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- F**k Cancer
- Alumnus Creates World's Thinnest Condom
- Starting Something
- Autograph, Please?
- 1960s
- 1970s
- 1980s
- 1990s
- 2000s
- 2010s
F**k Cancer
Got your attention? Good. That's the point. Yael Cohen, BA'08, president, founder and CEO of F**k Cancer, is on a mission: end late stage cancer diagnosis by getting people talking about the disease and educating them about the importance of early detection. The non‑profit organization's mission is to empower Generation Y – a generation Cohen believes has been omitted from the cancer conversation – and inspire them to involve, engage and educate their parents about early detection. Cohen established the organization in 2009 after her mother was diagnosed with breast cancer. Shocked to learn that 90 per cent of cancers are curable in stage one, Cohen realized that spreading the message about early detection was imperative. Today, the passionate and creative 27‑year‑old is a recognized health advocate, philanthropist and social entrepreneur. She's been named to the Globe and Mail's list of 12 people who are transforming philanthropy; received the Queen's Diamond Jubilee medal; spoken at the White House; been named one of Women's Executive Network's 100 Most Powerful Women in Canada; and most recently was recognized as one of BC Business' 30 Under 30. Thanks to early detection, Cohen's mother, Diane, has joined her daughter's movement.
Alumnus Creates World's Thinnest Condom
Who knew there was a Guinness World Record category for the thinnest condom? UBC Engineering grad Victor Chan, BASc'09, certainly did. Chan's product, the Aoni condom, developed by Guangzhou Daming United Rubber Products in Hong Kong, was recently crowned the world's thinnest latex condom by Guinness World Records. Measuring a mere 0.036mm thick, the Aoni trumped Japan's record of 0.038mm. Chan, managing director and project lead, told The Province that developing the condom was a challenge: "It took a lot of work to arrange the right mix and fine‑tune the ingredients to give us the right performance," he says. Condom research and development has been on the rise recently, no pun intended, since the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation announced it would shell out $100,000 in grant money to innovators who develop a more comfortable condom that enhances pleasure for both parties. The challenge aims to encourage condom use, and ultimately decrease unplanned pregnancies and the spread of sexually transmitted diseases. The Aoni is sold primarily in Mainland China, but Chan plans to eventually introduce the condom into the North American market. Chan is now working on developing a vibrating condom and a "silver nano particles‑coated sanitizing condom."
Starting Something
At the ripe old age of 23, Brian Wong, BCom'09, has made Forbes magazine's 30 under 30 list for the third time… The Sauder School of Business grad is the co‑founder and CEO of Kiip (pronounced KEEP), a rewards‑based mobile ad start‑up that offers prizes from major brands to players who reach new levels or achievements in games or apps. Wong explains that Kiip transforms mobile advertising into a positive experience by rewarding consumers with prizes when they reach new milestones, and enabling brands and companies to engage with consumers during their "achievement moment." Since its creation in 2010, Kiip has raised $15.4 million and is used by more than 500 major brands, reaching 70 million users through 2,000+ games and apps. Based in San Francisco, Kiip has offices in in Chicago, New York, Los Angeles, Bogota, and recently added an office in Vancouver. In addition to his most recent accolade, Wong's been recognized with many awards for his accomplishments and leadership, including the Top 20 Under 20 awards for all of Canada, Business Insider's Top 25 Under 25 in Silicon Valley, 18 Most Important People in Mobile Advertising, Mashable's Top 5 Entrepreneurs to Watch; and the AdAge Creativity Top 50.
Autograph, Please?
UBC Creative Writing students were a little star‑struck recently when Hollywood heavy‑hitter Hart Hanson, MFA' 87, writer and producer of the long‑running TV series Bones, returned to the department as its writer‑in‑residence. Hanson, a former professor there, talked to creative writing students about his award‑winning TV writing career and also gave a free public lecture entitled From Here to There: A Nice Canadian Boy Goes to Hollywood. His impressive list of writing credits includes many Canadian and American shows, ranging from Road to Avonlea to the Emmy‑nominated Judging Amy. His most recent series, a crime drama called Backstrom, was recently picked up by Fox. The show is a dark comedy, dubbed a "crime‑edy" by Hanson, and stars Rainn Wilson – who played Dwight on The Office – as a cranky and offensive detective who continually strives to change his self‑destructive behaviour, but fails. The series has filmed scenes at various locations on the Vancouver campus, including alumni UBC's classy digs at Cecil Green Park House. While scouting locations on campus, Hanson told The Province that it was a bit strange looking up at his old office in the Buchanan Building. He admits that it wasn't something he could have predicted when he was teaching at UBC – a nice Canadian Boy making it in Hollywood.
Norm Watt, BSc'67, MBA'69, recently released a second edition of his book, Off the Beaten Path: A Hiking Guide to Vancouver's North Shore. The book focuses on lesser known, but interesting trails throughout the forests of North and West Vancouver, many featuring sites of local historical interest, such as early 1900s logging, homesteading or sporting activities. The expanded version provides up‑to‑date information on changes to trailheads, signage, winter use and more.
After spending his entire working career in the pulp and paper industry, engineer Dave Baker, BASc'69, retired early because of a stroke. In retirement, he's been enjoying success writing, singing and recording folk songs about Canada's west coast. Local choirs that have performed his work include Chor Leoni, the Vancouver Welsh Men's Choir, the Vancouver Orpheus Male Choir, the Enchor mixed choir, and the Jubilate Chamber Choir. In 2013, Baker was awarded the Phyllis Delaney Life After Stroke Award in recognition of his achievements and contributions to the Canadian music industry.
The Great Gazzoon, a 4‑CD musical audio novel co‑written and produced for Rick Scott by Valerie Hennell, BA'70, MA'72, won Children's Recording of the Year in the 2013 Western Canadian Music Awards, received a nomination for Producer of the Year in the 2013 Canadian Folk Music Awards, and was recently featured at the 2014 Vancouver Children's Festival. Hennell and Scott also wrote an educational program, My Symphony, which premiered with the Vancouver Island Symphony in February 2014.
This March, Lyall Knott, QC, BCom'71, LLB '72, was appointed chair of the Canadian Forces Liaison Council for BC and in April was appointed as a member of the Advisory Board to the Canada Institute of The Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars. Knott is a senior partner of Clark Wilson LLP and is the Honorary Captain of the Canadian Fleet Pacific, Royal Canadian Navy. He served as a Canadian Commissioner on the International Joint Commission from 2009‑2013.
Brian J McParland, BASc'79, MSc'81, PhD'85, recently published his third book, Medical Radiation Dosimetry: Theory of Charged Particle Collision Energy Loss. McParland will return to the Middle East this year to take up the new post of head of Medical Physics at the Sidra Medical and Research Centre in Doha, Qatar.
In June 2013, Andy MacKinnon, BSc'79, MSc'82, received an honorary Doctor of Science degree from SFU for his contributions to forest ecology research, land use planning on BC's coast, and his role as co‑author of six best‑selling field guides to plant identification in western North America. MacKinnon is a researcher with the BC Forest Service and an adjunct professor in the School of Resource and Environmental Management at SFU. He lives in Metchosin, BC, with his family.
Daniel Lefebvre, MSc'80, won the Alumni Award for Excellence in Teaching from the Queen's University Alumni Association. The award recognizes a Queen's professor who shows outstanding knowledge, teaching ability, and accessibility to students. Students say Lefebvre goes above and beyond his job title to connect with students and provide an excellent learning environment.
Dr. Samuel Pang, BSc'82, MD'83, medical director of the Reproductive Science Centers (RSC) of New England, was rated "Top Doc" in Infertility Diagnosis and Treatment by Boston magazine in 2013. Physicians selected for inclusion in the magazine's "Top Doctors" list are among the nation's top one per cent of physicians in their field. Dr. Pang is also director of the Donor Egg and Gestational Surrogacy program at RSC New England. He has conducted research, published professional articles, and is frequently invited to speak on menopause, male infertility, third‑party assisted reproduction, and other topics related to fertility treatments.
Howard Jang, BMus'83, has been appointed as the new director of SFU's Woodward's Cultural Unit. In addition to this new role, Jang will also serve as professor of Professional Practice within SFU's School for the Contemporary Arts. Jang was previously the executive director of the Arts Club Theatre for 14 years.
Shannon Selin, MA'86, recently published her first novel, Napoleon in America, which imagines what might have happened if Napoleon Bonaparte had escaped from exile on St. Helena and wound up in the United States in 1821.
In 2013, Lynn Price, BMus'87, graduated with a BFA from Emily Carr University of Art and Design and was also the 2013 recipient of both the Mary Plumb Blade Award for Excellence in Painting/Printmaking, and the Governor General's Silver Medal. Price's work was included in the Art Mur's Fresh Paint/New Construction exhibition in Montreal.
Special thanks to the UBC Alumni Group in Indonesia (above) for generously committing $125,000 to help build the UBC Alumni Centre – and especially to Chris Bendl, BSc'91, for leading the effort. The new 41,700 square foot Alumni Centre located at the heart of the Vancouver campus will be the first of its kind in Canada.
Carol Lane, BSc'91, PhD'99, neuroscientist and assistant clinical professor in UBC's Faculty of Medicine, recently received the Minerva and the Women In™ Science Philanthropy Award. Lane works primarily in university-industry partnership research developing treatments and diagnostics for patients, and has clinically developed numerous medications working with multinational pharmaceutical companies, local biotech and global contract research organizations. Lane is dedicated to the advancement of women in science and mentors undergraduate and graduate students, as well as academics, young industrial scientists in industry, and paramedics in the rural community. She is currently VP Medical and Scientific Affairs for Megassistance, a medical emergency transport and travel assistant company.
In fall 2013, Kirstin Evenden, MFA'92, was appointed executive director of Lougheed House and Gardens in Calgary. Evenden has worked in diverse aspects of the museum sector for two decades, being with the Glenbow Museum for a number of years, most recently as its president and CEO. Built in 1891, Lougheed House is a national and provincial historic site and one of the earliest surviving mansions of its kind on the Canadian prairies. Evenden is working to increase community engagement with the house and its gardens – the place has many stories to tell!
Peter Raabe, BA'94, MA'95, PhD'99, argues in his new book, Philosophy's Role in Counseling and Psychotherapy that philosophy can effectively inform and improve conventional methods of treating mental illness.
Daphne M. Higgs, LLB'98, has been promoted to partner at Perkins Coie. Higgs is a member of the firm's Technology Transactions and Privacy practice and the firm's Emerging Companies and Venture Capital practice. She counsels companies on complex technology transactions, with a focus on digital media, entertainment, open source, privacy, advertising and the transfer of technologies from universities.
Emberton by Peter Norman, BFA'98, is a literary gothic novel with a dash of humour. Norman's poetry, short fiction and non‑fiction have been widely published in anthologies and magazines, including The Walrus, This Magazine, Malahat Review, Literary Review of Canada, Canadian Geographic and the Vancouver Sun. While attending UBC, Norman not only worked at the station as a DJ and on‑air host, but also met his wife, novelist Melanie Little, MFA'00.
Gabrielle (Gray) Phyo, BA'99, and her husband, Chris, welcomed Antonia Eloise on November 9, 2013. Gabrielle has recently been appointed as Group Corporate Counsel at Spirax‑Sarco Engineering plc, based in Cheltenham, UK.
Return to the Land of the Head Hunters is a book by Aaron Glass, MA'99, based on the recently restored 1914 film by Edward S. Curtis, In the Land of the Head Hunters. In recognition of the film's centennial, and alongside the release of a restored version by Milestone Films, Return to the Land of the Head Hunters brings together leading anthropologists, Native American authorities, artists, musicians, literary scholars, and film historians to reassess the film and its legacy.
James D. Kondopulos, BCom'00 (Hons), LLB'03, has been named one of Lexpert®'s Rising Stars: Leading Lawyers Under 40 competition. Kondopulos has a partnership interest in Vancouver‑based employment and labour law boutique Roper Greyell LLP.
Pete Koat, BSc'01, has been appointed as chief technology officer for Vancouver‑based Incognito Software, where he is responsible for defining the strategic agenda for the company's product line.
The feature film, Stress Position, was released nationally in Canadian theatres on April 18 at the Carlton in Toronto, and on May 23 at the Vancity Theatre in Vancouver. The film was created by a talented group of alumni that includes: A.J. Bond, BA'03, writer/director; Amy Belling, BA'03, cinematographer/producer; Jessica Cheung, BA'06, producer/production manager; Adam Locke‑Norton, BA'05, editor; and Dan Werb, MSc'10, PhD'13, composer. Stress Position is a genre‑bending feature film about two close friends who make a bet to see which of them can withstand a week of psychological torture at the hands of the other. In 2013 the film won Best Cinematography – Las Vegas Film Festival; Best Experimental Film – Lady Filmmakers Film Festival; and was the official selection at The London International Festival of Science Fiction and Fantastic Film.
Alumna Rose‑Ellen Nichols, BMus'05, MMus'08, will be starring in a new opera by Margaret Atwood and Tobin Stokes based on the life of writer, poet and First Nations advocate Pauline Johnson. Nichols, also of First Nations heritage, will be performing the part of Pauline.
On April 1, 2014, Danielle Metcalfe‑Chenail, MA'07, was named Historian Laureate of the City of Edmonton. Metcalfe‑Chenail is a freelance writer, speaker and historian who loves to explore Edmonton's stories. She was the first female to be elected president of Canada's Aviation Historical Society, and her upcoming book, Polar Winds: A Century of Flying the North, will highlight Edmonton's aerial connections to the North from the Klondike gold rush era to the turn of the last century.
Kip Warner, BSc'07, is an ethical hacker who, with NASA's permission, developed the technology to recover many of the first images captured from the surface of Mars during NASA's Viking mission in the 1970s. In November 2013, Warner released the DVD‑ROM, Avaneya: Viking Lander Remastered, which allows users to see the images that were previously in jeopardy of being lost due to magnetic tape deterioration and archaic proprietary technology. Warner is currently project lead for a science‑fiction game set on Mars, called Avaneya.
Congratulations to Brittney Kerr, BA'09, for recently being named as one of BC Business' 30 Under 30. As a senior consultant at Earnscliffe Strategy Group, Kerr is an expert in public policy, strategic communications, stakeholder relations, and project management, and is actively involved in the political landscape. She's served as the director of Operations for the BC Liberal Party, where she managed political operations and communications strategy, and as the BC Coordinator for the Leader's National Tour. Her mission: To change young BC voters' perception of politics. Kerr is a dedicated volunteer who sits on the executive board of Vision Vancouver and serves as BC Chair of the federal Liberal party's policy committee. Since graduating, she's continued to volunteer with UBC's Delta Gamma sorority, serving as a regional collegiate specialist advising university students in Delta Gamma chapters across North America. Kerr is currently completing a master's of Public Policy at SFU.
Simone Osborne, DipMusic Perf'09, one of the youngest winners of the Metropolitan Opera National Council Auditions, recently completed her tenure as a member of the prestigious Canadian Opera Company's Ensemble Studio. Osborne starred in the company's production of Un Ballo in Maschera as Oscar, and in March was back home with the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra to perform a wonderful program including Beethoven's Symphony No. 9 and Strauss songs. In 2013, Osborne played Pamina in Vancouver Opera's The Magic Flute, made her debut at both the Los Angeles Philharmonic debut and Carnegie Hall, and completed the Jeunesses Musicales Canada's first Maureen Forrester Award Tour through Ontario and Quebec.
Jared Miller, BMus'10, was recently named composer-in-residence of the Victoria Symphony. His orchestral works have been performed by the Toronto and Kitchener‑Waterloo symphony orchestras, Cleveland's Contemporary Youth Orchestra, and Toronto's Sneak Peek Orchestra. A composition he wrote while a student at UBC, 2010 Traffic Jam, was commissioned by the Vancouver Symphony Orchestra as part of its Olympic year presentations. His composition Flickering Images premiered in Lincoln Center in New York and won the 2011/12 Juilliard Orchestra Competition. Miller is currently completing his doctoral program at the Juilliard School.
Roydon Tse, BMus'13, a master of music student studying with Professor Christos Hatzis at the University of Toronto Faculty of Music, is the 2014 winner of the Canadian Music Centre Prairies' Emerging Composers Competition. His winning work, Three Musings – a triptych for chamber orchestra – was performed by the Winnipeg Symphony Orchestra on January 28 as part of the symphony's New Music Festival.


