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Musicals in Vancouver
A guide to all things musical-theatre in Vancouver
Tag Archives: Annie
Annie; Gateway Theatre (Upcoming show)
Posted on December 7, 2010 | 1 comment
Dancing orphans, stray dogs and a singing billionaire return to the Metro Vancouver stage once again as Gateway Theatre presents the family favourite Annie as their 2010 Christmas musical.
Michelle Creber in Gateway Theatre's Annie. Photo by David Cooper.
The musical marks a special anniversary for Gateway. "We're celebrating 26 years at Gateway by producing Annie, the musical we started with," says executive and artistic director Simon Johnston. "Annie's irrepressible optimism and hope for the future is an important message for all of us."
Book by Thomas Meehan (The Producers), music by Charles Strouse (Bye Bye Birdie), and lyrics by Martin Charnin. Directed by Johnna Wright, musical direction by Allen Stiles, choreography by Kennith Overbey, set design by Drew Facey, and costume design by Carmen Alatorre.
Starring Michelle Creber, Timothy E. Brummund, Nora McLellan, Matt Palmer, Barbara Tomasic and Pippa Mackie. Featuring Jessie Chan, Bridget Esler, Murielle Faifman, Maria Go, Kaila Kask, Aviva Knowles, Caroline Mawhinney, Fiona McIntyre, Laura Reynolds, Colette Richardson, Makena Zimmerman, Arne Larsen, Andrea Bailey, Matthew Beairsto, Vanessa Coley-Donohue, Andrew Cownden, Xavier de Salaberry, Jeff Deglow, Cameron Dunster, Brandyn Eddy, Madelyn Kriese, Stephanie Liatopolous, Brittany Scott, and Tamara Vishniakoff.
Gateway Theatre presents Annie from December 9 – 31, 2010, at the Gateway Theatre, 6500 Gilbert Road, Richmond. Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-270-1812.
Posted in Annie, Gateway Theatre, Musical Theatre, Reviews, Richmond, Upcoming Shows
Tagged Allen Stiles, Andrea Bailey, Andrew Cownden, Annie, Arne Larsen, Aviva Knowles, Barbara Tomasic, Brandyn Eddy, Bridget Esler, Brittany Scott, Cameron Dunster, Carmen Alatorre, Caroline Mawhinney, Charles Strouse, Colette Richardson, Drew Facey, Fiona McIntyre, Gateway Theatre, Jeff Deglow, Jessie Chan, Johnna Wright, Kaila Kask, Ken Overbey, Kennith Overbey, Laura Reynolds, Madelyn Kriese, Makena Zimmerman, Maria Go, Martin Charnin, Matt Palmer, Matthew Beairsto, Michelle Creber, Murielle Faifman, Nora McLellan, Pippa Mackie, Richmond, Stephanie Liatopolous, Tamara Vishniakoff, Thomas Meehan, Timothy E. Brummund, Vanessa Coley-Donohue, Xavier de Salaberry
A Night of Twisted Broadway Fundraiser
Royal City Musical Theatre invites you to come and support local amateur musical theatre with A Night of Twisted Broadway. RCMT presents this cabaret revue spoofing show tunes, characters and plots of modern and classic musicals. A Night of Twisted Broadway promises hilarious parodies of popular shows like South Pacific, Annie, and Wicked.
Original conception, direction and choreography by RCMT's artistic director, Valerie Easton and featuring 18 local musical performers.
Royal City Musical Theatre presents A Night of Twisted Broadway, for one night only, December 4, 2010 at the Massey Theatre, 735 Eighth Avenue, New Westminster. Tickets are available online or by phone at 604-521-5050.
Posted in Musical Theatre, New Westminster, Royal City Musical Theatre, Upcoming Shows
Tagged A Night of Twisted Broadway, Annie, Massey Theatre, RCMT, Royal City Musical Theatre, South Pacfic, Valerie Easton, Wicked
Saying goodbye to summer
Over the last month, there's been so much theatre to see and so little time. And now it all seems to be ending. The cheeky SHINE: A Burlesque Musical finished its two-week run at the Waterfront Theatre on Granville Island last weekend and we also bade adieu to the toe-tapping Thoroughly Modern Millie and Annie at Theatre Under the Stars.
At the Arts Club, the Altar Boyz are spritzing their hair with product for the last time and at Pacific Theatre, the good folks from Not Another Musical Co-op are singing the last notes of Songs For A New World this weekend. Across the water, at the Presentation House Theatre in North Vancouver, comes the final curtain call for the newest object of my affection, Fighting Chance's Rent.
Fighting Chance Production's cast of Rent; Clockwise from top left, Craig Decarlo, Christine Quintana, Jacqueline Breakwell, Anton Lipovetsky, Nick Fontaine and Cesar Erba.
I have a rather shameful admission to make . . . I've never been a giant Rent fan. Nor a Rent fan of any other size, for that matter. It stems from a certain stubbornness that I possess when it comes to being told what to do or what to like. In fact, I have an aversion to jumping on to bandwagons of all kinds. It's that contrary quality that made me disregard the film version and pooh-pooh the various Rent soundtracks.
But now, I've drunk the Kool-aid and have been totally taken in by Rent. I've seen it three times and would have seen it again, if it hadn't kept selling out.
Which brings us back to the end of the summer season and the sudden onset of my musical-theatre withdrawal blues. My current state of despair is somewhat tempered by the knowledge that the fall musical season will soon be upon us. Though, truth be told, I'm not overly enthused by this. I've seen all of these latest summer shows twice and sometimes more and they've become familiar, like friends. And it's so hard to say goodbye.
Posted in Altar Boyz, Annie, Arts Club, Fighting Chance, Musical Theatre, Not Another Musical Co-op, Rent, SHINE: A Burlesque Musical, Songs for a New World, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Vancouver
Tagged Altar Boyz, Annie, Arts Club, Fighting Chance Productions, Granville Island, Not Another Musical Co-op, Pacific Theatre, Presentation House Theatre, Rent, SHINE: A Burlesque Musical, Songs for a New World, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Waterfront Theatre
Interview with Sarah Rodgers (Thoroughly Modern Millie)
The air is sweltering in Vancouver this week, and I have plans to see Thoroughly Modern Millie again tonight at TUTS in Stanley Park. I'm hoping against rational belief that this evening's temperatures will cool to something more bearable.
If you haven't already been to TUTS yet, go see both shows. It's a great pairing this season; the ever-popular and solid Annie (read my review) and the thoroughly fabulous Thoroughly Modern Millie (read my review).
Sarah Rodgers has spent the past few years directing musicals, but it's been a while since she's acted and sung in one. This summer Rodgers is returning to her roots as she hams it up playing the villainous Mrs. Meers in Thoroughly Modern Millie at Theatre Under the Stars. Rodgers gave us a few of her thoughts regarding her role.
Rodgers on musicals:
"I've been directing a lot of musicals in this city and having a ball with it and just loving it. I've done the last three seasons at Gateway Theatre. I directed Emily, My Fair Lady and last year, Guys and Dolls.
But before that I have been a professional actor for over 15 years and I did perform in musicals years ago. But it's been a while and I am just thrilled to be back on the stage, singing, (laughs) kicking up my heels."
Danny Kim, Sarah Rodgers and Aaron Lau in TUTS' production of Thoroughly Modern Millie. Photo by Tim Matheson.
Rodgers on preparing for the role:
"I have to learn a Chinese accent, and in all honesty, I have to learn a very over-the-top, stereotypical, and for lack of a better word, a bad Chinese accent. Because I play a character who thinks she's a wonderful actor. There's a lovely footnote in the script that says 'it is not important that Mrs Meers' Chinese accent be good, but it is important that she thinks it is good (laughs).'
I worked with a student of mine [at UBC] who was born in Hong Kong and grew up in Canada. He sat down with me and I taped him and he helped me greatly with the accent. I also had to do a lot of work. . . . a lot of coaching and work on singing, just because I haven't sung, myself, in many years. So of course, I've been working privately on that. Just prepping and preparing vocally."
Rodgers on the 1967 film version of Thoroughly Modern Millie:
"I am a huge fan and I was probably not born when the movie came out. But, they were showing it in reruns. My mother and I would watch it on the television every year. I'm a huge fan of Mary Tyler Moore and Julie Andrews. So, I know the film inside out, love it, love it, love it! [In the play] the character Mrs Meers is very different, which is fun for me. I'm reinventing it and making it completely new because she doesn't play her as an Asian woman in the film at all. They've totally changed it, they've made it even campier and it is a crazy, crazy depiction.
But of course it's supposed to be a real send-up on the woman and I end up going to jail, I think, for my bad accent (laughs). Mrs. Meers ends up going to jail and the Asian sidekick gets the beautiful girl, so it all works out well in the end."
Rodgers on playing the villain:
"I'm loving it and I would say that it's a new venture for me as an actor. I'm not used to playing the villains, or the old broad. I wake up one morning and suddenly I'm playing the old broad in the show. When did that happen? I've been playing ingénues all my life (laughs), I'm used to playing the Mary Tyler Moore role. It's a great comic role, wonderful, wonderful comic role. It's a great character part and it's fun being the bad guy. Who knew?"
Rodgers on Beatrice Lillie:
"From the film itself, I am a huge fan of Beatrice Lillie and a lot of people of this generation don't know [her]. But Bea Lillie was a famous vaudevillian actress and she was also, a lot of people called her the first female comedian. I am so honoured to be playing a Beatrice Lillie role. I'm beside myself.
There's one thing that she does in the film which is absolutely ridiculous. She barks at the boys. She barks at them and she says 'shu sho, shu sho.' Of course the first thing I wanted to know was what does 'shu sho' mean, because that's the one bit of Chinese that she uses in the film. She says it quite a lot and in a way that you think she's saying hurry up, hurry up, get going, 'shu sho.' And it means absolutely nothing, I found out. , Well I put it into the show. I do it twice in the show and that's a treat really for the diehards."
Tickets are still available through Tickets Tonight. Thoroughly Modern Millie plays every other night at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park at 8 pm until August 22nd.
Posted in Annie, Interview, Musical Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Vancouver
Tagged Annie, Beatrice Lillie, Gateway Theatre, Julie Andrews, Malkin Bowl, Mary Tyler Moore, Mrs. Meers, Musical Theatre, Sarah Rodgers, Stanley Park, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Millie, TUTS, Vancouver, Vancouver Musicals
Annie; Theatre Under the Stars (Review)
I love the inherent charm and romanticism in Theatre Under the Stars. Something about watching live musical-theatre performers under an open sky on a cool summer night brings back the notion of a simpler time. Where the flights of fantasy we see on stage no longer seem so implausible.
Going back to reality however, begs the question whether simpler times ever actually existed, or if they're merely childhood memories artfully framed by nostalgic wishing. The good old days surely don't apply to the years in the 30s during the Great Depression.
It's in that unlikely setting that TUTS first feel-good musical of the season takes place. The family classic Annie opens with a group of orphans gathered around the radio, listening to the opening overtures of Charles Strouse's score.
With lyrics by Martin Charnin and book by Thomas Meehan, Annie has been a family favourite for the last 32 years and unfortunately its age is showing. The story is peppered with cultural references from the 30s as remembered from the 70s. Mentions of Jack Dempsey or Don Budge don't exactly hit home with a contemporary crowd. It also doesn't help that the show's most memorable songs are all in the first act.
Luckily, the TUTS cast has talent enough to gloss over the show's weaknesses. Nine-year-old Michelle Creber plays the titular orphan as well any seasoned veteran. Actual seasoned veteran David Adams, who plays Oliver Warbucks, has some great chemistry with Creber. His Warbucks is somewhat human compared to how others have played the role and his affection for his young ward is therefore more believable.
David Adams, Michelle Creber, and Dana Luccock in TUTS' production of Annie. Photo by Tim Matheson
The orphan chorus, as played by Sophie Leroux, Loritta Lin, Eve O'Dea, Christina Peluso, Roan Shankaruk, Nicol Spinola, Olivia Steele-Falconer, Sophie Visscher-Lubinizki and Allison Wall, is charming and brimming with talent. Their spunky version of "Hard Knock Life" gets the show off and running on a high note.
I never envy the job of the actor who is cast as Miss Hannigan. Carol Burnett's cinematic turn as the boozy orphanage director is a hard act for anyone to follow. Theoretically, Miss Hannigan has some of the best one-liners in the show, and Colleen Winton plays them up for all they're worth. But they didn't get much response from the audience; which says more about the audience and the show itself than it does about Winton's performance. Many of the lines just aren't as funny when you know they're coming.
Todd Talbot and Carolyn Bergstrand as Rooster Hannigan and Lily St-Regis liven up the show with their brand of comedic villainy. Winton, Talbot and Bergstrand are smooth as butter with "Easy Street."
Not everything in Annie hits the mark. Dana Luccock's portrayal of Warbucks' secretary Grace Farrell is flat and somewhat one-noted. There were also a few problems with the sound, but nothing that can't be ironed out.
Kudos to Francesca Albertazzi for her set design. It is both pretty and practical and works well within the limitations of the Malkin Bowl. Former Playhouse Artistic Director Glynis Leyshon makes her TUTS directing debut and has crafted a solid show.
Though the musical itself may be getting a bit tired, it's a great choice for the family-friendly TUTS. Tickets are still available through Tickets Tonight. Annie plays every other night at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park at 8 pm until August 21st.
Posted in Annie, Musical Theatre, Reviews, Theatre Under the Stars, Vancouver
Tagged Allison Wall, Annie, Carolyn Bergstrand, Charles Strouse, Christina Peluso, Colleen Winton, Dana Luccock, David Adams, Eve O'Dea, Francesca Albertazzi, Glynis Leyshon, Loritta Lin, Malkin Bowl, Martin Charnin, Michelle Creber, Nicol Spinola, Olivia Steele-Falconer, Roan Shankaruk, Sophie Leroux, Sophie Visscher-Lubinizki, Stanley Park, Theatre Under the Stars, Thomas Meehan, Todd Talbot, TUTS
Theatre Under the Stars: Summer of '09
Posted on July 2, 2009 | 1 comment
July is already upon us, which means that it's only a little over a week before Theatre Under the Stars begins previews of its 2009 season.
TUTS has made some shrewd choices this year with a duo of family-friendly shows; classic crowd-pleaser Annie and the relatively new but very popular Thoroughly Modern Millie. I'll be posting further about both shows in the days leading up to the opening nights.
TUTS has been a summer Vancouver tradition at the Malkin Bowl in Stanley Park since the 1940s with only a few interruptions. Most recently TUTS took a hiatus in 2006 after running into financial difficulties. It was widely speculated that the two lesser-known shows staged in 2005, Big: the musical and Can-Can, failed to draw in ticket-buying audiences.
For the last two years, TUTS has safely steered towards popular and time-tested fare; Grease and Oklahoma in 2007, and Jesus Christ Superstar and Annie Get Your Gun in 2008.
Michelle Creber and Max in the TUTS production Annie. Photo by Tim Matheson.
Michelle Creber plays the redheaded optimistic orphan Annie alongside a slew of Vancouver stage veterans. David Adams stars as Oliver Warbucks, Colleen Winton (2008 Ovation award winner for Musical of Musicals the Musical, Fighting Chances), as Miss Hannigan, and Todd Talbot (It's A Wonderful Life, Arts Club) as Rooster Hannigan. Former Vancouver Playhouse artistic director Glynis Leyshon directs.
Thoroughly Modern Millie stars Broadway actress Diana Kaarina (Rent, Les Misérables) as the titular character who, in the modern tradition, moves to the big city with plans to marry not for love but for money. The role should be somewhat old hat for Kaarina, as she previously played the role in the touring company of Millie. Directed by Shel Piercy, the cast also includes Meghan Anderssen (Annie Get Your Gun, TUTS), Danny Balkwill (We Will Rock You, Mirvish), and Sarah Rodgers.
Previews July 10-13. Shows play alternating nights with Annie opening July 14th through August 21st and Thoroughly Modern Millie opening July 15th through August 22nd. Tickets available online or by calling 604-684-2787.
Posted in Annie, Musical Theatre, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Mille, Upcoming Shows
Tagged Annie, Colleen Winton, Danny Balkwill, David Adams, Diana Kaarina, Glynis Leyshon, Malkin Bowl, Meghan Anderssen, Michelle Creber, Sarah Rodgers, Shel Piercy, Stanley Park, Theatre Under the Stars, Thoroughly Modern Millie, Todd Talbot, TUTS
Smile; Awkward Stage (Upcoming show)
Hairspray; Arts Club (Upcoming show)
Something Wicked this way comes
Avenue Q; Work Light (Upcoming show)
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Top five: Cambodian rock'n'roll acts
The greats of '60s Khmer rock, from the past to the present
Baksey Cham Krong
Widely considered Cambodia's first rock band, Baksey Cham Krong were at the core of the rock'n'roll revolution that swept across the country in the 1960s and 1970s. Informed by international acts such as the Beatles and the Rolling Stones, the band started out by rehearsing in an empty apartment and combined a surf-rock sound with Eastern melodies. In May 2015, they took to the stage for the first time since 1967 to celebrate the release of the documentary Don't Think I've Forgotten, which tells the story of Cambodia's old generation of rock'n'rollers.
Cambodian Space Project
Having chanced upon singer Channthy Kak performing a cover of Peggy Lee's "Johnny Guitar" at a karaoke bar in Phnom Penh, Australian musician Julien Poulson invited her to start a band with him and the two formed the Cambodian Space Project. Their first release, 2011: A Space Odyssey, was predominantly a set of 1960s covers, while more recent tracks such as "Whiskey Cambodia" have experimented with a moodier style of psychedelic rock. Despite touring the world and being described as "very affecting" by the Australian singer-songwriter Nick Cave, the band retain a close connection to provincial Cambodia. Most recently, their songs were used in the soundtrack for the film Before the Fall, which Cambodia has submitted to the Foreign Language Film category at the Oscars.
Sinn Sisamouth
Testament to the powerful impression his music made on previous generations, Sinn Sisamouth's crooning vocals can still be heard reverberating around city streets today. Born in Stung Treng province in 1932, Sisamouth moved to Phnom Penh to pursue a career in medicine. He got his first break as a singer in 1953, after Cambodia gained independence from France, when he was asked to become a featured singer at the new Cambodian National Radio Station. Comfortable singing both melodic ballads and raw, up-tempo rock arrangements, Sisamouth was a versatile performer who provided the soundtracks to many popular films of the era. If Ros Serey Sothea was the queen of the rock'n'roll scene, then Sisamouth was the king.
Dengue Fever began offering a rare taste of Cambodian psychedelic rock's halcyon days when they burst onto LA's underground music scene in 2002. Ethan Holtzman, the band's organist, had been inspired to form a group that brought together the best of Khmer and American rock, after a trip to Cambodia in 1997 exposed him to the organ-heavy, guitar-driven sounds of earlier generations. Fronted by Choom Nimol, a onetime Cambodian popstar, the band has synthesised their own eclectic sound that draws upon influences extending beyond the US and Cambodia. The band's latest album, The Deepest Lake, is a unique blend of entrancing Khmer melodies, meandering guitar hooks and staccato horns.
Ros Serey Sothea
National sweetheart Ros Serey Sothea rose to prominence in the late 1960s after moving to the country's capital following years of touring small clubs with her brother in her native Battambang province. Sothea's hauntingly beautiful, siren-like vocals captivated a generation of music lovers and even moved King Sihanouk to declare her 'The Golden Voice of the Royal Capital', affirming her status as one of Cambodia's first popstars. Her music spanned the full spectrum of rock'n'roll, from light-hearted tracks reminiscent of Chubby Checker's "The Twist" to much grittier rock anthems laden with jarring, fuzz-tone guitars. She disappeared some time between 1975 and 1979, during the Khmer Rouge period, but the circumstances of her death remain a mystery.
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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaCommonCrawl


I love the way In A Jam instantly draws you into its small-town diorama, creating connections with Andie and Gunnar, and the rest of the Georgia crew. I couldn't help but feel taken in by them all, even the ones who give Andie her fair share of contention and hardship. There is a protective quality to the characters who want nothing more than to keep their small-town lifestyle alive, a quality that Andie is suddenly thrust into and has to make do with, sink or swim.
There was the perfect amount of give and take between the romantic notions of Andie and Gunnar. I appreciated how true to life it felt, despite the attraction. Moments of awkwardness and uncomfortableness that can only come from having to learn more about a person, and what they're about. And when outside sources throw wrenches into what some might think should be smooth sailing, that only adds to the conflict. I really enjoyed that dimension to the story.
What touched me more than anything were the friendships formed, ones that you know are going to be life lasting. I felt that the most with the interactions between Andie and the coffee shop occupants. I could picture what it might be like to have the ones you love the most visit you daily, and that's the kind of love Andie finds while she's working hard to fulfill her end of the bargain, in order to receive her grandmother's lottery winnings. She may be new to the town, but soon the town envelops her within its open arms, only adding to the confusion on what the right decision will be, when she finally receives the money. Should she stay, or should she go?
I read In A Jam in in two days' time, because it was such a fun, sweet read. Andie makes the perfect protagonist with a few antagonistic qualities that will continue on long after you've finished reading her story, a small-town diorama that never lets go.
Thanks to Cindy Dorminy for the book in exchange for an honest review.
I love books set in a small town. Sounds like a good read.


