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10 reasons I dread Christmas from the cost to family feuds
It’s just terrible, okay? (Picture: Liberty Antonia Sadler for Metro.co.uk)

At the risk of sounding like Scrooge, or Oliver Cromwell (he actually banned some Christmas activities while he was in power) I’m going to put something out there:

I hate Christmas.

Loathe it. All of it. It’s something I dread.

Family donating gifts and toys to charity for Christmas holiday (Picture: Getty)Nine kind things you can easily do this Christmas to help others

Because it’s a time where the world takes stock to celebrate their families, friends and (allegedly) the birth of Jesus Christ, in the most lurid of fashions.

It’s a peacock display (with the emphasis not on the ‘pea’) of wealth and taste.

And while we’re tucking into mulled wine and puking up a day of decadence, there are those who are starving, without a family, without a penny – or worse.

I think my own bitterness really comes from the therapist’s couch, and psychiatrist’s office. Here, I have many times been informed that being the eldest daughter in such a dysfunctional family has caused me decades of mental illness in adulthood.

Thousands of others will be in the same boat for similar reasons (around one in three adult mental health conditions relate directly to adverse childhood experiences, according to the charity YoungMinds) and not so similar reasons.

I have patched things up with my mum, and I will see her and my partner’s family for Christmas.

But it’s a plaster on a gaping wound of ‘why me’ bitterness, when everyone else seems to have such loving families and wonderful lives.

Here are just 10 reasons I dread Christmas.

1. It’s expensive

Every year the budget flies out the window like a reindeer who’s been at the Irish coffee.

Just add £500 for presents and £200 for New Year’s Eve to your original budget.

2. It’s cold

Yes, and recently us Brits have been sans snow, taking all the joy out of the festive season.

10 reasons I dread Christmas from the cost to family feuds
Who has the budget for this? (Picture: Liberty Antonia Sadler for Metro.co.uk)

3. It’s a huge concerted effort

If it’s not the strain of outdoing next-door’s wreath in terms of taste (your best bet is John Lewis), then it’s the tree decorations, the endless wrapping of presents, or six family members arguing about how to baste the turkey.

No thanks.

4. Children

Because nothing says ‘fun’ more than someone else’s offspring playing the musical instrument Santa brought them, starting at 5am in the morning.

5. Colours

There’s a common proverb in design folklore that ‘red and green should never be seen’.

6. Anxiety

I’m not the only one who experiences anxiety from the stress Santa brings down the chimney every Christmas.

7. Mary Poppins

When you reach your 37th Christmas the element of surprise and joy that Miss Poppins used to bring to our screens with her spoonful of sugar has worn out.

8. Alcoholics

If anything is going to start off an alcoholic binge it’s the stress and clichéd overindulgence of Christmas.

9. Estranged family members

When all you get from a family member for the rest of the year is a few lazy ‘likes’ or comments on Facebook – and now you’re expected to actually know who they are, buy them a gift and act like you really love them. No. We don’t. You’re lousy.

10. Family, generally

If you’re not disagreeing over the political landscape, you’ve been diagnosed with a severe mental illness due to the ‘trauma of a dysfunctional family’.

Hey, isn’t a life term of psychotic episodes just the best Christmas present of them all?

MORE: 10 things that will help you get back into work if you’ve been off with a mental illness

MORE: 11 simple ways to overcome loneliness everyday

MORE: Hate to break this to you, but mulled wine is terrible


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Saturday, April 25, 2009

The Boys Room is Ready!!

I finally got the time to clean up and finish the boy's room. I still am going to build a two level shelf that will fit under the window for bigger toys and things. After getting clothes put away and things sorted, I have not gone in a lot. It makes me miss them and I am trying to keep my mind on the things that need my attention. The girls love going in and playing with some of their old toys and new ones. It's like they have two playrooms....and two to pick up!! :) Hopefully we will hear something within a week or two.

Paula said...

Adorable! I hope you hear something this week. Still praying!

Micah, Tiffany, Andrew, and Elijah said...

You did a great job! Now we just need the sweet boys to fill it up! We are praying for God to move that mountain for you:)

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Monday, August 25, 2008

Ateneo gets win no.11

The Ateneo Blue Eagles closed out the Battle of Katipunan with a win once again as they buried the centennial hosts, the UP Maroons, with a masterful 79-58 win at the Araneta Coliseum.

The Ateneo Blue Eagles seized the upperhand rightaway but failed to sustain it as the Maroons ended the quarter strong as they kept the Blue Eagles at bay 12-11. The Blue Eagles then called on Rabah and Chris to give the Blue Eagles enough distance as they padded the lead to eight by the end of the first half. The game was quite boring from then on since the only thing that was not final was the score.Rabah Al-Husainni scored 177 pts in the past three seasons he played for the Blue Eagles, this year he is averaging 17.83 points per game for the Blue Eagles as he scattered 24 points and grabbed 17 rebounds in another double-double effort to lead the cause of the Eagles. Supporting After sitting out the last three minutes of the game against UE with cramps, team captain Chris Tiu was 4 rebounds short of a triple double. Chris scored 14 points, grabbed six rebounds and issued 10 assists, the most assists in the UAAP for the past two years. The confidence of Tiu in his teammates showed in this game as he was there to spot the open man and was content in doing so. Just like in the game against Adamson in which he just took three shots, the captain was more satisfied with making his team mates get their games going and just spot up when needed.

The win gave the Blue Eagles another chance to finish no.1, the Blue Eagles have won 11 games in the eliminations in 1987, 1988, 2000, and 2003. This is the 10th consecutive season that we will be in the final four while in contrast, the Figthing Maroons who were sporting new Black uniforms have missed the final four for the 11th straight year. The last Maroon team that played in the final four were led by the troika of Paolo Mendoza, Bryan Gahol and Ogie Gumatay.

The scores:

Ateneo 79 – Al-Hussaini 24, Tiu 14, Buenafe 8, Baclao 6, Reyes 6, Baldos 5, Long 4, Escueta 3, Gonzaga 3, Salamat 3, Salva 3, Burke 0, Chua 0, Gonzaga 0, Sumalinog 0.

UP 58 – Co 10, Sison 10, de Asis 7, dela Victoria 6, Sorongon 6, Lopez 5, Astorga 4, Braganza 3, Gamboa 3, Hipolito 3, Reyes 1, Maniego 0, Marfori 0, Pajela 0.

Quarter scores: 12-11; 36-28; 54-42; 79-58

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Thursday, August 21, 2008

The Clone wars was just another chapter in the never ending saga of the force. It’s a good thing that the movie was made in animation since there were really some things that I believe were good in animation. Unfortunately the story line if you put it was just a simple save the huttlet plot. The story is somewhat STAR WARS 2.5 if you would remember that the second editon of the movie ended with General Kenobi discovering the cloned army but when the third edition of the movie started it was already in the middle of the clone wars.

A lot stories can be made about the war but this time as always Anakin Skywalker takes centerstage again with another character Ashoka Tano, a young kid who is Anakin’s padawan learner. Imagine the hot headed and rebellious person that he is Anakin is given someone with which he shares his learnings. And like him, Ashoka is also belligerent, does things first without thinking and is always emotional.

STAR WARS has always brought in new characters everytime they have a new saga, most notable character besides Ashoka is Asajj Ventress, another one of the Count Dokku’s trusted assassins. Trained to duel with dual light sabers Ventress is just like Darth Maul in the phantom menace. If this movie would have not been an animation I would have casted Angelina Jolie for this role. At the same time the separatists army robots were all humorous which was something not seen in the other Star Wars movies.

In the end, watching Star Wars even in animation is a joy. I believe that there are a thousand and one stories that one can write in this saga to which I commend George Lucas. Hope there will be another one like it.

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Best Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Miami

September 17, 2012 9:05 AM

Bonkers Devotional (Source:

Ah, Miami in the fall. It boasts some of the best weather in the nation as the frost alights on pumpkins up north. Days in the Magic City are sultry in the sun, sexy in the sand and soothing in the salty ocean breeze. Natural wonders abound outside, and inside in a variety of museums around town are exhibits that display wondrous workings of the mind in a variety of artistic mediums.
japanese art Best Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Miami

“Introspection and Awakening: Japanese Art of the Edo and Meiji Periods, 1615-1912”

Lowe Art Museum, University of Miami
1301 Stanford Drive
Coral Gables, FL 33124
(305) 284-3535

Dates: Now through October 21, 2012

This diverse collection showcases examples of a variety of painting styles prevalent in the 17th through 20th centuries from the gallery’s permanent exhibit. From woodblock prints to porcelains, the exhibit divulges the unmistakable influences of China and Korea on Japan, the union of instructor and student in the artistic process, the Japanese belief system and its evolution and the impact of the West on Japanese culture. See a bit of everything while this exhibit lasts through October.

Related: Best Up-and-Coming Artists In Miami

“Heart Smart”

Miami Science Museum
3280 S Miami Ave
Miami, FL 33129
(305) 646-4200

Dates: Ongoing

With heart disease still being the top cause of death in the United States, this travelling exhibit (funded in part by a grant from the National Institute of Health) teaches parents and children the importance of maintaining a healthy heart. Presented in English, Spanish and Creole, the exhibit interactively engages visitors by inviting them to take part in height, weight, blood pressure and weight-size measurements while allowing participants to anonymously contribute their results to actual scientific research.

rashid johnson art Best Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Miami

Rashid Johnson: Message To Our Folks

Miami Art Museum
101 W Flagler St
Miami, FL 33130
(305) 375-3000

Dates: Now through November 4, 2012

This will be the first solo exhibition of New York artist Rashid Johnson. Johnson expresses the contradictions and travails of black culture and his personal experiences through his work by using common items from his childhood. In a process he calls “hijacking the domestic,” the artist transforms such items as wood, tiles, mirrors and rugs into a visually compelling documentary of his afro-centric journey.