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The 18th Course on the International Law of Armed Conflict (LOAC) and the 4th Course on Military Medical Ethics in Times of Armed Conflict (MME) will take place from 19.-26. August 2016 in Spiez, Switzerland. Both courses are addressed to the Military Medical Personnel, Military Medico-Legal Officers, and Chaplains and are mandated by the International Committee of Military Medicine.
The courses are organized by the Swiss Armed Forces Medical Services Directorate.
Further information
- Law of the Armed Conflict: LOAC-Course page
- Military Medical Ethics: MME-Course page
Information about the other regional courses will follow, please also check our course agenda

subset: commoncrawl


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Displaying 1 to 5 of 5
Charnwood School Health Profile 2018/19
Mon, 03 Feb 2020
Leicestershire County Council
The School Health Profiles created by Public Health in Leicestershire County Council are a suite of profiles presenting a picture of child health in the area. The profiles are available at two different geographies, the overarching four page district profile and the more granular two page cluster profile....
Director of Public Health Annual Reports 2016
Wed, 04 Nov 2015
Leicestershire County Council
Reports from the Director of Public Health.
Leicestershire Health and Wellbeing Annual Report
Sat, 31 May 2014
Leicestershire Public Health
Health and Wellbeing Board's Annual Report updating on progress against the Joint Health and Wellbeing Strategy
Joint Health & Wellbeing Strategy
Mon, 31 Dec 2012
Leicestershire's Health & Wellbeing Board
An overarching plan to improve the health and wellbeing of children and adults in the
county and to reduce health inequalities. The strategy is driven by our joint strategic needs assessment, the overarching assessment of the health and wellbeing needs of our population across the wider health and social...
Indices of Deprivation 2010 - Leicestershire Headline Results
Thu, 07 Apr 2011
On 24th March 2011, Communities and Local Government (CLG) published the new English Indices of Deprivation 2010 (ID 2010). The Indices are an attempt to measure deprivation in a consistent way across England. The index is a relative measure of deprivation at a small geographic (Lower Super Output Area,...


