We believe that the Holy Bible was written by men divinely inspired, that it is truth without mixture of error, and that it is the standard by which all human conduct and creeds shall be tried.
References: 2 Peter 1: 19-20 - We have also a more sure word of prophecy; whereunto ye do well that ye take heed, as unto a light that shineth in a dark place, until the day dawn, and the day star arise in your hearts: Knowing this first, that no prophecy of the scripture is of any private interpretation.
Hebrews 4:12 - For the word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any twoedged sword, piercing even to the dividing asunder of soul and spirit, and of the joints and marrow, and is a discerner of the thoughts and intents of the heart.
2 Timothy 3:15-17 - And that from a child thou hast known the holy scriptures, which are able to make thee wise unto salvation through faith which is in Christ Jesus. All scripture is given by inspiration of God, and is profitable for doctrine, for reproof, for correction, for instruction in righteousness: That the man of God may be perfect, throughly furnished unto all good works.
THE TRUE GOD
We believe that there is one, and only one, true and living God, and that in the Unity of the God Head, there are three (3) persons: the Father, the Son, the Holy Spirit.
John 10:30 - I and my Father are one. (Jesus Christ)
1 John 5:7 - For there are three that bear record in heaven, the Father, the Word, and the Holy Ghost: and these three are one.
John 14:26 - But the Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you. (Jesus Christ)
John 16: 13-15 - Howbeit when he, the Spirit of truth, is come, he will guide you into all truth: for he shall not speak of himself; but whatsoever he shall hear, that shall he speak: and he will shew you things to come. He shall glorify me: for he shall receive of mine, and shall shew it unto you. All things that the Father hath are mine: therefore said I, that he shall take of mine, and shall shew it unto you. (Jesus Christ).
THE FALL of MAN
We believe that man was created in holiness, and by his voluntary transgression, he fell from that Holy and happy state; in consequence of which, all mankind are now sinners and are under condemnation of eternal ruin.
Genesis 1:27 - So God created man in his own image, in the image of God created he him; male and female created he them.
Romans 5:12 - Wherefore, as by one man sin entered into the world, and death by sin; and so death passed upon all men, for that all have sinned:
Genesis 3:6-7 - And when the woman saw that the tree was good for food, and that it was pleasant to the eyes, and a tree to be desired to make one wise, she took of the fruit thereof, and did eat, and gave also unto her husband with her; and he did eat. And the eyes of them both were opened, and they knew that they were naked; and they sewed fig leaves together, and made themselves aprons.
THE WAY of SALVATION
We believe that the salvation of sinners is wholly of grace, through the atoning death and bodily resurrection of Jesus Christ.
Ephesians 2:8 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God:
Isaiah 53:4-5 - Surely he hath borne our griefs, and carried our sorrows: yet we did esteem him stricken, smitten of God, and afflicted. But he was wounded for our transgressions, he was bruised for our iniquities: the chastisement of our peace was upon him; and with his stripes we are healed.
Hebrews 7:25 - Wherefore he is able also to save them to the uttermost that come unto God by him, seeing he ever liveth to make intercession for them.
Hebrews 11:6 - But without faith it is impossible to please him: for he that cometh to God must believe that he is, and that he is a rewarder of them that diligently seek him.
We believe that through justification, the perfect righteousness of God is imputed to believers in Christ Jesus.
Acts 13:39 - And by him all that believe are justified from all things, from which ye could not be justified by the law of Moses.
Romans 5: 1-2 - Therefore being justified by faith, we have peace with God through our Lord Jesus Christ: By whom also we have access by faith into this grace wherein we stand, and rejoice in hope of the glory of God.
1 Corinthians 6:11 - And such were some of you: but ye are washed, but ye are sanctified, but ye are justified in the name of the Lord Jesus, and by the Spirit of our God.
Romans 8: 32-33 - He that spared not his own Son, but delivered him up for us all, how shall he not with him also freely give us all things? Who shall lay any thing to the charge of God's elect? It is God that justifieth.
THE FREENESS of SALVATION
We believe that the blessings of salvation are made free to all by the Gospel, and that nothing prevents the salvation of the greatest sinner but his/her own rebellion against God and the rejection of the Gospel.
Isaiah 55:1 - Ho, every one that thirsteth, come ye to the waters, and he that hath no money; come ye, buy, and eat; yea, come, buy wine and milk without money and without price.
John 3:16 - For God so loved the world, that he gave his only begotten Son, that whosoever believeth in him should not perish, but have everlasting life.
GRACE in REGENERATION
We believe that in order to be saved, sinners must be regenerated, or born again, through the work of the Holy Spirit.
John 3:3 - Jesus answered and said unto him, Verily, verily, I say unto thee, Except a man be born again, he cannot see the kingdom of God.
2 Corinthians 5:17 - Therefore if any man be in Christ, he is a new creature: old things are passed away; behold, all things are become new.
REPENTANCE and FAITH
We believe that repentance and faith are inseparable graces, wrought in our souls by the regenerating Spirit of God, and are essential steps in salvation.
Mark 1:15 - And saying, The time is fulfilled, and the kingdom of God is at hand: repent ye, and believe the gospel.
Romans 10:9 - That if thou shalt confess with thy mouth the Lord Jesus, and shalt believe in thine heart that God hath raised him from the dead, thou shalt be saved.
Ephesians 2:8-9 - For by grace are ye saved through faith; and that not of yourselves: it is the gift of God: Not of works, lest any man should boast.
Colossians 2:14 - Blotting out the handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us, and took it out of the way, nailing it to his cross;
GOD'S PURPOSE of GRACE
We believe that election unto salvation is the eternal purpose of God, according to which He graciously regenerates, sanctifies, and saves sinners: and, that this is consistent with the free agency of man.
Romans 8:28-31 - And we know that all things work together for good to them that love God, to them who are the called according to his purpose. For whom he did foreknow, he also did predestinate to be conformed to the image of his Son, that he might be the firstborn among many brethren. Moreover whom he did predestinate, them he also called: and whom he called, them he also justified: and whom he justified, them he also glorified. What shall we then say to these things? If God be for us, who can be against us?
2 Peter 1:10-11 - Wherefore the rather, brethren, give diligence to make your calling and election sure: for if ye do these things, ye shall never fall: For so an entrance shall be ministered unto you abundantly into the everlasting kingdom of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ.
We believe that sanctification is a progressive process by which the believer is made partaker of God's Holiness, and this process begins in regeneration. It is carried on in the hearts of believers by the presence and power of the Holy Spirit.
1 Thessalonians 4:3-4 - For this is the will of God, even your sanctification, that ye should abstain from fornication: That every one of you should know how to possess his vessel in sanctification and honour;
5:23 - And the very God of peace sanctify you wholly; and I pray God your whole spirit and soul and body be preserved blameless unto the coming of our Lord Jesus Christ.
Philippians 2:12-13 - Wherefore, my beloved, as ye have always obeyed, not as in my presence only, but now much more in my absence, work out your own salvation with fear and trembling. For it is God which worketh in you both to will and to do of his good pleasure.
THE PERSEVERANCE of the SAINTS
We believe that only real believers endure to the end and that they are kept by the power of God through faith in Jesus Christ.
Romans 8:38-39 - For I am persuaded, that neither death, nor life, nor angels, nor principalities, nor powers, nor things present, nor things to come, nor height, nor depth, nor any other creature, shall be able to separate us from the love of God, which is in Christ Jesus our Lord.
2 Timothy 1:12 - For the which cause I also suffer these things: nevertheless I am not ashamed: for I know whom I have believed, and am persuaded that he is able to keep that which I have committed unto him against that day.
Matthew 10:22 - And ye shall be hated of all men for my name's sake: but he that endureth to the end shall be saved.
A GOSPEL CHURCH
We believe that a visible Church of Christ is a congregation of baptized believers, bound together in the faith and fellowship of the Gospel; observing the Ordinances of Christ; and, that Jesus committed the ministry of His Gospel to His Church.
Acts 2:41-42 - Then they that gladly received his word were baptized: and the same day there were added unto them about three thousand souls. And they continued stedfastly in the apostles' doctrine and fellowship, and in breaking of bread, and in prayers.
Matthew 28:18-20 - And Jesus came and spake unto them, saying, All power is given unto me in heaven and in earth. Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost: Teaching them to observe all things whatsoever I have commanded you: and, lo, I am with you alway, even unto the end of the world. Amen.
BAPTISM and THE LORD'S SUPPER
A. We believe that Christian Baptism is the immersion in water of the believer, in the Name of The Father, The Son, and The Holy Spirit; and, that baptism shows forth our faith in the crucified, buried, and risen Savior. We also believe, on the authority of the New Testament, that Baptism is a prerequisite to the Lord's Supper, and only those who have been scripturally baptized are proper subjectd for the Lord's Supper.
References: Acts 8:36-38 - And as they went on their way, they came unto a certain water: and the eunuch said, See, here is water; what doth hinder me to be baptized? And Philip said, If thou believest with all thine heart, thou mayest. And he answered and said, I believe that Jesus Christ is the Son of God. And he commanded the chariot to stand still: and they went down both into the water, both Philip and the eunuch; and he baptized him.
Matthew 28:19 - Go ye therefore, and teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost
B. We believe the Lord's Supper does show forth the broken body and the shed blood of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins.
Matthew 26:26-28 - And as they were eating, Jesus took bread, and blessed it, and brake it, and gave it to the disciples, and said, Take, eat; this is my body. And he took the cup, and gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, Drink ye all of it; For this is my blood of the new testament, which is shed for many for the remission of sins.
1 Corinthians 10:16-17 - The cup of blessing which we bless, is it not the communion of the blood of Christ? The bread which we break, is it not the communion of the body of Christ? For we being many are one bread, and one body: for we are all partakers of that one bread.
1 Corinthians 11:23-28 - For I have received of the Lord that which also I delivered unto you, That the Lord Jesus the same night in which he was betrayed took bread: And when he had given thanks, he brake it, and said, Take, eat: this is my body, which is broken for you: this do in remembrance of me. After the same manner also he took the cup, when he had supped, saying, This cup is the new testament in my blood: this do ye, as oft as ye drink it, in remembrance of me. For as often as ye eat this bread, and drink this cup, ye do shew the Lord's death till he come. Wherefore whosoever shall eat this bread, and drink this cup of the Lord, unworthily, shall be guilty of the body and blood of the Lord. But let a man examine himself, and so let him eat of that bread, and drink of that cup.
THE CHRISTIAN SABBATH
We believe that the first day of the week is The Lord's Day and that it is to be kept sacred for Christian purposes.
Matthew 12:8 - For the Son of man is Lord even of the sabbath day.
Acts 20:7 - And upon the first day of the week, when the disciples came together to break bread, Paul preached unto them, ready to depart on the morrow; and continued his speech until midnight.
Exodus 20:8 - Remember the sabbath day, to keep it holy.
We believe that civil government is of divine appointment, for the interests and good of human society; except only in things opposed to the Will of our Lord, Jesus Christ, who is the Prince of the Kings of the Earth.
1 Peter 2:13-17 - Submit yourselves to every ordinance of man for the Lord's sake: whether it be to the king, as supreme; Or unto governors, as unto them that are sent by him for the punishment of evildoers, and for the praise of them that do well. For so is the will of God, that with well doing ye may put to silence the ignorance of foolish men: As free, and not using your liberty for a cloke of maliciousness, but as the servants of God. Honour all men. Love the brotherhood. Fear God. Honour the king.
Romans 13:1-7 - Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God. Whosoever therefore resisteth the power, resisteth the ordinance of God: and they that resist shall receive to themselves damnation. For rulers are not a terror to good works, but to the evil. Wilt thou then not be afraid of the power? do that which is good, and thou shalt have praise of the same: For he is the minister of God to thee for good. But if thou do that which is evil, be afraid; for he beareth not the sword in vain: for he is the minister of God, a revenger to execute wrath upon him that doeth evil. Wherefore ye must needs be subject, not only for wrath, but also for conscience sake. For for this cause pay ye tribute also: for they are God's ministers, attending continually upon this very thing. Render therefore to all their dues: tribute to whom tribute is due; custom to whom custom; fear to whom fear; honour to whom honour.
THE RIGHTEOUS and the WICKED
We believe that there is a difference between the righteous and the wicked and that only through faith in Jesus Christ are we righteous; and, that the distinction holds among men, both before and after death.
Matthew 25:31-46 - When the Son of man shall come in his glory, and all the holy angels with him, then shall he sit upon the throne of his glory: And before him shall be gathered all nations: and he shall separate them one from another, as a shepherd divideth his sheep from the goats: And he shall set the sheep on his right hand, but the goats on the left. Then shall the King say unto them on his right hand, Come, ye blessed of my Father, inherit the kingdom prepared for you from the foundation of the world: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me in: Naked, and ye clothed me: I was sick, and ye visited me: I was in prison, and ye came unto me. Then shall the righteous answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, and fed thee? or thirsty, and gave thee drink? When saw we thee a stranger, and took thee in? or naked, and clothed thee? Or when saw we thee sick, or in prison, and came unto thee? And the King shall answer and say unto them, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye have done it unto one of the least of these my brethren, ye have done it unto me. Then shall he say also unto them on the left hand, Depart from me, ye cursed, into everlasting fire, prepared for the devil and his angels: For I was an hungred, and ye gave me no meat: I was thirsty, and ye gave me no drink: I was a stranger, and ye took me not in: naked, and ye clothed me not: sick, and in prison, and ye visited me not. Then shall they also answer him, saying, Lord, when saw we thee an hungred, or athirst, or a stranger, or naked, or sick, or in prison, and did not minister unto thee? Then shall he answer them, saying, Verily I say unto you, Inasmuch as ye did it not to one of the least of these, ye did it not to me. And these shall go away into everlasting punishment: but the righteous into life eternal.
Revelation 21:7-8 - He that overcometh shall inherit all things; and I will be his God, and he shall be my son. But the fearful, and unbelieving, and the abominable, and murderers, and whoremongers, and sorcerers, and idolaters, and all liars, shall have their part in the lake which burneth with fire and brimstone: which is the second death.
THE WORLD to COME
We believe that at the last day Christ will come from heaven and raise the dead from the grave to final retribution; that a solemn separation will then take place; that the wicked will then be adjudged to eternal punishment, and the righteous to endless joy; and, that this judgement will fix forever the final state of men in heaven or hell, on principles of righteousness.
Acts 1:11 - Which also said, Ye men of Galilee, why stand ye gazing up into heaven? this same Jesus, which is taken up from you into heaven, shall so come in like manner as ye have seen him go into heaven. 24:15 - And have hope toward God, which they themselves also allow, that there shall be a resurrection of the dead, both of the just and unjust.
Matthew 13:49 - So shall it be at the end of the world: the angels shall come forth, and sever the wicked from among the just,
25:31-46 (see "THE RIGHTEOUS and the WICKED")
1 Thessalonians 4:13-18 - But I would not have you to be ignorant, brethren, concerning them which are asleep, that ye sorrow not, even as others which have no hope. For if we believe that Jesus died and rose again, even so them also which sleep in Jesus will God bring with him. For this we say unto you by the word of the Lord, that we which are alive and remain unto the coming of the Lord shall not prevent them which are asleep. For the Lord himself shall descend from heaven with a shout, with the voice of the archangel, and with the trump of God: and the dead in Christ shall rise first: Then we which are alive and remain shall be caught up together with them in the clouds, to meet the Lord in the air: and so shall we ever be with the Lord. Wherefore comfort one another with these words. 5:1-11 - But of the times and the seasons, brethren, ye have no need that I write unto you. For yourselves know perfectly that the day of the Lord so cometh as a thief in the night. For when they shall say, Peace and safety; then sudden destruction cometh upon them, as travail upon a woman with child; and they shall not escape. But ye, brethren, are not in darkness, that that day should overtake you as a thief. Ye are all the children of light, and the children of the day: we are not of the night, nor of darkness. Therefore let us not sleep, as do others; but let us watch and be sober. For they that sleep sleep in the night; and they that be drunken are drunken in the night. But let us, who are of the day, be sober, putting on the breastplate of faith and love; and for an helmet, the hope of salvation. For God hath not appointed us to wrath, but to obtain salvation by our Lord Jesus Christ, Who died for us, that, whether we wake or sleep, we should live together with him. Wherefore comfort yourselves together, and edify one another, even as also ye do.
Revelation 14:14-20 - And I looked, and behold a white cloud, and upon the cloud one sat like unto the Son of man, having on his head a golden crown, and in his hand a sharp sickle. And another angel came out of the temple, crying with a loud voice to him that sat on the cloud, Thrust in thy sickle, and reap: for the time is come for thee to reap; for the harvest of the earth is ripe. And he that sat on the cloud thrust in his sickle on the earth; and the earth was reaped. And another angel came out of the temple which is in heaven, he also having a sharp sickle. And another angel came out from the altar, which had power over fire; and cried with a loud cry to him that had the sharp sickle, saying, Thrust in thy sharp sickle, and gather the clusters of the vine of the earth; for her grapes are fully ripe. And the angel thrust in his sickle into the earth, and gathered the vine of the earth, and cast it into the great winepress of the wrath of God. And the winepress was trodden without the city, and blood came out of the winepress, even unto the horse bridles, by the space of a thousand and six hundred furlongs.
Matthew 24:27-44 - For as the lightning cometh out of the east, and shineth even unto the west; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For wheresoever the carcase is, there will the eagles be gathered together. Immediately after the tribulation of those days shall the sun be darkened, and the moon shall not give her light, and the stars shall fall from heaven, and the powers of the heavens shall be shaken: And then shall appear the sign of the Son of man in heaven: and then shall all the tribes of the earth mourn, and they shall see the Son of man coming in the clouds of heaven with power and great glory. And he shall send his angels with a great sound of a trumpet, and they shall gather together his elect from the four winds, from one end of heaven to the other. Now learn a parable of the fig tree; When his branch is yet tender, and putteth forth leaves, ye know that summer is nigh: So likewise ye, when ye shall see all these things, know that it is near, even at the doors. Verily I say unto you, This generation shall not pass, till all these things be fulfilled. Heaven and earth shall pass away, but my words shall not pass away. But of that day and hour knoweth no man, no, not the angels of heaven, but my Father only. But as the days of Noe were, so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. For as in the days that were before the flood they were eating and drinking, marrying and giving in marriage, until the day that Noe entered into the ark, And knew not until the flood came, and took them all away; so shall also the coming of the Son of man be. Then shall two be in the field; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Two women shall be grinding at the mill; the one shall be taken, and the other left. Watch therefore: for ye know not what hour your Lord doth come. But know this, that if the goodman of the house had known in what watch the thief would come, he would have watched, and would not have suffered his house to be broken up. Therefore be ye also ready: for in such an hour as ye think not the Son of man cometh.


