Monthly Archives: June 2022

Leaders from the Group of Seven (G7) nationsthe United States, Canada, the United Kingdom, France, Germany, Italy, and Japanannounced during a summit on Sunday that they had collectively imposed a ban on Russian gold, one of Moscows largest and most lucrative exports, in an effort to further isolate the Russian economy and deprive the Kremlin of funds following its invasion of Ukraine in late February.

President Joe Biden, who attended the G7 meeting in Schloss Elmau, Germany, declared that the new measures would help to prevent Russia from rak[ing] in tens of billions of dollars from the West.

British prime minister Boris Johnson concurred, writing in a statement that the ban would directly hit Russian oligarchs and strike at the heart of Putins war machine.

We all need to starve the Putin regime of its funding, Johnsons statement read. The UK and our allies are doing just that.

Following Bidens remarks, an anonymous U.S. official reported that the G7 would officially announce the measure on Tuesday.

The measures against Russian gold came on the same day as a Russian missile strike on Kyiv, Ukraines embattled capital, disrupting a relative calm in the countrys ongoing fight against a Russian invasion, in which hostilities have largely been confined to the countrys eastern and southern regions following the withdrawal of Russian forces around Kyiv in late March.

Russia has also made territorial gains in Ukraines eastern Luhansk region, including the city of Severodonetsk, following a two-month battle.

Ukrainian foreign minister Dmytro Kuleba urged the G7 to impose additional sanctions against Russia in response to the missile strike and to provide Ukraines armed forces with additional heavy weaponry.

This [seven-year-old] Ukrainian kid was sleeping peacefully in Kyiv until a Russian cruise missile blasted her home, Kuleba wrote on Twitter. Many more around Ukraine are under strikes. G7 summit must respond with more sanctions on Russia and more heavy arms for Ukraine.

Russia gained more than $15 billion from its global gold exports in 2021 although its exports to the United States and Europe shrank following the initial round of Western sanctions. Commodities experts noted that the larger impact to Russias gold exports had come in March after the London Bullion Market Association removed six major Russian gold refining companies from its list of accredited sellers.

Following the G7 announcement, the spot price of gold edged upward in the West although observers also noted that Russian exports to Asia would continue, preventing the G7 nations from isolating the Russian economy and keeping gold prices mostly intact.

Trevor Filseth is a current and foreign affairs writer for the National Interest.

Image: Reuters.

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Golden Rule: G7 Announces Russian Gold Ban - The National Interest Online

Prime Minister Boris Johnson has insisted the golden rule is to focus on what we are doing after revealing he is planning to be in office into the 2030s.

He admitted he has not had time to reflect on the biggest regret of his premiership so far, but claimed the Governments achievements have been remarkable.

It comes as pressure has been mounting on the Conservative Party leader from across the political divide following the Tories stinging by-election defeats in Wakefield and Tiverton and Honiton.

Mr Johnson said during a trip to Rwanda this weekend that he is thinking actively about fighting the next two general elections to become the longest-serving post-war leader.

Asked at the G7 summit in Germany on Sunday if his ambitions are delusional, Mr Johnson said: What Im saying is this is a Government that is getting on with delivering for the people of this country and weve got a huge amount to do.

He said the golden rule is to focus on what we are doing to address the cost of living, the massive plan for a stronger economy, and making sure that the UK continues to offer the kind of leadership around the world that I know our people want.

Cabinet minister Brandon Lewis said during a round of interviews on Sunday he thinks the PM is serious in his aspirations, arguing his desire to look long-term when it comes to his leadership has got to be a good thing.

The Northern Ireland Secretary told Sky News he sees in Mr Johnson drive and enthusiasm for what we want to achieve for our country, and that kind of zest is to be celebrated.

He told LBC there is no point in the PM pretending hes somebody else after Mr Johnson insisted he will not undergo a psychological transformation despite pressure piling on his leadership.

In an interview with ITV at the G7 summit, the Prime Minister said the Government will continue to do remarkable things.

