Massacre in Las Vegas by American Terrorist!

Without providing evidence, Islamic State claims Las Vegas attack and says the shooter converted to Islam months ago.” LASVEGASNOW.COM

It was a country music concert. Folks swarmed onto the field ready to enjoy the fun and festivities. On the last day of the concert, a lone gunman took aim and shot at the thousands of unsuspecting concert goers who were enjoying the current performer, Jason Aldean. What occurred in Las Vegas was once unfathomable. However, that’s no longer the case and the horror has struck. Almost 60 people were murdered and over 500 were injured! It’s still hard to wrap my mind around it. My heart goes out to all involved. I pray for the souls who left so violently, for all the family and friends, for all those in the concert and in the area. I give a deep salute to all the first responders. I pray you peace in heart and mind. Such tremendous distress you are all witnessing. I feel this for my sisters and brothers in Puerto Rico, Texas, Florida, St. John’s, Barbuda, St. Thomas, Mexico, and many other places, including Venezuela. But back to Las Vegas, a man who shares my age took 10 weapons, a machine gun, and set up a room where he could execute people en masse? This is not the usual act of a man in his older years. A young man who knew nothing of how to value life, he pulls these horrendous types of stunts, not a man who should have been growing wisdom, not hatred. So, does this mean Paddock is not a national terrorist?

Words are so interesting and they matter. How Paddock is described by mainstream media says a lot about and will say a lot about how the white-owned media defines white men, especially, when they are the protagonists of great violent acts. They will rarely be read as monsters, beasts of evil, terrorists, or even white supremacists. Nope, they’re just “regular guys.” Until there is, at the very least, a handle on white privilege, there will be these heartless crimes. This is what we don’t realize. This mass murderer is being normalized. Even talk of gun control, after all the carnage of Paddock’s massacre, is considered “premature” by the White House. They must not have lost any family and friends at the concert. So, they can afford to NOT talk about the most basic gun control for a country that desperately needs control!

Within the fabric of this country’s founding is that this land belongs to the white man to do with as he pleases. Who dies, who becomes extinct, who loses consciousness, who is abused in any shape, form, or fashion, who is brutalized, terrorized, and brain-washed is all part and parcel of the founding of this land. No, it was never great, never ever! People, land, culture, and soul are constantly sacrificed. Nothing Divine is given great value. Instead, the most immoral, inhumane, terrorizing behavior is condoned or normalized. We must see this and NOT ignore it or we become it in ways that at first escape us. Careful. Know yourself. Get deeply in touch with yourself. Take quiet time and talk with yourself. How is your heart feeling? If it’s hurting deeply. This is the time to give it your attention. Pull away from the “news.” Know and face your own fears, especially the ones you usually repress or deny having. Get in touch with yourself and start seeing what in you needs your focus. You can’t see you and get to know you if you don’t stop moving and listening to chatter and petty things or if you are overwhelming yourself in the sea of bad news.

Even if you are in trauma yourself, you can take a few moments throughout the day to quiet yourself and breathe calmness into your being. Taking these breaths, relieving yourself of toxins, clears your being. Even if you have heavy problems, taking deep, cleansing breaths relieves your body of levels of stress that would eventually cause you physical or mental maladies. Inhale deeply but calmly. Hold the breath for a few moments. Exhale slowly and calmly. Welcome calm into your breath and, thus, into your body. While taking these breaths, feel a deep connectedness with your sense of God/dess, whatever you call it, or your higher mind, Infinite Oneness, Holy One, The All, however your Divine be called. If you are atheist, perhaps, just breathing calmly and feeling hope in each breath. A clear mind allows you to see more options and solutions. That way you can make wise choices. You can turn the car around even though you really wanted to go in the direction you were traveling. When you are in a clearer state of mind, you can hear when to turn around and you will not doubt the guidance.

Remember what is at your root is your gold, your peace, your safety, your guidance, your direction, and your protection. Or, it is your demise. Choose to awaken. Wake up. Drop the need to anesthetize yourself with unhealthy substances or with excess anything.Your health, clarity and safety are at stake. Don’t take my word for it. Wake up. See for yourself. Prepare and KNOW Divinity! It’s your Saving Grace. Remember, Love does not have a race it supports over another! Love is Love! And, it’s the answer to most any problem. Start from a place of Love! ❤ ~ #dafinaisms

Choosing Vibrant Health 101

Take a deep breath…exhale slowly

My Lake Chabot hike photo by Dafina Kuficha

These days are filled with fascinating natural occurrences. Arizona has experienced its second major dust storm in a month. Over 241 tornados touched down in Alabama and the midwest, leaving uncountable and in some cases, insurmountable, damages, including loss of life and property. The news is not reassuring but actually serves to keep fear at the forefront of our lives. Stress plays an all too major role in our everyday lives and many of us need a way to handle it effectively. Well, here’s a 10-20 breathing exercise that may not be able to prevent high blood pressure but it can keep it from rising. Sometimes we just need an easy way to handle our stress and the right type of breathing can be the answer. Your breath can be of great aid to your process or it can hinder your process by keeping you feeling fearful and inflexible. Remember, deep breathing is essential to good health.

Acupuncture also aids you in deepening your breathing practice as it aids the respiratory system in improving its function. Choose to have vibrant  health by taking time to deepen your breathing with the Hara Breathing Exercise Technique and open yourself to practices that improve your health.

Hara breathing is done to relieve the body, mind, and spirit of all types of stress.  If you feel weak or overwhelmed, scared or angry, breathing into the hara will ease these feelings.  Breathing into the hara region allows you to contact your reservoir of energy, and then helps you to root it.

Find a place of quiet, peacefulness.  Make sure the clothes you are wearing are loose fitting, especially around your waist.  You may lie down, sit down or stand up to perform this breathing technique.  It may feel more comfortable to either lie down with your knees slightly bent (to take pressure off your lower back), or to sit in the lotus (crossed-legged) position. (Careful of too placing much pressure on sore knees)  Begin with natural breathing, allowing your body, especially your jaws, neck and shoulders, to relax.

Begin by taking three deep, cleansing breaths, inhaling slowly through your nostrils, while expanding your abdomen, and finish by exhaling slowly through your mouth.

Now, inhale slowly through your nostrils to the count of five (“one thousand one” and so on).  Place your tongue at the roof of your mouth.  Feel your inhalation all the way down to your hara, the region located about one inch below your navel.  As you inhale to the count of five, your abdomen should be expanding as your diaphragm is moving downward.  Hold the breath for another five counts.  Exhale by removing your tongue from the roof of your mouth keeping your mouth slightly open.  To the count of five, slowly, quietly exhale like a cool breeze.  If a feather were placed in front of your mouth during the exhalation, it would not be moved, so quiet and calm is the exhaling breath.  Continue this exercise without pause between inhalation and exhalation.  As you become more adept with this breathing exercise, you may wish to hold the breath longer.  Increase the count gradually as you are ready for it.

Practice hara breathing daily for at least ten to twenty minutes in the mornings and evenings. You will immediately notice improvement in your inner feelings and in your overall physical health. Feel free to use this breathing technique when you are facing challenges in your life’s daily activities.  You can do the exercise for a few moments  or for ten to twenty minutes, once a day or twice a day or throughout the day. At the end you’ll feel much calmer and refreshed.  Your choices, options, possibilities and opportunities become clearer when you are calmer. Enjoy deeper breathing and better health.   Ashay!

Spring Forward (part 2)

"Awakening" photo by D. Kuficha

It has long been written that the world as we know it will be forever altered by 2012. The need for a global consciousness of global respect, love and appreciation for all life cannot be understated.  We have passed the time for only having recognition and concern for our own problems. Yes, the spiritually-disenfranchised of this nation continue to support devastating wars and conflicts around the world. In so doing, the propagation of fear and terrorism is being used to further us away from our goal of global harmony.  Spring is the season of new thought and new ways of looking at old situations.  We are charged with taking evolutionary steps in the direction of inner peace, then world peace.  We have many movements coming forth to allow bring this goal to its fruition. One such goal is A Day of Global Silence.  The first date is07/07/07.  Spread the world and read the article on this website that will tell you how to use silence to create inner and global peace. Please lend yourself to this effort and spread the word for Silence. Shhh…”Be still and know that ye are daughters and sons of the Most High!”

