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40% of Women Engineering Students Earning Degrees Quit or Never Enter the Field, MIT Study Finds
Posted By Terri Williams on September 7, 2016 at 1:28 pm
Engineering remains one of the highest-paid fields requiring only a bachelor's profession, and much has been done to try to open the field to more women. But a recent study at MIT shows that 40% of women who earn engineering degrees either quit or never enter the field.
How big is the gender gap for women engineering students and graduates? Women make up only 13% of the engineering profession, although they earn 20% of engineering degrees. A previous GoodCall article examined 5 factors stopping women from entering and staying in STEM. But a new study narrows the focus from the broad spectrum of STEM careers.
In the new study, Susan Sibley, a sociology, anthropology, and behavioral sciences professor in the Sloan School of Management at MIT, and three colleagues tracked men and women engineering students during their college years and also five years after graduation to determine how the culture of engineering affects career decisions.
Sibley, Carroll Seron (from UC Irvine), Erin Cech (University of Michigan), and Brian Rubineau (McGill) followed 700 engineering students at MIT, the University of Massachusetts, Olin College of Engineering, and Smith College (a women-only school).
Some participants were paid $100 a month to write in their diaries twice a month during the course of their four years in college, and other students were interviewed in their freshman and senior years.
Gender experiences of engineering students
Members of both genders stated that they entered engineering for many of the same reasons: math and science aptitude and a desire for an interesting, in-demand job that pays well. Women were more likely to say they wanted a socially conscious job that allowed them to improve lives and solve problems.
The researchers also note that both men and women performed well during their college years. However, along the way, women were more likely to doubt their problem-solving abilities and seek affirmations from those in authority. Men also admitted that they sometimes had doubts – but they didn't seek affirmation.
Engineering is a collaborative profession, and students often work on group projects. But in these settings, women engineering students said they were subjected to gender stereotypes:
When they worked with male teammates, the women were given secretarial and managerial jobs instead of actual engineering work.
One student recalled that her all-female team placed second in a design competition. As they gathered for a photo with their prototype, their professor remarked that they looked like professional catalog models and said if the photo were put into a catalog, it would sell very well.
Another student stated that two women spent four hours building a robot, but within minutes of their male teammates returning, the women were redirected to work on menial tasks.
Men described their experiences much differently – generally stating that the group experiences were an exciting time of progress and advancement.
Internships and summer jobs provided similar experiences:
One female student who interned with a military defense contractor described "creepy, older men engineers hitting on me all the time" while she was given menial tasks to perform.
Another female student said the older men didn't take her seriously as an intern and assumed she didn't know anything – even though she had a 3.7 GPA.
Some female students spoke positively of their experiences, but other women described work assignments that included taking notes, and sorting and copying paper and collective equipment, while men were given the type of analytical projects that developed their technical and problem-solving skills.
As a result, the researchers found that many women engineering students began to rethink their career choices. Some men also changed majors but not for these reasons, and they were more likely to believe that their experiences in engineering provided them with valuable tools.
Changing stereotypes of women engineering students and addressing biases
A recent Experis Engineering report reveals a dire engineering talent shortage. According to the report, 82% of employers who hire engineers are struggling to fill open positions. So how can the flood of women exiting the engineering profession be stemmed?
Karen Horting, executive director and CEO of the Society of Women Engineers (SWE) tells GoodCall that there is an implicit gender bias that makes some people view engineering as a male rather than female profession. "This bias is apparent throughout all walks of life, from the engineering classroom, to the field, to right in your own home; and we have to change the perception of what an engineer is and empower young women to keep pursuing their passion," Horting explains.
Mentoring and support for women engineering students and graduates
Mentors are a vital part of the solution. Horting says that SWE's president, Jessica Rannow, faced adversity while pursuing her industrial engineering degree, and almost gave up. But she overcame those difficulties, and now, in addition to being a successful engineer, she is also a mentor and advocate for young women engineers.
The importance of mentoring and support cannot be overestimated. According to Horting, "Young ladies studying engineering who are outnumbered in the classroom by their male peers need encouragement; they need someone to talk to when the coursework becomes tough and their male peers don't seem to be having as much trouble – even though they probably are. In fact, she reveals that the women who end up leaving engineering do so with a higher grade point average than their male counterparts. "Young women studying engineering need to have someone available to tell them that it's normal to have trouble with their coursework, or to not 'get it' right away, and to encourage them to keep going."
Joining a group of like-minded individuals is another way for women engineering students to get support and develop friendships. SWE has several hundred sections in the U.S. and around the world. Horting explains, "Women join SWE sections so they can be part of a community; being part of a group like this allows them to relate to someone, have someone to turn to when things are challenging, and create friendships that will give them the confidence to keep going."
The engineering culture isn't just a problem for college students. An SWE study also found that culture was the culprit in female attrition rates. "The study found that women are experiencing a chronic lack of accountability in their organizational cultures; their senior leaders are stating goals and standards but not reducing obstacles that get in the way of accomplishing these goals," Horting says. As a result, women tend to leave after five to eight years.
Juli Smith, president of the Smith Consulting Group, which specializes in civil engineering and IT, tells GoodCall that she's spoken with many women engineers and the reasons for leaving the profession often vary by age. "Many experienced women hit the 'good 'old boy' glass ceiling, rarely making it into the executive suite; they become disenchanted and they get into other careers."
Among younger women, Smith says they lament that they don't have a mentor to help advise them or support and recommend them for promotions. "Everyone says they want diversity, but the firms who truly strive to create opportunities for women are rare," Smith says.
Refocusing the discussion
But is too much emphasis being placed on the workplace culture and other factors that may lead women engineers to leave the field? Kathy Ehrlich-Scheffer, the Women in Engineering (WE@RIT) program director in the Kate Gleason College of Engineering at Rochester Institute of Technology, thinks so. She tells GoodCall, "Solving the gender divide in STEM means looking into the reasons women leave STEM but also taking careful inventory of the reasons they stay, while concurrently considering how and why girls become interested in pursuing STEM careers in the first place."
Ehrlich-Scheffer agrees with Sibley's initial findings that young women may be more likely to consider STEM careers because of the societal impacts. And she adds that as young girls, they were probably more likely to have been engaged in conversations about STEM careers at home and while in the classroom.
However, Ehrlich-Scheffer says, "While research shows that work environment is among the primary reasons that women leave STEM, it is not the primary reason they stay." As a result, she believes attention should be given to the latter. "Self-efficacy, the belief in self that there is a positive contribution they can make is among the primary reasons women stay in STEM careers and where WE@RIT is currently focusing much of its time," she concludes.


