Opponents of the idea of an NDO wore stickers reading Protect Religious Freedom and Protect Liberty to a Shawnee council meeting.

Last month, we asked our readers what issues they wanted to hear the candidates running for local office address ahead of this falls local elections primary. Based on the input we received, we developed a five-item questionnaire for candidates running for city council and mayor in Shawnee.

Today we publish the candidates responses to item four:

Consideration of a non-discrimination ordinance with legal protections for LGBTQ+ individuals brought out dozens of residents who voiced both support for and opposition to the idea. Do you agree with the councils decision to adopt the NDO? Why or why not?

As a lifelong LGBTQ+ supporter and ally, I was proud to see Shawnee join our peer cities and adopt a full non-discrimination ordinance. Ensuring our city is a welcoming, inclusive, and safe community should be a top priority for all our elected officials. While I believe this is best-addressed at the federal and state level, it became increasingly clear that this resolution would not occur in the near-term, and I did not believe it was appropriate to ask these residents to continue to wait for the pending United States Supreme Court ruling for protection.

I believe that our resolution appropriately provided the same level of protections afforded all others in society, without infringing upon religious freedom or creating administrative or legal challenges to the city, our residents, or local businesses.

I believe in equal rights and protections for all people regardless of their sex, race, religion, sexual identity, gender identity, nationality or any other label the world uses to try and define each of us. I know that every resident in Shawnee wants people to be safe and happy when they live, work and play in our city. I believe that these rights should be established at the Federal and State level so we dont find ourselves in a society where there is a patchwork of different Ordinances. These Ordinances dont offer the same level of true protections that they do when passed at the state and federal government level. That said, with the lack of response by our State to address these issues, I do believe this Ordinance that the governing body adopted was fair and best for everyone impacted. Within the authority of our local government, it protects our employees and contractors while in Shawnee and it protects individuals in their jobs and housing. Additionally, it does not impede on the religious freedom protections given by the state and constitution.

I did not support passage of the NDO. The action taken by the City Council placed the City of Shawnee in the midst of a social issue debate that is very divided, even amongst the United States Supreme Court.

I agree with the councils decision to adopt the NDO, and supported the ordinance. Historically, there have been needs/causes that have begged for resolution at all levels of government. However, only after grassroots expression at the local level, did higher levels of government gain the wherewithal to address the issue. So it is with the Shawnee NDO. City government is where the rubber meets the road. City government handles issues, that usually no government entity above them touch. Were the bottom of the mountain, stuff flows downhill, stops here, and we deal with it. However, sometimes its appropriate to push back uphill on an issue that is very important to your constitutents. The NDO is one of these times, as evidenced by the numerous other cities and educational entities in Johnson County that have enacted similar ordinances. Discrimination is wrong against anyone, anytime for any reason. We all are equal in the eyes of the Creator. The Golden Rule is the goal to live by. The NDO was the right thing to do.

As indicated by my recorded vote, I did not support the adoption of the NDO. I expressed my reasons in detail at the Council Committee Meeting and the Council Meeting. First, I feel the NDO was rammed through with essentially no vetting. It was done in just 17 days. We had no discussions as to legality, enforceability, protection of the rights of people of faith, no discussion of actual occurrences of discrimination in the city and no analysis of potential costs to the city because of lawsuits. We are all aware that there are lawsuits countrywide where ordinances have been adopted. The Supreme Court of Arizona just found the NDO in Phoenix to be unconstitutional in lacking protection for religious liberties. These can be very expensive ordeals, as they often go all the way to the US Supreme Court. I do not believe there was due diligence. Second, I believe our NDO did not adequately protect religious rights of the individual. Third, I feel that actions concerning the granting or takeaway of rights should be supported by constitutional law. We have no constitution at the city level. I believe this issue must, by necessity, be handled at the State, or preferably, national level. Fourth, there was no evidence of discrimination provided at either of the two extensive hearings that were very well attended by proponents of the NDO. Fifth, I believe that social legislation at the local level is a serious mistake. What are the next social issues to be brought before us? Abortion, gun-control, immigration, climate change and so many other contentious social issues that fill our newspapers and new outlets daily. Our focus should be on public safety, infrastructure, and the provision of services to our citizens. Lastly, I feel strongly that if we are to decide who has what rights, in the absence of a constitution, it should be decided by the public at the ballot box.

I supported and will continue to support the NDO.

I was at both public meetings for this ordinance and the one thing that I heard from both sides was that no one wanted to be discriminated against. We all have that desire in common. There are already protections in place against discrimination based on sex, race, religion, age, veteran status, etc. Its easy to look at that list and think that it is a comprehensive list. However, that list left out members of the LGBTQ+ community. The intent of that list was clearly to include EVERYONE. Passing the NDO was a simple matter of updating the list to actually include everyone.

To those who say that this should have been handled at the State or Federal level, I 100% agree. But it became our responsibility when it was not handled by the State or Federal governments. I am glad that Shawnee stepped up to the plate to take care of this. You, the readers, need to judge us, the candidates, by our actions. Those who simply want to pass the buck to the State or Federal level because they dont want to deal with it are not the leaders that we need. For me, Andy Rondon, the Buck stops here. I believe that is the leadership that we need.

Most importantly, its important for me to state that no one within our great city should be discriminated against, ever. I do not, however, support the councils decision regarding the NDO on the basis that I do not believe that this is an issue that should be handled at the city level. Something of this magnitude, if passed, should be done at the state or national level. It does not make sense for each city to have its own (different) ordinances, and it will likely drag our city into litigation which the city attorney is not qualified to deal with. Additionally, there is ongoing litigation with regarding NDOs involving cities throughout the country already; it would have been smarter to wait and see how these move through the legal system. Finally, it inserted partisan politics created division within our community. Local politics should remain non-partisan and focused on basic government functions limited to local infrastructure, public safety, parks/ recreation and economic development. An issue of this magnitude should have at least been put to a public vote instead of hurried through.

Yes, I agree with the decision.

I did not support the NDO. Similar laws and ordinances around the country have been used to target those in the creative arts, such as cake bakers, photographers, florists, and wedding planners. Many of these cases are being adjudicated in the courts as we speak, with recent rulings in both state and federal court upholding the right to religious freedom. Shawnee jumping into the fray by passing this ordinance, before these cases have reached their conclusion, was not wise.

I was proud to support the effort to pass the NDO in Shawnee. As I have often said, I am committed to treating all residents of Shawnee with respect and dignity. I could not keep that pledge if I didnt work to protect our LGBTQ+ neighbors from discrimination. I understand there are some who disagree, and I respect their viewpoint. The City staff and the Council worked very hard to balance those concerns.

I want our city to be a welcoming and inclusive community for everyone. I believe that decisions on class protections are better suited for the state or federal governments. For that reason, I did not like the councils decision to adopt an NDO.

I attended both the council committee meeting and subsequent council meeting and listened to the 8+ hours of public comments on the NDO. For the most part, these comments were presented in a civil way, which I appreciated.

While it would be ideal if there were not a need for such an ordinance or for this type of discrimination to be legislated at the federal level (just like protections on the basis of race, color, religion, sex, and national origin), that is not the case. Our city leaders, just like leaders in so many other cities around us, had the choice to sit on their hands and pretend that its not a problem, or address it. City leaders throughout Johnson County are choosing the chose the latter, and I am grateful.

It might be easy for people not experiencing discrimination to claim that its not happening and therefore no protections are needed, or worse, that a certain subgroup of a population simply doesnt deserve to be protected. We dont have to look too far back in history to see examples of this. As a city, there are potential economic benefits of being inclusive and repercussions of being otherwise. Businesses and events can (and will) choose other cities as weve seen at the national level. We should embrace the increasing diversity around us and see it as a strength.

While some are concerned about religious freedoms, we just need to choose which lens to view this through. We can choose to put on the lenses of fear, judgement, and rigidity or those of love, kindness, and acceptance. I practice my faith, and it has taught me that showing love to others is most important. I also recognize that there are plenty of non-religious people who show kindness to others not because a certain faith has taught them to do that, but simply because as humans co-existing, its the right thing to do.

I am proud that Shawnee took a stand and did not sit back and address this simply because other cities were. This is the civil rights issue of our time and eventually we will look back and have to ask ourselves what side of history we were on.

Tomorrow well publish the candidates responses to item three:

The city is in the process of conducting its first comprehensive planning process. What goals or themes are you hoping to see in the final plan?

See original here:

Shawnee mayoral and council candidates on the issues: Views on passage of non-discrimination ordinance and taking opposition views into account -...

Quid pro quo

This phrase from the Roman Empire, can effectively translate as, If you scratch my back, then I will scratch yours. Romans believed if they wanted the gods to grant a favor, then first the Roman would favor the gods. If a leader considers himself a god (narcissist) then it would be natural to expect a favor from a mere mortal before granting a request. From theology to a widespread social norm in the empire, Quid pro quo sewed the seeds for the collapse of the great Roman civilization that ruled the world.