It is through honoring the truth in our spirits, taking care to rest, eat well, speak truth, speak kindness, think high thoughts, and by respecting all life that we are most likely to remain strong, centered, focused, loving, caring, considerate, enthusiastic, helpful, encouraged and encouraging, motivated and motivating, inspired and inspiring. Many of us will suffer through our own or through the sufferings of others. One thing is certain, no matter how difficult, ridiculous, or fearful things may appear, ALL IS IN DIVINE ORDER. Take quiet time to honor yourself, your thoughts, feelings, fears, or confidences and to attune with greater frequency to the Divine Self, whatever you name IT, God, Allah, Jah, Yahweh, Jehovah, Mother Spirit, Infinite Spirit, Wakan Tanka, Holy Breath of All Life, Jesus, Buddha,Krishna, and so on. Remember also to honor the ancestors of ancient or recent past without whose lives yours would not be. The old folks put it aptly, “always remember where you’ve come from.”

In the Huang Ti Nei Ching Su Wen, the Yellow Emperor, Huang Ti, asks Ch’i Po, “How can one achieve a tranquil atmosphere?” She answers, “By avoiding transgressions of the laws of nature.” One of the ways to avoid (too many) transgressions is through proper use of the breath. Perhaps one or all of the following three qi gong exercises will lively up your qi.

Two important reasons for performing Hara breathing technique are to relieve the body, mind, and spirit of any type of stress and to circulate and strengthen the body’s qi (vital energy).  If you feel weak, overwhelmed, scared, angry, or just stressed out, breathing into the hara region will ease these feelings.  Breathing into the hara allows you to contact your reservoir of energy, and then helps you root it.  In so doing, you are bringing in the vibration of optimal health to your being.

Find a place of quiet peacefulness. Make sure the clothes you are wearing are loose fitting, especially around your waist.  You may lie down, sit down or stand up to perform this breathing technique. I find it more comfortable to either lie down with knees slightly bent or place a pillow under them to take pressure off the lower back, or sit in lotus (crossed-legged) position. Begin with natural breathing, allowing your body, especially your jaws, neck and shoulders, to relax.

Yoga birds balancing postures photo: D. Kuficha

Take three deep, cleansing breaths, inhaling slowly through your nose, expanding your abdomen, and exhaling slowly through your mouth. Now, slowly inhale through your nose to the count of five (“one thousand one” and so on). Place your tongue at the roof of your mouth. Feel your inhalation all the way down to your hara, the place located about one inch below your navel. As you inhale, your abdomen is expanding and your diaphragm moves down in a full breath. Hold the breath for another five counts. While exhaling, remove your tongue from the roof of the mouth, and slightly open it. To the count of five, slowly and quietly exhale through your mouth likening the breath to a cool breeze. NOTE: If a feather were to be placed in front of your mouth during exhalation, it would not be moved, so quiet and calm is the breath of the exhalation. Breathe continuously without pause between inhalation and exhalation.

Practice this technique daily for at least ten to twenty minutes in the morning and evening.  You will soon notice improvement in your inner feelings and in your overall physical health.

Copyright 1996 Dafina Kuficha, L.Ac.

Continue reading

Taking Steps To A Healthier, Happier Life

Photo credit: Dafina Kuficha

1)     Wake up with an Attitude of Gratitude ~ Let your first thoughts of the day connect you to your gifts. Before you even arise from your bed, give thanks! Forgive what needs forgiveness. “Do not let any grievance dim your light!” Create an inner smile, no matter what challenging situations are before you, and return to it throughout the day.

2)     Drink at least two glasses of water first thing upon rising and 6-9 more throughout each day, depending on your body’s needs. Water aids in release of toxins through the urine; is lost through breathing, moving your stools, and sweating. It also adds luster to your hair and skin. Dehydration can have dangerous affect on the body.

3)     Stretch like a cat as you are preparing for your day. Raise your arms up over your head and take your arms to the right side, then to the left side, then back to center. Prepare your body for the day.  Movement is crucial to a healthy body.  It also generates more energy, blood flow and flexibility.

4)     Eat a nutritious breakfast.  Breakfast is just that, breaking the fast created by sleeping. Our body relishes the nutrition breakfast provides and helps sustain vibrant energy throughout our day. Make good nutrition a habit throughout your day.

5)     Take extended breaks from tv, movies, computers, phones, from the need to be entertained. Write letters to some faraway friend who doesn’t use the internet, or mend those kitchen curtains. Enroll to take a class in an area of interest that you discover in the quiet time spent with self only. Get creative and remain creative!

6)     Clear the old, useless stuff out of your closet, drawers, cabinets, storage space, garage. Decide what you’d be better without and declutter. This activity can also include releasing relationships that do not support your wellbeing.

7)     Stop everything for a few minutes a day to honor silence. Some may choose to meditate or just be still. When doing so, relax your body completely and let your mind follow. Quiet, do nothing time may seem scary at first, but soon you’ll realize its value.

8)     Start an exercise routine. Make it reasonable. Set a goal. Maybe this is the time to take that dream movement class, like capoeira,  Walking, yoga, taichi, swimming, canoeing, horseback riding, hiking or ice skating are just a few of many examples. Continue reading

How Do I Enter the Silence

Though I may seem quiet, often my mind is not.

For thoughts stalk it like a jilted lover.

When I sit alone, my mind’s fullness sits with me,

demanding constant attention to its empty musings.

I want to turn it off, to let a Higher Mind lead my thoughts to a higher place

within the holy  chamber of Silence.

Silence’s golden quietness seeks me out, but how do I reach for it?

How in the loudness of my mind’s chatter, can I reach the peaceful Silence?

How can the Voice of The Sacred Oneness rise above all this inner noise with its incessant distractions?

They tell me, “Turn within. Be still and know.”

But, they never quite say how!

How can I quiet the chatter of my worries?

How do I turn off the tapes that play all day,

every day, the same ol’ break-me-down message?

How am to I connect with The Voice beyond the noise

played by my mind’s orchestra?

They say that I can hear the answers to my prayers in the still calmness

that is reached in the Silence.

How will I recognize the Voice of the Divine in the midst of my mind’s madness?

Will I ever even be spoken to?  And, when I hear a voice, how will I know that It Is the Divine Voice?

Is my chatter-filled mind even worthy of receiving these holy, precious messages?

Is this a whimsical venture, to quiet what has so long existed in noise?

Would not the Silence drive me into a state of utter panic?

They say in the Silence, there is no war or conflict,

only the “peace that passeth all understanding.” Continue reading

Achieving Immaculate Love through the Path of Silence

Achieving Healthy Relationships through Immaculate Love

How can we use the practice of Golden Silence to mend our relationship with our youth?

We conjoin with Immaculate Love through the Path of Silence. Our youth is where we start right now because they can no longer wait for us to “get it together”. We’ve already left them to suffer unmentionable fates by allowing a society seeped in dysfunction define how we would relate to our own children. Into a dysphoric sleep we fell, leaving our precious children to survive by their own devices that exposed them to living lives far too old for them to experience. Awakening ever so slowly, it seemed that we forgot, not only who we are, but who they are to us. Shocked by their standards, our disdain for their culture (i.e., style of clothing, music, language, behavior and violence) became the popular conversation. Yet, even with their population in cemeteries and industrial prison complexes soaring, their condition still hasn’t quite become urgent enough to rally a powerful, solidified national movement. Forgetting how to love ourselves, we forget how to love our children. When we know what Love truly is, not what it masquerades as, we will continuously avail ourselves to its Immaculate quality. This is what aligns us with the golden path of Silence, the fertile garden of truth that resides within us all, the home of the harmonic cosmic conscience.

Be certain: The eyes of our youth are upon us!

The crux of this article applies to all youth of all ages. When we communicate from a place of love to our youth, we are teaching them that they matter and that both they and their feelings have relevance, even if we don’t agree or understand what they are feeling. Whether they like it or not or whether we care to admit it or not, how we feel about our youth aids their growth or promotes their feelings of inadequacy and self-worthlessness. We adults demonstrate to youth daily, our own or young ones we pass in our communities, by the tone of our voice or by the look in our eyes, whether we have love for them or disdain.

When we smile at young people, especially those we hold in judgment, perhaps because their bodies may be covered with tattoos, wearing sagging pants, or behaving loudly and distastefully, we may be adding a glimmer of light to an otherwise very challenged life. We cannot pretend to know the story this child carries daily to school or to the streets. We don’t know if their parents have failed them with abuse or abandonment or if they’re rebelling because these are the years designated in their life cycle to rebel. A kind gesture could, however, save the life of a child/teenager/adult, whose greatest challenge at the time you smiled at them was feeling that they deserved love and could receive it. That smile may free them momentarily of a self-judgment that was tearing a seam in the fabric of their being. Are you aware that the third leading cause of death for a teen is suicide? Many of these young people’s cries for help go unheard.

