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amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
I choose my friends not by their skin or other archetype, but by the pupil.
They have to have questioning shine and unsettled tone.
I'm not interested in the good spirits or the ones with bad habits.
I'll stick with the ones that are made of me being crazy and blessed.
From them, I don't want an answer, I want to be reviewed.
I want them to bring me doubts and fears and to tolerate the worst of me.
But that only being crazy.
I want saints, so they daunt doubt differences and ask for forgiveness for injustices.
I choose my friends for their clean face and their soul exposed.
I don't just want a man or a skirt, I also want his greatest happiness.
A friend that doesn't laugh together doesn't know how to cry together.
All my friends are like that, half foolish, half serious.
I don't want foreseen laughter or cries full of pity.
I want serious friends, those that make reality their fountain of knowledge, but that fight to keep fantasy alive.
I don't want adult or boring friends.
I want half kids and half elderly.
Kids, so they don't forget the value of the wind blowing on their faces and elderly people so they're never in a hurry.
I have friends to know who I am.
Then seeing them as clowns and serious, crazy and saints, young and old, I will never forget that 'normalcy' is a sterile and imbecile illusion.
Member of audience questioning NDP leadership candidate Nathan Cullen during Q&A in Toronto - NDP Leadership Candidates© Linda Dawn Hammond / IndyFoto.com 2012. The Centre for Social Innovation Annex 720 Bathurst Street, Toronto, Ontario M5S 1Z5 Jan. 26, 2012.
Nathan Cullen Leadership Campaign
Le français suivra ci-dessous
Fellow New Democrat --
We all joined this party to get more done. Whatever issue moves us, we didn’t join the NDP for any other reason than to change something.
That’s why I ran for our party. It’s why I am running for leader. And why I am in favour of really doing politics differently: doing what it takes to replace Stephen Harper’s majority with a progressive one.
For 50 years, we’ve asked Canadians to see politics differently. Now we must ask ourselves to do the same. Not for the sake of co-operation. But because Mr. Harper is attacking the values we hold most dear—something on which every leadership candidate agrees.
Yet, I am alone in suggesting we be open to co-operating with other parties, in Conservative-held seats. It is controversial. I would like to explain why I believe it is right.
After eight months of a Harper majority, we can’t afford eight years. His majority represents a clear and present danger. We need to find it in ourselves to rise to this challenge—soon.
In my own riding in British Columbia, the Harper government calls opponents of the Northern Gateway pipeline “radicals” and “enemies of the state”.
We’re not. We’re part of Canada’s progressive majority and, like you, we deserve a progressive government.
Our challenge as a party is how we rise to this threat.
I believe that a new breed of conservative requires new progressive thinking, which embraces the precious gift of Quebec’s new openness to progressive federalism.
I am a proud New Democrat. I’ve served in Parliament longer than any other candidate.
I am proud, too, of our party’s history of working with others. We did so not because we were bad New Democrats, but because we had an opportunity to get something done.
Jack Layton put getting something done first in 2005 when he wrote a better budget. Before him, Tommy Douglas and David Lewis worked co-operatively to deliver universal health care, public pensions and affordable housing.
These Canadian values are under attack.
They are also shared by people who have voted for other parties. For this reason, I’ve proposed that in Conservative-held seats, we let ridings hold run-off nominations …so the NDP, Liberals and Greens can face-off and decide which party runs against the Conservative.
Some people call this defeatist.
I say replacing Mr. Harper with NDP Cabinet ministers is the best thing we can do for our country, and our party.
Our response to Mr. Harper cannot be politics as usual. We’re New Democrats because we don’t want politics as usual.
I hear the concerns of people who have doubts.
We are all proud of our historic breakthrough. May 2 opened up an incredible opportunity for all of us—and a responsibility to use it well.
We are now the Official Opposition. We are no longer in third or fourth place. The tactical fights of yesterday are not the strategic fights of tomorrow.
Today’s third-place party, with one third of our seats, should not be our focus. Defeating Stephen Harper should.
Because there is a progressive majority in Canada that deserves better, and which wants us to rise to the challenge and make change happen.
If you want to help replace Mr. Harper’s majority with a progressive majority government, led by a New Democrat Prime Minister, I need your help.
Cher néo-démocrate,
Nous avons tous adhéré à ce parti car nous voulions que plus se fasse. Peu importe l'enjeu qui nous motive, nous nous sommes joints au NPD pour changer quelque chose.
C'est pour cette raison que je me suis présenté comme député, puis comme candidat à la chefferie. C'est aussi pour ça que je suis réellement pour une politique différente : faire ce qu'il faut pour remplacer la majorité de Stephen Harper par une majorité progressiste.
À la dernière élection, nous avons demandé aux Québécois de travailler avec nous pour pouvoir faire davantage. Les Québécois ont répondu positivement à l'appel et ça a mené à une percée historique.
Maintenant, je demande à tous les néo-démocrates d'être aussi ouverts à la coopération. Dans chaque province et territoire, le gouvernement conservateur est une menace aux choses qui nous sont chères.
Tous les candidats à la chefferie s'entendent à ce sujet.
Toutefois, je suis le seul à suggérer une plus grande ouverture à la coopération avec les autres partis, cela dans les circonscriptions conservatrices. Cette proposition est controversée. Je voudrais vous expliquer pourquoi je crois qu'elle est bonne.
Après huit mois de majorité conservatrice, il est clair que nous ne pouvons nous permettre huit ans. Cette majorité est un danger, clair et présent. Nous devons trouver la force de faire face à cette menace — rapidement.
Dans ma circonscription en Colombie-Britannique, le gouvernement traite les opposants au projet de pipeline Northern Gateway de « radicaux » et « d'ennemis de l'État ».
Pourtant, nous ne le sommes pas. Nous faisons partie de la majorité progressiste canadienne et, comme vous, nous méritons un gouvernement qui nous représente.
Notre défi en tant que parti est de trouver comment faire face à ce péril.
Je crois qu'une nouvelle génération de conservatisme nécessite une nouvelle pensée progressiste, qui tient compte du précieux cadeau qu'est la nouvelle ouverture québécoise au fédéralisme progressiste.
Je suis un fier néo-démocrate. Je siège au Parlement depuis plus longtemps que tous les autres candidats.
Aussi, je suis fier de l'habitude qu'a notre parti de travailler avec les autres. Nous l'avons fait, pas parce que nous étions de mauvais néo-démocrates, mais bien parce que nous avions l'opportunité de faire avancer les choses.
Jack Layton avait mis cette volonté à l'avant-plan en 2005 quand il a établi un meilleur budget. Avant lui, Tommy Douglas et David Lewis avaient travaillé en coopération pour livrer le régime universel d'assurance-maladie, le système public de pensions et des logements abordables.
Maintenant, ces valeurs canadiennes sont attaquées.
Elles sont aussi partagées par des gens qui ont voté pour d'autres partis. Pour cette raison, j'ai proposé que dans les circonscriptions conservatrices, nous laissions les comtés organiser des primaires. Ainsi, le NPD, les libéraux et les verts peuvent s'affronter et décider quel parti se présentera contre les conservateurs.
Certains voient ça comme du défaitisme.
Je crois que remplacer l’équipe de M. Harper par des ministres du NPD est la meilleure chose que nous pouvons faire pour notre pays, et notre parti.
Notre réponse à M. Harper ne peut être de la politique « comme d'habitude ». Nous sommes des néo-démocrates car nous ne voulons pas de politique « comme d'habitude ».
J'entends les préoccupations des gens qui doutent.
Nous sommes tous fiers de notre percée historique. Le 2 mai, on nous a offert une opportunité incroyable, mais aussi la responsabilité de bien l'utiliser.
Nous formons maintenant l'opposition officielle. Nous ne sommes plus en troisième ou quatrième place. Les combats tactiques d'hier ne sont pas les combats stratégiques de demain.
Le parti qui est en troisième place aujourd'hui, avec le tiers de nos sièges, ne devrait pas attirer notre attention. Démettre Stephen Harper devrait le faire.
Il y a une majorité progressiste au Canada qui mérite mieux et qui souhaite nous voir affronter le défi et changer les choses.
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
Here's a couple of pieces that probably had some people, more specifically my wife, questioning my sanity. In my defense, it was cheap and I was in Winnipeg, so I needed a little something extra to keep me powering through the week.
Nendoroid Anna and Elsa from Frozen.
Now, I'm not as big of a Disney Nerd, as it were, as I used to be. I've always enjoyed their designs (though IMHO Aladdin beats them all), and I did enjoy the once or twice I saw Frozen. The story was cute, and the designs were quite nice. Didn't quite get into Carpool Karaoke mode that many others did when the song came on the radio, and with my children being quite young, I didn't have to endure tone dea.... I mean.. charming, renditions of the songs by my daughters.
Whist in Winnipeg, a local seller had these up for $25 a pop, albeit with slight damage to the Olaf that came with Anna. Figured it was a good opportunity to get them both at once, so one rainy morning before work I met up with the seller and got the deal one.
On a side note, the Medicom Anna and Elsa are OUTSTANDING, and I would love to get my hands on those without having to pay black market organ prices.
If you haven't watched Frozen.. somehow.. then you're probably still somewhat familiar with the characters. Anna is the plucky younger sister of the Royal family, while Elsa is quite literally an Ice Queen, and lives a life like Bruce Wayne from Act One of The Dark Knight Rises.
As I've probably said before, the Nendoroid "style" lends itself to certain characters. At worst, you get a chibi version of a normal proportioned character, like with those Cosbaby release that Hot Toys puts out, but sometimes that Nendoroid magic just makes this release of the character that much more magical.
