Show up ready for what work and life serves up!
What, you say? Yoga mats in the office? Meditation?
Mindfulness is a big buzzword right now: why we should do it, how to do it, its application in different industries and the dangers that can happen when we multitask. Yet most of us in service-related businesses still multitask on a pretty regular basis.
So no, this isn't about yoga in the office, it's about why communications professionals are some of the biggest offenders of multitasking and how it's actually sabotaging our creativity and therefore our client service.
My realization about the link between mindfulness and creativity and client service wasn't so much a lightbulb moment; it was more a gradual nagging sense that the natural curiosity I always had about things was waning. It felt like my brain couldn't possibly process any new information because I was always in a state of output. As a result I no longer sought out new material – I just let it flow around me, sometimes absorbing it and sometimes not. When you're constantly producing material, reviewing someone else's material, or meeting a deadline, how can you possibly explore, learn, integrate, practice and then deliver anything new?
As client service professionals I think we are hesitant to appear that we are wasting time, not delivering value or 100% focused on our clients. Yet, that lack of attention to ourselves is exactly what kills the creativity. And lack of creativity is an often-cited reason for clients looking elsewhere.
I've experienced situations in which it was clear the client or colleague expected I was to be available 24/7 and oh by the way, always immediately. Unfortunately the work product that often results from that scenario is reactive, standard fare lacking in uniqueness and creativity. I would rather be the person delivering proactive, creative and different ideas, that's why I've forced myself to start taking a few hours each week to think and see where it takes me.
Author meghanPosted on February 23, 2017 Categories UncategorizedLeave a comment on Mindfulness and … communications?
Welcome back to Gem Strategic Communications, 18 months later. The title of this post says it all: it's not quite polished, but something amazing to uncover.
A while back I wrote about authenticity. You know, the word we all use when we do media training.
It's kind of hard to be completely authentic as a client service-focused person. By definition, you have to provide what your audience wants. So for years I've dutifully written about topics I thought were appropriate, or topics that every other PR professional was also blogging about. Guess what? I'm sure my pieces were well written, but I doubt any of them oozed authenticity.
I sometimes get raised eyebrows and skeptical looks. I've also gotten outright "womp womp womp" from a few people who think I need to have my story tighter. I sense that's because I am networking in a new way with people I have known for a long time, and it probably is uncomfortable to them. But it's authentic.
So you won't always find me talking about the PR topics of the day. It's less likely you'll find me dissecting a CEO speech or discussing a new measurement tool and more likely, you'll find me exploring employee engagement, leadership, resilience, work-life management, health and wellness, and how it all contributes to what the outside world sees about an organization.
Join the Gem list here to get more communications tips!
Receive biweekly tips and recommendations to help you or your team cultivate an authentic presence in any communications setting, and access a free tip sheet, "Essential Elements of Authenticity".


text:
Minnesota activists reflect on 50th anniversary of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr.'s death
(KMSP) - On the 50th anniversary of the assassination of Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., Minnesota civil rights activists are reflecting on his impact and his message, which remains relevant decades later.
"I remember being extraordinary depressed and angry," said Bill English, a civil rights advocate.
English has a vivid memory of April 4, 1968.
"I watched the tears on so many people's eyes," said English.
Back then, English was 33 years old and executive director of the Sabathani Community Center in south Minneapolis. Two years prior, he marched with King in Cicero, Illinois.
"King knew that if you could organize poor whites and blacks that became a powerful political combination," said English.
Max Fallek, an 88-year-old civil rights advocate, recalls taking part in the March on Washington, where Dr. King delivered his memorable "I Have a Dream Speech," in 1963.
"Very difficult because we certainly lost one of our great minds in American history and it's still very hard to comprehend," said Fallek.
King was standing on a second floor motel balcony in Memphis, Tennessee when he was shot and killed by a lone gunman. Fifty years later, the life and legacy of Dr. King continues to have an impact on millions of lives today.
"We've certainly made considerable progress but we have to keep working, keep fighting and eventually we'll get there," said Fallek.
"It brings me to a place to pause and say, where do we go from here?" said English.
Former probation officer charged for allegedly luring slain Minneapolis realtor to home showing
Gophers gymnast scores perfect 10 on balance beam, then makes SportsCenter Top 10
'Suspicious death' investigated after man with 'trauma to body' found in Minneapolis alley
Klobuchar says English language vote was wrong

