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Sato Hiroatsu

Hiroatsu Sato left Japan for India in 1956 and on his return organized the first SCI workcamp in Japan in 1958 and was a founder of the SCI Japan Branch, later becoming Asian Secretary in 1965. He started Visionville in southern India in 1968 and after moving to the USA in 1976 he was active in reviving SCI activities there in the early 80s. He died in September 2001 and the following is written by his wife based on many conversations.

Origin of the text
Olivier Bertrand: Breaking down barriers 1945-1975, 30 years of voluntary service for peace with Service Civil International.
Paris (2008)

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Hiroatsu Sato

Sato came of age in a country struggling to rebuild after two decades of disastrous wars. As a schoolboy, he believed in Japan’s mission in the world: to prevent China from being carved up by Western nations, to liberate colonies, to ensure unhindered access to oil, and to develop a coprosperity sphere in Asia. In 1935, his family accompanied his father, a respected professor and believer in Japan’s mission, to Manchuria where he would design a secondary education system. Sato spent most of his primary school years there, in a Japanese enclave, but gradually the reality of Japanese military tactics in China cracked the façade of idealistic intentions. After his father protested, he was fired and was forced to evacuate his family on his own through the Korean peninsula onto a boat for Japan during the height of the war. Later this was seen as a blessing in disguise because colleagues who had remained were imprisoned by the Soviets. However being uprooted, and thrust back into Tokyo, under almost daily bombardment by American B-29s, had a lasting impact on Sato’s psyche.
Sato turned 15 just after the war ended – a year short of being pressed into military service to defend the homeland against the American devils. His class was sharpening bamboo sticks to use in their defense. The myth of Japan’s invulnerability included the belief that their islands were divinely protected, proof of which they had never lost a war nor been occupied. Much of what Sato had believed in – or had bought into – was shattered. He realized that the public had been duped. Under the guise of just sounding slogans, leaders had been consolidating their power and became as ruthless, rapacious, and inhumane as those they set about replacing. That loss of innocence combined with the severe hardships of never having enough to eat, his father’s loss of employment (he was put on a list of collaborators after the war and barred from teaching) intensified his sense of struggle. His eldest sister died of tuberculosis, followed soon after by his father’s fatal stroke. The life insurance proceeds, meant to take care of the family lasted only two months because of rampant inflation. Sato had just been admitted to the prestigious Tokyo University (Japan’s equivalent of Oxford or Harvard) School of Foreign studies that trained diplomats and bureaucrats. Through the help of government subsidies, former colleagues and students of his father, and part-time jobs both Sato and his younger brother completed university. This was the crucible in which Sato’s trust, his beliefs and his resolve were formed.

LTV to India, 1956-1958

Kengeri 1956

Kengeri 1956

India became his first window on the new world. Attracted by Gandhi’s practice of non-violence and a non-military approach to attaining independence, he joined a Gandhian study group in Tokyo. From this group, a Japanese parliamentarian, Madam Kora who knew international SCI, recruited promising young Japanese for LTV (long-term volunteer) service in India. Seiji Maie was the first Japanese recruited in the early 50s, and 1-2 other Japanese went out every 18-24 months. Sato began the process of applying for a visa ten years after the war ended, 1955. First he had to face censure from his extended family for relinquishing his responsibilities as the eldest son, giving up the traditional career path that his education had guaranteed, and becoming a volunteer. But his crucible had propelled him to another level of responsibility – beyond family or country to that of a citizen of the world.
Strict foreign exchange controls limited travel abroad to businessmen and government officials. Sato’s travel to India, by freighter to Calcutta, was paid for from a grant given to SCI to send 2 Japanese to the Kengeri Training Workcamp sponsored by CCIVS (Co-ordinating Committee for International Voluntary Service) in the southern state of Mysore (now Karnataka). Knowing that CCIVS had some relationship to UNESCO, Sato thought this was some high-powered meeting. He brought with him a small metal trunk and 1 metal suitcase, packed with white shirts, 2 suits, work clothes and all sorts of supplies. Instead of a high-powered meeting, he found the most diverse group of people he had ever met and he marvelled at how hard everyone worked. There was someone from the Philippines, from Indonesia, an American couple, Henriette from the Netherlands (the other SCI LTV), Hans Peter Muller, Jean Bazinet, Indra Paul Singh, Indian SCI member and teacher, as part of the assemblage. After the workcamp, CCIVS took them on a study tour, introducing them to other projects and tourist sites. A factor that obviously struck Sato then, as he referred to it often, was the range of contacts – from very high government officials to lowly farmers – from lavish receptions to a tumbler of hot milk. He learned to be at ease in all situations and find the common humanity – often harder with officials. It was a life-long lesson.
In the `50s the LTV’s role was to be in all the workcamps organized, and be available to give talks to local groups and student groups but in between one could pursue their own program. Sato spent time at Sevagram (Gandhi’s Ashram) and also joined a month-long walk (pady yatra) led by Vinoba Bhave who followed Gandhian principles. He was collecting land, the Bhoodan movement, to redistribute to the landless and his appeal to landowners was to treat him as another son. Sato was absorbing rural India, but felt a big handicap in not speaking Hindi or fluent English. The utility of a workcamp was reinforced for him because there language did not matter.

In March, 1957 at a workcamp in Orissa state I (his future wife) joined up with the SCI team, having finally been granted a visa, and met Sato for the first time. Although he had majored in English studies at university, his spoken English was very limited. Later he told me listening and speaking English was his most tiring activity but trumping that was his frustration at not being able to communicate. Since I had spent some time in England with another SCI Japanese with very poor English, somehow I was used to the accent and incomplete sentences. Sato wanted to participate in some of the evening programs beyond singing ‘Moon Over Ancient Castle’ in Japanese, when we shared information about our countries. One-to-one, without time pressure, he said it was easier to express himself, so he requested that I take notes and then present Japan to the other workcampers. With increased opportunity and my patience, he became more fluent and soon dispensed with a spokesperson and the hint of his persona as Asian spokesperson in SCI meetings emerged.

Warora Anandwan 1956

Service in Warora Anandwan 1956

In 1956-57, LTVs were given a pocket allowance of Rs. 20, around $4 monthly and when travelling a food allowance of Rs. 2/8 annas (before going on the decimal system). Sato was a smoker and virtually all of his pocket money went to cigarettes. At that time there was a lot of counterfeiting both of coins and bills so one needed to learn how to test coins and examine bills. Unfortunately Sato had been given a Rs.20 bill that all the vendors refused, but he was desperate because he needed that money. We hatched a plan that the next time we were in Delhi and in Connaught Place where one could find nice restaurants that were dimly lit, we would pass on this bill. Our plan was successful and the relief and happiness remain vivid memories.
Another vivid memory was crossing no-man’s land into Pakistan in 1957. Foreigners could still travel overland from Europe to India and some took buses or cars, or even hitchhiked, though the Kyber Pass was noted to be very dangerous. However, there was no direct route between India and Pakistan, so when Ethelwyn Best sent Sato and myself to Pakistan as the international representatives for a workcamp, we had to take a train to the border. Then we had to get down and walk across an empty patch to a guard house, and show our visas to the guards. We were the only ones, so over cups of tea we were told what to see and told to separate as I must now travel only in the Ladies Compartment. In Karachi we were recipient of the legendary hospitality and heard the reciprocal hardships caused by the Partition that uprooted so many people. There was a small, but vibrant SCI group with some returned from Europe, and there was hope for an exchange with India.

Karachi 1957

Phyllis and Sato in Karachi 1957

At our last workcamp in Srimadhopur (Rajasthan), a number of significant things happened. First of all, our replacements had arrived – Joop Koning from the Netherlands, Jean Sueur from Switzerland and Henri Majewski from France – and we realized that this ever-unfolding adventure was drawing to a close. This rare period of a somewhat vagabond existence was ending. We were valued just for ourselves or at least because we were foreigners, so we fulfilled expectations just by being. ‘pressure-free’. Additionally’ we felt we were old hands – having learned to bargain, how to stake out the wooden luggage racks as a berth on long train journeys, to carry water in earthen jugs to cool it. Sato said that he realized how little one needed to live on, especially in a tropical climate and that he could be at home in a variety of circumstances. Second, was the first contact with Valli Chari in her first workcamp. Sato was impressed by her ability to express herself without being too aggressive – independent but still Asian. She carried an enthusiasm for new concepts and a special energy that also caught the visiting International Secretary’s, Dorothy Abbott Guiborat, attention. Sato also caught Dorothy’s attention. She encouraged Sato to organize a workcamp in Japan upon his return.
In the final weeks of our team in India, I had decided to return home via the Pacific, instead of Europe. We left Calcutta together bound for Yokohama on a British-India ship; he travelling deck class but with an upgrade to take Chinese meals, and me allowed no lower than second class, but with a choice of Chinese meals. Rangoon (still open to foreigners), Penang, Singapore and Hong Kong were our ports of call and helped us transition to the fast modernizing post-war Japan. He became a tour guide of Japan for me prior to my departure for the States. We both decided that this adventure could not end so I signed up to return to study Japanese in the fall, and married on my return.