Bass Museum of Art
2100 Collins Ave
Miami Beach, FL 33139
(305) 673-7530

Dates: Now through November 4, 2012

Showcasing a variety of artists from diverse cultural backgrounds and media that include video, photography, sculpture and installation, this exhibition fuses the splendor of nature and wildlife with the technological advances and electronic influences of civilization in an entirely new expression that is both timeless and futuristic. The co-mingling of nature with the electronic connectedness of modern society raises philosophical questions, both spiritual and technical, while exposing the beautiful differences between Mother Nature and Techno-Nurture.

frost at fiu Best Museum Exhibits To See This Fall In Miami

Material and Meaning: Earthenware, Stoneware and Porcelain

The Patricia and Philip Frost Art Museum at FIU
10975 SW 17th St
Miami, FL 33199
(305) 348-2890

Dates: October 17 through December 9, 2012

Curated from the Wolfsonian Museum at Florida International University, this exhibit showcases modern interpretations of works sculpted from clay. Whether rustic and romantic, ideologically political or culturally avant garde, the collection emphasizes the utility and impact of earthenware, stoneware and porcelain on modern society and the artists who sculpt them. Together, this exhibit accomplishes the goal of showing how ceramics are decorative, architectural, political and aesthetic barometers of civilization and evolution.

Related: 5 Must-Read Books By Miami Authors

Glenn Osrin is a journalist and seasoned consumer products sales professional living in Miami, Florida. A new vegan, his most recent assignment is writing about the benefits of a plant-based diet and lifestyle while learning about the Miami vegan community. His work can be found at

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Thursday, February 3, 2011

Today's Exercise

A total of 25 minutes treadmill.
Strength exercises, arms and back.

I didn't feel too hot when we got to the gym, I felt weak and not at all up for exercising. Honestly I was thinking about just calling it a day and work harder next time, but then I thought "No, I work out until I pass out, if I don't pass out I didn't feel so bad after all". Maybe that's not a very healthy mindset, but I didn't really believe I was going to pass out, so ^_~ I always compete with Seb when we run on the treadmills next to each other, and I was determine to burn more calories than he did. It felt really good to compete, and to run fast!

I really love going to the gym, and I regret only choosing a two month membership, maybe I'll extend it all throughout March as well. I'm a little worried that I won't be able to keep in shape if I don't. I have this magazine with home-workouts, I have YouTube-videos and I have Just Dance, but I think I'll really miss lifting those weights! When I get home I'm definitely buying some gym equipment for home usage.

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Michael Novak, Requiescat in pace.

From his daughter, Jana Novak:

As many of you may have heard by now, dad aka Michael Novak, died peacefully early this morning from complications from colon cancer, at his apartment in DC surrounded by family.

Before he died ... Michael Novak was heard to say, repeatedly, to everyone who came to say goodbye, "God loves you and you must love one another, that is all that matters." - Robert Royal

Reflections on Novak’s passing

[This post will be continually updated in the weeks to come]


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Apr 6, 2011

Amazing what you find on Facebook!!

From: <>
Date: Thu, Apr 7, 2011 at 1:31 AM

1. If "semitism" is stealing your neighbor's land, destroying his house and imprisoning and torturing his family, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

2. If "semitism" is committing terrible acts of violence and framing someone else for them, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

3. If "semitism" is compromising the USA government through blackmail and other threats, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

4. If "semitism" is imprisoning millions of improvised and brutalized people, cutting off all basic necessities for life, then yes, I am antisemitic.

5. If "semitism" is taking billions in aid from the USA and then murdering Americans with impunity, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

6. If "semitism" is ignoring all UN Resolutions critical of you and then using the same UN to raise trumped-up charges against an INNOCENT nation, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

7. If "semitism" is coercing the USA government and fooling the American people into attacking an INNOCENT nation, costing millions of innocent lives, including American soldiers, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

8. If "semitism" is attacking unarmed humanitarian ships in INTERNATIONAL waters, murdering at least nine people, including an American, shot FOUR times in the head, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

9. If "semitism" is thinking that you are a master and superior race that has to answer to NO one, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

10. If "semitism" is taking American tax dollars and then spitting in America's face, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

11. If "semitism" is suppressing any and all discussion of high crimes against humanity then yes, I am anti-semitic.

12. If "semitism" is constant lying and deception to achieve a goal that is illegal and immoral then yes, I am anti-semitic.

13. If "semitism" is arming yourself to the teeth, threatening other nations with attack AND attacking other nations because they are supposedly armed to the teeth and threatening you, then yes, I am anti-semitic.

14. If "semitism" is staging 911 with the help of traitorous Americans in high positions of power, murdering over 3,000 innocent Americans so that the USA will attack your "enemies" blamed for doing 911(and in the process blackmailing those same officials who helped you pull off 911!) then yes, I am anti-semitic.

15. If "semitism" is calling anyone critical of you or revealing of your actions "anti-semitic" then yes. I am anti-semitic.

Author Unknown.

"...when you have laws against questioning the Holocaust narrative, you are screaming at the other person to stop thinking!!!" ---Michael Santomauro, March 23, 2011

Being happy–is it good for the Jews? "Before Professor Dershowitz accused me of being an anti-Semite (news to me), I was a happy person. Since then, I'm still a happy person". –Michael Santomauro

An anti-Semite condemns people for being Jews, I am not an anti-Semite.--Michael Santomauro

Most of us are mentally trapped to think Jewish. Actually, it is safe to say that virtually every mainstream publication or or other type of media organ is "nothing more than a screen to present chosen views." The great battle over the last century has been a battle for the mind of the Western peoples, i.e., non-Jewish Euros. The chosen won it by acquiring control over essentially the complete mainstream news, information, education and entertainment media of every type, and using that control to infuse and disseminate their message, agenda and worldview, their way of thinking, or rather the way they want us to think. Since at least the 1960s this campaign has been effectively complete. Since then they have shaped and controlled the minds of all but a seeming few of us in varying degree with almost no opposition or competition from any alternative worldview. So now most of us are mentally trapped in the box the chosen have made for us, which we have lived in all our lives. Only a few have managed to avoid it or escape it, or to even sometimes see outside of it, and so actually "think outside of the (Jewish) box." --Michael Santomauro

Thank you and remember:

Peace is patriotic!

Michael Santomauro
253 W. 72nd Street
New York, NY 10023

Call anytime: 917-974-6367

E-mail me anything:

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Apr 16, 2011

Demjanjuk ID KGB forgery

From: <>
Date: Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 3:35 PM

here's a great letter sent to the Sacramento Bee, feel free to use it or tailor it however to any/all news outlets covering this story:

RE: ID in Nazi War Crimes Trial Likely faked, FBI says  4/13/11
Having read the above article on 4/13/11, I anxiously searched for a follow up in today's Bee.  The Bee and most other large city newspapers have smeared this man for  25 years in the headlines.That information was withheld by the Office of Special Investigation, is certainly of interest to all American Citizens.  Where is the follow up?
I remind you, John Demjanjuk served 7 years in solitary confinement in a foreign country before being exonerated.  He has been hounded all these years by the Office Of Special Investigation.  What did it cost his family? What has it done to American Civil Rights?
Again, where is the follow up?

On Fri, Apr 15, 2011 at 8:26 AM, Eye Yore <> wrote:

The persecution of John Demjanjuk, which began in or about 1976 following allegations by Soviet officials, is now into its 35th year.

The ailing Demjanjuk, who turned 91 earlier this month, has been defending himself against fresh allegations in a Munich courtroom for the past two years, all the while lying back on a stretcher.

Heinz Bartesch

 "If my heart could do my thinking And my head begin to feel, I would look upon the world anew And know what's truly real." Van Morrison

Read more: Israeli lawyer has filed a class-action lawsuit against former President Jimmy Carter, seeking $5 million in damages because his book "Palestine: Peace Not Apartheid" allegedly defamed Israel.

"...when you have laws against questioning the Holocaust narrative, you are screaming at the other person to stop thinking!!!" ---Michael Santomauro, March 23, 2011

An anti-Semite condemns people for being Jews, I am not an anti-Semite.--Michael Santomauro

Michael Santomauro
253 West 72nd St
New York, NY 10023
Call anytime: 917-974-6367

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Thursday, May 22, 2014

Subway knife rampage? World media is all over that one.

Policeman on the subway this morning.

Unless you live in a vast, deep cave whose depths light reaches once every ten thousand years, you've probably heard that yesterday a deeply disturbed individual went on a knife wielding rampage in a Taipei Metro station (Taipei Times):
The suspect, who has been identified as Cheng Chieh (鄭捷) from Greater Taichung’s Tunghai University, allegedly started attacking passengers around him with a 30cm-long fruit knife while the train was traveling between the Longshan Temple Station and the Jiangzicui Station at approximately 4:26pm.

He was apprehended by security guards, police officers and other passengers shortly after the train stopped at the Jiangzicui Station, from where he was taken to the Jiangzicui police station for questioning.

“The suspect told us that he had since elementary school wanted to ‘do something big’ and that he had shared the idea with some of his high-school and college classmates,” Chen said.

Chen said Cheng originally planned to execute the idea after he graduated from university, but decided to move it forward to yesterday after giving it some thought last week.

“He bought two fruit knives of different sizes from a supermarket before he boarded the trains… His blood-alcohol content registered 0.04mg/L and he has no medical records of mental illness,” Chen said.

“He showed no signs of remorse during questioning,” Chen added.
The world media jumped all over that one (BBC, Reuters, etc). Those students who occupied the legislature for three weeks and struggled to get global media attention should have simply gone out and knifed a few people on the subway. The global media would have come running....

@TaiwanExplorer trenchantly observed that Ma Ying-jeou's sixth anniversary on the Dragon Throne in office was marked by a large quake in the morning, torrential rains that killed a couple of people, and a knife attack in the afternoon. Appropriate for the colossal failure that is the Ma Administration.