My first born's first born was six months old the first time I met him. I was so excited. Every grandma can tell you how over the moon it is to see your baby's baby. The holidays will be a time when many babies meet their grandma and grandpa, and aunts and uncles for the first time - and many of them all at once. It can be very overwhelming and tiring time for the baby and mother, and father.
I'm an attachment and birth therapist and I support babies in the womb, newborns, and infants and their mother and father to resolve issues of disconnect. In time for the holidays, I'd like to share the story of how I met my own grandson and to suggest ways that you might use to meet your grand babies and other children during the holidays or anytime. The newborn baby is communicating in the womb and immediately at birth. Toddlers who say no to kisses and hugs need to be honored and validated. Let me tell you why it going to help you in the long run to honor this.
My grandson happened to be six months old, but if he were six hours old he would need the very same respect from me (and everyone) of his boundaries and protection of his need: Mama. And, I would do it the very same way – except that I, as prenatal and birth psychologist, knowing what I do about the critical time of attachment development for first forty days, I would not expect to hold the newborn, even my grandchild, unless it was needed. A newborn baby will "check out" when in arms of even grandmother if her energy is too much, if she is too needy, and what I share will help you to hold a baby being present with the baby.
I am a craniosacral based therapist and I "work with" babies of any age; and, as a therapist, it is key that I only touch or hold babies who ask or grant me permission. EVEN the newborn baby is capable of responding as I describe here. If you try what I suggest here, with your grandchild, friend's babies, or even offering your baby to be held by other, and if you watch the newborn baby, you will see it: the baby's "no". A newborn baby will communicate clearly with body and facial language to others: "No." "Don't touch me." "Get out of my face" or space.
And, yes, oh yes, there IS a special undeniable connection between grandmothers and grand babies, and grandmothers should engage with their grand babies. It is wired in us and we grandmothers are meant to serve an important role. A critical, vital role. That is why is important to not create disruption for the mama-baby but to build trust. We women just need to learn how to do this honoring of mother-baby-grandmother again. Grandmothers, in relationship with father, and in their absence, were always - and we still have instinct to be - the protectors and the keepers of the sacred mama-baby bond. In the fifteen year journey of healing the disconnect with my newborn son (he was 25 when I started!) I've learned what he and I needed is what I can give his son and mother. I have chosen to break the cycle of mama-baby disruption.
I would not want to be pregnant and have me as a mother-in-law, I more than half-joked. I suggested, and we agreed, that I would share whatever I wanted with my son and he would pass along what he thought was appropriate. I was already so aware of the confabulation of emotions and needs of my own (from traumatic birthing of my son) and how it intersected with their rights to their decisions and plans.
When my daughter-in-law and Jackson were in labor 800 miles away there was nothing to but go to bed at midnight. Later I startled awake, sneezing about six times and so loudly that I woke my daughter. I coughed and coughed. I looked at the clock as I was so accustomed to since my other son was deployed. 2:48 am. I knew my son's son was here. At six a.m. my son texted that the baby was born about 2:45 a.m. and everybody was good. I later learned he had been suctioned, a fear of mine since my whole film emerged around my daughter's son rough, unnecessary suctioning. Oh, yeah, we are connected.
Six months later I was finally going to meet my grandson. Whooohoooo!! Everything in me wanted to squeal with delight and grab him ... like Grandmothers often do, because we are madly in love already, and because our babies were grabbed from us. I was upstairs when my son, his wife and new baby arrived at my daughter's house. My new grandson met his two aunts, two cousins, age three and 10, and his uncle before I came down.
I waited a few minutes for them to all settle. I did what I do working with babies, that I've learned is a way of being present with: I managed my own nervous system. (you can see this in the Chapter 10 excerpt in my film - Healing the relationship after traumatic birth), me with working with babies to support the mama-baby attachment.
I came downstairs and into the family room where my son was holding his son. They were about twelve feet away from me. My son excitedly said, "Jackson!! here's your Graannny!" I had stopped in the doorway and Jackson turned to me. He had a look of recognition, a little gasp and a smile. Then he did what babies (newborns) will do. He looked at his dad. Babies seek security with eye contact with their caregiver. I lowered my eyes, looking away so that Jackson could check me out. This is what babies need. Babies are overwhelmed by adult energy and eye contact, and adult's emotional expectations.
Jackson looked back, shyly. I said, "Hi, Jackson." As I looked away. I slowly moved closer looking at him briefly and looking away to allow him to see me. Babies can not handle too much adult energy and eye contact. (Babies learn early to accommodate adults but that is not right.) At one point about six feet away his comfort level changed. He was no longer excited. His breath changed. He kept his gaze with his dad, and he "hunkered" in against his dad. This is communication. It is so subtle, yet so obvious when one realizes it. I stopped and I said, "Oh, I'm too close. I'm sorry." I stepped back. Checking in with him first, and then looking away. This whole thing was only a minute or two in duration. When Jackson's body relaxed and he smiled, I moved closer again and he was comfortable with me. When I was a few feet away I did not touch him. I never, ever touch babies without their permission - unless to keep the child from harm - even when mothers ask me to. His dad was so excited to introduce his son and mom.
"Well, yeah," I laughed. We had determined that years ago. We sort of grew up together. He was born when I was still 18.
I'm not the eighteen year-old mother to whom he was born. I am the evolving mom, woman, and grandmother my son has helped raise and inspired. I'm known as the Baby Whisperer, the Baby Keeper, and even Baby Lorax now. I just listen to babies. Honoring my son's son and his mama is part of me healing with my son.
I "moved my attention" from Jackson, telling him that I was doing so - because babies his age are hurt by our attention that just disappears (often when adult has met their own needs and moves on). I turned my attention onto my collective family. That was all Jackson was ready for and I respected his needs. We had a family brunch and during that time as I engaged with my other two grandsons, and with my family, I would catch Jackson watching me with interest. I would smile at him. Then I would look away and let him watch me, so he was comfortable. Yes! It is almost like flirting.
After brunch we went to my older grandson's football game. By then it has been two or 3 hours. At some point during the game, I was standing by my son who was holding Jackson, and we were just chatting. I felt Jackson's foot and I looked down and then at his face. He showed me a teasing smile. He reached out with his foot and poked at me again. Touching us is one of the ways that babies let us know that it's ok for us to touch them. It is very often with their foot. Engaging us with eye contact and vocalization is another. A newborn has the capacity to do this - will look at you and even reach to you. A newborn has the ability to say no. A newborn will look away, or checkout and appear to be sleeping. It is instinctual to seek connection with the mother and to check out when in arms of others. So, there is no reason for anyone who is not a primary or secondary caregiver to hold a newborn except to support and provide love and comfort. The baby can be admired in the mother's arms, and believe me, the baby is feeling and sensing and hearing your presence, so the most respectful way is to open your heart, honor the mama-baby, and speak softly, introducing yourself, and decline holding baby, even if it may hurt the mother. Send her this article.
It was my intention, above my excitement as a grandma, to be respectful of his boundaries and needs from our first moment, and to honor his need for his mama. I held him for awhile ... maybe ten minutes. I continued to follow his lead and not expect him to respond in a way to make me feel okay, or fulfilled. Adults often need babies to smile or respond to feel fulfilled: "The baby likes me if I can get baby to laugh or make eye contact," and most often the adult overwhelms and intimidates the baby, and can even feel - andbe - disliked by the baby. I once witnessed a older man in restaurant make a huge effort to get my friend's 16 month old son to engage and respond. The boy didn't want to. After three or 4 attempts by the man, I saw this boy give the man a fake response. Immediately, the man turned his attention and left. How rude! It happens all the time. His mother knew how to support him. That is a key take away here. How to protect your child from anyone and how to repair it when people don't know how to be with a baby.
When an adult does this or says to child, "Gimme me a hug", this is a huge signal that the adult is expecting the child to take care of their emotional need. If they demand it or expect the mother or father to force it, they are very wrong. When the adult says that, or feels hurt that a child doesn't want to be held or near them, the ADULT needs to STOP-DROP-AND-ROLL ... because they are on big emotional fire. "May I give you a hug?" is about seeing and attending to the baby. "Give Grandma a hug" is about Grandma's needs.
The adult needs to STOP. Take a pause and a breath.
DROP into their own emotional state and own it. Ask, "Why do I need this child who needs only his or her mother?" Settle their own nervous system. Breathe, feel their own emotions and claim them. Decide to do what is needed to heal one's own needs.
And, ROLL. Decide to honor the child. Observe. Roll with the child's needs. Put child's needs before your hurt feelings. Follow the child's communication – body cues.
We need to learn to do this because babies DO want to engage with us; however, children are not meant to resolve or take care of adult's needs - to put out their emotional fire and fix what broke them. What we do, so children learn. So children do learn to interact in this boundary violating way. It is "what's wrong with the world" - boundary wounding. And we must remember that they are learning from their interactions with us. STOP-DROP-AND-ROLL. It's a quick way to learn to be attuned to the other person, newborn to elder.
Because I intended to be attuned to Jackson and I wanted to support him to feel secure, I felt him become uncomfortable after ten minutes. TEN MINUTES!? In six months!? I am the Grandmother, after all!! SO WHAT!? I'm the adult. He is the baby. HE NEEDS his mama. He'd had enough time away from his mama. Had enough of me. Seriously, folks, when you just have to hold that baby, believe me, it's very unlikely that the baby wants you and it means you are on emotional fire. Nature programmed us to want mama. I felt/saw my daughter-in-law's unease too and her wanting him. I felt/saw he wanted to nurse and I said to her, "He is becoming uneasy and wants you. I think he wants to eat." (what his dad calls breast feeding! and I said it only to validate her.) She said she was about to say that he wanted to eat. He might actually just need the breast to reconnect with her. She was so relieved - she didn't want to have to fight her instincts for her child vs her mother-in-law's on-fire emotional needs.
Many people in the generation who are grandparents now were not breastfeed and did not breastfed their children. Women were taught to feed baby every four hours, to let baby cry it out, and that it was better for baby to be in institutionalized care of others so she could focus on financial equality. THIS, my friend, is a source of FIRE for everyone, especially grandmas. It takes so little to ignite that flame into a runaway fire.
So many times grandparents feel this "constant breastfeeding" is an "excuse" by their daughter or daughter-in-law to "not let them hold the baby." Sometimes it may be, that a mother does not want even her family member to hold the baby. That's nature. Don't make mama feel guilty for doing what is right. But the truth is that babies need to nurse on demand, frequently. The truth is - eons of doing it and now research confirming it - that mama is "home base" and where babies feel safe. This is especially true in gatherings. They feel safe because the mother's body - her heart and nervous system - are still assisting baby to self-regulate and to adjust to the world. Breast = safety.
The truth is that babies need their mothers, and nature has provided for her to provide that. This new (but old) way of caregiving is not the way most grandparents learned and believe is "normal." So, unfortunately, many times it is true that the mother does not want people who have overridden her boundaries her entire life to do so to her baby.
Forty years of science has confirmed what we know: Babies are programmed by nature to attach to a primary caretaker. They are meant to be exclusively in their mother's arms through the first nine to 12 months of age. This is now known to be the "last trimester" where important brain development around secure attachment needs to happen - for us to be optimal humans. I am sorry that many of you did not get this as a baby nor knew to do it. THAT is on society. Babies really do not want or need to be held by anyone but people who will be primary and secondary caregivers. Grandmothers were meant to be secondary caregivers, so the engagement of the grandmother early on, in a way that promotes and secure mama-baby attachment is vital. But she can not be on emotional fire.
If you are meeting a new grandchild, a new niece or nephew, please try the process I shared here to meet your new family member. ANYTIME you are with another person's baby, child or even teen, STOP-DROP-AND-ROLL. Don't project your stuff. Don't violate their boundary. This is critically important for the newborn and mother relationship; and, your support now will pay off in big ways later if are you in baby's inner circle. In the long run, if you use the process and you respect the baby's boundaries, if you regulate your own adult emotions, and if you respect the energy of eye contact, then the relationship you foster with your baby family member will be one of great trust of you. When it is time for the child to expand his or her circle, you will be the secure and trusted ring around him or her. You will be a safe person in their world. Nothing could be more important.
Several hours after we met.
We met over the huge ottoman.
I've lived 1000 miles away until a few months ago, since I wrote this in November. I have seen Jackson and Elise on Thanksgiving and Christmas and a couple of times a month.
Last week when Elise knew I was coming, she did a "Graaaannnny is coooomiiinnng" dance. Upon my arrival, she did an adorable dance around the room. Even though my heart may be popping, I still wait until she comes to me. I don't grab her. Maybe your grandchild or niece comes running to you. Awesome. The point is for you the adult to moderate yourself, in relationship to the child and respond to the child's communication to you. Child communication is often behavioral, non-verbal. When they do begin to speak we need to honor them.
While I was there last week I sat by Elise as she was watching a video on a Kindle. She was not eating the blueberries in a bowl between us. I asked, "May I have a blueberry?" She looked at me, then the berries, and then eye to eye again. She said firmly, "NO." I smiled and said, "Ok." She went back to her video. Yes, she IS almost two!! It thrills me to honor her "no" and her boundaries, and "let her" have "the power."
It saddens me that there was a time, with my own children, and I see it all the time, that adults, in this situation, will feel threatened or upset, and then tease, making a game of seeing the child's responses of being upset. Laugh at their response to be teased and their no overridden: "Ooooh, I'm gonna take one!" or with pouty face, "Why can't I have one? Don't you wanna share with me?" "Grandma can't have one of your berries? You are so mean. Grandma is gonna cry," while enjoying seeing the children's painful reactions. You are on fire. You are teaching the child passive-aggressive behavior. It's actually teaching bullying. Or the adult will chastise the child, making child feel guilty, or force the child to share. Or guilt their adult children to make the child comply.
Please, please do not do this. You are on emotional fire when you do. Your own childhood is the fuel source. Stop-Drop-and-Roll. REGULATE YOURSELF, and remember that your goal and purpose as grandmother or friend or stranger is to support, nurture, and protect a young child who is learning from you. Follow the baby or child's cues. I call this "being present with" and it is a way of being with present with anyone of any age or relationship.
We must, especially as mothers and fathers, grandmothers and grandfathers, and others, think about how WE wanted and needed to be treated as a baby, toddler, and child or teen. If you can't, then just think about how you want to be treated today. That is what a baby and child wants and needs; not how we were treated.
"My DEAR friend ("The Babykeeper") has such important things to say about meeting the new baby. I have kept this in my heart & mind since she first clued me in. I cannot count the number of times a parent has thrust a baby into my (or others) arms when they clearly weren't ready. This just happened at a park. I asked the baby's permission and waited to receive it - everyone thought I was weird; but when the strangers baby was ready for me, we had the most amazing interaction. I am a HUGE BELIEVER in respecting the baby."
Nicole: Thank you for all you do for our voiceless little beings L Janel! You are changing the world!
L Janel: With your help! How have you noticed your interactions with child and adults since seeing the sentience of babies and honoring their only need - to be near mama?
Nicole: I have changed beyond measure because of you! In the past, I'd be the first to scoop that baby (love) right up. Not any more. Having their permission is SOOOO worth the wait. Another day at the park had me feeling so sad and protective. There's a mom (who you have heard me talk about) that takes anyone's baby right out of their arms if they don't know how to say no. She just did it a few days ago, and the little guy clearly didn't want to be with her - his body language was CLEAR! There really wasn't much I could do -- except, get close enough and talk to him, "oh little guy, you want to be with mommy, I hear you. I'm sorry no one is listening to you! I am, and I'm sorry." He always catches my eye and gives me the sweetest little look. He (and several other babies) have the same reactions to me vs the baby-mojo-stealer. She is so clueless AND selfish, I'm hoping she will eventually pick up on the message I'm trying to convey. You know I am outspoken, but sometimes, I know saying something so direct will make things worse so I'm trying to set an example. At least the babies feel my respect for them; I hope it's enough to help.
L Janel: It's ok to speak on behalf of the baby -- and talk to her about it. When we realize it is for the baby and the mother would want to know .... And you nailed it .. right on about how to talk to baby.
Nicole: Janel, here is an interesting part of one of the baby interactions I wanted to share: we were at a park in Santa Cruz and I was sitting next to and having a lovely chat with the baby girl's mom (as our boys played). The mom did offer to let me hold the baby, and I asked the baby if I could hold her and her body language was clear, "NO!" I didn't push it, and i did not take it personally. I am a stranger, she wanted to stay comfy in mommy's arms. She was only 4 months old. About 30 minutes of sitting and chatting and also acknowledging baby calmly, her mom tried putting her in my arms and I said, "i don't think she wants to, it's ok, let's respect her wishes". Her big brother, Cole's age (5) came over, and took the baby into HIS arms and we both spoke lovingly to her. Her entire demeanor changed, and her "big" brother looked at me and said, "she's ready now, do you want to hold her now?" It was amazingly intuitive of this little boy. I was so impressed with him. He handed me the little baby girl, and she relaxed immediately in my arms. It was a beautiful moment for all. Ok, i will admit, when they handed me the baby bottle to feed her i had an incredible urge to want to nurse her LMAO!!! I haven't fed a bottle to a baby in i-don't-know-when and it was strange. But we figured it out. She cuddled and snuggled more and more INTO me and fell asleep. YOU would have been proud.
Janel: I am so proud ... you know it ... oh my gosh.. you are so amazing. Such an amazing story all around with big brother. My heart is so full ..
And once you start seeing this a whole new world opens up and you see that these souls are so there.
a lovely article that I can really relate to.
I took part in a project called babywatching with my 1month old until he was almost a year to help with attachment in children.
They were never allowed to touch him, but on the last session they all wanted to say a 'proper goodbye' which to them meant being able to hug and cuddle him. So we had a different session.
They were still not allowed to do anything to him, but just sat on the floor and we waited, he moved from me and back to me various times, but by the end of the session all children (around 30) and had cuddles, kisses and been climbed all over. they thought it was wonderful and Tim was completely relaxed with the whole process.
Thank you for sharing your wisdom. Your article filled me with hope.
This is the most amazing article on interaction with Babies. My four year daughter was so scared to see strangers as a Baby that we almost stopped meeting friends. At times, because other babies were so chilled out and mingled easily, we thought it was her extreme reaction. At times we would try to get her going to our friends. But then of course, she never did that and till now, at four, she doesn;t mingle too easily. Although thats changing now due to her schooling. Reading your article I felt I was so horrible to have thought of my baby as non-mingling...while the reality is that they do it as their own ease n pace! Of course there are many more things that I could not go so correct with, as it was first time for me too.... but yes, we as adults have no excuse, whatsoever. Also, I think what you said about the passive-aggressive behavior is quite right...we forget that by saying, 'Oh, I'm having, but you're not' kind of things, we do arouse a passive negative feeling... may be that shows up when they grow up.
Thank you so much for sharing your journey with your little one. It speaks to how different we all really are from the beginning. And about her insistence on communicating her needs and preference. Makes me wonder how many of those babies you felt to compare your daughter to are actually babies who had to adjust and for whom there will be consequences if their needs ignored and boundaries violated. What we are taught is "normal" in our society is not.
You also remind me of the power of healing. All is not lost when we learn what we didn't know. At any time... if you were sixty and your daughter was 40 when you read this and felt the, "Oh, my gosh, didn't know" and you feel it in your own body, and you feel the I am sorry,, you have begun to heal it. Your baby feels it. We are that connected.
A Grandma or aunt ..whoever.. who has overstepped babies boundaries reading this who gets it... feels it and in their heart acknowledges it and says I am sorry will shift their relationship.
Thank you for taking time to let me know. That touches me deeply. Blessed be.
That sounds like an amazing program. Thank you for sharing that info with me and others.
Your respect for and understanding of babies is beautiful. Thanks for this post.
Thank you so much for this!! I want to give it to every new mom, grandma, friend of a new mom, etc.
This is similar to what I've tried expressing to my in-laws, but they are from the generation that takes it deep as a personal attack rather than me trying to honor my children. I am so grateful there are people out in the world that not only *get* this, but advocate for it. Thank you so much!