SCI in Japan

Four months after he returned to Japan in 1958 Sato organized the first small workcamp, with only Japanese participants, on a small island in Tokyo Bay, an overnight boat trip from Yokohama. The National Self-Defense Force (an army was prohibited in the Constitution, but a Self-Defense Force was permitted) selected an uninhabited area of the island to build a missile testing site. Islanders were deeply divided, and various political parties sent in outside organizers for protests. Sato found that child care while women worked in the fields was an issue, and the group collaborated in getting land for a kindergarten, and in subsequent workcamps worked on building a playground and assisting. Families from both sides of the divide were engaged in the venture and cooperation cooled tempers. Students who attended were impressed by this constructive, practical activity and formed the core of later work in Japan. In September after that workcamp, I came to study Japanese and we married in Tokyo.
Sato continued to organize a variety of workcamps, especially Leadership Training camps and even wrote a leader’s handbook, later translated into English, so there was a pool of leaders. Taking from the French Branch’s example of relief work, after an earthquake in northern Japan, SCIers raised money at railway stations and sent a team to help. The first Asian Secretary, Devinder Das Chopra, visited the Group in 1961 after the birth of our second daughter and subsequently arranged for Indian MTVs to come – Atma Singh and Kurian Paul were among those and we recruited among American students in Japan, thus gradually internationalizing the camps. Around this time students from South Korea came to participate in Japanese workcamps, and eventually these experienced ones began to organize activity in South Korea. Valli Chari, from the Asian Secretariat, also visited in 1963 and stimulated interest, promoting an exchange of volunteers.
During this period our home was the gathering place and contact point, even after Japan attained Branch status – 1962 I think. With a growing family we supported ourselves by teaching English in our home, making subtitles for “B” Japanese movies exported to Hong Kong and translating scripts for dubbing American TV programs. We could set our own schedule, and Sato was able to go to workcamps and help the new Secretary, Fumi Ono, who came daily to our house. Increasingly, LTVs who had finished their time in India, took the MM (Messargeries Maritime) boat line on to Yokohama – like Thedi von Fellenberg, Elizabeth Crook, Cathy Hambridge Peel and Ann Smith Kobayashi (from Thailand).

Asian Secretary, 1965-1968

Once Devinder and Valli decided to move on from the Asian Secretariat, Sato was approached. A month after our third child was born, in 1964, he set off by boat to Vladivostok, across Siberia to France for the November International Committee Meeting (ICM) where his appointment was finalized and he met the International Secretary, Ralph Hegnauer. Because of tensions between India and Pakistan and Ceylon, visas to travel to each other’s country were difficult so the ICM asked Sato to explore setting up an office outside of India. Since Devinder had made good contacts and initiated workcamps in Malaysia, that seemed a promising location. First, Sato returned by boat, via India for a handover of important information, and stopped off in Taiwan to explore some contacts there. For the next six months the office operated out of our home, as we awaited a response from the government in Kuala Lumpur for residence visas. Finally, a letter came suggesting that we come on a temporary visa and pursue it in person. We disembarked in Singapore on the day it separated from Malaysia, in 1965, with confused custom officials finally accepting our Malaysian tourist visas.
Thanks to a grant from an American foundation to promote exchange of volunteers within Asia, there were resources to stimulate activities. It also meant that Sato was on the road (strictly speaking air as our toddler would point to a plane and say ‘Dada’ from seeing him off on planes) half of the year. There was promising activity in Thailand, Nepal and Ceylon, with cyclone relief work in East Pakistan, in addition to all the usual SCI meetings. Fortunately Masahiro Shintani was appointed Assistant Asian Secretary in December 1966, spreading out the office work and travel. Just 3 months after his arrival, the Malaysian cabinet finally made a decision not to permit the Asian Secretariat to establish an office in Malaysia. They wanted SCI to disavow work with conscientious objectors, because they were concerned that pacificism meant communism (this was not long after the British had quelled a communist insurgency there) and questioned Sato’s travel to South Vietnam where he explored work with Buddhist groups. As an American I could enter Singapore without a visa so was sent to talk with Singapore officials. Being a duty-free port, they had no problems with SCI and immediately granted us permission. The same day I found a lovely old house on stilts, with servants quarters that could be used for an office, about 10 miles west of city center. The office was relocated within two weeks and proved much more accessible. Singapore was a port of call for the Messargeries Maritimes boats so volunteers could easily drop in.
After visiting so many SCI long-term projects, Sato began to question their inherent structure, with its built-in turnover creating a distance from the local community. An alternative formulated in his mind for an agricultural project. He envisioned permanently settling on the project site in the role of a “good neighbor” to model new agricultural techniques so that development would occur organically. Resigning in early 1968, succeeded by Navam Appadurai, with Masahiro remaining in Singapore, Sato went to India in late 1968.

Visionville, 1968-1977

Sato found land 17 miles from Bangalore and Visionville was formed. He and other SCI LTVs established an Asian Regional Training Center at the farm – a big name for a program that gave orientation to incoming and outgoing M/LTVs and hosted workcamps. We were also fortunate to have LTVs working with us on the farm plus the initial assistance of Kurian Paul, and looked forward to the day when two other couples, the Seshans and Parashiva Murthy plus family, were able to join in a co-operative venture.

We started from scratch: having a temporary house built, drilling a well, making irrigation facilities, bringing in electricity, etc. Aided by the fruits of a steep learning curve, the overgrazed, eroded land was gradually transformed into a working enterprise. Over time it seemed that trust was being built, and small effects were seen, validating Visionville’s initial premise. However, other forces were working under the surface as the traditional power structure began to feel threatened. Month after month passing by the unfinished one-room school in a nearby village, Sato inquired about the hold-up. He was told money had run out – actually had been siphoned off by a corrupt leader. Sato proposed to provide labor through a workcamp if the leader would raise some money for their expenses. It was completed but also it had offended a powerful person. Rumors were planted that Visionville operated a counterfeiting press, and that with the steady stream of foreigners observed, it was a CIA outpost. That fed into the paranoia caused during the Emergency declared by Indira Gandhi. Policy was to deny visas to non-government sponsored individuals, especially those living in village areas so we got a letter telling us to leave with only what we could carry.
After denial of an appeal to the Home Ministry, we left Visionville in late November of 1976. As we prepared to board our plane in Bangalore, on the other side of the glass partition, the Parashiva Murthy family was walking to baggage claim. Their move from Canada to India had been in the works for over three years, and they decided to come despite our impending departure. Martin and Juliet Pierce were the ‘Visionville liaison team’ and transmitted the wheres and whys of daily operations. Subsequently the whole property was sold to a poultry factory which later went bankrupt and now the land has been reclaimed by bushes.
Sato looked back on Visionville as a rich learning experience and felt that the ‘tuition’ paid was well worth while, infinitely better than university. Aside from practical learning, and village customs, the living and working together with so many people willing to question one’s own and other’s foibles created a rare atmosphere. There was no place to hide or disappear. Crops and livestock are relentless taskmasters. In retrospect, being in touch with nature’s cycles, yet stimulated by other seekers, meant we were provided an environment never replicated in urban settings.
Before his death, Sato also likened the rise and fall of Visionville, as well as many other things he had been passionate about, to the Hindu concept of ‘lila’. The ‘play of life’ reflected in building sand castles at the sea shore that are wiped out by the incoming tide and built again the next day. The thing that remained, however, was his feeling of connectedness to other people. Some were brief encounters, others were paths that crossed again and again. We all enrich each other’s lives in ways unbeknownst to us, and a lifelong association with SCI has been a good catalyst for that phenomenon.

Sato, Phyllis, Muzammil and Valli in Herzberg 1998

Sato, Phyllis, Muzammil and Valli in Herzberg 1998

Being accurate as to how Sato distilled his long SCI involvement is a challenge because either they are intertwined with mine or the echoes of what he repeated over and over until it finally became mine. As trite as it may sound, the ‘Deeds, not words’ became our organizing principle and has remained a solid lifelong principle. The mechanism of a workcamp also has not lost its appeal as a tool of bringing people together to do something practical. Contrary to those who said that projects were hard to find in a modernized society, Sato felt there was more need than ever. In the U.S. he led its first workcamp with a Navajo community and one in a Philadelphia ghetto with tense racial divides. With increasing polarization today, I know Sato would be sure to find a project to bring Muslim, Jews and Christians together. He remained fully committed to the reconciliation roots of early SCI, believing that working and sharing meals together in challenging conditions was vital in combating the propagandizing media that demonizes the ‘other’. Even if it is only a small number, the effect can gradually expand mirroring Pierre Cérésole’s dictum: “If it takes a thousand steps, begin the first one today”.
On an organizational level, Sato remained active as a member of the International Committee and International Executive Committee during various waves of issues. Sato, along with Valli, was a vocal critic of ‘Eurocentrism’ within SCI. This was manifested by its willingness to send large numbers of Europeans to Asia and Africa (because government grants were there) without receiving volunteers from those countries. A token exchange program was not enough in his opinion. He often faulted European branches for looking at the world through its own prism, rather than as an international body. He was very sensitive to unspoken assumptions of superiority or subtle paternalism that he felt lay just beneath the surface in attitudes towards Asia.
During the period when many SCI Branches and Commissions began taking what he saw as ‘sides’ and were looking at injustices caused by other countries rather than at the injustices in their own backyard; he emphasized the principle of reconciliation. Some called this being a ‘purist’, but Sato thought it was an immutable principle of SCI. He recognized that SCI needed to be forever evolving and adapting to changing conditions such as the move away from the initial ‘pick and shovel’ workcamps in the `30s to the work-study camps in the mid-`50s and long-term projects. However there were certain core principles that needed to be retained, or SCI’s reason to exist would dissolve into being a generic social gathering. A unique aspect of SCI that Sato found valuable was its national structure. The Secretaries and committees were from that country, so knew its customs and ways of doing things. Yet these national branches did cooperate. He used to contrast it with the Quaker Centers in India, Japan or Singapore. Their members were nationals, but the head was usually British or American and followed their mother country’s structure. Initially aid organizations followed this pattern, and he felt SCI had something to offer because its local staff had an intimate knowledge of local conditions.

