights, this means that parents are likely to experience hours of boredom with their children — unless they come prepared.”</span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: #FCFCFC; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="color: #232323;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Breast Cancer</i></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="letter-spacing: 0.4pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://m.huffpost.com/us/entry/us_59ee01ffe4b02c6e3c609cb3/amp?linkId=43892365%C2%A7ion=us_healthy-living"><span style="font-size: large;">Breast Cancer Screening And Research</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“In the
U.S., at least 250,000 new cases of invasive <a href="http://www.mayoclinic.org/diseases-conditions/breast-cancer/symptoms-causes/syc-20352470" style="box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">breast
cancer</span></a> will be diagnosed in women this year, according to the <a href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/breast-cancer/about/how-common-is-breast-cancer.html" style="box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">American
Cancer Society</span></a>. So, when it comes to screening for that cancer,
there are a number of options to consider.</span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e7061; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="http://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/ghosh-karthik-m-d/bio-00027228" style="box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Dr.</a></span><a href="http://www.mayo.edu/research/faculty/ghosh-karthik-m-d/bio-00027228" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">Karthik Ghosh,</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> director of the </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e7061; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/breast-clinic/minnesota/overview" style="box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">Mayo Clinic Breast Diagnostic Clinic</a> </span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/departments-centers/breast-clinic/minnesota/overview" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">Clinic Breast Diagnostic Clinic</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">, says </span><a href="https://www.mayoclinic.org/tests-procedures/mammogram/home/ovc-20230954" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">mammogram</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"> is</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">still the best test to screen the breast for women an average risk of breast</span></div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">cancer."It has really been one of the long-standing tests, with a lot of </span><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">research showing that there is a decrease in mortality."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; white-space: pre-wrap;">Dr. Ghosh</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">says the </span><span style="box-sizing: border-box; color: #2e7061; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box;" target="_blank">U.S. Preventive Services Task Force</a> </span><a href="https://www.uspreventiveservicestaskforce.org/" style="box-sizing: border-box; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank"><span style="color: #2e7061;">Preventive Services Task Force</span></a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> recommends that women 40 to 49 </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">consider screening after discussion with their health care provider. For women </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">50 to 75, mammograms should be performed every other year. Dr. Ghosh adds </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">there can be downsides to a mammogram, which include callbacks for further </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">testing, false positives and the anxiety related to those events.”</span><br />
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="box-sizing: border-box; line-height: 1.75rem; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; white-space: pre-wrap;">
<br /></div>
<h1 style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222;">
<br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #232323; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<h1 style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-top: 0in;">
<span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Times New Roman",serif; font-size: 12.0pt;"><br />
</span><span style="color: #222222; font-family: "Arial",sans-serif; font-size: 9.5pt;"><br />
<!--[if !supportLineBreakNewLine]--><br />
<!--[endif]--></span><span style="color: #232323; font-family: "PrimaryFont",serif; font-size: 20.5pt; mso-bidi-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-fareast-font-family: "Times New Roman"; mso-font-kerning: 18.0pt;"><o:p></o:p></span></h1>
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-49254602383334987762017-10-24T10:33:00.002-07:002017-10-24T10:35:20.338-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 24 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Travel,
Friendship<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background: white; color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.5pt;"><a href="https://www.afar.com/magazine/why-a-road-trip-is-the-all-american-way-to-build-a-friendship"><span style="font-size: large;">Why a Road Trip Is the All-American Way to Build a Friendship</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Halfway to the coast,
Genny announced that she hadn’t brought a gun. I glanced at the glove
compartment of the Toyota Corolla with a sting of surprise and relief. Her
nephew had given her shooting lessons for her last birthday, when she’d turned
76, but apparently she’d decided not to take up the offer of a pistol for our
road trip. “They say you shouldn’t have a gun if you have any doubt whether you
would shoot it or not,” said Genny, turning her eyes from the road to look at
me. “I don’t own a gun, but the one thing I do know is: I would shoot.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">We were only two hours
into our trip, and I was already nervous about what else I might learn about
Genny on our way. We had been pen pals since a chance meeting in <a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/north-carolina/guide" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">North Carolina</span></b></a> four
years ago; she was an avid reader and a curious soul, and our shared love of
books and meeting new people had kept us corresponding after I returned home
to <a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-kingdom/guide" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">England</span></b></a>. But Genny
rarely talked about herself. The idea that she—at five feet tall with white
hair and impeccable Southern manners—might be the Thelma to my Louise had never
occurred to me.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Outside the passenger
window, the yellow wash of <a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/south-carolina/guide" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">South Carolina’s</span></b></a> soy
fields gave way to clouds of cotton, ready for harvest. I considered what I did
know. Like me, Genny had lived alone in a city most of her life—<a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-states/north-carolina/charlotte-2/guide" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">Charlotte</span></b></a> in
her case, <a href="https://www.afar.com/travel-guides/united-kingdom/london/guide" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: blue;">London</span></b></a> in mine.