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


text:
Pin yourself on the member map.
Evie's FanFic »
Balance of Power »
Balance of Power--Chapter Twenty
Author Topic: Balance of Power--Chapter Twenty (Read 6395 times)
Previous chapter: http://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,1609.0.html
Chapter Twenty
Mid-morning
Eirian House
The Queen's Apartment
"How do you feel?" Jen asked once she looked up from her biography of King Javan II and realized the Queen was awake.
Sophia pondered the question. "A little headachy, but otherwise all right, I suppose." She sat up in bed and stretched experimentally. "You?"
"I'm fine, but then again I really didn't do very much last night except watch. Eilonwy is still asleep, I think." Jen bookmarked her chapter. "Would you like for me to see about that headache? And what about some breakfast?"
"Yes to both." Sophia swung her legs over the side of the bed, a faint frown on her face. "My memories of the ritual last night are really vague from pretty much the moment I drank whatever was in that wine. Can you show me what you saw?"
"Sure, no problem." Jen stood, taking Sophia's offered hand briefly as she sent her memories of the previous night's working in a quick burst of shared memory, then laying a hand on the Queen's forehead, she used a soothing spell to alleviate her headache as well. "Full breakfast, or just something light?"
"Just something light for now," Sophia answered absently as she absorbed the new information. "Maybe some coffee and toast with jam. I'm not sure how a heavier breakfast would sit on my stomach right now; I think the sedation has mostly worn off but I still feel not quite myself yet. Or maybe that's a normal side effect of the ritual?" She shrugged. "Given how my body reacted to the power assumption, no wonder you were all hovering over me like a flock of hungry crows when I finally woke up!"
Jen smiled. "Yes, you had us all a little freaked out for a short while there."
Sophia blushed as another memory surfaced. "Did I really tell Father Devlin to stop being handsome, or did I just dream that?"
"Yes, I'm afraid you did say that. We all heard you. He blushes adorably, by the way. Don't worry, though, His Grace and Healer O'Flynn assured him you were still quite under the influence."
The Queen groaned, falling back onto the pillow briefly, then pulling it out from under her head only to cover her face with it. "Maybe make that two coffees. And a hairshirt."
Jen laughed. "Yes, Ma'am."
Late morning
Two coffees later, fully dressed and feeling somewhat more human, the Queen polished off the last of the toast and handed the plate back to Jen as she opened the personnel file Jen had brought up with her along with the breakfast.
"The Lord Chamberlain said this is the short file, narrowed down to his personal recommendations for replacement staff, although if you wish to see the full list he can bring that up later," Jen told her as she rinsed off the plate and left it in the suite's small kitchenette.
"I'm sure this will be fine; I trust his judgment," Sophia said as she glanced through the name lists. A small sheaf of personnel documents appeared beneath these. She went back to the top of the pile to give the documents a closer read. "Let's see here . . . replacement armsmen, so I can have a full complement again and Henry and Michael can finally both get full nights of decent sleep without needing to take turns. I'm sure they'll be glad of that. Additional ladies-in-waiting, so we can set up a rota and you two won't have to keep living in my back pocket constantly anymore--not that I wouldn't enjoy having you and Eilonwy around every day, rather than just a week out of every month, but I'm sure Mr. Adams might actually want his wife back at some point."
"Patrick would probably appreciate that, yes."
"And a short list of people Lord Culdi thinks would be most suitable to serve as my private secretary. I recognize a few of these names, I think. Hm . . . ." She paused over one name, flipping through the file to pull up that woman's personnel document. "Diana Layton. She was the Princess of Meara's private secretary." The thought of her late sister-in-law's tragic demise in the Castle bombing caused a wave of sorrow. "I wonder if she is still in Ratharkin? Morgan might know. Of course, I'm not sure if coming to work here would be more healing for her or hurtful--it may bring up memories for her she'd feel best left in the past. Still, I don't suppose it would hurt to call her in for an interview. She seemed competent enough, in my previous dealings with her."
"Should I contact her to set something up?" Jen asked.
"No need, Lord Culdi will handle that," Sophia assured her. "Let me see if I can get this list narrowed down for him, then we'll leave it to him to sort the fine details."
Tre-Arilan
"I'm sorry to call another meeting so soon after our last one," Lord Arilan told the other members of the Camberian Council gathered around his table, "but once you hear what I've got to report, I think you'll be glad that I did. I would have requested an evening meeting, since I know that's more convenient for Alicia, but this was when Dev and I could slip away for a few hours without being particularly missed."
"No worries, I think most of us have fairly flexible schedules," said Peter.
"Except for me, but I'm on holiday leave right now," Alicia added, "though thank you for considering my usual work schedule. Finding excuses to absent myself for morning meetings recently has been a right pain. Can we go back to quarterly meetings now that the immediate crisis has passed?"
"Let's play that by ear over the next couple of weeks, though I think we should be able to resume our regular schedule soon," Peter affirmed. "Meeting this often is a bit wearing, I agree, though for the moment it's necessary. So, James, why have you called us all here this morning?"
"A couple of items of business. First off, Father Devlin and I had the privilege last night of assisting the Duke of Corwyn and Eilonwy Adams in empowering the Queen with her Haldane powers. Not only were we successful, but judging by how strong her response was to the influx of energies, I would say she is going to be quite a formidable Haldane Sovereign once she learns how to access her powers and put them to full use." James smiled in deep satisfaction. "Lady Violet, I must say, you have excellent genes."
"Why, thank you!" the elderly councilor purred, returning his smile. "Is the dear girl feeling all right this morning?"
"I haven't spoken with her this morning, but I haven't heard otherwise," James said.
"I spoke with Dr. DeLisle briefly about an hour ago," Father Devlin added, "and she says HM is up and about the day's business with no lingering effects from last night's ritual aside from a mild headache, which she was able to assist with."
"Excellent!" Peter said. "That's wonderful news, not to mention one less worry. She'll be at least as strong as Nigel, then?"
"Probably stronger, I would guess," Father Devlin said. "I wasn't expecting such an extreme reaction to the empowerment. For a moment, I was half afraid we'd killed her! Gave me a bad turn, I must say."
"Probably just as well you didn't," Elspeth observed. "Monarchy might be a silly institution in this day and age, but all the same, I wouldn't want to be in the position of having to explain to the Great and Privy Councils that you'd managed to burn out their Queen. How would that go? 'Oops, we tried to charge her up, but she shorted out, sorry!'"
"Elspeth, really! Some respect for the fact that you're referring to my daughter, at the very least, even if you can't manage to summon up any for the monarchy!" Violet protested.
"Ladies, enough!" Peter warned with an admonishing look at Elspeth. "So that's the first of two items of business I believe you mentioned, James. What was the second?"
"Ah, yes. The O'Malley matter. I've been digging through his financial records, and turned up a large payment entered into a trust fund set up for Colin O'Malley the evening before the Rhemuth Castle attack. Two-hundred and fifty thousand royals, to be precise. The transfer originated from an account in the Carib Islands. I'm still working on hacking into that account to see if a trail might be traced back to some other account, but the owner of the account is listed as 'Eric Harvey.'"
"Isn't 'Harvey' one of Eric Armitage's middle names?" Maureen observed.
"Indeed it is," James confirmed.
"That would fit in neatly with Colin's memories of Eric Armitage being one of three men responsible for his kidnapping," Peter said, "although the idea that Armitage presumably bribed O'Malley to blow up the Royal Family with a large payment into his son's trust fund, then held the boy as a hostage to ensure O'Malley would accept the bribe is evil enough. Not holding up to his end of the deal after O'Malley's death and leaving the boy buried once the job was done elevates the arrangement to the truly diabolical. I wonder what his plan was for getting those funds back, because surely he had one? I'd love to get my hands on Eric Armitage."
"Who was set up as Colin's beneficiary if he didn't live to inherit his trust fund?" Alicia asked. "His mother?"
"No," James said, "Lloyd O'Malley and Colin's mother divorced three years ago. His alternate beneficiary was a woman named Eleanor Benefield."
"Hm. That might solve the puzzle," Alicia said. "Does she live in Marley?"
"Yes. Apparently she was romantically involved with Lloyd O'Malley at the time of his death. The police considered her a person of interest in Colin's disappearance early on, but she seemed to have no idea where he was or what might have happened to him even when questioned under Truth-Reading, so they let her go. Why, do you know who she is? Would there be any reason to suspect her?"
Alicia shrugged. "She might not have been directly involved. But if she's the same Eleanor Benefield of Marley that I'm thinking of, she's fairly high up in the Humanity Ascendant chapter there. So if she was Colin's beneficiary, a transfer into his trust fund would effectively be a delayed transfer to one of Eric Armitage's more highly placed activist friends. Not such a loss after all, looked at that way. More like what he'd consider a charitable contribution. She may have been instructed to get close to O'Malley without being given any specifics of the plan; that would make sense if Armitage and his other cronies were planning a crime that would put her in a position to be suspected and Truth-Read."
"All right, so I'll definitely want to follow up on that," said James, jotting down some notes.
"Right," said Peter. "And terrorist plots remind me, I believe Maureen has something she wishes to add as well. Maureen?"
"Thank you, Peter." Maureen smiled at him. "I spoke with my son-in-law this morning, and he has informed me that our Council Chamber should be safe for us to move our meetings back into now, at least once our Portal security systems have been upgraded. Lord Arilan, Peter and I are quite impressed by what you and Mr Carbury have done to secure Tre-Arilan. Might we enlist your help in making those changes? It's gracious of you to offer your hospitality for these meetings for the time being, but we'd hate to continue imposing on you."
"Certainly I'd be glad to help," James said. "And while it's no imposition, I'd hate to see us abandon the original Council chamber. Not simply due to its history; it's also a much better hidden location, despite the Portal security issue."
"Wait," said Elspeth, "how do we know it's still a secret location? If Mrs Whitfield managed to discover the Portal signature in Tom's mind, who knows what else she found out, or might have shared with someone else? Do we really want to take that chance?"
"Whatever else she might have gleaned from his mind," Alicia assured her, "the physical location of the Council chamber was not there for her to discover. Tom had no idea where it actually is. For that matter, do any of us actually know?" She glanced around the room, but if anyone else there was more enlightened on the matter than she was, they gave no sign. "Karim has sifted through her mind repeatedly, and so has Healer O'Flynn, and all that Caroline Whitfield knew of the chamber's whereabouts was how to get there via the Portal. So even if she managed to share that information before she was captured, if we secure the Portal there to the degree that Tre-Arilan's is protected, I see no problem with returning there."
"All right, let's take a closer look at that during our next meeting. That will give James and Carbury time to put together a list of suggested improvements for us to implement. I also have a matter of business I would like for you all to consider before that next meeting--which of our number each of you thinks would be best suited to replace Tom as coadjutor, since it appears he will be unable to resume that duty anytime soon, if ever." He looked around the table. "Anything else?"
"Yes," said Devlin with a glance at Alicia. "You may be getting a call from Eirian House soon, if you haven't already. HM would like to know for certain who her birth mother is. Eilonwy is supposed to get in touch with you, though as busy as things have been on our end lately, she might not have had a chance to yet. I thought you might want to be forewarned--and Lady Violet as well, since I imagine she will wish to see you also once her suspicions have been confirmed."
"Thank you," Alicia said. "I appreciate the warning. Lady Violet, are you prepared to meet your daughter, or should I ignore my calls for the next day or two? I don't suppose I can put off returning them forever, but if you need a little more time . . . ."
"No need," Violet said. "I would be glad to meet with Her Majesty, should she wish to see me. I have missed the dear girl." A wistful expression crossed her face for just an instant. "And speaking of the Queen, I realize she's still in the early days of mourning yet, but her hold on the throne is hardly secure. She needs to be reminded that Gwynedd is in need of an heir. Not just Morgan Haldane either, but an heir of her body. I have nothing against the Duke of Corwyn as a person, but intermarrying the two legitimate Haldane lines would create the sort of vulnerability in the succession that we don't need, with the likes of the Atherton-Haldanes about looking to press a claim even though they haven't one."
"It's a little early for anyone to be bringing up the topic of marriage to her, surely!" Devlin protested, feeling a twinge of conscience as he wondered to himself if his strong feelings on the subject stemmed merely from his concern for Sophia's emotional wellbeing or if he needed to take a closer look at his own motivations. "We've not even had her family's funeral yet, and you already want to push her into wedding?"
"She is not just any girl, Father Devlin, she is a Haldane!" Violet snapped. "Do not think that I am insensible to her grief, but she was bred to duty, just as her father was. Nigel would have wanted the Kingdom's needs to come first."
"She is our Queen, but she is also a very vulnerable young woman right now, and one who has experienced a greater trauma than most Haldanes have had to face when first coming into their duties as a sovereign. If you want her to bend rather than break under the strain, then I would strongly suggest allowing her enough time to at least find her feet again before starting in on her with talk about marriage arrangements and heirs!" Devlin shot back. "Sweet Saint Camber, woman, she's not an emotionless puppet!"
"Nor was Nigel," Violet retorted.
Devlin leaned across the table towards her, gripping the edge of it so forcefully his knuckles turned white. "She is not Nigel."
Peter held up a hand, silencing the argument with a stern glance at both participants. Once they'd both subsided, he continued mildly, "I agree with Father Devlin that this is not the time to bring the matter up to Her Majesty, yet I also agree with Lady Violet that it is not too soon for us to be thinking of possible candidates we might bring up to the Queen's attention once she is more ready to consider such matters. Securing the succession is a matter of extreme importance, but it's not one likely to be settled at a moment's notice in any case. And I'm fairly sure the Queen herself would want to weigh in on the matter; after all, she is the one who will end up having to live with the choice." He looked around the table. "Aside from Morgan Haldane, who I think we all agree would not be the optimal choice, does anyone here have any suggestions for who might make a suitable Prince Consort to draw HM's attention to once she's had a bit more time to heal?"
"Oh God, here we go! Sophia the Royal Brood Mare!" Elspeth complained, rolling her eyes. "Am I actually agreeing with Devlin on something? Has everyone else here forgotten that a woman is a person, not just a life support system for a uterus?"
"We haven't forgotten," Maureen said softly. "Though I suspect the Queen herself would agree that given the choice of marrying for heirs or putting it off too long at the risk of leaving Gwynedd vulnerable to the Camberian claimants, a marriage arranged more quickly than not might be the lesser of those two evils. And I don't think anyone here is suggesting pushing her into a marriage against her will." She laughed. "I've met the lass; trust me, that will not happen! She's a Haldane. Inside that velvet glove is an iron fist. When she marries, it will be to a man of her choice, but there's nothing wrong with coming up with ideas for a suitable match to introduce her to."
"I would suggest," said Lady Violet, warming up to the topic, "that we begin by looking for suitable consorts who are known to be full Deryni. Gwynedd has been without a strong power on the throne for far too long. I am happy to hear that Sophia appears to have the potential to make a formidable Queen, now let us not suggest a marriage for her that would threaten to diminish the potential of her heirs." She looked around the table at her fellow Councilors. "I see two extremely eligible young men in this very room. Lord Arilan, for one, has all the training and ancient Deryni bloodline that one might desire in such a match. He might not be a Duke nor yet an Earl, regrettably, though at least he is of noble blood. And Father Devlin is just as equally well suited, in my opinion. If anything, even more so."
"Me?" Devlin protested. "I'm hardly nobility!"
"On the contrary, you're of the ancient Llyrian Royal House of O'Shiele, are you not?" Violet raised an imperious eyebrow at him.
"Only distantly, and along a junior branch!"
"Not so very distantly. As I recall, you're no less distantly related to the O'Shiele High Lord who was your forebear than Morgan Haldane is in his line of descent from Alaric the Third."
