Category Archives: Golden Rule

FridayApr10,2020at4:28PM

EDITOR: After finally getting permission from his taskmaster, Donald Trump, Gov. Ron DeSantis abandoned piecemeal legislation and issued state mandates to help slow the spread of COVID-19. Conveniently, in terms of economic impact, he waited until after spring break and Bike Week contributed considerably to state coffers, and the prime tourist season is drawing to a close. Im sure all the states to which the partiers returned to infect their friends and neighbors are grateful.

But if this werent bad enough, DeSantis has waved his magic wand and waived any directives for social distancing as regards religious services in the Sunshine State. Floridians should be outraged! If those worshippers are in a hurry to meet their Maker, this is the perfect way to expedite the journey. I would readily accept this misguided decision if it werent for the fact that those of us who do practice social distancing, do stay at home except for essential trips to procure groceries, medical supplies, etc., will come into contact with them and bear the consequences.

The governor has cravenly caved to religious conservatives who are not obeying the golden rule, which demands loving their neighbors as themselves. I urge all of you to call the Governors office and voice your concerns.

Meg Massaro, St. Augustine

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LETTER TO THE EDITOR | Religiously foolish - Opinion - St. Augustine Record

Over the course of what feels like months but, in reality, has been just a few weeks, our lives have been rearranged in a way that previously seemed unimaginable. As we adapt to our new normal, well all be pondering how best to handle things. With that in mind, Ive spent some time this week thinking about the dos and donts of life in the evolving coronavirus/COVID-19 crisis era.

DO find good information sources and read them carefully. Two of the best Ive found over the last few weeks are San Mateo Countys coronavirus webpage and the San Mateo County Economic Development Associations Business/Worker Resource webpage. The countys 2-1-1 telephone line is another excellent resource.

DONT blindly follow/post/retweet/share information unless youve carefully confirmed that its accurate. Expertise and qualifications matter. Following advice from those unqualified to give it can be deadly right now.

DO wash your hands, often and thoroughly for at least 30 seconds. Dont know what 30 seconds feels like? Say, At this point in my life, I should probably be able to figure out when 30 seconds has elapsed six times.

DONT touch your face. As weve all recently realized, apparently we touch our faces around 16 times an hour. Its hard, but try to avoid it as much as humanly possible.

DO stay home. Seriously. No joke. We know the kids/teens will be getting on your last nerve (and vice-versa.) As I read recently, Your grandparents were called to serve in war. Youre being asked to sit on your couch. You can do this.

DONT leave home unless you need to for an essential purpose like grocery shopping, picking up medication, or for medical reasons. A reminder that essential means, absolutely necessary or extremely important. Yes, you can still go for a walk or jog.

DO shop as you normally would (remember the six-feet rule.) The virus has not affected the supply chain. Toilet paper aisles are barren simply because folks overreacted initially and hoarded.

DONT overbuy and hoard. Kudos to local stores like Costco, Safeway, and many others who have implemented rules to ensure a steady supply of basic items of necessity.

DO support businesses still open in your community as much as you can. Order delivery/take-out from local restaurants. Need some tools/supplies for all those to-do list items you never seem to get to but now, all of a sudden, have plenty of time for? Its a great time to patronize your local hardware store.

DONT eat inside a restaurant and if you see one offering dine-in, call your local police departments non-emergency line and let them know. If youre picking up food, dont forget the six-feet rule.

DO get some exercise. Go for walks in areas of your neighborhood you can access without driving. Go for a run, jog, walk or a bike ride. Just make absolutely sure you maintain six feet of distance between you and others when you do.

DONT leave your neighborhood to get exercise. Dont drive to the beach, your favorite trail, or your favorite park. The idea here is to keep people from aggregating together at attractions like this.

DO be aware that due to some appallingly bad decisions by high-ranking federal officials about how to refer to coronavirus, our friends and neighbors of Asian ancestry are vulnerable to some truly awful behavior. If you see someone being harassed or assaulted, call the police immediately and try to help if you can safely do so. This is San Mateo County; we do not and we will not tolerate racially or ethnically motivated crimes of hate.

DONT let fear or appallingly bad decisions by high ranking federal officials about how to refer to coronavirus confuse you. This virus and the COVID-19 disease it causes knows no borders and doesnt care what your ethnicity or race is.

DO follow the Golden Rule. If you find yourself wondering how you should handle a situation, just remember to treat everyone as you would like to be treated. Its really that simple. Speaking of which, Ive fielded a ton of calls and emails over the last two weeks from people wondering how they can help. I recommend two things: 1) sign up to be a volunteer through the county at surveymonkey.com/r/WSXH6PZ and 2) donate as much as you can to the SMCStrong Fund at smcstrong.org/. Every dollar raised will stay in the county to help individuals/families, small businesses, and nonprofits suffering from the negative impacts of the crisis.

Charles Stone is the Vice-Mayor of the City of Belmont, the Chair of the San Mateo County Library Joint Powers Agency, and serves on the Caltrain and SamTrans Board of Directors. The thoughts and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily represent the positions of any organization he is affiliated with.

This story was originally published in the April edition of Climate Magazine. To view the magazine online, click here.

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A Guest Perspective on Adapting to a Changed World - Climate Online

Competing in the explosive nutritional supplement category is difficult enough. Without a compelling brand strategy, one that woos customers via your packaging, youre fighting with both hands tied behind your back.

Powders, tablets, gummies: any product you can make can be made and sold for less by a competing brand or private label. Search protein powder on Amazon, and youll find 5,000+ results. Theres so much swirl in this space that its hard for any individual brand to gain notice.

A Capital-B brand can help you compete online and on shelf in the red-hot world of dietary supplements and natural products. And the way you tell your story, within the confines and rules that govern packaging in this category, can elevate you above commodity to beloved and dominant status.

Brand Is More than Ingredient or Form

Many marketers in this space conflate product and brand. But a brand is so much more than the productingredients or health benefits or diet trends. Your brand isnt a powder or a pill. Rather, your brand is this: your promise and the way that you keep it.

So many brands in this category lean on flavors (tastes like a milkshake!), attributes (grass-fed collagen!), and ingredients (live probiotics!). But its easy for leaner, hungrier companies to introduce those same kinds of products. Soon, everyone starts competing on price, retailers drop the poor performers, and consumers arent loyal to any particular brand.

When your brand stands for somethingit empowers the consumer or changes the world or rights a wrongit becomes competitor- and future-proof. It can withstand changing consumer whims or dietary trends, because people who buy the brand love it and stay loyal no matter what. A strategic foundation enables the brand to innovate without risk, gain the upper hand in retail relationships, and attract an audience who feels the brand belongs to them (and vice versa).

When your brand story is your key competitive advantage, its essential to leverage that story where your customers are most likely to see it: on your packaging.