Was Theodore Kaczynski the Zodiac Killer?
A Comparison of Styles
Essay: Mass Murder and Modus Operandi
Links, Books, and Items of Interest
A New Zodiac Missive? Kaczynski and the Eureka Card
Ted Kaczynski and the Tylenol Murders
Updated May 22, 2011
A Proposed Solution to the 32-Symbol Cipher by A.K. Wilks
Odds & Ends
Updated May 30, 2011
Get the book! The Unabomber and the Zodiac
Now available in
Listen to author Douglas Oswell with
Dr. David van Nuys on Shrink Rap Radio
Read the transcript here.


it is not so easy to get good reads in english when you need them here in florence. don’t get me wrong, there are some decent haunts, like the paperback exchange and some newsstands carry a good collection of books and magazines in english. not cheap, but good. but whenever mr. e. or i make a trip to the u.k. or to the states we come back with piles of “rags” (better known as magazines) and books. last week, mr. e. was in london on business and i was the lucky recipient of brand spankin’ new eye and brain food.
here they are:
the perfectionist, by rudolph chelminski
this book has been popping up on my screen for months every time i go to visit pim. it is about the life and death of the geat chef bernard loiseau. i haven’t finished it yet, but at 150 pages into it, i am hooked. ANY food blogger will enjoy this read.
les halles cookbook, by anthony bourdain (a signed copy!)
written in true bourdain style, he manages to express smells and flavors through his words. and, he always saves space for a good laugh. the introduction opens with: “this is not a cookbook......i will assume only that you can handle a knife with reasonable competence, without being a danger to yourself or others....”
food & wine magazine, july 2006 issue
interesting review of the best new chefs of 2006 and an article on “the state of french cuisine” featuring francois simon from le figaro.
cook’s illustrated, august 2006 issue
i have always read this on line and only purchased copies when i am back in the states. i have finally splurged on a one year subscription. this is definitely my favorite foodie magazine (saveur takes 2nd place). void of advertising, they are free to write what they want to, when they want to and however they want to!


