Monthly Archives: February 2022

UFCs Jon Anik reveals the one rule hell never break as a broadcaster.

UFC play-by-play broadcaster Jon Anik doesnt have many guidelines that dictate his job, but one general rule sticks out among the rest.

Anik is one of the most well-known sports broadcasters in the world and is the main voice of UFC broadcasts. The energy and analysis that he presents during UFC cards are some of the many reasons for the sports overall rise in popularity.

In the middle of his preparation for a given UFC card, he always reminds himself of the one rule to never break during an event. This continued most recently at UFC 270 featuring Francis Ngannou and Ciryl Gane.

During an interview with FanSideds Amy Kaplan, Anik revealed the golden rule that hell never break as a UFC commentator.

I remember when I got hired in 2011 and I was in charge of doing the post-fight interviews for my first broadcast with them in 2012, Anik said. And he said whatever you do, whether its Conor McGregor or whoever, you cant give up the microphone. Whatever the F you do, dont give up the microphone. Ive only given up the microphone one time I believe and it was in the Philippines when Mark Munoz retired and I felt like he was going to give me the respect to give it back to me. As a broadcaster, once you give an athlete the microphone, youve given up control of the entire broadcast.

In addition to being the play-by-play man for the UFC, Anik also hosts pre and post-fight coverage along with hosting his podcast with UFC legend Kenny Florian.

Anik is arguably one of the UFC broadcasts versions of a swiss army knife, being able to hold multiple roles and succeed at them. But, hell never give up control of the broadcast to one of the many fighters who respect him.

Anik is an inspiration to many prospective broadcasters around the world and is arguably one of the most respected in the business. He is teaming up with Modelo, the official beer of the UFC, to give away cash prizes along with an exclusive UFC fan experience.

According to an official press release:

The prize:

How to enter the contest:

To enter, fans must scan the QR code and go to DraftKings to play 3 free contests. Consumers will enter individual contests, the best lineups from each contest will win cash and the Top 2 will be entered to win the Modelogrand prize for golden floor seats to the years marquee UFC fights.

The contest opens starting Feb. 2, 2022, and runs until April 15, 2022.

See the original post here:

Jon Anik reveals the 1 rule hell never break as a broadcaster (Video) - FanSided

PEA RIDGE -- All five seats on the Pea Ridge School Board are up for election this year as a result of a state law requiring the district be zoned because of the percentage of the district population belonging to a minority status.

The law requires any board of a community that has a combined minority population of more than 10% create zones. The law provides that a school district that attains 10% minority population out of the total population shall elect board members in compliance with the federal Voting Rights Act of 1965 as amended.

The School Board has taken all necessary steps to comply with the law including approving a resolution to create and approve the zones created by a demographer.

Five zones were created, and each of the board members must reside in the district being represented. Term lengths will be established by elected board members drawing lots. According to the law, no more than two board members can be up for election in any year.

To be eligible for a School Board seat, a person must be a registered voter, live in the Pea Ridge School District and live in the zone they will represent. They must not be an employee of the district. A felony, in most cases, is a disqualifier for running for School Board or holding a School Board seat.

The candidate filing period opens Feb. 22 and closes March 1. The election will be May 24.

In order to be a candidate, interested persons are advised to obtain materials about running for office from the County Clerk's office, then circulate petitions to gather signatures of at least 20 qualified residents of the district and zone.

Dr. Tony Prothro, executive director of the Arkansas School Boards Association, said specific legal duties of School Board members include:

Make, enforce and obey district policies.

Hire and evaluate the superintendent.

Set the district's vision, mission and direction.

Oversee district finances and budget.

Approve the employment of staff.

Attend legal convened board meetings.

Conduct hearings.

Visit schools annually when students are present.

Receive training and professional development.

Follow state and federal laws and Arkansas Department of Education rules governing public schools, including the Arkansas Freedom of Information Act.

In addition, School Board members may:

Monitor and advocate for student achievement and district progress.

Advocate student needs to lawmakers and stakeholders.

Collaborate with community partners.

Ensure facilities are safe and adequate.

Align resources with goals.

Prothro said qualities of a good board member are integrity, commitment, vision, courage and respect.