Our president has shown his words and actions to be self-serving, asking for favors and for the most part giving much less than what he received. Those unwilling to give what he wants are abased.

The practice of viewing everyone as having a priceless and equal value by virtue of being alive and unique in all the world appears foreign to our president. This ignorance harms himself and his relationships with others, while he gives more importance to himself than others.

The alternative is to honor our equality, and practice the Golden Rule, asking others to do the same for their own good, to insure all will be accepted unconditionally, with reverence given to free will, and a shared interest to work together for the benefit of all. Why live any other way?

The Golden Rule has been a cornerstone of world religions for 6,000 years. Our Founding Fathers declared independence from England, recognizing the self-evident truth that all men are created equal.

What do we do, but declare independence?

Tom GaffneyStockton Springs

Protecting our young people who risk their lives to defend our country does not seem to be considered by President Donald Trump when he makes foreign policy decisions by tweet.

Brett McGurk, working under Presidents Bush, Obama and Trump until last year, organized a coalition of 80 countries and two dozen contributors who gave money and fighters to defeat ISIS and now continue in stabilizing northern Syria. One of the most loyal partners were Kurdish fighters who died in great numbers defeating ISIS with the dedicated young men and women in the United States military. Thousands ISIS fighters are still in the area and in detention ( 12,000) and are ready to fight again as well as thousands of ISIS wives and children.

Turkey and Iraq want to squash the Kurdish people, who desperately want statehood.

Working with Russia, Turkeys President Recep Tayyip Erdogan, has in one conversation by phone convinced Trump to abandon our military and our allies. McGurk and his boss, Defense Secretary Jim Mattis, quit the Trump administration last year in protest.

The [White House] statement tonight on Syria after Trump spoke with Erdogan demonstrates a complete lack of understanding of anything happening on the ground, McGurk said Monday on Twitter.

Our young people who join the U.S. military need a commander in chief who understands the situation on the ground and will act to protect them and their partners and the security of the United States of America.

Carole BealBar Harbor

Climate change is an existential threat. Maine is one of the fastest-warming states in the nation, and scientists have made it clear that we need to stop emitting carbon into the atmosphere by the middle of this century in order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change.

Maine is stepping up to that challenge. The state recently set ambitious targets to get to 100 percent renewable energy by 2050, and is taking bold action to boost solar generation, electric vehicles, and efficient heat pumps. Transitioning to a clean energy future will create new jobs, strengthen our communities, and protect public health.

But we need comparable bold action from Washington. We need our elected officials to support a transition to a 100 percent clean energy economy and set a nation-wide goal for carbon neutrality by 2050 and theres a bill, the 100% Clean Economy Act of 2019, underway in Congress that would do just that. This legislation would build on progress made at the local level that is already spurring clean energy development and creating more green jobs that drive our economy. As a champion of the environment and small businesses, Rep. Jared Golden should support this legislation.

Ethan TremblayWinterport

Read more:

Friday, October 11, 2019: Quid pro quo and the Golden Rule, Trump abandons our Kurdish allies, addressing an existential threat - Bangor Daily News

Actress Charlize Theron has her own way of raising her kids! When she attended ELLEs Women in Hollywood Celebration on Monday, October 14, she revealed all the best lessons that she tries to teach her kids as they get older.

You know, I think a big thing for me is kindness and knowing we live by our religion, which is do unto others the way you want to be done to you, she told Closer Weekly and other reporters at the star-studded event at the Four Seasons in Beverly Hills. So were big on respect and thinking of others before we think of ourselves.

Charlize, 44, is a proud parent to her two adorable kids Jackson, 7, and August, 4. In an April 2019 interview with The Daily Mail, theMonster star opened up about her oldest child being transgender and how she dealt with that.

[My kids] were born who they are and exactly where in the world both of them get to find themselves as they grow up, and who they want to be, is not for me to decide, Charlize said. My job as a parent is to celebrate them and to love them and to make sure that they have everything they need in order to be what they want to be. And I will do everything in my power for my kids to have that right and to be protected within that.

Charlize learned everything that she knows from her own mother, Gerda Jacoba Aletta Maritz, and she hopes to carry on Gerdas lessons with her two kids. The last thing the Oscar winner wants is for Jackson and August to not have the ability to open up and express themselves.

I grew up in a country where people lived with half-truths and lies and whispers and nobody said anything outright, and I was raised very specifically not to be like that, Charlize explained. I was taught by my mom that you have to speak up; you have to be able to know that, when this life is over, youll have lived the truth youre comfortable with, and that nothing negative can come from that.

Charlizes kids are so lucky to have this lovely woman as their mom!

Go here to read the rest:

Charlize Theron Kids Are Being Taught the Golden Rule By Mom - Closer Weekly

Aldo Leopold and his wife, Estella, in 1943. Leopold treasured time outside with students, colleagues and his family. UW-Madison Digital Archive

MADISON Noted conservation biologist and longtime University of WisconsinMadison professor Stanley Temple is often asked how he remains hopeful despite rising threats to biodiversity.

Temples answer is rooted the life and writings of Aldo Leopold, who was the worlds first professor of wildlife management at UWMadison, and is best known for his 1949 book, A Sand County Almanac.

Leopold developed a land ethic as a philosophical basis for decisions that affect Earth and life on the planet. Leopold offered a golden rule to inform every interaction with nature: A thing is right when it tends to preserve the integrity, stability and beauty of the biotic community. It is wrong when it tends otherwise.

A Sand County Almanac, Temple says, remains one of the most influential environmental books of all time, helping to kickstart environmentalism of the late 1960s.

From 1976 to 2008, Temple held the same professorship in the Department of Forest and Wildlife Ecology that Leopold held from 1933 until his death in 1948.

Now, as a professor emeritus and senior fellow at the Aldo Leopold Foundation, Temple gives dozens of Leopold talks each year around the state and beyond.

Like Leopold, Temple has observed the timing of seasonal events like the flowering of plants and migration of animals a field called phenology. Leopold had a lifelong passion for recording seasonal events in the natural world and interpreting their meaning, Temple adds. He once wrote, Keeping records enhances the pleasure of the search and the chance of finding order and meaning in the events.

Decades later, this meticulous record of flowering dates from 1937-1940 helped Aldo Leopolds daughter to document the ecological effect of climate change. Photo courtesy of Leopold Archives

In 1996, Temple helped Leopolds daughter Nina Leopold Bradley comb through Leopolds records to show that many birds were arriving earlier, and many plants are blooming earlier, than they did six decades previously. Temples talks on phenology have been of special interest because of what Leopolds records reveal about response to climate change.

As Leopold moved from his early career doing field work for the U.S. Forest Service to becoming the worlds first professor of wildlife management in 1933, he was blossoming from conservation practitioner to conservation philosopher, Temple explains.

Aldo Leopold working in the Apache National Forest in Arizona, about 1910. UW-Madison Digital Archive

As a scientist with a poetic pen, Leopold focused on the broad implications of the growing public disconnect with nature. He concluded that education about environmental damage alone would not change peoples behavior. Instead, Temple says, ecological knowledge had to be coupled with what Leopold called an ecological conscience, a moral compass guiding us in how to live on planet Earth without spoiling it.

Ecology, Leopold wrote, is the science of biotic communities, and the ecological conscience is therefore the ethics of community life. An ecological conscience is an affair of the mind as well as the heart.

Throughout my career, Temple says, I have been inspired by Leopolds wisdom, which allowed me to remain hopeful, in spite of the odds.

Temple gives a range of talks on Leopold covering, for example, natural soundscapes and what Leopold called The oldest task in human history how to live on a piece of land without spoiling it.

My goals in these talks, Temple says, is help people gain both ecological knowledge and an ecological conscience so they can remain hopeful in a wounded world.

Details: The Badger Talk on Aldo Leopold and Conservation on Private Lands will be at 10 a.m. Oct. 19 at Johnson Creek Public Library, 125 Lincoln St, Johnson Creek. Itsfree and open to the public.

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Conservationist reminds us: Aldo Leopold still relevant today - University of Wisconsin-Madison

COLUMBUS, Ohio, Oct. 16, 2019 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Worthington Industries, Inc. (WOR) today announced that it will host an Investor Day event in New York, N.Y. on Nov. 13, 2019. Presentations by the Companys executive management team will provide an overview of the Companys operations, financial performance and long-term growth strategy.

The event will begin at 9:30 a.m. ET and end at approximately 12:30 p.m. ET. A live and archived webcast of the event will be available on the Investor Relations section of the Companys website atwww.WorthingtonIndustries.com.

Due to limited capacity, in-person attendance will be by invitation only. To request an invitation, please contactAllison.Dune@WorthingtonIndustries.com.