Telling Your Story on Packaging

The retail shelfboth digital and physicalis likely the first (maybe only) place a shopper will meet your brand. In a crowded environment where your labels have to work extra hard to communicate a litany of information, knowing whats important to consumersand what can be subordinated to the back panelcan give you an advantage that creates white space in your brand block.

Brand blocking is essential in a category populated by packages (bottles or boxes) that are uniformly shaped and sized. When your product lives on a shelf you dont control in an environment you dont control, a unified collection of products grouped together on the shelf creates a billboard for the brand that allows people to navigate the product offering easily.

Brand blocking happens at the outer level of the 30-10-3 Rule of packaging design, which holds that a consumer product package has three key moments at which to engage a consumer, whether in store or online. At 30 feet, it needs to define the category; at 10 feet, it needs to make the brand name and story known; and at 3 feet, it has the opportunity to whisper in the consumers ear.

In the naturals and nutritional supplements category, theres a ton of information required on packagingso the 30-10-3 Rule establishes an accessible hierarchy. Remember, brand blockings role is to capture the shoppers attention within the context of the category, not to identify her specific need/want/flavor/ingredient.

Living Intentions is an example of a natural product line that uses the 30-10-3 Rule very effectively to help consumers understand that activated foods (made from sprouted and raw ingredients) and superfoods help people live more vibrant, healthier lives. The brands packaging balances the most compelling points on the primary display panel and relegates everything that requires an explanation to the back of pack. The design uses simple icons to communicate complex concepts like bioavailability, live enzymes, minimal processing.

Photo provided by Retail Voodoo

Design for Online

For online brands like You Are The Anser!, packaging has to look great in the digital realmon the plain white background of an Amazon search page, on the brands own website, and on Instagram. While You Are The Anser! has its own direct-to-consumer platform where storytelling wins the day, the brand effectively disrupts the Amazon shelf with design cues that might feel more at home in a salon. This does two things quickly: It invites inspection and demystifies the features and benefits by making them simple, uniform, and iconic.

Wedderspoon is another wellness brand that plays perfectly online. The authentic raw Manuka honey products look like gourmet food items, while many of the brands competitors more closely resemble vitamin supplement products. The brand created a proprietary KFactor label that specifies the products sourcing, a label that goes beyond industry standards for origin and purity. That marker stands out in a sea of competing products in an online search for Manuka honey. Finer details shift from the primary display panel to other areas (lid, back, and sides) so as to not break a golden rule in CPG: Design informs price.

Photo provided by Retail Voodoo

In e-commerce, design language is more important than size of your logo, because people search by category (e.g., collagen peptide, ashwagandha, or protein bar) and filter by brand. And unless your brand has already made a compelling promise to them, they will likely shop on price and or user review.

Be Just Enough Different

As marketers, weve done a great job of educating customers about what a product category should look like. Womens nutritional supplements feature pink or purple graphics, maybe a flower, or a white background to signal purity. Protein powders aimed at men come in black or dark-gray tubs with gym-style lettering. Kids gummy vitamins are packaged in whimsical and bright colors.

Category norms like these help shoppers narrow down their choicesbut also create a sea of sameness on shelf and online. So, theres a balancing act here, between similar and standout. Its important to match the contemporary visual lexicon of the nutritional products categorythat 30-foot leveland at the same time to step to the forefront. That's how brands become disruptive at retail.

A comprehensive category audit can provide stark evidence of where your brand lives in the space. As youre searching for this balance, envision a grid with axes labeled Good and Different. Look for that sweet spot where youre just enough different from every other brand.

As more and more consumers seek products that can help them live healthy lives, nutrition and wellness brands will inevitably keep flooding the market. Most of those wont really be brands at alljust products with features and benefits. A compelling brand story, told strategically on packaging that plays in digital and real-world spaces, will separate the winners from the commodities.

David Lemley, author of the new book, Beloved & Dominant Brands, has had a creative and strategic hand in shaping some of the worlds most iconic brands including Starbucks, REI, Pampers, Sahale Snacks, Kars, and Nintendo. As the founder and chief strategist of Seattle-based Retail Voodoo, David is on a mission to help better-for-you brands win customers hearts, minds, and souls. He partners with marketers, investors, and founder-owners to unlock the power of their brands promise to engage consumers, spark innovation, identify opportunity, and drive exponential growth. David has spoken and written for: National Retail Federation, BevNet, BrandPackaging, Adweek, and Nutritional Outlook, to name a few. Contact him: [emailprotected]

Read more from the original source:

Is your nutrition brand a commodity, or is it a category winner? Packaging makes all the difference, an expert says. - Nutritional Outlook

A graveside service of simplicity and beauty not far from the cedar tree, and just as Joe Thompson would have wanted it to be.

These 50-some mourners who gathered apart underneath the shade of the cedar tree had taken their leave. Alone, a red rose in his grasp, a son would take this solemn moment with his father for a last farewell.

Alex Thompson placed a hand on the mahogany coffin, and the moment was long and and poignant on this sunny Wednesday morning when a wife, a daughter, grandchildren, great-grandchildren and those friends beneath the cedar tree would come to remember and celebrate the life of Joe Thompson at Lafayette Memorial Park.

Hes home, Alex Thompson would say.

Joe Thompson was born Nov. 10, 1933, in Charlotte to the late Joe Leighton Thompson and Mary Burleson Thompson, the second-born of their five children.

Soon, the couple would call Fayetteville home, raising their family along Brookside Avenue in Haymount before Joe L. Thompson would build what would become the home place in the cul-de-sac of Club Circle along Raeford Road.

Joe Thompsons daddy was a savvy businessman, with an eye for developing the land, particularly along Raeford Road in the late 1950s and early 1960s, when there were just two lanes of U.S. 401 and long before development of his Highland Centre and the retail stores and fast-food restaurants of today that came along.

Everything is for sale, except for my wife and family, the family patriarch liked to muse, but Ill consider any offer.

Joe and Mary Thompson reared their children to believe in self-integrity, and there could be no breach. They taught three sons and two daughters to live by the Golden Rule, and there could be no compromise. Be people of honesty and virtue and character throughout your lives, they were taught, and accept nothing less in yourselves than your best, and share what you become with others in your community.

They were Thompsons, and they left their fingerprints and footprints throughout a community from business ventures to the courtrooms to Highland Presbyterian Church, where their faith measured their steps along lifes way.

When you think about Joe and the life that he lived, celebration is the appropriate response, the Rev. Chip Stapleton, senior pastor at Highland Presbyterian Church, would tell those surrounded under the cedar tree.

But no lengthy eulogy, Joe Thompson instructed, for this day.

Because he just wasnt that kind of guy to want to have the focus on him, the preacher would say. Instead, he always made others the focus. Whether it was his family, his friends or one of the many people that sought him out for business or personal advice, he always put others first. Its just who Joe was.

And, the preacher would say, Joe Thompson wanted something else.

