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TERRY RANDALL
Not particularly uplifting? © Anthony Georgieff
BULGARIA INTERVIEWS
Read more about TERRY RANDALL
CHIPROVTSI
If the name Chiprovtsi sounds familiar to you, it is probably owing to the carpets being made there. Handwoven and adorned with intricate geometrical motifs in bright colours, they are one of the most popular remnants of the old handicrafts in Bulgaria, like the coloured ceramics from the region of Troyan. Many Bulgarians consider their design to be unique, although you can easily distinguish patterns already seen on carpets from Asia Minor and the Middle East.
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THE HOUSE OF CLOWNS, An excerpt from a novel
Fairly Gently appeared in 2003 and won a special award in the Razvitie literature competition. Good Guy (2006) won the Sveltostrui award in 2008. In 2009 The Photographer: Obscura Reperta was published and Loser's Summer in 2010. Galin Nikiforov has twice been nominated for the Helikon award, twice for the VIK Novel of the Year and once for the Elias Canetti literature competition.
Read more about THE HOUSE OF CLOWNS, An excerpt from a novel
WALKING ON DARVIN, KARNEGI AND VASHINGTON
When walking around Sofia you might have noticed that some of the streets, boulevards and neighbourhoods are named after foreigners. Every so often, you come across American and British names. In fact, there are 21 individuals of American, British and Irish origin commemorated in this way in Sofia. Almost all of these played a part in Bulgarian history in one way or another during the period between the April Uprising of 1876 and the end of the Second World War, supporting the country and its people.
Read more about WALKING ON DARVIN, KARNEGI AND VASHINGTON
THE RED STAR REVISITED
At the end of the summer of 1990, less than a year after the collapse of Communism in Bulgaria, parliament passed an act providing for all Communist symbols in the country to be removed. The Supreme Council of the Bulgarian Socialist Party agreed to take down the big red star from the roof of the Party House.
Read more about THE RED STAR REVISITED
HAPPY BUYERS?
"I bought a pair of winter shoes, they seemed stable. After two weeks the sole of one of them came off" a friend of mine complained. "They were under warranty. I exchanged them for another pair at the shop. Two weeks later the sole came off again. I returned the second pair too and they offered me a third one. I didn't want it. It seemed that the whole lot was defective. I wanted a refund. But they refused."
Read more about HAPPY BUYERS?
In Greece, the preparations for Lent get off to a colourful start. On the last Sunday before Lent everyone takes part in their local town carnival and the next day, Clean Monday, they go out into the countryside and fly kites.
In Tyrnavos, however, Lent starts differently. The inhabitants of this small Thessalian town do not fly kites, but huge penis-shaped balloons.
The balloons are not the only provocation. On the Sunday and on Clean Monday, Tyrnavos resounds to the Phallus Festival.
Read more about PHALLIC TYRNAVOS
CIRCUS BULGARIA
In recent months Bulgaria seems to have become an almost textbook example of what every freshman in media studies in the West should know by heart: the world is not what it is but what it appears to be on TV.
In 2011, Bulgaria is not what it is but what Prime Minister Boyko Borisov and his tried-and-tested lieutenant Interior Minister Tsvetan Tsvetanov tell the major TV channels it is.
BULGARIA POLITICS
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THE TIME OF THE KUKERI
A mediaeval fortress known to only a handful of people and a completely unknown museum of mining – Pernik's tourist landmarks wouldn't exactly justify a detour from the main road to Thessaloniki or Skopje. What's more, this town of 80,000 is known for certain quirks more likely to put off rather than attract. The local driving culture has become a generic name for the no-holds-barred, catch-me-if-you-can manner in which Pernik drivers use their old Volkswagens as offensive weapons. The townscape of this mining community is dominated by deserted smelters and slag heaps.
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Citizens have absolutely no comeback in the face of Bulgarian police brutality, according to a report by the Bulgarian Helsinki Committee, the human rights group. It says that the state has spent 900,000 leva on compensation to victims of police brutality, including some resulting in death.
In the period 1998-2010 the European Court of Human Rights issued 27 sentences against Bulgaria. In 23 of them the state was fined for police brutality and the inadequate investigation of it.
Read more about POLICE BRUTALITY
ON TODOROVDEN, OR THE DAY OF ST THEODOR, WHICH THIS YEAR IS ON 12 MARCH, BULGARIAN TRADITIONALLY...
1. The Guinness Book of Records admitted Bulgarian Dimitar Kerin as...
A. The first civil servant in the world fired for playing Farmville at work
B. The tallest man in the world
C. The owner of the longest moustaches in the world
2. What kind of gadget was given as a present from GERB to the ministers and the MPs of the party?
A. BlackBerry 9300
B. iPad
C. Vertu mobile phones
Read more about ON TODOROVDEN, OR THE DAY OF ST THEODOR, WHICH THIS YEAR IS ON 12 MARCH, BULGARIAN TRADITIONALLY...
HIS FIRST IMPULSE
Her short story collection Bitter Sky was published in 2003, while Somebody Else appeared in 2004. Her novel God of Traitors was published in 2006 and the short story collection Miss Daniella in 2007. Vassil was a prizewinner in the BBC World Short Story Competition in 2005, while It's Your Turn was successful in the international short story competition Utopia 2005 in Nantes, France. 200,000 won the special prize in the short story competition Lege Artis in Leipzig, Germany, 2000.
Read more about HIS FIRST IMPULSE
References to the devil, hell and the less paradisal side of life, on the other hand, abound. Here you get rivers, bridges, fields, hills and so on and so forth called either dyavolski, or devilish, "of the devil"; or adski, "of hell." Some have been named after hell's Turkish equivalent, Dzhendem.
In the next issue of Vagabond we will bring you the full story of the discrepancy between the poetics of Bulgaria's National Anthem and the "hellish" reality of its proper names, but here we have the following question for you.
Read more about WHERE IN BULGARIA ARE YOU?
TRACED IN WARS AND DISASTERS
It could happen to anyone. Your brother or husband goes on what seems like an exciting trip to the Middle East or the Pacific. Then you switch on the TV and you catch some breaking news. There are riots in the place where your brother or spouse is, chaos reigns and people have been killed. Maybe a tsunami has swept in from the sea or an earthquake or a volcano has devastated whole towns and villages.
Where is your brother? His phone is silent. His Facebook status doesn't change for days and only tells you about the temperature at the beach. His Skype account is inactive.
Read more about TRACED IN WARS AND DISASTERS
They turned the State Agency for National Security into a Bulgarian Gestapo. I am sure that that will come back to them and punish them.
Opposition MP Yane Yanev on the leaking of surveillance tapes
The ruling party GERB is left only with paid love.
Sociologist Zhivko Georgiev about the decline in popularity of the ruling party in Bulgaria
I am absolutely literate and perfectly capable of writing at least seven pages without any spelling mistakes.
Read more about QUOTE-UNQUOTE
Can be purchased for about £100 at the entrance of Pamporovo resort, a favourite skiing destination for thousands of British and other package holiday-makers.
Long live the Bulgarian taxidermists!
Read more about JOKE OF THE MONTH
Subscribe to Issue 53-54


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Society's Monsters and The Importance of Being Ridiculous
Home / General / Society's Monsters and The Importance of Being Ridiculous
Audrey Zielenbach is the Artistic Content Curator for Gulfshore Playhouse.
Charles Ludlam.
Art is the window through which we can see the past. From art we are able to see beyond what happened; we can see how what happened affected the people who experienced it. Artistic movements are interlinked through time, each one building off that which preceded it but re-contextualized for the current time. While you might not see an immediate link between the AIDs epidemic of the 1980s and the 19th-century Gothic genre, Charles Ludlam certainly did.
The "Theatre of the Ridiculous" movement emerged in the 1960s in New York City. It was subversive, seeking to break from the dominant theatrical trend of strict realism and naturalistic style, taking inspiration from the 1950s movement, the Theatre of the Absurd. "Ridiculous" plays were often pop culture parodies used as vehicles for social commentary. The productions blended drag style with avant garde theatre, often using cross-gender casting and even featuring non-professional actors like drag queens and other "street stars."
Not only was Theatre of the Ridiculous subversive as a theatrical style, its mere existence was a revolutionary, subversive act. In the 1960s, the Gay Liberation movement began in earnest. In the 1970s, it was illegal to cross-dress in public so, during performances, someone would stand on the street outside the venue to keep an eye out for police.
Charles Ludlam, born in 1943 in New York, was a performer and playwright for the Play-House of the Ridiculous before founding his own ensemble, The Ridiculous Theatrical Company. Ludlam believed that the theatre was a refuge for LGBT people and homosexual themes were important in his work. Ludlam captured the spirit of drag in that his plays offered performers the opportunity to express themselves away from the pressures of societal conventions.
Jeffrey Binder and Scott Greer in rehearsal for The Mystery of Irma Vep.
When Charles Ludlam wrote The Mystery of Irma Vep in 1984, the AIDs epidemic was ravaging the gay community. Ludlam would die just five years later due to complications from AIDs. It was during this time, when hundreds of people were inexplicably dying horrible deaths, that Ludlam invoked the penny dreadful of the Gothic era, a staple of 19th century English literature, and their fascination with the spooky and the supernatural.
Gothic fiction was immensely popular in 19th century England, giving monsters like Frankenstein and Dracula a permanent place in our cultural imagination. Although on the surface these are merely pulp horror stories, they were also a vehicle for social commentary, much like "Ridiculous" plays a century later.
The monsters of Gothic fiction embodied cultural and psychological characteristics society found difficult to acknowledge or accept. While monsters often serve as the villains of the story, they also embodied the very human emotions of feeling misunderstood, unloved, and isolated.
Ludlam wrote of the play, "Take things very seriously, especially focusing on those things held in low esteem by society and revealing them, giving them new meaning, new worth, by changing their context." Perhaps Charles Ludlam saw the similarities when he wrote The Mystery of Irma Vep – a community isolated and misunderstood, vilified by a society that didn't want to acknowledge or accept them.
While Gothic literature might be best known as a horror genre, it is also a romantic one. Ludlam wrote and performed the play alongside his life partner, Everett Quinton, two people whose love prevailed in the face of a horrible crisis.
As Ludlam stated, re-contextualizing familiar themes and stories gives them new life and new meaning, reminding us that while the world changes around us, we are still connected to people who lived decades and centuries before us.
Previous LinkGulfshore Playhouse Presents THE MYSTERY OF IRMA VEPNext LinkPhotos: Gulfshore Playhouse rehearses "The Mystery of Irma Vep"