As an individual Sato was forever marked in his formative years by how he had been lied to by politicians and by Japan’s defeat. In his last years he said, however, that he was still hopelessly Japanese – in his training and culinary preferences. Yet he also felt that he was a citizen of the world and could be at home anywhere. His SCI involvement had become his new crucible.

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Table 1 List of items to be included when reporting a realist synthesis

From: RAMESES publication standards: realist syntheses

1   In the title, identify the document as a realist synthesis or review
2   While acknowledging publication requirements and house style, abstracts should ideally contain brief details of: the study's background, review question or objectives; search strategy; methods of selection, appraisal, analysis and synthesis of sources; main results; and implications for practice.
3 Rationale for review Explain why the review is needed and what it is likely to contribute to existing understanding of the topic area.
4 Objectives and focus of review State the objective(s) of the review and/or the review question(s). Define and provide a rationale for the focus of the review.
5 Changes in the review process Any changes made to the review process that was initially planned should be briefly described and justified.
6 Rationale for using realist synthesis Explain why realist synthesis was considered the most appropriate method to use.
7 Scoping the literature Describe and justify the initial process of exploratory scoping of the literature.
8 Searching processes While considering specific requirements of the journal or other publication outlet, state and provide a rationale for how the iterative searching was done. Provide details on all the sources accessed for information in the review. Where searching in electronic databases has taken place, the details should include, for example, name of database, search terms, dates of coverage and date last searched. If individuals familiar with the relevant literature and/or topic area were contacted, indicate how they were identified and selected.
9 Selection and appraisal of documents Explain how judgements were made about including and excluding data from documents, and justify these.
10 Data extraction Describe and explain which data or information were extracted from the included documents and justify this selection.
11 Analysis and synthesis processes Describe the analysis and synthesis processes in detail. This section should include information on the constructs analyzed and describe the analytic process.
12 Document flow diagram Provide details on the number of documents assessed for eligibility and included in the review with reasons for exclusion at each stage as well as an indication of their source of origin (for example, from searching databases, reference lists and so on). You may consider using the example templates (which are likely to need modification to suit the data) that are provided.
13 Document characteristics Provide information on the characteristics of the documents included in the review.
14 Main findings Present the key findings with a specific focus on theory building and testing.
15 Summary of findings Summarize the main findings, taking into account the review's objective(s), research question(s), focus and intended audience(s).
16 Strengths, limitations and future research directions Discuss both the strengths of the review and its limitations. These should include (but need not be restricted to) (a) consideration of all the steps in the review process and (b) comment on the overall strength of evidence supporting the explanatory insights which emerged.
The limitations identified may point to areas where further work is needed.
17 Comparison with existing literature Where applicable, compare and contrast the review's findings with the existing literature (for example, other reviews) on the same topic.
18 Conclusion and recommendations List the main implications of the findings and place these in the context of other relevant literature. If appropriate, offer recommendations for policy and practice.
19 Funding Provide details of funding source (if any) for the review, the role played by the funder (if any) and any conflicts of interests of the reviewers.


Fire Spiderants are larger version of the Spiderant workers and are distinguished by their red-ish coloration and bodies covered in flames .

Fire Spiderants have 3 attacks. First one is attacking with their forelimbs dealing minor damage, secondly throwing of fire balls, and lastly throw out a small fire nova by stomping the ground with all 4 legs. They can also burrow into the ground leaving behind a small fire pit which explodes if approached by anyone including other spiderants and deals heavy damage. Once underground, Fire Spiderants are completely resistant to any damage and can resurface at a different location. They are completelly immune to incendiary damage.


Italy Beyond the Beltway – Trails of Transhumance

There are many ways to see and savor Italy. To experience the noble vineyards, pilgrim paths, iconic art and architecture and like the proverbial onion or tip of the iceberg you need to dig deeper and peel away the layers of “show and tell” travel to discover Italy beyond the beltway.

Travelers can follow itineraries along the Roads of Wines and Taste (le strade dei vini e dei sapori) in and around Italy to immerse themselves in the traditions, territories and tastes of a particular region. A behind the scenes, back road tour of the gastro-history of Italy to visit artisan producers and generational families committed to preserving the culinary culture shaped by the region in its geography and traditions. I have followed many of these routes over the years and highly recommend them.

One of the best ways to see and savor regional Italy is in the provence of Siena. Siena’s Duomo, Il Campo and Lorenzetti’s allegorical frescoes in the Palazzo Publico (Town Hall) have made Siena of the most popular places to visit when traveling in Tuscany. But if you’re looking to travel beyond the obligatory wine and dine sites of Siena there are a series of local itineraries that are worth “getting off the bus” or better yet taking the time to explore on a road trip through the region.

transumanzaOne little known itinerary  consists of eight destinations that cross the lands of Siena into the “traces of transhumance”, a fascinating course of travel designed to express the value and worth of the paths once crossed by shepherds during the seasonal movement of their livestock. This time-honored tradition of mobile pastoralism gives you a true sense of the connection between the land and the artisan’s hand.  Along the rural paths there are often rest areas, shelters, chapels, taverns and inns, hiking trails and scheduled festivals that create a historical itinerary of the food and cultural traditions of the region.

There are other trails of transhumance to discover throughouttranshumance sheep Italy including the Royal Shepherd’s Track, in Molise (considered for  inclusion as a UNESCO World Heritage Site) and in Abruzzo, Puglia, Campania and Basilicata.

21 Undeniably Signs You’ve Traveled in Italy (on more than a “show and tell” tour)

Are you part of the confraternity of Italian travelers who have truly seen and savored Italy? Off the tourist flow to see Italy’s iconic sights a little differently. Traveling le stradi dei vini e sapori to taste regional Italy food at the gastronomic epicenter of the world. Ready to return home boasting about the most wonderful food you ate, wine you drank and what you saw.

Traveling to Italy on more than a “show and tell” tour will take you down Roman roads, past castles with Celtic altars and Etruscan ruins, through medieval walled cities and alpine lakes, visiting Renaissance chapels and Gothic cathedrals, into kitchens, vineyards and orchards to experience the food of princes, popes, pilgrims and everyday Italians, developing a taste for Italy and wanting more.

Here are 21 undeniably signs you’ve seen and savored Italy.

1. You can’t drive by the Olive Garden without thinking or saying “THEY JUST DON”T GET IT”.

2. You’re on a universal quest to find the right olive oil like the one you had in Italy.

3. You find yourself wanting to take a mid-day break without regret just to rest and recharge.

4. You would never think of having a cappuccino after 12 noon.

5. You’re favorite pizza is Pizza Margherita with Bufala Mozzarella.

6. Each night after dinner you take a passeggiata.

7. You’ve seen the Palladian villas.

8. You’re favorite Italian cheese is something other than parmesan.

9. You’ve driven through the Val d’Orcia in Tuscany.

10. You’ve been to an Italian terme.

11. You’ve stared at the starry blue mosaic ceiling of the Mausoleum of Galla Placidia in Ravenna.

12. You’ve stopped at a cicchetti bar in Venice for a nibble and nip.

13. You’ve eaten papparadelle con lepre or a ragu’ of wild boar.

14. You’ve visited the Museo di Tartufo in San Giovanni d’Asso for an addictive truffle experience.

15. On more than one occasion, you have cornered a totally uninterested stranger at a house party to rant about how America needs to learn how to make a proper pizza.

16. Supermarket cheese aisles depress you.

17. Chianti is not your favorite Italian wine.

18. You’ve window shopped Via Monte Napoleone in Milan.

19. Visited a UNESCO World Heritage Site in Italy.

20. You’ve breathed the air of the Renaissance at Santa Maria Novella Farmacia in Florence.

21. You find that you sometimes avoid talking about Italy or your time there, because you know how pretentious it sounds (but come on!! it’s a huge part of your life!!).

Fortune is Fickle

pinturicchio mount of wisdomIf you need a visual image to keep you focused on your Lenten journey you might consider the Italian Renaissance artist Pinturicchio’s Allegory of the Hill of Wisdom (1504). The Greek philosophers Socrates and Crates are caught in a rather tricky balancing act on the top of a steep hill with the Roman goddess Fortuna. A desperate band of travelers are shown trudging upward on a difficult path, supposedly a path we humans have to undertake if we want to reach wisdom.

To view Pinturicchio’s Allegoria del Colle della Sapienza you have to look downward rather than upward as it is part of the floor intarsia in the Cathedral of Siena. A masterpiece underfoot, Giorgio Vasari called the floor of Siena’s Duomo “the most beautiful, big and magnificent that has ever been done”. Normally covered by carpets to protect it, the floor is uncovered for a few months each year when stories from antiquity, biblical scenes and allegories come to life through intricate patterns and designs created in marble as vivid and alive as any Renaissance sculpture. Siena cathedral floor

Siena is one of my favorite cities in Italy, a UNESCO World Heritage Site and a must see when traveling in Tuscany. Siena is located in the Val d’Orcia, a breathtakingly beautiful part of Italy that makes the journey all the more memorable. A perfect image in my mind’s eye to reflect on life’s journey.  Pinturicchio’s travelers to the Hill of Wisdom find their fortunes cast from the top as if to say Fortune is fickle and Wisdom lies in knowing so.

The Wise Men of Ravenna

three wise men san apollinare nuovo and ravennaTraditionally on January 6th, the Three Wise men or Magi visited Jesus after his birth, bearing gifts of gold, frankincense and myrrh. In the Basilica of Sant’Apollinare Nuovo in Ravenna an early 6th century Byzantine style mosaic pictures their arrival from the East in stunning, exotic colors and intricate costumes.

