Category Archives: Golden Rule

In todays consumerist, fast-moving culture, the pursuit of meaning in life may not be everyones immediate goal. However, research shows that finding meaning in life, whatever that might be for the individual, could significantly benefit well-being.

The pursuit of meaning has underlined human activity for millennia, if not longer stretching back to thinkers like Aristotle and Plato all the way up to modern-day philosophers, psychologists, and scientists.

While different understandings of meaning coexist, both secular and religious thinkers agree that meaning-search is a quintessential part of being human whether they believe that it stems from biological evolution or an innate predisposition. In the Islamic tradition, for example, this is known as the fitra.

The central role played by the search for meaning in human experience should come as no surprise. Research shows that not only does finding a sense of meaning in life inform our goals and priorities, but it also shapes how we respond to lifes twists and turns.

Studies, for example, consistently demonstrate a link between finding meaning in life and experiencing psychological well-being.

Existential psychology seeks to study lifes big questions, and generally defines three main sources of finding subjective meaning:

A recent study published in Nature Human Behaviouralso suggests a fourth source of deriving meaning in life experiential appreciation, or appreciating the small things in life, such as a simple coffee or the beauty of a sunset.

When asked whether any of these four facets are more beneficial than others for psychological well-being, Prof. Joshua Hicks, professor of social and personality psychology at Texas A&M University, one of the authors of the study cited above, told Medical News Today: My guess is that an optimal sense of meaning is derived from high levels of each of the facets. That said, it is likely that different factors are more important in different situations across the lifespan.

For example, trauma has the potential to lower meaning in life as the experience is often inconsistent with our worldviews, e.g. bad things are not supposed to happen to good people. This, in turn, can disrupt our sense of coherence. Therefore, it might be especially important for one to reestablish coherence during these times.

Prof. Joshua Hicks

As we age, a sense of mattering may become more important to individuals, perhaps to placate fears of ones mortality alongside other age-related concerns. I assume experiential appreciation varies across the lifespan and is perhaps even more important as we age as it helps life seem worthwhile even if long-term goals seem less attainable- perhaps generating a loss of purpose- and memory gets more fragmented, leading to a loss of coherence, he added.

Prof. Rebecca Schlegel, professor of social and personality psychology at Texas A&M University, also an author on this study, cautioned that while a successful meaning search may be beneficial, an unsuccessful search for meaning may be counterproductive.

I think searching but feeling like you didnt come up with a satisfying answer can actually backfire. For example, someone may search for a cosmic or ultimate meaning and end up feeling disappointed. By comparison, looking for the beauty in everyday life can help you experience a successful search for meaning, she told us.

Evidence shows that self-transcendent values going beyond meeting ones own wants and needs in pursuit of higher goals may also contribute to a successful search for meaning.

In a recent study from the Journal of Experimental Social Psychology, researchers reminded people of stressful topics previously shown to make participants upset and defensively hostile. They then asked participants to describe how their life goals reflected their highest values.

The researchers recorded participants brain activity via EEG, and used questionnaires to assess various aspects of their personality.

In the end, they found that people who are persistently engaged in the pursuit of deriving meaning, and focus on selfless, self-transcendent values, tend to have more feelings of personal power in stressful situations and make less harsh judgments.

When asked why this might be, Prof. Ian McGregor, professor of psychology at the University of Waterloo, and first author of the study, told MNT that focusing on non-materialistic guiding values makes us more resilient to frustrations and failures in life.

He noted that focusing away from material reality and on guiding values can activate a basic dopaminergic motivational system that automatically mutes anxiety and related phenomena.

He added that when coupled with self transcendence, the search of meaning can also make people more generous and forgiving as they have less need to respond to anxiety with defenses that are hostile or self-serving.

Self transcendence is the most popular way that people try to have meaningful lives by helping or contributing to others, said Prof. McGregor.

This, he noted, may be because abstractions such as personal values often require social consensus for them to feel real, which can be achieved if they also provide value to others.

That self transcendence and a sense of virtuousness help others find meaning in life, however, is not a new concept. It is a common value among the worlds cultures and major religions, often expressed through the golden rule of doing unto others as you would have them do unto you.

There is also research that shows that feeling accountable to a higher power may motivate more consistent altruistic behavior, and lead to higher psychological well-being in the form of feeling like one matters to others, attaining a sense of dignity, and having meaning in life.

When asked how accountability to a higher power may relate to finding meaning in life, Dr. Blake Victor Kent, assistant professor of sociology at Westmont College, who studies the sociology of religion, told MNT:

Meaning gives us a framework, a narrative, to place ourselves in a larger story and arrive at the conclusion that our existence matters. [] Accountability to God taps into meaning since it is a way of affirming that we are in a relationship with a higher power that has our good in mind.

When we approach big questions in [relation to God or a higher power] and order our lives so that they reflect values which transcend perceptual limitations, we can tap into meaning in a powerful way, he added.

Given that 84% of the worlds population is religiously-affiliated, examining the effects of beliefs surrounding a higher power on meaning and, consequently, psychological well-being, is key to understanding more about the human condition.

For many, belief in a higher power also provides an underlying, primary cause for natural phenomena an origin story and thus a primordial meaning.

It provides the view that everything in the universe from human bodies to intergalactic objects and the physical laws that govern them is contingent on the existence of this all-powerful being.

As religious or spiritual frameworks provide a direct connection to this higher power, some researchers argue that, for some people, they provide a more comprehensive and existentially satisfactory framework of meaning than a purely secular outlook.

To understand how belief in a higher power as a source of meaning may benefit psychological well-being, MNT spoke with Muhammad Abubakar, doctoral researcher in clinical psychology at Fielding Graduate University and senior student at Qalam Seminary.