He said board members should be motivated by the best interest of all students regardless of demographic area or other identifiers; be passionate about public education; share responsibility for fiscal accountability, facilities and student academic achievement; be willing to follow high ethical standards; be strong communicators and willing to listen; be ready to rely on facts and weigh in on all sides of an issue before making a decision; be well informed about current issues in public education; be supporters of the democratic process and accept the will of the majority; be willing to spend time and energy on board business; be committed to learning by participating in ongoing training; be collaborative and able to function as part of a team; and be willing to exercise power only at legally held meetings.

He said an individual board member only has authority when present in a legally convened meeting and casting a vote with a quorum present.

Noting that many times parents of students complain to school board members, Prothro said the "Golden Rule" is that if someone is hired to do it, it is not their job. He said board members should require all parties complaining to follow the chain of command by routing all requests and information through the proper channels.

Read more from the original source:

Pea Ridge School Board members to be residents of one of five zones - Arkansas Online

Youre gonna have to serve somebody. Bob Dylan wrote that, but I believe its more than a line from a song. I am convinced that we must serve something or someone. I think we have a need to serve because we want to connect with other people. And we want to connect in order to make community. And in community, we find salvation. Youre gonna have to serve somebody.

I cant prove it, but I believe service is critical to a healthy life. If you adopt some aspect of service in your life, youll bring yourself into contact with people and youll feel better for it. I cant prove that either, but Im willing to bet on it.

Do you know the story from the Bible about the Golden Rule? Jesus said to his disciples, Do unto others as you would have others do unto you. Thats Matthew, chapter 7, verse 12. Jesus was not the first smart guy to think of that. It was first expressed about 5,200 years ago in India. The Golden Rule shows up in all the religions of the world and nearly every ancient culture.

Service is not something Im gonna force you to do, but in my opinion, you must do it anyway. I like to say its voluntary, but not optional. Service to humanity in some form is voluntary, but not optional.

Youre expected to support your friends. Youre expected to support and encourage your family. By virtue of the role you play in life, a lot is just plain expected of you. But think about exceeding expectations. Think like Naschon ben Aminadav.

I guess youve never heard of Naschon ben Aminadav. But I guess you know the story of how Moses led the Israelites out of captivity in Egypt. As Paul Harvey would say, heres the rest of the story, as told by Miriyam Glazer.

After they busted out of jail in Egypt, the Israelites camped out on the shores of the Red Sea, wondering where theyre going next, worrying that Moses talks to himself too much and how they would evade Pharaohs army. Suddenly, a sentry announces the imminent arrival of a phalanx of infantry backed up by charioteers armed to the teeth. A nearpanic ensues as they break camp, load up and look for Moses, who is nowhere to be found.

As the Egyptians appear on the horizon, Moses finally shows up with his long staff in hand, acting cool as a cucumber. Relax, gents, he says. God tells me that were gonna cross the Red Sea.

Right, Mo, says Jacob. Were here with nothing but our pajamas and some Matzoh balls because you said we had to leave in a hurry. Nobody brought a boat or a bandsaw to make a bridge. And nobody had time to learn the backstroke while we built the pyramids.

Moses looks stern, as every picture of him will attest. God knows what hes talkin about, he says. And he goes down to the shore of the sea, picks up a sea shell, mumbles a few words into it, looks heavenward and closing his eyes, he holds up his staff.

The people scream at Moses and call him all sorts of names. The hoof beats of the charioteers are louder now, and Moses tries again, carefully reciting the words God said to him. He holds up his staff and ...

At that moment, on the shore, Naschon ben Aminadav, a prince of the tribe of Judah, got it. He understood that God was waiting. Until then, everything was done by God. The plagues, the speech of Moses and Jacob, the softening of Pharaohs heart, the escape, the manna everything was provided by God.

Now God was waiting; waiting to see if anyone would take a risk for the sake of the promised land. God was waiting for just one person to jump in. And thats what Naschon did.

He jumps in the Red Sea and wades out until the water is around his armpits. He turns and looks back as his family cries for him. He continues and the water rises up to his nostrils. Now he can hardly hear anything. He holds his breath. The water is up over his ears and soon covers him completely. He disappears.

Absolute silence on the shore. The Israelites are stunned. Moses is quiet.

Only then does the sea open. Only then can the Israelites cross to safety. Only then can the world be saved.

Naschon ben Aminadav got it. He understood that he had to jump in. He understood that he could not remain on the shore forever, waiting for God to fix everything, because God couldnt do it all.