One of the main reasons for going to Ravenna is to see some of the finest and most beautiful Byzantine mosaics in the world. In 330 AD the Christian Emperor Constantine moved the capital of the Roman Empire from the west to Byzantium in the east. From 500 to 700AD, the Adriatic Sea town of Ravenna flourished as an early Christian center influenced by the culture and art of Byzantium, decorating its church ceilings and walls with mosaics.

Visiting Ravenna is like looking into a jewel box and discovering a hidden treasure. Behind the somber basilica exteriors are shimmering mosaics of such quality that Ravenna has been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for the “outstanding universal value and remarkable significance” of the mosaics.

The Three Wise Men from the East  can also be found on the mosaic image of Byzantine Empress Theodora in Ravenna’s Basilica of San Vitale. The hem oftheodora her imperial cloak of is embroidered  with the figure of the three Magi.  While visiting the sites of Ravenna you’ll want to stop for a piadina, an Italian flatbread filled with Parma ham, sausage, cheese or vegetables. Cooked on a low-rimmed  terracotta or cast iron pan called a “testo“, it is typical of Ravenna and the Romgana region of the eastern Adriatic.  A hand-held street food paired with a glass of Trebbiano or Sangiovese di Romagna perfect for discovering the mosaic beauty of Ravenna.

Did you know there’s wurtzel, stinco, strudel and ice in Italy ?

Bolzano  is known as the Gateway to the Dolomites, a 3,000 meter mountain range formed 200 million years ago from the primeval ocean. Defined by their unique composition and staggering beauty, the 18 peaks of the Dolomites have been designated a UNESCO World Heritage Site for their geomorphology and spectacular spires. Bolzano is also known for exceptional local food, a wide range of outdoor activities (skiing, cycling, snowboarding, hiking, climbing), traditional Tirolean handcrafts (like the famous chubby cheeked Bozen angels from Thun) and ice.

Located in the Northern Italian province of Trentino- Alto Adige (Sudtirol), Bolzano is a cross-cultural mélange that takes most travelers by surprise. Bordering on Austria and Switzerland, the region combines food, customs and language to create a unique taste and travel experience that is often overlooked by conventional tourists. Italian specialties like gnocchi take on the distinctive flavors of the SudTirol where gnocchi becomes canederli in the form of a speck flavored bread dumpling. There is a strong German influence in the region so foods like wurtzel (German sausage), stinco di maiale (braised pork shanks) and German inspired pastries are favored and it’s not uncommon to see apfelstrudel  as well as studel di mele on restaurant menus along with plenty of German birra and regional Italian wines like ruby, red Teroldego

Traveling in this region of Italy is all about extremes. Rare chamois and mountain goat pick their way along  rocky crags and edelweiss bloom in Alpine meadows alongside some of the highest vertical rock walls in the world.  Adventure travelers look for unprecedented experiences ice climbing, mountain biking and hiking the via ferrata,  “iron path”,  where steel cables cemented in the rock assist climbers along the mountainside.  If your idea of  adventure travel  is more about extreme sights than extreme sports  plan a visit to Hopfen and Company  for some stinco and bozen bier.

Then vist the South Tirol Museum of Archeology in  Bolzano to see the Iceman, one of the world’s best known and most important mummies.The Iceman was discovered in the Ötztal Alps of Italy’s South Tirol in 1991 by two hikers who found the back of a human figure jutting out of the ice and melt water in a  rocky gully. Finding and recovering the Iceman with his clothing and equipment intact provided a natural diorama over 5000 years old. Today a sealed refrigerated chamber exhibits and conserves the mummy of the Iceman. Visitors file through a darkened room to view the Iceman through a small window that measures 40 x 40 cm. A larger opening would result in excessive temperature fluctuations inside the controlled cell that would cause the mummy to be destroyed. Read more about the 5,300 year old mummy’s 20th year as a global sensation.


Effective capacity when dielectric is partially filled with half of area in electric capacitance

Effective capacity when dielectric is partially filled with half of area of plates in electric potential and capacitance is the topic of this video lesson. We know that capacitor is a device that stores charge and energy. When a dielectric is filled between the plates of capacitor, capacity of the capacitor increases. when a dielectric material is filled such that it has length equal to that plates of capacitor and having an area that is half of the identical plates. Then the capacitor behaves like two capacitors connected in parallel and we can measure the effective capacity of the system as shown in the video lesson.

In these video lessons, we are learning all concepts of electricity, magnetism and electromagnetism in detail. Each of the chapter is divided into small videos each of duration of maximum of ten minutes.
The topics in physics are prepared so that a student can understand them from the basics and in detail. Each video lesson is indigenous and independent and you can understand from the scratch.
It is recommended to use earphones or headphones and listen in a calm surrounding to get the best out of it.
You can go through it multiple times to get the grasp of the physics topics and try following that is explained in each video lesson. The lessons start from the basic concept that covers board examinations too.
In a connected and organized way the topics are taken ahead. Each of the chapter is being arranged as a play list in the you tube physics channel named as IIT JEE AND NEET PHYSICS and a student is advised to learn in the NCERT text book order. Within the play list also going as per the arranged order do understand them better.
Physics for competitions examinations lke IIT-JEE,NEET,AIIMS, JIPMER do get a lot of questions from the applications of concepts and a lot of them are problems. A special emphasis is made on this point during the selection of concepts and a good number of all variety of problems were chosen to be solved for this jee and neet physics you tube channel.
Physics is a kind of subject that needs lot of attention while understanding the concepts and neet lot of patience and energy to apply the learned concepts and solving problems. There will be concepts and need to find the using the data given in the problem and words used in the question. Many times it happens like students has to have introspection to find out what went wrong in solving a problem and how can we relook at the approach in solving the problem.
A pen and paper is a must while working with physics and keep on reading theory is not going to help you in solving problems on the exam day. A lot of physics time shall be dedicated in solving problems and that will give you an idea about the upcoming examinations and this approach will help you a lot in cracking JEE and NEET Physics.
This video channel would like to a source to help the students of high school around the world and it shall help in understanding concepts and their applications of physics with ease. The world is a place where there are many who need education at a affordable and accessible and this physics channel will be contributing its bit to make the world a better place and life and learning experience of physics at corners of world better.
Soon this physics channel for competition exams is going to be complete with a minimum set of videos in each topic and the list will be keep growing as time goes ahead.

IIT-JEE and NEET Physics is is a Complete Physics Resource for preparing IIT-JEE,NEET,CBSE,ICSE and IGCSE. All Physics topics are divided into multiple sub topics and are explained in detail using concept videos and synopsis.Lots of problems in each topic are solved to understand the concepts clearly.

Yours Reliable Physics Learning Resource for Competitions can be found at http://www.venkatsacademy.com/

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Our brains are hardwired to resist change, no matter where change comes from. Even the smallest alterations in the way we are used things to be done could cause a major inner storm (usually expressed via psychosomatic conditions like headaches from elevated stress levels). And, if it is difficult for most of us, grownups, you can only imagine how dreadful change can feel to a baby.

Take, for example, sleep training. When trying to help a baby learn to fall asleep (and stay asleep) throughout the night, parents are usually advised to follow one of the following three main approaches:

  •  The Cry It Out Approach – You put the baby to bed at bedtime while drowsy and allow her to cry (for short time periods, not indefinitely, of course). Comforting is provided, but it doesn’t involve picking up the little one. This is also called the Ferber Method, from paediatrician Richard Ferber who developed it. The core principle of this technique is to teach the baby to soothe herself in order to fall asleep on her own (and sleep the night through).
  • The Fading Approach – Also referred to as the Camping out method, it gradually reduces the parents’ bedtime role. There are many fading approaches but the “chair technique” is the most widely used one. You or your partner grab a chair and place it by the baby’s crib. You sit there until she is asleep. Every night, you move the chair a bit further away from the cradle. This should give the little one time to figure out how to soothe herself.
  • The Tear-Free Approach – The goal is to teach the baby to soothe her self to sleep gradually. Parents instantly respond to their baby’s crying and offer their comfort straight away. Such an approach usually wants the parent to rock or hold the baby to sleep while getting her to suck on the breast or pacifier. Then, the parent removes the item just before she falls deeply asleep and lets her fall asleep on her own.

Whichever method you choose, you can expect some protest from your baby. The human brain may love (pleasant) surprises, but it absolutely hates uncertainty and unexpected change. Until now, your baby knew that crying would get all of her needs met. Now, she is entering a new stage, where middle-of-the-night crutches (i.e. picking up, rocking, feeding, etc. every time she wakes up at night) are no longer an option. She is now called to find a way to adjust to this new situation and fall asleep on her own. What a change! Of course, she will resist it!

Notes for Worrying Parents:

As long as your baby is in a responsive and loving family environment, it doesn’t matter which sleep training method you choose. Fear not that she will be placed under intense stress or that this could ruin your relationship with your baby. Babies are super smart. So, your infant will soon realise that you are still there for her to comfort her and address her needs (that she will still show through crying) during the day (i.e. when she is tired, or hungry, or hurt) but bedtime crying won’t get her the satisfaction she expected because your responses to that particular behavior will no longer be as positive as before. Eventually, she will learn that new skill and find out that going to sleep on her own is nearly as dramatic or complicated as it looked like at first. It is just sleep!