He noted that believing life is a moral test for a more permanent afterlife may motivate people to do good works, maintain good character and hygiene, among other things which benefit ones health and quality of life.

He further explained that belief in God and an afterlife can help people maintain resilience during difficult times or when faced with chronic medical conditions.

When asked how to approach the search for meaning, Prof. Schlegel noted that striving to be consistent with ones moral values may help increase feelings of meaningfulness:

A lot of my work is on how people use their true self-concept as a source of meaning and moral codes are a defining feature of true selves. To that end, living in ways that are consistent with your morality (e.g. in your job, in your relationships, etc.) is a big part of [finding] meaning in peoples lives.

Prof. McGregor also added, however, that striving for meaning may come with cons as well as pros:

In our contemporary culture there are pros and cons of meaning search. Contemporary secular culture values expedience more than meaning search. Meaning searchers can sometimes therefore feel out of step with people in the world around them, who do not care about meaning search. [And] people who do not care about meaning search can find meaning searchers to be a bit of a pain because they tend to complicate things by bringing moral considerations to decisions.

Prof. Hicks agreed that the current state of the world is not very conducive to a personally meaningful existence.

War, eco-anxiety, pandemics, and political polarization can all disrupt our sense of meaning, he pointed out.

Yes, each of these things can crystallize our goals, perhaps temporarily leading to a greater sense of purpose, but I am not sure if this can lead to a sustained sense of meaning because each of them is also related to fear and distrust that certainly interferes with our ability to detect meaning in our daily existence, he noted.

Dr. Kent added that, seeing that many of the stable institutions that provided a framework for meaning in the past are currently being questioned, we are living in a tumultuous social and existential moment.

Times are changing, but fundamental social, psychological, physical, and spiritual needs are not, he said.

I think the improvement that comes along with looking for meaning is most effective when its grounded in a true desire to understand how we fit in this world, he explained.

As for how to know this, Abubakar noted that a good place to start may be taking some time out from the clamor of day-to-day life to reflect on the intricate design of the universe we inhabit, how it all came to be, and what it all might mean for our purpose.

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How does having a sense of purpose influence our well-being? - Medical News Today

Before Warner Bros. stepped in Zack Snyder had planned for multiple sequels to 2013s Man of Steel starring Henry Cavill as Superman.

The apparent cancellation of the so-called SnyderVerse has been one of the greatest losses for the blooming DC Extended Universe so far. Just when it seemed like the cinematic universe had found its niche, with the exciting Christopher Nolan trilogy leaving a void that needed to be filled by talented filmmakers, the DC world was thrown off balance again.

Arguably, the film that has suffered the most from Warner Bros. decision to cancel the SnyderVerse-related projects has been the original Man of Steel. Superman has always been a notoriously difficult character for the big screen. Some critics consider his morals and his overall brand of heroism dated or irrelevant to modern culture, which might be partially why we never got a proper Man of Steel solo sequel.

Still, it seems like a waste to let a film with as much potential as Man of Steel go to waste, especially when there are so many questions left unanswered about Krypton and Superman himself by the end of the movie.

For those reasons, weve compiled a list of five burning questions left unanswered in Man of Steel that could be addressed in potential sequels.

Its no secret to anyone that Zack Snyder loves symbolism, especially if its related to Christianism in any way. Thats why he relied so much upon portraying Superman as a deity rather than just a hero for most of his appearances in the SnyderVerse a trend that began with Man of Steel and its existential questions about how mere mortals would see someone like Superman. Something that would have no doubt continued in Man of Steel sequels too.

That said, when it comes to religious imagery specifically Christian and Catholic imagery, in Supermans case nothing comes close to the symbolism of Superman rising from the dead in Justice League. His resurrection might have been a bit rushed in the original cut of the film, but the symbolism and religious allegories were turned up to eleven with the release of the fabled Snyder Cut.

Religious or not, dying and returning to the world of the living must have some ramifications for whoever goes through that process, no matter if theyre made of steel or any other metal or alloy. Its a life-changing experience quite literally that must have left some scars on Supermans psyche. So, what changed with the Man of Steel after his apparent demise?

Even though the Snyder Cut tackles some of these questions, theres only so much that can be done without devoting an entire solo film to these metaphysical questions. Superman might have survived the events of Man of Steel, but its obvious that a potential sequel to the 2013 epic would need to introduce at least some minor plot points related to Clark Kents death and eventual resurrection.

One thing that we have to keep in mind, despite Zack Snyders spectacular directing job, is that Man of Steel is an action flick first and foremost. Therefore, some elements relating to Clarks life outside his iconic Superman costume are kept to a minimum compared to the more bombastic action setpieces we see in the film.

Maybe thats why Supermans romance with Lois Lane feels a bit rushed in the first film. By Batman v Superman, it seems almost like Lois and Clark have been married for ages, while the truth is that we barely know what they have in common, other than the external knowledge that Superman loves Lois Lane in the comics.

A proper Man of Steel sequel could go deeper into what makes their relationship work. Theres a lot of chemistry between Henry Cavill and Amy Adams, thats for sure, so seeing them together again in another Superman solo film would be just what fans of the franchise are waiting for. At the very least, they make a much better couple than Margot Robbie and Jared Leto. Or Jared Leto and anyone else, to be honest.

If there was one thing that the original Man of Steel could have used a bit more of, that would have been real personal stakes for Superman to fight Zod. Sure, he saves Metropolis from the Kryptonians out of a sense of duty, but the hero lacks any personal motivations for doing so.