The second thing that would have been important to him about this service was that everyone coming had a chance to hear the Gospel, Stapleton would say. This was important to him, because faith in Jesus was central to everything about Joe.

His faith was the foundation of who he was.

His dedication to others and his faith in God converged at Highland Presbyterian Church, Stapleton would say. His church that he loved dearly and faithfully served. Wherever he was with friends and family, at church, in the business world, he put others before himself.

Joe Gerald Thompson died April 5.

He was 86.

Ive never been to a funeral when no one shook hands, hugged or stood that far apart, Paul Paschal would say. But it had its own simplicity and beauty. He was a true Southern gentleman, and if Mr. Thompson had died before this pandemic, Highland Presbyterian Church would have been packed full with the Thompson clan and all those who know and love them. Their reputation for honesty and fair play is rare in this world, and they dont make them like him very often.

He was soft-spoken.

He was reflective.

He counted his blessings.

Kind and gentle, yet strong and faithful, the preacher would say, Shrewd and astute in business, but to always have time for children and not just his own, but all of the children of the neighborhood and any children.

And no more so than those Thanksgivings at his Merry Bee farm in Hoke County, where Thompsons by generations gathered on the rolling landscape with the pond and the cows and calves in the field that was close to Joe Thompsons heart.

A son would pause for a last farewell before gently placing the red rose on the mahogany coffin.

He is home, Alex Thompson would say of this father so admired, respected and loved dearly by him and a sister and a wife of such caring ways. He is home.

Columnist Bill Kirby Jr. can be reached at bkirby@fayobserver.com or 910-624-1961

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Sunday Salute: A Southern gentleman, who put others first all the days of his life - The Fayetteville Observer

How you treat others says far more about you than how you are treated by them. Ive been in situations where men were completely disrespectful because I was a woman in a leadership role. One older gentleman even went so far as to tell my successor he was relieved that a man was running the department again. I could have gotten upset, and would have been absolutely justified in doing so, but what would I have gained in doing that?

As a part of my series about Lessons From Inspirational Women in STEM and Tech, I had the pleasure of interviewing Cynthia DelAria. Cynthia is the co-founder and CEO of Denver-based technology incubatorRaika Technologies. A serial entrepreneur and self-confessed startup addict, her background began primarily in UI development and transitioned throughout her career through the entire web development stack. Cynthia discovered early on that she possessed a natural ability to find new business opportunities, build profitable revenue models, discover emerging target markets, and create efficient teams. She has built, run and sold several companies in her career and consults for businesses to help them take underperforming software teams and products and turn them into cash cows.

Thank you so much for doing this with us! Can you tell us a story about what brought you to this specific career path?

Mywhole life I have loved to read, I absolutely cant get enough of books. When I was 8, my mom was taking a couple of intro to programming courses at the local community college, and she left her Visual Basic book just sitting there on her desk, looking all enticing, so I picked it up and started reading. Two days later I had 3D graphics flying around the screen of our home computer, and I was hooked. The satisfaction of building something and seeing it work put me over the moon, so I dug into everything I could possibly get my hands on about programming. At 15, I started my first company doing software and web consulting.

Can you share the most interesting story that happened to you since you began at your company?

Running an incubator means I hear a LOT of pitches. On a slow week I get pitched a minimum of 2030 times, and I hear all kinds of ideas, a lot of them in the wild and wacky category. Probably the most ridiculous pitch I ever heard was from a businessman who met me for lunch wearing a very expensive suit and tie. He spent about 10 minutes building up the hype by telling me that he was going to completely disrupt the dating paradigm. Im naturally skeptical, but I actually agree that the online dating world is ripe for disruption, so I was intrigued.

In a near-whisper, he leaned over to me and said, Its a dating app, but only for Green Bay Packers fans. I started laughing, and he looked very confused about what I thought was so funny. I spent the rest of lunch trying to explain what disruptive means, but he was still convinced his idea was the next big thing that would replace Match.com and Tinder. I love that story.

Can you share a story about the funniest mistake you made when you were first starting? Can you tell us what lesson you learned from that?

When I started my first business I had limited programming experience. The web was just getting to a point where companies were seeing the value of having an online presence, and I created a little niche company, building websites for business owners at my church.

My first project was building an online catalog for audiobooks, but I had never used a database before. So, I built over 350 audiobook product pages by hand. It took me almost 6 weeks to finish the project, but I was pretty proud of what Id created.

About two weeks later, I was in a meeting with a large development shop that was sub-contracting with me for some basic HTML work. One of the guys said in an off-hand way, you know, a small database would have made that project take less than half the time. I nodded along, then went home and did a bunch of searching on the web to find out what he meant. I was completely embarrassed and felt silly that I didnt think of it on my own.

I went back to the company to ask if I could redo the catalog right way and they were happy to have me put things right. When all was said and done, they were impressed by my commitment and they ended up using me for several more years.

What do you think makes your company stand out? Can you share a story?

The concept of incubators and accelerators is by no means new, I think its our mission that distinguishes Raika from the rest of the pack. Over the years Ive heard so many people tell different versions of the same story: I spent $200,000 and 5 years of my life working on my idea, and nobodys using my product.

There are a ton of companies that will take anyones money and build whatever they ask for, but veryfew who are interested in whether that money should be spent in the first place. Our company was built for the purpose of eliminating that narrative altogether.

We start by determining whether there is viable product-market fit for what each of our clients wants to build. I dont want people who come to me for help just to spend time and money on ideas that will never become successful companies.

Are you working on any exciting new projects now? How do you think that will help people?

Wehave some really cool projects in the works, one of which is designed specifically for entrepreneurs.

The startup journey can be a grueling slog, and the most frequently asked question we get is, Now what do I do?

Our new service will help people answer that question quickly and inexpensively, no matter what stage of the startup journey theyre in. It allows us to do our incubator and Startup Program work for thousands of people in a way that isnt possible without technology and the web. We cant wait to present this one to the world!

Ok super. Thank you for all that. Lets now shift to the main focus of our interview. Are you currently satisfied with the status quo regarding women in STEM? What specific changes do you think are needed to change the status quo?

Ifwe are going to change the status quo regarding women in the STEM fields, we have to start with young girls. Girls are just as naturally inclined towards the STEM disciplines as boys, and we have to find creative ways to give young girls early exposure. The more we design toys and experiences aimed at fostering these innate skills, the more girls will grow into women in the STEM industry.

As a woman, my biggest frustration is feeling that being in tech means Im no longer seen as feminine, or that I have to embody the male geek stereotype to be successful. Women and young girls should understand that they can embrace everything about being feminine and not hide their intelligence.

In your opinion, what are the biggest challenges faced by women in STEM or Tech that arent typically faced by their male counterparts? What would you suggest to address this?

Perception is the biggest challenge women face, both culturally and stereotypically. I recently read a piece by an accomplished woman who studied funding of male- and female-led companies over a 10-year period, and she found mens startup ideas got funded 14 times more than womens. When she dug into the data, she uncovered an unconscious bias that most investors, male and female alike, view men as more capable of handling risk.

