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Seattle Life | Student Life
Music therapist Gayle Cloud uses music to restore health
Colleen Steelquist
Gayle Cloud '14 helps heal the sick, but you won't find her with a stethoscope or writing a prescription. Instead, armed with a cart full of instruments and her soothing voice, this neurologic music therapist offers patients a musical form of medicine.
From helping parents of premature, fragile babies compose custom lullabies to providing intentional music therapy interventions to critically ill patients, Gayle combines the feel-good nature of music with scientific evidence of its healing power. Music is proven to enhance mood and self-awareness; reduce stress and anxiety; support social connections; and encourage creative expression. It also can reduce pain and medication use; lower heart rate and blood pressure; improve flexibility, mobility, and gait; and enhance cognition.
Gayle is the first and only music therapist at the University of Washington Medical Center in Seattle. She began forging UWMC's music therapy program four years ago as part of its "Arts in Healing" program, which also includes an art therapist.
"I wanted a meaningful career that would allow me to give back to the community and help people who are living with medical concerns and life challenges," Gayle said.
Gayle creates music therapy offerings for each patient care area of the hospital, including the intensive care, transplant, cardiac, rehabilitation, antepartum and medical surgery units. She also receives referrals from palliative care, comfort care, and psychiatric consultations hospitalwide. In addition to spending significant time educating clinical staff on the benefits of music therapy, she supervises practicum students from Seattle Pacific's music therapy program. And she'll often become an integral part of patients' physical, speech, occupational, and recreational therapy. Gayle's work with preemies was featured on the local news.
"The program is comprehensive and in keeping with the rigorous national standards needed to prepare a student to become a board-certified music therapist."
It's a deeply satisfying vocation that Gayle didn't begin until she was in her 50s. Prior to becoming a music therapist, she was the founder and owner of a Seattle-based public relations firm and worked as a singer/songwriter, performer, and recording artist in Paris and New York City. Her musical prowess and her ability to market herself and persuasively communicate about the healing benefits of music have been integral to her success as a music therapist.
Gayle also credits SPU's music therapy program — the first in the state of Washington — for giving her a strong foundation.
"The program is comprehensive and in keeping with the rigorous national standards needed to prepare a student to become a board-certified music therapist," she said. "I especially appreciated the intimacy of the program — it was warm, welcoming and supportive. It's like a family. The connections ran deep and I believe they will continue throughout my life."
Though Gayle was the oldest student in every class she took, she said her age was a non-issue: "I was always closer in age to my professors than my classmates, so I sometimes walked in the zone between both. [Associate Professor of Music] Carlene Brown, the music therapy director, was a truly wonderful mentor and support. I appreciate that she is still in my life today and that we can collaborate in our efforts to grow the presence of music therapy in the Pacific Northwest. I loved connecting with a group of talented and committed students, and I now have a host of younger friends."
"Music is such a good way to support individuals in need through their own personal faith."
Gayle is grateful that her work gives her an opportunity to connect with people of all backgrounds and faiths. "Music is such a good way to support individuals in need through their own personal faith," she said. "I have been able to sing in Hebrew, share gospel music with entire families, and even had the glorious experience of learning a prayer chant from a Native American couple."
UWMC is an adult teaching hospital, so Gayle works to align her music therapy program with emerging science. She is currently conducting a research trial in the cardiac units to track the benefits of providing music therapy services to pre- and post-heart transplant patients. She's also joined some hospital research teams that are pursuing music therapy-related grants.
Outside of work, Gayle invests deeply in her family, spending considerable time with her husband, her two daughters and their spouses, two stepchildren, and four grandchildren.
Someday — perhaps when life slows down just a bit — she'd love to return to the stage: "I intend to get back up there. Performing has always been a wonderful passion for me."
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par Amanda Heroux
dans Science
World leaders met for an online One Planet Summit Monday to discuss climate change and the preservation of biodiversity and ecosystems.
Some 30 world leaders, officials and heads of worldwide organisations attended the summit by video link, and they agreed that protecting nature is key to human survival.
UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres, speaking via a video link from NY, called for greater efforts to protect biodiversity and step up climate action.
"Protecting 30% of the planet will undoubtedly improve the quality of life of our citizens, and help us achieve a fair, decarbonised, and resilient society", said Andrea Meza, minister of environment and energy for Costa Rica, which co-chairs the coalition with France and Britain.
We have been poisoning air, land and water - and filling oceans with plastics. "And now nature is striking back", he said, pointing to the Covid crisis as a case in point.
UN Secretary-General António Guterres told the summit that 2021 must be the year to "reconcile humanity with nature", and that the world can not afford to "revert to the old normal".
But he added that "biodiversity is facing a financial gap of $711 billion per year until 2030".
Key to protecting natural areas will be indigenous people, "the custodians of 80 per cent of the world's biodiversity", said Karl Burkhardt, Managing Director of One Earth initiative that is pushing for protecting 50 per cent of the planet.
"We can move the dial if we decide to do so".
Wildlife populations have plummeted almost 70 per cent in less than 50 years due to human activity, and scientists have warned that urgent efforts to restore and protect nature and biodiversity are required to prevent further destruction of ecosystems that support human life.
The aim of the meeting was to chart a path for the coming year in terms of joint climate action and biodiversity conservation.
Speaking at the summit via video link from Beijing, China's Vice-Premier Han Zheng called for global cooperation to protect the world's biodiversity.
Their boundaries also contain 28% of ocean areas that are most important to preserve global marine biodiversity, and more than a third of carbon stocks in the Earth's seas. "This year, against the backdrop of the COVID-19 pandemic, we must be innovative in our discussions", he said.
He also called on all parties to strengthen communication, meet each other halfway, and jointly promote the framework negotiation process; study and formulate the post-2020 action targets scientifically to ensure they are rational and enforceable; strengthen enforcement of resource mobilization and guarantees, and effectively enhance the implementation capabilities of developing countries. "We must accelerate talks on the post-2020 global biodiversity framework", he added.
The UN's next major climate summit, COP26, was also postponed because of the pandemic and is now due to be held in November.
"Obviously it is right to focus on climate change", said UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.
"We have an enormous opportunity at this year's [UN COP15] Biodiversity Conference in China to forge an agreement to protect at least 30 per cent of the world's land and ocean by 2030", he said.
The chancellor added that Germany would join the "High Ambition Coalition for Nature and People (HAC)", a group of 50 countries committed to protecting 30% of land and sea habitats over the next 10 years to halt species extinction while addressing climate change issues.
Swedish climate activist Greta Thunberg threw cold water on the Paris meet in tweet, under the heading "LIVE from #OnePlanetSummit". He urged leaders to act decisively, stating that they have the means to tackle the crisis in the natural world.
Angelo Mathews returns for England Test series Sri Lanka squad
Ole Gunnar Solskjaer says Manchester United are ready to face Liverpool
Skyrim peut fonctionner à 60 images par seconde sur PS5 avec un seul mod, ne désactive pas les trophées 1/21/2021
China's Lunar Mission Returning to Earth With Soil, Rock Samples 1/21/2021
Les nouveaux SSD Samsung arrivent : plus rapides et moins chers 1/21/2021
Halted rocket test could stall NASA moon shot, redo possible 1/21/2021
Storm Christoph on way to batter Cumbria 1/21/2021
Un nouveau studio PlayStation travaille sur une licence bien connue 1/20/2021
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch to Send a Massive 100 Satellites to Orbit 1/20/2021
A Willy Wonka origin story is in the works 1/20/2021
Schoolgirls in India discover Earth-bound asteroid 1/20/2021
Tom Cruise and NASA team up to shoot a movie in space 1/20/2021
Manitoba's acting deputy chief provincial public health officer has said he's confident the Winnipeg Jets can play home games. The Montreal Canadiens will play games at the Bell Centre despite the Quebec government's new COVID-19 nightly curfew.
Coronavirus: 400 employés de PSG au chômage partiel
Seul le secteur sportif n'est pas touché par cette mesure destinée à faire des économies. "Depuis le 4 janvier 2021 le PSG a mis 400 employés au chômage partiel ".
Who can get the vaccine? This will mean every at-risk person has easy access to a vaccination centre, regardless of where they live.
The economic setbacks have left Kim with nothing to show for his high-stakes summitry with President Donald Trump. North Korea has usually broadcast live or aired recorded footage of military parades later.
Al-Qaeda: Pompeo says Iran is jihadist network's 'new home base'
Iran has expressed its discontent over South Korea's lack of measures to deal with Iranian funds frozen by South Korean banks. Iranian officials have flatly rejected accusations that their country has harbored or provided support to Al Qaeda leaders.
Skyrim peut fonctionner à 60 images par seconde sur PS5 avec un seul mod, ne désactive pas les trophées1/21/2021
China's Lunar Mission Returning to Earth With Soil, Rock Samples1/21/2021
Les nouveaux SSD Samsung arrivent : plus rapides et moins chers1/21/2021
Halted rocket test could stall NASA moon shot, redo possible1/21/2021
Storm Christoph on way to batter Cumbria1/21/2021
Un nouveau studio PlayStation travaille sur une licence bien connue1/20/2021
SpaceX Falcon 9 Launch to Send a Massive 100 Satellites to Orbit1/20/2021
A Willy Wonka origin story is in the works1/20/2021
Big dinosaur fossils found in Argentina may be world's largest creature1/20/2021
Une fusée Virgin Orbit atteint l'espace pour la première fois1/20/2021
Wicker Celebrates 'Green Run' Test At Stennis Space Center1/20/2021
Cruise hoping to shoot first action movie in space1/19/2021