A sequel to Man of Steel would need to evaluate Supermans actions in the first movie through an objective lens. Why didnt Superman take the fight away from the city, where the superpowered men with capes flying around wouldnt be able to bring down so many skyscrapers?

Theres also the matter of Superman resorting to breaking his golden rule to end Zods onslaught. Killing another person (even worse, a fellow Kryptonian) must have had some serious psychological effects on Supes, so it would be great if we got to see if he continues to see himself as a hero after the events of Man of Steel. Outside of the Justice League movies, of course but, as we know, Superman is more or less a glorified deus ex machina in most of the DCEU films anyways.

With most of the remaining Kryptonians either dead or trapped in the Phantom Zone, things are looking pretty lonely for Superman at the end of Man of Steel. While it seems like Kal-El was meant to be the only surviving Kryptonian in the DCEU, long-time DC fans know for sure that there must be more Kryptonians around.

A Man of Steel sequel could introduce some of the most notable Kryptonians from DCs publication history, including Kara Zor-El, better known as Supergirl. Even if there are really no more Kryptonians left in the DCEU, those sent to the Phantom Zone might eventually make it out of the pocket dimension, and theyre more than likely to want a rematch with the Man of Steel.

A vital piece to the puzzle of what the future of a potential Man of Steel saga would have looked like lies in the Kryptonian Codex and Jor-Els plan to save the Kryptonian species. Even though we might see Jor-El as an altruistic character mostly because he opposes Zod, the truth is that the scientist might have had other plans for humanity all along.

For starters, Jor-El and Zod have the same objective: to save what remains of Krypton. The difference is that Jor-El prefers a much less violent approach one that could take centuries to complete. The unification of human and Kryptonian DNA made possible thanks to Kal-Els merging with the Kryptonian Codex would have made any descendant of Clark Kent almost entirely Kryptonian. In the end, Jor-Els plan was a sort of long-term terraforming of Earth. Again, same objective, vastly different plans.

Does this make Jor-El a villain in the long run? Maybe not; but, at the very least, he could still be considered a morally grey character that does whatever is needed to ensure the survival of his species. A sequel to Man of Steel, much like the sequels to the original Superman back in the eighties, could have explored Supermans relationship with his Kryptonian roots, not to mention with his biological father.

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5 Man of Steel Questions That Could Be Answered In Sequels - Fortress of Solitude

Take the train to one of the UKs main university cities and, as you near the station, theres an impressive view of a major biomedical campus with state of the art buildings and towering cranes the latter signalling continuing investment. This is a leading example of the so-called golden triangle where health, academia and the private sector co-locate, believing that this will energise and accelerate the bench to bedside translation of research into clinical practice.

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But visit the site and youll also see evidence of the golden rule at work whoever has the gold makes the rules. Here, as on many similar campuses across the UK, those shiny new buildings including the ones under construction belong, in the main, to the non-NHS occupants. In this case the major hospital at the core of the campus occupies buildings, the majority of which are 50 years old. Interestingly a shopping complex on the edge of the city, some 10 years younger, is up for sale one option is to repurpose it as a life sciences research centre.

Back on the biomedical campus the NHS trust has long-standing plans to replace itspast their sell by date facilities. But the pace and scale of these developments are governed by the NHSs Kafkaesque business case approvals process and, ultimately, the Treasurys death grip on investment the capital departmental expenditure limit (CDEL). Each government spending department has a CDEL set by the Treasury which, in the case of the Department of Health and Social Care is then allocated to NHS trusts (in future via integrated care systems).

All good if this ensures prudent management of the economy, however The most obvious problem facing the NHS relating to capital is that the annual CDEL is not currently high enough and has not been for the past decade (Rebuilding Our NHS: Why Its Time to Invest: NHS Providers). But its worse than that because even trusts with cash in the bank or with access to the proceeds of asset disposals are unable to spend beyond their CDEL limit. No wonder a councillor, hearing of how CDEL is delaying a planned NHS development in her area remarked; Its absolutely crazy, and not the right way to plan for any kind of public services.(Bedford Independent 8 June 2022).

Another trust sought to leverage the high value of its city centre sites through an innovative approach to provide new NHS facilities including space leased to life sciences and MedTech partners. This would have fostered the day-to-day, serendipitous interaction between scientists and clinicians which is seen as key to successful collaboration in facilities such as the Crick centre. But you can guess what happened when the Treasury heard about it.

Frustrations such as these are commonplace and impede the creation of golden triangles. While there is no shortage of enthusiasm, the physical realisation of collaborative models requires that the NHS can match the capital investment agility of its private sector and academic partners. Just over a year ago the government published what it described as a bold and ambitious vision for the future of clinical research delivery (The Future of UK Clinical Research Delivery) where there is a reference to breaking down barriers. Perhaps its time for someone to send the Treasury a friendly reminder.

About Lexica

Lexica is a leading specialist consultancy, supporting health and life sciences organisations in the UK and internationally with the planning, delivery, and continuous improvement of their services now and into the future.

A wholly-owned subsidiary of Guys and St Thomas Foundation Trust, formed in 2013, the company is based in London and Oxford with hubs in Bristol, Cambridge, Manchester, and Dublin. Its services include strategy and planning; property consultancy; cost management; project management; programme management; net zero transition; and infrastructure solutions.

Its current and past clients and projects include major UK and international academic health organisations and networks such as Kings Health Partners, Imperial College Healthcare Trust, and Qatar-based Hamad Medical Corporation. The team has also worked with major research institutions including The Pirbright Institute and Harwell Science and Innovation campus and on DEFRAs Science Capability in Animal Health (SCAH) programme.

Lexica is a corporate member of the Association for Project Management (APM) and is regulated by the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors (RICS).

