A Word From...Dan Peterson: Ambition for Our Children
Several years ago, I read a small book on humility that someone let me borrow to read. I guess this person thought I needed help in this area! The book shed light on many areas of my life where pride resides. I was made aware of the fact that we must have people in our lives that care for our souls. During my seminary years in Louisville, KY, Brooke and I were fortunate to be a part of a Soul Group with our church. This was a group designed to care for each other’s spiritual well-being. The four couples helped my wife and me to see our pockets of spiritual blindness that left alone we would never have been able to see.
Hebrews 3:12-13 states, “Take care, brothers, lest there be in any of you an evil, unbelieving heart, leading you to fall away from the living God. But exhort one another every day, as long as it is called “today,” that none of you may be hardened by deceitfulness of sin.”
The author of Hebrews tells us that we must help one another see areas in our lives where sin resides. I am writing about this to you because of parenthood. My wife and I are blessed to have four children in our lives, and we thank God for entrusting them to us to raise them. It is a great joy for us to partner with Regents in educating and training them. Raising children in the Regents community has made us better parents and provides the opportunity for other parents, teachers, staff, and coaches to speak into not only my parenthood, but into the hearts of my children.
In the last chapter of the book, the author discusses our ambitions for our children. It caused me to think about our ambition for our kids as adults and whether or not our ambitions are biblical. Many times we want our children to become ___________ (you fill in the blank). As a Christian parent, my primary responsibility is to prepare my children for eternity. This is a large concept and a lifelong journey, but I believe that it is biblical (Deuteronomy 6:4-9).
The book on humility posed a penetrating question: Are any of your ambitions for your child more important to you than their cultivation of humility and servanthood – the basis for true greatness as biblically defined? This question was like a bullet that whizzed by my head. It really caused me to think and meditate about whether or not my ambition for our children was God-centered. I realized I needed to have a paradigm shift in my thinking about parenthood. Truly, our ambitions for our children reflect our heart. I am thankful that God’s Word brings clarity and frames what is most important. As a Regents Dad, I am incredibly grateful for the community of people that invest in my family.
NOTICE OF NON-DISCRIMINATORY POLICY Regents School of Austin admits students of any race, color, national and ethnic origin to all the rights, privileges, programs, and activities generally accorded or made available to students at the school. It does not discriminate on the basis of race, color, national and ethnic origin in administration of its educational policies, admissions policies, scholarship and loan programs, and athletic and other school-administered programs.


The Power of the Mind
These are six mantras from the Yajurveda from what is popularly known as ‘The Shivasankalpa Sookta’. These mantras describe the power of the mind and pray for that powerful mind to be driven towards Dh
यज्जाग्रतो दूरमुदैति दैवं तदु सुप्तस्य तथैवैति ।
दूरङ्गमं ज्योतिषां ज्योतिरेकं तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।१ ॥
Meaning – O Lord! This amazing multi-faceted mind of mine, which goes far and fast when I am awake, and similarly goes into the internal world while asleep, this grasper of many facts, this light of lights (the one that ‘lights up’ all the other senses), may it motivate me towards auspicious deeds!
The mind is a wonderful tool that allows humans to do all kinds of amazing things. However, it can also be subverted into silly or meaningless or evil things. To keep ourselves on the right path we pray to God to encourage us and our minds in the right direction that we may achieve life’s highest goal.
येन कर्माण्यपसो मनीषिणो यज्ञे कृण्वन्ति विदथेषु धीरः ।
यदपूर्वं यक्षमन्तः प्रजानां तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।२ ॥
Meaning – O Lord! In the work-arena of life, those involved in action, those who subdue the mind and those who gather knowledge or meditate – they all use the mind to perform their actions. The mind they utilize is unparalleled (in its qualities, actions and nature). It resides inside all creatures and is to be revered. May such a mind motivate me towards auspicious deeds!
‘Vidatheshu’ implies all the regular business, including even battles, that humans are involved in. ‘Yajne’, on the other hand, refers to actions to acquire knowledge, to control the senses, to perform Yoga including meditation, and, of course, to perform Agnihotra and other Dhaarmika deeds.
The mind is irreplaceable in the body due to its irreplicable properties. Today, we can even replace the heart, but not the brain. For this reason, we should respect the mind and work towards protecting and enhancing it. This is what is meant by ‘reverence’ – not making an image and offering flowers to it! Only when we take care of the mind, will the mind be our friend and take us towards an unblemished life!
यत् प्रज्ञानमुत चेतो धृतिश्च यज्ज्योतिरन्तरमृतं प्रजासु ।
यस्मान्न ऋते किं चन कर्म क्रियते तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।३ ॥
Meaning – O Lord! The mind that generates knowledge, that is conscious (aware of its surroundings and itself), that has memory and emotions, that is the light (volition) inside living beings, that is immortal and without which no action can be performed, may that mind motivate me towards auspicious deeds!
The verse describes the four parts of the Antahkarana – Antahkarana /Mana (consciousness, receiver and sender of sense and action signals, respectively), Buddhi (intellect), Chitta (memory) and Ahankaara (volition).
येनेदं भूतं भुवनं भविष्यत् परिगृहीतममृतेन सर्वम् ।
येन यज्ञस्तायते सप्तहोता तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।४ ॥
Meaning – O Lord! The eternal mind that grasps fully the past, present and future, and that performs actions (Yajna) along with the soul, the five senses of action and the body (Sapta-hotaa), may that mind motivate me towards auspicious deeds and thoughts!
The verse describes the unique ability of the mind to stitch together the changes in its environment into a time continuum. This is what was taught in Yogadarashana, too – time is but a construct of the mind. Also, it covers the two main functions of the mind – perception and execution. (Note the usage of Yajna and Hotaa here.)
यस्मिन्नृचः साम यजूँषि यस्मिन् प्रतिष्ठिता रथनाभाविवाराः ।
यस्मिँश्चित्तँ सर्वमोतं प्रजानां तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।५ ॥
Meaning – O Lord! May my mind have the Rg, the Saama, the Yajur and the Atharva Veda installed in it, just as the spokes of a wheel are stuck to its axle. This mind which has the Chitta, that stores all the knowledge gained, strung inside it (like beads in a necklace) in all beings, may that mind gain right knowledge!
The Chitta, or the memory-store, is linked to all parts of the brain in order to perform a task properly. This is a prayer to gain proper knowledge, particularly that contained in the Vedas.
While Atharva Veda is not explicitly mentioned, the repetition of the word ‘Yasmin’ is an indication that the missing Atharva is also to be included here.
सुषारथिरश्वानिव यन्मनुष्यान् नेनीयतेऽभीशुभिर्वाजिन इव ।
हृत्प्रतिष्ठं यदजिरं जविष्ठं तन्मे मनः शिवसङ्कल्पमस्तु ॥ यजुर्वेदः ३४।६ ॥
Meaning –The mind is like the expert charioteer that drives humans (and all other creatures) from one subject to another, controlling the senses, as if controlling fleet-footed horses with reins. It is situated in the heart (=brain), motivates one into sense-objects/deeds, is ageless and the fastest thing in the Universe. O Lord! may that mind motivate me towards auspicious deeds!
The Upanishads and the Geeta have taken this analogy further. It is a powerful analogy. The mind has tremendous power and can pull attention completely into just one subject, like a charioteer takes the chariot on a narrow path. However, remember that the owner of the chariot remains the soul, and the charioteer obeys its commands. However, if the owner loses all control, the mind can take over and drive the body into reckless deeds.


He should have stayed home. That thought repeated itself in Jacob’s head as he cautiously made his way from one shadow to the next. There was still a block to go before Hill Street and then he had to make it to the old church. If he was caught…he hated to think of the look that would be on his mother’s face if that happened. The disappointment. Of all the things he did his best to avoid, disappointing his mother was highest on the list. It was also that fear of disappointing her that kept him from turning back. Far more quickly than he thought possible, he found himself rounding the last curve of Hill Street.
Stepping off the road he found the dirt path that wound through the small garden alongside the church. At the end of it, he saw the others who had braved the dark and possible punishment to make the meeting. There weren’t that many. He recognized Bradley Owens and Katrina Bates from his class, not a surprise since they were Natalie’s best friends. Standing near them and nervously twisting his hands in his sleeves was a boy two years older. Jacob knew him as one of Josh’s friends, Timothy Malcolm. Next to him were the Hensen twins, Moira and Michael, also from Josh’s class. Last in the group, and the only one who didn’t look like he wanted to bolt, was Henry Wallace.
It made sense now. Henry was Natalie’s older brother and Josh’s classmate. Out of everyone at school he would want them back the most. It still puzzled Jacob why he had received an invitation to the meeting but he had and now was not the time to question it. Now was the time to act. Stepping around the hedge, he moved to join them. Trying to look more at ease, he smiled nervously but Henry was quick to cut him off from the group.
“What are you doing here? Go home, there’s a psycho on the loose.”
Jacob hated confrontations. He stuttered while fumbling for the note in his jacket pocket, “I got this in my locker and-” The piece of paper was snatched out of his hand and Henry stalked away from him before he could finish. Timothy took a step back at the glare Henry threw his way.
“You put it in the wrong locker! This was supposed to go to Zack!”
Henry advanced on Timothy to shake the thin boy like a doll, still growling at him. Jacob stood there trying to get his bearings and calm his shaking. That solved the mystery of why he had been given a note. He had hardly exchanged more than a few words with Natalie the entire time they had known each other. He was quiet and tended to melt into the background most of the time. The other children watched the dressing down Timothy was receiving but before Jacob could think of what to do next, Henry spun on his heel and glared at him.
“What are you still doing here? Go home!”
“B-but, I want to help. Natalie’s my classmate too…”
Jacob’s voice trailed off as Henry continued glaring. He really wasn’t good at confrontations. There wasn’t any going back, though. If he did then how could he look at his mother again? She was always encouraging him to stand up for himself. While he had been trying to steel his nerve, Henry had turned back to the group.
“You’d just slow us down. Go home.”
“NO. I’m staying. I-if you want to waste our time we c-can keep arguing but wouldn’t you rather find Natalie and Josh instead?”
After getting that out he was feeling a little light headed. Henry turned to glare at him again and it took all Jacob had to keep from looking away. This wasn’t the time for him to back down. How was supposed to help if he just went home? The older boy took a step toward him and he slipped his hands into his jacket pockets wondering if he had what it took to stand up Henry, but luckily Katrina and then Michael interrupted before he had to answer that.
“We could use a lookout, couldn’t we? He’s right about us wasting time. I want to get home before my dad notices I’m gone.”
“Yeah. The more people we have the safer we’ll be too.”
Henry still looked like he’d rather pitch Jacob over the garden hedge but he stepped back to the group. Katrina gave him an encouraging smile which he did his best to return. He wasn’t being sent away and that was a big step. He couldn’t do much from his room, however safer it was. Tonight he would be brave. With a sigh, Henry motioned Jacob and the other children closer.
“You can stay but mess up once and you’re out. This is what we know…”