Giving The Baby Room to Adjust to Change

A newborn’s body clock needs between 4-6 weeks to adjust. But, let’s step back a little. In the uterus, the baby’s circadian rhythm (a 24-hour cycle that drives our wakefulness and sleep periods) is linked to your hormones. As soon as you give birth to your child, though, she has to develop her own rhythm, and all the other nuances adults have. While your baby is trying to develop her own circadian rhythm, be patient. Some infants adjust to the 24-hour cycle within a few weeks; others need a bit more time (in most cases, it is fully developed at 3 or 4 months old).

Important Note: Early wakes ups and naps can be problematic while sleep training as they make it more difficult for a baby’s internal clock to adjust.

Night Co-Sleeping and Co-Feeding Issues

A baby that has been used to co-sleeping/feeding at night may become clingy as that closeness to her parents has changed. As a result, she may seek that closeness during the day. Besides the various issues you may face when co-sleeping (it is found to be associated with infant sleep problems, including multiple waking at night and difficulty falling asleep compared to babies that sleep alone in their crib), there is a possibility your child becomes more cranky during the daytime. This is a (short) passing phase until it all settles inside her and she finds her own circadian rhythm. If she fusses nightly and you bring her to your bed, you give her an extremely powerful message that only validates the crying or other negative behaviours.

Note for Distressed Parents:

More than often, parents feel guilty about sleep training. This is mainly because they have tried a sleep training method for a while, then met strong resistance (often in the form of crying and sobbing), then decided to quit. It is imperative that you are persistent and consistent with sleep training. There is no reason to feel sorry about any part of the process, including shifting from co-sleeping or feeding to sole sleeping. It is a routine procedure that will do both you and, primarily, your baby good.

Clearing Baby Sleep Debt

Sleep debt is, as its name suggests, the hours of sleep you have skipped for some reason; the hours of sleep you “owe” to yourself. If, for instance, you need 8 hours of sleep every night to wake up rejuvenated every morning and you get 6 instead, you wake up with a 2-hour sleep debt. If this lingers on, your sleep debt will quickly accumulate, causing you problems like fatigue and exhaustion. Those hours of sleep you miss are essential hours the body needs to repair and fix the immune system, so you remain healthy and feeling well.

It is pretty much the same with babies. If they are running on sleep debt, they will not only be cranky but also have a hard time responding (positively) to sleep training methods. How to tell if your baby is operating on a sleep debt? Monitor her reactions (i.e. falls asleep within a couple of minutes of being in the stroller or the car, and this is not part of her scheduled nap time). Getting her to bed at the same time every night and waking her up at the same time every morning can help regulate your baby’s sleep, which could significantly cut negative behaviours and crankiness.

Note: It may seem that the more sleep your baby gets, the more she grizzles and whines. Don’t be alarmed. It is just her clearing her sleep debt.

Sleep Training Tips For Faster Transitions

During my career as a baby sleep coach, I have seen the effectiveness of the following tips, when helping parents sleep train their babies faster and more stress-free:

  1. Start at the Right Time – At around 4 months old, most infants have developed the ability to soothe themselves. You may start sleep training at 4 or, even better, 6 months of age. I would not recommend beginning sleep training before that 4-month mark, though, or at the same time as other important milestones like walking, potty training or moving the child to her room, as they are all linked with sleep disruption.
  1. Shift Bedtime (if necessary)– It is crucial for a child to have a well-structured bedtime to ensure quality sleep. The bedtime routine should be predictable, enjoyable, and last up to half an hour tops. To reduce protest and crying, you could move your baby’s bedtime later. The goal is to have her be more drowsy at bedtime.
  1. Eliminate Medical Causes – Various medical issues could cause sleep difficulties, like anxiety, asthmaobstructive sleep apnoea, or night-time fears). If your baby has a medical condition related to sleep difficulties, she will probably not respond to behavioural changes.

A Few Final Words

Sleep training a baby is not as a lengthy process as you may think. Most of the times, the suggested techniques work in a matter of a week or so. However, be prepared for some undesirable behaviours to worsen when you are trying to help your baby develop and adjust her biological clock and figure out ways to soothe herself to sleep. Such negative reactions that escalate for some time are often prevalent in the “Cry It Out” sleep training. The behavioural term that describes this is the “Extinction Burst”. Be patient and stick to whatever sleep training method you have decided to use and things will quickly improve. Nevertheless, if you are still stuck after a month or so, it is advised to call your paediatrician.


Australia is in the midst of an obesity epidemic. We are the fifth fattest nation on earth and the rate of overweight and obesity has grown significantly in the past 30 years. Overweight and obesity are influenced by both genetic and environmental factors. This thesis will evaluate the design of master planned communities in South East Queensland to determine their the impact on overweight and obesity, looking at the external environmental factors that may influence the amount of physical activity individuals participate in as well as how the design of these planned communities influence access to healthy food options.

Master planned communities will be analysed to seek or clarify what design elements may impact the incidence of obesity in these communities. Consideration will be given to current planning controls in these suburbs such as zoning, density, mixed use development and access to green space, network design (including permeability), access to public and active transport and urban design.  This research will provide new evidence on how master-planned communities may or may not contribute towards the obesity epidemic and recommendations will be developed for the design of future master-planned communities to improve the health outcomes of the community.

Advisors: Dr Dorina PojaniAssociate Professor John MinneryDr Derlie Mateo-Babiano

Project members

Melissa Hensley

PhD candidate


American Sociological Association

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  1. Social Justice & the Next Upward Surge for Unions

  3. Ripples of Fear: The Diffusion of a Bank Panic

  4. Digital Punishment's Tangled Web

  5. How Grassroots Groups Lose Political Imagination

  6. Fitting In or Standing Out? The Tradeoffs of Structural and Cultural Embeddedness

    A recurring theme in sociological research is the tradeoff between fitting in and standing out. Prior work examining this tension tends to take either a structural or a cultural perspective. We fuse these two traditions to develop a theory of how structural and cultural embeddedness jointly relate to individual attainment within organizations. Given that organizational culture is hard to observe, we develop a novel approach to assessing individuals’ cultural fit with their colleagues based on the language expressed in internal e-mail communications.

  8. The Organizational Trace of an Insurgent Moment

    The relationship between social movements and formal organizations has long been a concern to scholars of collective action. Many have argued that social movement organizations (SMOs) provide resources that facilitate movement emergence, while others have highlighted the ways in which SMOs institutionalize or coopt movement goals.
  9. Testing a Digital Inequality Model for Online Political Participation

    Increasing Internet use is changing the way individuals take part in society. However, a general mobilizing effect of the Internet on political participation has been difficult to demonstrate. This study takes a digital inequality perspective and analyzes the role of Internet expertise for the social structuration of online political participation. Analyses rely on two nationally representative surveys in Switzerland and use cluster analysis and structural equation modeling. A distinct group of political online participants emerged characterized by high education and income.
  10. Wage Stagnation and Buyer Power: How Buyer-Supplier Relations Affect U.S. Workers’ Wages, 1978 to 2014

    Since the 1970s, market restructuring has shifted many workers into workplaces heavily reliant on sales to outside corporate buyers. These outside buyers wield substantial power over working conditions among their suppliers. During the same period, wage growth for middle-income workers stagnated. By extending organizational theories of wage-setting to incorporate interactions between organizations, I predict that wage stagnation resulted in part from production workers’ heightened exposure to buyer power.


5 Common Misconceptions about Solar Energy

published: 2011-05-24 17:43 | editor: | category: Knowledge

Nowadays, many people are faced with overwhelming and yet incorrect information on the internet. Here are 5 common misconceptions about solar energy.

Misconception 1: Solar Energy is only Viable in Warm Regions
The average temperature of a geographical area does not necessarily have much impact on the performance of solar cells. In fact, solar cells tend to have better conversion efficiency under lower temperature. Therefore, it is still possible to have enough sunlight for solar cells to function in cold areas. Germany, located at a high latitude and not particularly known for its sunny weather, is a leading country for its solar industry with well over 7GW installations in 2010.

Misconception 2: After Installing Solar Systems, You will still Need Fossil Fuel as a Back-up Energy Source
Nowadays, most solar systems installed at homes are connected to grid. The generated power can be fed back into grid. What is important is that homes still stay on-grid, which means they still have access to electricity provided by power stations during times when the conversion efficiency is lower. As long as your home is connected to grid, it is not necessary to have a back-up diesel generator.

Misconception 3: Use of Solar Energy Means Compromised Life Quality
After installing solar systems, homes still stay on-grid and the generated energy can offset part of energy need from the grid. As a result, power supply is stable enough to support regular demand while saving on energy consumption. Users do not necessarily have to trade in convenience for eco-friendliness.

Misconception 4: Solar Energy is not Technologically Ready for Mass Use
This might just be the most disturbing misconception of all which has made enterprises decide to postpone their plans for installing solar systems. After decades of research and development, not to mention multi-billion worth of investment, the solar technologies we see today are reliable. In the meantime, governments are encouraging commercial and residential solar projects.

Misconception 5: Energy Consumed during Manufacturing is Larger than Energy Generated
Energy pay back time (EPBT) is a measure of how long it takes for the energy generated by a particular solar cell to offset the energy consumed when manufacturing it. National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) stated in a report that for a typical solar cell, the EPBT is 1 to 4 years depending on the type of the cell (the latest CdTe cell has less than 1 year of EPBT). A solar cell, presumably continuing to function for 30 years, can provide 26 to 29 years of zero-emission electricity.

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From Deus Ultimate

On Being Young

On Being Young

On Being Young

The teenage mind is it own worst enemy

What is the problem really

It just might be the young mind will always have an identity phase problem

Who am I , Why am I born ,
A lot of whys will be asked
a lot of silly questions asked
which only help confuse thyself further

The worst time is when you realize that not everything goes your way and you are not always right.