Put to him that he no longer has voters trust, and asked if this is a source of personal shame, he said: No, because I think that actually when you look at what this Government has done, it is quite exceptional.

He added: I understand that people are going to want to criticise me, attack me for all sorts of reasons, some of them good, some of them less good.

I think that actually when you look at what this Government has done, it is pretty remarkable. Were going to continue to do that.

Asked for his biggest regret of his tenure so far, he said: Im going to leave that to further reflection, I havent had time to think about that.

The Prime Minister has urged Tory MPs plotting to oust him not to focus on the issues he has stuffed up, after his authority was further diminished by a Cabinet resignation.

Oliver Dowden stood down as Tory Party co-chairman in the wake of the by-election defeats, saying he and Conservative supporters are distressed and disappointed by recent events and telling Mr Johnson that someone must take responsibility.

But the PM set his sights on being in office in the mid 2030s, in a run that would see him outlast Margaret Thatchers reign.

Asked by journalists at the British high commissioners residence in Kigali if he would lead his party into the next election, he said: Will I win? Yes.

In buoyant mood, the Prime Minister added: At the moment Im actively thinking about the third term and what could happen then, but I will review that when I get to it.

Labour, meanwhile, challenged the Tories to call an early election, with leader Sir Keir Starmer telling Mr Johnson: Bring it on.

There are suggestions of a challenge to change the rules of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs in order to allow another vote of confidence in Mr Johnson within the next year.

Mr Lewis dismissed the idea, telling Times Radio we shouldnt even really be talking about it.

The Prime Minister suggested Vladimir Putin would have not invaded Ukraine if he had a committee of Tory backbenchers on his case.

In an interview with CNN in Germany, he was asked about his message to Conservative MPs, who say he is a drag on his ticket.

He said: I think the great thing about democracy is that leaders are under scrutiny and that I do have people on my case, I have got people making arguments.

Both China and Russia, I think make big mistakes because they dont have those democratic checks and balances.

Do you really think that Vladimir Putin would have launched an invasion of another sovereign country if hed had people to listen to properly if hed had a committee of backbenchers, the 1922 Committee, on his case?

Asked in Rwanda if he believed questions over his leadership were settled, Mr Johnson replied: Yes.

But the attacks kept on coming from his own backbenches on Saturday night, with Damian Green, who chairs the One Nation caucus of Tory MPs, warning the Government needs to alter both its style and content and calling on Cabinet members with leadership hopes to show their stripes.

In the by-election in the Devon constituency of Tiverton and Honiton, a dramatic swing of almost 30% from the Conservatives saw their 24,000 majority overturned by the Liberal Democrats.

In West Yorkshire, Labour seized back Wakefield with a majority of 4,925 on a swing of 12.7% from the Tories.

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My golden rule is to get on with the job, says PM as he eyes long stint in No 10 - Rhyl Journal

For a lot of families, what makes the world of childrens entertainment so daunting is the simple fact that despite how great Pixar or Dreamworks might be, all of it does feel very corporate. Finding a truly indie kids movie, with the same spirit as an indie film, distributed by an indie film studio is often impossible. Until now.

With the release of Marcel the Shell With Shoes On, studio A24, and Marcel creator Jenny Slate have made a twee arthouse movie for kids. Heres what to know about the film and why Slate told us that she hopes Marcel inspires her own daughter, Ida Lupine.

I think it's really funny that Marcel will be on a shelf surrounded by really scary movies, Slate tells Fatherly, referencing the various indie horror titles A24 is known for, including Hereditary, Midsommar, and this years overwhelmingly acclaimed Everything Everywhere All At Once. I think he deserves to be with other individuals who in their own way have a heightened power.

A scene from Marcel the Shell With Shoes On

To walk a mile in Marcel the Shells shoes would take forever, given how small the cute, little guy is. Its why, as seen at the beginning of the new film, he tends to get around the house he lives in by careening across the floor inside of a tennis ball. Its an effective, if sometimes chaotic means of transportation. Marcels journey from viral comedy video in 2010, to big-screen indie family feature in 2022, isn't quite as chaotic, but it is, unexpected.

