Category Archives: Golden Rule

Mary Anderson

Mary AndersonDec. 20, 1930 April 16, 2023

Mary Ellen (Golden) Anderson, 92, of Berthoud, Colo., passed away peacefully in her sleep on April 16, 2023, from colon cancer.

Mary was born in Thayer County, Nebr. on Dec. 20, 1930, to Willie Leon and Vella Mae (Seaman) Golden. Her parents and all eight of her siblings predeceased her, as did her husband, George Raymond (Andy) Anderson. She is survived by her oldest daughter, Shari Anderson, who lives in Texas, along with Sharis two daughters, Kelly (Adam) Corn, and Katy Kilman (Jon Green), and their families, including six great-grandchildren. She is also survived by her youngest daughter, Terry (Bart) Mayes, who resides near Berthoud.

Mary grew up in a time of outhouses and no running water, but always reflected on her childhood as a happy time.

With only a high school education, she went on to employment with the phone company, working her way up from an entry-level position to office manager, one of only two women working in that position at that time. She truly broke the glass ceiling for the women who followed behind her. Much of the secret to her success was her patient and fair approach to all difficult situations. Mary retired from the telephone company in 1987, after nearly 30 years of employment.

In addition to her career, Mary raised her two daughters, supported her husband in his career and avocational interests, maintained a tidy and welcoming home, hosted many parties where her culinary skills were in evidence and turned virgin landscapes in two homes into lovely gardens. Mary enjoyed traveling with her husband and their many friends. Her interests extended in many different directions, including several types of needlework.

After the passing of her husband in 2009, Mary became very actively involved with the Highlands Baptist Church in Littleton. After moving to Berthoud, she found her Christian home at Gateway Baptist Church in Loveland.

All of the above facts dont begin to capture the remarkable woman that she was. She was slow to anger, and generous, kind and compassionate with everyone she met. She was a strong, but gentle woman, who loved everyone and sought to bring comfort wherever it was needed. She shared her love of Jesus Christ with all and truly lived the Golden Rule.

Marys celebration of life was held on Saturday, April 22, 2023, at Gateway Baptist Church in Loveland. Memorial donations may be made in Marys name to Hollys Legacy Fund at Flint Animal Cancer Center, in Ft. Collins (https://advancing.colostate.edu/HOLLYSLEGACY) or Gateway Baptist Church, Loveland Colo. (https://www.gbcloveland.org).

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OBITUARY - Mary Anderson - Berthoud Weekly SurveyorBerthoud ... - BerthoudSurveyor.com

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You are constantly judged by how effectively you express your ideas in both verbal and written communication.

Golden Rule: Make your written messages as long as necessary and as short as possible. Make every word count. Only provide whats relevant. Thinking and writing are interrelated. Writing helps you clarify your thoughts and clear thinking helps you improve your writing.

The following actions will help you organize and focus your writing.

You cant write clearly until you determine what you want the reader to do and why they should do it. Think before you write.

There are two basic approaches.

Decide which examples, stories, facts, statistics, testimonials and quotes will be most helpful in explaining and supporting your message.

This makes your message easy to read and digest.

According to the American Press Institute, sentences with eight or fewer words are understood 100% of the time. Advertising executive David Ogilvy once gave the following advice: Use short words, short sentences and short paragraphs.

Words like these as soon as possible, they and teamwork are vague and imprecise. Ambiguous words often lead to communication breakdowns. Be specific when it comes to naming people, describing action items and due dates.

Active voice lets the reader know immediately whos doing the action.

Good writing requires significant editing. Read what you have written several times. Each time focus on a different aspect of your message such as organization, grammar, word choice and eliminating anything that doesnt add value. Use apps and online tools to make sure your spelling, grammar and punctuation are all correct.

Ask a trusted friend to read it and provide suggestions for improvement.

(My first draft of this article had 780 words. I edited it down to 410 words)

Paul B. Thorntonis an author and speaker.His books are available at Amazon and include:

He frequently posts his views and opinions about leadership on LinkedIn.

Opinions expressed by SmartBrief contributors are their own.

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8 ways to improve your written communications - Smartbrief

By Johnny Askounis/ info@eurohoops.net

Coming back from a one-game suspension, Draymond Green is determined to help the Golden State Warriors even the Western Conference Quarterfinals best-of-seven series opposite the Sacramento Kings.

They created a Draymond rule before, but that doesnt work, the four-time NBA champion told ESPN after practice Saturday.

Green, 33, served the suspension in Game 3 with the series switching to Chase Center and the Warriors getting on the board after two losses in Golden 1 Center. Game 4 is set for an early tipoff in todays edition of NBA Sundays.

Draymond wont be moved by the Draymond rule, he added commenting on the NBA partly basing the suspension on his history of unsportsmanlike acts, per the official announcement, Ill continue to play the game how I play the game, operate how I operate, be exactly who I am because that leads to winning. If I was losing, they wouldnt be creating Draymond rules. As long as they create Draymond rules, that means were winning and thats great, but it doesnt change Draymond.

Ejected from Game 2, Green was then suspended one game without pay for stepping on the chest of Domantas Sabonis after the Lithuanian center fell to the floor and grabbed his right ankle.

The former Michigan State standout will return to the lineup for the team coached by Steve Kerr, but Andre Iguodala (left wrist surgery) and Ryan Hollins (right foot surgery) will both remain sidelined. Matthew Dellavedova (right index finger surgery) is out for the Kings.