Like me, she had never married. Our shared circumstances had forged a bond that
made us feel, instinctively, that we would be good traveling companions. So I’d
asked Genny if she’d take a trip with me, and we’d chosen the coast of South
Carolina, a place she knew and loved."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Puerto Rico,
Disaster Relief</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/politics/five-living-ex-presidents-to-attend-texas-hurricane-relief-concert"><span style="font-size: large;">Appeal for hurricane aid backed by former presidents raises $31 million</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"The five living
former presidents put aside politics and appeared together for the first time
since 2013 at a concert on Saturday to raise money for victims of devastating
hurricanes in Texas, Florida, Louisiana, Puerto Rico and the U.S. Virgin
Islands.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Democrats Barack Obama, Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter and Republicans
George H.W. and George W. Bush gathered in College Station, Texas, home of
Texas A&M University, to try to unite the country after the storms.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Texas A&M is home to the presidential library of the elder Bush. At
93, he has a form of Parkinson’s disease and appeared in a wheelchair at the
event. His wife, Barbara, and George W. Bush’s wife, Laura, were in the
audience.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Grammy award winner Lady Gaga made a surprise appearance at the concert that
also featured country music band Alabama, Rock & Roll Hall of Famer ‘Soul
Man’ Sam Moore, gospel legend Yolanda Adams and Texas musicians Lyle Lovett and
Robert Earl Keen.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; font-stretch: inherit; font-variant-numeric: inherit; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The appeal backed by the ex-presidents has raised $31 million since it
began on Sept. 7, said Jim McGrath, spokesman for George H.W. Bush."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">New York City, Libraries, Children<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/10/18/nyregion/new-york-city-libraries-amnesty-childrens-fines.html?smid=tw-nytimes&smtyp=cur"><span style="font-size: large;">New York City’s Libraries Will Forgive All Children’s Fines</span></a><i><o:p></o:p></i></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"Library books are free, until they
aren’t: Patrons who rack up $15 in late fees at the city’s public libraries are
blocked from taking out more books until the fine is paid.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Among those with suspended
privileges are 160,000 children, most of them from the city’s poorest
neighborhoods, who cannot afford to pay.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Learning is a right. Reading brings
you to new worlds,” said Octavia Loving, a 17-year-old student at Special Music
High School, as she stood amid the stacks at Countee Cullen Library in Harlem,
one of the neighborhoods with the highest concentration of children with
blocked cards, according to library officials. “They shouldn’t block us from
reading because of money.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">On Thursday, the city’s three
library systems — the New York Public Library, which serves Manhattan, the
Bronx and Staten Island; the Queens Library; and the Brooklyn Public Library —
will forgive all fines for children 17 and under and unblock their cards. The
one-time amnesty is being underwritten by the <a href="http://www.jpbfoundation.org/" title="Foundation website"><span style="color: windowtext;">JPB Foundation</span></a>, a philanthropy that
supports civic causes, which will make up $2.25 million of the shortfall in
revenue from the forgiven fines."<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #161f2d;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Criminal Justice, Poverty, Bail<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trials_and_error/2017/10/religious_leaders_in_texas_are_on_a_crusade_to_end_cash_bail.html"><span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></a></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 26.25pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #281b21; letter-spacing: 0.75pt;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/trials_and_error/2017/10/religious_leaders_in_texas_are_on_a_crusade_to_end_cash_bail.html"><span style="font-size: large;">The Criminal Justice Gospel</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; margin-left: 0in; margin-right: 26.25pt; margin-top: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #281b21;">"In May 2016, Maranda Lynn O’Donnell, a </span><a href="http://www.houstonpress.com/news/group-sues-harris-county-over-bail-system-that-keeps-people-in-jail-just-because-theyre-poor-8417193" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #660033;">waitress and
mother of a 4-year-old girl</span></b></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #281b21;"> in Harris County, Texas, was arrested for allegedly
driving with a suspended license, a misdemeanor offense. She did not have
$2,500 to bail herself out, so she was locked up in jail for two days, unable
to go home to her daughter. The same day, Robert Ford was arrested for </span><a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/houston/article/Lawsuit-adds-pregnant-mom-detained-five-days-7942253.php" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #660033;">allegedly
stealing cosmetics worth $100</span></b></a><u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #281b21;">,</span></u><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #281b21;"> also
a misdemeanor. He too was sent to the Harris County jail, where he remained for
five days, unable to shell out $5,000 for bail. The day after that, Loetha
McGruder—who was</span><a href="http://www.houstonchronicle.com/houston/article/Lawsuit-adds-pregnant-mom-detained-five-days-7942253.php" target="_blank"><b><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #660033;"> pregnant with
two children at home, including one with Down syndrome</span></b></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #281b21;">—was arrested and detained for falsely
identifying herself to an officer. With bail set at $5,000, she remained in
jail for four days.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #281b21;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">All three of the
defendants are plaintiffs in a class-action lawsuit that aims to overhaul the
bail system in Harris County, Texas, home of the nation’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/04/29/us/judge-strikes-down-harris-county-bail-system.html?mcubz=1&_r=0" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660033;">third-biggest county jail system</span></b></a>.