The attack, the work of a mentally ill person that in no way reflects the safety and security of Taipei (it has had no effect on my movements or use of the metro), triggered three predictable flows of sewage, the usual "if only I had a gun there/if everyone had guns", "it's those violent video games" and "those young people have bad values". Over at Thinking Taiwan J Michael Cole lambasted government shills for blaming, of all things, student activism and the Sunflower movement:
....Meanwhile the China Times, a pro-China publication that relentlessly attacked the movement throughout the standoff at the legislature, published an unsigned article berating a group of activists who have mobilized for the preservation of the Losheng Sanatorium. Their crime was to hold signs of their cause in a subway car as the murders were taking place. Only the article, which called the activists “selfish” and “cold-hearted,” didn’t mention that the group were on a different MRT line (Xinzhuang) and could not have been aware of what was occurring simultaneously at Jiangzicui Station, on the Bannan line.
This will no doubt be followed by lectures on parenting for the hapless parents. In local thinking, the first people to be blamed when a kid goes bad are the parents...

The real problem is that local society, like so many societies, strongly stigmatizes the sufferings of the mentally ill and those around them, and expects that people will lift themselves up by their own bootstraps. If only he had been reached by social workers before this. His parents explained that the kid was otaku, a social phenomenon in Japan and in Taiwan in which young males hide in their rooms and play video games all day, without friends or a realworld social life. This gave them a ready-made framework for interpreting his behavior which may also have blunted their ability to get him the help he needed....

UPDATE: David Reid points to a paper on the culture of orderliness on the Taipei Subway that will help understand the reactions to the attack

UPDATE: On Facebook longtime expat Sean McCormack explains:
After the terrible knife attack in a Taipei metro train that has left four dead and more than twenty injured, I'm seeing lots of comments from expats professing how, where they're from, the knife-welding lunatic would have been tackled before he could have done so much damage.

That may or may not be true, and respect to anybody who would have stood up to the guy.

But isn't that kind of combat-ready cultural mentality what many of us are here to escape? Battle-hardened people may indeed be more likely to attack a dangerous assailant, but a peaceful people like the Taiwanese are far less likely to produce this kind of assailant in the first place.

Don't criticize those who didn't attack the madman; they're part of the reason why this kind of horrific event is so rare here.
Don't miss the comments below! And check out my blog and its sidebars for events, links to previous posts and picture posts, and scores of links to other Taiwan blogs and forums!

TaiwanJunkie said...

In the US it would have been 20 dead as the weapon of choice would have been a semi.

Anonymous said...

"Those students who occupied the legislature for three weeks and struggled to get global media attention should have simply gone out and knifed a few people on the subway." Too soon and very much a tasteless comment.

Anonymous said...

This event demonstrates a few things that may be unpopular among many.

1. More guns don't help. For a disturbed individual who wanted to "do something big", the access to a more powerful and and effective arsenal for killing would have likely ended in a far higher body count. The murder of four innocent people is terrible. Unfortunately for countries like the United States that have a near religious fanaticism for firearms, a body count of four hardly makes the news. Taiwan is fortunate for having limited the use of firearms to military, law enforcement and organized crime.

2. Capital Punishment Doesn't Deter Murder: Taiwan just murdered several citizens convicted of capital crimes a couple weeks ago. If the purpose of the death penalty is to deter criminals, then it obviously missed its mark. If the purpose of capital punishment is for vengeance and retribution, then society needs to take a closer look at itself.

3. Although the evidence of this individual's motivation is still being collected, it raises several questions-- foremost being, did anyone see this coming? If so, why didn't anyone do anything?

From the standpoint of an educator, I can be fairly certain that somebody saw something. Teachers often spend more time with children than their own parents. We see things and notice patterns of behavior (including antisocial behavior) that is evident even in early education.

Taiwan lacks the framework for dealing with these issues early. Schools do not have the type of statutory procedures for monitoring antisocial or harmful patterns of behavior early on. Most of the time incidents are treated as isolated incidents and are never collected, monitored or assigned to counselors and social service workers. Often, teachers are blamed and vilified for notifying the parents who can not be bothered or feel that a proper diagnosis will lead to feelings of shame. There are thousands of students who suffer from mental illness, abuse, neglect and other psychological issues, that make it through the system without receiving mandated assistance and oversight. This is Taiwan's collective failure.

In many countries any violent incident will be recorded and monitored with mandatory counseling and follow-ups.

If these children can be helped early, they do not necessarily become monsters. Society needs to assert itself on this issue and parents need to be forced to deal accountability or face consequences. They can not be allowed to simply shop children around to schools that will not bother them wit their children's issues.

Michael Turton said...

." Too soon and very much a tasteless comment.

It's never "too soon" to point out how fucked up the international media is, especially since its an observation that many of us made immediately.

Anonymous said...

Agree that reaching out to the mentally ill is the best course of action. My take:

Anonymous said...

Does everything that happens anywhere in the world have to be fodder for disgruntled babbling about the USA and American policies? You brought it up, you can choose what you react to on your own blog. So four innocent people were stabbed on a subway in Taipei? GUNS IN AMERICA GUNS IN AMERICA GUNS IN AMERICA

maybe so many dopes are so prone to jump on that topic because there is so much easy-to-regurgitate material on it that it reduces the thinking they have to do to literally nothing.

Anonymous said...

Three words: Seung-Hui Cho

Marc said...

The consensus is that this guy was crazy. That's what they say in China. With every stabbing in China there can only be crazy person behind it.

Never an angry person;
or a sociopath;
or a bullied person;
or a terribly wronged person;
or a gangster;
or a person who has been told he failed at something important;
or a cheated person;
or a sexually abused person;
or a physically-ill person.

No, only a crazy person would do this; and we feel much better to think this because none of us crazy.

Aaron said...

I saw this news on your FB feed, and then I went about my normal media consumption here in the USA.

There was no coverage. I was a little surprised, but not really as there was a bombing in China.

I'm not sure its a conspiracy to not cover the legislature, but that there are too many shiny objects and they have to choose a few to really push.

And I have to figure some editor used total body count and crazy vs. political to decide to cover the China body count.

During the legislature sit-in, Ukraine was going on and so was Venezuela. Venezuela also got bumped into very little coverage, but was maybe ahead of Taiwan.

Thailand just had martial law declared, and they had protests all during Taiwan's - no coverage in the USA.

Seriously, its been a very busy couple of months looking back.

I define coverage as front page news choice or USA Today mobile ap.

Readin said...

Regarding the comment about Taiwanese not stopping the guy: they did stop him. According to the Taipei Times a group of Taiwanese corralled him and then an old guy who knows some martial art subdued him.

If the attacker had any skill in handling the knives or fighting, killing four people by surprise wouldn't be that difficult. And a large number of injuries would be the result of people trying to subdue him.

Or maybe he was a wimp and got away with a lot of mayhem because people waited too long.

I think we don't have enough information yet to say.

Readin said...

Regarding news coverage, you have to understand that the American news media have been very busy for the last couple months. Where I work we have CNN in the elevator lobby and it is quite clear they've been swamped with newsworthy stories that squeeze out stuff like the freedom of 23 million people.

There was that airplane that disappeared. They had to report that it disappeared. And of course they had to report on the reactions of the relatives, and on the reactions of the leaders of various countries. They had to report speculation about what happened, and they themselves had to speculate about what happened. They had to cover the efforts being made to find the plane. They had to speculate about the possible success or failure of these efforts. This had to report what radars were used, what countries were involved, the remote submersibles being used, and every stray ping and beep in the Indian Ocean. They had to speculate about every ping and beep and what it meant to the families and how it might or might not lead to recovery of the plane. They owed it to their audience to describe the topography of the sea floor in that area of ocean, and the technologies and capabilities of the black box.

You can see how with reporting of such importance there was hardly anytime to cover Taiwan.

Eventually the plane thing was covered adequately and they had time to move on to less important matters like Taiwan, Benghazi, the agreement with Ukraine guaranteeing its territorial integrity, etc., but then the Donald Sterling made a RACIALLY INSENSITIVE REMARK IN THE PRIVACY OF HIS HOME!!!

Well you can understand how priorities have to be set. Until this gets cleared up Taiwan, Benghazi, China-Russia pacts, etc. will have to take a back-seat to matters of true importance.

But once this gets cleared up I'm sure CNN will have time to cover the Miley Cyrus or whoever it is misbehaving in public at the time.

Anonymous said...

The events with the Sunflower movement were reported in most of the mainstream media outlets in America. I know because I searched and read them. Did they deserve more coverage? Of course. It is significant to those of us living here in Taiwan. Unfortunately the mainstream media in America and elsewhere around the world focus on what the average person is fixated with sensationalism such as death, destruction, local celebrities, or domestic issues that directly effect them. The sunflower movement was none of that to the citizens of countries abroad. However, the subway killings will get more attention since it fits into the sensationalism that drives ratings. Of course it will be certainly over shadowed in America now that the shootings in California happened yesterday.

Anonymous said...

The media needs to stop reporting on these events, or atleast giving so much detail. Do not report on who the killer was, only on the lives lost or mamed. By showing the killers picture and telling his story, it gives him fame. And to mentally disturbed nobodies, they see committing an act like this gets them a away to be remembered. Where there is one there are many, and they will continue to do this as long as they know there are others who hate just like themselves.


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Monday, October 24, 2011

Might as well go out with a bang!

Party season in the Doyle household is officially over.