Before we go on, let us make a clarification of terms, if you do have disdain for your child’s or a child’s behavior; please differentiate between behavior and identity. A child is NEVER bad, but a child may exhibit “bad” behavior. However, if a child hears that he/she is “bad” long enough, they begin to believe that and strive to achieve what is expected of them. You may be asking yourself if you have a challenged relationship with a child/teen how can you show love for someone for whom you have no respect? How can you show a youth love when you find their behavior unacceptable, even damaging to others? How can you touch the heart of a youth who feels closed and angry? I will  to illustrate an answer to this question in the following story. Continue reading


Women and Workouts – How Extreme Diets and Overworked Muscles Affect Bone Health

 Staying fit, healthy, and strong is hard work—and it gets even harder as we age. Strict workout plans and unforgiving fitness regimens may produce the best results, but they can put you at increased risk of injury.

A crash diet one week before a wedding or a three-day cleanse before a beach trip may be (mostly) harmless in the long run, but extreme diets and intense exercise over time can cause chronic injury.

In women especially, bone health can be directly affected by body weight, intense activity, and dietary choices. Sure, extreme solutions produce drastic results, but the hazards can be equally harsh.

Even if your twice-weekly, two-hour tennis games seem modest enough, it’s important to realize that women have an increased risk of sidelining injuries. Our choices in the kitchen can also pose unique risks to women’s health.

Alabama Orthopaedic Surgeons encourages you to stay well and active no matter your age, but consider your increased likelihood for:

ACL Tears

Though it may seem like ACL tears only happen in professional athletes, according to some studies at least 1 in 3,500everyday Americans suffer an ACL injury each year. The increased risk for women originates in the design of a woman’s knees.

Women are knock-kneed more often than men which places increased strain on a woman’s ACL. Comparatively weaker hip muscles can also contribute to increased risk of injury when twisting or landing.

ACL tears require surgery to correct, while preventing them can be a matter of increased weight training focused on the hips, hamstrings, and quads.

Stress Fractures

Lean diets, fad diets, and extreme low-calorie diets may take off the weight rapidly, but deficiencies in certain vitamins and fats can place women at higher risk of stress fractures.

Vitamin D and healthy fats contribute to bone health over time. Seemingly harmless activities like training for a marathon or weekly stings on the treadmill can compound that risk even more.

Adding calcium to your diet can help to strengthen your bones and allowing yourself the fattier cuts of meat now and then can give you the energy and strength you need to support yourself and take some stress off your bones.

Fad diets and super-lean diets rob your body of necessary and overall healthy vitamins and nutrients. Running, especially long distance, is a great way to stay fit. But if you’re not preparing yourself in the kitchen beforehand, you can find yourself hurting down the road.

Rotator Cuff

Women are naturally more flexible than their male counterparts—even in the shoulder. But increased reliance on your natural limberness can cause you to hyperextend. Tendon inflammation and dislocation are common injuries in women and can occur during swinging activities or even just running and weight training.

As with avoiding other potential injuries, strengthening the supporting muscular systems can alleviate the stress caused by certain activities. Choosing the right activities suited to your physical ability can also help ensure an injury-free workout regimen.

While not necessarily an injury, osteoporosis can change the way we plan for fitness. Women over 51 years of age are often at an increased risk of weakening bone and related injuries.

Here, as with stress fractures, winning in the kitchen is crucial. Protein isn’t just for powerlifting men, and calcium (whether a supplement or dietary choice) is a must. Health and wellbeing are long-term achievements, not week-before or day-before accomplishments. Planning in the long run may keep you running longer.

From Kitchen to Gym

The team at Alabama Orthopaedic Surgeons knows how to repair just about any injury you may suffer during your fitness routine. Even so, they know that the best-case injury is the one you never have at all.

Staying healthy as a woman poses unique challenges that can be overcome by equally unique solutions. If you suffer from a persistent ache, a sharp recurring pain, or frequent fractures, consider consulting an orthopaedic physician today.


Very good question.. This is one of the challenges of teach youth basketball.  Keeping the kids interested while coach is instructing. I've had the most success with splitting them up into two groups.  The first group is learning the plays while the other is working on individual skills (drills) or defense.  I usually have one of my other coaches take the group to the other basket and work on defensive as a team.    We run the plays for a while then switch the teams to provide the same training to both.    Depending upon the complexity of the play and the length of time needed to instruct, we may combine the players at the beginning by positions, so they can hear the instruction of the plays together, before splitting to practice defense/offense.      Hope this helps.   Good Luck.

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Poland Seeks Facelift with New Leader

12 Dec 2017
By Dr Katarzyna Williams
Incoming Polish Prime-Minister Morawiecki

This week in Warsaw a new Polish prime minister was sworn in. The change in leadership occurred in the wake of growing nationalist sentiment and a crumbling international image, but does the change represent real progress or is it merely cosmetic?

Poland’s Prime Minister Beata Szydło has resigned and been replaced by Mateusz Morawiecki. Morawiecki was finance minister in the Law and Justice government but was previously an economic adviser in Donald Tusk’s Civic Platform party cabinet, so he has not always been a follower of the current ruling Law and Justice party.

Speculation concerning government changes have been circulating for some time. It was the party leader and paramount ruler of Poland, Jarosław Kaczyński, who was widely seen as most likely to take over from Szydło. Morawiecki was mentioned only as the second option.

While popular in Poland for initiatives such as introducing high-value family benefits, Szydło’s government was viewed in an unfavourable light abroad. She was the face of the government associated with Poland’s tarnished relationships with its neighbours, especially Germany and Ukraine, and with the EU establishment in Brussels. She was increasingly perceived as being unable to manage her government, most recently after it was internationally criticised for supporting (or not reacting against) hard-right, nationalist sentiment during the annual November march in commemoration of Poland’s independence.

Poland’s damaged international image and increasing tensions over the endangered rule of law and hostility towards migrants—with the European Commission now taking Poland, Hungary and the Czech Republic to the European Court of Justice for refusing to accept asylum seekers—might have prompted Kaczyński to decide that demoting Szydło might defuse some of the tensions.

While the government justified the change by stressing the need to focus more on economic growth, there are clearly other objectives. Morawiecki is respected both in Poland and the EU. He speaks fluent English and German and is seen as a leader with vision who is open to the West. He represents more centrist and moderate voices and a younger generation of Poles.

Perhaps it is a sign of a long-awaited compromise. Morawiecki has a good reputation in the EU, having participated in the negotiations of the Polish accession to the EU, and he should soften the ultra-conservative image of Poland’s ruling party. At the same time, he is known to be devoted to the Polish cause. He was active in the anti-communist opposition movement as a young boy and as an official promoted economic patriotism as well as the building of social capital in Poland.

However, there might be other reasons behind the change. Diverting attention from other important matters in the country is a known tactic of the Law and Justice party. This week, parliament will vote on two bills which, if passed, will further transform the judicial system giving the government even more control over it. The anti-democratic behaviour of the Law and Justice government has been long criticised by the European Union. Any changes Morawiecki is able to make will probably go more to image than to substance.

There are certainly important changes to be expected, both in the government and in Poland’s international relations. Poland’s economy is performing well and Morawiecki will try to stimulate it further, but probably along the lines of dirigiste intervention in the economy.

He should, however, be able to warm up Poland’s international image and attract younger voters with his vision of a Poland growing in strength. It will remain to be seen whether he will protect Poland from further erosion of the rule of law and how he will engage with the dispute over the EU’s refugee relocation scheme. Morawiecki has been quoted as saying that there are other things more important in a country than law, and security is one of them.

Whether the leadership change will bring any significant changes is hard to say. Analysts predict Jarosław Kaczyński will keep steering the country from the back seat. The hope is, however, that the country’s revitalised image will eventually translate into better relationships with neighbours and Brussels at a time when opposition protestors are demonstrating in front of courts throughout the country.

Dr Katarzyna K Williams is academic coordinator and a former Europa Research Fellow at the ANU Centre for European Studies.


“#AiWeiwei” Is Back with a 30-Year Photography Retrospective

Photo: Ai Weiwei, New York Photographs, 1983-1993, Ai Weiwei. Williamsburg, Brooklyn, 1983, black- and-white photograph. (Detail).

“Art is not an end but a beginning,” Chinese artist and activist Ai Weiwei observes, giving voice to the visual world that, at its very best best, sparks new ideas, experiences, emotions, and above all—dialogue. Art is a firestarter. It provides new perspectives and fresh ways of seeing the world, transcending the limitations of time, space, language, and borders. Art is not content with the status quo; it will upend all expectation in search of the unknown.

Also: Legendary Artist Ai Weiwei Illuminates the Refugee Crisis in “#SafePassage”

This has been Ai Weiwei’s journey his entire life—a process that began when his father, Ai Qing, was determined to be an enemy of the state for speaking out against the government in 1957. The family was exiled to a labor camp in the remote province of Xinjang when Ai Weiwei was just one year old, and his earliest years were spent bearing witness to the consequences of speaking truth to power. Rather than cower in the face of state-sponsored oppression, the experience emboldened Ai Weiwei, who has since committed his life and his practice to speaking out against the abuses of the government.