For more information visit http://www.lexica.co.uk.

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The golden triangle and the golden rule | HSJ Partners - Health Service Journal

The long-awaited Elkhart County 4-H Fair is coming to an end. For many this is the highlight of their year. If you show animals, you eat, drink, work and sleep fair week. For others of us, Senior Citizens Day or Childrens Day will satisfy our fair hunger. I did revel in finally being able to attend my hometown farm show three years ago in PA after many, many years.

Since it is fair week, I decided to look up the word fair in my NKJV concordance and Bible. In so doing I found some fair lessons for us during fair week.

Lesson #1 Husbands always be captivated by your wife. The Song of Solomon has been a great puzzle to many over the years. After reading it, you might wonder how this book slipped into Gods canon. Many try and rationalize that it is an allegory of Jesus love for his bride, the church. I never could accept that when in reality it is a song expressing King Solomons love for his first (unfortunately not his last, as he later collected 700 plus 300 other women) wife, the Shulamite girl. The book is filled with romantic and sensuous verbiage of his love and desire for her. This book is Gods blessing and endorsement of marital (only) romance and sexual love. Thank you, Lord. It is so descriptive that one young man thought he had committed the unpardonable sin by reading it during boring church services.

Some 13 times in this love song, Solomon calls the Shulamite fair or beautiful and gives very unique descriptions of her beauty. He refers to her as my fair one, fairest among women, fair as the moon, fair and pleasant and all fair. So, guys, how do you let your wife know how much you adore, cherish, love, desire and appreciate her and mean it? Yes, as we all get older our looks change but our love should grow and mature. Our attitude should always be when you have the best, why think of the rest. If only Solomon had learned that.

Lesson #2 Never think God is not fair. Many folks have a big problem with God on this issue. Since none of us are God, there are many questions that we will never have answers to this side of heaven. We all need to come to the conclusion that life is not fair but God is gracious and fair.

In Ezekiel 18:25-29, the nation of Israel was insistent that the way of the Lord is not fair. However, God replied that his ways indeed are fair while their ways definitely were not. Who would you believe? Israel was perplexed that God would actually forgive and let live outright wicked sinners after they repent and turn to him. On top of that, when formerly righteous and good people revert toward sin and rebellion against God, they would be punished and even suffer death in some cases. Unfair.. or is it?

If God only acted on the basis of fairness and justice, how many of us would be forgiven of our sins? You got it right none of us, as we have all sinned and fallen short of Gods glory (Romans 3:23). Furthermore, the wages we all deserve for a life of sin is eternal death or spiritual separation from God in hell (Romans 6:23). So praise the Lord. He is gracious (giving us what we do not deserve) and merciful (not giving us what we do deserve) when we repent, turn from our sins and trust in Jesus Christ alone (John 3:16; 14:6) for forgiveness and eternal life.

In Jesus parable, the elder brother thought his father was not fair or right in forgiving his prodigal brother. He like the Pharisees and Ezekiels Israel thought God owed them for being righteous. The truth was all were inwardly sinful and in just as much need of forgiveness as the wayward son (Luke 15:11-32). Praise God that he is fair. Anyone and everyone who comes to him for forgiveness will never, ever be cast out, rejected or sent away empty-handed (John 6:37). Do it today.

Lesson #3 Employers, be fair to all your employees. Slavery was prominent in the New Testament world. The Apostle Paul gave many instructions to believing servants and masters. Ironically, he never advocated rebellion or overthrow. In Colossians 4:1 he exhorts Christian masters to give their servants what is just and fair, knowing you also have a Master in heaven. Slaves had no rights and were at the mercy of their masters with whippings and worse for small offenses. For those who believed on Jesus, everything changed from how servants served to how their masters treated them. In short, be just and fair, God is watching you.

Today we have employers and employees, and the message is the same. Employees, give your best effort to your masters (Colossians 3:23-24) and employers, treat all your servants fairly (Colossians 4:1). Jesus put it this way: Therefore whatever you want men to do to you, do also to them, for this is the Law and the Prophets (Gods Word) (Matthew 7:12). We call it the Golden Rule, unlike the revised version of He who has the gold has the rule. Many think we have the gold so we can treat you however we want. Wrong. Yes, many employees deserve to be fired. Yes, sometimes business changes and workers have to be let go. Just remember the true Golden Rule, and that your master in heaven is looking for you to be just, fair, kind and impartial (Ephesians 6:9) like he is. Remember that he gives and he takes away blessing and business.

I trust you all have had a wonderful fair experience this week. God bless you as you take to heart these fair lessons from God.

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Bob Kulp is the pastor of Grace Brethren Church, 24775 C.R. 20 East (Mishawaka Road), Elkhart, 574-875-5271.

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PASTOR'S PEN: Fair times in the Bible | News | goshennews.com - Goshen News

Following a peaceful rally protesting the living conditions and abusive treatment at a rural, privately operated immigrant prison in southern Georgia, guards selected three Black men to punish, forcing them to spend a month in isolation.

The men were ordered to spend 32 days in solitary confinement for 23 hours a day. One man Garsumo Dorley, 34 was sentenced to an additional 22 days after asking to see his psychiatrist, leaving him in segregation for a total of 54 days.

Its like being an animal in a cage, said Dorley, a native of Liberia. That didnt sit right with me at all. What did I do to deserve this? What can I do in a cage? I dont know; Ive been through a lot, but thats at the top of it.

Locked up alone in a bright, concrete cell with a heavy metal door, Dorley had nothing to do. Fluorescent lighting shined most of the day, which made sleeping difficult.