My biggest baby is 12! How the hell did time go this fast? It seems like yesterday this sweet baby girl was in my arms, all cuddly and edible and unable to speak. Yes, unable to speak!
Mothers of other 12 year olds will know what I’m talking about (12 is hard) but I know she’s going to pay me back (later on) by being the most wonderful adult.
Jemima and her favourite person in the world
And lets face it this very gorgeous, spirited and funny kid is the reason our family is.
If it weren’t for her — nothing would be as it is!
Jemima and her cousin Jas
So for the big ‘12’ we decided to throw her an 80’s Karaoke Disco Party.
It was BIG. 50 kids and the best 80’s tracks ever (personally selected by me)!
Max was in charge of photo’s, Doug the barbecue, Josh, Renee, Malcie and Maurice were in charge of keeping the festivities in swing and making sure the boys were kept in line, Ilona was exceptional helping Jemima get her outfit together and making sure Frank shone in the limelight and not forgetting the incredible Justine who made my girls look beyond gorgeous (I hope my girls realise how lucky they are). And Aashy(my future daughter in-law)my son was putty in your hands, thanks for keeping him in line and for letting him have something pretty to chase all day!
Best outfit of the day besides the birthday girl went to Aunty Candice - that outfit was exceptional – I have never seen anyone look so bad but so good all in one — incredible!
The party was a huge hit and the food was pretty good to. We had sausage rolls (made by Melinda at Pedlar, she also supplied all the other meat), Mini hamburgers and chicken skewers all kindly cooked by Doug and served by my gorgeous girlfriends — who also helped me clean up — god I love having tidy friends.
I had contemplated making Jemima a croquembouche but reneged at the last minute - I had a feeling I’d bitten of more than I could chew. We decided we’d go the 'Messina'route(best ice-cream in Sydney) Ice-cream cakes all round – Jemima was thrilled as was I.
Three hours of dancing and eating was followed by a sleepover and a mass of present opening — whoa!
Presents from us
The day  before...whilst prepping for the party of the decade we celebrated Jemima’s actual birthday with her Nana and Granddad (who were visiting from New Zealand) and her Aunty Amanda
The birthday girl requested ‘Fish Burgers’ for dinner and we did a quick trip to Adriano Zumbo for dessert.

The best and easiest
Fish Burgers ever!
(adapted from a recipe by Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall)

All you need is:
As many rolls and pieces' of fish that you have people eating
Bap rolls (super soft cloudy buns)
John Dory fillets — skin removed
Best quality mayonnaise - or homemade(even better)
Salted capers rinsed really well
Chives – chopped finely
Iceberg lettuce
Salt and pepper
How to make:
Make your mayonnaise by rinsing the capers and chopping the chives, mix these into the mayo and squeeze half a lemon and pepper — mix well set aside

Then assemble your rolls — cut them in half and butter both sides (with real butter)
Wash and lay your iceberg lettuce on your rolls
Once this is done, pan fry your fish
Get your skillet really hot and then pop your seasoned fish in, two pieces at a time, cook until the first side is golden (a couple of mins) then flip once and cook for a further minute or two
On top of the iceberg place your fish and a large tablespoon of mayo - squish your bun down and see if you come up for air(I bet you don't)
There are no words to describe how good these taste, they are simply insane.
Can you see how happy Jemima is after one mouthful? This is every age kind of happiness...
These were followed by an assortment of cakes from Adriano Zumbo...
I think turning 12 might have been Ok?

©Michelle Schoeps 2013
All photos taken by Michelle Schoeps

1 comment:

  1. How wonderful! ALL of it! Thanks so much for sharing.


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Casting Spoken Word Artists for Opening Acts

Duality Films Casting Call

Duality Films

Duality Films is looking for 4 spoken word artists to open for Jared Paul on July 3rd. The performance is in Jackson, MI so if you are unable to be in Jackson, MI from 7:30pm to 10:00pm, please do not apply.

Available Roles:

  • 4 Spoken Word Artists: Each artists will have 10-12 minutes to showcase their talents and will have an opportunity to share the stage with international spoken word artist Jared Paul.

There is no pay for these positions.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in applying, please email a 3-5 minute piece (or YouTube link) of your own ORIGINAL work to:

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“Warning Signs” Web Series Casting Call for Extras

Martian Productions’ Needs Extras for Tomorrow

Martian Productions’ new, independently-produced Web series, “Warning Signs”, needs extras this Saturday in Bay City, MI. Talent will be needed for about 4-5 hours, beginning at 8:30am.

Shoot Details:

Saturday, February 25th at 8:30am (4-5 hours)

Midland Street Jack’s Grill & Lounge and The Diamond Banquet and Ballroom
605 E. Midland St.
Bay City, MI 48706

Available Roles:

  • Extras: Looking for men and women, twenty somethings and above, variety of races preferred, for background bar patrons. Bar is upscale and is frequented by doctors, nurses, scientists, …attorneys, etc. Mostly casual dress but scrubs for the hospital-types are allowed.

These are non-paid, non-union roles, but you will receive credit and experience.

How to Apply:

If you are interested in applying please email your resume and headshots to: cyberhunt007@yahoo.com

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Easter in an Age of Terror

Easter in an Age of Terror

Roughly two months before Easter 2015, twenty-one ISIS-captured Egyptian prisoners appeared in pictures and video in the now expected bright orange jumpsuits that have become the execution garb of the Islamic State. These particular prisoners were the first captives outside of Syria and Iraq publicly beheaded by the Islamic State terrorists. These prisoners were also all Christians who would not deny, but rather publicly proclaim, their faith in their Savior—Jesus Christ, crucified and risen—a faith their executioners deplored and condemned.

As each executioner gripped a prisoner’s shoulder with one hand, clutching a knife in the other, a caption scrolled across the screen: “People of the cross, followers of the hostile Egyptian church” – a description of the Coptic Christians. One of the terrorists unleashed a rambling diatribe: “Recently you have seen us on the hills of al-Sham and on Dabiq’s plain, chopping off the heads that have been carrying the cross delusion for a long time O crusaders, safety for you will be only wishes … The sea you have hidden sheikh Osama bin Laden’s body in—we swear to Allah we will mix it with your blood.”

Moments later, the executioners would wield their knives against the necks of their captives.

In the grainy video the victims were calm. There were no cries or outbursts. Instead, WORLD Magazine (Issue: “Daniels of the Year,” Dec.12, 2015) reports the men gazed up to heaven with prayers tumbling out in whispered final words: “Ya Rabbi Yasou.” Translation: “My Lord Jesus.” In the final images, the waves closest to the shore of the Mediterranean Sea appeared to turn red with their blood.

God forbid that we should forget these brothers in the faith by getting used to, accustomed to, or paralyzed by these gruesome episodes of persecution and martyrdom! Although life in the United States has gone on since September 11, 2001, things have definitely changed. We’ve been involved in a continuing war on terrorism. Many of our sons and daughters have faced incredible dangers, and some have died for the cause of freedom. We’ve become more accustomed to the minor inconveniences of being more security conscious. We show up at the airport two hours early now. We are more careful with our mail. We are prepared to go through a metal detector at a sporting event or concert. We are more observant of suspicious behavior around us.

Our world has indeed changed. Since the events of 9/11, and the continuing acts of terrorism around the globe, we have come to realize—as so much of the world already knew—that we live in an age of terror. Shortly, we will be celebrating Easter in a world that is much different than it was just a generation ago. But know this: even though the world has changed, Easter hasn’t CHANGED. The event that transpired on that first resurrection Sunday some 2,000 years ago supersedes any event that has taken place before or since.

Christ’s resurrection that first Easter morning renders powerless all acts of terror! The events of Easter morning render the following powerless for the believer: war, and death, and sickness, and pain, and sorrow, and despair, and heartbreak, and loneliness, and sin, and every other awful thing that has plagued humanity since the fall of our first parents.

The world has changed. The message, power, and hope of Easter hasn’t changed. The events of Easter morning demonstrate and declare these foundational truths of Christianity: Jesus Christ is Lord. He has power over death; He has power over, and completely paid for, sin; He has power to make a difference in your life.

As we gather to celebrate this Easter, we are reminded again that we should confidently live for, and respond to, the risen Lord Jesus the same way His first followers responded that Easter morning.

Matthew 28:1-10 tells the story. As Mary Magdalene and the “other Mary” went to Jesus’ tomb, there was a violent earthquake, and the stone that covered the tomb was rolled away. An angel of the Lord appeared and said … “Do not be afraid, for I know that you are looking for Jesus, who was crucified. He is not here; He has risen, just as He said. Come and see the place where He lay. Then go quickly and tell His disciples: ‘He has risen from the dead and is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see Him.'”

As the women hurried away, the Bible says they were “afraid yet filled with joy” and suddenly Jesus greeted them. They fell at His feet to worship Him, and He said, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.”On the basis of those simple words God still encourages and empowers three life-changing responses just like He did on that first Easter.

First, we are to … FACE Our Fears! During His ministry on earth Jesus continually commanded his followers to “fear not.” After His resurrection, one of the very first statements He made was “Do not be afraid …” (v. 10) Why would Jesus say this? Isn’t fear an emotion that we can’t control? It’s certainly not the kind of ‘feeling’ we would choose, is it? Typically, fear hits us like a tidal wave when we’re least prepared for it. Have you ever noticed a suspicious symptom in your body, like a pain in your chest or numbness or a lump—and you’re seized by fear?

Or have you ever fallen asleep on the couch waiting for your teenager to come home, and then woken up way after their curfew to realize they’re still not home? You’re overcome with fear, wondering what could have happened.

Or have you ever gone to work in the morning and your boss greets you by saying, “Don’t bother taking off your coat?” That introduces you to a whole new type of fear, doesn’t it?

Fear affects us physiologically. Our heart beats faster, our stomach does flip-flops, our hands begin to shake, it becomes difficult to breathe, and so on. But the worst effect fear has on us is that is paralyzes us. It causes us to do nothing, or—even worse—it causes us to want to run away.

Fear is an overpowering emotion, and certainly not an emotion we would willingly choose to feel. Yet, Jesus says, “Do not be afraid,” as if it is a simple matter of choice. Do you know what? It IS a simple matter of choice, and here’s why. Jesus is not referring to our emotions as much as he is referring to our thoughts and actions. He’s saying, “Do not think fearfully; do not act fearfully.”