Following the incident and Greens suspension, referees have navigated the 2023 NBA Playoffs forced to make similarly tough decisions.

From Joel Embiid avoiding ejection for kicking Nic Claxton in the groin area to teammate James Harden being tossed for a groin hit on Royce ONeale later in Game 3 of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals best-of-seven series of the Philadelphia 76ers against the Brooklyn Nets. Also, Dillon Brooks was ejected for a hit on LeBron James in Game 3 between the Memphis Grizzlies and Los Angeles Lakers.

Photo Credit: Getty Images

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Draymond Green: Draymond wont be moved by the Draymond rule - Eurohoops

Nevada only has a 2-year statute of limitations, meaning if you dont report the abuse in that time, your case can get thrown out, even with compelling evidence.

Las Vegas, NV From systemic understaffing to malicious abuse to plain old neglect, nursing homes all across the state of Nevada have been taking a hard hit. If you or a loved one have suffered abuse of any kind, injury, or God forbid, lost someone as a result of nursing home abuse, you need to speak to the best lawyers you can find. While only a professional lawyer can advise you on how to proceed, below we discuss some basic facts about nursing home abuse, what you should know, and what you shouldnt do.

Knowing how to proceed with a legal case of nursing home abuse can be very tricky. Thats why weve compiled a list of common mistakes that, according to knowledgable Las Vegas nursing home abuse lawyers, may cause problems in your fight for justice.

This is a mistake many plaintiffs make, not realizing the seriousness. Filing a nursing home abuse case will attract the attention of the facilitys insurance company. Insurance companies often lie by saying speaking to them will make them process your claim more quickly.

It does not. All it does is give them information to use against you, to disprove your claim. This is why you should never give a statement to an insurance company.

Discovering that a loved one has been the victim of abuse can be harrowing, and can confuse you. Youll want to act immediately, as you should, not stopping to consider the case itself.

Now, one simple truth that Nevada nursing home abuse lawyers want you to know is the more evidence you have, the stronger your case is. This is why claimants are encouraged to document abuse in any way they can:

Often, an insurance company will throw out an initial offer, knowing that many people are too upset, or intimidated not to accept it. Dont be one of those people. Your loved ones suffering is worth more than a petty hush-up sum that the insurance company is willing to offer.

One golden rule that seasoned nursing home abuse lawyers go by is, if the insurance company is so eager to offer up that money, it means it doesnt come close to enough.

Nevada only has a 2-year statute of limitations, meaning if you dont report the abuse in that time, your case can get thrown out, even with compelling evidence. So tempting as it may be to make extra sure dont delay, and reach out to an attorney now.

Bonus Do: Know what lawyer you need.

If the nursing home abuse or neglect of a loved one resulted in a serious injury or even death, youll probably require the services of a personal injury lawyer. If the abuse was medical, like for instance, they received unnecessary medication or were billed for unnecessary medical interventions, you may require medical malpractice lawyers, instead.

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Dont Make These 4 Nursing Home Abuse Claim Mistakes in Las ... - Legal Reader

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If theres a golden rule for family hikes and adventures, its this: bring food, lots of it, and make it nutritious. Establishing this simple habit increases the chances that your children (and you) will enjoy yourself. Snacks provide energy and rewards for a job well done. And, just as importantly, they help avoid the hangriesthat unruly backcountry breakdown that can turn a glorious family outing into a trailside brawl.

Having the right ingredients on hand, and knowing what and how much to pack means you can easily say yes to that sunny hiking day or biking day, without the fear of calorie crashes and grumpy kiddos. Being prepared is the key to successful outings.

Remember that kids tend to burn an inordinate amount of energy while out exploringall without understanding the art of pacing or fueling. So, good planning starts before you head out the door. Fill them up with a breakfast thats not just sugary cereal. Choose foods that will digest slowly and provide sustained energythink protein, complex carbohydrates, and fats. This could be eggs on seeded toast, a variety of fruits, or oatmeal with nuts or nut butteror all three depending on their age and appetite.

Even after a satisfying breakfast, Ill often hear cries of, Mommy, Im hungry, or When do we get a snack? just as we begin our hike. Sound familiar? Kids tummies are smaller, so hunger pangs come quickly. Give them a small energy bite (see recipe below) once you begin your adventure. Always remember, wherever you go with kids, eating is always part of the plan.

Not to be forgotten is proper hydration. Instead of fumbling with an assortment of bottles, have your child wear a small hydration pack. This helps kids learn to drink on their own, and it helps you avoid having to constantly cater to their needs. Throw some snacks in the pack, too, and the art of fueling will begin to take shape.

Always pack more than you need! Bring a variety of choices and allow kids to self select.

Avoid the high sugar content of store-bought items and make these at home: trail mix, energy balls/bars, and granola. Sliced apples, the classic peanut butter sandwich, or cheese sticks and crackers can also serve you well.Youre looking for foods with a combination of good carbs, fats, protein, and potassium that can help achy little muscles.

For a shorter hike or bike ride lasting an hour or so, pack two to three snacks per child to keep them fueled (theyll self-select and likely wont eat them all). For day trips, bring at least five snacks per childthe more you bring, the happier theyll be. By default, this means youll be happier too and have more time and energy to teach them about the birds, plants, and critters around them.