There are few artists with as diverse of a collection of works as Chicago’s Shel Silverstein. From childrens’ books, to poetry, to songwriting, to stage productions, to illustrations for Playboy comics in the magazine’s hayday, the perpetually bearded Silverstein left behind a prolific resume at the time of his death in 1999.
Born and raised in Chicago, Silverstein was expelled from Roosevelt HS in the Ravenswood Manor neighborhood before attending the Chicago Academy for Fine Arts, Roosevelt University, which preceded a drafted stint in the military.
Aside from his work in print, Silverstein’s most famous song writing credit is for the Johnny Cash classic, “A Boy Named Sue”. But it’s his work for children that endures the most, with his poetry collections A Light In The Attic, Falling Up, and Where The Sidewalk Ends (my personal favorite piece being “The Meewho and The Exactlywatt”), as well as the gut-wrenching The Giving Tree. During all of this, Silverstein’s beard was a large presence in his life, so much so that he wrote a poem about it.


As a veteran resident approaching his 28th year in Japan, I would like to offer some simple advice to tourists, newbies and fellow graybeards as well. Which is:
I prefer this season not as one of tinsel, lights and storefront carols, but rather as one of quiet — a season of soft-falling snow, a season of anticipation, a season of memories.
In this season I am haunted by the memory of a Christmas past, that of my very first Christmas in Japan in 1976. And like the Dickens messenger from the shadows of distant youth, the ghost that I welcome is not unfriendly at all.
It was a time when Japan was first modeling its hard-earned affluence, clumsy attire that yet did not fit so well. In my tatami apartment, in richie-rich Denenchofu no less, I slept on futon, slurped Cup Noodles for breakfast, cranked my space heater as high as it would go, and wondered if I myself would ever fit Japan. My home seemed far away.
In the mornings, I would ride the elevator to the first floor, my half-asleep head propped against the doors, and when I arrived, I would wade my way through a sea of high-school girls ebbing from the station, girls with straight black hair and grape-colored coats, all a-chatter in the new day.
Each girl the same. Or so I thought.
Then I would hold my breath for a jam-packed commuter ride to Shibuya, where I would mangle wa's and ga's in the hallowed halls of Naganuma Language School.
[Editor: Whether to put the particle 'wa' or 'ga' after the subject of a sentence in Japanese can be just as challenging for foreigners as how to use articles in English.]
Every day this had been my pattern, from my arrival in September until now, the final few days before Christmas.
It was a nondescript morning, with the winter air biting my face and neck, adding a freeze-frame background for the event to come.
I picked my way among the high-school girls as they streamed around me and up the hill for their campus. My head held its usual contents — meaning it was empty.
But then came a thought. I had forgotten my notebook with my homework! One hundred and 50 days of classes and this was the only time I would ever forget.
I cursed and retreated for my apartment.
When I slammed through the building doorway, I found a high-school girl standing at my postbox. She was shoving a Christmas package inside.
Her eyes burst with terror. Behind her, a second girl, a friend, backed against the wall.
The girl stood there, flummoxed and trembling. That I could hardly speak Japanese was a blessing. For I had no idea what to say.
I was 22; the girl maybe 16. She stared at me with big eyes.
Presently, she tugged the present from my postbox and placed it in my hands. I rustled it open. Inside was a hand-knitted scarf, one she had no doubt spent hours making.
I fumbled out a "thank you," and tried it on — to find it long enough to wrap around a redwood, let alone my neck. I grinned with her scarf knotted about my throat and both ends drooping past my knees. I must have done it all wrong.
For in that second she choked in tears and banged out the door. Her friend ran after her. I watched them trot away.
With the scarf came a note in hiragana. When I pulled myself together, grabbed my notebook and made it to class, I showed the note to my teacher. It read "Anata no koto ga suki desu. Satoko."
[Editor: This means either "I love you" or (extremely unlikely) "I like your koto." Since the note was penned in hiragana phonetic script, there were no Chinese kanji characters to clarify meaning. The girl, whose name was Satoko, had wanted to make it easy for this article writer, only 22 and new to Japan at the time, to understand.]
"But," I told my teacher. "I don't play the koto."
The teacher went berserk with laughter and showed the note to everyone in the building. I couldn't make out what she was shrieking, but perhaps it was, "Yes, it's true! I'm teaching a total dork!"
So . . . a love note. From one girl in the ocean of girls who watched me shiver to the station each day.
I hadn't seen her before. And I would never see her again. Except once at a distance as she wound up the hill toward her school. In March, I moved from Tokyo to Kyushu.
Kyushu — where I met another big-eyed girl, a few years older, whom I one day married. One who finds my Christmas story touching.
As for me, I don't reflect back in any "Disneyfied," what-if kind of way, nor, so much, as if an awkward moment borrowed from the outtakes of The World of Henry Orient.
Instead, I dwell on the incredible synchronicity of one notebook forgotten. And I wish I could have somehow better swallowed my surprise and fished up a more gentlemanly response. The unknown girl deserved that.
Still, each Christmas I lift my wine glass to some Satoko somewhere in Japan, no doubt now approaching age 50.
That was a nice gift, Satoko. One of the nicest I ever got.
Somehow, in some glow of stumbling human spirit, in the cold and loneliness of that first Christmas, it helped me see that, yes, Japan might be the right fit for me.
Merry Christmas — wherever you are.
Editor's note: Sincere thanks to the author for his kind permission to republish this heartwarming story, which first appeared in his regular Japan Times column "When East Marries West".


Your Health - Does God Care?
God Desires that We be in Health!
3 John 2
Beloved, I wish above all things that thou mayest prosper and be in health, even as thy soul prospereth.
3 John 2
In 3 John 2, we clearly see that God connects our
Physical well-being with our Spiritual well-being.
What a Wonderful God We Serve!
How much does God want Us to Prosper Spiritually?
To understand how God desires for our health to prosper we need to first understand how He wants our spiritual life to prosper.
God desires that We have Perfect, Faultless, Blameless, Overcoming Health.
Be ye therefore perfect, even as your Father which is in heaven is perfect.
Now unto him that is able to keep you from falling, and to present you faultless before the presence of his glory with exceeding joy.
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.
1 Thessalonians 5:23
He that overcometh, the same shall be clothed in white raiment; and I will not blot out his name out of the book of life, but I will confess his name before my Father, and before his angels.
How do We obtain this Perfect, Faultless, Blameless, Overcoming Health?
Diligently Hearken & Do
And said, If thou wilt diligently hearken to the voice of the Lord thy God, and wilt do that which is right in his sight, and wilt give ear to his commandments, and keep all his statutes, I will put none of these diseases upon thee, which I have brought upon the Egyptians: for I am the Lord that healeth thee.
Obedience is the condition required for
perfect, faultless, blameless overcoming health.
We must choose to Obey the Word of the Lord.
Our Lord Desires to Make Us Whole and Right in Him.
Surrender All to God and Allow Him to Do the Good Work in
You that only He can do.
Being confident of this very thing, that he which hath begun a good work in you
will perform it until the day of Jesus Christ:


I received a copy of this book from the publisher (Random House) and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Ghosts of Harvard completely blew me away. At its core, it houses such a poignant window into mental illness and the victims it leaves behind when those struggling with it take their own lives. The portrayal of grief is brutal and beautiful and real. And yet this story is so much more than that. As she explores the Harvard campus on which her brother took his own life, Cady is faced with a plethora of mysteries. While her brother’s last days consume her from the start, she also finds herself digging into the university’s past as she grapples with fear over her own future. Ghosts of Harvard is a brilliant and seamless bridging of so many ideas and genres. I am in awe of how much research went into the writing of this book, and how Serritella was able to convey so much without a single aspect feeling forced. She struck a perfect balance in so many ways, and she truly gave the world a gift through the publication of this novel.
“Then where’s the room for a leap of faith? Just because you can’t explain something doesn’t make it untrue.”
Is there anything more terrifying that the fear of madness? The author does a brilliant job at portraying that fear in Cady. While she is compelled to investigate her brother’s suicide and discover what drove him during his last days, she is also fighting a rising terror that she is schizophrenic, as well. Her reactions are wholly believable without being either overly dramatic or unconvincingly nonchalant. Watching her spiral over the course of her investigation was disturbing and tense and filled me with a compassion for her that I find rarely invoked by fictional characters. Cady felt so real to me. She’s a bright girl who always lived in her brother’s shadow, and she doesn’t know how to do anything but follow in his footsteps. Cady is also one of the most internally aware and honest characters I’ve come across. She asks herself hard questions and tries her best to answer them, even when it’s impossible. She truly struggles to not only understand the brother who left her, but to learn who she is as a person, and I found this journey enthralling.
“The say that fate is written in the stars, but the irony is that stars don’t project the future, they reflect the past… I like to think [the people we’ve lost] are like the stars. Their light hasn’t gone out. Candlelight goes out. But something as bright as a star, as a soul, that light moves on.”
This is a novel of obsession. Cady is completely obsessed with learning all she can about her brother’s last year of life, and finding any little excuse she can grasp that might have finally pushed him over the edge into suicide. She is so consumed by this need for information that she begins seeing conspiracies in every shadow. How much of this need is madness worming its way into her own mind, and how much is actually real? And how can she maintain her grasp on reality, and her new life on an incredibly prestigious and difficult campus when she’s so wrapped up in the past?
“But time was two-faced. Minutes that ticks by like any other were the moments that changed a life forever, yet revealed themselves too late.”
Then there are the ghosts. The voices that Cady begins hearing in her head are one of the most fascinating elements of this novel. Are they an indicator that she is spiraling into madness? Are they supernatural phenomena? Or can they be explained by weird science along the lines of that explored in Blake Crouch’s most recent novels? All three possibilities were deftly juggled in a way that never tipped the author’s hand, but also didn’t feel frustratingly vague. There was one reveal in this ghostly aspect of the book that literally elicited a physiological response from me. With one word, or rather, one name, I found myself covered from shin to eyebrow with chills. It was a powerful moment.
“Do we all pick only the best snapshots to remember in our mental scrapbooks and throw away the bad? Perhaps all photo albums should bear the subtitle The Past—The Way You Want to Remember It.”
I’m a sucker for any novel revolving around or set within academia. Any school story is immediately appealing to me. Very few real-life schools are more well known than Harvard, so I was excited to pick up this book merely on the basis of the title. Thankfully, the school setting was truly utilized here, and the school itself became a very important character in its own right. The history of the school is fascinating, and I learned so much over the course of reading Ghosts of Harvard. And yet I never felt like Serritella was being too heavy-handed in her conveyance of this history, but instead balanced it very well against every other element of the story.
“History is never as simple a narrative as we write in books.”
Some people have expressed a frustration with the slow pacing of the book. I felt that pacing was actually very well maintained. Yes, the story meanders. But it’s meant to! Because we are experiencing Cady’s revelations alongside her, I felt that the pace of the story emphasized the time and care she as a character was putting into her hunt for answers. Her flashbacks were meted out in exactly the right amount. I never felt myself drowning in backstory, but was instead excited to see more of Cady’s past and how it had shaped her. I found the rhythm of the novel captivating. I also found the book far more unpredictable than I would have expected, which was a welcome surprise. This is a story that definitely keeps you on your toes.
“She noticed how easy it was to edit someone’s past so that all the pieces of a person fit neatly together… The lie endures for generations, while the truth dies with its victims. But what were the consequences?”
Probably my favorite element of this book was the philosophical bent to the writing. Serritella has a beautiful way with words, and I heavily annotated my copy. Not only does she write beautifully, she writes deeply. There was so much philosophical depth to this book. I was prompted to really think and self-evaluate over the course of the book. Not only was I touched by Cady’s story, I was actually impacted by it in a way that I truly believe will stick with me.
“Adventure is only possible if you don’t spoil the ending.”
Much like the university after which it is named, Ghosts of Harvard contains multitudes. This book is a campus mystery, a coming of age story, a scientific exploration of mental illness, a tale of espionage, a moving historical account, a romance, an esoteric dive into poetry and philosophy and faith and prejudice and a family drama. While this mingling could have led to a bloated and unpalatable slough, all of these elements were instead woven together with a level of grace and care that is truly rare. It was everything I hoped it would be and more, and I will be doing my best to get it into as many hands as I can. It’s a book that will haunt me, and I gladly welcome it.
You can order this book from: Bookshop.org (Support independent bookstores!) | Amazon UK | Amazon US | Audible | Libro.fm (Another way to support independent bookstores!) | Book Depository (Free shipping)


I wake up. Pancakes are cooking. I make bacon. I devour the pancakes, covered in yogurt, strawberries, and bananas, along with eggs and bacon and strawberry-rhubarb pie for breakfast. I don my kit, pump up my tires, fill up my water bottles, and get on my bike. I ride alongside a lake, and descend through amazing scenery. The temperature is perfect, with the sun warming my back and the breeze cooling my face. At the end of the fun, technical descent, I begin to climb. I climb for 11 miles, looking over mountains that go on forever, and looking down on canyons and valleys that take my breath away. I inhale the fresh pine air and hear the scampering wildlife. I eat. I drink. I converse with the tourists. I photograph the adventure. I descend. I eat. I drink. I bask in the sunlight, admiring the clear blue skies. I share margaritas with my teammates. We make fajitas, and I cook plantains. We eat. We drink. We share stories. We share wine.
This is the perfect day.
It would be a dream.
But this is what happened today.


Lora Leigh and the attending writers of the Reader's Appreciation Weekend would like to invite you to attend.
A four day reader event for $100? *Gasp! Read more to find out what a fantastic gift this is to yourself or a friend!Lora Leigh and 18 of her RAW author friends invite you to the sixth annual READER'S APPRECIATION WEEKEND.
As authors, we take your support seriously and to show that, we've created a special way to bring down the registration cost of the entire weekend to $100! (*hotel ,travel not included)
It's an awesome deal when you see what we have planned! Proof that when we say, "It's all about the readers!" We mean it! Check it out!
Due to the limited number of spaces available, this "Special Registration discount" is available only until August 1, 2013!
Register now at the discounted $100 price and secure your spot for this very special weekend with Lora Leigh and friends!
September 19-22, 2013
Clarion Hotel, Hagerstown, MD
Four days of fabulous one-on-one time with authors, includes delightful mixers, games, wonderful food, dancing, a book signing and well, more fun that a body ought to have!
The four day event kicks off with a Princess welcome party (complete with tiaras) where you'll meet the authors. The fun continues with reader games, author meet-ups, and an awesome 80's dance party and costume competition!!
You'll have a chance to meet Lora Leigh and a special guest on Saturday as well as opportunity to have your special "RAW 2013 Memory book" signed by all the authors!
A full day ends with the annual Slumber party where you can dance in your pj's with the authors, learn new dance steps, or join a conga line! You never know what surprises might occur!!
We wrap up this amazing weekend of bonding friendships with an all author book signing, where you can browse through hundreds of books and get your fav author to personalize them!
Please check the schedule page for full details of the events we have planned.
Check back as we continue to add new authors, new events and the latest news about RAW 2013!
Registration is open! See you there!


30 Sep Episode 2 – Reflections with Micheal Wolfe (pt2)
A chat with Michael Wolfe, an American who converted to Islam, recounts his own journey a Californian pilgrim.
We also chat about his compilation of One Thousand Roads to Mecca: Ten Centuries of Travelers Writing about the Muslim Pilgrimage and the characters therein. Included are the travel narratives by Ibn Jubayr, Ibn Battuta, J. L. Burckhardt, Richard Burton, the Begum of Bhopal, John Keene, Winifred Stegar, Muhammad Asad, Harry St. John Philby, Lady Evelyn Cobbald, Jalal Al-e Ahmad, and Malcolm X.
(Originally aired on Radio Islam on 30/09/14)


"Having disciplined mind and body to quiescence, I must discipline them also to activity. The senses must be used. For the ear, the most vital thing that can be listened to here is silence. To bend the ear to silence is to discover how seldom it is there. Always something moves. When the air is quite still, there is always running water; and up here that is a sound that one can hardly lose, though on many stony parts of the plateau one is above the watercourses. But now and then comes an hour when the silence is all but absolute, and listening to it one slips out of time. Such a silence is not a mere negation of sound. It is like a new element, and if water is still sounding with a low far-off murmur, it is no more than the last edge of an element we are leaving, as the last edge of land hangs on the mariner’s horizon."
from The Living Mountain by Nan Shepherd
written in the 1940s, first published 1977
2011 Edinburgh & London, Canongate. [page 96]


What others are saying
Robert Clancy delivers inspirational, passionate, and empathetic daily messages to over a half-million souls, and is seen in ninety countries worldwide through his Robert Clancy – Guide to the Soul Facebook page.
“In Soul Cyphers, Robert offers brilliant and powerful life decodes that allow for such transformation. He also includes moving stories to inspire you along with effective practices you can incorporate into your daily routine that are simple, yet life-changing.”
— from Foreword by Marci Shimoff, New York Times #1 bestselling author of Chicken Soup for the Woman’s Soul
“A wonderful awakening for your soul! A brilliant light to guide you on your pathway through life, Soul Cyphers lifts you up, enlightens your day, and becomes your guide on an empowering journey to discover your self-worth...priceless.”
— Temple Hayes, Difference-maker, Intl. Speaker, author of When Did You Die?
“Robert Clancy has written a brilliant, uplifting book. It is the key to unlocking your highest potential and grace-filled purpose. Soul Cyphers is a beautiful guide for anyone seeking a more fulfilling life.”
— Robin Jay, Award-winning filmmaker, The Keeper of the Keys and The Secrets of the Keys
“Robert is one of a kind. He really knows people and how to help them. His message beautifully covers heath—whether physical, mental, or spiritual—as an important aspect of your wellbeing. I’m keeping this book by my bed, and I suggest you do as well.”
— Mark Alyn, Award-winning host and producer of Late Night Health Radio
“Enlightening is an understatement. Not since The Shack have I read such and engaging and compelling book to reaffirm my spiritual connection. Robert Clancy is a true angelic light in our world. His beautifully-written book, Souls Cyphers, decodes every aspect of your heart and dreams, while providing you with a spiritual guide to get you through even the darkest of days.”
— Teresa de Grosbois, #1 International Bestselling Author of Mass Influence
“This not a book; this is a seminar. Instantly it fills you with more hope and happiness while you are reading. After a single page, you heart and life are lighter and brighter. I've never 'experienced' a book like this before. We will be talking about this seminal book for years.”
— Swami - The Orange Cowboy, # 1 bestselling author of The Ayurveda Encyclopedia; and presented to White House commission on alternative medicine
“Beautifully written and deeply inspiring, Robert Clancy's book will ignite your heart to higher love and transform your moments into a series of miraculous awakenings.”
— Paul Samuel Dolman, Host of What Matters Most and author of Hitchhiking with Larry David: A True Story from Martha's Vineyard