About Worthington Industries Worthington Industries is a leading global diversified metals manufacturing company with 2019 fiscal year net sales of $3.8 billion. Headquartered in Columbus, Ohio, Worthington is North Americas premier value-added steel processor, providing customers with wide ranging capabilities, products and services for a variety of markets including automotive, construction and agriculture; a global leader in manufacturing pressure cylinders for propane, refrigerant and industrial gasses and cryogenic applications, water well tanks for commercial and residential uses, CNG and LNG storage, transportation and alternative fuel tanks, oil & gas equipment, and consumer products for camping, grilling, hand torch solutions and helium balloon kits; and a manufacturer of operator cabs for heavy mobile industrial equipment; laser welded blanks for light weighting applications; automotive racking solutions; and through joint ventures, complete ceiling grid solutions; automotive tooling and stampings; and steel framing for commercial construction. Worthington employs approximately11,000 people and operates 71 facilities in 7 countries.

Founded in 1955, the Company operates under a long-standing corporate philosophy rooted in the golden rule. Earning money for its shareholders is the first corporate goal. This philosophy serves as the basis for an unwavering commitment to the customer, supplier, and shareholder, and as the Companys foundation for one of the strongest employee-employer partnerships in American industry.

Safe Harbor StatementThe company wishes to take advantage of the Safe Harbor provisions included in the Private Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995 ("the Act"). Statements by the company which are not historical information constitute "forward looking statements" within the meaning of the Act. All forward-looking statements are subject to risks and uncertainties which could cause actual results to differ from those projected. Factors that could cause actual results to differ materially include risks described from time to time in the company's filings with the Securities and Exchange Commission.

Contacts:SONYAL.HIGGINBOTHAMVP, CORPORATE COMMUNICATIONS AND BRAND MANAGEMENT614.438.7391|sonya.higginbotham@worthingtonindustries.com

MARCUS A. ROGIERTREASURER AND INVESTOR RELATIONS OFFICER614.840.4663 | marcus.rogier@worthingtonindustries.com

200OldWilsonBridgeRd.|Columbus,Ohio43085WorthingtonIndustries.com

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Worthington Industries to Host Investor Day in NYC - Yahoo Finance

By Spinal Column Staff | on October 16, 2019

Brooks Gibbs

Brooks Gibbs, an award-winning social skills educator and popular youth speaker, will give the keynote speech at the Western Oakland County Parenting Fair Saturday, November 2 at Walled Lake Northern High School.

The event runs from 7:30 a.m. to 2:30 p.m. Its geared to parents, guardians, educators, teachers, administrators and childcare workers.

Gibbs has presented 2,500 speeches, teaches youth how to be emotionally resilient and encourages them to live by the Golden Rule. He has a number of viral videos.

He said, Im going to teach you how to really raise an emotionally healthy child who is emotionally resilient and kind. We can empower our kids not to get upset by the mean actions of others. Ive got massive content Im excited to deliver back in my hometown.

Gibbs also wants to be sure the educational process continues after this event. He added, I will give my full Raise them Strong online program absolutely free ($50 value) to everyone who registers so you can learn more at home and also share content made just for your children.

Offerings also include two separate tracks and three rounds of breakout sessions by a dozen-plus presenters.

This event is hosted in partnership with the PTAs and staff from Bloomfield Hills Schools, Farmington Public Schools, Oakland County Community College, the Oakland County Youth Assistance, Oakland Schools, Novi Schools, Walled Lake Schools and West Bloomfield Schools.

Pre-registration is encouraged, tickets are $15 online or $25 at the door.

For more information on sponsorship donations, program details, or to register, visit http://www.wlcsd.org/parentingfair.

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Social skills educator to speak at Western Oakland County Parenting Education Fair - Spinal Column Online

With Typhoon Hagibis causing chaos at the Rugby World Cup, it can be fairly easy to lose track of how the knockout stages of this year's tournament are shaping up - and what the All Blacks' path to a potential third-consecutive title will look like.

World Rugby announced yesterday that two matches have been cancelled - England v France and Italy v New Zealand - and, despite Sergio Parisse's complaints, they have little effect on Pool B and C.

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Saturday's match against Italy has been abandoned due to Typhoon Hagibis. Source: 1 NEWS

Pool D is also effectively set in stone with Wales and Australia making it through unless Wales suffers a massive upset to Uruguay on Sunday.

But it's a different Sunday fixture - Scotland v Japan - that has the potential to cause as much havoc as Hagibis with all its possible outcomes, and with the All Blacks facing the second seed from that wild Pool A plenty of attention needs to be paid to it.

So let's break down how that one Test in Yokohama will shape this year's quarter-finals.

Please note, these upcoming outcomes are going on the assumption Ireland beat Samoa in Saturday's only match. If they lose, then Japan has to win in order for Joe Schmidt's men to make it through as the second seed or else Scotland will win the group and Japan will be second.

Before all this begins, there's a little known rule that needs to be addressed that could play a huge role in the shaping of Pool A.

Official Rugby World Cup law states that shold two teams be tied in a group at the end of the pool phase, the winner of the match between those two sides shall be ranked higher.

Keep that in mind going forward.

To best understand how Pool A could look, it's best to understand how it looks currently:

Pool A heading into the final weekend of pool play at the 2019 RWC. Source: The Front Row

Japan sit on top with 14 points on three wins and no losses with two bonus points.

Ireland are second with 11 points on two wins and one loss with three bonus points.

Scotland are third with 10 points on two wins and one loss with two bonus points.

Teams earn four points for a win and can earn bonus points for either scoring four tries in a match or losing by less than seven points.

With Ireland heavy favourites to beat Samoa on Saturday, they are expected to earn a bonus point win and move to 16 points overall - two clear of Japan and an unreachable six points ahead of Scotland.

With that in mind, lets look at how the Pool could finish off looking under different circumstances.

All Blacks play: Scotland [most of the time]

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The 61-0 victory in Shizuoka sees Scotland stay in the mix to advance. Source: Spark Sport RWC

Funnily enough, there is a world in which Scotland win on Sunday and are still knocked out by Japan.

That'll happen if Scotland fail to secure the four-try bonus point while Japan secures a bonus point for losing by seven or less, which is completely possible if the game boils down to a low-scoring, tightly-fought contest in wet conditions.

If that happens, Japan will finish second one point behind Ireland but one point ahead of Scotland, setting them up for a clash with the All Blacks.

There's also the unlikely world in which Scotland earns that bonus point but Japan earn two of their own by, once again, losing by seven or less but scoring four tries as they do so.

Should that result somehow come to fruition, Japan will be tied with Ireland on sixteen points and thanks to the golden rule will go through as the top seed, sending Ireland to play the All Blacks.

Outside those two results however, a victorious Scotland will march on to the quarter-finals and knock out the Brave Blossoms for a second-straight World Cup, but will then have to face the All Blacks themselves.

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A win against Scotland on Saturday would see Japan make the quarter-finals for the first time in history. Source: 1 NEWS

Things are a lot simpler if Japan go undefeated in pool play.

Japan will finish top of Pool A, Ireland will be second and Scotland will go home. The score doesn't matter and neither do any bonus points.

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The 1 NEWS team in Japan explains what today's bombshell means for New Zealand's chance at a three-peat. Source: 1 NEWS

If Scotland's threats don't work and World Rugby cancels the game to protect everyone from Typhoon Hagibis, Japan and Scotland will both take two points from the fixture.

This would see Scotland knocked out but Japan would move to 16 points and be tied with Ireland.

That would mean that, once again, the golden rule comes in to play and because of their upset win earlier in the tournament, the Brave Blossoms would send Ireland to play the All Blacks while they host South Africa.

Go here to read the rest:

What every Japan v Scotland outcome does for the RWC - and who the All Blacks get - TVNZ

It turns out Oskar Sundqvist is a great admirer of Palladian and neoclassical architecture. Who knew?

Patrick Smith/Getty Images

On Tuesday, the Stanley Cup champion St. Louis Blues will visit the White House. Per tradition, they will in all likelihood give U.S. President Donald Trump a monogrammed sweater. Theyll shake hands, take photos and Trump will start off saying something about hockey and probably end up starting a war in Greenland.

A lot of people are angry at the Blues for agreeing to this long-standing U.S. sports tradition because it involves Trump. Apparently, the players ought either to decline the invitation or show up wearing black masks. Any exposure to Trump makes them suspect as possible enemies of the resistance. Time to start taking down names, comrades.

Famously, NBA players are no longer expected to go to the White House. They are free to refuse because their league commissioner hates Trump, their executives hate Trump, their coaches hate Trump and their owners (pretend to) hate Trump.

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This isnt exactly a bold stand. Its a business posture. The NBA has discovered that opposition to the sitting U.S. executive tends to burnish their standing with paying customers.

Also, Trump unlike, say, China isnt showering the NBA with hundred-dollar bills from a leaf blower. Hence, the notable difference in tone when it comes to one strong man versus another.

Still, NBA players often make a bit of a deal announcing they will not set one foot in the White House while Trump remains in office, always to great cheers. These are occasionally the same players who dont know anything about China, wont take questions about China and couldnt find China on a map, all while they are in China.

Guys who are nowhere near winning an NBA title and thus in no danger of an invite over for quarter-pounders and mind-numbing chitchat make these pledges as it regards the White House. Its become a sort of oath of loyalty in the NBA.