In this case, it leans more towards the magical side, though not as magically delicious as, say Kirby. The simplifed art style and cute proportions do make animated characters like Anna and Elsa somewhat more appealing that normal, but I feel that, especially in the case of Elsa, there significant loss of detailing on the outfits is to the detriment of the overall character itself.
Again, your standard Nendoroid rules regarding articulation, QC, included accessory types and so on apply here. Of the two, I'd have to give the slight advantage to Elsa with her raised eyebrow expression and much cooler ice based accessories.
Olaf.. well, he's kind of there. Nice addition, but ultimately doesn't really add a whole lot to the set IMHO because if you bought one, you probably bought both to display together.
GSC included a set of arms that allows you to link the two figures together in that pose I keep picturing Paris Hilton and Nicole Richie in.
This also brings me to the weakest part of the set, as it were.. that horrible snowflake base that Elsa comes with. It's honestly like a take out container lid with a snowflake moulded in.
Obviously while not an essential part of the Nendoroid experience (I don't think I actually own any of those, to be honest), a good solid set of figures that you shouldn't hesitate on if you find them for a good price.
Martinez, CA
Resolution No. 2014/185
In the matter of:
Declaring June 2014, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Pride Month in ContraCosta County
Whereas, the month of June was chosen for LGBTQQ Pride Month to commemorate a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay and lesbian community against unjust police raids that took place in New York City at the end of June 1969, known as the Stonewall Riots; and
Whereas, the Rainbow Flag, also known as “the freedom flag,” was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a Bay Area artist, to symbolize the diversity, solidarity, healing, harmony, inclusion, and struggle of the LGBTQQ
community; and
Whereas, the flying of the Rainbow Flag is encouraged to show support of the LGBTQQ Community; and
Whereas, more same-sex families are identifying themselves to the US Census now than ever before, placing Contra Costa County 15th in the state’s 58 counties with the most same-sex couples per capita,
according to the 2010 Census; and
Whereas, committed LGBTQQ couples do not have the same rights and benefits that their straight, married friends and allies are legally guaranteed; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County Health Services started the Pride Initiative in 2009 to create greater inclusion and sensitivity to LGBTQQ patients, clients, and staff; and
Whereas, research shows youth who are perceived to be LGBTQQ are at greater risk of being targeted, harassed, and bullied in school, and experience risk of suicide at a rate that is 2 to 3 time higher than their
straight peers; and
Whereas, in the late 1980's, when AIDS was almost exclusively a disease of gay men, Contra Costa passed an AIDS Anti -Discrimination Ordinance banning discrimination in the workplace and housing for people
with AIDS. Introduced as a public health measure to encourage high-risk individuals to get tested, the ordinance carried the underlying message of broader tolerance; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County has played an important role in the LGBTQQ community’s struggle for fair and equal rights including the 1978 Milk-Briggs (Harvey Milk and John Briggs) debate on Proposition 6 at Walnut Creek’s Northgate High School, which, if passed, would have made it mandatory for California school districts to fire gay teachers and any employees who supported gay rights; and
Whereas, transgender and gender nonconforming youth now have the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in schools across the state, with support from California Assembly Bill 1266; and
Whereas, in Contra Costa County, LGBTQQ community residents, employees, businesses, and organizations have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions and add to the rich diversity
of this County; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County’s LGBTQQ service partners include the Rainbow Community Center, RYSE Center, Center for Human Development, Gender Spectrum, El Cerrito High School James Morehouse Project, Danville / San Ramon Valley Chapter of PFLAG Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Gay-Straight Alliances, and
Whereas, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors supports and promotes inclusion, non-discrimination, and equality among all County residents;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County declares the month of June 2014 as LGBTQQ Pride Month and encourages a safe and accepting environment for all members of the community.
Info from their website:
"The QUILTBAG is a 2SLGBTQ+ retail shop carrying queer & trans wares in Edmonton, Alberta and online. Queer & Metis owned.
"QUILTBAG" is a fun-to-say variation of the LGBTQ2S+ acronym. It stands for queer, questioning, unlabelled, intersex, lesbian, trans, two-spirit, bisexual, asexual, gay, genderqueer, and more.
The shop carries an always changing assortment of custom and curated accessories like pins, pronoun buttons, patches, stickers; art by local artists; homeware; gifts; and trans gear including chest binders and compression underwear."
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
We drive at 160kmph.
The street is empty.
“I got an idea… stop here,” she screams, overpowering Passionpit’s high-pitched vocalist.
I park the car, looking at her questioningly.
“Let’s feed homeless people”
HUH?
“See that store?”
YUP… very Hopper-esque, I must say.
“Wanna play Robin Hood tonight?”
I laugh so hard, my stomach hurt.
“Hey, I’m serious. I dare you 10 minutes to wrap it up. If you win you pick the next game”
I laugh again, suddenly I stop. “Make it 5.” It’s not me answering her, it’s my competitive self.
“Or… how about..” she smiles cheekily, “By the time this song finished… you’re back here.”
Ok, here we go again…
“DEAL… But play it from the beginning.”
We shake hand, I open the door.
My heart is pounding so hard, adrenaline rush kicks in.
“NO CHEATING,” I said.
“WAIT,” she grabs something from her bag, throwing it at me.
A rabbit mask and a brown bag
“You’ve been planning this huh? NOT HAPPY!”
“Tick tock tick tock,” she mocks, pushing the play button.
I wink at her, put on the mask, walk fast…
The door open. Bright lights inside.
TING TUNG.
“Welcome to 7eleven, how may I help you?”
Quick survey.
Girl behind the counter, three drunk teens at the corner, skinny guy near hotdog machine, and the same song but in original version.
My lucky day.
I push a bottle of hand sanitizer inside my jacket and pointing it forward.
“Calm down… This is a robbery!” I must win this game, please please be a good girl.
I throw the brown bag at her, she opens the cash register, fills it with money, forget the detail, everything in fast forward, pauses when she throws back the brown bag.
I said, “Thank you” and smile.
Heart pounding.
“Tonight.. Tonight…” echoes in my head. This is it, this is it…
The car rushes to get me, and the next moment I’m inside.
She’s laughing so hard.
It’s 3.13AM
This rabbit mask smells like hell.
”By the way… You LOSE”
Missing Link is making a video of all of the tattoos created during their 'Missing Ink' week.
(They brought out a top tattoo artist from Cape Town, and invited their staff, clients, and friends to come and have tatts done.)
They asked for a coupla shots of the finished, healed tatt for use in the vid.
So I asked Jennifer to take a few shots this morning after I emerged from the bath.
She used my Nokia E71 loan phone, the one Virgin Mobile have lent me as a courtesy until the N96 comes out here in SA.
She took a whole bunch of them, but I've selected two to pop onto Flickr.
Some fool was questioning me when I said it was a 6-speed. Just because nearly all Mercs in the US are useless automatics doesn't mean all Mercs around the world are.
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
Il meteo sembra voler peggiorare, ci si interroga sul da farsi.
The weather seems to make matters worse, there is wondering what to do.
Dazzled by the hyperreality of digital journalism we may find ourselves questioning the possibility of truth among contradictory narratives and sensations. British MP Jo Cox’s death in June 2016 has represented such a scenario most archetypally with an extraordinary display of media bias provided by the so-called left and right, from national newspapers to independent media. In this work, the artists aim to create a user-experience of robotic journalism. Audiences can map out and generate news using artificial intelligence and data mined from a range of UK media online by using a mixer interface. The result will be displayed in an installation composed of data visualization, a ticker and research material.
credit: Supergraph
Our son, Michael Cloud Shaughnessy has a heart of gold, a sensitive nature, an active and questioning mind and the will power to stick to a problem until he not only solves it but is able to explain it to a "lay person" like me. He will make a great teacher someday. He already is a fine teacher -- to his family and friends, and to the students in his classes.
We named him Mickey. I suppose someday after he earns his PhD we'll have to call him Dr. Mickey. :-D
As a youngster, Mickey used to write short stories and long fantasy tales. He drew comics, played sports like B-ball and soccer. He was artistic and musical as well as academically focused. He chose to focus on physics after graduating in engineering from Cornell. Of course I'm biased since I'm his mom, but I think he brings an incredible breadth and creativity to his studies of physics at UC Davis.
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An iconoclast who tried to transform the industry. How will history judge him?
February 19, 2018 @ 12:01 am
Larry P. Vellequette
"We hadn't seen anything like you. You took $2 billion, roughly, and you've turned it into around $72 billion, and more important than that, there are many hundreds of thousands of families across many nations that are better off because of you and your team."
Adam Jonas, Morgan Stanley, to Sergio Marchionne during an FCA call with analysts in January
Brilliant, arrogant, temperamental, mercurial, opportunistic, talented, captivating, infuriating, stubborn — all apply to Fiat Chrysler Automobiles CEO Sergio Marchionne.
But one thing about Marchionne, a former tax accountant and philosophy student, stands out after nearly 15 years running the Fiat holding company and now FCA: The guy knows how to make money.
Few people in automotive history have as impressive a legacy of wealth creation as the 65-year-old Marchionne: Henry Ford, Billy Durant, Karl Benz and Kiichiro Toyoda among them. But those titans were like the industry's farmers — cultivating businesses from scratch and nurturing them into today's automaking giants.
Marchionne, in contrast, has been the fireman — running into the ruins of once-great companies, putting out the flames and rebuilding something better than before.
History will determine which was harder, a judgment that will begin in about a year, when Marchionne hands over the keys to his as-yet-unnamed successor.
Like Lee Iaccoca and men whose names are still inscribed on today's vehicles, Marchionne will leave an outsized void when he retires next year.
Yet it wasn't very long ago that few in the U.S. auto industry even knew of Marchionne.