So, in interviews, men were asked growth-oriented questions, whereas women were asked protection-based questions. Where a man would be asked about customer acquisition- a growth mindset, a woman would be asked about customer retention- a protection mindset. If we are going to shift these biases, we have to start bringing them to the surface and retraining ourselves to view all people and ideas solely on merit.

What are the myths that you would like to dispel about being a woman in STEM or Tech. Can you explain what you mean?

Idont have children of my own, although I do have two wonderful step kids. One of the most incredible things I see is that people treat women as if the ability, desire or choice to bear children means that somehow they cant be as effective in their job as someone else.

I have seen phenomenal women have babies and continue to absolutely rock their companies, and yet theyre looked at differently. Ive heard investors ask women pitching their startups whether they intend to have children and how they will manage that. Its as if everyone thinks women are the only ones who have to sacrifice and manage their time when they raise a family.

What are your 5 Leadership Lessons I Learned From My Experience as a Woman in STEM or Tech and why. (Please share a story or example for each.)

Bewilling to say you were wrong.

I was running a software team for a SaaS product company in Denver, and it was a rather stressful time leading up to a big launch. Everyone was on edge, working long hours. Usually I am a great resource for people to ask for what they to keep going forward. But one particular evening, I took out my own frustration with a client mix-up on the entire team, then stormed out. The next day I came into the office and called a meeting so I could apologize and tell everyone that I was clear about the role I played in creating the problem, and that how I handled it was wrong. Before I knew it, everyone on the team was cleaning up their unresolved issues with each other, and there was comradery and support for each other again. The project ended up launching beautifully because of the renewed spirit of compassion and community.

Listen more than you talk.

This one works in just about any situation: leadership and management, parenting, sales, teaching, and on and on. Its so easy to jump right to a lecture or imparting all of the wisdom that we know to try to solve other peoples problems. But its much more important to close your mouth, open your ears and really hear what the person in front of you is trying to say. When you do that, you give that person the space they need to think through what they are trying to do, and more often than not theyll solve it for themselves. Thats teaching someone to fish, which is actual wisdom.

Treat others as you want to be treated even if they dont deserve it.

How you treat others says far more about you than how you are treated by them. Ive been in situations where men were completely disrespectful because I was a woman in a leadership role. One older gentleman even went so far as to tell my successor he was relieved that a man was running the department again. I could have gotten upset, and would have been absolutely justified in doing so, but what would I have gained in doing that?

Understand that harassment or potentially dangerous situations are different, and you absolutely should protect yourself if necessary. Im more talking about stupid, insensitive things that people of all genders, shapes and sizes say to each other every day that can get your hackles up. Just remember: Hackles Down.

Dont try to be the smartest person in the room.

So many leaders and managers think its their job to understand everything better than everyone else and to constantly be the one making all the decisions. This is backwards.

You should be surrounding yourself with people who are amazing at what they do, your job should be to ensure that they are empowered to do it. You should know enough about all of the moving parts to be able to keep your eye on the 30,000-foot view effectively, but you cant and shouldnt try to cover everyones bases and make all the plays. Ive seen managers attempt this and all they end up with are failed projects and unhappy teams.

Trust, hone and use your intuition.

Listening to yourself, that inner voice of reason, that hunch in your gut, is a critical skill to any kind of leadership. Your logical brain will try to reason things out, and thats good, to a point. But understand that your logical brain will also try to resolve issues based solely on reason. Its scientific fact that everything in the world is energy, from cells and atoms to the air around us. Everything vibrates at frequencies our logical brains cant pick up on, but our bodies can. Learn to listen to the part of your body that reads and interprets the energy around you, and trust that.

My company worked with an entrepreneur a while back who seemed really great on paper. He said all the right things and seemed to have his ducks in a row, but every time we were in the room with him, I got this weird feeling in the pit of my stomach. I even made a joke once comparing his idea to the Fyre Festival disaster. Turns out, my intuition was 100% spot on, and because I didnt ignore it, we avoided a huge debacle.

Intuition is a gift youre born with, so learn to hone it and use it to help you make the right decisions, even when your logical brain gives you reasons not to.

What advice would you give to other female leaders to help their team to thrive?

Women have a great advantage in leadership because were naturally empathetic. Empathy is a huge component of building a successful, thriving team. It requires listening first, acting slowly and letting your staff know they have your trust and confidence. Then, you just need to make sure youre taking care of the things that could get in their way.

What advice would you give to other female leaders about the best way to manage a large team?

The hardest aspect of large teams is keeping communication flowing across various segments. Big teams have to be pieced out to get tasks and work accomplished effectively, that means that your job is to always make sure every segment knows what the other ones are doing and that everyone can communicate changes or impacts to everyone else.

This starts with you. If you dont communicate well, up and down the chain, others wont have an example and standard to compare themselves to. You should always lead by example and start with how, when, why and what you communicate.

None of us are able to achieve success without some help along the way. Is there a particular person who you are grateful towards who helped get you to where you are? Can you share a story about that?

Myfiance is one of the most amazing, loving, caring and loyal people Ive ever met. Although Ive had wonderful success in the past, its always a huge risk taking on a new venture. Over the past 6 years, he has not only supported my choice to go out and try something new, hes been unwavering in his confidence that I will be successful. There have been times Ive come home at the end of the day and asked, out loud, Am I crazy? and he just hugs me and tells me that if anyone can get it done, its me. Hes never questioned whether I would be successful. Hes a huge comfort and the steady rock I need, and it gives me the freedom to take risks. He makes me feel like a superhero and I love him to the ends of the earth for it.

How have you used your success to bring goodness to the world?

Ibelieve that successful people, whether entrepreneurs or happy employees, contribute more to the world around them. My role in helping entrepreneurs build ideas into viable businesses also helps them achieve their goals. Whether they build their businesses as legacies for their families, or whether they intend to build something, exit, and go on to do other wonderful things, the one thing they all have in common is that they want to succeed so they can help others.

Sometimes thats giving back through charitable works, other times its leaving a legacy for the next generation to build upon. Everyones purpose is different, but by helping entrepreneurs find success, I hope Im enabling many people to fulfill their purposes, which is exactly how the world becomes a place we all want to live in.

You are a person of enormous influence. If you could inspire a movement that would bring the most amount of good to the most amount of people, what would that be? You never know what your idea can trigger.

The political climate today in America is heartbreaking. There is so much righteousness on both sides of the aisle that weve stopped listening to each other and respecting each others views. We allow politicians and the media to divide us on the small differences rather than unite us in the majority of ways we agree, to their benefit and our detriment.