The <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57fd58f937c581b957965f8e/t/5904d61429687f041ca3fc5d/1493489173616/MCGRUDER%2C%2Bet%2Bal.%2Bv.%2BHARRIS%2BCOUNTY%2BComplaint%2BFINAL.pdf" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660033;">suit</span></b></a>, filed in
May 2016 in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of Texas, calls
bail setting in the state’s largest county a “wealth-based detention scheme”
that punishes defendants accused of misdemeanors for being poor and encourages
them to plead guilty to avoid jail time.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #281b21;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">In April, <a href="https://static1.squarespace.com/static/57fd58f937c581b957965f8e/t/5904e776db29d65078236db6/1493493624230/25721540-0--16858.pdf" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660033;">Chief Judge Lee H. Rosenthal
decided in their favor</span></b></a><u>,</u> writing that it was
unconstitutional to jail people because they can’t afford bail. Rosenthal ruled
that Harris County would have to ask defendants about their financial
backgrounds and release them if they didn’t have enough money to pay their
bonds. <a href="http://www.chron.com/news/politics/houston/article/Harris-County-SOMETHING-bail-lawsuit-11130853.php" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660033;">The county challenged the
decision,</span></b></a> and the case now sits with the 5<sup>th</sup>U.S.
Circuit Court of Appeals, <a href="http://www.abajournal.com/magazine/article/meet_the_chief_judge_of_the_nations_most_divisive_controversial" target="_blank"><b><span style="color: #660033;">known as one of the most
conservative courts in the country</span></b></a>. In light of this setback,
the plaintiffs and their lawyers have been searching for allies to support
their case. They now have a powerful group on their side: religious leaders
that say they have a duty to fight for the poor."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="color: #281b21;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Aging,
Adventure<o:p></o:p></span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://apnews.com/22ab2c7c421e43b09a18040500277525?utm_campaign=SocialFlow&utm_source=Twitter&utm_medium=AP_Oddities"><span style="font-size: large;">Pennsylvania woman celebrates 94th birthday by skydiving</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">"A Pennsylvania woman has celebrated her 94th birthday by
going skydiving along with her granddaughter and great-granddaughter.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Williamsport
resident Eila (AY’-lah) Campbell says she figured she might not “make it for
another year” at her age, so she took the 10,000-foot (3,048-meter) plunge on
Sunday at Hazleton Regional Airport."</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; word-wrap: break-word;">
<o:p></o:p></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-22554500599635608592017-10-23T12:03:00.000-07:002017-10-23T12:03:03.903-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 23 Edition<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspiration,
Invention, Problem-Solving, Kids<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/thetwo-way/2017/10/20/559071028/troubled-by-flint-water-crisis-11-year-old-girl-invents-lead-detecting-device?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_campaign=npr&utm_medium=social&utm_term=nprnews"><span style="font-size: large;">Troubled By Flint Water Crisis, 11-Year-Old Girl Invents Lead-Detecting Device</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“When the drinking water in Flint, Mich., became
contaminated with lead, causing a major public health crisis, 11-year-old
Gitanjali Rao took notice.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I had been following the Flint, Michigan, issue for
about two years," the seventh-grader <a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Lifestyle/11-year-girl-inspired-flint-water-crisis-creates/story?id=50559884"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">told</span></a>
ABC News. "I was appalled by the number of people affected by lead
contamination in water."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She saw her parents testing the water in their own home
in Lone Tree, Colo., and was unimpressed by the options, which can be <a href="https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/2016/03/16/testing-assessing-safety-of-drinking-water-lead-contamination/80504058/"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">slow, unreliable
or both</span></a>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"I went, 'Well, this is not a reliable process and
I've got to do something to change this,' " Rao <a href="http://www.businessinsider.com/winner-of-3m-americas-top-young-scientist-lead-levels-in-water-2017-10"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">told</span></a> <i>Business
Insider</i>.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Rao tells ABC that while she was doing her weekly perusal
of MIT's Materials Science and Engineering <a href="https://dmse.mit.edu/"><span style="text-decoration-line: none;">website</span></a>
to see "if there's anything's new," she read about new technologies
that could detect hazardous substances and decided to see whether they could be
adapted to test for lead.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">She pressed local high schools and universities to
give her lab time and then hunkered down in the "science room" —
outfitted with a big white table — that she persuaded her engineer parents to
create in their home.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">And she set about devising a more efficient
solution: a device that could identify lead compounds in water and was portable
and relatively inexpensive.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><iframe allowfullscreen="" frameborder="0" height="315" src="https://www.youtube.com/embed/m4WM3arrBgo" width="560"></iframe><o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">United States, Government, Political Polarization</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><br /></b></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><b><a href="https://www.pbs.org/newshour/nation/america-needs-big-ideas-to-heal-our-divides-here-are-three">Opinion: America needs big ideas to heal our divides. Here are three.</a></b></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“Trust in one another and in key institutions
— the media, government, and the courts — are at historic lows. Such trust is
critical to a functioning democracy and healthy communities. The percentage of
Americans who say others can be trusted fell from 46 percent in 1972 to just 31
percent in 2016, with 36 percent of whites and 17 percent of blacks expressing
such trust. In turn, the number of hate groups has more than doubled since
1999. It is no surprise that communities are fraying in places like
Charlottesville, Ferguson and Chicago. As America becomes more diverse, we need
bridges across racial and socioeconomic lines to build inclusive communities
with more opportunities for all.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Even
though the latest neuroscience tells us we are social animals wired to
cooperate, Americans are increasingly isolated. New findings from the
University of Southern California show that only 28 percent of Americans say
they belong to any group with leaders they consider accountable and inclusive.