By Steven Edwards
Meditation can help you focus, get in the groove, perform at a higher level of awareness and productivity, and enjoy life more. Yet there are so many ideas out there about how to do it effectively. Do you just relax and focus on your breath? How about using mantras that help you stay focused? Or perhaps taking a yoga class to blow off steam at the end of a long, hard day? All these can be great ways to help you relax and focus your mind, but have you ever thought of just doing nothing?
I have a very active mind. For me this has been a blessing and a curse at times. I’ve found that if I’m always thinking about the next thing to get done, it’s easy to become a human doing rather than a human being. Even when I go to our family cabin in Wyoming to vacation, I have spent most of my days at the local library where I can access the internet, and work on business projects!
Recently, I read the The Joy Diet by Martha Beck. The first chapter of Beck’s book is entitled “Nothing.” It describes the practice of doing nothing for at least 15 minutes a day. I started the practice. Intentionally doing nothing is one of the most transformational activities I’ve ever done.
Productivity has skyrocketed. The ability to connect to my wife and two boys has improved. Awareness of my surroundings and the people in my life has expanded. My mind feels calmer.
In 600 B.C., Lao Tzu, author of the Tao Te Ching said:
We shape the clay into a pot,
but it is the emptiness inside
that holds whatever we want.
We hammer wood for a house,
but it is the inner space
that makes it livable.
We work with being,
but non-being is what we use.
In the hustle and bustle of modern life, with email, cell phones, Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn, advertising, internet, and the myriad demands on our time, it is easy to get lost in the noise.
Even with everything we gain and benefit from in this world of technology and distraction, it’s easy to become desensitized and less able to give open-hearted, full attention to the things that really matter to us in our lives. This is where we lose something truly valuable.
When the somethings of our lives collapse around us, and we’re faced with excess and overwhelm, in letting go and turning to nothing, we find all that we need.
Mother Theresa once said, “We need to find God, and He cannot be found in noise and restlessness. God is the friend of silence. See how nature—trees, flowers, grass—grows in silence; see the stars, the moon and the sun, how they move in silence… .We need silence to be able to touch souls.”
Abba Poeman, an Egyptian monk taught his disciples, “If you are silent, you will have peace wherever you live.”
What I’ve Learned from Doing Nothing
- Clearer mind and memory: this has been really interesting to me. I’ve found I’m actually much more capable of focusing on the things that are in alignment with my goals and values on a consistent daily basis. I’m not trying to focus so much on getting a million things done at once, but have been more focused on doing ONE thing at a time.
- Greater presence in my interaction with others: I’ve found I’m not nearly so focused on my own agenda, thoughts, and desires when in my interaction with other people. I’m noticing more the body language of people I’m speaking to, listening to what they say, talking less, becoming more aware of what people’s interests and goals are, and enjoying the presence of the person I’m with.
- Noticing my surroundings: you know, it’s curious to think about, how as a child and in my younger years, I noticed more closely the things around me – birds, trees, sounds, sights, smells. I drew them, painted them, and listened to what these things had to offer me. In giving in to the distractions and stresses of modern life it is interesting to note the loss of attention I have paid my surroundings. Doing nothing has sharpened my focus and attention to see things.
- Productivity: By surrendering to nothing, I’m actually getting much more of something done. It’s been fascinating to experience my productivity improve by focusing on less, thinking about less, and enjoying the focus I have on what I do.
How to Do Nothing
Doing nothing means exactly what it says: do nothing. There is no need to practice a mantra or move your body. It does not include formal prayer, problem solving, planning your day, or specific visualizations.
When you start this process consistently, you might notice a desire to pull away from doing nothing and go back to preoccupation. Resist the urge. If you feel an idea come to mind, let go of the compulsion to jump up and write it down. Just quietly say to yourself, “I’m busy doing nothing right now” and continue to enjoy the peace.
Reining in the urge to return to busyness when practicing stillness takes a measure of discipline, at least at first. But I think you’ll find that doing so will create a vacuum in your heart, mind and soul, that invites peace, stillness, joy, love, inspiration, and the inner openness to receive as to give.
In that spirit, I have a few suggestions on how to adopt this discipline into your life:
- Put up a “Do Not Disturb” sign: schedule 15 minutes a day to do nothing. I schedule it first thing in the morning after I wake up, drink 500 ml of water, and expose my eyes to sunlight. Hydrating my body after not drinking water all night helps me feel clear-headed. Getting out in the sunlight for a few minutes triggers a hormonal state of wakefulness. You could schedule your nothing time at any time of day. Just best sure to set aside 15 minutes where you won’t be bothered by anybody for anything.
- Find a place: this could be your study, the bedroom, or any place where you won’t be interrupted.
- Set a timer: I use the alarm on my iPhone or iPad. The alarm sound is a soft bell ring that I set to go off at 15 minutes.
- Create the context: the context is the means through which you relax your body and mind and do nothing. I use recordings that include ocean waves, birds and streams, rain and wind. I particularly enjoy listening to recordings of moving water. The air we breathe is filled with positive and negative ions. Negative ions help purify the air, promoting high energy and a positive mood. The proportion of negative ions is highest around moving water such as waterfalls, streams, during and after storms, and the ocean. It’s no wonder we feel so energized when we go to the beach! I have many positive experiences around water, so when I “do nothing” that’s often where I’ll go in my mind as I listen to the ocean through my headphones.
- Relax your body and quiet your mind: Many of us have squirrel minds. To deal with this common tendency, some meditation practices recommend thought observation: just let your mind do it’s thing without passing judgments on your thoughts or trying to control them. Observing your thoughts without judgement allows you to divide your awareness from your thoughts, relax more fully, and be more present. When I come to this state of relaxed awareness, I often find ideas start flooding into my mind: inspiration for an article I’m writing, a marketing idea, or even a quote. I resist the urge to break away from my “nothingness” and just continue to bask in the experience – there will be time later to write down the idea.
- Be present: thoughts of past accomplishments or regrets may run through your mind. Concerns about, or even inspiration regarding the future might course through your thoughts. Whatever the thought, it’s ok, just relax. Just keep doing nothing. When you learn to become present in the here and now in your doing nothing experience, I think you’ll be amazed how quickly that 15 minutes passes, and the benefit you get from it!
I’m confident that you’ll benefit profoundly from this practice. The busier you are, the more preoccupied with getting stuff done, the more valuable and important the discipline of stillness is to you. I challenge you to start. Make it a habit. Enjoy the rewards.


I’m late to the bandwagon on this one. This book is being made into a movie while I was still fumbling around with the first 20 pages. Nevertheless, Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli is quirky, down-to-earth and I found myself smiling the whole time I was reading it. My cheeks hurt, yo. I’m warm and fuzzy from Simon and Blue, and my face is hurting and it is beautiful. This book is a-freaking-dorable and it is a must-read for all YA fans.
Here is why I fell in love with this adorable book.
Simon is sooooo lovable.
What is brilliant about Simon is while he had moments of teen angst, they weren’t bogged down or too intense. In fact, he is a light and jovial character who loves hugs, bad jokes and Harry Potter. Like Albertalli’s newer novel, the protagonist is realistic and lovable. He’s also an overthinker and so relatable. Plus he loves Oreos (and who doesn’t love Oreos?)
Epic friendships everywhere!
Simon has a real tight-knit group of friends: the ones from his childhood Nick and Leah, as well as a new bubbly addition, Abby. They have their moments of tension and arguments, but not every friendship is smooth sailing. The book also showcases these platonic friendships and yes, girls and guys can be friends without having romantic feelings for each other. Simon is supportive of his friends, and loves them for who they are.
I also liked Simon’s siblings, Alice and Nora, and how close they are as siblings. The fact there were healthy and loving relationships in his home life with his parents and siblings added a dynamic to the story that was heartwarming (and a family that watches reality TV together stays together).
The coming-of-age elements were excellent.
Here we have a protagonist who is gay and not portrayed as flamboyant or any other stereotype. He is portrayed as he is: a funny, lowkey popular kid with great friends and an online romance slowly blooming. I liked how we get to know Simon as himself, not who he sexually prefers. The commentary about identity, diversity and sexuality were well said and suited the story, and it added a maturity to Simon (and Blue) that I felt like it needed.
I died over how cute the romance was.
I totally understand online friendships. One of my best friends is from America and while we didn’t reveal our identities for a while, we’re going on nearly 8 (or 9?) years of friendship without having met IRL. So when Simon was in the midst of emailing a cute wordsmith who goes to his school but won’t reveal his identity, yo, I get it. It did annoy me a couple of times when things were tense over their identities, but despite that I loved the email format of the relationship and Blue’s grammatical prowess. The flirting is killer cute and the way Simon and Blue slowly opened up to each other was just beautiful.
Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda is filled with great helpings of humour, realistic and wonderful characters, a powerful love for Oreos and understanding what it is like to be yourself.
What are your thoughts?
Have you read Simon vs. The Homo Sapiens Agenda? Do you have a healthy obsession with Oreos? Have you read books with a gay protagonist and found it realistic? Leave a comment down below with your thoughts.
Sixteen-year-old and not-so-openly gay Simon Spier prefers to save his drama for the school musical. But when an email falls into the wrong hands, his secret is at risk of being thrust into the spotlight. Now Simon is actually being blackmailed: if he doesn’t play wingman for class clown Martin, his sexual identity will become everyone’s business. Worse, the privacy of Blue, the pen name of the boy he’s been emailing, will be compromised.
With some messy dynamics emerging in his once tight-knit group of friends, and his email correspondence with Blue growing more flirtatious every day, Simon’s junior year has suddenly gotten all kinds of complicated. Now, change-averse Simon has to find a way to step out of his comfort zone before he’s pushed out—without alienating his friends, compromising himself, or fumbling a shot at happiness with the most confusing, adorable guy he’s never met.