Ai Weiwei, Study of Perspective, 1995-2011, White House, Washington D.C., USA, 1995, color photograph.

In 1983, at the age of 26, Ai Weiwei arrived in New York and took up residence on the East Village, where he began practicing photography as a way to keep a visual diary of daily life. Not yet famous, he lived in a tiny apartment that hosted countless friends who came and went, amassing some 10,000 photographs over a period of ten years. From these humble yet prolific beginnings, Ai Weiwei incorporated photography into his larger practice, using it as a means to convey the immediacy of the moment.

In a blog post from 2006, Ai Weiwei observed, “If photography can be considered art, then it must necessarily be a scattering of art’s inherent qualities, an innocent pressing of the shutter, a lie in the face of reality. In that moment of recording, the world that it faces dissolves like smoke.”

Indeed, one of photography’s greatest gifts is its ability to negotiate the space that lies between art and artifact, fiction and fact, construction and document. We wish to believe that the two-dimensional version of the three-dimensional world is accurate enough to act as proxy for the thing itself. Because of the way in which it mimics sight, it allows us to believe that the copy is sufficient in the absence of the original. This tension, inherent to the medium, will always compel us to see photography as art—and as something else.

Always on time, yet just one step ahead, Ai Weiwei’s photography practice was a forerunner for the visual diaries that have become de rigeur in the age of camera phones and social media, where we share not just our ideas and opinions with the word, but use photographs to capture what we see, feel, and believe. Through the advent of social media, most recently Instagram, Ai Weiwei has used his platform to draw attention to the global refugee crisis, which Crave featured last Fall.

Over the past thirty years, Ai Weiwei has used photography to challenge the ways we see the world, becoming a leading proponent of the practice of photo-activism. In honor of the work that he has done, Museum of Contemporary Photography at Columbia College, Chicago, presents #AiWeiwei, a new exhibition tracing the evolution of his work, revealing the ways in which he has used the camera to question the very nature of art.

Opening April 13 and running through July 2, 2017, #AiWeiwei presents more than 25,000 prints and digital images from his most significant bodies of work including Selfie, Leg Gun, Photographs of Surveillance, 258 Fake, Weiweicam, Study of Perspective, Dropping A Han Dynasty Urn, Beijing Photographs 1993-2003, New York Photographs 1983-1993, and his iPhone photos of refugees.

There is a distinct sense of artlessness, of a total disregard for the formal qualities of photography that have used the medium as a means to establish itself within the hallowed halls of the art world. Ai Weiwei, it appears, could care less about the aesthetics of formalism and instead embraces the camera as a tool, a piece of technology that can be used to record, to document, to critique, to provoke, and to confuse. The effect is decidedly as political as the subjects he addresses, a firm middle-finger to the proclivities of the status quo and their desire for conformity to self-maintained hierarchies.

For Ai Weiwei, the photographs are just the beginning of the conversation. They are not the final word. They are questions, comments, incomplete sentences, invitations to engage and dig below the surface. They do not create a sense of satisfaction nor completion but rather stick in your craw, gnaw at your soul, and inspire you to take action that is entirely your own.


An Incredibly Compelling Reason To Just Get The Dang Epidural

Photographed by Erin Yamgata.
Whether or not to get an epidural is one of many decisions pregnant people have to make over the course of giving birth. And while some prefer to go the whole way without drugs, there's also no denying that an epidural, which is anesthetic delivered directly into a part of your spine, does a great job at relieving labor pain. Now, new research suggests there may be another reason to opt for one: your mental health.

For the study, presented this week at the annual meeting of the American Society of Anesthesiologists, researchers analyzed 201 records of women who had epidurals during labor. All of the women had their pain level assessed throughout labor so the researchers could calculate how much their pain improved after the epidural.

Results showed that the percent to which the epidural improved women's pain predicted their likelihood of developing postpartum depression later on. In other words, those who saw greater improvement after the epidural, meaning they experienced less pain during birth, were less likely to be diagnosed with the disorder.

"Labor pain matters more than just for the birth experience," said lead author Grace Lim, MD, in a press release. "It may be psychologically harmful for some women and play a significant role in the development of postpartum depression." So, for some women, lessening that pain with an epidural may have crucial psychological consequences.

However, this study is still preliminary, and it's not clear yet why some women would be more sensitive to labor pain than others. And postpartum depression, like all mental health issues, is too complex to be attributed to one single cause. Still, for those who are on the fence about their epidural decision, it's nice to know it could come with both physical and mental benefits.

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Kazakhstan 2017 | FINANCE | ROUNDTABLE

TBY and the American Chamber of Commerce in Kazakhstan jointly organized a roundtable with the heads of leading financial institutions to discuss the state of banking and their vision for the sector's development.

Gordon Haskins
Al Hilal Bank Kazakhstan
Sabit Khakimzhanov
Head of Financial Stability
National Bank of Kazakhstan (NKB)
Aigul Djailaubekova
Deputy Chairperson
Aiman Mukanova
Bank of Tokyo-Mitsubishi UFJ Ltd.
Andrey Kurilin
Citibank Kazakhstan
Valeriy Khegay
Head of Market Data
Kazakhstan Stock Exchange
Gani Uzbekov
Capital Bank

How would you assess the success of some of the regulatory changes that the National Bank has put in place since 2014?

SABIT KHAKIMZHANOV The main issue that we face currently is the quality of reporting: Unless we know what is going on in a bank we cannot regulate it. In that regard, the biggest changes have yet to come, as the main problem of Kazakhstan's banking sector is the uncertainty surrounding the quality of assets. Until we resolve this, we cannot move forward. In the short term, we believe the solution lies in an asset quality review—a type of inspection of a loan portfolio using methodology adapted from the ECB's recent practices. However, it is too expensive to do this on a regular basis. So, in the longer term we envision a more systemic approach that includes a return to the regulatory provisioning, a greater focus on managerial reporting and its quality as opposed to only financial, and development of banks' data collection capabilities to build a basis for risk management. Our focus on the quality of financial reporting is not just a whim; it is global trend. We see it recognized by Basel and national regulators. Accounting standards bodies IASB and FASB have developed new standards in response to these trends.

How have the National Bank's regulations impacted commercial banks?

AIGUL DJAILAUBEKOVA Generally, we understand that stricter regulations are vital during tough economic conditions, which naturally impact the quality of borrowers and are reflected in the portfolio of commercial banks. Nevertheless, at times banks may experience an additional pressure on management resources as there have been a number of changes in the regulations, particularly in terms of reporting requirements. In terms of core banking activities, our bank has not been negatively affected due to its moderate growth and consistent strategy. Generally, we see a tendency for consolidation of the banking sector, which has been widely discussed in the last few years.

What is your general opinion of the banking sector consolidation?

ANDREY KURILIN Just 20 years ago Kazakhstan had about 100 banks and the economy then was much smaller. Over the years, the number of banks has significantly reduced. There is no rule of thumb regarding the ideal number of banks for a given size of the market. It is the underlying economy, rather than temporary variables like the exchange rate or inflation, that truly determines the volume of assets and banks in the country. Kazakhstan's economy predominantly involves trade, cross-border flows, exports, and imports, which in turn determine the demand for banking services.

GANI UZBEKOV The sector will neither have the best corporate governance, nor the highest level of reporting, unless other sectors of the economy are reformed, as the banking sector is interconnected. If we truly want to improve the banking sector, we have to start in other areas of the national economy and society, as a whole. For instance, liquidity in the banking sector is only available to a certain number of banks, which therefore can afford to deal with NPLs, whereas the remaining ones cannot. It is interesting to hear that CEOs of large banks are pro consolidation, as in my opinion small banks are crucial for the economy, since they serve as market disruptors in terms of technology and customer service models. For us, innovation is a matter of survival, whereas for large banks it is not as important, since they will always rely on a fixed stream of revenue. This reflects Kazakhstan, in general: When there is fixed revenue from the oil industry, there is less need to care about other areas of revenue. Small banks and fintech should exist in one form or another. If banks are consolidated, it should be market-driven rather than enforced by governmental authorities. The main point is: If there is a clear regulatory vision for the next five years, then it will be fairly easy to understand and adapt to for a smaller bank or other entity that wishes to enter the market. It will allow shareholders to plan their actions accordingly, whether they should keep up the work and develop in one or another direction, or inject more funds, talk to other banks about a possible merger, or just return the license.

How would you respond to concerns over the lack of regulatory vision in the sector?