In turn, 35 million Americans live alone, up 114 percent since 1960.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Four
large-scale, integrating civic institutions built up during the 1900s have
shrunk significantly since the turn of the century: churches and other
religious congregations; unions; metropolitan daily newspapers; and political
parties for grassroots participation sustained beyond specific campaigns. We
wonder what institutions, if any, are taking their place.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Americans
are also less active in important ways that undergird a healthy democracy.
Regular volunteering is down from about 30 percent of the population in the
aftermath of 9/11 through 2005 to less than one-quarter of Americans in 2015,
notwithstanding waves of natural disasters that typically inspire Americans to
lend a hand. Voting is down in presidential elections and significantly so in
midterm elections since the 1960s.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">This
gloomy picture is moderated by some hopeful trends.”</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Fitness, Aging</i></b><br />
<b><span lang="EN"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="http://www.wbur.org/commonhealth/2017/10/17/ruth-bader-ginsburg-exercise-book?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2048">'The RBG Workout': 84-Year-Old Justice Might Put You To Shame In The Gym</a></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“In photos of the sitting Supreme Court, 84-year-old Justice Ruth Bader
Ginsburg looks tiny compared to her colleagues, but don't be fooled: She is
"TAN," says her personal trainer, Bryant Johnson, and "by TAN I
mean Tough. As. Nails."</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ginsburg's health has been a topic of discussion —
and concern among Democrats — since President Trump was elected, but it's
particularly buzzworthy right now because of a new book by Johnson that's officially
out as of Tuesday: "</span><a href="https://www.amazon.com/RBG-Workout-How-Stays-Strong/dp/1328919129" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">The
RBG Workout: How She Stays Strong...And You Can Too!</a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">" Also, because
Axios </span><a href="https://www.axios.com/trumps-four-justices-2497007846.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">reports</a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">
that Trump expects to have the chance to replace her, commenting to an unnamed
source, "What does she weigh? 60 pounds?"</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Ginsburg may be more of a judicial heavy than a
physical heavy, but once you see her workout, you'll bet on her over Trump in a
push-up contest any day. She does multiple sets of full-on, military-style
push-ups. She does one-legged squats. She recently started doing planks. She
is, it seems, an iron octogenarian.”</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Foreign Affairs</i></b><br />
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><span style="background: white;"><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/2017-08-15/saving-america-first">Saving “America First” what Responsible Nationalism Looks Like</a></span></span></b><br />
<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“…fears that his embrace of “America first” will lead the
United States to turn its back on the world have </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">already proved groundless. Ordering </span><a href="https://www.foreignaffairs.com/articles/united-states/2017-04-10/trumps-syria-test" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">punitive air strikes</a><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"> against
a re</span><span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">gime that murders its own citizens while posing no threat to
the United States, as Trump did in Syria, is not isolationism. Nor is sending
more U.S. troops to fight the campaign in Afghanistan, the very epitome of the
endless wars that Trump once disparaged. And whatever one makes of Trump’s
backing of the Sunnis in their regional struggle with the Shiites, his vow to
broker an Israeli-Palestinian peace deal, his threats against North Korea, and
his evolving views on trade and the viability of NATO, they do not suggest
disengagement.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">What they do suggest is something
much worse: an ill-informed, impulsive, and capricious approach to foreign
policy. In fact, if “policy” implies a predictable pattern of behavior, U.S.