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


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10 things you might like to know about Girl with a Pearl Earring
Vermeer's Girl with a Pearl Earring (1665) has been voted 'the most beautiful Dutch painting' and described as 'timeless, like the Mona Lisa'. She's also a massive money-spinner and features on anything from bikes to baggage. Here's 10 key facts.
1 It's not a pearl
For starters, the pearl is not a pearl. A pearl of that size would simply not have been available to Vermeer. The painting didn't acquire the name until 1995. Before then she was simply a 'Tronie', or a head or face, 'Girl with Turban', or 'Head of a Girl'. Experts at the Mauritshuis think she may be wearing a Venetian bauble of varnished glass which was fashionable at the time while astronomer Vincent Icke opts for polished tin, which would also explain the shine.
2 Who's that girl?
Nobody knows. She could be Vermeer's daughter who was around twelve in 1665. Others put the date of the painting at 1655, putting Vermeer's young wife of two years– literally – in the frame. Perhaps she was simply an anonymous model. According to Rembrandt expert Ernst van de Wetering most artists preferred actual models for their 'Tronies', so it is probably safe to conclude that whoever she was, she was not a figment of Vermeer's imagination.
3 What does it mean?
If the painting was meant to showcase the artist's mastery at depicting emotion as some art critics have it, the Girl with a Pearl Earring does not give much away. But perhaps that is the point.
4 The source of the blue
The headband of the turban is painted in Vermeer's iconic blue. Although poor he used the very expensive natural ultramarine or crushed lapis lazuli in most of his paintings. In 2012 when the Rijksmuseum restored 'Woman in Blue reading a Letter' it found a layer of copper green paint underneath, which gave the blue extra depth.
5 How did the girl end up in the Mauritshuis?
In 1902 the painting, along with 12 others, was bequeathed to the Mauritshuis by army officer and art collector Arnoldus Andries Des Tombe who bought it at auction for two guilders in 1881. The Mauritshuis unfortunately managed to lose the original invoice.
6 Who painted it?
Girl with a Pearl Earring is among some 30 odd paintings attributed to Vermeer. Little is known about the artist- nicknamed the Sphinx of Delft – and many of his paintings went unsigned (although not this one: the signature is in the upper left hand corner) . Documents of the period contain descriptions which – tantalizingly – refer to paintings that are lost or perhaps remain hidden in an attic.
7 Who copied it?
The girl features on hundreds of souvenirs and in hundreds of parodies. Even Marge Simpson has posed as her. In 2014 elusive graffiti artist Banksy painted Girl with a Pierced Eardrum on a wall in Bristol. It was defaced hours after it was discovered.
8 What has it influenced?
Vermeer's life and times spawned a multitude of novels. One of the best-known is Tracy Chevalier's Girl with a Pearl Earring which was made into a film starring Colin Firth and Scarlett Johansson as Vermeer and his model – she's a servant in this version.
9 Did Vermeer like women?
The women in Vermeer's paintings outnumber the men: women are depicted 40 times while men only put in an appearance 14 times. Not that it matters.
10 Where has she been?
Although Vermeer was probably not known very far beyond his native Delft, his Girl with a Pearl Earring has travelled extensively. Up to until now she's been to Paris, Washington, Osaka, Tokyo, Kobe, San Francisco and Atlanta.
This entry was posted in Uncategorized on August 5, 2015 by europeansinthenetherlands.
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We flew again, and saw the green paradise swallowed by clouds. I was genuinely sad I had to leave, but luckily there was still a short treat to look forward to. We landed again to Horta before heading onward to Ponta Delgada and from there to Pico. As we took off towards Ponta Delgada the pilot offered us a good look to the mountain we were hoping to climb, we flew ridiculously close to the tip of Mt Pico, the whole plane let out a sigh and all the windows were manned by phones.
We had a beautiful stone house in the middle of the special stone squares the people of Pico use to cultivate wine in. And a pretty view to the ocean. Then the hope of climbing the mountain was still very much alive. The schedule would be tight. Our flight was leaving at 5 pm, and by then we would have to manage to get up and down the tallest peak in the whole of Portugal. So we shoveled down a sturdy dinner and hopped to bed.
In the morning the plan of getting up the mountain was crumbling. I was barely standing on my own feet and Waffle was not in his heydays either. So instead of crawling out of our beds before sunrise, we resorted into snoozing the alarm a few times before deciding to use the hours we had for exploring the island by car.
The roads are being eaten by moss. Faial in the background.
The peak was there, teasing us as we started to make our way further to the east. The mountain is really an astonishing land mark, towering straight out of the sea to the height of 2531 meters as a very smooth, extremely steep cone.
I am not sure what I had been expecting from the island, but as the road trip advanced, I got to notice that I had been largely wrong. The biggest volcano had last erupted in the early 18th century, which meant that large amounts of greenery had had time to occupy every bit of fertile land. The island is far from a barren volcanic landscape.
Also, if you were expecting to find just one big volcanic mountain standing alone on the island, you have mistaken. The island is littered with smaller domes, dozens and dozens of them standing right next to one another, the whole island through. Crater lakes are also a common sight.
Again we saw a big difference between the shoreline and the higher grounds on the island. The center is rugged, still semi-wild, windy and sitting inside a cloud for the better part of winter. But still magnificently beautiful! The black earth is sprouting endless green stuff, even the roads are partially covered in moss. The misty volcanic cones create an eerie atmosphere.
The cost however is a different story. Whenever there is no cliff plummeting down to the sea, there is a village. Cute one, most often. People have managed to tame the island's coast rather thoroughly and the viticulture has the specialty of utilizing the heat from the black volcanic rocks to grown the vines. One of the prettier things on the island are the views you get to the neighboring Faial and São Jorge.
A fairly typical sight from the islands highlands.
Pico and the small Piquinho at the top. Inviting, is it not?
More of the typical landscape.
São Roque, one of the bigger towns on the island.
The time to return home came far too soon. We had only gotten a small taste of Pico. Needless to say, we plan on returning. The tourist office at the airport gave us nice ideas; there is a very affordable boat service sailing between the three islands, Faial, Pico and São Jorge. Doing that triangle will most probably be on the agenda for the next trip to these green places of wonder!
Amazement, fun time and hurting laughing muscles: Priceless.
Oh was I happy to see once more the grey landscape of Belgium disappearing beneath us, as we took off and headed for the islands of Azores. Waffle, the sweet fool that he is, had again gotten tickets to there for my birthday. This year I was looking especially forward to this trip, since we would be visiting allegedly the most beautiful island of them all- Ilha das Flores!
The flight plan to get there and back was a little bit maddening. Even more maddening at the point where we started receiving announcements of re-bookings and timetable changes. In total we would be hanging in the air 9 times, hopping from Brussels to Lisbon to Ponta Delgada to Horta and finally reaching Flores. Once Flores would be fully enjoyed we would go back to Horta to Ponta Delgada to Pico and from there back to the continent. Quite a list of flying.
We had an over night stop in Ponta Delgada. I just could not hold my smile as we stepped out of the plane and the insanely moist ocean wind met our skin. Felt like returning home! So there I was smiling like a half witted idiot the whole way down to our Airbnb accommodation. Waffle must have been ashamed.
We had the afternoon of time to explore the city of Ponta Delgada. We strolled out to the streets to get to the mood of the Portuguese island life. I do admit it is a pretty town, but our memories from the Angra do Heroismo in Terceira still stay our favorites.
The visit in Ponta Delgada was fairly absent minded, since we were looking forward to getting onto Flores. The next morning couldn't have come soon enough, as we climbed to a small plane that would hop on to the island of Faial before reaching the westernmost island of the Azores.
The moment we emerged from the cloud cover and saw the green blob of land in the ocean, I knew it would be a beautiful holiday ahead of us. The plane swooshed by the side of the cliffs on the eastern coast and already then we saw the first white waterfall plummeting down to the Atlantic. There was a warm buzz waking up inside me.
The tiny airport didn't hold us back for long, as we hit the road accompanied by the friendly advice from the rental car clerk. She showed us her favorite spots for camping and sea staring and loads of other useful tips. The helpfulness of these people is amazing!
We knew the west coast of the small island to be the most beautiful, so on our initial island drive-around we left it for the last, and went to admire the magnificence of the east and north. The island is very small, no more than 20 km from north to south, so getting across it does not require much time. Surprisingly, that small space packs a lot of beautiful sights, from coastal cliffs to the green and rugged hillsides and several view spots to the neighboring Corvo -island.
The weather wasn't great and we spent quite some time searching for places where the gusty western wind would not find us. That search eventually brought us to the beauty of the western side, where we found the perfect base camp for our exploration to the island. But more on that in the next post!


APTL is thrilled to host Toronto-based pianist Cheryl Duvall. Cheryl will perform the world premiere of innermost songs by Daniel Brandes. This piece was commissioned through financial support from the Canada Council for the Arts.


