Category Archives: Golden Rule

Most of the worlds major religious traditions teach some variation of the Golden Rule, the same rule many kids learn in kindergarten: Treat others as you want to be treated. At the root of this common moral principle lie two fundamental recognitions. Despite our myriad differences, we all want and deserve fair and kind treatment, and we are all deeply interconnected dependent on one another and responsible for each other. In my own tradition of Unitarian Universalism, we express these principles in our covenant to affirm and promote the inherent worth and dignity of every person and respect for the interconnected web of existence.

The COVID-19 pandemic is laying bare with terrifying clarity the truth of these principles. It is reminding us that we literally depend on each other for survival. When I wear a face covering, I protect you; when you wear a face covering, you protect me. And it is teaching us that we are all only as safe as the most vulnerable among us. If we as a society dont protect those who cant afford rent from becoming homeless, we put everyone at greater risk. If we imprison asylum seekers or condone the policies of mass incarceration, we ensure that the virus will continue tearing through our overcrowded jails and prisons and into surrounding communities. And if we continue to disproportionately invest in a broken system of policing instead of health care, education, affordable housing and public services, we will continue to undermine both public health and public safety.

The simultaneity of COVID-19 and the uprisings against systemic racism and police brutality is no coincidence. In addition to our interdependence, the pandemic also reveals where our social, political and economic systems are broken. It reveals the ugly truth of systemic racism that puts Black and brown people at greater risk not only of illness, but also of poverty, unemployment, homelessness, incarceration and police violence.

The great American writer and activist James Baldwin famously said: Not everything that is faced can be changed. But nothing can be changed until it is faced. By forcing us to face truths that have been long denied in this country, the pandemic offers us all a choice. Are we going to give in to fear, hatred and blame, doubling down on the ideologies and practices of individualism, competition, white supremacy and state violence? Or are we going to take this time of shutdown, uncertainty and unrest to reflect on our shared interests and to reimagine who we want to be as people, as communities, as a country?

In San Mateo County, it seems we arent yet sure. On June 23, for example, the Board of Supervisors voted unanimously to adopt a resolution supporting the Black Lives Matter movement and then approved a budget with a $12 million increase to the Sheriffs Office, including nearly $1 million for new Tasers, and substantial cuts to a variety of safety net programs. In a time of pandemic and in a county where three men of color were killed with a Taser by law enforcement in a single year (2018), the juxtaposition between the supervisors words and deeds is stark indeed.

Like our county supervisors, many religious communities, businesses, organizations and individuals are waking up to the long-standing realities of systemic racism and police brutality and declaring publicly that Black Lives Matter. But we cant just affirm that Black Lives Matter in words. We need to affirm that they matter in our budgets, in our policies, in our schools, in our houses of worship, in our workplaces and in our homes.

Historically, writes Arundhati Roy, pandemics have forced humans to break with the past and imagine their world anew. This one is no different. It is a portal, a gateway between one world and the next. We can choose to walk through it, dragging the carcasses of our prejudice and hatred, our avarice, our data banks and dead ideas, our dead rivers and smoky skies behind us. Or we can walk through lightly, with little luggage, ready to imagine another world. And ready to fight for it.

May our descendants remember this pandemic time as the time we learned to protect ourselves by protecting each other, prioritizing the most vulnerable among us. May they remember this as the time we finally harnessed our collective power to build communities of justice and compassion for all, right here in San Mateo County.

Dr. Tovis Page is a Unitarian Universalist seminarian and the program coordinator for the Peninsula Solidarity Cohort, a group of more than 35 religious leaders from diverse traditions working to leverage moral power for the common good in San Mateo County.

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In this time of pandemic | Guest Perspectives - San Mateo Daily Journal

Tammy Caputi, opinion contributor Published 6:00 a.m. MT July 9, 2020

Opinion: Leaving Guy Phillips' offensive comment to the voters misses the point.We need leaders who will govern with facts and have the courage to take a stand when it matters.