Home | About | Research | Teaching | Design
Through my scholarship, I investigate the possibilities new media and digital technologies offer for creating knowledge and telling stories. In my dissertation, I examine invention practices in designing “webtext” (multimedia) scholarship to understand how design takes shape through the twists and turns of the drafting process. I believe webtext scholarship offers a way to incorporate more available means of persuasion into contemporary academic information design.
Furthermore, I practice digital making and mentorship through collaborative research with other scholars, faculty and graduate students alike. As web developer and co-author, I guide collaborators through the process of developing interdisciplinary webtext scholarship. I have developed or published peer-reviewed webtexts with colleagues from fields such as dance, disability, fairy tale, and feminist rhetorical studies.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen. “The Magpie’s Nest: A Webtext Review of Webtext Scholarship (Review Essay).” Computers and Composition Online, Spring 2017.
The goal of this digital version is to explore the possibilities a webtext review offers for reviewing webtext scholarship in its own born-digital environment.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen. “Composer Stories as Research and Design Materials in Webtext Scholarship (Review Essay).” Computers and Composition, vol. 43, pp. 147-152, March 2017.
This review essay explore the narrative knowledge-making possibilities that webtext scholarship offers for computers and writing studies.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen. “Sung Reading: An Operatic Approach to P. Craig Russell’s Graphic Novel The Ring of the Nibelung.” Semiotics of Art. Signs and Media, vol. 13, Fall 2016, pp. 131-158.
I offer a semiotic foundation towards a performative reading of the graphic novel by drawing analogies to opera as a narrative medium.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen and Sara Cleto. “Becoming the Labyrinth: Negotiating Magical Space and Identity in Puella Magi Madoka Magica.” Special Issue on Fairy Tale and New Media. Humanities Journal, vol. 5, no. 2, 20, April 2016.
We frame labyrinths as creative material memory work negotiating grief and despair.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen. “Comics and Scholarship: Sketching the Possibilities.” Special Issue on Comics, Multimodality, and Composition, ed. Dale Jacobs. Composition Studies, vol. 43, no. 1, Spring 2015, pp. 178-182.
I suggest comics give voice to an alternative mode of meaning-making that embraces a sense of wonder, discovery, and delight in the messy process of knowledge creation.
Bahl, Erin Kathleen and Kaitlin Clinnin. “Networked Composing: DMAC as Community of Practice.” Showcasing the Best of CIWIC/DMAC, vol. 1, 2015.
We use the concept of "communities of practice" to analyze how a group of individuals develop texts, practices, relationships, and literacies to engage in group learning.
Site design and illustration by Erin Kathleen Bahl | firstname.lastname@example.org


Creative Writing for Teens: A Practical Workshop to Express Yourself through Writing
October 24, 2020 @ 1:30 pm - 5:30 pm
Why join the workshop?
Teens have the need to express themselves. It is important but at the same time complicated. How to say the things you want to say? How to express the feelings you have? What are the forms you can use and the good habits to develop?
Creative writing – poems, short fiction, drama, creative fiction- is not usually taught in traditional schools as schools tend to focus on the classics and the fundamentals. This workshop is an opportunity to learn and help express one’s self in a creative way. The workshop is a fun but truthful workshop for teens to discover how to channel their inner poet, fictionist, essayist and dramatist. It is also a way to find a way to break through and be able to express themselves on a regular basis.
This workshop will cover the following topics:
Creativity Exercise: How to channel what’s inside you
Different forms of Creative Writing
Writing Exercise (Options: poem, short story, one-act play or creative essay)
Evaluation and Feedback, Q&A
How to continue writing
- The program will be live/synchronous. The resource person will be speaking real-time (not recorded) to the participants discussing topics, facilitating activities for engagement and answering questions for clarity. Each session will have breaks every 45 minutes to 1 hour.
- The program will also have an output as proof of learning.
- Class size will be limited to a maximum of 20 participants so concerns of each participant can easily be addressed.
Who should attend:
Teens 13-19 years old.
Php 2,240 (Php 2,000 plus 12% VAT)


Thanks for visiting!
We are showcasing our new book called
My Momma Comes Back.
It is a book about building trust when you have to leave your child in child care or with family. It is a hard cover book with colorful illustrations, an original song, and an audio book which contains the song.
This book was written by a 74 year old retired teacher who is a great-grandmother. It is a 4 generational family project.
First, there's Bella--a 2 year old who adores her momma and has normal feeling of separation when being left at child care or with family.
Next, there's Momma--a 20 year old single mom who is a junior in college and has a part time job. It breaks her heart to leave her child, but she knows that their future depends on her getting an education.
Then, there's Granny--a social worker and loving caregiver. She makes up a song to comfort Bella and make her feel safe.
Finally, there's Great-Grandma--a retired teacher who hears Bella sing her song. The song inspires her to write the story and produce this family project.
We hope to see you again! Check back later for new updates to our website. There's much more to come!


Istanbul itself is a year-round attraction, and from the 20th to the 25th of October, crime fiction fans from around the world are converging on the Turkish metropolis. In celebration of Agatha Christie’s 125th birthday, Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah, located in the middle of the vibrant and hip Beyoglu district, is hosting the Black Week.
Built in 1892, a visit to this grand hotel is like staying in a museum that takes the guest back to the Belle Epoque. This includes the faithfully restored room where Agatha Christie was staying when she wrote her classic mystery "Murder on the Orient Express".
Internationally known authors are going to be there
In the week of October 20th, there will be various readings, discussions and special topic evenings all revolving around crime-fiction. It comes as no surprise that the Turkish mystery author Ahmet Umit is one of the participants, just as the Greek author Petros Markaris, who gained international attention with his Athens-based crime novels revolving around inspector Kostas Charitos. As well, Mathew Prichard, Agatha Christie’s grandson, will also be there.
Agatha Christie and the Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah have a strong connection. Legend has it, that the author wrote her classic mystery novel in room 411 of the hotel, which was built for passengers of the Orient Express. Today the room is named after Agatha Christie, and contains her works, photos, and an old typewriter in remembrance of her. Even the restaurant carries the name of the famous guest: Agatha.
- The Black Week – here is the program for everyone interested.
- If you want to book a Black Week Package, go here. FYI: the Pera Palace Hotel Jumeirah is also listed in the book “1000 Places To See Before You Die”.
- Want to be a detective? If you want to solve a mystery during the Black Week, you can take part in whodunnit nights at various book stores around the hotel!
- If you’re looking for a cool design hotel instead of a grand hotel, hetras CEO Uli Pillau suggests the following hotels: Mama Shelter Istanbul, Seven Hills Istanbul, Sura Design Hotel Istanbul, The Istanbul Edition, Radisson Blu Istanbul, Turquhouse Boutique Hotel Istanbul.
- Want to visit Istanbul with going to Black Week? Andrea Ziegelmüller from hetras is fascinated – she gave us 11 reasons to visit the Turkish metropolis.


Prayers in English
O Jesus, through the Immaculate Heart of Mary,
I offer you my prayers, works, joys, and sufferings of this day,
In union with the Holy Sacrifice of the Mass throughout the world.
I offer them for all the intentions of your Sacred Heart,
For the salvation of souls, reparation for sins, the reunion of all Christians.
I offer them for the intentions of our Bishops and all apostles of prayer,
and in particular, for the intentions of the Holy Father, the Pope, for this month of
PRAYER FOR GENEROSITY
Dearest Lord, teach me to be generous.
Teach me to serve you as you deserve,
To give and not to count the cost,
To fight and not to heed the wounds,
To toil and not to seek for rest,
To labor and not ask for reward.
Save that of knowing I am doing Your most holy will.
Our Father, Who art in heaven,
Hallowed be Thy Name.
Thy Kingdom come.
Thy Will be done,
on earth as it is in Heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread.
And forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us.
And lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil. Amen.
Hail, Mary, full of grace,
the Lord is with you.
Blessed art you among women
and blessed is the fruit of your womb, Jesus.
Holy Mary, Mother of God,
pray for us sinners,
now and at the hour of our death.
Glory be to the Father,
and to the Son,
and to the Holy Spirit.
As it was in the beginning,
is now, and ever shall be,
world without end.
The Angel of the Lord declared to Mary:
And she conceived of the Holy Spirit.
Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee; blessed art thou among women and blessed is the fruit of thy womb, Jesus. Holy Mary, Mother of God, pray for us sinners, now and at the hour of our death. Amen.
Behold the handmaid of the Lord: Be it done unto me according to Thy word.
And the Word was made Flesh: And dwelt among us.
Pray for us, O Holy Mother of God, that we may be made worthy of the promises of Christ.
Let us pray:
Pour forth, we beseech Thee, O Lord, Thy grace into our hearts; that we, to whom the incarnation of Christ, Thy Son, was made known by the message of an angel, may by His Passion and Cross be brought to the glory of His Resurrection, through the same Christ Our Lord.