If I could start a movement, Id call it Listen and Respect. The purpose would be to bring truth to the surface and encourage honest conversations with people holding different beliefs. It would be about respecting one anothers viewpoints, finding common ground and working together to safeguard the freedoms we all should be able to enjoy in this great, unique country. Ideally, it would promote learning from the past while looking toward the future.

Can you please give us your favorite Life Lesson Quote? Can you share how that was relevant to you in your life?

Do unto others as youd have them do unto you. I know its common, maybe even clich, but the Golden Rule is one that will never set you wrong.

Ive been in situations where people have acted stupidly or said mean, rude or cruel things and, when I was younger, I was quick to anger and would sometimes give it right back. As Ive gotten older and learned how important relationships are, Ive learned that the Golden Rule encourages patience, compassion and tolerance for others. Thats helped me build some incredible relationships, even if they didnt start out very well.

We are very blessed that very prominent leaders read this column. Is there a person in the world, or in the US with whom you would love to have a private breakfast or lunch with, and why? He or she might just see this if we tag them

Marissa Mayer, CEO of Yahoo!, is someone I would love the chance to sit down with one-on-one. Going from search giant Google to take the reins at Yahoo! had to have been fraught with expectation. She has taken that opportunity and run with it beautifully, just having the chance to hear her story would be fascinating.

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How you treat others says far more about you than how you are treated by them with Penny Bauder & Cynthia Del'Aria - Thrive Global

The centerpiece of the Commonwealth governments COVID-19 economic stimulus program is JobKeeper. Priced at A$130 billion, it will pay eligible employers $1,500 per fortnight for each eligible employee for up to six months.

The aim, according to the government fact sheet, is to

support employers to maintain their connection to their employees (as) these connections will enable business to reactivate their operations quickly without having to rehire staff when the crisis is over

But excluded from the scheme are workers on temporary visas (except for New Zealand citizens on Special Category Subclass 444 visas - theyre included).

This exclusion is wrong for four reasons.

The exclusion of temporary visa holders discriminates against the businesses that employ them.

Given there are close to 900,000 temporary visa holders with work rights (excluding New Zealand citizens) the discrimination will have a serious impact.

It will be particularly severe in industries that significantly rely on temporary migrants: among them hospitality (international students), agriculture (working holiday makers), health and aged care (workers on Temporary Skill Shortage visas).

The exclusion of temporary visa holders from JobKeeper will bring about distortions within and between industries. It will likely result in the closure of businesses that rely upon temporary migrants.

Equal rights at work - regardless of migrant status - is a key principle of

This principle underpins Australias Fair Work Act which treats migrant workers as within its scope.

JobKeeper, which provides a workplace benefit through wage subsidies, departs from this principle.

Not only does it set a dangerous precedent, it is a particularly egregious breach.

Denial of the JobKeeper payment will mean the loss of jobs and livelihoods for many or most temporary visa holders.

Some will be forced to attempt to return to their countries of origin, which in some cases are less safe than Australia.

Among them are Italian working holiday visa holders.

Temporary visa holders are only temporary in the sense that they have a limited right to stay.

Swinburne Universitys Peter Mares has characterised Australias shift to temporary migration as permanent in two senses: it is an enduring change, and it has resulted in temporary visa holders residing in Australia for extended periods of time.

Philosopher Joseph Carens has rightly argued that such extended periods of residence provide a basis for community membership, given the contributions given and connections made, regardless of migration status.

Asking temporary visa holders to go home not only fails to recognise membership of the Australian community but also misses the fundamental point that Australia is home to many of these temporary visa holders.

Read more: Open letter to the prime minister: extend coronavirus support to temporary workers

This ought not be hard to understand: most overseas Australians would consider their country of residence to be their home.

The position of overseas Australians (of which there are hundreds of thousands) suggests another important perspective: the Golden Rule.

How would we view the actions of foreign governments that insisted that overseas Australians go home if they had insufficient funds due to COVID-19 restrictions imposed by these very governments?

The hardship resulting from the temporary visa holder exclusion will undermine public health measures.

Temporary visa holders will increasingly swell the number of homelessness.

It is hard to stay at home if you dont have one. Financial desperation will drive some to continue working even if unwell.

Other adverse consequences are likely. Desperate temporary visa holders will become exposed wage theft of the kind exposed by the 7-Eleven scandal, slowing Australias labour market recovery.

Read more: Australia's $130 billion JobKeeper payment: what the experts think

The recovery of higher education will be slowed down if international students are impoverished and unable to pay the fees necessary to continue their studies.

Temporary migrant workers ought to be part of JobKeeper, just as are other Australian residents and New Zealanders on temporary visas.

Excluding them breaches their fundamental rights, fails to recognise the community membership of many of them, and it will undermine Australias efforts to fight COVID-19.

Read more from the original source:

Why temporary migrants need JobKeeper - The Conversation US

After my mom died, I remember how every morning in the days that followed, I would wake up and for a few moments, I would be free. For just an instant, I would forget she was gone.

And then with a jolt, it would explode to the surface, Oh my god, shes gone. And a day of fresh grief would start anew.

Same with a cancer diagnosis. I would finally find sleep, but would wake up during the night to use the bathroom, and on that five-foot walk there I would suddenly remember, Oh my god, have cancer, I have cancer! And the grief, the agony and the spin would start anew.

Also during cancer treatment, I would regularly have bad dreams. A nightly one was where I was running in a marathon. Running and running and running, I would arrive at each mile marker, yet no one would tell me which mile it was, or how much farther I had to go. In the dream, I had no idea how many miles I had come, yet I knew I was exhausted.

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This week, about three weeks into our COVID-19 stay at home order, I posted on social media. I explained that while I had been doing OK so far, this week I had hit a wall. I was surprised how many replied, me too, me too. Everyone it seemed was saying that they had done OK with it until now.

It was a wall hittin weekend for a lot of folks.

I can think of a lot of reasons why this happened.

First, like in my running dream, it is very hard to do something when you dont know how long it will last. Uncertainty is draining.

I am a girl who likes to pace myself with difficult tasks. No matter what is ahead of me, I want to know how long. A dental impression, a long flight, I always ask how many minutes, how many days will it be? With each element of an MRI, I ask the people in the booth to count me down, to tell me the lengths of each new segment and how many minutes are left in each one.

Related: As a Mom With Depression, the COVID-19 Pandemic Was the Wake-Up Call I Needed

Mentally it makes it more doable for me. I can eat an elephant a bite at a time if I know how much is left.

But it seems with COVID-19, a new viral strain that can lead to serious or fatal health complications, we are finding that number, the how long, is always changing, ever fluid. We think we know what mile marker we are running toward, say 14 days, but the goalposts keep getting moved. And with numbers being floated that it could be 18 months, its exhausting to imagine.

I remember a day when I thought the first part of my chemo treatment was finished. It was a particularly nasty chemo drug that made me very, very sick. I got up that day and happily went to chemo, mentally feeling ready to swallow the last bite. I remember my chemo nurse Marcy gently breaking it to me, saying, No Lauren, you have six more weeks of it.And I absolutely lost it. I thought I had scaled the first wall, only to be told, no Lauren, there is still another 100 feet to climb.