You gotta wonder sometimes why God created people. And then you realize that God needs help. God cannot do it all. Someone has to jump in and help.

God is waiting today. God is waiting for anyone any one person to jump in.

So I encourage you to jump in and use what you have in the service of others; give yourself, certainly if you can, but if not, give something else in the service of humanity. For as Zig Ziglar observed, you can have everything you want in life if you will just help other people get what they want.

The Rev. Jeff Briere is a retired Unitarian Universalist minister.

Read more:

The Sphere Of The Between: Serve Somebody | Faith | greenevillesun.com - Greeneville Sun

Looks aside, a crucial part of the design process is using the right materials. The most important thing is it being stretchy, says Zhou. Flexible fabrics are key for a skater to perform their spins, jumps, and drops seamlessly.Each athlete has their preferences for what to skate in. My costumes are a mix of Lycra, velvet, and mesh, says Brown. Frazier, on the other hand, prefers a strong material. I dont like it to be too thin, he says. And I like either having a curved or asymmetrical hem. For pants, the golden rule is they have to be stretchy, says Zhou. But while the stretchy, body-con look has been mocked in films such as Blades of Glory, the tight pants on men have a very specific purpose. They need to be cut and tailored and fit so well that you can see every extensioneven if my knee is slightly bent, says Frazier. It can affect your score [if not].

Even with all these technical details, though, figure-skating costumes also need to be innately dazzling. We want to make sure its eye-catching, photographs well, and is pleasing to the eye for the audience and the judges, says Brown. Embellishments and rhinestones are often used to achieve this, but even those can have their technical downsides. Stoning adds a lot of weight, so you definitely dont go overboard with it, Zhou says. Wang says that, more and more, men are embracing more glitz and glamour on the ice. She attributes the risk-taking in the fashion world, more broadly for the ripple effect into the sports world. Mens fashion has taken enormous risks in the last 10 years, she says. The freedom and lack of boundaries now is very exciting.

Read the rest here:

In Mens Figure Skating, the Glitzy Costumes Are Built to Win - Vogue

Do unto others as you would have them do unto you. Matthew 7:12

The Golden Rule we all learned in grade school and church when we were young.

Honestly, I thought this rule died as I got older, and do you blame me?

I was surprised to learn that this rule still applies to our world today when an anonymous stranger paid for my familys breakfast this past Saturday.

After my nieces youth basketball game, my sisters, nieces, nephew and I went to eat breakfast at a local restaurant in Charlotte. Afterwards, we jokingly argued, as we always do, over who was going to pay the tab. Its rare when we are all together like this, so when we are, we love to take turns picking up the tab. When it was agreed, with some hesitation by all, my second oldest sister, Tammie, sent my niece to pay for our meal. I went with her as it was her first time paying at a restaurant. However, to our surprise, the cashier told us our meal was already paid for. We were both so confused as no one from our table had gone up to pay yet. My niece and I did a double take then went back to our table. With confusion, we explained to my sisters that our meal had been paid for. Our eldest sister, Rosie, was so shocked, as were all of us, but was scared this was a trick of some sort. No one has EVER paid forward such kindness to our family like this before. We never expect it or look for it, either. I went back to the register and attempted to pay one more time.

Did you mean us? I asked the lady, thinking she was talking to the gentlemen who was behind us the first time around.

Yes, your check has already been paid for, she answered.

Once again, I went back to our table in confusion. We all pondered for 10 minutes, afraid to leave the restaurant without paying. One last time, I went back up to the cashier and politely asked her who specifically paid for our meal, because it wasnt any of us. I explained we didnt want to leave without being sure, but would also like to personally thank this kind stranger.

Like I said, this never happens to our family.

She told me I could not tell yall, but your tab is taken care of. Yall have a nice day, she said again with a smile as she walked away.

I went back to our table to relay the message. With hesitation still, we exited the restaurant.

I tell you this story in hopes that you, too, will realize that there is still good out there in this world. If we only do unto others as we would have them do unto us, our world just might be a better place to live, work, play and love.

With February being kindness month, I challenge you to do a small act of kindness to a stranger the next time you are out and about: hold a door open, say thank you, turn off your bright lights when approaching another vehicle at night, wave at someone as you pass by them or if they let you into a lane, pay for a strangers meal, etc. These acts of selflessness go a long way and just might make someones day.