Jenny Slate the actress, writer, and comedian, who voices Marcel and co-created the character back in 2010 when the first Marcel short became a critically acclaimed viral sensation has had a much smoother journey in the decade between those early shorts and Marcels big-screen debut. A long road, to be sure, a natural and cathartic one, too.

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On who is, for the uninitiated, exactly what he sounds like made his debut in a short film created by Dean Fleischer Camp in 2010. In a distinctive squeaky voice that could sound scary if it wasnt so cute, Marcel tells Fleischer Camp about his daily life living in a big ol house, documentary-style. The cute short film spawned two sequels and two picture books in fairly rapid succession. After that, it was an unhurried wait for the right fit for what could come next.

We had completed those, the discussion that followed was sort of natural. Like, is there more we wanna do here? Slate tells Fatherly. They took meetings about a Marcel TV show that didnt feel right. (Now, though, Slate says shed love to circle back to that idea because a show, at this point, could be really fun.) When they started talking to studios about a possible feature film, the pitches they were getting were taking Marcel out of his element too much. After all, Marcels whole deal is being a small little guy in his big mostly empty house not the kind of story that naturally lends itself to an epic adventure or a wise-cracking A-list co-star in a big studio production.

We felt very sure that there was enough just in his own home environment and enough just in him as himself to carry a film and it didn't need these like giant set pieces or other famous comedy actors to be paired with him, Slate explains. Marcel really was kind of lit from within and didn't need this sort of synthetic giant light, like a spotlight, to be put on him.

Eventually, though, Slate and Dean Fleischer Camp found the right partners the nonprofit film funding organization Cinereach and were able to make a movie where Marcel could just be Marcel. That was about seven years ago, as actually making Marcel the Shell With Shoes On took a long, only occasionally leisurely time. (Current events did not exactly speed things up.)

A24 eventually picked up the distribution rights for Marcel the Shell. Its the studios first foray into family-friendly films, but Slate, who stared in one of their first movies, Obvious Child, says its a great fit because of how much A24 champions artists with unique, distinctive voices.

Of course, the stakes for a feature-length movie even an indie flick do need to be a little higher and the action a bit more elaborate than in a viral short. The new movie, which premiered at the Telluride Film Festival last September ahead of its wide release this summer, follows Marcel and his elderly grandmother Connie (Isabella Rossellini) as they go about life in the Los Angeles house where they live. They used to have a whole bunch of other shell friends and family, but theyre all missing, along with the previous human inhabitants of the house. Its not until a documentarian who is staying in the house as an Airbnb (a mostly unseen Fleischer Camp, as in the original shorts) begins making a documentary about his tiny roommate that Marcel thinks he might be able to track down the rest of his missing family.

Jenny Slate at the NYC premiere of Marcel The Shell With Shoes On.

Slate says the process of giving Marcel a bigger story for his big-screen debut meant digging into family dynamics.

Why is he by himself? What does he think his house is? Were there others? And if so, where are they? Does he want them to come back? And then the story, like just sort of naturally unfolds, she explains. Marcel used to have a family. They were taken away. Why were they taken away? Marcel's family got swept away on a tide of grief and bad feelings.

Sound heavy? Dont get the wrong impression Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is absolutely as charming and quirky and sweet as those much-beloved shorts were. Theres just a beautiful, softly mature melancholy that goes along with it.

These days, as a fairly new mom, Slate says she definitely cares more about community than having a big audience. And while being a parent didnt directly influence the film itself, she says shes glad it exists as something that can clearly show her daughter who she is as an artist, in addition to the mom who is steaming the broccoli.

I made this and that it exists as a very clear example for my daughter of what kind of artist I am and what my hopes are as a person in this world and what my beliefs are, Slate says. That will be a specific message for her daughter; the beauty of Marcel the Shells twee complexity is that there are unique takeaways for anybody who watches. Marcel isnt turning to the camera to tell viewers about the Golden Rule. There are more subtle, more powerful messages inside.