"Maybe not, but I'm descended from one of his sons, not a daughter. And remember that Llyrian inheritance is matrilineal."
"True, but that son married a Gwyneddan woman, and Gwyneddan inheritance is patrilineal. Besides which, the finer points of inheritance are immaterial in this case; we're discussing your suitability as a Prince Consort, not as Ard-Tiarna of Llyr. Royal blood is royal blood, whether it's inherited from the spear side or the distaff side of the family. And not just any royal blood either, but an ancient Deryni line." Violet smiled in triumph.
Devlin looked to James for assistance, but James was looking elsewhere, steadfastly refusing to cooperate, one hand cupped over his mouth and chin in thought or perhaps just to conceal a smirk. Fine. Throw me under the bus, mate. "Lady Violet, what you don't seem to grasp is that the subject is never likely to come up! I am not a son of the current High Lord of Llyr, and any distant ancestral ties to that House notwithstanding, I am hardly going to attract the interest of a reigning Queen. What Queen in her right mind is going to give a mere associate priest from an urban mission parish a second glance?"
"She thinks you're handsome," James offered, not bothering to conceal his amusement anymore.
"Bloody hell, man, not helpful!" As everyone else at the table burst into laughter at his outburst, Devlin took a deep centering breath, gathering the ends of his frayed patience. "Seriously, how would the topic even come up? I'm not going to go back to Eirian House and say, 'Pardon me, Ma'am, but your mother thinks I'm a prime candidate for the Royal Stud, so how about it, shall we?' I think not!"
"No one is asking you to do that, my dear boy," Violet assured him with a fond, maternal smile. "She's a Queen Regnant; it's her job to propose to her future consort. It's simply our job to ensure she is aware of the most suitable choices available to her." She beamed at Devlin. "All of them, whether they think they're qualified or not."
Devlin's attempt to return to Eirian House as discreetly as he'd left was foiled by the Portal security guard, who intercepted him with a message from the Queen. "Her Majesty has requested that you attend her upon your return. She was in the Royal Conservatory as of an hour ago; if she's not still there, try her personal chambers."
Still disconcerted from the Camberian Council meeting he'd just left, he glanced down at his casual attire of black jeans and a blue hooded pullover, although the addition of his standard black clerical shirt and collar beneath the warmer layer made him at least somewhat presentable. "Did she happen to say why she needs me? Do I need to go directly, or should I change first?"
"I don't know, Father. I was just told to direct you to the Conservatory if I should happen to see you."
"Thank you." Worried now that perhaps the empowerment ritual had stirred up something deep within the Queen that she was now having trouble dealing with, Devlin quickened his pace as he left the Portal Room and exited the Palace to turn down the cloistered walk leading to the Conservatory.
Entering the enclosed courtyard garden in a rush, he was relieved to discover Her Majesty in what appeared to be a more pensive than troubled state. She appeared to be alone, although Devlin could sense the presence of one of her armsman keeping a discreet guard nearby. Michael, from the feel of him. On the table in front of her was a legal pad, on which she was diligently writing. Given that the Queen was wearing faded jeans and an oversized "University of Rhemuth" sweatshirt, he felt less underdressed for the occasion.
Sophia looked up at his arrival. "Good afternoon, Father. I hope you were able to sleep in at least a little bit before attending to your personal business?" She gestured to a chair at the small table where she sat surrounded by the lush greenery that thrived in the warm Conservatory year-round. Noticing his perusal of their surroundings, she added, "I'm tired of winter already, and it's just barely arrived. I'm ready for spring to get here."
"Aren't we all?" Devlin sat, feeling unaccountably self-conscious. No, not unaccountably. He knew the exact reason for his awkwardness, damn the Council!
Sophia must have sensed something of his discomfort, despite his tight shielding, for her cheeks turned pink. With a laugh, she added, "You needn't worry, Father, I'm quite sober and fully in control of my actions now, so I shan't embarrass you by blurting out whatever random thought should happen to go flitting through my drug-addled head at a given moment." She smiled, although she avoided looking directly at him, looking if anything as self-conscious as he felt. Somehow the realization that she also felt off balance helped to put him more at ease. She tucked a stray lock of hair behind her ear and turned her legal pad to show him what she'd been working on before his arrival. "It's my Christmas broadcast, or at least a draft of it. I imagine I ought to carry on the tradition."
He bent his head over the speech in progress, reading the words written in Sophia's flowing script.
Each Christmas at this time, my beloved mother broadcast a message to her people in all parts of the Kingdom, as did my grandfather before her. Today I am taking on this legacy, taking a few moments during this Christmas season to reach out to you who are now my people.
At Christmas our thoughts are always full of our homes and our families, and while I grieve for the family and home I have lost this Christmas season, I take comfort in knowing that you, my people, are now my larger family and my support during this difficult time.
My mother, and my grandfather before her, worked all their lives to unite our peoples--human and Deryni--ever more closely. I shall strive to carry on their work.
Already you have given me strength to do so. For since my accession this past week, your loyalty and affection have been an immense support and encouragement. I want to take this Christmas Day to thank you with all my heart.
Many grave problems and difficulties confront us all, but with a new faith in the old and splendid beliefs given us by our forefathers, and the strength to venture beyond the safeties of the past, I know we shall be worthy of our duty.
Above all, we must keep alive that courageous spirit of adventure that is the finest quality of youth; and by youth I do not just mean those who are young in years; I mean too all those who are young in heart, no matter how old they may be. That spirit still flourishes in this ancient Kingdom.
On this broad foundation let us set out to build a truer knowledge of ourselves and our fellowmen, to work for tolerance and understanding among the nations.
If we can do these things with courage, with generosity and with humility, then surely we shall achieve that "Peace on earth, Goodwill toward men" which is the eternal message of Christmas, and the desire of us all.
At my Coronation next June, I shall dedicate myself anew to your service. I shall do so in the presence of a great congregation, drawn from every corner of the Kingdom, while millions outside Saint George's Cathedral will hear the promises and the prayers being offered up within its walls, and see much of the ancient ceremony in which Kings and Queens before me have taken part through century upon century.
You will be keeping it as a holiday; but I want to ask you all, whatever your religion may be, to pray for me on that day - to pray that God may give me wisdom and strength to carry out the solemn promises I shall be making, and that I may faithfully serve Him and you all the days of my life.
May God bless and guide you all through the coming year.
As he finished reading, he looked up to find Sophia watching him, her expression putting him in mind of a schoolgirl hoping for the teacher's approval. She smiled shyly, explaining "I've done the occasional speech for grand openings and charity functions, and I'm certainly no stranger to public speaking--God knows one couldn't grow up in my family and not be accustomed to that!--but somehow this feels different. I'm not really used to addressing the entire Kingdom in one go, yet. I don't want to get it wrong."
"I think it looks good, Ma'am."
"Do you really think so?" She sighed, rereading her own text. "I suppose it's fine--at least I think it's as good as they're going to get from me this year, as distractible as I am right now." She gazed off into the near distance at nothing in particular, shaking her head. "I didn't exactly train for this, you know. Being Queen, I mean."
"I know." He gave her a sympathetic smile.
She glanced down at the page. "I realize Araxelle isn't really my mother, but I can hardly acknowledge that publicly. The Kingdom doesn't need any more upheaval right now. Still . . . ." She looked up at him. "Is it wrong of me to continue the deception?"
He felt his way through the question carefully. "I do think it's necessary to keep the Kingdom's best interests at heart. Tell me this--deep down, even knowing what you know now, do you still think of Araxelle as your mother?"
Sophia nodded. "Yes, I guess I do. My feelings about her haven't changed."
"Even though she didn't give birth to you, did she love you and provide for you to the best of her ability? In every other way besides biological descent, would you'd say Araxelle was a true mother to you?"
"Yes. I suppose it's clearer to me, when you put it that way. In a way, I guess it's like being an adopted child, except that the adoption wasn't actually formalized and I'm really a Haldane." She rested an elbow on the table, propping her forehead on her hand as she studied the page, her eyes swimming with unshed tears. "I miss her, Father. There was so much that I just took for granted. I just wish . . . ." She swallowed. "I wish we'd had more time, though I suppose in a way there's never such thing as enough time, is there?"
"No, I don't suppose there is."
"The hardest thing is that I never had a proper chance to say goodbye."
Devlin nodded. "Yes, that one's hard." A thought struck him, and he reached a hand over to flip the pages up to the next blank sheet. "So perhaps you could do that now."
She looked up, startled. "Sorry?"
He nodded down at the empty page before her. "Write her a letter. You're not going to mail it, of course, but just get the words out."
"And then what?"
"And then," he said, "you'll figure out what to do next once you get there."
Next chapter: http://www.rhemuthcastle.com/index.php/topic,1620.0.html
« Last Edit: November 16, 2015, 08:43:00 pm by Evie »
Re: Balance of Power--Chapter Twenty
My goodness, Evie, you have captured a Queen's Christmas speech perfectly. I can truly see her delivering it on Christmas morning.
Lord Arilan or Father Devlin for a potential consort - an interesting choice of contrasts. With Morgan Haldane glowering in the background, very protecting of his baby cousin. Who wants to take that challenge on?
Quote from: Jerusha on November 11, 2015, 09:52:24 pm
* Evie dies laughing
Um, yeah, there's a reason for that. With a few modifications to make it suit the fictional context, it's very heavily based on Queen Elizabeth's first Christmas broadcast. I figured if KK could lift her fealty oath verbatim from Prince Charles' investiture as Prince of Wales, I might as well do my own "heavy borrowing" for some of Sophia's speeches. Her initial speech to the Camberian Council was completely from scratch--there really aren't any examples of real world royal speeches made on the occasion of blowing up an entire Royal Family to borrow from, thankfully--but Sophia's Accession speech and this one are heavily modeled on Queen Elizabeth's real world speeches on those parallel occasions, with certain details modified or left off altogether to fit the fictional queen's circumstances.
I think poor Devlin is rather leery of risking Morgan's protective ire, despite his growing feelings for the Duke's "baby cousin," and as for Lord Arilan, while he does think Her Majesty is quite an attractive lady, he seems to be rather distracted by someone else at present.
NavaWazr
This chapter made stuff feel whole, closing and moving on.
250k royals in a trust fund... horrible what was done to the little boy. I hope he is getting better. How is Humanity Ascendant fitting into the conspiracy(ies)?
So Dev is handsome? The secret is out! I'm glad to see the Council considering this, helps me think there might be a happy ending someday.
Is Diana Layton on the good or bad side? Good I hope. I checked the character list and since there is a picture, I imagine she will have a larger role coming up.
Christmas speech was great, reminds us all of the tragedy and the need to come together. That said, the coronation would be in June and that's a long ways off! I don't think Malcolm will wait until June for the Duel Arcane. I am so glad that Sophia has lots of power (great line on good genes from Lady Violet!) and the power ritual results went well.
OK, now that I've read this chapter I can peacefully wait a week for the next one.
I realized that I wanted to be Deryni, would have loved to be another niece of Uncle Azim, perhaps living on a Fianna vineyard.... but I'm a never wazzer
Demercia
Lots of goodies here to enjoy on rereads. I can't help feeling that James has been waiting for years to see the tables turned and Dev discomforted like this. poor suitors; yes there is Morgan, but also Mummy lioness who, at least in this context, can at last acknowledge her cub!
The light shineth in darkness and the darkness comprehendeth it not.
Quote from: Evie on November 11, 2015, 11:51:58 pm
[ Her initial speech to the Camberian Council was completely from scratch--there really aren't any examples of real world royal speeches made on the occasion of blowing up an entire Royal Family to borrow from, thankfully
The nearest equivalent would be the massacre of the Nepali Royal Family when the Crown Prince flipped out with a gun which he subsequently turned on himself. His uncle, the only senior member of the Family not in the Throne Room became King, but because he had never been trained to rule bollixed things up so that Nepal became a Republic. (That's a gross oversimplification.)
Let's hope that isn't going to be the real-world precedent you will be following?
Quote from: NavaWazr on November 12, 2015, 12:00:09 am
Well, looking back at what has been revealed thus far, at this point we know that Eric Armitage, the leader of Humanity Ascendant, engineered the Castle bombing plot at the instigation of a man whom he presumed was a human ally in Camberia, but who was actually a Deryni member of the Camberian royal family pulling his strings. We know this man (Malcolm) has actually set Armitage and Humanity Ascendant up to take the fall for that act if it is traced back to them, and that having the finger pointed at them makes it less likely that the plot will be traced back to the actual source, himself. In order to gain entry to Rhemuth Castle, Humanity Ascendant used Colin as leverage to get Lloyd O'Malley to cooperate with the plot. Does that answer the question, at least thus far?
Well, you know they do need to get the Queen on board with the plan too....
I'll tell you this much. You're right, she's either on the good or the bad side.
I'll give you a small hint. This story ends by New Year's Day. So anything that might happen in June will need to wait for a sequel. That said, a lot can happen between now and the New Year.
No need to wait a full week, just five days. Or four at this point, if you are checking the board late enough at night.
Quote from: Demercia on November 12, 2015, 02:16:24 am
Yes, I suspect that must be a relief for poor Violet! And I doubt James has had much opportunity to see Devlin this far out of his comfort zone, despite their longstanding friendship.
Quote from: Elkhound on November 12, 2015, 07:54:05 am
Eek! No, not so much. Yeesh!
I've done this Letters Never To Be Sent exercise myself before, and it can be markedly helpful. I'm glad Devlin has the experience (in counseling) and the sensitivity to offer Sophia this as a possible course of action to deal with her grief over her family. He's a good egg.
That being said, like a lot of others, I found it fun to see him caught completely off guard by Lady Violet's proposal that he become a candidate at least for Sophia's prince consort.
Oh! Oh! I want to read the "biography of King Javan II."
I hope, hope, hope that Diana Layton is a good person.
Mummy Lioness (thank you Demercia for Violet's new title) looked around the table at her fellow Councilors. "I see two extremely eligible young men in this very room." That caught my breath and made me smile. Violet actually approves of James and of Dev as suitors for her daughter? Wow! I love that Dev is now at least in a position to be a legitimate suitor to the Queen. Good, good! Though I think Sophia is going to have to stop calling him Father before she will consider him as a boyfriend. She can return to calling him father again after they are married and have a passel of children.
Sophia and Dev remind me of a biography I read of Victoria and Albert. It is a romantic part of British history that I recommend reading. They loved each other and worked well together to run a kingdom. Did you know it was Albert that introduced the verdant Christmas pine into the British palace. I wonder what tradition Dev can offer to the Gwynedd palace from Llyr?
« Last Edit: November 13, 2015, 04:03:55 am by Laurna »
Favorite Book: King Javan's Year
Favorite Character: Father Joram MacRorie
And don't forget Prince Philip (aka Duke of Edinburgh ). He and HM have been married 68 years and they had less than 5 years together of any sort of normal family life when he could continue as a naval officer before George VI died and she became Queen.
One of the most moving things was at the concert for the Diamond Jubilee in 2012 when Prince Philip was in hospital (having caught a chill standing beside the Queen in the pouring rain on the royal barge Gloriana on a three hour processio of boats on the Thames.) The Presenter got everyone in the crowd outside Buckingham Palace to shout "Philip " loud enough for him to hear in hospital.
Let God rise up, let his enemies be scattered;
let those who hate him flee before him.
As smoke is driven away, so drive them away;
as wax melts before the fire,
let the wicked perish before God.
(Psalm 68 vv1-2)
Perhaps the Nepali scenario might be a good prescription for Camberia?
Revanne, yes, definitely another romantic marriage. I love the recent photo of the Queen turning her head with a laugh as she realizes Prince Philip is standing there in full uniformed attire. At his age. Good for him.