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


Wow! I haven't blogged in almost a month. I can attribute that to the pretty basic, non-exciting yet still lovely month I've had. The weather was gross, now it's incredibly gorgeous. You wake up on February 17th and the sun is shining and you throw on a light jacket and as if by Divine intervention Matisyahu is singing "Sunshine" on your iTunes and you head to work. You put in your hours, maybe get a drink after work, wait for a super short and hectic vacation Friday and eat, socialize and pass out for the 25 hours of Shabbat. And it's been that way for the last month, give or take. Oh! And my sister got engaged, so that's pretty fantastic. Have to find something to wear and a part of me wants it to go smoothly and another part of me wants it to be an insane disaster so I can blog about it. More to come. Today's post is something I've been turning over in my mind for months and I don't know how to even approach it, so if it sounds disjointed, my bad!
This blog was started to document my transition from America to Israel through the process of Aliyah. I think we all know the basics by now.
But I've come to find that this isn't the case for everyone, and that even my own certainty can be taken to task by skeptical strangers on the Internet. Some examples. There is a Facebook group for olim- I assume it's meant to be an online support and information community for those of us who've committed to the difficult task of starting life over in Israel. As anyone who is a part of this group knows, it has often devolved into a "I hate Israel" complaint society. Truly, some days there are 5 "life here isn't worth it"s and "I'm leaving" posts- easy. And then there is a rush to calm the poster down and soothe them and convince them to stay (I'm guessing- I don't do much follow-up.) Usually I don't engage, but one time I jumped in to defend my friend who gave this complainer some tough love and suddenly, I was being roasted! When I mentioned that Zionism brought me here, some random guy (who I think actually lives in England) asked me if I was so Zionist, had I renounced my American citizenship, and what kind of a Zionist could I be if I hadn't served in the IDF. I thought the questions were kind of insane, and a poor barometer of my Zionism. If I love Israel, I have to hate America? Could there never be a family emergency that brought me back to the States? And if I decided to move here as an Orthodox woman past the age of 25, should I beg the army to let me serve? The whole argument was ludicrous, but here I was- having my aliyah judged!
A few weeks later, I again found myself embroiled in an online argument with a stranger (I am working on this, you should know- I'm aware it's not a good look.) Again I was defending a friend from a Facebook bully and he growled back. He told me (he doesn't know me, but we have some mutual friends) that he and his friends often talk about me and take bets on when I will make yerida (leave Israel for good). Wait, what? A guy who disagrees with me politically, wishing me failure on my life in Israel? Does my loud and proud Right-Wing Zionism threaten him so much personally that he secretly hopes it fails? That's crazy! And then I realized- this is a thing. And although he's pretty nasty, he's not the only one who does it.
Judging people's Zionism, their dedication to this country, their support for Israel, their likelihood to remain here for good- this isn't something that only Facebook bullies do- we all do it! Even me! Especially me? I have had conversations where I cluck at people who are thinking about leaving and going back to their countries of birth. I shake my head at people who call those places "home." "We are home!" I exclaim with pride, not pausing to wonder whether it comes off as hurtful. I might judge someone who goes back to their birth country 2 and 3 times a year and think "commit yourself to your move!" I wonder incredulously at olim who contemplate raising their family anywhere besides Israel, knowing that the main focus of my move was to raise a family here. It's been a time of real self-reflection, and I often haven't enjoyed what I've seen. I hate criticism in general and self-criticism is worse, because I can be brutally honest. But without this introspection, I wouldn't be able to grow, and L-rd knows I need to. I need to help that person want to stay here. I don't need to coddle them and jump on their "Israel is the worst" bandwagon. But I can listen to their concerns, come up with meaningful possible solutions and try and share my Zionist love affair with them. I can try and be an advocate for the good, without ignoring their valid complaints of the bad. And I can realize that just because the annoying things here don't bother me as much, that the positive so outweighs the negative in my aliyah process and that I intend for my aliyah to be permanent doesn't mean that everyne feels the same way. Or has to. Or ever will. And just like I have to learn to accept people who are different from me in a myriad ways, so too I have to accept, love and not judge my fellow olim who are dealing with their life change in a different way. I hope I can do it and I think I can do it- I'll keep you posted!


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Imagine... In your hometown it's cold and wet, while you here can cycle under the sun in a breathtaking landscape. You will enjoy the quit countryroads, with great panorama views, once in a while you'll pass a small white village.
The hills of the Alentejo are extremely suitable for a relaxt cycling trip. There are countless storks and many other birds to enjoy. you can also visit the pleasant town Ferreira do Alentejo.
Your trip will go through corkoaks and olivetrees with the nice smell of eucalyptus. In springtime you can enjoy endless fields of flowers. In the summer the fields have changed into yellow from the sunflowers.


White Castle will be giving away FREE Sliders or Gift Cards (first 25,000) and FREE Coca-Cola Freestyle soft drink coupons for everyone else via Quikly! Simply click on the ''I Want In'' button to be eligible. When the promotion goes live, you will receive an email or text - depending on preference you selected.


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Too is the second studio album by American skate punk band Fidlar, released September 4, 2015.

Singles
The album's lead single "40 oz. On Repeat" was released on June 2, 2015, along with an official video.

The album's second single "Drone" and its video were released exclusively on iTunes and Apple Music on August 13, 2015 before being released to all retail formats the next day. The song is featured in the soundtrack to the video game WWE 2K17.

"Why Generation" was promoted as the album's third single with the premiere of an animated music video composed of almost entirely emojis. The video was directed by Ryan Baxley and animated by Nolan Fabricius.

Promotional singles
"West Coast" was released on July 15, 2015 as the album's first promotional single, along with a music video  featuring performance footage. An original demo of the song was previously included on the band's 2012 EP Shit We Recorded In Our Bedroom.

"Leave Me Alone" was released on August 27, 2015 as the album's second promotional single, accompanied by a lyric video.

Critical reception

Upon release, Too received generally positive reviews from music critics. At Metacritic, which assigns a normalized rating out of 100 to reviews from mainstream critics, the album received a generally favorable score of 76 based on 20 reviews. Consequence Of Sound ranked it #46 on their top 50 albums of 2015.

Track listing

Personnel
Fidlar
 Zac Carper – vocals, guitar
 Elvis Kuehn – guitar, vocals
 Brandon Schwartzel – bass guitar, vocals
 Max Kuehn – drums, percussion

Production
 Alice Baxley – photography
 Ryan Baxley – design
 Paul Cossette – assistant engineer
 Richard Dodd – mastering
 Jason Hall – recording
 Jay Joyce – producer, recording
 Melissa Spillman – production assistant
 Caleb VanBuskirk – studio assistant

Charts

References

2015 albums
Fidlar albums
Dine Alone Records albums
Mom + Pop Music albums
Wichita Recordings albums
Albums produced by Jay Joyce

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaWikipedia


The Hotel Club La Buca del Gatto welcomes its young guests in a modern and multi-purpose structure, suitable for families seeking a holiday with special attention to the safety and fun of the children.
Your kids can have fun in the mini club and in the areas dedicated to children, with tennis and soccer fields, volleyball and basketball courts, skating rink and swimming pools. All this is supported by an extremely prepared entertainment staff who will take care of them. But the fun is not restricted to just within our structure. Our Guests also have a front row seat on the beach, just 250 meters from the hotel. We are at the center of the Etruscan Coast, one of the most beautiful coasts of Tuscany … no other words are needed.
Covered and air conditioned area of approx. 500 with NURSERY created specifically and separated from the rest of the environments. AUDIO-VIDEO SYSTEM for play-educational projections and a SMALL LIBRARY for children. Great SALONE GAMES with an adjacent outdoor area, of about 1000 square meters rich in games and inflatables completely fenced. New ``PARK NATURE`` of about 3000 square meters equipped with games and inflatables, suitable for the development of creativity and teaching at the ``BIO`` address of your children. Swimming pool for children, adjacent to the ``Nature Park``, surrounded by natural sand, where even parents can spend pleasant moments cuddling and playing with their children. New room equipped with video games for the older ones. Dining area, exclusive for children adjacent to the main salon, with specific menus and dedicated staff. Highly qualified animation staff, Tennis Masters, Football Masters and athletic trainers at the complete disposal of children. Soccer in cage, soccer field on natural grass, multipurpose sports area, minigolf ..... a world of fun!
Our staff of young entertainers, trustworthy, reliable and prepared, guarantees children of all ages many activities of leisure, play and learning. Parents can relax and enjoy a holiday on the most beautiful coast of Tuscany, the Etruscan Coast, knowing to leave their children to have fun in complete safety.
Recall that the hotel is located next to the Tomboli di Cecina, a biogenetic reserve protected by the State Forestry Corps and populated by animals and plants of particular naturalistic interest. The animators will guide the children to discover these beautiful landscapes, teaching them, through games and fairy tales, the value and the need to protect such a natural heritage.
Upon arrival, you will be welcomed with useful information to better enjoy your holiday, with information on the Etruscan Coast and theme parks in the area, natural and cultural locations.
Dining room services and special catering: In the restaurant you will find a children's menu and cook available to prepare meals as indicated by mothers. High chairs and bottle warmers available. Flexible meal times and a delicious nutella party for afternoon snacks!
Mini Club: Qualified staff to involve young guests, organizing, parties, sports competitions or shows where children are the protagonists.
Baby-sitter: Babysitting service during meals on request, bookable at any time.
Playground: Equipped and safe, located exclusively inside the hotel is a space dedicated to children with games suitable for different age groups.