Related: 15 Disability-Owned Businesses to Support During COVID-19

I hit the wall hard that day. I bounced off it and laid on the ground for a long time.

And I wept.

So many of us have hit that wall these last days. We made it through the first difficult weeks, only to find there is more ahead. We had paced ourselves and mentally prepared thinking, Oh I can do this for a month, I can stay inside and I can homeschool, and I can stretch my finances for that long.

And then we were told nope another month. At least. Another month. Maybe more.

And we hit the wall hard.

And we wept.

Uncertainty is exhausting. Not knowing how much longer is one thing, but uncertainty about the outcome is another. Uncertainty about our health and our familys health. Uncertainty about ever finding normal again? It takes a lot out of you.

I was horrified when I was told my chemo protocol was 18 months. It seemed impossible and undoable. It was overwhelming to imagine what those 18 months would be filled with no hair, social isolation, icky treatment and the loss of all the things I would miss out on as a mom of young kids.

The uncertainty about outcome ping-ponged in my head on the daily. Will I live? When will I feel safe from this again? Will my family make it through? I had no idea, no assurance that if I did A & B, I would get rid of the big C. Each hour was constant mental darting between Im gonna die from this, and back to, it will be OK, your odds are good if you do what you are told.

We have hit the wall of wondering about the uncertainty of these things with COVID-19. We are exhausted and the goalposts have been moved. We are longing for normal.

The crisis phase of grief is busy and loud. We are just now rounding out of that phase with COVID-19.

While the shock of finding out I had cancer was exhausting as it stole sleep and headspace, the doing of early cancer diagnosis was even more taxing. The prepping and navigating all the things that had to be done under a downpour cloud of, Oh my god I cant believe this is happening things like finding an oncologist, preparing my kids for what was ahead, getting a port put in and sorting finances.

Each day it seemed was a new crisis to manage, a new adjustment in my life, a new thing to grieve, a new fear, a new facet of what would fill the 18 months ahead. It was a time filled with waking up each day feeling normal and then, remembering it was happening. Each day was overwhelming grief about losing my normal.

The busyness of that initial phase made what was ahead seem even more impossible to imagine. Living 18 months while sustaining this exhausting level of anxiety, chatter and adjustment seemed impossible.

With COVID-19, we have all been in crisis mode. Zapping our energy with the hunting and gathering of our supplies at a frantic pace, making arrangements to get kids home from college, learning ZOOM and canceling big social events, while grieving their loss.

We have been busy busy busy learning about COVID-19, learning to sanitize and wash our hands, packages and groceries.

We have been adjusting to the loss of social contact and are using up tons of mental energy for hypervigilance about distancing. We are unable to restore energy as many are having the bad dreams, waking up only to remember, Oh my god COVID-19 is happening.

The crisis phase is filled with lots of chatter, a lot of noise, a lot of talk about nothing but COVID-19. I remember in my crisis phase of cancer there came a day when I told my dad on the phone that I was calling a moratorium on cancer talk.

I realized that every square inch of my brain, 24/7, was being taken up with cancer talk, cancer information and cancer thoughts.

Cancer Cancer Cancer.

I had cancer fatigue.

COVID COVID COVID.

I now have COVID-19 fatigue.

We all do.COVID-19 fatigue comes from anger about why arent people distancing or taking it seriously.

It comes because sustained fear is exhausting.

Worry is exhausting.

Anxiety is energy-sapping.

Hypervigilance is draining.

It comes from the constant chatter. The noise in our head, the noise outside our head.

It comes from the constant mental pinballing back and forth between this is deadly serious vs. I am overreacting.

COVID-19 fatigue arrives with the abatement of the initial surge of adrenaline needed to get through the crisis phase.

It comes from climbing a wall with raw scrubbed hands while in isolation, only to wonder, will there be an ICU bed and vent for me?

It comes from our dissection of and the freak out at every cough or sneeze. Every hot flash, every body ache is suddenly a big thing to think about.

COVID-19 fatigue comes because of uncertainty about how many walls are ahead of us, or how much longer this will last.

It comes from using up all the immense energy in having to learn a completely new way to live. The busyness and all the prepping for this new thing.

And COVID-19 fatigue comes from grief, and the longing for normal again. Its exhausting and terrifying to have people say This is the new normal; get used to it. Its like getting a plate of poo and being told you will like it. Yeah, not so much right now.

COVID, COVID, COVID.

I remember too, the defeat I felt on the day when I finally scaled that first cancer wall and triumphantly looked out ahead. I was thinking I would see the promised land of Normal, but all I saw were more and more walls ahead, some of them even bigger than the one I had just climbed.

It made me hit that first wall with my fists and weep, I cant do this! Its not fair! But I did it. Because the alternative wasnt so spiffy.

And COVID-19 fatigue or not, you can do it too.

I promise you, you can do this. Here is how.

During cancer, a friend sent me a note early on that said, You won this battle, now win the war.And that was how I learned to pace myself through the ordeal. Not by oh my god 18 MONTHS! But instead by simply navigating each battle of the day. A bite a time.

I climbed only the wall in front of me and trained my brain to avoid thinking about those ahead, allowing myself to see only as far as the headlights could shine that day.

I refused to focus on the uncertainty of how much longer and what will happen? anymore, because no one had the answer. I knew 18 months was a likely endgame and that was it.

I cut myself some slack and allowed for rest. I allowed that I was mentally exhausted from those early weeks of the crisis phase. With COVID-19 fatigue, you have bounced off that wall. Its OK to lay there for a bit. Its a lot to navigate, so its OK you havent cleaned closets, or written a novel.

Balance will come, I promise.

Its OK to feel you cant follow the advice of well-meaning friends. I had so many people tell me how to do cancer. Eventually, I discovered there are no Cancer Police. Similarly, there are no COVID-19 Police. You have to find a way to navigate COVID-19 that works for you. You do you. Find a way to fill your cup and cope, within the confines of COVID.

In hindsight, I learned this important truth: the first wall is the hardest.

Each wall thereafter isnt easier because they are smaller or lesser, but because you build both the mental and physical muscles to climb them. You gain dexterity, as climbing becomes more the norm, so its not as taxing and fatiguing. In crisis, I didnt have my cancer legs yet, and it made me imagine that all walls ahead would be as hard and tiring to climb as the first one. But they werent.

We are just getting our COVID-19 legs. The rest of this ordeal will be less exhausting, more doable, and will be, I promise, more normal feeling.

I learned not to add unnecessary weight to the climb. A head full of junk and noise and fear and worry was heavy enough, without me adding other stuff (Im talking to you CNN and Twitter) to the climb. Sometimes information/news is not the rocket fuel we think it is, but sludge that exhausts and weighs us down.