foreign policy ceased to exist when Trump took office. The United States now
acts or refrains from action according to presidential whim. Trump’s critics
have misread their man. Those who worry about the ghost of Charles Lindbergh,
the aviator and America First backer, taking up residence in the Oval Office
can rest easy. The real problem is that Trump is making his own decisions, and
he thinks he has things under control.</span><br />
<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Whatever the consequences of
Trump’s own fumbling, that allure is likely to persist. So, too, will the
opportunity awaiting any would-be political leader with the gumption to
articulate a foreign policy that promises to achieve the aim of the original
America First movement: to ensure the safety and well-being of the United
States without en</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">gaging in needless
wars. The challenge is to do what Trump himself is almost certainly incapable
of doing, converting “America first” from </span><span class="s1" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">a slogan burdened with an ugly
history—including the taint of anti-Semitism—into a concrete program of
enlightened action. To put it another way, the challenge is to save “America
first” from Trump.</span><br />
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i><br /></i></b>
<b style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><i>Reading, Cognitive Development</i></b><br />
<b><span lang="EN"><br /></span></b>
<b><span lang="EN"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif; font-size: large;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/why-reading-is-the-most-intelligent-thing-you-can-do.html?cid=sf01001&sr_share=twitter">Why Reading Is the Most Intelligent Thing You Can Do</a></span></span></b><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">“We've all had it embedded within us since
the day we were born: The only way to become smarter, no matter what you study
or where you are, is to read. What few people tell us, however, </span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/bill-gates-says-this-is-the-most-inspiring-book-he-has-ever-read.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">is why reading plays such an integral role in developing our
intelligence, problem-solving, and analytical skills, and our ability to
understand others with alacrity.</a></span><br />
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Why, then, is this hobby--one that gets
more and more difficult to maintain as we get older--</span><span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: none;"><a href="https://www.inc.com/peter-economy/neuroscience-coffee-can-protect-your-brain-against-alzheimers.html" style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;" target="_blank">so crucial to maintaining our brain function and improving our overall
intelligence?</a></span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Well, for starters, children who are
exposed to books from a young age are naturally forced to incorporate a larger
working vocabulary in their everyday language. Being exposed to a wide range of
words, especially in fundamentally developmental years, encourages children to
learn new things in an eager manner--developing an inquisitiveness that
ultimately shapes how people approach all kinds of learning later on in life.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">In addition, reading boosts our ability to
understand new concepts--such as when one encounters a scenario, setting, or
people they haven't yet had exposure to--and our capacity to incorporate these
new ideas in our existing everyday lives.</span><br />
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="background-color: white; font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif;">Stories have also been shown to aid greatly
in determining our abilities to understand, deduce, and analyze a situation.”</span><br />
<br />
<br />
<br />
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-25806964173560765062017-10-20T09:56:00.001-07:002017-10-20T09:56:26.641-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 20 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><i><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Polio</span></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #333333; letter-spacing: -0.05pt;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="http://www.npr.org/sections/goatsandsoda/2017/10/20/558734436/webcast-can-the-world-finally-wipe-out-polio?utm_source=twitter.com&utm_medium=social&utm_campaign=npr&utm_term=nprnews&utm_content=2047"><span style="font-size: large;">Can The World Finally Wipe Out Polio?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“The world is incredibly close to wiping out polio. This year
the number of polio cases has shrunk to fewer than a dozen. And those cases are
in just two countries- Afghanistan and Pakistan.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"We are definitely encouraged by the decline in number of
cases," says Dr. Rana Safdar, the national coordinator for polio
eradication in Pakistan. His country has seen the number of <a href="http://polioeradication.org/polio-today/polio-now/this-week/"><span style="border: none windowtext 1.0pt; color: #5076b8; mso-border-alt: none windowtext 0in; padding: 0in;">reported polio cases</span></a> drop from more than 300 in
2014 to just 5 so far in 2017.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"We hope to completely eliminate transmission during the
current low transmission season, which starts from September and ends in
May," he says. "We are very confident we can do this. But the last
mile is always very difficult."<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Pakistan has been holding national polio immunization days in
which a quarter of a million vaccinators attempt to make sure 38 million
children get all three doses of the oral polio vaccine.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">"We must reach these children from the coast of Karachi to
the mountains in the highest part of Pakistan," Dr. Rana says.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Inspiration, Film<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #121212; letter-spacing: -0.55pt;"><a href="https://www.economist.com/blogs/prospero/2017/10/human-touch?fsrc=scn/tw/te/bl/ed/notjustanotherfilmaboutjanegoodall"><span style="font-size: large;">Not just another film about Jane Goodall</span></a></span><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #121212;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“IN 1960 Jane Goodall
moved to Tanzania to study chimpanzees. She was only 26 years old; her
credentials consisted of a love of animals and a secretarial qualification. The
first of “Leakey’s angels” (also known as “the trimates”)—Ms Goodall was one of
three women encouraged by Louis Leakey, a renowned paleoanthropologist, to
observe apes in their natural habitats to see what insights it might yield
about early man. Scepticism abounded, but Ms Goodall was determined. She
astonished everyone when, towards the end of her six-month trial, she wrote to
Leakey having observed a chimp adapting a twig to capture termites. Leakey sent
back a telegram: “Now we must redefine tool. Redefine man. Or accept
chimpanzees as human.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #121212;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Overturning the
assumption that only humans used tools was the start of Ms Goodall’s
illustrious career in research, activism and education. She is now an iconic
figure. At 83, she rarely spends more than a few months in one place, instead
travelling the world to raise awareness for her causes. She started the Jane
Goodall Institute, an organisation which has created sanctuaries for apes, in
1977 and has worked on community development for 40 years. Roots & Shoots
was established in 1991 to encourage awareness of environmental and conservation
issues among schoolchildren. It now operates in 140 countries.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="color: #121212;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Ms Goodall felt that
her story had been sufficiently told: she is the subject of more than 40 films.