How we frame any given situation that we are faced with in our life is everything. And the difference between success and failure is really determinant on our perceptions and the mindset we employ when we view the world around us.
This isn’t a new concept, but it’s one that I explored recently when I read The Art of Possibility: Transforming Professional and Personal Life by Rosamund and Benjamin Zander. If you haven’t picked up this book—I highly recommend it. The authors are an interesting pair for sure. Ben is the conductor of the Boston Philharmonic Orchestra and his wife, Roz, is a family therapist. The book was published in 2000, and while it’s not new, some of the lessons discussed are evergreen.
Lose Your Assumptions
The very first chapter in the book is entitled, “It’s all invented,” meaning that many of the problems that we face in our personal and professional lives are blown up and made bigger simply because of the inner dialogue or assumptions that we make about a situation. The book references an analogy that really sums this up. Think about this:
“A shoe factory sends two marketing scouts to a region of Africa to study the prospects for expanding the business. One sends back a telegram saying, ‘SITUATION HOPELESS STOP NO ONE WEARS SHOES.’ The other representative writes back triumphantly, ‘GLORIOUS BUSINESS OPPORTUNITY STOP THEY HAVE NO SHOES’.”
What an incredible difference in the perspectives of those two different people. The first individual looked at this situation and immediately created a problem. He constructed barriers and roadblocks based upon his initial reaction and perception of the situation—he envisioned a dead end where there wasn’t necessarily one present. The second individual, on the other hand, saw nothing but opportunity. The positive mindset he was using allowed him to at least consider the opportunities instead of simply seeing an uphill struggle like his counterpart.
Now think about this in your own life. Are you more likely to explore potential options with a positive outlook in place? Or automatically build a figurative roadblock? Does your inner dialogue speak in a positive or negative voice? Depending on your answer you could either be creating your own ladder or building your own box.
Changing the Way You Talk to Yourself
Your inner dialogue has a lot of power over the course of your life. Developing an attitude of abundance instead of a mentality of scarcity is a key factor in achieving both short- and long-term success. What do you think would happen to the way you think, feel, and live your life if you approached each day with the belief that something good was going to happen? Just envisioning that idea alone buoys the spirit and fills your heart with a sense of lightness. Now briefly consider the opposite. What type of anxiety, worry, and stress enters your being when you think negative thoughts or imagine all of the bad that is just waiting for you around the corner?
Taking that idea one step further, I would like to not only discuss the mental outlook you may have, but also how you treat yourself while in action. I read a Harvard Business Review article recently that touched upon the subject of praising your own actions, and not just belittling yourself when you get something wrong. In this piece the author recounts her time in an elementary classroom and watching the teacher’s dialogue with the students. Even when a student answered a question incorrectly, the instructor still offered some level of praise for what they did do right. Now, I’m not necessarily saying that the teacher was in the category where “everyone gets a trophy,” rather, I was intrigued by this angle. The author states, “As I left the classroom I found myself thinking about whether I treat myself the way Dorit treated her students. Am I encouraging? Do I catch myself doing things right as often as doing things wrong? And when I do something wrong, do I simply move on or do I dwell on it, haranguing myself?”
It’s true that we live in a society that focuses on critique—our addiction to social media alone is proof of our desire to ensure our opinions (on whatever subject available to us) are heard by the masses. However, admiration is oftentimes placed in a category akin to fandom and self-admiration is usually viewed as gloating or prideful. And that, I believe, is what hurts our ability to think positively about ourselves, our capabilities, and how we view the world. We are programmed, in a way, to be a critic ready to give “two thumbs down” to the situations that we encounter—and our personal and professional lives suffer because of it.
I had a conversation recently with a client who, when describing himself, said he could be characterized as “scrappy.” Listening to his self-description, I was automatically taken aback and somewhat shocked that someone would voluntarily describe themselves this way. After all, the definition of scrappy is “consisting of disorganized, untidy, or incomplete parts,” and “determined, argumentative, or pugnacious.”
And then I realized that he was using this word as a positive descriptor!
I suppose, to him, that the word scrappy, even though its definition is aggressive and negative in nature, might have been viewed as an appealing characteristic to be present in a man at his particular career level. However, I did not share that perception. There was a disconnect.
With this in mind, I encourage you to think about the ways that you would describe yourself to others. There was a helpful Inc. Magazine article that I found that encourages a person to get organized in this way by categorizing the terms you use when describing yourself—label them positive, negative, or neutral. For words that might be deemed negative, devise a neutral alternative. For a neutral word, think of a positive alternative. When considering the positive words, think of something even more positive, and introduce that term to your internal vocabulary. Doing this will allow you to begin to morph and change the way you think about yourself as well as the way that you talk to yourself.
Giving An A
Ben Zander encourages everyone to give themselves an “A”. Giving yourself an “A” requires you to think positively about your ability to reach new heights that only you can imagine. Once you frame your future as an endless amount of possibilities, you are now free to consider: What could be? What do you want? What will make your eyes shine? What will give you joy? And with your vision, you are bound to reach your goal.
As a leader, it is your responsibility to inspire and awaken potential in others. Giving a direct report or team member an ‘A’ should not be viewed as delivering a grade. Rather it is the act of transporting the relationships from a place of measurement to that of potential. Just as I noted regarding the Harvard Business Review article mentioned previously, it is necessary to offer encouragement to the people around you, just as much as you may offer it to yourself. When you engage with people through pure respect, they are provided with the ability to realize the possibility in themselves. This, in turn, generates a new vision to form—one that is built on partnership and teamwork. Giving an A has the opportunity to change behavior, and help produce great things.
Rule # 6
And finally, there is Ben Zander’s Rule # 6: Don’t take yourself so seriously. What are rules 1-5? There aren’t any.
Contact Julie Kantor at email@example.com.


NEWERЧовек и простор XXXVIII / Man and space XXXVIII
OLDERЧовек и простор XXXI / Man and сpace XXXI
It’s going to be finish of mine day, but
before ending I am reading this great piece of writing
to increase my experience.
great as well as fantastic blog. I truly wish to thank you, for offering us much better details.
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Seventh series : Elegies is poetry collection whose meaning blurs over time, as a path which gradually fades away. In Rilke’s poetry, the sensitive replaces the intelligible. The boundaries, which I am labouring to erect, may conjure up a fledgling form of the ‘arduous nowhere‘ that is so specific to Rilke. They emerge, at the unstable boundary between white and colour, from the very location where words can no longer be expressed. Elsewhere.
What we perceive of the world could well be no more than a fragment of a much larger reality. This artwork series is a testimony to that misunderstood space.
At the deepest of perception, the space of our sensations stretches, folds up, and contracts. While my work barely evokes it, this dynamic space lures us into its individual reality.


Salamander and Sons publishes the finest esoteric, occult and arcane books, with an emphasis on alchemical, Hermetic, and alchemystical works, along with texts qabalistic, philosophical, magic(k)al, mystical, and mythological in nature, written by adepts, sages and scholars both ancient and modern.
Where to buy our books
Salamander and Sons titles are available from our secure online shop and at all good bookstores.
Stockists of Salamander and Sons titles include Weiser Antiquarian Books (USA), Watkins Books (UK) and Treadwell’s Bookstore (UK).
Salamander and Sons has offices in Brisbane, Australia and Chiang Mai, Thailand, and can be contacted via
sons [at] salamanderandsons [dot com]
How to email us: due to spam replace [at] with @ and [dotcom] with .com
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FIU College of Engineering and Computing
- Ph.D., Electrical Engineering, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida., May, 1993
- M.S.E.E., Florida International University, Miami, Florida, August, 1989
- Mechanical-Electrical Engineering Degree (BSEE equivalent), National Autonomous University of Mexico, Mexico City, May, 1987
- Digital Signal Processing, with special interest in the processing of Biomedical Signals
- Adaptive Digital Signal Processing and Artificial Neural Networks
- Spatio-Temporal Signal Processing Processing of different normal and abnormal features of the Electroencephalogram (EEG)
- Real-Time implementation of Signal Processing Algorithms using dedicated DSP chips
- Microprocessor systems
- Design and implementation of microprocessor-based instruments
- Wang J., Barreto A., Rishe N., Andrian J. and Adjouadi M., “A Fast Incremental Multilinear Principal Component Analysis Algorithm”, International Journal of Innovative Computing Information and Control (IJICIC), Vol.7., No. 8 (to appear August 2011).
- Faller K.J. II, Barreto A. and Adjouadi M., “Augmented Hankel Total Least Squares Decomposition of Head-Related Transfer Functions”, Audio Engineering Society (AES) Journal Vol 58, No. 1/2, pages 3-21, 2010.
- Chen Y., Adjouadi M., Han C., Wang J., Barreto A., Rishe N. and Andrian J., “A Highly Accurate and Computationally Efficient Approach for Unconstrained Iris Segmentation”, Image and Vision Computing. Volume 28, Issue 2, February 2010, Pages 261-269
- Wang, J., Barreto, A., Wang, L., Chen, Y., Rishe, N., Andrian, J., and Adjouadi, M. 2010. “Multilinear principal component analysis for face recognition with fewer features”. Neurocomputing. 73, 10-12 (Jun. 2010), 1550-1555.
- Gao Y., Barreto A. and Adjouadi M., “Detection of Sympathetic Activation through Measurement and Adaptive Processing of the Pupil Diameter for Affective Assessment of Computer Users”, American Journal of Biomedical Sciences. 1(4), 283 – 294, 2009.
- Chin, C. A., Barreto A. and Adjouadi M., “Integration of EMG and EGT Modalities for the Development of an Enhanced Cursor Control System” International Journal on Artificial Intelligence Tools, Vol. 18, No. 3, pp. 399- 414. (2009).
- Faller J.K., Barreto A. and Rishe N., “A new Inverse Processing Approach to the Modelling of Head-Related Transfer Functions for Audio Spatialization”, Inverse Problems in Science and Engineering, Vol. 17, No. 1., January 2009, pp. 51–63
- Alonso Jr. M., Barreto A., and Adjouadi M., “Digital Image Inverse Filtering for Improving Visual Acuity for Computer Users with Visual Aberrations”, Inverse Problems in Science and Engineering, Vol. 16, No. 8., December 2008. pp. 957 – 966.
- Barreto, A., “Visual Impairments”, (Chapter 1) in 'Web Accessibility: A Foundation for Research', pp. 3 – 13, edited By Simon Harper and Yeliz Yesilada . Publisher: Springer-Verlag New York, First edition (June 6, 2008), ISBN-10: 1848000499 , ISBN-13: 978-1848000490.
- Chin, C. A., Barreto, A., Cremades, J.G., and Adjouadi, M., “Integrated Electromyogram and Eye Gaze Tracking Cursor Control System for Computer Users with Motor Disabilities”, Journal of Rehabilitation Research and Development. Vol. 45, No. 1, pp. 161-174, 2008.