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St Elizabeth Ann Seton – 04 Jan
St Elizabeth Ann Seton – 04 JanJanuary 3, 2020 Comments Off on St Elizabeth Ann Seton – 04 Jan
Born 28 August 1744 in New York city into a wealthy and influential Episcopalian family, the daughter of a Dr Richard Bayley; Elizabeth was raised in the New York high society of the late 18th century. Her mother died when Elizabeth was three years old, her baby sister a year later. In 1794 at age 19 she married the wealthy businessman William Magee Seton, and was the mother of five.
About ten years into the marriage, William's business failed, and soon after he died of tuberculosis, leaving Elizabeth an impoverished widow with five small children. For years Elizabeth had felt drawn to Catholicism, believing in the Real Presence in the Eucharist and in the lineage of the Church going back to Christ and the Apostles. She converted to Catholicism, entering the Church on 14 March 1805, alienating many of her strict Episcopalian family in the process.
To support her family, and insure the proper education of her children, she opened a school in Boston. Though a private and secular institution, from the beginning she ran it along the lines of a religious community. At the invitation of the archbishop, she established a Catholic girl's school in Baltimore, Maryland which initiated the parochial school system in America. To run the system she founded the Sisters of Charity in 1809, the first native American religious community for women.
She died on 4 January 1821 in Emmitsburg, Maryland of natural causes.
We must pray without ceasing, in every occurrence and employment of our lives – that prayer which is rather a habit of lifting up the heart to God as in a constant communication with Him. – Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
The first end I propose in our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills it; and thirdly to do it because it is his will. – Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton
What was the first rule of our dear Savior's life? You know if was to do his Father's will. Well, then, the first purpose of our daily work is to do the will of God; secondly, to do it in the manner he wills; and thirdly, to do it because it is his will. We know certainly that our God calls us to a holy life. We know that he gives us every grace, every abundant grace; and though we are so weak of ourselves, this grace is able to carry us through every obstacle and difficulty. – from the writings of Saint Elizabeth Ann Seton


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Upon attaching Whistle, an activity monitor for dogs, to Rocket's collar the first time, I was super excited about being able to monitor his activity level. After visiting his vet three weeks ago, I realized just how important added exercise would be for Rocket.
A couple days after I started using Whistle, my partner and I took Rocket to the vet. He was seemingly in pain, and was having some sporadic difficulty with his back legs during our walks. Our vet told us our Corgi–Pit Bull mix was exhibiting signs of a painful, possibly degenerative back issue, commonly associated with the Corgi dog breed. We were also warned at 49.6 pounds, he was too pudgy, and needed to lose weight. We were instructed to cut down on his food intake by 20 percent. I must admit I felt like an embarrassed child being scolded by her finger-wagging parent.
I initially changed Rocket's activity goal from the default of 30 minutes to 45 minutes per day. After a few days, I realized 60 minutes was more appropriate, as no added effort was needed to reach a 45-minute goal. We needed to step it up.
For three weeks, we have been walking more, playing more, and paying closer attention to Rocket's diet. While Rocket is still having some issues with his legs during walks, the problem isn't arising quite as often. He seems generally happier; there is more pep in his step. Most nights, instead of standing in front of us, staring intently, loudly begging for a bully stick, he curls up on the sofa and falls fast asleep.
I took him back to the vet earlier this week for a follow-up visit. The vet said she was happy to see in only three weeks, he had, in fact, dropped one pound. Granted, he has a lot more to go, but I was told many people seem to have a hard time actually reducing their dog's food. This is a great start.
In addition, I scrolled through Rocket's daily and weekly activity reports with the vet. She said 60 minutes is, indeed, an appropriate activity goal for Rocket. She was glad to see on many days, he greatly surpassed his goal. I asked her if she noticed any irregular activity, or if she would advise me to change up his routine. I was told it was great to find Rocket was getting at least 20 minutes of activity several times a day. Apparently, many people, due to their schedules, feel they are only able to take their dogs out for about 10 minutes or less, a few times a day, to do their business. The vet said it is ideal for a dog to walk or play for at minimum of 20 minutes, to reach his ideal target heart rate.
The vet had never heard of or seen a Whistle device before. She seemed pleasantly surprised this technology is available for dogs. I asked her if she considered the information provided to her by the Whistle readouts to be useful. She said it is, indeed, useful. She added it is even more important for dog owners to understand how much activity their dog is receiving, and to take ownership of their dog's health.
With Whistle, I am doing exactly that…taking full ownership of Rocket's health. And I feel empowered (see sidebar, "Whistle Overview: Week 3").


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Durst 810 slide printer modified to take polaroid filmgreenspun.com : LUSENET : polaroid transfers : One Thread
I am a photography teacher and we are working on polaroid transfers. A student has donated a Durst 810 Diacopy slide printer and I was wondering if it could somehow be modified to take polaroid film? It took Kodak Instant film which is no longer being made. This is a brand new unit in the box with all directions, etc. I would love to be able to use it in the class. I have emailed Durst and Polaroid but they have no answers for me. Any suggestions would be GREATLY appreciated! Thanks, Sandra.
-- Sandra Tipton (email@example.com), January 12, 2004


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Service Assistant - Mobility Aids
- Recruiter
- Location
- Telford
- Salary
- Up to £17137 per annum
- Posted
- 12 Aug 2019
- Closing date
- 26 Aug 2019
- Ref
- Contact
- British Red Cross
- Hours
- Part time
- Contract
- Permanent
- Listing type
- Job vacancy
Customer Service Assistant - Mobility Aids Service
Location: Telford
20 hours per week (4 days - Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday and Friday)
Contract type: Permanent
Salary: GBP 17,137 (pro-rata)
Could you be the first point of contact for our Mobility Aids Service?
We're looking for a Customer Service Assistant who will be responsible for the administration and operational duties within the Telford area of the Mobility Aids Service. This service provides a range of standard temporary loan wheelchairs to people who need them within the area.
As a Customer Service Assistant, you will provide outstanding customer service when interacting with service users in person, on the phone, and online. You will also be involved in various administration duties in relation to the service including the telephone "Assistance Programme".
*Please note, this role is part time, working 4 days per week, hours are Monday and Tuesday - 10am to 2pm, Thursday and Friday - 10am - 4pm.
Say hello to the team
The British Red Cross Mobility Aids Service (MAS) offers the hire of wheelchairs and other mobility items to any individual on a short term basis. Our aim is to ensure that during a period of personal crisis everyone is able to access an item of equipment they may need, no matter whoever or wherever they are.
This role might be for you if...
- You're computer confident. You know your way around Microsoft Office and have the ability to work with an online stock management system.
- You're a 'people person', you're able to offer sensitive and empathetic support to customers who may be emotionally vulnerable or distressed.
- You're cool, calm, and collected. You can produce great quality work whilst prioritising tasks and manage your workload under pressure.
Closing date for applications is (23:59hrs), Monday the 26th of August 2019.
Interviews will take place shortly after this date.
We offer a wide range of staff benefits, these include:
- 36 days holiday (including Bank Holidays)
- Option to buy an extra annual leave
- Up to 6% contributory pension
- Flexible working policy
A little bit more about us...
The British Red Cross help anyone, anywhere in the UK; get the support they need if crisis strikes. From hiring a wheelchair or dealing with loneliness, to adjusting to life in a new country - we're there when you need us.
Our organisation was born out of a desire to bring help without discrimination.
Impartiality and neutrality have been central values for the Red Cross since we started.
At the British Red Cross, we are looking for the best people to help us provide support to millions of people affected by crisis in the UK. We want our team to reflect the diversity of the communities we serve, offering equal opportunities to everyone, regardless of; age, disability, gender reassignment, marriage and civil partnership, pregnancy and maternity, race, religion or belief, sex, or sexual orientation.
Diversity is something we celebrate and we want you to be able to bring your authentic-self to the Red Cross. We want you to feel that you are in an inclusive environment, and a great position to help us spread the power of kindness.
In the British Red Cross we will not tolerate any form of misconduct, including sexual harassment, exploitation and abuse. We have a code of conduct in place, and are committed to creating a culture of integrity in the organisation where misconduct is not tolerated, situations of abuse are quickly investigated and perpetrators are dealt with effectively.
If you are appointed to a role within BRC you will be subject to the organisation's Code of Conduct, a copy of which you can find on our website.
As part of its recruitment and selection process the British Red Cross undertakes DBS (Disclosure and Barring Service) checking of all individuals who regularly work with or have access to children and vulnerable adults.
If driving is an essential requirement of the role, appropriate driver checks will be completed in line with current policy.
The British Red Cross, incorporated by Royal Charter 1908, is a charity registered in England and Wales (220949) and Scotland (SC037738).
Follow us on Twitter @RedCrossJobsUK and on Linked in - British Red Cross, to hear about our latest job vacancies.
Connecting human kindness with human crisis


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Establishing this method of donating enables citizens of our community, as well as natives who have taken up residence elsewhere, to effortlessly help the youth in our beloved area.
Becoming a PSYM monthly donor is easy and has its advantages:
- Simplicity simply click on your monthly donation selection below.
- Convenient – Your donation is processed automatically on the date you specify each month and you can track your payment via your credit card statement. Therefore eliminating the time-consuming check writing and remembering .
- Eliminates PSYM administrative expenses – associated with handling paperwork. Thus increasing the funds available for life-changing programs. Please note: a record of each payment will be included on your monthly credit card statement and will serve as your donation receipt.
- Quarterly Newsletters – receive quarterly newsletter via email that keeps you in the know about what's going on with PSYM, its activities, programs and happenings in the community .
- Flexible – its easy to make changes to your donation selection.
Just call us at (318) 283-9403 or shoot an email to firstname.lastname@example.com and we will process your change request asap.
Signup Here! to become a PSYM Monthly Donor by clicking the subscribe button for one of the options below. You will be taken to the recommended secure PayPal payment processing center to enter your personal & financial institution's information. Only PayPal views your financial institution's information for purpose of processing of your donation.
Your information will not be shared with third partys. You will not be sent unwanted promotional information or solicitations. Non of your credit card or financial information is viewed or stored by PSYM. So, rest assured that it's safe.
Giving Really Warms the Soul!
Your contributions to PSYM are absolutely tax deductible as allowed by law. We currently have no paid officers or staff. We operate solely through the efforts volunteers who give freely and generously of their time and money. Your gift goes 100% towards programs and activities that benefit our youth. Please join us in affecting the lives of our youth in a positive way by signing up for recurring monthly donations.
All Donations Are Tax Deductible
As we are a 501(C)(3) Non Profit