But “Jane”, released on October 20th in America and on November 24th in
Britain, finds plenty to say. At its heart is footage from the National
Geographic archives, unearthed in 2015, of Ms Goodall’s early years in
Tanzania. Totalling 140 hours, the material was untouched for 50 years and
thought lost. Brett Morgen, dubbed the “mad scientist” of documentary film for
his immersive, experiential style of film-making, was brought on to direct.
Though Ms Goodall seems a far cry from his previous subjects—Nirvana frontman
Kurt Cobain, the Rolling Stones, maverick producer Robert Evans—Mr Morgen
insists that “she is my type of subject” as, like those rock stars, “she’s
lived life by her own rules and redefined her field.” He adds: “In that sense
she’s the biggest rock star I’ve ever filmed.””<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Universal
Healthcare, Medicare</span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.vox.com/health-care/2017/10/20/16504800/medicare-x-single-payer"><span style="font-size: large;">Medicare X: the Democrats’ supercharged public option plan, explained</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Medicare X would
allow all Americans to buy a public health insurance plan. That plan would pay
doctors the same prices that Medicare currently does, and it would allow
patients to be seen at the offices and hospitals that Medicare has in network.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: inherit;">But it would have a different benefit package from
the public program that covers Americans over age 65. The Medicare X plan would
cover things that Medicare does not, such as pediatrics and maternity care.</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: inherit;"><br /></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, "Times New Roman", serif; text-decoration-line: inherit;">Bennett and Kaine envision the Medicare X plan
growing slowly. In 2020, it would become available only in counties with one or
zero health plans selling on the Obamacare marketplace. In 2023, it would open
to the entire country and, in 2024, allow small businesses to enroll too. Sen.
Tim Kaine (D-VA), one of the sponsors, says he could foresee a future where
large employers are also allowed to buy into the plan. (That is not included in
the current version of the plan.)”</span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<o:p><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><b><i>Cities, Waste </i></b></span></o:p></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2017/10/cities-garbage-design/543387/"><span style="font-size: large;">Can Cities Master Their Garbage With Better Design?</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">“The guidelines offer a preliminary and highly
customizable blueprint for how New York could grapple with its daunting piles
of detritus—and call on designers and architects to be at the forefront of
research and policy to drive the city closer to the goal of sending zero waste
to landfills by 2030. That target is one tenet of Mayor Bill de Blasio’s
larger </span><a href="http://www1.nyc.gov/html/onenyc/visions/sustainability/goal-2-sustain.html"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #458cd5;">“One New York” plan</span></a><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">, which outlines an ambitious agenda for
broad sustainability and resilience measures.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Since landfill-clogging
waste releases methane gas, it’s an obstacle to the administration’s pledge
to <a href="https://www.citylab.com/environment/2017/09/nyc-building-mandate-in-practice/540360/"><span style="color: #458cd5;">drastically curb emissions</span></a>—a commitment that
officials cast as <a href="https://www.citylab.com/equity/2017/06/can-us-cities-meet-the-paris-commitments-on-their-own/528996/"><span style="color: #458cd5;">a defiant response</span></a> to the federal move
away from the Paris agreement. “Better designed, more effective, and more
intentional waste management is a necessary part of the City’s effort to
meet its climate goals,” said Mark Chambers, director of the Mayor’s Office of
Sustainability, in a statement about the guidelines. And that’s where designers
and architects come in: rethinking the way people interact with waste from the
chute to the street.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Architects have already
intervened in complex urban problems such as mobility and resiliency: They’ve
adapted the street for bikes and pedestrians, and to siphon stormwater, says
Clare Miflin, a partner at the architecture firm Kiss + Cathcart and the
report’s lead author. Moreover, Miflin says, architects are already concerned
about waste—both the physical castoffs generated during construction and the
more abstract problems of inefficient windows, lights, and other energy sucks.