常海滨，男，辽宁清原人，1983年12月生。本科毕业于吉林大学数学学院，博士毕业于北京大学工学院，之后在北京大学从事了博士后和研究岗位工作，于2022年6月入职中国矿业大学（北京）能源与矿业学院。主要研究方向为渗流数值模拟、开发优化、数据同化和机器学习。代表性成果：（1）提出了复杂储层介质（如岩相、裂缝、渠道）的反演算法；（2）提出了用于强非线性问题（如流固耦合问题）的迭代数据同化算法；（3）提出了数据驱动的物理规律挖掘方法；（4）提出了融合领域知识的深度学习方法。在Journal of Computational Physics、Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering、Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth、SPE Journal和Journal of Hydrology等国际知名杂志发表SCI论文20余篇。担任10余国际知名期刊审稿人。获授权国家发明专利1项。主持/参与博士后基金、国家自然科学基金、国家科技重大专项子课题和横向课题等项目10余项。
Short Biosketch of Dr. Haibin Chang
Haibin Chang was born in 1983, Liaoning, China. He received bachelor’s degree in mechanics from Jilin University, China, and received PhD degree in energy and resources engineering from Peking University, China. After that he sequentially worked as post doctor and research scientist in Peking University. He joined China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing) in June 2022. His research interests include subsurface flow simulation, production optimization, data assimilation, and machine learning.Hepublishedover 20journal papers, which are published in high quality journals, such as《Journal of Computational Physics》,《Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering》,《Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth》,《SPE Journal》and《Journal of Hydrology》.His 10 representative papers are listed below.
 Wang, N., Chang, H. *, Zhang, D. *, Efficient uncertainty quantification for dynamic subsurface flow with surrogate by Theory-guided Neural Network. Computer Methods in Applied Mechanics and Engineering. 2021, 373, 113492.
 Wang, N., Chang, H. *, Zhang, D. *, Deep-Learning-Based Inverse Modeling Approaches: A Subsurface Flow Example. Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth. 2021, 126(2), e2020JB020549.
Xu, H., Chang, H. *, Zhang, D.*, DLGA-PDE: Discovery of PDEs with incomplete candidate library via combination of deep learning and genetic algorithm. Journal of Computational Physics. 2020, 584, 124700.
Chang, H., Zhang, D., Machine learning subsurface flow equations from data. Computational Geosciences. 2019, 23(5), 895-910.
Chang, H., Zhang, D., Identification of physical processes via combined data-driven and data-assimilation methods. Journal of Computational Physics. 2019, 393, 337-350.
Chang, H., Zhang, D., History matching of stimulated reservoir volume of shale gas reservoirs using an iterative ensemble smoother. SPE Journal. 2018, 23(2), 346 - 366.
Chang, H., Liao, Q., Zhang, D., Surrogate model based iterative ensemble smoother for subsurface flow data assimilation. Advances in Water Resources. 2017, 100, 96-108.
Chang, H., Liao, Q., Zhang, D., Benchmark problems for subsurface flow uncertainty quantification. Journal of Hydrology. 2015, 531, 168-186.
Chang, H., Zhang, D., Lu, Z., History matching of facies distribution with the EnKF and level set parameterization. Journal of Computational Physics. 2010, 229, 8011-8030.
Chang, H., Chen, Y., Zhang, D., Data Assimilation of Coupled Fluid Flow and Geomechanics Using the Ensemble Kalman Filter. SPE Journal. 2010, 15(2), 382-394.
Contact: Haibin Chang
School of Energy and Mining Engineering
China University of Mining and Technology (Beijing)
Ding 11 Xueyuan Road, Beijing 100083, P. R. China


Today’s the official publication date of my first book, Seventy-nine Short Essays on Design.
Here are some warnings up front. It is a 272-page book about design that contains no pictures. Each essay, as you may have heard, is published in a different typeface, and you may not find every typeface equally easy to read. And 68 of the pieces in the book were previously published on Design Observer, in one form or another, which means you can read most of them for free here.
So, then, why a book?
Good question. Here’s another one: why write about design at all? I still remember the first time I tried. More than twenty years ago, I was asked to write something for Statements, the magazine of the late, great American Center for Design. It was a special issue on design education, and I was probably the youngest contributor. The others were educators, professors with advanced degrees, people who had published a lot of things. I was a relatively recent design school graduate staring at a blank piece of paper. And staring, and staring.


1997 - 2011
Harry Potter - some things are worth dying for.
Ron Weasley - that believing in yourself is a hundred times more powerful than luck.
Hermione Granger - an education is a girl’s best asset, even if it doesn’t make you many friends.
Severus Snape - to never, ever, ever judge someone.
Rubeus Hagrid - anything can be cute with the right perspective.
Ginny Weasley - bold is beautiful.
Lily Potter - a mother’s love is the strongest force on earth.
Remus Lupin - fear is the only thing I should be afraid of.
Dolores Umbridge - education with a political agenda is a terrible, terrible thing.
Sirius Black - the ones we love never truly leave us.
Albus Dumbledore - good people are not always good.
Draco Malfoy - bad people are not always bad.
Neville Longbottom - courage is standing up for what’s right, even when you’re scared out of your mind.
Luna Lovegood - weird is wonderful.
Dobby - freedom is a gift.
Lucius Malfoy - no amount of money, pomp, or circumstance will buy you true friends.
Fred & George Weasley - sometimes all you need is a good laugh.
The Dursleys - a world without imagination is a dull and dreary place.
Arthur Weasley - a good sense of curiosity and a bit of obsession can be healthy.
Fleur Delacour - true love is not based on appearance.
Molly Weasley - a happy family is not measured in gold.
Bellatrix Lestrange - hatred and prejudice rot your mind and can turn even the most beautiful person into a monster.
Kreacher - if you want to get to know a man, look at how he treats his inferiors, not his equals.
Cho Chang - rebound relationships almost never work.
Nymphadora Tonks - love myself, no matter what I look like.
Percy Weasley - in the end, no career is worth sacrificing your family.
Sybill Trelawney - you cannot change the past, only the future.
Lavender Brown - physical relationships only last for so long.
Peter Pettigrew - rats do not make good friends.
Nicholas Flamel - in the well-prepared mind, death is but the next great adventure.
Minerva McGonagall - a good cause is worth fighting for at any age.
Hedwig - the love we have for our pets is very real.
Voldemort - a life without love is barely living.
Alastor Moody - constant vigilance.
Argus Filch - malice isn’t always unwarranted.
Cornelius Fudge - it’s not shameful to admit that sometimes, you just can’t do the job on your own.
Rufus Scrimgeor - politicians aren’t all selfish.
Moaning Myrtle - whining doesn’t get you anywhere.
Aberforth Dumbledore - no matter how dire the situation looks, never give up.
James Potter - maturity is far more attractive than flamboyance.
Cedric Diggory - hatred dies with the body; kindness lives on.
Colin Creevey - age isn’t a measure of bravery.
J. K. Rowling taught me that the stories we love will always be with us.
Until the very end.


SPECIAL PROBIOTICS AND VITAMIN D3 FOR HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE.
There are articles available in the net regarding Vitamin D3, Vitamin K2 and Probiotics for high blood pressure problem. Five such articles are given below:
1) Low Vitamin D & K levels linked to higher blood pressure: Study.
2) How Vitamin D and Vitamin K2 work together.
3) Probiotic use in the management of Hypertension.
4) Effects of Probiotics on Blood Pressure.
5) The improvement of Hypertension by Probiotics.
Vitamins K2 and D3 play an important role in calcium metabolism. Probiotic bacteria Lactococcous Lactis synthesizes Vitamin K2 in the digestive system from the food we consume.
Vitamin K2 guides calcium to its final destination: bone and teeth. If there is insufficient production of Vitamin K2 in the digestive system, calcium will deposit in the wrong areas.
Probiotic bacteria L. Helveticus reported to exert ACE-inhibitory activity by producing antihypertensive bioactive peptides which are released during protein hydrolysis.
Peptides are miniature protein molecules which can be easily absorbed by the body. ACE stands for Angiotension Converting Enzyme. Probiotic strains L. Plantarum synthesizes nitric oxide from the food we consume. Nitric oxide will try to dilate all blood vessels on the body. L. Casei have significant antihypertensive properties.
According to an article titled “Probiotic and Blood pressure: Current Insights”, our gut microbiota are master regulators of hypertension. If one goes through the above document, about eight probiotic strains are involved in blood pressure control.
1) Lactococcus Lactis
2) L. Helveticus
3) L. Plantarum
4) L. Casei
5) L. Rhamnosus
6) S. Thermophilus
7) B. Longum
8) L. Achidophilus.
Out of these eight probiotic strains, the first four probiotic strains have major control over blood pressure.
Follow the following two steps:
1) During my search in the net, I found about six brands of multi strain probiotics with the required eight probiotic strains mentioned above. One has to take one probiotic capsule / tablet per days.
2) Take one D3 supplement of about 2000 IU per day.
One can expect good results in about two months. I hope the information provided here will be useful.