Sergio Marchionne in 2004, the year he became CEO of Fiat
"In 2004, when you were first introduced to the auto industry, a lot of people were thinking, 'Who the hell is this guy?' Right? I was one of them, frankly," Morgan Stanley analyst Adam Jonas told Marchionne during FCA's Jan. 25 quarterly call with analysts. "We hadn't seen anything like you. You took $2 billion, roughly, and you've turned it into around $72 billion, and more important than that, there are many hundreds of thousands of families across many nations that are better off because of you and your team."
In May 2014, as Marchionne launched a five-year business plan for the combined Fiat and Chrysler, Automotive News graded his first five years atop the formerly bankrupt Chrysler. Marchionne received a composite grade of B+, and he objected, albeit tongue-in-cheek, that the grade was too low during a press conference after the daylong rollout of the 2014-18 business plan.
FCA plans to reveal its 2018-22 business plan June 1 in Balocco, Italy, outside Fiat's historic home in Turin. The site and date have a nostalgic double meaning: Marchionne became CEO of Fiat on June 1, 2004, and Balocco was where he laid out his first five-year business plan for the company. Marchionne said last month that the 2018-22 plan would be carried out by his successor, whose identity would be revealed by the FCA board sometime after the presentation.
So how best to judge the 65-year-old Marchionne's nearly 15 years as CEO of Fiat? Is it by the wealth he's created for shareholders, as Jonas did? Or by the results Marchionne continues to produce from what has grown into FCA, Ferrari and CNH Industrial, whose combined value Bloomberg estimated at about $80 billion?
Either way, the numbers don't properly tell the why and the how of an iconoclast who may not have fundamentally transformed the auto industry as he wanted to, but at least saved a good piece of it. Marchionne declined a request for an interview for this article, so perhaps the best way to judge is to look closely at what he got right and what he got wrong, with the help of his own words.
After all, as Marchionne told graduates of the University of Toledo in May 2011: "People who see only themselves are destined to remain trapped alone within the fragile two-dimensional image of a looking glass. What a person has done during his life should not be measured by what he has achieved for himself, but rather by what he has left behind for others."
Let's start with Marchionne's bargain of the century: acquiring control of bankrupt Chrysler in 2009 for pennies on the dollar. Nearly a decade on, it's easy to forget that Marchionne agreed to take over Chrysler after virtually everyone else said no, largely because he recognized the global potential of Jeep. Jeep and Ram were the "crown jewels" of Chrysler, Marchionne said, and they needed to be shared with the rest of the world. Under different financial circumstances, that might have happened quicker. But because of Fiat and Chrysler's hobbled finances, it required time.
"What I found was ... a company that had been run by a foreign entity for a long period of time, that had taken all of its wares on the way out. In 2006-2007, it had been flipped over to financially competent — but industrially incompetent — private equity investors who had run it for a period of time and then run into a brick wall in a crisis. What we ended up looking at [when Fiat arrived] was empty cupboards in terms of technology and product. And so we started from scratch." — Marchionne at Brookings Institution, May 2014
Within months of taking control of Chrysler, Marchionne met with its dealers in Las Vegas. There, he made the first of what he called "a promise for a promise" — namely, that the automaker would commit to invest in and improve its products if dealers would agree to invest in their stores and improve their business practices with the public. Marchionne has since renewed this promise and did invest in FCA's lineup, especially early on. But the pace of product renewal has steadily slowed. The Dodge Journey, Chrysler 300 and Dodge Charger, among other vehicles, still ride on platforms from the DaimlerChrysler era. Promised luxury SUVs, the Jeep Wagoneer and Grand Wagoneer, have been delayed. The Dodge Grand Caravan, long scheduled to die, was re-engineered and placed back into extended sales service in 2017 because no affordable substitute had been developed to protect the value of the Chrysler Pacifica.
"The problem with us is that we like hanging onto old cars, like the Journey, you know, a successful car. Investing in the next architecture of the Journey is costly — coming up with another car that sells today." — unpublished portion of Marchionne interview with Automotive News, August 2015
Marchionne at the New York Stock Exchange after FCA's trading debut on Wall Street in October 2014. He has found a winning formula in stripping off undervalued assets and monetizing them for shareholders.
If you held shares of what was then a distressed Fiat holding company on June 1, 2004, and held onto them, your returns would have lapped the broader market several times. Marchionne found a winning formula in stripping off undervalued assets from the Italian industrial conglomerate and monetizing them for shareholders, doing so with what is now CNH Industrial ($20.25 billion) and Ferrari ($22.34 billion). Shareholders enjoyed the fruits of those actions, as they are likely to if the FCA board, as expected this month, spins off parts maker Magneti Marelli.
"One of the things that came along with being poor, which is the way we started life back in 2004 and again in 2009, is one of the things that you learn is how to do with less. And that's something that ... I have not forgotten, and I think there is nobody on the leadership team that has forgotten what it felt like at the time." — Marchionne on a quarterly conference call with analysts, January
In any cyclical industry such as automotive, the best-run companies take advantage of the good times to weather the bad. FCA hasn't reported a quarterly loss since the third quarter of 2015, but it remains the only major automaker with more debt than cash on hand. The red on FCA's balance sheet was an immediate turnoff to General Motors executives, who rebuffed Marchionne's overtures in 2015 for a potential blockbuster merger with a curt and dismissive response: "Why should we bail out FCA?" Since then, FCA has made strides in paying down its debt. The approximately $3 billion in remaining net debt reported at the end of 2017 was roughly a third of the total in mid-2015, before the spinoff of Ferrari. Marchionne said paying down debt was a priority and pledged to have the net debt wiped out by June 1.
"We're now looking like we're joining the rest of the automotive ranks. We were the only leveraged automaker in the world. We're no longer leveraged. We're now fighting with equal arms." — Marchionne, January
Marchionne gets an emotional hug from a UAW local president in Tipton, Ind., during a 2014 plant dedication.
In 2009, Marchionne inherited a mess. Daimler and later Cerberus Capital had largely failed to invest in necessary product improvements or modernize the company's industrial footprint. Morale among employees who had survived constant cost-cutting, including several rounds of layoffs, and then the bankruptcy could not have been lower. Marchionne offered the automaker's disheartened employees a path back to potential health — one that demanded long hours, hard work, humility and sacrifice. The employees accepted the challenge. They set to work fixing many of the things that had gone so wrong with Chrysler and its products — improving quality, overhauling 16 vehicles in 19 months, banning rat-gray interiors and fixing manufacturing plants. Their level of commitment and dedication to restore the company to some semblance of health continually surprised Marchionne.
"That spot [the 'Born of Fire' 2011 Super Bowl commercial] is homage to the culture of action and to our industrial roots. It speaks about hard work and results achieved through resilience and tireless efforts, about people that are not resigned to their destiny but redesign the future for themselves, day after day. It is not simply a commercial. It is the embodiment of our spirit. It portrays our company and its aspirations. It shows our passion for cars and our desire to create the best. It embodies the values upon which the American dream was built. In the end, it expresses the vision that we are making come to pass." — Marchionne when the company repaid the Chrysler government loans, May 2011
After nursing the company back to health, Marchionne saw an opportunity to return Fiat to the U.S. But rather than adding the Italian brand to Chrysler showrooms, where the additional models would have broadened the automaker's lineup at minimal expense, Marchionne sold dealers on the need to keep Fiat separate. He mandated separate European-style "studios," some of which cost dealers up to $3 million, that added overhead and botched the minicar's reintroduction to the United States.
"It was a poorly executed plan. I take full blame. I was the biggest sinner because I said [Fiat's] too small and it will just get squashed by the elephant. Everything got carved out — special treatment, special yers, special advertising agency, special this, special that, special birthday cake — and at the end of the day, it didn't need to be special." — Marchionne, January 2012
Dropping production of the Chrysler 200 helped free up capital and plant capacity that allowed FCA to expand its highly profitable Jeep and Ram lineups.
One adjective that clearly doesn't describe Marchionne is "tentative." Two years ago, industry analysts thought he was crazy to abandon the compact and midsize car segments in the U.S. to go all-in on SUV and pickup production. The risky move put FCA's lineup in a better position for where consumer tastes were heading, but it also arguably left the automaker vulnerable to another spike in fuel prices, as happened in 2008. Marchionne brushed aside the concern that history might repeat itself at the pump, reasoning that fracking had fundamentally stabilized the global oil markets for the foreseeable future. Jettisoning the Dodge Dart and Chrysler 200 freed up working capital and manufacturing capacity that allowed expansion of the highly profitable Jeep and Ram lineups, which are projected to drive record financial returns for FCA this year.
"There has been, in our view, a permanent shift towards [utility vehicles] and pickup trucks, and we have seen, certainly in terms of our ability to meet market demand, some severe restriction in terms of the dexterity of our manufacturing system to accomplish that end. And so, one of the things that we have decided to do is to effectively defocus from a manufacturing standpoint in the U.S. [on] the passenger car market." — Marchionne, January 2016
In 2011, Volkswagen Group scion Ferdinand Piech wanted Alfa Romeo in the worst way. At the time, the Fiat holding company had made years of promises about restoring the Italian brand to its former glory but hadn't spent much on the project and had little to show as a result.
Piech and Volkswagen would have paid top dollar for Alfa Romeo. Instead, Marchionne publicly feuded with Piech and then-VW CEO Martin Winterkorn, even offering an extra $1,000 discount for VW owners who switched to an FCA vehicle. Marchionne refused to sell, choosing instead to sink $6 billion in cash from his highly leveraged automaker into a wildly optimistic resurrection plan in 2014. When the resulting vehicles finally launched, they were late and had quality problems. Alfa Romeo has yet to turn a profit.