Remember that kids dont think like adults when it comes to fueling or hydrating. Dont wait until hunger hits; give your kid snacks at regular intervals so their blood-sugar levels dont dip or spike. And remind them to take sips of water.

Finally, to get kids to finish a hike, its okay to employ some gentle incentivizing. If those little legs crave ice cream and thats what helps them keep going, make sure to leave time to get that scoop of rocky road.

Here are a few kid-friendly recipes you can try:

No-Bake Cranberry Oat Energy Bites

Banana Carrot Mini Muffins

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What Food to Pack for Family Hikes - Outside

Law360 - April 24, 2023

Influential preacher Charles Spurgeon said, "Discernment is not simply a matter of telling the difference between what is right and wrong; rather it is the difference between right and almost right."

Artificial intelligence has made incredible advancements in recent years, with many industries adopting it for various applications. Growing practical concerns among artificial intelligence experts, however, include the potential for biased responses, the ability to spread misinformation, privacy concerns and deeper questions regarding how artificial intelligence might upend professions and displace human judgment and discernment.

With every technological advancement comes risks and challenges, and artificial intelligence is no exception. Lawyers who have mastered the legal skill of discernment should have a seat at every table with those addressing the ethical and moral dilemmas to ensure that artificial intelligence is developed and deployed in a way that benefits society as a whole.

Artificial Intelligence

Artificial intelligence is a hot topic of conversation not only as it relates to the tech industry, but in nearly every sector of our economy. The term "artificial intelligence" was first coined by John McCarthy in 1956 and has evolved from a general-purpose mobile robot to self-driving vehicles and speech recognition applications like Siri or Google Assistant.[1]

The three most important technologies that make up AI are machine learning, deep learning and natural language processing.[2]

Machine learning is a process where machines learn to optimize responses based upon structured big data sets and ongoing feedback from humans and algorithms.

Deep learning is considered a more advanced kind of machine learning in that it learns through representation; however, it differs from machine learning in that the data does not need to be structured.

Natural language processing is a linguistic computer science tool enabling machines to read and interpret human language and translate it into computer inputs.

Artificial intelligence experts have become increasingly concerned, however, about the potential drawbacks and ethical concerns regarding AI. For example, AI systems can replicate and amplify human biases, leading to discrimination against certain groups of people.

AI also has the potential to replace certain jobs, leading to economic and social issues. Additionally, AI systems can manipulate personal information, leading to identity theft and security breaches.

AI systems can also be programmed to make lethal decisions, raising concerns about the ethics of using such weapons.

And finally, as AI systems become more complex, it becomes difficult to hold humans accountable for their actions.[3] Awareness of these concerns is important in ensuring that AI is developed and deployed in a way that benefits society as a whole.

When Worlds Collide Technology Versus Morality

Currently, there is no legislation specifically designed to regulate the use of AI.[4] Policymakers and regulators are continually working on developing rules to ensure that the public is protected while promoting innovation. These regulations may draw upon the reasoning employed in Isaac Asimov's three laws of robotics which provide:

In Frank Pasquale's book, "New Laws of Robotics: Defending Human Expertise in the Age of AI," the Brooklyn Law School professor proposes adding the following four new principles to Asimov's original three:

4. Digital technologies ought to complement professionals, not replace them.

5. AI and robotic systems should not counterfeit humanity.

6. AI should be prevented from intensifying zero-sum arms races.

Pasquale argues that the role robotics and AI play in society should not be left to Silicon Valley alone to dictate in that "we need to ensure lasting and democratized human control of the development of technology."[7]

Some opine that the computer revolution has brought about the malaise of "swollen heads" and "shrunken hearts" with many unable to draw on a wisdom of discernment greater than our own.[8]

Similarly, Joseph Weizenbaum, a pioneer of AI, recognized that we must not let computers make important decisions for us because AI as a machine will never possess human qualities such as compassion and wisdom to morally discern and judge.[9]

Discernment

Discernment is defined as "the ability to judge people and things well"[10] or, in Christian contexts, "perception in the absence of judgment with a view to obtaining spiritual guidance and understanding."[11] The word comes from a Latin word, cernere, which means to sift.

Discernment includes the capacity for self-reflection and awareness and empathy toward others abilities that are critical skills in allowing one to make sense of the world and of oneself, and to make judgments, including judgments about who one should be and howone should act.[12]

Discernment in the legal context can refer to the ability of a judge to evaluate the evidence presented in court, assess the credibility of witnesses, and make a sound judgment or decision regarding the case at hand.

Discernment involves careful consideration of all relevant facts and legal principles in order to arrive at a fair and just outcome.

Stated more simply, discernment is the exercise of both judgment and skill in weighing evidence and making legal determinations. U.S. Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart's "I know it when I see it" test for obscenity is a prime example of the use and need for legal discernment when facing difficult and complex issues.