Scottsdale City Councilman Guy Phillips speaks during a press conference regarding calls for his resignation because of his "I can't breathe" comment at a recent rally on June 30, 2020, outside Scottsdale City Hall.(Photo: Sean Logan/The Republic)

The recent protests about systemic racism have brought national awareness to the issues of justice and equality for all.

When a group of people cant count on the machinery of justice to treat them fairly our country is not living up to its ideals.

Scottsdale need to reach higher as a city. The tumultuous events going on around the world are also felt here at home. This is a wake-up call to do better, not just talk about it.

Scottsdale is a Golden Rule City; we embrace the values of kindness, empathy, respect and civility. Our city leaders have a responsibility to uphold and model our values.

A member of our city council recently degraded the city nationally and beyond. Responsibility to speak out lies with our civic leaders, who must include consequences in their condemnation. Those aligned with Council member Guy Phillips should separate from him, following the examples of the Coalition of Greater Scottsdale, the Police of Scottsdale Association and the United Scottsdale Fire Fighters Association.

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As suggested by Gov. Doug Ducey, resignation is the appropriate remedy. If Council member Phillips will not do the honorable thing, then the city council should condemn his conduct publicly.

Leaving this to voters misses the point.We need leaders who will govern with facts and have the courage to take a stand when it matters. We got to this watershed moment because no one helped a man who was being choked to death. We cant stand by while others do something immoral, illegalor unsafeits our duty to stop it.

Scottsdale must be open for business and welcoming equally to everyone. Its the right thing to do, the right message for our city, and the right remedy for Scottsdales brand. We need to leverage this moment of increased awareness of systemic injustices to make our city even better.

We should immediately pass a nondiscrimination ordinance that allows all our citizens to enjoy the same rights. Scottsdale is a golden rule city, and a business and tourism leader; lets own this message.

We needto create a more robust Office of Diversity and Inclusion. The department has one staffer out of 2,000 city employees. It's buried four levels deep on the org chart.We have a Human Relations Commission that could lead on this topic if the mayor and council members made it a priority.

Our neighbors in the city of Tempe lead Arizona in addressing systemic racism. They have invested in a larger staff to support their efforts. They have an initiative called The Right to Breathe,which will examine the areas where there are gaps to better address the underlying issues. They are reexamining core services like schools, courts, and discrimination complaints.

We can collaborate with other cities and share best ideas through the Maricopa Association of Governments with programs that could be consistent on a regional and state level.

Justice is not a zero sum gameone group doesnt have to lose for another group to gain; we can all win. I support fair treatment for all, balancing the needs of all our citizens, including our dedicated public safety/police officers.

The reputation of our city has been damaged and businesses and tourists are being deterred while we struggleto revive our economy and secure our future. Lets be proactive. Lets be leaders. Scottsdale needs to heal the wound and move forwardas a community, better than ever.

TammyCaputi is president of Yale Electric West and a candidate for Scottsdale City Council in the Aug. 4 primaryelection. Reach her at tammy@tammycaputi.com; on Twitter,@tammycaputi.

Read or Share this story: https://www.azcentral.com/story/opinion/op-ed/2020/07/09/scottsdale-city-council-censure-guy-phillips-pass-nondescrimination/5402230002/

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Don't leave Guy Phillips to voters. The Scottsdale council should at least censure him - AZCentral

By John R.Stone

Why are people so angry?

I was watching the news recently and people were complaining to a city government in Florida about the citys plans to require people to wear masks in public because of the coronavirus pandemic.

One woman complained that her constitutional rights were being violated by such a requirement. She probably didnt remember her city also had an ordinance that required her to cover other parts of her body. Another accused the city of being fascist. Another said she couldnt breathe through a mask. And it went on.

Another news clip showed a woman in South Dakota telling a Native American to go home if he didnt like the fireworks show at Mount Rushmore. Of course she didnt have a clue that he was at his home and his ancestors had been there far longer than hers had.

Weve seen people tearing down statues because they are angry that the person portrayed doesnt deserve the honor of a statue. Maybe he or she doesnt deserve a statue, but should they have the right in their anger to tear it down?