Recreational riding has stepped a bit further with the innovative hoverboards available on the market these days. With new exciting features and excellent functionalities, hoverboards are now becoming the next generation solution to walking. A lot of things have changed within the hovering industry in just a few years and you can definitely expect more for the coming year. With the New Year fast approaching, you might start to wonder what is the best hoverboard in 2017.
The great news is that you do not have to wait to find out what the year 2017 awaits you. Here are the top five hoverboards on sale in 2017 you can always look forward to.
One of the best hoverboards in 2017 is the Powerboard Hoverboard that provides a stable, long-lasting and faster riding experience to users. It has a self-balancing technology to enhance your personal safety and ride quality. With 10 km per hour speed, you will be impressed with this wonderful hoverboard. It also features responsive foot controls that efficiently ease control and acceleration. It also allows you to easily lean forward and backward, allowing you to have a complete control of your motion.
The Lamborghini Hoverboard has no any design flaws and offers an amazing riding experience. It is waterproof and features LED headlights that improves visibility, making it safer to ride even during nighttime. Its mechanical and electrical components are certified safe and durable. With this impressive hoverboard, users can benefit from smart battery management, rubber bumpers for their protection and an improved downhill traction.
The latest 10 inch Hoverboard available in 2017 can easily beat the competition when it comes to aesthetics. It comes with a music speaker, a free carry bag, Bluetooth and a remote control once you purchase. If you are looking for an ideal self balancing scooter for the coming year that will give you the best riding experience, you can never go wrong with 10 inch Hoverboard.
Sturdy, highly-responsive and comes with a unique battery management system, the Gold Chrome Hoverboard is a famous hoverboard, especially among kids, students and even adults alike. It can carry more than two-hundred pounds and its balancing technology is offering a smooth riding experience, especially for learners. Inexperienced users will feel safe with this impressive hoverboard, featuring sensors that smoothen the rides and improve the ride experience.
If you are looking for the best hoverboard in 2017, you can never go wrong with FB299 Black Hoverboard. It can run for up to 21 kilometers per charge, allowing you to enjoy a riding experience for a long time. When you purchase FB299 black hoverboard at $297, you will take full advantage of unique accessories that come with it. Its package actually includes 1 by 2 wheel self-balancing scooter, a charger and a user manual.
Now that you have the top five hoverboard in 2017, you can now enjoy a safe, easy and efficient maneuvering by purchasing the best product that will match your needs.


This might be the best idea Pinterest has had in a while. Parker told me he had never tried Nutella before, which should be illegal, so I quickly bought a jar and found this recipe for his introduction to the delicious spread. I gave him a slice of this Nutella Banana Bread for dessert, and he marched right into the kitchen to get another slice. He loved it, and I really did too. It's a weight watchers recipe which can make us all feel kind of good about eating it, but somehow I don't think Jillian Michaels would be praising our will power for eating this. Nonetheless, it's delicious! Try this one!
2. In a medium bowl, cream together butter and sugar. Stir in egg whites. Add banana, vanilla, and applesauce and mix together. Set aside.
3. In a separate medium bowl, stir together flour, baking soda, and salt.
4. Fold dry ingredients into wet ingredients and stir until incorporated.
5. Warm Nutella in the microwave for about 40 seconds or until it is softer and melted.
6. Pour banana bread batter into your greased loaf pan. Slowly spoon Nutella on top of the batter and swirl into the bread using a knife until all the Nutella has been worked in.
7. Bake 40-45 minutes or until cooked through. Let cool and enjoy!
You are such a good wife:) you're my cooking/baking inspiration!
This looks fabulous! I think I'll try it with this great Trader Joe's chocolate almond spread. Like nutella, but better! Have you ever seen it?
but it does look divine like this tho.
YES!!!! This sounds so good!!!
Ok.. so where shall I send you my address for this? Looks delish! I can't believe it's Weight Watchers! I'm not much of a Nutella gal but Rob loves it--- yummo!
Sounds yummy! i'm on the hunt for healthy/low cal recipes, and since it says Weight Watchers, I'm sure it fits what I'm looking for. :-) Gonna pin it!
Looks delicious! I am going to have to try it. Pinning it!
Well, yum! That looks awesome!!
We love nutella! I would like to invite you to SHARE this cool post at my link up party if you haven't already, hope you stop by every week! I really appreciate your support and encouragement .


text:
Babalu comments on fight and says fight with Henderson brings him "full circle"
Babalu in photo by Esther Lin
On February 26, 2000, Renato "Babalu" Sobral was riding a twelve-fight winning streak, two of them on the same night. At Japan's Rings tournament, Babalu faced Dan Henderson in the final, before which he defeated fighters the likes of Gilbert Yvel and Rodrigo Minotauro. In the deciding bout for the event, the now-Gracie Barra black belt ended up beaten in a hard-fought battle, losing by majority decision.
A little over ten years later, the matchup will resurface, now at the December Strikeforce event. In a conversation with GRACIEMAG.com, Babalu remarks on the challenge:
You've faced off in the past. What are your thoughts on this rematch with Henderson?
I feel this fight has nothing to do with the first one. It's happening ten years later and I see the opportunity as a celebration of my career, coming full circle. As they say: The world is round, it goes around. Ten years later we meet again and it's unbelievable. I'm going to go after him to beat the hell out of him! I'm going in there with all the happiness in the world for being able to face him again after having been through so much.
Jiu-Jitsu is as fatal as a punch to the chin. If he falters, he's out!" Renato Babalu
What's changed for you and him since the first fight?
Everything's changed, be it in training, preparations and vision. It's easier to talk about what has not changed. What hasn't changed is my heart, that's still the same. And his too seems to be the same. We'll be in the event's main event and I hope that it's the fight of the year.
If you win this fight, do you feel next up will be a fight for the title that was once yours?
My challenge is Dan Henderson. I'm not thinking about anything after that. My focus is 100% on him.
There's a big chance the fight will play out on the ground. Could Jiu-Jitsu be your main weapon against Henderson?
Jiu-Jitsu is always a fatal weapon, like Werdum proved against Fedor. It's fatal, like a punch on the chin, and I'm training a lot. If he falters, he's out!
I want to bury him once and for all!" Renato Babalu
Henderson left the UFC and ended up losing in his Strikeforce debut against Jake Shields. Do you feel that may have shaken his confidence?
I don't want to know about it. If that's how he feels, I want to bury him once and for all!
How are you going to go about preparing from here on out?
There's a tough crew helping me out. Rafael Cordeiro is my main coach for this fight, Werdum's with me and Ratinho's taking care of the grappling part. There's also Mark Munoz in wrestling, Jason Miller and a bunch of others. It's a big crew, there's no way to name them all.
What can you guarantee your fans on GRACIEMAG.com?
Anyone who follows my career can expect this to be my best fight of all.
Gilbert Yvel
Mark Munoz
rafael cordeiro
Renato Babalu
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Ohio members: Contact commissioners to get GOP reps aboard H.B. 186!
Ohio State Legislative Director Stuart Gardner reports that we need some activism to push H.B. 186, which is comprehensive railroad safety legislation, over the line and out of the Ohio House Transportation and Public Safety Committee.
First, he is seeking photos of example of good and poor lighting conditions in yards to submit to state representatives in regards to H.B. 186. Please email those to: smartunionoslb@gmail.com.
Also, after five hearings on the bill, some Republican representatives on the committee remain undecided about the need for this legislation, especially after carrier testimony claimed that it would hinder their ability to operate and be too costly to them to improve yard lighting and walkway safety.
Gardner requests that members contact their county commissioners and explain to them why their state representative needs to support this bill.
H.B. 186 deals with:
Blocked crossings
Two-person crews
Yard lighting
Yard walkway safety
"Anything that is worth saving takes effort from everyone involved," Gardner said. "It's all hands on deck, battle stations. Take a stand, and be heard!"
The bill was first heard by the committee in September, and SMART-TD members as well as members from the BLET have stated the case for the bill on a number of occasions.
But now, state representatives Doug Green, James Hoops, Don Jones, Jeffrey LaRe, Susan Manchester, Gayle Manning, Riordan McClain, Tom Patton and Reggie Stoltzfus need to hear it from someone in addition to rail workers, who already know how important this issue is.
Those people are the county commissioners from 22 different Ohio counties.
"The topic that should really resonate with these county commissioners is the blocked crossing issue," Gardner said. "With these crossings being blocked by the carriers by longer and longer trains, it prevents public service vehicles — police, fire and EMS from reaching their destinations in a timely manner, without any additional delay, a delay that may have deadly consequences for those that need the help.
"Now is the time for all of us exercise our collective strength," he said. "Please ask those county commissioners to encourage the representative in their district to support H.B. 186. This is a common-sense approach to railroad safety, that we need their support with."
The list of commissioners is available here.


We have used TMT to conduct searches for Japanese professionals at various levels since 1985. We were successful in hiring six Japanese professionals for placement outside of Japan for AA & Co's. JIN plus others inside Japan. These were difficult searches. It was the tenacity and skills of TMT that made it possible.


Protect lips from the cold weather with Pucker Protector™ Naturals Lip Balm! Made with beeswax, vitamin E, organic sunflower oil, organic extra virgin olive oil, and aloe vera. Comes packaged in an easy-to-display plastic container with four great flavors: mint, pearadise, pomegranate, vanilla.