Because of past and present terrorist activities, many people choose to put their lives on hold. This also happens when we experience a personal crisis, such as a health problem or the death of someone close to us. We let the uncertainty of the future cause us to put our lives on hold.

Jesus is saying that we don’t have to do that. He says, in effect, “I have the power over life and death, and I have the power over any challenge you face. No act of war can separate you from my love. No health problem can separate you from My love or My presence. No divorce, no failed business, no sin can separate you from My mercy.” At the end of this chapter in Matthew He reminds us, “And surely I Am with you always, to the very end of the age” (28:20).

Because of the resurrection, we don’t have to live in fear. The resurrection tells us that Jesus Christ is Lord of all; if He can conquer death, He can conquer anything. How do we face our fears? We respond with faith—thoughts of faith, and acts of faith. Fear is a feeling, and we no longer have to live by our feelings; we live by faith. We face our fears by thinking “in faith” (this is why what we believe—doctrine—is so important) and walking “in faith” (this is why obedience is so important).

A second response that God encourages and empowers is that we … FOCUS on the Mission. Look again at what Jesus said: “Go and tell my brothers …” (v.10). Just as Jesus gave those faithful women a message for the other disciples, Jesus has given us a message for all the world: “Tell them that I am alive.” In the resurrection accounts found in each of the four gospels, Jesus emphasizes this mission He has also given us:

  • “Therefore go and make disciples of all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit, and teaching them to obey everything I have commanded you” (Matthew 28:19-20 NIV).
  • “Go into all the world and preach the good news to all creation” (Mark 16:15 NIV).
  • “… repentance and forgiveness of sins will be preached in his name to all nations …” (Luke 24:47 NIV).
  • “… as the Father has sent me, I am sending you” (John 20:21 NIV).

Jesus’ second encouragement for his followers after His resurrection was, “Go and tell others.” In this age of terror, this message is more important than ever before. The world needs to hear that Jesus Christ is Lord, and He has power over sin and death. We’ve got a great story to tell—a freeing TRUTH to share—and the world desperately needs to hear it.

Have you heard the saying, “The best defense is a good offense?” As a nation, we certainly need to be able to defend ourselves from the assaults of those who wish to attack freedom and do us harm. However, the best solution to the terrorism is to introduce every tribe, every nation, and every soul on the planet to the Lord Jesus Christ.

Abraham Lincoln once famously said, “I destroy my enemy when I make him my friend.” This is how God wants us to “destroy” our enemies. His desire is for us to share the Good News of Jesus Christ with everyone. Our mission—as members of congregations and as individuals—is more important now than it ever was before.

A third response that God encourages and empowers is that we … Have FAITH In God’s Promises. Jesus said, “Do not be afraid. Go and tell my brothers to go to Galilee; there they will see Me.”

There they will see Me.” This is His promise: as we are on a mission, “I’ll be there, I’ll show up.”

Imagine how the women who witnessed the resurrected Jesus must have felt as they told His other followers what they were to do. They told them, “Pack your bags, make the journey into Galilee, and there you will see Jesusalive and in the flesh!” I wonder if they had any doubts. I wonder if they second-guessed themselves. I wonder if they thought it was just their imagination. I wonder if they wondered if they went to Galilee would He really be there. I wonder if they thought they would look foolish. I don’t know if such thoughts crossed their minds, but I do know this: they were willing to risk their reputation and rely on the promises of Jesus. And they certainly weren’t disappointed!

If you attend church every week, I am certain that bold promises are made from your pulpit (or they should be) … because they are based on God’s truthful Word! God’s Word is attended by and inhabited by the Holy Spirit of God who creates, enables, encourages, and empowers! Undoubtedly you hear:

  • Trust Jesus Christ and His accomplished work of salvation and He will turn your life around;
  • Believe in Him—trust in the Lord with all your heart—and He will fill your heart with His presence and your life with His power;
  • Go to Him with your burdens, and He will bear them for you;
  • Confess your sins to Him and He will forgive you—fully, finally, freely;
  • Give Him your sorrows, your fears, your broken dreams, your worries, and He will replace them with joy and peace and love and fulfillment.

These are bold promises, but they are made without hesitation because God’s under-shepherds—pastors—know they can rely on the promises of Jesus. We know that He will do what He said He will do! Why? “For no matter how many promises God has made, they are ‘Yes’ in Christ. And so through Him the ‘Amen’ is spoken by us to the glory of God” (2 Corinthians 1:20 NIV).

And as the prophet recounts: “This I recall to my mind, therefore have I hope. It is of the LORD’S mercies that we are not consumed, because His compassions fail not. They are new every morning: great is Thy faithfulness” (Lamentations 3:21-23 NIV). Great, indeed, is God’s faithfulness!

We live by the promises of God. He is our hope. Without Him, we have no hope, no certainty, no blessed eternity. As we face uncertain times, we cannot put our trust in ourselves, our economy, our company, our country, or in anyone or anything else. Our only hope is to put our hope and faith only in Him.

In Al Our, the small village from which thirteen of the slain Coptic Christians had come, the local priest told reporters that, when word of the mass execution reached the families, screams poured from every house and every street. At the mass funeral that would take place a few days later without coffins, families displayed pictures of their slain relatives, and hundreds of villagers mourned. One father would recount how his son went to Libya to earn enough money to start a family, but met a different outcome: “He left to marry heaven, where he’ll meet Christ.” Malak Shoukry told NPR, after watching his brother, Yousef, die in the video. “I heard him calling, ‘O Jesus,’ as he was beheaded. I’m proud of him. He is a martyr for Christ.”

Yes, our world has changed! But even though the world has changed, EASTER HASN’T CHANGED. We celebrate it this year the same as it should be celebrated every year, the same as it was celebrated on that first Easter day. Through God’s demonstrated Easter encouragement and power let us …

FACE our fears by thinking and acting in faith;

FOCUS on the mission by telling others about the life-changing power of Jesus Christ; and

Have FAITH in God’s promises that He will always be there, that He will show up—in our lives and in the lives of all who put their trust in Him.

One day we, too, will leave this earth and meet our beloved and beautiful resurrected Christ face to face.

In His Holy Name, Amen. s.D.g.

Execution photo used by permission from Reuters/Reuters TV. Crosses in sand (c) ImagineGolf/iStock.

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Bing vows to veto city council budget

May 24, 2011

Detroit Mayor Dave Bing says he'll veto the city council's budget bill. The council budget cuts spending by $50 million dollars more than the mayor wants.

 Detroit City Council voted 8-1 in favor of their plan. But Mayor Bing says adoption of his $3.1 billion dollar budget is crucial if Detroit is to avoid having Governor Rick Snyder step in and appoint an emergency manager to steer the city out of a $155 million dollar deficit.

But many on the council say the mayor’s budget is overly optimistic and the $200 million dollars in cuts he proposed is far short of what's needed.

In addition to the Mayor’s cuts, City Council wants to cut $12 million dollars from the police and fire budgets, and reduce city subsidies to cultural institutions such as Eastern Market, the Detroit Historical Museum and Detroit Institute of Arts by 25 percent.

The city's new fiscal year starts July 1.


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In this morning's Michigan news headlines...

Jun 6, 2012

Budget Heads to Snyder

The state’s budget for schools, universities, and community colleges is on its way to Governor Rick Snyder. “This budget is a stark contrast to last year – when lawmakers passed widespread spending cuts, and many businesses saw a tax reduction. Democrats complain this budget does not make up for last year’s cuts to education. Governor Rick Snyder says he’s pleased the state put money into its rainy day savings, and was able to offer modest increases to schools and universities. The new budget will require universities to meet performance standards to qualify for their full funding. It could also penalize Michigan State University for requiring students to carry health coverage or buy it through the school. The spending plan also sets aside money for an election year income tax cut,” Rick Pluta reports.

Union Dues

A lawyer says a Detroit federal judge plans to block a new state law that stops school districts from deducting union dues from paychecks, the Associated Press reports. From the AP:

Union lawyer Mark Cousens says Judge Denise Page Hood ruled from the bench Tuesday and plans to issue an injunction today. The law took effect in late March but doesn't affect districts that still have active contracts with teachers and other union-represented employees. Unions say the law was retaliation by Republican lawmakers and GOP Gov. Rick Snyder after unions began collecting signatures to protect collective bargaining in the state Constitution. The law passed by only two votes in the House and two in the Senate. Supporters say teachers and other school employees can pay dues and fees without payroll deduction.

Bus Ridership Increases

Several cities in Michigan saw large increases in bus ridership in the first quarter of this year. But the state's largest city saw a decline. “Bus ridership on "The Rapid" jumped 12 percent in the Grand Rapids metro area. Ann Arbor's bus system saw a 9 percent increase, which officials also attribute to better service.  But in Detroit, bus ridership fell six and a half percent.  That's in contrast to almost every other major U.S. city, where bus ridership grew in the first quarter. Detroit's system is notorious for buses that don't show up or that break down,” Tracy Samilton reports.


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Snyder announces Chief of Staff

Nov 16, 2010

Governor-elect Rick Snyder announced Dennis Muchmore as his Chief of Staff in Lansing yesterday.  Rick Pluta reports Muchmore, “owned a multi-client lobbying firm before retiring eight years ago. He is also an avid outdoorsman who served briefly as the interim president of the Michigan United Conservation Clubs.”

Snyder said he chose Muchmore because of his knowledge of how Lansing politics work.  The Detroit News reports Muchmore:

...is the most unorthodox choice.  He hasn't worked directly for an elected official since the 1970s, when he served as an aide to Macomb County Democratic state Sen. John Bowman.

Muchmore is 63.


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Stabenow pushes for action on trade violations

Oct 3, 2011

Michigan Senator Debbie Stabenow says it’s time to get tough with countries that flout international trade rules.

She’s pushing a three-part legislative package, the American Competitiveness Plan, that aims to crack down on those countries.

Stabenow singles out China as the worst offender when it comes to manipulating international trade rules to its advantage. But the U.S. government has generally been reluctant to take action.