NHL players dont get the same advantage.

In the case of St. Louis, its principal owner, Tom Stillman, is a noted supporter of the Republican party. The golden rule applies just as much in sports as it does in your line of work the person who has the gold makes the rules.

If your employer instructs you, as a function of your work duties, to visit a place or person you do not agree with, you are left with a few options. You can refuse and take the consequences. You can take a principled stand and quit. You can register your displeasure and go under protest. You can keep your mouth shut and hold your nose.

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Whats a little harder to do is say, Im not going, and I demand that you like it. In fact, I demand your public support for me while Im voicing my lack of such for you.

The St. Louis Blues, as with every other NHL winner during Trumps term, are choosing the road of diplomacy.

Whatever your view on politics is, its your own personal thing, Blues goalie Jake Allen told The St. Louis Post-Dispatch. But just the experience of going and seeing [the White House], not many people get that chance. Its going to be pretty neat.

Well, anybody can arrange to tour the White House. All it takes is a little foresight and an internet connection. But you see what Allen is trying to do here.

Its a special house, said Blues forward Oskar Sundqvist. Its something youre going to remember for the rest of your life. How it looks in there. How cool it is there.

Who knew? The St. Louis Blues are professional sports greatest admirers of Palladian and neoclassical architecture.

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What? The president lives there, too? Amazing. They hadnt heard that.

You can see these poor guys twisting themselves in knots in their attempt not to offend either side of Americas political divide. Theyre not visiting the head of state. Theyre going to take pictures of some really great furniture.

We seem to have forgotten one of the unavoidable compromises of life. Over the course of yours, you will occasionally have to consort with people you dont like. Thats part of what work is learning to co-exist with people who arent your best buddies. Every one of us has had a co-worker we despise. And every one of us who has remained sane through our professional lives has figured out a way to work with or around that person.

A sports team does not visit the White House (or any other house of government) for a political rally. They go there because its a work trip.

Physical proximity to power does not equal endorsement of it. Endorsement equals endorsement.

Taking a picture with someone does not mean you agree with everything or anything they think. Its just good manners. If you feel the record needs to be set straight afterward, you are very free to explain your own take on things.

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Lots of people will listen. There has never been a moment in which the polity is more willing to hang on the political thoughts of men whove never studied deeply nor live anywhere close to what most of us consider the real world.

If you make two or five or 20 million bucks a year, I dont require a lecture from you on how I ought to conduct my affairs. What I need from you is a loan.

In this one instance, hockey players are the voice of reason on todays profound cultural and political matters. They dont want to speak to them because they realize they have nothing useful to say. Theyre hockey players. They want to play hockey, not puzzle out in public the political implications of unrest in Hong Kong on stability in Asia, or the wisdom of impeachment.

The key word there is public. Im sure many of these guys have (like just about all the rest of us, muddy and semi-informed) thoughts on the matter. But for the same reason you would not like having your family arguments over the dinner table broadcast on live TV, they dont want theirs.

I dont urgently require the thoughts of NHL (or NBA or NFL or professional jai alai) players on politics, any more than I do some random stranger on the streetcar. I need the players thoughts much less, actually. That random stranger is far more likely to share in my issues and concerns. Weve completely lost sight of that disconnect.

Expecting famous people to be insightful just because they are famous isnt the solution to Americas current White House problem. Its what got Americans into the problem in the first place.

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The St. Louis Blues arent visiting the White House for a political rally, its just a work trip - The Globe and Mail

Prepare for 'Be Pure Be Vigilant Behave'

Manic Street Preachers have announced details of the cinematic release of their acclaimed 20th anniversary tour of seminal album The Holy Bible.

Shot during the bands long-time collaborator and BAFTA-winning director Kieran Evans, Be Pure Be Vigilant Behave first premiered in Cardiff in 2016 as part of Swn Festival. Evans never-before-seen directors cut will be shown in cinemas throughout the UK. All profits from the screenings will be donated to charity.

Check out an exclusive clip of Faster fromBe Pure Be Vigilant Behave below, along with a full list of screenings.

The full list of screening is below. Visit each cinemas websites for tickets and information.

NOVEMBER1 Picturehouse, Exeter2 FACT, Liverpool3 Watershed, Bristol5 Hackney Picturehouse, London18 Broadway Cinema, Nottingham20 Pontio, Bangor21 Chapter, Cardiff26 Aberystwyth Arts Centre27 Duke of Yorks, Brighton29 Cameo, Edinburgh30 GFT, GlasgowDECEMBER2 Showroom Workstation, Sheffield

The whole point of the movie was to make an anti-concert film, Evans previously told NME. We were moaning about cranes and all that festival footage. One night a couple of years ago we were talking about how much we loved old Sex Pistols concerts. Theres a brilliant compilation of punk films on Sky Atlantic at the moment all about that old Tony Wilson show,So It Goes. Hed film Buzzcocks gigs but only send two or three cameras. Because they had longer takes and would just cut what they had, it felt so much more exciting than having say 20 cameras where nothing is left to chance. We wanted to leave something to chance with this.

The whole premise was me with a low-end, lo-fi camera, shooting one member of the band each night, going round them each gig from a different angle and shooting the audience. That was it the golden rule. There wasnt an intention to release anything, it was more about a document of the tour, but then a friend of mine edited some stuff together and we realised we had something.

He added: [Bassist, Nicky] Wire phoned me today and said he still had a headache from watching the film. I didnt know whether to be chuffed or worried.

Meanwhile, Manic Street Preachers recently went on tour alongside the Welsh rugby team in Japan where they invited the squads Jamie Roberts on stage to perform.

Speaking about his thoughts on the Manics next album, bassist Nicky Wire last year told NME:I just think musically, James [Dean Bradfield, frontman] is bursting with electricity. You can feel it in him. Hes got that desire to start up again. He was talking to me about ideas on how to make things more expansive.

Ive some words on the go, but theres no coherent message. Ive just been listening to This Is My Truth a lot. Its such a deep and heavy album for a record that was so big. It just makes you realise that you can push the limits and have success.

Manics last album was 2018s acclaimed Resistance Is Futile.

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Manic Street Preachers tease release of The Holy Bible live film - NME Live

Many years ago I remember my Mother telling me to stop treating my brother that way. I don't recall what it was about or what I did, but I know she was very strict when it came to how we talked to and treated other people.

We were taught at a very young age that all people deserve to be treated with respect, (especially our elders) and dignity.

I once sat in the pew at Church when our Pastor spoke on Ephesians 4:32. "Be kind to one another, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, as God in Christ forgave you." He added let no corrupt communication come out of your mouth.

My grandparents used to say do unto others as you would have others do unto you. We've all heard that at one time or another. It is dissappointing to say the least that kids today are not taught to be kind to one another or have respect for others. I heard a parent the other day say "kids will be kids." She just doesn't understand the problem! Young people can be damaged for life and many have taken their own lives as a direct result of other peoples unkind and bullying words.

Bullying is an issue that affects the lives of most all children in some manner. You could be the one bullied or the one responsible for the bullying.

You may be the one watching from the sidelines. Ask any kid and they will tell you it's hard to go to school these days.

Kids find themselves torn in all different directions.

Every kid wants to be liked and accepted by others, especially their peers. When kids find themselves the target of cruelty, rumors, taunting, physical assaults and mean spirited not so funny jokes, it can become too much to handle.

Today kids are often victims of internet, text and instant message bullying, which can follow them everywhere they go.

Adults, parents, eduators and others play a major role in the battle against bullying. When that barrier is broken there is no longer a safe environment for kids.

The effects of bullying can then turn devastating and tragic. School officials should impose harsh penalties and consequences for bullying behavior.

No one should turn a blind eye or deaf ear to bullying of kids.

School age bullying is a serious concern for all children. The bullied student loses interest in life and is forced to make major decisions. Should they fight back or turn the other cheek? Should they tell their parents or teachers?

They wonder if it's better and safer to keep quiet and ride it out.How can a child be expected to learn, or do their homework at night?

Many children turn out fine, blessed with the emotional stability to overcome the taunts, others are devastated by the experience, which will likely remain with them the rest of their lives.

Bullying should not be tolorated at anytime at any level. It is a major problem and those guilty of it should be held accountable.

"Let no corrupt talk come out of your mouths, but only such as is good for building up, as fits the occasion, that it may give grace to those who hear," St. Paul.

Continued here:

Remember the Golden Rule - TylerStarNews.com | News, information, Sistersville and Tyler County WV - Tyler Star News

Jump into the fall fashion season with inspiration from the style experts at The Golden Rule in Excelsior. Erin Duininck and her team curate looks that are eminently wearable and beautiful--including vintage trends like widelegged trousers, shirts and dresses with crafted details, and earthy accessories that are full of texture.