We saw what happened in Minneapolis with the George Floyd killing. Some angry people jumped in with the protestors there and burned and looted businesses.

Last week we celebrated Independence Day. People were angry then, too. But instead of tearing things down (although you might argue that the Boston Tea Party was tearing things down) they decided to create their own country. The king of England had not been nice to people so they declared their independence and formed the United States of America.

Those founders who signed the Declaration of Independence were marked men. Once they signed that document they were formally committing a treasonous act against England and, if caught, they could have faced the penalty of death.

Were these perfect men? No. Today we can look back and criticize them for owning slaves and a few other things. But nevertheless they laid their lives on the line for this country.

Then they created our Constitution, a document that works today even though it was created over 230 years ago, long before electricity, the internet, TV, cars, cell phones and airplanes.

Most current citizens of this country didnt have to do anything other than be born here. It was a gift given to them by their parents deciding to have their child born in the U.S. They didnt have to take a test, swear an oath, put their lives on the line or make any commitments to anyone.

And yet it is the responsibility of these people to maintain and support this country so that it can survive and hopefully thrive.

Many have stepped up when their country called, but even those people, millions of them, are a small minority of the entire citizenship.

Our job as citizens is to pay our taxes. Our job as citizens is to vote and elect people we think will best represent us in our various level of government from cities and townships to county government, state government and federal government. Our job as citizens is to watch them and make sure they do what we want them to do.

When our elected officials fail us we let them know. We can vote them out of office or, if we feel they have violated a law, sue them.

But, as we do that, we need to be informed. We need to listen and understand the issues (both sides if there is more than one side). We need to follow the Golden Rule and speak in normal tones and expect to be treated the same in return.

If that doesnt work, then you can get angry, but instead of breaking things and yelling and screaming, steer that anger to making things better. This country can and should be made better, and all citizens should be working to that end. Its our job. And it never ends.

Excerpt from:

It's our job to make this country better - Pope County Tribune

Charles Krupa / AP

LOS ANGELES The Latinx vote in the upcoming November elections is critical. Dont be denied the right to vote. Dont get discouraged if there are attempts to sway you away from voting. One person, one vote is still the golden rule of democracy. Su voto es su vozYour vote is your voice.

Voter suppression is a common practice used to disenfranchise people of color. Barriers to voting have a long and sinister history in California and throughout the United States. As far back as 1877, the Dixiecrats designed and passed laws to suppress the Black vote. The racist Jim Crow laws were nothing more than legalizing rules to subject Black people to violence and condemnation by the rule of law.

Latinx/Mexicans felt the effects of discrimination in other ways. On Sept. 9, 1850, California became the 31st state of the union. From the early days of the 1800s tension between California Anglo and Latinx/Mexican populations escalated. Prejudice, suppression of rights, and exclusion from the community at large, otherwise known as segregation, became the rule of law.

The single most important exclusionary action came in the suppression of the Latinx/Mexican vote and to deny representation. In many cases, Latinx/Mexicans were just outright forbidden to vote or they were just ignored as voters. Lynching became a way to instill fear and promote the white-only agenda of know your place. Such discrimination and voter suppression continued even as the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo in 1848, that ended the U.S. war against Mexico, recognized the right to vote for the Latinx/Mexican population.

It is true that in the early days of statehood, California had Latinx/Mexican politicians. These were rich elite land and hacienda owners. Their main consideration consisted of maintaining their status, empowering themselves, and conspiring with the financial class in order to create more wealth at the expense of the working class. Their self-serving aristocratic manner had long-lasting and devastating effects on the Latinx/Mexican population.

By the 1920s, white anxiety about Latinx/Mexicans reached a point of heightened crisis. From 1923, non-whites werent allowed to participate in various civic activities, including the right to vote. Amidst this tension, deportation, segregation, economic suppression, and white purity became the new methods of exercising public domination over the Latinx/Mexican population.