I guess I’m behind the times. I just got around to reading The Dilbert Principle by Scott Adams. It’s a satirical book on dysfunctional corporate culture that’s eerily accurate, and explores the following principle:
The most ineffective workers are systematically moved to the place where they can do the least damage — Management.
When I saw Office Space, I remarked that “it’s not a comedy, it’s documentary.” The same applies to The Dilbert Principle.
The book came out in 1996. Ten years ago! I got my copy for $2 at a used book store a couple weeks ago. Defintely an enjoyable read.
The kicker for me, though, and the reason for the blog entry on a 10 year old book is that just this moring I was reading the chapter on “Leadership.” In it, Adams says:
Leaders spend their time concentrating on “visions” of the future. This can involve have lunch with other leaders, attending golf events, or even reading a book.
Ha, ha. What made this even funnier to me is that the front of the business section of my paper had the following story, which I read minutes later:
Birdies, bogies and building business
Golf has become as integral to business as the boardroom. On the course, executives cozy up to customers, and junior employees build paths to the corner office.


It’s currently 4:00 am and I’ve been awake for hours tossing and turning in bed and thinking of you.
Robin encouraged us to be in conversation with our master plants so while I'm laying restless in bed I asked Bobinsana why I’m still awake and she said “Maybe something creative wants to be born?” so I ended up getting my journal out and doodling one of my favorite sketches to date as well as writing you this letter. I am constantly amazed at what happens when I trust in something greater than me and have the courage to just DO IT.
Thanks Bobinsana, pulling through again!
I took one of your sweaters with me so I could smell your essence when ever I wanted and it’s quickly become my most favorite thing I have bought with me on this trip. In ceremony I lay back in challenging times and put it on my face and I am with you. The comforting smell of home.
Last night in ceremony I had a vision of a child. A little star baby boy, blessed to us by a realm far away. I cried with tears of pure beauty at the thought of brining a child into this world together. You will be the most incredible father, there isn’t a part of me that doubts that for a second. Becoming a mother is a whole new initiation in this life that one can never truly prepare for. An initiation of the I melting and being in full selfless service to another being. Taking devotion to new heights. Not all super heroes wear capes. I have a whole new appreciation for my own mother and mothers in general. Woa. Thank you.
Because everyone is on a dieta here people keep to themselves to the most part, no hugging or interacting too much energy besides conversation. I was craving more human connection so I got my markers out, laid in my hammock and drew a beautiful sleeve of mandalas and feathers on myself, you know how I do. This drew a crowd (mostly the local children including the grandchildren of Papa Gilberto). Everyone watching wide eyed with excitement and wanting to be painted themselves.
Once again watching first hand this tool of human connection working its magic as I got to mark up all the children and watch their faces light up as if they had just received their very own super powers. They then all jumped into the water that surrounded us fully clothed painted arm first.
I love these children so much, they make everything into a game and have so much fun everyday playing with nature, splashing in the water and chasing the local pup named Belize. Taking presence to a whole new level.
I heard a story about one of Papa’s grandchildren. Papa is an incredible hunter and when his grandchild was a baby he took him to the top of a mountain, hunted an eagle, boiled the eagle down to a butter and smeared the butter all of the boy to gain the powers of the eagle.
I think about us contemplating if we are going to go to Erewhon for the third time in a row while Papa is out in the world slaying wild animals and raising eagle babies.
You are my beautiful Costco hunter-gatherer and I wouldn’t have it any other way.
The plant that I am dieting with is difficult to describe with the English language. Her consciousness is very evident in my awareness, she is soft yet strong and reminding me who I am to the core and how much love I really do have to give. Bobinsana will bring any part of my past that wasn't done with love to the surface for me to look at and transmute through the filter of compassion and forgiveness. She has helped activate my creative channels through writing music and drawing as well as fortifying my body with a new found strength. She is aiding me with straightening my spine and slowing everything way down to meet a presence that hasn’t been avaliable to me since a child. I am being shown to sit upright in the discomfort of my spine and I will meet the divine. Yo, that could be a song...”Divine Spine”. Ha. I make myself laugh.
In ceremony it can get really difficult physically as well as mentally and all I want to do at times is lay down and crawl into a ball, however this is where the spirit of the warrior comes in. It's about being able to sit up-right in the discomfort and breathe into it as opposed to avoiding it. By being with the discomfort and facing off with it actually enables the discomfort to transmute. This is symbolic of life. Shit will hit the fan at times, thats enviable, however it's how we respond to it is truly how we evolve. Do we face off with the discomfort and sit with it, breathing through it and surrendering or do we react or run from it only enabling it to continue or feeding it to grow.
I'm also noticing my body oder is sweet like flowers and my skin is smooth and soft. I feel like I’m turning into a flower myself. Bobinsana is showing me compassion and an awareness around my emotions that transmutes any resentments into an emotional maturity of understanding.
Every other day we have a class in the Maloka with Robin on Shipibo icaros/chanting. It’s wildly fascinating learning how the Maestros use sound and their language to navigate the shamanic realms and to clear our whole energy field of unhealthy thought patterns, stored toxins, emotional blockages, sexual trauma, karmic debts, ancestral contracts, family suffering and collective trauma. This work is NO joke. Papa Gilberto is 74 years old being one of the oldest Shipibo Maestos in the Amazon. He has been doing this work his whole life. I have new found deep appreciation and respect for this work and what it takes to truly be a Maestro. These men are real wizards. Like Gandelf level. When he looks at you it’s like he is looking into your soul (well because he is).
Last night in ceremony I cried for how much I love you and how blessed I am to have found my soul mate in my life. You are remarkable human being and I truly see you and your whole family as the biggest blessing and gift I have yet received by the universe.
Grandma Nika came and visited me last night and we danced together outside of the Maloka under the stars, she was of course full of life and joy and danced like she was 22 again. We giggled to each other and delighted in our connection through all time and space. I felt so grateful that I got to spend so many precious moments with her before she transitioned into a less dense realm where she can play bridge without hurting her fingers.
Your mother also came into my awareness and I got to see her spirit and her deep excitement and curiosity about the esoteric realms. Like a little girl eager to learn and share. She always says to me “my sister” when she hugs me and I truly feel that. She is my sister and I love her.
I have done a pretty good job at making this all sound roses and star dust however there has been some deeply challenging times thrown into the mix. One would say purging all over myself repeatedly after 4 days of no food and a belly full of ayahuasca was one of them. The visuals were so strong that I didn't know where up and down was. Lost in a sea of pixilated images the nausea took over and before I knew it I was vomitting all over myself, my bed and my white blanket. Once all the medicine was out of my system I was just dry heaving the resistance out of my system. I have never fasted for this long before but it came highly recommended by Robin to open the relationship with our master plant (Bobinsana) without food to absorb it. This way we will receive the full effects of the plant. The fast mixed with Bobinsana has been extremely eye opening. It has made me incredibly sensitive to all energies. I feel like I can communicate with all the nature around me and morph into the consciousness of any of the animals I see.
Last night I actually morphed into the consciousness of a cockroach. (This is the point where you probably think I’ve lost my mind). The cockroach taught me how wildly misunderstood they are and feared by so many. However they have a very hard shell and can take the negative projection...in fact they can survive an atomic bomb. This experience has changed how I see cockroaches for the rest of my life and now when I see them scuttling around my room I speak or sing to them as my friends. I’m turning into a Disney princess I’m sure of it.
The only difference with the Disney princess and myself is that they were surrounded by birds, squirrels, mice and enchanting forest animals and I’m surrounded by rats, cockroaches, mosquitos and spiders the size of my fist, all of which are becoming more and more enchanting by the day.
Tomorrow I move into my very own hut, the ones I showed you in the photos. The water level has gone down enough that we can finally move in. This is a monster of all upgrades as it’s about 4 times the size of the tiny box room I have now as well as it has its own huge private deck, a hammock, and a 360 panoramic view of the flooded amazon jungle. I am so grateful that I got to make this little box room my home and enjoy it to the max before upgrading into what feels like luxury compared. It’s all about enjoying the simple things in life and adding our flavor and touch to it. Gratitude makes room for more things to be grateful for...and my goodness I’m so grateful for everything I have in my life and ecstatic about everything that is to come.
While writing this I’m pretty sure a rat just peed on my face. There is a net above my room where rats run during the night and I just felt a spray on my face and it smells like pee....so yeah. This Disney princess must go take care of this ASAP.
On that note....I love you to infinity and I can’t wait to have you in my arms again.
Until my next letter,