But discernment does not begin and end on the bench. Rule 2.1 of the American Bar Association Model Rules of Professional Conduct provides:

In representing a client, a lawyer shall exercise independent professional judgment and render candid advice. In rendering advice, a lawyer may refer not only to law but to other considerations such as moral, economic, social and political factors, that may be relevant to the client's situation.[13]

In his paper titled "On Lawyers and Moral Discernment," Robert E. Rodes recognizes that lawyers should not advise their clients to do wrong, but in exercising discernment, they must also refrain from helping their clients do anything wrong that clients might think up for themselves:

Lawyers' moral discernment must extend not only to their clients' agendas but also to how far their service to their clients makes them complicit in whatever wrong the clients do.[14]

Rodes also recognizes that advocacy calls for moral dialogue, noting that a lawyer will make a more effective argument if he or she can lead the court or jury to a moral discernment consistent with the claim the lawyer is presenting.[15]

The process of enacting laws reflecting both public policy and the so-called golden rule also requires discernment, although according to Rodes, we "cannot effectively make people do good and avoid evil through the force of the enacted law, but we certainly do not want to deploy that force in favor of having them do evil and avoid good."[16]

Because the practice of law inherently refines the skills necessary for discernment which include the capacity to listen, awareness of ethical principles, a sense of purpose and discipline the legal community can offer a tremendous benefit in considering and weighing the benefits versus risks of AI, and lawyers should be at the ready to act as advocates and counselors as artificial technology advances.

For example, litigators regularly use their skills of discernment in crafting the theory of the case carefully evaluating the intersection between the application of the law and human psychology.

Similarly, criminal defense attorneys utilize discernment in advising clients regarding the pros and cons of testifying at trial giving careful consideration not only to the specific facts of the case, but the credibility of the defendant, their composure under pressure andhow convincing the testimony is likely to be to the jury.[17]

Additionally, in sentencing the convicted, judges review sentencing guidelines, but typically consider other factors such as whether the defendant has cooperated with the prosecution, and whether the crime is a one-time departure on the record of an otherwise well- intentioned person.[18]

Legislators, who are often attorneys, should employ similar discernment skills in making decisions on how to vote, whom to support and what causes to champion.[19]

They must also be cognizant of not only the political climate, but how certain votes will affect reelection. In facing a difficult decision, legislators will use their own beliefs, value system and listen to their conscience.[20]

Similar discernment skills should be utilized when determining the appropriateness of implementing and developing artificial intelligence; asking the hard questions, such as how much privacy are we willing to trade for efficiency; and whether we value human communication and interaction over automation.

One concrete example where discernment plays an important role is in regard to self-driving vehicles a technology with the potential for several ethical and moral dilemmas.

Debates continue as to whether the engineers who worked on the car technology should decide the ethics of self-driving cars or whether that task should be assigned to the government of the country where the vehicle will be driven.[21]

A team of experts at the Technical University of Munich have pioneered the world's first ethical algorithm for self-driving vehicles, which purportedly fairly distributes levels of risks instead of operating on an either-or principle.[22]

The ethical questions the TUM experts were asked to address include how the software handled unforeseeable events in order to make necessary decisions in the event of an impending accident.

According to Maximilian Geisslinger, a scientist at the TUM Chair of Automotive Technology:

Until now, autonomous vehicles were always faced with an either/or choice when encountering an ethical decision. But street traffic can't necessarily be divided into clear-cut, black-and-white situations; much more, the countless grey shades in between have to be considered as well. Our algorithm weighs various risks and makes an ethical choice from among thousands of possible behaviors and does so in a matter of only a fraction of a second.[23]

The TUM researchers explained, however, that even though algorithms using risk ethics can make decisions based on the ethical principles of each traffic situation, they cannot ensure accident-free street traffic. Therefore, moving forward, additional differentiations, such as cultural differences in ethical decision making, will need to be considered.

Notably, Georgia Tech's research into object recognition in self-driving cars found that pedestrians with dark skin were hit about 5% more often than people with light skin. They found that the data used to train the AI model was likely the source of the injustice: The data set contained about 3.5 times as many examples of people with lighter skin, so the AI model could recognize them better.

According to a G2.com article, "That seemingly small difference could have had deadly consequences when it comes to something as potentially dangerous as self-driving cars hitting people."[24]

Ford Motor Co. recently collaborated with Chris Gerdes, professor emeritus of mechanical engineering and co-director of the Center for Automotive Research at Stanford University to address the ethical problems involved in self-driving vehicles.

According to Gerdes, the solution is apparent and is built into the social contract we already have with other drivers, as set out in established traffic laws and interpreted by courts.[25]

Gerdes believes that if self-driving vehicles can be programmed to uphold the legal duty of care owed to all road users, then collisions will only occur when somebody else violates their duty of care to the self-driving vehicle or there's some sort of mechanical failure, or a tree falls on the road, or a sinkhole opens.

However, if another road user violates their duty of care to the self-driving vehicle by running a red light, the principles we've articulated state that the self-driving vehicle nevertheless owes that person a duty of care and should do whatever it can up to the physical limits of the vehicle to avoid a collision.[26]

Notably, Gerdes' proposed solution follows years of research and lengthy discussions with teams of philosophers, engineers and lawyers.

Lawyers who have mastered the skill of discernment must be at the ready to address difficult questions as technology advances, such as: Do we, as a society, feel comfortable with a computer algorithm deciding if a self-driving vehicle will swerve when a child runs out in traffic?

Similarly, what are the ethical implications related to law enforcement's use of facial recognition databases to identify participants of anti-government protests and create so-called strategic subject lists of likely future criminals?[27]

What are the ethical implications of software programs evaluating certain genetic markers to determine a person's likelihood of developing cancer without any human-to-human interaction?