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Review: Ain't No Female Romeo (Edinburgh Fringe, online)
When conservationist Peter abruptly stops posting his exotic photos from his Serbian life to Instagram, a thirty-something woman decides she has to find him. Part detective story, part exploration of what we really mean when we engage with others on social media, Ain't No Female Romeo takes its inspiration from the story of Romeo and Juliet.
Presented mainly in the form of video diaries, this becomes a journey which verges on obsession. It's an engaging and moving story about a woman ghosted by what she interprets as a lost love, using the occasional line from Shakespeare's text alongside hashtags, film and still images, snatches of music, illustrations and more.
At just under an hour, this monologue is well-delivered by writer-performer Lita Doolan (I previously reviewed her The Wyre Lady of Fleetwood at the Brighton Fringe), who has created a piece which takes a wry look at the Bard's most famous love story with a modern eye and considerable invention. There are no flashy bits of filming here, but we completely invest in this woman as she continues her search.
With a hint of desperation and a lot of reflection, the story evolves in quickfire style, with words and images seeming very transient, just as they are on internet platforms like Snapchat and TikTok. The overall effect is of a woman who has lost her sense of reality; a woman who has projected her need for validation onto this one Instagrammer; a searcher who has become stalker without even knowing it.
There are moments when this woman's behaviour is genuinely frightening and disturbing; others where you completely understand how empty her life has been. Doolan's play is well-structured, thought-provoking, and of the moment.
Fringe rating: ****
You can stream Ain't no Female Romeo on YouTube, via the Edinburgh Festival Fringe: book your ticket here. For more on Lita Doolan Productions visit her website.
Tagged digital theatre, edinburgh fringe, lita doolan, online@thespace, theatre
← Review: Queens of Sheba (Soho Theatre)
Review: The Frog Prince (Jarrott Productions) →