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Feinstein Announces Confirmation of Michelle Friedland to Ninth Circuit
Confirmation fills final remaining vacancy on court
Washington—The Senate today confirmed the nomination of Michelle T. Friedland to serve on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit.
"Michelle Friedland will be an excellent addition to the Ninth Circuit, and I am very pleased the Senate confirmed her today," said Senator Feinstein. "Friedland's confirmation means the Ninth Circuit, by some measures the busiest circuit court in the country, for the first time has its full complement of 29 active judges."
Friedland is currently a Partner at the law firm Munger, Tolles, & Olsen. She worked as a Lecturer in Law at Stanford Law School from 2002 to 2004. She served as a law clerk to Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor from 2001 to 2002, and for Judge David Tatel on the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit from 2000 to 2001.
She earned her B.A. with distinction from Stanford in 1994, received a Fulbright Scholarship, and earned her J.D. from Stanford Law School in 2000, graduating second in her class. She earned a rating of "well qualified" from the American Bar Association, the highest rating the ABA gives.
On April 10, 2014, Senator Feinstein entered the following remarks into the Congressional Record regarding Friedland's nomination:
"This nomination was approved in the Judiciary Committee on a strong bipartisan vote of 14 to 3, including support from four Republican members: Ranking Member Grassley, and Senators Hatch, Graham, and Flake. She has earned the American Bar Association's highest rating of "well qualified."
If she is confirmed, which I very much hope she is, it would mark the first time ever that the Ninth Circuit, the busiest circuit in the country by some measures, has its full complement of 29 active circuit judges.
Michelle Friedland earned her Bachelor's Degree, with honors and distinction, from Stanford University in 1994. She was Phi Beta Kappa, and became a Fulbright Scholar from 1995 to 1996, studying at Oxford.
She earned her law degree from Stanford Law School in 2000, where she was second in her class, graduated with distinction, and inducted into the Order of the Coif.
She then had two prestigious clerkships. The first was with Judge David Tatel on the D.C. Circuit.
She then clerked for Supreme Court Justice Sandra Day O'Connor, who attended Ms. Friedland's confirmation hearing this past November.
Though I could not attend that hearing, it said a great deal that Justice O'Connor, the first woman on the Supreme Court and a voice of great moderation and pragmatism on the Court, came to the Judiciary Committee and demonstrated her support in person for this nominee.
Ms. Friedland then served as a lecturer at Stanford Law School from 2002 to 2004, and subsequently joined the law firm Munger Tolles & Olsen, where she is now a partner.
She has represented major clients, including Berkshire Hathaway, Boeing, Abbott Laboratories, the University of California, and Solvay Pharmaceuticals. She has worked on issues including criminal defense, class action defense, tax, patent, copyright, and antitrust.
She has also done pro bono work, devoting time, for example, to the Silicon Valley Campaign for Legal Services and Equality California.
She has won the President's Pro Bono Service Award and the Wiley W. Manuel Award for Pro Bono Legal Services, both from the State Bar of California.
She also has broad support in the legal community. One letter came from 27 individuals who clerked on the Supreme Court – including for Justices Rehnquist, Scalia, and Thomas – when Ms. Friedland clerked for Justice O'Connor. They said that Friedland is "respectful of colleagues, fair-minded to attorneys and litigants, and sharp as a tack."
A second letter is from Kathryn Haun, who previously served in the Justice Department under Attorney General Mukasey and in the National Security Division. Today she is a federal prosecutor in Northern California.
Ms. Haun has known Michelle Friedland since they were classmates in the same small section at Stanford Law School. Ms. Haun's letter says, and I quote:
"I clerked for Supreme Court Justice Anthony Kennedy, am a member of the Federalist Society, and have always been a registered Republican. Notwithstanding our political differences, I believe [Michelle Friedland] would make an outstanding federal appellate judge if confirmed. This is because Michelle has a deep respect for legal precedent above seeking a particular result in a given case."
A third letter is from the General Counsels of Cisco, Edison International, Google, Facebook, Rambus, and other companies. It speaks very highly of this nominee, and says, quote: "All parties appearing before her, from individual litigants to small businesses to the nation's largest corporations, would be confident that she will adjudge their cases fairly and in accordance with the law."
The Ninth Circuit is also the busiest circuit. It has over 1,470 pending appeals per panel. This is two and a half times the average of the other circuits.
It comes as no surprise, then, that it takes much longer to resolve an appeal in the Ninth Circuit than in the other circuits. Specifically, the Ninth Circuit takes 13.3 months to resolve an appeal. This is down from 17.4 months in 2011, but it is still 55 percent greater than the average in the other circuits.
Thus, it is very important for businesses, individuals, and others in all states in the Ninth Circuit that nominees to this court are promptly taken up and confirmed.
I will conclude by remarking upon what I see as a real opportunity for the Senate in the coming months.
When I was first elected to the Senate in 1992, it was called by some the "year of the woman." Senator Boxer and I were both elected that year, as were Senator Murray and former Senator Carol Moseley Braun.
Yet after we were all sworn in, there were still only six women in the Senate. I became the first woman ever to sit on the Senate Judiciary Committee, after some very divisive hearings for Justice Clarence Thomas, in which the lack of women on the Judiciary Committee became an issue.
At the time, the Federal courts were mainly the province of men appointed by the two most recent Presidents.
About 92 percent of President Reagan's confirmed judicial nominees were men. That number fell under President George H.W. Bush, but only to 81 percent. Overall, only 12.6 percent of active federal judges were women when I was sworn in to the Senate.
Although women have been close to half of all law students for decades, even today only 53 of 164 active circuit judges – or 32 percent – are women.
Right now, there are female nominees for the Third, Ninth, Tenth, and Eleventh Circuits pending in the Senate – a total of six nominees, with four simply waiting for a floor vote. To put these numbers in perspective, there were only six women confirmed to the circuit courts during all eight years of the Reagan Administration.
If all six of these pending nominees are confirmed, the number of active female circuit judges would grow by over 11 percent. That is a big deal, and it is a real opportunity to increase significantly the number of women on the circuit courts.
Michelle Friedland is well qualified, she has bipartisan support, and her confirmation would give the Ninth Circuit – the busiest circuit – a full complement of 29 judges for the first time. I urge my colleagues to support her."