In that same year, the Ku Klux Klan in Los Angeles and Orange Counties gained significant power, with now greater influence within city councils and on the states politicians. Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, powerful anti-immigrant forces and America First nationalists aligned together in order to deliberately plan policies to discriminate against the Latinx/Mexican and Black populations.

Marlon Bishop and Julia Shu, authors of History of Anti-Mexican Violence and Lynching, wrote: Murder continued with impunity until 1922. A different kind of form took place. It couldnt be the same public execution of Mexicans. It had to be secret, covered-by-night. It was a transformative movement.

During this same period, to reinforce the dominance of white superiority the so-called race scientists emerged. Many academic institutions, including Stanford, Yale, Harvard, and Princeton espoused such race theory and race science as far back as 1909. This new form of intimidation (eugenics, segregation laws, and forced sterilization) and discrimination continued well into the 1930s and later with the development of systematic mass expulsion.

In 1931, deportation occurred regardless of immigration status due to the demand of the white populations false fear that immigrants were creating economic and social discord. The great expulsion of 1936 occurred when over two million Mexican Americans, many of them U.S. citizens, were deported, based on the same reasoning that unwelcome demographic changes were taking place in the United States. Politicians and policymakers decided that the increase in Latinx/Mexican numbers, and migration across the border, needed to be addressed. The policy action to solve this issue was systematic mass expulsion. This policy extended well into the 1970s and is in use today by the current administration.

New barriers to voting

Voter suppression is much deeper and more sinister than just barriers at the polls. However, suppression is a commonplace tactic that throughout history has been used to routinely make it harder for Latinx and people of color to vote than their white fellow citizens.

A recent Brennan Center for Justice report (June 3, 2020), Waiting to Vote: Racial Disparities in Election Day Experience, stated that A large body of recent scholarship has been established that throughout the country Latino and Black voters wait longer to cast their ballots than white voters. Indeed, a quantifiable racial disparity in voting wait times has been identified consistently over the past decade.

Aside from the historic racist policies established to disenfranchise voters, suppression proceeds apace with new or resuscitated tactics, including English-only ballots, literacy tests, poll taxes, denial of voting rights to prisoners and former felons, redistricting of voting districts, allegations of voting fraud, closing down of polling places, intimidation at the polls, detail of absentee ballot rights, malfunctioning or fixed machines, no paper ballot recordall meant to disenfranchise Latinx voters.

The Brennan Center report made specific recommendations to address the issue of voter suppression:

Dont give in to the fear of race-baiting and class bias! Dont take the bait! Latinos have the right to vote! There have been many times, and in many different ways, that this right has been threatened.

People of color have taken to the streets by the millions to protect this right. Many have died to keep this right. Let us soar high with pride and dignity. Latinos are here to stay. As the old Southern hymn reminds us, We shall not be moved.

Vote them out! Vote!

Read more:

The continuing evolution of Latinx votingand voter suppression - People's World

Obviously, you should stick to the law and not speed, but many drivers will admit that they have sped once or twice, perhaps by accident or because they were in a desperate rush.

Then comes the fine, speed awareness course or points on your licence.

It hurts, and hopefully you learn your lesson.

But in some cases you might not actually have to pay the fine, thanks to a rule unearthed by The Money Advice Service.

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According to the free and impartial advice service, a letter should arrive within 14 days, and then youll need to return the completed Section 172 notice within 28 days, reports the Liverpool Echo.

Then youll be sent a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) - this is where you can plead guilty or not guilty.

However - before you do this, put the brakes on and check if a golden rule has been followed by the police.

The Money Advice Service confirm on their website: "If the ticket was issued written up, created outside of 14 days after the speeding incident, then there may be a possibility the ticket could be time barred (cancelled)."

However, they say the rules are more complicated than that.

They say: "All the police need to do is show the ticket should have reached the vehicles registered owner under normal circumstances within 14 days.

"This means the letter could go to an old address if youve not updated your licence, it could go to a hire company or to your work address if the vehicle isnt yours."