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House Liberals Tell Pelosi: No Sale
Via Greg Sargent at The Plum Line:
In a private meeting in the Capitol just now, a dozen or more House liberals bluntly told Nancy Pelosi that there was no chance that they would vote to pass the Senate bill in its current form — making it all but certain that House Dems won't opt for this approach, a top House liberal tells me
"We cannot support the Senate bill — period," is the message that liberals delivered to the Speaker, Dem Rep Raul Grijalva told me in an interview just now.
Some had hoped Pelosi would push liberals to get in line behind this approach, in hopes of expediting reform, but that didn't appear to happen in this meeting. Pelosi mostly listened, Grijalva said, adding: "We didn't get any declarative statement from her."
Grijalva went on to explain that House liberals were in favor of breaking the bill into components, passing the more popular ones, and then sending them over to the Senate and daring them to vote against it.
Health Care, Nancy Pelosi, The Treatment, Raul Grijalva, Senate

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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Steve On Sunday
SOS – Steve On Sunday
Greetings my fellow second wavers
Well, well, well. The first plague wave surfed, so done and dusted and according to the specialists, whoever they may be, we are now into the second wave. The governing party is once again rubbing their hands in collective glee as it appears they wish, despite publicly stating that it will not happen, to lockdown many more areas. Nonsense you say? Really. Port Elizabeth is there already with a few more tweaks coming up.
The KZN government this last week has received reports and proposals to possibly shut down the Durban/eThekwini beaches over the Christmas and New Year period. This could be hilarious if it were not so serious. Is this why the military is on immediate standby – to help in stopping the tens of thousands from streaming – live streaming I may add – on to the famous beaches of the once world renowned Golden Mile. About the only thing golden during the festive season on the marine parade these days are those not so aromatic golden showers.
Back to the proposed shut down of beaches which shall irritate so many descendants of King Shaka, these descendants also world renowned for their instinct and ability to fight so well at any given time or moment. Remember Isandhlwana of January 1879? You do not? Ooops sorry, only I remember those days. No beaches on that battlefield but there are hundreds of graves of imperial soldiers.
Anyway, the well-known KZN Premier Sihle Zikalala – whom I have never heard of before today – but I am sure is very popular in Zulu territory, says no decision has yet been taken. Hmmmmm. Really?
"At this stage, there is no decision the provincial government has taken, or is contemplating taking, with regards to the closure of the beaches. This may only change based on the assessment of the situation on the ground and based on advice by medical experts." So said the Premier.
Time shall tell of course, as it always does. Am I finished with this plague that emanated from the far east? Not yet, sorry about this. I know at least two readers do not relish the thought of reading about it as well as seeing it on the telly.
So how are we doing in the Kalahari in regard to this plague that is supposed to be one of the worst ever. Really?
I think we are doing very well considering we have no beaches to shut down. Except Boshof beach but we won't go down that road except to say that it is/was a sort of lover's lane area. Still open for nocturnal business I believe.
We in the Northern Cape have had 333 deaths according to the latest stats, nowhere near the usual death figures for influenza, tuberculosis or HIV/Aids for the same period last year. Which was April to end November.
Surprisingly, unlike many others who know of no-one who has died from the plague, I know at least six in Kimberley, four of whom died in the last two weeks from covid.
Be that as it may, the news of the plague and the laws of the land pertaining to the pandemic appear to not have reached the ears of the masses. During the week and on Friday evening the Kimberley public gardens and the main road adjacent was closed to traffic so that the people could have a party. And what a party it was too. There was also a party at the Oppenheimer Gardens and the three nightclubs in the CBD caused chaos with overcrowding and in all those places the roads were closed to the general public.
Not by the police, but by the revellers themselves.
All that meant was a major operation yesterday, Saturday, where the public areas were closed to the public and the nightclubs too were shut down. Whether it is temporary or not we shall find out but with a public holiday on Wednesday, it could be very interesting to see if the gardens and clubs are open or closed that day.
It does appear if the majority of the people do not really believe in this pandemic.
Back to the official second wave. It is still summer here and pockets of plague, I suppose, could be expected to explode in certain wet, damp areas, like all along the coast. Based on what is happening in the northern hemisphere, we here in southern Africa can expect another wave in March/April next year. Probably called the third wave.
Even the 1918 Spanish Flu had a second wave but it was not as bad as the first wave. Interestingly, in that second wave people wore masks and it was not a law of the land. Here, where it is a law of the land, people do not wear them until they need to go into a shop. And even then several try their best to get in without one.
To pacify the two readers who may or may not have reached this far, let me tell you about the traffic this morning. Here I was in my Lamborghini Golf slowing down to stop at a four way stop when two taxis simply overtook me at the stop sign at full speed. Horrifying stuff. The mind boggles. And that's just a little bit of the icing on the traffic cake.
Have a good day and a great week.
3 thoughts on "SOS – Steve On Sunday"
14. December 2020 at 12:40
Well I, and at least one other, enjoyed reading you little blurb about the effects of the alleged pandemic in your neck of the grasslands. It was interesting how you touched on the true pandemic at the end, the driving on SA roads, not least by the public service conveyors of hapless victims to which you referred. It would be an interesting exercise to see if the road deaths prevented by the first lockdown, estimated on last year's carnage, were exceeded by Covid deaths, and when the road accident deaths once again overtook Covid. I enjoy the thrill of defensive dogém driving to some extent, but it is not ideal that you have two different games, played by different players and with widely differing rules, played (so to speak), simultaneously on the same playing field.
Tug Morkel says:
"…those not so aromatic golden showers." ~ very well written and speaking to the converted. Ha Ha.
Philip Morkel says:
I came here after watching the video "2020 in Review (WARNING: colourful language)", and had a good laugh with some thought provoking ideas. Seeing here is another Morkel, would be interested to know who, where, and what you are?
To all and everyone: have a wonderful festive season (even if the beaches are closed) and enjoy your break from the pandemic!