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We Talking About Dem Elders Again
Posted by Lucius Svartwulf Helsen in About Me, News, Paganism, Rants
elder, elders, Heathen, nightmare, Pagan, politics, Religion, sara amis, transgender, wrongthink
So a while back I ended up writing an article about Elders, which seems to have been a topic that picked up. There was an artilce by DuPree which talked about it, and then someone responded to Dupree's article. I'm going to look at their response, since it seems DuPree took the position of "I'm not shaming my people because you don't like them." Which some of you might recall was about M.Macha Nightmare, who temporarily took the public opinion of removing T from the LGBT grouping. So let us look at Inanna, the Sacred B and the Sacred T by Sara Amis and how she dealt with people respecting Nightmare.
I'm going to skip the poetry at the start because, well, it's art. I'm not going to go around destroying art anymore than I have to. Reasoning and positions however…
This has been a bit of a slow burn for me; generally speaking, when people I know to be foolish on some subjects open their mouths and start talking, I don't waste any more time trying to teach the pig to sing. I have got other things to do. But honestly…and this is no fault of his, particularly…when Erick DuPree started talking about "respecting our Elders" it just broke me.
It always seems the first thing to break people is when others they deem "foolish" or "wrongthinking" open their mouths and profess a differing world view. Of course, these people are always tired of "teaching swine" and explaining why they're right. As if the rightness of their position should be so evident that all can see it, and only the subhuman would dare disagree.
Still, I suppose it says something for DuPree's talent with words that he managed to break something using only them. It's a rare talent. Bravo, DuPree, for being among the elite few.
We respect our elders, when we do so, for their wisdom. And that respect has to be earned; it is not automatic. Nor can it be coerced. Not to put too fine a point on it…they have to actually be wise. I will tell you this: The problem is far, far beyond signing one petition (however mean-spirited), or a few ill-considered remarks. I'm glad that Erick DuPree has had such positive experiences, but many other people have not. There is a toxic history of hostility towards queerfolk there that goes back decades…from people who damn well ought to know better.
Typically, that respect has been earned. Not "it needs to be earned." Elders in a community, in my experience, are there because they have already passed the test and walked the road, not because they're just starting out.
And…of course it's queerfolk. Seriously, it's either queerfolk or PoC who are always complaining about "how badly they're treated." You know who you never really hear complain about how badly they're treated? Heathens. I mean heathens get the shit beat out of them, tarred and feathered as racists at every turn by nearly every "progressive" Pagan path out there and you don't hear them crying nearly as much about their maltreatment.
But oh no, some Elder of a path that doesn't even probably relate to the "queerfolk" that much goes off and does something they don't like and suddenly it's all "toxic hostility" that "goes back for decades." And a dozen other reasons to silence the "wrong thinker."
The petition that Macha Nightmare signed is to "remove the T" from LGBT organizational support, citing a bunch of scare-mongery nonsense. It claims to be from "gay and bisexual" signatories but I am smart enough to know that any group of people trying to pry trans people loose from the chain of queer solidarity are going to be coming after me next. We as groups are barely tolerated in some gay and lesbian circles as well as the wider culture as it is, and by "barely" I mean "openly viewed with hostility and/or actively erased." I fled that hostility as baby queer and landed in the Pagan community partially because it was the one place I felt being bi was a non-issue. Oh, the irony.
Actually, everyone is welcome to read my article about the whole "removing the T from GLBT" thing. In which I point out the movement rightly points out that where GLB are sexual orientations, T is a gender (technically it's not even a gender, it just is an expression that you were born the opposite of your gender). And that many in the T community actively run at cross purposes with both the G and L communities in both terms of social freedom, orientation recognition, and so forth. It's hardly "scare-mongery."
Well, unless you happen to agree with the G and L people that the Trans community has a disturbing habit of trying to nab kids while their young for gender reassignment programs when in reality those kids might simply be homosexual rather than transgender. That might count as scare-mongery, even if it is true.
Oh wait, I'm doing that thing where I challenge people's sacred beliefs with facts again, aren't I. I'm such an asshole.
And to answer Erick's question about whether we are to assume she is trans-phobic because she signed it…yes. Yes, we are. It's a transphobic document; it claims among other things that women get regularly attacked in bathrooms by "men" ie trans women. It's nonsense, and it's hateful nonsense. She put her name to it willingly. What Luisah Teish and Rose Barrett said likewise. They are grown-ass women, and responsible for what they say and do. You can't claim or advocate respect on the one hand and make excuses (or call names) on the other; it doesn't work that way.
Uh, no..no we're not.
Transphobia, if we translate it literally, means an irrational fear of trans gender people.
So a petition that says "a gender identity which holds to regressive views of male/female gender norms and engages in anti-GLB behavior at times does not belong categorized with sexual orientations which exist outside of gender norms" is not "trans phobic." It is anti-trans, sure, but it is not an "irrational fear" especially given the number of GLB peoples who have come out in defense of this petition, created this petition in the first place, and provided evidence of how the T was not something that belongs in with GLB as they know or understand it.
Of course, if we use Amis's logic here, Amis is a homophobe for trying to silence GLB voices in determining the scope and nature of their identity and movement.
Now, is Nightmare's signing this petition transphobic? Oh course not. Nightmare does not appear to fear transpeople, or be hostile to them in any way. She merely signed a petition that said a gender doesn't belong grouped with sexualities. Something that the political left has stood by as a position for decades, that gender and sexuality are separate things and should be treated accordingly.
Now, I don't know what this Luisha Teish or Rase Barrett things are. Amis doesn't include links. If anyone has links, put them below and I'll look them over, thank you. I'm guessing it was more "Wrongthink" in regards to transgenderism or something like that.
Look: age is no excuse. If you could draw on ancient sources to help restore the sacred feminine, a deeply radical notion in the 1960s and 70s, you could certainly have noticed that those same ancient sources make frequent reference to the sacred androgyne…Gods, Goddesses, and their priesthoods alike. We aren't talking about some "progress" that hasn't quite happened yet and that we need to be patient for; nor yet about disrespect for elders, forsooth. We are talking about Ancestors, who are the most Elder of all, and reading the source material.
I'm not an expert on all Ancient Religions. I do however wonder sometimes about all the stuff the "queerfolk" use to prove that they have a place in paganism based on ancient stuff. I am a historian, however, so I tend to look at my sources in their larger context. So when I look at this sacred androgyne for example I know of things like Loki shape-shifting between genders and Hermaphroditus who had both genders. Now, of those two examples I am most aware of…Loki never stops being a man (internally) and Hermaphroditus was not a "queerfolk" transgender person, but rather a person of bi-gendered nature, existing as the third human gender…but not a transgender.
Of course, we are swine and Amis gives no links to all this evidence for "queerfolk" being a part of ancient religion or society.
And that is what I came here to tell you about. Let stupid be stupid. What I want to say to you…especially those who are trans, genderfluid, bisexual, or any variety of shapeshifter queer…is that we aren't some peripheral afterthought of the sexually polarized Mystery. We aren't the next down the priority list of being seen as fully human, and for some a bridge too far. We are at its core.
Shapeshifter queer…
Right, okay, are we talking some kind of "Otherkin" shapeshifter queer here or am I actually supposed to believe that there are physical shapeshifters openly living with this supernatural power…and their biggest problem is that they're gender isn't lining up with the bodies…they…can…shapeshift…into any…form…they want…
Also, I'm not sure why Amis is dragging bisexual people into this. They're not being removed from the GLB community. And except for the odd treatment of "just pick a team already" I can't even say that having talked to bi-sexual people they're all that messed with.
But as far as this "we're at the core of the mystery" thing goes…Amis..you're lying to yourself, and to your audience. That "Mystery" in every historical and religious context I've come across truly is Male/Female. There were male mystries, and female mysteries, and joint mysteries but you know what? I've never come across a "queerfolk" mystery in the ancient Pagan ways. I'm not trying to be mean here, I'm not being transphobic, I'm just stating the truth. "Transgender" as we know it practically didn't exist a hundred years ago. Much less several thousand.
I'm sorry. I know it sucks to be something completely new and practically unheard of. I know it sucks being stuck in a form that is so different from your true self, and your true self being something so alien to this world that it goes beyond understanding. But you can't change the past or facts just because you don't fit them, and you don't get to declare everyone who doesn't agree with you to be some vile thing to be shunned from society.
That core is expansive. No matter who you are, I need you to go think about the fact that physical sex, sexual orientation and gender identity are demonstrably not fixed and immutable qualities parceled out in discrete and complete packages tidily by nature, that they are tidal, they are in flux…and that's true for you even if your compass needle never swings at all personally, except it does because nobody in this world is exactly the same sexual and gendered person they were born as. I need you to go and ponder that until you get it. It will be easier for some of you than others. And when you do get it you will know because it will feel exactly like the touch of a Goddess, fire and breaking open, a curse unbound. You are not a fixed object. You are a transformation in progress, always.
Oh bloody Hela.
Look, I get that Amis believes these things to be true. However, as a religious person I can promise you that belief in a thing doesn't always promise that thing to be reality.
But what Amis is really saying here is that "everyone is transgender, transgender is the norm, they just do not experience it to the degree we "trangender" people do.
All you have to do is believe!!!!!!!!"
Even if all that is a little too mystical for you, consider that "The Lady of Largest Heart" which is literally one of the oldest works of literature in the world, written by the first named author in human history (a woman) describes a ritual in which Inanna removes the symbols of womanhood and "consecrates [a] maiden's heart as male," then does the same with a man, granting each the role and status of another gender by divine fiat and simultaneously inducting them into her priesthood. She herself appears as whatever gender she pleases, and pays no regard to expectations while doing so. Inanna is no minor deity; she is Queen of Heaven, Priestess of the Gods, winner of the holy me from Enlil, pre-eminent Goddess of sexuality, battles, and all of the arts and sciences and skills of rulership and the social order. That is to say…ancient Mesopotamia was the foundation, the cradle of Western civilization, and the sexy mama rocking that cradle was a cross-dressing, gender-shifting, sovereignty-and-victory-granting Goddess who would make love to anything that moved, male, female, or androgynous, with bells on and drums playing. If we as a civilization want our groove back, I know Who has it. And she is not about to put up with any of your trans- or bi- or homo-phobic blather, misogyny, or ignorant hateful nonsense.
I swear to Gods, fate has the funniest sense of humor sometimes. The Priestess who wrote this "queerfolk" friendly poetry (supposedly) is named Enheduanna. Her father was the King Sargon of Akkad. Who, as many of you will know, is the alias of one of my favorite YouTube personalities…who often deals with debunking and calling out radical progressives such as Amis, for trying to shut down people who commit "Wrongthink" against the "progressive" agenda.
Sorry, I know that doesn't really add anything, I just thought it hilarious.
Here's the thing though, Mesopotamia was not the foundation and cradle of "Western Civilization. That was Greece and Rome. Sure, Mesopotamia is listed as the first recorded civilizations as we know them, but claiming they're the foundation of Western Civilization would be like claiming they were the foundation of Asian civilization. We call it Western Civilization because it's from Europe, the "West."
But you know what, hey, good for the Trans people. They finally have a God. Usually, they just say "the goddess" or something and never have a name, but here we apparently have the name. Of course…Inanna is not the only Goddess out there, or the strongest, or the one that most "western civ" Pagans pray to so…not sure how this really effects the conversation, really. She sit not in the halls of Asgard, nor does she live on Olympus. The Celts knew her not, or the Slavs. In fact, Inanna really isn't part of Western Civilization's Divine givers at all.
So maybe she's not going to put up with our "trans-bi-homophobic" nonsense (of course, Amis has already committed homophobia by her own standards, so…not sure I'd be invoking a Goddess not going to stand for that if I were them), but when it comes right down to it…There's a lot of Gods and Goddesses who apparently are more than happy to let people speak their minds and believe as they will, and thankfully they're the ones with the power here.
Still, I can't help but feel deep down there's some misrepresentation going on here on Amis's part. So if anyone who worships or knows more of Inanna would like to post about her in the comments, the phone lines are open.
May your door be opened, and your truest self revealed; may it manifest like a flower blossoming out of nowhere. That is Inanna. That is her.
Actually, my truest self revealed is Svartwulf and it's…not so much a flower. It's more like…well.
What can I say, Hela wanted an eldritch abomination. So no doubt when Amis wants to rip into me as some sort of transphobic swine for doing this all I'm really going to do is laugh. Because really, when you get to my level of messed up transformations, transgenderism is…well…it's cute.
Hela Bless
3 thoughts on "We Talking About Dem Elders Again"
Silver Wolf said:
As a bisexual woman I will say the rest of the "community" tends to have mixed feelings about us, but normally at best we tend to be ignored (and tend to stay to ourselves). Some don't care and some do not like us. Personally I don't give a shit if other people in the community like me or my sexuality. I really don't think we are in danger of getting booted out though so yea.
As before I stated I agree with not including trans in part of the LGB community because gender and sexuality are completely separate issues. I think maybe the fear is that if they take the T off that transgender people will lose their support, but I don't think that would be the case. I have this opinion yet a close friend of mine that I very much care for is a trans woman and I have been a supporter of trans people for quite some time.
I don't really know anything about Inanna so I can't speak on that one, but to try to cite a pagan religion of accepting of transgendered people may be Hinduism. They tend to be referred to as Hijra, a third gender. They are seen as being blessed and are good luck to have a different kinds of celebrations (birth, marriages, etc.) and are routinely paid to attend. The religion itself is a lot more accepting but they still do tend to get looked down on by the populace and tend to live in poverty. There is some gender fluidity in some of their myths. I am by no means an expert on the Hindu religion so this may not all be 100% accurate.
Jön Upsal's Gardener said:
Thanks for mentioning Sargon of Akkad's YouTube channel. I'm checking it out now, and liking what I'm seeing.
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Home | Business News | CBJ Newsmakers | VitalHub Announces Five Year Licensing Contract With Wirral University Teaching Hospital
VitalHub Announces Five Year Licensing Contract With Wirral University Teaching Hospital
TORONTO, Jan. 04, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — VitalHub Corp. (the "Company" or "VitalHub") is pleased to announce a five-year licensing agreement of VitalHub subsidiary Intouch with Health's (Intouch) Patient Journey Platform by Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust ("Wirral" or the "Trust").
The Trust provides healthcare for people of the Wirral Peninsula and the surrounding areas of North West England and North Wales, and is one of the biggest and busiest acute NHS trusts in the North West, serving a population in excess of 320,000 people. Prior to this contract, Wirral was an existing VitalHub subsidiary (Jayex) customer, and has opted to extend and expand their engagement with the Company. This expansion contract will provide the Trust with access to the Company's robust suite of Patient Journey solutions, including: Flow Manager, Check-in, Patient Calling, Wait Time Manager, Activity Manager, eOutcomes, Mobile Appointment Manager, Walk-in Manager, Room and Resource Manager, Wayfinding, Virtual Clinics, HL7 integration to PAS.
The Intouch with Health Patient Journey Platform enables NHS Trusts and healthcare organizations to manage entire patient workflows and optimize flow in outpatient care in an efficient manner. Processing approximately 56% of all NHS outpatient attendances, the Intouch Platform processes 55 million outpatient appointments annually, utilizing real time data and integrated blended pathways to improve patient flow and support more effective patient care.
"We are thrilled to be deepening our relationship Wirral University Teaching Hospital Foundation Trust," said Dan Matlow, CEO of VitalHub Corp. "The Intouch suite of services offers health systems powerful tools to manage the patient journey, and will provide meaningful operational improvements to the Trust. We value the ongoing market traction, contract renewals and expansions we are seeing across the UK marketplace and beyond. We look forward to an exciting year ahead as we continue to execute on our strategic growth initiatives."
ABOUT WIRRAL UNIVERSITY TEACHING HOSPITAL NHS FOUNDATION TRUST
Wirral University Teaching Hospital NHS Foundation Trust is an NHS Foundation Trust, providing healthcare for people of the Wirral Peninsula and the surrounding areas of North West England and North Wales; a population in excess of 320,000 people. Wirral is one of the biggest and busiest acute NHS trusts in the North West. The Trust has been recognized by numerous national awards in areas including dermatology, dementia, patient experience, patient safety, scientific innovation and staff engagement.
ABOUT VITALHUB
Software for Health and Human Services providers designed to simplify the user experience and optimize outcomes. VitalHub develops mission-critical technology solutions for Health and Human Services providers in the Mental Health (Child, Youth & Adult), Long-Term Care, Home Health, Community & Social Services and Acute Care sectors.
VitalHub develops technologies in two primary categories: Patient Flow, Operational Visibility & Patient Journey Optimization solutions; and Electronic Health Record, Case Management, Care Coordination & Optimization solutions. The Company has a robust two-pronged growth strategy, targeting organic growth opportunities within its product suite, and pursuing a strategic M&A plan. Currently VitalHub serves more than 600 clients across Canada, USA, UK, Australia, New Zealand, the Middle East, and Europe.
VitalHub is based in Toronto, Canada, with an offshore development hub in Sri Lanka. The VitalHub team comprises more than 200 team members globally. The Company is publicly traded on the Toronto Stock Exchange (TSX) under the symbol "VHI".
CAUTIONARY STATEMENT
This press release includes forward-looking statements regarding the Corporation and its business, which may include, but is not limited to, statements with respect to the appointment of a new directors. Often, but not always, forward-looking statements can be identified by the use of words such as "plans", "is expected", "expects", "scheduled", "intends", "contemplates", "anticipates", "believes", "proposes" or variations (including negative variations) of such words and phrases, or state that certain actions, events or results "may", "could", "would", "might" or "will" be taken, occur or be achieved. Such statements are based on the current expectations of the management of each entity and are based on assumptions and subject to risks and uncertainties. Although the management of each entity believes that the assumptions underlying these statements are reasonable, they may prove to be incorrect. The forward-looking events and circumstances discussed in this release, may not occur by certain specified dates or at all and could differ materially as a result of known and unknown risk factors and uncertainties affecting the companies, including risks regarding the technology industry, failure to obtain regulatory or shareholder approvals, market conditions, economic factors, the equity markets generally and risks associated with growth and competition. Although the Corporation has attempted to identify important factors that could cause actual actions, events or results to differ materially from those described in forward-looking statements, there may be other factors that cause actions, events or results to differ from those anticipated, estimated or intended. No forward-looking statement can be guaranteed. Except as required by applicable securities laws, forward-looking statements speak only as of the date on which they are made and the Corporation undertakes no obligation to publicly update or revise any forward-looking statement, whether as a result of new information, future events, or otherwise.
Dan Matlow
Chief Executive Officer, Director
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Why Acupuncture is a Great Career Choice: Growing Opportunities Within Western Medicine
Acupuncture and mainstream Western medicine may be rooted in different perspectives, but according to Jessica Frier, DAOM, L.Ac., they actually "work well together."
In fact, acupuncture's use in mainstream healthcare is becoming more and more common. Below, we'll discuss examples of that—plus we'll explore why it's a great time to become an acupuncturist.
"Acupuncturists bring a completely unique skill set to healthcare," says Dr. Frier, who is Dean of the Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine College at Northwestern Health Sciences University. "And more than ever, we're seeing a collaboration between mainstream Western medicine and acupuncture to treat patients. It's exciting to see the benefits of acupuncture being recognized by more people."
Why is interest in acupuncture growing?
Derived from Chinese medicine, acupuncture is a form of healthcare that treats illness and improves health by stimulating prescribed points on the body with sterile needles or similar techniques.
Frier says as more people realize the health benefits of acupuncture, there's also a growing body of research demonstrating the effectiveness of acupuncture.
Researchers at the University of York have found that acupuncture "reduces pain levels and improves mood levels."
A large study published in The Journal of Pain demonstrated that "acupuncture treatment is a reasonable option for chronic pain patients."
In another example, a Columbia University study concluded, "Acupuncture is an effective and well-tolerated strategy for managing" the side effects of aromatase inhibitors, a common treatment in early stage breast cancer.
These positive developments also extend to the job market. "The career options for acupuncturists have changed dramatically in the last ten to fifteen years. Practitioners are being integrated into many different work settings that weren't an option 20 years ago," says Frier.
The benefits of seeing health and wellness through more than one lens
"People are complex, and that's why I think it's great when patients can be looked at through different healthcare lenses," Frier says. "An acupuncturist is going to approach a patient's health and well-being differently than a conventional healthcare provider."
For instance, a medical doctor may focus on a patient's conditions and consider how those can be managed from a biomedical perspective. That can often involve a patient being given treatment in the form of surgery, prescription drugs, or both. "And sometimes that approach is absolutely necessary," says Frier.
But she also says the approach can leave people feeling like they've lost control over their healthcare. "An acupuncturist can balance the situation by guiding a patient's own ability to help heal and regulate the body," says Frier. "That's why I think having both perspectives is so valuable."
A great example of this is in the use of acupuncture for pain management. Frier says the demand for acupuncture is becoming especially high as mainstream healthcare practitioners—as well as their patients—look for alternatives to opioids for pain management.
Acupuncture's expanding role in conventional healthcare settings
Acupuncture services are being incorporated into more hospitals and primary care clinics. This is a significant development, says Frier, because it shows that mainstream healthcare providers are doing more than just recommending acupuncture. "It indicates acupuncture's growing acceptance within the traditional system of Western medicine."
It's also a phenomenon occurring right in the backyard of Northwestern Health Sciences University (NWHSU). According to Frier, the St. Paul-Minneapolis Metro Area is actually "leading the charge" in bringing acupuncture into conventional healthcare settings.
For instance, healthcare organizations in the region like Fairview and Allina Health now offer acupuncture to treat a range of health conditions. In fact, Abbott Northwestern Hospital in Minneapolis, part of Allina Health, was the first facility in the country to offer acupuncture in the emergency room.
Other major healthcare organizations that now offer acupuncture include:
UCLA Health System
In addition, Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center in New York City offers acupuncture treatment to cancer patients. In fact, more than 60 percent of National Cancer Institute-designated cancer centers include acupuncture to manage the symptoms of patients.
Influential healthcare organizations are also endorsing acupuncture. Entities like The Joint Commission, the Food and Drug Administration, and the American College of Physicians® all officially support acupuncture as a viable non-pharmacological option for pain relief.
Could an acupuncture career be right for you?
Beyond acupuncture's growing acceptance within mainstream medicine, Frier says there are numerous reasons why the profession of acupuncture is a great career choice.
If you're thinking about becoming an acupuncturist, keep qualities like the following in mind. Do you see yourself in any of them?
You feel called to help others. Acupuncturists have the opportunity to help patients on multiple levels and connect with them more deeply. For example, an acupuncturist can help people manage pain, reduce anxiety, and find relief from insomnia.
Also, acupuncturists utilize more than just needles. For instance, they can help patients achieve their health goals by making dietary recommendations and suggesting lifestyle changes.
More generally, Frier says that acupuncturists can serve their patients by providing more time and attention. "Conventional medical appointments are important, but they're often quite brief. Acupuncturists can take more time to sit and discuss a person's overall health and well-being."
Watch Angie Weber describe why she switched from a physician's assistant path to attending acupuncture school at NWHSU.
You like the idea of providing hands-on treatment. Acupuncturists typically deliver hands-on treatment during patient visits. For example, in addition to using sterile needle techniques, they may also use massage and other soft-tissue treatments.
You want to play a role in the future of healthcare. Healthcare is changing in profound ways. For example, integrative healthcare bridges treatments like acupuncture with mainstream Western medicine. It's also an approach that places more value on a patient's preferences and experiences. If this sounds exciting to you, then an acupuncturist career could be a great fit.
"Think of an integrative clinic as a healing hub for people," says Frier. "It's a place where practitioners from different disciplines work together to treat a patient." If this sounds exciting to you, then an acupuncturist career could be a great fit.
You have an entrepreneurial spirit. We've covered how acupuncture is being used more within mainstream medical facilities. But owning and operating your own clinic is still the most common way that acupuncturists practice.
Though not every acupuncturist wants or needs to have their own practice, many find this option especially rewarding because:
You can have a more flexible schedule.
You can create your own atmosphere.
You have more control over your work pace and earnings.
You can start a practice more easily thanks to lower initial costs.
See former NWHSU student Stephanie Hylla discuss how she chose to become an acupuncturist and also why she enjoys running her own practice.
You like the freedom of shaping your own path. Another advantage of the acupuncture career path is that you can choose to focus on serving specific kinds of patients. What are you passionate about? Who do you imagine working with on a daily basis? Here are some examples:
Patients with fertility issues
Expectant mothers
Cancer patients
Hospice patients
Underserved patient communities
How should you prepare for a career in acupuncture?
In light of acupuncture's growing acceptance—and use—in mainstream medical settings, how should today's acupuncture students be prepared?
Frier says the Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine programs at NWHSU bridge the gap between Eastern and Western medical education by providing students a solid foundation in both approaches.
Be Prepared for Today's Healthcare Landscape
"If you're going to be an acupuncturist, you need to also understand the Western perspective on how the body works," says Frier. "The reality is that your patients will often be coming to you with mainstream medical diagnoses. So here at NWHSU, we make more of an effort to integrate both perspectives because that's the world we live in."
For example, in addition to core courses in the theory and practice of acupuncture, students take expanded topics courses like pathophysiology to understand medical conditions from a Western perspective. They also gain clinical experience in a wide range of healthcare settings.
Be Empowered to 'Choose Your Own Adventure'
NWHSU's acupuncture education approach does more than prepare students to be effective acupuncturists. Frier says it empowers them. "Once you have this balanced foundation of knowledge, you're better able to shape the direction you want to take your career. And no two acupuncturists are the same. It really is a 'choose your own adventure' profession."
Take the next step toward becoming an acupuncturist
Acupuncture's expanding use within Western medicine makes this a great time to join the profession. If you'd like to learn more, take the next step by checking out How to Become an Acupuncturist.
And if you'd like to talk to someone right away about becoming an acupuncturist, contact NWHSU today!
LEARN MORE About Our Acupuncture and Chinese Medicine Programs