Room notes: Golden Age Design desk

Tribe Alive eyelet long sleeve top $148; Dallas Daws silk scrunchie in olive $22; St. Armands Brown Bali Button stud earrings $18; I Like It Here Club gold plated Everything Will Be OK signet ring $88; Celine opal and white topaz band in gold fill $64; Rollas East Coast Flare cord in tan $99; Veja Extra White natural sole leather V-12 trainers $150; Wolf Circus Marcel necklace $100

Model: Madi Reimer

Tandem Vintage cotton plaid chore jacket (prices vary on similar pieces); Winsome Covil long dress (worn tucked in) $190; Winsome Goods Floria pants $220; Protextor Parrish large freshwater pearl necklace $94; POPPY + SAGE Camilla rattan bag with Nantucket navy stripe $88; KIKICHIC triangular pearl barrette $35; Dallas Daws silk scarf in goldenrod $45; Wild Juniper long tortoise shell hair barrette $14

Model: Brianna Graham

Tandem Vintage rose print maxi $36; Intentionally Blank per mule in black leather $190

Model: Brianna Graham

Tandem Vintage blouse (prices vary for similar pieces); Rolla East Coast overall in French blue $129; There There Lucy Bloomer earrings $60

Model: Rachel Bartz

Vintage House of Verna blazer (prices vary for similar pieces); Le Bon Her tee in dried rose $45; Rollas Sailor jean in white wash $99; Veja V-10 Multico nude leather sneaker $150; Ann Erickson Dawn earrings $98; Pearl solitaire and gold necklace $60; Token Jewelry Designs long + short choker $42; Tiro Tiro open arch ring $114; I Like It Here Club Everything Will Be Ok ring $88; Minette Celine opal and white topaz band $64

Model: Madi Reimer

Room notes: Golden Rule Vintage lamp $160; Wilde House paper print starting at $50 unframed

Winsome Goods Claudius top $220; Rollas Dusters denim in asta blue $99; Mohinders woven city slides in natural leather $145; Donni Silk Chiquita scrunchie with bow detail in lilac $38; Glasstown barrette in orange $14; Glasstown barrette in ballet pink $16; Glasstown barrette in caramel and cream marbled $14; KIKICHIC triangular pearl barrette $35; KIKICHIC classic pearl hair clip barrette $25; Wild Juniper tortoise shell open circle hair barrette in blonde $9

Model: Lizzie Marsh

Room notes: Golden Age Design secretary desk

Rollas East Coast Flare cord in red $99; Tribe Alive linen jacket in ivory $148; Winsome Marcell lavender tank $90; Wolf Circus Lola bracelet $100; Wolf Circus Lola pearl necklace $160; I Like It Here Club Everything Will Be Ok ring $88; Minette Celine opal and white topaz band $64

Model: Madi Reimer

Golden Rule Gallery350 Water St, Excelsior, 55331Facebook: THE GOLDEN RULEInstagram: @goldenrulegallery

Link:

Fall Fashion Picks from Excelsior Shop The Golden Rule - Lake Minnetonka Magazine

Q: Dear Pastor,Im sick of the infighting at my church. Is this normal?

A: Good Lord, yes! (Unfortunately.) Churches can be prickly places because people attend them. If youve ever worked with the public in any of the service industries, you know very well how temperamental we humans may be. Ive always decreed that every American citizen should be forced to wait tables for at least one year. It would cure most of us of our diva symptoms instantly.

Territorial enforcers, dictators, tyrants, egomaniacs, slackers, bullies and push-arounds, doormats and push-overs - all types of difficult people are found inside churches because all types of people make up the congregation. The only difference between church and secular organizations is the fact that church is supposedly tempered by the savior, Jesus. I wish I could tell you that made all the difference. Sometimes it does. Other times, youll find a whole slew of church members cut from a similar cloth of unrighteousness since birds-of-a-feather flock together. Alas, there is hope. Jesus confided in one of his special disciples: And I tell you, you are Peter, and on this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it (Matthew 16:18, CEV).Christ said this because he knew wed be battling darkness inside the church and out.

It sounds to me like you are a person who has entered into a leadership role in your church? I commend you for your willingness to serve. Sadly, not everyone yields to the call to volunteer, nor does the average pew-sitter have the courage to see how the spiritual sausage is made. When you serve behind the scenes in a church you begin to view the congregation a little differently. Servants are invisible observers.

Some people dont realize their Achilles heel is the love of power over people, places and things until you give them a boardroom seat. To others, its money and their vice-grip on the church treasury. Still others prefer the passive-aggressive approach of the Pharisee; spending their time policing others and acting as judge. Either way, we run into these church bullies often, the minute we divide our members into groups or set anyone in charge. As a pastor, I live in the hope that my members are able to quote the Golden Rule and live by it as well: Treatothersthe same way you want them to treat you (Luke 6:31). Yet in my experience in church business, Ive gone head-to-head with some of the most evil people Ive ever met... all because they were insatiable for power and control over some area, especially my pulpit. Pride is the root of all evil, not money. Ive had to defend my pulpit and God-ordained position like a pit bull on days. It makes me love Jesus all the more when I see the truth about human beings. How he puts up with any of us, Ill never know.

Geez, Adrienne. Why would anyone reading this article want to attend a church?

Like many things in life, church is a glorious, doubled-edged sword of the best and worst. Just like being married. Just like having children. Or being in a family or having a close friend. We take the good with the bad because when its good... theres nothing on earth that can top it.

Over the course of the three decades of my walk with the savior through his churches, Ive received literally everything Ive needed for my life: Church congregations have been my family when no one loved me. Theyve provided my food and groceries when my own pantry was bare. Cash in my hand, utility bills paid and even special gifts to make my life a little sweeter... all came from church people. Ive found mothers when I needed a warm hug, fathers when I needed important advice, and loads of brothers and sisters to hang out with, walk with and talk to.

No, church is definitely not perfect because people are not perfect. But Christ is, and he loves his church. Dont give up on her. Jesus is in it for the long haul.

Adrienne Greene pastors two Christian churches in southeastern Indiana. Do you have a question or comment for Pastor Adrienne? Please send your inquiries to: heavenchasepub@gmail.com or write to P.O. Box 214, Harrison, Ohio 45030.

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Ask Pastor Adrienne: Church fights, bullies and power-trippers - The Augusta Chronicle

A well-designed home can make us happier and healthier, a principle that is even more relevant for older people living with mental health disorders. In a project meant to serve Swedens aging population, the IKEA and Skanska-backed company BoKlok has unveiled renderings of SilvaBo homes designed for residents 55 or older who have dementia.

Named for Queen Silvia of Sweden, who conceived of the project with IKEAs late founder Ingvar Kamprad in 2015, the apartment units feature elements such as extra wide doors, easy-grip handles on doors and walls, non-slip bathroom floor tiles, and a soothing color scheme. SilviaBo units will be priced along BoKloks left-to-live model, which calibrates the mortgage based on what an individual can afford to pay monthly and still have enough money left in the bank for other expenses.

The first six SilviaBo units are being developed in the suburbs of Stockholm, and a BoKlok spokesperson tells Quartz that it is in the initial stages of securing land in other parts of Sweden for future units. The relatively slow construction timeline allows for consultation with mental health researchers and health professionals to ensure the units are suited for people with progressive neurological disorders.

Among those experts is Helle Wijk, deputy chair of the University of Gothenburgs Centre for Person-Centered Care, where she specializes in the physical design of healthcare environments. I am most impressed with the way evidence-based design was integrated in the residential facilities, she said of the SilviaBo design plans (pdf). The outcome is a modern, pleasant, attractive home that support the residents dignity, autonomy and well-being, she said.

Research shows that well-designed environments can improve on the dispiritingly sterile living quarters in nursing homes which are often pattered after the design of medical settings. We try to deinstitutionalize that approach because people want to live as normally as possible, Frank van Dillen, co-founder of Dementia Village Advisors, told the Guardian. Van Dillen is one of the architects who designed Hogeweyk, a dementia community near Amsterdam. You want to go to a restaurant, do your own grocery shopping, sit in a bar, walk outside and meet people, he said.

Numerous studies affirm how a well-designed home can be therapeutic for someone with dementia, even serving as prosthetic for various changes in cognition, as a 2018 article in The Gerontologist suggests. A poorly conceived space can be debilitating, even traumatizing, and can prevent patients from becoming self-sufficient.

For now, the SilviaBo initiative will be focused in Sweden, but there are design pointers that can be useful anywhere for the estimated 50 million people with disease today. We consulted the US Alzheimers Association for a few general guidelines:

Empathy is the golden rule in designing for people with dementia, explained Ruth Drew, director of information and support service at the Alzheimers Association. Overall its important to really look at a home through the eyes of a person with Alzheimers or another dementia disease, she said.

The instinct for many caregivers is introduce nostalgic elements from the patients history, to possibly trigger good memories. This reminiscence therapy animates Town Square, an Alzheimers care facility franchise in California decorated to evoke the 1950s. Operated by the nonprofit George G. Glenner Alzheimers Family Centers Inc. and Senior Helpers, the imitation villages feature a sequence of retro-themed American vignettes (pdf) such as a diner with a jukebox playing 1950s tunes, an old-fashioned barbershop, and a garage where patients can tinker with cars from their youth.