The Marcel movie has a lot of usable models for how to try to enjoy your life on a day-to-day basis, even if your circumstances have sorrow in them, Slate says. That's a daily thing. You gotta just keep doing it. There's a good example in there of how that can be invigorating rather than exhausting.

Marcel the Shell With Shoes On is out now and playing in theaters in most states.

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'Marcel the Shell' Is The First Indie Kids' Movie That Matters - Fatherly

Ive seen enough! Caesar salad wraps are officially the best of the beach foods.

With insincere apologies to cheese fries, lobster rolls, ice cream cones, fish tacos and whatever the hell else people tend to buy within view of the ocean, the humble Caesar salad wrap should be the only option you entertain at the beach this summer.

Now for those of you furiously drafting invites for me to come on your podcast and defend this take, I politely, proactively decline. Ive been in this industry long enough A) to know a trap when I see one, and B) to no longer mind being called a chickenshit little bitch! for declining a guest appearance. (True story.)

Point being, this is the last I will speak on the Caesar salad wrap. The race is over and we can all go home. Its the best beach food ever. Heres why.

You could play catch with a Caesar salad wrap, if you really needed to. Everything is tight and light. The foods tucked away in the wrap, the wraps wrapped up in the paper and the whole operation can hang out in a beach tote without bothering any of your essentials. Other packable sandwiches tend to get smushed on the journey to your afternoons small square of sand. (Peanut butter and jellies generally look like theyve just gotten back from the war.) By contrast, the Caesar salad wrap doesnt mind getting jostled a little bit. Its low-maintenance and low-stakes, yet gets the job done just the same.

The worst beach food I ever ate was a mystery blend of goat and rice from a cart along a coastline outside Havana. There were no bathrooms nearby. I ended up having to do something for the first and (god-willing) last time in my life. Ill let you use your imagination on that one. To be clear: the food itself was delicious. But the setting and situation in which I ate it was precarious. A beach day is no time to experiment. Play it down the fairway. If a Caesar salad wrap doesnt agree with your gastrointestinal tract, youre a wet blanket. Sorry.

Caesar salad wraps arent smelly. They smell like nothing from far away. Maybe if you get your nose real close youll start to smell some of the dressing. Its just greens, flour, croutons and a little sliced chicken, though I prefer mine without. Your lunch fumes wont stink up your bag or waft into other beachgoers personal space. Always remember the golden rule: eat sandwiches near others that you would want eaten near you.

Another decree, while Im here: the best photoshoots are post-beach day, pre-dinner photoshoots. You get to shower the sand off you, put on a nice shirt and pose in front of a vacation view, knowing youre a few minutes away from ordering too many appetizers. Thats livin, partner! Beach days, by their nature, involve spending the brunt of sunlight hours laying by the water; dusk is when the big dinner happens. That means you should save your appetite in the middle of the day. Some people overdo it (foot-long cold Italian sub), some dont do enough (melon balls never go the distance). A Caesar salad wrap is the perfect stopgap solution. If youre a ravenous fellow, consider packing two.

As a general rule, people look more elegant/laidback/sexy/whatever while eating one-hand foods. Two-hand foods (ham and cheese sandwiches, burgers, baby-back ribs) have no business on a beach day. Neither do most fork foods. (You dont want to have pack utensils, or use single-use plastics right by the ocean; thats a little on the nose.) A Caesar salad wrap passes this vibe check with flying colors. Its unlikely to cause stains, its seasonally-appropriate, its scarfable. Whats not to love? And most importantly, you will look cool and effortless while eating it dont be surprised if youre quickly overwhelmed with amorous advances. Ive found it works best to have them form an orderly line. Theyll all get your number eventually!

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We're Calling It. Caesar Salad Wraps Are the Best Beach Food. - InsideHook

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AKRON, Ohio, June 27, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Valmark Financial Group has been named a Top Workplace by The Plain Dealer for the third year in a row. The list is based solely on employee feedback gathered through a third-party, with the results of top performers published in The Plain Dealer. The survey is anonymous and uniquely measures 15 drivers of engaged cultures that are critical to the success of any organization, including alignment, execution, and connection.