Other difficult questions that are likely to be addressed as AI advances include whether AI machines might be entitled to certain rights, such as the right to be free from destruction and the right to be protected by the legal system.[28]

To that end, because it is unlikely that technological advancements will cease, the search for true discernment accelerates and deepens. We, the legal professionals of a global society, need to do our part in exercising discernment in forming a partnership between spirit and mind as the frontier of human progress shapes the future.

[1] https://www.simplilearn.com/tutorials/artificial-intelligence-tutorial/ai-vs-machine-learning-vs-deep-learning (last visited April 5, 2023).

[2] https://www.techtarget.com/searchenterpriseai/definition/AI-Artificial-Intelligence (lastvisited April 6, 2023).

[3] https://news.harvard.edu/gazette/story/2020/10/ethical-concerns-mount-as-ai-takes-bigger-decision-making-role/ (last visited April 6, 2023).

[4] https://www.liberties.eu/en/stories/ai-regulation/43740 (last visited April 6, 2023).

[5] "Runaround," Asimov (1942).

[6] https://onezero.medium.com/its-time-to-add-4-new-laws-of-robotics-8791139cdb11 (last visited April 5, 2023).

[7] Id.

[8] Skills of Discernment, Dr. Charles Waddy.

[9] Joseph Weizenbaum,Computer Power and Human Reason from Judgement to Calculation.San Francisco: W H Freeman Publishing; 1976.

[10] https://dictionary.cambridge.org/us/dictionary/english/discernment.

[11] Google.com (last viewed February 27, 2023).

[12] Gosselin, "Cultivating Discernment." Jesuit Higher Education: A Journal 1, 1 (2012).

[13] https://www.americanbar.org/groups/professional_responsibility/policy/ethics_2000_commission/e2k_rule21/ (last viewed February 27, 2023).

[14] Robert Rodes, On Lawyers and Moral Discernment, 46 J. Cath. Leg. Stud. 259 (2007).

[15] Id.

[16] Id.

[17] https://www.protasslaw.com/factors-to-consider-in-deciding-whether-to-testify-at-trial/ (last visited April 8, 2023).

[18] https://www.mololamken.com/knowledge-How-Does-a-Judge-Decide-What-Sentence-To-Impose-on-a-Defendant (last visited April 8, 2023).

[19] https://www.socialstudies.org/advocacy/how-legislators-make-decisions (last visited April 8, 2023).

[20] Id.

[21] https://www.forbes.com/sites/naveenjoshi/2022/08/05/5-moral-dilemmas-that-self-driving-cars-face-today/?sh=7a0ca236630d (last visited April 13, 2023).

[22] https://www.innovationnewsnetwork.com/autonomous-vehicles-made-safe-with-the-worlds-first-ethical-algorithm/29569 (last visited April 20, 2023).

[23] Id.

[24] https://learn.g2.com/ai-ethics.

[25] https://hai.stanford.edu/news/designing-ethical-self-driving-cars (last visited April 13,2023).

[26] Id.

[27] Aziz Huq, "Constitutional Rights in the Machine Learning State", Public Law and Legal Theory Working Paper Series, No. 752 , page 18 (2020).

[28] https://www.jdsupra.com/legalnews/should-ai-machines-have-rights-4583419/ (lastvisited April 18, 2023).

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Lawyer Discernment Is Critical In The World Of AI - JD Supra

To paraphrase the great Billy Joel, summer means "cold beers, hot nights" and blockbuster movies.

Though the start of summer isn't until June 21, the summer movie season starts in earnest in May and runs through August. With the slate of 2023 movies coming out over the summer months, there are plenty of options for multiple visits to the movie theaters this summer.

We at What to Watch have plenty that we're excited to see over the next four months, from big action movies to alternative indie fare playing both in theaters and streaming at home. But for the purposes of this preview post, we're sticking with the big tentpole movies that give blockbusters their name.

Read on to see what movie we have ranked as our most anticipated blockbuster movie of the summer.

The Little Mermaidis absolutely something that we are looking forward to this summer. FeaturingGrown-ishstar Halle Bailey as Ariel andBridesmaidsfunny lady Melissa McCarthy as Ursula, the movie places is the latest live-action adaptation on a Disney classic. Not only is there some long-built-up anticipation to listen to retooled versions of the hit songs "Part of Your World" and "Under the Sea," but we hear that Ursula is getting a different backstory this go around, which should prove interesting for those of us that have seen the animated movie one or 20 times. Terrell Smith

It wouldn't be summer without a broad comedy. Throw in Jennifer Lawrence and you have our attention. In No Hard Feelings, the Oscar-winning actress stars as a down-on-her-luck delivery driver who gets the opportunity for some much needed cash if she helps bring a painfully awkward teenager out of his shell before he heads off to college. Director Gene Stupnitsky was behind the hilarious 2019 hit comedy, Good Boys, can he do it again? We've got a good feeling about this one. Michael Balderston

Horror movies can no longer just be contained to Halloween season, as a number of horror movies are coming out as part of the summer blockbuster season. But the one that we're most looking forward tells a different version of a classic movie monster, Dracula.

The Last Voyage of the Demeter is based on a single chapter from Bram Stoker's original novel about Dracula's journey to London, where the entire crew of the Demeter vanishes without a trace. But how does that happen? This movie will hopefully tell us in fantastically gory detail. Michael Balderston

This summer, Disney and Pixar are whisking us away to Element City, where citizens of all four elements air, earth, fire and water live and work. The golden rule seems to be that they cannot mix, which is precisely what happens when Wade (Mamoudou Athie) splashes down in Firetown after a plumbing incident gone wrong and meets Ember (Leah Lewis).