Drew similarly recalled one woman who meticulously recreated her childhood living home for her mother who was moving into an assisted-living facility. She carefully positioned the furniture, drapery, picture frames, and even tracked down the same wallpaper print. In the end, she had to readjust the room because her mother saw the tiny patterns as live bugs creeping on her wall. Color and patterns are very important, Drew said. There have been times when someone will have a small, dark area rug and notice that the person with Alzheimers is walking around it because it looks like a hole in the floor to them.

The UK Social Care Institute for Excellence cautions about the limits to the nostalgia-based approach.Talking about the past can also bring up happy memories and good feelings, and this can be wonderful in itself, but particularly if a person is finding life difficult. It is also the case that reminiscence can sometimes provoke painful memories.

The most important tip in designing for people dementia is remembering to change things up based on their perceptions. These are progressive diseases, Drew said. Something that might work for a time may not work forever and something that works for one person may not work so well for someone else.

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IKEA-backed retirement homes for people with dementia - Quartz

TONICA A number of beneficial changes have occurred at Tonica Grade School, and according to Superintendent/Principal Chuck Schneider, more can be expected.

The most noticeable improvement is seen when first approaching the school. The previously long, narrow parking area has been widened to improve accessibility.

Jointly funded through the school district and the Tonica Parent-Teacher Council, the all-volunteer project was led by Al Leffelman, Dusty Freeman and Jeremy Hillyer, along with several others who assisted the day the concrete was poured.

Also helping Leffelman, Freeman, Hillyer and Ray Goodwin as they prepared the area was Tonica sixth-grader Gus Leffelman. Companies that either donated materials, provided them at a discount or provided use of their equipment were Advanced Asphalt, Mertel Gravel, River Stone Group, C&H Electric and Construction and Golden Rule Lumber.

Schneider said the benefits of the project were quickly seen during the open house and during student pickup at dismissal. Another benefit of the extension will be the reduction of ruts in the grass that resulted from past overflow parking.

Were very fortunate to have parents willing to volunteer, companies that support projects, and booster organizations that join us in making TGS a great school, Schneider said.

Another recently finished project is the shelter at the school playground. This improvement came about through the volunteerism of a Tonica graduate working toward his promotion to Eagle Scout. Boy Scout Brice Fundell, who graduated in 2017, led the project and was assisted by other members of his troop.

Fundell designed the structure, worked with an engineer on the official plans, secured materials, coordinated the volunteers and also scheduled the build days. Schneider said there are plans to have a dedication ceremony.

Schneider also said the district is preparing for the second phase of health and life safety projects, which will get underway next summer.

Were at the beginning stages of prioritizing the elements that will be included. Phase one addressed worn-out heating system pipes, abating asbestos in the boiler room and insulating all the piping under the building. Phase two will look at a section of roofing, internal fire doors, a few exit doors and other items, he said.

Academic improvements

In October, the school will roll out an updated schoolwide academic support program for students. The Response to Intervention (RTI) program, which is already in use at many other area schools, is a process where students are identified through various assessments to receive interventions to build skills that are needing improvement or to expand on ones they do well.

In the past weve focused interventions mainly on students who werent quite at grade level curriculum for literacy and/or math. This year, were going to provide supports and interventions to all students, which includes students who are identified as gifted, Schneider said.

A block of time will be dedicated several days a week to provide this academic support. Student progress will be monitored along the way so educators can make adjustments and modifications to each students individual RTI program.

TGS is proud to have such a dedicated staff to design and develop this process from the ground up with a focus on the needs of all students, Schneider added.

Coaches needed

Tonica Grade School is seeking coaches for cheerleading, and the boys and girls track teams.

Coaching is sharing of a skill that youd like to pass on to others to help them improve. You work with a great set of students here at TGS and also learn as well. Theres a quote attributed to several people, but not pinned to actually who said it: The purpose of life is to discover your gift, the meaning of life is to give your gift away. Coaching very much fits into this statement, Schneider said.

For more information, call the school at 815-442-3420 or visit http://www.tonicagradeschool.org.

Read more:

Parking lot an all-volunteer project - Tonica News

So were one-fifth of the way through the regular season, and St. Tammanys largest district has just one non-district game remaining. To me, this past week and the next week are the ones in which we learn the most about our football teams.

We also begin to realize we underestimated some, overestimated others, and the rest? Well, you get the picture.

Not to spoil the surprise, but its clear we underestimated St. Pauls, and Im trying to figure out how that happened. So many times it seems like the Wolves could be primed to have a down season, and then they go 7-3 or the like. Of course, 7-3 for St. Pauls is sort of a down year.

There are plenty of teams I have my eye on this week to see if they take the next step, recoup from a tough loss or regress once again.

One thing for sure is the next eight weeks certainly will be interesting, and anyone who tells you they know whats going to happen is either full of it or kidding themselves.

On to the Week 3 rankings

1. Lakeshore (2-0, last week: 1)

Ho-hum, the Titans have scored more than 100 points over the course of their first two games, and they might put up 50 in consecutive outings this week when they host Northshore. Last year, they scored 97 in Weeks 1 and 2 combined, and their state runner-up season of 2017, they scored 84. Oh, and theyve won 24 straight regular-season games.

2. St. Pauls (2-0, last week: 8)

The Ole Picker always taught me Golden Rule No. 1 was to never pick against John Curtis. I think he forgot to tell me Golden Rule No. 2 was to never underestimate a team coached by Ken Sears. Wont happen again. I say this just minutes after I picked the Wolves to lose this week. It is Destrehan, though. I know, Im a dummy.

3. Pearl River (2-0, last week: 7)

Many prognosticators had the Rebels high in their rankings before the season began. I am always a little slow, but in my defense, it is a little tough to get super excited about the competition they have faced. Problem is, the road doesnt get much tougher any time soon, and they should be 6-0 heading into a Week 8 matchup against Lakeshore.

4. Slidell (1-1, last week: 2)

Its one thing to lose to a team like Rummel, who very well could end up as No. 1 or 2 in the metro area by seasons end. However, to give up almost 40 points and to get shutout is something completely different. Im sure Coach Larry Favre will get the Tigers back into shape, but no longer can they be considered the clear-cut favorite to repeat in District 6-5A.

5. Covington (1-1, last week: 3)

If I had to pick a surprise loss this week in St. Tammany, I think the Lions falling to Holy Cross is it. Both teams are basically the same as last season, albeit with more experience, and the 2018 contest ended in a 6-0 win for Covington. Things certainly dont get any easier for the Lions this week at Dutchtown as they try to avoid falling to 1-2 for the second consecutive season.

6. Mandeville (1-1, last week: 4)

No shame in losing to Hahnville, but it was they way it happened which has to be disconcerting for Coach Hutch Gonzales. Four turnovers and a blocked field goal, and the same offense that scored 65 points in Week 1 gained fewer than 130 yards the next. The good news is the defense was outstanding, and theyll need a similar effort against Hannan this week.

7. Hannan (0-2, last week: 5)

The Hawks wanted to take the next step in competition, and the growing pains have hit in a hurry. A bigger problem is they could be staring at 1-5 before they enter District 8-3A play in Week 7. Good news is everyone makes the playoffs in Division II.

8. Fontainebleau (0-2, last week: 6)

No question Chris Blocker and company are disappointed after falling to Franklinton last week, and this week in their home opener, theyll have to face a team with more firepower in Walker. Despite having one of the metro areas top running backs in Iverson Celestine, it isnt going to mean much if they cant get some stops on defense. I have a feeling were going to see their best game of the year to date this week.

9. Salmen (1-1, last week: 10)

What a win for Coach Eric Chuter and the Spartans, and it isnt nexessarily just the win but the complete domination of Northshore. Mikell Marco looked like he had something to prove, as did the Salmen defense. Can they keep moving forward in the rebuilding process under Chuter?

10. Northshore (0-2, last week: 9)

We all knew this team would endure some growing pains following the programs first coaching change in more than a decade. Coach Josh Buelle said his No. 1 goal really was that the team was much improved from Week 1 to Week 10, and that goal remains intact. Dont give up on the Panthers just yet.

11. Pope John Paul II (0-2, last week: 11)

The Jaguars are a work in progress, and they will have some opportunities for wins later in the season. In fact, after this week they have just one more game against teams from higher classifications.

12. Northlake Christian (0-2, last week: 12)

A step forward was taken by the Wolverines this week, and theres no reason to think they wont gain their first victory under Coach James Willis this week against Cohen. Three very tough weeks lie on the schedule after this one.