"As long as I am CEO of Chrysler and Fiat, Mr. Piech will never have Alfa Romeo." — Marchionne, February 2011
Marchionne has no shortage of people who will disagree with him, but most colleagues, competitors and acquaintances respect his intellect. He is unapologetically emotional — as in 2014, when he choked up reading aloud from a scholarship application from the daughter of an FCA line worker in Detroit. He is also unabashed about questioning the foundations of the auto industry and capitalism itself. His 2015 analysis of the auto industry's wasteful spending habits, "Confessions of a Capital Junkie," was roundly applauded by analysts for its thoroughness and drew quiet praise from competitors, even if they didn't act on it.
Marchionne also has been warning for years that growing income disparity is a threat to capitalism that must be addressed, even as he takes home millions in pay and bonuses each year.
"We all need to understand that there can never be rational markets, growth and economic well-being if a large part of our society has nothing to bargain with other than their own lives. ... Sometimes I wonder whether we have stiffened our mental models even in the face of clear market threats because we feel comfortable in our relative well-being and uncomfortable in dealing close up with the have-nots." — Marchionne to investors, May 2014
Marchionne greets then-President Barack Obama in 2011 at FCA?s plant in Toledo, Ohio.
Marchionne is famous for speaking his mind, sometimes to his detriment.
There was the time, in 2011, when he complained about the government charging FCA on its bailout loans, before apologizing the next day. He called the former Jeep Commander "unfit for human consumption" while some of them remained on dealers' lots.
When the EPA, in the waning days of the Obama administration, alleged that FCA had undeclared emissions software on its EcoDiesel Ram 1500s and Jeep Grand Cherokees, Marchionne angrily protested, His vociferous denials likely factored into delayed certification of the 2017 Ram 1500 EcoDiesel and difficulty winning approval for other vehicles with that engine.
There was also an incident at the 2012 Paris auto show, in which Marchionne appeared to challenge VW's Winterkorn to a fight. The two men never came to blows, at least in public.
"If Volkswagen, through its chief executive, thinks that it needs to do something, tell them to show up tomorrow morning at 7 o'clock at our stand." — Marchionne, September 2012
Marchionne embraces UAW President Dennis Williams before 2015 contract negotiations between FCA and the union.
American Motors, Renault and Chrysler talked about it. Daimler Chrysler was supposed to try, but it botched the attempt and bagged the effort. And Cerberus? It was too busy selling art off the walls to make payroll.
But Fiat and Marchionne have accomplished what those other companies could not: taking Jeep global. Not only have the SUV brand's sales more than doubled under Fiat, but Jeeps are now built and sold in South America, Europe and Asia, unlocking the potential value of one of the world's most recognized automotive brands.
"[Jeep], to me, is the biggest insurance policy I have, because that brand, that was the best part of Chrysler by a long, long stretch. ... I think we had a lot of safety in saying we can afford to screw up elsewhere because Jeep will just carry the load." — unpublished portion of Marchionne interview, August 2015
In 2015, Marchionne talked as if a tie-up with GM, Volkswagen or some other company was unavoidable. But when nobody else went along with the idea, he was forced to fix up his own house, recasting his lineup into SUVs and pickups in a bid to improve the balance sheet, and the grandiose talk of inevitable mergers faded away.
"The numbers here are so large that the logic of the deal is irrefutable. If I stand up and I tell you ... that you can make X billion more by being together, I guarantee you that I can carry half the market if I say it." — unpublished portion of Marchionne interview, August 2015
The problem is that our students are "well-trained not to think", is their a way to reprogram or retrain them to Think? I asked. Dr. Ann Snow believes it's quite possible; however, it takes time and needs patience, she added. We, attendees of Ann's session, couldn't agree more!
Dr. Ann Snow is one of the series consultants for Q: Skills for Success. To learn more about Ann, please go to www.calstatela.edu/faculty/asnow/
Here is a quote that I like very much: "Creation is a difficult task but not impossible".
Love & Peace!
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
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“Sometimes the questions are more valuable than the answers.”
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- Constructive critiques welcome and appreciated.
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Bhaskar continues questioning Bommi. Bommi tries to open Libro, but Libro doesn't open. When Libro doesn't open, Bommi sits down with confusion. Bhaskar and Kalpana decide to use Uncle's services to find the parents of Bommi. At the end, Uncle challenges Pintu that he'll find Bommi's parents.
Bommi and Friends Live action series is about Bommi's adventure in the real world. Bommi and Friends comes to Pintu's home. Where the adventure begins with Pintu and his Family and Friends. Pintu and make everything possible in their adventure with Bommi and Friends.
Oliver Cann, Head of Media Content, World Economic Forum speaking during the Session "Questioning Our Human Future" at the Annual Meeting 2018 of the World Economic Forum in Davos, January 24, 2018.
Copyright by World Economic Forum / Boris Baldinger
Where The Journey Begins
© 2026 Kurosawa Michiyo
Stonehenge has a long, partly mythical history associated with solstice celebrations, and many experts still do not fully explain how or why it was built. Among these gatherings, the summer solstice remains one of the most well-known celebrations at the site.
Testimony
This journey begins with exploration and evangelism.
In 2012, before social media widely helped share cultural and heritage practices, some individuals criticised the summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge as being “just for hippies” and “weirdos.” They described it as inappropriate, particularly due to accounts of people running around in the nude, followed by arrests carried out by on-site police. My response to those who discouraged travellers from visiting Stonehenge during the summer solstice was, ‘I do not believe being or not being a hippy justifies not exploring and travelling to different sites.’ I remember friends telling me they were concerned that being labelled a “hippie” would create a negative impression and discourage people from stepping outside rigid social expectations.
I believe our current generation started to practice the notion of internationalism, questioning traditional and stereotypical ideas that exclude, isolate, or filter out other perspectives out of fear of the labelling effect, criticism, stepping beyond discomfort, being or thinking differently and challenging the fixation of “outside the box” about what the cultural and social norms interpret in our lives.
There were only a couple of hundred people who visited the sites. They brought a subcultural instrument to appreciate nature. These individuals were open-minded and showed a warm welcome to their beliefs, contradicting the criticism of them being weird and not following the robotic social patterns of ordinariness. I witnessed individuals painting their bodies with glowing paints on their nude bodies and circulating the site before the police had to remove them. There was space to walk around to explore the stones and stand on the stone as one wished to see the sunrise between people. It was a small festival that the ‘ordinary’ would not want to attend.
One would choose to stay in the restricted zone area of the site away from the stone till it was opened for the ticketed visit surrounding the site only. I was able to assist the volunteers and staff to clean up the trash after the festival alongside the visitors. The entire visit was beautiful and peaceful.
Returning to Stonehenge for the second time in 2026, I witnessed the positive effect of social media that brought Stonehenge to different audiences and broke down stereotypes, which encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to explore the beauty of historical sites and heritage practices across the world. At Stonehenge, the summer solstice celebration connects with a wide range of spiritual traditions. People dress in diverse ways, and some bring instruments to play subcultural music. The event also attracts individuals from different backgrounds and spiritual beliefs, united—at least in part—by their wonder at the meaning of what Stonehenge represents to the ancestors who built it. There were so many people at the site, completely packed, competing for a spot just to witness the beauty of a summery sunrise.
There was intensified security after years of disorder/ criminal damage, as well as the dramatically incrase of visitors, forcing the escalation of enforcement of security and safety. We were also forced to leave the sites by guards without the opportunity to stay longer than usual to assist in cleaning up the site.
Before becoming a follower of Jesus Christ in 2018, I also sought positivity through various spiritual practices. I felt that something essential was missing within me, and I tried practices intended to “cleanse” negativity—such as incense, white sage, and palo santo. Many who use these rituals believe in confronting darkness and evil with a positive intention: to bring light, joy, and peace. They view these practices as distinct from harmful “cursing,” or efforts to bring misfortune upon others.
I was part of that search. I continued to look for ways to remove negativity and rebuke darkness. I used tarot cards, and I believed certain symbols indicated demonic influences—something I believed could not be used safely without inviting spiritual danger. I was still questioning God as I explored these ideas more deeply. I sought out angel cards to better understand Heaven and what angels might mean, and I practised with white sage incense and crystals. I remember feeling a warmth associated with those angel cards, and it led me to ask: if angels are real, then the Creator behind them must also be real.
So I ordered an English Standard Version Holy Bible from Amazon. When it arrived, I opened it to a random page—and I felt an immediate warmth at the centre of my heart. My fear, worries, and anxiety lifted at once. I had not fully understood what the Bible said in detail, but what I “knew in my heart” was that this book felt real, powerful, and unmistakably different from anything else I had tried. Even opening it seemed to rebuke darkness instantly, without me needing to study a single passage.
That same night, I dreamed a completely white dream. I saw a crowd of people—so bright that I could only make out the shapes of their bodies. They stood around another human-shaped figure, also intensely bright, with only the outline of His form visible. He was preaching to the crowd. Then, suddenly, his very bright face turned to his right, and although I couldn’t see clearly, I knew he was looking at me. When I woke, I understood that I had seen God, and had been describing them, ‘the very bright people’. I did not yet know anything about who Jesus Christ was, but I knew I had seen heaven. I did not know anything about the book called the Holy Bible, but I knew to my heart that as long as this book is with me, I was safe and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. I relied on the book and brought it everywhere with me agaisnt darkness.