Elemental looks every bit as creative and visually impressive as you want a new Disney/Pixar adventure to be, packed full of color and life. I'm excited to go on this next journey with our new young heroes. Martin Shore

It's the end of the road for Star Lord, Gamora, Drax, Rocket, Groot and Mantis.Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3promises to be one of the biggest hits of the summer as the Guardians face the music one last time. Speaking of music, we're excited to get another killer soundtrack from James Gunn, loaded with retro Top-40 hits as well as B-side gems. It's also Gunn's Marvel Studios swan song as he focused on his work at DC. All in all, GOTG Vol. 3 should deliver action, adventure and plenty of nostalgia as the Guardians fly off into the sunset. Sarabeth Pollock

When I think of a summer blockbuster, I think of all-out action and explosions aplenty. And this summer, we're being reunited once again with Dominic Torreto (Vin Diesel) and the family in Fast X as they do battle with drugs kingpin Dante Reyes (Jason Momoa), who's seeking revenge after Dom and Co. took out his father way back in Fast Five.

Everything we've seen so far suggests we're getting all the best parts of the Fast franchise. Expect even more bombastic action and souped-up supercars as Dom and his crew take on their most terrifying foe yet. Martin Shore

The hype around Barbie has been huge, largely due to the fact that it's got such an intriguing ensemble cast. Stars like Margot Robbie, Ryan Gosling, Will Ferrell, Helen Mirren, Simu Liu, Michael Cera, Kate McKinnon, John Cena, Alexandra Ship, Emerald Fennell and Emma Mackey are all part of the big line-up.

With Little Women's Greta Gerwig at the helm, we certainly have a lot of faith that she will deliver one of the biggest summer movies, transporting us to the colorful, whimsical world of Barbieland and beyond. There's still a bit of mystery surrounding the movie and we can't wait to see what happens. Lucy Buglass

The Flash is one of the greatest Hollywood mysteries we've seen in a long time. Its behind the scenes drama of multiple directors, release dates, complications with Ezra Miller and the new direction of DC movies is fascinating. Then there's Tom Cruise, who hasn't made a movie with Warner Bros. since Edge of Tomorrow so has no real reason to lie, raving about the movie. Amid all the changes at Warner Bros. Discovery, The Flash has stayed afloat. Does it truly have the goods to back all that up? We can't wait to find out. Michael Balderston

We've seen plenty of Spider-Man movies before, but we had never seen anything like Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse when it hit screens in 2018. Five years is a long time to wait, but we are finally getting to continue Miles Morales' story with Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse, which is set to feature more alternate dimension Spider-Men and Women than you can sling a web at. Even in a summer with the third Guardians of the Galaxy movie and the much hyped The Flash, Spider-Man: Across the Spider-Verse is our most anticipated superhero movie of the season. Michael Balderston

Now, this is seriously exciting! Harrison Ford is swashbuckling his way onto the screen for a final glorious time as Indiana. The buzz around the movie, set in the middle of the Space Race, suggests this is going to be a corker and hopefully get near the heights of the first movie, Raiders of the Lost Arc. Obviously, there are some Nazis thrown in "Nazis. I hate these guys" with Mads Mikkelsen starring as the chief villain. Plus Phoebe Waller-Bridge joins the party as Indiana's goddaughter Helena and the legendary John Williams is providing the score. David Hollingsworth

I'll be the first to admit how disappointed I was with Christopher Nolan's last movie, Tenet, but that does not damper the excitement over Oppenheimer one bit. This star-studded movie (Cillian Murphy, Matt Damon, Emily Blunt, Florence Pugh, Robert Downey Jr., Gary Oldman and more) is not your typical blockbuster fare focusing on the "father" of the atomic bomb, J. Robert Oppenheimer but Christopher Nolan does not do small, so we can only expect he is going to tell an epic story. Oh, and he reportedly recreated a nuclear explosion without CGI, and that we've got to see on the big screen. Michael Balderston

Can Tom Cruise have the biggest summer blockbuster two years in a row? That's TBD, but at the very least Mission: Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One is our most anticipated summer blockbuster of 2023. The Mission: Impossible franchise has been on an absolute tear with its last few movies, and Dead Reckoning is the first of the planned two part conclusion for the franchise and features what is being described as Tom Cruise's biggest stunt yet. Tom Cruise putting life and limb on the line again for our entertainment? Count us in. Michael Balderston

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12 blockbuster movies for summer 2023 ranked: we can't wait! - What To Watch

She described her past year as a member of the Royal Family as hard and really challenging.

Look, any woman especially when they are pregnant youre really vulnerable and so that was made really challenging, she said. Then when you have a newborn, and especially as a woman, its a lot, so you add this on top of just trying to be a new mum or trying to be a newlywed.

The Duchess added: It's not enough to just survive something. Right? That's not the point of life. You've got to thrive, youve got to feel happy and I think I really tried to adopt this British sensibility of a stiff upper lip.

Adjoa Andoh, narrator of The Real Crown, recalled the interview, saying: Meghan has broken the golden rule: never share the secrets of the Royal Family.