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Turkey: Communist Party (TKP) celebrated its 99th anniversary in Istanbul and Izmir
The Communist Party of Turkey (TKP) started the events celebrating the 99th anniversary with the slogan "We Are Ready".
The first event was held on September 10th in Istanbul with the participation of thousands of TKP members and friends.
The event started with the singing of the anthem Internationale and a video on the history of TKP was showed.
On behalf of the TKP Istanbul Provincial Committee, Hilal Ates welcomed the participators to the 99-year-old young party as women who did not submit to reactionism, violence, and harassment. Ates said, "As we are approaching the age of one hundred, we are shouting 'we are ready. We are ready to establish a socialist country where people do not exploit other people."
The Cargill workers who have been resisting for 510 days and could not return to their jobs despite the fact that they won the reemployment lawsuit were welcomed with the slogans "Cargill worker is not alone".
A Cargill worker made a speech in the event and motorcycle couriers and teachers' messages saluting the anniversary of TKP were shared with the audience.
Speaking at the event, Istanbul Provincial head of TKP, Aydemir Güler, said 'We owe to the history. We will pay for our debt. This debt is to compensate for the gaps in history. TKP exists to do what we can not do in 99 years."
"Mustafa Suphi and his friends could not have paid the heavy price for us just to commemorate them after a hundred year. Sefik Hüsnü and his friends could not have done it for nostalgia. Nazım said he was proud of his party. Those words would not make any sense if it weren't for those who are proud of Nazım's party today. The past is the past. It is not a nostalgia for us, we are expanding our experience. We should put down roots with this experience," Güler added.
The 99th-anniversary event in İzmir where TKP members and friends came together with the slogan "We are ready" took place on Saturday, September 13.
The event began with the entry of TR İnter Tekstil workers to the hall and continued with commemorating a party member who recently lost her life. Then, a video about the history of TKP was showed to the audience.
TKP Izmir Provincial Head Başar Özer made the opening speech in the event. He began his speech with the great communist poet Nazım Hikmet's words: "Today, in the words of our comrade Nazım, we are celebrating the 99th year 'the greatest craftsmanship, the finest skill of ours'.
Mentioning that the capitalist order has nothing left to offer to humanity, Başar reminded the recent forest fires in İzmir that burned hundreds of hectares of green land and that could not be taken under control for days. "A huge part of the city burned, but there is still no scientific plan on how to get out of here. The biggest municipalities, universities do not say anything. Well, then, the Communist Party of Turkey is ready to take on this responsibility," he said.
"The capitalist order in Turkey is doomed to the economic crisis. As long as their greed for profit, ambitions and unplanned economies exist, we will see even more crises. We have the solution to this problem," Özer added.
"OUR RESISTANCE HAS OPENED OUR EYES"
TR Inter Tekstil worker, Cigdem Kaya, took the floor after Özer and said: "We are TR Inter Tekstil workers. Our resistance has opened our eyes. When we couldn't get our rights, we wanted to announce it. After a message sent by one of our friends to the network of 'We breathe down the bosses' neck', several friends joined us. This was when we met with our party."
At the end of August, workers at the textile factory TR İnter Tekstil won after 11 days of resistance to receive their pays. The workers celebrated their victory with the members of TKP.
"When we got together, we felt how powerful we were. We learned not only political but also legal struggle. Meanwhile, our party's lawyer was always with us. He didn't come to support, he was fighting as if it was his fight," she added.
"WE HAVE THE WILL TO CHANGE THIS ORDER"
After the textile worker Cigdem Kaya, Kemal Okuyan, the Secretary-General of TKP, took the stage.
He started his speech by welcoming the textile worker and said "We started to feel the excitement of 100 years ago! Cigdem, who just spoke, explained the source of this excitement."
"When we look at the world and Turkey in 2019, we see nothing but our own ideals for humanity. And this, of course, gives us excitement. We are uncomfortable because of having to live in such an order. But we have the will to change this order, we believe that we can change and this is why we are excited," Okuyan added.
After Okuyan's speech, members and volunteers who recently joined the party were given badges.
Source: soL international.
Tags Aydemir Güler, Communist Party of Turkey (TKP), TKP, Turkey
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Imagine's risk platform is recognized for market leadership.
For the second consecutive year, Imagine Software has been named the "Best Real-Time Portfolio, Risk and Regulatory Solutions" firm by The Hedge Fund Journal. The award was announced at the January 27th celebratory dinner in London.
"We are delighted to be honored twice in this category by The Hedge Fund Journal. It reflects our twenty-two year commitment to providing real-time solutions that solve our clients' evolving risk and regulatory challenges," said Scott Sherman, an Imagine Co-Founder and the Global Head of Business Development and Sales.
"We selected Imagine for this award because of their continued commitment to helping financial professionals readily adapt to market and regulatory changes," said Rod Sparks, Publisher of The Hedge Fund Journal.
Imagine Software, founded in 1993, provides real-time portfolio, risk management, and regulatory solutions for the world's leading brokerage firms, investment banks, hedge funds, and funds of funds in more than twenty-five countries throughout the Americas, Europe, and Asia-Pacific regions. Imagine provides institutional-grade functionality and broad cross-asset instrument support for businesses of all sizes and complexity. Imagine was the first to launch a cloud-based portfolio and risk management system in 2000, making it easier for clients to access, customize, and use the firm's extensive analytics and products.
Headquartered in New York City, Imagine has offices in Hong Kong, London, and Sydney. For more information, visit http://www.imaginesoftware.com or contact Imagine Software at 212-317-7600, and follow us on Twitter and LinkedIn.


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Emtelle Announces Appointment of Sales Director for the UK & Ireland
Totaltelecom15 day(s) ago
posted by Emtelle Emtelle, the leading global manufacturer of blown fibre cable and ducted network solutions, is pleased to announce the appointment of Mark Van De Velde as sales director to serve the UK & Ireland. In his role, he will be responsible for developing sales strategies, creating new business opportunities, and providing greater support for the existing Emtelle team and clients in the UK and Ireland. Speaking of the appointment David Parsons, Chief Commercial Officer, said, "The UK & Ireland telecoms and power markets have been key to Emtelle's growth in recent years. We are delighted to welcome Mark to the organisation, and I am confident that his enthusiasm, passion, and leadership will help us achieve our significant growth plans in this region in the coming years." With an impressive track record in sales, Mark has previously held positions at TE Connectivity and Corning Optical Communications and accumulated over 20 years of experience in the telecommunications industry. He brings a wealth of knowledge in various commercial roles within global fibre connectivity manufacturers. He has built relationships with commercial and technical teams with operators across the UK and Ireland. Mark said of the appointment, "I am very pleased to be joining Emtelle, a company that I have admired for many years for its willingness to work with customers to develop cutting edge solutions. I look forward to working closely with the sales team to drive further growth, whilst delivering high-quality, best value solutions in these exceptionally exciting times for the industry." If you would like to contact Mark or any of our Sales team, you can do so via the Emtelle website - https://www.emtelle.com/contact/. View more of the latest press releases from across the industry or post your company's news. Since you're here... ...the Telecoms industry is characterised by constant change and evolution. That's why it's crucial for telecoms professionals to keep up-to-date with what is happening. Join 35,000+ of your peers and sign up to our free newsletter service today, to be in the know about what is going on. PLUS, as a member you can submit your own press releases!
Source: https://www.totaltele.com/512089/Emtelle-Announces-Appointment-of..