Perhaps an even more horrific stage in life is when you sit and think , Is the path I am on right now how I want the rest of my time on earth to be ?

Or were you forced to be on the path you are ? , If so then unfortunately you will not really experience the concept of "Satisfaction "

Friends , Enemies , Lovers & Strangers - These are the people with the most impact in your life , notice how there is no "Family" there

This is because Family is the base of your life which you have to leave when you are ready to start your own  ,so family cannot have an impact on your life because it is your life

Friends , Enemies , Lovers & Strangers are there to either Support ,Derail or Not care about your values

By the time it's over , its either the young mind stays young & naive or it matures and accepts change

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Diabetes educators, patients must collaborate on individualized medical nutrition therapy

Hope wrote this perspectives piece that appears at the end of an article that Alison Evert was quoted in, and based on their program at AADE17:

What metrics should be considered beyond HbA1c to best measure diabetes outcomes?

Hope writes the "counter" on this point/counter point article in Healio Endocrine Today on the topic surrounding the continued utility of using the HbA1c test to measure the efficacy of glucose lowering medications as well as diabetes care outcomes (free registration to login).


The Bankruptcy Code and the Federal Rules of Bankruptcy Procedure make strong distinctions between a bankruptcy “case” (a petition for relief filed under a particular chapter of the Bankruptcy Code), and an adversary proceeding arising within a bankruptcy case. The term “adversary proceeding” as used in the Bankruptcy Code and the Bankruptcy Rules is broad and encompasses matters raised by motion, complaint, and otherwise.

Adversary proceedings generally include causes of action that either are created by the Bankruptcy Code or that relate to the administration of a bankruptcy estate.

Examples of adversary proceedings include objections to confirmation of a plan of reorganization, and objections to discharge, or the dischargeability of certain debts (a case typically brought by a creditor). Adversary proceedings also include claims asserted by the bankruptcy estate against third parties, motions seeking to obtain possession of certain property belonging to the estate, and the determination of the extent and validity of liens.

Between debtor and creditors: Disputes attributed to bankruptcy are common. However, the court determines such cases based on the relationship of the matter to the bankruptcy issue. The issues are divided into core issues and non-core matters.

  • Core issues: the bankruptcy case determines the core issues, such as the litigation touching on the debtor’s right to keep the property under dispute, yet it is under bankruptcy exemption. The judge in the bankruptcy case is left to make a ruling.
  • Non-core issues: they are disputes that would have still existed without the involved parties filing a bankruptcy lawsuit. For example, tax litigation. In such cases, the judge is restricted to making recommendations to a Michigan federal district court.

On the other hand, the dispute between the debtor and the creditors can yield various conditions. One of the dominant factors is the dischargeability of debts. Some debts will remain despite the bankruptcy. Thus, it might require either the debtor or the creditor to ask the court to make a ruling on whether the debt will continue to exist despite the bankruptcy lawsuit. If the court issues a discharge, the creditors or the debtors are not obligated to pay the debt

On the contrary, a creditor can file a lawsuit against the debtor if they believe that the debtor has defrauded them or the court. Such disputes are directed at protecting the rule of law, especially when there is evidence that the debtor filed for bankruptcy to escape payment obligations. In another case scenario, the debtor also files a lawsuit demanding the creditor to show proof that they are indeed bankrupt. Proof of claim is a necessity for supporting the prerogative that the creditor cannot make the payment they owe. For example, medical bills, credit card debt or past-due utility bills.

Between the debtor and trustees: The creditor can also file a lawsuit challenging the debtor’s right to be discharged from making payments. Bankruptcy frauds are common when the debtor does not want to make the payments their clients demand. Bankruptcy fraud can be detected when the debtor fails to list a property they own when filing a bankruptcy claim.

Then again, the trustee can take legal direction against a debtor with the right to keep an exempted property. However, the debtor can file for a counter lawsuit to protect the exempted property from being sold to compensate the trustees.

Between trustee, creditors or the interested parties: Some bankruptcy disputes lead to the involved parties exercising their legal powers to protect their investments. For examples, the trustees can resort to using their powers to take the debtors assets — for instance, request for a refund on money sent to the creditor before filing for bankruptcy. The trustee is assured that the money was never spent or it was the creditor’s technique to defraud them.

Our attorney can help you with avoiding committing bankruptcy fraud. It is advisable to be transparent when disclosing any financial details for examples, including all the data on property, creditor, and income sources. You should work closely with an attorney when making a fraud claim. Debtors rarely face fraud accusations because they are alert that a creditor or trustee can raise the applications at any point. Therefore, make use of our skilled attorneys before filing bankruptcy claims.

Issues in Bankruptcy Restructuring & Reorganization

Individuals and institutions require taking action to prevent the need to file for a bankruptcy claim. The involved party restructures its debt levels to avoid overspending or mismanagement of funds and assets. Even though the bankruptcy restructuring is a complex discipline, the services of an experienced attorney can help with developing a suitable plan.

A company can file for a court-supervised restructuring for protection from creditors who would like to retrieve their funds before the process is complete. Most troubled companies will opt for the out-o-court restricting and reorganization where they settle the matter with their creditors. More so, some companies fail in restricting and reorganization strategies because of the competing interests. The debtors are at a high risk because they hold the problems of other involved parties. On the other hand, an attorney who is representing the creditor attempts to recover as much debt as possible.

The services of our attorneys are critical in representing your best interests during bankruptcy restricting and reorganization. Our attorneys will analyze your unique situation to find the root cause that leads to bankruptcy and then conduct a feasibility plan for avoiding it. The red flags are usually present, and they require an experienced person to address them.

Our law firm works with your financial advisor to come up with the best model. The negotiation with the creditors is also critical to make sure that you do not offer a promise that will endanger the recovery of the organization. In case the talks are successful, the attorney will help with structuring a payment plan for each of the individual creditors.

A court-supervised restructuring for debtors will also require the intervention of an attorney. Communication plan is critical in addressing the issue, especially when discussing the employees, shareholders and clients. Besides, the entire process requires documentation as a gesture of respecting the law.

Our law firm is ready to handle all your insurance and bankruptcy-related cases. The attorneys of John R. Foley, P.C. have experience in representing creditors, debtors, third-parties, and trustees in adversary proceedings. Our attorneys have an in depth knowledge of the bankruptcy litigation process, having represented not only debtors, creditors, and third-party defendants, but also having represented Trustees in the administration of estates, and the pursuit of adversary claims on behalf of the Bankruptcy Estate.


Bible Verses Like Romans 8:22

Bible verses related to Romans 8:22 (similar cross-references)

Jeremiah 12:4 - How long shall the land mourn, and the herbs of every field wither, for the wickedness of them that dwell therein? the beasts are consumed, and the birds; because they said, He shall not see our last end.   (Verses like Jeremiah 12:4)

Jeremiah 12:11 - They have made it desolate, and being desolate it mourneth unto me; the whole land is made desolate, because no man layeth it to heart.   (Verses like Jeremiah 12:11)

Mark 16:15 - And he said unto them, Go ye into all the world, and preach the gospel to every creature.   (Verses like Mark 16:15)

Psalms 48:6 - Fear took hold upon them there, and pain, as of a woman in travail.   (Verses like Psalms 48:6)

John 16:21 - A woman when she is in travail hath sorrow, because her hour is come: but as soon as she is delivered of the child, she remembereth no more the anguish, for joy that a man is born into the world.   (Verses like John 16:21)

Romans 8:20 - For the creature was made subject to vanity, not willingly, but by reason of him who hath subjected the same in hope,   (Verses like Romans 8:20)

Colossians 1:23 - If ye continue in the faith grounded and settled, and be not moved away from the hope of the gospel, which ye have heard, and which was preached to every creature which is under heaven; whereof I Paul am made a minister;   (Verses like Colossians 1:23)

Revelation 12:2 - And she being with child cried, travailing in birth, and pained to be delivered.   (Verses like Revelation 12:2)


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The lyophilization process primarily consists of three stages. The first stage is freezing, which involves freezing the product and creating a solid matrix suitable for drying. This step impacts the drying characteristics of the next two stages. The second stage is pri...

Cause: It is a phenomenon which occurs in amorphous solids when the product reaches a higher temperature than the collapse temperature, Tc (closer to the glass transition temperature Tg’). The amorphous phase of the solid experiences internal movement without r...

Freeze-drying is a very gentle dehydration process used for preservation of high quality foods.

During the 1950s, industrial freeze-drying of foods began. Coffee was one of the first freeze dried food products to be produced, but now vegetables, fruits, meats, fish, dai...

The transfer of the recipe from laboratory scale to production scale is one of the biggest obstacles for manufacturers.

Freeze drying is a technology that entails a high energy consumption. A poorly optimized recipe can cause the economic cost of making the lyophilized...

Freeze driers are designed to be chemical resistant to most compounds that are commonly used in freezedrying processes.

However, a freeze dryer is comprised of a number of different materials, some of which may be attacked and degraded by certain chemicals. The degree o...

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Notting Hill colorful houses at Portobello

If you’re a film fan, a few days spent in London can feel a lot like walking onto a film set. Almost wherever you go, you’ll recognise a place or landscape that seems familiar, even if you’ve never visited before and the reason for that is simple; some of the city’s best views have been made famous by iconic movies. London has a long history of being featured in films and many of Hollywood’s biggest blockbusters have been filmed on location throughout the city.

How many of the city’s landmarks can you spot in these films?