Stabenow says the time to act is now. She says one of the biggest issues is currency manipulation—China intentionally deflating the value of its currency to keep exports artificially cheap.

“It’s very important that we send a loud message to China and any other country that is manipulating their currency that it is illegal, it is unfair, and it needs to stop.”

The United States also has the smallest trade enforcement office of any developed country. Stabenow says that needs to change, and proposes creating the job of trade prosecutor to go after alleged trade law violations.

“It’s time to make sure we have somebody whose job it is to focus 100% of their time on enforcing trade agreements, again to level the playing field to create the ability for our companies and our workers to be able to compete successfully in a global economy.”

The third proposed would increase efforts to prevent, and punish, intellectual property theft.

Stabenow says Senate is slated to vote on the currency manipulation bill—which is opposed by the U.S. Chamber of Commerce and other lawmakers--as Monday evening.


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A Minute with Mike: What's in a name?

Nov 9, 2017

The debate over what we, as residents of Michigan, are officially called may soon be over.

Headed to Governor Snyder's desk is a package of recently passed bills that modernize the 1913 statue that created the Michigan Historical Commission.

In these bills, the term "Michiganians" has been struck out in favor of "Michigander."

That got Stateside producer Mike Blank thinking maybe it's time for a whole new word to describe us.

Resch Strategies

Budget schmudget.

The real debate in this state is over how we self-identify.

The Michigander vs. Michiganian debate rears up every so often.

We last heard about it during last fall's gubernatorial race.

Democratic candidate Virg Bernero preferred Michiganian, while Republican candidate Rick Snyder preferred Michigander (my spell check likes neither, by the way).

Snyder grabbed the victory and told the crowd to drop all the divisive labels... except one. From MLive:

Snyder told his victory party in Detroit that it was time to "drop the labels" of party, ideology and geography. "There is only one label that matters and that label is Michigander."

Survey says

The Lansing-based PR firm Resch Strategies decided to feel the state's pulse on this question. They contacted 600 Michiganians/Michiganders at the end of January and asked them, "Do you consider yourself a (ROTATE:  Michigander or a Michiganian)"?

The results:

  • 58% said Michigander
  • 12% said Michiganian
  • 7% said both
  • 11% said neither
  • 12% didn’t know

Online Poll (warning, extremely scientific)

We thought we'd try to gauge your preference:


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Monday, October 04, 2010

Now Playing at the MZone Theater

Craig said...

This poster calls for this requisite film clip:

Bigasshammm said...

I like seeing that "The Denardening" is still number 1 at the box office after 5 weeks.


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Wednesday, September 15, 2010

ACEO "Witch craft apprentice"
Mixed media, 2.5" x 3.5" Watercolor paper
As a student of witchcraft, little Smokey practices holding a broom stick by cleaning up the house.  It's a dull chore, but at least he gets to wear his favorite red boots to keep his paws clean!
Sold to North Carolina, US

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text:
archipelago, peregrine, bully pulpit and foist

By the way, we recently finished the first draft of a major project at work, and I was wondering if I could get some of you to take a look and maybe do some beta testing for us. Nothing too intensive, I promise, just play through the module and then email me your thoughts.

So what is this project? An Opera. kind of. Well, "an interactive animation to teach children about Opera" is probably a better way of putting it. Basically, you are made director of a 12 minute production of "Hansel and Gretel", and you get to make all manner of decisions about how it looks and operates.

If your wondering, I was the illustrator, the animator and one of the programmers on this project. So if I sound a little boastful its only because this thing was my baby for the last couple months. But I definitely couldn't have done it without everyone else at zumwinkle.com

So, without further ado, go check out Design your own Opera. Then if you have a minute let me know what you think at mikebilz (at) yahoo.com, or just leave a comment here on the blog. Thanks.

spiel, catbird seat

I always though it was "schpiel", but I realize upon typing it that that is far to many consonants in a row to be right.
Lame? Perhaps. Oh, and if anyone out there in the ol' interwebs is counting, these are the 200th and 201st sketches I've completed for this crazy experiment. Quite possibly the longest I have ever actually stuck to New Year's Resolution in my life.

Masquerade, you say?

Indeed, the secret project I mentioned earlier was in fact costumes and masks for a Masquerade. Specifically The Labyrinth of Jareth masquerade ball, and it was bitchin. Imagine a few hundred punks, goths and renaissance faire enthusiasts all got together to hang out in fancy costumes, and your halfway there.

So the sketch above was by costume concept, and somehow my girlfriend made it happen. On top of making her own dress no less. Check it out:

A detail shot of us in the masks
So my contribution to this whole undertaking was the masks. I think they came out pretty good for only spending a couple days on them. The whole look and design of the costumes was inspired by crows, so i took that into the masks as well. I figure we did a pretty good job overall, since people we didn't know were asking to take our picture. I'd say that in general thats a pretty good sign your costume kicks ass.

By the way, I owe you all some sketches. Please enjoy:

(don't know if I properly conveyed the sense of force I was hoping for)

devolve, cowcatcher, verdant ...

excuses will be forthcoming...

jehu, exculpatory, nictitate, stanch, abstain, parable, fecund, olla podrida, boycott, supersede

So, lets just say I've had a very interesting and active few days, into who's exploits I will delve further when I post todays word sometime this evening. I'll also be posting images from an awesome secret project I was working on with my girlfriend. Okay, not exactly secret, but a project none the less. Till then, enjoy this week-and-a-half's worth of overdue sketches.

dolorous, regale and irascible

This ones for the ladies, ah yeah. Sammiches.


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Tuesday, May 31, 2016

Items of Want 037

Filson Logger Mesh Cap

The color scheme of this hat struck a chord in me. While I do have a soft spot for understated, durable goods, there's really not much to say other than simply repeating Filson's recommended usage for this hat: "Field; Travel; Everyday"

Tanner Goods Cargo Carryall

A reinvention of the classic military duffel, I would love to trek this bag all over the world and see what kind of patina develops. The 72 liter capacity should be more than enough for some upcoming trips I have planned and the 18oz cotton canvas is sure to withstand any abuse.

Birds of North America Poster

My parents had a book of birds I used to love looking through from our porch as I pretended to be an ornithologist. Actually, they probably still have that book somewhere but in case they don't, I think this poster would scratch my itch of identifying our fine feathered friends and knolling all at once. Two birds I suppose.

Goal Zero Torch 250 Flashlight

If two is one and one is none, I suppose this flashlight is something around a four. At least. What is it? It's a 250 lumen flashlight that can recharge from USB, solar, or its hand crank, and can charge a smartphone, GoPro, or a tablet. And all for less than $100. It seems Goal Zero has seriously upped the flashlight game and made an incredible device for home, the car, or the campsite. No reason not to get a couple and be prepared for when you need to shed a little light on the subject.

WC x Boreas Pack

In a quest to limit how many "things" I own, I've started paring down with a goal of not having more than one thing of a particular subject. Since I already have a small backpack (GORUCK GR1) for day hikes and everyday use and a large backpack (GORUCK GR2) for camping and travel, I was successful in talking myself out of buying this Wilderness Collective / Boreas Gear collaboration bag when it was available for sale. But after seeing it firsthand during a recent Wilderness Collective trip, I realized I need one in my life. It could be perfect for riding mountain bikes or dual sport motorcycles so my eyes are now glued to Craigslist and eBay in case one pops up.

— Check out past Items of Want

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Friday, October 05, 2007

Demitri Martin on Hummer Owners

This guy is hillarious. I originally saw him on the Daily Show one time and then never saw him on there again. I remember thinking to myself who is this guy? He has an interesting style of comedy which is highly reliant upon graphs and charts. The man is really talented too, as he can play several instruments, and very well I might add.

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Once my youngest daughter weaned herself from the Magical Boob Juice, the fun really began!

(And by fun we all know I mean chaos!)

Pull up a chair, sit a while, read a few pages.

Keep and open mind and a joyful heart and you too can get pumped into the world of The Milk Maid.

Just Another Friday Mish-Mash

For as long as I can remember children have always seemed to come out of the blue to talk to me. I could be shopping or reading a book at the park or even in the middle of a store that caters to adults in the mall (like Teavana- yum!) and some small person with big eyes and lots to chat about will find me. I don't know if I just have a friendly face or perhaps it is because I look motherly or what it is that attracts these children to me. It could very well be that I have a disproportionately large head and the kids think I'm some cartoon character come to life. Whatever the reason is, I can promise you that where ever I go, they will find me.
A prime example is today at a local fast food joint we shall call Chick-Fil-$. I take Ava to the playground and not 45 seconds later here comes a tiny little girl with painted finger and toe nails, glossy green sandals, a fantastically white outfit that is embroidered with red flowers, and a 4 pound red bow clipped into her hair at such an angle I thought surely it must be a struggle for her to walk without listing to one side.
The first thought that ran through my mind as Over-Coiffed Tiny Girl made her entrance to the play area was Oh shit... I'm going to have to talk to this kid.
I'll be honest here- I have no desire to spend an hour making small talk with a pint-sized peewee. I have learned from vast experience that I just don't have that much in common with a 3 year old (sans the occasional temper tantrum). I'm anti-social with adults on the best days, and with strange children well- you can imagine how this all went down right?....
Over-Coiffed Tiny Girl (bursting into the room): Hi!!! My name is Anna Kate Gracie*, but you can call me Anna Kate.
Me (in my signature monotone style): Why not Gracie?
OCTG: Oh because my mother and grandmother's names are Gracie and it would be very hard to know WHO we were talking to.
Me: So I guess it is good you have lots of other first names then.
OCTG: We saw "Horton And A Who" today. It was really funny because they had this flower and they played with it and Horton And a Who was an elephant!!
Me (sipping tea, eyeballing the kid warily): Neeto.
OCTG (relentless): My mom is really smart. She took me to her work one day and let me draw a picture for her. My mom is really smart.
Me (starting to get antsy): Where is your mom?
OCTG: She's right outside (yelling) MOM MOM MOM HEY HEY HEY MOM! There's my mom. She's smart. And that is her friend Miss Olga, she smells pretty.
Me: (fakes a smile, wishing for Ava to climb down from the top of the slide area and save me!) Ohhh.
OCTG: Your kid is small. How old is she? Can she talk? Why does she scream so loud? Can you make her stop screaming? She's really loud. What is her name? What is her middle name? What is her third name?
Me: You mean last name?
OCTG (looking at me like I am the most stupid person on earth): Nooooo- her THIRD name!
Me: Oh look at the time! Bye!
*I swear I couldn't make that up if I tried
--The Milk Maid says my ears, my ears- someone save my ears!