SK I understand Gani's comments about the lack of some document of concept of development. I also agree there are other larger problems; however, when the NBK is entrusted with regulating the sector, it has specific instruments and fields of responsibility that it cannot shirk away from. The financial market first and foremost deals in information; it tells us something about the economy, something that we do not like, and in such circumstances there is a sort of denial about those underlying problems and a tendency to blame the sector and the financial regulator, although the sector is just the messenger.

GU I fully agree that the NBK cannot do everything and is solely responsible for the financial sector; however, there are other sectors that need improvement. For instance, tax reform, criminal law, and civil laws are issues of importance. As long as we have laws that are not seen as applicable to everyone, then such issues will persist. There should be clear transparent rules that apply to everyone. I hope and believe we will hear from the governor that in order to improve the banking sector we need to tackle other areas, and if the political leadership agrees, it will only be a matter of time until we have what we are calling for.

AK We all seem to be saying the same thing and there is no disagreement. There indeed have been reports on consolidation. In market economies, the environment is always changing. What we are saying is that banks do not exist in isolation from the rest of the economy. Kazakhstan as a country depends on exports, so the country requires funding in foreign currency, which local banks may have difficulty providing. A solution could be either a robust diversification of the economy away from exports, or the government playing a more tangible role in the banking sector.

GU The government currently regulates our markets largely through liquidity and funding, and 95% of all funding comes from state-run institutions. If it wishes to do away with a bank, it just prevents it from getting liquidity. For a bank like us, in order to earn a reputation in retail, we need years before people start to trust us with their money. This is a competitive market in terms of building that reputation and infrastructure, in terms of service and convenience for the client; and since liquidity plays a major part in building this for new entrants like us, we are dependent on state funding at the moment. Taking into account the fact that allocation of state funding management is chaotic and unpredictable, it is hard for smaller banks to work in this environment. State funding and state finance should not be in one hand, and there should be a more rigorous risk policy; however, such smaller banks are of vital importance. Larger banks typically go after big accounts, whereas we want to work closely with SME clients. This is an area for diversification and there are many independent and experienced professionals who have weathered numerous crises and do not need any assistance from the government, though sometimes they need help in terms of working capital finance, rate finance, and so on. Forcing banks to have a certain level of NPLs and, if they are unable to, making them merge or seek a buyer is not right as there should always be a flow of dialog, whereby those banks have the right to be heard and express their opinion. Unfortunately, at the moment we do not feel it.

GORDON HASKINS I would agree with a number of the points that have been made around the table, in particular Gani's comment on disruption. The digital platform that Capital seeks to disrupt the market with can be potentially good for the market. We take a different approach toward disruption. It is not a digital type but an alternative offering for certain types of clients that seek this. Currently we have less than 0.5% of the overall asset base in the country and are clearly a relatively small player in the market; however, we do offer something that is of interest to clients. In Kazakhstan at present the demand for Islamic products is not particularly strong, and that is something that we have to deal with and are working to change. However, it is not just the Islamic nature of the banking products that we offer that is necessarily attractive; the rates we offer and the security of a state-owned parent institution that is rated A+ are also attractive to people worried about the current state of the local market. Also, we are looking to launch a retail program in 2017, which we think will be attractive to clients for the same reasons, though it will be in line with the approach that we have taken since Al Hilal was established in 2010: a conservative, targeted approach. We are not looking to go out to the mass market on the retail side but rather will have a targeted approach. Likewise, we will continue to seek conservative growth in the corporate sector with our existing clients and with select new clients.

Can you tell us about the recent changes at the stock exchange and what that means for 2017?

VALERIY KHEGAY We do not directly face banking regulations from the National Bank; on the contrary, we work together with the National Bank on the further regulation of the stock market as a whole. This joint effort is aimed at finding the optimum balance between the necessity and sufficiency of the stock market regulation. Talking about visions for change in the market, in 2016 we saw a maximum traded value of KZT95 trillion, and due to de-dollarization we could see extra liquidity in tenge, which moved to the money market. In 2016 the value traded on the repo market more than doubled. Speaking about the allocation of financial resources in the economy, bank credit is not the only source for raising funds and unfortunately the degree of the local stock market involvement in the economic processes still remains quite low.

What is the reason behind the low stock market activity in Kazakhstan?

VK It has to do with a lack of awareness and financial education in the country. There are nearly 2,300 joint-stock companies registered in Kazakhstan and only 102 are listed on the stock exchange. This is one of our strategic tasks: to increase the awareness of small and medium business representatives about the stock market as an alternative to bank credit.

Are banks worried that the stock exchange would compete with banking products?

AK In Kazakhstan there is no major activity in the local stock and fixed income markets, which is an impediment for any business operating on the ground. Worldwide there are billions of dollars available for placement into the Kazakhstani securities; today, this is almost entirely invested outside of Kazakhstan. The question is why this appetite is not translated into onshore investments. Addressing the investor perception of the rule of law and the guarantees of investor rights would unleash this appetite. We would love to see a more developed fixed income and stock market in the country. Any foreign investor would definitely mention the need for more activity on the local exchange.AIMAN MUKANOVA I would second that: as an entirely foreign bank that only deals currently in foreign currencies and only with top-rate borrowers, we would nevertheless welcome this development and would love the tenge market to flourish. We would welcome an option to fund our operations in tenge in the longer term. The creation of a tenge foreign exchange market would encourage local and foreign investors to invest locally; that would only improve our business in this country and not compete with it.

AD It is not just regulations and education of the retail investors; there is a whole complex list of reasons why investment has not happened. Presently, there is an evolving project on creation of the International Financial Center in Astana. It is too early to predict to what extent it will stimulate an influx of new investors, especially international ones; however, this initiative has just started to develop so we have to give it a chance. In my opinion, political will alone for a new platform will not work if all the other components remain the same in terms of an appropriate legislative framework, investor appetite, investor climate, and diversification of the economy. One of the factors that I believe has hampered the development of the stock market here is that there was simply no availability of long-term liquidity, and only in the past year has it started easing thanks to the monetary policy of the National Bank, though more in terms of short-term funding.

AK The longer the availability of financial instruments, the stronger the banks and the more liquid the market. Today, any long-term funding offered by Kazakhstani banks may be a matter of high market risk because of the limited interbank liquidity and illiquid secondary fixed income market. Anything the National Bank could do to lengthen the availability of local currency funding would be a positive.

What is your macroeconomic outlook for the year ahead and for your institution?

GU The regulator has a concept in place in terms of how it will deal with NPLs, so at least there is transparency as to what we can expect in the NPL area. We have entered the retail market, which is a scale business, and our horizon projection is at least five years, so it is difficult to make predictions for 2017. We are still waiting for a clear response and concrete information from the regulator as to what to expect in the next three to five years. Globally speaking, anything can happen in the year ahead, but we keep a positive outlook.

AD In terms of the market sentiment, the worst seems to be over and bottomed out after two devaluations and sharply declined commodity prices in 2014-2016, when we saw many companies holding back on their CAPEX plans, the market had no tenge liquidity, and overall the situation was gloomy. Now, the country is running a tighter ship and is getting used to the environment of lower oil prices and to the fact that they are not likely to return to their previous high levels. At least it looks like the returning of the low levels of USD20-30 per barrel is unlikely. However, this year the markets face more political unknowns than we are used to seeing. President Trump's election is a major factor, with its significant impact on the markets. There are some major European countries going through political changes that will test the strength of the European Union. As Kazakhstan becomes more integrated into the world economy, we cannot underestimate the role these factors will play. Generally, the mood and perspective for growth around the world will definitely impact Kazakhstan so there remains quite a significant uncertainty; however, it feels like to a certain extent that there will not be a deep dive.

AM Next year we will continue to support our key clients in Kazakhstan; we hope the worst is over for many of them. There is quite significant liquidity and reasonable interest in international markets for top Kazakh credits and Kazakhstan in a way benefits from what is happening in other emerging markets. There are not many investment-grade emerging markets and they will continue to enjoy strong investor demand, at least for the next few months. As a bank we will carefully watch the development of the tenge market, follow the progress of the privatization program, and continue to look into innovative products such as Islamic finance.

GH I would echo what has been already said around the table; there are cautiously optimistic, certainly positive, signs for the start of the year. Predictions of growth for the economy in 2017 are not what they were a few years ago, but they are better than last year around 2% to 2.5%. The privatization program, subject to some important reforms in the economy generally, should be good for the economy. And I agree that we need to pay attention to external factors, as the economy is much more intertwined with regional and global markets, and therefore we have to monitor events in our neighboring countries as well as in the US and Europe, which are throwing up a great deal of political uncertainty right now. That said, Al Hilal is positive about the launch of our retail program this year and look forward to asset growth for the bank.


A Better Sense of Place

Fall color

Woot! It's fall, the usual weird mix of warm, humid days and refreshing cool fronts. I decided a while back to make sure I have native plants with strong fall color. It's taking a while for things to mature, of course, but this is the first fall where there's a good hint of what's to come in the future.