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Pequannock Township High School was established in 1956 and serves a student body of 700 students. Located in suburban Northern New Jersey, the school has strong ties to the community with many of our parents having attended the same schools as their children.
Pequannock Township High School has increased the rigor and relevance in all content areas and has made a concerted effort to focus on the Essential Skills as outlined in the Common Core Standards to meet advanced levels of proficiency on the PARCC, PSAT, SAT and ACT. To support these efforts, PTHS employs the use of "walk-throughs" to continually monitor classroom practices, protocols and instruction. The recent addition of department supervisors provides the teaching staff a more structured support system designed to improve instruction.
PTHS strives to offer a world-class education for all of its students. We encourage all of our students to pursue a course of study that will constitute an appropriate intellectual challenge in order to prepare them for the next steps of their education. Along with our extensive Advanced Placement Program, PTHS offers a wide variety of elective course offerings including Forensic Science, Engineering, Robotics, Anatomy & Physiology, Psychology, Concert Band, Environmental Science, Business, and more.
The Pequannock Township High School athletic program spans 21 different inter-scholastic sports programs. PTHS student athletes and coaches consistently practice good sportsmanship, and as a result of this commitment the athletic program received three NJSIAA Sportsmanship Awards in Swimming, Boys Basketball, and Girls Lacrosse for the 2016-17 school year. The Panthers compete in the Independence Division of the Northwest Jersey Athletic Conference, and last year accumulated 3 conference championships throughout the fall, winter, and spring seasons. In addition, the football team clinched the 2017 NJSFC American Division Championship.The Panther colors are blue and gold.
Pequannock Township High School offers extensive music related curricular and extra-curricular opportunities for students. The Instrumental Department offers many different performance opportunities to students including Concert Band, which is a curricular course that meets during the school day, and extra-curricular activities such as Marching Band, Jazz Band, Winter Guard and multiple small ensembles (percussion and woodwind ensemble). Recent accolades include 2017 Concert Band taking 1st place with a superior rating at Music in the Parks in Hershey Park, 2016 Marching Band placing 2nd place in the nation at Championships, and 2017 Winter Guard placing 1st at their Championships. Most recently, the Marching Band won State Championships at Middleton High School South as well as winning National Championships in Allentown, PA. This is the first time since 2008 that the Marching Band has won both of these prestigious awards.
Also, the Vocal Music Department gives students the opportunity to participate in various vocal ensembles: Concert Choir and Chamber Choir. Ensembles perform around the community throughout the year as well as in the Winter and Spring Concerts which showcase the abundance of talent Pequannock Township High School has to offer. Vocal ensembles also compete in various Choir Festivals and Competitions where students are given the opportunity to hear other young musicians. Last year, the Concert Choir and Chamber Choir both received Superior ratings from their performances at the High Note Music Festival.
Pequannock Township High School encourages parent and community involvement in our school programs. The PAWS Home and School Association is active in its support of our mission. Our band parents association and individual parent sports associations have worked collaboratively to support our students on the road to success. Our commitment to establishing a strong partnership with our parents is a hallmark of our program.
Mr. Richard Hayzler, Principal
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Tag Archives: remix
Feature Friday #191: Hot Dollar – Switch Ya Swag Up (Remix) (Feat Lil Wayne)
December 6, 2019 in Feature Fridays
For this week's "Feature Friday" edition, I have picked the official remix of Hot Dollar's "Switch Ya Swag Up" featuring a verse from Lil Wayne.
The original version of this song appears on Dollar's The Crackhead Mixtape Volume 2 project, which was released back in 2008.
"I'm Mr. Potato Head to you small fries; Yeah, you can check my archives; And they nicknamed my swagger 'Sharp Knives'; First name My Thoughts Wise; Last name Carter, to rappers I'm Jaws 5; Last name Carter, to rappers I'm Saw 5"
You can listen to the "Switch Ya Swag Up" remix below.
Lil Wayne Performs His "Old Town Road" Remix Live For The Very First Time [Video]
July 30, 2019 in Latest News
On July 25th, Lil Wayne and Blink-182's joint tour made a stop at the Coral Sky Amphitheatre in West Palm Beach, Florida.
During Weezy's set, he performed one of Lil Nas X's upcoming "Old Town Road" remixes, which we have previously heard a snippet for, live for the very time.
You can check out some footage of Tune performing his "Old Town Road" verse live in the clips after the jump below. I am aware that unofficial versions of this remix have leaked online, but hopefully the official remix premieres soon!
Preview Lil Wayne's "Old Town Road" Verse
A snippet of Lil Wayne rapping over Lil Nas X's "Old Town Road" single has surfaced online.
With Nas X releasing an official remix for this song a couple of days ago with Billy Ray Cyrus, Young Thug and Mason Ramsey (the Walmart yodeling kid), I wonder if Weezy was supposed to be on it too?
You can listen to a sneak peek of Tunechi's "Old Town Road" verse after the jump below! Why do you think Tune was left off the official remix? Could it maybe have something to do with not wanting to be on the same track as Thug?
Feature Friday #172: Fall Out Boy – This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race (Remix) (Feat Lil Wayne & More)
June 21, 2019 in Feature Fridays
The "Feature Friday" installment for this week is Fall Out Boy's official remix of their "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" single featuring verses from Lil Wayne, Travie McCoy, Tyga, Kanye West, Paul Wall, Skinhead Rob, and Lupe Fiasco.
The original version of this Neal Avron-produced song appears on the rock band's album, Infinity On High, which was released back in 2007. This track was also performed live at the 2007 MTV VMAs.
"I am your arms dealer, I'm more like an armed dealer; Liter-rally, really, I don't get this song neither; But I'mma figure it out like a palm reader"
You can listen to "This Ain't A Scene, It's An Arms Race" remix below.
NLE Choppa Wants Lil Wayne On His "Blocc Is Hot" Remix, Says He Grew Up Listening To Wayne
May 6, 2019 in Interviews
NLE Choppa recently chopped it up with Billboard to talk about his brand new single titled "Blocc Is Hot".
During their conversation, Choppa revealed his new song was inspired by Lil Wayne's debut album Tha Block Is Hot, he is a big fan of Wayne, and he grew up listening to him.
The Memphis rapper also mentioned that he wants to get Tunechi on the remix of his latest track! You can read exactly what he said below, as well as listen to "Blocc Is Hot". Could you see Tune on the record?
Feature Friday #163: Diddy – I Am (Remix) (Feat Lil Wayne)
March 22, 2019 in Feature Fridays
It's that time of the week again! This week's "Feature Friday" edition is a remix of Diddy's song titled "I Am" featuring Lil Wayne.
The original version of this Sean C & LV-co-produced track appears on Diddy's fourth studio album, Press Play, which was released back in 2006.
"Back to the hood where I'm frequently honored, you niggas is fags like a freakin' designer; Don't test my testosterone, daddy gotta bring cheese and the pasta home; I used to rap about guns and funds, and now I rap about funds and guns; Motherfucker I'm a one of one, and my nuts weight a ton"
You can listen to the "I Am" remix below.