While in segregation at Folkston ICE Processing Center operated by the for-profit prison corporation The GEO Group Dorley said he was also assaulted by a guard. He filed a grievance, but guards simply responded with threats like, Its on.

Another man, Michael Dufay, suffered an asthma attack and was denied an inhaler, despite repeated pleas, when the men were locked out in the sun after the protest. Dufays name has been changed in this story to protect his identity.

Maura Finn, lead attorney for the Southern Poverty Law Centers Southeast Immigrant Freedom Initiative (SIFI), which provides free legal service for immigrants detained in facilities controlled by U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), said the treatment was nothing short of abuse.

These men Black men were dehumanized simply for asking to be treated and spoken to with respect, Finn said. Dorley and Dufay were punished in a way akin to torture, especially for those suffering from mental illness. ICEs refusal to help Dufay or provide medical assistance was not only egregious but dangerous. Sadly, this alarming abuse of individuals in ICE custody is the rule rather than the exception.

In fact, another ICE facility in Georgia Irwin County Detention Center, also privately operated was closed in May 2021 after human rights groups exposed medical abuse against migrant women and other abuses as well. And earlier this month, the SPLC and other human rights organizations filed an administrative complaint against Stewart Detention Center, also in Georgia, alleging a pattern of sexual assault by a male nurse and retaliation against women who reported it.

The protest at Folkston took place on April 1. Dorley and Dufay were among 15 men who sat in the yard while a peaceful rally took place outside the facilitys fences.

Afterward, the men seated on the lawn considered returning inside. Instead, they refused to leave after a guard with a reputation for demeaning immigrants began to insult them. Then they were locked out for nearly three hours in the hot sun and denied food and water.

On April 17, a five-person extraction team went to Dorleys cell, even after he told the guards he would willingly go to solitary confinement. Dorley said the team entered his room, slammed the door and tackled him.

I tried to tell them I would go with them, but they wouldnt listen, Dorley said. They twisted my arms, cuffed my wrists and ankles. Afterward, I was bruised all over, I couldnt open my jaw.

A doctor later diagnosed Dorley with temporomandibular joint (TMJ) disorder, a problem with the joint that connects the jawbone to the skull.

Dufay and Dorley suspect that anti-Black racism is at the heart of why they were singled out.

When [the guards] punish people, they punish people like me, a Black man, Dufay said. Everybody talks to the officers, but if youre Black, you get written up and taken to solitary, just like that.

For Dorley, it has been hard to cope with the constant barrage of racist insults that guards hurl at him.

I dont know if this is a Black thing or what, but the way people talk to you in here is disgusting, Dorley said. We should all treat each other with respect and care. But the guards talk to you any way they want.

The facility is also rife with threats to the safety of the people held there.

The food they give us is spoiled, Dufay said. The milk is spoiled. The rice they serve, they often cover it in gravy to hide that it is spoiled. There is mold on the walls and in the air vents. There is no sanitation going on in there. If we have white officers, they talk to us like we are animals. They have the nastiest stuff to say to us, which is why we stayed in the yard.

Indeed, a recent report from the Department of Homeland Security Office of Inspector General details how the immigrant prison didnt meet standards for facility conditions, medical care, grievances and segregation, among other problems. In addition, Folkston has compromised the health, safety and rights of detained individuals by exposing them to unsanitary conditions, such as torn mattresses; water leaks; mold growth and water damage; mold and debris in the ventilation system; and inoperable toilets.

Further, the report notes that ICE inconsistently responds to requests and grievances. And when COVID-19 hit, Folkston didnt begin administering vaccines until April 2021, months after the vaccine became available.

If someone in there got COVID-19, I could die, Dufay said. Theres no sanitizer, no bleach, nothing you can use to clean the place properly. It tells me that they dont care about us or what weve got going on.

Before he was detained, Dorley lived in Atlanta for 12 years doing event marketing. He loved his job, but hes been locked up for 10 months.

Dorley and his parents fled Liberia in 2010, due to continuing violence following the countrys long civil war. His 8-year-old son, his girlfriend, his six siblings and his parents all live in the U.S.

What keeps Dorley sane, he said, is his family. They know the real Dorley the father, the son, the brother, the friend.

I know none of this will define the person I am, he said. But Im not a number. Im a student. I go to church. I work. Im an honest person. I pay my taxes. Im not a bad person; I just want to live my life peacefully. I love people. I dont want to hurt anyone, and I dont want anyone to hurt me. Be around me for a little bit of time, and youll know who I am.

The SPLCs Maura Finn said that despite all he has been through, Dorley has managed to keep his head up, but his punishment was undeserved.

Dorley continues to advocate for himself and others, Finn said. He deserves to live with dignity and respect outside of a cage.

Dorley lives by the Golden Rule: If you believe in God, you treat people how they should treat you, he said.

The fact that he and two other Black men were held in solitary confinement simply for protesting while non-Black asylum seekers who protested at the same time were not proves that there is something off regarding protocol at Folkston.

You cant treat people differently, he said. If you want to make things fair, make an example out of everybody. But to punish only Black men? Youre showing what you are: a racist.

Top picture: Detained immigrants play soccer behind a barbed wire fence at the Irwin County Detention Center in Ocilla, Georgia, on Feb. 20, 2018. The facility was closed in May 2021 after human rights groups exposed medical abuse against migrant women and other abuses. (Credit: Reuters)

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'Akin to Torture': For-profit immigrant prison singles out Black men after peaceful protest - Southern Poverty Law Center

Jack Ciattarelli| Special to the USA TODAY Network

Teen sex in the age of social media

Teens are being exposed to more explicit sexual imagery than ever via social media, but this generation of teens is having less sex than prior generations

NorthJersey.com

When it comes to sex education for our youngest students, what is age-appropriate and what is not?