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


text:
The Men's javelin throw event took place on July 10, 2011 at the Kobe Universiade Memorial Stadium.

Medalists

Records

Results

Final

References

2011 Asian Athletics Championships
Javelin throw at the Asian Athletics Championships

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


text:
// Copyright 2018 Google LLC
//
// Licensed under the Apache License, Version 2.0 (the "License");
// you may not use this file except in compliance with the License.
// You may obtain a copy of the License at
//
//      http://www.apache.org/licenses/LICENSE-2.0
//
// Unless required by applicable law or agreed to in writing, software
// distributed under the License is distributed on an "AS IS" BASIS,
// WITHOUT WARRANTIES OR CONDITIONS OF ANY KIND, either express or implied.
// See the License for the specific language governing permissions and
// limitations under the License.

#if UNITY_IOS

using UnityEngine;
using System.Collections.Generic;

using GoogleMobileAds.Common.Mediation.InMobi;

namespace GoogleMobileAds.iOS.Mediation.InMobi
{
    public class InMobiClient : IInMobiClient
    {
        private static InMobiClient instance = new InMobiClient();
        private InMobiClient() {}

        public static InMobiClient Instance
        {
            get
            {
                return instance;
            }
        }

        public void UpdateGDPRConsent(Dictionary<string, string> consentObject)
        {
            // Since a Dictionary cannot be converted to an NSDictionary object, we parse the dictionary
            // as a delimited string to be interpreted.
            string consentObjectString = "";
            foreach (KeyValuePair<string, string> entry in consentObject) {
                consentObjectString += entry.Key + "=" + entry.Value + ";";
            }

            Externs.GADMInMobiUpdateGDPRConsent(consentObjectString);
        }
    }
}

#endif


Description: Most of the time I expect to receive encouragement, comfort, and reassurance from the words of Jesus. So, what about those times when his words shock us? Dismay us? Horrify us?
Most of the time I expect to receive encouragement, comfort, and reassurance from the words of Jesus. So, what about those times when his words shock us? Dismay us? Horrify us?


EXCLUSIVE STREAMING PREMIERE: Flower Crown | Ocean Man // This Will Be Our Year.
We are very excited to share yet another streaming premiere this week, this time by Pennsylvania-based duo Aaron Mook and Richie Colosimo of Flower Crown! The dreamy project has recorded two excellent covers which they plan to release as a digital 7" on Friday, April 20. The songs will be free to download and available via their Bandcamp page.
The A-side, "Ocean Man" (originally written and performed by Ween) is sung by Aaron Mook. All of the charm of the original is captured here, but Flower Crown's signature dreamy cadence puts a wonderful new spin on Ween's tune. The song will be accompanied by a lo-fi music video (recorded in Aaron's bathroom!) on Friday once the song becomes available to the public.
The album's B-side, "This Will Be Our Year" (originally written and performed by The Zombies) is sung by Richie Colosimo. The original tune is beloved by many, and this wistful cover completely does it justice. The slow and soothing surf rock lilt is a wonderful representation of Flower Crown's sound. The original songs couldn't be more different from one another, but the band creates a consistent connection between the two with their skillful renditions. They have always excelled at creating otherworldly atmospheres, and these compelling soundscapes are no exception, fitting perfectly into their catalog.
We adored Flower Crown's debut LP, GLOW, so we're thrilled to learn a follow up is in the works. In the meantime, enjoy the gorgeous new covers and grab the mp3s for yourself tomorrow!
Tonight is STACKED: world premieres from Lazy Legs and Chatham Rise, as well as new tunes by Night Flowers, Pillow, Blush Response, Talking Violet, Cloakroom, Crystales, Foliage, fiancé, Beautyness, Charcoal Skies + MORE!


text:
Quick links... Weather 7-Day Forecast Hourly Forecast Radar Maps & Forecasts Live Cams Weather Alerts Hurricane Center ABC Action Weather 24/7
WeatherHurricane
Nana downgrades to tropical storm, no threat to Florida
ABC Action News tracks tropical developments in the Atlantic and Gulf of Mexico.
By: Emily McCain
MIAMI — Nana, the fourteenth named storm of the hurricane season, strengthened into a hurricane on Wednesday night and weakened back into a tropical storm by Thursday morning.
According to the National Hurricane Center's 11 a.m. update, Nana is packing 45 mph winds and is 125 miles north of Guatemala City. Nana is moving west-southwest at 15 mph, NHC said.
Nana made landfall as a hurricane around 1 a.m. on the coast of Belize. NHC says the system is rapidly weakening and is forecast to become a remnant low on Friday.


The Bethany Board of Education maintains www.bethany-ed.org, hereafter referred to as Site, to provide relevant information concerning the Bethany Public School District. The Bethany Board of Education is not liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of this Site. The Bethany Board of Education also assumes no responsibility and shall not be held liable for any damages to or viruses that may infect computer equipment or other property as a result of using, browsing or downloading any materials, data, images or text from this site or any publications linked to this site.
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The Bethany Public School District may update this Privacy Statement from time to time. We will notify you of any changes by posting the new Privacy Statement on this Site. You are advised to review this Privacy Statement periodically for any changes.
Our Site may provide links to other publications that may not be maintained by the Bethany Board of Education. The Bethany Board of Education does not make any warranty, express or implied, with respect to the use of the links provided or guarantee the accuracy, completeness, usefulness or adequacy of any resources, information, apparatus, product or process available at or from this Site. Accordingly, the Bethany Board of Education is not responsible for the contents of any off-site pages or any other publications linked from this Site. Linking to off-site pages or publications is at your own risk.
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The Bethany Board of Education maintains this Site to provide relevant information concerning the Bethany Public School District. The Bethany Board of Education is not liable for any direct, incidental, consequential, indirect or punitive damages arising out of access to or use of this Site. The Bethany Board of Education also assumes no responsibility and shall not be held liable for any damages to or viruses that may infect computer equipment or other property as a result of using, browsing or downloading any materials, data, images or text from this Site or any publications linked to this Site.