[read more]

Late summer fruits and flowers

It's looking like the hot summer drought has ended here. As the sun is moving closer to equinox, temperatures are now only going up to about 92°F. Many plants are doing better after some rain showers last week gave them water to drink. We even had a pretty good cold front come through. Fall is coming, so I figured it's a good time to focus on all the fruit and flowers around the yard to make me feel like my efforts didn't all end in failure this summer.

[read more]

A hot, dry summer

A lot of plants found themselves put on my "At Risk" list this weekend. With temperatures rising to 95-100°F every day for the past 3 weeks and little rain for most of that time, I've decided to adjust my preference for what I plant and where. I know it takes a couple years for many plants to establish, so I'm not giving up on the newly planted stuff. Those guys generally need regular watering under dry conditions, even if they're native. And pretty much everything in a pot needs regular watering because their roots have limited reach. Also, established plants can go somewhat dormant in the heat of the summer and then come back to life when the temperatures start to lower again in the fall. So taking all of this into account, I've made a list of stand-out individuals and a list of questionable individuals.

[read more]

Overgrown but not forgotten

[read more]

But have you seen the alley?

[read more]

Spring weeds eternal

[read more]

It all wakes up

[read more]

Winter update

[read more]

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You are here:  Bed and Breakfast -> Eardisley, Herefordshire

Bed and Breakfast in Eardisley, Herefordshire (and nearby)
1 Property

These properties appear courtesy of
Parliament Barn, Winforton  (2 miles)*
In the Village of Winforton situated 14 miles north of Hereford on the A438 to Brecon road and only 6 miles from Hay on Wye.

Pets are allowed. No smoking.

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Mentor for success

How to build a mentoring culture in your company

Most on-the-job training happens outside of a structured classroom environment. That’s why mentoring
plays a crucial role in preparing your staff to
excel at their job responsibilities and grooming your company’s future leaders.

“Over the last five to 10 years, there’s been
a significant increase in the commitment by
employers to employee engagement,” says
Brian Lamb, business banking executive
with Fifth Third Bank Tampa Bay and director of Tampa Bay WorkForce Alliance.
“Unless you really support a culture of developing your employees, you’re not developing them to their full potential and most likely will lose them to competition that does.”

Smart Business spoke with Lamb on the
importance of building an effective mentoring culture in your company.

What are the different ways that mentoring
can take place at a company?

Mentoring typically falls into two main categories: formal or informal. The first occurs
when employees go through a company-structured mentoring program that focuses
on exposing top talent to different parts of
the organization for professional development. This could happen because the leadership team has identified key employees
that they want to develop for the next stage
of their professional career or this formal
system could train employees for new functional areas. For example, someone in the
product development area who wants to
transition into sales could spend time with a
sales leader to learn key roles and responsibilities of the particular position. If a company is considering a formal program, I would
encourage the senior leadership to work
with the human resources department to
ensure they build a sustainable mentorship
program that is a good fit for the company.

Informal mentoring may focus less on
building technical expertise and more on
individual employee development and professional guidance. These types of relationships can occur when key leadership identifies employees with the talent and ability to
move to the next level. I have personally benefited from the informal approach to mentoring by having a trusted adviser help me
make tough career decisions or share past
experiences on topics that impact daily job

Should this take place as soon as employees

Mentoring can happen in various stages.
The key point is that mentoring should meet
the personal or professional need of the
mentee involved. If employees take on a new
role where they have the talent but may not
have the specialized skills for the position,
immediate mentoring can be extremely beneficial. A more experienced mentor can
accelerate their understanding of the business and enhance their ability to perform
effectively. Late stage mentorship can help
seasoned employees bring their career to the
next level, whether it’s preparing for a promotion or learning management skills. In all
cases, mentoring should happen when it is
mutually beneficial to everyone involved.

How are mentoring relationships established?

With formal mentoring, it seems to work
best when human resources professionals
structure the eligibility requirements and
program guidelines, and the managers execute the program within these parameters.
Having human resources involved in the
process helps ensure a consistent application of formal programs throughout the
organization. Typically, the eligibility for
a formal mentorship program is tied to a
performance-based assessment of the

Informal mentoring tends to happen when
a mentor or mentee seek one another out.
These relationships may be established
through introductions from mutual friends,
business colleagues or some interaction in
the work environment. In all cases, the
mentee should benefit from the mentor’s
experience, guidance and knowledge. These
informal mentor relationships can evolve
into long-term friendships and go beyond
even the employees’ tenure at the company
as they move forward in their professional

How might it benefit the employees and the

Top talent is attracted to organizations that
emphasize professional and personal development. Recruitment can be enhanced
when potential candidates understand that a
company wants to mentor them so they can
become the best professionals they can be.

Also, employees find it incredibly exciting
to have great leaders as their mentors. When
they receive encouragement, guidance and
perspective, they know they are being developed and learn more quickly.

Are there challenges to consider?

On the employee side, mentees need to
make sure not to get distracted by the mentoring program and lose focus on their daily
responsibilities. It’s essential that employees
continue to perform well and use the knowledge gained from the mentoring program to
further their career. From the company’s
perspective, it’s important to apply the formal mentoring program consistently so that
everyone feels like they have an equal opportunity to participate.

BRIAN LAMB is a business banking executive with Fifth Third Bank Tampa Bay. Reach him at (813) 306-2491 or [email protected].


Actress, Lilly Afe Shares Steamy hot Photos with her fans

Nollywood actress, Lilly Afe, is enjoying her life being single as she does not have to be scared of the things she does and how she does them because she is not answering to anyone.

The actress decided to give her fans things to feed their eyes on as she shared sexy photos of herself in public. She is not celebrating birthday rather, she just felt she could share her sexiness to those who do not believe that she is well endowed.


Q & A with Ms. Amanda Wingard

Ms. Amanda Wingard joined our school over the summer and teachers a number of classes, from Creative Movement to Adult.  Recently we asked her some questions about her dance background and teaching methodology.

 Q.  How long have you been dancing & teaching dance?
A.  I have been dancing since I was 3 years old. I started taking my training seriously when I began going to Ballet Academy of Charleston when I was 5 years old.
I started teaching classes in middle and high school at dance studios that I attended and continued teaching in different studios when I went off to college at the University of South Carolina to get my degree in Dance Education. I taught dance at Alston Middle School in Summerville for 3 years after graduating from college. Then I taught at the Charleston County School of the Arts for a year.
Q.  What do you enjoy about teaching?
A.  The things that I enjoy about teaching are watching my students improve before my eyes or seeing them connect the dots and understand concepts for the first time. It makes me think of life and how you need an outside perspective to truly understand all sides of life.  As a dance teacher, I get to have an outside perspective to my students to help them see things that they cannot see or understand on their own.
Q.  What is your methodology for teaching?
A. My methodology for teaching is to give slightly challenging classes. If I raise the bar for my students, they have room to grow and learn.
Q.  How have you enjoyed your experience so far at BAC?
A.  I have enjoyed my time at BAC so far. After teaching at the School of the Arts, I went about a year without teaching dance, which was very tough! I feel encouraged when I see people grow and improve, which is why I love teaching in any aspect. I especially love teaching the adult classes because they are so eager to learn and will always ask questions if they do not understand something. It’s been a pleasure teaching them!

Does practice always make perfect?

We’re all familiar with the adage, “Practice makes perfect.”  But does it always?  Consider this quote by American scholar, Hamza Yusuf:  “Practice makes permanent, not perfect.  If you practice the wrong thing, you make the wrong act permanent.”  In other words, practice instills within us a permanent habit, for good or for bad.  It’s how we practice which largely affects how successful we will be, not merely the number of hours or repetitions spent on a given task.

The point is not that practice is unimportant, but that only when done correctly, can it lead to the results we desire. If you are attempting to drive a car forward while the gear shift is set in reverse and hit the gas 100 times, will the car eventually move forward?  The answer is obvious.  The point being, if you practice something incorrectly, you will learn it and perform it…You guessed it…incorrectly!

So, how does one make sure they are practicing correctly?  The online education platform, TED-Ed states, “Effective practice is consistent, intensely focused and targets content or weaknesses that lie at the edge of one’s current abilities.”  They offer the following suggestions:

  1. Focus on the task at hand and minimize distractions.  Avoid daydreaming or talking in class and listen to your teacher, even when the instruction seems unrelated to you.
  2. Start out slowly.  Coordination is built with repetitions. If you gradually increase the speed of quality repetitions, you have a better chance of doing them correctly.  When learning a new exercise, practice it carefully and slowly under the watchful eye of your teacher, being sure to do it correctly before you increase your speed!  This is especially crucial in dance, since performing certain movements improperly can result in injury.
  3. Be balanced.  Frequent repetitions with allotted breaks are common practice habits of elite performers.  Many top athletes, musicians and dancers spend 50-60 hours per week on activities related to their craft.  Many divide their time into multiple daily practice sessions of limited duration.  Short practice sessions daily in between your weekly lessons can be immensely beneficial and will train your brain and body to treat the movement as second nature.
  4. Practice in your brain in vivid detail.  A number of studies suggest that once a physical motion has been established, it can be reinforced just by imagining it.  So, even when you can’t practice the steps with your body, you can “practice” them in your head!