"I wish that women of the digital age could have learned this parenting style the way I did.
It first took written form in an old La Leche League publication of The Womanly Art of Breastfeeding that my roommate in the hospital loaned to me when I could not console a screaming newborn Michael, nearly 24 years ago. She was an experienced mom. She stayed up all night, her own newborn at her breast, mentoring me, voice-to-voice, shoulder-to-shoulder. She was Catholic, open to life. It was all grace. I still look back with astonishment at the provision of it all. I have no pictures of our time. No journal of words. I don't even remember her name, but her legacy lives forever in my family.
That was an old version of the book, written in the voice of the women who founded La Leche League. It read like wisdom from moms at a church picnic. Did you know that La Leche League was founded on the grounds of a Catholic Church at a parish picnic?
Ten years later, I met Mary White, one of the founding mothers. That formerly crying baby was the altar server at a very poorly attended Mass at a La Leche League conference. It was just Mary, her husband, and my family. After Mass, she spent a leisurely time talking to me about big families and raising children in the church, all while my fourth child, Mary Beth, nursed in a sling. Tears still spring to my eyes when I think of the meaning that encounter held for me. She autographed for me a new edition of the book. I treasure the the inscription, but the book remains on my shelf, largely untouched. I still reach for my tattered, older version, the one written before "attachment parenting" was a cause. The one in the voice of wise Catholic mothers.
Mary White told me after Mass how mothering is a beautiful way to live the works of mercy every day, how mothers are especially blessed to extend the mercy of God to others. It was never about being "mom enough," but about being humble enough. Attachment parenting--and so, extended breastfeeding--is about the least of these.
And the king will say to them in reply, ‘Amen, I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.’
All day, every day, serving the little ones with the mercy of Jesus. That's attachment parenting at its essence.
Attachment parenting grows up. And that doesn't mean nursing while standing on a stool. It means that mother and child grow together. It means that when it's not so simple anymore and all their needs can't be met by stopping to nurse, we still listen. And listen. And listen. We watch over three hundred dances because somewhere in there, our teenager is in three of them and she cares about the other 297.
If we are at our best, we do it with our full attention.
The face of attachment parenting? It doesn't reflect a computer screen. We can't let ourselves care more about the cause than about the children who compelled us to learn about the cause in the first place. We can't let ourselves be lured to spend our days chasing philosophies online, no matter how noble those philosophies are. We can't endlessly chase decorating ideas or knitting patterns or news feeds, either.
I learned attachment parenting in a different age. And I'm very glad of that. I never cultivated a habit of nursing while scrolling my cell phone. I never took a laptop into a child's room at night to keep me company while I kept him company. There were no smart phones or laptops. I was blessed to learn a lifestyle before the distraction of technology and then to live long enough in that stage of life that I could take the early lessons and keep practicing those habits when technology started fighting them.
It's astonishing how techonology fights them. Truly, if we let it, techonology can destroy parenting as God intended it. A tool for the good can be used for ill to the detriment of generations.
I feel sorry for the young mothers (perkiness aside). It must be so much harder to discern the wisdom of the church picnic from the hip, happening, cool of the attachment parenting "movement." It's not sexy. It's not hip. It's hard work and humble servitude. It likely will make you soft and saggy.
The key to being truly attached, even as they grow, is spending days looking into the eyes of a child, truly knowing our own children intimately and well and helping them to become the person God created them to be.
Attachment parenting requires incredible sacrifice on the part of fathers, when the chldren are infants and when they are older. When they are infants, fathers wait for wives who are nursing mothers. They wait, too, for the time when a child will want them as much or more than they want Mama. I see that so clearly now that I have lots of older children. My kids almost line up to wait for Mike to listen to them at night. I've been with them all day. I'm all childrened out. And all I want is his undivided, quiet attention. But there they are, one by one, asking for him. I can't help but think of all the nights he waited while I nursed them to sleep.
Attachment parenting is thoughtful, careful that we are attached, while still not fostering an entitlement attitude. Just because you can nurse on demand as a baby, doesn't mean you can demand anything you want and expect to get it forever. Actually, the contrary is true. When you are nursed on demand as a baby, you grow up with the sense that sometimes adults are called to sacrifice themselves--their wants, their immediate needs, even their bodies--for the least of these. Good attachment parenting means that we teach our children this same ideal of laying down one's life.
This is where my challenges in social media keep popping up. It's a repeated decision to set aside the pressing online conversation, relinquish the opportunity to join the opinionfest. Attachment parenting is about keeping my eyes steadfastly fixed on my own work--the most important work I'll ever be called to do. Social media is most definitely about keeping my eyes on everyone else's work. It's fairly benign for me in very small doses, lethal in anything bigger.
I have thoughtful ideas on childhood. I've worked hard to live those principles. I see social media as the most insidious threat to living a life of grace-filled, purposeful moments of joy with my children. This is How to Miss a Childhood and this is The Best Part of a Child's Education. I mean to live those messages and I have to close the computer to do so.
Mother Teresa, upon winning the Nobel Peace Prize, was asked "What can we do to promote world peace?" She answered "Go home and love your family."
What can I do to promote attachment parenting? Go home and love my family. With my full attention. When I do, I will bear authentic witness and change the world.


Andy Warhol Endangered Species / Myth Series
The Andy Warhol Myth Series is a collection of short essays and interviews that explore the life and times of one of pop art's most prolific artists-Andy Warhol (1928 - 1987). The first volume was published in 2003 by Fantom Press. It includes an interview with writer/producer Norman Mailer, Andy Warhol's former girlfriend Mary Woronoff, and screenwriter David Mamet; all conducted shortly before Warhol's death from lung cancer on February 22nd, 1987 at age 53. In this article we will look at Andy Warhol as he appears in "Endangered Species," his 1991 book co-authored by John Wilcock.
In Endangered Species, Warhol explores what it means to be alive today. He begins with childhood memories of World War II, which are interspersed with reflections on growing up during the 1950s and 1960s. From there, Warhol shares stories about his relationships with women including Marilyn Monroe and Elizabeth Taylor to the more recent affair with Madonna. We also learn about his drug use, controversial films like Exploding Plastic People of America and Sleep (1963), and later work such as Interview Magazine, Polaroid cameras, and Pop Art paintings. Throughout, images of celebrities and ordinary people become symbols of our culture, while Warhol himself becomes something of a celebrity himself. As he says in the introduction, "I'm not interested in making things better or easier for myself... I want to get closer to living."
At first glance, you might think that these issues are timeless. But if you consider how much has changed since Warhol began publishing his books, you'll soon realize that they're still very relevant. Here are just two examples: Warhol's own personal experience with being gay, and his relationship with John Wilcock, who became his business partner after meeting him through mutual friends in 1978 in New York City. Although both men were married when they met, neither wanted their wives to know anything about them having sex together. They weren't even able to talk openly about their sexuality without risking losing custody over their children. And yet, here were two men sharing intimate details of each other's lives knowing full well that no matter where they went nobody would ever believe them.
And then there's the story of Warhol's relationship with fellow artist Liz Tilberis. She claims she gave birth to her daughter out of wedlock. After trying unsuccessfully to have the baby adopted, she decided to raise the child herself. When the girl reached 18 months old, Liz took her back into state care because she had been sexually molested by her father. What happened next shocked everyone involved. Instead of taking advantage of the situation, Warhol helped Liz regain custody of her daughter only to give her away again once she turned 21 years old so that she could marry another man. By doing so, Warhol may have ended up saving Liz' life but at great cost to both themselves and their child.
While many readers might find these topics disturbing, others will likely see them as proof of Warhol's commitment to authenticity. For example, take the case of Warhol's friend Jack Kerouc who wrote extensively about drugs and sex in his 1957 memoir On The Road. While some critics argue that Warhol didn't do enough to challenge the values of mainstream American society, those same people often fail to recognize the importance of Kerouc's influence. His writings undoubtedly played a major role in helping shape Warhol's understanding of certain subjects such as the value of free love and the need to break down social barriers between classes. Likewise, Warhol's fascination with famous personalities can easily be seen as nothing more than admiration. However, looking deeper, you discover that Warhol was actually using these figures to shed light on certain aspects of human behavior. This explains why he eventually came to reject his earlier works and embrace new ideas throughout his career.
Perhaps the greatest lesson learned from reading Warhol's books isn't about the artist per se but rather how we should live our lives regardless of whether we happen to fit within traditional norms. Perhaps this message best sums up his philosophy toward life in general: "Everything happens anyway, don't let anyone tell you otherwise."


BDSM (bondage and control, dominance and submission, and sadism and masochism) increasingly gets attention through the community that is scientific. Where previous research efforts mainly centered on epidemiologic faculties, mental and factors that are biologic BDSM choices have recently gained interest also.
In line with the PRISMA instructions, the present systematic review brings together all the existing literature on BDSM from the perspective that is biopsychosocial. Prevalence rates of BDSM interests were examined in the literature, along with the associations between BDSM interests on one side and personality characteristics, unfavorable youth experiences, training amounts, intimate orientations and biological markers regarding the other. Biologic facets such as for instance gender identification, intercourse hormones amounts, as well as the neurologic constitution for the brainвЂ™s discomfort and reward systems influence BDSM orientation. Both personality traits and the presence of a personality disorder have been associated with a heightened interest in BDSM, although only limited supporting evidence is available with regard to psychological anchor factors. Furthermore, sensation-seeking amounts and impulsivity appear to add, since they presumably guide oneвЂ™s drive to explore brand brand brand new or more-intense kinks. Whereas accessory designs effect couple characteristics, in addition they influence willingness to explore restrictions in a BDSM context. Finally, training amounts effect relational and dynamics that are sexual.
Skills and restrictions
The restrictions associated with present review reflect those regarding the topical literature that is scientific. Even though wide range of studies centered on every aspect of BDSM is exponentially growing, many of these are merely descriptive, and extremely few focus on underlying driving processes. BDSM, formerly referred to as sadomasochism (or SM), can be an overarching abbreviation of bondage and control, dominance and distribution, and sadism and masochism and relates to a real, mental, and intimate role-play involving power trade between consensual participants.1, 2, 3 Historically, these techniques and passions have already been pathologized (for review, see guide 4); KrafftEbing5 pioneered in classifying masochism and sadism as pathologies in his Psychopathia Sexualis, a reference work of nineteenth century sexology. These views had been later on mirrored in FreudвЂ™s6 theories on sex. The perception of BDSM as being pathologic influenced scientific articles through the 1970s and 1980s, which had a tendency to concentrate on (non-consensual) intimate sadism from the forensic viewpoint and incidental SM-related fatalities.7, 8, 9 These historic views continue to have an impression regarding the many prominent modern psychiatric category systems, the International Classification of conditions (ICD; tenth edition: ICD-10) on one side the Diagnostic and Statistical handbook of Mental Disorders (DSM; 5th edition DSM-5) in the other.10, 11, 12, 13 from the time, the BDSM community is afflicted by misconceptions and stigmatization.
The success that is recent of Fifty Shades of Grey publications and films, and others, have actually led to an elevated knowing of this phrase of closeness and sex. Modern main-stream desire for BDSM is mirrored into the growth that is exponential over the past ten years of clinical research centering on all sorts of BDSM aspects and, as such, has enriched the present literary works, therefore nuancing its initial pathologic category.
This increased option of BDSM-related medical literary works prompted us to carry together the present literary works on biopsychosocial facets of BDSM in today’s systematic review, initial with its type. An integration of biologic, emotional, and social understanding of BDSM may subscribe to the understanding and destigmatization of the as a type of intimate phrase, along with challenge its devote psychopathological classifications. The present systematic review had been carried out based on PRISMA-P (preferred reporting things for systematic review and meta-analysis protocols) instructions. Various sources may refer variously to parties that are individual in a BDSM conversation. In this review, entirely the terms вЂњdominantвЂќ and вЂњsubmissiveвЂќ are acclimatized to correspondingly make reference to either individuals supplying stimulation, purchases, or framework or those being actually constrained, getting stimulation, or after requests. A вЂњswitchвЂќ is somebody who shifts between both the principal and submissive functions, with respect to the context and play partner. a literature search had been done using the following inclusion and exclusion requirements: (i) research articles having a give attention to BDSM producing initial information had been included; (ii) case states on consensual intimate masochism and distribution had been included; (iii) opinion articles, (remark) letters, and essays without initial information had been excluded; (iv) offered the concentrate on consensual intimate sadism or masochism, forensic articles on sexual offenders had been excluded. These addition requirements had been driven by the generally speaking accepted clinical hierarchy of proof.