Later, I compared the methods I had used to “rebuke negativity.” In my personal experience, white sage might remove negative energy while it burns, but the negativity returns once the incense stops. Palo santo seemed to restore spiritual abundance temporarily. I never fully understood the purpose of crystals, but I appreciated their beauty and connected them with nature and creation. The cards are too limited, with only a few explanations when Jesus Christ shows me both the past, the present, and future events altogether beyond a few cards, but of all-knowing at the scope of the world and beyond. Compared to the Holy Bible, these methods did not bring the same lasting sense of peace, freedom, love and the complete shield from darkness and deceptions. With Jesus and the Holy Bible, the rebuke of all darkness and restoration of the fruit of the Spirit is completed. He is the only way for a complete and eternal abundance compared to the temporary methods.
I threw away the cards and stored the incense to embrace the Holy Bible and Jesus Christ daily. I can pray to a God who orders and moves His angel servants. Why do I need to understand His servants when human beings hold more authority in Jesus’ name than His servants do? The most powerful personal experience of walking with Jesus is witnessing every dark force run and flee instantly, without hesitation, under the authority of Jesus Christ, and even seeing the control of weather movement in His name for His children to enjoy His creation in this world. I would use the remaining incense and the wood to lighten up the indoor smell without the necessity to rely on them for negative energy removal.
The name of Jesus Christ is my white sage and palo santo—yet smoke-free; my nature and crystals, my oracle cards, my recorder of past events and revealer of what is to come; the most powerful rebuker of dark forces; my Love, Nurturer, Friend, Listener, Father, Teacher, Carer, Shelter, Protector, Provider, Advsier, and the Everything of everything. Why would I need anything else when I have Jesus Christ?
What I found most striking was this: keeping the Bible open felt like it calmed fear and restored my heart. When I did eventually read and pray, I felt God was forming a protective shield or a solid dorm—shielding against darkness and negativity—especially when I prayed for spiritual and environmental protection. Over time, I came to believe that the Holy Bible is more powerful than any other ritual tool for confronting fear and darkness. And I came to understand that the name of Jesus Christ carries a unique authority for us—bringing love, peace, and abundance in a way that far exceeds the power of spiritual rituals such as white sage and palo santo.
My ego blocked me for a while from reading and understanding God’s words through personal interpretation. Yet God continued to show me visions, even when I did not know the Scriptures. About three years after I bought the Bible, I prayed to Him for wisdom to prevent deception. Then I was finally able to read and understand Scriptures. I learned that ‘the very bright people’ I had seen in my dream the night I bought the Bible are called “lampstands” in the Bible—and that the people of God themselves are the light source.
Revelation 22:5 “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The Bible did not expand my understanding of who Jesus Christ is in my life, but the confirmation of His existence, which I had already been revealed about Heaven and the Creator through visions and miracles before the Holy Bible, a guide for the spiritually blind, mute, and the deaf. I regard the Bible as a daily guide, helping me stay grounded and ensuring I am not lost. I already believed in my heart that the Creator and His Love are real, without needing the Bible to “prove” it in the first place. Hence, I have a firm foundation to know the Bible is real and He is the truth without lies, not through the written words, but His revealing of Himself that matches everything the scriptures say about God in the Holy Bible that I learned later.
The purpose of the Holy Bible is to convey to us the necessity of receiving Jesus Christ for salvation and describe a bit about what He does and His power to His little children, whom we are all ignorant about His existence, blinded by every distraction from the fallen. He did not need a small written book to prove His magnificent existence. He can simply show up to prove how powerful He is, with the power that is enough to turn the whole world upside down, if He wants to. In fact, He did not need us at all. He revealed Himself and gave us the Holy Bible because He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we would not fall into the same fate He destined for Satan and all the fallen angels, so that we would continue to walk according to how He chose to create us in the first place. We can be so insignificant in His creation, but because He is a Loving God and a merciful God, He sends His Son and continues to interfere with human life just to rescue all of us from falling astray. Hence, the Bible is a little teaching book aiming to rescue all of us and free us from slavery rather than the boast of who He is, or the Holy Bible is too understated and undermines our Creator, but the Holy Bible to His existence is merely a cute and small booklet to guide His little ones.
Psalm 38: 13-15 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
Matthew 18:12, “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”
Our Creator created this world with different elements and us to hope that we will appreciate and enjoy the world that He admires and adores. Hence, it is important to enjoy every part of this world that God created for us to enjoy, including the warmth of the sun. Nonetheless, the deceivers produce endless distractions for many to overlook the most essential longing of all: love. The purpose of gathering at Stonehenge was to seek positivity and love. They were seeking love and attempting to find it through many different avenues. If anyone ever challenged me for being “hypocritical”, as a Christian standing alongside people who practise different spiritual traditions, I understand why that question may arise. However, I was (and I remain) a seeker in the same way they are. Jesus accepted me as I was, so I see no reason not to offer joy, welcome, and acceptance to others who are pursuing the same kind of search.
They are brothers and sisters in Christ through my eyes. I do not want to exclude, isolate, or discriminate against them. If some describe these practices as “hippy” traditions to burn sage or palo santo with oracle cards, wouldn’t the “most hippy element " be having the most powerful Holy Bible to witness the rebuke of darkness instantly? I believe Jesus calls people toward the light, not toward separation.
Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
I have also heard accounts at the Stonehenge gathering that some misrepresented Christianity in the historical contexts to oppress many, together with their cultural practices, rather than to set them free from slavery. These stories deeply saddened me. I believe the message of the Bible is to free His people from every form of slavery. It grieves me when people exploit Christianity, distort Jesus, or twist the purpose of love to justify bondage. I believe my duty as a follower of Jesus Christ is to understand others, stand alongside them, and spread the Good News of the name of Jesus Christ, not to impose beliefs or control people’s hearts, but to invite people toward love. Ultimately, it is Jesus’s perosnal and intimate relationship with them that brings genuine transformation.
In addition, I urge the public not to be misled and deceived by forces of darkness that exploit the language of inclusion and diversity to embrace extremism and enact oppression and slavery. There is a singular type of ideology that one cannot find in the photographs and the videographs of the Stonehenge festival, which has been publicly calling for inclusion while refusing to voluntorily participate in the diverse festivals with others, but to demand acceptance from all to centralise themselves. This active inconsistency can reveal a deeper exploitation, but mock other groups of faiths while using our past to launch personal attacks agaisnt us and our faiths, as well as grasp obvious kindness and Love for one another for weaponisation to uplift extreme ideology. For instance, in 2025, that particular spiritual extremist who worships satan but did not attend the Stonehenge festival looked at me with disgust to claim I used oracle cards ( over a decade ago). satan is the accuser who refuses to forgive, but keeps us captive in our past to shame our faith in Christ through all forms of deception they themselves added in this world to enslave us before putting us all astray.
Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
Martinez, CA
Resolution No. 2014/185
In the matter of:
Declaring June 2014, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Pride Month in ContraCosta County
Whereas, the month of June was chosen for LGBTQQ Pride Month to commemorate a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay and lesbian community against unjust police raids that took place in New York City at the end of June 1969, known as the Stonewall Riots; and
Whereas, the Rainbow Flag, also known as “the freedom flag,” was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a Bay Area artist, to symbolize the diversity, solidarity, healing, harmony, inclusion, and struggle of the LGBTQQ
community; and
Whereas, the flying of the Rainbow Flag is encouraged to show support of the LGBTQQ Community; and
Whereas, more same-sex families are identifying themselves to the US Census now than ever before, placing Contra Costa County 15th in the state’s 58 counties with the most same-sex couples per capita,
according to the 2010 Census; and
Whereas, committed LGBTQQ couples do not have the same rights and benefits that their straight, married friends and allies are legally guaranteed; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County Health Services started the Pride Initiative in 2009 to create greater inclusion and sensitivity to LGBTQQ patients, clients, and staff; and
Whereas, research shows youth who are perceived to be LGBTQQ are at greater risk of being targeted, harassed, and bullied in school, and experience risk of suicide at a rate that is 2 to 3 time higher than their
straight peers; and
Whereas, in the late 1980's, when AIDS was almost exclusively a disease of gay men, Contra Costa passed an AIDS Anti -Discrimination Ordinance banning discrimination in the workplace and housing for people
with AIDS. Introduced as a public health measure to encourage high-risk individuals to get tested, the ordinance carried the underlying message of broader tolerance; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County has played an important role in the LGBTQQ community’s struggle for fair and equal rights including the 1978 Milk-Briggs (Harvey Milk and John Briggs) debate on Proposition 6 at Walnut Creek’s Northgate High School, which, if passed, would have made it mandatory for California school districts to fire gay teachers and any employees who supported gay rights; and
Whereas, transgender and gender nonconforming youth now have the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in schools across the state, with support from California Assembly Bill 1266; and
Whereas, in Contra Costa County, LGBTQQ community residents, employees, businesses, and organizations have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions and add to the rich diversity
of this County; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County’s LGBTQQ service partners include the Rainbow Community Center, RYSE Center, Center for Human Development, Gender Spectrum, El Cerrito High School James Morehouse Project, Danville / San Ramon Valley Chapter of PFLAG Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Gay-Straight Alliances, and
Whereas, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors supports and promotes inclusion, non-discrimination, and equality among all County residents;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County declares the month of June 2014 as LGBTQQ Pride Month and encourages a safe and accepting environment for all members of the community.