Put simply - if it gets to one of these within 14 days, it does not matter if it doesnt reach your address for another fortnight.

It also means delays caused by postal problems dont affect the rule if it was posted in time for a normal service to get the letter to you, a four-day strike wont sway the courts.

And by contesting the ticket, you could end up with a bigger fine and more points.

If you get 12 points or more over a period of three years, you could be disqualified from driving.

We've created a Facebook group for people who use the M25 to keep up to date with what's happening on the motorway.

We will keep you informed about the latest news that affects your daily commute to work, as well as at the weekend.

We'll also let you know in advance if there are any roadworks or closures you should know about, or if there are any problems at the Dartford Crossing.

Join the group here.

There are also more severe bands D, E and F, which are used for very serious speeding and driving offences.

The maximum fine is 1,000, rising to 2,500 if you were driving on a motorway.

Of course the most sensible and foolproof way to avoid a speeding ticket is to stick to the laws of the land in the first place.

Continue reading here:

The little-known law that could stop you getting a fine and points on your licence for speeding - MyLondon

It is even more important if you have children, a partner, or family member that are financially dependent on you. So how do you go about getting peace of mind at an affordable price?

The reality

Craig Baker, CEO of MiWayLife, points out that when it comes to protecting our financial future there is still more that needs to be done South Africans face aninsurance gap of R34.7 trillion, meaning that many people are financially exposed when it comes to protecting lifes unforeseen events. When it comes to providing financial protection against things such as death, most South Africans have a funeral policy in place which is a step in the right direction. However, the ball is dropped when it comes to having a plan that goes beyond the funeral.

Juggling many financial responsibilities is one of the reasons why some people delay purchasing life insurance. There is also the notion that life insurance is expensive, but in some cases, it is more affordable than funeral policies. It is all a matter of knowing which features to look for or speaking to a financial advisor who can help you find a policy that is tailored for you, comments Baker.

What is the age limit?

Most insurers have set the age limit to 65 years old and the minimum age is 18 years old. If you do take life insurance once you are over 50 years old, your life insurer will require you to submit your medical history. Keep in mind that life insurance is designed to be suitable for each life stage and creating financial security to help your loved ones continue the life that they know once you are no longer around.

Your age affects your premiums

The golden rule when it comes to having life insurance is taking out a policy as young as possible. Your premiums are most likely going to be lower compared to when you take it at a later stage. Furthermore, the older you get the more your health deteriorates and the higher the risks are of you passing away. Many factors are considered during the underwriting process to ensure that your health and life will not be at a considerably high risk.

With so many options available, it can get a bit overwhelming. We have put together useful tools to help you better understand and navigate your way to finding a policy that is suitable for you. There are effective tools that you can use to find out just how much life insurance you need to adequately cover you and your loved ones. For example, there is the MiWayLife life insurance calculator that can give you an answer in seconds. Confused by a certain term that insurers use? Our Jargon busters help you break down terms and phrases that insurers use.

See the article here:

What is the age limit on taking out life insurance? - South Coast Herald

If you spend several hours each day working at a desk, youve probably experienced the ache and pain that comes with poor posture. Were talking wrist pain, neck and back issues, hip soreness and even an increase in headaches all due to improper setup.

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Add in the new challenge of working from home during a pandemic and you might be wondering how to set up your new workspace to be productive and avoid pain.

Luckily, there are tips and tricks to setting up your office (or makeshift home office) to achieve good posture and ergonomics. Chiropractor Andrew Bang, DC, discusses what to keep in mind to avoid discomfort and injury.

Its no surprise that sitting all day (especially if youre hunched over pounding away on a laptop) can have some undesirable consequences to your health. From increased risk of cardiovascular disease and diabetes, to painful injuries like carpal tunnel and a stiff neck, properly setting up your desk and workspace should be a priority on your wellness list.

When it comes to good ergonomics, its really about positioning yourself to avoid injury, pain and fatigue and just improve your overall work performance, says Dr. Bang.

And who wouldnt want to achieve all those things?