text:
The new world… very | The Middle East
Home » World » The new world… very | The Middle East
Late 15th century History's most famous explorer, Christopher Columbus, was on his way to India in a fleet of three ships. He wanted to return from it with a wealth of spices and seasonings, but instead he reached an unknown land that will be known as the "New World", or America, or the United States. As for the ancient world, it was, of course, Europe from which it came.
However, there is a world no less ancient, searched for by other explorers, such as (also Italian) Marco Polo, who had reached China and lived there for about two decades. That is the Asian continent of which we are a central part. It is the largest human gathering on earth, once it includes China and India, but it also includes Indonesia, the largest Islamic country.
For centuries, Asia was a country of underdevelopment, slavery, and opium inactivity, but now it has become the new world and gold mines. It turned from a continent of famine to a continent of exponential growth, speed and vastness. Hong Kong Island was the model of poverty, addiction and smuggling, and it became the most expensive real estate in the world. The Asian giant woke up everywhere, while Europe began to be called sarcastically, the old continent. As the "Group of Twenty" adults constitute 60 percent of the world's population; Most of them are in Asia, where major countries such as China, Japan, Thailand and South Korea have made incredible progress, as well as a middle group such as Hong Kong and Singapore.
From the "Twenty" summit on the island of Bali, Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi crown prince, embarked on this round of developing partnership with Asian friends. The good new thing about this partnership is that it is between two equal teams. Saudi Arabia, rich in opportunities, finds in the Asian partner a competent investor in the energy field and its branches, not just another partner. The American "new world", or the European old world, is no longer the only economic partner of the Saudi oil giant. In this special relationship, the crown prince completes what the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz started in 2017 on his major Asian tour, and the son follows in the footsteps of the father in supporting prospects for international friendships and the independence of the Saudi decision. The first element of this independence is the robustness of the economy. As part of the goodwill, the kingdom had designated Asia a 5 percent stake in Aramco.
From Bali to Bangkok, passing through Seoul, the horizons of a new world open to the partners and sons of the Asian continent. Father's message and son's dream.
Topics: Africa, AMERICA, art, Asia, conferences, Culture, dialogues, Economy, elections, Europe, Fashion, Gold, iran, Isis, J, King salman, meeting, meetings, new, News, oil prices, OPEC Budget, Politics, Profits, real estate, salman, Saudi, Saudi Arabia, Saudi women, security, sport, stock exchanges, stocks, terrorism, the Arab world, the Gulf, the latest news, today, Tourism
How Do I Review A Sent Snap?
There are independent toilets close to the urban area and the conditions are good. The Kai Tak isolation facility is planned to be converted into a youth dormitory
Hiding in the woods, Ukrainian drone operators are crucial to the battle in the east
Merger of companies in 2023 – what should the involved parties expect? :: Daily Business
scientists study new method for early diagnosis
Market closing! All trades from the last day LIVE