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How to Make Friends with Meetup
These days, technology makes meeting people easier than ever. No longer are we restricted to more local ways to make new friends - such as school, work, and family. With the internet, we can connect with others in ways we wouldn't have been able to imagine even ten years ago. Now there are many different community websites out there where we can meet friends and make connections that we otherwise wouldn't be able to.
One of the first of these sites, and perhaps the biggest and most well known, is Meetup.com. Launched in 2001, the site has since expanded to somewhere around 100,000 Meetup groups worldwide. People organize groups usually based on common backgrounds or interests. You can find language exchange meetups, ethnic identity meetups, and even regular professional networking meetups. Meetup can be a fantastic way to meet new people and I have personally made many good friends from some of the groups I attend, like language exchange groups in my hometown.
However, like with anything else on the internet, there are a few things to keep in mind in order to find a quality Meetup that suits your needs. The following are a few tips and things to consider that will help you get the most out of your meetup experience.
How Often Does it Meet?
It goes without saying that meetups that have a good, regular schedule tend to be healthier and with many more active members than those without. Don't just check to see if they meet frequently - check to see if they have a few good regular meetups (for example - a well organized language exchange group would probably have weekly conversation practice). Also see if the activities and events are actually relevant to what the group's aims are. If you see a "political" meetup that tends to have more movie nights and sports events than actual political discussions, then you probably won't find what you're looking for.
Comments on Meetups
After individual meetup events are done, users can leave feedback on the page. This comes in the form of star ratings as well as user comments. This is a very clear way to get an understanding of the meetup's quality. If a Meetup or event has low star ratings, or if anything about the user comments seems negative or questionable, give it a pass.
When you get there, what is the leadership like?
This is one of the bigger things that people tend to overlook when choosing a good social group. A good leadership team is vital for having an enjoyable meetup. Pay attention to what the organizers are like when you attend. Do they show up on time? Do they have clear objectives and plans for what the event is about? Are they friendly and introduce themselves to everyone, and make new members feel welcome? Or do they ignore newcomers and stick with their little group of friends? Even if you're not particularly interested in making friends with the organizers, these little things have a big impact on the feel and atmosphere of a Meetup. Friendly organizers tend to make others feel at ease, so the social atmosphere all around feels relaxed and you can make plenty of new friends. Leadership style is a very important thing to consider when trying new Meetups.
Even with some hiccups, events on Meetup.com can be an excellent experience. I usually find that even with "bad" meetups I can make one or two new good friends each time. Still, some of the tips above will help you choose the best ones on the site.
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(price as of May 24, 2016)


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Duo 30-oz. Tritan Sports Bottle
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What Are the Kinds of Solar Panels?
Energy from the sun heats the oceans, feeds plants and warms animal habitats. Humans have figured out other ways to harvest solar energy. Solar water heaters supplement or take the place of fossil fuel heaters. Mirrors focus light to heat fluids to drive turbines. But when people speak of solar panels, they're talking about the technology of converting energy from sunlight directly into electricity. Solar panels, also called photovoltaic panels, come in several varieties -- each with its own characteristics.
Silicon Photovoltaic
Silicon is the second-most abundant element in the Earth's crust. Luckily, it's also a material that can function as an electrical conductor and sometimes as an insulator. That kind of material is called a semiconductor, and its properties allow it to do two important things: absorb energy from sunlight and quickly move electrons out of the material into a circuit. Silicon solar panels come in several flavors, from the highest-efficiency, most-expensive monocrystalline silicon to the light-weight, more economical thin-film amorphous silicon.
CIGS and CdTe
Crystalline solar cells are efficient but expensive. Amorphous -- that is, noncrystalline -- silicon is cheaper, but its efficiency isn't so great. Thin-film solar panels made from cadmium telluride, or CdTe, or cadmium-indium-gallium-sulfide, or CIGS, find a middle ground. Their efficiencies approach that of crystalline silicon, while their price approaches that of amorphous silicon. In addition, thin-film materials are so thin they can be rolled up and shaped, almost like a piece of paper. That means they can be put into the form of, say, roofing tiles, and serve a dual-function. That approach is called building-integrated photovoltaic, or BIPV.
Emerging Materials
Solar panels are already efficient enough to effectively meet both residential and commercial needs. The problem is that they are still generally more expensive than fossil fuel alternatives. Although the price of crystalline silicon and thin-film technologies have generally gotten lower, other less mature technologies offer the promise of more cost-effective solar panels. These panels are built from materials that don't use traditional semiconductors to absorb sunlight. Polymer panels are made from plastics that absorb sunlight and transfer electrical charge through long-chain molecules. Dye-sensitized solar panels use a kind of artificial photosynthesis using organic dye molecules to absorb sunlight. Both those technologies are in the early stages of development, as of 2014.
Multijunction Solar Cells
Silicon, CdTe, CIGS, polymer and dye-sensitized solar all are configured in flat panels several square feet in area. There's another approach to photovoltaic that assembles a panel from lenses or mirrors, using them to direct light to a smaller piece of photovoltaic material. This approach is most often used with multijunction solar cells. Those are semiconductors built in several layers, each of which absorbs a different part of sunlight. The efficiency is about two or three times as high as the best silicon solar cell -- but the cost is also fairly high. That's why it makes sense to capture a larger area of sunlight with a lens and direct it to a smaller semiconductor.
Photo Credits
- Digital Vision./Photodisc/Getty Images


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Jocks and Jills
Choose between the Premier or Stanley's Cup if your a guy or choose the Lady Byng if your a gal.
All incorporate our exclusive "Air Management Control System". The rate of air that is released is upon impact is critical to having the proper protection.
Our goalie pad bag is made with a nylon reinforced vinyl bottom with full mesh for breathability. Two separate carrying handles with 600 coated polyester sides and full length #5 YKK Vislon zipper protect your investment from dirt and damage.
Our equipment bags come in many different shapes, colours and sizes. Choice of solid and mesh D-style top with #5 YKK zipper and dual pull tabs. Inside you'll find end pockets, a small parts pouch for toiletries and a side pouch. Two tone nylon reinforced box stitched handles along with pull handles. Other colours and configurations available.
Mask Bags
Two styles to choose from. Deluxe with LD33 foam padding and hook and loop closure or Standard with 3/8″ nylon coated air foam and zippered lid. Both have
built in small parts pouch to keep screws and clips. Various colours available.
Goalie Pants
Our goalie pants are constructed with 420 outer nylon construction with elasticized full crotch and inside leg area for greater mobility and less restriction. Poly reinforced front thigh board in either a curved or flat front. Suspender buttons and waist belt for a personalized fit.
Team and Goalie Stick Bags
The team stick bag is constructed of durable 600 polyester with padded vinyl top and bottom and with two tie down straps. Holds up to 60 sticks.
The goalie stick bag is constructed of durable 600 polyester with 1 ½" balanced carry handles. Holds up to 3 taped goal sticks.
The Goalie Screen is made of a nylon reinforced vinyl with reinforced cut out corners, five hole top and bottom sections. Made to fit on a regulation net, it fastens with adjustable webbing straps for a perfect fit.
This neck guard has not been submitted for BNQ testing so it carries no certification. There are poly reinforced throat and clavicle pieces with hook and loop fasteners for a comfortable fit.


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Miller's Monday Morning Message
Andrew Miller on operational excellence, strategy, life balance and everything in between
There was a recent article in the Globe and Mail entitled 'Military procurement overhaul eyed.' It was about how the Canadian Department of National Defense is considering an overhaul of its procurement practices in light of many recent mistakes. I was intrigued by the subject because I do a lot of work with both private and public sector organizations in helping them increase ROI through their purchasing processes, and believe that our public procurement practices need some improvement.
I have seen many of the challenges mentioned in the article with some of my clients: picking the supplier before a competition has been held; a lengthy specifications development process; not understanding the options available to them; and of course, making the wrong decision and having to reverse it.
These things happen because of the 'Collaboration Gap', where providers (buyers) are trying to purchase specifications and requirements and suppliers are trying to sell them features and benefits. Instead, buyers should be focusing on the desired outcomes they want to achieve and the objectives of the purchase they are making. They can then partner with their suppliers to develop the best solution for the best value.
There needs to be better collaboration between buyers and suppliers, both inside and outside of the formal procurement process. The buyers need to better understand the tools and the options they have available to them within the public procurement process. There are three things public sector organizations can do with the procurement process that will help them make better decisions:
With the intense scrutiny our public sector institutions go through when they spend public money, it only makes sense to spend time developing a better process for how that money gets spent. Currently, we continue to do the same things over and over again and expect the results to improve. Some guy named Einstein told us that means we are insane.I wouldn't go that far, but it does mean we need to look at the way we operate and find ways to improve.
To request an interview or more information, please contact:
Andrew Miller
Follow me on Twitter @AndrewMillerACM
© Andrew Miller. All rights reserved. 2012.


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Welcome to our school
Chesham School was inspected on November 16th 2017. All parents received a copy of the report on December 4th 2017 which is also available on the Internet via OFSTED's own website.
Overall, the school was, once again, confirmed to be Good with some Outstanding features.
Previously, the school was inspected in April 2013. The OFSTED website will allow you access to our previous inspection reports.
The school's response to our inspection is included as part of our annual school development plan which is available on request.
Under current regulations, it is likely to be 3 years before the school is inspected again, with a single inspector visiting the school for one day initially. This is likely to be during the academic year 2020 - 2021.
Parental views are largely gained through Parent view which gives parents the chance to tell Ofsted what they think about our school, from the quality of teaching to dealing with bullying and poor behaviour. The survey can be completed at any time and not just when the school is being inspected. 48 parents responded through parent view during our recent inspection as well as 45 through freetext.