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Meghan broke 'golden rule' months before royal exit and has done so ever since - Express

Art by Abby Wilt

Love, and how people show and receive it, comes in many forms.

These acts of love, or loving kindness, reverberates throughout people of different religious beliefs.

We need to grant each other the dignity of difference, we also need to find those things that build bridges between our differences and loving kindness does that, said John Barton, professor of religion and philosophy and director for the Center of Faith and Learning.

A thread Barton said connects world religions is what is known in Christianity as the Golden Rule.

Do unto others as youd have them do unto you, Barton said. Which Christians find in Matthew 7:12, but a version of that is found in Confucianism, Hinduism and Jainism. I mean, its everywhere Sikhism, Bahai, I mean, its just everywhere.

The Golden Rule

Barton said his primary research and teaching area is religious diversity and world religions. Barton published a book, Better Religions, on Oct. 1, about building peace between different religions. He points to the shared belief in the Golden Rule as one way forward.

Confucianism is a school of ideological thought focused on social and cultural etiquette. Confucianism also details expectations for different relationships, and the Golden Rule is at its center.

The Confucian Golden Rule is one of the earliest versions of the Golden Rule, which we find in the teachings of Confucius, which is at least half a millennium before Jesus said it, Barton said.

Confucius writings point toward orderliness in daily and social life, and values universal kindness.

Confucius actually states it in the opposite way that Jesus does, Barton said. Jesus says, Do unto others as youd have them do unto you. Confucius says something like, Dont do to others what you dont want them to do to you.

Daoism also has a version of the Golden Rule, Barton said detailing living without resistance and in harmony with the flow of the cosmos.

From a nonreligious perspective, Barton said Utilitarianism, the most popular religously neutral ethical theory today, has this ethic.

It says we should always act in such a way that brings about the greatest amount of happiness to the greatest number of people, Barton said.

The motivation here, Barton said, might just be evolutionary survival.

And yet, it still provides a connection.

Its not the concept itself, but its the ethic of loving kindness and compassion that I find isnt an essential core, but its a useful overlap that we find in all religions, Barton said. It gives us a platform.

Words of love

Barton said because religions are so diverse, not every religion has an exact one-to-one translation of the word love.

Love is very much a concept that is at home in the Abrahamic religions, Barton said. So Judaism, Christianity and Islam.

Judaism uses chesed is to mean loving kindness, Barton said. Throughout the Hebrew Bible especially in the Psalms people respond to Gods loving kindness with praise.

In Christianity, there is the word agape, which has a core concept of unconditional love, Barton said.

I would say that the Greek concept that we find in the New Testament is a Greek derivation of chesed, the idea of Gods loving kindness that God is a God of loving kindness, unconditional loving kindness, Barton said.

In Islam, Barton said there is taleef a mutual love and commitment to each other as human beings. The word Islam itself is derived from an Arabic word that means peace and solace.

This idea that the foundations of peace is this mutual compassion, mutual mercy, this mutual love that we extend to one another, and thats what God calls people to, Barton said.

Islam is very clear this love should be extended to others, Barton said.

When speaking about the Indian religions Hinduism, Jainism and Buddhism Barton said while there may not be a direct translation for the word love, there is an ethic of loving kindness.

The word karuna is the Sanskrit word for compassion, Barton said. In Hinduism and Jainism, there is the concept of ahimsa, meaning non-harm or nonviolence. These ideas, and the ethic of mercy and compassion, is very similar to the Abrahamic concept of love.

The thing that holds together all the worlds traditions, all the worlds religious traditions, is not as much concepts or ideas about God and the universe or doctrines, but its an ethic, Barton said.

Unconditional love

Serah Hodson, senior and intern for Relationship IQ, said a huge meaning of the word love, for her, is selflessness.

Hodson said she was raised in a nondenominational Protestant church from birth and was steeped in Christianity her entire life before coming to Pepperdine.

As a child, Hodson said her faith was very legalistic and it wasnt until she was 12 that she learned what it meant for God to love her.love her. Hodson said it is still easy for her to fall back into that legalistic lens.

However, when she believes God loves everyone unconditionally, Hodson said her experiences are more holistic.

Then my interactions with other people are not dependent on what they do or the boxes they check or how good I think they are, but dependent on like, I believe that there is something worthy and good in the core of you, Hodson said.

Love, Hodson said, prompts her to make the people around her better she sees this in the context of her interactions with her younger sister and the advice she has given her.

Its really cool to see the ways that Ive poured into her and tried to teach her because I love her now being used [for her] to pour into other people, teach other people, because she loves them, Hodson said.

Love without judgment

Art Professor Yvette Gellis said her husband, Andrew, is Jewish, whereas she was raised Roman Catholic. In her deep relationship with Jesus Christ, Gellis said she learned to love without judgment.

What does matter is the original message of Jesus Christ, which was one of love, and then you start to see that were all connected, everyone, Gellis said. Thats why in an interfaith marriage, it didnt matter. Because we are all connected.

After a month of dating, Gellis said her husband invited her to a Bar Mitzvah. This was her first time attending a Jewish service, and Gellis said her husband showed her how seriously he took his faith, which impressed her.

I saw that he would be a wonderful father, Gellis said. I saw that he would be faithful to me. I saw that he was an honorable man, who had an enormous amount of integrity. And I fell in love. I knew in that moment, I could marry him.