text:
Learn About Bed Bugs
Dogs vs. Bugs: The Benefits of Using Canines for Pest Detection
Bed Bug Myths
Introduction To Bed Bugs
8 Interesting Bed Bug Facts That Are Worth Knowing
Pesky Little Buggers! How Do You Get Bed Bugs in the First Place?
How Fast Do Bed Bugs Spread?
7 Ways a Bed Bug Problem Can Affect Your Health
5 Things to Know About Bed Bugs
Bed Bug Eggs: How To Find And Kill Them
Bed Bug Treatment Cost: What You Need to Know
How to Spot a Bed Bug Infestation
How To Get Rid Of A Bed Bug Infestation
Mistakes to Avoid When Getting Rid of Bed Bugs
Telltale Signs: How to Tell If You Have Bed Bugs
Signs You Might Have a Bed Bug Infestation
Things To Know About DIY Bed Bug Removal
Bed Bug Prevention
Improve the Quality of Your Sleep, Don't Let Bed Bugs Get in the Way
Are Bed Bugs Lurking in Your Hotel Room?
More Than a Nuisance: How a Bed Bug Infestation Affects Your Body and Mind
Create Your Own Bed Bug Kit: 5 Supplies for Bed Bug Treatment
Prevent the Problem: What Causes Bed Bugs and Their Spread?
Don't Let it Bite: How to Keep Kids Safe from Bedbugs
Starting Pest Control Treatment? Make Sure You Do These Inspection Steps First
Integrated Heat Treatment
Does Heat Kill Bed Bugs? This is What You Need to Know
Bed Bug Heat Treatment: A Guide on the Different Options You Have
Do It Yourself Professional Bed Bug Inspection
What Should I Consider Before Purchasing Bed Bug Spray or Pesticide?
Treatment Preparation
Who You Gonna Call? How To Effectively Seek Out Bed Bug Control In Oregon
Why You Should Hire a Professional for Bed Bug Removal in Seattle
Unwanted House Guests: 7 Of The Best Ways To Get Rid Of Bed Bugs
This Privacy Policy governs the manner in which the website collects, uses, maintains and discloses information collected from users (each, a 'User') of the website ('Site'). This privacy policy applies to the Site and all products and services offered by company.
We may collect personal identification information from Users in a variety of ways, including, but not limited to, when Users visit our site, register on the site, subscribe to the newsletter, and in connection with other activities, services, features or resources we make available on our Site. Users may be asked for, as appropriate, email address. Users may, however, visit our Site anonymously. We will collect personal identification information from Users only if they voluntarily submit such information to us. Users can always refuse to supply personally identification information, except that it may prevent them from engaging in certain Site related activities.
For the purpose of the Data Protection Act 1998, the data controller in respect of any personal data that you submit to us on Custom Bedbug Inc, a company incorporated under United States of America law and whose registered office is at 3014 Mimosa Ln. Emmett, ID 83617.
If you want to know what information we hold about you or if you have any other queries in relation to this privacy policy, please contact us using the following contact information:
Custom Bedbug Inc.
3014 Mimosa Ln.
Emmett, ID 83617
We will collect information that you provide to us when you register on the Service (such information shall include, but may not be limited to, your name, age, debit/credit card information, telephone number, postal address and email address);
About your usage of the Service; that you provide to us in e-mails or letters that you send to us;
And about transactions you carry out through the Service, orders you place and the fulfilment of your orders; data that you submit in order to use the Service, including data relating to your customers, clients or others using your services which the Custom Bedbug Inc. apps have access to.
It is possible to view the Custom Bedbug Inc. website without providing any personal details. However, without registering your details you will not be able to use the Services.
We may receive some information that you submit to any third party website or application that you access through the Service. Custom Bedbug Inc. and the owner or operator of that third party website will be the data controller in respect of any such information and you should check the privacy policy of that website to find out how they will use your personal information.
We will only use any information that we collect from you in accordance with this Privacy Policy.
The Service uses cookies to ensure that you get the most out of the Service. Cookies are small amounts of information in the form of text files which we store on your computer. Cookies allow us to monitor usage of the service, improve the Service's usability and to personalize the content for you.
If you do not wish us to install cookies on your computer for these purposes, you may change the settings on your internet browser to reject cookies. For more information about how to do this please consult the "Help" section of your browser. Please note that if you do set your browser to reject cookies, you may not be able to use all of the features of the Service. If you prevent us from placing cookies, you may not be able to use the Service to place an order. This is because we use cookies to enable you to log in to your account.
We may use an analytics service provider for service usage analysis and reporting. Analytics service providers generate statistical and other information about usage by means of cookies, which are stored on users' computers. The information generated relating to the Service may be used to create reports about the use of the Service and the analytics service provider will store this information.
In addition, advertisers whose advertisements appear on the Service may use and place cookies on your computer and we have no control over this. Please consult the terms and conditions and privacy policy of such third party advertisers to find out how they collect and use your personal data and to establish whether they use cookies and what they may use them for.
We may use your information in the following ways:
To ensure that our Service is delivered in the most effective manner for you and your computer;
To provide you with information, products or services that you request from us or which we feel may interest you, where you have consented to be contacted for such purposes;
To carry out our obligations arising from any contracts entered into between you and us;
To provide customer service to you in relation to your use of the Service, to deal with enquiries and complaints relating to the use of the Service and – – to notify you about any changes to our service;
To administer, support, improve, optimise and develop our Service;
To produce reports which may be used, sold or published by us at our sole discretion provided that any data or reports will be anonymised and not refer to any individual user of the Services;
For internal marketing and demographic studies to improve the products and services that we provide; and for security purposes.
We may also use your information to provide you with our email notifications, newsletters and other marketing communications that either you request from us or which you consent to by opting in when completing a registration form on the Service. You may opt out from receiving such marketing communications from us at any time by notifying us in writing, contacting us at [email protected] or, alternatively, by following the procedure to 'unsubscribe' that is specified in the email that you receive.
Other than as expressly set out in this Privacy Policy or as otherwise required or permitted by law, we will not share, sell or distribute any of the information you provide to us without your consent.
You should note that information posted on the public elements of the Service may be visible by users of the Service throughout the world. You should therefore be careful when submitting information about yourself to the Service.
We may disclose your personal information: (i) to any third party to whom disclosure is necessary to enable us to fulfil your orders and provide you with any service to which you have subscribed via the Service; (ii) where required to do so by law or court order; and (iii) to any person to whom disclosure is necessary to enable us to enforce our rights under this Privacy Policy or under our Terms and Conditions.
We may disclose your personal information to Facebook Inc in order to fulfill the Services. You can review Facebook's Terms of Service here https://www.facebook.com/ads/manage/customaudiences/tos.php
The Service may contain links to websites or access to applications that are operated by third parties. We do not control and accept no liability or responsibility for those websites and this Privacy Policy does not apply to those websites. Please consult the terms and conditions and privacy policy of those third party websites to find out how they collect and use your personal data and to establish whether they use cookies and what they may use them for.
Advertisements contained on our Service operate as links to the advertiser's website and as such any information they collect by virtue of your clicking on that link will be collected and used by the relevant advertiser in accordance with the privacy policy of that advertiser.
In common with a number of other websites, the data that we collect from you may be transferred to a cloud service provider which has data servers which are based outside the European Economic Area ("EEA"). By submitting your personal data, you agree to this transfer and the storing and/or processing of your personal data on these servers. We will take all steps Privacy Policy.
Appropriate security measures will be adopted to protect your information from access by unauthorised persons and against unlawful processing, accidental loss, destruction and damage. However, you acknowledge that data transmission over the internet is inherently unsecure and that we cannot guarantee the security of data you send over the internet.
Your information will only be held for a reasonable period or as long as the law requires or permits.
Accessing Your Information
You may at any time request access to and/or, if incorrect, rectification of your personal data by contacting us at the address set out in this Privacy Policy or by e-mailing [email protected]. We reserve the right to ask you for proof of your identity and to charge you a fee of twenty US dollars ($20) to meet our costs in granting any data access request you make.
Change To Our Privacy Policy
Company has the discretion to update this privacy policy at any time. When we do, we will revise the updated date at the bottom of this page. We encourage Users to frequently check this page for any changes to stay informed about how we are helping to protect the personal information we collect. You acknowledge and agree that it is your responsibility to review this privacy policy periodically and become aware of modifications.
Live Confidently in Your Home Again
3014 Mimosa Ln
1315 Central Ave S C
© 2019 Custom BedBug All rights Reserved. | Sitemap | Privacy Policy | Site By Boise WEB


text:
Level the playing field
I spent my childhood watching my parents — who both served terms as president of Planned Parenthood of Bucks County — fight to empower women and girls here in Pennsylvania and eventually on a global scale through our family's international nonprofit, the Wallace Global Fund.
Our foundation is dedicated to advancing women's rights, fighting against harmful patriarchal practices like child marriage and female genital mutilation, and promoting access to family planning and girls' education — which is critical to ensuring that women have agency over their own bodies and can participate fully in society.
Today, on International Women's Day, I am reminded that while we have made progress, we have so much more work to do to level the playing field for women and girls.
I have spent the past decade fighting for women's rights around the world and I am running for Congress to fight for the rights of women in Pennsylvania.
When we empower women and girls, we are empowering our next generation of leaders and ensuring that they have the right to self-determination in this world. This is powerfully resonant with me because of my mother's passion and because of my own daughters.
America has made great strides in women's empowerment, but with Donald Trump at the helm, we are backsliding as never before. Nineteen women accusers, hush money to a porn star, and what's the reaction of my Republican opponent, Brian Fitzpatrick? Empty blather about "standing with the victims of sexual harassment," but zero condemnation, zero action. Trump is enabled, and the Republican Congress is complicit.
I won't stand for this culture of disrespect and misogyny, or for this attack on women's rights. When I am in Congress, I will fight for pay equity, reproductive rights, and paid family and medical leave.
It's time for new leadership. I've fought for women's rights around the world and why I'm ready to take that fight to Congress.