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Get in shape for Christmas
By David Boost, Oct 30 2016 12:15PM
Now the countdown has started to Christmas, there is no better time to take stock of your own health and fitness levels. You will need to be in good shape before the turkey hits the Christmas table and the inevitable calories start to climb on board!
David and Iryna offer a free health and fitness consultation for you to decide if you would like to arrange a course of personal training sessions. Book now on 07944 714893
You may also wish to book a course of personal training sessions for your loved one or for a family member or friend. Courses of 5 or 10 (1 hour) personal training sessions are available. We can send you this as a Gift Voucher to include inside a card or present. Please contact us for further details.
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The length of the face increases with an increase in body size in several groups of mammals, including in fruit bats, mongooses, antelopes, tree-squirrels and cats. This trend between body size and face length has been proposed as a potential biological rule that holds true across all mammals with few exceptions.
But the length of the face is also known to be influenced by how hard an animal bites — shorter muzzles have been noted in species that bite harder onto more resistant foods, including in pandas, Tasmanian devils, and the extinct 'nutcracker man' (Paranthropus boisei).
A team of researchers, led by PhD candidate Rex Mitchell of the University of New England, have put these two competing hypotheses to the test in a comprehensive examination on herbivore skulls. Using a combination of 3D shape analysis and advanced digital modelling, the influence of body size and diet on the shape of the cranium was tested across 16 species of kangaroos and their relatives.
Being a herbivore means being spoiled for choice, with plenty of accessible different plant parts and tissues to choose from. Smaller herbivores tend to focus on high energy foods, such as fruits, fungi, roots and tubers. Larger species, on the other hand, must include large amounts of lower quality vegetation to meet their nutritional demands. This includes the leaves and stems of plants, broadly separated into two groups: graze (the leaves and stems of grasses) and browse (the leaves, stems and branches of trees and shrubs).
These dietary habits also hold true for kangaroos and their relatives. Macropodiformes is a group of marsupial herbivores native to Australia and New Guinea that includes over 70 species of kangaroos, wallabies, bettongs, potoroos and rat-kangaroos. Mitchell and his colleagues examined the skulls of over 200 kangaroos from a range of environments, spanning their entire size range, from the musky rat-kangaroo (less than 1kg) to the red kangaroo (over 85kg).
The skulls were sampled for 3D comparisons of shape. 3D biomechanical models of each species were then created from CT (serial x-rays) and subjected to computer-simulated biting to compare how well each species can handle a hard bite at the front teeth.
The researchers found that the length of the face is not associated with body size, with similarly long muzzles found in species across the entire size range. Instead, they found that the length of the face is associated with the hardness of preferred foods and biting behaviours used to access them.
Among the smaller species that seek out energetically rich foods, those that specialise on soft foods, such as fruit and fungi have a longer face, while specialists of more resistant roots and tubers have shorter faces. Among larger species, browsers of trees and shrubs have a shorter face, while the face tends to be longer in grazers.
The team believe the consistent and predictive nature of these findings may be of use when planning conservation and management strategies for vulnerable or endangered species, as well as for extrapolating the potential diets of extinct kangaroos from prehistoric environments.


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I just noticed I haven't blogged in about 8 months… time flies when you have work to do. Things are going well and I have a few bits of insight I'll try to share in the coming months (ya ya to busy to blog, etc). Anyway I wanted to say that I was renewed as an ALM MVP for the 6th year, I'm very happy about this obviously, I invest a lot of time in the Montreal community and with the ALM Team at Microsoft to make each version of the ALM suite just a bit better. I will continue to drive the team and the community toward adoption of this great platform and raise the quality of the software we produce.
I have plans to create a series of short videos (with the great Camtasia product) so answer regularly asked questions on ALM subjects…
See you soon,


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Adena Friedman, Nasdaq CEO talks about the possibility of becoming a crypto exchange in the future once the crypto market matures out and regulations sets into place. Meanwhile, the second largest exchange has collaborated with the crypto exchange, Gemini. If a big player like Nasdaq gets into the crypto industry, it would affect popular crypto exchanges like Binance and Coinbase adversely.
Nasdaq CEO expresses interest in crypto market
As the cryptocurrency market grows and regulators around the world make their stance clear, the mainstream financial institutions are making plans to leverage the crypto market's potential. Many big players from the Wall Street and Silicon Valley have already taken baby steps into the crypto market. Another big name expressing its positive intentions towards bitcoin and cryptos is Nasdaq.
According to the CEO of the Nasdaq, Adena Friedman, one of the biggest stock exchanges in the world is open to become a cryptocurrency trading platform, once the crypto space matures. A media source quoted Friedman as saying:
"Certainly Nasdaq would consider becoming a crypto exchange over time.If we do look at it and say 'it's time, people are ready for a more regulated market,' for something that provides a fair experience for investors."
Apparently, the primary obstruction in the crypto sphere for the institutional investors including Nasdaq is the regulatory part. Friedman believes in order to work on a crypto exchange plan, the details around regulation needs to be smoothed out and laid down. Furthermore, she thinks cryptocurrencies have a bullish future as stated by her:
"I believe that digital currencies will continue to persist it's just a matter of how long it will take for that space to mature. Once you look at it and say, 'do we want to provide a regulated market for this?' Certainly, Nasdaq would consider it."
Also, read: Goldman Sachs Gets Serious About Cryptos After Calling Them A Business Risk
Nasdaq indirectly becomes a part of crypto sector
Meanwhile, Nasdaq Inc. is helping out other cryptocurrency exchanges as recently, it partnered with Gemini Trust Co., a digital asset exchange to monitor the trading manipulation. Cameron Winklevoss, the CEO of Gemini stated that the surveillance of Nasdaq "is tried and true technology that's used by some of the largest exchanges in the world, so it's an obvious fit."
This is one of the first partnership of its kind between a renowned and mainstream exchange and a digital asset exchange to safeguard the booming crypto sector.
"Though Friedman was optimistic and bullish towards cryptocurrencies, Nasdaq CEO isn't much interested in the new crowdfunding source, ICOs. She believes SEC is right with them needing to be regulated."
Ana Friedman has only expressed an interest in becoming a cryptocurrency exchange in a mature crypto market, but if this scenario does become a reality, it would transform the entire crypto industry.
With such a major player that is the second largest exchange in the world in terms of trade volume, will expose bitcoin and altcoins to a mass audience and will bring exponential liquidity to the crypto market.
However, while Nasdaq's entry into the crypto market would work in investors' favor, cryptocurrency exchanges like Coinbase and Binance, that currently captures the major chunk of cryptocurrency market would be ruined. These crypto exchanges are the big players of the crypto market but when it comes to major mainstream players like Nasdaq, many cryptocurrency exchanges will be forced to live hand to mouth.
Do you think, if it would have to happen, the crypto sector is ready for such a big player like Nasdaq? How do you think it will affect the crypto market?