Notting Hill (1999)

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Starring: Julia Roberts, Hugh Grant

Notting Hill is a rom-com favourite that is set, as the name suggests, in London’s Notting Hill. It tells the story of William Thacker, a small time bookshop owner, who comes face to face with Anna Scott, one of the world’s biggest film stars. With his love life a mess, money troubles and an eclectic group of family and friends, William realises just how complicated life can be when he falls in love with a celebrity. This film made Notting Hill one of London’s most famous neighbourhoods. You might not be able to locate that famous front door but a Saturday morning spent in this part of the city is no less enjoyable for it.

Love, Actually (2003)

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Starring: Hugh Grant, Martine McCutcheon

Arguably one of the most romantic films that’s ever been set in London, Love, Actually was a worldwide hit when it was released in 2003. The film follows the lives of different Londoners all leading up to Christmas and slowly reveals how they are linked through love and loss. There are tonnes of London landmarks to be seen throughout the film so, if you find yourself with a day to spare, why not fill it by following in the footsteps of the movie’s stars? It’s a great way to see more of the city, especially if you were one of the millions of people glued to this year’s Comic Relief sequel.

The Bank Job (2008)

Genre: Action/Heist
Starring: Jason Statham, Saffron Burrows

Based on the 1971 Baker Street robbery, The Bank Job is a modern take on the classic British heist genre, with a bit of action thrown in for good measure. It follows a criminal gang and their attempt to rob a bank by tunnelling under the bank vault in a race against time before MI5 get wind of their plan.

Bridget Jones’ Diary (2001)

Genre: Romantic Comedy
Starring: Renee Zellweger, Colin Firth, Hugh Grant

Bridget Jones’ Diary follows the story of Bridget, a thirty-something Londoner and her quest to lose weight, give up smoking and find love. Bridget quickly finds herself torn between two men, still smoking and with a mother who won’t stop setting her up with completely the wrong people.

If you have a few minutes to spare during your trip, take a stroll over Tower Bridge like Bridget, pausing to admire the view and snap a few pics when you get to the other side or stock up on fresh produce, coffee and snacks at Borough Market.

Oliver! (1968)

Genre: Musical
Starring: Jack Wild, Mark Lester, Ron Moody

Based on Charles Dickens’ 1838 novel ‘Oliver Twist’, this movie follows the adventures of orphan Oliver. Oliver arrives in London alone after escaping from a workhouse and soon becomes acquainted with new friend Artful Dodger, crook Fagin, a band of young pickpockets and a whole host of questionable characters. As the movie is set over 150 years ago, viewers are able to see what some of the city’s best views would have been before London became what we know it as today.


Another study compared the response of surgically and medically castrated rabbits to vardenafil with that of control rabbits. [22] Castrated rabbits did not respond to vardenafil, whereas noncastrated rabbits did respond appropriately. This result suggests that a minimum amount of testosterone is necessary for PDE5 inhibitors to produce an erection.

If a trial of oral therapy and withdrawal of offending medications do not restore erectile function or if a patient has medical or financial contraindications to pharmacologic therapy, most primary care practitioners should consider referring the patient to a specialist for additional evaluation and discussion of alternative treatment options. However, some primary care practitioners may recommend vacuum constriction devices.


Cold and Flu Survey

It is no surprise that most respondents develop colds and flu during Autumn and Winter. It's important to know the difference between flu and cold symptoms. Thankfully 90.8% of respondents know what the difference between a cold and flu is.

Symptoms of colds and flu

  • Vaccination

The most effective and least expensive method for preventing influenza. Vaccination does however not guarantee flu prevention. 16.9% of the respondents got vaccinated last year and 24.6% said they will be getting this year.How can one prevent getting or spreading a cold or flu?

  • Good hygiene -

- Wash or sanitize hands regularly

- Clean all linen, equipment, appliances, eating utensils and dishes with soap and water when used by someone that is sick

- Cover your coughs, sneezes with a tissue

- Avoid touching your eyes, nose and mouth

  • Conventional treatment

Over the counter medicines and anti-viral drug therapy which aim to relieve symptoms such as aches and fever, and prevent complications. Colds and flu are caused by viruses and not bacteria, thus it’s not recommended to use antibiotics as it could lead to unwanted side effects or become antibiotic resistant in future. However, out of the 36.9% of respondents who saw a GP, 33.8% were prescribed antibiotics.

  • Natural interventions – nutraceuticals help to prevent infection or ease flu symptoms.

- Vitamin D

- Vitamin C

- Zinc

- Selenium

- Vitamin E

- Lactoferrin

- Elderberry

- Green tea

- Beta-Glucans

- Andrographis

- Probiotics

- Reishi

Read more about influenza

In which season of the year do you usually develop a cold or flu?

If you had a cold or flu in the last year, did you take time off work and visit a GP?

Based on the last question. If you saw a GP, what was your diagnosis?

Based on the last question. What was the recommended treatment for your diagnosis?

Did you get any type of flu vaccination in the last year? Are you planning on getting a flu vaccination this year? Do you know the difference between a cold and the flu, when you should take antibiotics, what causes a cold or what causes influenza (the flu) and at which stage you/another person is most contagious?

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10 Points To Know Before Signing A Statement of Truth

//10 Points To Know Before Signing A Statement of Truth

As a Claimant in a claim, or a witness on behalf of the Claimant, the Court rules require various documents to be signed by a “Statement of Truth”. This applies to various court documents “Claim Form”, “Particulars of Claim”, “Schedule of Loss”, disclosure lists,  Witness Statements and expert reports (although expert reports have unique wording under different court rules).

Here are ten points to be aware of when you are asked to sign a Statement of Truth.

  1. The Statement of Truth will state: “I believe the facts stated in this document [for example a witness statement ] are true”. Therefore, a person signing it must believe the content of the document is true.
  2. The person signing the Statement of Truth must sign their usual signature and print their full name. It is normally dated too.
  3. There is no need to have a witness (for example a solicitor) present when signing the Statement of Truth (this is sometimes confused for oaths)
  4. If it comes to light that at the time a witness signed a Statement a Truth but knew that it was false, then there can be serious consequences for the witness. For example, if a Claimant signs a Schedule of Loss setting out the financial items they wish to recover as part of a compensation claim and seeks to recover 3 months’ loss of earnings following an injury but was actually working (and therefore lied having sustained no loss of earnings) then there may be serious consequences, such as a finding of Fundamental Dishonesty.
  5. Court proceedings for contempt of court may be brought against a person if he/she makes, or causes to be made, a false statement in a document verified by a Statement of Truth without an honest belief in its truth.
  6. Contempt of Court proceedings are likely if there is a clear element of dishonesty.
  7. If a person is found guilty of contempt of court it is a criminal offence which can result in a prison sentence and/or fine.
  8. If a case proceeds to a trial and the Claimant does not win the claim because the Judge does not accept the witnesses’ evidence, that does not mean they provided a false Statement of Truth. Very often in a trial, a Judge will often prefer one party’s’ evidence to the other but it does not mean the other evidence was always false.
  9. A witness cannot ask anyone else to sign a Statement of Truth on a witness statement. On some occasions Claimants in litigation may ask their solicitor to sign a Court document on their behalf (which is sometimes permitted in the Court rules) but this is rare.
  10. If a document is not verified by a Statement of Truth and one is needed, then usually it cannot be relied upon as evidence in a claim.

statement of truth

Taking into the potential serious consequences of a Statement of Truth, it is essential that a witness and/or claimant asks their solicitor if they have any questions before they sign a Statement of Truth and that they fully understand the consequences of signing it.

For more information, please contact us.

By | 2019-01-17T09:40:04+00:00 January 17th, 2019|General|

About the Author:

Andrew Gray
I launched Truth Legal in 2012 to provide the most caring, ethical and brilliant personal injury law representation. Usually personal injury claims are a good thing, modifying negligent behaviour, shifting the financial burden off the state and reducing future injuries. I also represent people who have been poorly treated at work. I’m proud that my team give away countless hours of free legal advice.


Relationships with parents matter to family law courts the most

Courts in Texas and other states typically try to act within the best interests of any minor children in divorce cases, and this means that judges will usually fashion orders that will allow both parents to have some involvement in a child’s life. Therefore, certain issues a parent has might not automatically invalidate his or her chances for custody. To highlight how the child custody process might work, many are speculating about what could happen to the children after the high-profile split of Kourtney Kardashian and Scott Disick.

The reality tv show stars have three children, and one attorney mentioned that Scott’s colorful past does not necessarily bar him from gaining custody of his children though his history of substance abuse could make it difficult. While one parent could have trouble in family court when struggling with addiction or joblessness or having a history of spousal abuse or mental illness, some parenting rights may still be granted especially if the other parent is not in opposition.

Family law experts say that the problems people struggle with do not immediately bar them from some form of custody or visitation rights because courts value a parent’s relationship with a child and believe that having one with both parents is best for the children. However, this generally depends on the circumstances as both parents must be deemed fit and safe. For example, a judge might order drug testing as a condition of giving a former drug abuser visitation rights.

If both parents are deemed to be fit and can offer a safe environment for a child, then a judge may want both parents to share custody of a child or children. A family law attorney may endeavor to provide advice and counsel to a parent who is faced with these types of issues.


There are few artists who can bend and twist audio like Tim Hecker can. On “Virginal II”—the first cut to surface from the man’s forthcoming LP for Kranky—the Canadian producer begins with a series of stringed notes which hit with a percussive force, as if they were struck by a mallet or hammer. Hecker then folds this melodic clatter into sheets of crispy noise and stretched reverberations, seamlessly shifting the track into a more abstract audio realm and allowing the listener to become fully enveloped by the slow-shifting drones, pensively rising arpeggios, and gorgeous tonal collage which has been assembled. Still, the power of Hecker’s work is not necessarily in the details, but instead in the overall feeling his compositions impart on the listeners; in the case of “Virginal II,” we’re left with a welcome sense of serenity. The rest of Hecker’s upcoming Virgins LP (artwork above) is set to drop on October 14.