We are thrilled to receive this award for the third time, said Larry J. Rybka, Chairman & CEO, Valmark Financial Group. Six years ago, we started focusing on employee engagement as a key measurable and growth strategy. This award validates the extent to which our whole team is pulling together to live out our core purpose to Bring the Golden Rule to Life!

Valmark gives particular focus to improving its internal teams engagement and productivity. One example is getting consistent feedback from all employees through a quarterly survey and using it to create specific action steps to improve overall employee engagement.

On top of this prestigious award, Valmark continues to receive high satisfaction scores from its customers through its annual survey. Engaged employees are key to our customers feeling connected to Valmark and, in turn,Valmark earning one of the highest overall satisfaction scores from our customers in our firms history, said Rybka.

Valmarks employee-focused culture is well represented by its employee engagement program, simply called "Engage." The program is made up of a team of employees from various departments who work together to organize a variety of fun activities for employees throughout the year. The team also encourages a number of volunteer opportunities for employees to serve the greater good and wellness initiatives that promote whole person wellbeing.

All the credit for this achievement goes to our staff, said Caleb Callahan, President, Valmark Financial Group. They set the bar and create the culture we are proud to promote. They also accomplish amazing things for our company and community of Member Firms. It is a privilege to work alongside them. I am very excited about what we are building together at Valmark!

To view Valmarks profile on the Top Workplaces website, click here.About Valmark Financial Group, LLCValmarkFinancialGroup is a holding company of several subsidiaries, including: Executive Insurance Agency, Inc., a national producer group; Valmark Securities, Inc., a broker-dealer and member of both FINRA and SIPC; Valmark Advisers, Inc., a U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission registered investment adviser; and the Valmark Policy Management Company, LLC, which provides ongoing policy management and monitoring services for life insurance policyholders. With a proud history of workingwith independently owned financial servicesfirms committed to high ethical standards in over 30 statesthroughout the United States, Valmarkoffersa wide range of insurance and investment solutions for high net-worth clients. Headquartered in Akron, Ohio with operations in St. Paul, Minnesota, Valmark, through its affiliated entities, has helped itsmemberfirms place over $50 billion of life insurance death benefits and manage insurance policies with a cumulative cash value of over $8 billion dollars. Valmarks affiliated RIA, Valmark Advisers, has an estimated $7.5 billion in assets under management, including approximately $2.5 billion in variable sub-account assets withinits TOPSfunds. To learn more about Valmark Financial Group, visitwww.valmarkfg.com.

Securities offered through Valmark Securities, Inc. Member FINRA/SIPC.

Contact: Jamie Summerville VP, CommunicationsValmark Financial Group130 Springside DriveAkron, OH 44333P: 330.576.1234 x3609E: [emailprotected]www.valmarkfg.com

A photo accompanying this announcement is available at https://www.globenewswire.com/NewsRoom/AttachmentNg/7b982bce-15e1-4130-b73f-11e6052b2e54

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Valmark Financial Group 2022 Top Workplaces Logo

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The Plain Dealer Names Valmark Financial Group a Winner of the Cleveland Top Workplaces Award for the Third Year in a Row - StreetInsider.com

Boris Johnson has urged Conservative MPs plotting to oust him not to focus on the issues he has stuffed up after his authority was diminished by a double by-election defeat.

The prime minister insisted questions over his leadership were now settled after the loss of Wakefield and former stronghold Tiverton and Honiton triggered a Cabinet resignation.

He insisted the endless churn of allegations is driving people nuts, as he pushed on with his Rwanda trip despite suggestions further ministerial resignations could follow.

Johnson is clinging on to his leadership after Oliver Dowden resigned as Tory party co-chairman, saying he and Conservative supporters are distressed and disappointed by recent events and telling the prime minister that someone must take responsibility.