text:
Serving the least of these: New church merger drawn to dying town
By Diana Chandler, posted December 9, 2022 in Church Planting, Churches and Ministry
Amos Crews baptizes a new believer at Pillar of Hope Church. Submitted photo
Topic(s): Church Planting, Churches and Ministry
TARRANT, Ala. (BP) – Amos Crews, senior pastor of new merger Pillar of Hope Church, took a drive through the deteriorating Tarrant community that is the church's newfound home.
"This community, quite frankly, looks like a war zone," Crews told Baptist Press. "Abandoned properties, burned out houses. And our wheelhouse of ministry has been the hopeless, the helpless, those folks (some) would cross the street to get away from.
"That was who Jesus reached out to throughout His ministry, was the least of these. Those are the people when they receive Christ, run the hardest for Christ. And they deserve to know the goodness of God and a second chance in life, and that's what we do."
Crews was drawn to the neighborhood because Robinwood Baptist Church is closing its doors Dec. 18 after dwindling to about seven active members, all retired and some with challenging medical issues. Robinwood is deeding its building to the Birmingham Metro Baptist Association (BMBA), which will in turn sell it to Pillar of Hope at a deep discount and establish a fund for the building's repair and upkeep.
John Roland (center), interim pastor of Robinwood Baptist Church in Birmingham, stands between two deacons honored by the church for their service. The church, which had dwindled to a handful of people, mostly elderly, is deeding its building the local association, which will then sell it at a deep discount to Pillar of Hope Church. Submitted photo
"Tarrant is one of the most impoverished communities in Jefferson County, Alabama. It's in bad shape," Crews said. "While many would run from this community and its people, God has given us a great vision to love, reach and serve the least of these."
John Roland, a Samford University advancement officer serving as Robinwood's interim pastor, said the church realized it could no longer meet the community's needs.
"We're going to cease to exist," Roland said of Robinwood. "We've decided the need is so big in that community, we just can't reach it. The church is surrounded by 60 vacant properties … made up of drug dealers; they have a really high rate of registered sex offenders – I know it's over 30 – that surround the church.
"These senior adults have given their blood, sweat and tears. The only thing that would prevent them from continuing is just their health."
Adding to the community's woes is a decades-long battle over environmental pollution from the iron and steel industry that gave Birmingham the name of "Magic City" in the 1800s. Many of the plants that manufacture coke, or hard coal, a main component in the manufacture of steel and iron, have closed, but the ABC Coke plant owned by the Drummond Company remains active in Tarrant. The pollution has driven many away from the town of 6,000; those who remain suffer a 32 percent poverty rate, according to City-Data.com.
Most recently in 2019, an agreement including a $775,000 settlement and emissions monitoring was reached to address cancer-causing benzene pollution from ABC Coke, but environmental activists have called it inadequate.
Josh Cook, BMBA church revitalization specialist, has worked with the churches to smooth the transition. He said the need for revitalization is becoming more common, especially after the slowdowns suffered during the COVID-19 pandemic.
"What we're seeing, at least here in Birmingham, is that there are a lot of churches in communities that, the communities have transitioned, and the churches are struggling to reach the people in the community," Cook said, "and they see it as almost a failure to stop existing as they are as a church, even though they're not being really effective.
A lot across the street from Pillar of Hope Church exemplifies the neighborhood. "While many would run from this community and its people, God has given us a great vision to love, reach and serve the least of these," said Pastor Amos Crews. Submitted photo
"What we're trying to go is get them to see it's not a failure to hand off your church to somebody else. That it is just the natural process of the body of Christ as Christ works from one church to another," Cook said. "We talked to Robinwood and they finally came to the place where they would rather see a vibrant church there, than to continue on until the last person turned out the lights."
Pillar of Hope's road to Tarrant was encumbered. The church is a merger of two congregations, Christ First Community Church and Destiny Covenant Church, that were worshiping at the BMBA after losing their places of worship. Each congregation numbered about 30 active members, Crews said.
"We had been in a building for about 10 years, had paid over $250,000 in mortgage, and things went sideways. We secured an attorney and just walked away from the property," Crews said of Christ First Community Church which he pastored. Destiny Covenant Church, pastored by Cedric Brown, had been meeting at another local church that pulled out of discussions to transfer its building to Destiny.
"Both congregations were dying. We were not drawing in young people. We were doing a great work in the community, just not drawing young people," Crews said. "The thought was, how do you go out of the soul-saving business?"
Adding to the community's struggles is the pollution caused by the coal industry, going back decades. Most recently in 2019, an agreement including a $775,000 settlement and emissions monitoring was reached to address cancer-causing benzene pollution from ABC Coke, but environmental activists have called it inadequate.
Crews first saw Tarrant as off-putting.
"When I went out and looked at the community, and I have to be honest, the first thought was no way," he said. "There's nothing here. There are no children, there are no families. Property values are in the gutter.
"And then God began to show me this vision of what we could do, and I looked at it as an opportunity to show that the church still can be the center of the community," Crews said. "God just gave me a vision that this could be done, that His children, no matter their circumstances, deserve His love.
"I've learned when God says do something you do it, because if He gives you a vision, He's going to give you provision. We have a saying that it doesn't take a megachurch to do a mega-work for the Lord."
Pillar of Hope plans to move into the Robinwood property Feb. 1, and is making plans to revitalize the community. The new church has launched a nonprofit community development corporation to bridge the financial issues the church will face in buying abandoned properties to build affordable housing and transitional homes for homeless mothers with children.
"We've been supported tremendously by the BMBA in this effort," Crews said of Pillar of Hope's transition to Tarrant.
The transition comes as the Kids to Love Foundation, a ministry to children in foster care, is buying about 60 abandoned properties in Tarrant to build homes for girls aging out of foster care. In turn, Pillar of Hope plans to buy additional abandoned properties to build homes for boys aging out of foster care.
"The pipeline from classroom to prison is real," Crews said. Pillar of Hope has plans to teach budgeting and life skills to those in need. He has plans to build a community farm, much more than a garden, to address food insecurity in the community he describes as a food desert. Crews hopes the revitalization will attract young families to the community.
While Pillar of Hope is the merger of two predominantly African American churches, and Robinwood was a predominantly white congregation, Crews has in mind an ethnically diverse congregation.
"If you bring in people who are looking for a hand up, and not just a handout, you can turn that community around," Crews said. "We want to give families an opportunity to know God and to see what the Kingdom of heaven really looks like. Even though we're considered an African American congregation, my vision is to build a church that looks like and functions like the Kingdom of God."
Diana Chandler
Diana Chandler is Baptist Press' senior writer.Read All by Diana Chandler ›
Generational merger made a church older and healthier
Church planter reaching the marginalized in historic Florida town
FIRST-PERSON: God brings revival to small-town church through weekly prayer meetings