In addition, a student may come to feel that their regular classes and at-home practice sessions are not quite enough to help them achieve the increased “edge” they are looking for.  Or they may be dealing with a discipline or movement which is particularly challenging for them.  If this is the case, a student should first approach their teacher and politely request specific feedback or exercises they can do on their own.  They may also consider speaking to their parents and teacher about additional classes and private lessons as a supplement to their training.

Lastly, don’t expect perfection!  Sure, you want to try your best, but beating yourself up over a perceived flaw is neither productive or healthy.

The conclusion?  Listen to your teacher, accept the correction and implement it to the best of your ability.  Practice as “perfectly” as you can, and the result will be a beautiful, healthy dancer, permanently.


Mastercard to Utilize Blockchain Technology in Securing Customer Identity

Apr 16, 2018 at 9:47

According to a patent filed by financial services firm, Mastercard, the company is planning to utilize blockchain technology in securing identity data of its customers.

In an application released by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, the payments giant described the system to be developed as a semi-private or private blockchain to receive and store identity data which may include crucial details such as name, street address and tax identification number.

Mastercard claimed that the integration of blockchain technology in its system will ultimately block the use of fake identity data.

“The use of a blockchain for the storage of identity and credential data may provide for an immutable storage of such data that can provide an accurate verification thereof and also prevent the fabrication of such data,” the company stated in the filing.

The document also mentioned that the system would generate a data file for each entity that would be associated with a public key and a geographic jurisdiction. The entities would then become a subordinate, while a superior entity would impose a digital signature on their data files.

However, Mastercard’s proposed network would only allow certain nodes to submit data in order to prevent the addition of data that may compromise the accuracy of the stored information.

“In such instances, it may be difficult for an entity to disprove a false identity, leading to an interaction with an inauthentic individual or entity. Thus, there is a need for a technical solution to provide for the immutable storage of identity and credential data that may prevent fabrication and inaccuracies,” the company added in the filing.

It can be recalled that Mastercard has several other blockchain-related patent applications which aims to facilitate refund services for cryptocurrency users and another that is expected to instantly process payments to lessen transaction settlement times.

In order to achieve its intended, blockhain related improvements, the company is expected to hire 175 new technology developers to work out of an office in Ireland.


FC Fundraising Workshop

May 22, 2017

We had a great turnout on May 17 for our “Developing Your Film Fundraising Strategy,” hosted by FC Board Member and Independent Consultant, Ronn Smith. Ronn talked about demystifying the process of fundraising and shared some very useful ideas, tools and resources with the Workshop attendees around how to begin raising the funds to make a dream project an attainable reality.

Following the Workshop we caught up with Ronn to get his thoughts on a few topics.

How would you describe what you do?
I’m an independent consultant with 30+ years of professional experience. Basically, I like to provide organizational development and fundraising services for mission-driven humanitarian, educational, and cultural nonprofits that focus on creating positive social change. I also like to mentor individuals with fundraising needs. My specialties include strategic planning and implementation, governance, group facilitation, fund development, project management, individual and group coaching, grant applications, and all aspects of the fundraising process. In the past I’ve worked with organizations such as WGBH, the New England Conservatory of Music, and Rhode Island School of Design.

Can you say a bit about how the fundraising process of independent filmmaking has changed over the years?
The process has changed a lot since I started in the 1990s. The larger foundations are playing a less active role in supporting filmmakers. And for those foundations that still provide support, they, like corporations and federal agencies, are all about the numbers. A lot of attention is given to budgets, for example. But they also want to know how many people will see the film, how the filmmaker plans to reach those people, and how the filmmaker will extend the reach of the film. Showing the completed film in film festivals isn’t enough anymore. Prospects want to see a carefully thought out distribution plan, which may or may not include an educational outreach component. This is where partnerships and alliances can be helpful. The other thing that has changed significantly for independent filmmakers is that donations from individuals, which tend to be in smaller amounts, are taking on greater importance. Smaller donations means many more donors, and that means more management. It also means fundraising through various social media platforms, which can be a full-time job in and of itself.

–What should filmmakers be thinking about as they prepare a fundraising strategy?
First, filmmakers must think creatively. We live in a very competitive and fast culture, so “creativity” can set the filmmaker and project apart from all those other great filmmakers and projects that need and deserve funding. Then give some thought to how you will present yourself professionally. And finally, ask yourself the following: “Does this film need to be made? Why? Why now? Who is the audience for this film? Why do I want to make this film? What are my–and my team’s–credentials?” Then start working on the budget. The budget will play a critical part in the fundraising strategy.

– Are there, in your opinion, untapped funding sources for filmmakers?
It really depends on the project, but it will always depend on the filmmaker demonstrating how the film will further the organization’s or individual’s mission. Establishing partnerships or alliances with organizations, a corporate entity, educational institutions, professional associations, and/or individuals can be helpful in opening doors to nontraditional funding sources that otherwise might not be available to the filmmaker.

How do you see the Go Fund Me and Kickstarters of the world impacting the fundraising process for filmmakers?
These and other social media platforms can play an important role in the fundraising process, but they need to be given careful consideration within the larger fundraising strategy. It’s a little naive to think you’ll be able to raise all the money you need with a Kickstarter campaign. Plus, they need a lot of time and attention–far more than a single individual may be able to give to the effort. Still, they’re now an important mechanism for fundraising for a lot of projects, so they can’t be ignored in searching for film funding.

Keep in mind that, in an ongoing effort to support independent filmmakers, FC presents an array of programs and workshops, year-round, to offer learning opportunities in the creative and business areas of filmmaking.


Buying Corals More Time

Researchers are using various methods to help corals worldwide survive in warming oceans

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Mar 15, 2018

Many tiny algae live in corals and provide the inconspicuous animals with both color and nourishment. Warming oceans stress corals, causing them to release their colorful symbionts into the water. This exposes the corals to disease and starvation. The most extensive such “bleaching” event began in 2014 and lasted for a couple of years, damaging more than 70 percent of coral reefs worldwide. In the past 30 years, the world has already lost half of its corals, and researchers predict that by 2050, only 10 percent will remain, according to a Scientific American feature.

Scientists are scrambling to come up with solutions in order to help the corals survive, such as breaking them into tiny pieces and planting them on reefs where they can quickly regrow and form larger colonies. Researchers are also collecting sperm and eggs from spawning corals and fertilizing them in a lab to increase the animals’ genetic diversity and improve their chances of surviving in the wild. Some programs are working to enhance the ability of corals to adapt to warming waters by developing heat-resistant algae or turning on coral genes that can handle higher heat. But most of these methods are just a Band-Aid to buy the corals more time, the Scientific American story notes. To solve the problem at its core, humans need to slow global warming by increasing awareness and making policy changes.

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Home > Timetable > Contribution details

Contribution Oral

X-ray spectroscopy

Quick-XAFS as a tool for study of chemical processes

  • Dr. Tatyana ASANOVA

Primary authors

Investigations of chemical processes in Chemistry have gain new opportunities thanks to Synchrotron Radiation Facilities allowing researchers to control and manage synthesis of inorganic compounds and new materials as well understand chemical reactions in details. One of the techniques for preparing nanoparticles (mono-, bi-, n-metallic) is a thermal decomposition of inorganic compounds such as molecular, complex compounds in the presence of a support material and without it under different atmospheres.

The work presents results of in-situ Quick-XAFS and XRD study of thermal decomposition of the double complex salt [Pd(NH3)4][OsCl6] in an inert atmosphere. The study purposes two objects. The first one is to find out all intermediate products, some of them has sometimes a short lifetime and could not be synthesized or isolated as the product from the thermal chemical process. Meanwhile the intermediate has its ability to effect on a final product. The second object is to observe a formation of bimetallic nanoparticles or nanoalloys (the final product) in real time. The compounds containing two metals were shown to be used for preparing bimetallic alloys with composition different from that a binary phase diagram predicts for a bulk alloys.