Gifts of Seeds is an eco-friendly gift which cleverly combines a greeting card with a packet of seeds to form a gift that grows. Sow 'n Sow's products are made in Australia using environmentally-friendly materials including 100% recycled paper.
Each packet comes with a unique plastic plant label and sowing instructions are printed on the inside of the packet.


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ZipRealty trims one-quarter of agents
Q4 revenue down 20% before downsizing
ZipRealty has shed about 900 agents this year as it closes down operations in some markets and moves agents in all remaining markets to independent contractor status, the company said in reporting a $4 million fourth quarter loss.
The Emeryville, Calif.-based brokerage said it had about 2,500 agents at the end of February, working in 23 markets in 18 states and Washington, D.C.
That's down more than 26 percent from the 3,403 agents ZipRealty engaged at the end of December, the company said.
The company announced in January that it was closing offices in 11 markets that accounted for about 13 percent of the company's revenue in 2010. The move will reduce annual operating costs by more than $20 million, the company said Tuesday.
Even before those closures, ZipRealty's net revenue was down 20 percent during the fourth quarter from a year ago, the company said, to $27 million.
The total number of transactions dropped 22 percent from a year ago, to 4,930, and the average revenue per transaction was also down slightly, to $5,155.
ZipRealty posted a $15.5 million loss for 2010, higher than the $12.9 million loss in 2009.
"The residential real estate market had a volatile year in 2010, and ZipRealty's financial performance, particularly in the second half of the year, was disappointing," said CEO Lanny Baker in a statement.
"We anticipate similarly challenging market trends in 2011, and we have taken steps to reduce costs, shutter underperforming operations and focus resources on our most attractive opportunities."
Baker was named CEO and president in September, succeeding longtime ZipRealty executive J. Patrick Lashinsky.