text:
Pragathi, a one of a kind musical series- Cinema express
Pragathi, a one of a kind musical series
In what is touted to be a first-of-its-kind musical trilogy, Pragathi will feature three prominent actresses from Malayalam cinema presenting the viewer three different experiences
Sajin Shrijith
Three women, three music videos, three themes, and one philosophy that binds them all. In what is touted to be a first-of-its-kind musical trilogy, three prominent actresses from Malayalam cinema will present to the viewer three different experiences. The trailer was released on social media a few days back.
"Life is a journey without a destination. That's what we tried to convey through the trailer," says director Jithin Lal, who worked as an associate on the films Godha, Ennu Ninte Moideen, and Kunjiramayanam.
Collectively titled Pragathi, the abstract series comprises three music videos — Bodhi, Mukthi, Gathi — come in three Indian languages. Bodhi (feat. Lena), is in Hindi, Mukthi (feat. Wamiqa) in Tamil, and Gathi (feat. Nyla) in Malayalam. The three videos will be characterised by three different music genres.
KS Harishankar of the band Pragathi has sung the tracks. The singer's Jeevamshamaayi, from last year's Theevandi, was a chartbuster. The videos will have a distinct look and are conceptually separate from each other.
Jithin tells us the series is intended for viewers who are accustomed to international content. "Each video will have a female-centric narrative exploring some relevant issues and is shot like an international music video with high production value. They embody the elation of liberation that every woman wishes to accomplish. The whole thing is meant to be uplifting," he explains.
On Lena's short Bodhi (enlightenment), Jithin says it's about a woman's transition from a materialistic life to a non-materialistic one. The short was filmed in the Spiti Valley, Himalayas. "Lena was already travelling when we contacted her. As she was in Nepal at the time, it was convenient for us. We sent her the idea and she was immediately on board. Our small crew of five then went and met her there. The trip proved to be quite challenging. We weren't equipped like a normal film crew. It was basically guerilla filmmaking," adds Jithin.
Nyla's Gathi (movement), Jithin says, is about an expatriate residing in Dubai. Her story is told parallelly with that of Thiruvambady Sivasundar, the legendary elephant who was once part of the Thrissur Pooram.
Wamiqa's Mukthi, as the title suggests, is about freedom. "What happens when a girl who has been leading a sheltered existence for a long time is suddenly thrown into the outside world? That's what Mukthi is about. As she travels through the city, she is met with stares from society, and she tries to overcome this predicament."
Pragathi Lena Wamiqa Nyla KS Harishankar


The idea of people melded with machine, and the moral and ethical ramifications of bringing the two together, is hardly a new concept in literature, film or games. That's not to say it's not a relevant topic to address, though. Indeed, with what was once complete science fiction edging ever closer to reality, biotics and technology interfaces for humans are getting close to becoming a relevant real world debate.
Related reading: This is actually the sequel to Mars: War Logs (though you don't need to have played that to follow this). Matt's full review.
Spiders' latest game, The Technomancer, is the maverick developer's latest attempt to do something grim, dark, and meaningful. It is a cyberpunk fantasy setting that addresses these themes – and others – with the intensity that only cyberpunk can. As with all Spiders games, it's a bit of a technical mess, but cannot be accused of lacking in genuine vision and thought. The development team at the French outfit clearly care a great deal about their work and the stories that they have to tell, and it has been disappointing to me to read through that first wave of reviews and see that people are unwilling to look past the rough, B-grade edges, to see what the game is are really driving at.
The Technomancer wastes no time in setting itself up as an ultimate dystopia, with it being set in a hostile Mars for an even darker edge. For the most elite few, the Technomancer's world offers comfort, but remains a cold, clinical environment, as though Ayn Rand herself was the architect. For the masses, it's a violent, miserable life that they eke out on the ground and in the slums, remaining underground and fearful of being caught in the toxic rays of the sun, and struggling with a critical lack of water that the wealthy monopolise and control. Those with the slightest bit of power relieve their boredom on those with nothing, and almost immediately after the game starts we are introduced to a poor sod having the boot laid into him for the pure sadistic joy of doing so. This is not a nice world, and it is one that badly wants you to believe that the only recourse is to put selfish need and desire ahead of the good of the community.
Of course, when you start to do that, society itself starts to fall apart, and unsurprisingly, the first time you take a trip into the slums in The Technomancer, that's exactly what you see; society falling apart under the strain of the misery. Corruption, surveillance, militant morality militias – The Technomancer has them all. Like the best science fiction, it's as much an exaggerated reflection on modern world reality as it is a fantasy, and throughout the game there are metaphors for social and political environment of the modern west; Spiders is keen to leave us with a warning or two through this adventure.
The combat system has a few quirks that really play to this tension between selfish gain and a more traditional understanding of morality, because in this game actually killing an enemy is a very deliberate choice. Defeating an enemy knocks him or her prone, but won't kill them. That final bit is up to you. You can either draw their life force out, killing them, but providing you with valuable resources in a world that has few of them - life energy is the game's currency. Or you can allow them to live, and be poor for the goodwill. See - it's a Randian paradise of people screwing one another over until they're dead in the pursuit of personal wealth. A Randian paradise that is hell for anyone with a shred of human decency.
It is unfortunate, then, that the exceedingly provocative philosophy driving the narrative is so badly let down by some dreadfully forced performances. This is nothing new or unusual for B-grade RPGs, but The Technomancer is putting a lot of its eggs in the storytelling basket, and performances could not afford to be this inferior. Voice actors are stiff and unconvincing, and there's also some really overcooked writing that would have been a challenge for Nolan North himself to pull off convincingly.
Other presentational elements are also hit-and-miss. Spiders has always been good at providing a vision, and The Technomancer is on principle a truly breathtaking game. Locations such as the city of Noctis are right up there with the most intensely creative spaces we've ever seen in games. This is, however, let greatly down by unattractive and stiff character models. I quite liked my hero, who I designed as a bit of a silver fox and he came out looking like one of those aging action stars who is somehow making better films than the nonsense 'action' films that Hollywood millennials are getting involved in (you don't get to name him, or play as a woman, but you can customise him as you like). Other than my white haired prince, though, I really struggled to connect with any of the game's characters. The Technomancer is a game that is better understood as a game for the mind than the emotions, I guess.
The mechanics of The Technomancer take learning, and it's difficult to shake the feeling that they're more complex than they need to be. Our hero (or anti-hero, depending on how you play) has access to three different combat stances, and each of these plays differently – the mace-and-shield is good for defence, while the staff is good for clearing hordes. Then he's got his technomancy abilities, which work much like magic. There's a lot of button presses involved in doing stuff, though, with heavy use of the shoulder buttons to change the context of what the face buttons do. It's manageable, with time, but there's a good lesson on the value of having UI experts on the development team in comparing this game to the elegance of a game like Dark Souls.
Even if you weren't struggling with the control pad, The Technomancer would still be a difficult game. It needed to be, to fit in with the claustrophobic narrative themes and setting, but it's in imperfect understanding of difficulty, which relies a little too much on arbitrary spikes in the power levels of enemies to keep players on their toes. Completing the many side quests available through the game is a solution, but with some greater attention to detail and resources, the Spiders team could have had a system more like The Witcher 3 on their hands, whereby challenge is as much determined by the player's abilities as it is the game itself.
Related reading: This is Spiders' second game on PlayStation 4. The first was the criminally underrated Bound by Flame. Matt's full review.
Once again, it's important to understand that The Technomancer is a B-grade RPG, and I don't believe in using that term as a pejorative. Spiders has proven over and over again that in working with smaller budgets the team can take risks on game concepts that others would not try, and I can't see any major developer even contemplating a game of the vision of The Technomancer. To compare the game with its peers – the other B-grade RPGs out there like Risen, ArcaniA or Two Worlds, is to see just how superior Spiders are in working in the space it does.
The team writes intelligent, worthy scenarios and narratives, and then they do the best they can to build gameplay to support that concept. Spiders never quite gets there with executing to vision, but I don't mean this as a backhanded complement; I genuinely appreciate what this team does, because it's unique and interesting and I wish more developers had the gumption to try something like The Technomancer.