FoldIt is an online game in which humans try to solve one of the hardest computational problems in biology: protein folding. You don't need to know anything about biology to play the game, although a little background will help. Most of the players of foldit are not biologists.


Swatee Singh Long flared jumpsuit Revamp your office wear wardrobe adding this navy blue crepe jumpsuit. It features peplum style top giving it a classy look. Team it up with matching stilettos to complete the formal look.
Revamp your office wear wardrobe adding this navy blue crepe jumpsuit. It features peplum style top giving it a classy look. Team it up with matching stilettos to complete the formal look.


Browse through all of our past winners and check out their amazing adventures.
Visit our Facebook page to view some past winner's adventure photos.
Alaska Mountaineering School: 12 Days learning safety and judgment, leadership, teamwork, mountaineering skills, "Leave No Trace" practices, and the enjoyment of experiencing the wilderness of Alaska.
Wind River Wilderness Backpacking, (NOLS): For 30 days, Sarah hiked through Wyoming's Wind River Mountains – a wilderness range renowned for its crystal clear lakes and rugged mountain beauty. She carried a heavy backpack to the top of passes, descended into a glacial valley, cooked over a camp stove, and lead her hiking group to camp.
Alaska Backpacking and Sea Kayaking (NOLS): This month-long adventure gave Ryan a chance to master two wilderness travel skills – backpacking and sea kayaking – and at the same time, it gave him a chance to experience two very different environments. He learned the foundation skills for wilderness travel, which include camping, cooking, map reading, stove use, and "leave no trace" techniques. He learned the basics of kayaking, including kayak rolling in freezing water!
Whitewater River Expedition in Utah/Colorado (NOLS): Click link at left to see more about Jennifer's adventure.
Oregon Paddlecat Rafting and Rock Climbing (Outward Bound): Click link at left to see more about Dan's adventure.
Sailing the Main Coast: Sailing the Maine coast, 14 days (Outward Bound) – open ocean adventure and island living; learning the fundamentals of seamanship.
Montana High Alpine Backpacking: 15 days (Outward Bound) – learning alpine skills while experiencing Montana's Beartooth Wilderness with glaciated peaks; includes a 12,000-foot ascent.
Backpacking in Alaska (NOLS): Click link at left to see more about Pamela's adventure.
Sailing, canoeing, backpacking (Outward Bound): Click link at left to learn more about Bridgett's adventure.
Bimini Wild Dolphin Study (self-designed): Click link at left to learn more about Sarah's adventure.
Mountaineering in Colorado (Outward Bound): Click link at left to learn more about Joe's Adventure.
Sea Kayaking in Alaska (Outward Bound): Click link at left to learn more about Brandon's Adventure.
Backpacking in the U.K. (self-designed): Click link at left to learn more about David's adventure.
Sea Kayaking in Alaska (NOLS): Click link at left to learn more about Stefanie's adventure.
Backpacking, canyon exploration in Utah (Outward Bound): Click link at left to learn more about Colene's Adventure.


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Color of Fayetteville
Celebrating Local Arts & Creativity in Fayetteville & Cumberland County NC
Independence Theater Reading Series
Michael Curtis Houck Comes Home to Writing and Film
Devra Thomas	Q and A	 May 28, 2021 May 27, 2021 3 Minutes
Michael Curtis Houck is the Creative Producer for A Yellow Beanie Project, a digital collective rooted in collaboration among regional artists with intent to provide a new platform for emerging and established voices within the Cumberland County community. Michael's produced and published work can be found in print, on stage, and on the screen. Michael lives in Fayetteville, NC, with his significant other and two kids and two dogs and one cat and too many plants, some would argue. To financially support his work, use Cashapp $AYellowBeanieProject and watch for a Patreon account coming soon.
on set for LOVE, LUCY a short horror comedy that is currently in post production. Marc de la Concha and Tori Gowland Ortiz de Rosas. co-directed with Ashley Owen
3 Things you can't live without & why:
Music. The world is a noisy place and often it's too much to handle and I need to drown it out. I always have background music. Some days I need Nina Simone, some days I need Fugazi.
Kindness. The last few years have uncovered a lot of (not so) hidden ugly in the world. Stop.
Peanut Butter and Jelly Sandwiches. When you really, honestly, truly examine the science of it, it's the perfect meal.
Local artist (any genre, Cumberland County preferred) you admire: There's a local singer-songwriter I really admire and love working with: Ayana Laurene. She's a hustler and, dang, does she have some pipes. We've been collaborating on a concert film/documentary called BOY, YOU AIN'T SHIT. It'll come out this summer on social media.
Houck and Jordan Barnett on set for an episode of DOGWOOD; this episode is directed by Alason Little.
What is one of your current artistic experiments? Right now I'm developing a digital series called DOGWOOD, which aims to put a spotlight on some southern themes. This series is coming together sort of like an extended universe set in the fictional town of Dogwood, NC, and it will include eight short films and weekly podcast episodes and live video streams across social media starting in July 2021. It's a really big experiment and kind of daunting! The Yellow Beanie team and I have been working really hard for a few months building the fictional world of Dogwood, writing all original content including original music, and *fingers crossed* we'll produce an original theatre piece later this year!
What changed about your practice in 2020? Will you keep this change? 2020 pushed me from working exclusively in live events, which I had been doing for nearly a decade as a full time job, to just written and filmed works; like the rest of the world, this was due to safety of public gatherings. It was a sudden 'stop and change what you're doing', and I did go through a period of grief. But what this forced me to do is find other outlets and return to my foundations: I went to school for creative writing and film. Coming back to this kind of work that I haven't done in a decade has been therapeutic for me. In hindsight, I don't know why I ever walked away from this genre, it is my language.
Still from DOGWOOD. With Sarah Chapman and Malissa Borden
Where do you practice your art? Describe your work space. I consider my art to start with what I write: It all begins on the page. I believe in having a farmed yard, so I spend a lot of time outside and I write while gardening: standing up or crawling around in the dirt, talking out loud. I need to feel the space around me and imagine how the characters would contort their bodies or gesticulate when saying something. When I like what I have in my head, I take a break and hop inside to my office and jot it down in one of my many notebooks or turn on a recorder and play out the scene.
How do you find your subject (next piece, idea, voice)? Most of my work begins with collaboration. I admire a lot of locals, and there are many folx I've never had the chance to work with professionally. I really enjoy approaching these people asking, "Want to make something?"
Advice to newer artists in your genre.
For newer writers – workshop those pages! Get with some friends and share your work. Schedule a table read. Trick people into coming over for brunch then slide your manuscript around. They're trapped. Make them read. It took me a long time to be comfortable having my work read aloud, but what a difference it makes!
For newer filmmakers – you are likely reading this article from a device that has a high powered camera installed on it. What's stopping you?
Published by Devra Thomas
I am a passionate advocate of all local arts & culture! I love connecting artists with audiences & highlighting all the amazing art to be found in a community.	View all posts by Devra Thomas
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15. If the product itself has a foaming property while filling, how can it avoid foaming during the process? - FAQs | Neostarpack Co., Ltd.
Some products are prone to foam while filling with the characteristics of the solution. Commonly seen on the market, lotion, soy sauce, glass cleanser and various cleaning solutions. When recommending the type of filling machine, we recommend that customers provide samples for testing, even for the same type. The cleaning agent will also have different formulas from each customer, and the foaming condition will be different while filling. The sample is to help you find the fitting model to reduce the incidence of foam during filling. Our filling machines, whether it is a small desktop filling machine or an automatic filling machine, which can be both lurked according to the customer's product characteristics and production requirements. The customized filling and lifting module can be used to reduce the bubbling of the product. Or one can use subsurface filling to smooth the situation of foaming.
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Keep reading to find out what the 16 most important facts are about the famous South Beach.
Language Speaking Spanish isn't required but it's helpful. If you don't know English well, but are fluent in Spanish, then you'll be fine at most places.
Airport Transport Take the 150 bus from MIA Airport into SoBe. They're incredibly helpful at the airport with directing you where you want to go, it takes almost as long to drive, and it's $2.25 (as of March 2018) versus $20-$40 via taxi or Uber. Some hotels offer a free (plus tip) shuttle as well.
Food Almost every restaurant is expensive in South Beach– particularly those closer to Ocean Drive. Even the fast-casual restaurants that are considered '$' on yelp are more like '$$' back home. You might be able to find cheaper places but then you'll spend that money getting there instead.
Tipping Expect service charges on everything. Check for it on receipts even at places that seem like they're fast food. Ask your server/bartender if you're not sure; you never want to stiff your server.
Souvenirs Surf Style isn't a bad place for souvenirs, but they're not all priced the same. Some have better sales than others so visit a couple before buying anything.
Where to Stay If you're planning on going out for more than one night, stay in South Beach east of Washington. Staying within walking distance to the clubs makes it so much easier (and safer). Splurging on a fancier hotel up north isn't worth it either unless you're spending most of your waking hours inside (but why?!).
Drinking Alcohol is not available for purchase 24/7, so if you're planning on pre-gaming, get your alcohol from the liquor store earlier in the day. Hours depend on where you're at in Miami Beach (stores up north sell them later).
Eye Candy A lot of those good looking guys are gay, and some of those good looking women may be trans. Another reason not to drink too much.
Get Wet Don't sit too close to the water on the beach. Even when it seems low-tide, high waves come out of nowhere.
BYOB Be prepared to have your bags checked for alcohol when going through certain beach entrances. In my honest opinion, deep water, heat and alcohol doesn't go well together to begin with.
The Sun Wear sunscreen. This should be a no-brainer but the sun is strong there and you can get a tan (or burn) very quickly.
Enjoy the Vintage Cars from the Sidewalk Driving in SoBe isn't awful once you're actually there, however, finding parking is still difficult unless you do valet everywhere. Do yourself a favor and just walk.
Wake Up in the AM If you want a nice breakfast outside on Ocean Drive without having to be on a waitlist, wake up early.
Public Indecency Families enjoy South Beach too. There are kids around most places during the day and early night so show some class. Not to mention there are cops everywhere.
Party Everyday Don't wait until the weekend to visit. There's plenty of crowds and things to do every day of the week.
Do you have any budget tips on visiting South Beach or any other areas around Florida? Leave a comment below!
Follow me on Instagram @citrus_trademark & @citrustrademarkphotography to stay up to date on my travels!