VEA General Assembly Daily Reports: Fight the Term Contract Bill/Protect Your Pension!
"We are at such a disadvantage because our members are not only working when the session is in – it is almost impossible for teachers to get leave when local budgets are so tight. What do we need to do to bring a large enough group to a Richmond rally to have an impact?"
Rob's remark make me consider what other state associations have done to make their point. That type of action requires a unified resolve where all will do what is required to get their attention. It may be "outside the box" considering how we do things here in the Commonwealth but desperate times may require desperate actions.


This kind of a post is difficult for me to write. I like to keep the blog upbeat but today, I want to talk about something personal. It's hard because its not about healing, it's not about design decisions, and it's not about gear. It's about me. Enter at your own risk.
January has been a difficult month for me. I've made a lot of changes in both my WoW life and RL, and much of it is the result of things that have been building up for the last six months.
Six months ago, I made what was one of the biggest decisions in my life. I decided to walk away from a field and specialisation that I was well qualified in to take up piano full-time. It sounds a little bit like something I'd expect to happen in Paris or something romantic. But it really just was me making a decision to do what I love and accepting the risks and consequences that came with it. I started a blog because I felt that documenting a journey was far more interesting than updating a repertoire list.
Today, I'm dealing with one of the consequences of that choice in a way I couldn't have imagined. Every profession has their challenges and advantages, and it's really up to the person to see if they can handle it or not. In that sense, me being a pianist is no different. But I've found that in six months of doing music 24/7, it has changed a lot of who I am in unexpected ways, and it's scary.
Some of the things are just little things that have slowly crept up on me. My arms have got stronger and so have my fingers. My fingers in general can now stretch to abnormal degrees, that would normally freak people out if they saw it. My ears have grown more sensitive – almost to an extreme degree now. I used to just be sensitive to loud noises (like construction, drilling, ambulances) – but now they have a physical effect on me. They disorient me and frighten me to a point that the one time they were renovating the apartment next door, I found myself hiding in my closet from the noise. I've got some noise cancelling headphones since. Other times, it's just me hearing a car alarm 4 blocks away and figuring out the note – or unintentionally picking up on the neighbour's vacuum cleaner and transposing a piece to that pitch. Why can I hear these things that I don't really want to?
Perhaps the hardest part though, is dealing with me and noone else. I never thought about it when I started out, but really my days are filled with just me and the piano and the four walls. And that's begun to tell on me a little bit. The silence can sometimes be deafening, and there's a very definite sense of loneliness. Day in and day out, I've been battling with myself because ultimately that's partly what playing is – you try to play pieces, execute them, make it sound like it sounds in your head – and you fill it with your feelings to achieve all that.
A lot of times, it's an uphill battle with yourself, trying to bring it all together. It's physically and emotionally demanding and when you're constantly alone in it, it gets even harder. Sometimes it feels like it distorts reality, while it chokes you on the inside. On some of the more difficult days, it's just made me afraid that someone was over my shoulder and every little sound makes me jump.
This is not to say that doing what I do isn't worth it – because to me it still is. It's tough for me to admit to myself though, that I have these problems. When I reread the last two paragraphs it sounds so similar to the stereotypical crazy musicians movies show. And even though I know that it's really not like that – inspiration doesn't drop from the heavens and I have to be fairly disciplined rather than impulsive to do the practice I need – the changes in perception and mind are still a little scary to me.
And then ofcourse, are the other times when pain in my arms and hands can freak me out like no other. Sometimes it's when I game too hard – other times, I don't really know why. If it continues and/or keeps getting worse, I'm going to have to see someone about it. This fills me with unreasonable dread. I know it's not rational, but there you have it. I'm partly worried that they'll say I can't raid or game anymore, and I'm terrified that they'll say I can't play piano anymore. I have about a week or two – and if what I'm doing doesn't work, I'll have to go see someone about it even though I'd really rather not.
Dealing with the physical and emotional demands of my profession, and with the loneliness it comes with is just something I have to figure out – and I began the New Year with making some changes to that effect. I finally bowed of the raid group I've been raiding with on the weekends – I simply wasn't a good fit for the team. I took the opportunity to reschedule my practice hours on days when hubby would be home, to help deal with working alone. I'm trying to be better about warming up before playing so I don't hurt my arms. Emotionally is another story.
I'm sorry that the first post of the new year isn't something more encouraging and happy – but I suppose the blog isn't called "Happy Rainbows and Ponies" for a reason. Here I am, just as imperfect, flawed and fragile as anyone else – or maybe it really is just me, I don't know.
I have no regrets about my decision to be a pianist, and I'm going to figure these problems somehow. Even if I'm going to be scared the entire way, which I assure you I am. It will be one of the harder things I've dealt with because dealing with yourself is always more complicated than dealing with deadlines for a paper or meeting.
The new year to me wasn't about popping champagne and celebrating this time around – it was more just to be determined not to drown. And I'm okay with that.
Grats to you to be brave enough to follow your dream. That in and of itself is one of the bravest things a person can do in their life.
I understand where you are coming from. I work from home and it can feel like the walls are closing in sometimes. We are social animals and need that interaction. Maybe you can pick a time of day to visit a local coffee or tea shop. Read the paper and be social. Join a club of some sort. Running/book/hobby, something that you are interested in and can meet other like minded people. And of course wow can be a very social game if you want it to be. I often equate to wow as being my time in a Cheers style of pub. Just where i can sit and chat with like minded people about silly stuff.
Good luck to you, don't isolate yourself if you don't have to. I'm sure there are lot of fun people out there who would enjoy your company. Enjoying your blog.
Thanks so much for commenting, and for the advice. I've been looking into the local community clubs and I think I'll be trying out the yoga club soon. It seems to be a good way to get out and maintain my physical fitness for piano while also meeting new people.
I might also join a purely social guild on one of my non-raiding alts – it's something I've never done before in WoW but I think it would be great if I can log on to chat and hang out and not necessarily work towards gear and raiding all the time.
One of my greatest regrets has been not continuing to play the violin when I was younger. I think I would've gradually evolved into a cello player or something. I wish I could say that I understand what you're going through as a musician. The best I can offer is an internet fist bump and support to you and what you're doing. You've got something going for you in the sense that you know what you want to do and (more importantly) you're doing it. I know of people who still haven't a clue what their place is or what they want to engage in.
Also, can you play Clair de Lune?
Thanks for the support! 🙂 As for Clair de Lune, I haven't really picked it up and worked on it yet. I did do Reverie by Debussy a long time ago. Difficulty-wise, Clair de Lune isn't as challenging for me as some of the other pieces I'm working on – so it's certainly doable in a month or two if I picked it up and started practising.
Not every day can be a happy go lucky day, nor every blog post. Life can't always be gumdrops and rainbows… and no one can be expected to be perfect, or present only a perfect face to the world. It's okay, Saya, and thank you for sharing your difficulties. I don't think there's any fault to be found in any of what you shared. In fact, I have great respect for those people who can hold through their hardest times and trials and come out the other side – it's a quality I admire and aspire to.
Thank you Kuu. I've really begun to think that challenges and obstacles aren't ever overcome in a vacuum – there are always friends and people behind you who support and cheer you on. Sharing my difficulties wasn't easy but I'm glad I did. Awesome people like you make the challenges easier to deal with.
It's amazing. I admire you for following your dream, and then sharing when things aren't as picture perfect as one would think. Thoughts are with you Saya, I hope it works out! And I listened to your Souncloud songs and they are beautiful, no wonder you wanted to do it.
There is something beautiful and flawed in all artists irrespective of what form of art they pursue. My wife goes through many of the same internal struggles that you do so I understand the fragility that comes as part of the territory. While I'm still what you would consider a very "new" reader to your blog, I salute you for having a dream and daring to pursue it. I can only hope that the internal and external issues you face abate and allow you to realize your true potential, whatever that potential is.