Nowadays everyone is always online. Whether with a laptop, tablet or even a smartphone. In recent years, the Internet has become an integral part of our lives, together with the coming of social media. At any time of the day, we want to be able to post something. Whether it concerns our daily lives or holiday photos. But how do you access the Internet in a secure manner while you're on a holiday?
Whether you are seeking to remain in contact with the people at home, post a couple of holiday snapshots on your social media or simply to follow the news… even when you are traveling, you want to be able to access the Internet in a secure manner. We say 'secure' because in this modern age, a lot of dangers arise. In the hotel or at the airport you can usually make use of free WiFi. This is offered through open networks. In other words: everyone can get onto this network, making it relatively easy for hackers to track down your personal data. Keep this in mind when you want to use the online bank, order something through a web shop or check your mails. Before you know it, all of your payment details have become public.
Unfortunately there are not many alternatives to free open WiFi networks that you can find on any public place. Therefore it is tempting to make use of it anyway, even if the connection is 'not secure'. A safer option is to turn on roaming and to make use of a connection through your provider. Using the Internet in a foreign country is rather costly, so it is only suitable for short bursts that do not require a lot of bandwidth.
There is however a cheap solution to this problem. VPN, or Virtual Private Network. This type of connection can be set in your device and this way you will make a secure connection with an open network. This connection ensures for secure network traffic so that you can use your payment details online in a secure manner or download photos without skyrocketing costs. Another benefit is that this connection makes use of the location of the server. This way you can easily continue watching episodes of 'Uitzending Gemist' wthout region block.
Do you want to make use of a VPN connection during your holiday? This is easy. You can register for GOOSE VPN for the low price of 2.99 euro per month and then you can make use of the Internet in a secure way anywhere in the world. Whoever registers now can make use of this service for free for one month to try it out. Are you already (secure) online? Click here to try GOOSE 30 days for free.


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At True Blue Realty, we have the experience needed to get you into your new home! Representing Buyers since 2004, we have sold everything from condos to mansions, from studios to 6 bedrooms, throughout the Denver Metro Area.
- We have sold more than 20 million dollars in real estate.
- In 2015, we sold more than 5 million dollars in real estate, many in competitive bidding situations.
- Because we also list homes for sale, we know exactly what other sellers are looking for in competing offers.
When you buy with True Blue Realty, you'll feel like you are our only Client. We take our Agency commitment to you seriously and personally. Whether your looking for a home priced at $80,000 or $2,000,000 YOU are our most important Client. We will be there to represent your best interests and negotiate for you in every phase of the transaction. Throughout the sale, you'll be working with a team of professional Agents who will dig deep and work relentlessly on your behalf.
We know the ins & outs of the current market, so we know what it takes to get you into your dream home. We have very powerful and unique strategies that we'll use to get your offer accepted.
We are experts at negotiating on behalf of our Client. Negotiating skills are important at many key points throughout the sales process. We will use our expertise to help you buy your home at the best possible price and terms. Our office holds the CNE designation (certified negotiation expert).
At True Blue Realty, we are big enough to serve you, yet small enough to know you. We find the folks we work with who have worked with "the big guys" have found themselves lost in the large companies. Since we are not playing the numbers game by representing dozens of Buyers at once, hoping that some will close, each of our Buyers is personal to us and our Clients receive individual attention. Because we are small but mighty and utilize a team concept, we are able to quickly and professionally handle everything for you, including showings, property research, submitting offers, negotiating, and getting you to closing seamlessly.
We are here to guide you through the entire process from beginning to end. We team up with other industry professionals to ensure you are never lost or alone in the process. We can refer great Lenders, Inspectors, Insurance Companies, Roofers, Plumbers, Radon experts, and other various vendors to handle any issues that may arise.
We often compare the sales process to a high school group project. Everyone gets the grade, but there is one smart and committed person who truly cares about the outcome and does all of the work. We are that smart and committed person! We want to get you into your dream home, so throughout the process, we track deadlines on both sides of the transaction and check in regularly with lenders, HOAs, title companies, inspectors, appraisers, other agents and everyone else involved to make sure that they are aware of upcoming deadlines and are getting their jobs done. Missed deadlines jeopardize sales and create costly delays. We have systems in place so we never miss a deadline and so we can make sure other key players don't miss theirs, either. There are a myriad of details that must come together at the right time to get a sale closed, and you'll have a team of experienced agents in your corner who know how to pull all of those details together to get you to the closing table.
Let us help you find your dream home and assure your best interests are protected throughout the entire process. Feel free to call us or e-mail with any questions you may have at any time. Fill out this form and we'll get back to you right away!
At True Blue Realty, we have the experience needed to get your home sold! Representing Sellers since 2004, we have sold everything from condos to mansions, from studios to 6 bedrooms, throughout the Denver Metro Area.
When you list your home with True Blue Realty, you'll feel like you are our only Client. We take our Agency commitment to you seriously and personally. Whether your home is listed at $80,000 or $2,000,000 YOU are our most important Client. We will be there to represent your best interests and negotiate for you in every phase of the transaction. Throughout the sale, you'll be working with a professional Agent who will dig deep and work relentlessly on your behalf.
We know the ins & outs of the current market, so we know what works to get your home SOLD. We have very powerful and unique strategies that we'll use to get your home noticed and sold. Using our tried & true marketing strategies, we will tailor a marketing plan specifically for your home.
We are experts at negotiating on behalf of our Client. Negotiating skills are important at many key points throughout the sales process. We will use our expertise to sell your home at the highest possible price with the best possible terms.
At True Blue Realty, we are big enough to serve you, yet small enough to know you. We find the folks we work with who have worked with "the big guys" have found themselves lost in the large companies. Since we are not playing the numbers game by carrying dozens of listings at once, hoping that some will sell, each of our Listings is personal to us and our Clients and their homes receive individual attention. Because we are small but mighty and utilize a team concept to get your home sold, we are able to brainstorm creatively, discuss what is working and what is not working, and find new ways to get attention for your Property to get it sold.
We often compare the sales process to a high school group project. Everyone gets the grade, but there is one smart and committed person who truly cares about the outcome and does all of the work. We are that smart and committed person! We want your home to sell, so throughout the process, we track deadlines on both sides of the transaction and check in regularly with lenders, HOAs, title companies, inspectors, appraisers, other agents and everyone else involved to make sure that they are aware of upcoming deadlines and are getting their jobs done. Missed deadlines jeopardize sales and create costly delays. We have systems in place so we never miss a deadline and so we can make sure other key players don't miss theirs, either. There are a myriad of details that must come together at the right time to get a sale closed, and you'll have an experienced agent in your corner who knows how to pull all of those details together to get you to the closing table.