Dr. Bang explains that there are four key areas to focus on when it comes to your setup:

These four fundamentals are the golden rules of ergonomics (whether youre working in the office or remotely).

I tell my patients when theyre setting up their workstation, think: head right, arms right, back right and move right, he explains. So if you do those four things correctly, it allows you to be in a position where you can avoid pain and a whole list of other injuries.

Dr. Bang dives further into the four key areas of proper setup.

Your head is like a 10 pound bowling ball when your spine is in a neutral position, explains Dr. Bang. And if you get into the wrong position, your spine takes on more of that weight.

So the farther your head moves away from your neutral spine, the more the weight goes up. Even moving your head 15 degrees forward (so slightly looking down), your head goes from 10 pounds to about 24 pounds! Thats a big increase on your spine, which can quickly lead to neck and back pain.

Add in looking down at a piece of paper and the pressure on your neck and shoulders jumps to almost 40 pounds. Do this for several hours and were talking major pain and damage, says Dr. Bang.

For this reason, always focus on your spine and head being in a neutral position. Place your computer screen straight in front of you where your eyes are looking primarily at the area of the screen that you use the most. Use books or a box to prop the screen up to the appropriate level.

If you have two screens, put the primary screen right in the center and the secondary screen off to your left or to your right.

If you can, try to move your secondary screen around, says Dr. Bang. Have your secondary screen to the right for a few weeks and then change it to your left in another couple weeks. Good ergonomics is about keeping your neck moveable and avoiding repetitive movements.

If you use a laptop, you might run into the issue of having your screen up so high that you cant reach the keys. For this reason I always recommend using a wireless keyboard, says Dr. Bang. If you cant type comfortably, youre going to be straining, which will quickly cause neck, trap and wrist issues.

Whether youre sitting or standing, the preferred position of your arms is going to be 90 degrees. So that means your shoulders need to be down at a resting position (not hunched up to your ears) and your elbows should be bent with your wrists staying neutral.

When it comes to your computer mouse, Dr. Bang recommends using an ergonomics mouse verse a traditional mouse. A normal computer mouse forces your wrist to twist, which can irritate carpal tunnel syndrome or give you general wrist pain. An ergonomics mouse allows the wrist to maintain a neutral position, almost like youre shaking someones hand.

Its also a good idea to move around your mouse pad from time to time to create a little variety in your positions. Again, focusing on reducing repetitive movement to avoid injury.

Most standard computer chairs have built in lumbar support and the ability to change your height, which is great for customizing your workstation, says. Bang. But if youre working with a normal chair, maybe even at home, theres a few things you can try when it comes to supporting a good back position.

You first want to make sure your legs and thighs are parallel with the cushion of your seat. This allows the pressure of your weight to be evenly distributed and reduces the risk of thigh or leg pain. Make sure your legs arent dangling or that youre not using the rungs of your chair to prop your feet up. If needed, get a box or stool to rest your feet on.

Sometimes, when were really engaged in our work, we tend to lean forward a bit, but your back needs to be placed up against the back of the chair, explains Dr. Bang. If youre constantly leaning forward youre going to get tired and fatigued and thats going to lead to tightness and back pain.

Instead, try using a lumbar support pillow, which will allow you to sit with the natural curve in your back. Place the pillow in the small of your back and adjust it so that your head is over your neck and shoulders. This even works with a regular, small pillow.

Think of the curve of your spine like a spring.As gravity bears down on it, the spring can change pressure and distribute it evenly. If you straighten your spine out or overly curve it because youre in a weird position, youre going to start to have some discomfort.

Along with the lumbar support pillow, you can get a chair cushion, which is also going to help distribute your weight. Some cushions have a cut out for your tailbone, which is a common complaint, either from a previous injury or from childbirth.

Even if I sit in the best possible position, if I stay there for too long, its going to cause me some pain and discomfort, says Dr. Bang. Whenever you get stuck doing the same thing, youre going to get injured. Repetitive movement is a big cause of injury.