So, to the kind stranger who paid for my familys breakfast on Saturday at Galindos in Charlotte thank you. You really made our day.

REBECCA PESQUEDA is the News Editor of the Pleasanton Express. You may reach her at rpesqueda@pleasantonexpress.com

The rest is here:

Do unto others - Pleasanton Express

Can you really save money at the gas pump just by filling up on a certain day? A recent study by GasBuddy, which tracks gas prices across the country, determined the best and worst days of the week to fill your tank and save the most money.That study found that Monday is the best day of the week to buy gasoline in 17 states, which is on par with the company's previous studies in 2017, 2018 and 2019.A new finding, however, is that Friday was one of the best days to buy gas in 2021."This trend refutes 2019s results, which placed Friday as one of the most expensive days of the week at the pump, and can perhaps be attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging prominence of work from home lifestyles," a news release from GasBuddy says.The study determined that Thursday was the worst day of the week to buy gas in 28 states. "In 2021, the middle of the week became far more expensive to fill up than on Mondays or Fridays," the release says. "While the weekend previously held the title for the most expensive prices, Wednesday now follows Thursday as the most expensive day to fill up." When it comes to saving money at the pump, Monday becomes more than the dreaded end of the weekend. GasBuddy analyzed gas price data and found that the first day of the workweek offers the lowest average gas price in 17 states, making it yet again the best day to fill-up, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. Though there is variation in daily gas prices across different states, the consensus is that filling up at the beginning or end of the workweek, on Monday or Friday, is the best way to save money."If you can't make it to a gas station on Monday, De Hann said Sunday is the next cheapest day to fill up."But even if you cant always time your fill-ups, the golden rule is to always shop around before filling up," De Haan said. Analysis of gas prices in individual states can be found here.

Can you really save money at the gas pump just by filling up on a certain day?

A recent study by GasBuddy, which tracks gas prices across the country, determined the best and worst days of the week to fill your tank and save the most money.

That study found that Monday is the best day of the week to buy gasoline in 17 states, which is on par with the company's previous studies in 2017, 2018 and 2019.

A new finding, however, is that Friday was one of the best days to buy gas in 2021.

"This trend refutes 2019s results, which placed Friday as one of the most expensive days of the week at the pump, and can perhaps be attributed to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the emerging prominence of work from home lifestyles," a news release from GasBuddy says.

The study determined that Thursday was the worst day of the week to buy gas in 28 states.

"In 2021, the middle of the week became far more expensive to fill up than on Mondays or Fridays," the release says. "While the weekend previously held the title for the most expensive prices, Wednesday now follows Thursday as the most expensive day to fill up."

When it comes to saving money at the pump, Monday becomes more than the dreaded end of the weekend. GasBuddy analyzed gas price data and found that the first day of the workweek offers the lowest average gas price in 17 states, making it yet again the best day to fill-up, said Patrick De Haan, head of petroleum analysis at GasBuddy. Though there is variation in daily gas prices across different states, the consensus is that filling up at the beginning or end of the workweek, on Monday or Friday, is the best way to save money."

If you can't make it to a gas station on Monday, De Hann said Sunday is the next cheapest day to fill up.

"But even if you cant always time your fill-ups, the golden rule is to always shop around before filling up," De Haan said.

Analysis of gas prices in individual states can be found here.

Originally posted here:

Is there a best or worst day to find gas? This study may have found the answer - WVTM13

There are a million rules when it comes to dating but it's time we got rid of this one. Photo / Supplied

OPINION:

Never, ever make the first move.

In the world of heterosexual dating, this one is the golden rule. It trumps all the others, like only text after three days, let them contact you first so you know they're interested, wait double the amount of time between sending texts as they do.

I want you to throw those rules out the window. The rule book? Poof, gone.

When it comes to dating there is one thing you need to know - games are for players. They are to be left in 2019 with the pre-pandemic world when we thought we had time to play them.

I've read every dating book I can get my hands on, scoured the web for dating columns, Cosmopolitan articles, podcasts, the list goes on, and the message that is constantly relayed is "never ever make the first move" followed by threats of a doomed relationship if you do.

Case in point: in Textbook Romance, Zoe Foster-Blake was quick to assert that by showing interest first you've denied the man of the chase. This is something men supposedly need before they even consider you as a potential girlfriend and by taking it away from him he will instantly slot you in the "disposable" part of his brain.

