For decades in Huntsville, the name Charlie Grainger was equally ubiquitous and behind-the-scenes.

While Wernher von Braun at NASA and the Army Missile Command were creating the smoke and fire that made Redstone Arsenal famous, Grainger was walking the back halls of Capitol Hill, lobbying for the money to make it all happen.

As an executive at Teledyne Brown Engineering, Grainger fought the backroom fights in favor of Huntsvilles space program and for a national missile defense system, now one of Redstone Arsenals bread and butter programs.

We won the fight for missile defense, Grainger said. That was my primary interest over the years.

The backstory of those backroom negotiations are part of Graingers new book, My Journey Through a Changing South.

Grainger, now 83 and living in Sandy Springs, Georgia, with Mary, his wife of 52 years, looks back in his memoir on his rise from a barefooted country boy to newspaperman to state legislator to Capitol Hill lobbyist.

He was born in rural Lawrence County, then spent his later childhood and teens as a plucky newspaper carrier and savings bond salesman in Sheffield. At 13, he met President Harry Truman when he was invited to the White House to be honored for his bond sales.

Graingers life has been full of such brushes with history, as well as brushes with death. He nearly died twice during infancy, nearly drowned as a teenager, then escaped death as a young man while flying on a small plane, says the summary of his book on Amazon.com.

He began his working career as a journalist, starting as a reporter for The Birmingham News and later editor of The Valley Voice in Tuscumbia.

While reporting for The Birmingham News in 1961, he witnessed an angry mob that beat up Black Freedom Riders at the Montgomery Bus Depot and was nearly beaten himself, he said.

As editor of The Valley Voice, he got to meet President John F. Kennedy not long before his assassination in 1963. Grainger and other Alabama editors were invited to the White House for a luncheon to discuss solving racial problems in the South.

Four days later the presidents office asked him to help coordinate a visit by President Kennedy to Muscle Shoals to celebrate the 30th anniversary of the Tennessee Valley Authority.

President Kennedy had the most charisma of any man I had ever met, Grainger recalled.

Grainger would later work with business leaders in Huntsville to establish equal employment policies that the federal government required if NASA was going to do its historic work here.

He sees echoes of that turbulent time in the 1960s in todays ongoing movement for social justice.

Im for working together, down the line, said Grainger. Thats always been my thing, practice the Golden Rule. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you.

Though much of his career was spent working behind the scenes with politicians to get things done, he stepped into the public arena briefly when he served in the State Legislature from 1968-1970.

Before retiring in 2017, Grainger would serve many years as the director of Cummings Research Park, then as a private economic development consultant.

He was among the generation that stoked the fire that would see Huntsville grow from a small cotton and watercress town, to The Rocket City, and now diversifying into a burgeoning automobile manufacturing center.

Hes looking forward to watching that fire continue to burn hot.

Well be a leader if we go to Mars, and I think we will, he said.

Book signing

Grainger will sign books Saturday, Aug. 8 at Below The Radar, 220 Holmes Ave. NE, from 6-8 p.m.

Shelly Haskins writes about points of pride statewide. Email your suggestions to shaskins@al.com, or tweet them to @Shelly_Haskins using #AlabamaProud

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Huntsville leaders book details brushes with history and death - AL.com

When Sheriff Kim Cole spoke last month during a rally to gather signatures for a ballot initiative, he didnt speak in favor or support of the initiative.

Rather, he took the opportunity to talk about where he felt the community was, and how theyre interacting with each other. He started it off with a story of his latest anniversary and ordering a drink to go with his order.

I said, No. Id like a glass of water. My wife smiled because she knew, he said during his 20-plus minute remarks at Ludingtons Waterfront Park. Even though its my anniversary and Im with my wife, if I were to have an alcoholic drink in a restaurant, someone would snap a photo and Id be labeled the county drunk because people dont like people for some unfortunate reason.

A lot of space in this column has been spent on trying to understand and encourage the understanding of the views of others even when some of us 100 percent disagree, including this writer. A lot of space in this column has been spent on how we treat each other trying to remember the Golden Rule of doing unto others as others would do unto us.

And yet, Cole saw a lot of the opposite once he issued a statement in mid-April on the deputies of the Mason County Sheriffs Office talking with subjects over alleged violations of executive orders ran than throwing the book at someone.

I had people wanting me dead. I had people telling me I hope you die before the election and if you do, know I wont be voting for you. I saw an ugly side of our community that Ive been here my whole life, Cole said that day. I was probably more sad than anything else at what I saw what our community was able to do and depths they were able to go to.

Sad is one way of putting it. Theres a whole lot of other ways of putting it. Cole related a story where his office received several calls during the shutdown, including one where his office was asked to do a temperature check on folks who were from the Detroit area who were using their property here in a fifth wheel.

We were asked to take the temperatures of the people to make sure they were healthy enough to live amongst us. That was embarrassing to me. Ive lived here my whole life, and were a better community than that. People who visit here deserve better, Cole said.

It appears many people want to create a confrontation between themselves and another person. Or, theyll create a confrontation between an entity such as law enforcement and another person because of some perceived slight or violation.

Its not just confrontational, either. Its the way people are not only dismissive of others without considering their thoughts or beliefs, but the awful comments that go along with them that are hurtful and belittling of those thoughts and beliefs. We see it from every political persuasion.

If anything, it appears that anyone who carries caring or compassion is thought of or even labeled as weak. Theyre being dismissed right away.

Because of those attitudes were seeing, its having a negative impact on our community. It weighed heavily enough on Cole where he admitted that he contemplated retiring as the sheriff, he said. But, he filed again with some resolve to do his part for a better community.

We need to, as a community, need to get our act together and turn it around. We need to stand together. Theres so much divisiveness in our community and our country. Its, quite frankly, pathetic, Cole said in June. (Someone) was telling me about an email she got from a gentleman whos name I wont say, but he knows better. Hes an educated man, and hes acting like a fool over this thing. He should be ashamed of himself.

Later, he said, I said we need to start acting like grown-ups, in a sense. I said we need to start working with our neighbor.

Clearly, Cole subscribes to the notion of having some caring and compassion for others. His brand of law enforcement is one where he wants to help those in trouble so perhaps they dont wind up in the situation again. And its not just his brand of law enforcement. Its a way of life.

So we can love our neighbors like we love ourselves. Weve lost that, he said in June.

We certainly have. It will take each and every one of us, though, to try to bring that level of caring and compassion to everyone we encounter friends, relatives, neighbors and the folks among us who come to enjoy our area with us. We can cordially disagree with one another, and debate and discuss issues affecting us all. We can be kind and polite and have a bit of Mason County Nice.

Thats how were supposed to interact with each other, isnt it?

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BOSSICK: Divisive community is here, but it doesn't have to be - shorelinemedia.net

I would certainly classify my broad view of the stock market today as bearish. I do not buy into recent into the recent rally weve seen from March lows. Also, I expect well see significant further downside on the horizon in the coming quarters.

That said, there are varying levels of every perspective. In this article, Im going to consider the potential outcome of a 1930s-style depression and one asset class that could potentially save investors portfolios in such a worst-case scenario.

Plenty of gold bugs are having a field day with various marketing interventions of late. Central bank and government stimulus measures and money printing associated with said measures inherently boosts the price of gold.

This is because an increase in the money supply and the associated inflation that follows is bullish for commodities based in U.S. dollars. I believe we could see a scenario in which the U.S. dollar depreciates relative to other global currencies amid such measures, providing a bullish background for gold to appreciate.

In this context, one can see why increasing ones holdings in precious metals right now could be beneficial in a serious downturn. Companies producing a stable store of value other than U.S. dollars, namely gold producers, would benefit from both the safety/hedge trade. Also, they would benefit from the deflationary/inflationary trade related to the economic fallout of follow from such a recession

Barrick Gold(TSX:ABX)(NYSE:GOLD) has been a top pick of mine for many reasons. This Canada-based gold producer is among the largest in the world, providing investors with a high degree of relative safety. The companys operations are well diversified globally. They include many large mines, spreading the individual mine risk many single mine producers otherwise have.

Barrick has one of the better balance sheets of its peers. This is despite a rather large debt load that looks onerous on its face. The companys cash flow generation has only increased as the price of precious metals continues to rise. This provides much more balance sheet room than many investors factor in.

With a low cost of production and one of the highest production volumes in the sector, I recommend Barrick as a one top stock pick for those looking for a core portfolio holding in this sector.