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On September 13 and 27, 2014, a group of advocates for skeptical inquiry met in Hollywood, California, to launch a grassroots skeptics group. Participants decided to name the group the Investigation Network and set as its mission: "to promote scientific skepticism to the public through education, investigation, community service and social activities in Southern California." True to its mission, this is not a group that merely discusses skepticism; it's a group focused on the intellectual stimulation and fun of skeptical activism in education and investigation.
The Haunted Red Line Tour
For their first activity, the group went on "The Haunted Red Line [Subway] Tour" provided by the Ghost Hunters of Urban Los Angeles (GHOULA) in October. The president of GHOULA is Richard Carradine, who according to his blog site has investigated over 200 "haunted" locations all over the world, but locations in Los Angeles are his favorites.
The description of his approach reveals that while he isn't interested in skeptical inquiry, he isn't necessarily credulous about ghosts either. According to the GHOULA blog: "His approach to each case is academic. Proving or disproving the spiritual activity of a certain spot isn't what motivates this ghost hunter. Instead, he is more interested in collecting the stories and eyewitness accounts, and archiving them, as a means of recording them for future studies into these unusual phenomena that clearly affect so many seemingly unconnected people."
I'm not sure I could have had the patience to sit through a tour led by someone more interested in good stories and eyewitness accounts than in finding out (the typically mundane) explanations for alleged hauntings. Perhaps Carradine's non-judgmental approach can be described as academic, but I think attempting to separate fact from fiction would be more illuminating and at least as much fun.
I give the participants from the Investigation Network credit for tolerating and even enjoying the tour. If they had found strong evidence of ghost activity, I think we would have heard an announcement by now. Nevertheless, they engaged in some potentially fruitful networking.
On November 25, the Investigation Network distributed educational flyers and free books on skepticism at its "Ask a Skeptic" table at the Pseudoscience Fair put on by the Skeptics Club at Santa Monica College. The Skeptics Club has put on a variety of interesting events, including talks by James Underdown of Center for Inquiry–Los Angeles, Brian Dunning of Skeptoid.com, Mick West of contrailscience.com, and Barbara Drescher of ICBS Everywhere and http://www.skeptic.com/insight/.
Theresa Caputo
On November 6, members of the Investigation Network gathered outside the Saban Theater in Beverly Hills to promote critical thinking to those lined up for a performance by Theresa Caputo, who is best known from her title role in Long Island Medium, her TLC (un)reality TV series. They distributed free flyers about "Spotting a Genuine Psychic" and engaged Caputo's customers in friendly, thought-provoking conversations. They pointed out that while Caputo might talk to dead relatives of people in her audiences, it doesn't mean that the dead receive her messages or communicate back to her.
Not surprisingly, some of Caputo's admirers thought the distribution of flyers was inappropriate despite the friendliness of the Investigation Network protesters. Emery Emery, who cohosts the Skeptically Yours and Ardent Atheists podcasts with Heather Henderson, came prepared with an ACLU information pamphlet that explains the rights of protesters. When a manager asked the group to leave the area and threatened to call the police, the Investigation Network knew they had the right to peacefully protest on public property outside the theater and stood their ground. A video summary of the protest is available online at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5XnS5jn4VXA.
On April Fool's Day 2012, the James Randi Educational Foundation's media Pigasus Award, given annually to the media outlet that reported as fact the most outrageous paranormal claim, was bestowed upon TLC for its "collection of shows that promote belief in paranormal folderol" such as Caputo's show. Caputo was singled out for the performance Pigasus Award, which is given to the "psychic" performer who fools the greatest number of people with the least effort.
James Randi—who was a magician of international fame long before his skeptical work—noted: "Caputo does what's known in my trade as 'cold reading.' The very best practitioners can pick up enough information in what seems like innocent, idle conversation to convince you that they know very specific things about you. The scientific phenomenon is called the Forer effect—giving credence to vague observations that seem personal." How successful would Caputo be if people who want to receive communications from dead loved ones recognized how convincing cold readings can be when performed by skilled magicians?
John Edward
On January 3, members of the Investigation Network carried out an educational protest outside the Pasadena Convention Center before a performance by John Edward, another "psychic medium" who claims to be able to receive communications from the dead loved ones of audience members. Edward gained fame for his claimed abilities on his television shows Crossing Over with John Edward and John Edward Cross Country. Critics have observed that he uses common cold reading techniques. Joe Nickell, PhD, senior research fellow of the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry (CSI) noted that Edward may sometimes also perform "hot" readings, which amount to obtaining personal information through non-psychic means such as forms people fill out in advance of performances (Nickell 2010).
The ACLU information pamphlet came in handy during the John Edward protest. Emery Emery knew that the group was rightfully protesting in a public area rather than trespassing on private property. As shown in an entertaining short video available at http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Eh2FH 2hB9RA, the police showed up, but Emery was able to convince the officers that they were not in violation of the law.
Cold Reading Workshops
On January 3, the Investigation Network organized a training workshop for its members on cold reading techniques. Micah Cover, a magician, provided the training. If Caputo and Edward had received such training, maybe they wouldn't make so many gaffes in their own fake psychic readings.
On February 7, the Investigation Network held a workshop at Santa Monica College on cold reading to be led by Mark Edward (not to be confused with John), author of Psychic Blues: Confessions of a Conflicted Medium and an Investigation Network participant. Joe Nickell has cautioned against using cold reading techniques on people seeking contact with the dearly departed and then revealing the trickery to show people their vulnerability to deception. He wrote: ". . . to toy with their deepest emotions—however briefly and well intentioned—is to cross a line I prefer not to do. Besides, I believe it can be very counterproductive. It may not be the alleged medium but rather the debunker himself who is perceived as dishonest, and he may come across as arrogant, cynical, and manipulative—not heroic as he imagines" (Nickell 2001, 22).
Learning cold reading techniques in order to demonstrate to the desperate and vulnerable their susceptibility to trickery raises ethical questions. In contrast, learning cold reading techniques in order to become a better investigator of alleged psychic performances is clearly not ethically problematic.
Potential Impact
The activities of the Investigation Network and similar grassroots skeptics groups are important for several reasons. For example, they create enjoyable social activities related to skepticism, provide learning opportunities for serious skeptics and others interested in developing critical thinking skills, and generate publicity for skeptical activism and the importance of critical thinking.
I doubt that the Investigation Network had much impact on people in line to see the psychic mediums. It's difficult to encourage people who have strongly held beliefs developed through wishful thinking to think carefully and critically. Most people who take "psychics" seriously are much more interested in seeking comfort rather than enlightenment. Isaac Asimov famously wrote: "Inspect every piece of pseudoscience and you will find a security blanket, a thumb to suck, a skirt to hold. What does the scientist have to offer in exchange? Uncertainty! Insecurity!" (Asimov 1987, 65).
However, if the popularity of grassroots groups such as the Investigation Network can grow significantly over time, their activism may have a significant potential impact in shifting social norms toward the greater tolerance of uncertainty and insecurity that comes with embracing skeptical inquiry. I see participants in Investigation Network activities as trailblazers for ongoing skeptical activism.
[Disclosure: While I have not been involved in any of the educational activities of the Investigation Network I have discussed, I served as facilitator for the group's September 13 planning meeting, wrote the first draft of its mission statement, and attended its September 27 planning meeting.
- Asimov, I. 1987. Past, Present, and Future. Buffalo, NY: Prometheus Books.
- Nickell, J. 2001. John Edward: Hustling the bereaved. Skeptical Inquirer 25(6). Online at http://www.csicop.org/si/show/john_edward_hustling_the_bereaved/.
- Nickell, J. 2010. John Edward: Spirit huckster. Skeptical Inquirer 34(2):17–18. Online at http://www.csicop.org/si/show/john_edward_spirit_huckster/.


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Key end-use components:
- With 22.3 billion sq meters of material produced in 2015, labels dominate the overall release-liner market with a 49% share.
- Medical applications account for only 3% of the total field at 1.2 billion sq meters last year.
- Graphic films, with 2.3 billion sq meters of material, accounted for 5% of the 2015 market.
- At 13% market share, tapes made up the second-largest category of release-liner applications, with 5.9 billion sq meters.
- And industrial end uses, with an 11% market share, accounted for 5.0 billion sq meters.
- Label release-liner markets are projected to grow 3.4% a year to 2020 worldwide, says AWA. Asia-Pacific will likely see 5.3% annual growth (the fastest), and North America see a steady 2.3%.
- Glassine/SCK paper dominates the substrate range for label release liners with about a 55% market share; other papers make up 30%, and PE, PP and PET films account for the remainder.
- Trends: Linerless p-s labels continue to gain interest among CPCs and retailers; Digital direct printing may be a threat in key end-use markets for p-s labels in the short- to medium-term as the technology develops; and intelligent labels are better suited to p-s formats than other methods.
- The release-liner field for tapes grew 7.2% last year and is projected to climb at about 7.8% a year to 2020, predicts AWA. Again, Asia-Pacific is forecasted to see 10% annual growth, while North America will see only a 3.8% rise.
- Production-wise, Asia-Pacific led global regions in 2015 with a 58% share, followed by North America at 26% and Europe at 11%.
- Driving demand for tape release liners is growth in the automotive industry, building & construction in developing countries, and aviation. For example, Groupe Renault estimates that it uses on average 700 sq cm of p-s tapes (and its release liner) in each vehicle.
- Worldwide production of medical-related liners will grow 7.6% annually to 2020, says AWA. Asia-Pacific will see a rather astounding 17.5% CAGR; North America will see about 7% growth each year.
- North America led the world in medical release liner production (70%) last year, Europe had 16%, and Asia-Pacific 11%.
- Trends: An aging population worldwide is driving growth along with use and acceptance of disposable medical devices and transdermal patches for therapeutics and pharmaceuticals; ongoing developments in wound care; and a perception of cleanliness is critical to product success.
Graphic films:
- At 5.7% growth in 2015, release liners for graphic films is the fourth-fastest growth end use. That rate should continue through 2020, predicts AWA.
- Glassine/SCK, clay-coated and polyolefin-coated papers made up 95% of the market for substrates in this application. Different films accounted for less than 5% last year.
- Trends: Advertising and branding apps hold the majority of volume while graphic films used for decorative purposes are expected to push future growth; pressure on costs have driven converters and printers to downgrade film materials to cheaper options; and improvements to calendering have increased demand toward calendered vinyl as a substrate.
- Production of release liners for industrial apps grew 6.8% in 2015, and globally the segment will climb another 7.5% a year to 2020, says AWA.
- Industrial apps are the only end-use segment where PE, PP and PET films make up the majority of substrate bases at a tiny fraction over 50%. Of this, PET films account for about 35%.
- North America and Asia-Pacific led industrial release-liner output last year at 45% and 43%, respectively. Europe produced only 10% of world output.
- Key apps driving growth are building & construction, consumer electronics, and composites for aerospace, wind energy, automotive and recreational apps.


text: Electric Strikes are security locking devices that are found in places where access control is required. They are also known as Door Strikes or Door Releases. They are controlled by Low-Voltage electrical power sources. Electric strikes come in many varieties. They can be 12 or 24 or even higher voltage and they may take AC or DC current and some even take both. They may be fail safe or fail secure. A fail safe electric strike needs power to keep it locked. A fail secure electric strike stays locked even without power. The most common by far is a fail secure. When using a fail secure electric strike even without power it stays locked from the outside coming in. When you need that buzzing sound you may have heard when being buzzed into an office that`s the sound of AC current going through the electric strike. If you need this sound as a signal to push on the door when unlocking the strike then choose an AC electric strike and an AC power source or transformer. If you do not want or need this buzzing sound then choose a DC power source or transformer. The DC strike is almost completely silent when it releases except for a slight click sound. On average a DC electric strike will last longer than an AC electric strike. Nowadays there are strikes suitable for nearly all door styles and materials.


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Follow Us:
YARMOUTH, Maine – Former homecare exec Len Serafino has released his second novel, "Keep Breathing," the story of a road trip along the I-95 corridor taken by a man with idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis and his friend.
Mal Mixon recently completed a new book chronicling his life's experiences, but in no way is he ready to close the chap
CLEVELAND – Invacare Chairman Mal Mixon has published a book that details his rise from humble beginnings to successful entrepreneur.
© 2020 United Publications ALL RIGHTS RESERVED.


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Obituary For CityBeat
The current issue of Pasadena Weekly includes a lovely farewell piece for their sister-paper, the recently deceased Los Angeles CityBeat. The story touches on the birth, life, and death of the paper, and gives a long list of some of the surviving relatives, the journalists that were part of the CityBeat family over the years. From Kevin Uhrich:
In its day, LA CityBeat came to be identified as one of the city's top publications for news, with in-depth stories on terrorism, the environment, the drug trade and police abuse, interviews with the likes of Hunter S. Thompson, comedian Lewis Black and author/historian/social critic Gore Vidal, and coverage of the arts, especially in its relentlessly comprehensive attention to LA's burgeoning club and music scene.