The thought kind of makes you want to s*** your pants. It's threatening, scary and absolutely not where you want to be in a man's brain.

But I continued reading anyway because the appeal of Textbook Romance was the note on the cover: "How to find the guy, make him fall wildly in love with you and keep it that way". And who doesn't want to be loved?

Unfortunately, I didn't get much further through the book because I was far too obsessed with the texting rule and spiralled.

What do you mean I can't text a guy first? What if I'm really interested in him and my fingertips are literally burning because I need to make that clear? It became my rule to live by for the next few years of dating, and I was fully convinced this one dating habit would result in me finding my one and only Prince Charming.

Shockingly, it didn't. And perhaps my biggest mistake was never making it to the end of the book because the final chapter says you should ignore absolutely everything in the book. Foster-Blake, while a dating advice legend, can only give generic advice, not tailored.

So now that I've got my own dating experience and the world has changed dramatically since Foster-Blake's book, it's clear that the rule of waiting passively for a man to make contact is what is setting so many women up for failure.

You've probably heard the saying "if he wants to text, he will" and maybe that's what's put you off texting first. While it is true to an extent because men have long been known to be more impulsive than women, the dating game has changed form. Take, for example, Bumble.

The dating app is known for its sassy rule, only women can make the first move. Which, if we were going by the theory in Textbook Romance, would mean it has zero users because men like the chase, not to be chased.

The fact is women are coming into their own dating personas and in doing so they aren't scared of making the first move in relationships and you shouldn't be either.

Since I have nil experience in dating assertiveness, I reached out to friends and the women I've spoken to about this are firm believers that, yes, if a man wants to text, he will. But it's not isolated to making contact first, it also means that regardless of who floats the idea, the date will still happen.

And if he doesn't, if he makes an excuse or leaves you on "read" or gaslights you into pretending he didn't see the message - like Che did to Miranda in And Just Like That - at least you'll have immediate clarity that he isn't the man for you and you can move on.

Dating rules are there for a reason, they worked for someone at a certain point in time but 2022 dating is completely different to anything we have ever experienced before and you should approach it with your own rules.

Go on instinct, not what a book, a podcast an article or even a dating column is telling you to do.

Read the original here:

The Dating Diaries: Dating rules are out, texting first is in - New Zealand Herald

Often when we talk about stories, we question whether the stakes are high enough, or too high, or whether theyre even extant. In Groundhog Day, the classic 1993 comedy about a self-centered weatherman (Bill Murray) stuck in a time loop, tangible stakes quickly fly out of the window, with emotional and, more importantly, philosophical consequences being the only real stakes at play.

Pretty early on in the film, Murrays character, the obnoxiously narcissistic Phil, realizes that there are no consequences for his actions. He can steal, seduce, wreak havoc and even kill himself, and nothing about his circumstances will change. No matter what, he will still wake up with Sonny and Cher on the radio in the small Pennsylvania town of Punxsutawney.

His situation feels like the perfect recipe for nihilism, the philosophical idea promoted by Friedrich Nietzsche and others that life is pointless and the values that we hold dear have no root in actual fact. And who could blame him for being a nihilist when hes faced with a blank slate every day? Phil follows this philosophy to its logical conclusionshedonism and suicidemultiple times. No matter what, hes still under that homey quilt in the morning. Nihilism is not the answer.

From there, Phil works on his own personal growth and starts to help the townspeople he once rebuffed, partly because hes grown, but also because his development as a person endears him to his producer/love interest Rita (Andie McDowell, with glorious hair). At this stage, he seems to be subscribing to enlightened self-interest, the idea that in helping others, you in turn help yourself (basically the golden rule revisited).

It works for him most of the time, but he still has to start from scratch every day in terms of winning over Rita. Phil is painfully aware of how far hes come as a person towards the end of the movie, confessing to Rita that the worst part of his predicament is waking up every morning with her still thinking hes a jerk. So even though Phils change of heart serves him to some extent, hes hardly a man of enlightened self-interest, considering the effort he has to go through to prove himself to Rita day in and day out.