Barrick pays a small but meaningful dividend, giving the stock inherent upside on owning bullion on this basis alone. Further, the operational leverage Barrick provides to the commodity price of gold means investors can benefit to a greater degree from a rise in gold prices from owning Barrick stock relative to futures or bullion on their own.

In this current environment, I would encourage investors to investigate companies like Barrick, particularly investors who are bullish on gold, as I am.

Fool contributor Chris MacDonald has no position in any of the stocks mentioned.

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Save Your Portfolio and Create Wealth With This Golden Rule - The Motley Fool Canada

I do not want to believe that Ibrahim Magu, the arrested, detained and still-undergoing-inquisition ex-acting chairman of the Economic and Financial Crimes Commission (EFCC), actually said all that has been attributed to him. If, however, he said all those, especially about going on hunger strike, about asking the Inspector-General of Police to help facilitate bail for him, then, he publicly confirms himself a daft, pitiably unintelligent and grossly unworthy of the assignment he was given in the first place.

See, I dont like it when humans who should display higher understanding and knowledge play the fool. It beats me why anyone in Magus shoes wouldnt read history, or even a bit of classical philosophy, to appreciate the impact of the golden rule in the affairs of humans. Thales, an ancient Greek philosopher, said, Avoid doing what you would blame others for doing.

Sextus, the Pythagorean, said, What you do not want to happen to you, do not do it yourself either.

Isocrates put it better: Do not do to others that which angers you when they do it to you. Isocrates lived between 436 and 338BC.

Seneca the Younger, who lived between 4BC and 65AD, and notable for his practice of Stoicism, authored an essay on slavery wherein he cautioned slave masters thus: Treat your inferior as you would wish your superior to treat you.

All the above are aspects of The Golden Rule Do unto others as you would have others do unto you which was in 1993 endorsed by 143 leaders of the worlds major faiths as part of the declaration towards a global ethic.

Magu is not aware of this and probably never read about it.

Whatever your powers, the Golden Rule demand that you be more circumspect in their usage because tables do turn. And turn they must. But in Magus world, the tables are static, thus, his crass display of brawn, instead of brain, in the expression of the powers of his office at thief catcher. No wonder many of those who had encountered him, and his boys, are reveling and gloating over his ordeal in the hands of the same government for which he abused accused persons rights, disrespected them, abused their dignity and made them look like common criminals even when the law he was enforcing said the accused was deemed innocent until proven guilty. Not just to be proven guilty, but, to be proved guilty beyond every reasonable doubt.

Magu had in the discharge of his powers practically told Nigerians that anyone that came before him was already guilty until proven otherwise. In other words, every invitation sent out by the commission to a Nigerian was one sent to someone who Magu and his boys had investigated, prosecuted and pronounced guilty without observance of the legal right to fair hearing. It was for this reason that many people dreaded an EFCC invitation. Somehow, he must have wondered why the courts existed, because he probably would have preferred that the commission had powers like those of the Roman Inquisition with capacity to do what was done to Giordano Bruno in 1600.

Magus EFCC lacked tact. It was crude. It lacked decorum and operated in a manner suggesting that Nigerias laws had been suspended just for it to uproot corruption from Nigeria. Corruption is a problem in Nigeria, as in almost every other country. The first military coup in Nigerias history was premised on corruption. The coupists talked about the ten percenters. Every subsequent coup followed the same narrative corruption. But to fight it, you dont only need tact, you also need intellect. The fact that EFCC is a government agency empowered by law to prosecute those found wanting for crimes that fall under its purview does not empower it to so brazenly disregard and abuse those aspects of the law that protects rights of the accused.

To understand my meaning, take a cursory look at the property forfeitures won by EFCC against Nigerians. Hardly any of the court proceedings observed the rule of fair hearing. Most of the forfeitures were won against persons who never appeared before the court. Some of the property owners are unknown to the commission. EFCCs style was simple! Isolate a property whose actual owner it was unable to find and tag it proceeds of corruption then go for forfeiture. By creating the problem of lack of fair hearing, EFCC opens the possibility of reclamation of those properties in the future. That is one effect of lack of tact and dearth of reasoning at the commission.

I am not a prophet, but I see the judiciary, post-2023, being inundated with suits for review of some forfeitures and even suing EFCC for trespass and rights violation. There are always two sides to a story. EFCC, under Magus supervision, did away with that maxim and went for a single-line story, those told by its investigators.

However, what Magu is now faced with is the same media he and his commission dished several Nigerians between 2015 and 2019. From the EFCCs pot, Nigerians were dished tales of discovery of abandoned cash. Some in pit latrines, in farmlands, in overhead water tanks, some in soak-away pits. Nigerians were also entertained to a gale to cash discoveries abandoned in shops, at airports, in hotel rooms, in estates, in motor parks. At a time, discovery of abandoned cash became a weekly relay. Nigerians were really entertained. But ask, what happened to all the abandoned cash? That was a mystique that was created to give EFCC a tag it did not really need. Now, it is obvious, from tales about Magus involvement with recovered loot, that such tales may have been created to place wool over watchful eyes.

Magu was given an assignment far above his capacity. He lacked both the moral, mental and psychological capacity to discharge the office. The only way he could execute it was to apply tactics that were incongruent with sensibility. But I do not blame him fully. He was sucked into the mindset that attended the arrival of the administration he served. It was a mindset of we versus them. For this reason, he created his team of boys who, like him, believed that pilfering the public purse and economic crime was a crime located in the southern part of his country. For this reason, Magus EFCC became deeply provincial and fought the corruption war with weapons that respect tribal marks and faith. He refused to see economic crime committed against the country in the mines of Zamfara State but saw clearly those committed in the oil fields of the delta region. His EFCC had evidence that led to conviction of some southern politicians but created a window for northern allies to trade in. Forget ex-Governors Jolly Tanko Nyame and Joshua Dariye. They were never counted for North. That mindset also created a feeling of entitlement in Magus little mind. Somehow, he started seeing things in his care differently. But do you blame him? No, he merely took a cue from what is already a norm in the government. Almost all of them feel entitled to dip their hands into public resources in their care, to make up for previous deprivations.

Finally, the mindset further created a problem where Magu, somehow, believed that, since the President, by his body language, wanted to put an end to corruption, whatever he did, including corrupting the process itself, was fine. That is why he is now being mocked.

Secretary to the Government of the Federation (as he then was), David Babachir Lawal, implied so when he told a reporter that the fight against corruption was skewed against PDP buffs because they were the ones in power and that we have never been in power. Now that the we are in power, Nigerians have seen clearly that the quest for change is not really about their society and its growth but about catapulting people chastised by poverty, hunger, disease, lack of shelter, etc, to positions where they feel entitled to help themselves with public resources to satisfy those wants, not just for themselves, but also, for unborn generations they are not even sure of.

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Magu and the Golden Rule test The Sun Nigeria - Daily Sun

FROM THE SHAWANO-MENOMINEE COUNTIES HEALTH DEPARTMENT

Menominee, Shawano Once again it is time to get serious to stop the spread of COVID-19 in our community. In the last days and weeks, Wisconsin has seen an increase in COVID-19 cases. Shawano and Menominee Counties have been experiencing a similar trend and currently have high COVID-19 activity.

If we work together, we can stop, or at least slow the spread of COVID-19 in Shawano and Menominee Counties said Vicki Dantoin, Health Officer for Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department. Thankfully, we have not experienced any deaths attributed to COVID-19 and we would like to keep it that way.

Our strategies and tools to keep away COVID are the same as they have been for a while. Below are some reminders of the important things we can do right now to protect ourselves, our families, and our community.

THERES NO PLACE LIKE HOME:Even though there is no Safer at Home order, the fact remains, you ARE safer at home. Stay home as much as possible. It is especially important that you stay home if you are sick, if someone in your household is sick, or if you have been in close contact with someone who is sick. Isolation (if you are diagnosed with COVID-19) is for at least 10 days. Quarantine (if you are exposed to someone with COVID-19) is at least 14 days after the last exposure. See additional resources below for further information on quarantine and isolation.

DANGER, STAY BACK SIX FEET:The virus that causes COVID-19 is spread mainly from person to person contact. Spread seems to happen mostly through respiratory droplets produced by an infected persons coughs, sneezes, speaking. Droplets then land in the eyes, noses, or mouths of people who are nearby. Spread is more likely if you are in close contact. So, remember your physical distancing. Avoid physical contact with others and stay 6 feet away from others to minimize your risks.