Quick-XAFS and XRD experiments were performed at Rock beamline of Soleil Synchrotron (Paris, France) and ID11 beamline of ESRF (Grenoble, France) respectively. All the thermal decomposition intermediates were found. One of the results of the study is a demonstration of distinguish in the thermal decomposition of (NH4)2OsCl6 as the intermediate product in the complex compound compared to a pure ammonium hexachloroosmate(IV) under the same condition. The formation of the PdOs bimetallic nanoalloy includes the following steps. At first, the Pd metallic particles are appeared. Then the bimetallic particles are formed. Finally, a partial segregation of the PdOs nanoalloy happens. Quick-XAFS and common XAFS experiments with [Pd(NH3)4][OsCl6] are compared demonstrating noticeable limitation of the common XAFS. In particular, it concerns to beginning process of formation of the small metallic particles.

This work is financially supported by RFBR research project N 17-03-00693 A/


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Ijarah as a Mode of Financing

Like murabahah, Ijarah was not originally a mode of financing. It is simply a transaction meant to transfer the usufruct of a property from one person to another for an agreed period against an agreed consideration. However, certain financial institutions have adopted leasing as a mode of financing instead of long term lending on the basis of interest. This kind of lease is generally known as the ‘financial lease’ as distinguished from the ‘operating lease’ and many basic features of actual leasing transaction have been dispensed with therein.

When interest-free financial institutions were established in the near past, they found that leasing is a recognized mode of finance throughout the world. On the other hand, they realized that leasing is a lawful transaction according to Shariah and it can be used as an interest-free mode of financing. Therefore, leasing has been adopted by the Islamic financial institutions, but very few of them paid attention to the fact that the ‘financial lease’ has a number of characteristics more similar to interest than to the actual lease transaction. That is why they started using the same model agreements of leasing as were in vogue among the conventional financial institutions without any modification, while a number of their provisions were not in conformity with Shariah.

As mentioned earlier, leasing is not a mode of financing in its origin. However, the transaction may be used for financing, subject to certain conditions. It is not sufficient for this purpose to substitute the name of ‘interest’ by the name of ‘rent’ and replace the name of ‘mortgage’ by the name of ‘leased asset’. There must be a substantial difference between leasing and an interest-bearing loan. That will be possible only by following all the Islamic rules of leasing, some of which have been mentioned in the first part of this chapter.

To be more specific, some basic differences between the contemporary financial leasing and the actual leasing allowed by the Shariah are indicated below.


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All my knives are designed and handmade in my shop. I do not use pre-made blanks of any kind. Every knife starts off as a solid piece of bar stock. I do all my own heat treating in house.  I use excellent quality steels. (1095-440C-O1 Tool steel- 5160-cpm154).. Every knife is ground freehand, I use no grinding jigs or pre-made/waterjetted materials. Grinds may not be 100% Symmetrical.

Knives- 1095-5160-O1..You will need to keep your knife oiled to prevent it from rusting.
Knives are made from High Carbon Steel- They are not dishwasher safe.
Use WD 40, Gun oil,  Mineral oil or even Olive oil for food prep.
Don't keep your knife stored in its sheath for long periods of time without cleaning and oiling periodically, If you do it may rust.
Immediately dry and oil after any contact with moisture to prevent rusting.
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I guarantee all my knives, If for any reason something happens to your knife under PROPER USE, I will repair or replace it free of charge.That does not include shipping costs!! You are responsible for shipping costs to and from..
My Knives are cutting tools, nothing else. If you hammer, pry, baton, throw or in any other way abuse your knife, the guarantee is void.

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Wow, the clouds never broke today and temperatures remained in the 40s!  Yesterday’s NAM had predicted temperatures remaining in the 40s and I ignored it; I thought it was a modeling error because it was so far off.  So one model was an outlier, yet it turned out to be correct.

from earlier this morning:

The rain will move out later this morning. Some of the models are forecasting a break in the clouds after noontime for a few hours, so we may get some sun.  If not, certainly brighter skies.

I know you may have heard about a high of 61 today.  Only the GFS has been predicting this high.  Most of the models have a high in the low to mid 50s.  I guess we’ll find out.

A cold front will move through between 4 and 6 PM. Widely scattered showers and some cloudiness moves through at that time. Temperatures drop into the low 30s by daybreak Monday.

It will become very windy this afternoon and even more so this evening.

Contrary to an often-heard incorrect explanation on TV forecasts, high winds are NOT due to a “wind tunnel effect”.

High winds and wind gusts are principally due to 1. Rapid changes in atmospheric pressure, specifically, the rate of change of pressure over time.  (dp/dt).    2. Thermodynamic effects that cause a mixing down of normally high winds aloft down to the surface.

If you’re looking for “Wind tunnel effects”, they can be felt on the corner of Walnut and 15th streets in Center City on windy days.

Every time I hear a TV person attribute windy conditions to a wind tunnel effect, I wince.


This Christmas season is also the anniversary of the Battle of the Bulge, the largest land battle in the history of the United States. On Dec. 16, 1944, Nazi Germany launched an enormous offensive through the quiet, thinly defended Ardennes Forest in Belgium. Adolf Hitler and planners in Berlin achieved total surprise; initially German forces rapidly gained ground.
For Europeans among the Allies, the attack was eerily reminiscent of the 1940 German drive that overran France and secured Nazi domination of the continent. Among General Dwight D. Eisenhower’s comrades at Supreme Allied Headquarters, fear was visible along with alarm.

The tide of the battle did not clearly turn until General George S. Patton’s Third Army broke through to the 101st Airborne Division, surrounded by the Wehrmacht in the crossroads town of Bastogne, on the day after Christmas.

Brutal fighting continued through January. However, Nazi hopes of breaking the Western Front, and Anglo-American alliance, were defeated.

Other battles in U.S. history were in certain respects more costly or complicated. During the Civil War, Gettysburg and other engagements resulted in a higher percentage of casualties among combatants. During World War II, such enormous amphibious invasions as Normandy, Iwo Jima and Leyte Gulf in the Philippines were inherently more complex in logistical terms than the Bulge. In the European theater, the scale of the war on the eastern front was much greater than in the west.

Nonetheless, in American history the Battle of the Bulge remains our biggest single land engagement. Approximately a quarter of a million United States troops were pitted against a comparable number of German forces.

Basic lessons of the Bulge include personnel and matériel. Eisenhower’s skills include remarkable capacity to get difficult personalities to work together, plus constant attention to logistics. Casualties on both sides were enormous, in both men and supplies The Allies could replace them; the Germans at that point could not.

Flamboyant Patton was controversial, for harsh discipline and extreme language. Yet he immediately, instinctively recognized the great threat of the Ardennes attack, and Third Army troops performed with monumental ability, moving rapidly over difficult terrain in terrible winter weather.

African-American soldiers, generally prohibited from serving in combat, operated the Red Ball Express, a gigantic truck convoy system that supplied the front. Under the enormous pressures generated by the Bulge, they were offered the opportunity to serve in combat units but had to sacrifice earned military seniority.

Thousands volunteered on these terms, and were vital to Allied victory.

At the tactical level, Corporal Henry F. Warner near Dom Butgenbach Belgium knocked out two German tanks, and then his 57-mm anti-tank gun jammed. He was firing a pistol at a third approaching tank, when the German driver backed up and withdrew.

One of Warner’s shots had killed the commander, and the crew was unable to proceed, a characteristic reaction among German troops. American, British and other Allied soldiers were much more likely to improvise and continue fighting after their officers were hit. Warner, later killed in action, was awarded the Medal of Honor.

When the Nazi Reich surrendered, Eisenhower commented the war had not yet been won. True victory would require Germany to embrace democracy and stability.

Admirable and effective German Chancellor Angela Merkel was selected as 2015 “Person of the Year” by TIME magazine. The Allies have won the war, undeniably.

Honor Chancellor Merkel, and honor Ike and associates, who got the job done.


Psychopaths May Be Immune To Contagious Yawning

Those who lack empathy don't seem to "catch" yawns like the rest of us do.

Here's another one to watch out for: When you yawn, he or she doesn't yawn back.

New research finds that psychopaths -- people characterized by a lack of empathy and abnormal social behaviors -- may be more immune to "contagious yawning" than the rest of us.

"Psychopaths are partly defined by lack of empathy and compassionate understanding of the feelings of others," Brian Rundle, a doctoral researcher at the university and one of the study's authors, told The Huffington Post in an email. "The fact that they aren't able to contagious yawn suggests that the mechanics involved in the empathy process aren't functioning normally."

As hypothesized, the researchers found that those who had more psychopathic qualities were less likely to yawn when they viewed the yawning clip.

Of course, there's no reason to jump to conclusions. The fact that someone doesn't seem to be affected by contagious yawning doesn't necessarily make them a psychopath.

"We can't say that if you don't yawn, you're a psychopath," Rundle said. "But it does give neuroscientists a better understanding of the mechanisms involved in both psychopathy and yawning independently, as well as in relation to each other."