Its a question a lot of New Jersey parents are asking these days after a couple of sample lesson plans triggered a firestorm of controversy and debate about New Jerseys public school curriculum and the role of parents in education.

First, some background. In 2019, Gov. Phil Murphy signed a law requiring that students learn about the societal contributions of the LGBTQ community. With the goal of promoting inclusivity, the new lesson plans became known as the LGBTQ curriculum. In 2021, at the height of the pandemic, when people were distracted and there was little to no public input, Murphy signed into law a requirement that the public school curriculum promote diversity. Among other things, the lesson plans would speak to gender identification and sexual orientation, starting in kindergarten.

In between those two enactments, New Jerseys unelected State Board of Education released, with no comment whatsoever from the governor, new sex education learning standards, which included students identifying oral, vaginal and anal sex by eighth grade and common human sexual development and the role of hormones (e.g., romantic and sexual feelings, masturbation, mood swings, timing of pubertal onset) by fifth grade.

As I said to the governor during the first gubernatorial debate last fall, There are certain things best taught at the kitchen table between parents and children. His response was to mock the kitchen table.

No doubt, we need a more inclusive community, where bigotry, bullying and hate are never tolerated. We can achieve that by teaching our youngest students the Golden Rule, the power and beauty of diversity, mutual respect, tolerance and the American ideal that we are all created equal. Thats a mainstream lesson plan all parents would wholly embrace and children of any age can grasp.

As for the new sex education standards, as a sixth grader, I remember attending with my father an evening presentation, provided by my public school district. My mom did the same with my sister when she was in fifth grade. The presentation spoke to the bodily and emotional changes adolescents experience. The subject matter was age-appropriate for students and empowering for parents.

When I tell that story, some people say,Times have changed, Jack. Yes, they have. But then again, some things should not. Parents have responsibilities. Its not the job of the school district to replace parents. Partner, yes. Replace, never.

Whats troubled school districts is that the state has not issued guidance the kind that would result from robust public discussion amongst all stakeholders on how to implement the inclusivity and diversity curriculum and meet the new sex education standards. Highly controversial sample lesson plans offered by extreme progressive advocacy groups have only made things worse.

More perspective from Jack CiattarelliHow can New Jersey best invest its budget surplus? Here are some ideas

Progressives are adamant, believing kindergartners should be taught gender identification and sexual orientation that its acceptable for a 5-year-old biological female to be told by her teacher that its OK to identify as a boy. On the other side are those making accusations about grooming kids, an extremely serious charge potentially criminal levied with scant proof.

What cannot be overlooked is the potential conflict were creating in children. Teachers are role models and mentors. If parents do not support and reinforce whats being taught, students will experience a terrible conflict, feeling forced to choose between the most influential people in their young lives.

Traveling the state, my experience has been the vast majority of parents are troubled by the new curriculum and sex education standards. Theyre also angered by being falsely accused of being anti-LGBTQ simply because they disagree with what they view as an age-inappropriate subject matter. The same goes for a great many teachers, whose morale has never been lower, and would-be teachers who are choosing a different career path.

Parents want the public school curriculum to be relevant, but more than anything, they want all subject matter to be age-appropriate. They want a say on how sensitive subject matter should be taught. And they want transparency. What they dont want is to opt out their children from valuable school time, especially when theyre paying the highest property taxes in the nation. I agree on all counts.

The good news is school board meetings are, once again, well-attended by concerned parents, and school districts have some flexibility in meeting the new requirements, though some districts haverejected them outright.

This is important. We need to get it right.The only thing more important than what we teach our children is what parents should teach, what schools should teach and what is and isnt age-appropriate.

Jack Ciattarelli, the 2021 Republican nominee for New Jersey governor and a likely 2025 gubernatorial candidate, is a regular contributor to the opinion pages of USA TODAY Network New Jersey publications.

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When is it right to start sex education for NJ's youngest students? | Ciattarelli - NorthJersey.com

Oliver Hermanus

Photo: Franco Origlia/Getty Images

The 79th Venice International Film Festival is breaking an important rule to include South African flair.

The line-up for the annual festival, announced on Tuesday, boasts an impressive mix of red-carpet-friendly, star-studded features and compelling, politically-charged dramas and documentaries.

And among the notable international titles selected for out of competition screenings is South African director Oliver Hermanus' latest film, Living.

The film premiered at the 2022 Sundance Film Festival in January to five-star reviews.

"A director rising into the highest ranks and an actor at the peak of his powers are the keys to this mesmerising melodrama set in London in the 1950s," Kevin Maher wrote for The Times after watching the film.

Living is an adaptation of the 1952 Japanese drama Ikiru. It follows Mr Williams (Bill Nighy), a civil servant who has become a small cog in the bureaucracy of rebuilding post-WWII England, as he learns that he has a terminal illness. He goes on a quest to find some meaning in his dull life.

Breaking the film festival's golden rule

While Hermanus has been praised for his stunning work, the South African director has received another, more unconventional form of recognition for the film's success.

Living is the only film this year breaking the Venice Film Festival's usual rule that all titles eligible for selection must be world premieres.

According to the festival's regulations on the website, "Only films presented as world premieres that were completed after 11 September 2021; have not had any form of commercial distribution or exhibition on the Internet; and that have neither been previously screened to the public and/or the press nor been presented at any other International film festival or cinematographic event, including those in the country of origin" are eligible.