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Research Ethics Roundup: Female Mice in Research, IRB Member Conflicts of Interest, and More
From a new report that indicates that the use of regulated animals in biomedical research is declining to an editorial arguing for the use of female mice in research, animal research takes center stage in this week's Research Ethics Roundup.
Conflicts of Interest on Institutional Review Boards Remain Problematic: A recent study in JAMA Internal Medicine concluded that while there has been significant progress with respect to reporting and managing institutional review board (IRB) member conflict of interests, there is still more work to be done. Ed Silverman reports on the findings in this article from The Wall Street Journal's Pharmalot.
Genome Researchers Raise Alarm Over Big Data: In this piece for Nature, Erika Check Hayden reports on the growing concern among biologists and computer scientists that the challenge of managing genomic data will exceed the capability of current computing resources.
The FDA's Medical Device Problem: In this opinion piece for The New York Times, Rita F. Redberg and Sanket S. Dhruva argue that the 21st Century Cures Act will "severely weaken, not strengthen, the FDA's already ineffective regulatory scheme for medical devices. The device industry may stand to benefit from this legislation, but the health of the public does not."
Use of Regulated Animals in US Biomedical Research Falls to Lowest Levels on Record: In this article from Science, David Grimm reports that new statistics posted by the United States Department of Agriculture reveal that the "number of federally regulated animals used in U.S. biomedical research dropped last year to its lowest level since data collection began in 1972."
Why Science Needs Female Mice: This editorial from The New York Times reflects on a recent study published in Nature Neuroscience, which "suggests that research done on male animals may not hold up for women." The authors of the editorial argue that new grant requirements from the NIH, which require justification for only using one sex in research, are a step in the right direction.


In some ways it was great for me to grow up in downtown Toronto. As the youngest in the family, I was simply completely unaware of just about everything that did not involve, playing, climbing, and running around.
We had lots of fun. My brother and I used old centres from the bolts of cloth from our father's store to break the wooden frames and make them into swords. We also used my father's curved ruler as a scimitar but he was not too happy with us. My elder brother usually got the slap on the bottom because he was held to be responsible. See what I mean about some of the advantages of being younger? Same thing when we used our couch like a trampoline.
On the other hand, when we were pirates and climbed all over the old table in the living room. I usually had to keep below decks under the table while my older brother sat on top and piloted our vessel. He was also, of course, the captain, but allowed me to be first mate when no one else was there.
I moved my body over and under the cross rungs in the wooden chair as if I was moving through a machine being transformed into a monster from outer space. My mother was not impressed and simply kept on grinding the meat or fish with the metal hand grinder attached to the other end of the chair with a vise.
I loved going through all the back alleys and wandering through the garages on Saint Joseph, Irwin and Wellesley. The smell of grease and oil was somehow warm and comforting. Besides, it was easy to steal their empty pop bottles and turn them in at the store for 2 cents each.
We never bought new clothes but I had my brother's and first cousin's to choose from. And my father, being a tailor used to make us new winter coats and hats every winter. We were poor but I barely noticed.
Of course, many around us were poor too. Some of these kids had parents who were alcoholics and came to school in torn shirts and ragged shoes as well as with what seemed permanently smudged or dirty faces. And if we were over at their place and they were getting beaten, well really, it was just an extensions of the occasional slap on the bottom we received at home.
After my bar mitzvah, my older brother took away my innocence. He opened my eyes to our lack of money. He felt it especially keenly since he had no car to drive girls around in. He also made me more aware of the seaminess of our surroundings, the pool hall and the Rainbow Room where all the alcoholic parents hung out, our friend's mother who was always in bed with some other guy every Saturday.
I was thus expelled from Eden and when I returned recently to the neighbourhood, everything had changed, including me. The passage of time had transformed itself into flaming seraphs and would not let me back in without my fully adult understanding.
But when I sit down and remember, I can relive how it felt to think my mother was the world's best cook, how much fun it was to grow up unawares on Yonge Street in downtown Toronto.
This entry was posted on Wednesday, June 30th, 2010 at 1:55 am and is filed under Growing up absurd and humor. Tagged: childhood, toronto. You can feed this entry. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.


Having a certified medical doctor together with you in this journey is completely crucial for the success of it! The clinical follow-up, therapeutic effect and safety can only be guaranteed if your practitioner is completely aware of all the details of this treatment.
Dr Miguel Damas got the reputation of being a globetrotter. Even though his agenda in Portugal is quite busy, he tries to take the Coimbra Protocol closer to those in need. In 2018 he decided to take the reach of the protocol even further and went to Bucharest and Athens, trying to help people unable to travel.
Wherever there is interest and people wanting the Coimbra Protocol and Dr Miguel to go, he is committed to find a way to travel and set up an operation as close as possible. If your city in not on the list, please send us an email sharing your interest. We will do our best to take this treatment to you.
Why are first appointments always in person?
More important than a legal obligation, meeting face-to-face is paramount in the success of the treatment. Over the last years, Dr Miguel found that in-person appointment was critical for the success of the protocol, as it is the only way to be sure he could address his patient's concerns and explain the therapeutic process to the extension she / he want to be explained. Due to those reasons, the first appointments last, on average, between 90 to 120 minutes. Follow-up appointments can also be done through Skype.
Please, schedule your appointment through the email of Cristina Sales clinic's secretary: secretaria@cristinasales.pt.