CANCELLED, THE PARTY NEAREST YOU:Since COVID-19 spreads most commonly from person to person contact, large gatherings are not advised at this time. Keeping gatherings at 10 people or less is best right now. The more people at a gathering, the higher the risks. If you must have some kind of gathering, avoid sharing food and use the other strategies and tools listed here today.

SET THE TREND AND WEAR A MASK MY FRIEND:Evidence continues to increase showing that wearing cloth face coverings can prevent spread of illness. Whether you are sick or well, wearing a face covering in public can help to protect yourself and others around you. It is especially important to wear a face covering if physical distancing is difficult.

NOW I KNOW MY ABCS, NEXT TIME WONT YOU SING WITH ME?:Handwashing is the most effective way to remove germs from your hands. Wash your hands regularly with soap and water for at least 20 seconds (the length of time it takes to sing the ABCs). If soap and water are not available, use an alcohol based hand sanitizer with at least 60% alcohol. Then, wash your hands as soon as you are able. Dont forget Cover your coughs and sneezes AND clean/sanitize frequently touched surfaces.

SNIFFLE, SNIFFLE, COUGH, COUGHDue to an increased number of cases, an important thing to remember right now is to be alert of how you are feeling. Always monitor yourself for symptoms. If you are feeling sick, stay home. Feel free to call your health care provider to ask about next steps. You may be asked to receive a COVID-19 test. If you experience serious illness or symptoms requiring immediate medical care, be sure to call 911.

TESTING 123 TESTINGIf you are tested for COVID-19, please stay home until you receive your results. See additional resources below for further information on quarantine and isolation related to testing. If your test results are positive, please stay home for at least 10 days from when your symptoms started (public health will contact you for further instructions). Testing is not automatically recommended for close contacts to people who test positive for COVID-19. If you are a close contact to someone who tested positive for COVID-19, you must continue to stay home for 14 days since last exposure regardless of your test results. If your test results are negative (and you are not a close contact to someone who has tested positive for COVID-19 see above), please do not return to normal activities until you are feeling better (without medication) for at least 24 hours.

THE GOLDEN RULE:It is not always clear which individuals will experience serious illness from COVID-19. There are some health conditions or factors that may lead to more serious illness, but there are also healthy people who have had serious illness from COVID-19. Please be kind and mindful of others that may be at higher risk.

The COVID-19 road has been long and difficult. Thank you for staying the course and helping us to stop and slow the spread of this illness. Together, we will make it through this ordeal. We wish you and yours safety and wellness at this time.

Additional Resources: Information on Isolation and Quarantine Wisconsin Department of Health Services Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Considerations for Events and Gatherings Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Information on Masks Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Cleaning and Disinfecting Your Home Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Testing Availability Wisconsin Department of Health Services Shawano-Menominee Counties Health Department

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STOP THE SPREAD OF COVID-19 - Antigo Times News

The most exciting take on proactive, precision medicine with integrated wellness is making its global debut in Houston. Introduce yourself to Sydenham Clinic, a concept that boldly aims to redefine health care in the 21st century.

Named for 17th-century British physician/scientist Thomas Sydenham, the River Oaks clinic focuses on private health management a term well hear more and more in the decades to come.

Donning a mask and social-distancing, I took a tour just weeks after Sydenham unveiled its space and met three of the principals at the light-filled 5,600-square-foot clinic, which wraps around a courtyard. This avant-garde approach to medicine is backed by state-of-the-art science guided by chief medical officer Dr. Terry Rice, who brings 35 years of expertise to the post, including the medical directorship of MD Anderson Emergency Center.

Dr. Rice heads the Sydenham dream team assembled by CEO Aanchal Bhatia and managing partner Shaheed Kajani.

The clinic which Aanchal Bhatia believes is about 17 years ahead of mainstream treatments puts into practice individualized health programs based on a blend of genomics, sleep monitoring (with biofeedback Oura rings), hormonal evaluations, and physiological and cognitive assessments.

The focus is patient-tailored medicine. Individual plans are designed to precisely target genetic predispositions, take rigorous medical and wellness measurements, then create custom, curative approaches via nutrition, lifestyle and stress management, movement and fitness, and awareness of life balance.

The endgame is healthy longevity.

Personal experiences in the health care system led Bhatia a clinical psychologist by education and author of Your Doctor Is Not God: How to Be the CEO of Your Own Health to begin planning the Sydenham concept five years ago. She met Kajani, an international real estate executive who was a neighbor, in Houston. Together, they share a global, big-picture idea of the future of medicine, one mixed with altruism.

A Latin phrase (the translation of The Golden Rule) graces the clinic entrance. The goal for the coming decade, Bhatia says, is 150 clinics worldwide, each topping off at 1,000 members.

Health is by choice, not by chance. Lets choose well, the CEO inscribes in a copy of her book. The clinics Concierge Program provides privileged access to esteemed institutions such as Johns Hopkins Hospital, Mayo Clinic and Cleveland Clinic via Texas Medical Concierge (another business Bhatia founded), as well as comprehensive medical-records management.

Sydenham has even tapped James Beard Award-nominated chef Monica Pope, pioneer of Houston food culture and the farm-to-table movement, as curative culinary director, and MD Anderson Cancer Center Integrative Medicine professor Dr. Alejandro Chaoul (founder/director of The Jung Centers Mind Body Spirit Institute) as mind body practices director.

With interiors designed by Lucinda Loya and art curated by Davis Cohen Art (an art advisory service led by husband-and-wife painter Joseph Cohen and curator/appraiser Lindsay Davis), Sydenham is the antithesis of an antiseptic, impersonal medical office. Its walls for example includes such heavy-hitters as painter Mark Flood, whos known and collected nationally and internationally; Floods a cult figure in the Texas art world, with a buzzy Contemporary Arts Museum Houston solo to his name in 2016.

Coming soon? A new podcast hosted by Bhatia and recorded at Sydenham Clinic titled Life Sutras.

Annual memberships at clinic from $10,000.Sydenham Clinic, 2621 Joanel Street, 713-629-6288. Find additional info here.

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New River Oaks Clinic Looks to Redefine Heath Care With Futuristic Practices and Top Doctors Your First Look at Sydenham Clinic - PaperCity Magazine

As an elderly white woman who attempts to follow the teachings of Jesus, I have come to the late understanding that, by virtue of living seven-plus decades in a dominant culture that privileges me over people of color, I am a racist.

This does not mean that I have borne ill will to or intentionally harmed those who are not white. It does mean that in my silence and failure to challenge the status quo I have contributed to systemic racism in our institutions of health, education, finance, government and yes, in our churches.

All the worlds major religions have something similar to Christianitys golden rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Only as we acknowledge that we have failed to treat our brothers and sisters of color as we wish to be treated can there be hope for the transformation of this nation into one where there truly exists liberty and justice for all. Only in our humility, repentance and constructive, collaborative action can that hope be realized.

Carolyn Holmes

Spokane

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Live the golden rule - The Spokesman-Review

As part of its 10th annual event to share stories of Holocaust survivors, Johnson County Library invited Overland Park resident Judy Jacobs to talk about her experiences as a child in Hungary and in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp during World War II.

In a Zoom webinar on July 8, Jacobs gave a firsthand account of her childhood experience in the concentration camp.

Born in 1937 in Budapest, Hungary, Jacobs recalls a happy childhood with her family. Her father was a radiologist, her mother an artist. She and her family felt the weight of anti-Semitism and the war from a young age, as Jews were systematically stripped of their rights.

In March 1944, Nazi Germany invaded and occupied Hungary, and from July to December of that year, Jacobs and her parents were incarcerated in the Bergen-Belsen concentration camp in Germany. She lost her extended family in the death camps as well.

Staying alive for one more day became a primary objective, Jacobs said. Every morning as we awakened, we realized we had triumphed by surviving one more day.

In December 1944, the three were taken to Switzerland. Two years later, they immigrated to the United States, where Jacobs married and had children. She has lived in the Kansas City area for many years.

Jacobs raised many examples of how brutality against humanity continue today, and noted that geography is no barrier. She spoke of examples around the world, like Boko Haram in Africa forbidding Western education and promoting jihad and extreme brutality, and also genocide against the Muslim Rohingya, a minority people in Myanmar. She gave local examples as well.

Within the last week or so, weve read about a Shawnee Mission School District principal accused of harassment and inappropriate behavior, Jacobs said.

Dozens of listeners tuned in to hear her story, and many of them asked questions and thanked her for sharing. As to what individuals can do in the face of future catastrophes, Jacobs said she has no answers but does have some suggestions.