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Airplane crib bedding is adorable and is a great way to add to the theme of your baby's bedroom. It would also be appropriate to purchase as a gift for expectant parents who would like cute decorative crib bedding but aren't sure what kind they want.
Some things to consider when buying airplane crib bedding are whether to purchase the bedding as a set or as separates. If you decide on a set, consider how many pieces you want to purchase. The larger crib bedding sets come with a comforter, crib bumper pads, bed skirts, diaper stackers, and fitted sheets, but you can also purchase smaller sets with five pieces or fewer featuring quilts, fitted and flat sheets, shams and pillowcases. It all depends on your budget and how elaborate you want your set to be.
Airplane Aviator Crib Bedding Set
The bedding's fabric should be extremely soft and comfortable so it doesn't irritate the baby's delicate skin. Cotton and flannel are most often used in crib bedding. Try to purchase crib bedding with a high thread count to ensure a soft texture and feel. You might want to consider buying organic crib bedding, which protects your newborn from allergens and chemicals. If you want to go this route, you can find crib bedding and blankets in organic cotton and wool.
No matter what fabric you choose, make sure that your crib bedding is machine-washable. Most people know that babies are very messy and new mothers are often constantly washing their crib sheets. It's important that they aren't spending what little time they have trying to spot-treat their babies' crib bedding.
In the event you're at a loss, you might want to think about purchasing one of the following sets of airplane crib bedding. Geenny's Boutique Airplane Aviator 13-piece crib bedding set has a delightful sewn pattern and comes with wall hangings to make decorating your nursery easy and convenient.
JoJo Designs Vintage Aviator Airplane Crib Bedding Set
JoJo Designs' Red White and Blue Vintage Aviator Airplane Baby Bedding 9-piece crib set is machine washable and is a colorful and lively set with appliquéd airplanes. You also have the option of purchasing matching décor including lamp shades and mobiles with this set. So
Ho Designs makes a Boutique Baby Aviator 10-piece airplane crib bedding set that comes with a hand-embroidered quilt in lovely blue hues along with window valances and a dust ruffle, among other items.
Whether you decide to buy these sets referenced above or another set, you have several choices if you want to give your nursery an aviation theme using airplane crib bedding.