B said...

bahaha! I have heard that monotone of yours, she probably just didn't catch on to the "get the fuck away from me" vibe. : ) You know you like kids mean time! Are you sure you're not premenstrual again? :::looking closely at milk maid:::::

Deena said...

That's funny!
She didn't get the hint did she? (The go away hint...)

I love chic fil $

my cowgirl alter-ego said...

You be nice to strange babies!!! Even heavily coiffed ones!

PS.. Do you notice that it was GIRL that spoke with you???

twondra said...

That's funny. :) Can't believe she didn't get the hint. :)

babybound said...

Uuuugh. That would completely kill me.

Michell said...

Oh my god, how funny. Kids that age just don't get that "go the fuck away" tone do they.

Marcy "meg" said...

The visual of that bow had me cracking up. Pretty funny stuff!

Michelle said...

HAHAHA!! Oh my....your poor ears..!!

singletracey said...

Im a little behind and just caught the friday mish mash! HAHAHHAH I can picture it PERFECTLY ...heeheee

Becky said...

I don't know you, but the mental picture is f*cking priceless.

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Tuesday, September 25, 2012

6th Circuit Uphold Wal-Mart's Firing of Employee Who Used Marijuana Under Michigan's Medical Marijuana Law

The Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit issued a decision recently upholding the termination of a former Wal-Mart employee who had been prescribed medical marijuana under Michigan's Medical Marihuana Act (MMMA), which was enacted in 2008.

The employee, Joseph Casias, received a medical marijuana registry card from the state, and he began using the drug to manage his pain that stemmed from sinus cancer and an inoperable brain tumor.  In November 2009, Casias injured his knee at work. He went to the hospital, where he received a standard drug test because of Wal-Mart policy. Prior to the test, he showed his registry card to the testing staff.  When the test inevitably came back positive for marijuana, Casias showed his shift manager, Troy Estill (who was later named as a defendant for terminating Casias) the registry card and told the manager that he never smoked marijuana at work or came to work under the drug's influence. However, Wal-Mart's corporate office in Arkansas ordered store manager Estill to fire Casias because of the failed test, and Estill did so on Nov. 24.

Casias sued the company and Estill for wrongful discharge and violation of the MMMA. The U.S. District Court for the Western District of Michigan decided that the MMMA “contains no language stating that it repeals the general rule of at-will employment in Michigan or that it otherwise limits the range of allowable private decisions by Michigan businesses.” The district court said the word “business” in the statute does not regulate private employment actions ( 764 F. Supp. 2d 914, 31 IER Cases 1565 W.D. Mich. (2011); (29 HRR 216, 2/28/11).  The 6th Circuit agreed.

Casias argued that the term “business” in the MMMA is independent, while Wal-Mart countered that it modifies the phrase “licensing board or bureau.” The Sixth Circuit sided with the company's interpretation.  As is done in cases calling for statute interpretation, and highlighting the importance of carefully crafting groundbreaking legislation like the MMMA, the Court ultimately held that the MMMA does not govern private employment actions and noted that other states, California, Montana, and Washington have found that their states' similar medical marijuana laws do not govern private employment actions.

The case is Casias v. Wal-Mart Stores Inc., 6th Cir., No. 11-1227, 9/19/12

Monday, September 24, 2012

7 Paycheck No-No's the Department of Labor is Focusing On

Here is a quick, easy-to-understand list of the top 7 law violations the Department of Labor targets as they prove to be the biggest laws employers break.  Employers are always encouraged to evaluate how they classify and pay employees to avoid expensive lawsuits and litigations and employees are encouraged to speak with wage & hour attorneys if they suspect they are not being paid properly.

1. Failure to insure that subcontractors follow the law

General contractors are responsible not only for their own violations of federal labor law, but also for those committed by their subcontractors.

2. Employees working more than 60 hours per week without proper payment

The most egregious problem with workers who work over 40 hours a week is failure to pay at all for all hours worked. It’s not unusual to find workers who are paid for 40 or 50 hours but essentially forced to work 60 hours.

3. Failure to pay required prevailing wages and overtime compensation

Prevailing wage is generally interpreted as the union wage for the area. Of course, any overtime earned must be paid at the prevailing wage rate.

4. Providing inaccurate or falsified payroll records to the government

Obviously, providing falsified records is not a wise practice. However, many submitted records are merely inaccurate. In fact, most experts admit that probably no organization has perfect pay records. But there are common problems that you can watch out for:
  • Clock in and clock out procedures, including especially rounding rules that favor the company and not the employee.
  • Automatic deductions for meal periods. Problems tend to occur when an employee works through part or all of the meal period, but the time tracking system deducts the time. For example, if employees are taking phone calls during lunch, they are probably working.
  • Changes made by supervisors and not checked by employees.
5. Failing to keep accurate records of hours employees worked

Records must be detailed. For example, “8 hours” today is not enough. Note time in, time out for lunch, time in from lunch, and time out at the end of the day. Have employees sign that their time card or other record is “an accurate and full accounting of hours worked for the period.”

6. Failing to pay for all hours employees worked

As was mentioned in yesterday’s Advisor, this failure usually arises from people taking work home or being requested to work before clocking in or after clocking out.
One important point: If employees do work extra hours, you have to pay them, even if you have specified that they can’t work extra hours without permission. (You can discipline them for doing the work, but you still have to pay them for it.)
One new twist here is the rise of cell phone/e-mail use outside of work hours. If non-exempt employees are answering phone calls or dealing with e-mail off hours for more than a de minimus time frame, they are probably working and need to be paid for those hours.
7. Improperly classifying employees who performed work on the projects, resulting in the underpayment of wages and fringe benefits.

Misclassifying (calling employees exempt who should be classified as non-exempt) is a sticky problem. There is a lot of grey area in the supervisory ranks. The general rule is that it’s better to sort out these difficulties before work begins. After the fact, there are lawsuits, class actions, and other expensive challenges to be dealt with.

Wisconsin Piggly Wiggly Supermarkets Settle Numerous Cases with NLRB

The National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has announced settlements in numerous cases involving six stores part of Sheboygan, Wisconsin-based Piggly Wiggly supermarkets.  From the press release on the settlements, which included signing collective bargaining agreements with the union representing its employees, reinstating discharged workers, providing about 500 employees a total of more than $570,000 in backpay, and keeping open a store that had been slated for closure:

The settlements signed by Piggly Wiggly Midwest, LLC, based in Sheboygan, resolve cases involving six stores that began in 2009 and were in various stages of litigation. As a result, the parties agreed to seek dismissal of a case pending in the 7th Circuit Court of Appeals, and Piggly Wiggly agreed to drop its opposition to the enforcement of a Board order in another case.  A third set of cases scheduled for trial were resolved by a formal agreement that requires approval by the Board in Washington.  A fourth set of cases still under investigation were withdrawn.
The employees, represented by UFCW Local 1473, agreed to accept a reduced amount in bargaining-related backpay to facilitate the employer’s agreement to keep the Sheboygan store open.
 Congrats to the NLRB Region 30 office based in Milwaukee on this resolve of multiple cases years in the works.

Wednesday, September 19, 2012

September Edition of the Employment Law Blog Carnival

Daniel Schwartz was this month's host for the monthly Employment Law Blog Carnival over at his blog, "Connecticut Employment Law Blog."  It is available for viewing here.

Wednesday, September 12, 2012

7th Circuit Holds Reassignment to Vacant Position is Reasonable Accommodation Under Americans with Disabilities Act

The Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit recently issued a decision holding that the Supreme Court's ruling in U.S. Airways, Inc. v. Barnett, 535 U.S. 391 (2002) overrules precedent set in EEOC v. Humiston-Keeling, 227 F.3d 1024 (7th Cir. 2000), which held that the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) did not require employers to appoint employees who are losing their current positions due to disability to a vacant position for which they are qualified.

In overturning their previous precedent, the 7th Circuit held:
We reverse and hold that the ADA does indeed mandate that an employer appoint employees with disabilities to vacant positions for which they are qualified, provided that such accom- modations would be ordinarily reasonable and would not present an undue hardship to that employer.
The case, EEOC v. United Airlines Inc.No. 11-1774,  stemmed from the EEOC's issue with United Airlines accommodation policy which stated that “transfer . . . [to] an equivalent or lower-level vacant position” may be a reasonable accommodation, the guide- lines specify that the transfer process is competitive. Accordingly, employees needing accommodation will not be automatically placed into vacant positions but instead will be given preferential treatment.  The EEOC believed the Supreme Court's ruling in Barnett required employers to reassign disabled employees needing accommodation into positions they were qualified for so long as it was reasonable and did not pose an undue hardship to the employer.  The district court did not agree with the EEOC and dismissed the case pursuant to FRCP Rule 12(b)(6).

The 7th Circuit was careful to note that some employers, in making reassignment decisions and transfers, use a seniority system and noted that an employer can state the reassignment may be reasonable in the presence of a seniority system--but did not create a per se rule noting an employee can point to "special circumstances" warranting the reassignment even in the presence of a seniority system.