First of all, begin at the grassroots; you and I and everybody else, we make up society, and we should all resolve to try to make this a better world, she said. Begin with education; understanding the past and understanding what motivates people, people, who may be different from us. Practice kindness toward one another; practice the Golden Rule. Whatsoever thou wouldest that men should not do unto thee, do not do that unto them. Speak out in the face of injustice. Do not be a bystander. Bystanders are not innocent. And vote. Voting is the best way to effect change.

Jacobs has shared her testimony several times, including with the Midwest Center for Holocaust Education; she also gave her testimony in a speech in 2016 to her alma mater, University of Missouri-Kansas City, when she received the universitys Defying the Odds Alumni Achievement Award.

The Johnson County Library event is available to view below.

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'Speak out in the face of injustice': Overland Park resident Judy Jacobs shares memories as a Holocaust survivor, encourages practicing kindness...

To mask or not to mask? Why is that a question? Just when we were starting to finally shake off some of the restrictions brought on by the COVID virus, we are starting to go back to where we were when it all started.

The number of daily new cases in Michigan are higher now than they were since late May. It does not have to be like this, but too many people are refusing to wear a mask when they are out in public even though mask-wearing and social distancing are effective, as reported in the June 26 edition of Patient Care published by the University of California San Francisco.

Two case studies are particularly informative. One case was in a salon in Springfield, MO. Two hairstylists tested positive for COVID-19 but had met with 140 clients between May 12 and May 20 while wearing masks. The clients had close contact with the stylists for up to 30 minutes. Six other coworkers were also in the salon. Neither the clients nor the coworkers caught the virus.

In another case study, a man flew from China to Toronto. He had a dry cough and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. He was wearing a mask. The 25 people nearest him on the flight (within 6 feet) all tested negative.

Masks work.

A study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation published on June 24, 2020, reported that if 95% of the population wore face masks, it would reduce forecasted deaths from COVID-19 by over 33,000. So, why is there such resistance to wearing a mask?

For some people, the fact that the government, or someone else, is telling them what to do appears to be an irrational application of individual liberty. They abide by other dictates such as stopping at red lights, wearing seatbelts, or lining up to buy a ticket to a sporting event or some other form of entertainment. And I have never seen a person rip off his shirt or argue with a retail owner over a No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service sign. But if a store or restaurant were to enforce No Mask, No Service, the fireworks would start. Irrational. But, how did we get here?

You need to look no further than a comparison between the United States and Canada. On March 1 the United States had 69 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Canada had 20 cases. By July 6 Canada had 105, 524 confirmed cases and the United States had over 2.89 million cases. The difference between the two countries boils down to the difference between the two governments in how they responded to the pandemic. Donald Trump played down the threat if not outright denying it. Justin Trudeau saw it for what it was, a danger to his citizens. He listened to his scientists. Trump did not.

In times of uncertainty, our emotions tend to override our rationality. When that happens, we look to leaders for guidance. Donald Trump refuses to wear a face mask. The head of his COVID task force, Mike Pence, did not wear a face mask until June 28, after the resurgence of the virus. Justin Trudeau began wearing a face mask in mid-May, urging all Canadians to do the same.

Another factor that plays a role is political affiliation. According to a survey reported by Gallup on July 6, 98% of Democrats responded they always wear masks, compared to 66% of Republicans. Why are Republicans less likely to wear a mask? Chris Jackson of Ipsos Public Affairs may have answered that when he stated that, "Once [Trump] very clearly did not wear a mask in public, that transmitted a signal that if youre a good supporter of the president you dont wear a mask." (Market Watch, June 28, 2020)

Remember, wearing a face mask is not so much to protect you as it is to protect others. It helps to prevent a person from passing the virus to others. Remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Hank Cetola is a Professor Emeritus at Adrian College and the founder of Lenawee Indivisible. He can be reached at lenaweeindivisible3@gmail.com.

Read more from the original source:

Masks work and it only makes sense to wear them - Sentinel-Standard

With the easing of COVID-19 restrictions locally, were seeing people coming back to the gym in droves after months of working out at home.

Its not unusual to see exercise-related injuries over the summer as seasonal sports pick up. Similarly, we expect to see an increased risk of injury as fitness enthusiasts scramble to get back into their gym routines after several months away.

Most injuries we see in the gym can be attributed to poor technique or an existing condition. However, I expect a number of unfortunate aches and pains this summer as a result of impatience on the part of former gym-goers who want to get back to their old routines without skipping a beat.

Its important to gradually increase the volume and intensity of training in this situation. The good news is that there are some strategies you can use to reduce your chance of injury upon returning to the gym.

Whether you like to run, do calisthenics, or lift weights, its essential to get a technique refresher. Exercise shouldnt hurt, and most people can move beautifully if they take the time to learn efficient technique. This will accelerate results and dramatically reduce the risk of injury.

Second, learn where your weak links are. A lack of flexibility in the ankles or lack of strength in the gluteal muscles or other hip stabilizers are common causes of injuries and pain in fitness enthusiasts. Including mobility and flexibility training as part of your program can go a long way toward preventing injuries. At the very least, knowing your bodys optimal range of motion can be a great pre-workout self-assessment tool.

One last strategy for preventing injuries during your gym comeback is to manage stress and inflammation. When it comes to the workout itself, this means allocating enough time for a proper warm-up and cool-down.

When planning your training, make sure to gradually increase the volume and intensity of your workouts. Dont try to lift the weights you were lifting before the pandemic if you havent had access to those weights at home.

The golden rule is to increase the volume and intensity by no more than 10 per cent each week. This also means planning enough rest to fully recover before hitting the gym again after a tough workout.

Finally, consider that what you eat, how you sleep, and how you manage stress all have a significant impact on how your body performs and how your body recovers.

Tania Ttrault Vrga is owner and head trainer at North Star Fitness. Send questions to her at tania@northstar.fit and visit the website at http://www.northstar.fit

Read this article:

Get safely back to the gym after lockdown - Winnipeg Free Press

A GRIP ON SPORTS It's hard to believe its Saturday morning again. A Saturday morning in late July. And I still haven't seen the comet. Or a baseball game. Which will come first? That depends.

Once, a long time ago, a minister I admired told me he was, basically, selling fire insurance. If he was right, and heaven and hell existed, those who followed the path he was laying out avoided the latter. And if the two didnt exist? Those folks never had to use their fire insurance. And they lived a life filled by the golden rule and powered by love. What was the downside to that?

Ive thought about the Rev. Reed quite a bit recently. Im sure hes found out by now whether his fire insurance policy paid off. It already has for the rest of us that came into contact with him. He exuded love and empathy out of every pore, living that others-centered life many of us just aspire to and never reach.

Meanwhile, there is his analogy flitting around in my brain. An analogy that seems apropos in these times.

Say we all decide to buy into the policy every reputable epidemiologist, virologist and Jake from State Farm is selling. We wear a mask whenever we are out of our house and in contact with others. We stay socially distant. We wash our hands meticulously. Everyone of us. Within a few weeks the coronavirus numbers begin to drop, the disease begins to leave us behind and, as if by magic, we are free to watch sports again in the fall and beyond. That would be cool, right?

For arguments sake, say they are wrong. What have we lost? A few weeks of the comfort of walking around the park without a face covering. Of being able to read the ingredients of the pizza dough at Rosauers. Of easy conversations with the young person at the drive-through window. So? Weve all invested in low-cost fire insurance and we never had to make a claim.

Yes, I understand there are a small group of folks who, for medical reasons, have trouble breathing through a mask. And they cant stay at home, even though they may want to. Lets all, their friends and neighbors, pull together and help them. I cant think of a better application of the golden rule than that.

Its what our forefathers did throughout this nations history, they banded together and helped each other. No one had to order them to, they just did it. Your neighbor didnt have a barn? One was built. Your neighbor needed help with the harvest? Everyone showed up. The schoolhouse was destroyed by a tornado? Lets build a new one. Americans have always worked together to reach a goal of moving forward.

Besides, the folks around these parts yesterday protesting the mask requirement were emphasizing personal liberty more than they were medical issues, if their signage was any indicator. They seemed to feel it is an imposition to be told to wear a mask. Yes, it is. Being told to do anything is an imposition. But sometimes it is necessary.

Take sports for instance. How successful would your favorite football team be if, when they gathered in the offensive huddle assuming your team actually huddles the right guard decided it was time to assert his rights. See, he didnt believe the coach was correct. It would be better if he blocked the outside linebacker instead of the 305-pound defensive tackle over his inside shoulder. So that was going to be what he did. Deal with it.