The land on the left bank of the Tiber river is rich in evidence of the wine-producing activity conducted in the area, first by the Etruscans and then by the Romans. The local wine is noted especially for its particular suitableness for long aging.
Renowned for the production of wine from the time of Ancient Rome (Martial and Plinius the Elder speak of it) this area, which includes a vast area to the North East and South West of the ridge of the Colli Martani, is improving rapidly in quality with single-vine wine production. Vineyards are included in the townships of Todi, Massa Martana, Monte Castello di Vibio, Cannara, Bettona, Deruta, Collazzone, Gualdo Cattaneo, Giano dell'Umbria, Montefalco, Castel Ritaldi, Spoleto and Bevagna.
At least 85% Trebbiano, Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto, Malvasia bianca di Candia, Malvasia, Garganega and Verdicchio, alone or jointly, up to a maximum of 15%.
Bouquet: characteristic slightly vinous bouquet.
Taste: dry, tart, slightly fruity, characteristic and refined.
Use with: pasta dishes with fish sauces, chicken salad, deep-fried vegetables.
At least 85% Grechetto; Trebbiano, Spoletino, Malvasia & Malvasia di Candia, Garganega and Verdicchio, alone or jointly, up to a maximum of 15%. This wine may be labelled with the geographical sub-denomination 'of Todi', whenever obtained exclusively from grapes produced in the township of Todi.
Bouquet: slightly vinous, delicate and characteristic.
Taste: dry (or semi-sweet), velvety, slightly bitter aftertaste, fruity, characteristic, harmonious.
Use with: hot appetizers and spicy regional pasta dishes such as rigatoni 'alla norcina'.
At least 85% Sangiovese; Canaiolo, Ciliegiolo, Barbera, Merlot, Montepulciano, Trebbiano, Trebbiano Spoletino, Grechetto, Malvasia & Malvasia di Candia, Garganega and Verdicchio, alone or jointly, up to a maximum of 15%. The white grapes must not exceed 10% of the overall total of complementary vines. This wine cannot be consumed before undergoing mandatory aging for at least a year. If it is 12% alcohol by volume and is aged for two years, of which at least one in oak barrels, it can be labelled 'Reserve'.
Colour: ruby red if young, with hints of orange and garnet if aged.
Bouquet: characteristic vinous bouquets which become ethereal with age.
Taste: dry, harmoneus, slightly tannic and pleasantly bitter. It has characteristic nuances of red fruits and is delicately herbaceous.
Use with: baked pasta, polenta with pork ribs, Umbrian roast pig, aged cheese.
Cabernet Sauvignon 85% minimum, other red grapes up to 15%.
Colour: intense ruby red with light violet reflections tending to garnet with aging.
Taste: dry, with a characteristic aftertaste, slightly herbaceous.
Use with: soft cheeses, fish soups, shellfish.
Merlot Minimum 85%, other red grapes up to 15%.
Colour: ruby red with violet reflections, sometimes tending to red brick with aging.
Taste: full, soft and harmonious.
Use with: pasta, pecorino, 'porchetta', Norcia ham.
Sauvignon minimum 85%, other white non-aromatic grapes up to 15%. Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, alone or jointly, shall not exceed 10% of the combined total of complementary grapes.
Use with: starters, spelt soup, fish soup.
Chardonnay minimum 85%, other white non-aromatic grapes up to 15%. Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, alone or jointly, shall not exceed 10% of the combined total of complementary grapes.
Colour: straw yellow more or less intense with light green reflections.
Taste: dry, fruity, distinctive and harmonious.
Use with: soft cheeses, fish soups.
Riesling minimum 85%, other white non-aromatic grapes up to 15%. Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, alone or jointly, shall not exceed 10% of the combined total of complementary grapes.
Use with: goat cheese, egg dishes, spaghetti with garlic and oil.
Trebbiano Toscano at least 50%, other white non-aromatic grapes up to 50%. Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, alone or jointly, shall not exceed 10% of the combined total of complementary grapes.
Taste: full-bodied, lively, fresh and harmonious.
Use with: chicken broth, shellfish, cheese omelet, fresh pasta, fish soups.
Sangiovese at least 50%, other red grapes up to 50%.
Colour: ruby red, lively, more or less intense.
Bouquet: vinous, delicate and distinctive.
Taste: dry, fruity, full-bodied, slightly tannic.
Use with: semi-hard cheeses, cold cuts.
The territory and the climatic environment create the conditions for the production of spumante too, as part of the vineyards are at altitudes above 400 meters, so with conditions that maintain the values and tone of acidity, sugar and flavorings typical of this type.
Grechetto, Chardonnay, Pinot Noir, alone or jointly at least 50%, other white grapes up to 50%. Malvasia Bianca di Candia and Malvasia Bianca Lunga, alone or jointly, shall not exceed 10% of the combined total of complementary grapes.
Colour: straw yellow more or less intense.
With a Ministerial Decree of 2009 is amended by adding the product specification among DOC appellations also Vernaccia.
The grape used for the Vernaccia di Cannara is authocton and locally is also called 'Cornetta'. The name seems to come from the fact that the berries of this variety, when not yet fully mature, take on a form similar to a small horn and then tends to stretch in the final stage of maturation. This grape is harvested and left dry on frames repaired by the weather for at least two or three months and then made into wine. The drying is done with the grapes intact while the wine is made with only the berries without the stalks.
The tradition tells that the Vernaccia di Cannara of the last harvest, has to be tasted on the morning of Easter Sunday, during a hearty breakfast with the traditional cheese cake, capocollo and boiled eggs.
Vernaccia Nera: at least 85%.
Bouquet: fruity with characteristic note of passito.
Taste: sweet, more or less tannic depending on the year, fresh and fruity.
Use with: sweet and pastries, cheeses, nut cakes, dried fruit.