But somewhere along the line, trash had slipped through the cracks. “Nobody’s
applying design to waste,” Miflin says.<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial;">In fact, waste is a planning issue that
has a lot to do with how a city uses its space. “It’s often considered
operational, or a hygiene issue, not a land-use issue,” says Juliette Spertus
of the infrastructure-planning firm Closed Loops, who collaborated on the
report. “But it’s something that’s stored and has a presence.”</span>”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Banking,
Credit Unions<o:p></o:p></span></i></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="line-height: normal; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin-bottom: 0in; mso-outline-level: 1; vertical-align: baseline;">
<b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><a href="https://www.wsj.com/articles/a-social-network-credit-union-regulator-asks-why-not-1508493601?mod=e2tw"><span style="font-size: large;">A Social Network Credit Union? Regulator Asks, ‘Why Not?’</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“Congress should consider allowing credit unions to serve
communities that exist only online, the industry’s top regulator said—remarks
that could stir ire in the banking industry, which competes with credit unions
and is fighting their ability to expand their fields of membership.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">National
Credit Union Administration Chairman J. Mark McWatters said such a change would
better reflect today’s society.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Under federal law, a credit
union can serve a community with a “common bond,” a concept that regulators and
Congress have expanded over the years. The number of credit-union memberships
in the U.S. has moved past 100 million in recent years, but the law still
generally limits credit unions’ field of membership to pools of people living
or working near one another.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; vertical-align: baseline;">
<br /></div>
<div style="margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in; outline: 0px; vertical-align: baseline; word-wrap: break-word;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">“We need to think about how
we can create common bonds, or how we can reflect in the Federal Credit Union
Act, what people today use as common bonds,” Mr. McWatters said in an interview
this week at the regulator’s headquarters. “Chances are [such a change] would
be very broad, and chances are it would be something that the bankers might not
be totally in love with,” he said. “But again I am trying to parallel reality
today as opposed to what it was a generation—or two or three or four
generations—ago.””<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<br />
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-6562583.post-48656690346116879162017-10-19T08:46:00.002-07:002017-10-19T08:46:47.042-07:00Ideas, Actions, and Inspiration for a Better Tomorrow - October 19 Edition<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #222222; font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><i>Infrastructure, Environment</i></span></b><br />
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><br /></span></b>
<b><span style="color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.pghcitypaper.com/pittsburgh/pwsa-ramps-up-its-green-infrastructure-program/Content?oid=4776698"><span style="font-size: large;">PWSA ramps up its green-infrastructure program </span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<span style="background: white; color: #222222;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Discussion of green infrastructure blossomed a
few years back. ALCOSAN had proposed dealing with combined-sewer overflows
(CSOs) overwhelmingly with “gray infrastructure”: bigger sewer pipes and larger
processing facilities. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency rejected that
plan, and recent local efforts have concentrated on “green” projects that would
keep rainwater where it falls, and out of the sewers. Many cities face similar
problems, and green-infrastructure advocates say such solutions are ultimately
cheaper and more effective, as well as more environmentally friendly. Green
infrastructure mimics nature, engineering ways to manage rainwater that hark to
when the land was forest and field. Techniques include green roofs, permeable
paving and rain gardens. Green stormwater control is gaining popularity with
private developers, too. “You see everyone doing it,” says Vivien Li, president
and CEO of Pittsburgh-based nonprofit advocacy group Riverlife.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Peacekeeping</span></i></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="text-transform: uppercase;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://warontherocks.com/2017/10/everyone-not-just-the-military-has-a-duty-to-keep-the-peace/"><span style="font-size: large;">EVERYONE, NOT JUST THE MILITARY, HAS A DUTY TO KEEP THE PEACE</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="selectionshareable" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="selectionshareable" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“…protecting societies from violent conflict is not only a job for
soldiers and police. Ordinary people in countries teetering on the edge of
violent conflict can also tip the balance back toward peace. Their contribution
to keeping or restoring the peace will not be the same as that of soldiers and
police patrolling the streets, but it is no less important in the long term. </span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">Halting and reversing a slide toward civil war requires acting on
four levels. </span><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">One level is concrete: demonstrating, and if necessary using, the
capacity to impose order through force. </span><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">That’s a job for professional soldiers and armed police.
Government policymakers and experts from international organizations usually
operate on two other levels — the political and the institutional — reshaping
constitutions and institutions. But there’s also a fourth level that often gets
neglected: the personal and intercommunal level. That’s where ordinary citizens
come in.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="selectionshareable" style="background: white; box-sizing: border-box; margin: 0in 0in 0.0001pt;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Ordinary citizens have to step up and reach out both to
suspicious, angry majorities and to fearful minorities. This is not a soft
option: it takes guts, determination, and planning. And it can have a
significant cumulative impact: A million small steps taken locally can add up
to a national transformation.”<o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="selectionshareable" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="selectionshareable" style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;"><br /></span></i></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Basic Income, Poverty</span></i></b><br />
<span style="font-size: large;"><br /></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/10/18/16479796/stockton-california-basic-income-economic-security-experiment"><span style="font-size: large;">3 years ago, Stockton, California, was bankrupt. Now it's trying out a basic income.</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></b></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<br /></div>