Read the original here:

Lakeshore solidifies spot at No. 1 in St. Tammany Farmer rankings; St. Paul's jumps to No. 2 - NOLA.com

(WJCL) - Folks here at home were spared by Hurricane Dorians wrath, but its a different story for those in the Bahamas.Now -the Lowcountry faith community is coming together to help those who werent as fortunate. Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," says Pastor Paul Hamilton of Bible Missionary Baptist Church in Bluffton.The Lowcountry faith community is living by the Golden Rule, coming together to help those who experienced the worst of Hurricane Dorian.We saw, first hand, the possibilities of what could happen. And seeing that we were spared that magnitude of devastation, its only fair that we could think about the blessings that we have received," Hamilton says.It couldve been Bluffton, Hilton Head. It couldve been Florida. So, you know, again, its their day. Tomorrow it could be ours," Pastor Bennie Jenkins of First Zion Missionary Baptist Church adds.Bible Missionary Baptist, First Zion Missionary Baptist and Campbell Chapel AME churches are collecting donations to send to the Bahamas -- things like bandages, soap, toothbrushes, non-perishable food, diapers, feminine products and more.You never know how blessed you are until you lose everything," says Jenkins.The churches are partnering with Missionary Flights to get the items to those who need them most specifically targeting remote areas with no access to evacuations or other relief.Organizers encourage those who are able to give what they can, as strangers have come to our aid when weve needed them in the past.The most important thing is people and the love that we have for one another. Because when all these other things are gone, we still have each other," Jenkins says. Items can be dropped off at the following locations:Bible Missionary Baptist236 Buck Island RoadBluffton, SCFirst Zion Missionary Baptist10 Robertson StreetBluffton, SCCampbell Chapel AME25 Boundary Street Bluffton, SC The last day to donate is Friday, September 20th.

(WJCL) - Folks here at home were spared by Hurricane Dorians wrath, but its a different story for those in the Bahamas.

Now -the Lowcountry faith community is coming together to help those who werent as fortunate.

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you," says Pastor Paul Hamilton of Bible Missionary Baptist Church in Bluffton.

The Lowcountry faith community is living by the Golden Rule, coming together to help those who experienced the worst of Hurricane Dorian.

We saw, first hand, the possibilities of what could happen. And seeing that we were spared that magnitude of devastation, its only fair that we could think about the blessings that we have received," Hamilton says.

It couldve been Bluffton, Hilton Head. It couldve been Florida. So, you know, again, its their day. Tomorrow it could be ours," Pastor Bennie Jenkins of First Zion Missionary Baptist Church adds.

Bible Missionary Baptist, First Zion Missionary Baptist and Campbell Chapel AME churches are collecting donations to send to the Bahamas -- things like bandages, soap, toothbrushes, non-perishable food, diapers, feminine products and more.

You never know how blessed you are until you lose everything," says Jenkins.

The churches are partnering with Missionary Flights to get the items to those who need them most specifically targeting remote areas with no access to evacuations or other relief.

Organizers encourage those who are able to give what they can, as strangers have come to our aid when weve needed them in the past.

The most important thing is people and the love that we have for one another. Because when all these other things are gone, we still have each other," Jenkins says.

Items can be dropped off at the following locations:

Bible Missionary Baptist

236 Buck Island Road

Bluffton, SC

First Zion Missionary Baptist

10 Robertson Street

Bluffton, SC

Campbell Chapel AME

25 Boundary Street

Bluffton, SC

The last day to donate is Friday, September 20th.

Original post:

Lowcountry faith community coming together to help those affected by Hurricane Dorian in the Bahamas - WJCL News

Peace Weekend in Weaverville brings people together to recognize the U.N. International Day of Peace as a day devoted to strengthening the ideals of peace, both within and among all nations and peoples. Come celebrate, share, and generate ideas for new paths of peace for Trinity County.

Presentations, experiences, and simple activities take place at various venues, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a wide range of experiences to choose from. These demonstrate the collective desire by so many people to create peace and unity among us. All activities and venues are family-friendly, educational, and free, as part of the Peace Weekends theme of Exploring Paths of Peace.

Activities range from designing peace prayer flags for children, watching PeaceCast.tv videos, making mosaic rocks and peace flags, and joining open (BYO instruments) music and drum circle rhythms -- all happening near Angelas Bead Store.

To discussing four tips for talking to people we disagree with while (optional) folding origami cranes for peace, to Rachel Andersons slide show and conversation about her recent two-month stay at Findhorn Foundation Community in Scotland, to drumming with our Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu neighbors, to breaking bread together, to music and crafts, to just being in spaces to connect all in or near the Parish Hall at Trinity Congregational Church. To international videos and activism presentations at Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center. To faith-based wisdom and practices at various venues in Weaverville and Junction City.

The weekend opens at 9 a.m. Saturday with interfaith prayers, blessings, songs, chants for peace, including Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu Tribe, Christian, Buddhist, Bahai Faith, Hindu, perhaps others. Meet on the lawn between the Highland Meadow and the Trinity Congregational Church at 755 Main St.

The Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu Tribe will be on the same lawn at 9:30 a.m. to share cultural artifacts, song, and drumming (ask to try it). Great for kids. Enjoy this generous cross-cultural experience in a spirit of appreciative inquiry to learn more about our native neighbors.

From 10 a.m. to about 4 p.m., also on the lawn area between meadow and church, simple activities will be set up to help us slow down to share and explore different paths of peace. At any time, BYO meaningful loaf of bread (plus condiment as needed), one that carries memories of connectedness and fellowship, to the Breaking International Bread Together table to share bread, experiences, and wisdoms about walking paths of peace.

At the Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center, from 12:30 to 1:30 pm., Susan Bower of Hayfork will show slides and answer questions about her memorable Soviet/American Walk for Peace in Northern Russia, followed by another activist path for peace.

From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m., visiting Veterans for Peace from Humboldt County, Nate Lomba and Chuck Dewitt, will screen a documentary about the first peace boat, Golden Rule. The Golden Rule set sail in the Pacific Ocean, in 1958, for the purpose of stopping atomic bomb testing in the Marshall Islands. The sailboat inspired many peacemakers and peace ships that followed it. Lomba and Dewitt are founding members of the Veterans For Peace Golden Rule Project that restored the once abandoned sailboat and returned it to the Pacific to complete its original mission. (Donations for VFP-GRP gratefully appreciated.)

International peace-related videos will screen at four venues during most of the day: at Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center from 10 a.m. to noon; at Trinity Congregational Churchs Parish Hall, 755 Main St.; from 9 to 11 a.m.; at Round Table Pizza from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. with board games on the tables for an added attraction; next door to Angelas Bead Art, from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with childrens peace flag art and nearby drum circle and open mic with Peter and Jennie (bring your instruments!), as well as an Art ROCKS! craft with the Trinity County Arts Council.

Sept. 21-22:

Peace Weekend recognizes the U.N. International Day of Peace. Celebrate, share and generate ideas for new paths of peace for Trinity County. Presentations, experiences, and simple activities take place at various venues, from 9 a.m. to 5:30 p.m. with a wide range of experiences to choose from.

Activities range from designing peace prayer flags for children, watching PeaceCast.tv videos, making mosaic rocks (Art ROCKS! with the Trinity County Arts Council) and peace flags with Anna Carson, and joining open (BYO instruments) music and drum circle rhythms with Peter and Jennie -- all happening near Angelas Bead Store; to discussing four tips for talking to people we disagree with while (optional) folding origami cranes for peace, to Rachel Andersons slide show and conversation about her recent 2-month stay at Findhorn Foundation Community in Scotland, to faith-based wisdom and practices in different venues, to drumming with our Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu neighbors, to breaking bread together, to activism presentations, to music and crafts, to just being in spaces to connect with others.

Sept. 21

Peace Weekend opens at 9 a.m. with interfaith prayers, blessings, songs, chants for peace, including Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu Tribe, Christian, Buddhist, Bahai Faith, Hindu, perhaps others. Meet on the lawn between the Highland Meadow and the Trinity Congregational Church.

Sept. 21

The Nor-Rel-Muk Wintu Tribe will be on the lawn of the Trinity Congregational Church at 9:30 a.m. to share cultural artifacts, song, and drumming (ask to try it) as long as there is interest. Great for kids. Enjoy in a spirit of appreciative inquiry to learn about our diverse neighbors.

Sept. 21

From 10 a.m. to about 4 p.m. on the lawn area of Trinity Congregational Church, 755 Main St., simple activities will be set up to help us slow down to share and explore our different paths of peace. At any time, BYO meaningful loaf of bread (plus condiment as needed) that carries memories of connectedness and fellowship to the Breaking International Bread Together table to share bread, experiences, and wisdoms about walking a path of peace.

Sept. 21

From 2:30 to 3:30 p.m. visiting Veterans for Peace from Humboldt, Nate Lomba and Chuck Dewitt will be at the Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center to screen a documentary about the first peace boat, Golden Rule. Screening is family-friendly, educational, and free, as part of the Peace Weekends paths of peace. (Donations for VFP- GRP, gratefully appreciated.)

The Golden Rule set sail in the Pacific Ocean, in 1958, for the purpose of stopping atomic bomb testing in the Marshall Islands. The sailboat inspired many peacemakers and peace ships that followed it. Lomba and Dewitt are founding members of the Veterans For Peace - Golden Rule Project that restored the once abandoned sailboat and returned it to the Pacific to complete its original mission.