text:
Polio Eradication: The Bad News Continues
On New Year's Day, seven polio vaccinators — six female health workers and a male doctor — were ambushed and shot to death in Pakistan. The violence there is a response to an admitted-to ruse by the CIA. Now, the deans of 12 public-health schools in the United States have sent an open appeal to President Obama excoriating the CIA attempt and asking that it never happen again.
When last we left the long asymptote of polio eradication, nine health workers in Pakistan who had been administering polio vaccine had been murdered, presumably by the Taliban or its sympathizers, because polio eradication has been cast by them as a plot against Islam in the wake of a CIA operation which used vaccinations as an attempt to get close to Osama bin Laden.
(If this story is new to you: Yes, really. For background, start with this post, and then read this, this, and this.)
So it's discouraging to say that, in the past few weeks, the news hasn't gotten any better — though some additional voices have joined the debate in an attempt to stress to the world how important this moment is.
First, news updates: On New Year's Day, an additional seven vaccinators — six female health workers and a male doctor — were ambushed and shot to death. For a week, polio eradication in Pakistan, one of three countries where the transmission of the crippling virus has never been interrupted, was at a standstill. On Tuesday, it relaunched with promises of high security (and in an attempt to signal that the government takes the crisis seriously, presidential daughter Asifa Bhutto Zardari administered drops to children in Karachi).
But: Worldwide, the polio campaign depends on the efforts of volunteer and low-paid vaccinators who work solo or in small teams, and there are signs that the Taliban intimidation has kept those teams at home. In Pakistan, both The News and The Frontier Post are reporting that "lady health workers" are staying home out of fear or as a result of family pressure. From The News:
A lady health worker, who identified herself as Shahana, a resident of Baldia town, said her husband and parents had disallowed her from taking part.
"Health officials say the police will provide security to vaccinators, but the cops was present in Baldia when armed men shot a lady vaccinator dead. Nobody trusts the police for security in Karachi anymore," she maintained.
In a tough editorial, The Lancet warns that this is not just another routine setback:
The effect of the killing of polio vaccine workers in Pakistan will have repercussions for its neighbour Afghanistan, which, together with Pakistan itself and Nigeria, is one of the remaining polio-endemic countries. Genetic analysis shows that two of the three chains of polio transmission in Afghanistan are from Pakistan. Other neighbouring countries have also been put at risk. For instance, polio broke out in China in 2011 for the first time since 1999 after being imported from Pakistan; 18 people were paralysed and one died.
Heidi Larson, an anthropologist who studies public trust in vaccines and immunisation at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, pointed out that the killings of health workers in Pakistan could be a "game changer" in the global efforts to eradicate polio, calling for a rethink of delivery strategies. She compared it with the 2003—04 immunisation boycott in northern Nigeria, led by religious and political leaders, who claimed that the oral polio vaccine could cause sterility. This boycott led to poliovirus not only rebounding in Nigeria, but also spreading to 15 African countries and to Indonesia.
Just to underline: The crisis in Pakistan is not just about the changeable fortunes of the polio campaign, which has waxed and waned in public opinion since its launch in 1988. It is specifically in response to the admitted-to ruse by the CIA, which used a pretense of administering injectable hepatitis B vaccine in an attempt to harvest DNA from children who were believed to be related to bin Laden, as a way of proving he was in a particular area. They did not succeed -- his location was proven by other means -- but the damage to public heath looks to be long-lasting.
So long-lasting, in fact, that the deans of 12 public-health schools in the United States (Columbia, Emory, Harvard and others) have sent an open appeal to President Obama excoriating the CIA attempt and asking that it never happen again. An excerpt:
...because of these assassinations of vaccination workers, the UN has been forced to suspend polio eradication efforts in Pakistan. This is only one example, and illustrates why, as a general principle, public health programs should not be used as cover for covert operations.
...contaminating humanitarian and public health programs with covert activities threatens the present participants and future potential of much of what we undertake internationally to improve health and provide humanitarian assistance. As public health academic leaders, we hereby urge you to assure the public that this type of practice will not be repeated.
International public health work builds peace and is one of the most constructive means by which our past, present, and future public health students can pursue a life of fulfillment and service. Please do not allow that outlet of common good to be closed to them because of political and/or security interests that ignore the type of unintended negative public health impacts we are witnessing in Pakistan.
Two of the deans, Drs. Lynn R. Goldman of George Washington University and Michael J. Klag of the John Hopkins Bloomberg School, have also published an op-ed which further fills in the Pakistan context and the damage done.
One final point: New Year's Eve -- the day before the third round of polio-worker murders -- was the latest deadline set by the international polio-eradication initiative for ending the circulation of wild polio virus anywhere in the world. It was not met. The goal is now to interrupt transmission by the end of 2014. It is worth asking, given this completely unnecessary setback, how much further along the effort will be by then.
Flickr/RIBI/CC
Maryn McKenna is a senior writer at WIRED covering health, public health and medicine, including the Covid pandemic, and a faculty member at Emory University's Center for the Study of Human Health. Before coming to WIRED she freelanced for magazines in the US and Europe including Scientific American, Smithsonian, The... Read more
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text:
#REALSTRENGTH
Watch: Brands are challenging the worst parts of masculinity, just in time for the Super Bowl
Image: YouTube/Dove
Jack Fischl
This post has been updated.
With Super Bowl 50 just one week away, American sports fans should expect to see many more highlight reels of athletes slamming into one another over the next few days. Contact sports have long been a national tradition in the United States, with millions of fans tuning in to see the allegedly controlled violence of sports like football, boxing, and hockey. Our obsession with hitting each other has, not surprisingly, becoming entrenched in our idea of masculinity. The message we receive when we watch sports is not only "this is fun to watch," but "this is as manly as it gets."
Traditionally, big brands have capitalized on sports' association with masculinity to sell their products. Buy this deodorant and you'll be tough; buy these shirts and you'll be buff. But in the past few years, some brands have finally started to leverage sports and sporting events to promote healthier depictions of masculinity. This Super Bowl will likely continue the trend.
But can brands really affect the way we perceive masculinity? And perhaps more importantly, is it possible for men to psychologically reconcile the violence of sports like football with more progressive masculine qualities?
The machismo of contact sports
Many men in the US are socialized from a young age to conform with standards of so-called "toxic masculinity." These include refusing to show weakness or fear; never crying or showing emotions other than anger; demonstrating heterosexuality; dominating women; and being physically tough.
Many men in the US are socialized from a young age to conform with standards of so-called "toxic masculinity."
Contact sports do not inherently promote toxic masculinity. Yet clearly a lot of the qualities required to be successful in contact sports overlap with stereotypical and arguably regressive male traits: unrestrained aggression, strength, an unwillingness or inability to show vulnerability. From a fan perspective, the hyper-masculine, on-field personas of sports heroes are often the only ones we see. Between sports and the emotionally limited depictions of men in entertainment and advertisements, boys and men are constantly exposed to unhealthy representations of masculinity.
This is particularly true when our sports idols bring their aggression home with them. Boxing's biggest star and the world's highest-paid athlete, Floyd Mayweather Jr., has a history of serial violence against women. The National Football League and National Hockey League have both struggled to deal with high-profile incidents, prompting Jeffrey Kluger to write in 2014 that professional football was experiencing a "crisis of violence." The NFL's reactions to these violent off-field incidents have been inconsistent at best, sending the equally inconsistent message that the rules can be bent if the athlete is a top performer.
Dr. Paula Dobbs-Wiggins is a psychiatrist in Dallas, Texas who has treated several professional football players over the years, whom she cannot name because of confidentiality. Dobbs-Wiggins tells Quartz that it can be difficult for some players to reconcile the violence of the game with real life. "This is a sport that requires an aggressive edge to be successful," she says, "but some players can encapsulate that, recognize that it is part of their job, and still be capable of a full range of healthy emotions."
Unfortunately, some players can't.
Changing the culture of masculinity
Dealing with off-field aggression issues will likely always be a challenge for individual players. But the media and fans can at least insist that our male role models depict more progressive masculine values as part of their public personas.
Progressive masculinity holds that men should act as their authentic selves, even if those selves don't conform with stereotypical qualities such as stoicism, aggression, and dominance. Activists including Michael Kimmel and Tony Porter have drawn links between toxic masculinity and violence against women, garnering widespread support and national attention. In Hollywood, male celebrities such as Matt McGorry and Terry Crews (who wrote a whole book about progressive masculinity) have been celebrated for speaking out.
Research sponsored by Unilver suggests more men are getting on board with a new way of thinking about masculinity.
Research sponsored by Unilver suggests that more men are getting on board with a new way of thinking about masculinity, pushing back against the outdated depictions featured in television and film. Personally, I was particularly disappointed by the cartoonishly misogynistic James Bond of the new Spectre movie and by Calvin Klein's decision to use uber-womanizer Justin Bieber, of all the men in the world, to represent its spring line of jeans.
Brands have a large part to play in changing popular perceptions of masculinity. Last year, Dove Men+Care bet big money on progressive masculinity in the form of empathetic Super Bowl ads that showed men caring for their children. After years of sexist GoDaddy and Carl's Jr. commercials, the change was a welcome one
This year, Dove is rolling out a new slate of commercials—and some big-name talent—to promote progressive ideals. Green Bay Packers wide receiver Jordy Nelson and Arizona Cardinals quarterback Carson Palmer are both featured in ads that aim to reinforce the message that kindness and caring are indeed masculine traits. While the spots will not air during the Super Bowl itself, their timing is no coincidence.
The power of advertising
Jennifer Siebel Newsom, founder of the nonprofit The Representation Project, tells Quartz that shifts in advertising can correspond, and even encourage, important shifts in cultural attitudes. "Depictions of healthy masculinity and men being their whole, authentic selves are critical for modeling an alternative for consumers, particularly boys and young men," Newsom says. The Representation Project, an outgrowth of Newsom's documentary "Miss Representation," has acted as a media watchdog for gender stereotypes over the past few years, calling out video games, politicians, brands, and movies for sexism and homophobia.
But while it's nice to see pro-football superstars lending their support to these types of campaigns rather than, say, a truck ad or Campbell's soup commercial, it's hard to ignore the underlying tension that exists between these athletes' day jobs and their Dove personas.
Nelson, a Pro Bowl athlete and father of two young boys, tells Quartz that he does have to make sure he balances his on-field competitive drive with his home life. "You might worry you will get looked down on if you're not this rough, tough, don't show your feelings guy, but being a father opens that up and brings those emotions out," he explains.
"You might worry you will get looked down on if you're not this rough, tough, don't show your feelings guy."
When his kids see men in media, Nelson says he wants them to understand that being a man is about being "comfortable in who you are, not someone that's just fitting in because that's the cool thing to do."
Since joining the NFL as a second-round draft pick in 2008, Nelson has developed his own strategies to manage and compartmentalize his aggression. In his case, the 15-minute drive home from the Packers practice facilities operates as a sort of cooling-down period, allowing him to "flip a switch," as it were, from football player to husband and father.
Which brings us back to the Super Bowl. Jessica Luther, a reporter who covers the intersection of culture and sport, tells Quartz that brands can play a big role in changing the way we look at professional athletes. (Whether brands can change the way athletes look at themselves, however, is less certain). "It matters as much what viewers are seeing in commercials between plays" as what fans read in player profiles, Luther says.
So far, there have been small shifts in the media's depictions of masculinity. But viewers are too often left with seemingly contradictory messaging: aggression is good, and so is caring; fearlessness is important, but so is being comfortable with vulnerability. Reconciling these contradictions is not always so simple. But as Luther says, "We live with all kinds of contradictions and so it's certainly possible to live with that one, too."
Update Feb 3, 2016: Dove clarified to Quartz that the ads, while timed to the Super Bowl, will not air during the actual event.


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The mission of the Firm's medical malpractice attorneys is to provide risk management, educational, and litigation defense services to medical providers and healthcare institutions in Tennessee, Arkansas, and Mississippi. The Firm maintains a legal support team, including nurses and paralegals, to assist in this mission. The Firm works closely with insurance carriers, healthcare professionals, expert witnesses, and risk management departments to provide thorough case evaluation and aggressive pre-trial and courtroom defense.