Chaos, right? There is no chance any offense in America could be productive if one player did whatever they wanted on each play. Of course that doesnt happen. Everyone understands the idea of binding together for a goal, putting the ball in the end zone. Do it right enough times and we win. Fail, and we dont. Simple.

Saturdays havent been the same around these parts since the S-R pulled the plug on the days printed product. Yes, I know. Not as many of you get a printed paper as once did. But as someone who stained his hands with newsprint long before his ninth birthday, the daily newspaper is a comfort and joy. Even if the only thing I cant live without is the comics page. That Earl Pickles is a treasure. Reminds me of someone I know, though I just cant put my finger on precisely who.

Funny thing, though. Saturdays are the days lately in which I find the most links. There are always a few stories from the S-R staff, along with the usual pieces to pass along from Seattle and down the West Coast. But its also the day to catch up on Big Sky news. At least it has been since the pandemic hit. The conference schools dont make a lot of news, so checking in once a week the past few months is enough.

Just thought I would explain why there are more links from around the Sky this morning.

WSU: Nick Rolovich waved the flag, virtually, again this week and Theo Lawson discovered his latest reeled-in recruiting commitment. Its from a California defensive tackle. If you happened to catch the Portland Thorns NWSL Challenge Cup match yesterday, you probably saw former Cougar star Morgan Weaver score against a North Carolina team again. The Thorns won, 1-0. Around the Pac-12 and college sports, if the football season is pushed back to after the first of the year, every game in some areas may be played in ice and snow. As the Pac-12 schools cancel nonconference games, do they have to pay the schools that now are without an opponent? The Rose Parade has already been canceled. Does that mean the Rose Bowl is also going to be axed? There will be competitive battles for Colorados starting defensive back spots. Arizona seems to be doing well with its testing, especially considering how poorly the state is doing overall. In basketball news, Oregon State is about ready to begin its summer workouts.

Gonzaga: There is little in the way of competition, unless you consider recruiting competition. You should. One of the big prizes of 2022 became a big prize for 2021 yesterday. Jim Meehan has all the info on Caleb Houstan reclassifying. Mark Few is slated to be honored at Dick Vitales charity event in September. But the honor will be done virtually, as will the entire event. Jim also has that story. Elsewhere in the WCC, the University of the Pacific announced yesterday nearly all of its fall classes will be held online. Mark Pope believes he is building BYUs roster the right way.

Idaho: More and more lower division conferences and schools are pushing back or canceling its fall sports seasons. The latest in this area is the GNAC, the Division II conference in the Northwest. The Vandals were scheduled to open it home football season against Western Oregon on Sept. 5. That game is off. Around the Big Sky, the conference is moving its media days, held virtually, up a week. Montana also lost its home opener with Central Washington, another GNAC member. The Griz also lost a defensive tackle who is transferring to Montana Tech. Montana States womens basketball coach, Tricia Binford, makes more in base salary than the mens coach, Danny Sprinkle. Despite the uncertainty of the upcoming season, players are out there preparing. Include Weber States players in that group.

Seahawks: Remember that one guy who carried the ball for the Hawks, Marshall or was it Marshawn Lynch? Ya, just kidding. We do too. And we are looking forward to hearing from him in a new movie.

We are tired of writing about the pandemic and its impact on sporting events. Im sure Bryson DeChambeau would only have had an eight yesterday if there would have been fans in the gallery at the Memorial. So mask up, stay distant from others, wash your hands and lets see if we cant kick this virus butt, like it is just another Friday Night Lights opponent. Then we can all get back to reading and talking about the Cougars and the Zags and the Eagles and whomever from now until the Comet NEOWISE returns. By the way, the Rev. Reed had a really tough left-handed curve ball. I used to catch him in my younger days. He was so much older than me, I couldn't help but say things like "throw it in here, Mr. Reed" or "let's get a ground ball and turn two, Mr. Reed." He would always tell me to call him Stan, but I just couldn't. It didn't seem right. Besides, I dated his daughter once and I didn't want him to hate me if she ever said yes to a second date. She still hasn't. Until later

Link:

A Grip on Sports: If sports are to return, we all might have to invest in a little fire insurance - The Spokesman-Review

Our friend Tony Sullivan tells of a teacher assigning a 200-word essay to her class on the topic, My Hero.

One boy chose his father as his hero. When Dad read the paper his son had written, with a lump in his throat he said to his son, I am really touched, Son. Why did you pick me as your hero?

His son replied, Because I didnt know how to spell Arnold Schwarzenegger.

Maybe Dad shouldnt have asked!

Say, I wonder how your family is building each other up emotionally and spiritually? Many bits of advice appear in the Bible regarding how to interact with family.

A good starting place? The Golden Rule: Therefore, whatever you want others to do to you, do also to them. (Matthew 7:12)

What better place to begin practicing this rule than in the home! Learn to treat brothers and sisters, parents, children and other family members in the way you wish to be treated.

When a sibling mistreats another, parents should step right in and bring up the importance of the Golden Rule. Is that the way you would want your sister to treat you? No, then why are you treating her like that? And do it every time there is a need for it!

Reinforcement is one of the greatest tools of parenting. It wont take long before children begin to get the idea. Then extend the concept to how they treat other children they play with, or even adults they interact with, like teachers or friends from church.

From this foundational point, parents can learn to teach such great Bible passages as Deuteronomy 6:5-9. Read it right now if you have the time. This passage tells us to take every opportunity to teach our children.

Teaching moments come at the dinner table. Make sure, parents, that you insist upon everyone eating together at supper time. Make bedtime a moment the kids will always remember, the time you take, Dad and Mom, to sit on the bed after tucking in that child and telling a Bible story lesson.

When you run to the grocery story, take one of the kids and use it as a time to talk about their needs and desires. Find a way to bring the Lord into the discussion.

Waiting in the doctors office, in line at the bank, or taking a walk in the neighborhood; there are many opportunities arise in which you can teach a great Bible lesson. They will remember what you are teaching even if they dont realize you are teaching!

On the other hand, the Bible says, Children, obey your parents in the Lord, for this is right. Ephesians 6:1

I cannot get over the rudeness of children toward their parents, speaking back angrily at a parent who has simply told them to clean her/his room. Then the parent tries to reason with the child! Seriously? No child should be allowed to backtalk a parent without serious punishment! Help your child memorize Ephesians 6:1 (above) and recite it often.

Ephesians 6:4 also commands fathers not to frustrate their kids. Be careful how you train and discipline the kids. Failing to encourage when they do well, but always noticing a fault will frustrate a kid and cause him/her to wonder why even try to do right.

Much more help is in the Word, parents. Powerful words! Find them! Use them! Glorify God in teaching them!

Read more:

POWERFUL WORDS: Take proper pride in family with teaching moments - Newsbug.info

To mask or not to mask? Why is that a question? Just when we were starting to finally shake off some of the restrictions brought on by the COVID virus, we are starting to go back to where we were when it all started.

The number of daily new cases in Michigan are higher now than they were since late May. It does not have to be like this, but too many people are refusing to wear a mask when they are out in public even though mask-wearing and social distancing are effective, as reported in the June 26 edition of Patient Care published by the University of California San Francisco.

Two case studies are particularly informative. One case was in a salon in Springfield, MO. Two hairstylists tested positive for COVID-19 but had met with 140 clients between May 12 and May 20 while wearing masks. The clients had close contact with the stylists for up to 30 minutes. Six other coworkers were also in the salon. Neither the clients nor the coworkers caught the virus.

In another case study, a man flew from China to Toronto. He had a dry cough and subsequently tested positive for COVID-19. He was wearing a mask. The 25 people nearest him on the flight (within 6 feet) all tested negative.

Masks work.

A study from the Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation published on June 24, 2020, reported that if 95% of the population wore face masks, it would reduce forecasted deaths from COVID-19 by over 33,000. So, why is there such resistance to wearing a mask?

For some people, the fact that the government, or someone else, is telling them what to do appears to be an irrational application of individual liberty. They abide by other dictates such as stopping at red lights, wearing seatbelts, or lining up to buy a ticket to a sporting event or some other form of entertainment. And I have never seen a person rip off his shirt or argue with a retail owner over a No Shirt, No Shoes, No Service sign. But if a store or restaurant were to enforce No Mask, No Service, the fireworks would start. Irrational. But, how did we get here?