<div style="background: white; margin-bottom: .0001pt; margin: 0in;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“Next year, a
random sample of the 300,000 residents of Stockton, a port city in California’s
Central Valley, will get $500 per month ($6,000 a year) with no strings
attached.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">It’s the latest
test of a policy known as </span><a href="https://www.vox.com/policy-and-politics/2017/7/17/15364546/universal-basic-income-review-stern-murray-automation" style="border-bottom: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; transition: 0.1s, 0.1s, 0.1s; vertical-align: inherit;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">basic income</span></b></a><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">, funded not out of city revenues
but by individual and foundation philanthropy. The first $1 million in funding
comes from the Economic Security Project, a pro-basic income advocacy and
research group co-chaired by Facebook co-founder and former New Republic
publisher Chris Hughes and activists Natalie Foster and Dorian Warren; Hughes
provided the group’s initial funding. Stockton Mayor Michael Tubbs hopes to
launch the basic income project as early as August 2018.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">The project —
known as the Stockton Economic Empowerment Demonstration (SEED) — will be, in a
way, the purest expression to date of Silicon Valley’s passion for basic income
proposals, which many tech entrepreneurs and investors see as a necessary way
to support Americans if artificial intelligence and other automation advances
lead to unemployment for vast swaths of the population.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"><br /></span>
<span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;">To the tech world,
basic income is a way to redistribute the vast wealth that Silicon Valley
creates to poorer people and localities left behind. And what better place to
start than by redirecting part of a Facebook fortune to Stockton, an </span><a href="https://datausa.io/profile/geo/stockton-ca/#demographics" style="border-bottom: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; transition: 0.1s, 0.1s, 0.1s; vertical-align: inherit;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">overwhelmingly nonwhite</span></b></a><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"> </span><a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2017/08/17/business/economy/san-francisco-commute.html" style="border-bottom: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; transition: 0.1s, 0.1s, 0.1s; vertical-align: inherit;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">exurb</span></b></a><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"> of the Bay Area that became the </span><a href="http://www.nytimes.com/2012/07/19/us/years-of-unraveling-then-bankruptcy-for-a-city.html" style="border-bottom: transparent; box-sizing: border-box; font-family: times, "times new roman", serif; font-style: inherit; line-height: inherit; text-decoration: inherit; transition: 0.1s, 0.1s, 0.1s; vertical-align: inherit;"><b><span style="color: windowtext; mso-fareast-font-family: Calibri;">largest city in the US</span></b></a><span style="font-family: times, "times new roman", serif;"> to declare
bankruptcy during the financial crisis?”</span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Media, Girls</span></i></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/just-transition/grlz-take-over-the-airwaves-20171016"><span style="font-size: large;">Fed Up With How Women Are Portrayed in Media, These Girls Started Their Own Radio Station</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><span style="background-attachment: initial; background-clip: initial; background-image: initial; background-origin: initial; background-position: initial; background-repeat: initial; background-size: initial; color: #231f20;">Fed up with
the way women and girls were portrayed in music on the radio, a group of
teenage girls on a Boston soccer team brought an idea to their coach. They
wanted to start their own radio station that portrayed women positively and
respectfully, they said. Through the help of their coach, in 2003 the girls
presented their idea to then-Mayor Thomas Menino, who supported it. Later that
year, GRLZradio went on the air.</span><o:p></o:p></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">Today, GRLZradio produces a girls-run radio show with programming
that includes music and discussions. The Boston-based program is one of eight
run by St. Mary’s Center for Women and Children. Annually, more than 100
girls—primarily girls of color—between ages 12 and 19 complete the nonprofit’s
multi-month training in radio hosting, engineering, producing, and blogging.
It’s more than just a job-training program, though. By giving them control over
the airwaves—and supporting them when they’re off the air—GRLZradio is helping
to uplift teen girls.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">“It’s important to show them that they have a voice and that
they can say what’s on their mind,” said GRLZradio broadcast manager Danielle
Johnson. She added that the girls who participate in the program are “submerged
in a culture” that sexually objectifies them in music and television.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><br /></span></span>
<span style="color: #231f20;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><b><i><br /></i></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<b><i><span style="font-family: Times, Times New Roman, serif;">Elections, Voter Registration</span></i></b><br />
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<b><span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;"><a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia/articles/2017-10-18/judge-voters-can-register-until-30-days-before-fed-election"><span style="font-size: large;">Judge: Voters Can Register Until 30 Days Before Fed Election</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></span></b></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white; mso-outline-level: 1;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">ATLANTA (AP) — “A federal judge says <a href="https://www.usnews.com/news/best-states/georgia"><span style="color: #2262bb;">Georgia</span></a> cannot
close voter registration for any federal election, including runoff contests,
more than 30 days before the election.<b><o:p></o:p></b></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">The Lawyers' Committee for Civil Rights Under Law had filed a
lawsuit in April challenging the state's registration deadline for voters
wishing to participate in a June 20 special election runoff for an open U.S.
House seat.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">State election officials argued a runoff is a continuation of an
initial election under Georgia law and that the registration deadline should,
therefore, be 30 days before the initial election rather than 30 days before
the runoff.<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<span style="color: #333333;"><span style="font-family: "times" , "times new roman" , serif;">U.S. District Judge Timothy Batten in May ordered the
registration deadline extended to 30 days before the June runoff election. The
consent decree filed Tuesday applies that to all federal elections and runoffs.”<o:p></o:p></span></span></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal" style="background: white;">
<br /></div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
</div>
<div class="MsoNormal">
<br /></div>
Unknownnoreply@blogger.com0