text:
Building a Safety Net
by Eric Elder
Part 7 of "How to Keep Trusting in God, Even in the Face of Significant Loss"
(Here are the links to Part 1, Part 2, Part 3, Part 4, Part 5, and Part 6)
You might think that walking across the grand canyon on a tightrope without a safety net is crazy. But there's something crazier still, and that's doing life without a safety net.
I recently spoke at a local church about how you can build a safety net in your own life to keep from losing your faith in God, even in the face of significant loss. You can listen to the message at the link below, or read the transcript that follows.
Click here to listen to "Building A Safety Net"
Thanks, Tony. I made it through the first hour, but I'll tell you, I had to grab a box of Kleenex to do it.
This is the first time I've stood up and preached on a Sunday morning since 10 months ago when I preached at my wife's funeral. Just putting on my suit this morning–this is the same suit and shirt I wore preaching her funeral–and just putting it on again today, I said, "OK, God, I think I'm ready." But can I ask you to pray for me, too, because I need all the help I can get. Let's pray.
"Father, we thank You so much for walking us through the tragedies of life and just being there for us. Thank You for other believers, and especially for people in this room who have walked our family through this as well. I just pray that You would speak to each one of our hearts, Lord, that You would just help remind us that You are there, that You are with us, and that You can walk us through anything we go through. In Jesus' name, Amen."
When Ron asked me to preach and to join in this series that they're doing on "Who We Are," and he asked me in particular to preach on this message, "Who We Are As The Church," I was very happy to say yes. Because I am a strong believer in the church. And the church of course is not just the building and the bricks and the place where we gather, the church is the body of believers, the church is you and me, doing life together, that is the church, and that is who we are.
So I just want to talk to you today about the value of the church, the power of the church, and of course, you're here this morning, so that means you're already reaping the benefits of being part of the church, but I also want to encourage you this morning to get involved in a deeper way with some of the people around you. Because when we do life together, with close friendships, that's when we really grow the most, that's when we can support each other the most, and that's when we can be supported when we need help as well.
We're all going to go through losses. You might not have had a loss like I had this past year, but we all suffer losses in all kinds of ways: loss of job, loss of relationship, loss of health, loss of finances, or as in my case, loss of someone that I dearly love. It's a part of life and we're all going to go through it. So my encouragement for you today–this is my bottom line of the whole thing and then I'll expand it–my bottom line is just get plugged in to some other believers so you can be there for them and they can be there for you. And that way you can get through these tragedies without losing your faith in Jesus. OK? Let's start off.
Do you recognize this guy? Anybody recognize who this is?
Nik Wallenda, who three months ago walked across a gorge near the Grand Canyon, live on international television–without a safety net underneath him.
Just last week, this clip was voted the number one moment on TV for 2013. Of all the different–the final episode of "The Office," or whatever other moments there were–this was the number one, the moment that people most were riveted by–as they watched this man, live on television, walk across a tiny wire–never been done before–across the Grand Canyon, without a safety net below him.
And you might say, "That guy is crazy." And you would be right! But I'll tell you, there's something crazier, and that's doing life without a safety net. And I want to talk to you this morning about how you can build a safety net under you. Because the truth is, even though he had no physical net, that man had a lot of people around him.
As you watch him do that, and you watch the tape of it, there are people on one side of the canyon, people on the other side, he's been training for years, there were people talking to him in his headset, warning him about the wind, making sure things were going all right, talking to him the entire way. He's talking to God. He's talking to his team. This man was prepared. He did not do life alone, and you cannot do life alone. It's even crazier, if you think you can do life on your own, and I'll tell you some stories about me over these last couple years, particularly this last year and a half of walking through and how I just could not make it on my own.
A lot of things helped me through, my faith in Christ being the chief among them, but the believers in the body, coming around me was right up there and really helped make this so that I didn't lose my faith as well.
This reminds me of a little cartoon. My kids love these cartoons and show them to me. I love this one.
This is two stick figures and the one says, "Don't worry, I got your back," and he's holding the other stick figure's back in his hand.
Who's got your back? And whose back have you got? That's what we're talking about today. When we were searching for these, I found a few others. I just throw these in for your entertainment.
The next one says, "Well, that's not a good sign," and the sign says, "BAD."
The next one: "Stop, you're under a rest!" If you're not a musician, that's a quarter-note rest, and he's under a rest, so as a musician, that's actually funny.
And you might not like this, but I found this humerus. This is your humerus [pointing to forearm].
Anyway, when I talk about grief and death, it can sometimes be a heavy topic, so I hope you don't mind if I lighten it up at some moments.
Let's open our Bibles, and I would like you to look at three scriptures today. The first one is in First Peter chapter 2. It's in the New Testament near the very end, First Peter chapter 2. We're going to look at three different passages that talk about doing life together. This first one in First Peter chapter 2 is talking about coming together as "living stones." This is to me the picture of the church, it's not the brick and mortar that we see, it's us as a people, we are living stones. First Peter chapter 2, verses 4 and 5, says this:
"As you come to Him, the Living Stone [that's Jesus]–rejected by men but chosen by God and precious to Him– you also, like living stones, are being built into a spiritual house to be a holy priesthood, offering spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" (1 Peter 2:4-5).
We are living stones. We are the church, not a building, but a people.
Let's look at Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 25, also in the New Testament there, towards the end. This is a verse that talks about the importance of gathering together–being with other believers. Hebrews, chapter 10, verse 25, says this:
"Let us not give up meeting together, as some are in the habit of doing, but let us encourage one another–and all the more as you see the Day approaching" (Hebrews 10:25).
It's very straightforward. Get together with other believers so you can encourage each other. Don't forsake the assembly of the believers. Keep plugging in to other people's lives.
And the third verse is in Ecclesiastes, back in the Old Testament, Ecclesiastes chapter 4, verses 7 through 12. This is a passage that's often read at weddings because it talks about two people coming together and helping one another, but I think it also equally applies to us as believers, coming together. That's why I want to read it to you. Ecclesiastes 4, verses 7 through 12:
"Again I saw something meaningless under the sun: There was a man all alone; he had neither son nor brother. There was no end to his toil, yet his eyes were not content with his wealth. 'For whom am I toiling,' he asked, 'and why am I depriving myself of enjoyment?' This too is meaningless– a miserable business! Two are better than one, because they have a good return for their work: If one falls down, his friend can help him up. But pity the man who falls and has no one to help him up! Also, if two lie down together, they will keep warm. But how can one keep warm alone? Though one may be overpowered, two can defend themselves. A cord of three strands is not quickly broken" (Ecclesiastes 4:7-12).
And when people read this at weddings, they talk about the three strands being a couple, the husband and wife, and God being the third strand, and that is not easily broken. It applies just as well to us, as a body of believers–two or three or many of us gathered together–is not easily broken. We can help each other. We can help each other up. And we can walk with each other through this thing called life.
I just want to tell you what's helped me through. As I mentioned, it's been 10 months since I preached at Lana's funeral. And I can say that over all my years–I've gone to church all my life, and church is wonderful and I still go to church every week–but I have grown the most, and I have been loved and supported the most, and I have been encouraged in my faith the most, when I have gotten involved in a small group.
When I get together on a weekly basis with a few–6, 8, 10, 12–other people and study the Word of God, pray with each other, share with each other, that is by far the place I have grown the most in my faith, where I have been most encouraged, most supported, and I have been able to use my gifts to encourage others as well.
If you're not in a small group right now, I encourage you to consider doing it–and not just consider it, but do it! But at least consider it. Give it a thought.
I want to walk you through some of the ways that small groups have helped me. And your small group might be a structured thing that gets together. It might be one of your best friends who is a believer that you talk to across the country or around the world by Skype. I'm not limiting to the church to just what's here, but what you've got here is awesome. And there are people that are glad to lead you, and walk through life with you here, and that one-on-one, right here, in person, is so wonderful. So I want to encourage you to do that as well.
My small group that I was in when Lana was diagnosed–we, actually, Lana had discovered the lump and she wasn't going to get it tested. She had had this before, different kinds of tests, and she would go and the doctors would have her tested and tested again and it never turns out to be anything, just false positives, no big deal. And so this is what she felt like again, she felt no, this probably isn't anything. But to me it was different. Something had changed, and this was a different thing. I was very concerned about it but she wasn't wanting to go talk to anyone about it.
We went to our small group one night and we split up–the guys went into the kitchen to talk a little bit and the ladies stayed in the living room–and as I left for the kitchen, I leaned over to her, and the ladies were sitting there, and I said, "Now are you going to share with them what we're praying about?" And all the ladies turned and looked at her.
She said, "I wasn't, but I guess I am now!" I left and she shared with them, and they really encouraged her, just through their life experience and some friends of theirs, to "just at least do it for our sake. Just go do it." And I'm so glad they did, because they discovered it was cancerous. They discovered it was already spread throughout her body, that it was Stage 4, triple-negative [breast cancer], and in their words, incurable.
Having that knowledge ahead of time could seem like a terrible death blow to your life and your faith, but it was a gift from God, to be able to know that and walk through this, knowing that there was not a good chance that she was going to make it through.
But it started with our small group, just saying, "you know, I can do this on my own." We can't. We help each other. We need each other.
That small group walked us through. They cried with us, they helped us at doctor's appointments, and they were there at the funeral. They helped participate in the service. And they've been there for us [our family] since.
After she died, I got in another small group. It was called GriefShare, which you have here at the church, too–a terrific program. And I was so hungry for this program. I couldn't wait, every week, to go to GriefShare, where we were with about a dozen other people. We just watched a video. You could talk if you wanted. You didn't have to talk if you didn't want to, which was perfect, because some days I wanted to talk, some I didn't want to say a thing.
It was hard. It was extremely hard. One of the lessons was to go home and write down all the things that you've lost with the death of your loved one. And I just got so choked up. I was like, "I would fill up pages of what I've lost. I do not want to do this, God! I can't take it." Just to sit there and list out every single thing I lost when I lost Lana. A homeschool teacher of my kids, my wife, my best friend, my intimate lover. I was like, "God, I can't do this."
But the next day I went home and I said, "OK God. They said to do it. They said this is good for me. I'm going to trust them." And I did. I started writing down things that I mentioned to you.
I got to the end of the page and I was actually done. There were some big ones on my list. But I looked at it and I said, "This is what I've lost. I still have my kids. I still have my health. I still have my ministry. I still have my friends. I still have my faith." The list of things I still had was huge. And it just helped me to go through that exercise.
It was hard work. But every week I was like, "OK, give me more God." Because if you don't deal with your grief now, it's going to come out later and probably in ways you don't want it to.
You can go through GriefShare any time. You can go through it several times. There were people in our class, they had lost their mother years ago and they were just now starting to process it. They said, "I need to deal with this, because it's coming out in the way I treat my kids, the way I treat my work, the way I treat my bosses and friends. I just need to deal with it."
Recovery doesn't mean that you're going to "get over it." Rick Warren, some of you may know him and he wrote The Purpose Driven Life, he lost his son to suicide earlier this year. He has done an excellent series on grief, and whatever you think of the man, I'd say set it aside, and watch this series on grief. It is so powerful and so right on. You can go to saddleback.com or you can download an app [called simply "saddleback"] and watch it streaming on the Internet. But he says that you don't get over a loss, but you can get through it. You can get through it.
So I want to encourage you: you can get through it. If you haven't dealt with a loss in your life–some kind of grief in your life–it's going to come out in bad ways. I want to encourage you: do the hard work.
About a month ago, I felt like I really turned a corner, to where it was no longer heart-wrenching to think about Lana, but actually heart-warming. They say in recovery, that's a huge step, to where you can look back and think with fondness of the memories, without that searing pain that for me accompanied me for so many of the last 10 months.
I'm so glad now to reap the harvest of our garden. Lana always planted tomatoes, always planted peppers and onions and we would make salsa in the fall. We just did this a few weeks ago with the kids and just to go through Lana's Sweet Salsa recipe. We videotaped it so we would remember how to do it and how to make it. You can watch it online if you want to go to The Ranch and look up "Lana's Sweet Salsa."
But just to do that with the kids and actually have that be a fun thing, an enjoyable thing, and say, "Yeah, this is what we were doing last year with Mom, and this is so good that we learned how to do this and I want to keep doing it." Without that terrible pain. I feel like we've turned a corner and I'm able to say, "All right. We're going to make it. We're going to make it. With God's help, and with people around us, we are going to make it."
I also want to say, when you're in a small group, people show up. They're able to help you. They're able to bring a meal. Rick Warren said, when he was standing outside his son's house, and they were waiting for the police to come and take care of all the things, that his small group was there on the driveway with him. They showed up in those first moments. He had been in the same small group for years. He was there for them when they needed it. And now, they were there for him. He said you don't even have to say much. In fact, the greater the loss, the less you have to say. So if you're worried about what to say, don't worry, the less you have to say! Just show up. Just be there.
Rick also mentions it's nice if you say, "Let me know if I can do anything. Give me a call if you need anything." But he said that's not really helpful to someone who's grieving because their world is so befuddled. To me, people would offer that, but I don't know what I need. I don't have any clue. I don't even know how to get through a day. Rick said, "Just say: I can bring a meal, do you want it Tuesday or Wednesday?" A simple choice. A simple offer of what you can do. And I said, "Wednesday." And I'm happy. They're happy. And we get a meal.
So if you know people who are going through grief, show up. Then offer something of service, just a practical, simple help. Give them a choice. If they say no, you can walk away. (Or if you know the person, you might have to just press through and just do it anyway.) But show up, and then serve them.
If you're not involved with some other people in your life, you're going to have to do it alone, and I'll tell you that's terrible to do.
We homeschool our kids, I've got three in college and my youngest three are here in the service this morning, 10, 13, and 15. Lana wanted me to continue homeschooling as much as I could. I work from home, so it's possible–it's conceivable at least. But whether I could do it, I didn't know. She died in November, so we had another spring to go through, January through May. And I didn't know if I could do it. I didn't know what to do.
But we tried to keep everything as much the same as possible because so much had already changed. I said, "I'm going to do it." But I had two ladies that offered to help–Christians–friends of ours, and they said, "Can we come in once a week, and just help with their math or play a game with them or anything?" I said, "Perfect, thanks."
I could do it then, because I didn't have to bear it all myself. They would come and I was glad they could learn their conjunctions, and I can't even think of everything they learned this year. But I really was happy just to have someone there helping, just to come in and I could go sit in my room for awhile, write a message, or do something else.
There are ways that people have stepped in and helped. I've had personal friends that have said, "Just call me anytime, day or night," and I've done it.
There were times when I was overwhelmed and I was like, "I don't know how I'm going to take it." Even before Lana died, thinking about her dying, I would be like, "I cannot take this." And my brain would start going in circles and I would think I was going crazy and I would call somebody and I'd say, "Can you just sit on the phone with me. I don't even know what to say. But if you'll just sit on the phone with me, I think I'll be all right." Then after a few minutes, it would pass and I could say, "OK, thanks." And I could hang up, and I could go on.
If you need help, ask for it. You would think, in my position–I've walked many people through the death of their friends, their loved ones, their spouses, I've preached at their funerals–I should know this. I should be able to get through this. I should be able to speak to myself and talk myself through anything.
But I heard from another friend, who worked at a cemetery out in Denver, and he said that the manager of the cemetery, who's been doing this for years, and walked thousands of families through their grief process, when his dad died, a few weeks later he was driving through the street and his wife was sitting next to him and his wife said, "All right, pull over. I'm going to drive."
He said, "Why? What's wrong?"
She said, "That's the third red light you've gone straight through." He had no idea. Of all people, he should have known what to do and how to help himself through it. But we don't. None of us–none of us–none of us are super men, super women.
Let me encourage you today: get involved in a small group so that you can help others. And when you need it, they can help you, too.
I have one more slide here I want to show you.
This is not a drill. It's a hammer. My kids hate that I explain the jokes, but sometimes people miss the obvious. This is not a drill. This life is so serious. Our faith is so important. Your role in God's kingdom is so important.
I really struggled. Not really in questioning God, but questioning His plan. My kids don't question that I love them, but sometimes they question my wisdom. They question whether I really know what's best for them." And I'll tell you, that goes through my brain sometimes. I still have faith in God, but I do wonder sometimes, "Are You sure this is the best?"
And one of the questions I had was, and that God had for me was: "Do you still believe I can heal someone that has cancer?"
And I said, "Yes, God. I've seen it before, and I believe I'll see it again."
And then He asked me: "Do you believe I can heal someone who has triple-negative, stage 4, terminal breast cancer?" which is what Lana had.
That was a harder one. But I said, "Yes, God. You can do anything, absolutely, anything."
And God asked a third question: "What will you do if you see someone healed of triple-negative, stage 4 breast cancer?"
You know, part of you just wants to be mad. But the other part says, "I will rejoice. You give, and You take away. Blessed be the name of the Lord." And so I just said that to God: "I will rejoice. And I truly will. You give and You take away. I will praise Your name forever."
I believe that prayer broke something, and helped me in a turning point my life, to come back and say, "God has a unique purpose and plan for every one of our lives. He had a unique purpose and plan for Lana's life, and her death, and what we're going through now."
And He has a unique purpose for yours. Don't take what happened to Lana as any indication of what God has in mind for you. She would hate that, because you have your own life. She wants you to keep believing, and she said this in her video before she died: "I want no one to lose faith over this. I want you to keep having faith in the same Jesus that I put my faith in, and hope to see very soon myself."
Keep your faith. Keep trusting God no matter what. We are the church, His people. Let's pray.
Father thank you for this time again. Seal these things in our heart, that we can serve you even better. In Jesus' name, Amen.
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As a thank-you for your donation of any size to our ministry, we'd be glad to send you our DVD, "To Lana, With Love," featuring the Celebration of the Life of Lana Elder, who passed away on November 15th, 2012. Lana was the wife of Eric Elder and co-founder of The Ranch. "To Lana, With Love" also includes the short inspirational video, "Eric's Hope," to give hope and encouragement to others facing loss.
Click here to learn more or to make a donation.