Sept. 21

International peace-related videos will screen at four venues during most of the day: From 10 a.m. to noon at Trinity Alps Performing Arts Center; from 9 to 11 a.m. at Trinity Congregational Churchs Parish Hall, 755 Main St.; from 11 a.m. to 2 p.m. at Round Table Pizza along with family board games on the tables; from 10 a.m. to 3 p.m., along with childrens peace flag art, next door to Angelas Bead Art.

Link:

Peace weekend in Weaverville this Saturday-Sunday | Festivals - The Trinity Journal

Los Angeles Lakers' LeBron James (AP Photo/Steve Marcus)

How could a mediocre basketball player beat LeBron James in a game of one on one basketball? By changing the rules of the game.

Imagine how ineffective the NBA All Star team would be if they were thrust onto a rugby field, with little knowledge of the game's strategy or rules. Even though professional basketball players are intelligent, skilled athletes, it is unlikely they would become accomplished rugby players before the match was over. As such, even a mediocre rugby team could defeat a group of NBA All Stars.

In the startup world, the Golden Rule is not, "Those who have the gold, make the rules." Rather, it is, "Those who make the rules, get the gold." As such, you will have far more success toppling larger rivals if you create a new game with an entirely new set of rules and force others to compete on your terms, not theirs.

Foiling Your Rivals

In the surfing world, the rules are being rewritten by foilboards (also called hydrofoil boards), in which the fin is replaced by a long blade which has small wings on either side. When the board gathers momentum, it rises out of the water, thereby significantly reducing the friction with the water, allowing for longer rides and greater maneuverability. If you had the misfortune to compete with Kelly Slater in a surfing contest, youd be wise to require him to surf on a foilboard, a kayak or a blowup mattress anything other than a standard surfboard.

Though foiling is not difficult for an experienced surfer to master, there is a learning curve associated with the new technology. Not surprisingly, most foil surfers are teenagers, just as most initial snowboarders were young people who were not wedded to conventional skiing. In the same way, startups are not steeped in the use of traditional solutions. This allows them to experiment and use emerging technologies to solve old problems in new ways.

Do Something Different, Not Better

When large companies encounter a new problem, they often attempt to solve it with brute force, deploying resources in ways that worked in the past. In contrast, startups must out-maneuver their larger rivals by changing the key parameters upon which competition has historically been based. Rather than trying to do the same thingsbetterthan their competitors, savvy entrepreneurs identify new ways to create and deliver value to their customers, which often result in sustainable competitive advantages.

Harvard Professor Michael Porter notes in, What Is Strategy? that entrepreneurs should strive to create a sustainable competitive advantage by performingdifferentactivities from rivals or performing similar activities indifferentways. (italics from original text). This is in contrast to the approach taken by most big companies, which often focuses on outperforming their rivals by executing thesameactivities.

When entering a new market, Richard Branson consistently changes the rules of the game in order to put his incumbent competitors at a disadvantage. According to Mr. Branson,You dont learn to walk by following rules. You learn by doing, and by falling over. In a similar vein, he noted that "I've had great fun turning quite a lot of different industries on their head and making sure those industries will never be the same again

Olympic Lessons

Dick Fosbury began experimenting with unconventional methods of high jumping as a high school sophomore. His controversial, backwards technique was eventually dubbed the Fosbury Flop.

The track and field community initially scorned Mr. Fosburys approach, labeling it unsafe and too unorthodox for the average athlete to master. However, after setting an Olympic record at the 1968 Mexico City games, track athletes the world over began to co-opt Fosbury's approach. By the 1980 Olympics, the Flop was the international standard, used by all but three of the high jump finalists. By 1984, all of the Olympic finalists used Fosburys technique.

Fosbury is not alone in his role as an innovative Olympian. Although less renowned, David Berkoff revolutionized the world of swimming by dolphin-kicking underwater at the start of each race and after each flip turn, for as much as 35 meters at a time. He quickly went from being a mediocre collegiate swimmer to a world-class champion, winning four Olympic medals in 1988. Not surprisingly, given the medias love of alliteration, his technique was termed the Berkoff Blastoff.

Berkoffs initially impact was limited to his specialty, the backstroke. However, other competitors soon began utilizing his technique, which caused the International Amateur Swimming Federation to institute a rule precluding underwater swimming beyond 10-meters from the pool walls (later relaxed to 15-meters). The official reason given for this rule change was, the safety of the athletes.

However, most fans of competitive swimming agree that the real reason for the ruling was the officials concern that extensive use of the dolphin kick would migrate from backstroke races to breast and butterfly events. Thus, an otherwise non-competitive swimmer could conceivably defeat world-class champions by dolphin kicking the majority of the pools length. They also feared that competitive swimming would largely become an underwater affair, which would diminish the sports appeal to mainstream, television audiences.

If either Fosbury or Berkoff competed with modern athletes who had mastered their innovations, they would have no chance of winning. Looking back on his swimming legacy, Mr. Berkoff confessed,I probably wouldn't have made the Olympic team (without the Blastoff). I probably would have been a good back stroker but not a great one. It was something that really kind of changed the way backstroke was swum. However, because these athletes changed the rules of their respective sports, they became champions, while their competitors struggled to adapt to the new rules of the game.

Follow John on Twitter: @johngreathouse. You can also check out his hands-on startup advice blog HERE.

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Want To Beat LeBron James In A Pickup Basketball Game? Think Like A Startup - Forbes

Dr. Oz celebrated his long-lasting marriage to wife Lisa and gave tips for a fruitful marriage to his numerous followers.

Dr. Oz strayed from giving his usual health advice and chose to help his fans improve their marital life instead.

Yesterday, the renowned health expert took a trip down memory lane with a throwback wedding photo with wife Lisa on Instagram.

The sweet photo showed young Mehmet and Lisa in their wedding attires. However, it was the message Dr. Oz was trying to pass across in the captionof the post that caught a lot of attention.

The television host gushed about his 34-year-marriage to Lisa and confessed that marrying her was the best decision of his life.

He then proceeded to give his followers seven tips for having a fruitful marriage.He advised that couples should realize that their relationship is bigger than them.

He explained that he didnt believe marriage allowed two people to become one but rather about two different people who work together at everything.

The cardiothoracic surgeon urgedcouples to remember that the darkest times of their marriage are the best parts and cautioned them to follow the golden rule of life.

The main code of life is within the Golden Rule: Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Frankly, the rest is just details. But the Golden Rule does not mention the word nice. Treat each other fairly, but honestly, he wrote.

Mehmet encouraged men to be brave in their marriages and recounted how he scratched his wedding ring during their honeymoon.

He disclosed that the point of the story was to let people know that the beauty of any object lies within its imperfections.

Using a toilet metaphor, Dr. Oz advised his followers to bring a plunger because marriage was messy.He concluded his post bywriting:

Laughter is the closest distance between two people, so use this ageless tool to navigate your disagreements. Then fight and make up as much as you desire.

Lisa and Mehmets marriage has been an icon for many. As revealedby Shape Magazine, the lovebirds met in an old-fashioned manner.

Their parents introduced them when Lisa was in college and Mehmet was in medical school.They got engaged after six months together.

Mehmet and Lisas marriage is blessed with four wonderful kids: Daphne, Oliver Mustapha, Zoe Yasmin, and Arabella Sezen.With each passing day, their love flourishes.

Read more from the original source:

Dr Oz Shares Throwback Wedding Photo with Wife Lisa and Gives Marriage Advice - AmoMama

Posted: Thursday, September 19, 2019 11:48 am

A Historical Perspective By Bruce Odson Leadercourier-times.com

The U.S. Supreme Court just issued a controversial decision to require those seeking asylum in this country to first seek it in any country they are passing through on the way to the United States. It has been condemned both within the United States and out. Within the United States, it has been called un-American because it changed long-term policy.

South Dakota has a large population referred to as Germans from Russia. We all enjoy their good food at various well-known celebrations. Originally from Germany, they left because of religious beliefs and went to Russia to what is now Ukraine. At that time, a shortage of farmers made them welcome. After about a hundred years, Russian farmers moved into the area, Empress Catherine the Great tried to institute mandatory military service and the Germans immigrated to central United States.

Many Jewish families left Germany and nearby countries to avoid the wrath of Hitler and the Third Reich. Most left with only a suitcase, if that. Others needed assistance from an underground support group.

After World War II, Russias dictator Joseph Stalin effectively annexed the countries of Easter Europe, symbolized over time by the Berlin blockade and, later, the Berlin Wall. To escape was a life-threatening experience.

These three groups have provided America with outstanding leaders in multiple fields. Their cultures have enriched ours.

We all studied this in our history classes. The Statue of Libertys history and role was taught, too. And on Sundays, we learned the Golden Rule.

Pretty basic, but those lessons stood the test of time in creating a great nation a nation with a heart.

Posted in Opinion on Thursday, September 19, 2019 11:48 am.

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A Historical Perspective - Leadercourier-times.com