Former Conservative leader Michael Howard also urged the prime minister to resign for the good of the party and the nation, and he called on the Cabinet to consider resigning to force him out.

But Johnson was in a buoyant mood as he said: I love my colleagues and of course, I would urge them respectfully: [the] golden rule of politics, the more we focus on Westminster politics the more irritating it is to voters.

He told journalists at the British high commissioners residence in Kigali that it is reasonable to suggest he might need to change to win back voters trust.

But the answer is always to remember, its not about me, its about them, Johnson said.

Because whats driving people nuts is this endless churn of stuff about things that Im meant to have stuffed up or whatever about my colleagues, their views of me, my character, the leadership, Tory blah blah

There are suggestions of a challenge to change the rules of the 1922 Committee of Conservative MPs in order to allow another vote of confidence in Johnson within the next year.

Asked if he believes questions over his leadership are settled, Johnson replied: Yes.

Instead of partygate and other scandals, Johnson insisted the public want to hear about the cost of living and economic plans.

Thats the change that I think will be most welcome on the last few months, he said. Thats, I think, what people will see.

Conservative veteran Sir Geoffrey Clifton-Brown, who retained his Cotswolds seat with a majority of 20,000 at the last vote, is among the Tories to have expressed fears they could lose their jobs at the next general election.

In West Yorkshire, Labour seized back Wakefield with a majority of 4,925 on a swing of 12.7 percent from the Tories.

Wakefield was one of the so-called red wall seats won by the Tories in the 2019 general election after being held by Labour since the 1930s.

Foreign Secretary Liz Truss argued that the dismal performance for the Conservatives in Thursdays by-elections will not be the predictor of the next general election.

Speaking to reporters in Rwanda, she said: The reality is that incumbent governments often lose by-elections and often people want to send a message in a by-election to raise concerns with the government.

But that doesnt make by-election results the predictor of election outcomes, it hasnt been the predictor in the past and I dont believe it will be the predictor of the next general election.

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Boris Johnson Tells Tory Plotters: Stop Focusing on Things I'm Meant to Have Stuffed Up - The Epoch Times

Finney is an associate marriage and family therapist living in University Heights.

Youll hear it all the time: Sexuality is on a spectrum. But what exactly does this mean? And how does it differ from checking off straight, gay, or bisexual on an intake form?

In modern psychological research, sexual orientation is a term used to describe the overarching umbrella of human sexual preferences. This includes, but is not necessarily limited to, sexual attraction, romantic attraction, sexual behavior and sexual identity. For a lot of folks, these factors all align: For example, a straight woman who is sexually and romantically attracted to men, with a history of sexual relationships with only men. However, these differences are not so clearly defined in a lot of folks experiences, which can lead to a lot of shame and confusion.

Sexual fluidity is the concept that sexual orientation can be context-dependant and change over time. You may have heard the term gay for the stay to describe incarcerated folks having same-sex relationships in prison when they would otherwise engage in opposite-sex relationships in their communities.

But this isnt just limited to folks who are removed and isolated from greater society. Even Saturday Night Lives comedy music group The Lonely Island wrote the song The Golden Rule as a humorous defense of having three-ways with a member of the same gender. It is also common for folks to engage in sexual relationships with one gender, but fantasize about or watch pornography focused on other genders. And we cant forget about those who identify as straight but have a habit of kissing or engaging in other sexual behaviors with people of the same gender when under the influence of alcohol or other drugs. If sexual identity, sexual attraction and sexual behavior were all the same, how could we account for these differences in alignment?

This is why it is so important to pay attention to the differences between sexual identity and sexual attraction. A lesbian woman could have a satisfying sexual experience with a man, but that does not necessarily mean that she wants to continue engaging in sex with men, nor does it mean she would want to communicate to others that she is looking for a heterosexual partnership. Therefore, she could still identify as lesbian as a way to tell others that she is looking for partnership with another woman.

Our sexual identities are labels that we use to let ourselves and others know what type of relationships we prefer. However, sexual identity is not the end-all, be-all of relational preferences.