Hermanus, who is currently on holiday in Greece, told News24:

"I'm so excited to return to The Venice Film Festival with my latest offering: Alberto Barbera and his team's championing of my work has been the defining time for me as a filmmaker. In 2015 Venice changed the course of my career when I was invited to premiere the first ever South African film to compete for the Golden Lion with The Endless River. I've since returned with MOFFIE in the Orizzonti competition in 2019, another unforgettable moment."

The director added that Venice has been his "creative home" for most of his career and that he is honoured to return "on the shoulders of a team of creative giants," which include "Bill Nighy, Aimee Loud Wood, Alex Sharp, Tom Burke in our cast and of course our amazing screenwriter, Sir Kazuo Ishiguro".

Hermanus' next project, a new World War I film titled The History of Sound, is also already generating buzz.

Set to star in the upcoming project are two of the UK's biggest TV stars right now, Emmy-winner Josh O'Connor (known for his role as Prince Charles in The Crown) and Bafta-winner Paul Mescal (who played Connell Waldren in the hit series Normal People).

READ MORE |SA filmmaker Oliver Hermanus to direct new film starring Josh O'Connor and Paul Mescal

Continued here:

Oliver Hermanus' Living to screen at Venice Film Festival - breaking a rule in the best way possible - News24

Donating your experience and labor to charitable groups is a good way to build community and even improve your health

Craig Coleman of Springfield, Vermont, believes that volunteering is a way to live the Golden Rule. He certainly acts on that belief, volunteering with Meals on Wheels, Senior Solutions, Volunteers in Action (VIA), and the Vermont Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired, which honored the 76-year-old Coleman with its President's Award earlier this year.

Volunteering, he says, has deepened his spirituality and allowed him to express his personal faith.

Coleman exemplifies the millions of older Americans who donate their time to serving others. According to AmeriCorps' most recent survey, 30.7% of boomer-age Americans (those 56 to 74 years old) and 36.4% of GenXers (aged 40 to 55) volunteered in 2019, contributing about four billion hours of service to their chosen causes.

Giving Is Good for Your Health

"Older Americans give community organizations consistent support and those served feel comfortable with trusted community members," says Atalaya Sergi, director of AmeriCorps Seniors.

At the same time, a growing body of research suggests that older adult often reap significant mental and physical health benefits by volunteering, including lower mortality rates, increased strength and energy, lower rates of depression and fewer physical limitations.

"Volunteering adds more years to your life and life to your years."

"Volunteering adds more years to your life and life to your years," Sergi says.

Carnegie Mellon University researchers found that older adults who volunteered were less likely to develop high blood pressure (which contributes to heart disease and stroke) than those who didn't volunteer. A 2021 article in the scientific journal Aging, Neuropsychology, and Cognition reports that volunteering was associated with better working memory and improved cognition among 91 volunteers aged 65 to 75.

"We like the term do good, feel good meaning service to others helps others and their communities but also helps the volunteer," says Cathy Aliberti, director of the Green Mountain Retired Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP), a program of AmeriCorps Seniors. "Our volunteers are age 55 or older, with an average age of 74. They have the time, experience, and drive to volunteer and help their communities. It is a reason to get up and ready for the day. There is a wellness benefit by engaging with others."

Caring Before and After COVID-19

Naturally, volunteering has changed a bit in the last few years. Before COVID exploded, about one-fourth of Americans aged 65 or over volunteered, logging twice the number of hours than those aged 16 or younger, according to Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

Many nonprofits struggled during the pandemic as fundraising events were canceled and donations fell. But the Points of Light Organization reports that 95% of surveyed persons truly want to be involved in their community in some way. There is a strong interest in working with nonprofits that will address long-term issues arising from COVID, such as food insecurity and health care.

"The pandemic wasn't the start of changes in volunteering, but it did accelerate changes," says Rachel Kestner, vice president of marketing at Volunteer Match. "Some organizations had embraced virtual volunteers particularly for board membership and skills-based projects while others had to adapt to survive."

Remote volunteer work grew considerably in March 2020, when COVID lockdowns began. A Volunteer Match survey found that the number of virtual volunteer opportunities jumped 32% in that one month; they rose another 12% by the end of May 2020.

Annie Erwinski, 76, volunteered as an RSVP driver in southwestern Vermont before COVID. She currently grocery shops for people who are unable to do it for themselves, and she knits hats and makes lap quilts for residents at the local veterans home.

"I like to keep involved," she says. "Retirement can be pretty boring and it's a good way to stay in touch with other people. I have met really interesting and amazing people through volunteering."

How Can You Help?

Opportunities to volunteer are plentiful, Kestner says. "There are so many ways to give back and everyone has something to give. Volunteers are needed for things as simple as writing letters, visiting with people and talking on the phone."

"Retirement can be pretty boring and it's a good way to stay in touch with other people."

She adds that if you feel overwhelmed by the state of the world, "getting involved in causes like the environment, social justice and health care access can help you feel connected to people who are out there making a difference."

Education and the arts were hit hard by the pandemic and to rebuild these institutions can be a way to move forward and regain some sense of control. You could begin by contacting local nonprofits or find a position through organizations such as VolunteerMatch that connect willing volunteers with nonprofits.

Here are a few other places to look for volunteer opportunities:

Canine CompanionsBreed or raise Labrador and golden retrievers as service dogs for people with disabilities.

Habitat for HumanityBuild houses for families in need. Care-A-Vanners travel in RVs to rebuild disaster areas.

National Park ServiceAggregates opportunities at national parks and other recreation sites all over the U.S.

Points of LightA database of volunteer opportunities throughout the world.

AmeriCorps Seniors Openings in local communities, from being a foster grandparent to building playgrounds.

USOThis nonprofit's 30,000 volunteers support military service members and their families.