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STAN & OLLIE – Review by Susan Granger
January 18, 2019 Susan Granger	0 Comments	biopics, john c. reilly, oliver hardy, stan and ollie, stanlaurel, Steve Coogan
After fame and fortune left the world-famous vaudeville comedy team of Stan Laurel and Oliver Hardy far behind, they embarked on a career-concluding tour of Great Britain.
A brief prologue introduces the duo making Way Out West (1937). Flash-forward to 1953, when they're desperately trying to attract audiences, trotting out classic routines, playing to half-empty music halls in the hinterlands before winding up on London's West End, eager to secure financing for a new Robin Hood spoof, titled Rob 'Em Good.
Disgruntled but not discouraged, they turn to public relations stunts to sell tickets. In addition to Hardy's persistent health problems, they're constantly bickering, dredging up old grievances.
Tenacious Stan (Steve Coogan) was always more driven, easy-going Ollie (John C. Reilly), a prolific gambler, was less ambitious: "We're friends because (producer) Hal Roach put us together, and the only reason we stayed together is that audiences wanted it."
The eventual arrival of their respective wives – domineering Ida Laurel (Nina Arianda) and doting Lucille Hardy (Shirley Henderson) – only makes the situation worse as it becomes painfully obvious that, while these funnymen can't live with each other, they can't live without each other.
Oozing authenticity, it's based on A.J. Marriot's "Laurel & Hardy: The British Tours" adapted by Jeff Pope as a poignant character study that's confidently directed by Jon S. Baird.
"I grew up watching totally inspirational, ahead of their time Lauren and Hardy," recalls John C. Reilly. "No political agenda, they wrote all their own routines. We re-created their skits and spent hours practicing."
That includes Stan Laurel's hangdog expression and the line, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into!"
IF you want to know more, the 10-disc DVD "Laurel & Hardy: The Essential Collection," compiling almost all of their sound-era shorts & features (1929-1940), is a treasure trove.
On the Granger Movie Gauge of 1 to 10, "Stan & Ollie" is a bittersweet 7, recalling slapstick comedy long before Abbott & Costello and Martin & Lewis.
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Susan Granger
Susan Granger is a product of Hollywood. Her natural father, S. Sylvan Simon, was a director and producer at R.K.O., M.G.M. and Columbia Pictures; her adoptive father, Armand Deutsch, produced movies at M.G.M. As a child, Susan appeared in movies with Abbott & Costello, Red Skelton, Lucille Ball, Margaret O'Brien and Lassie. She attended Mills College in California, studying journalism with Pierre Salinger, and graduated from the University of Pennsylvania, Phi Beta Kappa, with highest honors in journalism. During her adult life, Susan has been on radio and television as an anchorwoman and movie/drama critic. Her newspaper reviews have been syndicated around the world, and she has appeared on American Movie Classics cable television. In addition, her celebrity interviews and articles have been published in REDBOOK, PLAYBOY, FAMILY CIRCLE, COSMOPOLITAN, WORKING WOMAN and THE NEW YORK TIMES, as well as in PARIS MATCH, ELLE, HELLO, CARIBBEAN WORLD, ISLAND LIFE, MACO DESTINATIONS, NEWS LIMITED NEWSPAPERS (Australia), UK DAILY MAIL, UK SUNDAY MIRROR, DS (France), LA REPUBBLICA (Italy), BUNTE (Germany), VIP TRAVELLER (Krisworld) and many other international publications through SSG Syndicate. Susan also lectures on the "Magic and Mythology of Hollywood" and "Don't Take It Personally: Conquering Criticism and other Survival Skills," originally published on tape by Dove Audio.


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HomeNewsGrubb's delight as GB sink hosts
Grubb's delight as GB sink hosts
7th January 2020 Craig Anderson News, Team GB, Videos 0
(PHOTO: Courtesy of Ice Hockey UK)
Great Britain Men's Under-20s coach Martin Grubb was delighted with his team's response from their first game as they secured a big 6-3 win over hosts Lithuania.
The opening game against Japan left the team disappointed, but they reacted in the best possible way to claim their first points of the Division II Group A campaign.
And it left coach Grubb satisfied as his team bounced back in impressive fashion to put them third in the standings going into the tomorrow's rest day.
"We knew the importance of the game and we were determined to get off to a good start and put Lithuania under pressure early," Grubb said.
"We got a great start and the early goal settled us and allowed us to set the tempo.
"We asked the players to keep out-working them in the second and stay disciplined. We did a good job with that and that allowed us to get the powerplay working and get into a nice lead.
"It was important we didn't switch off in the third and kept doing the little things right and get the result we deserved.
"The boys deserve tremendous praise for their response tonight and the way they played. It's nice to get our first points on the board in the tournament."
HIGHLIGHTS: Lithuania Men's Under 20s 3 Great Britain Men's Under 20s 6
GB led by two before the six-minute mark as Austin Mitchell-King netted at the backdoor from Patrick Larkin's pass after two minutes.
Then the captain, Tyler Cooper scored on the powerplay in the slot after a well-worked move to double the lead.
Martynas Grinius pounced on the rebound to close the gap at almost the 15-minute mark before two goals in 70 seconds in the second period put GB firmly in the box seat.
Lithuania netminder Laurynas Lubys gave the puck straight to Larkin fresh out the box and he made it 3-1 at 23:56, while Joe Hazeldine's shot from the left wing sneaked in not long after.
Nikita Kuzminov replaced Lubys in the Lithuania goal but he was soon picking the puck out of the net when Alex Graham scored from close range on the powerplay with five to go in the second.
Grinius scored his second of the night for the hosts after he had room in front of the net and despatched the finish.
But Mitchell-King grabbed his second after a goalmouth scramble, while Timonas Mazulis' rebound on the powerplay 47 seconds later was merely a consolation for Lithuania.
GB next play on Thursday when they face Romania Under-20s at 3:30pm (1:30pm UK time).
GB U20s
Martin Grubb
Grubb picks GB U20s captaincy team
Great Britain Men's Under-20s coach Martin Grubb reckons his captaincy team will command the respect of their dressing room as they begin their World Championship campaign. The team are in Vilnius, Lithuania and will be [Read more…]
The Monday After: The apathy and no ecstasy
The apathy and no ecstasy It's true what they say in sport. It's always the hope that kills you and in the case of Fife Flyers, the hope went long ago and it's been replaced [Read more…]
GB U20s beaten by Japan in opener
Great Britain Men's Under-20s coach Martin Grubb says his team showed good character, bunted to learn fast after losing 6-3 to Japan in their U20 World Championship Division II Group A game in Vilnius, Lithuania. [Read more…]


With this fabulous garland in place your little partygoers will feel like they've just walked into the Amazon! The garland is decorated with lots of jungle leaves with toucans and a slippery snake. The pennants are embellished with shiny green foil.


The Altus Power Team is led by a group of individuals with extensive experience in the fields of finance, construction and alternative energy.
Lars Norell is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Altus Power America Management. Before starting Altus, Mr. Norell was a Principal and Managing Director at Cohen & Company where he served as Head of Capital Markets and subsequently led the Alternative Assets effort. Prior to joining Cohen & Company in February of 2006, Mr. Norell was a Managing Director and Co-Head of US Structured Credit Products at Merrill Lynch. Before that he was a Vice President and investment banker in the Credit Products Group at Credit Suisse. Mr. Norell began his career as an attorney at Cadwalader, Wickersham & Taft in 1998. Educated in Europe and the U.S., Mr. Norell has a BSBA from IUM in France and a J.D. from the University of Virginia School of Law.
Tony Savino is a co-founder and partner of Altus Power America Management. Prior to co-founding Altus, Mr. Savino spent his career in architecture and construction with over thirty years of design and field experience. In addition to his education and training in architecture, Mr. Savino has specialized studies in alternate energy systems. He is also the co-founder of Sound Solar Systems, a solar commercial EPC company, and the principal of A.P. Savino, a commercial and residential construction company. Tony Savino has completed in excess of 500 projects, both commercial and residential, including shopping centers, condominiums, restaurants, office buildings, residential subdivisions and custom homes. Mr. Savino earned a Bachelor of Architecture degree from the University of Miami with a specialization in Alternate Energy Systems in July of 1981.
Gregg is a co-founder and Managing Partner of Altus Power America Management. Until 2013, Gregg was a partner of Goldman Sachs and the Chief Investment Officer of the Credit Alternatives platform at Goldman Sachs Asset Management (GSAM). He oversaw the flagship Liberty Harbor fund, a value focused, event driven credit hedge fund, as well as several private credit vehicles, mutual funds, and separate accounts aggregating over $5 billion. Prior to joining the firm, Gregg was a senior portfolio manager at Amaranth Advisors, a multi-strategy hedge fund located in Greenwich, Connecticut. Gregg led Amaranth's global corporate credit investment team from 2000 to 2006. Before joining Amaranth, he was a vice president at Chase Manhattan Bank. From 1997 to 1999, Gregg served as a portfolio manager and senior analyst for Chase's Special Situations Fund. Prior to that, he worked in the High Yield Finance Department of Chase's Global Investment Bank. Gregg earned a BA in Economics from Tufts University and a JD and MBA from the Georgetown University Law Center and School of Business.
Alana Chain joined Altus Power America in the fall of 2014 and works in the wholly owned construction division of Altus Power, Park Avenue Solar Solutions, LLC. Prior to joining Altus, Alana was the Head of Operations for Soltas Energy; a solar development and construction company focused on the Massachusetts solar market. In addition to Soltas; Alana worked as the Operations Manager for Barron Partners LP, an investment fund with investments in private and public companies within the clean-tech sector. Alana graduated from the University of Vermont with a Bachelor's of Arts degree in Political Science and minor in French.
Elaine joined Altus Power America in May 2014. Her previous experience was as an Underwriting Analyst at Aetna. Elaine is a graduate of the University of Connecticut and holds a BA in Economics.
Adam joined Altus Power America in July 2015 after successfully completing our Summer Analyst program. Adam graduated from Tulane University with a BA in Environmental Studies.
Dan joined Altus Power in August 2017 after successfully completing our Summer Analyst program. Dan graduated from Elon University with a BA in Strategic Communications.
Daniella works on the operations team at Altus Power America. Daniella joined Altus in 2015 and has worked in accounting throughout her career. Her prior experience includes positions at Critical Mix , WWE and working for the IRS Volunteer Income Tax Assistance Program. Daniella graduated Binghamton University School of Management with a BS in Accounting.
Joe is a Project Manager in the construction division of Altus Power, Park Avenue Solar Solutions, LLC. Before joining Park Avenue Solar Joe was a field representative for a GameChange Racking. Prior to joining GameChange he was a project manager for Soltas Corporation where he oversaw the construction of over 10 MW of projects. Joe was also a self-employed residential contractor for 25 years who specialized in buying distressed homes and renovating for sale to first time homebuyers. Joe holds a BS in Business Management from Westfield State University in Westfield, MA.
Chris joined Altus Power in January 2019. Chris started his career in the solar industry in 2009 focusing on the origination and acquisition of large utility scale and commercial scale projects throughout the United States. Chris has extensive experience and knowledge in the areas of project development, project management and equipment sales. Chris is also a U.S. Marine Corps veteran and served in Southwest Asia during Operation Desert Shield/Desert Storm. Chris holds an MBA in Business from the University of Redlands California and lives in Southern California with his family.
Abhi joined Altus Power America in 2012 as a Summer Analyst and has previously held the positions of Analyst and Associate within the firm. Abhi's prior experience includes working in Citigroup's Mumbai based Investment Banking Division. Abhi holds a B.A. from the University of Virginia with a double major in Economics and Statistics.
Sean joined Altus Power in March 2015.. Mr. Rheuben was previously involved in the construction, financing, and developing of the 340 MW Tatanka Wind Farm Project in the Dakotas and the Redhills Wind Farm Project in Oklahoma. Mr. Rheuben has shepherded the sale and acquisition of over 800 MW of wind farms across the United States. He has over 15 years of experience in asset finance and alternative energy and joined Altus from Healthy Planet Partners, a renewable private equity investment firm where he was a Managing Director. Prior to that he was a Principal with Syncarpha Capital, also in the field of renewable energy investing, and a Managing Director at NorthWinds Advisors LLC. Mr. Rheuben served as a Vice President at both Acciona Energy and Bank of America and spent six years as a Director at Societe Generale. Sean holds a Masters of Applied Finance from Macquarie University in Sydney, Australia and a Bachelor of Commerce and Bachelor of Laws from the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia.
David has been a licensed California Real Estate Broker since 1975. He has held brokerage licenses in 4 other states including New York, New Jersey, Texas and Illinois. David joined Altus Power America in January 2015 and specializes in relationships with REITs; particularly those with ownership of large Shopping Centers and Malls. David helped Altus Power develop and complete a large rooftop solar project for DDR in Framingham, MA which has become a showcase for the industry. He is a graduate of Lafayette College where he majored in business. He conducted his graduate studies at New York University and completed three MAI appraisal courses.
Kira works in the wholly owned construction division of Altus Power, Park Avenue Solar Solutions, LLC. Kira graduated from Eckerd College in St. Petersburg, FL in January of 2009, with a BA in International Business. Her previous experience includes working as the Director of Marketing for A.P. Savino LLC, and interning at Merrill Lynch.
Will joined Altus Power America in November 2016 and focuses on asset management and operations. Before Altus, Will worked in asset management for Conergy Americas, Inc. where he managed a portfolio consisting of over 70 MW of utility scale solar projects. Prior to Conergy, Will worked at ConEdision Solutions Inc. in the commerical and industrial alternative energy group and helped build a platform to operate and manage over 50 wind and solar energy projects. Will holds a BS in Engineering Management from York College of Pennsylvania.
Harlan joined Altus Power America in July 2017 after successfully completing our Summer Analyst program. Harlan graduated from the University of Southern California with a BS in Business Administration.
Bob joined Altus Power America in 2017 after 8 years at Kenyon Energy sourcing tax equity and debt investors for C&I solar projects. During the past 3 years Bob sourced over 125 MW of projects in 8 states from 10 sellers. Prior to entering the solar industry, Bob spent 25 years in the large ticket leasing industry acquiring and selling over $5.0 Billion in transportation and power generation assets with First Chicago Leasing and GATX Capital. Bob holds an MBA - Finance from The University of Colorado – Boulder and a BA from George Washington University.
Dustin joined Altus Power America in 2013 and runs the operations and asset management teams. Prior to joining Altus, Dustin worked for seven years as lead energy analyst and trader at Torus Capital, a multi-strategy trading firm located in New York. At Torus, Dustin focused on the broad energy market with an emphasis on crude oil and natural gas commodities. Dustin holds a Bachelor's of Science in business and marketing from Ferris State University in Michigan.