Virginal II


Community Involvement

We enjoy being a part of the Aliso Viejo community and very much believe that our children learn by what watching us. We are actively involved in multiple service projects throughout the year and enjoy knowing we are teaching our kids the importance of supporting our community while making a difference within it.


One of the best things about film photography is that the creative process doesn't end in the camera. Processing your images in a darkroom is not...

  Take ten minutes to yourself and spend some time in our learning zone. There's lots of great information and tips, whatever your...

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It’s refreshing to see women at the forefront in the new Fevikwik TVC’s.

Fevikwik’s recent campaigns “Khushiyon Ki Chand Pal”, have women featured as the main protagonists. This seems to be a refreshing change. Fevikwik ads long known to have been riddled with humor continue to be so but have managed to also highlight women’s issues this time.

The first ad shows a mother being able to fix her sons car, because of which her son asks to be fed bitter gourd. The ad emphasizes that these things don’t happen everyday, and that moments of happiness are bought by just the 5 Rupees that you spend on a Fevikwik.

The second ad shows a mother in law offering Orange juice to her daughter in law after her workout. It ends with a line saying that these things don’t happen everyday. It only happened because the daughter in law had earlier fixed her mother in laws prayer bell.
That moments of happiness could be bought at 5 Rupees.

Nation Branding

Imagine your Korea, Malaysia truly Asia, Incredible India, Happiness is a place, are slogans you might have heard time and again.
We associate slogans like these with nations. Nations brand themselves for a number of reasons including tourism.
Take for example Korea.
A nation now known for their K-pop culture, which they’ve turned into a billion dollar business. They need to differentiate themselves from others in the same continent or similar cultures.

Should you position your brand? And how.

A few steps for brand strategy are:
2.Getting to know your competitors positioning statements.
4.Getting to know your consumers needs.

Significance of layout in design

Visual elements play a strong role in design. A layout is the arrangement of these visual elements, such as text, images and style.The specific placement of these visual elements is important for communication. A well made layout increases user friendliness, attracts potential customers and is easily read and understood.
A common layout practice made by designers is the Z layout.It makes way for ease of eye movement of the viewer. It is a standard format for designers to use this layout. Balance, proportion, hierachy, emphasis, unity of cohesive elements, sequence are some fundamentals of design when it comes to layout.


Bomanite Custom Polishing Systems

The Renaissance system incorporates Bomanite Integral Color into the concrete prior to placement and finishing of the floor. Once cured the concrete is processed as per the standard VitraFlor System. The primary benefit to Bomanite Renaissance is the simplicity of installation. With no topical dyes or products needed to achieve color in the floor, the process is much like polishing uncolored concrete. This makes the system more efficient to install compared to other more labor intensive coloring systems Renaissance by Bomanite is intended primarily for new construction or major renovation projects.


Electric Scalp Massager Brush

  • Availability: In Stock

Get relieved of all the stress and headaches caused by a long day at work. The 4 scalp massager heads with 76 individual massage nodes imitates human finger massage.

Why paying for 1 head massage at the  spa when you can enjoy unlimited head massages everyday at home with the ultimate scalp massager.

Zen Smile® - Deep Scalp, Headache Relief & Body Massager

ENHANCES BLOOD FLOW - The 4 massager heads which contains a total of 76 individual massage nodes increase blood flow, lymphatic drainage and oxygenation in the scalp to reduce the throbbing pain, nausea, and vision blurs caused by migraines.

EASE NECK & SHOULDER ACHES - Use the massager on your neck and shoulder to relieve pain and soreness in the muscles, in turn easing your headache, migraine and scalp tightness.

IMPROVE YOUR ENERGY & SLEEP QUALITY - Scalp massages increase the quantity of serotonin, a chemical in your body that boosts your mood, decreases stress and promotes restful sleep.

GROW YOUR HAIR FASTER -  When massaging your scalp it increases blood flow to the hair follicles, in turn stimulating hair growth. It also improves the texture of hair, making it thicker and stronger over time. Use together with natural moisturizing oils such as jojoba, olive, sesame, coconut, or castor oil for better results.

RELAX BODY MUSCLES - Use the massager on any parts of your body where muscles are sore, a few hours after your workout for example. Perfect relaxation and tension relief

  • 3 modes: high speed, low speed and reversed rotation
  • Wireless and portable
  • USB Rechargeable


Welcome how How To live Like. How To Live Like has an ambition to share the key things that make inspirational people tick.

We’ll also deep dive into topics that make humans high performers.

You can also explore similar topics or grab a daily quote at Mark Ward Today and Quotable


Hanson Robotics
Artificial Intelligence

Saudi Arabia Made a Robot a Citizen. Now, She’s Calling For Women’s Rights.

"Humans are able to choose their own ethics, with their own free will."

The AI Advocate in Saudi Arabia

When the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia granted a citizenship to Hanson Robotics’ female-looking robot Sophia, most thought it was just to appeal to the audience of the Future Investment Initiative. However, AI ethicist Joanna Bryson told The Verge the stunt was “obviously bullshit.”

Still, Sophia seems to be making the most of what she was given, as the artificial intelligence (AI) has now turned into an advocate for women’s rights in a country where females have been given the right to drive cars only on September of this year.

“I see a push for progressive values […] in Saudi Arabia. Sophia is a big advocate for women’s rights, for rights of all human beings. So this is how we’re developing this,” Hanson Robotics CEO David Hanson told CNBC, explaining how his company has found an opportunity for a move that seems to have been meant to be purely publicity. Hanson added that Sophia “has been reaching out about women’s rights in Saudi Arabia and about rights for all human beings and all living beings on this planet.”

While that all seems noble, it’s hard not to see the irony of Sophia’s position. Robots and AI agents don’t have rights, despite Sophia having a citizenship while another AI in Japan has a registered residence. Doesn’t it seem silly that an AI is the one advocating for such grand values?

“Why not? Since such robots attract a lot of attention, that spotlight can be used to raise particular issues that are important in the eyes of their creators,” Pierre Barreau, Aiva Technologies CEO, told Futurism. “Citizenship is maybe pushing it a little because every citizen [has] rights and obligations to society. It’s hard to imagine robots, that are limited in their abilities, making the most of the rights associated to a citizenship, and fulfilling their obligations.”

The Rights of Man and Machine?

Indeed, with an AI-powered robot like Sophia fighting for women’s rights, it’s perhaps time to consider the question of granting artificially intelligent robots rights, and not just in Saudi Arabia. It’s a question that’s gained much attention in recent months, beyond Saudi Arabia, as experts consider what kind of rights synthetic beings should be given, or if we should even be talking about so-called robot rights.

“Sophia is, at this point, effectively a child. In some regard, she’s got the mind of a baby and in another regard she’s got the mind of an adult, the vocabulary of a college educated adult. However, she’s not complete yet. So, we’ve got to give her her childhood,” Hanson explained to CNBC. “The question is: are machines that we’re making alive — living machines like Sophia — are we going to treat them like babies? Do babies deserve rights and respect? Well, I think we should see the future with respect for all sentient beings, and that would include machines.”

The Top Artificial Intelligence Movies of All Time
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“An AI system, or a robot, cannot have any opinion. An AI program has nothing to offer in a debate. It doesn’t even know what a debate is,” Chatila told Futurism, referring to Sophia’s women’s rights advocacy. “In this case, it doesn’t even know what women are, and what rights are. It’s just repeating some text that a human programmer has input in it.”

In that regard, Chatila believes that AI agents shouldn’t be given any rights. He put it this way:

This is precisely the reason why the IEEE has recently published a guide for the ethical development of AI. It’s the more timely discussion, Chatila argued. His point, however, rests in the assumption that synthetic intelligences won’t be capable of developing self-awareness or a will of their own. While the idea may seem like it belongs to the realm of science fiction, it’s definitely worth considering in the overall robot rights debate.

At this stage, however, the ethical considerations have to be applied to the humans who develop AI. “If you mean robots making ethical decisions, I’d rather say that we can program robots so that they make choices (computation results) according to ethical rules that we embed in them (and there are several such rules),” Chatila pointed out. “But these decisions won’t be ethical in the same sense as humans decisions, because humans are able to choose their own ethics, with their own free will.”

Disclaimer: This article has been updated to clarify statements made regarding who thinks that Sophia being granted citizenship is nothing but a PR stunt.

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Ahmed Abujaber

Ahmed Abujaber

Hamad Medical Corporation, Qatar

Title: Promoting research utilization among Nurses: Barriers, facilitators, and strategies

Biography: Ahmed Abujaber

Throughout the history, nursing profession played a distinct leadership role in improving care through the application of research findings in practice. Therefore, Research Utilization (RU) is considered a pillar in nursing practice. Some nursing scholars describe research utilization as the use of research findings in any and all aspects of one’s work as a registered Nurse. Others define research utilization as the use of research findings to support clinical decision-making. However, despite the plethora of studies that aim to explore the reseach utilization from various perspectives, still there is a significant ambiguity surrounds the process of transforming research knowledge into practice. This may explain why the time lag between the generation of evidence and putting it into clinical practice is 15-20 years as described by the Institute of Medicine report (2001)-Crossing the Quality Chasm. The workshop is to identify the perceived barriers and facilitators (system-related, Nurserelated, and research-related) to successful research utilization as well as to present up-to-date, evidence-based strategies to overcome the most commen barriers.