You need to look no further than a comparison between the United States and Canada. On March 1 the United States had 69 confirmed cases of COVID-19. Canada had 20 cases. By July 6 Canada had 105, 524 confirmed cases and the United States had over 2.89 million cases. The difference between the two countries boils down to the difference between the two governments in how they responded to the pandemic. Donald Trump played down the threat if not outright denying it. Justin Trudeau saw it for what it was, a danger to his citizens. He listened to his scientists. Trump did not.

In times of uncertainty, our emotions tend to override our rationality. When that happens, we look to leaders for guidance. Donald Trump refuses to wear a face mask. The head of his COVID task force, Mike Pence, did not wear a face mask until June 28, after the resurgence of the virus. Justin Trudeau began wearing a face mask in mid-May, urging all Canadians to do the same.

Another factor that plays a role is political affiliation. According to a survey reported by Gallup on July 6, 98% of Democrats responded they always wear masks, compared to 66% of Republicans. Why are Republicans less likely to wear a mask? Chris Jackson of Ipsos Public Affairs may have answered that when he stated that, "Once [Trump] very clearly did not wear a mask in public, that transmitted a signal that if youre a good supporter of the president you dont wear a mask." (Market Watch, June 28, 2020)

Remember, wearing a face mask is not so much to protect you as it is to protect others. It helps to prevent a person from passing the virus to others. Remember the Golden Rule, "Do unto others as you would have them do unto you."

Hank Cetola is a Professor Emeritus at Adrian College and the founder of Lenawee Indivisible. He can be reached at lenaweeindivisible3@gmail.com.

Read more:

Masks work and it only makes sense to wear them - The Daily Telegram

Melanie Hipwell left her hometown, of La Mesa, Calif., to play for the UH-Hilo softball team more than two decades ago, not knowing anyone or much about the Aloha spirit.

She returned home a changed person, impacted by the Hilo community and filled the UHH record books in her four years from 1997 to 2000.

Hipwell was a sweet-swinging left-handed hitting catcher who established seven long-standing career records for games played (203), at-bats (628), hits (223), RBIs (146), doubles (37), walks (79) and fielding percentage (.976). She ranked second in triples (12) and third in batting average (.371).

In the curious case of where are they now?, Hipwell is now Melanie Brandt and lives in the same area, San Diego, and works for the same school district in education.

The year 2010 was significant for her. She was inducted into UHHs Hall of Fame in September and married Travas Brandt, an electrician, in November. (She jokes he may be the only one who spells his name that way.)

Their daughter, Clare, is 8 years old and as soon as she could pick up a bat was taught to hit left-handed. She was blessed with good hand-eye coordination because her father played hockey in high school.

Its a family affair for Clares 8-and-under softball team. Mom is the manager, dad is a coach, and Melanies mom, Antoinette, is an assistant. Like her parents, Brandt is raising her daughter much the same way. She isnt force-feeding Clare to play softball.

Shes still young and we dont want her to burn out, Brandt said. We allow her to play soccer, do theater, art, different things. We want to find out what she enjoys. She enjoys the friendships from softball. Shes an only child and has made great little friends.

We want to support her, like my parents did for me. My dad comes to all the games and my mom is in the dugout. Ive taken everything theyve given me and give back to my child and community.

During her time at UHH, the Vulcans always had winning records but never qualified for the postseason. Hawaii Pacific ruled the landscape, but what Brandt remembers is the connections formed during her time.

Everybody got along. We had a good group of girls and good families, she said. Michelle Canchola and I were freshmen roommates and a battery for four years. We talk on the phone and reminisce. Those were the best days of our lives, our years in Hilo.

There was always the Aloha spirit, be kind to others. That was the golden rule. I didnt know anyone but everyone became an uncle or aunty to me. It was life-changing, and Im grateful to coach Callen Perreira for what he did for me and my family.

Whenever the Vulcans play in San Diego, Brandt makes it a point to watch her old team. One of the highlights for her was when Perreira and assistant Fred Entilla attended her wedding.

Brandt picked up a lot of her coaching cues from Perreira, who remembers his catcher fondly.

She had the sweetest swing Ive seen in all my years of coaching, he said. Beautiful swing, great kid, very respectful, worked hard and great all-around person. We still keep in touch as well as her mom and dad. They appreciated the Hawaiian culture and how we took care of the student-athletes.

Thats what Brandt remembers most: How she was treated.

He took good care of us, she said. If we needed anything because we were so far away from our families.

He was very organized with practice. He taught me how to be organized. I plan everything on a clipboard. He supported us and never yelled. If we made a mistake, learn from it. There was always a good vibe because we had good people.

Her family is practicing softball, with safety precautions in mind, but do other things as well. They enjoy camping and the beach. There wasnt a Womens College World Series this year, but in years past Brandt claimed the remote and turned into a catcher, calling pitches.

Hilo was more than an old college town for her. It never leaves her mind. The memories of her good times still live on. Its not a far stretch to state that a return trip is possible someday. Melanie and Travas dont have anchor jobs.

Who knows? In a decade, Clare will be old enough to go to college. Maybe UHH, playing for her moms old coach?

I love what I do, but Hawaii is always on my mind. Every day I think about Hawaii, she said. I think about the people and friendships made. How welcoming everybody was. Im very thankful for all the love and support I felt instantly. Hilo is always in my heart.

The rest is here:

Where are the now? Aloha spirit still burns strong for former UH-Hilo softball standout - West Hawaii Today

Cant we all just remember the golden rule and treat others how we want to be treated? Its pretty safe to say thats what Erin Napier wishes.

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On Wednesday, July 8, the Home Town co-host took to Instagram to share a not-so-candid post of herself and her husband Ben, accompanied by a powerful caption about her plan to take a stand against harmful Instagram hate.

Turning off comments till 2021 feels like a good move, she began her post. Its getting harder to shoulder every opinion from every direction at all times about everything when everyone is freaking out constantly. Theres too much noise. Its like this: Were each making a bed and cant see how far the sheet is hanging on the other side. We cant see what we cant see. So the best we can do is show compassion in our differences and understanding that were never going to be able to see all things the exact same way because our experiences are not the same. Its nothing to freak out about. No need to shove. Have mercy. Show grace. Social media is for fun. So here, enjoy this totally candid and unposed image. (P.S. I am bad at analogies).

While were unable to see how her followers felt about the social media movegiven comments are shut off, of coursewe bet many of them (ourselves included) are supportive of the choice, while others might be disappointed

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This commenting section is created and maintained by a third party, and imported onto this page. You may be able to find more information on their web site.

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Erin Napier Announced That She's Turning Off Her Instagram Comments Until 2021 - Country Living

Boris Johnsons endless attempts to suppress the Russia report could be more damaging than the dossiers revelations | The Independent Independent Premium > Editors letters

It seems clear that there must be some pretty embarrassing stuff for the Tories in the 50-page dossier, writes Andrew Woodcock

The PMs efforts to suppress the findings have been unedifying and damaging to his reputation ( PA )

Its a golden rule in politics that the cover-up is usually more damaging than the crime, and the longer I look at the furore over the Russia report the more I think that may be the case here.

It seems clear that there must be some pretty embarrassing stuff for the Tories in the 50-page dossier compiled by former attorney general Dominic Grieves Intelligence and Security Committee in the far-off days of March last year.

But however damaging the revelations may be, the endless saga of Boris Johnsons attempts to suppress them is so unedifying that the harm to his reputation from that could be even greater.

Sharing the full story, not just the headlines

Want to bookmark your favourite articles and stories to read or reference later? Start your Independent Premium subscription today.

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Editor's letter: Boris Johnson's endless attempts to suppress the Russia report could be more damaging than the dossier's revelations - The...

Teens and adults in the Asia-Pacific region reported an uptick in online civility and more respectful digital interactions during the COVID-19 global pandemic, results from a new Microsoft research study show. Meanwhile, respondents in Latin America said online civility worsened, punctuated by an increase in the spread of false or misleading information.

Nearly one-third (31%) of respondents in nine APAC geographies said online civility improved in the COVID-19 stay-at-home environment, a 5-percentage-points increase compared to the worldwide reading of 26%. A total of 32 geographies1 were included in this years study, which was conducted in April and May. Across other regions, participants in Latin America, Central and Eastern Europe, and the combined grouping of North American and Western European countries,2 said online civility improved by smaller percentages: 30%, 17% and 20%, respectively.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, 31% said online civility declined during the crisis, topping the worldwide reading of 22% by 9-percentage points. APAC, Central and Eastern Europe, and the combined North American and Western European block, posted worsening percentages of 22%, 28% and 17%. (Additional details shown in the chart below.)