Floor Kids Review – Floor Rocking Or Wack?
Floor Kids by Canadian based MERJ Media is a break-dancing battle game available on Nintendo Switch and PC with Playstation and Xbox in the near future. Floor Kids lets you learn skills, build a crew and find your style. Are you the next Ashley Banjo? or maybe you fancy yourself as an extra from that Run DMC music video!
Feel the rhythm, feel the rhyme! Get on up, it's Floor Kids time!
With a GTA intro style beat playing in the background I was optimistic how Floor Kids would play out. The only dancing games I have ever played have either been down the arcades (back in the day) or behind closed curtains using the Playstation Camera to track my silky movements across the living room floor. The fun and rewarding aspect of your physical movement being in time with the beat is how dance games work right? well not in this case.
Floor Kids invites you to pickup a controller and take your quick-fire street fighter skills to the test. Can you press buttons in time with the beat? Can you impress the crowd with your dance moves? You are about to find out!
Floor Kids is set in a city and revolves around a group of young dancers, 8 to be precise, with funky names such as Scribbles, O-Live and Noogie. Each character has their own set of skills and abilities which affect their performances. Starting at The Studio, the idea is to take on the 3 dance tracks that feature in each location within the city and be scored out of 10 for your Funk, Flavor, Flow, Fire and Flyness. Your final score denotes the amount of crowns you gain for the track with a maximum of 5 possible. As you accrue crowns you unlock the next city location such as The Corner and Groovy Store all the way to your goal, The Peace Summit. If you score 3 or more crowns on a track then you are rewarded with a Dancer Card, once you have 4 Dancer Cards, guess what? you unlock a new dancer! In total there are 8 locations to party through, each with their own set of tracks.
Once you have selected a starting character and track to dance to, it is off to the floor to strut your stuff infront of the crowds. Each 2 minute track is split into 4 parts switching between a freestyle dance and a tap to the beat section. To score points and keep those watchers entertained you need to press the controller buttons in time with the beat of the track, a handy ghetto blaster style EQ pulses across the top of the screen to keep you in time although the thump of the beat is pretty obvious and stands out well in each track. Your dance moves are split into 4 categories; Toprock, Downrock, Power and Freeze. They are selected by either flicking the left stick of the controller up, down, around in circles or holding the stick in a particular direction while holding/hammering the buttons at the correct time. Keeping the moves fresh is a must to score those combos and every so often the crowd calls out for you to pull off a certain category. Get it right and you are rewarded with a score bonus which also helps towards your final rating at the end.
The Tap to the Beat stage was pretty chaotic first time around as I didn't appreciate what was coming up. After a count down of 4,3,2,1 you are shown a row of squares with X's spaced out along them. Pretty soon I realised that I was to hit the controller buttons in time with the X's as the beat carried you along. After 2 rows of precise tapping you are then shown a grid of question marks and you are to rapidly press the buttons as quick as possible to boost that score. This part was a nice break from the freestyle dancing however as it is a chorus part of the track the beat you have gotten used to is slightly different and it will test you until you get used to how this part of the track goes.
The Break Deck, A Bit Like A Sticker Collection But Without The Shineys!
The controls during the game were very responsive with no signs of lag when tapping in time to the beat, I struggled a little to sometimes switch between moves however with a little more play I'm sure I could better my Flow score easily. That said I smashed 4 out of 5 crowns on my first track! A Sesame Street style calling out of the number "4" resonated through my headset as both children and adults hollered out the number of crowns I had scored randomly in the background while the beat of the track banged on.
The number of discovered dance moves appear at the end of the track along with the Dancer Card that you have hopefully gained. Looking at your Break Deck allows you to go back through the dance move cards for each dancer to see how to pull of that particular move, if you are that interested in what the name is of it is, however in the heat of the moment I found myself popping all kinds of moves out while ensuring that I banged the buttons at the right time without necessarily realising what dance move I was actually performing. Combo scoring all the way baby!
As you can probably tell by the screenshots, the graphics are of a cartoon-sketch style that are not quite complete, i.e some of the sketch lines need rubbing out and other bits coloured in. To be honest I love the way that Floor Kids has been drawn and it gives a real urban graffiti feel to the game as well as animating really well. Pulling off spins, freezes and shuffles looked effortless on the screen as the crowd begged for more. The cutscenes between city sections are in a comic book style with picture panes and text beside them, each interlude comes across with a mystical and almost spiritual connection to dancing and the music.
Floor Kids features 8 unlockable urban areas within the city as well as 8 crazy dancers to eventually use so long as you score those crowns and gain those Dancer Cards. As well as the single player campaign there is a multiplayer option which lets you pit your skills locally against a friend to earn those crucial boombastic bragging rights. If you still want more then there is an infinity mode where you can dance to your hearts content without the restrictions of time or goals.
In summary Floor Kids is a fun and unique game that tests your rhythm without the need to get too physical and start embarrassing yourself infront of the rest of your family and friends. The number of dance moves that you can pull off and combos that you can discover make for a great variety of tricks and throwdowns to aid your climb to dancing fame and conquer that ever nearing final city section. There is plenty to do and this is certainly less frustrating than learning all the moves to streetfighter!
I award Floor Kids the Thumb Culture Gold Trophy!
Disclaimer: A review code was received to write this article. My neck hurts from all of the nodding to the beat!
We Sing Pop! Review – My My, How Can I Resist You?


Your phone is more than just a device these days, it's a personal assistant, a computer on your person where ever you go. the amount of data it accumulates without you thinking about it is staggering, and finding what you need can be a chore. Organize your phone effectively with Android Transfer for PC.
Your phone is important, with files and information you may not have anywhere else. Android Transfer for PC allows you to manage all your smartphone's files from your computer. It's one of the most reliable products on the market and a trustworthy alternartive to other high perfoming tieles like SHAREit or File Transfer. Search and download applications with the this tool's integrated file manager while keeping everything organized and neat. Many applications that would otherwise incur costs are free with Android Transfer! The library of free apps is large and growing! Everything from music to files to applications are kept organized the way you want so you can find the things you need, when you need to find them. Nothing could be easier!
Using your computer to manage all your mobile device files, providing consistency across devices and making sure everything is backed up gives great peace of mind. the ability to manage music, applications and files all in one place, across multiple devices gives you a level of control that, once you have it, you won't want to live without. On the developer's website you will find more information on this app. In case you are looking for alternatives, you might want to try Wondershare MobileGo or Mobizen.
Android Transfer for PC connects your mobile phone to your computer. This utility is quite useful for those who want to keep ther information organized, its use is pretty simple, and the only thing you will need is a USB connection on your PC.
Android Transfer for PC is an application that enables you to install applications, transfer music, videos, documents, photos and other files effortlessly from your computer to your Android phone.
You can install the application easily on your computer by following the steps indicated in the wizard. In spite of the easy setup, there is a chance that you could experience some issues getting the app to recognize your device. First off, you need to connect the mobile device to your computer via a standard USB cable.
Generally speaking, the problem occurs because you need to authorize the copying data between your device and the computer. In case you stumble across this issue, then you need to access the Settings on your mobile and navigate to the USB Debugging Notify feature under the Developer Options. If the option is active and the app does not recognize your mobile, then disabling and enabling it again can usually fix this problem.
On a side note, in case you are having troubles establishing the connection, you can access the question marks sign from within the app or check out the configuration tutorial on the developer's website.
While the configuration can cause some irritations, you are unlikely to experience any challenges functionality-wise. Consequentially, you can transfer files via drag and drop or you can open the desired folder and select the documents, photos, videos or other files you want to copy.
You should know that the application does not have any restrictions and supports all types of file formats. Moreover, it can differentiate between standard files and setup kits, meaning that if you add an APK file, the tool identifies it and hence, proceeds to install it on your phone.
All in all, Android Transfer for PC is a user-friendly utility that enables you to transfer the files you need from your computer to your Android smartphone without too much hassle.
Allow data transfer, backup, and app installation.. It is really a good tool to manage android phone on pc. And a backup tool.
A good transfer tool for android phones.. Wow, it is good, I can save many photos as I want. And it is available for Huawei. Pros: Support photos, music files, videos.
What do you think about Android Transfer for PC? Do you recommend it? Why?