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
A question mark can be one of the most powerful things in life. It means we have a choice, that we’re thirsty for knowledge, the we crave for change, that we’re not afraid to take risks. Knowledge is power. Power is questioning. /// thanks to @magalitaroucaphoto (C) Joel Santos - www.joelsantos.net
Martinez, CA
Resolution No. 2014/185
In the matter of:
Declaring June 2014, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, Queer and Questioning (LGBTQQ) Pride Month in ContraCosta County
Whereas, the month of June was chosen for LGBTQQ Pride Month to commemorate a series of spontaneous demonstrations by members of the gay and lesbian community against unjust police raids that took place in New York City at the end of June 1969, known as the Stonewall Riots; and
Whereas, the Rainbow Flag, also known as “the freedom flag,” was created in 1978 by Gilbert Baker, a Bay Area artist, to symbolize the diversity, solidarity, healing, harmony, inclusion, and struggle of the LGBTQQ
community; and
Whereas, the flying of the Rainbow Flag is encouraged to show support of the LGBTQQ Community; and
Whereas, more same-sex families are identifying themselves to the US Census now than ever before, placing Contra Costa County 15th in the state’s 58 counties with the most same-sex couples per capita,
according to the 2010 Census; and
Whereas, committed LGBTQQ couples do not have the same rights and benefits that their straight, married friends and allies are legally guaranteed; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County Health Services started the Pride Initiative in 2009 to create greater inclusion and sensitivity to LGBTQQ patients, clients, and staff; and
Whereas, research shows youth who are perceived to be LGBTQQ are at greater risk of being targeted, harassed, and bullied in school, and experience risk of suicide at a rate that is 2 to 3 time higher than their
straight peers; and
Whereas, in the late 1980's, when AIDS was almost exclusively a disease of gay men, Contra Costa passed an AIDS Anti -Discrimination Ordinance banning discrimination in the workplace and housing for people
with AIDS. Introduced as a public health measure to encourage high-risk individuals to get tested, the ordinance carried the underlying message of broader tolerance; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County has played an important role in the LGBTQQ community’s struggle for fair and equal rights including the 1978 Milk-Briggs (Harvey Milk and John Briggs) debate on Proposition 6 at Walnut Creek’s Northgate High School, which, if passed, would have made it mandatory for California school districts to fire gay teachers and any employees who supported gay rights; and
Whereas, transgender and gender nonconforming youth now have the opportunity to fully participate and succeed in schools across the state, with support from California Assembly Bill 1266; and
Whereas, in Contra Costa County, LGBTQQ community residents, employees, businesses, and organizations have made, and continue to make, great and lasting contributions and add to the rich diversity
of this County; and
Whereas, Contra Costa County’s LGBTQQ service partners include the Rainbow Community Center, RYSE Center, Center for Human Development, Gender Spectrum, El Cerrito High School James Morehouse Project, Danville / San Ramon Valley Chapter of PFLAG Parents Families and Friends of Lesbians and Gays, Gay-Straight Alliances, and
Whereas, the Contra Costa County Board of Supervisors supports and promotes inclusion, non-discrimination, and equality among all County residents;
NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the Board of Supervisors of Contra Costa County declares the month of June 2014 as LGBTQQ Pride Month and encourages a safe and accepting environment for all members of the community.
I've been questioning my decision to use the Mega Gem Monzo sculpt as Blay lately. I keep wondering if I should switch and move this guy into the SID guy realm and buy another doll to use as Blay, so I decided to take a few pics of them together to try and help me decide. For those Brotherhood fans out there, what do you think?
*Update...........Definitely going to reshell Blay.........Monzo is now "Blake"
The Heroes by Ronald McKie 1960.
Operation Jaywick - Story of the ‘Krait’: In 1943 and 1944 two of the most daring sea raids were made on Japanese-held Singapore by small parties of men operating from Australia. The men of ‘Z’ force launched Operation Jaywick, using a disguised fishing boat the ‘Krait’ which sailed from Brisbane- (c7000 km journey). This was a brilliant success, taking out four Japanese ships in Singapore harbour. Operation Rimau soon followed (this was a failure), and ten more missions followed.
Ronald McKie (1909-1991) served in the A.I.F. and was a WW2 correspondent. This book, signed by the author and dedicated to Ted Carre, Lieut. RANVR and a member of Operation Jaywick.
Published by Angus and Robinson, Sydney. 285pp, 14 cm x 22 cm.
See: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Z_Special_Unit and www.diggerhistory.info/pages-battles/ww2/z_force.htm
amazing, altruistic, bombastic, brave, curious, calculating, conniving, creative, celebration, determined, energetic,enthusiastic, expressive, endearing, fashion conscious, fun-loving, futuristic, gesticulating, hardworking, happy, honest, harrowing, Innocent, innovative, inventive, inquisitive, jovial, Karishmatic, laughing, linguists, musical, nature lovers, naughty, nimble-footed, omnipresent, outgoing, quiet, quick, questioning, risk taking, social, spirited, spontaneous, tireless, tantrum, ubiquitous, vibrant, vulnerable, vivacious, wonderment, ......
They make the world a wonderful and worthwhile place to live in. We are responsible to leave a better place for the generations to come...
Where The Journey Begins
© 2026 Kurosawa Michiyo
Stonehenge has a long, partly mythical history associated with solstice celebrations, and many experts still do not fully explain how or why it was built. Among these gatherings, the summer solstice remains one of the most well-known celebrations at the site.
Testimony
This journey begins with exploration and evangelism.
In 2012, before social media widely helped share cultural and heritage practices, some individuals criticised the summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge as being “just for hippies” and “weirdos.” They described it as inappropriate, particularly due to accounts of people running around in the nude, followed by arrests carried out by on-site police. My response to those who discouraged travellers from visiting Stonehenge during the summer solstice was, ‘I do not believe being or not being a hippy justifies not exploring and travelling to different sites.’ I remember friends telling me they were concerned that being labelled a “hippie” would create a negative impression and discourage people from stepping outside rigid social expectations.
I believe our current generation started to practice the notion of internationalism, questioning traditional and stereotypical ideas that exclude, isolate, or filter out other perspectives out of fear of the labelling effect, criticism, stepping beyond discomfort, being or thinking differently and challenging the fixation of “outside the box” about what the cultural and social norms interpret in our lives.
There were only a couple of hundred people who visited the sites. They brought a subcultural instrument to appreciate nature. These individuals were open-minded and showed a warm welcome to their beliefs, contradicting the criticism of them being weird and not following the robotic social patterns of ordinariness. I witnessed individuals painting their bodies with glowing paints on their nude bodies and circulating the site before the police had to remove them. There was space to walk around to explore the stones and stand on the stone as one wished to see the sunrise between people. It was a small festival that the ‘ordinary’ would not want to attend.
One would choose to stay in the restricted zone area of the site away from the stone till it was opened for the ticketed visit surrounding the site only. I was able to assist the volunteers and staff to clean up the trash after the festival alongside the visitors. The entire visit was beautiful and peaceful.
Returning to Stonehenge for the second time in 2026, I witnessed the positive effect of social media that brought Stonehenge to different audiences and broke down stereotypes, which encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to explore the beauty of historical sites and heritage practices across the world. At Stonehenge, the summer solstice celebration connects with a wide range of spiritual traditions. People dress in diverse ways, and some bring instruments to play subcultural music. The event also attracts individuals from different backgrounds and spiritual beliefs, united—at least in part—by their wonder at the meaning of what Stonehenge represents to the ancestors who built it. There were so many people at the site, completely packed, competing for a spot just to witness the beauty of a summery sunrise.
There was intensified security after years of disorder/ criminal damage, as well as the dramatically incrase of visitors, forcing the escalation of enforcement of security and safety. We were also forced to leave the sites by guards without the opportunity to stay longer than usual to assist in cleaning up the site.
Before becoming a follower of Jesus Christ in 2018, I also sought positivity through various spiritual practices. I felt that something essential was missing within me, and I tried practices intended to “cleanse” negativity—such as incense, white sage, and palo santo. Many who use these rituals believe in confronting darkness and evil with a positive intention: to bring light, joy, and peace. They view these practices as distinct from harmful “cursing,” or efforts to bring misfortune upon others.
I was part of that search. I continued to look for ways to remove negativity and rebuke darkness. I used tarot cards, and I believed certain symbols indicated demonic influences—something I believed could not be used safely without inviting spiritual danger. I was still questioning God as I explored these ideas more deeply. I sought out angel cards to better understand Heaven and what angels might mean, and I practised with white sage incense and crystals. I remember feeling a warmth associated with those angel cards, and it led me to ask: if angels are real, then the Creator behind them must also be real.
So I ordered an English Standard Version Holy Bible from Amazon. When it arrived, I opened it to a random page—and I felt an immediate warmth at the centre of my heart. My fear, worries, and anxiety lifted at once. I had not fully understood what the Bible said in detail, but what I “knew in my heart” was that this book felt real, powerful, and unmistakably different from anything else I had tried. Even opening it seemed to rebuke darkness instantly, without me needing to study a single passage.
That same night, I dreamed a completely white dream. I saw a crowd of people—so bright that I could only make out the shapes of their bodies. They stood around another human-shaped figure, also intensely bright, with only the outline of His form visible. He was preaching to the crowd. Then, suddenly, his very bright face turned to his right, and although I couldn’t see clearly, I knew he was looking at me. When I woke, I understood that I had seen God, and had been describing them, ‘the very bright people’. I did not yet know anything about who Jesus Christ was, but I knew I had seen heaven. I did not know anything about the book called the Holy Bible, but I knew to my heart that as long as this book is with me, I was safe and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. I relied on the book and brought it everywhere with me agaisnt darkness.
Later, I compared the methods I had used to “rebuke negativity.” In my personal experience, white sage might remove negative energy while it burns, but the negativity returns once the incense stops. Palo santo seemed to restore spiritual abundance temporarily. I never fully understood the purpose of crystals, but I appreciated their beauty and connected them with nature and creation. The cards are too limited, with only a few explanations when Jesus Christ shows me both the past, the present, and future events altogether beyond a few cards, but of all-knowing at the scope of the world and beyond. Compared to the Holy Bible, these methods did not bring the same lasting sense of peace, freedom, love and the complete shield from darkness and deceptions. With Jesus and the Holy Bible, the rebuke of all darkness and restoration of the fruit of the Spirit is completed. He is the only way for a complete and eternal abundance compared to the temporary methods.