By labeling folks sexual fluidity as confusion, we are invalidating the very meaningful relationships that others engage in. As Carrie Bradshaw put it on Sex and the City, Im not even sure bisexuality exists. I think its just a layover on the way to Gaytown.

While this was broadcast in the year 2000, many folks today still struggle to understand anything outside of the gay-straight binary. We often receive cultural messages that bisexual men are really homosexuals testing the waters, while bisexual women engage in same-sex relationships to gain attention from men.

What do these misconceptions have in common? They both rely on the idea that fundamentally, if given the choice, men are ultimately the most desired gender. This patriarchal idea serves the function of categorizing folks in neat, clean boxes as a means to oppress. But, as psychological researchers keep telling us, humans are anything but easily categorized.

Our rigid views around sexuality and sexual identity are part of what fuels violence against transgender and non-binary folk. If society didnt expect us to find and settle on our sexual preferences, there wouldnt be so much pressure on people, especially straight folk, to defend their sexuality. For example, someone can identify as straight or mostly straight, but have a relationship with someone who is non-binary. This is the key difference between how we identify and who we are attracted to. We should be embracing these gray areas, rather than utilizing shame to discourage exploration.

Sexuality is fluid and ever-changing not something stagnant to be discovered. If we let go of the expectation that we must be sure of our sexual preferences, we open up doors to more satisfying sexual and relational experiences.

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Opinion: We often hear that sexuality is on a spectrum. What exactly does that mean? - The San Diego Union-Tribune

Another mass shooting, another day of mourning, another day for "One Nation Under Guns." If this is freedom, I'd hate to see what tyranny looks like.

Nearly 250 years ago, the nation was busy declaring its independence. The Founding Fathers were intelligent men and had, for the most part, many brilliant ideas in regard to creating this country. However, included with these brilliant ideas were some awful ones: slavery being chief among them. Additionally, some of the ideas that made sense then, make less sense now: the 2nd Amendment, which allows for the right to bear arms made sense then. (See 'busy declaring independence' above.)

Gun people, please don't get your knickers in a twist. If you are a responsible hunter and want to feed your family, far be it from me to take away that right. Let's go even further. Say you are a law-abiding citizen who feels compelled to own a firearm: consider applying the same standard required to drive a motorized vehicle. Driving a car legally has several requirements such as completion of driver's training, testing, licensure, and proof of insurance. Doesn't it seem reasonable to apply a similar standard for gun ownership?

I know, I know, putting these standards in place won't solve the entire problem of gun violence. There are ghost guns, 3-D printed guns, unscrupulous sellers and manufacturers, a gazillion loopholes in existing laws, powerful gun lobbies, and oh yeah, politicians who don't give a damn who dies as long as they get re-elected. But we've got to do better than we're doing now.

I cannot begin to imagine sending my children to school each day, wondering if it's the last time I'm going to see them alive. I cannot imagine being a teacher walking into school each day wondering if I'm going to have to take a bullet.

This is not what freedom looks like to me. Let's stop being one nation under guns. Now.

House Bill 616 does not "dehumanize" racial minorities or transgenderpersons. It simply prohibits discussion of the topics in the classroom. To claim that is dehumanizing and harmful is truly twisted logic.

Classrooms are for the teaching of academic subjects, in which our children are becoming less and less proficient. They can ill afford the distractions of social and political issues. Of course, the teacher has every right to insure that all students are treated with respect and compassion. That is a long way from validating or siding with a student's life choices or social situation. The teacher should emphasize and enforce the "golden rule."It is up to parents to instill strength of characterneeded to withstand the bigotry of the few, rather than claim victimhood at every turn. And if some students are taunting or otherwise belittling other kids, they should be disciplined by the schools and their parents.

There is a movement in this country to divide us along racial, religious, genderand other group identities. We need to stay united around a common set of moral and political ideals, with inclusion and respect for all.

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Guns should be more regulated than driving cars - Akron Beacon Journal