International Volunteer HQFor a fee, arranges volunteer work abroad in fields like construction, conservation and teaching.

Originally posted here:

Time and Talent to Spare? Consider Volunteering - Next Avenue

ST. PETERSBURG, Fla.A local doctor said he is seeing patients who have symptoms of monkeypox.

Dr. Bob Wallace, a family practice physician at Love the Golden Rule in St. Pete, said he has seen about six patients presenting symptoms of monkeypox.

"I had my first patient with symptoms this week. We actually have had six patients that we've had to refer them to the health department who have been exposed to a known monkeypox case. This patient had fever, headache, tiredness and had not yet developed a rash. We were able to get him vaccinated immediately," said Dr. Wallace.

According to the CDC, monkeypox is part of the same family of viruses as smallpox. Monkeypox is rarely fatal. Symptoms may include: fever, headache, muscle aches, swollen lymph nodes, chills, exhaustion and a rash that looks like pimples or blisters.

The illness typically last 2-4 weeks. It is spread by direct contact with the infected person or by contaminated items like utensils, bedding and clothing.

RELATED: As monkeypox cases rise, advocates say so is the stigma surrounding it

"Were working with the health department. Theyre actually seeking sites right now that will be vaccination distribution centers. Weve not completed that process," Dr. Wallace said.

The United States is reporting the most cases of any other country in the globe. More than 3,400 cases have been reported in the United States with at least 2 children becoming infected with the virus, according to the CDC.

Florida is reporting at least 270 cases.

"This virus is much less contagious than COVID 19. It requires real, close physical contact between individuals to transmit so its continuing to grow, but its growing at a much slower rate than like a respiratory virus," said Dr. Thomas Unnasch, a distinguished professor with USF Health.

The CDC said two vaccines are licenses by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and are available for preventing monkeypox. CDC recommends that the vaccine be given within 4 days from the date of exposure for the best chance to prevent the onset of the disease.

The CDC said antiviral drugs and vaccines developed to protect against smallpox may be used to prevent and treat monkeypox virus infection.

If you believe you may have been exposed to monkeypox, contact your local health department.

For more information visit the Florida Department of Health here.

Read more:

St. Pete doctor sees a handful of patients exposed to monkeypox - ABC Action News Tampa Bay

The world is in turmoil. After two years of an atrocious pandemic that turned the world economy upside down, a merciless war on Europes doorstep has thrown it into turmoil. Is it the destiny of humanity to be swept away by violence? Is there a way out? Is there any hope? Architect Roberto Kohanoff, a Siloist humanist who has been working tirelessly for nonviolence for more than half a century, reflects with us on this point.

By Isabel Lazzaroni

How do you see the present moment?The Earths evolutionary process is accelerating. Like every organism, the Earth is also in process. This is how it allowed the development of increasingly complex life and then the development of the most evolved species until we reach todays homo sapiens. And this homo sapiens is able to think, feel and act in an increasingly conscious way. In fact, reaching the development of consciousness will be the most advanced step in this evolutionary process, which is proceeding faster and faster.

And what are the consequences of this acceleration?Historians who have defined what is known as megahistory (an attempt to explain history in maximum temporal and spatial scales, according to the definition of the Mendocino historian Gabriel Peralta) locate a moment towards the end of this decade that they call a moment of singularity. At that moment, due to the speed of change, all current human learning will become obsolete. Then, as a species, we will have to find inspiration to be able to respond to the worlds conflicts with a response that is characteristic of a new species. We might even say a response that goes beyond the homo sapiens that we still are.

And what will happen then?Then, conflicts arising from the old strategies of social ordering, which are based on the use of violence, or on the belief that more violence can do away with the violence we assign to the enemy, will end up hurting both those who receive violence and those who exercise it. It is simple: we are in a closed system, as a consequence of the acceleration I spoke of earlier, which leads to concentration. And in a closed system, violence comes back to the perpetrator.

Is it necessary to overcome violence?Of course, it is. Faced with this panorama, the new evolutionary step that the human species has to take is the strong expansion of consciousness. And here, the latest research carried out by neuroscience comes to our aid. Neuroscientists explain that learning is accelerated when it is more empathic. This means because they have proven it that both children and adults learn better behaviours, which lead to increased adaptation, through good treatment. The great novelty is this: if one brings peace in oneself and brings it to others, the paradigm shift will be implemented quickly. This will be possible because the fine communications network that now covers the entire planet will allow for an instantaneous change or in a very short time of those old organisational structures (or old strategies of social ordering).

How does one bring peace in oneself?Peace in oneself is achieved by spreading by example the most ancient of procedures, already recommended by different spiritualities, religions and philosophies, which was called and is still called the Golden Rule. In its Western or Judeo-Christian version, this rule says: love thy neighbour as thyself. In its most extreme definition, it reads: love your enemy, he is you. And it has been redesigned as: learn to treat others as you want to be treated. In the practical version of the Golden Rule, according to Silo, it is: look for the good side of your enemy.

Then, when you see the futility that more violence cannot end violence, that learning will emerge for everyone, the learning that with inner peace you can achieve peace in the world.

Is this possible?This requires the renunciation of the use of violence between countries and regions, but also between communities, between friends, between family members and with oneself.If there is one nature in human beings, it is the capacity for change. No species on Earth has undergone such great change and acceleration of change as the human being. And the violence that seems to be human is a primitive inheritance. But, as strong as that heritage is the heritage of the growing capacity for cooperation that is leading us to a new civilisation, the first that involves the whole Earth, the first that is universal.

Link:

How do we get out of the global crisis? Interview with Roberto Kohanoff - PRESSENZA International News Agency