Phils actions do follow a philosophy, though: absurdism, particularly that championed by the French philosopher Albert Camus. Absurdism doesnt fall that far from nihilism, preoccupying itself with the inherent dissonance between our desire for meaning and the senselessness of the universe. Camus seminal work The Myth of Sisyphus invokes the Greek myth which isnt all that different from Phils circumstances: Sisyphus is tasked for eternity with pushing a boulder up a hill, only for it to roll back down to the bottom again, then he pushes it back up, and on and on.

Ultimately, though, Camus says that we can find happiness in the face of the absurd, as long as we both accept the absurdity of life and keep trying to create our own meaning. As he wrote in The Myth of Sisyphus, Happiness and the absurd are two sons of the same earth. They are inseparable.

Phil follows this doctrine by embracing the cycle in which hes trapped. He learns new skills like ice sculpting, saves a kid falling out of a tree, and preoccupies himself with general do-goodery. Phil also creates meaning by finding solace in his connection with Rita, despite him having to rekindle it every day. Only in embracing the absurd is Phil set free.

Our circumstances can feel so dire sometimes, between the greed of the upper classes, ignorance on climate change and any other number of issues that feel obvious in their solution, save for the inertia of world leaders. However, maybe by accepting the absurd we can find some of the peace that Phil has as he walks through the snow hand in hand with Rita.

Clare Martin is a cemetery enthusiast and Pastes assistant comedy edtior. Go harass her on Twitter @theclaremartin.

Go here to see the original:

Groundhog Day and Embracing the Absurd - Paste - Paste Magazine

AA LaNyalla Mattalitti, Chairman of the House of Regional Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia, also known as the Senate House, officially nominated the Visions of Peace Initiative for the Nobel Peace Prize.

I fully support the Visions of Peace Initiative (VOPI) to win the Nobel Peace Prize. To date, VOP has held more than 50 events throughout Indonesia and has inspired hundreds of thousands of young people.

VOPI events have been held throughout the Republic including areas that have experienced conflicts and natural disasters. Hopefully through the engagement of youth using art and other creative forms of expression the VOPI can continue to inspire the younger generations. With the positive results that the VOPI has achieved to date, I believe the VOPI is very deserving of the Nobel Peace Prize.

In addition, the leader of the Peoples Consultative Assembly of the Republic of Indonesia and H. Muhammad Farhan, SE, member of the House of Representatives of the Republic of Indonesia have also nominated the VOPI to the Nobel Peace Prize Committee.

According to the founders of the Visions of Peace Initiative, Prince KPH Dr. Damien Dematra and Princess Cheryl Halpern, the recognition and nomination of the Visions of Peace Initiative from the Indonesian Senate House is unprecedented and incomparable honor. This extraordinary acknowledgment of a non-governmental organization has never happened before in the history of the Republic of Indonesia. This most meaningful tribute will inspire everyone who has already participated in the VOPI and those who are yet to participate, to continue to promote peace and tolerance.

Princess Halpern explained the perspective upon which she and Prince KPH Dr. Dematra founded the VOPI saying, The Visions of Peace Initiative embraces the Ethic of Reciprocity, also known as the Golden Rule, a universal value that is included within all faiths and traditions. This Ethic of Reciprocity teaches us to, Do Unto Others As You Would Want Done For Yourself and Do Not Do Unto Others As You Would Not Want Done To Yourself. It is a message that finds expression through the millennia in the teachings of all faiths. It is also a concept that is central to Indonesias motto, Bhinneka Tunggal Ika, Unity With Respect For Diversity since without respect for diversity within a family or community there can be no unity. However, this essential pillar of civil behavior is not effectively taught to the youth of today.

The Visions of Peace Initiative is committed to imparting a meaningful understanding of ethical behavior that can be achieved through an appreciation for the value of reciprocity. Every participant in the Visions of Peace Initiative becomes an advocate for tolerance as they bring their vision and understanding of the Golden Rule to their homes and community. They have learned that there is a nobler and more fulfilling alternative to intolerance and violence. By embracing the Golden Rule they are displaying behavior that promotes civility, dignity and respect.

Prince KPH Dr. Dematra expanded on his co-founders comments saying that, the mission of the VOPI is to inspire young Indonesians under the age of 18 to express their views about tolerance and peaceful coexistence through the broad spectrum of the arts: including drawing, poetry, song, dance and film. These arts modalities provide multifaceted platforms through which to bridge socio-economic, ethnic and religious divides. By using their artistic talents the participants channel their ideas and share their perspectives on tolerance, peace and respect for each other. The VOPI provides an important opportunity towards nurturing attitudes of respectful communication and acceptance.