KOREAN HAND THERAPY A Practical Guide to Diagnosis and Treatment
Regular price £29.95
Do you have patients who have attended your clinic numerous times but do not improve significantly or their symptoms soon return?
Do you formulate a treatment plan for a patient but are anxious that you are just treating the symptoms and not getting to ‘the root of their problem’?
Did you learn about patient diagnostic methods while learning acupuncture but struggle to apply them in a clinical setting?
This book could change all that for you
In this highly anticipated follow up book to his initial guide- “Korean Hand Therapy (KHT)- An Introductory Guide to Hand Acupuncture, Acupressure & Moxibustion”, Dr Baik explores the often confusing clinical area of patient diagnosis and treatment.
With a focus on using the KHT approach to abdominal palpation and pulse taking, this concise guide clearly explains a practical, simple, logical diagnostic process which can quickly and easily be undertaken with each patient.
A practitioner can swiftly and efficiently diagnose the ‘root’ of their patients symptoms and undertake a powerful, individualised treatment plan.
Reading this book will streamline your diagnostic methods and revolutionise your treatment plans
If you would like to learn more about Korean Hand Therapy directly with Jong Baik there's more information here.


PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (published, forthcoming or accepted)
N = 13, 62% as lead author, 38% as supporting author
Schattman, R. E., Hurley, S., Greenleaf, H., Niles, M. T., & Caswell, M. (forthcoming). Visualizing climate change adaptation: An effective tool for agricultural outreach? Weather, Climate, and Society.
Wiener, S., Roesch-McNally, G., Schattman, R. E., and Niles, M. T. (forthcoming). Ready, willing, and able? USDA field staff as climate advisors. The Journal of Soil and Water Conservation.
Schattman, R. E., Kaplan, M., Aitken, H. A., & Helminski, J. (2019). Climate change curricula for adult audience in agriculture and forestry: A review. The Journal of Adult and Continuing Education. 25(1): 131-151. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1177/1477971419840670
Schattman, R. E., Hurley, S., & Caswell, M. (2019). Now I see: Photovisualization to support agricultural climate adaptation. Society and Natural Resources 32(2): 222-228. DOI: https://doi.org/10.1080/08941920.2018.1530819
Niles, M.T., Wiener, S., Schattman, R.E., Roesch-McNally, G., and Reyes, J. (2019). Seeing isn’t always believing: Crop loss and climate change perceptions among farm advisors. Environmental Research Letters. 14 (4). DOI: 10.1088/1748-9326/aafbb6
Benkeblia, N., Schattman, R.E., Wiener, S. and Roesch-McNally, G. (2018). ‘Climate Change and Crop Production: Set the stage for Resilience’, in Benkeblia, N. (ed.) Climate change and crop production: foundations for agroecosystem resilience. Boca Raton, FL: CRC Press/Taylor & Francis, pp. 1–23.
Schattman, R.E., Roesch-McNally, G., Wiener, S., Niles, M., Hollinger, D.Y. (2018). The influence of perceived risk, experiences with loss and disaster, and climate belief on use of weather and climate information in FSA services. Renewable Agriculture and Food Systems. https://doi.org/10.1017/S1742170517000783 Open Access PDF.
Warner, B.P., Schattman, R.E., & Hatch, C. (2017). Farming the Floodplain: Ecological and Agricultural Tradeoffs and Opportunities in River and Stream Governance in New England’s Changing Climate. In Case Studies in the Environment. DOI: 10.1525/cse.2017.sc.512407
Schattman, R., Méndez, V.E., Merrill, S.C., & Zia, A. (2017). Climate change best management practices: Evaluation of attributes by agricultural producer and technical service providers. Agroecology and Sustainable Food Systems, 42(2): 121-148. DOI 10.1080/21683565.2017.1357667
Schattman, R., Connor, D., & Méndez, V.E.. (2016). Farmer perceptions of risk in the Northeastern United States. Elementa: Journal of the Anthropocene. Special Forum on Sustainability Agroecological Systems. DOI 10.12952/journal.elementa.000131. PDF available at Elementa.
Fernandez, M., Méndez, E.V., Mares, T. & Schattman, R. (2016). Agroecology and alternative agrifood movements in the United States: Towards a sustainable agrifood system. In Agroecology: A transdisciplinary, participatory and action oriented approach. Méndez, Bacon, Cohen, & Gliessman, Eds. CRC Press, Taylor Francis.
Schattman, R., Berlin, L., Boschner, F., & Lawrence, M. (Online, August 2015). Farmers’ engagement with community food insecurity: Approaches, perspectives, and implications for Extension. Journal of Extension. 53(4): 4FEA2. Open access article available at JOE.
Schattman, R., Méndez, V.E., Westdjik, K., Caswell, M., Conner, D., Koliba, C., Zia, A., Hurley, S., Adair, E.C., Berlin, L., & Darby, H. (2014). Vermont Agricultural Resilience in a Changing Climate: A transdisciplinary and participatory action research (PAR) process. In Benkeblia, N. (Ed.) (2014) Agroecology, ecosystems and sustainability. Advances in Agroecology Series. CRC Press/Taylor and Francis.
Berlin, L., Schattman, R., Hamilton, J. (2012). Working towards the common table: The policy and program implications of Vermont’s unified approach to social justice, food insecurity and local food. The Journal of Hunger and Environmental Nutrition, 7(2-3).
PEER REVIEWED PUBLICATIONS (in progress)
Schattman, R.E., Caswell, M.J., & Faulkner, J.W. (in review) Eyes on the horizon: Temporal perspectives of climate risk and agricultural decision making. Submitted to Agriculture and Human Values.
Merrill, S. & Schattman, R.E. (in revision). Corn flea beetle (Chaetocenma pulicaria), Pantoea stewartii bacterium, and Stewart’s Wilt in corn: Shifts in geographic vulnerability of U.S. corn crops under different climate change scenarios.
Zia, A., Doran, E., Hurley, S., Tsai, Y., Koliba, C., Adair, C., Schattman, R.E., Mendez, V.E., and Rizzo, D. (in revision). Social psychological determinants of farmer intentions to adopt nutrient management practices: Implications for resilient adaptation to climate change in the Lake Champlain Basin.
OTHER RESEARCH PUBLICATIONS AND REPORTS
Schattman, R.E., & Faulkner, J.W. (2019). How much is enough? Dialing in irrigation on Northeast vegetable farms. Research brief published by the USDA NE Climate Hub. Durham, NH.
Wiener, S., Roesch-McNally, G., Schattman, R.E. (2018). National Survey of USDA Field Staff on Climate and Weather: Results from a survey of Natural Resources Conservation Service and Farm Service Agency Employees. Washington D.C.: USDA Climate Hubs. Link.
Schattman, R.E. (2017). Agroecology in Africa: Focus on Soil Stewardship in Senegal. Guest blogpost, Winrock International. Link.
Warner, B., Schattman, R.E. (2017). Farming in the floodplain: Overcoming tradeoffs to achieve good river governance in New England. Case study published by the National Socio-Environmental Synthesis Center (SESYC), Bethesda, MD. PDF.
Schattman, R.E. (2017). Clovercrest Farm: A Family Dairy in Charleston, Maine. Case study published by the USDA NE Climate Hub. Durham, NH. PDF.
Schattman, R.E., Izzo, V., Chen, Y.F. (2015) Exclusion netting for managing spotted wing drosophila on berry farms in the northeastern United States. Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group Research Brief # 3: University of Vermont. PDF.
Schattman, R.E., Aitken, H.M., Méndez, V.E. & Caswell, M. (2014) Climate change resilience on Vermont farms: A research report for service providers. Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group Research Brief # 2: University of Vermont. PDF.
Schattman, R. & Méndez, V.E. (2012). Vermont farm resilience in a changing climate: A survey of agricultural service providers. Agroecology and Rural Livelihoods Group Research Brief # 1: University of Vermont. PDF.
Berlin, L., Hamilton, J., & Schattman, R. (2011). Working towards the common table: How Vermont addresses social justice and food access with local food and why it matters. Opportunities for Agriculture White Paper Series, Food System Research Collaborative, University of Vermont. Available at Scholarworks.
Schattman, R., Nickerson, V., and Berlin, L. (2010) Dissolving the doublebind: Strategies for expanding food access and developing Vermont’s local food system. Report prepared for the Farm to Plate Project, Vermont Sustainable Jobs Fund. Updated by R. Schattman and S. Sawyer in 2014.
Schattman, R. & Cannella, M. (2008). Maintaining farm identity through alternative marketing practices. Report prepared for the Intervale Center.
Schattman, R. (2008). Sustainable food sourcing and distribution in the Vermont-regional food system. Report prepared for the Sustainable Agriculture Council.


'When we were planning our move to the Cape, I came across The Outermost House. Living in a tiny shack on the dunes of the outer beach, Beston wrote of the ocean and tides, the birds and animals, and both the beauty and cruelty of nature.
A few weeks ago at a yard sale near our house, I stumbled across another Beston book and could barely contain my excitement.
His words came into my life with perfect timing.
'A garden is the mirror of the mind. It is a place of life, a mystery of green moving to the pulse of the year, and pressing on and pausing the while to its own inherent rhythms.'
'In making a garden there is something to be sought, and something to be found. To be sought is a sense of the lovely and assured, of garden permanence and order, of human association and human meaning; to be found is beauty and that unfolding content and occupation which is one of the lamps of peace.'
'True humanity is no inherent right but an achievement; and only through the earth may we be as one with all who have been and all who are yet to be, sharers and partakers of the mystery of living, reaching to the full of human peace and the full of human joy.'