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Fabulous food and a fun vibe make Three60 Market the GO TO waterfront destination for wine and food lovers.
Three60 Market was born out of a passion for great food and a commitment to exceeding customer expectations. From the most delicious sandwiches, to the top selection of artisanal cheeses – not to mention the most talked about wine program in Naples – Three60 Market is the premier waterfront destination for great food and the best wine prices in Southwest Florida. Serving breakfast from 8 till 4, lunch from 11-4 and Dilly's Seafood Shack Dinners from 4 till 9 Tuesday through Sunday.
At Three60, we are committed to offering clean food that is fresh and delicious with local sourcing whenever available. From freshly squeezed Florida orange juice to farm fresh eggs from locally raised free range hens, only the best will do for our customers.
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Selections include raviolis, linguine, and more. Enjoy our pasta dishes and sauces in the cafe or take-home frozen pasta to easily prepare.
Freshly made daily, our selections include chicken salad, curry chicken salad, tuna salad, egg salad, beet salad, antipasti and more.
Our in house baking includes cookies, brownies, tarts and cakes. House specialties include Almond Macaroons, Limoncello Cake and our gluten-free Peanut Butter Chocolate Chip Cookies.
Our sandwiches include a Grown Up Grilled Cheese, the best Reuben in Naples, authentic Cuban, hoagies and our own Rebecca's Sandwich. Our selection of housemade soups changes daily.
Enjoy a glass of our house wines, with an ever-changing selection to choose from. Premium pours are available as well. Select a bottle from our Wine Shop to enjoy with your meal for only $5 corkage for breakfast or lunch, $15 at dinner.
As a former corporate senior executive and now a successful entrepreneur, owner Rebecca Maddox's creative inspiration for Three60 Market is simple – serve delicious, well-prepared and wholesome food in a fun, enjoyable atmosphere and began a world-class wine program. The selection has now increased to include wines from around the globe, all at the best prices in Naples. In addition to making the best grilled cheese sandwich in Naples, Rebecca and her staff will welcome you to Three60 Market with a smile and enthusiastic greeting every time you walk through the door.
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Founded in 1999, the New America Alliance is comprised of a 501(c)6 and a 501(c)3 national organization committed to building on American Latino success to forge a stronger America. NAA leadership and members leverage their influence to increase capital access for women and minority-owned firms, and to accelerate diverse leadership in entrepreneurship, corporate America, and public service.
Joseph Acevedo, BlackRock; Gerson Guzman, Ceiba Capital Partners; and Jerry Arzu, Telsey Advisory Group
Ted Eliopoulos, Chief Investment Officer, California Public Employees' Retirement System (CalPERS); Fernando Guerrero, Managing Partner and Chief Investment Officer, Varadero Capital L.P. and Victor Miramontes, Vice Chairman, CityView
#NAALatinaCaucus Panel
NAA Co-Founders Raul Yzaguirre and Henry Cisneros
Juan Sabater, NAA Inc Co-Chair; Managing Director, Valor Equity Partners and Claudio Phillips, NAA Summits Co-Chair; Managing Principal, MB Global Partners, LLC
Latina Caucus Roundtable from Left to Right: Rosie von Lila, Founder / Director, Investor Relations & Marketing, LUMERA; Erin Patten, Chief Marketing Officer, Potencity; and Diana Maldonado, Financial Advisor, Morgan Stanley
R. David Kelly, Chairman, Teacher Retirement System of Texas (TRS) at Austin, TX Forum
Juan Sabater, NAA Inc Co-Chair; Managing Director, Valor Equity Partners; Richard Ingram, Executive Director, Teachers' Retirement System of the State of Illinois; and R. David Kelly, Chairman, Board of Trustees, Teacher Retirement System of Texas
The Honorable Maria Contreras-Sweet, Administrator, U.S. Small Business Administration and Tom Soto, NAA Inc Co-Chair of the Board
Cristina Jiménez, Executive Director, United We Dream and Wendy García, Chief Diversity Officer, New York City Comptroller's Office
NAA Inc Co-Chair of the Board Tom Soto; The Honorable Ruben Diaz, Jr., Bronx Borough President; and David A. Hinson, Chief Financial Officer and Head of Mergers & Acquisitions, MicroTechnologies, LLC
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Parental Rights Legislation Considered by House
HB 1059 (Grall) would designate the "Parents' Bill of Rights", bringing together in a single statute the various parental rights that currently exist in law. The bill would highlight the role of parents by clearly outlining the rights parents have in the upbringing, education and care of their children. The bill is poised for a vote of the full House on Monday, March 9.
Parental Rights Legislation Supported by FCCB
On February 26, the FCCB joined lawmakers and parents at a press conference at the state Capitol to encourage passage of HB 1059 (Grall) and SB 1634 (Stargel). These bills would designate the "Parents' Bill of Rights", bringing together in a single statute the various parental rights that currently exist in law. The bill would highlight the role of parents by clearly outlining the rights parents have in the upbringing, education and care of their children. Several legislators spoke on the importance of these bills including the bill sponsors. Representative Erin Grall addressed the value of parental rights in a child's life and believes this is a fight for all families in Florida. Senator Stargel stressed the responsibility of legislators to protect the rights of parents in Florida.
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Opposition to Competitive Workforce Act, December 1, 2020
Statement from the Florida Bishops on the Redefinition of Marriage in Florida, January 5, 2015 | Spanish
February 3, 2020: Support for HB 1365 (Vulnerable Child Protection Act)
To: The Honorable Anthony Sabatini
From: Ken J. Kniepmann, M. Ed., Associate for Health, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
April 8, 2019: Opposition to SB 410 - Long-Acting Reversible Contraception (LARC) Pilot Program
To: The Honorable Lori Berman
From: Ingrid M. Delgado, Associate for Social Concerns/Respect Life, Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops
Q & A: Conscience Protection for Actions of Private Child-Placing Agencies
United States Conference of Catholic Bishops: "Gender theory"/"Gender ideology" – Select Teaching Resources
Selected Quotations from Documents of the Popes and Members of the Roman Curia on the Subject of "Gender Theory"
Phillip M. Sutton (2015) Professional Care for Unwanted Same-Sex Attraction: What Does the Research Say?, The Linacre Quarterly, 82:4, 351-363
Dr. Paul McHugh, Transgender Surgery Isn't the Solution, Wall Street Journal, June 12, 2014
Marriage Redefintion
Amicus Curiae Brief of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., November 21, 2014
Amicus Curiae Brief of the Florida Conference of Catholic Bishops, Inc., May 12, 2014
Culture of Life Brochure
Natural Family Planning: God's Design for Love and Life | Spanish
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Promotion and Defense of Marriage
U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops: Marriage Policy and Advocacy
Marriage: Unique for a Reason
For Your Marriage
Courage and EnCourage International - an apostolate for those who experience same-sex attraction and their loved ones


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Using groups to search for deals is horrible due to the massive amount of variants of each item and none of the main approaches works well in practice.
I'll give it a go. Thanks.
Thank you very much, appriciate it!