I threw away the cards and stored the incense to embrace the Holy Bible and Jesus Christ daily. I can pray to a God who orders and moves His angel servants. Why do I need to understand His servants when human beings hold more authority in Jesus’ name than His servants do? The most powerful personal experience of walking with Jesus is witnessing every dark force run and flee instantly, without hesitation, under the authority of Jesus Christ, and even seeing the control of weather movement in His name for His children to enjoy His creation in this world. I would use the remaining incense and the wood to lighten up the indoor smell without the necessity to rely on them for negative energy removal.
The name of Jesus Christ is my white sage and palo santo—yet smoke-free; my nature and crystals, my oracle cards, my recorder of past events and revealer of what is to come; the most powerful rebuker of dark forces; my Love, Nurturer, Friend, Listener, Father, Teacher, Carer, Shelter, Protector, Provider, Advsier, and the Everything of everything. Why would I need anything else when I have Jesus Christ?
What I found most striking was this: keeping the Bible open felt like it calmed fear and restored my heart. When I did eventually read and pray, I felt God was forming a protective shield or a solid dorm—shielding against darkness and negativity—especially when I prayed for spiritual and environmental protection. Over time, I came to believe that the Holy Bible is more powerful than any other ritual tool for confronting fear and darkness. And I came to understand that the name of Jesus Christ carries a unique authority for us—bringing love, peace, and abundance in a way that far exceeds the power of spiritual rituals such as white sage and palo santo.
My ego blocked me for a while from reading and understanding God’s words through personal interpretation. Yet God continued to show me visions, even when I did not know the Scriptures. About three years after I bought the Bible, I prayed to Him for wisdom to prevent deception. Then I was finally able to read and understand Scriptures. I learned that ‘the very bright people’ I had seen in my dream the night I bought the Bible are called “lampstands” in the Bible—and that the people of God themselves are the light source.
Revelation 22:5 “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The Bible did not expand my understanding of who Jesus Christ is in my life, but the confirmation of His existence, which I had already been revealed about Heaven and the Creator through visions and miracles before the Holy Bible, a guide for the spiritually blind, mute, and the deaf. I regard the Bible as a daily guide, helping me stay grounded and ensuring I am not lost. I already believed in my heart that the Creator and His Love are real, without needing the Bible to “prove” it in the first place. Hence, I have a firm foundation to know the Bible is real and He is the truth without lies, not through the written words, but His revealing of Himself that matches everything the scriptures say about God in the Holy Bible that I learned later.
The purpose of the Holy Bible is to convey to us the necessity of receiving Jesus Christ for salvation and describe a bit about what He does and His power to His little children, whom we are all ignorant about His existence, blinded by every distraction from the fallen. He did not need a small written book to prove His magnificent existence. He can simply show up to prove how powerful He is, with the power that is enough to turn the whole world upside down, if He wants to. In fact, He did not need us at all. He revealed Himself and gave us the Holy Bible because He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we would not fall into the same fate He destined for Satan and all the fallen angels, so that we would continue to walk according to how He chose to create us in the first place. We can be so insignificant in His creation, but because He is a Loving God and a merciful God, He sends His Son and continues to interfere with human life just to rescue all of us from falling astray. Hence, the Bible is a little teaching book aiming to rescue all of us and free us from slavery rather than the boast of who He is, or the Holy Bible is too understated and undermines our Creator, but the Holy Bible to His existence is merely a cute and small booklet to guide His little ones.
Psalm 38: 13-15 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
Matthew 18:12, “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”
Our Creator created this world with different elements and us to hope that we will appreciate and enjoy the world that He admires and adores. Hence, it is important to enjoy every part of this world that God created for us to enjoy, including the warmth of the sun. Nonetheless, the deceivers produce endless distractions for many to overlook the most essential longing of all: love. The purpose of gathering at Stonehenge was to seek positivity and love. They were seeking love and attempting to find it through many different avenues. If anyone ever challenged me for being “hypocritical”, as a Christian standing alongside people who practise different spiritual traditions, I understand why that question may arise. However, I was (and I remain) a seeker in the same way they are. Jesus accepted me as I was, so I see no reason not to offer joy, welcome, and acceptance to others who are pursuing the same kind of search.
They are brothers and sisters in Christ through my eyes. I do not want to exclude, isolate, or discriminate against them. If some describe these practices as “hippy” traditions to burn sage or palo santo with oracle cards, wouldn’t the “most hippy element " be having the most powerful Holy Bible to witness the rebuke of darkness instantly? I believe Jesus calls people toward the light, not toward separation.
Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
I have also heard accounts at the Stonehenge gathering that some misrepresented Christianity in the historical contexts to oppress many, together with their cultural practices, rather than to set them free from slavery. These stories deeply saddened me. I believe the message of the Bible is to free His people from every form of slavery. It grieves me when people exploit Christianity, distort Jesus, or twist the purpose of love to justify bondage. I believe my duty as a follower of Jesus Christ is to understand others, stand alongside them, and spread the Good News of the name of Jesus Christ, not to impose beliefs or control people’s hearts, but to invite people toward love. Ultimately, it is Jesus’s perosnal and intimate relationship with them that brings genuine transformation.
In addition, I urge the public not to be misled and deceived by forces of darkness that exploit the language of inclusion and diversity to embrace extremism and enact oppression and slavery. There is a singular type of ideology that one cannot find in the photographs and the videographs of the Stonehenge festival, which has been publicly calling for inclusion while refusing to voluntorily participate in the diverse festivals with others, but to demand acceptance from all to centralise themselves. This active inconsistency can reveal a deeper exploitation, but mock other groups of faiths while using our past to launch personal attacks agaisnt us and our faiths, as well as grasp obvious kindness and Love for one another for weaponisation to uplift extreme ideology. For instance, in 2025, that particular spiritual extremist who worships satan but did not attend the Stonehenge festival looked at me with disgust to claim I used oracle cards ( over a decade ago). satan is the accuser who refuses to forgive, but keeps us captive in our past to shame our faith in Christ through all forms of deception they themselves added in this world to enslave us before putting us all astray.
Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
Where The Journey Begins
© 2026 Kurosawa Michiyo
Stonehenge has a long, partly mythical history associated with solstice celebrations, and many experts still do not fully explain how or why it was built. Among these gatherings, the summer solstice remains one of the most well-known celebrations at the site.
Testimony
This journey begins with exploration and evangelism.
In 2012, before social media widely helped share cultural and heritage practices, some individuals criticised the summer solstice celebration at Stonehenge as being “just for hippies” and “weirdos.” They described it as inappropriate, particularly due to accounts of people running around in the nude, followed by arrests carried out by on-site police. My response to those who discouraged travellers from visiting Stonehenge during the summer solstice was, ‘I do not believe being or not being a hippy justifies not exploring and travelling to different sites.’ I remember friends telling me they were concerned that being labelled a “hippie” would create a negative impression and discourage people from stepping outside rigid social expectations.
I believe our current generation started to practice the notion of internationalism, questioning traditional and stereotypical ideas that exclude, isolate, or filter out other perspectives out of fear of the labelling effect, criticism, stepping beyond discomfort, being or thinking differently and challenging the fixation of “outside the box” about what the cultural and social norms interpret in our lives.
There were only a couple of hundred people who visited the sites. They brought a subcultural instrument to appreciate nature. These individuals were open-minded and showed a warm welcome to their beliefs, contradicting the criticism of them being weird and not following the robotic social patterns of ordinariness. I witnessed individuals painting their bodies with glowing paints on their nude bodies and circulating the site before the police had to remove them. There was space to walk around to explore the stones and stand on the stone as one wished to see the sunrise between people. It was a small festival that the ‘ordinary’ would not want to attend.
One would choose to stay in the restricted zone area of the site away from the stone till it was opened for the ticketed visit surrounding the site only. I was able to assist the volunteers and staff to clean up the trash after the festival alongside the visitors. The entire visit was beautiful and peaceful.
Returning to Stonehenge for the second time in 2026, I witnessed the positive effect of social media that brought Stonehenge to different audiences and broke down stereotypes, which encouraged people from diverse backgrounds to explore the beauty of historical sites and heritage practices across the world. At Stonehenge, the summer solstice celebration connects with a wide range of spiritual traditions. People dress in diverse ways, and some bring instruments to play subcultural music. The event also attracts individuals from different backgrounds and spiritual beliefs, united—at least in part—by their wonder at the meaning of what Stonehenge represents to the ancestors who built it. There were so many people at the site, completely packed, competing for a spot just to witness the beauty of a summery sunrise.
There was intensified security after years of disorder/ criminal damage, as well as the dramatically incrase of visitors, forcing the escalation of enforcement of security and safety. We were also forced to leave the sites by guards without the opportunity to stay longer than usual to assist in cleaning up the site.
Before becoming a follower of Jesus Christ in 2018, I also sought positivity through various spiritual practices. I felt that something essential was missing within me, and I tried practices intended to “cleanse” negativity—such as incense, white sage, and palo santo. Many who use these rituals believe in confronting darkness and evil with a positive intention: to bring light, joy, and peace. They view these practices as distinct from harmful “cursing,” or efforts to bring misfortune upon others.
I was part of that search. I continued to look for ways to remove negativity and rebuke darkness. I used tarot cards, and I believed certain symbols indicated demonic influences—something I believed could not be used safely without inviting spiritual danger. I was still questioning God as I explored these ideas more deeply. I sought out angel cards to better understand Heaven and what angels might mean, and I practised with white sage incense and crystals. I remember feeling a warmth associated with those angel cards, and it led me to ask: if angels are real, then the Creator behind them must also be real.