Please note: You have to be at least 21 years old to order marijuana seeds (cannabis seeds) from 420-seeds.com.
UK Warning! The germination of cannabis seeds is illegal in most countries. Due to the fact that growing marijuana is legal in some countries, some specific details are documented. No inference, association, affiliation or approval can be drawn from the data on this web site or other media.
Under section 6 of the Misuse of Drugs Act 1971 it is an offence to cultivate any plant of the genus Cannabis in the United Kingdom without a license from the Home Secretary. Anyone committing an offence contrary to this section may be imprisoned or fined, or both. Please note therefore that germination of cannabis seeds without an appropriate license is illegal in the United Kingdom.
International Warning! We dispatch our seeds on the condition that they will not be used by others in conflict with applicable local law. Unfortunately, regulation and implementation in respect of marijuana seeds often differ from country to country or state to state. For this reason we advise you as a matter of urgency to make inquiries about the regulations to which you are subject. It is your responsibility to check with your local laws. As a 420-seeds.com customer, you are prohibited from distributing any seeds to countries or states where possession of and/or trafficking in cannabis seeds is illegal.
420-seeds.com cannot be held responsible for the actions of persons who purchase our cannabis seeds. We only sell you cannabis seeds for novelty or souvenir purposes, such as the use of fishing bait additives or as luxury bird food or as souvenirs or collectibles. Or you may purchase to store, in case the law changes.
420-seeds.com does not encourage anyone to break the law in their country.
For your own protection we require you to inquire about and comply with all local laws and international laws governing the purchase of cannabis seeds in your part of the world. In many countries, it is illegal to germinate these cannabis seeds. By ordering, 'you confirm that you checked your local and international law and it is safe to do so' and that the responsibility for that decision rests solely upon you.
This site is intended for those persons 21 years of age and older. All cannabis seeds / marijuana seeds are for educational and souvenir purposes only.
You acknowledge and agree that when you post content on the 420-seeds.com Site or view content provided by others, you are doing so at your own discretion and risk, including any reliance on the accuracy, completeness, of that content. You further acknowledge and agree that the views expressed by you and other users in that content do not necessarily reflect the views of 420-seeds.com, and we do not support or endorse any user content. You acknowledge that we have no obligation to pre-screen, monitor, review, or edit any content posted by you and other users on the 420-seeds.com Site.
We remind you that seeds are sold for souvenir and novelty purposes only and users have checked their own laws in regards to germination.


text:
BusinessJobsNewsPolitics
TORY PLANS FOR EU CITIZENS WILL HARM NORTH'S ECONOMY – ANDERSON
written by John2 June 28, 2017
SINN Féin MEP Martina Anderson has said Tory plans about the rights of EU citizens will harm the north's economy.
Martina Anderson said: "Many parts of the economy in the North depend on workers from across the EU, particularly the agri-food, hospitality and health sectors.
"In fact a recent report found that 91 per cent of contract labour demand at peak times is fulfilled by EU nationals in the hospitality industry.
"The registration process proposed by the Tories as part of their scattergun approach to Brexit would restrict the free movement required for these workers and, as a result, have a negative impact on our economy.
"The principle of free movement is key and should apply to all EU nationals across the island of Ireland.
"All EU nationals, including those currently resident here and those who may come in the future, should have all current rights guaranteed post-Brexit.
"Those rights should be enforced by the European Court of Justice and the way the best way to ensure this, and the rights of EU citizens, is for the north to secure designated special status within the EU.
"Given the new axis between the DUP and the Tories at Westminster, the DUP now need to clarify if they will follow the lead of their Tory paymasters or act in the best interests of the north by protecting the rights of EU citizens."
TORY PLANS FOR EU CITIZENS WILL HARM NORTH'S ECONOMY – ANDERSON was last modified: June 28th, 2017 by John2
BREXITdupMartina AndersonSINN FEIN MEPTORY PLANS FOR EU CITIZENS WILL HARM NORTH'S ECONOMY - ANDERSONwestminster


Room with a View by Henry P. Gravelle - more info.
'Room with a View' by Henry P. Gravelle - additional information.
A dramatic sketch with a single (hotel room) setting.
Four thieves meet in a high rise hotel room after a botched bank heist. The situation only gets worse.


Nemours has added a new leader to its fundraising team. Lesli J. Cearley, director of fund development for the Nemours Fund for Children's Health, will build philanthropic support for the unique pediatric programs and services offered by Nemours Children's Hospital in Lake Nona and Nemours Children's Specialty Care locations in downtown Orlando, Lake Mary and Viera.
Prior to joining Nemours, Cearley was the director of development for the Military Child Education Coalition in Harker Heights, Texas. She also served as the director of fund development for McLane Children's Hospital, a division of the Scott & White Healthcare Foundation in Temple, Texas.
Cearley will manage all fundraising activities in Central Florida, including major gifts, corporate and foundation giving, annual giving and special events like the annual Nemours Gala.
Cearley joins Nemours at a time of rapid growth when philanthropy has become more important than ever. The children's health system just purchased five urgent care centers in Central Florida — now known as Nemours Children's Urgent Care. In May, Nemours is set to open its eighth Nemours Children's Primary Care location in Oviedo.


text:
Emily Carr University Design
Sourdough Making
Nourishment Project
by Brittany Williams
"How can I make the process of making sourdough bread easier and more accessible for the beginner bread baker? "
Design Context
Naturally Fermented Sourdough made by the fermentation of dough using naturally occurring lactobacilli and yeast. Sourdough bread has a mildly sour taste not present in most bread made with baker's yeast and better inherent keeping qualities than other bread, due to the lactic acid produced by the lactobacilli. However, I identified some challengings of Making Naturally Fermented Sourdough and then provided service artifacts to relieves these challengings.
Design Artefacts
Smart Container--Take the guesswork out of your sourdough starter with temperature and humidity sensors that show you how your special and unique sourdough starter is doing.
Sourdough Starter App--A sourdough starter is a living culture thriving with activity. The starter needs the right temperature and consistent, measured feedings. With the sourdough starter app cultivating a healthy starter is easy, and you'll never miss a feeding.
Sourdough Campaign--Sourdoh Campaign encourages bakers of all levels to post their sourdough failures, to remind the community that mistakes are perfectly normal and part of the process of learning how to make bread.
Video Resources--Easy to follow, step by step tutorials will take you from a beginner to an expert in sourdough bread making.
by hsinyu
Nourishment: Kombucha
by Xinmiao Zhang
"How can I redesign both the DIY and store buying experience for kombucha lovers?"
I accidentally bought Kombucha once in the grocery store and the smell and flavor were completely new and kind of shuck to me. After researching it, I discovered that Kombucha is a kind of superfood and there is a group of people who love drinking Kombucha and DIY kombucha because of the healthy factors and the flavors. However, the means and ingredients to handmake Kombucha are hard to get. Therefore, I thought it will be interesting to do a project on it and let more people know more about Kombucha and easy to make by themselves.
Design Artifacts
DIY Space--the use of warm colour and soft materials is ideal for my store. There should be a fireplace or television, windows for sunlight to shine through, shades, the big wooden table in the middle, soft sittings, and air conditioning for a comfortable environment.
Service Website-- By creating an account, the customer can manage, track, order, get in touch with us.
Delivery Truck--We transport locally and the truck will act as an advertisement while shipping kombucha to customers.
Packaging-- My concept for packaging is clean simple and heartwarming design. Sturdy cardboard box designed for different packaging of the drink: Glass bottles, paper box, dispenser, etc. The boxes need to have cooling pads inside to ensure the freshness of the tea.
A Smarter City Challenging Project
by Claudia Hopkins & Sandra Han
"What smart initiatives could be developed to encourage meaningful interactions between community members to reduce social isolation?"
People use social media to learn about others and don't rely on face to face connections. According to digital inclusion and online centres are social strategies in the UK to enable equitable access to technology and help people feel less socially isolated. In Vancouver, VPL Central is the only branch offering the high demand digital literacy classes. Through this project, we want to explore the opportunity about how VPL classes can come to communities to increase accessibility and then whether digital inclusion fosters a sense of belonging.
Multi-sensory experiences lead to more verbal, communicative interactions with others. Hence, we believe that connections can lead to investments in the city and the community. In order to create the sense of belonging, we created a space to help others get to know each other through experiences as a means to get to know one another and how connections lead to investments in the city and community.
Pop Up Vancouver
These non-profit pop up shops are designed for everyone and anyone open to interacting with the artifacts.
Space--Themes change every season to create new engaging content and relationship with artists and designers are maintained.
Menu--Food was integrated into this service as food enables people to connect more based on culture, and a multi-sensory experience.
Interactive Board--This is an anonymous experience to enable storytelling and find commonality through others' experiences.
Artifacts and Food-- The artifacts and food allow for the Vancouver Pop Up to be maintained. They also enable a contemplative experience.
VPL Digital Centres
The underserved or marginalized population that may have low mobility or access to technology based on class.
Needs Assessment-- Curate class offerings for a community, by first accessing needs, then confirming enrolment, and then sending out a final schedule.
Bus Stop Map & Webpage-- A bus stop ad with a map to the online centre is a nudge for people to attend. There is also a link on the bus stop advertisement that goes to the VPL website if the person has a smartphone.
Centre, Classes & Resources -- Offer classes, resources and use of desktop computers. Provide ways of giving feedback through an evaluations form after the course, and have a suggestion box available to empower communities to make the change.
Music in the Bones: Bone conducting adapter for earbuds
System of Food Banks
Gilligator
© 2021 Emily Carr University Design. All rights reserved


text:
#ifndef sophAi_modules_VirtualInput_H_
#define sophAi_modules_VirtualInput_H_

#include <cstring>
#include <iostream>
#include <unistd.h>
#include <fcntl.h>
#include <sys/time.h>
#include <linux/input.h>
#include <linux/uinput.h>

namespace module_VirtualInput {
class VirtualInput
{
	public:

		VirtualInput();