And finally, here is the golden rule I learned about getting through the hard stuff. Never look at swimmers in the other lane. Let me say that again, never look at swimmers in the other lane.

I learned there are a thousand different types of breast cancer tumors, and it did me no good to look at the other swimmers to inform me of my outcome or progress. Looking at the other swimmers only served to fill my head with heavy junk that made me sink.

With COVID-19, resist the urge to read up on who has died. And for the love of God, stop comparing their pre-existing conditions, age or weight to yours. Just swim in your COVID lane. Do you. Take care of yourself and your family the best you can.

Lastly, embrace that worst-case scenario on the duration of this. I know that sucks right? But hear me out.

I can confirm that once I wrapped my head around and swallowed the bite of OK, its 18 months of chemo, I can do that, it got a lot better. It was then I knew how big the elephant was. New energy arrives when you put down the sword and anger about it and just decide to live in that space. Remember, struggling against something will drown you.

This week, after listening to experts I simply decided in my non-medical brain, 18 months is a good estimate for a definitive endgame for COVID-19 and quarantine.

In 18 months, we will likely have a vaccine. And yes, we may even have a cure/treatment earlier, and that would be dandy. I can do 18 months, just as I did before, considering the alternative.

We can do it by reminding ourselves that each day is one day closer to some super smart person coming up with a treatment or a vaccine. We can do it by remembering if we do what we are told and stay home and wash our hands if we do A & B, we will rid ourselves of C.

Each day will be easier as you build your COVID legs, and will seem more normal. Its doable if it keeps you healthy.

While its too early, and we are too tired and cranky to feel the good that will come of this, know it will come. Lean into the early snippets of it that you come across each day.

Remember this, you are never as far from normal again as you are in the crisis phase. From here on in, you get closer to normal each day, each minute, each second.

You have won this battle, now you can win the war.

I promise you, you will once again have a day where COVID-19 doesnt greet you each morning or shake you awake from dreamy innocence. A brain free from COVID-19 thoughts will greet you for a few moments each morning, and then will linger a few moments longer, and eventually it will start to stay around all day. COVID-19, like cancer for me, will become something that happened long ago.

And you will have lived your way into normal.

But the funny thing about the normal we long for? Its sometimes not the same, its even better. But thats another story for another day.

Concerned about the coronavirus? Stay safe using tips from these articles:

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How the Coronavirus Pandemic Has Made Me Realize My Greatest Fear

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Finding Parallels Between the Crisis Phase in Fighting Cancer and COVID-19 - Yahoo Lifestyle

Amid the novel coronavirus pandemic, people are so desperate that, in Italy, they started to throw away their money (which is not true), my brother in Ethiopia told me yesterday before he shared with me two photos where banknotes were scattered in the street.

It was a friend of a friend that said it, he said. In addition, everything seems to be going out of control, he told me with apprehension. As someone who studies journalism, my instincts told me it might be fake news. Officials say Italy is now reporting steady declines in new cases of COVID-19, and discarding money at this moment, or any other time in fact, does not make sense at all.

I decided to go to a rumor killer section of Weibo or microblogging website, one of Chinas most popular social media platforms.

It was right there. In the latest message called A Wrap-up of Important Information of Weibo Rumor Busters from April 3 to six, the money claim was listed as fake news. The photos of the notes, which are not the Euro ones used in Italy, were taken in Venezuela in 2019, according to the source of the verification post.

However, what is the source of the source, many may ask? It is Agence France-Presse, one of the major international news agencies. Then to be prudent and persuasive, I went to its website and located the story, which details how AFP does the fact checking by tracing back to the very first posts of the two photos on social media before it quotes an Italian ambassador, who made it clear the photos are FAKE NEWS as early as late March.

Yes, debunking a piece of fake news turns out to be that easy. Since we are just a few clicks away from the truth, why someone as smart and educated as my brother, who is a Master degree holder, falls victim to fake news readily and easily?

One explanation is that we always tend to believe our own network, especially in times of crisis. The information is, after all, from a relative, a friend, or a friend of a friend. Whats more, according to my observation, many of the fake news circulating in chat groups end with asking you to forward the message to all your loved ones. They just want to be nice, so you do not even think of double-checking the source. However, there is this golden rule among journalists that may be helpful and even awakening: If your mother says she love you, check it out.

Another explanation is that our brain works in that way. In the era of hunting and gathering, our ancestors, living in tough and challenging conditions, tended to believe whatever gossips or rumors they hear. That was their way to improve their survival rate and pass down their gene to us. That is what psychologists say when they call us humanity living in a digital world with a Stone Age brain.

However, credulousness will not help you prosper in a major public health crisis. As Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus, Director General of the World Health Organization, has said of this ongoing coronavirus crisis, Were not just fighting an epidemic; were fighting an infodemic.

To win the latter, WHO has opened a page called Myth Busters, which debunks fake news on the coronavirus disease COVID-19. So far, the health body has made it clear that there is no evidence that eating garlic has protected people from the new coronavirus, taking a hot bath, neither exposing you to the sun, nor drinking alcohol; and that COVID-19 virus cannot be transmitted through mosquito bites but can be transmitted in areas with hot and humid climates. The page is for the public, including journalists and media organizations.

However, the thing is the media can sometimes inadvertently help spread a rumor. For example, by reporting about wide circulation of empty shelves and videos of shoppers queuing in long lines in supermarkets on social media, journalists may play a role in translating a rumor into a reality. That is the story of the runs on toilet paper seen from Singapore, to Japan and Sydney.

When I attended a seminar (online, of course) on misinformation last week, my biggest takeaway is one sentence: not every rumor reserves coverage. Scholars have started a debate on how to report the coronavirus pandemic in a responsible way. Some say that since we have an industry guideline for reporting sensitive topics like suicide, why do not we have one for reporting a public health crisis when lives, stability, the economy and almost every pillar of the society are at stake.

As the coronavirus pandemic is still around in many parts of the world, the last thing we need is panic, fear or hatred sowed by fake news, rumors, conspiracy theories or any other kind of misinformation.

So, next time when you see some sensational information, you can take a minute to ask yourself some basic questions, like what is the source? What is the source of the source? Who says what? Does that make sense? In doing so, you can play your role in stopping the spread of fake news. CGTN

Original post:

Coronavirus outbreak: What can we do to stop misinformation? - Khmer Times

The Golden Rule is the ethical principle of treating other people as one's self would prefer to be treated. One of Jesus' most famous and impactful teachings, the Golden Rule can be found in the Bible verses Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31:

So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets. Matthew 7:12

Do to others as you would have them do to you. Luke 6:31

A simple notion about the ethical treatment of others that was profound in its origin and resonates through the ages.