Worldwide (52%) and regionally, a majority of respondents said online civility was unchanged by COVID-19. Regional unchanged percentages break down as follows: APAC: 47% Central and Eastern Europe: 55% Latin America: 39% North America and Western Europe: 63%

Overall, results underscore that despite anecdotal reports of declining online civility during COVID-19, the global picture is more nuanced.

The findings come from the latest study, Civility, Safety and Interaction Online 2020, which polled teens aged 13-17 and adults aged 18-74 about their exposure to 21 different online risks across four categories: behavioral; sexual; reputational; and personal/intrusive.3 This research builds on similar studies about digital civility that Microsoft has conducted in each of the last four years when fewer countries were included.

A total of 16,051 individuals participated in this years poll, and weve surveyed more than 58,000 people on these topics since the start of this work. Full results, including the release of the latest Microsoft Digital Civility Index (DCI), will be made available on international Safer Internet Day 2021 on February 9. The DCI is a measure of the tone and tenor of online interactions as reported by consumers in all surveyed locales. Last year, the index stood at its lowest level since the research began, indicating a high level of perceived online incivility.

Of the 26% of global respondents who thought online civility improved in April and May during COVID-19, people helping other people and a sense of were all in this together were the primary reasons behind their responses. More than two-thirds (67%) said they saw people helping others and 60% said they had a greater sense of were all in this together. Meanwhile, in APAC, nearly three-quarters of positive respondents (70%) saw people helping others, and the second most highly rated reply was people being more encouraging to one another (66%). Other positive responses in the APAC region included a greater sense of community, people coming together to deal with the crisis, and people reconnecting online with family and friends.

In Latin America (70%) and globally (67%), an increased spread of false or misleading information was the primary reason given by those who thought online civility had faltered during the pandemic. Other standout worsening responses in Latin America included people taking out their frustrations online and people being less tolerant. (Check out our factsheet on helping young people to identify misinformation and hate speech, and read about what Microsoft is doing to combat COVID-19 misinformation more broadly.)

Given the toll the global crisis was taking on people around the world both online and off, we added some special questions to this years study to explore the perceived impact of COVID-19 on online interactions in this fifth milestone installment of our research. Thats also why we added (or re-added) seven geographies to the 2020 study: Australia, Denmark, Philippines, Spain, Sweden, Taiwan and Thailand. (The first Microsoft Digital Civility Index reading for each of these geographies, bar Australia, will be made available on Safer Internet Day 2021. Australias 2020 index will be the first reading since Year Two of the study.)

And, while more of the world starts to re-open following what was truly an unprecedented event in most of our lifetimes, many of us are still working and learning from home, and practicing social distancing. These circumstances underscore the need for safer, healthier and more respectful interactions both online and off. We only need to look to last years research to recall what people hoped for in this new decade of the 2020s. Respondents in 25 countries said they wanted respect, safety, freedom, civility and kindness to define online interactions in the 2020s, and they added a few predictions for some more sensitive scenarios. A third of all respondents said they expect fewer women to be sexually harassed online, fewer teens to be bullied and online political discussions to become more constructive in the new decade.

To get back on track and help realize some of those uplifting 2020s predictions, we continue to point to our Digital Civility Challenge: four common-sense principles to help engender compassion, empathy and kindness. Everyone can commit to the challenge actions and pledge to adopt positive online habits and practices. Those actions are: Live the Golden Rule; respect differences; pause before replying; and stand up for yourself and others. Learn more about the challenge here, and visit our website and resources page for additional advice and guidance for tackling almost any online safety issue.

1 Countries polled in 2020 were: Argentina, Australia*, Belgium, Brazil, Canada, Chile, Colombia, Denmark*, France, Germany, Hungary, India, Indonesia*, Ireland, Italy, Malaysia, Mexico, Netherlands, Peru, Philippines*, Poland, Russia, Sweden*, Singapore, Spain*, South Africa, Taiwan, Thailand*, Turkey, U.K., U.S., Vietnam*Indicates country was added (or re-added) to the study in 2020

2 Regional groupings are as follows: APAC (9) Australia, India, Indonesia, Malaysia, Philippines, Singapore, Taiwan, Thailand, Vietnam CEE (3) Hungary, Poland, Russia Latam (6) Argentina, Brazil, Chile, Colombia, Mexico, Peru NA + WE (12) Canada, U.S., Belgium, Denmark, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, U.K.

3 The definiton of the four categories are as follows:Reputational Doxing and damage to personal or professional reputationsBehavioral Being treated meanly; experiencing trolling, online harassment or bullying; encountering hatespeech and microaggressionsSexual Sending or receiving unwanted sexting messages and making sexual solicitations; receiving unwantedsexual attention and being a victim of sextortion or non-consensual pornography (aka revenge porn)Personal/intrusive Being the target of unwanted contact, experiencing discrimination, swatting, misogyny, exposure toextremist content/recruiting, or falling victim to hoaxes, scams or fraud

Tags: digital civility, digital civility challenge, Digital Civility Index, Online Safety

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Online civility improved in APAC during COVID-19, declined in Latin America, Microsoft study - Microsoft on the Issues - Microsoft

John Roberts meant so much to so many different people.

That was apparent during his 66 years of life, just as it is following his death Sunday evening.

When news of his passing began circulating on social media earlier this week, the outpouring of former players, students, friends and family demonstrated the influence Roberts had on so many, from a variety of walks of life.

First, and foremost, he was a family man. He and his wife, Jan, started dating as freshmen at Garces High, the start of what would eventually lead to nearly 45 years of marriage and three children, Jeremy, Shelly and Justin.

All are Garces graduates, which is fitting considering Roberts impact on the school.

As a quarterback, he guided the Rams to the 1971 Central Section championship. After graduating, Roberts returned to his alma mater as an assistant football coach, where he was part of six more section titles during a 25-year stretch.

(He was) a true servant to God, his family, his friends, and the youth of Kern County, said Jeremy Roberts of his father. He taught me and countless others that true leadership is a selfless act which should be focused on growing and developing others. Thats what success is. Not the wins and losses, not the stats, not the trophies and championships although very impressive. Success is making someone or something better. Thats what my dad did and thats why he is heralded today.

Roberts impact on the areas youth then extended to another segment of the population, working for the Kern County Probation Department for 33 years. He was promoted to chief probation officer in 2004, a position he held until he retired in 2010.

He was a great leader and mentor, said Kevin Keyes, who coached with Roberts and also worked with him at the Kern County Office of Education in Gang Prevention and as a juvenile probation youth counselor. He surrounded himself with good people and got out of the way. He was not a micromanager, but he had no problem letting you know who was boss.

He really had a heart for serving our most at-risk kids. John was a part of a movement that was proactive in prevention and early intervention to keep kids out of going into juvenile hall. He will truly be missed by the educational community, as well.

Roberts returned to Garces as head football coach in 2010 and guided the Rams to a two-year 21-4 record with two Southeast Yosemite league championships and an appearance in the section Division II title game.

He was a great coach and very successful in the probation department, but more importantly, he was a great husband and father, said John Fanucchi, who coached with Roberts at Garces for more than 20 years. He was a wonderful mentor for the student-athletes that he coached, and greatly respected and loved by the different families whose lives he touched.

He was a great person to be around. You always knew where you stood with John. He would let you know how he felt, what he thought, what his opinions were. But he was also a very fun-loving guy.

Former Rams player Nick Sakowski also has fond memories of his former coach.

"Coach Roberts was way more than just a football coach," Sakowski said. "I learned so many life lessons in such a short period of time from this man. The Lord welcomed a new family member into Heavens gates this week."

Despite the success in his return to coaching, Roberts decided to retire following the 2011 season, saying at the time:

"We had a great group of kids, and Garces has a great future with or without me. Part of our philosophy was treating the kids respectfully and taking care of them. It paid off for us, and you can tell by our record. I'm proud of what I did over the last couple of years, and I feel like the program is going full speed ahead.

"My career has been wonderful. I had the opportunity to be involved in six Valley championships, plus one as a player. I'm proud of all the things that were accomplished. No regrets."

The same could be said for Roberts life in general, where his actions will live on in the many families he touched.

He was critically important to so many student-athletes and so many families at Garces over all his many years as coach there, Fanucchi said. His friends loved him He was a giant among men. He was a very, very special person who will be greatly missed, and I know that there are a lot of people that appreciate the fact that he had a part in their lives and a part of the lives of their children.

In lieu of flowers, the Roberts family is asking that any donations be made to the Alzheimers Disease Association of Kern County or to the Garces Memorial football program.