How to lose weight while on steroids for cancer, anabolic androgenic steroid cut cycle
How to lose weight while on steroids for cancer
Researchers set out to compare the impact of whey versus collagen protein on muscle loss during periods of inactivity and then recoveryin resistance-trained males. In a separate study on 18 male resistance-trained individuals, they found that, whereas collagen protein caused a significant decline in body weight and fat area, whey protein produced a significant improvement in muscular strength and performance. Both protein sources also increased lean mass to an astonishing extent, how to lose weight while taking prescription steroids. These two studies were the first of their kind to directly establish that protein supplements might aid in weight loss and muscle mass reduction in a scientifically validated study design, collagen during weight peptides loss. In the first study, they found the whey-derived protein had a dose-dependent effect on muscle metabolism and, importantly, that it had a greater effect on the amount of protein that remained in the bloodstream for longer than did the collagen-derived protein. They also tested the protein in the absence of carbohydrate. The researchers found that their sample of 18 young, lean individuals who were performing resistance-training with resistance-training implements exhibited a higher peak energy expenditure and an attenuated energy expenditure associated with an increase in total daily protein intake (from 0, how to lose weight fast while on prednisone.3 to 0, how to lose weight fast while on prednisone.4 grams per kilogram of bodyweight), how to lose weight fast while on prednisone. In the second study, they tested the effect of whey versus collagen protein on a whole range of performance factors in resistance-trained males. Specifically, they tested the impact of whey protein on maximal power (Pmax), and at rest and during exercise, how to lose weight while on a steroid. They found a significant difference (P < 0.005) that whey-based protein had a greater impact (P < 0.005) in Pmax, while that collagen-based protein had a more beneficial effect in strength and power. The researchers argue that whey protein has an advantage in reducing body weight through a direct protein delivery mechanism, whereas its ability to promote muscle protein synthesis, a major contributor to lean mass, allows it to more effectively contribute to lean mass recovery, collagen peptides during weight loss. They also believe that there are benefits to a high-fat meal, such as increasing satiety and reducing satiety hormones, that they do not see with whey protein supplements. In a review publication of their research conducted by the same authors, researchers concluded: "The research evidence points towards potential application of whey protein in individuals with specific food restrictions, and it is unclear whether this is optimal or if whey protein can replace protein intakes of low quality in people with these nutritional requirements, how to lose weight put on by steroids." They also suggest the studies of Dr. Thomas were a useful starting point for conducting better studies of the effects of protein supplements.
Anabolic androgenic steroid cut cycle
HGH pills has the potential to enhance the result of a steroid cycle incredibly strong disassociation of anabolic to androgenic effectson the body at the very least that may occur very early in the cycle.The same can be also be done with PEDs, and to the best of my understanding no studies have been done on this. For reference a steroid cycle can be made using the following formula(2) A-D Ratio of the active steroid(s) (1) 2-(3-hydroxy-5-methylstanoic acid)pyrroloquinoline ester 1 mg/kg. (1) 50mg/kg.A cycle can also be made using a different ratio depending on when you want to start the cycle; 1-5-12-4.For example A-D ratio for C-E and C-P will be 1:8 1:6 and 1:12 1:10, androgenic cut cycle steroid anabolic.2, androgenic cut cycle steroid anabolic.1, androgenic cut cycle steroid anabolic. The 1-5-12-4 is not used and is not required. However, it is very important to note that the ratio of the active steroids in a cycle will vary depending if the cycle starts on an empty day or not when the cycle is begun because of the time that needs to be accounted for, but as I have mentioned in the previous section and have used that formula for years now, is to start with an empty day as well, anabolic androgenic steroid cut cycle. A cycle can only be made of active steroids if the same ratio of active steroids are given before and after the first or second cycle, how to lose weight while on long term prednisone.2, how to lose weight while on long term prednisone. A more scientific formulation of the above formula is that of: A-D ratio = 1:8 1:6 and A-D ratio 1:12 1:10. The first number in the equation (A-D) is simply the ratio of one active steroid to the other as a one is to a zero, with A1 being the active steroid to make sure the ratio stays in effect, A2 being the 2nd active steroid to make sure it stays in effect, so if you want to start with A2 your A-D ratio needs to be 1:220.127.116.11. It has been found that for a given C-H-E ratio, to start with an extra 50mg/kg, this will raise the A-D ratio by 5-8, how to take clenbuterol pills for weight loss. This in turn will raise the amount of C-E by 1, how to lose weight while using prednisone.5mg/kg, or about 50%, how to lose weight while using prednisone. A-D ratio will not be higher than A-D ratio, which is 5-8.
However, male bodybuilders typically stack anavar with testosterone or winstrol for enhanced fat loss, strength and lean muscle mass, making it easy to see how these steroid use products could have an impact on male bodybuilders. A recent study suggests testosterone levels are higher in men with a history of steroid use, compared to those who have not. A group of 10 male recreational weightlifters, ranging in size from 6 to 14 years of age, took a two-week course of anavar, to reduce blood levels of testosterone. After taking the anavar program, each participant's testosterone levels dropped significantly. While there were no significant changes to the men's cortisol levels and testosterone levels, their cortisol levels and testosterone levels fell after taking anavar. The researchers speculate that the men taking anavar had already reduced their testosterone before taking anavar or anavr, making them more susceptible to being affected by an anabolic steroid. A study published in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology and Metabolism recently looked at the effect of the use of anavar, anabolic steroids and testosterone on cortisol levels in young male recreational bodybuilders. The researchers followed anabolic steroid users and non-users over a 12-week period, after they had finished their anabolic steroid regimen. The researchers found out that the non-users did not significantly differ between the groups in their cortisol levels at the time of the study, although their testosterone levels rose. The researchers believe that anabolic steroid use lowers cortisol levels in male bodybuilders, which could lead to less testosterone production. The study also found that testosterone levels fell more rapidly in men with a history of anabolic steroid use, while cortisol levels remained high in those who had not taken anabolic supplements. Researchers believe it is possible that an the lower cortisol levels in anabolic steroid users are the result of the lower concentration of testosterone in their blood. Although anabolic steroids may have an adverse impact on a bodybuilder's health, other research published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine found they may be not be associated with an increase in muscle mass. Researchers studied the effects of 12 weeks of anabolic steroids in 11 male recreationally trained adults. The participants followed a 12 week training program with a minimum of three cycles of strength training every week on anabolism and anabolic steroids, and a maximum of three cycles of strength training per week on placebo. Results revealed that the group on anabolic steroids had a significantly greater muscle mass compared to the control group. However Similar articles:


Shopping lists, school notes or poems - 118 page spiral notebook with ruled line paper is a perfect companion in everyday life. Durable printed cover makes owner proud to carry it everywhere.
Pieces energy is asking how deep we can dive into our consciousness, sometimes even to the point where it becomes hard to come up for air. The two fish dance around one another much like our subconscious and conscious minds - continually swirling in and out of one another. For these equally matched dualities, vying for dominance is endless and futile, but completely necessary. We dive deep to find inspiration, and return to the surface to live the imagination into reality. This everlasting cycle for all, not just Pisces, allows us to grow through accessing and activating deeper and deeper layers of ourselves.
.: Front cover print
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Losing a friend or family member is without a doubt one of life’s most difficult experiences. During such seasons of pain and distress, finding comfort and support becomes central. At the core of this excursion lies the significance of honoring memories and saying goodbye with compassion. The direct cremation acts as a powerful chance to commend the existence of the withdrawn, offer solace to one side behind, and make lasting tributes that honor their heritage.
Compassionate Guidance Throughout:
Compassion is the foundation of the burial service. From the second families connect with us, they offer steadfast help and guidance constantly. Compassionate staff understands the intricacies of melancholy and the significance of personalized care. They listen mindfully to families’ desires, inclinations, and cultural customs, guaranteeing that each part of the burial service mirrors the extraordinary character and tradition of the left.
Personalized tributes and ceremonies:
Every life is a story worth celebrating, and direct cremation is custom-made to respect that story. Whether it’s a customary memorial service, a remembrance service, or a festival of life, they work intimately with families to create a meaningful and personalized function. From choosing music and readings to consolidating esteemed keepsakes and photos, everything is mindfully organized to mirror the essence of the cherished one being regarded.
Embracing Diversity and Cultural Sensitivity:
They understand that anguish knows no limits and that cultural practices shift broadly. With profound regard for diversity, memorial services embrace a scope of cultural traditions, strict convictions, and otherworldly practices. Whether it’s a customary entombment function, an incineration service, or a culturally unambiguous ceremony, they guarantee that families feel supported and respected in honoring their cherished one’s legacy and customs.
Creating lasting memorials:
Beyond the burial service itself, they offer different choices for creating lasting memorials that honor the memory of the dead. From personalized mementos and remembrance gems to establishing commemoration trees or devoting a seat in their honor, they give families meaningful ways of saving their cherished one’s heritage and keeping their memory alive for a long time into the future.
Taking everything into account, honoring memories, and creating meaningful farewells with compassion is at the core of what they do. Through personalized tributes, cultural sensitivity, and progressing support, memorial services give solace, comfort, and a feeling of conclusion during life’s most difficult moments. They are devoted to serving families with compassion and poise, guaranteeing that their cherished one’s memory is regarded in a manner that is both meaningful and important.