Our joints are made to self-lubricate when we move. (Thats why movement is so good for us!) When we move our muscles we also stretch out from being tense or overstretched from sitting or standing too long.

I learned a saying from one of my patients that I think is so important motion is lotion, says Dr. Bang. We need to get up and move throughout the day.

Set a timer, schedule it on your calendar or make a rule for yourself that during every conference call youll try to incorporate movement, even if its a simple neck stretch. Try to figure out times throughout your day where a little bit of movement or stretching wont affect or impact your work.

Blend tasks together. So while youre reading a long email, youre stretching. If youre waiting for your lunch to heat up in the microwave, throw in some movement while you wait. Take advantage of bathroom breaks to make sure you get up every 45 to 60 minutes. Or if you have a standing desk, switch from sitting to standing every hour and the back again.

Creating variety throughout our day is going to help us combat pain and discomfort, says Dr. Bang. Movement is an important piece of good workspace ergonomics.

View original post here:

Here's How to Set Up an Ergonomic Home Office to Avoid Aches & Pains - Health Essentials from Cleveland Clinic

No effect of COVID- 19 on top brands growth, says Brand Footprint 2020

By M4G Bureau - July 13, 2020

According to Kantars report -Brand Footprint 2020, Dabur, Vim, Sunfeast, Brooke Bond and Patanjali have joined the Billion CRPs Club this year

Worldpanel division of Kantar, the worlds leading data, insights and consulting company released its report Brand Footprint 2020. The report citied that Parle is the most chosen consumer brand in India. Also, five new brands such as Dabur, Vim, Sunfeast, Brooke Bond and Patanjali have joined the billion consumer reach point (CRPs) club this year. Colgate stands at the highest penetrated brand at 88%, the report said.

Talking about the impact of Covid-19, the report said thatfood and beverage brands get picked up more often except Parle and Tata due to drop in frequency. For example, Amul is chosen over 100,000 additional times during the pandemic months, March to May. While personal and home care brands drop CRPs. However, trip size increases causing top brands to grow volume.

Consumer Reach Points are a great way to measure and rank brands as it is a measure of the number of opportunities a brand has, to interact with a consumer. It is great to see consistent validation for the fact that if you build penetration, frequency and growth follow. This has really been a year of global brands in terms of their higher growth than others. Like these, this years report has a lot of interesting nuggets to derive a lot of information and insights on top the behaviour of consumers towards brands in the last year, said K. Ramakrishnan, MD- South Asia, Worldpanel division, Kantar.

Top 10- Brand Footprint Most Chosen Consumer Brands

RANK

BRAND

CRP(m)

1

Parle

6,029 CRP (mn) +12%

2

Amul

4,632 CRP (mn) +17%

3

Clinic Plus

4,514 CRP (mn) +32%

4

Britannia

4,215 CRP (mn) +29%

5

Ghari

2,438 CRP (mn) +12%

6

Tata

2,212 CRP (mn) +16%

7

Aavin

2,080 CRP (mn) -10%

8

Nandini

2,025 CRP (mn) -2%

9

Colgate

1,868 CRP (mn) +23%

10

Wheel

1,630 CRP (mn) +14%

Key findings:

1) Scoring the highest CRP at 6,029 million with 12% increase, Parle ranks first followed by Amul at 4,632 million CRP with 17% increase, Clinic Plus at 4,514 million CRP with 32% rise, Britannia at 4,215 million CRP with 29% increase and Ghari at 2,438 million CRP with 12% rise.

2) Five new brands joined the Billion CRP Club this year- Dabur, Vim, Sunfeast, Brooke Bond and Patanjali. Total 21 brands made it to this group in 2019 compared to 16 in both 2018 and 2017.

3) Over 2/3rd of the top 50 brands are Indian Origin brands while global stands at 14.

4) Global brands (29 %) show 1.8 times growth compared to Indian origin brands (16%). Global brands are growing almost twice as fast at 29% compared to Indian origin brands at 16%.