“The five most important letters in business are T-R-U-S-T. Dave's advice is worth its weight in gold.”
Author of #1 New York Times bestseller Swim With the Sharks Without Being Eaten Alive
“In all my years of coaching, I learned that leadership starts with trust. David Horsager has a winning formula in this book.”
Sportscaster and Hall of Fame Football Coach
“The pillars of trust that Horsager outlines in this book were integral in helping our organization lay a foundation for a culture change.”
President of Executive Women International
“Incredibly vital message for today!”
"Trust is the most important fundamental between leaders and among people. It is the cornerstone for building lasting relationships and growing successful business enterprises. This book shows you exactly how to build the 8 Pillars of Trust and how to apply them for maximum effectiveness."
Dr. Nido Qubein, Chairman
Chairman, Great Harvest Bread Co.
President, High Point University
"I wholeheartedly support the lessons that David outlines in The Trust Edge. I am a big believer in authenticity. The more people get to know and see the real person, the more likely they are to extend their trust."
President and CEO, Caribou Coffee Company
"Gripping and insightful! Anyone wanting to take his or her leadership to the next level must read this book! It will become THE AUTHORITIVE GUIDE on building Trust!"
"This book is great for the soul-- not to mention business. Horsager's 8 Pillars of Trust supply the nourishment we need to be successful in life and business. It's a book to read and reread to keep us fortified."
CEO, Better Business Bureau
"A breach of confidence in the aviation industry can have a catastrophic outcome. Horsager’s book provides practical application of critical trust principles in a manner that will enhance the business relationships and bottom line in any industry."
Airport Director, Minneapolis-St. Paul International Airport
"David is right on the money. Trust is the lubricant of high-performing working relationships. The Trust Edge provides a comprehensive behavioral blueprint to integrate the 8 essential Pillars of Trust into your organization. This is a must read book for organizational leaders and their supervisors."
Larry Cole, Ph.D.
Author of People-$mart Leaders
"David Horsager's book, The Trust Edge, is a powerful resource for leaders. As I read it, I kept thinking: ‘We need to do this! This would make us more effective!’ This well-written, well-conceived, well-documented book demonstrates the importance of trust. Horsager’s practical tips and illustrations will help any organization increase its effectiveness if it is willing to build on the foundational pillars he describes. The Trust Edge will pay dividends for smart companies!"
President, Bethel University
"I found The Trust Edge to be tangible, extremely practical, and relevant. I will personally hand this out to every leader in my organization."
Operating Partner, Keller Williams Integrity
"David Horsager gets it right when he says, "Trust is not a soft skill. It is a measurable competency that affects outcomes more than anything else." You simply cannot put a price on the kind of trust Horsager talks about. Trust is our competitive advantage."
CEO, Earth Security Electronics
"At a time when our confidence in political, economical, and social institutions is at its lowest level in recent history, David Horsager shows us the path to rebuilding both trust and success."


One sunless day a homeless drifter walked down the road into the town, bag on his shoulder. He leaned on his hooked walking stick as ragged leaves pelted him blown by a loudly whispering wind.
As he stood in the deserted Town Square several eyes watched from narrow openings in gray window curtains of houses facing the Town Square.
He found the Town Square fire pit and a hydrant and smiled. A few steps away beside a crumbling wall he found a cast iron kettle.
By then many more eyes were watching from behind gray curtains. In the rising and falling of the wind a murmur was high-pitched like an anxious inquiry.
Smiling, he filled the cast iron pot with water.
There by the flagpole (where several different flags had been flown but now there was no flag) he gathered leaves and twigs and lit a fire. He added branches. The flames rising up skyward resembled hands pleading heavenward. The whine of the branches being consumed sounded like human cries of longing.
All the eyes behind the curtains grew larger.
He reached into his bag and brought out into view a stone. It was the size of a potato. It was a grayish-brown like some potatoes, but it was a stone.
This plain, potato-shaped stone was a “singing stone.” Amalagated into its quartz and feldspar was a melodic chant inaudible to the human ear but tangible to the human heart. It transmitted a vibration--magnetic, drawing people close out of a desire to hear it.
The stone synthesized voices of millions who are outcast occupants of the perilous margins of society chanting “We are one, we are one, we are one” in a triumphant chorus--yet silently.
Smiling, the homeless drifter dropped the stone into the boiling water. He watched and waited.
In the same way shadows creep, drawn by something he did not understand, a person came from behind one of the houses, crossed the very wide street in cautious, small steps and stood next to the homeless drifter.
“This is all can offer but I have a carrot,” the townsperson said abruptly, holding out a carrot in his hand. The homeless drifter smiled, sliced the carrot and put it into the pot. The townsperson stayed, standing there watching the boiling water.
Soon a couple, also drawn by something they did not understand, came from behind their house and crossed the very wide street in cautious, small steps, both using canes. They held out two onions in their hands and said abruptly, “This is all we can offer.” They stayed to watch as the onions were added to the boiling water. They nodded to the homeless drifter. They exchanged very long handshakes with the other townsperson. They stayed, eyes fixed on the boiling water.
In turn, all of the people who had been watching came out of their houses and crossed the very wide street in cautious, small steps, drawn by something they did not understand. Each made one or two small contributions to what the homeless drifter was cooking, who smiled each time more was added to the pot.
The people gathered there, began to talk to each other cautiously at first, then with more boldness while they watched what was now a pot full and overflowing with what everyone had contributed. The various vegetable pieces surfaced and moved in harmony like colors and shapes in a kaleidoscope as the soup bubbled above the silently singing, magnetic stone.
The aroma filled the air. The townspeople were laughing and recollecting. The homeless drifter laughed with them.
Bowls were passed out. The soup was ladled out. There was just enough for each person’s bowl to be filled.
As the townspeople were leaving, embracing each other with tears on their cheeks, they did not see the homeless drifter remove the stone from the pot and put it back in his bag.
The sun was shining as the townspeople went back to their homes, waving and calling to each other. As they removed the gray curtains from their windows, they did not see the homeless drifter heading down the road in the direction of the next town, smiling, pausing occasionally to lean on his hooked walking stick as he walked against the wind.
From that day on they asked each other, did you get his name?
© 2016 MacCanon Brown


Check out this nice little brochure for people interested in designing creative direct actions. The booklet was developed by myself (Jessica Bell) and Joshua Kahn Russell, as well as Ruckus Society staff Sharon Lungo and Megan Swoboda. (And thank you to Cam Fenton for designing.) Instead of drilling into the nuts and bolts of executing an action, we decided to write a guide to help you dream up the ‘what’, meaning a direct action idea that is strategic, effective, doable, and awesome.
The brochure draws upon and fleshes out a whole host of ideas, stories, exercises and resources, including Gene Sharp’s 198 examples of non-violent action, Beyond the Choir’s Tactics Star, and Training for Change’s classic Spectrum of Allies – well I think it’s classic because I use it so much.
Check out the little booklet and tell us what you think – jessicambell at gmail dot com.
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-ShareAlike 3.0 Unported License.


Since 2009, rates of gonorrhea have been increasing in the United States. Rates vary across sexual behavior groups and races/ethnicities. However, we don’t know how often Neisseria gonorrhoeae strains transmit between groups or how antibiotic resistance contributes to transmission in these groups. To better understand gonorrhea transmission, we studied N. gonorrhoeae in New York City using genomic epidemiology.
We sequenced 897 genomes from N. gonorrhoeae isolated from samples collected at NYC Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) Sexual Health Clinics. We analyzed this data together with demographic/clinical information and MICs measured at NYC DOHMH Public Health Laboratory. The NYC N. gonorrhoeae population is a microcosm of the global population. When we compared the NYC collection to our global genomic collection from our GWAS studies, we found that 22/23 common BAPS groups were found in NYC. The NYC N. gonorrhoeae population was structured by sexual behavior and race/ethnicity. We found that lineages A and B (first described in a global dataset) were associated with men who have sex with men (MSM) and heterosexuals, respectively. Isolates from MSM and white heterosexuals had higher MICs for ceftriaxone, azithromycin, and ciprofloxacin. These differences can be explained by differences in MICs in isolates from the multi-drug resistant lineage A compared to mostly susceptible lineage B. Also, while the overall population was structured by patient sexual behavior and race/ethnicity, the largest transmission clusters contained isolates sampled from patients across groups, echoing observations of bridging in other studies. While risk for resistance varied across patient groups, we found that these clusters were comprised of susceptible isolates, suggesting that antibiotic resistance was not the main driver of transmission of gonorrhea during the study period.
This advance access version of the manuscript is now available in Clinical Infectious Diseases. Check it out here!


Request for Sai Satcharithra Book
Shri Sai Satcharitra is the biography of Shirdi Sai Baba filled with a treasure of teachings is written by Hemadpant. This holy book of Baba is one of its kind as it is an all-encompassing scripture that guides, gives answers to prayers, and inspires all on the path of truth and eternal bliss.
The Holy Sai Satcharitra is available in 15 different languages free of cost – English, Hindi, Marathi, Gujarati, Sindhi/Arabi, Nepali, Oriya, Urdu, Bengali, Assamese, Telugu, Tamil, Kannada, Malayalam and German (*coming soon).
Please fill up the form below to receive your copy of the Holy Sai Satcharitra.


On 7 February 1812, the wife of John Dickens, a navy pay clerk, gave birth to a son at 1 Mile End Terrace, Commercial Road, Portsmouth. The son, Charles Dickens, was destined to become one of the most widely read writers in the English language. The Dickens family moved six months after Charles's birth, and in 1901 the road was renumbered and the house became No. 393 Commercial Road. The house was turned into the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum, and contains personal relics of Dickens, including the couch on which he died and his inkwell. There is also an extensive library of his works, including several first editions. The parlour, dining room and bedroom where he was born are furnished in the style of the early 19th century.
Charles Dickens died in 1870 and is buried in Westminster Abbey.
For more information, including opening times and admission prices, see the website of the Charles Dickens Birthplace Museum.
You may also be interested in seeing the world's most important collection of Dickens artefacts at the townhouse where he lived in London, the site of the Charles Dickens Museum.