← Major New Project From Efofex!
The Efofex Teacher Resource Project has inspired a number of new features for our products. In FX Equation, we have added a new calculator button.
As we were typing solutions to problems we realised that we were repeatedly reaching for a scientific calculator to calculate simple expressions and were often just retyping what was displayed on the FX Equation screen.
The new calculator button removes the need for the scientific calculator. Simply select the expression that you want to simplify and then press the calculator button.
If the currently selected expression is calculable, FX Equation will simplify the expression and place the value onto the clipboard. I can then type the next line, pasting in the calculated value.


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42 - Theatrical Review
12:30 PM David Weaver No comments
'42' is a rousing tribute to an American legend.
Theater: AMC 16 Tyler Galleria
Time: 12:55 pm April 13, 2013
Film Rating: PG-13
Film Runtime: 2 hr 8 min
Loves: Baseball movies
Likes: Harrison Ford, biopics
Neutral: Baseball the sport
Hates: Most sports
Rarity: A true story is actually true
Writer Director Brian Helgeland's inspirational new film, "42" tells the true story of how American sports legend Jackie Robinson (Chadwick Boseman) was found and courted by Brooklyn Dodgers team executive Branch Rickey (Harrison Ford) to join the 1947 team roster to help bring the Dodgers into the imminent future of non-segregated Major League Baseball and how Robinson not only stood up to the many challenges and hardships that forging a path for others to follow brought about, but how he made history by being one of the best players whoever played the game.
Baseball has given us some of the greatest athletes of all time; Ty Cobb, Mickey Mantle, Nolan Ryan and Babe Ruth just to name a few. But despite their many great accomplishments in the sport of baseball, they all had one thing in common that most took for granted at the time, they were all white men. It's one thing to be good at a sport, it's an entire other thing to be great at a sport while also paving the way towards a future, that while inevitable and extremely overdue, that many didn't want and would result in such an uproar across the nation that would not only put his talent to the test, but also his resolve.
That is exactly what this retelling of the trials and tribulations of American legend Jackie Robinson sets out to do, to remind us of who this iconic man is, the many struggles he faced and more importantly how he faced them. But there in lies the one and only flaw of the film, it's predictable nature and by the numbers conventional storytelling. It may sound like sacrilege to denounce a film telling the true story of such an influential cultural icon as conventional, but nearly every single encounter and incident depicted in "42" is right out of racially oppressed handbook. This isn't meant to make light of such a significant moment in American history or the hardships of the people who fought against said oppression, but it still needs to be said that much of what we see Robinson go through is simply indicative of the times and not very surprising.
What is surprising though is how poignant many of these moments are. Moments like during the outset of Robinson's major league career in the Montreal Royals where we are witness to the numerous racial encounters that both him and his wife Rachel, played by the lovely Nicole Beharie, are subjugated to. How Jackie must turn the other cheek when faced with bigot after bigot on his road to fame and then later when Jackie does eventually join the Dodger's and how his team alienates him and even draws up a petition to have him removed. These moments, while hardly revelatory of the time, are needed. These are the events that helped shape and influence the life of Jackie Robinson, so even though we have been inundated with these same set of circumstances in other similarly themed stories of that era, they aren't any less relevant here.
In one of the film's most cringe worthy and flamboyantly racist moments, we are given a front row seat to just an inkling of the immense amount of outright hatred that was thrown his way. During a game against the Philadelphia Phillies, we see as Robinson is made the victim of the Phillies' manager Ben Chapman's (played with a despicable glee by the very talented Alan Tudyk) constant heckling with a slur of racist remarks that would be enough to send anyone over the deep end. It is an ugly and moronic display of staggering degree that is difficult to sit through but does a fantastic job of putting us in that moment with Jackie to feel first hand his pain.
While that scene is likely just an amalgamation of incidents that Robinson was forced to endure, and this isn't the first time we have seen a Southern white man show off his ignorance either, it serves as a remarkable character moment for not only Jackie but also a turning point for the team itself and their feelings towards him. Like the rest of the film, it may be a little on the nose but it gets its point across and helps get the audience into the appropriate state of mind that will likely result in plenty of cheers as Jackie forges onward into sports history.
This uphill battle is needed however. We needed to see what obstacles laid before Jackie that he must overcome and it is to the film's credit, as well as Hegleland's screenplay and direction, that even though we have seen these scenarios play out time and time again before, the film never dwells on any of it unless it is used specifically to fuel a moment that requires such content. It is used sparingly thankfully and is only there merely as a reminder to us and nothing more.
But where the real magic of the film lies is in its actors, or more specifically the star making performance by Boseman as Jackie Robinson and a surprisingly powerful Harrison Ford in the supporting role as Rickey. Boseman shows an inner strength as Robinson that is nothing short of inspiring. He shines in the role and pays proper respect towards the sports legend we have come to idolize as well as to the man behind the legend that most of us have never known.
As for Harrison Ford, well let's just say it has been an awfully long time since he has seemed this invigorated about any role in any film he was a part of. We can speculate all we like as to the reason why he decided to show a pulse again, but it is much more constructive to just bask in the amount of warmth and heart he brings to the table here. If he isn't given a best supporting actor nod it will be a crying shame because even an optimist has to believe it is highly unlikely we are going to get this level of enthusiasm out of the aging actor again anytime soon.
Baseball represents a time in our nation's history when everyone of every age, race or background could come together and enjoy something together, when there was no television, internet or even any other sports to occupy our time. "42" in turn is a rousing reminder of a time when that ideology finally came to fruition, where everyone actually did come together for a single event. Where a solitary individual by the name of Jackie Robinson, whose courage was immeasurable and talent was unquestionable, won over an entire country by being the best man he could be and by playing the game he was put on this Earth to play.
Comprised of two stand out performances and made with just a sheer love for the sport itself, Hegleland's ode to one of the greatest and most significant athletes to ever play the game of baseball is a good natured film that despite some conventional storytelling triumphs as one of the most inspirational and rousing experiences of the year that reminds us of where we are and how we got here.
CHECK IT OUT IMMEDIATELY


Drummer Quinton Robinson's fiery energy and deep pocket have put him at the top of many call lists. but playing at the highest level is just the beginning of what he considers his job. "Q" can also be enlisted to run Ableton Live for a show, write a drum book for a musical, or take the helm as musical director for an artist. No matter which skills he utilizes on any given day, his role is always to contribute to the success of a project in any way he can.
This mindset often results in Q moving beyond the role of sideman and becoming the nerve center of a project. He has seamlessly woven tech into almost everything he does. The MacBook Pro, Roland Electronics, and other 21st century tools are as essential to his set-up as any drum or cymbal and have become extensions of his musical mind. As an endorser for Ableton Live, Q has mastered the platform. From creating STEMS in his studio to firing them in real time during a show, he is capable of meeting any need the music may call for.
Apart from his many musical and technical talents, Q is known for relentless positivity, contagious joy for music and people, and purpose-driven work ethic. Performing at the highest level means helping others to do the same. These attributes make him not just valuable, but often indispensable. His presence in a group (whether on the bandstand or on the plane) is foremost in the reputation that precedes him: Energetic yet steady. Masterful yet curious. Creative yet dependable.


Happy Infographic Friday! Thanksgiving is only a few days away. Are you still looking for ideas to promote your products or services? Are your marketing campaigns all set and ready to be launched?
This week, our blogs featured tips, ideas, and inspiration to help you make the most of your Thanksgiving marketing. First, we gave you Marketing Promo Ideas for Thanksgiving. In this blog, we learned that giving freebies, launching secret sales, and hosting entertaining contests are great promo strategies that show gratitude to your customers and help boost customer loyalty and sales.
We also featured the Best Thanksgiving Marketing Campaigns to help you craft and implement a successful campaign this year. You can take inspiration from Amex's 'shop small' campaign that supports local businesses, REI's #OptOutside campaign that encourages consumers to enjoy the outdoors, and more!
This is very helpful to entrepreneurs. You can also do email marketing. This will also do great to a company and reach other customers not just locally, but globally.