He helped develop young boys and girls into men and women, Jeremy Roberts said. With humility, love, humor, and hard work he made everyone better. Through his actions, he taught us the massive importance of leadership and mentorship with our youth, our future, and now we must pay it forward. A simple man with enormous impact. Treat people right, do things right, work hard, play hard and never forget the golden rule. It doesnt get more simplistic than that. Rest in peace pops, we got it from here. You showed us what needs to be done.

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Former Garces coach was a positive influence on area youth - The Bakersfield Californian

Whilst some Companies might exist without a Mission or a Vision, some find it hard to connect the dots of their true purpose without a statement that conjures hope, direction, clarity and the need for success. For those that have seen the benefit in connecting what they do every day with the bigger picture, does your Vision and Mission inspire your team? Does it resonate with them? Do they recognize how what they do every day is connected with the corporate Vision and Mission? If your Vision or Mission does not propel your team members every day to be excited, and to be fully engaged in their duties then your Vision is probably not conveying the right message in a way that resonates with your team members. Furthermore, your Vision might not have been promulgated and communicated with your team in a way that would have elicited their buy-in.

One of the biggest issues I have come across regarding team members connection to the company and their purpose is a Lack of Buy-In. Many companies make the mistake of alienating their team members when it comes to significant directions that require their support to succeed. This often sabotages the success of any initiative, enterprise or company. The simple rule is that Leaders and executives plan because of their insight, they see the forest from the trees, but the majority of the work that actually creates success lies with the team members. The Golden Rule therefore is to always ensure that team members are involved and feel that they are a part of what is going on. Any Vision and Mission written, must be communicated in such a way that your team members are moved and encouraged. If your Team members are not driven in a manner that fulfils your purpose and there seems to be a misalignment with the results produced, it might be time to revisit your Vision and Mission as well as your teams understanding of their purpose.

A Vision and Mission are two different concepts and should remain as such. Some companies choose to have both, and some have either one or the other. Ideally it is best to have two because they each have a specific purpose: A Vision is futuristic and long term. A Mission is a statement to your stakeholders on the everyday strategy that serves to realize that Vision.

The Vision and its Purpose

A Vision statement delineates what the Companys Future looks like in a couple of years and it gives team members and clientele something to look forward to. It gives meaning to everything done on a daily basis. The statement should be inspiring in such a way as to encourage the energy and motivational levels required to have employees to look forward to a bright and prosperous future. This means that every day your employees are working towards the materialization of those Goals for the foreseeable future. A Vision that is lacklustre, unclear and nebulous tends to conjure mixed feelings, produces ambiguous connotations and fails to achieve the intended results. Similarly, a good Vision that is neither prominently displayed nor regularly referred to is not effective in maintaining your teams motivation towards the achievement of the Companys Goals. To ensure that the Vision is achievable and aligned with the steps everyone needs to take to achieve it, it is important to ensure that the stakeholders are also part of the process so that they buy-in to the Plan.

The Mission and its Purpose

A Mission statement provides direction regarding the Companys everyday reason for existing. It is the Companys pledge to its employees and Customers. Basically, as opposed to the Vision, which is long term, a Mission is an everyday call to action. However, similar to a Vision it needs to inspire, be clear and able to generate positive actions based on its Value Proposition to stakeholders, most importantly Customers and Employees. Both the Vision and Mission must provide Alignment with the Companys Purpose in order to be truly effective. The main goal is to ensure that everyone is working towards the same goals and has the same purpose. It keeps everyone working with the same agenda. Team Members feel more informed, more goal and solutions oriented, and more harmonious when what they do every single day connects them on multiple levels.

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HR in Focus The Difference Between a Vision & a Mission and their Importance - St. Lucia News From - The Voice St. Lucia

He won the 129th British Open at St. Andrews yesterday to become, at the tender age of 24, the youngest of just five men to win all four tournaments of the modern grand slam.

That he did it with his fourth brilliant round, a 3-under-par 69, was no surprise. That he pushed to 19-under 269 and broke the scoring record for the 25 British Opens that have been held at the birthplace of golf was no surprise. That he followed up his record-smashing 15-shot win in last months US Open with an eight-stroke triumph was no surprise. That he navigated the rock-hard fairways, beguiling swales, and tricky crosswinds coming off the Firth of Tay to post 22 birdies against three measly bogeys was no surprise, either.

That's because through it all, you get the feeling he expected this of himself.

Since he first came into view hitting golf balls at the age of 2 on "The Mike Douglas Show," Woods has had a part on the golf stage. Now it belongs solely to him, and a casual exchange when it was all over helps explain why.

"There is some talk about if you went in a bunker this week," Woods was asked. St. Andrews's 112 bunkers are death sentences and there are two golden rules here: Don't go in the bunkers; and don't forget rule No. 1.

Woods looked surprised. "Bunker?" he responded. "I was in a bunker every day I've been here, but it was at the practice green."

In other words, he followed the script and didn't go in them. Truthfully, he hadn't even seen the bunkers.

Perfectly aware of all the pressure that ushered him into this event given the hype about his chance to join Gene Sarazen, Ben Hogan, Jack Nicklaus, and Gary Player as the only men to win the Masters, US Open, British Open, and PGA Championship Woods never flinched. He parred the first eight holes in Round 1, fell five shots behind, then played the next 64 majestically.

"It was a spectacular performance, to say the least," said David Duval, who was this tournament's Washington Generals to Woods's Harlem Globetrotters. "He simply did not make the mistakes and capitalized on the holes you would expect him to."

Almost as if he needed the challenge, Woods watched approvingly as Duval birdied the par-4 second and par-4 third, making the turn in 32 to plug a little excitement into the festivities. Six down to start, Duval was at 14 under, three behind Woods, whose front-side 35 included a birdie at the par-4 fourth.

"It got close out there a little bit," said Woods, who has won 16 of 17 PGA Tour events in which he has held a 54-hole lead. "There were only three shots separating us at the time, which isn't that much considering all the trouble that's lurking out there."

Trouble? Thats not in the script, either, as Woods proved once again around the loop and onto the back side of St. Andrews. They are not overly demanding holes, playing much shorter because of the firm turf, and amount to nothing more than drive-and-pitch tests.

Simple. So long as you follow the script and hit it straight. Woods did it almost flawlessly.

For the week, he played the incoming nine in 11 under, compared with 2 over for Duval. Ernie Els (69-277) and Thomas Bjorn (71), who took advantage of a 17th-hole collapse by Duval to finish tied for second, were each 3 under on the back.

The Duval challenge was short-lived thanks to Woods's mastery of the back, which started when he drove the 379-yard par-4 10th. He two-putted from 80 feet to get to 18 under, moving four shots ahead when Duval was unable to get it up-and-down for birdie from a swale in front of the green.

They matched par 3s at the 11th, then saw the curtain come down, for all intents and purposes, at a hole Woods would gladly take home with him the 314-yard par-4 12th. As he had done the previous three rounds, Woods made birdie, his drive coming to rest 30 feet from the pin.

Two putts, another birdie, and when Duval bogeyed after his pitch from in front of the green rolled back at him down the slope, there were six shots separating them with six to play. If it were match play, it would have been over on the next hole, but because it was medal, the drama dragged on, coming to a painful scene at the Road Hole.

Pinned beneath a lip of the Road Bunker, Duval needed four to get out, made a quadruple bogey, and crashed from a share of second to a small piece of 11th thanks to an incoming 43.

Woodss walk up the 18th fairway was casual another bomb off the tee into a fairway that can hardly be missed, then a sand wedge onto the green but almost spiritual in a historical context.

Nearly 500 years have passed since the game was first played here and reminders are everywhere the Tom Morris Golf Shop, the Swilken Bridge, the Royal & Ancient Clubhouse. This is the fairway where Nicklaus twice made victory walks in British Opens. It is the town that embraced Bobby Jones, who then told Nicklaus, who, in turn, told Woods: All great golfers must have a British Open victory on their rsum.

Fitting, then, said Woods, that the stamp of greatness was applied at the Old Course. He had completed the career grand slam in 15 tournaments; it took Nicklaus, against whom all players are measured, 19.

"It was very special coming up and looking at the surroundings and to see what was transpiring," said Woods. "It really is hard to put into words, the emotions and the feelings going through me."

He didn't have to fight back tears. He was cool and gracious. And after making all the right shots, he had all the right words.

After all, he had followed the script perfectly.

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Tiger Woods wins his first British Open, at the birthplace of golf - The Boston Globe