5) Consumers make significantly more choices this year leading to a significantly better CRP performance by brands. 57 % brands record growing CRPs.

6) Bigger brands find better growth and follow the golden rule, brands grow faster by growing penetration

7) Colgate stands at the highest penetrated brand at 88%

8) Surf Excel marks a consistent CRP growth rate at 20% upwards scoring 1566 million CRP

9) 58 brands saw a penetration gain of 1% or more. Leading the category is Ponds at 5.8% followed by Harpic (4.8%), Comfort (4.5%). 1% penetration gain adds an extra 2.9 million shoppers to the brand

10) In the foods category Britannia clearly charts out a success story as the second most chosen brand, seventh highest penetrated brand with a household penetration at 67.6%. While Aashirvaad saw a surge with 4% penetration increase and 55% in CRP growth.

11) Within home care, Surf Excel marks 48% CRP growth while recording 3.4% penetration increase, closely followed by Vim at 44% CRP growth and 3.2% penetration.

12) Dabur comes out strong in the personal care and foods category with 34% CRP growth, making it the fifth most chosen beauty and health brand in India with a 70% household penetration.

Also read:Amazon retains top position among 100 most valuable brands in Kantar & WPP report

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No effect of COVID- 19 on top brands growth, says Brand Footprint 2020 - M4G Team

When you see a camera flash or a speed camera van in your rearview mirror it can be an agonising wait to learn if you've been caught for speeding.

Many of us have been guilty of this in our lives but the fines, speed awareness course or points on your licence still sting.

But it may not be too late to avoid a fine - thanks to a rule unearthed by The Money Advice Service.

According to the free and impartial advice service a letter should arrive within 14 days, and then youll need to return the completed Section 172 notice within 28 days, reports the ECHO.

Then youll be sent a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).

This is where you can plead guilty or not guilty.

However - before you do this put the brakes on and check if a golden rule has been followed by the police.

The Money Advice Service confirm on their website: "If the ticket was issued written up, created outside of 14 days after the speeding incident, then there may be a possibility the ticket could be time barred (cancelled)."

However, they say the rules are more complicated than that.

They say: "All the police need to do is show the ticket should have reached the vehicles registered owner under normal circumstances within 14 days.

"This means the letter could go to an old address if youve not updated your licence, it could go to a hire company or to your work address if the vehicle isnt yours."

Put simply - if it gets to one of these within 14 days, it does not matter if it doesnt reach your address for another fortnight.

It also means delays caused by postal problems dont affect the rule if it was posted in time for a normal service to get the letter to you, a four-day strike wont sway the courts.

And by contesting the ticket, you could end up with abigger fine and more points.

If you get 12 points or more over a period of three years, you could be disqualified from driving.

There are also more severe bands D, E and F, which are used for very serious speeding and driving offences.

The maximum fine is 1,000, rising to 2,500 if you were driving on a motorway.

Of course the most sensible and foolproof way to avoid a speeding ticket is to stick to the laws of the land in the first place.

Read this article:

A little-known law that could stop you getting a fine and points on your licence - Cambridgeshire Live

I have always been proud of my adopted state and have found Mainers to be somewhat reserved but overall friendly and helpful. Now we are hearing stories that are downright disturbing: being spit upon for wearing a mask that referenced the New York governor, people yelling at drivers of cars with out-of-state plates and worse.

A friend who moved here several months ago still has Massachusetts plates. (The Bureau of Motor Vehicles has been closed and is now open by appointment only.) When she went to the beach in Kennebunkport, she was harassed, and followed, and told to leave the state, even when she explained that she does actually live here!

I told her that I am sorry! What is going on with the world? Who said this nastiness was acceptable behavior? (Actually, I think I know.)

What happened to the Golden Rule? People need to stop and think. There are always other more reasonable explanations for whatever we are so quick to judge.

Please, folks, use your brains, and your compassion, and find your inner better self. Rudeness is just not OK!

Regi RobnettPortland

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More:

Letter to the editor: Golden Rule still holds true in COVID era - Press Herald