"Golden Rule" is not explicitly found in Scripture, this became the popular way of referring to the words of Jesus in Matthew 7:12 and Luke 6:31. In summary, the Golden Rule encompasses the empathic essence of morality. It is a simple yet powerful way of saying that we should recognize the respective dignity of our fellow man and not forget we all are capable of inflicting immoral actions. This is vital in following the commandments of God and creating a more virtuous world.

Jesus declares, "Do to others as you would have them do to you." With regard to the Old Testament, two main points prevail. Matthew's reference presents the Golden Rule as encapsulating the teachings of the law and the prophets. Matthew 7:12 reads, "So in everything, do to others what you would have them do to you, for this sums up the Law and the Prophets." Second, even though the Golden Rule addresses human interpersonal relationships, its message is additionally theological. That is, the very character of God guides how we should interact and relate to one another.

We are to follow and exercise the Golden Rule because God's heavenly wisdom teaches self-control, and his virtue teaches kindness. This proverb is appropriately called the Golden Rule, for it encompasses in its few words the underlying and guiding principle of all morality. It comprises all the rules of the law with regard to man and all the amplification of those precepts given by the prophets. It instructs us to put ourselves in our neighbor's place, and guide our behavior accordingly. It assumes, of course, that when we put ourselves in our neighbor's place, we are wise enough not to make any foolish wishes and good enough not to make any evil ones. The Golden Rule was a vital emphasis on empathy and the reciprocity of morality.

The Golden Rule has inspired several subsequent sayings and ethical declarations since its revelation by Jesus. Listed below are some examples of such inspirations:

Put yourself in their shoes - Another call to empathy and understanding anothers situation and point of view, this phrase calls upon us to picture ourselves as our fellow human and recognize the sovereignty and emotions of each individual.

Do not do unto others as you would not want done to you. - Also known as the Silver Rule, this inversion of the Golden Rule reminds us to not do what we would prefer not to happen to ourselves. Essentially this is the negative version of the Golden Rule.

Act only in accordance with that maxim through which you can at the same time will that it become a universal law." - Kants Categorical Imperative is the primary philosophical concept in the moral philosophy of Immanuel Kant. This imperative basically dictates to follow the rules that apply to everyone. In other words, Dont create rules for yourself that you wouldnt apply to others.

Link:

What is the Golden Rule? - Biblical Meaning, Importance ...

Prescription for the pandemic

If I were the governor, I would disseminate the following prescription to the citizens I serve:

1. Get outside and walk and or recreate, every day if possible.

2. Recreate at least 20 minutes, and longer as your capabilities allow (phone/devices off).

3. Kill the TV and use the extra time to read, listen to music and create. If you need more books, borrow them or order online.

4. Laugh at yourself, while trying to make others laugh.

5. Take a shower every day, and brush your teeth three to four times a day with an electric brush.

6. Avoid eating anything two to three hours before retiring for the night.

7. Turn the phone/devices off for the night.

8. Earn your keep and then to sleep at least eight hours every night, and preferably eight to 10 hours. If you come up short, make it up with a nap.

9. Never ever let money be your master. Share the sandbox.

10. Enjoy your vice(s) of choice, in moderation.

11. Practice the Golden Rule and lifelong learning; keep your head up and your eyes open.

12. Embrace our fleeting existence, opting for quality time, as opposed to just more time.

Assuming youve integrated all of this into your routine, you can now dispose of all your unnecessary meds, being sure they are destined for the landfill, not the building sewer. If you can integrate only two of the above items, they would be, in this order:

1. Earn your keep and then to sleep at least eight hours every night, and preferably eight to 10 hours; in particular, see items 1 and 2 for how to fall asleep, and stay asleep.

2. Practice the Golden Rule.

Regarding the current event, sleep is a wonder drug. Your immune system will crash without it.

Nothing new here. Except for the references to phone/devices mom and dad preached all of this decades ago. The challenge for our race, the human race, is to evolve to the point where we do not repeat past mistakes. To reach this goal, well have to permanently ditch that tired fallback line of Were only human.

In the meantime, youve got a great smile let it rip.

Gus Sharry

Summit Park

Trump steering county through coronavirus

I was alarmed when I read Patrick McLanes letter to the editor criticizing our president. The coronavirus threatens us all. President Trump is doing a great job steering the country through this pandemic. The Democrats blocked the multi-trillion dollar Phase 3 coronavirus bill for weeks. The bi-partisan bill was ready to be voted on last Sunday when Nancy Pelosi proposed amendments that included unprecedented collective bargaining powers for unions, increased fuel emission standards for airlines, expansion of wind and solar tax credits, airline carbon emissions offsets, funding for Planned Parenthood, provisions for a federal takeover of elections, a climate change study on aviation and employment diversity requirements. These proposals reflect much of the Democratic platform for the impending presidential election, and have no place in an emergency spending bill. Five days were spent negotiating a compromise bill that now includes funding for: The Kennedy Center ($25 million), National Endowment for the Arts ($75 million), National Endowment for the Humanities ($75 million). Corporation For Public Broadcasting ($75 million), Institute of Museums and Libraries ($50 million), National Disaster Assistance ($258 million), migration and refugee assistance ($350 million), Peace Corps ($88 million), Amtrak ( more than $1 billion), Native American programs ($300 million), Housing For Persons With Aids ($65 million).

We need to focus on the pandemic at hand and get Park City back to work.

Hillary Jessup

Park City

The fact of the matter

In early 2016, as the presidential race was well underway, it became apparent to many that candidate Trump was not fit for public office certainly not for the presidency. In the years since his election, that concern has been validated to citizens with an open mind that are willing to look objectively at his actions and words. His favorite ploy is to blame other persons or entities in a transparent attempt to deflect responsibility. Unfortunately his words are repeated by too many citizens.

Recently in the March 29th edition of the Salt Lake Tribune he was called Deranged, Ignorant, Inept, an Insane Narcissist and a second rate reality show hack and failed businessman (opinion page 02). I concur.

He has been quoted referencing the COVID-19 virus as the Chinese virus. When questioned about it he stated well, its from China. The common opinion of most is that this statement is his usual transparent attempt to deflect responsibility from himself. Also, his characterization of COVID-19 as Chinese is dangerous and causes serious problems. Why? Because his words are picked up by many voters as fact to be used in a blame game that is counterproductive and intensifies enmity with China. I recently heard someone blaming China for the virus calling it the China virus. COVID-19 is a biological and chemical entity to which humanity presently has no immunity. It is just that and has no ethnicity.

I am not an apologist for, nor a proponent of, the Chinese government. However, to infer and state that China is at fault for the worlds present situation is unproductive transference of blame, does not hold up to facts and is quoting a shamefully dishonest and inept president.

David C. Ludema

Park City

Earth Day is every day

As the community has increased walking outside, please consider carrying a trash bag and picking litter that has accumulated over the winter. Earth Day is every day! Thank you for keeping Park City beautiful.

Bob Martin

Trailside

Go here to read the rest:

Letters: Here's how to survive social isolation in one piece - The Park Record