From 1986 until his death in 2011, Jacques wrote 22 books set amongst the anthropomorphic denizens of Redwall Abbey and Mossflower Wood. The action lands somewhere between The Lord of the Rings and The Wind in the Willows; with heroic mice, badgers, moles, and hares defending themselves against predatory adders, weasels, foxes, and more. While typically categorized as fantasy, there’s no overt magic, except perhaps for the sword of recurring character Martin the Warrior, which was forged from a meteorite and is believed to have special powers. Instead, the stories read as tales of swashbuckling and derring-do featuring protagonists who are absolutely adorable.
The movie will be based on the book that started it all, 1986’s Redwall. Patrick McHale, creator of Cartoon Network’s Over the Garden Wall, will pen the script. As for the series, Netflix is planning it around the only mouseketeer we acknowledge, Martin the Warrior.
While three of the Redwall stories were turned into a 1999 animated series, this is the first time that the whole catalogue of 22 books has been optioned for adaptation.“We couldn’t be more delighted to announce this deal,” said Ben Horslen of Penguin Random House. “These perennially popular stories have been etched onto the hearts of millions of readers, and we are thrilled to partner with Netflix to bring those beloved characters on screen for families worldwide to enjoy.”


A Contemplative Week
The past four days have been days of rest and reading. I am beginning to feel a bit renewed. With two more days of vacation remaining, I will keep to my Sabbath commitment and refrain from processing my many ponderings into something worth reading. However, I will share with you two thoughts from my reading today.
The first thought is from the Bible. “Be still and know that I am God,” (Psalm 46:10) and “In returning and rest you shall be saved; in quietness and trust shall be your strength” (Isaiah 30:15). These two verses are among many in the Bible that remind us of the necessity of quiet and rest in our lives. We are not God, and the world is not saved by our efforts. As we quiet our striving and listen for God’s “still, small voice,” (1 Kings 19:12) we find rest and strength.
The second is from Eugene Peterson’s excellent book on the Christian life, A Long Obedience in the Same Direction. “It is this fusion of God speaking to us (Scripture) and our speaking to him (prayer) that the Holy Spirit uses to form the life of Christ in us . . .The fusion is accomplished by reading these Scriptures slowly, imaginatively, prayerfully and obediently. This is the way the Bible has been read by most Christians for most of the Christian centuries, but it is not commonly read that way today. We read it for what we can get out of it, what we can put to use, what we think we can use – and right now . . . read our Scriptures slowly, imaginatively, prayerfully, and obediently. Each adverb is important.”
“Slowly, imaginatively, prayerfully, and obediently.” “Be still, and know that I am God.” Good words for a contemplative week on the journey.
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Nandan Thakur, Nils Reimers, Andreas Rücklé, Abhishek Srivastava, Iryna Gurevych
Existing neural information retrieval (IR) models have often been studied in homogeneous and narrow settings, which has considerably limited insights into their out-of-distribution (OOD) generalization capabilities. To address this, and to facilitate researchers to broadly evaluate the effectiveness of their models, we introduce Benchmarking-IR (BEIR), a robust and heterogeneous evaluation benchmark for information retrieval. We leverage a careful selection of 18 publicly available datasets from diverse text retrieval tasks and domains and evaluate 10 state-of-the-art retrieval systems including lexical, sparse, dense, late-interaction, and re-ranking architectures on the BEIR benchmark. Our results show BM25 is a robust baseline and re-ranking and late-interaction based models on average achieve the best zero-shot performances, however, at high computational costs. In contrast, dense and sparse-retrieval models are computationally more efficient but often underperform other approaches, highlighting the considerable room for improvement in their generalization capabilities. We hope this framework allows us to better evaluate and understand existing retrieval systems and contributes to accelerating progress towards more robust and generalizable systems in the future. BEIR is publicly available at https://github.com/UKPLab/beir.


Empower Your Business with a Coach: Hasbrouck Heights’ Guide to Success
In the dynamic landscape of entrepreneurship, navigating the waters of business can often feel like a daunting task. From strategic planning to execution, every step is crucial, and the guidance of a seasoned mentor can make all the difference. This is where the role of a business coach shines. In Hasbrouck Heights, entrepreneurs are discovering the transformative power of partnering with a business coach to elevate their ventures to new heights.
Hasbrouck Heights, nestled in Bergen County, New Jersey, is home to a vibrant community of entrepreneurs and small business owners. Amidst the hustle and bustle of this thriving locale, business coaches are emerging as invaluable assets, providing personalized guidance and support to budding and established enterprises alike.
A business coach serves as a strategic partner, offering insights, accountability, and expertise to unlock the full potential of a business. Whether it’s refining business strategies, enhancing leadership skills, or overcoming challenges, a coach provides a tailored approach to address specific needs and goals.
One of the key advantages of working with a business coach in Hasbrouck Heights is the personalized guidance they offer. Every business is unique, with its own set of strengths, challenges, and aspirations. A skilled coach takes the time to understand the intricacies of a business, its industry, and its goals, crafting a customized roadmap for success.
Through one-on-one sessions, workshops, and strategic planning exercises, coaches help entrepreneurs identify opportunities, streamline operations, and maximize efficiency. They provide valuable feedback, constructive criticism, and actionable insights to foster growth and development.
In the journey of entrepreneurship, challenges are inevitable. From market fluctuations to internal conflicts, navigating these obstacles requires resilience, adaptability, and strategic thinking. This is where the expertise of a business coach becomes invaluable.
Hasbrouck Heights’ business coaches offer a fresh perspective and objective analysis to help entrepreneurs overcome hurdles effectively. Whether it’s devising innovative solutions, restructuring processes, or reimagining business models, coaches provide the support and guidance needed to navigate challenges with confidence.
In a rapidly evolving business landscape, resilience is key to long-term success. Hasbrouck Heights’ business coaches empower entrepreneurs to build resilience by fostering a growth mindset, embracing change, and learning from setbacks.
Through mentorship, skill-building exercises, and mindset coaching, entrepreneurs develop the resilience to adapt to market dynamics, overcome obstacles, and emerge stronger than ever. With the guidance of a coach, they learn to turn challenges into opportunities and setbacks into stepping stones towards success.
In Hasbrouck Heights, the role of a business coach extends far beyond traditional mentorship. These coaches serve as catalysts for growth, offering tailored guidance, strategic insights, and unwavering support to entrepreneurs across industries. Whether it’s refining business strategies, overcoming challenges, or building resilience, a business coach in Hasbrouck Heights is a valuable asset for any aspiring or established entrepreneur looking to thrive in today’s competitive landscape.
In the journey of entrepreneurship, partnering with a business coach isn’t just a wise investment—it’s a transformative experience that paves the way for success. As Hasbrouck Heights continues to flourish as a hub for innovation and enterprise, business coaches play a pivotal role in shaping the future of its entrepreneurial ecosystem.


Today is World Book Day - Children across Tamworth are dressing up as their favourite book characters in school, they're encouraged to read and will be given a book token which can be exchanged in a book shop or supermarket for a brand new book.
There are loads available, for children at varying spectrums of reading skills. There's also a bunch of books being dropped to £1 especially for World Book Day. From Hubert Horatio, to the little bookworms there's something for every child.
I was also pleased to see Ankerside's stay and play team getting involved for children of nursery age. Running a Mad Hatter's tea party, with story telling from the Tamworth Lit Fest team it seems that fun was had by all.
Reading is a hobby which never goes out of fashion, there's always something new to explore, learn and enjoy. For those a bit older who would like to stick to a reading habit, Tamworth Book Club meets regularly at the Albert, their next meeting is March 26th at 8pm so do pop down and join in!


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This publication contains King James Bible (1611, Pure Cambridge, Authorized Version) (The Old Testament and The New Testament) and Dutch Staten Vertaling (1637) (The Old Testament and The New Testament) translation. It has 173,749 references and shows 2 formats of The Bible. It includes King James Bible and Dutch Staten Vertaling (The Old Testament and The New Testament) formatted in a read and navigation friendly format, or the Navi-format for short. Here you will find each verse printed in parallel in the kjb-dut order. It includes a full, separate and not in parallel, copy of the King James Bible and Dutch Staten Vertaling (The Old Testament and The New Testament) , built for text-to-speech (tts) so your device can read The Bible out loud to you.
How the general Bible-navigation works:

A Testament has an index of its books.

The TTS format lists books and chapters after the book index.

The Testaments reference each other in the book index.

Each book has a reference to The Testament it belongs to.

Each book has a reference to the previous and or next book.

Each book has an index of its chapters.

Each chapter has a reference to the book it belongs to.

Each chapter reference the previous and or next chapter.

Each chapter has an index of its verses.

Each chapter in TTS reference same chapter in the Navi-format.

Each verse is numbered and reference the chapter it belongs to.

Each verse starts on a new line for better readability.

In the TTS format the verse numbers are not shown.

Any reference in an index brings you to the location.

The Built-in table of contents reference all books in all formats.

We believe we have built one of the best if not the best navigation there is to be found in an ebook such as this! It puts any verse at your fingertips and is perfect for the quick lookup. And the combination of King James Bible and Dutch Staten Vertaling and its navigation makes this ebook unique.
Note that Text-To-Speech (TTS) support varies from device to device. Some devices do not support it. Others support only one language and some support many languages. The language used for TTS in this ebook is English.
English Dutch Bible No2: King James 1611 - Dutch Staten Vertaling 1637 (Parallel Bible Halseth) Truthbetold Ministry English Dutch Bible No2: King James 1611 - Dutch Staten Vertaling 1637 (Parallel Bible Halseth) free ebook
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In a study to decipher clues about how prostate cancer cells grow and become more aggressive, Johns Hopkins urologists have found that reduction of a specific protein is correlated with the aggressiveness of prostate cancer, acting as a red flag to indicate an increased risk of cancer recurrence.
Their findings are reported online in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences on Aug. 27, 2012.
The team focused on a gene called SPARCL1, which appears to be critically important for cell migration during prostate development in the embryo and apparently becomes active again during cancer progression. Normally, both benign and malignant prostate cancer cells express high levels of SPARCL1, and reduce these levels when they want to migrate. The team correlated this reduction or “down regulation” of SPARCL1 with aggressiveness of prostate cancer.