		~VirtualInput();

		bool setup(int &screen_width,
		    	   int &screen_height,
				   int &move_type);      //0(kAbsolute) or 1(kRelative)

		void control(int &trigger_type,  //1 for press, 0 for release. Affect to EV_KEY, REL_WHEEL, and REL_HWHEEL.
					 int &key1,          //First key event, ex: KEY_A
					 int &key2,          //Second key event.
					 int &key3,          //Third key event.
					 int &button,        //BTN_TOUCH, 0-5(kAbsolute), BTN_MOUSE, LEFT/MIDDLE/RIGHT, 0-5 (kRelative), REL_WHEEL(with y), or RELHWHEEL(with x)
					 int &x,             //Mouse move that != 0, ABS coordinate (touchscrene) that > -1, or REL_HWHEEL movement that != 0.
					 int &y);            //Mouse move that != 0, ABS coordinate (touchscreen) that > -1, or REL_WHEEL movement that != 0.

		void controlStep(int &trigger_time_us,
						 int &key1,
						 int &key2,
						 int &key3,
						 int &button,
						 int &x,
						 int &y,
						 int &step,
						 int &move_factor);

		void oneKey(int &trigger, int &key1);

		void twoKeys(int &trigger, int &key1, int &key2);

		void threeKeys(int &trigger, int &key1, int &key2, int &key3);

		void move(int &x, int &y);

	private:

		int fd;
		int ev_x, ev_y, ev_type;
		int ev_no_move, ev_no_key, ev_no_button, ev_press, ev_release;
		static struct uinput_user_dev uidev;
		static struct input_event event;

		void release();
};

}
#endif

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Applicants in this award category consist of general contractors engaged in construction of commercial buildings, including but not limited to the following: self-storage facilities, strip malls, office buildings, mixed-use developments, community centers and schools.
Cobb Hill Safety Officer, Geoffrey Magoon submitted an application for the award in November and was notified on December 11th that Cobb Hill had been awarded first place in our category.
This awards program recognizes the achievements of builders and trade contractors who have developed and implemented high quality construction safety programs, and to honor government officials and NAHB-affiliated associations that have made successful efforts to advance safety in the home building industry.
The NAHB/Builders Mutual Insurance Company Safety Award For Excellence (SAFE) recognizes member companies, workers and other individuals for the excellent programs that make them leaders in the residential construction industry.


text:
Q: Why Intellij Projects showing the files in orange and auto save is not working I have a simple nextjs application. When I open that particular project it is showing all the files in orange and it looks different from other projects. It does not auto format because of that.

Here are my settings for on save.

Here is the file that shows a red squigly line.

redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaStackExchange


I was catching up over the weekend on the December issue of American Theatre magazine, which had accidently gotten buried under a stack of guidebooks to Prague and Vienna. I was struck by a short news piece about the new Alliance of Teatros Latinos New York, a coalition of nine Latino Theatre companies joining together to raise funds for their organizations. Although one might initially thank that these companies would all be competing with one another for the same donor dollar, Robert Frederico is quoted saying, "…rather than fighting over the small crumbs, we decided to unite and go after bigger crumbs." This put me in mind of Nobel Prize winning economist Elinor Ostrom's Governing the Commons in which she examines the cooperative behavior of groups and individuals to manage common pool resources like fisheries or water resources. Can we think of the philanthropic dollars as a common pool resource? Can organizations or individuals cooperate to maximize the benefits of that resource?
Being a (reasonably) good academic, I did a quick search on the topic of philanthropy as a common pool resource and found a smattering of articles that had some small relevance to the topic, and an abstract for a working paper by Lucas Meijs of Erasmus University (Rotterdam). Meijs is looking at "philanthropic commitment" as a common pool resource. However, he and the other scholars I uncovered examine the question from the perspective of the corporate giver, rather than the philanthropic beneficiary. While I applaud an effort at corporate cooperation to achieve greater impact in giving programs, my applause is louder for arts organizations that cooperate to harvest the maximum dollar out of the seemingly shrinking pool of possible donors. For the new Alliance, that common resource is the total dollars that corporations, foundations, and individuals are willing to give to Latino theatre companies in New York. I loudly applaud their effort to compete less and cooperate more.
This entry was posted in Arts entrepreneurship, Arts funding, arts infrastructure, Arts management, Uncategorized and tagged arts entrepreneurship, Arts funding, arts management, Philanthropy, Theatre. Bookmark the permalink.


Unit C, 20/F., Bow Fu Building, No.819 Hubin Nan Rd., Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Office Address: Unit C, 20/F., Bow Fu Building, No.819 Hubin Nan Rd., Xiamen, Fujian, China.
Found in 2003, we have manufacturing/exporting/offering arts & crafts products/services for nearly 3 years, especially in poly & ceramic products.
We locate/have a well-equipped production plant in Xiamen.


Tart cherries, sweet apples, sugar, flour, cinnamon and butter go into this sweet pie. It bakes up golden brown on the inside and a wonderful cherry pink on the inside.
Combine cherries and apple slices in a large bowl. Stir together sugar, flour, and cinnamon; mix well with fruit. Let stand 15 minutes.
Spread fruit mixture into pastry lined 9 inch pie pan. Dot with butter or margarine. Cover with top crust. Seal and flute the edges. Cut slits in the crust to allow steam to escape.
Bake at 425 degrees F (220 degrees C) for 40 to 50 minutes, or until edge is golden brown and apples are tender.


I am by no means a movie critic, I know what I like but that's as far as it goes. We have a theater in town, the Varsity, and since day 1 of living in Ashland I have been wanting to enjoy a movie at the Varsity. Probably because I love most anything historical, combine it with the look of retro and add in the small town charm and well, you've got the Varsity. Like so many other theaters, in order to survive and keep up with changing audiences, the one-time grand movie theater has been sectioned into three theaters, two downstairs and the upstairs "balcony seating" is now a theater. I love the Varsity!
I finally got my chance to visit the Varsity when we recently saw the movie, Descendants, with George Clooney. Now as I said, I am no movie critic but I definitely give Descendants two thumbs up and and well-worth the price of admission.
Synopsis... A land baron tries to re-connect with his two daughters after his wife suffers a boating accident. Hawaiian land baron Matt King (Clooney) decides to take his daughters on a trip from Oahu to Kauai in order to confront the real estate broker who was having an affair with Elizabeth before her misfortune.
There is so much to do and see and enjoy in Ashland! Most everyone knows about the fabulous Oregon Shakespeare Festival, but did you know the Varsity is also home to the Ashland Independent Film Festival? This year the festival will be held April 12 - 16 and of course, we are accepting reservations for this movie lovers event!


Perl is a powerful scripting language that supports Oracle integration and is available on almost all operating systems. It is also included with the Oracle 10g and Oracle 11g database server.
Oraperl was a Perl 4 binary (with Oracle OCI calls compiled in) used to access Oracle from Perl programs. OraPerl was superseded by the more generic DBI database driver in Perl 5, which uses DBD::Oracle to access Oracle.
For compatibility DBD::Oracle ships with an OraPerl emulation layer. This emulation layer can run legacy oraperl scripts without modification by translating the oraperl API calls into the corresponding DBI calls. However, the preferred method for database access is DBI.
You need two CPAN modules to enable Oracle connectivity: The first is the main DBI (DB Interface) module, the other is a DBD (DB Driver) module. Several DBD modules are available - to support the different database systems, including Oracle and MySQL. The Oracle module is called DBD::Oracle.
DBD::Oracle is the Oracle specific module for DBI. It can be downloaded from CPAN (download now).
Look at these example code pieces. In this example, ORCL is the database connect descriptor.
Here is an example of how to execute the Perl installed with Oracle, under Unix. One reason for doing this is to access DBD::Oracle where this is not otherwise available. This technique assumes that ORACLE_HOME and ORACLE_SID have been set.
# Run under Oracle Perl, for DBI.
This page was last edited on 13 July 2010, at 07:13.


What: "Government and the Internet of Things," a report by the Advanced Technology Academic Research Center.
Why: The Internet of Things encompasses a wide range of devices, including cell phones, cars, kitchen appliances, jet engines, electricity meters and windmills. By 2020, experts forecast that 26 billion devices will be connected to the Internet, and some predict two or three times that number.
The center's report explores the role government should play in using and regulating the IoT, and it is based on the insights more than 20 government and industry leaders shared during a series of meetings over a 10-week period to discuss how government can better apply IoT technologies and drive growth in that sector.
The researchers concluded that agencies must decide how best to take advantage of the Internet of Things for core missions while protecting privacy and enhancing security. And that security model will likely have to be unique because every endpoint and network connection is vulnerable to hackers. Cybersecurity would also involve protecting IoT hardware and sensors, securing 4G and Wi-Fi, and preventing tampering with power grids and utilities.
Also at issue are federal laws that protect consumer and government data, such as the Privacy Act of 1974 and the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act of 1996, which were designed long before the IoT existed. Geo-location histories, financial information and health data are often stored on smartphones and other devices, and people naturally want assurances that their personal information is secure. Transparency about data policies and management would help, the report's authors said.
They cite the General Services Administration's Smart Buildings initiative as a good example of an agency using the IoT to its advantage. Under the program, GSA installed sensors on government buildings to measure and manage environmental impact, energy efficiency, operating expenses and other factors.
The report recommends that the government create a strategy to educate the public and federal agencies alike about the IoT and its implications. The authors also urge Congress and the White House to avoid heavy regulation that could hinder the IoT's growth and said they should instead focus on creating consumer-based standards and ensuring privacy protections.
Verbatim: "The success or failure of IoT's application in government may hinge on the ability to secure all facets of the IoT channel.... Government must promote policies that ensure the security of the IoT landscape and identify best practices, while encouraging technology development."