Since its inception in 2017, the VOPI has been working together with schools, orphanages and religious organizations throughout Indonesia.

As of the start of 2022 the VOPI has already held 52 events in different Indonesian cities. In response to the Covid-19 pandemic the Visions of Peace Initiative went viral in order to continue to engage with young people throughout the Republic. To date, I am proud that the VOPI has touched and inspired hundreds of thousands of young Indonesians.

Youth today live in a time when much of the world is suffering from violence, hatred, intolerance, bigotry and abuse. These themes are present in most of the stories that are broadcast and shared on the global multi-media and social networking platforms that they access. As a result, all youth need to be taught, with and by example, that when individuals are persecuted because of their gender, race, religion or physical limitations, that they have a duty to protest and fight injustice before they too lose their human dignity.

With this is mind the Visions of Peace Initiative is honored to have also been nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by Prof. Dr. Ir. Oktovian Berty Alexander Sompie, Rector of the Universitas Kristen Indonesia Tomohon and by Dr. Ephraim Isaac, Director of the Institute of Semitic Studies at Princeton University. Both of these respected academicians have prioritized the importance of the VOPIs teaching the young about civility.

Princess Cheryl Halpern and Prince KPH Dr. Dematra urge us all to appreciate Alfred Nobels comment that, Good wishes will not ensure peace. We must remember that civility and peace require a steadfast commitment to instill in every generation an understanding of the Ethic of Reciprocity.

Media ContactCompany Name: Visions of PeaceContact Person: Media RelationsEmail: Send EmailCountry: United StatesWebsite: http://visionsofpeaceawards.com/

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Visions of Peace Initiative is Nominated for the Nobel Peace Prize by the Indonesian Senate House - Digital Journal

Things change because people become tired of the same old, same old.

Stephanie L. Walker, B.S.N., spent her working career helping people as a nurse in the pediatric intensive care unit, emergency department and intensive care unit, as an instructor and as a hospice nurse. At every step of the way, she charged herself with ensuring the patients under her care were treated with care and compassion and in line with the Golden Rule. She worked to ensure that the students in her nursing classes understood the importance of following those tenets. When her health forced an early retirement, she struggled to find purpose in her life, for she had always been a giver.

A few years ago, the late Katherine OBrien reached out to her about advocacy and told Stephanie that she was going to put her out there. As Stephanies involvement as a metastatic breast cancer advocate continued to grow, it became obvious to her that there was an absence of color in a number of areas. She began to ask questions of organizations: How can you advocate for a person of color when you have no one in your leadership who reflects people of color? She pushed for inclusion on committees and boards and volunteered to participate in programs presented by organizations such as Susan G. Komen.

In medically underserved eastern North Carolina, Stephanie became the face and voice of the metastatic breast cancer community and she worked with civic groups, church groups and businesses to ensure that everyone understood that inclusion helps everyone when the battle with metastatic breast cancer is underway.

To that end, she chaired the MBC Alliances BECOME project in 2021 to ensure Black people are better represented in cancer research. Building on a 2019 project conducted by Marina Kaplan, an epidemiologist who lived with metastatic breast cancer, BECOME was a research initiative designed to find solutions within the Black community.

The data collected tells a disturbing story. In the United States, the mortality rate for non- Hispanic Black women with breast cancer is 40% higher than for non-Hispanic White women. And while clinical trials help improve outcomes and survival, Black people represent only 3% to 6% of patients in all cancer clinical trials.

The survey responses will help patients make more knowledgeable decisions, educate doctors on how to support patients in joining trials and help researchers understand and design clinical trials in a way that encourages Black participation.

Stephanie works every day to ensure that the voice of every person with metastatic breast cancer is heard equally. As a person of color, she understands the disparities faced by many in the waiting room, the doctors office, the board room of the pharma conducting the trial and, sadly enough, in the organizations that say they advocate equally for all. And just as she battles her cancer daily, she also fights daily to ensure that everyone with metastatic breast cancer has an equal opportunity.

Stephanie Walker never set out to become an advocate, but it is a role she has embraced and one in which she has grown as she works to ensure an inclusive and diverse treatment arena.

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Building Bridges of Inclusion in Metastatic Breast Cancer Care - Curetoday.com