With respect to employers with a "best hire" practice (i.e., choosing the best candidate over the employee needing an accommodation), the Court held that the violation of a best-qualified selection policy does not involve the property-rights and administrative concerns (and resulting burdens) presented by the violation of a seniority policy.  For this reason, the Court held that it erred in a 2002 decision in Mays v. Principi, 301 F.3d 866 (7th Cir. 2002) that held that an employer did not violate the duty of reasonable ac- commodation in the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, 29 U.S.C. §§ 701 et seq., by giving an administrative nursing position to a better qualified applicant, rather than to a disabled employee needing reassignment.

The 7th Circuit remanded this case back to the district court with the following instructions in following Barnett:
On remand, the district court must conduct the Barnett analysis. In this case, the district court must first consider (under Barnett step one) if mandatory reassignment is ordinarily, in the run of cases, a reasonable accommodation.3 Assuming that the district court finds that mandatory reassignment is ordinarily reasonable, the district must then deter- mine (under Barnett step two) if there are fact-specific considerations particular to United’s employment system that would create an undue hardship and render manda- tory reassignment unreasonable.
Luckily for the plaintiff in the case, United has no seniority system for reassignments so the first step will be easy to deal with and the second step requires the employer to show some sort of special consideration that would make the accommodation unreasonable.

Monday, September 10, 2012

New York Federal Court Allows Latino Employee's Hostile Work Environment Claim to Move Forward for Being Called a "Monkey"

A former employee, Fernando Marrero, of a moving and storage company filed claims alleging race-based discrimination, a hostile work environment, and retaliation in violation of Title VII of the Civil Rights Act of 1964 (“Title VII”), 42 U.S.C. § 2000e et seq. and the New York State Human Rights Law (“NYSHRL”), N.Y. Exec. Law § 296 et seq.  A federal judge granted summary judgment in part and denied in part allowing the employee's hostile work environment claims to move forward based on, inter alia, the employee's almost-daily being called a "monkey" and coworkers' repeated throwing of monkeys at him, monkey noises made in his presence, posters of a monkey and his name written on it posted in numerous locations in the workplace, and even a banana presented to him as a joke.  After repeated complaints to management that went nowhere and actually and incredibly led to harassment from management itself, the employee eventually quit after he noticed his work hours reduced.  What makes this case interesting and unique is the fact the employee is Latino and "monkey" is most often referred to as an ethnic slur used on black people.  Nevertheless, the Court allowed the hostile work environment claims to move forward to a jury.

In allowing the employee's hostile work environment claim to move forward on his incessantly being called a "monkey" in the workplace, the Court reasoned that:

[T]he fact that plaintiff is not specifically of African heritage would not prevent a jury from concluding “monkey” was a derogatory reference to his race. Plaintiff self-identifies as a dark-skinned, dark-haired Hispanic man. He testified he understood “monkey” to be a reference to his physical appearance.  Plaintiff also submitted an affidavit from a Hispanic co-worker, Joseph Amadiz, who witnessed plaintiff being called “monkey” and interpreted “monkey” to be a derogatory reference to plaintiff’s race.  As plaintiff rightly notes, although nicknames were common between employees at R-Way, none of the nicknames given to other employees had any racial connotation.
The Court also noted that the employee was called a "monkey" by another Latino employee but the plaintiff told the other Latino not to be an "Uncle Tom" and engage in the harassment and also noted that Latino is a term that encompasses a variety of Latino countries with people of differing physical features as plaintiff was in fact darker than his other Latino coworkers.

This is a very thoughtful opinion from the Court that acknowledges differences in ethnicities and does not allow the employer to attempt to make a silly, clever argument that "monkey" can only be a racial slur against African-Americans or other African decent employees.  Clearly this plaintiff was being taunted for his physical characteristics stemming from his ethnicity and race and the Court was wise to see that.

[Plaintiff's retaliation claims were dismissed for failure to show a causal connection between his protected activity of complaining about the harassment and his reduction in hours and constructive discharge.]

The case is Marrero vs. R-Way Moving & Storage, Ltd., , Case No. 10 Civ. 5838 (US Dist. EDNY)

Wednesday, September 5, 2012

Nominations for ABA's Annual Blawg 100 Due!

A friend just reminded me that it's that time of the year for nominations to be submitted to the ABA for their annual Blawg 100.  Nominations may be submitted here and no pressure to vote for this blog at all :-)


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Saturday, November 7, 2015

Daniel-The Future Stolen By an Evil King

By Mary Vee
Daniel 11

From Daniel's Journal

Photo Courtesy
My name is Daniel. I am still living in Babylon and in service to Cyrus king of Persia.

Many of my Hebrew brothers and their families traveled back to Jerusalem a short time ago. King Cyrus gave them permission. Ezra led the people.

An angel came to speak to me after I'd seen a vision. I don't know if I had such a difficult time because I am older or because of the vision that scared me, or maybe both.

The message has been long, I know. This is the third time I'm writing you, carrying on the message. If you missed any, scroll down these posts to read the ones before. The news is very important for us to hear.  It can help prepare us for the day these events will come to pass. This is what the angel explained next:

The evil king from the North will do whatever makes him happy. He will say he is greater than every god and speak agains the holy true God. To make matters word the king of the North will be successful until the time of wrath is complete. All of these events must take place.

The king of the North will not respect the gods of his fathers, or for the one desired by women, or respect any god. He will declare himself above all. He will honor an unknown god with gold and silver, precious stones and costly gifts. He will honor those who agree with him and make them rulers over many people, redistributing the land at a price.

When this time comes to an end, the king of the South will go to battle. The king of the North will fight back with chariots, calvary, and a greet fleet of ships. The North king will sweep through many countries like a flood including Egypt and invade the Beautiful Land. Many countries will fall except Edom, Moab, and the leaders of Ammon, which will be spared.

Reports from the east and north will frighten the king of the North. He will attack, annihilate, and destroy many and set his tents between the seas at the beautiful holy mountain. That is where he will come to an end,
and no one will help him.

Thank God, hope is finally coming in this news. Please come back next time to hear the end of the Angel's message.

1.  Who is speaking to Daniel?
2.  Who is the evil king?
3.  What will he think of himself?
4.  Who will he reward?
5.  Why do you think the angel told Daniel what would happen in the future?

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We like to read what you learned about the story today. Remember, God loves you very much!


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In the early days, all we were focused on was survival – staying safe and away from predators, gathering and hunting food.  Our brain was wired to deal with immediate opportunities or threats.

As human civilization began to evolve, I believe we added another level of deliberation to decision-making.  We added time to the analysis.  We had time to think and looked at longer term consequences.

The trick to extrapolating over time is the following.  Typically, when we project over time, we make some implicit assumptions about the environment.  We often overlook and think that the parts are going to be relatively static.  Unfortunately, we have all heard the phrase, “There are too many moving parts here.”

Usually, that is the case, yet we keep basing our projections on seemingly static parts. Once we become aware of what really happens over time, we have a better appreciation of the outcomes.

Additionally, time defines other properties such as the past, present and the future.  Too many of us either live in the past or in the future.  Few of us are able to suspend our mind chatter and stay in the Now, when time seems to stand still. Peace and Joy are the essential outcomes in this mode.

The past usually brings anger and regret, while the future brings anxiety and fear.  Many of us live in the future in anticipation of good situations.  However, neither of these approaches helps you experience the only moment there is, being in the now.


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You need both gas and oil for your car to run wellImagine that I bought you a brand new car, filled it with a full tank of gas [petrol in the UK, as I am writing this from a wonderful retreat center near Canterbury owned by my friend Louise, founder of Mindfulness at Work] and handed you the keys.  While you may have driven a car before, you are not too familiar with how automobiles work or how to really take care of them.  Excited with this surprise gift, you soon head out on a long road trip.  After you drive a few hundred miles, a warning light comes on in your dashboard with a graphic indicating that you are running low on gas.  So you look for a gas station, pull in and fill up.

You continue driving until the warning light comes again and you fill up your car once more with gas.  You reach your destination and feel very good about your new car.  A few days later, you drive back home and are thrilled with the newly found m0bility and are so excited about the future.  So you continue this behavior for several months and drive thousands of miles more.  As the miles keep adding up, your car seems to behave a little different.  While there don’t not seem to be any visible sign or problem, the car seems to sluggish.  So, you check the gauges and nothing seems really odd and you continue.  Finally, one day you start seeing smoke in your rear view mirror.  You panic and take your car to the auto mechanic who asks you when you last changed the oil and you look puzzled and ask, “What oil?”

This seems very similar to how most of us view our body and mind.  We feed our body when we are hungry, much like we fill gas when the warning light comes on.  Most people don’t even think about their mind or the organ behind it, the brain. So, how many do you think make the effort to nurture their mind or brain?

Those who are aware of the need to take good care of themselves, seem to take better care of the bodies than their minds.  In reality though, they need to take good care of both their bodies and their minds.  Eating healthy food and a balanced diet is a great way to nourish your body.  Getting enough sleep everyday is a great way to not only rest your body, but also rest your mind.  The only caveat here is that sleep does not necessarily rest your mind the entire time that you are asleep and if you’re restless, it could be a lot worse.

A great way to nourish your mind is to engage in some kind of contemplative or reflective exercise that involves paying close attention to something like walking, breathing, a sound and other appropriate element.  When your mind wanders or a thought distracts you and grabs your attention away, all you need to do is to gently divert your attention back to your contemplative activity.  There is no right or wrong way to do this.  It’s fairly simply way to give you mind a rest.

Consider what would happen to you if you never slept.  After a few days, you simply could not function.  The brain on the other hand can go on much longer, but eventually does get fatigued.  So, if you can function fairly well for a significant length of time without consciously giving your mind a break, imagine how much better you could be if you had a well rested mind.

For all these wonderful reasons, I urge you to consider taking even a few minutes a day and give your mind a break.  We are now learning through Neuroscience that just a few minutes of a contemplative practice can impact the structure of the brain in a very positive way.  Just like your car needs both gas and oil to run well, we need to care for the body and the mind to live well.

Be well and happy,