So I ordered an English Standard Version Holy Bible from Amazon. When it arrived, I opened it to a random page—and I felt an immediate warmth at the centre of my heart. My fear, worries, and anxiety lifted at once. I had not fully understood what the Bible said in detail, but what I “knew in my heart” was that this book felt real, powerful, and unmistakably different from anything else I had tried. Even opening it seemed to rebuke darkness instantly, without me needing to study a single passage.
That same night, I dreamed a completely white dream. I saw a crowd of people—so bright that I could only make out the shapes of their bodies. They stood around another human-shaped figure, also intensely bright, with only the outline of His form visible. He was preaching to the crowd. Then, suddenly, his very bright face turned to his right, and although I couldn’t see clearly, I knew he was looking at me. When I woke, I understood that I had seen God, and had been describing them, ‘the very bright people’. I did not yet know anything about who Jesus Christ was, but I knew I had seen heaven. I did not know anything about the book called the Holy Bible, but I knew to my heart that as long as this book is with me, I was safe and I wouldn’t have to worry about anything anymore. I relied on the book and brought it everywhere with me agaisnt darkness.
Later, I compared the methods I had used to “rebuke negativity.” In my personal experience, white sage might remove negative energy while it burns, but the negativity returns once the incense stops. Palo santo seemed to restore spiritual abundance temporarily. I never fully understood the purpose of crystals, but I appreciated their beauty and connected them with nature and creation. The cards are too limited, with only a few explanations when Jesus Christ shows me both the past, the present, and future events altogether beyond a few cards, but of all-knowing at the scope of the world and beyond. Compared to the Holy Bible, these methods did not bring the same lasting sense of peace, freedom, love and the complete shield from darkness and deceptions. With Jesus and the Holy Bible, the rebuke of all darkness and restoration of the fruit of the Spirit is completed. He is the only way for a complete and eternal abundance compared to the temporary methods.
I threw away the cards and stored the incense to embrace the Holy Bible and Jesus Christ daily. I can pray to a God who orders and moves His angel servants. Why do I need to understand His servants when human beings hold more authority in Jesus’ name than His servants do? The most powerful personal experience of walking with Jesus is witnessing every dark force run and flee instantly, without hesitation, under the authority of Jesus Christ, and even seeing the control of weather movement in His name for His children to enjoy His creation in this world. I would use the remaining incense and the wood to lighten up the indoor smell without the necessity to rely on them for negative energy removal.
The name of Jesus Christ is my white sage and palo santo—yet smoke-free; my nature and crystals, my oracle cards, my recorder of past events and revealer of what is to come; the most powerful rebuker of dark forces; my Love, Nurturer, Friend, Listener, Father, Teacher, Carer, Shelter, Protector, Provider, Advsier, and the Everything of everything. Why would I need anything else when I have Jesus Christ?
What I found most striking was this: keeping the Bible open felt like it calmed fear and restored my heart. When I did eventually read and pray, I felt God was forming a protective shield or a solid dorm—shielding against darkness and negativity—especially when I prayed for spiritual and environmental protection. Over time, I came to believe that the Holy Bible is more powerful than any other ritual tool for confronting fear and darkness. And I came to understand that the name of Jesus Christ carries a unique authority for us—bringing love, peace, and abundance in a way that far exceeds the power of spiritual rituals such as white sage and palo santo.
My ego blocked me for a while from reading and understanding God’s words through personal interpretation. Yet God continued to show me visions, even when I did not know the Scriptures. About three years after I bought the Bible, I prayed to Him for wisdom to prevent deception. Then I was finally able to read and understand Scriptures. I learned that ‘the very bright people’ I had seen in my dream the night I bought the Bible are called “lampstands” in the Bible—and that the people of God themselves are the light source.
Revelation 22:5 “There will be no more night. They will not need the light of a lamp or the light of the sun, for the Lord God will give them light. And they will reign for ever and ever.”
Matthew 7:7–8 “Ask and it will be given to you; seek and you will find; knock and the door will be opened to you. For everyone who asks receives; the one who seeks finds; and to the one who knocks, the door will be opened.”
The Bible did not expand my understanding of who Jesus Christ is in my life, but the confirmation of His existence, which I had already been revealed about Heaven and the Creator through visions and miracles before the Holy Bible, a guide for the spiritually blind, mute, and the deaf. I regard the Bible as a daily guide, helping me stay grounded and ensuring I am not lost. I already believed in my heart that the Creator and His Love are real, without needing the Bible to “prove” it in the first place. Hence, I have a firm foundation to know the Bible is real and He is the truth without lies, not through the written words, but His revealing of Himself that matches everything the scriptures say about God in the Holy Bible that I learned later.
The purpose of the Holy Bible is to convey to us the necessity of receiving Jesus Christ for salvation and describe a bit about what He does and His power to His little children, whom we are all ignorant about His existence, blinded by every distraction from the fallen. He did not need a small written book to prove His magnificent existence. He can simply show up to prove how powerful He is, with the power that is enough to turn the whole world upside down, if He wants to. In fact, He did not need us at all. He revealed Himself and gave us the Holy Bible because He gave His Son, Jesus Christ, so that we would not fall into the same fate He destined for Satan and all the fallen angels, so that we would continue to walk according to how He chose to create us in the first place. We can be so insignificant in His creation, but because He is a Loving God and a merciful God, He sends His Son and continues to interfere with human life just to rescue all of us from falling astray. Hence, the Bible is a little teaching book aiming to rescue all of us and free us from slavery rather than the boast of who He is, or the Holy Bible is too understated and undermines our Creator, but the Holy Bible to His existence is merely a cute and small booklet to guide His little ones.
Psalm 38: 13-15 I am like the deaf, who cannot hear, like the mute, who cannot speak; I have become like one who does not hear, whose mouth can offer no reply. Lord, I wait for you; you will answer, Lord my God.
Matthew 18:12, “What do you think? If a man owns a hundred sheep, and one of them wanders away, will he not leave the ninety-nine on the hills and go to look for the one that wandered off?”
Our Creator created this world with different elements and us to hope that we will appreciate and enjoy the world that He admires and adores. Hence, it is important to enjoy every part of this world that God created for us to enjoy, including the warmth of the sun. Nonetheless, the deceivers produce endless distractions for many to overlook the most essential longing of all: love. The purpose of gathering at Stonehenge was to seek positivity and love. They were seeking love and attempting to find it through many different avenues. If anyone ever challenged me for being “hypocritical”, as a Christian standing alongside people who practise different spiritual traditions, I understand why that question may arise. However, I was (and I remain) a seeker in the same way they are. Jesus accepted me as I was, so I see no reason not to offer joy, welcome, and acceptance to others who are pursuing the same kind of search.
They are brothers and sisters in Christ through my eyes. I do not want to exclude, isolate, or discriminate against them. If some describe these practices as “hippy” traditions to burn sage or palo santo with oracle cards, wouldn’t the “most hippy element " be having the most powerful Holy Bible to witness the rebuke of darkness instantly? I believe Jesus calls people toward the light, not toward separation.
Ephesians 6:12 “For we do not wrestle against flesh and blood, but against principalities, against powers, against the rulers of the darkness of this age, against spiritual hosts of wickedness in the heavenly places.”
I have also heard accounts at the Stonehenge gathering that some misrepresented Christianity in the historical contexts to oppress many, together with their cultural practices, rather than to set them free from slavery. These stories deeply saddened me. I believe the message of the Bible is to free His people from every form of slavery. It grieves me when people exploit Christianity, distort Jesus, or twist the purpose of love to justify bondage. I believe my duty as a follower of Jesus Christ is to understand others, stand alongside them, and spread the Good News of the name of Jesus Christ, not to impose beliefs or control people’s hearts, but to invite people toward love. Ultimately, it is Jesus’s perosnal and intimate relationship with them that brings genuine transformation.
In addition, I urge the public not to be misled and deceived by forces of darkness that exploit the language of inclusion and diversity to embrace extremism and enact oppression and slavery. There is a singular type of ideology that one cannot find in the photographs and the videographs of the Stonehenge festival, which has been publicly calling for inclusion while refusing to voluntorily participate in the diverse festivals with others, but to demand acceptance from all to centralise themselves. This active inconsistency can reveal a deeper exploitation, but mock other groups of faiths while using our past to launch personal attacks agaisnt us and our faiths, as well as grasp obvious kindness and Love for one another for weaponisation to uplift extreme ideology. For instance, in 2025, that particular spiritual extremist who worships satan but did not attend the Stonehenge festival looked at me with disgust to claim I used oracle cards ( over a decade ago). satan is the accuser who refuses to forgive, but keeps us captive in our past to shame our faith in Christ through all forms of deception they themselves added in this world to enslave us before putting us all astray.
Revelation 12:10, “Then I heard a loud voice in heaven say: ‘Now have come the salvation and the power and the kingdom of our God, and the authority of his Messiah. For the accuser of our brothers and sisters, who accuses them before our God day and night, has been hurled down.”
2 Corinthians 2:11 “so that no advantage would be taken of us by Satan, for we are not ignorant of his schemes.”
Galatians 6:7, “Do not be deceived: God cannot be mocked. A man reaps what he sows.”
2 Storm Troopers question people at the Doncaster Classic Car Show at The Deaf School.
A nice touch to add variety to a day out and warmly welcomed by young and old. Many photos and selfies were taken!
Two police officers were questioning a man at the Narita Airport. One officer was looking at the passport of the man page by page. I wondered how police officers choose who to question. There were people who looked much stranger or suspicious than him. 成田空港の出発ロビーで職質されている人。警官がパスポートをまじまじと見ていた。警官はどうやって職質をする人を選んでいるんだろう。