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Robyn Benincasa
World Champion Adventure Racer, Firefighter, Triathlete; Leadership, Teamwork & Peak Performance Expert
TRAVELS FROM: Arizona
RELATED TOPICS: Achievement & Performance, Adventurer & Explorer, Fitness & Personal Health, Healthcare Motivation, Inspiring Personal Stories, Leadership Management, Misc. Sports Star, Overcoming Adversity, Personal Growth & Success, Teamwork & Team Building, Women's Health
When the challenges are steep and the competition fierce, Robyn Benincasa provides the tools individuals and organizations need to cross their most challenging finish lines. As a two-time World Champion Adventure racer, San Diego Firefighter, and CNN Hero, Robyn knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy, or as she puts it, "That magic that allows ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together."
Through harrowing experiences in places like the jungles of Borneo and the Himalayan peaks, Robyn has studied the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty of Extreme Teamwork. Her refreshing and unique techniques build and foster impactful, inspired teams that succeed against all odds and turn setbacks into comebacks.
Robyn was named one of 2020s World's Top 50 Keynote Speakers (Real Leaders Magazine), the #1 Female Speaker for Meetings.net, and is one of the Top 10 Speakers featured by Harvard Business Review. She has motivated countless leaders and teams for Fortune 500 companies, including IBM, Starbucks, Walmart, Boeing, Johnson & Johnson, HubSpot, Intel, and more. Her game-changing keynotes inspire us to grab life with one hand, our teammates with the other and create that special magic that makes each of us stronger together than we could ever be alone.
World Champion Eco-Challenge Adventure Racer, New York Times Bestselling Author, Founder of the 501c3 Project Athena Foundation (Survivors to Athletes!), 3x Guinness World Record Distance Paddler, Proud Owner of 2 Metal 'Bionic Hips' and Full Time San Diego Firefighter Robyn Benincasa *definitely* knows a thing or two about creating Human Synergy---or as Robyn puts it, "that magic that allows groups of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together".
For the last 20 years, she and her teammates have been competing at the front of the pack in the most unique and compelling classrooms on earth--The jungles of Borneo, the Himalayan peaks of Tibet, the rivers of Fiji, the rainforests of Ecuador and the desert of Namibia, studying the good, the bad, and the not-so-pretty in Extreme Teamwork and mastering the skills required to inspire a group of semi-exhausted people through a seemingly endless series of checkpoints, in pursuit of a seemingly impossible goal, working against crazy deadlines, in constantly changing conditions and all in pursuit of a huge hairy audacious goal.
It is through these harrowing, life affirming and often hilarious experiences in the world's most grueling challenges that she has emerged with her refreshing and truly unique perspective on what it takes to build the kind of world class teams that succeed against all odds, that triumph in the face of adversity and that win as one in times of great challenge and change.
NBC, ABC, CNN, ESPN, USA Network, The Today Show, Live With Regis, Dateline NBC, The Discovery Channel, Vogue, Harpers Bazaar, Runners World and Outside Magazine have all featured Robyn and her teams' amazing accomplishments. And Robyn accepts full blame for inspiring people to do insane things like climb Mount Kilimanjaro, run their first triathlon, start their own adventure racing teams, hike across the Grand Canyon with a group of Survivors, or start their own businesses.
This is, after all, who she is and what she does: Robyn Benincasa inspires people to grab life with one hand, grab their teammates with the other, and to create that special magic that makes all of us better TOGETHER than we ever would have been alone!
Adapt, Overcome, and Win as One!
Get Ready to Win YOUR Most Challenging Races… Add the Inspirational Force of Leadership and Performance to Your Next Event!
If there's one thing we can all be certain of right now, it's that change is the only thing that's going to stay the same. It's our response to that change that dictates our success. So how do we as leaders inspire the kind of mindset and build the kind of teams that drive our organizations to adapt, overcome and win as ONE in the face of times of extreme challenge and change?
This unique and fast-paced multimedia keynote is inspired by a Fast Company Magazine feature story entitled "Extreme Teamwork" about Robyn's World Champion Adventure Racing team. Robyn shares the Secrets to Extreme Teamwork that allowed her team to be the most prolific and consistent World Champions in the sport, lessons that are easily applied to the adventures in our business lives. Their team culture of innovation, visionary creativity, relentless lead building, and embracing calculated risk as a strategy for success made them one of the most exciting and successful teams in the history of adventure sports, and in Robyn's Adapt, Overcome, and Win as One keynote, she shares the mindset and strategies that created their consistent breakthrough performance.
AND Each Virtual Keynote includes a full super experienced tech team on Robyn's end to ensure everyone's success in creating the magic! You book the event, and our team makes you look like a rockstar.
Why Winners Win: The Game Changing Mindset That Creates Next Level Success
What are the common attributes of people who make a lifelong habit of winning… and who succeed against all odds?
Drawing inspiration from Robyn's team of World Champion adventure athletes as well as Winners from all walks of life, Why Winners Win uncovers the common traits and attitudes of the world's most consistent high performers. The Best of the Best experience times of great challenge and change just like everyone else; but with characteristic Courage, Luck (Opportunity + Preparation), Adversity Management Skills, and a keen ability to create Synergy with their colleagues, they possess the ability to continually motivate and inspire themselves and those around them to the top of the podium in any endeavor.
This inspiring keynote addresses the following goals, dreams and themes:
· Teaching and leveraging a game-changing strategy that shifts one's mindset from "not losing" to winning.
· Embracing times of great challenge and change as a springboard to future success.
· Empowering continuous improvement to spur change and reinvent the game.
· Capitalizing on resources and building a world class team to achieve even bigger goals.
· Demonstrating the importance and value of G.U.T.S. (Going the Distance, Unwavering in your patience and faith, Taking Calculated Risks and Shattering the Norm).
· Solidifying how Luck is a proven formula of Opportunity + Preparation that drives peak performance and consistent results.
Inspiring Greatness Through G.R.I.T. Creating The Passion To Pursue The Impossible
What inspires the resilience to chase challenging finish lines and achieve world class results in times of incredible challenge and change? How do we create the passion and internal drive to pursue goals that seem impossible? We create this kind of greatness in ourselves and our teammates through G.R.I.T!
G.R.I.T is that magical combination of:
RESPECT for our teammates and the mission
TEAMWORK that makes us "sticky" to our goals and dreams.
In this keynote, Robyn shares the real secret to her and her teams' success over 20 years of leading the pack in the sport of adventure racing and as a San Diego Firefighter—their "we will find a way or make one" attitude, their love of the mission, their deep respect for one another, their ingenious solutions and white space thinking, their intensive preparation for all contingencies and conditions, and their incredible ability to not just work with each other, but FOR each other. Having the GRIT to go the distance in any endeavor isn't just a matter of mental fortitude.
Much of our endurance and drive to succeed in those tough times when others would quit comes from our connection to something greater than ourselves, the inspiration that comes from mission driven innovation, the passion we have for our goals and the people whose lives we will touch along the way, the understanding that we are writing our life story during our most difficult challenges, and the respect for a team whose success is inextricably tied to ours.
When you leave Robyn's Inspiring Greatness Through G.R.I.T keynote, you will have a deep understanding of how to create GRIT in your own life and in your team culture, but most importantly, you'll be on a mission to inspire that GRIT in everyone who is lucky enough to know you—- the kind of leader every organization needs to help them climb their tallest peaks, fight their biggest fires, and cross their most challenging finish lines…
Building World Class Teams — How to Achieve Breakthrough Performance Through Collaboration, Creativity and a Culture of ONE
How do you inspire individual team members to become great teammates? What if your teams were not only driven to achieve goals with each other but FOR each other? The world's most successful teams have one thing in common: Human Synergy, which Robyn describes as "the magic that allows groups of ordinary people to accomplish extraordinary things together." If your goal is to take a group of successful individuals and make them successful as a team, this team-building keynote is the perfect message to set the tone for your event!
Robyn's most requested keynote is based on her best-selling book, "How Winning Works: 8 Essential Leadership Lessons From The Toughest Teams On Earth". Robyn's innovative team-building strategies offer practical tools to adapt, overcome, and win as ONE, against all odds. In this fast-paced, story-driven keynote, Robyn Benincasa takes your group on a multimedia adventure which visually and viscerally imparts the mindset that allows teams to adapt, overcome, and win as ONE even when the stakes are high and the only thing constant is change. Your world class team will discover that achieving at peak levels isn't about only reaching UP and trying harder as an individual, but reaching OUT and sharing strengths, talents, and challenges within a World Class Team.
Robyn gets attendees buzzing with inspired ideas about how to raise their team to the next level, both personally and professionally. And they'll take home simple and easily applied skills that will cultivate deep and lasting connections in any team.
The hallmark of a world class team is when they're not only working WITH each other, but FOR each other. – Robyn
"Robyn - thank you for being our motivational speaker at our SKO 2022 for CentralSquare!!! I felt compelled to email you and let you know just how motivational you were to all of us. Our team, in particular, really talked about your message and feel a renewed passion to keep our face to the "front of the boat" in pursuit of progress and team building! Your words have just rocked my life and I feel a very new sense of purpose, now, each morning as I face the day! I can't tell you how much you have motivated me to be the best version of myself and to strive to work more closely with my co-workers, family members and all I come in contact with to just be better together. You deserve amazing feedback, and know that your words touched so many of us. In fact, I was able to put your words into immediate action after SKO. Most of us flew to the event. Some team makes became ill over the course of the week, and some were unable to fly back. Thinking as a team, I knew I had a very low risk of becoming ill, so I jumped in the car with fellow co-workers and we drove over 15 hours back home - assessing who was in the best shape to drive, and the best route to reach our destination safely. It was empowering to talk through our plan, ensure team members rested before driving and made the trip back a memorable one. I would not trade that experience for anything. I thought differently during the trip and positive thinking ruled my mind. I know this is such a small event compared to the great race, but your words of encouragement were fun to repeat during the trip back and let my team members know that they mattered and we were all going to suffer equally! It made the trip fun and we were all able to stay uplifted. Thank you SO much for your interaction with us. I truly feel that our organization needed to hear your words, and your message was on point. Thank you for being the exceptional person you are and know that you are loved and respected within CentralSquare. God bless you on your life journey, and know you have made a difference in mine!"
--Associate Account Manager, CentralSquare
Contact Robyn Benincasa for an appearance by reaching out to Key Speakers at (949) 675-7856, or by leaving an inquiry.
George Dom
Former Blue Angel Flight Leader
Marty Makary, MD
New York Times Bestselling Author, Medical Commentator, Public Policy Expert, and Health Care Futurist
Travels From: Maryland
Mark Schulman
World Renowned Drummer for Bands: P!NK, Cher, Velvet Revolver; Entertaining Keynote Speaker
Gitanjali Rao
TIME's First-Ever Kid of the Year; America's Top Young Scientist
Valorie Burton
Certified Personal and Executive Coach