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1984 Montréal Expos
Bill Virdon (64-67)
Jim Fanning (14-16)
Felipe Alou
Galen Cisco
Billy DeMars
Joe Kerrigan
Russ Nixon
Greg Bargar
Fred Breining
Rick Grapenthin
Bill Gullickson
Greg Harris
Charlie Lea
Gary Lucas
Andy McGaffigan
David Palmer
Jeff Reardon
Dan Schatzeder
Bryn Smith
Randy St. Claire
Sal Butera
Gary Carter
Bobby Ramos
Dan Driessen
Doug Flynn
Terry Francona
Rene Gonzales
Wallace Johnson
Bryan Little
Angel Salazar
Razor Shines
Chris Speier
Derrel Thomas
Tim Wallach
Andre Dawson
Miguel Dilone
Mike Fuentes
Tim Raines
Max Venable
Jim Wohlford
Franchise: Washington Nationals / BR 1984 Team Page
Record: 78-83, Finished 5th in NL Eastern Division (1984 NL)
Managed by Bill Virdon (64-67) and Jim Fanning (14-16)
Coaches: Felipe Alou, Galen Cisco, Billy DeMars, Joe Kerrigan and Russ Nixon
Ballpark: Stade Olympique
Achievements[edit]
All-Stars: Gary Carter, Charlie Lea, Tim Raines and Tim Wallach
Player of the Year: Gary Carter
Best Rookie: Joe Hesketh
NL Gold Glove : Andre Dawson (OF)
NL Silver Slugger Award: Gary Carter (C)
Players of the month:
April: Tim Wallach
May: Terry Francona
June: Tim Raines
July: Gary Carter
August: Bill Gullickson
September: Jim Wohlford
Minor League Player of the Year: Andres Galarraga, Jacksonville (AA)
Minor League Pitcher of the Year: Joe Hesketh, Indianapolis (AAA)
Season Highlights[edit]
The 1984 Montreal Expos were the last edition of the team for a number of years that would be considered among the best teams in the National League heading into a season. Even though the Expos were coming off two seasons of underachievement in 1982 and 1983, they still benefitted from the aura of the very good young teams of the three seasons prior to those. However, the natives were getting restless in Montreal with the team's repeated failure to reach the World Series in spite of the presence of a number of stars in the line-up. The failures of the previous two seasons were repeatedly mulled over during the off-season, and team management came up with the explanation that their principal cause was because of a lack of leadership. Now, if they had identified the leadership problem as stemming from the manager, and acknowledged that the performance of Jim Fanning in 1982 and Bill Virdon in 1983 had been inadequate, it would have been a step forward. However, they assigned the lack of leadership to the players themselves. But, as Bill James demonstrated quite clearly in the 1984 Baseball Abstract, the Expos' problem was not that they lacked leadership or intangibles, but that their second-line talent was seriously lacking and was in fact undermining the positive contributions made by the team's stars.
What General Manager John McHale decided to do was to sign 42-year-old free agent Pete Rose to a contract. Rose had the reputation of being baseball's biggest "gamer", a man who would never stop hustling and who did not tolerate defeat: exactly the attributes which senior management thought were lacking. While Rose's later unsavory reputation for gambling and tax evasion was not yet public at the time, the fact that he had been a completely ineffective player on the field for the past two seasons should have been apparent from a glance at his statistics. McHale should also have paid attention to the fact that Philadelphia Phillies manager Paul Owens had benched Rose in favor of the unheralded Len Matuszek for the previous season's pennant drive, and that the Phillies had surged forward with Rose out of the line-up. Rose was the most visible acquisition of the off-season, but not the only one. Starting pitcher Scott Sanderson was sent to the Chicago Cubs in a three-team trade that brought the Expos left-handed reliever Gary Lucas, while pitcher Ray Burris was basically given away to the Oakland Athletics and RF Warren Cromartie and 2B Manny Trillo were allowed to leave as free agents. In return, the Expos signed veteran OFs Derrel Thomas and Miguel Dilone to strengthen a bench that had been almost useless the previous season.
Things continued to move in spring training. First, manager Virdon announced that Gold Glove center fielder Andre Dawson would move to right field, and that Tim Raines would slide over from left field to take over center. Then, on February 27th, 1B Al Oliver was sent to the San Francisco Giants for starting pitcher Fred Breining. This was actually a good move on paper, since Oliver was greatly overrated given that his high batting average was no longer matched by adequate on-base or slugging percentages, or defense for that matter. The problem was that Breining was immediately diagnosed with a shoulder injury and would only pitch 6 2/3 innings that season, the last he would pitch in the major leagues. While the Expos and Giants haggled over further compensation for the damaged goods, another starting pitcher went down with a shoulder problem, ace Steve Rogers. By the time OF Max Venable and P Andy McGaffigan came over to complete the Oliver trade shortly before opening day, the Expos' starting rotation had been decimated.
The Expos opened the season on April 3rd at the Astrodome with a completely re-vamped line-up (Boxscore). Rose was leading off and playing left field, Bryan Little, 1983's opening day shortstop was at second base, Raines was hitting third followed by Dawson, catcher Gary Carter and 3B Tim Wallach, then Terry Francona taking over at 1B for Oliver after proving in September 1983 that he was over the gruesome knee injury that had ended his 1982 season. At shortstop was rookie Argenis Salazar, who was considered a "can't miss" prospect by the Expos' brass, in spite of the fact that he had played only one season above A ball, and that his .302 average achieved in the hitter's paradise of Wichita was a complete anomaly in a minor league hitting record that combined low averages, lack of walks or power, and no speed. On the mound was Charlie Lea, coming off an excellent 1983 season, replacing the injured Rogers who missed the opening day assignment for the first time since 1975. The Expos won that day, behind Lea's excellent pitching, and even gave the illusion of still being a contender over the season's first few weeks, reaching three games over .500 on April 23rd. They would not return to that level until August 24th, when they were 64-61 but already well out of contention, and eventually ended the season in 5th place in the National League East, with a 78-83 record, 18 games behind the division-winning Chicago Cubs. They had not been a factor in the race after the end of April.
What went wrong should not have come as a surprise to anyone. First, Rose proved unable to either play the outfield, or make a contribution at the plate, hitting .259 with a .295 slugging percentage in 95 games before being traded to the Cincinnati Reds on August 16th, so that he could take over as their manager. The return to his hometown revitalized Rose, but only brought the Expos the forgettable Tom Lawless in return. Bryan Little also slugged under .300, in 85 games, playing himself out of a job by mid-season. It did not take even that long for Argenis Salazar to show he was in way over his head: he was sent down to AAA on May 22nd, at which point he was hitting .143 (he would finish the year at .155 in 80 games, with all other statistics just as awful, one of the worst performances ever by an Expos player). This left a huge hole in the middle infield. Doug Flynn and his .281 slugging percentage stepped in at second base, while Derrel Thomas filled in at shortstop where he hit .255 with no power and terrible defense; the two replacements proved to be almost as bad as those they had replaced. Those poor performances could have been expected but the shock was that Andre Dawson had the worst season of his career. Bothered by bad knees, he only hit .248 with 17 home runs as the team's clean-up hitter.
Not everything was going wrong however. Tim Raines played adequately in center field and eventually returned to the lead-off spot, hitting .309 with 87 walks, scored 106 runs and stole 75 bases to earn the team's Player of the Year award for the second consecutive year (he had shared it with Dawson in 1983). Gary Carter led the National League with 106 RBI while hitting a career-high .294 with 27 home runs, earning the second All-Star Game Most Valuable Player Award of his career in the process. Tim Wallach was outstanding on defense and started the year red hot, hitting .326 with 5 home runs and 20 RBI in April, before cooling off to .246, 18, 72. The most pleasant surprise was 1B Terry Francona, who was hitting .346 with a league-leading 19 doubles when he twisted his knee on June 14th while trying to avoid a tag from the Pittsburgh Pirates' John Tudor. For the second time in three years, his season had been ended in June by a major leg injury while he was hitting over .325. His career would never recover.
When Francona went down, Bill Virdon had little choice but to give rookie Mike Stenhouse some playing time. Stenhouse had been the team's Minor League Player of the Year in 1983 but he only hit .183 with 4 home runs in 80 games, thereby slamming the door shut on his only opportunity to play regularly in the major leagues. Virdon then turned to veteran back-up outfielder Jim Wohlford, who did not blow his opportunity: he hit .300 and slugged .450 while playing regularly in LF over the season's second half, a nice contribution, but rather irrelevant in the context of a team which should have been trying to figure out which of its young players could have been useful in the longer run. With Stenhouse out of the picture and Rose unproductive, Virdon lobbied for a new first baseman, and McHale obliged on July 26th by snatching Dan Driessen from the Reds in a trade for Andy McGaffigan, who had posted an excellent 2.54 ERA in limited use. Driessen hit fairly well - .254 with a .479 slugging percentage in 51 games - but his acquisition was pointless for a team hopelessly out of the pennant race. McHale finally realized this on August 30th, when he fired Virdon with the team in 5th place and 2 games below .500. He was replaced by his predecessor, Jim Fanning, who was given the mandate of completing the season. Five days later, McHale was fired upstairs, and young Murray Cook, only 44 at the time, became the team's new general manager.
While all this was going on, the Expos' pitching was actually fairly good. The key man was Charlie Lea who was 13-4 at the All-Star break. He started and won the 1984 All-Star Game, but then became the victim of the Expos' sputtering offense, compiling a 2-6 record after the break in spite of a 2.86 ERA before being shut down in early September. The problem was originally diagnosed as a muscle strain in the back but was in fact a serious shoulder injury that would make him miss most of the next three seasons. The second starter, Bill Gullickson was almost as good, posting a record of 12-9, 3.61, while walking only 37 men in 227 innings. Bryn Smith was also solid, with a 12-13, 3.32 season, but Rogers was only a shadow of his former self when he came back to the team, having lost his fastball and his control and finishing up at 6-15, 4.31 with 78 walks against only 64 strikeouts. Dan Schatzeder was pressed into the fifth starter spot by Breining's injury and did very well, with a 7-7 record and a 2.71 ERA, while David Palmer was brought along slowly after missing all but three months of the previous three seasons, ending up with a 7-3 record in 19 starts, including a rain-shortened five-inning perfect game on April 21 against the St. Louis Cardinals (Boxscore). The bullpen was also quite solid, led by closer Jeff Reardon who saved 23 games with a 2.90 ERA. Bob James was 6-6 with 10 saves and a 3.66 ERA, while Gary Lucas was only 0-3, but with 8 saves and a 2.72 ERA as the team's top left-handed reliever. In fact, the bullpen was so solid that Virdon could not find any work for Greg Harris in spite of his sparkling 2.04 ERA in 15 games in the early season and let him go to the San Diego Padres for almost no return. In the season's last few weeks, two more young pitchers would join the team and do very well, Rick Grapenthin who had a 3.52 ERA in 23 innings, and Joe Hesketh, whose ERA was 1.80 over 45 innings. Hesketh was in fact the rookie who made the biggest positive contribution to the team, given Salazar and Stenhouse's abysmal performances.
When the 1984 season ended, it was clear that the Expos had some serious retooling to do. The pitching had been outstanding (although Rogers and Lea's injuries were cause for serious concern), but the line-up included some huge holes to be filled, while no young player had been added to the line-up since Wallach in 1981. New General Manager Murray Cook would chose to address the issue in a very unexpected way.
Bill Schneider: "Pete Rose Gets His 4000th Major League Hit; April 13, 1984: Montreal Expos 5, Philadelphia Phillies 1 At Olympic Stadium", in Norm King, ed.: Au jeu/Play Ball: The 50 Greatest Games in the History of the Montreal Expos, SABR, Phoenix, AZ, 2016, pp. 74-75. ISBN 978-1-943816-15-6
Montreal Expos / Washington Nationals seasons
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Retrieved from "https://www.baseball-reference.com/bpv/index.php?title=1984_Montréal_Expos&oldid=1021957"