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Mitch Williams Inspires
Share the Magic of Inspiration at Your Next Event
Magic of Inspiration
A Call to Magic
Art & Magic of Creativity
Entertainment Programs
About Mitch
FOR as long as he can remember, Mitch Williams, has been intrigued by all kinds of "magic". As a child, he learned sleight of hand and other magic from books at the library, and he also was passionate about art and creative pursuits.
In his teen years, through his involvement in Judo, Mitch became interested in peak performance and self-development. He was twice invited to train with the men's Judo team at the US Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, where he experienced many "peak performers" first hand.
Beginning as a teenager, Mitch pursued a career as a professional magician, and eventually won several national and international performing awards, and he was invited to perform in Japan, in Europe, and throughout the United States and Canada. Throughout this time, Mitch's interest in human potentials continued, and he became an avid student of cutting edge information on self-development, transformational psychology, creativity, and psycho-spirituality.
With a true passion for sharing what he'd learned, both from his studies and from applied personal experience, Mitch began introducing many of the messages of the "real magic" of human potential into his entertainment programs. Eventually he shifted more towards presenting programs geared specifically to help people get better results in life.
Mitch thrives on sharing his inspiration with others, and has presented uplifting educational and motivational programs for corporations, associations, school groups, colleges, service organizations, and other groups throughout the country. His newly released book, A Call to Magic – the Artful Science of Transforming Self and World is an encapsulation of his broad insights into being all that we can be and living a life of true magic and inspiration.
A true modern Reinnassance man, Mitch is also an accomplished artist, musician, poet, author, athlete, gardener, gourmet cook, woodworker, and a martial artist with a fourth degree black belt in Judo. He brings this wide variety of talents, skills, and expertise to his work, making his programs among the most original and innovative in his field.
Contact Mitch to learn how he can share his inspiration with your guests for your next corporate, association, or organization events; or as a motivational youth speaker for assembly programs, youth conferences, or colleges.
See What Mitch's Clients Have to Say About His Programs.
Copyright © 2023 Mitch Williams Inspires. Theme: Himalayas by ThemeGrill. Powered by WordPress.


This symposium issue features ten articles by fourteen scholars and practitioners examining proposals for fundamental changes and even wholesale alternatives to our adversarial criminal justice system that could address the problem of wrongful convictions. These papers were presented at a November 2010 conference co-sponsored by the the New York Law School Law Review and the West Point Center for the Rule of Law.
It also features essays based on presentations made at an event co-sponsored by the Law Reviewa and the New York City Affairs Committee of the New York City Bar Association, entitled Lawyers and the Law in New York City: Ten Years After 9/11 in September, 2011.
Exonerating the Innocent: Pretrial Innocence Procedures by Tim Bakken, Professor of Law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point, and Lewis M. Steel, Of Counsel at Outten and Golden, LLC.
Models of Justice to Protect Innocent Persons by Tim Bakken, Professor of Law at the U.S. Military Academy at West Point.
Innocence Is Different: Taking Innocence into Account in Reforming the Search for the Truth by D. Michael Risinger, John J. Gibbons Professor of Law, Seton Hall University School of Law; and Lesley C. Risinger, Director, Last Resort Exoneration Project, Seton Hall University School of Law.
Adversarial Inquisitions: Rethinking the Search for the Truth by Keith A. Findley, Clinical Professor, University of Wisconsin Law School; Co-Director, Wisconsin Innocence Project; President, Innocence Network.
Convicting Lennie: Mental Retardation, Wrongful Convictions, and the Right to a Fair Trial by John H. Blume, Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, and Director, Cornell Death Penalty Project; Sheri Lynn Johnson, Professor of Law, Cornell Law School, Assistant Director, Cornell Death Penalty Project; and Susan Millor, Cornell Law School, Class of 2012.
Pretrial Procedures for Innocent People: Reforming Brady by Lissa Griffin, Professor of Law, Pace University School of Law.
Pretrial Incentives, Post-Conviction Review, and Sorting Criminal Prosecutions by Guilt or Innocence by Samuel R. Gross, Thomas and Mabel Long Professor of Law at the University of Michigan Law School.
Dallas County Conviction Integrity Unit and the Importance of Getting It Right the First Time by Mike Ware, Adjunct Professor of Law, Texas Wesleyan University School of Law; Supervising Attorney of Wesleyan Innocence Project.
The Problem of Convicting Innocent Persons: How Often Does It Occur and How Can It Be Prevented? by Leon Friedman, Joseph Kushner Professor of Civil Liberties Law at Hofstra Law School.
Freeing the Guilty Without Protecting the Innocent: Some Skeptical Observations on Proposed New "Innocence" Procedures by Paul G. Cassell, Ronald N. Boyce Presidential Professor of Criminal Law, S.J. Quinney College of Law at the University of Utah.
Reflections: The Trajectory of the Legal Profession in a Post-9/11 World by Joseph W. Armbrust, Jr., Partner, Sidley Austin LLP.
The Aftermath of 9/11: Reflections of Michael A. Cardozo by Michael A. Cardozo, New York City Corporation Counsel.
The September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2001: Policy and Precedent by Kenneth R. Feinberg, Partner, Feinberg Rozen, LLP.; Special Master of the September 11th Victim Compensation Fund of 2011.
Infringement on Civil Liberties After 9/11 by Donna Lieberman, Executive Director of the New York Civil Liberties Union.


Tongji University Museum in Shanghai is a restored historical building from 1940 as one of the classic wooden and brick structure on campus. The exhibition space is very unique with two roles of concrete columns to separate the vast floor. Momentum inflatable installation respects the unique spatial quality of the building and explores possibilities of potential intervention to generate dialogue. It takes advantage of the transparent membrane materials and air flow to contrast soft movements in this historical concrete structure. The installation reorganizes the space by twisting, connecting, blending and interacting to create dialogue among materials and audience. It means to integrate the installation with the space property and demonstrate the imagination and possibility of modern art in a site specific museum space and provoke visitors to react to the space transition, material behaviour and the vary forms of our living space. Audience witness the creation of new space when the flat membrane was inflated and realize the expansion and endless desire of space in big cities. The on and off air flow makes it a living lung for the building. The exhibition also includes small scale works of Textscape 3D prints and wood bending sculptures from the artist.