Another month went by and the two went on a camping trip up the face of Yosemite. On the way down, Gellis said Andrew asked her to marry him, to which she replied, Really? She would say yes the third time he asked.

A path to work toward

Junior Eddie Li said for him, love is being generous to people. Growing up in China, Li said he studied Confucianism, which impacted his life.

[Confucius] definitely sees love similar to the way I do, Li said. He definitely doesnt want to stop or delve into a romantic love. His love is a love between relations families, friends between people even people we are not familiar with, with strangers.

A world that practiced love like Confucius would be more peaceful, Li said, because everyone would be content in their love.

Parents, for example, may not often express love to their child verbally, Li said, but rather express it through actions such as cooking.

Love is more continuous, Li said. Kindness can be shown from time to time, but love is pretty consistent. It happens on a regular basis, whereas kindness can be shown to anybody at any time.

Love, Li said, is more of a choice, but people are inclined to love each other.

Confucius will say that you have to love everybody, Li said. But he is demanding that for a sage and that is not something I can attain as a normal human being. But it is a path to work toward.

A platform for peace

The unity of a shared ethic of loving kindness, Barton said, provides a way to connect people who have vastly different lived experiences.

While the one-to-one translation of love may not exist in all religions, Barton said loving kindness does. These joint ethics help people navigate an increasingly globalized world.

While it has been true for thousands of years that this Golden Rule ethic is a thread between and among different religions, that fact is more urgently important in the 21st century than it has ever been, because were living in each others backyards, Barton said.

When preparing for marriage, Gellis said all the priests and rabbis wanted to know was how they would raise their children which Gellis said they never really talked about.

The most important thing, Gellis said, is support for one another.

I will say, its easier if you find someone in your own faith, without a doubt, Gellis said. But if you have that kind of love, you support each other my husband never once didnt support who I was as a person.

Hodson said she uses her knowledge that God loves her as a guidepost when interacting with a faith community where there is a lot of judgment and tradition mixed with social positioning.

Being aware of the image of God in other people allows me to, in a day-to-day kind of way, ignore divisions between people and more like, not ignore, but pick a better thing to focus on, Hodson said.

___________________

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Contact Samantha Torre via Twitter (@Sam_t394) or email: sam.torre@pepperdine.edu

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We Are All Connected: Loving One Another in Different Religions - Graphic

If you love or loathe the sometimes-tedious task of going over your writing with a fine-tooth comb to ensure proper grammar, consider yourself in good company. We are an empathetic group of linguaphiles over here with an expert in tow to help navigate AP style updates and maneuver through the changes.

Mignon Fogarty, better known as Grammar Girl of theQuick and Dirty Tips Podcast Network,shared her expertise during a recent Ragan webinar with the nitty-gritty of AP style, including the serial comma, headline style, pronouns and more.

Serial comma

Sure, some of the more hotly contested debates of where you stand with hot dog condiment preferences (ketchup all the way) are akin to writers points of contention that often circle back to whether or not to use the good old serial comma, also called the Oxford comma.

AP style does not use the serial comma in simple lists like red, white and blue. However, its more of a style preference than a hard-fast rule, Fogarty says, though many treat it like a Golden Rule.

There are some reasons to use the serial comma, however mostly when it adds additional clarity.

Do use a serial comma when series elements contain conjunctions.

For example, AP Style would word the following sentence this way: I like peanut butter and jelly, ham and eggs, and macaroni and cheese.

You would use a comma before the and that comes in the last element, Fogarty said. You do this even if one of those items contains an and.

Headlines and numbers

Engaging headlines should be in sentence case and present tense.

When writing headlines, per AP style, capitalize only the first letter of the first word (plus proper nouns) as you would in a standard sentence, minus the period, Fogarty said. Question marks are OK.

When using a colon, the first word after a colon in a headline is capitalized. Side note, in body copy, you only capitalize after the colon if its a proper noun or a complete sentence - otherwise, no capitalization.

Headlines always use Arabic numerals even if the number is the first word (except zero).

Examples of using numbers in headlines: are 7 ways to top a potato and Smith gets 3 years in prison.

This is in contrast to the general rule for body copy, Fogarty said, which is to write out Arabic numerals less than 10 and use Arabic numerals for the rest.

When writing big numbers in headlines, less is often more as millions and billions can be shortened to $5M or $5.5B with a capital M and B and no spaces in between.

Pronouns

Fogarty describes personal pronoun use as an active area of language change, which continue to be updated throughout AP Style as attitudes toward gender change.

For example, it used to be correct to write, zookeepers must protect his animals, defaulting to the male pronoun as default. However, now AP style says its better to rewrite as, zookeepers must protect their animals, using the gender-neutral singular their, or a zookeeper must protect the animals removing the need for a pronoun altogether.

For people who dont identify as male or female, AP allows the singular they but does not use newer pronouns like xe or ze, according to Fogartys presentation.

Fogarty recommends that communicators explain that the person prefers a gender-neutral pronoun while being clear that the terminology does not imply its more than one person.

Sherri Kolade is a writer at Ragan Communications. When she is not with her family, she enjoys watching Alfred Hitchcock-style films, reading and building an authentically curated life that includes more than occasionally finding something deliciously fried. Follow her onLinkedIn. Have a great PR story idea? Email her at sherrik@ragan.com.

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Grammar Girl AP style tips on the Oxford comma, headlines and more - PR Daily