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Louvre's first VR experience brings Mona Lisa to life
By Paul Ridden
Louvre's first VR experience b...
Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass runs as part of the Louvre's Leonardo da Vinci exhibition
Louvre/HTC
The Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass VR experience is being held as part of a major da Vinci exhibition at the Musée du Louvre in Paris
The VR experience cuts away the crowds and allows visitors to get up close to the famous painting and dive beyond, into the Mona Lisa universe
The Mona Lisa VR experience reveals details in the work that are hidden to the naked eye
The Musée du Louvre in Paris has opened a new exhibition celebrating the life and work of Leonardo da Vinci, who died in Amboise, France, 500 years ago. As well as displaying paintings, drawings, manuscripts, sculptures and more, the retrospective will play host to the museum's first virtual reality experience, which brings the story of the Mona Lisa to life.
"On the occasion of the Leonardo da Vinci exhibition and for the very first time, the Musée du Louvre is delighted to present a virtual reality experience, in partnership with HTC Vive Arts," said the museum's Dominique de Font-Réaulx. "The public will be able to discover an immersive experience with an extraordinary masterpiece. This collaboration will allow visitors to meet and learn more about the Mona Lisa herself, beyond the myths and legends that have surrounded her for over 500 years."
The famous painting itself was viewed by more than 10 million people in 2018, but visitors to the Louvre can only get so close as it's protected in a special glass and steel case, and you can't spend all day gazing at that enigmatic smile. Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass has been developed in partnership with HTC Vive Arts and Emissive VR, and gives exhibition visitors the chance to view da Vinci's most famous masterpiece in a completely new way.
For one thing, donning a HTC Vive headset will take away the crowds that normally surround the painting. The VR experience also reveals details in the work that are hidden to the naked eye, allows viewers to discover the techniques employed by the artist, and get to know more about the person who posed for the painting, Lisa del Giocondo, and even see her moving around.
HTC Vive owners who can't get over to Paris to walk around the da Vinci exhibition in person can access an extended home version through Viveport. The da Vinci exhibition runs in the Hall Napoléon until February 24, 2020. The video below has more.
Mona Lisa: Beyond the Glass at The Louvre I HTC VIVE ARTS
Source: Musée du Louvre
Virtual RealityVRArtHTCVirtual RealityExhibition
Paul Ridden
While Paul is loath to reveal his age, he will admit to cutting his IT teeth on a TRS-80 (although he won't say which version). An obsessive fascination with computer technology blossomed from hobby into career before hopping over to France for 10 years, where he started work for New Atlas in 2009. Now back in his native Blighty, he serves as Managing Editor in Europe.
Review: Oculus Quest 2 is an even better portal into alternate worlds
Holotron presents a lower-body VR exoskeleton with full force feedback
Cybershoes could solve the problem of walking around in VR
US Army working on AR glasses for military dogs


The Journey Begins – Cancer picked the wrong diva!
On August 7, 2018 By Ree M.
Thanks for joining me! I am a 26 year old Classical Hodgkin's Lymphoma unfavorable type IIA survivor and my goal is to share my journey in order to help anyone and everyone out there.
Eventually all pieces fall into place. Until then, laugh at the confusion, live for the moment and know that everything happens for a reason!


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Free shipping to Singapore for orders above SGD65.
Small change,
huge impact
MOIcu+ was born out of our love for our family and the community.
Our quest for a solution to prevent bacterial and virus infections started when one of our co-founders, Z, witnessed the potential devastation caused by such infections. Z's father was hospitalised due to a very bad case of bacterial infection. After the first hospitalisation, Z's father was subsequently admitted thrice more due to infections caused by the MRSA superbug and cellulitis, both of which are commonly acquired in the hospital environment. These infections were so bad that Z's father nearly had to amputate his left foot.
When V, another co-founder who is a sports fanatic, shared about her problems with fungal infections on her feet that resulted from her long hours in covered shoes, the duo and the team decided to do something about infection prevention.
Realising that bacterial infections can have disastrous and even fatal consequences, we started to focus on finding solutions to prevent infections. We believe that the prevention of infections can begin when we make simple changes to our daily activities - these little efforts could go a long way in eradicating the bacteria and viruses that might otherwise wreak havoc on our lives.
After much research, we finally found a technology - infusing metal ions into fabrics – that can help to kill bacteria and viruses. Just as we were planning to use metal ion-infused fabric in daily and sports-related items, Covid-19 hit the world suddenly. We diverted our resources to produce copper ion-infused masks. Our story was featured on Singapore Newspaper 新明日报 on 27 June 2020 (see below, an extract from Singapore ShinMin Daily)
Small change, huge impact
Our copper-ion infused masks are SOLD OUT. Thank you for your support.
We will continue to produce high quality antimicrobial products that allow us, our friends and families, and you to be safer, healthier and happier.
With lots of love,
Z+V and MOIcu+ team
Moicu is where we make simple changes for a huge impact. We want to make magic to your daily activities.
We make products with the philosophy that "once you've tried it, you won't settle for less".
© 2023, Moicu+ Innovations


When it comes with collaborating with coworkers, what's your preferred method of communication? Does that align with what your company has approved? Voice and text have their fair share of benefits and drawbacks, depending on the situation, your industry and your location.
BlackBerry has long been a leader in secure communication – think BBM Enterprise (formerly known as BBM Protected), or our just-released SecuSUITE for Enterprise solution – and has extended its proven security strategy to Android (and the full range of apps in the Google Play store) with its new PRIV smartphone. PRIV embeds security deep into the hardware, extending Voxer's protection in a wide range of ways.


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redpajama_set_name: RedPajamaGithub


Locating the ideal commercial location can be a complicated and time consuming endeavor. Each business has a unique set of requirements, and your realtor should understand that.
Christy's experience as a CCIM and Accredited Land Consultant will help find the right property to fit your business needs.


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Joe Rogan blasts Anthony Fauci for public mistrust in science, says people are expected to believe him when he's '100 percent wrong'Joe Rogan blasts Anthony Fauci for public mistrust in science, says people are expected to believe him when he's '100 percent wrong'
Joe Rogan slammed Dr. Anthony Fauci on a recent episode of his hugely popular podcast, blaming the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the public's mistrust in science and vaccine skepticism.Joe Rogan slammed Dr. Anthony Fauci on a recent episode of his hugely popular podcast, blaming the director of the National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases for the public's mistrust in science and vaccine skepticism.Rogan discussed the current conditions surrounding the COVID-19 pandemic with Lex Fridman, an "AI researcher working on autonomous vehicles, human-robot interaction, and machine learning at MIT."
"There's not enough authentic, strong leadership," Fridman stated. "We have somebody like Fauci, who basically nobody really trusts any more, as being the chief communicator of how we proceed forward. That's a huge problem."
Rogan noted, "You don't just have the fact that the people don't trust him, but you have the mainstream media ignoring all the things he's done to lead the people not to trust him."
Rogan stressed Fauci's shifting guidance on face masks, in which he initially said, "There's no reason to be walking around with a mask" in the spring of 2020. In January 2020, Fauci said, "The driver of outbreaks is always a symptomatic person." However, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association in January 2021 suggests that asymptomatic infections account for more than half of all COVID-19 cases. Fauci also walked back the possibility of a lab-leak theory.
Rogan and Fridman claimed that Fauci wasn't transparent about gain-of-function research at the Wuhan Institute, which helped intensify the lab-leak theory. Rogan highlighted that Fauci's agency provided grants for bat coronavirus research to EcoHealth Alliance.
Fridman told the audience not to let "shady, greedy a**holes at the very top that are communicating science as part of our government be somehow connected to the essence of science."
"There's also a problem with people like him where they make these statements that you're led to believe they have an understanding of the situation ... but then it turns out they're 100% wrong. But then they come up with a new statement and you're supposed to believe that," Rogan said. "When they don't know, they never say 'We don't know.' They don't say, 'This is very confusing and we're trying to figure it out as we go along.'"
Rogan mocked the chutzpah of Fauci, who serves as President Joe Biden's chief medical adviser, by citing a quote that the notable immunologist said in June.
"A lot of what you're seeing as attacks on me, quite frankly, are attacks on science, because all of the things that I have spoken about, consistently from the very beginning, have been fundamentally based on science," Fauci told NBC News host Chuck Todd.
Fridman believes that top health administrators let "power get to them," and "ego is the thing that destroys all awesome things."
Fridman said that he believes in the efficacy of the coronavirus vaccines, which decreases the risk of death from COVID-19.
"I think it's a wise choice to take the vaccine if you're at all concerned about ending up in the hospital," Fridman said.
During "The Joe Rogan Experience" podcast, the comedian acknowledged that his parents got vaccinated.
Rogan explained that he hoped that there would be a "push for health, there'd be a push for people to change their diet, start a rigorous exercise routine."
A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention revealed that 78% of people hospitalized for COVID-19 were overweight.
Rogan pointed out that "people don't trust pharmaceutical companies and haven't for a long time." Rogan and Fridman noted that the pharmaceutical companies are making enormous profits from the COVID-19 vaccines, which could mean that the "incentives are not well aligned."
Fridman argued that the United States should fully reopen and allow unvaccinated Americans to accept the risks of their decisions. Fridman also said that he is against any kind of vaccine passport.
"I don't trust the government enough to allow any kind of control of your ability to travel and your whereabouts," Rogan said of vaccine passports.
Earlier this month, Rogan railed against vaccine passports, warning they take America "one step closer" to a dictatorship. Rogan's comments drew the ire of the outrage mob, who attempted to cancel the massively successful podcast host.