Spoilers ahead for The Walking Dead fans who aren't caught up on the TV series coming in 3, 2, 1. Robert Kirkman promises fans of his comic the TV series won't rule out upcoming stories due to Carl's sudden death. ?There are big, huge stories coming up that you might think will be massively altered because of the absence of Carl,? Kirkman said. ?But we have known these story lines have been coming for years. There are plans in place to make it all work." Comic book readers ,may think of the Whisperer War story, Carl's actions with the leader's daughter seem to cause the war. Kirkman, however, is confident the TV series will adapt the story -- or simply move forward without it. The Walking Dead returns for the second half of its eighth season on February 25, 2018.


I spent a big chunk of the weekend reading up on what is going on with the OTW. I love the archive, I've been using it more and more as authors have started using it more regularly. Fanlore is a great resource for me, specially when I'm dipping my toes into a new fandom. So, er, yeah. This feels BIG and I can't help but follow along as things develop.


Its warm outside, bordering on humid in fact, I don't really want to accept that the summer is over. The wind softly brushes the trees and there is this delightful rustling noise of the leaves flying into the air. They finally succumbed to letting go of their branch. Their season is over, they glow for one last time, showing off briefly a new colour. Then they dutifully fall a mere few feet to their final resting place.
Luckily for a handful their time is not up yet. These ones saved by me with one last task in hand, to be today's photography prop.


A few years ago, an acquaintance of mine, a consultant, told me I would never be relevant or wealthy because I believed in goodness and fairness, and in doing the right thing. ‘You are an outcast, you are in dreamland, fairness does not exist in the business world,’ he said as he walked away, feeling proud of his financial affluence.
Through a friend, I was introduced to INSEAD’s school of International Corporate Governance. Its Chaired Professor, Ludo Van der Heyden, passionately teaches fair process leadership. How wonderful to validate that the values and process of fairness do exist in the business world!
Ludo explains his drive: ‘The first motivation for this was my own sort of sensitivity to fairness and actually unfairness, which was either in the family setting or in larger business or social settings.’ Ludo’s work is based on his own in-depth research and analysis conducted during seven years of factory visits in France and Germany, as well as the research work of his fellow professors Chan Kim and Renee Mauborgne, who examined the issue of lack of fair play especially between headquarters and multinationals.
Two notions are central to Ludo’s approach.
First is the importance of leadership. Fair leadership does not exist if leaders are not fair.
Second is the role of process. ‘In most research, you see only decision-making but you don’t see execution,’ comments Ludo, ‘and that led me to develop and add one more step to the existing literature, which was a step specifically devoted to execution and the unfairness that might arise in execution.’
It is critical in motivating fair process leadership to move away from examining any problems in isolation – very often these are actually symptoms – and look instead to the root cause. The root cause of such problems could be attributed to three different negative factors: lack of fairness or fair play, bad process and bad leadership.
To get good results you need to have a combination of the positives of all three: fair play, good process and great leadership.
If fair leadership is common sense, but isn’t common practice, how can we deploy it in the markets of the Mediterranean, which are mostly dominated by medium and large family businesses and state-owned enterprises? How can we ensure growth, initiate youth employment and attract international investment premised on potential and trust in the governance process and its execution?
In fact, inward international investment offering access to capital and markets would necessitate good governance practices in order to deliver returns and highlight the attractiveness of the investment.
As business and government leaders in the Mediterranean region understand the need to restructure our economies as we seek growth, trade and market access to other regions, we must carefully consider how to deploy the entrepreneurial and leadership values inherent in our culture into a core strength coupled with fair process leadership.
As trading nations, we understand leadership in terms of resilience, crisis management and ‘eat or be eaten’ market rules.
Establishing fair leadership implies market edge, asking the right questions to contextualise risk and define opportunity, understanding potential, creating networks of niche expertise, engaging stakeholders, and appreciating accountability and responsibility.
With a market of 500 million people, producing 10 per cent of global GDP, how many boards in our region could qualify as fair process leaders?
Cyprus hosted Professor Van der Heyden as he delivered a keynote speech on 24 November 2017 to the INSEAD annual alumni gathering.


I want you to hear me speak, like a whisper in the wind, seeping through your veins to your heart that beats in time with mine, travelling through everything you are. I want us to feel like one, two bodies sharing the same soul, seeing beautiful things through eyes with connected imaginations. Each moment i spend with you i feel like nothing can harm me. Your the life to each breath I take, without a single one I feel empty, like the world has stopped and I'm the only one still able to move, and to me it's not enough to say I love you, i feel you, every wrinkle and imperfection in the palm of your hand, every hair that's placed so delicately on your fore arm, each individual eyelash that brushes my skin when we embrace. I. Feel. You. I want to be a part of everything you've become, because without that I'm incomplete, I am just me, and I like the me when I'm with you. You make me everything that i aspire to be, and one day, I'm going to tell you this, that you are the reason I choose to wake up every morning. And when I do, I will spend the rest of my life with you, with the one person who has given me some meaning to the struggle that is this world. I just wanted you to know that, so thankyou, thankyou for being you.


The party stands within the elven tomb within the dead forests west of Wakefield, three specters dead by their hand. Saje, the half-elven rogue, collapses against a wall, pale and sickly with drooping eyes and a clamminess to her skin. The bard Ophinora rushes over and checks on her, deciding through her knowledge of the arcane that Saje is suffering from a soul sickness after the specters used their leeching touch to momentarily separate her soul from her body. Leaving their rogue to rest, the group investigates the rest of the tomb.
A few minutes pass before Saje has fallen into unconsciousness. A few minutes more, and her head lifts and her colorless, empty eyes open. She speaks, her voice overlayed with an ethereal sound outside of the mortal realm. "You have disturbed my tomb. A piece of me is missing. Give it back." The party questions further, revealing the spirit possessing Saje to be none other than Lady Elrenna, ruler over the forests around them centuries before, as well as the fact that the hobgoblin corpse laying upon the floor of the tomb held the "Piece" of her that was missing – A medallion of the Bastion of Dergomal, holding a single soul gem in its center. Little more is decided as the banshee fails in tricking the party to return the piece to her with deceptions of safety.
The party refuses to take the bait, and a fight ensues, with the banshee's form rising from her sarcophagus at the far end of the tomb as the tomb's doors slam and seal shut. The battle lasts mere moments, with her necrotic claws wrenching life from the party's bones, and the party using holy oils to combat the undead spirit. The changeling gunslinger Dox is the one to finish Lady Elrenna off with his pistol in her wailing maw and an infused holy bullet piercing through the back of her throat, sending ripples of holy energy that shatter her spirit to the astral winds.
The party lays down to rest for the remainder of the night, with the kenku investigator known for the sound of a Ticking Clock alerting the rest of the group to Saje's awakening. Saje has recovered remarkably well, and the group decides to investigate the banshee's sarcophagus. Breaking a trap set within the lid and prying it open with Ticking Clock's crowbar, the party discovers several pieces of jewelry – Among them a silver ring set with a moonstone, matching the locket they found within Prospector's Watch. To the kenku's knowledge, he remembers the story of a locket, a ring, and a mirror, together unlocking something hidden to the mists of time. The party discovers a false bottom to the sarcophagus, revealing a vault beneath filled with thousands of coins and several useful magical items.
As the party readies to leave, an elven ranger by the name of Lelantis has heard the wailing of the banshee from miles away, and left to investigate. Arriving upon the closed tomb with a cemetery filled with scattered elven bones and opened graves, her attempts to enter the tomb. After a short discussion across the heavily closed doors, the party manages to open them, speak with the elven ranger, and leave for town once more, joined by Lelantis.
As the party leaves the forest, they are ambushed at the tree line – A group of goblins with a hobgoblin at their head with similar gear to the two hobgoblins they've already found. The hobgoblin accuses the party of murdering both the hobgoblin at the tower, and the hobgoblin at the tomb. The bard attempts to talk down the hobgoblin as the goblins around him take aim with their bows at the various members of the party. The discussion becomes heated, with the hobgoblin demanding both the medallion that held the soul gem from the hobgoblin within the tomb, and a magical harp that the bard had found within the vault beneath it. She refuses, and a fight breaks out. The party dispatches the hobgoblin easily, as well as one goblin scout, and the four remaining goblins flee in separate directions. The party is left with little choice but to return to town with the news.
The party returns to town after midnight, heading to the Hungry Badger and informing the innkeeper there, Cailyn, also a member of the council, that the undead problem had been solved. They are given free room and board for the night until they are able to report to council head Abeth. Before heading to bed, the bard Ophinora attempts to find some company for the night, failing miserably with a young guardsman who suspects she is trying to pick his pocket. She returns to the inn alone and defeated as the rest of the party rests comfortably in their own rooms.


Cruising at sea is an experience like no other. With endless miles of blue water surrounding you, it’s easy to forget about the stresses of daily life and fully immerse yourself in the moment. Whether you’re lounging by the pool, trying out new activities, or simply enjoying the sea breeze on your face, there’s something for everyone. And when the day comes to an end, watching the sunset over the horizon is a breathtaking sight. A day cruising at sea is a day well spent, filled with relaxation, adventure, and beauty.